Mug in hand, Kraygan takes a tour of the rooms upstairs, just to see with his own eyes what his cousins have witnessed. Upon his return he plants his mug on the bartop, visits the privy, and joins Wren, ready to go.
"Since we are losin' daylight, we should split up. Elf here prob'bly knows about bodies an' such an' Van has some experience with weapons. Half o' us should go to the blacksmith Urusul an' the others to the morgue." Torgan reasons.
Vanderhoff tentantively nods. "I'll go with Elfwren, to the Sancturary."
"I'll go with Hoff and the Wren." Kraygan volunteers, thinking it would be fun to watch the elf do some more sleuthing.
Torgan looks at Vanderhoff with his eyebrow raised. "Are ye deaf, Van? We need ya at th' blacksmith. You're th' man with education in that stuff."
Vanderhoff's face blanches at Torgan's words. "Your right, of course, cousin. My mistake. I'll go to the blacksmith."
Torgan laughs and slaps Vanderhoff's back. "Too much ale, this 'un!"
He pours two Snakebite #4s and quaffs from one of the mugs and offers the other to Vanderhoff. "Pint?"
Vanderhoff accpets the mug and drinks it down, wiping his mouth and beard with his sleeve, looking slightly mollified.
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Wren's head bobs between dwarf and dwarf as he tries to follow the dwavesmooting. Eventually, he gives up and goes to the Sanctuary to look at the Rodrik's body before it 'decomposes' too badly.
Wren will enter the sanctuary and speak to the proper person about immediately seeing Rodrik's body.
Jorgan follows behind Wren, occasionally stepping on the elf's foot or running into him at the intersections of the streets.
With Jorgan, Kraygan and Wren off to the Sanctuary, Torgan will go with Vanderhoff to the blacksmith indicated on the note found by his brother.
As they are walking there, Torgan asks Vanderhoff, "Think they'll want a special brew at th' funeral, Van? Could get a proper bitter up from th' cellar."
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Wren and the group of dwarves leave the Ramblehouse, leaving Cham with her sorrows. The group decides to split as Jorgan, Kraygan and Wren turn east and follow Wren to the Sanctuary before it gets too dark.
Torgan and Vanderhoff turn west and head towards Morninghawk's Fine Steel Clamor.
After a few moments of walking and talking about what brew to provide for Rodrik's funeral, Vanderhoff hears a low growl coming from a nearby alleyway. Turning towards the alley the two dwarves see a small pack of wolves growling. The wolves skin seems to convulse and twitch as a thick foamy froth forms on their muzzles.
Vanderhoff
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Wolves
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Torgan
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Glancing down at the dwarves she gives a curt nod. Welcome, my name is Tyari Varvatos. What can I do for you three?
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Glancing down at the dwarves she gives a curt nod. Welcome, my name is Tyari Varvatos. What can I do for you three?
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Wren greets Tyari with a smile, trying to keep things profession despite the extra 'help' he's likely to get.
"Hey Tyari, this is uh...*sigh*...this is Jordan and Kraygan," Wren introduces. "We're on watch business. Kurst asked us to look a bit at Rodrik's body...something might be out of place. Do you mind if we talk a look? We'll be respectful," Wren mentions, looking to be sure that none of the dwarves have their alcohols within the sanctuary.
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Jorgan smiles meekly at the woman as Wren introduces him. "Real respectful-like, Ma'am."
You note, however, that is soon smells like something has died in the temple.
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Kraygan rubs his nose. "By the smell I think he's gone off."
He takes a longer sniff. "Seems a little... Fruity."
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Vanderhoff
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Wolves
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Torgan
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Walking through the corridors Tyari seems to reminisce a bit. Rodrik was always such a good man. You know he used to visit here quite often with Katreza. More so in the past few weeks. She stops to pick up a pile of scrolls that seem to have fallen on the floor, placing them back on the table in an orderly pile. [smaller]Brantos... Always leaving things lying around...
Anyways. Where was I? Oh, yes. Katreza. Occasionally I would overhear those two muttering about ghosts, half-orcs, hopeknives and white swords. Katreza always was such a character. Hehehe!
Tyari opens a door to stairs leading down below ground. As Wren looks out the window he notices that there is a large white sword painted on the cliff face behind the Sanctuary.
She looks to the dwarves. You know, he even has 'visions'. Though I can't personally vouch for if they truly are 'visions' or not they do seem to be more than just hallucinations.
Yes, seems we are here now. We are keeping his body here until the funeral.
One the table is Rodrik's body with a thick wool blanket covering all but his head.
"Not sure I know who Katreza is. What can ya tell us about him?" Kraygan asks Tyari as he pulls the blanket away from the body.
