Do they look "normal"? Like a normal bar fight? Or is there some effect happening in my opinion?
»Turnips! »
Giggett feels turnips are behind this.
Turnip ale and turnip liquor.
Otherwise, ‘tis a nice bar fight!
Giggett then comes back to her past activities, ignoring the bar fight.
And, there, you will search the three rooms... thoroughly, right?
Seems usual in this place. Hope the night will be more relaxing. In fact i was expecting more order in a vassal state of Cheliax ... I think my country need to do something here and put these men in a more orderly way.
They lack of faith is disappointing.
Turning to Borg he asks Have you seen this bar brawl often when stopping here? Is that usual?
Dragh enjoys his meal and drinks when the fight starts. As it grows in scale dwarf grabs his mug and move to a closer part of the common room where he can drink his turnip drink without being disturbed. He occasionally tries to dodge flying objects and does not join the crowd unless and of the farmers will come and attack him.
For now, Dragh seems to be enjoying the show as a spectator.
And then will do the three rooms.
This will take a little bit of time.
The rooms all seem empty, with just the hay that what put in, with the sheets and blankets.
She does not manage to grapple them, but they fall on their butts, quite tired.
Dragh watches on, and sees that thanks the Natsume's grappling and Tamerius' chastizing, the fight is already dying down.
It is about over...
Bort smiles: "Come on, friends!
Come back to the table to finish your meal.
Enjoy a round of drinks!
And lets finish the dessert, so we all can go to bed."
Then Bort calls out to the room: "Everybody! Enough fighting! The turnip porridge here is my favorite! LETS ALL HAVE DESSERT."
Bort starts to dig into the extra large bowl of it sitting before him.
He waves you all over: "Come on, let them stop... get here before the sheriff arrives!"
"All is well that ends well, and ends with sweetness!"
He also smiles when Natsume comes and plops down to join them.
He has her served in turnip porridge too.
"Well, other than our cautious, or paranoid, gnome traveller, we are all here!
And I am happy to say th--"
--but Bort begins to cough, and... choke.
"Oh, man! All is well that ends without indigestion! I should eat less puddings!"
"So, I wanted to tell you how happy I am th--"
But his coughing returns, and it clear he is in distress.
He begins to turn purple and his mouth begins frothing.
As you all see that this is not indigestion, and you start to react--
--but, mere seconds after, just as you are starting to act, Bort's eyes roll into his head and a rumble can be heard in his guts.
Immediately, he collapses onto the table and... dies? He is not breathing, and his face is purple. Choking?!
You see that there is a trap to come up from the ladder to the loft where you are.
You could block that.
You carefully explore the corridor and the three rooms.
They seem to not be trapped nor anything - you go through the hay also.
There is only one - small - window, at the end of the corridor that leads from the trap, and onto which the three rooms open.
Also, it is a loft, so you are under the roof, and it is tiled, so people could remove tiles and slip through... it would take some time and make a bit of noise, though.
What's going on!?
Looking at Bort, he sees his eyes are glazed over, and he seems half out of it.
Tamerius can determine that Bort is not choking on anything, but that his windpipe has swollen shut, indicating that he has been... poisoned!
As Tamerius starts to think about what to do-- Bort convulses, and then goes totally limp.
Blessed by his god, Tamerius don't seems to be affected by the poison. He tries his best to save the dwarf.
Even his God was not powerful enough to help him here.
Natsume also feels sick.
So, before trying to see what you can do to help Bort, you turn to yourselves.
Your mouth and throat start hurting, and you are sickened, your throat feels swollen up and you know you cannot swallow anything.
Seeing what happened to Bort, this is scary!
Dragh also feels the poison in his throat--
Olf and Ulf are also clutching at their throats, and gasping.
Bort’s collapse happens so quickly that no one in the Feedmill has a chance to react either.
After Bort collapses, townsfolk gather round to see what all the commotion is about.
They stare at Bort, at you five--
"What's going on?!"
