My Thoughts on Golotha Actions

[Imarë]

The Fair City of Golotha

There are, I think, several themes going through what we are seeing in Golotha. The first has to do with the murder of Sir Felkar. The facts, as we know them are thus: the Baron of Quste came to Golotha on what seems to have been an annual trip. He had with him his “niece,” two men at arms and Sir Felkar, a knight and a family member (the last as we believe). He also brought with him a large amount of money, we have found out it was £22. When we first met the pair, at the Bridgetower Inn, Sir Felkar was unfriendly and suspicious while the Baron was jovial and happy. Once the Baron ordered Sir Felkar to lighten up he was at least friendly. Sir Blors seems to have been a good friend of Sir Felkar while the Baron, though treated with respect, was not on such friendly terms, though cordial. One night, after everybody had retired for the evening, Sir Felkar seems to have left the rooms shared by the Baron’s party with the money, taking his arms but not his armor. Upon leaving the inn and heading north, he was waylaid by a party of four (Mogger, Slakka, Jeremiz, and Evil Erol). He was hit over the head, rendering him unconscious, and the money taken from him. Exit our four heroes and enter the villain, who slit the throat of Sir Felkar, put a modern penny down his throat, and carved three mascles (diamonds) onto his chest. He then left the now life-challenged knight lying in the alley, fully clothed. Once he had left, the denizens of the area (one Merky, seemingly a member of the Lia-Kavair and her friends) took everything else, including clothes. In the morning, the men at arms went looking for Sir Felkar and found him about to be dumped into the embalmer’s barge and took him back to the Baron. The Baron, being shown that his retainer was dead and the money he carried was gone, changed his personality. He became very unfriendly and threatening and left very shortly for his lands in Quste, leaving Sir Felkar dead in the room. Orsa, who was informed of the body by his cleaning staff, had it quietly carted from the room and dumped into the canal, where Boraga got it anyway. Later Sir Blors came in looking for the party which had left earlier in the day (one way or the other). Upon learning of the death of his friend, Sir Blors became upset and declared that he wanted to exact revenge for his friend but had no information to help with either this problem or our task but would be happy to chat with us once we knew who had killed Sir Felkar. He then left. A couple of days later, Bevan went to meet with Sir Tovar along with a new partner in the group, Sir Baris. He was shocked to learn of the death of Sir Felkar and the flight of the Baron. He stated he was going to send a note to the Baron about leaving his retainer as he had. A day or so later, on trying to get the body of Sir Felkar for proper burial, we found that the message party sent by Sir Tovar had discovered the bodies of two men at arms and a young girl (the rest of the party with the Baron) in shallow graves along the road to the north. There was no sign of the Baron himself. Imarë and Bevan, looking at the scene for ourselves, found that a large group of horsemen had fought with the group, killed the guards in the fight and then ran the girl through. The Baron was found about 5 days later in the stocks of the city with his throat cut and a penny (of Chafin III) in his throat and was totally nude with mascles on his chest. We were told of this by the embalmer and paid him two shillings to keep the body for a couple of days. On the second day we notified Sir Tovar of the death of the Baron. This same day Boraga let us know that there was another body with the strange markings. This turns out to be a journeyman hideworker who had no known enemies. He has a modern penny in his throat. In a meeting with Jarop we find that Rahel of Aerth’s men rode out of the city on the day the Baron was taken and nobody saw them returning.

This is what I think happened. Sir Felkar and Sir Blors were in league with each other to eliminate the Baron so that Sir Felkar could accede to the title (he may have even done away with the prior heir who died suddenly about a month before). The Baron was giving someone a large sum of money, either voluntarily or by force. He could have been paying this for years, we just don’t know. If this money went missing, it would cause difficulties for the Baron which would lead somehow to his death. I think the plan was to steal the money in the middle of the night (hence being quiet and not putting on his armor because it would make noise) and slipping out when everybody was asleep. He was heading north because the only way to get to his partner at night without disturbing people would have been to go by boat, the wharves are in the direction that he was headed. Jarop (head of the Lia-Kavair) had been alerted to the money being in the Baron’s possession and had sent Mogger et al. to get it (I am supposing the money was for the Morgathians and Jarop found out through his brother). Once they had grabbed the money, a second party came in for the coup de grace, either following Sir Felkar or keeping the inn under surveillance (could be he is the one who alerted Jarop). The next day the Baron discovers that he not only does not have the money he has promised and his retainer was killed, he also finds out his loyal retainer had plotted against him (stealing the money and running off). This is what caused the Baron to run. Sir Blors, waiting for Sir Felkar to join him after the theft is puzzled by the delay in the plan and goes to see what is up. He finds the Baron has left but he has no clue about the death of Sir Felkar until told, which upsets him (he would at least get a portion of the 5,280d) and who knows what else when his friend becomes the Baron (he knows the Baron was a traitor and would have no qualms about doing him in to help his friend, who did not rebel, to gain the title). He then returns to his daily hunts and nightly drinking sessions with a clear concience because he has nothing to fear.

