DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Dawn of Revolution
The Librarian, part 1
Seven months after the coalition war ended...
All her life, Rena had dreamed and dreamed of scouring the world to learn more about, well, everything! After reading her previous mistress' entire library at the Eaglemore Estate and buying her freedom, Rena had booked passage to the great capital, Sassanoit, only to end up somewhere she never expected.
A crime scene. A bloody one at that.
"Damn. The youngest one didn't get away," a city investigator, a man in a beige coat and short dark hair, said as he shook his head. Three city guards stood around him, hand crossbows held at the ready. The investigator was already placing numbered evidence markers around the crime scene, the lower floor of a two-story domicile. One family on top, one on bottom... except the bottom family was evidently dead, including the one sprawled in the neighboring alley. So dreadful!
Rena stood rooted to the spot on the cobblestone street, a thick library book held under her arm after today's visit to the Sassanoit General Library. "Murders?" she blurted out, unable to help herself.
The investigator turned to look at her with his sharp eyes. "Young lady, this is no place for civilians to stand around gawking. Four people died last night. Stab wounds, all of 'em. I'm trying to piece together the hard details."
"Move along," one of the three guards added.
Rena didn't budge. Instead, she held out the book. "See this? Psychology of the Violent Mind, fourth edition. It must be fate! Let me help you." She beamed.
The investigator stared in disbelief. "Uh, young lady..."
"I'm Rena."
"Right. Rena, can you prove you work for the royal Ministry of Criminal Justice? You an investigator?"
Rena's smile faltered a bit. "Well, no -"
The investigator gestured. "Then get outta here. We've already got more violent crime on our hands than we can handle. I don't want innocents gettin' mixed up in it."
Rena tucked the book back under her arm. "I heard the Bitterblade gang is growing in strength."
The investigator sighed, put his hand on his hips, and turned to survey the crime scene again. "Damn gangsters makin' people afraid to go out at night. Or during the day, at this rate. Ministry officials are scramblin' to pin down the leader, that blasted Handy Man, or nab one of his lieutenants. I might find a clue in here..."
His voice trailed off before he whirled around. "Wait a second! Why am I tellin' you this? I told you to get a move on!" He pointed down the street.
Rena still didn't budge. Instead, her smile widened as she said, "I promise I won't intrude on recent crime scenes. But I didn't study the world's knowledge for nothing, good sir! I have read fourteen volumes on violent crime, criminal justice, investigation methods, and more. I'm ready to make a difference."
"You offering to help?" the investigator asked as the guards gave Rena funny looks.
"I am!"
The investigator shook his head. "I ain't taking you on as my partner. And I trained for four years before I joined the Ministry of Criminal Justice. You think you can just butt in after visiting the library?"
"My mistress praised me for studying in her private library," Rena said earnestly. "Madam Willow collected the most reputable volumes and tutored me on some days. I know my stuff. Let me help! So we can find the Handy Man!"
The guards chuckled. So unhelpful! Did they have to mock Rena like that? The investigator, meanwhile, sighed again.
"Just get outta here," he told her. "Forget this. I don't want you riskin' your life fighting the Bitterblade gang. Poke your nose in too deep, and you'll get it cut off."
"It's sweet of you to worry about me," Rena said, "but I insist -"
"And I insist you leave before you're charged with interfering with a crime scene," the investigator snapped, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Return to your own business, if you please!"
Rena turned on her heel, turned up her nose, and marched away. Fine! If the overworked Ministry of Criminal Justice was in such dire need of aid in this case, then Rena would just have to speak to those in charge. And that meant paying a visit to Castle Rhoda! Rena had always wanted to explore its opulent halls to see the heart of the kingdom herself. She just had to find directions first...
*o*o*o*o*
"State your business, young madam."
There stood Rena when it was her turn in the short line of guests asking for entry to Castle Rhoda, right before the castle's main entrance. The imposing castle towered over her, the red, red, and blue flag of Verhamaine fluttering on poles on each tower. Such a majestic sight!
