Just as she finishes covering her face, the door slams open. She listens as the man explains his story. She stands up quickly, leaving her spot quickly and heading towards the door. She silently walks out to try and assess the scene, the dancing lights made by the bard helping her dark vision. "A murder? How queer... Who could have done such a horrendous act..."
Sitting with his soon-to-be friend Bran, Duglin's eyes dart toward the door as the wet man stumbles in. Listening intently, he tosses back the mug of ale he is holding.
Following Bran's nod, Duglin rises and starts toward the door. In response to Bran's request, he replies, "No covered lantern lad, but my eyes are as strong in the night as they are in the day, and they be keener that those of most others."
Moving toward the door with the others, Duglin pauses, looks back at the fresh mug of ale that Duglin presented to Bran, and sighs. "Hate to see that go to waste...", and he turns back to the table, quickly chugging the other pint in one quick gulp. Letting out a belch, he laughs, "now its time for some excitement." And with that heads out the door.
Drawing close to the body, he gets down on his knees, seemingly unaware of the deep puddle he kneels in, and slowly, carefully inspects the body, taking note of race, gender, quality of garb, any significant items, and the nature of any wounds.
(to identify wounds and how long the body has been dead)
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You see nothing more than what was previously described with the perception. from where most of you are at. Duglin can spot a fresh trail of muddy footprints heading away from the stables. The body has only been dead for less than a few hours, and it looks as if the poor soul had been brutally bludgeoned to death with the shovel.
"Bran, come take a look and tell me if ye know this man." Taking a final scan of the area around the body, he slowly stands and begins carefully following the muddy footprints heading away from the body. "Got tracks, reckon they won't last long in the nasty weather."
"Then we'd better start following them while they're still around if we want to catch the culprit. I have no intention of letting a man get away with this kind of crime."
Veridian also advanced to the body and sees the footprints. "I am a tracker, but this weather is not helpful. Let me see if I can tell where these might lead us."
Veridian removes his hood despite the rain, and examines the tracks carefully, looking at the size and depth of impression to try to get a gauge of who we might be looking for. He also looks for a blood trail or any other tell tale sign while following the tracks.
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Seeing that there is no immediate danger, Villyn advances on the rest of the group. His lights head over towards the body to help the human and half-elf see better. Perhaps there is a way to ensure that at least one of the footprints remains behind so that we can use it to identify the culprit in the future?
L silently follows all of them out to the body. "hmm... Too strange." She looks at Villyn. "Can you do such a thing?
l scoffs at Villyn. "I guess not." She smiles under her scarf. "What now, other people who were so concerned they came to look?"
"Blast it, lost the tracks in the gravel. Cursed rain." Looking up and down the road, he shakes his head and turns back toward the stable. Returning to the body, Duglin picks up the shovel and examines it for any noticeable identifiers. "It's a blasted shovel, probably used for shoveling dung here in the stalls, but perhaps it will offer some clue".
Foiled by the gravel, Veridian turns and finds the local militiaman, Bran. "Do you recognize the dead man, sir? Perhaps knowing who he is will help us identify the killer."
Veridian kneels at the side of the corpse and begins to search the personal effect, looking for any clues.
Godfrey appears intrigued by the new lead, but chooses to remain silent and see where things are headed.
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Villyn continues to keep his lights dancing about the group, making sure people in the dark have plenty of light who need it. As for his actions, looks at each member, seeing how they act in this time of trouble. Each one seams to have a skill set for helping catch the criminal. He only hopes that he can prove just as useful in the near future.
L nods at the half-breed's statement. "Yes, and perhaps if he had anyone who he wasn't on the best of terms with." She seems contemplative.
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Bran grabs the shoulder of the man, goes to one knee, and examines his closely. Duglin can't find anything significant concerning the shovel. Veridian finds 9 silver pieces and a sling.
"Just one of the locals. No one significant, really, just a stable hand. A shame though. I'll report his death to his family in the morning. In the meantime, let's get out of this blasted rain.", says Bran.
He hooks his crossbow to his back, lays the dead body on a pile of hay in the corner of the stables, and turns to head back to the inn.
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The boy's gear should probably go back to his family, Villyn states as he gives a cold stare to Veridian. He also gives a slight wink and pats his pocket as if trying to say something.
As he looks back and heads to the Inn, he calls out to Bran, Is there somewhere we can take the body? So that it isn't just laying in the barn for anyone to walk in on?
Godfrey keeps a close eye on Villyn and Veridian, as well as the process of taking out the deceased items. He makes sure that the bard notices his glare.
I know what you're up to, Blondie. Godfrey thinks to himself. That's a dangerous first step to take and you don't want to see where it leads.
