Despite the attack, the Rusty Dragon soon turned out to be a lively place to stay at. While the group shared a meal together, other citizens of Sandpoint traveled to the tavern. Word spread quickly about the group's heroic efforts and the people of the town were interested in seeing the heroes for themselves. A large crowd soon gathered inside as the sun started to set, and although the festival ended without ceremony, there were some willing to celebrate that the town had been saved.

Draul took this as an opportunity to get to know the people of Sandpoint better, deciding that if he was going to stay here, it would help his cause. Many were thankful for his efforts in fighting the goblins and he didn't have to worry about paying for any of his drinks that night. This was the case for the rest of his companions, some of whom proved to be lively. Corita took to the Rusty Dragon's stage at some point and showed her singing talent while Razvan had a large crowd gathered around him to hear his boastful tales of the battle. Although Kennick was quieter than those two, he had gathered a crowd of his own thanks to being from the area. Before the night turned too lively, Mariel retreated to her room, not interested in socializing with anyone else.

Soon enough, the celebration came to an end, and the rest of the group retreated to their rooms for the night. Draul slept well and went downstairs the next morning for breakfast. When he joined Corita, Razvan, and Kennick, he was surprised to hear that an early tavern patron paid for their morning meal already. The paladin joined his companions for the meal, and when he saw Ameiko briefly, passed along his thanks for the well-cooked sausage and eggs.

When their meal was close to an end, the tavern door opened. Draul looked up to see Belor and locked eyes with him. The sheriff walked over to the table to address the group as a whole.

"Good morning," Belor greeted with a stern expression. "I don't mean to intrude but I could use your help."

"What can we do for you?" Draul asked with the others turning to the conversation while finishing their meal.

"Father Zantus has told me that one of the burial vaults in the Boneyard is ajar," the sheriff explained. "I don't think it's too serious, but if there's a goblin in there, I'd like to have you to help."

"I think we would be willing to help," Draul said, turning to look at his companions.

Kennick nodded in agreement. "Let's go."

"Actually, we were hoping to meet with Aldern," Corita said. "We wanted to collect our reward for saving his life."

"Corita's right," Razvan said with a shrug. "How much are we getting paid for this?"

The sheriff frowned. "I would have to start on paperwork to pay you in gold so I was hoping that you'd be interested in this as a way to build trust. I imagine that all of you will be staying in Sandpoint, and if you're going to keep working as adventurers, it might be wise to have a working relationship with the sheriff."

"I'm not sure," Corita said, slowly shaking her head. "It sounds like you want us to do work without paying."

"I don't think we need to get paid for dealing with a single goblin," Draul told the two. "Aldern isn't out and our meal is just about done. You do this with Kennick, Mariel, and I, then we'll all come back here to see Aldern."

"We do need something to kill the time," Razvan said, not fully convinced but willing to go through with the job.

"I suppose you're right," Corita sighed. "Let's make it quick then."

"Collect anything you need in case there is trouble," Draul instructed the three. "I'll go get Mariel from her room."

Since he already had his armor on and his club holstered, Draul had no problem being the one to collect Mariel. He walked upstairs, and after remembering the conversation the group had with Ameiko the night before, knocked on the room Mariel was given. The paladin waited longer than expected for the elf to open the door. She didn't appear tired at all and he was quick to notice an empty plate and an open book on the desk behind her.

"Good morning, Mariel," Draul said, smiling. "I thought you would still be asleep."

"Not at all," Mariel shook her head. "I'm simply busy with my studies. How can I help you?"

"The sheriff has asked for our help in investigating possible goblin activity at the Boneyard," Draul told her. "Are you coming with us?"

Mariel looked over her shoulder to her book, sighed, then turned back to Draul. "I could use a chance to stretch my legs. Let me get my spellbook."

"Of course," Draul said with a nod. "We'll be downstairs when you're ready."

