The next morning, Draul finished his breakfast along with Kennick and Corita at the Rusty Dragon. Mariel declined to join them and remained in her room to get extra sleep in while Razvan had to leave early on to work at the Fatman's Feedbag. While Corita explained to Kennick ideas for what kind of adventurers they would be, Draul was focused on his thoughts regarding what he needed to do in order to best help the group. He saw the potential that each of them had but they had much to learn. Fighting goblins wasn't too difficult but they needed to be prepared for bigger threats.

Of the group, Corita was the most eager to become an adventurer and her talent as a bard showed promise. However, Draul could see that she wasn't well-equipped and that her swordsmanship showed that she hadn't received any formal training. She was lucky that they had only faced goblins and skeletons so far but there were bigger threats in Varisia. Kennick was stronger than Draul, and although he was more reserved, he did have a connection to the people of Sandpoint. What concerned the paladin was that he thought Kennick was holding himself back in battle and he wasn't sure why. It was going to be a mystery that he would have to look into eventually. As for Razvan, Draul thought that he was more capable than he let on. He didn't want to think Aldern's claims were true but the paladin was somewhat suspicious over the cook's background. If Razvan was hiding something from the group, it could make working with him a risk.

Then there were Draul's own feelings about stepping up to mentor the trio. He was more experienced than them thanks to his paladin training but he hadn't considered what it would be like to teach before. He hadn't had much experience leading others before and didn't have the experiences his mentor had. There was also his personal mission as a follower of the Dawnflower to redeem those who fell to darkness. Still, Draul knew that the trio, along with Mariel, were good people. If he served as a good enough mentor, they would become Sandpoint's champions. There was nothing stopping him from helping them as well as following his divine oath and he gave them his word. He would do what he could to help them reach their potential.

The door to the Rusty Dragon opened and Draul was surprised to see Razvan return so soon. Razvan made his way over to his friends' table with a wide grin.

"Guess who has the day off?"

"Really?!" Corita gasped. "How were you able to pull that off?"

"My boss heard about what I was up to and said it would be good for business for me to do what I can to help Sandpoint with all of you," Razvan explained, taking a seat. "In fact, he gave me the next few days off just in case there's another goblin raid."

"That's good to hear," Draul said and glanced toward Kennick. "How about your work at the Goblin Squash Stables?"

"Daviren knows that I'm trying to become a mercenary," Kennick said. "With business slowing down, he told me I could spend time pursuing that."

"We're lucky that all of us are free," Razvan said. "Merchants from Magnimar arrived this morning. Maybe they're selling something that we can use."

"Shopping could be fun," Corita nodded with a smile. "Magnimar's a big city. Maybe one of the merchants will have something magical!"

"If so, I doubt we'll have the gold for it," Draul chuckled and stood up. "Let's see what the merchants have to offer."

With a plan in mind, the group made their way out of the Rusty Dragon. There wasn't any immediate danger to Sandpoint so Draul and his companions had a chance to relax. A trip to visit the merchants at the Sandpoint Market would be a perfect opportunity to find any equipment that the group was lacking in. He didn't think that they were going to buy any magical items like Corita hoped given how expensive they were but there were still plenty of items that they could use, especially if they leave Sandpoint to confront local threats.

The Sandpoint Market was close to the Rusty Dragon so it was only a short walk for the group. Draul had passed by the open lot by Festival, Market, and Water streets before, and while it was typically empty, that wasn't the case for today. Several stands had been set up with the merchants by the stalls announcing the various wares they have. There were plenty of items for sale ranging from weapons to oddities to magical wands sold by a robed wizard. Several townsfolk were browsing the wares, and when they saw Sandpoint's newest heroes, they waved to the group eagerly. Draul was still getting used to the small town life of everyone knowing who he was but couldn't deny that it was nice. It made Sandpoint feel more like a home to him than a town to guard.

It came as no surprise for anyone when Corita broke off from the group to see the wands and other magical items the traveling wizard had for sale. Draul chuckled at the bard's excitement but knew that magical equipment was out of their price range for the time. With Razvan and Kennick checking out a stall of mundane yet well-crafted weapons, the paladin thought it would be best to make sure Corita didn't get into any trouble. Draul walked toward the mage's stand to see the bard holding a longsword covered in runes. Corita turned to look back at Draul with a smile, not hiding her awe for the weapon.

