Now that the group is properly equipped, the investigation can begin in earnest. What will they learn when they begin questioning suspects and examining the clues?
The Inspector shares the meaning behind the fingerprint he found and explains that the next step in the investigation is to conduct interviews. The group concurs this is the logical next step and begins to organize and prioritize their list of suspects. Eight recommends they should also compare this fingerprint to Jane, to make sure she didn’t intend to poison someone else and failed.
When they return to the medical tent, they see that a young woman is outside talking to a medical worker. She is in tears, saying that she served the pie and doesn’t understand how this could have happened. As the group questions her, Arthas spies a suspicious individual quickly leaving the area. He decides to pursue them in case there is a connection.
Although Rou is not convinced of the young woman’s innocence, he decides to follow Arthas when the Giant-Kin leaves abruptly. Eight and Inspector Francis are left to finish questioning the young woman, and Eight is able to learn something very important from her.
Follow Dax @GM_Dax, Kappa @TheKappaChris, Wren @ThornyDryad and Josh @JoshuaMSimons
Transcript by Wren
Upbeat piano intro music ends [00:27]
Soft and mysterious piano music begins [00:29]
Wren (as Eight): Hello, I am Eight and you are listening to Roads Uncharted. In our last episode, we met with a very peculiar individual: a mister inspector Francis Broussard, who had been assigned to investigate the mysterious circumstances of Jane’s poisoning. We volunteered ourselves as witnesses and assistants in reconstructing the scene in an attempt to determine the cause of Jane’s death. With assistance from inspector Arthas, we uncovered a mysterious vial that contained what the inspector called “Finger Prints”, which may be utilized to determine who had done the poisoning which killed Jane.
Uptempo piano jazz music begins [01:13]
Dax: So Francis, you just discovered a single, small fingerprint on the vial, which Eight claims was used to carry the poison that murdered Jane Freewell. You are – have been able to determine what the poison was. Where do you go from here, group?
Josh (as Francis): [slightly garbled, as if talking around cotton balls] Well, if I may be so bold as to speak first. I think, having found the fingerprint, it is important to first capture its likeness in a way that is more permanent than on this glass vial. So, I will use a transfer paper that is ever-so-slightly sticky. Stickier than the oil on the glass and pull the fingerprint off and I will attach it to a page in a notebook that I carry with me. I will label it “Fingerprint. Glass Vial. Poison.” and put “J.F.” the initials, of course, for the individual who was poisoned.
Josh: I will briefly explain what this means to the group before saying,
Josh (as Francis): So, now we have a brief idea of what may have happened. Although the timeline is not clear in terms of when the vial was dropped, we are otherwise fairly certain that it had to take place on or around the stage, as this is where the evidence is. So we must begin interviewing each person who was involved. Each person who had an opportunity, to determine who did or did not do the poisoning.
Kappa (as Rou): And do you have the authority to call something of this caliber?
Josh (as Francis): Well, [laughing], I surely do.
Josh: I will pull out the list of names that I was provided and I will place it on the table.
Josh (as Francis): We should absolutely start with the names on this here list. We have the names of the bakers and the names of those who delivered it. I propose that we start with those who served the pies, as they were the ones most likely to have done the poisoning. Unless, of course, and I don’t think we can rule this out, it was someone who competed who was able to somehow poison the pie before it reached Jane.
Wren: I raise a finger and take the pipe out of my mouth.
Wren (as Eight): Do not forget that Reginald may also be a suspect, as well!
Josh (as Francis): A very good reminder! Thank you, Inspector Nine! Who would we like to interview first, given this list?
Josh: I will allow the group to make that decision.
Kappa (as Rou): My first instinct is to interview who we believe to be the most likely to be the culprit, that way we save ourselves that much more time. Are you agreeable to this, Eight, Arthas?
Neil (as Arthas): Makes sense to me.
Wren: I pull the pipe back out of my mouth.
Wren (as Eight): I’m sorry, I do not know of this ‘Eight’ to whom you are speaking.
Kappa (as Rou): Oh! Apologies, Inspector Nine. Inspector Nine, who are you most suspicious of?
