Rise of the Runelords [The Skinsaw Murders] (IC)

[meemaas]

Norton shakes his head and moves to stop Alvor. "If we push him now, he'll never agree to talk to us, and we'll never get anywhere here. If the walk itself bothers you, Draegra and I can come on our own when we come back. Maybe having just the two of us come will help ease his concerns too. Especially if I leave my weapon behind this time. He certainly didn't like that we were armed, after all."

[rypt]

Once Norton has said his piece, Al mutters something under his breath about 'pushing,' and then moves to stand, as tall as he can, directly in front of the young scholar. "Look me in the eye and tell me the doctor didn't just walk all over the two of you," he says with a glance towards Draegra.

[meemaas]

"He didn't walk all over us. We can't force him, and trying to will only hinder our investigation." Norton looks Alvor dead in the eyes, without any sign of backing down on his stance.

[rypt]

Alvor holds Norton's eye for a moment. "Alright then. Knock yourselves out." At that, he steps around the scholar, continuing to talk as he heads for the stairs, apparently ready to leave. "When he tells you tomorrow that he's still busy, you might try asking when he's free."

[meemaas]

Norton nods. "So guys, what do you think we should do next?"

[DrK]

Martin Bevuk


Martin looks in some surprise as as they appear from within and convey that the doctor is 'busy'. He looks to Norton, "Aye, I'm with you. We didn't walk 2 hours for nothing. We have possible undead roaming and 2 dead, maybe more soon. "

He looks at the door and then around the building. "You fancy trying an alternative way in and we chat to the man ourselves Norton?" the bearded hunter asks.

[lostsole31]

"An 'alternate way in' is a euphemism for 'breaking into a lawful establishment,'" says Draegra, "which is a poor fit when we work on behalf of the sheriff."

[meemaas]

"And I'm not sure why you'd think I would want to break in either. I have a good reputation here, even if not a a storyteller, and I wouldn't dare risk it just to jump the gun." Norton turns to Draegra. "You have a better grasp than I do, about how long do you think it'll take us to go to check out the site of those first murders? That barn we were told about."

[digiman619]

Zada was much relieved that the conversation was turning away from breaking and entering. "Even if it'll take us a bit, it will do more to advance our investigation than breaking in will, as the investigation will kinda get stalled out if we all get arrested ourselves."

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott nods in agreement.

"I have to agree with Norton. It's looking like the scene of the first murder is our best option in terms of what we can get done today."

[DrK]

Martin Bevuk

Martin nods, "Aye, sounds like a plan then. Keep a sharp eye in case there is more of them undead roaming." Martin is happy to trot along near the others with his bow out, a handy eye in case he sees a deer, rabbit or grouse on the walk that might be good for the pot.

[lostsole31]

Norton, you had a long walk here, and with a long walk back .... that is, if you consider this a long walk, to be fair, some would just shrug .... your familiar satchel is getting beat on hard from the inside.

[meemaas]

Norton laughs to himself, opening up the satchel, he pulls out his familiar and places the adorable little hare on his shoulder. "Sorry buddy. I was so busy I wasn't even thinking about you."

[lostsole31]

If it weren't for the fact that Norton was actually stronger and sturdier than he looks, he might have been blown back by the recoil of his "rabbit rocket" as Destroyer McGee shoots out several yards, does a quick pee here, a quick poop drop there, and then begins to run a circuit around the party to stretch his legs while the party moves north. They will need to go back to town to get details on the location of the scene of the first murder. Even Martin doesn't know, as most of his business comes to him, rather than vice-versa.

Martin, I am going to assume you do NOT shoot the rabbit Norton let out of the satchel at his side?

[rypt]

Alvor watches with a furrowed brow as the rabbit conducts its business and then begins to burn off some excess energy. "Any other wildlife in there we should know about?"

[meemaas]

"That's just my familiar. I only have him, so no worries about any other surprises." Norton laughs a little, and waves for the others to join him as they head back towards town.

[lostsole31]

The party makes it back to Sandpoint Garrison, and Sheriff Hemlock is sent for, as he only wants the group interfacing with him.

You now have an audience with Sheriff Hemlock, so ..... what do you ask him?

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott starts speaking to the sheriff. "So...we checked those leads of yours." No attempt is made to hide his annoyance at how the last two visits played out. "Brodert is running us around on the rune, possibly for at least a week. Doctor Habe at the Sanitarium is singing the same song. Are you absolutely sure we wouldn't have better luck with Ven Vindor and Ibor?

He brings down his very visible annoyance.

"Excuse me. My apologies. But is there any reason you could think of that Brodert and Habe won't attempt to be a little more helpful? Perhaps if we could tell them the seriousness of the matter they might be more responsive..."

