DAY 295 (30th Nightal)(December)
Everyone reported to their watch house again this morning.
Forgive me, dear reader, I have little information on what Fylker and Riz got up to over the next few days so I will only record here what I know about Fenrir and Arahel's employment.
As they had done the day before they had a long breakfast then took to the skies.
The only thing of interest that happened during there watch was when a wizard flew high over the walls, heading to the city. He had his wife on his back and carried two heavy looking bags yoked over his shoulders.
He seemed fed up, but stopped to let Fenrir question him. He was on the way to see his mother apparently, at number 75 Wizard's Cut.
'Good,' said Dressdelle who had been watching and appraising. 'But you forgot to ask his name, where he had come from, how long he intended to stay, why he didn't enter by the gate... oh and his school of magic. The city is not keen on Necromancers at the moment after all that bad business in the summer.'
Fenrir accepted the criticism.
That evening, after work, Fenrir and Arahel went to see Nebulus, flying in through the top window as arranged (Fylker and Riz went to the pub - it was New Year's Eve after all!). He had information for them about Castle Cormaeril, its layout and defences and also told Fenrir he could get his stolen stuff for him if he helped clear a warehouse of guards prior to him robbing it.
They agreed to do it some time soon.
DAY 296 (1st Hammer)(January) 1377DR
And so the start of the New Year saw them all reporting for duty again as normal. This was their third day in the Watch.
As part of their training Dressdelle was having Fenrir and Arahel talk to the people they found flying above the city. Now it was Arahel's turn and as an eagle she intercepted a flying woman in black called Silderan.
The woman was in no mood to talk, but eventually Arahel pestered her into revealing she was leaving the city because she had split up with her boyfriend.
'Good,' said Dressdelle. 'We are less concerned about people leaving the city. But perhaps she was going to burn down a village somewhere to vent some of her anger?'
'Should we follow her?' asked Arahel watching the angry woman in black fly off into the clouds.
'No, it's ok. We have the authority to stop anyone we like up here, for whatever reason or none at all. But she didn't explicitly said she was leaving to cause harm. If she had been coming in though, that would have been a different matter.'
When they got home that night there was a mysterious letter on the table. It was opened and read:
''
I'm sorry I cannot come and meet you, there is a lot going on elsewhere that I must attend to.
Hopefully this letter finds you well. If you have succeeded in joining a city faction, then the next step is to see how high you can get up in it. The higher the better. Do remember though, Fenrir old chap, that you are one of the good guys here. Any acts of wanton naughtiness will make Gerty sad and none of us want that.
If you need funds, then enquire after a gentleman called Morne Mardo who is a merchant with a premises on the market square. Give the password 'Burnt Cakes' and when he asks your name
give it as our favourite watchman/dung sweeper.
Mardo will provide funds, but please only use this money for furthering our cause and also when you go there, go in disguise, as a merchant or whatever with some vaguely plausible cover story.
When you are down at the market see if you can pick up a copy of a book. The title of the book I will not name here, but see if you can find it based on these clues:
1. The novel's title has seven words
2. The first word is a title for a grand old dame
3. The second word is made up of two words, the first is what Sune is the goddess of and the second is a material made from yarn that might decorate collars or cuffs.
4. The third word is a conjunction and the middle part of a bandana
5. The forth word is a pronoun for number 1
6. The fifth word means lots
7. The sixth word is the race of our good friend with the name 'The upper part of William'
8. The seventh word may possibly describe the relationship between our friends Durz and Berum
You'll need this book for later!
Cavu the Cursed
P.S. Don't forget to snoop about for that Serpent Door!
''
After a long time of puzzling over the letter they thought it was something like;
'Madame Sun (or Love )lace and knot many gnome partners'
Down at the market they found a lovely old bookshop and eventually, after nearly being forced to buy '50 shades of gnome', 'Gnomes in love', 'Marriage rituals of the dragon coast' and 'The spinster bride' they eventually found what they were after;
'Lady Lovelace and her many gnomish lovers'
They paid double for it, a gold, to also reward the shopkeeper for being kept up well past closing time.
DAY 297 (2nd Hammer)(January)
The 4th day of working for the Watch.
Fenrir stopped a witch as she left the city. She gave a false name and was far to fast on her broomstick for him to catch. He did shoot at her and hit her broom.
She yelped, 'Ooh ya bugger!' but she did not stop.
Later in the day another witch gave a false name to Arahel as she entered the city.
This was the only excitement this day (work wise anyway).
Fenrir asked when they could get a day off and Dressdelle seemed surprised.
'A day off? I was hoping once I'd trained you up, I could take a day off. I've been doing the DAW by myself for a month! Well, maybe in a few days if you seem up to it, I'll take a few days off... maybe get my friend Jendins to keep an eye on you. After that you can have a couple of days.'
Fenrir accepted this.
Back at the cottage they had received an invite to a masquerade ball from Nebulus.
