Burned Down House In The Lady's Ward

[*Cenpuppie]

In the Lady's Ward, citizens as well as a mage that leaves nearby rushes using a water elemental to put out a raging fire that consumed a home and caused it to collapse. A few buildings beside it also caught on fire, but those flames where quickly put out as neighbors and adventurers came forward to put out the flames.

A Harmonium patrol arrives, quickly corralling the crowd and questioning everyone in the area for witness statements and testimony.

The Dabus arrive to clean up the mess and after 15 minutes of work a body is pulled from the rubble. The Harmonium fall quite as the body pulled from the rubble is recognized as Chari, paladin of Bahamut.

Now they begin to lock down the area and no one is allowed until all is questioned, names written.. one of their own has fallen this day

///as usual, feel free to add your own two cents.. but it all adds up to make that dollar :P . Of course dms add anything you'd like, i'd welcome that as well

[*Captain Vanguard]

A few hours later, the investigation team arrives. However... what is truley disturbing and mysteirous is that the presense of what was alegedly the paladin of bahamut is now "un" present. A mysterious force may yet be at work, or a dark hand playing its cards.

Admist the chaos there is another disturbing factor uncovered amoungst the ruined building. When evidence is gathered they find the remains of what appeared to be a severed humanoid hand. On inspection, they realise it belonged to a Tiefling.

[*Cenpuppie]

///side note: It will damn near impossible to leave the scene with the body of dead Harmonium. The whole area has been shut down, no one moves in or out until thoroughly questioned.

The recovered body now sits in the Harmonium mortuary, preserved to prevent decay, until evidence is collected, people questioned and harassed and now they await the arrival of a powerful priest to raise the fallen comrade.

The body is washed and cleaned and is heavily guarded until revived.

[*Xndar]

Maelfina hears of the news rather rapidly, immediately making her way to the Barracks to inquire after Chari's well-being but soon being turned back by the Harmonium officials in the interests of procedure and security. Maelfina makes her way back to the Hive with much grumbling and cursing.

[*Reptiller]

Being the prosecutor on Ashen's case,in which Chari was one of the key witnesses, Hildmor d'Kridis inquired:
1)If the owner of said house is known.
2)If a conversation with the investigator is possible.
3)If a divination session on the tiefling's hand and Chari's body could be requested or done personally.

[*Captain Vanguard]

Becomming aware of events only leads to a heavy sadness in Amaku's heart. After everything was going well she only felt resentment for everything that had been said.

By reluctant permission, the officers allowed Amaku a brief moment with her fallen friend as she stared at Chari for a long period of time. Chari had saved her life, she felt she owed it to her to do the same.

She wondered if Officer Casandra could help the situation, or one of the Harmoniun adept with clerical healing. She closed her eyes and turned away from the body.

"Hold on Chari... tis aint over yet." She stared at the wall thoughtfully, considering who might have commited such a crime, and why. She left her friend to find a cleric, or Casandra, either would do.

-Elsewhere-

Hildmor would know only that the owner of the house was conjointly owned by Chari and her companion and partner, Maelya. Given the fact they confirmed it was a Tieflings hand discovered at the scene, it is quite likley the Tiefling in question is infact Maelya herself. Though her whereabouts are currently unknown.

In addition to the hand they also later find a shield confirming that the presense of Maelya Crimsonian was in the facility when it burned down. The shield was a blackened and charred divine shield with the crest of Tyr burnt and damaged. Nearby was one of the many variants of the Holy Avenger, The Hollowed Redeemer. Both items were taken into possession of the Harmonium for identification and confirmation. Though witnesses and close friends would clearly confirm whom they belonged too.

-Back in the mortuary-

From the evidence storage room something stirred like a black heart. The weapons and affects of the criminal known only as The Ashen began to stirr a ghostly black light....

In the trancendant realm of the beyond. Ashen approached the fallen paladin and spoke dimly of her future:

"Look at what all your care and love for the world has done Chari. Do you really think you can save it now? You spent too much time considering how much the people are capable of good, and not enough of the evil they can and will commite.

Its been a long time comming this day. The day you would have had to choose between virtue and malice. Make no mistake, your end is not yet due. The City of doors needs at least one "good" soul to bring it some hope... but I ask you Chari... what is hope if you loose everything in a fire."

Ashen encircled the corpse, for now, the guards were vigil outside. It'd be rather foolish to assume anyone in their right mind could abduct the corpse, but that was not to say that one couldnt torment it in death. Ashen advanced on Chari's remains and continued:

"Even beyond the grave I can make your life as much the hells as the planes themselves. Even beyond the grave, I can proove to you, I... was Right...."

