Post by hubertbartels on Feb 24, 2024 15:00:18 GMT -5
Snakestone Square
At this point, we decided to split our efforts – Zayd and Alessa will go talk to the local Investigative Squad and learn about the initial investigation ten years ago. Miranda, Cassander and Talariel will begin interviewing the other ship masters and captains to see who were the other ship masters for the Tercel Company at the time of Master Eugene Tercel and his son’s death.
Zayf and Alessa headed up into the Old City where we found Freeport’s Courthouse facing a wide public square. Inquires led us to a converted house alongside the courthouse where we found the present quarters of the Investigative Squad. Entering the building, we found a very young man managing the front desk. We managed to convince him to call in the chief archivist, a young man named Darius Calpurnia, Darius invited us to tell him more about the case. When Cassander mentioned Helena Carter, the stolen depositions and her death eight years ago, Darius called the head of the Investigative, Captain Letonia Trist.
In Captain Trist’s office, we told our story again. She apologized for the sorry state of the current state of the Investigative Squad and its archives. Captain Trist had recently taken over command from the former head, Kensen Quales. While searching the archives was possible, it would be a slow process. However, Zayd and Alessa would be allowed to help – if they became temporary, unpaid officers of the Investigative Squad. Zayd and Alessa agreed and after calling the rest of the staff – four in all – Captain Trist swore us in.
Miranda, Cassander and Talariel started their inquiries with a visit to Captain Lydon. He gave them two names – Angus Owen who is still with the Tercel Company and Zowie Lester, who left the company and now is captain and owner of the Venture. They decided that Captain Lester might be a better choice to talk to so they headed down to the docks to see if the Venture was currently in port.
In the archives of the Investigative Squad, Alessa and Zayd fought dust, misfiled boxes and rat droppings to finally turn up a box with the sought materials. The aborted investigation had been marked as Closed, and the final decision was given as Death by Misadventure. An affidavit found in the box noted that Helena Carter had been seen selling information to a mysterious figure in black. Her case was also closed with the notation, Death by Misadventure.
Washing off the dust and grime of our search, we took our copies and met the others for dinner. Cassander looked over our affidavit and concluded that the mysterious figure was Prisco Alder. If this was true – Prisco Alder would have a record of the bribe somewhere in his ledgers. We just didn’t find it yet.
After dinner, we stopped at the Nightingale Theater to talk to Merix. Merix told us that he’s become aware of Celeste – Madame Tercel’s other groom – asking a lot of questions. Furthermore, he is sure that Celeste has had an agent among the crowd at the Nightingale Theater. Rumor has it that Celeste has hired a group of thugs for this evening. Merix suggested setting an ambush for Celeste and her gang near Snakestone Square, a place where he often goes late in the evening.
Snakestone Square is a small area where three streets join. One side has a three story brick building with a bad reputation, the other sides feature small shops and a cheerful pub. In the center of the square was an old well. The stone coping of the well was decorated with snakes. We took up our positions – Talariel on a roof top, Miranda and Cassander in hidden posts and Alessa by the front entrance to the pub.
A few minutes later, Celeste and her gang shown up. Two took up hiding around the square while Celeste and the other two thugs entered the pub. The stage was set for the entrance of Merix and his boyfriend, Alaric. The two entered the square and sat down at the well’s edge.
The two thugs outside got up and began running towards Merix. Celeste and her two thugs got up and prepared to leave the pub. Talariel and Cassander drop one of the thugs running to kill Merix. Zayid went to stop the other thugs. In the entrance to the pub, Alessa hit Celeste as the group ran past her.
Merix jumped up with his shortsword but was no match for the thug. Alessa was busy with Celeste and one of the thugs until Celeste moved past her and headed out for Merix. By the time she had killed the woman with Celeste, the others and Alaric had finished off the other thugs and Celeste. Cassander’s quick magic was able to save Merix’s life.
Alaric knows some people who will clean up the bodies. We looted what we could from Celeste’s group, finding a box of magical potions on her body. A closer examination revealed that they were Potions of Longevity, purchased at great expense from the Rose Garden tea shop. We decided to award the potions to Madam Nightingale.
Back at the Nightingale Theater, Madam Nightingale was delighted to hear of the death of Celeste – more than the potions that would remove years of aging from her. Celeste was responsible for the death of her daughter and Madam Nightingale was happy to get revenge on her at last. She knew Master Eugene Tercel and knew that he was becoming suspicious that Prisco Alder was stealing from the company’s – his ship journey had been an attempt to learn the truth. Madam Nightingale had Eugene’s journal that noted his suspicions.
To uncover the truth, we had to return to Prisco Alder’s house – he kept meticulous records and those records would reveal his bribes and thefts.
