Galadan brings forth the exquisitely crafted surgical tools of silver with amethyst handles.
"This was also found nearby. Quite fine instruments of medicine, or of torture."
He looks over at the face that Andrea has discovered.
"Perhaps sharp enough and fine enough to remove a person's face and use it as a disguise."
He pulls out one of the surgical knives and shows the mark of the raven's head.
"Whoever had these made obviously wanted to ensure that they could be recognized as his."
Heal check to determine if the face was surgically removed
"We should ask in the village if anyone knows this poor unfortunate" Andrea says unable to work out if the tools were used on the face "and have prayers said for their soul"
Galadan nods his head in agreement.
"For the dwarf as well."
"Yes, his brandy was a delight."
|
The tools surely can be used as both - for torture or for medicine. Cutting of a face seems doable but you would reckon it would need someone skilled. The tools alone in your hands might not be enough.
The engraving on the tools are either a mark of the owner or of the craftsman. They look individually crafted and are surely not mass produced.
Galadan wonders if the others discovered anything as well.
While he waits for them to discuss their findings, he examines the surgical tools in very close detail, taking the time to look at every piece and the box they were stored in.
When the Elder comes to retrieve them, he asks who the face belonged to, and whether or not it had anything to do with the Beast.
Wren, still mulling over all the clues, keeps strangely quiet on the way back, occasionally clucking as she tries to put pieces together.
|
|
Timeline: it will be early morning hours when you are back in Lepidstadt. You will have no problem to be back in time - but sleep will be short or needs to be during the day.
You can give the evidence yourself at trial - or give it to the barrister. Tomorrow will deal with the happenings here - so the more reasons you can provide for the innocence of the beast the better.
Galadan pinches the bridge of his nose as he contemplates the matter, wincing occasionally as the clucking distracts him.
"Mistress Wren, if you would kindly cease your clucking... I am trying to think here."
So, to summarise our findings thus far:
Six graves appear to have 'emptied' (targeted by a necromancer, or resurrection man?).
There is a camp at the southern end of the boneyard, where there is evidence of food (trail rations), drink (wine), and the remains of an Alchemist's Darkvision extract.
Near there, there is an old coracle, with dried blood on the floor, and containing some clothes, and a detached human face (formerly belonging to Nan Klebem, a human poacher).
The sack attached to the coracle is big enough to hold a human body, but is soaked with blood, and contains some rope, a gag, a rusted lantern, a trio of heavy knives, and a rusted shovel.
We have also discovered some very well made surgeon's tools (probably one-of-a-kind), which have a curious insignia in the shape of a raven on the hafts.
Aldous turns to Wren:
"Does Stitches need to eat or drink? Also, can he already see in the dark? He did not look like an Alchemist to me, and I doubt he would have to guile to be a resurrection man... Either someone else was operating in this area, or he had an 'accomplice' (although why on earth the latter could be correct I have no idea); perhaps we should try to identify where those tools came from?"
Wren cocks her head as she recalls what they had learned earlier, ceasing her clucking for a few moments.
"Ah, no, Mr. Aldous. Stitches does not need to eat. Nor breathe, nor sleep. Seems odd that he would need shelter, food, water, or air at all."
Wren continues to ponder, absentmindedly clucking then catching herself to apologize to Galadan.
"It just helps me think, dearie."
"I believe we are dealing with someone both skilled and intelligent. The face was carved free by someone with a masterful skill in surgical arts, and the various materials we discovered point to a well planned assault of some type."
Galadan attempts to put various discoveries together.
"Now, the question still remains if the Beast was somehow implicit in all this, or just an innocent bystander. But the facts point to someone with a high level of intelligence being responsible, and I do not think that Stitches is that person."
|
|
Knowledge about the Flesh Golem:
Wren starts to lecture:"Oh no - A Flesh Golem doesn't need to - and Stiches still is a Flesh Golem even if he seems more intelligent and has his own will, hmm - yes - this still makes him technically a Flesh Golem, aehem, what was the question again, oh yes, about food. As I said before Stiches neither needs to eat or sleep, now off course there is debate if he could be able to eat and sleep - that is of great scholary debate. After all he has a fully functional mouth and he could pretend to eat if he wants to. And if he closes his eyes it would be easy to mistake him for sleeping. But more likely you would think he is dead as he isn't breathing - so it would be difficult for him to fool you. Anyhow - he likely would see you coming at night as he has darkvision and therefore sneaking up on him while he pretends to sleep will be difficult. Hmm - does this make sense, oh - forgot, if he closes his eyes to pretend to sleep then technically he his darkvision won't work as it doesn't work via closed eyes. Look - if I close my eyes I'm also not able to see you anymore. That works the same as with Stiches. I'm just glad all the blod isn't his. He doesn't has any blood you know. He is a construct. Many people accept this for a stone or clay golem. They would never expect such a creature to bleed but why they then assume that a flesh golem is bleeding is beyond me. After all they are the same - just different material. Okay - off course there are differences between a stone and a flesh golem. After all they are not made from the same material. And even someone who doesn't know the difference tends to notice they are not the same. But what I wanted to say is that in regard to blood circulation many people are easily fooled and just because a Flesh Golem looks much more like a normal person they also assume he functions as a normal person. But they are constructs and as such have no free will. Off course we know with Stiches that there are exemptions - Stiches actually has what we call a free will. But this still doesn't mean he needs to eat or is bleeding. This just has nothing to do with each other ..."
