The ringmaster waits outside a large tent behind the "Cage" that stands outside. She looks a little nervous as the team walks up and nods.
Jherizhana is waiting to speak to you... I'll admit, she's more than a little grumpy about this whole thing. Can't say I blame her. But feel free to go in... I'll wait out here.
The crew goes inside to see a lush tent, filled with cushions and silks, the back of the "Cage" wide open with a curtain brushed aside. Jherizhana lounges on several large cushions, a peeved look on her face, though she smiles a little when she sees Willem and Daedin walk in.
Oh... the chivalrous ones. They did not advise me that you where the ones investigating this farce. Perhaps this may end satisfactorily yet. Go ahead with your questions... I only have a few minutes to spare you, then I have more important matters to attend to... like grooming.
Jherizhana languidly yawns.
No. I can only assume that these short lived ones simply are scared of what they don't understand. To be fair to the poor creatures, it is only their nature. It is, after all, why I travel with this circus in the first place. I am immortal, or as good as, not invincible.
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"I have not met you before miss. You certainly are as regal as i had imagined though. My name is Volara, thank you for speaking with us." Volara gives a slight bow that looks quite awkward and clearly something she doesn't do often.
Volara thinks carefully while putting her question together in her head, mindful of not wanting to annoy the sphinx.
"As someone who is immortal and has clearly travelled far in their life thus far, do you believe you have gained any enemies on your travels?"
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"You know it's possible She and the circus are just convenient scapegoats for an agenda that in its original form had nothing to do with them. Either way, following up on clues is getting more difficult as each one sort of dissolves as we try to pin it down. That said, however, please Miss Jerizhana, any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated."
The sphinx chuckles softly.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Memory like a Sphinx"
She paws at a cushion and rests her head on it, blowing a tuft of her hair from her face.
It is not a compliment. Unlike, say, dragons or other creatures who have impeccable memories to match their long lives, sphinxes... eh... not so much. We are wise, and clever, it is true, but details? Details are... tough. I'm certain I have made enemies, it is only logical to assume so, but I couldn't tell you who, or how or why. Do you remember someone you met on the street in passing ten years ago? Multiply that by many hundreds, and you may see my problem.
Something seems... off to Daedin. Maybe a kind of... nervousness? To the sphinx. It doesn't feel like he's been lied to or anything but he gets the feeling the sphinx is hiding... something.
The sphinx shakes her head.
No, I'm afraid not. I don't know the inner politics of the city, and wouldn't care to know.
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"Is there perhaps something more? Something that you are not sharing with us? We cannot help you - and help your friends in the circus - if you will not help us? If you are unable to speak freely, perhaps you can direct us in a direction where we might learn what we know not now..."
Birseko studies the sphinx's face carefully. "Are you fully able to tell us all that you might wish? Does anything impinge upon your will?"
The Sphinx pulls up onto her feet, haughty, proud, and aloof. She looks down upon the assembled pathfinders.
I am a sphinx of my own free will! I do as I please! I am a mighty beast, for whom people should bow and grovel! I do not now who is behind these murders, only is that it is NOT ME. I ask you to leave me be, I want no more to do with you!
Birseko get's the feeling of "offness" to, though his sense is a little more refined... it feels like the Sphinx is acting like she is running out of time, like someone who knows they are going to be late if they don't leave right now. There is a jumpy, nervous tick to her voice, even her anger, which should be a roaring, booming thing, comes out as panicked, slightly desperate.
Willem thinks for a moment the best he can... but really, sphinxes are such rare creatures of such power, it's very hard to distinguish fact from fiction.
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"Madame, I beg your pardon! I clearly know nothing about sphinxes or your ways. I have offended you and I am so very sorry. My friends and I are only trying to help and I sensed - I don't know how I sensed it, but such things are sometimes given to the psychic among us - I sensed that you were worried about something that is beyond our knowledge." Birseko suddenly gazes out into space, as if entranced for a moment, before continuing, "in any case, you are certainly right that such as we are unworthy of such as you. In my own case, why, I don't even know my own name! Imagine that... Hard to see how I'll make a good detective if I can't even - ..." Birseko starts, and stares out into space again... "You know, we never did hear the tale of how you and the ringmaster came to be such close friends. I don't suppose you would indulge us and tell us the story...?"
The sphinx looks down at Birseko and shakes her head.
No offense is taken... for the moment. Unfortunately, I do not have time for that story today, I am quickly growing tired of you and this bother. Please leave.
