Nari waves to Hlar as they pass. She wishes she had time right now to stay a while and work. There are so many people here that need help. But she needed a job to support herself so Majeed wouldn't have to worry about her, so work first.
Merle whispers out her response
"I think if you excuse the expression that this seems to be a dead-end."
"Right. I'm going to go talk to that cutter over there. Why don't you cool your heels and finish your drinks and we can move on to a likelier place, where your collective feminine wiles will find answers easier than I can?"
Isaac heads casually over to the table with the friendly-looking Dustman and his minders.
"Hello, I hope I'm not bothering you, but my friends and I were looking for an acquaintance that may have disappeared here in the Hive. I was wondering if maybe you've seen him: his name's Eliath and..."
Isaac gives the full physical description, noting that he's barmy but likely not dangerous and we don't think he's been to the Gatehouse.
Nari waves to Hlar as they pass. ,...
Justin notes the wave. Unusual for a girl who usually tries to be invisible.
"Do you know him?" He asks Naridre, pointing his chin at the large teifling.
"Because if you do, we should start by asking him. One thing I know about places like this, trying to get information from people behind desks is like pulling teeth from a dragon. While it's alive."
"Hello, I hope I'm not bothering you, but my friends and I were looking for an acquaintance that may have disappeared here in the Hive. I was wondering if maybe you've seen him: his name's Eliath and..."
The robed man gets up and shakes Issac's hand.
"I am known as State-Of-Grace, please sit down!
Issac can see now that he is closer to the berk that he is definately Angel-kissed of some degree or another. He has the look.
He listen's to Issac's spiel. Issac gets the feeling that State-Of-Grace looks a bit disappointed. As he wraps up State-Of-Grace smiles
"I am sorry, Issac, I personally not heard of your friend. Perhaps if he has moved on to his next stage of death he might have ended up at the Mortuary."
State-Of-Grace pauses and freshens his smile a bit
"But let me ask you, Issac, do you have a faction affiliation yet? I hear a strange accent, Arborean maybe? You know, a smart cutter like you could do well among a faction that searches for the Ultimate Threshold. "
State-Of-Grace pauses
"If you were interested I could say a word for you at the Mortuary."
Nari waves to Hlar as they pass. ,...Justin notes the wave. Unusual for a girl who usually tries to be invisible.
"Do you know him?" He asks Naridre, pointing his chin at the large teifling.
"Because if you do, we should start by asking him. One thing I know about places like this, trying to get information from people behind desks is like pulling teeth from a dragon. While it's alive."
Nari blushes. "Actually they're very kind and helpful here," she says softly. "I met Hlar when I was here before, visiting my teacher. He has the forgetting sickness."
"Hello, I hope I'm not bothering you, but my friends and I were looking for an acquaintance that may have disappeared here in the Hive. I was wondering if maybe you've seen him: his name's Eliath and..."The robed man gets up and shakes Issac's hand.
"I am known as State-Of-Grace, please sit down!
Issac can see now that he is closer to the berk that he is definately Angel-kissed of some degree or another. He has the look.
He listen's to Issac's spiel. Issac gets the feeling that State-Of-Grace looks a bit disappointed. As he wraps up State-Of-Grace smiles
"I am sorry, Issac, I personally not heard of your friend. Perhaps if he has moved on to his next stage of death he might have ended up at the Mortuary."
State-Of-Grace pauses and freshens his smile a bit
"But let me ask you, Issac, do you have a faction affiliation yet? I hear a strange accent, Arborean maybe? You know, a smart cutter like you could do well among a faction that searches for the Ultimate Threshold. "
State-Of-Grace pauses
"If you were interested I could say a word for you at the Mortuary."
"Ah, that's too bad that you haven't heard anything about him, State-Of-Grace. Thanks for listening, though. I appreciate the offer to join your faction, but I'm already affiliated with the Believers of the Source."
"So Red, what's the next move?"
"Ah, that's too bad that you haven't heard anything about him, State-Of-Grace. Thanks for listening, though. I appreciate the offer to join your faction, but I'm already affiliated with the Believers of the Source."
State-Of-Grace frowns slightly, his manner cooling a bit.
"Ah well, when you tire of chasing divinity perhaps you will be ready to search for deeper truths."
The angel-kissed Dustman pauses.
"You know, even if you weren't interested in joining, we are always in the market for corpse rights. I am authorized to ink contracts for the prevention of death regression if you are interested in a making a little hard jink."
