I kneel beside the corpse of Brassman, taking care not to disturb anything and to avoid the blood and examine the wounds. "How was he killed." I look at the wounds closely.

Investigation

9

Look around the room, in particular for any signs of religious activity. Do a See the arcane.

Quote from che_ja_pa >>

I kneel beside the corpse of Brassman, taking care not to disturb anything and to avoid the blood and examine the wounds. "How was he killed." I look at the wounds closely.

Investigation

9

For Dora:

[OOC: Brassman's throat was cut. Dora's investigation check tells her that the victim's attacker probably took him by surprise from behind. He probably died pretty quickly.]

"Professionally," says Sheriff Tambour, matter of factly in answer to Dora's question. "It is the other fellow who gave the killer trouble."

Quote from Guilliame >>

Look around the room, in particular for any signs of religious activity. Do a See the arcane.

[OOC: There is a large, brass, Mithran sunburst mounted on the wall.]

Closing his eyes briefly, Guilliame does a See the Arcane.

For Guilliame:

[OOC: There is no obvious magic in the room other than that has been brought into by the people in the room. If you want to look for things less obvious, make a Perception check.]

I try to determine which way the knife was drawn which will tell me what hand the attacker used and how the attacker got behind Brassman - did he follow him in from the door or manouvre around.

I lean over to smell Brassman's mouth - I am seeking any hint of that dark potion or of anything really. 

Perception

8

Quote from che_ja_pa >>

I lean over to smell Brassman's mouth - I am seeking any hint of that dark potion or of anything really. 

Perception

8

For Dora (the results of the last two posts):

[OOC: Based on the description of how she investigated (i.e., not touching anything) and the previous Investigation check roll, Dora cannot tell the handedness of the killer based on the cut, there is too much blood.

Also, with the above roll, Dora can't smell anything other than the blood.]

Perception: 13

I realise there is too much blood to tell the direction of the cut "I need to find a cloth to wipe this neck wound so I can determine if the killer was right or left handed." 

Wander off to the kitchen, looking around as I walk - paying particular attention as to whether food, glasses, crockery, drink have been used or laid out. If so how many and has anything been drunk or eaten.

[OOC my input from late Monday AM to Late Saturday AM will be sporadic and at best once daily. We are going to a place with poor internet coverage.]

Quote from Guilliame >>

Perception: 13

For Guilliame:

Guilliame notices that a dagger at the sheriff's side has a magically glowing hilt. He also now notices that, while Saladin Brassman's sorcerer's aura is no longer around his head, there is a faint concentration of magic all over his whole body.

[OOC: To determine which school of magic these auras belong to, please roll two Arcana checks for Guilliame, both at Disadvantage.]

Quote from che_ja_pa >>

I realise there is too much blood to tell the direction of the cut "I need to find a cloth to wipe this neck wound so I can determine if the killer was right or left handed." 

Wander off to the kitchen, looking around as I walk - paying particular attention as to whether food, glasses, crockery, drink have been used or laid out. If so how many and has anything been drunk or eaten.

[OOC my input from late Monday AM to Late Saturday AM will be sporadic and at best once daily. We are going to a place with poor internet coverage.]

Getting up from where she was examining the body of Brassman, Dora heads off to find a cloth.

For Dora:

I call out loudly to the Sheriff - "SHERIFF, YOU DID CHECK NO-ONE ELSE WAS IN THE HOUSE?"

Arcana checks: 11

9

Quote from Guilliame >>

Arcana checks: 15

14

For Guilliame:

[OOC: Both successes.

The sheriff's dagger has an active spell on it that is from the domain of Divination. This spell seems to be quite strong and perhaps permanent in nature.

The aura on Brassman's corpse is from the domain of Abjuration, which makes it some sort of ward. From what Guilliame can see, it would seem this spell is beginning to wear off.

 ]

Quote from che_ja_pa >>

I call out loudly to the Sheriff - "SHERIFF, YOU DID CHECK NO-ONE ELSE WAS IN THE HOUSE?"

"Brassman lives alone," replies the sheriff in a normal voice after a moment. "And I have neither seen nor heard anyone else in the house while I have been here, but no, I have not been upstairs."

[OOC: If Dora is in the doorway leading to the kitchen, the sheriff is probably only about 20' away.]

[OOC: I have also updated the map of the house you can see on the World Anvil page for Brassman's House to include three of the light sources in the house (i.e., the yellow dots). They are uncovered oil lamps and are currently the only working light sources in the house, other than the one on Basilly's club.]

I walk away from the kitchen, "Sheriff, we need to double check the murderer is not still here."

Where-ever Guilliame is I say or yell " Can you go with Basilly and search the upstair rooms, the murderer may still be here."

I say to the Sheriff "we need more light and to check the rear of the house - will you come, can you bring that lantern in the sitting room?"

I disarm the crossbow, keeping the bolts and laying the crossbow on the table, I pick up the lantern from the table, before drawing my scimitar. 

As the Sheriff appears in stronger light, I glance to see if he has any blood on him.

"After you Sir!"

The sheriff, and everyone else, looks up in shock as Dora enters the lounge room and starts shouting at everyone.

A silence falls over the room and then the sheriff says in a stern voice, "Handleader Wallus, I am in charge here... And, I am in charge of this investigation. If you do not believe me when I tell you there is no one in the house, then you can check the upstairs yourself. Otherwise, feel free to return to your watch post."

He then walks across to Apprentice Cullen and shows him a book that was previously on the side table in the lounge room and says, "Apprentice Cullen, I believe this book contains writing of an arcane nature. Perhaps it might shed some light on this situation."

[OOC: The sheriff is Dora's boss, and the ranking official for the Crown in the Scholar's Ward. Paul, if you wish to change your last move, please feel free to do so.]

"Sorry sir! You said you had not checked upstairs so I will do so now."

[OOC do not retract post #3828. The sheriff had not checked upstairs and Dora was following commonsense of not sending off anyone alone. Also the only shouting she did was a conditional shout if Guilliame was not in earshot. She did not shout at the Sheriff at all.]

Quote from che_ja_pa >>

[OOC do not retract post #3828. The sheriff had not checked upstairs and Dora was following commonsense of not sending off anyone alone. Also the only shouting she did was a conditional shout if Guilliame was not in earshot. She did not shout at the Sheriff at all.]

[OOC: You did have Dora shout in the previous move, where I pointed out that he and everyone (Guilliame was looking for religious iconography and is now doing a magical examination of the room) was within twenty feet of Dora and so shouting was not necessary. But that is not the thing that the sheriff reacted to. He reacted to Dora telling him what to do and also taking over the investigation. He is the ranking officer, and also the officer more in charge of the facts of the case, or so he believes. To get him to change his point of view, Dora is going to have to be more persuasive.]