The sphinx is lying about the reason for not telling you the story and wanting to leave, and her jumpiness is increasing as you guys stick around.
The Sphinx growls low.
The source of my distress is some insignificant specks who keep bothering me, and can't take a hint that I'm done talking.
Oh yeah, she's definitely lying now. The question is, what will our heroes do about it?
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"We're sorry to have distressed you... I will take my leave now... but if you ever want to be groomed and have the time... I'm really quite an expert... My folk indulge in mutual grooming all the time. Just let me know, it's quite soothing, in my opinion, both for the groomer and the groomee." With that he bows and leaves the tent.
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Daedîn, knowing something is definitely off here but not sure exactly what continues on, raising his voice a shade. "So I go from 'chivalrous one' to insignificant speck in a matter of minutes? You are not the graceful/noble creature I first thought you to be...in fact you seem not at all the same charming creature I first met...
I know you are not guilty of these murders and robberies, yet you get more and more confrontational with us. We are the few in this town that believe your innocence...why the hostility?"
The sphinx growls for a moment and then says.
Fine, if you all won't leave, I'm done here. Good Day.
Suddenly, she's gone, teleporting out of the tent as if she was never there.
You see a figure in the shadows of the tent moving VERY slowly towards the tent flap, the cloak that is being worn shifting colors to match the tent itself making it nearly impossible to see.
Daedin has no problem grabbing the person near the tent flap, and he hears a squeak of terror as he grabs their shoulder. Spinning them around, the cloak hood falls back revealing the beautiful face of Jherizhana, but on a decidedly human body. Kwai, who studied that body intently, recognizes her immediately. It's Madam Masque from the carnival game, sans masque.
I-I-I-I-I'm sorry! Her voice is the same as Jherizhana, but no longer filled with power, confidence, and poise. Her voice is almost mouse like in fear, and she only meets Daedin's eyes for a moment before cowering.
I'm sorry, I am, oh, this wasn't suppose to happen...
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"So, it was all an illusion?"
Daedîn reddens a bit as he remembers how smitten he was upon first meeting 'Jherizhana'...
"This is why she was so sure the Sphinx couldn't have committed the murders...because there is no Sphinx...also further solidifies that there is a plot to frame the Sphinx, as the ones doing the framing have no knowledge of the illusion..."
'Jherizhana' nods a bit, looking down in shame.
M-my name is Ika... Getting a closer look at her, it's obvious that she's Varisian, with the blue tattoos obvious on her body, which her outfit leaves little to the imagination.
Please don't be angry... I've... I've played 'Jherizhana' for years... it's just a circus trick...
She sniffs loudly, looking like she's about to cry.
I wanted to tell the sheriff, I really did! But if we tell her, we'll lose our biggest attraction, and people will be angry at us! I had to keep up the trick!
She really does start sobbing, and the ringmaster steps inside and sees Daedin holding Ika by the shoulders before she mutters out a single word.
Damn.
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Daedîn nods to Willem. "I agree...no need to tell anyone the truth 'bout the Sphinx unless absolutely needed. We already knew the Sphinx couldn't have done it had she been real...
But now we are at an impasse...we seem to have run out of clues and have no solid leads...other than that the perps are probably thieves..."
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Birseko stares unblinking at Ika, pondering whether she is still hiding anything.
"Yet why did you deceive us, when you know that our job is to clear you - or your alter ego that is - of these hideous crimes? And why were you so anxious to get away from us and our questions? Are you sure that you have told us everything that might be useful?"
Birseko feels that she's being honest now, if only because Ika seems like the definition of a scared flower of a girl.
C-c-cause we had to! N-no one is suppose to know, and it w-wouldn't have helped! And I can only keep that s-sp-spell going for a few m-minutes at a time! It was r-r-unning out!
She swallows air a few times, choking on her own sobs, and the ringmaster puts a hand on her shoulder to calm her.
Hush now Ika, you did your best.
She turns to the crew.
We didn't tell you because it doesn’t change people’s opinion of us, or maintain Ilsurian as a venue we’re welcome to visit again. All it proves is these bastards were too stupid to figure out they were framing an illusion. No one here is going to come to our shows anymore. We’ll be forced to leave town and they’ll get away with it.
