TRIBUNAL

[Grey]

Six days ago, someone murdered one of The Beloved. A priest of Death, not merely murdered, but her spirit denied to her Goddess. And yet the killer evades all the powers of the city.
One day ago, a murdered Priest of Whale was found near her home at the edge of the bay, her throat torn out, but the Beloved who investigated found she had been dead for at least two days already.
This morning, a mere night after you were convened as Tribunal, you have been informed the killer has struck again - this time killing a priest of Jade Cicada, the god of gambling, just an hour ago.
You were woken from slumber and charged to investigate.

The marketplace on Tselder’s Way bustles in the morning light, vendors crying their wares, rich scents of spice and fish wafting from the stalls. Bright fabric adorns them all and the merchants are finely attired for the shade, a wealth of rings clicking on their fingers.
The Temple of Jade Cicada rises from the southern end of the street, overgrown with branches and leaves which are now silent. The tables at the foot of the steps have been abandoned, and only Soil Caste Wardens remain. Armed with wooden shields and finely made clubs, they stand to attention at your approach.

 

[Epiphany]

The servant whose trembling hands woke her had a pallor from the Wardens who'd arrived in force. Certainly, Ivory Offering had been rushed through her usual dressing rituals with a decidedly unseemly haste. Yet when the Wind Caste Priest fell in with the Soil Caste Wardens sent to fetch her, she saw an equal unease on their faces. It was disconcerting. Not much shook those who maintained peace and order. But then, the murders that had convened the Tribunal in the first place had been extraordinary. And now, the very next morning, there was evidently another.

She noted that pallor and unusual quietude in her Wardens extended to those maintaining order over the crime scene. The complete dispersal of bystanders was appreciated, and noteworthy in and of itself. Jade Cicada's temple was large enough, and popular enough, that keeping people clear was no small task. But then perhaps it took less effort when the news of these shocking murders had made its run through the City. Everyone loved a sensational story...but no one wanted to end up the next target of whatever madwoman was responsible.

"Any witnesses?" she offered by way of introduction when she finally reached the range for comfortable speech with the Wardens stationed here. Clearly she'd have to wait for the rest of the Tribunal to turn up but there was no sense in standing here idle. Not when the killer worked with such a rapid pace.

Waiting for a rundown from the Warden overseeing the site, Ivory Offering kept an eye out for the arrivals of her fellow priestesses.

 

[Bhmbdk]

It was early morning when Meti Telesti was informed of the recent tragedy. She was on patrol, alone, so it took a while for her fellow priestesses of Earth to find her and summon her to the scene. These murders have been gruesome, but it was nothing that the priestess had not seen before. But the two past murders were directed at priests, and they could not catch the killer. She felt like the situation was getting out of hand, three priests were far too many already, but she assumed that that was the reason that they created the tribunal.

She made her way towards the site, lead by the group of wardens sent to retrieve her. They took her through the bustling streets of Tseldar's way, people moving to the side to make way for the wardens, although this did not stop them from continuing to yell and barter for the different items at the different stalls. The temple at the end of the street, and it was usually just as bustling as the market, but today it was quiet. She made her way inside, the group of wardens dispersing and going on about their various duties. She thought that she would be the last to arrive, but it seemed this wasn't the case. There was only one other member of the tribunal. Meti recognized her as Ivory Offering, the priestess of death.

She approached the woman, who was talking to the warden overseeing the site. "What are we looking at?" She asked. She usually tried to get right to the point, there was no time for pleasantries now that three priestesses were dead and denied access to their goddesses.

 

[Grey]

The Warden at the base of the steps finishes speaking as Meti arrives.
"The novitiate priest is within, O Beloved, but none have come forward. We awaited your arrival rather than question the merchants without your approval."
Clearly wary of interrupting two priests, the Warden falls silent.

Spoiler: Ivory Offering

You can hear the muffled wailing of a ghost coming from within the temple, as if heard underwater.

 

[Epiphany]

Speaking of Wardens...

Ivory Offering's attention shifted to the arrival of her fellow priestess. They followed different paths but the Soil Caste and Wind Caste had always worked well together. She saw no reason the pair of them couldn't follow in those traditions.

With a bent head of acknowledgement, Ivory Offering gestured to the Wardens on hand and said, "The remnants of our sister are inside. I expect we'll want to start with that first before we question the merchants who witnessed...whatever they saw. If nothing else, her ghost sounds rather distressed. I can't leave her like that."

Those words were offered for the comfort of those listening, more than out of genuine sentiment. Dealing with ghosts were within her purview, and she'd had training, but Offering spent most of her time learning about vampires and training to fight them. Still, she had an image to maintain and the poor woman did deserve whatever comfort she could offer.