"Spores you say, underground would be a decent place to find a demon or his worshippers. Have you checked the body for any lingering magical affects or for poison? if not we can do that know, and you can show me your setup."
The sun is beginning to sink low in the west as Calatin and Demona reach the Petal District and the College of Mysteries. The buildings around the great dome of the lens are beginning to shut up for the day, but many students can be found hanging around the courtyards gossiping, discussing the finer points of the day's lessons, and flirting with each other. The coffee stands and mead stalls are doing good business.
Demona gets some appreciative and quizzical looks, especially accommpanying Calatin, whose tattoos identify him as a highly ranked member of the college. It is not long before their enquiries turn up some information.
"Yeah, I recognise him..." says one young half-elven student. "But I don't remember from where." He calls his friends, and they soon settle the matter.
"It's Filias Durnsturner" remarks a human woman. "I had a few classes with him as my tutor in my first year. He was an odd one. Refused to get tattooed - said it would damage his skin. Didn't he get expelled or something?"
"That's right, tossed out" confirms a young blonde man, giving Demona a flirtatous grin, before remembering that he was in the presence of an Enigma. "I mean, the Assembly expelled him - something about dabbling in unapproved summonings - word was that he was calling up demons or something. Plus, he was having an affair with one of his students, which is a bit against the rules. I think she left with him and they set up in a house somewhere in the Coins."
Foggy reaches the Rent Veil, the temple to Pharasma, just as evening service is beginning. Many veiled and robed priests are chanting, swinging sweet-smelling censers, and performing a slow, intricate procession that is part celebration of life, part praise for the goddess, and part intercession for the dead.
An old, white-haired female priest, obviously too frail to join in the procession, sits patiently at the back of the church, nodding her head along to the cadences of the chant. She notices Foggy enter, and beckons him over.
"How can the Lady help ye this evening, little Master?" she whispers. "Have ye come to intercede for the soul of a loved one on its way to the Boneyard?"
Jacks finds no poison on the man, and only the last, flickering traces of what once may have been defensive spells, now broken by their caster's death.
At a whim, he decides to use his ability to detect strong auras on the man and his possessions, and is surprised when the sample of spores that Rufus collected radiates strong evil.
Foggy reaches the Rent Veil, the temple to Pharasma, ...
An old, white-haired female priest, obviously too frail to join in the procession, sits patiently at the back of the church, nodding her head along to the cadences of the chant. She notices Foggy enter, and beckons him over."How can the Lady help ye this evening, little Master?" she whispers. "Have ye come to intercede for the soul of a loved one on its way to the Boneyard?"
"Let's say I've come to seek justice for a soul whose gone to the Boneyard. A body was found that we were hoping to identify by an odd mark ," Foggy shows her the sketch. "We thought it might be religious or demonic. Because Pharasma is a matron of knowledge, I was hoping to find a text or person who could tell me what it means."
"Let's say I've come to seek justice for a soul whose gone to the Boneyard. A body was found that we were hoping to identify by an odd mark ," Foggy shows her the sketch. "We thought it might be religious or demonic. Because Pharasma is a matron of knowledge, I was hoping to find a text or person who could tell me what it means."
The woman shakes her head emphatically. "The Lady deals in knowledge imparted through visions and dreams. She is not a library to be consulted. Still, this old head has learned much, and even remembers some of it." She cackles, drawing the sharp gazes of some of the other priests. "Come show me this symbol and perhaps I can tell you something of it."
The woman's eyes widen, and she leans down to whisper to Foggy. "If the Passed one wore this symbol, then he will not spend long in the Lady's realm. His soul is bound for the Abyss. This is the symbol of the dread Demon Lord Pazuzu - King of the Wind Demons."
Is the blonde guy cute? If so, Demona flirts back. If he's not cute, she still flirts back, but doesn't really mean it.
"And you wouldn't happen to know where that house in the Coins is, do you? Or what that student's name is?"
Is the blonde guy cute? If so, Demona flirts back. If he's not cute, she still flirts back, but doesn't really mean it.
"And you wouldn't happen to know where that house in the Coins is, do you? Or what that student's name is?"
A bit of flirting, an accepted drink, and a promise to be in a certain bar at a certain time that night, and Demona has the details she needs. The house is on Travallan Street in the Coins. Durnsturner lives there with Delores Ipin, his former student.
"A friend of a friend went to visit once, but he was, like, really creeped out. There were strange paintings on the walls. So, you're going to join us at the Medusa's Head tonight?"
The woman shakes her head emphatically. "The Lady deals in knowledge imparted through visions and dreams. She is not a library to be consulted. Still, this old head has learned much, and even remembers some of it." She cackles, drawing the sharp gazes of some of the other priests. "Come show me this symbol and perhaps I can tell you something of it."
Foggy accepts her rebuke about the "library" mildly, and shows her the sketch.