Rena cleared her throat. "The Ministry of Criminal Justice. I have business with them. For the good of all citizens."
One of the four pike-wielding guards gave her a curious look. "That's a pretty bold statement. The good of all, huh?"
Rena clutched her volume of Psychology of the Violent Mind to her chest. "I've been seeing more and more crime scenes in my district. I hear the Bitterblade gang is behind it, but no one can find them. I've studied such things. I can help, if you'll grant me entry."
The guards shared glances. "Queen needs all the talent she can find," one of them mentioned. "My sister says so."
Rena perked up. "Really?"
The guard shrugged. "Yeah. She's in the Ministry of City Affairs. Running a postwar city ain't easy."
Rena made a "hmph!" sound. "All the more reason to grant me an audience so I may lend them my aid," she declared.
"Oh, fine. You made your case," the first guard said, a smile tugging at his lips. Yes! "Someone'll escort you to a waiting room. The rest is up to them. Mind your manners in the castle, y'hear?"
Rena cocked her head. "What makes you think I won't?"
"I can tell you ain't from the capital. And loose lips in the castle might bring the queen's new society crashin' down if you don't mind yourself."
"I'll be careful!"
"That you will. Go on." The guard gestured to the massive wooden doors, which magically creaked inward as Rena approached. This city was so welcoming! Aside from the nonstop skepticism, that is. Well, after spending years in the Eaglemore Estate's library, maybe Rena had forgotten the ways of the world and its folk. Well, surely someone in this breathtaking castle would listen to the librarian in her!
That someone arrived.
"Welcome," a human lady around 22 or 23 years of age said, stepping into Rena's waiting room. She was gorgeous, a lady in a fine red dress with her wavy brown hair in a simple but elegant style. "My name is Murbella, a bureaucrat of Queen Lorelai's court. I aid the queen however I can. And I hear you can aid her, too?"
Rena stood and made a customary wood elf bow. "Good afternoon! I"m Rena. Thank you for meeting with me so soon. Who can I talk to about investigating the Bitterblade gang?"
Murbella smiled. "You don't waste any time, do you?"
Rena tossed her hair. "I came to this great city to help people with all my knowledge. But visiting the city library and actually doing something about it are totally different!"
"Do you feel frustrated, Rena, knowing so much but not being able to make a difference thus far? Are you eager to prove your worth?"
Rena nodded. "I do. Such an insight."
"My sister Maggie taught me how to read people and intuit their mindset. In fact, she works here in the castle, too."
Rena was bursting with questions, but she kept her tongue in check. For now. "That's wonderful. I'll wager you love helping people with knowledge, too. With a mind sharper than any sword."
Murbella chuckled. "Well, I try! Running a kingdom is the challenge of a lifetime, and some days, it feels I'm trudging through an endless swamp. But I can do no less."
"Neither can I!" Rena cried, raising a hand.
Murbella's smile widened. "I adore your spirit, Rena. Elves don't strike me as curious people, but you're different."
"I'll do my best."
"In that case, please wait here while I prepare a meeting. I'll send a guard to summon you when we're ready for you."
Rena comfortably sat in one of the room's chairs and cracked open her library book for more browsing. "I can't wait."
*o*o*o*o*
Whew, royal bureaucracy really was slow! Rena ended up waiting an hour and a half in that room, and her patience was down to its last thread when a castle guard in shiny armor arrived to escort her up a wide flight of stairs and into a meeting room, a room with its wooden door already open.
There, in the window-lit room, sat a polished rectangular table with several people already seated, with Murbella at one end. When she saw Rena, Murbella waved. "Take a seat," she said, "and we may begin."
As the guard closed the door behind her, Rena sat right into the nearest fabric-padded chair, then gasped, hands over her mouth. "Oh!"
"It's the curious wood elf," a familiar investigator said, no longer wearing his beige coat. He looked at the meeting's host. "Murbella, there must be something special about this girl to invite her into royal business."
