If she finds a location, she will look around for normal clues and look with a detect magic spell as well.
"I think if we just kind of hide ourselves, we might get a feel for what is happening around here. Maybe some of the locals might tell us which particular alleyways are the places the murders happen most frequently?" she suggests.
VBeccio laughs out loud at Mels' rendition of the Slasher's legend, applauding and shaking his head when she finishes, grinning broadly. "You do have a way with speeches and stories," he grins, finishing his coffee and standing, brushing the imaginary dust off his palms. "Sounds like just the thing for us to handle. Let's get going!"
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In the Devil's Nursery, the young Chelaxian seems visibly out of place, keeping one hand on his rapier and looking suspiciously at shadows, as if expecting to see the Slasher at any moment. "That could be worth trying," he mutters to Valrani, before nudging Mels in the ribs. "Reckon you can get some information for us?"
As the crew makes its way toward the Red Roof District, Rocco recalls the voice of his grandmother admonishing him for going near the place in one of his less-than-lawful explorations of the city and its various residencies. "You 'ent got no cause to be 'round them devils," she had said in her sharp, accusing voice. Even when Rocco had barely been old enough to remember anything, he remembered that voice and how terrifyingly ancient his grandmother had seemed. "Our folk's got 'nuff trouble in this here country w'thout gettin' mixed up in all they mess. You just stay away, a'right? You start seein' red roofs, you walks the otha way!" As usual, the old halfling had punctuated the end of her advice with a slap to the side of Rocco's head, which he took quietly and turned away, simply replying, "Yes, Grandmother."
All these years later, Rocco could practically feel the sting of his grandmother's spirit slapping him in the head. Blasted spirits, he thinks, Can't get a moment's peace. 'Cept fer you, o' course, Kurglunn. The unintended spiritualist does his best to keep pace with his longer-legged friends, which, thankfully, has the benefit of hiding the look of concern coming over his face. Despite his true desire to help the people of the city, he still had a bit of a negative disposition toward their destination and its inhabitants, thanks to his grandmother's warnings. Still, they had decided on their course, and he wouldn't be the one to back out.
"If hiding is your plan, just leave it to me. Kurglunn helps me stick to the shadows a bit better than normal. I can probably help ya'll find a good spot to hide out too if ya need it. For the time being, I'll hide out near the market and see if I overhear any good information." The halfling then throws one of the elven cloaks around himself and makes his way into the shadows of the alley, where he keeps his eyes and ears out for any details he might pick up from gossiping locals.
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Lirotha spends a couple of hours asking for directions before finding a tiefling with jet black skin and matching hooves who answers her questions without running away scared. He mentions that there have been 5 murders thus far, all happening at night. The last murder happened the night before in an alley near the southern wall of the city. The body was found by a young tiefling woman named Zea and the tiefling gives Lirotha the directions needed to reach her house.
As Lirotha asks around the rest of the party waits on the slum's outskirts. Everyone but Rocco who instead tries to hide among the shadows of the tiefling ghetto but doesn't notice anything unusual...
Lirotha will contact the rest of the group to meet outside Zea's address that day by sundown. Once the group arrives (or we have a majority of 3+) we'll go see if Zea will meet with us.
Valrani joins Lirotha outside the house. She looks around a little nervously. "This is not one of the areas I'd care to be after dark.."
After skulking in the shadows for a few hours, Rocco rejoins the others. "No luck," he says forlornly, "You'd think the folks around here didn't want to talk about the gruesome murders taking place in their neighborhood. *sigh* Anyway. How'd ya'll fare? Better than I did, I hope." When they get the message to meet at Zea's, he makes his way there with Valrani. He chuckles gravely at her nervousness and mutters to her in reply, "Not sure what it's like where you're from, but there's not many places in this city where it's a good idea to be after dark. But as long as we travel in numbers, we should be alright." He pats her comfortingly on the small of her back, then moves toward Lirotha. "So who's this Zea woman we're meetin' with? She related to one o' the victims or somethin'?"
Lirotha plays with a deck of Harrow in one hand, shuffling them as an exercise in agility. Wrinkling her nose at the small man, she hisses quietly.
