Fantasy World of Gea: The Greatest Adventure [IC] [CLOSED]

[Ace Cream]

Zen

Zen was happy that he was allowed to join in the investigation. He listened carefully as they walked towards wherever the sheriff was trying to guide them to. He was rubbing his non-existent chin while showing a thoughtful expression the whole time, something that he picked up from one of the theatre play. Apparently investigators here in the west like to do that??

Anyway, the fact that all the people with relation to magic were monitored by the city was a rather surprising info for him. If the data was reliable then it should make their investigation way easier, but then again he wanted to see the crime scene first before deducting anything. Detective Zen onward!

"We shouldn't cross out the possibility of the culprit as non-spellcaster who poses magic items instead." Zen said to the others non-chalantly. Back in his previous work, sometimes his order was not to kill, but to frame someone. Some seal scrolls here and there then boom! Innocent onmyoji caught by the imperial army. Or maybe he's just thinking too much about this.

 

[Beann]

While Kastalli was happy to help anyway she could using her magic, her face paled as the sheriff mentioned that they would be requiring their assistance to solve a murder. A wave of uncertainty washed over her and she looked among the other magic users of the group to gauge how they were feeling about it as well. It would seem that she was the only one notably disturbed at the thought.

Kastalli, you can follow us as well if you want, your counsel would be much appreciated

As Cécilia called out to her, Kastalli bowed her head slightly. "I would love to help as much as I can but…" Her eyes passed over the rest of the members of the group that would be assisting, "I do not wish to get in the way of the more capable magic users." With that, she dipped her head once more in an apologetic manner and as a means to excuse herself before turning heel and walking off. She thought about following those who didn't specialize in magic to the inn but...well Waterham was an interesting city, filled with interesting (and short) people! Who wouldn't want to spend their day exploring?

And that's what she did. Kastalli kept to herself as she walked down the streets of the busy city, her head practically on a swivel as she looked in awe at the different sights. The aroma of varying foods was enough to make her mouth water but she quickly closed her mouth - it was not ladylike to drool! Eventually, she found herself at the plaza where merchants kept hawking individuals to buy their wares. It was a common scene among busy cities but what caught her eye were a couple of traders selling something familiar. Kastalli inched closer to get a better look and her suspicions were correct! It was fur from her homeland.

Memories of hunting came flooding back. Yes...yes...she would hunt and skin them for their fur, sell them as necessary, and use the meat to cook delicious stew for her husband. It was a simple life, really, but one that she greatly appreciated.

Huh... Är det du? Kastalli Y'drendötter?

Her ears perked up as one of the traders called out to her in their native tongue. She took another step closer to get a better look at the man but...she didn't recognize him! How did he know her father? "Väl träffat, kapten Jager men uhm ... vad menar du min far är talman nu? (Well met, Captain Jager but uhm...what do you mean my father is the Lawspeaker now?)"

 

[Infab]

Of all times that this could happen, why now? And why here?

Devereaux was now on edge. A tall, well dressed man, with the same cold gaze as a certain other individual that formerly was a part of his life, was walking around here somewhere and Devereaux had lost track of him entirely. Did she send him after him? Or had he simply appeared to let Devereaux know that she was around? The last time he saw anyone remotely like him, people ended up dead. Or worse. And this wasn't the best of places, or the best of times, for that sort of thing to start happening again. Especially when there was already a string of murders being investigated.

Devereaux grew quiet as he walked, and kept up a brisk pace. Where had he gone? He needed to find the man. Talk to him. Tell him to leave him alone, or get him out of sight and eliminate him as quickly as possible. But his attention would soon be diverted away from his little personal mission as he came across a rather attractive Half-Basteti dressed as an exotic dancer from the east. Beneath his mask, Devereaux cocked an eyebrow. You don't see someone so scantly clad every day.

When their eyes met, Devereaux did what came natural. "Greetings!" he said, strolling over. "You seem to be looking for someone! Might I offer some assistance?"

 

[Woffy]

"Greetings!" he said, strolling over. "You seem to be looking for someone! Might I offer some assistance?"

After days of just seeing hobbits and the usual normal traveler Abasi was surprised by the sight of the person infront of him "Oh my , yes ! I was looking for some people and by the looks of it you do certanly fit the bill !" He said in an almost intoxicatingly cheerful tone "I herd that a band of weird people came to this town and i was hoping to meet them to offer my services , im in need of coin you see and well a bit of companionship never hurts as well" the young Half-basteti did a spin and a small bow "My name is Abasi pleased to meet you"

 

[Infab]

"My name is Abasi pleased to meet you."

"Ah! You're in luck, then!~" replied Devereaux. He gave Abasi a theatrical bow, as he introduced himself. "I am the magnificent Devereaux! A pleasure to meet you as well!" He straightened after a moment, glancing about to see if the well-dressed man had reappeared anywhere nearby. So far, no. "The group I'm travelling with is always looking for new recruits! We're with the Cartographer's Guild, setting out to remap the known world, and map some of the unknown too! Lots of adventure and excitement is in store, as you can imagine."

He looked Abasi over for a moment, pondering a thought. An exotic dancer... certainly useful for a musician such as himself. Visual flair adds to the music! And its likely that this beautiful specimen before him would certainly turn heads wherever they went. Resulting in potentially more hires and exceptional profits! For the group of course. Devereaux wasn't selfish in the slightest.

 

[Woffy]

"The group I'm travelling with is always looking for new recruits! We're with the Cartographer's Guild, setting out to remap the known world, and map some of the unknown too! Lots of adventure and excitement is in store, as you can imagine."

Abasi seemed impressed by the moves of the jester even if from clearly different parts of the world he felt both of them were not so different in some aspects "It would seem my luck is finnaly chaning for the better then ! and a Cartographer's Guild , traveling really far and all over the world then" he said and a small change on Abasi's face could be seen when he mentioned traveling far , less of a joyful expresion and more of a sad smile but quickly he recomposed himself and returned to his usual joy "Anyways ! Do i have to sign up somewhere or talk to someone ? as you can see im not from around here so i have what i carry with me , im ready to go anytime"

 

[Roda the Red]

"...but don't think that your attempts at lying didn't go unnoticed, oh great Syllannan."

