The boy said his friend in town is a local boy he met at the carnival as the friend was walking through. They got to talking and the friend expressed a desire to escape from his boring farming life. Milandru was going to convince him to run away and join the carnival.
Sol continues to question Phardean and determines the performer did not get a good look at the red bearded man, having only seen him once. But he was with some other men, rough looking. As for his knowledge in the circus, he stays away from the others and keeps to himself or playing with the circus children. Locals always hate the circus when they are tired of the amusements. And no he has not gone outside the circus to fly. He found Hana's comment about his ears being small funny as if in jest.
|
On the way back to the circus, Hana asks, "So,was that a dummy tied to the tree or did they really kill someone?"
"A teenaged boy. Not dead, just fightened halfway to it." Clarissa marvels at the scarf, "This could indeed be useful."
"So it seems that the circus is for sure being framed by a third party, but we have no solid evidence yet."
The next morning the party makes ready to travel back to town early. Having spent the night at the carnival they detected nothing amiss and the carnival folk went about preparing their regular tasks for the days opening.
On the way to town the party sees a running figure coming toward them on the same trail, from the direction of town. When the figure reaches the group they discover it is one of the sheriffs deputies.
"The sheriff sends for you with most haste! Come quick! Another has been found!" the lackey says.
The group makes haste back to the town, and by this point, they almost know every rut and rock along the trail between the circus and the town. As they approach town in the early light they see a few people gathered around the sheriff's office by a tree where there is a body hanging from the tree. The corpse is suspended by the neck from a dirty and torn Varisian scarf. His eyes have been gouged out, his mouth has been stuffed with rags, and his left hand has been severed at the wrist and is missing. A sheet of paper has been pinned to the body's shirt and is stained with blood, emblazoned with Varisian script.
"We take care of our own."
|
Hana stops dead in her tracks when she is close enough to see the dead body. She shutters, turns greenish, and rushes over to the weeds on the side and throws up her breakfast.
Who would do such a horrible thing?
Hana composes herself, wiping off spittle from her lips and chin and makes her way back to the group, tight lipped and jaw clinched. Speaking to the group but not to anyone in particular, she says between clinched teeth, "They know no honor and deserve to ..."
die? get strung up? Makes me no better than they are. We need to catch them and catch them now.
Hana glances at the group, mad and a little embarrassed by her outburst.
Barely able to glance at the corpse, Hana asks, "Do we know who it is?"
The group helps the sheriff and the deputies lower the body from the tree. The sheriff recommends taking the body inside her office for fear of upsetting locals as they stir in the morning.
Hana:
Natraz:
Sol:
Clarissa:
The group pretty much discover that the victim is one Filton Legg, a town drunk. discovers a harrow card of The Desert, depicting an androsphinx, stuck just inside the body's vest, and a dingy, heavily creased, note appearing to be a few days old in the trouser pocket. The note is signed "Arhaneem Braeton," but bears no personal seal. The note explains the bearer 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."
The sheriff explains Filton was a vagabond and a drunk, but harmless. He had no known enemies and she cant think of any reason anyone would want to kill him.
"You have three leads now I guess. The Varisian note if you can figure it out, the card and the work note. Finish this up quickly to prove the circus is innocent or guilty. I am going over to detain the sphinx to pacify the locals. Once word gets out about this scarf and card depicting a sphinx they will want blood. I hope to deter that anger by protecting the sphinx in the jail."
|
|
Seeing Hana lose her breakfast, Sol almost loses his. He regains his composure and offers a short, silent prayer for the victim. He then cuts the body down and gently lays it on the ground and starts examining.
Sol mutters under his breath, This is way to obvious to be the carnival folk . . . The real murderer is trying to force the Sheriff to make a ruling before the entire town riots.
the note appears to be artificially doctored to look older, and the ink is only 1 or 2 hours old (determining whether Arnaheem actually signed the letter is impossible without a copy of his signature). The card has been arranged to appear like the obvious clue, and the note to seem like an incidental discovery.
|
|
"Arnaheem? You are right, this must be a setup. What is worse, I think the killer or killers are becoming desperate. The mutilation of the body, the Harrow card? It is like they're saying, 'Please, please pay attention to the circus!'"
Clarissa bites her lip. "That means...if we continue to prevent the carnival from being named the perpetrators, that we will be targets ourselves. Oh, no. I have a terrible idea."
