Sunday, March 19, 2006

Episode II: Murder in Oakbridge - Act II

Scene I - 17th of Lharvion 998 YK
"The Three-Fingered Maniac" (continued)


The battle with Lucian Cruzgar was a hazardous one for the three investigators. He opened up hostilities by throwing a flash pellet in their midst, temporarily blinding both Gerard and Morgan. He retreated towards his room, with only Esan capable of pursuing for the moment. Lucian nearly killed Esan during the brief melee that ensued, unleashing a flurry of deadly steel that would have sliced the elan to ribbons had he not instilled some of his latent mental energy into his corporeal body at the last moment. Fortunately, at this point Gerard and Morgan caught up. Esan attempted without success to stun Lucian with a freezing burst of psychic power, while Gerard closed the melee gap once again. Lucian dealt serious damage to the Silver Flame priest, and Gerard was forced to withdraw and heal himself. Morgan turned the tide of battle by blinding their deranged foe, but Lucian eluded them for a few seconds by jumping out the window to a bridge over a hundred feet below. Esan followed, landing silently in front of his now-sightless opponent and sneaking around behind him while Morgan and Gerard landed more noisily in the other direction, drawing Lucian's attention.

Morgan proceeded to talk Lucian down through a strange combination of gentle coercion and brute intimidation. It worked somewhat. He showed them that he had no tattoo on his upper chest, and after they told him why he was a suspect to begin with, he agreed to follow them to the Bluebird Inn so they could measure his hand up against the bloody print on Drummer's door. He kept his weapons, though. Esan used the diversion to sneak back to Lucian's studio and investigate for further evidence - he found little of interest there. When Morgan and Gerard took Lucian back to the Bluebird Inn, they found the Sharn Watch already there. Gerard flashed his badge and they were all allowed back to the crime scene, where Lucian's hand was compared against the killer's print. They did not match at all.

They left the Bluebird Inn with Lucian to go to Oakbridge Church, where Loffer could cure Lucian's otherwise permanent blindness, but they left a message for Esan with one of the Watchmen, so he could catch up with them at the church. At the church, Loffer removed Lucian's blindness. While this was going on, Esan returned to the Inn and got the message, but he also discovered that the Watch had called in a more experienced inquisitor to handle the murder investigation; Victor Saint-Demain was on his way to Oakbridge. Esan went to the church and relayed all he had discovered to his companions. They spoke with Lucian a while longer, and he offered his opinion that this was all a plot by the Order of the Emerald Claw, which had supposedly been trying to assassinate him for years. They confirmed that he did not know any of the victims before letting him go home.

Scene II
"Back to the Crime Scenes"


The investigators returned to Borgo's apartment, where they hoped to find some more clues. They looked through his journal and discovered some references to his time with Drummer in something called the 'Peace Circus'. They removed Borgo's body from the apartment, intent on having Loffer speak with him. Borgo didn't have much to say, so they spoke with Sarfina about the Peace Circus. She knew quite a bit more; she said that the Peace Circus had been a group of performers that made an annual circuit around rural Breland, raising the spirits of war-weary souls wherever they could. Borgo and Drummer had been in it, as well as Corlina the dancer and her husband Roctor. Volin, a local bard, had trained wild animals to perform tricks for the crowds, while Svans ir'Kilmansor ran the operation.

Sarfina mentioned that a terrible accident resulting in the death of an infant had ended the Peace Circus' run about two years ago. She wasn't sure of the specifics, so they decided to pay the Sharn Inquisitive offices a visit. Gerard managed to get access to the Inquisitive's archives by flashing his badge and dropping some names, and they uncovered an article dating back to Aryth 11, 996 YK (the day the Thronehold Treaty was signed). It was a brief report from Nowhere, the last place where the Peace Circus ever performed. It explained how a pair of 'tamed' deinonychus' had suddenly went crazy, tearing into the crowd before their trainer could stop them. The Peace Circus staff acted quickly and brought the crazed dinosaurs down, but a changeling child was torn to shreds before they got there. The child's mother was also horribly maimed, but she didn't even stick around to give a name. The investigators were satisfied that they were finally getting somewhere, but the real difficulty of the situation was now apparent - how were they going to track down a changeling if they didn't even know her name?

