The Village of Ravengro

 

 

A. Town Square; B. The Posting Poles; C. The Laughing Demon; D. Town Hall; E. Temple of Pharasma; F. General Store; G. Forge; H. Jominda's Apothecary; I. Jail; J. The Silk Purse; K. The Outward Inn; L. The Unfurling Scroll; M.1. Vashian Hearthmount's House; M.4. Gharen Muricar's House; N. Lorrimor Manor; O. Harrowstone Memorial; P. The Restlands; R. Harrowstone Prison Ruins 

Toilday, Rova the 5th, 4711 A.R.

The Village of Ravengro, Ustalav

 When morning arrives, Wilhem is up at dawn to see to his horse and also post a letter to his knightly order in Lastwall. He must request an extension to his leave of absence so that he may stay in Ravengro to carry out the last of the Professor's wishes. He comes down the stairs in full armor -- as is tradition amongst his compatriots near the Hungry Mountains where danger is expected at any time -- and heads towards the front door. He passes the entryway of the parlor where he can see the Professor's old trunk. Wilhem senses that it contains something that could change things in Ravengro and beyond forever. He feels the changes have already begun. The scene in the cemetery from yesterday still weighs heavily on his mind.

He is shaken from his thoughts when he hears Zooglub snoring from where the goblin is slumped in one corner with a book opened across his face. Night is just beginning for that one. Wilhem reaches for the doorknob, but it opens before he can grasp it. Yala is there, a black cloak wrapped about her which just barely conceals her nakedness beneath. Wilhem steps out of her way and tries to avert his eyes. He ends up staring at the chandelier hanging in the front hall as she walks by. She says, "good morning, Sir Wilhem!" before sauntering up the steps.

Wilhem pays the stablehand double (1 gp) for tending to Sunbolt, but then mounts the animal to stretch his steed's legs out. He trots around the town square, posts his letter to Lastwall, then decides to go for a morning ride about the village. As he comes clopping across the covered bridge to the south of town, Wilhem notices quite a few people gathered near the riverside. There is a large stone monument built there, and whatever is causing the stir, it seems to have something to do with that. Curious, the knight rides to investigate.

As he approaches, people give him strange, suspicious glances, but do not impede him or speak to him. He sees Councilman Hearthmont on horseback and the town sheriff, Benjan Caeller with two of his deputies. The former must've just arrived himself as his nightclothes are still visible beneath his heavy coat. The leader of the rabble at The Restlands is there -- Gibs Hephanus -- and he gives Wilhem a suspicious sneer. The constables are trying to keep people away from the large statue without much success. The monument depicts a proud, muscular man wielding a truncheon. The base of it bears a plaque which is splattered with red -- Wilhem assumes blood -- and a large crimson letter "V." The deputies are not helpful when Wilhem attempts to question them, but when he speaks to Hearthmont, the man replies, "can you vouch for the whereabouts of your companions last night?"

Wilhem says that while the other guests staying at Lorrimor Manor are practically strangers, he assumes they were all asleep all night just like he was. Of course, immediately after saying this, he recalls the goblin in the parlor and the witch who came in from outside just after dawn. Valamir, while sharing his room, was not in bed when Wilhem retired, nor was he when the knight awoke. Hearthmont advises Wilhem and the other visitors to remain at Lorrimor Manor until further notice. The knight readily agrees and rides up to the monument to get a closer look. The plaque has carved in it many names -- more than twenty. As he brings Sunbolt around to return to Kendra's house, Gibs points at him and shouts, "this one and his co-conspirators, they have brought this obscenity upon our town! They are friends of the necromancer and foul sorcerer Lorrimor! They are his instruments from beyond the grave!"

Wilhem assures the people gathered around that the professor was a good man who used his knowledge to combat evil, but his words seem to fall on deaf ears (Diplomacy = 8). The knight quickly rides back to Kendra's house and ties up Sunbolt outside. Soon after, he is able to gather his hostess and the other guests into the parlor. He fills everyone in about what he found on his morning ride. Kendra tells them that the statue is the Harrowstone Memorial. "Many townspeople died when the old prison burned... the monument honors them. The statue is of Warden Hawkran. Apparently he sacrificed himself to prevent the inmates from escaping."

