The snow has begun to collect in drifts along the window sill, and Misteline peering at the city from his tower top library, feels the cold pinch at his nose. Behind him, his maid, Maud, pokes at the fire place.
"It won't be long now Maestro" she mutters. "I'll have this room nice n warm for you."
Misteline thanks her with a vague smile. His mind is troubled, but he doesn't know why. Below, the city is wreathed in a grey shroud of dirty snow and mist. The smoke from a thousand chimney pots rises into the air, and here and there, figures hurry through the chill winter streets.
What a morning he thinks.
The last two years have been a hard time for Takshendal. Outbreaks of dysentery and cholera followed the Sot of 1625, and the harvest of 1626 was disapointing, even for a reduced population. The summer was brief and wet and everywhere the city began to show signs of chronic decay. More and more houses were left empty as people died or fled the city, and as the weather turned ever colder those who remained ransacked the abandoned buildings for fuel. Wood that had sat damp and cold in the autumn was now being burned, releasing a foul miasma into the air above the city.
It won't last, Misteline thought to himself. Soon the scavenged wood will all be gone and people will have to pay high prices to keep warm. He felt the warmth at his back and turned to regard the small fireplace where Maud was brushing up fragments of kindling which lay scattered about. Thankfully his winter would not be as cold as so many others.
"There you go Maestro" she beamed in triumph. "Its a tricksey chimney that one, but I've got the knack of it. You just ring the bell if you need me to come up again."
Misteline nodded and held open the door so she might pass through whilst carrying her bucket and brush.
"I'll have the boy bring up some more wood straight away" she said, as she squeezed her ample posterior down the spiral staircase.
"Thank you Maud" Misteline replied as he shut the door. He went and sat by the fire and picked up the small green portfolio which contained his sketches for the Mullbell painting. Leafing through the drawings he found the one he'd been thinking of and sat staring at it whilst he let various compositions run through his head. By his side, was a small glass of sherry, which he sipped as he mused, the fire warming his toes.
This pleasant reverie was suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door, and all the foreboding and subtle anxiety he had felt earlier returned. For a moment he felt a belligerent urge to ignore the knock and hope whom ever it was might go away, but then he recalled Maud's promise to send up more wood for the fire.
"Come in" he called.
The door opens to reveal his valet, Sillingcull.
"Maestro. There are two gentlemen at the door who wish to speak with you. They say they have been sent by the City Marshal."
I thought as much Misteline nodded to himself and Sillingcull, mistaking the gesture turned and left. For the next two minutes, Misteline tidied up his papers and drawings and finally, two well dressed men, with the familiar air of nervous authority came up the stairs. For a moment both stood in the door way breathing heavily.
"Come in gentlemen." Misteline produced two more glasses. "Come in and sit by the fire."
"Thank you sir" the first replies and glanced about the room with curiosity. "I've often wondered what it must be like to live up here. I see you have a very comfortable eyrie."
"Such a view!" the other agreed.
"Thank you. Your health!"
After they had drunk and sat by the fire, Misteline regarded them each in turn. The shy one was obviously a subordinate to the other for he held a leather satchel stuffed with papers, had ink stains on his hands and deferred to his master's conversation.
"My name is Trapsprout. Captain Trapsprout, that is, of the constabulary. This is my assistant Bookwater."
Misteline bowed his head politely and after a long hesitation, when Trapsprout realised Misteline had no need to make a further response since they already knew his name, he continued.
"A few days ago, one of the students at Threadmore and Whittle's College for Young Gentlemen was murdered in a rather brutal fashion. This by itself would be cause for alarm, but unfortunately, the murdered boy was also the grandson of Lord Edvard Arus. The Earl of Arus himself. As you can imagine this has caused an uproar at the very highest levels and the King himself has expressed a desire to see the matter resolved with as much speed and alacrity as possible. I probably don't need to remind you that my position, was only recently created and as it stands at the moment, the western constabulary of Takshendal sits before you in its entirety."
Misteline raised his eyebrows sympathetically and motioned for Captain Trapsprout to continue. He saw all to easily what was coming next.
"Naturally, I set about investigating the crime at once. I summoned Doctor Cinder, of whom I am informed you have heard, and we conducted a thorough investigation of the body. I have Cinder's report here, and you may read it on the understanding that it is confidential. Edvard Arus it seems was killed by Jack the Knife, or some one emulating Jack the Knife."
Misteline leant forward to accept the report; "The boy was also named Edvard Arus?"
"He was, yes. He was named in his grandfather's honour."
"Jack the Knife has been murdering young people for a good many years now. Do you have any confidence that he can be tracked down fast enough to satisfy Lord Arus?"
Captain Trapsprout softly tapped his fingers on his knees.
"I don't, no, but that is not my primary concern at the moment either. There is another aspect of this case of which I have not yet told you. It is also I might add, the reason why your name came up when I reported my findings to my superior, Sir Gideon De Vere."
"I am not familiar with Sir Gideon" Misteline interjected.
"Sir Gideon is the newly appointed head of the City Militia. He assumed Marshal Quartermoon's former responsibilities last week."
"And Marshal Quartermoon?"
"He remains as overall commander of the Kings Forces, so in essence he is Sir Gideon's superior. I met with them both last night and we talked about this matter at some length. The problem you see is that young Edvard Arus was a homosexual, but as a Skavvian noble..."
"...he can not be seen to have been a homosexual." Misteline concluded. "I see your dilemma. The Skavvians in their moral indignation would seek to place the blame on the corrupting influence of Takshendal, though the boy was likely a practicing homosexual long before he came here."
"Do you really think so?"
Misteline shrugged. "How old was he?"
"Seventeen."
"It is entirely possible. I cannot say."
Trapsprout spreads his hands wide. "You can say more about it than I. My family was raised in the traditions of the Church of Holy Law and whilst I have long since accepted the teachings of the Church of Holy Love, I cannot claim to be anything of an expert in these kinds of relationships between men and men. I confess, I am at a loss as to how to approach this matter with subtlety and I said as much to Sir Gideon and the Marshal. How can the Captain of the Western District, investigate this boy's murder, be seen and heard questioning all and sundry about his relationship to other boys and not draw attention to the fact that he was a sodomist?"
"Do you believe he was killed by a lover then?"
"In all honesty I have no idea. Jack the Knife has killed several young men and it is entirely possible that young Edvard Arus simply took the wrong man for a lover. If that is the case however, it will mean investigating Edvard Arus's lovers and isolating which one is Jack the Knife."
"Jack the Knife" Misteline leant back in his chair and stared at the fire. "How many murders has he committed by now?"
"The Marshal has compiled a list. I have a copy here."
"And it was Quartermoon who recommended me too wasn't it" Misteline's eyes glittered as he watched the Captain's discomfort at the familiar use of the Marshal's name.
