Eager to know more about what the kender found on the road to Vogler, Daryan turns and looks at Ori with a friendly smile, hoping she might be able to add something to Wilberforce's report.

(Joan, was the place Wilberforce showed on the map close to Vogler?)

"There was unfortunately not much left to investigate" Ori says sadly. "There was a big covered wagon that had almost entirely burned down. Inside we found some crates that looked like they may have been provisions of some kind. There was also heavily damaged leather armor and what looked like melted weapons - though at this point they were mostly just piles of molten metal." Ori stops for a moment to swallow and take a breath. She shudders slightly before continuing "The dead looked human. They had spears and were wearing armor that looked like it had been ripped through with claws. Whatever it was must have been large and very strong to tear through metal armor like that. Like it was nothing more than delicate flesh...." She trails off and shudders again, imagining what kind of creature would be capable of something like that.

A large and strong killer with sharp claws and something that would melt metal, it all sounded quite ominous to the white-haired half-elf and he gets a more troubled expression. "Do you think Lady Becklin will look into this Darrett. Whatever it was that attacked, it could pose a threat to Vogler." He says grimly, looking at the squire.

Darrett, on seeing the map, expresses grave concern. "That is... Shockingly close to Vogler. Becklin will definitely need to hear about this, there have been reports of similar raids in the forest, but none so close. Perhaps it's good for more than one reason that you all have been called to the keep."

Darrett looks to you all. "We ought to pick up the pace from here on. Please follow me." He leads the way up the hill to the keep, and through the open doors into the main hall. Becklin and Cudgel are there, along with six wooden boxes of varying shape and size, each with a letter placed atop it. Becklin and Cudgel give you smiles as you enter, but their demeanor quickly changes as they sense the mood. "You lot look sour for a group about to receive their inheritances," Cudgel notes. Becklin is to the point: "What has happened?"

Wilberforce holds up a hand in caution and says in a serious tone ‘Let's just be careful what we say and to whom. There is a reason that I always let Greenshield deal with stuff like this. Some lawmakers, not all but some, when they hear about a crime will just look for the closest Kender or half-human, arrest them and consider the case closed. Now I’m not saying Lady Becklin is like that, but I would rather not find out the hard way.’

(Wilberforce might not know this, but Becklin's role isn't so much that of a lawmaker than as a peacekeeper, assisting the local militia as she can. Still, he has a fair enough point. We can assume he said this on the way up the hill since I think we were working on posts at the same time.)

[OOC] Thanks an example of simultaneous posts :-)

"Go on kender, tell yer tale." encourages Shagrin.

Wilberforce follows his own advice and hopes that others will deal with the mess of the dead bodies. This is very hard for him as he really wants to open the box.

Realising that Ori may get into trouble if he stays silent motivates Wilberforce to speak and keep her out of it if he can. 'Well. I found some bodies in the woods. They were already dead and I had nothing to do with it. A vole saw everything so you can ask him yourself. The vole said cloaked creatures, with shiny scales and sharp claws killed the people, definitely not Kenders. I then buried them and I didn't take anything, apart from a snail'

Wilberforce then bravely decides to stand behind Pelo

Becklin doesn't seem to suspect the kender, but instead asks more details. "Where in the woods? And when? Since last night? I need you to tell me everything, this isn't the first such report I am afraid, and it concerns me."

Wilberforce tries to determine if he can trust Becklin

Insight  17

He doesn't have a good read on her; he's probably had bad experiences with authority figures so he probably doesn't trust her, regardless.

"Ori you seemed to have more information. Why don't you tell The Lady what you told us."  presses Shagrin.

Wilberforce doesn’t want Ori to get into trouble. So he mutely comes forward, expands his map, points to the area of the attack and then quickly rolls up his map and moves back behind Pelo.

Ori steps forward, bravely masking her unease at being pushed into the forefront. She repeats all the details she can remember from the scene she and Wilberforce encountered, being especially sure to include the details about the vole. She tries to be as kind a cooperative as she can be, setting herself as firmly as possible as a part of the solution, not the problem. 

Worry is evident in Becklin's face. "I see. I should report these new developments. Darrett, come with me; we need to find the captain of the militia. Cudgel, may I entrust the delivery of Ispin's last bequests to you?" Without waiting for a response, Becklin leaves, with Darrett close behind her.

Cudgel looks to all of you, and sighs. "Alright, we'd best do as Becklin said," she says. She directs your attention to each wooden box and letter:

For Calitynia, there is a small, flat box. Ori's box is similar.

For Pelo, there is a small, cube-shaped box. Wilberforce's box is similar, maybe a bit taller than it is wide.

Daryan's box is small in two dimensions and a bit longer in the third.

Finally, Shagrin's box is the largest of all, flat but square.

"Who would like to go first?", Cudgel asks.

With Wilberforce voicing his concerns on the way to the keep, then hearing the underlying worry in both the kenders' responses, Calitynia speaks softly to Ori after she steps forward. "With similar reports before you even got to Vogler, there is no way anyone could think you were involved."

She then looks to Lady Becklin, "I am due to return to Maelgoth soon. But as this threat sounds dire, I will give you any help that I am able."

Becklin gives Calitynia a nod as she and Darrett leave. "Appreciated, and I'm sure I will regrettably be calling upon your sword soon," she says.