You recognize the others as Councilmen Gharen Muricar and Vashian Hearthmount and Councilwomen Mirta Straelock and Shanda Faravan.
Faced with three strangers attempting to involve themselves in an active criminal investigation, the sheriff reacts surprisingly well. Perhaps he isn't quite as isolationistic as the majority of the townsfolk. "I appreciate the offer, but I think me and my deputies have it under control. The best way you can help is by telling us if you know anything about what happened. We've received reports that 'those three outsiders' are responsible, but as friends of Petros, I don't figure you're the type to engage in vandalism. As long as no evidence to the contrary turns up, we don't consider you to be suspects at this time."
Nodding politely as the sheriff rejects their offer, Sariel is not surprised. It has been his experience, even when locals send for help from the church, they often do not approve when the church sends him.
Chuckling at the 'reports' Sariel shakes his head, he considers explaining to the sheriff where they had been and what they had been doing. Looking towards his new friends he realized it was not just his truth to tell, so instead, he requests, "Please, if there is any hint of 'evidence' to the contrary, please come speak to us."
He gestures towards the temple, "We are on our way towards the temple to looking into some histories."
Preparing to leave he places his black wide brimmed felt hat back on, addressing the sheriff one more time he asks. "Like the good professor, we are not unfamiliar with the unusual. If you find the investigation heads that direction, please let us help you."
Nodding to the sheriff and council members, he turns to the ladies, making sure they have nothing to add before they leave.
Sorsul gave a polite nod of her head, both to the counselor that she had met, and to the sheriff. ”And if we can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. Good day to you all.” With that she turned to leave, glad to at least know that the people of merit in the town were not against them. That they were already being blamed was not in the least bit surprising, but the tolerance and logic of law enforcement was.
The Temple of Pharasma is the most elaborate-looking building in Ravengro. Its eastern facade displays an intricate stained-glass window depicting Pharasma judging a noble. When you enter, Father Grimburrow (a stern-looking old man) is overseeing a dozen acolytes as they go about their daily duties.
Pulling his hat down tight, Sariel nods back towards the town hall, "Hopefully if things get 'weird' the sheriff will call on us."
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Pleased to find the temple of Pharasma was the most elaborate-looking building in the town, Sariel removes his black wide-brimmed felt hat as he enters. Pausing long enough at the door so as not to surprise anyone, he moves towards the stern-looking man. Nodding his head in deference, he addresses the priest who'd done the previous days service. "Father Grimburrow, again, thank you for officiating the service."
He gestures towards his companions, "The ladies and I are seeking information about the history of the old prison and possibly information on those who may have died in the fire."
Looking past the priest towards the temple, he nods. "Would the temple's Library have tombs with such information?"
The priest frowns. "Aye, we've got information about that. I'm not going to share it with anyone who just walks in here, though. There's sensitive content inside, after all. You might be a Pharasmin, but that don't mean yer trustworthy."
”That is a very reasonable position to take.” Sorsul said in an agreeable tone. ”Is there naught that we can do to prove ourselves trustworthy?” She let the question hang for a moment. ”In addition to our companion being a member in good standing, we all have skills and talents that can be put to use.”
Raising an eyebrow at the priests response, Sariel wonders what sort of relationship the old priest had with the professor. He considers sharing some of the information the professor had acquired, but he wasn't sure if that would make things better or worse.
As Sorsul spoke up, Sariel decides she has the right idea and chimes in. "I hope the way we dispersed the crowd yesterday has earned us a little trust, but Sorsul is right, perhaps more is needed to see the library. What must we do so that you let us continue the professors research?"
"Show me that you're trustworthy by upholding the tenets of Pharasma," the priest replies. "Respect the fallen, return undead to their graves, and prevent the living from dying before their rightful time."
As a favor to fellow worshipers of the Lady of Graves, Father Grimburrow is willing to let you look through a few record books - under supervision of an acolyte. While there are no major secrets to be found (those are likely kept locked in other tomes), you do learn a bit more about the prison's history.
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Most of the hardened criminals sent to Harrowstone spent only a few months imprisoned, for it was here that most of Ustalav’s executions during that era were carried out. At the time Harrowstone burned, five particularly notorious criminals had recently arrived at the prison. While the commonly held belief is that the tragic fire began accidentally after the riot began, in fact the prisoners had already seized control of the dungeon and had been in command of the lower level for several hours before the fire. Warden Hawkran triggered a deadfall to seal the rioting prisoners in the lower level, but in so doing trapped himself and nearly two dozen guards. The prisoners were in the process of escaping when the panicked guards accidentally started the fire in a desperate attempt to end the riot.
