The Unfinished Duet, Part 3

Log Info

• Title: The Unfinished Duet, part 3
• Emitter: Delilah
• Characters: Ashes, Delilah, Disaster, Elyanna, Merek, Seldan, Silmeria, Vespasian, Edinaz
• Place: A15 Vardama Temple
• Time: Monday, October 12, 2020, 8:58 PM
• Summary: The Alexandrian Guards allow the Vardamans in the Vardama Temple to examine the body of Bethany, under supervision by Samantha Greaves. The mourners, the silverguard, the sage, the superior intellect, the sneak, the creep and the murderer confer over the body, examining it with... some efforts to preserve her dignity and strict adherence to her families wishes. Some unusual things are found, raising some questions. Samantha extracts details of a ten month old altercation while warning everyone not to jump to conclusions. There is a disagreement among the mourners about airing opinions, so one of them leaves. The murderer's insights into the mind of a killer are largely overlooked. The alternate theories proposed by the adventurers have already been investigated by the guards. They are happy with their suspect pool of one. Delilah has refused a plea deal so the adventurers are the only hope of proving otherwise to the prosecutor.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A15: Vardaman Temple *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The Vardamite temple is a solemn affair. Composed of carved blocks of basalt, it looks as if the whole thing were set into a scooped-out chunk of the mountain. Braziers and torches, despite the presence of more modern conveniences, are the main source of light. The basalt columns and blocks are engraved with prayers for the dead from hundreds of cultures and dozens of races. Some are works of master carvers, still others are little more than the work of desperate or sorrowful petitioners, quick prayers lovingly scratched into an empty space.

An outdoor altar is littered with offerings, as are the steps and even ground surrounding the front of the temple. These offerings are frequently collected or cleaned away by serious-faced Mourners, or Mourner-acolytes, while Serriel's Lancers guard the front doors. As ever, the sound of monks in perpetual chant can be heard as a low background noise as they go about their somber business.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  At a glance around PrP Room: Four  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face
Delilah      5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A golden haired human girl in white robes.
Disaster     3'4"     40 Lb      Gnome             Male      Gnome, small, gears, tools and TERROR.
Elyanna      5'11"    153 Lb     Half-Orc          Female    A grim, Arvek-blooded woman in raven feathers.
Merek        5'10"    215 Lb     Human             Male      A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes.
Seldan       5'11"    187 Lb     Human             Male      Ginger-blonde human in armor wearing Eluna's symbol.
Silmeria     5'8"     126 Lb     Human             Female    A sweet-looking blond human in a long black dress and breastplate.
Vespasian    5'10"    165 Lb     Human             Male      Smells like leather, looks like hard-living 
Edinaz       6'10"    296 Lb     Half-Orc          Male      Grey-skinned half-oruch, extensive black ink.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

As has been promised, the remains of Lady Bethany Alenthor were to be made available to members of the Adventurer's Guild for their examination. (They have, of course, already been gone over by the City Guard.) Currently the body resides in a vault in the Temple of Verdama; a couple of floors down and behind a locked door, where even the majority of Verdama's faithful haven't been allowed in. Standing outside is one of the priests, along with a human member of the City Guard.

"Alright." The Guard crosses her arms over her breastplate. "I am Knight Lieutenant Samantha Graves. I will be supervising the examination of Lady Bethany Alenthor's remains. Please note," she holds up one finger, "The family has expressly stated that they do not want an autopsy performed. When they are able to conduct the Lady's funeral rites, they want her as intact as possible. You may examine the body, but there are to be no incisions or any... invasive magics or procedures. I trust this is clear." With that said she nods to the priest, who produces a set of keys and unlocks the door.

The chamber inside is... cold; not uncomfortably so, but exposed flesh will goosebump. It's a small chamber, magically lit, with a single stone slab in the middle. Upon it lies a body, with a white cloth draped over her hips. The most obvious, striking features are the two large holes, one through her chest and the other in her face.

Although Seldan has chosen to attend this, and has opted for full armor and polished-attire, he stands at the back of the room, listening and watching in silence and allowing others to proceed as they will.