"It was. Yes. He also said that if you were hesitant, I was to ask you at look at the list and consider the eighteenth victim..."
Misteline frowned, then accepting the list, he ran his eyes down it. When he reached the eighteenth name he sighed in surprise. For a moment he stared at the paper though he saw it not, then with deceptive deliberation he turned his gaze on Trapsprout. Inside he felt the beginning of a slow burning anger.
"You may tell Leander Quartermoon, that I accept, but only on the condition that I have full responsibility for my time, my efforts and my discretion, and I will not accept any political interference."
"The Marshal suggested that might be your answer, and I was told to accept your conditions but in return to place one on you too. You must be careful not to let news of the murder reach the public ear. A delegation from Arus will arrive in the city soon and the body will be returned for internment in the family crypt. You may employ your usual assistants, but if you need further help, you must come to me and I shall supply constables for you."
"My usual assistants?"
"I was told you had some accomplices in your previous investigations...?"
Misteline nods, but wonders to himself whether Rufus and Marmaduke even know how to spell subtlety.
~~~~~~ Tak4.1. Played 1st Nov. 2012. ~ Players were Jan, Goeg, Oleg and Palle. ~~~~~~
9th Dec. 1626.
Marmaduke was awoken by the arrival of his next maid; a fresh, rosy cheeked girl named Daisy who began to clean up his house almost immediately. Unsure as to what to do next, Marmaduke watched the girl for a while, then withdrew, muttering, to his workshop... It was here, Rufus found him a few hours later when he was sent by Misteline to fetch Marmaduke. Marmaduke was moderately surprised to see Rufus whom he hadn't seen for several months, but when he heard that Misteline had been asked to look into a murder, he put aside his tools and joined Rufus in a last look at Daisy. The two friends then climbed Misteline's tower to find out what was taking place. Misteline filled them in on the details and the three companions decided to start their investigation by drawing a map of the city to plot out where the murders had all taken place. Misteline marked all the murders which had taken place in the city, and for which an address had been provided by Marshal Quartermoon's list of probable victims.
When the map was finished, it was noted that despite the high number of murdered prostitutes on the list, there were no victims in three of those districts known for prostitution; Dockside, Bankside and Citadel. Rufus wondered if this was because the high numbers of people to be found in these districts at night, would make it harder for Jack the Knife to remain undetected.
Having finished the map, Misteline pondered on the details of the murder of Edvard Arus. In his opinion, the facts as presented in Doctor Cinder's report, didn't fit with the details of Jack the Knife's later killings. The murder of Edvard Arus seemed too clumsy. The companions decided to visit Doctor Cinder and get a first hand account of his thoughts on the matter.
Lucius Cinder was amenable to being visited and expanded upon his thoughts regarding the list of victims. He agreed, in principle, with Misteline's conjecture that Edvard Arus's murderer may be some one other than Jack the Knife, and agreed also that the method of post-mortem amputation didn't correspond to the later victims of the notorious murderer, but he also pointed out the mercurial nature of Jack's murders and offered the opinion that he was probably an opportunist. The conversation eventually drifted from the murders to the known history of Jack the Knife until eventually the three companions bade farewell to Doctor Cinder and made their way to Threadmore and Whittle's College for Young Gentlemen.
Threadmore and Whittles as seen from the north-west
They found the college to be housed in an old building complex, largely concealed from the rest of the city by design. Entering via a large blue gate, which was kept closed, they found four wings of an old building facing an inner courtyard with a small but well kept grass lawn at the centre. To the rear of the structure (facing north) was a second gateway, which was open to reveal several more buildings, which presumably belonged the college. The gate to the street had been answered by a stocky, friendly faced man, in the garb of a Gardener. When Misteline stated the nature of his visit, the companions were taken to see the Dean of the college, who was introduced as Willus Groating-Killthrush.
The Dean was an old, some what flabby gentlemen, with sparse grey hair and a long grey white beard. He wore a thick red robe and had the manner of an aging recluse. He showed very little interest in the death of Edvard Arus, but seemed to understand its implications perfectly. He consented to Misteline's request to examine Edvard Arus's quarters and seemed only too happy to let a discreet investigation examine the young man's murder.
Edvard Arus shared his rooms with another student named Oliver Grumblehatch, and this young man answered the door and readily let the companions enter where they immediately came face to face with the blood stained floor and axe marks which were mentioned in Doctor Cinder's report. Misteline, Rufus and Marmaduke set about examining the apartment, which was quite large and opulent for the abode of students, and learned that the sons of wealthier families were given better accommodation at Threadmore and Whittles. There were twenty such students at the college and all were housed in ten apartments which made up the west wing.
Oliver Grumblehatch gave every appearance of being an amenable young man, saddened by the death of a friend. His accent and mannerisms portrayed a rural background, indicating Grumblehatch was the son of a wealthy land owner. He was a tall (as tall as Marmaduke), rosy cheeked fellow, with a laconic personality. Misteline determined by instinct that Oliver was not a homosexual.
Oliver expained that Edvard had been a friendly, outward going student who had excelled at his lessons and proven to be a very intelligent person. The apartment, and not least Edvard's bedroom, was full of books which further illustrated this aspect and Misteline was moderately surprised at just how many books Edvard had accumulated in such a short span of time. A geat many of the books had come from Skavva and could not be read by the companions, but of the many books which Edvard had purchased since his arrival in Takshendal, all seemed to be theatrical plays, poetry and classical literature. In a copy of a play titled 'Cat-o-nine tails', Misteline found a scribbled date (4 Jun) in the margin. The play in question, he recalled had been performed at the Sun Theatre on that date.
Misteline asked Oliver about Edvard's friends and lovers, and Oliver replied that Edvard had briefly a lover at the school; another student named Harrison Carfox who lived in the next door apartment (1b). Oliver also told Misteline the name of the two students who lived in the apartment on the ground floor below; Anselmus Derrykettle and Harlon Allgood. When asked about any friends or family beyond the school, Oliver said Edvard had had a friend prior to attending Threadmore and Whittles, but he only knew this person by the name 'Garret'.
Hving already noted the axe marks in the floor, the three companions set about examining the apartment closely. Marmaduke noted the sky lights in the rear of the building provided easy access to the roof, but could only be opened from within.
In Edvard's room, they found the bed upon which Edvard had been laid, still stained by the blood which had soaked right through the mattress on to the floor. Misteline searched for a diary or the private correspondance, which Oliver said Edvard was constantly writing, but to no avail. A leather satchel which Oliver said Edvard had used to keep all his letters in, was found to be missing from the room.
