CH. 5: The Sending is Coming from Inside the House

[HorizonsDream]

"So, then what did she do with her time if she didn't work?" Jocelyn asks curiously.

[JadedDM]

"Well, she had her studies, of course," the old woman says. "We had a governess back then to teach her, but I'm afraid I had to let her go after...after Jara left. It had been my hope to find her a good husband, but she was so strong-willed...didn't like any of the suitors I found for her."

[HorizonsDream]

"Was she seeing anyone, that you know of?" Jocelyn asks.

[Breila]

"How old was she?" Ouragana inserts herself into the conversation. "Would most woman her age be married here?"

[JadedDM]

The matron looks very uncomfortable at Jocelyn's question, and squirms a bit in her chair. Likewise, the servant fidgets a bit, looking to the matron in concern. The old woman answers, "No, no, I picked out many suitors, but she turned them all down." She quickly jumps on Ouragana's question. "She's 45. Actually, 46 in a few months. Oh, but neither of you have touched your tea or cookies! Please, help yourselves. There's always too much left over these days."

Meanwhile, as Val and Areilon are stepping out of the tavern, Areilon once again gets the strange feeling she is busy watched. There are lots of people out on the street, coming and going; but none that she can see appear to be giving her any special attention. Nevertheless, the feeling persists.

==========

Areilon makes a WIS check (1d20): 3, pass. She feels as if being watched.
Val makes a WIS check (1d20): 18, fail. She doesn't feel anything out of the ordinary.

[Nuke]

"Just a thought." She responds with an off hand gesture, "It's likely whoever killed the victims, didnt do it at the Mill, they did it somewhere else secluded."

"Good day." Standing she leaves the bar.

"Well...." She says to Val as they are clear of the bar, "Let's hope the others found something." Pausing she adds. "Let's take a look near the Paragon, if the Dwarf was taken from there, perhaps they left something behind."

"Yes. let's do that."

Sorry guys, technical difficulties, Vista is locking up on me.

[Jenara]

"I'm being watched, actually we are being watched. I felt it before..." Arei suggests as she leaves the tavern, "The killer perhaps."

Moving back towards the Paragon she looks around, checking over her shoulder, "Come, to the inn."

[Breila]

"Oh yes of course" Ouragana says and helps herself to tea and cookies. "Are these a family recipe?" she asks.
"Is it customary in this town that families look out which of their children will marry?" she asks. "And who would be considered a good match?"

[JadedDM]

"Oh, yes," the matron says. "Been in the family for for three hundred years, at least. And it is customary among my people, the dwarves, for the elders to choose spouses once a dwarf comes of age," she explains. "Although there are those who balk at the old ways, due to influence from other races here on the islands. But our family has always held on to our traditions. That is what makes us dwarven, you know. Otherwise, we're no different from halflings or gnomes or even humans."

She goes on, "Humans are so stuck on things like romance and love, and that's all well and good for a race that can produce a large family in only a few years. Dwarves, though, have a much harder time having children. And we tend to produce more boys than girls. So it's very important for our race that women are married as soon as they come of age. It's their duty as dwarves. And we dwarves take duty very seriously."

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn takes a few sips of her tea to please the old dwarf. "I know all of this questioning might make you feel uncomfortable," she says. "But we really need to know if your granddaughter did see anyone else besides those you set her up with. The murders that have been happening around here lately need to stop, and whatever information you can provide us about your granddaughter might help us in solving those murders."

[JadedDM]

"Absolutely not," the matron says, nearly dropping her teacup due to her fervent gesturing. "She's a good girl, my Jara. A very good girl. You can ask her yourself as soon as she gets home from the store," she continues on, growing upset.

The servant blanches and steps forward. "M-Mistress, perhaps you should rest a bit."

"Heavens," the matron says, leaning back. "I am quite tired. All this excitement...it gets to me."

The servant turns toward the two girls. "I think it would be best if you two went home now. Please, come with me."

[HorizonsDream]

"She's in denial," Jocelyn says with a frown. "We'll leave, but can I please have the answer to the question I asked about if Jara was seeing anyone," she asks the servant.

[JadedDM]

"Denial? How rude! Kids today, no respect at all!" the matron complains, becoming upset again.

"Please, please, come with me," the servant insists.

Once the two get up and follow her to the door, the matron calls out, "And you delinquents stay away from my little Jara!"

The servant quickly ushers the two out the door. "Please," she says softly, "do not think ill of the mistress. She is still in mourning. And the truth of the matter is..."

She hesitates, biting her lip, as if unsure to proceed. Finally, she continues. "The night of her murder, Jara and the mistress had a terrible fight. I didn't catch all of it, only the tail-end. But I think Jara did take a lover, and the mistress did not approve. I don't think her lover was even a dwarf, for the mistress was beside herself. Angry words were exchanged. Before she stormed out, Jara told the mistress that she hated her."

The servant closes her eyes and shakes her head, as if reliving an unpleasant memory. "She didn't mean it, I'm sure. I have children of my own, and I know they are prone to passionate outbursts that they don't really mean. But...it was the last thing Jara ever said to the mistress. The following day, we were called to the temple to identify her body. The mistress blames herself for Jara's death, and she's almost mad with grief and guilt."

Meanwhile, Areilon and Val head back to the Paragon Inn. The feeling of being watched persists for awhile, but eventually fades away by the time they arrive.

[Jenara]

"Strange..." Arei mutters under her breath, "The feeling has gone now, it was like the windmill." She says as she arrives at the inn. "If you were a murderer, where would you watch this place?" She asks Val, looking around the building.

[Breila]

"Thank you very much for your information" Ouragana tells the servant. "I am so sorry all this has happened, and our goal is to catch whoever murdered these young women." After a short pause, she adds: "Do you happen to know if Jara had a friend she might have confided in?"