[3.5 Gestalt] I'm sick of following my dreams

[IonDragon]

You know, I'm sick of following my dreams, man. I'm just going to ask where they're going and hook up with 'em later.

The adventures of Ivellios Barachiel (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=211943), as portrayed by ArcanistSupreme (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=49266).

After the death of his parents, he fled far from his homeland. Across the burning sands of the desert, across the features plains. He has found his way to the Human/half-elven citystate of Saisomah on the banks of the Teebz tributary, where the forests beneath the mountains taper off. Here, he lives as a despot in the streets, claiming to be one of the very few displaced refugees of mostly forgotten war that never got off the ground.

He has made a few contacts including a Half-Orc tavern keeper that sometimes slips him a cold meal, and has recently made the acquaintance of a pretty gypsy, half-elf dancer girl. Things are beggining to look up for him for the first time in two decades, when suddenly the girl is found gutted and hung from a wrought iron fence. Can he clear his name before the authorities inevitably determine that he is guilty of her murder?

[ArcanistSupreme]

Horrified that even here he is unable to escape the deaths of those he cares about, Ivellios decides that it is time to take action. Drawing his hood up and pulling his cloak tightly about himself, he sets out to investigate. At the grisly scene, he keeps an eye out for suspicious characters, as well as for people watching him.

Perception check:
[roll0]

First, he examines the body, doing his best to determine how she died. He doesn't touch it if anyone is watching, but when he is sure he is alone he does a more thorough examination. Once he has done this, he begins to ask about what Rissa (his now deceased lady friend) had been doing before she died, starting in the Grumpy Giant tavern with his friend Burgub the barkeep. Once he has spoken to the half-orc, he moves on to other patrons before then trying his luck in the neighborhood where her body was discovered.

Gather Information Check:
[roll1]

OOC:
Vincent was my characters name when he was going to be a human, but it got changed to Ivellios when I decided he was an elf. I don't know how to edit the name of the character sheet, so the tab still says Vincent.

How big is this town? Who was the gypsy half-elf staying with? What neighborhood did this happen in? Should I just make these decisions, or should I let you?

[IonDragon]

@ Perception:There is no one especially suspicious. The home owner is yelling at the Shift-Captain of the guard because the body is still hanging from his fence and he is making quite a scene. There is a Cleric of Saint Cuthbert is examining the body. When he spies a carriage coming up the street, he casts a spell (Spellcraft) then he and two guards lift her from the fence. You notice that she was not just placed there, but that the spikes from the top of the fence were pushed into her arms and back.
@ Gather Info:There is no shortage of peasants wanting to gossip. They reference the promiscuous tenancies of the gypsies, the suspicious way they come and go. Mostly racist things, really nothing of much substance. Though it is of note several of them are half-elven, so it is not so much to her genetics as to her heritage that they make reference. Saisomah has a high half-elven population because of it's proximity to the Elven kingdoms.
@ OOC:Fixed the name, that's fine I'll just try and remember.
The town is a city-state. It's at the bottom end of Metropolis, or just below it, though very spread out with mostly small buildings and a tent-town outside of the city wall consisting of traders and the impoverished.
The gypsy was staying at the Grumpy Giant where she was preforming.
Her body was found in an upper class neighborhood commonly referred to as "River Walk" as many of the properties were along side the river. It's a stretch of houses from one to two stories tall, and fenced (smallish) yards.

I don't mind you filling in details such as names, but it would probably be best if you asked for details like this which could impact your investigation.

As a side note, Murder Mystery isn't seeming to be all that funny...

As the carriage drives away, the home owner goes inside and yells something. Moments later a matronly looking halfling exits the house by a servant's door with a bucket and brush and begins cleaning the fence and road. The home owner is a stage past heavy set, rather fat, balding and human. He looks like his merchant's life has been quite good to him, though maybe not as good as he would have hoped.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Ivellios saunters up to the cleric and casually asks what has happened, mentioning that he knew the victim quite well and is horrified with what has happened to her.

Diplomacy/Gather Information:
Diplomacy [roll0]
Gather Information [roll1]

If the cleric gets belligerent, asks too many questions, or tries to get other people involved, Ivellios thanks him for his time and walks away, returning to question the merchant and servant once he (the cleric) has left. If the questioning goes as planned, Ivellios asks what the cleric thinks was done to her, if he has any suspicions about who did it, and if there is anything he can do to help. Once these questions are answered, he thanks the cleric and goes through the same shtick with the merchant.

Diplomacy/Gather Information:
Diplomacy [roll2]
Gather Information [roll3]

OOC:
You just need to drop in some more Scooby-Doo references, such as ridiculously attired villains, moronic citizens in distress, and 70s vocabulary. Zoinks!

