Felix looks around the roof, trying to notice anything out of the usual.
Mr west explains that that day had not seemed noteworthy. Mr Drain had been a few minutes late getting back to the garage that evening and that he had gone up to the roof to have a smoke. He had been trying hard to quit, his wife had been very insistent, but a man is only human, right? No one was up here at the time, but no one heard anything unusual until one of the drivers pulling out of the garage had seen him hit the ground, he leaned into the breaks and came running, but it was already too late.
Kyle leans on the railing and finds it very sturdy. It's not terribly hard to get over, not being quite waist high, but in over 15 years there have never been any accidents up here.
Kyle walks around the garage and doesn't find anything noteworthy. As he's patrolling the perimeter he sees in a vacant lot to the west side of the garage he sees what looks like three kids and an adult. The adult is smashing a air conditioner with crowbar. Despite the warm spring weather they all four seem heavily bundled up in winter coats and gloves.
Dr Felix searched the rooftop with a keen eye and finds something out of place. Most of the cigarette butts lying about are from commercial brands you recognise, but a few are unusual. They appear to be from a brand called NoCo. Sitting on the patio table on the roof is also a waterlogged package of NoCo cigarettes.
Rohan is up on the roof looking around, he doesn't see much that might be helpful. He closes his eyes and tries to sense any magic essence that might be lingering in the air. Go ahead and make a wisdom saving throw.
The street in front of the house is filled with cars. The house, a simple two-story home that has fallen behind in maintenance, is stuffed to the brim with people in dark clothes. These well-wishers have filled the kitchen to the brim with covered dishes and trays of food.
The children are mostly running around outside, the widow drain is in the main living room, surrounded by women and most of the men can be found on the back porch sipping on dark drinks and taking drags on cigarettes. One mourner is obviously out of place, a tall, thin man dressed in clothes colour of spring leaves, with hair the colour of hay and pointed ears, he stands on the back porch exchanging condolences with the menfolk.
Rohan is up on the roof looking around, he doesn't see much that might be helpful. He closes his eyes and tries to sense any magic essence that might be lingering in the air. Go ahead and make a wisdom saving throw.
Rohan feels a chill run down his spine. It passes, unsure if it was just nerves or something else, he doesn't give it much thought.
Rohan has an uneasy feeling. He kneels down and tries to feel out with his arcane sense as best he can.
I'm afraid taking 20 isn't in the rules. Rohan's passive arcana is 13, so after the creepy feeling passes he tries to focus on it again, but unable to recapture it.
Kyle approaches the group silently using their distracted attention to get close before speaking. He hopes surprising them will get a more earnest response and not just running away.
Hey, fellas. Mind if I ask some questions...? I'm not a cop! Just helping the bus depot out. If they stick around Kyle will ask who they are, and if they knew about the incident with Mr Drain - eventually where they were that night.
Kyle climbs over the fence like a champ, but the thing rattles and shakes like a windchime in a gale. The figures in the lot immediately take notice and they turn to face Kyle, their attention riveted on him like hunting dogs scenting the wind.
The metaphor is apt, because kyle can now see that the tall one actually has a muzzle and a face like a dog. The short ones have broad wide faces with huge eyes and mouths, their skin is red. The three short ones scamper away like rabbits while the taller one turns towards Kyle and takes a step forward, growling.
Kyle's insight tells him that this person does not want to talk to him.
Rohan attempts to root out the arcane nature he's sensing. His eyes glow softly and it feels as if the world is moving in small vibrations. His breathing slows and he tries to feel where and what the magic is doing, if it exists.
At the house, Lysander frowns. "Mourners? I suppose this was recent... Still, I'd rather have talked to the family alone. Don't really feel like canvasing a funeral." He grimaces as he gets out of the car, unbuttoning his overcoat in preparation of heading inside. "No time like the present, though."
The man gives a smile to the children as he walks up to the door, where he knocks and waits for someone to welcome them in. Introducing himself and Derrick as investigators, he approaches Mrs. Drain and inclines his head. "My deepest condolences for your loss, ma'am. I know this must be a tough time for you, but my partner and I are looking into the event and we want to establish the facts about what happened. We had a few questions, if you'd be willing to answer them?"
I don't want trouble, buddy. Just trying to help out. I'm not here to stop your fun.
Felix and Rohan
Dr Burn stands back as Rohan begins to tap into the arcane fields around the place. He feels the presence of an unquiet soul. He feels fear, pain and anguish. Just as quickly as it came the feeling is gone.
Derrick and Lysander
Mr Tremayne comes in like a smooth operator and Mrs Drain excuses herself from the living room and sees them into a side room which is currently unoccupied. "Hoe can I help you gentlemen? Do you work for Mr Lollard?"
Kyle
The figure crouches low, almost on all fours. "What want?" it barks.
