A Missing Watchful Brother

Watchful Brother Abadrael Rhaevaern has not been seen in Shadowdale for quite a number of days now.

A search of the temple to Bane reveals no sign of Abadrael. His torture tools are still stored away safely in their place, including the electroshock contraption he invented.

However, a search of his room in the Old Skull Inn at the very end of the hallway turns up a few things that look a bit suspicious.

The door to Abadrael's room looks like it has recently been blown off its hinges, as evidenced by a sloppy repair job. If opened too quickly, the door will just fall off its hinges and hit the floor. It looks more like it was propped upright as a cover-up than an actual fix. The door also shows signs of having been the target of some kind of fireball.

His room is in a total state of disarray, with his desk and chair flipped on their side and contents spilled across the floor. A stack of blank parchment has been scattered as if searched. Various vials and potions, plus an ink well, have been shattered on the floor. His tall book-case has been moved a foot away from the wall, and all of his prized books have been pulled off the shelf and tossed around the room - some on the floor, and some piled on the bed. A number of them have been partially wrecked or ripped apart in what must have been a hasty search. Even the bed itself has been thoroughly searched: the mattress sliced open and the stuffing spilling out onto the floor, pillows similarly gutted, and blankets shoved into a corner of the room.

Anyone who has spent any length of time around Abadrael knows he is a neat-freak and would never allow his room to stay in this condition if he had the choice.

Abadrael's weapon, shield, and armor are not found in the room, though a set of plain cotton clothes and a black robe are found, pulled from a chest of drawers and rifled through. His bag, ripped open and contents spilled out, lays on the ground - partially kicked or shoved under the bed. There is nothing much of note to be found in it - just an empty canteen and bread that is starting to mold.

A pair of small blood pools stain the floor about two feet away from the doorway, as well as a small spray of blood droplets on the wall above the bed.

Wherever Abadrael is, it certainly isn't here, and it is doubtful he left on his own...

Upon inspecting his room, Hector orders swordhands to secure the perimeter allowing none in. As he inspects the room he fills a few vials with the pools of blood. He then makes his way to the Tower after telling the swordhands to keep the room secure.

If Hector does any investigation into who the blood belongs to, he will discover that one pool of blood belongs to a tiefling - more than likely Abadrael. The other belongs to someone else - a human. The blood splatter on the wall above the bed is also tiefling blood and matches the blood on the floor.

Any attempt at scrying for Abadrael will only return a vague result that Abadrael is not in the Dalelands. His surroundings are pitch-dark and devoid of any clues that could indicate where he is.

Trusted Servant Ian Halgrave frowns at the news, then arrives at the scene moments later, ordering the Soldiers present to keep him informed. He then goes straight to the Inn Keeper and asks about the disturbance, which likely would have at least alerted the Inn Keeper, judging by the damage.

A patron overhears this question to the inn keeper and politely interrupts with relevant information.

"Aye, I heard somethin', few days ago. It was 'bout three and a half hours past midnight and I heard this boom in the room next to me! It wasn't all that loud, but it was enough to wake me up. I pulled on a pair o' pants and stuck my head out the door to see what was goin' on.

Alls I saw on that hallway was a tall guy - human, bald. There was a fat ol' dead rat at his feet. He apologized for the noise 'n all. At the time I just assumed whatever the noise was, was him killin' the critter.

But, now that I think 'bout it, he was standin' right there in front of that room you got all blocked off. Seems fishy if you ask me. Didn't catch his name or nothin' though."

Trusted Servant Halgrave relays this information to Hector, who seems to have taken the case for himself, then he continues on his tasks, checking on the case every so often.