Javiera looked over at Delroy, she'd seen that Gang Fei touched Rouchardon during the party, but wondering if announcing it right now would be helpful, or cause more harm.
This wasn't something that she wanted to reveal for the moment, just in case.
"Your ear, if you would Delroy."
Quinn comes over from examining the building, "Only one dead. Who's this?"
Del grunts in a perturbed manner due to Marsilio's attitude. A little creeped out, and taking it a little personally as well. "That is the other Wizard that attacked the caravans, Quinn. Nicuşor and Mădălena being the others." He then nodded to the Vixen, "Yes, Javiera?"
He began to walk off, gesturing that the Paladin should follow.
Natalia observes the tiger with interest.
"Just out of curiosity, does it bother you that you ally attacked your ward with her black magics? Or is it that despite your story, as long as you get revenge you didn't care if she was sacrificed?" she asks him. "Does the need for vengeance drive you to cast aside all feelings for your loved ones and use them as tools to achieve your ends?"
"Of *course* it bothers me!" he snarls. "Gang Fei was never an ally! He was a puppet! A...very skilled puppet, who is likely not going to finish my task but instead find the man he was sent here to kill in the first place. Good luck finding him. He goes to Old Town. Mayhap you should be there before the night is passed if you wish to stop him."
With that, Captain Jackrum finally decides he's spoken enough, and gags the man to lead him away. "Alright folks, that's enough wizards talking on my watch. Sorry lads, we've got to take him in now. I'll send a runner for another Finder to start in on him since it seems like you're occupied, raccoon me lad."
"Of course, Captain. When may I come to make my examination of the Zvonomir? I should hope to return quite soon." He then asks Javiera, "You wished to tell me something? I think we should head to Old Town, speak on the way… I am suddenly worried for my friend Luigi… He lives there."
"Not likely Delroy, more likely hes here for someone from my country and I can think of a couple off hand that it might be and one in particular." Quinn leads the way.
"We can split up. Delroy can go deal with the bats and I can go investigate the assassin." Quinn looks at the others for a response.
"Natalia, Javiera, I can do this on my own, go help Quinn. I will alert the authorities once I get there." Del turned to go before he changed his mind, and ran after Jackrum, his hand atop his hat.
"He had best get that woman charged with black magic," Natalia acidicly comments, her disposition upset by the turn of events.
"At any rate Quinn, where shall we look for this assassin?"
As you step lively down the last labyrinthine hall leading to your destination you brush past a priest, hooded and cowled, going the opposite way. He mumbles some apology for getting in your way but doesn't slow his pace at all.
Upon entering the anteroom the others had used earlier today, you're greeted enthusiastically by your friend Luigi Christofaro di Rinaldi, who rises immediately to offer a quick embrace and the traditional cheek pecking greeting of his people before actually saying hello (abridging several inter-class protocols and breaking two Blue Laws!).
You're also greeted by the decidedly less enthusiastic scowl of Alejandro Delgado Maledición. Now what would he be doing here? "Aye, wipe that stupid confusion off yer mug Callidus. I've been all the day looking into some claim or other this one's Nonna made about some "shadow witch" she saw out walking one even. And when I heard ye two knew each other...well, the more weight ye can throw around the better, eh? So then. Ye have what ye need to finish the job this time?"
Even at twilight the place is bustling, though the ships are long since unloaded and the sounds of the place are coming (mostly) from the many taverns and inns, and the red-light district further down the way. Quinn threads expertly past and through all of these places until gradually the composition of the crowds change from Calabrian to ones clearly not native to this soil, and the text on the signs becomes some pictogram-type characters none of you (save one) can read.
The sounds are much the same, if less intelligible, but the scents are certainly different in many respects, and here and there you can see an architectural touch where someone has added on to a building in a style more Zhonggese than Calabrian, giving the neighborhood a hodge-podge feel even greater than the rest of the Docks.
Even past these you go, until at long last (and seven different disgusting alleyways later) you stand in front of what could charitably be called a dwelling, if not an actual house. It's...a bit odd. The important part is that there's angry shouting coming from inside!
