"I did not want him to die, but this... brutal thing... the-the half-fiend seemed so scarily menacing... and yet it died so easily..."
Kast shrugs, offering what meager comfort that might offer. ”They attacked us, and, what’s more, it’s clear they were hiding a necromancer and zombies here. We gave them ample chance to be peaceful and do the right thing, all of them.”
Kast shrugs again.
”At a certain point, we did the right thing, and they didn’t. Don’t worry about it. But that doesn’t mean we’re done here. We still need to tend to the people and make sure they are safe, let alone tracking back to the rest of the other ghoul sightings. We got work to do. Let’s focus on that.”
Kast will gather the gold and monies with the intent to putting it aside to pay for someone to care for the people herein.
Izomandakus nods to Kast "Thanks, that really comforts me, Kast. Aneka always says we all have a monster inside and shall continuously work to keep it at bay" he does again look at the claws smeared in blood, until he finally starts walking up behind Seamus.
"I do agree, we cannot take charge of whatever patients remain here" and lets Kast put aside the money.
As he makes it up, he scans the area with detect magic and tries to help Seamus determine if there is any locked door "There should be another set of stairs climbing up"
Izogoyle looks at Valena with saddened eyes "I feel confused. There was Gryast kill. There was also the slaughtering of Nualia's people while they were unconscious and defenseless. But you get angry at me for killing a half-fiend that was actively trying to kill Kast. I did not want him to die, but this... brutal thing... the-the half-fiend seemed so scarily menacing... and yet it died so easily..." once more Izomandakus shrugs not knowing how to help Valena.
”I told you before that I do not like executions, but you all insisted, so do not try to throw that up to me. And half-fiend? The poor man had some fiend blood, but that hardly means anything, especially after the lesson of Nualia. He was just some average person! You think we should just go killing people because they look scary?” She shakes her head and clicks her tongue, disgusted. ”If you cannot tell the difference and why I am upset, that is on you, not me. This conversation is over.”
Absolutely done with trying to beat her head against a metaphorical brick wall, Val goes off to help Seamus. At least he still seems to have some sense. ”Good find on the patient files.” Val scans through the patient files for any information that might assist in their investigation and any evidence of malpractice on the doctor’s part.
You head upstairs to the second floor. At the top of the stairs is a sort of guard post, with a stool along the wall. The open door leads to a common area with a few chairs and a sofa for comfort. The cells (iron barred doors and heavy wooden walls) are mostly empty save for two.
In the southwestern cell is an ancient looking man, whose tenacious grip on life is matched only by his senility. In the northwest is a blind man with heavy facial scars from some sort of attack many years ago.
The two men bicker and fight with you and with each other as they hear you approach, but neither speaks sanely. It seems more that their routine is upset and so they are as well - though they couldn’t tell you what their routine is… just that it’s not.
Opening the far door, you climb another set of stairs to the third floor. The largest room is an examination room with a pair of tables for patients - complete with padded straps to hold them down if need be. A cabinet along the north wall is exceptionally well stocked with all manner of obscure and frightening looking surgical tools. Perhaps a bit more invasive than you’d expect in a Sanatorium - but they don’t look like they’ve been used much, if at all.
There’s an experiment under a primitive microscope that looks very much like pus-filled, scabby skin.
The other three chambers are higher security rooms, with reinforced walls and fully iron doors. The southeastern most door is open, and a quick peek confirms it was Grayst Sevilla’s room when he lived.
Finally, the last room, the southwest chamber holds a… well, is that a wererat? Why yes it is. It is a wererat in hybrid form, blinking through the small window in the door back at you. He rises casually from his bed and crosses to the door to peer more closely at you and seems quiet and sane.
As he moves up however, he spies Seamus’ blades in his sheathes, and he loses it. He scrabbles at the door with his claws, trying to cut through it to get at those ”…wonderful slender blades! I must have them, truly. Give them to me!” His voice becomes shrill as he begs you to give him one of your long daggers - eventually pounding on the door until you leave his sight (either by leaving the area or closing the window on the door).
You haven’t had time to read the patient notes quite yet, but I’ll get to it after you’re done searching and chatting with the wererat. I won’t forget!
Kast seems to have his own thoughts as the explores with the party.