We now know that Rahel is the one who took the Baron but we do not know why. We also do not know what happened to cause the death of the Baron in that particular fashion. We do know that the killing took place five days after the kidnapping, enough time to request instructions from others as what to do (Coranan perhaps?). Rahel is well connected in the city and seems to have good sources of information (hence she knew of the flight of the Baron at about the time it happened). What if she found out how Sir Felkar was killed (slit throat, coin in the mouth, mascles) and decided, when told to eliminate the Baron, to lay the blame on whoever killed the knight? There have been differences in each of the two prior killings. Pelisa may have invited her killer up for a tryst and once the fun was over (and she was naked et.) killed her. He then killed the guard on his way out because he was blocking the way and could identify the killer. When he killed Sir Felkar, he just did it and carved the mascles. The street people are the ones who took the clothes and everything else. The body of the Baron was moved from wherever the killing took place, and a different coin was left in his mouth. I am then proposing that the killing of the hideworker was to cover the murder of the Baron, in other words leave so many bodies around that we would not connect certain things. Remember, Ewen and Imarë commented on the difference in coin in the Baron’s mouth in front of Boraga and his assistants. The next killing has the correct coin in the mouth. We are now running after the killer of the latest victim who has no connection to the people who killed him. This would mean there are at least two killers, the one/ones who killed Pelisa and Sir Felkar and the killer of the Baron and the hideworker (who is either Rahel or one of her minions). I see the parties as this: 1) the Mascles killer (identity unknown). Responsible for three (possibly four) deaths for reasons unknown. Does not seem to bear the party personal animosity as he has not killed anybody in the party and he seems skilled enough to do it. 2) Rahel of Aerth, reasons unknown. Captured and killed a noble of the realm. I doubt she works for the Morgathians or Agrikans, everybody seems to agree that, while she stayed in the city, she did not participate in the rebellion (as the churches had). She also seems to be a supporter of Arren I (as displayed by the tapestry). She could not be a supporter of Arren II because she killed one of his nobles who had been pardoned by him (and if he had changed his mind, this was a really messy way to do it). 3) The Lia-Kavair, they seem only in it for the money and do not seem close to Rahel. 4) The Morgathians, who run the city the way they wish already so why would they want to rock the boat? 5) The Agrikans, who only seem to wish to supplant the Morgathians and wreak mayhem wherever and whenever they wish, the killings seem way to subtle for the group we have met (more the “wham-bam stab you ma’am” type). 6) Sir Blors and Sir Felkar, they seemed to have been involved for money and position. Neither seemed to be Rhodes scholars and what has been going on seems above them. The way things seem, Sir Blors has kept his skirts nice and clean, why get pulled deeper into something which would probably cause Royal wrath if it was discovered he was involved. 7) The Aerths, seemingly only in anything for the money. Powerful and well connected in this field but that all it looks like they are interested in.

This does not even begin to cover the Ewen/Jelesa connection. Why was the intruder looking at the girl? Why was Slakka a worm? Can we find something to tie the histories of Bevan or her family with Ewen or his family? The way he was hired to sing her a particular song and then a girl who looks like a clone. Plus the shop where they live seems to be watched by a power of some type (the aversion when Ewen and Sir Baris went through the square).

[Matt]

This does not even begin to cover the Ewen/Jelesa connection. Why was the intruder looking at the girl? Why was Slakka a worm? Can we find something to tie the histories of Bevan or her family with Ewen or his family? The way he was hired to sing her a particular song and then a girl who looks like a clone. Plus the shop where they live seems to be watched by a power of some type (the aversion when Ewen and Sir Baris went through the square).

