(2023-09-18) Interlude: Troubles in Theramore, Part 3 (Cobalt Blade)

Details

Author:	Alli
Summary:	The Cobalt Blade finally resolves the mystery of the burned-down inn.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Cobalt Blade

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questing violence

Thalstan comes down into the inn common room at Theramore to find Vesyllah and Tadget already present.
[Vesyllah]: There's beardy.
[Tadget]: Sup beardy!
[Thalstan]: An' there's gloomy and stabby, if'n we're doin' new nicknames. *Thal winks at them*
Tadget cackles maniacally at the situation.
[Vesyllah]: Ugh…
[Tadget]: She was sleeping a minute ago. You should've seen it. SO cute.
[Thalstan]: Aw, does her face go all soft an' innocent in sleep?
[Thalstan]: Anyhow, I got us an appointment ta check in wi' Vimes. Once we locate Art.
Tadget salutes Thal with respect.
[Tadget]: Sir, yes, sir!
[Thalstan]: I sent word we got news, and I think th' tracker reported in by now.
Zaara arrives.
[Zaara]: I hear Mayhem!
Tadget blows Zaara a kiss.
Vesyllah slips off the bannister.
Thalstan salutes back at Tadget with a grin.
[Vesyllah]: I'm sure Art will manifest somewhere. Mages…
Tadget giggles.
[Thalstan]: So th' tracker was the one checking up on those hoofprints Mayhem found.
[Thalstan]: An' our news is tha' we didnae find Paval Reethe.
Tadget lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Tadget]: We did find a whole ding-dang hornet's nest of deserters though.
[Zaara]: A ding-dang?
[Thalstan]: A ding-dang nest. *Thalstan nods. This is an accurate description.*
[Tadget]: Only about two thirds of the words I say actually mean anything, Zaara.
Arthur rushes into the room from outside.
[Arthur]: They won't tell me if I passed or not!
Vesyllah gestures at Art. "Manifested."
Thalstan claps.
[Tadget]: What? That's rude!
Tadget frowns with disappointment at Arthur.
[Thalstan]: Aw, why not? Is there like a spy part o' the test an' yer meant to figure it out on yer own?
[Tadget]: Or… Is it like a complicated grading process?
[Arthur]: I don't know what's going on! I finished it, everyone else knows, but they need to have another meeting.
[Arthur]: Mage school sucks!
[Tadget]: That's stupid.
[Zaara]: Sucks!
[Thalstan]: Maybe you super passed it an' they dinnae know how to make it clear how far above th'others yeh are.
[Tadget]: Sounds like some kind of politics to me. Either you passed or you didn't.
[Zaara]: Yes, it is good maybe that you get more meetings about you?
[Vesyllah]: Or they lost your test and don't want to admit it.
Tadget laughs at Vesyllah.
[Zaara]: Maybe you get an award!
[Arthur]: It could be anything.
[Tadget]: I guess we'll find out.
[Zaara]: Award? Reward? I do not know.
[Thalstan]: Yer clearly a handsome genius - yer here with us!
[Tadget]: Right?
[Vesyllah]: Who needs them, anyway?
[Tadget]: Just being in Cobalt Blade shoudl be an automatic pass.
Tadget gently pats Arthur.
[Zaara]: COBOLT BLADE is its own award.
[Thalstan]: Alrigh', let's no' miss our meetin' with the Captain Vimes!
They head to the keep and report in with Captain Vimes.
[Thalstan]: Here we are, Captain, reportin' in.
Tadget salutes Captain Garran Vimes with respect.
Arthur salutes Captain Garran Vimes with respect.
[Thalstan]: We found a whole ding-dang nest of deserters at that tower, but no Paval Reethe.
Tadget covers a smile.
Captain Vimes says: Thanks for the news, but it's a shame he wasn't there. Did you get any info?
[Thalstan]: They said he got kicked out for robbin' ogres. Yeh migh' check 'round th'ogres.
Captain Vimes says: I'll take that under consideration.
Captain Vimes says: I will send Lieutenant Caldwell to deal with the deserters at the tower. In addition, I will instruct him to find Reethe. The marsh is not so big and trackless that he should be unable to find him.
[Vesyllah]: Oh wait. Weren't we supposed to look the other way with those deserters? Darn. We forgot. Whoops.
Vesyllah smirks.