The woman's eyes widen, and she leans down to whisper to Foggy. "If the Passed one wore this symbol, then he will not spend long in the Lady's realm. His soul is bound for the Abyss. This is the symbol of the dread Demon Lord Pazuzu - King of the Wind Demons."
Foggy nods, before replying quietly, "Pazuzu, eh? I'm just a common Watchman, ma'am. What can you tell me about this demon lord?"
"Well it appears he had magical protection, but they have since failed him. These spores carry the taint of evil, he has been dealing with demonkind."
"You say they're evil, Jack?" Rufus scratches his chin thoughtfully, "Now that the lab is up, for the most part, I'll run some more thorough tests. If they are from a demon, it would have been a calling spell. I've heard that any materials created with a summoning vanish when the spell ends."
Foggy nods, before replying quietly, "Pazuzu, eh? I'm just a common Watchman, ma'am. What can you tell me about this demon lord?"
The woman's face becomes serious, and her voice drops even lower. "Speak not his name so casually, young master. A resident of the Abyss is never to be trifled with, and one who can command its residents is powerful indeed. Pazuzu claims dominion over all the flies, gathering winged demons, the erinyes, the vrock and others, to himself. Worse, he meddles in the world, operating through dark cults and even manifesting himself, some say, at the scene of terrible events."
She lays her hand on Foggy's head and mutters a brief blessing. "May the grace of the Lady go with you if you face this demon's minions, and may She not call you to Herself too soon."
Bustle off to the library. First I want to check on that bit of body art. Then into the annex where the records are, and look up Filias Durnsturner. One thing about the College, they may throw a mage out but they never, ever throw out information!
The detailed texts on demonology are restricted, with permission needed from the Head of Planar Studies to access them, but Calatin is able to find a general text which allows him to check on the marking. He finds a cross referrence to the name Pazuzu, which leads him to a reference work that contains all the information found here.
Turning to the college records, he looks up Filias Durnsturner. The records show that the man came to the college as an advanced student, having already completed an apprenticeship in Westcrown. He progressed as a research student, before being granted a teaching post.
Two years ago, several missed lessons, as well as concerns raised by the college librarian about the texts Durnsturmer was requesting, led to an investigation. The college beadle reported that Durnsturmer appeared to be involved in unauthorized research into the summoning and binding of Abyssal creatures. A footnote mentions an affair with one of his students which, while not technically against the rules, was being conducted without the tact and discretion that would be expected from a member of the faculty. The Assemby had chosen to revoke his tenure and expel him.
"You say they're evil, Jack?" Rufus scratches his chin thoughtfully, "Now that the lab is up, for the most part, I'll run some more thorough tests. If they are from a demon, it would have been a calling spell. I've heard that any materials created with a summoning vanish when the spell ends."
Rufus runs a few more tests on the spores while Jack watches, although the spores do not seem to react to any of the normal agents. Then, Rufus accidentally drops one onto his hand. Immediately, the spore sprouts, growing into a tiny vine that spreads across the back of Rufus's hand before its growth stops. The process is painful, but an experimental flex of the hand shows Rufus that no real damage has been done.
...
She lays her hand on Foggy's head and mutters a brief blessing. "May the grace of the Lady go with you if you face this demon's minions, and may She not call you to Herself too soon."
"Thank you, Mother. I am Fenmore Grey. May I call on you again if we need help?"
Demona heads back as well, after confirming a few more details about her new informant. Upon hearing the news that the vic liked to try binding demons, she comments, "Now I'm not a mage, but don't some of those folks who go around binding demons sometimes lose control of them? And aren't there some demons who can fly? What do we get if we cross-reference flying demon with black feathers and evil spores? Maybe this guy did this to himself in a way."
After hopefully getting the old priestess' name and agreement that he can come again, Foggy returns to the office. He'll clue the others in, although Demona and Calatin already know about PAzuzu.
"Now I'm not a mage, but don't some of those folks who go around binding demons sometimes lose control of them? And aren't there some demons who can fly? What do we get if we cross-reference flying demon with black feathers and evil spores? Maybe this guy did this to himself in a way."
"So, accidental suicide? That's plausible. But he's an instructor at the college, so he's smart. He's been doing it more than two years. He knows the risks and is probably very careful. So I think that's got to be the theory of last resort."
"If it's murder, it's got to be planned and premeditated. It might help if we found the murder scene. Did you find an address in this guy's records?"
Demona smiles. "I don't know about any records, but my new friend Jez, total college nerd, but whatever, was good enough to provide me with Durnsturner's residence, one he apparently shares, well, shared with his former student, Delores Ipin. Sarge, want to go check it out? Perhaps we should all go, or at least take Calatin along. Might be some magic mumbo-jumbo that he'll need to see first hand."