She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. You're a fool, Clarissa Starnon! "We should announce that we've secured proof that the carnival is not responsible for the murders. Make sure to spread it all around the town and tell people that we will be publicly presenting our evidence before the town this evening." She sighs, regretting her suggestion. "My hope is that we force their hand, cause them to come for us so that we can catch the killers and subdue them." Before they kill us, hopefully. "Sol? If you think this Arnaheem is a lead, then we should be sure to talk to them before we spread the rumor."
|
|
Hana will look at the torn scarf and rags that were stuffed in the victims mouth. Is there anything unusual or noteworthy? How was the knot tied on the scarf? Hana will also examine the tree to see how the body was hoisted up, being careful to not trample any footprints at the base of the tree. A severed hand can also be used for some magic spells. Hana will make a Knowledge Arcana to see if she recalls any spells that would use a hand as a spell component.
How could they get a body that high with just a scarf? A rope and a horse to pull someone up, sure, but with a scarf?
Hana will also search the area underneath the body to see if she can determine if they were killed by hanging or was the body placed here after the fact.
While the sheriff is off to detain the sphinx the group spends time talking to people around the town.
Filton was addicted to a substance known as shiver. People suspect the drug is produced locally but sold outside of town to keep the producer a secret. Filton seemed to have an inside connection
Having sold or lost everything he had of value, Filton was reduced to begging. Nevertheless he started to change over the last few months- drying out, attending temple service and becoming respectable. Fiton had been looking for honest work as of late, but was publicly bitter toward persons he would not name.
The practice of severing the hand was a practice among gangs and thieves' guilds in Korvosa some 10-20 years ago. It was a reprisal done to someone who sought relief from an illegal debt by going to the authorities. The idea was the victims retained their right hands so they could still make good on their obligations.
|
|
After speaking with the locals, Clarissa reports her findings to the team. "So our most recent victim had an interesting history, one which may finally give us something real to go on. It appears that there may be a local organization producing drugs. Since he was a dockworker, I'm guessing he was involved in the smuggling aspect of the business. He was also an addict who had recently tried to go straight, and was known to have enemies in town that he wouldn't name." She glances at Hana before continuing, "The, uh, hand? Goes back to Korvosan crime syndicates of the previous generation. It is a message for those who would snitch to the dottari." Clarissa blushed and realized she was using a term from her homeland. "Er, law enforcement," she clarified.
|
|
"Oh, I wonder if they were the ones dealing in Shiver and paying the skulks. Was the sheriff questioning this unfortunate soul? If we are to pay Arnaheem a visit, we should be very careful. Maybe we can ask around at the docks first? Or would that tip them off we were asking around about them?"
Hana looks down the road where the sheriff went to the circus, I wonder if we should have told her about the sphinx. Boy, will she be mad if she finds out that we didn't tell her.
|
|
"I say we go pay Arnaheem a visit. Maybe he had some dealings with Walder. Maybe pawned something of value. Maybe he has an enemy, or maybe he hired the drunk just to kill him and frame the carnival. This seems to be the best lead we've had yet. It might also be a trap as it looks like the note was planted."
As an afterthought, "We didn't tell the sheriff the sphinx wasn't real, did we?"
The party manages to find directions to the Breaton Manor and in doing so discover Arhaneem and his family are well off and rich compared to the others in the area.
They come to the manor a few miles outside of town. Approaching the front entrance the group discovers the front door is ajar but there are a few lights on in rooms on the second floor.
Sol takes a look inside and just sees a regular foyer This large, spacious foyer has high ceilings and is richly appointed. North of the door sits a large planter where an indoor tree is bathed in light from the skylight above. A massive staircase gradually ascends to a second floor above. Two sets of double doors on the east and west wall lead farther into the house. Another set of double doors stands behind the stairway. Leather padded chairs are inter-spaced throughout the room ....
....Wait, Sol thinks he sees the tell of shadows moving underneath the door frame on the doors immediately to the left and right of the foyer area.
|
|
Sol gives a quick hand signal that he sees something on either side and will quietly move to his right and listen at the door.
As he's moving he apparently trips on the chair clanging his shield to his armor. He looks back at the party and mouths, "Sorry"
In the name of . . . I guess they know we're here. I don't like this sneaking around anyway.