"Check this out, Draul!" Corita said, grinning. "It's a magical sword made out of cold iron! If I can replace my current blade with this, there won't be any threat I can't face!"

"And it's at an affordable price of two thousand and a half gold," the merchant told her. "That's a good deal for such a fine sword."

"Could I get a hero's discount?" Corita asked, turning to the merchant with a smile. "I did help save Sandpoint from a goblin raid."

"What my friend means to say is that we can't afford to pay for such a powerful sword today," Draul stepped in, noticing the merchant's frown at the thought of lowering his prices. "Corita, if you would please return his sword."

"Fine," Corita sighed and returned the sword to its sheath before giving it back. "The wands should be cheaper, right?"

"Let's focus on something more practical," Draul said, pulling Corita aside. "You have a sword and a buckler so that's a start. What else do you have?"

"That's about it, really," Corita admitted. "What I have on me is what I had when I left home."

"What about some sort of instrument?" Draul asked. "You're a bard so you should have one."

"I did learn how to play the lute but I couldn't afford to buy one. I can sing though!"

"That you can but you should still consider carrying a lute. How are you on torches?"

"Why would I need a torch?" Corita questioned. "I can see pretty well in the dark."

"It's always best to have a torch on hand just in case. You do have a waterskin though, right?"

"I traveled by a river for most of my journey, and now that I'm in Sandpoint, I can get water from the Rusty Dragon!"

Draul held back a sigh. "Follow me. If you're going to explore, you're going to need more than your charm and a sharp blade."

Draul led Corita to several of the other stands, grabbing various supplies that an adventurer could need while away from town. Torches, a long coil of rope, and a bedroll were among the items that Draul picked out while Corita grabbed a blank journal and the quill and ink required to write in it. It was her idea to write down the adventures she went on much to his amusement. There was also a merchant selling various instruments and Corita was able to get a lute for herself as well. Most of the items were placed carefully in the bard's new backpack.

The merchants did initially charge for the items at a rather high price, but between the two of them, they were able to talk the different merchants into a more reasonable price. Overall, they only spent thirty gold on all of the items bought together. Draul had to give Corita credit for her skills when it came to bargaining. He wondered what would have happened if he let her try to get a discount for the cold iron sword but he believed that even with her haggling, she wouldn't be able to afford the sword. A lot could change over the next time merchants from Magnimar stopped by Sandpoint so there was a chance she could get magical equipment then.

"This is wonderful!" Corita exclaimed, strumming the strings of her lute. "I finally have my own lute!"

"I'm glad you like it," Draul said with a smile. "You sing well but there may be times where you won't be able to sing. If that ever comes up, you'll have the lute as another option to inspire us."

"And I can now audition at the Sandpoint Theater!" Corita grinned. "Cyrdak may have told me to wait three weeks but that was before I became a hero. He'll have to let me perform now."

"I suppose he might be willing to give you a chance," Draul chuckled. "Now, I was thinking that-"

"You'll have to come with me to convince Cyrdak," Corita told Draul, turning to him with a firm tone. "He won't be able to tell two of Sandpoint's heroes no. There's no way I can fail with your help."

Before Draul could get another word in, Corita turned around and ran off, strumming along with her new lute. Draul sighed and hoped that she would be more careful when it came to protecting Sandpoint. After looking around the marketplace, the paladin decided that Kennick and Razvan would be fine on their own and that Corita might not be too happy if he didn't come through with her plan, even if he never agreed to it in the first place. With a shrug, Draul followed after Corita toward the Sandpoint Theater.

"This isn't half bad," Razvan commented, looking over a shortsword he held. "It gives me more reach than my daggers."

"Do you know how to fight with a sword?" Kennick questioned, scanning over the assortment of weapons.

"I picked up a few tricks from a mercenary in Riddleport," Razvan explained before putting the blade back where he took it. "I didn't get into a lot of fights back then so I'm rusty. It might be best to stick with daggers. It's not like goblins are something I need the best weapon for."

