Zirelle and Zan
After seeing the marking at Hopespring, but not finding any clues about it, the pair decide to follow up on the lead from Kurst about Brinya Kelver, allegedly the secret fiancee of Rodrik. Her small stall is closed, so they wander up to the humble boarding house where she rents rooms.
The knock on her door is answered by Brinya Kelver, herself. Her face is wracked with grief and stained by hours of tears. She tries to compose herself and grants you admittance to her simple front room. "I expected Kurst or Jagrin," she states trying to hold it together. "But I don't think I know either of you. Not trying to be rude, but it has been a hard morning so far, what is it that you want?"
Baldek and Nakoma
As Baldek takes his leave of Sanctuary, he happens to spy Nakoma returning from outside the walls. He trots over to meet her and just as they beginning trying to relate what each has seen, they spy Cham Larringfass coming up the road with a bundle of groceries.
Moving to speak with the proprietress of Ramblehouse, she sets her goods down and smiles at the pair of investigators. "So nice to see you again Baldek even if it is a tragic morning. Scandalous, is what it is, simply scandalous. We don't have many scandals in Trunau, but when they hit they are big ones, aren't they. Can't remember the last scandal like this one. Maybe when little Mikey Longacre was born as a half-orc, instead of a full-blood like his mom and dad. That was quite a story, had tongues wagging all over town for days, as I recall. Oh, right, about poor Rodrik. I found his body you know. Have you heard that yet? Got the fright of my life I did. He had stopped by my office late last night, after the Ceremony was over, and asked for me to wake him early. Didn't say why, and you know I don't ask too many questions. Oh no, that wouldn't do at all. Not in my line of work. 'Have to keep a tight ship and tight lips, I like to say'." she barely pauses for a breath before continuing on.
"Anyway, I knocked on the door, and no one answered, but Mr Rodrik insisted I wake him up, so what am I to do, I ask you? What indeed? I stood in the hallway for a while talking to myself. I do talk to myself sometimes. I don't think that's odd, sometimes saying things out loud makes them more clear in your head, don't you think? Hmmm? Oh, anyway, I finally told myself 'Cham, you have to just barge right in there and wake up Mr Rodrik, he may have important militia business to attend to.' So I got my passkey -- I have a passkey for all the rooms, but I rarely need it. Violating privacy of guests is no way to run a boarding house. Its a simple rule, really. I find simple rules are the best ones, don't you. So much easier to remember. When I need to remember things, I like to think of rhymes and say them out loud, but I already talked about that didn't I...Oh where was I..."
This storm of words seems to go on and on with barely a pause for inhalation. You both seem to recall that while Cham is a good-natured person generally, she does tend to be a bit grating and many joke that the Ramblehouse gets its name not just from its sprawling dimensions, but perhaps from its proprietress manner as well.
Nakoma looks closely at the sword sigils angle.
---
Nakoma nods her head during Cham's story, completely unsurprised by her long, rambling, manner of speech. Occasionally, Nakoma opens her mouth to interrupt when Cham gets off topic, but by then Cham's sort of on topic again, so she waits and let's her finish in her round-about way.
He asked to be awakened early today... Did he have an early shift? Other business to attend to? A visit to his fiancee in mind? Nakoma wracks her mind trying to recall.
"Entering Rodrik's room," Nakoma points out, when Cham asks.
Brinya, we're so sorry to disturb you. Kurst was unable to come himself, so he asked us to talk to you. I understand that this will be very difficult for you, but if you are able, some information from you will help the investigation greatly.
Did you see Rodrik yesterday, after the party?
Do you know if Rodrik had any enemies, or anyone that might have been very angry with him?
Nakoma looks closely at the sword sigil's angle.
The mark at Sanctuary was painted on the vertical rock behind the place, so if anything pointed to the sky (or the ground). The mark at Barterstones is mainly oriented from NE to SW, which doesn't seem to be pointing at anything at all.
He asked to be awakened early today... Did he have an early shift? Other business to attend to? A visit to his fiancee in mind? Nakoma wracks her mind trying to recall.
As far as Nakoma remembers, the militia was on light duty today with only a skeleton crew on watch, so many of the guards had the day off, mainly in order to recover from the celebration the night before.
Nakoma and Baldek
With a firm prompting from Nakoma, Cham gets the story back on track...sort of.