"There's something here."
Rohans flare of power died down, and he wiped the sweat from brow as he sat down.
"Not sure if its the guy who died, but there's some kind of spirit here. It feels....fear, anguish.....in pain. Might've been the deceased, might have been what drove him to jump. Can't get my finger on it now though."
He could tell why Universities had been hesitant about adopting fields of study in arcane arts. when there was so much uncertainty, coupled with so much danger, it wouldn't be so easily adaptable to curriculum for a few years or so.
Did you know a guy fell off that roof a few days ago? There doesn't look like there was any damage to the safety features, and I was hoping there might be someone local who knew something so I can report it to the insurance, Kyle says quickly pointing to the rough area Mr Drain fell from, If nothing else, do you know anyone that might know? They won't get into trouble - we're just trying to keep this place afloat without a lawsuit... and if you don't mind me prying... why the snowsuit? It's cold but not that cold...
Kyle
The dog-faced humanoid barks "No! then turns and runs after the little creatures that has accompanied it previously. It hops over a Jersey barrier and takes off running. As it moves Kyle can see that it has digitigrade legs and and furred limbs. As it runs away it makes a strange coughing bark noise.
If Kyle wants to chase it he is certainly welcome to make a Strength check for athletics.
"We do ma'am. We're very sorry for intruding at this terrible time," Derrick says earnestly, trying to look friendly but appropriately sombre. "Could you tell us about how your husband was in his last few days?" he asks, using an open question to allow her to tell the story in her own words.
Derrick studies Mrs Drain as they talk, trying to get a sense of how she is coping and whether she is keeping anything back from him and Lysander.
These demihumans are 10x worse than the hoodlums around here before... KYle thinks hustling after the mutt.
Kyle slows and decides that he can only try and track him down... but he better bring the others.
Guys, I found some suspicious looking shadowkind in an adjacent lot. They freaked when I brought up the incident, and might know something.
Derrick and Lysander
"[c]Carl was just fine,[/b]" she explains. "He'd finally gotten over his smoking, someone from the enclave had given him a tea or something that really helped. He was really well-like by everyone, all of his passengers liked him. For years driving a bus was a crummy job, but at least it came with job security. He started doing the run up to the enclave and everyone who works up there is just so helpful and friendly. I hate to promote the stereotype, but they're all down to earth. Half the people here now work there at least part time, and no one does that work for the pay. There's even one of those fey Shadowkind here. I think he's still here, so polite the way he came to pay his respects, I could hardly believe it."
Mrs Drain doesn't strike you as the kind of person who has ever had an easy life, but as middle age has settled on her she has a certain grace, a type of acceptance that comes from having a plain life and doing the best wit hit you can. Derrick sense no dishonesty in her.
Kyle
Kyle takes off running after his suspect.
The Shadowkind slips as it goes over the barrier, getting no further from Kyle as he pursues than he has initially. I'll set up an urban chase just as soon as we have some idea as to what level of participation we will be getting from Felix and Rohan, who are on site and do have line of sight to these events.
Felix and Rohan
From up on the roof you hear Kyle start yelling and take off running after a fleeing figure.
"How long had your husband been driving the route to the enclave?" Derrick asks, sensing only truthfulness from Mrs Drain. "It sounds like it made a really positive impact on Carl, and on everyone else working up there."
It sounds like we need to talk to one of the citizens of the enclave, Derrick thinks, they've certainly made an impression.
Rohan, still on the roof, moves over to the railing as he hears Kyle's shouts.
He sees his co-worker make a dash as he chases some kind of shadowkind. Rohan makes a break for the stairs and starts heading after them.
"We got a runner!" he calls to Felix as he runs past him.
Lysander nods as Mrs. Drain shares her story, jotting down some information in a notebook. At the mention of a fey still being at the gathering, Lysander looks up and glances to Derrick. "I think I'll go have a chat with him if you want to keep here. I am interested in the tea you mentioned, though? Could you tell my partner more about that?" He taps Derrick on the shoulder and then stands and offers the widow his hand. "Again, thank you for your time, ma'am."
Making his way through the gathered, Lysander finds himself on the back porch, where he spots the obviously different individual. Waiting for a good time to approach--in between conversations or the like--he steps up and greets the fey with an outstretched hand. "Hi, Lysander Tremayne. I'm here looking into recent events and Missus Drain suggested you may have had some connection with the deceased? Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
Felix runs after Rohan, easily outstripping him, and runs after the man.
"I'll keep pace! Help me cut him off!"
Felix goes to catch up with the running creature.
Derrick looks over at Lysander and nods at him as the lawyer stands to leave.
Turning back to Mrs Drain, he asks about Carl's smoking. "You said he had given up smoking with the aid of a tea. What can you tell me about that?"
