Phil and Rita

[redfeline]

@ Finny
The halfling has a bag stuffed with recently acquired scrolls and gear. He sits at the tavern drinking alone a smile on his face from a good days work.

A female guard rushes in and talks to the tavern keeper who smiles brightly and kisses the guard. Holding her tightly for a moment before he bangs loudly on the countertop. He boldly anounces, Good news ever one. They caught Phil that twice damned devil!

At that he kisses the guard once more who rushes out of the Tavern.

@ Victor

The smith takes a few moments of break as he once more heats still. He appears to working on some armor. He takes a large gulp from a water skin and walks over to watch victor for a few moments. I seldom get to see the magic take work, it seems a very involved process.

@ every one else

You finish your meal uneventfully. As you get up to go a man sits at the stall bench. He speaks to the stall owner. Give me the same as yesterday. It sounds like they finally caught Phil. Some how the idiot didn't even know they were looking for him. As if he might not of known the arrogant ass hole.

How could he of not known they were looking for him half the day? Not like he murdered the girl and went home to take a nap while carrying the bloody knife.

I wouldn't be surpised if that is what he says before they hang him tomorrow.

[Hatter]

Upon hearing the news, Billo snaps his fingers in disappointment. "Well, shucks, Shantae..*burp*... guess we won't be hunting down that murderer afterall!....No people frying for me....not today at least..." the sorcerer said while muttering that last bit under his breath. In a way, Billo was relieved. The gnome didn't quite fancy the idea of going after dangerous criminals without even a posted bounty but hey, he was starting to like Shantae...well, at least he liked annoying her.

[WindStruck]

Shantae ponders after overhearing that news. "Huh. That's weird. So I guess he is just really forgetful?"

"Or maybe he's just trying to get out of it with the 'it was my evil twin!' defense."

[Hatter]

"That or he's actually innocent! Ha!" Billo laughs through a mouthful of grilled squid. The gnome had purchased an arm full of various fried seafood from the vendor and wasn't about to waste it.

"Not that it really matter. Aint my little legs about to be dangling! Ha! Ahaha!" He takes another bite out of the squid.

[WindStruck]

"Hmm. Innocent? But it doesn't seem anyone else thinks he is..." She casually finishes munching on some freshly breaded and baked shrimp and a small baguette.

[Hatter]

Cracking into a crab leg "I've learned that what people think doesn't really matter! Ha! People think a lot of things, doesn't make em right!" he grins at Shantae before stuffing some crab meat into his mouth.

"People used to think that half-orcs were no-good savages that weren't worth anything but killing folks..." He takes a look at Ka'Sahn, ponders for a moment then says "Not far off the mark but our Ka'Sahn is worth more than that! Ha! He's also good for scaring people!"

Ahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

[WindStruck]

Shantae can't help but giggle at the joke. It was funny. Too bad her laugh was drowned out by Billo's. He was quite loud for someone so small.

"It'll still be a while before we're supposed to meet Finny. Well, you think he could be innocent? That would mean someone else killed Rita. But I haven't the slightest clue..." She just shakes her head, thinking some more. "You wanna go talk to him? Phil? Or maybe we could go look for something southeast of town? I really don't know..."

What could they hope find there that the witnesses and guards already didn't?

[Smileybastard]

Ka'Sahn

Ka'Sahn smiles. "I prefer to kill little folks, cuz scaring them does not seem to work." His smile broadens.

[Hatter]

Gods above, that half-orc could be creepy sometimes. Billo wasn't about to let any fear show though... perhaps if he bribed it with food it wouldn't be so inclined to bite him. Yeah, that's what the little gnome will do.

"Want some?" He offered a fish on a stick to Ka'Sahn with a grin and a mouthful of crab meat. He then directed his attention to Shantae. "Whatever you want to do! I'm happy with my food! Ha!"

Suddenly the gnome perked up as if he remembered something "Did you know that there's several spells that pretty much anyone with the know-how can use? Ha! Stupid bookworms can change how they look like that! (Finger snap) Might be one of those Academy idiots decided to go murder someone! Stupid Academy and their stupid wizards...hmph!"