[lostsole31]

The sheriff responds, "Ven's wife already came and picked him up, so he is home now. I can have you interview Ibor, if you'd like. I don't know Brodert's job, or else he wouldn't have been hired, right? Don't they take time researching and stuff? I don't know what to tell you about Habe, because I wasn't there, either; but he deals with dangerous people and crazy people don't give Habe his work at our convenience. Just check daily on both."

[rypt]

Alvor speaks up from the rear of the room. "We want to take a look around the scene of the first murders. Can you give us directions to the barn?"

[lostsole31]

Sheriff Hemlock nods. He explains that 2 days ago, a patrol of guards along the Lost Coast Road were assaulted by a deranged man near an abandoned barn south of town along the banks of Cougar Creek. The man was obviously sick and insane, his flesh fevered, eyes wild, mouth frothing, and clothes caked with blood. The guards subdued him, but when they checked inside the barn they discovered the mutilated bodies of three men. Although all three bodies were far too disfigured to identify, one of them carried a piece of parchment that Hemlock gives to the PCs to read [see Handout 2-2 on Discord]. The note identifies the bodies as Tarch Mortwell, Lener Hask, and Gedwin Tabe, three notorious con men and swindlers known well to Sheriff Hemlock as local troublemakers.

He personally forbade the three men from operating their con games and barely legal operations in Sandpoint, and wasn’t particularly surprised at the time to find them murdered—it was only a matter of time before they tried to swindle someone worse than them, after all. But in light of the mill murders and the fact that Mortwell, Hask, and Tabe all bore the same seven-pointed marking on their chests that Harker did, Hemlock is convinced there is something worse than revenge afoot.

The bodies of all three men lie in state in a cool basement room below the Sandpoint Garrison, not far from the holding cell containing Ibor (and until recently, Ven).

"Would you like to examine the bodies?" the sheriff asks.

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott nods.

"I'd like to check out both the scene and the bodies, personally.

He looks around the room to his fellow party members.

"How prepared are we for any hinky undead business that might be going on with these bodies? Any suggested precautions from you more seasoned folks?"

[DrK]

Martin Bevuk

Martin listens to the sheriff, a muttered "How about you give us a letter sheriff, maybe get a bit more help from Habe? The mad guard is probably the best lead we got." As they discuss the bodies and the attack sight he nods, "I agree with you lads. Lets see these bodies, I'd guess burning 'em will stop em coming back Steingott. Then we can head out to the attack"

He taps his bow, "Make sure to be armed if we head out there mind no telling what could be watchin'"

[lostsole31]

The sheriff will take the party down to the bodies below Sandpoint Garrison. "We will not be burning the bodies. Father Zantus already performed last rites."

The party gets to what passes as a small morgue. Decay has already begun to set in. The sheriff lets the bodies be examined.

Zada can assist Martin. Their short assessment reveals that all three bodies bear claw marks similar to those that were discovered on Harker's body. As well, there is that seven-pointed symbol as before.

"Now," the sheriff goes, "the insane man has been identified as Grayst Sevilla, a local Varisian thug. He was the one given over to the care of Erin Habe. I'll write another letter for your return trip tomorrow, but again .... Dr. Habe has operational control of his sanatorium, and I cannot demand he open wide his doors to your investigation, which is supposed to be quiet, anyway. Regardless, that Grayst fellow .... he was a little off his rocker when I talked with him .... so even if Dr. Habe does let you see him, I wouldn't expect much.

"Alright, since you're here, do you want to talk to Ibor?"

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott nods.

"At this point I think figuring out what's going on will be for a greater good, even if it may be upsetting for him to keep talking."

[rypt]

"Wait a second -- another letter?" Alvor asks. "How many have you already sent?"

[lostsole31]

"I sent the first one with Draegra, which I understand he handed over today," answers the sheriff. "This will make the second one."

[rypt]

Alvor tightens his jaw and casts a momentary scowl towards the Samsaran. "How forthcoming were you the first time?" he asks as he turns back to the sheriff. "Does he know that the longer it takes us to get to the bottom of this, the likelier it is that more will die?"

[lostsole31]

The sheriff seems confused. "You seem to be harboring anger I don't understand, Alvori. Actually, a few of you do. Being an investigator is less about great insight and getting results off the cuff so much as it is having an iron will and perseverance.

"Now, he may have a legitimate issue at the Sanatorium, you realize. Could he be stone-walling you? Could he be personally persecuting you? Well, possibly. But, why? Or ... he could be busy with matters that he feels trump your own, that because of the sensitive nature of his work he is in no way required to share with you, and there is nothing to do about that but respect his position and wait, and not take everything personally."

[rypt]

Alvor rolls his eyes. "Yeah, or maybe he's just an *******. Who knows. Whatever it is, he's got your only living witness, and I don't think tiptoeing around his indifference is going to get you very far." At that, he sighs and leans back against the wall, opening the floor to the others to either agree, disagree, or simply push things closer to a conversation with Ibor.