Delroy, still confused as he was when he walked in, handed Luigi the amulet he found so his friend can be distracted long enough for him to take care of his business with Alejandro, "I am so glad you are here, Luigi. I need your testimony to my credibility to make an important arrest. Please say you'll help me? As for that:" He pointed to the amulet now in Luigi's hand, "That might have something to do with your Nonna, friend, let me know if you recognize it." Giving his friend a hug and a quick apologetic 'one moment please' smile, he then turned to Alejandro, "I certainly hope so. Lady Ivanova is furious, she may take it out on me if I fail in this."
The urge for adventure clawed once again at the large wolf's tiny brain. Being unable to scratch it satisfactorily with Eamonn's running jobs, nor his night fights, he found himself wandering about the docks looking for trouble.
Fortunately for one rather uppity stag, Ceallach happened to see a certain vixen pass by, flanked by a rather familiar bat girl, and a tigress. Smiling in delight, he abandoned his efforts to start a dockside brawl and went after the ladies.
Coming up behind them, he cocked an ear at the building before shrugging and simply tore down the curtain.
Once Delroy had gotten away(at least with her), Javiera leaned in to whisper to him. "He did touch Rouchàrdon during the events. I didn't want to say it out loud, but I figured you might want to know."
Javiera had accompanied The others as per Delroy's request. She kept checking where the sun was, lest she be late for the initiation. At least with the wolf, things might go faster since he was the direct sort
"Ceallach, nice of you join us. I was beginning to think you didn't like us sophishicates."
Quinn shakes her head when Ceallach just bursts in, then knocks and sticks her head in, "Ceallach!"
The cat continues as though nothing happened. "Right then, the priest who ducked out was just in there trying to earn a confession on moral ground but judgin' from his posture he sure didn't find what he hoped for. Not uncommon among the upper crust I hear, no offense to our good Lord of the Rinaldi here. Yore last bit tendered here by that girl o' yours didn't pan out so well, but the shake in your tail and the gleam in that eye tells me you've got a missing puzzle piece to fill in."
Luigi doesn't take any obvious offense to his class being labeled immoral, he's clearly used to the constant rumor-mongering about his family. He does clear his throat to get attention though. "Um, Delroy, I have...no...no that's not quite right. This is very old though. I do have some inkling but...nobody's used this for a long, long time. I don't even think Nonna would know for sure, but it does look a bit like the family crest. The three shells are off though. A bit more baroque than the current one. Where did you find this?"
His questioning is cut off suddenly as from out in the hall comes Captain "Jackrum," his Lieutenant (a Scottie with an even more prodigious moustache than the Captain), and some other officer you've never seen. The latter two are directing between them your "recent acquisition" of Marsilio Carafa, still gagged, blindfolded, and hand-bound. The Captain speaks softly for fear of keen bat ears.
"Lord, Finders, I do believe you'll be needing this one? Claims he's in league with the your vassals in there, milord Rinaldi. That square with uh...the conversation he supposedly had with you, young Finder? I'm a bit squelched on it meself but I suppose magick can do anything now can't it?"
Those following Ceallach in immediately will see an astonished monkey dressed in Zhonggese semi-finery (the great sage Guang Shin Te, as Quinn will remember), and the tiger calling himself Lâo Xiang-Yu, who has been revealed to three of you to be in truth Gang Fei, an assassin of the Lin Kuei. He's dressed still in the party clothes from last night, and two of them seem to have been interrupted mid-argument about something. The sage is pointing to some scroll or other covered in pictograms and ideographs while the tiger fumes quietly behind a fan, tail tip twitching rapidly in annoyance, and now a growl building low in his throat.
The monkey recovers first, throwing his hands up and screeching "AIYAAAAA! Why you break curtain? Why? You pay for that right now! You break it, you buy it!"
The tiger meanwhile notices the entrance of Quinn and closes his fan with a snap and steps back a pace, drawing the tip level with the back of Guang Shin Te's neck, and the very observant (2 or more successes on a visual Mind+Observation roll) will notice the wet tip of a poison dart embedded in the fan's structure.