Turns out Syll's employer was far too perceptive for his solid deception, but he just couldn't afford to admit the bitter truth of his mediocre talents, at least not until this journey allowed him to overcome them at least a little bit. The decade or so of mockery at the academy was something he didn't want to experience again anytime soon. "Worry not, Miss Cecilia, for you can trust me through thick and thin"

Apparently Zen and Grunde have also decided to tag along for the investigation. Now the latter was definetly a very welcomed addition, no one in this group could be as perceptive of mana as a being that literally lives off of it! But Zen was a bit of an unexpected aid, as far as Syll knew, the Shigesan Tengu was a messenger who happened to learn about self defense due to the difficulties of his job, yet:

"We shouldn't cross out the possibility of the culprit as non-spellcaster who poses magic items instead."

He seemed quite knowledgeable on the matter, perhaps he worked in a related enviroment in the past? or maybe he hails from an admirable land where the use of magical items has been normalized? the idea certainly piqued the elf's curiosity. "Sounds like you know a thing or two about this kind of event, are magic items like that common in your homeland?"

 

[Infab]

Devereaux chuckled. "Simply follow me around! You'll run right into the people you need to speak with! And if not, I can simply point them out to you when we see them!" he stated, pressing his fingers into his own chest in a pose. He then motioned to Abasi. "And just think. Someone as extravagant and as beautiful as yourself, alongside myself and my other musician friend in the group...we'll be quite a force! You'll have plenty of fans in no time, and the coin will flow like running water! And if you're more of the amorous type, well...there will potentially be plenty of that too. Grand adventures have plenty of everyone!"

He then motioned for Abasi to follow him. "Now! Let's head to a tavern or two! I have a feeling some of my friends might have decided to have a bit of fun. Some of my more magically inclined compatriots are busy helping the Sheriff with a bit of a problem."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

"Väl träffat, kapten Jager men uhm ... vad menar du min far är talman nu?"

The captain and his men looked a bit surprised for a moment, a few of them share a few confused stares before looking back at Kastalli. "...Har du inte hört nyheterna?" (You haven't heard the news?) He asked in a rather incredulous tone. "...Konung Vebjorn Ragnarsson died two weeks ago, he wanted to start a new raiding campaign on Eranoire but died on the way there. Eaten by a Kraken, they say..." Kastalli's eyes opened wide, as her body became more tense her tail stopped moving around and now her ears were fully perked up, listening to Captain Jager speak. "Skæg is going back to the old days before the Konung united the tribes. All the elders, Thanes and Jarls are fighting one another... the previous lawspeaker for Thane Holmstæin Skaptisson died recently, and your dad was made the new Lawspeaker of Thanedom of Holmstæin."

This was extremely shocking for Kastalli. Vebjorn Ragnarsson had been the King of Skæg for as long as she remembered, a brutish man but one that united all Skæglin tribes together, and now without him, it seems like everyone is ready to fight one another. The thought of her mother and father crossed her mind for a moment and the fact that her father was now in an important position gave her a bad feeling. "Where's that weird husband of yours?" asked the captain with a friendly smile on his face. The question snapped Kastalli out of her thoughts. "Your father told me you married a foreigner, yes? Well, I am no one to judge, your father married a foreigner too! Heh heh... So where is your man?"


As the child gave some thought to the knights proposition, Alberto led Callop and Faux to the inn and tavern they were going to be staying in. They were not the only ones there, Sentry seemed to have arrived first to this fine establishment, but as soon as the old knight, the young child and the mystic canine walk in, a few other members of the company walk in behind them. "I am serious, I think you have a lot of potential." he said while taking a seat on one of the more regular-sized tables. It must have been weird for Callop to see so many tables and chairs that were about his size. As the knight looked around, he noticed Sentry was talking with a stranger, a man donning plate armor of the style of the Æleria, the people from Southern Brannoria. "Well then..." he said while approaching the table with a wide smile on his face. "...an Ælerian knight and I assume his squire?" At first, Waylond was ready to greet the friendly old man with the same courtly fashion he had welcomed Sentry with, that was until he looked at the man and noticed the badges and medals of honor on his chest plate. When Waylond noticed the coat of arms of the Caballeros de Salavianca, he was stunned, could this man be Ser Alberto de Tarantina? The slayer of the Tarasca?

While that was currently happening inside the inn, the young Petrocles was walking right outside with the intent to enter the inn, that was until he noticed something. Ever since he got off the cart, he felt like he was being watched. Casually, the Minotavur turned around to look at his surroundings, that's when he noticed Paulin, standing behind a barrel, trying to look casual but (1d20 = 5 | Failure.) failing miserably. Why was he stalking Petro? Trying to get an answer out of him, the Minotavur approached the small human man. "M-merde... u-uhm... monsieur Petrocles! f-fancy... s-seeing you here, e-eh?" he said as the Minotavur stood in front of him, the young man seemed rather nervous but his expression quickly changed when he noticed a pair of people walking behind Petro. "H-huh... w-who is here?" he asked as he pressed himself against Petro, using him to hide. Now curious, the Minotavur looked over his shoulder and noticed Devereaux walking alongside another man, a rather beautiful one at that. "H-huh... i-is Devy bringing him in to be recruited?" He asked while looking up at Petro and then looking back at Abasi. "w-why is he bringing a dancer?"


