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मौन
Mohktar grasps his haversack and puts it on his back. His hands move nimbly among the buckles and draw scraps of cloth into their workings so as to silence his movement further.
"What signal shall we use in case of trouble?" He glances to Pratavh. "You had a method of whispering to us in Absalom during our run in with the Skinsaws. Would that magic be of use here?"
You take your leave from Lord Mahindra who enthusiastically cheers you off with the words "Zubhaa vizarat" which means "All the gods’ blessings to you" in the common tongue. Outside the tea house, patiently waiting for you is Lord Pandisar's cab driver. You show him the map and he nods and assures you in Vudrani that he know the place and several short cuts to get you there in good time.
Mohktar and Shikyo insist that he drops you all off a good few blocks from the Incense shop. The man shrugs and promises to wait for your return.
As Mohktar and Shikyo approach the shop it becomes obvious there's a crowd ahead and several members of the watch have cordoned the area off. From inside the shop you hear a woman wailing, but before you have a chance to do anything else an officer of the watch comes over to you and demands that you, "Apanē vyavasāya rājya!"
You easily find a roof to observe the scene from discretely. The incense shop is pretty small but it looks like it was doing well, until now. There's a good number of people outside gaping at the chaos within. The watch have cordoned off the actual shop, and nobody is attempting to exit or leave. You suspect the murderer is long gone, but you'd need to be closer to be sure.
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Alwyn, Lilly and Pratavh walk the streets, moving from where they were dropped off and towards the incense shop; stopping occasionally to look at interesting decorations within the city but not delaying any appreciable time. Approaching the shop, and realizing sight lines from the ground would be horrible due to the press of people, Alwyn lifts his eyes to the rooftops for any warnings coming from Mohktar or Shiro. If none are given they will proceed to find the watch officer in-charge of the situation.
"Good sir, we are here at the behest of the Thakur to investigate this most atrocious of situations. Our pardons, if you were not aware of our coming but I am sure this writ here will explain everything to your satisfaction."
Handing the writ over to the officer to read.
Roll a perception check please.
The officer closely examines the warrant you show him Alwyn, he seems genuinely surprised by it, but it's authenticity is beyond question. He motions you forward, past the cordon saying, "Bahuta acchā, Sirs, mēḍama darja karēṁ. Tuma vahām̐ rō adhika dēkha sakatē haiṁ aurata ēka misa Nabeeka T'Vali ēka karmacārī hai. Vaha isa subaha kē śuru'ātī ghaṇṭōṁ mēṁ andara mālakina Vitusa aura usakē baccē bēṭī pāyā. Lāśōṁ kē andara abhī bhī kara rahē haiṁ, mujhē lagatā hai ki yaha kāphī nahīṁ hai tumhēṁ cētāvanī cāhi'ē."
The clearly distraught woman is sitting just inside the shop on the steps. The shop itself shows signs of a struggle: jars of ingredients lie smashed on the floor and a large quantity of blood remains uncleaned and splattered about. Inside badly mangled are the corpses of a well dressed woman of the merchant class and her baby. Both are badly mutilated with the heads missing.
The young woman rises to greet Alywn's group. She has long black hair, set into two braids and an angular face stained by tears and puffy red eyes. Between sobs she tells you, "Kyōṁ kisī ēka mām̐ aura baccā kē li'ē yaha karanā hōgā? Mujhē samajha mēṁ nahīṁ āyā. Ghaṛī yaha hai ki kutiyā Dhalaveis' cultists kā kāma hai kahanā. Madamme Vitusa acchī taraha sē ēka acchī aurata, ilāja mēla aura sabhī karmacāriyōṁ thā. Yaha vaha cultists kā kō'ī dōsta nahīṁ thā vaha saca hai, lēkina vē usē cōṭa kyōṁ ka'ī duśmana hai. Maiṁ kēvala vaha apanē grāhakōṁ kō kaha rahā śurū kara diyā jaba vaha bahuta dūra calā gayā sōca sakatē haiṁ Dhalavei kī pūjā para pratibandha lagānē thā ki sabasē acchī bāta ṭhākura kabhī kiyā thā."
While her stomach isn't playing parts here, Lilly is upset, in the angry way.
"This, this is . Killing like this is disgusting already, but killing A BABY?! RRR...when i meet the one who did this, i'm going to thrash him or her around the room so much it'll make a werewolf look like a puppy!"