Delroy snorts to Alejandro, "If only to break the puritanical air the Order shrouds itself it to the public eye. I shall let my debauchery become legendary." He managed to suppress his grin long enough to hear the cat out, nodding excitedly at the end, "Damned right I do. My senses have confirmed the magics used by Nicuşor and Marsilo are similar to those used to attack the caravan. Marsilo no longer has any love for the Bat and it does seem that he will cooperate. Please… See to it he is given some good measure of mercy for this. I have made no promise of such myself, Alejandro, just as you told me." Del wrung his hands together, getting the jitters in a big way. His first real arrest under his own authority.
Thankfully, Luigi's question distracted him enough to allow his mind to regain some focus. "I found that within one of Rouchardons warehouses, while investigating a haunting. I fear it dates to the time of the tanner. That seal is found on some of the oldest governance buildings in this city. I would like access to them. In exchange, I will ask that my friends investigate your Nonna's 'visitor'." He takes his friend's hand in both of his, dipping his gaze, "I have never asked you for anything… Except that pastry… And I did your cyphering for a week to pay for it."
The arrival of Jackrum and the Lieutenant shook him from his commiserating (and hopefully shutting out Luigi's inevitable reminder of the arse-kicking the fox had saved him from that first day!) "Indeed, We may remove the gag, if he has one, just do not touch him, lest he has a direct sensory link to cast through. We will need him able to speak."
Del grinned to Jackrum, insinuating that magic can, indeed, do a lot.
"If we may, I would like Alejandro to have a moment of his time. In private, as he is offering eyewitness testimony. Constables. While he is doing that, I implore you send men to the dockyards, Marsillo himself will tell you of the dangerous assassin my friends now hunt there. I would go myself but my duty lies here. I am sure you will know where to find them soon."
"The Gang Fei!" Quinn yells immedietely hoping the sage catches on fast enough, as she readies water, and shoots it at the other tiger, hopefully giving the sage time to get out of the way. Quinn may not have the poison, but there is only one purpose to the asssassins stance.
Delroy nodded curtly, "I have yet to study the law codes in depth, so I know not if I can bring Marsilo a quick merciful execution, and spare him the inquisitor's caress. If so, I will. Notice, Alejandro, I did not ask permission. I asked for advice and sanction if it were needed. I promise I will brush up my study of the barrister arts lest my use to you wane sufficiently that you tire of my lackluster personality."
His questions answered, Delroy, clasped Alejandro on his shoulder, "Did you not stumble in your first assignments? Given what I have accomplished thusfar I hope I can be forgiven this once. You've been a father to me… Maybe the older brother I should have had."
The 'coon smirks, then stretches his arms forward, laced fingers popping with palms out. "Which is why I ask for the night off after this. Gwenn has much to celebrate, and she has chosen to spend that time with me. So let's get this over with and hit the office?"
With that mildly confusing pep talk(?) Alejandro clasps your shoulder, nods once in a manner he probably thinks is reassuring but is mostly intimidating (because Grandmaster) and leads the way into the Interrogation Room.
Which is, as your allies experienced earlier, just about the drabbest place you've ever set foot in, and you've been in some pretty boring places. This room, unlike those other places, is a carefully calculated sort of boring though, the kind that eventually makes you wish someone besides you would scream at the heavens for a break.
The room's lone occupant is still alone and hasn't moved an inch since he was seated in here. No table. No windows. The only light comes from a hooded lamp set into the wall. Very much the kind of place you don't want to end up after pulling criminal things. And yet the tiger is about as relaxed as he can be. As well as anyone with stiff joints can be tied to a purposely uncomfortable chair, anyway.
Alejandro begins immediately with a characteristic gruff "I'll make this plain. Messere Carafa, ye stand accused of bein' a Spellbinder with intent to manipulate others into committing heinous crimes on your behalf. Yet ye also stand willing to hand over to the law two of those ye claim were allied, however tenuously, to yourself. I'd say that if ye make it quick and make good on it, we can probably wrangle ye the guillotine rather than the noose. Don't cooperate and ye'll scream bloody murder before ye finally hang."
