Watchman Potter hadn't started spinning clay yet and joined at Constable Ashwick direction.
He agreed to be discreet and followed along after retrieving his spear.

While a few townsfolk watched the group go by, none followed to see what was going on.
There were whispered conversations started between those they passed.

Once they got to it, the tower looked as it usually did.

Tobias had been reluctant to bring the Constable and the nobleman to his tower. He entertained no guests, even his own sister. Dumoss came from time to time, but besides the elf, there were few other visits. To lead them here now would reveal something intimate about himself... and his growing magical power...

The young wizard raised his staff and spoke a word in the language of Magick. The battered but stout door opened of its own accord, revealing only a dim burgundy glow from within.

"Please, come inside, I'll show you the body of Alvar."

Tobias led the way into his abode.

Inside, the layout of the rooms were nothing like they'd been the previous time Elton had been here. Instead of the shelves of materials and tomes, there was a simple table with a few scrolls, a pair of chairs, and a bed upon which rested the body. Tobias's monthly ritual allowed him to alter the characteristics of the Tower, making it larger or smaller according to his whim. Hidden away were the Tower's true treasure, the lost library and its collection of irreplaceable books and records.

He gestured to the body...

Always nervous around the chaos of magic, he geld back and let the authorities enter first.

He whispered to Roland, "See dead like we found him."

Constable Ashwick made a show of examining the body while Watchman Potter glanced nervously in from the doorway.

A trained eye could have noticed that the Constable was no coroner. He checked for a pulse and breath from the body.
He was able to determine that rigor mortis had begun to set in and stuck his finger in the arrow hole.

"I can confirm that he is dead and the cause of death was an arrow to the heart."

"Was the arrow in the body when you found it?"

Looking at Elton and Tobias he asked, "Were there any tracks or signs that the body had been drug to where you found it?"

"Had you noticed anyone else nearby in the woods?

Rolan inspected the aging tower closely as they approached. Like the Watchman, he was hesitant to enter the tower at first. But eventually shook off his paranoia and entered the chamber, joining the others in inspecting the body.

At the Constable's assessment, Rolan shakes his head "A horrible way to go, abandoned in the woods with no friends or family. Has anyone told his wife yet?" Looking to Tobias "If I recall correctly that's your sister? Would you like to take her the bad news, she could likely do with a friendly face now more than ever. Elton and I can search the site where he was found and look for tracks or signs of Fae."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:52, Fri 21 Feb 2020.

"There was a normal looking arrow that we pulled out."

"It was around here somewhere. Ah! Here is is"

The resizing of the room had moved it but, it was easy to find once looked for.

Holding it up, "See, looks like a regular hand made arrow. Nothing special about it that I can tell. The head came off when we were pulling it out."

He offers it to the Constable.

"You want it for evidence?"

"Yes, I'll take that arrow."

Addressing Roland, "Take Watchman Potter with you and have Elton show you where he found the body."

He then called out, "Watchman Potter, I need you to go with Sir Roland and Elton. They will show you where the body was found. Help them look for anything that may tell us who did it."

"I'll gather the other hunters in the area and see if they know where the arrow came from.
There may be something about it they recognize."

To Tobias, "If you don't mind keeping the body here until we learn more, I would be grateful.
Also, if you could speak to your sister, maybe she would know of someone that would want Alvar dead? Let me know as soon as possible if she has any idea who might.
Tell her we will get to the bottom of this and justice will be served."

"A moment Watchman, let us speak." Tobias called to Potter outside the Tower. He pointed toward the door and uttered, "à sealladh"... the door seemingly blended in with the wall and was no longer there.

Tobias sighed wearily and sat down in a tall-backed chair, the one he'd fallen asleep in after arriving at the tower with the body. He wiped a hand across his face as if the making of a certain decision was, perhaps, one of the most difficult things he'd ever done.

