Martin now smiles at Vergart's kinder words. He studies the group before him for a moment, taking in Fatcoins bedraggled look, James' bloody axe and the dress of the clerics. You can each see his mind working as he studies you.
"Our folk are not cowards," Martin sighs. "But the murders have so unnerved the people. And the horror of it is there is no simple culprit."
" A month ago farmer Nessman disappeared walking the road to Arles, which lies to the west. Vanished without a trace. He was found days later, torn apart, in the Kapund stream to the east. There was barely enough of him to bury."
The young man turns pale."There was no sign of what had done this to him. Searches revealed nothing. Then a week later another townsman disappeared, only to be found later horribly mangled. It soon became a grisly pattern."
Martin walks to a nearby pew and retieves a red book. "Thirteen in all have disappeared, and only seven corpses have been recovered. Tracks were found around the last few victims-tracks of a great four legged creature. And only a week ago a villager from Tres saw a large cat like creature, standing 15 hands high in the dark of night. He said it had serpents coiled round its neck. The people speak of the Charon Fiend....are you familiar with the old legends?"
Martin pauses. "The local people know of the old legends. And despair now holds sway here."
"At first Lord Giles attempted to send patrols and find the cause of these attacks. But the seaches revealed nothing. But his Lordship has so few men in his tower and there seemed nothing to do but defend his subjects. And as the attacks increased and the whispers of the Charon Fiend grew, the fear of the villagers became so great that his Lordship instituted a curfew."
The acolyte looks to Yondo. "Make no mistake, Lord Giles is a good lord. He was a great knight in his youth. His riches have caused our simple villages to flourish and he has endowed the church with many gifts. But his Lordship is quite old.. now 101 years old, and too feeble to take personal action. We've had to fend for ourselves."
Martin thumbs through his book, revealing a map. "Then the unthinkable happened. Weeks ago, the deacon of this church, Master Adleton, hadsent for help to the abbey in Taymouth. No answer came, so five days ago my master left alone for Taymouth to gain aid for our people. Two days later he was found here near Flytrap Ridge, not more than half a mile from Tres."
The acolyte points to a place on the map labelled Flytrap Ridge with a trembling finger before closing the book."He was the last victim, and the dread of the next attack hangs over us all."
Tears well in Martin's eyes. "A dwarf you say? I do not know. I have remained within the church..was Master Adletons last request that we watch the church. If he came through, Marlowe-in his tavern might have seen him, most passersby stop there, or at least they used to.."
Martin again falls silent wiping his eyes.
OOC: Attached is Martins map of the area, showing Lord Giles lands.The map is oriented north, a hex equalling 500 yards, so four is a little over a mile. The tower by the river is unlabeled but is Giles' Tower.