With a curt nod, he takes up a position on the aft wall and turns the whole thing over to YOU.
Marsilio, for his part, seems only mildly distressed. "Well...I should like to avoid torture, certainly. But I must protest a quick death. I certainly don't deserve such. What then do you wish to know, young Finder? How we did it? What the Link was for? Should I just begin at the beginning again and fill in more details? Ask away."
"I could ask the broadest questions first but you would only regale us for hours with fascinating tales we have no true use for. You have been caught, but that need not mean you will make it too easy on me. I have yet to test my true metal, finding you via simplest whim of Entropy ad I did to your misfortune."
Delroy cleared his throat, "You were involved in the cargo heists upon the Saludis. Where is the take and loot hidden? Is there anyone held for ransom that needs finding? Next, if you please, I wish to know Nicusur's involvement in those thefts, the names of any co conspirators for my Friend here, and any information you may have gleaned from the Zvonomir's minds while you were with them. Purely for the order's records so we might uncover more of their wrongdoing. I know you want to see them suffer for what their meddlesome delays have cost you. For any leverage you may give us in their case, know that I will have more power to drive the nails of their coffin deeper. Whatever honor you have would not let you rest otherwise."
Ceallach strides toward the tiger assassin, fully intent on ripping him up, and proceeds with his attempt to do so.
The idea of sharing sorrow with you amuses him, judging by his face.
"Nicuşor Zvonimir is a dandy and in dire need of a backbone I think. His sister guards her mind far better than he, but what I saw in him makes me think you focus on the wrong bat, Finder. He is entirely under Mădălena's claws. Since their childhood she has threatended, cajoled, beat, teased him, and less savory things besides.
The grimace on his face makes it rather plain what those "less savory things" are.
"He thought learning the Elementalist's art would change things, make him strong enough to resist her...but she has uncorked something even greater and darker, and so once again he dances to her tune. Not quite the same excuse as one of my victims, but if the mind can be trusted he is...not quite blameless, but who among you would not do the same when such fear for your life you held?"
A thought seems to strike him. "I wonder now that perhaps he *meant* for me to see those things and pity him. I doubt it would have changed much had I not been so decisively interrupted in my efforts...but I am digressing now. You want to know what was in that box? The box I bought at Thieves' Market for five Aureals? Are you sure? It's quite funny, actually."
He seems like perhaps he could wet himself in malicious glee. Could he be coming unhinged.
"It was a single lock of fur...from a Rinaldi."
A single lock, missing from its box. When, you couldn't know. Perhaps it was already gone when you found the box. But it's the closest thing you have to evidence.
"This is when he feigns madness and no longer cooperates… Though I am yet inexperienced and may well be wrong."
He was sure to let the Tiger hear him say that, "Never the less, I should still have enough left to find out who the owner was even if he truly has gone mad… Make ready the Headsman when the time comes, I think the guillotine is being greased… Whenever."
The 'coon was pushing his luck now and he knew it, but he kept going all the same. Everything is a game to these Spellbinders. He had to stack his deck, read his opponent, and bluff[/i]. [b]"I promised him he would not hang… But a madman would not know the difference between guillotine and an Axe…" He began to walk toward the door in a casual manner. Stepping too hard would give up the play. "It is time to speak to Magdalena now, I think. What she does not tell me will help with Her Brother. I'll just press him a little and he'll break. His sister will give me the very words I need to tear him down and have him implicate the both of them."
Marsilio leans back as much as he can and sighs to nothing and no-one in particular. "Well. I'd certainly love to be there to see them fall, but I shan't imagine impossible things. Nor should you, but you are young yet, and my darling girl would want me to make sure I was "finished.""
He casts his not-gaze toward Alejandro. "In my personal effects confiscated here, I think you'll find quite the interesting tidbit. Try using your lovely little tracking spells on it, elder Finder. You should have all the evidence you need to make sure Mădălena is convicted...or at least gets to trial, you never know with these insular noble-folk do you? Go on then, do it. I guarantee the surprise is worth it."
