Chapter 4, Case #2: Bertie's Affairs & Trench's Bottle.
A Choice
The Party will have either chosen to save Bertie by letting Marshall spend the night drinking & Comiserating with him or let him die by not doing so. If Bertie Survives he can help the party figue out why someone tried to kill him.
The Second Choice is whether the party persues Bertie Sherman's Case or Brew-lord Trench's. Presume that the Party will let Marshall go to meet Bertie and work on Brewlord Trench. Both lead down the same road.
If Bertie Lives
The Party returns from the Union Meeting/Trench's Offices to find Marshall and Bertie swinging between tears and laughter as they Comiserate with each other and remember Howitzers life. They tell stories and drink and drink and drink some more, when they run out of Beer, Wine and Mead they break out the bottles of Spirits and call for a delivery of more liqour from a Taxi-Man, who then joins them. They Encourage Ruby to join in with them. If she does, she will need to make continuously rising Con saves to not get drunk, if she fails 3 times she gets drunk and must make a charisma save to not spill her guts. An Arcane check can be made to realise someone has cast Zone of Truth in the area.
The Next day (at 6:00 am), Marshall & Bertie go to get Bertie's stuff and lodge his Bereftment Leave, they invite the party to go with them. When the party arrive they find Red Coats swarming the area, a Murder has happened and caused several more deaths. A Maintenence Worker (Plait Mann) perished via Blood Lillies in a maintenence duct and the added weight caused it to collapse, falling onto A Captain Edwards, who was Covering for Bertie's partol. Continued in Bertie's Case
Brew-Lord Trench
Brew-Lord Trench is a prominent Figure in Wholstad. She is a leading member of the Merchant's Aliances and the City's primary producer, supplier, importer and exporter of various Liquors. She has posters plastered all over the city. She is a 7'8 Steel Stitches well known for her temper, her ruthlesness and her unsavoury practices.
Arrival Scene
Arrival to the Brewery reveals a strange air of tension. The property is a large, grey rectangular building with few windows. Those that are there are thin like slits. No greenery grows beyond the tall barred fence, barbed wire winding around it's top. Unilluminated spot lights hang off the walls. The gate lies open.
The Lobby is a grand room. The celling arches upwards towards the Roof like a chapel. Sitting square infront of the double doors you entered is a secretary's desk, above it and it's nervous occupant are large pointed windows, through which lights cascades. There is a collection of benches throughout the room, above them, advertisements for Brew-Lord Trench's various Liquors.
The Secretary is a nervous young teifling woman, with blond hair and pale skin, she wears a pinstripe blouse with a ribbon and pencil skirt (Her name is Holly). When asked about why she's so nervous or to see Brew Lord Trench she stammers out that, "No one has seen Ms. Trench for days". She is unsure if she's allowed to let the party into the brewery room. She cannot open Ms. Trench's Office because it has a Force Lock designed for Ms. Trench.
After being thoroughly convinced, Holly gets up and allows the party to enter the display brewery chamber that lead to Brew-Lord Trench's office. It is a long rectangular room with a dozen metal and wooden vats, all display different logo's from different drinks. A staircase leads upwards towards a series of catwalks that wind between and around the tops of the vats, and towards a small waiting outcove for Brew-Lord Trench's Office. Check who has the highest passive perception.
The Scene
Player with the Highest Passive Perception find
One of the vats is leaking a dark red substance, staining the wood. Leafs and red petals appear to be floating on the top on the slightly open tank. The Fluid inside is Red mixed with black.
Puzzle: Drain the Vat to find out what's inside.
Holly can get one of the workmen to drain the tanks fluids into the overflow cannal. Jacobi can punch a hole in the tank. Ruby can cast Destroy Water twice. Upon Draining; Brew-Lord Trench is found at the bottom. Eugene and Holly Faint.
Brew-Lord Trench's massive steel body is entwined with dead Blood-Lillies. Her large fur-lined coat is ragged and peirced by several vines, it's been dyed a dark red due to the nectar of the flowers.
