Peredur will introduce himself to Kendra and make his apologies for his lateness. "So, Jonas. Honesty was its own reward, for Father Grimburrow gave us everything we found. He and a pair of acolytes were in some hurry t'deal with the unquiet dead, though.
"Might I see Petros' notes?"
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If none of the others do, Fleisher will show Peredur the Professor's notes. He eats a small supper and drinks a cup of tea before turning in fairly early. "Well, in the morning, I will concoct an extract that will open insight into the workings of a couple of the items we recovered. Right now, they are merely curios, tomorrow, they could very well be tools. Hopefully, with that knowledge, we will be better armed for a foray to this burned husk.
"Let's pray that it does not get worse.
I'll be going to bed after a few light exercises."
after a few light exercises she goes to bed.
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Even with Father Grimburrows hurried re-interment of the dead, rumors leak out about what happened at the Restlands. The town speculates on what could have caused it and come to the wrong conculsions blaming the group for their ill fortune.
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Kendra's new cook out does herself for breakfast as a feast lays before the group as they come down in the morning.
Sausages spiced to perfect, eggs scrambled with onion, and potatoes fried to a golden brown and then sprinkled with paprika fill the room with an excellent aroma. Fresh fruit and hot spiced wine help to round out the meal fit for a king (or queen).
Day 3:
"The Lopper...that sounds a mite familiar, but nothing more. I know a bit about theology, so I'm thinkin' I'd be best off assisting with th' Whisperin' Way. Though if more o'th' unquiet dead surface, that may tend t'draw our attention."
Kendra
A small gasp escapes Kendra as the talk turns to the five prisoners of Harrowstone. "Your not thinking of going there are you?" she asks hesitantly.
"To the prison I mean. I already lost my father to that horrible place and... and.." she starts to say but unable to finish.
"'Fore we go in, though, best if Fleisher figures out how to work those odd items from th'crypt. An' I be thinkit there's more t'learn 'bout what haunts we might face within. One more day o' study, then in?"
I'm afraid it is, Cyler. If we want to spend another day researching, that's fine, but I'd say we go to the prison now. The more we wait, the more the waters get murkier.
in a calm voice
If the prison holds many undead, it would be wise to have me along. But I believe knowing about these 5 prisoners would help us later.
As they were so infamous, that I fear they could be the most powerful undead there.
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Fleisher lays the Haunt Siphon and the planchette on the table and starts to mix a few reagents together. As he mixes pinches of silvery powder into a tarry black liquid he chats with the others. "My investigations into these items should take but a matter of moments with this tincture. This fomula was developed by a Osiriani scholar named Ammun-nui Meldenfold based on ancient techniques. And it should be about done... ... ... now."
Shaking the flask slightly, infusing it with his personal arcane energy, the black goo rolls around the glass container. He promptly tips it back and it rolls like molasses over his tongue. Feeling the energies of the mixture seep into him, he looks at the items with fresh eyes.
Haunt siphon: (+8 Spellcraft; +10 Identify)
Planchette:
A grin spreads out across his face "Ahhhhhhhh!"
Kendra looks worried as she speaks. "You will be very careful won't you? My father went to that very place looking for information on someone that died there."
Then the light of understanding dawns on her. "I remember catching him muttering to himself as he does when thinking through a problem. He said, 'Still should be information there. Nobody cleaned out the wardens office or the records room.' He must have been looking for what you are looking for."
Peredur looks up at that. "Now, that's th' place to go for information on yon quintet. Who'd know more than th' warden?"
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Fleisher starts assembling an extract, only partially paying attention to the conversation of the others. [b"This tincture should help with the investigation of the tools we found."[b] He concentrates for a second as he pushes some of his arcane energies into the small beaker holding a black tarry substance that starts bubbling. He quickly adds pinches of silvery powder and it rapidly boils in the beaker for a few seconds then calms. Fleisher takes out the haunt siphon and the planchette and lays them on the table in front of him. He quickly tosses back the extract and swallows it all in one gulp.
Haunt Siphon: [ooc](+8 spellcraft, +10 identify)
Planchette:
"Best y'come in with us, Eva. We can do our research inside...just so we're ready t'flee iffin' we learn the truth o' the dire peril we're in." The pale-haired ranger smiles grimly.
"Researching the real deal without knowing a thing about it is very dangerous.
To quote a Major "Information is Ammunition" and it holds true with this scenario as well."
she pauses a moment.
"We also know less than half of the most infamous criminals to set foot in Harrowstone at the time of the fire and if they came back as undead,
knowing a bit about them could help us put them to rest permanently and what they could do."
"Think about a ghostly Piper controlling ghosty stirges and commanding living bugs.
Or Seeing your name being spelled out and not knowing that it was the splatter man's Killer attack method."
"But, look you, the documents might be found within--we enter yon prison, take what we can, then leave quickly and study the papers once we've reached safety. Where else could we find so much in one place?"
she keeps her calm voice
"Then I pose a question,
do you know with absolute certainty that documents on the prisoners exist in the prison and are not damaged by the fire, the elements or even time?"
