Quest #121: Want Your Mummy?

[Chromeknight]

Docken? The crazy ranger who thinks life is a game?

Nerwen laughs lightly

I'm not that far gone in the head.

But the killer seems to have a flair for the macabre and dramatic, which will, I think, make him easier to identify.

[UsernameMDM]

"Mummified. No wounds. Sounds like some type of life-draining magic perhaps."

[Scubacarrot]

"If no one is missing, how can you be sure there's a killer? What if someone is planting the bodies?"

[Emjajoas]

"We, too, thought it was some sort of life-draining magic, but the town guard lack experience in... Identifying any type of witchcraft. That's why we came to you. And, if someone is planting the bodies instead of murdering citizens, then your task remains-- get to the bottom of it. We can't afford to let this continue."

Sighing, Charleton makes his way towards the door. "Come with me."

Charleton leads the party down the stairs and into the streets below, quickly turning into a back alley and leading them through a winding maze of narrow streets. His eyes dart back and forth, always on the lookout, hand clasped tight around the hilt of his sword. It seems not even the guard-captains were faring well with tensions this high.

Finally, the heroes catch a glimpse of their target.

Drawing closer, they realize that Charleton was right-- the corpse is mummified and beyond all recognition. Their clothes were unharmed, but their head was bald, their eyes dried to dust, their skin gaunt and grey, their body far too thin. There were marks along the left side of the body's face where it had fallen and hit the stone walkway as it died. Charleton gestures towards it, shoulders tense. "That's it. That's the body."

OOC: A very special thanks to Bricksandparts for the sets for this scene!

Edited December 21, 2014 by Emjajoas

[Palathadric]

I try to determine from the marks if they had been there before the mummification or only after.

"What a strange case."

[Scubacarrot]

Guts looks through the corpse's person and pockets for anything that could help them identify the dead person or give them other hints.

[UsernameMDM]

Hoke examines the area for signs of a struggle.

[Capt.JohnPaul]

"Do you still have the other bodies? We can start looking for similarities. "

[Palathadric]

Guts looks through the corpse's person and pockets for anything that could help them identify the dead person or give them other hints.

A.K.A. "loot."

[The Legonater]

I use my skills to look for any useful footprints or other things one could track.

[Chromeknight]

Nerwen ponders for a bit. Normally natural death and desiccation don't affect hair. Neither does embalming. So either this guy was bald before death or what we're dealing with is not natural nor a spell accelerating some natural process.

[Palathadric]

Nerwen ponders for a bit. Normally natural death and desiccation don't affect hair. Neither does embalming. So either this guy was bald before death or what we're dealing with is not natural nor a spell accelerating some natural process.

I cast a glance Guts' way to ensure he's still where he is.

[Scubacarrot]

"The guy has no eyebrows. You might be right, Nerwen."

[Capt.JohnPaul]

"Hmm.. he doesn't have a nose either. "

[Scubacarrot]

"Hmm.. he doesn't have a nose either. "

"Nor... do you..."

[The Legonater]

Nerwen, I don't know much about magic, but is it possible for some sort of life drain to be in affect here? It could explain his complexion, as well as the absence of hair.

"Nor... do you..."

[Emjajoas]

The marks were like small indentations; when the person had died, their face hit the stone, causing the 'scars.' It must have happened after the person's death.

Guts finds nothing of note; however, the corpse's clothes seem strange. The pants are normal enough, but the shirt seems more like an undershirt; something one might wear under more formal attire, or, more commonly, armour.

When examining the area for signs of a struggle, Hoke notices that the area is, more than anything else, clean-- aside from a few scrapes on the stone, perhaps from some sort of metal striking it. They were close to the body- one in particular stretched out a ways, a thin white line on the normally grey stone. Dyric notices it at the same time.

"The other bodies are being inspected individually in our morgue. They're all the same. They have similar clothes, for the most part, though some are wearing... actual clothing. Most of them are being..."

Charleton shivers a little. "Taken apart in hopes that we can properly identify the cause of death. So far, nothing, but given another few days and this body'll be torn apart too. Futile."

[UsernameMDM]

Hoke points to the long thin white line, "Does this look like it may lead us somewhere," he asks Dyric.

[The Legonater]

It could be evidence that he was dragged here. Or maybe some residue from whatever caused this. Either way, we should follow it.

[Capt.JohnPaul]

"It's our only lead. We might as well."

[Chromeknight]

Nerwen whistles a marching tune, hoping it will move the boys along.

[Emjajoas]

Charleton shuffles nervously behind the heroes as they follow the faint scratch along the stone. It soon leads them out onto a narrow street once more, situated across a plain tavern and a few food stalls, but disappears from there.

The guard-captain sighs. "This used to be a busy street, but lately the folk have been staying at home. Poor tavern's only got a few brave souls. Good place as any for information, though."

Edited December 23, 2014 by Emjajoas

[UsernameMDM]

As a frinedly tip, since it's 100% probable that the party is going into the Tavern, as we don't have another likely place to go, please next time just post a pic of the innards so we can save some time and get along with the story. Of course that depends on if you have the innards ready.

Hoke enters the Tavern.

[Emjajoas]

It was supposed to have the innards as well as another half to the post. Looks like it got cut off? I'll fix that right away.

Charleton crosses his arms, nodding to the tavern. "I'll leave you to your investigation, Heroes-- find me when you've more to share. I've snooping of my own to do."

The heroes, now parted from their guide, head into the scarcely-decorated tavern. The white-haired bartender smile a greeting as they entered; the only other denizens were two women and one armed man. He wore two spears on his back and a sword on his hip-- his armour was a dark blue. He grinned, hands motioning as he told the ladies some sort of story.

"And you know what the cocky bastard says? 'You don't look so strong. I reckon I can wreck you.' Not only was he entirely wrong, but he used a terrible play on words as well. An honest catastrophe."

[Palathadric]

I approach the bartender.

"Town seems quiet these days. I'm somewhat surprised to see people here. I guess they can't get enough drink, eh?"