Scene II
"A Sordid Love Affair"


Before interviewing the three ex-carnies who they believed were the last victims in this murder spree, the investigators returned to Loffer's church and had the priest cast speak with dead on Borgo's body. A bit of clever questioning revealed that Corlina might in fact be having an affair with Volin. They left the church for Corlina and Roctor's home. Both were available for questioning. Corlina became uncomfortable during the interview any time Volin was mentioned, though her husband seemed oblivious. They were both forthcoming with most information, and Roctor even provided them with an address book of some other ex-members of the Circus in greater Breland, though he said he hadn't really kept up with anyone for a while. They told the couple that they ought to be careful, because they were both potential victims in the very near future. Before they left, Morgan asked Corlina to accompany them to Volin's house, since they did not know where in the neighborhood it was. She agreed, and they left the Herfast residence.
Morgan wasted no time telling Corlina not to be coy - they knew about her affair with Volin. She tried to make excused, but they weren't really interested in any of it; that was not within the scope of their investigation, after all.

When they arrived at his house, they spoke with Volin about the issues at hand. He took responsibility for the death of the changeling child - the two dinosaurs in his care had been deteriorating for some time, but other things had kept him distracted enough that he didn't notice until it was too late. When pressed about these other things, he remained elusive in front of Corlina. Gerard separated the two of them, and Volin admitted that his affair with Corlina had been his primary focus for the months leading up to the accident. He believed that, had it not been for that, the child would never have been killed and the Peace Circus might even now be making its annual circuits. He was not very happy with this emotional burden, but he was also angry that the changeling mother who was now trying to kill them hadn't thought of a more reasonable way to vent her own grief.

Scene III - 18th of Lharvion
"Murder Four"


That evening, the companions decided to keep watch over Volin's house from Borgo's apartment across the street, for they believed he was the most likely victim to be targeted next. They took watches, and slept in the deceased dwarf's home on one of the balmiest nights of the year. Two hours before midnight, Esan was on watch, and he saw Corlina coming down the street. She was wearing her dancer's attire, so they thought she was most likely coming from her evening work at the Bluebird Inn. She entered Volin's house, and stayed there for about two hours. At midnight, she left, presumably to go home. Esan decided to trail her there, both to protect her and to make sure she wasn't up to anything. Morgan sent his Corvus with him. When the murderer is a changeling, one can never be too careful...

Nothing impeded Corlina's path to her house, and she didn't see any sign of her extra shadow. When she arrived at her house, she went inside. Esan decided to wait a little while outside, but he didn't have to wait long, because she came running out screaming seconds later. He revealed his presence to her and stopped her from running off. She calmed down long enough to tell Esan that she had found Roctor dead in a pool of his own blood. Esan told her to wait outside while he checked the house. He searched quickly, but could not find the killer inside. Before investigating further, he decided to take Corlina to a safe place. He send Corvus back to Morgan with a summons to the Bluebird Inn, where Esan would leave Corlina in Graff and Sarfina's care overnight.

The three investigators returned to the Herfast residence and scoured it for clues. They discovered that Roctar had been stabbed twice, once in the back and once through the throat. There were a few strands of hair in Roctor's clenched fist, and when Morgan examined them he saw that they changed color slowly. Roctor must have not gone down without a fight. They removed him to Loffer's church, where he could be spoken with in the morning. They continued watching Volin's residence for the rest of the night.

At dawn, they moved Volin to the Bluebird Inn with Corlina. They asked Victor Saint-Demain, who was also staying there, to watch over the two of them while they rooted out the killer. He agreed, and said that he would keep them both in a public place, since the murderer liked to catch her victims alone.

At around noon, they returned to Loffer's Church and spoke with Roctor. He confirmed what they already knew - the changeling mother was responsible for the murders, and the hair they now possessed had belonged to her. They decided to visit the Cronix Arcanary nearby to see if the local wizard had a method of scrying on the murderer; they found that ir’Cronix didn’t have a scroll handy, but he believed he could acquire one that day if they were willing to wait.

Early that evening, ir’Cronix returned with the scroll and began the hour-long process of preparation required to cast the powerful divination. He used the changeling’s hair as a focus to increase the chances of success…

After the hour had passed, ir’Cronix’ eyes went bright as he stared into the foggy mirror. A few minutes later, he came to, looking a bit flush. “She’s at the Bluebird Inn…serving that Saint-Demain and the dancer their dinner…”

They left the Arcanary at a run.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Backdrop: Race of Eight Winds

This is a reprint of the excellent Dragonshard article by Keith Baker, creator of Eberron.