Dragh as the last notice that something is wrong with Bort. When Tamerius tries to help him he also ...
feels a bit unwell. It reminds him when as a child they bough some Yest from Goblin clan to test with their beer. Half of the clan was poisoned for a week. This feels a bit similar.
"I think it is the porridge... It smelled funny..."
As the three of you clutch at your mouths, throats, and try to see what you could do, not knowing what, especially since you cannot swallow... the pain abates.
And you realize you most only have swallowed trace elements of whatever poison this is, not as much as Bort.
Within a minute you feel a little better, and are no longer sickened.
Your mouth and throat still sting, but you are relieved to see you are okay - though a bit hurt.
At that moment, Delma enters with a man - who you will soon learn is the sheriff, Rolth Garley, who looks around, and sees where the bar-room brawl happened, with the dirty floor and bruised people... before going over to see what all are pointing at: Bort!
Everybody is at first just concerned for the dwarf’s well-being.
But Delma soon knows he is not well, and is of course appalled to see that the dwarf is dead... for dead he sure is.
Thus Rolth says: "He is dead."
The tavern goes silent, and everyone begins eyeing one another... and their food.
Dragh is quite sure the poison was in the pudding, not the drink.
And most probably Bort's pudding.
Delma asks: "What happened!"
The sheriff, out of breath for having hurried over, states: "I order to hold the caravan here, to determine who among the crew killed their boss."
And he looks at the five of you - you three, and the twins.
But people in the bar call out: "They were poisoned too, look at 'em."
"But they are not dead," says sheriff Rolth. "You are not dead, right?"
Just then, Tamli comes rushing in: "What happened?!"
So you rush down, and you enter, just behind Tamli who running inside too.
Just behind Tamli, Giggett rushes in.
The two of them see that a bar fight just finished, and hear people talking about--
"The dwarf's dead!
- They murdered Bort!
- Poisoned his ale!
- No, his pudding!
- No one dies from turnips, turnips are good for ya'!"
The sheriff Rolth Garley calls out:
"Quiet all! I am the law... well, I mean, I'm the only law you got."
People mumble: "Your not the law, your just the nephew!"
But Rolth keeps on speaking, in a shaky voice: "Cover the body up!"
Then he looks at the people from the caravan, including Tamli and Giggett who just arrived: "Everyone who just arrived, and you at the table... you members of the caravan, come out to the stables. I'll be talking to each of you one after the other!"
Giggett can't stop staring at the scene. Between the overall mess, the dead dwarf and the wannabee law, emotions flow through her veins, and it's a bliss. Life's the best drug you can take!
Luckily, her tongue has its own life and doesn't need any thought to get into action.
"Sheriff, you can count on my absolute support. I'll even go further than that, you can count on my help. It happens that under the stars of this beautiful night Desna smiles on Etran's Folly, as I, Giggett Manshwalough, happen to be a renowned investigator with more than a solved case on my resume. The mystery of the orange chamber? It was me! The dog of the Baskertown? Me again!"
"So, could we start by myself to hastily erase me from the list of suspects so I can help you during the rest of your investigation?"
Tamerius stands up and stays, quite angry.
I'm Tamerius Archilus of House Dulifer, anointed priest of Asmodeus. How DARE you accusing ME of murder!
If you want to find the real culprit, look at who was preparing the meal and asks the question of WHO wasn't poisoned.
Tamerius then starts looking at each of the patrons.
Then turning to the Sheriff he says You are the law here, do your job!
Or I swear I will kill each man, woman, child and animal of this miserable town!
Dragh looks at dead Bort without saying a word.
"Sheriff it would be unwise to limit the suspects to only members of the caravan. Bort was poisoned in this fine establishment, where most of the town folks were present. Bort did business regularly with folks of Etran's Folly and could make some enemies amongst them. If I would be a poisoner I would add the poison somewhere in the middle of nowhere and left him there, leaving the caravan."
Dwarf reconsiders, thinking that probably saying how he would have done it doesn't make his case better.