Captain Vimes grins at Vesyllah.
Captain Vimes says: In the meantime, I've spoken with Inspector Tarem regarding the evidence you gathered from the ruins of the Shady Rest Inn. He seems certain that the hoofprints and the shield you found there point to the Grimtotem clan of tauren.
[Thalstan]: Grimtotem? They do no' sound verra cheerful.
[Tadget]: Stupid Grimtotems.
[Tadget]: Oh I've had run-ins with those guys.
Captain Vimes says: Oh? Run-ins here in Dustwallow?
[Tadget]: Yeah, and elsewhere.
[Tadget]: Pockets of em all over Kalimdor.
[Vesyllah]: Nasty bunch.
Captain Vimes says: There’s been other reports of Grimtotem activity on the rise in the marsh, too, so this has to be more than a mere coincidence. I want you to speak with Captain Darill, who is something of an expert on the Grimtotems.
[Tadget]: Sure thing, cap'n.
Captain Vimes says: Not that you aren't an expert, uh… but an expert on the local Grimtotem.
[Tadget]: Well 'expert' would be pushing it in my case anyway.
Captain Vimes says: He's at North Point Tower, just on the north road out of town.
[Tadget]: I just know they're jerks and the other moocows kicked em out of Thunder Bluff or something. Or they left. I dunno.
[Zaara]: Moocow!
[Thalstan]: Oh, yea? So it's no' Horde, but like… ex-Horde taurens?
[Tadget]: Yeah.
[Tadget]: Even the Horde hate 'em.
[Tadget]: They do weird dark magic or something, I'unno.
Captain Vimes says: So it would seem. If that's the case, at least it might relieve some tensions around here.
Captain Vimes says: Oh, not the dark magic, but that at least it's a common enemy.
[Tadget]: Maybe.
[Thalstan]: One can always hope. *Thal nods* Well, let's go see to th' tauren expert?
[Tadget]: I gotta say the "common enemy" thing sure doesn't make people cooperate for long, in my experience.
[Thalstan]: I think per'aps a common friend works better, long term.
[Tadget]: Hooray for friends!
Tadget cheers at you.
They head to the tower manned by loyal soldiers. However, there is what appears to be a captured sin’dorei inside, and the captain is a quel’dorei.
[Thalstan]: Well, nice tower no' filled wi' deserters.
[Zaara]: Are we sure? Hello! Deserters?
Tadget giggles at Zaara.
[Tadget]: It's your subtlety that I admire, Zaara.
Zaara beams.
Thal peers at Captain Darill searchingly.
[Thalstan]: Tha' look like an elf ta anyone else? *Thal stage whispers*
[Tadget]: Ewwww *she stage whispers back*
[Zaara]: No!
Tadget giggles at Zaara.
[Vesyllah]: What, suddenly you don't like elves?
Arthur murmurs, "Do you mean the Quel'dorei, or did you mean the captured one?"
[Tadget]: … Yes. … Very suddenly.
[Vesyllah]: You all suck.
Tadget grins wickedly at Vesyllah.
Captain Darill turns to the approaching team and narrows his eyes.
Thal straightens up at being noticed, no more whispering.
[Thalstan]: We're here on behalf o' Captain Vimes. Business o' checking out the crime against Shady Rest Inn.
[Thalstan]: I take it yer an expert on Grimtotems?
Captain Darill says: Captain Vimes thinks the Grimtotems are behind the destruction of the Shady Rest Inn? That wouldn't have been first on my list of suspects, but if Captain Vimes sent you here to follow up on a lead, he must have his reasons.
[Tadget]: Hoof prints and stuff.
[Thalstan]: Uh. His reasons were th' investigation we did.
Thalstan nods at Tadget.
Captain Darill says: Well, guilty or not, the Grimtotems have been a thorn in our side for some time and we're always glad for the extra help.
[Tadget]: Don't you mean a HORN in your side?
Zaara giggles.
Captain Darill cracks a faint smile. "Yes, just so."
Tadget beams.
[Thalstan]: What can yeh tell us abou' them, then?
Captain Darill says: The Grimtotems may be the most warlike of all the tauren clans, but they're by no means unorganized. If they're the ones who put the torch to the Shady Rest Inn, they'll have had orders from one of the clan elders.
[Tadget]: Hmmmm.
