Adir's club connects with the wolf, a snapping/crunching sound echo's around the courtyard as the wolf's neck breaks.
Jace snaps at the wolf as it reflexively jumps back from Songan's swing, his closing on the wolf's throat, squeezing at the windpipe for , then immediately following up with a across the midsection for , the wolf going slack as a lack of air and a torn side take it's diseased life.
Delia calls for a clear shot at the last wolf, firing an , , cursing slightly under her breath as the bow string snaps free of the bow, the arrow clattering to the ground. She stares a moment at the unstrung bow, cursing under her breath.
The last wounded wolf, seeing it's brethren fall, charges past the grouped warriors at the two ranged hunters, , lunging at Delia, her calf for , the bite burning slightly. .
Wolf 1 and 3 are dead, wolf 2 is nearly dead.
Wolf 3 is next to Delia
Group 1 - Tuzak, Leira, Songan, Jace, Adir, Delia
Group 2 - Wolf 2
Group 1 is up, 36 hours on the action clock starting now.
And, I don't think Brinya did anything wrong but I got reason to think she might know something about where he'd been and what he'd been up to lately. I just wanna ask her if she knows anything that might be useful in figurin out what really happened, that's all."
Sara pauses, sternly gauging Morgrim, weighing her thoughts before replying. There may be someone else who may know something about Rodrik's recent activities. Can you come back to the shop after lunch, say two bells from now? I will close up and we will have some privacy so that he and your group may discuss Rodrik's death without prying ears.
Leira shouts scared as Delia is bitten by the wolf "No! Delia! You wolf, run away!"
The girl reloads the crossbow and fires at the canine creature.
Delia breathes a sigh of relief as Songan and Leira put a quick end to the wolf threatening her. The wolf almost seems relieved as well, a last soft sigh escaping it's lips as it expires.
The battle seemed to flash by so quickly, everyone glancing around one to another. Almost as though you had practiced together for ages, your group fell into a seamless pattern and defeated the wild wolves.
Adir rushes to the courtyard gates, checking the way beyond. Whoever it was that dumped the wolves, they are gone, only a small cart remains. The back of the cart seems to have been used as a cage to hold the beasts, the smell and look of the thing suggesting the creatures had been penned in together for possibly days. A few cords similar to those found in the courtyard are tied to the cage or lay chewed through on the floor of the cart.
Songan looks over the wolves, worried about possible disease or infection from their bites. The wolves have bloodshot eyes, bleeding gums, with both open and festering sores on their hides. After a cursory exam, it appears the beasts were not naturally diseased, rather someone poisoned and infected these wolves with a rare ailment, Bleeder's Disease. This disease often infects worgs and dire wolves amongst certain orc tribes, whether by forced feeding or scavenging, but it is rare this far south of the Blood Plains, and these wolves are more likely a local variety, ill equipped to have been spawned in the Hold of Belkzen.
Leira darts towards Songan as the last wolf fells to the ground "Are you ok!? You kept fighting so bravely even injured..."
When the disease of the wolfs is revealed "Tricksters... it seems someone doesn't want us to investigate around. We better let the others know and keep an eye from now on."
The girl will have a further look on the carts, just in case something else has been forgotten.
She then asks to the people around if they have seen something, and if someone has seen people with the cart going around the town lately.
Afterwards, she returns with the party in order to look for Rodrick fiancée "We probably want to look for Brinya right now."
Adir nods in respect to the group as he strokes Tuzak's ears when the sloth returns to his side for comfort. He asks, "Was anyone injured?"
Sharing the evidence of the cart, he laments, "A cruel and evil use for any animal. And it seems that our efforts have been noticed. If we needed any more confirmation that there is much amiss, it seems we have it."
|
"There is no need for worry, Leira, though I am touched by your concern. One of the beasts got my leg, but it's not terribly serious." Songan volunteers; the animal managed to catch the back of his leg, behind his knee where there was a gap in his armor; blood can be seen trickling from the wound, but the injury doesn't seem to be of immediate concern.
"Agreed. I am glad more that we put these animals out of their misery than for anything else. Poor creatures..." he says to himself, looking at the dead wolves.
"We should see to it that the corpses are burned if we can glean nothing more from them. I don't know how this disease is transmitted but it's better safe than sorry. After that, Brinya seems the next logical step." he adds.
"Thanks Sara," Morgrim replies heading out, "I'll see you in two bells." Leaving Clamor's, he hustle's back down to the temple looking for his fellow investigators.
The wounds are not serious, and Delia and Songan are quickly bandaged up, ready for travel.