A. Bookshelves (all contain Edvard's books)
B. Desk. Stacked on top with papers and books (all Edvards).
C. Cubbard. Full of Edvard's clothes.
D. Chest. Contains various domestic items.
E. Cupboard. Contains Oliver's clothes.
F. Oliver's desk.
G. Oliver's bed.
H. Edvard's bed. Saturated with dried blood.
I. Edvard's desk. Full of books and academic papers.
J. Fireplace.
1. Living room. On the floor are blood stains and five cut marks.
2. Study.
3. Oliver's room. Almost tidy.
4. Stair well.
5. Edvard's room. Cluttered with books, papers and various academic clutter.
~~~~~~ Misteline's notes ~~~~~~
There are a few things that struck me at once:Obviously, it is unlikely that all victims of Jack the Knife have come to light. At the same time, it is by no means certain that all of the victims were killed and mutilated by a single person.
Griselda Honeycomb, a fine woman for whom I had more than a little respect, was killed by someone. I intend to find that person.
Looking at the Jack the Knife killings, there are a few common factors:
Most of the victims had been sexually active immediately before their deaths, but there is no reason to believe that this was with the killer.
Many were prostitutes, which I will elaborate below.
Most of the females had been strangled.
Most of the males had been stabbed / beaten.
This may be consistent with females being easier to approach and/or overpower than males.
There were more female victims than male ones.
Victims had been mutilated; typically with the hands removed, and often placed in water and/or a vessel that contained water. Some males were mutilated to a greater extent; manhood removed, and so forth.
A dog rose, or parts of a dog rose were placed in some of the victims' mouths.
Only in the case of Anna Foxglove, the 15th victim, was the killing observed, and the killer interrupted. The dog rose was present, but there was no mutilation, and there is no actual evidence that the usual mutilations took place immediately after the other killings, save that delay would have increased the risk of discovery.
In the case of Edvard Arus, there was, according to Doctor Cinder, there was an interval of several hours between death and mutilation, which may or may not be unusual.
I cannot discern a pattern to the killings, except that there are notably no victims in the districts of Dock Side, Bankside and Citadel, all of which contain a proportion of prostitutes. This being despite the great proportion of victims who were young female prostitutes, or at least young, female, sexually active, and fairly poor.
There were some apparent breaks in Jack's activities.
Leander Quartermoon had been notably keen to follow up these murders, whilst Sir Reginald Flatlock had been equally dismissive.
Factors that I consider significant, include:
The sex, killing, dog rose and mutilation, especially the removal of the hands.
That most of the victims were young, female, and poor; easy victims, but that a few were not. I am beginning to suspect that there are 2 killers with different motives; Jack the Knife who kills for whatever deranged personal reasons that he has, and at least another person who masks his real motives by imitating Jack's style.
The other killer may have been seeking financial gain (anything from a robbery gone wrong to meddling with an inheritance) to remove someone who knew something (a witness, or something more obscure), for a political motive, or for any number of person reasons (jealousy, revenge, honour, and so forth). The actual killer might have been a paid agent.
I suspect that Edvard Arus, and possibly Griselda Honeycomb had been killed by the other killer, whom I am going to call Dudley.
And, I wonder again about Sir Reginald Flatlock.
That there are no victims in Dock Side, Bankside and Citadel, though this could be for all sorts of reasons.
Especially significant about the murder of Edvard Arus:
Unlike most of the other victims, Edvard was in his own rooms, which were hard to access from outside.
He had been beaten. He had been strangled, rather than stabbed, as most of the other male victims had been.
This would probably have caused some noise. There were no obvious signs of a struggle, however.
There was no mention of a dog rose.
There was an interval of a few hours between his murder and mutilation, which was unsubtle and not as complete as for most of the other male victims. He had been dragged into his own room, although the blood was obvious in the main room.
This would definitely have caused noise. I did not find a likely implement.
The valise containing his correspondence was missing.
I suspect that there may have been 2 people involved; a killer and a person who mutilated the body. There may even have been an accomplice to help the others get into the college.
How long do dog roses bloom in Takshendal?
Are they difficult or impossible to obtain at this time of year, as I suspect.
~~~~~~ Tak4.2. Played 14th Nov. 2012. ~ Players were Jan, Goeg, Oleg and Palle. ~~~~~~
1a - Carter Moorecroft & Gerald Leach.1b - Harrison Carfox & Belmont Gartershaw.2a - Anselmus Derrykettle & Harlon Allgood.2b - Edvard Arus & Oliver Grumblehatch.3a - Sandy Newpoort & Robert Heathpool.3b - Ivar Minchputt & Ummo Askara
Having established that Edvard's correspondence was missing, the companions continued to search Edvard and Oliver's rooms for any thing else which might also be taken, but to no avail. After this, Misteline questioned Oliver with regards to the timing of his discovery of Edvard's body. According to Oliver, he returned to the school at around 6pm on the 3rd Decembre (Sunday) and alerted by the blood trail in the living room, found Edvard dead in his bed. Having the benefit of Doctor Cinder's thoughts on the matter Misteline estimated that Edvard was most probably killed at some point during the evening of the 2nd.
Having exhausted all obvious avenues of inquiry with Oliver, the companions turned their attentions to the neighbouring apartments. See image above for a diagram showing where the respective students live in relation to Edvard and Oliver.
No one answered the door at 2a but it was obvious that a great many students were at their dinner, so the three investigators went across the courtyard lawn and entered the main dining hall where some sixty students and several faculty members were eating stewed eel. Space was made for the companions who sat down to eat, though Rufus declined the sad fare. Misteline sketched the students whilst he observed them, and asking about, soon made the acquaintance of Anselmus Derrykettle. Anselmus was a short, wiry fellow with impressive sideburns. He was unable to shed any light on the murder and was not at the school on the 2nd. He pointed out Belmont Gartershaw whom Misteline then talked to.
Belmont was a rotund young man with a florid face and jovial eyes. Like Anselmus, he was unable to help in any way, except by directing the companions to the dance classroom, where they might find Harrison Carfox. Harrison he explained (to the general mirth of surrounding students) kept odd hours, but could nearly always be found at the dance classroom.
Following directions from the students, Misteline, Marmaduke and Rufus made their way up to the (rather small and cramped) dance classroom where they found several students, including Harrison, engaged in rehearsing a play of some kind. With them was a well dressed, older man who identified himself as the college's Master of Conduct, Laurence Turnfurt. After a few introductions, the companions returned with Harrison (who was still wearing a lady's dress) to his rooms (apartment 1b), where Misteline noted several more female costumes hanging in a closet.
Harrison changed his clothes then re-joined the companions to answer their questions regarding Edvard Arus. They had become lovers he said, a few days after they'd first met, when Edvard had begun at the college. He described Edvard as a lively minded and friendly person whom it was impossible not to like, but who had changed in the weeks leading up to his death, becoming some what brusque in his manner and coarse in his speech. In Harrison's opinion, this was because Edvard had started to spend time out side of the college. Their relationship had lasted until a few weeks prior to Edvard's murder (roughly seven weeks) and had ended with the consent of both men. Edvard had developed since his arrival in Takshendal, and as his horizon's broadened, the two men saw less of each other. Harrison explained that had understood perfectly that Edvard would move on eventually. It seemed (he said) inevitable. Misteline asked if Harrison had any knowledge with regards to who 'Garret' might be, and Harrsion explained that Garret Whitefoot was a merchant of some kind, who had been Edvard's lover from before he came to Takshendal. Harrison had once met Garret in a coffee house and was able to provide a description (middle aged, lean of build, handsome, iron-grey hair) and assist Misteline in the making of a sketch.