[Thalstan]: Okay, an' how does tha' help us?
Captain Darill says: If you find those orders, that's evidence, yes?
[Tadget]: Do they… write stuff?
[Tadget]: Don't they only have like two fingers?
Thalstan strokes his beard thoughtfully.
Captain Darill says: They do write, even with those clumsy appendages.
[Tadget]: Weird.
Captain Darill says: Anyway, I can point you toward the likely settlement to have sent out a burning party.
Captain Darill says: There's a large Grimtotem settlement called Blackhoof Village to the northwest. They've been using it as a base to attack our tower, but I'll bet that you'll find the orders you're looking for there.
[Thalstan]: Alrigh', we also had a sort o' shield. Do yeh think yeh could identify it as Grimtotem or no?
Captain Darill says: Hmm. Probably. Do you have it with you?
[Thalstan]: Uh, no. It's back at Theramore with a gnome.
[Tadget]: Oh no, I guess we gotta kill a bunch of Grimtotems. What a pity. *She rubs her hands together and cracks her knuckles.*
Captain Darill says: Ah, well. If the equipment you found at the ruins of the inn belonged to a Grimtotem attack party, there's likely to be more just like it within their camp to the northwest.
[Vesyllah]: Damn shame.
Captain Darill says: You can have a look there and compare with the shield you found.
[Tadget]: Sounds like a plan, my man.
Tadget starts to charge.
[Thalstan]: We'll jus' go an' use some violence ta solve crimes then.
[Tadget]: Violence!!
[Zaara]: Crimes!
Tadget cheers at Zaara!
[Vesyllah]: Sometimes that's how it gets done.
[Thalstan]: Northwest he said…
[Arthur]: Too much violence!
They head northwest, but come across a guy kneeling in the swamp.
Tadget waves a hand in front of her nose.
[Thalstan]: Hey, who's tha' fella?
Stinky Ignatz says: Not raptors! Thank the Light! Finally something that doesn't want to eat me!
[Zaara]: Aah! Who did that? Is it swamp?
[Tadget]: What died in your undershorts, fella?
Zaara looks around, her lip curled.
Vesyllah murmurs, "His dignity…"
Stinky Ignatz says: I came out here on behalf of the chef Morgan Stern, to collect bogbeans for his latest recipe.
Stinky Ignatz says: I guess he thinks they're tasty.
Tadget breathes through her mouth.
Stinky Ignatz says: Anyway, I got surrounded by raptors and it was all I could do to hide here.
[Arthur]: Morgan Stern? are you a cook?
Stinky Ignatz says: I'm a cook's assistant, I guess you'd say.
[Tadget]: Wow. Just… wow.
[Vesyllah]: I swear, cooks are some of the looniest people.
Tadget agrees with Vesyllah.
Stinky Ignatz says: Can you… can you help me? Please? I don't want to die. And I don't want to lose my job.
While Stinky does his talking, Arthur summons people water.
Tadget gently pats Arthur.
[Thalstan]: I suppose the inn's no' getting less burned. We can take a minute?
[Tadget]: I guess.
Vesyllah bows before Arthur.
Vesyllah bows her head reverently to Arthur as she accepts the Gift of Water. "Shaha lor'ma dula Luvas'alith."
[Tadget]: Nowhere safer than with us.
"Stinky" Ignatz says: Ok, let's get started.
Tadget slips into the shadows.
[Thalstan]: Yer lucky we came along.
"Stinky" Ignatz says: Now let's look for the herb.
Tadget can only be seen by the slight movement of swamp grass.
"Stinky" Ignatz says: Nope, not here…
Tadget sighs at "Stinky" Ignatz.
[Thalstan]: Kind of elusive, eh?
[Tadget]: Real cute, you guys wading through water that's up to my eyebrows.
[Thalstan]: Up ta my shoulders.
[Vesyllah]: Would you like to ride on my shoulders?
"Stinky" Ignatz says: There must be one around here somewhere…
"Stinky" Ignatz says: Ah, there's one!
"Stinky" Ignatz says: Come, Thalstan! Let's go over there and collect it!
"Stinky" Ignatz says: Ok, now let's get out of here!
[Tadget]: So, Mister, as a friend I feel like I should advise you to change your socks more often in this terrain.
[Vesyllah]: Please.
[Tadget]: For all our sakes.
