A New Barovia: Chapter One

[steveflam]

The prints look like this:



The woman is naked, hence no way to tell anything except she was a woman when she was alive. Thomas realizes that the prints are
that of a badger, an unnaturally large badger at that.

[VAN]

Adam sighs when raises the sheet, then a bit embarassed by the naked woman covers her body again.

Turning to Thomas asks:

"Is there any chance to track down the attacker Thomas? It's quite early and despite I cannot say the time of death Frinz said that found her this morning so should be only few hours ago. Can you try to check if are more footprints around and follow them?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

The gnome Khalfani, upon seeing the ravaged corpse, takes a step back and mutters an Akiri incantation for the peace of the spirits. He listens to Robert, Adam, and Thomas, and then he says, "Always the head and the right arm of a woman. In each case! Not the wild acts of an animal, but a distinct choice, carefully selected and brutally executed.

"As Thomas here has already identified, these prints belong to a VERY large badger. Although these rodents are not common in Har'Akir, they are known to many gnome clans. More than that, I have read tales of brutal people who can change their shape from, well, like us to a large badger form. This they can do as easily as you or I would change shoes. They are like the... er, LIKE-annn-thropes, the werewolves, yes? That is what I believe we face here ... a were-badger.

"Another dark thought comes to me now. That the foul mind behind these crimes is trying to perfect something or..." He pauses, as though momentarily unwilling to utter the thought. "...Or find the perfect pieces. As though trying to recreate something that was lost...

"Good companions, could we find out whether a woman of this age disappeared sometime several weeks before the first of the mutilated corpses appeared?"

[VAN]

Adam thinks Khalfani's words and says:

"I have heard the tales of werewolves existance as well. Till now was thinking was just the immagination of villagers but if they do exist I agree that can exist a werebadger too. But what do you mean recreate something that was lost? I know wizards can craft flesh golems using human parts, but in our case miss always the head and the right arm. Do you think the murderer wants to do a ritual perhaps? Maybe is someone that wants to have trademark, Assassins many times are megalomaniacs and wants to pass in history creating a sort of legend. Maybe this is our case, someone that use ro cut the head and the right arm as trademark, to spread fear and create his legend. Who knows? But yes for sure we will keep searching and maybe in Militia Headquarters we can find out if a woman has disappeared many weeks before the murders begun."

Turning to Thomas asks:

"Can you check please if are any human footprints that leave the area? If we have to do with a werebadger maybe he shifted back to his human form before leaving."

[steveflam]

Fritz approaches you, having heard a bit of your conversation. "Uh, pardon my intrusion, but at all the other scenes there were similar prints. I just thought you should know. I was at each scene. Grisly business, these murders. Scuse me while I go back to preventing people from entering the alley." He turns and goes.

[steveflam]

Marilee at last awakens and descends the stairs, looking unwell and angry. She sits down at atable and begins breakfast, paying little attention to the activity around her.

Cornelius serves Marilee. "Krikey, mum. Yer had a bit too much o the missus' drink, dint yer? Aint so bad, really. First time I drunk 'er brew I couldn't work for a day n a half. Drink this coffee, it'll make yer feel better, I promise. Yer friends left with the Sergeant Dmitri. There bin anutha murder lass night, mum."

[kintire]

Marilee grimaces and takes the coffee.

"thanks. I'm not sure I appreciate your mistresses' sense of humour. Another murder hmm? Where?"

[steveflam]

"Out in tha poor quarter. Yer kin git there easy enuff. I gots an hour later I kin take yer if yer like."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Fritz approaches you, having heard a bit of your conversation. "Uh, pardon my intrusion, but at all the other scenes there were similar prints. I just thought you should know. I was at each scene. Grisly business, these murders. Scuse me while I go back to preventing people from entering the alley." He turns and goes.

"Thank you, Fritz," says Khalfani without turning. He continues speaking to the others, though in an indirect way. "Violent murder, committed by something savage yet intelligent, and shrewd enough to remove only the same pieces of the unfortunate women. Clearly, a dangerous opponent. If you can find out the information I requested, I can spend the time researching the nature of this creature and hopefully separate fact from myth."

[kintire]

She sighs and grits her teeth

"Well after the highly amusing poisoning last night I don't feel up to investigating, but I suppose I had better go."

[VAN]

"If Thomas thinks he can't track the footprints that leave this area I think we can go to Militia Headquarters and ask more details about these murders and of course the information you want to know Khalfani."

Says Adam and looks all of them if they have something more to add.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Very well," says Khalfani. "Come then, my allies, the path to that destination is known to me, at least." The gnome leads the way out. "By the way, did you know that the city of Krezk is supposedly named after a barbarian warlord? Some tales say that he had six wives and once killed six goblins with one axe swing.... Other records say that it was the six wives he killed with the axe...

___________________________________
Based on the OOC thread, it looks like we can't track just yet, so I'm just trying to move the investigation along.

[Ail]

"Interesting story, Khalfani Wish you can tell me more of the gory details later. Yes, let us go to the militia."

[steveflam]

Just as you are about to exit the alley, Marilee shows up, no worse for the wear but looking hung over. Cornelius is leading her.

"Blimey! Is that the crime scene? I aint never seen one bafore. Kan I have a look? I promise I won't touch nuthin."

[VAN]

Adam looks at Cornelius and says:

"There isn't much to see here and as you can see we were about to leave as well. Need to pay respect at that poor woman, she isn't a sightseeing, she has had a horribke drath and we need to catch that bloody murderer before strikes again."

Turning to Marilee says:

"We are heading to Militia Headquarters, you coming with us?"