D&D Adventure #3: Vicious Circle

[Dog Pants]

Well that seems like a result. Claws and poison. Hmm. Also, I wonder what he was doing there and where he'd come from. If he was out and about presumably he'd been travelling from somewhere to somewhere. I'll find the others so I can describe my findings. I also want to find a way of surrepticiously depositing the autopsy report somwhere the guards will recover it, since I don't want to hinder their investigation, but obviously without implicating myself. Preferably after I've shown the others. If need be I'll just leave it somewhere secure where it'll be found in the morning.

[Roman Totale]

It's a strange combination though - vicious attack but the body left posed and with a neat symbol cut into it. I wonder if the victims have all been attacked by something "contagious" and someone else has then come along to make sure the bodies don't turn i.e. a bit like if someone had been bitten by a vampire and then someone had pre-emptively removed the heart before they became a vampire too.

[FatherJack]

Claws and poison and some damn mumbo-jumbo ritualist stuff to boot. Thor's sword-palm is getting a little itchy and I think he's about ready to get P'Waro on someone's ass.

Although, actually I think he's probably still staring blankly unseeing in the dark of the alley with his crappy Human eyes. He fumbles his way through the (hopefully) moonlit streets to whatever bar or tavern we agreed to meet up at to share findings.

[Dog Pants]

Claws would suggest a lycanthrope of some kind in my mind. Possibly a were-thing who attacked a few people at night went back to make sure they didn't turn when they were their normal self during the day. Although the claw wounds would have been old and I reckon the victims might have mentioned a were-creature attack.

These attacks were carried out in the daytime weren't they?

[Grimmie]

Stephen was killed when Emma returned from work, about 5pm. (13th Patchwall)
Enkah was killed late-morning on your return to Orhedge, about 11am. (14th Patchwall)

[Dog Pants]

Roman, you were asking around in the Princes Wine weren't you? So presumable that's not where Enkah had been. Do we know where he lived? Maybe we could work out where he was going, or maybe there's something to indicate what's going on in his house.

[Roman Totale]

I wonder if Enkeh lodged at the Prince's Wine? The landlord said they'd never seen Steven step foot "in here".

Maybe the landlord done it! I was worried at one point I was going to end up filling one of their pies.

[Dog Pants]

How big a pie are we talking here?

[Roman Totale]

The biggest pie ever baked.

[Grimmie]

So, is everyone hunkering down to sleep for the night while Thoroar reads his book?

[Dog Pants]

I think it's about time for a rest, yeah. I've a few things to try tomorrow, but we might get a new victim clue overnight.

[FatherJack]

Sounds good, I assume we've all swapped what info we had and Thor could use a lie down after all that frowning and scowling.

[Grimmie]

I'm only missing a Detect Magic and I'm fairly sure some of the others have that so I don't mind not getting a full night's sleep.

The Sun Scripts are a collection of parables and religious teachings associated with Pelor, the sun god. The book looks to be well read, and a few pages are particularly worn. The text is pretty heavy-going...

Code: Select all

The energy of life originates from the sun. This light brings strength to the weak and health to the injured, while destroying darkness and evil. Do not be afraid to challenge the horses of corruption, but remember that just as staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative horses can blind the heart to the true essentials of life: kindness, mercy, and compassion.

... And so on.

Thoroar finds that Pelor comes across as something of a kind, nurturing, healing god - whose clerics are only ever encouraged to take arms in order to protect. Nothing particularly unusual comes to light from reading the tome from cover to cover, and certainly nothing to do with murdering people in cold blood.

Bali, Thoroar now has +2 to Knowledge: Religion rolls for facts regarding Pelor and his teachings.

[Grimmie]

A new day dawns.

[mrbobbins]

Sorry

[Baliame]

Bali, Thoroar now has +2 to Knowledge: Religion rolls for facts regarding Pelor and his teachings.

Well, that was rather unexpected! And pleasant.

[Dog Pants]

Oh, bumgrats Bali. I don't think Pelor sounds like the one for me. Light is not my friend, and mercy didn't come high on the list of priorities when I was massacring those goblins. So I keep my head down while I live in his temple.

I'll rise refreshed, visit Bart and the priests to pass on my regards, then go for a stroll about town until I bump into something interesting or the rest of the group, whichever comes first.

[Roman Totale]

Hmm, I really don't know what to do next. The most likely theory is that the blood cult are causing mayhem in the town - but I don't understand where the claws and the poison fit in with that. I'm going off my idea of "undead prevention action" - the blood drop shaped cut was on the Elf's right hand side and therefore wouldn't pierce the heart, so it seems more symbolic than anything.

Then again this doesn't appear to be a random target - both of these men knew each other, and Arthur was...framed? I think we need to speak to the militia chaps to see what those three got up to together.

[Dog Pants]

I think Arthur is just collateral damage. The connection is between the two victims. The claws have me a bit bamboozled, but I reckon if we can work out what's going on with the blood cult we'll likely find out who the claws belong to. Not sure how we'll do that though. I think I'll find out where Enkah lived and check it out if I can. Might involve talky bits, better of in the hands of those more charismatic than me. It'd be useful to find out where he was coming from/going before he was killed. Ask around and try to follow his route back.

[Grimmie]

the blood drop shaped cut was on the Elf's right hand side and therefore wouldn't pierce the heart, so it seems more symbolic than anything.

Maybe I didn't explain it well - the blood-drop was in line with his heart. how i do anatomies??

---

Forenrond, Fitzroy is happy to see you and asks how you're getting on. He also mentions that you're on the path to redemption, and that he's pleased you're making amends by doing good around the town. On the local bulletin board, which stands on the south-west edge of the town green, a scroll has been pinned up.



That translates to 1,500 gold pieces. It's not unusual for the town to operate in platinum when large figures are being thrown around.