Sits in his pathfinder pouch reading a book, to the light of an ion torch Ezebelle said they where going to Inn some place, he was taking to time to catch up on his history. He put the book down, and stock his head out.
Telepathy
::"Are we there yet Liz?"::
Spotting the guards and the Inn, Cornelius slips back into his home for a moment before coming back out and claims up Ezebelle to sit on her shoulder.
Ezebelle shrugs her shoulder at zen's question.
::iunno::
Ezebelle casually walks over to the guards. "Lot of guards to be protecting an Inn... OOO is someone important in there? Maybe a prince. OH! or a princess. No wait. Does this place have any princes or princesses?" She asks staring at the small dragon sitting on her shoulder.
Not waiting on an answer Ezebelle turns back to the guards
"Can we meet them? I've always wanted to meet a princess. I think I would make a good princess. I would be like "I command all you slavers to disappear! and bam! gone! It would be pretty cool."
The Lady Galatea had just left a performance of the subversive Chelaxian Opera, "The Man from Korvosa," when she heard of the atrocity at the Gilded Crossroads Inn. [i]This seems more interesting and productive,[i] and she abandons her posse and heads over there.
When she arrives, she marches up to the guard seated at the table and introduces herself.
"Sorry for the delay, I came as soon as I heard of what happened. Sorry, my name is Maria Galatea. I have experience in matters such as these, but not of this scale, I am afraid. My skills and magics are at your disposal. What do we know about what happened?"
Sitting at a bar, a huge man in expensive-looking clothing is chatting with some locals, a calm smile on his face. Coaxing a glass of alcohol that looks far too small for the man, he engages in small talk with the men and women around him.
"An' did ya hear about th' Gilded Crossroads?" one of the locals asks, slurring slightly. "Heard they found a bunch'a people killed an' nobody knows what hap-" he continues, but is interrupted by the sound of the large man's glass clinking hard against the bar counter. His smile is a lot more forced as he eyes the drunken man.
"Which way?" he asks, his voice booming slightly, even though he was talking in a normal tone. The drunken man stutters to reply, giving him simple directions. "Good. Enjoy your drinks, folks," the giant says, setting a few coins on the bar, before standing to his impressive full height and striding out of the bar. "All play and no work makes Erik a dull man," he mumbles to himself as he walks out the door.
The huge man is obviously a half-giant, walking with a long gait, but his well-kept short black hair and beard, along with his shining emerald eyes make him much nicer to look at than most of his kind. Stepping into an alley, the man rests a hand on his chest, a soft red light seeming to illuminate the garment from the inside. Suddenly, his fancy-looking clothing begins to morph and shift, turning from cloth into a kind of metal skeleton. It bulges and contracts, before clanking shut around the half-giant, looking like some kind of steel armor. "Time for the Mountain to get to work, then," Erik Ironfist says, before he jumps up and flies off, leaving the alley empty, once again.
===
Minutes later, he arrives in front of the inn, landing heavily on the street outside. The armor around his face and head retracts into the rest of the armor, melding seamlessly without a sound. "What happened here?" he asks the guards posted outside.
A rough looking man with a grim visage walks down the street towards the scene of the killings.
Smells like a slaughterhouse....I can smell it down the road. he says as he nears the inn. He sniffs the air around, his eyes darting this way and that, scanning the area.
This is not a random act.....far as I can tell anyways. he says to no one in particular.
Upon seeing the half-giant, he gives him the once over, impressed, but not intimidated.
Remind me to not tick you off...
He looks to the guard doing the paperwork.
What went on here? Any idea?
"Does this place have any princes or princesses?" She asks staring at the small dragon sitting on her shoulder.
Nods his head at this and cheep's agreement.
Then acts a bit worried as three long legs come to the inn about about the same time.
Then Flys off around them.
The three all read concerned and wanting to help.
::"The three who just came, Ezey, from what little I can sense of their minds, most feel like us, they want to know what evil has befallen here. They also have at feel we do, like they are special."::
They see a Tiny gold and copper Pseudodragon with a gem in its forehead fly around them Cherping then fly back to the shoulder of Female Gnome standing in front of the table.
