Graded [Norrobury Village] The Ghost of Norroburry Mine

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

@Vaudivolt

Alright.

Desirae could work with this. The automaton claimed that it was the only mechanical minion in Norroburry and that it was working alongside “The Ghost of Norroburry Mine”. There was a lot of information to glean from these two questions, alone.

Assuming that the machine was being honest, it meant that she wouldn’t have to waste any effort looking for other mechanical minions throughout town. She also now had a motive for the “ghost” and context for its behavior. And she could go ahead and deduce that the ghost was not another mechanical minion serving a common creator and simply an accomplice to the mythril theft.

And, to be honest…

…Desirae felt inclined to believe the little machine. Naturally she took everything with a grain of salt, but the machine hadn’t displayed any aggression or animosity. Its behavior was mostly defensive and somewhat predictable for a minion whose priority was mining and collecting mythril as opposed to secrecy and eliminating brown-nosers. If she wasn’t mistaken, it almost seemed happy to have some er… “amicable” company to interact with down here in the dark mine.

Everything was going perfectly until Desirae asked… that last question.

Tomo’s vexation was met with a sigh and a light frown. The machine's denial did little to alleviate the tension. As much as Desirae disliked the idea of upsetting her canine companion after he’d been so helpful, she didn’t regret asking it in the slightest. It was necessary; as inevitable as the hound’s rage when his master came under suspicion.

“The truth, Tomo. No matter how unpleasant it may or may not be.”

A succinct answer, but anything else would’ve been dishonest.

“There’s still a lot we don’t know about the conspiracies unfolding in Norroburry. But, with regards to the collection of mythril in this mine, we at least know the roles played by the automaton and our 'ghost'. Regardless of what it may be, there’s some reason why that machine carries your master’ scent.”

She paused for a moment to allow both Tomo and Simin a moment to process her words. She glanced over at the dwarf for a moment before turning back to Tomo.

“It's not an accusation. I haven’t made any assumptions about Emmet Downing, Tomo. It’s far too early for things like that. But… we were going to have to ask the question at some point.”

You can't just dance around these things forever.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Tomo
Tomo huffed and laid his head back down on the cold stone. Giving Desirae a moment of cold shoulder even though he knew she was right. There was no good reason for him to start acting vexed. But he already knew the truth. His truth! And it would take incredibly convincing arguments to change his mind. Still... “Sorry, ye right, Desirae,” Tomo admitted after a moment of defiant silence, and the demand in his eyes lost intensity.

If anything, he was irritable because he was tired, not because his partner asked necessary questions. Waking up in that meadow had hardly been a restful sleep, and the whiplash of emotions that came with meeting this construct did his resolve no favors. Slightly frustrated, Tomo averted his gaze from those surrounding him and allowed it to wander their surroundings. He sighed. They were searching for a truth he might not want to know in a tunnel as dark as last evening's walk. It even had the glimmer of that mythril ore to stand in for the headlights that send him here.

“The truth can be unpleasant, ye right.” Tomo agreed and forced himself to get back on his feet. The chill of the stone returned to his paws. “An' I fear me master's scent on that machine will 'ave unpleasant reasons...”

He began pacing around the width of the tunnel. Minding the construct's line in the stone as he sniffed the ground. A self-soothing behavior. “Me master had a likin' for machines.”

“Anythin' he could fiddle with, ye know? Computers. Appliances.” He paused, then glanced at the small construct still carrying the faint hint of Emmett's scent. “Robots...”

Tomo turned towards Desirae, his ears folding back as he looked at her. “Sorry, it was lookin' bad for me master an' that's why I got defensive. But, thinkin' on it, I should've told ye sooner.”

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

Vaudivolt

“You’re fine, Tomo. To be honest, you’re actually taking this better than I expected.”

Desirae wasn’t sure how to take the information that Emmett liked to tinker with machines. The fact that Tomo’s master liked to tinker with machines was an awfully suspicious coincidence. Did a person’s interests and hobbies affect abilities manifested when they arrived in this world? Desirae’s gifts certainly assisted her with her investigations. As interesting as that was, she pushed the thought aside.

The automaton had already denied that its creator was Emmett, and she chose to believe it for now.

“Regardless, getting to the bottom of this conspiracy’s gonna lead us to Emmett one way or another. So, automaton?”

She turned back to the machine who, no doubt, wanted to continue the questioning so that it could continue the task that its master had given it.

“My apologies for the interruption. You’ve been very helpful and I don’t want to waste too much of your time.. so how’s about I ask you, say 6 more questions then get out of your way so that you can work in peace?” she paused for a moment then nodded, “6 or 7. I think that that’s reasonable, don’t you?”

As always, she stuck with yes/no questions that the automaton would have no trouble answering.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Despite Desirae's momentary shift in conversation partner, the little construct had waited patiently. Adding credibility to the idea that literally crossing the line might be the only method of sparking a physical reaction. And, as long as they refrained, it would continue to appear as happy as a nearly featureless face could express. The single red dot was the only frame of reference. It jittered shortly before realigning onto Desirae when she led the conversation back to it. And the previous faint glow reappeared through the small grate on its chest – lingering for a moment.

While the apology and appreciation on Desirae's part appeared to cause a significant delay in the construct's response time, it eventually produced some puffs of exhaust followed by a raising of its right hand. An indication that it was still willing to participate in the ongoing investigation.

