The Sharn Inquisitive - highlights, vol. 1

 THE SHARN INQUISITIVE - Still only 3gp/year! -  Now printed twice weekly! - Sul, Olarune 8, 1000 YK

SHARN SLICER CUT DOWN!

ir'Dromdal matriarch implicated

SHARN, Upper Northedge - The normal peace of the Oak Towers district was shattered Sar night when the Sharn City Watch was called to the ir'Dromdal estate.  Watch officers were met with a scene that one source described "as grisly as it (was) bizarre".  Reportedly the ir'Dromdal estate was being used as a base of operations for the notorious serial murderer dubbed "The Sharn Slicer", with the full knowledge and aid of Lady Auraluna ir'Dromdal, the house matriarch.  Only through the investigations and prowess of a group of locals hired to protect the estate was the Slayer discovered and put down, and his latest victims rescued.

"She's completely insane!" claims Vivi Knotts, a local actress (affiliated with House Phiarlan) found magically embedded in a basement wall.  "She kept nattering on about 'the good old days' and expected us to dote on her ego.  I've never even met Auraluna before she sent that maniac after me!"

Another survivor, Cole ir'Chartsheim (affiliated with House Cannith), backed up Knotts' claims. "I think she thought I was my grandfather.  They courted for a while years ago.  Kept asking about outings they had and why 'my' feelings for her had changed."  ir'Chartsheim describes being attacked and kidnapped by the Slicer, only awakening when he, too, had been embedded in the ir'Dromdal estate's walls.

Ms Audrey Rose ir'Wadsworth, one of these locals hired by Lady ir'Dromdal, stated that the Slicer, an as-of-yet unidentified halfling, appeared to have been adopted as sort of a pet by Lady ir'Dromdal, going as far as dressing the feral creature in the childhood clothing of her late children.  The Lady allegedly used the Slicer to dispatch people she believed wronged her and kidnap others to relive her younger days.  She is currently in the hands of the Sharn City Watch and is reportedly in serious but stable condition.  

Ms Zita Makara, an associate of Ms ir'Wadsworth, described a battle with a ferocious, mutated hound as well as the Slicer.  "Darling, it was like the Last War had started again, only confined to a basement.  My dress will never recover, I'm afraid", she opined.

Sources within the watch say as many as thirteen additional bodies have been found within the ir'Dromdal estate's basement wall, including that of Lord Pendler ir'Dromdal, Lady Auraluna's husband.  He had reportedly been on a hunting vacation in the Eldeen Reaches for a number of weeks.  Sharn City Watch officers continue to search the scene for further victims.

SCRIMSHAW CAPTURED!

Saint-Demain settles score

SHARN, Black Arch - In the early hours of Zor, Olarune 5, the master inquisitive Viktor Saint-Demain staggered into the garrison house in Black Arch with Scrimshaw, "The Ivory Gargoyle", manacled before him.  Scrimshaw's most recent known crime was some six months ago when he escaped custody and went on a two-week killing spree in the Blackbones district of the Cogs.  His moniker describes the terrible disease affecting him;  the stony killer's hide turned bone white years ago, and his horrible reputation prevented him from receiving aid from either House Jorasco healers or clerics.

Saint-Demain was greeted with cheers from the garrison as he walked in with the vile villain.  "I'm simply making the streets of Sharn safer, one crook at a time." was the response from one of the city's most respected private inquisitives.  Rumors persist that his stern sense of justice and charitable heart have spurred him into purchasing a condemned temple of Aureon to start a school for impoverished children, although his noble sensibilities would not allow him to comment.

DUAL DEATHS IN SHUTTERED SHOP

Locked shop shocks cops

SHARN, Tradefair - The bodies of two young people, a human man and woman, were discovered in an unoccupied shop early Sar morning.  Sharn City Watch report the shop's landlord discovered the two during a routine inspection.  No marks were found on either body and no causes of death have been determined.  The watch is withholding the names of the victims until their families can be reached.  More on this story as it develops...

Beggar Dane says:

"The past is a memory, but the future is unwritten.  Strange, then, how the latter seamlessly becomes the former."

