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Dusting himself off, Fiterri steps up behind his battling comrades and raises his walking stick above their heads. He mutters to himself, "Whatever it is, it should burn."
The bird on the end of the stick opens its beak again and gouts of flame roll out at the beast. Fitterri raps the stick against his palm in aggitation, "Is something stuck? Is that all you got in there?
Fiterri joins the rush to clear the door and reemerges on the street. Turning takes a moment to steady his glasses on his nose as he takes in their disgusting opponent, looking for any weakness.
Fiterri had been listening to her excuses, chin upon his walking stick. With the blast of glass and violence, he splays backward tipping over his chair. His stick is before him in a defensive posture, and in the moment before the jarring crash of hitting the ground, the bird's eyes on his stick glow red. It opens its beak and a hot red beam streaks out at the tentacle, but not before he hits the ground his limbs akimbo.
"Hells, I'll do it. If she tells me Bloody Jack is hiding around the next corner to kill me, all the better." Fiterri steps up and takes a seat at her table. He lays out a spread of three coins. "Well Madame, you answered Old Bill's questions about naughty children. How about telling me where to find his successor? I'll double your fee. What do you say?" With a smile he nods to the note the group has been passing around, "Have your ink and parchment ready, I doubt you will want to be here for it." His smile fades when he has a thought, "A few more coins if the Spirits can find Old Bill for a few questions...but you know, if they can't, I might be fine with that." Waiting for her response Fiterri will lay his hands on the table seeing how sturdy it is and covertly look about for any tricks of the trade such as wires, mirrors and the such.
Fiterri flicks the top of the page where she seems to have scrawled a date. "This is from just after the last Bloody Jack killing. Thus solving the old case with Old Bill the killer but not the new. Still leaving us with 'why' would someone take up the mantle after so many years? Old Bill sounds crazed and driven, yet was damn quick to give it all up and ditch his cart. Is all this voluntary? Could the urges leave him and enter another even after all this time?"
Fiterri takes off his glasses and cleans them, giving him a moment to compose himself. This is some f!$&ed up s#$%. No wonder the Inspector is taking a pass, AND he is not paying us enough. A tinker with a cart full of knives and children...Bloody Jack Carver indeed. Placing his glasses back, Fiterri took a deep breath as he stepped forward. "Best you don't dwell on the Carver aspect. But what did he mean by 'naughty'? How were they naughty? What sin interested him so much? And how exactly could you have helped him find these children?"
Fiterri enters but keeps his spidery frame near the entry wall, not trusting the construction of this hovel and the growing number of occupants. But he does take a step forward upon eyeing her divination tools. Soothsaying tools from a lifetime of use can have great power. A Charlatan's tools can also be of a use, but in a different and lesser means. Judging by the drinking and state of this place, I would think these are the later.
"The sewers will always be there. Not sure we can say the same about a fortune teller from 20 years ago, especially if she is somehow involved in all this."
"That is a reasonable concern. Parts of the sewers I know well, and a few are traveled as regularly by those with unusual business as if a city street. But I have not explored them all, and some sections are avoided by all but the desperate." He raps his walking stick on a cobblestone, "Here's to not being desperate."
its well earned. I've been having fun with this.
At the suggestion that children were kept in the tight space on purpose, Fiterri gives a shiver, "As a child, I have been though many a small pipe, but to be kept in such a space...unimaginable" "That is a fine summary Gnitt, but I imagine we will not fall too far behind schedule due to the vial. I have some thoughts on its purpose, but I am no expert. Unlike our Miss Lucetta, who is an herbalist after all. The blue powder may be, if not familiar, than at least recognizable. Or she may know a discreet contact." "As to sewers, they are everywhere if you have an eye for them, but people tend to overlook them as something to be avoided and not mentioned. Shouldn't be too difficult to find the nearest egress near Old Bill's and who ever this Madame proves to be.
Away from Everett, "Hmmm, a hand print to match the foot. So Old Bill not only knew his assailant, he was its jailer, it seems. To what purpose, though? What could such a entity serve? But then 20 years ago, it slips his bonds and commits a foul murder and Bill is forced to ditch the prison and its blood evidence to go into a hiding retirement. Until his 'kindness' is repaid last night, that is."
