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Faliana takes a good look at the group of people being questioned not sure how much value interrogating them would bring, especially in public in front of a monument.
She shakes her head as she realizes that Kahwen has moved in and is making a claim to help the investigations. She steps up behind the tengu adding in Varisian. "Think of us as aides, additional hands, ears and mouths that can augment your skills and help you get to the bottom of this faster. For example, you weren't planning on interrogating 5 different people alone were you? I don't doubt you're a excellent investigator, but you'd need near superhuman levels of awareness to not miss some small minutiae that may indicate someone is lying. Let us help, we care little for the credit, and all for making sure this is resolved quickly and safely."
When Kawhen produces the document, Theodorus looks it over and then huffs, "Well then, I suppose I should fill you in, if we are to work together."
He informs them of the general timetable of the hauntings—first, the Mistress of Angels 2 weeks ago, followed by the Founder’s Flame last week and the Cenotaph 4 days ago.
Faliana continues to impress the investigator and he agrees the Pathfinders can be involved in questioning the witnesses. He also quietly reveals that he has seen signs of vampire attacks in the area over the last few days: bloodless bodies turning up with characteristic puncture wounds on the neck. He believes that these attacks are connected to the disturbances at the monuments. He also believes that vampires play a larger role in the plot to use the monuments. He asserts that some citizens are actively impeding his investigation, whether because they are under the vampire’s influence or because they simply don’t respect the concept of law and order (a stereotype typically attributed to ethnic Varisians). After sharing this information, he asks the team to keep his statements about vampires secret from the public to avoid inciting panic.
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Inghinn steps in and immediately pulls aside one of the witnesses, sitting him down near the front of Olianna's townhouse. She speaks gently to the man to let him know he is in no danger, and that the group just wants to hear about what he might have seen.
...a young Varisian man who looks close to tears...
The Pathfinders focus their attention first on the young man with curly brown hair, carrying two armfuls of heavy groceries, and looking close to tears.
Inghinn steps forward and gestures for him to move away from the others and take a seat, speaking quietly as she does to reassure him. Upon being asked, the young man identifies himself as Kysu Xitan and quietly sobs, "I should never have moved to the city." He looks around at the step indicated as a seat but continues to stand there awkwardly, shifting his weight from foot to foot and occasionally readjusting the bags of groceries.
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Kit abandons her ruse and saunters up to the group and the man they are questioning.
Kysu initially startled when Kit approaches and speaks, sighs in great relief when he absorbs her words. He is clearly most grateful when Kahwen temporarily relieves him of his physical burden and sinks slowly to the step previously indicated.
To Inghinn he replies, "I don't think we have time for my story just now, nor is this a conducive environment. If you want to meet later then I would be happy to discuss how I came to be here."
As the team further engages him he goes on to share some additional relevant information.
• Kysu noticed a group of cloaked individuals chasing what looked like a blue-skinned human with magnificent butterfly wings through the streets. Kysu confesses that he quickly hid in a nearby alley when he realized what was going on.
• Kysu speaks Celestial, and he distinctly remembers the winged man calling out for Ordellia Whilwren in Celestial as he fled through the streets, though Kysu is unsure what business a butterfly man would have with the town’s ghostly guardian.
• Kysu realizes that he recognizes the butterfly man’s appearance, having seen a tapestry that depicts three people who look like him dancing in a swamp along a riverbank.
After they realise that is all Kysu is able to share at this time, the Pathfinders help him rebalance his groceries and head on his way.
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Faliana nods at her 'grandmama's' suggestion and approaches the dancer woman before realizing that the rest of the group has moved up to the young man on the verge of tears. She pauses for a second watching them work and thinking about getting involved but ultimately has little she can do to help.
She instead turns to the dancer next to her and asks, "You seem dressed to give a proper performance! So what styles do you tend to dance? Have you seen anything unusual around here during your dances?"
The middle-aged Varisian woman responds to Faliana.
