DiscoDude: ---BEGIN SESSION---
DiscoDude: Session logging commenced
GM: It takes a while to actually get onto a road before you can approach the Amoccelli estate from land. When you do arrive, you’re greeted with quite the sight up close; blindingly white stone walls interposed with massive, yet simply elegant windows overlook a spacious and circular driveway with a palm grove in its center.
GM: As you get out of the vehicle, the large brass front doors slide apart to reveal a teal-uniformed Gekoan. He doesn’t approach you, opting to visually pick you apart from across the expanse of asphalt. Finally, he clears his throat; it seems you’re expected to approach the front landing yourselves.
GM: (What do you do?)
Norwick: (( wait uh, I'm with Harry right now, right? Or...Where am I? It's been weeks. ))
Harry: (yeah, we're together here)
Norwick: (( Gotcha. ))
Harry: Harry suppresses the urge to scowl at the edifice. He once lived in a place like this. Since then, he's only ever really been an unwelcome guest in such places.
Harry: He makes eye contact with the Gekoan. "We're here on official police business," he says, flashing a badge. "We have some questions for the master of the house, Dario Amoccelli."
Norwick: Norwick just follows along with Harry, not really causing any fuss or acting out just yet.
GM: “I-I’ve been informed of this already, y-yes. I’m Cesare, the h-head manager of the property staff. B-both Dario and h-his nephew the CEO, Alto, are i-in residence, yes. M-master Dario said to inquire as t-to the reason of your visit, h-hmm?”
GM: The little guy can’t help but wring his hands and check his wristwatch while he talks.
Harry: "We're investigating the suspicious death of one Yakopi Kosrae," Harry says, diplomatically. "My partner and I have reason to believe he was acquainted with the senior Amoccelli. Just crossing some i's, dotting some t's."
Harry: He cocks his head at the Gekoan. "Late for a date?"
Norwick: Norwick raises a brow at Harry, "But don't you cross t's and dot i's...?" He mumbles to himself under his breath.
Harry: Harry pointedly ignores Norwick's comment.
GM: ”Y-Yakopi?!” Cesare almost jumps out of his suit. “S-so he’s who...? Ah! D-dreadfully sorry for m-my reaction! I- I- I must tell m-master Alto of this! S-such terrible news...” He makes an effort to cover his expression. “Er, but it’s m-master Dario you wish to speak with? Y-yes, I suppose that makes sense.”
Harry: Harry frowns, noting that the Gekoan hasn't answered his question about his antsy demeanor. "I take it you're personally familiar with Mr. Kosrae?" He pulls out his phone and stylus.
GM: (Oh, I missed the addendum.)
Norwick: Norwick folds his arms at the Gekoan, before looking at Harry. He keeps silent as he just watches them.
GM: “I... I am, y-yes.” He makes an expression resembling a sneer. “He had gotten s-so close to the masters, y-yes. Far m-more than his title of l-liaison sh-should- Ah!” He covers his eyes. “No! This was not my place to say! If... If it is truly Mr. K-Kosrae, then it i-is perfectly reasonable to speak with the m-masters...”
Harry: "So he was a liaison with the local tribe?" He jots that down, with slightly different phrasing: alleged liaison.
GM: “E-enough! Y-you wish to speak with the masters of the house, y-yes? I...” Cesare pulls out and checks a small tablet. “I believe m-master Alto has retired to the north lounge, w-while master Dario is having coffee in his sunroom. I c-can lead to one of them n-now, b-but I must get back to work!”
Norwick: "Maybe we should split up again, I don't think these guys have much free time." Norwick suggests to Harry.
Harry: Harry gives Nor a glance. "You can talk to Alto if you want. I'll be following up with Dario."
GM: (Whelp, if I give players more than one option, I shouldn’t complain when they inevitably spilt up. XP)
Norwick: "Sounds good," He looks at the Gekoan, "Lead us to Alto, and then lead my companion here to Dario, if you would." He said.
GM: Cesare nods, and leads you into the house. Spacious rooms of modern chic are connected by wide, yet low hallways.