Duglin casts a surprised, angry glare at Bran,"Bran, doncha think maybe this lad deserves a touch more an bein left here on a pile of hay?"
She tsks at Villyn. Are you sure you arent a villan, Villyn... Anyway, nothing we can do in this light and weather with humans around to stumble in the dark." She pats him on the back and heads back inside. "Going to have to dry off myself again."
A yawn escapes Godfrey and he stretches his arms above his head, flicking his head one way then the other with a resounding crack as he finishes the gesture.
"If you'll excuse me, I've got work to do," Godfrey declares, before heading back to the tavern. "That room won't pay for itself."
Veridian sees the movement from the bard, but is confused for a brief moment as to what he's signifying. Just before the lovely elf chastises Villyn, the ranger shrugs. "I was not meaning to take his things, you see. I was just looking if there was an identifying or strange items on his person. Of course the coins should go back to his family. The fact that he had his purse, no matter how meager, on him is a sign that he likely wasn't robbed as well."
He hands the effects to the militiaman Bran, and pats Villyn on the back whispering "It wasn;t enough coin to be worth the trouble my friend. 'Small prizes keep a man honest', they say." He winks at the bard, and lifts the dead man over his shoulder in a firemans' carry, taking him to the barn/stable and lying him either in the hay or a wagon-bed (if one exists).
Once the heavy work is done, Veridian heads back into the tavern, hoping to finish his meal in peace and head back to his forest lean to.
Duglin looks in disgust at the others walking back to the tavern. He turns and heads to the house nearest the stable, then pounds loudly on the front door.
{b]"Pardon me, but do ye own the stables, or know who does? Also, where is the town watch, jail, town hall, or mayor's house?"[/b]
She smiles at Villyn, his face too cute for her not to. It is obvious under her scarf she is smiling. Her eyes show it. "Come along, Villyn, all good bad guys get to bed on time. Plus some music before bed might cheer some of us up. We cannot do anything until morning anyway."
She nods, blushing slightly. "A song would be lovely. I believe it will numb the emotions for the night, allowing us to sleep so we can be at our best tomorrow. The mead will help with the numbing as well." She giggles.
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The man of the house Duglin knocked on opens his 2nd floor window and shouts about being woken up so early before finally saying that the innkeeper owns the stables, Bran's the only watch they have, besides citizens who can take up arms and any travelers passing through with weapons, and finally that there is no mayor here. The jail is a small and pitiful thing, rarely used, and it stands near the North East corner of the hamlet.
Bran had left the decision on what to do with the body up to Duglin, his reason for leaving the body that one of the civilians would take care of it. This he mumbled aloud as he opened the door to the inn.
Looking up at the disgruntled man hanging out of his window, Duglin smiles. "Much obliged. G'night. By the way, someone was murdered in the stables, beaten to death with a shovel. Best keep your eye out."
Duglin returns to the stables, wraps the body in his bedroll, and carries it back to the inn, where he kicks open the door and places the wrapped body on the bar directly in front of the innkeep. "Your stable boy is dead. Your fearless defender" jesturing toward Bran, "is more concerned with having another drink than looking into it. The lad have a family I can notify and deliver his body to?"
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The Bard looks down at the parcel that was just brought into the bar. His face begins to turn slightly pale as he knows a corpse has just been placed right where he had been drinking only a few minutes earlier. He gives a deep swallow and word his face with a cloth. Good friend, I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced, he gives a slight chuckle that sounds almost as if it had been forced, I am Villyn, and while I'm not quite sure what dwarves concider as proper manners, but that body had already been placed out of the rain, and the family will be notified. If you would please remove the poor soul so that I may not loose my lunch I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
Duglin frowns and looks up at the fair-haired human with his eyebrow raised. "Dwarves don't leave their fallen to rot and be gnawed upon by rodents. An' the lad's family deserves to be told o' his passin', though the circumstances may be foul. Perhaps its the norm for ye humans, but dwarves consider a brutal murder, committed with a shovel noless, a moment for pause."
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The normally cheerful innkeeper is shocked by the news, and quickly notifies the towering bartender. The bartender nods, then tops off anything that you currently have before grabbing a warhammer from behind the bar. He nods again before heading out through the door behind the counter.
Obviously annoyed at the excessive concern the Dwarf shows for the body, Bran frowns from his table before reluctantly, though on his own volition, getting up and heading out again. He's kind enough not to let someone go wandering around in the dar and the rain by themselves at least.
Thanks guys for staying with the campaign so far. Even for 1-2 posts per day i've been pretty busy, and so haven't been keeping it going as much as I should. If anything, work is getting more busy, so i'll hopefully be able to keep us alive here.
