Balder looks at the orc woman and says as they approach. "That's some fine smithy work there."
When she looks up he introduces himself. "I am Balder, and these are my companions. Can you spare a moment for some questions miss...?"
Seara puts her hammer down and takes off her heavy leather gloves, she is well muscled and looks like she would give Balder a run for his money.
"I can, what is this about?" Seara recognizes Balder and Dain but the rest are new to her.
Lanneth looks away from her studying of the graffiti as the red haired woman approaches. She then does a double take when she looks Yorikata in the eye.
The bond carries confusion followed by a burst of surprise.
Kitsune? Oh, then the bag... She says very softly.
After a few moments her mind is still awhirl with the implications and she says faintly gets out:
Nice to meet you...
"Nice to meet you too... finally." Yorikata replies with a happy smile.
"Shall we... follow the others and... talk later?" she asks.
Balder smiles.
"We have distressing news. Roderick has been killed. And we've taken the matter of looking into it on ourselves. And wanted to know if you might have any information that might be useful."
We found this receipt with Rodrick. Now I know we are getting be sounding unreasonable, but where were you last night? Is there anyone who can support this?
Yes. A Discussion later would be... Appropriate.
She follows the Red haired woman to the forge her mind still trying to assimilate the new information, and trying to decode how the arcane magics could have caused such a thing to happen.
Could it be a trick by Mother Moon?
They arrive at the forge just as Balder and Dain start questioning the Half-Orc Woman.
Lanneth, puts the arcane question to the side for a moment as she listens to the conversation.
As Yorika walks to the forge it looks almost like she is bouncing from joy.
In the forge she uses the advantage of being large to take a look over the shoulder of Dain to get a glimpse on what this receipt is about. "That makes no sense. With this engraving it should be a gift. Not something you buy yourself. Are you sure, Rodrick was the customer?" Yorika asks - even though it is obvious, that he wouldn't have had the receipt if not.
Gran't' follows along behind everyone else. Working as he walks. He doesn't say anything once they reach the Smith but he listens. The sound of the forge being homely. Reminding him of the mines.
As he stands and listens he puts some finishing touches on the figure. Small details to breathe life into the stone.
He lifts it to inspect one last time, before turning to Yorikata. He takes her hand and places the small fox in it before turning back to the conversation with the smith.
As he stands another stone floats from the ground and slowly towards him and into his hands. His work starting once again.
"I was home after the celebrations with my wife, we are planning to make Clamor bigger and we have been working on some drawings. Can I see the receipt?" Seara takes the receipt and looks it over, [b]"I had an apprentice making this for Rodrik but this morning I couldn't find either that hope knife or my apprentice."[b]
Hmm..Just who was this apprentice and do you know where they live?
Yorika is startled, by Gran't' touching her hand, but once she recognizes what it's about she gives him a short smile, before turning back to the conversation too.
"Urnsul, no I don't know where she lived, she was a fellow half orc who was in need of work, she wasn't very good at this work though." Seara fiddles with her hammer. "Anything else?"
Was Urnsul someone who was new to town, or someone that you had seen around before?
"Refugee in the last month, she was looking for work and we took her in." Sara replies to Lanneth.
Refugee... So would she have stayed in the Ramblehouse, or do you have another flophouse that refugees would stay in?
"Just that one I have seen, but some of the Half-Orcs tend to stick together till they become more familiar with the town. I couldn't tell you where she was staying."
"As Rodrik was with us last evening and the knife and the receipt were found in his room this morning, 'someone' must have made a delivery last night." Yorikata concludes.
Do we know if the knife was found with Rodrik's body? If we had it we might be able to match it and see if it was actually the weapon that killed him.
"Maybe we should check where they brought the body? This is so exciting, a hunt for a murderer." Yorikata tells inappropriately excited.
Sara looks at the Red Headed woman, unsure of what to make of her.
Yes, lets go check the body.
Without another word Lanneth sweeps out of the forge with Yorikata. Heading in the direction of the Sanctuary.
Yorikata goes inside the Sanctuary and looks around for some priest. "Hello? Could we take a look at Rodrik?"
"A sound plan."
Dain follows along
The group heads to the Sanctuary, 2 guards outside nod to you and allow you to enter the building, inside you find it's as grandiose as some chapels around Golarion but it is homely for Trunau. A large man is talking to one of the sisters, he turns as many people enter at once.
"May I help you? I am Brantos Calderon, protector of this building."
Gretings, we are here to examine the body of Rodrik and perhaps gain some insight on how he died. May we view the body?