Blinking at the priests generic request, Sariel resist the urge to make any 'biting' comments. Instead, he simply responds, "Hopefully in our short time here, we can demonstrate our trustworthiness." Seeing the young acolyte, Sariel nods and follows them towards the 'public portion' of the temples library.
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Having gleaned what they could from the 'public information' Sariel nods towards the door, asking, "It seems like we may need to acclimate ourselves to the community if we desire to gather trust or information. Shall we take dinner at the public house and try to make some friends?"
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Nodding to the priest, Lady Shae smiled a dreamy smile. "All in a day's work, then, " she added dreamily. Now, knowing the deeds that needed to be done and that it was something she and her comrades could do, she followed the acolyte to the records room, where Lady Shae took in the information. With this information, it was hard to deny the place was haunted, and they'd need to prepare accordingly.
Once finished gathering information, Lady Shae joined Sariel and Sorsul as they exited the door.
"I think that's a great idea, Sariel. But I will let you all do the talking. People seem to find me... Well, I'm not so good at making friends, as it were."
Putting a hand on Shae’s shoulder, she said ”Nonsense. Look at how delighted the children were to enjoy your candies Why, I am sure that if we buy a round for the tavern, and include your treats with them, why it would do wonders in endearing ourselves to the townspeople.”
Lady Shae's face brightened a bit at Sorsul's statement. "My candies do tend to cheer up people. Okay, I'll do my best." She smiled at Sorsul, picking up her familiar and scratching his head. "Thank you for that."
With a renewed vigor, Lady Shae took off towards the town. "Come on, you two! Last one there's a rotten corpse!" She laughed as she set the pace for the group.
The Laughing Demon is busy tonight, and you see quite a few people of potential interest. Notable faces include Councilwoman Mirta Straelock, Zokar Elkarid and his son Pevrin, and Deputies Leromar and Riff.
Nodding in agreement with Sorsul, Sariel also believed Lady Shae's sweets had endeared the children to them. Pleased Lady Shae was happy to head towards the Tavern, Sariel raises an eyebrow at the exclamation. wondering if he should hang back just so neither of the ladies felt corpse-like. Shrugging, he follows along, happy to bring up the rear.
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As they enter the tavern Sariel removes hs hat and looks around the room. Recognizing several faces, he whispers to the ladies, "Before the night is over, I'd like to speak with the deputies, but I think trying to get on the councilwoman's good side may be a priority."
Moving directly to the councilwoman's table, he gives a proper bow, "Lady Councilwoman, may I Join You?" Removing his cloak he lays it on the back of a chair and waives at the waitress, then turns back towards the councilwoman, "What are you drinking? I'd like to purchase the next round." As he sits, he smiles. "I know my friend the professor was accepted as a valued port of the community. We are finalizing somethings he was working on and believe it would be in our best interest to maintain his good reputation. Do you have any recommendations as how to do that?"
Lady Shae acknowledged Sariel and looked around the room, trying to sus out who would be more receptive to her style of diplomacy. Her heart pounding, she approached Deputy Riff as Sariel made his way to the councilwoman.
"Hello, Deputy. Wonderful night for a pint, eh?" She reached into her pack and pulled out a small bag filled with candies. "Try one of my barley sweets if you'd like. They are an experiment, so any feedback would be appreciated. They should pair quite nicely with the ale of this fine establishment." She smiled, her eyes shining behind her mask.
Pevrin approaches one of you and asks if you've "got anything that needs doin'? I'm a fast runner and can lift really heavy things! Can I deliver a message? Carry your groceries? Tell you the good gossip? I know just about everything that's going on - at least everything important, anyway. I can sweep, mop, dust, organize, sort, fold, carry, guide, sweep, run, dust, mop, sweep, or anything else you need. Just a silver per day! Do you need anything?" He looks to be around seven years old. Behind the bar, you see Zokar give you a pleading glance. Clearly, the man doesn't get many breaks.