"Listen up pug-face. Zis' here is a possible witness to one of the attacks! So go easy on her...and by the Hammer and the Keys
keep Kurglunn under your enormous hat so's you don't scare her off!"
"Pug-face? Look who's talkin', ya crooked dealer. Bah. Now's not the time. Yeah I'll keep Kurglunn tucked away. He's traumatized by the last time he had to look at yer ugly mug anyway." The halfling sticks his tongue out at the witch, then turns to head go toward Zea's house and puts on his "friendly" face.
Sticking her own tongue out at the jaunty halfling, Lirotha will start to follow. Keeping her Harrow deck moving in her hand, she'll
look at Valrani and smile.
"Rocco's a good guy, just has to be reminded of his place. He gets a big head now and then. Ya' know? For some reason he forgets
he's just three feet tall...and ugly. He stinks too...like fish...and...well you know."
She sniggers at her own low humor and follows Rocco.
"Smells" starts Valrani "don't generally bothered me. They are really quite natural. Although I confess some are more pleasing than others.."
As the others head towards the witness' house, Veccio looks at Meliandri and shrugs. "I suppose we'd better be following," he grins. "If anyone's suited to the talking, it's you."
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As the party enters the slums the few tieflings still around quickly disappear into their own hovels. Nontheless, thanls to Lirotha's information being pretty accurate the group is easily able to find Zea's abode. The place is an old and dilapidated stone house with red tiles on the roof. It has clearly seen better days but unlike many of other similar buildings all around the slum it shows signs of actual care.
The party seems esitant at first then Lirotha takes the initiative moving towards the solid looking door and knocking. After a while a timid voice answers the call:"Who goes there? What do you want at this time of the evening? It's dangerous out there!"
Whispering to the others Lirotha backs up a little so as not to press on the doorway too much.
"Wow! By the Books, she's still scared out of her scales! Mel? Think you can talk this lovely girl down from her metaphorical ledge?"
Meliandri narrows her eyes at Lirotha, shooting the half-elf a look before shuffling to the front of the party. She puts her hands in her pockets, then clears her throat. "Look, uh, miss. We 'ave not tried to force zee door, which someone trying to 'urt you would do. Before I ask you to let us in, though, I think we should 'ave some talking.
I believe we can be 'elping each other. You need zee Slasher-wannabe to be gone, and we need to be convincing you and your people zat we are worth supporting in zee coming days and months. Besides, I know almost 'alf of zee aria from "Zee Defenders of Westcrown", zee opera about zee legal cases following zat 'ole rebellion. Eet eez a banned piece, and Thrune would probably 'ave me 'ead for playing eet. Zere, now you know things about me. Why not be letting us in for some better talking? Oh! I am Meliandri, of 'Ouse Aulamaxa, eef zat 'elps."
"We don't like what is happening to people on the streets. Whether pureblood, or mixed." says Valrani.
"We all need to work together to live a life of safety. Let us help you."
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For quite a long while there's silence on the other side of the door then, just when you are starting to think about leaving it opens and a young tiefling woman with red skin and big caprine horns motions for you to get inside:"Move in, quick! It's not safe outside! Nowhere is anymore, really, but outside at night is really dangerous"
The house interior is modest but well kept. Zea asks why you did come for her and then seems conflicted about helping you or not. It's clear she desperately wants to do something about the killings but is really scared about going out at night. In the end your arguments win her over and she agrees to show you the place where the last murder happened. Unfortunately the body cannot be checked because the residents of Devil's Nursery quickly burn away dead bodies, partially in fear of them raising again as undeads. Anyway Zea promises to bring you to the murder's site first thing in the morning as the murders only happen at night.
The next morning Zea keeps her word and brings you to the place where she found the dead tiefling. She also claims the body's face had been mutilated. Be as it may you find yourselves in an alley near the southern walls. You see nothing hinting at a recent homicide although the air seem to have a certain salty tang.
Lirotha looks intently around the area, checking the smallest nooks in the cobblestones for anything that might aid them.
"AHA! Look me' lovlies! A tooth. Perhaps from our deceased victim? With the right spells, this can tell us much."
Turning to the young Zea, Lirotha will smile.
