Carrion Crown: The Haunting of Harrowstone [IC]

[BuckGodot]

Othello looks around and nods his agreement.

"I have faced many undead creatures, but Father Grimsburrow tops quite a few. That being said, I suggest that we rest up for the remainder of the night and then seek an audience with him on the morrow to find answers to how this atrocity could have happened."

[Tippnick]

"It seems we have become a target. Maybe a watch schedule throughout the night might be in order." , Zauberei suggests.

[lostsole31]

Kendra shakes her head. "There will be no need for any of your member to fatigue yourselves. Mister Evans has no need of sleep."

[Kvard51]

"In that case", Abrax nods at Mister Evans, "I'll be going to bed. We have much to do tomorrow, and I want to do it with a clear head. Good night, all."

[Tippnick]

"Goodnight, I am off to bed then as well.", Zauberei says.

[BuckGodot]

Othello will likewise rise and after bowing to Kendra turn to Hargrimm and ask if he would be so kind as to treat his wound before retiring for the night.

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm nods. "I was going to insist. Thank you for saving me the trouble."

He fishes out his healer's kit from his room and sets about sterilizing everyone's wounds.

[Moriar]

Razvan nods in agreement. "Thank you once again for your kind hospitality Kendra."

He then heads up to get some sleep.

[lostsole31]

Starday, 26 Calistril 4711 AR
(70/ 50 F; Trace rain; Winds SE 10 mph; Dry)

The party wakes up after a relatively restful night of sleep, and each person does their hour of preparations.

Spoiler: OOC

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Let me know in Discord if you change anything up for maneuvers prepared, spells, etc.

Greeting the party after breakfast in the sitting room is a series of references annotated for any independent researcher, but there is more information uncovered regarding the Whispering Way.

"Exact details on the society are difficult to discern, but chief among the Whispering Way’s goals are discovering formulae for creating liches and engineering the release of the Whispering Tyrant. Agents often travel to remote sites or areas plagued by notorious haunts or undead menaces to perform field research or even to capture unique monsters. Their symbol is a gagged skull, and those who learn too many of the Way’s secrets are often murdered, and their mouths mutilated to prevent their bodies from divulging secrets via speak with dead.

"I mention this very last point, because it seemed peculiar to me that a falling piece of stone would so perfectly ruin the Professor's jaw and mouth like it did. - Mr. Evans"

As people mull over what must have been a late-night pet project of Mr. Evans' .... Sheriff Caeller calls on the party again.

"There's been more graffiti at the memorial," he announces.

[BuckGodot]

"Well. We should go up and have a look without delay so as to preserve what evidence there may be. Do we want to go all together or split into two groups, one to visit the good Father and one to investigate the graffiti?" says Othello after nodding to the Sherriff

[Tippnick]

"I believe we should not involve the local Pharasmans. It is just a short jump of logic that we could of raised the undead Professor to further our aims at exploring the prison.", Zauberei advises.

"Also, I think we need look at the papers we found then continue our search of the prison."

[BuckGodot]

Othello leans his head to the side... "So now we are deciding not... to see Father Grimsburrow?"

[SwordChucks]

"How about the more perceptive of us go investigate the graffiti and then question Father Grimsburrow about what could have happened. Hopefully he won't prevent us from inspecting the disturbed grave in the Restlands. The more intellectually inclined can stay to start digging through the papers. We can reconvene back here and discuss our findings."

"I'd rather not go back into Harrowstone without a good idea of what might be awaiting us." Hargrimm offers.

[Ason]

Marius is quiet during breakfast, still brooding over last night's events, as he processes the trauma of their unexpected 'reunion' with the professor and mulls over its meaning and potential culprits.

When the sheriff brings news of more graffiti, the young man massages the bridge of his nose while frustratedly grumbling under his breath, "Of course..." Composing himself, Marius then speaks up properly, "Thank you, Sheriff Caeller. I appreciate the trust you show by letting us know: have you been able to determine anything about it yourself yet? Did you want any particular kind help or merely for us to take our best crack at it, like before?" Turning to the others, he then suggests, "I think we should investigate the graffiti right away, before any evidence is disturbed. But I don't see that trip taking more than a few minutes, and if we need to split up afterwards--some for research, some to petition Father Grimsburrow, some to follow any new new leads--we could coordinate from there. Does that sound okay?"

