The Chronicles of Tasrin Tolbrohr: Session 4

I did skip a week with my game. I wasn’t feeling that great (my throat was bothering me) so I decided playing a game where I did a lot of talking was probably not a great idea. My throat still isn’t the best right now, but I’m kind of resigned to the idea that it might stay this way all winter. Thus is my life.

I’m getting a little annoyed with the relatively small amount of combat in this campaign, so I’m thinking I’m going to add in some more quests to make that easier. I really tried to force some combat, but everything went so smooth. Like, I really tried. Like I actually had multiple instances where I asked the oracle (game mechanic) if a specific NPC would fight me, and the answer was always no. Oh well. At least I now have the main quest of the adventure.

There were several surprises for me in this session (including who had actually kidnapped Feli. Didn’t see that coming!).

I head back to the tavern, feeling a little at a loss.  I wasn’t honestly expecting Feli to be back, but I don’t necessarily feel reassured by her return.  Why isn’t she talking?  What happened?

At the very least, I know I should let Service know that Feli.  There’s no need for a search party.  The tavern is still quiet at this hour, and Service is nowhere to be seen.  “Service?” I call out.

Service rushed to the bar from the back room, her upper body handing over the surface.  “Is she okay?  Is she back?”

“Yes.”

“What is it? I know that look.”

I laugh.  “You don’t even know me.”

“Some looks are universal.”

I suppose they could be, but I’ve really noticed.  “She’s back, but she’s not talking.  She’s not responsive, really, from what her mother said.”

Service frowns.  “I wonder what happened.”

“Same thing I was thinking.”  I walk up to the bar, but my much shorter height doesn’t allow me to lean against it.  I lean against a barstool instead, feeling like a fool.  “I want to talk to her.”

“Then maybe you should be talking to Urte again.”

“You’re right.  Mainly, I just wanted to let you know there was no need for a search party.”

“Then I appreciate that.  Thank you.”

I nod and turn back around, heading out to the tailor’s shop again.  “Urte?” I say as I enter, but I needn’t have bothered.  She’s sitting in the front room mending a shirt.

“Oh, it’s you again.  Thank you again for looking.”

I nod.  “It’s my pleasure.  I was wondering if I could talk to Feli.  It sounds like she’s been through a lot, and I was hoping maybe I could help?”

Urte sighs.  “I would appreciate that.  I don’t know what to do.  My nerves are completely frayed after her being all day yesterday.  I half expect my father to use this against me somehow.”

“Well, I don’t know if I’ll be able to help, but I’ll certainly try.  Where is she?”

“She’s in the back room.  I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone.”

“That’s because you’re a good mother.”

Urte blushes, then waves me off.

I step into the backroom and get my first visual of Feli.  She seems surprisingly small.  I guess all the comments about her personality colored my mental image of her.  She sits on a stool, stairing at a wall.

I walk across the room and sit down crosslegged in front of her.  She looks catatonic.  “Hello, Feli.  My name’s Tasrin. I was looking for you yesterday.  I was quite worried.  I imagine your mom was too.”  I pause for a moment.  This is not my area of expertise, and I wonder if maybe I should bring her to the healer.  Maybe she can do something.  What can I say that might help?  

“I’m a wizard.  I know, Dwarven wizard.  Sounds so weird, doesn’t it?  But I’m pretty good at it.  I’ve only been doing it for a few years, so I only know a few spells, but I’m pretty good at those spells.  Let’s see… I can do Ray of Frost, Alarm, Burning Hands, Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Disguise Self, and False Life so far.  I guess technically now I’m an adventurer, too.  Used to be a librarian, but being a Dwarf, I was taught from an early age how to fight in armor and use and axe and hammer in combat.  I’m pretty good at those two.”

There’s no change in her expression.  I look away for a moment, wondering what else I can say.  “I don’t know what you’ve been through, but I know what it’s life when life throws shit at you.  I’m never really at home anywhere, now am I?  My idea of justice and right and wrong just butted heads with my family, my clan, so I left.  It almost felt like they were glad I was gone.  Then I found a new place, eventually started training as a wizard, got job as a librarian, thought that was what I would do for the rest of my life.  

“Then I met another dwarven wizard.  I was surprised when I discovered he could cast spells with a dwarvish accent.  I’d always been told pronunciation was key.  It got to the point, I stopped talking like a dwarf.  I spent so much time around other races, spent so much time training with my mentor, I didn’t even really remember what it sounds like.

“It was meeting him, though, that made me realize what I had willingly submitted myself to.  I’d let a racist change everything I was.  I got so angry, I just stormed out, didn’t tell a soul.  I just left.  Walked for days, ended up here.  Still haven’t told anyone, not even my closest friend.”