The original article can be found here:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041220a

The Race of Eight Winds

Sharn is a vertical city, and over the course of centuries the people of Sharn have developed a variety of sporting events that take advantage of the unique architecture of their home. Windchasers dart around the towers following elaborate racing paths, while skyblades joust far above the ground. But one event overshadows the rest: the Race of Eight Winds, which is held on the 23rd day of Lharvion. This event draws spectators and gamblers from across Khorvaire. Part race, part aerial battle, this stunning spectacle has shaped the culture of the Dura Ward -- and this event can present many opportunities for adventurers.

History and Structure

According to legend, King Galifar II was fascinated by the use of aerial scouts and cavalry. Some say that he used Sharn as a testing ground to judge the merits of different flying beasts, granting land and gold to exceptional cavaliers. Over the centuries, this evolved into an exotic race involving different sorts of magical and fantastic beasts. For purposes of the race, Dura is divided into eight regions, each of which is represented by a different creature. To this day, the name of the creature is often used as a slang term for the inhabitant of one of these areas; when someone talks about "that treacherous owl," he's probably referring to a resident of Rattlestone or the Bazaar.

The race itself is a test of speed and skill, challenging the reflexes and combat skills of both beast and rider. From the starting point in Hareth's Folly, the race takes competitors on an intricate course that weaves in and around the towers of Sharn -- and since contact is allowed between riders and beasts, the racers can always try to win by eliminating the competition.

The race is older than most of Sharn, which explains why much of Upper Dura is not represented; it literally didn't exist when the tradition began. Hareth's Folly and Hostelhome have always been neutral ground where people gather to watch the race.

While not everyone takes an interest, many of the inhabitants of Lower and Middle Dura are avid followers of the Race of Eight Winds. It brings people of all races and professions together, and those directly involved with the race are the heroes of their districts. This includes the riders and handlers, along with the Wind Guard -- a committee appointed to manage the interests of the region. While this is a great honor, it carries considerable responsibility: there is far more to the Race of Eight Winds than just skill in the air. The Wind Guard has to raise funds to acquire, maintain, and train the exotic beasts used in the competition. Usually local merchants donate a share of their profits to support the race, but it is up to the Wind Guard to make up for any shortfall. In addition to finances, the members of the Wind Guard engage in a never-ending series of schemes and negotiations on behalf of their region. Alliances and networks of favors stretch back for centuries, making the race as much a match of politics as of speed. The owl is one of the slowest creatures in the race, but the Bazaar has a powerful economic position and often uses bribery and graft to get ahead. The griffon rarely tries to win, instead using its physical power as a bargaining chip throughout the period between races; even if the griffon can't win, it can usually take another creature out of the race. Of course, it may be that the hawk owes a favor to the owl, and repays that favor by asking the griffon to cripple the pegasus -- and this is a fairly simple example.

The Rules

Traditionally, each region enters a single beast and rider in the race. However, if a region makes a 250 gp donation (which goes into a general treasury to offset the cost of the land grant), it may enter a second contestant. While this is rarely done, it is the primary way for outsiders -- such as player characters -- to enter the race. A would-be contestant would need to negotiate with the Wind Guard and find a region that willingly lets her participate under their banner.

The race itself is a dangerous event. Full contact is allowed between beasts and riders, and beasts can use any natural weapons that they possess. Riders cannot use spells, psionic disciplines, dragonmarks, magic devices, or alchemical items, and anyone who breaks these rules is immediately disqualified and exposed to mob violence. A rider is allowed to carry a sporting crossbow and a dozen quarrels; this is similar to a light crossbow, but it has an 80-foot range increment and deals only 1d3/1d4 damage. This allows for entertaining conflict while preventing swift kills.

The victorious rider receives a 500 gp purse and a small parcel of land -- while the Wind Guard of the winning region lays claim to the Rod of Eight Winds. This mysterious item is a major artifact recovered from the depths of the city long ago; some say it is linked to Syrania and projects the effects of a manifest zone within a short distance. However, few of the people of Dura have any interest in the rod's history or powers. What matters is its current role as the symbol of Dura's pride -- and each district is desperate to claim it.

Using the Race of Eight Winds

The Race of Eight Winds is a massive sporting event that draws interest from across the continent. It could impact an adventure in a number of ways.

Local Color: Each creature is associated with a particular region within Dura. As the race draws near, visitors see banners displayed across Dura, and people dress in the colors of their beast. Passing adventurers may be invited to a meal and called upon to toast the health of the local beast, or an adventurer who coincidentally happens to be wearing the wrong colors may spark a brawl. This can provide a way to introduce new NPC enemies or allies, or simply add depth to the description of a scene.