"Constable... there were witnesses to the death of Alvar the Tanner. Two of them. They will tell you the truth of what really happened. I was one of those witnesses. Elton is... he's afraid. He's afraid of what the Town will think of him. He's afraid that he'll not be believed that this tragedy was an accident. But if the truth does not come out now, it will cause much more grief to all those involved at a later time... That is why we're here, in my Tower, where no ear may overhear through the thick walls and impenetrable magicks imbued in these stones..."

"Elton, I beg of you to set the story straight, admit you're not being forthcoming with the Constable and your friend, Rolan... tell them the truth... or I will."

"Tell them the truth of whose arrow that is, tell them the truth of the tracks in the clearing turning from those of a deer to those of a man, tell them who loosed the arrow, in error and of no ill intent... tell them Elton, for now is your chance, ...or I will!"

The weight of the young wizard's own tragedy seemed to settle upon him at that point. He'd wanted to do the same thing, to obscure the truth, thinking it less painful for those involved, but in the end only making matters worse. He empathized with Elton, but knew that he'd have to face his sister with a lie if this wasn't resolved now.

At Tobias's words his face blanched white.

"I shot a deer! It bounded into the woods. The arrow in Alvar could have been anyone's!"

With an accusing look he turned directly towards Tobias.
"Did you see the arrow from my bow hit Alvar or like me did you just find the body at the edge of the clearing?"

"The more I think about it the less I am sure it was my shot."

"If it was my shot, it was certainly not intentional!"

Preparing to bound off with the Watchmen and his fellow hunter, Rolan was taken by surprise when the walls closed around him, locking him in. He reached for the dagger on his hip and looked to Tobias. Hearing the man's calm words, he relaxed somewhat. Looking to Elton, he prodded "Let me get this straight. You shot a deer, it bounded off, then you found Alvar's dead body where you believed the deer to have gone? Elton, you're a skilled hunter, you know how to follow a wounded deer. Did you find the corpse where the deer should have been?"

He took a step towards Elton and stared intently at the hunter.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:13, Mon 24 Feb 2020.

Looking directly at Sir Roland, "Yes, I found the body in the direction the deer went after I shot it."

"I stopped looking for the deer when I found the body."

"At first I thought that I may have missed the deer and shot Alvar by accident but, the more I recall what happened, the more sure I am that I hit the deer and didn't miss."

Gesturing towards Tobias, "From what he said, Tobias himself can confirm there was a deer and not a man."

Earnestly to everyone present, "We can go look for the deer's trail."

Rolaan looks at Elton for a moment and then sighs and says "Aye, Potter with come with us, Elton, and we'll go check out the area. Ashwick, you've got this from here? Meet back at your office in town?"

Tobias sighed and shook his head, why is he doubting himself?

"You're an expert shot Elton, you take game with precision and mercy. Alvar must have died nearly instantly. But we both know you were shooting at a golden deer. The fact that it was some sort of enchantment is beside the point. You didn't know you were shooting Alvar, you were simply taking a rare specimen. Dumoss and I both saw the shot, it struck the deer and then the transformation was broken. We also both saw the deer tracks leading into the clearing, and saw that the few steps taken after being shot were those of a man. Be truthful Elton and it will work out, mask the real events with half-truths and it will cost not only you, but many in the Town much more pain..."

"This I know from experience..."

In anguish, "It was a deer!"
The tears start welling.
"I never would have shot if I had known it could have been Alvar."

Burying his face in his hands, "I didn't know. I didn't know!"

With a gesture towards Elton, "Are you telling me that Elton here killed Alvar?"

The initial surprised look turned to a frown, "Is that what I'm hearing?"

