Lenelle nodded at Mac's suggestion.  "I think that sounds like a good idea.  I'm all for it, unless anyone's got any contrary opinions.  It might give me a chance to write and dispatch a letter to the church, as I promised to do, to request a new priest for them."   

"Let's start with Eliphas' house then.  I'm going to ask the village elder if they are capable of administering the justice that they wish to met out in removing the thumb of their dominant hand or if they need our help in that as well." remarked Telemachus before adding, "it's ugly business but without punishments for those that do wrong as determined by the society that is being lived in things often simply default back to might is right...and that's what Cannibal was doing.  Here they have at least a chance to start anew elsewhere but have to live with their prior choices in choosing poorly.  It will also give these villagers agency and purpose once again to have taken back their lives and live by their accepted rules."

Stepping away from where they were conferring almost in private Telemachus made his way to the elder, "So thumb is the punishment of choice?" he was verifying their desires, "Do you have the tools...twine to cut the blood flow to the minimum, sharp blade to remove it and flame and cloth bandage to cover along with will to met out their punishment or will you need us to do so for you as a neutral party?"

"I'll go help bring the Anake' in safe, who's coming with me?"

The eldest of the villagers nodded at Telemachus' questions, and replied, "We've agreed on that, and we can do it, but would ask that you help watch over them while they await the blade."

With that, several of the villagers moved to start preparing things for the execution of the determined justice for the men who had caused much harm to the small village.

"I'll go with you Panatix," Westin said quickly. He didn't want to be around when the men were punished, especially if their thumbs were to be cut off. He couldn't help but shudder. Such punishment would never occur in his elf village. Of that, he was sure but this was a human village, he reminded himself. It was their purview as to what punishment to administer and he certainly didn't know the full story of what all these men had done.

"I'm ready now," Westin adds.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:25, Tue 20 July 2021.

"I can do that," remarked Telemachus solemnly before looking to Storm, "Would you stand with me while they see to justice?  Afterwards I'll help remove those bodies from the church so Lenelle can bring it back to a small modicum of when she deems suitable for a place of worship."

Glancing to Wick who he knew was skilled with the Ananke and had looked uncomfortable with being around when fingers were being chopped off he also asked, "Would you aid Panatix and Westin with bringing the Ananke in Wick?"

Storm considers the various arguments and thinking about the importance of retribution and rehabitation as part of the legal process, declares to the villagers and ex villains in a loud voice,” Hear me! To the cohorts of Cannibal, you put up a brave fight for your master despite knowing that he is evil and terrorized the villagers. By the luck of war, you survived. Instead of death, the villagers chose to remove your thumbs. I hope you will reform and find gainful work in future. If you try to harm innocents, your lives will certainly forfeit!”

“Do good and turn from evil and you may live in peace.”

Turning to Tele, Storm says,” definitely! Let us ensure that these men do not die of blood loss.” Storm stands ready to heal wounds if needed.

Ooc: can I make a charisma roll to impress charm audience?

As Telemachus and Storm watched over the proceedings, the villagers worked through the grim process of removing thumbs from the thugs who had participated in the robberies and terrorization of the village of Farnworth.  In the meantime, Wick, Westin, and Panatix went out to bring the Ananke closer to the village.  Vendavel had not re-emerged from the house that had been Eliphas', while Lenelle considered what words she would use to describe what had happened in the village of Farnworth and the need for a true priest to attend to the needs of this village.

Then, when the Ananke was properly docked and the administration of justice had been complete--along with driving the thugs to the road from Farnworth, their weapons left behind in the village.

"That was Cannibal's house," one of the villagers said, pointing.  "He had some pretty mean dogs, they must still be in the house."

"Thank you for the warning." murmured Telemachus at the reminder.

With that grizzly duty complete he decided he might as well continue to do so in order to not have to keep coming back to it.  Walking over to Lenelle he asked, "There are bodies below that need to be moved out so the church can be made whole?  If so are they to be buried, burned or some other last rites to be done?"

Storm thanks the villager for the informtion. He draws his mace and focuses on the area for signs of evil.

