While the spell works its magic on the body, the group discusses how to approach their questions. As they do, Iolanthe wraps her own magic around the group and on the corpse, slowly the infusion of magic and music wrapping itself around the cold dead body of Markus Hallgate and finally, the Mortarch's eyes begin to glow and soon, Markus Hallgate's eyes open and a light emerges from his mouth and eyes. He moves in jerky movements towards the sound of voices, and it is the elven bard who comes forward to ask the first three questions.
Markus speaks slowly, in a deep, firm but distant voice. "I can think of no enemies I had in life. I was not always the friendliest man, but I was fair and decent to those who treated me similarly. My wife and I were partners in all things, be it business or life, though she liked to dance and I did not. Our neighbors liked us, my customers liked us, and our competitors were congenial in most cases." He stops, and soon comes the next question. "Can't think of why. Competition, maybe. Could be a random mugging: did they rob my body? Crime in the Gate is out of hand, particularly with this new refugee crisis. Not the refugee's part: people are animals in the Gate."
Then the final question. "I was up late finishing an order that goes out tomorrow. Today? Once I was done, I locked up shop and started home like I always do. I knew Bolnata would be out dancing so I was going to stop and pick up some food at Dontario's Drinks and Doughnuts; he makes the best Raven's Bluff doughnuts. I took my usual route along the wall. Then, there was a sting, and nothing."
Two questions remain.