Turning towards Tobias while still keeping an eye on Elton, "What is this about a deer and what does it have to do with the murder"

Rolan steps forward and places a hand on his fellow hunter's shoulder "You must tell us the truth, ELton. There can be good end to this if you don't speak your truth." Allowing the man to rest and turning back to Constable Ashwick, Rolan answers him with a sigh "If I'm hearing this right, it would appear Elton hunted down a maajestic prey, a Golden Deer, something never before seen in these woods. As he downed the beast, a spell broke, and the deer transformed to reveal Alvar, dead by Elton's arrow. If what Tobias says is true, and I haven't cause to doubt him, then Elton is innocent, and whoever casted such trickery in the first place is the one who must be hunted down."

"Murder... that's your word Constable, not mine, not Elton's. There was no murder. There was a terrible, tragic accident... one which may have more sinister roots. The fact is that Elton is innocent. Perhaps he was duped, but he's certainly no murderer..."

"Dumoss has taken it upon himself to investigate the... unnatural circumstances. I've tried to keep Elton calm, but he's - understandably - terrified of what the townsfolk will think and say about him. I believe that's why he's having trouble with parts of his story..."

Tobias looked at the Nobleman, "With your vouching Sir, Elton will be spoken well of before the town. Due to my own... past, some of the townsfolk will certainly be suspicious. This is why we came in search you you. Your word carries weight on behalf of the innocent."

The young wizard rubbed his temples wearily. This was as much human interaction as he typically had in an entire week, and though he felt some minor sense of control of the situation here in his own Tower, he did not wish for his guests to stay any long than absolutely necessary.

He also fretted about how to break the news to his sister...

Through his hands he choked out, "I shot a deer and then found Alvar dead with an arrow that looked like mine."
More firmly he said, "That's the truth."

"I don't know how it happened."

Facing Sir Rolan, "On your word and from the description, I can accept that this was an accident."

In a stern tone to Elton, "I'm sure that Alvar's family will hold you accountable Elton and will expect you to pay the wergild even if it was an accident."

Turning to look directly at Tobias, "Do you have any idea who or what was behind this transformation of Alvar into a deer?"

"We can't have this sort of thing happening to others."

Rolan sighs, this was abnormal at the very least. He nodded to the Constable and said "This will require continued investigation, but I will vouch for Elton here and now, and I will pay the Wergild, Elton has a family to look after and he doesn't appear responsible for this." he paced for awhile, thinking of the horror that Elton must be feeling and then said "Ashwick, why don't you take body back with your watchmen and have it kept at the guardhouse until Elton, Tobias, and I can speak with the family and prepare a proper burial."

Everyone hears a thumping coming from the wall on the side of the room where the door and Watchman Potter had been earlier.

There was a muffled, "Constable! Constable! Are you OK?"

"Very well, I'm relieved that we understand each other and that the truth of what's happened is understood as well."

Tobias muttered a strange phrase and gestured at the wall with his staff. The room suddenly appeared as it had when they'd all entered, leaving one to wonder if the disappearance of the door had just been a figment of the imagination.

"Elton, you've done nothing wrong, save for trying to excuse certain facts and displace yourself from blame through obfuscation of the truth. Stick to the truth. I know you're scared. I, of anyone, understand this. But realize that you'll only cause more grief by muddying the waters."

The young wizard then stood and ran a hand through his bedraggled hair. "I suppose now's as good a time as any. Let's go see my sister."

In a commanding voice, "Watchman Potter carry Alvar's body to my office then, go get Old Man Fossor. Tell him he will need to dig a grave for Alvar."

"Elton, you will help Watchman Potter carry the body then wait at the office till I return."

"I will go inform Lord Math that we have lost our tanner and how it happened. He will decide if all is settled on this death."

Looking to Sir Roland, "Expect a summons from Lord Math when Alvar's family hears of what happened and that you will pay for his death. May take some time as they live at Willow's Edge but you can be sure they will be expecting payment."

Looking between Tobias, Elton and Roland, "If any of you know of another tanner that might move here, let me or Lord Math know. Several craftsmen depend on having leather."

Rolan nods and agrees to the Constable's requests. With this done, he's prepared to see the Alvar's family.