animal was pretty good :P
You were *that* close. A successful aid might have saved the poor billy goat![/ooc]
The search of the wagon reveals a few coins among the odds and ends (55 gp) but no useful evidence. It's obvious that the tarot card came from the wagon as there a a number of half consumed cards scattered about. Unfortunately, unless you have some magical tricks up your sleeves, if you are to gather any information it will have to come from somewhere else.
Casper and Sarona catch a glimpse of a man lurking near by and watching from behind the corner of another wagon. The man is, well, mangy. Not so much ungroomed, like the mercenaries, as having seen better days and is almost feral. Though he has a really nice scimitar and dagger and a longbow, so he can't be that poor and is probably dangerous.
Casper calls out,
"Ho there sir, what might you be doing?"
The man starts when he is spotted, and reluctantly comes out into the open.
"Just curious. Was wondering how that fire happened. Have you found anything?"
As I am assuming Lupe also spotted him and, as feral man himself ties to intercede by pulling Wolf and himself between the carts and this man.
"Hey, there. We don't know yet did you see anything?"
Katsumi stood from where he was kneeling over the debris, briefly clapping his hands together to remove the soot from his gloves. He knew he wasn't as good talking to people as Lupe, or probably most of the other people in the group were, so he stood back and watched. He kept his body language neutral and didn't reach for his weapons but he remained alert, watching for signs indicating the man would turn violent or wasn't alone.
The man starts when he is spotted, and reluctantly comes out into the open.
"Just curious. Was wondering how that fire happened. Have you found anything?"
"Oh, curious are we then? Any reason you didn't see fit to share your sudden fit of curiosity with the rest of the expedition sir... ?"
The man looks a bit nonplussed by Casper's belligerence.
"Uh, not sure what you mean by that. What exactly are you suggesting? That I run around the campsite telling everyone that I'm curious? Sounds like a big waste of time to me. No, I didn't see anything. I was over by the campfire when it happened and looking at my plate of food."
"Is that so? Hmmm."
Sarona fixes her gaze on the newcomer and says nothing.
The man looks a bit nonplussed by Casper's belligerence.
"Uh, not sure what you mean by that. What exactly are you suggesting? That I run around the campsite telling everyone that I'm curious? Sounds like a big waste of time to me. No, I didn't see anything. I was over by the campfire when it happened and looking at my plate of food."
"Well, that seems like a rather unnecessarily defensive response to a completely valid and innocent inquiry on my part, but no matter, though I must note you still haven't revealed your habitual mode of address among your fellows -- you have a name, have you not?"
Still keeping an eye out, Katsumi blinked behind his mask. Apparently, he wasn't the only one bad with other people. Given the stranger's disposition, it was probably a good thing he opted to remain silent. Would my time be better spent looking further over the wagon? Though my eyes aren't as keen as others, perhaps I would not be able to help there either.
Vulpina watches quietly with keen eyes, getting ready to swoop in and... recontextualize this whole meeting.
This was on fire only minutes ago; of [i]course one might be curious about it. This does not make this man any more of a suspect than the rest.[/i]
All you are doing are keeping his guard up. We shall see what he says...
When Casper challenges him at first he seems to almost cower. Then he pulls himself together and stretches out to his full height and takes a more commanding posture.
"You sure talk strange. My name is Dashki. Since we will all be working together, why don't you all tell me your names too."
Dashki approaches the wagon and kicks a few ashes around. "Oh, what have we here?"
Bending over he picks up a coin and sticks it in his pocket. His posture and mannerisms are a bit off. Like, for example, the way he went form cowering to domineering. And the way he gets uncomfortable when you get too close. Everyone has a threshold, but his is farther.
Looking around, he announces, "If you want my opinion, the way I see it, unless it was some kind of freak accident, it might have been the pugwampis. Nasty little creatures."
"While I appreciate your ideas. But don't take things that are not yours Mr. Dashki."
Lupe starts to grab up the rest of then coins. "I will be seeing these to the right people."
Lupe holds out his hand expecting the coin back.
"Also what do you know about pig-wampsies?"