Deputy Riff sniffs the candy suspiciously before putting it in her mouth. A few seconds later, she smiles. "Not bad! Tastes like barleywine that's low on hops. Can it get ya sloshed, too?" She juggles a few slingstones as you chat about candy, but the conversation topic quickly shifts to the sheriff. Riff has a lot to say about him - all positive.
Councilwoman Mirta chuckles at your words and gives you a friendly pat on the shoulder as she orders some wine. "Oh, sweetie, it's been a while since you were last here, so you probably don't remember. The townsfolk here aren't exactly open-minded, so Petros wasn't particularly well-regarded aside from a handful of us. Most folks saw him as a 'conspiracy theorist who preferred the company of books to people.' I've been trying to educate the children about the ways of the wider world - remember the day school? - but almost nobody's traveled even as far as Tamrivena."
As the boy approaches, Sariel looks behind the bar towards Zokar. Feeling for the two, Sariel smiles and kneels down slightly, so he doesn't tower over the lad. Listening as Pevrin gives his sales pitch, Sariel responds, "A silver a day sounds like a reasonable price for a young man of your skills." He gestures towards the door, "But today is nearly over." He begins to fish into his pouch, "But I would like to retain your services for tomorrow." He holds out a silver coin and extends it to the lad. "You know where the Lorrimore home is, come tomorrow a couple hours after sunrise, we'll have a task for you." He waits for the boy to nod and then hands him the silver coin.
As the boy departs Sariel watches the boy then looks towards Zokar. As Sariel begins to move towards the Councilwoman's table, he considers the boy. Sariel, knowing he intends to leave after thirty days, considers what they could teach the boy that might have a lasting impact. He pauses and watches Lady Shae move towards the deputy. She'd made her wealth selling candies of all things. Would it be possible to teach the boy over the next few weeks to make candies himself? In this small of a town, it may not make him a rich man, but it may subsidize his family's income. Making a mental note to speak with the Lady later, Sariel continues towards the Councilwoman's table.
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Raising an eyebrow as the councilwoman pats his shoulder, Sariel realizes she is clearly more relaxed about his nature than most. He nods and gives a brief smile, "I'd hoped that through the years the professor would have grown on people." His smile widens, "Though they were not wrong, he did prefer the company of books to people." Having forgotten about the 'day school' Sariel nods, "I'd forgotten about the day school." Pausing for a moment he considers his words, "I am planning on being here for a few days, would you want someone who has traveled a bit to come speak to them?" He shrugs, "Or is there anything else we may be of assistance with?"
Lady Shae laughs at the Deputy's question. "Not these ones, I'm afraid. The alcohol gets cooked off during the boiling process to make the syrup. But I can experiment if you'd like." A few ideas come to mind for making these alcoholic candies, and she makes a mental note to try some of them out tomorrow morning.
She listens to the Deputy talk about the sheriff for a while, nodding at the correct times and trying to look engaged. She was never good at the socializing part of relationships, but she hoped it was clear she was interested. When there was a natural lull in the conversation, she spoke up.
"I know there's been some trouble in the town. Is there any way I can help out? Even if it's making candies, I'd love to be of some assistance. You all seem to have your hands full." She smiled, hoping she had worded the questions correctly.
Sorsul was glad to see Lady Shae and Sariel take towards socializing so naturally. If nothing else, it took pressure off of her. With each handling the councilors and the sheriffs, she took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink.
She went on to chat with the proprietor of the inn. It started off with small talk about this and that, and then moved on to questions about the town. Mostly, she wanted to know the names of the people of importance in town, aside from the law enforcement and councilors that they had already met. She was also interested in knowing about who among the common folk were respected and listened to. In small communities, such people often held as much influence as the nobility who, on paper, owned much of the land, or the people with titles that nominally made them be in charge. She also sought to see if he was interested in allowing her to perform at his establishment. Because if that was allowed, then she was sure that it would go a long way in getting the townsfolk accustomed to her and to be less superstitious about her abilities. In this, she put forward the idea that for her first show, she would cover the first round for all who attended. She explained that it would be good marketing for her, as it would draw a larger crowd who could see her, and that for him it would lead to far more drinks being bought.
The deputy looks disappointed that the candies are nonalcoholic but looks pleased at your talk of experimenting. "Sheriff Benjan and I have things under control, so don't worry about a thing. The other deputies are helping too. I won't turn down more candy, though."
