There are those that would belive when looking at Albertus that he would complain and be more of a pain in the ¤%& than a rather man who is accustomed to traversing the land outside of his sanctum.
Godian could you tell me how long since this beast where slain? If the beast has been slain within a few hours ago Albertus will cast a spontaneous equivalent of Image of the beast upon the bones. When and if he gets any arcane connection to the cow eater Albertus will try to restore any connection and strengthen it through the use of Creo Vim spontaneous magic. If needed Albertus tries similar investigations on the coins
Gordain replies. "3 days, good master. One of the herdsmen found them when checking on his cattle; The bones have not been disturbed since; He did not want to be cursed. Who knows, he may be right..." The woodsman looks around, then shrugs.
"i saws it, i did," says a small voice at their feet. It is a rabbit, the same rabbit that saw the fight earlier in the year. "at least, what i could see of it in the dark." The rabbit is obvious fae, and obviously nervous.
Gordain reaches into a pouch, and pulls out an apple, cutting it into slices. He gives one to the small creature. "Please, do go on."
"for a while, there were 2 of them, one smaller, one much larger. they would take a cow, and then bring what was left back. always on the new moon, very hard to see. may i have another?"
After Gordaine gives the rabbit another slice, it continues. "there would always be clouds. the cow would be there, there would be a gust of wind, and the cow would be gone. before the new moon would be gone, the bone return, with a bag of shineys."
The little rabbit looks nervous. "they were big, bigger than me, bigger than you. i not see much, i didn't want to be dinner, like cow. i not see more than a shadow. i'm sorry if this not help much." The rabbit fidgets nervously. "can i have another slice of apple?"
Albertus cuts of another slice of apple, hold it in his hand in front of the rabbit. Do you have any other good information about the shadow? Where can they be found? Where does they attack? Do they leave any trace after them that we have not noticed? Do you know anyone else who has any information? Albertus gives the rabbit the apple slice.
Azaelle wanders over to the carcass, looking for anything that could be a possible arcane connection and not expecting to find it.
She breathes a faintly heard spell and the bag of coins floats out from under the bones and spills itself out for her inspection. She doesn't wonder why the townsfolk didn't touch the coins. Perhaps she shouldn't either. She lets the coins and the bag lower themselves gently to the ground and thinks about it for a few seconds. Just out of curiosity and lack of a better idea, she casts "Sense of Magic Power" Does this place have a faerie aura? she has a few more questions for our little lapin fae but, not wanting to scare the critter by hammering it with questions, she waits respectfully for it to answer Albertus question.
Mathius squats down and casts a spell on the nearby grass - strangely, everyone can hear the conversation - normally only the magus side can be heard.
Mathius is asking if the nearby grass knows anything about what happened, or the creatures involved. When he has finished his slow conversation he will head off for the trees at the edge of the field and ask them.
A passing shadow overhead causes the rabbit to bolt, calling over his shoulder, ""sorrygottagodon'twanna becomelunchforthehawk!" And with that the rabbit disappears into the underbrush.
The freeman, Gordaine, watches Mathius as he makes inquiries to various patches of grass, which actually goes quite quickly (Grass grows fast, after all). Soon, he has various patches of grass wriggling in response to a question. Soon, the vague outlines of footprints appear. "Most strange," he says, quietly, "but useful."
It is as the rabbit said; one larger creature, one smaller creature. The smaller has 4 claws, the larger 5. If it was a normal animal, the smaller one would be pony sized, the larger draft horse sized, by distance between footprints. There are no other sets of footprints within the meadow.
While Mathius is about his inquiries, Azaelle finishes up her spell, and is confused by the results. The spell can't seem to make up it's mind whether or not it's reading a faerie aura, magic aura, or divine(!) aura. But aspects of each are here (the talking grass and animals, the casting of spells is slightly easier, and everything here seems to promote peace and quiet.
Albertus pauses for a moment then shines up as if he had a bright idea. Soldaes I don’t think we can find more here. Does anyone have an idea of how we can find his creature. We can not allow it to continue. Albertus scratches his chin again. Now I have an idea. If we can determine that some of these items are arcane connections to this beast then we can use them to hunt. But if not. I suggest that we set a trap. Either we construct wards around some bound cattle or we sit by and wait at some cattle. It si´hould not be impossible to construct two circular wards that where working as a prison rather than as a ward. The creatures can enter but not exit the ward. We make three wards one for each of the realms likely to hunt beasts. But no I forgot it demands a ritual spell, the waiting ward to work.
