ACI Stover Delft AKA GM |
DAY 2, RHC HQ 8am
Your group all went back to your apartments for the evening and come in bright and early either for excitement or from despair about possibly meeting the Viscount and having your meeting.
Delft calls you into his office and has enough chairs for the group of you and says, "Fellas, this should be interesting, shouldn't it?"
He then spits out a wad of chaw into the spitton behind his desk making that all too famous ching sound as he hit the lip of it.
He then continues, "Don't worry about the Viscount, he is a good man and I have worked with him in the past. Just be honest with him and his people and everything will alright. I hope you didn't cut any corners."
He then turns around and says, "I do know what he is going to find and that is that our chief has been undermining our investigation into the mayor's contacts by taking you guys off of the case. Asher, I know these problems aren't yours but I hope I can trust you not to run your mouth to Saxby. Any questions so far?"
ACI Stover Delft AKA GM |
He smiles at Falko and says, "Your group has been the key to taking down two traitors, but what this audit tells me is that other folks higher up in the government are doing the dirt and are worried about their own prosperity. I have run clean investigations my entire career so I am not worried about this audit. As long as you have been dotting your Is and crossing your Ts we should be fine."
Delft then spits his chaw into the spittoon once again and says, "Good work yesterday taking down those crazy alien creatures and saving a whole lot of people. I have read the statements about how these things were summoned from the staff, inadvertently, and then after they were defeated these beasts didn't disappear. The staff from yesterday and the odd looking sword and the amulet from last night's failed apprehension have turned up items that are from ancient times and I have set up an appointment with Professor Hans Weber from Pardwright University's department of Archaeology for this afternoon. What I want you to do is continue to monitor the expo but still keep investigating these artifacts."
Cretien Dufrene |
"Excellent."
LeMond Asher |
Asher listen's to Delft's briefing, and responds to the bit about running his mouth. He gives a tight lipped smile. "Don't worry. I shall try to be... Inoffensive." He says this in the kind of manner that implies he has been giving this assurance frequently, recently.
"That Rackus, has he been released yet?" he asks Delft after receiving the new orders.
GMEDWIN |
Delft smiles and says, "No not yet, his murder beef is local... he should be released within the next day or so. Just a side note, the alien corpses will be sent to the Battalion for further study. Hopefully, we will learn a more efficient way to combat those beasts were they to show up again."
He then continues, "I am thankful for your loyalty and concern. Dismissed"
As you leave Delft's office, one of your colleagues on one of the other teams named Carlao walks up to you and says, "Look fellas, we have been given the crap end of the stick and were given the cleanup of the Macbannin case by Saxby, we didn't want it but it was dumped on our desks, anyway, my team were wondering if you can give our new crime scene a second set of eyes for us this morning."
Angus McCormick |
Maybe he answers Carlao We still have our mission to monitor the expo until it ends and now and audit too
he looks at the others
Should we split up ? Cretien and falko to the new crime scene and this afternoon's appointment while we patrol the expo ?
GMEDWIN |
Carlao says, "We also have to be audited too, shoot I will send half of my team to the expo to cover for you if a couple of you guys can check it out. I really shouldn't be asking you for help because of the old lady but there was some Whisky-Oscar at the scene." he says in a whisper.
Did any of you take Detect Planar Energy as a first level spell?
LeMond Asher |
"From the little I've picked up on..." Asher starts with a cautious tone of voice, like a military instructor who is considering letting the recruits learn just how bad firepowder can be on their own or not. "... this is exactly the the situation you have been told to avoid by Saxby."
He gives each member of his team a warning look. "However, these weren't directed at me." Asher leaves the rest unsaid.
Cretien Dufrene |
"Honestly, I am better suited to the expo affair. Weapons, machines, the exact thing I was contracted to RHC to consult for..."
GMEDWIN |
Carlao walks with you outside where he feels he can speak a bit more freely. "Look, you want machines, there is gods' damned golem at the scene there is a murdered man and witchoil. No one on my team knows machines at all and your team has the most experience with witchoil in the service. If any of you want to help jump in my carriage to Parity Lake."
Cretien Dufrene |
"Alright, Alright, no need to get hostile. I'll go if one of the beefier sorts from my team is going."
LeMond Asher |
"If Constable Dufrene is going to the crime scene, I should probably attend the expo. Unless, you were referring to me as one of the beefier ones, Constable?"