"He sounds like quite a hero," says Wilhem, "I wonder why anyone would desecrate his likeness."
"And what is the significance of the letter 'V?'" adds Tatyanza.
"Well... vengeance is a popular choice, I would think," theorizes Zooglub. "For those who write in blood anyway."
"You seem to know a lot about it," replies Valamir accusingly.
"Oh, come, come now, Valamir -- Valamir with a 'V' -- I'm simply making a logical guess. You know very well I was reading here in the parlor all night long. Which reminds me, I should be retiring for the day. Wake me up when the mystery is solved. Or lunchtime."
"This is not a jest, Zooglub," says Wilhem. "The townsfolk were suspicious of us already, and now after this, that fellow from the cemetery last night..."
"Gibs," Kendra throws in, her face reddening.
"Yes. He has much of the village stirred up about all of us and our connection to the Professor. Not only that, but Hearthmont sounded like he considers us suspects. I was asleep all last night. Where were the rest of you?" Wilhem turns to Yala.
"I could've done it," she says with a casual tone. "The fact is, I was up before dawn to commune with my elemental patrons. I was just behind the house under the old oak. Of course, nobody can vouch for that. Except Storm."
"Storm?" asks the knight.
"My familiar. He is never far from me. I doubt Hearthmont would accept the testimony of a bird, however. Even if he can talk."

Accusations and suspicions fly back and forth until it is decided that nobody's guilt or innocence can be completely proven. It is agreed that the real culprit must be found before the villagers get bold enough to seek justice themselves. Kendra lets her guests know that they have her support.

"I don't know any of you, but if my father trusted you, then so do I. He never let me down before. You all can remain here as my guests. All I ask is that you do what you can to remove this shadow from my father's reputation. He was no necromancer. He was a good man." Tears begin to roll down her cheek.
"All of us here know that, milady," Wilhem reassures her. "I will do as you ask, if it is within my power to do so."
Zooglub speaks up. "Does anyone else but me get the distinct impression that what happened last night is part of the reason why the Professor asked us to remain here for a month?"
"What do you mean?" asks Kendra.
"The thought had crossed my mind," says Yala. "It seems that he knew something was going to happen. His instructions, and our participation, was very specific."
"He knew someone was going to deface a statue?" asks Valamir skeptically.
"Well, not just any statue." Yala turns to Kendra. "What significance might the monument have had to the Professor?"
Kendra pauses for a moment, and then suddenly she gasps and her eyes widen. She places her hands over her mouth.
"What is it?" asks Wilhem.
"M-my father's body... it was found at the ruins of the old prison." Her face grows pale.
"Harrowstone," Tatyanza whispers. Her hand swats at the air near her face as if she were shooing away a bug.
"But his death was an accident," says Valamir. "Was it not?"

The question lingers, unanswered. The six people gathered in the parlor all glance at one another in silence. Then slowly, all their eyes move towards the old locked trunk of the Professor.

Wilhem breaks the silence, "Kendra... until we deliver that trunk to the university in Leipidstadt, it, and all it contains, is by rights yours."
Zooglub can barely contain his excitement, "how can you not open it? If the Professor knew something like this might happen, then it is reasonable to assume that more of what he knew is in that chest!"
"But he charged us with delivering it, goblin," replies Valamir. "Not to rifle through it at a whim."
"The Professor wrote in the will that he thought the tomes might be dangerous to you," adds Tatyanza.
"True," says Yala, very calmly. "But he also wrote that his colleagues would put the books to good use. If this desecration is but the beginning of something far darker, he may have intended we put them to good use, as well."
"Yes, yes!" titters the goblin, hopping up and down. "Listen to the witch! Hee-hee, I like this one, I do! She's nearly as smart as me!"

