Beyond the Pale 1

<OOC> Thurid says, "This will be a Death Consent plot, that means you can die or suffer lasting deleterious effects such as ability drain, negative levels etc. Everyone gets one free reroll per scene. Reroll should be declared before the results of the roll are. Please let us know if you're going AFK, especially during combat. If that's all good, I'll get us started."

Sendor is one of Alexandria's neighbours, but that doesn't mean the journey is especially quick- particularly at this time of year, and with the unnaturally continuous snowfall in Alexandria of late. It's a long road north, but a well traveled one at least, and so well patrolled and maintained- no churned mud, but gravel and cobbles beaten hard and level by centuries of footfalls. Even so, it's a few days travel- the guild has provided the party with the use of a wagon for it, as well as a driver, though they are welcome to use their own transportation if they have it. Plenty of time to get to know each other- or grow sick of each other, as the case may be.

The last few miles of the journey have been through sprawling fields and vinyards. Though Sendor boasts a mild clime and has been spared the unnnatural snowfall, it is still winter so there are no fruits or grains to be seen in the fields, though there are pasturing livestock and hardy winter vegetables. It's mid morning on the third day of travel that they arrive at the wooden pallisade walls of Ronda- a small town, but even small towns in the Myrrish kingdoms have seen their share of war in the last few decades and so most of them sport stout defenses in this day and age. The wagon driver makes his way to a coach house near the main gate, open but manned by a couple of town militia with pikes, gambesons and round rimmed half helms.

Burai spends the better part of most days in the form of a large eagle, gliding in large circles in the air over the wagon and occasionally ahead or behind on their route. He takes time to land occasionally on the wagon and utter a few words in passable speech, with just a tinge of avian shrillness. But for the most part he doesn't seem very talkative, even after he has returned to his normal half-oruch form in evenings or on breaks.

Ulthan trudges alongside the wagon, but with his gear mostly stowed, his long stride keeping pace with the conveyance while he keeps watch in case something popped up.

Hisnd as always, an unthreatening bundle of cloaks, rags and a sack was huddled in the corner of one of the caravans, quietly mumbling by itself. Occasionally a cloaked beak peeks out, but then it is back to studying whichever... whichever random bundles of cloaks and rags do. At some point it would have become clear to everyone that it was just the corvid egalrin, Crik, pretending to be unassuming cargo for some reason.

"Are we there yet?" Skyler asks, waking up from a nap as the wagon comes to a stop at the main gate, blinking sleep out of his pale grey-green eyes. He's been uncharacteristically quiet as they entered the Myrrish kingdoms, his usual thoughtless prattle having an edge that would almost be brooding if it were someone with a reputation for actual thought. He straightens up with a yawn that sends arms up above his head, and turns to poke the unassuming cargo. "Hey, I think we're here." Beat. And he looks sheepish, "Oops. I forgot you're pretending to be luggage." He coughs, and says loudly, "I think we're here! We should all really look away from our luggage to make sure though!"

Bryn is keen to seeing new things, and getting paid for it just makes it even better. The oruch doesn't mind the walking (she's used to it) and easily passes the time fixing her eye on things, asking about them, talking about other things she's seen, or idling humming to herself. "Whatcha think we're gonna find next?" she asks no one in particular.

Haggerty is astride on his mount Leif, a fiery yet nimble white warhorse with slightly larger hooves than Southern and Vast counterparts. Military saddle and heraldic cloth with a medium blue and silvery half. In a front saddlebag is the little black dog who accompanies the Stormgardian. Both seem joyous at the beautiful weather which has the redhead break out in song to describe the laden, bare branches, frost mired everything, frozen waters and coniferous needliness, visible breaths, et cetera. The pug sometimes whinesle-yowls along, not too much worse than the merry Aesir. His horse is fast and well guided, but the pale rider stops by roadside shrines to pray and leave little thanks to the Mistress of Civilization and Cooperation. his changes when the weather changes and it becomes damp, mild and weirdly warm. The wizard does not quite complain, but gone is the cheer most of the time. The sight of the town is welcomed with a little orison to She who Lances.