"I teach classic Varisian folk dances and traditional Chelaxian waltzes. It's just a small school connected the Rose and Rake. Of course, if that rude man keeps us much longer I will be late and that isn't good for business. He has some very biased opinions given the focus of his questions."
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Faliana smiles to hear someone teaching about the basics of dance in the city. "It's a pleasure to meet a teacher of the fine art of dancing. We'll try to keep this brief, there's little point in deliberately antagonizing witnesses. Here, I'm sure we could put on a short performance while you tell us about what you've seen recently. Kit over there is also a great dancer (despite the finger puppets)."
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"We're sorry to take up your time. We are hoping to move this investigation along quickly, and as you can see, we accept people of all stripes. So please, what can you tell us about what you've seen around here lately?"
Meanwhile, in the back of her mind, she tries to think if she's heard of any blue-skinned, butterfly-winged extraplanar creatures.
"We're going to be taking over the investigation from him soon enough. Just suffer through for now and then you won't have to deal with him any more," Kahwen whispers to the woman.
During the brief conversation that ensues, the woman is identified as Ysander Glitterwing, a classically trained dancer. On stage,Ysandre's personal style is a blend of Ashavic and Desnan religious dances. She is best known for her silver-trimmed butterfly wing cloak, from which she derived her stage name Glitterwing. Also,
• Ysandre recalls that after her last performance at the Rose and Rake, she spotted a group in dark cloaks headed west away from the Mistress of Angels. There was a faint smell of decay in the air as they passed, like rotting vegetation. Out of curiosity, she inspected the area, only to find it marred with some sort of strange graffiti that reminded her of the Thassilonian runes that have been appearing in museums over the past decade. She admits that she has no genuine experience with Thassilonian lore, however.
• Ysandre noted that whatever the runes did, they seemed to have reversed the monument’s blessings. Instead of invigorating the heart, they now seem to fill it with doubt and indecision.
• Last night, Ysandre saw the ghostly visage of Ordellia Whilwren appear before her at her namesake theatre. The ghost is an uncommon sight around the city, but Ysandre notes that she seemed distant, terrified, and desperate for help. Ordellia left abruptly without saying anything – an unusual occurrence.
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Kit is fond of romance, but can't stand boredom and has compassion on the man. Approaching him she asks, "So, shall we make this quick? Tell us what you have seen going on. Particularly with the three vandalized monuments. It is every citizen's civic duty to protected them, you know."
She pitches her voice to make an impression of gravitas and seriousness warranting his best efforts.
Also, a little check on veracity, looking for anything odd in his voice when he responds.
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Faliana worries some over the runes that might be reversing the boons of the monuments. That would be terrible if true, and something that the group should stop. She stops pondering and follows Kit as the bard decides to go for the bored man, leaving the couple to be a couple. She pauses next to the woman and tries a different tactic, "I could also try putting on an interesting performance if you're interested. I can do an Amazing impersonation of a gnome if you want."
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Kahwen is curious about all the revelations they're getting. He hasn't gotten the pieces all together yet but figures that if they get a few more pieces he might be able to do so. And some time, too. There's a lot of facts coming at them, right now.
He does wonder if they can just reverse some of the problems by erasing some of these runes.
He would have picked the women to talk to. Usually people who are bored in situations like this are a bit too full of their own importance to be enjoyable people.
But Kitoro and Faliana are both better at this sort of investigation than he is so he assumes they have a plan.
When Kitoro approaches the Chelaxian male she notes some signs of clay and stone dust, particularly around and under his nails. He is clearly grumpy and tired. "This is uncalled for, I just want to go home. It's already been a long, hard night at work."
Reluctantly the man, who establishes his name as Havaroc Tharvius, begins to share what he knows:
• Havaroc works an overnight shift at the Golemworks twice a week, so he was on his way to work when he happened past the crime. He recalls seeing strange people wearing heavy cloaks and some sort of glowing necklaces.
• Havaroc called out to the shady group, asking them what they were doing loitering in a place like the Ordellia’s Townhouse. Someone—he presumes their leader— responded angrily, speaking Common but with an accent Havaroc wasn’t familiar with.