[Tadget]: Especially your own.
[Thalstan]: Fer the health an' the smell.
[Tadget]: Gonna lose a foot this way.
"Stinky" Ignatz says: I can make it from here. Thanks, Thalstan! And talk to my employer about a reward!
[Vesyllah]: I'm not your friend, and I'm insisting. It's awful.
[Tadget]: We do like rew- bye
[Vesyllah]: Thank Elune.
[Thalstan]: Well, tha' was abrupt.
[Tadget]: I can breathe!
[Thalstan]: He sure did stink, though.
[Thalstan]: Okay, back to th' Grimtotems!
[Tadget]: Right.
[Vesyllah]: The fact I could smell him over the swamp was…impressive.
[Tadget]: Well, you get used to the ambient swamp stench, and then he was a whole NEW thing.
[Thalstan]: I see why they call 'im Stinky.
[Vesyllah]: Entirely new.
[Vesyllah]: I'm not sure I've ever smelled the like.
[Thalstan]: Can't imagine 'im workin' wi' food.
They make it to the Grimtotem Village.
Tadget peers at Arthur searchingly.
[Tadget]: You sure are shiny, Art.
[Thalstan]: Ah, a totem!
[Thalstan]: No' a shield here.
[Tadget]: Huh. A key.
[Thalstan]: What do yeh think it unlocks?
[Tadget]: Ohhh look, they got prisoners.
[Thalstan]: Ah! We'd best set 'em free.
Theramore Prisoner says: Thank you! There's no telling what those brutes would've done to me.
[Vesyllah]: I have a few notions.
[Thalstan]: We see any more, let's let 'em out too.
[Thalstan]: Here's one!
Theramore Prisoner says: Thank you! There's no telling what those brutes would've done to me.
[Tadget]: Be free.
They kill an elder.
[Thalstan]: Ah! This one had a note!
[Arthur]: A note!
Tadget cheers at Grimtotem Elder!
[Thalstan]: Bit of a fragment, let's keep lookin'.,
[Vesyllah]: This is your penance!
[Tadget]: It's in orcish, that's fortunate.
[Tadget]: I read a little orcish, but uh, I can't make heads nor tails of this. Let's look for more.
[Thalstan]: We'll want ta target their elders for the plans.
[Vesyllah]: This is your penance!
Tadget compares a couple of the notes they've found. "Hmmm… okay, I'm pretty sure these both say something about… swamp."
[Tadget]: I need more context to make sense of this vocabulary.
[Thalstan]: Anything about 'shady'?
[Tadget]: I have no idea how to say that in orcish.
[Vesyllah]: I am the night!
[Thalstan]: What about 'inn'? Tha' seems maybe a common word.
[Tadget]: I know a couple orcish words for inn,
[Tadget]: But none of the words on here look like either of the words I know for inn.
[Vesyllah]: I am vengeance!
[Thalstan]: Well, let's keep killin' elderrs?
[Vesyllah]: Suffer the pain you have inflicted!
Theramore Prisoner says: Thank you! There's no telling what those brutes would've done to me.
[Tadget]: Okay um…
[Tadget]: This definitely says "Alliance."
[Thalstan]: Oooh, okay.
[Tadget]: …humans…
[Thalstan]: Wonder if it's th' tower or th' inn…
[Tadget]: This means "border" I think?
[Thalstan]: Hmmm, tha' sounds like th' inn.
[Tadget]: So I think this is about the inn, it's right on the border of the Barrens, yeah.
[Tadget]: Maybe whatsisname will know more.
[Thalstan]: Yeah. Let's head back ta Darill?
[Tadget]: He's the kind of elf that speaks orcish right?
[Thalstan]: If he's an expert on Grimtotems, maybe?
[Thalstan]: Do yeh all think the stuff we saw looked like that shield?
[Thalstan]: The shields looked pretty similar, yeah?
[Tadget]: Yeah.
[Vesyllah]: Seems like it to me.
They head back to Captain Darill with their notes.
Tadget greets Captain Darill with a hearty hello!
Thalstan turns toward Captain Darill. "We found a note, but it's all in Orcish. Do yeh speak Orcish?"
Tadget hands the captain some of the Grimtotem's papers.
Captain Darill says: Yes, I'm fairly fluent, let me see.
Captain Darill looks over the note.
