"Therarak, my little friend. i have talked with a couple gents over there in the corner and they seem to think that Merris was a wizard..." Celador quietly motions to a table in the corner with a couple respectable looking townsfolk.

"...and that guy says that our buddy the birdman from the dungeons may still be in town.." as he nods at man sitting across the tavern at a table by himself.

"...best of all is that guy who tells a tale of some piglets that never grow old..." Celador casually waves to a man at the bar who is sitting by himself. The man's clothes are filthy from top to bottom and there seems to be a small swarm of flies that circle him. He appears to be looking over at Celador and Therarak, though it is difficult to tell since his eyes don't seem to point in the same direction, and he is grinning and eagerly waving back, "...though I suspect he's a real nutter."

"Have you tried the Shepard's pie? It's fantastic." he continues, "I think we head back to the inn to see what the halfling has learned and hope our cat friend hasn't gotten himself in trouble."

In reply to DM (msg # 30):

Good idea on locking up the scene, the room looked tampered enough without more people disturbing the potential evidence.

I would like to interview Polly and the cleaning personnel, then look at the body before we take it back to the Constable's Office.

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 31):

"When have I ever gotten myself into trouble that I haven't gotten myself out of the same trouble. You lot on the other hand..."

Sitting down at the table, "I've spoken to Nobbin, fascinating fellow. He can speak to rocks! Anyway, he told me what the writing said on this parchment. Turns out it is orcish. Who knew?"

Lazaret places the parchment on the table and interprets:

"Don't let no carpool leave Westbank to the south - their grammar is unforgivable.
Molest any that try. Search them for the black stone - this is important!
If it is round, send turd to me by manager - vile creatures, the orcs!
All other shiny things is yours, but leave the stone unfingered! - not sure what that means.
It is signed Vhurraun Baenath"

Lazaret says name a little too loud in a crowded tavern.

"Now, who has shepherd's pie? I missed lunch. Oh, and tell me everything you've found out."

Just as Therarak and Celador prepare to leave, Lazaret joins them at the Trollip and Troll. Shortly after he sits, Mattis stops by and takes his order while the adventurers share their information.


OOC: You don't need to (but you can) RP the info exchange if you don't want. Since you all have access to this thread, you all have the various rumors and facts and translations. Feel free to assume you know whatever anybody else has learned in this thread.

In reply to DM (msg # 34):

"My belly is full of ale and your girlfriend's pie. My compliments. I think we should head back to the Inn and get a good night's sleep. Perhaps Thorfire and the crazy man who talks funny can fill us in on the murder mystery. I'm sure our rooms are still being held for us."

Tyus gives Thorfire a look. "Are you sure? Polly can be kind of, well you know, she's quite confident and can be a little... abrupt, I guess you might say, but if you insist."

The young guard leads Thorfire down the stairs (Thorfire notices that the third step from the top has a noticeable squeak) and to the front desk, where Polly Pennington shuffles through some papers. "Uh, excuse me, Ms. Pennington," Tyus stutters. "My associate and I would like to ask you a few questions about the murder if you don't mind."

Polly looks up from her papers with an annoyed scowl. "Associate? Don't you mean suspect? Everybody knows that short-stuff here and the catman were arguing with the deceased night before last. So there's your motive. And that blade on his side is probably the murder weapon, so there's your means. Do you need me to arrest him for you and do the rest of your job while I'm at it?"

"We've received new information that clears his name," Tyus explains. "A witness contends that he saw the murderer leave the inn last night, and the murder weapon has been found, and it is not Thorfire's blade. So I'm afraid the suspect is still at large."

"Well what else do you want to know that I haven't already said? This morning one of the girls sees Merris's door is open, so she peeks in and there she finds him, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Dead. Nobody heard a thing."

"Could we possibly speak to the girl."

"You could if she was still here, but she's gone home. A bit shaken by the whole ordeal."

"And the body?"

