Riding Donner across the southern road leading away from Sandpoint, Kennick Ghezzo kept an eye out for any sign of danger. The air was chilling and the leaves on the trees were vibrant shades of red and yellow as fall came to Varisia. Kennick grunted quietly, unsure of what to make of the peaceful ride. He was certainly glad that Sandpoint was safe, especially after he and his friends dispersed the goblin tribes and sent them fleeing weeks ago, but he wasn't sure what to do now. There were few travelers in need of horses at the Goblin Squash Stables, and without work as a mercenary, Kennick felt that he wasn't doing anything useful with his constant patrols around the region.
It certainly didn't help that Kennick's friends had stopped joining him on his patrols. Mariel, too focused on studying the history of the ancient empire of Thassilon, never came to a single patrol. Kennick left her to her research and got by with Draul, Corita, and Razvan. However, even they all found something that kept them away from joining Kennick. Draul, needing more time to work on his legal defenses for the criminals he was trying to guide toward redemption, was the first to stop joining Kennick on his patrols. Corita was content seeing more of Varisia with her friends, but when Cyrdrak Drokkus offered her the lead role in The Bleeding Winter, she had to focus on preparing for the play and join the rehearsals. Finally, Razvan had grown bored as Kennick noted when it was just the two of them. It came as no surprise when the rogue stopped joining the patrols one day. Kennick wasn't sure what Razvan was up to but he had caught him sneaking out of the Vinder's home far too many times.
Even though his friends moved on, Kennick wasn't going to stop going out on patrol. He didn't mind being alone and enjoyed seeing the changes in nature as fall settled in. Kennick enjoyed spending time in the wilderness, and even though he didn't risk assuming his coldborn form in case anyone watched him, he felt a connection to the natural world. It helped that Shalelu joined him on one of his patrols after she had reported to Sandpoint that the goblins were still recovering from their fight with the adventurers. Kennick learned a few tricks of how to track down animals and live more comfortably in the wilds from the elven ranger before she departed to travel on her own. He looked forward to the next time he would see Shalelu, even if it may be a while for that to happen again.
Ahead on the road, Kennick could make out an abandoned barn. He had passed by it many times over the past few weeks and knew that it was abandoned. When he noticed that there were half a dozen men, clearly armed, around the barn, Kennick frowned. He couldn't make out much details about them from the distance he was at but believed that they may have been bandits or some other kind of criminal. Kennick thought about riding back to Sandpoint to get help in dealing with them until he noticed that two of the armed men held a man down to his knees. He grunted, and refusing to leave someone behind despite the odds against him, stirred Donner into a gallop towards the barn.
It took less than a minute for Kennick to make it to the barn only for the warrior to be surprised that the armed men weren't bandits. Each of them bore the regalia of the Sandpoint town guard. The prisoner that they took was a man with black hair and pale skin with his clothes covered in blood. The guards turned to face Kennick, and after a moment of confusion, waved toward him. Kennick and his adventuring companions were heroes to the people of Sandpoint and the town guard were in awe to see one of the adventurers. Kennick awkwardly returned the wave and his head perked up when he heard one of the guards gasp.
The blood-stained man had taken advantage of the distraction Kennick provided by mistake to break free from the two guards that restrained him. He dashed away from the guards, shoving one to the ground, as he attempted to make his escape. Donner quickly caught up to the man and Kennick launched himself off of his horse to tackle the escaped prisoner. The two wrestled for a brief moment as the town guard surrounded them but there was a clear winner before they intervened. The man was sickly and crazed while Kennick was strong and knew what he was doing. He had the man pinned to the ground by the time three guards took over for him to restrain the prisoner.
"So many razors!" the prisoner exclaimed madly, fighting against the guards' hold. "He's coming! He's coming for her and no one can stop him!"
"Gag him and put him in chains!" one of the guards, a sergeant based on his badge, ordered before turning to Kennick, who rose back to his feet. "Thanks for the help."
"No problem," Kennick said. "What's his problem?"
