Things you have heard, summed up:

A delegation from Mirabar was making its way through the Dessarin valley towards Red Larch and Water deep. It was last seen in Beliard, headed for Summit Hall. Amongst many other tasks, it was carrying the corpse of a Knight of Samular to its resting place there. Summit Hall is of particular interest to the Order of the Gauntlet, as they wish to bring the Knights of Samular into the fold.

Endrith Vallivoe bought a beautiful dwarven book in Womford, one of a large set. It was a long genealogy of Dwarfs dating back Millenia. He believes these books might have belonged to a member of the delegation.

The mad necromancer in the cave babbled about the Eye and prophets.

Larrakh mentioned serving a prophet. His toadies all seemed to have a symbol on their armor or masks, and it matches one of the symbols seen on the sigil the necromancer had floating in his cave.

Upon returning to the Swinging Sun, the inn is aghast at the tidings and talking of almost nothing but the Believers. Kaylessa, hearing of the bodies you found, mentions that four new graves — simple rock cairns, really — have appeared on a windswept hilltop in the Sumber Hills recently, a few miles outside of town. She wonders if these are related.

Upon hearing this from Kaylessa, Olaerys says to Shrek, Randall and Melchor, “Maybe we should check out those burial cairns.  Members of the delegation?  What do you think?”  He sits at a table in the Swinging Sun, as they plot their next move.

Looking glum, Shrek mumbles "Shrek no like visit graves.  Reminds him of dead mama and papa.  But agree, sumthin' bout this smells.  Best place to go next is bed...sleep long time, then visit graves."

Continuing, even more glumly, "Best head out in morning.  No like visiting graves at night."  and then he shudders, as if reminiscing about a previous experience with graveyards at night.

As he shakes in aghast at the memory, he hears a slight tinkling from his front cloak pocket.  Quickly cheering up, he announces to the group "Ha!  Shrek remember!  Have loot to share with new friends!"  He then hands out the following:

• To Melchor: 64gp + 1sp + 7cp
• To Olaerys: 64gp + 1sp + 8cp
• To Randall: 64gp + 1sp + 8cp
• To himself: 64gp + 1sp + 7cp

“Agree with you there Shrek, let’s head out in the morning, I need some rest.  It would be better to look at it in the morning light.”  Olaerys looks for a room for the night.  

Kaylessa happily offers you all free room and food, and makes it clear you will always, at minimum, get a discount here.

A local shepard approaches you at dinner. "Pardon for my interruption, but Kaylessa said you might have some interest in the graves found north of town. I can show you were they are if you like; twas I that found them"

Randall looks up from a hot plate of stew and baguettes.  "Yes.  It might be related to some other... issues we have been investigating.  Before we go looking around, can you tell us when you discovered them?  How long they have been there?"

"You work for the blacksmith don't you? You made me some good tools not that long ago. I found them graves just a few days ago. I graze my sheep nearby and didn't see them there last month. They weren't buried very well I tell you that. Smells of death a good mile around."

“Perhaps you could lead us there?  We will brace ourselves for the smell,’but unfortunately we need to have a look at that grave site.”  Olaerys picks up a shovel in town to take with him.  

"Sure thing, I'd be happy to. Nasty business graves appearing out of nowhere."

He tells you he'll come by in the morning to take you there

Shrek nods in agreement and shivers visibly at the local shepherds last comment.  "Shrek not afraid!" he yelps, obviously lying.  He continues to drown his fears in pints of ale, like any brave and noble warrior would.

The rest of the night passes without incident. There is a lot of hubbub in the common room; the level of shock related to "The Believers" and the murders is palpable. Several of the townsfolk are grateful, and by the end of the evening you find yourselves having consumed a lot of food and drink but not having a bill to show for it.

Larkin Greensboro, the shepard, meets you first thing in the morning, looking pleased to be of service.

"Good mornin'! Do yous need anything from town before we go? It'll take 5 hours or so to get there. Should be there by midday."

Melchor shakes his head. ‘Nothing for me. Lead us there so we can start our investigations…’ he says, clearly looking ready to be off. 

Olaerys agrees, “Lead on good man.  The sooner done the better.”

Refreshed but still visibly nervous, Shrek fidgets as the team prepares to head out to the fresh graves.  Even in the weak morning sunlight, he starts to sweat, bare skin glistening in the morning dew.  He never really participates in any group conversations.  Rather, he periodically mumbles incoherent phrases to himself that sounds like "s'rry mama" and "revenge".

After an hour or two, he finally snaps out of it, an takes the lead of the group, eyes and ears pealed for any potential danger.

Perception: 8

Day 1

Larmon leads you east into the Sumber Hils. The trek is easy first, aside from the heat, but becomes a bit more rugged about an hour in. As midday approaches, he stops near a barren hilltop.

"That be them right over there. Weren't here last month. No idea who it might be. No one 'cept me and my sheep around here much."

You can see four relatively fresh shallow graves. The earth scraped out for the holes is piled nearby, although hastily gathered stones cover the graves. The faint smell of death hangs in the air, and several vultures circle overhead.

Curiously, a firbolg appears over the hill as you are approaching, in contrast to the Shepard's declaration

"Oh, hello.  With the strong scent of death, I didn't expect to see anyone living.."  says the large blue firbolg with wild red hair as you get closer to her.  "Sorry if I am imposing, I was just near here and had to come investigate, I was worried what might have happened."  she frowns as she looks at the freshly dug graves, "I didn't expect this though, friends of yours?" 

She appears harmless, though holding a wooden shield and staff, upon the shield bearing an oak leaf.  She waits patiently, waiting for an answer.

“Greetings.”  Says Randall, a young, bearded and friendly seeming human man in chainmail with a spear and shield.  “No friends of ours, at least that we know of.  We’re investigating some strange goings on and had heard about these… cairns?  We wanted to see if it was connected.”

Olaerys says to the Firbolg, “Do you know anything about these graves?  My name is Olaerys by the way.  We were told that these cairns just appeared suddenly on this hilltop, after we had a nasty run in with a necromancer and a cult who was apparently sacrificing people in the quarry near town.  We wanted to see if there was any connection.”  He pauses, looking her over.  “You don’t look like them.  How did you end up here, where are you from?”  

Olaerys is a half elf in chain mail, with a shield that has a gauntlet on it, currently with a shovel over his shoulder, a battle axe at his side.   

She smiles as the two join her for conversation, "My name is Ankita and I'm from the Lost Peaks in the High Forest." she listens to their tale, "That all sounds dreadful.  A necromancer with a cult?  I would definitely call those things strange if not evil."  she looks back at the freshly dug graves, then back at the group, "Well, I hope you didn't know them then. Do you, perhaps, need a hand?  This all sounds very interesting and I'd love to help out if I can."

"I'm Randall Foote, by the by," Randall adds as they make their way to the graves.  "From Red Larch, born and raised.  Red Larch is where all of this began.  We first encountered the necromancer who had been employing bandits to harass and kill travelers, and then animated their corpses.  Next we met the cult Olaerys mentioned.  The cultists claimed to receive messages or visions from stones and that they could predict the future.  There's some prophet they serve and a cleric or wizard called Larrakh who leads them, but other than that all we have is questions, no answers."

"Oh... and we might not suspect the necromancer and the cultists were related at all, but for the fact they both had the same strange symbols in their lairs."  Randall will use the tip of his spear to trace the symbols in the dirt to show Ankita.