"Thought you'd never ask. It's in the back. Please get rid of it like you promised you'd do about twelve hours ago!" Polly points down a short hallway to a door on the west exterior wall of the building.

Tyus shrugs his shoulders at Thorfire, giving him a let's-just-go-get-the-body-and-get-out-of-here sort of look.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:10, Tue 28 Nov 2017.

In reply to DM (msg # 36):

Thorfire causally flips 2 gold pieces onto the counter. Ms. Pennington, allow me to offset some of the cost of having to deal with this hassle.  Tyus and I will take care of the body in a bit, but I would like to ask a few questions first.  My companions and I have agreed to help the mayor solve this murder.  After all, we have a vested interest in getting to the bottom of this.

You mentioned that one of your employees noticed that the door to Morlough's room was open and she saw Mr. Merris on the floor in a pool of blood.  Tyus told me earlier that there was also blood on the bedding, but that has now been cleaned up and the blood on the floor was also scrubbed.  Who cleaned up the room and what happened to the bedding?

If the door was open as your employees states, who would have had keys to his room?

Where would we find your employee who found the body?  We would like to ask her a few questions too.

Oh, by the way, do the initials EG mean anything to you?

21:28, Today: Thorfire Shortankard rolled 17 using 1d20+2, rerolling ones.  Perception. (Trying to perceive if Ms. Pennington is lying to me.)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:31, Wed 29 Nov 2017.

The scowl on Polly's face softens just a little bit when Thorfire presents her the two gold coins. She still isn't entirely enamored by the halfling, but she's at least willing to listen to a few questions. "There was blood everywhere. On the floor, on the bedding. Even on the window. Erlen cleaned the room best she could. She put he bedding in a pile out back. We'll burn it tonight. Then she scrubbed the floor."


"I was the only one with a key to the room last night other that Mr. Merris himself." She gives Thorfire a stern look. "And if you think you can try pinning this on me, don't try it."

"Hermina found the body, poor girl. Bawled like a little baby when she came to tell me.
 But that's hardly new. That girl is crying half the time even when things are going good. Where is she? At home. She was quite upset, so I told here to take a rest and come back tomorrow. She should be here at sunrise tomorrow."

Polly shruggs her shoulders. As she does, Thorfire notices Tyus shifting his weight nervously. "I think I might know who EG is," he interrupts. "I'll tell you on the way back to the office."

In reply to DM (msg # 38):

Thorfire bows respectfully to Polly. Thank you for your time, Tyus and I will retrieve the body and the bedding...we can take care of that for you.

Once Thorfire and Tyus get to the body, Thorfire begins a cursory examination looking for the placement of the wounds, number of wounds, and potentially defensive marks.  Once this is done, he looks at the bedding for any clues, ripped fabric, etc.

11:08, Today: Thorfire Shortankard rolled 15 using 1d20-1.  Investigation.

"Well it's about time somebody involved in this investigation actually did something," Polly replies, giving Tyus a stern look as she does.

Thankful that the conversation with the innkeeper is over, Tyus hustles to the back door. The body and bedding is easy to find. Thankfully the cold has kept decay from setting in.

Thorfire examines the body closely. It is clothed in an elegant nightshirt with gold trim. Had the wearer not been dead, the halfling might have laughed at the outfit, for he has never worn anything quite so extravagant, awake or asleep. The cause of death is clear. There are two stab wounds in Merris's chest where he has been run straight through, and the night shirt is profoundly stained in those two areas. The wounds are not slashes, but piercings, consistent with that of a rapier.

The bedding is also quite bloody and it, too, has two puncture holes corresponding to those in the merchant's chest. Based on what he can see, it appears that Merris was sleeping on his back and was stabbed in the chest straight through the blankets two times.