”We’ll have to put out a Wanted posted for the necromancer,” Kast talks aloud. ”No doubt this one was very physically strong. Did we ever get a good look at him? What other features did he have?” Kast asks, wanted to commit the man to memory so he can describe him to the Sheriff.
* * *
With the wererat, Kast has little to say for the moment, trying to think of what he knows of such things.
Know (nature) - wererats
”That ain’t good. A crazed wererat?”
Wererats are lycanthropes who can change form into a large rat, or human, or its current form, hybrid. What questions do you have?
Kast shakes his head, thinking.
DR 10/silver so I'd just stand outside the cell and shoot in with a bow, or stab in with your pole arm - easy though it could take a while
'cause the gods made them
everything can be dangerous in the right setting
kill him... kill them all.... mwahahahaha!
- - -
"It was no execution, just defending ourselves" explains Izomandakus yet again "And yes, look at them, they are fiends and necromancers these ones. People kill each other because they are scared, isn't that how it works?"
Izomandakus blinks as Valena storms away "Mmmm... it seems you are acting emotional and not willing to reason with me, so ok, let's leave it here until things calm down"
The goyle-boy examines the different rooms with the group, stopping to have a look through the microscope "Aw, how do they have the stomach for these things? I mean... ok, someone has to do it but..."
"I did not see really the necromancer's face. Seamus perhaps?" asks Izomandakus while having a look at the wererat "Hey ye! What are you doing here? Can you tell us about Dr. Habe and his experiments?"
Val freezes at the “too emotional” comment. She swivels around, a too-pleasant smile on her face. She over-enunciates as she speaks, affecting a saccharine politeness. ”Izo. I will allow you the benefit of the doubt this time. But for future reference, never say a woman is ‘too emotional to be reasoned with.’ Especially when she is feeling like she is being quite reasonable.” She swivels back around and refuses to let herself hear any further comment.
As to this wererat. She scans him over with a displeased scowl. ”Leave him be. He is locked up and no threat to us. There has been enough bloodshed here today.”
Kast shares what he knows about wererats.
"Yeah, I'm not even sure what to do with the 'rat. That's out of my paygrade, I think. We have a lot of problems here, to be honest," Kast shakes his head wondering what is next.
He keeps up with the party, hoping that nothing else requires long term care.
While the party debates what to do about the wererat (who calms down eventually when Seamus’ blades are no longer visible), some (all?) of you also pour over the doctors notes on his patients. At least the wererat and Grayst for now.
The patient notes for Grayst Sevilla are thorough and well thought out if a little clinical and unsympathetic. He came here a few days ago, dreadfully sick with what seemed at first like a variety of maladies both physical and mental. You see the doctor’s exam notes - he did a thorough physical exam and talked to him at length over the last few days to try and understand his mental state.
He notes some success with his last potion of lessor restoration, which seemed to buy Grayst a couple extra days though it did nothing for his mind, which seemed quite fractured by something he experienced.
References again to the Skinsaw Man, his master presumably. He has unnatural fears of teeth and razors. The doctor suspects the fear of teeth may have something to do with the nasty bite mark he found on the victim’s shoulder.
This morning Dr. Habe starts to believe, but isn't certain, that Grayst has ghoul fever. He’s doing all he can to thwart it, but fears Grayst only has days to live as fast as the disease seems to be progressing. He anticipates Grayst will succumb to his disease on Lamashan the 17th - just two days from now, had he survived the battle with the party of course. In a note to himself off to the side, the doctor wonders if he can reach a specialist he knows in Magnimar in time.
It’s clear he was doing all he could for his patient, though he wasn’t making much headway against something so ravaging.
The patient notes on the wererat are equally thorough and far more numerous so you do a lot of skimming. Pidget Tergelson has been here for two years as near as you can tell. He had been a resident of Magnimar until a strange fascination with short swords, daggers, even long swords - any long slender blade. According to his charts, he loves to play with the blade, often cutting his fingers as he does so. Further, he’ll go to great lengths to get the blade he fancies at the moment - which ran him against the law on several occasions.
Magnimar didn’t want him, so they pay the doctor to care for him. Dr. Habe gets a very small stipend from one of the magistrates of Magnimar to care for the rat. According to Dr. Habe’s notes, he hasn’t yet figured out why Pidgit is so fascinated by blades. Though it isn’t required by his agreement with Magnimar, he is trying to heal the poor creature.
