"Lets see, white paint...I'll see if I can think of somewhere but the might have just brought the paint with them, after doing the crosses the could have just used the excess paint in trashing the room before skipping town."
"Thank you, Rufus." she then turns to the other guards in the place. "Did any of you see where he went? Have any of you seen him around?"
They might have, yes, but that's a lot of work, carrying paint from another village. May as well ask.
Nakoma and Baldek
No one else at The Killin' Ground has seen Omast Frum since earlier in the day when he stopped in and traded his wages for liquor. His whereabouts today are still a mystery.
Zan and Zirelle
The most likely place in Trunau to find white paint is Meeson's Goods and Salvage commonly known as 'That 'n Such' by locals. The place is run by "Crazy Jess" Meeson, a collector of strange and sundry items as well as dealing the staples of life in the small village. Her husband, Gorkis Meeson, is the closest thing Trunau has to an apothecary, who is known to be able to craft some magical concoctions for those to shy or wary to approach the town's clerics for aid.
Jess Meeson greets you warmly as you enter the shop. But her warm smile turns to sharp frown when you ask about the white paint that has marked up sites across Trunau. "We've seen the markings, Gorkis and I, but we don't have this kind of marker dye in stock. We have some white paint, for touching up houses and such, but it's oil based and goes on wet and stays that way for a long time. The crosses would still be tacky to touch if they used our paint, which we haven't sold for some time. Sorry, but I don't think this was locally purchased."
That's okay. Thanks for the information. A couple of other questions for you. Have a group of half-orcs come through here either last night or today? We're investigating the death of Rodrick Grath, and we just want to ask them some questions. ... They may also have had white paint on their clothing.
We're also looking for Katreza, if you've seen him.
I mean, understand... we just want to ask questions of the people who saw him yet. No one is is in trouble or anything.
Jess shakes her head in reply to the query posed by Zirelle. "Have had the individual green-skin in her, but not a pack of 'em. Think Gorkis'd have to let off a bomb here or something if we were infested like that...No, no one covered in white dye or paint either. Wish we could help more, but I'm fairly sure its one of them half-orcs that's behind poor Rodrik's death. Heard one of them had him bewitched or something; that seems as likely a lead as anything else."
"Is there anywhere in town that would sell that kind of paint or even just have some like it stored even if not for sale?" Zan knew it was unlikely buy maybe they'd get lucky.
Once outside assuming no extra information. "So what do you think, the longhouse? Maybe the others are having more luck."
Maybe ask around at a few more places first? I think you were right about the paint, but maybe someone has seen Katreza or the half-orcs?
Zan nods "We might still have luck there, you're right."
"I mean, anyone in town could have white paint stored somewhere," Jess says, thinking hard. "But I think most would've bought it from us, which, as I said, would be a different consistency than is used on the graffiti. I don't know of anyone else in Trunau who has sold paint or even who has the skill to make it."
Zirella and Zan go to the House of Wonders, and the Smithy , and then over to the counting house for good measure, telling everyone they are investigating a death, and asking in each place whether they have seen Katreza or a group of half-orcs, or anyone with paint on their clothing. ... If no one has seen anything, they go back to the Longhouse and meet the others.
As Nakoma and Baldek leave the Killin' Ground, she remarks. "So what did we learn...?" she thinks for a moment to gather her thoughts.
"Wherever Rodrik's been spending his time, it hasn't been at work. Omast Frum's been covering for him, but he's been drunk for days at least, and no one knows where he is. Rodrik couldn't have lost his hope knife or journal on patrol."
"The half-orc vandals were spotted entering town, but not leaving. They came in as traders passing through to get to Freedom town. They vandalized the Ramblehouse before leaving this morning."
"No one's heard or seen the nameless man who paid off Cham. And no one knows Unsul, but someone thinks he got hired under Sara Morninghawk."
"I guess Clamor's our next stop before meeting with the others. Hopefully finding Unsul will be easier than finding Frum."
---
Moving to a few of Trunau's better known commercial establishments, Zan and Zirelle ask aruond about the lame half-orc seer, Katreza, or a group of half-orc vandals that are new in town. Unfortunately, these lines appear to be dead ends as no one at any of the places you stop has knowledge of either set of leads.
A bit frustrated, they pair then heads off for Clamor, the smithy run by Sara Morninghawk. Surprisingly, they bump into Nakoma and Baldek who are headed to the same place, if for slightly different reasons.
