Episode 2 : Witchfire - The Longest Night - Part 2
Hurst woke up in time to dive for cover as the shot splintered wood and tore through books and papers. He drew his gun and fired back at his assailant, the bullet shearing through the oak bookcase that the assassin used for cover. The cloaked figure sprinted to the other end of the book case to get a better shot, but missed again, his shot tearing through a chair leg. Hurst fired again, hitting the assassin in the leg. The man ran back, ducking behind a glass case of curiosities, before firing back again and clipping Hurst. There was the sound of a pin dropping and hitting the stone floor as Hurst threw a grenade. The intense light and loud sound knocked the gunman to the ground, but they kept running and fled the library.
In the corridor Hurst gave chase, pushing people aside. But in the gaggle of students the assassin was lost. Hurst was left to explain to the university guards. He headed back to the library and looked around. He found all the bullets, which were clearly from a repeater pistol, and he found some coins where the man had fallen due to the grenade. They were weird. 2 gold crowns of Cygnar, strangely corroded, and with a strange year printed upon them. They were for a year that was 2 years from now.
The others returned from the Northern Graveyard, and details were exchanged and compared. Darcey was to stay with Hurst to act as bodyguard, while Brother Eckert and Gregore would go to other graves.
In the Eastern Boneyard, in the swampy funeral grounds, two more of the grave were found, again disturbed. Eckert attempted to bribe a beggar, Egger, to find out if he had seen anything. But the beggar feared the law, and his price was steep. Gregore, seeing things going nowhere, grabbed the man and demanded answers. The beggar cried, that he did not want to flung in jail. He told them that “not more than twelthty days ago” that a girl in white, with black hair was here. Eckert gave the frightened old man gold coins for his troubles and bid him to take care and find a warm inn for the festival.
At the Gadock farm they spoke to Bern about his grandfather, and how he had passed on. He had no idea of how the body was taken. But Bern’s son, Hagger, named for his great grandfather, insisted that he knew. The 3 year old spoke of how his great grandfather had walked from his own grave.
At the Sunbright estate, within the city limits, Gregore and Eckert had a tense conversation with Elger Sunbright, head of the household. He explain how his father’s body was removed from the family graveyard. And that the tomb, a marble tomb, was opened, but with no damage. Elger though forbid them from going to the tomb, as there had been enough disturbances already, and that more would bring more notoriety to his family.
Hurst still had no luck searching through the university library, and so Darcey and he travelled across the city to the city hall to look there. In the city archives they found the case file of the witchcraft, and the details of the events, the executions and the names of those killed. One name popped out. It was Lexaria Ciannor, mother of Alexia, and sister-in-law of Father Dumas. Of course the question was if the witches were ever guilty, as they found that the Magistrate Borloch rapidly rose from power, both just before and after the trial. The name of the executioner was unknown, but they had the name for the judge, who still lived. The location of the witches tomb was unknown, other than that Father Dumas was noted as the one who ritually sealed the tomb. The rest of the entry was missing, and noted as destroyed.
The troupe regrouped, it being late at night. Darcey and Gregore were to go to the local inns to ascertain the general opinion of Borloch. Eckert and Hurst would go see Father Dumas and speak about the trial.
At the Silver Goose inn many of the upper class of Corvis were gathered, enjoying the party atmosphere of the coming festival. After much questioning, carousing, and bribery it became clear that many feared Borloch, and that much of his wealth was that recovered from those he had sentenced to death or life imprisonment.
With Father Dumas, they found him praying in a small chapel of the cathedral. He lifted himself off his knees to sit and listen to the priest and investigator. They explained what they had found, the fear of necromancy, and that it was linked to the witch trial. Dumas explained his part and more about Lexaria. Dumas explains where the tomb lies, and that it was once a Orgoth fortress, and so a place of dread. But if there is a necromancer, then they are after something tied to the witches. Dumas also reveals that the executioner of the witches seemed to take some glee in their deaths, and strangely was struck down when Lexaria, the last of them, was beheaded. Both Eckert and Hurst could tell that Dumas was hiding something more.
Walking back from the inn Gregore and Darcey noticed someone was watching them from above, their gun levelled at them....
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