The analysis presented above is excellent, but I'd like to draw attention to this one logical flaw. If, as Dave suggests, there are two mascle killers, then the person who visited Jelesa is almost certainly not the one who killed Pelisa, the guard in her building, and Sir Felkar (MK1). As Dave notes, the killer of Sir F left him clothed, whereas the Baron was found naked. This implies a knowledge of the 'end state' of Sir F. We also know that it was Rahel's men who kidnapped the Baron, and thus she likely had something to do with his murder. If Jelesa's visitor was MK2, he is connected to Rahel, but not MK1.

In short, if there are two mascle killers, and one of them visited Jelesa, it's MK2, who would not be the one who hired Ewen.

Lastly, there is no known connection between Ewen and his family and Bevan and her family.

[Lord Ewen]

Not to gainsay the GM (but what the heck, that's becoming a bit of a tradition here ), but I think I need some of elucidation of the line of reasoning here:

As Dave notes, the killer of Sir F left him clothed, whereas the Baron was found naked. This implies a knowledge of the 'end state' of Sir F.

If the Baron's condition suggests a knowledge of the end state of Sir F, would that not suggest that the murderer of Sir F and Baron Q are one and the same?

The main distinction between the murder of the two men is, as Dave points out, the type of coin used. To my mind, the logic of placing an old coin in the Baron's throat seems consistent with his checkered past, a twist on things which seems perfectly appropriate given what we know of him, while an old penny would make little sense with Sir F (who Blors noted never raised a sword against the king), the hideworker, and Pelisa. While the possibility of two murderers seems well worth investigating, it strikes me that more notable differences exist between Pelisa's murder (key instead of coin, etc.) and the deaths in Golotha, which seem more consistent in terms of method. This would also divide things up more conveniently by geography, with the possibility that the killer in Coranan was different from that in Golotha. But perhaps I missed something in your points above.

And yes, Dave's analysis seems to afford a keen synthesis of our new knowledge from last time. But I wonder, do we need to re-examine our previous ideas about Rahel, given Dave's point that her kidnapping of the Baron seems rather antithetical to Arren II's pardon of him?

[Matt]

Not to gainsay the GM (but what the heck, that's becoming a bit of a tradition here )

By all means, I'm getting used to it ...

If the Baron's condition suggests a knowledge of the end state of Sir F, would that not suggest that the murderer of Sir F and Baron Q are one and the same?

That presumes that the Baron's clothing was taken by another party as Sir Felkar's was by Merky et al. By her testimony, the killer of Sir F left him clothed, whereas from what you know, the killer of the Baron left him as close to the 'end state' of Sir Felkar as possible, save for the difference in coin. It may not be a 'copycat,' but that is certainly a reasonable hypothesis. Alas, you lack an eyewitness to the murder of the Baron to be sure.

To my mind, the logic of placing an old coin in the Baron's throat seems consistent with his checkered past, a twist on things which seems perfectly appropriate given what we know of him, while an old penny would make little sense with Sir F (who Blors noted never raised a sword against the king), the hideworker, and Pelisa.

This is so. If Rahel is involved with the murder of the Baron, this symbolism makes more sense. It is somewhat more difficult to connect it to the mysterious harper given the available evidence.

This would also divide things up more conveniently by geography, with the possibility that the killer in Coranan was different from that in Golotha.

Highly unlikely given the timing and distance. One would need to posit that there was either collusion beforehand and impressive communication between the two cities or that the there was knowledge in Golotha in detail of a relatively obscure death in Coranan. Or both.

But I wonder, do we need to re-examine our previous ideas about Rahel, given Dave's point that her kidnapping of the Baron seems rather antithetical to Arren II's pardon of him?

It seems so. She is clearly involved on some level and the pardon does not seem to be an obstacle. As Dave suggested, five days is plenty of time to seek instructions ...

[Imarë]

If my theory of Rahel is correct and she does indeed work for the legendary Lord Morgan, does the abilities of the man who stabbed Slakka fit? Who else do we know of who surrounds himself with the best? Could this killer be like our old blond friends? A point to consider I think.

