Khan's expression quickly goes from frustration to surprise to fury as the madman's head explodes. He looks down at his horrifically dirtied clothing before turning and shouting at Limine, "You idiot! What have you done?!" followed by him stomping out of the Sanitarium with a scowl on his face.

Once the rest of the party joins him outside (assuming they leave the Sanitarium the normal way), he gives Limine an earful, his voice growing hoarse, "Things were under control! Then you went flapping your lips and using your magic, and now the only lead is gone!" His voice drops to a baritone whisper before he continues, making sure no one outside of the group can hear him, "If the Inquisition comes for you, I will not stop them from their work. And if you don't start using that decoration atop your shoulders, I may help them in it. I will not. Tolerate. Mistakes."

"You can tell whoever you want, it's not like I'm hiding it or anything. And when we defeat this thing, with the help of the man whose life I just saved, you'd thank me for having these powers." Then, to the rest of the party: "Let's go to the barracks as planned, I don't think we'll get any further help from this place."

To Khan: "Mistake? I saved his life. I prefer you people would appreciate such acts. If the inquisition doesn't want my help they can deal with this thing on their own, but we've already heard of their attempts. Besides, we've gotten all we could out of the said lead. We know it's a she and that she has a grave. If he hadn't attacked one of us I'd thank him and perhaps even shake hands for goodbye, but he didn't. Now, if you want my help getting rid of this thing, accept it and hope that if you're in a similar situation, I save your life as well. Otherwise, speak now and I might even put flowers on your tombstone; if I feel like it."

Scab bundles himself in rags to shield against the fading sunlight before accompanying the party, for the first time, outside the Sanitarium, speaking in his raspy voice. "Scab was only joinin' the group to pick up a scrap or two, but now, Scab thinks he needs to stay and help kill the monster. If there are tracks, Scab can track them," he says, shuffling. "Scab don't like the Inquisition, but," he adds, pointing to Limine and emitting an abrasive cackling sound, "Scab thinks that was brilliant. Scab would rather have Limine fight the thing with him than any of you." He then returns to the corners of the abbey, muttering something or other about exploding heads. 

Mordekai stares at his hands for a moment, shocked. He then starts grabbing and wringing his clothes, all the while casting a demonic look at the sanitarium keeper. "Don't lecture me about using a harmless cantrip to try and get some clarity from an already disturbed mind. Maybe the inquisition would like to know how you simply stood back like you were watching something as common as a sunset while this troubled man tried to choke the life out of me!" 

He then looks to the rest of the group and says, "Come on, we're done here." Outside, he will try to settle everyone down. "Limine, I agree that such force was inappropriate in the moment." He lowers his voice, "Our kind already has a bad reputation...we need to tread lightly here" "However, I thank you none the less. You were just protecting the group." 

Turning to Khan, "Calm down. We got all the information that poor man's mind could handle. May the earth rest lightly on him. I think we have  a long night ahead of us so let's save our energy for the task at hand." 

"Now then...Can anyone clean this off of me?"

Khan replies derisively, "You saved his life from nothing. The madman was on his last legs and one more tap would have put him to sleep. You've gotten all you could from the lead. I have more refined tools for extracting information from people. As for you saving my life, the only circumstance I could foresee you saving me would be by keeping silent about our association as the Inquisition tears your secrets from your flesh," He pauses before cursing, "Bah! There is no time for this. I just hope that you knuckleheads who think with your spells don't botch tonight entirely."

He heads off for the barracks, muttering incomprehensibly to himself.

Slurb, upon hearing this, says, "Will you all calm down? We have been doing NOTHING BUT ARGUE since we left the Sanitarium. Limine, thank you for saving Mordekai, but Khan has a good point too. We need to calm down. If we are going to slay this dark spirit, we can't let this tear our group apart. This dark spirit will just exploit our anger, and turn us against each other. Can we stop fighting?"

"I'm not sorry, but I will take your words into consideration. Let's go."

Slurb agrees, and suggest, "Maybe we should split up. One group goes to the mausoleum, and the other group to the cemetery. Any other suggestions?"

The blood-soaked party leaves the Sanitarium, chased away by an incredibly upset doctor. Outside, there's a tension in the air between members of the party as they walk to the barracks.

The streets are completely deserted, so their gruesome appearence fails to attract any attention. They arrive at the barracks, a large, fortress-like compound. The place seems to be locked down and there's no sign of life in the watchtowers. 

(Waiting on Fallion). 

(You guys are moving pretty fast, I usually just post once per day)

Fallion looks around the room, trying to familiarize himself with the faces he sees. It may prove valuable to know the who's who later on, but for now... He nods deeply at the elderly tiefling. "I was curious what this gathering is about, you see. I was under the impression that we should all be home, our doors barred and curtains drawn, yet here we are. I'm assuming this building offers some kind of protection against the entity tonight? Myself and a few others had intended to deal with the spirit, and it looks like you have some means to oppose it. Surely you can provide something to aid our efforts?"

(@ArmoredGull. Sorry. I don't mean to rush you) 

The room is silent after Fallion asks his questions. The tiefling priestess shakes her head. 

"You are mistaken. We have no means of opposing the the spirit. We gather here to hide from it." 

The crowd erupts in an outburst. "He's an outsider, there's no reason to-" 

Lord Trajan holds up his hand, and everyone immediately falls silent. He speaks with a tone of finality, "This man is an errant knight from House Ha'Kolt. He has our interests at heart."