"You are very brave to come back here Zea m'lovely. May I ask? Did you see or hear anything of the attacker at all? You say the victim's face was mutilated? Were any of the Tieflings killed related to each other by blood or have similar physical traits to this man? For that matter, were all those killed so far just males?"
"There are just too many tracks here to tell what happened." sighs Valrani.
As Lirotha starts to ask questons, Valrani has some of her own
"And were the other dead also mutilated? And if so in the same way?" she pauses before asking the next questions "How was the victim identified, if he was lacking a face?"
Rocco follows along as Lirotha and Valrani examine the tracks and discover the stray tooth. He grimaces slightly as Vea explains that the victims' bodies had all been burned. "Did you at least ask if someone could restore the corpses well enough to get some information from 'em? You don't have to raise 'em up to get 'em talkin."
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As Lirotha asks her questions Zea gives an heavy sigh:"No... Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately... I just found the body, he was dead already, a recent immigrant come to Kintargo in search for respite and a new beginning. He didn't have a place to stay and wandered the alleys by night, passing from a makeshift shelter to another. As for your other questions I can't claim I'm well informed but I believe there was at least a woman among the dead and these people were not related by blood. The only common trait is they were wandering the streets alone at night, and they were more or less poor... but I guess that's a trait most people here in the Nursery share anyway and doesn't mean much" dhe finishes with a somewhat sarcastic chuckle.
Then the tiefling woman answers Valrani:"Can't say I know for certain. As I said I just happened to find the last body. The rumor is all of the victims were somehow defaced, but not enough to make them impossible to identify. In my case the victims face was covered in blood... thick and dark... and his mouth was badly mangled, yet the other features of his face had been left untouched... aside from the blood, that is"
Finally Zea shakes her head at Rocco's words:"No, my good halfling. The residents of the Devil Nursery don't have access to that kind of magic. And more importantly, we try to keep our heads low in the best of times and never has the situation been as dire as it is right now, with Barzilai Thrune ascended to power. We know he's just waiting for an excuse and even the slightest rumor of necromancy could give him what he needs to raze down the Nursery and get rid of us all. Look, people are really scared and now something or someone is killing us in the streets. We don't know what to do, but calling down Barzilai's Thrune attention on us is not something most of the people here are willing to contemplate"
Lirotha mumbles to herself, twiddles her fingers, and throws her hand out to scan and examine the killing area with a Detect Magic spell active. She continues to talk walk she scans.
"Rocco me'lovely? You can sense psychic manifestations correct? Maybe you can pick something up here in this location? Zea?
Do you know what has happened to the bodies after discovery? Were they burned or rendered down, turned over to the watch,
or is the latest corpse still available for inspection anywhere that you know of?"
"Heh. Yeah I can give it a shot. Probably about as likely to find something that way as we are to find the killer's tracks in the mud, but it don't hurt."
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Lirotha's examination of the site doesn't give up anything significant. If magical means were used for the killing their traces have faded away a long time ago.
Rocco's investigation does yeld something. Apparently the only psychically significant item in the area is the tooth the party uncovered earlier. As the halfling examines the body part his mind is suddenly flooded with emotions...
Meanwhile Zea answers to Lirotha's questions:"Once found the bodies were briefly kept for identification then cremated. The same happened with the one I found I believe. Listen... I believe you mean well, and I'm grateful you want to help us but there's nothing more to be done here right now. Leave the Nursery. I'll keep an hear out for rumors and if anything else happens I will make sure to inform you. I'll also ask around for details about the other victims. Maybe you can help us, maybe not, but at least you are trying and that's more than most people can say"
You quickly give directions to the tiefling to find you in case of need. Ans a couple of days later Zea makes contact with you at the Wasp Nest. As you quickly surmise there's been a new homicide in the Devil's Nursery.
Zea guides you back through Kintargo's underbelly making sure to avoid the dottari patrolling the city. Little mor ethan half an hour later you are back in the Nursery where Zea guides you towards a nondescript building. Inside a couple of grizzled male tieflings wait, guarding the latest victim, a tiefling girl, no more than five years old by her looks. The 2 devilspawns nod at Zea then at you and move away, leaving you the space to examine the dead body.
