Fragment 2.9 - The Hunting of Murder

Previous: Fragment 2.8 - The Cottage of Corpses

Next: Fragment 2.10 - The Servant of Truth

Finding the scent of a murder from ambush
Berra with Kesten Humakti went hunting
Seeking the trail of the body of Rillo¹
Finding him dead in the House of the Ladies

Kesten declared he would pay for the ransom
Seeing his master brought back from grim Humakt
Berra helped not bring about resurrection
Nor did she hinder the task of another

Leaving the corpse to be tended by women
Berra passed into the noise of the city
Guarding the way for the finest of trackers
Seeking for Death and the dealer of murder

Into the slums at the foot of the city²
Berra walked on with companions beside her
Tiwr of the plains and brave Nala his rider
Vingan Varanis and Xenofos Scribal

There in the depths of an alley was murder
Temple to Eurmal the Murder-creator
Guarding the door Berra stopped his Priest leaving
Maran Gor called through the chanting of Nala

What Really Happened

The group followed the trail of the killer of Rillo Hulta, into a slum area, and a building that had a broken amphora on a spike outside. There was a discussion about how to surround the building, which Xenofos cut short by kicking the door open. This exposed him to the Warding within, and he took some damage but gained ingress. Meanwhile, Berra hauled up her Shield spell, which failed. Then she fumbled her next attempt, losing her Rune Points and having to make do with a smaller shield. By that time, Varanis had gone in and kicked down the warding, so Berra did not get hurt going in. She entered just in time to see someone vanishing, but not in time to hit them. Inside was, among other things, a cellar with an altar that Nala identified as being to Eurmal Murderer. Berra stayed by the door, convinced that the murderer would slip away invisibly if the door was open.

Nala called on Maran Gor to create a fissure over the temple - Kesten and Varanis fell in, and there was some swearing. Everyone else, including probably the murderer, got away at that time. Rajar and Eurmal heard the noise and came to join others. On Dormal's urging, they walked out of there, with swords drawn, as the crowd was not happy with them. They went to the Hulta House first, where Varanis talked with Lenta, and they met up with Mellia, while Berra briefed Rajar and - reluctantly - Dormal.

After that they repaired to the hospital, where Rillo was alive and indeed awake, and refused to answer questions beyond providing a picture of the killer. Despite Kesten's best efforts, he would not help the investigation. Berra lost her temper and demanded to know what Rillo had been doing in the alleyway. Rillo insulted the honour of the Saiciae, possibly to derail the conversation, and refused to answer Berra either - or indeed Kesten, when he rephrased the question.

Session Quotes

"The mob is withdrawing? Berra calls, 'If you're going to try for it, come and try for it!'" - Berra

"OK, I'll kick the door in. Let's see what's there." - Xenofos
<3 - Berra

"3 points of Shield on me." - Berra
"… Once the Truth will answer me in a moment." - Berra
"…. Which it doesn't. In fact I fumble. So 1 point of shield a moment later." - Berra

"Varanis, it's quite likely, given there is no lead here, and that is not a maul, that trolls are not involved." - Berra

"You know, possibly better to do that spell not after five days of heavy drug use." - Nala
"Oh, that explains why you did it at all." - Berra

"Kesten. How many?" - Berra, in a place surrounded by enemies
"Lots." - Kesten

"He appears to have the remains of a penis on his forehead." - GM
"Is this a Chaotic feature?" - Berra

"Leaving armour, and sword, and shield, armed with a penknife…" - Xenofos
"Xenofos is best armed of us." - Berra

"Berra looks like she's about to get giddy with bad decisions, and bites her lip, and steps back a bit." - Berra

*is very rude* - Rillo Hulta
"Chain Cast Shield 4, Fear, Beserk (JOKE) (for the moment)" - Rajar
"Nobody would conv… We'd help." - Berra

"Damnit… What were you doing in that alleyway?" - Berra

"He's trying to draw attention from the fact he hasn't answered the question." - Berra

"I note, my lord, you did not answer the question of my sister." - Kesten
"I am not in the habit of answering to Sartarite hire-swords." - Rillo
*bristles* - Berra

"Do the thing where I ask the questions and then you ask them. I love that!" - Berra

Previous: Fragment 2.8 - The Cottage of Corpses

Next: Fragment 2.10 - The Servant of Truth

Footnotes

1. Lord Rillo Hulta. Not to be confused with Irillo Saiciae, or the many other famous or infamous Irillos.

2. Geographically suspect, and probably a moral sump, rather than a physical location.