Bodies In Elysium

[*Sapper_Woody]

Sullie appeared in the MercyKiller prison to report activity in Elysium. He handed over the notes he had taken, which were as follows:

Persons Involved:
Mackenzie Blake
Dace Andor
Tavia
Sullie
Various Mercy Killer personnel
Five unidentified persons, dead

Location:
Elysium, the path to the beach

Summary:
A summoning circle was discovered, with five dead bodies

Details:
Sully and Mackenzie Blake came upon the scene of what appeared to be a ritual murder. Five bodies were evident. Three females, two males. The bodies were bound and gagged, and had their throats slit. They sat upon arcane circles of some kind. Sullie stayed to take notes and keep the scene undisturbed while Mackenzie was sent to find Dace Andor.

Female one: Older woman. Ill fitting clothing. Excess make up.
Female two: Signs of attempted struggle.
Female three: Early thirties. Tattered clothes. Feather tattoo on back of neck.

Male one: Barely an adult.
Male two: Gruff man, possibly a street dweller.

Bodies were arranged in a circle or pentagram. Air smelled of blood, as there was blood pooled everywhere.

Tavia showed up, and upon looking at the scene, declared that it was her opinion that someone had attempted to summon something.

Mackenzie showed up with a few Mercykiller escorts, as Dace Andor was indisposed. Sullie explained the situation to them. Tavia said she wanted to check the cave for a possible creature. An escort was sent with her in case. She came back shortly, with nothing to report.
Tavia returned to town. Sullie and Mackenzie stayed to wait upon Dace Andor.

Once Dace Andor arrived on the scene, he surveyed the scene for himself. He questioned Mackenzie as to her whereabouts and how she sustained some injuries prior to finding the scene. She explained that she had run into a woman who needed berries from Mercuria, and since she had never been, she wandered to far and was attacked. She fled to the portal, and then went to Elysium. She had spent some time up in the tower, and did not hear anything while she was in the tower.

Boot marks in the ground went clockwise in the circle. Beginning where the boots entered the circle, and moving clockwise, the pattern of bodies was Female, Male, Female, Male, Female.

Tavia returned to the scene. She noted that it reminded her of what happened in Olympus some years ago, on a smaller scale. Sullie questioned her as to what exactly she was referring to. She said that a war happened where many creatures attacked a city. The death there was used as fuel to open a direct portal to the Abyss in an attempt to invade the plane. Planeswalkers were able to drive them back and seal the portal.

Mackenzie brought up the recent SIGIS article written by Mard Reginald, concerning the sacrifices needed to attain higher magics. Tavia said that it was unlikely, as he was ranting about nonsense, not actual rituals.

Dace Andor was able to confirm that the magic was not Abyssal in nature. This left Infernal, which Dace Andor said the broken pentagram also confirmed. When Dace Andor mused about why the chosen location, Tavia guessed that it was "to mock". When asked for clarification, Tavia said, "The place picked was deliberate. Right in the path people were sure to take. IF someone tried to hide this and make it covert, they would have done it in the cave or someplace out of the way. Dace Andor mentioned then that there was lingering power. Tavia further said that it may have been chosen to either upset the Guardinals, or to scare anyone who may seek refuge in Elysium.

A MercyKiller was dispatched to the Gym guard, to attempt to get a list of people who traveled to Elysium in the last 24 hours. The guard returned saying that several people were seen moving in with packages, and out without packages. It was assumed at the time that it was for a Sensate party.

Other reasons for the location were surmised, though none with any substance other than guesses. As nothing further could be gleaned from the site, nonessential personnel were vacated. Dace Andor and Sullie continued on to turn in reports and compare notes.

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

Factor Dace Andor had no special need to review the report, per say. After all, he was there himself, and spoke to those involved. None the less, when the time permitted, he reviewed the submitted paper once more.

Thorough, clear, covered the ground. More than enough to get a Justice started on the case.

Dace reached for a pen, dipped it in the black of a nearby inkwell, and began to draft a message for the Faction's mission board. It simply read: 

Mercykiller Justice's with knowledge of Infernal magic and at least a passing familiarity with the plane Elysium are requested to report to Factor Andor's office, regarding a recent sacrifice and mass murder. 

A part of him already had the roster for this mission in mind. Sullie did seem ready to enlist soon, and he would be coming in with years of field experience from his plane. As far as first assignments go, this was certainly better than guarding the Prisoner latrines. Still, with or without him on the case, it made sense to have a ranking officer present. Someone to guide the potential new recruit in he field. 