At this point, we decided to split our efforts – Zayd and Alessa will go talk to the local Investigative Squad and learn about the initial investigation ten years ago. Miranda, Cassander and Talariel will begin interviewing the other ship masters and captains to see who were the other ship masters for the Tercel Company at the time of Master Eugene Tercel and his son’s death.
Zayf and Alessa headed up into the Old City where we found Freeport’s Courthouse facing a wide public square. Inquires led us to a converted house alongside the courthouse where we found the present quarters of the Investigative Squad. Entering the building, we found a very young man managing the front desk. We managed to convince him to call in the chief archivist, a young man named Darius Calpurnia, Darius invited us to tell him more about the case. When Cassander mentioned Helena Carter, the stolen depositions and her death eight years ago, Darius called the head of the Investigative, Captain Letonia Trist.
In Captain Trist’s office, we told our story again. She apologized for the sorry state of the current state of the Investigative Squad and its archives. Captain Trist had recently taken over command from the former head, Kensen Quales. While searching the archives was possible, it would be a slow process. However, Zayd and Alessa would be allowed to help – if they became temporary, unpaid officers of the Investigative Squad. Zayd and Alessa agreed and after calling the rest of the staff – four in all – Captain Trist swore us in.
Miranda, Cassander and Talariel started their inquiries with a visit to Captain Lydon. He gave them two names – Angus Owen who is still with the Tercel Company and Zowie Lester, who left the company and now is captain and owner of the Venture. They decided that Captain Lester might be a better choice to talk to so they headed down to the docks to see if the Venture was currently in port.
In the archives of the Investigative Squad, Alessa and Zayd fought dust, misfiled boxes and rat droppings to finally turn up a box with the sought materials. The aborted investigation had been marked as Closed, and the final decision was given as Death by Misadventure. An affidavit found in the box noted that Helena Carter had been seen selling information to a mysterious figure in black. Her case was also closed with the notation, Death by Misadventure.
Washing off the dust and grime of our search, we took our copies and met the others for dinner. Cassander looked over our affidavit and concluded that the mysterious figure was Prisco Alder. If this was true – Prisco Alder would have a record of the bribe somewhere in his ledgers. We just didn’t find it yet.
After dinner, we stopped at the Nightingale Theater to talk to Merix. Merix told us that he’s become aware of Celeste – Madame Tercel’s other groom – asking a lot of questions. Furthermore, he is sure that Celeste has had an agent among the crowd at the Nightingale Theater. Rumor has it that Celeste has hired a group of thugs for this evening. Merix suggested setting an ambush for Celeste and her gang near Snakestone Square, a place where he often goes late in the evening.
Snakestone Square is a small area where three streets join. One side has a three story brick building with a bad reputation, the other sides feature small shops and a cheerful pub. In the center of the square was an old well. The stone coping of the well was decorated with snakes. We took up our positions – Talariel on a roof top, Miranda and Cassander in hidden posts and Alessa by the front entrance to the pub.
A few minutes later, Celeste and her gang shown up. Two took up hiding around the square while Celeste and the other two thugs entered the pub. The stage was set for the entrance of Merix and his boyfriend, Alaric. The two entered the square and sat down at the well’s edge.
The two thugs outside got up and began running towards Merix. Celeste and her two thugs got up and prepared to leave the pub. Talariel and Cassander drop one of the thugs running to kill Merix. Zayid went to stop the other thugs. In the entrance to the pub, Alessa hit Celeste as the group ran past her.
Merix jumped up with his shortsword but was no match for the thug. Alessa was busy with Celeste and one of the thugs until Celeste moved past her and headed out for Merix. By the time she had killed the woman with Celeste, the others and Alaric had finished off the other thugs and Celeste. Cassander’s quick magic was able to save Merix’s life.
Alaric knows some people who will clean up the bodies. We looted what we could from Celeste’s group, finding a box of magical potions on her body. A closer examination revealed that they were Potions of Longevity, purchased at great expense from the Rose Garden tea shop. We decided to award the potions to Madam Nightingale.
Back at the Nightingale Theater, Madam Nightingale was delighted to hear of the death of Celeste – more than the potions that would remove years of aging from her. Celeste was responsible for the death of her daughter and Madam Nightingale was happy to get revenge on her at last. She knew Master Eugene Tercel and knew that he was becoming suspicious that Prisco Alder was stealing from the company’s – his ship journey had been an attempt to learn the truth. Madam Nightingale had Eugene’s journal that noted his suspicions.
To uncover the truth, we had to return to Prisco Alder’s house – he kept meticulous records and those records would reveal his bribes and thefts.