On closer inspection, it seems that Brew-Lord Trench fell into one of the vats and drowned, the Blood Lillies only sprouted later, dying quickly due to the high ethanol content of the fluids.
An investigation, Nature or Medicine roll of 15 or Higher on the Fluids within the Outflow Canal reveals:
The Fluid is a potent mixture of Leechaid (A High Ethanol Spirit), Void Blood, Blood Lilly Nectar & 11~ Blood Lily Seeds. A Sample will be needed to determine if the batch was contaminated before, or after Brew-Lord Trench's Demise.
A Investigation roll of 10 or higher reveals
There is an Alcohol Testing station nestled in the far corner of the room. It has various numbered Batch samples stored in vials inside of the drawers.
Puzzle: Batch Testing
The Vat is labelled 552-A. There are 10 samples: LA552-A (LeechAid), SB473-C (Saltpeter Brew), ST399-A (Stabcinth), LL553-B (Lunkhead Liquor), BB552-A (Bastion Bourbon), SC953-G (Squirt Cider), SC935-F (Squirt Cider), HP543-E (Hearty Punch),DR552-B (Dreadrum),WA115-J (Whale Ale). The Correct Sample is LA552-A.
There are 3 tests, nothing is labeled.The First is an Enthanol Percentile Evaluator; it returns %39 on LA552-A and %40 on the Fluid Mixture.
The Second test is a taste test, Velocity can be used for this, she says that LA552-A tastes Citrisy but not sour, with a full body, it's kind of creamy or slimy like milk, it's refreshing. The Fluid tastes much sweeter and is somewhat spicy but is overall the same flavour with the added complexity of a floral taste.
The Third test is a Particle Test. When LA552-A is run through it gets a score of 5.6 (A Good Rating), whilest The Fluid gets a 7.2. This confirms that the Vat was not contaminated beforehand, however this is only one vat, all the others need to be tested by Red Coats.
Puzzle: Punch Power
The Door to Brew-Lord Trench's Office is locked with a Special Punching-Bag Lock. It needs to be hit with 1800 PSI of Force to open.
Accept any solution they come up with.
Planned Solutions: Jacobi rolls a nat 20 with strength. Use various high potency liqours and chemicals to create a fuel solution, place it inside a gauntlet and tie that to a wheelie cart before lighting it.
Rolling a 14 or higher Perception or Investigation check whilest in the office will reveal.
There is a Crooked painting. Behind it, is an unlocked safe.
It's contents are the following: A large bundle of Folders containing land deeds, tennant occupation records & tennant information. A collection of Letters, written in Theives Can't (Only Elys will recognise it). A Blank Steel Cube with no openings, seams or signs that it can be opened, when shook something rattles around inside.
Blank Steel Cube
An Arcane, Intelligence or Insight check (Jacobi gets advantage) of 17 or higher, it's probably a Magnet Lock-Box & must be taken to a specialty shop to be opened. Any NPC's asked will suggest Vincent's Parts and Repair Shop.
IF THE PARTY BRINGS MARSHALL TO THE SHOP, VINCENT WILL READ THE LETTERS CONTENTS AND LEAK THEM, HE WILL ALSO CHARGE THEM 3 SHIRKS MORE FOR THE SERVICE. The box contains a series of letters compiling Trench's experience being blackmailed by Caulder Spitfire. The letters are filled with threats, insults and accusations ranging from Caulder being at fault for the power outages to him being at fault for the murders. The latest letter is from the 18th.
Leads
Caulder Spitfire's Blackmail Letters direct to Caulder Spitfire.
Visiting Vincents Shop points towards Day 3 Extermination Job Sidequest. (On day 3, he'll visit the Paty's hotel.)
Bertie's Tennement Records, link back to Bertie.
Bertie Sherman
Bertie Sherman is one of Marshall's Friends and Squadmates from the 43rd Company. Bertie is a Friendly Patches Lieutenant known for his Drinking Habits, Magician Skills (IRL Magic), Large Amount of Common Sense and Mischevous Jests he performs.