Hagg chuckles, "There're the walls and the good folk who guard them!" To the pikey bunch, "Hail guardsfolk!"

Burai has returned to his normal two-legged form and is walking next to the wagon as it approaches the coach house. He glances at Hagg and then says in a lowered voice to the rest of the party. "We'll have to make our way to the cemetary and decide what to do next. And," he adds, eyeing the guards. "If this village is like the others I have been to, I expect one of us will have to explain ourselves and seek out those who sent for us. " He pauses and then adds slowly, "And not in the order. For any of that."

The guards seem more bored than anything- the road is less busy in the winter months, and so they eyeball the arriving ragtag group as much because it's something to break up the day as out of any actual suspicion. "Hail, friends." one of them calls out to the group. "What brings you to Ronda?" he asks a moment later. The other has his pike in the crook of his elbow, which he leans on. Both seem quite relaxed.

"Ey!" Bryn waves to back to the guards (that were returning a greeting already). "'Eard ye had some trouble with robbers. Grave robbers. So we're 'ere ta keepa lookout over yer ancestors 'n all. Let 'em rest in peace. Like they should."

The bundle of baggage does not respond to the kicking. Then after a moment a quiet, deep bass like voice replies to Skyler. "The art of deception is to not draw attention, it is not to draw attention to how you are not drawing attention." He patiently explains.

And in a sudden flurry of cloaks he hops off the wagon and sidles behind the far taller members of his party.

"Well you were fairly obvious." Skyler says a touch sulkily as he adjusts the baldric holding his curved blade into place. He sniffs, jumps off, and joins the larger members of the party himself. He seems content to let the others take the lead for once.

Haggerty smiles brightly and wipes some moisture from the brim of his dapper pointy hat, "Rest, tales and good spiced wine, I hoped, but not. We are here at the behest of you and the other Rondites, Rondorians?" Ahum. The freckled man clears his breath, "We offer to land our hands.. What the lady ministrel said.." The doge looks up with his big black eyes, snorfles, headsinks. Briefly, there was something about bones? Nope, not the tasty gnawy kind! Hagg says lowly to Burai, "Very astute. Thank you for the council." To nobody in particular, the man of many braids mutters, "See, this is what you get when you do not put the dead on a proper boat and burn them, or into a hill with a big rock to keep the grave shut..."

Ulthan nods to the guards, seeing a familiar position in keeping the village or compound safe, but doesn't really add in, since everyone else is busy gabbing already. He is no skald, nor an orator, so he'll keep quiet until there's something that needs to be said.

The guardsman who replied to the hail ahs and nods his head seriously, "Grim business, that. I know times is hard every winter, but digging up the long buried? That's nasty work." he complains and then shakes his head. The other one pipes up, finally, "You're from the guild, then? How was the road? Heard you've been getting no end of snow down south." after a moment, time for them to reply to the pleasantries, the first guard pipes up again. "You'll be wanting to head to the watch house on temple row, then. Follow the main road to the square, then head left. There's a big temple to Althea at the end of the row- can't miss it. Guard house is the big building with the red roof, it'll be on your left, about... what, hundred yards down?" he offers, turning to his colleague for confirmation. He shrugs, "'bout that, yeah. They got the sign, too. Countess's coat of arms, like what we're wearing." he says and thumbs the emblem on his own Gambeson.

Crik's beak droops - he had put a lot of effort into being disguised as a sack of potatoes! Then his head perks up. "... I will do better next time." He tells Skyler and listens on in. He neatly hides more behind Ulthan, before he leans around. "... there are no outstanding bounties, yes? Wanted posters on the wall are seasons old?" Just asking for a friend.

Bryn turns her eye up the road when the guardman explains and nods back. "Got it. Thanks! After we get that figgered, there a good tavern 'ere fer celebratin at?" No reason they have to trek all the way back before maintaining work-life balance and all.

"Potatoes have eyes, not beaks." Skyler says, turning to pat the raven on the shoulder soothingly. "Don't worry, you can practice on the way home."