Finally, Thorfire examines the Merris's hands. The insides of his fingers are deeply cut and streaked with light rusty powder, suggesting he maybe grabbed the edge of the murder weapon after being struck. Amidst the blood and rust on his hands, Thorfire also notices tan-lines on six of the deceased's ten fingers. These stir a faint memory for Thorfire of seeing several gaudy rings on merchant's hands the night they first met. Judging by the tan-lines, he wore them often. But now those hands are naked except for the rust and blood.


OOC: Although a rapier can be a completely un-edged weapon, the wider definition also includes many styles that have some sort of edge (although they are still primarily used for stabbing, not slashing). We never got into the exact make of Lazaret's and Thorfire's particular weapons (nor do we need to), but the rusty rapier found by Tyus in the grove of trees does indeed have an edge.

In reply to DM (msg # 40):

Tyus, I am done here for now.  Let's get this body to your office so I can get to the tavern for a much overdue ale and dinner.

In reply to Thorfire Shortankard (msg # 41):

Yasha is current in the tavern. He is drinking ice cold water and getting his thoughts together.

Tyus and Thorfire haul the deceased body of Morlough Merris back to the constable's office. The halfling can't help but notice the pesky raven, sitting again atop the statue of Staal Stronghammer and staring at the duo as they transport the body.

"Thanks for your help, Thorfire. Ms. Pennington was really going to let me have it if I didn't remove this body. You're a life saver." As they part ways, Tyus stammers shifts uncomfortably in place before calling to the halfling. "EG... it's for Enoch Gwynne. 1175 EG... that was an inventory tag. He tags all the items in the armory with a number when they go into holding, then puts his initials in big fancy script and writes it in a log book."

Thorfire proceeds to the Trollip and Troll, catching Lazaret and Celador as they were getting  up to leave. They exchange some cursory notes before deciding the best plan is to get some sleep and discuss their options in the morning.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:26, Mon 04 Dec 2017.

Did Tyus tell Quincy/Thorfire what "EG" possible stands for?

Are Therarak and Yasha joining Celador, Lazaret and Thorfire for a long rest (and level up)?

Will Mattis reveal her secret recipe for Shepard's pie?

Tune in tomorrow to "The Mysteries of the Northlands" to find out!

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 44):

"Good morning friends! I am well rested and ready for breakfast. We have much to discuss. First, the initials EG. I'll bet it's Enis! I never liked him. I have no idea why he would kill Morris, but it must be him. Do we form a posse? Get a rope? How do we proceed?"

In reply to Celador Qiris (msg # 44):

I'm planning on levelling up at my earliest opportunity.

The next morning arrives and our heroes find themselves well rested and ready to take on another day (some more than others). Lazaret is the first to wander down to the main room of the Stronghammer Inn. A few travelers come an go through the area, some paying no mind to the tabaxi while others give the strange cat-man a nervous look as they pass, a response that he is growing accustomed to in this mostly human village.

One by one, the others filter down into the lobby to plan their next move.



OOC: Next steps are up to you. You can investigate more with or without the help of Tyus and the Mayor, you can return to the cave where the hooded man was, you can research more at the library, you can just hang out in the Trollip and Troll. Gwendelon's ETA is still 5 or 6 days out so there is plenty of time to do whatever.

That discussion can be done either here or in OOC thread.

Also OOC: Message # 43 has been updated with Tyus's explanation of 1175 EG. He promised Thorfire he'd tell him what it meant on the way back to the office, and being a man of his word, I updated the post to include that info.

P.S. Good guess, Lazaret.


 

In reply to DM (msg # 47):

"Wake up, friends! Morning is here and there are cages to be rattled and breakfasts to be eaten. To the constable's office! - Celador, I see you slept alone. Well. Uh. Confidence and compliments, sir. Maybe some flowers. I could serenade her if you...anyway."

Lazaret leads the party to the constable's office and kicks in the door.

"Enis! You have a lot of explaining to do. The murder weapon had your name on it. Where were you on the night of the foul event? That's means, opportunity, and motive. Motive mostly because you are kind of a dick."