"Honestly, we don't know yet," the sergeant explained, pointing his thumb over his shoulder to the building. "Me and my men were passing by the barn on patrol when the man you helped capture lunged out from the doors, screaming and attacking us. He didn't have a weapon so we were able to subdue him, and when we went into the barn…"
The sergeant trailed off and one of the other guards spoke up. "It was a bloody slaughterhouse in there! There were men cut to pieces!"
"That's disturbing," Kennick grunted and crossed his arms. "Have you sent word to Sheriff Hemlock yet?"
"We sent a messenger, but knowing him, he'll want us to keep this matter quiet," the sergeant answered. "The last thing we need is for the people to get worried about another serial killer."
Kennick nodded at the sergeant's reasoning, recalling the time when Sandpoint dealt with its own murderer five years ago. Jervis Stoot, the eccentric hermit who took to carving birds across Sandpoint's building, stalked the people of the town for over a month and claimed the lives of twenty-five people. Known as Chopper, Jervis was eventually cornered by the Sandpoint's town guard and claimed his own life. Sandpoint was a small town and anyone who lived there during the Late Unpleasantness had lost someone they were friends with at the very least. If word got out that there was another killer, the people of Sandpoint may start to panic. It was best to find out who was responsible for the murders in the barn and deal with them as soon as possible to keep Sandpoint safe.
"It's a good idea," Kennick said. "Should I not let my friends know about what happened?"
"I don't think I'm qualified to tell you that," the sergeant said. "The sheriff might want to come and check the scene out for himself. If you want to wait for him, we won't mind as long as you don't enter the barn."
"I'll wait," Kennick shrugged. "I can look outside the barn at least. Maybe I can find some tracks."
"You're welcome to try but my men weren't able to find anything," the sergeant told Kennick. "For what it's worth, I think we all feel a lot safer having a hero like yourself in the area now."
Kennick caught glimpses of the other guards nodding in agreement with their sergeant. The warrior remained silent and stepped aside toward Donner, who remained away from the guards after his rider had jumped off of him. Although Kennick was well aware that many in Sandpoint looked up to him after he and his friends foiled Nualia Tobyn's plot to destroy the town, he wasn't sure how he could live up to his reputation. Ameiko had suggested not long ago that he do more to inspire the people of Sandpoint, Kennick was used to keeping to himself. He thought of his companions, and aside from Mariel, they were all larger than life that knew the right thing to say when people spoke of their heroics. Kennick could see a few of the guards frown at his silence but he wasn't sure what to say.
After taking a few minutes to study the ground around the barn, Kennick determined that the sergeant's assessment was correct. There weren't any tracks he could pick up and he wondered if the killer was able to hide them. Even if he didn't, the barn was out in the open away from Sandpoint. Kennick knew that there was wildlife in the area that could have ruined the tracks, especially considering the barn was once abandoned. The remote location of the murder scene would make the investigation complicated. He doubted that there were any witnesses and it was even possible that the murders took place days ago.
Kennick would respect Sheriff Hemlock's decision, but thinking about it, he wanted to do something to help catch the new killer. He had felt so afraid as a child when Chopper terrorized Sandpoint and he didn't want anyone to feel like that for another month. Kennick knew that he wasn't the best when it came to investigations but he figured that some of his companions would be able to help. Mariel was insightful when it came to mysteries, Corita was surprisingly perspective at times, and Draul and Razvan could have offered new perspectives based on their own experiences. Working together, they may very well be capable of finding out who the killer was and putting a stop to their crimes one way or another.
"Hurry! Father will call for breakfast any minute, and if I don't show up, he might just barge in!"
"Your father is always suspicious, Shayliss" Razvan chuckled while pulling up his trousers. "Have you seen my tunic anywhere?"
"Be quiet," Shayliss reminded Razvan quietly as she got out of her bed. "It might have gotten lost in the sheets. Just leave without a shirt."
"I don't want people looking while heading back to the Rusty Dragon," Razvan said, watching Shayliss make her way to her wardrobe. "Ven may be oblivious but he's going to start asking questions if he hears that one of Sandpoint's heroes was seen walking away from his home half naked."
Shayliss shook her head, reached into her wardrobe, and threw one of her shirts at Razvan. He caught it, and with a shrug, started to slip it on. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't too tight on him and there was a little extra room around his chest. He glanced toward Shayliss, who grinned at him while she got dressed. There may still be rumors if he's seen out in public, but at the very least, Razvan was glad that returning Shayliss clothes would give them more time together.