Isaac keeps his face as neutral as he can, biting back exactly what he thinks of the Dustman's "deeper truths".
"I'll keep your offer and opinion under consideration. Thanks for your time."
He'll stalk back to the bar and the ladies.
"Well, whole lot of nothing. We can check the Mortuary for Eliath before we lose our nerve, if you like. Or head to the next watering hole."
The Gatehouse team enters the huge tiled central courtyard. The huge open-roofed tower enclosing the ancient courtyard rears above them some fifteen stories high, with the five-story wings radiating off it in a sunburst pattern.
An open soup line is feeding ragged cutters, another line seems to be folks bringing barmies, orphans and oldsters to seek shelter.
Why couldn't her new companions just answer the question? What do you do? It didn't seem like a hard question to answer . . . but the new recruits wanted to be enigmatic about their exact abilities. Karrin wasn't sure how to press the issue. Karrin had often been a follower but now she was a leader, and although she was grateful for Renkar giving her the opportunity, she was feeling slightly overwhelmed and she wasn't entirely sure how to proceed. Knowing what her team could do seemed like kinda a big deal but Karrin was also told to avoid conflicts . . .
This commanding thing was difficult. Still, Renkar had entrusted almost all of the new recruits to her, and that showed confidence. Eir and Swift were only baby sitting one recruit and Merle (who was pretty solid). Seemed like Renkar thought Karrin had potential . . . either that or Isaac was a slippery one.
Karrin concentrated real hard: she knew far more about magic then she ever let on. Her brain was actually a marvel of knowledge and cunning but Karrin had found quite early in life that it was so much easier when she let others think her dim and let them do all the thinking for her.
Unfortunately these newbies didn't know how dim Karrin pretended to be yet and had left her questions unanswered. Karrin needed to fill in the blanks: Justin was likely a spell slinger, most likely an enchanter by his demeanour, but he did mention blasting things so he could be an invoker. Drazek was likely a necromancer or one of those warlocks . . . he sure was creepy. That was the requirements for entry into either of those professions it seemed! As for the harpy . . . well she could fly and that would be useful, sadly Karrin hadn't seen or heard anything else to fill in the blanks in that department.
Karrin and Naridre catch a glimpse of the kind tiefling they met the other day, Hlar, working with several young children. His size and crown of horns is hard to miss.
Nari waves to Hlar as they pass. She wishes she had time right now to stay a while and work. There are so many people here that need help. But she needed a job to support herself so Majeed wouldn't have to worry about her, so work first.
"Do you know him?" He asks Naridre, pointing his chin at the large teifling."Because if you do, we should start by asking him. One thing I know about places like this, trying to get information from people behind desks is like pulling teeth from a dragon. While it's alive."
Karrin was caught up in her thoughts as they walked past Hlar but as the sudden talk snaps Karrin out of her thoughts, she quickly turns to greet Hlar.
"Hello Hlar," Karrin says, "sorry for not saying hello just now, we're on a job and I was sort of wrapped up in my thoughts. We gotta find this guy who's in the hive somewhere and we got next to nothing to go on. Worse he might be not quite right in the head . . . all loopy and stuff, and although some might think that'd make him easier to find, I think it's gonna make him harder to find cuz most people see right through the crazies like they just don't exist or something. Anyways we're gonna try asking over at the Gatehouse to see if he was spotted there but I think if we're being paid to do this job our employer probably already tried there. That would be too easy. Still we got nothing it's a cold trail and getting colder.
"Oh wait," Karrin says, "I'm really sorry for wasting your time, you don't need to know this stuff, anyways I guess it doesn't hurt asking, do you know a squinty white haired fellow by the name of Eliath do you?"
"Okay lets try the mortuary but lets be quick about it."
Seph can tell that Karrin is deep in thought about something he trys to talk to her and help her out unfortunatly all Karrin and the other hear is "Meow mrewwrr mreooww" Once again seph cursed his lack of normal human vocal chords
"Okay lets try the mortuary but lets be quick about it."
"Couldn't have put it better myself."
Swift gives a small sigh at the all-business approach of Isaac and Merle, eyeing a comfy looking seat before giving up on the notion of taking things at a more open and leisurely pace.
"I reckon with the bow and wings, Bethany here'd make a damn good skirmisher."
Bethany stays in the air, but contiues to keep an eye on the party.
