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Raffelo eyes him and Benson and shrugs before the halfling regains his countenance. "Well, for shutting her up like that, I guess I can hear what this chap has to say. Come over ta my place; I'll get some tea going and you can tell me about the feller Mr. Benson so wants you to tell me about."
Before the mayor departs with Raffelo, Benson says, "For his testimony to matter, I need to show you the letter that prompted me to ask Raffelo about the sender and if possible compare the handwriting to the note that Ekira says she received implicating those Pathfinders. Shall I come with you now or stop by later today?"
@Benson: "Do please come-by later; I'd rather talk to this gent alone jus' in case. I'll have Orug there, too, to corroborate things."
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Benson will accompany the others to the Beer Garden to keep an eye on Ekira. On the way, he will share with them the description Raffelo gave of the sender of the letter, including the details about the buttons. He suggests we all keep an eye out for him.
Benson is also paranoid about anyone picking his pocket to get at the letter, so he will keep the letter in his belt pouch and he will keep his hand over the flap to keep pilfering hands out.
Edit: make that "He will tie a bandana around the pouch to keep it closed and hold it to his belt. Then he will keep his hand over the pouch at all times."
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 16
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The party heads to the beer tent where an abnormally large number of people are already gathered.
The people are all worried and seem to be drinking to drown out fear than for merriment.
Ekira wanders the area, talking with some people here or there. Most people ignore her, but a few do listen to the inquisitor's words.
Wyeth and Raevin read her lips well enough to tell that she's asking others about Benson and his associates. In particular, she seems to be trying to figure out his whereabouts last night.
Unfortunately, her alertness right now is at an all time high and after concluding a discussion with a half-drunk patron, she turns to all of you individual, scowling, moving to Wyeth as he was the closest and most obvious of the party.
"Following me to make sure I don't find out the truth about you lot?", taunts the inquisitor. "So far, no one can verify your friend's alibi.", pausing before she smiles at everyone. "I will uncover who you really are..."
Ekira is holding something back; perhaps her questioning did bear some fruit, but nothing she wants to tell you.
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"Lady, I've had quite enough of your rampant paranoia and kissed-by-the-gods holier-than-thou attitude. If you think I put faith in sneaking around on a metal peg leg, you're even crazier than I thought you were."
"No, scratch that," he adds caustically, "that's not possible."
He jabs a finger in her direction. "I suggest you stop fretting over us and start worrying about what to do when we 'uncover who you really are!'"
"Now, until you have some actual verifiable evidence to support any of your delusions, GET OUT OF MY FACE! And leave my traveling companions be, as well!"
Practically spitting the last part in her face, he turns and clumps out, growling all the while.
Just like it would in an Alkenstar bar, the entire beer tent goes quiet at Wyeth's retort at Ekira. She stares back at the peg-legged half-elf, her face flush with equal amounts anger and embarrassment. However, unlike before she lashes out with an anger yet to be seen by the party... or anyone else in the tent for that matter. "I hope you feel so brave when you and your friend there are swinging from the gallows, "
She wipes Wyeth's saliva off of her face, the metal of her boots making deep thuds as she storms out of the beer garden.
"Huh, ain't never seen someone push her button's like that.", notes the bartender to the Wyeth as the garden slowly works up to its normal bit of noise. "Dunno what she has in for your friend there, but Ekira is good folk, if you get past her rampant paranoia an' kissed-by-the-gods holier-than-thou attitude.", the man chuckles, although there is some sincerity in his words. "Here, have it on the house.", offering each member of the party a mug of frothy, if room temperature, honey mead.
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"Wasn't a performance," Wyeth growls towards Marduk. "I'm sick of that bit... *cough* woman."
He accepts the mug with a nod of appreciation. "I've not met many 'good folk' who go off like that," he says, keenly aware that he himself had just done so. "Let alone so fervently pursuing having people executed based on circumstances alone."
He turns, resting his elbows on the bar as he leans against it, looking toward the door. Then he asks the bartender over his shoulder, "Tell it true, now: Would you want someone of her attitude intent on doing you in? And bad enough if you were actually guilty; think how it'd be if you were innocent!"
He lifts one elbow off the bar to take a sip of mead. "Because quite honestly, she doesn't seem to care about innocence or guilt, truth or falsehood, one way or the other."
"You know, once this is all settled I may have to move here. The adult beverages in these parts are marvelous."
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Benson shakes his head at the exchange between Ekira and Wyeth. He stands and raises his mug and calls out, A toast to the fair inquisitor Ekira," allowing a little irony to show in his emphasis on the word fair. "She clearly is worried about your safety, even if she is blinded by some prejudice for strangers. Doubtless it was some terrible experience at the Worldwound." After taking a [pretend] sip, he adds, "But keep your eyes open to things she may be blind to. She was certain the killers of the first two victims, may they rest in peace, were caught. She cited as proof of their guilt that since they had been jailed, there had been no more murders. But now you have two more victims, murdered during the night while the Pathfinders were locked in the jail. Logic suggests you've locked up some innocent visitors while the real murderer remains at large. Look after each other and stay on guard. Report anything suspicious to the sheriff, and know that my blade is pledged to the protection of the lives and freedom of good folk like yourselves."