Having thanked Harrison for his assistance, the companions returned to apartment 1a where they now found the occupants at home. Carter Moorecroft and Gerald Leach turned out to be a pair of young men seemingly obsessed with fencing. Both wore rapiers and despite their young age, affected the swordsman swagger. On the wall of their apartment, Rufus and Misteline noted hung the illustrations Misteline had drawn for Rufus's book. Neither Moorecroft or Leach were able to shed any light on the night of the 2nd. Both claimed to have attended a duel outside of the city, after which they'd gone 'wenching'. According to their tale, they returned, some what hung over, on the 3rd.
Unable to find anything interesting about the two young fire brands, the companions bid them good night and went to apartment 3a where the door was answered by Robert Heathpool. Heathpool turned out to be much older than the other students, Misteline guessed his age to be somewhere in the late twenties, and his apartment reflected his maturity, being comfortable and well provisioned. Invited in for yet another drink, Misteline was interested to meet the much younger Sandy Newpoort, who bore something of a family resemblence to Heathpool. When questioned, both men admitted to have been home on the night of the 2nd, but said they'd heard nothing untoward. Misteline and Rufus then checked to see how much noise was audible from apartment 1b and examined the axe cuts in the floor. They determined that an axe blow to the timber of the wooden floor would have been audible in the adjecent buildings, but not particularly loud. The cuts appeared to have been made by a curved blade.
As the darkness deepened, the three investigators visited the last apartment where Ivar Minchputt and Ummo Askara resided. Minchputt answered the door and admitted the companions to an apartment that was well furnished with Turskurian rugs, a divan and several unusual artefacts of furniture, the purposes of which were obscure. Seated on the divan, smoking from a hookah was Ummo Askara who turned out to be a swarthy young man with soft features, dark eyes and a generally foul disposition. Hanging upon the wall behind him was a gilded scimitar which Askara claimed to be an ancestoral blade that had belonged to his grandfather (Rufus examined the weapon and concluded it was a cheap copy) Ivar Minchputt by comparions was tall and dour with blonde hair and a full beard. Misteline explained his errand and asked if the two men had been home on the night of the 2nd. Both admitted they had, and Ivar explained that he could often hear sounds from apartment 2b, including noises made by Edvard and his lovers. As part Skavvian (his father was of Takshendal) he naturally frowned on such behaviour, but explained that when in Takshendal, he declined to make a fuss about it. Askara voiced the opinion that it was of no account to a civilised man, but Takshendal being a 'stinking city of burning shit', it was no suprirse to him if Arus had been murdered on account of his vices.
After a second brief examination of the floor in 1b, in order to determine whether or not the cuts in the floor could have been made by Askara's scimitar (undetermined but probably not), the three companions left Threadmore and Whittle's College for Young Gentlemen and headed down to the harbour in the Citadell District where they stopped at a street vendor and ate some meat rolls. After having debated amongst thmselve sfor a while they walked back to the college and examined the building to the left of it (the back of which adjoined the apartment wing of the college). This building appeared to be a large factory compound and upon its facade were the faded words 'Rope' and 'Saddles'. From within Misteline detected the unmistakable odor of a tannery. Rufus noted a shadowy figure in a long cape lurking at the far end of the street, but said nothing.
There didn't seem to be anything left to do, so the three companions decided to go home. Rufus kept an eye on the lurker, but as the three companions approached, the man melted into the shadows of a gateway until they had passed. Then, as the companions made their way home, Marmaduke also noted the stranger following them. Returning directly to Misteline's tower, they decided not to confront the tail lest they scare him off. Misteline was delighted that some one was taking an interest in their investigagtion.
Once they had retuned to the tower, Marmaduke visited the battlements to see if he could spot the lurker, but to no avail. His endeavours were quickly curtailed when his bowels took exception to the meat roll he had eaten in the Citadel District.
~~~~~~ Misteline's notes ~~~~~~
Having interviewed most of Edvard's neighbours; most were out, but 4 were home for some of the time when we think that Edvard was beaten and killed (2/12; the first day of the weekend).
The 4 claimed not to have heard anything, although Marmaduke's simple test showed that the sound of the axe blows should have been audible in the neighbouring apartments.
This could be because:
They lied; they were not in their lodgings. This could be unrelated to what happened to Edvard (anything from not admitting to doing something else illicit, to forgetting the few minutes of absence due to a routine activity).
They lied; they heard disturbances. Possibly, I should interview students again, separately.
They heard the sounds, but either thought nothing of it at the time or forgot. However, they would have heard of the murder soon afterwards, and that would probably have jogged their memory. The lodgings seemed fairly quiet, with few distractions.
Our estimate of the timing of events is incorrect.
Some of the events took place elsewhere. The chopping and blood took place in Edvard's common room, even if his beating and strangulation took place elsewhere.
We haven't made much progress.
I think that Edvard had sex, was beaten, then strangled, then, after an hour or so, his body was mutilated and moved to make it appear that he was a victim of Jack the Knife. A satchel with papers is missing, but apparently nothing else.
The various people; lover, beater, strangler and mutilator, and whoever removed the satchel, may have been the same or different people, working together, at cross purposes, or independently.
Only the mutilation and moving definitely took place in the apartment, although I suspect that Edvard was beaten and killed there as well, and that the beater / strangler was the same person.
We do not know that any of the people were from inside or outside the school, although his most recent lover; (who seems to have been) Garret, is from the city. Students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff from the school certainly had easier access to Edvard's rooms, but access from the city (either unnoticed or unrecorded) would have been easy enough for someone with some inside knowledge. Access to the apartment would have been easiest for someone whom Edvard knew or expected, including someone from the city or family.
Unfortunately, because we cannot even confirm the time of Edvard's mutilation (the noisiest activity), so reconstructing his movements leading up to his death has also proved impossible, so far.
I really doubt that any of this has anything to do with Jack the Knife.
Furthermore, unless someone is being very clever, the mutilator was working upon common knowledge of Jack the Knife; he did not know about the dog rose, as this is not common knowledge.
I want to bring Jack the Knife to justice, as well.
Edvard seems to have been a cultured, but at first callow young man.
He does not seem to have been like his father; a Skavian war-leader with a formidable reputation. Nor does he seem to have been particularly politically important, or ambitious. He may have been seen as a black sheep, disappointment, or even illegitimate by his family.
