The Fire and The Black: Daemonfold [IC]

[Hazuki]

"How were these defenses acquired?" Payle asks, understanding that such things take a great deal of funding.

[Man on Fire]

"I'm sorry to say this, but all of this points out towards someone who could already move freely through all these defenses and be allowed into his lab. Someone he trusted. In other words a family member or a deeply trusted servant or friend." Ilvaria says, trying very hard to not offend with that suggestion. "I'm sorry but the only other alternative I see is someone who could assume image such a person but I assume your manor has some sort of countermeasures against it, would that be correct?"

[PersonMan]

"The family has had a number of mages and others hired to provide or improve the manor's security over the years," Nadia explains to Payle. "The majority of those currently present were provided roughly two years ago."

When Ilvaria speaks, Nadia turns to her, nodding as she presents her suspicions. "I had feared as much. Please, feel free to ask questions of any of the manor's staff during your investigation, they may have been privy to events that passed me by," she says. "As for shape-changing magic or illusory disguises, there are, but they require activation and are usually only used when there is already suspicion of such an intrusion - a concession to practicality."

[Hazuki]

"I believe I'm all out of questions," Payle says, as she leans back in her seat and glances at the others. "I'm about ready to go and see the scene of the crime, myself."

[Man on Fire]

"I agree, just one more question. Where were you when it is assumed he died?" Drow asks Nadia. "I know how it must sound but if we have a possible shape-changer or illusionists as a culprit, not to mention simple liars trying to give us false leads, it will spare us a great deal of work to know where everyone was and what they were doing." She quickly adds.

[PersonMan]

Nadia nods at Ilvaria's question. "It will, yes. As for myself, I was away attending matters of business, at the Captain's Club in the lower city. Should you need to confirm my presence there, you could speak with the owner, Leruu Kantiki, though entering the establishment may be somewhat of an issue."

Then, once any questions resulting from her response are clarified, she rises and leads the way into the manor, going through several rooms before asking you all to wait just outside a door; after a brief wait she emerges with an odd-looking key. From there she brings you down a set of stairs that lead to a large, complex-looking metal door with a small wooden table (the size of a nightstand) just to the side; the opening door reveals a fairly crowded room beyond, its walls covered by shelves of reagents and books while much of the floor is dominated by tables of alchemical equipment. Nadia leads you past a curtain that separates another area of the room, from which other curtained doorways seem to exit.

This room seems to have a different focus than the last, with equipment prepared on one table but a great deal of free space in the room itself. Unlike the last room, the floor is dominated by bloodstains, scraps of cloth, and the destroyed remnants of what must have been at least one or two glass containers similar to the ones on the table; amidst the mess is a single corpse, at the center of a large bloodstain and on its side, back against a wall. The corpse is mostly covered by a thin black sheet that rests over it.

"This is it," Nadia says, closing her eyes and breathing for a moment before she continues. "The sheet has a magical effect - it was meant as a funeral shroud, and prevents rotting. You may remove it to study...the body," she explains.

Spoiler: Payle, Kiros

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You immediately notice something: the equipment in this room is all entirely cleaned. While the last room's equipment seems to have been in use until Rendrick's death, while these seem to have been prepared for use, but never actually had anything put in them. There are also a few implements here that aren't present in the other room; a set which Payle can identify as made to draw blood from an individual, as well as stoppered and wax-sealed vials of several liquids or powdery substances.

Additionally, there is a light dusting of silvery powder on some parts of one of the tables, the sort that results from one trying to carrying some sort of fine powder in one's hands.

[RelentlessImp]

Cia, having been silent and ruminating on all of this, follows along to the new room, head cocking to one side, Shevar silently plodding along at her side. A frown touches her lips at the sight of the sheet. Prevent rotting. Right. Bleurgh. Not that she had anything against dead bodies; she and Shevar had made a few in their time; it was more that, more or less, the corpse was still fresh after all this time. More or less. Blech.

Cia separates from the group and begins poking around in the other curtained doorways, carefully tugging a curtain or two aside here and there. She also decides to see if the charm against spellcasting is still active, and quietly works her fingers and speaks soft words, then snaps her fingers and changes the color of her fingernails to a bright neon green.

Spoiler

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Cia is casting prestidigitation just to see if the charm they mentioned is still working, and seeing if she can figure out any more about it if it does still function.
K. Arcana - (1d20+10)[19]
Spellcraft - (1d20+10)[13]

[Hazuki]

Payle quietly relays the things she's witnessed to those of the group who don't seem to have noticed them, from the powder to the implements.

"Let's take a look, shall we?" Payle asks, as she approaches the sheet. She ensures that everyone who wants to look away has a chance to do so as she crouches, ensures that The Glow won't offer its insight on the corpse, and goes to reveal it.

[Man on Fire]

Seeing her distraught, Ilvaria approaches Nadia and slowly, gently puts her hand on the woman's shoulder, smiling kindly.

"You do not need to be here for this part. I promise we will search thoughtfully and report back to you. We won't rest until your brother is avenged." She says, trying to reassure their employer.

[PersonMan]

Nadia wordlessly returns Ilvaria's look for a moment, then nods. "Very well," she says, beginning to step away before pausing near the edge of the room to add: "I will inform the servants of your task - they will provide any aid you require for the investigation." Then she goes, and a moment later Rendrick's corpse is revealed. The cause of death seems clear, with his head severed entirely, though various deep wounds, bruises and symbols carved into his skin are also present. His clothes are fairly typical for an alchemist except for the great deal of blood soaking them; several holes indicate places where he had been stabbed, as well.

Spoiler: Perception DC 20

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Nearly entirely covered in blood, and shoved into a corner such that it's only visible from a few angles, is a single black feather. Careful examination reveals that, even without the blood, it has strains of crimson near the bottom of it.

Additionally, Rendrick's fingers and shoes both bear traces of the same silvery powder that's present on the table. Tucked into a pocket is a small metal vial with a symbol on it. [OOC: I'm putting the symbol on Discord because the forum is currently on the fritz.] The symbol is recognizable as the same one that was on two previous vials - the one given to Jerrick Overni, which contained something he claimed gave him the ability to summon the daemon that plagued him, and one found in the home of the woman who had summoned a succubus that you defeated back in Korvosa.

[Hazuki]

A faint frown creases Payle's forehead as she examines the very dead body. Not the gore, no, she has seen more than enough of that. But what to say to let her comrades know without alerting the woman who brought them here? It's not something that can be considered a coincidence any longer, and yet no explanation leaps to mind.

She turns her attention to the feather and attempts to identify it.

Spoiler: Knowledge

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+5 for Arcana and Nature and +7 for Religion. Maybe I'll roll good!

(1d20)[17]

[Man on Fire]

"I may not know much but a bit of divine help. May I?" Ilvaria asks, offering her hand for Payle to put her own atop of it. If Payle does, Ilvaria covers it with her other hand and whispers a short prayer for a moment, letting some of her god's blessing pass onto her friend.

Spoiler: actions

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Casting Guidance on Payle

[Hazuki]

"Erinyes feather," Payle informs Ilvaria following her guiding touch. "A devil, of all things. It seems your smiting hand will not find any rest soon."