Cornelius Zenareen takes off from Lizy and flys around the woman who has just come.
Then to the others four he says in to there heads.
::"Hello all, we all seem to want to help find out what has happen here, I know I have seen it in your heads"::
He lands on the big mans sholder armor and looks at the others man.
::"if we all talk to the gurds at once they're going to get confused and may be upset. So how about we not getting in the way of each other, but instead helping each other, the twon is worried, there is much fear, the sooner we find out what this all about the better for all, teamwork is the key. We all must have skills, the big man, the tracker man, the fine lady, the trixy gome and the little dragon, that's me by the way, Cornelius is the name, mine and Eseblllelle"s skills are many, being small the best of them. So what do you say, help each other for the greater good or stand alone and get in the way?"::
Upon hearing the questions the guard at the table looks up. "What went on here? That's what I'm here to figure out. All we have figured out is that there was a loud, continuous roar as it happened, however the attacks would seem to have been made by a bladed weapon, an impressive one at that. This is like nothing I've seen before. I'll be grateful for the help."
"Bizarre. May I examine the scene? I would also like to talk to any witnesses to try to get some insight on this."
Erik nods, seconding Galatea's request. "We'd be glad to help out in any way that we can."
Cornelius sitting on Erik looks over at Ezebelle
::"Looks like we have whole gang of us looking into this, what ya think, They all seem, fine, The fine lady is a bit odd, like her mind is not there, she may have some blocking magic, your going to have to talk to her, I don't think she is getting what I think at her."::
She looks Erik
::"Hello there, you got a name big man?"::
Then Goran
::"Hello there, do you have a name my fine fellow?"::
He then flops back to Ezebelle.
::"I guess they look alright, keeps your wits up though, a lot of power in this room and I'm not totally convinced my illusions will work on all of them."::
"umm... not sure how much use I'll be... Not exactly preemo investigator here, but if you want someone to try and sort out the scene, that I may be of help with." Ezebelle states, a small roar sounding just to her left.
::[i]"Will do Liz, keep my beady eyes on em I will, ill us my sniffer and see if any pongs can tell me something. That fine lady is having a good old pock around, what ya think, noble, she looks like one. Big feller looks like a knight of some kind, while the other feller, he looks like come mage mushed up an elf, Human, orc, dwarf and other stuff to get him. could have been a shifting fell gone wrong. He has the feel of someone from the wilds, could be a tree hugger hehe, remember that one you made thing had grown a flower on his head. hehe, all give the room a once over"[/b]
Cornelius flys round the room looking here and there, looking at the walls, running over the rafters, is like a little gold bullet ziping about.
I can help....got nothing else on my table at the moment.
Goran moves close enough to get a look at the scene. He beds down and checks the ground, then takes a deep sniff of the area.
Ezebelle lets out a chuckle at seemingly nothing. "Oh gods, I'm sorry! That was a little inappropriate."
Ezebelle scans the room from where she is, here eyes glazing slightly as if she is looking at something not directly infront of her.
Lands in the rafters in the dim light he's eyes can be seen glowing green as he looks around the room.
::"Still looking, just has a chat with the Knight calls himself 'the Mountain' but says I can all him 'Ironfist', he's a half-giant by the size of him, He seems nice, only one who has talked to me so far"::
He lets his mind push out into the space.
::"Nice to meet you Mr Ironfist, I take it your a kind of half giant buy the size of you, We heard about this in the town work as freelance investigates in to crimes and evil doings, our speciality investigating crimes against children"::
Once he is done he flys back down to a clean spot on the bar and like a cat sits own folds his wings back and looks at the others has they work. From the chain around his neck comes a synthetic voice, like the tinkling of crystal bells.
"So has anyone spotted any thing?"
"If I don't have to pay you, I'll be glad for the help. Ya know lady, you said you weren't a top notch investigator, If you can replicate different roars like the one you tried just now for the witnesses, it would be a great help."
"That I can do! Different roars coming up!" Ezebelle exclaims with a clap of excitement.
"show me to the witnesses."
I can lend a hand with that roar.