“What’s her name?” a fragile voice asks.

I look up, surprised.  “Lura.”

“Pretty.  Are you going to let her know you’re okay?”

I nod.  “Soon as I get some parchment and can send a letter.”

“Good,” she whispers.

“Is that what you were thinking while you were missing?  That maybe your mom would worry?”

Her eyes welled with tears, and I reached forward, pulling her into a hug.  “There, there.  You’re safe now.  I won’t let anything happen to you.  I promise.”  

I give her some time to compose herself.  She’s trembling in my arms, but when she pulls away, I’m surprised by the expression on her face.  It’s not fear or sadness, it’s anger, I think.  “Feli?”

“Will you stop the bad men?”

“I will do my best.  Can you point me in their direction?”

Feli looks uncertain again.  “Maybe?”

“Okay.  What did they look like?  How many were there?  Any information will help.”

She nods.  “It was a woman.  She was really angry.”

“Okay, that’s good.  What race was she?”

“Human.”

I nod my head.  “That’s good.  What was she wearing?”

Feli falters.  “Uh…”

“Okay.  Did it look like nice clothes or well worn?  Did it have holes in it?  Was it made of something like silk or linen or wool or leather?”

“Silky,” she says, awkwardly tucking some hair behind her ear.  “No holes, and her boots were shiny.”

“That’s good.  What color was her shirt?”

“Purple.”

“Very good.  What about her hair, her skin?  Maybe eyes?”

“Brown hair. Her eyes were kind of muddy gold.”

“Muddy gold?”

Feli nods.  “Gold but not completely?”  

“Hazel?”

Feli just shrugs.

“Okay.  Going back, you said she was angry.  How did she treat you?  Did she say anything she was angry about?”

Feli shrugs again.  “I don’t know.  She just… acted like I wasn’t there?”

“Okay, and did she say anything she was angry about?”

“She kept saying he deserves it, that he… forced her hand?”

“Who he?”

“Grandpa Rodolph.”

“What?”  That wasn’t what I was expecting.  “Did she say anything else?”

“He’s gonna pay.  Why’s Grandpa gonna pay?”

“I don’t know yet, but I think I might ask him.  Are you going to be okay back here?”

Feli nods.

“Okay.  I’ll see what I can do.”

Feli just smiles as I get up then quietly leave the room.

“Did she say anything?” Urte says as I step into the front room.

“Yes.  She’s talking now.”

“Oh, thank the gods,” she says, clutching her chest before rushing into the back room.

“You’re welcome,” I say to the empty room.  I leave the tailor’s shop and decide to stop and see if I can’t get some parchment on my way to Rodolph’s farm on the other side of the village.

I step into the bookshop, and I’m dismayed by what I find.  I guess I’ve gotten used to the library in the city, because this place is pitiful.  There are barely any books and one wall is lines with scrolls of some type.  I walk up to it and peek at one of them and realize it’s a map.  I step away and wonder if maybe I should have gone to the other shop.

“Hello?”

A man rushes out of the back, looking a little crazed.

I hesitantly step backward.

He stands upright, and I can hear his back popping as he stretches, but then he laughs.  “That’s what I get for slaving over a map for hours on end.  How can I help you?”

“I was wondering if you would be willing to sell something to write a letter on.”

“Oh, well that figures,” he says with a chuckle.

“Sorry.  I’m sure I’ll be back.  I do have a fondness for books.  I used to work in a library.  Today, though, I’m just wanting to write a letter to a friend.”

He nods and walks to a cabinet on the back wall.  “How many sheets you need?”

“Maybe ten for now?”

“Okay.  Can do.”  He counts them out and turns, resting them gently on a counter at the back of the room.  His hands are covered in dried ink, probably stained that way from years of his work.  “That’ll be ten silver.”

I hand him two electrum and carefully place the parchment in my bag.  “Thanks.  Until next time.”

“Thanks for the business.”  He seems genuinely pleased by the transaction, and I look around the shop again, wondering how little he must make that a 10 silver piece transaction should make him that happy.

In short order, I’m back at Rodolph’s farm.  I spot a farmhand nearby and decide to ask them some questions first.  Not wanting to alert Rodolph to my presence before I’m ready, I don’t call out to the person.  When I’m close enough that I don’t have to yell, I say, “Could I have a moment of your time?”

They turn around, looking a bit exhausted.  “I could use the break.  How can I help you, lass?”

I smile under my beard, secretly happy at being recognized as a woman.  “Did you hear about Feli?”

“Aye.  Whole farm heard.  Probably whole village, too.”

“I didn’t realize everyone knew.”

“Och, yeah, everyone here knew at least.  Old Man Rodolph was in a might fine mood practically all day yesterday.”

Probably ever since I came to talk to him.

