Okubo's Murder Investigation
Contents
Current Leads
Here are the active leads that the party is trying to investigate.
MEANING BEHIND THE DIM SUM
The party met at the Blossoming Orchid Pavillion to reunite with Cathak Okubo after many years apart. Though he was waylaid before he could arrive, the meal he had planned was still served.
First course: A platter of grapes, Vneef Thagada wine from the RY753 vintage thinned with water, and soup dumplings. Second course: grilled eel, a plate of bamboo-stuffed mushrooms over rice, and jasmine spiced salmon with cinnamon tea (of note: a servant apologized that quail stuffed with onions was not available, so the salmon was a regrettable substitution)
Dynastic Dim Sum is often used to convey meaning from the host to the diners, to complement themes of discussion or to imply things that cannot be said.
THEORY #1: The dishes are organized to symbolize the weakened bond of friendship between the primary-school clique (watered wine from the year everyone met), and possibly strength from renewed union between those politically opposed (grilled eel being an Air dish cooked by Fire, mushrooms a melding of Wood and Earth). This theory does not account well for the quail, as it fits a different pattern altogether.
THEORY #2: Similar to #1, but the dishes are meant to match with the invitations sent to the various guests, telling us which vaguely written hints to combine together. In this reading, combining Sorae and Shinjo's invitations nets us "go to a place where only servants go" and "leaping over walls at night", which may be a hint on where to find the hidden manse under the Servant's Pavilion.
THEORY #3: The dishes represent individuals, not themes or places. If this is the case, the first course likely represents V'neef Thagada herself (wine, grapes) and Cathak Okubo (soup dumplings, his favorite dish). Using that as a key to the second course, we are left with:
- Stuffed quail - an important personage who represents House Sesus, perhaps Lord Nagat
- Stuffed mushrooms - an earth-aligned food made to look like a flower, one possibility is an Exalt of one aspect from a House of the other (an Earth Aspect in a Wood family is Vneef Pepaa's suggestion). A possible candidate for this would be Ragara Isamatara, as a Wood Aspect in a Earth House obsessed with earthy things like gems. An alternative meaning would take the mushroom more literally, and suggest Ledaal Aleval is the intended; he is a Wood Aspect interested in mushrooms.
- Grilled eel - Descending Earth, seasonal dish. An air-aligned creature from the water placed over fire. Perhaps an air aspect wed to a fiery spouse or from a House known to favor Fire. We have several candidates for this, including Sesus Okuni, Nestor of the Temple of Mela, and Sesus Tegra, Mistress of the Deliberative.
- Cinnamon tea - Southern flavors, not traditionally served with meals due to the burning taste. Could be tied to Arjuf, or Chiraoscuro. No notable personage matched.
- Jasmine Salmon - Resplendent Air, seasonal dish. May not have any meaning at all because of substitution.
This avenue is currently under the purview of Tyros, who is arranging a meeting with lady Thagada to confirm theory #3's validity.
THE GENERAL
As a younger man, Strategoi Sesus Dochao served as part of an escort for one of Sesus Ketek's expeditions. Septimus asked after the story, but the General put it off for another time.
THE SERVANT'S PAVILION & THE SECRET MANSE
Sorae's letter from Okubo lead into the Palace Gardens, where she found a place "off the beaten paths of Dynasts": a pavilion for the servants who labour within the Palace. On AW 14th Shinjo sneaks into an underground tunnel network hidden beneath the pavilion, locating a room where Okubo had left behind a pair of books (Examining And Transcending The Year Zero Void and Walking Among Irises). Cuts in the obsidian walls depict a map of the Imperial Palace, with High Realm numbers over several notable locales: #1 The Western Palace Wing, #2 The Silent Legion HQ #3 The Five Dragon Bridge Gatehouse and #4 The Imperial Manse. X's denote the Servant's Pavilion and the Blossoming Orchid Pavilion, with a sweeping cut marking a path from the latter to #4.
Tyros and Sorae visited the tunnel system on the night of the 15th to find the map missing. Tyros has confirmed that the location is likely a secret manse. A smashed bottle of Thagada wine and bloodstains from fists striking the wall are examined by Sorae. Tyros proves that the western tunnel was bricked up some time ago, though to what purpose we do not know. The location of the manse and the directions of the tunnels hint that they might cross the Imperial Palace walls; if true, the southern tunnel may lead into the water-way between the City and the Palace.