"WHAT?" Exclaims Disaster, his usually little voice echoing through the underground halls. There's a series of clangs and metal on metal bonks as the numerous spiderlike mechanical arms pointing off from his armor plunk into each other and ground, each one holding a different blade. "No autopsy? No incisions?" Disaster states exasperated. "Forever is science stiffled out of a grotesque need to leave dead flesh pristine!" There are a few more clanks and bonks as the little Gnome begins dismantling his equipment and compacting down the spider frame of chop-stabby-poke-poke he was wearing.

"Investigate a dead body without going inside of it. I suppose I should have brought some chicken bones and dice and just chanted to the great whatever." The little gnome grumbles as he goes about his work.

Merek looks over to Disaster, "Show a little respect for the families wishes please," he notes, while he then adjusts the dark attire which he wears, then he looks to the body while he seems to consider it. He nods a bit to Samantha in thought.

Ashlee is one of Vardama's faithful, and one of her clergy, currently on long-term loan from Blar. She is low ranked and doesn't get to order too many people around, which is fine, as she doesn't let too many people order her around so it balances out. Pleasant requests go further, be unpleasant enough and she dismisses you from her mind. She enjoys things quite, composed, chill, like the grave.

She turns, recognizing and remembering Disaster. She also knows Seldan, but there are no reasons to give him a wide berth. Hopefully the gnome didn't bring his Universal Unopener.

Since the entrance is unlocked, the mourner drifts inside and over to the body to stare at it. She waits. Waiting long enough usually produces answers.

Elyanna is, likewise, in her militant finery not far from Seldan, though for her, silence is a relative thing. The frequently laconic halfbreed remarks, "Pristine has long past." in response to the exasperated Gnome first, though, as Merek speaks, her addendum is, "Would family not want to know for certain what occured, here?"

Sooner or later, participants in a murder mystery end up standing around a body. What some don't always understand, is how many answers a body can provide, without even beginning to employ the use of magic.

However, Vardama is as much a goddess of the bereaved, as much as the dead, and thus one of the Grey Lady's servants tends to learn how to make do while best serving the wishes of the living closest to the deceased. Thus, Silmeria's tone is diplomatic and understanding, rather than annoyed, as she answers the frustration given voice.

"Be that as it may," she says, moving round to the other side of the table, "her family has made their wishes clear, and they *must* be respected. Thus, we must endeavor to learn all we can, without the use of blade or chemical. Think of it as a *challenge,* rather than a stricture."

Clapping her hands together, she looks around the room with a bright smile. "So! Who'd like to help me turn poor Bethany over for the initial examination? I'm sure the wounds alone can tell us a surprisingly complete story."

"Well I know I would like to be respected by being given a worthwhile answer where this my family member." Disaster replies to Merek, then nods towards Elyanna. The little Gnome finishes breaking down the harness of extra arms and stows them on his back as a series of tightly packed pipes. Then he begins afixing extra lenses over his goggles and a very thing long needle. Finally he stomps his way over towards the body imperiously. "Make way for the superior intellect, I shall conduct an exhaustive examination using Artifice, Alchemy, and basic Engineering principles. There shall be no escape for clues, no avenue of thought not investigated." There is a pause and a sour tone. "Within the limitations preset of course. I have prepared for every eventuality." Finally Disaster reaches the body, and his tiny little form peers upwards at the table it's laying on.

"Well shit." The little Gnome exclaims and starts unpacking the pipes and arms he had just packed, linking them together slowly as he begins to build himself a ladder. There is a stiffening from Disaster at the statement. "No chemicals either? Fwaagghshw?" He lapses into inarticulate blurbs while climbing his ladder.

Samantha Graves follows the various priests and adventurers into the room, but otherwise just stands there and observes. She folds her arms across her armor, and adopts a look of alertness, if somewhat bored about it. "Do whatever you want," she affirms, "As long as there's no cutting or chemicals, as the priestess said. I see any of that come out, or anything else that might compromise our own investigation, and I'll eject you so hard your head'll spin until next week."