Dashki jurks his hand back and clutches the coin tightly. "Now just a second there. Don't see why this coin is any more yours than mine. It's not like there's any next o' kin to deal with. I think I'll keep this one. You go and find your own."
He doesn't keep a grudge though and warms up to Lupe when he starts asking about the Pugwampis/
"They are terrible creatures that crawled out of the darklands beneath the earth. A form of gremlin that loves to make mischief. 'Jackel Rats,' some call 'em, on account of their pointed little heads. They worship gnolls as gods and infest their communities like rats. Wherever the nuisances go, bad luck is sure to follow, mark my words. The gnolls hate 'em because of it, and try to wipe 'em out, but they be sneaky bastards and always come back. Could be that their bad luck rubbed off on the poor guy. He did like to burn so many candles that the inside of his wagon was a bright as the day. Perfect breeding ground for bad luck if you ask me. Or maybe the little mischief makers did it themselves just for fun."
When Casper challenges him at first he seems to almost cower. Then he pulls himself together and stretches out to his full height and takes a more commanding posture.
"You sure talk strange. My name is Dashki. Since we will all be working together, why don't you all tell me your names too."
Dashki approaches the wagon and kicks a few ashes around. "Oh, what have we here?"
Bending over he picks up a coin and sticks it in his pocket. His posture and mannerisms are a bit off. Like, for example, the way he went form cowering to domineering. And the way he gets uncomfortable when you get too close. Everyone has a threshold, but his is farther.
Looking around, he announces, "If you want my opinion, the way I see it, unless it was some kind of freak accident, it mi
"Well, I'm Casper Cantour, of Druma, and my family helped finance this wonderful little expedition upon which be both find ourselves. As to my manner of speech -- it's refined enough to not make any further comment on your own... distinctive traits."
As he observes Daskhi looting the site, Casper intervenes,
"Woah there Master Dashki, I do believe you are engaging in what is commonly referred to as brigandage. Why don't you deposit those ill gotten gains over here, and we'll make sure they go back to their rightful owner."
The redhead says the last part VERY LOUDLY so that Garavel and the other caravan guards can easily overhear his conversation.
Rahella did not like this newcomer, something about him rubbed her the wrong way, though she found his talk of these pugwampis. While they could have been involved, she supposed, she didn't think that would have made make the cart explode like it did nor made a hot enough fire to do the damage it did. She couldn't be sure of course but she felt confident she was right about that. "Whether they were involved or not I don't think a simple candle fire would have caused the resulting conflagration, it doesn't make much sense."
When Dashki grabbed the coin and tried to keep it, jerking his hand back from Lupe when he tried to take it back, Rahella felt her suspicions rise. The way the man changed personalities and reacted made her think there was something seriously suspicious about him. She turned her gaze on him from behind her veil and said, "Please return that to where you found it Mr. Dashki, you may be correct in your theory but I find it unlikely, in addition your actions now are making you highly suspicious. We're the only ones who weren't her for the start of this and thusly are the only ones who can safely be said not to have been able to start it. We are tasked to investigate and you are now interfering with that investigation. Your desire to keep that coin alone makes you highly suspect so you will return it or we will hold this as evidence of your responsibility for what happened." This was likely the most anyone had heard Rahella say at one time before and she sounded as quiet as usual as she spoke.
With the others handling questioning Dashki, Sarona turns back to the burnt wreckage and speaks a couple of arcane syllables. Her eyes flash blue as she starts to look for any suspicious magical auras.
Dashki entrenches when the group makes another attempt to get the coin from him. "Well,I tell you what. I'll abide by Almah's decision. We can all take whatever coins we find to her and let her decide where they go!"
He has a rather smug look on his face, like he knows very well you all won't risk your own take by doing that, and if you do, it will serve you right.
Rahella did not like this newcomer, something about him rubbed her the wrong way, though she found his talk of these pugwampis. While they could have been involved, she supposed, she didn't think that would have made make the cart explode like it did nor made a hot enough fire to do the damage it did. She couldn't be sure of course but she felt confident she was right about that. "Whether they were involved or not I don't think a simple candle fire would have caused the resulting conflagration, it doesn't make much sense."