However, he does briefly glance over to Fallion and Effrita, as if to say, Do you?

The priestess nods. "I believe that you are here to help us. It is our duty to tell you what we know.

When Trishdale was first built, we were threatened by dark forces on all sides. But what was more insidious was the corruption within, for residing in Trishdale were the practitioners of foul magics. It was our duty to purge these evil-doers.

Back then, the Inquisition didn't exist yet. We regular citizens were responsible for keeping our city safe. But there was one..." 

The tiefling priestess falls silent, a look of dread on her face. A extravagantly dressed noblewoman speaks up, snapping her fan together. 

"She was a witch! We did what we needed to keep our city safe." 

Fallion would notice many in the room seem unconvinced. 

The priestess keeps going. 

"Alas, that's true. If it weren't for our actions, Trishdale would not be standing today. But the witch...came back. Her mother, her father, her former husband...even her childhood friend disappeared before we realized what was happening. She was striking back at those who caused her demise. 

We realized that we needed to keep ourselves safe from her vengeance. That's why we meet in this room, more protected than any ward in the temple. For even the witch will dare not enter her mortal home." 

Lord Trajan turns to Fallion. 

"Have you found what you needed to know? Hal'Kolt, if you succeed in your purpose, understand that the Trajan house is indebted to you."  

(All good, no worries. Sorry for the lengthy exchange, I'm trying to get all the details we might need. Promise I'll try to wrap it up after this)

"Almost, Lord Trajan."

Fallion nods in what seems like understanding. "I understand, practitioners of dark sorcery must be purged before spreading. Gods forbid a cult takes root. It is an unfortunate necessity... Though, and I stress this is purely for the purposes of laying this problem to rest, I should like to know what exactly was done to the witch. The specific circumstances, if you will. Why did she target those closest to her? I hope you understand, it may become necessary to address the witch's perceived grievances to ensure she does not return. If nothing else, it would surely provide us an opportunity to strike."

Inside, however, he's disgusted at how they can't even sanctify their own dead, nevermind the exact circumstances of this blunder they called a witch hunt. This would never happen in the capital...

The room falls silent. Everyone looks away from Fallion, not daring to respond.

Finally, Lord Trajan speaks up, "Night is coming soon. I think it's about time you go to the town square."

Before Fallion and Efritta are ushered away, the priestess says one more thing. "We didn't want her in our graveyard, so we buried her outside of town. That was a mistake. Follow the river- you'll see it."

(I assume Fallion is returning to meet with the rest of the party at the barracks?) 

(Yep, he's judging them deep inside but doesn't show it.)

Fallion is pensive as he walks out of the general store. He checks the sky, seeing the moon will rise soon he turns to Efritta. "It's time for you to go back. You thought fast, I'm happy you understood what I was trying to say back there. We'll talk more tomorrow but for now you must return to your room. Go." He gives her a reassuring smile and a light push on the back.

Then he checks his blades once more and sets off towards the Barracks, where they had agreed to meet.

Efritta returns the smile, but seems somewhat troubled.

"Are-are you sure you will be alright? That you can fight what even the Abbey couldn't? Please, promise me you'll be back." 

Later, the party sees Fallion arrive at the barracks. The party has reformed, and just in time. The sun begins cresting down the horizon- the moon will soon rise. 

"What did they say?" Slurb asks Fallion, desperate for some logical information.

 He buttons up the collar of his shirt against the night air and answers calmly. "The key figures of this town were meeting at the general store. They were reluctant to share the details of the circumstances surrounding this woman's death - a so-called witch, as it were, killed for practicing black magic when the town was first founded. That is the identity of this spirit. Interestingly enough, the first targets of her wrath were those close to her. Parents, former husband, childhood friend... That strikes me as odd, you see. Stories of vengeful spirits generally has them taking vengeance on those who wronged them... why family?"

"As I said, they were not forthcoming with the details behind her execution, or lynching or whatever else ignorant people do and feel guilty of later. I suspect that if we do not address the spirit's grievances, it will return sooner or later even if we use force. It's grave is not in the graveyard but outside the town, we can find it by following the river. We should find it and wait for the spirit there. However... I believe the wise course of action would be to attempt words before drawing steel."

"Did they say anything about the grave?" Slurb asks after thinking about Fallion's answer.

Khan is leaning against a nearby wall, dried blood staining his formerly neat clothing, "Perhaps they were the ones who wronged her. It is often those who are closest to us, physically and emotionally, who are able to cause the most pain. Or perhaps those around her caught the ire of the other townsfolk, and we are not dealing with a single spirit, but many."

He thinks to himself for a moment before continuing, "How will we know where the grave is? If this happened long ago, it will undoubtedly be difficult, if not impossible, to find. I saw we wait for it in the town square and follow it back. It would be unfortunate if we spent the whole night staking out the wrong area."

"A fair point, though I doubt the spirit will be easy to overlook given the purported wailing. If nothing else that should guide us wherever she is going. The local nobility assured me that we would be able to find it just by following the river- I am inclined to believe him. There should be a noticeable headstone of some sort. They did not say anything further regarding the grave." He nods at Slurb as he answers the question.

"The reason why I say we should find her grave first is because I would like to set up a few things before attempting diplomacy with this spirit. Trust me. If nothing else, I have spent the better part of my life parlaying."