Death in the family - RPLOG
Participants
Date
3/5/477
Log
The Academy district was most vacant this day, the rainfall keeping most beings inside unless they had a purpose in mind. Those few that did weren't dallying as they walked with a hurried pace to and fro from their destinations, clad in parkas of varying colors with hoods raised up over their head. Along the left side of the square, near one of the streets that leads to the academy is a group of four guards. Three of them heavy clan folk with thick tower shields strapped to their backs and heavy crossbows in their hands, with the fourth being a small folk mouse woman. Her cloak and hood pulled up high, though the insignia on her helmet distinguished her as indeed being the captain of the group.
The scene itself is blocked from view currently by the heavy folk, with the small captain pacing infront of them as she glances to the windows and passerbyes... Finding nobody staying present, or deviating their eyes too long as they pass by, it seems the scene will be sufficiently empty this time around.
Asher trots gingerly onto the scene. He seems to be recovering well from his run in with the murder suspects and their murder elemental earlier in the week, though he has traded his normal well tailored clothes for a sturdy leather vest and some loose street clothes all covered by a sturdy cloak. "H-hello Captain," he says approaching the small mouse woman, "It isn't another one already, is it?"
Rixo makes her way onto the scene, rather quiet today and in no particular hurry. She pays little heed to the rain that tinks softly against her armour as she approaches the guards, her hammer absent today, though she does still have her spear. Pulling up to stand before the captain for a moment, she clears her throat. "You would think they would allow the city to rest. This has gone on long enough, I think."
Those bells again, would there be no end to them or the rain, as of late? Though the murders were a terrible thing, the puzzle involved would at least serve as a distraction to the badger's personal troubles. At least he'd been able to get some rest and treatment after yesterday's brawl, and managed to revert from his phoenix form that evening. Though Cedric was still feeling somewhat sluggish from exertion, and wasn't sleeping very much most nights.
He'd taken a little more time to prepare this evening, following the events of Mange Square, making his way among the city in a dark, rust orange cloak with mathemagical runes embroidered on the inner lining, a flintlock pistol with a black and white design visible each time the winds billow back his cloak, as well as a matching blunderbuss in an opposite holster. Before setting out from the Freesword's Guild, he'd been sure to prepare some water magic to deflect the rainfall from himself in advance, the droplets bouncing away from him in a very obvious way.
With each footfall towards the scene, the mustelid male's boots splash at puddles of accumulated rainwater until finally he arrives at the scene behind Asher and Rixo. A serious salute given to Captain Lunaxia and Asher as he greets the pair, "Glad to see you looking well this evening, Captain. Considering..." he frowns, looking to the small corgi. "Hello again to you, Asher. Are you sure you're feeling up to this, today?" he questions the canine, trying to keep his tone more one of concern than disapproval. To the panda, he gives a curt nod. "Rixo." he greets the woman tersely, not having very much to say to her today, save for "Yes, yes it has. It needs to end."
With his greetings out of the way, Cedric places a hand over his eyebrows as he scans the scene for a moment, looking back to the rodent guard captain, "So... what happened this time?"
A scarred, wary-eyed Igauna pushes her way through the crowds, an impatient glance behind her every so often. A time or two, she pauses in the crowd...it seems her wish for discretion is the only thing that keeps her from shouting obscenities. The cause for delay is made obvious as a pair of large bodies waddle and weave about. A large, young buck dressed in the livery of House Blackback, appears to be labouring under the burden of the great arm of a tall, rotund skunk, who appears to be leaning on him and shoving him away at the same time, bellowing lamentations, curses, and complaints about how he was fine and he didn't need this and who was in charge and he hoped they'd draw and quarter all these useless guards as well. The buck--some may recognize him as Hartford, looked genuinely apologetic, alternately talking to the crowd and the great big skunk he was supporting: "Oh, you don't mean that, sir--he doesn't mean that, he's just--sir, please!" to his ward--one Brutus Blackback, who looked quite disheveled and tipsy, and uncharacteristically unconcerned with his conduct as he loudly slurred about how he was a better soldier than all the Solaciouses put together.
