Hell's Rebels [IC]

[Shadowflick]

Nyda pulls on her collar as Fortuna approaches "just..be gentle? Done be to direct. Just..make upa story about how we were friends maybe. Old Drinking Buddieswho heard about this whole thing..."

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna nods and winks behind her at Nyda, "Heh, I'll be delicate, don't worry. You just keep an eye out for anyone taking too much of an interest- last thing we need is the killer deciding the family is too mouthy and go after them too."

"Ugh, should've brought flowers!" She mutters in Infernal, before working some magic behind her back. Casting prestidigitation, she attempts to form a little bouquet of fragile, papery flowers, and reaches into her pocket for her gold, an offering to offset the cost of Moka's funeral, if only a little.

[Hazuki]

The group is forced to wait for a little while until the door opens to reveal a slight tiefling man, his skin as red as dried blood and his ears resembling the ears of a black goat.

"Hello." He peers at Fortuna for a moment, his eyeball seeming to twist in place for a moment. "Fortune. That's your name, isn't it? What are you doing here?" he asks, his voice as soft as a feather on parchment.

[AHalfOrc]

"You're close- it's Fortuna. Hi..." Unconsciously lowering her voice from her usual slightly-too-loud to match his soft tone, she reveals the hopefully not awful flowers and four gold coins, "I heard about your loss and came to offer my respects, and a little gold to help on behalf of me and some friends. It's not much but..."

She hands over her well-intended but paltry bouquet and fistful of gold with an uncharacteristically awkward half-smile, "We also want to make sure no one else in our community suffers the same way you are today. I know it's hard but is there anything you can tell me that might help put us on the trail of the, um, perpetrator?"

Spoiler: Diplomacy Roll

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Diplomacy? (1d20+8)[10]

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera maintains a blank expression as she registers that these two have already met in some capacity, only sparing a nod when Fortuna mentions that she's also representing some friends. This feels more awkward than it could have been, but then it's an inherently awkward situation.

She looks to Nyda expectantly, trying to get her to help Fortuna out. Lynera would jump in herself, but she'd probably blurt out a paragraph about exposing the traitor and sending a message and that would probably not go over well.

[Hazuki]

The man glances at Fortuna's offerings and tentatively opens the door to take a hold of both of them in one hand, allowed by his particularly long fingers.

"Thank you. I'm afraid there's little I can share, though we have been wondering..." He peers down the street, then hurriedly blinks and meets Fortuna's gaze again. "Moka was found just down this street, on his way home. He passed by several people along the way, he was seen at the crossroads, then he went down this street here and..." He sighs. "The people who saw him just moments before didn't see anyone leave this street."

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna frowns, trying to work out what he's getting at, "You mean you think the, erm, guilty party, never left the street, meaning that might be where they live?"

[Hazuki]

"I don't think any of them could have done such a thing...but that is what it could be, I suppose. I suppose." He shakes his head.

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna gently puts a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder, "Whether they're a neighbour, Chelish Citizen or the devil himself we'll get them, one way or another. In the meantime you might be best to lock up doors, windows, don't go out alone if you can avoid it."

She removes the silver raven from her pouch and hands it over, "This is enchanted. Any trouble, just command it to wake up and find me. We'll come running. Stay safe." With a nod, she turns from the door back to the group.

[PersonMan]

"What did you learn?" Kyra asks as Fortuna returns.

[AHalfOrc]

"Something useful, maybe. Moka was killed out in this street on his way home from the pub but seems no one saw anybody follow him or leave the street. I'm no detective but my first thought is the bastard lives here, or is hiding nearby." Fortuna casts her eyes around the surrounding houses, "If they're summoning something that's actually doing the killing I might be able to pick it up. Some tieflings have big claws of their own though- could see if we see anyone like that nearby? What do we think?"

Spoiler: Detect Magic

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Fortuna will cast detect magic to attempt to determine if there are any magical auras nearby beyond those that a regular tiefling might have.

[Hazuki]

The man nods his gratitude at Fortuna as she departs and slowly closes the door.

Fortuna can detect no errant magical auras, although she does notice that Uly's cloak has an aura of Abjuration, which hasn't been present the last few times she cast the cantrip.

[AHalfOrc]

"Hrm, not getting anything," Fortuna frowns, scanning the area.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda sticks her hands in her comics, eyes scanning around the other buildings around them "No magic, so probably no demons...Or at least the place there being summoned from. That leaves us to having to draw this person out ourselves. Or finding someone who could be the next target"

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera lights up with inspiration. "You know, now that you mention it, that's a really good idea! The main connection is that the targets were drawing attention to themselves, right? So, we think like the enemy: we hang around, keep our ears open, and pick out who is causing the most trouble." She turns to Fortuna. "So, if we wanted to catch someone grousing about Thrune in public, where would we go?"

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna leans her elbow on Nyda's shoulder and gestures to her, "Well, this is where I'd go to hear about Thrune. But, and I know this is my go-to for everything, we could try the taverns?" She frowns and twirls her quill, trying to think of any other likely spots.

Spoiler: Local Knowledge

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Local Knowledge check to see if Fortuna can think of any places where people gather to give speeches, talk politics etc. (1d20+8)[9]

[PersonMan]

"Is it necessarily the case, that the killer is...humanoid?" Kyra asks after some silent moments of thought. "We may be assuming too much. I..." She pauses again. "I apologize, for not suggesting this earlier. But, if the body of Moka remains un-cremated, perhaps we could investigate it, as well as the site of his death?"