शांति
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Although the house earlier disturbed him and the sight of these bodies, desecrated after death most likely with acid, did so as well, Alwyn's voice is steady as he lays a hand upon Lilly's shoulder. "Easy Lilly , we will bring those responsible to the light of day, and to the justice these here deserve. Granted, I may gladly hold them as you dispense that justice."Though his voice is steady a deep sadness is in his eyes looking upon the mother and babe.
Turning to the young lady sobbing...
"Misa Nabeeka T'Vali, hama apanē niyōktā kē nukasāna kē li'ē khēda hai. Yaha hu'ā hai nahīṁ hōnā cāhi'ē ki ēka baṛī trāsadī hai. Āpa Madamme Vitusa hāla hī mēṁ ṭhākura kē hāla kē phaisalē kā samarthana karatē hu'ē Dhalaveis' cultists khilāpha bāta kī thī ki ullēkha kiyā hai. Kisī kō bhī nārāja yā unakī ṭippaṇiyōṁ sē parēśāna laga rahā thā ki agara tumhēṁ yāda hai?"
Thinking a moment, Pratavh finally remembers it, "Ah yes, the message spell. I can make it ready, but be warned, I need to be able to see you to make you hear it."
Gagging at the sight of the woman and her child, Pratavh quickly gets himself together and begins looking anywhere else but there. Hirati is reacting much the same way, very disturbed and they both see, at the exact same time, the copper earring under the table. Carefully, Pratavh gets a cloth and picks up the earring, sliding it into his pocket.
Shiko observes the goings on near the shop and stalks forward to be closer to the action.
The woman replies to Alywn, "Grāhakōṁ mēṁ sē jyādātara kē li'ē sahamata hu'ē lēkina halkā laga rahā thā, jō ēka ucca - jāti vyāpārī kala vahāṁ gayā thā. Maiṁ usasē pahalē kabhī nahīṁ dēkhā hai aura vaha usakā nāma nahīṁ diyā hai, lēkina vaha vyāpārī kī vastra dhāraṇa ēka mūn̄chēṁ kē sātha ēka binā bāla, madhyama āyu varga kē ādamī thā."
Seeming to ponder something, Pratavh thinks to himself, I know there is a way to track this to it's mate magically, but I do not have that spell in my book. Maybe I can find a copy of it, or a scroll to use for that purpose. We'll see when we get out of this place.
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Alwyn writes down the description the young lady has given him inside his journal, thanking here for her time and dismissing her so she can leave from the charnel house that was her place of employment.
"Misa T'Vali, hama pantha kō rōkanē mēṁ madada karanē kē li'ē isa jānakārī kā upayōga karēṅgē, tō āpa samaya kē li'ē dhan'yavāda. Yahām̐ dēkhanē kē adhikārī āpa kē sātha kiyā jātā hai, tō mujhē lagatā hai ki tuma ghara jā'ō aura isa subaha kī ghaṭanā'ōṁ kē alāvā an'ya kucha para dhyāna kēndrita karanē kī kōśiśa kā sujhāva hai. Ghaṛī unakī jān̄ca pūrī hō jānē kē bāda mujhē lagatā hai vē phira āpa sē samparka hō jā'ēgā yakīna hai, kyā āpa vāpasī kara sakatē haiṁ yaha batānē kē li'ē."
Miss T'Vali, thank you for you time, we'll use this information to help stop the cult. If the watch officer here is done with you I would suggest you go home and try to dwell on something other than this mornings events . Once the watch has completed their investigation I'm sure they'll be contacting you again, to let you know you can return.
Alwyn will then look around the shop, making additional notes before leaving with Lilly and Pratavh.
Lilly's head turned to Alwyn when he laid a hand on her shoulder.
Her eyes showed boiling anger and a mood to do what she claimed she'd do.
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"Miss T'vali stated that it was a high caste merchant that took exception to the victem here. Perhaps the merchant Varunasi would be able to give us some help determining would that would be, since they likely have run into each other with their affairs as high caste merchants. The Prince and spiritual advisor would probably be found closer to the Thakur's palace."
Lilly regains her composure.
*sigh*
"Whichever has best chance of turning up a decent lead works for me. With a little luck he won't be a snob."
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Mohktar's eyes narrow as he spots something in the alley below. He hisses a whispered alert to Shiko as he readies to descend, then points to his eyes, his chest and then down to the alley. I saw something below, I'm going to give it a closer look. He points at the location.
With that, he casts his legs over the side makes his way down to the alley.
