Orin does his best to look over the robe, but is unable to discern any more from his spell.
"It seems like it was magical at one time, but the auras are fading. If we are done here, it may be wise to get this to someone more skilled in the arcane arts quickly, to look it over before the aura fades completely." Orin says.
"We don't know what we wanted to find out, but I think it's time to go tell the Sheriff what we've found."
To the sheriff.
After quickly thinking over the limited options, Orin settles on Turandarock Academy. "I think master Gandethus will be our best bet." He says, rolling up the cloak and heading out.
As the group heads out Diego takes his place while keeping up with everyone.
Nico hasn't the slightest idea who' best to see about magic, so she's along for the ride. On the walk she does have a questionshe simply must ask though.
"Jaymin, what about you wedding? Are you still having it today?"
Jaymin shrugs. ”I don’t imagine. Even if all the goblins are gone and the danger’s over, nobody’s going to be in a celebrating mood now. I’m trying not to think about it. I saw her during the ruckus and it seems that she got away safely. Once we’re done here, I’ll try to get away to check on her.”
Multiple alarm bells start going off in Nico's head.
'I don't imagine'?!... 'Trying not to think about it'?!... 'SEEMS she got away safely'?!
"You haven't even checked on Carissa yet?" she exclaims.
"Look, we can take the robe over and get it looked at without you. You need to go talk with her right now! If you don't, you may not be getting married on any day after this either, trust me."
Nico shakes her head in dismay.
Men need so much help!
Jaymin shakes his head. ”Duty calls. She knows that. This won’t take long.”
Nico sighs.
"Well, best of luck with it then. You know her better than me. But, if I were her I'd straight up kick your ass before calling the wedding off permanently."
"You think what you're doing is just about today. But really you're sending all sorts of messages about what the long term will be like. Duty will always come first, your wife and family will always place second at best. You're callous regarding her safety, maybe not even really invested too deeply in the relationship. You think you know her mind and she's on board with your priorities, but probably she's putting up with something about you she doesn't like all that much while hoping you'll change after the marriage. But, if you can't spare a moment for her on your wedding day, when will you ever be able to? You won't be changing at all."
"But of course it's none of my business."
”For something that’s none of your business, you’ve given it a lot of thought,” Jaymin retorts, slight annoyance in his voice.
"No, it took hardly any thought, which is more than you've given it apparently. Pardon me for trying to help. You surely need it if you don't think some or all of the things I just mentioned aren't running through her mind. But I'll be sure not to in the future."
I give them four to five years and one kid before she dumps his ass.
Nico picks up her pace to leave Jaymin behind.
Well, if they’re walking right past, he hops up the stairs and knocks on the door.
While Jayman takes a moment to measure the potential impact Nico’s wisdom, Diego posts up next to the stairs and pulls out a ration. "By the sound of it, this might take a bit."
”You guys keep going. You have to get that robe to someone who can tell you about the magic before it fades. I’ll catch up!”
Alistair snickers a bit but keeps walking knowing better to stay out of the situation.
After retrieving something to eat, Diego turns and joins Alistair.
Exiting the boneyard just south of the cathedral, the brave town guards skirt the south side of the square on their way to Main Street, which they follow down to the Academy. As they pass by the alley where Carissa lives, Jaymin—and Diego, who doesn’t want to miss a chance to give him a hard time—hurries the short distance to her door while the others continue on.
At the Academy, the rest of the watchpeople find the door barred and when they knock a young voice calls back asking who it is. After identifying themselves, they hear some commotion inside. A moment later the door opens and they are greeted by the headmaster. “How can I be of service to the watch today?” he asks.
Jaymin kisses her, not caring that Diego is watching. ”Not to worry, my love. Not even a scratch,” he says, holding his cloak across his midriff to cover his fib. ”I’m just so glad to know you are safe. All your family is safe too? The goblin attack seems to be over, but I’ve been tasked with investigating how the goblins got inside the town like they did. This task might take all afternoon, and I doubt Hemlock will give me the time off now. Maybe in a day or two? I’m so sorry.”
"We'll set a new date once things in town have settled down. Just stay safe, and promise me that there will be no other invasions on whatever new day we do set."
Nico traits on along with the others, content to know Jaymin will realize she was right eventually.
Happy to know that Nico was wrong all along, Jaymin offers one more kiss before he begs off for his duties. He promises to return this evening to talk more, if he’s able.
