The group confer with the priest in the Temple by the graveyard, who invokes Divine Power to stabilise Rasghan Illyan. They ask the priest if it will be safe to stash the Rashan there, and they were informed that for two nights they would be undisturbed, but on the third day, a festival would mean that the temple would be in use.
The group decide to take the Rasghan to the _*Temple of the Sacred Pool*,_ there he would be safe and a message could be sent to the nearest garrison for help, both to take the Rasghan for judgement, and to get word of the complaint made against Abadhir and the village of Qalharbarh.
They did not question the Rasghan much, only enough to get his story that his grandfather, though misguided and with abhorrent results, had experimented from pure motives, to create soldiers for Haraxa who could fight for her, and whose loss would not lead to bereaved families. His methods were to try and use experimentation to produce a method that could be followed by anyone, a scientific method and thus Illyhan brought forth the creation of his grandfather to animation.
As to why Abadhir might have it in for Illyhan, as an officer of the state, all Illyhan can think of is that he curbed Abadhir’s excesses. Whether acting as moneylender, merchant or landlord, Abadhir would cheat and abuse his power.
On the topic of the Green Death, Illyhan did say his grandfsather noted that at certain times of the coment, baleful magics were stronger and strange ailments afflicted mortals. There might be more in his grandfather’s documents.
The group headed to Qalharbarh, to investigate the complaints made against Abadhir by Illyan, and Farshad discussed the pillars of his latest work, an epic concept transforming the art form. There was some speculation that the artform was macramé.
Arriving, they headed into “”The Singing Goat””, named after the song that is taking the borderlands by storm, and proving to be the bane of its creator, an animal shed converted to a community space for drinking and assembling into an impromptu angry mob.
After a round of drinks, some gentle conversation with the locals, pitchforks, ancient weapons and heap of torches to hand, just in case, broke out. Over the period of chat they learned more about the alleged murder of Kira, betrothed to Shunif, and the description of the injuries, and the monster who allegedly caused them , The monster was described as squat, dagger toothed and sword clawed, which is not what they saw.
They learned that only one of Kira’s family remained, a young, shy boy, Nariman, as their father had died in the assault on the castle. Speaking to Nariman, who is tending horses that had been recovered from the castle, they learned that Shunif often abused both Kira and Nariman, and that Kira would have broken off the betrothal on many occasions if it was not for the insistence of her father, who thought only of the wealthy future for his daughter.
Sobbing, and desirous of revenge against Illyhan, Nariman is persuaded to show the grouo Kira’s body, lying in state in the small shrine in the village. The wounds were mostly bruising, with little external blood loss, and no wounds that might indicate dagger like teeth or sword like claws.
The group tell Nariman that they will get those responsible, and in gratitude, though destitute himself, he gave the horses to the group. José responses by giving him two, silver cah, at least Nariman can eat for the next couple of days.
The group split as they headed to the house of Abadhir, José and Jalabu to the friont, Farshad, Utana and Arpaesis to the rear, where they overheard Abadhir tell Shunif that, as the betrothed to Kira, Abadhir would be making a claim for the land owned by Kira’s father, in Shunif’s name, but it would go to Abadhir. There were sounds of violence.
José knocked at the door, Abadhir answered and Shunif tried to make a break for it, but was intercepted and brought inside. Splitting the two, Utana leant on Shunif, twirling his moustache and presenting the lad with an unpleasant vista of cutting criticism. Shunif spilled the beans, Kira, having had enough, was breaking off the betrothal, no matter what her father said. Shunif, his vile temper unleashed, beat the girl to death. Shunif’s own injuries came from Abadhir when he found out.
The whole story of the monster was Abadhir’s concoction, a way to get Shunif out of trouble and to dispose of that thorn in his side Illyhan.
Abadhir, when confronted with this, did not seem perturbed, switching from denial to bribery, but the loyal and honest agents of the magistrate would have none of it, apart from the cash they took as “evidence”.
Troops from the garrison arrived, and they handed the miserable pair over to them, and Utana made enquiries about the position of Rasghan for the area, as there would be a vacuum of power in the short term, and possibly in the long term too.
They feel certain that some of Abadhir’s estate will go to Nariman, as compensation, so, the wheels of justice having been set in motion, they set up in Abadhir’s home to rest for the night. If they wish, they can reach Bukrish, their destination, the next day.
And there we left it