"...bloody Hel, guiding a fookin' circus throughout town." murmured the Sheriff as she led the small posse consiting of Cécilia, Grunde, Korzhev, Dakarai, Syll, Gawain and Sera. As expected, most Hobs were giving odd looks at the party as they walked towards the crime scene. "Remember... ya lot use yer magic and hexes and then let me and me lads do the rest of the bloody work, ya hear me?" Cécilia nodded while making sure nobody was giving Grunde any hateful glares. "Of course Sheriff, we will help as long as you want us to help." Eventually, after walking past the various tall and more expensive looking houses, the group arrived to an area that was a bit more run down, but not exactly impoverished, the group took note that various humans were living here. "Hmm... are humans common in Waterham, ma'am?" Asked Cécilia while she looked at two human Waterhammerites working on a leatherwork shop. "Eh... I guess, most o'em are Brannorians... they keep comin' 'ere since the Kingdom of Brannoria and most of its duchies and earldoms suck arse." they also noted that many of them spoke with a similar accent to that of the Hobs. Cécilia couldn't help but to chuckle even though two members of her party were Brannorians.



After a few minutes of walking through the districts inhabited by humans, the investigating team arrived at the crime scene. Apparently it all occurred inside a rather cozy looking house. When the Sheriff opened the door, she was greeted and welcomed by several constables, they also welcome you but in a more distant and cold way. "Guess these blokes are the professionals ye needed, eh boss?" said one of the constables while studying Gawain and Grunde. "Aye, please don't get in the middle of their work lads... now, where were the bodies again?" The constable points at their sleeping room, there the party witnesses a rather grizzly and saddening scene.

A human woman, hugging her Hob partner as tight as she could, in fact none of the Hob constables were able to separate them from their last embrace. The room was a mess and both of them and the walls were covered in scorch marks. As the group looked down on the bodies, Zen started to investigate throughout the room until, he gently stroked his beak until he noticed something. (1d20 = 20 | Critical Success.) His Ring of the Thief was glowing slightly when he approached a painting hanging above a tiny desk, that must mean there's wealth behind that painting. While the birdman continued to look at the painting, Korzhev and Syll were looking around the corpses and the scorch marks on the wall. (1d10+1 = 11 | Critical Success.) It wasn't hard for Syll to know that these wounds were not made with fire, but with magic, and it reminded him when he accidentally killed that bandit with his Magic Missile. Being a shaman, Korzhev was able to naturally tell that the magics used on these poor souls was not of the type connected with natural spirits, definitely the work of some sorcerer and not from a druid or a fellow shaman.

"What a sad sight, really..." said Cécilia while looking down at the bodies. "...they must have loved each other a lot, huh?" The Sheriff nodded. "Aye... talked with the lads parents, both o'em devastated by this business, they sayin' their son's wife was truly a good person... foul business I tell ya..."

While looking across the room, Sera took a close inspection of a windowsill leading to the room, (1d10+2 = 10 | Critical Success.) She noticed something through her natural understanding of plant magic, there were dried up bits of leaves and twigs, some were even attacked to the wooden doors that cover the window itself, slowly getting detached by the passing wind. She looked through the window and noticed the back alley, there were a few plants there that seemed abnormally large at the moment. Someone used magic on these plants, but why? There's no glass or anything that would have prevented anyone from entering... unless this window was locked? While she studied the dried remnants of affected flora, Gawain looked into the bodies a bit further... (1d10 = 1 | Failure.) He didn't see anything out of the ordinary besides the scorch marks which were clearly made with Magic Missiles. Strange.

While Gawain continued to inspect the bodies, Dakarai began doing the same thing. (1d10+2 = 9 | Critical Success.) But the foreign Cleric was able to tell something from staring at these bodies. Despite the fact that their bodies were cold and the unnatural grip of death had frozen their bodies, Dakarai knew that their souls were still attached to them, embracing one another. A warmness that only a man of the Gods would be able to feel, to some extent, Korzhev was also able to feel that radiance emanating from their souls, but not to the same extent than Dakarai. If he wanted to, he could commune with them... Or Gawain could try to detect their souls and raise them as some form of undead... although he's sure the Sheriff and her men won't appreciate that at all.

 

[joshuadim]

The scene was gruesome and the sight of the couple embracing each other in death was nearly enough to make Gsera break into tears but managed to hold herself back at the last moment as to stay composed so she could properly look around the area. Naturally drawn to the plants attached to the door and the strangely grown plants in the alleyway, she pointed this fact out to everyone else: "It seems as though the plants nearby were... changed. In the alleyway as well." she spoke aloud before heading for the alleyway outside. Perhaps there she would have a better understanding by looking up close at the plants there.

 

[Dmaster]

The skeletal mage examined the corpses with an unflinching and scrutinizing gaze, though onlookers would not be able to tell that from his regular resting gaze of course. Touching, gruesome, whatever emotions the scene could bring to a less-focused man were muted by the task at hand. While he was certain that the constables were eyeing both himself and the more fantastical members of this investigation group, Gawain was chiefly concerned with aiding the investigative process as best he could. The markings on the bodies were obviously made from some variant of arcane force magic, the percussive yet singing impacts the hallmark of Magic Missiles. A simple yet effective spell, which made it rather difficult to tell if the killer was a novice sorcerer or a master wizard.

A few taps to his chin and he listens to what Gsera has to say about the plants. "Changed? In what way?" he asks before the odd woman just up and leaves the room before going off to check on the matter herself. At least, that was what Gawain presumed she was doing... "Alright then."

As Gawain turned his head back around he would notice Dakarai looking over the bodies with an almost wistful look in his eye, almost as if inspiration had struck him or gears were turning within his skull. "Hm, are you seeing something that I am not seeing, cleric? The cause of death is clear, yet your intent staring seems to speak more about what is going on... beyond surface-level observation."

 

[Ace Cream]

Zen

"Magic item more common? Probably yes, I guess the people from my birthplace are more enthusiastic about luck charms than the people here so finding trinkets with minor magic is not uncommon." Zen replied at Syll's question after a brief pondering.

The tengu followed as the sheriff lead them to the more neglected part of the city. Not the worst, but the other places would definitely looks better. Finally they arrived at the scene and upon seeing the state of the victims Zen immediately cusped his hands together and muttered a brief prayer.