Kennick nodded in agreement regarding Razvan's assessment. The truth of the matter was that he didn't have any formal training when it came to weapons. When it came to goblins, he could swing his greataxe and cut them down with ease but anything more advanced was beyond him. His one worry of becoming a mercenary was coming across a foe that had the training to defeat him. He was thankful to have friends to fight with but brute strength could only get him so far.

The weapons at the merchant's stand were finely forged but Kennick wasn't trained with them either. At least he could get by with browsing given that his greataxe was from his father. Razvan didn't seem interested in buying any of the weapons either so he felt safe only looking. There was one way of fighting that Kennick was used to more than his father's greataxe but he wasn't sure if the others would be accepting of such a fighting style.

The two stepped away from the weapons stand when someone called out to them. "Kennick, you're making quite the name for yourself, and that must be Razvan!"

Kennick recognized the voice and turned to face Shayliss Vinder, the younger daughter of Ven, who ran Sandpoint's General Store. She was a young woman around the age of Kennick and Razvan with bright red hair that fell down to her shoulders. She was dressed in a plain dress and smiled warmly, keeping her eyes on Razvan. Kennick had talked to her a few times when making trips to her father's store but thought her more as an acquaintance than a friend. He wasn't the best when it came to making friends but always felt there was something off when they were talking, as if she wanted something in particular from him.

"That's right, I'm Razvan," he said with a nod, looking over Shayliss quickly. "I don't think we've met before."

"I'm Shayliss. It's actually good that I was able to run into you. My father hasn't had time to deal with a few rats in our store's basement. I swear I saw one as big as a goblin!"

"That does sound like a problem," Kennick commented although Shayliss didn't acknowledge him.

"My father had to make a delivery so the store's closed and there's no one around, so I was hoping to have the help of a hero such as you to help me," Shayliss said, stepping closer toward Razvan.

"I see," Razvan said and blinked twice. "I'm sure that I can help you."

"A rat shouldn't be too much of a problem," Kennick nodded. "Lead on."

Shayliss turned to Kennick and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Kennick, but this isn't a job that requires two of you."

"Are you sure?" Kennick asked. "I don't need to be paid if that's a concern. Rats are tricky creatures that-"

"Relax," Razvan told Kennick. "I've got this. How about you let Draul know that I'll be busy for the day and that I'll see the group tonight."

"I suppose if you insist…"

"He does insist," Shayliss said. "Let's go, Razvan. We'll take as much time as we need."

Razvan nodded quickly and followed Shayliss down Water Street, where the general store was. Kennick blinked in confusion over the interaction, unsure of why Shayliss only wanted Razvan's help. She said that the rats only required the help of one adventurer, but he thought that she was afraid of the rats based on how she grabbed Razvan's arm and held onto him tightly. Kennick thought about coming along regardless of what Shayliss said in case Razvan needed help but he also knew that his friend had a good idea in letting Draul and Corita know what they were up to.

Kennick wasn't able to find Draul and Corita in the Sandpoint Market. While wondering where the two went off to, he noticed Mariel pass by from the direction of the Rusty Dragon before turning to the street north. She ignored all of the merchant stalls, and as far as Kennick knew, she didn't notice him at all. Draul had told the rest of the group that Mariel was sleeping in her room and Kennick was curious what she was up to on her own. With the rest of his companions gone, he followed after the elf wizard, walking at a slow pace. It wasn't his intention to hide from Mariel but she never looked behind her shoulder to see him.

It only took Mariel a few minutes to arrive at her destination. Kennick was surprised to see her enter the Sandpoint Cathedral as he thought she wasn't religious like Draul was. With his curiosity growing, Kennick followed Mariel into the cathedral. Inside the building, he found the wizard speaking with Father Zantus and approached the two. The priest looked past Mariel for a moment and smiled, beckoning Kennick to join them.

"It would seem that one of your friends has decided to join you," Father Zantus said. "It's good to see you, Kennick."

"You as well, Father Zantus," Kennick said with a nod.

Mariel looked over her shoulder with a frown. "Are the others not with you?"

Kennick shook his head. "It's just me."

"I see," Mariel paused in thought for a second before turning back to Father Zantus. "Have you any answers for my question now?"

"I wish there was more I could tell you but I knew very little of Ezakien," Father Zantus said with a sigh. "I came to Sandpoint after the Late Unpleasantness."