Albertus shine quickly wears of as he realises his mistake. Perhaps we should take back what we can find and investigate it in our own aura and perhaps use some ceremonial magic to search for the slayers of cattle. Or do anyone else have a suggestion?
Azaelle
"Can we set wards around every cow in the village? And what's to keep the cow from wandering out of the ward? It was a good thought but I think, impractical. Still, better than what I have, which is nothing."
She stands up, from inspecting the coins in the grass, to looking out as if searching far and wide and looking a touch annoyed.
"I don't know what this damnable beast is. It is intelligent though. The best we can do is wait for the next new moon and perhaps we could hunt it then." She sighs with an air of exhaustion. "And I am no hunter... but my companion is. I must consult her." She looks slightly happier with this thought. At least it's a thought.
"I think we should collect whatever might help us later; the coins, a few bones; and return to our lodgings."
Yes let's return. We take with us the things you mentioned. Perhaps we should make a map over the region and mark where the cattle has been taken and found. Perhaps there is a pattern. Have you ever seen one of those strange maps that the Redcaps make where everything is pictured from above? They are used by redcaps who can fly. Perhaps there is one in the covenant or we could have one drawn up. All we need is a brave grog some paint and a flying spell or enchanted item. My intention of the ward trap where to have the other cattle lock up or guarded. But it doesn’t matter as the plan never would work. Let’s walk back and continue our investigation.
Albertus looks to the sky wondering about what foe they are up against, something that could eat a cow could easily eat Albertus. But no worry, after all he where in protecting hands. Though he enjoyed having Azaelle’s in his vicinity it felt where a bit unmanly to not be able to defend himself.
Mathius looks around some more, he racks his memories to try and recall if he has seen tracks like those before - but he comes up with nothing. He says to Albertus "You could always ask Corvus to help draw a map if there isn't one - after all he can change into some type of bird. As far as this expedition has gone - we are all going back with our limbs, so the day isn't as bad as it could have been."
He dusts his hands off and says "but we can do something on the next full moon - we can herd all the cows together during the day and leave only a few out. I will stick some friendly rocks nearby to watch over the cows and observe what happens to them. And we can always take some hair from each as an Arcane Connection before dusk. I wouldn't risk sending any of the covenant folk to watch over the cows - Deidre would not be amused if any were damaged."
Mathius takes one last look at the bag of coins - his fingers twitch slightly as if he is resisting the urge to pick them up. Then with a fatalistic shrug he walks over and picks up the bag. He looks around to see if anything interesting is trying to happen, then heads off back to the covenant.
Albertus replies. A sound plan Mathius. Do you handle the execution of that one and I shall go search for a map. Albertus tries to find a map and then if such one exists he see to that an copy is made up. Either he draws up one self using paint and brush or he hands it to the appropriate servant. Albertus walks down to the librarian. When Albertus meets the librarian he asks question if there are any known records of any similar incident in the past, like the ones now occurring.
As the group begins heading back towards the covenant, an unfamiliar voices asks, "What would you do if you caught it?"
Looking around, you find that there is no apparent speaker where the voice is apparently coming from. "Would you fight it? Perhaps kill it, drain it's magic?" The location of the voice keeps changing, making it extremely hard to determine where the voice is coming from. The voice laughs, though it is not a derisive laugh, just amused. "Nay, I think ye don' have the skill or stones for such," it taunts. "Such as this happens for a little while, then moves on. Consider it part of the weirdness that happens here at Lost Lake, Lads and Lasses." And with that, the speaker appears out of a clump of grass in your midst, and bows. He is nearly knee high, dressed in green, and dressed as if he were a prosperous freeman. "And with that, lords and ladies, I take my leave of thee." With that he disappears in a cloud of greenish smoke. "I have other business to attend to..." the voice fades off as if running into the distance. In the distance, one can see the end of a rainbow coming down nearby.
This area is most certainly strange. Albertus mutters the words. Though it where a sound question he thinks. What would he do with it…? Kill it, not without good reason, killing where for Flambeau and such like. Study it? Perhaps… Drain it for power… most certainly tempting. Albertus snaps out of his thinking. Soldaes I think that that where a most sound question that that little thing asked us. What should we do with it if we catch it? I say that it depends on what it is that we capture.