As they stop to question the Tiefling, she does a couple of passes but quickly sees that they might be a moment and descends to try and catch some of the conversation.
... Karrin was caught up in her thoughts as they walked past Hlar but as the sudden talk snaps Karrin out of her thoughts, she quickly turns to greet Hlar.
"Hello Hlar," Karrin says, "sorry for not saying hello just now, we're on a job and I was sort of wrapped up in my thoughts. We gotta find this guy who's in the hive somewhere and we got next to nothing to go on. Worse he might be not quite right in the head . . . all loopy and stuff, and although some might think that'd make him easier to find, I think it's gonna make him harder to find cuz most people see right through the crazies like they just don't exist or something. Anyways we're gonna try asking over at the Gatehouse to see if he was spotted there but I think if we're being paid to do this job our employer probably already tried there. That would be too easy. Still we got nothing it's a cold trail and getting colder.
"Oh wait," Karrin says, "I'm really sorry for wasting your time, you don't need to know this stuff, anyways I guess it doesn't hurt asking, do you know a squinty white haired fellow by the name of Eliath do you?"
Hlar nods hello as he stands up
"Hello Naridre, Karrin. Are you here to visit Majeed?"
Hlar frowns as Karrin's words spill out
"I haven't seen this Eliath, I am sorry Karrin."
Hlar pauses
"Well, you could take to the factotum running Records and Inprocessing today, Derioch. She's over at Records now I think. Just tell her I sent you over and you should be OK. I'd accompany you, but I am doing lessons for some orphans right now."
Hlar gestures to the dozen ragged children by his side. They all have a very lean hungry look, and several of them cast lingering glances over the party's beltpouches.
"Okay lets try the mortuary but lets be quick about it.""Couldn't have put it better myself."
The group heads out of the dark taproom and onto the busy Gramercy Street. They continue Spinwards to Ragpicker's Square, angling towards the Gray District and the Mortuary.
Ragpicker's Square is unofficially the border between the Lower Ward and the Hive. It is hard to draw a solid boundary as the two wards look a lot alike at their juncture. The square does have one thing that is usually lacking in the Lower Ward, undead. They are sprinkled throughout the crowd, the spooky zombie servitors, the polished skeleton laborers, the occasional ghoul or wight walking along.
The Afterpeak is starting to age, the light dimming a fractional bit under the gloomy rain-spattered fog. The group passes through the clothing kiosks and second-hand bookstores to the far side of the square and the Gray District.
The first district of the Hive Ward is somber and quiet, as befits a district involved in death. The undead population increases, and so does the pariah Collectors, the 'freelance' corpse gatherers who eke out a living selling Sigil's unclaimed corpse to the Dustmen.
The group falls in behind a funeral march, a somer trio of bards playing a dirge as a group of red-clad cutters escort a bier towards the Mortuary.
The skull-shaped Mortuary greets the group as they follow the funeral procession in. As they reach the gate, a group of six mail-clad guards dressed in skull-motif armor similar to the gear you saw in the Gathering Dust Bar stop you, crossing long pikes in front of the gate.
"Halt. State your business."
Hlar nods hello as he stands up
"Hello Naridre, Karrin. Are you here to visit Majeed?"
Hlar frowns as Karrin's words spill out
"I haven't seen this Eliath, I am sorry Karrin."
Hlar pauses
"Well, you could take to the factotum running Records and Inprocessing today, Derioch. She's over at Records now I think. Just tell her I sent you over and you should be OK. I'd accompany you, but I am doing lessons for some orphans right now."
Hlar gestures to the dozen ragged children by his side. They all have a very lean hungry look, and several of them cast lingering glances over the party's beltpouches.
Nari watches the children. She knows that look very well. She starts making a list in her head of the things she will need to bring with her the next time she comes. She was sure the Bleakers were providing for the children as best they could, but every child deserves a treat once in a while.
Merle stands forward from the others to address the guards
"Were looking for someone called Eliath and we thought it might be possible he ended up here."
Seph mews sadly seeing the children. Sure he may be stuck as a cat but at least he had someone to look after him and feed him. (Even if it was the person that turned him into a cat.)
Merle stands forward from the others to address the guards
"Were looking for someone called Eliath and we thought it might be possible he ended up here."
One large mailed cutter frowns
"You suspect your friend has been interned with us? Was there a funeral or was his corpus taken by the Collectors?"