"Oh, right. His room. Well, as I was saying, I got my passkey, which I NEVER use, but since I assumed the door was locked, I thought I'd need it. But guess what? The door wasn't locked, was it? You know, you really should lock your doors at night. I mean, even though Trunau is a small town and crime is low, there can be strangers about, can't there? You know my business depends on strangers, the random trader or traveler helps me keep this place up. Don't have many other boarders, you know. It was so nice when Rodrik took a room here, having a guardsmen and a patrol captain here made me feel much safer, didn't it? But what am I saying, he's dead and by his own hand too. That's not very safe is it. Can't remember anyone ever killing themselves in Trunau before. I know we all take the Vow and such, but in my lifetime that's just a formality. I hope it never comes to pass either...My goodness, I do ramble on don't I? So anyway, I pushed the door of his room open, just a crack at first in case he was, you know, changing or something, but the candles and lamps were all out. So I crept in, thinking to shake him. But then I saw it. There was SO MUCH blood. It was everywhere soaking the bedclothes. Not sure how I'm ever going to get those sheets clean. Blood stains so badly, you know? Have to scrub that for days and even then, probably no luck. They say halflings are lucky, but I don't ever recall having any good luck. Must not run in my family. If I had luck, I wouldn't be running an inn in the middle of this place, would I?."
At a stern look from Nakoma, Cham realizes she has strayed from the narrative once again. "Oh, sorry. I do prattle on when I'm nervous...So there was Rodrik lying in his bed, and blood was everywhere and his eyes were open staring at the ceiling and I just kind of screamed and fainted. Never fainted before, but that was so scary and unexpected. Rodrik was so full of life and there he was all pale and dead. And...and" she breaks into long, wracking sobs and cannot continue for a few minutes.
Zan and Zirelle
Brinya grimaces at the question about seeing Rodrik. "I saw him last night, but I am afraid we fought, and..." her voice cracks and she sobs the last few words. "And I told him I didn't want to see him. Not until he found it! How cruel! Did I drive him to hurt himself? How awful!" She convulses with sadness, falling to her knees on the simple wooden floor, face buried in her hands.
After a few minutes, she apologizes, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hands. "Rodrik was poet. A beautiful soul. I don't know a person who met him who would think of him as an enemy, or wish him harm." She pauses thoughtfully. "Of course, his father, Jagrin, had just found out about us. He was very angry that Rodrik was betrothed to a 'filthy half-orc' and repudiated is eldest son over it. It was all very hard for Rodrik, but to tell you the truth, I was relieved that it was finally out in the open. All the sneaking around was getting old. And then he was so preoccupied lately. I was finally glad to be important enough to be out in the open, whatever the cost. But that seems so selfish now. So bloody selfish!" She cries aloud, sobbing loudly once again.
Zan raises an eyebrow and puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Jagrin only shows his small mindedness with his anger. Take it from a 'filthy Varisian', his words are his problem not yours. I don't think Rodrik would do this and we will get to the bottom of things. Now it's not pleasant and we'd rather not pry but we have to ask. What exactly did ye fight over? You also said he was preoccupied lately, do you know what it was about?"
Zirelle nods at Zan's questions, and prompts gently You said "Not until he found it." What did he need to find?
Nakoma looks sad during Cham's speech, then grim. As the little halfling falls to the ground crying, she reaches out and pats her on the shoulder. Tears threaten to well up in her own eyes, but she holds them back. There's work to do. Now is not the time for mourning.
She collects herself as Baldek offers prayers to Rodrick.
"Yes," Nakoma adds, nodding at Baldek. "If the door was unlocked, anyone could have killed him. Why do you believe it was self-inflicted?"
"Can you think back to those original moments--before you fainted. What did he look like? What did you see?"
"And after? Was anything different? Could anyone else have been in the room while you were unconscious?"
Zan and Zirelle
After the few moments it takes to get Brinya calmed down enough to speak again, she tries to answer your questions. "Oh, of course, you wouldn't know. Rodrik was preoccupied with what he called his 'greatest work yet'. He wouldn't share the details with me but he was investigating something. Out to all hours of the night, and to who knows where. His journal should tell you whatever he was working on. He was always writing in that thing. While out 'investigating' or whatever it was, he lost my hopeknife. He was going to try to find it, but it was gone. It was like it meant nothing to him, to be so careless. That's why I was so angry with him last night. If I had only known it was the last time I was going to see him...It could've been replaced, but he can't." She does a good job of controlling her emotions, though it visibly tortures her to do it.