Cretien Dufrene |
"No, not at all. You made better headway at the expo than I, and with your contact there it is the best place for you."
LeMond Asher |
Works for me.
Asher turns to the group of constables going to the crime scene. "You boys be careful. There are politics at play with you lot, and aren't they always a f@$#ing load of wet powder?"
Angus McCormick |
Well if Carlao is sending his team to cover for us at the expo then we can all go to this crime scene. Both assignment will then be covered. We need you also Cretien me thinks he says gently to his friends
GMEDWIN |
Asher and John feel free to tell me which part of the expo you want to see and so on.
Chretien, Angus, Falko
the stench of decomposition, because that s~%& can be most foul smelling, but some workers found him just yesterday. The
man had to have been dead for a few weeks at least."
He takes a quick drag of a nicodemian cigar and continues, "Normally, local PD would handle a standard murder but
what got the case kicked over to us at the RHC was the presence of two
strange things: a ring of rusted iron, and a slender golem which had been torn to pieces. The golem made me think of the Professor and I thought I saw some witchoil residue, we are good at charisma game but not as much at the detective work, I honestly thought our group would be spying on Drakr or something."
Cretien Dufrene |
The Professor waxes contemplative for a moment, then asks a few questions. "Any signs of struggle? Witchoil on the man's hands? Cuts on his hands suggesting he ripped the golem? Did the man look abnormally strong? Has the blood been analyzed? Does the ring have any notable symbols?" He pauses to give the man a chance to respond, assuming he had figured out at least a few of these things.
LeMond Asher |
And who from the other team is joining us?
"Let's stick together... Constable." Asher says to Johnathan after reaching the expo, the last word delayed with the strangeness of using it on someone so young.
"My contact didn't have much useful to share, so let us look under different rocks, maybe? Somewhere a bit further from the staging area. Where did you explore before?"
Angus McCormick |
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
GMEDWIN |
What do you want to poke?
AFC
LJ
Cretien Dufrene |
perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
engineering: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32
arcana: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Cretien studies the scene when they arrive.
Falko Escheus |
Falko shadows Cretien, careful not to stand in his way, but looks over his shoulder to get a sense of the scene. When appropriate, he asks his colleague some clarifying questions, and tests hypotheses with him.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
Know arcane: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Know engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Know history: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Know planes: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
GMEDWIN |
AFC
Victim
The victim’s wrists were bound together by a twisted steel bar, as were
his ankles. It would take either magic or great strength to bend the steel, and this was done very precisely. He had some sort of necklace, because links remain near his body, but most of it is missing.
Golem
The golem is in a hundred pieces. Its chest is torn into four components, while its face cracked apart into countless tiny pieces. The main bulk of the golem’s head looks intact. The body is unimposing. Before it was smashed to bits it probably
stood about 5½ feet tall, slender, and mostly bronze. But its internalstructure is of the finest quality, with miniscule gears in the hands that would have allowed nuanced movements. The face, shattered though it is now, could once have displayed fantastic expressions.
There are a few chain links amid its wreckage, just like the necklace the victim was wearing.
Chretien
Engineering: The head suggests a finely-crafted internal structure appropriate for containing an advanced intelligence.
Oddly it looks like the golem wasn’t hit by an object; it was torn apart,almost like it exploded along every major seam and joint
So now tell me what you want to look at and give a roll
LeMond Asher |
"First things first, let's check in with Lockhart. See if she has had any disturbances since we were here last. Afterward, if I remember correctly she mentioned feeling confident that the main pavilions were already well looked over and our time would be better spent at the periphery tents. Liontamer Mechanical Orchestra, Apex Tower Construction, and so on."
He is quiet for a thoughtful moment, before continuing with the same unemotional quality to his voice as normal. "I think I'd like to see that orchestra."
1d20 ⇒ 17 Perception? +9 to that.
Cretien Dufrene |
"Hmm, look at this ring. It has some shreds of cloth. Cotton and dyed silk. A little nice for a factory worker, maybe came from the perp?" i don't say this if it matches the deceased's clothing
"We should check the golem for blood. I am thinking maybe the golem here didn't do this. First, the head looks like it contained the necessary structure to house advanced intelligence. Second, the victim and the golem have links that suggest having worn a necklace, with no pendant on-scene. Looks like whatever was on the chain was torn."
