Chapter 9: A Duel and a Tortured Soul

From the Chronicles of Brother Jacques. 

26/5 Moderate wind from the Southeast, rain clouds in the distance.
Sir Zacharias bought clothes of the local style (a black, wool, hooded cloak; his being richly lined).
We were invited to a polite luncheon before we departed.
Whilst preparing (and generally checking our rooms out for spyholes, etc.), I noticed an ungodly tapestry. Sir Z was equally suspicious, so we attempted to burn it. This proved fairly difficult, as it was largely made of wool, there was little wood available (despite Sir Z chopping up the furniture), and Jean Marc tried to stop us. I think that Sir Z doesn't know that J-M is really Erenion, but J-M should really learn to pretend to a bit more faith, heathen that he is.
Eventually we burned it, but filled the room with smoke, and the wing (and our clothes) with the stench of scorched hair.
(Note - the tapestry was completely innoculous; we merely got into a random religious frenzy).
Sir Z later removed a tapestry depicting a woodland scene with Nymphs, for later, personal study.

We left Igor just after midday:
Ourselves: Sir Zacharias (Marcello and Olivier), Sir Jean-Marc (E), Soro, Darianne, and myself.
Baroness Keruna, Lord High Justice of the Barony Digoril Asarios, 9 of Keruna's elite guards, 10 more ordinary city guards (who later proved to be rather more than they seemed), and Kiri the Gnomish accountant.

We had to muffle our horses' hooves as we passed the Sand Pits, to avoid drawing Sand Eels upon us.

In Biari, a rather smaller town than Igor, Keruna requisitioned an Inn.
Keruna (we think) sneaked off and either TELEPORTED or SHAPESHIFTED for some purpose (I assume that it was her, and I assume that she wanted to go somewhere; even a carefully prepared TELEPORT has limited range).
Soro and Darianne sneaked around and may have seen Keruna. They went to another inn (the Bouncing Bulette) to check if any travellers (like our quarry) had passed through recently, but without any firm results.
Sir Zacharias drank mightily, played bagpipes, examined his tapestry in private, etc.

27/5 Whilst leaving Biari, Sir Zacharias and Jean-Marc noticed that both their warhorses had been used for stud.
It turned out that Major Helsach had, through his servant, payed Olivier for the services of the stallions.
Olivier was beaten, and a duel fought (on foot, with swords, to first blood). J-M won, and gained the (possibly) pregnant mare (no mention of any other mares.

We made good time, but nevertheless had to establish camp midway between Biari and Ravens Bluff; in an uninhabited wilderness.
Keruna excused herself and presumably TELEPORTED / SHAPESHIFTED again.
We debated if we should go ahead, as we had remounts, but we could not have made it to Ravens Bluff by night (due to overcast, not particularly bright mood, and a terrible road). Nevertheless it looked likely that our quarry was somewhere a little way ahead of us.

Soro and Kiri scouted ahead.
J-M, Sir Zacharias and myself followed cautiously.
We located a cave which was very obviously the site of great and recent evil.
We approached cautiously.
I prayed for RECOGNISE EVIL, and ascertained that there were 2 maimed Spirits within the cave.
I called a BLESSING upon myself and Sir Z, and we entered the cave.
The Horror!
Someone had tortured a man and a horse to death (and in strange ways; both hearts were pierced and strangely discoloured), then their Spirits had been tortured... drained of power, and the insane remnants left as some sort of trap / warning.
The Spirits attacked, but I penned them in and completed the ceremony to send them on their way.
I examined the site, then we piled brushwood into the cave and cleansed (great word!) it.

What I think happened, is that the courier (Alabar, or his agent), mounted after Igor (or Biari) had camped in the cave for the night. This may have been pre-arranged as a rendezvous. He had the Dagger.
Someone tortured him, then his horse to death, using the Dagger, then took it and departed.
Whoever took it had no use for a (tired) horse, so he (or her, or they) killed it. Considerable spiritual power was drained via the dagger.

I speculate that Keruna has not taken the Dagger (she did not appear to have much information at first, and she did not make use of her own troops to take the Knife, nor return to them).
I speculate that the Knife of Sirdalle is an instrument of Demons (rather than those who would bind Demons).
I speculate that of the 4 (official) bidders, 2 are ourselves and Norman, 1 is Keruna, and that the remaining bidder (or his agent) has the Dagger at the moment.
Possibly the Knife is sentient and is motivating an agent for itself.
I suspect that the remaining bidder is Kiellevain.

28/5 Keruna did not appear again, and we continued to Ravens Bluff, arriving before nightfall.