Rystil Arden
First Post
"I just know what Elise told me. The magics that some Westerners command are strange indeed. They sometimes make me uneasy, but they are very exciting, and I'd like to learn more about how they work if I can."
Niobe's Dilemma (Manzanita Judging)
- Thread starter Bront
- Start date
Bront
The man with the probe
With the looking around winding down in the toom, Bernard leads you around the body outline with the broken spear and down a staircase and out a back door, over nead where the window is opened on the floor above. "The window right there is where you were looking out of."
There are several shrubs and flowers off and on along the back wall, though directly below the window there is a patch of grass.
[sblock=Troi]You spot a red scuff mark on the wall of the house about halfway up the wall to the window. You also don't see much in the way of tracks, but you do find an odd impression in the dirt in a corner of a flower bed right next to below the window. The shape is somewhat familiar, perhaps a sword hilt or some other large shaped piece of metal.[/sblock]
There are several shrubs and flowers off and on along the back wall, though directly below the window there is a patch of grass.
[sblock=Troi]You spot a red scuff mark on the wall of the house about halfway up the wall to the window. You also don't see much in the way of tracks, but you do find an odd impression in the dirt in a corner of a flower bed right next to below the window. The shape is somewhat familiar, perhaps a sword hilt or some other large shaped piece of metal.[/sblock]
Rystil Arden
First Post
*Lasair smiles slightly.*
"I suppose everyone is uneasy around what they cannot understand. As for the similar thoughts, it is probably a coincidence, though it could be a sympathetic hum between your ziivash and mine. Reading the deepest thoughts are beyond me yet, but I can pull tiny wisps of surface emotions from the ziivash that surrounds each being. Some day I will be able to read your mind, though."
"I suppose everyone is uneasy around what they cannot understand. As for the similar thoughts, it is probably a coincidence, though it could be a sympathetic hum between your ziivash and mine. Reading the deepest thoughts are beyond me yet, but I can pull tiny wisps of surface emotions from the ziivash that surrounds each being. Some day I will be able to read your mind, though."
doghead
thotd
Rystil Arden said:
Jaan laughs out loud.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that. I hope you will let me know before trying so I can tidy up my mind for visitors."
Jaan collects the ransom letter when everyone has read it and tucks it safely away.
"We should follow Bernard and Troi.
"You didn't tell me what you thought of the letter. I thought it was strange to put a name to it. But its doesn't prove anything I think. If Cedric is the kidnapper, he could have done it to twist the knife. But equally, it could have been added by another to misdirect."
Rystil Arden
First Post
"I agree that the note doesn't give any definitive clues. We shall need to find our clues elsewhere, as the kidnapper was not foolish enough to give himself away in the note."
GnomeWorks
Adventurer
As soon as they arrive at the appointed spot, Troi begins searching.
After a minute or two of searching the ground, he kneels down in a corner of the flower bed. "Hmm... there's an impression in th' ground 'ere... seems kinda familiar... like a sword hilt, er some other big piece a worked metal, y'know?"
Sword hilt... this seems... no, it couldn't be. He wouldn't be involved in this... would he?
If he is, this is going to be a lot less straightforward than I thought - and much more dangerous. I'm not ready yet...
He then points out a red scuff mark on the wall, roughly halfway between the ground and the window. "An' that... dunno what ta make a that, other'n that it means 'at somebody came down th' window."
A red scuff mark and an odd impression in the dirt. Real use that is...
He shrugs. "There's no other sign a passage 'ere, 'at I kin fin'."
"'less he wanted ta make sure Pician knew it was 'im." Troi adds with a shrug.
His brow then furrows in thought, and he goes to the red scuff mark, and examines it more thoroughly.
After doing so for a few moments, Troi turns to Bernard. "Kin ya tell me wha' th' weather's been like lately? Since Niobe was kidnapped, I mean."
[sblock=Bront]Checking the mark for scents, if possible.
Should I also note that I have +2 on Survival checks in "aboveground natural environments," or did you take that into account already?[/sblock]
After a minute or two of searching the ground, he kneels down in a corner of the flower bed. "Hmm... there's an impression in th' ground 'ere... seems kinda familiar... like a sword hilt, er some other big piece a worked metal, y'know?"
Sword hilt... this seems... no, it couldn't be. He wouldn't be involved in this... would he?
If he is, this is going to be a lot less straightforward than I thought - and much more dangerous. I'm not ready yet...
He then points out a red scuff mark on the wall, roughly halfway between the ground and the window. "An' that... dunno what ta make a that, other'n that it means 'at somebody came down th' window."
