Part I.ii. - Crimes Not Forgotten

[Veritas]

Father Grimburrow waves a hand at Solaz, "There is no problem, my friend. I am not grieving. Just cautious. Caution in Ravengro is very important, and I hope you heed that warning. An open mouth is an invitation for disaster."

The old man turns back to Navene, and his smile fades a bit, turning that bit more wooden. "I know little of how Petros died. Only that he was found at the Prison, a bit of masonry upon him. His face and throat were crushed, and so he probably did not die quickly. I am sorry, but it seems to be simply an accident. If you suspect otherwise, I would be quite cautious in your investigations of it. This town...even discussing the dead is not welcome here."

[joviality]

Navene looks a bit stricken at the priest's less-than-warm response. She expected perhaps a bit more from the old man. Her face now more solemn, she looks into the old man's eyes.

"I... I understand. I'm sorry to have asked." A quiver passes over her lips; she does not take chastisement from her superiors well. "You understand, this is an emotional time for those of us close to the professor." She composes herself. "Perhaps we interpreted foul play where there was none in our search for answers. Please accept my apologies for inquiring, it was out of place."

She turns to Solaz. "If that is all, then, I think we shall be on our way. I shall be in town for a few weeks making sure that Kendra is well on her feet in her father's absence. If there is any assistance I can render to you or the temple while I am here, please do not hesitate to ask. I would be happy to help you or the Lady's works in this town.

And thank you for your hospitality today; if it is not a bother, I would like to visit often while I am in town for my prayers. Did you have anything else for Father Grimburrow, Solaz?"

[logan]

Fin having studied the records thoroughly, emerges from the room.

"Thank you for allowing me to read the records." spoke Fin, although the councilman seems quite preoccupied with Calaera.

Fin walks past him and over to where Calaera is standing, and motions that he is ready to go.

[comicsans12pt]

"No, Navene dear. I'm quite done except to apologize again to the good Father. I hope that we might visit again and discuss the mutual good our Ladies do."

Solaz throws a genuinely warm smile at the old man. She turns to Navene and nous her head as if to say, "i am ready."

[Juniper]

Calaera nods in response to Fin's signal, and follows him out after a wink and rueful smile in the councilman's direction. As soon as they are outdoors, she scans the street for anyone who might be listening, then asks Fin what he has learned.

Perception: [dice=20]+7[rand=68311998373882158018654732161575276873965106122557147315392207902]

[Veritas]

Calaera and Fin exit the town hall; Fin having spent enough time perusing dusty tomes to surely have located some information.

The day has passed from early morning into morning proper; the sun warbles, low in the sky, casting down a hesitant warmth that has, at the very least, brushed away the cold mist that clung to Ravengro in the morning. The fields show movement; farmers working to begin the process of awakening their fields from the winter, the snows gone, leaving only a muddy remnant of the freeze. Lone men drive a single oxen here and there, or perhaps a team of oxen marking a more successful farmer.

The town square has a few vendors in it; some fishermen already returned from nearby Lake Lias, hawking the morning's catch to townsfolk who wish a difference in diet from the usual grains and dried meats. Two men sit off to the side, plucking at crude stringed instruments. Here or there a townsperson stops to speak to another, but in general they move on without interruption, going about the daily business.

Though some eyes are cast, warily, in the direction of Calaera and Fin, none pay any attention to the travelers; in fact, the opposite is true, as the townspeople seem to give the strangers a wider birth.

[logan]

Fin looks around quickly, and then to Calaera.

In as light a voice as would be audible, "The fire, the fire... was caused by the guards, trying to stop the prisoners from escaping. The guards had to sacrifice themselves. There were some bad people there, and they tried to escape, but the prison burned with prisoners and guards stuck inside."

Fin continues pace in to the street with Calaera, the warm sun now blessing his scarred face as they are now outside of the shadows cast by town hall.

"Nothing about this 'Whispering Way', though."

Fin notices 2-3 townspeople are walking past, sauntering towards the town hall... "When we meet back at Kendra's we will discuss this more."

As the citizens pass by and enter town hall, Fin looks around the town square.

"Perhaps we could buy some for dinner this evening. Since we're going to be staying here, enjoying Kendra's hospitality, I'll bet she'd appreciate the gesture."

With that Fin walks up to the fishermen, and eyes the baskets on their cart.

"What's good today, sir?"

[Veritas]

The vendor that Fin approaches looks up as the scarred elf approaches, and he forces a smile to cross his face. His eyes, almost coal black, focus on the elf's chest. "A smattering of fine trout today, sir, fresh caught from the Lake to the north, guaranteed to rend meek the palate of even the bold," he says, reaching into the basket for a fresh caught and gutted fish. "Only five pieces of silver, sir, and guaranteed to feed a family," he continues, a faint waver in his voice.