It takes you a good half hour, maybe a bit longer, to get this information from the doctors hard to read script. It’s now around 5:30pm. Sunset is at 6:16pm today (Lamashan 15, 4707) and it’s about an hours ride back to Sandpoint. More like two hours if some of you are walking (not sure what you’re planning to do with the Doctor and his aid as yet).
As the sun grows low in the sky, what is your plan?
"Why are you gathering their money? Your going to Hamberger them right?"
"Of course. It's not our money. It's money for the care of those here."
* * *
Kast finalizes his accounting of the patients, and of Dr. Habe's notes. He's still trying to make up his mind on the best approach.
"I think...I think I'll stay behind and tend to people here, and maybe one or two of you will return to Sandpoint proper to see what the Sheriff advises. Or vice versa. I don't think we can leave the people here alone, and we'll need some caretakers, if any can be found."
Kast looks at Izo, Seamus, then Val/Meg.
"Yeah, I'll stay the night here doing the best I can to tend for those here, but yeah, it's gunna be a long night of work."
"Why? Hamberder the doctor and orderly and leave them in charge."
Kast looks down at the pair.
"They were both harboring a necromancer within their walls. They attacked us to hide that fact...and, not to mention, we may have killed that one's brother. I'm not sure waking them up and leaving them in charge is the best idea. It seems the Doctor was doing his best to heal some of his charges...but do we overlook the basement? Have you seen the zombies down there?"
Kast doesn't know if there a good solution, but thinks the Mayor or Sheriff might offer one.
"And I'm happy to go make the report, but only if others stay here to tend for these people. That's what I think."
Val throws up her hands as Seamus looks to her, just glad to for the chance to move on. "That sounds fine, Kast. You can find me at Cracktooth's, too. I feel like I should be inebriated by now, so I have some catching up to do."
While reading the profuse writing of the doctor, Izomandakus becomes his previous form once more "This is exceptional work. Dr. Habe really is the meticulous one. I do not understand why did he not share with us he suspected the patient was with ghoul fever. It would have avoided so much trouble..."
As plans are laid out Izomandakus gaps at Seamus words "'your mess' Seamus? It seems to me we put this place all upside down together. This is our mess and we should face it together"
"At the very least I plea you to stay here for the night. There is a serial killer somewhere, we have a escaped necromancer and a potential ghoul assault around. We do not want to split. We must come to common ground to keep together" they boy casts a look at the papers and adds the necromancer map on top of it "Let's wait for the morning, we need to sort things out. I am sorry Kast but Seamus is right on that we need to find the murderer, which means the Dr. will have to take care of the sanitarium, we like him or not, because we have to move on and search all these other places marked in the map"
"So let's rest, cool down, heal the Dr and hope for the best, maybe he even has an idea where the necromancer left with your horse. He is not going to like us, but I do not think he will leave the Sanitarium aside, this is his life work and responsibility"
Kast shakes his head, but listens to Izo’s words.
”Why don’t we wake up the Doctor, and now that we have his notes, ask him about the basement. See if he knows what was down there. The zombies no less. Ask him why he attacked. Get these answers and we’ll be better able to decide if he should be put back in charge here.”
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The laws are pretty loose out here - two days ride from Magnimar. Technically, Magnimarian law rules the land, but in practice, it is the local sheriff who typically decides who is in the wrong when you leave the city. The country sheriffs are, mostly, elected, though some get appointed from Magnimar as well.
Sheriff Hemlock was elected by the citizens of Sandpoint, and affirmed by Magnimar, after he solved the murder of the prior sheriff and has been the sheriff for several years now. He is generally well respected and no one has challenged him politically since his appointment.
You were given a letter of introduction from the sheriff, and are in fact agents of the sheriff. Do you have the ‘right’ to search the Sanatorium? Depends on who you ask. Ask the townspeople of Sandpoint, and they'd say damn well you do. Ask a magistrate in Magnimar, and it gets a bit murkier and you’re not sure.
Pretty much out here it boils down to what the sheriff says is OK is OK. Don’t like it? Remove the sheriff or take your case to one of the 13 Justices in Magnimar. In rare circumstances the whole panel of Justices will hear a case - if it’s a significant issue or personage.
As it seems like the party is still discussing options, let me know your plans, but I wanted to give you this information in case it helps.
