"Obviously not," she tells the lawman witheringly, "or they would have heard him clanking around and caught him when he was doing the disemboweling."
"True, A crazy axe murderer could never have this much style. What?" Watches Witz leave. He shrugs and follows.
"Of course I will help, Sir. I know I am new here and on probationary status, but Sandpoint has been a good second home for me and by Aroden I will not sit idly by while a murderer is on the loose. We should talk to this man, then investigate the sawmill. Where is he?"
"The man is at the sanetorium, best to wait until morning to interview him. Sleep may allow him to make more sense." The Constable just manages to get out before you all leave. As the door closes you hear a resigned sigh...
A 10 minutes walk through the streets with the bobby from before brings you to the dull iron railings that mark the sawmills grounds. The usual noise of machines and glaring lights from inside are eerily absent.
Men and women line the railings with bobbies at the gates keeping people out. A few cheer as you pass, one woman passing a small piece of lacy fabric into Adonai's hand. At the gates, the bobbies part, and you are left to enter the sawmill alone.
The building as around 100 feet long, with a pier dwn one side into the river. The main door is in front of you.
"Time to go to work." Reynard says donning a pair of gloves and slowly opening the door, taking in the first glance of the entrance way before walking in.
Wits follows after with an eager look on his face!
Perception:
... one woman passing a small piece of lacy fabric into Adonai's hand.
Adonai accepts the gift with a thanks and a flirtatious glint in his eyes. Later on he will check it out. When they arrive, he follows Wits and Reynard in, hand on the hilt of his sword.
[ooc]Perception
The mill stands silent, but as you enter, it is a hive of activity. Bobbies wander everywhere, taking notes, and going through items. You enter into a small lobby, with a door leading off into what is obviously an office, and another onto the main workshop floor. In the office, two senior looking men in plain clothes are going through the papers from a filing cabinet in great detail.
A bobby notices you, and gives a small nod, "You want to go through there, up the steps and, well, follow your nose." he says before nodding again, and walking away to continue his errand. Looking where he pointed you can see that the mill works by craning logs out of the river on the far side of the building, and taking them to the first floor. They can then be slid into the jaws of a huge saw, and gravity helps to ensure they come out on the ground floor as neat, if somewhat course planks. There are multiple saws down the length of the building, and one of the nearest ones has a pile of red stained shavings at it's base.
At the far side of the workshop, there is a door that would lead out onto a walkway by the river, presumably for people to help sort logs.
Knowledge: Local (untrained):
"Hmm, bloody shavings in a sawmill? That seems like an unfortunate accident..." Wits heads straight for he first floor, to see where the shavings have come from.
Jerjia approaches one of the bobbies. "Who are the dead men? Did they work here?"
The Bobby pulls up short, and rocks back on his heels, obviously wondering if Jerjia has the Authority to stop him on what he was told was an urgent assignment. After a moment's thought he crouches to one knee, and whispers
He stands up, holding his fist above his neck like he's holding a rope and hanging, tongue lolling out, then says "Sorry, got to pop, and get this to the Boss.", he waves a small note, and with that, sprints off.
One Bobby is up here, a pale faced, obviously upset guard stands at attention near the opening to the log splitter that would correspond to the blood stain below. A female hand, with a small opal ring hangs out of the chute.
The man is affixed to the far wall. His body horribly desecrated. Most of his lower jaw is missing, and he has a massive seven pointed star carved into his chest. The implement used to do the carving is embedded in the wall next to him, a small axe.
Heal check:
Wisdom check:
Know: Arcana:
Wits leans closer to the man's body and sniffs loudly. "Eh? What is that smell, exactly?"
Craft: alchemy:
Jerjia follows Wits upstairs. "Ooh, pretty ring." She'll try to wiggle it off the woman's hand if no one stops her. "Who are they?" she asks the bobby. "...were they?" she corrects herself.
Adonai puts a hand on Jerjia's shoulder, to prevent her from further wiggling of the ring off of the finger. "Not. Yours. We can get you a better one later when we solve this mystery."
The paladin whistles and murmurs to himself. "I need to stick to soldiering." He then addresses the bobby that kneeled down to Jerjia. "What's that? I think you can let us all know who they are, considering we are here to help...."[b] Adonai smiles and winks at Jerjia. [b]"Unless this is your secret admirer ;D
"It's evidence!" she protests. "This might be my predecessor, the one who learned to love him before me. It's not like she needs it anymore."
Heal
Wisdom
Knowl. History
Reynard walks up the stairs, silently taking in thee room and it's gritty scene. He nods to the men taking notes, obviously documenting the crime scene.
He walks over to the bobby, putting a hand on his shoulder for a moment offering his support.
"No shame in it."
He looks at the body, ceremonially desecrated and growls quietly.
"This is the work of some sick bastard! Witz, the smell is stronger in the wounds, think its a tainted weapon?"
One of the men turns for a moment, at Jerjia's question. "He, is one Mr Harker. Part owner of the mill, and known late worker. She is one Miss Katerine Vinder. Daughter of the grocer in town. It is believed they were having an illicit affair." with that he turns back to his notes.
"Is either of them married?Or does the woman in paticular have anyone she's been linked to? A suitor perhaps?"
Wits keeps his eyes and nose open, scanning the area. He pulls out his formula book and sketches the locations of all the bodies, positions, conditions, etc.
"Neither of them was married, although the girl is a few years younger than Mr Harker. Their affair was kept secret, until now."
"Hardly a scandal if they're both single. Merely a dalliance before the altar, sort of thing. Not usually the sort of thing that results in a crime of passion, I would say. This seems less like revenge and more like a crime of opportunity."
