You escort the Duchess, Arasbey and his prisoner from the keep. The tiefling's protestations cause Arasbey to tie his hands behind his back and gag him. Outside, you liase with more Risuri troops and hand off the Duchess.
Arasbey leads you to a large stone building. Inside, a massive teleportation circle has been etched into the floor. He says, "The Unseen Court appreciates your assistance in this matter. Make sure you pass along my message to your King." With that, he pulls out a scroll and reading it, he and his charge disappear in a burst of brilliance.
Throughout the day, the Duchess's remaining troops are captured and loaded onto ships. Once loaded, they depart, taking their prisoners back to the mainland. Eventually only the Impossible remains behind. Near sunset, asteam-powered Danoran warship named Lux Profectusque—squatter and slower than the Coaltongue, but sturdier for open seas travel— coasts into the Axis Fortress harbor. Lya Jierre disembarks, flanked by a pairof unusual bodyguards.
The first is a snide half-elf who carries a pair of elaborately decorated platinum rods, slotted into holsters at his hips. Amid images of roiling clouds and celestial spheres, two golden buttons stand out by each rod’s gripping end. The man’s forearms are massively muscled.
The second, a hulking half-orc, wears a steel helmet with unusually thick protection over his ears, but otherwise has no armor. He holds a thickly-wrapped object, like an overlong walking staff, twice as thick at the top as where he holds it. Layers of white cashmere conceal the object’s head.
When Lya sees you she smiles and asks if she can take back her country’s island. She produces a pair of matching documents, minor treaties that state simply, without any legalese or jargon that Risur condemns the duchess’s attack on the island and will not press a claim to its ownership on account of this particular military event. As government representative, you are empowered to sign on behalf of Risur, and do so.
Lya is a bit concerned that you did not manage to find her cousin, Nathan, but is confident that he will turn up. She asks that you leave soon, because not all of her people are as fond of Risur as she is. She thanks you again and takes her leave.
With that, there’s nothing left to do but board the Impossible and sail back to Risur.
Forty years ago the city of Flint was a second-tier port, mostly a haven for fishermen and loggers. Still struggling to overcome the stigma of having once been the domain of a perilous coven of witches, Flint was prosperous, but played little role in Risuri affairs.
Then the Third Yerasol War ended and the new king declared Flint would be his nation’s seat of industry. Mines in the Anthras Mountains poured iron and coal downriver to Flint’s harbor. Old forests within the city limits were clear-cut and factories erected in their place to build guns, refine alchemicals, and forge steel rails and train cars.
Thousands of immigrants and gold-seeking villagers crowded into shabby flophouses and tenements around the factories, then when those were filled they built new slums on the sides of the city’s steep hills. Smoke and soot poured forth from factory roofs, and criminal elements took root beneath these gloomy clouds,growing strong and feeding on the desperation of a new population of workmen, prostitutes, and orphans.
In places, Flint’s historical beauty still endures—in the governor’s island mansion fortress, high atop haunted Cauldron Hill, deep in the breeze-swaying branches of the Cloudwood, and on the bayou plantations west of Pine Island.And the confluence of people from so many stations has inspired great art and technological innovation. But cracks between competing groups are straining the peace, and all it would take are a few disasters to drive the city apart.
It’s just before 11 a.m. on the 1st day of Summer, and the team is at the main office of the Risuri Homeland Constabulary going over leads in the Gale investigation when Assistant Chief Inspector Stover Delft, interrupts the team.
“Time for some field work, constables. We just received a delightful report about the perfect lead for you. Young woman, identity unknown, jumps out of the fourth floor window at the Danoran consulate, impales herself on the spires of the compound fence, and perishes. Technically half of her is in our jurisdiction, which is good for you because the fence she landed on was forty feet from the window. Seems like our young victim thought she could fly.”