Comparing notes on the investigation, you approach the smithy where the sounds of metal on metal resonate loudly, and its clear how the place got its nickname. While the sounds are loud and atonal to most, they are music to the ears of the dwarf among you. The afternoon shadows are growing long as you approach the squat, cramped building in the lower quarter of Trunau. Heat from the massive forge fills the building, and Sara is hard at work shaping a piece of metal, which may someday end up as a hopeknife, but looks like nothing more than a lump of molten steel at present.
Seeing your arrival, she sets down her mallet and tongs and walks outside into the evening air. There are several other smiths and assistants around doing other odd jobs, but she leaves them to finish the work while she tries her best to answer your questions. "I am most happy to help in the investigation as much as I can,"she says with sincerity. "How can I help?"
Nakoma greets Sara with a sad smile and a hug. She speaks to her in Shoanti at first.
She switches back to common after her greeting. "We're here to investigate Rodrik's death." she explains. "This is Zan, Zirelle and Baldek. We have some questions for you."
---
Nakoma nods. "We're looking for a smith by the name of Unsul. Does he work under you?"
We are also looking for Katreza, who might be able to help us since he knew Rodrick and may have seen his journal or known where he was going.
Also, there is a group of graffiti-happy half-orcs running around town painting weird white cross/swords that we would like to question. Seen any of the above?
Mysterious signs,half orcs sneaking into toen under false pretenses... and the man who might have figured things out was dead and the lame half orc who he might have confided in was missing so far without a trace.
Once they got to the bottom of this all he doubted he'd feel any better.
Biting her upper lip in concentration, Sara listens to the questions, but holds her hands up rather quickly. "I can only answer one of the questions at a time. Slow down. I will answer them all in due course."
She sighs and then says, "Yes I know Urnsul, but it is a she, not a he. She was my apprentice until just today, matter of fact. Not much of a worker, and not very skilled, but I took pity on her. She was a half-orc with a sad story and need a trade, so I helped her. And then she ran out on me without a word. Not even a thank you! Why do you ask?"
"Well she took a work order for a special hope knife from Rodrik engraved with the message 'For Rodrik, my love'. We just want to see if Urnsul knew any more about it. Do you? How long has she been your apprentice and do you have any idea where she might have gone?"
Zirelle waits for the Smith to get to her questions.
Sara scratches her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. How do you know know she worked on Rodrik's knife, if you don't know her? I do lots of work, and can't remember it all. Might be ringing a bell..."
"Anyway, Urnsul was my apprentice for about three weeks, needed lots of training, but was just starting to get the basics, when she up and left. Cleaned out her stall and disappeared. I don't know where she went. She didn't have people or family here, was orphaned or some sad tale."
Seeing that no one else is going to speak up, Zirelle hands Sara the receipt for the work that was done.
This is how we know, ma'am. We found that in Rodrick's room.
Sara takes the receipt and looks at it carefully. "One moment," she says and then strides off to the office area of the smithy. She returns in short order with a ledger book which she looks at scanning down the rows of entries with her index finger. "Agrit made me tighten up record-keeping, and I guess i am glad she did," the half-orc councilor says with a smile. "Ah, here is the entry. Rodrik came in a week ago and commissioned a new blade. I started the work, but handed it off to Urnsul to finish." She shuts the book with a snap. "It may not matter anymore, but I wonder where it went -- it must be around here somewhere still." She goes off to search in the work area for the hopeknife but returns empty-handed. "I'll bet that clumsy oaf Urnsul put it somewhere before she up and quit; it's so hard to get good help. I'll let you know if I find the blade."
Zirelle tries to wait patiently for Sara to answer either the questions that she asked previously or the new question from Baldek, but she can't hold it in... she needs to figure it out.
... a new blade? I thought he was just having his childhood hopeknife engraved. Why would he commission a new one? Maybe trying to replace the lost one?
Wait a minute. The engraved one is the one that is missing. She shows Sara the one they found at the scene. Is this the one you are talking about?
Nakoma leans in closer, curious.
Sara turns to the dwarf, "As I said before, master dwarf, she left last night or this morning. Perhaps all that hammering has damaged your hearing, eh?" she smiles at him, trying to share a jest.