With Inghinn, Elado, and Kahwen backing them up in a very intimidating fashion, Havaroc confesses to Kitoro and Faliana while Matrialda looks on, knitting needles quietly clacking.
• Havaroc recalls the group’s leader saying that they needed to find someone named “Looney Vire.”
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When they approach the remaining couple the discover Eylvian and Vonysa are newlyweds from Kaer Maga who are spending a month-long honeymoon in Magnimar. Eylvian is Chelaxian, with dark hair and eyes and pale skin, while Vonysa is a Varisian woman with curly raven hair, brown skin, and dichromatic eyes. They wear matching silver-and-pearl wedding rings.
On their initial arrival, the Pathfinders had observed Eylvian grasped Vonysa’s hand tightly during their interview with the inspector, gesticulating wildly with her free hand as she combated the inspector’s rudeness with barbs of her own. Vonysa was content to stand in place and listen, quiet as the dead.
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After speaking with Havaroc, Inghinn pulls one of her team members aside, "I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like any name I've heard before. I imagine he misheard whatever this leader was talking about."
Moving on to the newlyweds, Inghinn slips back into her gentler mode of speech, "So sorry to keep the two of you from your celebrations any longer, but if you could tell us anything you know about what's been going on, we'll be glad to let you go on with your day."
The couple is slow to warm up to the strangers that approach them but seem to respond to the Pathfinders better than to the inspector.
Eylvian starts to respond to Inghinn's apology though her tone is still somewhat snappish as she responds to Kit. Vonysa visibly awakens slightly and almost smiles at Kahwen's antics.
• Eylvian informs the Pathfinders that they were on their way home from a theatre performance staged by a local dancer when they decided to ask for a blessing at the Mistress of Angels on their way back to the inn. They saw a group of shady individuals in black garb gathering around the monument.
• To the Ameluris, it appeared as if these people were drawing something in chalk around the monument. They wanted to avoid trouble, so they moved quickly and pretended to see nothing.
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Not liking the waspish woman's response at all, she pours on the charm and starts telling lies like a used cart salesman making a connection so she can make a sale.
"Oh do tell about your honeymoon!"
Whatever their response is Kit will gush about it and how her honeymoon was sooo similar. If one of them has 6 brothers and sisters, why, so does she! How remarkable! She has no ring, but where she comes from they don't use such things. Before long they will be thinking that Kit is a kindred spirit.
Kit soon has both women purring along, describing their nuptials and their honeymoon plans and how this has been a setback but they are sure they can enjoy the rest of it once they are released. In the process:
• Vonysa describes the appearance of some sort of unholy symbol around each of the cultist’s necks—an image of a faintly glowing skull.
Theodorus, who has been "supervising" the Pathfinders as they question the witnesses, was initially sceptical and made snide comments about some of the techniques used and questions asked. He as grown quieter as the team's successes stack up and the witness respond in such a favourable manner. As the last of the witnesses are released, Theodorus is caught with a concerned look on his face.
Davorge pokes his head out from the other side of the monument. "I think you should take a close look at this," he calls quietly.
THE MISTRESS OF ANGELS
Depicting the Magnimarian founder Ordellia Whilwren, this monument stands in testament to the welcoming, accepting spirit of Magnimar and its citizens.
The Mistress of Angels is a marble statue of a Chelaxian woman with flowing hair and plain clothing. The statue carries a butterfly emblem in her right hand and a starknife in her left, and her eyes stare out over the sea to the north.
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"Might I ask, Davorge, whether there are any swampy areas near by along a river? Particularly in that direction?"
Kit points west as indicated by Ysandre.
"And Kysu mentioned a tapestry with the winged man and a swamp. Would you happen to know where we might find it, or anything else you might know about it for that matter?"
Kit really has no knowledge of things like history, religion, arcane, or anything else so impractical, so she will sit out the examination of the statue other than to give it a look over for strange runes or anything odd she can point out to those that do.