Kendra ponders the issue for a long minute, running her slender fingers along the groves of the key all the while. She circles the trunk a few times and then sighs deeply. "As I said, my father has never let me down. I trust him still as I always have. The need has not yet become dire enough to warrant going against his wishes. I will not open it. Not yet. My hope is that things may yet be put right without needing to." Zooglub looks crestfallen, but Kendra continues. "I would ask that you investigate the ruins just south of town. Perhaps you may find some clue as to what my father was doing there or what he may have been seeking. All of us here in Ravengro had assumed he was accidentally struck by a fallen piece of masonry... but if this is not true, I would know the truth of what took him from me."
"I will do what I can, milady," says Wilhem. "But it might not be easy. Hearthmont asked that the five of us remain here until further notice. If any of us are found poking around where we don't belong, it will arouse even greater suspicion."
"Perhaps we can do some exploring without leaving town," suggests Yala. "Did your father have any books in his library regarding the prison? Or any notes about it?"
"No. He doesn't," interrupts Zooglub. "Trust me. I spent all last night going through his collection. Quite extensive indeed, but nothing on Harrowstone."
Kendra says, "I'm certain that the Town Hall records will have some information about it. The prison was the reason the town was built. It's a part of Ravengro's history. The Temple of Pharasma also has extensive histories in their archives. Gaining access to either of these sources might not be easy, but I will offer what assistance I can."
"Well, as long as Gibs isn't the curator of either of these archives, we'll have a chance," says Wilhem.

It is decided that Zooglub and Yala remain at Lorrimor Manor to avoid creating too much of a scene. Valamir insists on staying behind to keep an eye on them. Meanwhile, Wilhem, Kendra, and Tatyanza embark to the Town Hall where they hope to learn more about Harrowstone Prison.

On the way there, they happen to encounter a group of children gathered in the street. The five young girls are playing a skipping rope game and singing a tune in Varisian. Wilhem does not understand what they're singing, but Kendra (who is a skilled linguist) and Tatyanza (whose native tongue is Varisian) can make out the lyrics all too well:

Put her body on the bed,
take a knife and lop her head!
Watch the blood come out the pipe,
feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe!
Drops of red, so sparkly bright,
splatters spell her name just right!
With a hammer killed his wife,
now he wants to claim your life!
Tricksy father tells a lie,
listen close or you will die!

Kendra is chilled by what she hears, and Wilhem asks her what is wrong. As she explains it to him, Tatyanza slowly approaches the children and crouches down to ask their names. Of course, they are shy of this strange woman, but her warm smile and bright-colored sash endear her to them (Diplomacy = 24). Tatyanza compliments them on their rope skipping and even attempts it herself (Perform - dance = 8). She stumbles and falls clumsily which causes the girls to giggle. Once again she tells the girls how nimble they are, and asks them about the little tune they were singing.

"Aw, it's just nothin'," one of the girls says bashfully. "We've been singing that song around here forever."

Afterwards, the three companions bid farewell to the children, and continue to the Town Hall. Typically, visitors are not permitted on the premises, but Kendra is hoping her presence will help put the attendant at ease. Since word of the bloody markings have spread throughout the village, however, everyone seems cautious. Tatyanza asks for permission to view some town histories while Wilhem and Kendra lend their assistance (Diplomacy = 15 total, with Wilhem's assist). With no luck, they attempt the same thing at the Temple of Pharasma (Diplomacy = 19 total, with Kendra's assist), but with the same result.

Upon returning to the Lorrimor Estate, Yala is found trying to separate Zooglub and Valamir, who are engaged in a heated argument. When they see Kendra enter, however, they return to their best behavior. "Please stop this!" Kendra scolds. "I will not have my father's house turned into a battlefield! Aren't things already bad enough?"
Valamir is apologetic, "my deepest regrets, lady... but surely we cannot keep this goblin in your father's house. He would gladly burn it to the ground and all of us with it. No goblin can be trusted. Each one has been born to kill our kind."
"If you speak of your kind, Vallie, you can only mean the ignorant. In which case, you are quite right. I find this world can do without ignorance. Toss the whole pile of you into a bonfire and be rid of you. The world would be a better place." He turns to Kendra and says, "I assure you, ma'am, I mean harm to no one -- even our ignorant friend here -- I only wish to pursue knowledge. Like your father did."
Valamir replies, "one thing I am not ignorant of, vermin, is your true nature. Just because you have learned to speak like a man does not mean you have stopped being a goblin. I will be watching you."
"Please do. You may learn something," finishes the goblin.
"Enough!" Kendra shouts. "Whether it was my father's wishes to invite you here or not, if the both of you do not put all of your energies towards clearing his name, then you might as well leave. I have no use of your fighting with each other."
Zooglub and Valamir nod and the tension in the room slowly dissipates.

