C2 E3

After discovering a dead body, our heroes must decide who they can trust. Especially since there are some strange characters out and about in Rimeford. Plus, they can’t even trust each other which makes everything a little more spicy.

## **Story**

### Long Story

Elwin Trantor has been killed. His body hangs by hempen rope from the statue of Reya in the town square. Screech Echo, resident secret detective, stealthily investigates the crime scene, and finds two things: some wild animal fur, and red candle wax on the victim's knee. They don't have long to search the area, though, because they are soon approached by Captain Clint, and his two assistants, Rathal & Morna. They attempt to question everyone, but no one's really scene anything. And without the conveniences of modern technology, they don't really have a way of investigating the body either. So, they cut Elwin down and cover him up. T'Chuck looks around and notices that most of the village has gathered around, but Hanlan Four Fingers is mysteriously absent. Selene greets Clint, and offers her services. Clint takes note of her arrival just yesterday, more than a little suspicious. Also suspicious is that the other new arrival, Screech, has vanished.

They are next greeted by Mistress Alandra Thorne, the local cleric. She is there to administer last rites to Elwin's spirit, and offers no further insight into his murder, other than that Reya works in mysterious ways. Notably, she has a possum hanging from her shoulders that has red beady eyes, reminding Screech and Selene of the red eyes they saw last episode. Thorne asks to speak with them later, in private.

Finally, Sir Rex Yalos appears. He's kind of the over-seer of this town, it's protector and, sort of, ruler. He sends everyone off and away, telling them they'll each be questioned in time. T'Chuck cries in his arms for a second, and then offers everyone 10% off all breakfast and ale (or breakfast ale) at the Goblin Pit, so everyone does shots of Fire Wine in honor of Elwin. They reminisce on his life: he grew up on a local pig farm before starting to work at the tavern a few years ago. Sad stuff. Clint and T'Chuck discuss the murder. While T'Chuck knows nothing, it seems clear that this was a wild animal attack, based on the jagged wound. Possibly, he was killed by a bear. Suspecting Screech, who isn't around, Clint heads up into the tavern to question him.

T'Chuck stays behind for a second to say a little prayer of his own for Elwin, before hearing a sound like the chittering of a squirrel from a nearby alleyway. Ducking into it, he is greeted by the strange sight of ~~Screech~~ a man in a squirrel suit! Startled, T'Chuck attempts to punch him, but misses. The Dark Squirrel reveals the fur that Screech found earlier, and asks if T'Chuck has seen it before. It's possible that this fur could match that of the bear that T'Chuck and R'Oarc brought back to Hanlan Four Fingers, but it also could be any other of that same type of bear. It also might belong to one of the nearby Grizzly-folk. Screech asks if various people can be trusted: Captain Clint (yes), Sir Yalos (yes), and Alandra (no). He then attempts to disappear into the shadows. But he doesn't. T'Chuck sees him attempt to run off, and hide, and then they have to scooch around each other to leave. So, y'know. That's awkward.

Anyway, T'Chuck enters the tavern to find Clint leaving Screech's room. Convinced that Screech is the killer, he tells everyone of the broken glass in his room. Ratma Ritmo doesn't clarify anything, despite knowing that Screech was in his room last night. Selene attempts to defend Screech, referencing their defeat of the goblins on the road as a mark of his honor. Ratma, however, is a goblin, so this doesn't help his case as much as Selene had hoped. That's when Screech finally walks through the door, covered in bear and squirrel fur. He's questioned by Clint, who points out that he couldn't have been in his bed last night, as it's covered in glass! Screech attempts to bring Ratma in to defend him, but she's obstinate on the subject. That's when Screech lies and says that last night, Ratma said she loved him, and in response, he said that he loved her. Surely she remembers that. She doesn't but admits that she'd had a bit to drink last night, and maybe her memory is a little hazy. BUT, with that confession, she's willing to point out that Screech's back is covered in glass! Proving that he did, in fact, sleep in his bed last night! Clint seems satisfied with this new information, and backs off of Screech.

Sir Yalos again appears, and (after T'Chuck cries in his arms again, and everyone does Fire Wine shots together), invites the four main characters to sit around a table and talk with them. Selene offers her full services to the investigation, which Yalos appreciates. He turns to Screech, and thanks him for everything his family has done for this town. He also offers his condolences, regarding his parents. Speaking of the mines, Screech wonders if the murder, and the decreased output of the mines may be related. It doesn't seem to be, but it's possible. Yalos tells them that one of the veins in the mines has had to be sealed off, due to an influx of tommy-knockers invading. He then offers them rooms at the keep, and Screech accepts, much to Ratma's dismay. Selene decides to stay at the inn, much to Ratma's delight. T'Chuck tells everyone about the encounter he had with the Squirrel Man, and what they learned. He voices his concerns someone may be trying to frame the Grizzly-Folk for some reason. No one can think of why, though.