Leira notices that someone carved a symbol into side of the cart, a doodle scratching that looks like an odd twisted lightning bolt.
The only person in the area, a small tow-headed child, says he saw an ugly blonde man and a big scary half-orc pulling the cart of "bad doggies" up to the church, and letting them loose in the yard. When the doggies started barking, the men ran away, "that way", motioning towards the west, wherein lies the gates to the upper quarters of Trunau.
Morgrim senses that Sara is protecting some secret, but what it is he cannot say. He does not believe it has to do with Brinya, but it is important, and she is weighing heavily her need to protect it and her desire to help him with the investigation.
"We should see to it that the corpses are burned if we can glean nothing more from them. I don't know how this disease is transmitted but it's better safe than sorry. After that, Brinya seems the next logical step." he adds.
You can arrange to have the bodies hauled away and disposed of with the priests, or with a militia patrolman on the way to Brinya's. I leave it up to you how you wish to do so, but it is probably not a good idea to start a wolf pyre in the church's courtyard.
"Oh, don't try to make yourself the strong cat, I can see how that wound is bleeding." the girl ignores Songan and helps him with an improvised bandage.
She nods to the suggestion of the corpses "We perhaps can help the clerics clean this mess. Perhaps while you take care of the corpses I can go take a further look for questions on who made this."
After she finds out about the ones pushing the cart she explains it to the party "I don't have any idea whom the blond ugly guy and the scary half-orc might be, but I don't think we will find them now. So we better just have an open eye. There are some people I want to ask questions about our investigation I will go ask them while you take care of the wolvies, is that ok?"
"Anyone has an idea of where is Brinya house? We can gather up there in around one hour."
If no one knows where Brinya lifes, Leira will also ask for that.
Leira asks at town about the Twisted Nail laborers, "what were they doing at town", "with whom they interacted", "where the Twisted Nail symbol was written".
The name we found the note addressing to: Melira, who is she?
This night/morning: has someone been seen leaving the town? can anybody provide a description?
Has someone seen Katreza: where?
Groin remembers where Brinya has been staying, himself sometimes staying at the Commons as well. He and Morgrim make the trek there after discussing the strange behavior they witnessed from Sara.
Songan recalls where Brinya is staying, one of the many places he looked at but ultimately was not able to stay at himself. He can relate this information to the others around him.
The two groups can meet near the south gate as Morgrim and Groin rush to the Sanctuary. Then together they can all travel through the Inner Quarter and up into the Upper Quarter, where the Commons lodgings is located, near the amphitheater.
After an hour or so, Leira joins the rest of the party at Brinya's home door. As she sees Morgrim in there, she takes profit to greet him "Hi Morgrim. Any result with your investigation? We got some information in the Sanctuary."
The girl updates Morgrim about the latest news and the wolves attack. She then knocks at Brinya's door.
"What do you think we should reveal about our research? I guess we can reveal her we are unofficial investigators but try to hide most of what we have found."
The matron of the Commons lodge sends another guest up to fetch Brinya. It takes a few minutes, the woman asking you to wait in the common lounge for her to come down. There are a few other guests in the room, but seeing your group they gather up and move on, giving you the lounge to yourselves. The room is cramped but well furnished, with two full couches, three small desks along one wall, a small table and floral centerpiece with four padded chairs, and a long bench by the bay window.
A few minutes later, Brinya arrives, hesitant to enter but she does so. Her eyes appear bloodshot and puffy, her face stained with the traces of tears. She looks you over, vaguely remembering one or two of you, asking, Yes, you wish to see me? What is this about?
You have caught Brinya Kelver in an unenviable state, her face wracked with grief and stained by hours of tears. She composes herself as best she can during your chat with her, but breaks into sobs periodically throughout the conversation. Her emotions are raw and vulnerable, volatile even, so you find it best to use as much tact and decorum as possible, to keep her as calm and stable as possible.
Before entering the Commons Lodge, Adir reels a bit from the group's many revelations. Hope knives, blonde men, Twisted Nail half-orcs, hidden liaisons, secret investigation, family strife, and somehow it all results in a dead man. How does it all fit together? Gods, and we still haven't told Jagrin that it wasn't a suicide.
Adir isn't overly quick of thought, so he ponders it all a bit once inside. Eventually, while people ask Brinya questions about the relationship with Rodrik, he starts coming up with a theory.
