[NAME] has been hit by a well-aimed crossbow bolt fired from ambush!
Most of the ground on the market square is covered by a layer of fine white ashes.
Around midnight [NAME] awakens, because [NAME] heard some voices.
Something is goingon at the market square.
[NAME] recognizes as members of the Order of Anathema, a fanatical congregationof Praios adherents.
show the symbol of the sun.
The figures light a number of brushwood bundles they have brought along and ina giant flare-up flood the whole square with a reddish glow bright as daylight.
“What I know about those Praios fanatics? Nothing, that’s what I know about them;do you take me for suicidal? And you shouldn’t try to find out anything aboutthem either, or your necks will be on the line next. Believe me, they are deadlyserious.”
“Oh. Well, I guess we better forget about the whole thing then.”
“What do you mean, next? Who’s neck has been on the line already?”
“Do we look as if we’d be afraid of some jokers just because they run aroundin tan robes?”
“Forget what?”
“No, but you don’t look fireproof either.”
“No, that’s starting to get too hot for us. We’re leaving in the morning.”
“You mean they burn people alive here?”
“For the Gods’ sake! Something must be done against that!”
“Eh oh; it’s your life. You can do with it whatever you want.
Artherion retiredin a little wood somewhere in the North East.
Me, I’m staying well clear of that.”
“Well, our miller for instance, Artherion. They set fire to his mill in the middleof the night with him inside.”
“Surely they must have had a reason for that?”
“Those cowardly rodents! We’ll show them!
“You mean they killed him?”
“He’s an Elf.”
“Not by me, I’ll tell you; I think I’ll go home now. Believe it or not, I wouldlike to wake up alive tomorrow morning.
You may find Artherion somewhere in thenortheast, if you really want to help him.”
“No, he’s still alive. He’s gone into the badlands somewhere to the northeastto live like a hermit. They say he’s gone very hostile and shoots at anybodygetting too close to his hut. Hardly surprising, really. But I should go now.I’ve told you way too much already.”
“Hey! Can’t you watch out! Or don’t they teach elementary rules of courtesy anymorewhere you hail from?!”
“Forgive me, I was negligent. I should have been more perceptive. It was terriblyuncourteous of me, you know, just because you do not hail from here… That’snot something it is opportune to say around here… Farewell.”
“Oh dear.”
“Stop! What did you mean by that?”
“Get lost, and fast!”
“What? What did I mean by what?”
“OK, ok, we just thought…”
“What is inopportune to say around here?”
“What should we know?”
“Well, that I’m sorry for insulting you like that; it wasn’t your fault at all,as you must know. Please forgive me. And have a good night, all.”
“Well, to talk like that about foreigners. There are some living in our town,and they are extremely honorable citizens. And since they came, one shouldn’t talklike that, because it isn’t true that all foreigners are dishonorable scum.”
“They certainly aren’t.”
“Is that what you thought before?”
“And what has brought on this remarkable change of heart?”
“Which explains my sincere apologies. Good night.”
“Well, there aren’t many foreigners around here, and when they do come, theynever stay long. And then, there’s always been a lot of thieving… I reallymust dash; all the best.”
“Well, they are very honorable folk, those two. They are in favor of law andorder, and yes, they are quite capable of seeing to it, personally even. Butforgive me, I must go home now. I wish you all a good night.”
Your knocks are answered by a hunched over, haggard man opening the door. “Whatdo you want?”
“Your head, you murdering lowlife!”
“Are you Valpor of Kuslik?”
“It is said that you know your way around this town.”
Do you want to search the house for evidence?
You find numerous private documents and books, finally you discover a secretcompartment, containing some notes, in which Deregorn of Thunderbrook issuspected of being the leader of the Order of Anathema.
So it looks likeyou’ve done the wrong man in!
“So what?”
“We are looking for an honorable newcomer in this town…someone other than you,I mean.”
“What is your connection to the Order of Anathema?”
“Funny, you don’t look like a murderer…”
“You’ll have to look somewhere else then. There’s no newcomer here but me.”
“And where?”
“But maybe you would be able to help us?”
“Oh. In that case, please forgive the intrusion.
“There’s Erholt of Tiefhusen, he lives a bit northeast of the market square,and Deregorn of Thunderbrook. His house is right at the market next to the templeof Praios. I don’t think the names fit either of them…That’ll be %d ducats…Thankyou.”
“But I don’t want to.”
“There are none. Good day.”
“That’s because I am not.”
“Do you know one?”
“We must be wrong then.”
“The other newcomers, maybe?”
“A number even. You look that way, too. Good day.”
“Neither Erholt of Tiefhosen or Deregorn of Thunderbrook really fit their names.But you’ll have to find out yourselves which one of them is a murderer. Theyboth live in the vicinity of the market. And that’s where you should go… now.Good day.”
Your knocks are answered by an old man. “Oh, visitors. How can I help you gentlefolk?”
“Die! That is the punishment for all your heinous crimes!”
“Make a clean breast of it, old man.”
“I beg your pardon, we must have made a mistake.”
Shaking his head, the man retreats into his house.
Do you want to storm after him with your swords drawn?
There seems to be nobody at home.
“Yes, what do you want?”
“Your death, miserable killer!”
“Are you Deregorn of Thunderbrook?”
“Please forgive us, we must have knocked on the wrong door.”
“Yes, I am he. Why do you ask?”
“Oh dear me! Must have been steered wrong. Please, accept our apologies for disturbingyou.”
“So you are the head of that fanatic band of murderers…”
“Because it is your death warrant, you miserable coward of an arsonist!”
There is no reaction to your knocks. Nobody seems to be at home. Do you wantto break in?
When the man sees your determined expressions, he turns and flees into the house!Are you going to pursue him?
You find a stack of documents, and it takes you quite a while to work throughthe lot. In the end, you find everything Artherion told you to be correct. Hejust made a mistake about the number of members.
The newest list mentions eightmembers of the order in Gashok. Unfortunately, it doesn’t give names or addresses.
“Of course they had.”
You are standing in front of the charred remains of a burnt down building. Ifthe recognizable pieces of wall and timber remaining are anything to go by, itused to be a mill.
Do you
search the ruins or
would you rather not cover yourselves in soot from head to toe?
After three hours you call the whole futile effort off. A mill stone lets [NAME] assume that the ruin was used as a mill before. Compared to the outer look ofthe building, the furnishing and the inner side of the walls are in good condition.
From the shadows of the surrounding houses appear a few figures wearing tan robesand armbands, that
but only minutes later, the fire has burnt down, and the wind carries the ashesacross the deserted market square like fine white dust.
A stooped going old woman suddenly approaches you from an alley, scrutinizingyou through her tiny eyes, stops in front of you, numbling something.
“We do not want to have to deal with Elves around here.”
“Why, but that’s no reason, something has to be done!”
“Oh no, not you again. What do you want?”
You discover nothing except a male corpse.
As you don’t like the idea of gettingarrested as a bunch of murderers, you hurry to get away.
[NAME] infers that the fire didn’t start inside the building.
“I was told you sent Deregorn of Thunderbrook to Boron’s realm.
The oppressedinhabitants of the town, including myself, are thankful to you for that. ButI’m afraid, the majority of the inhabitants do not think this way. So watchyour step.”