The body, of course, doesn't react. It just lays there, with holes in it (and some other, smaller wounds). The skin is cold and a bit clammy to the touch, but by and large the effects of temperature and a little magic have kept it very well preserved, up until now. One might almost expect to still find blood that hasn't congealed.

Ashes, makes way for the superior intellect. She turns her head, looks at the superior Mourner and asks, "Wasn't she shot in the front? Are we looking at exit wounds first?"

A glance down at the body, back at Silmeria, then the female guard, Clammy Graves or something. Her voice is monotone, "Did the family say anything about men viewing her without clothes on?"

Because perhaps keeping her covered too is a challenge level the investigation could do without.

Finally, another look towards Elyanna, "Most people want the convenient fiction."

Merek looks to the party in thought, while he thinks about it, "It's a matter of faith," he states, then nods. "Not for folk to question, it's not why we're here in any case," he then takes a look at the body while he talks to Samantha, "I take it that means no magic that would bring the body to speak what happened, if they want it to be like it is."

"I will assist you, should there be need," Seldan speaks up from his corner, nodding to Silmeria. "I am trained as a healer, although I do not customarily deal with the dead." He seems to have adopted a polite reserve for this. "If such are the family's wishes, then I concur with the Speaker, their wishes should be honored."

"Those are usually the killers." Elyanna returns to Ashes' observation in an offhanded tone. She considers the slain woman in repose as other hands move forward for the grim tasks presented, noting, "I have seen this one, before." and edges a little closer to see what kind of injuries presented themselves.

"Also that," Silmeria says, nodding to Ashes, "but honestly for several reasons; not everyone here is as... acclimated... to the dead as we, and it helps the unversed to work *up* to a lifeless face. That, and I don't recall it being said for certain if the shots *did* happen in front of the victim. So... we examine," she says, nodding her thanks to Seldan as she starts to lever the shrouded body over to rest face-down. "And we learn what we can, and if the Guard permit we intrude on Lady Bethany's wait to ask her questions, after."

Samantha Graves shrugs her shoulders. "She's a murder victim, unfortunately," she explains to Ashes. "She has to be in a state where the wounds can be examined. We afford the deceased every dignity we can, but finding the truth so justice can be done has its own requirements. I'm sure she'll be clothed again by the time she's burried." She looks at the body, then back at the goblin. "I think any man who'd find that sexy has... their own problems, anyway."

The body poses no objection to be rolled onto her back. There are, of course, two large wounds; one through the back of the skull, and one in the back, though the latter doesn't appear to have followed a straight line from from to back, and appears to have passed through Bethany's right shoulderblade.

A greasy figure arrives. Anyone with a functioning nose can smell the leather and smoke on him before they hear him, as he seems to be possessed of the talent of walking very quietly. The moment he is close though, Vespasian spreads one gloved hand and one hook and dips his head to the others. He casts a perfectly amiable smile as he says, "Sorry I'm late to the examination. I had to shit." GRIN.

Seldan's level gaze turns to the Knight-Lieutenant at the mention of justice, and his gaze lingers a moment, but he says nothing, instead assisting with turning over or any other heavy lifting that may be required.

After a moment's pause, Samantha quirks a brow at Merek. "I don't think that's been considered," she admits. "The City Guard don't generally have access to that sort of magic, so we don't use it. I would say that you should probably leave Lady Bethany's soul alone; she's been through enough. But other than that, ask the priests. I'll leave this decision in their hands." <OOC> Delilah must run for dinner, will be back as soon as she can!

Merek looks over to Seldan, then to Samantha, then to Vespasian. "Can we put aside our own thoughts for one moment to focus on the fact someone was killed and we need to focus on finding her killer?" he asks. There's a shift to others as well, "Thank you." He nods a bit to the woman, "I don't think it will do a lot of good to ask her corpse to speak, either way, if the Blood Biography offered little new information."