Kennick crossed his arms. "Why are you asking about Ezakien?"

"Need I remind you that someone took advantage of the goblin raid to steal his remains for some mysterious purpose?" Mariel reminded Kennick. "Until we discover who was behind the graverobbing, Sandpoint may still be in danger."

"I fear that Mariel's worries may come to pass," Father Zantus nodded in agreement. "Kennick, I know it may be difficult, but if there's anything you can tell us about Father Tobyn, it could be what helps keep Sandpoint safe."

Kennick closed his eyes in thought. He spent years trying not to think of Ezakien or anything related to the Late Unpleasantness. It was a dark moment in Sandpoint's history and too many people died from both a killer's hands and the flames that burned down the original Sandpoint Cathedral. Kennick lost what few friends he had as a young boy during the Late Unpleasantness and preferred to move on from the tragedy. Unfortunately, he didn't think that Mariel was going to let the matter alone and felt the sooner that he answered her questions the sooner he could focus on the present.

With a sigh, Kennick opened his eyes. "I never spent much time at the old cathedral but I never heard anyone speak ill of Father Tobyn. He served Sandpoint well, and if I remember correctly, he was a follower of Desna. As far as I know, Father Tobyn had no enemies in town, and the only family he had in Sandpoint was his daughter, Nualia."

"Where was the mother in all of this?" Mariel questioned.

"Nualia was adopted. She was different."

"Different?" Mariel raised an eyebrow in confusion. "How so?"

"She was an aasimar," Kennick revealed. "Her celestial heritage was why Father Tobyn took her in as his daughter."

"Were you close with Nualia?" Father Zantus asked.

Kennick shook his head. "We talked a few times in passing but that was about it. I'd like to call her a friend but our paths rarely crossed."

"What happened to Nualia after Ezakien's death?" Mariel asked.

"She died in the same fire that killed Father Tobyn," Kennick closed his eyes at the memory of the burning inferno. "She was burnt to ashes like many caught in the fire. There's a grave for her outside the cathedral."

"Burnt to ashes you say," Mariel tapped her chin in thought. "Yet there were physical remains of Ezakien that were stolen."

"I think someone found Father Tobyn before his body was burnt too badly," Kennick said, opening his eyes with a frown. "Where are you going with this?"

"I'm still thinking it through," Mariel told Kennick before turning to Father Zantus. "I apologize for distracting you from your work."

"It's quite alright," Father Zantus assured her. "If you need my help, do not be afraid to ask for it."

Mariel turned to face Kennick. "Where can I find Draul? I have something to discuss with him."

"I don't know," Kennick shrugged. "I lost sight of him at the market."

"Then I suppose the best plan would be to wait for him at the Rusty Dragon," Mariel said and walked toward the cathedral's exit. "You can come with me if you want or return to whatever it was you were doing."

"I'll come with," Kennick told Mariel and followed after her.

After recalling parts of what happened during the Late Unpleasantness, Kennick had no wish to be out and about Sandpoint. All he could think about was returning to the Rusty Dragon to get a drink so that he could move on from his dark thoughts over the tragedy.

There was a lot Razvan enjoyed about the fame that came with being a hero. The Rusty Dragon had the best food in Sandpoint and he didn't have to worry about paying for a place to sleep for a week. Everywhere he went in town, he felt that people were happy to see him. It was crazy to think about how so much has changed after the goblins attacked. Although he preferred to have not been caught in the fighting at first, he realized that he wouldn't have changed anything about standing his ground against the goblins. Even though his fame would likely fade away with time, he was going to enjoy his status as a hero as much as he could.

At the moment, Razvan found that there was more to enjoy about being a hero than free food and drinks. He was surprised with how forward Shayliss was when he met her. Razvan was thankful that Kennick didn't catch on and that he made no attempt to follow them to the Sandpoint General Store. There were little words exchanged between the two as Shayliss unlocked the front door and led the way to the basement. Razvan looked around the basement to at least give the idea he was looking for rats before turning back to Shayliss in time to see her bodice fall to the ground.