Sols clumsiness makes noise as he enters but his keen eyes notice the shadows stopped moving when he stumbled...
|
|
Clarissa snickers softly. Yeah, apologize silently after making all that racket, makes sense. "Well, no reason to hold back now," she says, then looking up the stairs she shouts out in her best cheap floozy voice, "Hello? Anyone home?" Her hands move down to the rapier under her cloak. "Arhaneem, darling? It is your special guest."
Sol sounds like pots and pans shot out of a catapult and my slut-voice is terrible!
|
|
Hana stares wide-eyed at Sol's brazen entry, with the corners of her mouth slowly turning up as she contains her mirth.
Yeah, I think they know we are here. Ha. and Hana draws her Estoc, pointing towards the ground while moving opposite of Sol, to the left, as quietly as she can and kicks a stool halfway across the room, wiping the smirk right off her face.
Hana looks guiltily at Clarissa, whispering, "He started it.'
Clarissa and Hana join Sol in making noise upon entering the manor. Clarissa calls out a welcome but no one answers. Right after Hana accidentally stumbles into the stool Sol notices the door he is next to open up but he is ready for the intrusion and an armed thug threatens Sol. The door opposite Sols door also opens up revealing two more thugs..Natraz calls out that he sees something moving by the bushes right as this happens and calls out to the group there is an armed man outside...the men are armed with short swords and daggers...
Hana:
Natraz:
Sol:
Clarissa:
Thugs:
Combat 1st Round
Clarissa,
Thugs,
Hana, Natraz (if you want to bot him then do so, otherwise I will adjudicate he and the man outside battle) and Sol
Clarissa looks at the thug in front of Sol and casts a spell on him...
and the man suppresses the urge to laugh...
The red thug attacks Hana
.. MISS
The yellow moves and attacks Hana
.. CURRENT HIT
The green thug attacks Sol
.. ... MISS
outside the group can hear Natraz and another thug locked in combat...
[b]party is up and Hana has an AoO on the yellow thug- if she fells him then she takes no damage/if she misses then she takes 6 damage[/ooc]
|
|
"We very likely want to take one or more of these guys alive!" Clarissa says. In fact, I better try another spell, even though it will drain me! She utters an incantation, attempting to render the pair in front of Hana unconscious.
Seeing Hana drop, Clarissa shouts to her and adjusts to defend her fallen ally.
|
|
Looking Green straight in the eye, "You should surrender, friend. You're no match for the power of Iomedae." Sol then swings his sword at Green.
If Both of Clarissa's targets are put to sleep, Sol will hold his ground against green.
If Only one or neither of Clarissa's targets are put to sleep, Sol will move next to Hana in front of Red.
Clarissa manages to drop both the thugs next to Hana and then moves next to the magus to protect her...
Sol manages to nick the thug to his front but does not drop him...
the green foe attacks Sol...
.. MISS
Combat 2nd Round Current
Clarissa (casted sleep),
Thugs,
Hana (unconscious, -3 & Stabilize check), Natraz (locked in combat outside), Sol
Combat 3rd Round
Clarissa,
Thugs,
Hana (unconscious, -4 & Stabilize check if failed earlier), Natraz (locked in combat outside), Sol
|
|
Seeing the two thugs bursting from the doors, Hana stares unbelieving as the first thug strikes her, piercing her armor, while the second thug moves up and hits her just as hard as the first. Hana's world closes in and her vision drops to pinpoints before she drops to the ground in utter disbelief.
So this is how our clan finally ends. Ryoku, I am coming.
Hana feels the pull to Ryoku... but then gets filled with holy energy and awakens on the floor with Clarissa near her and two slumbering thugs at her feet...
Clarissa, upon seeing Hana awaken, moves next to Sol to engage the green foe but misses with her attack...
The green foe, unswayed by Sols call for surrender, continues to press...
...
Combat 3rd Round
Clarissa (moved/attacked),
Thugs,
Hana (healed for 6, current hp 3, prone), Natraz (locked in combat outside), Sol
Combat 4th Round
Clarissa,
Thugs,
Hana, Natraz (locked in combat outside), Sol
|
|
Hana is floating peacefully when her eyes pop open. Ryoku?, she blurts out and then realizes that she is still in the manor house. Checking her wounds and realizing that she isn't dead, Hana grasps her estoc and jumps up, somewhat disorientated.
Glancing around at Clarissa and Sol, Hana is amazed, I should be dead.