Ratòn breathes a sigh of relief and looks to the dragon's hiding place: "We must go quick," is all it offers, slowly and quietly opening the door.
Once outside, Rigel stepped a bit away from the front entrance before becoming visible again. Waiting for Zandora to exit, he saw Milo and Kolaiah come out the entrance together, the young man not surprised. The resourceful halfling seemed a likely fellow to be friendly with, especially for someone who was probably discriminated against as the minotaur likely was.
He offered a small wave to the duo, not sure of the mechanics of this patchwork team but resigned to working with the four others, along with the aasimar. He ran his hand through his hair, thinking of how he could possibly explore the leads they had.
Zandora drags her heels exiting, standing by the door even after Rigel goes, only murmuring to him as he walks by
I need to wait for Ratòn and the dragon, but I'll meet you at the office if you end up needing to track something down.
She waits as unobtrusively as possible, remembering that she promised to help Ratòn get out safely, and hoping that Ratòn and the dragon are on the way.
Drahkn nods silently as he slithers off the shelf and glides quietly toward the door.
Rigel gave a slight roll of his eyes at Zandora's softly spoken words, but continued towards the minotaur and halfling, giving the aasimar woman a nod to indicate he had understood. The young woman's soft heart would be her downfall one day, he was sure of it. That fairy seemed very sketchy, and the dragon was eager to search someone's belongings. Well, maybe he was too, but he was an investigator, so it was different.
Catching up to the unlikely duo, Rigel walked on the side of the halfing, away from the minotaur. "Either of you fellows ever work for or with the Lucenzos? I can start looking about, but if you have any current contacts or leads that would be preferable. Murder isn't unheard of in this city, but the method was very strange."
With a bit of a chuckle, Milo looks up to the sharp featured young man. "Eh, I do more than a spot of business with the Lucenzos. They own a good many bars and clubs in the city, which of course prefer to offer the best whiskeys available. Word is, they even sell it back in the Old World, where everyone wonders about the origin of Blackbottom. Hehe, ah well. I know a few people, could ask, though admittedly more on their business side. How about you, my fine fellow?" he looks up to the giant Minotaur towering over him.
"Ummm, yes, same, more or less. I thought maybe you looked familiar. Who is checking out the baker?"
Rigel stifled the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of the baker, though one never could tell, he supposed. Perhaps the Starling had rejected the man's advances and he had slowly gone insane as he lusted after what he couldn't have. People had been killed for less, for sure.
Instead, he offered a shrug to the minotaur's question. "I don't rightly know, my friend. I tend to start investigating the highest probability. And with there being paid killers involved, along with a Vitruvio that seems to answer to someone else, I am going to start with the Lucenzos." Rigel wasn't sure how yet, but he was confident he could turn this event into either an increase in status or cash, preferably both.
His voice lowering to a whisper, he confided, "I tried to take off her mask...damn thing wouldn't come off. I couldn't see where it was attached, either. Maybe some kind of glue or something? Also, there was a strange crystalline texture to the wound on her chest, but nothing that I could recognize. I suppose I could ask around about what could cause a wound like that." It had seemed like the tiefling's hand had caused it, but what process had allowed it to kill the Starling like that? Maybe that could narrow things a bit.
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Drahkn and Raton are able to evade Mic's gaze with no problems, though as they reach the main floor of the lounge they bump into one of the officers.
His eyes go from the dog-sized dragon to the, well, fairy-sized fairy and he says, "Don't even tell me what you two were getting up to back there. Just get outta here so I can too."
Ratòn gulps and buzzes around. "We, we were not kissing or anything," it says, trying to appear as if caught in an obvious lie.
The fairy then zips and zooms out the door, flitting around Zandora.
"Zandora, dragon and I found things," it wiggles the satchel it wears. "Not here, later. Where we go?"
Zandora holds the door open for the fairy and the dragon, and responds to Raton as it flits by
Rigel has a place. He should be nearby, but if not, I'll take you.
Drahkn gives the fairy a look that's a mix of incredulous and disgusted, then follows after a moment.
Drahkn and Raton make it out of the club without any more difficulties, followed by Zandora.
A few more police cars are starting to pull up, and disgruntled viewers of the other acts that night are being herded out as well.
Of note, the unmistakable figure of Voodoo Slim, a tall, dark-skinned man in a suit that looks almost like the outfit of a New Orleans houngan slinks into a private car and drives off.
A light drizzle kicks up, adding to the already overcast night.
Zandora looks around for Rigel. If she sees him, she heads to him. If not, she takes Ratòn and Drahkn to the office.