----------------------------

Solaz and Navene depart the Temple of Pharasma, and as previously noted, start towards the south, to find the Harrowstone Memorial. Wandering along the west bank of the river, they cross at the southern bridge, the track there taking them past Kendra's and to the south of town. Harrowstone Prison slowly looms closer as they walk south, though the black stone memorial is set a solid walk away from the ruin.

A picturesque scene unfurls. The river curls around the bluff upon which the memorial sits, the dark stone engraved with white lettering. Two trees grow, one on either side of the slab, covering it with a hint of shade that surely gets greater as the trees blossom with the spring. The grass is long enough to suggest it isn't tended to regularly, but not so long as to appear like a wild field; the experienced eye would recognize this as a commonly-used ground for grazing beasts owned by the villagers, a sort of common green. The letters, as the two draw closer, bear 24 names upon them, from "Rennauld Vesburan, Secretary" to "Lyvar Hawkran, Warden", and says across the top, "In memorial for those who died in the Harrowstone Prison fire of 4661".

Indeed, the only thing marring this scene is a single letter scrawled in blood on the lower left of the memorial, occupying part of the stone, standing out only in the light as it casts over the reflective dark stone as a dull spot. It is the letter V.

[logan]

Fin looks at the man, and then to the catch.

"Well, it looks good. I think I'll need two, it's a bigger group."

Fin buys the fish and rejoins Calaera, who was standing slightly behind him, as he got the fish. Fin carries the fish and sets off towards the Lorrimor residence.

"First we must drop this off to Kendra... but where to, next?" asks Fin, to Calaera who is now walking beside him as they leave the busy area of the town square.

[Juniper]

Calaera shrugs. "I don't know, especially since we don't know what success any of the others might have. Perhaps..." she pauses in thought, carefully skirting a pile of horse pucky in the road then picks up her train of thought. "We could stop by the jail, or sheriff's office, or whatever serves that purpose here. I would like to find out who found the Professor's body, or perhaps who dressed it for burial. Meantime, we might as well behave as ordinary visitors to a town. Maybe Kendra can tell us if there is anything of interest for a more casual traveller, and we can have a little fun while we're out."

[comicsans12pt]

Knowledge religion check to see if Solaz has any understanding of the significance of the letter 'V': [dice=20] + 6.

Solaz absently puts her spinning away and as they approach the monument takes a deep breath of the field. She smells the sweetness of the grass and a vague smell of grazing animal and the mild fragrance of a tree in slumber.

As she goes to stand in front of the polished granite, a sharp intake of breath is heard as she sees the dried blood on monument. She kneels at the monument, first to pray to Sarenrae for the souls of the dead and guidance in their task, then to touch the blood to see if she can determine how long it has been there.

She turns to Navene to ask, "Who would defile such a tribute? I can wipe it away if you think that wise."[rand=91644682874903089010706376284361108079761266708377660741803701967]

[logan]

Fin and Calaera continue to chat as they reach the walkway leading to the door of the Lorrimor house. Fin walks up the step, carrying fish in one hand. As the door swings open, Fin walks in and announces their arrival.

"Good day, we have returned. We got something fresh and delicious for supper this evening."

Fin passes the fish to Kendra, as Calaera brings herself in to the door way.

"We wondering a couple of things, Kendra..."

"We have spent the morning with some success... and we are going to continue to sleuth this, do you happen to know... who discovered your father, at the prison? And maybe if there was any type of investigation, who was leading it?

[Veritas]

The blood on the monument is sticky to Solaz's touch; it is not new, but it is not old. If anything, it was spilled only during the night previous.

At the Lorrimor Place, Kendra moves towards the front room to take custody of the fish from Fin. "Thank you for your kindness," she says. "These will cook well."

Her face pales as Fin mentions her father, but she nods that little bit. "One of the boys spotted him as they were playing on the hill. He was barely inside the gates. The sheriff would be the best to speak to, but there is no investigation," she says. "As far as the town is aware, father died of an accident."

[Juniper]

Calaera nods. "We won't do anything to deny that, Kendra. As far as anyone in the town is concerned, we are merely the Professor's friends and colleagues. Do you know where the sheriff is usually to be found during the day?"

[Veritas]

Kendra moves to the kitchen, where she sets the two fish onto a counter, finding a solid plank of wood to serve as a cutting board. A cleaver flashes, and then she begins to lay the fish out, cutting and gutting and cleaning them. "The sheriff? His name is Benjan Caeller, and he's usually at the jail - though half the time he's riding in the region, looking for trouble. Not that he ever finds any...but perhaps that is half because he is always riding about."