"My parents are still alive, but my mother's mother lived to her late 80's. I still remember her from my childhood. I never knew my mother's father. He did not stay long after my mother was born. It does not matter though, I don't intend to be here long."

Quote from Kimvilla111>>

Valerie tries to calm her breath down after the battle. She looks around for something to clean her shield and sword. She looks around the room. "Is everyone alright? Does anyone need healing?" 

'I'll be fine.' Sandu replied through gritted teeth.

Quote from Losman >>

"I may need to see the Father after this, but for now... grab the bodies we need to give them to the Father for proper burial. As he says this he grabs the remains of the fiend be the back of the neck and begins dragging it out of the attic. Noticeably his eyes seem to still be glowing stronger than normal.

Stopping by Sandu he says, "Nice shot, You killed something very evil this day." He than drags the fiend out of the attic and outside. 

'Yeah.' Sandu concurred. 'They deserve the proper rites.'

He moved across the attic to some of the broken open boxes to look for a tarp, sheet or cloth big enough to carry Cedric's body out, Ioben having taken up Felix' remains, without the chance the children might see them. They had been through enough, they did not need to experience that as well.

Quote from Losman >>

“A proper cleansing is needed, but killing the fiend sent it back to where it came from. Luckily it takes them awhile to come back. As long as the person who killed them doesn’t summon them back to the material plane, they are banish from entering for 100 years. Shouldn’t be much of an issue for you and Sandu at least… Wait how long do half elves live,” asks Dormark.

'Guess I'll just have to live for a 101 years more then.' Sandu remarked, his old trait of making quips to alleviate the tension rearing its head now that the situation had been diffused. Carrying Cedric's body he followed the rest outside for the burial. He made a mental note to return to inform the matron and, depending on how they would deal with this, some of the children. He also needed to check up on their sick gravedigger to see how fast the removal of the fiend would effect him.

Evening - Day 5 - St. Andral's Orphanage

Dormark - You go over to the place the fiend was felled; rather than a skin and bone body, you find a sickly, grey-coloured ooze.  Sitting in the middle of the ooze is a silver locket.

Sandu - You are able to easily find old sack-cloth lying around near the crates; there is a powerful stench of decomposition as you look through the crates.

All - You proceed to make your way down the stairs from the attic, carrying the wrapped bodies of Cedric and Felix with you, the mood is sombre.  As you reach the ground floor you see Ms Belasco, her normally well-kept appearance is now dishevelled and she looks tired, "Thank the Morninglord!" she exclaims.  "I... I trust you were successful in your task," she says, a note of hope in her voice, "It's Milivoj, you see.  He woke up!".  Tears of joy fall down the old ladies face as she delivers the news, "He's still a little weak, but he's able to talk."

Her eyes drift to the large sack-cloth bags the party holds.  "Dare I ask, what is in the bags?" she questions, "Or is it something best not known?".  She looks around each of the grim faces of the party.  "It is safe now, isn't it?  Are the children going to be safe?" she asks, pleadingly.

Please don't let it be more bodies. Sandu thought to himself as he picked up some cloth to cover and pick up Cedric's body.

He pried one crate open, the one that smelled the most foul, to see if his fears would be justified or not. After which Sandu carefully carried the body downstairs. 

Quote from IrRy0 >>

Evening - Day 5 - St. Andral's Orphanage

All - You proceed to make your way down the stairs from the attic, carrying the wrapped bodies of Cedric and Felix with you, the mood is sombre.  As you reach the ground floor you see Ms Belasco, her normally well-kept appearance is now dishevelled and she looks tired, "Thank the Morninglord!" she exclaims.  "I... I trust you were successful in your task," she says, a note of hope in her voice, "It's Milivoj, you see.  He woke up!".  Tears of joy fall down the old ladies face as she delivers the news, "He's still a little weak, but he's able to talk."

Her eyes drift to the large sack-cloth bags the party holds.  "Dare I ask, what is in the bags?" she questions, "Or is it something best not known?".  She looks around each of the grim faces of the party.  "It is safe now, isn't it?  Are the children going to be safe?" she asks, pleadingly.

'Cedric.' Sandu replied bluntly with a sombre voice. He did not feel the need to sugarcoat it for Ms Belasco and with the adrenaline beginning to wear off he did not feel like he could if he wanted. 'And Felix. We will provide them a proper burial.'

He managed to give her a smile. 'The kids will be all right now.' The smile faded. 'We still want to have words with Milivoj but it's good to hear that he is recovering.'

