Part 7 : The Cemetery

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Within a small copse of trees, about five or ten minute's walk away, Alarian, Kiaphas, Raoul and Aurum come upon a number of rough cut headstones arrayed in lines. The inscriptions on them appear to be dedications to workers and other non clerical men who have perished upon this isle. It's fairly quiet here in this little enclosure and after a while Squall arrives (he would've found you all sooner but he didn't know where you were going) and caws a bit and pecks at his master's sleeve indicating that he wishes to impart information of some kind.

Unfortunately the eagle doesn't know his master has used his only speak with animals spell for the day.

Eagles don't caw do they? What sound do they make? I'm not sure but he's making eagle sounds at you Kiaphas :p.

[Mr Teufel]

Kiaphas pets the screaching eagle, and feeds her a few nibbles. He turns to his fellows. "Since Squall hasn't brought back any shiny objects, I hope that the jewels we seek aren't at the bottom of the cliff."

[Keeper]

"Lets look to see if there has been any recent activity here, then."  Raul begins to look around the graveyard and amongst the graves for any indication of recent burials, or recent activity on this site of any kind.

Are there any structures within this clearing, apart from the graves themselves, Balgin? And there is no boundry apart from the treeline, right?

[Balgin Stondraeg]

There are no buildings in this small clearing, neither is there a boundary wall or anything like that since it's hemmed in by trees on all sides.

A short investigation satisfies Raoul that none of the graves have been disturbed. The inscription on one of the gravestones catches his eye 'though:

Wynsar Haldin
Priestess of the faith of Esmia
Died from Kharic's Plague
Her efforts in saving lives at our Abbey will always be remembered
Our shame can never be cleansed

Kharic's plague, a shiver runs down his spine. The last recorded outbreak of Kharic's plague was a half a hundred years ago or more and yet this tomb is marked as being twenty years old.

[Keeper]

What is Karic's plague, that makes up fear it so?

[Balgin Stondraeg]

What is Karic's plague, that makes up fear it so?

I swear I saw something about Kharic's plague in the notes but I can't find it now. Think of it as something akin to the black death of cholera. I'm sure I saw something about it supposed to having been extinct on the mainland but then there was an outbreak here but I can't find the words saying how long it's been since it was last seen on the mainland.

Consider it to be something very nasty that parents scare naughty children with.

[Keeper]

"Doesn't seem to be much here, chaps.  And there has been plague in recently years.  Shall we move on to the tower atop that hill, yonder? Northcrown hill, is it?"

[Fabian]

Alarin nods, "But at least we have investigated; I think it's fair to say that we are learning something at every step." he says sagely. He turns away sadly from the graveyard and makes his way to the hill.

[Mr Teufel]

"'No' is still an answer," says Kiaphas, following the others up the hill.

[Custom_Hobby]

Aurum digs his shield into the ground and leans on it. "If I knew this was going to be this boring I would have gone back to the abbey. Lets hope the sage can help liven this up a bit."

[Balgin Stondraeg]

And so they took the short walk up the hill to part 8: mysteryies at the tower.