Rocco lazily scans the area as Lirotha had suggested, seeing only the mildest hints of any psychic impressions. He is almost ready to cease his examination until he remembers to scan the tooth. He turns toward the body part and is suddenly shocked by the flood of emotions and images that crowd into his inner eye. He reels back momentarily, but manages to keep his feet. "Whoa. That was unpleasant. There was something...odd...though. A...buzzing sound? Best keep an eye out for insects maybe?"
When Zea comes to lead the group to most recent murder site, Rocco's mind races back to the impressions he had gotten from the tooth. He cautiously moves toward the girl's body, and looks around carefully.
Looking closely at the corpse, Lirotha does a thorough examination for any clues.
"These are tiny humanoid bites...Fey maybe? A swarm at least. Could they have been pursued and possibly killed by some sort of fey or
vermin-sized humanoids? Look these bites are inflamed! What could do that...? Sweet Valrani? Your druidic nature leans you closer to fey
than myself. What do you think? Rocco said he heard buzzing when he touched the tooth from the previous victim...sounds like whatever
they are they can fly too. Has anybody heard of fey or miniature flying humanoids living anywhere in Kintargo before? Are diabolical Imps
prevalent here at all?"
Valrani looks at the corpse a little dispassionately.
"Well, she is dead... my goodness, you are right about those bites. It is like someone has been eating her.."
<- any idea what may have done it?
"Is she too missing teeth?"
"I don't know much about the local wildlife--aside from the rats that is. This seems new though. If these deaths have just started happening recently, I don't think it'd be because of some creatures wandering in from the wilds. Some must be behind all this. Maybe someone who can control these things?"
Valrani has a look at the dead girl, inparticular at her mouth.
<-untrained.
"Odd, all the teeth missing. And that left over tooth on the path before too..."
Lirotha looks skeptical at the revelation.
"Tooth Fairies? Not the serial killer I had in mind me' lovlies! Are these creatures really that dangerous?
By the Books and the Keys, aren't most fairies just harmless jokers?"
"I suppose you might call these ones jokers too. But harmless? Apparently not. We'd best figure out how to deal with these wee beasties before we make an unexpected to the surgeon."
"I know a bit about them..." mutters Valrani.
"They are vicious and evil. They delight in torture and causing pain as much as anything else."
She sighs "I guess you will need some cold iron to use against them. I don't have any, but if we are to go hunting, them I'd highly recommend it."
"Given our current foes, eet may be wise for us to 'ave more of a plan. Could we per'aps get an idea of where zee creatures are 'iding? Or at least an idea of what zey like to lair near?" Meliandri smiles, then unconsciously touches her teeth. "I would prefer not to be losing zis smile."
Lirotha smiles herslef.
"I don't think none of us wanna lose any 'pearlies' my lovely Meliandri!"
Turning back to Zea, Lirotha will nod at the body while still smiling.
"Any hunches where fairies of any sort might be hiding in this area of Kintargo? My guess would be something natural like a cave
or maybe a park with trees and bushes? Either that or something with LOTS of teeth around!"
"Tooth Fairies? Who knows? An old dentists office maybe?" offers Valrani.
"Aside from that, a park sounds like as good a place as any."
"Yeah, I could picture a bunch of fairies living in a tree, but I don't know where you'd find a park with nice enough trees to give 'em a proper place to nest here in the Devil's Nursery. More likely they've taken up in some abandoned house or some such place. There's sure to be plenty of them around this part o' town."
Approaching Zea, Lirotha smiles and grasps her by the shoulders gently.
"Thank you for all your help Zea m'lovely. We now have a good idea who...what is behind these attacks! All because of you. Can you help me a little more? If we could find a map of the Nursery and mark the spots where the attacks occurred, we may be able to figure out where these creatures are coming from much faster! If you wish, I can pay you, and anybody who helps, 2 silvers a day for this information and any updates we can get...or offer I can complementary Harrowing to any lovely who wants to sit with me!"
Lirotha then hands the girl 2 silvers right then and there and tries to seem as reassuring as possible.
"Alright. I guess we should do some shopping, eh?" Veccio sighs, turning to Meliandri. "Cold iron and something to throw at them. Know of a good place?"