Val rolls her eyes at Izo claiming it was “their” mess, but she says nothing. She shrugs at Kast’s suggestion but nods in affirmation. ”We can question him now. Hopefully he will be more conducive to reasoning now that we have uncovered his secret.”
"I am fine with it. But, can you wake him just now Kast?" the boy kneels in front of the disgraced doctor and raises up his arm to see if it offers any resistance.
When the hand just drops he sentences "I am not sure he will be recovered tomorrow if we do not do some miracles for him"
"I am interested to know what he has learned about this ghoul disease"
"I am trying for us to work together but you seem only interested to call me guilty of something that I did not start neither expected to happen, and definitely not wanted to happen" Izomandakus looks calmly at Seamus eyes "Where is that grudge coming from? We were involved in a fight I tried not to start. Do you think I wanted the patient or the half-fiend dead? People fights. People dies. We have done it before. We will do it again"
"Now, let's focus on what we can do forward" the boy raises the doctor and puts him towards Kast "Let's heal him and ask him about the necromancer and the ghouls' map"
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Kast nods with some of Izo's words.
"I think we can all agree that we didn't want to kill them. And we can agree that we tried our best to avoid a fight. But it's a fight. And you attack the law at your own peril. We did our best. We weren't perfect, but we tried our best. Next time, we'll do better," Kast offers his own thoughts. He's not happy about the dead guard, but also, it's lucky there aren't more dead.
Kast heals the Doctor using the wand of CLW.
CLW
"Let's find out what he knows."
Doctor Habe sputters awake at the touch of the cure light wounds wand. His wounds mostly heal, aside from a small bruise on his shoulder (healed to -1 non lethal so he'll be fine in an hour or so). He opens his eyes and looks up at all of you. He immediately recoils in fear. ”Please don’t hurt me. I won’t say anything. You were never here. I promise!” he says breathlessly promising to keep silent.
Val leans against the wall while she looks down at the doctor. ”We really are here from the sheriff, you know. We will be reporting everything we found here, including the necromancer in the basement. Not a good look when there is an undead serial killer on the loose. Cooperation will make this all go much more smoothly. Give us your side of the story.”
”I told you already. We’re not here to rob or hurt you, but find out about the ghouls attacking Sandpoint. And why didn’t you mention that you knew Grayst had ghoul fever? Or about what was in your basement?” Kast tries not to hover over the man.
”Tell us about the man in the basement and what you know of the ghouls. We’re trying to help you out here.”
Diplomacy
Izomandakus takes Seamus words and has a long talk with him trying to sort out what happened and easing up feelings while the doctor awakes under Kast's cares.
"We need to find out the source of the ghoul fever. The one Kast tells you about... he had this map on his basement" the boy shows it up for the doctor to observe "Where did this ghoul disease started? Since when do you know about?"
He looks incredulously at Valena, but Kast tries to put him at his ease. He doesn’t relax, exactly, but his fear of you abates, but only slightly for he is still very much at your mercy or at least feels that he is.
”…We will be reporting everything we found here, including the necromancer in the basement. Not a good look when there is an undead serial killer on the loose. Cooperation will make this all go much more smoothly. Give us your side of the story.”
He panics even further, ”I’m ruined! You’ve ruined me! No one is going to care about my side of the story, or that of a few kooks. The insane aren’t cared for, or about.” he shakes his head and begins weeping slightly.
”I told you already. We’re not here to rob or hurt you, but find out about the ghouls attacking Sandpoint. And why didn’t you mention that you knew Grayst had ghoul fever? Or about what was in your basement?” Kast tries not to hover over the man.
He rubs his shoulder, ”You’re not here to hurt or rob me? Your actions say otherwise.” he risks a grouse, before continuing, ”I know nothing about ghouls attacking Sandpoint, why would I? I haven’t been in Sandpoint in months. Gortus and Gurnak got supplies while I worked.” He sniffles and thinks a while, clearly worrying about his ruin. ”Oh, I don’t know for sure that Grayst had ghoul fever. I’ve never seen it before, but it did seem to fit. He has… had, an underlying mental condition too, but I hadn’t pinned that down either.”
He blurts out, ”Yeah, considering you nearly killed me for no good reason, and did god knows what to my orderlies, I’m sure it would have been a good idea to tell you of Caizarlu.”
”Tell us about the man in the basement and what you know of the ghouls. We’re trying to help you out here.”