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"My friends, perhaps we should review what we have learned thus far to be sure that we have not overlooked any possible leads? So... we know that a gang of thieves has used two murders as a distraction to enable them to commit robberies, first at the Lock Box and then at the Temple of Erastil. We know that there has been at attempt to pin these murders on the sphinx, but that she cannot possibly be the murderer because she is not, in fact, a sphinx at all, but merely an illusion. We know that the second murder - of the priestess - was committed by people wearing clown costumes - we should probably look into where they might have gotten the costumes from - who would have had access and whether there are any clues there! Also, we should ask the sulk prisoner where we might find her compatriots - perhaps they have a lair that we could visit? And what of her addiction? Perhaps we should find her supplier and see if they can tell us anything more? And it occurs to me, didn't we have reason to believe that the second robbery was committed not by the sulks, but by some others? If so, that would imply other miscreants involved... In addition, someone is clearly attempting to stir up trouble between the locals and the Varisians who work in the circus. Why? Who might have a motivation to foment trouble between the communities? And what else? I'm sure that I've left many details out. I'm rather forgetful, as you may have noticed..."
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Willem listens, then makes a few suggestions. "They may not even be trying to cause trouble between the groups, merely using the circus as an easy scapegoat, but I agree with much of the rest. The people in town are easily riled, it seems, but your leads are otherwise solid and your reasoning sound." He looks to the group. "The skulk is one option, and we are finding ourselves with previous few."
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"While the skulks were involved in the first robbery, they were not the masterminds...they were hired. I'm assuming by the same ones who planned and committed the murders...and probably the same who robbed the temple...
I guess we can try the skulk again...but I doubt we get anything else out of her...but I got no other ideas..."
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Jamiroquai paused at the exit from the tent to observe the events as they unfolded... a bit surprised to find the sphinx was just a varisian woman, 'madame masque' in fact. Well, that's disappointing, I was actually looking forward to some grooming time with her if she was interested. I suppose this means she won't be.
"I feel like we're at an impasse. The skulk and the clown costumes seem like our strongest remaining leads at this time... I can't think of anything else that would be helpful."
After a day of searching, the pathfinders return to their in, exhausted, frustrated, and annoyed. The suspicion that this is only going to get worse is confirmed when they wake the next morning to a frowning deputy.
Investigators, the Sheriff needs you, quickly.
He leads them towards the city square, and as they draw closer, a crowd has formed. The deputy shouts a few words and the sea of people part to show the grisly scene ahead.
Hanging from a tree in the town square is a body of a middle age man, his face turned purple from suffocation, and the smell of death permeating around the square. He did not go well it seems. They see the Sheriff standing near the tree, glaring daggers at the townsfolk that attempt to get to close to get a better look. She looks at the team and nods as they draw closer.
Investigators. Didn't want to touch the body until you got here... despite everything, you guys are good.
Having drawn closer, the team can make out a few things right away. The first is that the body is not hung from a rope, but from a long Varisian Scarf, somewhat similar to the magic scarf you where gifted yesterday. The man's eyes are gouged out, leaving bloody trails down his face. His mouth is stuffed with dirty rags that are also stained with blood. His left hand is missing, severed at the wrist. Finally, a sheet of paper has been pinned to his chest with a dagger. The sheriff helpfully translats.
It says "We take care of our own" in Varisan. The Victim is Mr. Filton Legg, town drunk and ne'er-do-well, though to be honest he's been turning a new leaf recently, sobering up. It's a shame... I threw him in the drunk bin more times than I could count, but he wasn't a bad sort.
She nods to a deputy.
Get up the tree, let the Investigators take a look, see what they can find, and when they tell you to cut him down, do so.
She sighs deeply and looks to the team.
You know what I have to do. I have to arrest someone, or this is gonna turn into a mob. I'm going to go arrest Almara as a representative of her folk. I'm also going to take... a longer than necessary route to do so. Since all my deputies are busy with the quarantine, it's gonna take me... a unusual amount of time to finish the paperwork.
Her meaning is clear as she glances at the crowd of angry faces and occasional shouts from the people.
I don't want to do this, but I've run out of time. Find me the real killer, and fast... or else this is going to devolve into a bloodbath.
She leaves the team to their grisly work, with a deputy to aid in maneuvering the body.
Holder of this note has been hired to work on one of the Skull River boat crews, and is on probation—an advance is permitted to buy new boots
if necessary.
It is signed "Arhaneem Braeton"
drug’s manufacture is not traced directly back to the source. Filton seemed to have an inside connection.
attending temple, and becoming respectable. Filton had been looking for honest work of late, but was publicly bitter toward persons he would not name