Now that he was fully dressed, Razvan made his way over to the window and opened it. Shayliss' room was on the second floor, above the Sandpoint General Store, but climbing down wasn't too difficult for him. It was sneaking around Ven Vinder, Shayliss' overprotective father, that was difficult. Razvan may have saved Sandpoint and held his own against deadly threats but even he knew better than to earn the wrath of Ven. He had considered pursuing other women that had less risks, but after some thought, he decided that there wasn't anyone quite like Shayliss in Sandpoint.
Razvan landed on the street ground outside of the Sandpoint General Store and dusted himself off. Fortunately, it was still early enough in the morning that there weren't many people out and about. He could make out a few people on their way to the market to see what was for sale but they didn't glance twice at the rogue. Even though they didn't seem to care, Razvan knew better from living in Sandpoint. He wouldn't be surprised if he overheard gossip about him sneaking out of the Sandpoint General Store when he went to work at the Fatman's Feedbag.
After taking two steps toward the direction of the Rusty Dragon, Razvan jumped up in place when he heard someone call out his name.
"Razvan! Over here!"
Fortunately for Razvan, the voice was more feminine so he didn't have to defend himself from Ven. He recognized it as well, but when he turned toward the direction, he was surprised to find Corita wearing a dark cloak with a hood.
"Corita?" Razvan blinked in the confusion. "What's with the look?"
"Oh, I'm in disguise," Corita said with a grin. "You wouldn't believe how many fans I have since we saved Sandpoint, not to mention that I'm a rising star at Sandpoint's Theater! I can't walk around town without people asking me for favors or requesting a song. I enjoyed the attention at first, but now, it's a little too much."
"Right," Razvan nodded along to Corita's story. "So you wear a hood now to hide yourself."
"Brillant, right?" Corita held her hands out wide triumphantly. "Cyrdak let me borrow the cloak from the costume closet at the theater. Now no one will recognize me."
"At least until you make yourself known," Razvan pointed out. "You're not that subtle."
"I'm more subtle than you are, at least," Corita crossed her arms and pouted. "Half of Sandpoint knows that you're courting Shayliss even while you try to keep it a secret."
"Courting," Razvan said, holding his hand over his mouth to stop himself from chuckling.
For someone who had killed many goblins and had seen the horrors Varisia had to offer, Corita was still an innocent soul. She must not have caught on that while the nights Razvan shared with Shayliss were passionate, there wasn't anything else between them. They only talked as long as it took to get their clothes off, and afterwards, there wasn't much opportunity to talk. Razvan was content with the kind of relationship he had with Shayliss. He was still young and had his whole life ahead of him. Razvan would worry about romance after he's had his fun.
"Anyways," Corita said. "I just wanted to say good morning to you before I get to rehearsal."
"Good morning to you as well," Razvan said and brought his hand to his side. "I'll catch you later."
"Oh!" Corita snaps her fingers. "That reminds me! Mariel wanted us to meet for dinner at the Rusty Dragon tonight."
"Mariel, you say?" Razvan asked. "I hardly see her with how busy she is with her research. Are you sure it's her who planned this and not Draul?"
"Funny that you mention that but it's Draul we're meeting about," Corita explained. "She said she was worried about… something. I can't remember what. I was still in shock that Mariel wanted to do something that wasn't reading about history."
"I'm sure we'll find out what's going with Draul tonight."
"That we will," Corita nodded eagerly. "Now, have you seen Kennick around? He's the only one I haven't had a chance to tell about this."
"You know him," Razvan said with a shrug. "He's probably out looking for some kind of threat."
"Right. You got bored of those patrols too, right?"
"That's right," Razvan answered. "I get Kennick takes this hero business seriously but what are the odds that there's going to be another threat to Sandpoint so soon?"
"I know!" Corita exclaimed in agreement. "He needs to learn how to relax like us!"
