October 9th, 747- "Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways" (Stephen Vincent Benet).
Monsette was running. Someone was chasing him or he was desperately seeking someone. It was all very confusing, but the sense of urgency was there. He felt it in the deepest recesses of his soul. A light appeared in the distance...he ran towards it. Something was stapled to the wall...a man. His organs were spewing from his abdomen and blood was splattered everywhere. Where was his face? Monsette couldn't see his face! Reaching out with his hand to touch the man, he saw that it was he who was stapled to the wall. But why was he looking at himself. Monsette ran his hand through his hair to try and calm himself...he felt something warm touch his scalp. Looking at his hand, he saw ooze...gray ooze!
Monsette awoke with a start. He could already feel the damp clothing on his skin, where the sweat from his body had soaked through the material. The sun was already up and Sam, the only one not asleep. Going about his daily routine, Monsette began awaking the other members of the band once he had completed his prayers to Viminau. He would have preferred to sit on a chair but it seemed as though Sam had the only one.
I could have sworn that there was another one...well no matter. Once Vanyel was up, the linguist seemed to meditate for a bit as well. Dimitri and Yanus were not talkative, as the events from the previous night had left them in a somber mood. After Vanyel had completed his meditations, he proceeded to weave some form of power over the entire group. Monsette recognized the spell as a Zone of Truth, capable of forcing the truth from a liar's mouth. Monsette, picking up on Vanyel's idea, asked a series of direct questions to ensure that everyone was who they seemed to be...everyone checked out. The group then decided to simultaneously inform the village as to what was going on and find their missing companion Shinlaiden. Yanus volunteered to track down their missing friend, while Dimitri informed the village of recent events. Monsette; however, did not want to leave until he had personally informed Alehandra's mother of her daughter's death. No one seemed opposed to the idea, because only Monsette knew the true reason behind the seemingly kindly act: gathering information.
Alehandra's mother was not difficult to find, as she was one of the more conspicuous members of Valetta these days. Monsette wanted her to feel comfortable, so he met with the kindly old lady at her place of residence to conduct the discussion. The old woman proved to be very resilient to the definitive news that Alehandra's body had been found. She did cry a little, but not enough to impede Monsette's questioning process.
"I am sorry to be the bearer of such bad news Mrs. Venustas. Please accept my condolences," Monsette said comfortingly.
"It's alright," the old lady replied, "I knew my Alehandra was gone even before you told me."
"This is a terrible time for you; I know, but I need to ask you a few questions. Could you tell me of any strange events that happened to your daughter...anything at all?"
"This is the fault of the Vistani, I am sure of it! The full moon gives the night evil powers...the full moon is when all the bad things started happening. You see, Alehandra was a special girl, so beautiful, so young. She was always afraid of the full moon. I remember once, when she slept with me because she was so scared. Holding her close that night, I had the strangest dreams..."
The old mother couldn't contain herself anymore, as she began sobbing uncontrollably. Monsette was about to inject another question between the gasps for breath, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Turning around, Monsette saw Vanyel shaking his head in adamant protest. Cursing under his breath about the lack of professionalism, Monsette offered his condolences once again before taking his leave.
Once outside, Vanyel, Monsette, Sam, and Yanus made their way through the gathering crowd towards the edge of the village. There, Yanus studied the ground for what seemed like hours before deciding on a direction: north, towards the woods. The trail was slow going, as Yanus stopped every so often to check the ground for tracks of any kind. He said that it was a bit more difficult to track, because the tracks were not fresh and it hadn't rained in quite some time. Once the trail entered the forest, Yanus seemed to slow to a crawl.
This will take forever, but at least we are getting somewhere. I don't think these woods are Darkseed or we would probably be dead by now. No, this place is nowhere I have ever read about. The temperate climate suggests Nordmar or even the north of Jiqui, but that can't be right. I have a feeling we are not even on Nymbardax anymore. Maybe we are, but at an earlier period. The language these people speak is ancient in its origin, but seems to have developed differently. Did we go back in time? Another world? Another plane? If so, it would have to be an Outer Plane...I won't think about that for now. Maybe I should ask around for the local faiths to determine whether their lingual and religious roots are completely dissimilar to ours.