The north lounge seems to be a standard den area - leather chairs, a grand piano, the works - though it honestly feels like an afterthought compared to the spacious patio outside. The glass doors leading out onto it are open, and through them, you spy wooden reclining chairs and a spacious outdoor kitchen.
GM: “M-master Alto? There are d-detectives here to speak with y-you about th-the body.”
“I’m out here, cari!” You see a tanned human hand rise from behind one of the massive wooden seats outside
Harry: Harry raises an eyebrow. He somehow wasn't expecting the Amoccellis were human. His suspicion mounts, a little, but he betrays no outward sign.
Norwick: Norwick looks at Harry and shrugs, "Well, I got this. If you want me to ask them any questions just send some messages on the phone." He says before stepping out and walking towards Alto.
Harry: Harry nods in confirmation, then follows Cesare into the house.
GM: Alto glances up as you round the recliner, Norwick. He's a rather handsome brunet with a caramel complexion, although his effeminate eyelashes and thin build detract somewhat from his Fabio-like quality. He looks like he just made a daring escape from a corporate meeting; his outer suit and tie are both undone, and only about half of his dress-shirt's buttons are done up.
"Oho, a succubus~... Ah, sorry." He sits up with a suddenly pained expression. "Alto Amoccelli, tesoro. I... assume you're here to tell me who that poor thing was? I heard the scene was molto male..."
Norwick: Norwick raises an eyebrow at Alto at the succubus comment, "Well, that poor person was Yakopi Kosrae. And I have some questions regarding to him." He says, looking around for a chair to sit in, "Mind if I sit down, Alto?"
GM: Cesare leads you up a staircase in the same room, Harry. Once you pass through the double doors, the first thing that hits you is how incredibly dry the air on the second floor is. Probably some form of environmental control. The scale of this floor is also considerably smaller, like it's for more personal use. He ultimately leads you to a mostly glass sun room looking out over the south side; the view of the sea is incredible.
Sitting at the modest table in the center is Dario Amoccelli; a middle-aged man in a crisp flower-patterned button-down and white dress-pants. It's as though he embodied the aesthetic of a vacationer while retaining none of the reality. Right now, he had just finished tipping the glass carafe into his coffee cup himself, and was about to dig into what appeared to be a small dish consisting of poultry in sauce.
GM: "A-announcing Detective Hazuth."
"Yes, I can see that, Cesare. You may take your leave. Ah- Bring a pitcher of water for our guest here, please."
"Yes, master!" And with that, Cesare was away.
"Right, then." Dario looks you up and down, scratches his goatee, but then turns back to his snack. "I do apologize for the air. This planet's climate doesn't really agree with me, though it is conducive to food crops. Do have a seat."
Harry: "I'll stand, if that's all right," Harry says. "I don't plan on taking up too much of your time." He pulls out his phone and stylus. "I'm here on official police business, investigating the suspicious death of one Yakopi Kosrae, who I understand you had some connection with?"
GM: "Y-Yakopi?" Alto's lip quivers, then his face contorts as tears start to form in his eyes. "Mmph! Uhu!" He raises his hands to his face and proceeds to cry. An ugly cry, too.
Norwick: Norwick looks at Alto and looks around the area, "Do you uh...need something to calm down? I'm just here to ask some questions to maybe get an idea of why he was murdered."
GM: "In the official sense, yes. He was one of the primary liaisons for his people when we first negotiated the purchase of the deed with them. He stuck around long after the other speakers went back to their village, however. I take it he's the one those tourists found?" Dario cuts into his protein with a rather sharp knife.
GM: "N-no, I'm fine!" Alto slaps his own cheeks, recovering quite abruptly. "H-honestly, I... sort of expected this, after hearing about what those poor boys found... My Yakopi was gone for over a month, after all..." It takes some effort to lift himself out of the large and unweildy recliner, but once he does, the young human only rubs the back of his head. "It... is only natural to assume the worst in such a case, si?"
Harry: "He is." He jots down a notation confirming that the Amoccellis have avowed their connection to the deceased. "You were aware the body was found near your property, correct?"