The only progress we made was that we seem to have someone following us; a burly man in a dark cloak. Someone is interested in us, and that person may know (or be working for someone who knows) rather more than we do. So we have to identify him, ideally without letting him know that we have spotted him.
Unfortunately Marmaduke has noticed him.
Things to do:
Find Garret, Edvard's associate from outside the school.
Interview his lover (name?)… and neighbours.
Done, to some extent.
We have to interview Garret, and his relatives in Takshendal.
Piece together who was where, when, and who (might have) seen and/or heard things.
We need to find out who the Man in Black is. I think that Rufus should try to follow him discretely, as Rufus is alert, and can take care of himself. He isn't particularly streetwise, but he is probably the best we have.
Security. I am going to start wearing concealed armour for some of the time; if I expect to return by night. If Rufus is not by my side, a militiaman or two, guarding our backs (or at least on call), would be a sensible precaution. Militia would completely negate my unofficial capacity, though, so being on call or in plain clothes would be better. Since everyone at the school knows that I am investigating, a few guards wouldn't do much harm, but I cannot, for example, interview Edvard's relatives, or make discrete enquiries amongst the entertainers of Takshendal, backed by a squad of militia. Also, men with swords can deter violence, but they can also provoke violence, or lead an opponent to commit sufficient force to overcome them (I'm thinking more of a crossbow bolt substituting for a mugging).
What is the seasonal availability of dog roses?
How well known are the details of the Jack the Knife killings; the dog rose, inaccurate hearsay, etc.?
~~~~~~ Tak4.3.Played 28th Nov. 2012. ~ Players were Jan, Goeg, Oleg and Palle. ~~~~~~
10th Dec. 1626.
Rufus was awoken, bright and early, by Meg, lighting his fire. Rather than lie in bed, he decided to go down stairs and take his breakfast in the kitchen. Misteline was still asleep, so once he'd eaten, Rufus went to find Marmaduke but kept in turmoil by the meat roll he had eaten the evening before, Marmaduke had had a terrible night and was in no state to leave his house. Rufus offered some sage advice regarding stewed apple and then made his way down to Misteline's wine cellar where he searched for a good bottle to cure Marmaduke's upset stomach.
Peeking in on Misteline, Rufus found him awake, and at his breakfast. He sat and joined him, and as the two men talked about the previous day's investigation, they were told there was some one at the door seeking an audience. Misteline admitted the stranger, and Rufus recognized the man who had been following them the night before. The stranger introduced himself as militia constable Milo Minnowrut, and explained that, along with two others, he had been tasked by Captain Trapsprout to hang around and lend all possible assistance to Misteline. The other two constables he named as 'Badger' and Sonya Sprig.
Having recovered some what, Marmaduke arrived mid morning and the companions decided to defy the miserable weather (it had been raining heavily all morning) and return to the college. Several questions had remained unanswered and Misteline particularly wanted to resume his conversation with Harrison Carfox. Fortunately, Harrison was still in his rooms, and wa sable to tell the companions that he had met Garret at a popular coffee house named 'Bullrushes' and Misteline sent Rufus there at once to hang around and investigate.
Meanwhile, Marmaduke decided to go and question some of the domestic staff and so made his way to the rear courtyard wher, amongst the clutter of buildings, he came across the laundry. Here, a number of red faced women. were busily washing bed linen, but despite his best efforts at ingratiating himself, poor Marmaduke failed to illicit any substantial information, until one of the younger women, caught his eye and told him to meet her around the back of the building. This he did, and for a modest fee, the woman described three different men who had been frequent visitors to Edvard Arus in the last weeks of his life. When shown a drawing, she identified one of the men as Garret, the second she knew to be Edvard's cousin Arman, but the third was a stranger whom she could only describe as 'lean and unkempt'.
Whilst Marmaduke questioned the woman, and Rufus hung about the coffee house for a good long while, Misteline went to see the Philiosophy Master, Jeremiah Bullnod who was in his study smoking nicotiana in a pipe. Whilst Misteline tried this strange vice, with mixed results, Jeremiah talked about Edvard Arus, whom he described as having been a pleasant young man, though almost certainly a paederast and in some kind of unfavourable relationship with the Master of Conduct, Laurence Turnfurt. Misteline thanked the Master for his insight, and then made his way to a local inn named 'The Cackle and Jar' where he met up with Rufus, Marmaduke and Milo.
Over a plate of toad-in-the-hole, the companions compared notes whilst Milo was sent back to 'Bullrushes' with Misteline's sketch of Garret. There was till no clear line of inquiry so a visit to Edvard Arus's family in Takshendal was decided upon and once Milo had returned (without result) the companions made their way to the house of Sir Wendel Weathermoss.
Because of the complexities of the House of Arus, and the lack of any local expert to advise on the matter, it was not easy for Misteline to identify who was who, but one thing was for certain, Edvard Arus had recently seen a lot of his cousin, Arman Weathermoss, whose mother, Lady Oriana was Edvard's aunt. The Weathermoss house was in the Liberty of Fulkingtor and upon arrival the three friends found the house to be rather large and with substantial gardens. Upon entry, and dripping wet from the rain, the investigators were put into a waiting room whilst the butler went to find his mistress (Sir Wendel being away on business). Fresh clothing was provided by the domestic staff and Misteline tasked Marmaduke with drying out their wet garments.
Lady Oriana, dressed in mourning, received Misteline and Rufus in a south facing sitting room, where in sat her two daughters Lisle and Gurli, crocheting. Misteline bade the young ladies good day but his attention was almost entirely arrested by the sight of the large windows with which this room was furnished. Three huge windows faced south and despite the grey and misreable sky, provided the room with ample light. Some what taken aback by the sight of such luxury (plate glass being very expensive) Misteline let his mind wander slightly, considering if it was worth his whle to acquire such windows, and if so, where might he place them?
Tea was served and Rufus noted that both the Weathermoss daughters were competing for his eye. Lady Oriana also noted this and cut quickly to the chase. Edvard was a nice boy she said, and the whole Weathermoss house was in mourning over his death. She confirmed that her son Arman had seen a great deal of Edvard since his arrival in Takshendal, as indeed had the whole family, but unfortunately, Arman was not at home (he being in service with Sir Oren Dovehatch). Both daughters tearfully added their own confirmation of this, adding that Edvard had been such a nice, charming young man. All three women expressed the conviction that Edvard had been killed by Jack the Knife.
Marmaduke was directed to the cleaning rooms where a large matronly woman with a jovial red face was hard at work cleaning linen. Upon his arrival, the jolly woman introduced herself as Maria, and making no secret of her intentions, Marmaduke was some what surprised to find himself the object of her amorous intentions. Forgetting about the wet clothes he had been asked to dry out, Marmaduke allowed himself to be seduced and was soon engaged in an all too brief act of copulation.