But then the rogue is asking about bounties, and he winces. "Good question." He mutters, and turns back to the rest of the party. He listens to the guard's explanation, nodding along. At the question on the roads, he says, "Road's were surprisingly clear. Last time I passed this way, there were pirates, but they've seemed to have moved on."

"Praise the Knightly Maiden! The roads are excellent enough to stop by the roadside shrines and beseech She who guards Wellbeing of all enlightened Folk!" He smiles again, solidly echoed by the fervor in his blue eyes. He fistbumps over his heart, hears the rustle of canine claws on the saddle in front of him, feels the little kick to his thigh which nets a calming headpat for the little friend. The wizard stage whispers without much talent, make that an unreflected or subconscious effort, "We cannot really ask for money until we have confirmed the locals can afford to pay, right?"

Ulthan ehs at mention of pirates, hadn't heard that tale before. He opens his gobbo-made notepad and jots down a note about that tidbit of this route. Working hard to have the lay of the land and every route for when he gets to start his messenger guild to run messages all around Alexandria for those who can't afford the Royal couriers...

The Guard grins at the question, "Now those, we have plenty of. Ronda might be small, but we have some of the finest vinyards in all of Myrr. My hole of choice is the Hen and Moon- from the square, pass the smithy, second right." he offers cheerily. With directions dispensed and intentions stated, the guards wave the adventurers on into the town. It's a fairly lively place, most of the buildings are stonebuilt- perhaps a luxury, but then the terrain in the vicinity is not heavily forested but the farmland surrounds were broken up by the odd limestone quarry the party saw on their journey, so perhaps wood is a rarer resource in these parts. But just because they are stone, doesn't mean they are drab. Most are brilliantly whitewashed, with colourful clay tiled roofs.

Burai nods akwardly to the guards, then turns and heads into the town. He has to glance back occasionally to make sure he's not going the wrong way or otherwise accidentally separating himself from the party. The half-oruch also eyes a few of the buildings they pass with a sense of wonder...but others with an air of wariness. What makes him like some and not others? Difficult to say. As they draw out of earshot of the guards, Burai begins speaking to the party again. "Are you all going to the tavern...?"

"After, I think." Skyler says with a shrug, "It's not terribly professional to celebrate a good job until *after* the job is finished, eh?" That to Bryn, raising an eyebrow at her consideringly.

The Swashbuckler seems to have no clever commentary on the village, and surprisingly enough doesn't seem to view the colorful buildings as anything out of the ordinary. Then again, he *does* have a faintly Myrrish accent, so maybe he's familiar with the place!

“Alright!" Bryn throws up a metal fist in the air. "Le's get goin!" she encourages and looks to the others. The tavern is tempting. Really tempting, but she did say it was for celebrating. And Skyler's right. She nods. "Ye, we go there. But after crackin thief skulls, ey?" Either way, they need to head up the road, so she starts walking. "Quicker we do that, quicker we can get to celebratin."

"... sometimes being drunk before grave digging makes it easier." Crik says, already taking notes. He was sketching out the layout of the city quickly - measuring distances, noting alleys, occasionally drawing a big box for boring buildings like the taverns, and then noting also any smaller openings. "Do we have a plan yet?"

Ulthan says, “I doubt anyone would be so out of their mind as doing the grave-robbing in bright daylight, so we might drop by at tavern after we let the Temple know we're here to catch the grave-robbers, and not join themn... And get as much coffee as we can hold while we wait for night-time... Unelss anyone else is up to reconnoiter the place before we stumble around it in the dark?"”

Haggerty throws his hat in the air, catches it, put it back on with a slightly more dashing tilt. He then points at the big thing in a sack which has been fastened to the saddlebags, "We will make merry later, so let us get on with the effort, indeed!" The redhead nods to the half oruch skald. "We talk to the Altheans, we talk to the officers, we look about the town. Then we thing and end the trouble?" He gestures to Ulthan, "Yes. The dastardly will seek the shelter of fog or lesser light for their deeds. "We should look about the cemetary before dusk, too."

Burai glances at a few members of the party, weighing their words. Finally he offers, "I have no skill in speaking with those at the temple--" he begins. Perhaps also no interest...? "--or with more city guards. But I see why it should be done. I'll head to the cemetary and keep watch. We have hours yet before it grows dark," he notes.