However, somebody else seemed less keen. “Oi! Lady, ya still not done with that hunk of junk?!” Simin suddenly and loudly interrupted while shifting his weight against the workstation. The dwarven man had remained silent for a while, letting the detective do her job, but despite the progress, he was clearly growing impatient. “That sack of bolts keeps lighting up from the inside! What if ya fry its insides with all that processing? For all we know, it might blow up on us anyway!”



Tomo
“When'd ye become detective, Simin?” Tomo retorted with a slight snarl, using the bolstered appreciation for his redhead partner as fuel to take a protective stance. He leaned forward on his paws with his ears bent back slightly. “Let her keep workin' an' 'ave some trust, will ye?”

As Tomo heard his own words, his ears rapidly perked up again. The sudden realization replaced his snarl. He could be working too! There had been something on the edge of his senses for a while now, and if he could investigate it while Desirae was busy... They could spend less time total in the cold, muddy tunnel that was – in his opinion – overstaying its welcome!

“If ye want to leave sooner, can ye help findin' somethin'?” Tomo suggested teaming up with the dwarf and tilted his head to the side while awaiting the response.

“Aye, if ya think it helps...” Simin shrugged, replying without too much thought on the matter. There was some lingering animosity, but his urge to get back to the outside air and out of the construct's blast radius motivated him plenty. “What're ya looking for?”

“Bread!” Tomo stated with conviction and walked towards the burlap sack beneath the workstation. He placed one of his front paws against the slumped-over sack to test it and then looked expectantly toward Simin. “Open it!”

“Oi, what?-- Alright, alright!” Simin groaned, more confused than anything, and held open the sack. The dwarf caught only a glimpse of the contents before Tomo wriggled his body halfway into the burlap sack. With the opening blocked by golden fur, Simin could only make blind guesses as to why Tomo was shifting around within the bag. Something positive, no doubt, as Tomo's tail was wagging from satiated curiosity. Then, his tail slowly began disappearing from the tip down. It kept its general shape but slowly began changing into a smoke-like form. Wisps of golden smoke trailing behind in the stale air as his tail continued to wag unimpeded.

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

@Vaudivolt

“No, not quite.” she replied to Simin.

And it seemed as though the automaton was eager to continue the interview as well. As Simin’s temper flared, Tomo took it upon himself to satiate- or at least distract- the impatient dwarf as the investigation continued. Tomo locked onto the scent of bread and Desirae immediately remembered Irwin informing her that Oscar Brimbaker’s trash had been disappearing. The aspiring investigator was already more than convinced that “The Ghost of Norroburry Mine” was no ghost at all. And she’d already learned that the automaton was the only automaton working for its creator in Norroburry.

So, she figured that the entity had to eat something.

There were a few details that she would’ve liked to collect from the bread, but all of them were things that Tomo could no doubt determine by scent. I mean, if Emmett Downing wasn’t the machine’s creator, then the ghost was the next natural assumption. But, instead of saying something to sour her companion’s mood once more, she’d let him do some investigating of his own and answer that question for her.

She turned to the automaton; mindful of the fact that she only had 6-7 questions left before she had to fulfill her end of the bargain and leave the automaton in peace.

“Alright. Question 4. Has ‘The Ghost of Norroburry Mine’ been transporting the mythril you harvest out of the mine for you?”

So far, Desirae knew of 4 abettors to this conspiracy. The automaton, its creator, the ghost, and a trader at ‘The Wandering Factory’. Someone had to be transporting the goods, and knowing just who could’ve opened up a lot of opportunities for her in this investigation.

She gave him a moment to answer before she continued.

“Question 5. Can you confirm that ‘The Ghost of Norroburry Mine’ comes to visit you at some point every night and leaves near morning. Or, at least, that it follows a schedule like that on the nights when it does come around?”

It would make sense of every testimony that Irwin had provided her with already. Simin seeing the entity enter into the mine on multiple occasions and suspicious activity in the area at night and Elina Cardiff seeing it around morning. It was mobile, and it had to be going somewhere.

Simin and Tomo might’ve begun to wonder why Desirae didn’t abbreviate the phantom-like culprit’s name, but it was simple. She’d already defined the parameters of the entity in question under that full title. And so, she would say it in full, deliberately, to ensure that machine understood her inquiries.

“Question 6. Is ‘The Ghost of Norroburry Mine’ just a disguise? And by that, I mean to ask if the entity…” she paused for a moment to collect her words, “...is capable of taking on a different appearance. One that’s a little less… translucent.”

Desirae smiled as the questions flew from her lips. The pieces were starting to come together to make a cohesive story; one that outlined her next steps very clearly in her mind. After giving the robot time to answer the third question of the round, she glanced back at her partner.

“While we’re at it? Tomo! Can you tell me if that bread is going stale? Or, let’s say, old enough to motivate a baker to toss it into the garbage?” she called out to him, “And… are you catching any more familiar scents from that sack of bread?”

A question that only he could answer. And Desirae was more than eager to hear his findings.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Whenever Desirae faced a distraction that turned her gaze elsewhere, the small construct followed it. The blinking dot in the center of its head turned towards the new point of interest. In doing so, it observed Simin and Tomo beginning to search the workstation. However, as the Mythril ore sample remained untouched, the construct showed no desire to interfere with their actions. It's only direct response to the observations being mimicry of their body language. The construct whirred as it crossed its arms like Simin and then attempted to reach behind itself in search of a wagging tail like Tomo had.

