to everyone, about a day after the island trip

[takeatrip]

Does the name M. Creed mean anything to anyone? We found it inscribed on a ring in the possession of the woman in the altar, so the easy assumption is that the ring has some connection with Josselyn Creed, but it's possible the name could also be a coincidence.

Also, if there's anyone who was looking into connections between Josselyn and others, or who have just met a lot of people and are good with faces, there's an image of the last person to touch that ring available in my domain. There's a stack of papers with the picture on it on the bar when you go into the hotel, feel free to take some.

[And just... Ignore that this is both very direct and leaving out a ton of context sorry especially to new people because this is enough for what he's trying to accomplish and clearly that's the only thing that's important.

((ooc: also threadjacking and conversations amongst each other are totally fine!!))]

Comments

[assembles]

[ Steve recalls loosely working with Jayden during their time in the pit together, toward the end. It had mainly been through discussion of what to do about the cultists who seemed to be having second thoughts, if he's remembering right. That time is all a little... fuzzy.

Either way, he doesn't hesitate to reply when this message passes over his field of vision. ]

If that's referring to Marc Creed, then yeah, I know him. Despite what his sister did, he's a good guy, and I can vouch for the fact that he had nothing to do with any of her cult activity.

He's well liked among the merchants in the Free Cities, and is currently working out of Libertas.

When you say there's an image of the last person to touch the ring, you mean the woman in the shrine?

[takeatrip]

[Likewise, Jayden vaguely remembers that, and also... Speeches? Or something. He doesn't want to think enough about the pit to really be sure, especially since they already have to discuss the topic, if vaguely.]

You seem pretty confident he wasn't involved. Is there some specific reason for that?

[No offense, he just has to ask.]

I can't say for sure, since it would've just been the last person to touch the ring and someone could've planted it in her pocket, but it's most likely her.

[assembles]

[ Steve doesn't mind Jayden asking, as if he'd probably do the same in his position. And it's not like he can be 100% certain either, but sometimes you get a feeling about a person. ]

All the other merchants that he works with consider him a good, solid guy, and also a bit too oblivious to have been caught up in anything that Josselyn was doing. They were also fiercely protective of him. He's the kind of guy it would be easy to take advantage of because he's too nice, or that's the impression I got.

When I talked to him myself, he felt awful about what happened and insisted he had no idea what his sister was up to. That's what he claimed, and while he could have been lying, I don't think he was.

With all that in mind, Sam and I vouched for him to the Free Cities government, and he wasn't dragged over the coals just because he's Josselyn's relative. If I asked him about this ring, or even showed him a sketch of the woman you found it on, he might be able to tell us more.

[ Which means he would need to visit the Horizon domain so that he could put the image to memory and make said sketch, but Steve's willing to do that. ]

[takeatrip]

[As someone who will both lecture people for getting too attached to an interpretation of someone or something and then completely rely on his own intuition to do the same thing, Jayden knows he doesn't exactly have room to judge either way on this subject. It sounds a little too convenient that Josselyn could be a cult leader but her brother could be not just a nice guy but too innocent and naive--and, as it sounds, almost beloved--to be under suspicion himself, but stranger things have happened.]

You said he works in Libertas? Is he easy enough to find and talk to?

[In case Jayden wants to do so himself. Sounds like it, since Steve's talking about asking him about the ring, but doesn't hurt to clarify.]

It's definitely worth asking him what he knows, but maybe not directly, at least not at first. Maybe just ask if he's missing something and see if he names the ring, and if so, what explanation he gives for losing it.

[Although it seems like it hadn't been all that important to the woman in the altar, that could be for any number of reasons, and what Marc says without being given any leading information might tell them a lot.]

[assembles]

Yeah, I know where he usually works and spends time. Sam and I have played a few games of cards with him in the past. It shouldn't be hard to track him down.

[ Marc's a nice, likable guy, and it's hard to imagine him being part of any malicious plots. Steve's had the wool pulled over his eyes in the past, but he doesn't think that's what's going on this time. ]

Sure, we could try the more circuitous route, see if he even knows what we're getting at. I could make a sketch of the woman's face to show to him too, see if he recognizes her at all. Assuming you don't mind me stopping by your domain to take a look.

[takeatrip]

I don't mind; any way you can make her image easier to show people is fine by me.

[He can't draw--at least not well enough for this sort of thing anyway--and so this is the only way he could think of to share the mental image he'd received, but having it in a form they could show people who aren't Summoned would be even better.]

Taking a neutral approach with him would be my suggestion, yes. Don't want to be accusatory if he's completely innocent, but we also don't want to give too much away on the chance he isn't.

[assembles]

I'll do my best to commit it to memory and sketch out a decent recreation, then.

[ Steve's no master artist, but he thinks he can pull off that much at least. It still might not be good enough to help with identification, but he may as well try. ]

Works for me. Do you mind if I come along with you to talk to him, then? He might be more willing to chat if he sees a familiar face.

