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"Long, red hair... that should be rare enough to start tracking down."
Belegar starts with the key townsfolk they have met (the priestess, the mayor, the barkeep), asking them if they have seen anyone with long, red hair, "...this could be a clue to a victim, or the kidnapper."
After they inspect the window ledge of the latest crime scene, Vaunu holds up the long auburn hair. He looks to Belegar and then over to Jurgan. "So let me get the facts straight. Belegar saw a winged humanoid with long hair land on the roof. Then said humanoid pokes at the window and snatches the person who opens it and then flies off. So when we inspect the window we again find claw marks, but this time we also find this long amber hair."
Looking over to Alluriel. "Hhmmm, it's a shame we don't know any humanoids with wings and claws and long red hair that we could question about this."
'Well I refuse to say I told you so.' He then raises an eyebrow, "Isn't it Alluriel."
Alluriel takes the auburn hair and tries to remember if it is the same shade as the Lady Gwendydd last night."Auburn and red aren't the same... Or are they?"
"As I suspected. That is why no tracks are left but who was the victim this time?"
Asking about the missing resident, it turns out to be the wife of one of the town watch, who, in his grief, blames himself for not being in the right place at the right time, his patrol being near his house that night.
Alluriel's hunch is the hairs are similar in color.
Upon Belegar's suggestion, you talk to the people you've met thus far.
Little luck is had with Catharina and Eileen, alchemist Whescer is of more use to you, when you visit him in his establishment.
(Bell rings as the door pushes against it)
Whescer looks up from doing some brewing.
"You have something to discuss?"
While he looks a bit anxious to get to his work again, he takes the time to hear you out.
"I know of three women, one of whom accompanied a pale half-elf. Wore a wide mantle. They were chased off for, shall we say, 'public health' reasons.
Another one is a disabled woman, a regular customer of mine, i'm working on brewing her latest parcel. Then there is of course Lillianne 'The Red', that much is obvious."
"But why would she do it..?" Alluriel is distraught. "They seemed like perfectly nice people that we had dinner with yesterday. And we even had a polite conversation."
"Does Lilliane 'The Red' have red hair too? Of this colour?" Alluriel shows Whescer the hair.
Whescer makes a dismissive wave of the hand.
"Her hair is why she is called 'The Red', yes.
Her hair is of a warm. Given hair color varies if dirty, exposed to extended periods of bright sunlight, or darker when wet, i could not say if it matches hers exactly."
He pushes his shades up properly.
"I reckon she should return soon, she had left prior to your arrival, so i would take the chances of her returning soon fair.
Truth be told, i do not think she'd be involved. The girl spends most of her time outside of town."
Alluriel tells the party about their dinner with Llamryl and Lady Gwendydd as well as the topics they discussed.
"They seemed like nice people to me and I could never believe that any of them would do such a horrible thing of kidnapping townsfolk.I mean we can't just lay the blame on people because they look different from us.. "Alluriel is nearly in tears after giving her trust to someone who might be a kidnapper. "But the evidence seems to be pointing in that direction.."
Alluriel heaves a huge sigh. "We should take our rest and patrol the town tonight. Hopefully we can catch the culprit and bring him or her to justice."
”We should visit the disabled woman. She is the only one in town and we should be alive to all possibilities.”
"We could, I suppose. But how would the disabled woman be able to grab someone and fly away if she can't even walk..?" Alluriel asks Belegar.
”Werewolf, vampire, witch... or it may be a disguise?”
"Maybe, since she's in town it won't be too much trouble to check it out."Alluriel agrees to visit the disabled woman.
The team finds their way pretty quickly. The house is a few streets away from the town square. As it turns out, a small sign [Christa's shoes & boots] hangs above the door.
As you knock the door, a voice comes from behind the door.
"On my way."
Some later, the door opens, with a woman sitting in a wheelchair 5 feet ahead. She's missing one leg below the knee.
