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Mouser celebrates the win with Ruby, glad he could help the child on her special day.
He listens to Roderick's plug for the rest of the group to join the militia. He smirks, having just joined the militia himself.
Yesterday, in fact. I'm not even sure how that jewelry got in my pocket, really. But it was join the militia or face consequences. I'm sure it's easy to get out of...
Mouser makes his way back to the home of his second cousin twice removed.
Not much of a home...maybe someday I'll get my own place!
As the festivities die down, Tam heads back to his employer's temporary lodgings - a rented home where several dwarf merchants and pack-handlers are staying while arranging the delivery of various goods.
You all get a restful night, and head to the common room at Ramblehouse. When you get there (or downstairs, if you are staying there), the place is a buzz of activity. News spreads quickly: Patrol Captain Rodrik Grath has been found dead! The inn’s owner, Cham Larringfass, discovered Rodrik’s body in his room, his wrists fatally lacerated and his bloody hopeknife in his limp hand. All signs point to a suicide, a fact that saddens many of the town’s citizens.
Once things have calmed, and you are all gathered to eat, Kurst comes in and sees you. He walks over to your table, and asks if he can sit and speak with you.
"My brother's death doesn't sit right with me. Right now, the official cause of death is suicide, but I just can’t believe that. Something else has to be going on. Unfortunately, Rodrik was the best investigator in Trunau; if he were on the case, solving the mystery of his death wouldn’t take long, but with just me left, we might never know what really happened.” Kurst sighs heavily. “I simply can’t handle the investigation and tend to my family duties at the same time. I may be a patrol captain, but right now, I feel my responsibilities as a brother outweigh my other duties. Still, I can’t just let this lie. I’m afraid I’ve exhausted all my other options—the members of Trunau’s militia are competent defenders during siege times, but they’re not sleuths by any means. I need your help. Will you investigate my brother’s death?”
Ana felt horrible this morning, all her usual peppiness and energy gone. All she felt was a dull ache after hearing about her captain's death. Rodrik had been the first patrol leader to teach her the bow and lead her out on a raid. He was also the first to use the affectionate nickname of 'Wolf' while out hunting orcs. She had even liked him a little, as he sometimes could have a more affectionate side. But now...now he was dead.
As Kurst comes up, Ana doesn't even pay attention until she overhears the subject. Of course he wouldn't commit suicide, Ana thought. But if he didn't, then...then it was murder. And if he was murdered, someone had to have done it. Ana hadn't wanted to consider that of the people of Trunau, but it was true.
When Kurst finally asks for help, Ana leans across the table and grabs his hands, some of her fire returning to her eyes. "I'll help. No matter who did this, I'll do my best to find out. By my tail, this I do promise.*"
Somer arrives at the Ramblehouse having taken extra care in his preparation and dress. He has come up with a plan to work himself back into shape, take up a new weapon with more heft then his foil. His plan, ask Rodrik who is good with a longsword that may be willing to work with him.
Arriving at the Rembelhouse his good mood quickly evaporates as does his plan as he hears the news from those present. Joining his “team” from yesterday he joins into the muted conversation until Kurst arrives and asks for their help.
“Kurst, your brother was a good man, I cannot believe he would take his own life. I am no investigator but I will gladly help. Has anyone checked the room and body for any traces of magic?”
When someone brings by Somers customary bottle of wine he waves it away. I must be sharp today.
Derrik will look at Kurst, "I am sorry for your loss, I was just talking to Rodrick last evening about joining the Militia. I will help you in anyway I can with uncovering this mystery. Just tell me how I can help you."
Derrik will go back upstairs to his room and grab his gear, leaving his traveling gear back in his room. After grabbing something to eat, he will look at those gathered.
"You know the town better than I, how and where can I help? Milani will help guides us to the truth to defend Rodrick's honor."
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Mouser saunters in a little late, having had a restless night after getting to bed late.
He yawns and stretches as he walks over to the group, but sobers up quickly as he finds out what happened.
"Rodrik?! He was the one that swore me into the militia...two days ago! He's the one that got me into the militia after a--let's call it an unfortunate misunderstanding--about some apples that someone mistakenly put in my pockets. That's neither here nor there, but I don't think he would kill himself. Plus, that doesn't seem like a good way to go."
Am I still in the militia if the guy that got me in is dead? Maybe this is the way out I was looking for...I'm keeping the hopeknife, though.
Mouser runs a hand through his messy hair, then takes out a piece of gold and flips the coin.