"Shall we head back?"
Wren finishes talking almost like she didn't know what she was saying.
With that speech given, she's ready to go back.
"Stitches didn't kill these people, or at very least, didn't kill them alone. We saw no sign of someone of ol' stich's...stature, correct?"
"Perhaps we should find the maker of these tools..they might recall who purchased them and we could find the real culprit"
"I'm almost certain that the person who made the tools is the person who would use them. We should ask affluent members of the town if there are any well-to-do doctors."
Andrea points to the Ravens.."That is either a Makers mark or the crest of the owner..we should enquire at the Relevant Guildhouses if they exist"
"Aldous, do not neglect to write down that the Beast should have shown scars from the Blood Caiman's attack but has no sign of such a struggle"
Wren's head picks up at Andrea's latest idea.
"Indeed, Mr. Aldous. A creature attack from something like a caiman would definitely show some scars or markings. I am unsure that Stitches has the ability to heal over time...which means that someone or something must have healed it if such attack occurred."
Wren plods in silence for a few moments as she ponders her morning.
Wren will decline to go with the party to find out more about the tools, having more pressing issues on her mind.
"I will meet you at the courthouse in a few hours. I haven't much time and have much to do!" Wren says when the party arrives at Lepidstadt as she wanders away.
In Lepidstadt, Wren will head for the morning markets, tired from yesterday, but determined to do what she must in the little time she has.
Wren will make her way to the Lepidstadt markets, seeking both feathers (-5 gp) and small gems/colored glass. (-45gp)
She will then rush back to the Inn and take the quiet time to break out her MW jewelry craftstools and try to calm herself for the 2nd most important (to her) piece of jewelry she has ever crafted (Prof. Lorrimor's being the first.)
Ignoring the squawks from Plume as she pulls out a few choice colored feathers from her familiar and pulling out yet more from her 'armor' (and taking time to Prestidigitate each clean and straight), Wren sets to work...crafting a brooch for Stitches.
The design includes a filigree and inlaying of a melted gold, silver, copper piece, combined with the glass and gems. The brooch has a pseudo-peacockular form. It contains no overtly religious motifs and the bird is almost certainly male and is designed to promote a personal expression of status.
The bird has a tail of woven Plume feathers, each color a nice contrast to the previous, almost more rainbow than tail.
Craft (Jewelry)
There. Now maybe others will see you as I do, Stitches. You're beautiful and feathered. Just like me.
Wren slumps with the exertion and rapid crafting, but his happy to have completed the piece. Smiling, she packs the brooch gingerly into her bag and makes her way to the courthouse.
Aldous asks around about the tools...
While walking and working, Wren will let her mind wander as she prepares the words that she will use to defend Stitches if no one else steps up.
She will rehearse her speeches a few times to ensure the proper intonation and inflection for every squawk, peep, and screech she will bring to the hearing.
"The hearing will not be for some hours yet, Mistress Wren, thank Pharasma." Galadan's stern voice interrupts her inner trialoguing.
"After thinking over this some more, I think that whoever visited that island stole the bodies that were buried there, used them for some ritual or another, or possibly just ran off with them. Perhaps he intended to use these tools of medical skill to take their faces off, just as he had with the other man. It is a decidedly evil individual who did this, I should think. An evil I did not sense in Stitches. But I must also question the possibility that as a flesh golem, Stitches may have been controlled by his creator. This seems, however, unlikely. For one, as has been pointed out already, Stitches body shows no sign of tooth or claw that would have resulted from the witnessed caiman attack. But if whoever was there was the same person stealing these bodies from the island, then we shall likely find that this person bears tooth or claw markings."
As they near the town, Galadan turns to his companions.
"I think a few hours sleep or rest are in order. We will do no good for our investigations by being bleary or fatigued. And I for one, would prefer to work with the daylight, rather than fumbling in the dark."
He seems perturbed for a moment as if going over words in his mind.
"Fumbling in the dark? Didn't you say there was an extract for darkvision that we had found. I thought that most constructs have arcane senses already. Stitches should already have that power."
|
|
Andrea leads the way into town - Aldous with her. They quickly find the Surgeons Flats - and area where craftsman work on tools like the ones you found.
Some questions from Aldous quickly leads the group to Zbraslav Hora and Sons, a workshop in the tiny Anatomist Alley.