Derrick and Lysander
Well, the Arrival was four years ago," says Mrs Drain. It took the government about a year and half to come to an arrangement and set up the enclave. It was just a few months after that the city decided there should be a bus going up there. I guess the Fey Court doesn't have a lot of manpower, compared to the other enclaves. And they do a lot for the environment, downwind of the their forest the air is clear as country air, the water that flows through that place comes out crystal clear. They grow food and have a clinic where they use herbs and other things to treat people. They also make magic things, my cousin bought a jacket, the colour changes based on where he's standing. Seems like they brought a lot of good with them and Carl was driving the first bus.
Regarding the tea she goes on to explain. Carl was a good man, but he always liked a smoke now and again, said it took the edge off. After a hard day, who could blame him, but I never liked it, I always said they'd be the death of him. My aunt passed from emphysema. So I been on him, must be ten years now to quit. And he would he'd quit for a few months, maybe a year and then eventually he'd be right back on them. A few months ago he said someone from the court had given him a tea that would help him quit. I tried a sip once and it was awful stuff. i know he didn't like it, but he tried. He certainly did try. He's been off the cigarettes ever since.
Out on the back porch the men here are passing around a few cigars as well as a flask. One man stands our from the rest. They seem both intimidated and awed by this person. Dressed in leaf green clothing, his crystal eyes and pale hair set him apart as much as his height and the strange angles of his face. As Lysander introduces himself the man places hand to his breast and says. "May our meeting be blessed, Lysander Tremayne. My name is Adran Moonwhisper. I knew Carl Drain I rode his bus into the city on business and he was never anything but kind and helpful. I will answer any question I can.
Kyle, Rohan and Felix
The bus garage is position 0. The vacant lot is position 1. The other side of the jersey barrier is position 2.
Round 1 of the chase.
Rohan takes off running from the roof towards the lot. he makes it to ground level but not much further. Like a parkour sprinter Dr Felix takes off after him and makes it to the vacant lot. Both kyle and his quarry have moved beyond the barrier.
Over the barrier they find a courtyard where a pack of dogs are fighting over food. Make a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to get through the pack unimpeded. On a failed check, you are bitten and take 1d4 piercing damage, and the dogs count as 5 feet of difficult terrain.
Our friend slips past the dogs, uninjured and unimpeded. Kyle please make your role and then you can all announce your actions for round 2.
piercing
The dogs catch Kyle's arm causing him to drag for a bit and losing the ground he gained on the shadowkind. Why do these people always do this to dogs? They should be more than beasts fighting over scraps, Kyle thinks s he resumes the chase.
Rohan curses his college's track team and keeps moving.
"The pleasure's mine, Mister Moonwhisper." The strange appearance and name don't jolt Lysander quite as much as they might the other guests--having worked with Shadowkind over the past few years, he's more inclined towards names and faces that once belonged only in storybooks. "I suppose my first question would be if you could tell me about Mister Drain, his habits, if you had conversations at all, things like that."
Nodding along, actively listening to Mrs Drain's story, Derrick scribbles notes about the Fey Court enclave. "It sounds like the Fey Court are doing a lot of good for people around here. Sounds like the tea was pretty effective. Did you notice any other changes in Carl after he started drinking it?"
Perfect. Another test subject.
Felix keeps sprinting after the creature, and takes out his bonesaw from his belt.
Derrick
Mrs. Drain says, "Not that I can recall, things have been pretty good recently, until, that is Carl...." it takes a moment for her to regain her composure.
"I don't know if anything else I can say will help, but I do hope you can find out why this happened to Carl."
Lysander
Adran responds, "I only spoke infrequently with Carl Drain, I had occasion to travel into the city on business once a fortnight. He was a courteous and dutiful man and we respect that. I'm not sure what else I can offer to assist you but if you would like to come to our enclave perhaps we could offer some assistance to you."
Kyle, Rohan and felix
Kyle runs afoul of the feral dogs and has to move quick to avoid their grasping jaws.
Round 2 of the chase
Our mysterious friend flees from position 2 to position 3. There happens to be a security guards standing on the corner and if anyone runs past him he takes a swing at them with his baton.
The quarry slips past him, shrugging off the blow without injury. It seems like it might have some kind of armour under it's heavy clothes.
Kyle was slowed by the dogs so he runs into position 3 but gets to decide if he wants to speed past the guard or slam on the breaks.
Rohan runs into the vacant lot, the dogs are still ahead of him just as riled now that they've had a swipe as Kyle.
Felix hops over the barrier and into the dogs He makes it past the dogs but one grabs a hold of his clothing and slows him down.
Kyle keeps running at full speed saying I don't want any trouble, boys. to the guards while barreling past them.
Uninterested in the details the guard takes a swing at Kyle.