Wren (as Eight): While Reginald remains a possible suspect, I do believe that this would be one of the last folk we should interview. For if he was guilty, would he not, in fact, have already disappeared? He has made himself readily available for the investigation so far. So, I would assume he would continue to cooperate for the foreseeable future.That said, it may be in our best interest to check with the other competitors as well as the servers. And…
Wren: I put the pipe back in my mouth.
Wren (as Eight): Though it pains me to suggest it, we cannot rule out the fact that it’s possible the reigning champion had hoped to poison the other competitors to preserve their own title. Accidents do happen.
Josh (as Francis): My dear Inspector Nine, you are now thinking in the manner that an inspector must. We cannot rule out any possibility until we have successfully determined that it is impossible.
Kappa: Rou is going to raise a finger.
Kappa (as Rou): We have this pattern that you have lifted from the vial. Would this interview be as simple as comparing this pattern that was lifted to their finger?
Josh (as Francis): It could be. It would be easy to just collect the physical evidence. But I find it is often more helpful to have a face-to-face interview because, perhaps, someone was coerced in order to provide the poison. Perhaps someone was forced, at threat of life or death, in order to provide the poison. It is not, perhaps, merely as simple as “so and so decided to poison someone, and so they did”.There is a reason behind it and the deeper reason is really what is at stake. Yes, one person applied poison to a pie. But if they did it out of fear for their own life, or if they were being paid, then perhaps another individual is the true murderer, if that makes sense?
Kappa (as Rou): I see. With this, sort of, interview, this development, we might not even need to use the fingerprint as -
Kappa: I’m sorry, do I know what fingerprints are?
Dax: Beyond what Inspector Francis explained, Eight wouldn’t know much more, Arthas wouldn’t know much more, as far as a lot of the science behind it. Rou might be a little bit more familiar, as the method originated in Baukora, so.
Josh: I would have at least mentioned it in describing what I was doing. I probably would have called it a fingerprint.
Kappa (as Rou): So, given the face-to-face interview, we might learn more than just who was the one with the vial. We might learn who was the perpetrator behind this insidious plot!
Josh (as Francis): Precisely!
Kappa (as Rou): I believe Eight’s theory – sorry, Inspector Nine’s theory is fairly poignant and easy to rule out. Do you think we might be able to head over back to the medical tent and compare, just to rule out that Jane was not the one with the vial?
Josh (as Francis): If you would like to do that, I have no quarrel with it. It seems like a reasonable step to rule out an easy solution. May as well.
Kappa (as Rou): Of course. This is more for my – I’m hoping it’s not Jane.
Josh (as Francis): Well then, I believe we can rule out that and then proceed with the investigation as per usual.
Dax: Alright, so you head back over to the medical tent. And standing outside of it is a young girl. Her face puffy and red. Tears are streaming down her wet, glistening cheeks. Her honey-blonde hair in a tussle. Talking to, not the same medical worker, but another one, in their gray cloak and robes. As you get closer, you hear…
Dax (as the girl): [mock-crying, high-pitched femme voice] Just, I just feel so bad. I’m the one who gave her the pie and I don’t know what could have happened. Are you serious? She’s dead? How could she be dead?!
Kappa: I will be the first one to approach.
Kappa (as Rou): Oh, oh, I recognize you from the competition. It’s – I understand that you are distraught. It is very unfortunate, but, please know that we -
Kappa: Motioning over to Inspector Nine, Inspector Arthas and Inspector Francis Broussard.
Kappa (as Rou): We’re working to make this right. Would you mind answering me a few questions once we are done in the tent?
Dax: [sniffling] She’s wiping her eyes, kind of running her wrist over her nose and getting snot everywhere.
Dax (as the girl): I’m sorry, who are you?
Kappa (as Rou): You may call me Inspector Rou for today.
Dax (as the girl): Are…
Dax: She’s looking back and forth.
Dax (as the girl): Are you part of the…[sniffles] town guard?
Kappa (as Rou): No.
Josh: I will walk up, approaching, and place an arm on the shoulder of Inspector Rou and say,
Josh (as Francis): I’m sorry, my dear. Hello, I’m Inspector Francis Broussard and these three, fine individuals are my proteges. I’m teaching them everything about the art of inspectorship! And so, while they do not have the attire of an inspector of the town constabulary, it is very true that they are associated with the town guard, at least for the time being. Worry not. We will all be present for the interview. We just wish to hear your account of the events. May I ask for your name, my dear?