Nakoma and Baldek
Cham tries to compose herself as much as possible and soon she is off again at full speed. "Well, I mean, his wrists were slashed. And the hopeknife was there on the bed, and...well, no one MURDERED him did they? That's too horrible to think about, even more horrible than suicide. He was a poet after all, a tortured soul. We haven't had a murder in Trunau since...well I don't know when. Do you think it was foul play? A mystery, perhaps? That seems unusual doesn't it, I mean, who would want to kill Rodrik. He was charming and kind and strong and handsome. Not like his brother Kurst. He's so quite and unassuming. Can't believe they are twins, can you? Did you know their mother was killed in an orc raid when they were just little ones? Poor Jagrin had to raise those boys himself, he did. And he did a fine job of it, too Only now, Rodrik is dead..." She pauses, running out of steam for a moment, and Nakoma is able to get in her question about the room and the body.
"Well, I don't really know. It was such a fright, not like any fright I've ever had. Fainted right away I did. Woke up with a militia man over me, someone had called the guard after they heard me screaming I guess. I'm not usually a screamer, you know. Found a mouse in a closet once, and I didn't scream one peep. Just took my broom and shushed that little furry fellow right out of there. My family is a brave sort, i tell you. From slavery in Cheliax to Andoren and freedom and then to Lastwall to fight. And I ended up here. Strange doings for sure. But, well, you asked about the room. I don't think anyone has been in there since the guards were posted at the door, but before that, I can't really say, as I was totally out of it. Totally. I think the guards are still there, though I bet they are hungry by now. Maybe I will go in the kitchen and makes them some nice sandwiches for standing guard. Maybe a nice mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Where the mutton is nice and lean...mmmm! Are you hungry, I can make a sandwich for you also if you like?"
[ooc]Anyone who can name the reference for the mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich gets a free re-roll from me. Please send answer via PM or spoiler. No cheating...and I mean it![/spoiler]
Zan leans in closer as he listens, this could be very important,
it was beginning to sound like sticking to pairs really was warranted and not just him being overly cautious. "Do you know where he kept his journal, this investigation sounds like it could really help us if we knew more about it, maybe even finish it for him since it meant so much."
Grimacing, which shows her seriously sharp under-bite, Brinya shakes her head. "I have no idea where is journal is. I would think in his room at Ramblehouse. He always had it with him, but I suppose he was always supposed to have my hopeknife with him too, and he lost that..."
She scratches her head thoughtfully then adds, "There is one other place it could be. Rodrik went to Sanctuary a lot when writing recently. I assumed he was going there to pay reverence to The Inheritor, and do some soul-searching, but he said he had a 'thoughtful muse' there, or something like that. No idea what that means. Rodrik could be a bit cryptic. His journal could be there, I suppose, but that's a stretch."
She looks very emotionally drained after holding back tears, and it's clear the dam is going to burst soon. "I am so sorry to not be of much more help, but I am a bit out of sorts just now." she smiles ruefully. "Is there anything more? I'd love to help, but I am so weary just now." she stifles a big toothy yawn to punctuate the point.
Zan looks at Zirelle to see if she has more she wishes to ask.
Once Zirelle is finished Zan will thank Brinya for her time and head out with Zirelle to meet up with the others.
Thank you so much, Brinya. I know how hard this must be. I don't have anything else to ask about your life, but... I'm not from here, and if you don't mind, I was just wondering... if someone gives you a hopeknife...
Her hands go to the one at her neck.
... Does that mean he likes you or that he hates you?
"I'll be fine, thank you," Nakoma replies, turning down the offer of food.
Nakoma finishes helping Cham into the Ramblehouse. And looks around.
Knowing that Zirelle might bet stepping on a nerve Zan speaks up to save Brinya having to speak about a sensitive subject currently. "Sometimes when people get married they exchange them as part of the ceremony. So you can imagine the meaning."
Nakoma and Baldek
The foyer of Ramblehouse looks much the same as it always has. There is a wing to the right where the "small folk" are more comfortable. Contrasting that, to the left are the human sized lodgings. A long hallway bends out of sight, but the presence of two guardsmen at one of the doors indicates that something is still amiss here.
The short desk, complete with log book and a brass bell face the entry way, typical of most inns. A small dining area is also set into the foyer, with seating arrangements for guests of any size. A well-stocked kitchen is off this dining area, and that is where Cham heads for now, putting away her groceries. "Not many guests left here anymore, but I guess those that are here will still want lunch. And something for the guardsmen." she says fastening on a small apron. "Is there anything more I can tell you? You're welcome to go look at Rodrik's room. The body is still there, but soon the priests of Iomedae will come take it for burial."