When you are ready to leave, a carriage is waiting to convey you to the Danoran consulate, and even with official seals on its doors to help clear the way, the ride takes nearly an hour. The late spring morning is warm and muggy, and a foul breeze blows a cloak of smog over the normally clear-skied North Shore district. The street that runs past the consulate has no buildings on its opposite side, just beach, but four Flint police officers are trying to block off access to gawkers. A black coroner’s carriage waits outside the consulate gate; the back door is open, and its driver sits on the slab where a dead body should go, looking bored.
A young-looking eladrin sits in the office with his folder in hand. He looks up when Stover Delft enters. "Good morning," he says, as he always does. He sits up straight and listens attentively to the announcement.
"Poor lady," Abunan comments, shaking his head in pity. "'Gale' has been sabotaging factories. There weren't any factories in the area that this woman might have been intending to sabotage, were there?"
Jace travels "suited up": a translucent otherworldly presence seems to surround and support him. suspicious facts here. 4th floor means about 40 feet up. No one jumps outward 40'. That is a 1 to 1 glide path. Had to be assisted somehow. magically or otherwise. he postulates.
Sterling ponders this as he rides. It's stranger than that. If each floor is 10ft, a fourth-floor ceiling is about 40ft up, but the base of the window is less than 35ft. That fence also must be at least 10ft high, so landing on top would suggest a glide ratio closer to 2 to 1.
Nezu'mi Jwee hunches in the corner of the office working on some small project feverishly. His large backpack takes up much of his torso, his long loose fitting coat, pants and shirt are covered in baubles and small vials of what one can only assume to be Alchemical Ingredients, his ears twitch as he listens attentively to the group discuss the events. A small jingle of his earrings the only betrayal that he might actually be paying attention..
"Up.. out.. maybe arms flap hard enough you make it?? Hmmm peculiar..."
Jwee spits a small amount of something in his mouth into a vial and it bubbles and releases a fragrant odor... which quickly becomes foul. Jwee hisses his disapointment.
"wrong wrong wrong! Cat's Claw, Kelp, Fenugreek, Yarrow! Jwee did it right!"
Jwee produces a small plain looking tomb from somewhere inside his coat and begins flipping feverishly through the pages, all of which are empty. After a brief consultation he rises to his meager height, supported by his knotted and gnarled cane.
"Ride now in horse boat? Jwee would see the scene, Jwee would like to see the dead."
"I as well." Saturday agreed with Constable Jwee.
The doctor was back in his usual attire, having shed his military fatigues and equipment when they were on the boat back from Yerasol.
His short-beaked physician's mask hung from his belt and he wore pale grey trousers and long coat. A top hat sat on his head and a lit cigar hung between his fingers. His constable's badge was worn on the back side of his lapel, out of sight unless he wanted to display it.
Since coming back from their last mission, he'd shaken off quite a bit of the stiffness and uncertainty that came with being new on the job. Also gone was the unintigrated outsider to Risuran society. He still spoke with a thick accent, but he had embraced his adopted home whole heartedly.
As you step out of the carriage, one of the officers takes a look at his pocket watch and approaches you. He introduces himself as Alfred Bellastair, the officer in charge of the scene.
“We responded to some panicked witnesses, and by the time the first of our men got here the Danorans had taken the victim off the fence and carried her inside. But everyone had pretty much the same story. They heard gun retorts, saw the woman jump out the window, and she landed on the fence. One scoundrel apparently stole stuff off her body and ran away as she was bleeding out. The Danorans wouldn’t let us inside, but I yelled at them that you’d be showing up, and they said they wouldn’t get rid of the body. The guy you want to talk to is the security chief, Julian LeBrix."
He looks impatiently at his watch again,
“You can handle the investigation from here without my men, right? We’ve got better things to do than sit around for another hour while the “special constables”drink up the hospitality of the Danorans.”
Jace frowns at the man. Where have you sequestered those witnesses who saw the woman jump? he ask, all business.
As the discussion begins between the Officers and Nezu'mi's co workers Jwee scurries passed them on all fours, his ears tracing their conversation. Jwee pulls out a minute hour glass from somewhere inside his coat. He flips it and begins to pace out 40 feet, makes note of the time and repeats, this time at a run on all fours and again makes note of the time.