Sorae found the hearthstone chamber by diving into the overflowing pool in the central chamber, though the way is blocked by a grate of black jade. There are tunnels in the northern wall and a panel with the Old Realm glyph PU on the southern wall. The floor is a lattice which allows water to flow upwards.
EAST NINTH WARD
Shinjo spoke to a drunken laborer in the Red Ruby teahouse who recognized faux-Okubo's face and chatted with him for a time.
The calligraphy in Okubo's rooms are suspected to have been done in the calligraphers shop in the East Ninth Ward. This was confirmed later, with the stanza "The Biting Dogs Hides Its Fangs" being a fragment from peasant poetry along the Serpentine River.
Okubo had some sort of interest in the printing press in the East Ninth, but this lead may have been cut short by Zhoutai's murder of Ambrim Beg and the destruction of many supplies from the old printing business. We suspect he was trying to get a "true" version of his father's book, A Brief Summation, printed; hence why he had a copy of Yagu's version filled with notations and corrections hidden in his rented rooms.
OKUBO AND KORA
Sesus Nagat let slip that he had seen the two together at a gala in Resplendent Earth in a discussion with Septimus.
Kimiasha remembers a likely party on 16th Resplendent Earth, a mixer where several notable Dynasts from Houses Sesus, Mnemon, Cynis and Peleps paraded their kids to try and arrange marriages. Attendees of note: Lady XXXX (Mnemon?) Taira, Sesus Nagat, Cynis Wisel, Sesus Indira... Sesus Kivo, Sesus Kimiasha... "a gaggle of Peleps"... Nellens Spulumbo & Nellens Cherelle
SESUS KETEK AND THE CITY OF GOLD
Sesus Ketek embarked on an expedition deep into the Southern deserts that would in the end claim his life. A journal was found, left by Okubo in a tomb marked for his father, detailing the expedition noting important landmarks and oasis (transcribe journal here).
Tyros compared the journal to Rekka's description of her migratory patterns and drew a rudimentary map comparing them. Ketek's journey brought him further south than the safest oasis Rekka knows of.
A letter from Tepet Yoshimitsu of the 9th Legion to Cathak Okubo can be found in the Ducks in a Row thread. It was found in Okubo's rooms in the East 9th Ward. The letter tells of the attempt to return Sesus Ketek's belongings after he died; Cathak Meata returned everything to sender, and so Yoshimitsu found Ketek's son at the House of Bells sent everything there. It appears a single monk survived the expedition and encountered Yoshimitsu's unit in the south... the monk travelled to Arjuf afterwards. Sorae has asked for further details about the encounter from the Taimyo Council, as well as inquiring briefly with Dragonlord Saigo about Yoshimitsu's fate; the man died at the Battle of Futile Blood.
SESUS KETEK'S BOOKS
Sesus Ketek wrote several books on southern history and lore, all of which Cathak Okubo was in possession of and clearly interested in. The party has undertaken an investigation into a single book thus far, and will embark on similar ones after the next party gathering.
A Brief Summation of pre-Imperial failures in Tactical Manoeuvres against the Fae
A record of Lion Fae Incursions in the Late Shogunate
Defensive Strategies of the Late Shogunate
Flame Soaring Ascendant over Desert Sands
Notable Ruins of the Southern Threshold
Suppression of Wyld-madness in the Outer Slums of Chiaroscuro
A Summation of the Battle at Teran-woo Bridge - Shinjo has taken inspiration from Sesus Ketek's book for his new play for the Festival of Sextes Jylis. It seems likely that the book is a distillation of events taken from pouring over the folklore of the south, including plays and songs and stories such as the one Rekka shared with Shinjo on her first night in his rooms.