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Faliana steps up to the statue and peers at it, trying to recall what it looked like in her childhood and any major changes that might have happened to is since then. "My mother and father used to pray here every time our troupe came through town. Now if I could only remember what it looked like then... It's been a while."
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Kahwen is glad that the interviews are over and those poor people can go about their days. He's not sure what all of what they told him means, though.
So, he's glad when there's something more tangible to look at.
He blinks, cocks his head and turns it this way and that, getting first one eye on the statue, then the other as Davorge takes them to the side.
As Davorge points to a few things the team takes a closer look and each member applies their diverse knowledge to discover:
• A strange, chalky substance coats the ground around the monument even after several weeks. Markings resembling runes are scrawled upon the ground.
• The butterfly emblem in the statue’s hand is a holy symbol of Desna. However, in place of the typical images of stars within the symbol’s wings, there are leering skulls.
• A spot of dried blood is splashed on the side of the monument, indicating that something violent occurred here recently. Based on the blood’s location, it stands to reason that there was once more blood here, but it was cleaned up in a hurry.
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As the team wrap up their own investigations and discuss what they found, Davorge suggests a ritual to purge the corruption at the Mistress of Angels and summon Ordellia Whilwren. ”I will need your assistance though. It will require us to work together to overcome the evil corrupting this place.”
Once the Pathfinders are ready, Davorge takes out a symbol of a woman dancing in front of a moon and places it around his neck.
Davorge begins the ritual by drawing a circle on the ground and spreading blue flower petals across the circle. Then he stands in the center and begins to sing an old Desnan lullaby while dancing.
The Pathfinders dutifully attempt their assigned roles in the ritual.
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Matrialda tuts at the thought of dancing - at her age! - as she watches the proceedings with interest. Every so often she tuts again and tries to tug a bit of errant magic back into place as the young folks gyrate their hips wildly. Not a proper waltz at all. There's no pattern or anything - just this wild flailing about. Must be a new craze, like the gavotte was back in the day. I remember Aunt Gertrude nearly fainted the first time she saw it...
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Although quite nimble and deft, Kahwen has no skill in dancing. He's also not much for more esoteric knowledge. For that matter, he's not that good at convincing people of his point of view.
He follows along good naturedly, though doing his best to match the complex steps.
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Kit defaults back to contemporary dance style, stretching out her hands to the statue and to the heavens, sprialling around the statue and gracing it with longing caresses, opening her mouth as if to speak and cocking her head as if to listen.
Some of the moves are quite acrobatic and amazingly flexible. It's quite obvious she could make a living doing this if she wanted to.
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Faliana steps up behind Matrialda. "Come on, Grandmama, Let's try a dance that you can definitely do at your age. Does a waltz work for you? Or do you want to learn the century old traditional belly dance of Maginar?" The middle-aged woman then tries to lead the older woman through a series of easy yet elegant moves, certainly befitting her age and sensibilities.
While Kahwen struggles, the rest of the Pathfinders manage to assist with the ritual.
The blue petals rise into the air and clump together in groups of four, creating the likeness of a dozen butterflies that flit about before resting on the ground in calm silence. Moments later, a spectral visage of a Chelaxian woman with black hair and plain clothes appears in a nearby alleyway, clutching a silver butterfly in one hand and a starknife in the other. She stares off into the distance, terrified, and mutters a single word: “Help!” slide 6
As Davorge and the Pathfinders approach, it is clear that Ordellia’s ghost is struggling. She manages a few more words and then seems incapable of further speech.
“Monument corruption siphoning my essence. Cannot manifest properly. Please, sanctify the Cenotaph and the Founder’s Flame. You must hurry. A life depends on your haste!”
Davorge states he will stay by Ordellia and do what he can to calm her spirit and gain a better understanding of the situation. ”Now you have helped me successfully sanctify this location, I am sure you will be able to do the same for the others. That may be the key to alleviating Ordellia’s suffering. Please, return when you have done what you can to address the situation at the other monuments.”
”Before you go, you may spend some time to offer a dance or a prayer at this monument and hope for a blessing.”