Pevrin happily takes the coin. "I'll be there bright and early tomorrow, don't you worry!" Glancing over, you see Zokar give you a nod. He'll likely be happy to have the boy out of his hair for a bit. Councilwoman Mirta gives you a smile as Pevrin dashes off. "Not bad! The fact that he wasn't afraid of you says a lot about his character - and yours, I think. If you're comfortable visiting the school and giving a presentation about the wider world, I think that would be a wonderful learning opportunity for the students."
It's no surprise that Zokar likes to talk - especially to someone offering to bring extra business to his establishment. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes clear that the barkeep doesn't take anything seriously. He's very open and responsive to all of your questions, but between his puns, humorous nicknames, and distractions, you're left without any useful information.
Nodding politely back to the boy's father, Sariel makes a mental note to speak with Lady Shea and possibly Kendra to find things to keep the boy busy.
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Smiling, Sariel had to admit to himself that he wasn't uncomfortable with the idea of giving a presentation at the school. He remembered all the time the professor spent with him, answering questions, providing valued information. He nods, "I believe I can work that into my schedule. Is a there a day or a time that is better for you and your class?"
Lady Shae smiled genuinely at the deputy, handing her another candy.
"I feel better already. And if you need anything, be it more sweets or a helping hand, I am here for the next month. I'll need as many people as I can get to try my candies if I'm going to get the ratios right."
Tobi jumped up into the Lady's arms and began purring, looking expectantly at the Deputy.
"Tobi seconds that notion." She smiled and stroked the strange feline gently. She decided to try her luck, since the interaction was going well enough thus far. "Have you all found anything else out about the graffiti vandal?"
Sorsul took it easy, enjoying her time. There was no rush, especially as pushing too hard would come across as disingenuous. Or worse, manipulative. She planned to take a slow evening and to return to buy a round of drinks and to put on a show. Doing so would make their presence more palpable to the public at large, and if all went well she might even break even. But until then she had the luxury of actually having enough coin to relax with.
Riff grunts as she crunches on the candy. "The investigation's still ongoing, so I can't talk about it. Gotta follow the rules, ya know?"
The councilwoman smiles as you accept her request. "Any morning will do - just let me know the evening before so I can adjust the lesson plans."
While he seems somewhat disappointed that his attempts at humor didn't seem to land, Zokar is amenable to you performing on an upcoming evening.
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As you're combing out your hair before going to bed, the mirror reveals a shaggy-haired dwarf standing behind you. He gazes intently at the back of your head and reaches for it. When you turn around, he's gone.
With Zokar's agreement, Sorsul decided that she might as well make the most of it. Walking to the front of the bar, she made the announcement: "Good people! Tomorrow I would like to all invite you to come back to this fine establishment. I will be putting on a performance, telling the tale of Soivida Ustav. As I am new to town, the first round of drinks will be on me. So, please tell your family and friends, and I hope to see you all tomorrow!"
She then went over to Riff and said "I hope that you, or any other deputies, will come as well. I-" Seeing a look on his face which she took to be either disgust or disinterest, she faltered. "-...I would appreciate it." She truly hoped that the man didn't take her announcement the wrong way.
Catching herself, she retreated to the councilwoman. "And of course, if you, and anyone else from the council would come, then it would be a honor." She said with a smile, trying to recover from her awkwardness of talking to the deputy.
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The next day was spent , but when it came to an end, she got herself ready for the performance. It was common enough to feel nervous before a show, but this one felt especially weighty. If there was ever a chance of her, and her powers, being accepted in town, then this would be it. And of course there was her topic of choice, the beloved founder of Ustalav. She knew that if she screwed this up then she might have to flee the town. Already she was kicking herself, feeling more than foolish for opening herself up to something like this. Not only could she lose coin on this, but she could lose her head. Especially if the deputy took offense to her, as she feared.
Finally, the time for the show came. She promised herself that this would be her last one. At least for a good long while, for she had plenty to do with her new comrades, and coin wasn't an immediate issue. Taking one last breath, she stepped out in front of the crowd. A crowd who was drinking her inheritance. And for what? Acceptance? But when she got out there, years of experience kicked in. All doubts were pushed aside. Putting a radiant smile on her face, she addressed the crowd.