[IonDragon]

OOC: I would like to use The Giant's Diplomacy Fix (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/jFppYwv7OUkegKhONNF.html) if that is alright with you. I forgot to mention it before, and I apologize. It will not impact the results for this instance.

And yeah, I'll try more Scooby references :smallwink:

The Cleric: "Citizen, this is an official investigation which will be carried out by duly appointed representatives. An official report will be released when results have been found. I am sorry for your loss, but there is nothing more you can do at this time. "

In what way do you plan on questioning the merchant? Just come back in a couple hours and knock on the door? Quotes will increase the quality of these interactions as well.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Disappointed with the cleric's unfriendly and unhelpful attitude, Ivellios returns to the Grumpy Giant (which he already did in an earlier post). After seeing if anyone in the taverns knows anything, Ivellios decides that it is best to trance on the issue and try a fresh start the next day.

Refreshed, he returns to the scene of the crime at about eight the next morning and knocks on the merchant's door.

Provided the merchant answers:
Diplomacy [roll0]
"Good day, sir. I apologize for the intrusion at such an early hour, but I was hoping to ask you a few questions about the incident that occurred yesterday," Ivellios says. "As the poor woman that was so brutally attacked was a rather close friend of mine, I'm doing the best I can to find out what I can. So if it's not too much of an inconvenience, could I come in and talk with you?"

Provided a servant answers:
Diplomacy [roll1]
"Good day, sir/madame. I apologize for the intrusion at such an early hour, but I was hoping to ask the master of the household a few questions about the incident that occurred yesterday," Ivellios says. "As the poor woman that was so brutally attacked was a rather close friend of mine, I'm doing the best I can to find out what I can. So if it's not too much of an inconvenience, could I come in and talk with him?"

Provided there is no answer:
Ivellios visits a few shops in the area and tries to discover as much as he can about the merchant that lives there, including his business, affiliations, name, rough estimate of assets, and number of people in the house, including family, staff, and visitors.

Gather Information [roll2]

OOC:
Yeah, that fix is fine. I wasn't planning on a Diplomancer build, but it doesn't hurt to play it safe/a bit more realistically.

[IonDragon]

The patrons of the Grumpy Giant are not especially helpful. Though one did mention rumors that the merchants dealings may not all be above the bar, when questioned further he quickly excuses himself saying he needs to be getting home.

The servant from the previous day answers:
She is a Tallfellow Halfling, with worry or laugh lines around her eyes and an unreadable business like expression on her face. She wears an apron, plain dress, and a scarf over her hair. There is flour on her hands, she was probably baking the day's bread.

She greets you, and in response to your question:
"Good morning to you as well sir. 'Tis a dreadful thing indeed. The master was quite distraught. He is not yet ready to receive visitors, but if you would like to come in and wait I will inform him of your visit. "

She seats you at a small table in the kitchen which smells like baking bread. She excuses herself and goes to inform the merchant that you are there. When she comes back she brings you a glass of water and a small chunk of yesterday's dry bread. It is stale, but edible.

About 15 minutes later (assuming you wait that long) there is movement from the other room.

I'll pause here just in case you would like to speak with the Halfling.

[ArcanistSupreme]

"Thank you kindly for the food. I had not yet broken my fast, and this will do the trick quite nicely," Ivellios says, motioning with the bread. He is about to take a bite when he changes his mind and addresses the woman. "I don't mean to be nosy, but would you mind telling me a bit more about the master of the house? I would very much like to at least know his name before meeting with him."

[IonDragon]

The master? He deals mostly in arts but has recently begun trying to break into the market of siege weaponry. His name is Steven Pasteur. He has lived in town for his whole life, traveling on occasion for business when required.

Sorry for the delay. RL stuff going on. It didn't really preempt my getting online, but it had me too distracted to write >.<

[ArcanistSupreme]

"Siege weaponry, you say? Engines of war are odd wares indeed for an art merchant. How did he come into this business?" Ivellios asks, giving her a puzzled look. "And being an elf of many travels myself, I'd love to know more about where Master Pasteur's business trips take him. I have something of a soft spot for tales of exotic locations, you see."

Ivellios does his best to recall what he knows of the places she describes (if she answers the question).

Some Knowledge(local) rolls if needed:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
Ivellios is just looking for a general overview, as well as whether or not these places have any connection with the war his father helped stop.

EDIT: I guess the first roll would also be to see if he knows anything about Pasteur, if that's okay.

OOC:
Life happens, so there's no need to apologize. Although I was beginning to wonder if maybe the disappearance of the DM was another mystery that Ivellios and the gang would have to solve :smallwink:.