"Every hour, the killer slips further form our grasp, let's get down there and see what we can find. Unless there is anything else to learn here, I suggest we go. Extra set of ears and eyes always help, and If someones there I want all the exits covered. " As he grabs his weapons and heads for the door he says "No one escapes justice, or me."
Demona leaps up from the rickety chair in which she had just started to lounge. She grabs up and test fires her empty heavy crossbow a few times before winching it back and loading it, snapping the clip down to keep the bolt in place. Then she picks up her trident from its place in a corner and straps her buckler onto her right wrist.
Upon arriving at the victim's house, but before trying to get inside, she'll use her careful teamwork ability (telling a few small jokes to lighten the mood and get everybody focused on the task at hand). For the next hour, everyboy gets +1 bonuses to initiative, perception, disable device, and +1 insight bonuses to reflex saves and AC against traps and when flat-footed. She can do this one more time this day, or can make three uses of other bardic performance, such as fascinating or countersong-ing.
"I've done all I can with what we have and the lab is finished. I too would like to come with," Rufus says while donning his strange cork covered coat. He looks inside checking to make sure all of his portable alchemical components are readily at hand.
The Coins district is busy at all times of day, although as dusk falls the focus shifts from the purely commercial activities of the Grand Bazaar to the more earthy delights of the Red Silk Route and its surrounding streets of mead halls and keghouses.
Between the fleshpots of the Route and the raised route of Misery Row is a small warren of narrow, residential streets, mostly multi-story houses and tenements. Travallan Street is one of these. As the group arrive, the last glimmers of light are fading from the sky, and the sole illumination is a flickering magical lantern outside a closed pawnbroker's shop. It casts long, dancing shadows down the street.
Candlelight shines from a few windows of the dozen or so houses on each side of the street, and the smell of cooking drifts down. Murmured voices, a baby's cry and the clatter of pans can be heard, but the street itself is deserted - the denizens presumably already home from their toils, or spending the day's profits somewhere else.
The effect lasts an hour, so I guess Demona will use her careful teamwork ability now, rather than right outside the target house.
Perception:
Foggy trails along behind the others, occasionally scurrying to keep up.
Perception:
Arriving at the street, Foggy steps around the outside of the group so that he can see. He puts his hand on the hilt of his small sword and tries to look much braver than he feels.
Jack's gaze slowly passes by each alley and window, checking for unwanted eyes. As he does so, he unhooks his crossbow, making sure it's loaded and ready should this trip have any surprises.
Jack's gaze slowly passes by each alley and window, checking for unwanted eyes. As he does so, he unhooks his crossbow, making sure it's loaded and ready should this trip have any surprises.
...
Foggy slips his left hand inside his pocket and wraps his fingers around the charm inside. His right hand goes to the sword at his throat.
As the group stands in the street, they get the occasional glimpse of a face peeking out from behind shutters or thin curtains at them from the various houses and tenements on each side of the street. It seems that strangers are not too common here - especially ones wielding crossbows in the open.
The house that Demona's informant mentioned as being the residence of Durnsturner is dark, with no lights showing at any of the windows. The lower windows appear to be shuttered. The sole upper story window that faces the street is broken - indeed, it appears to be completely shattered, with the wooden frames that hold the glass panels burst from within. Broken glass lies on the cobbles below. However, something appears to have been pushed against the broken window to close it off - maybe a board, maybe the back of a wardrobe or similar. The front door - its green paint peeling off - is closed.
"Demona, can you and foggy circle round back and see if there's a back door?"
Turning his attention on the window above, jack mutters a prayer to Iomedae for insight inot what happened up above.
Demona nods. "On it, boss."
Demona disappears into the night (hopefully) and around back.
Stealth:
Perception:
To Jack, it looks very much as though something burst through the window from inside the room. However, there's no blood or anything to suggest that someone hit the ground underneath.
Foggy trots after Demona and tries to emulate her stealth and awareness.
Stealth
Perception
Since she's obviously not being very stealthy, Demona whispers to Foggy as they make their way around back, "I'll bet you a day's wages we'll find all sorts of summoning and binding gear up there and that creature carried Durnsturner out through that window. Somebody must still be up there, though, alive, to have covered up that window like that."
Since she's obviously not being very stealthy, Demona whispers to Foggy as they make their way around back, "I'll bet you a day's wages we'll find all sorts of summoning and binding gear up there and that creature carried Durnsturner out through that window. Somebody must still be up there, though, alive, to have covered up that window like that."
"I'm not going to take that bet. I'm thinking the same thing. Care to wager on what the creature will be?"
Demona chuckles. "'Fraid not. I can tell you plenty about Absalom - where the best pocket-pickin' spots are, or where to find the best falafel, but I know diddly-squat about demons."
"excellent idea Calatin. But if something goes wrong, make sure to get back, so I cna have a clear shot."
Jack will move right up against the side of the house near the corner.