Faera rummages around in her bag for a bit and finally produces a pencil.  She accepts the paper from the Commander and as Ilithir is trying to describe the word that is in Talithan, she writes 'Memory' in common on the paper under the other word and shows it to the man.

When Ilithir looks to her for confirmation on the school of enchantment, "Oh yes, there's no telling what someone can do depending how far they have been schooled in enchantment.  If it was one of your guards, there is a chance they were not under their own control.  But also as he says, they might have been disguised as a guard?  There is a lot of possibilities unfortunately."

Ghurr looks on as they describe motives and possible enchantment.

"Sometimes bad people just greedy," Ghurr says. "Or want what you have."

He then glances at everyone.

"There is no bad people here now. But Soft's Rest still needs help," the bugbear says. "We should go."

Heran for most of the conversation seemed to only be partially paying attention. She nods in agreement as the others speculate on the suspect. "There isn't much we can do without more information. Best to do right now is ask the guards like Ili suggested. Maybe have people keep an eye out for boxes left alone. This doesn't seem like something that'll be a one off thing."

Mala follows the rest of the group on the way back, lagging to the back a bit.  She listens to the descriptions of what happened and the discussion of potential inside saboteurs. When the Commander questions Thurodim about how he knew the timing of the box being placed, she readily jumps in to answer.  "Ah, the half-orc here simply asked a bird about what had happened, and it told him."  She says it with complete seriousness. "Yes, he's been known to talk to the birds now and then.  It's really quite normal.  For him." 

"There are few enough guards around at the moment. Probably it's only worth talking to Corporal Siannodel and Corporal Singer, when she wakes up. If she wakes up..." For a moment he's lost in his thoughts, worried for his Corporal, before snapping out of it. "They seem to have been the closest. Heian was close enough to see feathers, and Bell must have been close as she was there when we arrived. And before you say one of them may have done it," he holds up a warning finger, "not them. Neither of them are the type to do something like this of their own free will. If enchantment magic was involved... I suppose we'll have to deal with that when the time comes. As things stand, I'll spread the word to look out for anything strange or out of place."

At Mala's explanation of Thurodim's knowledge, he raises his eyebrows. "Talked to a bird? Funny, you don't look like a druid. Not that I've met any druids to compare against, but you see etchings, you hear stories. And yes, that's a good question," he says looking first at Illithir then back to Thurodim. "Did this bird happen to see who did this?"

Illithir, regarding your Insight check.

The dwarf Captain, having stayed here at the house, is hearing most of the details of the event for the first time, and is reacting accordingly. Shock at hearing of the deaths, disbelief that one of his colleagues could have created this situation but also concern that it's the most likely answer. However he lets the Commander take the lead in asking questions and providing information. He doesn't appear to be acting suspiciously.

"Yes, my friend is right." Thurodim hesitantly says after a moment, looking a bit embarrased, briefly glancing over at Mala before turning to the Commander. "I have a...connection...to beasts. I used it to ask a seagull about what happened up there at the rooftop. It said the box was put there recently, by someone who was dressed as a guard and looked a bit like Mala and Heran, but with human colour, so maybe a woman and even an elf." The lumbering half-orc slowly explains with his rumbling voice, glancing over at Faera with giving her a shy apologetic look.

Landgrave’s question echoed his own in many aspects and depending on the answer the whole situation could be solved. If a bird knew exactly who put the box then it could very well recognize the perpetrator. This would be a very good first step, for Ilithir doubted that whoever activated the brooch was the true mastermind behind the sabotage.

“With all due respect, commander, but you are dealing with someone can clearly deploy magic items that not everyone can afford.” The elf said pointing to the brooch. “You said it yourself, so the right course of action is to suspect exactly of the types you think wouldn’t do this sort of thing because they would be the ideal targets for compulsion through magic or the more likely to be a perpetrator in disguise.” He then stops and think for a moment. “Suspecting then on this particular situation is not distrust nor disrespect but rather something that may very well save their lives.”

Ilithir then turns his attention towards Thurodim. The man may just single handedly solve the investigations on the fort.

“Assuming the bird knows, if the commander orders all of his man to be present in a single area to a roll call of sorts, could you convince the bird to help us check on them with us? To tell us when we look at the culprit?”

Thurodim listens attentively to the theorizing of Ilithir, not quite following his train of thoughts all the way to the terminal, but the half-orc was used to not understanding everything that was said. Eventually Mala would explain things to him with simpler words and shorter sentences. Thuridim flinched as the elf suddenly turned to him with his question. "If I get enough bread we may have several eye witnessess, problem is birds are not so clever and tend to forget things quickly. It would need to happen soon if any birds are going to help out, and even then they are not the most...um...reliable witnesses. Bird is stupid like...bird." The lumbering half-orc says with an apologetic shrug. "Other guards observing who went up and down the tower just before the harpy attack will be more reliable witnesses I think."

