Justicar’s Journal
Here follows a summary of Gerred Englegarr’s
investigations in the towns of River’s Crossing, Mount Valaster, Talen’s Point,
Fairway, and Grak-ven at the behest of the wizards Kolat and the Dragonfall
Magistrates on this the 953rd Year of our Foundation and the 1182nd Year of the
Illyrian Empire. Town names are
followed by the date of the crime. All
investigations were carried out between Market Day, July 1 and Tyr’s Day July
10.
Compiled
and penned by Jim, son of Larir, under-scribe for the City Watch, Western
Tower, Castle Ward.
A young unmarried farmer, Del son of yeoman Mark,
was found dead by the river, having floated some distance downstream. He had his throat slit. No tracks or
evidence were found anywhere up or down river for a mile or two. The search was carried out by the city
elders and local townspeople. A barmaid
saw Del leave with his friend Jerrome, a blacksmith’s apprentice, from the
Frothy Dwarf shortly after midnight, both quite drunk. The town beggar saw them walking over a
small bridge leading to the forest but his testimony is questionable. Jerrome was found unconscious in the forest
the next day, with bloody hands. He
claimed to remember nothing. He was
tried and hanged within two weeks. I
found no additional evidence, but the crime occurred quite some time before I
arrived.
Two girls, not of marrying age, Lara and Valerie,
pupils at the Temple of the Shining Alea were found in the stables of Saraby’s
Inn and Tavern by the stable master before dawn. Their wrists had been cut deeply and they had been bled. The stable master noted later to the local
magistrate that all the animals appeared tranced or stupefied until he shouted
and slapped a few. A blood trail led to
a neighboring house, inhabited by Kyle, a tailor. His basement was found to contain children’s clothing similar to
those the girls were wearing. There was
no blood. I noted, during my visit,
that the basement had one window leading to the back alley adjoining the
inn. No mention of this window is made
during the trial. The tailor was tried
and acquitted, but killed in his house the night after the acquittal by
unidentified townspeople.
Yeoman Wenzel, his wife Marianne, and their son
Gabriel were found dead in a ditch near the side of the road leading south to
Talen’s Point. Their wagon was empty,
but overturned. The local magistrate’s
henchmen noted savage gashes throughout, as though the vehicle had been
attacked by a large animal. None of the
bodies showed similar abuse; although all died from slit throats. They were a mile away from their farm when
they were attacked. Friends testified
they had been returning late from watching traveling performers in the next
town. No one was accused. There has never been evidence of banditry or
highwaymen in that area.
Two different incidents occurred the night
following a large summer Faire held outside of town. Three young boys, two human and one halfling, were found at the
summit of a small woody hill adjoining the town. They had been dragged there from below and there were signs of
struggling. One body showed savaging as
if by a beast; the other two had slit throats.
They carried nothing of value save some wooden toys apparently purchased
at the faire. Grey, an old, rather fat
dwarven brewer and his young human henchman Barnaby were found dead in a barley
field half a mile north of the faire grounds.
Both had been bled thoroughly through wrist gashes. I had an opportunity to see this site myself
and speak to the farmer. There was no
trace of any significant amount of blood anywhere near the dead. This spooked the farmer, who insists he’s
seen two white figures pacing the fields on cloudy nights. I stayed two nights at the man’s house, but
saw nothing. No one was accused and
this crime is still a rather heated matter at Fairway.
Grak-ven was the site of several rather disturbing murders during a span of three days. I arrived two days after the last incident and was able to observe first hand the evidence. Grak-ven is a prosperous town populated mostly by the Karik-Cha tribe of hill dwarves and some halfling and human craftsmen. Its clean, cobbled streets and stone houses are surrounded by a stout stone wall and several towers. It squats solidly on a steep, grassy hill which overlooks the entire countryside for miles. The dwarves gave me the respect required of a Dragonfall Justicar, but no more. The first incident involved a known dwarven jeweler and toy-maker. He was returning home late from Taruk’s Pleasure, a tavern known for its spacious main hall and its nightly performers. He was found on his chest, his clothes intact. He appears to have been dealt a blow to the head. His throat was slit but again, no blood was found. Two nights later, a dwarven family was found dead in their dining area by a visiting relative. This was by far the most macabre crime I’ve seen. All five bodies were seated around their low table, their dinner still in its plates and bowls. The necks of the adults had been slit, but the children had their wrists slit. No blood was found. The were no signs of a struggle. No one nearby heard anything. Most of them still had relaxed expressions on their faces. The dwarven authorities could find no connection between the two crimes. Two street thieves were held briefly, but were released. The nightly patrol has doubled and the city is noticeably stiffer with strangers.