"Good evening, Ravengro! If I could have everyone's attention!" She said. There was a small box labeled 'tips' set before her. In her experience, it was not a good idea to be asking for money before the show even started. "I hope that everyone has a drink in hand?" She added, looking over the crowd, trying to see if any deputies or council members had deigned to show up. And even more important, if the deputies looked like they wanted an excuse to bring her in. "Good, good. Tonight, I will be telling the tale of Soivida Ustav. As you all know, our tale begins in Ardis..."
...before long, she found herself lost in the moment. Lost in the tale. She didn't know what it was, but she just felt...in tune with her magic. Each movement felt natural, and each shadow-illusion wrought was more realistic than anything she had made before. Her tale went on, from old Ardis, the birthplace of one of the greatest heroes of the Age of Enthronement, to the uniting of the settlements of Lake Encarthan, all the way to the founding of Ustalav. It was a tale of adventure, politics, love and war. These were tales that everyone born in Ustalav knew, but this was likely the first time that they were brought to life. Not even realizing how tiring the act was, she pushed onward and onward, all the way to the golden age of Ustalav, with the relocation of Ustalav's capital from ancient Ardis to Caliphas. Her final movement was to raise an image of the capital, rising up in all of its glory.
It was only then, with her story told, that the fatigue hit her. Stopping herself from falling, she took a bow, letting the image fade away, leaving naught but the tavern. It was good, she decided, that she had ended her tale on such a high note, and not with the destruction of the Whispering Tyrant. She was almost afraid to look up and see the reaction of the crowd.
Nodding politely, Sariel agrees, "Any morning and I will let you know the night before." He gestures towards the two ladies, "That will allow me to confer with my two companions." Standing to leave, he lifts his hat from the chair beside him, taking his cloak from the back, "Thank you for your time Councilwoman."
Turning he casually slings the cloak over his shoulder as he moves to where the lady sits with her pet cat. Arriving in time to hear he deputy saying something about rules. Clearing his throat, he nods to the deputy, then bends over, speaking softly, "Lady Shea, I am stepping out to enjoy the night air, please don't rush on my account. " Moving to the bar where Sorsul was chatting with Zokar, he nods to the barkeep, "Begging our pardon." He turns to Sorsul, "Ms Sorsul, I am stepping out to enjoy the night air, please don't rush on my account." Nodding again to the owner, he moves to the door, placing his hat on his head, he swings the great cloak over his shoulders as he exits.
Sorsul nodded to Sariel as he left. She planned to stay somewhat longer, to enjoy some drink and food. After that? She would wander around the town for a spell, just to stretch her legs and to enjoy the fresh air.
Lady Shae nodded dreamily, stroking the soft and iridescent fur of her familiar, and watched as Sariel made his way outside. Thinking it was as good a time as any to set back to the professor's estate, she waited for a little in the conversation and excused herself from the company of the deputy.
Later that night:
The night was dark, the only sounds Lady Shae heard from outside the room were the chirps of crickets and the hoots of night birds. Tobi sat on her lap, napping quietly as she got ready for bed.
She hummed a quiet tune as she ran a brush through her hair, taking time to gently detangle each strand. Staring at her reflection, Lady Shae was startled when a Dwarven man appeared, reaching towards her.
Gasping loudly and standing abruptly, the Lady turned quickly, leaving Tobi to tumble unceremoniously to the ground. He glared at his witch, but Lady Shae was too startled to notice. There was no one behind her though she had just seen an intruder. She placed her hand on her chest to steady her heart, sat back down, and stared into the mirror for a while. Eventually, she calmed, deciding to tell her companions about the vision tomorrow.
The Next Morning:
Lady Shae once again woke before the sun was up, made her way to the kitchen, and began her prep to make her healing candies, as well as some honey bourbon sweets for the deputy. Tobi jumped into a chair and curled up, watching his witch with amber eyes as she mixed sugar and booze and brought it to a boil. Knowing Sorsul's performance was that night, she hoped to get the town folks' opinion on this new candy she was attempting.
About 30 minutes later, she shaped the cooling sugar mix into little balls, took a small syringe, and injected the candies with a high-proof bourbon. When she was finished, she had three healing candies and a few bags of bourbon sweets, along with her usual tea and honey.
"Hopefully people like these..." She murmured to Tobi, but he was snoring quietly on the chair.