"Apologize for the disturbance." He said before he started his investigation. He found some interesting point that he wanted to examine further. First thing first, the ring that he got from the bandit was probing his finger, pulling him towards the direction of a painting. He almost thought that the ring was telling him that the painting's frame was made of gold but then he realized there must be something behind it. Without further thought he pulled the painting down to reveal what's behind it, there might be clues back there!

Roda the Red EdwardDewey98

 

[Beann]

Kastalli raised an eyebrow as the Captain and his men looked amongst each other, all painted with a similar confused expression. News? What news? She had left Skæg a while ago, what could have possibly happened within that timeframe to explain why her father was now the Lawspeaker of Thanedom of Holmstæin.

"...Konung Vebjorn Ragnarsson died two weeks ago

"Av gudarna… (By the gods…)" she muttered under her breath in disbelief. The King of Skæg...dead…? With no one to replace him, the captain was right, all the tribes would be fighting for power. Kastalli felt a pit in her stomach as the Captain continued to speak. The previous Lawspeaker for Thane Kjotvi Sinfiotlisson died as well? That was all too convenient timing...and with her father now being made the new one...she...she didn't know how to feel about that. Her father was a simple man and for him to take on such an important role worried her. It worried her so much that she wondered if she should return to Skæg immediately. Kastalli was concerned for her family - after losing Saito she couldn't bear the thought of losing anyone else close to her. Surely Cécilia would understand if she were to separate from the expedition but...did she have enough coin to grant safe passage back to Skæg? The party did plan to travel to her homeland anyways. What was the right decision here? She didn't know. She didn't know. She didn't know. She didn't -

"Where's that weird husband of yours?"

Kastalli blinked in surprise at the sudden question. That was...random...and quite inappropriate to ask after telling her the news of the King's death. Besides, she was tired of having to explain that her husband had died a long time ago. And she was tired of seeing everyone's expression that offered her pity. She appreciated the thought and concern but it was all becoming too exhausting! Having to bring up her late husband over and over and over - and what happened with Zen surely didn't help to quell her emotions! "I did marry a foreigner. Why do you ask of him?"

 

[Breadman]

"...and that's what I'm doing here." Sentry finished her story and drank from her mug. She couldn't tell if it was bitter because of the taste or if the bartender spat in it. She would have to keep an eye out when picking up the next round.

"Marvelous." Waylond responded. "Simply marvelous." He leaned in closer "I have been a witness to many tales of wonder myself, but yours is...well, extraordinary in comparison."

"Hard to believe any of it, isn't it?" She responded, leaning back in her seat and giving him a smile.

"Not at all." Waylond glanced to his squire. "Believe me when I say that we have seen many wonders of this world and a tale such as yours sounds true to our ears."

"Many wonders, eh?" She scratched her chin "You look like you're no stranger to battle and you are a knight. Similar to the one I'm traveling with and he's full of stories as the others tell me, though he does not brag."

"It would be uncouth of a knight to boast unprovoked my lady." Poddrey finally spoke up to say something.

"Right you are, squire." Waylond pointed to him for a second before turning back to Sentry "The bards and troubadours can sing our praises if they witness them, but staying humble is how we keep our feet firmly planted in the ground. Of course should you wish, I'd be happy to share as you've been so gracious to do so yourself."

"I'd love to, but I don't know how long our stay in this town will last and if I will be free for all your tales." She thought for a second, twirling a lock in her fingers, nearly tying a knot "But how about this? You said that you're a traveling knight earlier. How about you join our journey?" He cocked an eyebrow at the question "We can share more stories and your squire will be surrounded by warriors and casters of magic. A lord's heir should know of these things, yes?"

"Hmm." Waylond held his chin as he pondered the proposal. "This is a very sudden offer you've given me my lady. Generous as well, but I have to consider it for a while."

"I think you'd fit right in with the rest. A noble soul like yours would be greatly appreciated in our ranks."

Well then, an Ælerian knight and I assume his squire?

They both turned to their heads towards the new guest at the table. Waylond was about to greet him, when he noticed the heraldry. His eyes traced to coat of arms. Caballeros de Salavianca! Could it really be him?

"Ah, Alberto!" Sentry greeted him with the mug, not bothering to stand up, but still exited to speak to him "You'd never guess who I ran into. Another knight!" She motioned to Waylond "Says he's a traveling type. Training the lad next to him to be a lord." She looked between them "He reminds me of you a bit." She rests one arm on the table and another on the chair while talking to Alberto "Hope you don't mind, but I made an offer for him to join the cause. Could use another pair of strong hands and the boy can learn something else." She turned back to Waylond and noticed that he was looking a bit odd. "Eh, you alright there?"

"I am fine...just require a moment." The knight said as he got up from his seat and took a knee. Sentry was concerned for a second as she looked to her mug. Was the wine stronger than she felt it? "Ser Alberto de Tarantina, it is an honor to meet you." Pot followed soon. Now Sentry looked around to notice if they were causing a scene. After a few seconds the knight and his squire rose "Your work and deeds have been an inspiration for me and many others on the Path." he looked to Sentry "I'm guessing that he's the knight you were talking about."

"Oh absolutely." Sentry nodded "So about joining the group. Are you still considering it?"

"Miss an opportunity to ride with Ser Alberto de Tarantina? Gods no! I would be mad!" The knight responded with enthusiasm "Ser, my lady, we would like to join you on your journey."

"I'm a great negotiator I am." Sentry said as she looked to Alberto and drank from her wine.

 

[Roda the Red]

"Magic item more common? Probably yes, I guess the people from my birthplace are more enthusiastic about luck charms than the people here so finding trinkets with minor magic is not uncommon."

"Oh! sounds like a very interesting place then" Well would you look at that, suddenly Shigese sounded like a far more interesting land than before, Syll thought that perhaps he should give it a visit someday, with or without the company.

A few moments later they arrived at the crime scene, the constables surrounding a couple of corpses which apparently stood together until the bitter end. A human woman and a Hob man, just like the sheriff described it. Syll wasted no time and examined the walls.