[IonDragon]

Oh, I wouldn't know too much about that I'm afraid. I help him pack and arrange for the house to be closed up and checked on from time to time while he is away but there's not much need of me in making his travel plans. I believe it would be best for you to ask him about his change in merchandise. I think I hear him coming out for breakfast now. I will ask him if he is ready to see you now. If you will excuse me. She gives a short bow, then turns, picks up a tray loaded with fresh bread, porridge, and a cup of (probably imported) fruit juice and leaves the room by the opposite door you entered.

A few short moments later, she returns without the tray.

Master Pasteur will see you now, and motions you through the door.

Seated at the far end of a modest, carved wooden table showing some Dwarven influences is the heavyset merchant you glimpsed through the gate the other day. He is wearing moderately expensive looking garments that are beginning to show wear from cleaning and such. They are nice, but of an outdated fashion. To your right is a long window, open to let the morning sun shine in. Pasteur glowers at you over his porridge, no sign of friendliness in his eyes and waits for you to speak.

@Rolls:
Your knowledge check is exactly enough to get his name and that he trades primarily in art objects of low to moderate value and that he often tries to pass himself off as a merchant of much higher status.

You may make an untrained Kn (Nobility and Royalty) for more information on the status of Merchants in Saisomah.

@OOC
I absolutely despise when people disappear from games, and I'll try to give you an update more promptly in the future.

EDIT: There we are, a post with a little bit more meat to it.

[ArcanistSupreme]

"Good day, sir. I apologize for the intrusion at such an early hour, but as I'm sure your servant has told you, I was hoping to speak with you about the horrible incident that occurred yesterday," Ivellios says. "The victim was a very close friend of mine, so I'm doing my best to find out what I can. Do you know anything that might help?"

Diplomacy [roll0]

[ArcanistSupreme]

And here's the untrained Knowledge check:
[roll0]

[IonDragon]

-More coming soon-

@Kn (Nobility and Royalty)The Class system:Lower Classes
Beggar
Servant
Middle Class
Craftsman
Merchant - presumably living mostly off income as a landlord
Upper Class
Gentleman - Upper Class Merchants, or inheritors
Knight
Royal Class
Lord - ie a local ruler
King
Trying to pass your self off as a higher class is severely frowned upon. Doing so could incur negative consequences, if you were to do so with the wrong people.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Just to clarify, Ivellios would be considered part of the lower class, correct?

[IonDragon]

Yes, as he has no inheritance from his Family, and he does not produce goods, he would be in there with peasants and beggars.

He could maybe claim Merchant status with those that know of his Family, but that would require admitting who he is and possibly blow his cover.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Does Pasteur respond to Ivellios's questioning?

[IonDragon]

I don't know anything, as I told the Guard yesterday! It's a shame what happened to that poor girl, but I didn't have anything to do with it and I don't have any information. I wish I could help, but I'm just an innocent bystander in all of this.

You may make a Sense Motive check, and/or continue your questioning.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Sense Motive:
Using my amazingly good lie detection skills:
[roll0]

"Did you know the victim, sir? Do you remember anything from when it happened? I know this whole affair is stressful, and you may not think you have any useful information, but even the smallest detail may be of some use." Ivellios considers Pasteur for a moment and then switches tactics. "Please, sir, think how bad this might be for your business. Murders happening right on your doorstep would tend to drive customers away. But if the whole thing was cleared up, that wouldn't be a problem. And if you had a hand in helping to solve the case, why, I'm sure that people would line up to buy from the shop of a concerned and upstanding citizen such as your self. You could use the whole situation to your advantage, and I could even help, but first I need your help, Mr. Pasteur. What do you say?"

[IonDragon]

"Of course not. All I know of her is what I was told. She's a dancer from some tavern. I didn't hear anything. When I woke up in the morning, Mina my servant was screaming her head off outside. I came out to hush her up before the neighbors started to worry then I saw her hanging all up there like that..." Pasteur pushes his food away and makes a face like he has a bad taste in his mouth.

He does not like your alternate tactic. "I don't think I like your tone sir, not one bit." He stands, folding his napkin and setting it next to his half eaten breakfast. "I'm going to have to leave now. As you say, I have a lot of work to do to keep my customers. I trust you can find the way out," And he leaves the room.

EDIT: OOC: You may make an additional Sense Motive roll at a +2 for having some familiarity with him. You do not need the roll to be able to tell that his is quite upset about something.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Sense Motive: [roll0]

Ivellios sits for a moment, startled by what he feels is an overreaction. In a last ditch attempt to salvage the situation, he calls out to the retreating man,

"Wait, sir! I meant no offense! I only hoped that would could perhaps start a, shall we say, mutually beneficial relationship."

[ArcanistSupreme]

Hey, it's been awhile since you've posted, so if you decide to start this up again, just send me a PM.