Gasping and now completely out of breath,
"no way, no way it is possible..."
Jwee continues his self absorbed experiments for the next few minutes while his team gets information.
Abunan knocks on the door of the Danoran consulate before entering. After being invited in and exchanging niceties, he says, "I hear that some of her possessions were stolen. Was anything else found on the body? And may we have a look at it?"
While waiting for the witnesses, he tells his fellows, "I'd love to hear more about the gunshot that the witnesses heard. It sounds as if our victim might have been chased out by someone else. We might also have to check her body for bullet wounds, and maybe check the apartment she flew out of when we get a chance."
Sterling takes a few minutes to examine the scene, looking for any sign that the situation is not as it seems.
@Jace: The guards points to the crowd, "There's your witnesses. I'm sure some have wandered off by now, but feel free to talk to them yourselves. I've given you the summary. A detailed report will be sent to the RNC office tomorrow."
@Jwee:
@Sterling: The condition of the general area is consistent with what was described by the officer.
@Abunan:As you approach the consulate gate a man come to meet you. He introduces himself as the Danoran security chief Julian LeBrix, while cleaning staff work to scrub blood and viscera off the fence just beside the gate.
He walks those party members that wish to enter in through the courtyard gardens into the entry hall of the consulate. Along the way he says, “This is a mess. I took a diplomatic post to avoid having to see blood and death anymore. It has our people shaken up—none of them ever saw war—and so I hope you can take the woman’s body and go quickly. Better for everyone I think if the consular doesn’t have to be bothered. He has more important things on his mind than a burglary. We have treaty negotiations, trade contracts, and you don’t want powerful men thinking about death when they’re deciding our fates, you know?"
"The woman went by the name Nilasa Hume. She’s been in a few times these past few months. Seemed nice enough. She brought us breakfast this morning. One of our security personnel, Braden, was dating her. She used him to case the building, and must have overheard someone talking about upstairs."
"I noticed she slipped out while everyone else was eating the food she’d brought. A hunch led me upstairs, and I found her slipping gold forks and spoons into her pockets.”
LeBrix pulls out a small padded bag, then pulls from that a tiny ceramic egg, beautifully decorated with gems and gold.
"She also had this. It’s worth thousands, and we had it sitting out on display. I saw her, drew my pistol. She ran. I realized she was about to jump out the window. I thought she was trying to kill herself, so I fired and hit her in the leg. Then she jumped. Flew straight through the glass. Now I’m thinking she’s about to escape,so I reload and shoot her in the back. That’s when she fell."
“That all happened within the consulate grounds. I’m within my rights to have taken these actions, though I wish I hadn’t had to.”
The consulate’s main secretary, watches the group as they come in, but gets back to work when LeBrix tosses a sidelong look at her. He leads you down a hall and stops outside a storage room. Opening the door he says, "We’re all professionals here. It would help me out if you can take the body and leave quickly.”
Inside the storage room, a bloodied white tablecloth covers a
body, while a consulate guard sits in a chair beside it, stunned and grieving
@Jwee:
jace listens to the security chief and thinks about his story. You shot her twice? Was she even armed? he asks.
We may be getting ahead of ourselves. I am going to take some statements from the eye witnesses in the crowd before they start leaving. Jace says and moves that way.
Greetings Citizens. I am detective Jace Azata. Thank you for staying long enough to give me your statements. This will be quick and the state thanks you in advance for your assistance in making our nation safer for all.
Notebook out, he begins to take statements, first from eye witnesses and then from anyone else who things they have something to contribute.
Abunan nods to Julian LeBrix's story, listening closely for anything suspicious.
"The flying sounds just like Gale. But she usually uses her ability to fly to sabotage buildings. I wouldn't have thought that she would engage in petty theft."
After thinking for a moment, he asks, "Whoever robbed the body must have known what she was carrying. Where was Braden while this was happening? And where is he now?"
When the time to examine the body comes, Abunan grimaces and looks over it, particularly for any objects in her pockets.