To the group he says, If I had to bet, I'd say Ekira is an attention seeker who has it in for strangers or perhaps she sees it as a way of ingratiating herself to the locals. But I doubt she had anything to do with the murders. I suspect our tall mysterious stranger with the obsidian buttons on his coat.
"You guys seem like good folk, course with demons closer than I'd prefer to the north and east, one can never be too sure. 'though I'd keep your opinion of them Pathfinders quiet fer now. They could be innocent, but the town itself is still too paranoid to wanna hear it and especially with the new murders, the paranoid conclusion would be ta think they were as vicious as the previously caught murderers."
The bartender smiles, filling Wyeth's mug a second time and shaking his head at oracle if he tries to pay. "You be too kind, and some genuine good news and thoughts would be a pleasant change for now."
At this point, a lil girl shyly comes up and tugs on Wyeth's coat. "Mista... I need to give this to you!", putting a piece of parchment into the half-elf's coat.
She then looks around anxiously and runs off into the crowd, disappearing among the legs of the taller adults all around.
Please help. I know that you and your friends are innocent. The real killer has me trapped in a house at the edge of town, near the fair. It's the one with white walls and two chimneys. He made me write the letters to trap them and you. He has left to kill again and trapped me in the attic. I will try to get one of the children at the fair to bring you this letter. Please rescue me.
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"You guys seem like good folk, course with demons closer than I'd prefer to the north and east, one can never be too sure. 'though I'd keep your opinion of them Pathfinders quiet fer now. They could be innocent, but the town itself is still too paranoid to wanna hear it and especially with the new murders, the paranoid conclusion would be ta think they were as vicious as the previously caught murderers."
"Thank you for the advice, but my mother always said I should 'Speak truth to power.' Where I'm from, Andoran, we stand up for the truth, even if it makes us unpopular with some. Ekira seems to be trying to gain power by playing on people's fears. It's time they had some people playing on their courage and intelligence instead."
To the others in the group, Benson says, If you guys think I'm a loose cannon, just say so. I don't want to endanger you all with my behavior, but I also don't want to hide from trouble.
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Wyeth chuckles. "I'm hardly in a position to label you a loose cann.."
He reacts to the child's actions with a surprised "What?" but she'd already disappeared into the crowd. He leaps forward from his position leaning on the bar and tries to spot the courier. "Wait little girl, I...!"
Seeing the effort is hopeless, he relaxes against the bar once more, surveying the crowd as he digs the parchment out of his pocket. "Strange. Just strange."
But as he skims the note, he stands bolt upright again. Eyes widened, he reads it again, more slowly this time.
Jamming the sheet back into his pocket, he grabs his mug and firmly says, "Marduk. Gangtee. All of you... we need to speak privately. Outside. Now."
Once the group is out of earshot and less visible, he pulls the crumpled paper from his pocket and hands it to Benson. "Some girl shoved this in my pocket. Said she needed to give it to me. SHe disappeared into the crowd before I got a good look at her, but from her voice she was no more than a child."
"Whatcha think," he asks, searching Benson's face as the fighter reads the note. "Could be a setup."
@Benson: Indeed, you have analyzed and studying this handwriting much over the past two days. The letters are written by the same person, bearing a slant of a left-handed person.
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For the sheriff:
For Orug:
Benson forces himself to review his interactions with the sheriff and with Orug, trying to spot anything that might suggest a reason not to trust either one.
To the group he says, [b]"I'm thinking we should show this letter to Orug and ask him about who might have sent it. We could suggest he spread the word for folks to be on watch against new murders and warn about the suspect, the tall man with the coat. Town folks are more likely to be receptive if the warning comes from one of their own, if he's willing to risk their suspecting him of helping us.
@Benson: The couple of interactions you've had with the sheriff is that he appears to be a straightforward man. He seems to want to take his job easy, but isn't shirking his responsibilities when it is more difficult as it has been the past few days (as much as he doesn't like it like that). Orug is much more direct in his wants and needs and may be more guilty of embellishment for his own benefit than outright lying and deception.
Orug's shop has finally quieted down somewhat, although it appears to be mostly due to some of the more highly coveted goods being gone more than anything else. Orug's still ringing up a short line of customers while Tessa's busy restocking shelves with whatever she can grab from the backroom.
"Welcome ta Orug!", chirps the half-orc, not even paying attention to your identities immediately. He then looks and smiles. "Ahh, welcome back indeed!"
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Benson strides briskly to the counter. To the customers in line, he says, "Excuse us a moment." He hands the note to Orug and says, "A child gave this note to Wyeth a moment ago. Do you think it's something you can help us with?"
As Orug reads, Benson adds, "We were thinking of paying the author a visit, after I chat with Mayor Liun about recent events. Wouldn't want folks thinking we were up to no good after what's happened. Any help you can offer would be much appreciated."
Benson speaks calmly, but his words still have a faint note of breathless urgency as his heart races and he instinctively keeps his hand near his sword hilt.
"This I didn't dictate, been busy here all mornin' thanks to that show!", Orug exclaims. He looks it over, nodding. "Hope this is some prank..."