Mohktar descends quickly and takes a closer look at the print. It's of a similar size to a human foot print but with deep ruts where the talons where.
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Unable to determine its origin, he withdraws his drawing book and a bit of charcoal so he can make a rubbing of the imprint. He makes notes quickly on his observations them puts his book away. Time to bring in the others. They may know what to make of this..
He exits the alley, pulling forth his writ for submission to the watch.
Once they are away from the scene, Pratavh pulls out the earring he found, "Lilly, Alwyn, Hirati and I found this earring underneath a table. There was no sign of it's mate. If we can obtain the right spell, this might lead us to the perpetrators of that heinous act."
"Say Hirati, how good is your sense of smell? I know you're no canine or lupine, but surely your nose beats a human one."
Shiko suggests We should attempt to find this Varunasai, he might know more about the merchant.
Hirati flies up in front of Lilly, "Better than yours, but worse than a dogs. Mine doesn't smell like puppy breath though see!" She inhales deeply and breathes right into Lilly's face. As she is acting up again, Pratavh answers Shikyo, "The merchant seems like a good place to go to next."
Shiko says See there, the Varunasi is close by. and he leads the party towards the merchant, hoping to get a few answers from her.
Lilly tries to dodge Hirati's action.
Not fast enough, she's forced to a fort save.
Gently closing Hirati's mouth between her thumb and indexfinger, Lilly looks at her like a big sister would to her younger sister.
"I would have believed you even if you hadn't, thank you, no candy tonight."
Shikyo leads the party a short way north east and suddenly they're walking down between some very stylish shops. Plate glass fronts with conjured models, sporting the latest fashions, which sparkle softly and turn to face and wave at passer by.
One particular shop has the logo of 'Varasuni's Clothers' written in simple yet elegant typography. It's one of those shops with a very style that exudes class and is obviously expensive. Inside a short yet formidable looking woman with graying hair and severe clothing eyes you up as you enter.
Hirati pouts, "Mffmmmmfmm mmm?" Then looks sad that her big sister Lilly and pouts as she slides her mouth free and flies to Pratavh, "Big Sis Lilly's being mean to me." Pratavh just looks at her and says, "You know better than to use your breath weapon on people, no candy for a week since you tried to get me to let you out of it." Realizing she was out of line, Hirati lights on Pratavh's head, flopping down, and pouting.
She examines you all sniffily, and crosses her arms looking non-plussed. Speaking with an oddly nasily voice she upbraids you, "You took your time didn't you? I suppose you have lots of questions, don't you? Yes Darlings, but they must wait." She prowls around the party like a lioness examining your apparel with an jaded eye making tutting sounds. She rests here eyed on Lilly and gets out a tape measure and advances the Oracle saying, "Yes yes I suppose you go into battle with that on?" but before she can say anymore she spots Shikyo and narrows her eyes and advances eyeing his clothing saying, "No no no, that'll never do. How are you supposed to fight daemons like that? They can see invisible things you know... I'll design something for you. No it won't be ready soon, yes you will need it. No I know you can't pay for it." Suddenly her attention switches to Mohktar, and in a low voice she tells him, "You do not approve. Yet you shall need one of my garments, oh yes you will." Her gaze reaches Hirati and she says in a monotone, "Behave." She advances next on Alwyn and tells him, "While fashionable last season, your clothing is not acid proof. I shall provide that which is needed, but these things take time darling."
With a sudden movement you realize she's zipped 15 feet back faster than you can blink and eye and is reclining in a most uncomfortable yet fashionable chair sipping a cocktail of lurid colors, "You have questions. Ask them."
I don't suppose you do capes do you? Shiko asks...
What do you know about the incident nearby involving Madamme Vitusa?
She doesn't blink, "No Capes!" She starts pacing, "Madamme Vitusa, Madamme Vitusa, Madamme Vitusa. Ah yes, the incense lady."
She pauses misstep and tells you, "Something terrible happened to her, yes darling? She was always so forthright. I visited her store last year. The sort to wear her heart on her sleeve... Charming in a naieve way. I don't doubt she upset somebody."
