Courier in the Lathander Farms

After a boat ride with Arjay and Amy to Myth Drannor and a trek to the Lathander Farms, Dazen Kross is pointed to the house belonging to mister Vincent Blake-Aseph.

He knocks on the door a few times, package under one arm and then waits.

While the courier was waiting, Arjay returned from the temple, pale and distracted, producing a key to the door so that he could set the package inside.

He nods in thanks and gingerly sets the package down, making sure the box wasn't damaged during the delivery. He then turns and looks to Arjay and asks:

"Will there be a tip for a fast delivery?"

Arjay hesitated, then took a few gold pieces. "There'll be more if you find out who sent this," he said, handing them to Dazen.

He gives a nod and a smile, pocketing the gold pieces.

Yes, sir, I will do my best.

And then left with haste to find the original sender, ready for the trek back.

The parcel is a simple wooden box, the unmarked wood panels tacked together by short iron nails. The lid is pried open easily enough.

Within, the head of Emma Robison, or Krysdan as she'd taken to, stares back up with wide-open lifeless eyes. The poor girl's head is misshapen, her skull violently crushed. Inside her toothless mouth is a balled up paper. In black ink, five words read

"YOU DID THIS TO HER"

Vincent would most likely pass Karovir on the training grounds again. Karovir would watch him pass first wanting to greet him then he remains silent and looks rather worried as he stands up from his chair and shouts after the paladin: "Vincent!"
If he wouldn't answer Karovir would pick up his sword and just follow him calmly.

Arjay, after his own tumultous night, and after finally having been helped to sort through the chaotic thoughts in his mind, fixed his eye on Vincent with a steely resolve when he saw him storming through the camp with obvious purpose.

He didn't say a word. He didn't protest, he didn't ask. He simply fell in step behind the paladin, checking his swords and gear as he did, his own version of duty needing to be served.

After coming off her patrols and a little resting she eyes the Vincent, Karovir and Arjay she just keeps silent and falls in step behind them, checking her blade and shield. Praying to her goddess as they walk in silence.

Muirne, having been keeping an eye on Arjay for reasons of her own would, after much internal debating sigh and stalk up to the group. The barefoot redhead, drawing on all her confidence and a prayer that Vincent will be somewhat reasonable... She runs up and puts herself in Vincent's path.

"I need to speak with you... Now seems most prudent, please?" She manages to keep her voice calm, placing herself in his path again if need be.

Tonan leaned against the wall of a nearby building, close enough to watch the gathering party. He frowned, but it wasn't truly unexpected. Biding his time, he waited to see what occurred as his sister stepped in front of Vincent.

Cadence, seeing the gathering, walks up to Tonan. "What's going on?" She asks softly. "Is Muirne going to be ok? That guy is at least three times her size...."

"Muirne will be fine. He's a paladin. If he forgets that and puts even a bruise on her, then I'll have to see how well he's learned to use that oversized sword of his. Damn.. he is big though." He smiled faintly. "As to the rest, it's a war party. Which, I imagine, is going to go storm a well garrisoned town. And most likely die. But hey, duty calls, no?"

Back in Shadowdale, the man in black rarely emerges from his home for several days - those who know him well can tell he is distraught, as he struggles in his own way to come to grips with what he'd done.

When he sees his daughter Audrey next, he hugs her tightly a long time, his knees beginning to buckle beneath him, unable to speak a word.

Audrey holds him close, concern flashing within her emerald gaze as she says nothing. As his knees buckle, she leads him to the nearest sofa and stays by her father's side until he is ready to talk.

The small woman looks briefly to feel smaller than she did, takes a deep breath of her own before meeting Vincent's gaze, "Makes what I need to say all the more urgent then as likely won't be another opportunity if your course is so set." She doesn't pause longer than needed to get her breath before she continues, "Had I known she'd rush off, I'd have sat on her... though I imagine it would do as much good as me trying to still you now. I meant no harm to come to her. I'm sorry for what's come to pass, truly."

Seeing that the paladin maintained his composure, he pushed off from the wall, in no particular rush. Walking up behind Muirne, he laid a hand on her shoulder and gave Vincent an appraising look. "Do you have a plan? Or is this," he nods towards the others following the imposing paladin, "simply done in of justified anger?"

"The side of my head will attest to how willing she was to let herself be watched and protected," Arjay mused from behind the paladin, exchanging a brief glance with Muirne. "We end this as we can, but let's make sure that you return home to your family like a dutiful man," he added diplomatically before shutting up.

"Duty without thought is a great way to die. Listen to Arjay, and serve your duty properly instead of taking the easiest path." With that, he nods slowly, curling a slight, though cold, grin. "Do you think you are the only one who is angry about her death? Whatever you plan, plan for victory. Not for a convenient death in glory and fury. I think, if you ended that way, the poor girl would put a boot in your arse as soon as you entered the after life, where she waits."