The covered traveling coach has brought you and your motley assortment of new acquaintances to Ravengro, which the driver has told you is the site of Harrowstone Prison as well. The late afternoon is suprisingly quite sunny, an odd foil to the circumstance which has brought you here. Farmers fiels seem to end quite abruptly, as though planted as close to town as possible. As you reach the sleepy town, you feel an unexpected tinge of revulsion when passing from the open road onto the main street, but this passes momentarily.
Looking out the small windows of the carriage, you meet the suspicious gaze of som assorted townsfolk, and are not fully suprised when you reach the entry to 'The Restlands' cemetery
The coach squeaks to a stop outside the gate and within you see a tall bookish woman, as you disembark the carriage she addresses you all
"Greetings, I am Kendra, thank you for coming - I know my father..."
she trails off for a moment and looks intently at the pale wooden coffin in front of her
"My father would have been happy to know he had so many true friends..."
As you look around you notice no other mourners are present and as her puffy eyes begin to swell with the threat of more tears, she looks on to you..
Gerard steps out of the carriage, which creaks with the loss of his bulk, and bows to the woman.
"Lady Kendra, Gerard de Juraine at your service. My condolences on your loss. The Professor was a good man and I too shall miss his company."
Remo hops down from the coach and brushes himself clean. Looking down at his travelling clothing he sighs, realising he is less than well dressed for such an occasion. Remo then quietly shuffles up next to Gerard unsure of what to say under the circumstances..
Franz was slow to leave the carriage, giving a couple of the others ample time to get out before him. The luxury was foreign to him, and he was loath to give it all up so soon. He lingers only a short time before jumping down from the carriage.
Franz adjusts his the pack he wear on his back to a more comfortable position before looking around. He shows some slight surprise at the lack of people present at this funeral, but he turns his interest to the woman greeting them, quietly attempting to calculate her wealth based on her attire.
A tall, somber Taldan man step out of the carriage, the folds of a long frock coat trailing behind him as he moves towards Kendra. An eternal trace of stubble clings to his cheeks, it looks as if his dusty-brown hair is never cut quite as often as it ought to be, and though his clothing may have once been fashionable in the upper echelons of the courts of Caliphas, he is several years behind, and his garb bears visible signs of wear.
He stops before the young lady, his stony face betraying not an ounce of remorse. He opens his mouth for a moment, but quickly snaps it shut as he finds that the words of polite society elude him. He furrows his brow for an instant before his features soften, and he clasps a hand over Kendra's shoulder. "Condolences," he states simply before stepping past her, feeling rather awkward about this whole ordeal.
A stern looking Ustalavian man steps from the carriage. His dark robes only seem to add to the somberness of the situation. Scowling slightly, he says,"Death is a natural process on the path of existance. Though I shall miss Professor Lorrimar's presence, we should all realize that this is only a part of his journey and he is now in Pharasma's realm."
Franz notes that while conservatively dressed, Kendra seems quite well-kept, likely has never worked a day in the sun and is sporting no small amount of jewelry.
"Well, Thank you for your kind words Ser de Juraine, it would warm his heart to know that he touched so many lives in so many ways. We wil get to more proper introductions at the house later..things being as they are around here, we're rather short on pallbearers. We were accompanied by Father Grimburrow and his acolytes this far, but they cannot walk with us much further into The Restlands. According to the father, the act of Pharasma's chosen carrying a .."
She absently lays a hand on the coffin
"..departed person..across the cemetery makes the other spirits restless. I would hope some of you would honor him in helping to bring my father to his final resting place."
Kendra wipes a tear from her eye as she sullenly looks to Dryden and then over her shoulder toward a path leading into the graveyard. There you now notice is an assortment of five seemingly unrelated townsfolk, Some of whom are quite well-dressed.
Two aged men were having a hushed conversation while Kendra was talking and have now stopped - One appears quite fashionable for someone resigned to life in a town of this size, the other wears simple but clean clothes, and carries himself with an air of importance.
Aside from them is a large, friendly looking man and his adolescent son, and a young woman in a striking black dress.
"My lady." Franz said, responding to her with a bow. "I loved your Father well, and I am at your service to do whatever it is I am able during this dark times, but as you can plainly see...my height might give us some difficulties."
Franz reached into a pocket and pulled out a couple of silver coins. "But fear not, my lady. I was very close to your father and I would have no problem with hiring some men from town to bear him to his resting place with the respect he deserves. Just say the word."
"This is not some cargo to be borne by random teamsters," Gareth admonishes as he moves to the casket. "I'm not one for flower words or fancy speeches, but I can at least lend you the strength of my back."
"Ah, Franz, I think if you and Remo would just help with an end, Gareth and myself should have sufficient strength to bear most of the weight. At least that way the Professor would have a proper set of pallbearers for his funeral."
"I have now wish to argue over this, that is not something Petros...ah, Professor Lorrimor, would want of us. It was simply my intention that we bear him with the dignity he surely deserves. But you may be right," Franz says, now addressing Gerard. "His friends should be the ones to do this. I will do what I can for him."
Remo looks at Gerard when he suggests that he could take on position of pallbearer and moves up next to him, the top of his head coming up no further than the large humans waist. Beckoning him to come closer Remo whispers "As much as I want to help, this has the potential to descend into a farce if we are at opposite ends, if you catch my drift. Is there something else I can do to help?
I think if Gareth and I carry at opposite corners and at low level, the two of you can hold the other corners on your shoulders for appearances sake. Unfortunately from what we just heard, I do not think Dryden can act as a pallbearer."
Remo nods at Gerard in agreement.
Kendra watches the discussion absently at first then begins to smile "I'm glad to know you all care quite deeply but I'm sure we can get some help from the others."
She turns back to the other group and clears her throat "Gentlemen?"
The well-dressed man almost jogs over and takes a position on one side of the casket, his companion following slowly, suspiciously eyeing the group of newcomers. Finally the larger man smiles and nods and takes a position as well.
"That should make up fer our... small but loyal friends!"
He says with a stifled chuckle. The larger man is dressed in his finest clothes, which is to say likely the set that he had in the closet, it seems somewhat moth-eaten and a bit too small for him, but he smiles as he reaches down to lift
"Shall we?
A small grin appears on the Gnomes face, clearly relieved at not having to do any lifting.
"You see, all things work out in the end. These fine gentlemen will help us give the Professor a proper procession. We thank you, good sirs."
Unsure of the tradition that the lady mentioned, Dryden will follow the group silently so he does not inadvertently transgress any local custom.