IMMACULATE MARTIAL ARTS
A martial arts Charm manual found inside the secret manse called Walking Among Irisis implies that Okubo was meditating
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY
A red carved crystal Shinjo found in the East Ninth reveals a projection of Ketek and a boy (Okubo? Yagu?) when the Purposeful Lamp is used on it. An inscription, including a possible maker's mark of sorts, can be seen:
9.0.3
18
and firetongue words: ‘exacting’, ‘exciting’, or ‘excising’ followed by ‘vessel’, ‘damsel’, or ‘chisel’, with a third word below: ‘gum’, ‘gem, or ‘gam’.
The inside of Walking Among Irisis has this description:
E.18
T.762.DF.4
G.9.0.22
D.Text, training, Shogunate.
A.Deferred
Reading Year Zero Void, Tyros yields the following cryptic analysis: Numbers ‘9’, ‘10’, and ‘16’ appear to be the source of theories of some sort, and suggestion of discussion between those sources and ‘7’ at ‘GSC‘ is frequently suggested, as are discussions between ‘11’, ‘17’, and ‘19’ at ‘ECS’, sometimes adding ‘16’ at ‘GDO’. The subjects for discussion seem to be ’10.1’, from which appear to be drawn subjects ’10.0’ and ‘9.0’. Apparently the intended reader knows some information connected with ’18 CPF access on 10.0’.
The key expeditions called for seem to be a continuation of ’12 PAA on 10.1 10.0’, and ’15 18 9.0.2 and further following 10.0 9.0 developments’, the latter of which seems to depend on some sort of supply allocation via ’20 WBW’.
A letter from Sesus Roga and Nellens Taralla of the Historical Preservation Society to Sesus Ketek bears the symbols "GSC. FR 14" in the top right. Roga is listed as Venerated Chair and Taralla as Honored Treasurer.
A dedication in Flame Soaring Ascendant over Desert Sands records Sesus Roga and Sesus Tegra as patrons of Ketek's expedition. Tegra serves as Mistress of the Deliberative.
As of this posting, our theories indicate that three-character acronyms are places, integers are people and decimal-designations are expeditions. Year Zero Void is likely a treatise to secure funding for a Threshold expedition 10.1. CPF is believed to stand for Citadel of Purifying Flame, which would imply that Shinjo's notes for his play might relate to '18 CPF access on 10.0'.
Shinjo's conversation with the All-Seeing Eye revealed that the HPS were a group of scholars chastised by the Scarlet Empress 5 years ago. Sesus Tegra did not see the need for the corrective action, and is still angered by it and by the man tasked with bringing the wayward group to heel, Sesus Nagat. Whatever their research topics, it angered both the Throne and the Eye.
Lost Threads
Home to investigation threads with uncertain paths forward.
TWO SNAKES FACING EACH OTHER
The Magel family appears to be upsetting the political status quo of the Imperial City, and given Sesus Magel Ketek's obvious familial ties and Sesus Roga's chair of the Historical Preservation Society which Okubo had interest in, it behooves us to include the Magels in our investigation.
Sorae looked into the Magel family tree:
Magel himself(herself?) descends from Sesus and Iselsi Naran, married to Cynis Parovar. Has a daughter Zhanja, and three brothers Roga, Talor and Nagat.
Nagat, the youngest, has four sons by Assuri Tarii: Marand, Mendei, Mdoro, and Mraka. Mraka is notable for toadying for Sesus Kivo.
Roga has two daughters Kathana and Kiara, and two sons Kurigazu and Kivo. Kathana married General Dochao, interestingly, and their daughter Doshtara married Nagat's son Marand.
Talor has two sons Urgurnazi and Kenruyo.
Sesus Nagat's rise to the House Sesus elder council is a recent affair in City politics as of 23rd DE and the campaign's opening. He appears to be the main sponsor of the Fourth Legion, which has taken the garrison of the Imperial City. He is mentor of a sort to General Dochao, and uncle to Sesus Kivo and Sesus Kiara. He is also one of the triumvirs of the Silent Legion, alongside Cynis Ukinyo and Vneef Bijar. He was pressured to have Sesus Septimus declared Anathema-tainted and executed by Peleps Staemos, but refrained. He wishes the investigation into Okubo's murder resolved in some way, so long as a Mnemon is not implicated. He attended the Spring Flowers Gala, where he involved Ledaal Shinjo in a plan to spread rumours of the fierce love between Peleps Archova and Sesus Zhoutai. Later he gave a gift to Jozan and Shinjo of a pair of books that showed a peculiar insight into their hearts; Jozan received Drunken Reflections by Du Fu and Shinjo received a rare copy of Peach Blossom Fan with a rewritten, happy ending.
