Huzzzahrrr!
.......creeeeeepy.......
nitey nite!
"This... Looks like a murder kit... Or, perhaps an abduction kit. Ominous at the least, but we need more."
Huaaaazah!
"It certainly does not appear to be something the Beast would use."
She examines the face. "Who would do such a thing? And why?"
Heal check
Knowledge check
Nothing religious or planewise occurs to her.
It's a female human's face. Possibly middleaged.
Hard to tell that for sure though; it's about a year old.
Disgusting as the thought is, she will keep the face - she wants to see if the villagers recognize the dead woman. Do the incisions appear to be sloppy or was this done by someone with practice? How large are the stainless steel blades? Were they made for man-sized hands?
The blades are heavy; good for butcherwork. Man sized hands......
The skin was.....expertly removed. Almost supernaturally so.
Larissa shares her thoughts with the others in case any of them have heard of a person - or cult - that engages in such butchery. "This is not the work of an amateur. And I do not believe the accused could wield these blades well, let alone with such a high degree of finesse."
Castiel, greatly disturbed by the evidence, offers no suggestions. He investigates the campsite some more.
Right on; need some rolls if you're looking for stuff's.
Somebody.....kicks a small pouch in the grass near the campsite.
It's a small pouch. Filled with small, exquisite tools, coated in silver with amethysts.
Castiel, not sure what their purpose might be, holds them to be shown to Edwin later.
Here's a hint that might save a few hours,,.......
heal check.....
Castiel tries to recall what he's learned on the battlefield about medicine.
Failing that, he takes them to Larissa.
Her heal check
They're surgeon's tools.
(both made the roll).
There's a really tiny raven symbol on each tool.
(lol) heal check would identify the surgeon's tools as such.....
......creeeeeeeepy.......
nitey nite!
Edwin observes the entire process of search and discovery. Actually, he's making small but subtle hints as to where to look, examining the grisly trophy himself, and taking the entire picture as a whole. He's more a subtle but skillful conductor than an observer,...
"Excellent!" He speaks aloud finally.
"We finally have proof positive that whatever the beast may have done, he was not the killer of this poor girl." He strokes his chin as if smoothing a goatee.
"While the uneducated villagers will undoubtedly place this terrible act upon the Beast's head, it is plain to see that he had no part in it. Observe the skill with which the poor victims face was removed. And the uniquely fine set of surgeons tools doubtless used to perform the act. Not only does our large defender not need such weapons as knives to kill anyone, his hands are hardly suited for work requiring such detailed and skillful dexterity. No, this was perpetrated by someone else. Possibly the very entertainer whose remains we just discovered. Or the one he was planning to meet?"
Edwin muses thoughtfully, holding up the set of surgeons tools to examine them better.
"Unique, yes. Possibly even unique enough to lead us to the answers we seek." He murmurs, racking his brain for any relevant details involving the markings on the masterwork surgeons tools,...
Larissa shakes her head, "This is not the face of a child. And the 'dead entertainer' died well after the campsite and the pursuit of the Beast. There is more to be learned."
"We could, as much as the idea disconcerts me, take a portion of the dwarf, back with us in order for his spirit to be magically summoned for questioning. I have heard about this being done, but haven't ever seen it."
Edwin sniffs, obviously disdainful of the idea.
"I have great appreciation in the abilities of the faithful to produce miracles. But personally, I never trust the word of a dead man. They have no reason to be bound to the truth, and I find that an examination of their pockets are usually far more revealing than the words of their departed spirits. And generally far more useful."
Alinya, as usual, picks out a minor detail. "The raven symbol on the tools. Have we seen it before?. Is it suggestive of anything, or any group?"
Edwin observes the entire process of search and discovery. Actually, he's making small but subtle hints as to where to look, examining the grisly trophy himself, and taking the entire picture as a whole. He's more a subtle but skillful conductor than an observer,...
"Excellent!" He speaks aloud finally.
"We finally have proof positive that whatever the beast may have done, he was not the killer of this poor girl." He strokes his chin as if smoothing a goatee.
"While the uneducated villagers will undoubtedly place this terrible act upon the Beast's head, it is plain to see that he had no part in it. Observe the skill with which the poor victims face was removed. And the uniquely fine set of surgeons tools doubtless used to perform the act. Not only does our large defender not need such weapons as knives to kill anyone, his hands are hardly suited for work requiring such detailed and skillful dexterity. No, this was perpetrated by someone else. Possibly the very entertainer whose remains we just discovered. Or the one he was planning to meet?"
Edwin muses thoughtfully, holding up the set of surgeons tools to examine them better.
"Unique, yes. Possibly even unique enough to lead us to the answers we seek." He murmurs, racking his brain for any relevant details involving the markings on the masterwork surgeons tools,...
1d20+10; 1d20+11
At Alinya's jogging,........the raven is most probably a maker's mark......a signature of a craftsman.
You're not sure who, surgery not being your bag, but that's got to be what the symbol is.
Alinya, as usual, picks out a minor detail. "The raven symbol on the tools. Have we seen it before?. Is it suggestive of anything, or any group?"
Nothing specific; it's quite probably a maker's mark.
Huzzzzzzah!!!
You guys never checked out the actual graves......
Castiel and Larissa look at each other. At the same time, they each ask, "Did you suggest checking the actual graves? What a great idea!"
Then they both look confused...
heh heh....
"I was considering checking them, but had gotten off chasing the question of how quickly the vegetation grows out here." Rholf says, somewhat sheepishly...
Searching the graves!
Perception:
Rholfy doesn't notice much of anything; it's just a bunch of damn graves dug by a bunch of swampers. Nothing too weird, or if weird, then nothing out of place.
He's up to a 22 with Edwin's bump though........
There's about 25 graves in all.
Alinya, feeling slightly foolish for only half listening to Edwin then repeating his own suggestion, goes to help Rholf examine the graves. She pays attention to the newest seeming graves, and looks for disturbance or damage.
Castiel and Larissa follow Rholf's lead, trying to coordinate the search with him.
Castiel
Larissa
Larissa gently reminds Alinya to proper attention to the great detective in their midst.
It appears that six of the graves have been dug up or disturbed somehow...
They look to have been reburied.
huzzzzahr!
"Oh boy... I think we're going to have to upset these graves... The locals will not appreciate that."
......creeeeeeepy.........
Nitey nite!