Zirelle and Zan
Zirelle asks a painful question and Zan answers earning a thankful look from Brinya. She does put hand on the human woman's arm, gently. "I've never known the exchange of knives to mean anything but the utmost affection. Look..." she grabs the silver chain that dangles inside her bodice and withdraws a knife of her own. "See? This was Rodrik's hopeknife. He had it engraved by Sara Morninghawk and it says 'For Brinya, my love', but it is the knife he received at his coming-of-age. I had my childhood knife similarly engraved in his name, and gave it to him, you see? We traded them when we agreed to be married as as symbol of our vows and the Standing Vow. And now...Oh, I loved him so..." Barely containing her emotion, she shows you to the door and with a small wave, shuts it behind you. The mournful cries you hear from within as you stand on the stoop rend your hearts.
"No, thanks, Cham. We'll check on Rodrik's room shortly. Just waiting for Zan."
Nakoma takes a walk around, glancing for anything out of place. With nothing jumping out at her she looks to Grilnik.
"Anything jump out at you here?"
Nakoma waits for a few more minutes, looking around before she remarks, "We need to check out his room before the Iomedaens come to claim him."
"Suicide is something all in Trunau live with every day, Baldek. You are new in town and may not understand about the Vow and hopeknives and all that, but what do you think they are for? Silly boy, every youth in this town is given a weapon to off themselves AND those they love should the orcs finally come. Not something we talk about, but it's obviously in the air constantly. At times, the constant anxiety and hopelessness of this place prey on the mind too much, and citizens succumb to the whisper of the Grey Lady. Not often mind you, but sometimes. It's just, in Rodrik's case, there was so much for him to live for. That's what makes this so tragic. Now eat up, here let me refill that glass. On the house, yes of course it is."
Nakoma nods at BALDEK's suggestion.
"Yes, let's go."
After leaving Brinya but before they get back to the others Zan clears his throat.
"I didn't realize where you had gotten your hope knife from until you asked the question. It sounds like you have much more to discuss with this person but if ye can find happiness together I wish ye well."
------------------------------------------------------------
As they approach the other and see them entering Zan picks up the pace to catch up with Nakoma and Baldek. He speaks in a low voice so only they should here. "We need to keep an eye out for his hope knife and for his journal. I'll explain more shortly."
Zirelle thanks Brinya as they leave for her kindness.
____
"I didn't realize where you had gotten your hope knife from until you asked the question. It sounds like you have much more to discuss with this person but if ye can find happiness together I wish ye well."
... Um, that's not likely. But, thanks.
____
Zirelle doesn't say anything when they meet back with the others, though she seems to tighten up and is less relaxed and more wary. She follows them in.
Nakoma turns as Zan and Zirelle enter the Ramblehouse. She nods at them in greeting.
"We need to move quickly," Nakoma informs Zan and Zirelle. "The Sanctuary is coming to claim him soon."
---
Nakoma then leads the way to Rodrik's room.
When she sees the guards on duty she greets them by name, and asks what they have to report.
As the others arrive, the impatient Nakoma and Baldek head to the room that is under guard. The guards state that since they arrived, no one has come in or out of the room. Before they arrived, others including Kurst and Cham, did come into the room but little has been disturbed.
They open the door and admit you to the small room.
The sparse room contains only a single cot and a writing desk. The cot is a cheap affair with a straw-stuffed mattress and linens, now stained red with blood. A warped wooden headboard stands between the mattress and the wall. The desk is a slightly nicer piece of furniture that nonetheless has been chipped and worn by time. A cracked window in the southern wall is the only exit other than the room's door.
The most compelling thing in the room of course, is the corpse. Lying on the cot, pale in his exsanguination lies Rodrik Garst, or at least what remains of him. He is dressed in small clothes only and lies uncovered on the bed. Two long clotted scars run up both arms cut cleanly, almost surgically with little sign of hesitation. The cuts are deep severing the femoral vein and blood has dried along them. Lying next to the body on the bed is a single hopeknife, it's blade also stained rust-brown with the captain's blood.
Despite her apparent composure, the sight of Rodrik stops Nakoma in her tracks. Her eyes well in tears and she lets out a single, strangle whimper.
He's dead. He's really dead...
She covers her mouth, then quickly wipes her eyes, locking away her pain inside.
Nakoma looks at the room before stepping inside.
If nothing else of interest pops out of her, Nakoma examines Rodrik's body first.
Zirelle looks at the hopeknife to see if it is engraved (thus indicating it is the hopeknife that Brinya was missing).
As the crew starts to look through the small room in earnest, Nakoma is overcome with grief. Of all the members of the detail she was closest to Rodrik, developing a mutual admiration and friendship over the years working together, and now he was lying there cold. The emotion of the moment was too much, and while she was going through the motions of looking around, her mind was reeling too much for her eyes to take in much. Her search reveals nothing more than the ordinary.