Participation: A skilled rider may want to enter the race himself. The character needs to gain the sponsorship of one of the regions; he is more likely to gain the acceptance of one of the slower beasts than the hippogriff or pegasus, who win all the time and want to preserve the fame of their local riders. Winning the race makes the character a landowner, which could be interesting; it also makes him a local celebrity in Sharn, which could open the door to many other opportunities.

Troubleshooting: Someone has poisoned the local griffons, and the Wind Guard of Precarious have only three weeks to find a replacement: Can the party find a wild griffon in time? The race is in one week, but the Rod of Eight Winds has been stolen; can the adventurers recover the lost artifact? The PCs are asked to provide security for the pegasus -- which seems like an easy task until Daask gets involved. A friend of the party loses a fortune gambling on the race, and the Boromar Clan is threatening her life: Can the PCs help? If the characters are unscrupulous enough, they may even be hired to cripple racing beasts to skew the odds!

The Beasts

Looking to add a little color to Dura? Here are the eight beasts traditionally used in the race, along with the districts they represent.

The Eagle: The districts of Broken Arch and Stormhold support the giant eagle, whose colors are brown and gold. Stormholders are especially passionate about the race, even though the eagle rarely wins. Many Stormholders take pride in being fierce and noble like the eagle, and they rarely participate in the politics and intrigue that often affect the final outcome of the race. They are especially dismissive of the other birds of Middle Dura; the hawk is a lesser eagle, while the owl is treacherous and far too clever.

The Gargoyle: Fallen and Malleon's Gate were originally represented by the dire bat. As immigrants from Droaam came to Sharn, most settled in the Cogs or Malleon's Gate. Twelve years ago, the region of the bat made an unprecedented change and shifted their regional beast to the gargoyle, whose colors are black and gray. Currently, the region is represented by Carralag (N male gargoyle rogue 4), a remarkably clever gargoyle with the Manifest Flight feat.

The people of Malleon's Gate are fiercely dedicated to the event. The violence appeals to the Darguuls, while the city goblins love the chance to compete against the elitist folk of the upper levels. While the gargoyle has yet to win the race, it has had greater success than the bat, and this has brought increased support for Daask and the Droaamites within the district.

The Glidewing: This flying dinosaur represents the districts of Gate of Gold and the Stores, and its colors are gray and green. The glidewing is extremely popular among the halflings of Sharn, and some say that the Boromar Clan is the financial force behind the Glidewing Wind Guard.

The Griffon: This powerful beast represents Precarious and Oldkeep, and its colors are brown and red. During the race, red ribbons are usually tied to the forelegs of the griffon, giving the impression of streams of blood coming from its claws. The people of Precarious are fanatically (and often violently) devoted to the race, although many don't care if they win or lose; as long as the griffon brings down one of the other beasts, they consider it to be a victory.

The Hawk: Tumbledown and Underlook are represented by the dire hawk, whose colors are light brown and dark brown. The hawk rarely wins, but Underlook makes considerable profits off the tourist trade and most Tumbledowners are devoted followers of their underdog champion.

The Hippogriff: Daggerwatch and Overlook are represented by the hippogriff, whose colors are white and gold. The Goldwings (the aerial division of the Sharn Watch) are based in Daggerwatch, and a Goldwing officer typically represents the district in the race. The hippogriff has one of the best records in the race, rivaled only by the pegasus.

The Owl: The giant owl is the beast of Rattlestone and the Bazaar, and its colors are brown and gray. While it is one of the slowest creatures in the race, the owl is famous for manipulating the outcome of the race with intrigue and diplomacy. While many of the inhabitants of Dura speak dismissively of "two-faced owls," the merchants, con artists, and pickpockets of the region take pride in their mascot's cunning, and a strong streak of carefree pragmatism runs through these districts. A few former racing owls are now merchants themselves, which can lead to unusual encounters in the Bazaar.

The Pegasus: Highwater was the last district to join the Race of Eight Winds. Thanks to House Vadalis, Highwater is represented by the pegasus, whose colors are white and silver. The pegasus is the swiftest creature in the race, and it has brought Highwater to victory time and again. The people of Highwater are proud folk and are always willing to discuss the ways in which a pegasus is superior to the other beasts. However, success has its price. The other districts often team up to bring down the pegasus at the start of the race. And outside of the race, many of the inhabitants of the lower wards despise the people of Highwater; thieves and bullies will go out of their way to target a snooty pegasus supporter.