Dax: She pulls out a handkerchief, blows into it. I’m not going to imitate blowing my nose because that’s just gross.
Dax (as Margot): My name is Margot. Margot Oakes.
Josh (as Francis): Now, well, thank you, for your service in this competition. I’m certain that it is an honor that this city has bestowed upon you to be a member of this excellent competition that takes place annually. I am just sorry that your involvement this year has been tarnished by a rather unfortunate series of events. But, worry not! We will get to the bottom of this and everything will be set to rights.Would you be willing to stick around for a brief while, while we very quickly check in here with the medical tent? And then may we ask you a question or two?
Dax: She nods her head ‘yes’.
Josh (as Francis): Delightful! Thank you very much. We’ll leave you be for the time being. Thank you.
Josh: I will gesture to the group that, perhaps, we should enter into the tent.
Kappa: I will follow in.
Wren: I will do the same, following closely behind Inspector Rou.
Dax: Arthas, you probably would not be able to fit in this tent. It is smaller than 10’x10’ square; however, if you wanted to, you could poke your head through the canvas.
Josh: Once we’re in, for the interest of time, I will instruct my compatriots on how to obtain fingerprints from a finger by applying a small amount of ink to the individual’s fingers. Making sure that it’s just a small amount so that it won’t smudge and then to roll the finger across a piece of paper.
Josh (as Francis): This is actually a technique that I helped pioneer when I was very young at the inspector’s academy. I came across this idea that, perhaps, these markings and patterns on our fingers are unique to us. And so we tried a sample of 100 people and every person in that 100 had a different styling on their fingers.
If you carefully investigate under close inspection, each person’s fingerprint, which is what I’ve called them, then you will be able to identify that, perhaps, they are identical to the one we have on the vial. So, we will try to do some matching, once we have obtained the prints that we require.
Kappa: Throughout this explanation, Rou will bring his fingers very close to his face and try to parse out what makes his fingers so unique. In amazement at this explanation.
Wren: Similarly, my face just lights up. Literally. My eyes go brilliantly violet and I hold up a single finger, a massive, sausage-sized digit.
Wren (as Eight): Oh, yes! This makes ever-so-much sense! After all, my fingers are infinitely different than Inspector Rou’s. And Inspector Rou’s fingers are quite different from -
Wren: And I turn and look to Arthas sticking his head through the tent flap.
Wren (as Eight): Arthas’ fingers. Which, in turn, are infinitely different than the fingers of the cat-person with whom he had a quarrel with earlier this fine day, who in turn is different than…
Wren: And I just, like, keep going in listing off all the people we’ve seen in this city as we’ve come here to Azarra and I just, kind of, taper off.
Neil: And I’m just nodding my head through the tent flap because, yea, that makes sense.
Dax: Alright. You pull this fingerprint from Jane’s corpse. Her lips are purple. She looks very clearly like she has suffocated. She’s got, I think it’s called petechial hemorrhaging in her eyes. You now have Jane’s fingerprint, Inspector Francis. What do you do with it?
Josh: Well, I will require a very bright source of light and then we can take a look here if you like, to determine whether or not her fingerprints match those on the vial.
Kappa (as Rou): Would Inspector Nine -
Kappa: And I motion over to Inspector Nine.
Kappa (as Rou): Would Inspector Nine’s eyes be a sufficient-enough source of light? I’m just thinking with what we have here.
Josh (as Francis): They very well could be, they are rather bright! I mean that not just in the hue, the illumination, but you can tell there is an intelligence there! So, I think, yes, I think we could use Inspector Nine’s eyes.
Josh: I will just, kind of, hold the fingerprints up near Inspector Nine’s eyes, as I compare the fingerprint obtained from the vial with each one off of Jane’s body. Just looking for significant things. Little hooks or breaks or marks where there are unique differences in order to differentiate very quickly, perhaps. It’s not a thorough examination, but just looking to make sure that there are any immediate similarities I need to look at.
Dax: Sure! Provided that Inspector Nine does not balk at the fact that you are getting close to their face with the fingerprint and the vial, Eight’s eyes give off enough glow in this tent, that is currently really only illuminated by a candle by Jane’s head, that you can get a decent enough look. I will not make you roll for this. It is very evident that the one on the vial is a very circular pattern, where as Jane’s is much more swirly. So, they are very clearly different.