"I have a good feeling about miss Rena," Murbella said simply. "The queen agrees that we should at least give her a chance. Should she falter, I'm prepared to wipe her memory and return her to the residential district."
Rena froze in shock, then caught the quick smile Murbella gave her. That set her heart at ease, so she cleared her throat. "Good day, everyone. I am Rena. I recently moved here from my mistress' estate in Cheshire, and I'm terribly sorry to hear about the violence and crime in these streets. I'm here to uncover the truth of it all."
"Since we met before, I'll introduce myself next," the skeptical investigator said. "I'm Mubert Usamin, class 1 investigator in the Ministry of Criminal Justice."
A dragonborn woman cleared her throat. "I am Pazzi Shiloc, representing the Ministry of City Affairs."
"Ethon Wandergust, from the Ministry of City of Affairs," an older air genasi man said with a small wave.
Last was a moon elf man with long, black hair and a sunburst earring. "I am Ryleo Towindar, class 2 investigator in the Ministry of Criminal Justice."
Murbella clapped her hands together. "Wonderful. Now, I assembled this task force with the express purpose of investigating the Bitterblade gang's activity. All of you may have already seen that name in your work, but this time, we will make a concerted effort to finally locate and capture the gang's leadership, namely the Handy Man. The queen has granted us enough funding and support to make it happen."
"Not a moment too soon," Mubert said dryly. "Got too many cases stacked up already."
Rena raised her hand. "If I may," she started.
"Yes?" Ethon asked.
"Why is he called the Handy Man?"
Everyone stared at her, and Mubert actually scoffed.
"That's your question?" he asked.
Rena felt herself flush. "I'll review all the case documents soon enough! But for now, I couldn't help but wonder..."
"The citizens call him the Handy Man because some of his victims are found with a hand cut off," Ryleo said grimly. "So dreadful. It's believed the Handy Man is sending a message about how powerless his victims are, that no one can raise a hand to him, literally or otherwise."
"Some victims have a hand severed, others do not," Pazzi added. "But we have not yet determined a pattern."
"Damn freak, takin' people's hands," Mubert muttered.
"For now, let us share what we know with Rena, and give her a chance to provide input," Murbella said. "Ethon, why don't you go first?"
"I shall." Ethon reached down and produced a leather carrying case, opening it to produce documents and maps. He spread them across the meeting room table, pointing at one in particular. "Let's start here, Rena..."
It was late evening by the time Murbella's meeting ended, and Rena's stomach grumbled over the missed dinner as she exited Castle Rhoda, striding across the front grounds. Ah, it felt good to be back in the open air, with the lovely evening light glowing in the well-kept gardens...
"Ah! Hello there," came a familiar voice to the left.
Rena whirled around and beheld Murbella, who was wearing a stylish violet dress this time. Rena made a bow. "Good evening Murbella. I didn't realize you were on break from your duties! And when did you get a chance to get changed? We left the meeting just a few moments ago."
Murbella made a playful smile, a hand on her hip. "Take a guess."
Rena blinked. "Perhaps... you enchanted your outfit?"
"Nope!"
"Uh..."
"Come on, keep guessing."
"Well..."
"Do you have to keep teasing all the castle guests?" came another familiar voice. The same voice, actually! Rena whirled around and beheld Murbella again, wearing the same red dress as earlier.
Rena turned back and forth between the two of them. "Murbella, it's a doppelganger! I've read about them. They're devious creatures!"
Murbella made an exasperated sigh. "That's no doppelganger. Just my sister who keeps toying with the castle's guests. It's almost a ritual of hers by now."
"I'm Maggie. Pleased to meet you," the violet-clad sister said brightly.
"I'm Rena." Then she let out a squeak of alarm. "I-I just accused you of being a devious doppelganger! I'm so sorry! My tongue makes a fool of me." She winced.
