Shadow of the Runelords

Game Master Yucale

Well, that's interesting, Taniriel says quietly. I'm in his will? He shakes his head trying to clear it. I corresponded with him, but I never thought . . . Tanirial trails off, his eyebrows furrowing. Well, if Sir Cosma wants me there, I suppose I should be there.

"I did not expect it either," Bubo offers, though leaving it ambiguous whether he meant he did not expect himself to be in the will or if he meant Taniriel. He flicks through the letter, as if rereading it several times and committing it to memory.

He introduces himself to the new arrivals, apparently just realizing he hasn't.

(bump?)
Malcom mingles through the long night of the wake. Arriving in uniform and only slightly hungover for the reading.

Also still here.

Taniriel continues talking late into the night. When it is time for the reading the next morning, he wakes and prepares himself, making it just in time.

Still here!

Bubo stays quiet but seems attentive throughout the night. He asks Moira when he'll be allowed to pay his respects before departing.

The next morning, he arrives the same as he was yesterday, covered in his usual inscrutable garb.

Ditto.

Lyle raises an ale to the nonplussed room and goes up to bed.

The office is a respectable building on the corner of a nearby Egorian boulevard; unremarkable and nearly abandoned in the early morning grey, except for the patrol (or more) of Hellknights swarming around the place.
You're intercepted as you approach the door. The captain of the patrol, a blocklike man with grey in his hair and weariness in his expression, waves you to the side of the door before hurrying off to whatever they're doing. You can't get a word in edgewise. At least it's not raining. You manage to catch a glimpse of the door; this seems to be a crime scene. The lock was gouged out, and furrows run alongside it on the brick of the wall.
Aside from an occasional wary passerby and the few witnesses the law enforcement hurriedly escorted away (and the Hellknights themselves)-
You're the only ones there.

His expression growing grimmer as he arrives at and is shunted to the side of the door, Lyle scratches his chin and looks carefully at the scene. "Not much chance someone just forgot their keys, is there?"

"I doubt it," Bubo says, peering at the lock and the brick from where he stands. "Any chance the aasimar was playing a trick? I do not see her here."

Taniriel walks up, surprised at all the chaos. What is going on?

A passing Hellknight glances over dismissively. "A theft. Whoever it was also murdered one of the clerks here. Hopefully the church won't think it important enough to show up." He continues his work without further comment.

To the Hellknight

Speaking deferentially "Sir. We have an appointment with this office today. Would it be possible to meet with one of the other clerks of perhaps their superior?"

"Talk to the captain. Probably whatever was with the will is gonna be locked up as evidence until someone hangs for this, but there might still be someone in the building who knows something."

Lyle nods, points hesitantly at the barrier and crosses it, waiting to see if he'll be stopped.

Taniriel shrugs and follows Lyle, walking gracefully beside him.

Bubo stays quiet and follows behind as they go to talk to the captain.

The Hellknights, after a few brief mutterings amongst themselves, don't stop you. Someone tells you which door the evidence is currently being held in. The captain is busy talking with a scared young clerk. The dark wood panels of the corridor are gouged, in places, like the wall outside.

Between work and home life, several things have come up making life extremely stressful. I am sorry, but I need to withdraw from all of my PBP games. It has been fun playing with you all. I hope to be able to come back to the boards in the future, but until then, have fun.

Aw.
Thanks for playing, good luck with RL. Hope to see you back around the boards in the future.

The captain looks up in surprise from sending some knights off to- track down wrongdoers, from their expressions. He regards you with suspicion. "What do you want? I haven't got time to find reparations for whatever you lost."

See you later Taniriel.

It's been fun, Taniriel. Hope you do well! =]

"We're here for the reading of Sir Nicola Cosma's will." Bubo reaches into a pocket and takes out invitation envelope, offering it to the captain to take. "Has it been moved somewhere else, and do you know who we may approach about it?"

"Well, seeing as how everything's been stolen, that we know of, and all the clerks and so on are witnesses... But, as you may as well try and scavenge something from coming over here, would you like to speak with the witnesses?"

Lyle turns and stares at the wall for a moment. Finally, he mutters quietly "Very well, Sir Nic, I'll give you three days, and try and find your will and let it be read. Then, we are quits, my friend."

Turning to the speaker, he replies "Has no one spoken with them yet? If so, wouldn't you prefer to have their first record? And if not, I would prefer to hear your perception of their reports, if you would be so kind."

Greetings fellows; just letting all my games know that I'm going on a camping thing for three days, starting tomorrow. There's a goodly chance I'll still have internet access but I may not, so I thought I should let you all know in case my posts slow down. Happy new years, everyone!

"We've talked to most of them. Seems like something came over here in the early hours of the morning; the first most of the witnesses knew of it was an almighty crash as whoever it was burst into the room where the will was kept. Two of the bolder men tried to see what was going on; their nerve failed them, though, on account of the boogeyman dragging one of their lady colleagues out of the door with him. It- that's how the referred to the perp. We have a few others who were about their work at the time; accounts vary from something the size of a half-orc to a, a sort of mastiff." The captain shrugged, mostly dismissive but maybe self-conscious. "We think it went riverside. There was some other stuff stolen from this place. Aside from the lady, there were a few antiques and some documents that, so far as we can tell, are completely irrelevant."

Happy 2013!

Bubo nods to show that he is listening. "Troubling," he mumbles to himself.

He turns to face the young clerk the captain was speaking to. "Excuse me, would you happen to know anything about a reading of a will scheduled for this morning?"

"Nothing specific- Eversti (he's the, uh, the casualty) was talking with some Hellknights from the Order of the Gate, and, well, there've been people in and out about it but I think most of them were attached to Sir Cosma's- company? Is that the term? Anyway, there was some interesting antique stuff to be given, according to Eversti, but even he didn't snoop much and I think it's all gone now." The clerk shrugged, seeming a bit relieved to have someone other than the captain to talk to.

Bubo smiles and though it isn't visible through his mask, it can be heard in his voice. "Thank you. Is there anything I can do to help?"

The clerk fidgets again. "Honestly? The sooner this gets cleared up, the sooner I get back to work-" he shoots the other Hellknights a spooked look, "the sooner the Church sees that whatever was here was here and gone. Not that these guys aren't helpful. They've probably got the job half-done as we speak."
The captain looks on with weary amusement. "No chance you'd be willing to lend swords and other pointy objects to the Queen's service."

Unfortunately I also have to wander into the sunset. Real life can be difficult at times. Enjoy the game.