"Yeah, count me in to check things out. I kind of liked the guy...for a longshanks. But if he were murdered, wouldn't someone have heard something? I can't imagine he would sit quiet while someone cut his wrists. Where's the room...let's check things out."
As an afterthought, he says "Rodrik had some items he was going to leave me in his will...I wonder if he got around to that."
"Thank you for your kind words, and for agreeing to help me." If he noticed Mouser's obvious greedy bluff, he doesn't show it.
"The militia has checked, but they have no real reason to expect foul play. I am sure Cham would let you in the room, and my brother has been taken to the Sanctuary, if you would like to examine him."
"You might also speak with the inn’s proprietor, Cham Larringfass - she might know something. Also, while not everyone knows this, Rodrik has been seeing a half-orc weaver, Brinya Kelver. Oh, and Omast Frum, a patrol sergeant in the militia, long-time friend of the ours and one of Rodrik’s frequent patrol partners - he spent the most time with Rodrik, so maybe he can shed some light?"
Tam, somewhat shocked by this turn of events, quickly switches to taking notes in a small chapbook. "Brinya Kelver... Omast Frum... all right, well, certainly it's worth asking around," he mumbles to himself.
"Yes, that makes sense, before anyone else has a chance to move or alter anything," says Tam.
Derrik will follow the rest up to the room of Derricks in the Ramblehouse, "is it odd that Rodrik was staying here? Does he not live with his brother and father?"
I agree the room is the place to start. While there is no sign found yet of foul play I almost prefer to think that instead of him harming himself.
Hmm there are quite a few of us, I hope we don't put people on edge traveling as a pack. At least some of us are militia members so there is some sense of the official.
While know expert I know there are was to get in and out without leaving a trace, some mundane and some not.
"Maybe we should split up and cover more ground," Ana says. "I know Omast well enough from our time patrolling. I could check with him while you guys check the room. I think there would be a few too many in the room anyway. You're free to join if you like."
And I do not want to go in that room right now at all.
Balmir sits in silence listening to the news and all of the conversation surrounding it. Tragic death, like this, too easily brings to surface the memories of his own loss just a few years ago. He is lost in his own contemplation when he notices the group breaking up to head to various locations for investigations.
"Ana, I'll go with you. Rodrik was a good man and I will miss him. Omast is as good a place as any to start." Balmir pushes himself out of his chair. This situation just makes him feel heavy. Sad and heavy.
"Thanks you, Balmir," Ana says quietly, knowing he had to be feeling as sad as her right now.
Ana and Balmir head off to talk to Omast, while the rest of you look for the room. Cham Larringfass comes out to ask you what you are doing, as as you explain the situation, she opens the room for you.
This sparse room contains only a single cot and a writing desk. The cot is a cheap affair with a straw-stuffed mattress, now stained red with blood and stripped of its linens, while the desk is a slightly nicer piece of furniture that has nonetheless been chipped and worn by time. A cracked window in the southern wall is the only exit other than the room’s door.
Somer thanks Cham for the assitance and asks her to see if he still owes money on his tab.
Then he looks around around the room and immediatly casts Detect Magic to look for any residure of magic or magic items.
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Mouser looks at the room from the doorway.
"Now I don't want any of you sausage-fingers touching anything," he says. "I once investigated a crime scene where someone literally smeared sausage grease on all the evidence and it ruined everything."
"But I don't mean you have sausage grease on your fingers, I mean your fingers are like big fat sausages. Okay, maybe not the elf, but the rest of you for sure. So just don't contaminate the place by messing everything up. Let me handle this!"
The halfling walks over to the cracked window and carefully looks out to the window sill and the ground below.
Tam continues to scribble in his chapbook from the doorway, peering this way and that.
He makes a crude representation of the room and annotates it.
"Wonder if there's a way to find out if that window was always cracked, or if it was done last night," he muses aloud.
He peers at the desk, expecting that Mouser will get around to the locks, and then adds, "Rodrik had a companion and a good position. Very stable. Even willing to struggle with social prejudices to find happiness with his lady. Not the hallmarks of someone who's going to end it all."
While everyone is searching the room, Derrik will talk to Cham.
Miss might I ask you a few questions? I am new to town, I find it odd that Rodrik would be staying at the Ramblehouse, does he not from what I understand resident with his father?"
Cham seems none too impressed with Derrik's 'enhanced' diplomacy, but answers the question anyway. "Many folk find my place to their liking! In Rodrick's case, sure - he often stayed at the barracks, but he was also a writer, and so he would sometimes come here to get some quiet and write."
Mouser finds no sign of entry or exit at the window, and nothing to indicate foul play below.
