The Shackled City - Golarion Prelude

[Walking Dad]

Wilbur

Wilbur nods at Nia's words:

"My question. What would the Dawn Flower expect from her servant?

Accept the help of strangers in a corrupt town where priests are openly mugged and threatened, or asking hypothetical questions to see if the strangers prefer law or good, when both would dictate to help?"

[sblock=OOC]

detect magic if there is something going on with her.
(not answered yet)

----

HP: 11 / 11

Spells:
1: 5/5

Gift of Madness: 6 / 6

Wilbur 2
Wilbur Warrington

[/sblock]

 

[ahayford]

OOC: You sense no magic about the halfling woman, nor about any objects in your close proximity.

 

[jkason]

Caytis Maggerin, half-elf magus

Caytis finds himself similarly inclined to dismiss the inquisition, but Val's example inspires him a bit.

"Seems to me you didn't say anything about the laws specifying when a body has to serve his sentence, yes? Call them both sentenced, but declare it your right to execute the sentence at a time you see fit."

[sblock=ooc]Have you read the Daughter of the Empire books, per chance? [/sblock]

 

[ahayford]

The halfling woman lets a mischievious smile sneak its way onto her dour face. The expression seems much more at home there then the venom filled gaze that first spied through the door.

I wasn’t so much interested in your religious leanings as I was interested in whether or not you had a decent head on your shoulders. The last “investigator” Jenya had turned up nothing. I wanted to make sure she had found someone who hadn’t spent the last 10 years of their life sequestered in a temple before I disrupted my children’s lives any further.

She points at Val.

You had the presence of mind to riddle out what the Lady of Justice would do in each circumstance, “Above all else, justice”. Despite the fact that I sense you are pledged to another. Tell me what I want to hear eh?

The mischievous grin appears again, and then she moves down the line...pointing at Nia and Wilbur.

You two, your passion is strong. You known an injustice has befallen my children, and you would not allow yourself to be derailed by a doddering school marm’s hypothetical meandering. Sarenrae shows particular outrage at injustices against children...and I sense her steel in your words.

She then turns to face Caytis.

And you. Law is a tool meant to serve justice. When law no longer ensures the enforcement of justice, it is to be cast down, or at the least circumvented....Clever. Regardless, Jenya seems to have chosen her agents well....Come in. You may have a look around. My name is Gretchyn. I’m sorry for my poor hospitality, but I assure you, I have nothing but the best interest of my kids at heart.

Gretchyn leads you inside. The closed shutters make the orphanage slightly stuffier and hotter then outside. The lighting is fairly dim, and someone has even gone to the lengths of lighting a few candles in particularly dark corners. What was once a formal sitting room in a former life has been transformed into a play room. Toys, games, and other playthings in various states of disrepair lie strewn about the room. You have to step nimbly to avoid catching a toddler caltrop in the heel.

I sent the children to their rooms with one of the other teachers. We can talk here, then if you wish to investigate the grounds, you may. Unless you deem it absolutely necessary, I’d rather you didn’t question the children. They’ve been through enough already.

Gretchyn pushes a mound of small wooden toys off a couch and offers you a seat, taking a small toddler chair for herself.

I guess, I’ll tell you what I told the other investigators. Other then myself, the orphanage has 5 employees, a gardener, nurse, cook, teacher, and janitor. They’ve all been with me for many many years. I trust them all almost implicitly. The city guard tried to convince me of an inside job.....but they just wanted a scapegoat so they could put someone in jail and close the case. As it is, I’ve heard they’ve more or less stopped investigating anyway.

Anyway, on the night the four children went missing, no one reporting seeing or hearing anything

She pauses for a moment as if wondering it was worth telling you something...

One child did have a nightmare about an evil gnome with crooked teeth and a tattered cloak trying to snatch his breath...but then, I’ve been here many years, and that certainly isn’t the craziest nightmare I’ve heard.

We have good, solid locks here on the front and back doors. All the windows are barred and keep shut. My staff and I checked all the doors and windows after the children went missing, and none seemed tampered with. I keep the only key on my person at all times, so I am at a loss for how they got in here. If there is some other way into my house...

