A Rise With A Difference
Game Master Dabbler

Gob whispers to Aylmora on their way out, "Perhaps you should let Ameiko know you were concerned about a prowler but to keep it quiet for now. In case those here are in danger?"

"Maybe the intruder works as a butcher... We should check the butchery. Sheriff, is it possible to get some dogs up here and to track the intruder by scent?" Thanadros recommends as they leave.

The Sheriff listens with alarm as the details of the intruder are outlined.

"The dogs are at the sawmill, after we've investigated there we can look around, yes. Anything that might tell us who the killer is..." he shakes his head, looking worried.

As soon as you step outside, though, his demeanour exudes confidence and purpose. The Sandpoint Lumbar Mill sits on the banks of the Turandock river with a slow-turning water-wheel powering the log-splitter. Timber is delivered by a small pier that extends out into the river a shirt way.

Outside the mill a small crowd is gathered, voices muttering and wondering. The guards keeping them at bay nod to the Sheriff as you pass them. Another guard stands nearby with two dogs on leashes.

"Any luck?" the Sheriff asks.

"No sir, the dogs, they won't go near the...smell. Sorry sir."

Before heading off, Gornak imbues his hammer with a 5 pp Metaphysical Weapon (lasts 5 hours).

----

Once at the sawmill, Gornak says, "Wait -- before we go in, let me give your weapons a little boost. There could be a crazy killer in there!"

Metaphysical Weapon on the bows of Thanadros and Vaclav, lasts 5 minutes

Gob whispers to Aylmora on their way out, "Perhaps you should let Ameiko know you were concerned about a prowler but to keep it quiet for now. In case those here are in danger?"

Aylmora pauses to consider the blue goblin's words. "That's a good point," she agrees with Gob. "I'll tell Ameiko and Bethanna before we leave."

-----
At the sawmill

Outside the mill a small crowd is gathered, voices muttering and wondering. The guards keeping them at bay nod to the Sheriff as you pass them. Another guard stands nearby with two dogs on leashes.

"Any luck?" the Sheriff asks.
"No sir, the dogs, they won't go near the...smell. Sorry sir."

"Did you say 'smell'?" Aylmora asks, her suspicions rising. "What kind of smell?"

"It's like rotten meat, Miss, or an open grave," the guardsman wrinkles his nose in disgust. "The dogs will track anything, but they won't go near this. Can't say as I blame them."

Sheriff Hemlock shakes his head at Gornak's suggestion.

"I swept the building with my men, there's no-where to hide and whoever did this isn't here," he tells them firmly.

"You'd be surprised," Gornak replies, remembering the last invisible attacker he faced.

Hogarth, Vaclav wouldn't be packing the bow to go out to breakfast. Given we're consulting on a crime scene, he's not going to run up to the Cathedral to get it. He will gladly accept some juice for his mace however.

Sawmill:

Vaclav listens attentively to the conversation while he looks around.

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Cleric of "Deadeye" Erastil. How appropos.

"Is there anything else you have found or was strange. Even something minor could be a hint." Thanadros asks the gaurds.

Gob also takes a look around at the scene, then searches for magic again.

Perception 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 take 10 if possible!
Then detect magic the whole area.

Given we're consulting on a crime scene, he's not going to run up to the Cathedral to get it.

In D&D-land, you wouldn't grab a weapon to track down a mass-murderer!? I guess Erastil is the god of optimism. :-)

"Hmm. Nothing seems out of place here. May we look inside?"

Vaclav Rennet wrote:

Given we're consulting on a crime scene, he's not going to run up to the Cathedral to get it.

In D&D-land, you wouldn't grab a weapon to track down a mass-murderer!? I guess Erastil is the god of optimism. :-)

He's got the mace. A bow isn't something he needs to search a sawmill. If we track whatever it is out of town, then he'll get the bow.

Then Gornak enhances his mace.

You enter the sawmill...it is in three parts: the pier outside, the upper section where logs are hauled and the lower where the sawn logs land after going through the log-splitter. Who is going where?

"Where were the bodies found?" Aylmora asks Sheriff Hemlock.

Thanadros makes his way down to where the sawn logs are deposited and takes a good look around.

Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

"One above, one below," Sheriff Hemlock replies grimly.

Thanadros descends a short flight of wooden steps to a room where the lumbar is stacked, with a water-gate at the far end from which it can be shipped or floated out.

A guardsman trying not look sick stands near to a stack of fresh-cut planking in the middle of the room below the splitter, on top of which is a mess of blood, rags and torn flesh.

"It was Katrine, Ven Vinder's younger daughter," the guardsman volunteers in a choked voice, unable to look.

Other than a feint trace near the remains, there is not a hint of the foul stench. It doesn't take a genius to work out that Katrine was probably thrown into the log-splitter from above my her killer.

Gob checks the water gate for signs of forced entry.

Perception 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Aylmora heads to the upper level of the sawmill and looks around.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

The water gate is barred fast from the inside.

