Olin says, “I can try. But I may fail. Or we go in search of a more powerful priest to do it for us. It’s up to you guys. Maybe 50/50 I can get it to work.  Otherwise it’ll crumble to dust and be wasted.”

Kane stands. "This matter is too delicate to take a chance on. If we must get sidetracked in order to bring him back, so be it."

"Need sleep."  Meepo reminds the group.  "Take Mordekai healer tomorrow."  He nods, then, seeing it as decided, pulls out the assortment of things he found in the place.  He shows them everything, eyes of frogs to the gunk in the cauldron.  Last he shows them the two strange magical-feeling items.  "Meepo find what do." He tells the group as he tucks the magical things back away.  Everything else goes onto another disk he magics up.

The cold dark night passes uneventfully in the creaking drafty windmill. The two children stay close to Kane and Ireena, the boy and girl seemingly well fed at least, even if traumatized.  They refuse to speak, offering up only grunts and whimpering in return for questions. The badly wounded group tends to their wounds. The two holes in the wall from the lightning blasts make downstairs too insecure to sleep, so the group spends the night on the 2nd floor near the grinding stone. The two dead witches downstairs are tossed into the oven by Ismark, whose grim visage seems planted on his face. 

(Everyone receives 1300 xp) 

The morning comes, grey and cold with a constant drizzle falling from above coating everything in damp, and filling the air with moisture. Ismark speaks as he chews on some rations, "Our best hope at finding a priest is the nearby town of Villaki. We can be there by noon, assuming we find someway to transport the body. Perhaps on the kobolds magical floating disk."

Meepo spends some of the evening and morning studying the two magical items to see what they are and do.

"Meepo make 2 disks."  Meepo nods his head in agreement.  "No worry." He says as he does just that, a second disk appearing near the first.  "No leave Mordekai..." He says, clearly having no intention of leaving any of the 'lost' stuff he already find, and glad they won't have to leave Mordekai, though maybe not as glad as not having to pick between the stuff and the body.

Kane packs up his few personal possessions and is ready to return to the road early the next morning. "Do you know where your parents are?" He asks the children. He casts a worried glance at his companions.

After awakening, Olin spends a few minutes in quiet prayer. "Through solemn prayer and communion with nature I am able to change which spells Silvanus lets me access. For the rest of the day I can no longer detect magical auras, but I can do something for our friend here." Nodding toward Mordekai's corpse, "If anyone cares to join me in prayer please come sit with me now. Everyone else, please try and keep quiet out of respect for the solemnity of the moment."

With that, Olin welcomes anyone who comes to join, then sits next to Mordekai's body. He places a copper piece over each of Mordekai's closed eyes. Over the next ten minutes of prayer and meditation, he ritually casts gentle repose.

The spell complete, Olin quietly says, "His body will not decay, none may turn him to undeath, and it should buy us a little more time if we have any trouble finding a healer..."

Meepo determines the purpose of the two fell objects. The stone, were it in possession of the witch that crafted it, would let it turn ethereal. Also, touching it to someone cures all of their diseases.  The bag meanwhile, crafted of flesh sewn together offers no assistance to the party. It is used to catch evil souls, but only the witch who crafted it can use it. There is no soul within it. 

The children clutch their legs to their chests, and nod slowly to Kane's question. After a few yes and no questions, you quickly reach the information that their parents are likely in Vallaki. 

Kane sighs in relief. "A stroke of fortune at last!" He declares. "And also disturbingly convenient." He mutters as an afterthought. "Regardless, we will not have to go out of our way to return the children to their parents. Shall we onward, friends?"

"No good."  Meepo says as he stuffs the magic items onto the disk with the clutter of junk.  "One no good, other no much good." He grumbles.  Looking up as Kane speaks he shrugs.  "Off go." He nods his head and starts towing both disks towards the door.

Olin, Ireena, Ismark and Aga silently assent as the group packs up and heads outside, two magical floating disks behind them, one full of junk, the other carrying the body of their fallen comrade. The mist begins to soak you all immediately as you leave the windmill behind.  Down the hill, you see the for massive stones, though this morning no ravens gather about it. Reminded of your interest in it, you head down the steep incline through trees and pick your way to the large standing rocks.  As you approach, you see the stones must be ancient. each moss-covered stone bears a crude carving of a city, each of which is associated with a different season. The city of winter is shown covered with snow, the city of spring is arrayed in flowers, the city of summer has a sunburst overhead, and the city of autumn is covered with leaves.  You see several teeth, children's teeth, scattered about the ground here.  A thorough search doesn't seem to find anything else obvious in the area. You don't see any ravens here this morning. 

Kane sighs and turns away. "Another mystery." He says wearily. "Is there to be no end to our questions?"

The group follows Kane as they trudge away from the strange stones, and follow the path back to the main road. Their path turns left, and the group follows the old road downhill towards the forest, the lake, and the town of Vallaki. The Old Svalich Road meanders into a valley watched over by dark, brooding mountains to the north and south. A few hours later the woods recede, revealing a sullen mountain burg surrounded by a wooden palisade. Thick fog presses up against this wall, as though looking for a way inside, hoping to catch the town aslumber. The dirt road ends at a set of sturdy iron gates with a pair of shadowy figures standing behind them. Planted in the ground and flanking the road outside the gates are a half-dozen pikes with wolves' heads impaled on them. This town appears to be about twice as large as the last town.  

“Well met.” Kane calls as he approaches the gates. “We come seeking clerical assistance for a wounded companion, and to return these two children to their parents.”

The two guards behind the iron gates peer suspiciously at the group, but after a few moments of glaring at the group, the push the iron gate open.