When Dashki grabbed the coin and tried to keep it, jerking his hand back from Lupe when he tried to take it back, Rahella felt her suspicions rise. The way the man changed personalities and reacted made her think there was something seriously suspicious about him. She turned her gaze on him from behind her veil and said, "Please return that to where you found it Mr. Dashki, you may be correct in your theory but I find it unlikely, in addition your actions now are making you highly suspicious. We're the only ones who weren't her for the start of this and thusly are the only ones who can safely be said not to have been able to start it. We are tasked to investigate and you are now interfering with that investigation. Your desire to keep that coin alone makes you highly suspect so you will return it or we will hold this as evidence of your responsibility for what happened." This was likely the most anyone had heard Rahella say at one time before and she sounded as quiet as usual as she spoke.
Casper nodded politely at the veiled lady,
"My sentiments exactly!"
Lupe will have Wolf start to follow the scent of anyone not from the immediate group that come both to and from the cart.
Wolf will take ten to track the person by scent (typical DC is 10 for a fresh trail).
Rahella didn't care for Dashki's attitude and said, "So be it then, come with me." Whether or not Dahski followed her Rahella went to find Almah and called back, "If he touches any more of the wreckage consider it an admittance of guilt and take him down."
When she reached Almah she approached and said, "We have a problem. We were instructed to look into what happened and Dashki has begun rooting through the remains of the wagon and is taking things out of it while we are still trying to determine what happened. he refuses to return the possible evidence which makes me believe he may have some guilt in what occurred. I ask that you have him turn over what he took for now as evidence to be returned once he has been cleared of any involvement." She watched the woman's reaction closely, "He has agreed to abide by your ruling."
While Wolf is sniffing around Lupe is keenly watching the theif.
Wolf finds lots of scents, both familiar and unfamiliar. There are plenty of scents to follow but nothing that stands out.
Dashki, defiantly goes with Rahella. After Almah calls out her permission for you to enter, you are admitted into her presence accompanied by two of the guards, She looks up hoping for some results. Dashki if fairly simpering before her in an ingratiating way.
Sense motive 20:
Looking wounded but never taking his eyes off of her to look at his accuser, he defensively states "Hardly rooting, mistress. These fellows were already combing through the debris and I just happened to see a coin there and took it. So did they. Hardly evidence. Just gold. I think they are just being greedy."
Almah looks thoughtful, though disappointed that she is being bothered to officiate a silly disagreement like this. "Well, then. make your case. Explain how that coin is evidential. Have you made any progress on your investigations and how does the coin fit in?"
If there was something off about the situation then Rahella failed to catch on but persisted in making her case. "As for the accusation of just being greedy, as I already stated the coin will be returned should he be cleared of involvement, that is my word and I keep my word." Rahella then dismissed the insult to her honor and continued, "As to your first question we can't be certain because we have not had the time to determine that or not before he came over and began rooting out the coin. Given how quickly he went to the exact location it is suspicious, especially if his assertion of pugwahmpis being the cause of the fire is true, his luck should be bad and lead him to something of no value. This implies that he knew where to find the coin and if this was the case then how did he know to find it in that spot. The fact that he is being belligerent about cooperating with the investigation takes the suspiciousness of his finding the coin like he did and implies he may be connected to the incident in some fashion."
Rahella paused then and attempted to catch Almah's eyes with her own and finished, "I intend to find out who did this, we were instructed to accomplish this, if you did not intend for people to comply with the investigation to begin with then why have us investigate? If you are unwilling to support our efforts then we can not proceed to the answer we were tasked with and the potential murderer will be free to strike again." Having made her case Rahella awaited Almah's decision.
Lupe balks, overhearing the word greedy, as Wolf wanders around sniffing. He marches right over and hands the gold he retrieved to Almah. "Here. these were the valuables, less one gold, recovered from the cart." He stares at Dashki. "Robbery seems is a motive. Everyone here has access to fire and the scents of nearly everyone are near the cart so everyone could have done it. So, other than our group everyone could have done it but only person stole from the cart."