Josh: After a brief moment I will, kind of, with a small pen, just, the smallest pointed quill I have, I will circle two or three points that are different on this fingerprint from hers. I will kind of indicate for the group to look at them and say,
Josh (as Francis): These are the things that I am looking for. They look very different, as you can see. This pattern is quite, quite different. There is a small break there in the pattern that is not here.
Josh: And kind of go through and indicate what I’m seeing before we will eventually be resolved of this matter.
Kappa (as Rou): This is quite methodical. Quite interesting. So, are we able to rule out Jane?
Josh (as Francis): At the very least, we can say that this fingerprint on the vial is not Jane’s. While it is possible that she had touched it, we have no proof either for or against it. We simply know that her fingerprint is not here.
Kappa (as Rou): Wonderful. Okay. That is not bad news. We have our first, sort of, interviewee just outside of the tent.
Neil (as Arthas): What did I do?
Kappa (as Rou): [laughing] No. No.
Josh (as Francis): My friend, Inspector Arthas, you have helped greatly!
Neil (as Arthas): I was about to say, I was fighting in the arena when all of this happened!
Kappa (as Rou): I apologize. I was referring to Margot.
Neil (as Arthas): Mmm…
Kappa (as Rou): Is she still out there, Arthas?
Neil: I pull my head out and look and, DM, do I still see Margot?
Dax: Yep! She’s standing there. Actually, when you turn to look at her, she very quickly looks away. It was pretty evident that she was trying to figure out how you got so large. And is now feeling very embarrassed that you caught her doing it.
Neil (as Arthas): I ask myself the same question every day!
Neil: I’ll poke my head back into the tent and say,
Neil (as Arthas): Yep! She’s still out there!
Josh (as Francis): Delightful. Before we go and have this interview, may I give two pointers for interviewing potential witnesses and/or suspects?
Wren (as Eight): Please, I defer to your expertise.
Josh (as Francis): Very good.
Josh: I will begin packing up my things as I explain this.
Josh (as Francis): It is very important, first, that we do not allow Margot or any other person that we interview to believe that we think her guilty, truly guilty. We may suggest, passingly, ‘that you were there, it’s possible, but I don’t believe that about you’. Because we want her to feel comfortable and safe sharing her recounting of the events were. We want her to trust us. You should never, ever accuse someone of something if you do not know for a fact that they have in fact done it.
Second, and this is perhaps the most important point, is if we listen carefully and are gentle in our demeanor, we are more likely to obtain the information that we seek than if we are loud, or swearing or accusatory. It is very important, I think, to be delicate in how we handle this. And if they are not immediately forthcoming, the key is to ask them about different things in order to distract their mind from the information they are not attempting to divulge before we bring them back to whatever point it is we wish to know more about. In doing so, we can, perhaps, get them to reveal something that they have been attempting to withhold by subconsciously not realizing that they are talking about it until it is far too late.
These are my two tips for interviewing someone. If at any point, you have questions, I would be happy to assist. But I would also be willing to let you lead this, if you care to. As inspiring and aspiring young inspectors it seems only appropriate that you are to have your first interview here while I can be of assistance, should it be required.
Kappa (as Rou): That is a lot of information. I will do my best. Do you mind if I talk to Margot?
Kappa: And I’m looking at Inspector Nine, I’m looking at Inspector Francis and Inspector Arthas, just for approval.
Nail (as Arthas): I don’t see why not!
Wren (as Eight): Please, Inspector, take the lead.
Kappa: I will go outside and motion over to Margot.
Kappa (as Rou): Margot, are you okay, if we – if I ask you a few questions?
Dax: When you pop your head out of the tent, you notice that she was, yet again, sizing up Arthas and is very quick to shake her head.
Dax (as Margot): Oh, um, yes. Yes. Yeah...
Dax: And she starts fiddling with her fingers.
Kappa: I will do my best to convey more of a sympathetic face.
Kappa (as Rou): This must be a very difficult time, but I just hope that you are able to recall as best you can. And we are not trying to distress you in any way. If it becomes too hard to answer a question, please let me know and we’ll divert course. [pauses] Margot, you were friends with Jane, correct?
