Nuala Falavaul
Nuala Yllarie Falavaul
Nuala Falavaul is an important member of the Thieves' Guild of Graymouth. She grew up on the streets of Eldress, with only her brother, Logan Falavaul, at her side. Together, they pinched whatver coin they could, and survived on stolen bread and drink, which they acquired from around the docks and markets nearby. Eventually, they would overhear tales of the untaimed lands to the North, across the Channel of Adrin. In Kalinrise of 489, the young adult Elves stowed away on a mechant vessel meant for the port city of Roots-upon-Gwynne. There they would have a new start among the colonists of Eastern Tenebrach, where they would eventually find brotherhood with other downtrodden characters seeking new starts in on the Isle as well.
Sights Set on Oakenhold
With the blessing of her superior, Mocker, Nuala set her sights on the town of Oakenhold, to expand the guild's reach into the more Northern regions. Oakenhold is a small unassuming hunting town, but it resides on a very well travelled crossroads, making it the prime location for expansion of their black market. Specifically, Nuala's sights were set on one person in particular in Oakenhold: Orsen Mournspire, a rich landowner and businessowner.
Once she arrived in Oakenhold, she entered Orsen Mournspires' employ under the guise of a courtesan. Whilst undercover, she would learn Orsen's main clientele, and the way his money changed hands, hoping to relieve him of some of it as soon as she could and begin setting up shop in town. While living in Oakenhold, she took a liking to a man in town, a hunter by the name of Erik Speares. She learned of his involvment with the militia known as the Oaken Protectorate. He was business savy, and had access to loyal men and arms. She foresaw another potential means of achieving her goals through Erik's help, and potentially partnership. When she was not busy with her schemes with Orsen, she would be in his company - until he went missing.
Erik Speares' Disappearance
After not having seen nor heard from Erik for two days, Nuala wrote an anonymous letter to Guard Captain Allan Faerberg, daring not to attach her name to it, so as not to become a suspect. Being a new arrival in town, with plenty of lies that could unravel if she were prodded, she had to distance herself from the prying eyes of authority at all costs. Captain Faerberg immediately jumped into action, since this was another missing person in a string of missing persons he had been pursuing. However, his efforts were immediately met with resistance, when the Oaken Protectorate took over Erik Speares' residence and business, and prevented the Captain's men from accessing either in any capacity. With only a volunteer force of guards that lived in town, some of which were sympathetic to the cause of the Oaken Protectorate, Allan Faerberg was once again forced to seek outside help for his investigation. He could only hope that his posted notices around town and along the roads that ran through it, offering pay and boarding for the duration of the investigation, would draw more willing adventurers to assist him. He already had one such figure on the case with him, and he knew this new disappearance would be something that individual would need to be informed about.
Break-in at Erik Speares' Residence
Noticing that Captain Faerberg's efforts were being blocked by the Protectorate, Nuala decided to take matters into her own hands. On the 9th of Greendawn 588, she broke into Erik's residence from the chimney, and proceeded to search the place. Upstairs in Erik's study, a horrifying scene awaited her. The walls and floor in the corner of the room were soaked in blood and claw marks, presumably Erik's. The scene led her to believe that he was attacked and dragged from his desk, and then mauled in the corning by something montrous. While pondering the room, deeply distraught, she heard the sounds of other persons inside the home with her, downstairs and working their way upwards. Fearing the Protectorate had made her, she laid in wait behind the door to the study. When the first figure moved into the room with her, she drew her blade and pounced, but was thrown off with ease and held at the point of a spear. The Protectorate had not found her, however, an unsuspecting group had.
Run-in with the Heroes of Oakenhold
The group that held her at spearpoint seemed to be a band of travelers that she had not encountered in town before. They were a curious mix of races and backgrounds, but they seemed to be on the trail of this investigation as well. In her precarious predicament, she managed to convince them of her innocence. This group had found a portrait of herself among Erik's things, which she explained she had commissioned for him to have. She offered to help them in their task by providing information and an in with Orsen Mournspire, her prime suspect for the murder. Nuala explained that Erik had a great love of the region and its military history, and was an avid collector of antiquities of that theming. She divulged that Erik was presented with an artifact from the Battle of Lastvault, and he had purchased it at a steal. She noticed this item was missing from his residence, as he had hung it above his mantle in the parlor, but it was no longer there. Nuala voiced that she suspected Orsen might have killed him, or had him killed, for that artifact, as he was propositioned to buy it inside Orsen's business, where he could have overheard the conversation. With these leads, the group helped her escape the guarded building and Nuala promised to meet them at Orsen's business, the Broadleaf Gentlemen's Club.
The Murders Solved
Nuala waited at the gentlemen's club the next day, while working, until the party arrived. They cased out the building for some time before apparently seeking other leads. Frustrated, but understanding, as Orsen had a host of Oaken Protectorate thugs with him that same day in the club, Nuala sought to meet up with them later that night. Orsen, however, abruptly left his business in the middle of the day, which Nuala found extremely odd. She managed to slip away and follow him as he ventured out into the town square. There he seemingly was searching for his wife and daughter. Once Orsen had collected them, he appeared to be bringing them by wagon back to his residence, a large manor just outside of town. Knowing she could not keep tabs on him further, but certain of his destination, Nuala headed back to her apartment to collect her gear and armaments, and decided to take this opportunity to confront Orsen directly, in his home, about the whereabouts of Erik Speares. She knew this would destroy her plans on skimming off the top of Orsen's business for her goals, but she resolved to find out what happened to Erik above all else.
When she had finished collecting her gear, Nuala then made her way stealthily around the outskirts of town towards Mournspire Manor. Upon arriving, the gates to the manor ground were wide open. Sneaking inside, she noticed the group of adventurers and Captain Faerberg were conversing with Orsen's daughter Rosalin Mournspire, while a distraught Natalee Mournspire sat huddled against their wagon. She overheard the group of adventurers telling Allan Faerberg that Orsen was not what he seemed, and that he was the one responsible for Erik's death and others. Hearing confirmation of Erik's death, and Orsen's guilt in it, Nuala ran back to her place to process everything. The next day, she heard chatter at the club that Orsen had been taken into custody and was being kept in lockup by the Guard Captain. The fate of the club was now unknown. Realizing she was running out of options in Oakenhold, Nuala figured she would have to return to Graymouth, but she would not go empty handed. On her last night in the town, she broke into Orsen's office at the gentlemen's club and stole 1,500gp from the business' coffers, bought a horse, and fled East to reunite with her kin in Graymouth.
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