The little Gnome manages to climb his makeshift ladder and make it onto the slab. He walks around the body waving various devices. One which spins and goes 'bing' and another that seems to be a series of glass tubes with green liquid. This one goes 'glug' and occasionally 'flooourp'. Finally without seemingly the slightest concern Disaster leans down and inspects the holes themselves carefully with his lense enhanced goggles before he murmurs to himself.

"Well!" The little gnome states. "These do not seem to be the work of artifice. The impact and penetration seems to be of a high speed projectile. Most likely not an arrow. I would like to do substance traces."

Elyanna eyes the corpse curiously, tacitly indifferent to the Lady's wounds or state of attire. She chimes in with a considered, "There was strife between her and the sisters when I saw her, last. It is not impossible that she would claim they already have her killer in hand, if only for spite. She is dead, what would stabbing at her enemy from beyond really cost her at this point?" She glances to Merek as he speaks anew, then, "The mix of alleged means gives me pause. We should be certain of exactly what was done to her before we make more supposition." That could have been a concession.

"It was a dragonspitter." Ashes says, completely monotone, "Allegedly."

The ashen Arvec turns and stares at Vespasian when he enters, no change in expression when he offers his excuse for being tardy. The others are listened to, and then she leans back against a wall and takes out her artifice device.

Brief interruptions notwithstanding, Silmeria nods to the exit wounds. "Indeed, they do look to have been caused by a pistol, and in many cases the expense of owning and maintaining one would narrow down the field of suspects quite considerably. Of course," she says, eyes tracking around the room, "most of us here have the means to purchase one. I myself learned the method of making them from my father, a professional gunsmith. So that does rather a less than perfect job of shortening the suspect pool. So... Silver Guard, if you'd help me turn the body back over? I want you to examine the wounds that *don't* line up with the gunshots, everyone, and tell me what you see." And with that, she rearranges the shroud out of respect, and begins to turn the corpse back to rest facing up.

The body of Bethany gets rolled back over, one arm flopping over the edge of the table and hanging down in a macabre fashion. There are, in addition to the large apparent bullet-hole in her chest, five smaller wounds that seem to have been imperfectly cauterized.

Samantha looks at Disaster, and gestures towards the body. "You can try," she suggests. "Sample whatever you wish, just so long as it isn't skin or flesh." She meets Seldan's gaze in kind, then looks towards Elyanna, and quirks an eyebrow. "You observed interactions between the deceased and 'the twins'?" She pulls out a small notebook, flips to a page, and produces a small, mechanical pen -- the kind that are rather expensive from artificers. "Please, elaborate on which 'twins' you mean. Where and when did this interaction take place?"

Merek looks to Elyanna at that, while he then takes a look at the body, inspecting it in full. "Hmm. Well, it looks like the aim was pretty skilled, it's clearly someone that's good with firearm artifice."

"The holes in the flagstones were vertical, so the dragon spitter was pointing down. The shot that is straight through her eye was that one, there was brain with the recovered bullet. So her head was on the ground. The other one in her body is angled, that must have been while she was falling. Except the shootist would have to be firing from above." Ashlee relates the facts as she has observed them. Monotone, like she's reading them off a page, "The cluster of magic bolts is tight, like a regular casting. The pattern of wounds don't make any sense if the assailant was at a distance. They would have to have been right up against her, killed her with magic, then shot her as she was falling."

"Or, there were two attackers."

Seldan steps forward to assist with the turning over as needed, but this time for his part has nothing to say.

"Between her and the sisters." Elyanna corrects as the Guard starts taking notes, "A pub. Steel von Ironbrew. Renewal of a gambling dispute." She considers the time for a few, then, "About ten months ago." She looks at the non gunshot wounds, then, "How skilled a wizard would produce this sort of damage with one casting of magic missile?"

