23rd Rova, 4707 AR
Investigating The Boneyard
That evening, the rest of the town licks their wounds and finds comfort in various taverns and the cathedral after the festival. Meanwhile,
Sheriff Belor Hemlock leads them from the town garrison to the boneyard, found around the eastern side of the Cathedral. Theodore was found by a messenger guard, who leads him to the group and explains that Espa had gotten information from a captured goblin about shenanigans. They're going to check out the bone yard to see what kind of mischief occurred.
They meet with
Naffer Vosk at the gates. Naeric asks about the graveyard, leaning that Naffer maintains it himself. He's usually found here during the morning and evening when it is cool enough to work comfortably outside. He also rings the church bells. He saw a few people come to pay their respects over the last couple days, but no one particularly suspicious. In fact, Naeric himself is asking the most questions...
suspicious?
They walk along the only path to find the mausoleum where the clergy are laid, with many tracks around it. Hemlock and Espa push open the heavy stone door. She lights up a rock in the room, prompting two skeletons to rise from the floor and attack!
It's a cramped battle. Naeric has a little dance party dodging one of the skeletons, then zaps them both with lightning! One survives, which Hemlock keeps at bay with his sword. Teddy Remmy does a sweet front flip over Espa's head, calling out "I have a
bone to pick with you!" and re-killed the last skeleton with his rapier.
Free to investigate further, they discover:
- Ezakien Tobyn's sarcophagus is open!
- Traces indicating something large was dragged from this sarcophagus out the door
- A discarded old robe in the corner
Satashi tracks the drag marks. He determines confidently that there were 6 goblins and 1 medium humanoid who entered the boneyard from the northeastern wall. They returned to the same location dragging their large object.
Satashi and Naeric ask the groundskeeper and sheriff about Ezakien Tobyn. They learn he was a well-respected head priest for Sandpoint. About five years ago, he and his daughter, Nualia, perished in a fire that destroyed the old church and several buildings in town. The sheriff doesn't know why Nualia's body was never found, nor the exact state of Tobyn's body. He suggests
Father Zantus may know more. When asked for help, he mentions that
Shalelu Andosana is a good wilderness guide, if they can find her. He can't spare any guards.
The party splits up. Naeric, Espa, and Theodore go to
The Rusty Dragon to look for Shalelu. On the way, they discover a discarded ladder a little ways from the wall. Shalelu isn't around, but
Ameiko promises to give her a message. Naeric inspects the robe while they're waiting. It seems to have once had twelve pockets total, which were stitched on with runes, then ripped off.
Meanwhile, Satashi follows the trail into the trees over the North wall. The goblins dragged something (the body?) to a wagon, which was hidden off the road. Then it was driven away, lost in the many wagon tracks that arrived for the festival. They meet to share information, then head to a well-deserved rest.
Teddy spends his evening boarding up the windows at his house, which has been totally trashed by the goblins with so much dirty laundry and dishes. He takes Ameiko up on her offer for a free room until it can be repaired.
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24th Rova, 4707 AR
Errands and Research
The next morning they meet for breakfast at the White Deer, Naeric's treat. Espa runs some saucy rumors about Satashi's upbringing by him, and he explains his adoptive parents are nice farmers who live a few miles from town. Naeric determines the robe is magical, and summons undead, one per patch.
The group heads downtown, and runs into Alma Avertin. She gives them each some walnut breakfast muffins, and promises to make some cinnamon swirl bread for Naeric. At the
Turandarok Academy they speak to the headmaster
Ilsoari Gandethus. Naeric explains they think they attack was strategically planned to cover getting reagents for a necromatic ritual, where Ezakien's body was stolen. This was all organized by a 'longshanks'.
The headmaster identifies for them the Robe of Bones, which could've summoned those skeletons. He gives them some general info about the geography to the north, and recommends they stop by
The Way North and tell
Veznutt Parooh that he sent them. He offers enrollment to Espa, who politely refuses. On their way out, Naeric notices the headmaster keeps a copy of his book:
Arcane Principles IX: Runic Inscriptions And Their Significance In Producing Arcane Media.
Espa stops by
The Curious Goblin next door, which has been badly burned. The proprietor has a journal from a traveler who claimed to go to the First World, for an intimidating price of 40gp. Espa resolves to talk to Foxglove after all, since he promised to "reward them materially."
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