Working throughout the rest of the evening, Godfrey is eerily silent and almost excessively focused on his work, as though he were using it to block out something else from his mind.
Finally, after a long period of silence, he declares out loud, to no one in particular. "I'll catch them. Whoever did this, I'll catch them and make sure they face justice."
Duglin snorts. "Glad to see someone cares. Innkeep, do ye know of anyone in this town that might've had trouble with this here lad? An' where is his family?"
At Godfrey's outburst, Duglin pauses. "That is a man that cares, that is a man I could work with." Walking over to the impromptu server, he claps him on the shoulder, "Aye laddy, we both will. Let us work together. The name's Duglin Braehammer."
"Godfrey Swandown," Godfrey replies shortly, easily betraying inner turmoil. "You help will certainly not be refused."
"I can't believe something like this would happen in such a peaceful little hamlet."
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Villyn stands in the back, eyeing the body still left sitting on the bar. He nusters some courage and brightens himself up a little. Well, an investigation is definatly needed, and noting the lack of and official law enforcement, I can see that it will be up to us to solve this most hideous caper. However, I do know that there will not be much we can do tonight. Let us get some sleep and we can tackle this head on at first light. He pauses of a moment, as if considering something, then continues.
The mood here does need slight lifting I think. A song to ease our nerves I believe is in order, no? He looks to the elven woman drying herself by the fire and sways over to her. Dearest L, is there by chance a song you would prefer to hear?
If she names a song and he knows it, He sings. If either she doesn't, or he doesn't know it, he apologized and sing a song of two people who fall in love against all odds, most of his singing seems to be directed towards her in either case.
L stands back and listens to the conversation. The body doesn't bother her, she has seen many of her kind freeze to death through her travels, but she doesnt hold it against Villyn. "He is too naive to truly have seen this kind of brutality..." She simply nods when they speak of investigation, showing that she too is willing to help find the murderer.
When Villyn says something about a song, she shrugs. "Anything light to get the weight of death out of this place. Perhaps start with a song to honor the boy then something a bit more merry. It is important to show respect for the dead."
Planning to go back to his camp in the nearby woods, Veridian stopped when he saw the dwarf go into the stables for the body, he had laid there out of the weather.
He followed back and peeked in the window of the inn seeing the action play out. He purposefully strides up to the dwarf and offers his hand in greeting:
"I too would see some form of justice done here. Not revenge for the stablehand who I did not know, but because a murderer so complacent as to kill the lad and leave the body in the street, is a danger to everyone. I'd prefer to not have to look over my shoulder, or more likely, be accused."
"Where do we start? Did anyone get the lad's name? Or who might want to hurt him? Or do you think he was waylaid? The tracks are a human man's, but they are quickly lost in this weather."
"Not I, though Im sure someone would be able to find out." She pulls her hood down and shakes off the rain.
Still trying to figure out how to track down the perpetrator, Godfrey asks his fellow bartender.
"Say, does Kor have any well-known troublemakers? Anyone with a penchant for chaos and misdeeds?"
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The main door swings open to let in the large frame of the bartender. He looks even more sullen than usual (not to mention that he's also dripping wet), so it would be safe to assume that he lost the trail as well. He trudges behind the counter and grumbles to the innkeeper, who nods and begins chatting with a few others seated at the actual bar. Bran comes in a few minutes later, looking just as irritable. He moves to the innkeeper.
"It's gotta be well past midnight by now. Trail's gone cold. I'd appreciate it if you called a mandatory lights-out at the inn. I'll make sure the other public places do so as well. If that assailant's still out there, he'll have to make more tracks if no one's lettin' 'im in.
The innkeeper looks to the party assembled near the door (you). If you've got any suggestions or opinions, now would be a good time to say something.
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This is all fine and well, but this case will not be solved in a day. Villyn gives a buge yawn and tips his hat to the rest. I believe I shal retire for the night gentalmen, and Lady. With that he slowly makes his way up the stairs to his room, pausing at the landing as if trying to remember which way to turn next.
Godfrey nods. "I'll go pay that Dorrin a visit in the morning. What brings his name up?"
L slips outof sight and heads up to her room for some shut eye.
Looking around dejectedly, Duglin sighs and drops his gear on the common room floor. Approaching the innkeep, "I'll watch the door here, and be ready for anything passing by, if you have something warm to keep me up."
Picking up a javelin in one hand and his axe in the other, Duglin takes a seat before the door, ready to take the long watch til morning.
"I'll take over on the second half of night, if you good men are willing to lend me a room for my work so I can get some rest until then." Godfrey adds. "It wouldn't do for just one person to be stuck doing a whole night's guard."