The little Gnome is busy over the corpse. Small swabs are produced, and used, then burned into the air in little puffs of smoke. Droplets of chemicals sizzle for a moment on the tip of a needle after it's draged along the wounds. Then careful probing pokes of Gnomish fingers inspect the big and little injuries. More muttering, more speaking to himself in a myraid of different languages then finally Disaster speaks up. "Yes, this is a injury consistant with a magical missile spell. I believe this number of impacts would require a high degree of facility with the spell." The little Gnome brushes his chin for a moment. "Also the residue of the firearm seems to be diluted, as if someone attempted to wash it away? Or there was liquid at the scene?" The Gnome casts about. "Were we brought in sooner when it happened I could have done a analysis of the spatter and told you what angles we were dealing with specifically." Disaster looks up at the rest of the group. "I would learn quite a bit about trauma if I could go inside. It's so rare to have such an intact specimen."

"Excellent, both of you," Silmeria says, beaming at Ashlee and Disaster's deductions. "And to answer your question, Master Disaster..." Here she pauses, as her smile threatens to become a chuckle, suppressed with long, practiced training. "...There was only the one pool of blood at the scene, at the center of which were the bullets. Which reminds me..."

Trailing off, the Speaker moves to the body's feet, turning the sheet back to get a long, examining look at the feet, from sole to ankle. "...I'd thought it strange that there *wasn't* really any spatter, you'd think with the number of wounds the scene would be half abbatoir... Also, Mourner Ashlee, put your reckoning together with the angle of the wound in the chest; where did it enter, and where did it exit?"

Samantha Graves focuses her attention like a laser on Elyanna for the moment. "Tell me as much as you can remember about what happened," she inquires, hastily scrawling notes. "You said they clashed over a gambling dispute, can you elaborate on any details? Which one of them initiated the conversation?" She pauses, flipping over a page. "Did either party make any threats? Legal threats, threats of violence?"

The feet look like... feet. Unless there are other details that Silmeria is looking for, of course. Though, Samantha does look up from her conversation with Elyanna long enough to fix Disaster with a glare. "No cutting," she reminds. "You can examine the wounds if you wish, but you must do so without making them bigger. I'm told the family is arranging a glass eye for the funeral, they want it to fit, for starters."

Mourner Ashlee moves closer to Bethany, and stares at her. First, a silent prayer to the Feiu of the Tears, to keep her safe while all this is going on. She raises her thanatopticon, activates it and waves it over the body. She's almost ignoring the device, as she considers things, feels things. Death and the grave have touched her, and left behind a few insights that come at surprising moments.

"The other wound is high on the shoulder. Is the chest the exit wound? It seems very unlikely that a bullet travelling upwards would end up in a flagstone. That would present some strange circumstances when she was shot, she would have had to be upside down."

Her device makes a small click, and she stares at its readout.

"Hrmmph." Disaster says and wanders to the edge of the slab where he sits down and pulls out a small notepad. He produces a simple stubby pencil, the kind used by carpenters and masons, and begins to make odd little notes. His small legs kicking back and forth idly. As if outside at the park rather then sitting down next to an extremely inhumed corpse.

Merek seems to be content to let people come up with their own answers, while he nods a bit. The man offered information before, for the moment he will work to piece together what people come up with.

Elyanna's arms fold under her cloak, her eyes flickering to the body as people keep going over it, then back to the Guard on her query. With an upnod toward the body, she begins, "This one entered the Pub just ahead of me with two of your fellows in flank. She decided to stop in the way to assert one of the sisters was there and then opted to slander the place." A shrug, "I asked what the holdup was, when a moss covered golem drew up behind me."

"It does, doesn't it?" Silmeria asks Ashlee. "But no, the exit wound is on the back as well. I'd wondered if perhaps she'd fallen due to some sort of restraint on her feet; wire, tanglefoot glue, magic.... But, no. Both shots must have been fired over her, but the shot to the chest *could* be an indicator of rather *terrible* aim. If one isn't accustomed to gunfire, flinching and pulling the shot high is surprisingly common. And if that's what happened, then our killer may well not be used to guns at all."

Her head rises, turning to the Guard on duty with one eyebrow raised. "And the girl you arrested, she's long been known for gunplay?"

Edinaz watches quietly from the back, listening with his arms folded across his chest. He looks towards Ashes. "What did you see, dead-talker?" He uncrosses his arms, hooks his thumbs into his swordbelt.