Wilhem continues, "if the two of you are done, we have important business to address. The townsfolk do not trust any of us and will not permit us to access the archives. We have run into a dead end. Kendra, what do you know about Harrowstone? Has your father ever spoken of it?"
She replies, "I have lived here for fifteen years. All I know is that it is a ruined prison that burned fifty years ago and has been vacant ever since. I suspect that the townsfolk believe it to be haunted, so nobody ever mentions it."
"I have heard of Harrowstone," Tatyanza offers. "Most of the structure was destroyed. All of the prisoners along with most of the guards perished in the fire. The man from the memorial, Warden Hawkran, and his wife died there, as well."
"Kendra..." says Zooglub, "if you will not allow us to examine the contents of the chest, then we must investigate the ruins, the villagers' suspicions be damned. No other avenue is left to us."

Kendra nods slowly, and the five companions make themselves ready for a journey to the ruins of Harrowstone.

DM Notes:

XP = 20 each for research on Harrowstone.
Trust +1 (22 total).

Later that same night...

At Kendra Lorrimor's house in Ravengro

Many of the guests return with Kendra to her home. One exception is Councilman Hearthmont who has other business to attend to. He will arrive some time later, however, for he is the acting solicitor for the town and is expected to disclose the contents of the will. Besides the five strangers to the town (who are lodging at the house during their stay in Ravengro), the other guests do not stay long. They partake of a drink or share a few pleasant memories of the professor before departing.

When everyone else has left, and Kendra waits for Hearthmont to arrive, the five outsiders gather in the den to remember the professor and wonder to themselves why they have been invited to be a part of the will. Truly, Petros Lorrimor has played some significant role in each of their lives over the past few years, but they were hardly close.

Zooblub does not engage in conversation with the others... he simply pulls a book from off the professor's shelf and sits in a corner of the room reading. He has let his hood fall back, revealing his wriggling ears, blue skin, and the yellow slits that are his eyes. Valamir stands with his arms crossed in the opposite corner of the chamber gazing out the window into the rainy night. He appears very uncomfortable, and does not speak. The only ones he has spoken to if at all are Kendra and the knight, Wilhem.

The others are gathered in the center of the room while awaiting Hearthmont. Yala and Tatyanza share some good memories of the professor, some of which elicit a smile from Kendra. Wilhem, however, seems troubled by the incident at the cemetery. When there is a pause in the conversation, the knight says, "shouldn't the councilman have arrived by now? It is getting quite late." In the very next moment, there is a pounding at the door.

Kendra answers it and soon Hearthmont steps in shaking raindrops off his cloak. As he cleans off his boots, he gazes suspiciously at the five strangers gathered in the next room. "This is everyone?" he asks. Kendra nods and invites the councilman in.

 

From beneath his cloak, Hearthmont produces a scroll case. Upon opening it, a heavy iron key falls out and tumbles noisily to the floor. Zooglub, who has set his book aside, scurries forward and scoops it up. "You dropped something, your honorableness, hee-hee!" The councilman ignores him and pulls forth the sealed scroll from within the case. He breaks the seal and begins to read. Most of it is simply legal terminology and deals with the professor's estate and property being bequeathed to Kendra. But towards the end, the others gathered around become involved...

 

"As some of you know, I have devoted many of my studies to all manner of -- " Hearthmont clears his throat before continuing, "-- evil, that I might know the enemy and inform those better positioned to stand against it. For knowledge of one's adversary is the surest path over victory over its nefarious plans.