"Hardly a scandal if they're both single. Merely a dalliance before the altar, sort of thing. Not usually the sort of thing that results in a crime of passion, I would say. This seems less like revenge and more like a crime of opportunity."
The man looks up from his notepad again, repositioning his glasses to give Wits a hard stare. He is older, maybe around 65, or 70, and immaculately kept. "Keep your mouth shut with that talk around people who have more manners than you were evidently born with. Hardly a scandal" he sneers "What would be a scandal to you boy? Two dead lovers, and only enough left to drain into glasses? We can't even be sure that is the Vinder girl, except that her clothes match, and she was a known lover of Harker there. Get a grip man, and if you speak to Mr Vinder, keep suggestions like that to yourself." With that, he turns his back, his helpfulness obviously at an end.
Wits looks slightly confused by the man's outburst, but shakes his head, evidently brushing it off as the usual sort of human nonsense. Wits will wander around, eventually ending up outside the Mill, looking over the grounds.
Perception:
Adonai suppresses a grin at the exchange. He'll check out the axe.
"Ooh, you're scandalous, you bad gnome, you," Jerjia murmurs, making eyes at Wits. "And what was that he said about an altar, Sparky?"
The Chemical smell around the room is at it's strongest around the axe, it's mostly overpowering here, but Adonai manages to withstand it.
The axe is blood stained, and obviously was the implement used to kill and butcher Harker.
Reynard makes his way around the grounds seeking any indication as to the killer's escape route or entry point.
Perception
Reynard moves slowly around the building, finding nothing off interest, until he comes to the waterside. Down there, there is a broken window, although it looks like it's been broken for years, hidden behind some bushes. Most poeple wouldn't get far enough into the bushes to notice, but a glint of light reflects of a shard of newly fallen glass.
Also, there are some muddy prints along the planking, leading from the water, towards the window. They give out before they get there, so they could have gone another way. The prints are human sized, and shaped. Although oddly, they appear to have been bare feet, not shod.
"What's that there, Reynard? Are those tracks? Fascinating, isn't it? The psychology of the killer seems to be truly demented. I mean, sawmill killing, axes, strange love notes? Intriguing situation, don't you agree?" Wits sighs, nodding his head almost lovingly.
"Somebody camee here from the water, barefoot.", Reynard mutters. "The prints fade before the window, but that could just be the ground,or the mud on their feet drying up, and although it looks like an old break, there's freshly broken glass here."
Reynard shakes his head studying the scene.
"Whoever did this is human, or at least wears a human body. Looks like we may have an entry point.
He crouches down, closing his eyes for moment as he makes a motion with his hands, whispering words that sound exceptionally old while sprinkling a bit of plaster across one of the muddy prints.
As he completes the action he touches the footprint, fingertips connecting with the imprint, summoning the image of the trespasser in the moment they left the print, his mind being taken back to that night.
"What do you see there, Reynard? Do you think you might find more tracks outside?"
"It's...someone we saved the day the coblins attacked. Baron Ramsbottom....he looks.....deformed somehow."
Reynard mumbles, his eyes still closed. He opens his eyes, image firmly burned into his mind as he looks at his companions.
"I knew the man was annoying but he looks completely insane now. If he did this we need to find him and put him down before he hurts someone else."
Adonai goes to find the bobby that blew up on Witz. "Never mind our little friend. His uncouthness is inversely proportional to his height. Is there any chance that these or the other victims had any association with Baron Ramsbottom, his family, or anyone that works for him?"
The Man pushes his glasses up his nose again as Adonai interrupts him once again in his work, but as Adonai speaks, he starts to take interest. "Not that I know of, they ran in very different circles. Baron Ramsbottom in particular is known to have no family, certainly living, or in the region, and very few associates."
Adonai takes the fabric from his pocket, and discovers it to be a pair of the ladies underwear, quite clean, and neatly ironed and folded. Made of rather fine Chelaxian lace, and ever so faintly scented with perfume.
Adonai looks a little disapointed. "Hmm. Well thank you for your time, then. We should probably get out of your hair.
Adonai's looks at his...gift, and raises his eyebrows smiling. He tucks it away.
By the time Reynard has finished his investigations, the crowd has dispersed, all excpet one young lady, sat forlornly near the gate. At your arrival, she perks up, and looks at Adonai. The streets are quiet so late, and off down ally ways you see gas-men, turning out the lesser used lamps as you pass by. The night passes without occurrence, and morning brings a surprisingly bright, clear day. A huge contrast to the job at hand.
Ven Vinder is manning his shop as you pass, his face a dark cloud of grief.
Habe's Sanatorium is on the edge of town, on a cliff overlooking the sea, the grounds are unkempt and overgrown with foul weeds. A flag stone path winds it's way to a huge wooden door, braced with iron bands. The building is taller than seems quite right; built of dark red brick; ominous and quiet.
... the crowd has dispersed, all excpet one young lady, sat forlornly near the gate. At your arrival, she perks up, and looks at Adonai.
"I'll meet you guys in the morning. I have a little investigation of my own to do." Adonai says to the group before striding to the lady. "Ma'am, would you care to join me for a drink?"
She's pressed her underwear into your hand, and hung around waiting for you for hours....If she doesn't worship Iomadae now, I think she will by morning ;)
... the crowd has dispersed, all excpet one young lady, sat forlornly near the gate. At your arrival, she perks up, and looks at Adonai."I'll meet you guys in the morning. I have a little investigation of my own to do." Adonai says to the group before striding to the lady. "Ma'am, would you care to join me for a drink?"