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

After some time, following the preliminary investigations, the bodies from the murder site are sent to the Mortuary, with a  letter.

[*Sapper_Woody]

Sullie, finally sworn in to the Mercykillers and attempting to deal with the case, heads to the Mortuary to attempt to get a report on any findings concerning the bodies.

[*Sapper_Woody]

Sullie continues to work the case, as another body is found:

Location: Hive Ward, near the Slags

Persons Involved:
Mackenzie Blake
Sullie
Izra Antonella
Imrae Bel'yana

Summary: Another body was found, this time in the Hive Ward

Details:
I was in the Merchant Ward. I received a sending from Mackenzie, telling me to get to the Hive Ward near the slags. Upon arrival, there was a blood trail that led to a dead body. The body was in a circle similar to those found in Elysium.

There were two burnt books nearby. One beyond recognition. The other's title was "Legends and Lore: Hinterlands, Ordial Plane, and Beyond".

Mackenzie was able to tell that there was residue of a soul binding spell on the corpse. She explained that this meant that the body cannot be brought back to life.

The corpse was a male, burnt badly, with a hole in his torso from the blast. Both of his hands were missing. He had a cut on his right leg. No faction symbols.

Questioning of the locals was met with resistance. However, the story I was able to piece together was that there was a loud cry, followed by running steps. Then a loud shriek of pain. No one claimed to see what happened.

I took Izra with me to get the dustmen on clean up duty, satisfied that I had learned all I could. Mackenzie and Imrae were sent to the hall of information to look for a copy of the book. There was a locked door near the body. Not being my jurisdiction, I am passing off the idea of searching that building to the Harmonium.

Izra and I checked out the Scriptorium. A search of their library proved futile. The Hall of Records turned up nothing. The school of magic also proved fruitless.

However, Mackenzie and Imrae learned something at the Hall of Information. Their copy of the book was recently loaned out to a "Quanon Urthadar", described as an anxious and festive man. It was due to be returned in ten cycles. However, we were actually the third party to ask about the book. Besides the person who checked it out was an overweight man of few words and in plain clothes. No name given. A second copy was said to be at the Hall of Records, so Mackenzie and Imrae went to check again.

Quanan's address was given as the lower ward, near the temple of the Abyss. Izra and I went to look. We found the house, but the resident was unwilling to talk to us, saying that he had never heard of who we were looking for. He seemed to be of Orcish descent. He did offer, though that an overweight man had been looking for Quanan as well. It appears Quanan may have lied about his address.

In the Hall of Records, Mackenzie and Imrae found that their copy had just been loaned out to a "Norkas Chorster", due to be returned in five days. He had an address in the Clerk's Ward, near the gymnasium. Two others had asked about the book. Neither leaving a name. One a "jovially clothed young man" and the other "Overweight man in dull beige-gray attire." Both likely human. Upon arriving at the address, the door had been blasted open. Inside, the building was ransacked, though nothing seemed stolen. Upon interrogation of the neighbors, we learned that Norkas usually wore pale and loose robes. He is a scholar for hire, and was quiet, though it seems he threw a fit earlier in the day.

Speculations:
1. Norkas Chorster is the victim we found.
2. While Quanon Urthadar is a suspect in his killing, it is more likely that this third, un-named person is the culprit.

[*Sapper_Woody]

Persons Involved:
Myself, on behalf of the Mercykillers
Imrae Bel'yana
Several Auction Attendees unfamiliar to me

Location:
Private auction house off of the Market Ward

Summary:
The soul of the slain Norkas Chorster was up for auction in a private auction

Details:
I heard murmurings of the possibility of a private auction to be held soon. Imrae Bel'yana approached me, and for a small fee, she told me that she had discovered that Norkas Chorster's soul was going to be up for auction, and that she had been able to get the location and time of the auction.

I arrived at the auction just before it began. There were many items not of interest to me. Statues, magical appliances, some rare tomes. The last item up for bid was the soul stone, however. Imrae Bel'yana entered the auction house just before the soul stone was placed on auction.

The bidding was a bit fierce, but in the end I purchased the soul stone for 15 thousand gold.

It is my intent to have a cleric examine this soul stone, in order to attempt to commune with the deceased, to gather more information regarding the case.

Will follow up with Factor Andor concerning such resources available to us.

[*Taurus Daggerknight]

After reviewing the last report, Dace clears a sum of 15 thousand gold to compensate Namer Sullie for the work expense.