Maggie burst out laughing. "No harm done, Rena. It's just a prank."
Rena took a moment to gather herself. Then she smiled. "Wow, twin sisters! How wonderful. You two must be close."
Murbella joined her sister shoulder to shoulder with another warm smile. "We're identical, but not twins. We are the second and fifth of our quintuplet family."
Rena's jaw dropped. "Five identical sisters?! I have never heard of such... I mean... oh my! Your mother carried all five of you at once?"
Maggie nodded. "Totally worth it, in my opinion."
"Who are the other sisters?" Rena couldn't help asking.
"The oldest, Minerva, works with our father in his trade empire," Murbella explained. "She did so much to protect and guide us, growing up. The middle sister Mozzie works at a restaurant in the residential district, and the fourth, Miranda, is on a journey across the continent. We get regular letters and souvenirs from her. She might be in Nasrond by now. Or somewhere in the Ayalakh Khanate."
Rena beamed. "I didn't have any brothers or sisters growing up. What a delightful family!" She saluted like a knight. "Murbella, Maggie, I promise to do my absolute best to save Sassanoit from the Handy Man's wrath! I'll show you!"
Murbella saluted back. "I'm pleased to have you with us, Rena. The task force is ready for anything."
Rena's stomach growled. Loudly.
"Oh! I don't think I can delay supper any longer," Rena said with a bashful grin. "Have a good night, Murbella, Maggie. See you tomorrow at the task force!" She dashed away, feeling a weird mix of being where she belonged and being a total outsider. This city was wackier than anything she had ever expected!
*o*o*o*o*
"I have to ask, Murbella," Rena asked four days later as the task force dove deeper into the newest patrol reports from across Sassanoit.
Murbella looked up from the map she was studying. "Yes?"
"What inspired you to help me?"
"Why, it's my duty, of course."
Rena pointed at Murbella with her quill. She grinned. "You have enthusiasm to match mine. What's driving you?"
Murbella returned Rena's grin. "I admit, I miss fighting the good fight, Rena. During the civil war, I helped lead Lorelai's revolution to victory. We defeated Bog'Shaic the lich and the old king! My adventuring days may be over, but the fighter in me wants more." She patted the map. "Now I fight for good with paper. That's where I shine."
"Oh. Got something," Mubert cried before Rena could respond. He lay two reports side by side, then added a list of criminal suspects and a few sketches of city streets. "Right here, on Fishbay Boulevard, between 17th and 21st streets. See?" He pointed out a few key details.
Rena impulsively lunged across half the table, laying across her many books to see what Mubert was getting it. The other task force members scowled as Rena scanned the documents, a crafty grin crossing her face. "Let's get some detectives on the scene! We're about to score big!"
They didn't score big.
"Those guys slipped right through our fingers," Rena said dramatically at the next task force meeting after the failed bust. She snapped her fingers. "But we were close, people! I bet we've got the Handy Man feeling cornered and scared."
"All the more reason to exercise caution, and act with discretion," Ethon put in.
"I figured," Rena said simply. She patted a hand on the twin stacks of books in front of her, and she felt her gut squirm with excitement. "Now it's a challenge! I'm gonna refine my approach and figure out a new method with these references. Don't mind me."
She sat down, picked up the first tome, and started drinking it all up.
"We can do no less," Pazzi said. "Focus, people! Surely, a breakthrough is right around the corner."
Ryleo nodded. "Of course."
Later that afternoon, the task force pieced together another lead, and they almost felt silly, having not seen this clear pattern before! Once Murbella overlaid a series of crimes with a map of Sassanoit's low-income residential area, it became so clear. The Bitterblade gang's hideout was in an inn's cellar! The Spitting Mule, a watering hole for Sassanoit's masses! At once, Murbella and Mubert gathered an elite team of guards and investigators, and Rena waited in Castle Rhoda with bated breath, ready for news of their success. Her heart beat with excitement as she squirmed in her seat, ready for the post-mission report.