GM: "I am," he says, as dry as the air around you. "It's rather unfortunate. He was shaping up to be a valuable asset to the family; quite the savvy one, he was." He takes a bite of the chicken, taking time to chew with purpose.
Norwick: "Well, would it be alright if I would ask some questions? Yakopi was probably killed to divvy up the contract between you and the locals. Although for who this favors to me is still left out in the open, who do you think would benefit with this?" He asks, looking at Alto, waiting a response.
Harry: Harry scribbles down a single word in a dead language: asset. "Could you elaborate more on your relationship with Yakopi Kosrae, Mr. Amoccelli? Particularly the 'asset' part?"
GM: "I- huh? W-wait," Alto says, throwing up a hand. "Are- Are you saying that- that one of us hurt him? O-or one of his own people? Could such majestic creatures be capable of such horribleness?" He seems content to just... disbelieve what you're saying, Norwick. He almost drags you to the stone railing of the raised patio. "I mean, just look at them!" Below is a vast plantation field. There are several species of worker down there, but quite a few of them were komachi. "Such primal perfection - and Yakopi's the one who convinced me to offer them jobs! Surely, he can never be faulted for that?"
Norwick: Norwick looks down and then turns his attention back at Alto, "Well somebody must have done it, I'm not pointing any fingers just yet, but somebody wanted him dead due to the contract held with him. Surely you must understand that people in this world do terrible things for what they want." He says, trying to defend himself and not get thrown off from the balcony for saying something wrong in this case. "I'm just asking if you know anybody that might have intentions of using his death for their favor." He says, raising his hands to his face.
GM: "Hmm." Dario swallows, puts his silverware down with a clink, and takes a sip of his coffee. "If I were to describe Mr. Kosrae in one word, it would be 'obsessive.' Instead of returning to his people, he instead chose to stick by us. He took to 'our ways' with almost an alarming speed. He exclusively wore clothes from foreign retailers, he consumed our language like a fiend and lost his accent inside a month, and I had not once ever seen him fly. He continued to negotiate between us for things such as paying jobs for his kin, advice on what lands were off-limits, what lands held useful resources, etcetera... and in the weeks leading up to his disappearance, he had convinced my nephew to start involving him in business that frankly had nothing to do with the tribe or land. Does that suffice?"
Harry: "So he'd gone...whatever the opposite of 'native' is, then." More notes jotted. "What kind of business are you referring to, by the way? Between your nephew and Mr. Kosrae?"
GM: "I... I honestly can't say. Our deal was fair; Yakopi said it himself that there's nothing more his people could possibly want out of this deal, and we certainly don't have anything to gain from violating the contract..." Alto looks up with a sudden look of suspicion. "Wait... how do you know the terms of our contract?"
Norwick: Norwick looks at Alto, "Anonymous source, please don't try and delve deeper into where I got it. My colleague and I are conducting an investigation after all. You understand that, right?"
GM: "Well... At some point, suggestions on what fruit crops were good to grow had turned into ideas for trade and distribution. Stock options, for Starlord's sake. I still wonder when and where he learned those terms, but my idiot nephew was hanging on Yakopi's every word. He wasn't just captivated by our 'civilized' culture; he was ambitious."
Harry: "Ambition makes enemies, Mr. Amoccelli. Are you familiar with anyone who might've taken exception to Mr. Kosrae, or the benefits he brought to your business?"
GM: "Then why did you even mention it? If I thought it was something that might have lead to my sweet Yakopi's death, I would have brought it up myself!" Alto seems to sidle up against you. "Come on... please? Was it that funny little lawyer?"
Norwick: "I mentioned it because it clearly is the reason why he was murdered, or at least a part of it." He says sighing and looks at Alto, "No, sir, I cannot say who gave me the information. And what would you even do with the information of my supplier? Sue them?" He asks, looking at Alto.
GM: "I took exception, but not publicly. I'll be frank; I didn't trust him. The way he had Alto twisted around his talons put me out of sorts... Although..." Dario gets up and heads to the window, looking out over the terrace at the top of the seaside cliffs. "One can also speculate that his relationship with his village was a bit strained. Some of them had been pretty vocal about how we can't be trusted whenever Alto and I visited, so I can't imagine Yakopi's adoption of our whole manner of being to have been a popular move."