Baldek first looks at the knife and its bloodstains and compares them to the stains on the bed and body. To the naked eye, the age and quality of the stains seems to be a match, though the dwarf is no forensic scientist. The cuts on the arms, the undeniable cause of death, also seem consistent with the size and shape of the blade. Cuts like these are exactly what the hopeknife was made for after all.
Zirelle takes the knife when Baldek is down with it and examines it. Where the hopeknife worn by Brinya was masterfully crafted, this one seems quite simple. Even the knife given to young Ruby last night seemed like an heirloom, but this one seems dull by comparison. Also, where Brinya's knife was engraved, this one is blank.
Zan wont divulge any of the additional information they found yet seeing Nakoma trying to deal with the situation. As one of the scouts for the settlement he had come across gruesome sights, traders they had know killed in horrific ways or orcs who had run afoul of a giant and felt it's wrath.
Drawing a deep breath he began to look about the room for a journal, careful to check for hidden compartments and to check any exits including windows for clues in case someone left the area after he died.
Zirelle shows the knife to Zan, making sure he realizes that this is not the missing knife. She also joins in the search for the journal.
If it isn't in any of the obvious places, she also checks the mattress and between the mattress and headboard and headboard and wall. They need to be positive about whether it is here or not.
Nakoma collects her thoughts heads over to the window to see if there's signs someone came or went through it. She also checks the door knob for signs it was picked or tampered with.
The single window is painted shut and looks like it has not been opened in years. Zan rummages around the room, specifically looking for Rodrik's journal, but it is not to be found. He tries under the bed and in the desk drawer, but cannot find anything worth mentioning.
After showing the knife to Zan in silent appreciation, Zirelle looks all over, under, and around the bed, but comes up with nothing.
As Zirelle pulls the headboard away from the wall, something catches Baldek's keen eye. A small piece of paper folded small, falls from behiind the headboard and lands behind the bed on the flagstones. Retrieving the paper curiously, the dwarf unfolds it and sees what appears to be a reciept for an engraved hopeknife from Morninghawk's Fine Steel. The receipt is made out to Rodrik Grath by a smith named Unsul. It appears to be for one hopeknife which is to be engraved with the message "For Rodrik, my love".
The lock on the door to the room seems to be typical of Ramblehouse. Old, but still serviceable. It does not look like it woudl be incredibly hard to pick should one have that skill.
Well, we have a missing hopeknife and a missing journal so far. Have we talked to all of the people we needed to? We talked to Brinya... did someone talk to Omast? And who was the other one? Cham?
Richard looks over Baldek's shoulder at his discovery "The hopeknife is here but no sign of the journal. He was on the trail of a bit investigation and if we found the journal there would surely be details in it. Brinya said he had a 'thoughtful muse' in the sanctuary, did you meet anyone who you think that would be?"
This particular hopeknife is here... but it is not the one that was engraved... the one that Brinya gave him and that was missing.
"Yes, we spoke with Cham," Nakoma informs the others. "Nothing out of the ordinary. She believes it's suicide and says no one has been let in or out. Door was unlocked, but I don't see signs of it being picked... Still. It's old and simple. Not impossible to get past." She shrugs.
"What Cham did say of interest was that Rodrik had stopped by her office late last night, after the Ceremony was over, and asked her to wake him early. He didn't say why, and she didn't ask... It's strange. Most of us," Nakoma nods at Zan here, to indicate guards in general. "Have a late start or a day off of duties today. To recover from the celebrations last night. It's doubtful he was intending to get up early for work, but I'll look into it."
"Perhaps he intended to visit his beloved? Speak with his father? Visit this... muse of his?"
Nakoma stops to think.
"We're missing a journal and a hopekinfe... Perhaps his killer took them. And if he... did.... kill himself, where else could they be?" She seems to think for a while.
"The Sanctuary, of course." she agrees. "Sanctuary is not welcoming to me. Perhaps Zan and Zirelle would be better suited for such a task. This missing journal and his secret muse have me on edge..."
"If you will speak with Unsul about the hope knife, Baldek, then I will search the other places he might have lost the journal or hopeknife. Longhouse. The Commons. I will speak with my fellow guards to see where he worked out of these last few days. He could have lost either one going about his duties."
She stops to think for a moment.
"Any other ideas?"
Has anyone talked with Omast? Zirelle repeats.
"No. But as I said, I will speak with my fellow officers and guards, Omast first, to see what they know of Rodrik's movements and patrols these past days. As Kurst mentioned, Omast may have some insight for us."
"How did your discussion with Brinya go?" she asks in return, still unsure of the details.