"I would also like to help you, Sheriff. I don't like being stuck in this town, I don't mind being on a suspect list. But I can help you gather information and question people. My name is Dragh Goldenoak and I work for the Goldenoak Brewary. It is a pleasure to meet you Sheriff even in such situation."
Says dwarf waiting for the response.
The sheriff looks at Giggett: "Ms. Mawnsh... Mashnw... Ms. Investigator! I must admit I am not used to much investigating, thus some help would be nice to have.
So, well, uh... how do we start by hastily erasing you from the list of suspects? I would like to do that."
Then the sheriff turns towards Tamerius as the outburst starts: "Well, I am not accusing you, just saying it is possible... oh, yes, that is very smart! The person preparing the meal... oh, but we know the cook, she wouldn't do that!"
Then, when Tamerius yells at the sheriff, he seems gripped by fear and struggles to control his nerves, obviously frightened.
[smaller]"Hey... don't go threatening people."
But the people in the inn start looking at Tamerius: "- He wants to kill us all!
- He is a murdered!
- Run him out of town!"
Dragh calms the sheriff down, and he seems to be nicer to Dragh than the others now.
"But no one here would have done this, all are good people."
He thinks, then looks at Dragh:
"But, your logic is not great... you are not the poisoner, you say, but then you say 'if I would be a poisoner I would' do this or that... but since you are not a poisoner you cannot say you are! HA!"
The sheriff scratches his head: "But is Ms. Giggett helps me make sure you are not the poisoner, then you could help us... oh? Goldenoak Brewary! That sure is NOT poison! I love Gale. Welcome to our town! I hope you are enjoying your stay!... oh, well, other than this death, of course."
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Red in anger, Tamerius yells at the people in the inn YOU ARE THE POISONOUS MURDERERS!
Who's dead? Who's was poisoned? You? NO!
US!
Someone from YOUR town, try to MURDER, ME! and murdered Bort. Look! LOOK!
He's DEAD and NONE of you are sick.
So, before I'm getting angrier, stop being more stupid than you already are and try to think for the first time of your life! Be smart for once and may be there will be no more dead in this decaying town of yours.
"So, well, uh... how do we start by hastily erasing you from the list of suspects? I would like to do that."
"It's very simple, you just have to take my deposition. We can go in the stables as you suggested, and I'll tell you all I've done during this evening and answer all your questions."
The sheriff blushes, as he looks at Giggett: "Well, come on, now, ma'am, I do not mean to pry and ask all that you've been doing. That is your own personal matter, after all! I just need to know you did not poison the dwarf."
He then looks at Tamerius, a bit less frightened, but still wary: "You sound like my mother, Pharasma have her soul... Think think think she used to say! Ah well... but you do have a point there. I will ask Ms. Giggett to see who to make sure you did not do this either. But you do have a point!"
Giggett starts walking around while talking. She looks down, holding her chin with one hand and it looks like she's thinking.
"Sheriff, I'll start with our arrival to this town. We didn't come here unscratched, as an event happened just a mile before hitting Etran's Folly. A pack of wolves attacked our caravan. Hungry wolves? No, no, no... Perfectly healthy wolves, save from their pack leader. A big wolf... able to spit acid!"
Giggett stops and looks every townfolk intensely when saying the last words of her sentence.
"Natsume and I investigated." she shows Natsume with a head gesture "Natsume happens to be a skilled hunter. She gave me the description of their endeavor before attacking us, and I determined that..."
Giggett stops once again and her voice is now deep and low.
"This was no random attack! Someone had summoned the wolves and controlled them to attack us!"
Very satisfied by her effects, Giggett continues:
"Thanks to my deductive abilities, I quickly understood a few things. First, this was just a preliminary attack. Second, there is one person who was waiting for us here in Etran's Folly. I don't believe it comes from one of the caravan people. If you want to murder someone in a caravan, you do it while far away from civilization, so you can quickly escape from justice. Doing it here makes you a prime suspect, as everyone saw."
Giggett makes a pause to check the audience is following.