The woman guard, thin, pale, with an oversized helmet on her head, rain dripping from her nose says, "Far side of town, just stay on the main road." 

Trailed by two floating disks the group enters the town.  The group passes a large stockyard, while passing many houses on the left and right, all crowded together. Side streets branch off in both directions as you stick to the main road. People walk the streets, and peer curiously at you as you pass, but don't speak and hurry away. A central square at the center of the town appears decked out for a festival, but the decorations seem old and sad. Many houses and streets are passed, with small shops here and there, including a large Inn called the Blue Water Inn. You eventually reach the western side of town, and a large church sits on the side of the main road. This slouching, centuries-old stone church has a bulging steeple in the back and walls lined with cracked, stained glass windows depicting pious saints. A fence of wrought iron encloses a garden of gravestones next to the church. A thin mist creeps among the graves.

Heading inside, the doors are pushed open, and a young alter boy comes running up. "Hello sirs and madame....how can I help you?"  His eyes dart to the pile of trash and the dead body floating on the disks.

Meepo walks on inside and pulls the disks with him.  "Mordekai need help."  He announces as he moves the one with the body on it closer to the boy.

This church has a few folks present at pews, whispering prayers. A priest appears busy up at the front of the church doing some tasks, he turns at the disturbance and approaches the party.  His kindly eyes scan that party, resting on Mordekai's body for a few moments before he reaches Meepo and the approaching group.  "Hello there my children. Welcome to St. Andral's church. Praise be to the Morninglord. I am father Petrovich. Be welcome here."  He smiles a small smile at the group, tinged with a touch of sadness, though you also see some stress behind his eyes. 

He turns and yells out, "Milivoj. Come attend please."  An older boy, perhaps 18, with jet black hair and a grim furrowed look on his face comes in from a back door, a shovel in his hands. He does not bother to glance at the party much.  The Father seems to watch him carefully as he approaches. "Milivoj, I believe I will need you to dig a new grave. We will be laying this poor dead soul to rest." 

There is a man and a woman at one pew, on their knees and praying, though it's clear they're also listening to the exchange. There is another woman at the front who appears focused on her prayer, and another man near the confession room on the left that is openly watching the interactions with curiosity. 

The priest seems to notice the children lurking near the back, "Freek?  Murtle?  Can it be you?  Freek, your father said you'd wandered out at night and gone missing!  And Murtle, your Aunt said that you drowned in the lake!  Blessed it is to see you both well!" 

"No... No grave."  Meepo pipes up.  "Cast spell..."  Meepo says and nods to the body.  "Bring back."

Kane sighs in relief as the children are recognized. "Perhaps we may do some good." He whispers. "We have the spell to revive our friend," He says to the priest, indicating Olin. "We decided to seek the aid of one more versed in the magical arts before we attempted to use it."

Olin steps forward, handing the scroll to the priest.  He opens it and looks at it, serious and thoughtful.  "I see. Milivoj, it seems you're not needed for the time being. In fact, you may head home for the afternoon. I expect I'll see you at dusk."  The boy shrugs, his face still seemingly jammed into a furrow, and heads out the back.  The priest turns to address the four people in the church, "My sisters, brothers, please leave the church for a few hours. You may return at dusk."  The four people make their way out. 

He waves you forward, speaking, "Please, bring your friend the the front. It will assist in the ceremony which will improve the potency of the scroll. Yeska, please bring the cup and some holy water."  The alter boy runs into a backroom.  The priest has you lay Mordekai's body on the alter at the front. The mist continues to come down, the sky dark outside, the shadows of the church stretch deeply about the room. The sound of water dripping down drainpipes and off eaves fill the background, the tap tap tapping of water. The priest opens Mordekai's shirt, and washing his cracked flesh with holy water, applying it liberally as he prepares the body.  Ismark and Ireena sit in some pews to wait and watch. As does Aga.  The alter boy Yeska crouches behind a pillar near the back as if half expecting an undead to rise. The priest pulls forth the scroll and begins reading it's arcane words, while interspersing prayers to the Morninglord.  Meepo, Olin, and Kane stand nearby watching. 

The rites are done and there is silence, the scroll turns to ash in the priests hands. The tap tap tap of water is all that fills the air. Then an inhale, as Mordekai's body breathes in a fresh breath of air, and then expels it out.  His eyes open, and dart about the room in alarm as he tries to get a sense for his surroundings. 

The priest heaves a heavy sigh as well, nodding, glad the job is done and successful.  

There is a heavy slow clap from the shadows. Everyone's attention swings to the darkness. A man stands there in the darkness. But not a man. He steps forth from the blackness, though the shadows seem to cling to him as he moves. The priest shrinks back away, looking away and raising his hands, "Nooo...you are not invited into this house..."  

The man is beyond pale, with a strong face, dark black swept back hair.  He wears a final red formal button up shirt, with ornate shoulder plates, and a sword at his side. A red sash is tied about his waste, a long grey cloak hangs down his back. His eyes are blackness in the shadows, but there is something magnet about him. Your eyes are drawn to examine him.  He speaks, a thick foreign accent, that of the other Barovians, full of tongue and flourish. "Come now priest, how often have I heard you say this house welcomes all. So many times. Before it's has yet resisted me, but today....today something is different, is it not?"  He smiles. It is a joyless, cruel smile.  He looks past the group towards Ireena, and you see the first hint of something...yearning?  Then his eyes turn to the group, Mordekai where he's sat up on the alter, Olin, Kane, and finally rest on Aga. "My dear...I've watched you...an animal, with the taste of blood on your lips. We have much in common you and I. I wonder if you are the one. But I see the fear in your eyes even now. Perhaps you are not."