"That’s unfortunate, though I can’t say I’m surprised. I’ve never seen anything quite like it." Lucento leans back and crosses his arms in thought.
"Grave-digging seems an odd occupation for someone so young. Has there long been a relationship between this institution and the temple? Or, between you and Father Petrovich?"
*bump*
Both the temple and the orphanage have been in Vallaki for many, many years.
Sometimes Father Petrovich comes to the orphanage to teach the children about the Morninglord. Sometimes the children go to the temple to learn, or to stretch their legs. That is all. There is no greater connection to the temple, or to Father Petrovich, than that.
If she was bothered by the question, she does not let it show.
Thank you for bumping your question. If it looks like I missed something, I probably did. So it's helpful when you remind me. :)
"Headmistress, I’ll be blunt. A week ago, the sacred bones of Saint Andral were stolen from the temple. Only two people knew the location of the bones: Father Petrovich and Milijov. Now, Milijov is beset by an illness the likes of which I’ve never seen."
Lucento leans in toward the Headmistress’s desk. "There is something evil in this room."
"Headmistress, I’ll be blunt. A week ago, the sacred bones of Saint Andral were stolen from the temple. Only two people knew the location of the bones: Father Petrovich and Milijov. Now, Milijov is beset by an illness the likes of which I’ve never seen."
Lucento leans in toward the Headmistress’s desk. "There is something evil in this room."
Insight with inspiration: 15
She lifts her hands from the desk as if it's hot and looks around quickly. In here? Where???
Your sense is that she's not hugely surprised that there's something evil around, as if she's sort of resigned herself to the likelihood that what's going on is more nefarious than just a sickness. But not in a way that she feels responsible for it.
Barnaby will go to search the boy's room and, as he said he would, spend 10 minutes ritually casting detect magic. He will check the room and then the remainder of the orphanage (making sure to pass the head mistress' office and look for the evil) for sources of magic.
You mentioned the book talks of herbs you don't have access to. If you did, would it make a difference? Perhaps we can get the Visanti to bring some back from their travels?
Lucento is satisfied that Headmistress Belasco's response to the information was sufficiently genuine to restore his faith that she is not the source of the evil, at least not knowingly. Perhaps in my haste to save Milijav, I judged her too quickly.
"I see that you're not wholly surprised, and I'm sorry if I've been pedantic about all this. You've clearly discerned as I have discerned that there something more nefarious than an illness at work. But yes, I distinctly detected an evil force emanating from this room as I was gathering my companions. I noticed the door was locked when we came in. Has anyone else been in this room recently, especially within the last week? Or, is there an object in this room which came into your possession recently? Perhaps one of the items kept under lock and key behind that glass case?
Edit: Sorry, I tried to post this as a reply to the earlier post to make it less confusing.
You mentioned the book talks of herbs you don't have access to. If you did, would it make a difference? Perhaps we can get the Visanti to bring some back from their travels?
I am no herbalist; I do not know if any of these would actually work. And I do not trust the Vistani, so I am disinclined to try your suggestion. Though I do appreciate it, young man.
Lucento is satisfied that Headmistress Belasco's response to the information was sufficiently genuine to restore his faith that she is not the source of the evil, at least not knowingly. Perhaps in my haste to save Milijav, I judged her too quickly.
"I see that you're not wholly surprised, and I'm sorry if I've been pedantic about all this. You've clearly discerned as I have discerned that there something more nefarious than an illness at work. But yes, I distinctly detected an evil force emanating from this room as I was gathering my companions. I noticed the door was locked when we came in. Has anyone else been in this room recently, especially within the last week? Or, is there an object in this room which came into your possession recently? Perhaps one of the items kept under lock and key behind that glass case?
Edit: Sorry, I tried to post this as a reply to the earlier post to make it less confusing.
What, there? She looks over her shoulder at the locked shelf behind her. No, I do not think so. I keep my office locked because I work in an orphanage full of children. I am quite sure that you would, too, if your office was here.
Barnaby will go to search the boy's room and, as he said he would, spend 10 minutes ritually casting detect magic. He will check the room and then the remainder of the orphanage (making sure to pass the head mistress' office and look for the evil) for sources of magic.
