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).