Part IV - The Journey Begins

The two friends walked together down an uncrowded street. For some reason, the streets near the Temple of the Dead are rarely crowded. The pair did not speak during the walk to the temple, and Jason barely spoke to the priest who took the body. They walked off, the picture of dignified mourning...until they were out of sight.

"Jason, I agree that we should get out of town. Being here is only going to lead to difficult questions. Our presence is likely to encourage someone to do something rash." Kendra said.

"Yes, I hate when people do rash things. Especially when they do them to me." Jason said wryly. "Besides, we've been handed a mystery. What is this ring, where did it come from, and how did Prince What-his-name get his hands on it?"

"Right, getting out of town ahead of the investigators is only part of our reason for running like scalded dogs."

"Ahem, I don' t think I would put it that way. Not that it isn't true, just that I wouldn't say it." Jason said.

They stopped briefly and bought a pair of sausages from a street vendor. They carefully avoided any speculation on the kind of meat in the sausage.

The two old campaigners knew how to pack quickly and lightly. Collecting horses and gear took less than an hour. Jason offered the thought that people heading out on a journey usually left much earlier in the day. Kendra reminded him of the fact that the investigators were likely to be very happy with two of them as guests of honor at the (short) trial. With good humor the two set off. They couldn't help but be memorable to the gate guards. There is little traffic by this time of day. So they simply rode out of the Northern Gate without explanation.

Of course, after they got out of sight of the city they veered and headed overland to catch the trade rode East. Hopefully, that would throw any investigators off the track.

Kendra asked "If they bring dogs to track us, they won't be fooled a minute."

"Not to worry, I dropped little black pepper about a mile or so back. When the dogs get that up their noses, they won't be able to smell anything else.", Jason said.

After a few hours they crossed the eastern trade road and followed it east. As the traveled they discussed the little they knew of the mystery so far. After two days of travel, the only thing their discussion had produced was the idea that the Collage of Wizards might have some information on the ring they were holding, and that Jason was 'getting too old for this kind of trip.'

Near the end of the third day of travel, they found themselves nearing the Meerkir River. There was plenty of barge traffic moving goods up, down and across the river. The Meerkir is too wide to bridge here, being nearly a mile across, so a ferry had been put in place. The collection of inns and warehouses had grown up around each end of the ferry's path.

"Well, Kendra, would you rather spend another night in the saddle? Or shall we see if any of these inns brew decent ale?" Jason said.

"Let's see if we can make it across the river tonight, and sleep on the other side. Then even if we are being followed, we'll have the river to slow 'em down" Kendra said.

"Sounds good to me."

The river crossing was routine. It was also a bit monotonous. Once or twice Jason stirred himself either to ask Kendra to pray for a little speed or to drop some herb on the rope to hurry things along himself. But he was too canny a campaigner to leave behind such evidence. He waited, with as much patience as he could muster.

Kendra spoke, "You know, the worst problem with a sitting a long time after a long day's ride? You stiffen up. I'll have to have a bed tonight." Jason nodded his agreement when the ferryman suggested an Inn named "The Busted Oar." They were known for a fine, big tub you can soak in.

With those words, the evening's plans were made: dinner and a bath at "The Busted Oar"

Part III - An Inconvenient Corpse

After quickly extinguishing the magical fire, Jason and Kendra looked at each other, then around the room. Everyone seemed to be very studiously not looking in their direction. Jason swept the ashes to the floor and the ring into his pouch.

"We've got to get your guest out of here, along with us." Jason muttered in low tones. "I'd bet my next meal someone will show up looking for him, and soon."

"I wouldn't take that bet." Kendra agreed. "But he's a pretty big fellow and there's not much we can do to hide the fact that he's dead, or unconscious."

"I know your Patron is a Goddess of Light and Life, but just how unhappy would she be with a brief Zombie Spell?" Jason asked.

Kendra winced, "I'd rather not ask."

"Let's go upstairs. We'd better get a good look at the problem." Jason said, then continued in a louder voice "Sure, why not? I'll flip him for Head or Tail!"
Kendra's dark eyes flashed with both amusement and anger. He'd scored in their long-running game. But she went upstairs without another word.

When they got to her room, he began laying a tracing of finely ground herbs across the threshold and the window. He muttered something under his breath that did not sound like human speech and then touched a candle flame to each line of herbs. They began to smolder and shortly a curtain of smoke stood where each line of herbs had been.

"OK, we won't be disturbed for a while. That smoke causes people and animals to find somewhere else to be. " Jason said.

"I'd almost rather drop him off downstairs and wait for someone to put him in the alley." Kendra said.

"I think it's time to hire a couple of strong backs and get him out of the city." Jason said.

"Of course we have to get him out of the city. The question is where do we put him? If we drop the body anywhere nearby the assumption will be that we killed him and left the corpse as an insult." Kendra said.

Jason began to pace. The room wasn't really big enough for pacing, but he paced anyway. "You know, maybe we don't need to get him out of town. Maybe what we need to do is get him out of the tavern and into the Temple of the Dead, like any other unclaimed body." he said.

Kendra paused in thought. "If he is being tracked the Temple of Death is a good place for them to find a body...As long as you and I aren't found, too. The questions asked would be awkward, to say the least."

"Yes, I always find being tortured into a confession awkward." Jason agreed wryly.

Kendra continued, "My patron isn't very fond of the Temple of the Dead, so you'll have to take him in. Now, the real problem is how to get a big, dead man out of here in broad daylight without anyone noticing."

Jason asked, "Since the Zombie Spell is off limits, could you ask Her to work a small miracle on our behalf? Would she drop a short don't-notice-me on him?"

Kendra smiled. "That, I think I can manage." She gracefully knelt on the floor in the middle of the room and began to pray softly. As she prayed, Jason brought a pair of unlit candles and placed them just in front of her. After a few moments of prayer, the candles began to glow softly. They looked as if they were lit by an unseen flame.

Kendra looked up at Jason and smiled with the same blissful look she normally got when she had been in communion with her Goddess. "It is done." she said. Then with more-than-human strength she lifted the corpse from the bed and headed down the stairs. Jason quickly cleared the mess they had made in the room and hurried after her.