The Iguana finally cleared the front lines with a shake of her head, drawing near Asher, Cedric, and the others. "I'm in the employ of one Brutus Blackback--" a snide nod back towards the knot of Deer and Skunk staggering through the crowd. "What seems to be the trouble?"
Captain Lunaxia slowly ceases her pacing as the freeswords approach, turning slowly as she adjusts the large repeating crossbow strapped to her back. Her lips purse slowly as she takes in the freeswords individually before speaking softly to asher as the rain pouring from her helmet helps to obscure her features. "I'm afraid it is..." A quick glance given to Rixo as she sighs. "They're mad, they don't know respect or compassion... I'm more surprised they waited this long. But we -will- end it, as I won't allow a repeat of yesterday again... I -refuse- to let us delve to that level of fear again." The captain raises a brow however as Brutus and his company make their way over, scowling as he makes his comments about the guards before looking to the Iguana. "Why don't I just show you all?" She motions gently to the guards whom part to allow access into the smaller side street...
Beyond them lay sit two Skunks with their backs pressed against the wall, easily distinguishable as Blackbacks by the wealthy appearance to them, one male and one female. The male dressed in a rather rich pair of purple pants, a large frilly white shirt, and a plethora of jewelry ranging from jeweled knecklaces to large gaudy rings. The female dressed in a rich green silk dress with gold trim, and a set of jewelry on her person that only the male dwarfed. Behind each of their ears were a simple bloody feather, and a small wooden box placed between them against the wall.
It's easy to see what killed them however, as they seem to have been shot twice each... Both rounds piercing into the chest, and judging from the amount of blood pooled around them on the ground it didn't take them too long to bleed out. However, as they were propped up next to each other, it seems they had used the last vestige of their strength to clasp each other's hands before passing.
"Four gunshots were reported by those near here when it went down, without any word on where the killers ran off to... By the time anyone got here they were already dead. I don't know why they were out this far, as most of the Blackbacks -should- be traveling with escorts..."
"Nothing to worry about, Cedric," Asher says, with a strained smile, "But I don't expect that I will be up for any chases tonight." The corgi straightens his new leather vest, "Besides, I can't imagine anywhere safer for me to be tonight than with Captain Luxania. Right?" It is apparent that the tiny canine can most certainly think of safer places to be. His brave face falls a little when he sees Brutus staggering up on Hartford's arm. "What are you doing bringing Brutus out here?" he asks the two bodyguards, his eyes scanning for places the murderers might be hiding but finding no likely spots. Not seeing anything he can do about Brutus's presence, he turns to examine the poor, lifeless bodies on the street. Well, RICH, lifeless bodies, anyway. "They didn't touch any of the jewels?" he asks.
Rixo gives a curt nod to Cedric in return. "Hello, Cedric." Her voice is rather clear of any negative emotions as she moves along the street to look at the bodies. "Another box." She snorts and approaches forward, reaching out with the tip of her pole arm to try to open the box from a distance. Though out of caution or because she's just too lazy to kneel over in that plate is difficult to distinguish. "Four shots?"
Cedric follows along, examining the grim scene with a shake of his head, noticing the gunshot wounds first, feathers second, and then the box. Which he assumes must be another note from the culprits. After Rixo pushes it open he kneels down, unhindered by armor to take charge of its contents, while idly noting aloud, "Were these victims drugged with the same sleeping powders as the others? They may not have been embracing." he says, narrowing his eyes, shuddering visibly at the thought. "It's likely they might've been posed that way after the fact..."
The Iguana takes in the sight--undisturbed with the blood and unmoved by the clasping of hands, but her brows raised nonetheless. She knew them --in passing only, but she had watched Brutus try to butter them up, only to meet with polite temporizing. Close family then?
Hartford continues to play apologist, trying to at least get the Skunk on his own two feet. "Brutus insisted it on it, Asher, and--well, you try standing in his way. If he wasn't gonna listen, we at least had to keep watch--"
As the crowd parts, Hartford sees the fallen bodies and the blood drains from his face--though one could only tell by seeing his ears go greyish-white. Justus and Penelope. Oh gods. Oh creators. He couldn't let Brutus see this. He tried to move in front of him, guide him to the fringes of the crowd. If Brutus saw them, he would know them. It was--
"Mother? Father?" Brutus bellows, shoving the unsuspecting Deer aside with a shove--he might have been fat, but he was also a towering slab of a Being, and when the drunken disregard for himself and others kicks in...he flings himself through the crowd, smaller Beings tumbling out of the way. "No--no--by the spirits, the creators, the old ones, it--it can't--" he stammers, trying to push hysterically through a knot of guards attempting to rein in the disorder--or, at least Brutus's disorder in particular.