"Just don't go *in*." Skyler suggests to Burai with a furrowed brow, "No telling if you'll trigger something. Sure, most grave robbers proably work at night, but that means doing a day-raid would be perfect because it's so unexpected!"

The square is really more of a round- strange that that seems to often be the case- but even more strictly speaking it's an oval stretch where the seven main roads in this small town converge at it's center. One road leads up a hill towards a large manor house that overlooks the town, lined with what appear to be residential properties. The next sports the smithy, right on the corner, that the guard mentioned leads to his favorite tavern. The next, on the left, winds away is temple row, so named because of the large temple to Althea at its terminus. Next is the road they traveled from the main gate. There appears to be a number of storehouses and general trades down the fifth road, a market row on the sixth, and finally another residential row running around the bottom of the hill the manor sits atop of.

Following the road to the temple the party see a couple of smaller places of worship- Dana and Ceinara both seem popular enough, but Althea is clearly the predominantly worshipped diety around here.

The Althean temple doors are open, with morning pressing on towards lunch time, the morning services have largely filed out but the temple welcomes visitors at all hours it seems. Besides which, they appear to be preparing alms for those in need of a hot bowl of stew but who lack the coin to pay for one.

Bryn has seen a few temples, but this is only the second to The Healer... which almost makes it the most temples for the same deity she's seen so far? "Ey!" She greets merrily those working, without intruding too much. Then she looks to the others. "Uh, is there somebody special we oughtta be talking to, 'ere?"

"I say grab the nearest person in Althean vestments and ask them." Skyler suggests with a squint as he considers the bard's question, "I mean, I don't think we were given a contact, but I might have slept through that part of the assignment briefing." He pauses, and glances around, "Eenie, Meanie, Minnie... Moe!" And he points at someone at random, walking up to them.

"Hi! We're from Alexandria City, sent regarding some grave robbers? Do you know anything, or know who we need to talk to?" He asks brightly, with his most charming smile.

Crik had a plan, rubbing his hands together in the chill. "... I will check the smithy and general store for any extra requests for shovels." He tells the party. "... and get a collapsible one." He points at his back, with its many layers of cloaks. "And-" At this point, he spots the line for alms. Distract. Distract. He looks away. "I will scout the shopkeeps. Grave robbing needs specialized supplies, surely they know if anyone purchased them." And he is off hopping.

Ulthan chases after his friend in his swaddle of cloaks, just in case that the merchantz prefer seeing a human face accost them of selling shovels to graverobbers...

The deft equestrian dismounts and bows to the habitual persons and frockly gents, "Warm mornings and an everful reserve of fire peat, good Altheans!" The swashbuckler already approaches the clergy so he waits. There is a moment of squinty eyed doubt at what may be thanked next, but Hagg must wait here while the doge whines softly, almost inaudibly. There is one good about the absence of snow here: they will not need a Vardamax Groundiron to defrost the soil. Not that a little town like Ronda would have such a tool. He waves to the birbman, "Stay on your claws, please." Then, "Thank you, Master Ulthan."

The one picked out looks up from their work and offers a smile. "Oh, how are the roads? I heard you've had awful weather that way." they offer. "Ahhh... that." the young man frowns. "The militia had a tracker look into it, but his hounds couldn't turn anything up. The tracks just... vanish into thin air, apparently." he offers. "Quite scary, if you ask me. I suppose that's why they've sent for adventurers. The cemetery is closed to visitors until it gets sorted out, but I can fetch the gate key." he offers.

GAME: Crik rolls diplomacy: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL)

Crik's enquiries are met with open suspicion at the general store- The chap in charge, a balding older fellow with a puffy red nose doesn't /quite/ accuse Crik of being the grave robber himself, but certainly doesn't trust his credentials as an adventurer.

GAME: Ulthan rolls diplomac: (8)+diplomac: 8

<OOC> Ulthan says, "I have +4, so that'd be 12..."

