Study of an unusual case.

[Reaver]

[19th of Summer, 511av] Reaver was paid today, that made him quite happy. He was even paid before told to go to work, that was even better. His work didn't even involve keeping someone alive, just finding out how they managed to die. We have a winner. He found himself thinking... almost aloud. It was a woman, she claimed he was studying her husband, looking for clues as to how her husband died. She needed evidence, and Reaver was just the sort of 'under-the-radar' doctor to provide it. Reaver was, of course, overjoyed to have the work. Especially paying work. She didn't sit around and wait, she said simply "I'll be back later to check on your progress." She must have expected it to take quite a while. Reaver got to work right away, not wanting to disappoint. He began his examination like any regular doctor, removing the clothes, looking for cuts, scrapes, evidence of trauma. Yet, he didn't see anything obvious. A few minor injuries, a minor scuffle. Nothing that would kill him. In fact, he had more damage to his fists then to his body, if he was fighting he clearly won. He made a second search, much slower, for poisons. Not a single puncture, or it may have healed before he died. Reaver was rather disappointed, this lad didn't die fighting.

[Reaver]

Reaver prepared his knife as there was a knock on the door. He set it down on the body and got up to look into it. Opening the door, he found a tall man in a long coat with a hat. He took the hat off and bowed, Reaver giving a small bow himself. "May I assist you?" "You may, my good sir. I am here to request you do not give any information on the body there to the madam that hired you, and instead give it to me, her official investigator." Reaver stared at the strange person. Did he think himself a gentleman, perhaps? "My apologies, sir, but would it not be easier to give my information to the both of you? I could let you watch the study, and draw your own answers, if you like." "My good man, that simply won't due. I must not have her spoiling the efforts of my investigation with her own. She does not have the necessary talents, and would do more harm then good! I'm sure you understand." His anger was on the rise, and Reaver decided to add a touch of anger to his own voice, and retort accordingly. "No, I suspect you are the one lacking required talents. I can't get your information if you keep me from doing the study, and I'm quite sure you don't have the skills to get it yourself. Why not spend the time I'm studying this case to convince her yourself? Or at least pay me for your interruption, she had the courtesy to do that much." "I'm afraid you don't understand the whole picture, sir. I~" "Enlighten me, then." Reaver interrupted quickly. Maybe Reaver hit a nerve, or that other gentleman planned on playing rough from the start. He pulled out a knife. "My good sir, if you intend to give her the information, I'd rather no-one got that information. You're not a popular person around here, people might notice, but no-one would miss your lack of presence." "Ahh, but no-one would even know you were here, let alone suddenly floating along a random river. You think a knife can threaten me? I've seen through your mask, perhaps you need to check mine more carefully?" Reaver didn't delay, his Res was already escaping his feet, and slowly surrounding the legs of the man before him. He just needed to distract him long enough... "My god, your eyes, they're... you couldn't be!" Reaver removed the mask, and the man's face went from horror to outright terror. He set it back in place, it was more Res then he wanted to use, but the man couldn't escape even if he did notice. "One more thing, ol' chap. This is my house, you're being quite rude." And he ignited the Res. The man's entire lower half was suddenly flames. As he started to scream, Reaver covered his face with his hand, and used more Res to draw the flames on his body right to the man's face. The screams got louder, and Reaver had a nasty burn on his hand himself, but he won. The man fell down, and Reaver used the man's own knife to finish the job. With a quick incision to the throat, the man was done. Reaver, even worn out, wasn't too weak to drag the body inside. Maybe this man would have some evidence on the case as well, provided Reaver didn't just burn it all away. He hoped the guard wouldn't be too suspicious.

[Reaver]

Reaver picked his own knife up, and compared it to that of the investigators. He had a much better knife, but it had some unique markings on it. He sighed. He would use it, but only in his house, not in public. He searched the man's burnt body for anything he could use to his advantage. He found quite a collection of burnt papers, a strange vial filled with some sort of liquid, and a dart. No blowgun? Does he poke them with it?Putting the two into his chest, he moved the body behind the chest for later study. It was time to begin the study proper, minus a pending distraction or two later. Reaver began carving into the body, carefully searching for evidence as to how this man had died. He decided to start with the chest. No broken bones, organs in tact, what was the... ah, the heart? Looking carefully, he saw the heart had a strange color to it. In fact, so did the arteries and veins. How did he not notice sooner? The body wasn't so old that this would be a cause of age, so what could it be? He looked to the strange burnt man laying next to his table. He shrugged it off, the odds are rather slim. Reaver continued the investigation, with no new surprises or leads. Poison it is. He did the head last. As he started, he noticed something odd about it. There was... something off about the forehead. Not the skin, more like... something under it. He peeled it away, and found a strange, yet familiar mark on the skull itself. "Now how in Rhysol's name does ANYONE do that? Really! Even if they did it after he died, how would they put the head back on so perfect I didn't notice right away?" "Bad news then, Doctor? Sorry, I let myself in." Reaver turned surprised, it was the lady who hired him. "Ah, my apologies. Thus far, it looks as though poison killed him, though I found a strange mark on his very skull." "The very mark on that dagger of yours?" Reaver looked to the dagger, it was indeed the same strange mark. "Ah, this belonged to someone claiming to be your investigator. Might not look familiar with the burns, but he's behind the table there." Reaver gestured to the floor. The lady almost screamed when she saw him, but held back. This prompted a curious look, few could handle their husband dead, and not a dead stranger. Not like that. "Did he have any clues on him? Anything that could help?" "I suspect he set himself on fire to hide that information." She saw right through the lie. "What kind of doctor are you? This was clearly your doing, and why shouldn't I report this to the guard? You may have cost me my lead!" Reaver tossed the knife to her feet. "You still got ONE, and I don't think it's a bad one. I suspect that wasn't a personal mark, but that of a group. I did my part, go do yours. I don't even care that this wasn't really your husband, I just do my job." The killer intent in her eyes was clear, Reaver wasn't sure how to defend himself should she attack. "Very well, but I hope you didn't just cost me my revenge." She left, with the dagger. Reaver contemplated telling her about the vial, and decided against it. It might come in handy some day, if it was the same poison used, it would be a good way to get himself a new body... once. ...He might need one soon.