This must be the resident Whescer spoke of.
"In need of shoes or small leather wares, or repairs of them?"
"Hmm - maybe a new pair of boots. Desna knows that my last track in the forest probably wore them out." Alluriel answers. "How long have you been in the shoe business, Christa?"
"Don't merely stand there, all clustered up, come in."
She turns her wheelchair and moves it into the main room, which double functions as both a workshop on one half and a living room on the other.
"I've worked on shoes and small leather wares for this town for a few years now, 5 i think. Small hip-bags and belt pouches mainly."
'You've go to be kidding me.' Vaunu looks from Alluriel to Belegar, shaking his head, "Do either of you really think there is any possibility that our attacker is not the winged girl we met in the forest? Alchemist Whescer told us the two of them came to the village and were run off. That would give them motive to hate those here, I mean other than feeding on blood. Also, They travel, and the attacks just started. All the other suspects have been here much longer."
Vaunu breathes a heavy sigh and follows the others to meet Christa.
'The woman is clearly disabled and wouldn't be able to climb any window, less say fly away. This looks like a fools errand to me' Alluriel thinks to herself.
While the others talk with the lady. Jurgan discreetly casts a detect magic and then begins to scan the room without bringing much attention to himself as possible.
Jurgan senses faint transmutation magic coming from an unfinished pair of boots, its parts spread upon a workbench.
A weak version of cat's grace.
A lamp nearby gives off faint invocation magic.
Light cantrip.
Jurgan continues to concentrate focusing more on the auras he has detected.
Jurgan nods and walks over to the old woman "You have skill with more than just cobbling?" He motions to the boots. "Did you make those from scratch or are they being repaired?"
Christa looks at the workbench, then at Jurgan.
"I make leather wares from cured leather, provided by the hunters.
But in cases like the boots on the workbench, i get a little help for their special qualities."
He eyes the young woman, "And who aided you with those then?"
"Alchemist Whescer, Lillianne, one of the six on occasion. When they are around, that is. They're on a quest of their own as of recently."
"Those in particular, alchemist Whescer helped putting the special qualities on them."
Jurgan nods buying the lady's story. "The missing townspeople did you know any of them?"
"I am not acquainted with all of them, but a few were customers at one point or another. The latest victim, for one, had picked up her husband's boots last week. In a community like ours, news spreads quickly.
"
She sighs.
"A few were farmhands, a few market vendors, or just common folk."
While the others speak to the shoemaker, Vaunu discreetly looks around trying to notice anything out of the ordinary that may confirm or deny that the cripple is more than she appears to be.
Vaunu sees a variety of leather-working tools, a few leather items with price-tags or name-tags on them, and an otherwise cozy living room setup.
Rug and fireplace included.
Vaunu sees a variety of leather-working tools, a few leather items with price-tags or name-tags on them, and an otherwise cozy living room setup.
Rug and fireplace included.
'Cozy little house.' Interrupting Jurgan's yammering, Vaunu inquires, "If you don't mind me asking Christa, how did you lose the leg?"
so not really :-)
Christa sighs.
"I had a run-in with a particularly nasty bear. While i tried to escape, it mauled and bit my leg beyond recovery, before it could be slain."
so not really :-)
'I don't really think there's anything here that is going to help us.' Bowing slightly to their host, "I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for being so forthcoming with your answers. " He then tugs on Alluriel's skirt and nods toward the door.
Watching the wayang he resigns to excuse himself. "Yes..sorry for your loss. We hope to find these missing townspeople. If you think of anything please seek us out." Jurgan moves to the door with the others.
Belegar shrugs, simplifies things and picks out a pair of boots which take his fancy: red leather and finely tooled, ”A showman’s boots: how much?”
After making his purchase, Belegar addresses his companions on the street, ”That, I believe, is one loose end we no longer have to consider.”