Alejandro looks like a bowl of curdled milk, but shrugs and brushes past you anyway, to find whatever it is Marsilio is talking about....and comes back a few minutes later with, of all things, a sheaf of paper, tied in bleached white string...that opens to reveal a tiny lock of wiry black fur dribbled with dried blood.
The tiger rumbles in delight as he hears you open the package. "And that, my dear Finders, will show you what you need to know."
Alejandro is clearly uncomfortable with the idea of doing as a wanted witch asks, but begins preparing the necessaries for the spell anyway...out in the waiting room, away from the Spellbinder. "Callidus, come attend, he won't be going anywhere. The defeat's written plain on him."
Natalia has her wand at the ready, and enters the building of the sage. Seeing the conflict and the assassin, she uses her standard spell upon him, sighting down the wand to hit only him.
"I have a Rinaldi with me, Tiger. He heard you and he will do as he must to aid his family, with my help once this business is concluded." Delroy looks over to Luigi, "I am sure Alejandro will assign me to finding which of your kin is in danger." His risky little ploy backfired but it's hard to outsmart someone who understands mental and emotional manipulation on a supernatural level.
Or did it? He just wanted Marsilio to stop with the crazy grins, before he took it too far. So with one look back to Luigi with guilt written plain on his face, the 'coon follows Alejandro. "I thought he might be acting… Those little giggles of his…" Del took a look at the black fur, narrowing his eyes, I wonder if Marsilio is the one who controlled the one eyed Wolf? Uhm…" Delroy coughed into his hand, "I'll ask him when we're done here… I need to pay attention… As for the Locating… How do you resolve the final variables? I am still trying to learn that spell."
Such a gentle change of subject…
Alejandro is following along with his hands as he explains it to you, and once he breaks the circle his eyes roll back in his head as the spell finds...one...bat nigh-instantaneously...and then your mystic sense picks up something like a line of eerie luminescence as the spell travels back along their path! It shouldn't do that!
The second "line" travels more slowly, something impeding its progress, but it's clearly coming from the blood on the table, and it's moving toward the *exit* of the Constabulary whereas the fur is pointing back to the "cell" the nobles are in.
Your boss is unresponsive for a full minute, but when he comes around again his face is ashen. "I...have no idea what that was lad, but I can tell you for certain that Nicuşor Zvonimir is innocent of anything but reckless elementalism last night...whoever spread fire about your carriage attack was not him. I don't know how it's been disguised as such, but I'll find out somehow."
Cover, Concealment, Aiming, & Guarding dice are not included with Resisted Attacks
Unless otherwise specified in the resisted attack’s description, do not include bonus dice or penalty dice for Cover, concealment, aiming, or guarding.
Range dice still apply.
I guess my Aim die is really his Reeling die.
Favored Use: with Air Elementalism for the reroll
Reroll Reeling:
And that didn't help... but maybe the loss of his cover die will?
"Uncle Adoulph taught me the branching mnemonic… Not some…" Delroy rubbed his forehead as he sat himself down.
"Damn it. Alejandro!" Del was steamed, though only at his own inability to have noticed the peculiarities of his own training. Self-chiding, the 'Coon hushed his voice, calmed down and let out a sigh. "Just as it says in the book, then." He nods to himself, "Sans the showmanship…" Del grinned, leaning back to watch the Master at Work.
Watching the magic unfold before him, Delroy kept one hand resting over his Boss's. The relaxed lean did not last long at all. Del ended up sitting bolt upright, his eyes still darting along the bloodline hovering just outside mundane sight, as the afterimages and the heart-beat pulse he doesn't quite hear as much as he feels undulating from the lines. Delroy had to shake his head to clear it.