Misteline asked the Weathermoss women whether or not they were familiar with Garret, to which they replied they were. They explained that Garret Whitefoot was a merchant who had been serving the House of Arus in a trading capacity for some time. Since Arus was a cultural backwater, the family imported a great deal from Takshendal, and Garret was their primary supplier since his ships passed through Arus regularly and he had a long standing connection with the family. he also acted as a messenger for the family, taking correspondance back and forth between Arus and Takshendal. Lady Oriana had the highest regard for Garret and readily passed on his address.
Collecting Marmaduke, and putting on their uncomfortable wet clothes again, the companions left the Weathermoss house and made their way through the city to the house of Garret Whitefoot, only to discover that he had left the city on sudden trading mission on 5th Dec. Some what put out by this information, the companions were nevertheless interested to learn that Garret Secretary lived in the neighbouring house but one and so they went next door and met Stuart Wattlespit. Wattlespit was an old man with white hair, dressed in sleeping attire. He seemed rather eccentric at first, but despite this, and despite his advanced years, he was still in full possession of his wits. He did not know that Edvard Arus was dead and the news appeared to shock him. He explained the hurried nature of Garret's mission on a herring glut of a week since, and supposed that Garret's ship must have passed Arus before the news of Edvard's death had arrived there, otherwise he would have written. He proposed to send a letter north to Skavva with the hope of informing Garret as soon as possible. Misteline agreed to theis, but stressed the need to keep quiet about the news of Edvard's death in order to facilitate the investigation.
Having bid farewell to the tearful secretary the companions gathered in the street. Here they met Milo who was with the two other special constables, Badger and Sonya assigned to Misteline. Misteline was struck by Sonya's face which so resembled that of Marlowe (Marshal Leander's right hand man) that he assumed she was probably his illigitimate daughter. Rufus noted that Sonya was carried at least two concealed weapons, whilst Marmaduke couldn't but help noticing that his crotch was rather tender and itchy. Sonya explained that she had been following the three companions all day and when they left the Weathermoss house, a man in domestic attire had followed them to Garret's door then returned whence he came.
As the group stood in discussion as to what to do next, they noticed a small commotion further down the street. Milo investigated and returned with a news sheet (Doctor Hareknot's Observations) bearing the title headline; Jack the Knife Kills Again: Body Found in Rose Hill.
~~~~~~ Tak4.4.Played 2nd Jan. 2013. ~ Players were Jan, Goeg, Oleg and Palle. ~~~~~~
Having read the meager report in Doctor Hareknot's Observations, Misteline, Marmaduke, Rufus, Milo and 'Badger' made their way to the Rose Hill district, where upon it was already late afternoon, dark and raining heavily. With little information to act upon, the group found themselves unable to locate the place where the latest victim had been found, so Rufus entered a small taven and whilst sampling the various drinks on offer, asked the land lord if he knew where the body had lain. After a while the rest of the group got tired of waiting in the rain and followed Rufus within.
After a meal and a conversation with the locals, the companions made their way up the road to an old graveyard, except Sonya who returned to the Citadel. Dark, lonely and hemmed in between tall dark houses with several very old trees standing over the lines of graves stones, the cemetary was deserted. A dark stain on the ground just inside of the outer wall showed where the body must have lain, but the darkness obscured any clues which might be present. A water trough stood in the road and the companions speculated as to whether or not this was where the victims hands may have been placed. Frustratingly, there was really nothing much to see so the group decided to return to Misteline's tower, but here they found a note from Captain Trapsprout which directed them to view the body of the latest victim at Doctor Cinder's house.
As it was still only early evening, Misteline, Marmaduke, Rufus, Milo and 'Badger' all went to Doctor Cinder's house where the body was kept in a cellar storage room, along side two other corpses which Cinder was in the unsavoury process of dissecting. Ignoring as best they could, the faint smell of corruption, the companions examined the body. They deduced that she was female, possibly as young as fourteen. Bruises on her back indicated she had been garroted from behind with a very thin cord. Both her hands had been cleanly removed with a very sharp blade. Marmaduke examined the cut marks on the girl's wrists and decided they did not match the axe marks made in the floor of Edvard Arus's apartment at all.A dog rose petal had been placed in the girl's mouth and upon investigation, Misteline determined it was from a dried flower.
According to Doctor Cinder, the girl had had sexual intercourse prior to her murder, he displayed the girl's vagina in order to illustrate this, but none of the companions was able to see how he was able to determine the girl had had sex. Cinder also said the girl had been killed on the 8th Decembre, but again, the investigators were unable to really understand how he was able to determine this. After a while the smell became too much and the weary group returned home to eat and sleep.
11th Dec. 1626.
Once again, Rufus was the first to awaken, and full of appetite he made his way down the kitchen where the staff (who were used to him) set him up with a good solid breakfast.Marmaduke was awoken, around the same time, by a knocking at his door, and wiping the sleep from his eyes, he stumbled hence to find 'Badger' on his doorstep in a state of agitation. Captain Trapsprout it seemed had not returned home the evening before, and no one knew where he was. Marmaduke took 'Badger' to find Misteline and after they'd eaten a quick meal, the three investigators, followed by 'Badger', went to see Gerald Bookwater (Capt Trapsprout's assistant) at the Citadel.
An investigation of the Captain's chambers revealed nothing much of interest and Bookwater was at a loss to explain Trapsprout's disapearance though he could apprise the group as to what the captain had been up to in his alternative investigation of Jack the Knife. Misteline already knew that Trapsprout had been investigating the notorious murderer prior to the death of Edvard Arus, but he had not known to what extent that investigation had progressed, nor how Trapsprout had arrived at his various discoveries. According to Bookwater, Trapsprout had taken an interest in the former and now deceased Marshal Sir Reginald Flatlock, and he had recently visited Sir Reginald's widow in the course of his investigation. Annoyingly, Bookwater was unable to provide any information as to what Trapsprout may have found out as he had kept his investigation to himself (and his pocket book journal), so Misteline decided to go and see the widow for himself and the group left the Citadel, accompanied by Gerald Bookwater and went knocking on Lady Velonia Flatlock's door.
The door was answered by an aging butler in formal attire, and once admitted, the companions found the lady's house to be slightly deceptive. From outside the building had appeared aging and dull, but within, though dusty and often showing signs of neglect, they found great wealth and opulence though Misteline noted the style of the decor was rather old and conservative. Lady Velonia was seated in a comfortable room to the rear of the building, engaged in some form of complicated needle work.
Having introduced himself and his three companions ('Badger' had remained outside the house) Misteline asked Lady Velonia if she had recently been visited by Captain Trapsprout, and explained that he had gone missing during the night. The lady replied that she had seen the captain with regards to 'the child', but that she had sworn to secrecy and though she would truthfully answer any question she was able to, she would not tell the companions what she had talked about with Captain Trapsprout.