That night:
As Sorsul got ready to perform, Lady Shae moved throughout the crowd and passed out the candies, explaining their flavor and making small talk. She looked for the deputy she had talked to the night before, having saved a whole bag for her.
When the performance began, Lady Shae listened to the story, enraptured by the tale. She oohed and awed at the correct times and clapped loudly when Sorsul finished. Smiling at her, Lady Shae gave her a thumbs up from the crowd.
When Pevrin arrives at the house, Sariel takes the lad into the kitchen. Standing in the doorway he asks, "Lady Shae, do you mind if Pevrin here watches you make candy? If there's any way he can help that would be great." Leaving the boy to watch the candy maker, Sariel gets the key to the locked oak chest. aking ou the pruple covered book containing the brass scarab, he sits down and begins to look for an index.
Once the candy making was finished he has Pevrin begin raking the yard as he speaks with Sorsul and Lady Shae, "After breakfast should we read the material from the chest, or head to the prison and search for the strange symbols found etched along the foundation?"
Finishing her breakfast, Sorsul said "Let's read the material from the chest. We can always head to the prison after. That, and there may well be people watching us. I think that it would be best to appear rather mundane for a day or two while the town gets to know us. Walking straight away to a place of such ill omen may arouse suspicion." After a moment's though, she added "Perhaps you could volunteer for the day at the Church of Pharasma? If you can get the trust of the priest, and if the town saw you as being a representative of the Cult, then that would do wonders in allowing us to move without any sideways glances. If so, then I think that I'll spend the day first exploring the town, and then will go to the tavern. Help as I can, get the place set up. Likewise, having that as a base, so to speak, would be good for our image." Glancing at Lady Shae, she said "Perhaps you could come with me? While I'll be buying a round, I'd feel much more comfortable with some of your candies for the audience to help put them at ease."
Listening as Sorsul presents some ideas, Sariel considers his options. While volunteering at the church seemed like a good idea, Sariel didn't find 'Father Grimburrow' terribly inviting. Having told them to 'uphold the tenets of Pharasma' as the only way to garner trust. Shaking his head, Sariel answers lifting the purple covered book, "I'll start looking into the materiel the professor left. But I'll meet you at the tavern tonight, what time do you suppose you'll perform?"
After breakfast Sariel collects himself a cup of tea and heads into the living room, intent on reading the 'Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye.'
Lady Shae smiled while boiling the sugar. "Of course he can. Right now, Im heating the sugar so it becomes a thick syrup. Want to help me stir?" She easily takes the boy and distracts him as Sariel goes on about his morning.
After the candy has cooled, she gives a satchel of it to the boy and goes to rake leaves; she meets up with Sariel and Sorsul. At Sariel's question, Lady Shae thinks and then nods.
"I agree. Sorsul has good instincts. Let's not give them any more reason to suspect us. I'll take some time today to volunteer. I may be able to loosen up the priest and gain his trust."
After breakfast, Lady Shae heads to the church to speak with the priest, who has a large bag of candy in her pocket that she hopes will sway the grumpy priest.
Pevrin is a chatterbox, and there's barely a quiet moment while he's with you. While this means he's easily distracted, you're forced to spend much more time than you'd like making the candy, as the boy stirs too fast, tries to taste the mixture whenever you aren't looking, and generally makes a mess of things. He's really good at raking leaves, though, which gives you time to clean up the kitchen a bit. Still, it's lunchtime by the time you manage to reach the temple.
The book is clasped with a small but intricate lock, the keyhole of which appears to be for a key with a strange, triangular shaft. You haven't seen a key like that before, but perhaps one could be found in a larger city.
As you head into town, you're approached by a nervous-looking human woman who introduces herself as Sarianna Vai, owner of the Outward Inn. Your performances have unlocked something within her, it seems, and she confesses that she's always dreamed of becoming a famous singer "like the ones at the Palace o' Voices with the fancy dresses."
Furrowing his brow as the boy seems to do nothing but get in the lady's way, Sariel visually winces, and mouths "I'm sorry." to Lady Shae before he heads off to read.
As Sariel sets his tea on the 'coffee stand' in the living room he realizes the book he's selected is off all things 'locked'. Returning to the chest he takes out Urgathoan unholy text for a little light reading. After spending most of the morning skimming the text, he returns it to the chest and finds their host. Asking the young lady. "Ms Kendra, Is there anything I may aid you with?" He pauses and adds, "Also, I believe Ms Sorsul will be performing at The Laughing Demon this evening, telling the tale of 'Soivida Ustavwould' you care to join us for dinner there?"
