IC The Thirteenth Moon: Night of the Blood Moon

"Yes, yes! That's great Berrent!" Dorius scribbles excitedly, already imagining the headline: "BLOOD DROP ON A BLACK MIRROR - Exclusive report from D. Del Dalian"

He barely notices when the masked stranger appears on the scene, but when Mandyran calls for a healer, Dorius rushes forward with his cloak bunched up to serve as a pillow for the stricken stranger.

[sblock=ooc]Berrent stole my voice color so I'm switching it.[/sblock]

"Looks like you're right: We have to act" Brad tells Alise. Seeing that the bloody stranger is being attended to, he goes over to the door, cracks it open, and peers outside, wondering if there's more trouble waiting there.

Alise jumps up at notice of the wounded elf. She runs to assist then cringes at the sight of the blood, running to the door she shouts out

"Healer!, We need a healer here, someone of House Jorasco please help."

[sblock=Reminder about Knowledge checks and note on spoiler block access]An untrained Knowledge check can only be attempted if the DC is 10 or lower. However, as a bard, Dorius knows the same information as listed under History with a comparable Bardic Knowledge check. I had intended to include Bardic Knowledge with History originally, but it slipped my mind.

Sometimes I will include a spoiler block with a lot of potential information, such as in this post. If one PC unlocks part of the spoiler block, but is unable to succeed on further checks to unlock further parts of the block, that PC may bring the information to the attention of other PCs who may try to unlock further pieces of information within the block themselves. This use of spoiler blocks allows for a means to unlock keys to a mystery or puzzle through teamwork.[/sblock]As Vigil's curative magic works its way through the elf's injured body, color returns to his cheeks and the blood ceases to flow from his wound; however, he remains unconscious. "I suppose our elven friend here has the Silver Flame to thank for his life. He is lucky you were here," Mandyran says to Vigil as he picks up the elf and gestures over towards a booth with a moveable table. "Let's move him over here where he'll be more comfortable."[sblock=Hero Point Awarded to Vigil]For his dashing heroic action, Vigil has used a Hero Point. Hero Points can be used at any time to treat an action point roll as the maximum possible roll but must be expended before the roll is made. They occasionally have other uses, which will be revealed in play.[/sblock][sblock=Search DC 10 on the elf]The elf is carrying a bloody dagger and is dressed in dark clothing, leather armor, and a cloak.[sblock=Search DC 15]He has a great black wound upon his chest. He also has a tattoo on his left breast.[sblock=Arcana/Nobility & Royalty/Bardic Knowledge DC 15]The tattoo is a dragonmark.[sblock=Arcana/Nobility & Royalty/Bardic Knowledge DC 20]The dragonmark is the Least Mark of Shadow.[sblock=Nobility & Royalty/Bardic Knowledge DC 25]The elves of both House Phiarlan, which runs the Entertainers and Artisans Guild, and House Thuranni carry the dragonmark of Shadow.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][sblock=Heal DC 15]The black wound is the result of magic.[sblock=Spellcraft DC 23]The black wound is the result of a necromancy spell.[sblock=Spellcraft DC 28]The black wound is the result of an inflict serious wounds spell.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]While Dorius and Vigil assist Mandyran in carrying the elf to the both, Mandyran directs a member of his staff to go out and seek the nearest healer from House Jorasco. He advises the waitress to move swiftly and be wary of danger, however.

Meanwhile, Berrent and Brad head to the door to see what they can spot.[sblock=Spot DC 10]The street outside is practically devoid of people. You see a drunken bum hobbling about singing merry songs to himself about the joyous new year.[sblock=Spot DC 15]The drunken bum is not the only thing of interest on the street. You also spy the blood trail left by the staggering elf. It reflects an eerie light from the blood moon and leads to a nearby alleyway.[sblock=Spot DC 20]Above the alleyway from which the blood originates is a shadowy figure, climbing nimbly along the towers.[sblock=Spot DC 25]The figure appears humanoid, and is using a rappel line to climb. There is a grappling hook hanging from an open window on Tain Tower.[sblock=Local DC 15]Tain Tower is named in honor of the noble ir'Tain family, whom many believe to be the wealthiest family in Sharn. The tower is owned by the ir'Tains, though many areas of the tower are leased to others for various purposes.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]

Berrent looks around outside the tavern. "He came from the alleyway," he calls back into the tavern. "If he's unconscious we should go look for something in the alley." He takes a half step outside, then stops to wait for everyone else to follow him.

[sblock=kinem]Sorry I stole your color. I went through the thread so far to look for a good color people hadn't already taken. If you have an attachment to it I'll switch to something else.[/sblock]

Once the stricken elf is being tended to by the warforged, Dorius steps away from the booth, and back into the shadow, where he pulls out his notepad and pencil to jot down a description of the scene for his article...

"How do you know where he came from?" Brad asks Berrent. He follows, considering drawing his sword but thinking better of it.

"I will look after the elf until the healer gets here," Mandyran says. "Thank you, kind warforged, for your assistance here. I believe he will survive. The rest of you should go and see what you can find out there. Dorius, I am certain this mystery would make for a great story. The rest of you seem equipped to handle the dangers of this night. I know for a fact that some of you are quite talented. May the Host guide you."

Though you are not all very well-known to each other, most of you have met each other and everyone has a tie one way or another, so you feel you are in good company. The assailant who injured this elf is surely nearby. If you move quickly you can catch the individual. So after a quick discussion amongst yourselves, you decide to proceed out towards the alleyway.

As you walk warily across the street you feel the whoosh of wind that is common here in the upper towers. It feels refreshing and cool, but its chill adds to the eerie sensation of the red light from the blood moon bathing the city. You curiously note that the blood droplets of the elf along the way, still fresh, glow brilliantly in the light of the blood moon.

It does not take you long to reach the alleyway from which the blood trail originates. The alley leads from west to east. Here, you see signs of a brief scuffle. There are boot marks upon the ground, a spatter of blood upon the wall of the northern tower, and blood drops upon the ground. But aside from this, the alley is quite empty. There are no crates, no barrels, no debris that are immediately obvious. This alley is apparently merely a narrow passage between towers. It is curious that a struggle would occur here.[sblock=Search DC 10]You discern from the boot prints on the ground that the scuffle involved one unknown assailant and one victim, the elf.[sblock=Search DC 15]A cursory search is enough to realize that there are bits of masonry upon the ground that have not been here long. They clearly occurred after the struggle because they are on top of the blood, not under it.[sblock=Search DC 20]There are strange marks upon the wall of the northern tower. Could they be bootprints?[sblock=Search DC 25]There are indeed boot prints along the northern tower wall that go upward as someone were rappelling. The boot prints continue upward to an open window perhaps three stories up.[sblock=Search DC 30]The climber clearly climbed up AFTER the struggle, as there are smudges of blood on the left boot print as it goes upward.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]

Alise looks around at the scene of violence. Violence was always common in High Walls but staring it straight in the face is a different matter. And she certainly didn't expect to find it here in such a fancy neighborhood.

Her attention is drawn to something odd.

"Look, 2 different bootprints, one is the elf, the other must be his attacker. And this dust came from these marks on the walls obviously after the blood pooled."