Misteline began to ask various questions and having had some insight from previous investigations as to the machinations of the former regime, he eventually reached what seemed to be the trail Trapsprout had been following; As Marshal, Flatlock had been a loyal captain to the Grand Arch Duke and he had on numerous occaisions dealt with matters of a personal nature, including the secret removal of two illigitimate boys. The Gran Arch Duke had been intensely hostile to any possible competition and had been extremely unwilling to suffer the possibility of his own sons deposing him as he had deposed his own father. Sir Reginald had been told to get rid of the boys, though not to kill them.
Lady Velonia did not know what had become of the children, but she was able to point to some one who might possibly know; her husband's former lover; Suzanne Mellowpew. Misteline thanked her ladyship and warned her to be on her guard. Who ever may have gotten rid of Captain Trapsprout might also make an attempt on her life also.
It occured to the companions that Doctor Cinder might also be in harms way, so on their way to visit Suzanne Mellowpew, they went by the good doctor's house and were relieved to find him alive and well, though some what disconcerted to hear of the disapearance of Captain Trapsprout. Gerald Bookwater decided to forego the interview with Suzanne Mellowpew and returned to the Citadel to hear if there was any news of Captain Trapsprout and to arrange guards for Doctor Cinder.
Misteline, Marmaduke, Rufus and 'Badger' went to find lunch.
Suzanne Mellowpew lived in a small but expensive town house in the fashionable Arches District. Cautious at first, she soon warmed to Misteline, whom she recognised and told the tale of the illigitimate children as she knew it. She confirmed there had been two boys, with a good five or so years between them. She estimated the elder child would now be in his mid to late thirties and the younger would be about four or five years his junior. She had known the mother, the lover of the Grand Arch Duke, but would not divulge her identity for even though the woman in question had died giving birth to a stillborn third child, they had been childhood friends and Suzanne Mellowpew refused to tarnish her friend's reputation. According to the Suzanne, the elder child, named Marcus by his mother, had been taken from her at birth and at the orders of the Grand Arch Duke, placed in with the family of a faithful etainer, where he would never know his real name. Suzanne could not say who this retainer was, or to whom he had been in service, only that Sir Reginald Flatlock had considered him a loyal man.
The loss of her first child had weighed heavily on the mother and when, despite her best intentions, her second son was born, she had begged that he at least be sent to live with a high standing family, so that she might at least have the chance of seeing him grow from afar. The Grand Arch Duke relented and the second child, named Oberon by his mother, was secretly placed in the care of Sir Carlton Cartmoore and his wife. Suzanne learned this from various small comments Sir Reginald made over the years, and from comments dropped by the mother.
Unfortunately the mother died two years later, and so she never knew her own children. Suzanne Mellowpew knew some of what had befallen the House of Cartmoore over the years, but she did not know what had become of either child. Misteline however did know of the fortunes of the house of Cartmoore, having encountered Sir Carlton in his youth, in a professional capacity. He knew that three decades before the family had been very prosperous, but had subsequently fallen on hard times. Both foster parents he recalled had died over a decade before, though he knew nothing of their adopted son nor what his inheritence might have been.
Having finished their interview with Suzanne Mellowpew, the companions debated whether or not to visit Sir Oren Dovehatch. Sir Oren however lived outside of the city in Fort Freeworth, since it was already growing dim and the weather was bad, they decided instead to visit one of Misteline's more colourful friends, Sir Olivier Haremarch. As Sir Olivier was widely regarded by his peers as a wealthy eccentric, and his unusual conduct and fraternity with artists and actors was more or less tolerated, Misteline thought he may be able to shed some light on the various noble houses which had come under the scrutiny of the investigators.
Sir Olivier was only too happy to see his old friend, and welcomed all the companions into his house to partake of alcohol and Turskurian nicotiana. After showing Misteline an extremely interesting bronze sculpture which he had bought in Serrenissma, Sir Olivier answered the group's questions regarding the houses of Cartmoore and Dovehatch. He confirmed Misteline's memories of the fortunes of Sir Carlton Cartmoore and even recalled the boy, whom he remembered as an odious and spoiled child.
Sir Oren Dovehatch he described as a fading remnant of the old order. Once he had been of the very highest social standing, and the wealth he had inherited from his father (who had been one of Grand Arch Duke Underhock's earliest mercenary warlords) had been regarded as incalculable, but over the years this wealth had diminshed and Sir Oren was now an elderly man of meager wealth, shunned by the Court and seldom seen in public. Despite having his family house in Fort Freeworth, Sir Olivier understood Sir Oren spent most of his time in his town house in the Old City district and could often be found gambling away his dwindling fortune at The Lotus Flower gentleman's club.
--=O=--
During the game there was a question regarding the wealthier districts of the city. The explanation below lists each district in loose terms of their wealth and social standing.
Palace - The most popular district for the gentry, due to the proximity of the Royal residence.
Arches - a continuation of the Palace district, but with smaller houses and slightly more discreet.
Old City. Garden - Mercantile districts with many large houses. Largely populated by leaders of the business community.
Fulkingtor - A manor and liberty of the Barony of Fulkingtor. Regarded by the gentry as a good place to live if in debt. Some lesser mercantile houses operate from Fulkingtor.
Rose Hill. Temple. Plaza. King's Field. Shallow Hill. Tower. Oak Ridge - Districts populated mainly by lesser merchant houses and the middle classes.
Armorial - Widely regarded by the gentry as the cultural and artistic heart of the city. Populated by a mixture of artisans and middle class families.
Bodgers Field - Similar to the Armorial district, but catering more to the lower classes.
Marsh side. Pool. North End. Citadel. Bankside. Dockside - Mercantile and harbour districts. Populated by a mix of lesser merchant houses and the poor families of sailors and dock workers.
Merchants - A mercantile district with many warehouses, mills and factories along the rivers side. Much of the rest of the district is given over to banking, courts of law and the exchanges. The least populated district in the city.
All other districts house the lower classes.
~~~~~~ Tak4.5.Played 9th Jan. 2013. ~ Players were Jan, Goeg, Oleg and Palle. ~~~~~~
12th Dec. 1626.
Having spent the evening at Sir Olivier Haremarch's town house, the companions found themselves awakening the next morning with scant recollection of the previous day's drinking and merry-making. As usual, Rufus was the first to awaken but he was some what surprised to find himself lying in a bed next to Misteline whilst Marmaduke lay on the floor. Even more disconcerting was his failure to remember anything at all from the night's debauchery. Marmaduke professed to remember everything and grinning broadly, took the opportunity to tease his friends, as the three men awoke (there was no sign of 'Badger').
Younger and more robust, Marmaduke and Rufus were not particulary hung over, but Misteline felt terrible and sought the means to consume an effective cure he was familiar with. This of course led to further teasing, but eventually the three investigators finished their morning meal and as Sir Olivier never arose until midday, headed back to Misteline's tower (accompanied by 'Badger' who had slept in the servants quaters) in order to wash and make themselves presentable.
