Immersive Ink

Helmut surveys the scene with distaste, nostrils aflare with growing displeasure at whoever - or whatever - caused this desecration.

He draws forwth the blade of Seyal from the sheath on his back and moves to the courtyard door. After surveying the scene outside again for any unwanted developments, he opens the door and steps into the courtyard.

He does.

There is the stink of char and smoke and... bloodshed on the air. Here and there, several bodies--apparently Sisters--lie upon the blackened earth. Some have arrows in them.

There is no movement to be seen.

Directly across the courtyard is the broken and defaced chapel. To the left of that, and somewhat nearer is the bell tower. To the right the buildings follow the curve of the abbey wall before coming to a significant breach wherein rubble and timber is scattered about as if a Giant had burst forth.

"Baal's hand is in this..." he curses under his breath, and makes his way to the nearest of the fallen Sisters, keeping a wary eye on the numerous entries into the courtyard.

He says a prayer to Thuul and begs forgiveness from the fallen Sister's soul before examining the body - and arrow - for signs of what foe may be responsible, already planning a comprehensive revenge.

Helmet strides to the nearest body--only a dozen yards from the door--to examine it.

By the lack of any appreciable pong, and the early degree of rigor, that this corpse is relatively fresh. It could be that the killing stroke fell mere hours ago! But there are other concerns here too... this Sister, or is it "Sister"? Helmut's suspicious mind asks, wears an unusual and wholly black habit. She has no shoes upon her feet, carries no Enigma about her person, and... there are three well-healed parallel gashes across her dead cheek.

The arrow shot through her chest was certainly the kill shot; it pieces her through the heart so the bloody point juts out her back. A precision piece of work. The arrow itself is of a white-wood with green and white fetching; its dagger-point appears almost... leaf-shaped.

Curious.

"Riddles within riddles...", muses Helmut as he fingers the green fletching of the arrow. Clearly, there is much more to this story than meets the eye

He does a cursory search of the bodies to make sure this one is not an exception to the rule, and to see if any of the perpetrators lay among the dead.

The other Sisters, four of them, appear to have been butchered by heavy, cleaving cuts or arrows, but conform generally to the description of the first. Including the previously healed "claw wound". None of the perpetrators fell here.

Perplexed at this confusion of evidence, Helmut casts a cautious eye around the courtyard before moving carefully toward the chapel, wondering - with some trepidation - what surprises lay within.

Ashtad also steps in to the court yard following Helmut with bow drawn. "Come on Valorn use you legs and get over here!", exclaims Ashtad.

Ashtad is shocked at the site of the dead bodies. "Who happened here!", see says.

Ashtad will quickly examine the arrows and see if she know anything about the interesting 'white-wood with green and white fetching and leaf-shaped dagger-point'; if possible Ashtad will retrieve one of this arrows to examine latter.

"Helmut, Valorn let us three stick together this place is full of death", speaks Ashtad.

Helmut leads the intrepid trio across the blackened courtyard toward the chapel.

As they approach it becomes clear that there is trench dug fully around the perimeter of the chapel and that this is filled--right up to the chapel walls--with a hot, black substance that yet steams. It gives off the putrescent pong of tar.

The only means of egress into the chapel appear to be some timber boards--thrown down as a makeshift bridge across the "moat"-- that lead right to the main door. Or else a risky climb over the rubble-remains of the rear wall which have spilled into the moat, partially filling it.

Helmut furrows his brow at this further obscenity in a House of Thuul, clenching a fist until the knuckles pop audibly.

After casting an eye over the boards to confirm their stability, he strides across them and into the chapel.