Turning to the other detectives, he asks "Has this man been identified?"
not sure what to roll that i haven't already rolled, besides maybe Heal.
heal: 1d20 ⇒ 2
looking to see what sort of wounds killed our victim, if there is blood on this golem that would suggest it attacked the man. Do the deceased's clothes and the fabric on the ring match? Is this ring a hand-sized ring, or like a large hoop? Does the ring have a symbol on it of some sort, or anything denoting it as having been something other than a nondescript band?
Johnathan Eli Holbrook |
Johnathan smiles cheerily when Asher calls him Constable, not seeming to notice or be bothered by the tone. "Two of us is three, we're only one alone."
He thinks for moment, trying to remember where he checked previously, then speaks softly. "I'm sorry, it's all a bit of a blur. I checked all the tents I could, searching for anything stolen during the commotion, like a weapon or artifact, but nothing was missing that I saw. I was in a bit of a rush."
"A marvel, that orchestra. We should check the..." Johnathan trails off. "T-The peripheral tents, like you suggested."
GMEDWIN |
Falko
manor to slip partially into the Bleak Gate.
Falko probes the throat reveals nearly a pint of witchoil, some of which was swallowed.
AFC
JL
LeMond Asher |
"Just following a lead on that strange, appearing monster incident. How have things been so far today? Anything worrying any of your men that you think the RHC should take a look at? You'll notice we have these constables on loan to us from another team, Constables Dima and Serena. They'll be helping us keep an eye on things today."
Asher is pleasant enough in word, but his mannerisms are cold and professional. His eyes are in a constant state of scanning the crowd instead of paying any attention to Lockhart's face.
Falko Escheus |
Falko winces: "There's a lot of witchoil down that throat. He didn't die easy... Payback? This looks like an execution. Someone wants to send a message?"
He moves down the body, then realizes: "Doesn't that chain look like the one the good Mayor dropped on us when we went hiking up the mountain? These allow to be on the other side I think..."
As Cretien draws his attention to the golem, he wonders out loud: "That lady we've just met... She did have some sort of retainer, reminiscent of this one as well, no? May be it's just a coincidence. Two humans with a pet humanoid construct?"
"I wonder..." says Falko looking back at the body, then turning to Carlao: "What's the TOD?"
GMEDWIN |
AFC HEAL DC11
cause of death is a shattered skull, and the size of the wound matches the fist of the damaged golem in the corner.
AFC Spellcraft DC 11
AFC
Searching the body and clothes you find the victim had 5 platinum pieces and twenty gold pieces in his pocket,
as well as a bundle of papers with ship schedules, berth numbers, and
mentions that passengers were welcome, all of which were set to depart
between the 5th and 15th of Summer. All of them were bound for Elfaivar.
Cretien Dufrene |
heal: 1d20 ⇒ 3
untrained in spellcraft is a no no
perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 Do the deceased's clothes and the fabric on the ring match? Is this ring a hand-sized ring, or like a large hoop? Does the ring have a symbol on it of some sort, or anything denoting it as having been something other than a nondescript band?
GMEDWIN |
One clue leads to another. Perception doesn't work unless you unlock the one clue first. The iron ring is about three foot in diameter. The torn clothing on the ring is definitely for a woman's clothes and are different.
Chretien
Cretien Dufrene |
"Hmm, I wonder if this ring was a portal of some sort. The clothes on it definitely belonged to a woman." did we see something similar to this ring in the mayor's bi-dimensional basement?
"Also, this man's socks bear the initials A.G.... That should narrow down possible identities. We need a roster of who works here."
I think i am out of ideas here aside from an autopsy, list of workers from the warehouse... anything else?
GMEDWIN |
I am surprised that no one has the healing skill. Just a reminder, there were iron circles at the warehouse with the big golem, the mayor's shed, and the skeletons laid down one before Nevard died.
AFC
Chretien
free, probably during the earthquake in the summertime,
but there’s no sign of ash on top of them, which suggests the victim died very soon after the quake.
@Johnathan, you guys are just patrolling seeing if there is anything else to find.
Angus McCormick |
When ask Angus will cast a detect magic and look for further clues Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
GMEDWIN |
Angus
have residual magic on the woman's garment which, given how long
they’ve been removed from the garment, suggests the enchantment was
very powerful to begin with.