The mayor says, "The locals are angry because children, primarily boys, are missing. We don't have a very large police presence in the Cloudwood but we have 8 times the land area as other districts and work with less manpower. People are rightfully angry and are putting pressure on me and my police department to find and protect their children."
He then says, "The forest is dense and it is all a bit difficult."
Iva introduces herself to the mayor. Then she begins to ask questions,"Are the boys the same ages? Friends or relatives? Do you believe they were taken or are off on their own? What's the presiding theory of their disappearance? Do you believe the fey are involved?" She gives a slight smile to show she's really interested in what is going on in the Cloudwood.
Femi thinks, One more task we seem to need to help with. We can't ignore missing children!
He worries they're already stretched too thin, and so he says nothing for now, waiting for the man to answer Iva's excellent questions.
"Hmm, I'd almost wager that we will have to fight them, if they are primarily boys. The main reason any enemy organization would capture boys is to raise warriors."
The mayor says, "Those are all fine questions. You should speak to Sergeant Langlois, he has all of the finer details about these cases. There has been at least one murder. The precinct is connected to the mayoral mansion but you would need to go out and around to reach it."
The mayor looks at you quizzically and says, "If you are looking for a he, you definitely will not find her. If I knew where she was, I would send my police after her. She is a pro-fey terrorist and might be mixed up in the abductions and murders. You brought a Fey dreadnought with you."
Varal says, "I do not like your tone, mayor."
The mayor says, "Half of them are capricious and the other are evil. That is why we are painting the mansion in such a strange way. If you are looking for Gale, having him with you might help. You should definitely speak with Langlois, he can help you out way more than I."
Femi nods at the somewhat racist mayor, "Then let us speak with Langlois with all haste and see if our cases are connected."
He really is afraid of the fey...
The mayor says, "Well it was nice meeting you. I wish you luck on your search and also taking down the Kell Guild. Makes our city look bad."
You leave the mansion and go around the building to the other side and walk into the precinct. There is a two police officers there and you request to speak to Sgt. Langlouis who is a middle aged Tiefling, seeing Chretien and Damiea he says, "Bonjour, mon amis. It is so seldom I get speak our people's native tongue.Je suis le sergent Langlouis. Comment puis-je vous aider? How may I help you?"
A twoooomp noise is heard as a capsule comes into a tube near the sergeant and he runs to get it opens it up, finds a piece of paper, says "hmmm..."
He then returns to you, "The leaders of the Kell Guild task force. My best murder detective is on loan to your team. Could you come with me to look at a slain child. It shan't take much of your time."
The Sergeant says, "Does anyone have a question? The mayor's note made it sound you would be bombarding me with questions."
Seeing no one else step up with questions Iva takes the lead on the first round, "Of course we have questions. Are the boys the same ages? Friends or relatives? Do you believe they were taken or are off on their own? What's the presiding theory of their disappearance? Do you believe the fey are involved? Yes we're available to take a look at the body for information."
"We also want to let you know we're looking for Gale. If you have information, We'd appreciate it."
The sergeant says, "Most of the missing children are of the same age. None of the children seem to be relatives, there have been a few families where two brothers were taken.. It is strange that it is only boys. The fey are heavily involved in the Cloudwood. The fey could be up to something or maybe the ragman has moved to the Cloudwood."
Different officers mention, a rash of vandalism that’s overtaken many public offices
in the district. There are rotten bird eggs keep falling on the sidewalk, gophers chew through one of theirs basement, and every book in the building mysteriously lost its last page.
The sergeant says, "We just set up guard posts along key trails to try
to protect the district borders, and leave the deep woods alone but with the Task Force we have to cut back our protection."
Falko
The sergeant says, "Follow me. We should not waste each other's time."
You start walking with him into the forest, you get the feeling he feels a bit freer out in the bush and then he says, "To answer your questions, we were canvassing but the vast size of our district makes it really difficult fully staffed and down five cops makes it nearly impossible. We have instituted a curfew and tried to have male children go with their parents to work instead of school until after the summit. Our mayor is fairly unpopular with the people living in the 'Wood' because he was an appointee after the last mayor passed away in the fall. Governor Stanfield thought him a good choice in the interim until the next elections come summertime. He has imposed anti-fey decrees trying to normalize the district, but the veil between us and the Dreaming is very thin in the Wood. As police, Gale would stay away from us, we have an arrest order because she is a wanted terrorist. I have heard that the lumberjacks deep in the woods are Gale supporters but they are a canny bunch."
After 10 minutes of walking, look at the body of the child found in the woods, it’s
a grisly sight. He was found naked, covered with patterns of green paint,
Knowledge Arcana DC 20
markings from the time when men regularly fought the fey, nearly two
thousand years ago
The fingers and toes have been gnawed at by cats, and the throat is
crushed.