The Life and Times of a Dead Man - Episode 3 - It's going to smell like fart dog in here

The two-headed dog thing has patches of skin missing and the party can see bone and sinew. It looks like little model purple and brown worms are crawling around underneath its skin.

The creature attacks, biting Hendra’s arm. The other head bites Zita (ripping her sleeve). Luckily, neither character is tripped. Hendra slashes at the creature with her longsword and Audrey Rose hurts him badly with a bomb. Bosely web-bolt misses. Tweetie-Bear’s mask opens, and it bites the dog. Meanwhile, Dol greases the ground the dog stands on causing the dog to splay on the ground. Zita tumbles behind the beast and gets into a flanking position. She jumps and sinks a dagger into each head while yelling about her ruined dress. The creature dies instantly. They look and the worms in it move less and less.

Zeta wonders how this creature was able to talk. Although Audrey Rose is knowledgeable in Arcana, she has never seen or heard of a creature like this. Tweety-bear notes it is NOT undead. 

Hendra investigates the area and finds a tea service. There is a slender rod made of stone by the tea service; it is a wand of stone shape.  Dol, Hendra, and Audrey Rose unsuccessfully attempt to use the rod to free the trapped victims. Audrey Rose examines the two live bodies behind the wall. They are suffering from general neglect and look as though they are dying.  Dol theorizes they may have been sacrifices.

They also find beef bones the creature chewed on in a little next area the creature slept in.

Dol and Bosley contemplate getting the guard when they suddenly hear the lift heading down. Dol orders Tweetie-bear to move to the elevator. Lady Arluna, who has a halfling in regal garb and frills sitting on her lap, and Baron by her side, appears downstairs. The halfing has a disturbing laugh and a malicious smile. Arluna speaks to Tweetie-Bear and asks him to scoot. She enters the room, notices the dead dog.

“Oh dear, this wasn’t supposed to happen. I dreadfully sorry about all of this. Let me explain what happened here.”

Then she casts a spell putting Audrey Rose to sleep.

The halfling laughs maniacally, pulls out a huge straight razor (might be good for hamstringing people), and slices Tweetie-Bird. Tweetie-Bird disappears. Hendra responds by swinging her longsword and attacking the halfling. Zita attacks the halfling with her two daggers and slashes his nice shirt. Lady Arluna starts to sing, reaches out and touches the halfling, healing it. Bosley cruelly stabs Baron.

Upstairs, Sabrina attempts to pry the elevator open. A terrified Barnsworth butler shows up with a frying pan. He’s hearing the fighting downstairs and feeling fearful. Sabrina casts Hideous Laughter on the butler who promptly falls over and starts to laugh.

Dol summons a viper and steps back.

Baron attempts to bite Bosley’s leg. The crazy halfling flanks Hendra and slashes her hamstrings, knocking her down – she falls down and is dying. Zita shakes Audrey Rose awake. Lady Arluna doesn’t like this and casts a spell on her causing her to feel drowsy. Dol trips the halfling and knocks him down. Lady Arluna sicks Baron on Bosley who is viciously attacked. Zita double daggers the halfling from behind. Audrey Rose throws a targeted bomb at the halfling; he blows up in orange smoke (1). 

Baron snarls at Dol and knocks them unconscious. Lady Arluna starts singing and gestures at Zita. Zita runs her hand over her hair, showing off her elf ears, and bluffs, “Your sleep doesn’t work on me.” Lady Arluna gestures at Audrey Rose and puts her to sleep.

Barnsworth runs off to get the guard. Sabrina has managed to pry open the lift doors. She discovers a hatch on the lift floor but can’t figure out how to bend bars and lift grates to get it open. Zita shakes Audrey Rose awake, again. Audrey Rose throws a magenta bomb and hits Lady Arluna directly in the face; her singing ceases and is replaced with screams.

Baron buries his teeth in Bosley’s knee. Audrey Rose throws a bomb at Lady Arluna and she starts to burn (2). The battle continues and Audrey Rose pulls out a lovely parasol and proceeds to draw a cane sword from it. Zita cuts Lady Arluna across the forehead, and she slumps on her chair. Bosley pierces Baron with his rapier, killing him (3).