I look away awkwardly, then shake my head and look back at the farmhand.  “Well, she’s back, thank the gods.  Now, I’m trying to figure out what happened.”

“I’d be happy to help.”

“Great.  She said she was taken by someone who has a vendetta against her grandfather.”

He chuckles.  “That could be anyone.”

“I’m sure.  It was a human woman, angry, brown hair, hazel eyes, was wearing purple silk.”

“I know who you’re talking about.”

“You do?” I say, surprised.

He nods.  “That’d be Sirai Mirthglade.  Sirai is a perfect example of why you should never mix business with pleasure.  We could all see it.  What the Old Man thought and what Sirai thought of their relationship was two very different things.”

“So, she thought they were…”

“A couple.  I think she thought he was gonna marry her.  She had some serious starry eyes for him.  Thought he could do no wrong.  But all the Old Man cared about was her connections could do for him.”

He leans in over his tool conspiratorially.  “Most of this is pure conjecture, but Sirai is the daughter of Derstug Mirthglade, owner of that land sales office in town.  Rumor is Old Rodolph wanted to get in on the business and he was using Sirai to get close to her father.”

“And where would I find Sirai.”

“Probably at home.  The old Cobblemantle place.”

“Cobblemantle?”

“Tanver Cobblemantle.”

I know that name.  That’s the one Service mentioned.  The one who was murdered.

“Died a little while back.  He had no heirs, so the magistrate sold it as public property.  Went to the Mirthglades.  They’d been living out of their shop up until then.  Anyway, it’s on the east side of the village.  Can’t miss it.  The Mirthglades have been working on it, but it was in pretty bad shape.  Overgrown.”

“Thanks.  You’ve been quite helpful.”

He smiles real big.  “Happy to help.”

“One last thing.  If I were to find myself with a, shall we say, criminal suspect in my custody, who should I hand them off to?”

“Magistrate Willowmark.”

“Thanks.”

He nods and goes back to his work.  On the East side of the village.  The old 

I decide not to question Rodolph, figuring I’m not going to get any more details from him than that.

Though, I can’t help wondering what the hell is going on in this place.  Murder?  Kidnapping?  Pickpockets hiding murder weapons?

I head out to the east side of the village, looking for the overgrown property the farmhand mentioned.  He was right.  Even from a distance, it’s easy to spot.  As I approach, the grass is as tall as I am, and I have a hard time seeing the building beyond it.  All I can make out at first is a roof that’s falling apart.  As I get closer, I see that’s not all that’s falling apart.  Once painted, the walls are peeling and the wood is rotting in places.  There steps up to the front door are missing a railing, which I spot in the overgrown bushes out front.

I gingerly make my way up to the door, hoping the wood doesn’t give out.  I hear a snapping noise and try to save myself from falling through, but all I manage to do is scrape my ankle.  “Moradin’s Balls!” I curse as I gingerly pull my scraped legs through the hole in the step.  

Shaking it off, I reach the door and knock on it, waiting for an answer.  The building is pretty large up close, so I wait awhile to see if anyone’s home.

Eventually, a woman opens the door who looks exactly as Feli described.  “And who are you?” she asks.

“My name’s Tasrin Tolbrohr.  I’m looking into the disappearance of a little girl from the village, Feli.”

Her face lights up like crazy when I mention the little girl, and I just know she took her.

“Why don’t you just come with me peacefully to the magistrate.  I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“Yeah, I’ll go with you.”  She lifts her chin, looking a little too smug for my liking.  My hand lifts automatically to the handle of my axe.

“After you.” Because there’s no way I’m letting this woman walk at my back.  There’s something about her that just gives me the creeps.  We walk for several minutes until we arrive at what must be the magistrate’s home or office or something.  It’s a smaller building, simple in design, and Sirai walks in fearlessly.  “Grillom?” she calls out in a sing-song way.

I cringe, but also start to fear this was a really bad idea.

A middle ages human male with brown hair and blue eyes opens the door, a pep in his step and a grin on his face that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.  “Sirai!  It’s so great to see you.”

“And you as well, Grillom darling.”  She reaches out and caresses his jaw.

My stomach turns, wondering what I’ve gotten myself into.  I clear my throat and step forward, still gripping my axe.  “Magistrate Willowmark?” I say, bowing my head.  “My name is Tasrin Tolbrohr, and I’ve been looking into the disappearance of Urte’s daughter, Feli, yesterday.  She described a human female, brown hair, hazel eyes, wearing purple silk, who was very angry and had a vendetta against her grandfather, Rodolph.  Additionally, my investigation uncovered that Sirai here had a relationship with Rodolph that went sour, giving her motivation.  I suggest that you take her into custody until such time that a formal investigation can be completed and any trial and sentence can be enacted.”

