"Dhur is my friend, he normally sleeps here and we look for food in the day. He didn't come for me this morning." The child continued. "He sleeps in this alley and I didn't find him here either. I don't know where he is."


Lia couldn't find any trace of a lingering spell or an obviously magical item at work. The blood didn't show any obvious spellcasting, but it was definitely not of human origin.

Lia focuses on the blue blood to see if she can dredge anything from the pit of her mind.

======
OOC: Maybe a Nature check?

Alison looked around while she listened, not entirely sure how useful the kids information was going to be for them.

19:10, Today: Alison Romtree rolled 13 using 1d20+3.  Perception.

Still calm and helpful in tone Precious gives asking some slightly more direct questions a chance.

”When you and Dhur look for food where do you go, or if one of you is scared of something is there some place you go to hide or be safe?”

Lia moves back towards Alison. She tries to ascertain whether she'd be interupting or if she's happy to talk quietly.

Alison looked up to see Lia coming her direction, and smiled. With Precious taking care of the kid, she could put her attention elsewhere and hopefully the kid at ease a bit more as well.

"Hello, uh, I'm Lia," says Lia. "We've not worked together before, obviously, but I'm hoping to be able to fit in and contribute. Please tell me if I'm being too eager.." She pauses, perhaps defensively, then continues as if in a rush to get it out, "You probably know but just in case not, I spotted a broken bottle with blue blood on it, most probably (minor) Gubelim. And the deceased, the lady, I judge she passed away the night before; most probably after midnight. And there's no magic on this (crime) scene, either direct ot fading. That's all I've got." She looks intently at Alison, eyes searching the lady's face.

Alison smiled, "No, Lia, I think you're just eager enough. I saw some, but you noticed more than me and some of that I don't even have the training to have taken a guess at. So got a very good deal, thank you. Have you spoken to Titus about this yet?" Alison pointed toward Titus in case introductions still needed to be made.

Lia smiles back, recognising that Alison's nice. "Thank you. Pleased to be able to help. There's something weird going on here; I can almost feel it." She lets out a puff of breath. "No. Not really. No, I haven't." She look across in Titus's direction and then back to Alison, face almost saying, 'Please?'

Alison's smile grew more genuine. She gave a simple nod and then motioned for her to follow as she gave a quick look back at Precious to make sure all was well. Then she lead Lia over to where Titus was standing and made the introductions, "Titus, this is one of our new recruits, Lia. She has discovered some useful details. I'll her give you the report."

Lia flashes a small smile of thanks to Alison. It makes small crickle-lines appear at the sides of her eyes.
She waits for Titus to signal he's ready..

Titus had listened to Lia's explanation about the bottle and blood, unsure of what to make of the words. He'd never heard of Gubelim before; whatever that was. In his ponder he didn't even notice when Alison first attempted to formalize the introduction. It was only when he happened to glance over did he see the cleric.

Moving to her he extended a hand in greeting.

"Titus, Titus Gray. Glad to have you aboard. Seems you know your stuff. So what can you tell us about this...Gubelim? Was that it?"

She takes the proffered hand and shakes it with a squeeze: men seemed to think you weren't a real person otherwise. "Asaliian. Pleased to  be of service." She meets his gaze and repossesses her hand. "Thank you. Yes. They're people. Just like us, mostly, but with an immortal somewhere in their bloodline. That's what gives them strange coloured blood. Not always, but often. And they may have  supernatural gifts of some kind. Not always, but most often." She gives their sterotypically generic desciptions or characteristics [of dragonborn, drow and tieflings.]
This message was last edited by the player at 08:41, Sun 18 July 2021.

The child kept answering to Precious. "We normally stay by the alleys in the west pier. There is more food close to the market and the commercial area, but there are bigger kids there and we don't want to get involved with them. They are big and bad, we hide from them in the side alleys and sometimes we enter the sewage, but not if we can help it. It is scary down there."

Precious smiles a wide and clearly happy smile once she gets something useful out of the child, then turns her focus to Alison to offer an assessment of that information in a more usable form.

”It looks like the friend is another street child, likely quite young as they avoid older children, and only know safety when running and hiding so even if we do guess the right place to look it its more than likely they will flee before we get there, particularly if that involves going into the sewer, better to wait for them to come back and keep an eye on likely hangouts.

In any case the children are obviously not of interest to the killer, just bystanders no doubt scared out of their minds.  We should look into any sightings of particularly monstrous Gubelim.”
This message was last edited by the player at 19:15, Thu 22 July 2021.

