Magik Intel

Joint post between Winteroak and Omni

Voah stood and directed Rash a short distance away near the wagon where she could see the group but his back would be turned to them.

“Don’t fret, you’re not in any trouble. But I’m going to need you to be very straightforward with me and give me as many details as you can. And the honest truth, see?”

She gave the man a chance to let that sink in. He tensed in her presence. Nothing good usually came from crossing an Inquisitor's path. He nodded again, his jaw set.

“First off, have you or your brother ever witnessed Magic of any kind? In your lives, ever?”

His face went pale but for the first time looked her in the eye. "Yous 'ave te ask muh bruv wat he see. I tell no othe' men tales." he told you in a honest and frontal way. "
"But aye. I'uv sen magik before." He started. "I think."

"Good. Can you describe that to me and try not to leave anything out."

Rash scratched his head. "Thuz wuz a lass back home. Dee said she knew things she could not. Dreamwalker. Dee drown 'er." he shrugged. "She tells us a shake wuz com'n once. Tore us village apart. Saved a good couple o' us. Dee still morder 'er."

"I see." she had no reason to distrust the man and so she moved on.

"I have heard rumors, as I'm sure you have, about these Odsiers and their practices with magik. I will forgive you for not speaking for your brother, but do not try to obstruct the justice of Vastad. I need to know what you have witnessed yourself AND heard from the mouths of Ostiarium."

He stiffened a little at her words. " Ay 'uv followed HIM all me loife." he showed her the tattoo of the Sword in his forearm. A follower of Vastad.

"May the sword be merciful to you, brother." she smiled.

He bowed his head glad for her blessing. Although he much preferred not to be in her presence. The wrong word could see him forfeit his life.

"Ay 'uv 'eard stories, dat Odsier shaman's can speek to the dead but ay 'uv not seen nowt. But dee strange people. Not like us. Ay dun kn'ow ter explain better. Dee speak 'bout spirits o' de land. All around us. Gibberish ter de likes o' me." he told her truthfully.

"We are almost finished. Do you have reason to believe these rumors have any merit? Or are the "mouths" known for telling tall tales?"

"Bit o' both, ay would imagine. Like Ay said thuz is an oddness ter dem." again she sensed no deception in his words.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Rash. Let's get back to the warmth, shall we?" She touched him gently on the shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

He nodded slightly more at ease and returned to sit next to his brother who gave him a puzzled look but said nothing.

The Arbiter would go on to question the other brother just to find any discrepancies in their stories. From what she could tell, the brothers were not lying. She sensed a lot of fear mixed with superstition.