Clint then enters (he left earlier), and pulls Yalos outside to talk with him in private about something. The others (obviously) eavesdrop, with R'Oarc distracting Ratma. Clint tells Yalos about something they found while investigating the area: a symbol scratched into the ground. A symbol of Ugnos, the banned god of violence, murder, bloodshed, and pain...

### Short

Screech investigates the crime scene, and discovers some red candle wax on Elwin's body, and some bear fur. Hanlan Four Fingers is mysteriously absent. Captain Clint, Mistress Alandra Thorne, and Sir Rex Yalos arrive, but not much more investigation can be done, so they send everyone home. Screech tells T'Chuck what he found, and asks about the trustworthiness of various people. They then all convene in the Goblin Pit to compare notes. Screech is cleared from suspicion with the help of Ratma Ritmo, but he then makes her angry by agreeing to stay at the keep with Sir Yalos. T'Chuck voices his theory that someone may be trying to frame the Grizzly-Folk. Clint tells Yalos, in secret (although everyone is eavesdropping) that they have found scratched into the ground near the crime scene, the sigil of Ugnos, the banned god of violence, murder, bloodshed, and pain...

## **Trivia**

* Day 2 of the campaign.
* T'Chuck served Elwin Trantor his first drink
	+ R'Oarc convinced him to eat dirt one time
* Screech is still trying to find out what his detective name is. He doesn't like "The Dark Squirrel"
* There used to be a rivalry between the Grizzly-folk and those from Rimeford, but at this point, they have a truce, and stay out of each other's way.

## **In This Episode...**

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Tim Lanning - T'Chuck
* Jennifer Cheek - Selene von Esper
* Nika Howard - R'Oarc
* Mike Bachmann - Screech Echo / Squirrel Man (Screech)

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Captain Clint
* Rathal & Morna
* Mistress Alandra Thorne
* Sir Rex Yalos
* Ratma Ritmo
* Meat

### **Locations**

* Drunkeros
	+ Whispering Peaks
		- Rimeford
			* The Goblin Pit

### **Inventory**

 Various Books

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [NEW][Active] - Investigate the death of Elwin Trantor
	+ [NEW][Active] - Speak with Mistress Alandra Thorne
* [Active] - Investigate the Rimeford mines
	+ [Selene] - Speak with Sir Rex Yalos
	+ [Screech] - Speak with Granona Flintbeard

### **Quotes**

* **"I'm... not smart..."** ~ *Nika Howard, 2022*

* **"Hi, uh, so sorry. Screech Echo. Here, have a dollar!"** ~ *Screech Echo*

* **"This is Clint. If you can't tell what the accent is, it's just Clint."** ~ *Michael DiMauro*

* **"Take a look at my ass, Clint!"** ~ *Screech*

* **"What is Up with Ugnos?"** ~ *Jennifer Cheek*

## **Rolls**

* **T'Chuck** rolls *Medicine* to see what happened to Elwin Trantor - 16
	+ His stomach has a ragged slash across it

* **Screech** rolls *Investigation* to search the crime scene for clues - 21
	+ Also rolls *Stealth* to do the above stealthily - 25
		- No one notices as he finds some fur around the area, and some red candle wax on the guy's knee

* **Screech** rolls *Nature* to see what type of fur it is - 4
	+ It seems to be a wild animal fur, but other than that, he doesn't know

* **Screech** rolls *Insight* to see how Clint and co are reacting to this - 6
	+ He can't tell how they're feeling

* **T'Chuck** rolls *Insight* to see how the crowd is reacting - 25
	+ Many people from the town are here, but Hanlan Four Fingers is not

* **Selene** does an *Insight* check to see what's up with Alandra - 7
	+ She doesn't get much from her

* **Screech** rolls *Stealth* to hide himself in the alleyway - 17
	+ He is not seen

* **T'Chuck** rolls *Survival* to see if he knows about the animal fur - 24
	+ He's pretty sure it's bear fur, similar color to the bear they brought in yesterday (or the Grizzly-folk)

* **Screech** rolls *Stealth* to run away sneakily - 2
	+ He is darting behind something

* **Screech** rolls *Deception* to convince Ratma Ritmo that he told her he loved her last night - 20
	+ She questions this, but maybe forgot because she was drinking

* Everyone rolls *Perception* to listen in on the conversation outside
	+ **T'Chuck** - 24
		- He can hear clearly
	+ **Selene** - 17
		- He can hear clearly
	+ **Screech** - 17
		- He can hear clearly
	+ **R'Oarc** - 8
		- She doesn't listen

* Everyone rolls *Religion* to see what they know about the insignia of Ugnos
	+ **R'Oarc** - 16
	+ **T'Chuck** - 8
	+ **Selene** - 4
	+ **Screech** - 12
		- They all vaguely remember the name Ugnos, the banned god of violence, murder, bloodshed, and pain