“Correct. This guard here attacked Zelsh’s companion out of the blue. Zelsh’s companion is another halforc that left the area to continue our investigation. We believe this guard has ties to the cult. We were merely defending oursrlves from him.” Zelsh explained calmly.
“Oh, hello! The officer’s here on the ground.” Paprika gestures with flowing sleeve. “He’s injured, but stable and quite conversational. Feel free to take him away.” Paprika subtly sways her head back and and forth in self-satisfaction as she speaks.
“If you’re here anyway, I do think my companions may have a report to make.”
(Cop’s wife makes racially insensitive comment, more at 11)
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“I do believe something to that effect has transpired. And frankly, despite not being here at the time I think I already know what happened.”
“I was attacked by a pair of thugs!” protests Rafau. “One of them fled, but that one—” (he points up at Zelsh) “—stayed around. The others weren’t present for the assault, but they sided with their companions.” He takes a deep breath, then adds through gritted teeth: “Though that one” (motion at Wanderer) “did heal me, so be lenient on him.”
“I see,” says the dwarf gravely, his face inscrutable. He looks at Rika, his eyes boring into her. “And your report?”
“I came in and healed the watchman after a woman came running to find a healer. If you’d like me to respond to a truth spell on that, I can do so.”
He is aware of how he’s viewed and prefers to stick to the obvious reality since that favors his position.
“If I weren’t working alongside them, how would I know Valtyr’s name?” He shrugged. “But again, no pressure.”
(what time is it?)
(I think it’s still the morning? Since you went over early, and while quite a lot of time has passed out-of-game less has passed in-game)
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“H-he works for the Watch, his name isn’t a secret . Was there anything else you wanted to know? O-or did you have any interest in music lessons?”
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Wanderer will look at Rafau with a curious expression. Surely he realizes that escalating does not favor him, right?
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(Textwall incoming)
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He puts his hands to his temple. Oh god I’m thinking like Rika.
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Drakor blinked. “Oh. Uh. I didn’t have anything else in particular…”
He glanced at Arius. “Did you want to take any music lessons?”
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Embrace the Rika thought
Lionel already is
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“No, thank you,” Arius politely declines. “I will have to pass up on that, unfortunately.”
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Drakor nodded. “Well, thank you for your time.”
He turned and began walking away.
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“M-may your path be easy and your burdens light.” She closes the door.
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Paprika glared down at Rafau as he implicated her. He really thinks he’s getting me arrested after that?
“As you are no doubt aware, an anonymous report was made regarding activity of a cult of Flauros this week: a note posted to a fence on Starday night. This is an unusual method of reporting cult activity, no? It indicates fear of the Watch in some capacity: that reporting the cult would lead to retaliation somehow, despite the knowledge of the tipper’s identity being provided only to the Watch." She closes her eyes and smiles as she speaks.
“Having heard of this incident, my group accompanied Valtyr and Rafau to examine the crime scene. Several things stood out to me there: the crime scene was perfectly cleaned, the symbol washed off the wall and most footprints swept away, but zero trace of lockpicking remained on the door, which had been sealed by the Watch at time of discovery, further indicating involvement by a member of the Watch. Traces of the symbol of Flauros remain on the wall: it was painted a few weeks ago.”
“During the investigation, Rafau was happy to regale us with more knowledge of Flauros than any of the rest of us possessed, but seemed unusually jumpy around the cleaning of the crime scene. After being confronted about his involvement, and making suspiciously specific denials around the worship of Flauros, Rafau followed two of my companions into this alleyway as they went to track footsteps and attacked them there. In self-defense, they brought him to the ground, and he was then healed to stability.”
“We conversed with him on the subject of his cult involvement. It became clear that he had painted the symbol, and he offered us substantial bribes to avoid speaking of this ever again. Quite a bit of money on a watchman’s salary,” Paprika said with a giggle. “He then essentially confessed that he has been exorting money from people through the means of a cult of Flauros. Not genuine demon-worship on his part, but certainly an illegal racket.”
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Drakor began talking with Arius as he walked back. “Do you think we should go back to the alley or go talk with the Watch?”
Wanderer snorts and gives a smirk.
Brilliant.