But, its search was short-lived. Desirae's voice prompted the inquisitive machine to refocus. It shuffled itself into a firmer stance and crossed its arms. It held that pose until Desirae asked her fourth question. At that question, its hands quickly uncrossed in order to raise the left one. Not only that, but the construct turned away from the detective and awkwardly managed to point toward a wall of crates stacked against the tunnel wall behind the line carved in the stone. It appeared there was a prepared shipment, but none of the ore had left the mine thus far.

For Desirae's fifth question, it appeared to struggle. And the construct crossed its arms while processing the request. It almost appeared eager to present its newly learned gesture again and again. After a short while and a few puffs of exhaust, the question resulted in a right-handed response. It confirmed the timeframe of the ghost appearance, but left the exact schedule unclear.

And then, the sixth question... With a raise of its right hand, the small construct had single-handedly - pun intended - dismissed the possibility of an actual haunting within the tunnel. It now appeared to be nothing more than a potential front used by the 'ghost' to secure private access to the vein of Mythril glittering further down the tunnel.

Tomo
Upon receiving the construct's response, Desirae turned her attention towards Tomo. Who hastily responded to the call by squirming his upper body out of the burlap sack. His ears turned toward the redhead detective like radar dishes before his head followed. And when his eyes locked with hers, the sight revealed his puffed-up cheeks and a loaf of bread trapped firmly between his fangs.

“Ifh somefhin'--” Tomo stubbornly insisted on speaking through the loaf. No matter how strained or incomprehensible the resulting speech. And thus, despite expressing an almost primal unwillingness to part with the loaf, he eventually let it drop to the ground. Accepting that it did somewhat hinder his ability to communicate. “Sorry, force of habit...”

“Right-- right ye are, Desirae, it's somethin' of that baker.” He quickly explained before lowering his head to the loaf for further inspection with [Wet Nosed]. And as he did, Tomo's tail steadily returned to its original, solid form. A reversion that had only started after he released the loaf from his fangs. “An' more than a loaf. Somethin' I can't make out, but it's smellin' like magic in that recipe. We should ask that baker 'bout it.”

Action 1: Used [Wet Nosed] on the loaf of bread.

Wet Nosed; Appraisal F, Alchemy F, Heightened Sense – Smell F. Relying on his heightened sense of smell, Tomo can glean the alchemical make-up of most organic things from their scent. Grade F, 0 Post Cooldown.
​

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

@Vaudivolt

Desirae began to smile almost ear-to-ear.

Not only had she just disproven the “haunting” of the mine, but she’d also identified how the mythril was being transported and when it was being transported. And, suddenly, one of her plans to uncover the rest of the conspiracy revolving around the mine became far more likely to succeed. Now, after an extremely informative round of questioning, she was expecting a certain answer from Tomo to help identify the true identity of “The Ghost of Norroburry Mine”.

…

…news that the bread had magical properties definitely wasn’t what she was expecting from him, though.

“Magic? The baker’s thrown away bread is magical…” Desirae almost laughed. She thought herself on the precipice of putting a huge part of this puzzle together before Tomo brought her that information, “I’ll come look at it in a second. I’d like to finish with our robotic friend here so that we can let him get back to his duties.”

She’d look into Tomo’s findings in a moment. But, first, she wanted to finish up with the extremely useful automaton so that she could move forward and verify these findings.

“You know what? I think I’ve only really got one more question for you, Mr. Robot.”

By their deal, she had four more before she would keep her promise and leave him to mine in peace. But, given all of the information that she’d already received, there wasn’t much else that she needed from him. Most of the other inquiries that lingered in her mind were things that, well, she’d already concocted other plans to figure out.

“I understand that its frightful appearance scared away all of the miners. But is ‘The Ghost of Norroburry Mine’ actually dangerous?” she paused for a moment before elaborating, “And, by that, I mean to ask if they would be willing and able to hurt someone if they didn’t flee at the sight of a supposed specter?”

An ominous question, but one that Desirae wanted answered before moving forward.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Tomo
Unexpectedly, the discovery of magic-infused bread had spotlighted Norroburry's baker. And while Tomo considered still being too used to the concept of bakeries from his previous life, he felt it was unlikely that a bakery producing magical goods would gain no renown. He recalled the bakery near his and Emmett's apartment being very popular, and that was very mundane bread by comparison. He wondered as he leaned further into the loaf laid at his paws. Which he then pushed with his nose. It rolled over, and a thought crossed his mind at the sight.

Maybe the people of the world consumed magic with every meal?

The more he built his own case file, the more his eyes moved toward Desirae. His tail wagged at the thought of being a detective like her - or at least her assistant. He would then be able to solve the mystery surrounding his master's disappearance alongside her, instead of relying completely on her expertise. But, his momentary excitement was cut short by Desirae's response to his findings.

“Ye do what ye need, partner,” Tomo replied, and his gaze quickly returned to the loaf at his paws. Even though he understood her reasoning, he could not help feeling slightly disappointed with not being her first priority. A feeling similar to fetching a tennis ball and then not having it thrown again... And this time, he was not even holding the metaphorical ball between his fangs – anymore – so that was no excuse! For a moment, Tomo considered showing his findings to Simin but almost immediately discarded the thought. He was not that desperate for recognition.