Monsette's was torn away from his pondering at the call of Yanus up ahead. The hunter seemed to have found a secluded clearing at the crest of a small hill. Many tracks visibly crossed the area multiple times, to and from the extinguished campfire at the center. Poking around the area revealed that there were three sets of footprints. The first were obviously Shinlaiden's and the second were of a smaller man carrying a large amount of weight (Yaco). The third set of tracks remained a mystery to everyone, including Yanus. While everyone was discussing the tracks, Vanyel spotted a small metal box in the fire pit at the center of the clearing. The box was crafted of dark metal, with a seven-pointed green star as its only markings. Monsette suggested to smash it open until Vanyel produced a key with an identical seven-pointed star engraved upon it. It was unsurprising to find that the key fit perfectly into the box's lock and produced a clicking sound when it turned. As Vanyel opened the box, Monsette peered questioningly at him.
"Where did you find that key?"
"When you ran off to the jail after the fight with 'Yaco' I noticed that the creature had dropped this key."
"And you never bothered to tell me?"
"I had simply forgotten until now."
As the lid of the box drew back, the light of the sun revealed a crumpled parchment inside. The text was a flowing script that seemed to have many errors in it, as almost every letter had been struck through with a line.
"It's in that foreign language," Monsette cursed.
"Don't worry Monsette, I have been studying this type of thing for many years, it shouldn't take long to decipher it."
"I hope not," Monsette muttered.
Vanyel's eyes washed over the page many times before he read the parchment aloud in grave tones.
- X Alehandra Venustas: Valleta, Invidia
- Gunter Edel: Vallaki, Barovia
- X Ian McGregor: Immol, Barovia
- Alex LePur: Pont-a-Museau, Richemulot
- X Adolf Heinrich: Ludendorf, Lamordia
- X Nathan Corvus: Corvia, Darkon
- X Jean Du Leur: Pont-a-Lucine, Dementlieu
"Comb the area everyone, let's find Shinlaiden first and then worry about this later."
Once Yanus was informed of the plan, everyone split up to find any trace of Vanyel's imposing companion. After many hours of searching, not one person was able to find any leads on Shinlaiden's whereabouts...not even Yanus. Frustrated, the group made their way back to the small village of Valetta to contemplate their next move. Monsette had Vanyel explain everything they knew to Yanus, so that he could tell Dimitri. While the conversation was taking place, Monsette took the opportunity to ransack the jailhouse for any important clues pertaining to the reasons a shapeshifter would kill a beautiful woman and try to hide her body underneath her very own house. Whether it was Viminau's sense of humor or simply bad luck, no such answer emerged from Monsette's long search. All that he was able to turn up was mediocre drawing of Alehandra in one of the desk drawers.
"Well, I'm out of ideas," Monsette said exasperatedly.
"I think this...thing...is an assassin," Vanyel said softly.
"I gathered as much from the list and the dead body," Monsette replied sarcastically. "What we should try to figure out is WHY it is killing these people."
"Does it really matter," Sam interrupted. "We should be more concerned with finding him than why he is doing these terrible things."
"If we can find his motives Sam, then we will be one step ahead of him."
"His motives are plain Monsette: kill everyone on the list. We have to find the rest of the people and warn them...period."
"Yes, yes...of course," Monsette replied half-heartedly. "Although, I would like to ask Alehandra's mother some more questions."
"I would have to disagree on this Monsette. The woman has suffered enough and you will get no useful information from her now. I can not condone this recourse."
"I agree with Sam," Vanyel intoned.
"Very well then. I suggest that we get an early night's sleep and travel to warn these people first thing in the morning. Agreed?"
The nod from both Sam and Vanyel was enough to end the discussion and put everyone in bed...on a rotating watch, of course.