At the appropriate time, Sariel head to The Laughing Demon for dinner and the story their friend would be telling. As they enter, Sariel doffs his hat and begins to move to the table his friends would be sitting at. As he rests the hat on the ear of the straight-backed chair he sees the council woman at her regular spot. Taking off his cloak and resting it on the chairs back, he turns to his friends, "Excuse me Ladies, I'll be right back."
Moving across the crowded bar towards Councilwoman Mirta, Smiling he greets here, "Councilwoman Mirta, I trust your evening is going well. With your permission, I will join you at the school tomorrow and share what I know of the city of Lepidstadt and a few of my experiences growing up there in the churches orphanage."
Having finished speaking with the councilwoman, Sariel politely nods and returns to the table where his friends are seated. Smiling he nods to the ladies and takes his seat. When the server finally finds their way to the table he orders some soup and bread. Setting the silverware and napkin just so on the table, he waits for the crowd to settle down so Sorsul can be heard.
Lady Shae giggles at the boy and tries to keep up with his chattering. With the patience of a saint, she guides the boy through the process, gently telling him to slow down when he stirs too fast and pretending not to notice when he eats the sugary substance. Not bothered by the boy in the slightest, the Lady laughs along with the boy as they make a delightful mess, turning the chaos into a source of amusement for the two.
Once the kitchen is thoroughly trashed and the candy made, Lady Shae sends the boy outside to rake and clean the mess up. Tobi goes outside with the boy to play in the leaves the boy rakes, the two of them enjoying each other's company.
Once the kitchen is clean again, Lady Shae grabs Tobi and finds Sariel and Sorsul to tell them she is on her way to the church to talk with the priest.
Walking through the church doors, Lady Shae looks around for the priest, a satchel of strawberry jam candies in her hand. When she finds the man, she approaches, smiling dreamily at him.
"Hello, Father. I made some extra candies today, so I thought I would stop by and give some to you. Maybe we could chat a bit about our Lady. I would love to hear your opinion of her teachings, as I am always trying to grow in her service."
Tobi pawed gently at the priest, trying to get pets from him before jumping on a pew and falling asleep.
The entertainer's face lit up when the young woman approached her. She listened intently, letting Sarianna speak her mind. "That is wonderful." Smiling, she continued "It's not an easy life, but when it is your passion, it is rewarding. Perhaps I could come by your Inn sometime and hear you sing?"
Depending on how it went, she planned to write a letter of introduction for the lady to people that she knew back in the capital. Given her profession, she knew several people who offered singing lessons, as well as those who were open to new acts. If she was rough around the edges, or even worse was horrible, then there were several people she knew who would gladly take the coin of tutoring and saving their own voice for a few hours. And if she was good enough? Well, Sorsul had made a living, such as it was, by entertaining. Regardless of where she was, she was confident that there was something she could do to help. Even if the worst of it was just being an ear to listen.
Father Grimburrow takes a candy but clearly doesn't like it. "Too sweet." He's happy to discuss Pharasmin theology with you but seems uncomfortable with Tobi's presence. Like many in Ustalav, he clearly doesn't like the supernatural.
Your conversation with Kendra is interrupted by the return of Pevrin, who's grown bored of raking leaves and left the job half-done. He's out of candy and beginning to feel the effects of a 'sugar crash.' On a more positive note, Kendra agrees to accompany you to the performance tonight. She's quite the shut-in, and the thought of a change of scenery sounds nice.
Sarianna is clearly nervous at the thought of singing for another person. "I've never had an audience afore. How do ya manage to do it without bein' scared?"
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Councilwoman Mirta beams with excitement at Sariel's offer. "That would be lovely, dear. It'll be so much fun for the children!"
Business is booming at the tavern, as word of Sorsul's performance - and free round of drinks - has spread . In addition to the four of you and the usual group of regular patrons, there are over twenty additional people in attendance! While you don't see any of the deputies in the crowd, the entire council is present.
The performance starts off on a high note as your audience watches with rapt attention as you weave song, dance, and shadow. Your tale is almost at the climax when things go wrong. A quartet of giant stirges swoops out of the rafters. Ignoring Sorsul entirely, they fly straight for Kendra!
