September 30, 2023

Hook

C&M;R&H - Act 1 Scene 1: Blood Under Moonless Sky

Plot Synopsis

About a week has passed since the opening of the Festival of Blades, and in that time, Jin Xinyi has set up the six hired adventurers at the Ling Dao Inn, an upscale inn in the downtown section of Chongbai. He has covered the cost to book them in the penthouse on the third floor, which has several separate bedrooms and a shared common space.

On the morning of the 20th, Jin Xinyi sent for the various adventurers since a lead engineer that was working for Zuanshi Steelworks was found murdered early in the morning. The victim was Gao Xinchao, and happened to be the same person that Xinyi was intending on meeting with that day as they had evidence or information to share regarding Zuanshi Steelworks and the Commission of Industry, especially regarding possible conspiracy to poison the people of Ruefang and profit off of selling medicine or cures to the people.

The adventurers started the morning off with room service breakfast, and went over what each of their strengths are, and got to know each other a little bit. They then made their way over to the crime scene, which had been sectioned off from the public by officers in the Commission of Trade. As soon as they arrived, they began to investigate the body–they found that he had puncture wounds in the shape of a tri-pointed blade, however these wounds were grouped in twos, with two wounds three inches from the other, and with the same orientation wherever they were. There was also a large slashing wound, made by a long, edged blade. The adventurers determined that the wounds were made by a professional. They also found that Xinchao was running for his life when he died, and left a blood trail as he ran. They reasoned that the puncture wounds must have been made by a maroglave, an illegal weapon that features a triangular blade attached to an arm-mounted bracer.

They then conversed with Jin XInyi, and were told about the boogeyman traditional folk tale about Ying Ren, or the Shadowblade–a figure of legend used to admonish misbehaving children. He said that this legend is only told and found in the country of Ruefang, so that if someone is copying this legend, they must be from and grew up in Ruefang. Jin Xinyi also revealed that they had investigated the belongings that Xinchao had, and discovered nothing beyond his clothes on his person, and suspects that the murderer may have taken evidence that Xinchao possessed. He also told the adventurers that Gao was from a family that ran a tabloid up in the city of Tiancheng, and that he may have quite a few enemies given their predilection towards spreading celebrity gossip. He said that he didn’t know where Xinchao was staying, but most likely used a fake name given his family’s reputation.

The party was interrupted by a commotion as Wang Lan (grandson of Wang Tu the Commissioner of the Divine), barged into the square and loudly shouted that he was friends with the victim and demanded that he be let through and that someone find out who did this. He was quickly followed by Han Chenwu, his adopted younger brother. After the encounter was de-escalated by Reese, Han Chenwu urged Wang Lan to calm down and to be on his way to his grandfather, as Zhang Qingzhou was in town to arrange his upcoming marriage. Meanwhile Wang Lan made a fuss over his dead friend and revealed that he had just spoken to Xinchao last night, and the Xinchao seemed afraid and upset during their meeting, which prompted him to immediately stop in his tracks and ask to meet up with the adventurers later–it seemed that he had realized something and thought that the situation was too public to share his thoughts. They agreed to meet at Bai Le Teahouse later that evening.

The party then tracked the blood trail left by Gao Xinchao, all the way to a back door of the Commission of Industry. They stumbled across two janitors who were currently taking trash out from the Commission of Industry, and they bribed them with 50 gold to take their clothes and use the cart to sneak into the Commission. Xing Yun Yue and Reese Hale disguised themselves as janitors and hid Taka in the cart and entered the Commission, finding the blood trail again that led just outside the Records Room. They also went through various thrown away documents in the Commission and the dumpster outside to find more clues. Taka and Yamato both enjoyed a Rat Snack, and Yamato took a pet rat for himself, and also noticed that Zuanshi Hua was leaving the Commission.

The party expertly tacked the carriage that Hua took and followed it to the Commission of the Divine, and Wang Tianlin Monastery. There, they witnessed an argument between Zuanshi Hua and Zhang Qingzhou, before Hua left. The group asked Qingzhou about things involving her daughter, Wang Lan, and Hua, before they went to investigate other things. Reese suggested stopping by the Marutuk (T’or) Temple to go through old police records, and they discovered and pieced together a string of other killings that happened over the last 10 years, all in Chongbai during the summer, and all happened in the late night. A witness report that seemed to have been disregarded claimed that the killer was Ying Ren, and described him as having red eyes and wearing ancient warrior armor with a mask. However, even after being spotted, the killer left the witness alone and fled. They also found an arrest record from 20 years ago of Feng Liu, a weaponsmith that crafted Maroglaves and served a sentence before being released and his record stating that he cannot (legally) work in or for smiths/forges.

Bailin then led the others to the Seherine (At’ena) Temple where he asked the priestess to cast Augury for them, and they learned that Zuanshi Steelworks directly or indirectly ordered the murder of Gao Xinchao, that the killer travels with the Monks on the seasonal trip between Jua Ban Dao (Winters) and Chongbai (Summers) but does not have Divine Spells. They also found that there is currently no physical evidence within the Commission of Industry that could incriminate Zuanshi Hua or Zuanshi Wei.

Upon returning to their rooms, the party found an advance payment from Jin Xinyi of 200 gold for each of them, and they prepared for their meeting with Wang Lan later that evening.

Noteworthy Postgame Events