A meeting was hastily assembled with the party in attendance, along with Brother Markus, Anton and Magda Vyrlich and Constable Dreng. As Josie Nightengale was in Hannsport, she had also been invited to observe and consult.
The party produced the unholy disc, as Professor Malort returned the large basalt artifact to its original size. Brother Markus noted the lingering aura of wickedness that emanated from the stone's runic markings, and suggested it be secured away under the protective wards in his laboratory. There it could be carefully studied under controlled conditions, and far away from prying eyes. All agreed.
With the mission then fully complete, the party returned to their various interests on town, though not before attending the faire.
Each approached the festivities differently. Sir Donaghast, perhaps suffering under the weight of yet even more traumatic combat, sank deeply into his cups. Father Yorik dropped a great deal of coin trying to win a giant stuffed unicorn at the mini-crossbow target shooting booth. Professor Malort attended Josie Nightengale's open air performance and joined her for a drink and a discussion of various arcane theories afterward. And Calgrot stealthily investigated the odd feeling of familiarity that had come over him as soon as he set foot on the grounds.
While they were enjoying the evening, a hew and cry went up-- someone had robbed the Academy of the Whispering Wind! Not only that, but they had caught the perp red-handed, and he was one of the carnies!
The village watch soon appeared, disbursing the crowd, ending the evenings reveries prematurely. Constable Dreng had also sent a courier to fetch the party and request their presence at the Academy as soon as they were able.
The party then reassembled at the Church, with Josie Nightengale in tow.
Dreng and Markus were waiting for them. Someone had stolen the golden idol the party had recovered from Bracken Island months prior. Although the boy was caught in the lab, he did not have the idol on him. He must have passed it to someone through the open window. But how had the boy gotten into the basement of the Church in the first place?
A large crowd had gathered outside the Great Hall, eager to see the proceedings. Rumors and gossip had spread throughout the night, and Hannsport being a small village, all were curious to know what had really happened.
All the party were in attendance as the court opened session, with Donaghast still not yet fully himself. They noticed that some of the carnies were also there, in the back, and Calgrot positioned himself to keep an eye out.
Magda, who was sitting as judge in Markus' absence due to the ongoing investigation and his recusal of himself, called each of the minor cases first- public drunkenness, a minor dispute over a damaged wagon, and so forth. When the last case was called, Dreng brought the towering young man forward.
In the middle of the proceeding, a young woman lept from her seat on one of the benches and shouted "Murderer!"
She pointed at the young man. "Murderer!" she cried again. "He's the one that killed Ginny all those years ago!"
The crowd erupted in loud murmurs, only quieting when Magda banged her gavel as loudly as she could. "Silence!" she shouted.
"What do you say, child?" she asked the young woman, who appeared to be no more than sixteen or seventeen years of age.
The girl then described how not five years past, in the nearby, now abandoned village of Willowdown, one of the local children was found strangled. The accused boy was seen holding the dead girl at the scene and had then fled from the village. Despite the best efforts of a local search party, the boy was never found nor seen again. Until now.
As mayhem threatened the proceedings, the observing carnies quietly exited, with Calgrot following behind. Magda then brought the chamber once more to order. She announced that she would hold the matter over until a proper prosecutor could be summoned from Logash to look into the matter, and if necessary, to present the case against the accused.
Needing someone to stand in defense of the same accused, she scanned the room thoughtfully, looking for someone in particular. When her eyes alit on the besotted paladin, she knew she had her man. Who could be a better choice than a dedicated acolyte of St Cambrace, she thought to herself.
As soon as she appointed Sir Donaghast as defense counsel, she had the young man returned to his cell, she adjourned for the day and cleared the courtroom.
With that, the party began its investigations, examining the scene of the theft, as well as interviewing several potential witnesses, as best they could. They interviewed the carnies, the young girl, Brother Markus and Constable Dreng, as well as the accused, who seemed to be a simpleton of little intellect.
Given that they only had a few days, they then decided that they would travel to Willowdown to search for clues as to the alleged crime committed there.
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