"You can yes, High Priestess, Tyari Varvatos has been expecting you we were informed that Kurst gathered some people to investigate this event." Branto walks you to a basement room, the room is cool and there is a lady in all back, with a thick veil over her face. "I will get the High Priestess and return." Brantos leaves and returns about 10 minutes later.
The blood has a bit of a funny tinge to it, there appears to be Oil of Taggat in Rodriks blood
These are the sisters of Death, they take care of all the needs of the dead in civilized areas that will have them.
Yorikata takes a look at the remains of the proud guard captain she met yesterday. "That's just sad."
Dain looks over the body and scratches his beard.
Hmm hmmm hmmmmm. I think I recognize that tinge. Tagit oil. So someone who knows their poisons, hmm.
Lanneth looks at the veiled woman.
Sister, I assume you Help with the embalming process. Do you know where you get the chemicals from? Your supplier may also know who has recently purchased or who supplies Tagit Oil.
"Okaaaay. We now have
- traces of taggit oil, which would put Rodrik to a deep sleep for hours
- a smith's apprentice who no one knows and that disappeared just now
- a hopeknife that should still be with the smith
Is the knife his arms were cut with found with him, is it here?" Yorikata asks.
"What's the motive for killing Rodrick? Also what were Melira and her accomplice looking for? Was Roderick looking into anything specific?" Balder asks looking at each member of the assembled group.
The people here may know more, but I can think of two reasons people might not Like Rodrick.
One he was in line to be the next patrol leader in the militia, so they could be trying to weaken the towns defenses. As killing him removes the next in line leader, and his dad, the current leader, focus on something besides defending the town.
Second, I heard he was a Poet who wrote some controversial stuff. It could be that some small minded person took offence to this last poem.
The sister looks at Lanneth, "Our supplies are brought from Last Wall and kept under lock and key in the Sanctuary." The sister's head moves to look at Balder and Yorkiata's questions but no voice comes out. A woman comes down the stairs, she wears a breastplate and robes under it.
"I am High Priestess Tyari Varvatos, Those are all good theories and we have our own but have yet to come up with any evidence of this. Who is this Melira you are speaking of?"
"A half-orc refugee who came to town recently and worked as an apprentice at Sara's forge. She made the hopeknife for Rodrik. She is noted as the smith on the receipt found in Rodriks room. And now she seems to be gone." Yorika answers.
Balder taps Yorikata on the shoulder and leans in "Her name's Seara." Then stands up straight and looks at High Priestess Tyari waiting to hear her reply.
"Oh, sorry, Seara of corse. My bad." Yorikata excuses herself.
Balder smiles.
The High Priestess produces the hopeknife in question, "This is the hopeknife that was in Rodriks hands at the time of him being brought in, you can take it hopefully it will help you out in your investigation. You might also want to speak with Katrezra, he is a half orc Seer, but has recently gone missing, we do not suspect foul play as his bed was made and his other things were all in order."
Can you describe this Katrezra, what he looks like, known associates?
"He is an elderly half orc, grey hair, he walks with a limp and is hunched over with age and pain. I am not really sure where he would have gone but once he heard of Rodrik's death he just left."
Much obliged. Will we try Brinya or Omast next?
"We would save time if we split up and interviewed them separately."
"Maybe the seer has seen something. Shall we ask around town if someone knows where he went?" Yorikata asks Lanneth.
"Omast will be a bitter man, be prepared for him to tell you many things. He has gone back to the drink since these white swords started to appear." The High Priestess says
White Swords?
"White swords?" Balder says almost simultaneously as Lanneth and looks over at her then back at the Priestess.
"They are painted around town, Omast has been cleaning them for days without success." The high priestess tells you were the closest one is,
Barterstones (area N): A large white sword has been
painted on the eastern face of the largest rock in this area,
visible above the roofs of the market stalls set up in the
stones’ shadow.
Commons (area A): Someone has used a broad brush to
paint a wide white cross or sword on the stone floor of the
Commons amphitheater.
Hopespring (area O): Even the continual shower of mist
from the Hopespring’s waterfall doesn’t erase the marker
dye forming a white sword on the rock wall behind the
town reservoir.
Sanctuary (area F): Besides the sizeable white sword
representing Iomedae’s own holy sword that juts from the
roof of the temple, a thick white cross or sword has been
painted on the rock face behind the Sanctuary.
South Tower (area E): The large white sword dominating
the side of this guard tower is much larger than any of
the other graffiti marks in town, and is visible from
even beyond Trunau’s walls. It’s a mystery how somebody
managed to paint a mark 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide on a
garrisoned tower.
"There is some defacement to this temple, along the rear of the temple someone has painted a white sword, they almost look like Iomadae's but they are crude and not being done by the church."