Instead, he took a moment to stretch himself and lay back down on the tunnel ground. With his paws placed down at either side of the loaf and his nose less than an inch from the crust, Tomo passively took in the magical scent that was starting to remind him of home.

Meanwhile, the small construct had been marching alongside the makeshift border it had created when the interview began. Only halting its patrol, and returning to focus, when Desirae announced the approach of her final question to it. And when she posed the question, the construct's grate lit up again, accompanied by exhaust puffing up from the request processing. It took the small machine a while to consider all the elements within her words. Its arms raised and fell a few times before its indecisiveness resulted in a final left-handed response.

It revealed that the mining ghost posed no actual threat. But, due to the wording of Desirae's question, it remained unclear whether it would be willing to hurt – even if it could not do so as a ghost.

“Aye, that'll be it then, lady?” Simin suddenly piped up after patiently waiting for the conclusion of her interview. Stepping forward, Simin moved towards the small construct while rolling his shoulder to loosen it up. His hands itched to get to work, and they firmly grabbed the handle of his pickaxe. “Ya see that target painted on that bag of bolts?” He asked while taking a few practice swings with his pickaxe. “Ya think a good whack or two will deactivate those gears inside nicely?”

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

Vaudivolt

Desirae nodded her head.

Truth be told, the machine’s answer wasn’t going to change her course of action after leaving the mine. But, she could at least move forward knowing that she was… at least unlikely to lose her life in the process. And, with that, she nodded to the machine, choosing to ignore Simin for the moment.

“Thank you for your cooperation, automaton. Feel free to resume your mining. We won’t bother you any more. And we won't touch your ore.”

No lines crossed. No double-crossing. Desirae walked over to Simin and whispered in his ear.

“He’s of far more use to us alive and unbothered. I’ll explain it to you once we leave the mine. Just give me a second and trust me.”

That was all that she’d give Simin for the moment. Afterwards, she’d walk over to Tomo and the sack of bread. Normally, she would've used this on a piece of bread, but the mention of magic couldn’t be ignored. She knelt down next to Tomo and used [Eye of the Sleuth] on the bread to see if there was anything she could discern about its… mystical elements.

“Aright. Let’s take a look at this bread.”

All the while, keeping a side-eye on the automaton to see if it had gone back to work and stopped paying attention to them.

Actions
1) Used Eye of the Sleuth on the enchanted bread.​

Eye of the Sleuth- Appraisal E, Traps F, Perception F, Investigation F- Desirae utilizes her senses and mind to the fullest to gain information about a scene and everyone in it. It’s a bit tiresome to do, but no so much that she can’t push herself many, many times a day.- Grade E- 1 post cooldown.

 

[Vaudivolt]

With Desirae's blessing and given no reason for distrusting her, the small construct turned its back toward the strange group. Confident that it had fulfilled its end of the deal, it took up its pickaxe and moved deeper into the tunnel. And in doing so, displaying its trust that the strange group would uphold its end of the deal in return. Before too long, the familiar clang of metal to stone resounded through the tunnel. And in the shimmer of the Mythril deposit further ahead, they could see the form of the small construct dutifully chipping away at the wall.

It was a form Simin was still visible eager to break into loose parts. His hands kept busy by impatiently twisting around the pickaxe handle. He had already moved dangerously close to crossing the construct's line when Desirae gave him a reason to halt. Her words gave him pause, and after a moment of consideration, he let out a pensive groan.

“Just what're ya playing at, lady?” He whispered back, expressing his discontent through a squinted gaze. But she had already moved on to Tomo. Leaving Simin to mull over her words while continuously eyeing the construct further ahead. “Just give me a second, aye...” He muttered under his breath. “Aye... if we get another second without it turning on us...”




Tomo
Tomo appeared pleased that the construct had finally taken the hint and left his partner alone. As Desirae turned and approached him, a stubborn, petty desire came to the front of his mind. But his body language ruined it before he could pretend to be disinterested in her. He had wanted to give Desirae a cold shoulder for making him wait, but his tail could not contain itself that long. Insistent on happily wagging as she approached and knelt down at his side.

“Lookin' like a loaf to me, Desirae,” Tomo replied, pushing the loaf with his paw. As if hitting it would force it to spill the secrets it was withholding from his nose. “An' strong magic baked in it, but not much there for seein'.”

“Smellin' what its magic does' not workin' either, but I'm bettin' that baker in town could tell us.” He explained his inability to identify the magic baked into the loaf. Then tilted his head at Desirae. “Are we goin' after we'r done 'ere?”


Desirae, using Eye of the Sleuth on the Enchanted Loaf, learned the following information during its effective period:

Spoiler: Enchanted Loaf

Consumable - Enchanted Loaf
The loaf appears to be a slightly stale, whole grain with a firm crust. Three diagonal slits mark the top of the crust, which is also lightly dusted with flour.
Skills: Magic E, Spell Duration F, ??? D

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

Vaudivolt

There was some potent magic in that bread. Lingering magic that even her analytical eye couldn’t discern. Oscar Brimbaker was certainly on the list of people that the aspiring investigator needed to talk to. But, Desirae would’ve been lying if she’d said that asking him about the magic bread was a top priority for her.