Wick glances generally towards Eliphas' house, but then turns and towards Telemachus, "Sure, I can help with that."  If there was anything interesting to be found, he was sure the others would find it, and would share what they found.  Based on past events, it seemed like Eliphas was one to have interesting things lying about, if one didn't mind having blue hands.

The work done Telemachus cleaned himself up before collecting up the weapons that had been left by the expelled men and that the villagers hadn't taken with them.  He then gestured he was heading into Eliphas' house to start working out what they had, would be bringing back and what they would be leaving with Vendavel...

Glad to have missed the worst of the punishments while retrieving the Anake, Pan nods to Mac t lead on, he will help explore the houses, and even drag out the dead on the church to have them burned or buried.

"Are we going to Eliphas house first of Cannibal's?" Westin asks the group. He was eager to finish up searching the houses and leave the village behind him. He had always imagined fights would be worse than the aftermath but the situation here seemed reverse given what had gone on with the punishments. He looked forward and hoped they would leave this place by nightfall. Perhaps unrealistic, but it was his hope.

"I haven't had much of a chance to look around just yet," said Vendavel, opening the front door of the house.  "Haven't been upstairs yet, but this looks pretty nice."

Straight ahead from the entry was a stairway up, to the right was a parlor where there were several paintings on the wall, a pair of stuffed chairs near a fireplace, along with a long couch and side table.

To the left, from the entry was an open door, leading into a dining room.

"Whose house was this?" Westin asks.

"This house was Eliphas'," said Vendavel.  "Though I think I might claim it, as I help the villagers keep from being overrun again.  I'm going to keep looking around."

With that, she headed into the dining room, and from the sounds of it, had moved further toward the back of the house.

Storm looks around marveling at the opulence of the place. Remember that the owner was an unscrupulous person, Storm tries to detect evil.

"I'll check the upstairs, and I think that you should Vendavel.  And if those men work with you or for you and Cannibal's place is suitable perhaps they share that place so they have a vested interest in protecting the place." offered up Telemachus as he began to slowly ascend the stairs and see what could be found.

"They weren't staying," said Vendavel.  "Probably as well, as I don't want to be spending eight asil a day on them.  Kitchen's back there."  She hooked a thumb back toward the back of the house.  "Stairs going down, too."

With that, though, she moved to follow Telemachus upstairs.  At the head of the stairs, there was a door on the wall to the left, and a short hall to the right with two doors--one that would be to the left and one to the right (back and front of house, respectively).  The door at the end of this hall to the left (back of house) stood open.

Joining the others after bringing the ship into dock, Wick looks around with an eye for any valuables.  "Have a care Vendaval, Eliphas had a habit of putting in some nasty surprises in the last place we looked at."

Hearing the options and seeing Telemachus heading up, Wick shrugs.  "I guess I'll head down the stairs."

"I had thought Eliphas lived in that old house on the cliff," Westin says. "What did he do when he was staying here?"

Westin will look around for any types of books.

In his review of the downstairs, Wick noted that there were eight paintings in the parlor and two in the dining room, along with the place settings.  Moving downstairs, he found a room which had all the hallmarks of being a wizard's workroom, with books on shelves on the wall, a circle drawn on the floor, and a number of candles about.

"He did stay at that old house," said Vendavel, "though there were times when he traveled away.  He never said much about where he was going and doing, it just seemed likely it was all part of the business.  I suppose he was looking to move away from that old house after the operation was discovered there."

The room to the back of the house at the end of the hall had four unoccupied beds, although the smell of unwashed bodies was present, as well as the reek of death coming from the door opposite.

"This will need airing out," said Vendavel, wrinkling her nose as she opened the other door.

Here, she opened the door into a bedroom which featured a cold fireplace, a large bed, rug, desk, couch, and wardrobe.  On the rug was a sheet-wrapped body, and upon pulling back the sheet, it was clearly the face of Eliphas.

Holding her breath against the ghastly smell, Lenelle advanced in Ven's wake to have a look for herself.   And, sure enough...

She made Atu's gesture of blessing for the departed.   He'd been a conniving, self-serving man, but was also someone's son and family member.   She turned then, and paced toward the desk, seeing if it might open freely.