(Heal DC 15)
strangled, but hung by a rope. Also, he has dozens of thin lacerations
across his body, like you’d get running through trees and brush naked.
That, combined with numerous small fractures scattered throughout his
body,it seems most likely he fell from a tree and through
its branches.
Femi stoops down frowning, and carefully examines the child. "These markings are from an ancient fey ritual, some two thousand years old when we regularly fought the fey. Very strange."
"This boy was hung by a rope. There's also evidence he fell from a great height in a tree - see these small lacerations and broken bones. Here and here." he points to various areas on the boys body.
He looks at the sergeant, "But I suppose you already knew that. Doesn't give us much of a clue either." he adds looking at all the tall trees in the area.
KNowledge Arcana DC 30
paranoia and in-fighting
GM ROLLS
Sense Motive on Asrabey DC18
The sergeant says, "I am not murder Po-Lice but a beat cop in command of my precinct. Inspector Suverova is our murder specialist but she is assigned to the task force. My predecessor says she has soft eyes, whatever that means."
Iva shrugs. "I don't know what that means either, soft eyes? His poor family. Why would he be covered in an ancient ritual, and hung from a tree? That makes no sense at all. Have all the bodies looked like this?"
The sergeant says, "It has something to do being able to see the minutiae in the big picture. I am just a beat cop. Why don't you ask him he is the fey in the bunch. The other ones we have found have had this on them. OUr main concern is the missing children, we cannot find them."
The high elf responds, "This is definitely connected to Ekossigan. This ritual is way too old for Gale to know how to perform it. This does not bode well.
The sergeant says, "I will get an artist to take his visage and we will canvas trying to find who his family is."
Survival/Heal Dc 15
If above passed Knowledge Nature 25/30
Femi shakes his head, "I dunno if the body was placed here or died here, sorry. Not much of a tracker." he looks to the others, hoping someone has the necessary skills.
Iva studies the body, but she shrugs. "I'm afraid I don't see anything special. I'm sorry. I should be able to see what was needed, but I'm just to." she doesn't say anything and it's clear she's upset by looking at the dead child.
The sergeant says, "Ok, we'll take it from here." and gives you a more detailed map of the Cloudwood and then continues, "If you are looking for those who can find the Gale, you should check with the Lumberjacks in this general area." pointing at a place probably an hour hike from where you are.
Femi agrees with Falko's suggestion. "The truth often works better than subterfuge in the long run."
He does what he can to help Falko in the negotiations.
vs DC 10
vs DC 10
"That sounds like an excellent plan to me. I don't have an issue with subterfuge if it is the beset way, but at this time I don't think it is."
Aside from a few blocks that make up the business part of the district,
the Cloudwood is very rural, with farmland dominating the north and
woodlands on the low mountains and further south. It takes you hours. The place barely
qualifies as part of the city—neighbors might live half a mile apart.
Nevertheless, people have found ways to get into plenty of fights, separating into little tribes that are edging closer to full-scale rioting.
People explain to you that all the customary
nighttime offerings of milk and sliced fruit have been disappearing—
normally only a few offerings disappear overnight (many are thought
taken by starving homeless folk).
A Knowledge (nature) check (DC 16)
feel the need to pay tribute to something greater than themselves.
People used to give these offerings out of respect for the fey, but since
Doyle Idylls became mayor here and began trying to convince locals
that the fey are a threat, the offerings have become more of a safeguard to
avoid bad luck.
Eventually, you come upon a lumberjack and his family and they seem amenable to helping you and say that they will contact Gale through the message wind. You set up a meeting with her for the next day, knowing that you need to get back to the city to meet with Morgan Cipriano and stop the dwarves.
"Yeah, this entire place is mystery piled on top of mystery. My head is swimming! If Gale can untangle any of it, I'll be a happy man."
He walks back with the others, making some haste to their meeting with Morgan Cipriano.
"All right let's get to the meeting. It wouldn't due to be late to stop terrorists." She is ready to head back to the meeting.
It takes you about 1 hour and a half to make your way to Brave Hall and the Fashion Show.
The Maitre D or bouncer wearing a tuxedo escorts you to Cippriano's table.
Brave Hall is a stodgy gentleman’s club intended for men from aristocratic families, though they have started allowing men and women
with newly acquired fortunes in on a provisional basis. Everyone is in
coats and top hats, drinking brandy and smoking cigars as they watch
handsome young men and waifish women parade about in unorthodox
fashion like seersucker suits, denim pants, and a huge variety of sashes
which, Morgan is confident, will just be a passing trend.