"Wolves! How would wolves have come into town?" Vanderhoff says, as he draws his lucerne hammer, steps to his cousin's left side and intones a prayer to Angradd. "Bless us Lord of Fire!"
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Vanderhoff steps up to the wolves drawing his lucerne hammer. The dwarf echoes a blessing to Angradd as the group feels blessed.
The wolves dart past the carts as leap towards the dwarves. Vanderhoff readies his hammer as the first wolf bounds past. The wolf is a little quicker than Vanderhoff as it dodges out of the dwarves path. Two of the wolves snap at Vanderhoff as the remaining wolf bites at Torgan.
Bothe wolves teeth scrap on Vanderhoff's steel armor as Torgan sidesteps out of the way.
Torgan
Vanderhoff
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Wolves
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Wren remembers Katreza as a long-time half orc resident of the Sanctuary.
This is how Rodrik was delivered. I am betting that Kurst took the hopeknife for the funeral arrangements. I would check with him for any possessions.
Looking to Kraygan Tyari replies. Katreza was a half-orc who lives here in the Sanctuary.
Kraygan has heard around that Brantos is a human who accompanied High Priestess Varvatos from Lastwall's Castile Firrine to Trunau. Brantos was known around town as the man who largely helped take care of Katreza, due to the half-orcs' debilitating condition.
Kraygan and Wren look over Rodrik's body as they slowly and meticulously drag the blanket away, looking over every wound. Wren is the first to notice that Rodrik died of blood loss from the slits on his wrists.
"Holy s$&@, Van! Wolves in town?" Torgan yells as he draws his great dwarven waraxe.
He grips it in two hands and hacks away at the wolf attempting to flank him.
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Torgan is caught off guard by the wolves but for a moment. As the wolves descend upon him and his cousin he grasps at the hilt of his large waraxe with years of experience. Though his strike seemed true the wolf barely gets out of the way in time as the waraxe sinks into the soft soil.
Torgan
Vanderhoff
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Wolves
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Tyari turns to cover Rodrik's body back up. Oh and Wren. If you happen to see Katzera, could you help him get back here. He disappeared the other day without telling myself or Brantos. His bed was made so I don't suspect any foul play, though it is a bit odd of Katreza to leave on the same day Rodrik's body was to be discovered.
The lean woman shrugs her shoulders He coul'nt have gone far. His crippling condition causes him so much pain. So much so that he can barely walk half the time.
Swearing loudly as he misses ther agile wolf, Vanderhoff asks."Back to back, cousin? To protect our flanks?"
"Wait, Katreza left on the same day? That surely seems suspicious. . . . Not saying they did it, o' course! But maybe someone had it out fer both of 'em!"
"Somethin here, just can't put my finger on it." Kraygan says. "Some folk 'r sayin that he used his hopeknife on hisself, but don't you cut more than the wrists to do yourself in that way? Don't suppose you got the clerical powers to talk to him?"
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" Oh and Wren. If you happen to see Katzera, could you help him get back here?"
Wren nods.
Wren turns to the dwarves. "There isn't anything here of note or worry. Maybe now we can see Brinya the weaver. She's probably alone...and if she's not alone, it might be that we have a suspect, a jealous lover, if this was murder. But it does not appear that way."
When the dwarves are done, he will seek out Brinya.
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The wolves arc around the dwarves from all sides.
+ disease and Trip
+ disease and Trip
The wolves latch onto Vanderhoff's stubby legs as they both rip him to the ground in an instant. Small trickles of blood ooze out from his wounds, mixing with the rocky soil below.
Vanderhoff feels a small tinge in the wounds.
The wolf biting at Torgan misses as the sound of Vanderhoff slamming into the ground distracts it momentarily.
Torgan
Vanderhoff (7/10 HP; prone)
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Wolves
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Looking to Kraygan. Yes we have the ability here Kraygan. Though we are respecting Jagrin Grath's wishes to let his son rest in peace.
With a roar, Vanderhoff stands and swings at the wolf to his south! "Let us rally, cousin!"
"Hmmph. Ok." Kraygan follows Wren's lead, but he's starting to wonder about the elf.
Maybe he knows somethin we don't.
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A little rattle Vanderhoff stands. The wolf near him sees an opening and snaps it's razor sharp jaws at the dwarf once again.
Vanderhoff is able to roll out of the wolves path and swings his axe at the beast. Vanderhoff's blade splits the creatures side clean open as it's organs spill out from it's cracked ribs. The wolf gives a few final twitches before coming still.
The remaining wolf bites at Torgan
The wolf seems to be distracted and misses the agile dwarf.
