While in town, we did some buying and selling. In addition, Devin went to the monastery to learn about barghests. Barghests feed on the innocent on the material plane, and we believe that Malfeshnekor is likely mad with hunger. Phillipe went to Chask‘s bookstore to investigate ancient Thassilonian history. He spoke with both Chask and Cyrdak Drokkus, but gained no useful information. Ash met with Brodert Quink. She showed him the 7-pointed star symbol, which he identified as the “Sihedron” rune, which represents the 7 virtues of rule. Another theory is that it stands for the 7 deadly sins.
During lunch, we overheard Larz Rovanky mention that the “Sandpoint Devil” was recently attacking his wife’s parents’ farm. The Sandpoint Devil is said to be a winged horse that spews flames from its nostrils. It comes at night, attacking farms, massacring the sheep.
Ash and Phillipe visited Ilsoari Gandethus, the wizard who runs the Turandarok Academy, a school/orphanage in Sandpoint. They asked him about the 7-pointed star, as well as the illusion of the Thassilonian speaking on a throne, but he hand no useful information. They also asked him about the Sandpoint Devil, and Ilsoari said that it was just a legend.
We returned to Thistletop keep to investigate the Thassilonian illusion. Some of Shalelu’s agents were stationed in the first room of the lowest floor. We went to the throne room, but only after blocking our ears in order to protect ourselves from Malfeshnekor’s call. Devin cast Comprehend Languages in order to understand the Thassilonian speech. It was a fragment repeated over and over: “…is upon us, but I command you remain. Witness my power, how Alaznist’s petty wrath is but a flash compared to my strength. Take my final work to your graves, and let its memory be the last thing you…”
After we returned to Sandpoint, Mayor Deverin urgently requested that we meet with Sheriff Hemlock. We went immediately, and he told us that a murderer had struck at the lumber mill the previous night. Two bodies were discovered by Ibor Thorn, who operates the mill. A bloody note, addressed to Gulnyr, was found pinned to the sleeve of one of the victims. It read, “I do as you command, master!”, and was signed “Your Lordship”. The victims were Banny Harker and Katrine Vinder. Banny was a mill operator, and Katrine was Shayliss Vinder’s sister. One of the victims had the 7-pointed star symbol carved on their chest.
We went immediately to the lumber mill to investigate; at this time it was about 7:00 PM. A large crowd of people was gathered outside, including Cyrdak. We spoke with the guards stationed outside, and then went in. One body was in a pile of wood from the log splitter, and the other was hung on the wall by a hook. There was an axe embedded in the floor. We could see a set of footprints, barefoot, which smelled of rotten meat. The axe had the same smell, and its smell was the strongest, as it actually had pieces of meat and bone caked onto it. Katrine’s body was the one on the floor, and Banny’s was the one on the wall. Banny had the star carved into his chest, and his jaw was missing. Ash looked outside, behind the mill, and found muddy footprints coming up the pier to the back door. They matched the barefoot prints inside.
After this investigation, we went back to the Sheriff’s office. He then informed us that three con men from Galderia had been killed in an abandoned barn a few days ago. Their bodyguard survived, but went insane, and was currently in a sanatorium. The men were lured into the barn by a note from “Your Lordship”; the note proposed a lucrative business venture.
Ibor Thorn and Ven Vinder were in the sheriff’s custody at this time. We tried to speak with Ibor, but he was unwilling to talk to Gulnyr or those who associated with him. We then spoke further with the Sheriff, and he revealed that Banny and Katrine were lovers.
The next day, Phillipe and Gulnyr stopped by the smithy, and then went to check for clues across the river behind the lumber mill. They found more odorous tracks leading away from and back to the river, but none that seemed to originate from elsewhere.
We then decided that it might be helpful to speak with Shayliss, and that Devin should be the one to do it since she would trust him the most. Devin was worried that he might get seduced again, so he had Ash wait outside in case he needed to call her for help while he met with Shayliss. She told him that Banny Harker had been cooking the books of the lumber mill, skimming money for himself and Katrine. The two of them were trying to get back at the Scarnettis, who owned the mill. Banny and Katrine were worried that the Scarnettis had found out, and Shayliss was concerned as well, as she had also benefitted somewhat.
After this, we visited Hayliss Korvaski, the owner of a curiosity boutique, to gain information about the Scarnetti family. She told us that they are one of the three founding families of Sandpoint. They are corrupt, and hire thugs to collect protection money. The three murdered con men, named Martwell, Hask, and Tabe, were associated with them.
We went to the barn where the three con men were murdered, and found it burned down. We then went to the sanatorium where their bodyguard, Graced Savila, was being kept. We knocked at the door, and Erin Habe answered. We told him we wanted to meet with Graced, and he brought him out. Graced was rambling crazily, and said “too many teeth”, “razors”, and “the Skinsaw Man is coming”. He also had a message for Gulnyr: “He said. He said you would visit me. His Lordship. The one that unmade me said so. He has a place for you. A precious place. I’m so jealous. He has a message for you. He made me remember it. I hope I haven’t forgotten. The master wouldn’t approve if I forgot. Let me see… let… me… see… The master said that the bodies you are finding are signs and portents, that when he is done, you shall be remembered forever and the misgivings shall be your throne!” He then broke free of his bonds and attacked Gulnyr. We knocked him out, and then left immediately, by the request of the orderlies. The orderlies were two large tieflings, whose teeth protruded through their cheeks.
We stopped at a local farm for dinner. The owners had a shrine to Ylimancha, an Agathion lord.
We then returned to the sanatorium after dark. Ash broke in through a window, explored for a while inside, and then requested that we join her. Once inside, we were attacked by a human-sized rat wielding a scimitar. He was joined by four undead. We killed them all, including the rat.