NOTE: READING NAGAT'S PEACH BLOSSOM FAN WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA The book appears to have been written in very late Shogunate era Chiaroscuro for the daimyo of that city. He had a cabal of romantic artists who were prolific at the time.
OKUBO'S INTERCEPTED INVITION TO SEPTIMUS
Septimus' letter was lost by a courier, who was found dead of opium overdose. The letter was damaged, including the bottom piece having been torn off; whatever last bit of wisdom Okubo meant to convey is gone. The Thousand Scales bureaucrat who approved the courier, Thesk Dark, was disenfranchised and followed home to his apartments in the East Districts where Sesus Kanya then killed him legally. Nothing of note was found in his rooms. Sesus Kanya received a promotion and a swift return to Eagle's Launch, which coincides suspiciously with these events {needs documentation}. Who promoted her?
The courier himself was Okubo's favorite courier, which implies that Okubo likely used him because he could be trusted.
OKUBO'S MISSING BODY
Septimus visited Toribeno after reports of vandals lurking about. The monks explained that they had been accosted by a blonde woman with several bulky bodyguards in tow in the middle of the night on the 8th AW. She seemed unsteady and cruel. Septimus checked Okubo's tomb only to find the body missing and a crumpled letter detailing Okubo's will and divestment of possessions.
Okubo's Will
What jade and coin he has was to be distributed to his bearers Tallow Eater and Long Road, or to their families in Ostle and Vatamu.
He mentions the coffin he had commissioned, and his wish to be carried to the south to be cremated at the gravestone of his father; he expressesly wishes not to be left behind in the tomb of C'taru.
Searing Fire, his grand daiklaive, is bestowed to Tepet Ganta; Flame that held against the sea is granted to Ledaal Primus. As Ganta was born in RE or DE, that means the will was written very recently.
THE MOTHERLY LADY OF LOVE
There is a theory that Ledaal Venosa is attempting to actively hinder the investigation into Okubo's murder. If there is truth to it, she may well know or be involved in the act itself. The evidence is largely circumstantial, but compelling.
First, she was certainly listening when Shinjo passed clues hidden in poems to Sorae at the Spring Flowers Gala. Shortly thereafter, the doors to the Fire Temple were closed to Sorae; possible it was related to her duel with Vessala, and thus not conclusive.
Magistrates are eager to pin the recent murders on Tepet Sorae, and Black Wood passed along that being in possession of anything linked to Cathak Okubo could well seal such suspicions. Shinjo had gifted the red faceted statue and the glass dagger to Sorae as tokens of affection, and no one (except servants and possibly Jozan, who is in league with Venosa) was aware of it.
The evening Shinjo and Sorae intended to venture into the Gardens together to follow Okubo's clues Venosa appeared. Later ventures into the secret water manse did not find the same map that Shinjo saw that night carved into the manse walls.
Old Leads
These are leads into Okubo's murder that we feel reasonably certain we understand.
THE MURDER SCENE
The murder happened on East Ninjo Street. The palanquin and the bodies are covered in long straight slashes, cuts are to the neck and legs. Blood seems to have sprayed outwards away from the more poorly lit western walls of the House of Mist. Okubo seems to have been struck first, with his bearers dying moments later as they attempted to flee. Okubo's weapon was undrawn. The palanquin's lanterns were unlit, so the killer would have needed excellent night vision to have seen its target from atop the House of Mist.
Mnemon Vesko and Mnemon Palima were first upon the scene, while Peleps Turina's palanquin had passed by just before.
SESUS KETEK'S CLUE URN
Tyros and Septimus found a wax-sealed flower pot in the Cathak C'Taru family tombs of Toribeno by breaking open the clay cover of Sesus Ketek. This urn contained a key which opens Okubo's East 9th apartment, a broken artifact flashlight tool, an orchid ribbon, a journal detailing Ketek's adventures into deep into the Southern wyld, and Ketek's hat (with a Cathak Meata badge covering its original Sesus Magel mon). The ribbon likely serves as a reminder to look deeper into the Blossoming Orchid Pavilion, or the servants who serve there...