“Yes, it's about time. I think our business is done here. Come, gentleman. Let’s leave the automaton to his work.”

Her words were loud and clear; easily reaching… whatever sensors the automaton had been using to hear. And Desirae’s companions would notice that she had no interest in bringing the bag of bread with her. She casually waltzed away from the machine and back towards the mouth of the cave.

At least until she drew near to the farthest mining tool from the mechanical minion.

As soon as she did, she’d come to a stop and lay an index finger across her lips, signaling to them both not to make a sound or mention what she was about to do next. She’d make sure that the robot was busy with its work, first. Then, she’d use [Moment of Silence] to render her movements inaudible and snatch up the farthest tool without a sound. An absence of sound in her movements that might’ve unnerved her companions. She’d signal for them to follow, then break out into a silent mad dash towards the entrance of the cave.

There, she’d finally be out of earshot for the automaton.

Only then would she be free to fully speak her mind.

“Simin. Tomo. Thank you for being so patient. We’ve learned quite a bit about the so-called ‘Ghost of Norroburry Mine’. And I know just what to do next to dig even deeper into this case. First, I’d like for you two to come with me down to militia headquarters. Between this tool, the illicit trade agreement and testimony from one of the miners, we have more than enough evidence to convince Irwin of this conspiracy and to devote some men to our cause. And after that?”

A somewhat wicked smile spread across Desirae’s lips as she turned to Simin and Tomo.

“Well, we know when the ‘ghost’ visits the mine and when it travels. We know that it’s moving the mythril for an unnamed client. And we know that the mythril is being delivered to a ‘moving factory’. I'm almost certain that that’s where they go when he leaves this mine. And I can only assume that following our ghost as it makes its delivery will lead me right to this factory. And trust, my dear friends. I’m very good at keeping out of sight when I want to.”

Neither of them had, for lack of a better word, seen her aptitude for remaining unseen. But they had gotten a taste of her ability to move unheard. And they would feel her confidence in every spoken word.

“You want to know why it's important to leave that robot unharmed, the shipment untouched, most of the tools and paperwork laying where we found them and the bread unsullied in its sack? It’s because I don’t want to do anything that might make our translucent friend break their routine. I quite like their routine, from what I hear of it. They get spooked, and they might not make their way back to the ‘moving factory’ the next time they come around to collect a shipment.”

She turned away from them and glanced out at the city; a light breeze blowing through her bright red hair.

“And we can’t have that, now can we?”

Unless either of them had any objections, Desirae would then make her way over to the militia headquarters with her two companions. She had a few pieces of evidence, testimony, and quite a bit of information to share with the captain. And she was eager to hear his thoughts about the lot of it.

Summary
1) Used [Moment of Silence] whilst the automaton's back was turned.
2) Snatched one of the mining tools as evidence while inaudible.
3) Exited mine and explained plan.
​

Moment of Silence- Undetected(Sound) F- Desirae utilizes her phantom belt to become unheard for a few seconds. Great for snooping about when unseen or out of view near others within earshot.- Grade F- 0 post cooldown.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Tomo & Simin
As the group made their silent retreat from the tunnel, and stepped out into the chill of evening, it became clear they had spent quite some time gathering information below ground. The night was approaching fast, their surroundings nearly as dim as the tunnel they had emerged from. No more than a sliver of natural light was still casting over the horizon. But it served little purpose. Their surroundings were barely affected by it and instead illuminated by the fiery glow of the central smelter alongside the light of lanterns scattered around the entire mining operation.

Still, even in the minimal light, Desirae's prize was being illuminated. It appeared to be a slightly worn pickaxe, but the tool's head glinted in the fiery glow like a polished trophy would. She had succeeded in taking physical evidence with her, and there was no sign of pursuit from the small construct. The faint clanging from within the dark path hinted that the machine was none the wiser.

With the coast clear, Desirae broke the silence by showing her appreciation and rewarded her companions with a detailed explanation. After letting the detective speak, Simin was the first to respond with a short chuckle. “Ya don't know what the word break means, do ya lady?” He asked while he moved towards the central smelter, then gestured for them both to do the same.

“What'r ye talkin' 'bout?!” Tomo responded with a perplexed counterquestion but still took the dwarf up on his gesture. And as he neared the smelter, Tomo could not resist taking a load off and lay down next to the furnace. The radiating heat warmed his coat and almost made him forget the cold stone of the tunnel.

“We'r not... takin' a break now!” Tomo insisted through a wide yawn that curled up his tongue. “Ye heard Desirae, we need see Irwin 'bout this case!”

“Oi, I'm just saying she works longer hours than Irwin does,” Simin explained and placed his pickaxe near the smelter. Trading it for a portable lantern, which he promptly lit. “I'd love nothing more than to get that thieving rat and their construct junk out of Norroburry, but if I know that militia mentality, Irwin will be taking a load off at the boarding house while our detective's still on the clock.”

“And if he ain't there, it'll be getting too late for looking further anyway,” Simin added before casting the lantern light forward and leading the way back into town. “Let's go, lady! I let ya talk me out of wrecking that pile of bolts, but if that construct junk is gone by sunrise, you're getting the blame!”