"Ah Lazaret, you are too funny. You should really lay off the cat nip. We are not all so lucky as to be able to go lick ourselves." Celador comments as he shakes the remaining cobwebs from his head. He is feeling much better after a night's rest.

Celador follows to the constable's office and listens as Lazaret accuses Enoch.

"Now, now, Lazaret, just because the fellow is incompetent doesn't mean he can't do his job," he chimes in, " and just because he had motive doesn't make him guilty. We'll simple throw him in the jail until the good sister returns."

A thought crosses Celador's mind, "speaking of jail cell, is our friend in the hood still locked up? Maybe we should pay him a visit while we are locking up, Enis is it?"

As the heroes storm into the constable's office, they see Enoch hunched over a stack of papers at the desk. Nobody else is present at the moment. Enoch rolls his eyes when the tabaxi enters in full flourish and rolls them even further as the elf chimes in. On multiple occasions, he attempts to say something, but the other two make that impossible.


"E-noch," he replies, venomously. "And what, blessed Pelor tell us, makes you think you can just barge in here and charge me with a crime for which you were only yesterday arrested? Your boldness is rivaled only by your ability to annoy."

In reply to DM (msg # 50):

"In case you hadn't heard, we have been exacerbated of this crime. But, where were you on the night in question? Hmm?"

"Exacerbated, eh?" Enoch considers, spiteful as ever. "Well, congratulations on that. Young Tyus is a bit too forgiving, if you ask me... Nevertheless, the Mayor has seen it fit to put the boy in charge of this investigation, so until Gwendelon returns, we'll have to deal with his youthful missteps... as exacerbating as that may be.

"As for where I was the night in question, I was asleep... in my home... like all the rest of the law-abiding citizen of this village." He waves a flimsy hand at them.  (OOC: Lazaret and Thorfire, make a DC 10 Investigation roll) "If you'd like to register a formal accusation against me, you'll have to do it with the boy. He's presently at the armory doing an inventory of old junk."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:20, Thu 07 Dec 2017.

In reply to DM (msg # 52):

"Were you sleeping with your alibi or just your flimsy hand?"

06:39, Today: Lazaret rolled 15 using 1d20.  Investigation of Enoch.

In reply to Lazaret (msg # 53):

Fingering his daggers, Thorfire locks eyes with Enoch.  Enoch is it...pray chance what is your last name?  It seems unlikely that there are two Enoch's in this town...Also, we would like to talk to the hooded man again, make it snappy we don't have all day.

13:37, Today: Thorfire Shortankard rolled 21 using 1d20+2.  Intimidation.
13:37, Today: Thorfire Shortankard rolled 10 using 1d20-1.  Investigation.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:42, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

"If by alibi, you mean my wife, then yes, I was sleeping with her."
Everyone ponders for a moment what poor, tortured soul could be stuck with someone the likes of the filmy-eyed guard seated in front of them.

OOC: Thorfire and Lazaret, you both have been at the murder scene and observed the rope hanging in front of the window there. Judging from Enoch's age (he looks a good 60 years old at the youngest) and general scrawniness,  you conclude there is no way he could have climbed up a rope into the 2nd story window of Morlough Merris.



Enoch visibly tenses at Thorfire's interrogtion. "G-Gwynn," he stutters, significantly less confident than only a moment before. "And I assure you, I am the only Enoch in Westbank. But what has that to do with anything?"



Enoch sighs with slight annoyance. "For Pelor's sake, don't rile him up. He was a total pain in the posterior all day after you left yesterday and he's finally quieted down. Silent, even. You go down there now and he's likely to-" He stops mid sentence. Nobody would have thought it possible even a moment ago, but they see the guard's pasty white complexion grow even more pale.

The chair tips over behind him as he stands and races (an awkward speed-walk, really) to the barred cellar door. Without a word he removes the bar, throws the door open and proceeds down the stairs into the torchlit prison below.

"Shit."