You notice that the creatures' movements seem weirdly choreographed to your performance, as if they were moving to the rhythm.
Sorsul chuckled. "Why...experience, mostly. But it never really stops being scary. The only trick is that once you get used to it, well, it becomes exciting. But there is always a feeling of fear before going on stage." It was true, there was always a small knot in one's stomach before stepping before a crowd. There was always the chance of a show failing, sometimes spectacularly. And given the nature of her powers, the chance of performing leading to violence was a non-zero chance. But the feeling of a show that went well? "But it's best to start with practicing. To perform before people whom you trust and who care for you. And to work your way up as you go. Even with talent, it does wonder for one's nerves."
Seeing Pevrin was bored coming down from his 'sugar high' Sariel approached the lad. Gesturing towards the leaves, he encouraged the boy, "Pevrin, why don't we finish the leaves tomorrow. Tonight, my friend Sorsul is entertaining at the 'Laughing Demon' and she intends to purchase the first round. Would you be a good lad and go tell the folks from town about it, so there will be a lot of people?"
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Nodding politely to the Councilwoman, Sariel smiles to himself. It's not often the things he was involved with was 'so much fun' for anyone, let alone children.
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As he sat at the table, Sariel was distracted thinking about what he might say the next to be informative and also communicate to the children that they and their families could trust himself and Kendra's other gifts. Catching motion from the corner of his eye, Sariel sees the four stirges swooping out of the rafters, towards Kendra.
Standing, he steps to put himself between Kendra and the creatures. Hissing at stirges, hoping to cause them to look his direction. His faces changes, becoming pale as his eyes turn black and his mouth turns almost muzzle like. When he opens his mouth to speak his reveals sharpened fangs. He stares at the nearest of the creatures, his gaze becoming hypnotic, his voice gravely, sounding like he's speaking in two separate registers, commanding the creature in Necril >Fly Away<
The performance had reached its zenith when the giant stirges swooped in. Blending her show into her reaction, she deftly jumped between Kendra and the monsters. ”Get the watch!” She yelled out, the performance obviously over. ”I’ll hold them back as long as I can!”
She was no warrior, but she was determined to do what she could. Using herself to block the charge she lashed out with her shadow, cutting a line across its chest. As she did so she let her magic flow into the stirge. Ripping its shadow away, it took a position next to Sorsul, helping her block the monsters from attacking the audience.
Sariel's target ignores the unnatural compulsion and continues to fly towards Kendra. However, the cessation of Sorsul's performance has a visible effect on the creatures, as they freeze in confusion as the music ends. This gives the fetchling time to slay one of them with its own shadow.
While one of the stirges bobbles aimlessly in the air, another attacks the third.
Turning from the first stirge to have fallen, Sorsul continued her dance. She had no idea why the creatures were suddenly fighting amongst themselves, but she wasn’t willing to wait on figuring it out. Looking to take down the wounded one, her shadow passed over it, causing a deep wound to appear across its chest. She had rarely used her shadow as such before, but it seemed that it was a skill that she would have to hone if she was going to survive. Even as she did so, she willed the captive shadow of her enemy to attack its former companions.
Confused for a moment at the sturges strange behaviour, Lady Shae recovers, as runes begin to appear and glow all over her body as she moves to protect Kendra with her companions. Tobi runs under a table, trying to make it to safety while still keeping his witch in his sights. With her staff, she focuses on the sturge still attacking and points to it, the glowing coming to a crescendo. A blazing line of fire shoots out of the tip of the staff towards the sturge.
Surprised the change in the performance effected the creatures, Sariel frowns when the stirge does not respond to his command. Not sure why the one was attacking the other. Sariel stares at the one bobbling aimlessly in the air, commanding the creature in Necril >Fly Away<
Sorsul's shadow limb dispatches a second stirge. Lady Shae's blast of fire narrowly misses its target at the last stirge fights off Sariel's compulsion.
No longer flying in time with Sorsul's performance, the stirges swoop to attack Kendra and Sariel.
Two shadows stolen and two dead. But two remained. Panicking as they swooped down, she slashed at the face with her shadow and attempted to wrap it around the creature’s eyes.
Furrowing his brow at the creatures ability to resist his magics, Sariel reaches for his scabbarded sickle.