Merle stands forward from the others to address the guards
"Were looking for someone called Eliath and we thought it might be possible he ended up here."
One large mailed cutter frowns
"You suspect your friend has been interned with us? Was there a funeral or was his corpus taken by the Collectors?"
"We think he would have been brought in by Collectors, if he was brought in at all."
Isaac looks very pale and subdued with so many zombies, skeletons, ghouls and wights around.
The guard frowns
"Well, Toranna's the factotum in charge of the Unclaimed Register. If you want to wait a few minutes I can see if she's free to speak with you."
About fifteen minutes after the guards send someone back into the Mortuary complex, a striking-featured athletic-looking black-chainmailed woman comes walking up to the gate. She has a black tabard on over her chain with a strange symbol on its front, a white jawless skull on top of a purple sunburst. She wears a dark cloak that is fastened by a Dustman symbol brooch. A longsword is scabbarded at her side
She gives the group the Dustman Stoic Stare
"I hear you are looking for information on a missing friend?"
Isaac searches his repository of planar hearsay and knowledge for anything he can remember about a symbol like she's wearing. Knowledge: The Planes 1d20+7=22
"That's right. We're looking for a fellow named Eliath. Short, wiry, thin like he's gone too long without a good meal. Grey hair, blue robes; gave everyone the laugh and hit the Hive not long ago and we're worried he may have been penned in the dead book."
Issac:
The woman nods.
"I am Toranna. I currently keep the Unclaimed Registry. If you wish, you can come to Records with me and we can see if we have anything on him."
"We would be much obliged, Miss Toranna."
"Follow me please."
The black-clad woman turns and walks into the Mortuary complex. The complex has a large wall of black basalt running around it. Dozens of windowless vaults line the area, many marked with siguls associated with death/mortality. Crouched in the center of the complex is the Mortuary itself, like the skull of an elder titan from ages long gone. Spiny buttresses arc off the bulbous main building.
Swarms of Dustmen and their undead cohorts walk sedately to and fro. Collectors are in evidence too, bringing their corpse-carts piled with fresh deaders in for their 5 Green bounty per.
Toranna brings you up a flight of marble stairs into the main entrance. The massive doors of copper-sheathed Ironwood stand open. Crowds of Dustmen in all states of undeath walk about. Several mail-clad guards stand about this entrance, but pay the group no heed with Toranna at the party's side.
The party enters an immense hall floored in shining black marble. A huge domed ceiling rears up above. Toranna guides you thourgh, past mourners and epitapths, skeletons and crypts. Eventually you come to a door reading: Records: Faction members only please
Toranna turns to the group
"One moment. I'll need to read the recent rolls. Please have a seat."
There are several marble benches by the doorway. Toranna disappears behind the door.
Toranna reappears after about a half-hour.
"I'm afraid your friend has indeed passed on to his next stage of death. A body clad in blue robes, skinny, white-haired, identified as 'Barmy Eli' by witnesses was recovered some eight Peaks last from the Madhouse District. Brought in by Collectors and judged unsuitable for animation. His husk was cremated on the Elemental Plane of Fire."
Toranna looks at the party.
"I am sorry I could not be of more assistance, but take comfort in the fact that he is one step closer to True Death."
"Well, you could take to the factotum running Records and Inprocessing today, Derioch. She's over at Records now I think. Just tell her I sent you over and you should be OK. I'd accompany you, but I am doing lessons for some orphans right now."Hlar gestures to the dozen ragged children by his side. They all have a very lean hungry look, and several of them cast lingering glances over the party's beltpouches.
Karrin reaches into her belt pouch of everlasting rations and shares her food with the hungry looking children.
"There ya go kids," Karrin says, "we'll go over with you Hlar whenever you're ready."
"There ya go kids," Karrin says, "we'll go over with you Hlar whenever you're ready."
The children fall to on the proferred rations, eating like a pack of starveling wolves. They call out with full mouths
"Fank yew mif!"
Hlar smiles
"Oh no need to wait on me Karrin. I've got another few hours with the young'uns. Just go over to Records, ask for Derioch, tell her I sent you over, an' she'll give you the straight chant."
He smiles a bit wider, kind of unsettling with his looks, but Karrin can sympathize with a kind person of tiefling descent.
"Thank you for sharing your rations with the children Karrin. It's hard with all the mouths to feed to get them as much food as we'd like."