Draul returned to the tavern and saw that the rest of his companions were ready. About two minutes later, Mariel went downstairs, giving a brief nod of acknowledgement to the others. With the new heroes gathered, Sheriff Hemlock led the way toward Sandpoint's Boneyard. Draul saw it briefly during his visit to the cathedral as it was the place where the people in town buried their dead. Like the sheriff, he didn't expect any major trouble but was content to have help, even if some of his companions weren't interested.

"I'd like to thank you all again for your part in defending Sandpoint," Belor told the group. "It's been a long time since the town has had people like you willing to stand up to keep everyone safe."

"We're happy to do our part," Draul said with a smile. "You can count on me sticking around. The church of Sarenrae has decided that I would be of best use in Sandpoint, so if you need help with anything, you can find me."

"I recalled Father Zantus mentioning that about you to me when we spoke this morning," Belor nodded. "How about the rest of you? Do you think that you'll stick around longer?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Corita grinned. "I still have to put on a show at the Sandpoint Theater!"

"Even though you still haven't been given a part?" Mariel pointed out. "As for me, I'll stay around for now. I have a feeling that I may be able to learn something new for my research."

"He'll have to put me in a show since I'm a hero," Corita told Mariel. "And if he doesn't, I'll just have to keep showing I'm a hero until everyone demands to see me on stage."

"At least you've got ambition," Razvan chuckled. "I've got a steady job at the Fatman's Feedbag, so I'm not going anywhere."

"I see," Belor noted, although his voice grew low for just a moment. "And I take it you're not going anywhere, Kennick."

"If you need me to fight, I'll fight," Kennick answered.

"Glad to hear it," Belor said. "Hopefully we won't need it but there's no telling if the goblins will try to attack again."

"If they come, we'll be ready," Draul said with the others nodding in agreement.

Eventually, the group arrived at the Sandpoint Boneyard, which was behind the newly constructed cathedral. The more affluent families of the town were able to afford vaults to host their dead while others had more simple plots and tombstones. The trees and shrubbery around the graveyard were well-maintained. Draul took special notice of the wall on the far side, which led out of Sandpoint. Although it was protected by guards, attackers could try to get into town through that wall.

Sheriff Hemlock led the way into the boneyard and toward the vault he wanted the group to investigate. The vault was towards the wall, and as Belor told the others, the door was slightly ajar. Draul, Razvan, and Corita each reached for their weapons. Although they didn't expect trouble, it was best to be prepared. Instead of taking out his greataxe, Kennick dropped down to his knees, examining the ground underneath him.

"Tracks," Kennick announced, motioning to light prints in the ground.

"Good work, Kennick," Draul complimented.

"What can you tell us about them?" Razvan asked.

Kennick focused on the tracks, his eyes going to where they went and where they came from. "Six goblins and… something bigger than a goblin. Humanlike at least. They climbed the wall into the boneyard, opened and entered the vault, then left through the wall. No one stayed behind."

"Maybe they were trying to rob some graves," Razvan pointed out.

"Was anyone important stored within the vault?" Mariel questioned Belor.

"Ezakien Tobyn was the previous priest in charge of Sandpoint," Belor answered. "Father Zantus took over for him after his untimely death."

"How'd he die?" Draul asked.

"The Late Unpleasantness," Kennick answered and slowly stood up. "That's all I'd like to say about that.."

"The only way we'll find out if anything was taken is if we check inside the vault," Corita told the group. "What are we waiting for?"

"Kennick, come with me," Draul commanded, stepping toward the vault. "I don't imagine there'll be any trouble."

Kennick's reports on the tracks dispelled any thoughts of goblins waiting to ambush the group from within. The stablehand stepped up to walk alongside Draul, confident that there was no problem. Razvan and Corita followed behind the two, ready to help if needed, while Mariel stood toward the back with the sheriff. Draul motioned for Kennick to open the door as the large man reached for the stone door and pulled it open with a grunt.

What the group didn't expect were two skeletons to burst out from the vault, claws ready to draw blood.

