The Dead Princes (Date 1/9/6)

The group spent the journey back mulling over concerns about the fey and getting to know Ilyana, their new druid companion. Marty split off to spend some time with Drova and to tell her about her brother and father. Justice split with the group and headed for his fort.

Immediately upon their return, the group was met by Hedge. He had made a discovery and needed them to come quickly! While excavating the orphanage, Hedge and Edgar had discovered a pair of dead bodies in ruined, royal garb. They were obviously children, and each wore a magical, golden necklace. Preliminary investigations found they were males, in their early teen years, with no obvious life threatening injuries. Marty believed he would be able to speak with their souls in the morning once rested and properly prepared, so the sight was sealed up and placed under guard. The street urchins and orphans were sworn to secrecy.

Ilyana settled in at the tower. Marty stopped by the towered and urged the Prince that he must be more open in his worship of Strom. Euwyn said he would think about it. Mjelde told Marty she worried Father Haddad wanted to sleep with her. She feared if she refused she would lose her position or worse.

Marty had to officiate at the daily service, so he was delayed in arriving at the site. When Lex informed Shelby that a half-elven druid from the fey fort was now staying with the prince, she hurried to the tower to check her out, concluding after a few minutes that she was either an innocent child or a very artful spy. At the site, Euwyn considered identifying the necklaces, but stopped when Tiaco warned him not to mess with them. The bodies were removed in concealed carriage to the castle. Euwyn and Lex did some research and discovered a pair of twin princes from 57 years ago who disappeared on the lake, believed to be killed by Deep Tentacles. When Marty arrived, he used the power of Strom to rouse the souls of the corpses to discover. 1. They were the missing twins. 2. They had been killed by their mother using the magic necklaces. 3. Their mother had killed them because they were showing magical aptitude! Shelby ordered the matter sealed, and Euwyn took the deadly jewelry into his possession. No sooner than she got around other people though, did Ilyana start fueling the rumor mill.

Marty talked to Father Haddad, who claimed innocence and theorized that it was likely just Mjelde misreading her support for lust, probably not able to see men in any other light. Haddad decided he would simply back off and return her to light duties in the temple so as to avoid any further confusion.