Toranna reappears after about a half-hour.
"I'm afraid your friend has indeed passed on to his next stage of death. A body clad in blue robes, skinny, white-haired, identified as 'Barmy Eli' by witnesses was recovered some eight Peaks last from the Madhouse District. Brought in by Collectors and judged unsuitable for animation. His husk was cremated on the Elemental Plane of Fire."
Toranna looks at the party.
"I am sorry I could not be of more assistance, but take comfort in the fact that he is one step closer to True Death."
"Oh. Well... that's too bad."
He looks at Merle, Eir and Swift.
"Do you think there's any chance it could have been someone else?"
"Do you think there's any chance it could have been someone else?"
Toranna frowns at the question
"well, yeh said blue robe, white hair, skinny, called Eliath. Only thing anyway different is the name, an' if I was named Eliath I'd go by Eli. Considering the number of unnamed and unknown corpses we process through here I'd say yeh're sodding lucky I had that much chant on record."
Toranna looks slightly annoyed
"I hate to cut this short, but I am a very busy woman. If you would excuse me I am sure that you can find your way out. Good Peak to yeh."
Toranna turns and reenters the records office, shutting the door behind her.
The party is left standing in the black-floored hall
"Oh no need to wait on me Karrin. I've got another few hours with the young'uns. Just go over to Records, ask for Derioch, tell her I sent you over, an' she'll give you the straight chant."He smiles a bit wider, kind of unsettling with his looks, but Karrin can sympathize with a kind person of tiefling descent.
"Thank you for sharing your rations with the children Karrin. It's hard with all the mouths to feed to get them as much food as we'd like."
Justin has a smile, albeit lopsided, on his face at the children's antics. He notices Nadride looking at him and arches an eyebrow and his customary smirk. "What?"
"Thanks for your help." He tells the large teifling.
Bethany watches Karrin give food to the children and c o c k s her head.
"Why waste your own food on strays. It seems as if that horned fellow has them in hand," she thinks to herself.
"So we are off to the Gatehouse then?"
Justin has a smile, albeit lopsided, on his face at the children's antics. He notices Nadride looking at him and arches an eyebrow and his customary smirk. "What?"
"Thanks for your help." He tells the large teifling.
Nari gives him a tentative smile, just a little less afraid of him. After all, he didn't seem that scary when he was smiling at the children, before he knew she was watching. She gives a wave to Hlar as they leave to go talk to Derioch.
Hlar gives them directions to the Records office. Since Karrin and Naridre had visited near there just the other Peak when they were looking for Majeed it's easy to find.
When the arrive at Records, there's a small line of folks looking for information, but the wait isn't long. A black-clad human male of middle age looks up from his desk as the group approaches
"Can I be of assistance, cutters?"
"Can I be of assistance, cutters?"
"Hello," Karrin says, "we're looking for Derioch."
Karrin decides to keep her questions short and sweet at this point, no telling who was listing.
"Hlar sent us," She quickly adds.
"Do you think there's any chance it could have been someone else?"Toranna frowns at the question
"well, yeh said blue robe, white hair, skinny, called Eliath. Only thing anyway different is the name, an' if I was named Eliath I'd go by Eli. Considering the number of unnamed and unknown corpses we process through here I'd say yeh're sodding lucky I had that much chant on record."
Toranna looks slightly annoyed
"I hate to cut this short, but I am a very busy woman. If you would excuse me I am sure that you can find your way out. Good Peak to yeh."
Toranna turns and reenters the records office, shutting the door behind her.
The party is left standing in the black-floored hall
With an arched eyebrow, Isaac turns to his companions.
"You see that? She wants me. Playing hard to get, but she was giving me the eye. Even the corpses could see it. Or... and I suppose it's possible, she's hiding something. It is pretty sodding lucky to have that much information from a Collector when they bring 'em in. I suggest we give this place the laugh, think about our next move somewhere more pleasant."
"Can I be of assistance, cutters?"
"Hello," Karrin says, "we're looking for Derioch."
Karrin decides to keep her questions short and sweet at this point, no telling who was listing.
"Hlar sent us," She quickly adds.
The man nods
"One moment I'll fetch her."
A few minutes later a middle-aged woman with a scar across her lip dressed in dark-colored robes approaches. She looks unhappy, but that's fairly par for the course in the Gatehouse.
"I'm Derioch, what can I assist you cutters with?"
