Queer & D

Session 7

Raia explains to the group that her top agent is accused of murder and that she needs the group to clear his name. Vander, the accused, brings in around 1000gp per month by spying on top circles to blackmail them. He is accused of murdering Master Ovid Asta, the nephew and heir of Counselman Lady Elseris Asta (a member of the Queens Small Counsel) at her annual celebration party to the God Ahdar.

The group agree to do this in exchange for the information they need as well as a compensation package of 2000gp. They remember that there was a notice on the board in Temple Square near the Temple of Uuna asking for witnesses to come forward who had attended the party. They head there and see the seal of Chief Guardsman Tumal ‘Hornguard’ Valu. Asking around, they learn that he is currently at Lady Asta’s home and they head there to plan how they can get in. Mika is again very sleepy and Taurin straps her to his chest in the style of a ‘Baby Bjorn”, but he leaves Mika with River and Lead while he and T’ix speak with the guards at the gate who allow them entry to speak with the chief (a Goliath with a bare head – no hair or tattoos). He is at a loss for what happened and is stumped by the murder scene. He invites the group in to take a look around and they ask for the rest of the group to join.

Vander had previously explained that he escaped via the kitchens, so River stays there to investigate while the rest of the group head upstairs to the library which is covered in a layer of blue powder which is only disrupted by a puddle of blood in a corner by the french doors leading to the balcony. Tasting the powder, Leaf finds it to be salty and T’ix cuts their finger on a shard of glass in the mixture. However there is no broken glass in the room. They regroup with River who has discovered that Vander’s escape alibi appears to be correct.

They wish to speak with Lady Asta and he other nephew, Master Aimon, but they are staying at the palace as guests of the Queen. River and Leaf head back upstairs to look for secret exits by checking the bookcases. They find that although the books are all perfectly aligned, the pages themselves are blank. The balcony allows them to test the powder which lets off a small amount of smoke. They climb down from the balcony via some ivy.

In the kitchens, the second half of the group look for the servant who discovered the body, an elderly halfling man called Pearce. They take him outside and ask him for a retelling of what happened.