The guard known as Summis patiently holds the door to the lord's manor open for the rest of the group to enter.
Al-Godón heads in trying to carry the full authority of the Order he has been given. Realizing that this is far beyond the previous things he's been able to help with, he's a little cautious and nervous. He hopes his training is helping him hide that trepidation.
Mynis Morne wrote:
"Sorry sir, no request to that effect has been made. I am here as a witness only. Although I don't know how much help I will be in this regard. Not only was I incapacitated at the time, but my memories of events, facts, and even the layout of the room prior, are also sketchy at best."
Well, it is me that should appologize for that assumption. Though even as a witness I'm sure you're doing what you're able to do to help. Hopefully you'll see or hear something that will jog your memory. Let us join the Lord and see if this whole mess can be dealt with quickly.
Moving onto the street you see that it is indeed clear although there are two houses that look onto the back of the lord's manor. The backside of the home has two windows and a door. Judging from the kitchen you just saw the door leads into the kitchen. After the door are two more windows, one first level and the other basement level, but peering in them might be a little risky given your location on the open street.
Summis leads you into the house which is richly adorned for the region. Leading you through a sitting room and then opening a door and gesturing you to enter. Inside the room is a small, rectangle table that could seat up to six men. There is a bookshelf on one wall half filled with books, a luxury item for Kront. On the opposite side of the room from which you entered is a small window that opens up onto a lovely garden filled with various type of vegetable and wild flowers. Summis addresses the group before he closes the door.
"Please rest for awhile. I will go inform Lord Chinilvur of your arrival."
As he leaves Nash takes a seat near the head of the table and looks around nervously.
"I've never been in the lord's manor before. It's so much nicer than the rest of Kront. What do you think he'll want to say to us? I just...
Nash is interrupted by a knock on the door and the guard sent by Xander to fetch food entering. He looks towards Mynis and nods, placing the food on the table. Having accomplished his slightly mundane mission he leaves the room. The meal is a somewhat palatable looking plate of lamb leg and some damp looking greens of some sort. With the man gone the room quickly falls into an awkward silence.
As he leaves Nash takes a seat near the head of the table and looks around nervously.
"I've never been in the lord's manor before. It's so much nicer than the rest of Kront. What do you think he'll want to say to us? I just...
Nash is interrupted by a knock on the door and the guard sent by Xander to fetch food entering. He looks towards Mynis and nods, placing the food on the table. Having accomplished his slightly mundane mission he leaves the room. The meal is a somewhat palatable looking plate of lamb leg and some damp looking greens of some sort. With the man gone the room quickly falls into an awkward silence.
Largely undaunted by the scene at the tower, Mynis allows himself a small portion of lamb and greens. Eating enough to keep up his strength but not so much as to make him sluggish. "For just lying still in that contraption for a few hours I've managed to work up and healthy appetite. I also feel as if I've had a few 'go rounds' with one of my brothers." Mynis emphasizes his statement by stretching his neck and rolling his shoulders a few times.
"Worry not my new friend. It is likely that the lord will want to know as much about the happenings up at the tower as is necessary to bring the late gnome's killer to justice."
Moving onto the street you see that it is indeed clear although there are two houses that look onto the back of the lord's manor. The backside of the home has two windows and a door. Judging from the kitchen you just saw the door leads into the kitchen. After the door are two more windows, one first level and the other basement level, but peering in them might be a little risky given your location on the open street.
Sigh. Why isn't it ever as easy as it seems in my head? I walk past the back of the house, risking a quick look into the windows, but not lingering to inspect the view. Deciding that the gardens I saw earlier might be my last best hope, I head on round the corner.
I'm going to try hiding in the plants and flowers of the garden, close to the house. If I can get close enough to the house, then perhaps I will learn something. I can't bear to just give up.
I sneak slowly into the garden hoping my rumbling stomach doesn't give me away.
Move Silently +7, Hide +7.