As the trio began their way back towards Norroburry, and the path slowly regained a semblance of pavement, Tomo turned his tilted head towards Desirae. “Desirae, yer sure that robot won't leave or anythin', right?”

“I trust ye, but what if Simin's right? An' that robot's gone when we'r back lookin' for it?” Tomo asked, his ears and tail lowering with every question. “It knows somethin' 'bout me master, an' we don't know what...”

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

Vaudivolt

“I find investigation to be quite relaxing, Mr. Simin.”

The aspiring investigator held a smile that said more about the satisfaction she carried in her heart than mere words ever could. And, while she heard them all, none of Simin and Topo’s words did much to reduce her smile. But, they were good questions to be asking.

“I haven’t the slightest clue if that robot will still be there when I return to the mine, Tomo.”

Desirae’s tone didn’t seem to match the words coming from her mouth. Despite the ominous implications… she sounded perfectly confident as she spoke every one.

“But what I do know is that that machine was carrying explosive ordnance. In order to survive an encounter like that, we not only would’ve had to survive the ordnance itself but the mine’s response to the resultant shockwaves. Even if catching the ghost in the act wasn’t a priority, I wouldn’t have advised starting that fight.”

As a miner, Simin could likely play that entire situation out in his mind without Desirae having to say more on it. He honestly would have probably done a better job explaining it to Tomo than she could as well.

“On top of that, that machine’s just a minion. We’d have risked our lives to kill something that can easily be mass-produced. But, there is one issue that I can’t ignore now that you’ve brought it up. Look at that sunset.”

She glanced up towards the setting sun. Night would approach soon. And, if “The Ghost of Norroburry Mine” was to pay their automaton friend a visit that night, then he’d probably be making his way over to the mine in just a few short hours. If that machine had any intention of vacating the mine after handing off the latest shipment, then her window of opportunity would be closing rather soon.

“Tell me, Simin. Do you think I have enough time to speak with the captain and make my way back to the mine before nightfall? I won’t lie. I’d much rather tip local authorities off to what’s really going on before making my way back up there. But, I’ll admit, if I do miss our culprit then that is a huge window of opportunity lost. So you tell me, Simin. I’ll trust you on this since you’ve trusted me so far.”

She glanced back up towards the mine growing ever-smaller behind her with each passing step. And she had no problem turning back if need be.

“Is there time to do things my way, or should hold off on speaking with the captain until I have more free time?”

 

[Vaudivolt]

Tomo
Despite asking the question, Tomo felt he already knew the answer. After all, Desirae was no more familiar with the small construct than he was. There was no guarantee it would remain there, and they both knew it. But, unlike him, Desirae had spoken the words out loud. Still, Tomo hearing his partner confirm his suspicions left him feeling uneasy.

“Ye haven' thought of that--?” Tomo asked with a hint of accusation before he fell silent to hear Desirae out further. Her reasoning was sound, and yet Tomo did not want to agree. Even if there were a severe risk, he would not think twice. Risking his life for his master was one of his duties as a loyal companion. But then, he noticed Simin silently nodding along while leading the group into town. His motions confirmed Desirae's scenario would be a likely outcome, and Tomo felt he had no choice but to double down - instead of backing down.

“An' so what? Ye think they'r mass-produced with me master's scent--?” Tomo insisted on remaining combative for the sake of his master. Yet, as if nothing was wrong, he turned his attention towards the sunset when asked. “Sunset?” He said while tilting his head in confusion. “What'r ye pointin' out 'bout it?”


Simin
“She's pointing out that ghost might show its rat-bastard face soon,” Simin commented with a grouch, breaking his silent streak. He had quietly nodded along to the conversation, but as they neared the lights of Norroburry and their sight steadily improved, he could divide his attention towards the questions he felt directed at him.

“Before nightfall, lady?” He scratched his beard as he squinted at the sunset. “I don't think so, but that ghost won't appear the second that sun sets anyway. It usually takes an hour or two before we start noticing anything supernatural at the mine-- although, I suppose it isn't supernatural anymore, aye?”

“Tell ya what, we swing by the boarding house to see if Irwin is hiding there. If he's not, ya take my lantern and head for the mines. And if he is, I bet he'll come with ya instead.” Simin explanation felt final, the dwarf clearly not keen on taking another hike to the mines today. Especially now that they had set foot in Norroburry already. "Ya will make it back in time either way."

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul ​

Vaudivolt

Truth be told, Desirae still had her suspicions of Emmett.

Their “Ghost” was a con-artist working alongside the automaton in the mine. An automaton that carried the scent of Tomo’s master. A fairly obvious connection. Were it not for Tomo’s reaction to suspicions directed towards the man, she would’ve continued the line of questioning to help deduce the true identity of “The Ghost of Norroburry Mine”. But, in the interest of helping a friend without turning him into an enemy, she decided to leave that topic alone.

If all went well, she’d be looking into the Ghost’s true identity soon, anyway.

With Simin’s blessing and Tomo’s support, Desirae saw no further need to turn back. She set her sights on the Militia HQ with a hastened pace.

“Alright., then. We have no time to waste. Let’s go break the news to Captain Stonewolf.”