Dax: She looks to the left and right.
Dax (as Margot): Um, no. No.
Kappa (as Rou): No? Then how did you know Jane?
Dax (as Margot): She’s the reigning pie champion. Everybody knows Jane.
Kappa (as Rou): That would make sense. So, you, are you here out of this, just distress, because Jane had passed? You were quite distraught when we arrived.
Dax (as Margot): Well, I realized I forgot something at the platform and when I came to pick it up, Reginald was there and he said that Jane had died. That…I thought she had just choked and they brought her off to medical, but he told me that she was dead. So I came here and…
Dax: She just gestures towards the tent.
Kappa (as Rou): Yes, yes. Quite unfortunate. Do you mind telling me what you came back to retrieve? What was it?
Dax: Roll me a Charm check. It’s going to be Hard Difficulty, so three purple. But I’m going to give you a Boost because of the way you introduced the questioning, so that’s a blue.
[sound of dice rolling]
Kappa: I have one Advantage, one Failure.
Dax: Alright, so you fail with style. She just looks at you and just shrugs.
Dax (as Margot): My bag.
Kappa: Is she carrying a bag right now?
Dax: She is.
Kappa: Okay, okay, okay. And, so I’m going to then point at the bag and say,
Kappa (as Rou): What is so important in the bag that you forgot but still had to come back for?
Dax (as Margot): Wouldn’t you come back if you, like…
Dax: She gestures at your gauntlets.
Dax (as Margot): If you left one of those behind? Wouldn’t you go after it?
Kappa (as Rou): This is true. Yes, I would. Do you mind telling me what you do for a living?
Dax (as Margot): I am…
Dax: She looks down at her feet and kicks the dirt a little bit.
Dax (as Margot): I am a server, or I was. I guess, right now, you could say, I’m...I don’t. I was going to be paid for serving pies. So, I…I…
Dax: She gestures.
Kappa (as Rou): Sorry, I might have introduced a fair bit of confusion here. I don’t mean for the festival. I mean, other than serving pies. Do you have anything that you do in your daily life? Profession of sorts? An apprenticeship?
Dax: She’s going to cock her head to the side and squint her eyes at you.
Dax (as Margot): I just told you, I used to be a server. But I’m not anymore, so, I took the job as a pie-server to make some money. Are you sure you should be the one handling this investigation?
Kappa (as Rou): I’m going to be fairly honest. No.
Josh: I will just chime in very briefly and say,
Josh (as Francis): My dear, I know that the questions seem a bit strange, perhaps, but it is very helpful for us to know about your gifting and the types of things you are doing. It is very helpful because that is, perhaps, how we can determine that not only are you not the person that would have accidentally intended to do this, but we can very clearly indicate that you are not just innocent, but someone that can assist us should you have any insight into how the workings of things behind the scenes as the pie competition was going on. Perhaps you saw something that was curious or unusual. Forgive the questions, we are just trying to get to the nature of what you do.
Josh: I will take a step back. But I would like to note that I would like to make a check of some type to determine the truthfulness of everything she is saying. I can make multiple checks or just do one for the whole interview, whatever you want to do GM.
Dax: Sure. You’re going to make a Perception check and that is going to be Medium difficulty, so two purple.
[sound of dice rolling]
Josh: My end result is three Successes.
Dax: So, she’s being honest. She did go back to the platform to get something. She wasn’t exactly telling the truth as to what she went back for.
Josh: I will stroke my chin at that, but not say anything. There is, on my chin, a slight goatee, which I will kind of play with, ever-so-slightly as she speaks. But I will not say anything as of right this moment, if I may just continue to have this check as the interview goes on, I will take a back seat again.
Wren (as Eight): If I may, Miss Margot. While you were a quote ‘server’, where did you work and what was your primary purpose?
Dax (as Margot): I was a barmaid at the Silver Swan.
Wren (as Eight): And, if I might ask, what caused the termination of your employment at the Silver Swan?
Dax (as Margot): The Silver Swan went under. They don’t – they’re not open anymore.
Wren (as Eight): That is most unfortunate. Is there perhaps, some sort of tipping event that might have caused this, that you know of?