[AHalfOrc]

"Aye, I maybe should've asked his blessing to examine the body back there. I wouldn't want to disturb him again-- But we could go and speak to Zea, see if she'll let us take a look, before the cremation," Fortuna frowns, "don't think she trusts us though, a bit cagey."

[Hazuki]

"Perhaps if only you go," Uly suggests to Fortuna. "Or just me and you. I do not believe my people are considered as suspicious among tieflings."

Spoiler: Fortuna

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There is! Unoficially, anyway. Before they shut down, the Cloven Hoof Society was a safe place to discuss politics, but the tavern that Zea mentioned the victim frequenting has been host to a few, more mild such conversations. At least, that's what she's heard.

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna nods to Uly, "Aye, alright. I'll blag our way in, you take a look at Moka?" She looks to the others, "And you guys can try picking up a tail at that tavern, and we'll meet you there?"

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera nods and moves to join the half of the team that's going to the inn. "Sounds like a plan. Be careful, you two."

[AHalfOrc]

"Heh, you too," Fortuna grins as she and Uly begin to set off for Zea, "If worst comes to worst we have our wee ravens. Oh! If the killer appears and starts monologuing while I'm not there do's a favour and try to remember any good bad guy lines they come away with."

[Hazuki]

The Inn Crowd

Most of the group makes their way to The Stone Mug, one of the few taverns that exist in a place identified primarily by the poverty of its inhabitants. Its interior is not as luxurious as any other tavern the group has been to, let alone their current headquarters. But it is sturdy, with a stone floor and sturdy wooden furniture dominating the room, a swell as a counter that could likely take a charging bull and stay standing.

As expected, it is not particularly stuffed at this time of day. A few people sit around, the old, those unable to work or soon-to-be-unable, like a couple of pregnant tieflings sitting in one corner. Another tiefling perches on one of the tables near the center, playing a calming tune on her lute with skilled bronze fingers. And of course, there's someone behind the counter, idly sipping on a mug as he discreetly glances at the new arrivals.

~

Gone to Zea

Uly walks quietly alongside Fortuna as they make their way back to the abandoned shop where the body was stored and Zea was watching. This time, Fortuna's knock on the door is left waiting for even longer before Zea's goat-like eye peers out from a crack.

"You're back. Why?"

[AHalfOrc]

"Aye, we're back again, hi." Fortuna takes a little step back from the door so as not to crowd Zea, "I know the plan was to cremate Moka soon, we were hoping to take a look at the body before then. Y'know, see if there's anything more we can learn that could help our hunt?"

[Shadowflick]

Nyda's eyes can the somewhat gloomy tavern. she had expected something a bit more lively then this in all honesty..but the whole place seems a tad, well, dead. A hand moves to her chin, rubbing it as she thinks what she might have to say or do to get a rise out of somone...no one here really looks the part of a spy. She makes her way to the bar, obvious place to start "Hey! A I need a beer. Just came back from a little prank I was pulling on Thrune and is suggestively shaped head. Next morning i hope he enjoys the joke." she says with a chukcle

Spoiler: Rolls!

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Bluff: (1d20+8)[25]

[PersonMan]

Kyra's eyes sweep the tavern, but for a few moments after entering she simply shuffles forwards quietly, before falling into step behind Nyda. "Hello. I would like..." she pauses as she steps closer to the counter. "Beer, as well, please."

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

No one is going to find Lynera's wide-eyed reaction to be out of place, nor is anyone going to wonder why she's looking around nervously after Nyda's experiment to see if anyone's watching. She can work with this.

"What are you doing?" she hisses in a stage whisper and leans into Nyda's personal space. "We came downtown to lose attention, remember?"

She considers winking for Nyda's sake, but the half-orc probably gets that this is part of the show, considering that that is literally the exact opposite of why we're actually here.

[Hazuki]

"Fine," Zea says after several seconds, then opens the door to let Fortuna and Uly inside. The interior is exactly as bare as one would expect from an abandoned shop, with little more than bare boards to welcome them. Bare boards and a blanket laid out on the ground, upon which lays a corpse. It bears a striking resemblance to the man Nyda met at his house, save for the deep gouge that crosses his neck and down to his collarbone. His clothes and flesh are still stained with blood, though it has long since dried. Fortuna also notices that the young tiefling is armed, with a dagger hanging off of her hip.

~

"M'kay," says the bartender, as he puts down his mug and retrieves a couple from under the counter. "You came back, huh? Interesting choice of words."

[AHalfOrc]

"Cheers, love. We'll be out of your hair before you know it," Fortuna smiles as she enters the shop to cover her apprehension at getting up close to another dead person. Her jaw sets and a rush of adrenaline hits as she smells and sees it.
"Okay, how about I see if I can pick up any hocus pocus, you check out the body, Ules?" Fortuna kneels down next to the body and focuses on sensing any magical auras that might be on Moka, particularly the dagger.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Fortuna casts Detect Magic. If she detects no aura on the dagger she will remove and examine it.

[Hazuki]

Fortuna is unable to detect any magical auras on the corpse. Uly steps up beside her and begins to examine it, leaning over its head to examine the wound.

Fortuna, however, notices a faint sucker-like impression on the back of the corpse's neck, just under the collar.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sorry, by young tiefling I meant Zea.