Siyu comes up a little later, he was working to try and get here, however being a small clan it took some effort. The rodent in his leather and mail again, giving a faint little huff as he'll smooth out whatever kinks he put into the mail and step up to the rest of the group. "Sorry I'm late..." he looks over the scene, two bulleted blackbacks and he tisks. How the hell do they move around anyway? After all, with people looking to string up any small clan with an attitude it's really rather hard to duck in and out. He looks around for a sewer grate or a storm drain, somthing close that could be used to duck in and out. "Again in the heart. If they got so close a shot to the head is a much more efficient and guarnteed kill. You can still live if the ball bounces off a rib or the sternum. Especially with a heavy clan." he really can't figure that out. The feathers and the heart, somthing's not connecting yet. He blinks a little bit, Oh...shit...well that's not...that's not good is it. He is broken out of his thoughts as he looks over to Brutus. Damn damn damn. The small rodent walks over towards the Blackback and rests a hand on his shoulder.
Lunaxia waves off the three guards that were debating trying to block Brutus, the trio grudglingly letting him pass to approach his parents as she lowers her head with a sigh. The small mouse girl walking slowly to stand at the entrance to the side street. "Not a gem, not a crown, not even an inch of silk was taken from them. They never take anything... And as far as we can tell, no. Sleeping powder doesn't seem to have been used for this scene." The crowd of folks traveling through the square slowling as they turn to watch brutus, before continuing on their way to try and get out of the rain. "... I'm sorry."
The box was opened rather easily, indeed producing a note tucked away inside that's soon to be affected by droplets of rain, reading out:
"We told you we'd do it. We -told- this family we'd remind the city we weren't employed by them... Did they feel safe after the handfull of small folk were killed last night? Who knows! Does say something about how they felt about each other though... So, -so- happy to send them off to what lies beyond together, don't you agree? Yes, no greater kindness! Well... Save for the kindness showed unto us by the valient efforts of both guards and freeswords yesterday. So many answered the call to save small folk, I wonder if any of them are here right now?"
Asher's ears flatten against his skull when he hears Brutus cry out. Brutus's PARENTS!? The corgi limps quickly out of the way, to let the shouting, probably drunk, skunk through. He has seen as much as he can take of the bodies as he can. "They saw their killers," he says, "The shooter had to be close enough to ensure a kill with a pistol, and they were definitely shot by someone at street level." The tiny dog turns away from the scene as the letter is read, addressing Hartford of all people. "Hartford," he asks, "Do you know of any small folk canines that used to work for the Blackbacks?" He continues, "Or someone that these two would know and trust?" It was possible that the killer had simply run up and made the shot, but what would two affluent Blackbacks be doing unattended in a back alley? "I think they may have even spent some time talking to whoever shot them," he says, keeping his voice down, in case the killers were listening in.
Rixo hangs her head as much as her greathelm will allow upon hearing Brutus. "I am sorry." She hefts her spear and takes a few steps back, glancing around the area for anywhere that the two might be, or might have gone. She was growing tired of them getting away.
The badger is suprised to learn that these happen to be the large nobleskunk's own parents. The knowledge gives him a terrible awkward feeling, not really knowing how to respond or what to say to that. So he chooses to remain silent, and step off to the side. Covering his face with a hand and massaging his tired eyes Cedric nods, as the note is read. The inflammatory comments of the letter elicit a barely audible growl from the badger, his breathing temporarily deepning until he relaxes. "There's no proof they were actually there, yesterday. They must be trying to toy with us." he says quietly to Lunaxia, Asher, Rixo and Siyu in particular. He wanders off down towards the rest of the alley, his eyes darting everywhere for something, some sort of clue they're missing, question marks in purple and green spotting his fur all over.