Barnaby proposes to cast Detect Magic, to see if he can find anything in her office (or elsewhere). He begins with the ritual in her office, and he senses a magical object in Headmistress Belasco's desk. With her permission, Barnaby narrows the search to a particular drawer, from which she produces a silver locket, inscribed with symbols. Because Barnaby is on a timer with his spell, he leaves her office before examining the locket further, and makes his way to Milivoj's room. He finds no sources of magic there, but roll a Perception check. . .
. . . on a roll of 10 or higher, read this:
Bundled in one of Milivoj's shirts is 23 gold pieces.
Barnaby will take the 23g he finds in the boy’s belongings, but keep it aside to return if a reasonable explanation for its existence can be given.
He will tell the others of it and then, to the head mistress, I found this in his belongings. It seems a large sum for an orphan working part time as a grave keeper. It leads me wonder if he was paid by someone to take the bones. Do you find it odd that he would have this much coin in his possession?
Additionally, were you aware that the locket in your desk has magical properties?
Barnaby would take an action to determine the nature of the magic.
Barnaby will take the 23g he finds in the boy’s belongings, but keep it aside to return if a reasonable explanation for its existence can be given.
He will tell the others of it and then, to the head mistress, I found this in his belongings. It seems a large sum for an orphan working part time as a grave keeper. It leads me wonder if he was paid by someone to take the bones. Do you find it odd that he would have this much coin in his possession?
Additionally, were you aware that the locket in your desk has magical properties?
Barnaby would take an action to determine the nature of the magic.
Huh. That is curious. That is quite a sum for Milijov to have concealed in his room. It does explain where he got the gold he recently gave me to purchase food for the children, though. He has always shared his earnings with us, and bought things for the others, but it was unusual for him to have a gold coin. And to have 23 more of them, that is strange.
As for this locket, one of our boys was wearing it, when he joined us. Felix. He's been here about two weeks. I was concerned it would make trouble somehow; it appears both valuable and . . . strange.
She offers it to you to examine. It's an oval silver locket on a silver chain. On its face is an "X." There are no images within, but on one side of the interior of the locket there is beautiful script in an unfamiliar language. (If one of you speaks Celestial, say so!) Barnaby, you focus your Detect Magic spell on the locket, and detect the aura of Necromancy upon it.
Felix's parents were murdered, and he came to us as an orphan. He's only 10.
”What an inauspicious cloud for a child to arrive in, though I suppose that any orphanage will have its share of tragedy." Lucento’s face exhibits genuine empathy upon learning that the lives of Felix’s parents were taken, but he glares balefully at the locket.
Kif is tempted to go into the common room where the kids were playing and just yell "Felix, get your ass in here" because that's how he rolls but he knows that would be wrong. Are any of my crew coming with me? I walk up to the kid who was easing the two younger ones and tries to ask, as kindly as possible. Hey Son, looks like you have your hands full, good job, would you happen to know where Felix is?
Both the temple and the orphanage have been in Vallaki for many, many years.
Sometimes Father Petrovich comes to the orphanage to teach the children about the Morninglord. Sometimes the children go to the temple to learn, or to stretch their legs. That is all. There is no greater connection to the temple, or to Father Petrovich, than that.
If she was bothered by the question, she does not let it show.
Thank you for bumping your question. If it looks like I missed something, I probably did. So it's helpful when you remind me. :)
Madam, Lucento, When you were examining the boy did you see any wounds, I believe I saw some bruising, could he have been attacked by something?
"Headmistress, I’ll be blunt. A week ago, the sacred bones of Saint Andral were stolen from the temple. Only two people knew the location of the bones: Father Petrovich and Milijov. Now, Milijov is beset by an illness the likes of which I’ve never seen."
Lucento leans in toward the Headmistress’s desk. "There is something evil in this room."
Insight with inspiration: 15
She sighs. On which child? I do not know where the bruises come from. They just appear.
She lifts her hands from the desk as if it's hot and looks around quickly. In here? Where???
Your sense is that she's not hugely surprised that there's something evil around, as if she's sort of resigned herself to the likelihood that what's going on is more nefarious than just a sickness. But not in a way that she feels responsible for it.
Barnaby will go to search the boy's room and, as he said he would, spend 10 minutes ritually casting detect magic. He will check the room and then the remainder of the orphanage (making sure to pass the head mistress' office and look for the evil) for sources of magic.
Anyone else involved in the burial process up at the church?
You mentioned the book talks of herbs you don't have access to. If you did, would it make a difference? Perhaps we can get the Visanti to bring some back from their travels?