"Please continue," Samantha Graves urges Elyanna. "And, please answer the questions? Were any threats made, by either party?" She holds up a finger then, and looks over towards Silmeria. "Delilah Valethor is the girl in question, and yes, she is one of two individuals that the Adventurer's Guild have on their roster who are skilled with both magic and gunplay. The latter is a young man who has been on assignment near Charn for the last six months, and is not a suspect." She pauses. "Delilah is, by her own description, a better sorceress than a gunfighter. And," she nods towards the body, "Even if the shot through the chest amd the magic wasn't immediately fatal, the shot through her head most certainly was. I don't think I can accept that the aim was that bad."

Bethany, of course, continues to just lie there. It's what you do when you're dead.

The ashen Arvec stares at her device a little longer, then turns her gaze towards Edinaz. "The magic missiles probably just incapacitated her. Death was due to the gunshots. I saw the same alley-way these others have, and talked to a few of the witnesses, who arrived only to see a vague description fleeing."

She looks over at Silmeria, "The bullet may have deflected off the spine, to produce the strange trajectory. It may have been a direct shot."

Ash asks Elyanna, "Was it clear if the ones with her were friends, or Alexandrian guards paid off the clock."

Finally some staring at Manny Greaves, "Was it usual for guards to be with her? Two guards filled out the report. We they sober strangers or had they been drinking with her at the nightclub that night?"

Merek looks then to Samantha, and notes that she manages to state what he stated before, nodding to the woman, "Then it's true, this is all definitely a framing job."

The red woman glances to the Mourner's question, then back to the Guard, "She apologized. Explained that she was there to seek a violent criminal, and directed the guard to seize her, with specific orders to take all of her weapons, much more surly at that point." On the request for specificity, she nods, "At that moment, no, the confrontation was in the wake of a previous encounter. Delilah answered that she did, in fact draw a gun on her in response to having one of her personal guard threaten her with his blade. Allegedly this one lost some game and gave Delilah her seal and the proise to repay the debt. The debt was incurred several months before the inciting incident." Ashes question draws her eye and she answers, "She seemed to have called to their duty." Back to the Guard, "The Knight Sergeant confirmed that the marker presented -was- in order. He then asked about the guard in her employ on the previous encounter. I decided to seek entertainment elsewhere after that."

"Indeed," Silmeria says, nodding at Ashlee's reminder. "There are a good many explanations, and only half a handful suggest something at odds with the course of events. What is required of us, is to work with the evidence we have, and *not* to begin at a conclusion, and sift for facts that support that conclusion alone." This last, said with a glance toward the Elunan. "To do so would be to make a grave mistake, and potentially see an innocent pay the price while the killer skips free, and that *will not do.*"

Edinaz nods to Ashes, nodding slowly. "That makes sense. Spines are tricky, too." Nasty things that test the construction of one's swords. He glances towards Merek. "What do we know about the frame-up?" He nods, lips pursing. "So, let's avoid starting with the conclusion -- it seems that's already happened in this course of events."

"Without being able to go in to inspect, supposition of what the projectiles could have done is as pointless as trying to guess how long the fingers were that pulled the trigger." Disaster says absently, still making notes. "Isnpection of the bones, and flesh would allow us to view the permenant and temporary cavitation. Allowing for measurement of possible transient lateral displacement. As well as examine the fracture of inelastic tissue." Disaster looks up from his seat at the edge of the slab. "Still, since we cannot, we should work with what we have. Body, shot with a rifle, and afflicted with arcane magic. Why? Why was she a target? Why kill her? Why do it so heavy handedly? Money? Power? Revenge?" The little Gnome shrugs and closes his notebook. Listening to the other voices speak. "Debts?" He shrugs and raises his right hand. "I work with SCIENCE!" Then seems to deflate lowering his hand. "Not psychology. This is not my field."

Samantha raises an eyebrow upwards, glancing towards Merek, but for the moment keeps her attention on Elyanna. "Were any threats uttered? By Delilah Valethor, in particular, at the Von Ironbrew?" She pauses. "We know the identities of the guards and Bethany's bodyguard, none of these details are in question at the moment, and none of those individuals are of interest."