She shakes her head as if not wanting to think about it.

And....that is about it I guess. I certainly hope you are more successful then the last several groups of investigators that came through here. Not sure why so many different groups of people are interested in some missing orphans, but I suppose I should be thankful for the concern.

If you have any other questions for me, you are free to ask. If you want to question any members of my staff, you are welcome to do so. I’ll call them in here when you’d like to speak to them.

[sblock=ooc] I will neither confirm, nor deny, the origins of the first legal riddle[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Nia listens intently to the halfling, then says, "We must see de room de children were taken from. Was it all from one, or did dey come from several separate rooms?"

 

[jkason]

Caytis Maggerin, half-elf magus

Caytis nods. "I'd prefer to check the rooms first, as well. A better sense of the physical space might give us a better direction for questioning."

 

[ahayford]

Two children were taken from each room, two boys and two girls. Deakon and Terrem were taken from the boys room; Lucinda and Evelyn from the girls room. Come with me, I’ll show you to their room. If you don’t mind, I’m going to have one of my staff take the children outside while you look around. If you could all wait here a moment.

Gretchyn hops out of her seat and climbs the stairs to the second floor. After a few moments, a stampede of children in various states of cleanliness storms down the stairs and heads out the back door of the orphanage. A half-orc male wearing a brown leather eye patch, brings up the rear of the caravan. His black hair is functional and cropped close to his skull. A child hangs desperately onto each arm and two dangle from his shoulders as he ensures his charges all make it to their intended destination. His stained clothing and heavy smock mark him as a good candidate for the janitor Gretchyn mentioned.

The children seem to enjoy his company and if the tusky smile on the half-orc’s face is any indication, he certainly doesn’t mind the attention. His mirthful grin softens to a look of annoyance when he spies your group in the sitting room. He turns his back to you and hurries the children out into the backyard.

Gretchyn pokes her head over the railing upstairs.

Come on up, the rugrats have all gone outside to play with Patches.

The stairway leads up to a landing with three doorways. Gretchyn points to each doorway in turn.

This is the bathroom. We have two large copper tubs for wash day and several buckets for everyday cleaning. This room here is the boys room, and this is the girls room. They are each locked on the outside here to keep them from causing mischief. The window shutters are locked as well to prevent any night time adventures in the city, as well as to keep out those that would harm my kids.

Gretchyn draws a keyring from her blouse that is tied around her neck on a heavy lanyard.

I have the only keys for these locks, and on the night in question, I assure I had the kids locked in their rooms with all accounted for before 7 o’clock. The key never left my person. Go ahead and have a look around, I’ll be downstairs helping to get lunch ready.

With that, she leaves you to your investigation. Both rooms contain rows of identical children’s beds. Some of the children have personalized the headboards and walls with paintings, knick-knacks, and other personal touches. Other then the color palette and smell, the two rooms are mirror images of each other. The doors and locks seem sturdy enough, and the windows appear to be strongly barred and locked. Unlike the playroom, the bedrooms seem to be held to a higher standard of cleanliness. The bare wood floor is bereft of clutter and each bed is neatly made. It is not immediately apparent to you how anyone could have gotten in either room without disturbing anyone without the key around Gretchyn’s neck.

 

[Dragonwriter]

Marcus takes quick look at the rooms, but detailed searching has never been his strong point. Stopping crimes in progress and physically taking down thugs was much more his style. Looking a bit dubious, he asks "Any of you know locks? I know she said they didn't seem to be messed with, but expertise can tell the difference between normal wear and deliberate subterfuge."

[sblock=OOC]
Sorry for the quiet. Didn't mean to disappear, as such.
[/sblock]

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

Val looks at the locks curiously, seeming somehow drawn to them. However, after a moment he shakes his head in frustration. "I surely can't see it if they did. But then, I'm no expert!"

 

[Walking Dad]

Wilbur looks around...

OOC: How many rooms are adjacent? Are there rooms other/under them? Wildbur suspects some secret door. He will asks Gretchyn the next time who constructed this building.