Waiting for a lull, Adir finally voices his thoughts. He speaks slowly, more for his own benefit. "So, Trunau is quite unwelcoming to orcs because of our history, but half-orcs suffer much less prejudice. What if the Twisted Nail tribe sent loyal half-orcs to infiltrate Trunau. That would explain the connection between the white paintings that Morgrim and Delia found at the Ramblehouse and the ones that have been appearing throughout town.
And then we have the blonde guy that was at the Ramblehouse across from Rodrik and a blonde guy that the kid saw tossing the wolves into the courtyard with a half-orc. Maybe he's a traitor who is working with the Twisted Nail tribe." Adir spits out that last thought with disgust.
"If that's what Rodrik was investigating, that would explain why the blonde guy killed Rodrik. Maybe he goes into Rodrik's room, poisons him, and kills him, making it look like a suicide. He sees Rodrik's hopeknife is nicer than his own, grabs it, and leaves his behind." Adir goes very pale. "If that's the case, the blonde guy isn't just a traitor, but a Trunau native who is betraying us to the orcs.
If all this conjecture is right, the half-orc 'laborers' have probably been weakening our defenses. We need to tell moth..Halgra and the council right now!"
As the woman cries, Leira feels inclined to sooth the poor girl, but the orc nature of the fiancée maintains her stout, talking very seriously with her. She does not say anything when she explains how guilty she feels That's what you orcs do... you bring the trouble to us and your bestial nature puts us on pain.
Leira nods as Adir speaks, she then shocks as he reveals all that information in front of Brinya "Perhaps it is not the best moment to discuss this Adir. The less Brinya knows the better. She will be informed soon enough once we are sure about our findings." it is clear Leira does not fully trust Brinya.
Leira hates orcs and extends this to half-orcs as a tense respect and full distrust.
Once the druid pushes the topic she adds "I agree with most of your view. I think though the hopeknife we found was really the one Rodrik ordered. Brinya already acknowledged the resemblance. For some reason Rodrik got the hopeknife before it was finished. We can only clarify this point if we find Urnsul, who was supposed to finish the job."
She thinks for a while then continues "And you assumed the blonde man has been the one who killed Rodrik. We still have no prove that is true other than a suspicion given the note Morgrim and Delia found at his room pointing Rodirk was bothering him with his investigation." she makes a pause, then continues "Even then, the lack of the injury on the carotid makes it clear the assassin doesn't really know how the hopeknife ritual works, thus we can think he is not from Trunau."
Turning towards Brinya she further asks coldly "Do you know how Rodrik's journal looks like? Have you ever seen it? We are looking for some people that might have information about last night's events. Do you know anything about someone called Melira? And Urnsul, a half-orc recently working at the smith? Do you know how Jagrin Grath got to know about your relationship with Rodrik?"
|
|
Songan listens to the entire tale, making sure to explain to the others that in Trunau, a couple exchanging hopeknives was the equal of getting engaged. "I agree that we should speak no more of this here. The more anyone else knows the more in danger they are." he says, holding his tongue from revealing anything else until they are finished at Brinya's, though he is sure to express to her his deepest condolences and then adds,"Brinya... for your safety and ours and to ensure we have the best chance to get to the bottom of this, I ask you please not to breath a word of this to anyone. No one else must know what you have just heard."
Once outside, he asks, "Should we return to Katrezra and ask him about his inspiration of Rodrik? Or is there unturned ground we would rather dig in first?" -Posted with Wayfinder
Morgrim's jaw drops as his fellow investigators openly discuss things in front of Brinya; by the time Songan gets up to head outside he literally has lowered his head and hidden his face in his hands.
By the gods... I know I'm not the best at dealin with folks but if this is their idea of discretion I shoulda done this alone... why did I even tell them about Sara or Urnsul, or any of it?!?
Once everyone is outside he sighs and says, "Well, that was a clusterf#@k... Listen, we really gotta be careful who we tell stuff and who we talk about stuff in front of! If word gets back to Jagrin before we piece everything together it'll be none too pleasant for us when he catches up with us, and even less so for Kurst..."
He looks at each one gathered in the circle to be certain that they understood. Then, looking around to make sure there was nobody within ear shot he continues, "I think the knife he was killed with is the unfinished blade he had ordered, almost certainly gotten from Urnsul- she was staying with 'some friends' at the Ramblehouse, most likely those half-orcs... I doubt Rodrick ever saw the blade- Urnsul or one of her friends probably crept in with it, killed him while he was out, and then left the blade as if he'd had it all along... As for what he were investigatin, my guess is the white sword grafitti which led him back to those half-orcs, but we won't know that for sure until we find his journal. We don't have but one bell 'til we're supposed to be back at Sara's... we can try to track down Katrezra but we'll have to keep it quick, and maybe not be so quick to divulge things this time..."