The walls were full of burn marks, but they were rather small and in numerous amounts. There was no way this was the work of a fire spell, as those tend to linger for a bit, so rather it would be fewer, larger marks. He also proceeded to give a closer look at the couple. Not only were their own burn marks of a similar size, they were also punctures, in a similar shape as if thick wooden stakes had been dug an inch into their flesh. The conclusion was pretty clear: these wounds were very characteristic of a barrage of Magic Missiles.

"This poor couple was killed with magic missiles, and whoever did it i believe they musn't be that skilled, for starters it is one of the easiest and most basic spells a mage can learn, secondly the marks are quite small, which implies they were quite the weak missiles. And thirdly the many marks on the walls also imply a low level of accuracy, specially if the killer was also inside the house, which would mean they were at quite the short distance"

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Petro blinked in surprise to see Paulin emerge from behind the barrel. He seemed as if he was hiding from someone, or something, and Petro cast a look around the street wondering if he had seen someone that had set him off in such a way. Perhaps something had startled him, or maybe the hobs had been harassing him - the small folk were remarkably... crass, and he didn't care much for their snobbish behavior. How the city managed to stand was a wonder to him. There had once been a clan argument back home over eleven feet of grazing land for their goats, and the two families had gone to such combative lengths that one side had chopped down the other's fruit tree, and the other had redirected a stream flow away from their property. He'd have expected the hobs to be at each other's throats if they all acted so belligerent. What a strange world.

"Hello, Paulin," Petro nodded. Then, the man pressed himself against him rather quickly as if he had tripped, leading to Petro raising his arm delicately so the shorter man didn't tumble any further as he put his hand on his shoulder to steady him. He glanced around at the apparent newcomers - were they the ones spooking the lad? As it turned out, it was just Devereaux and someone he didn't recognize. Petro bowed his head again in greeting. "Hail, friend. And hello to you, scantily-dressed one. Has Devy brought you along to join our expedition?" He asked, then he rubbed his snout slightly in embarrassment. "Oh, um, or is this a... a... you know, like a... hand holding... friendship thing," he said, with a little more emphasis on friendship. He wasn't sure if the feline man was a dancer, artist, traveler from a warm climate, or an intimate companion.

 

[Auda]

The moment Grunde entered the room it immediately knew something was off. It started with an unpleasant feeling growing inside it's body like an upset stomach. Then, the slime noticeably grew in volume as it automatically absorbed the magical remains inside the room. But unlike the mana potion Cécilia gave it earlier, its body seemed to have a hard time accepting this new source. Whether it's because of Grunde's psychological response to absorbing the magic that was used in killing two innocent souls, or the magic is somehow tainted in it's core, the slime doesn't know. But taking all the magical remains seemed like it'll only get in the way of the investigation and the sudden increase in it's size will just cramp up the place, so the slime took a step back and lurked outside the room as it peaked through the open door.

The other mages of the party were putting in work, the slime observed. Each one of them finding clues left and right, even Zen, who isn't even a mage in the first place, found something interesting behind the painting. Grunde's eyes then gravitate towards the bed where the bodies of the two lovers remain. The sight of them lifeless, but still desperately holding one another in an embrace were enough to fill the room with sorrow. 'At least they weren't alone.' the slime thought, melancholy framing it's face. Shaking their head, Grunde focused on the investigation at hand once more. Mourning the bodies won't do them justice, only finding the culprit will and if the slime can't do anything inside the room, maybe it'll have more luck in looking outside the house. It did remember Sera say something about an alleyway.

"I go look outside." Grunde whispered towards Cécilia. "Maybe I see something."

 

[Infab]

"Oh, um, or is this a... a... you know, like a... hand holding... friendship thing."

Devereaux chuckled. "Certainly not! As attractive as our new friend here is, I prefer to get to know people before I jump to romantics." he explained, before theatrically motioning to Abasi. "I give you Abasi! A particularly facinating dancer, as you can tell! I'm sure he would make a wonderful addition to our group."

 

[Fauxs]

Ser Alberto's words felt true to Callop as it provided him the confidence he needed to be of more use to the party. The offer of being trained felt interesting to the boy, he never had anyone to teach him much as he didn't grow up with a father and his mother was quite distant to him. He tried to give it some thought and walked with the man as Fauxs followed right beside them.

As they went into the establishment, Callop held the door to let Fauxs in. What the boy immediately noticed about his surroundings was how different it was to the previous city, which was quite evident from the people and even their furniture. He then sat with Alberto, who brought up his intriguing offer once again. "Back outside... you said something about a "hedge knight"? what's that?" the boy asked, "I've never attempted to wield any kind of weaponry before, what would you suggest for me to try" he followed. The usage of arms was unique to the boy as his usual battle tactics are focused around protection yet this kind of approach in battle made him quite curious as to what he could learn.

 

[Woffy]

"Oh my Devy , you did not tell me your company was full of cute people like you" Abasi did a theatrical spin , something to both greet and show off the "goods" "I greet you both im Abasi , dancer , entretainer and whatever else you may want me to be" he smiled "as your friend here says im looking for work and your company seems like the perfect fit for me if you will have me"

 

[Develius]

Dakarai winced at the brutal sight that lain before him. It was just as they were told - two star-crossed lovers wrapped around in a cold and gruesome embrace. A truly tragic end for both parties. This was not nearly as bad compared to some of the vile carnage he had seen, but it was a disheartening one at that. Quickly muttering a silent prayer to Her Grace, the cleric proceeded to kneel down and inspect the bodies. He slowly stretched out his scaly arms palm first and held held them several inches from the two, staring at them with immense concentration. He began searching their cold bodies with his magic, searching for anything that could attain clues to their unfortunate circumstance.