Jwee follows the group to the covered body, ears twitching as he listens to the inquiries and conversations of those around him. As he walks he constantly pulls things out from his pockets to stows them somewhere else. As he approaches the cadaver he pulls the drape off and begins to examine as well.
Jwee looks around at his co workers and the sobbing man. He shrugs stating confidently,
"This is in fact a body.."
He pokes her legs with a ratty nail,
"Pretty fast for little legs.."
Moving off to the corner to allow his colleagues to work Jwee pulls several things out of his coat and begins to fiddle and tinker to no purpose.
Saturday let Jace handle the questioning and went straight to examining the body. He clicked the locket hanging from his neck open. A bright light poured forth to help him work.
LeBrix says to Jace, "Would have shot her a third time, if that's what it took to put her down. We take Risuri violation of Danoran territory quite seriously."
While the others are inside Jace takes some time to canvas the crowd.
You spend 30mins talking to the crowd. Mostly, it's just variations of the description of events that the officer in charge provided to you, but you manage to tease out two additional bits of information.
1. One witness mentions a man sprinting down the street fleeing the scene with an armful of something, before turning down an alley that the witness points out to you.
2. Another witness saw the immediate aftermath of the incident. When the Danorans took the woman’s body off the fence, her face was covered in blood. People matching the description of LeBrix, Consular duNadria, and a third unknown man got into a brief shouting match as the body was being carried inside.
The man lets out a sob as you pull off the covering.
A superficial examination of the body finds glass wounds on her arms, two fence punctures to the abdomen, and gunshot wounds to the back left thigh and shoulder. Doc also notices an unusual wound on her scalp.
Saturday quickly finishes his cursory examination and pulls the cover back over the body.
"Was the deceased wounded in any way before she was shot? Did you notice any other signs of injury during your pursuit?" Saturday asked.
"I'm sorry to hear of your loss," Abunan says, attempting to console Braden. Thinking it unwise to interrogate the man at this moment, he merely looks over his body to see if there was anything in his pockets.
"We should probably take the body from the room. I'll take it away now if there's a casket or something else to hold the body," he says, looking around the room for one.
Jace jogs over and checks out the ally the witness pointed out. Once there he looks for clues and tracks. but he knows he is no expert in such matters so puts up some crime scene markets and notes to send someone more skilled to examine the ally.
"Was the deceased wounded in any way before she was shot? Did you notice any other signs of injury during your pursuit?" Saturday asked.
Labrix replies, "Not that I noticed, but I didn't really get a good look. It all happened so fast."
While you are poking about, a man approaches you from the opposite end of the alley. He wears the the traditional garb of the city's carriage drivers. "Excuse me Guv, but would ya be knowing much about the goings on over there at the Consulate. Seems to be a bit of a scene."
"Here, let me remove the body from here," Abunan says after he takes out the bag and begins to put the deceased inside.
After the body is safely stowed away, Abunan turns to Braden. "Would you be willing to come for a meeting later at the Risur constabulary's office? There are some things we should probably take care of regarding this death, and you are probably well-positioned to help with it."
Saturday helped Abunan pack up and move the body to a private location, then began his more thorough autopsy.
In the time that it took the others to prepare and wrap the body in the shroud Jwee had crafted a Disguise Self self potion and drank it in the corner, hopefully no one really noticed..
Jwee changes his appearance to be approximately 10" taller, his fur to be dark and his clothing to be much more fanciful than before. After finishing his consumption and transformation he mumbles to himself
"The rat that goes in, is not the rat that comes out.. heh heh hehhh.
Still walking with his cane he follows his colleagues out.
Braden nods, "I could probably do that."
Labrix says, "Braden is at your disposal now to answer your questions. I don't see why that has to wait."
As Nezu'mi sits in the corner thinking he's far more clever than anyone else his ears twitch as he listens to his colleague question Braden and listens to Labrix.
The now larger ratfolk shrugs his shoulders to himself and continues to tinker.
"I don't want to interrogate him right after he lost Nilasa," Abunan answers innocently. "I think it would be more sensitive to wait until later."
Studying the found paper Jace ponders it until interrupted by the seemingly innocent carriage drive.