 

"Over the course of my lifetime, I have seen fit to acquire a significant collection of dangerous tomes, any of which could have led to some unfavorable complications -- legal and otherwise -- in the wrong hands. While in life, they served me well, in death I do not wish to burden my daughter with the darker aspects of my profession. As such, I am entrusting my collection of tomes to my friends: Wilhem, Tatyanza, Valamir, Yala, and sharp-tongued Zooglub. It is my wish that the five of you deliver my trunk and its contents to the university in Lepidstadt and my trusted colleagues there.

 

"Yet, before you leave for Lepidstadt, there is one other favor I ask of you. Please delay your journey for one month so that you may stay here in Ravengro to aid my daughter in putting the matters of the estate in proper order. With my passing, I fear she no longer has anyone left to count on. For this service, you will have my eternal gratitude. In return, I bequeath to each of you one-hundred platinum crowns which are payable upon your arrival in Lepidstadt with the tomes safely delivered no sooner than one month from the reading of this will. I have entrusted Embreth Daramid with these funds for safekeeping." 

 

With that, the reading was done. Councilman Hearthmont takes his leave, and Kendra has the men bring the small, iron-bound oaken chest brought in. Zooglub, who still has the key, moves to open it. Valamir expresses his disapproval. "The professor said these books are dangerous. I will not permit you to open the chest out of curiosity. We ought to do what the professor should have done long ago and burn them all." While Kendra vehemently dismisses any notion of destroying the valuable objects, she agrees that nothing in the will stipulated opening the chest. Grumbling, the goblin hands over the key, and all of the guests retire for the evening.

 

Upstairs, Kendra has the master bedroom at the end of the carpeted hallway. Yala and Tatyanza share a room just down the hall from her. On the opposite end of the house, Wilhem and Valamir share a guestroom (though the latter sleeps not at all, it seems). Zooglub, already being traditionally nocturnal, cannot rest with so much great reading in the professor's extensive libraries. He stays up all night and gets a visit from Valamir in the predawn hours.

 

Without looking up from his reading material, Zooglub says with a sigh, "come to keep an eye on me, eh? Fear not... I'm not opening the trunk. Kendra took the key from me."

"I don't trust you, goblin," is the hunter's disgusted reply.

"Well, I don't expect you to -- Valamir, is it? The professor did trust me, of course, otherwise I wouldn't be here. And, no offense, but I regard his opinion much more highly than yours."

"Perhaps with the sorts of things he was reading, the professor was not of sound mind when he included you in the will. How do you know the professor, might I ask?"

Finally the goblin looks up. "You might."

 "Well?"

"We shared various academic interests. He also didn't immediately mistrust me because of who my parents were. I respect that. After all, I was one of his only colleagues with the intelligence to keep up with him. He didn't just see a goblin, he saw a mind."

"Were any of these interests evil in nature?"

"Oh, most definitely!" Zooglub giggles. "Folk like the professor and myself do not descriminate... all knowledge is valuable."

Valamir gazes down at the goblin with narrow eyes, "it seems to me then, that you are just as dangerous as the books in that chest. Perhaps you already know what is hidden within."

"No, I do not. Though, I admit, I wish I did. Books are not dangerous, Valamir, unless you fear paper cuts. Books are like minds... what matters is what you do with them."

 

The discussion is interrupted as Yala -- clothed only in a black cloak -- comes down the steps and moves to exit the house. Zooglub says, "don't any of you humans sleep at night?" She walks out to a grove of trees behind the house and disrobes in the falling rain. Then she calls her familiar, a raven she has named Storm, who comes circling down out of the trees. Yala kneels and raises her arms towards the sky, appealing to her elemental patrons. 

 

Valamir and Zooglub watch briefly from a window. The goblin titters to himself.

"Something amusing, goblin?"

"It seems that the professor had some rather interesting friends! Be glad you have two eyes, Valamir. You'll have to keep one on me, and the other on the witch." He cackles gleefully.

Valamir clenches his jaw and returns to his room.

Moonday, Rova the 4th, 4711 A.R.