Looks around at the others then gos looking around the bar for any Cake they may have. Finding some honey bread, it pulls off a bit and sitting the munching says.
::"Talkative lot you lot then, not as if we know each others till."::
Then a small pouch rises off Ezebelle's belt and comes to rest next to
Cornelius on the Bar, he walks over to it and it springs open in a very magical way. He heads inside with his find, coming out a moment later he comes out with a small belt on, with pouches. He takes out a tiny note pad and pen and starts to make notes what the scene. Mean while the pouch lifts off the bar and flouts over to Ezebelle's belt where it clicks into place. Mean while he is looking around now, seeing what is to be seen.
Maria bustles over to Ezebelle and Cornelius, and proceeds to gush over the psuedodragon. "Oh, what a darling little creature he is? Where did you find him? What is his name? He is just too adorable!" She then gives Cornelius a quick, blank, look. ::Identify what you are and what your relation to the gnome is::, her cold, organized thoughts in harsh contrast to her doting demeanor.
She turns away, and says, "My apologies, this is serious business. We must speak to someone who saw what happened!" She goes over to one of the bodies, and says, "Arise, spirit, tell of us your murderer and what happened here so we can give you justice in the hereafter!"
::"Wh.. What are you?, you talk and act like a human on the outside but your all hard and Tin in your head, like a book talking, the words line up but they have no feeling at all, you a made thing? you sound like that Iron Golom, I meet once. As for what I am, I am a Dragon, a small one yes! but still a Dragon. Ezebelle the Gnome you talk of and who I introduced is my friend. We travail to-giver, righting wrongs, saving the lost and stolen while being nice to children. We even have an act. You could call me her Familiar if you like. As for righting wrong, have a look around, right now we have a whole room full of dead body's some of whom have family's, children have lost parents, this we will not let pass. So you going to help, see if we can find out who did this, you look like you have skills, come on Tin-Lady lets see em"::
The Little dragon sits up and looks on as Maria go's to do her thing.
Ezbelle throws up her hands in exhaustion as she runs out of ideas for a rorar. "Either these people have forgotten what the roar really sounded like, or it didn't come from a natural source"
Ezebelle quirks an eyebrow at Zen odd response to Maria. Is she putting on an act then? She seems emotional enough.
"Oooh risen spirits! That is so umm, horrible." She says as she sits down, fully captivated by the process.
::and by Horrible I mean awesome. But this is way darker then any of the illusions I do. We sure she's on our side?::
Not natural? Hmm....maybe a construct then. I can't think of anything I have ever come across with a roar like that.
Goran then goes back to examining the tracks, occasionally sniffing the air.
Erik nods. "I've heard my fair share of screams, too, and if it doesn't sound like her attempts, then I don't know what to tell you," he says, running his fingers through his beard.
::"I don't know which is the act, she could have some kind of mind protection that stops the kind of things I do. It could be me reading that, or she could be like two minds on one body or it could all be an act. I am at a loss, I have just never felt anything like it, its very Alien that's all. But now she is talked to the dead, well that's necromancy, bad stuff much liked by evil mages. Again, I have yet to see her do bad things but its early days. So this sound was no a normal sound hummm"
Zen looks close at how the dead where killed,
::I am not a thing constructed of not but iron, animated by a bound elemental spirit. I am of flesh and blood. I eat food, drink water, breathe air, and sleep to recover. I think, learn, and reflect. And now, I act as I determine best.::
::I am not a thing constructed of not but iron, animated by a bound elemental spirit. I am of flesh and blood. I eat food, drink water, breathe air, and sleep to recover. I think, learn, and reflect. And now, I act as I determine best.::
Projects to all
::Sorry I was just saying my lady, I did not mean to be rude, it was just your mind felt odd when I talked to it. Mine must feel the same to you. All thoughts if cake and such. So are we going to work together or we just going to do our own and get in each others way? because if your going to get in the way, I may have to change you mind about that, something I really do not like doing::
he says to the heads of all while sitting now on a table
Ezebelle's attention quickly wanes as the casting of the spell drags on... "Well this takes longer then I would like" she mutters to herself under her breath.