"This evening, I told mister Bargith, the victim, and a few others, that we should be vigilant as the second attack could come at any point during the night... I must admit I didn't thought it would come that early. So, while everyone was festering, I was investigating our rooms, to see how to properly protect our lives during this long night of ours. And I've been alerted that a murder happened and came at that moment. Edra can testify that I was in the rooms upstairs while the poisoning happened. And I've been most of the time with people, Edra, Tamerius, Dragh, Bort and Edra again, during the whole evening. So, I can't have poisoned the food."
Giggett goes back to the sheriff.
"Now that my innocence is an evidence, I think we should go on the investigation. Sheriff, you should close the inn and the barn next to it, and let everyone sit and wait while we conduct it."
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Natsume, as the swelling in her throat goes down, breathes a sigh of relief and walks over to Bort, grinning and holding up one hand as she sits in the nearest seat.
"Guys, guys! I've heard all of Bort's stories. I bet in a minute now, he'll come right back to life and tell us all about the new shampoo he just sold to Pharasma!
...Any minute now!
.........Aaaaaaanyyyy... miii...nute....... nowwwwww...."
Rolth, the sheriff, smiles at GIggett, obviously appreciating the lady investigator.
"Who can summon wolves? ... out in the wild. And then poison you here? I don't know anyone who'd poison you, but I don't see anyone here who can talk to wolves."
People look at one another and nod.
They mutter about "acid-wolves"...
The sheriff rubs his chin: "Closing the bar, and the barn... I don't want to hold everyone in the bar. I'm certain they won’t be leaving town anytime soon. And, if someone runs, then we know who the guilty party is, right?"
He thinks: "Though he can’t be certain, hearing that you" - he nods towards Tamerius and Dragh - |tried to help the dwarf-master Bort, combined with the fact that I was told you hardly knew him, convinces me that you are unlikely to be responsible."
He looks at Olf and Ulf: "But the members of the caravan... will they inherit the lucrative business? That would make you suspects. Follow the Gold Coins I am told!
But, well, most were not in the bar..."
The twins look at him: "Hey, we were drinking and gambling with Eallom before and after the fight... and then we too were poisoned." They are weary, like the three other companions.
The sheriff is surprised: "Fight? What fight?"
Delma, the bar tender, sighs: "The bar fight that I went to fetch you about."
The sheriff nods... but seems a bit lost.
Delma continues: "I would close the kitchen and send the townsfolk home, and my staff. I don't want to have them hanging around this dead man.
If we wish to interrogate people?"
The sheriff nods: "We will first investigate the murder, then I will deal with that bar-fight!
But, having no clear suspect, and since no member of the caravan can be ruled out, well, and because I have no jail, well, I need to turn this investigation over to a circuit judge.
The judge, Lord Mubbage Cranberry, who deals with serious legal matters and crimes will take over and deal justice!"
Delma sighs again: "He's not due back in town for... another month!"
The sheriff nods: "So everyone is stuck here until then!
Since I know not who committed this heinous crime, I am bound to hold all possible suspects until the judge arrives."
He leans over towards Giggett: "But if someone assists in the investigation, it might be resolved sooner!"
The sheriff is ready to let people leave, and close the inn down, and let the caravan people take care of Bort... while you tell him to interrogate or such.
Sadly, Natsume does not see Bort's eyes open.
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Giggett nods.
"You're right, sheriff. It's too much stress for everyone. It is better to let the townfolks and the caravan people go to bed. If you allow me, I'll investigate on your behalf, helping you with all the experience I've gathered all these years."
Giggett looks around, and starts showing her companions.
"I also think I'll need some help on this case, as it looks like it will be dangerous. Sir Tamerius Archilus being a priest of Asmodeus, I think he should have an official position during the investigation, to properly represent his high rank. Dragh Goldenoak is a skilled wizard, I've seen him in action. And we both know how magic can help during investigations. And Natsume is a skilled hunter, which is a very useful ability when you are following feint tracks. If you trust my intuition, we should accept their help, if they have the desire to lend us a hand. There is strength in numbers."