You quickly peek in both windows as you pass them without making your curiosity too obvious. The first window, the basement level one, is too dark to see anything clearly through. The second opens up onto a small bedroom, perhaps that of a manservant or maid. Rounding the corner you see there is one more window on the house. The foliage leading to the window is sparse, but definitely better than nothing. No other houses look onto the garden. A small fence, which was at one point whitewashed but now is in dire repair, surrounds the garden and provides a little more cover from outside prying eyes.
You hop the fence and make your way to the window trying to make use of the cover as well as possible. Arriving under the window you can hear a voice inside, but they are far from clear.
Spoiler:
"...new friend. It is likely that...know as much about the happenings up...tower as is necessary...the...gnome's killer..."
As Mynis eats his plate of food Nash respectfully busies himself inspecting the room itself. After awhile he moves himself to the bookshelf and looks over a few titles before starting to read one in earnest. The room is quiet for a few minutes until Nash is startled out of his reading by the words of Mynis.
Mynis wrote:
"Worry not my new friend. It is likely that the lord will want to know as much about the happenings up at the tower as is necessary to bring the late gnome's killer to justice."
For Mynis only-
Spoiler:
As you finish talking something you hear something outside in the garden. You're not sure what exactly it was, but something made a sound.
Nash thinks for a few moments, and starts talking a few times, but eventually gives up and goes back to his reading. Almost as soon as he has started to read again the door opens and Lord Chinilvur walks in. He wears no sign of authority except the air that there are things to be done and he is the one to get them done. His small body quickly moves to the head of the table and looks around the room at everyone before speaking.
"Welcome to my home. Please sit down."
With this minor greeting he takes a seat at the table himself.
You hop the fence and make your way to the window trying to make use of the cover as well as possible. Arriving under the window you can hear a voice inside, but they are far from clear.
This is as close as I am going to get, so I make myself comfortable under the window. As comfortable as I can be, spying on the Lord of Kront while he's investigating a killing. Still, it's exciting! I realise that I'm now one of the few people in Kront who knows who was killed and where.
I try to calm down a little - right now I can barely hear over the pounding of my heart. Calm doesn't come easily. I just hope I hear enough to be of use.
As you finish talking something you hear something outside in the garden. You're not sure what exactly it was, but something made a sound.
Mynis pushes his plate away from himself and stands to take a more thorough stretch. As he kills time waiting for Lord Chinilvur to arrive he moves over to, and takes seemly casual glances out of, the window looking into the garden.
Spoiler:
If the window is openable I would like to open it a bit to see if I can here anything suspicious.
Alkuin wrote:
Nash thinks for a few moments, and starts talking a few times, but eventually gives up and goes back to his reading. Almost as soon as he has started to read again the door opens and Lord Chinilvur walks in. He wears no sign of authority except the air that there are things to be done and he is the one to get them done. His small body quickly moves to the head of the table and looks around the room at everyone before speaking.
"Welcome to my home. Please sit down."
With this minor greeting he takes a seat at the table himself.
With this Mynis follows suit and also retakes a chair as directed.
Mynis moves to the window and looks out for a few moments. His strong frame covers most of the light from the small window and Nash looks at him waiting for him to move so that he may continue reading.
For Mynis only-
Spoiler:
You look out onto the garden which is bathed in the grey light of the cloud covered sun. Nothing seems out of place and there is no apparent sign of what made the noise. The high plains wind blows through the vegetables and flowers giving them the appearance of daning in unison.
When Lord Chinilvur enters and sits Mynis again takes his seat. After greeting the group he begins to speak in the most serious of tones.
"As is most definately evident to all three of you, there has been a murder here in Kront. I was already informed by Nash about what he saw at the scene of the attack and that you, Mynis was it, was also present, but unconsceince for the entire duration of the fight. Al-God¨®n, you have been a boon for the herders and goodsmen of this area for nearly a month now and I put full faith in you willingness to help in this manner."
The Lord of Kront pauses to place both of his delicate hands on the table before him and signs deeply before continueing.
