Finally, the investigation began to wind down as the countless tips, rumors, and potential pieces of evidence were chased down. People were becoming irritated with the constant interruptions in their lives and more than once, fights had broken out. As much good as the investigation was doing, those benefits were quickly being met and negated by the negative tension it was creating.
Benden’s depths were more then warrens, tunnels that wound around and through, accessing all the wealth of the volcanic rock in which their home was carved. Water was less of a problem here, where one wrong move could leave someone lost for days on end. It was said only a few of the older Handlers knew the extent of the tunnels only because they had spent their lives fighting the infamous Tunnel Snakes. Large tunnels have been carved into the rock, to allow the larger whers access… and to provide a landmark for the workers.
Broad, but sparsely lighted, it lead into round room with several doors leading off of it like the spokes of a wheel. In the center rested a large golden Wher, the attention of which the groups drew. One door was open and light spilled out, revealing one man sitting at the desk. He looked up when the gold rumbled, shifting to face the newcomers.
Investigation Week 3
Only the NPC described in this post may be interviewed. This is an ORP that will be lead by Staff - staff will be posting responses based on the posts received once or twice a day, each character can post as they want but the NPC response will not wait for all to post before answering. Feel free to ask whatever questions that your character would ask! Remember that this is an investigation about the Mystery Man who assassinated two ranking Riders and tried to kill a third. A Hint: Look for relations between rumors and things said but remember not everyone knows the truth! Think about the answers you receive!
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:56 pm
Kindra wasn't happy being down here, but she was committed to the investigation but even she was getting tired of it. She'd been hearing more and more mutterings when they thought she (and her group) were out of earshot. This place however was one of the last places she wanted to be, this was Wherhandler territory and ... well shells.. she'd had enough of Wherhandlers, she'd bit back her pride enough to admit Whers were useful, even tried to get interested in the patrols and things but alas.. she always made a bad impression, especially if a Wher came up to her, she'd pull her skirts away as if the creature would dirty her somehow. Suunath didn't share her distaste, she saw that they were suited to what they did and were good at it. She even told Kindra that those that could handle such, often bad tempered, creatures that COULD hurt or kill a human, were good people and very useful to the Weyr. Kindra had hated that, being reasoned to by her dragon but she DID see the truth in the Gold's words.
She opened a door into a round room and the first thing that drew her eyes was the Wher... because it was a Gold, she was about to say something to the man at a desk but the wher rumbled and Kindra wisely took a small step back. "Hello there Master Wherhandler" He might not be a master but he had a Gold Wher and the respect was clear, even if she did possibly make a mistake on the man's title. "I'm Kindra, Junior Weyrwoman?" she said, her voice moving into a query at the end, in case the man didn't know who she was, she was prepared to ask Suunath to speak to the Wher, Gold to Gold... if anything bad happened. "We're investigating Kestril's murder and this is one of the last places to search and ask questions of the people here" she said, her voice bright but slightly wary.
N'mol didn't smile, but he noticed the change in Kindra's attitude. Maybe it was due to the wher being a Gold, but whatever her reason, it was good that she'd finally changed her tune somewhat. He hadn't seen Dinah in a week now, so he was mostly attached to Kindra when it came to the investigation. If she was prepared to begin treating wherhandlers with even a small bit of politeness, perhaps it was an attitude that would carry with her beyond the investigation. N'mol didn't think he would ever outright tell her how to behave, but looking high into the Weyr hierarchy as he did, he knew how good leaders were supposed to behave. You couldn't win support by being bossy.
Suunath will help Hers mellow, N'molmine, Tyeth contributed. Already she has changed Hers's attitude toward wherhandlers. She is made to lead, or Suunath would not have chosen her. You will have to help balance her from a human perspective, as well, and win support for our climb to the top. Together, we will be strong.
N'mol froze at that. The transition Tyeth had used left the "our" and "we" in his sentence very... vague. He almost frowned, but it was only a passing shadow over his face and he blinked as he pulled himself out of his connection to his dragon and back to the present.
