Speaking with the Dead

Your silence when last I attempted to speak with you has troubled me greatly. I know you don't think much of me, Father, and that you likely find my constant reports and questions a bother, but what else am I to do? You are the one who attached yourself to me, after all! I did not ask for this!

You're invisible most of the time, so I have no way of knowing if you witness the day's events at my side, or if you're even on this plane when I'm not casting spells that call upon your power. I keep you abreast of things so you can better advise me on my quest, the quest that you put me on, finding your damned relic! If it can even do what you say... if it even exists at all!

Or perhaps it's just that you're not so all-knowing as you claim to be, eh Father? Perhaps such a simple question was beyond your ability to see. Maybe you just play at being this powerful spirit because, in reality, you're utterly helpless in your state. Indeed, if not for me, what would you be doing now? How long had you lingered, dead, in the ruins of your castle, unable to effect the world around you? Yes, I think you torment me out of the frustration of being so completely unable to do anything without my help.

As for our murder investigation, I had already stated my belief that the noble Foxglove was the culprit, but my companions wished to investigate the matter as thoroughly as possible. I admit, I took a leap when naming him the criminal. All we had to go on was the note left for Coral, so I was willing to accompany them to collect any evidence we could.

First we spoke to a local expert on the Runelords, who explained the meaning behind this seven-pointed star we keep seeing everywhere. Each point on the star stood for a virtue, which the Runelords later corrupted into sins. Being that the men murdered had all been criminals - con men and embezzlers - we assumed this particular killer was fixated on the sin of Greed. Sandpoint, coincidentally, is on the border of the former territories of the Runelords of both Greed and Wrath.

Next, we examined the sawmill. There was a crowd about, as humans are so often fascinated by the aftermath of such violence. Having been deputised, we were allowed to examine the scene. The man had been hung on hooks like so much meat, with the sehedren carved into him. His lower jaw had been removed to prevent the casting of "Speak with Dead," so there was no doubt a necromancer was involved. To me this further implicated Foxglove, as his family manor is known to be haunted; now it seems likely the restless dead are there upon his call.

The woman was frankly disgarded, shoved into the sawblades with no tact, no grace. She was not needed for whatever ritual this killer seeks to fulfill, possibly because he has no need for women, but more likely because she was guilty of the wrong sin. My companions found it a confusing crime scene because the initial killing was done with blind rage and little skill, but the ritualistic parts of it carried out with precision. Most likely it was done by more than one person, possibly the necromancer and some type of hostile undead... a theory which seemed much more likely when we went to the Asylum to interrogate a witness.

The man in charge of the Asylum was nervous from the moment we set foot in the place, and clearly had some shady dealings there. He was reluctant to let us into the building further than the lobby, on the pretense of our safety, so we waited while his underlings retrieved the man we wished to question. The man stunk of ghoul fever! There was very little he could tell us, but his state revealed much. He changed from human to ghoul in front of us, and we had to slay him. After this, we demanded to see the rest of the place, and after some resistance we were able to.

We found much evidence that the fellows running the place had been conducting experiments of a questionable nature on its residents, but they were not guilty of the murders. And then Coral received another note, "His Lordship" insisting that she meet him at "Misgivings," which is the name of the Foxglove manor. At this point the rest of them had collected enough evidence to rule out all the other suspects and were finally ready to go after him. I don't really blame them for their uncertainty. I've been doing this longer than they've been alive, so naturally my intuition is more finely honed than theirs. We will take the time to prepare ourselves, and then we shall be on the hunt for Foxglove.

I do worry that Ash hasn't got the stomach for this work. The scene at the sawmill made her quite ill, and when we met resistance at the Asylum, she fled the building. I can't complain in that case, because she would have been sure to use her divine power against the undead there, thus injuring me. But it makes me wonder if perhaps it is time for her to retire. I shall keep silent on the issue for now.

And since you seem to favor silence so much lately, Father, I won't ask you any questions today. Instead, I shall let you reflect upon your own complete and utter impotence. You are nothing if I do not call on you. You do not exist without me. Remember that, Edvarius, when next we speak, and do not try my patience again.