He laughs despite himself and it nearly brings fresh tears, ”You’re trying to help me? You’ve killed my patient, beaten me unconscious, and are planning to… have already really… ruined my business, such as it was. I don’t think you’re here to help me in any way.” he looks sullen and sad.
”I know nothing of ghouls. I’ve never seen one. Caizarlu, did you kill him too?” he asks quietly, clearly curious, but also somehow not wanting to know the answer, ”…was a quiet man who kept to himself. We had a mutually beneficial financial arrangement - not illegal mind you - that’s all. I didn’t go into his rooms and he didn’t go into mine. I’m too busy with my patients and running this beleaguered place, such as it is, to worry about what my neighbors do.” He seems about to say more, but keeps it to himself.
"We need to find out the source of the ghoul fever. The one Kast tells you about... he had this map on his basement" the boy shows it up for the doctor to observe "Where did this ghoul disease started? Since when do you know about?"
”Well, I don’t know for sure that Grayst had ghoul fever, but if he did…” the doctor thinks a moment, ”There was a bite mark on his shoulder. It looked almost self inflicted - it was at that angle and low on the shoulder you see. When he came to me, he had done some self-inflicted damage already, so I thought it was more of the same. Something could have infected him that way I suppose. But who bit him?” He shrugs, having no idea of course.
Val sighs, but with slightly less annoyance this time. At least he is talking. She was also prepared for the insults and condescension this time. ”We did not kill your necromancer friend. He escaped after we found a collection of zombies and chopped up bodies in the basement.” She begins softly pacing in front of him, tapping her cheek as she muses out loud to the doctor. ”You could theoretically not be ruined. The necromancer will almost certainly take the blame. He manipulated you in a place of weakness, after all. Your intentions were good. I saw your notes. You actually are trying to help people and seem to know something about what you are doing.” She shakes her head. She really bloody hopes the doctor gets what she is suggesting.
She is suggesting the doctor sell out the necromancer and pin everything on him[/dice]
”Tsk, such a complex situation. I feel bad for you now. Really, I do. You help us catch this necromancer, and I do not see why you should have any blame. There are other, more respectable ways to get money to run a place like this. You just need to know the right people to talk to.” She throws him a demure smile. ”And be willing to swallow your pride a little. I may know some names. Perfectly legal and respectable ones, too. They would want to sign off on your methods, but if your work speaks for itself, that should not be a problem. They would also not shack up in your basement. But for me to help you, you will need to help me.” The doctor sees everything as a stick and needs a clear carrot to motivate him. The offer is even honest. It would not be the first time Sapphira has helped clean up one of her messes.
Izomandakus raises an eyebrow and looks at Habe waiting for his answers to Valena. If he does not seem cooperative he helps with a slight menace "Where might Caizarlu have gone? If he commits a crime you will be in trouble, so better you help us find him before things get worse"
"The only way you can continue with the Sanitarium here is helping here now"
And towards the group, he adds "We will have to start considering visiting these places marked in the map"
”Yeah,” Kast says, trying to back up the follow up questions from Val/Meg and Izo.
”No matter what you say, or what you thought, we were here trying to help,” he offers, trying to ease things along.
Diplo to aid Meg/Val
”You could theoretically not be ruined. The necromancer will almost certainly take the blame. He manipulated you in a place of weakness, after all. Your intentions were good. I saw your notes. You actually are trying to help people and seem to know something about what you are doing.” She shakes her head. She really bloody hopes the doctor gets what she is suggesting.
”Tsk, such a complex situation. I feel bad for you now. Really, I do. You help us catch this necromancer, and I do not see why you should have any blame. There are other, more respectable ways to get money to run a place like this. You just need to know the right people to talk to.” She throws him a demure smile. ”And be willing to swallow your pride a little. I may know some names. Perfectly legal and respectable ones, too. They would want to sign off on your methods, but if your work speaks for itself, that should not be a problem. They would also not shack up in your basement. But for me to help you, you will need to help me.” The doctor sees everything as a stick and needs a clear carrot to motivate him. The offer is even honest. It would not be the first time Sapphira has helped clean up one of her messes.
”So you, the law suggest I give up my principles, and lie. Even further, I should backstab the one person who supported my work, because now you are going to save me. Sorry, but I don't need that kind of partnership.” He shakes his head frowning and adds nothing though he does think a while.