Fiterri's train of thought is interrupted when he sees the key and a smile crosses his face, "Ahhhh, a Mudlarker's Free Pass. I have heard braggart's stories and had actually recovered a rusted fragment myself, but to see one in such good condition..." He takes a moment to carefully admire it, "It is a sewer master key, back from when the old Guild of Sewagers and Ironmongers held a tight but dirty grip on the city's sanitation. You can see their seal. Before the current Office of Sanitation, mind you. With such a key, one, with no knowledge of locks, could travel unseen under the city through the series of lock-gates that are still operational down there. For a 'larker, this provides access to cisterns, flow gates, and outflow channels that are prime collection spots for valuables the city accidentally or very often deliberately sends into the sewers. But to someone with ulterior motives, such as murder, it is a get away free Godsend, to appear and disappear within moments, anywhere in the city.
Fiterri hands the gear to Everett, "Here, you paid for it." When they get a look at the cart, Fiterri goes to adjust his glasses, but stops and shakes his head. "Look at that thing. Its served a harder life than when Old Bill pushed it through the crap in the streets. I won't be able to get a reading off of it."
Fiterri removes his hat again, "Horatius was just telling us, good sir, you are the one to talk about matter from a long time ago. Specifically, twenty years ago and what was the story of why this gear was in the possession of Old Bill the Tinker and why no one came looking for it." Fitter pulls the gear from his bag to show the old man.
Fiterri looks at the fresh paint and then at the man. "Horatius Grindylow, I take it?" He removes his hat and gives a slight bow. "Fiterri FInch at your service. He replaces his hat, "My compatriots and I, we were hoping to find your father, Eustus, in good health. We have a small matter from twenty years ago. Of course, you may have been here as well at the time. It involves repair work done by a William Hughe, a tinker. You may have known him as Old Bill?"
Fiterri places the cog back on the table and shakes his head, "There is crushing and there is darkness. I cannot find a day in all those years where anyone attached themselves to this cog. That or that the contact was so brief, it has not lingered." Packing up his tools while standing among the gore, "After questioning the locals, I could go for a scotch egg. And a splash of something hot."
"Any loose floorboards to hide under? What am I saying, probably every board is loose in this place." Picking up the gear, "Although a stop to the receipts could be if he is related to the first murder somehow, he didn't want to be found anymore...did a poor job of leaving town though, if that were the case." Fiterri sits at the table and clears his mind. He holds the gear avoiding the greased teeth. "I don't expect too much, especially over such a time, and for such a utilitarian item. But I might just pick up Grindylow's or Old Bill's mood associated with the item. Fiterri flicks the switch on his glasses as he bends his head over the item and concentrates, leaving behind the murder scene and investigators. He shoots through a long dark expanse with no reference that lulls his senses until they explode again in light and activity. As his inner eye adjusts, there is dim light, dust, and gravel. too far He retraces his steps looking for anything after the life as a cog.
As the chest is opened Fiterri smiles, "Receipts. Didn't I say receipts. Something stopped him keeping track of customers a long time ago." Once the full contents are searched, "Huh, seems Old Bill was always old, even decades ago. Unlike most of these receipts, Grindylow's is still open not far from here. Odd that Eustus never came calling for his 'Main Gear Tertiary Toogle Switch' or why Old Bill would hide it under his bed with a bunch of useless paper."
Fitteri nods after the Inspector as he heads back to the flat with Tania, "Guess he has had a bit of a long night." Back in the appartment Fiterri heads over to the chest. "Old chest. An old killing to match this one. You figure this been under his bed twenty years? Any of you particularly good with locks and potentially traps? I have the means but would bow to an expert."
Fiterri follows the Inspector out, surprised by his abrupt departure while still digesting the history lesson. "Inspector." Drumming his fingers together, "The stipend is generous as always, my thanks. But I was hoping for details on the Hughe murder to know if there is a connection beyond the methods. Does the Watch keep such details, or can I ask you over your lunch? The less grizzly details of course, like who was Hughes and where did this happen? Any link we can make to the Tinker may help."