At first, Dakarai felt nothing but null cold. No doubt they were certainly dead; both too far gone to have his magic reinvigorate their corpses. His magic worked only on those still sporting a functioning pulse. There're rare instances that a skilled cleric of the Order could defibrillate a stopped heart - utilizing advance forms of magic to revitalize the heart and get it pumping - but that could work only within the first minute of it stopping with a quick and careful ritual. Few were able to master this effectively; let alone accomplish it successfully. Yet as he continued searching their empty husks, Dakarai suddenly sensed a warm sensation emanating from within the two.

Their souls were still present.

Usually the souls would be long gone, or at the very least subdued, at the most producing a faint signature as they dimmed into the void. But the heat here was far more... intense than usual. Dakarai continued focusing his gaze intently, trying to identify them more throughly. And soon he was able to "see" them. They manifested as two flaming swirls of pure warm light, one putting a bright yellowish-orange color, with the other a reddish-pink. They coiled around one another, as if they refused to let death do them part. And he could hear them too... their melancholy wails echoing through his mind with what he could only describe as a ballad of anguish and solace. It was a heartbreakingly beautiful sensation - one only servants of Her Grace could properly feel. Now bearing witness to their grief he felt like he could at the very least comfort them in their last fleeting moments. And perhaps... achieve something more.

As Dakarai attempted to commute with their heart-wrenched souls, Gawain would unknowingly interrupt the cleric's advance. In an instant, the Sobekan's gaze faltered as he found himself brought back to the land of the living. Catching his nerve, he slowly turned to face the Necromancer, who asked:

"Hm, are you seeing something that I am not seeing, cleric? The cause of death is clear, yet your intent staring seems to speak more about what is going on... beyond surface-level observation."

Dakarai shook his head, still kneeling beside the bloodied corpses. "Their vessels are beyond salvation, yes," he addressed, "Yet... I can feel their essence within; swirling in the void between true life and death. Their souls have not yet diminished away; for they still embrace one another even as they slowly dissolve into the afterlife." He took another moment to blankly stare back at the two, "And not only can I see their metaphysical forms... but I can hear them. For, in a way, they are still conscious; denying death's advance for as long as they can just to be together." He hastily readjusted his stance and began preparing to dive into their minds once more. "Perhaps... there's still time. If I can commute with their waining souls, then there's a chance I might be able to obtain information regarding their moments right before they were murdered."

"I must make haste... Pray that Her Grace grants me enough time to see this through."

_Dmaster

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Cécilia raised a brow as Gsera walked out of the room after noticing something outside, Grunde then followed her as well. The Sheriff looked at one of her men to go and follow the undercover Ddraig and the slime, just to make sure they were not doing anything sketchy. "Hmm... anyone see anything?" she asked just before Zen pulled down a painting that was hanging right above the bed.

"Apologize for the disturbance."

Apparently his Ring of the Thief had detected a considerable amount of silver hidden behind the painting. There must be at least five hundred in denari there. "Bloody 'el... they been savin' up a lot innit?" said the Sheriff as she approached the bed. "Good find, bird lad." she said before turning her attention to Syll. "Well... while we already realized that there must be a deeper meaning to this." said Cécilia while looking at the silver pile. "This confirms this wasn't a robbery." She added while gently scratching her chin. The Sheriff looked over her shoulder at the human with a rather angry look in her face. "Doin' me job now are ye?" she asked clearly annoyed. "U-uhm... just my theory, Sheriff."

The Sheriff had to admit that Cécilia was right, this was clearly the scene of a hate crime, but the Sheriff couldn't wrap her head around that. Hobs dislike humans but they don't hate them, she knew that because she was a Hob like any other, but no Hob in their right mind would kill a human, much less because they were with a Hob. "Hmph... but you are right, human... bloody Hel, I hate murder cases... They don't happen often and for that I thank the Big Mother."

"This poor couple was killed with magic missiles, and whoever did it I believe they mustn't be that skilled, for starters it is one of the easiest and most basic spells a mage can learn, secondly the marks are quite small, which implies they were quite the weak missiles. And thirdly the many marks on the walls also imply a low level of accuracy, specially if the killer was also inside the house, which would mean they were at quite the short distance"

Cécilia agreed a bit with Syll, for Magic Missiles are usually a novice sorcerers spell. However, she wasn't sure if this was indeed the job of an amateur, and so was Gawain who kept studying the bodies further, sadly, whatever information the Sorcerer could unearth from these bodies would not be that useful at all. "Must admit, you got yourself in quite the mystery case, Gawain." said Edgar in the back of Gawain's mind. The Lich had taken a liking to talk to Gawain when he was concentrated.

Outside the building, Gsera approached the alleyway with caution, hoping to further study the strange plant remains she saw early and right behind her was Grunde, who slid of the ground away from the crime scene and all of that bad energy. When she reached the place where the window is, she saw the remnants of what used to be a small shrub growing on a patch of grass right under the window, now it had been drained of all life. And Grunde noticed it had been drained of all magic as well. Indeed, all living entities in the world have some form of magic flowing through them. But the question now was... why was this plant drained of life and magic and why was the window unlocked? Using their magical abilities, both the Ddraig girl and the Slime began to think together.

(Roll 1d10+2 = 9 | Critical Success.) As Gsera looked into the shrub, she noticed the remnants of vine attacked to the wall that seem to have emerged from the shrub itself, the locking mechanism of the window wasn't complicated at all, but if an actual person tried to unlock it, it would have given the victims enough time to exit the building and warn the Constables. The lack of any magical residues meant she couldn't identify the type of magic used by the criminal, but as Korzhev had seen earlier, this spell caster was no Druid.

(Roll 1d10+2 = 5 | Success.) As Grunde studied the dried plant, they quickly understood why. They doubted that the murderer themselves absorbed the energies of this plant, for only the undead and certain types of magical creatures are able to do that, and the undead usually leave a 'magical stench' like Gawain does. The slime then remembered that their old master often spoke about magical trinkets that use a lot of magic to work and thought, could this be the result of some sort of magical trinket?

(5+9 = 14 | Success) As the two studied the window and the dried out plant, the two started to think about a few possibilities. The murderer used some sort of trinket and used the power of said trinket to manipulate the plants to use their smaller, more delicate vines to unlock the window and thus making very little to no sound.