The Village of Ravengro, Ustalav

Five complete strangers have come to this sleepy village near the southern shores of Lake Lias in Canterwall. They each received a letter from Kendra Lorrimor, the daughter of Professor Petros Lorrimor who was an old friend to each of them. The professor had died unexpectedly, and the five were asked to attend the funeral and bear witness to the reading of the will. Each of the strangers arrived in time for the burial (if not a day or two in advance), and have gathered with Kendra and other townsfolk who have come to pay their respects at The Restlands, just north of the village. Kendra had been kind enough to provide introductions, as well as lodging for each of the visitors.

Wilhem Felmarch - A new member of the Order of the Dragon who has come from Lastwall to honor the professor. He, along with the rest of his company of knights, patrol the Hungry Mountains for any sign of evil incursions. Wilhem served the professor well as an escort while traveling in some very dangerous territory. He has been given a leave of absence from his order so he may travel to Ravengro. His steed, Sunbolt, carried him a very long way at remarkable speed.

Valamir Surengi - A mysterious, pale-faced man with a hungry look in his eyes. The professor and he had some relationship in years past which he refuses to speak of. Even Kendra does not understand the nature of it. But clearly, Valamir feel indebted to the professor in some profound way. He has traveled a long way on foot -- without stopping to rest or eat -- just to attend the funeral. He seems very suspicious of most of the other visitors.

Tatyanza Irenze - A young woman who until recently traveled with the nefarious Sczarni. She has left her clan and her family to find her own path after meeting with the professor and being inspired by his words. She seems to have powers that are only now beginning to be grasped. But those same abilities cause her to become a magnet for restless spirits of her ancestors.

Zooglub - He appears to be a wiry, bent gnome in a hooded cloak. Kendra is aware that in truth, he is a goblin alchemist who over the years has developed a academic relationship with her father. She does not fully trust him -- as he acts quite mad most of the time -- but the professor saw much promise in the scrawny goblinoid. He must tread very carefully for most folk do not care much for his kind.

Yala Ravenlocke - She did not need to travel far, as she wanders the wilds of northern Canterwall (though she was difficult to contact). The feral-seeming Yala is in equal parts mistrusted by the townsfolk of Ustalav and valued for her skills as a healer and midwife. She is of Kellid birth and is widely rumored to practice witchcraft... neither of which she denies. She recently performed a service for the professor and he has not forgotten her -- even in death.

Father Grimburrow and two gravediggers are already waiting at the site of the burial. Councilman Vashian Hearthmount, Councilman Gharen Muricar, Jominda Fallenbridge (the town apothecary), Zokar Elkarid (a tavernkeeper) and his son, Pevrin also attend. For such a beloved man, very few have come to mourn him. Wilhem, Valamir, Gharen, Zokar, and Pevrin act as pallbearers. Zooglub says with a nervous titter that he would've volunteered, but wasn't "up to the task" (a reference to his height). In the end, Yala puts her shoulder beneath the casket, which elicits a few uncomfortable grumbles from the assembly (she seems not to care).

A teary-eyed Kendra leads the procession along the Dreamwake. As they round the bend onto a path known as the Eversleep, a group of about a dozen surly-looking locals led by a retired soldier named Gibs Hephanus are seen blocking the way. They tell Kendra that they don't want a "necromancer" buried with their kin, to which her grief is overcome by anger.

Tatyanza steps forth (not being burdened by the coffin) and uses calming words to back the villagers down. She is of common stock as they are and insists that the professor was a good man who taught her the true preciousness of life. "Such a man would not dabble in necromancy." The mob slowly disperses without any further incident.

The ceremony continues somberly, but uninterrupted. Kendra says a few words after the body is interred and Wilhem also does his best to express his respect for the man. When the funeral is done, Kendra invites the visitors to her home to hear the reading of the will. As people go their separate ways, a cold rain begins to fall. Wilhem thanks Tatyanza for her help earlier, but then mentions to the others that he is deeply troubled by talk of necromancy regarding the professor.

DM Notes: Tatyanza scored a 27 on her Diplomacy check (she didn't even need Wilhem's assist roll of 21).

XP = 120 each for preventing violence at the funeral.
Trust +1 (21 total).