Not noticing Saralyssa taking the next logical step, Morph continues the discussion with the other,

"Wait, your troubled by entering the shop to look around, but fine with casting magic on Bronx, even though the prison guard said it wasn't allowed?"

"Your line in the sand has a bit of zigzag in it Titus."

Morph give his large well armoured friend a light hearted smirk.

"I mean we aren't trying to break and enter, just...enter. And we aren't entering so we can rob the place, we just want to look around for clues."

"We could stake the place out, but given that its been closed up for a few days now, I'm not sure if we want to wait."

"What if our target has headed out and the longer we wait the further he gets?"

"I wont force anything though, if you're really against it, we can look for other alternatives."

Saralyssa casts misty step and appears inside the shop.  She moves to the door and opens it, to let in the others.

Rethan is just moving to insert the pick into the lock when the door suddenly opens in front of him.  He hastily shoves the lockpick set out of sight before heaving a sigh of relief that it's only Saralyssa.

Morph turns as the door opens.

"Well it looks like we've been invited in."

Morph gives Titus a wink as he follows Rethan into the shop.

"What have we got then?"

Morph looks around, noticing all the mess.

"Oh, well this can't be good."

Morph starts to look around, trying to find clues as to what has happened, not seeing the body at first.

Saralyssa appears amidst the chaos of the bait shop. At a glance, the shoes behind her do look to be on the feet of someone. Before attending to that mystery, she lets the rest of the team in. Morph finds the entire shop in disarray. It does not appear to be a robbery as everything you would expect to be in a bait shop is around in some form or another, including a small coinbox filled with coppers and a few silvers. Unless the owner was hiding, or suspected of hiding, something specific here, the shop was either intentionally trashed or trashed in pursuit of some unidentifiable end.

Laying face up behind the counter is a man in simple peasant's clothing. Three-day old bait is spilled across his chest and neck and flies and maggots have found their home on him. He appears to have died violently, his neck cut open and what look like claw marks across his face and stomach. He has not begun to stink like the dead quite yet. That or the putrid smell of the bait shop is just overpowering the smell of death.

Rethan grimaces, though he's seen as bad or worse before.  "Well, I guess he's not going to be answering any questions..."

"Indeed."

Morph takes a deep breath and holds it, before going in close to give the body a look over.

Morph give the body a medical assessment, looking for any other clues that are not already obvious from first observation.

Next Morph gives the body a once over looking for identifying marks and then finally checks any pockets for items.

Titus reluctantly enters the shop after scowling disapprovingly at the break in, but he keeps his thoughts to himself as he was not looking forward to an all night stake out to case this place. He walks inside with the rest of them and furrows his brow as he surveys the violent crime scene. 

"Nasty stuff getting mixed up with this lot..." he muses quietly. He sets to work investigating the shop for any clues left behind by the assailant. 

Investigation: 8

Saralyssa wrinkles her nose at the smell, but lends a hand looking around the shop for anything that might have been missed by whomever was searching before them.

Investigation: 12

As she does so she says.  "I think someone should go find the guard or watch, we don't want people to stumble upon us and think we did this..."

Rethan, as a member of the watch (or was it the guard?  I forget now :P), volunteers to go notify the authorities.  He heads out to do so, reporting that they found a dead body in a shop at the docks, believed to be that of the owner.

Quote from VanderLegion >>

Rethan, as a member of the watch (or was it the guard?  I forget now :P), volunteers to go notify the authorities.  He heads out to do so, reporting that they found a dead body in a shop at the docks, believed to be that of the owner.

Guard. Same with Morph and Titus.

While Morph looks over the body and Saralyssa and Titus examine the shop, Rethan and Laniel go find a City watchperson to inform them of the possible murder.

Morph:

 Saralyssa and Titus:

 Rethan and Laniel:

 As everyone is finishing gathering any clues, Rethan and Laniel return with a watchwoman who retches at the smell but begins looking about the place. "I recognize him," she says, "but I don't know the man."

"Couple of signs here seem to lead to the The Spouting Fish." Titus says as he points to the advertising papers strewn about the floor. "I'm guessing this poor sod spent a lot of his time... and money down there." He says as he light kicks one of the empty ale bottles. 

Morph pockets the key before the watch arrive, hoping it will open something important in the future.

"There are no identifying marks that I can find on the body, but he was a heavy drinker by all the evidence."

As the watchwomen enters and confirms she recognises the body, Morph asks,

"Can you confirm this is the body of the man who owned or worked this shop?"

"We are here investigating on behalf of Lady Blackstaff and were lead to believe the owner, or worker, went by the name Helsin Byrat."

At Titus remarks about the Spouting Fish, Morph nods,

"Looks like that's our next stop then."

"Seems like we are going for a drink."  Saralyssa says as she sniffs the opening of one of the bottles. She wrinkles her nose at the smell as she tosses the bottle aside. She nods to the watch-woman.  She is about to comment on the fact the woman did not recognize the dead body when her companion did so for her.  She just nods as she waits for the answer.

"I've never visited this shop before, so I do not know," says the watchwoman. "I've seen him around the docks is all."

 Morph nods his understanding,

"Well, Helsin Byrat is the most likely name for our unidentified victim so far then."

"Will you need us to stay around for long? Can you take our statements now and let us continue with our own investigation?"

"We own Trollskull Manor and some of us are members of the grey hands, if you need to contact us further once we have been let go."

Saralyssa is already heading for the door, so pauses.  "Sure, what do you need before we head out?" She asks the guard woman.

The watchwoman looks uneasy at the request, clearly unsure of the crime that occurred here and how the five of them might be involved. She begins taking their information but is relieved when more Watch arrive. The party still must wait while a messenger runs to and from Blackstaff Tower and, after about 45 minutes, they are finally cleared to leave.

The five of them find The Spouting Fish without any trouble. It is a somewhat rundown establishment, unsurprising for the being in the South Ward. It appears to be a loud, rambunctious tavern that owes its success to its relentless street-cryer advertising and its location by the South gate. It is quite busy even now in the mid-afternoon. Nobody really seems to notice as the adventurers enter. They manage to grab a filthy table as another group leaves, although it is small and suited really for only three people, four if one is willing to get cozy. The five of them still manage to crowd around the tiny table near the stage where a bard sings a melancholy sailor's lament. Before long a harried serving girl arrives to take their orders.

Titus grunts as they squish into the small table he manages to lift up one hand to order an ale when the serving girl arrives. After he places his order he inquires with her about Helsin Bryant. "Excuse me, but we were wondering if you knew anything about Helsin Bryant, we understand he was a regular here and did some business with the owners." He watches her intently looking for any signs of deception. 

Morph also adds his order for a ale along with Titus'.

At Titus' question, Morph scans the room, checking out the other patrons and workers.

Morph looks to see if anyone is paying interest in the group and if so, try to gain insight from their body language and facial expressions, about what they think of the group and Titus' question.