Taking a step back Jace places a hand on his sword and takes in his surroundings more closely, looking for threats before responding.
Its only natural to be curious, but you should know I cannot comment on a murder investigation. And since this is a murder I am sure you will not mind showing me your hands and explaining what you are doing in this back ally.
Labrix scowls. "How very considerate of you. What Brayden does during his free time is, of course, up to him. I'm sure he will be happy to visit your offices at some later date, when his duties allow.
The man's eye go wide and his hands pop up in a flash. "Easy, Guv. No harm intend here. I picked up a fare at the far end of the alley. He did a runner on me, so I came back here to see if I could catch wind of any info that might help me track down my coin. Now you're telling me that there been murder done? Don't tell me I helped the killer escape!"
Sensing no danger from this man Jace visibly relaxes and nods. You may have accidentally done so. I'd have a description of this man, where you took him, and anything you might have noted about him or anything he might have been carrying. he gets out a pad to write down what the man says. He will also get a sample of the blood.
Abunan winces a little when scowled at, but tries to keep a smile. "I hope to see you later at the Risuri office, then."
The man looks appropriately mortified by the implication. "He was an average looking fella, dark hair, tan, human. Had a trim beard. Wore a suit. He did have bloody hands and was carrying a bundle of what I guess might have been surgical tools, since the fella said he was a doctor in the middle of a procedure, and that he needed to go get special surgical equipment. He had a funny accent, definitely not a local. He asked to be driven to a hostel, the House of Blue Birds. It's two miles away on the western edge of the North Shore district. I drove the man to the hostel double quick and then waited for half an hour before I figured I'd been ditched."
If you heard that accent again would you recognize it? Jace asks and then gets the man's contact information in case he is needed later in the investigation. []bThank you for your help citizen. We will look into this House of Blue Birds and will be in touch if we think you can help further. [/b]
Collecting the body, you make your way to the RNC's morgue. You fill out the proper intake forms as the body is moved to one of the facility's cold rooms. Eager to give the corpse a good once over, you waive away the medical examiner, so you can search the body.
In her pocket you find a bail certificate from the Parity Lake police station, and reveals that she was picked up in a contraband raid recently, but released on bail, paid by one “Heward Sechim.” Secreted away in her top you also find an empty potion bottle, a little residue still present in the bottom.
Feel free to RP it up, but the results of your examination are that 1. The unusual wound on the woman's head was most-likely caused by some sort of energy discharge. 2. That the gunshot wounds were fired from above and were most-likely inflicted after the woman died.
Abunan pockets the bail certificate, and goes to the file cabinets to check the documents for the name "Heward Sechim."
Jace relates what all he discovered in his questioning of the crowd and his meeting in the ally. Too many loose ends already. he notes. How to we tie everything together and eliminate the unimportant?[/b]
Using the tools of the lab Jace looks over the body too, examining the wounds and looking for clues but finds little. What do you think Doc?
As the group discusses the body Jace asks Can anyone determine what the potion was?
Saturday carefully cut away the hair to expose the corpse's head wound. "An energy discharge of some kind." he said, drawing everyone's attention to the pattern o the damage.
Then he took his time with the bullet wounds. D'ees were fired from above. See da blood pattern here? Her heart was not pumping at da time she was shot."
"I would surmise dat dey shot her aftah she 'ad fallen to her death, either to make it look like she 'ad run from their shots, or to ensure that she was dead."
"Da Danorans lied to us." he said, sounding unsurprised.
"I can ask her spirit one question. Any suggestions?"
"Make that two questions," Abunan says. Doc Saturday still hadn't worked with him enough time to know about his time training in Danor.
"I think we should ask her for whom she was stealing, and maybe who shot her. I would also like to know how she was able to fly, but I would hazard a guess that this empty potion bottle might provide the answer," he says, peering inside the bottle.
"I think we should ask her for whom she was stealing, or maybe who shot her. I would also like to know how she was able to fly, but I would hazard a guess that this empty potion bottle might provide the answer," he says, peering inside the bottle.