[Smileybastard]

Ka'Sahn

Ka'Sahn follows some deer tracks leading up to signs of blood and footprints heading back to town. No signs of struggle.
"It could have been a clean kill, no struggle. Lets follow the tracks back to town."

[Hatter]

Billo smirks as he watches Ka'Sahn do his thing with the tracks and the blood. Such an interesting talent! Billo wished he had some kind of skill like that but he knew that kind of talent required mucking about in the dirty woods for a few years at the very least and honestly, Billo was not about any of that. "See!? I told you he was good for more than killing! Ha!"

[WindStruck]

Shantae watches the tracks being uncovered, pointed out, explained. It made sense, sort of. Kind of where Rita said she would be earlier this morning. But...

"Wait. So you only see footprints leaving? Where are Rita's coming here? Where are Phil's?"

It seemed to be a puzzle. Or, it could be one, anyway. Brush you could say usually had a level head about such things, but he just stared at Shantae as though she were crazy or stupid, not sure what she's getting at.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

could just be a miscommunication on DMs part, but it seems to me it is implied that there is only one set of footprints leaving the spatters of blood? In other words, it seems a person just materialized there and started walking back to town? So she's asking if there were other footprints leading up to this spot before the incident. ie if we can follow the tracks backwards?

[redfeline]

Ka'sahn see's other tracks in the area including the victims early tracks, and fresher tracks made by numerous armored individuals some hours later.

As he follows the tracks back up the road the trail of the murder becomes confused but is still visible. With out to much difficulty he can follow the tracks back to the hard stone bridge. However pass that he struggles to find prints on the stone slabs and the numerous travelers of the day and even the group have further damaged the trail.

[Smileybastard]

Ka'Sahn

"No there are other's as well."

~

After arriving at the stone bridge and examining a while, Ka'Sahn says, "This is as far as I can follow them. Stone and many others make it impossible to follow them further."

[Oddman80]

Finny asks the Tavern Keeper why the guard had been looking for Phil, and is taken aback by the answer.

"Not that knew him well or nothin' - but I guess its always a bit jarring to hear that someone ya knew went an' murdered someone else...
Finny lets out a long steady sigh, while staring blankly down at the bar's sticky surface. glancing up briefly at the tavern keeper, Finny raises his glass in a sort of melancholy toast:

Ah well.. to Strange days..."

After another minute of quiet, scowling thought, Finny suddenly perks up and shoots a question back at the Tavern Keeper:

"Hey! you don't happen to know what went down at The Way North and at the White Deer, do ya?"

[redfeline]

Huh. I guess talk of that died down with the other going ons of the day. People were talking about that for some time this mourning. As I here it that fight club finally caused enough trouble to be closed down. Some bickering spilled into The White Deer and broke several pieces of furniture and that great big mirror they have. The captain of the guards said that was enough and closed down the fight club "for good" and even went so far as to close and fine The Way North for now. We'll see if he can keep it gone.

[Hatter]

Billo steps up next to Ka'Sahn, his little eyes following the Half-Orc's gaze but he couldn't see what he saw if his life depended on it. The gnome let out a sigh of irritation. What a waste of time. He hoped that Shantae was at least satisfied.

"Well! That was a wonderful use of our time... I say we meet up with Finny soon so that we can show his parents their new house. Hmmm.. Might have to find that book-thumping-do-gooder of ours first though!" Billo suggested with a grin at his own clever description of Victor.

[WindStruck]

"Hmm... Right," Shantae says somewhat disappointed. Seems they didn't find anything of interest out here.

"Anyway, we're supposed to meet Finny at the Rusty Dragon for dinner..."

She looks at the sun trying to decide if it's around that time yet.

[Hatter]

"Mmmm...dinner...." says Billo with a sigh, it seems the little gnome was getting hungry again. He whipped out his pocket watch and looked at the time.

[PeacefulOak]

Victor wipes the accumulated sweat of a long day in the forge from his forehead, and gratefully hands the cloth back to the Smith. Holding his longsword carefully, he can feel the new magical energies beginning to find their form. Another few days of this, and your sword shall burn with a flame of truth and justice, Iomedae!