He paused for a moment, trying to decide how much he should divulge to the matron. 'You will need to destroy all the beds. The wooden frameworks at the very least. Burn them if possible.'

Sandu moved past her. 'We'll return once Felix and Cedric have been interred.'  

Sandu - Ms Belasco's face pales, "Cedric and Felix?  Felix seemed well the last time I saw him.  Poor, poor children."  She bites her lip, "I failed them.  Allowed them to be placed at risk.  It shall not happen again."

"The beds?"  She looks searchingly at you, "I... certainly.  But, how will I afford new ones?  The Orphanage, we can barely afford to keep it operational."  Ms Belasco lets the matter drop as she looks back over the large, child-sized, bags.  "I must be there... when you...  when they're...  It's only right.  They were part of the family - part of the Orphanage family."

Sandu sympathised with Ms Belasco's plight. He knew all too well the worries of insufficient funds. 

'There are carvings in the wood of the beds.' He explained. 'I don't know if the magic has seeped into the wood permanently, else you might be fine with sanding down the wood and an exorcism by Father Lucian.'

He looked towards the door. 'We'll talk later. And with the good Father as well. But first things first.' And he moved out the door towards the burial grounds.

Holding the locket in his hands, Dormark says, "It may be needed to take temporary shelter in the church for the night. I'm sorry for the pain you and the children must have suffered." The bite mark in Dormark's body leaves a testament of the violent  battle he had with the fiend and espousing a net work of what appear to be strands of wire and other moving mechanisms in his chest.  "The being that did this return to where it came from. There is not a lot of evidence of it of it left except a grey goo in the attic. I give this to father Lucien to see if he can back up our story. Moradin's blessing to you all," saying this the damage Dormark roughly follows Sandu. A slight twitch in is form from the damage he taken from the fiend. 

> "Make sure you find them Raven.  Find them and make them pay."

Galqarin resolves to talk to Ivah & Hedy and let them know that, thanks to his companions, the fiend is dispatched. Although it will not bring their friend back, at least it might assuage some of their anguish.

Evening - Day 5 - St. Andral's Church

The party make their way outside of the Orphanage and towards the church.  The rainfall has eased since the party entered the Orphanage, though the light is beginning to fail as darkness sets in.  Ms Belasco's face is downcast as she follows the party towards the church, for once lost for words.

As you approach the church you notice Ismark looking out towards you, he casts a concerned eye over you all.  "What news?" he asks, "Ireena is inside with the Father and the rest of the children... they're trying to keep the children's spirits up - quite the challenge given the levels of excitement and fear."  He looks at the damage Dormark has sustained, "I should have been with you.  When Dormark and Baern rushed out the church I must admit that my first thoughts were of Ireena's safety." he shakes his head, internally chastising himself, "But I should have been with you."

"What of the Orphanage?  Is it safe now?"

“The cause has return from whence it came, it shouldn’t brother the orphanage anytime soon. The only evidence we where able to collect was this locket the fiend had. Do you mind calling the Father here Ismark? I’ve been feeling strange since it bite me,” says Dormark falling into one of the bleachers.

“While you get tended to, we should take care of this.” Ioben jostles the bundle he is carrying. “Can you also ask the father about organising 3 burials? I think moving these bodies outside might be best for the children.” 

Ioben heads toward the cemetery to deliver his burden, hoping that the others will also follow. 

Sandu followed the others, saying little but thinking much.

At the cemetery he grabbed a shovel and looking for a spot to dig. He was not used to physical labour this hard but he spit in his hands and begun digging a grave.

Valerie does not join others in burying the death, instead she quietly gets to the church and prays to her god on a pew. 

"when I saw what the fiend did to the children, I could not contain my anger... I fought with wraith and it did not bode well. It was fortunate that the others were there..." She pauses for a moment and finally she sighs. "I don’t know if this is a challenge that you set for me, but I think I failed..."

ALL - Ismark nods, "I'll get the Father straight away."

Moments later he re-emerges from the church, Father Lucian alongside him.  The Father looks over the party, his face grave, "I'm glad to find you all well... when I heard about the evil that had been affecting the Orphanage, I feared the worst."  With immense sadness, he looks over to the wrapped bodies and continues, "Ismark mentioned that you require a number of burials be conducted.  Dare I ask for whom?".  He leads the party around the side of the church towards the cemetery.