Means, motive and opportunity. Though Lupe knows these intuitively he does not have the specific words for it.
Katsumi looked around as there was an explosion of activity. He didn't understand why everybody was so concerned that the man had taken one coin when Lupe had then grabbed the rest. Were they really that desperate for money? He was about to just give the man one of his own coins in exchange for the one he had taken so that people would finally calm down when apparently they were trying to get Almah involved. He watched as they went over to a private tent. "That escalated quickly."
As they went to deal with their drama, he found the closest member of the caravan who didn't look especially busy. If the rest of the group was intent upon being so hostile, perhaps he would be better off asking people questions himself. "Excuse me, but do you have a moment? I was hoping you could tell me how the fire started. I'm afraid by the time my group had arrived, it was well underway."
After Lupe says his piece he follows his brother lead and walks away to interview other witnesses.
"That escalated quickly."
"Indeed." Sarona follows the armoured warrior and his halfling brother away from the tent.
"It was needlessly confrontational. Unlikely to facilitate solving this mystery."
"Ya, but stealing from dead people is also bad, right? So shouldn't we have stoped that Ms. Sarona?"
"I do not know. I have never been put in that position before." Sarona replies, her expression unchanging.
"The dead can no longer make claim to what was once theirs, so I would not call it 'stealing' unless you are preventing those items from going to the rightful heirs. Though as with most things in life, what is right or wrong is highly context-specific. Either way, I do not believe the amount of money involved warranted such a reaction. But I guess time will tell us for certain. If their approach does not yield results, perhaps ours will."
"I don't think the amount matters. I heard people talking about people 'grave robbing' it was bad even if it's small. If that's bad then taking a burned ladies stuff must be bad too. We don't know if the dead lady had family or friends. Certainly, Almah would know who the money should go to better then we would, so I gave it all to her."
Lupe walks off to talk to witnesses.
"I believe that has more to do with digging up a dead body once laid to rest. This body has not been buried yet, though once we have gathered what evidence we can from it, we should make sure to give it a proper burial."
Lupe walks away disappointed that people can't see taking things from dead people is wrong.
"Excuse me. Can you tell me what you saw, if you saw anything?"
Katsumi merely shrugged at his brother's simplistic view of the world. He supposed it made moral decisions easier, even if it often meant being overly harsh on the needy.
Lupe leaves Rahella and Casper to deal with it ask they are clearly much smarter then he is.
Almah allows all to make their case and then pronounces her judgement.
"There are a lot of assumptions in what you say Rahella. Your accusations may or may not be true, though I suspect not. It seems like if it were a robbery, he picked a terrible time to commit the crime. And from what I can tell, he wasn't the only one to collect a coin. And he did not come over just to collect the coin, he came over because you requested that he do so. And your initial claim that it is evidence was never backed up."
"But, to keep the peace, and to encourage cooperation, I will hold on to the coins and, if as you said, it turns out he is guilty you may have the coin."
Daski pipes up with a suggestion. "And if it turns out I'm innocent, shall I get their coins?"
After a long pause, she responds with a "No, it is a bit different. Anyway, that is my ruling."
Dashki holds out his coin and waits for her to reach out to take it. With an almost caressing move, he drops the coin in her palm, looking quite pleased with himself, like even if he loses the coin it was worth it just to touch her. In fact, you suspect (given a half decent sense motive ability) might even have been hoping for this result when he suggested you let her arbitrate. He smiles at the lot of you and says, "There. Problem solved. Now go find the real murderer, if there even is one."
Lupe is off conducing an interview.
Vulpina sighs as everything unfolds while she's still kicking through the wreckage. I suppose it possible that the coin was charmed to spark a flame, she reasons, but I would say we simply give an inspection before handing it back.
Far too late now, however.
She ponders the possible culprits. On the one hand, being the latest to the scene does neatly excise the possibility of their group being the culprits.
On the other hand, it means that they are almost completely without context at this point.