"Perhaps some time away from his sister would do him good? If I have nothing more on him, I have nothing more against him than what he has done. I mean, I almost pity him now… It feels like I could expunge this charge from our records, if he'll allow us to rid him of his Sister's abuses… Light blind me, Alejandro…" Del's voice trailed off as if he were about to sneeze, and he stood up and shuddered visibly from top to tip, groaning in revulsion as the oddly unnatural sensation passed through him like an aftershock, "That was not normal, was it?" The 'coon's cool demeanor cracked along with his voice.
He carefully repackages the synecdochal link and licks his lips absentmindedly. He begins to return the package to its place...but thinks better of it and pockets the thing before calling the Captain and his Lieutenant back in.
"Sorry about that boys, he wasn't very talkative otherwise, but we know what we need to know. Tiger's confessed plain as day, nothing more to it, but you may want to watch the Ilaires for awhile, he was targeting them. And about your bats...well, I'll let the lead investigator fill you in."
The Captain blinks and nods to the scotty Lieutenant, who hurries out to do just that. "Jackrum" tugs his moustache and muses "All well and good we know then, but we just got an exhausted runner in from out west screaming about some "witness alive" and "carts." What the void does that have to do with any case *we're* investigating?"
All eyes on you, buddy!
Delroy looks over to Alejandro, "You were right, Boss." He then nods to the Captain, "The carts were attacked by people wielding the Arts, Technically I am still on that case… Bring the witness in while I explain:" He walked over to a corner, leaning between the two walls, facing the crowd.
"Lady Zvonomir and an unknown accomplice attack Rouchardon's shipment on the Via Salutis. She returns to Triskellion and plays the part of a Fine Noble Lady. She uses her influence to make it into Rouchardon's party, and arranged to make a tradeoff. The item in the box I had recovered to stymie their plans had once contained a lock of Rinaldi fur. We may find out who's yet through questioning Nicusor. I am convinced he is innocent of all but his reckless use of Elementalism in the Three Spears. See, I heard a commotion while downstairs, and upon reaching the source, Lady Zvonomir was ransacking Rouchardan's hotel room, and keeping his Kaeva hostage. A Necromantic curse spell was clearly cast by Madelena during the struggle. You can not mistake the taint you feel when such energies are wrested." He then looks up, hoping to see the Witness walking in. "We can give Nicusur what fines are applicable for the damages he did under his Sister's direction. She had a very dominant relationship over her brother, and he may be glad to be rid of her. To testify against her out of spite." Del nods to himself, mostly, "I say we offer him an expunged record if he gives up the goods on his Sister. We'll have to ease into it of course."
The tempest called up by the short bat is furious and unabating! The would-be assassin seems unharmed, but cannot ultimately resist its fury and crashes up against the Sage's very large bookshelves, his aim ruined and balance even further off-kilter! Someone should use this opening to rush him!
When the action began, Javiera was a little stunned, but when her mind refocused itself, and her blade was out of it's sheath lightning fast. And she got ready to charge forward, to hopefully keep him staggered so he couldn't easily hurt her comrades.
"Well...I could see my way to recommending that I suppose. For all the good it'll do. Whatever one of the "major" Houses gets them for trial will probably just let him off scot-free once it's found he had nothin' to do with naught but vandalism. Well...they *might* make him pay for the damage, but only because it's the Three Spears and the stuffy folk like keepin' things fresh and fancy, no offense m'lud Rinaldi. Y'better hope the court-appointed magicker isn't one with a grudge against our dear grey lords or their vassals."
Another moustache twitch. A curl, a twirl, and a sigh. "Alright then, let's get it done then. How slow you wanna take it?"
Edit;
Del stood upright and strode from the wall, "We need to sweat him. I mean we could get him for aiding and abetting a known Necromancer, and he would share her fate. We have Marsilio and the Tiger likes the sound of his own voice. We let him know that and we let him sweat it for a bit. Test him, you see; It should be easy to know when to show him the carrot on our stick; The freedom he has just begun to mourn." Delroy looked damned proud of himself, as he nodded to Alejandro and Jackrum, making his way to the door leading to Nicuşor's 'cell'.
"We may as well offer him what he can already have, and come out on top regardless."