Dax: She shakes her head ‘no’.
Wren (as Eight): I see. That is unfortunate. I am sorry that you have been caught up in such troubling circumstances. [sighs] Tell me, who gave you the pies to serve?
Dax (as Margot): Well, the pies were all laid out for us to grab. They were set on a big table. You may or may not have seen it behind the platform. Each round, we’re all, so, on the far left were the blueberry pies and then the mince pies and so on. And each round so that all we had to do was go up to the table, grab the specific pie that the contestant was going to be eating next and just go down the line. I imagine the people that made the pies put them on the table.
Wren (as Eight): You imagine? Or…
Dax (as Margot): Well, they were already set up when I arrived.
Wren (as Eight): I see. Interesting. And they were all in clumps? Or were they arranged in rows?
Dax (as Margot): Well, it was a long table. So it was a row of pies, but they were all clumped, so...both?
Wren (as Eight): So, it was a long line of pies all of the different types clumped together.
Dax: She nods her head ‘yes’, but very slowly like ‘is that not what I just said?’
Wren (as Eight): I am just asking questions to clarify your answers.
Dax: Arthas, what are you doing during this conversation?
Tense horn music fades in [31:03]
Neil: I’m just sort of watching everything unfold and occasionally poking my head out of the tent to see if there’s anyone trying to, like, sneak over.
Dax: You know what, roll me Vigilance and, if you would, make it Medium difficulty. But I’m going to spend one of the GM Story Points to upgrade one of those. So you’ll have one purple, one red.
[sound of dice rolling]
Neil: Oh boy. It is one Success, one Triumph and one Threat.
Dax: Okay! Alright. You’re scoping the area. You’re checking to see if anybody is approaching. You don’t really see anybody approaching; however, you do notice somebody walking away and they seem to be in a little bit of a hurry.
Neil: I immediately begin trailing them.
Dax: Okay. I will ask, what would you like to use the Triumph for?
Neil: Do I recognize them?
Dax: I will say that you do not.
Neil: Can I see if they’re armed?
Dax: They don’t appear to be armed, no.
Neil: Nice. I’m going to continue trailing.
Dax: Alright, are you keeping your distance or are you trying to close and get up close to them?
Neil: I am beginning to close.
Dax: Okay, I will say that with how large your steps are, it only takes a few steps for you to get nice and close with them if you really stretch yourself. What you see in front of you is a – what appears to be a human man. Raven black hair. Skin is very pale. His clothing is rather tattered. You can tell, though, that they were probably at one point relatively fine. And he’s walking, now that you’re a little closer to him, you do notice that he’s walking a little hobbled. Like, maybe he’s not really paying attention to where he’s going.
Neil: Hmm. I’m going to keep following to see if he goes anywhere that might be helpful to the investigation.
Dax: Okay, so you’re going to follow the stranger. How are my interviewees doing?
Kappa: I’m going to – while Inspector Nine is questioning the young Margot.
Uptempo jazz music fades back in [33:04]
Kappa (as Rou): Inspector Francis, give me your honest opinion. Do you think Margot was any more involved in the death of Jane than she is leading on?
Josh (as Francis): Well, that is a challenging thing to discern. But I have reason to believe that she wasn’t entirely forthright about what it was she returned to procure. She said the bag. Perhaps that means there is something of importance in the bag. Perhaps it means that there is something else that she wanted to return for.
I’m not immediately suspicious, but there is something that she wishes to keep to herself. So, we can certainly attempt to pry a little further, but I think, perhaps, a good starting point would be fingerprints. If we could persuade her to offer up her fingerprints, we could determine whether or not she touched this vial. The one that we had determined has the poison.
Kappa (as Rou): I think we could wrap this up here. Did you see where Arthas went?
Josh (as Francis): Goodness, no! I did not. I was just wondering what happened to our tall fellow.
Kappa (as Rou): Do you mind if I go after Arthas and you and Inspector Nine here finish this line of questioning?
Josh (as Francis): Be my guest. If we are not to encounter each other shortly, please rejoin Inspector Nine and I at the station this evening where we can compare notes if you are not able to rejoin us shortly.
Kappa (as Rou): I can agree to this. The station is… which direction?
Josh (as Francis): Oh, I’m so sorry! Yes.
