The Flayed Man part 16
The guards are less than pleased with having been fooled. They didn't have much of a description of the fellow in question, but they didn't know him personally. Then again, it's not like they know every one in the Watch. It's a big organization and Alexandria is a big city.
Still, it does mean that the Frostmantles paymaster was murdered by a competent forger, or at least someone with those ties, who was capable of setting the fire trap that ultimately killed him, a sadistic choice given the man's clear previous encounter with a heavy blaze.
All the same, you're left on the street out fornt of the damaged inn with two very ashamed guardsmen.
"Well..." Iskandar seems to be out of ideas. Not that he has had too many at any stage in this investigation. "Is it time to resort to sorcery? Some sort of scrying or magical tracking or...or I don't know what."
"That is a fine idea." Seldan folds his arms over his breastplate, his demeanor cool, even, and impassive. "Mal, think you that these papers would suffice to locate the man who scribed them?"
GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/arcana: (13)+15: 28
Ezil had kept his distance from the group, letting them investigate this matter without him. He closes towards them when Iskandar and Seldan speak. "The more we dig, the bigger the hole becomes. Soon it will try to consume us if we aren't careful." shaking his head as he looks to that piece of paper. "Though.... the dead demands something be done.
Malik looks over his shoulder at the others. "My methods of gathering information are -- not as polished as some of yours," he tells the others. "But I have ways of finding information. I'll stay here. I'll need about an hour. Preferably uninterrupted. Others should attempt to find out other information. There is no sense in us wasting time that we could spend on other valuable pursuits."
Both of Seldan's eyebrows go up, and he fixes Malik with a -look- that reads something very close to _what are you up to, and do I want to know?_ "Choose one other to remain with you, Mal. We have already seen that our quarry will not hesitate to kill to cover their tracks, and I would not have you caught unawares."
Iskandar nods quickly. "I'll check for clues...in the nearest tavern." He winks and the goes on more seriously, "I plan to be loud about it. I still say drawing these villains out of the shadows may work in our favor!"
GAME: Ezil rolls Diplomacy: (3)+11: 14
GAME: Iskandar rolls diplomacy: (6)+9: 15
After a couple hours, you all meet back up on the street, or wherever was designated as your particular location to meet back up.
Ezil and Iskandar smell of the pub, Seldan of ink, no doubt, and Malik...
Malik just smells.
Either way, you're able to reuunite.
Iskandar sems a little more relaxed than before. "Well, I didn't provoke any reaction. But I had a feeling...I could tell someone was paying attention. Will they attack?" He rubs his bearded chin. "We can only hope..."
When the others return, Seldan leans against a nearby stone building, a haversack over his shoulder. He seems well-satisfied, as if he got what he went for, and looks up when Iskandar returns. "We shall see," he answers in low tones. "Has Malik emerged yet?"
"One can hope." Ezil says towards Iskandar. "We're getting closer, but they want to cover this too. I suspect if we keep poking, it'll happen." looking then to Seldan, and offering a shrug. "Well... not if we find them first."
Malik meets back up with the others, frowning deeply -- and rubbing at his temples like he has the worst headache in the world. There are a pair of smoky shades over his eyes, blocking out the light as he meets up with the others. "Well. I have good news and bad news. The good news is, the man who killed our victim is dead. No need to summon the guards." He pulls the glasses off, and his eyes are bloodshot. "The bad news is, he was killed by a sorcerer wielding unbelievably powerful magics with extremely sloppy form and antiquated fashions. So there is a reasonable chance that --"
And that's where he trails off. He goes quiet a moment, looking around, eyes narrowing as he stares off into -nothing-. "Oh no you don't," he says, making a complicated mudra with his hand as he closes his eyes -- though whatever he's doing doesn't seem to be a spell. It lasts a moment, and he opens them again. "Well. He noticed that I was watching him, and killed the man that set the fire after taking some manner of papers. I got a decent look at those, but our mage friend was blurry. And it seems that he just tried to spy me back in return."
Something in Malik's commentary draws a laugh from Seldan, but it disappears quickly enough when he gets a good look at Malik. "So now?" he asks, eyes narrowed. "A sorcerer, you say?" That has the Silver Guard's attention, and there is a low, dangerous note among the Myrrish accent. "You look as if you should rest ... and we shall stop at the Temple on our way. I would hear what you saw of those papers, if you can bear it."
"Oh, we just poked pretty hard. I feel a little bad." Ezil states, looking at the others. "If they'd kill their own men over us still.... what is really going on?" he asks of them, fiddling in thought with a symbol that hangs from his neck. "How many more will die?"
"Well I don't feel bad," Iskandar says. But there's an uncharacteristic uncertainty in his voice. Perhaps he is trying to convince himself. "Surely they earned such a fate. Bah." Iskandar frowns. "A sorcerer. I wonder what could be the motive behind all of this..."