Aylmora ascends a short flight of stairs, but is unprepared for the horror that meets her gaze as she enters the upper level. The mill interior is coated with sawdust strewn with footprints and splashes of blood. By the opening to the log-splitter an axe stands buried in the floor with blood on the handle. The worst sight is directly facing you: Harker’s body has been horribly desecrated. The poor man has been affixed to the wall by several hooks normally used to hang machinery. The body is mutilated, the face carved away and lower jaw missing entirely. His bare chest is defaced as well, bearing a strange rune in the shape of a seven-pointed star. This rune is familiar to you, Gornak wears a similar one around his neck.

You can smell the stench of death and rotting meat in hear quite strongly, and it is strongest near the axe and log-splitter, and near the body.

Gornak's face contorts in horror and disgust. "Why? Why would anyone do this? And what does this symbol have to do with it?"

Vacalv follows Aylmora and Gornak to the upper level.

"Good questions, my friend. I thought the symbol tied to the ancient culture that built the demonic engine at Thistletop, but it would appear some group is making use of it today. Nualia must have had allies who remain unknown."

Vaclav looks over the rest of the floor, then approaches the body. That missing jaw will keep him from providing us with any information.

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

And let's throw in a liberal sprinkling of detect magic too.

"That is - or was - Banny Harker," Sheriff Hemlock remarks quietly as you examine the scene. "A penny-pinching, hard-nosed man, it's be hard to find anyone locally who didn't want to kill him, running the lumbar mill all night."

Vaclav's closer inspection reveals the presence of several additional wounds. Unlike the deeper slashes on the body, these smaller gashes almost seem to have been made by a claw—a five-fingered, human-hand-sized claw. The rotten scent seems stronger near these wounds. The body is only recognizable as Harker’s by a faded tattoo of a raven across his lower abdomen which the Sheriff points out.

I take it the detect magic came up negative?

Vaclav peers at the wounds and frowns. "Aylmora, do you smell it here?" He gestures at the wounds.

Just going to RP lack of smell due to the cold I mentioned earlier. It's a feature, not a bug.

Aylmora struggles to keep her composure upon seeing the scene of slaughter.

"That is - or was - Banny Harker," Sheriff Hemlock remarks quietly as you examine the scene. "A penny-pinching, hard-nosed man, it's be hard to find anyone locally who didn't want to kill him, running the lumbar mill all night."

"Back at the Rusty Dragon you said there were two victims, Sheriff. Who was the other? Someone else who worked here at the sawmill?" Aylmora asks.

Vaclav peers at the wounds and frowns. "Aylmora, do you smell it here?" He gestures at the wounds.

"I do. Rotting meat smell, just like back at the Rusty Dragon. It's strongest near the axe and log-splitter... and near Banny Harker's body. Especially near the rune-shaped slashes on his chest."

"It was Katrine, Ven Vinder's younger daughter," the guardsman volunteers in a choked voice, unable to look.

"...Who are Katrine and Ven Vinder? And do we yet know what reason did she have to be at the sawmill today? Did she work here? Does she have anything to do with the other victim?" Thanadros asks the guard.

In the Upper Room:

"Katrine Vender, Ven's younger daughter. What's left of her is downstairs." The Sheriff is tight lipped.

In the Lower Room:

"Old Ven? he runs the general store in the village. Got two daughters he watches like hawks, but he can't watch both at once, if you take my meaning. My guess is she was here last night seeing Banny Harker," he grimaces and jerks his head toward the upper room. "No accounting for taste, but I suppose he must have money."

"Katrine? Why was she here?" Aylmora asks the Sheriff. "Did Ibor Thorn have any idea why she would've been here?"

She pauses for a moment and then remembers something else the Sheriff said at the Rusty Dragon. "Sheriff, you said that the note left for me was nailed to the sleeve of one of the victims - was it Banny or Katrine?"

"Also, you said that these were the second set of murders within the last few days. Who were the first victims? And where were they found? We didn't hear anything about a murder in town."

She looks again at Banny Harker's mutilated body. "The way his body was desecrated so brutally with that symbol carved on his chest... Could he have been killed as part of some strange ritual?" she muses aloud, looking to Vaclav for confirmation.

Rune_Master, you said that the rotting meat smell was strongest near the axe, and that there was blood on the axe handle. Does the axe blade have blood on it as well? Is the smell from the blood on the handle, or from the axe head (if it is bloody)?

Gornak nervously fingers his necklace, wondering if he should take it off.

Gob spends a few minutes heaving up his breakfast, then covering it with saw dust after finally looking at the corpses, the reality of it sinking in. Gob looks a little hollow as he accompanies the party on their investigation.

...

She looks again at Banny Harker's mutilated body. "The way his body was desecrated so brutally with that symbol carved on his chest... Could he have been killed as part of some strange ritual?" she muses aloud, looking to Vaclav for confirmation.

...

"No ritual that I know, but I've never had a lot of formal training. We could ask Father Zantus later."

"Sheriff, we will want to bring both bodies up to the Cathedral. They should be properly prepared for burial as soon as possible. What happened to the bodies of the other victims?"

@Aylmora: The axe has blood on the handle, not the blade - on that is some grey rotting meat of some sort. The finger-marks on the handle are slim and not like Banny's thick hands - these are the hands of a woman.

