You agree that this is more than fair in the circumstances, and thank him.

One of the brothers always seems to be present for the rest of the day, wherever you are. At dinner, he switches plates with you at the last moment, while grace is being said over the food. You eat a hearty meal with no apparent ill effects.

That night, after you are ready for bed and snugly under your blanket, he knocks on your door and enters the room. With a brief nod to you, he sits cross-legged in the corner and closes his eyes, praying or meditating.

You lie awake, wondering what will happen. Is it possible that you really did dream the whole conversation? No, you are convinced it was real.

The night drags on, and all you can here is the peeping of spring frogs outside, and the slow, steady breathing of your companion. You wonder if he has fallen asleep, but decide that, even if he has, he will probably awaken quickly enough if anything happens. Let him get his rest so that he is alert later.

You are just on the edge of falling asleep yourself when you hear the handle of the door turn. Suddenly completely alert, you sit up on your mat. You hear the sharp intake of breath beside you, and know that the monk is indeed awake. With another small squeak, the door begins to open. You can see the dim torch-light of the hall, and the flicker of a candle. The candle goes out, but there is still a patch of grey where the light from the hall shows through. The door opens wider, and a silhouette moves into view against the light. Just as the door closes softly behind it, the figure raises an arm, and you catch the glint of light on metal. Lightning-quick, the monk who has been shadowing you all day darts forward and you hear the ensuing struggle. Keeping your wits about you, you cast a cantrip which lights your candle.

In the flickering glow, the friendly monk grapples with a cowled figure, dressed like all of the other Bjornian Brothers. You rush forward and pry the knife from your would-be assailant's hand. A moment later, the Abbot himself comes through the door. As you help pin the assailant to the wall, he pulls back his hood, to reveal that it is indeed the Prior.

Several other monks were apparently stationed along the hallway. They assist the Abbot in removing the Prior in stony-faced silence. It must be a shock to them to discover that one of their number has a murderous heart; particularly one so elevated.

The monk who stayed in your room to keep you safe shakes his head sadly and looks at you. "I thought that the Abbot was wrong to send me here; I have never seen eye to eye with Prior Ian, but it is a terrible sorrow to me to know that one of my Brothers could consider murder. Everyone harbours wrong thoughts from time to time, but this is not the way of Bjorn. I hope you understand that he does not approve such things, and that we are not all this way."

You nod your head, and reassure him. "You have proven as much by putting yourself in the way of danger to protect me today," you say. "And your Abbot has been very kind and fair-minded as well. It is not everyone who would hear such an accusation against one of their company, and consider that it might be true. The house of Bjorn holds no guilt for what has happened here tonight."

He smiles a little, and nods. "I will be going now. I expect that the Abbot will wish to speak with you later."

"Wait," you say, "What about the Baron?" He pauses on the threshold and darts a quick glance down the hall. "The Abbot apparently has business with him at the moment," he tells you, smiling. "But I will stay on guard outside your room for the rest of the night if you wish."

In spite of the night's excitement, you manage to get to sleep without much trouble. The next morning, the Abbot summons you back to his office.

"Well," he says sadly, "It appears that you were right. Last night Prior Ian confessed the whole thing to me. He is a very confused man, and thought he was acting for the good of the monastery. The Baron apparently offered to donate a huge amount of money and some land to us in return for his help. I am very sorry that someone from our house has caused you grief. I wish that we could somehow repay you for what was done, but it is out of my power to restore your master to you alive."

"I am happy that at least my teacher may now be avenged," you say.

The Prior and the Baron are tried for attempted murder, and for the murder of your master. The prior's own testimony and the attempt on your life are enough to convince the court of their guilt. The Baron's estate is given to you, because he is unmarried and the last of his line.

You decide to move to your new estate and oversee it

You decide to donate the land to the monastery, and go home again

You decide to donate the land to the monastery, and continue adventuring