Ashen leaned over the body as a corporeal veriation of her sword glowed in her hand, she lay it on Chari's corpse as it faded into nothingness.

"You cant hope that the city will understand justice like you do. The only vindication in this city, is righteousness without redemption. These criminals.... made their choice, I, made my choice. We went against you, we laughed and maimed you and now, you lay helpless in the grave, waiting for your time to return."

Ashen concluded with her final sentance, finishing the hammer blow as she saw the guards getting ready to return to observe the corpse:

"You know... I am many things, and so are you. We are both crusaders of justice in our own way Chari. I want the city to move forwards, you want to keep it safe from... progress. But how can you keep a city safe if you just dont, act. Keep this in mind when you return. You have lost, everything, time and time again. You have suffered needlessly in some forlorn hope that evil has some... redeemable quality. You were right that day you wanted me dead, you were right, to hate me. Because only that hatred will give you the justice, you so needingly deserve now.
Mercy is for the weak of heart, evil made its choice when it raised a sword to innocent lives and left nothing but ruin in its wake. This is the world you know Chari, a world where the only good, comes from the swift mercy of a sharp sword.
So... 'when' you come back to this world. Remember the lesson you learned in death, remember the losses, look at everything your never going to get back. And let it hold into your little heart. Let it burn inside a passionate fire to undoo this evil. Only, then... will you have what you want, only when every evil in Sigil is destroyed, can there be... ....peace."

The shadowy figure evaporated into nothingness as the two guards approaching felt a shiver run down their spines. They took vigilant post to her body and waited now for Casandra, failing her arrival, a cleric would likley be braught to help Chari return to the world of the living.

[*Cenpuppie]

Being the prosecutor on Ashen's case,in which Chari was one of the key witnesses, Hildmor d'Kridis inquired:
1)If the owner of said house is known.
2)If a conversation with the investigator is possible.
3)If a divination session on the tiefling's hand and Chari's body could be requested or done personally.

Hildmor recieves a written message with answers to his question

1) Yes it is. According to the deed, the house is owned jointly by Notary Chari and Maelya Crimsonian. Since she cannot be located you are required by law to tell us her whereabouts immediately, as withholding any information will constitute you withholding critical information.

2) No it is not.

3) No, we are currently handling that.

[*Fen]

After it grows dark, the longcoat-clad silhouette of an otherwise lithe figure makes her way to the remains of the Chari/Maelya residence, her form partially blending in with the nearby shadows as she makes it a point to avoid too much contact with others.

Adjusting the hat upon her head, Saiph steps into what was left of the house, her feline-like eyes working just fine in the relative darkness as she begins to search around for clues of what happened. In particular, where and how the fire might have started, and anything (trinkets, footprints, or other artifacts) indicating the presence of whoever else may have been in the house that was not destroyed by the fire. Barring the hardhards chasing her off or other circumstances, she goes to fairly through lengths to find something, even doing a bit of scraping along the blackened brick and wood with a knife if need be.

Finally, though somewhat discreetly, the crimson haired tiefer inquires around the Bazaar for a priest/priestess or healer with the ability to regenerate limbs.

[*Reptiller]

Being the prosecutor on Ashen's case,in which Chari was one of the key witnesses, Hildmor d'Kridis inquired:
1)If the owner of said house is known.
2)If a conversation with the investigator is possible.
3)If a divination session on the tiefling's hand and Chari's body could be requested or done personally.

Hildmor recieves a written message with answers to his question

1) Yes it is. According to the deed, the house is owned jointly by Notary Chari and Maelya Crimsonian. Since she cannot be located you are required by law to tell us her whereabouts immediately, as withholding any information will constitute you withholding critical information.

2) No it is not.

3) No, we are currently handling that.

Maelya Crimsonian is in room number two if the Foule Olde Spirit Inn.

[*Fen]

Saiph uses a thin piece of parchment and a piece of charcoal, rubbing it over the boot imprint carefully to get a relief print for a minute or so, before folding the paper away inside of her black pocket journal. As well, she carefully collects some of the burnt cloth, and looks around to see if the corrosive may have pooled in any particular (Remaining) place, checking to see if it's the aftermath of a fight with corrosive weapons, or if it had been used for something in particular.

After listening to the descriptions the locals gave to the Hardheads, she discreetly begins to make the rounds after the Hardheads leave. She asks the neighbors who might have saw anything more details, including if they were carrying weapons, if any faces were seen, funny walks, and size/builds. To help refresh memories, she offers a few hundred jink per family. She also inquires with some local workers as well as some 'wanderers of the alleys' if they may have seen or can identify these people based upon prior descriptions, all the while compiling a general profile. She does not identify herself, but simply notes her interest as a curious party.