Sabrina continues to try to bash open the lift. Audrey Rose attempts to provide medical treatment to Handra and Dol. 

Bosley pulls the keys off of Lady Arluna’s chair (4) and uses them to operate the lift.

Inside is a frustrated Sabrina with three broken chairs. She’s pissed that she’s not going to get paid. 

Sabrina repositions Hendra’s body at the dining table, making it seem as though she had had too much to drinks. She brings Hendra’s and Dol’s body up to the dining room/living room. 

Zita finds Ceseli hiding under her bed but STILL doesn’t try to seduce her. She proceeds to explain to Ceseli exactly what happened, asserting that her grandmother was at least partially responsible for the people embedded in the walls, and speculates that the halfling was the Sharn Slicer (5). Ceseli is in shock. Zita recommends Ceseli contact her grandfather.

When the guards arrive with Barnsworth Audrey Rose tells them everything. It is a long night as we are questioned multiple times and as the bodies are chiseled out of the stone.  Aid is given to Hendra and Dol with assistance from medics from House Jorasco. Barnsworth is questioned and asserts he knows about none of this.

Bosley approaches Ceseli with an invoice; Zita intervenes. Dol asks Ceseli if she wishes for us to stay for a few additional days to keep her safe. She agrees. 

Zita returns to the master bedroom and pockets one potion of bull strength. 

Neighbors notice the guards at the house, and it is assumed that word will certainly get out soon. (6)

(1) Thanks to Zita's efforts, the halfling went down.

(2) Thanks to Zita's intervention, the old woman is on fire.

(3) Hendra's bold leadership faceplanting and Sabrina's steely eyed determination against the door provided the moral fortitude for the party to win the battle.

(4) With Zita's assistance.

(5) Sharn City Watch, "That is circumstantial evidence, the BEST kind of evidence."

(6) Flesh and Blood was a terrible movie

The Life and Times of a Dead Man - Episode 2

 When we last left off, everybody had gathered at the estate to guard a dinner party from the possible predations of the Sharn Slicer. 

Sabrina casts shadow splinter on everyone (except Dol). Zita is waiting upstairs with Ceseli.

The guests start arriving. 

First arrival is Nina and her nephew Ned Gusenhold. Lady Arlana and Nina greet each other and start chatting and making small talk. Ned does not appear particularly well quaffed nor particularly intelligent (vest isn’t button quite right).

Sabrina casts shadow splinter on them as well. 

Zita continues chatting with Ceseli (and oddly not hitting on her). Ceseli reveals she’s been hearing strange noises at night. Zita speculates that it’s a spirit.

Meanwhile, Ambrose Mugland, the suitor, arrives. He seems boorish but has brought guards who are standing watch outside the house. On his belt, he has a gun (creating of House Cannith) in a holster. He is clean and well dressed. 

“Arlana, If you want to prepare for the future, I have one word…. alchemy. ”

A wonderful vegetarian meal is served. At one point, Mugland grabs Dols leg - but doesn’t persist.

Hendra makes rounds looking for anything unusual.  She does notice a note on the floor which is a love letter from Ceseli’s deceased husband, McCale. From the dates, Hendra realizes that Ceseli had been married less than a year before he was murdered.

Hendra walks around the outside of the house, but doesn’t really notice anything unusual.

Zita continues talking to Ceseli but not seducing her for some reason.

Shortly after Hendra returns, the dogs start barking and howling uncontrollably. Baron is looking at the lift. 

Hendra decides this is a point to go upstairs and look around. With Zita’s help, they pick the lock and enter Lady ir’Dromdol’s room. They find potions. When they show them to Audrey, she confirms they are strength potions.

Audrey and Hendra double check the basement and find a side of beef that has been hacked at with a meat cleaver. 

((at this point - the GM points out that we overlooked a door on the 2nd floor))

Audrey and Hendra head up and enter the unchecked door. Hendra picks the lock and they go up and discover an attic. There is dust everywhere but small footprints of someone having visited recently. 