'It's an open house and you can use my name to get in', read the note. 'Get a costume and come along. It starts at 10 o'clock tonight. It is the mansion of Lady Dreggleblot, outside the city. Leave by the South Gate and once you are past the castles you can't miss it.'
They arrived at the villa on foot, Fenrir dressed in a rented costume and Arahel going as herself, reasoning that she would look unusual enough as she was, being small and green skinned.
The mansion, more of a fortified villa, was a large walled compound with a main building and several other structures such as the stables and servant quarters.
The party did not really get going until after midnight.
DAY 298 (3rd Hammer)(January)
They met Lady Dreggleblot herself, a powerfully built woman of middle years. Most of the party was in the main hall. There was lots of food, drunk and music. As the night wore on the masque got more and more debauched and in the dark corners of the villa and the upstairs rooms people found places to kiss and cuddle.
At about two in the morning word went round that something bad had happened. Someone that Fenrir had been talking to said,
'I think someone has been killed! Oh Deary me. Hey. You are the "Duck Detective" are you not? You should go help out.'
The young fellow was referring to the incident in Ferbone where they had not quite managed to save poor Daphne the Duck from the pot.
Lady Dreggleblot herself led them to a service corridor where the body of a serving girl lay dead. From the marks on her body it looked like she had been strangled. Her neck was bruised and scratched. The only other clue they found was a few strands of long blonde hair in her hand. Her name was Nance.
When asked about possible suspects Lady D said,
'Well, I don't know but I remember seeing her talking to Lord Bercy before. Oh and she was sat on Sir Metrum's knee for a while. Hmm, I also remember seeing Baron Nader trying to grab her breasts.'
Looking around the hall they saw Lord Bercy, dressed as a goat, chatting with a group of friends. Sir Metrum was dressed as a bear and had a wench on his knee and Baron Nader, dressed as a wolf, was half asleep on a sofa. They dismissed him as he was bald and tried to look at the other's hand, specifically their fingernails. Sir Metrum was evidently a nail biter and virtually had none.
Judging he could not have left the marks on Nance's neck with nail-less fingers, the finger (hoho!) of suspicion fell on Lord Bercy.
They decided to try and trick a confession out of him. Arahel shapeshifted into Nance and lay on a bed in one of the upstairs rooms. Fenrir sent a servant to get Bercy and hid behind the door.
As he entered Bercy said, 'I was told to come to this room. What japes! Oh, it is you my dear. Have you re-thought my offer?'
He climbed into bed beside Arahel.
Fenrir then pounced, his black wings arched above his head, his arms raised. Bercy, a small and timid man feinted dead away.
'To be honest, I don't think it's him,' said Fenrir as they dumped his sleeping body in another room.
They decided to try the same ploy with Metrum and when he arrived he lay down and said,
'I don't think I can manage more than a cuddle my dear. It's very late and I'm spent!'
Fenrir revealed himself again and Metrum was so shocked he soiled himself and the bed.
'Why you! I should... gohhh!' he snarled as he left the room.
This part of the plan having failed they decided to talk to some of the staff and Arahel had a few words with Mavis, another serving girl. She put them onto a footman called Hertman who had had an 'understanding' with Nance.
He was helping looking after all the horses and coaches of the party guests and had not heard of her death. When they told him among other things he said,
'Oh, I did warn her not to get ideas. She said she was going to rob the place because she... well, she was not fond of her Ladyship. I should not say more though my Lord.'
They looked in Nance's room, which she shared with other girls, but found no clues. Just a girl of ten who was trying to sleep and didn't like the intrusion.
They talked to the cook in the servant's kitchen, but by now they were both sure. The murderer was Lady D herself. She was strong enough to have done it and she had long blonde hair.
At five in the morning they met her in a private room.
'Have you resolved the situation?' she asked.
When Fenrir said, 'It was you that did it.'
She snarled back, 'You dare make this accusation? Based on what evidence?'
Arahel tried to look at her nails, but Lady D hid them behind her back.
Lady D look haughty then said, 'Even if it were true. What are you going to do about it?'
'We are of the Watch,' said Fenrir with a sinister look. 'We are going to arrest you.'
She made to run for the door and Fenrir blew her foot off with an Eldritch Blast.
Needless to say her screams drew a crowd. Fenrir put a blessed bandage on her foot to stop her dying of blood loss.
Arahel stepped out the window, turned into a giant, reached in and then slung Lady D over her shoulder. Fenrir flew away up into the night. At the City gates they handed Dreggleblot over to the Watch.
An hour later they reported for duty.
'Well,' said Dressdelle. 'She'll be out in a few hours I expect. The Watch will back you and protect you, but we have less authority outside the walls. Besides, she can pay the Wergild to the family and that's the end of it. You should really have walked away and reported it all to the Marshall. She would probably have accepted the charge and paid the fine, end of story. If you blasted her foot off then you've made a strong enemy today.'
'Meh,' said Fenrir. He had plenty of enemies already!
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