 

[Vaudivolt]

A Bunch of People Time to start color coding...
With managed expectations and the goals aligned, the trio furthered their way back into town. And with every step they took, the light from Simin's lantern steadily became obsolete as the lantern posts along the paved streets grew more abundant. The dwarven man glanced up at one of the lanterns. “Aye, Norroburry is getting ready for the night, it seems.” He commented without directing his words at anyone in particular. And he appeared to be correct in his assessment.

The streets were not nearly as busy as they had been upon their midday arrival. The lack of locals made it easier to navigate Norroburry's streets but gave the surrounding area a more sinister nature - as if the ghost could be lurking among the shadows of alleyways. But, before any potential danger revealed itself, the group arrived at their destination – indicated by Simin approaching the door of a long but narrow building and pulling it open. The warmth greeted them, and light spilled out of the doorway and onto the cold streets as the group entered the building.

It appeared the bottom floor had gotten sectioned lengthwise. On the right side, almost flush with the front door, stood a wall of doors leading all the way to the end of the building – presumably sleeping quarters. On the left side, a staircase led to the upper floor, with a common area surrounding it. A few tables surrounded by wooden benches - illuminated by the light of a fireplace - stood central. And only one of them was occupied by two people. It was the militia captain, Irwin Stonewolf, in the company of an unknown woman. The pair appeared to be discussing something, but Simin approached before they could overhear anything.

The dwarven man set his lantern firmly onto the table and smacked his hand against the captain's shoulder. “Stonewolf!” He addressed the man uncharacteristically jovial. “What're ya thinking, sending any ol' people down the mines, aye? Ya fool.”

“Simin?” Irwin retorted in surprise and turned towards the dwarf, “What're you talking about?” Searching for any hint, the captain glanced further back and connected the dots.

“AH!- The detective and her partner, please take a seat.” He gestured with an open palm towards the empty section of the wooden bench before turning to the woman sitting across the table. “They're the ones I told you about.”

“They're leading the investigation? Is that so?” The woman asked with a curious glance towards Desirae and Tomo. The gentle tone of her voice appeared an ill match to the mild skepticism her body language portrayed. “Then please join us, I am Elina Cardiff, and I hope you managed to dispose of the specter. I'd sleep much better if you did. And a lot of other people would as well.”

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Desirae Foul​

Vaudivolt

Night was quickly approaching as the gang rendezvoused with Captain Stonewolf and a new face. A Ms. Elina Cardiff, whose role in the militia- or with the captain- was unknown. Desirae took a seat next to Stonewolf, nodded at Elina, glanced at her two companions, then decided to get the meeting underway.

“In a sense,” The aspiring investigator replied, “I’ve confirmed that there’s no specter haunting the mine at all. It’s merely a disguise for a thief who’s after the mythril in the mine. And that thief has been working with an automaton minion hidden within the mine.”

First, Desirae would pull out the note she stole from the desk deep in the mine and handed it to the captain to read. That would’ve spoken for itself. Then, she’d hold up the pickaxe for Stonewolf and his female companion to see. It might not have meant quite as much to the captain, but Simin could support her testimony on it.

“They’re also the ones responsible for the missing mining tools. We caught the automaton in the act using them down there in the mine. Now, I haven’t discerned the true identity of our thief yet, but I have a plan for that. Time is of the essence though, so I’ll get right to it.”

Desirae had more questions for the Captain Stonewolf, but they could wait. She leaned in closer. These words were only meant for her companions and the captain.

“Our specter visits the mine at night and transports the mined mythril to… well… I’m not entirely sure, but it inevitably ends up at the so-called ‘wandering factory’ described in that note. I did my best to minimize signs of my presence down in the mine so as to leave our thief feeling confident that his little secret hasn’t been uncovered. I have reason to believe that he might return to the mine tonight to collect the latest shipment, and I’d like to catch him in the act and follow him wherever he intends to deliver that deposit of mythril.”

She paused for a moment to allow the captain to process all of that information and to either object or bolster her plan with words of his own.

“Consider my unexpected visit to your headquarters as bit of personal insurance. So... Would you like to accompany me back to the mine tonight, captain? I’m confident in my ability to stay hidden, but I’d be lying if I said that I’d be of much use if things turned violent.”

Either way, letting him know about her plans put Desirae’s heart at ease. It meant that, at the very least, there would be someone looking for her and her companions if they didn’t make it back to HQ in the morning.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Tomo, Elina, Irwin & Simin Disco post
Desirae's claim that there had never been a ghost appeared to stun both Irwin and Elina into silence. Which only broke once the revelation compelled Elina to interject with a confused tone. “I don't mean to criticize, but that cannot be true...” She explained carefully, unsure if it was her place to doubt the detective's words. “I've seen the specter myself, and I swear it was no costume.”

“Elina, let her explain first.” The captain interfered with a rather stern look. He had not intended to appear so aggressive, but the situation left him on edge. As he leaned forward, his expression shifted to reflect his contemplation, a testament to his engagement with the detective's findings. And his frown only deepened when he was presented with a note to read.

“A trade agreement... rubedo core..?” The captain muttered to himself as his eyes followed the words. He did not know what to make of it but placed the note on the table once he finished reading. His gaze then naturally shifted toward Simin, who nodded in response.

“Aye, no clue either, Stonewolf,” Simin admitted with a shrug before continuing. “But, it's as genuine as a fire giant's love for waging war. We've seen the prepared shipment in the mine.”