No gangsters in the Spitting Mule.
"It may have been a decoy. Or an abandoned hideout," Ethon suggested as the increasingly frustrated, bewildered task force members pored over the latest reports.
Ryleo hunched over his papers, holding his head in his hands. "All signs pointed toward current activity," he said. "It's like they just packed up and left in a matter of minutes!"
"We must have underestimated their spy network," Mubert commented. "I was sure that neighborhood was clean. Guess I missed a few Bitterblade agents. I won't let that happen again."
"Third time's the charm. That's what my old mistress told me," Rena said bracingly. Now she had three stacks of books, fresh volumes from Castle Rhoda's finely curated library. "Let's get cracking! The Handy Man must be almost out of cards to play by now."
"Right you are," Pazzi said briskly. She adjusted the exquisite ring on her right middle finger (a habit of hers) and put heads together with Ethon to find new leads.
Over the next week, Rena and her task force allies carefully plotted out a new pattern of crimes and suspected sightings, then cleared the area of gang spies, secured all escape routes, and finally, sent another team to corner the Handy Man once and for all.
"I've got a good feeling about this one," Ryleo said brightly after the orders were sent for the ground team. "Bastard can't squirm away this time!"
"I can't wait to see the bastard in chains in the castle dungeon," Mubert added smugly. "He's got it comin', I tell you."
Rena beamed. "This is so exciting!"
It wasn't exciting to get the bad news.
"This can't be," Murbella said, her face pale as she looked over the mission report. "The Handy Man escaped again? How?"
"Almost makes me long for the civil war," Mubert spat. "At least everyone knew where Bog'Shaic was hiding, that scheming freak."
"Let us adjourn for today," Murbella said, "and we shall get a fresh start tomorrow." Rena couldn't help but note the weary dejection in Murbella's voice, and she didn't dare comment on it.
Rena was the last to leave the meeting room (she just had to finish the next chapter in a fascinating sociology book), but before she left the room, Murbella called out to her.
Rena stopped. "Huh?"
Murbella shut the door and lowered her voice. "Ryleo suspects a mole in the task force," she said urgently. "Don't tell anyone else about this."
Rena nodded.
"In particular, he suspects you."
"WHAT?!" Rena yelped, then grimaced and lowered her voice. "Sorry. But why me?"
"You're an unknown," Murbella told her. "In the eyes of some, you're almost like a spy sent by someone. You conveniently showed up and offered to get involved in royal business."
"But then why work with me?"
Murbella shook her head. "You have clearly learned a lot, Rena, but books can't tell you everything. You have more to learn about how these things work." She gestured. "The task force members won't give themselves away and spook you with a confrontation or a blatant refusal to work with you. Ryleo is working behind your back to deal with you."
Rena felt her gut clench in terror. "But... you'll stop him, right? Don't you trust me?" She held her hands over her heart.
Murbella's expression softened. "I trust you, Rena. But I have to be careful, too," she admitted. "I want Ryleo to be wrong, and I'll do whatever I can to prove it. In the meantime, though, keep this between us. I only told you all this as a personal favor."
Rena gave Murbella a look. "And to test me, right? I read books, but you're reading me right now."
"You got me." Murbella made a theatrical shrug. "I truly believe you are innocent. But the task force won't trust you until the mole is found."
"The mole might be one of the guards or investigators. Someone outside the task force," Rena offered desperately.
"That's also possible. I'm working on it right now with Maggie's help."
Rena hung her head. "The world's so much bigger than the maps and travel encyclopedias in mistress Willow's library."
Murbella gently held the wood elf's shoulders. "Stay firm," she said kindly. "Keep doing what you are doing and don't make any rash moves. This case will show its answers to us eventually."
"Okay."
"Of course, if you see or hear anything amiss, report directly to me. Do you understand?"
Rena nodded. "I will!"
"Wonderful." Murbella let go of Rena's shoulders. "Sleep well tonight. You're going to need it."