Chapter 2 - Getting to the bottom of it?

[counterkid]

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Notes on investigation:

• Taffis Bornam, murdered in Hunter's Alley, was a member of 'The Six Hands' gang and possessed a ring of 'The Minotaurs' gang.
  • ==> Sue knows that gang novices wear coloured sashes to show member ship & full members are characteristically tattooed. He belatedly infers such rings are for 'guests'/safe passage.
  No indications that the murder was gang related, so either a random act or something more complicated.
  • ==> Location, timing and absence of robbery or conflict suggest a premeditated murder.
  He is expected to make a rendezvous in the sewers at nine bells this evening (see map) to deliver two Harbour Moons; one for the current shipment and one for the missed payment (due to him being dead).
  He is invited, via a numbered, unsigned invitation, in the persona of "Red Parrot" (a red silk outfit, troos, shirt, cloak & mask) to a party at the Bird Sanctuary hosted at The Purple Palace Palace tomorrow evening by "Yellow Canary". The latter is inferred to be superior in hierarchy to Taffis (who in turn is above the hands-on team leader).
  Nether Taffis's superior nor subordinate appear to know Taffis is dead & there's an inference that "He", (Yellow Canary's superior) also does not know that Taffis is dead.
  • ==> Assuming the murder was to prevent the Taffis from turning “Lord’s Evidence”, there is a tentative inference of a layers (or layers) of the operation higher than “He”.

From his personal effects Taffis :

• likely had burglary skills
  had odd personal tastes (sensuous, restraint, other gender undies etc)
  had poor personal hygiene but kept his working personae (sewer walker versus well-groomed gang senior) compartmentalized
  had a cotton mask, lightweight, dark material that wouldn't impede vision or hearing. Speculation: might be used for sewer rendezvous.
  had a wooden canary which remains a mystery

"Before we go to the meeting we should acquire a cotton mask.Sue you still have that ring from the Minotaurs gang? I will need to wear it and the cotton mask.""You will also need to provide me with two Harbour moons. I have spent mine already to cover my debts and my mothers debts."

"Jim what else do you think we need to prepare?"

[Nocturno]

"We have a mask. And this seems to be our only lead at the moment. I think we should just hang back and let Woody see what he can find out. Just stand with me and look tough." He flips Woody one of the minotaur rings, and the two Moons.

"It may not be the best plan, but it's the one I got. I never was the one doing the planning before. I'm usually the one swinging the sword to enact the plan."

[Chris1234]

As many, if not most, of the sewer entrances are apparently under observation by the street gangs (withing their own territories), a particular sewer entry point was identified as suitable.

Sewer Entrance.jpg (65.06 KiB) Viewed 13424 times

Unless anyone recalls exactly where that was then some discreet but time-consuming asking around will be necessary.

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The time-consuming asking around with street urchins will take 6d20 minutes and cost the same in nebs.
The time can be reduced by spending more money: 1 dragon removes 1d20, but minimum 1die.

• i.e. Expenditure of 5 dragons means the time taken is 1d20 minutes and additionally costs the same in nebs.

[Nocturno]

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Sue went investigating this.

I'll find it in the backlog.

[Squirrellord]

Yeah I can stand by you Sue. I sure hope you are good at thinking on your toes Woody, this sounds like it could go bad fast. Perhaps you want to have a signal for us to leap in? That way we might be able to get the jump if you figure things are going bad.

[counterkid]

I like your thinking Jim. If something is going wrong I will tap my heels together twice.

Wizard of Oz style.

[Nocturno]

Sue remembers that the two sewer openings he found were guarded.
=========================================
Current time?
Meet is at 9 bells.

Likely to just do the leg work, but want to check the time first.

[Chris1234]

Just as Sue wonders about it the bells sound six times.

[counterkid]

"I say we start asking around. It will cost us money but save us time."

[Nocturno]

"I agree. Jim do you have some extra coin? Or good with a bit of a walk? I seem to have spent my new found wealth on this." He clunks on his new armour.

[counterkid]

"I spent most of my wealth on paying off my debt and my mother debts. I have some coins on me also."
"Jim, are you pretty good at negotiating?" Woody will provide coins to Jim if required. He is planning on being generous to get info as fast as possible. He is willing to spend the 6 dragon and 4 Nebs based on the die role below. Woody is not skilled at persuasion so he is hoping Jim is.

[1d20] = 4

[Nocturno]

Sue will kick in 2 of the Dragons.

[Squirrellord]

I have coin Sue. I'm not sure what my new.. landlord?? looking at Sue, charges for rent, but I think I can spare what we need. Answering Woody I don't suppose it should be that hard right? We tell them what we need and they tell us how much coin they want. Seems simple enough.

[Nocturno]

"This place is free, but we can't stay forever."

[Chris1234]

It's well after six bells when Jim, having invested some 6 dragons and 4 nebs, in much smaller denominations, to find the urchins that had searched for Nix and Alecia, is led to a sewer entrance in Dock Ward.

Sewer Entrance.jpg (65.06 KiB) Viewed 13332 times

"It's disputed turf," says Able, one of the urchins. "The Basilisk Boys, The Adders, Kerrigan's Sons and The Sea Wolves all fight over it. But they don't watch this one." He smiles, accepts the last of the cash and disappears back round the corner.

The three foot wide metal banded wooden cover is dirty and the metal rusted. It is locked in place. A simple job for Nix or Alecia.

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Anyone examining the lock please make an Investigation skill check.
Anyone not focused on the lock that and is looking around can make a Perception skill check, please.