If Bertie Died
He lived lmao.
BERTIE LIVED BITCH
The Scene
You follow Marshall and Bertie out of the Hotel. They hail for a Cab, a parked driver extends his hand. You all get in and the clanky clunky vehicle rises with a "Verchunk!" and a "Kishooooewww" of metal parts before departing. You watch from the open top as the thin, winding roads of the Twisted Streets gradually widen and flatten, as the plants grow short, stout and hardy, as the space between buildings grows. The Cabbie stops, he lets you off with a salute and a wave at the closest depot. No vehicles are allowed near The Barrel Way. You walk the rest of the distance. Bertie seems eagar to give you some kind of tour but, as you arrive at his chosen entrance to The Barrel Way, you are met with a squad of Red Coats.
It appears that been accident. The Redcoat Bobby explains that another Blood Lilly Victim has been found, unfortunately, their death in the maintenance pipes also lead to the death of an Officer as the pipe collapsed onto him. The party will be allowed in after Marshall and Bertie show their credentials, due to their escorts being a High Ranking Captain and a Lieutennant. Bertie asks Marshall why he still has his captains ID.
Following Marshall and Bertie through the dark metal halls, y'all eventually stop before a crowd of Redcoats.
The Dead Officer is a Captain Edwards. He was crushed by the falling maintenance pipe.
The Blood Lilly Victim is Plait Mann, a Maintenance Worker who died on the job. The weight of the Lillies seems to have dislodged the pipe, which unforntunately fell of Captain Edwards whilest he was on Patroll.
The Detectives believe that this was either a hit on Captain Edwards or a Tragic Accident.
Bertie claims that this was meant to be his patroll this morning, he'd asked Edwards to cover him.
If the Party inspects the Pipe (or rolls a perception of 10 or higher), they notice that several of the brackets that are meant to be holding it in place are missing. If no one notices, Marshall does.
Marshall takes Bertie to his Barracks to gather his Stuff, he also suggests that they escort Bertie Home to think of something. He suggests that the party might want to split.
Bertie's House
Your arrival at Bertie's home feels staggered, as if you've been knocked off tilt. The home itself is a Squat House, very different in appearance to the others in the street. Jacobi, whilest you may think it to be a small house, from the homes you've seen in the Workers District, It's actually quite large. Bertie walks up to the gate that segregates his front yard from the road and unlocks it. As he does, you hear his neighbour call out. A woman who looks to be in her early 20's, leans out over the porch. She enquires as to if Bertie is having guests over, he hesitates before answering "Yeah", She asks if she may join in, he answers "Yeah, I Suppose. Is that alright with you lot?".
The Woman introduces herself as Cassady, Bertie's Neighbor. She asks what the occasion is.
Inside, Cassady goes to make a pot of tea to calm everyones nerves. Everyone else sits at Bertie's round living room table, most of the curtins are still drawn, aside from those in the kitchen, so Marshall has turned on the light above the table.
Let the party question him.
What he knows and thinks is important:
General Somme is his Girlfriend.
He tries to keep the Lead Coats from siding with the Industrialists.
He tries to keep the Lead Coats & Redcoats from using Riot Gear in peacefull protests.
He's an Officer with a Storied Career.
He and General Somme meet up here when they have time off.
He Negotiated a deal with Brewlord Trench for lower rent in exchange for not reporting her to General Somme. He doesn't know he'd even report to General Somme about.
His Cousin Lucia is Investigating the Blood Lilly Murders with her Husband.
After the party questions him. Cassady brings in some tea. As the party discussed their findings, Cassady makes small talk with various party members.
Abruptly, the party hears a crash from upstairs. Upon investigating, they find 4 Theives have broken into the house. They will try to kill Bertie. Upon reaching low health, they will try to run away or will consume poison. The Theives seem to know the building's layout.
Leads
Bertie wants to find and help his Cousin Lucia solve the Blood Lilly Murders & Hide with her. He forgets to mention that her last name is Spitfire.
Rent Bills from Trench.
Comments