Kennick's determination to protect Sandpoint may have been admirable to some, but during times of peace, Razvan thought the effort wasn't necessary. Nualia and her allies were imprisoned, the barghest she had intended to free was slain, and the goblin tribes were scattered and on the run. There wasn't going to be another attack on Sandpoint and Razvan thought that Kennick should take a break from his patrols. He wondered if it would be a good idea to invite the warrior to do something in town and would at least consider the idea when the adventurers meet for dinner.
"Is that Corita I hear?!" a voice of a man called out from across the street. "It is, isn't it!"
"So much for the disguise," Razvan chuckled.
"I didn't really like this cloak anyways," Corita joined in on the laugh. "It scratches against my arms."
"Corita, can you tell us about how you defeated all of the goblins at Sandpoint!" the man started to make his way across the street. "And is that Razvan? He can tell his side of the story tonight!"
"See you tonight at the Rusty Dragon?" Razvan asked Corita quietly, ignoring her fan.
"Yep!" Corita winked. "See you then!"
And with a quick wave, Corita dashed off toward the Sandpoint Theater. Razvan turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Truth be told, he wasn't sure where he was going, but he wasn't interested in talking with one of Corita's fans. By splitting up, he forced the stranger to go after Corita. After turning around the corner onto another street, Razvan started to make his way to the Rusty Dragon, needing to change out of Shayliss' shirt before people caught on. It certainly wouldn't help silence the gossip he would hear at the Fatman's Feedbag.
It would be good to meet with the others for dinner, even if there was a chance for more citizens of Sandpoint to ask for stories. It had been too long since he and his friends had gotten together and he wondered what Mariel had planned for tonight.
After dropping Donner off at the Goblin Squash Stables for Daviren to take care of, Kennick made his way next door to the Rusty Dragon. The sun was starting to set after the time he spent helping the town guard and waiting for Sheriff Hemlock's arrival. After assessing the scene, the sheriff decided to keep the murders a secret for most of the people of Sandpoint. Sheriff Hemlock would privately report to Mayor Deverin and the rest of Sandpoint's council to decide on what to do with the suspect found fleeing the scene and gave Kennick permission to let his adventuring companions know about what happened. It was evening by the time Kennick made it to Sandpoint and he figured that the Rusty Dragon would be the best place to start looking for his friends.
Stepping inside, Kennick was greeted with pleasant smells of the various meals for dinner along with loud chatter and cheers throughout the tavern room. A young bard playing a lute on stage gathered a small crowd of spectators. Kennick crossed his arms and looked throughout the room in search of his friends, ignoring his grumbling stomach. While he wasn't able to find the other adventurers, he spotted Ameiko stepping out of the kitchen to deliver trays of food to a table. Kennick waited patiently for her to drop the food off, and when he caught her eye, he nodded and approached her. Ameiko smiled at him warmly and stepped aside from the table so that they could talk.
"It's good to see you, Kennick," Ameiko said. "A lot of people were wondering where you were."
"My patrol took longer than expected," Kennick explained with a shrug. "Have you seen Draul or Mariel?"
"All of your adventuring friends are here," Ameiko answered and gestured toward a nearby hallway. "I talked with Mariel today and she wanted everyone to eat dinner together, away from everyone else. You'll find them through the second door on your right."
"Thank you," Kennick bowed his head. "Am I late for this dinner Mariel had in mind?"
"I brought their food in around half an hour ago but I can make you something real quick."
"Thank you," Kennick said, followed by his stomach grumbling. "Take your time if it means I can eat more."
Ameiko chuckled. "I'll bring seconds just for you. Now, don't keep your friends waiting any longer."
With a nod, Kennick made his way over to the hallway while Ameiko returned to her kitchen. Following her instructions, he walked to the second door on his right in the hallway and turned the doorknob. The Rusty Dragon had three small dining rooms available with a circular wooden table surrounded by four chairs. Kennick could see that Draul, Mariel, Razvan, and Corita took each of the chairs available and had finished their food based on their empty plates. There were two pitchers on the table so that they could refill their drinks whenever necessary.
"-a lot of hard work but…" Mariel trailed off as the door opened. She turned to face Kennick along with the others. "It's about time you've arrived. You're quite late."
"We have a problem," Kennick grunted and closed the door behind him.