Fiterri recoils and drops the stone. A handkerchief is quickly in his hand to wipe his face, knocking his glasses off. Catching the glasses awkwardly, he takes a moment to clean them, giving him some time to regain his composure. Resetting his glasses, Fiterri straightens up and addresses the others. "As is obvious, a powerful spirit was here. That footprint was left by the wielder of the knives and who broke the window. But I am not sure it is our killer. I sensed a dual presence. One in great fear but with deep spite and hatred within. The fear attached to the rock seemed from an entity that is indeed the size of a small child and not that of the victim. Be it a spiritual or demonic possession of an actual child I cannot say, versus the possibility of some 'imp-like' creature driven by unknown forces." Fiterri looks back down at the body and the scatter of deadly implements, With this knowledge, I will forego examining the knives at this time. The victim's fear and pain combined with the killer's rage may incapacitate me if I open myself to the murder weapon." He bends down and retrieves his 'wand' to poke a bloody blade onto his handkerchief. Picking up the cloth square by the corners he cradles the knife up. Replacing the wand in a pocket, he produces a small, elongated wooden box, just large enough to hold such an implement. Once the knife was lowered into it, he snaps the box shut and slips it into his pocket. "For later, if we run out of leads. I will have to make the Inspector a receipt. But he instead turns and busies himself with looking over the Tinker's tools of the trade. "Receipts? Anyone see any? Might be good to know if he owned any money about."
Fiterri steps past Lucetta and the footprint, peering down through his glasses, "Little small for one of my 'larkers'. How about you Gnitt? One of your 'angels' missing tonight?" Fiterri makes a circuit of the room. The silver bird atop his staff glows to provide more light. With his free hand he pulls a small metal stick from a pocket. Giving it a shake, it extends a foot and a half. He uses it to tap and lift each knife as he makes his round examining each closely. "These knives mostly seem the tinker's. I can check that further but will allow your specialties to have their moment before I handle them. I just ask to be careful in handling them and do not 'use' them in any sense as you could overwrite the energies swirling around each. Although with such violence associated with them it may be hard to get a clear sense of the attacker, particularly over years of the Tinker's energy imbued in them." Fiterri steps back and tries to give the room the wider view. So the killer did not bring a weapon, relying on a house of tinker knives. Well thought out, or extremely fortuitous? And a child, or small humanoid...killer or accomplice?...A child could more easily gain access through the window..."The cobblestone, of course. Its innocence in this should hold some answers." Fiterri walks to the smashed window and lifts the stone. First peering at it through his glasses looking for marks where it may have pried from the street or if grime cover all sides if it were loose. He then pulled a tiny lever on his glasses and the lens went purplish-black. He pushed the glasses further up his nose and more carefully examined the rock. His head tilting from side to side as he studied it, all conversation in the room drifting away during his concentration. He filtered away years of weather and traffic, wheels and feet of people and animals. He ignored it all except the last impressions, like the tiniest of bumps on smooth egg. Someone held this stone but a few hours ago whereas it had likely not been handled since the road was laid long ago. The rock poised before the window. Who is holding it? What is their demeanor? Furious like the attack? Scared, like afraid of being caught? Or more sinister, was it calm, like a well-conceived plan was under way? Object Reading: At 2nd level, an occultist learns how to read information from items he examines. Examining an item in this way requires him to spend 1 minute handling the item. If the item is a magic item, the occultist learns its properties and command word as if he had successfully examined the item using detect magic and succeeded at a Spellcraft check. This ability does not reveal whether the item is cursed unless the occultist's class level is equal to or greater than the caster level of the item. If the item has any historical significance, the occultist learns one piece of information about its past (as determined by the GM). Finally, if the item was last used no longer than 1 day ago per the occultist's class level, the occultist learns one piece of information about the last creature to use the item. This information might be a glimpse of the creature's appearance, a brief vision of what it saw while using the item, or perhaps its emotional state when it last used the item. The GM determines what information is gained in this way. This functions like the psychometry occult skill unlock, but doesn't require a skill check and can be used at will.