When Zirelle produces the hopeknife found with Rodrik's corpse, she looks at with surprise, taking it in her hands. "Why yes, this is the one. He told me in confidence that he had lost Brinya Kelver's knife which she had entrusted to him as a love token. He was having this one made to replace the missing one, that's why it was to be engraved to him, as if it were from her. But this one is not engraved, the template is blank. It was not complete. How did it come to be in his possession already then?"
"That's what we're trying to find out," Nakoma remarks. "It's a tangle."
After a moment she asks, "Did Unsul have any close friends around the smithy? Or did she seem close with any customers?"
"Can you think of anyone that might know Unsul better than you?"
"Do you remember a group of half-orcs coming to visit her? They go by the names of Ormr, Tindr, Vifill, Vorom and Rishka?"
Nakoma glances at Baldek, her eyes betray her worry. Clearly she agrees.
She then turns back to Sarah, waiting patiently for answers.
"I'd be surprised if Urnsul knew anyone else in Trunau at all. She had only been here a short time, and most of that was spent working or in her cell alone. I don't think she had anyone close here in town. I don't think she made any friends here at Clamor; she wasn't' really the friendly sort."
"As to a host of other half-orcs, I haven't seen anyone like that around here."
"Now, did you have other questions?"
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Zan speaks up before Zirelle worried she might explode. "Katreza, a lame half orc, is there any chance you might have seen him? He was a friend of Rodrick and may have seen his journal or known where he was going."
"There is a group of half-orcs running around town painting white crosses or swords around town we would like to talk to. Have you seen them or do you have a store of any kind of white paint?"
Zirelle doesn't say anything further at this point. Just nods at the question about Katreza.
Sara looks away, at the setting sun in the west, which has turned the sky to a fiery shade of red as it descends over the horizon. She is obviously thinking deeply about something, then with a heavy sigh she turns back to you and says, "I guess I have to trust you, no one else is looking into this. I know the man you speak of, Katreza. More, I know where he is. He is afraid after the death of Rodrik, and may not wish to speak with you. I will try to convince him. Come to my home, the one I share with Agrit, tomorrow evening for dinner, and I will bring Katreza, if he will agree to speak with you. I believe he can tell you more about these markings that have appeared around Trunau as well."
"I myself have no knowledge of who is making the white marks, nor do I have any white paint around the smithy. I am happy to show you Urnsul's cell, but then I must get back to work. If you have more questions, you can ask me tomorrow."
The half-orc smith leads you into the back of the smithy where small rooms have been set up for each of the workers. Nothing more than a hard cot, some thin blankets and a small chair. Looking around the space formerly occupied by Urnsul, you find nothing out of the ordinary.
Nakoma nods. "Thank you, Sarah."
She follows her to Unsul's cell and looks around carefully.
Nakoma combs the place high and low and finds nothing different than she did before.
Zirelle smiles at Sara and says Thank you for trusting us.
When they get outside, she looks relieved Finally, a lead. Everything else seems to have hit a dead end. Katreza has to know something. It's too bad we have to wait until tomorrow though.
It's getting late. What else is there to check into?
Here is my current list.
She opens up her Journal and shows them her newest list
- Katreza
- White paint
- Mysterious Male Human? (No good description... could be anyone)
- Group of Half-Orcs who have been painting the town... why?
- Old engraved hopeknife still missing
- What was Rodrik investigating
- Rodrik's journal missing
- Unsul missing
You know, also, I've been thinking about the rumors in the town about lights moving around the plague house. I've seen that. What if the half-orcs are camped out there... although, hmm. Maybe that is just me wanting to check that place out. Why would they come in and stay in an inn for just one night?... although it was the night of the festival. Oh, I don't know. But it's another mystery. Hmm... what if that's what Rodrik was looking into? Think we should check it out and see if the missing hopeknife is out there? ... During the day, of course, in case it really is ghosts.
"The rest of us might have some difficulties. Any lights we hold will give our position away... but my guy tells me we need to follow up the leads. There's some kind of conspiracy going on that people are willing to kill over."
Nakoma raises an eyebrow at the neatly ordered notebook. So this is what scribes are useful for...
"That is well-done." she remarks, reading the list. "But we should find someplace to sit and speak candidly. We have news to share from our investigations this afternoon," she points out, gesturing at herself and Baldek, "And I would like to hear what you have discovered about this muse of Rodrik's."