Eva is right. If there are documents somewhere, the prison's not the place to find them. So we either look for information before going to the prison, or we just go there and hope for the best.
The tall half-elf turns to Jonas from his perch atop a stool. "Aye, we don't know what state the prison papers may be in since th' fire. Though from what Kendra says, that were part of what drove Petros to enter Harrowstone. Which suggests that he maybe already knew who th' Whisperin' Way sought. P'raps there's more t'be found in his library. Fleisher, I can assist you there once ye've finished looking at th' items from th' false crypt."
"So I'll research the prisoners at the temple today with Cyler Deeks since he knows how to dig up local information."
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Fleisher studies the haunt siphon and planchette in the morning after breakfast. While do to his alchemical background he figures out the siphon easily the odd brass device and board elude him.
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Cyler and Eva head to the temple while Peredur and Fleisher pull up chairs in the professor's library. It is a long day of study for everyone and with only a little to show for it.
known as Father Charlatan after his scheme was exposed and his Sczarni accomplices murdered a half-dozen city guards in an attempt to make good the group’s escape.
Cyler looks up info on the Lopper only because he thinks the name is stupid and he wants to find out why he's called the Lopper.
"Hmmm... found it." he says reading a page out of a journal found in the midst of the records. His face goes pale and he grimaces. "Wish I hadn't."
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The day wears towards a close as Eva and Cyler return for dinner. The group sits eating quietly around the table each lost to his own thoughts.
"It looks like today's research of the prisoners was fruitful.
The Lopper and Father Charlatan have been well investigated.
It appears that Father Charlatan was not a murderer, but a Con man who used religion to get money from people.
And the Lopper is almost as scary as the Splatterman."
Peredur looks a bit guilty. "When Petros taught me of theology, he'd ofttimes apologize for not havin' a particular text to hand when he wished to make a point. This was the first time I'd ever seen some o' the books he spoke of, so although I learned many things none of them relate to th' matter before us.
"Mistress Kendra, there's a thing I am wonderin' about with regards to th' townsfolk hereabouts, and p'raps you or this fellow Hearthmount may have an answer. They plainly mistrust strangers here, though for good reason, an' so long as we stay hidden in libraries an' archives our silence gives room for tongues to wag. Have you any advice on how we might make ourselves better known to Ravengro?"
I'd like to hear from Kendra as well, since this town is still unkown to me for the most part. Though I'm certain about something: we should stay away from the Laughin Demon tavern. Zokar has the habit of serving corpse chowder: a group of merchant recently disappeared from the town and the paesants suspect that it was him.
Kendra
"Ha,ha,ha. Heh, heh." Kendra laughs pleaseantly at the comment from Jonas. "You shouldn't believe half the gossip you hear in Ravengro, Master Jonas. Why gossip is like a town pass time that gives more trouble than information. Zokar is... um... well his Zokar and he thinks everything is funny. And making up names like that for the food he sells sounds just like him."
Stifling a smile and more giggles she looks to Peredur before getting a solemn look on her face as she remembers something a little upsetting. "It took me and my father a long time to build up any trust here, and what little we earned was only with a few people. I suggest attending one of the evening festivities at the gazebo. When everyone in town gathers after a long day to sing and dance. If any of you play an instrument you could join in or maybe Talia can sing once more. Beyond that I'm not sure."
Well, I would still stay away from Zokar anyway, if not for his creepy sense of humor. But I wouldn't mind a little dance. When's the next gazebo festivity?
"Aye, a dance sounds like 'twould be a fine thing of an evening. I'm not much for singin' without a few tucked in...for the audience, mind. If the folk of Ravengro are like the farmers I saw coming here, though, somethin' to cover my ears might be a good idea as well. Would folks take it well if we brought or paid for refreshments?"
in a polite and calm voice
"If you want to hide your ears, a hat or wig might cover them."
"We can go tonight if you all wish it," Kendra says with a smile. "I think it would be a wonderful way to get to know the community and the people in it better."
Peredur glances down at his sheathed longsword, leaning against his chair. "'Tis not likely ta be the sort o' party where one comes armed an' armored, I'm guessin', though I'd happily be proven wrong."
"It's been quite a while since I last went to a dance.
I'll see If I have something more appropriate to wear for it."
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Fleisher raises an eyebrow at the conversation in obvious disbelief "Why would you hide your heritage? That seems near-obscene to me. Plus, if you are wanting to generate trust in the community, if you design to mislead them, that may only engender deeper doubt. I think the dance sounds like a nice enough idea, I suppose. I will wear my dagger on my belt, but I see that more as a device of my studies and station than an actual weapon."
Dance it is! Although I still don't trust many of the people of the town, I doubt something bad is going to happen, so my bow and sword will stay here in the house.
"Hopefully, this dance will cheer us up a bit."
Peredur nods to Eva. "Aye, some music would be a blessin' in these dark times."
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Cyler leaves his pack but puts a potion in his pocket before heading out. With the lights ahead show people starting to play and a couple tromping in the center of town he gets a bigger grin than usual.
"This will be fun." he says as Kendra (escorted by Rapheal) stop to talk with another couple that is heading into town.