Bored, she pulls a small pearl from her pack, quirks her head and with a little nod upwards watches the pearl begin to float in front of her. A swipe of a finger and the pearl begins to glow with a dancing light. She watches it lazily fly through the air as Maria finishes her casting.
Not sure what else I can do with regards to the murders. I am SO far out of my depth.
::I've exhausted my knowledge of a natural source. Maybe it was something created? A machine of some sort? or a Construct? I really don't have any experience with any of that stuff. So cold and metallic.:
Ezebelle starts looking around, maybe she could at least figure out where the murderer went.
" I'm here. The one who killed me, I'm not actually sure who he is, he came in with a strange sword that roared at us before shearing through bodies like paper. I can't give you a reason why he attacked it was completely unprovoked, but I can tell you no one escaped."
Maria drops the joviality. "Describe the attacker in detail. Tell us everything you can remember about him, including but not limited to height, build, race, ethnicity, accent if he spoke, hair color and style, clothing color and style, any distinguishing physical traits such as tattoos, scars, or deformities, or anything else identifiable about him."
She turns back into the energetic socialite. "Those who have passed on can be overly literal. He can handle another question or two, if anyone is just bursting with questions for those who have seen beyond the veil, or if you can think of something to help us in the course of justice."
"Well, he was about 6'8", Built like a Dwarf, likely a Half Giant of some sort. He was tanned but he had a Bandana so it's hard to pick out ethnicity. He never spoke and his helmet covered any hair he might have had, He wore a Black Breastplate and black chain mail underneath. He didn't show any skin other than the skin around his eyes but one of his arms was at least twice as large as the other. He also had a belt with a bunch of silver disks on it."
To the party
::"I think that attacker may have been a construct of some kind, or been a suit of mechanical armour, it would explain some things. The sounds, lack of viable flesh. The sword may have been mechanical in nature as well. We could be looking at a Mage toy doing this."::
He gos to lock at the root the think may have taken coming in to the room, looking for broken flag stones and smashed wood.
::"Ask the spirit to describe the sequence and path of its attackers actions from the moment it 1st spotted it until the last thing is remembers"::
::Affirmative::
"Spirit, tell us in detail what you remember of the attack. Tell us where the murderer was and what he was doing when you first saw him, and where he moved and what he did up until the last thing you saw."
"Well, He came in, not too many people took too much notice, he sat at the front, nearest to the bar and ordered a drink. His ale came, he drank it. Then he took out his sword and put one of the Silver disks into the Pommel. He stood up and the sword started to roar, he blocked the door and killed everyone." With that, the spirit disappears.
Cornelius jumps over to the bar looking for the beer mug the attacker may have used.
::"Silver Disks that power a odd possibly mechanical sword, having a drink kind of kills the idea he was a construct. So now we have the how and the who, what of why, Motive, if it had been a purely random act why get a beer? Why wait, was it to give the attacker time to check its true target was here.? Then why kill everyone? was he aiming to have no witnesses. This then makes me now think who ever did this is a little more methodical than random. We need to look closer at the dead, just who are they? was the attacker here to kill a set target? Then this attacker, he did not appear at the door, he came here, so he passed thought or arrived just. lets start asking of anyone has seen him, half gent in black with one arm bigger then the others and a belt of disks. Someone may have seen him come or better still go."::
Erik rubs at his beard some more. "I don't know about all that. But if he's one of my kind, then it's my duty to make sure this is the last time he does anything like this," he declares, standing tall and planting his feet. "You folk seem like a decent lot. Will you help?" The half-giant turns to each of the gathered heroes in turn, determination in his green eyes.
Well, if this guy has some kind of magic sword that roars, it isnt s good sign. I cant think of any weapon I have seen that can do that. And if he is as big as you, we havr our work cut out for us.
Goran then tries to isolate the killer's trail.
I'm in way over my head here....
Ezebelle lets out a big sigh, as the apparition tell it's tale about the killer.
"None of that story bodes well for us." Ezebelle mutters silently to herself.
::Is not chasing the half-giant with the magical sword an option? What have we gotten ourselves into here.::