Episode II: Murder in Oakbridge - Act I (part 2)

Scene III - 16th of Lharvion, 998 YK
"A Master Inquisitive and an Angry Baker"


The next morning, Gerard, Esan and Morgan headed straight out to Clifftop, where they had learned they could find the office of Victor Saint-Demain. Clifftop is the adventurer's quarter of Sharn, and it is in Upper Dura. When they arrived (once again, using a skycoach) they saw that it was already quite busy. All sorts of strange folk wandered these streets, and they were not looked at twice. They found Saint-Demain's office on the edge of the district. He had converted an old abandoned water tower into a laboratory, and built his office right next to it. They knocked, and he answered after a little while. Once he learned that they were also investigators, he let them in and happily answered their questions. He advised that they should check in with the local bakers to learn as much about the baking powder they had found as possible. He also confirmed their suspicions that most of the Sharn Watch was incompetent, explaining the quick end to their investigation of Svans' death. They thanked him and left.


When they returned to Oakbridge later on that afternoon, they checked in at the Bluebird Inn and learned from the innkeeper (Graff Pendrong) that there were two bakers in the neighborhood. One was Borgo Delborde, the jovial dwarf who worked at the inn as a cook. The other was Kroga Brax. He lived down the street, and he had a temper so sour that he had to be an excellent baker to stay in business. Luckily for him, he was one of the best in Sharn. They spoke with Borgo first, since they were already at the inn. He didn't seem to know what they were talking about, and they didn't press him.


When they went to Kroga's, they decided to make a good first impression by buying some expensive baked goods. When this didn't work, Esan used his dorje of telempathic projection to alter Kroga's mood. This had moderate success, and they soon got him friendly enough to speak at some length about the baking powder. Kroga pointed out that he used much finer grains, but in his good mood did not think to get angry about the fact that he was being implied as the killer. The good mood deteriorated quickly, possibly because of Kroga's naturally mean disposition. They caught a glimpse of his wife Kelinda, who seemed nervous about something, but didn't get a chance to question her. They returned to the Bluebird Inn, somewhat frustrated by the dead ends they had reached.


That evening, Corlina danced again, and Drummer drummed, and during all of this the companions questioned Sarfina, Graff's wife and co-owner of the inn, about Kelinda. They learned that Kroga was a violent-tempered man who regularly beat his wife and their children. Kroga hated Borgo, but he was a coward, and almost fled in terror the one time Borgo finally got sick of his surly demeanor and said something confrontational. They decided they would scope out Kroga's bakery the next day, and wait until he left so that they could question Kelinda. Once again, they went to bed.


Scene IV - 17th of Lharvion
"Double Homicide"


Early that morning, Esan heard a piercing scream downstairs. He woke the other two and went down to investigate. He found Sarfina standing at the basement door, which was ajar, and she was staring inside with a shocked expression on her face. Drummer, who was also the janitor of the Bluebird Inn, had lived in that basement until sometime last night, when he had apparently been hacked into a thousand pieces. Investigation turned up the following:


*Drummer had been chopped up with some sort of heavy slashing weapon, like an axe. They quickly found an axe in the nearby woodbox which seemed to be recently blunted by striking a metal object repeatedly. Conclusions were not hard to come to.


*A metal plate had been pried from Drummer's torso with some sort of dagger. It was in the exact same spot where Svans' skin had been flensed off.


*There was blood on the floor, and a single bloody handprint on the door. The handprint had three fingers. They suddenly remembered something they had seen, but not thought important at the time - Lucian Cruzgar had three fingers! But this seemed almost too easy, too damning to be true. They also realized that this must be the killer's blood, because warforged don't bleed.


*Borgo and Drummer had been good friends, perhaps best friends. Maybe Borgo would know something about the killer, and at the very least, he needed to be told about his friend's murder soon. He didn't work today, so the investigators decided to go to Borgo's apartment, where he most likely could be found.


They arrived at Borgo's door shortly after; it wasn't hard to get anywhere in Oakbridge, especially in the early hours of morning. They knocked on his door, but there was no answer. They knocked harder - still no answer. Morgan sent his crow, Corvus, around the corner to look through Borgo's window. When Corvus returned, he indicated that Borgo was in there, but he wasn't moving. Gerard broke down the door.