He swings wildly and misses. "Get outta here you punks!" he yells.
"Well, I thank you for your assistance and your offer, but I'd have to check with my partner before driving out to meet with you. If you could just answer a couple of questions for me here, I'm sure that will help plenty."
Assuming Moonwhisper acquiesces, Lysander steps to the edge of the gathering, hoping for a somewhat more private conversation. "I understand that Mister Drain was only a bus driver, but do you have any idea if all he did at the enclave was pick up passengers on his route? Did he ever stop off to meet with anyone, pick up packages, anything like that, as far as you know?"
Lysander pauses for an answer, then asks the other question on his mind at this point: "I'm told Mister Drain was recently given a tea by someone at the enclave, supposedly to help him overcome his addiction to smoking tobacco? You have any knowledge of something that sounds like that?"
Rohan tries to figure out if there's a way he can cut him off at some juncture.
Derrick nods, writes his cell number on a sheet of paper, and puts away his notebook.
"Thank you for your time Mrs Drain. We're doing everything we can to understand what happened. If you can think of anything else, even if it seems small or unimportant, please don't hesitate to call me. Again, I am so sorry for your loss."
With that he stands and, seeing Lysander in conversation with the fey guy, moves towards the fringes of the gathering to wait for the lawyer to finish.
Derrick
Mrs Drain gladly accepts your condolences and your number she says she will be in touch.
Lysander
Adran says"I never saw him do anything like that. Although I do remember one time he stopped his bus to get off and briefly enter a merchant's shop along his route. It was near the garage where the buses are maintained.[b]"
[b]"Indeed it was I who gave Carl Drain the tea. He had confessed to me his trouble with the tobacco and I had offered him a small pouch of lanalet tea. It is one of the herbs I was selling in the city. We use it to aid with emotional trauma and calm the nerves. Tobacco acts in a similar fashion, but lanalet, while soothing, is much more distasteful. Carl Drain explain to me that he could only stomach it a few times."
Kyle, Rohan and Felix
Round three of the chase
Your quarry runs down and empty street, no obstructions.
Kyle runs after it. The two of you are about 35 feet apart, because you lost some ground dealing with the dogs.
Having run past the dogs, and losing some ground, Dr. Brun is still catching up. Now he's faced with the security guard who is not happy that people are running by him. If you run past him you'll take an opportunity attack.
Rohan doesn't see any way of getting around the quarry, but he does remember that a sleep spell has a range of 90 feet. Each of the positions encompasses roughly 30 feet. Rohan is currently about to enter position 2 and the quarry is in position 4. So provided you can stay at least that close to him, there's a chance it might work.
I'll use Rohan's previous acrobatics roll, which means he avoids the dogs, who have decided to move along, since this spot is seeing too much traffic for them.
Rohan, seeing that he probably won't be able to catch up in time, stops, prepares his arcane might and unleashes a sleep spell. However, as usual, his power is leaking and a bit extra slips out in another effect of Wild Magic.
Felix thinks quickly. Can't kill him, can't get hit. Fine.
Felix, as he is running by, lets out a spinning kick at the man, and then a rapid strike to the head with his fist before continuing.
Rohan stops, plants his feet and claps his hands together. As he brings his palms apart a teal sparkling ball appears between his hands. He throws the ball at the quarry, who faints dead away at the same time as Kyle. Since he's last in line only the security guard sees him do this, but...
Felix kicks and strikes and knocks the security guard unconscious. He then sees Kyle and the quarry on the ground unconscious, turns around and see Rohan standing there with sparkles fading form his hands.
zZzZzZ...
"Sorry!"
It came as a shout though Rohan had simply spoken the word. Magic does work in mysterious ways. But for now, it seems they had caught their quarry, though a couple had gotten caught in the crossfire.
"Well now." Says Doctor Burn. "Magic is definitely odd." He then goes over an shakes Kyle awake.
Kyle instinctively tries to grab the doctor by his collar when awakened.
He quickly comes to his sense saying, Wait... what happened?
"Calm Down! You just got hit by some of my magic is all! My bad! You okay!"
Rohan is still talking normally, which means his volume is at the shouting level. He decides its best to stop talking until he feels his magic has passed, and merely nods to sleeping Shadowkind.
Kid, go grab the rope from my pack in the car. We can make sure it doesn't wake up until you get back.
Kyle stands watch nearby until they can tie up the shadowkind so he doesn't run again.
Rohan stares at him blankly, not moving.
He raises an eyebrow in disbelief giving a very blatant message of "Really?"
Seeing Rohan not moving Kyle says, Fine. I'll get it myself. Don't let this guy get away.
Kyle jogs off muttering about millennials.
Rohan rolls his eyes, and readies a spell in case the target wakes up and decides to flee.
Mutters something about stuck-up old men.