Captain Darill says: I'd say it doesn't get any clearer than this. They've taken it upon themselves to fight back against Alliance settlements in the area.
[Tadget]: It was only an inn, sheesh.
Captain Darill says: "halt the advance of the Alliance curs into our lands" it says. And it mentions a new building on the border of the Barrens. That must have been the inn.
[Tadget]: Touchy, touchy.
[Thalstan]: Yeah, tha's where it was burned down.
[Vesyllah]: Morons. Inviting trouble over an inn.
[Tadget]: Right?
Captain Darill says: Then there's some stuff about keeping it from the ogres… I don't really deal with ogres myself.
[Tadget]: I like climbing them. Sticking my daggers in like pitons into a cliffside.
Captain Darill says: Hm. Must be quite an adventure.
Tadget flexes at Captain Darill. Oooooh so strong!
Captain Darill says: The only problem I see is that they didn't call for action from this outpost.
Captain Darill says: It might be that the Grimtotems you're after are based somewhere else, and these ones are focused on our tower here.
[Thalstan]: Oh? Then is it alrigh' we killed so many o' them?
[Tadget]: They're Grimtotems. It's fine.
Captain Darill says: Oh, yes, quite alright.
[Tadget]: They're always trouble, and not the good kind like Art.
[Vesyllah]: I'm not bothered.
Captain Darill says: More to your point, I can't spare any men to help search for a second Grimtotem outpost, but I think I know of someone who might be able to help you.
[Tadget]: Oh no.
Captain Darill says: Deep in the Quagmire, to the south, there is a small farmstead owned by Tabetha. She may seem little more than an old hermit, but the truth is that she's a mage and a scryer of some renown.
Tadget sighs at Captain Darill.
Captain Darill says: I suspect she can help you find the culprits at last.
[Vesyllah]: Oh. Her.
[Tadget]: In exchange for some 'favor' or other probably. Dang swamp hags.
[Thalstan]: Well, we can ask? I've no' talked to the nice hag.
Tadget sighs at you.
[Tadget]: Fine, fine.
[Thalstan]: Art, she one o' yours?
[Thalstan]: Mage folk?
[Tadget]: It's not like all mages know each other, Thalstan.
Arthur shrugs. "possibly? Never heard of her."
[Thalstan]: Let's go give her a visit.
[Vesyllah]: Ugh…this muggy swamp air is too much. I need a minute to change into something a little more suitable.
[Vesyllah]: Be right out.
[Tadget]: Seriously, Ves?
[Vesyllah]: Yes.
[Tadget]: Now is the time to worry about wardrobe?
Tadget sighs the deepest sigh of all sighs.
[Tadget]: Let's wait for the PRINCESS.
[Thalstan]: Tha' her new nickname?
[Tadget]: Should be.
[Vesyllah]: You're not the one in FULL BODY LEATHER.
[Tadget]: Except kaldorei don't have princesses. What do they have that's spoiled and annoying?
[Tadget]: Um, I am literally in full body leather right now.
[Vesyllah]: We have GNOME FRIENDS.
[Tadget]: I'm just tougher than you.
[Thalstan]: I dinnae know. They do no' have nobles fer a point, right?
[Vesyllah]: Oh Eluuuune, that's so much better.
[Tadget]: I may be annoying, but I am not spoiled. Unless you mean like fruit.
Thalstan whistles.
[Tadget]: I am slightly toxic.
Thalstan chuckles.
[Vesyllah]: If you say so.
Tadget giggles at Arthur.
[Tadget]: What's wrong, Art, never seen mile-long shapely purple legs before?
[Arthur]: Didn't! I was just suthighsed-I mean surprised!
Tadget cackles maniacally at Arthur.
They head down into the Quagmire.
[Thalstan]: Deep in th' Quagmire, he said.
There are some crocolisks and such that need to be judged by a priestess of Elune.
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
[Tadget]: Big guy.
They find a hut!
[Tadget]: Ah, looks like a perfect swamp hag hovel, doesn't it?
[Thalstan]: Hm, this look like a swamp witch's hut?
[Tadget]: Fresh graves.
[Thalstan]: Seems witchy?
[Tadget]: And there she is.
[Vesyllah]: I've heard of this woman in bounty hunter circles. Some daring hunters come to her when looking for their prey. It's…inadvisable from what I hear.