"Unless someone's dying, it can wait," Mariel told Kennick firmly. "I've called us all here for an important discussion, which you would know if you were around."
"Someone did die," Kennick said with a low growl. "Multiple men more like it. The town guard is still trying to determine who's been killed."
Corita gasped. "Really?! Where were these men killed?! Why haven't we heard about it yet?!"
"They were killed in a barn outside of town and Sheriff Hemlock wants this matter kept quiet," Kennick answered. "That means everything I told you stays in this room."
"If there's a killer or monster lurking around the region, shouldn't the people have the right to know?" Corita pointed out.
"I imagine that Sheriff Hemlock doesn't want people to panic about another serial killer threatening Sandpoint," Mariel explained to which Kennick nodded quietly. "Sandpoint has a dark history."
"Right," Corita said with a nod. "I think I understand. I won't say a word to anyone."
"Is there anything Sheriff Hemlock wants us to do?" Razvan asked, taking a sip from his mug.
"For now, he wants us to be aware of what's happening and be ready to step in if he needs our help," Kennick told his companions.
"So, you couldn't wait until after we caught you up on what you missed so you could tell us about something that doesn't require immediate action?" Mariel sighed and shook her head. "How wonderful."
"What's your take on this, Draul?" Razvan turned his head toward the paladin.
Kennick looked at Draul, who had his eyes closed. At first, he thought that the paladin was in deep thought over news of the murders, but as time went by, Kennick realized something was wrong. Draul, the undisputed leader of the heroes that saved Sandpoint from the threat of Malfeshnekor, had fallen asleep in his seat. Corita, who sat next to Draul, touched him on the shoulder lightly and the paladin snapped awake. Kennick could make out the dark bags under Draul's eyes and wondered what he had missed.
"I'm awake!" Draul quickly said, looking around the room before settling his gaze on Kennick. "You weren't here before? How long was I out for?"
"You were trailing off even before Kennick arrived," Mariel told Draul. "Kennick, if I may ask, please save what you told us until Draul gets a good night's rest."
"Have you been having trouble sleeping?" Kennick asked Draul.
"Not at all," Draul answered with a yawn. "I sleep just fine."
"The problem is that he doesn't want to go to sleep," Razvan explained, gesturing toward Draul. "He stays up for most of the night and only gets a few hours of sleep."
"You really need to sleep in, Draul," Corita said, smiling. "You'll feel a lot better."
"I must rise with the sun as a follower of Sarenrae," Draul told Corita, shaking his head. "Rest can come later. I have a lot I need to get done before the trials and not enough time."
Kennick frowned, realizing that Draul was so exhausted because he was putting too much time in helping the criminals he apprehended. During their adventure to save Sandpoint, the group had defeated Nualia and her allies, but rather than kill them, Draul insisted that they be brought back to Sandpoint. Having been moved by their stories, the paladin wanted to do what he could to help guide them away from the evil path they were on. Having been a vicious killer before swearing his oath as a redeemer, Draul had taken his responsibilities seriously. Kennick was aware that Draul was working with the town council on how the trials should be arranged and spent much of his time at the garrison meeting with his prisoners. What was worrisome was that the paladin was overworking himself.
After some time since becoming a hero to Sandpoint, Kennick wasn't sure of what to think regarding the prisoners. He had known Nualia when they were younger and was once friends with Tsuto, who sided with Nualia in an attempt to destroy Sandpoint. Kennick believed that it was too late to save Nualia and Tsuto, who committed terrible deeds against Sandpoint. He was fine to give them a trial now that they had been captured, and while he was willing to give Draul a chance to save them, he wasn't sure if it was possible. Whether Sandpoint decided to hang Nualia and her cohorts or give them a second chance, Kennick was certain he wouldn't be certain of his feelings no matter what decision was made.
"You need rest now," Mariel said, clasping her friends. "As I was explaining, you should allow us to take over your responsibilities for tomorrow. The four of us working together should be able to handle anything that comes up."
"That's right," Corita nodded in agreement. "I'll be the first to admit I might not know a lot about local law but I want to help you. Take time for yourself and know that we'll do our best to take care of your work."
"It's my responsibility," Draul shook his head. "I appreciate the offer but this is something I have to do."
