conversations: human
conversations:  When the group arrives back at Val'Der's hideout, they see a gruesome display. The three gang members are dead, their bodies slashed and broken.
  The group's captive swears under his breath and diverts his gaze.
  Between them are the charred remains of Fandor, his clothing melted into his skin and his face burned away. There is a heavy trail of blood leading off of the platform in the opposite direction of the group, but there is no blood that can be seen on the tracks.
  
   "Not again. Not in my home, damn it all,"  Val'Der says wearily.
conversations: Whattabatt:
conversations: human
conversations:  Keoni searched the room, looking for disturbed dust, tracks, other blood splatters, and pretty much anything that could shed more light on the what happened, how it came about and most importantly who did it.
  
   "Let's try to quickly find out more about what happened here. Please help me look."  
   
   Spoiler 
  
   Search:  (1d20+7)[ 13 ] 
  [OOC: So, anyone with enough ranks to "Aid Another" me?]
   
conversations: A_Somebody:
conversations: human
conversations:  As a reminder, there is a ratty orange couch and a disconnected fridge on the platform along with other smaller items that would accumulate from Val'Der having lived there.
  
  The rope that had been used to tie the gangsters is scattered around the platform, broken into pieces with burnt ends. The gangsters themselves do not seem to have suffered from burn damage, although parts of the clothing on their upper bodies is charred.  One of the gangsters is missing an arm, which is sitting a few feet away from him. Fandor's visible injuries consist entirely of burns.  There are various blood splatters on the wall and floor of the platform, aside from the trail. The floor is scattered with bits of trash, dirt and dust. No distinct tracks are visible.
  
   
   Spoiler 
   If you want to try to squeeze more info out of the scene by looking more intentionally for tracks you'll have to make a (difficult) Survival check.
   
  
  
  Val'Der walks around the body and curls up on the now slightly burned couch, pulling a rough blanket over his head.
conversations: Whattabatt:
conversations: human
conversations:  Theminar has lost all confidence in his logic skills, edits his post, and looks dejected by the corner before going up to Val'Der.
  
   "Do you think the slayer could have done this?" 
conversations: redwings1340:
conversations: human
conversations:  Val'Der moves his face from under the blanket and examines the scene with a pained look on his face before responding.
   
  "I doubt it. The captives' bonds were cut. The cuts were less precise than the Slayer's were. There isn't a whiff of abjuration residue here, is there? Trust me, I've spent more than enough time going over every damn detail of the Slayer's slaughter to know when it's him. More likely, this is John's work." 
  
  Val'Der then pulls the blanket back over his head.
conversations: Whattabatt:
conversations: human
conversations:  Falling to his knees in shock, !Bilay cries
  
   "FENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRR, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!?" 
  
  !Bilay then continues collapse, eventually lying himself on the floor, openly weeping. After a taking a few moments to compose himself, !Bilay then asks
  
   "Tell me Vader, this was not the first time this ‘John’, or whatever, has attacked your house?" 
conversations: Stubby:
conversations: human
conversations:  Val'Der pushes the blanket off of himself but stays lying down, staring at the ceiling. He sighs and says,  When my companions and I were first pulled into this world, we landed where you met John's gang of bastards. People from this world rarely went down there, so we made it our home as much as was possible. After the Slayer...well, the three of us who were away at the time scattered and abandoned that place. It was over a year before my companion Tor'Mul and I came back, and when we did John had already moved in.  We wished to give our friends a proper burial. They wouldn't answer my questions about the bodies of my compatriots, wouldn't let me in to examine where the portal had been in hopes of getting some hint of how we could go home, and then...we saw the armor of our friend, Asa'Var, on the wall. Hanging like some common piece of decoration. ...things heated up from there. We settled right here, just down the tunnel. For many months we skirmished up and down this dank, disgusting tunnel. Tor'Mul was killed, along with...who knows how many of John's soldiers...and eventually we both seemed to come to the silent agreement that it wasn't worth the bloodshed and the risk of getting attention. I had lost my steam. Then they took Lyra. 
conversations: Whattabatt:
conversations: human
conversations:  "It is strange then that John would come through this way, given the relationship between the two of you. How would he know that we were keeping his men at your house? We've captured or killed anyone who seemed to related to John, preventing them from telling him. The way I see it, there are three possibilities. One, John has a group of non-magical folk tailing us and informing him of our status. Two, John has some sort of magical connection with these dragon-y fellows, telling him of their status. Three, one of us is a traitor. Whatever the answer is, clearly John finds these dragon-y types enough of a threat to him to kill for." 
  
  Looking towards the group's captive, !Bilay continues,  "So, you got anything you want to tell us about John? I can make it worth ye while" 
   
   Spoiler 
  OOC: I forget if we've charm person'd this guy or not, if not, is anyone willing to charm person him?
   
conversations: Stubby:
conversations: human
conversations:  The captive glares at !Bilay and says
   He can shoot fire balls from his eyes...and lightning from his arse. He'll eat you alive.  
conversations: Whattabatt:
conversations: human
conversations:  Keoni picks up the arm lying on the ground, walks over to the prisoner and holds it in front of the prisoner's face. The hand was limp and fingers dangling in a position similar to that of a noblewoman holding out her hand for a kiss.
  
   " Those are some interesting tidbits. Here's something in return about Fandor; he was rather strong, but hardly strong enough to go around casually cleaving off people's limbs.
  
  It seems like your boss is the type that likes getting a little hands on and personal when it comes to dealing with failed foot soldiers. "  He jerks the arm at this point causing the fingers to scrape against the prisoner's face
  
   "I wonder, how did this come off? In fit of rage? Or as a carefully calculated way of showing his disapproval? I don't know.
  
  But I do know some other things. Men like that don't get more lenient over time. Each new failure serves as yet another personal affront to be added to an ever growing pile of grievances. He's bound to be even more angry and when men like that get angry they absolutely ache to vent their fury in a way far more brutal than what happened the last time. After all, if one severed limb wasn't enough last time, what more will it take? A few more limbs? Maybe he's want to start off with the fingers first, or take a look at the eyes. In the end you'll end up just as dead as the previous guy--you'll just have a longer more tortured path there." 
   
   Spoiler 
  
   Bluff:  Take 10--15+10=  25 
  
  So anyone with 5 ranks in bluff want to help me convince this guy his boss will be wanting to kill him horribly? It'd help with diplomacy! Feel free to be as melodramatic and slightly corny as  me you want.
   
conversations: A_Somebody: