Body on the Floor
There's a low fog on the ground, and the sky is dark. There's no moon hovering up there that can be seen. The air is damp and chilly. It clings to the skin like the fog itself does and makes the night all the darker for its presence. On whole it's a bitter night, and the only thing that would complete it is a gentle rainfall. One that doesn't come, but hangs in the air like a promise. Oddly the rain would almost make things feel more natural. Washing away the mists.
The guards posted over the body of the man laying in the streets are glad for the lack of rain though. They stand in a clump together. For warmth. For companionship. For the bitter chill in the air that has them spooked. They speak in low tones to one another and watch those passing by with obvious suspicion.
This isn't the first body found of late.
It is not the first body, and the Vardamen are as likely to notice the surge nearly as soon as the authorities. They are also aware of the scattered locations. Unfortunately. It would expedite matters greatly if some were kind enough to neatly stack or even deliver remains. Unfortunately, the sorts generally responsible for homicide are not typically known for their conscientious nature.
Verna arrives from the nearby temple, notified of this incident and somewhat aware of those preceding it. The precise location is conveniently indicated by the cluster of guards, whom she shifts her steps to approach and then inquire, "Did any of you first discover the individual, or were you posted afterwards?"
Mikilos returns from his monocle polishing appointment. Well, technically they're 'lens' and less 'polish' than 'double check the enchantments'. Either way the wizard is out and about late, curious to what has a clump of guards standing about with a doughnut in sight. "What's all this then?"
The sprawling Nobility District with its mana lamps and sprawling manors and mountain side mansions is..not exactly the sort of place that someone the likes of Arngrim makes willing and deliberate trips to without some sort of coinage involved and yet more then once now he's found himself wandering through these winding roads as he becomes once more acquainted with the city after more then a few seasons away.
That his inhuman bulk and brute strength has proven useful in the last efforts related to repairs of recent damages was one of the reasons. Pure nosiness that led to discovering some unsettling information about some members of the nobility here was another.
It is perhaps this same curiosity that has him wandering into the area once again. Despite his upbringing and heritage he's not especially superstitious as one might assume a barbarian to be..but..the mood isn't doing him any favors and a cautious frown is on his face as he rounds a corner and sees the guards and the body further down the road.
"Mmm..maybe they were right and this place -is- under some sort of bizarre curse.." he muses to himself. When Mikilos and Verna arrive, he lets them move in first and then begins to approach more deliberately.
The guards straighten as they are approached. The body is... somewhat to the side of them, covered in a sheet and that pinned down by rocks. "A dead body sir, best be on your way."
Another of the guards looks over Verna, seeming to relax a little. "Are you the Mourner sent for the body? We'll be glad to be rid of it." The other guards nod and the man seems to realize belatedly that she'd actually asked a question. "None of us found the body, we were just set here to make sure that no one messes with it." The man shudders.
Mikilos would hardly be where he is today if he stuck to minding his own business. Nodding politely to Verna the wizard offers. "I've heard rumors of other bodies. Perhaps I may be able to offer some insight on the cause of demise."
Verna's lips purse as she nods. "I am a Mourner, and I was notified of the body, yes. The deceased will not be unduly disturbed, and certainly not messed with." With the arrival of others, she looks to Mikilos, and then the approaching Person of Unusual Size. "Evening," she greets both, as it would be impolite to the deceased to claim it to be a good one.
"There are others, and a distinct lack of living witnesses. That leaves the surroundings and the deceased as the only indications of what transpired. Insight would be appreciated."
"Hmm." rumbles Arngrim as he looms up behind them all like some sort of sequoia with legs. He leans over the entire group, using his height as a vantage point as an attempt to peer -over- the top guards heads and towards the body to get a better look.
"Other bodies?" he questions, "Other murders.. killed the same way, perhaps?"
Another figure approaches, despite the ugly weather and the late hour conspiring to keep the streets quiet. This one might be a resident of the area, to those who do not know him, a sartorial midnight-blue jacket with silver buttons over slim trousers and low shoes, a white ruffle visible at the high, stuff collar of the jacket. Most here, though, know the strawberry-blonde Seldan on sight, unusual attire or no. Reunion is on his left hip, beneath a large, wrapped parcel that he carries under an arm.
At first, he seems inclined to his own errands, but the commotion and the gathering of guards inexorably draws his attention, and he diverts his path, listening rather than speaking at first.
"We appreciate the offer sir." Says the first guard to Mikilos. "But what killed him isn't really in question. It's pretty obvious."
"Same as what-" The guard is hushed before he can finish and the other guards look at the body practically in unison.
"We don't have any witnesses. Everyone says it was a quiet night and nobody says that they saw anything. We've questioned the whole street." Offers the guard that was talking to Verna. This guard looks up, and then up again at Arngrim and pales slightly but manages to speak to him. "Sir. We can't really say. It's still under investigation you understand."
Mikilos nods in understanding, waiting to examine the body before trying to draw any sort of conclusions.
"If it is obvious," Verna notes to the guards, "then a cursory examination will be brief and informative." She steps to the body and crouches to move some of the rocks; followed by a lifting of the sheet to begin said examination.
"Mm.." rumbles Arngrim, sounding mildly displeased but not angry or aggravated. Might not help though but he follows it up with an idle shrug of his mountainous shoulders.
"I do understand. I do not agree but I understand." Which..do with that what you will.
He takes a few steps backwards, granting more room for the others to move around and his head turns to track Verna's movements as she steps in to examine.
This is a matter for the Mourners, but Seldan moves just enough to put himself in view of Verna as she works. "Do you find yourself in need of assistance, Mourner, you need but call upon me." The Myrrish lilted voice is quiet, reserved, and is accompanied by an incline of the heads towards the guards.