With the immediacy of the problem fading, Ghurr leaves the questioning to the others. He's more than ready to put himself between danger and someone, plant or animal, who needs protection, but puzzling through why the danger was doing what it was doing, well that was for the thinkers.

Instead he scans around the room to find a window he can look out of. If there is one, he walks over to it, as gingerly as he can so he doesn't break anything and looks outside and up into the sky.

"Maybe we go outside town and turn on music box," Ghurr says. "Harpies maybe come back and we ask them why."

Thurodim shrugs again. "Perhaps, but that big harpy mama said it was a trap so not sure they will come again, maybe it won't hurt to try though." The half-orc says, looking at the others.

Faera listens to the conversation and adds, "It seems like a long shot to ask the birds.  Do you have anyone in your guard that fits the description Thurodim stated?  If you do, that would be the first thing I would do, is question that one.  If you don't, I doubt the birds would be much help since that was what they saw.  And like Ilithir mentioned, they could have disguised themselves, so who knows?"

The Commander nods as Faera speaks. "Agreed, and so it seems is our resident druid," he says looking briefly at Thurodim. "Asking the birds was a good idea but I can't see it working twice, and it certainly won't hold up before a magistrate. I think the best thing would be to question all the guards, wherever they were or were supposed to be at the time of the attack. Myself and the Captain can manage that while you're in Soft's Rest. In the meantime, take the brooch down to Laurenz and if he can identify it ask him to send me a full description. He's a wizard, trained at the Hanging Tower, specialises in identification of esoteric items," he adds by way of explanation. "Anything to add Captain?" he asks the dwarf.

Captain Crystalson has clearly been mulling something over in his mind. "Actually Sir, I was wondering... If any of these good folk have any healing abilities, magic or otherwise, perhaps they might go and see Corporal Singer. You said she'd been taken to the Temple of Valkur and it didn't look good... Maybe they could help?" He looks at you all questioningly, slightly desperately.

"I have no healing abilities, but I can show the way to Longboot's Boutique." Thurodim says, looking at Faera as she is holding the brooch.

“I heard something about some birds being smart, but it was more about ravens and crows. That and that owls are actually not that brilliant. I take your words that those in particular are not that bright.” He said Thurodim just before Faera and the captain echoed the half-orc thought process. He expected the commander to torture any answers out of the suspect with the help of some magic to ensure no lie was being fed, but either the man was too good to act like that or too prudent to not pretend otherwise. Going by his experiences, Ilithir believed the later more likely. “And as a matter of fact, I can perform some healing. Once without any spells and some more with proper magic.” He said to Crystalson, frustrated for not having thought about healing earlier. The illusion still had a graps over his thoughts. “Nothing beyond Healing Word and Cure Wounds, but I can go to the temple immediately.” Then he turned to his newfound companions. “We can split up and have part of the group go to Laurenz if you prefer to not wait for the healing process.”

Ilithir suggested while counting how many times he could perform magic. Between the enchantments, the spelless healing and his potions he should manage to save the corporal.

[Replicated post, please ignore. Thank you, DDB.]

"Do you still want us to leave at midday, Commander?" The genasi glances between the Commander and the Captain. "Might be best for us to split and meet up somewhere else, if we can do both."

"I'm not a magical healer. Nor a certified one, but currently have some uh..." Heran pauses, brows furrowing as she considers how to explain her abilities. "I might have some help from someone who was. So might be able to patch someone up if given some material."

Mala looks curiously at Heran's response about the healing.  She then adds, "I really can't help with the healing. But I could provide some berries that have healing properties."  She gives a quick glance towards Faera, who has the box with the brooch.  A bit reluctantly she says, "I guess I can go with Ilithir and Heran to see to the injured while the others take the brooch to Laurenz."

The Commander takes this all in. "Yes, Soft's Rest still needs your help. The sooner you can all leave the better. It seems decided, those of you with whatever form of healing abilities, go to the Temple of Valkur, see what you can do. We would be very grateful. The rest of you, see if Laurenz can tell you about the brooch. Then use whatever time you have for any further business you may have in town before meeting the cart at the Fault Gate."

(I think I said the High Gate earlier, my mistake.)

He sighs. "It seems like I've brought you on board just in time. A lot of strange events have been happening, most of which you all have been involved with, to one degree or another. That's why I've put this unit together - you can all handle yourselves, when faced with the unfortunate or the unusual. And although it was impossible to save my four guards, I just want to say thank you." He stands at ease with his hands behind his back. "Without you, it could have been much worse. Alright then, off you go." 

As you all begin to file out the room, he adds "Oh, once you've shown that thing to Laurenz, keep it. I don't want it here, but we might need it later to prove what's been done."

Thurodim nods to the Commander. "See you later at Fault Gate." He says to Mala, a bit reluctantly leaving her, making his way towards Longboot's Boutique, just off the Market Square, to meet with Laurenz along with those who would accompany him there.