Lucento is satisfied that Headmistress Belasco's response to the information was sufficiently genuine to restore his faith that she is not the source of the evil, at least not knowingly. Perhaps in my haste to save Milijav, I judged her too quickly.
"I see that you're not wholly surprised, and I'm sorry if I've been pedantic about all this. You've clearly discerned as I have discerned that there something more nefarious than an illness at work. But yes, I distinctly detected an evil force emanating from this room as I was gathering my companions. I noticed the door was locked when we came in. Has anyone else been in this room recently, especially within the last week? Or, is there an object in this room which came into your possession recently? Perhaps one of the items kept under lock and key behind that glass case?
Edit: Sorry, I tried to post this as a reply to the earlier post to make it less confusing.
Let me try to do this in an order that makes narrative sense:
I don't really know. I suspect not, because one strong young man can do it, and Milijov is a strong young man. But I don't know.
I am no herbalist; I do not know if any of these would actually work. And I do not trust the Vistani, so I am disinclined to try your suggestion. Though I do appreciate it, young man.
What, there? She looks over her shoulder at the locked shelf behind her. No, I do not think so. I keep my office locked because I work in an orphanage full of children. I am quite sure that you would, too, if your office was here.
Barnaby proposes to cast Detect Magic, to see if he can find anything in her office (or elsewhere). He begins with the ritual in her office, and he senses a magical object in Headmistress Belasco's desk. With her permission, Barnaby narrows the search to a particular drawer, from which she produces a silver locket, inscribed with symbols. Because Barnaby is on a timer with his spell, he leaves her office before examining the locket further, and makes his way to Milivoj's room. He finds no sources of magic there, but roll a Perception check. . .
. . . on a roll of 10 or higher, read this:
Bundled in one of Milivoj's shirts is 23 gold pieces.
Perception: 14
Edit: Blue: Hallelujah, I passed a skill check.
Barnaby will take the 23g he finds in the boy’s belongings, but keep it aside to return if a reasonable explanation for its existence can be given.
He will tell the others of it and then, to the head mistress, I found this in his belongings. It seems a large sum for an orphan working part time as a grave keeper. It leads me wonder if he was paid by someone to take the bones. Do you find it odd that he would have this much coin in his possession?
Additionally, were you aware that the locket in your desk has magical properties?
Barnaby would take an action to determine the nature of the magic.
Lucento raises his eyebrows and nods his head, clearly impressed with Barnaby's perceptive prowess.
Huh. That is curious. That is quite a sum for Milijov to have concealed in his room. It does explain where he got the gold he recently gave me to purchase food for the children, though. He has always shared his earnings with us, and bought things for the others, but it was unusual for him to have a gold coin. And to have 23 more of them, that is strange.
As for this locket, one of our boys was wearing it, when he joined us. Felix. He's been here about two weeks. I was concerned it would make trouble somehow; it appears both valuable and . . . strange.
She offers it to you to examine. It's an oval silver locket on a silver chain. On its face is an "X." There are no images within, but on one side of the interior of the locket there is beautiful script in an unfamiliar language. (If one of you speaks Celestial, say so!) Barnaby, you focus your Detect Magic spell on the locket, and detect the aura of Necromancy upon it.
Felix's parents were murdered, and he came to us as an orphan. He's only 10.
”What an inauspicious cloud for a child to arrive in, though I suppose that any orphanage will have its share of tragedy." Lucento’s face exhibits genuine empathy upon learning that the lives of Felix’s parents were taken, but he glares balefully at the locket.
Where is Felix, can you point him out ma'am?
So do we have any way of telling whether Felix is as he seems
“I expect he is in the orphanage somewhere. You are welcome to look for him, as I said.”
Kif is tempted to go into the common room where the kids were playing and just yell "Felix, get your ass in here" because that's how he rolls but he knows that would be wrong. Are any of my crew coming with me? I walk up to the kid who was easing the two younger ones and tries to ask, as kindly as possible. Hey Son, looks like you have your hands full, good job, would you happen to know where Felix is?
Roll an Insight check and a Persuasion check.
[whine] but all my checks have failed miserably[/whine]
18 insight
1 persuasion
see.... WTF is up with this shit, starting to feel a little persecuted here
Well, it doesn't make a big difference here. Best to get them out of the way in situations like this.
Upstairs, I guess? I don't know for sure.