"Look, we all get that you swore an oath to Sarenrae and that your duties as a paladin are a serious matter," Razvan said, leaning back in his seat. "That's why you need to let us take this burden off your shoulder for one day."
"What do you mean by that?" Draul asked.
"Do you know what will happen to Nualia if you pass out during her trial?" Razvan drew his finger across his neck. "You'll lose the trial and she'll lose her head. Same goes for everyone else you're going to defend."
"Sandpoint hangs criminals," Kennick corrected Razvan, crossing his arms.
"Whatever," Razvan waved his hand dismissively. "The point is, they'll die and you wouldn't have done enough to save them because you weren't prepared enough."
"And then you'll feel terrible for yourself," Corita added. "All of that hard work for something you believed in will have gone to waste."
"That… that could happen," Draul admitted. "You've all had time to talk this over while I was passed out."
"The three of us did, yes," Mariel answered with a nod. "Kennick's the only one we haven't heard of."
"And what do you have to say on the matter?" Draul asked, turning toward Kennick while holding back a yawn.
Kennick knew that it would have been easy to say that he couldn't help. He could say that he didn't want to see his old friends turned villains or that he didn't know the laws of Sandpoint well enough to help. But he knew that if he told Draul, the paladin would insist on doing the work himself even if it meant he suffered. Kennick wasn't going to object to Draul's plan if that's what he decided to do but thought about the killings that took place outside of Sandpoint. Whenever Sheriff Hemlock needed the adventurers' help, it would be important that all of them would be in the best condition to do what they could.
"I'll help," Kennick said quietly.
"See," Mariel gestured toward herself and the other volunteers. "We can handle this."
"I'm surprised that you took charge of this," Draul said and turned to face Mariel. "I thought that you would be more focused on your research."
"Exploring Thassilonian ruins can be dangerous, and if it comes down to it, I would rather have you well rested to avoid some ancient trap claiming your life."
"At the very least, I'm thankful you're looking out for me," Draul said with a chuckle. "Very well. I don't have any important meetings planned for tomorrow. If you all want to take the time to meet with the prisoners tomorrow, it could do some good for them to talk with someone new. I'll write a letter to Sheriff Hemlock explaining the situation and give you the letter along with the notes I've taken tomorrow morning."
"Are you sure that talking with them will help?" Corita asked.
"Part of finding redemption is to convince them of the error of their ways," Draul explained. "It'll be difficult but I'm sure that if you offer a fresh perspective, they may be more willing to change their minds."
"If that's what it takes to get you a day off, we'll do it," Razvan told Draul. "Now, how about you get some rest?"
"I'll still have to get up at sunrise but I can rest knowing that my friends can help look out for me," Draul stood up from his seat. "I'll get to my room now. Thank you, everyone."
Kennick stepped aside, letting Draul leave the dining room, and took the paladin's seat. He wasn't too comfortable trying to help the villains he once fought find redemption, but if it meant Draul could get some rest, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. That there was a murderer in Sandpoint was still fresh in Kennick's mind, and if the killings were to continue, someone would need to stop them. The adventurers would need to be at full strength and without having to worry about any distractions when Sheriff Hemlock asked for their help in stopping the murderer.
Author's Notes: Welcome back to my fanfic adaptation of Rise of the Runelords. I hope you're ready for the next part of this story, and if you haven't already, be sure to read Burnt Offerings, as that story precedes this one.
First, I would like to apologize for taking so long to get The Skinsaw Murders written. I said I was going to get it uploaded during October, and here we are in November. It took me longer than I expected to adjust to my new fulltime job, plus having to balance other writing projects and hobbies with what free time I did have. Still, I could and should have written the first chapter during October. I'm going to try to do better moving forward.
There'll be a little build up to getting back to the main storyline of The Skinsaw Murders. There'll still be a few story beats that pick up from the end of Burnt Offerings. Much like how my telling of Curse of the Crimson Throne isn't an exact copy of the adventure, the adventurers of this story will influence the adventure in ways that might not be accounted for in the module but makes for a more exciting story. I look forward to continuing The Skinsaw Murders and will have the next chapter coming up soon.
Until next time.