Satisfied enough with her investigation of the burnt cart (well, not satisfied, but accepting that it will not turn up anything further), she decides to approach...
...Vodrave.
"Excuse me Mr and Ms camel driver, can you tell me if you saw anything happen just before the fire?"
Sarona approaches the two mercenaries smoking pesh. Aaliyah follows closely behind.
I suspect that this avenue of investigation will prove fruitless, but it must be exhausted.
"You two. Have either of you witnessed any suspicious activity before the outbreak of fire in the fortune-teller's tent?"
The various party members split off to have some quality one-on-one time with various members of the caravan, leaving the crazies to haggle over the gold piece. Katsumi manages to find one of the mercenaries taking a break and smoking some pesh.
Sullen Dullen responds with a gruff, "Yea, whaddaya want?"
When Sarona asks what he saw, he shows his ignorance.
"Nothin'. We was all finishing off dinner by the fire when things went down. Just enjoying a nice stiff after dinner drink."
Almah allows all to make their case and then pronounces her judgement.
"There are a lot of assumptions in what you say Rahella. Your accusations may or may not be true, though I suspect not. It seems like if it were a robbery, he picked a terrible time to commit the crime. And from what I can tell, he wasn't the only one to collect a coin. And he did not come over just to collect the coin, he came over because you requested that he do so. And your initial claim that it is evidence was never backed up."
"But, to keep the peace, and to encourage cooperation, I will hold on to the coins and, if as you said, it turns out he is guilty you may have the coin."
Daski pipes up with a suggestion. "And if it turns out I'm innocent, shall I get their coins?"
After a long pause, she responds with a "No, it is a bit different. Anyway, that is my ruling."
Dashki holds out his coin and waits for her to reach out to take it. With an almost caressing move, he drops the coin in her palm, looking quite pleased with himself, like even if he loses the coin it was worth it just to touch her. In fact, you suspect (given a half decent sense motive ability) might even have been hoping for this result when he suggested you let her arbitrate. He smiles at the lot of you and says, "There. Problem solved. Now go find the real murderer, if there even is one."
Casper steps forward and politely inclines his head,
"The estimable Lady Almah, it is a pleasure to finally meet in person. I am Casper Cantour of Druma, and my mother, as chief representative of our revered clan, is a joint partner in this auspicious expedition. I was hoping we might speak further."
"Excuse me Mr and Ms camel driver, can you tell me if you saw anything happen just before the fire?"
Lupe decides to try his hand with the camel drivers. When he approaches, the woman is feeding what is left of the chickens and her husband is doing the evening milking of the goats, though he is not getting much.
"First we lose most of our chickens and now all the stress has cause the poor nanny to drop her milk production, and..."
His wife butts in and shouts, "...we are already down to one milking goat. I know Hadrod, I know. With Rombard missing we won't be able to freshen the others."
"Can't say that we saw much. As soon as we saw that fire start, we were too busy trying to save the livestock."
Lady Vodrave gets pretty much the same result as Lupe and Sarona got from the mercenary, who is busy cleaning dishes. According to him, all of the guards were busy guarding Almah's tent. The guard seems a bit stiff with you, and obviously feels like you are an intrusion.
Vulpina does not let slip that the lack of deference is a touch insulting—but when traveling as such, insults are to be weathered with grace.
She moves on to the mercenaries, doing her best to make a good impression first of all.
Rahella wasn't entirely pleased with the results of the meeting with Almah but at least it hadn't gone totally against her. She also knew that the next time that ass got in her way she wasn't going to be so merciful with him. She smiled viciously behind her veil as she imagined his face melting off after a gout of acid was shot at it. She nodded at the woman and said, "Then that is how it will be." With that she turned and left the tent to go further investigate the incident.
Rahella went back to the cart again. She didn't expect to find anything more there, whatever had happened seemed to have left no direct evidence, and went to where what was left of the corpse was. She bowed her head and offered up a prayer of safe passage to Pharasma on behalf of the dead fortune teller ending witht he sign of the spiral. When she was finished she turned back to survey the camp and look for who to speak with next.