Borgo was laying in bed covered in a pool of his own blood. A thorough investigation turned up the following:


*Borgo was killed in his sleep, his throat slit by a curved knife identical in make to the one that had pried Drummer's torso plate off and killed Svans previously.


*Borgo was missing a patch of skin in the same place where Svans' and Drummer's torsos had been missing pieces.


*Borgo's window lock had been flawlessly picked. This was the entry and exit point for the killer, who did not linger long or steal anything.


*Flour was found near the window. They looked across the street, and saw that Kroga's chimneys were already puffing smoke. It was time to pay the last baker of Oakbridge another visit.


Esan listened at Kroga's door, and heard the sound of a woman sobbing to a man's increasingly frustrated screams. He did not knock - instead he kicked the door in. Kroga was standing over his wife, who was covering her face and crouching in a corner, looking abused. The heroes confronted the cowardly baker, who at first blustered, but caved in quickly to Morgan's threatening advances. Morgan took Kroga inside into another room and bodily threatened him with terrible things that might not be physically possible, but the cruel, stupid man seemed thoroughly convinced, and promised to treat his wife better. Meanwhile, Gerard and Esan gently questioned Kelinda, who swore that she was only nervous because of Kroga's demeanor. Kroga had a perfect alibi - his wife, who had spent the whole night in his company. Kroga most likely had the motive to kill Borgo, but he didn't have the spine.


With nothing else to do here, they rushed off to Lucian's residence, across the whole district. On the way, Gerard and Morgan picked up the rest of their gear at the Bluebird Inn, where the Sharn Watch had already arrived. After informing them that there was another body at Borgo's apartment, they continued to Lucian's.


Scene V
"The Three-Fingered Maniac"


Gerard barely resisted the urge to draw steel as they knocked on Lucian's door. They had seen the way he moved, even when he was deep in his drink. His expertly crafted swords had probably not been stolen, either, and his war stories could not all be bluster. They knocked again, and heard Lucian crashing around inside. The place smelled of refuse as he opened the door to his studio. He inquired to their visit's purpose in not as many words, and Gerard got straight to the point, demanding to see what was under Lucian's shirt. Lucian realized that he was being implicated in the murders of Borgo, Drummer and Svans when they explained their purpose, and he didn't want anything to do with it.


He jumped backwards, drawing both swords and crouching into a defensive stance, all the while uttering curses at them and calling them 'agents of the Claw'. They realized that this would come to blows, whether they wanted it to or not...

Episode II: Murder in Oakbridge - Act I (part 1)

Prologue - 15th of Lharvion, 998 YK
"Circumstances Most Mysterious"

It has been nearly five months since our incidental heroes thwarted the Order of the Emerald Claw and escaped Karrnath, only to part ways shortly afterwards. During that time, they all pursued their own paths and agendas. For some, this meant months of intense training and new learning experiences, for others it was simply a period of rest, relaxation and perhaps reflection as well. For all, it was a time of investigation, as strange rumors continually reached their eyes and ears through channels both public and privileged. One who read between the lines would say that things were not all well in Khorvaire. But when had things ever been well?

All three of them, for one reason or another, were now in Sharn. Esan and Morgan both arrived around the same time, and they had met up several times to trade rumors, share contacts or simply to catch up on old times. Gerard arrived last, and though he knew his old companions were somewhere in Sharn, troubles with his own people at the Church of the Silver Flame prevented him from finding time to seek them out simply for a chat.

That is, until this morning, when Gerard receieved an urgent dispatch from the quiet Northedge neighborhood of Oakbridge. A local priest, Loffer Magnulin, had a dead body awaiting cremation at his sanctuary. The Sharn Watch had already investigated the body and the scene, and declared it a suicide. But Loffer was not convinced, for the victim had died under circumstances most mysterious. Gerard knew he'd need help, so he called up his old friends and arranged a meeting...

Scene I
"The King of Fire"

Morgan and Esan met up late in the morning and made their way down into Middle Dura, to the tavern district called Hareth's Folly. The busiest, rowdiest joint on the block was called "The King of Fire" after a playing card of the same name, and Gerard had seen it as a fitting place for their reunion. They went inside, and found Gerard sitting at a table all alone, sticking out like a sore thumb among the crude riff-raff with his shiny full plate and badge of authority displayed prominently. But Gerard was no fool; he knew that the badge was more likely to keep trouble away than attract it in this part of town. Morgan recognized the badge as well, and wondered how long Gerard had been a member of the Order of Illumination.


