DISCLAIMER: The Furship Chronicles narrate the adventures of our gaming group as we playtest the Age of Animus Storytelling Game. Bunwick is played by Frank, Emeraldine Fiera is played by Melanie, Raz is played by Steve, Wilhemina is played by Fab and Zouly is played by Lyne. The interactions you read are not straight transcriptions of their conversations in the game (My memory isn’t good enough to remember them all) but rather my interpretation of their characters as they played them in our gaming session. I hope I do justice to the fun we had playing.
They found Dross in an abandoned tool shed. From the looks of it, the small structure was a preferred hideout for the derelict patrol fur. Copley had not known of it or he would have confronted Dross. The thieves had apparently known just where to find him however.
Bunwick fought to keep his lunch as he surveyed the grisly scene. The possum lay on a sack of sawdust, a bottle of cider still clutched in his hand. He was not playing dead. He had been savagely killed. From the splattering, the murder had taken place inside the shed itself.
“This is horrible,” Bunwick whispered to himself. The others were inclined to agree but said nothing.
“Looks like our boar from the robbery was involved,” Copley pointed to the possum’s midsection, “The tusks are what did him in, I’d say.”
“What I don’t understand, Constable, “Raz started, “Is if Dross was such an untreatable misfit, why would the bandits have even bothered with him?”
Copley mulled over the question, “It does seem rather odd. Unless he saw something he wasn’t supposed to. Or he was in on it from the start and they decided to cut him out of the deal the hard way.”
“Maybe,” Raz conceded.
“Can we move this discussion outside?” Bunwick begged the others. He didn’t want to spend a minute longer in the hellish cabin than necessary.
“Squeamish huh?” Copley smiled grimly. “I guess we’ve seen all we need to see here.”
Bunwick was the first one out of the shed. Even then, the troubling sight stayed with him, giving him a bad case of the shakes.
As the others tended to Bunwick, Raz questioned Copley further. “Did Dross have any friends or family in town?”
“His folks died years ago,” Copley replied. “He claimed his pa’s position in the night guard when he passed on even though he wasn’t half the fur his father was.”
Something troubled Raz about that, “Everybody knew Dross was irresponsible and yet the mayor left him in the post? It sounds like an awful risk to take with the town’s safety.”
“Like I said, the mayor didn’t have the heart to fire him.” Copley reminded him.
“Still seems fishy to me.”
“What?” Constable Copley snorted, “You suspect that the fur who hired you to investigate this mess is somehow involved?”
“I admit it’s a long shot,” Raz again conceded, “But knowing how astute you are, maybe he was hoping we could bungle the investigation for you.” He smiled disarmingly.
Copley smirked but said nothing.
Raz returned to his earlier question, “If he had no remaining family, what about friends?”
“He spent most of his free time at the Noble Doberman with his miscreant friends,” Copley supplied with a sniff of disdain.
Raz’s brow rose, “Perhaps his friends might know something.”
Copley shook his head, “I wouldn’t trust any of them further than I could throw them.”
Raz smiled, “Well then you won’t mind if we go and question them and leave you to continue with your investigation.
“I guess not,” Copley allowed. “Just try to be discrete with what happened here. I don’t want to cause a panic amongst the townsfurs.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you, Constable,” Raz said to the canine. “Come friends!” He gestured to the others, “We’re off to the inn!”
“Finally!” Wilhemina groused, “I could use a snack and maybe a little nap!”
Raz rolled his eyes, “Maybe later, Mina. We’ve got some work to do first…” he explained his theories to the others as he they walked along.