S1 E22: Almost Finding the Almost-Killer
General Summary
In which the gang saves the day, and the man, but many ends remain loose...
- In the instant after the event, Keebler takes a quick analysis of the occasion and taps into hidden psychic reserves to broadcast not just words, but a wave of psychic calm accompanying them - "Okay everyone, calm down!" - the net effect is that what was likely to have instantly become a chaotic fight comes down several notches to something still highly volatile, but manageable.
- The head is found, on the ground behind the body. Xi Shi seems a little behind everyone else in realizing what has happened, and Keebler's firm suggestion of calm removes what little natural emotion she might have felt - now she just hopes the pears get out here soon.
- Blizzard is immediately suspicious and focused on Kador's business, but Kador reacts in what seems to be a fairly reasonable way, considering; he alerts his guards to lock things down and starts sweeping the room for culprits. Blizzard also watches Elsinore, next to him, soaked in her husband's blood.
- Lorfel, however, has a real break - his familiar, Claude, senses an invisible being that no one else has seen with his blindsight. Claude is directed to follow. The invisible being heads into the kitchen and down into the winecellar, pursued by a small but fierce Fiddler Crab.
- Meanwhile Lorfel, Zaginax and the Serene Mistress collaborate on an outside chance at saving the Castellan's life, or restoring it. Lorfel uses one of his Greater Restoration scrolls to reattach the head to the body, but the man has already bled to death. Lorfel lets Mae, Blizzard, and the others know about the invisible being, and everyone gives chase.
- The wine cellar is dimly lit and fairly deep, lined with wine racks from floor to ceiling; a wine steward seems shocked and dismayed at the commotion and gets knocked aside by an unseen assailant. Claude, unfortunately, is stomped. Mae pursues closely and gets a glimpse of the creature, coated in find dust from crawling up to the top of the racks and brushing against the ceiling. A dispel magic spell causes something to pop and a small flat-tipped sword or large flat-tipped dagger, depending on how you want to call it, covered in runes drops to the floor.
- More people arrive on the scene; Thanks to Lorfel's divination he ensures the creature can't avoid the effects of a hold person spell. Strangely enough, it remains invisible. They drag it back upstairs where Kador begins pummeling it for answers, letting Blizzard and others join in. This search took almost a minute, but there's time to cast Revivify, which the Serene Mistress uses to bring the repaired body back to life. Blizzard uses lay on hands to bring the Castellan back to a semblance of normality.
- Eventually this creature is identified as a Skulk - not a creature protected by magical invisibility, but a creature that literally has no visible form and cannot be seen under normal conditions. The mirrors on the side walls that might have shown it were removed before the event, which can't be a coincidence. This casts significant suspicion on Amanara, who made all the room arrangements and also labeled Keebler as a knife Juggler on the invitations. However to this point no one seems to have noticed that Keebler had knives like the one left in the stump; the jugglers all had knives.
- Repeatedly bashing the Skulk for answers proves to be fruitless as its mouth is as fake as a doll mouth; it can evidently understand common but can't speak.
- Guests are questioned, and while several seem to have means, the motive remains unclear. However the help admits that it was Elsinore who threw fits about mirrors and had not just these but all the mirrors in the house removed. Going to look for the mirrors takes some time, but locate object only leads to the Keep's trash heap.
- The revived but understandably disoriented Castellan and his wife return to their quarters to change out of their ruined clothing; the help busies itself mopping blood off the floor. Xi Shi laments the absence of the Baked Pear dessert. but another use of Locate object, looking for suspicious books, leads not to the Study but to Elsinore's own private collection featuring several unsavory tomes that point to her interest in the Shadowfell, the Raven Queen, and learning Infernal speech.
- Before any significant accusations can be made, the two 'missing' guests arrive - Ambassador Piket and his wife Giselle, on their way back to Marleven from their diplomatic mission in the Wild Wastes. Piket is understandably confused as to what's happening; Giselle simply watches what's going on and clings close by her husband's side, not saying a word.
Report Date
30 Aug 2022
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