The Knight Lieutenant casts a sideways glance towards Merek. "We have a number of pieces of evidence that point towards Delilah Valethor being the killer. We have motive, witnesses that she made threats, witnesses who placed someone of her description at the scene, consistency of methods... I will not elaborate further, that is for the courts. But," she continues, "I suggest you be careful about jumping to conclusions, if you are seeking to help Miss Valethor. The family of Lady Bethany would see her beheaded, and if she's convicted the Magistrate is likely to give the family what they want."

"I've offered facts to support the theory, it was either mind control or she was being framed. If we don't try our best, she will be the innocent in that," Merek notes, while he nods a bit. "The convenience of the entire situation that leads to consistent evidence pointing towards Delilah, someone who would probably know to cover what she did. Well, it's easy to tell. Each thing we learn seems to make the theory more a reality. The question should be using the evidence to trace it back to the one that did it."

He does look to Disaster, "There's no evidence that truly points to intent of Delilah doing things like this. I don't plan to take it to the court without knowing for sure, I'm just offering the main theory I think makes the most sense."

Samantha furrows her brow, and turns to glower at Ashlee. "The guard who accompanied Lady Bethany into the Von Ironbrew was purely there to deal with a complaint. So far as I am aware nobody else present was a city guard, either on or off duty."

"At that time, No. There was some... kitteness between them." Elyanna answers, "That is the word, yes? With the cutting remarks and attempt at wit?" A hand emerges from the cloak to make the little clawing gesture, then return to it's previous posture. She looks to the corpse, then back to the Guard, "This one declared she owed Delilah nothing. This in spite of the verified Marker. Others noted their opinions on the matter, and she was hostile in most of her responses. I expect if Delilah was the sort to do murder in such a sloppy fashion, she would not wait so long. The dead woman stated that Delilah was frequently able to find her despite her evasions. If she was going to do murder, it would have to have been long before now is my thought."

For his part, the little Gnome sits down and produces a couple of copper bowls from within his pocket covered outfit. He then starts mixing up chemicals and soon a mesh is unfolded and some of the ladder that got him up onto the slab is scavenged. An acrid odor begins to form as he sets about making a kind of odd little chemistry set from the pipes and fittings. A spoon is produced, glass vials, something that randomly goes 'boing' for some reason. A can openner is attached to the outside of the growing collection of tools and artifice. Disaster pauses to spin it a few times and sigh happily before he goes back to work.

Ash simply stares at Samantha, reflecting her glower back. No expression on her face, any that might be there is completely shrouded by the skull tattoo. The reminder, for anyone and everyone that looks upon her, that death comes for one and all. "You warn about jumping to conclusions but seem determined to preserve the one you've already reached."

"What of Lady Bethany's family? What of her political dealings? Was she an embarassment? Is she expecting out of wedlock, has her behaviour brought shame to her family? It's highly unlikely Delilah was the sole person she was hostile with. Does she owe others? Is there a rejected suitor that might have been vengeful?"

"These are questions you should be asking. That you aren't suggest you've already reached your conclusion and want only the pieces that fit. What other suspects do you have? I suspect, none." It's not a tirade, as the ashen Arvec delivers in her disinterested monotone. It is an indicator however, of Ash's opinion, when she gives the worst insult possible. "It's slopppy. Undisciplined."

Edinaz's expression is a mirror of Ashes, though maybe not as imposing. Maybe. The words have been spoken already, and he's not good at back-up singing. "Being too focused on a single-target is an excellent way of being blindsided." Behold, the wisdom of Kor.

"Pistol," Silmeria corrects absently. "The shots were said to have been fired relatively rapidly, and a rifle takes much more time to reload. But don't lose heart, Master Disaster. Your expertise is still providing valuable insight, even if the family's wishes are that the body remain..."

And now, the Speaker sighs quietly, removing her spectacles and taking a moment to polish them. "...Mourner Ashlee, do remember where you are. This is supposed to be a place of peace, and it is simply *rude* to begin an argument over a dead body. Cherish all the opinions you have, but *do not forget* where you are and what this Temple is for."