Some discovers no lingering magics, however, he does spot a piece of paper lodged between the headboard and the wall. (See Exhibit A)
Tam looks around and searches the desk, among other things. He finds a secret compartment, although it contains nothing.
"Mouser, look at this - there's a secret compartment in the desk. But it's empty. Why have a secret compartment if you're not going to put something secret in it? You think maybe someone robbed Rodrick?" says Tam.
"I am sorry to have bothered you ma'am, just trying to understand why this horrible thing could have happened."
Derrik will take his leave and head back upstairs,
"The patron of this establishment said he came here often to get peace and quiet."
Pulling out the piece of paper.
This may be something.
After making a show of his dexterous unfolding of the paper with his non sausage finger Somer read what appears to be a recipt.
I have found a receipt for a new hopeknife from Urusul the blacksmith. It was to have been engraved “For Rodrik, my love”. pausing Why would Rodrik be having a hopeknife engraved to himself.
Somer flips the paper over and back, holds it up to the light and is satisfied there is little else to be gained.
Perhaps something happened to his hopekinfe? I guess we need to speak with Urusul as well.
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Mouser looks at the receipt.
"Yeah, we could talk to Urusul. Another lead might be this half-orc weaver, Brinya Kelver. Maybe she had it engraved for him, but they put it on Rodrick's account. I wonder if the knife was finished, or Urusul is still working on it. A good place to check."
Mouser examines the desk thoroughly to see if there are any other compartments, and then looks at the straw mattress, as well.
The blood stains are consistent with ritual suicide.
Balmir and Ana first have to find Omast.
"Now, where would Omast be?" Ana asks herself, tail swishing in thought. "I don't believe he's on duty today, so let's check out the barracks first."
It is strange to me that there is a secret compartment but it is empty.
I do not know what I expected but this is not it. I think there is little else to be gained but I will let the others do as they wish.
"Hmm, let me think." Balmir ponders for a bit trying to remember where Omast likes to hang out. He asks a few people hoping that will jar his memory but mostly he comes up empty.
"Well Ana, I have no idea, no idea, where Omast might be. I guess we can keep wandering around."
Cham tells you that some of the rooms do have secret compartments, to help protect her guests valuables.
Derrick just follows along.
"who is Omast? Does he have a favorite spot to be in the morning?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
"A long-time family friend of the Graths and a recovering alcoholic, Omast Frum has always seen himself as a protector and mentor of the Grath boys. Omast was the first guard on the scene when Rodrik’s body was found. Then, he seemed to vanish. I cannot say where he is now."
To the contingent that searched the rooms.
What do you say we find our new cohorts and continue as a group? Even if you live in town it can be tricky finding people at times so a group effort may help.
Pauses to think for a moment while absentmindedly fiddling with his rapier hilt.
They are looking for Omast and we should bring them up to speed on the hopekinfe, it is possible he knows something. Then we look for Urusul maybe?
You all start asking questions, but have trouble finding many leads. Omast, it seems, may have taken to drink again, and that usually means trouble. Finally, in the evening, you catch wind that he has been assigned to removing graffiti on one of the towers.
As you start to head that direction, when suddenly you see glowing eyes and hear a low growl from down the street. (See Tactical Maps)
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Mouser has a rapier in his hand before any of the others move.
"Hey, I was just going to ask some probing questions to get to know you guys better, but instead it looks like we'll have to deal with...a pack of dogs? Wolves? Well, it's getting dark, but we'll find out soon enough!"
The halfling holds position as he prepares to attack any of the creatures that come near him.
Some of the rust seems to fall of Somer as he finds himself faced with a physical threat for the first time in years. Reacting quickly small icy shards fly from his hand at the lead wolf as he step forward next to the building reading his rapier.
Wolves in the town? Very bold.
vs touch
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Tam seems flabberghasted. "But... the town is a fortress! It's the only way to keep the orcs out! How would a wolf even get inside the walls?"
Wolves in town? But how? Ana thinks. However, she does not panic as her training takes over. Ana slings around her trusty longbow as she moves behind the halfling, and fires a shot over his head at the closest wolf.
"Wolves? In town? In town?" Balmir is just as shocked as everyone but he quickly moves to engage with the closest wolf. As he steps he pulls out his war axe, cocking his arms for a ferocious swing.
Balmir moves in, swinging his axe at the lead wolf and cutting into it's flank. Anabella also moves into a better position and puts an arrow into another. As Somer shoots a ray of cold over the heads of all of the wolves, Mouser readies an attack, stabbing the yellow eyed wolf as it closes in.