The investigation continues.....

[Storm11]

Angella will approach the fallen figure carefully.

[Cauchy]

Epi

The ranger will go with Angella toward the figure, scanning the area and avoiding any place that may be burning.

[Grognardsw]

Orando, sorcerer

Orando eyes Angela going to the fallen figure. The elf looks about the crowd for a calm witness.

"What happened here?" he asks.

[ChubbyPixie]

Ozwaldus Maximus, Human Illusionist

If he can do so while still keeping an eye on Brother Tomas, Ozwaldus will approach the body (invisibly) up to about 30 ft. to lend support, should any be needed by the other party members. If not, he'll stay near enough to Brother Tomas to protect/observe him. He has a suspicion that some person or entity is trying to prevent the priest from ever reaching the tower.

Duh.

[Inferno]

Sir Ugghra, half-orc aristocrat:

The genteel giant will helpfully lend his extraordinary strength, moving rubble to try to uncover victims that may still be trapped, and whatever might have caused this tragedy.

[Scott308]

Father Dowling

The priest will try to see the reactions of the townsfolk, watching for anything that looks suspicious. This should have been a terrifying occurrence for anyone nearby. If somebody is acting in any manner much short of full-blown panic, they most likely knew the explosion was going to happen.

[OGRE MAGE]

Orando finds a rube and asks what happened.

It was the darndest thing! I was jus walkin by the place when there was this bright flash of light! In broad daylight! Then! The whole dang back of the dang place blew away! Not like wind but, well, I don't rightly know what it was like! It was just gone all the sudden like. Then the front half of the place just tipped over onto itself.

Good thing the shithole ain't open this time a day. I wonder if that nasty Pitchfork was inside?

Angella and Epi race ahead to check the body in the field. They find an elderly woman that is dressed like she could have possibly lived outside. She is quite dead but she seems to be clutching something in her right hand.

The others race in to help where they can. Ugghra assists as the townsfolk retrieve the badly battered corpses of the owner and his fat bar wench from the pile of rubble. Their bodies are both void of any clothing, making the sight of them all the more disturbing.

There looks to be a stone well or shaft in the center of the blown away portion of the building that has been exposed in the blast. In fact, it looks like the shaft is where the blast originated as everything is blown out and away from that point.

[Storm11]

Angella will kneel down and inspect the body. Are there obvious clues to how the old woman died? Has Epi seen her around town before? Anybody else know who she is?

When she is finished searching she will pry the woman's hand apart and look at what she holds.

[Inferno]

Sir Ugghra, half-orc aristocrat:

The elegant monster wipes his hands and dubiously examines the shaft. He'll use a lantern if one can be found.

[Scott308]

Father Dowling

Noticing the shaft where the building used to be, the priest will go over and examine the site. Before looking down the hole, he will cast Detect Magic in case there is any magical residue that may help them discern the cause of the explosion.

[ChubbyPixie]

Ozwaldus will keep quiet and keep invisibly watching Brother Tomas. He'll try to spot if anyone else in the crowd is paying any particular attention to the priest. He's also curious what the old woman had in her hand and will try to get a peek when it's revealed...

[Grognardsw]

Orando nods to the villager. "Thank the gods you live," he says with a charismatic smile. "Help the others now so they too may survive."

The elf sees his comrades gathering at a hole and walks over to join.

[OGRE MAGE]

As the devastation is studied further, you notice that, other than a few friction fires, there is very little of the rubble that is actually burning. The portly priest casts his magic detection and sees something very strange. There is magical residual covering everything. It is slowly fading but he is most certain that a light magic mist covers this entire area. Most unusual to be sure.

Angella and Epi look over the dead old hag and see that the force of the blast is clearly what did her in. Neither of them have ever seen this woman before. There are no possessions on her other than a silver necklace that has the name "Sally" inscribed on it. Gripped tightly in her hand is a normal looking key.

Brother Tomas continues to tend to the injured, now with a new helper. The invisible Ozwaldus sees nothing in the way of concerning bystanders.

Those gathering at the shaft inside the destroyed building look down below and see a rather disturbing sight.

image.jpeg (19.34 KiB) Viewed 570 times

[Grognardsw]

Orando picks up the Sally necklace and key.

"Do these radiate magick?" he asks Father Dowling.

"Shall we go down his shaft?"

[Inferno]

Sir Ugghra, half-orc aristocrat:

"Messrs. Odilo and Grillock, I Presume?" the inhuman investigator uttered grimly as he anchored his rope to something sturdy and descended the shaft.

[Cauchy]

Epi

Having been trapped in a collapsed and burning building in the past, Epi approaches the remains of the building with trepidation. She avoids walking under anything that looks like it could fall and carefully advances on the shaft and looks down. "Well I don't think there is any reason to hurry to get down there. I suspect they are not going anywhere."

Epi elects not to argue with the half-orc that she would be the better one to descend first but will climb down to investigate once Sir Ugghra is safely down.

How deep is the shaft?
Having checked out the main room of the Pitchfork on her prior visit, can Epi tell where this shaft was versus the former common room?
Any visible exits down the shaft?
Can we tell the species, sex, size (height & weight), clothing or belongings of the presumed deceased?

[Storm11]

Angella believes that she would be the most likely candidate for a climb but will remain topside keeping a watch out on the crowd and the surroundings

[ChubbyPixie]

Having seen the normal looking key held by the woman, Ozwaldus will continue with his vigil on Brother Tomas. He'll position himself near a wall or some other structure to avoid being bumped into by villagers responding to the commotion.

[Scott308]

Father Dowling

After an excessively long period of deliberation, the good father will climb down the shaft and examine the bodies.

[OGRE MAGE]

Father Downing has a quick look at the necklace and key, neither proves to be magical. The mist of magic that he sees all around the area slowly fades away. This effect is rather strange, one the group has never experienced before. What type of force could cause this much destruction and leave a residual of magic around the entire area?

Epi can tell that this area would have been right in the middle of the office space when the building was still standing.

The stone shaft is 5'x10' and 20' down. It looks to have been an old well or cistern. You can see from the top that there was some recent excavation going on down below but you don't see any other exits. Those that climb down are horrified to quickly recognize the size and shape of the two disintegrated victims is a perfect match to Odilo and Grillock.