Sandu - You are able to easily locate a shovel and start digging at a suitably empty spot; it is located under a large ash tree, relatively sheltered from the wind and rain.

Valerie - There is a fair amount of commotion as you enter the church; children on edge, some scared, some crying.  As you go towards a pew you spot Ireena out of the corner of your eye; you watch as she is about to approach you but thinks better of it, spotting your need for contemplation and prayer, she instead ushers the children away - providing you with a brief moment of peace.

Ioben grabs a shovel and assists Sandu to dig the graves. "Father, I think you might need a special prayer over these boys. They didn't stand a chance against that thing. So young."

((OOC - Feel free to add any details in the middle here. I will jump in if needed but Ioben is very practical in this moment. He simply wants to get the boys buried and move on.))

When he has finished digging the graves he will help places the bodies and cover them up. "It has been some time since I felt a good night's sleep. Father, where would you recommend?"

No stranger to a shovel, Galqarin gently takes the implement from Sandu and wields it a great deal more skilfully. As he digs, he wonders who has been burying the bodies whilst Millivoj has been afflicted. 

Quote from IrRy0>>

ALL - Ismark nods,"I'll get the Father straight away."

Moments later he re-emerges from the church, Father Lucian alongside him.  The Father looks over the party, his face grave, "I'm glad to find you all well... when I heard about the evil that had been affecting the Orphanage, I feared the worst."  With immense sadness, he looks over to the wrapped bodies and continues,"Ismark mentioned that you require a number of burials be conducted.  Dare I ask for whom?".  He leads the party around the side of the church towards the cemetery.

Sandu - You are able to easily locate a shovel and start digging at a suitably empty spot; it is located under a large ash tree, relatively sheltered from the wind and rain.

'Cedric and Felix.'

Sandu's tone was sombre and his face sullen. He did not want to dwell any longer on the issue but the situation required some explination.

'Please oversee the burials, good Father. After which we'll need to ask you something.'

He entered the cemetery and set about the the of digging. After having dug roughly a foot deep, Sandu spotted a hairy arm reaching out to him and taking away the shovel. Galqarin stepped in and took over digging. Sandu would protest but the adrenaline had worn off and fatigue had set in. He just did not have the energy to argue. He walked out of the dig site and stood silent under the ash tree overlooking the dig.

When the graves were done, he signaled Father Lucian. 'Father, a few words?'

Late Evening - Day 5 - St. Andral's Church's Cemetery

The mood is glum as Sandu, Ioben and Galqarin set to work digging the graves for the two boys; though the digging does not take too long, the harsh weather and sombre mood make it feel like an eternity.

Once the graves have dug, and the bodies of Cedric and Felix laid next to them, the Father steps forward to say a few words.  He clears his throat, "Through-out the years, in many walks of life, I have seen death.  Whether it be on the battlefield, through old age, or even to those taken well before their time - nothing can prepare us for the palpable sense of loss and feelings of grief."

Lucian continues, clearly struggling to hold back his emotions, "Both Felix and Cedric," he beckons to the bodies, "Were young boys filled with the vigour of life; kind, dependable, innocent.  Neither one deserved the cruel fate that befell them."  The Father draws his back up straight, providing a glimpse of the man he once was, "We shall not forget this fact - evil triumphs when good men, and women, do nothing.  We shall not forget the evil that befell poor Felix, or that found poor Cedric, but we shall not let it taint the memory of them.  Both boys leave behind a legacy of joy, of happiness, and, yes, of mischief - this shall be our lasting memory of them."

The elderly Father turns to the party, "Your actions in ridding the Orphanage of this threat have saved the lives of many.  Many more could have shared the fate of Felix or Cedric, but are free to live life... because of you all.  Now is a time of mourning, yes.  But let it also be a time to renew hope, for it shows that when the few defiantly stand in the face of evil they are able to triumph."

Crouching down he kneels beside the wrapped bodies of the boys, "We ask the Morninglord guide both Felix and Cedric towards his light.  May they reside eternally with Him."  The Father proceeds to mutter a prayer under his breath, sanctifying the bodies.

Ioben -  After the burial has concluded the Father addresses your question, "The Blue Water Inn is just a short walk down the road, towards the town centre.  The Martikov's are good people, they should be able to provide you with board and lodging for a reasonable price."

Dormark waits on the benches nursing his injuries a bit. He watches as outside the window  as most of the party bury the two boys in the ground. Dormark quietly prays to Moradin, seeking guidance from his god.