"Look out!" Draul called out, raising his greatclub to protect himself.

While the paladin was able to protect himself with his club blocking the skeleton's claws, Kennick let out a yelp as the second skeleton scratched his shoulders. However, that skeleton was quickly destroyed by a force of arcane magic that crushed into its skull to destroy it. Although Mariel wasn't with the group, she was more than ready to help in a fight. Corita circled around Draul and swung her longsword with a wild shout. While her blade couldn't cut bone, the force of the blow was enough to shatter the skeleton into pieces.

Draul peered into the vault, expecting more skeletons, but fortunately, he saw that there was nothing else within.

"Did a necromancer make friends with the goblins?" Razvan asked, sheathing his daggers.

"I don't think so," Belor said with a frown. "No other graves were disturbed and there was only one corpse interred within the vault."

"I'm not seeing Father Tobyn's corpse inside the vault," Draul noted, stepping inside. "Are we sure that he wasn't raised as one of the undead?"

Kennick knelt by the scattered bones and shook his head. "They don't match his cause of death."

"Maybe there's something magical at work," Corita snapped her fingers. "Fortunately, I know just the spell to find out!"

Corita hummed while casting her spell with Razvan speaking up. "It looks like the goblins' attack was a distraction but why would they bother grabbing someone's corpse instead of anything valuable?"

"How were they able to leave behind skeletons?" Draul added to the questions the group had.

"It's not necromancy at least," Mariel concluded. "Most necromancers need remains to raise the dead and I doubt that our infiltrator carried two full sets of bones with him."

Corita gasped, her eyes glowing brighter green from her spell, and she pushed her way past Draul into the vault. "There's something magical!"

"There is?" Draul asked in surprise. "What have you found?"

Corita walked to the corner and picked up a pair of black robes in the corner that Draul missed. "There's necromantic magic coming from this."

"It is, or rather, was, a Robe of Bones," Mariel explained. "The patterns on the robes can be used to 'pull' out undead creatures."

"But I don't see any patterns on it," Corita pointed out.

"Then I imagine that the skeletons we faced were the last thing to pull from it given that there is a limit," Mariel said with a sigh. "It's of little use to us now."

"I'll take it in as evidence," Belor told the group. "I would ask that you keep this a secret for now. I'll tell Father Zantus and a few others but I think the last thing we need is to upset the townspeople by telling them there was more to the attack than goblins being goblins."

"I imagine we'll have to learn more about what's going on before we tell the town," Draul nodded in agreement. "I think we're good."

"Does this mean that we can see Aldern?" Corita asked, unable to hide her excitement.

"I suppose it does-"

"Let's go!" Corita exclaimed, dropping the robes to the ground.

Corita was quick to run towards the exit with Razvan following behind her, not wanting to miss out on their reward either. Mariel shrugged and followed after them, not having much else planned for the day. Draul reached down and picked up the robe to hand to the sheriff, who had nothing else for the group to do. Kennick stuck around until the paladin walked after his friends. The half-orc was able to note that his friend felt uneasy by the events but decided to let him dwell on his thoughts. Kennick had made it known he didn't want to talk about the Late Unpleasantness and everyone was happy to let the topic drop.

Still, Draul was curious as to what the Late Unpleasantness was. There was more to Sandpoint than what he saw on the surface and it could be possible that the town's history had something to do with the goblin's attack. The theft of Ezakien Tobyn's remains sounded personal, but for now, he wasn't sure who could be responsible. For now, he would do his part in guiding his companions while waiting for the next chance to learn more about the attack.

A/N: So, while I did say I wanted to focus on other projects, I actually ended up returning here for another chapter. I was actually surprised by the reception this story was getting and wanted to give it more attention.

And for the first time in a long time, I actually have a review for one of my stories on this website. Thank you for the support, Prophet of Courage. While chapter lengths may vary at time, how they are structured is important to ensure that people can read them. I hope that you enjoy the story.

Until next time.