Samantha scribbles down everything Elyanna says, then snaps her notebook shut. "Thank you," she replies to the woman. "But, you did say you weren't there for the entire conversation? This would be consistent, apparently more was said after you left. That's alright." She turns her gaze towards Ashlee and Edinaz, and nods her head. "Indeed, those are all important questions, and they have been investigated. Just because we haven't shared our findings with all of you, doesn't mean we haven't done our due diligence. We are not amateurs."

Samantha looks at Merek, but just shakes her head.

Quickly and methodically the little Gnome applies the mesh, and the chemical ooze he mixed up together. Then he sets about adding diffrent compounds and glancing at the body. Finally he places the molded and covered mesh over the center gun shot wound on the body and stands to up to survey his work. For the most part it seems to match the proper skin tone. At a distance it doesn't look too much like an unhinged child sized scientist paper mached fake flesh onto the corpse. Though his guild signature mark on the lower right does give that subdued tramp stamp appearance. "Now, to fashion an eye, but not just any eye. We can make a better one." The little Gnome murmurs to himself.

"Ok." Ash says. She walks out.

Merek nods a bit to Samantha, while he takes a look to the people, "Alright, I think the best we can do if we can't be as resourceful that we wish with the body, we should begin to look into people that knew the noble, a bit discreetly."

Elyanna frowns a little, then glances about at the others, watching Ashes leave after the chastisement. She shrugs, then, "I submit for the sake of logic. If I have brought down one who wronged me with a resonably quiet means, I would use a blade or a rock and finish them in relative silence. I would not use a loud weapon, take all the time to reload, make more loud noise, then run -after- letting a witness see me."

"And that would be perfectly reasonable," Silmeria sighs, watching the Mourner take her leave with a mildly disappointed frown. "But when it comes to murder, it's quite surprising how many *actually* reasonable choices are made. Which I suppose is for the best, really... Still, it does have the drawback of not making this investigation any simpler." Climbing to her feet, the Speaker dusts off her skirt. "Thank you, Guard, and we do appreciate your cooperation."

Edinaz nods towards Elyanna. "This is logical." He twists his mouth at the Samantha. "You ask us to take much on faith, and perhaps not aiding the flow of evidence. You are not amateurs, no, but professional status does not guarantee perfect results."

Samantha shakes her head. "You might think that," she replies, "But committing murder is a very... stressful event. People tend to use weapons that are either close at hand, or that they're familiar with. Delilah Valethor is familiar with both magic, and firearms; so the conclusions track."

The Knight Lieutenant smiles, and shakes her head. "I'm not asking you to take anything on faith," she replies to Edinaz. "It's not you we have to convince. Frankly, I don't care about your opinion. It's for the Prosecutor and the Magistrate to make their decisions -- and the Prosecutor already agrees with us. I've heard that yesterday evening, Delilah turned down a plea offer -- so this matter will be going to trial."

The Guard takes a step back, and opens the door. "I think Lady Bethany has endured enough," she adds. "Unless there are final questions, I think it is time to call this complete, yes?"

Elyanna shakes her head at the Mourner's reply, "And passion prefers simpler, more direct means. The takedown is one of much study and mental discipline, yes? Even a basic spell takes certain operations of the mind. Impulse would not likely switch between complex trained actions." She glances then, to the Guard, "IF she was able to cast such a powerful magic missile, what odds are there that she, an experienced adventurer, would not have another like it ready to go? She accomplishes her aim with the first means at her disposal by, how it is said, the double down?" A shake of the head, "But I will not argue a circle, further, not in these halls. Good evening." She gives a courtly bow, and turns on her heel to proceed toward the exit.

Everyone leaves. The body is left alone.

<OOC> Delilah says, "Something else I'm going to note, which I'll bring up at the start of scenes from now on; I'm trying to do this in a largely diceless fashion for the time being, but that doesn't mean I'm opposed to people rolling checks. But, please don't just roll, ask me if it's appropriate first. :D"