"Isn't that Seldan?" Asks one of the guards of another of the guards, looking impressed at Seldan's presence in the area. He kind of gives the paladin a little wave and the other guard smacks him in the back. "Ow!"
The body is that of a young man. Not much out of his teen years. His throat's been cut fairly cleanly, and his arms show a few defensive marks as if he used them to protect himself from the blade. There's not much blood at the scene though. Very little sign of a struggle.
Mikilos is only mildly annoyed at not being recognized. We strawberry blondes stand out, and only one is an eleven archmage... not that it matters... moving on... The state of the body draws a mild frown. "Interesting... able to defend himself, at least a little, but unable to draw attention to his plight. Good timing by the killer, or something more going on?"
"Any additional insight is welcomed," Verna notes, glancing up to Seldan briefly before she looks to the body once more. "They are not wrong, that the cause is fairly obvious... but the exsanguination did not occur here. Not unless it was intentionally collected before it stained the street."
Silent like the monoliths he resembles, Arngrim simply observes...that is until Verna speaks and his eyes hood slightly. That is....well..that's a word.
"The...what? The what did not occur here?"
GAME: Seldan rolls heal: (9)+13: 22 GAME: Verna rolls perception: (8)+24: 32
The guard's reaction draws a very small smile from Seldan. "I walk upon two legs as any man, and never mind the Crimson Pen," he answers, then turns his attention to the business at hand, his smile vanishing. "He - is fully drained of blood? Are you certain?"
GAME: Mikilos rolls perception: (10)+27: 37 GAME: Arngrim rolls perception: (3)+15: 18
Seldan's comment gets a choked laugh from one of the guards who /flushes/ heavily. The guard that recognized him initially pipes up. "I've got your plushie! I'd love your autograph to go with it sometime!" He gets another smack from his fellow guardsman but doesn't seem to mind so much this time.
Mikilos frowns again, commently idly to the giantborn. "Means there's no blood. Either they bleed out elsewhere... or they were left with no blood to bleed... I'm not confidant the throat wound was the fatal cut. It's there to cover the real wounds,"
Verna's frown turns into an outright scowl. "I am certain -now-," she stresses the last word and moves the sheet back into place out of respect though does not replace the rocks. "He has lain here long enough; we should take him to the temple for proper tending." A look is shot to Mikilos, and then to Seldan, where her eyes linger firmly. "Immediately. I could use assistance." The young man likely outweighs her by a significant factor.
"So the blood was..taken?" Arngrim grimaces a little bit, nose wrinkling as the realization dawns on him. His nose manages to wrinkle even more at the request of assistance in moving the body. The obvious answer is likely 'Let Arngrim Carry It.' Naturally but he seems disinclined to volunteer right off the bat given the information he's getting.
It may be a good thing that Verna addresses him so firmly, because the word _plushie_ is enough to turn Seldan's fair skin pink and send his eyes studying the cobblestones very, very closely. He blinks a few times, a memory coming to mind, and the eyes return. "That shall I do, in return for your honest service to this city." His eyes find the guard who spoke, holding his gaze for a moment, and he leans just the tiniest bit into the word _honest_.
"As you will, Mourner," he goes on. "I, too, think that the throat cut was not the fatal wound, and other thoughts have come to me, thoughts that must be expressed cautiously." He looks up - and up - at the giant. Hard to forget that one, so he says, "The disturbance at the gate some days past. I recall seeing you. Perhaps you will recall what I said of its source. Where is that source now?" His gaze is keen, but he pulls it away before long, and chants a simple spell, using it to conjure a floating disk to handle the body.
GAME: Seldan casts Floating Disk. Caster Level: 16 DC: 19
The guard looks positively gleeful at Seldan's promise and rather than make Arngrim cart the body onto the floating disk he elbows his fellow guards into action. "We should probably do the heavy lifting for you. Since we're supposed to be guarding the body and all." He says and the others grumble but obey slowly. They manage after a few minutes to load the body onto the floating disk and then step away. "Should we accompany you to the temple or...?"
Mikilos shrugs mildly. "If you were assigned to the body, and not the location, I would advise coming along until someone official says otherwise. I doubt there's a need, but official orders seldom consider the real world."
Verna rises as the conveyance is conjured and watches as the guards load the deceased. "Thank you, I do not believe we will have any issues reaching the temple," she assures the guards, following it with a gesture to those gathered, "but I cannot dismiss your orders."
She then turns, dipping her hood in a nod to Seldan, Mikilos, and then the tall one, in turn. "We are in agreement of what the wound is not, and possibly of what it attempted to conceal and the significance of such. That would be best assessed with proper preparations of the deceased."
This reminds her of one further detail which the guards may or may not hold, and so she asked, "Was the deceased identified? By any of you or shared with you?"
"I recall.." answers Arngrim to Seldan’s words, "But I did not want to say it aloud..." He doesn't consider himself a person of intellect but he has some common sense at least. "However..I will say that the location and the nature of the death is ..telling." He looks on with some relief as the disc is conjured. Under some duress he would have ended up volunteering but now he doesn't have to wrestle mentally with doing so.
When the body is arranged, and covered to the Mourner's satisfaction, Seldan turns and, with a flat palm turned downwards, gestures to the disc, which obediently begins to follow him. "He is not known to me."
"No, he's new to the city, came about a week ago and hadn't even found a place to stay yet near as can be told." The guard nods. "We were ordered to remain here. So here we shall remain." He salutes the Mourner with her burden and the other guards regroup back into the unit that they had been before you approached them. Leaving you to handle the carrying of the body to the soldier's defense which is where the Vardaman's are currently working out of during the lockdown of the temple district.
-End