"Fairly unpleasant, yes." Skyler says, bouncing his head in a rueful nod. As he talks, he straightens his shoulders, his accent getting closer to that of the clergy, with a certain... poshness? That wasn't there before. "I admit, your lovely town is quite nice after the snow and general disturbance of Alexandros this time of year." He pauses, and adds, "Has there been any inventory of what's been taken, or perhaps a list of graves that were disturbed? Maybe there's a pattern."

"From what I gather, the bodies have been dug up completely." The man says then, "And all were soldiers in life." he adds then. "It's a tradtion- or was, it's not so common anymore- for soldiers who died fighting to be buried with their arms and armour, whenever they could." he explains. "Some are worried that there's a necromancer in our midst, but it could as well be brigands after better arms than they can get their hands on otherwise." he says then. "I'll say, though, it's put a pall over the town, either way is not good news. And the rest of the dead ought to be sacred, even to brigands."

Crik was actually offended that he was being mistaken for a grave robber. He was very proud of his job! "... always the same, always the same outside the aerie..." He mutters as he heads towards the rest of the party. "... always think of us nothing but grave robbers..." Then he spots the rest of the group and straightens up, falling into the line. "Many people pay for good corpse, not just necromancers." He points out. "The snow is good at covering tracks, if the soil is not frozen."

Ulthan has a bit more succeess allaying the suspicions of the general store, and he says he sells a fair number of shovels year round. Doesn't think he's sold more than usual lately, but does give a list of people he can remember selling shovels to in the last couple of weeks. There's Garv Miller, who as the name implies, is a Miller who lives outside the town proper. Yanos Merfyn who's an older chap who lives down in lower residential. And Hetty Janos, who's one of the groundskeepers up at the manor house.

Bryn scowls, even if she knew why they were coming up here. "Ain' right stealin fromma dead. Not like that, anyways. The thievin' goin on at night?" she asks, hoping to confirm what they're probably thinking. "Won't be no more thievin with us onna watch, though." She adds to reassure.

"Was it immediately people's graves that've been dug up, or is there a pet cemetery that's seen disturbances?" Skyler asks, brow furrowed, "Or maybe pets going missing?" He glances over at the others, nodding slowly to Bryn, "Ain't like the crew I ran with. They were pirates and ne'er do wells, but they respected the Gods. And yes, we would like that key."

Crik turns his head towards Skyler. "The pirates that definitely did not use this road?" He asks the sky-pirate, then looks blankly ahead of him. Maybe his tail was wagging side to side slightly.

"People." is the reply from the priest, then a pause, and then he continues. "We don't usually bury pets or livestock. Now and then someone will be buried with their hound or somesuch, if they died near the same time, but for the most part pets and the like are cremated. Or folks bury them in their yards if they have them, often as not." he offers to Skyler's enquiry. Bryn's assurance gets a grateful smile, and then he nods at Sky again and heads off to go fetch the key.

Haggerty comments, "The roads between here and Alexandria are marvelous, Good Priest! Travel was a joy, though the downwind in the mountains was a trifle too warm. My fellow travelers do disagree, though." He chuckles throws a gold into the alm box. He leans to the tiny bulldog and the dark fellow raises his head like a prize horse to waddle to where the horse's reins hang, snag them and begin a trundle to the behooving parking lot and toss the straps over the beam. Only Leif does not quite play along! Now the snorfling, grunting and awkwardly eying pug hangs by his teeth from the reigns while the warhorse snorts. Was that a laugh? (Burai can easily confirm.) The wizard blinks, marches over to grasp the individual transport's steering device, gently pats the white friend's flank, retrieves the apologetic looking pug, and parks the mount properly. Then he is right back with, Bryn, Skyler and the shifter oruch. "Key. Perfect! Thank you. Can we show the key to the guard officers and that will tell them we have your blessing, Diligent Althean?" Hagg cants his head which causes a waterfall of those red braids, "Is a guard dog or man trailer not worthy of the same treatment, particularly when with the guard?" His voice is friendly, but there is a faint edge to the wizard's words.

Skyler says, “Proper funeral rites are expensive, Haggarty." Skyler says with a frown, glancing over at the priest apologetically, "I think we've asked all the questions we can. Maybe we should go see if the... Druid?... has turned up anything from his investigation?"