“Someone is willing to take Norroburry's lifeblood for what..? Personal gain?” The tone of his voice suddenly became unmistakable. For Irwin, this case had just become personal to him.

“An' they'r stealin' food an' equipment from yer people for their operation!” Tomo added after silently observing the flow of the conversation. His only reason to interfere now was to ensure they did not leave out any details.

“What kind of...” Irwin angrily muttered before Desirae presented him with a piece of the equipment Tomo hinted at. A pickaxe she had managed to secure in the mine. An unexpected item of evidence that once again made the captain's gaze shift towards Simin. He had understood the trade agreement, but this was nothing more than a meaningless tool in Irwin's eyes. Yet, when Desirae explained the tool's significance, it seemed Irwin pieced the situation together without the dwarf's assistance.

“So, to simplify,” Irwin spoke while his thoughts were still processing the significant details. “We have a thief on our hands... disguised as a ghost to keep people away from the mine, and stealing food and equipment so... their... construct accomplice can extract Mythril ore to trade for a... rubedo core, was it?”

“Aye, seems ya caught on,” Simin confirmed. “That pickaxe is one of ours, no doubt. I'll vouch for that in case ya doubted the lady.”

“But it cannot be one of the townsfolk, can it?” Elina suddenly interjected. “Who would do such a thing to their own friends and fami--?” Her disbelief was put on hold by loud coughing, and she rose to her feet. “I'm very sorry, please excuse me.” She apologized hastily before moving toward one of the doors.

“Wher' ye goin'?” Tomo asked, his head tilted as he wondered why the coughing had prompted her to get up. “Someone needs yer help?” He continued asking questions as he followed the woman to the door and sat down at her side. “We can help if ye need?”

“That's very kind of you-- Tomo?” She replied, not entirely sure if she had remembered the name correctly. “It's just one of our people who has come down with something, and I'm concerned about his coughing just now.” She explained, attempting to smile while her concern was obviously winning.

“I'm very sorry, but please excuse me.” She repeated once more before entering the door and closing it behind her.


For a moment, Tomo just sat there as he fought off his instinct to claw at the door. He tilted his head left and right, experiencing a mixture of curiosity and concern for whatever was happening on the other side. And while he had fought off his instincts, he could not resist pressing his nose against the space beneath the door and used his [Detection Dog E] to try and somewhat quell his nagging curiosity.

Meanwhile, Irwin was the one to take up and finish Elina's line of questioning. “Do we have any suspects?--” He shook his head as he spoke the words. That was not their priority right now - at least, not according to Desirae. “Forget that. You said time was of the essence. Explain your plan first.”

After hearing the details, Irwin sat back and pondered the plan in silence before coming to a conclusion. “I cannot run the risk of this Mythril leaving Norroburry...” He admitted reluctantly. “If you have reason to believe the culprit will return to the mine tonight, I will accompany you to catch them in the act. However! There will be an immediate arrest.”

Irwin rose from his seat and nodded at Simin. “Can you inform Elina we will be heading to the mines?” He then turned his attention back towards Desirae and offered her a hand and an explanation for his decision. “Norroburry appreciates the effort you and your partner went through to help out our village, but as the captain, I cannot justify the risks involved with letting the culprit take the stolen ore out of our village.”

“Having said that, shall we go, or are there other matters you wish to discuss?”

Action [1]: Used [Detection Dog E] on the space beneath the door.

Detection Dog E
• Appraisal E, Heightened Sense – Smell F
• Use his heightened sense of smell to learn helpful information about creatures from their scent.
• Grade E - 1 Post Cooldown​

---

Gwen_Temi

 

[Vaudivolt]

Despite the duo's best efforts and thorough investigation, the trail ran cold that night. Alongside Irwin Stonewolf, Desirae staked out the mine entrance, but no culprit other than the construct revealed itself. And when Tomo sought out Oscar Brimbaker with questions regarding the stolen bread, the man could only provide a vague description and speculations about who might have been the culprit.

There was no apprehension in the end, no resolution, but Tomo remained in Norroburry. He was keen to solve the mystery surrounding the only place he knew to have a guaranteed connection to his missing master, even if he could not yet piece together how.

Tomo decided to earn his keep by assisting the local bakery with his knack for the artisan craft, hoping another clue would eventually present itself. And, with some luck, bring him closer to the whereabouts of his master.


The End

Spoiler: Narrator Bonus & Title Suggestions

There are only suggestions, please wait until Grader confirms before adding!

Narrator Bonus Worth - 14 pts

Desirae
Title: [Language Barrier] - Character has developed a rudimentary method of communication that doesn't rely on shared language
Skill: Interrogation F - 7 pts from Narrator Bonus Worth

 

[Novama]

Isekai Hell Grade​

Clyvelle Vaudivolt Gwen_Temi

Bummer things turned out as an abandoned thread pretty much. Least there's points to be gained. One downside of 1x1's is it only takes one calling it quits for it to fall apart. The mystery will have to be solved another time looks like.

Aftermath:
N/a

Rewards:

Tomo - 66pts (includes narration bonus)
optional title acquired [Abandoned] - character was left by an ally. It is very sad. Character more likely to garner sympathy from others for their pitiful state.


partial participation
Desirae - talk with me if you want your grade