Survival check from somebody upstairs, please! And from Aylmora, Fort save DC13...

"You can talk to Ibor yourselves, I have him back at the barracks for his own protection, along with Ven Vinder. The note was on Banny's sleeve, there," the Sheriff indicates a small puncture wound.

"The first murders were at least two days ago. A patrol were assailed by a deranged man. He was obviously sick and insane, his flesh fevered, eyes wild, mouth frothing, and clothes caked with blood. The guards subdued him, but when they checked inside the barn they discovered the mutilated bodies of three men - mutilated just like Harker here. They were unrecognizable, but there was a note with them," the Sheriff produces a scrap of parchment.

Messrs. Mortwell, Hask, and Tabe—
A deal has come about that I need
capital in. It involves property and
gold, and though I am not at liberty to
tell you the exact details, it will make
us all rich. Come to Bradley’s Barn on
Cougar Creek tonight. We can meet
there to discuss our futures.
Your Lordship

"Tarch Mortwell, Lener Hask, and Gedwin Tabe are notorious con men and swindlers. I forbade the three men from operating in Sandpoint, and I was not surprised to find them murdered — after all, it was only a matter of time before they tried to swindle someone worse than them. But now, seeing Harker with the same rune inscribed in him, I think this is something worse. I have their bodies in the barrack's cellar. Once you have examined them, Brother Vaclav, I'll turn them over to Father Zantos.

"The madman, we found, was Grayst Sevilla, a local thug. He's in the care of the Saintly Haven of Respite, outside of town."

Knowledge (local) DC10 anyone.

DC 13 Fort save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
DC 10 Knowledge (local) check - untrained: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 - nope, no idea...

"Look! The axe blade isn't bloody, but has some kind of rotting gray meat on it," Aylmora points out to her companions. "But the bloody finger-marks on the handle are small - like a woman's. I wonder if Katrine used the axe against whatever was attacking Banny?"

"By the way, why is Ven Vinder in custody?" Aylmora asks the Sheriff.

Is the handwriting on this new note the same as the note that the was addressed to Aylmora?

The handwriting is the same.

"He went berserk when I informed him of his daughter's death," Sheriff Hemlock explains. "I don't think he killed them, not for a moment, but he is mad with grief. His only answer to what he doesn't understand or cannot control is to hit it, I'm afraid, and he didn't like the news. Now if Harker was found beaten to within an inch of his life, that I'd believe of Ven, but not killing him, not deliberately, never like this and never his own daughter."

Aylmora's face pales as she studies the note. "This handwriting... It's the same as the note that was addressed to me!" she exclaims, glancing to each of her companions. "But who is this 'Your Lordship' that signed it? And why is he interested in me?! The only lord I've ever met was that Aldern Foxglove, and he left for Magnimar weeks ago!"

"You said that madman, Grayst Sevilla, was found near the first victims - the ones that had this note? I wonder if he saw this 'Your Lordship'? Sounds like we may need to make a visit to the Saintly Haven of Respite."

"Sheriff, can we talk to Ven, too. We might be able to get something from him. " Vaclav looks around one last time. "I'm going downstairs to see Katrine."

"Of course you may, and Ibor, and indeed anyone else you feel you need to, Brother Vaclav."

Vaclav nods thanks and goes downstairs to look at Katrine and the scene down there.

One thing he's looking for is the state of her head and throat. Could she speak?

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

The gruesome remains of Katrine display graphically that she went head-first through a log-splitter that turns out two-inch thick planking.

No chance can she speak.

So how did they ID her? :-p

"I guess I may as well go down too," Gornak says as he follows Vaclav. He grimaces at the mutilated corpse, but living in a garbage dump has taught him to have a strong stomach.

You will have to ask :D

"What can you tell me of this Banny Harker then? Is it common place for women to be attracted to his coin pouch? "

"If I knew how a woman's mind worked, I'd not still be single," the guard laughs a little shakily. "As for Banny Harker, he's run this lumber mill for years and never spends a copper he doesn't have to. Runs it late into the night, too, which doesn't make him popular with the neighbours who have to put up with the noise. You'd be best off asking Ibor Thorn, he found the bodies this morning and he knew Harker better than most."

Vaclav stares at the human mash in the splitter and asks the guard, "How could you tell it's Katrine?"

"Ibor Thorn said she often came here late at night to meet with Harker," Sheriff Hemlock follows Vaclav down the stairs. "And we found her dress in a corner of the room upstairs, Ven identified it as hers."

"Wait. She was naked? aybe we should check out her dress, maybe there is a clue."

"So a lover's tryst? She and Harker are upstairs when the killer attacks. He pushes her down here, then overpowers Harker, pins him to the wall, and carves him up."

How big and strong was Harker?

"I think there's the remains of her kyrtle in there, but certainly she was only partially dressed," Sheriff Hemlock grimaces. "Ven didn't take that very well, either. The dress is back at the barracks also."

Harker was a little less bulky and strong than Thanadros.

"So where is Cougar's Creek anyways? We probably should go there and see if there are more clues." Gornak looks a bit uncomfortable, considering that he is a trifle large to make an unobtrusive inquisitor.