Merchant Of Death?

[*DigitalDragoon]

The door to the infirmary creaks open a short while later. The soft sound of uncertain footfalls can be heard the the entrance hall well before a tired and somewhat nervous figure appears from behind a fading veil of invisibility. "H-hello?" He calls out tentatively, taking time to let the pristine scenery ease off fearfully vivid memories of halls slathered in blood and carrion. "A missive requested my presence..?"

[*A. Thereal]

Nero nodded once at Odette's request and busied himself while she wrote her letter for Quinn. The time was carefully spent knelt by the corpse, hands hovering just above the dead tissue, eyes shut in heavy concentration and lips murmuring a series of incantations.

For now Nero only wanted information to present to the wizard when he arrived, and so his magical perception cautiously dipped into the deceased host to explore a battery of various detection spells. No wounds were healed, no damage undone. Every effort he made was strictly to detect the presence of other magics, undeath, necrosis, curses, or anything else at work.

The work required the whole of the interim before Quinn's arrival, and by the time the call was lifted through the Weary Spirit Infirmary Nero was ready to answer with a brisk, "In here!"

[*DigitalDragoon]

Quinn paced carefully toward the source of the voice at the back of the building, the dull clack of his cane betraying his slow progress through the facility as he takes time to survey the building. Senses dipping slightly beyond normal comprehension, he skims the mostly empty hall for the colorful motes of spirit-fire or tingling sensations that might otherwise betray the presence of lingering former patients.

He draws to a halt seeing the group clustered about the corpse. Fingers rapidly engage themselves in a nervous dance across the symbol of faith dangling from his neck, eventually being forced still as they are folded over the dragon-like visage of his cane. He straightens his posture studying the scene for a long moment before speaking up. "Was there something you needed assistance with?"

[*Nimiane]

"Just the man's portrait. His face." repeats Odette for the sake of the lilac-haired woman, nodding as she reminded, "I'll need to take it to the House of Six Fingers, see iffen one of the lasses can point me in t'right direction fer where t'look. I already got a hunch though."

Throughout the entirety of Krystelle's sketching and Nero's divine inspection of the man's corpse, Odette remains as silent as a fly on the wall; overseeing the procedures of both with hands folded neatly behind her, the cogs of thought already churning through possibilities. It was Quinn's eventual arrival that seemed the only thing able to pull the bardess from her thoughts in that moment. Hooded but unmasked, wearing worn robes of a lower class commoner and smelling faintly of smoke, Odette pushed off the wall to greet the mage with a weary but pleasant smile of her own.

"Thanks fer comin', Quinnie." welcomes the familiar freckled face, stepping aside and holding back the curtain to allow the elder man into the back room. A few fingers gesture to Quinn's holy symbol, followed by a sweeping motion in the direction of the corpse to move the conversation directly to business. "Keep this one t'yerself, iffen ye could. Got a corpse here that's. . . somewhat off, an' I need t'know why. Ye'll see what I mean when ye take a look."

The bardess then takes a step back and watches from a weary lean on the nearby wall, allowing both Kelemvorite and Ghaele the uncluttered space to go about their examination of the body's apparent wrongness.

[*Iggwilv]

((I will take a spellcraft and a heal roll from those at the infirmary examining the body please. Will update the rest of the thread tomorrow. Thanks.

[*DigitalDragoon]

He quietly hurried over to the corpse and sets to work examining it by both magical and mundane means for anything unusual about it beyond the surface wounds. Anything akin to necromantic might draw his attention in particular if present.

[*Iggwilv]

Scene: The Weary Spirit

After examining the body Quinn's knowledge of both magic and medicine would tell him that the man they have has undergone a ritual before death. The purpose of it would be to harvest his soul and divert it from the outer plane it was destined for upon death.

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Scene: The Prison.

If The Erinyes notices Dace's irritation she gives no sign.

"I was asked to retrieve the statue from the auction. I do not know why or what makes it important. Like you I receive my orders and I carry them out as best as I am able. I am not in the habit of questioning them."

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Scene: Rag Pickers Square Hive Ward

Rhistel arrives. He is passed by two robed Dustman dragging an empty though less foul smelling corpse cart into The Hive. Waiting for him on the small bridge to The Mortuary stands Cassandra. A black cloak wrapped around her shoulders and a hood pulled up against the elements make her look like one of The Mourners one would expect here.

Behind them a robed Dustman and a ghoul leave the Mortuary. The Ghoul seems to stop in its tracks and stare.

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

********************
Scene: The Prison.

If The Erinyes notices Dace's irritation she gives no sign.

"I was asked to retrieve the statue from the auction. I do not know why or what makes it important. Like you I receive my orders and I carry them out as best as I am able. I am not in the habit of questioning them."

************************************************************

A part of Dace had been banking on Hex'ares not being the real killer, or assassins handler. A part of him was even a little disappointing at the increasing likelihood of it really being her...

"So the two bodies in the dead book were your handiwork after all? Yours and your assistants... "

[*Iggwilv]

********************
Scene: The Prison.

If The Erinyes notices Dace's irritation she gives no sign.

"I was asked to retrieve the statue from the auction.  I do not know why or what makes it important.  Like you I receive my orders and I carry them out as best as I am able.  I am not in the habit of questioning them."

************************************************************

A part of Dace had been banking on Hex'ares not being the real killer, or assassins handler. A part of him was even a little disappointing at the increasing likelihood of it really being her...

"So the two bodies in the dead book were your handiwork after all? Yours and your assistants... "

The Erinyes actually smiles at this.

"Of course not. You think because a devil killed one of them I am responsible? I am sad to say you have over estimated me Justicar. I do not have control over every devil in Baator. Or even every Devil that may come through a portal to a place like Sigil."

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

"Your being a devil is only part of it. The fact that you were at that auction after the same model, the fact that a Dogai specifically has been identified, the fact that one of the victims even reportedly called out your name as he died - and also happened to have had dealings with you before... well, there's more than a few people convinced of your involvement."

He takes a seat. "I like to think that someone as close to the Faction as you are would not have so brazenly committed murder, but neither mine nor anyone personal opinions matter in the face of facts. And right now, facts hold you as a suspect."

He indicates to the door. "Now, I don't know how your friendly Justice moonlighting as a tour guide feels about his oaths, but I take mine -very- seriously. More so than generous gifts to the flag. So you'll understand that I can't just let you go on about your business with where things stand, unless you give me something to work with.

If not you, who sent that Dogai? Who else is vying for this thing for reasons beyond idle curiosity? And more importantly, who else is about to get a visit from this assassin?"