Thalstan knocks on the doorpost.
Thalstan raises a bushy eyebrow at Vesyllah in curiosity.
[Thalstan]: Miss Tabetha?
[Tadget]: Hey Tabs. I'm a friend of Captain Tyrrell.
Arthur just slips inside.
[Tadget]: Uh, Zath I guess you'd know him as.
Vesyllah arches an eyebrow at Tadget. "Your captain knows her?"
Tabetha says: Zath? Oh goodness, haven't seen him in an icicle's age.
[Tadget]: Yep.
[Tadget]: He's doing great.
[Vesyllah]: Well…that's fun.
Tabetha says: I suppose I don't see many people out here in the swamp. Usually. What brings such a crowd today?
Tadget says sotto voce to Ves, "If you knew him you would not at all be surprised that he hangs out with swamp hags."
[Thalstan]: We think Grimtotems burned down an inn, but we dinnae know which Grimtotems. Can yeh scry 'em for us?
[Tadget]: Yeah, with your… witchy stuff?
Tabetha says: You want me to scry for Grimtotems, eh? And what will you say when I tell you there's no need?
[Thalstan]: No need?
Tabetha says: There's no scrying necessary to see the trouble my new "neighbors" are creating. And if this is the band that burnt down the Shady Rest Inn, there's no reason to tolerate their presence any longer.
[Thalstan]: Yer neighbors? So they're near here?
[Tadget]: Wow, that must be disconcerting.
Tabetha says: I treasure my solitude. And yet, students keep wanting to learn from me. I'm sure Zath would understand the frustration.
Tadget snickers.
Tabetha says: And now, Grimtotems want to be practically on my lawn.
[Tadget]: Maybe they just want to graze a bit.
[Thalstan]: So do you think they did burn the inn?
Tabetha says: Oh, absolutely. They've been sending out raiding parties, that must be what they were up to.
[Tadget]: Jerks.
Tabetha says: You know what you should do? Burn their camp to the ground.
[Thalstan]: Uh. I suppose that's justice?
Tabetha says: Seems very just to me.
[Tadget]: Live by the arson, die by the arson.
Tabetha says: Poetic in a way, isn't it?
Tabetha says: Here, I can supply torches.
[Tadget]: Oh, we don't need torches, we have Art.
[Tadget]: But thanks.
[Vesyllah]: If this is Elune's will, so be it.
[Tadget]: I guess he shouldn't get ALL the fun.,
Tabetha says: Art! You're a mage?
[Tadget]: He is! He's brilliant.
Tabetha looks him up and down with new interest, and then nods. "Yes, I think he'll do."
[Tadget]: And probably better looking than most of your students.
Tadget eyes Apprentice Garion up and down.
Apprentice Garion says: Hey. I'm right here.
Tadget grins wickedly at Apprentice Garion.
[Thalstan]: Alrigh', let's get ta burnin'?
[Thalstan]: We seem to ha' found them.
[Tadget]: You think you're grim now? Just wait.
[Thalstan]: Art, want to start the fire?
[Tadget]: It must be so cool to be able to set stuff on fire with your mind.
[Tadget]: Boy there would be a lot of burned down places if I could do that.
[Arthur]: Not working.
They head for a different tent.
[Thalstan]: Hm, this looks more flammable?
There’s a Forsaken person inside. We kill her.
[Tadget]: Huh. A Forsaken.
[Thalstan]: Tha's weird.
[Tadget]: I should give that letter on her to a uh, friend of mine at Tabetha's.
[Vesyllah]: I am vengeance!
[Tadget]: I am mayhem!
[Thalstan]: More tents here.
Zaara says: I am booty!
[Thalstan]: Tha's got 'em burned.
[Tadget]: NOT SO FUN WHEN IT'S YOU, HUH.
[Thalstan]: Let's head back ta the swamp witch.
[Tadget]: Well, we can't bring back the Shady Rest, but at least we got VENGEANCE.
[Thalstan]: We sure did!
[Vesyllah]: Satisfying? Isn't it?
[Tadget]: It has its charms.
[Thalstan]: Yeh know, yer right.
[Thalstan]: This vengeance thing is no' so bad.
They head back to Tabetha’s hut.
[Tadget]: Got a letter you might be interested in.
[Thalstan]: Art burned it all right down.
Tadget gently pats Arthur.