Morgan has no great reason for meeting here, other than that he’d already
scheduled it and figured it might motivate the party to dress nicer.
He then asks you out to a balcony for fresh air, and talks business while looking at the sun dip behind a cloud across Flint Bay.
He offers you a hand rolled Beran cigar of Nicodemus and says, "Constable Dufresne, I was so pleased to be able to do that favor for you, it makes me think our relationship is starting to blossom. I have a proposition for you."
Femi tries not to be uncomfortable around all the 'swells'. He knows enough to know he's underdressed, and in this company that's a serious offense to some. So he remains quiet, and tries to stand in the background.
Maybe I should have cast Invisibility...
Iva does her best to look like she belongs in the club. I should have worn one of my better outfits today, but we went from the woods to high fashion. How am I supposed to dress for that?
She greets Morgan politely, "Thank you for your help. Can I ask what the proposition might be?"
"Yes, indeed, thank you for assisting us in tying up that matter. It was a dangerous affair, and the man even lived to go home with his wife and kids."
Morgan looks at his manicured right hand and says, "It was definitely risky on my part but no matter."
He takes a puff on his cigar and says, "I know some things and have people everywhere. I know Kell and his Guild are priority number one for King Aodhan and the RHC but as well as a mysterious group they are working with called the Obscuraty. This group is very secretive but I have learn a few things... a few things... I am not sure if you know this or not but Lorcan Kell has personally gone aground and it may be almost impossible to get him in a place where you can get him... Take "get" however you wish. Signores and Signoras, it is to me less interesting what you actually do with him. I can set him up for you. Out in the open. Where you can pounce. Are you interested?"
Cippriano says, " First, as my men will be helping your task force take down the guild, I want a moratorium on murder investigations in Parity Lake, at least for a few weeks. It’s dirty business, but this city deserves a better class of criminal. If my people don’t cull the ranks of Kell’s thugs, there’ll just be another round of street wars in a few months. We will be doing the city a favor, and don’t want our people getting locked up for it. Say they were resisting arrest, deputize my men for the duration, whatever is clever.
Second, a prisoner release. My “family”
originates in Crisillyir. Though generally, I don’t like to get involved
in politics, I promised a relative that I’d help out a family friend
if I could. That friend is one Giovanni Algardi."
(Knowledge (history) DC 15)
as an aged sculptor nicknamed “The Carver.” It eventually was
discovered that he could animate his statues to assassinate people
inside their own exquisitely-carved homes. Algardi confessed to
the murders of several Risuri nobles, but international politics has
kept him from the gallows for three years.
He takes a long drag of his cigar and says, "I would like to know about your conversation with the Lady of the Forked Tongue."
Clueless as to who this man is, but sensing a theme, Femi is not keen to deal. Yet, Lorcan Kell may be worth wedging out into the open. Maybe.
"You ask for much in exchange for one man." he hedges.
Cippriano says, "It is not just one man but an entire guild. Less gang violence. Respectability. In reality, I am asking a man for a man and to help you take down a syndicate and maybe more in the city and I ask that my men be left alone or deputized while helping the city and one man. I do imagine you may want to speak to the King. Also, I have done some research into the Obscurati and as a sweetener I can tell you the location of Leonne Quittal."
Iva looks around carefully. "You want us to help you free "The Carver?"
She looks at her fellow constables and shares, He's an aged sculptor. It eventually was discovered that he could animate his statues to assassinate people inside their own exquisitely-carved homes. Algardi confessed to the murders of several Risuri nobles, but international politics has kept him from the gallows for three years."
"Let me make sure I understand your offer. You will help us get Kell in the open to take care of the head of the snake if we ignore or deputize your men as they take care of the body. In addition you want us to help you free a confessed murderer as a favor for a friend? Do I have that correct? This is certainly something we'll have to talk to our superiors about. We don't have the authority to make those decisions."
Cippriano says, "Yes, as I said. The Carver is known for doing that. You have to understand family has its obligations. Giving my men a little free hand now will be easier to explain to the press than to have it play out in a couple months when Kell's replacement calls out a total street war. So how the deal will go down, We want him released and teleported tomorrow. I will give you a scroll of teleportation which will send him to Alais
Primos, the capital of Crisillyir. Family members there will contact
Me via sending to verify the delivery and then will set up the trap for the afternoon that day."
GM Rolls
Cipriano shrugs his shoulders and says, "Well, I think your group should probably confer about this. It seems as though you are not in concordance. I will go back to my seat. Think on it, my men doing Flint's dirty work... and an insignificant old man deported or you could even spin it he is being extradited."
He then takes a pull at his cigar and goes back inside.