Fiterri barely heard the knocks until they became quite determined. His night chambers, high in a garret precariously poking above the surrounding tenements. The peaked windows showed no light in the east. Cursing his own illumination into existence on the fresh candle on his nightstand, Fiterri pulled on some trousers, tucking in his nightshirt. With a whistle, the light left the candle and a lit on the silver bird atop his staff. Together, him and staff stumped their way down the numerous staircases. Fiterri called within earshot of his door, "Hold on. Coming," in an effort to ensure the door remained on its hinges. Finally opening the door, a Constable was revealed looking perturbed. "Constable, is there a problem?" "Quite. Inspector Muncy requested your presence. And that was a while ago, I might add. You are to come right away with me." "If there was a hurry, you should have come here straight way." The Constable made to interject but Fiterri turned away from him heading back into his cluttered shop toward the rear stairs. "The night is not fir for a nightshirt. I must dress and collect certain items I am sure the Inspector will like me to bring. You are free to stay in here while you wait. As Fiterri's light diminished, the store took on a more eerie quality with its stuffed animals in unnatural poses, jars of odd anatomy in different colored fluids, and bins labeled with things no one should come looking for, in between mundane piles of old shirts, a box of assorted shoes, and shelves of repaired crockery. But it was the smell of incense and spice trying to cover a smell of...just wrongness, that set the Constable to only linger in the doorway and its more familiar disgusting smells. Ten minutes passed before Fiterri returned in a black suit, with high black boots. His black hair slicked back and small beard groomed and pointed. A pair of specacles rode low on his long nose. He retrieved his large black coat and took a moment going through its pockets. At the door he pulled his tall round-topped capotain and long muffler off a hook and presented himself as ready. Many thought him an odd looking undertaker, but he was just sensible, in that black hid the splash of dark river mud better. The walk was not long and a familiar crowd was growing, although it was unusual to see them all together. "Inspector Muncy. Glad to be of assistance again. I am sure your Constable did his best in alerting me to your request." He taps the wide brim of his hat to the inspector but then removes it and bows. "Miss Teg. It has been far too long." He puts his hat back on and mutters, "Enohp" After listening to the Inspector's introduction, "I knew the man when I was younger. Had not seen much of him of late. It is sad that you felt to need to call me in on his death. Fiterri pulls a silk cloth from a coat pocket and holds it beneath his chin, "Let's proceed."
Tania - your background mentioned the Golden Dice burning down, but what was the shop that still remains? Just trying to look how Fiterri might know everyone. I can see Lucretta and her shop and probably visiting it on occasion for water-borne infection remedies and occasional advice on alchemical properties of certain items he has acquired. Gnitt with his orphange/sweatshop I can see a constant but sadly friendly struggle over control of children as a resource (somehow I picture old men competing over their pigeon flocks from neighboring rooftops). I will need Gnitt's input on this to determine the strength of the rivalry, as I can see bitter rivals called on to work together as fun as well. With Joseph, I could image the need for a legit-looking provenance for certain items if that is the kind of forgery he would be in to? Otherwise I guess just knowing you through work with the police on occasion. And looking more thoroughly through everyone's character sheets, I see that I am indeed not a primary combatant for this group. That is cool and works more with the concept in my head. But he will be a ready and willing flank buddy to Joseph and Lucretta while using his Enlarge ability. That should also work with Tania and her longspear and bag of martial tricks. Also Gnitt with his Summoning spell list. Lots of flanks to go around.
No worries. With all the weird bonuses not being spelled out , it was a hard character sheet to double check. ;-) The sheet was a pain as I had to organize it myself to keep things straight and on top of that HeroLab didn't even spit out my base and resonant class abilities. I had to add them all by hand. It will be my first occult class as well. Eventually I hope to get a Kineticist too. The others haven't really inspired me yet. For those who haven't read Fiterri's background. He has assisted the police in the past, initially its was him or his mudlarks or dump pickers finding bodies, discarded murder weapons, and other clues thought safely disposed of, except to those desperate enough to search the places often overlook. But the police have come to realize his specialized knowledge, contacts in the neighborhood, and profession as an occasional fence (because even the police sometimes need something to discreetly disappear) have a use to the constabulary.
I cleaned up and finalized Fiterri's sheet. I placed his level bonuses in hit points instead of 1/6 of a focus point so +5 hp then I posted before. His implements are currently giving him +2 strength,+2 saves, and +1 spell damage as long as he keeps 1 point in the proper implement (trans,abjure, and evoke respectively). I swapped the Evocation implement for the Divination. He carries a three-section staff, but for flavor I would like it look like a regular staff that separates when needed, like Daredevil's baton, except bigger as it is three pieces. I admit this will be the hardest character I have run in a PbP. Tracking Focus points tied to three implements, spells per day, and a small inspiration pool and starting at 5th level. But I hope to have fun with it as I love the concept of the Occultist, and then adding in the flavor of a victorian-like collector of oddities is just icing on the cake. But apologies if I forget some obvious ability I have. |