GM: "But of course," Alto says matter-of-factly. "Jail-time, too. And... I'm not sure I agree with you. It's just... so incredibile. I refuse to believe it!"
Norwick: "Then give me a different reason why he was murdered." Norwick says, folding his arms, "Tell me a different reason why he might have been murdered."
Harry: "So there was no love lost between him and the village, then." He jots that down, as well as "Dario mistrusted Kosrae". "One more question then, I think. Were you personally aware the river nearby flows inland, from the ocean?"
GM: "Yes, I'm aware of this region's unique geography. Ah- Do you shoot for sport, Mr. Hazuth?" Gestures to the terrace below. "We have a skeet firing range overlooking the ocean here - beautiful view. I haven't had a good opponent ever since Yakopi disappeared that night." He seems genuinely disinterested now.
GM: Alto looks down at the workers toiling in the field, then looks up at you meekly.
"Does it... have to be murder? Er, that is... do you know for sure how he even died?"
Norwick: "He received several spinal fractures that would have lead to his death, unless you think he committed suicide, then the only other option is murder. And did Mr. Yakopi seem like the kind of person to kill himself, Alto?" He says, looking at Alto.
Harry: "Used to go target shooting with my brothers," Harry says almost idly, standing beside Dario, looking out at the terrace. He neglects to mention the weapons involved would've been antique flintlock pistols. "If you'll indulge my curiosity, Mr. Amoccelli - would you say that fact is common knowledge? Would you say that your nephew and the workers in your employ are aware that the river flows inland?"
GM: "N-no, he would never even consider it! He wouldn't do that to me! I was a little, um... forward during the party that night, but... it's nothing to kill one's self over! Assolutamente no!" Alto seems quite distressed. "M-maybe he was just drunk, and fell? There was a lot of wine making the rounds then... N-no, such a powerful and graceful specimen could never be that clumsy, but... Ngh..."
GM: "I'd say it's commonly known among the Komachi - the local tribe even has a legend about it. Other than that, no; I don't believe anyone under us is aware. If you're suggesting someone wanted to send his corpse down to the village..."
Norwick: Norwick folds his arms once more, "You have to tell me everything, it won't help the case if you leave crucial information out." He spoke, his eyes casting a critical gaze on him.
Norwick: (( Should I roll to get the information out of him? ))
GM: (Sure; roll to break through his sense of denial.)
Norwick: (( Could I also use Silver Tongue here, or is it inapplicable? ))
GM: (I'd say it applies.)
Norwick: !f 4
DiscoDude: Norwick rolled 4dF+4 for 4 [4dF = [ ][ ][ ][ ]]
GM: !f 2 (DEFLECTING)
DiscoDude: GM rolled 4dF+2 for 3 [4dF = [-][+][+][ ]]
Harry: "I'll be blunt with you, Mr. Amoccelli: the way the body was found suggests it was disposed of on your property. If the geography around these parts had a lick of sense, it would've washed away to sea and that would've been the end of it, but instead it was washed inland and caught on some old debris. That suggests to me that whoever disposed of the body was unaware of this particular quirk. Of course, it's also possible someone was willing to risk the body being found in order to throw off any investigation, but..." He shrugs. "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras, as they used to say back home." He speaks the Korentz proverb in his own language; the automatic translator renders it as its closest English equivalent.
GM: (Did you mention the contract to Dario?)
Harry: (i realize i have not yet)
GM: "A-alright, fine. If... If it will help you find who did this to my Yakopi..." Alto looks miserable... but it looks like he's willing to talk.
(To be continued next time!)
GM: "Hmm... The killer wanted the body to wash out to sea? Somehow I doubt that... but no matter. Is there anything else you wish to know? Perhaps the last night we saw him alive?"
Harry: "That'd be helpful, yes." His stylus is poised to jot down notes.
Harry: (I take it we'll be continuing my scene next time, too?)
GM: (Yep.)
Norwick: ((Should we end it for tonight then?))
GM: (That was my intent, yes; it's bedtime.)
GM: (So for now, let us...)
GM: !end