"We'd like to ask you some questions while you're here, if you wouldn't object to sharing your opinions," N'mol added to Kindra's statement, standing beside her at that safe distance from the Gold wher, rather than slightly behind her as other riders may have done. Despite his slight internal imbalance, he looked polite but strong-- for a 15-Turn-old. He always looked a little older than his years, but that would mean next to nothing with an older, more experienced adult. Bearing and politeness were everything. "Perhaps get your thoughts on who the murderer may have been or where he came from?"
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:03 pm
The man shifted in his chair, stretching out a leg to hook the door open wider with a foot as he clicked at the gold - authoritative but without arrogance. There was love in his eyes as he regarded the wher but it faded as Kindra addressed him. He smiled then, a fierce and roguish expression, "I'd been wondering when you lot were going to poke around down here, actually. Not the usual haunt of riders, don't get lost in the tunnels. You could wander for days without finding a soul."
The man rose then and strode out to meet them, waving a hand at the gold as she ducked her head to nose at her handler. The motion was strong enough that he bobbed in his stride, apparently having long ago adjusted to the affectionate jolt as it did little to break his stride. "This is Gold Kellersk and Kindra is correct, I am a Master Wherhandler, Keller to be precise." There was obvious pride in the way he spoke, as if he held the gold wher equal to any metallic dragon the weyr could offer.
He nodded at the questions, unsurprised. "Straight to business, hey, without even introducing yourself Bronzerider? You won't bed those girls with those charms, you need work still." It was a tease, sharp but observant, "As for who... I'm not sure, really. But I've heard the autopsy and pictures pinned him as an infamous insane Holdess." Keller shook his head, "Ironic, really, to be brought low by scum like him. If he is holdless then he's probably from some band of thugs outside the Weyr."
F'itz stood quietly behind Kindra to begin with, and was pleased when things started out rather better than they had with some of the other folk they'd cornered to question. "I find it difficult to believe that a Holdless could have done this alone, masterhander," the brownrider said once Keller had spoken. "F'itz of brown Brumath," he added, "and my question is, do you have any notion of how he managed it? To strike at three Weyrs is... impressive." It was impressive; terrible, but impressive. Would the killing have gone on, spread to other Weyrs had the murderer not met his end at Trine? Might it still? He must have had help, and those who had aided him (or paid him, as F'itz was starting to believe) might continue the cause.
Salvage Operations
USEABLE - Icon #022
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:14 am
Kindra had been about to answer the Wherhandler when F'itz spoke of the Holdless having help "Wasn't there rumor of a Blue or a Black dragon being involved in an escape?" she mentioned, she wasn't entirely sure how true this was since no dragon had keened for the dead man but then, if HE didn't have the dragon, then he definitely had help and there was someone that had been involved.... still out there somewhere, possibly planning a new move and Kindra shuddered at the thought. "And surely an Insane Holdless would have been caught much sooner, no ... either he wasn't as insane as people made out.. or he had help" she knew it was true, no single man could have done these deeds, for one, he'd have had to ave given it a lot of planning she was sure. She knew who in Benden had the most to gain from Kestril's death but ... the other Queens, what possible reason were they attacked.
Keller nodded at the comment, taking the matter quite seriously. This was not a man prone or brash behaviour it seemed, "It is impressive, revolting truly, but impressive. There's been a lot of unrest lately, perhaps that had something to do with it - the Holds have always complained about paying tithes after all." He laughed and shook his head at Kindra's comment, "Insane is the label people give to those who have forged their own path, goldrider. Those who step beyond the normal bounds, for ill or for good, are often labelled as insane by those who do not understand them."
He glanced at the gold wher, who rumbled quietly and shook his head, "I agree that the assassin had help. Someone like him's nothing but a pawn for a greater power." The wherhandler sneered with derision, "Deserved what he got."