"I'm sorry to disturb you unannounced, but I'm afraid it was unavoidable. In looking for clues into today's attack, we have come across this robe. It seems to have a lingering magical aura and we hoped to have it examined by someone of your skills before that enchantment fades." Orin replies, hastily holding up the robe.
The would-be groom and Diego hustle from the house to catch up with the other watchmen and arrive just as Orin hands off the robe to Ilsoari.
Jaymin and Diego arrive just as Orin is handing over the black robe. The headmaster cast a quick spell and his eyes begin to glow as he inspects it. With a frown he answers, "This is called a robe of bones. Where you see these frayed threads here, there would have been patches sewn on in the shape of thigh bones. Tearing off a patch and throwing it to the ground would create an animated skeleton where it fell. I don't know why anyone in Sandpoint would have had an item like this but its final patch was used recently, so there's a very high chance that goblins are not the only thing we need to worry about today..."
Having arrived just in time to hear the description of the cloak, Diego moves of to the side of the group and quietly listens.
"So those human tracks with the goblin tracks probably weren't made by a captive?"
Not wanting to spread any unconfirmed theories to the public too soon, Orin thanks the headmaster and tries to move the group back into the street to discuss.
"Thank you so much for your help, please guard this information for the time being. There's no need to start rumors." Orin says, taking back the cloak.
Once the group is back in the empty street, he addresses the case.
"Agreed, Nico. This certainly points toward some kind of unnatural collaboration. We should report back to the Sheriff." He concludes, waiting for other opinions before marching off.
"I agree. Perhaps he'll let us carry this investigation out a bit further." Alistair says and then heads out with the others to meet with the sheriff.
Diego simply begins walking with the group once they head out to speak with the Sheriff.
”Unfortunately, Sandpoint’s just a bit too big to gather everybody together and do a head count, to see who’s missing.”
Nico troops on along to report to the sheriff.
The members of the city watch travel back to the church square to make their report, but find that Sheriff Hemlock is no longer there. Heading back to the Garrison, they find him listening patiently to a visiting nobleman's lengthy report about a missing purebred Nidalese hunting dog. When he sees the patrol return he assures the nobleman he'll put his best men on it and then excuses himself.
Striding over to the group he says, "that took longer than I expected; did you find something?"
"My apologies for the delay, sheriff. We completed the inspection of the perimeter and discovered several concerns. First, where there is evidence of the goblins entering the town, there is also evidence of a human accomplice. Secondly, tracking the group to the boneyard we uncovered a disturbance in crypt of Father Tobyn, where we also encountered two animated skeletons, quickly dealt with by Diego and Jaymin. Once the threat of enemies was dealt with, an search of the crypt revealed this." Orin says, holding up the robe.
"It had a fading magical aura when we discovered it, so we decided to take it to the institute for a better examination, which revealed that it was the source of the skeleton guards." Orin says, taking a deep breath and trying to remember all the details.
"Tracks, both goblin and human, led away from Sandpoint from the boneyard, suggesting some of the raiders and their human accomplice are still at large."
Alistair looks Orin appreciatively, "Good summary."
"Yep, good summary."
”I liked the part about me.”
"Yeah, that's pretty much it."
Alistair laughs and elbows Jaymin, ”You would.
"" Hemlock starts before remembering the nobleman who might still be in earshot. Checking over his shoulder, he continues more quietly, "a human accomplice?!? That is unexpected. How much damage did they do to the crypt? And, where did they enter from?"
"I only noticed the one door. They had removed Father Tobyn's remains." Alistair answers.
”One door? No, Orin said there was signs of them entering the city… where did they enter the city? And, what do you mean they removed Father Tobyn’s remains? Did they scatter them around the crypt, or throw them around the boneyard?”
"We found the group's trail leaving over the wall. We backtracked along it until we came to road and couldn't find it anymore. So, we don't know where they came in. All we know is they were in the Boneyard."
”We didn’t find the remains so the goblins must have taken them with them. It seems awfully specific that they took those bones and none others. You don’t suppose this whole attack was a cover to get in and steal those bones, so you? I didn’t think goblins could plan that kind of strategy, but if they have a human accomplice…”
"Remains missing. Someone who creates undead. Human foot prints moving with kobold foot prints away from the city with no apparent struggle. Sounds like we have a deviant who is set upon creating problems. Problems of the undead sort I suspect."
"As fare as them not taking any other remains. I can't say. We didn't inspect the other crypts. We wanted to report this immediately and have the cloak inspected before the aura dissipated. We probably should return and check the other crypts."