Shayliss practically fell into Razvan's arms as they kissed one another during their embrace. In his mind, getting a chance to share a moment of passion with such an attractive woman was definitely the best part of being a hero. His hands explored her body and her hands explored his while they kissed. Razvan broke away from Shayliss' lips long enough to pull off his vest and was pulled toward a convenient cot by his lover. Razvan had reached for his trousers when he heard the door upstairs creak open.

"What was that?!" Razvan gasped.

"Don't worry about it," Shayliss told Razvan as she leaned toward his neck. "Focus on me."

Razvan looked up to the ceiling while Shayliss kissed his neck and could hear footsteps. "Someone's upstairs! You did lock the door, right?"

"Of course I did," Shayliss said before her eyes went wide. "My father must be back!"

"Damn it!" Razvan cursed, hearing the footsteps approaching the basement door. "Get dressed! I'll stall him!"

Shayliss grabbed her bodice and ducked behind several of the crates the store kept. Razvan was quick enough to slip his vest on by the time that the door to the basement opened. He stepped toward the stair's path right as Ven made his way down to the basement. The storekeeper was a tall man with beefy arms and a graying beard. Razvan heard a story from one of his acquaintances at how Ven physically threw him out after the storekeeper caught the thief trying to sneak away with a bottle of wine. Getting into any kind of fight was the last thing Razvan wanted.

Ven's eyes went wide in surprise when he spotted Razvan before he narrowed them and crossed his arms. "I don't recall inviting you to my cellar."

"Your daughter asked me to come, Mr. Vinder," Razvan started off with the truth before shifting into a lie he was making up on the spot. "She heard something down here while you were gone and thought it could have been a goblin. As you might have heard, I did play a hand in dealing with the goblins-"

"How would a goblin get into my store?" Ven interrupted.

"Not all of the goblins were killed during their failed raid," Razvan explained. "Some were able to hide away in different buildings. I had to go to the Fatman's Feedbag because two goblins had found their way to our food stores."

"Was it Katrine or Shayliss that invited you?"

"It was Shayliss."

"And where is she now?" Ven asked.

"Right here, Father!" Shayliss stepped out from behind the crates, fully dressed. "I wanted to do what I could to help despite the danger."

"She was quite brave coming down despite the danger and I can assure you that after our search, we can confirm that there's no goblins in the Sandpoint General Store," Razvan said and glanced towards Shayliss, who smiled and nodded along with the story.

"I see," Ven nodded, believing their every word. "So you're on your way out now that you found there aren't any goblins?"

Razvan frowned but knew that he had overstayed his welcome. "I was, yes."

"I'll show you the way out," Ven said, clasping Razvan on the shoulders. "Come along now."

"Be sure to come by the store again!" Shayliss told Razvan with a wave.

Razvan was disappointed that he couldn't finish what he started with Shayliss but he caught her winking at him as Ven led him upstairs. He was confident that she was still interested in him while her father was as oblivious as Kennick. The next time they met, he would have to think of an excuse to bring Shayliss to the Rusty Dragon so that they could pick off from where they left off without any interruptions.

"I can't believe I've got the lead in The Bleeding Winter!" Corita exclaimed, walking alongside Draul toward the Rusty Dragon.

"I'm not," Draul chuckled. "You were very persistent when it came to getting an audition and it looked to me that Cyrdak was excited to have you in one of his shows."

"Being a hero is starting to pay off," Corita nodded. "He even offered you a role in the show. Honestly, I think you should have accepted the offer."

Draul shrugged. "I'm not one for performing on stage but I'll happily watch the play when it comes around."

Corita wouldn't perform at the Sandpoint Theater until winter, giving her and the others plenty of time to continue to do good for the town. The two were on their way back to the Rusty Dragon to see if their friends were around for dinner. Draul was still trying to think of what the group could do to help Sandpoint. At this point, they were waiting for something to happen when they should look into taking action against anything threatening the town. It was a matter of finding out where to start that they needed to decide on.

Draul and Corita arrived at the Rusty Dragon with the patrons greeting them warmly. He spotted Kennick and Razvan by the bar separate from one another, and while Razvan was talking to Ameiko, Kennick was drinking heavily from a mug. Draul stepped forward to check on the two when Mariel stepped into view, walking toward the paladin. It was good to see that Mariel was out of her room and looked forward to including her in the discussion on how the group can best proceed.

