Erithi murder mystery

Synopsis

Posted by ETANNIDOMHNAILL/Nilandia 26 March 2010

Things have been going rather fast at times so I'm sure I'll miss some things, but I'll do my best to offer a brief synopsis for people who are interested in what's been going on. There is a lot more detail, but I don't want to go on for too long.

On Monday night, a caravan of erithi stopped in Ta'Illistim on their way from the erithi homeland to an enclave of other erithi somewhere in Elanthia. A girl of the Eloth Dai was traveling to meet the Nathala man whom she was to marry.

Torrential rains caused one of the carriages to be caught in the mud and to break. While work got underway on repairing the carriage, a couple of bodyguards ventured out to look for a place for the Eloth bride to stay. Unsatisfied with any of the places proposed, the bodyguards returned to the carriages saying the bride would stay there as well. Members of the Sapphire Guard were contracted to guard the path to the carriages, preventing anyone from going who was not a member of the party.

Tuesday night the whole wedding party emerged to tour the city. The bride, Narue, wished to visit and have a look around. As the group wandered about, their various personalities manifested, some grating on one another.

Narue came to rest at the fountain in the northwest part of Briarstone Court. A pair of erithian artisans arrived to offer their services to the wedding party, but Narue said she had no need of it and they then offered their services to a few of the general populace. Once done, the group retired for the evening.

Wednesday night Narue's handmaiden Ravessa left the carriages, appearing quite shaken by something but not willing to discuss what had happened. She found her way to Briarstone Court where she was found by the bodyguards and escorted back to the group.

Thursday night Sapphire guard Iliase stopped by the path leading to the carriages while on her rounds. Soon after she left, the body of an erithi was discovered on the street just east of the smoke shop. Judging by her features and clothes, she was identified as Ravessa.

The Sapphire guard appeared soon after and took the body away for investigation. Iliase returned to the carriages and ordered the erithi out onto the street to inform them of what had happened. She also ordered that the erithi were not to leave the area. The erithi returned to their carriages, leaving the people gathered to ponder what had happened.

Gretchen

A Formal Questioning - 9 PM Volnes, 03/29/5110

Posted by GM Itzel 28 March 2010

The government of Ta'Illistim invites all interested parties to take part in a public questioning to determine the innocence or guilt of Narue, Egian, Niski and Bokuzen, those parties being held currently under suspicion of murder in the death of the handmaiden Ravessa and the coachman Buhao, as well as the presumed death of the handmaiden Adestris.

The questioning will begin at 9 PM Elven and will take place in the courtroom of the Hall of Justice. Ardtin Greyvael Illistim the Lady Councillor of Thrones will preside.

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Letters

Posted by ETANNIDOMHNAILL/Nilandia 31 March 2010

Thanks so much to the winner of the letters as well as the person who made the trade possible.

For those who are interested, here's what they say. I don't even begin to know what order they should be in.

You glance down to see a lacquered wooden scroll tube in your right hand and nothing in your left hand.

>The simple tube is almond lacquered wood. It has caps at both ends of polished jade.

In the wooden scroll tube you see a scented letter, a slightly crumpled letter, a folded letter, a dusty letter, a repurposed parchment letter, a scrawled letter and a small perfumed letter.

Scented Letter

You remove a scented letter from in your wooden scroll tube.

>The letter is inked on perfectly white parchment.

In the Erithian language, it reads:

Dearest,

You must find an excuse to meet me tonight. This summer journey proves too difficult and the need for separation between us, when physically we are so close, is a heartache I cannot bear. I long for our spring, and I loathe the coming fall. You know where my heart is.

I'm sorry that the child caused such tumult. Please don't be cross with me. This strain is too much, and her voice too shrill. If the new arrangement made things more difficult for you, I apologize. I want only your happiness.

Feather

Slightly Crumpled Letter

You remove a slightly crumpled letter from in your wooden scroll tube.

>The heavy parchment is crushed around its edges.

In the Erithian language, it reads:

Feather,

This cannot continue. Though you know my love for you, you also know I regard this as abomination. You have a promising life ahead of you, which is being squandered and threatened. It must end. Do not ask more of me, I have given all I have.

Hawk

Folded Letter

You remove a folded letter from in your wooden scroll tube.

>The heavy parchment is creased sharply down the center.

In the Erithian language, it reads:

Feather,

I'm not upset with you over your treatment of the child. I, out of everyone, know how difficult this is for you. You must remember that it pains me as well. Tact has never been your strong suit. It would do you well to learn it, and fast, as soon I will be unable to save you from your wanton tongue.

Hawk

Dusty Letter

You remove a dusty letter from in your wooden scroll tube.

>The parchment's surface has several spots of ground-in brownish dust.

In the Erithian language, it reads:

Dearest,

My head still throbs and I write this with a cloth half covering my eyes. The sheer incompetence exhibited today is truly beyond my understanding. That careless lout hit every bump on purpose, I believe.