"Luckily, the motive for this murder is already known to me and I will explain it in more detail when Xander returns. He should be back at any moment. While we wait, would any of you like to ask anything of me about this matter?"
You hear someone approach the window and stop, apparently looking out into the garden. From your place against the wall you cannot see what the person looks like, but after a few moments they retreat from the window. You also hear that another person has entered the room. After a few seconds you hear a new voice address other people in the room.
Figure you hear clearly about fifty percent of the conversation.
"As is most definately evident to all three of you, there has been a murder here in Kront. I was already informed by Nash about what he saw at the scene of the attack and that you, Mynis was it, was also present, but unconsceince for the entire duration of the fight. Al-God¨®n, you have been a boon for the herders and goodsmen of this area for nearly a month now and I put full faith in you willingness to help in this manner."
"Herders and goodsmen, huh? I'm impressed good sir knight. I would have though the men and women of the fields beneath the duties of one so esteemed."
At least they didn't throw anything out the window - like hot tea. Go and sit down, whoever you are.
Somehow I keep from muttering under my breath in frustration - something about a motive..? something about a herder..? Was the killer one of the local tribesmen?
I think I got the gist of that, and I know what I want to ask - 'What's the reward?'. Oh, and 'Please speak up!'.
After waiting for a few minutes the door to the small room opens and Xander enters carrying a small parcel wrapped in a delicate brown fabric and tied with rough twine. He nods to the assembled group as he makes his way towards Lord Chinilvur and set the parcel down gently before bending over to whisper something in the lord's ear. After exchanging glances with Lord Chinilvur he takes a seat, a look of nervousness overcoming his stern and gruff exterior. Lord Chinilvur takes the parcel in both hands and slowly slides it towards himself until it is laying directly in front of him. He takes one hand and slides it over the top to smooth the wrinkles from it's surface. He seems to be deep in thought, but suddenly grins in embarrassment as he realizes his loss of composure.
"This, I am sure of, is the reason for Vernaticus' death. When the gnome originally came to Kront he wanted to let me know that he was carrying an extremely dangerous item and that he may be in danger while in Kront. He was concerned for the people of Kront so he wanted to ask for my permission to make a home here. I agreed under the condition that the item was left in my care so that if someone did come for the item he would not be able to give it to them and then further endanger the people of Kront. Well, it seems now that some power is after this item now and Vernaticus was the first to die in the acquisition of it."
Lord Chinilvur begins to slowly untie the twine surrounding the parcel and then removes the delicate cloth that his it's exterior. The item is a black leather bound book with no identifying marks except for a picture of two goat's horns floating over a fire. As soon as the book is revealed a sense of foreboding permeates the room. Nash shifts his feet nervously under the table and Xander sets his jaw and stares at the book as if he would like to tear it to shreds. Lord Chinilvur seems not to be affected by the books cold ambiance. After giving everyone a few moments to take in the book the lord of Kront begins speaking again while re-wrapping the book in it's coverings.
"Now, for the tasks that are set before us and the reason I have called you here. I have three tasks and only two of them can be done in a reasonable amount of time. I ask for your advice in this manner and require you service for it as well. In other words, I am conscripting you because this attack has endangered the lives of all in Kront. I hope..."
Suddenly, there is two loud "thuds" against the side of the house and a lot of yelling from what seems to be children.
The talking continues and you seem to get some sense of what is happening in the town. After some time of listening to the conversation a cold chill permeates your body for a few moments and a sense of uneasiness overtakes you. The feeling quickly subsides and you start to again take in the conversation when two stones about the size of your fist go sailing past your head and slam into the side of the house. The stones are followed by the yells of:
"We found him! We found him!"
and,
"The mureder's here! Come and get him!"
The sounds are coming frm a pack of four children that somehow spotted you and are now readying another volly of stones to send towards you. Around the front of the house you can hear the rusty clnking of the militiamen guarding the front of the house coming your way.