Victor bows to the blacksmith, and gathers the rest of his belongings from beside his workstation. "Again, my thanks for the use of your space today. With your permission, I shall return tomorrow morning to continue my work." With that, Victor takes his leave, following his memory and the growing pangs of hunger in his belly back to the tavern where this strange day had begun. Pushing open the door, Victor looks about to see if any of his companions have returned as yet.

[WindStruck]

Shantae arrives back at the Rusty Dragon a bit weary, with a hungry, rambunctious gnome practically hanging off her. She is followed by the tall, silent, half-orc/elf who still bears quite a presence nonetheless.

Seeing Finny drinking at a bar, she walks up to him to sit nearby. "Hey Finny. How'd the house hunting go?"

"I bet better than our pointless little field trip," Brush comments.

[Smileybastard]

Ka'Sahn

Ka'Sahn sits at the table. "Maybe we are not made to find who killed her...maybe we should find a shovel."

[PeacefulOak]

The familiar sound of his companion's voices draws Victor's attention, and he moves through the tavern to join Ka'Sahn at the table near the bar. Waving over a waiter, he orders a bowl of thick stew and a loaf of bread to go with it. Turning back to the half-orc, Victor speaks.

"You cut to the heart of a conversation as easily as to that of your foes, friend. We once again are faced with a choice. Do we go and meet Finny's... associate," Victor chuckles, "or do we proceed to the lumber mill to investigate the strange lights there?"

[WindStruck]

Shantae wonders what she should eat. Although there didn't appear to be a big selection. She snaps out of the thought to ask, "Are you sure we all were invited to that?"

[Smileybastard]

Ka'Sahn

Ka'Sahn shrugs. "I forgot about the lumber mill. I am game for anything, although I admit I was mire thinking of the shovel as a weapon. I feel that no good would come of the meeting." He smiles.

[WindStruck]

Brush interjects, "Well if you break the shovel, how are you going to bury the body?" He hops closer to the other pointy-eared fellow and looks up to him.

Shantae hisses a whisper: "Brush! We aren't going to kill anyone!"

[Oddman80]

Hearing Ka'Sahn & Victor talk about going to meet up with Randal makes Finny choke a little on his Ale - {COUGH COUGH COUGH} - As he hears Shantae's response, Finny points at her animatedly while clearing his throat and trying to regain his breath.

Yeah - what Gorgeous said. Randal didn't exactly extend an invitation to you lot - HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER!

Finny scootches around on his barstool to face the rest of the group.

If Randal catches wind of you all at the meetup site, he's either gonna tuck tail and run, or he's gonna start shooting us before bothering to ask any questions. Unless you all were planning on steaking out the spot before he or I ever showed up - and getting the drop on that vicious son of a worg, I say we go to the Mill!

[Smileybastard]

Ka'Sahn

Ka'Sahn orders some strew and ale. "The mill it is then... after we eat."

[WindStruck]

"I don't think I could hide and stake out a spot very well. Especially with this loudmouth twit," she says pointing to Brush. He shoots back a silent glare of his own. "Actually, I don't even know where exactly you'll be meeting them... are you planning to head to the mill after all that?"

[redfeline]

A barmaid, disappointingly flat chested, drops off a load of bred and a rich barely stew in front of Victor. She turns to the large half elf orc and smiles what seems a sincere grin. Coming right up big guy.

The Rusty Dragon seems more crowded then last night, likely because of the two closed taverns in the northern part of the city. There is music by a few gnomes, one playing the bag pipes. Their voices strike baritone notes that compliment the surprisingly up beat tune. Suddenly the pipest hits a note so low that the windows begin to shake. His lips go limp and the bags deflate as the building continues to shake and the note becomes louder, turning into a ground shaking roar of some very large beast.

Every one is still and quiet as it fades away. It seems like an hour passes, but it is mirror seconds. The party looks about with a strange feeling of deja vu. The room returns to life a few people step outside and look about during the sun set. The gnome piper looks for a few moments at the bag before he decides to continue. He misses the first few notes before picking up and life goes back to normal.