Monsette was just about to drift into a deep sleep when his consciousness was stirred by the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. It was a violin, but played with exquisite skill and filled with the power of emotion. Normally, he would just write something like this off, but he noticed that Sam and Vanyel were up as well.
"Well...let's go see what it is," Monsette said with an air of resignation in his voice.
Gearing up, the group headed towards the eastern edge of the village. The guards on duty were transfixed on the sound and almost didn't notice the party until it was on top of them. They made no attempt to hinder the three men as they strode by, towards the source of the beautiful sound. As they approached, Sam was able to spot a small fire in the distance and two shapes huddled around it. The tone of the music became more and more heartrending as party closed the distance between themselves and the fire, until it almost became unbearable. Then, quite suddenly, it ceased altogether. Details became more readily apparent. The first shape was that of a heavy-set man and the second was unmistakably that of Shinlaiden! The man next to Shinlaiden had bloodshot eyes, olive skin, and dark hair. He was definitely in his prime, contrasting his white mustache. Shinlaiden was in bad shape. His upper lip was swollen, blood was all over his tattered clothing, he had scratches on most parts of his body, and he had no equipment whatsoever. The wagon behind the strange man and Shinlaiden wasn't obvious at first, but as the party approached the fire they could make out strange writing on the side and a small iron crib against it. Vanyel immediately rushed over to heal the battered Shinlaiden, while Monsette confronted the strange man playing the violin.
"May I help you with something," the man asked calmly.
"Thank you for aiding our friend kind stranger."
The cheerless man was on the verge of answering when his attention was shifted by the sounds of an infants cries. The screams came from the iron cage by the wagon. Somberly, the man got up and walked over the crib. While he was away, tending to the child, Monsette began grilling the recovering Shinlaiden for answers. The burly man was just as confused as the rest of the party. After he had left the group, he passed out on the street and woke up in the forest, tied and gagged. Somehow he managed to escape the bonds and tried to make his way back to the village. The only problem was that a humanoid catlike creature ambushed him and it would have killed him if not for the intervention of a gorgeous woman. All of these details were not fitting together for anyone; Monsette included. He was about to ask more detailed questions, when Vanyel simply got up and ran towards the man holding the infant. Sam, sensing a problem, was not far behind the frail linguist. Cursing, Monsette got up and stormed over to see what the commotion was about. Vanyel was already using his remaining energy on the infant. As Monsette approached, he could already see how malnurished the infant was. Adding his own healing to the baby boy radically improved its health.
"Thank you," said the olive-skinned man.
"It was nothing, replied Vanyel. "Shouldn't your wife be tending to such matters?"
The man's demeanor visibly darkened.
"My wife is dead. She died recently from a fever."
"I am sorry," Vanyel said.
"Why don't you just go into the village and get a midwife," Monsette asked.
"No one will help the Vistani," the man said.
"In any case, we can't just go around tactly avoiding your name. What would you like us to call you," Monsette intoned pleasantly.
"My name is Raul."
"Well that baby is very sick and needs a midwife to regain its health," Vanyel interjected. "If it doesn't get proper care, it will die Raul."
"I'm not worried about my son...it's my wife that scares me."
"You just said that your wife was dead," Monsette observed.
"I burnt her body, but every night she comes back to nurse our son!"
"Vimanau be merciful..."
"Leyla tells me to play for her," Raul continued. "She looks the same...as if she had never died."
After a long pause, Monsette pulled Vanyel to the side and begin to speak in hushed tones.
“We shouldn’t tell Sam.”
“Why not,” Vanyel inquired.
“We need to reason with this specter, not destroy it.”
“You are right, it may be confused…I will send Shinlaiden away as well.”
“Good.”
Both men, then, walked over to their respective subordinates and issued orders that they return to the village. Sam was very hesitant to leave, but Monsette insisted that they would be in no danger. Vanyel didn’t bother to explain his actions to Shinlaiden; instead he dismissed him curtly. Once Sam and Shinlaiden had left, Monsette and Vanyel hid themselves next to the wagon and waited for the inevitable arrival of Raul’s dead wife.