[takeatrip]

Yeah, of course. I figured by your comments about asking him about the ring that you were already planning to be involved.

[Or, more accurately, he'd actually figured Steve was angling to do it himself either alone or with Sam, and since Jayden is not always enthusiastic about the social aspects of investigations that hadn't really been something that bothered him. But talking to Marc Creed together or as a small group is probably their best bet when it comes to getting useful information, so he's totally fine with that.]

[assembles]

I'd definitely like to be a part of it, sure, but you're the one who found the ring. I figured it was something you'd want to see through to the end.

[ Steve would certainly feel that way if their positions were reversed, at least. ]

[takeatrip]

Yeah, I'd like to. Do you think your friend would want to be in on it too?

[assembles]

Probably. I don't know if you've met Sam, but he's the kind of guy who likes to be involved in as much as he can.

[ He doesn't mean it in a bad way. ]

[takeatrip]

I haven't, but if he wants in I'm fine with that. Like you said, since you two already have a rapport with Marc it'll probably put him more at ease, especially if I'm the one doing more of the direct questioning.

[Marc might feel less defensive about questions from a stranger if he has not just one but two people there as support.]

[assembles]

[ It's kind of shocking to come across someone who doesn't know Sam, and that throws Steve off for just a second. But still, it sounds like they've got everything in place here. ]

I'll fill Sam in, then swing by your Horizon domain so I can make that sketch. Then we can figure out when to go find Marc. Sound good?

[takeatrip]

[Jayden's ability to avoid speaking to people unless he has to should never be underestimated.]

Works for me. I'm helping out at Nocwich with the identification efforts, but after that I'll be free whenever you and Sam are available.

[assembles]

Sounds good. It's not like Marc is going anywhere, so we don't have to rush this. I'll loop Sam in and then get back in touch with you.

[carmesi]

( YOU REALLY ARE TOO TRUSTING.... )

He's still going about in the Cities?

[assembles]

Yeah, he works mainly out of Libertas. He's in charge of some of the shipments from Solvunn.

[carmesi]

I suppose he still has to make a living.

[assembles]

You're not convinced he wasn't involved.

[carmesi]

He is not his sister, I know that, but I can't say I've been given sufficient reason to be convinced that he wasn't involved.

[assembles]

You trust me and Sam, don't you?
We've vetted him as best we can. Can I say 100% that he knew nothing? No, but I don't get the sense that he's hiding anything. It seems like he genuinely had no idea.

[carmesi]

You’d definitely know better, considering I’m not the one in the Cities.
It just feels like more than a coincidence.

( this whole thing, with the ring and the body in the altar. but, what does she know. )

[assembles]

Maybe you're right, we'll see. Me, Sam, and Norman Jayden are going to go talk with him, and we'll be careful with how we ask him about it.

[itookashot]

Suspicious another Creed would be connected to a dead person on the island.

[takeatrip]

It does seem really unlikely to be a coincidence.

[He's got to allow for the possibility just to be thorough, but what really are the chances...]

[itookashot]

Then again, could be Josselyn was spiteful enough to take a family member she hated. Not all blood is thicker than water.

[takeatrip]

Too bad we can't ask Josselyn anything.

[itookashot]

Guess you'll have to find out from her brother.

If Sam and Steve know him, he might not be that bad. But maybe be careful approaching him anyway.

[takeatrip]

That's the plan. As much as I don't doubt they have good reason to believe Marc won't be a problem, people can be real unpredictable.

[itookashot]

I know someone whose father tried to kill them multiple times for not being what they wanted, so family isn't inherently close-knit. But yeah, go in with your eyes wide open on this one.

[takeatrip]

Guess we'll see. With any luck he really will be innocent but able to tell us something we don't know.

[itookashot]

At least if that all works out, you'll have one less question to worry about from the island.

[takeatrip]

I hope so.

[carmesi]

It's already been mentioned, but yeah. I'd imagine it was one of her brothers.
Was she the only one found in the altar?

[takeatrip]

That would make sense.

Yeah, she was the only person in there as far as I know. Could have been others before her, though.

[He doesn't think that's what she was asking exactly, but her question makes him wonder about the possibility. He's not sure exactly how long Josselyn's cult had been operating before the the pit happened, but it's not out of the question the woman in the altar was only the most recent of people in the position.]

[carmesi]

Maybe. Maybe not.
I hope you're able to follow up with Marc, either way. Even if he's not complicit, there are still a lot of unresolved questions about what happened then.

[takeatrip]

Thanks. I hope so too; even if he wasn't involved and doesn't know anything aside from who the woman was, that could still end up telling us a lot.

You said Josselyn has another brother?

[carmesi]

It’s frustrating to think that there are still so many loose ends to what happened.

I believe she has a brother in Thorne. That’s the last I heard of it, though.

[takeatrip]

Yeah. Too bad we can't ask Josselyn anything, and that the factions seemed to stop caring about anything after she was executed.

Good to know. If it turns out Marc's involved, even tangentially, it might be worth taking another look at her other brother too.