"Confirmation would be great, but if there is the possibility of an imminent attack on Trunau, I have to tell Halgra right now. It may be a time for discretion, or it might not. At this point, I'd rather have people prepared for the worst as opposed to clueless. We're already known, as the attack at Sanctuary illustrated. Covering our eyes doesn't make the danger less real. I'm heading to Ivory Hall."
Do you know how Rodrik's journal looks like? Have you ever seen it? We are looking for some people that might have information about last night's events. Do you know anything about someone called Melira? And Urnsul, a half-orc recently working at the smith? Do you know how Jagrin Grath got to know about your relationship with Rodrik?"
Brinya seems used to the reception she gets from Leira, puts it aside and answers plainly, His journal was a normal, brown leather wrapped tome, with a red string tie and an ornate G on the cover.
Brinya composes herself before answering, doing a fair effort to keep recrimination out of her voice. You sense no deceit or lie in her, only her own belief in the integrity of her statements. I have never heard of anyone named Melira, and I do not recall anyone named Urnsul from the smithy. I do not visit Sara and Agrit much lately, not since Jagrin discovered our relationship. I suspect, though I cannot say with certainty, that Jagrin found out about our relationship through Omast Frum. He is close to Rodrik, almost like his uncle, surely a surrogate father when out on patrols. I think he may have disclosed the secret, trying to win Jagrin's approval for our engagement. He did not like that we were having to marry in secret.
After secret DM Knowledge Local and Sense Motive Checks, Morgrim has a hunch that maybe Sara was hiding Katrezra, and that's why she wants the group to meet her after the shop closes, so he can talk to you all without anyone knowing.
"I ask you please not to breath a word of this to anyone. No one else must know what you have just heard."
Songan is fairly confident Brinya will not divulge your investigation or it's findings with anyone. She seems to want to know who killed her fiancé as much as your group does.
I'm heading to Ivory Hall."
To be fair, Halgra is the Chief Defender, but it would be Patrol Leader Jagrin Garth who musters the troops of Trunau. Halgra leads the town Council. By informing Halgra now, she would have to call the council together, divulge your information, and they would vote to deploy troops around town, if they decide the evidence is sufficient enough to warrant doing so.
Leira tries to convince Adir before he can leave "Wait Adir. We still have no hint on what the laborers were really doing. What are you going to tell to Halgra? That a child told us an ugly blonde is walking with some half-orcs around Trunau and thus we should prepare for an attack?" she makes a pause "Even if she trust us and decides to mobilize the city, that might raise all the alarms of our Mr. no name and he might fly for never resolve this mystery." the girl stabs her eyes on the big human and talks with her soft voice "Please, let us try to find Katrezra as Morgrim suggests. He probably knows better what Rodrik was investigating, clues that can help Halgra save the town if you are certain." she waits for an answer full of tension.
As the man takes his decision, she also adds "We also need to check with the Barterstone merchants before they leave the city. They might give us information about the half-orc laborers and identify Mr. no name and Melira. Halgra will need that information to know whom to look for."
The traveling merchants and caravans are unlikely to set off on a journey this late in the day, so they should remain in town overnight, leaving the following morning if they have found enough guards and all business is completed. The semi-permanent merchants of the Barterstones return thrice times per week if not daily, whether they are local farmers with a stand, a tinkerer who keeps a cabin near to town, or a town resident who does not like doing business out of the front of their home.
Delia, who had been quietly compiling all the information since her outburst, takes the time to speak up. "I knew Captain Rodrik better than most of you and have fought alongside him many times. I want to find his murderer more than you may know; however, Trunau is in danger. The plot we have uncovered indicates an intent to attack our home." Delia looks at Leira intently with her next words. "Kurst must be warned. Trunau is more than just one man."
|
|
"For what my view is worth, I agree with Leira. We do not yet know enough about what is going on to make a good call on what to do. We need more information. She is also correct in that notifying any authority would result in notification of the entire town and would likely result in our ultimate enemy escaping. He would then be free to wait however long it took for the heat to die down to try his plot again. And what if we aren't around then to try and solve it? It is better to see it through now... to solve it while there is a trail to follow. We know we are on the right track... the wolves from this morning are proof. Blowing the whistle now ends any chance of getting this knot unraveled. We have no hard evidence of an impending attack; only theories and conjecture."