"Might I have a moment of your time, Draul?" Mariel asked when she made it to the paladin. "It's important."

Draul glanced at Corita, who shrugged. "You two go ahead. I'm going to show off my new lute to everyone!"

With that settled, Draul turned back to Mariel while Corita walked off toward the Rusty Dragon's stage. "What would you like to talk about, Mariel?"

"I might have an idea about who could have been behind the theft of Ezakien's remains," Mariel explained while leading Draul to a quiet corner of the tavern. "Kennick told me that Ezakien had a daughter. Supposedly, she was in the old cathedral when it was burnt down but there were no remains."

"It could be possible that she was burnt to ashes," Draul pointed out.

"I'd be willing to believe that if there wasn't anything left of Ezakien," Mariel shook her head. "Something about what happened doesn't line up. It's suspicious if you ask me."

"What did Kennick have to say about Father Tobyn's daughter?" Draul asked.

"Not a lot," Mariel admitted with a sigh. "Her name was Nualia and she was an aasimar that Ezakien adopted."

"An aasimar," Draul said, his tone showing his awe.

"Indeed," Mariel nodded. "I think it could be possible that she may have escaped the fire. She could have stolen her father's bones for some reason."

"I think that's a bit of a stretch," Draul said, shaking his head. "I don't think there's any merit to this theory of yours."

"You have to consider that Ezakien's bones were specifically targeted," Mariel told Draul. "If any other bones could have worked, the thief could have dug any grave, but they chose his bones. That shows to me that our thief has a personal reason to desecrate Ezakien's remains and I haven't heard of anyone who hated him."

"Perhaps I should be more blunt," Draul crossed his arms. "Even assuming that Nualia survived the fire, I find it impossible to believe that she, someone who was raised by a village priest, someone who came from celestial heritage, would do something as wicked as sending goblins to attack the town she came from so that she can steal her father's remains. I know that you take a logical approach but you can't deny the power of the faithful."

"Just because Nualia was raised to be good doesn't guarantee her future," Mariel argued. "Even paladins can fall from grace."

"Rarely," Draul shot back, starting to lose his patience over the subject. "I will hear no more of this wild conspiracy theory. I believe that if Father Tobyn raised Nualia well, she would have followed in his footsteps as a priestess. However, it's more likely that she perished along with her father."

"Do not let your faith and pride blind you. I'm not saying that my idea is true but you have to consider it could be possible."

"I will consider that Kennick is still traumatized by the events of the Late Unpleasantness and leave the topic be."

Mariel sighed and threw her hands up in disappointment. "Very well. I suppose I can't count on your help to investigate this matter."

Before Draul could get another word in, Mariel stormed off toward the stairs, likely returning to her room. He frowned to see her go as it wasn't his intention to have her leave. Truthfully, he was thankful that she was taking the initiative to look into what happened to Father Tobyn's remains. However, Draul couldn't believe that Nualia survived the fire given what he heard about the Late Unpleasantness, and if she had, her upbringing would make her the last suspect for what happened. Mariel couldn't understand the faith of clergy such as himself and Father Tobyn, and while she thought her theory was reasonable, he felt it was far from the truth.

Draul would have to find time to talk to Mariel and make it up to her for driving her away another time. He saw that Razvan and Ameiko had noticed him and were gesturing for him to join them. The paladin looked around the room and was thankful that the patrons hadn't listened in on his conversation with Mariel. Corita's song on the lute was enough to draw attention away from him. With a smile, Draul made his way over to Razvan and Ameiko to enjoy the evening with his friends.

A/N: It took me a little longer to get back to this but I'm back to writing Burnt Offerings.

I wanted to get a chapter up earlier in the month, but between going on a road trip and unwinding from that along with this chapter being surprisingly longer than I was expecting, it took me a little bit to get back to writing.

I've had a chance to read Seven Dooms for Sandpoint. Surprisingly enough, there are several parts from the newest adventure path that affect what notes I have for my Rise of the Runelords story. I had to change some of my notes but there are parts of my story that don't line up with the canon. Fortunately, at the end of the day, this is a fanfic, and I can worry about what I do for Seven Dooms of Sandpoint later if I make it that far.

Expect future updates to be more frequent in the future.

Until next time.