"Whatever Rodrik was investigating, it drew him away from his duties. He has not worked in days. Omast Frum has been covering his shifts, but he has also been drunk at least as long, and is nowhere to be found. He's disappeared, apparently." she considers this for a moment. "Though whether he's passed out drunk or in danger is unclear."
"Wherever Rodrik lost his hope knife or journal it wasn't on patrol. It also wasn't in the Commons, or his quarters--at the Longhouse or at his room at Cham's. ...I suppose it might be at the Plague House.... Though it might be plenty of other places. I imagine whoever killed him simply took the journal. But the hope knife... Why take a man's hope knife? And how could he have lost it? No one takes off a hope knife. It's simply not done." She raises a and to her own hope knife, tied securely around her neck.
"The half-orc vandals were spotted entering town, but not leaving. They came in as traders passing through to get to Freedom town. No one's seen them since. The guards are aware of their descriptions and are ordered to arrest them if spotted."
"No one's heard or seen the nameless man who paid off Cham, either. The guards also have his description, and orders to arrest him if spotted. I doubt we'll have much luck, though. His description hinged mostly on his attire. Clothes are easily changed."
"And now Unsul's missing, having fled the smithy. I wonder if the gate guards recall seeing her leave... It's unlikely, since none admitted to knowing her in the first place."
Nakoma stops to think. "What did you learn at the Sanctuary? Was this Katreza Rodrik's muse?" After a moment she adds, "Were they helpful to you, there? Or dismissive?"
We can speak at my house, if you want. I have two chairs and a couch, so there is room for everyone.
And you can see the Plague House lights from my house if they are active tonight.
Once they get to her house (or to someplace else if they choose to go elsewhere), Zirelle responds Yes, Katreza seems to have been the muse. We were treated well for the most part, but... a man named Brantos recognized me from Lastwall, and for some reason doesn't like me. I don't think Brantos was hiding anything, because we still got the information we were looking for, but... I suppose it is possible that he knows more, and would share it with someone if I were not there.
She excuses herself and gets up to make some stew for the group (if they are at her house), but she still listens in on the discussion while she does so.
Nakoma nods, thinking Zirelle's house is a fine idea. Better than the bunk room she shares at the Longhouse--for privacy, at least.
"Lead the way." Nakoma urges, following being Zirelle.
Nakoma looks around Zirelle's home when they arrive, awkward but appreciative. "Thank you for hosting us." she tells her. "You have a nice home."
Upon hearing Zirelle's information Nakoma remarks. "Katezra, hey... Hmm... She's been there a long time. I wonder why he so suddenly became interested in her prophecies?" she thinks on this for a while. Eventually she admits, "I would be no help at the Sanctuary. I am not welcome there. Baldek seemed to do well, there though. Perhaps he and Zan would have luck if they went together?" She looks to Zan. "What do you think? Would it be worth the effort, or does the Sanctuary hold no more secrets for us?"
"The Plague House..." she remarks. "Why the interest? It could be a place the half-orcs or the strange man could have escaped to, I suppose...."
"Desna's creations dance across the sky tonight. They may be enough to see by. If we desire brighter, I can create magical lights to explore the Plague House by, but Zan is right. The lights will give us away if anyone is hiding there." she hesitates, then adds "It might be best to go tomorrow--though then they will certainly see us approach..."
Turning to Baldek she asks, "How well could you guide us through the darkness?"
Then she remarks aloud to Zirelle, "We could watch for the lights from here. If they appear, we may be able to check it out by the light of the stars and... ghost-lights?"
Zirelle tries to act casual, but she is clearly excited. I mean, the murder was important, of course, but since they couldn't talk to their only real lead until tomorrow... why not, right? She didn't really believe that Rodrik had dropped his journal or his hopeknife at the Plague House, but you never know. It was possible, right?
Very calmly and casually, Zirelle says Okay, good idea. We'll watch for the lights. ... as though this wasn't what she had wanted to do all along. I mean, in the dark would be scarier... but also more exciting, perhaps. She hoped it wasn't Will-o-the-wisps though. She had heard those were super dangerous. ... And she hoped if it really was ghosts that they were just the whispery kind, not the try-to-kill-you kind.
"If anyone has a hooded lantern though that might help if we did want to go there at night, at least a little. Whatever is going on there might only happen at night."