Tamerius tries to recollect his memories of the events to look if something caught his attention that at the time have seem suspicious but at the light of the last event could have been.
What?! One month in this damp!
Following Giggets words, Tamerius says.
We will help with the investigation Sheriff. As a follower of the Law and the Great Asmodeus I swear that I will find the culprit and be sure that all the might of the Law will be given to him or her and that all who help the death of Master Bort will also be punished.
Turning around he asks Where is Cooky? He was in the kitchen and I've not seen him since the incident.
Natsume frowns as Bort remains dead, quite contrary to how his stories tend to go. She slowly stands back up.
"Well, don't bury him yet. He might still come back," she says, though she sounds notably dejected. Maybe Bort's stories were just stories...
At the mention of Cooky, Natsume's head swivels around. "I don't remember seeing him since we got to town, to be honest!"
The sheriff is very proud when Giggett says he is right.
Seeing this, Delma sighs: "Oh, by Desna's butterflies... we'll never hear the end of this."
Rolth the sheriff lets Giggett move the townfolk and caravan people out, and run the investigation, with the three she has chosen.
He gives Dragh a big smile: "We can toast Bort's demise with some gale!"
Delma pouts: "Turnip ale no longer good for you?!"
The sheriff bows to Tamerius: "Why... thank you!"
To Tamerius' question, Tamli nods to the outside: "Cooky's supposed to be, or just was, this past hour or so, guarding the wagons. In the cook's wagon..."
Tamerius is thinking back to anything that caught his attention...
Tamli goes over to Natsume and... hugs her tight, deeply moved by her words about Bort who might still come back.
After Rolth "orders" the caravan to remain in town, everyone heads home.
Bort’s body is taken down to the cellar by Olf and Ulf, to be kept cool.
You all see Cooky arriving with Glunda.
They join Tamli, so the people of the caravan can gather to mourn.
Tamli looks at you four, and invites you to join the caravan-folk out near the wagons.
This is a somber occasion, and everyone in the company is at a loss.
Bort was their leader, and without him, their future is uncertain.
They ponder, mainly the three teamsters, what will happen to them, to the caravan...
Tamli says they will work something out.
"Let us tell some tales, first. For Bort!"
So, you sit around the fire, and tales of remembrance are told through teary eyes.
Cooky surprises all by pulling out very rare bottles of elven wine from Kyonin.
They are passed around for all to share... and they are either the best wine you ever had in your life., or, for some from big families, they are top notch.
All talk, and tell tales...
Tamli remains mostly quiet through this, but at the end of the night, just as the sun begins to rise, she looks at you four:
"Bort was more than just a merchant, more than just the boss.
He was my... friend.
We won’t leave here until we’ve found out who did this."
Cooky and the teamsters all nod.
Tamli pursues: "Rolth’s a fool, but I’d be an even greater fool if I thought I could get to the bottom of this
Fixing wagons and moving goods, that’s my job. But you,” she says, pointing at Giggett, and then all of you, “I don't know if you're an investigator, or just smart and curious, but you might be able to figure out who killed Bort and get justice for him.” She holds back tears as she says:
“For all of us.
Will you help uncover who did this?”
Natsume clings tightly to Tamli, swaying gently for a moment before the tears come in wracking sobs.
She's borderline inconsolable for a fair bit, and accepts the caravaners' invitation with a nod; this isn't her first run with them, after all, so she is perhaps a bit closer to Bort than the rest.
As they go around telling stories, Natsume finally speaks up to tell the tale of Bort and the Ale of Cayden Cailean. It's not half as good as Bort tells it, and she chokes it out around tears, but she gets through it.
Tamerius is outraged to have been accused to be a murderer. But he has to admit that if he would have try to kill the dwarf he will have try to look like he was targeted as well. His god taught about lies and deception and it could have been a good opportunity to apply his lessons. But, he has nothing to gain from this murder and more to loose as it will delay his arrival at his cousin as well as depleting his low founds.