[BuckGodot]

Othello nods his assent to that plan from Marius.

[lostsole31]

Sheriff Caeller is stumped.

Wren wants to come with to see the graffiti and then talk with Father Grimburrow.

Kendra will offer to assist anyone staying behind for looking through the papers.

[Tippnick]

"Miss Kendra, I would love to look over these papers with you. Your knowledge of this place will probably be more insight than I can bring.", Zauberei volunteers to go over the discoveries.

[Moriar]

Razvan nods in agreement as well to Marius' plan. "Let us make haste to the graffiti before it degrades too much."

[lostsole31]

The party (sans Zauberei, but including Wren) get to the memorial. There is an "E" on the memorial, this time a little bit more blood than before).

Now what?

[Ason]

Marius inspects the E, looking for any differences between this letter and the V from the time before, especially brush size and the likely amount of blood used. Thinking aloud to no one in particular, he says, "Well, the E might mean the vandal is simply painting out the name of the warden's wife," and points to the name Vesorianna on the memorial's list of names, "But who would care to do that, especially when her name's already there? Or is Vesorianna just a red herring? Hm..."

Puzzling through a mystery takes Marius' thoughts away from the tragic return of Professor Lorrimor, and he grows more animated as he muses over the evidence facing the party, showing his first proper smile since that event as he continues, "If blood was truly used for paint again, perhaps Mr. Evans could determine if it's similar to the V's, assuming we can impose on his kindness again. Whether the same source or multiple, both tell us something of the crime's scope. But where the devils are they getting so much blood...?"

[Moriar]

"Yes...yes...that is a good idea Marius." Razvan says almost absentmindedly as he himself gets lost in observing the new letter. "I wonder what it is spelling...do we know of anything or anyone that has a name that starts with VE?"

"Should we take a sample to be analyzed? How fresh is it?"

Spoiler: Detective crunch

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Razvan will use detect undead to see if there is any aura left. Then will use his lore and senses to observe the letter and the area. Also if given time will look for tracks in the area besides ours.

[lostsole31]

Razvan doesn't detect any undead. It is a letter "E," and per Marius' comment, the only thing that starts "V-E...." is Vesorianna, the warden's wife. Razvan, aided by Wren, find no tracks.

[SwordChucks]

"Can anyone tell if it's the same handwriting as the 'V'? And Sheriff, when was the new graffiti found?" Hargrimm asks.

[lostsole31]

Nobody can really make any judgment on "handwriting with only a two letter sample size of different letters.

Sheriff Caeller answers, "One of my deputies found it this morning on the way in to report to me."

[Kvard51]

Abrax watches the goings-on with a certain suspicion. It seems strange that the sheriff shows up just as the party was off to see Father Grimburrow, again. Coupled with the priest's un-Pharasman welcome for fellow servants of The Lady of Graves, and his cynicism doesn't seem so wrong...

"Sheriff Caeller, which of your deputies found this. I'd like a chance to speak to him. Also, the person who found the first defacing."

[lostsole31]

"Deputy Vrodish found it this morning," answers Sheriff Caller. "But you have no business with her. If you have a question for her that the evidence of the memorial doesn't show, you can ask me and I can ask her."

[Ason]

Marius ponders all this information and then asks the sheriff, "Sir, would Vesorianna have any relatives or close friends left in town? Or perhaps an old social rival? It is probably a false lead, but the warden's wife has the only V-E word I can connect to this monument thus far. So if you can think of anyone especially linked to Vesorianna, they might be worth at least a visit."

[lostsole31]

Sheriff Caellar shakes his head. "Sorry, no idea. None that I know of. You're welcome to come to Town Hall to look at records."

[Moriar]

"Either someone who is very good at hiding their tracks or something supernatural may be putting the letters on the memorial." Razvan muses.

"I am not sure how much more we can accomplish here. Though if we are or someone is able, perhaps we should watch the memorial during the night to see what or whom is leaving the letters."

[lostsole31]

"Or," Wren muses, "the two possibilities are not mutually exclusive."