Back inside, the Sorcerer, the Druid and the Cleric looked into the corpses after Dakarai realized that there was still time for him to commune with these spirits. The Sheriff looked a bit confused and so did her men as the Cleric of Sobek'nia started to chant a few words while taking a calm pose next to the bodies. "Oi, bloody heathen 'bout to cast sum hex or sumthin'!" shouted a Constable, only to be told to shut up by the Sheriff. The cleric started to chant the Rites of Communion, an important ritual that is used by all of Entarushian faiths, including the Cult of Sobek'nia. He could feel it in his mind that his reality was slowly changing, his soul was temporarily connected with the realm of souls. For those observing it looked like Dakarai, for lack of a better word, had died. He was not breathing nor moving and his dark reptile eyes were now pale grey.


But to the Cleric, he was sitting there, watching as the victims sat by the edge of the bed, holding onto one another. The others that were on the room were there as well but moving but at much slower pace. And only he and the couple could move faster or make a sound... to his surprise though, Korzhev was also able to move normally and seemed to be aware of the Souls sitting by the couch, but wasn't able to actually see them. Dakarai tried speaking to them, but they were not able to hear him or see him. He knew the sad truth, these souls were close to move on from the mortal realm and into what he knew as the E'eru, but many others called "The Crossroads". Despite the fact that he was not there to these souls, he could still hear their muffled voices.



"This whole death business sure take a while innit?" said the Hob while resting his head on the thighs of his wife. "I am glad it does..." said the human woman while gently stroking her husbands head. "I know I keep sayin' this but... wish I had me mallet close to smack that bugger right on his ugly mug." He said while before grabbing his wifes hand, which were bigger than his. "Ya' always had big soft hands... I always liked it when ya caressed me head... reminds me when we were wee lads workin' the onion field." There was a slight pause, his wife started to tear up a little while looking at her husband right in the eyes. "Why ya crying ya big wolly?" asked the husband while extending his arm to touch his wife's face, clearing any tears from her pretty round face. "I wish... I could have protected you better... I wish we... could have taken that blokes bloody red hat off in time."

"Ain't nuffin' we can do now me love... 'tis what it is innit?" He said while gently caressing her cheek. While she gave him a smile in return, she couldn't comprehend why he was so calm in this situation. "Why... are you calm? Aren't you afraid...? I... I am very scared..." The husband chuckled out loud at her question. "Scared? I'm scared of seein' me granny up there! and hear her every day why I shouldn't have married ye." Frustrated, she finally revealed her biggest fear. "I'm scared of... losing you..." she admitted while squeezing her husbands small hand tightly. "W...what if we lose each other in... the crossroads... what I don't see you again?" Her husband wasn't sure how to respond, for nobody knows what the Crossroads really are. "Well... hold me hand, as tight as you can... 'cuz I ain't going to lose ya, we are goin' in. Together."

Despite the fact that he had seen plenty of other moments like this due to his duties as a cleric, it was always strange for Dakarai to witness a souls last moments in mortal plane. There was always something incredibly raw and personal about those last hours before ascending into the unknown. It was the time where both sinners and believers confessed themselves to the powers beyond in hopes to be guided safely to the afterlife, it was a time for venting and expressing their grievances to the Gods. Whether they were heard by the Gods or not, he was not sure.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the Cleric felt the soothing light of an Entity glowing in his scales, he has seen this being every single time he has communed with the dead and they always said the same thing to them. "The time has come..." The couple looked at each other, both looked scared but also, at peace. They held each others hands as tight as they could before walking next to the entity and without saying a thing and as the Entity slowly vanished from the mortal plane, alongside with the couple who embraced each other as tight as they could, just like their last moments before dying.


When Dakarai comes to his sense, he notices that everyone was looking at him with the exception of the silly frog man, who was still looking at where the souls were before. "W...what did you see Dakarai...?" asked Cécilia, a bit surprised by this ability of his, while Gaian priests can also commune with the souls of the dead, it nothing like this. The Sheriff and her men looked at the Sobekan expectantly, hoping for a new lead.

While they did that, Korzhev simply looked at them. Being a Shaman meant that he knew that their spirits were in this room. He remained respectful until they were finally able to leave the Mortal Plane. Now that there were no spirits, he walked towards the window and notice the dried bits of magical vine on the window, he could use them for a Potion of Magic Weakness if he wanted to. It might be useful.

"I did marry a foreigner. Why do you ask of him?"

It wasn't hard to notice that Kastalli was not amused by the Captains inquiries. One of the captains Hirdmen was actually offended by the womans tone and pulled out his Skæglin sword on her but Jager quickly stopped him. He then raised both hands and gave Kastalli a strange smile. "Aye, sorry m'lady... Me and your father used to know each other well, we used to raid Dúkũ and Prassad together." He looked around the plaza for a bit before looking back at Kastalli. "As for your husband... well, I was asking because I heard a rumor from the port before leaving the isle that you were a widow... and one of my Hirdmen are looking for a pretty wife." he said in a rather brazen tone and a sincere smile. Kastalli was hoping to avoid Skæglin meatheads here in the mainland, but that seems to not be the case. She had a feeling the amicable captain might not be so friendly after all.

"Oh, um, or is this a... a... you know, like a... hand holding... friendship thing,"

"I give you Abasi! A particularly fascinating dancer, as you can tell! I'm sure he would make a wonderful addition to our group."

"Oh my Devy , you did not tell me your company was full of cute people like you, I greet you both. I'm Abasi, dancer, entertainer and whatever else you may want me to be. As your friend here says I'm looking for work and your company seems like the perfect fit for me if you will have me"

Paulin was blushing at what Petro was implying but he understood why, Abasi was both shocking and stunning to look at. The fact that he also called Paulin pretty made the young adventurer blush a bit more. "Oh... w-well... uhm.... thank you? h-haha! You are... uhm... cute too... heh, I uhm... w-what... do you mean by whatever else we want of y-" He asked before realizing that there might be some other implications, Paulin was now blushing as bright as a tomato but before he could keep speaking, another member of the company shouted at Devy. "Oi, Devy! heard ya wanna recruit that wyrd cat there? Don Alberto is in the tavern right behind ya... I think he talkin' to some knight bloke!" He shouted before walking away. Now aware that the tavern was right there, the young Jester thought about what other possible recruits he might be able to convince to join the company... perhaps Abassi can help too?

