Brogann casts Detect Magic and examines the items.
"Daktani. People of this town trusted him. I'm sure he thinks he had good reason but I don't care. He is defeated at Sigrún's hands. Gorum has spoken. Now Sigrún can do as she wishes with his fate."
Brogann casts Detect Magic and examines the items.
Sigrun relaxes her grip on the man's neck slightly so he can breathe, but otherwise she doesn't change position until the others are arriving. By then her adrenaline is draining so when she rolls off the half-orc she is flushed in the face and exhausted. Still, she gives Tooantuh a dark look and tells him "I do not threaten. I promise."
"Bind him. He must answer our questions." She gets to her feet slowly and goes to recover her sword.
If none else move, Cetan retrieves a coil of rope from his pack and approaches the half-orc. He instructs him to sit up and offer his hands behind his back. He then binds him at the wrists, linking those together, and linking his ankles.
Brogann will let someone else take the lead on interrogation. He is not squeamish about it, just lacking in skill and aware of that fact.
"We could bring him to the militia when we are done. They should have ways of getting information from traitors. Maybe not like Kuthite ways, but still not soft."
The half-orc, whose name is Daktani, is already quite intimidated by you and does not struggle once he is tied up. When threatened, he spills his guts quite willingly. Daktani has been meeting with the flood troll Ghaer for several weeks. Ghaer is a member of a nearby orc tribe who are planning an invasion of Trunau. Daktani does not know the timing of the attack, only that it is scheduled for the "near future". The half-orc does not know the name of the tribe, and Ghaer has avoided mentioning it. Daktani was approached several months ago by a half-orc member of the tribe named Skreed Gorewillow, and it was he who set up these meetings. Skreed had infiltrated the town with a group of half-orcs about two weeks ago and was searching for something important in the town. Skreed does not know where the half-orcs are hiding. It seems that Daktani was the go-between for Skreed and his other infiltrators and the unnamed orc tribe, passing information back and forth. Daktani only ever met with Skreed and Ghaer and does not know the identity of the other infiltrators, and claims not to know where they are hiding or if they are even still in town.
Cetan grows more quiet and focused as the testimony proceeds, revealing a serious situation that's been happening under the noses of the town guard.
Do you know how many of the infiltrators are from Trunau or the orc tribe?
He also turns to his companions.
Who is familiar with the local orc tribes and their ways?
Do you know how many of the infiltrators are from Trunau or the orc tribe?
Daktani shakes his head. "No, it was only ever Skreed I talked to, but I have seen several new half-orcs in town over the past few weeks."
Who is familiar with the local orc tribes and their ways?
Brogann considers the local orc tribes, considering the flood troll's earring a possible clue.
"When and where are you to next meet Skreed?"
"There are never prearranged meetings. He just finds me when he needs me. I haven't spoken to him in several days."
"Why did you take the boy?"
Sigrun jerks a thumb toward the kidnapped but now freed teen.
Daktani shrugs, "I found him poking around here a few days back. Couldn't let word get out that people were meeting here in the old infirmary."
"Ghaer didn't mention the name of the orc tribe?
Look at her earring. Twisted Nail.
They would eat you for breakfast, Daktani, not out of hunger but because they like the taste of orc flesh. That's the fate that awaits you after they overrun Trunau."
"This Skreed... his name was in Orc runes in the Plague House."
"If Daktani here didn't even kill a farmboy who was poking around, then I doubt he killed Rodrik. Isn't that right?
Must have been this Skreed. Who, I guess, has some skill with poisons."
Daktani's face goes near-white when he hears Brogann talking about the Twisted Nail. "What? The Twisted Nail? He never said he was working with those monsters! Mother help me!"
"If Daktani here didn't even kill a farmboy who was poking around, then I doubt he killed Rodrik. Isn't that right?
Must have been this Skreed. Who, I guess, has some skill with poisons."
The half-orc looks at Brogann quizzically. "What are you talking about? I was going to kill him! I just hadn't gotten around to it yet."
"I think we need to go see the town council. This boy may have more that he isn't telling, but the fact that there are enimies within and an attack could be imminent needs be addressed first."
Cetan nods. He agrees they need to deal with the thread, but having no further information on the infiltrators is bothering him.
Were you expecting to see Skreed again soon? If we could capture him and extract more info from him it would be ideal.
Are we done with this one? The Council will probably have questions for him too.
It seems somewhat implausible to Brogann - it takes only a few seconds to kill somebody - but he assumes that the half-orc at least believes what he is saying.
"Sky Voice and Gabsen are right. We should go to the Council right away, tell them what we have learned, and hand over Daktani. We can also tell them that it was Rodrik's investigating the Plague House that got him murdered. His investigation led us to conduct our own here, and thereby catch this conspirator. His efforts were not in vain, though he paid the price for them."
Sigrun glares sourly at Daktani, but she doesn't push back against him being taken to the council instead of being killed right away by her.
Thanks!
"That dead orc with the holy symbol was in the room with the picks and shovels. If we want to find out what they were looking for, maybe we can get one of the priests in town to try Speak with Dead on him. His spirit might not be cooperative but we might still learn something.
I could carry the corpse, but it reeks bad. So we wrap him up in one of those moth-eaten bedrolls in that room, tie the rope around his feet, and drag him back."
"Or... Daktani said 'Skreed had infiltrated the town with a group of half-orcs about two weeks ago and was searching for something important in the town.' So maybe we try to figure out where a new band of half-orcs, arrived two weeks ago, might have been seen."
"I still think it's important to notify the Council of an impending attack as soon as possible. But there are more leads we could follow after we do that."