In a way, Gigget was right he has to admit. The caravan was targeted once they come close to the town. First with the wolfs, then with the poison.
But if Bort was killed and the other not, it is now clear that Bort was the one targeted. Who has reasons to hate Bort or to gain from his death? Tamerius wonders.
After mourning the dwarf and conduct some prayer for his soul as the only priest present and drinking the wine he says.
We need to understand which poison was used, who known Borts here and who in the village has magical knowledge to summon or transform some animals.
Giggett is right, someone is trying to get us killed in this cursed place. Why? Is one of the question that we need to find the answer to be able to caught the culprit.
Turning to Cooky he adds Cooky you were the oldest here, can you tell us more about this place and Bort connection to it?
At first, Giggett has hard time leaving the inn, as she's more in a mood to start the investigation right away. But after crossing Tamli's expression, she changes her mind. There's a time for action and a time for people.
She stays silent during most of the night, her face carrying no emotion. She speaks rarely, only when asked. Ultimately, she answers Tamli's request:
"Well, we're stuck here... So it's either helping you or dying out of boredom. I'm in, as you may guess. We'll find the assassin, and by the Savory Sting, I promise he'll live the hardest time of his life."
And Giggett kisses her ring while saying that.
Cooky nods, and starts talking: "Well, you know this village, Etran's Folly, is called Plaguestone by some."
Glunda shakes her head: "That is not nice!"
Cooky pursues: "You saw the ancient plaguestone, the large, flat, cylindrical
rock standing 2 feet high, just outside the inn.
It has a hole in its center and a bowl-shaped depression off to one side.
When the plague ran rampant, the townsfolk left food for the sick in the bowl, while the sick left coins in the center hole, which was filled with vinegar to cleanse the coinage of contamination.
Yes... the community suffered heavily from the plague 20 years ago."
Glunda nods: "They have never fully recovered.
This town never had it easy."
Cooky smiles sadly: "Located far from popular trade routes, Bort and I have been passing through here for a long time.
It has never been more than a stopover point for merchants making their way from Elidir to Almas.
Worse still, after the Goblinblood Wars, the town suffered terribly from this plague outbreak that killed almost half the population.
Etran’s Folly never truly recovered, as Glunda says.
This is what led many to refer to the town as “Plaguestone”, in reference to the stone marker once used to safely give food to the sick and dying.
Now, many of the town’s homes and businesses are empty, their residents long dead save for a few orphans taken in by neighbors or left to fend for themselves on the fringes of the community."
Glunda sighs: "Etran’s Folly is now a tiny community of about 300 people, but many of them live on farms or in small homes on the outskirts.
It once sported a population nearly double that number."
Cooky finishes: "There is nothing else in the past of this little simple rural village without any past other than illness.
And Bort... what can people have against him?
At worse they might feel he overcharged them...
No, Bort's connection is simply that he brings goods here. Delivers them. Spends one night. Loads up some turnip ale... and heads off towards Falcon’s Hollow."
"We won't be seeing Falcon's Hollow for over a month!", Glunda adds.
Looking at Giggett, Olf and Ulf kiss their ring too... before swapping it once more.
"Could be the murderer is a she...", says Ulf.
Olf adds: "Or some being from another Plane. An... it?"
Dragh joins the mourning in his own way, by staying silent. He doesn't speak for some time just looks around with a sad expression.
After listening to Cooky description of Etran's Folly he asks:
"Who did he make business with? Only the inn? Is there anyone making or selling potions in this town?"
Dwarf thinks that he owes this to his kinsman, as well as he wishes to leave this town sooner rather than later.
Giggett's expression is dark.
"I'm really sorry to say that, but double assassination attempts against trinket merchants are not exactly common. We can't be sure that Bort was the target, as both attempts hit nearly everyone in the caravan. But what I'm pretty sure is that someone in this caravan was, or is, having secrets. That's why we'll have to search it, to conduct our investigation. It would be better if everyone cooperates."