Izomandakus raises an eyebrow and looks at Habe waiting for his answers to Valena. If he does not seem cooperative he helps with a slight menace "Where might Caizarlu have gone? If he commits a crime you will be in trouble, so better you help us find him before things get worse"
"The only way you can continue with the Sanitarium here is helping here now"
And towards the group, he adds "We will have to start considering visiting these places marked in the map"
”So now you’ll make me responsible for all the crimes? Next you’ll blame me for your murder of my patient. This Sanatorium is finished… I’ll have to try Kaer Maga I guess. If I can get someone to buy this building...” he sighs sadly wondering how he’ll start over. ”And no, I don’t know Caizarlu well. I don’t know where he’ll go.”
He adds, more to Valena than Izomandakus, "I've told you all I know, now give me my things and let me go."
”I’m trying to give you a chance, Dr. Habe. But I don’t think you’re sane. I’m beginning to think you’re as wacky as that rat upstairs. I understand you’re angry, but you could have handled things very differently.” Kast steps back and shakes his head.
”I think I’ll stay. We’ll let the Sheriff and/or the Mayor decide what to do. I’ll tend to the people here tonight, and hope we can get a solution for them. This doctor, this doctor isn’t right.”
Kast is happy to send the Doctor and guard back to Sandpoint, with the gold found and let the Sheriff decide what to do.
"Kaer Maga... is there perhaps where the necromancer will go?" poses Izomandakus as a last attempt to get something from the doctor.
The boy nods to Kast "I see the problem, we cannot just leave the patients here be" then turns to the doctor once more "What are you going to do about your remaining patients, they need you, you cannot just leave to Kaer Maga and leave them alone"
Val puffs up, vindicated by Kast also reaching the end of his rope with the doctor. If even the notoriously level-headed Kast is frustrated to this level, this doctor must truly be just as much of a shit as feels.
”Ask you to lie, Doctor? Why, I never!”
”If that is how you want this to go, doctor, I shall have to agree with Kast.”
She motions for the others to huddle close together. ”I say Kast does as he suggested and stay behind to watch the doctor while we get the sheriff. I have an idea for how to make sure the patients are cared for long-term. To be discussed elsewhere.”
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The party leaves Dr. Habe in charge of his remaining patients for now, including his wounded orderly (or do you heal him before leaving?), and rides to Sandpoint. It’s well after dark when you arrive, and the tantalizing smells from the ‘Dragon waft out to greet you.
But business first. You head to the Sandpoint Garrison, and find the sheriff still mucking about with paperwork though he’s soon to leave for the day. He greets you, notes your somber faces, and welcomes you in, ”So what have you learned?”
. . .
The Sheriff listens to your report, and shrugs frowning, ”Necromancers. And we’ve got a ghoul or some such wandering around infecting others. I bet they’re related. I mean, they must be, right?”
He frowns further, ”I dunno what to do about Dr. Habe. Let him go I guess, hope he’s learned his lesson. I’ll talk to him.” he rubs his neck, thinking, ”I bet the mayor will be pissed. She really liked having our own Sanatorium out here to care for those in need - even if it wasn’t used much.”
”You go check out the south farms, and see what you can discover of these ghoul sightings on the map.”
”Oh, by the way, the Misgivings is what some call Foxglove Manor. Place is filled with bad luck for that family, and the servants who worked there. Dunno why Lord Foxglove is trying to revitalize the place, but to each his own. When you’re done with the south farms, check on the lord won’t you? Might be he’s in some danger. Again.” He shrugs, clearly not too concerned about the young noble, but wanting to do his duty.
”Get some sleep and check out the farms tomorrow, and I’ll head over then as well and take care of the doctor.”
It’s around 8:00pm by the time you’re done with the Sheriff.
Val breathes a tad easier with the sheriff’s measured reaction. ”I truly appreciate your understanding. Dealing with the doctor took a year off my life at least. More so than that entire deal at Thistletop even, I think.”