As to the state of the bodies, I was thinking that either Boraga or one of his assistants could have been the source (innocent or otherwise) of this information. As I recall, Pix and Trelk were also present when the coin was found in the throat of Sir Felkar and could have easily told the Baron in their flight from the city (I certainly would ask what they knew about what happened after I had left the place I thought was dangerous). He could have told his captors what he had learned (although I discount this somewhat because they would have known the type of coin found and were unavailable for clarification). I also do not remember what Bevan told Sir Blors of the condition of Sir Felkar. As I recall she was trying to shock him into saying something indiscreet at their meeting. This could have been mentioned at dinner or on a hunt as something conversational ("my old friend Sir Felkar was murdered in the city and the bastard stuffed a coin down his throat after stripping all his clothes off"). This would open up a larger pool of potential sources for the killer of the Baron to get this information. I would also like to submit, on the behalf of the Rahel theory, that she is the only person we have seen in the city that seemed to have a Chafin III interest. The tapastry is one manifestation of an interest in his downfall and the Baron was one of his nobles (guilt by association?). I cannot think that, apart from a noble being killed, that Arren II will shed many tears about the Baron nor will he miss the services of the man. Lord Morgan may have made an executive decision (or one of his minions) to rid the island of the miscreant. Arren I left him in place with his title and property and this is how he was repaid. Lord Morgan seems to be the kind who would not take kindly to this kind of action. The five days could have been to send someone to ask guidance of a superior who would then have contacted Lord Morgan (even a deryni might take a couple of days to get to Orbaal) and get the answer back (and then wait for the proper time of day, early afternoon would have been inconvenient).

[Imarë]

Thoughts, comments, objections?

[Matt]

Thoughts, comments, objections?

I object to my taxes. Does that count?

[Imarë]

Only tomorrow.

[Lord Ewen]

No objection to your general theory as it stands, and I confess to lacking another to put in its place. So what do we do next? Given what we know about Rahel, as well as what we suspect, I wonder if we are coming to the point where we need to lay this one before Sir Auram, while giving the lady a wide berth in the meantime. We have, after all, managed to accomplish one part of Bevan's mission by eliminating Lenesque. While I have no problem with messing with folks like the Agrikans, I suspect we may be in over our heads if we try to directly interfere with her activities, especially given that we're a bit hazy on how the various elements of the Parkhurst dynasty (Morgan, Arren II) might view her recent actions. As you point out, nobody is liable to shed tears for the Baron, no matter how unconventional his end proved to be.

On the other hand, we are left (as usual) with numerous loose ends to investigate, and I wonder which of these we want to tackle next session. I hear Dave advocating for not wasting much more time on the dead hideworker, and I generally concur (in part because we seem fresh out of leads). I have agreed to pursue affairs amongst the household of Borana the Perfumer, self-sacrificing bloke that I am. And we will no doubt be busy next time plundering our present domicile. I doubt I'll be able to resist another visit to Sir Zaurial, tempting fate as it were. Any ideas on what else folks want to do? I would like to bounce around some plans before next time, unless someone hits on a new theory of course...

[Imarë]

I have no problem looking more into the functioning of the city government and the different religious orders. I would like to keep away from Rahel, if we don't bother her (and she is who we think she is) she will not bother us. We at least need to deal with the Jarop situation.

I cannot help but dwell on the attacker of Slakka. If my assumption that there are two sets of killers (one for Palissa and Sir Felkar and one for the Baron and the hideworker), the second set is the one involved with Rahel. I cannot see she or her people loosing track of an important prisoner like the Baron and, because of proximity, likely the source of the attacker of Slakka. What this means I have absolutely no idea. There are three missions we are currently on with some connectivity. The first is the mission for Sir Auram (the paying one). The second is the continuation of working on the song of Andasin and the attendant murders with it. The third is the history behind Ewen and the girl. How all these tie together is a mystery in itself and if we ever solve it we will problably all smack or heads and say "of course...". I think, with the property now in question, we will at least return from Coranan for some time and try to work out one, possibly two of the other puzzles. If Sir Auram wants more, we can always look for more information. We (Bevan and Imare) need to be here to meet the ship around when it arrives too, which makes actually getting the house more important, which I believe we have decided to do through the offices of Sir Auram. Any other ideas?