“Oh, come now,” Sirai said.  “Don’t be ridiculous.  Do I look like someone who would kidnap a child?”

The magistrate’s mask cracked, and I could easily see the sadness in his eyes.  “No, you don’t.  I honestly can’t imagine you kidnapping anyone.”

“See?”

I frown.  “I’ve found that people are never what they seem, no matter how long you’ve known them.  How long have you known the Mirthglades?”

“Oh, about seven months.”

I nod.  “And do you think that’s enough time to truly get to know someone?  I studied under my mentor for years and didn’t see the darkness in him.”

He turns to me.  “Mentor?”

I nod.  “Yes, I’m a wizard.”

“Do you know any spells that can unearth the truth?”

“I’m afraid not.  I’m fairly new at my craft.  Only know a few spells so far.”

“Oh.”  He looks disappointed.

“Still, for Feli’s safety, I think it would best to take Sirai into custody.”

“That’s not how the law works.”

“Then how does it work?”

“When a person commits a crime, they’re punished?”

“So you never hold anyone pending a trial or judgment?”

“Of course, we do.  Violent people.”

“And you don’t think that someone who would steal a child while they’re playing is dangerous?”

“Of course, they are.  Anyone would think that.”

“That’s what she did.”

He shakes his head.  “You don’t know that.”

“How many human women in this village have brown hair and hazel eyes?  Those aren’t that common, you know.”

“No they’re not.”  He looks over at Sirai, and the joy he’d expressed at first opening the door is completely gone now.

“There’s always the possibility that she didn’t do it.  I won’t deny that, and I’m not asking to bypass an official investigation.  I’m just saying Feli needs this.  She needs to know she’s safe.  She needs to know people care about keeping her safe.  Am I going to be able to her and tell her she’s safe now?”

“Yes, you will.  And I’ll have the guards investigate fully.  We’ll get to the bottom of this.”  He turns to Sirai.  “Come with me.  Don’t worry.  I’m always fair.”

She scoffs, looks at me then at the magistrate.  There’s a moment of mania in her eyes, then she spins around and bolts.  I react without thinking, easily grappling her and chasing her to the ground.  Getting a good hold on her, I stand and pull her to her feet.  I look over at the magistrate.  “Where do you want her?”

“Follow me.”  He steps into the house.

I follow as Sirai struggles to break free.  The house is small and in seconds we are at a jail cell.  Sirai shrieks as I shove her inside and slide the bars closed.  

The magistrate locks it with a key and sighs.  “Well, that was unexpected.  Come with me,” he says, ushering me back into the next room.  He closes the door to the cell behind him.  “This makes me wonder why I got into this.”

“Into what?”

“Being a magistrate.”

“Did you want to do something else?”

“Not especially.  I just happened to be well liked.  Things sort of just progressed from there.”

“Sometimes that’s how life works.”

“Indeed.  Anyway,” he reaches out a hand, “thanks for your help.”

I shake his hand.  “Anytime.  Now I get to go tell a little girl that she’s safe.”

He shakes his head.  “I never would have believed it of her.  She’s always been so bubbly and flirty.  I didn’t see it for a second.”

“I never claim to be that insightful about people.  I’m generally surprised when I can read people.”

“Well, clearly your talents lie somewhere.  You managed to solve this in less than a day.”

“And that’s without any truth spells.  Honestly, I think it was mostly luck.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.”

I just shrug.

“I’m wondering if you might be willing to help me with something.”  He looks over at the closed door once more, and I notice he takes a couple steps away from it, like he’s afraid of being overheard, even from this distance.

“Yes?”

“There’s something… odd going on in this village.  A village this size, it should be quiet, laid back.  Nothing much should happen, but that’s not what I’ve seen lately.  A murder, a questionable death, a kidnapping.”  He motions toward Sirai.  “But that’s not everything.  Something is going on here, and I don’t know what it is.  I can’t put the pieces together, but maybe you can.”

“What have you got?”

“Not much.  Hell, maybe it’s nothing.”

“I doubt it’s nothing.  I’ve only been here about a day, and even I can see that something isn’t right here.”

“You can?”

“Yes.”

He sighs.  “That makes me feel better, strangely.”

“Why me?”

“I don’t trust anyone.  Not now.”

“Then why trust me?”

“You’re not involved.  You said yourself you just arrived here.”

“Fair.”

“There’s something I don’t trust about that land sales office of Mr. Mirthglades’.  Why here?  Why now?  He made an offer on Tanver Cobblemantle’s place before his death.  He turned him down.  Multiple times.  Then all of a sudden he’s dead?  Murdered?  Sounds sketchy.”

“I agree.  I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks.”

I nod and leave.