The flower pot almost certainly comes from a pottery merchant in the East Ninth, though this remains unconfirmed. We need to prove it and see if Okubo bought more than one pot.
THE COFFIN OF CLUES
Okubo had a coffin carved out of stone from the Chisel & Saw in the East 9th Ward, which his family interred him in with alarming haste. The cover of the coffin is an unfinished relief of (presumably) Cathak Okubo himself, arms crossing his chest and clutching as if holding a dagger... the blade itself is missing. There are openings on his forearms for something to be attached... perhaps bracers? On each side of the coffin are small indents and further iconic carvings, at the foot there is a carving of a blank book that the stonemasons hadn't finished. Despite the coffin appearing as some sort of puzzle, there are no mechanisms of any sort built into the stone on Tyros' inspection.
Our current belief is that the coffin exists as a record of the clues Okubo had left behind for us. The glass dagger, two brass wheels, and 'A Brief Summation' seem to line up as matching missing slots on the coffin, all of which were found in the East 9th. The wheels have a slot for a hearthstone, and the bracers themselves, are still missing.
A small charm warding against rising as a ghost was placed in the dagger-slot between Okubo's hands, and on the 9th AW Septimus found Okubo's body missing and a will dedicating Okubo's possesions to the friends' children, Primus and Ganta.
EAST NINTH WARD
Okubo had rented an apartment in Thesk Tarn's tenement 3 in RY766 DF 17th, using his servant Tallow Eater as a proxy. Inside we found a Chiroscuran dagger of green glass, a carved and faceted red gemstone (see HPS entry above), a pair of brass wheels, and a book shelf which confirm beyond doubt that this room was Okubo's. The shelf includes a book of hymns to Hesiesh inscribed in the front cover by Bright Virtue, nestor of the Fire Dragon Temple; a complete collection of Sesus Ketek's works, including Cathak Yagu's completion of A Brief Summation which shows significant editing by Okubo in the margins. (will add a section on Ketek's history books in HPS section later.
The Painted Log is a business that sells carved wooden figurines. Cathak Okubo was a customer at several times over the past several years, having commissioned figures for young Ledaal Primus' birthday the past three(?) years (we lost the notes on this, but the figures seem to symbolize our circle?). They sell figures of other heroes of the Realm, but are worried their art is too iconic and might bring the wrath of the Immaculate Order; Septimus is trying to arrange some sort of protection for them.
Chisel & Saw Quarry is another business, this one devoted to masonry and stonework. The former owner was sent to walk to the Palace Sublime as penance for iconic carving, no doubt caused by the work he did for Cathak Okubo in creating the coffin found in his tomb. Other staff had to leave to find other work; his son Gadugi now runs the place alone. Septimus and Cejanis are trying to get him a Dynastic patent and funds to revitalize his business.
General Thoughts on Okubo's Plans and Motives
- Okubo learned the wrong lesson from the House of Bells. After his rebellious antics repeatedly saw his fangmates tortured for his indiscretions, he decided not to inform any of his friends of his activities for years. If this is true, that means he knew he was in danger since the beginning.
- How much of the puzzle left for us is planned by Okubo and how much incidental? Was the coffin ordered from the Chisel & Saw indication of Okubo's awareness of his impending death, or was it meant as an offering to his father? The will seems to indicate the former, as Okubo included the name of Sorae's son who is only a few months old. The caches of books and supplies we've found thus far seem to indicate he lived in certain places and then had to leave trails of clues to each at the last minute.
Stupid Longshot Ideas
- Speak with V'neef Thagada and tell her the story about getting the cask of wine over the walls of the Academy to see if Okubo had ever spoken with her about it.
- Pick up a Gateway set at Boards & More Boards incase of a date with Caiji, just to see if Okubo or faux-Okubo ever visited there.
- Okubo's will requested that his spare coin be given to his servants or their families in Ostle and Vatamu. Is it possible that he left clues with those families, knowing his mother would NEVER stoop to speak with them?