They discover a steamer trunk. Inside it is half full of finely made children’s clothes. They also find a table and under the tablecloth is a mechanical creature with cymbals. They come back down and lock the attic after them.

About this time, the dinner party breaks up. Lady ir’Dromdol and Barnsworth bid them good night, and not giving them sleeping arrangements. The party meets to discuss what they found. Sabrina observes they’ve not been paid to do this.

Tweety-bear sniffs around for undead, “There are no undead here. But something is a-foul. Death has visited this house. I’m uncertain where, be on guard.” Sabrina says, “Whatever you want to do, but we’ve not been paid for this.”

Audrey hears a moan coming from the lift shaft. She looks and notices that it goes down lower than the lift itself indicates it can go. Sabrina is concerned that they aren’t being paid for this.

The group discovers that there is a room accessible ONLY by the lift shaft. Tweety-bear confirms that is where the smell of corruption is coming from. It looks climbable and Hendra has a silk rope. Everyone except Sabrina, who insists that they aren’t being paid for this, checks downstairs.

In the room, there is the scent of wet animals and spiced herbs. There is a table with chairs and a tea service. 

In the hidden basement, they find faces sealed in the walls (probably stone shape). They are dying. There are a number of others that have had stone shaped OVER the faces. One is moaning and is clearly in pain. Meanwhile, upstairs, Sabrina, feet up on the table, drinking cognac, says to herself, “We aren’t being paid to do that.”

As they are looking. There are 2 growling animal voices:

“Mother? Is you?”

“Mother is you?” 

“You here?” 

“You aren’t mommy”

From the dark comes a two-headed dog.

New pieces of information/clues:

1. Lapdog is named sachi

2. Grandfather is hunting for sport

1. Doctor’s orders! Hunting is also a better climate for his health

3. Ceseli indicates that as she has come back to living here

1. “Atmosphere has changed - it’s not the same”

2. More oppressive

3. Sometimes she hears moaning and cries at night

4. Grandmother tries to dismiss it as either the house below or just building settling

4. Lady ir’Dromdol has 2 strength potions and several empty potion bottles in her room

5. Guest room with broken windows - no evidence of broken glass inside.

6. Meal was vegetarian

1. When Hendra was looking around she didn’t see any meat in the kitchen nor pantry

2. Found a hacked at (not cut for kitchen) side of salted beef in the basement

7. We don’t think there is a correlation with the phases of the moons

8. The attic has been disused but 

1. There is a steamer trunk with boy’s clothes

2. There is a mechanical creature with cymbals

9. Tweety-bear notes that there "death has visited this house"

1. In the hidden basement there is a LOT of "foul" smell

10. There is a weird 2-headed dog creature in a hidden basement that refers to “mommy”

The Life and Times of a Dead Man - Episode 1

Hendra arrives at the ir’Dromdal estate. She (along with others) have been hired to provide security due to the activities of a serial killer. The front door of the estate butts up to the sidewalk.

Hendra uses the large, iron door knocker on the door. There is what appears to be a metal pipe ending in a trumpet bell that extends out of one side of the doorway and through that a voice asks to state her name and business.

After giving her identity, an old halfling man in a butler’s uniform lets her in and escorts her to the dining room where there is a large table and fireplace, but there are only 4 chairs at the table.

Following, each adventurer arrives in order: Sabrina, Audry Rose, Dol with her eidelon (imagine a grizzly bear with a small wings on the back and a plague mask), Bosley, and finally Zita. 

Audrey remembers that the ir’Dromdal family has been in Sharn for a long time and is “old money”. Lord Pedbury ir’Dromdal made his fortune in lumber. They had 2 children and one grandchild, Ceseli.

Bosley notes that the estate is slightly dilapidated: shutters need paint, walls need washing, and on the 2nd story there is a broken window. 

The butler, Barnsworth, serves brandy to everyone before Lady ir’Dromdal arrives.