Torgan
Vanderhoff (7/10 HP; Bleeder's Disease onset 2 days)
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Wolves
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Wren seemingly irritated begins to move out of the Sanctuary once again to speak with Brinya as the baffled Kraygan turns to follow leaving the Sanctuary. The elf and two dwarves head out of the Sanctuary bidding Tyari farewell begin to follow the road west towards The wolf attack Brinya's home.
Capitalizing on his strike, Vanderhoff steps up to stand shoulder to shoulder with his cousin, as he chops at the remaining wolf!
"These mangy pests need to be put down if they are coming into town!" Torgan proclaims as he moves to corner the remaining wolf against the wall.
He delivers a crushing chop to the wolf just after Vanderhoff catches it with his greataxe.
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The combined blows of Torgan and Vanderhoof's blades are enough to bring the wolf to the ground.
As the two dwarves catch their breath and are looking over the bodies Wren, Jorgan and Kraygan round the winding path around the Ramblehouse coming face to face with them once again.
Vanderhoff (7/10 HP; Bleeder's Disease onset 2 days)
Kraygan's wave is halted mid-wave as he observes the scene, then darts to his axe and echoes a few of Wren's words. "What the hell... who let the dogs out?"
Looking around for more trouble, Kraygen stops, looks down and realizes that in his hungover state this morning he neglected to put on his armor before following the others to the inn. "Crap, I'm nekkid."
Jorgan mutters, "Damn, they get t'have all the fun while we're lookin' at dead bodies!"
"Damn dogs came out o' nowhere!" Torgan yells.
"Had t'show 'em why you don't mess with dwarves." he states proudly as he claps Vanderhoff on the back. "Van took two love nibbles, but some beer an' some antiseptic an' he should be right as rain."
Torgan pulls a dirty rag from his pack and wipes the gore off his maulaxe and waraxe. He looks at the bloodied thing. Probably best t'toss this...
Kraygan moves to look more closely at the wolves. "Nasty... If more of these are about I'm gonna need my armor. Let's stop by the brewery."
In response to Torgan, Vanderhoff shrugs. "They don't seem too bad, but the wounds don't look very good."
When the rest of the party shows up, Vanderhoof nods in agreement with Torgan. "It seems unusual for such animals to wander into town and attack in broad daylight." Glancing at his wounds again, he adds. "Perhap they were rabid."
Stomping over the dead animals, Vanderhoff lifts their cheeks flaps and peers into their mouths. "They don't seem to be salivatin' like rabid animals, in fact their gums seem discolored, like they was poisoned or something." Glancing at his wounds again, a look of worry crosses his face.
"Let's get you treated, Van, an' grab some food. Smithy's probably closed, anyway." Torgan states to the dwarves and Wren.
"You're welcome f'r some beer an' sausage if you like, Wren." the blonde dwarf offers.
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"Crap, I'm nekkid."
Wren releases another epic elven eyeroll with as much resistance as Jorgan releases underbody gases. With his eyes finishing on Kraygan's dwarfhood after their journey across the heavens of the elf's inner eyelids, Wren flourishes with a loud sigh.
"I..uh..oh..."
Wren takes a quick gander at the wolves, his nose sniffing as his eyes look.
Heal (untrained)
"That's weird...uhm...huh.." Wren expresses after examining the wolves, but does not say what he notices.
Wren turns his attention to Kraygan...
"Why don't you all help Kraygan get dressed? I'll continue to speak with Brinya, uh, peacefully."
Wren continues on to Brinya's.
* * * *
@Brinya's
Wren will knock on the door.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Brinya. It's just horrible. Do you mind if we talk about it?"
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Wren continues on in the dark clear across town. Wren knows she stays at the boardinghouse though he is a little unsure which apartment she is actually in as it contains many of Trunau's residents that are unable to afford property of their own.
Walking up and down the hall Wren eventually comes to a door marked as Brinya Kelver. Knocking on the door there is no response for a few moments. Eventually a half-orc woman opens the door. Green skin and red hair her face is wracked with grief and stained with hours worth of tears. What do you want Wren? It is the middle of the night and I wish to be alone. She tightens her robe as she looks perturbed at Wren.
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Diplomacy
Wren nods, sad that he must come here now, like this to confront the greiving.
I know that pain. That was my pain. Is my pain.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Brinya," Wren starts...his own mind reaching back to block out his own failures and deaths of his past. "But Kurst...Kurst is convinced that Rodrik's death was not as it seemed. Surely you can see the need for haste here...we're looking for...anything...anything that you can tell us about Rodrik and the last few days."
Jorgan follows along behind Wren, having no wish to see any more of Kraygan's dorn-dergar.
"When did ya see him last? Do ya think he woulda killed hisself? Did he have any enemies?" Jorgan doesn't seem one for pleasantries. Or baths.