*The Order of Illumination is a secular branch of the Church of the Silver Flame. Informally known as the Shadowbane Inquisition, they handle internal affairs of corruption as well as hunting down war criminals and other notorious individuals internationally. Though not as widely accepted as the Sentinel Marshals of House Dennieth, the Inquisitors have already made several high profile arrests in regions as remote as Q'barra and the Shadow Marches, and their future looks promising. The current head of the Order of Illumination is a Cardinal named Thedric Drosin.


*Morgan also knew that the Race of Eight Winds was approaching; that was big news in Dura, and all of Sharn for that matter. The event, scheduled for the 23rd of Lharvion, was one of the most intense sporting events in Khorvaire, with rampant corruption, frequent fatalities and dangerous street politics...and that's just the participants. The fans are much worse. The King of Fire was a major hub for these fans to congregate and discuss, argue and brawl over their favorite contestants.


Luckily, it was morning, and the scuffles had not come to blood-letting yet. The three companions sat together, and Gerard got straight to business. Morgan and Esan both agreed after a short while to accompany him on the investigation in Oakbridge. Gerard also mentioned some problems that he was having back at the Church with some of his 'peers'. Esan was confused about this, but they agreed to leave that discussion for later. They took a skycoach from Hareth's Folly across to Oakbridge.


Scene II
"A Hermit With No Enemies"


They arrived in the residential district of Oakbridge shortly after noon, and quickly found Oakbridge Church, the most prominent building in this middle ward neighborhood. Loffer Magnulin was an older man, and though he was stern and pious, he also seemed compassionate and earnest. He showed the investigators the body of one Svans ir'Kilmansor, a local. During the next day and a half, their ground work turned up the following facts and evidence:


*Svans was an art collector and occasionally an art dealer. He had been retired for some time, but nobody was close to him, not even his relations in Nowhere. Loffer was the only one who talked to Svans more frequently than 'never', and even they couldn't have been called friends. Loffer sensed that Svans was a troubled soul, for he occasionally came down to the church for spiritual guidance, but if he had committed any crimes in life, he had never mentioned them to Loffer.


*Svans' body was discovered just below his balcony last night by people walking that street on their way to Dura, where festivities leading up to the Race of Eight Winds were already taking place.


*Initial cause of death appeared to be massive head trauma from the fall, but closer inspection revealed that he had been stabbed from behind, just above the base of the neck. His head was a terrible mess, and it was not surprising that the Sharn Watch had missed this wound. What was surprising was that they didn't account for the feather fall effect that would have slowed a living person's descent to the bridge below. Svans was clearly not living when he had fallen over the balcony, and this jived with the previously unnoticed stabbing wound. Gerard further discerned that the wound was caused by a curved dagger. And finally, Morgan noticed that a small strip of skin had been flensed from Svans' chest; Gerard believed that this had been done just after Svans' death. They guessed that this might have been some sort of military tattoo.


*At the scene of the crime, Svans' home, they found a splatter of blood at the balcony, small enough to be missed by someone not looking for it. They also found something strange - traces of baking powder scattered on the floor just inside the apartment from the balcony doorway. Finally, Loffer told them that Svans' door had been unlocked at the time of his murder. They didn't see any indication that Svans had invited anyone inside, as he had just finished a dinner alone before his murder.


*None of Svans' neighbors saw anything. Some of Svans' neighbors didn't know who Svans was - further indication that he didn't really get out all that much.


*Loffer cast speak with dead on behalf of the party, and Svans revealed that he not only didn't see his killer or know who he or she might have been, but he had no idea why anyone would want to hurt him.


*Svans' brother, Gable ir'Kilmansor, was coming to Sharn from Nowhere on the lightning rail to attend the funeral and cremation, scheduled for the 16th at midday. When Gable arrived, he was solemn and sincere, and did not seem interested in his brother's posessions, which he planned to auction off and then donate the proceedings to an orphanage that he knew Svans had been a patron of. Gable indicated that he had not been very close to his brother because of an altercation they had had in childhood, and he had not seen Svans since then. They had reconciled and had some correspondence since Svans moved to Sharn, but all he knew about Svans' past was that he had been a successful book dealer in Vathirond before spending several years 'traveling'.


The funeral was short, and besides Gable and Loffer, the investigators were the only attendees. Afterwards, they retired to the Bluebird Inn, which was near the church. Loffer had recommended it as a good place to rest, eat and, perhaps most importantly, to gather information. They found the accomodations excellent, and the patrons talkative. The entertainment consisted of a comely elven dancer named Corlina, whose performance was supplemented by the efforts of a warforged percussionist named Drummer.


