The lumber mill

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Episode no.	Episode 24
Date	2009
Game Master	Abbe
Characters	Dorothea Honeypot Nathaniel Nell Velicia
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Nathaniel came looking for us and found us eating breakfast at the Rusty Dragon. He said that Sheriff Hemlock wanted to see us, so I brought the food and we went to the garrison. Sheriff Belor Hemlock told us that during the night there had been an awful murder. Two people had been killed at the lumber mill and he wanted us to take a look at it. Partly because of us having handled the goblin threat so well and partly because a letter had been found at the bodies that was addressed to Honeypot.

He held up a piece of paper and started reading from it.

"You will learn to love me in time as she did.
Give yourself to the pack and it will all end.
Your lordship."

I had a few thoughs about the text in the note. The wording "pack" is used about dogs, wolves and rats. Honeypot said that it was used about mules too, but she probably doesn't know that pack mules is something completely different. Maybe it involves werewolves or maybe the murderer had seen Honeypot using her magic to transform into a wolf as she did when returning from Thistletop.

Hemlock told us that the two bodies were Banny Harker and Katrine Vinder. They had been found early in the morning by Ibor Thorn. It was he and his partner Banny Harker that took care of the daily operation of the mill for the owner, the Scarnetti family. We went there to see the lumber mill for ourselves.

When we got there, there were lots of people gathered outside, but they let us through while a low murmur spread through the crowd.

We entered the lumber mill and the first thing I noticed was lots of blood that had been splashed around. Even though there was sawdust all over the floor it still hadn't soaked up all blood. There was a body cut to pieces by the saw and another one hung on the wall. That body had had its face removed. It was a terrible sight and I felt sick. I volunteered to question the people outside and left immediately. Honeypot followed close behind.

When we got out it turned out that the people gathered there were scared of Honeypot. They had heard about the letter, left by the murderer for her. I still asked around and heard a lot of rumors. Banny Harker had had a not so secret relationship with Katrine Vinder and her father hadn't liked that any better than Nathaniel's with his other daughter. It seemed as if no one really believed that Ven Vinder had killed them, but it was an easy answer so many told it. Several seemed to think that Banny Harker might have been involved in illegal activities. Some said that he might be dealing with gangsters. Others thought that he might be skimming the books or take bribes. Some said he had shady deals with rhenne, but I thought that the most reasonable rumor was that Titus Scarnetti had found out that Harker was stealing from him and killed them both. I was also told that the lumber mill had been running all night but they couldn't tell if it had been in use all night.

As the others came out we returned to the garrison. When we got there the others told us what they had found out. There had been a seven-pointed star carved in the body of Harker. They had found footprints of bare feet that had stepped in blood. They had also found the same footprints in mud on the pier??? leading up from the water. I asked why there would be mud if the murderer swam there. They also told us that they had found an ax that Harker might have used to defend himself with, and that they found some really gory stuff on its edge. They thought it was bits of an old corpse. At least it smelled like it. There had been a terrible smell of old rotten corpse on several places but not all over the place.

Honeypot used the old bits from the ax to get information about the murderer by using a magical ritual. It took quite some time but she found out that whatever it was, it's vulnerable to radiant energy but not to silver and therefore probably not a werewolf but might be an undead monster.

Then the sheriff told us it wasn't the first murder. Two days ago the guards patrolling the long coast road, while passing Bradley's Barn at Cougars Creek, had seen a mad man running about. They arrested him and checked the barn. There they found three dead bodies of known conmen and swindlers. The mad man turned out to be Grayst Sevilla. The swindlers was identified from a letter and had all been banned from Sandpoint by the sheriff and he wasn't surprised that they would meet a violent end. The letter was about property and gold and about "make rich". It was signed by "Your lordship".

I thought about who could be called lordship as it would be a male noble. There aren't that many families that can live up to that title. The Kaijitsu family is headed by a woman, Ameiko, and the Deverin's too. Mvashti isn't really any nobles even though they were among the first to live where Sandpoint was built and besides they are lead by a woman too, Madame Niska Mvashti. The Scarnettis are my main suspects as they own the lumber mill and is led by a man, but on the other hand old Ethram Valdemar had some sickness and has been cured over and over again. Maybe he is some undead creature... Nathaniel added that the Foxgloves also are nobles in the area.