Since there were no messages from the Citadel and the morning news papers had nothing to offer either, Misteline decided to go to Sir Oren Dovehatch's town house with the aim of questioning Arman Weathermoss, whilst 'Badger' went seeking news from his superiors. Arman it transpired was not at home and Sir Oren was unavailable, but the footman gave the companions directions as to where they might find the young squire, and following these directions, the three investigators (with Balzo) soon found themselves gaining entry to a bare knuckle boxing contest where two men were busy hammering each other to a bloody pulp. Whilst a two hundred strong crowd of enthusiastic men shouted encouragment, others were busy placing bets.
Since running a bet without a King's license is illegal in Takshendal, it was a safe assumption that the event was being run by dubious characters, and the companions were not surprised to see Silas Underhand mingling with several flash coves from across the river, but catching Silas's eye they realised interuptions would not be welcome. Hanging back, they made inquiries and soon the companions were able to find and speak with Arman Weathermoss. The squire was unwilling to engage in a public conversation however so a rendezvous behind the Temple was arranged. The ongoing fight ended and a new fight was set to begin.
Rufus and Maramduke decided to mingle with the crowd and placed bets whilst Misteline (with Balzo) hung back and observed proceedings whilst sketching. Marmaduke bet on local tough man, Morgan Merciless whilst Rufus bet on a champion from across the river named The Mad Rabbit. Both men had their strengths and weaknesses, but is ability to withstand constant punishment lent Morgan the edge and after a close ninety minute fight, The Mad Rabbit was left senseless. Having collected Marmaduke's winnings, the two friends then discovered Misteline had left for his rendezvous.
Having left the fight at the appointed time, Misteline met with Weathermoss at the arranged location and, satisfied to see Arman's friends were keeping a respectable distance, he questioned Arman with regards to Edvard's death. Arman seemed some what guarded at first but as the conversation progressed he seemed to relax and began to speak more openly. He told Misteline that Edvard was a 'bender' and spoke about Skavvian attitudes towards homosexuality. Edvard's vices he claimed, were of no concern to him, but members of his family in Skavva would certainly feel otherwise. Misteline judged Arman to be heterosexual.
When asked about Edvard's lovers, he said he only knew of Garret Whitefoot and Harrison Carfox. He could tell Misteline nothing about Carfox, but due to his family's connections to the merchant, Arman knew Garret quite well, though he had had very little to do with him on any personal level. When asked about the missing satchel of correspondance, Arman shrugged and declared utter ignorance. Misteline then asked about Edvard's habits in Takshendal and Arman replied that he had seen quite a lot of Edvard since his arrival in the city, but mostly because he was kin, and there had been a family obligation. He had taken Edvard to see several bare knuckle fights and this seemed to have a galvanizing effect on the young Skavvian. According to Arman, the fights excited Edvard and he seemed to be developing an appetite for them.
Finally, Misteline asked when Arman had last seen Edvard, to which Arman replied that this had been on the friday prior to his cousin's death, when he had taken Edvard to a costume party held by one of Arman's friends, 'Bart', at a brothel named 'Madame Rose's'.
Rufus and Marmaduke had arrived during the interview but had kept their distance and having bid Arman good day, the three companions next went to the Red Fox to find something to eat. Misteline spoke with his neighbour, Hilda Grimbleflax and asked her about 'Madame Rose's'. Hilda confirmed there was such a brothel and that the owner was a rather nice man she had met on several occaisions. She was also of the opinion that she might even know who 'Bart' was, and she promised to ask several discreet questions on Misteline's behalf.
The investigators set to a hearty meal and whilst discussing their investigation, pondered on how they might get a hold of any documentation which dealt with Carlton Cartmoore's estate. Overhearing this, Hilda pointed to one of her regular patrons, a white haired, retired lawyer named Rex, and suggested they ask him on account of his easy going ways and turgid morality. Rex agreed to help and for a very modest fee went to where ever such archived records were kept and came quickly back with the desired document. Some what surprised by this, Misteline accepted the document nonetheless and read it. Oberon Cartmoore was apparently the only heir but his as name was never actually mentioned in the will, this remained conjecture. The once mighty estate had been whittled down to meager pickings by the time he had inherited. The family home and most of the furniture had been mortgaged away and only a few thousand crowns, and two properties in the city must have come to Oberon.
Rufus and Marmaduke left Misteline reading the document and went to check if the Cartmoore family home had indeed passed to new ownership. It had. Sir Jasper Ivymoss had taken possesion of the house in which he now lived with his family. Misteline continued reading about the two properties. One had been a wharehouse in the Merchants district and the other had been an old house on the spit of land known as the Chersonese. He then hired Rex to, if possible, find out what had happened to the remaining assets.
Rufus and Marmaduke returned to the Red Fox only to find that in their absence Milo had arrived, carrying a summons for Misteline to meet Marshal Quartermoon at the Citadel.
Misteline noted Leander Quaretermoon's harried appearance, his greying hair and careworn features. The job of Marshal it seemed was not an easy one. Quartermoon quietly listened to Misteline's report concerning the death of Edvard Arus and his additional investigation of the previous Marshal, Sir Reginald Flatlock. Quartermoon then informed Misteline that Edvard's mother, Rubina Voogerstrom-Arus, was due in Takshendal on the morrow, and whilst Skavvian sensibilities were a natural diplomatic concern, the real reason for the King's Marshal to be involved in the matter, and the reason for Misteline's involvement too, was a secret arrangement for Edvard's sister Sofia to marry Crown Prince Miles of Takshendal in the spring.
Misteline quickly digested this information and pondered its ramifications. Was it possible that this marriage was in some way connected to Edvard's death?
Outside the Citadel, Rufus and Marmaduke were denied entry as the guards didn't recognise them, and they didn't know the day's password. Misteline distracted himself for a moment and began to tell Quartermoon about the new bronze work which was being produced in Serrenissma. This technological development he believed could have far reaching ramifications for the evolution of warfare. The Marshal received this information with due gravity, then returning to the topic at hand, asked if there was anything he could do to help Misteline.
Misteline asked whether or not Quartermoon could provide any insight to Oberon's name and, or, the properties he would have inherited as Sir Carlton's heir. One of Quartermoon's secretaries could indeed do this and Misteline learned that Oberon had been renamed by his foster parents and went by the name Sir Tobermory Cartmoore. Unfortnately nothing much was known about Sir Tobermory and there was no known address for him. Misteline thanked the Marshal and his secretary and picking up Rufus and Marmaduke on his way out of the Citadel made his way to investigate the two properties left to Sir Tobermoryby Sir Carlton's will...
~~~~~~ Thus ends Chapter One ~~~~~~