Suddenly she's invading Shikyo's personal space with the tape measure, while commenting that, "Vitusa was a loyalist to the Thakur. Like many she believed in the happy fiction that Jalmary is a monarchy. In truth the Thakur is figurehead with little power. The true influence rests with the temple mystics, the monastic masters, and the nobles of the highest castes who make up the Maurya Rahm. Yet even as a figurehead, when the Thakur cried out against his cousin’s murder and the dreadful fate of Bahni Sarr, the Maurya-Rahm and those with influence agreed that attacking the Thakur was the same as attacking Jalmeray itself. The common people are scared for the Thakur, and killing him would greatly destabilize the nation despite the true administration of Jalmeray falling to the Maurya-Rahm. Of course that is what the cult want, so they may plot a palace coup and take over. Their rule would not nearly be so benevolent..."
When Varunasi came closer with the measure tape, Lilly keeps her cool.
Why's she eyeing me like i'm an object for a science class lesson?
"Well of course i wear a breastplate into battle, it's hardly suitable for a ball."
As she passed the others Lilly couldn't help but smile when the broody ninja actually made a joke. But she quickly jumped in on the line if something had happened to Vitusa.
"You can say that again and not just to herself, but also to her infant child. Decapitated and mutilated."
Varunasi goes rigid with fury, "No no no that will never do! They grow too brazen. You must avenge them darling. Do you have a description of the killer or any leads? Of course you do, but perhaps you don't know what to make of them... Come tell me now, darling! Maybe Varunasi can help neh?"
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"Miss T'vali mentioned that when Madame Vitusa spoke out in support of the Thakur's ban; there was one high-caste merchant, a balding, middle-aged man with a mustache dressed in merchant's robes, who was not visibly happy with the exclamation.
As Lilly said whoever did the actual murder, went so far as to decapitate a child. That's a special kind of evil in my book."
Making a decision to trust the strange woman, Pratavh reaches into a pocket and pulls out the bronze earring he wrapped in a cloth, "Maybe this will help, I lack the spells to track it to it's mate, but it belonged, I assume, to the deceased and, if not here, then maybe one of her killers. If I am not mistaken I think you may have the power to trace it back and help us bring them down."
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Mohktar listens quietly and wonders at the woman's insights. She either has incredible intuition or she is better informed than most. The monk looks down at his hands, at his garments, then back to the clothier. There is little I need at this point...and to allow temptation to dissuade me from the Path...
He withholds his judgment. Time and word and deed would tell the tale of this woman.
From within a pocket of his haversack he withdraws his drawing book, holding it before him at the waste as he listens. At a moment of silence he offers the drawing. "In an alley near the incense shop, I found this imprint. You know much, it would seem, about the enemy we face."
Varunasi starts pacing again and replies nasily to Alywn, "A merchant. Middle aged. Balding. Male. That could be half of the merchants in town darling."
She then abruptly turns and paces towards Pratavh tape measure held out like a weapon, she takes several measurements and tells him, "An earring. Several seasons old, and of a design that has never been fashionable. Yes this came in a pair. I doubt I have that power, the cult are protected. Still everyone makes mistakes from time to time.."
Without seeming to move, she's over the other side of the room pulling open a large wooden drawer built into the wall, to reveal a strange blueish radiance. "Come come, darlings, we shall see if there is anything to be seen." As you crowd round, the little woman holds the ring and concentrates while dropping the earring into what turns out to be a luminescent bowl of water. The earring causes larger ripples than you'd expect and soon there are strange shifting images which slowly settle down.
"Darlings", she says with distaste, "The earring appears to have been thrown in a midden. I'm afraid you shall have to retrieve that. I think I know where that is, I shall mark it on your map. Please don't return directly if you find something..."
She looks at you and you can sense a dismissal when you see one. She blinks as Mohktar, and advances again with the tape measure, "We shall need something proof against incorporeal attacks for you. What is this darling? Oh a rubbing of a monster footprint. How nice. Whatever it is must be able to pass for human, or nearly so, or we would have heard of it."
Following the strange woman, Pratavh goes to see what she does, when she finishes telling them, he replies, "Thank you for your help. We will make sure not to come back directly but to try and obfuscate our path as best we can." Pratavh will move towards the door and wait for the others to be ready, Hirati has remained very calm and very well behaved.
Shiko nods his thanks We'll be back, thank you Mistress he says with a smile, he likes the old woman.
Now we get to dig in a midden...just my idea of a grand time.
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"I've had my share of encounters with the incorporeal an survived. But your assistance with such things would be honored and appreciated," He bows gratitude.
Mohktar studies the odd little woman then let's his eyes drift among the shop's contents. "Mistress, sometimes the slimmest of inspirations can prompt the greatest of creations." He looks back to her and moves the book in his hand a bit. "I am interested in your suspicions of this imprint if you're willing."
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