I suggest we give this place the laugh, think about our next move somewhere more pleasant."
The light of Peak doesn't penetrate this hallway, but your internal clocks realize that you are most likely real close to Before Antipeak, which means you're in the Mortuary and it's getting dark.
The group decides it's come up on a 'dead' end for now, and decide to make haste out of the Mortuary. Hurrying through the corridors, they get a peery eye from some of the Dustmen walking about, but they don't stop them.
Exiting the large main doors, the group can see that the activity in the Mortuary complex is increasing as the last few shreds of peaklight fade. Several of the windowless vaults open their doors, disgorging all manner of spooks and specters. They see a clutch of mummies shambling towards them, their yellowed bones wrapped in resin-impregnated linen wrappings. Gold crowns and jewelry adorn the deaders, but filching their jink is the last thing any of the group think as they hurry by out the main gate.
Out in the Gray District, they see swarms of Collectors going to and fro. One trio has parked their cart by an alley, and are dragging a fresh corpse from its fetid depths.
"Anyone about know this berk?" One yells
Another one squints at the deader.
"Heh, not a mark on 'em, jest like them others. Odd sorta sickness wot leaves them unmarked."
The third snorts.
"What are you a sawbones now? Gonna go ask for a job at the Weary Spirit? All I knows is he's five Greens in me coinpurse. Say the words."
The second nods and pulls a faded stained small book from a filthy pouch
"We commend our brother ... anyone know this berk? ... oh well, We commend our departed brother to the tender mercies of whatever power he worshipped. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
The other two swing the corpse up into the cart while this simple homily is read. A few disinterested passersby avert their eyes and walk on. The three Collectors grab their cart and start walking down the street, banging their corpse bell as they go down the street.
Merle keeps as close to Swift and Issac as possible. The smell and appearance of all the dead making her very uncomfortable. Whilst heading back a thought occurs to her.
"Hey were we ever told how long ago this guy went missing?"
"I'm Derioch, what can I assist you cutters with?"
Karrin glances to her companions, then turns back to Derioch, "Yes, I certainly hope so," Karrin says, "we're looking for a fellow by the name Eliath and Hlar said you were the one to speak too."
Derioch frowns
"I assume he was barmy? I can research his name, see if we have any info on his whereabouts..."
She trails off, then looks about and leans in closer.
"Can I ask you a question? Did he disappear unexpectedly?"
Derioch frowns
"I assume he was barmy? I can research his name, see if we have any info on his whereabouts..."
She trails off, then looks about and leans in closer.
"Can I ask you a question? Did he disappear unexpectedly?"
"I think so," Karrin nods, "what we don't know is if it was of his own choosing or not."
"I think so," Karrin nods, "what we don't know is if it was of his own choosing or not."
Derioch turns back into her busy office
"I'm taking a break cutters, I'll be back in a trice."
She comes fully out into the hallway, The scar on her face makes it look like she is grinning on one side, but the other side is pulled down in a permafrown.
"You cutters have a few moments to talk a little privately?" She asks in a low tone, so as not to be overheard by the folks in line for the office
Merle keeps as close to Swift and Issac as possible. The smell and appearance of all the dead making her very uncomfortable. Whilst heading back a thought occurs to her.
"Hey were we ever told how long ago this guy went missing?"
The thin half-elf rubs the back of his neck, remembering.
"Come to think of it, I don't think Renkar supplied us that information. Toranna said eight peaks, but I'm guessing that would have been enough time for our client to walk down here and check the Mortuary himself. Unless he's got enough jink to throw away on hiring top shelf mercenary companies to do his legwork for him."
"And did you hear what those Collectors were saying about a body without any marks on it? All kinds of things happen, but it's worth thinking about. Our friend Toranna, there: she had a symbol for some minor death power on her tabard. Not sure which, but I remember they didn't have a savory reputation. Something's queer at the Mortuary, besides the Dusties for once."
""And did you hear what those Collectors were saying about a body without any marks on it? All kinds of things happen, but it's worth thinking about. Our friend Toranna, there: she had a symbol for some minor death power on her tabard. Not sure which, but I remember they didn't have a savory reputation. Something's queer at the Mortuary, besides the Dusties for once."
"Well to be fair spells that can make people just drop dead with no marks aren't all that uncommon." Merle states matter of factly "And its not like there is a lack of things around here that could cast such spells."