They learned that there was another artist in Oakbridge by the name of Lucian Cruzgar. Lucian was a veteran of the Last War, and from all accounts he was a bit unhinged. Most people avoided him, especially when he was drinking at the Bluebird taproom, which was his only social activity. They questioned him over a few mugs of ale, but he didn't seem forthcoming - actually, he was quite paranoid. They decided to leave that lead for later. Esan suggested seeking out the advice of a locally famous detective named Victor Saint-Demain, whose exploits frequently made the headlines of the Sharn Inquisitive. The others agreed to this - they also decided to ask around at the local art dealers and collectors, to see if anyone else had had more meaningful contact with Svans. With these plans in mind, they went up to their rooms and got some well-deserved rest.


TO BE CONTINUED


Author's Note: Because of the large number of details necessary to retell in this act, it will be broken down into two parts for easier consumption. Look for part 2 tonight or tomorrow.

Thursday, March 02, 2006

News Clippings

After the heroes were extracted from Karrnath, they laid low for several months. During this time, they kept up on the news, especially regarding things that they had done. Here are some of the articles that they read:


From the Korth Sentry special evening edition
14th of Olarune, 998 YK

MANDAR AND OTHERS FOUND DEAD
MANDAR RATH - Early this morning, the charismatic young warlord Talovar ir'Mandar, 24, was found brutally murdered in his own castle after one of his extravagant galas. His body has not yet been presented to investigators, but the guards who discovered him and allowed us a short interview described the murder scene as 'grisly beyond their wildest expectations'. Reports from Mandar Keep's interim commander, Captain Irva Welsh, are sketchy at the moment, but Lord ir'Mandar was not the only body found that morning. Dashokoya Nurabo, a Reidran diplomat who had been staying in Mandar Rath as an ambassador of her nation, was found dead with her entire guard detail in the depths of the castle. Ambassador Nurabo was widely acclaimed as a beacon of peace and goodwill, and was largely responsible for the grain distribution that has kept much of northwestern Karrnath from having to migrate south during an unseasonably bad winter. The Reidran Embassy has already claimed her body, and they will be holding a private burial ceremony later on this week. At least three soldiers who were on duty that evening have also been reported dead, though the exact circumstances are unknown.
Talovar ir'Mandar died with no heir, and it is unclear whether the Mandar line will continue.

From the Korth Sentry, morning edition
18th of Olarune, 998 YK

MANDAR IMPLICATED IN PLOT TO SEIZE THE THRONE
REKKENMARK -The late Lord Talovar ir'Mandar, recently murdered along with several others in his own castle while literally surrounded by armed guards, has been implicated by top officials of the Royal Swords in a plot to overthrow our sovereign lord, King Kaius III. He was in league with Ermana Kessler, now positively confirmed as an agent of the infamous Order of the Emerald Claw. Others have been implicated as well, including the veteran knight Alorais ir'Vognir, who is now in Royal Swords custody, and the late Captain Adalgisa Jaranus of the Royal Swords, whose body was recently found decomposing between Rekkenmark and Southbridge, where she was last seen. The Vognirs were not available for comment; nor was Captain Jaranus' next of kin. This plot was also at the heart of the raids in northeast Aundair - sadly, all of the Aundairans captured in these raids were killed. King Kaius has promised an infuriated Queen Aurala to extradite ir'Vognir and other captured Claw agents to Aundair after they have been thoroughly screened. Ermana Kessler managed to escape Karrnath along with several accomplices, and is now at large somewhere in Khorvaire.

From the Sharn Inquisitive
26th of Dravago, 998 YK

'The Gasper' Captured!

Notorious criminal Rregla, nicknamed 'The Gasper' for the way she brutally choked her victims to death, was finally apprehended late last evening after a month-long killing spree that took the lives of over fifteen watchmen. Victor Saint-Demain, the celebrated inquisitive, was the mastermind behind her capture. When asked, Demain refused to take all of the credit. "Really, this was excellent work all around from the Sharn Watch, the Citadel, and of course my counterparts in House Medani. I hardly did all of the work, or even all of the thinking, on my own," said the thirty-two year old detective. Humble or not, he has put some of Sharn's most notorious killers behind bars over the past three years. Rregla's trial proceedings are not expected to take long.