Josh: I will very quickly give some directions so that they can arrive.
Josh (as Francis): Or, alternatively, ask literally any guard here in the city and they can point you to it.
Kappa (as Rou): Right, right. Yes. You can talk to guards, I forgot. Okay.
Josh (as Francis): Yes, good luck.
Kappa (as Rou): You as well.
Kappa: And I will go in the direction that I believe Arthas has gone.
Dax: It’s pretty easy to see very large footprints in the dirt. I’ll say it’s pretty easy to track him. Alright, so you’re following Arthas and Arthas is following a stranger. Inspector Nine and Inspector Francis, do you continue your interrogation?
Josh: I would let Inspector Nine finish whatever questions they want to ask. But when it seems like things have reached a reasonable conclusion, I would see if I can convince Margot to give us her fingerprints. Apologizing, of course, for the inky stain it will leave but it would very much help us to clear her of any possible guilt if we could ascertain that she had not touched the vial with the poison.
Wren (as Eight): Oh, yes. Of course, Inspector. If you would like to do the fingerprints, I will reserve one final question for after that is conducted, so long as Margot is willing to do so.
Dax: She nods her head.
Josh (as Francis): Delightful, thank you, my dear.
Josh: And I will – we don’t have to go through the whole thing – I will go through the fingerprinting process, perhaps asking Inspector Nine to help by stabilizing a wrist here or rolling the paper there and we’ll get through it very quickly.
Dax: Sure. You do so, easily. She doesn’t put up a fight. She doesn’t know what you’re doing. All you’re doing is putting ink on her fingers, so. When you go to compare the fingerprint, it appears to be a match.
Josh (as Francis): I feared as much.
Wren (as Eight): Margot, I have..
Suspenseful piano music fades in [37:37]
Wren: And I’m asking this before, like, seeing the comparison. Like, after we get the prints and we’re kind of, I don’t know, I figure we probably, like, usher her to the side and make sure she’s doing okay. I would be offering condolences and just, like, try to be reassuring. And, DM, I would like to use my Psychic Scan ability on Margot at the cost of a Story Point. I would like to use the base ability to read the current thoughts and emotional state of a creature of my choice within Medium range.
And I’m literally just going to look at her. Get down to eye-level with her. She would see my eyes go from violet to red, like a burgundy color. Not blood red, like when I get mad. But just, kind of unsettling. And I take the pipe out of my mouth.
Wren (as Eight): Margot, tell me. Did you know that you would kill Jane?
Dax: Did you ask if she knew she would kill Jane?
Wren: I did.
Dax: Okay. Now do you have to – remind me, do you have to do anything other a Story Point for this ability?
Wren: Nope.
Dax: Okay. And this just tells you the emotional state, right?
Wren: Current thoughts and emotional state.
Dax: As you start the scan and even before you say anything, you can feel anxiety. You can feel nervousness. The minute you ask that question, if you were looking at a spectrograph, it would be going off the chart. You can almost, if you were to listen, hear her pounding heart. What’s running through her mind is the image of a hand pouring something over a pie.
Dax (as Margot): I’m...I’m sorry? What did you just ask me?
Wren: This last two rounds. So, I’m kind of hopeful I can get one more question?
Wren (as Eight): Where did you get the poison?
Dax: I think that’s a perfect spot to end it. And next time we get together we will find out who Arthas and Rou are following and we will find out more about what happened with this poison.
Music fades out [39:22]
Dax: Thanks for listening! We hope you’ll join us next time. But in the interim, follow us on Twitter @RoadsUncharted. The Roads Uncharted podcast is GM’d and produced by Dax, who you can find on twitter @GM_Dax. We use the Genesys RPG system published by Fantasy Flight Games and music licensed by Epidemic Sound.
Arthas, Champion of Offham, is played by Neil.
Eight is played by Wren, who also composed the music for our opening theme. Follow them on Twitter @ThornyDryad.
Rou is played by Kappa and you can follow him on Twitter @TheKappaChris.
Francis has been played by our guest, Josh Simons. You can follow him on Twitter @JoshuaMSimons to check out his charity streams, TTRPG content, and all-around goodness. You can also check him out on Twitch at Twitch.tv/JoshuaSimons.