"The only thing we can say with any degree of certainty right now is that Rodrik was murdered, it was covered up, and someone wants it to stay covered up."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Neither was a blonde man, though in retrospect one could have possibly been half-orc. His complexion was not green, more a gray pallor, dark haired and rough cut. The speaker explaining the ceremony was a taller man, pale skinned, with reddish orange hair and a trimmed reddish beard, framed by two long hair braids which meet and tie together over his chest.
|
|
"Look... why don't we try and compromise here. Let us go tell Kurst what we have learned so far... see if we can convince him to set additional guards without raising a full alert yet. Would that be a worthy middle ground?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Delia looks at Songan for a moment as if he daft. "Which is why I suggested we go to Kurst."
|
|
Songan stares at Delia for a moment, his eyes narrowed, his fur standing slightly on end... before he sticks out his tongue and blows her a raspberry.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Morninghawk asked us back to the smithy. If she knows where this half-orc that Rodrick was meeting with is, we might be able to fill in the blanks of exactly what he discovered. Then we'd have a full report for Kurst without riling up the community with half-formed speculation." Groin pauses after the longest sentence you've heard him utter. Then, immediately begins to inspect the woodwork intently.
Delia returns Songan's gaze with a steely one of her own while a deep growl rumbles in Jace's chest... Until the catman sticks out his tongue at which point Delia cracked a smile and laughed. "I like you, Songan. For an outsider." It was her turn to show her pink tongue accompanied by a wink.
She then lets out an exasperated sigh directed at Groin. "Yes, at five bells. That is time away, precious time, which could use to begin preparations. There has already been one attempt on our lives. I promise you, there will be another. What if the next one is successful? Who will report to Kurst then? Six corpses. We needs must report what we know and inform Kurst we are continuing the investigation. We have time to do both."
She casts a furtive glance around. "There are enemies inside the walls of Trunau, Groin. Do you not remember the Twisted Nail markings in the Ramblehouse? Made with the same type of resistant paint that has been marking the town. That is not half-formed speculation!" She stops suddenly, a chin running up her spine. "The markings, my gods. What if they hold meaning? We should examine each marking, find out where they were placed and examine the pattern."
Leira observes with tension how her friend and Songan fight each other.
The tension is broken by the revelation of the Twisted Nails symbol "The... Twisted Nails?" Leira's right hand looks for her crossbow "Those f*%!in b%*!!es!? Go tell Krust Delia then. You are right. We must move. I suggest you take Adir and Jace, we should not walk alone anymore. The rest we need to go talk with the merchants and discover what those orcs have been doing. Whom else is coming? We definetly should check with Sara at 5 bells. Done?"
If no one tries to stop here she leaves in total rage towards the outside market.
|
|
"The Twisted Nails...?" Songan asks, unfamiliar with the group or their markings.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Color comes back into Adir's face as he is persuaded that at least the human was not a Trunau native. However, his expression is still one of a brewing storm.
Outside, Adir pauses, considering the group's arguments. Working through them slowly, he responds, "Leira, that's an overly simplistic way to sum up the information that we've gathered. However, it would be useful to know what Rodrik was investigating so that we can combat the threat."
He nods approvingly at Delia's words. "The defense of Trunau is the priority. I agree with Delia that at the very least, we must alert Kurst. If we alert nobody while we further our investigation, more damage can be dealt to our defenses or the culprits might escape."
Adir steps closer to Delia in a subconscious gesture of solidarity.
"And she makes a good point about the markings, too."
"The Twisted Nails...?" Songan asks, unfamiliar with the group or their markings.
"A local orc tribe that has assaulted Trunau in the past."
"I had the same thought... If they were layin the foundation for an invasion there'll be some meanin to which buildings they tagged..." Morgrim agrees, "we've got some time before we need to meet Sara... If half of us go down each side of the street we should have time to walk through town once an' make a list of all the marked buildings then hustle back to Clamor's?"
"Leira," he shouts as she storms off, "meet us at Clamor's when you're done, if you don't get yourself killed leavin the town walls alone..."
|
|
"What is their symbol? I'm assuming it is a twisted nail, yes? I feel like I have seen something like it somewhere very recently..."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Seeing the party has already a different plan and following her own advise not to leave alone, the proud girl turns down her initial idea.
She starts following the party without pushing the action in any way.
"Kurst would be privy to the guard's reports. We can find out the locations of the markings and update him on our findings before we meet Morninghawk."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Good thought, Groin," Morgrim agrees, "let's head up there before we run outta time!
Before he even finishes speaking the short-legged dwarf is plodding off to talk to the patrol lieutenant.