A red scuff mark and an odd impression in the dirt. Real use that is...
He shrugs. "There's no other sign a passage 'ere, 'at I kin fin'."
"'less he wanted ta make sure Pician knew it was 'im." Troi adds with a shrug.
His brow then furrows in thought, and he goes to the red scuff mark, and examines it more thoroughly.
After doing so for a few moments, Troi turns to Bernard. "Kin ya tell me wha' th' weather's been like lately? Since Niobe was kidnapped, I mean."
[sblock=Bront]Checking the mark for scents, if possible.
Should I also note that I have +2 on Survival checks in "aboveground natural environments," or did you take that into account already?[/sblock]
Rystil Arden
First Post
"Red scuff mark? What sort of red is it? Does it seem like blood, or ink, or dye, or perhaps something else? Red is not the most common colour, so it could be a useful clue."
Bront
The man with the probe
[sblock=Troi]The mark smells of blood, and is begining to turn brownish, but you can't get much else, which makes sense give the age. Perhaps if there was a spot a little better protected by the elements...[/sblock]
"The weather's been fair and clear, though we do have servants water some of the shrubs and flowers. I think it's supposed to rain in the next day or two though."
OOC: I'm going to use Roger's Fun-o-meter. Basicly, rate the adventure every so often on a 1-5 rating, with a + or - if it's going up or coming down. Doesn't need to be every post, or even every page. It will give me a little feedback. Also, in general, the occasional hints you'll get in sblocks are the results of skill checks or other insight I run in the background (Spot, listen, knowledge, or even occasionaly experience and insight you might have). Don't take it as anything else (because you can't always trust yourself to be correct all the time![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
) 
"The weather's been fair and clear, though we do have servants water some of the shrubs and flowers. I think it's supposed to rain in the next day or two though."
OOC: I'm going to use Roger's Fun-o-meter. Basicly, rate the adventure every so often on a 1-5 rating, with a + or - if it's going up or coming down. Doesn't need to be every post, or even every page. It will give me a little feedback. Also, in general, the occasional hints you'll get in sblocks are the results of skill checks or other insight I run in the background (Spot, listen, knowledge, or even occasionaly experience and insight you might have). Don't take it as anything else (because you can't always trust yourself to be correct all the time
)
GnomeWorks
Adventurer
Troi nods. "Thanks."
"Smells like blood ta me. No scent on it, though..."
Troi's brow furrows. "Though I'm thinkin'... if there's blood here... there's prolly gonna be a blood trail, if only fer a li'l bit."
Assuming we can find out which way he went, anyway.
Troi surveys the area, seeing if there is any place within a reasonable distance that would provide cover from the building.
"Let's start by 'ssumin' 'at she was bein' carried, an' that th' kidnapper's wounded. Don't matter where, since he'd be carryin' a body... an' let's assume she's unconscious, 'cause if she was conscious it'd make th' tracks more obvious. If it's one a 'is arms, he'd hafta drag 'er a li'l bit. If it's one a 'is legs, he'd 'ave a bit of a gait, y'know? If it's anywhere else, he'd still prolly be movin' a bit slower'n diff'rent'n normal, since he'd have a hurt side, er somethin'. An' he'd prolly try ta get ta cover pretty quick ta patch up 'is wound, ta not leave a trail, if 'e even thought a tha'."
The ranger pauses for a moment. "If 'e 'ad a mount, which'd make sense, I'd guess it'd be somewhere where nobody could see it - have some cover, er somethin' - an' then he'd book fer wherever it is he's s'posed ta go. If there was more'n one, they'd be hidin' out somewhere waitin' fer 'im ta get back. I don' think they'd risk takin' more'n one inta th' place... they'd prolly 'ave one ta do th' job, one they chose 'cause a how quiet 'e could be, er whatever. I don' think it was jus' one guy without a mount, though. He either had a way ta get outta here in a hurry, er others ta 'elp 'im wi' th' girl."
He smiles. "'course, that's 'ssumin' magic wasn't involved. I 'magine th' whole thing'd be diff'rent if it was, an' I'm prolly way off. Th' red mark, though, makes me think it wasn't magic... it means 'at th' kidnapper came down th' window, an' in a hurry - not floatin', er somethin'. An' if he 'ad magic, it'd make sense fer 'im ta use it right away, rather'n wait 'til 'e was outta th' place, y'know?"
He turns to the others. "Well, that's 'bout all I got at th' moment. Anybody else got any ideas?"