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Noting the arrival of more police cars, Milo offers a few words. "With so many of our acclaimed local constabulary arriving, it might be best for us to find someplace else to be, lest they get suspicious about the motley crew who offed the murderers hanging around outside... If anyone has someplace nearby, I am happy to follow. Otherwise, we could convene at my family's warehouse, though it is some measure across the city."
Spotting Rigel and the others, Zandora walks up as Milo is speaking.
Rigel's office is closer, if you guys want to meet up there.
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Rigel led the way to his establishment downtown. He'd rather this lot just follow the advice of someone who had a fair amount of experience doing this sort of work, but apparently they wanted to talk things through. Noting the departure of Voodoo Slim, the young man made a mental note. Probably just the man trying to get out before he got bogged down with the cops, but maybe something else. They'd have to check that out, as well.
Taking out his key and unlocking the front door, he led the group to the modest lounge he had for his customers to wait in. "Alright, then, let's talk. Anyone notice anything about the place that any of the rest might have missed? Any small detail could be the difference between enlightenment and ignorance."
Speaking further, he continued, "I checked out the Starling's wound...it almost looked crystalline in nature. Nothing I've ever seen before. And her mask was practically glued onto her face. I couldn't remove it."
What kind of creature was she then? Fey rather than human?
"No, observing such things in not one of my chief skills."
Drahkn gets the address from Rigel then takes his own path, figuring it will be less suspicious than if the group travels together. When the rest of them arrive he's sitting on the windowsill, waiting to be let in.
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The fairy rummages in its satchel, producing a note and a woman's coat.
"Found these. Haven't checked pockets yet, but I think it belongs to Starling. Note is vaguely threatening and from a V. It might be helpful to have the writing of probably a Vitruvio. Unless this was dictated."
Rigel pulled out the note he had found on the person of the thug who had likely killed the Starling so the group could compare the handwriting. "Let's check the pockets then, just to see if we can learn any more about our murder victim."
Zandora takes the coat and searches it.
Kolaiah takes a look at the note to see if he can discern anything regarding the handwriting...
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It's not hard to compare the two notes and see that the handwriting between the tiefling's and the one in the bosses office is the exact same.
Zandora finds little of interest in the coat, save for a monogrammed handkerchief with the letters D.P. in red cursive script.
Zandora shows the others the handkerchief.
What do you think DP stands for?
Could be the Black Starling's real name of course... also, I'm wondering, if that bird mask didn't come off... was it really a mask? Is it possible that the Black Starling was a bird race, or something like a Rakshasa, so humanlike body with bird head? Maybe she was pretending because there are so many xenophobic humans around here?
"Don't rakshashas have tiger heads? What am I missing here?"
"Don't rakshashas have tiger heads? What am I missing here?"
They have animal heads, not just tiger heads, and anyway, I just said like that... I'm not trying to say she is specifically a rakshasa, but rather asking whether you all think it is likely that the beak wasn't just a mask.
Rigel just shrugged, pondering the initials on the handkerchief like everything else. It was clear the handwriting matched, so apparently this Vitruvio had tried to warn the Starling, and when the warning failed he had pulled the trigger on the escapade in the Lounge. It was a shame, really...the woman had been a talented singer, even if her act was similar to several others in the city.
"Let's put that thought aside for a moment, if you will. The Starling's race or gender doesn't change the fact that they're dead and someone is responsible for it. Let's see if we can get some names on those responsible for the killing. The note promised compensation. Let's see if we can figure out who their families are and maybe watch out for these mystery payments that are supposedly coming. That might shed some light on who's behind all this."
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"An animal head, on a human body? That is both disgusting, and impractical. Human bodies are so fragile and weak."
Replying to Rigel, Zandora says
Well, Vitruvio, right? Although of course the two that we intercepted at the club were more directly responsible... do we know who they are so we can find the families--or them if the police let them go?
What I don't get is why anyone would want to hurt the Black Starling. Or what "ritual" they were talking about. We need to talk to Vitruvio, or the ones we left at the club perhaps, if the police let them go. Anyone have a contact with the police?
Milo had been sitting in the corner, allowing the investigator and the newly assembled companions to begin to work to the puzzle pieces. It wasn't really his cup of tea, all this investigation stuff. But still, there was excitement and intrigue. Nursing a little bit of one of his bottles, Milo chuckles and shakes his head at the brawny minotaur's commentary. "and suppose I'd be out of place saying the the kettle be blacker than most in this instance, eh?" hopping to his feet, he pats the giant on the thigh as one might do to a person of similar height's shoulder.
"The police are never any help, one way or another. We are lucky the lot of us didn't get locked up back there, no, I don't think they will be of much luck for us. But the ritual, 'ey, there's an interesting question...."