Not close enough to overhear anyone saying anything important Lia lurks patiently.

Alison nodded her agreement to Precious's comments, and her comments. "Alright, Dave, the little one's ready for that food you've promised, now." She waited to Suspicious Dave to be gone before discussing anything further.

Dave saluted and motioned for the kid to follow him towards the Stone Sword. Titus then mentioned. "We need to regroup and pñan our next move."

"Well, finding where the boy's friend has gone seems to be the thing we need, isn't it?" comments Lia. "Not sure we've got much else that's solid. Or do you recall something I don't?"

"Well, Alison, where shall we go while the little fellow has his food in the 'Sword?" asks Lia as she eyes the retreating back of Dave.

A cat sat on a barrel under an awning.  It's patches of red, black & cream muted by the shadow that was casted over it.  It's tail twitched as it watched the group of investigators arrive on the scene.  Another urchin, victim to the horror that is plaguing this city...

Its tail twitched again, tilting its head slightly as the rookie seemed to snap at the newcomers.  Calico mentally frowned at that.  The soldiers were getting irritable, likely from suspicion that they're not doing their job... or worse, aiding whatever is doing this.  Dave wasn't really helping their case.

With a subtle chirp, he hopped down silently and morphed into his humanoid form as he casually walked from the alley shadows.  He kept his hands raised slightly to show he was harmless.  "The boy isn't the first witness," he informed them.  "I found another down by the docks muttering about monsters.  Poor boy spends too much time by the sewers and I warned him that unsavory things are down there, but I feel like this is different and very similar to our new friend." He nodded down at the boy accompanied by the rookie.

He was one of the fair-folk, a Nymphling, with a delicate facial structure that boasted hazel eyes and a pointed nose.  His reddish hair was long enough to meet his jawline.  His clothes were simple cotton and hemp of brown & dingy white.  A leather vest covered his slender torso, draping over his hips where a dagger was sheathed.  His boots were well worn and showed sign of constant mending.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:49, Fri 23 Dec 2022.

A Lomari is sitting in the shade on the side of road.  He is strumming a lute and singing a sad song about the sea.  Oddly enough, he was dressed as a cleric. His voice is as smooth as glass and it makes people want to stop and listen.

Lia nods at Calico, "You surprised me then. I'm Lia. The help is welcome." Moving closer she nods, "Perhaps we can go see the lad, or lass, down at the docks and find out what transpired. We can pick up some food on the way." She amplifies, "For the urchin."

Their route may take them past a musical Lomari.

"I took him somewhere to be cared for," he said absently as he approached the body and squatted beside it.  He had heard Lia's assessment but wanted to see it up close himself.  His long, thin fingers touched the blood and brought it to his nose to sniff it, then dabbed it on his tongue.  "He was less helpful than his friend, I'm afraid; very traumatized."

He wiped his hand off on his tunic, leaving a faint indigo stain as he stood and made his way back.  "I'm Calico," he introduced himself but made no move to make the greeting physical.  "I work contract for the City Watch.  They've tapped my services to help in the investigation."

He sighed and glanced the way Dave had taken the child.  "I regret that I don't agree with your Shubbet about waiting.  That'll just invite more murders, and the street dwellers sometimes venture into the sewers for shelter or shortcuts."  That and Calico wasn't one for waiting.  He worked in action, not patience.

Calico turned his attention back to Lia.  "You said the woman was a Gubelim?  The Watch didn't give me much information on the other killings.  No talk about blue blood or Gubelims.  Do you think the murderer is targeting them?"  Why else would they kill one person and ignore others present?

He frowned, wishing he had seen other bodies, but shrugged slightly. "Anyway, I found Dhur near a sewer entry and suspect that's a starting point."

[OOC: Does the dead woman look like a Gubelim?

Also, @Anderlin, may I suggest you more actively join the scene?  Did the DM give you any information to contribute?  We're not strolling down a street, so a minstrel cleric isn't exactly a detail of interest.  Nor would I envision a plethora of passersby to be available to stop and listen considering the recent event.]
This message was last edited by the player at 22:21, Fri 23 Dec 2022.

He was just practicing, not busking.  I wasn't given a hook, so was trying to create one.

"Just back in town after a long absence.  Trying to define my way, as it has been blurry of late.  My desire is to help folks in need.  Are you, perhaps, in need of help?"

He stands up and approaches them.

"The name is Anderlin.  I am a mixed bag of tricks, music, poetry, stories, or perhaps you prefer healing or other clerical services?"