Group 2: Inquisitive, Amy, Marvin

"Yul sent you? Of course." He sighs, and there's some weight behind it. "It was a nasty case, I'll tell you that. I remember Elibyn clear as day---she was a tot then. Poor thing. And she's dead now?" A pause. "Poor thing indeed. Now, I just remember a little bit here and there, but what had happened was her parents were a part of some political rebel party or other. They tried to escape when they could, to keep Elibyn safe, but when they settled down in Esperal they were found out and shot. I think we found the killer but they escaped." Another pause. "I think. It was over a decade ago, and my memory's not been the best lately. You three are PIs?"

"Yes, yes we are PIs currently helping out with the investigation at the request of the mayor of Esperal." Inquisitive confirmed before continuing. "So, do you think Elibyn might have had any recollection of these events or was she too young for that? Did she witness anything of this do you think?"

Being told by his companions that the boosk and such were located under the bed he nods in thanks "Hmm, good to know.  I'm going to take another look just to be safe.  If there is something missing we should be sure it is."  Nyral is quite through and methodical in his searching this time.  He takes the entire mattress off the bed and it was a good thing as there was a tin journal hidden in the center.  It seems to be in the same style of notebook as the dream journal.  Small black bound notebooks.  He reads it a bit and seems a bit interested in what he finds.  "Well, not her most recent journal which makes it all the more interesting why she hid it under her mattress.  Perhaps she was trying to leave a clue for investigators?  Most of this is from several years ago where her father was alive.  Did we hear that she didn't have parents?  I might be getting her confused with someone else.  Almost seems her mom was alive and running a farm just a couple years ago.  Anyway, according to this her father passed away from some disease that got named after him.  Something new, considering that people thought these were all deaths from sickness as well I'm wonder if the father had similar symptoms.  If we can confirm this then... it would likely mean someone is targeting family lines and this all started way before the circus came to town."  Nyral will had the journal to the other two to check.  Then look around the room and also add a comment of "Wait, you two said you found the other books under the bed?  However, there is no recent journal except for the dream one and sketch book?  How certain are we there isn't another more recent journal here?"  Nyral seems deep in thought with something on his mind.  

"So her father is dead then." Truador says thoughtfully as he looks at the finger, "And the music box was given to her by her mother. The mother is still alive I think. Perhaps we should speak to her?" Truador clearly thinks his finger belonged to the father. 

Group 1: Nyral, Truador, Zanibi

(Nyral, if you want to make another Perception or Investigation check to see if you find anything while looking around the room again, go ahead! And if anyone else would like to do so as well.)

Group 2: Inquisitive, Marvin, Amy

"Oh no, she was definitely old enough. Working age. I don't think she saw the shooting itself... No, she was working at Bard's Tongue at the time." A wheezing cough punctuates the end of the sentence. "At the time of the shooting. Is that still there, Bard's Tongue? I loved that place."

As Nyral looks about the room, Zanibi will make another attempt to go through the room to see if there might be a journal or other book somewhere. (Investigation: 14)

Truador looks around one last time.

Investigation: 12

Being through Nyral joins the other two in making one more search throughout the apartment for a current journal or anything else that might catch the drow's attention.

Investigation: 15

Perception: 25

Group 1: Zanibi, Truador, Nyral

Zanibi:

Truador:

Nyral:

Truador glances through what he found then shakes his head, "These are all to old to help us. Have either of you found anything useful?"

He picks up a large folded piece of parchment and looks at it before replying to Truador.  The drow clearly doesn't look happily at whatever is on it.  Having searched the entire apartment with the other two he wasn't sure what else to do.  If there was no recent journal then it is likely it was taken like how things were taken from other places.  Whatever the case Nyral didn't seem to find what he was looking for.  They look to Truador and say, "No... I think I found something that needs to be delivered though."  If asked they show a semi-unfinished painting of a flower to Truador then carefully fold the painting back up and takes it with them.  Nyral seems a bit dejected as they sigh and say "How about you, Zanibi find anything to help us?  We should probably head back otherwise.  See what the others have discovered.  I think I'll need a good drink too."

(Isn’t the journal Truador gave Nyral recent? The one with the nightmares?)

”I agree, I could use a meal and a drink right now.” The Dragonborn looks a the finger in his hand. “We should also find somewhere safe to put this.”

((That's the dream journal/diary.  Nyral was looking for a recent standard journal/diary for like daily entries and not dream ones))

"Yes.  We definitely need to keep that safe.  I wouldn't be surprised if our mysterious killer wanted it.  I have a few tricks to make sure its safe if no one else has any other ideas on where to keep it safe.  I'll defer to others on that but I'd bet a lot on that finger being connected to all this somehow."  Nyral looks to the others and waits for them to be ready not in a rush but ready to go.

"I'm afraid I don't know about Bard's Tongue." Inquisitive said, glancing up at Marvin for an answer. "So, are there any details you remember concerning this case, particularly what Elibyn might have said when you interviewed her." The tiefling continued persistently.

It takes a moment for Zanibi to respond to Nyral as she was reading through a notebook she had found. Finally, she looks up. "Oh! Yes, this seems to be her last entries. Like everything, her thoughts start to become jumbled, letters mixed up when she writes.  But she mentions seeing a woman. Before her writing seemed to deteriorate."  She will show Nyral and Truador what she found. (see the spoiler) 

"She might have later thought the woman was hallucinations. But the first couple times she mentioned her, the writing seemed quite lucid."

(OOC: ok)

The Dragonborn nods to the elf then takes the journal from Zanibi. 

Truador reads the entries Zanibi shows to him. “Yes, it would seem this woman is not a hallucination. Calda was the first victim, perhaps the killer was a bit less careful about this first murder.”

Nyral waits for their turn to read the entries as well and then shakes their head.  "Not the information I was hoping for... odd there is no mention of her family when the music box became a focus."  Nyral pauses a moment and checks the journal he's holding for any torn out pages. (Does this require a roll?) After doing so he looks to Truador and says "She didn't necessarily see someone.  They mentioned before they saw the woman about not feeling well.  However, I still think you are right.  I think before the spell got too powerful in affecting them that they saw someone.  Nym said that there wasn't anyone odd or unexpected before her hallucinations began though.  Its possible she was already seeing things.  My question is, why didn't Nym mention this to me earlier when I specifically asked if anyone suspicious was seen?  I suppose it's possible she didn't mention them to Nym but then the question is, why?"  Nyral pockets the journal being the last one to hold it.  He looks to Zanibi and Truador and nods.  "Let's get going.  Find out what the others know.  Figure out a plan for what to do after."

Truador nods, "Yes, that makes could very well be the case. And it is odd that she wouldn't mention it to Nym. However, I think the last victim mentioning being followed as well, though she did not say it was a woman." (OOC: I think i'm right in saying this?)

As they start on their way, Truador continues talking, "Another thing I noticed is this. Nyral, you said it seemed like Calda started having nightmares before the carnival arrived yes? Well, in this entry, she specifically mentioned that the woman may have come from the carnival, before the nightmares start. Why is there an inconsistency? Have we acquired false information at some point?"

Catching Inquisitive look up at him, Marvin speaks up "The uh Bard's Tongue was a stage for musicians and performers to perform when traveling through town." He thinks for a moment attempting to recall what happened to it. "The owner moved somewhere else, and now we have The Black Owl, which I'm sure you saw with all our travel up and down town."

Inquisitive nods at Marvin and returns his attention to the phone.