He is a lout, plain and simple, and I cannot fathom why he would be put in my service, save for a desire to remove him from the household. Perhaps that is the crux of it. Thank you for removing him from my presence.

I have another favor to ask of you. Despite your strong demeanor, I know that you fear the coming days as much as I do. Give us a few more, love. Find a way. I know that you are capable of it.

Feather

Repurposed Parchment Letter

You remove a repurposed parchment letter from in your wooden scroll tube.

>The parchment has been scraped and its surface reused. Several individual characters are visible behind the main text, but only as isolated shadows of a correspondence lost.

In the Erithian language, it reads:

Feather,

I say again, this must end. As much as I enjoyed your company this evening, we are playing a game we cannot win. Everything is set against us. I have a horrible, sick feeling that we have lost already.

Please watch yourself around the help, and around the others. I've cautioned you before, your tongue will be the death of you. Mind it. The manner of our departure tonight was not as subtle as it should have been and I fear at least one set of eyes saw through us. Whether those eyes are connected to a mouth, I don't know.

I will protect you with my life, but I hope for both our sakes it doesn't come to that.

Hawk

Scrawled Letter

You remove a scrawled letter from in your wooden scroll tube.

>The text on the page is written in a jagged, hurried hand.

In the Erithian language, it reads:

Feather,

That was foolish and stupid. You've tainted us beyond redemption, and the filth of our actions will never be removed. We had little hope before, and now we have none.

I cannot look upon you with anything but disgust right now. We are damned.

Hawk

Small Perfumed Letter

You remove a small perfumed letter from in your wooden scroll tube.

>The letter is liberally sprinkled with a fragrant oil, which gives off the scent of night-blooming jasmine.

In the Erithian language, it reads:

Dearest,

Our hands are clean. I know that your heart is sore, but what you did tonight will not be forgotten. Come to me when you can. I will comfort you.

Feather

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Agate

Posted by ETANNIDOMHNAILL/Nilandia 31 March 2010

Thanks to Kairyu for letting me sing to this. The story is well-told, though one of the verses seems to cut off abruptly.

This is the agate from the elothrai Ravessa wore. She was the first one to die during the storyline.

With an abrupt shift the world around you vanishes. Reality slips away and you find yourself somewhere else, someone else -- somewhen else?

You stand by the side of a road, looking with blurry, teared eyes on a pile of toys and games lying at your feet. A jade coach door slams in your face. Dust swirls around you and you cough.

With a start, you snap out of your reverie, noticing your cheeks are damp.


With an abrupt shift the world around you vanishes. Once again you find yourself somewhere else, in the body of someone else.

You lie alone, your head resting on an amber pillow. You're jostled this way and that, bounced by movement. A wave of nausea grips you and you feel your skin go clammy and cold.

With a start, you snap out of your reverie, reeling a bit.


With an abrupt shift the world around you vanishes. Your surroundings disappear and you find yourself thrust into the life of someone else.

It is dark. You peer through a bubbly glaes window, straining to see. A voice whispers, "Did you see the way they looked at each other, when they left?" The voice speaks again, "Narue and her brother, did you see the way they looked at each other?" The conversation drifts away.

With a start, you snap out of your reverie, feeling a crick in your neck.


With an abrupt shift the world around you vanishes. You find yourself trapped in the body of someone else, somewhere else, and that body is in a great deal of pain.

Your throat burns. You cannot breathe. Spots of blue light dance across your vision. You try to claw at your throat, wanting desperately to speak, to move, but your hands don't respond and your tongue feels thick and meaty. Warm and scarlet life drips into your eyes. Helpless, you can only weep as something metallic is shoved into your

[This verse seems to cut off abruptly.]


The agate is as dead as its wearer. It tells you nothing further.

Katana

Posted by ETANNIDOMHNAILL/Nilandia 31 March 2010

Sevris reported this as the katana's loresong. I don't know if it's been edited, shortened, or the full song.

Sevris sings grimly:

"Two people embrace, their bodies crushed together. Overhead the stars twinkle in the night sky."

Sevris sings grimly:

"A man steps out from behind a red coach, regarding the area with caution. His katana flashes out of its silken sash, smashing against an axle. It cuts deeply, leaving a large slice, but the wood does not crack."

Sevris deeply says, "A girl chokes and coughs, dying on the ground. Her lips go blue and the light fades from her eyes. With a glance to the haughty woman at his side, who bears him a striking resemblance, a man with a katana goes to work battering and bruising the still-warm corpse. He smashes in her face with the weapon's pommel and carves a deep hole in her chest with its blade."

Sevris sings grimly:

"A crowd of people are gathered, disdainfully regarding a line of prisoners. A tall, sad looking man hands over a silken harness, the katana within one of its scabbards clinking metallically."

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