The halfling butler introduces Lady Ir’Dromdal on a motorized wheelchair who arrives with Ceseli on a small lift. The party notes that the outfits the women are wearing are a couple of decades out of date.

Lady ir’Dromdal mistakes Hendra for her dead mother Rimse. She also recognizes Audrey from her parents.

Lady ir’Dromdal explains that with the serial killer about, she is concerned that they may come after Ceseli since they killed her husband as well. She wants the party to guard the house until the murderer is caught. That evening she is having guests over to introduce her granddaughter to a new suitor (although it has only been 6 weeks since her husband’s death) as there is no heir. She is offering each party member 1000 gold.

At this point we discover she has 2 dogs - a large dog named Baron and a small lapdog.

At this point the party investigates and discovers the following:

1. The room with the broken window is a disused guest room

2. There is a locked office - there are bills for 200 lbs sides of beef

3. There is a locked salon - with HUMMELS!

4. Barnsworth is the only remaining staff as the rest have been let go over time.

1. He used to work as a ticket taker for the lightning rail

2. He has a patch indicating that he is a member in good standing with House Ghallanda (but not a member of the family)

5. Lady ir’Dromdal’s husband is out of town in the Eldeen Reaches on a hunting trip

6. There have been seven victims, all nobles,  in this neighborhood - and they were all hamstrung before having their throats cut

7. Murders didn’t start in this neighborhood

1. Murders started in the lower quarters

2. All victims were alone and outdoors

3. No common age nor gender among victims

8. Ceseli’s husband’s name was Mikael Tunir 

1. He was not a noble

2. Grandmother wasn’t happy with the match but went along with it.

3. He was coming home from work when he was murdered

4. They tried to have kids, but couldn’t

9. Ceseli looks “90 lbs soaking wet”

10. Suitor is named Ambrose Mugland 

1. also not a noble

2. Involved in finance (payday loans/small business loans)

3. Ceseli hasn’t met him yet

4. Interested in alchemical products

11. Lady ir’Dromdal’s neighbor Nina Gusenhold will also be over for dinner

1. One of her nephews is going to be there

As Dol has shape changing abilities, she offers to body-double Ceseli.

The party sets up and waits for the evening to commence.

The Life and Times of a Dead Man - Prologue

Oh for a muse of fire, that would ascend 

the brightest heaven of invention,

A kingdom for a stage inquisitives to act. 

And ghosts to behold the swelling scene. 

O, pardon! since a crooked figure may

Attest in little place a million;

And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,

On your imaginary forces work.

Suppose within the girdle of these walls

Are now confined, six novice adventurers

 

Sabrina seeking wealth. 

Hendra seeking justice,

Audrey Rose, seeking freedom 

Dols, seeking refuge 

Bosley seeking purpose 

and Zita seeking providence

Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;

Into a thousand parts divide on man,

And make imaginary might;

Think when we talk of horses, that you see them

Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth;

For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our heroes,

Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times,

Turning the accomplishment of many years

Into an hour-glass: for the which supply,

Admit me Chorus to this history;

Who prologue-like your humble patience pray,

Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play.

Rain falls in Sharn, the city of towers.

Knowledge should not free the minds of men too much,

Before it has tamed their instincts

It has made us titans even before

We are worthy of being human.

Kill a man, and one is a murderer.

Kill a thousand, a conqueror.

Kill them all, a god!

Rain spills into the lamp-lit streets of power of Sharn, the Crown jewel of the kingdom of Breland. These locations were spared the worst in the last war. 

Nearly six years have passed, but death has far from spared Sharn’s towers. As proof this night a stately hearse carriage drawn by two proud horses winds a twisty path through the city to end at one of the necropoli on the outskirts.  The transparent coffin displays the reaper's latest claim to the gathered citizens lining the roads. Leaving no doubt as to the occupant’s pallid state.

Many days prior a call for security had gone up and the upper North Ridge ward of the Oak Towers district. It seems a silent killer is loose in the neighborhood. 

The entire city is afraid of a serial killer on the loose in the neighborhood, who the local paper, The Sharn Inquisitive, dubbed, The Sharn Slicer.