Rigel had stifled a grin at the minotaur's comment, but he couldn't help but chuckle good-naturedly at the halfling's reply. Turning to Zandora, he said, "Yes, but we don't know which Vitruvio." The man's dry tone clearly indicated he himself was pretty sure, but was accommodating the thoughts of others.
"So if we intercept these payments, we can trace them back to where they came from. Try to flesh things out before we investigate Vitruvio himself. Establish motive, figure out this 'ritual', whatever that could be."
Okay, if you say so... but still, do we know who the people at the club *are* in order to intercept the payments?
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Ratòn swoops in and collects the handkerchief, examining the stitching. It rubs its blue head on the fabric, estimating the thread count.
Kolaiah suggest, "you know, at least one of the Vitruvios should be easy enough to get a sample of his writing. Someone just goes in and places an order with the baker. He'll script it up, buy the bread, and keep the receipt! Then we can know if that's the one, or not!"
"Unless baker has a secretary," mumbles the fairy, sniffing the handkerchief and testing its tensile strength. "But yes, good idea cow-bull man. Clever and resourceful."
I think it is unlikely to be the baker, but if you would like to get a writing sample from him to test, feel free.
Kolaiah snorted and shook his head, giving a stern look at the fairy, "I am neither a cow, nor a man. You may call me a bull all you wish."
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Drahkn inclines his head toward Zandora. "Yesss. I agree. I have never understood bakerss to be good for much. Inflating ground plant remainsss? I don't undersstand the appeal." the small dragon says with a shake of his head.
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Rigel frowned as he glanced around at the motley crew in his lounge. He shrugged, though...if some of them wanted to go gather the handwriting of the baker Vitruvio, it would likely narrow down the list of possibles. His brow screwing up in confusion at the dragon's words, he had an epiphany that the creature was a carnivore and likely to not get the point of any plant processing. Seemed like it was going to be one of those nights.
"Sure, we can send someone or a couple folks to the baker's business to buy a loaf." Turning to Zandora, Rigel replied, "No, that's why we need to inquire with the coppers to get the names. Probably be an arrest record somewhere."
Milo smiles at the dragon's consternation regarding baked goods, "Well, ye see, the careful combination of ground grain and yeast, with just he right amount of sugars, can yield a wide variety of delicacies. I myself, and my family, see to a similar thing using the same ingredients no less, though in a different manner and to a vastly different outcome. Now if your diet is limited to the flesh of other creatures, I can understand the lack of appeal. Though I tell you, there are a great many culinary creations to be enjoyed..." Milo's mind wanders off for a bit before realigning to the task at hand.
"Oh yes, but anyway, as I was starting to say. If someone needs to visit this baker, I would be more than happy to handle that interaction myself. It's always good to patronize a fellow master of the yeastly ways."
Zandora, frustrated by the circular conversation, got up and left the building.
She returned to the club, glancing in to see if it was still as they left it, or if the cops and bodies were gone yet.
The handkerchief is of fine make, with thread of unusually high quality.
It's in the later hours of the evening, but the time that the party's been away from the club seems to have provided enough time for the police to wrap up their business and clear out.
Safe to say though, after a murder on it's premises, the Obelisk Lounge is calling it an early night.
"This hanky is," Ratón pulls on it idly, "uncommonly nice. I think we have five leads, five things to check in on tomorrow. Three Vitruvios," the fairy begins to count them off on its fingers, "a vigo, a baker, a candlestickmaker- er, human businessman. Next, the police might have tieflings in custody, worth talking to them if we can. And then this handkerchief. The hanky is spectacular, fancy. A custom piece, I figure. Some tailor will recognize it, know who DP is."
It zips around, less sure about its place in the group with Zandora gone. "It is getting late and I think we'll find more in the morning than we will tonight. What do we do tomorrow, and when and where do we meet back up? For investigating, do we split up, each follow a thread and investigate separately, do we tackle different things in teams? What do?"
Rigel nodded at Milo's offer to go to the baker. "Alright, then. That takes care of the baker." The young man looked around for Zandora, but found she had already left, likely to go follow up on leads herself.
Shrugging, he continued, "DP...the initials are in the wrong order, but that could be Phillipe Donadieu, a rather well-known and well-connected person in Crossroads. Possibly just a coincidence, of course. I'll follow up with the police and see if I can learn about our paid murderers. Kolaiah, do you have anyone in the Lucenzo organization you can ask to see if there was beef between their Vitruvio and the Starling?"
Glancing between the dragon and the fairy, Rigel said, "And we still have our other businessman Vitruvio. You two seem pretty adept at looking around unseen. Want to check in on our third V and check him out?"