At the Keep

JP between Omni and Winteroak

Timestamp: Stoneshade Keep

As she made her way to the Keep Voah ruminated on how the people would keep on celebrating the rest of the day with strange mirth, drinking, eating and discussing the recent events and rumors. She would find Sgt Carver and hopefully get some names from the manifest and then try again to have a word with the Duke.

Voah found Carver in the courtyard in the courtyard of the Keep. She knew later when the crowds dispersed the bodies would likely be hung from the Keep walls for a while as a sickly reminder to the population of the penalties of breaking laws.

The older woman rolled her eyes at the Arbiter. "Busy. Going to be a long night with them morons drinking until tomorrow morning..." she said pointing to the city outside the Keep. "Duke or Zane have your ledger if that is why you here."

The Arbiter could tell that no disrespect was meant from the overwhelmed woman. "Thank you, Sergeant Carver."

She made sure to respond with the proper formalities, perhaps to make it clear and help to remind the woman to do the same. Voah continued into the depths of the Keep looking for either one of the men. At this point, she didn't care which.

The guards directed her to Sir Zane's office. The Duke was otherwise engaged it seemed.
She found the older Knight in his office just off the Keep's courtyard.

"Enter." Came his gruff voice once she knocked.
The Arbiter pushed the heavy door open and stood before the knight of Salos. "A pleasure to see you again, Sir Zane. I have come in regards to certain information I requested from The Hogue."

He looked up from his books, ledgers and maps up to the Inquisitor. He did not look too happy. She could not tell if it was her presence or the events of the day.

"Sit." He ordered. He pulled a silver flask from his desk and took a swing. And offered her some afterwards.
"Nasty business public executions. Always leaves a foul taste in my mouth." He told her looking for her reaction.

She couldn’t help but feel like she was somehow entering the room of a disappointed instructor as he commanded her to sit with a dour expression. She sat and said nothing in response but took the flask to her lips in a sort of silent agreement.

Sir Zane pushed the ledgers and crew manifest from The Hogue in front of Voah. He than placed another sheet of paper next to it with a list of names.

"The ones on the left are people that have been named as potential Creed members or associates of known cultists by the prisoners in the dungeon." He told her. "One of the names matches one of the sailors in the Hogue."

“I see you’ve done the work already. That is a welcome relief… after yesterday. It seems we may have found our culprit.“ She looked at the name. “Is this person one of the suspects being held from either the arrests at the farm or from the Hogue?”

He grunted. "We cannot stop looking into this now. The Creed represents too much of a danger to our settlement." He told her truthfully. "He is a sailor and dockhand. We will be looking into him and the others closely in the days to come, without spooking them."

He took another swing of his flask. "Wim Riese's attacker spoke of someone that the Creed refers to as The Preacher. I'm thinking the same man you met last night."

“Yes… Yes, I believe it was him and I wouldn’t suggest proceeding any other way.” she said thinking about the next steps.

“We will have to consider his words as a warning and try to get ahead of their plans. Protect the children especially. Do we know if l there are any reported missing already?”

The Knight shook is head. "No reports of children missing." He replied. "The head of the Creed must be our priority. Without him the others will likely falter." He sighed hoping their clues would lead them somewhere. Two weeks left until the last full moon of winter.

“Of course.” She agreed that the ‘Preacher’ was indeed the highest priority but there was little to be done regarding that at the moment so perhaps there was some other matter she could address immediately. “What of Boyce Blackwolf and the other suspects from the Hogue? Does this do anything to prove their innocence?”

Sir Zane felt like closing his eyes and just ignore the question. Seemed ever since he was commanded to these lands nothing ever again merited a simple answer.

"Maybe, but other facts came to light abouut Boyce Blackwolf during his questioning..." He started wondering if he should trust her. He paused a few heartbeats and decided it was best to just be straight with the woman. "Seems he is a former member of the Black Quills..."