In the tavern, as Miss Bottomshire scolded her husband for being rude to the costumers again, Alberto was smiling from ear to ear watching this younger yet clearly experienced knight talk so greatly about him. It was flattering of course, although he always felt a bit strange about the praises, when they come from a fellow knight, regardless of their age, it always feels more rewarding to feel acknowledged by a fellow knight.

"Miss an opportunity to ride with Ser Alberto de Tarantina? Gods no! I would be mad! Ser, my lady, we would like to join you on your journey."

"I'm a great negotiator I am."

Alberto actually let out a chuckle while looking at Sentry. "Hehe... that you are, my friend." He then turned his attention back to Waylond and his trusty squire. "Of course you can join us, Ser Knight. Your quest to train your squire in the ways of the knight is a respectable cause, I remember my days when I had to train young nobles. It was an arduous and thankless task sometimes, but thanks to me, several Sarcossian nobles became great commanders and valiant knights." He then got a bit closer to the table, looking down at Callop and Faux before looking at Waylond. "Heh... with you Ser, there will be two knights... then there's Ser Justinian who is a hedge knight, your squire and now maybe Callop might become my Page... I am slowly creating our own wandering knight order!"

"Back outside... you said something about a "hedge knight"? what's that? I've never attempted to wield any kind of weaponry before, what would you suggest for me to try"

"Ah, a Hedge Knight is a person who does not belong to any noble family but has been granted knighthood by either a noble or a knight grand master... remember that weird man in our company? The one with the massive chin? He's a Hedge Knight." Fauxs actually tilted his head, seemingly interested in the conversation. "As for training... well, at your age a good dagger or short blade should be enough to keep threats from approaching you. But remember, training ain't easy... and I'll make sure to train you every day, not only in the art of combat but I'll also train you in tactics and strategy... say, I believe Ser Waylond and his Squire can help you learn as well!" He said while looking back at his fellow knights, while also giving Sentry a smile.

 

[Beann]

Just as one of the Captain's Hirdmen drew his sword in response to her question, Kastalli's hand immediately went to the handle of her bell. Almost all of the Skæglin men preferred docile women, to be easily reigned in without question. Which is why it was no surprise the man was offended by her tone in the first place. However, Captain Jager didn't seem all that stupid, stopping the man before anything could escalate in a busy market. She relaxed slightly as he explained his relation to her father, recalling that her father did in fact participate in those campaigns. Unfortunately, the moment soon came to pass as the Captain brought up hearing that she was a widow...and that one of his Hirdmen was looking for a wife. It took every ounce of her self control not to spit in this man's face, how dare he suggest such a thing?! Her eyes shifted over to the Hirdman that originally attempted to pull a sword on her. "I do hope you do not mean this one specifically," she started but considered her options in wiggling out of this situation. Should she confirm the rumors to be true, they would only press on her more. While she did have the members of the expedition to fall back on, she didn't want to get them involved. Cécilia and a handful were solving an important case at the moment. Sir Alberto and those that chose to join him at the inn were a last resort should she need to run. She didn't want to cause too much trouble though so she saw it fit to just lie to the captain. "Well, it is just as you said - a rumor. While I am flattered, my husband is very much alive and here in Waterham. I am merely picking up supplies."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

"I do hope you do not mean this one specifically,"

The captain let out a heart laugh despite the fact her words offended his Hirdman deeply, that man looked like he was about to jump on Kastalli. "Oh Gods no, this lad has a lot of issues to handle. Last girl he dated had to beg the Lawspeaker for a divorce." Jager looked over his shoulder at the Hirdman. "Heard that? Calm yourself you stupid mule." The Hirdman spat on the ground before nodding, the captain then looked back at Kastalli, giving her another smile. While they were genuine smiles, they were also incredibly creepy for Kastalli, it reminded her how badly things can be for women back in the Isle. "The lad I'm speaking of is my nephew, nice lad, a bit younger than you but he wouldn't mind having a strong lady!" The captain then noticed Kastalli's tail and grinned a bit. "Even if she's a bit more hairy than other women!" The sailors and hirdmen laughed a bit.

"Well, it is just as you said - a rumor. While I am flattered, my husband is very much alive and here in Waterham. I am merely picking up supplies."

The captain remained quiet for a few seconds before shrugging. "That's a shame... personally, I believe pretty Skæglin ladies such as yourself should only date a strong Skæglin man." He then raised both of his hands. "But alas, you seem to be like your dad... Interested in... exotic goods! Hah!" The men behind the captain laughed again. Even the Hobs that were walking nearby were giving the Skæglin sailors an annoyed look.

 

[joshuadim]

A few details had been gathered from observing the window and the dead plants underneath it that Gsera could surmise a certain series of events: the magic forced the vines to open the window and did so quietly. That's why the couple weren't alerted. But the type of magic used was up in question as she herself couldn't find any residue or feel anything left behind from what was cast. She could at least take comfort in knowing that it wasn't any druid that could do something like this. She decided to announce her findings as she leveled her head up to the window to look inside, only to see Dakarai's sudden change in state as he appeared practically dead.

This sudden shift shocked Gsera as she quickly rushed back inside as quickly as she could in a panic. Her mind raced as her thoughts filled with outlandish possibilities. An invisible killer? Did he die of old age? Why was it so sudden? she thought to herself as she rushed back into the room only to see Dakarai looking alive and well again, but everyone around him with confusion lacing their faces. Gsera herself however was more panicked as she rushed over to him: "Are you okay!?" she asked in between breaths.