It wasn’t long before a beautiful dancer’s body began to float through the air, the rain passing right through its insubstantial form. On and on it danced, Raul feverishly playing his violin until it stopped at the iron crib near the wagon. Monsette couldn’t take his eyes off of her…she was stunning. The fascination was short-lived as pain flooded through his left arm. Looking up, Monsette saw Vanyel clamping down onto a piece of his flesh. Shaking his idle thoughts away, Monsette and Vanyel broke cover just in time to see the Leyla begin nursing her son. The color that had been restored to the child by Vanyel’s direct intervention was undone as the baby went pale from the ghost’s unearthly nectar. The suckling did not carry on for long, as the child went limp in the ghost’s arms.
“Hello Leyla,” Vanyel said carefully.
The dead woman placed the baby back into the iron crib before turning to face Vanyel.
“Why hello. Do I know you,” Leyla asked innocently.
“No Leyla, you do not. I have just recently met your husband and your son,” Vanyel went on.
While Leyla was distracted, Monsette darted over to the baby and used minor healing powers to bring it back to life.
“Leyla, I know this may sound like a strange question, but do you remember anything recently?”
“I don’t understand,” the pleasantness leaving her voice.
“I mean do you know what you did this morning?”
“That’s a strange question. Who are you again?”
“My name is Vanyel and I am friend of your husband.”
“I don’t know of such a name!”
“That is because I just met him today…do you remember anything that happened to you today?”
“Well, I just wandered off for a moment,” she began defensively.
“Do you remember anything that happened this morning Leyla?”
“I-I-I…What difference does it make,” she exclaimed in rage.
“That’s just it…you can’t remember, because you died many days ago.”
“But I’m right here, talking with you.”
“Yes, I know you are, but you are a ghost Leyla…a spirit.”
“No, these are lies! LIES,” Leyla screamed as she clutched her head.
“You are killing your son Leyla, you must stop this,” Vanyel persisted.
“You are trying to steal my son with your lies…YOU ARE TRYING TO TAKE MY SON FROM ME!!!”
Leyla swung out with her incorporeal hand and struck Vanyel in the chest. Her hand went right through his body, but he screamed in agony as his life force was ripped from the vessel of flesh. Negotiations had broken down and diplomacy was dead. Sensing this, Monsette infused his weapon with divine power and launched himself into the fray. Blue sparks flew from the contact between his empowered weapon and the incorporeal monster. Vanyel attempted to force the spirit back to its final resting place, but whatever forces had brought her back from the grave proved to difficult to counter. Monsette kept slamming his blade into the monster, but his efforts seemed futile. Eventually the spirit was able to bypass the enchanted weapon and suffuse Monsette with a chill from the netherworld. Monsette’s body was unaccustomed to such trauma so all of his muscles locked up and refused to move. Gaping and paralyzed, Monsette watched in terror, as Leyla was about to finish him off. Monsette would have died, had Vanyel not intervened. Casting his final spell, Vanyel attempted to drive the spirit away with forbidden arcane power. His power failed and the repercussions were severe. Leyla, an enraged vessel of death shoved both of its arms into Vanyel’s body and tore his soul to pieces. Vanyel didn’t even scream as his body went limp and fell to the ground. Monsette watched in anger as he stood helpless to save his friend. It was then that the miracle happened. Leyla’s image wavered as brilliant white light burst from behind her. The woman’s body began to gain substance as she stumbled weakly over to her terrified husband and slumped down next to him. As soon as her hand touched his, her body began to disintegrate.
“I curse you, murderers, from the depths of my heart; may you never feel the healing touch of compassion,” Leyla said feebly as the last of her was turned to dust and scattered by the wind.
“Mind telling me what is going on,” Sam said with a hint of anger in his voice.
“Let’s have this argument later Sam. First help me carry Vanyel back to the village.”
Picking up Vanyel’s limp form, Sam hurried back towards the village. Monsette tested the rejuvenated muscles in his body before daring to use them. Looking back one more time at the sobbing Raul, the investigator began the long trek back to the village of Valetta.