Proving Edric's Innocence

"Apparently he had, I would say, a very good time." - The Citadel Warden

Edric Terin, the only known person to have seen the Fell Stones and lived to tell the tale, has been imprisoned for murdering a city official after his affair with his wife was revealed. He professes his innocence. But is he really...?

Plot points/Scenes

What We Think Happened

Earlier the previous morning Yucard Diran, one of the Duval Chieftain's principle advisers, a member of the clan council and the directory of the clan archives was attacked by Edric in his study after he returned home from work the night before. Yucard's screaming woke his wife who encountered Edric trying to flee and smashed him over the head with a potted plant, knocking him unconscious, before she called for the authorities. Edric was arrested and sentenced to die the following morning. It was well known that Edric and Yucard had, had several vocal and pulbic disagreements about Yucards refusal to submit Edric's claims of finding the Fell Stones as and entry in the clans history. Several witnesses recall seeing him very drunk the night of the murder at a local pub called The Golden Cup. Edric himself recalls waking up on the floor of Yucard's solar next to the victim's body, but he doesn't have any memory of the night before or the murder itself. He swears though that he didn't do it. The lock on the window was snapped and forced inward, giving Edric access to the solar to wait for Yucard's arrival. Yucard was stabbed three times in the back, screaming his wife's name, which neighbor's can testify to. The bloody knife was found on Edric's person when the authorities arrived.

What Really Happened

Show spoiler

Yucard's assistant, Jialan Kurtald, for years has felt under appreciated and used. A sentiment Yucard's wife felt as well, but instead she felt under appreciated and bored. Briminowe Diran married Yucard young when he was first appointed as an adviser on the chief's council and she though she was hitching her horse to a rising star of a wagon, as it were. However, Yucard's mild manner and general lack of ambition has cost him several key advancements that other, more aggressive advisers have gained. While her needs were met, and she lived a life of comfort, Briminowe was unsatisfied with her husband's influence and position. So when Briminowe noticed the fledgling resentment Yucard's assistant harbored for her husband, she took advantage of that. As Yucard's assistant, Jialan would become the acting advisor in Yucard's place should Yucard suddenly die. Briminowe then convinced the assistant that she had the influence necessary with the other councilors to secure his permanent position as an adviser on the council. In order to secure his loyalty, she also began and torrid affair with the assistant.

On the night of the murder she used a magical hat to disguise herself and met with Edric at The Golden Cup. There she bought him drinks and continued to do so, while dropping subtle mentions of his issues with Yucard until the drunken dwarf was very wasted and even more vocal about his hatred of the counselor. Satisfied her dupe had been set up well enough, she escorted him to the back of the tavern and out into an alley behind where Jialan was waiting with a cart. The two knocked him unconscious with the Impprisonment spell. They then loaded him into the cart and wheeled him to Yucard's home, and setting up the scene. Then they waited until Yucard came home late, as he usually does, and while Briminowe drew his attention attacked from his hiding place and stabbed the dude. Then Briminowe called the clan guards while Jialan took the cart a few alleys over and burned it and his bloody clothes.[url=]

Themes

Soot and grime everywhere. The dwarves are industrial giants, but they aren't very clean about it.

Components

Goals

The players' goal is simple: solve the who dunn'it before Edric gets hanged for it in the morning for doing it.

Hooks

The Most Wanted Man

Edric claims to be the only person in the world that has been to the Fell Stones and returned to talk about it. According to him, he and the company of soliders he belonged to believed in the treasure of the Fell Stones so much that, without orders, they voluntarily marched across the ice to find it and claim it for clan Duval. The extreme cold of the Kazus Wastes and indigenous life would claim the lives of most of his company, however he claims something darker holds power over that region. And they were no match for this creature...

Stakes

The Forces Only Know...

Edirc is the only person that anyone knows of that has seen the Fell Stones and Returned. While he doesn't recall it's exact location, without Edric the search for the Fell Stones could potentially take much longer than they are prepared for.

Red Herrings

Show spoiler

Edric himself is the biggest red herring as, innocent though he may be, he did legitimately have means and motive to kill the dude.

Plot type

Encounter

Parent Plot

Welcome to Kaer-Duval