As they walk away from the shop, he wonders aloud, ”I thought they could not cross a threshold unless invited? Perhaps some trick means they have invites to some homes? Or maybe it is mind-control? I don’t suppose we can put a holy symbol over every window and door?”
"I think we should talk to priestess Eileen about this, then patrol the town tonight."
Alluriel brings the party to meet priestess Eileen and tells her the party's suspicions.
"We think the assailant is a winged woman with red hair, pointed teeth, sharp fangs and wings. Belegar thinks it would help if everyone could put a holy symbol over every window and door. Do you have any idea what the assailant could be and how we could best combat her?" Alluriel asks priestess Eileen.
"My impression of your description is a vampire. Although i've not yet seen them with wings manifested.
That is not so say it's impossible, with mysterious bloodlines, and magical or alchemical means being present in this world."
"Vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it.
Similarly, they recoil from mirrors or holy symbols, strongly presented by those of the faith. Positive energy harms them."
"There was a duo that struck me as such, and the woman was wearing a rather wide cloak."
"Are they particular vulnerable to weapons of any kind?"Alluriel asks the priestess.
"And that woman had wings... Which means without a way to hold her down we would not be able to do anything to her."
"Vampires are resilient, but magical weapons made from silver are generally effective."
"Do you have any Scrolls of magic weapon available for purchase, then?" Alluriel asks. "Also silver weapon blanch and Scrolls of keep watch."
Vaunu unconsciously draws his mitheral blade and his whet stone casually running the blade over the stone, as he joins the conversation. ”I would hang garlic, faith in and object is too hard to produce if it isn’t there to start with. I also believe we need to speak to our two friends from the forest eventually. But didn’t they say they “Hadn’t seen two things, seemingly of some importance.”? I wonder what that is. I think we should speak with the witch and Lillianne and possibly the Kobold’s to find out what these two things might be, before we go looking for Llamryl and Gwendydd again.”
As they leave the priestess Eileen, Vaunu observes. ”Didn’t Llamryl say that they studied Vampiric lineages and legends? The only way our two acquaintances are innocent is if they follow another Vampire that has moved into the area; and that will be very hard to prove. Whatever happens, we best prepare ourselves to combat a vampire and possibly two.”
Eileen: "I can't say we've got all means right now, to be prepared for a vampiric threat. I'll see what our head scribe has done for today.
Anything truly alchemical, you'll have to see alchemist Whescer for."
Lvl 1 scrolls available: Bane x2, Detect alignment, Detect undead
Lvl 2 scroll available: Calm emotions
"I think it's just better to rest for the day and be ready to catch the culprit at night.I don't think I will be able to find Llamryl and Gwendydd's campsite again considering how hard it was to find our way to town. And the kobold seem to prefer being left alone." Alluriel answers. "We better check with Whescer if he has any oils of magic weapon then."
Alluriel asks Whescer if he has tanglefoot bags.
"I get my best rest at night but IF we think it best than so be it. We still need to investigate that map it may be linked to all these occurances."
"We could investigate the circled areas on the map in town. But stopping whoever who's kidnapping the townsfolk is our first priority!" Alluriel answers.
"We have 3 problems. Whatever that is kidnapping the townsfolk can fly, and may be a vampire so we need to be able to attack something that's flying and we need weapons that are both magic and silver. Any idea how to deal with that?"
"I have never hunted a vampire but what we need to know is why they are targeting who they are targeting and then need to lay a trap for them. Was each victim a woman? Were they not also alone? Were they wealthy? Poor? Notable? Young? Old? WE can patrol but on foot it would be like looking for gold vein in an abandoned mine. To cover all that ground against something that flies will be unlikely."
Vaunu listens as the party discusses the best way to thwart the vampire, as they talk he adds, "It is still early in the day, shall we go speak to the witch to see if she can add anything to our growing evidence?"
"Doesn't Lillaine go to the witch in the woods, and is Lillaine even in town to begin with?" Alluriel asks.