"So put him in jail and go back to take another look at the digging place? Sounds good to me."
Cetan nods at this wisdom.
Yes, warning Trunau is the most important thing. After we can return and inspect their digging. Dragging the body back might slow us and an attack may arrive at any moment.
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Brogann paces. "I am sorry, Sigrún. I spoke out of turn. It is naturally your right to kill the one you bested in battle if you so choose."
"Well, for what he has done I think he will be executed. I will claim the right to use the axe. If he is not, I will still get to him."
You drag the half-orc back to Trunau. Tied up, he offers no resistance and his downcast looks seem to indicate that he is resigned to his fate.
Once back in the village, you are spotted by Kurst Grath near the front gate, brother of the slain Rodrik Grath. He eyes your prisoner suspciously and asks you step aside for a moment.
Once you are out of the earshot of others, he asks is a low voice: "Who is this? Did you discover anything about my brother's death? What news from the Infirmary?"
"Keep calm Kurst, we found out much. This one has information we are bringing them to the council. We do not believe they killed your brother but they may lead us to those responsible. If you want to help, see about looking around town for any recent newcomers in the past few weeks. Specifically half-orcs, if you find anyone keep watch of them and bring us word!"
Kurst nods at Tooantuh's request but can't seem to keep his eyes off the half-orc, Daktani. "I will gather the other members of the watch who are in Trunau and inform them. Is there an imminent threat?"
This young man...
Cetan gestures vaguely at Daktani before continuing.
... has been meeting with a member of a local orc tribe, who are planning an invasion of this town. The problem is, we don't know exactly when. It could be at any time as far as we know. We think the tribe is the Twisted Nails.
"They were looking for something in town. Digging. I don't think they found it, but I also don't think they'll hold off their attack just to find it first. Would be much easier to do an excavation if they took over the town, right?"
"The contact between the half-orcs here and the tribe is a man called Skreed."
Kurst listens intently to everything you have to say before you hand over Daktani.
"I'll place him in the jail and then want to brief the rest of the militia about what you've learned. Would one of you meet me at the Longhouse tomorrow morning just after sunrise and tell the rest of them what you just told me? I don't know of a man named Skreed here in Trunau, but there have been some new arrivals in the last month or so that we could check on."
Kurst's face then grows more still, although you can see powerful emotions at work benath the calm exterior. "I should also let you know that Rodrik's funeral has been scheduled for tomorrow evening at the Flame of the Fallen. I know my father and I would be honored if you could join us for that. Thanks to you, we now know that Rodrik's death wasn't a suicide, which will be a great relief to all who knew him."
Cetan nods solemnly. We will be there to pay respects. Otherwise, it appears we have work to do in town.
After the meeting Cetan happens by some shops and common houses to lightly inquire about suspicious newcomers to Trunau.
"I will be there as well tomorrow night. I can fill you in at the Longhouse tomorrow, but I would wish to get a good night's sleep first."
Brogann actually stays at the Longhouse, but will be annoyed if someone wakes him at dawn.
Cetan asks around town and doesn't come up with much until he talks to Cham Larringfass, the halfling woman who runs what passes as a boarding house in Trunau: the Ramblehouse.
Asked about the half-orcs, she gets red in the face and begins absent-mindedly playing with a stray lock of hair on her head.
"Yeah, yeah, I remember them. A bunch of half-orcs and other thuggish tall-folk checked in a bit over a week ago and reserved practically every room I had. They checked out just two days later, and of course they trashed their rooms, drawing on walls and everything. Don't know what happened to them after they left, but if you find them, tell them from me that they owe me a pretty penny for the repairs!"
The tiefling is confused by the halfling's response. You... seem like you may not have resented their presence entirely. Did you get their names at least? Maybe some distinguishing features? Memorable clothing?
After...
Cetan heads back to the longhouse to discretely share what he learned with his companions.
Some grub and shut time will be good. I'll be there tomorrow morning, for the funeral
The tiefling is confused by the halfling's response. You... seem like you may not have resented their presence entirely. Did you get their names at least? Maybe some distinguishing features? Memorable clothing?
She gives you a description of a half-dozen half-orcs and a human. She seems pretty resentful that they messed up their rooms, although they all seem to have paid for the stay (but not the damage). They did not "trash" the rooms per se, but rather wrote stuff on the walls with paint of some sort. No furniture or walls were destroyed. She had never seen any of them before and they were definitely not local.
"We should check out the rooms where they stayed. They might have left some clue about what they were after.
And we can see if Sara Morninghawk knows of half-orcs that recently arrived in town."
"Sara Morninghawk is a trusted ally," Brogann says curtly. "And both Katreza and Brinya were friends to Rodrik. So I do not cast suspicion on all half-orcs. But outsiders from the Twisted Nail tribe? We will find them and deal with them."
Investigating the rooms in the Ramblehouse provides some clues. The walls on some of the rooms are marked with graffiti that Cham Larringfass has been trying to wash off for days, but which has proved very difficult to remove. The graffiti are crude drawings and a few curse words in Orcish. The dye used to paint the graffiti, however, reminds you of the markings you've seen or been told of that are found throughout town.
Whoever investigates the rooms in the Ramblehouse also finds several slips of dirty parchment that fell behind the bed and contain an unfinished love letter to someone named "Melira" in Freedom Town. Nothing of great importance is written in the letter, which seems to be of the "I can't wait to be with you" variety. The letter is unsigned.
Cetan follows Brogann to the Ramblehouse, observing the graffiti in the trashed rooms.
I bet if we check the other places with similar grafitti, we'll find some of these newcomers. Where to first? The Barterstones?