You spot the Raven atop the door. You are quite sure the tools have been made here.
Aldous knocks on the door of the workshop, and then enters.
"Good day. I apologise for being inconvenient, but we are trying to track down the owner of these tools, and we believe you may have made them. Any help that you can give us would be very much appreciated."
Andrea is content to merely hang back, smile and look pretty as Aldous performs amazing feats of Diplomacy
Diplomacy
|
|
Zbraslav Hora is a bookish, taciturn man who wears thick spectacles. He frequently deals with various tinkers and itinerant peddlers who sell his wares, and keeps a ledger of all of his sales. Zbraslav noted down the purchaser as Vladka Kostel, a red-haired Varisian woman who wears a green silk scarf depicting a swan. Zbraslav knows she works for an auction house, but he doesn't remember which one.
But after some digging she starts to remember
"I'm not sure - but I just remember she might still work at, Ledov's Chirurgery Merchants.
Aldous nods his thanks.
"Thank-you, you have been very helpful."
He then goes in search of Ledov's Chirurgery Merchants.
"Good day. We are trying to track down Vladka Kostel, a red-haired Varisian woman who wears a green silk scarf depicting a swan. We believe that she on-sold these tools, and we would like to know whom she sold them to."
Nym will tag along with the diplomatic folk.
|
|
Vlada Kostel takes a while before answering: "The buyer of the tools was wearing an unusal high hat and green tined glasses. The auction master will know the name."
You are directed to Ollo Klud - a stuffy pretentious man with a bald head and tufts of hair above his ears. He seems in a good mood having overheard Aldous earlier
"I think you are looking for Radniche, he leads a surgeon shop in the surgeons flats."
Aldous nods his appreciation.
"Thank-you good sir. I will not trouble you any further."
He then makes haste for Radniche's shop in the surgeons flats.
"Good day, I apologise for the incovenience, but I am trying to track-down whomever ended-up being the ultimate buyer of these tools, and I understand that you purchased them from Klud's auction house..."
Distracted by his deep thoughts, Galadan switches to elven to discuss the finer details of logic about the case with Wren.
"I think we have amassed quite a bit of circumstantial evidence (and some sound evidence) that proves that another person was the one responsible for the deeds the Beast is being accused of."
Amazed by the speed at which the investigation is progressing Andrea can do nothing but look at Aldous with Admiration as he weasels the information from source after source
|
|
Radniche's cramped shop is piled with skeletons, pickled things in jars, and alchemical components.
He turns to Aldous and Andrea
"Oh - it's bad business telling customer names or details. Look - I have to live and eat. I'm really inclined to tell some gentleman like you or a nice looking lady. But you haven't even bought anything yet. And do I know what you need the information for.
Not that I'm in trouble afterwards.
"I think we have amassed quite a bit of circumstantial evidence (and some sound evidence) that proves that another person was the one responsible for the deeds the Beast is being accused of."
Wren nods in agreement, finishing up the brooch, idly turning it over in her hands.
"Stitches couldn't possibly have done the deed, however, we need to find out who did and then, possibly, why they did it. And, of course, the entire matter of Stitches creation: who created him? And why?"
Wren holds up the brooch to Galadan's chest, as if to see what it looks like against a drab surface.
Unsatisfied, Wren pulls a few more colorful feathers from Plume and begins to add them to the brooch, unable to resist the urge to tinker with the brooch while her mind works with Galadan.
"Depending on what the others learn, we might be able to put more of the pieces together. It is clear to me that the manticore might have been part of the attacks, espcially if it had been there long enough to build a nest and start to bear young. Such things take time," Wren muses idly.
"For some reason, I doubt that the manticore had been there for a long time. Not with the evidence we found. No one could have unearthed all those graves (unless they were exceptionally quiet), camped, and crafted things without attracting the attention of the manticore. So, unfortunately, I do not think we can use the manticore as evidence for Stitches."
"Yet it had nested and borne eggs?" Wren counters, her mind engaged. "Could it do so that quickly?"
"We can assume that the manticore was not likely working with anyone as those beasts are temperamental at best. And if she was nesting, then she would likely see anything nearby as a food source. And I doubt it dug up the bones as well...no evidence of that. However, without more detailed knowledge of the mating habits and gestation periods of manticores, we really don't know much."
Wren's mind wanders to the idea of going back to check if the eggs were fertilized or not.
"If fertilization had occurred, then it's likely that the manticore had been there for a while...needing to attract a mate to her nest to complete the mating process. I've observed similar in robins, Galadan, however, robins are birds with feathers and not monsters with wings."
Wren begins to describe the robin mating ritual in detail for Galadan.
"But the event that was witnessed happened some time ago. A matter of weeks, or possibly even months. The nest seemed of a relatively new construction, and the corpse within it had obviously not been there for a very long time."