Crik is ignored. After all, the rogue *did* say he was trying to be inconspicuous, right?”

The corvid rogue holds his beak open - and then after a moment, shuts it. He too, remembers he was supposed to be inconspicuous. A completely unrelated flying thought. Crik pulls more hoods over his head.

The man pauses looks at Haggarty slightly reproachfully, "You could say the same for the ones we eat for meat. It's not that we don't honour them, we just honor them in their own way. Lots of people keep the ashes of their hounds or horses at home." he says then. Another pause, "The guards don't already know you're here? It... should be fine, but I can send a page down to let them know you'll be on your way." he says, before finally heading off to fetch the promised graveyard key.

Once so fetched, the party and the page are sent off. The graveyard itself is within the pallisade walls, following a winding trail down away from and behind the temple- at a remove, but still within view, and has a wrought iron fence about it. There's another bored looking guardsman here, and the page introduces the adventurers before heading back up the path. The guard offers them a nod of acknowledgement and allows them access to the graveyard to go about their investigation.

<OOC> Ulthan says, "I mean, if I was trying to convince people to join my Cult, I'd make the graveyard cheery, and have remembrances for all the fallen... Unless the cult is really just collection of Goths, being all doom and gloom works worse than joy and happiness... Honey and vinegar and nats, yo. :D"

The graveyard is dominated by a huge oak- leafless for the time being, with it being winter. Several more leafless oaks twist their way towards the sky, as well as a number of bushes and a handful of evergreen trees. Green buds hint at flowers to come in the spring. The paths are well looked after, and the grass is geen. Overall, a lovely little graveyard. In the corner, on a raised earthen mound, there is a squat mausoleum bearing the local nobilities heraldry in graven countenance, its heavy wood and brazed doors polished brightly.

A couple of the graves are conspicuously empty- headstones still in place.

Haggerty smirks, but that cannot last. "I know, Master Sky. But the kind lives and risks their life for all of us. Living to be eaten is similar but feels much different?" He shoulder pats the derring scimitarist, smooches the sulking dogster and thanks the priest who is already gone. They are the one primarily addressed, but the pale man wanted to get that out.

A small shape made of earth and stone emerges from the ground in front of the cemetary as the party nears. "grrrAAAAH!!"

It seems to waver and then changes into...Burai, kneeling on one knee and panting a few breaths of air. Then he rises to his full height. "...greetings," he offers. He looks at the party and seems ready to ask a question, or two...or three. But then changes his mind and instead blurts, "There's something -under- the graveyard."

Bryn starts at the earth squirming. She's had a bad experience with an excremental or two. When it coalesces into the halfsy, though, she relaxes ad shoots a tusky grin. "Ey." Pause. A blink. "Wait, somethin UNDER it?! What kinda somethin?"

Ulthan says, “under? Caves, catacombs? Probably, and hopefully, not sewers...”

"... ancient cursed ruins." Crik says - though it was hard not to notice the glee under his typically gloomy bass like tone. He picks up his notepad and starts sketching furiously, before hopping back and forth, as if trying to stomp onto the ground. "Anyone feel as if the ground were hoilow underneath them?"

Ulthan says, “I don't think it'd be this close to surface, or they would have turned them into catacombs, instead of just digging into the surface...”

Haggerty brings his brows to a join, nods a few times. "Stationary or mobile, size? What did it sound or smell like, please? If it moved, did it move fast? Did you notice tunnels, please?" The Aesir looks alarmed and the allblack mini-pal raises a bent ear as much as sniffle-snortles.

"Oh, you already said ruins. Errm, I do not. I could summon a few friends and get them to digging, but I doubt they would enjoy. They are from the holy planes, after all."

Burai pauses at the questions. "I, ah...that is, I couldn't see that well," he admits. "It was my first time underground. But...it was made of stone. Made, and not formed of time or of nature," he stresses the words. "At least as large as the graveyard itself, and quite deep. A structure. Of some sort." He glances at the cemetary and the nearest graves. "I didn't find an entrance, but as I said, I wasn't able to see completely..."