Hemlock told us that he had arrested Ibor and Ven, the last one mostly because he had lost his temper when told his daughter was dead. We talked to Ibor. He agreed that Harker might have been stealing from the mill.

I talked to Ven Vinder

The reading

Dorothea said that she had gotten an invitation for us all to Madame Mvashti.

We all, but Dorothea, met and went over to Madame Mvashti's house. It was big but it seemed cramped on the inside and as if she didn't use most of the rooms. When we entered some young rhenne women showed us in. I noticed a stuffed owl that seemed very lifelike perched on a branch on top of a closet. I jumped when it turned it's head.

The room we were led into was dark but we could see a very old rhenne woman sitting at a table talking to Dorothea who was already there. Madame Mvashti greeted us and asked us to sit down. She told us that she had heard of our adventures and that we now faced new dangers. There was a great evil behind our obstacles. She offered to read the cards for us.

Madame Mvashti took nine cards, shuffled them carefully and put them face down on the table and asked us to all take one card each. We did and put them face up in front of us. She told us what they meant.

Honeypot. Her card was named "The Lost". Mvashti said it meant emptiness and loss of identity. She also said that the bodak shown is forever mad, lost in a world of lunatics, insane asylums, and mass killers. For those under it's influence the world makes no sense. All is babble as if someone speaks in an other tongue.

Me. My card was named "The Owl". It meant eternal wisdom of natural order. It is the harsh realism that causes a pack of wolves to cull the weak in the herd. It is tragic for the culled deer, but through such actions the herd grows stronger. The needle the owl holds binds life together, but just as easy can pick that life apart. I knew of the hard rule of survival. It had been very present in my life as a street urchin on the streets of Magnimar.

Nathaniel. His card was named "The Mute Hag". Madame Mvashti explained that she might be silent, but the eye she olds lets her see into the hearts of men. This hag invokes blood pacts and poisonous secrets, the kind that turn brother against brother and son against father. I didn't understand it, but maybe Nathaniel has secrets I don't know of.

Dorothea. Her card was named "The Midwife". Mvashti said that the midwife is a conduit to creation, although does not create on her own. This halfling is a key that lets new life or information into the world. Her heart can see the good in even the worst situation. She can see the importance of any new arrival. I'm not sure I would like to see the life that Dorothea would bring to this world if it's through her magic.

Velicia. Her card was named "The Publican". It stood for fellowship and camaraderie, and a place of refuge for those in need. Most would find the cyclops inconsequential, but he has insight relevant to the quest. I'm not that surprised if Velicia have read something in an old book that might be useful and I can agree on her being a friend.

Madame Mvashti gathered all cards and shuffled them again. She placed nine cards in three columns face down on the table in front of us.

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She slowly turned the cards in the left column from the top, while interpreting them.
"I see that hand-to-hand combat in your past has influence on you quest. It might have something to do with a young member of a powerful household."
"I also see arcane knowledge. It might have taken the form of madness or cryptic words. There might have been an encounter with a crazy person."
"You have overcome a danger through strength from many sources."
She said that there were no cards in their strongest position and therefor she found our past somewhat confusing. I wondered if she had heard of the letters that had been found when she mentioned the "cryptic words", and that when Sevilla had been found, he was mad.

She continued with the second column.
"Now you will need clarity of mind under duress. And as this is your card, my horned friend," she said turning to Honeypot. "you will play a major part in this quest."
"You now face a terror that must be overcome with other than just physical means."
"There will be a secret, being revealed to your detriment."
She said that it meant that knowledge and insight is important for us now and once again stressed that Honeypot has a central role. She must have heard of the letter addressed to Honeypot.

Pausing before turning the last column she looked intensely at us each as if she tried to look at the very soul of our beings.
"In your future I see a new relationship beginning, although it is disguised as something much less beautiful."
"You might meet spies or peddlers. There might be a trade in intelligence. Any bargain will be true, but the ramifications might be shocking if you do not understand the implications."
"But your future is dominated by this card. Here I see plague, pestilence, famine, and disease. It can also indicate corruption of the soul or of a multitude of souls."
Mvashti stressed that sickness was very strong as it was an evil card in an evil position and that we should be careful. I wonder why those reading in cards often scare you at the end. I had chills running up my spine when we left.

As we left we thanked her for her time and advice. I still felt a little uneasy and suggested that we should go eat something good to calm us down some. I find it very comforting to eat. Honeypot thought it was a good idea. I also made sure to get a good packed lunch.