She pauses, shrugging her mouth to the side while she looks off up to the right, tapping her finger against her cheek. She wants the appearance of musing over an idea she just had before finally daring to speak it. ”If I may, Sheriff, I have a suggestion that might help blunt the blow. It may be a longshot, but I believe the mayor has a cousin in Magnimar who invests heavily in charities devoted to rehabilitation and restorative justice. I have seen the name in the papers. Sapphira Deverin, I believe? Perhaps she could be convinced to invest in the facility. Someone like that may have connections with the specialists in that field. Considering the doctor’s clear mismanagement, ”
She blinks at the mention of a Foxglove. Does she know a Lord Foxglove? She remembers a gorgeous Zeeva Foxglove from Korvosa. And a sister named...Svengali? No, Sendeli! But a Lord Foxglove? The sheriff seems to be suggesting that it is someone they have met as a group. Has she even met any nobles since she came out here? Her mouth drops and she claps the side of her head. ”Ohhhh! Adelbert! The Foxglove boy. Mister boar hunter.” Her brain starts rapidly making associations, trying to account for this new info. She freezes. ”Wait...Albert was rather...fond of Kizzy, was he not?” All the playfulness drops from her voice as she looks to the others for confirmation that she is remembering correctly.
She pauses, shrugging her mouth to the side while she looks off up to the right, tapping her finger against her cheek. She wants the appearance of musing over an idea she just had before finally daring to speak it. ”If I may, Sheriff, I have a suggestion that might help blunt the blow. It may be a longshot, but I believe the mayor has a cousin in Magnimar who invests heavily in charities devoted to rehabilitation and restorative justice. I have seen the name in the papers. Sapphira Deverin, I believe? Perhaps she could be convinced to invest in the facility. Someone like that may have connections with the specialists in that field. Considering the doctor’s clear mismanagement, ”
The Sheriff listens to Valena and smiles, ”Yes, that will help. Do you know this Miss Deverin?” he asks casually.
Kast reports honestly, and even remarks "We did the best we could, but it wasn't perfect. We can do better. It was a tough situation." He's clearly bothered by not doing it better, but also knows they were doing their best...and now all they can do is own it, and try to do better next time.
"But yeah...necromancers and zombies. Leads for the ghouls," Kast sums up. "And yeah, we'll get to the outer farms tomorrow to pursue more leads."
"It's been a long day, and I could use some food. This...this is harder than just doing a patrol, you know, Sheriff?" Kast asks with some resignation in his voice. "It isn't so simple."
Kast will have more after the party finishes with Sheriff.
The Sheriff listens to Valena and smiles, ”Yes, that will help. Do you know this Miss Deverin?” he asks casually.
”Who? Oh, the cousin?” Val touches her lips without intending to, thinking about the last time she was with Sapphira. How much she wishes she was here now. ”Never met her.”
Her natural instincts for dissembly and muscle memory must have done most of the work, as she was definitely not putting her heart into that lie.
Once the group is outside, she steps in front of the others and claps once, letting them know A Decision Has Been Made. ”Days like today call for a night of drinking our troubles away in a dark corner while being miserable depressive shits. Get it out now and start tomorrow with a hangover so heavy that we cannot think of anything but ‘ow.’ Who is with me?” She glances to Kast. ”Even if you do not want to drink, you could be the designated sober. Would love it if everyone got in on it.”
"I also thought being a detective and maintaining peace around would be an easier business. You and Kast have my admiration more than ever now" Izomandakus nods as the report is given. Pachemu nods energetically herself.
The boy raises an eyebrow as the Sheriff explains what the Missgivings mean "That house, Aneka used to torment my imagination with it. Is it that grave what happened there Sheriff Hemlock? In fact... what is the true story of what happened in that house?"
The boy smiles impressed by Valena's move about Sapphira and the Sanitarium "Oh yeah Sheriff, that looks like a good idea"
As they make it out of the barracks, Izomandakus nods to Valena "I am in. We definitely need that drink before sleeping and checking those farms"
Pachemu oinks excitedly "Oiiiiiink!"
"Hahaha, yes and some mashed potatoes with acorns" the boy laughs.
”Even if you do not want to drink, you could be the designated sober.”
Kast smiles his boyish smile. ”Oh, I’ll have a drink. But just one. We have more work to do tomorrow.” He offers an agreeable eyebrow to Seamus. ”But drink isn’t the solution to us doing better next time. It’s practice, then more practice, because that’s how you improve.” That’s a truth.
Kast doesn’t mind going to Risa’s, but is just fine going back to the Dragon for food again as a group. ’Yeah, lead on and let’s get food done quick, I have a report to write up.”