"Things were bad at home and I needed to get away" Alastor admits sadly "It was selfish but I just wanted to escape, to become an adventurer and have a better, more interesting life" He confides at Kallista's question.
Amongst the bodies in the room Greylan finds an assortment of coinage 47gp, 7sp and something that undoubtedly catches Mikel's eye, 1 platinum piece. He also uncovers a slightly rusty longsword and the armour on the first body he found turns out to be very well made (masterwork) banded mail.
Hugh takes the food from the priest and sits, obediently waiting, his tail giving the occasional wag as he looks up at True.
Kallista nods sympathetically at Alastor.
"I know the feeling. I really do."
She looks at the longsword and armour the ghost has pointed out. "What do you think?" she asks the others, "I can probably use both of them."
Mikel looks skeptical, "Sure, take the armour" (he points to the banded mail) "forget the sword though, it's trash."
His eyes grow large, "This however.." he says as he picks up the platinum piece, "is decidedly not."
"I'll ask the Lady if she wants it first."
Kallista carefully gathers the bits of banded mail together.
"The Lady? Who in the name of Hades is that? Oh... True, I see."
"Ok, so we're all accounted for, bones and blades. Where's your family, Alastor? How do we get there?"
"Aye verily, I mean, yeah, let's get out of this hole."
"Alastor, we'll be back soon, don't worry."
Alastor gives a nod and nervously hovers around, obviously eager to see the group leave so his bones can be finally be returned to hs family.
A copse of immense trees shades a small quiet clearing where Alastor said it would be outside of Daggerford. Crumbling walls of a seemingly abandonned farmhouse stand vigil atop a small bluff overlooking the clearing, the sad ruins must have once been alastor's home. Five grave markers stand in the clearing, each bears a different name: Anders, Bemissa, Coldaran, Gertia, and Alastor. Open pits yawn before all five headstones. Piles of fresh dirt and a pair of abandonned shovels suggest that the excavation took place recently.
"We are too late." murmurs the priestess. "Someone has desecrated these graves."
Kallista recoils. "Who would do something like that? That's horrible."
She looks as if she's trying hard not to be sick.
"That is true." True moves up to check the first grave more carefully. She looks around for any signs or clues as to what happened here.
"Did we agree just to bury Alastor here? I have to say that I want to find out what happened to his family. This bears all the signs of a necromancer or risen dead."
True looks around for Mikel and Greylan. "What do you believe?"
"Hmmm. Risen dead? Perhaps not. I think those kinds of creatures generally dig themselves out. The shovels lying around would point to a number of individuals involved in this grisly excavation. So. Perhaps a necromancer. Maybe two?."
Greylan peers about the area; "Look for tracks, maybe. There are two shovels? We might be able to get an idea of how many people were involved. Maybe that could help us?"
"Either way, we promised Alastor that we would reunite him with his family. If that family is now bones like him, I would say we still have an obligation, to lay him to rest with the others. I have a feeling that his whole 'crossing-over' affair is a bit on the technical side; wording, intention, and result all matters very much. Being a ghost is a lot like being a lawyer, I'd say. I think if we want to get into that room, we have to track down the bones. If we don't, I imagine Alastor will spend another eternity trapped in that horrible pit."
Greylan clears his throat; "Further, if this is the work of a necromancer, they'll need a space to work their craft. Assuming that they intend to use these bones as I think they do. They'll need a workshop, or perhaps a laboratory, as well as reasonable access to magical ingredients and components. Being this close to Daggerford suggests that whoever took these bones, is probably in Daggerford. And I don't like it."
"Good."
Mikel looks grimly at the scene before muttering, "Let's get those filthy ****s, whoever they are."
"How do you think they're going to use the bones?"
Still fighting down nausea, Kallista asks the question more to keep her mind off the open, empty graves than because she expects the answer to be soothing.
Before anyone can reply, she adds "And Mikel's right. Whoever they are, they need stopping. Poor Alastor."
"Ah, well, thankfully I can't speak directly to the vile practises of necromancers. Trust I have very little experience with those affairs. However, it would be safe to say that, if it was indeed the remains that they were after, there may be intention to re-animate them. Perhaps as guardians, servants, or worse. Perhaps zombies...though that is predicated on the amount of flesh still clinging to the bones...Are the graves marked? How long have they been dead?"
Greylan seems to have no problem discussing the grisly details in front of a nauseous Kallista.
Greylan's brisk analysis is too much for Kallista. She retreats behind the nearest tree.
Mikel looks at his friend, "Grey." he says simply, "Leave it."
"There may some answers inside the farmhouse? They are likely to have sheltered there."
The dates on the gravestones read: Anders Land; 1310 - 1343 DR, Bemissa Land; 1313 - 1355 DR, Coldaran Land; 1329 - 1355 DR, Gertia Land; 1342 - 1355 DR, Alastor Land; 1331 - (The current year is 1374) The graves of Bemissa, Coldaran and Gertia all have a four petaled flower motif on them.
DC 10 Heal or Knowledge History Check:
DC 9 Search of the Area:
DC 13 Search of the Area:
"They died in the plague. Poor Alastor, he doesn't know."
"Perhaps that is why he wants to be with them." True fingers the four petaled flower on one stone.
Then she starts on towards the ruined farmhouse, "coming?"
"The Red Death," Hetta whispers. "That poor boy."
Then she starts on towards the ruined farmhouse, "coming?"
"Yes, but be careful -- I think somebody's in there." Hetta alerts Hugh, as well, as they follow True.
"Yes, footprints lead toward the farmhouse, and a wheelbarrow trail leads toward Daggerford. I think we have something to work with."
Greylan follows he others into the farmhouse, his bow at the ready, as silently as he can.
True nods at the thought of the ruins being occupied. Straight away the shield and morningstar are brought up ready for battle.
Then True marches in.
Concentrating on the job in hand has a calming effect, and Kallista is all business as she draws her sword and prepares to follow True.
"Is there anyone at home! Come on out." True looks back briefly just to note where everyone is.
"Right I'm coming in."
Greylan rolls his eyes at the loss of any chance of stealth.
"Loud noises! Yelling! Dead family! We're here!"
The dilapedated Land farmstead consists of a crumbling wall and a sagging, unsafe house with broken windows and a sagging roof. Thick sludgy puddles of dried blood and unidentifiable fleshy chunks litter the floor immediately inside the front door.
Holding back her gag reflex, Kallista looks hard at the bits and tries to work out who or what they belonged to.
The chunks are human, or humanoid at least (it could be an elf or similar), judging from amounts of remains it was either an adult or a couple of children, none of the bits are big or identifiable enough to tell more.
True scuffs the ground a little with her foot and waits by a window sill.
"I expected undead, damn them."
From around the corner, in the next room of the farmhouse, comes an angry roaring sound and the sounds of movement coming in your direction.
Greylan readies an action to cast Grease on the floor, underneath the Roaring thing, as soon as it is visible.
Sucking in her breath, Kallista balances on the balls of her feet and prepares to attack as it comes into view.