[Arthur]: 'Yep.
[Tadget]: He's hot stuff.
Tabetha says: I hope the Grimtotems got the message. Any attempt to return will be met with far worse. My apprentices and I will see to that.
Tabetha says: Although those Grimtotems were simply a nuisance to me, Captain Vimes will want to know of your deeds.Bring him the news that you have tracked down and dealt with those responsible for the burning of the Shady Rest Inn.
[Tadget]: Will do.
[Tadget]: Ah, closure. Feels nice.
Tabetha says: It's too late to save Jim Hyal’s family, but perhaps the Grimtotems will think twice before attacking anyone connected to Theramore.
[Thalstan]: Wait, we didnae mention the name…
[Tadget]: She knows things.
[Tadget]: Witch stuff.
Tabetha gives a mysterious smile and winks at Tadget.
[Vesyllah]: That's kind of her thing.
[Tadget]: Anyway, c'mon. COBALT BLADE ONWARD!
[Thalstan]: To the finish!
They head once more back to Theramore and report in with Captain Vimes.
Tadget salutes Captain Garran Vimes with respect.
[Thalstan]: Vimes, we've found the Grimtotems responsible for the burning. An' we've returned justice to 'em.
[Vesyllah]: If you want to call it justice. Sure, we'll go with that.
Captain Vimes says: That's good to hear. I wish it had never happened, but I'm glad you could bring them to justice.
[Tadget]: Of course we did! We're the COBALT BLADE.
[Thalstan]: Whatever happened with the whole Paval Reethe situation?
Captain Vimes winces.
Captain Vimes says: I sent Lieutenant Caldwell and an assistant after him. It looks like they did find him.
[Thalstan]: And? Was he in with the Grimtotems or wha'?
Captain Vimes says: I'm afraid we'll never know. They were found dead near the ogre village. I suppose not all questions will ever be answered.
[Tadget]: Huh.
[Tadget]: Welp.
Tadget shrugs. Who knows?
[Thalstan]: At least, we did get the ones directly responsible.
[Tadget]: Yeah.
Captain Vimes says: I wish we had a way of letting James' wife and his son know we have brought their murderers to justice.
Captain Vimes produces a small wreath decorated with flowers.
Captain Vimes says: There are some who say their spirits will know, even if we cannot reach them.
Captain Vimes says: It's not much, but I'd like you to lay this wreath at the Hyal family monument. It's one of the larger stones in the graveyard just north of Theramore's gates.
[Tadget]: Aw, that's … *her lip wobbles a little, and then she goes blank-faced.* Whatever you want, sir.
Vesyllah nods solemnly. "Sure. We can do that."
[Thalstan]: Tha's right kind of you, sir. *Thal's eyes gleam with a little more moisture than usual*
[Thalstan]: Let's head to the memorial? We can close wi' this.
[Tadget]: Sir, yes, sir!
Tadget sighs softly.
[Vesyllah]: Looks like this is it.
Thalstan kneels with respect next to the Hyal Family Monument.
[Thalstan]: Who wants ta do th' honors?
[Tadget]: One of you do it.
No sooner is the wreath placed than the spirits of a woman and small boy appear.
Lynn Hyal says: James? James… No, you're not James, but I know who you are…
Lynn Hyal says: You're the one who tracked down the brutes who did this to us.
Lynn Hyal says: I tried so hard to tell Jim… to tell anyone… who was behind this, but I couldn't find a way…
Thalstan looks at the ghosts in shock.
Lynn Hyal says: Thank you for helping us and for helping Jim. If you see him, tell him little Jimmy and I love him and that we're waiting for him.
Jimmy Hyal says: Mommy, when will we see Daddy again?
Lynn Hyal says: I don't know when we'll see Daddy again, Jimmy, but I know he loves you and he misses you very much.
Tadget cries.
[Tadget]: I… need to go to Ironforge. For a thing.
[Tadget]: Bye.
A tear falls down Thalstan's cheek, as he stares at the place where the ghosts were.
[Thalstan]: Bye, Tadget.
Vesyllah looks on the spirits with a quiet solemnity.
Thalstan turns to look after Tadget, concern in his eyes.
[Vesyllah]: This was a good thing. They'll have peace now.
[Thalstan]: I hope so.
[Thalstan]: Vengeance or justice, either way, I hope it brought them peace.