Letter for Louis Boucher

[Daoud al-Maaz]

Soldier Boucher,

Enclosed, please find a copy of my current case notes regarding the assassination of Legate Zaniah Almirah. I welcome your opinion of what has been documented, as well as your thoughts on the next steps.




Fare thee as well as I fare,









A simple packet of notes accompanies the letter.

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Direct Culprit
Amun Ur-Hakan, Wyrmcarver
Placed an advertisement as a hired kill on the 25th, the same day of the assassination. The notice was in the Creep. Amun only had 500 dinar on him at time of death, despite claiming "they paid good money for your death" when attacking Zaniah.

Amun appears to have all but not existed prior to Tabbah 24th, just a day prior to the assassination.
Known associate of Najh-Ra. It is unlikely he secured a great amount of connections and supplies in time for such a high-profile killing, suggesting aid from others to enact it.

Amun was slain shortly after the attack. No interrogation was conducted.


Conspiracy Suspects
1. Karim yn Tarek
Initially, Karim stated that he didn't know Amun and only sold him magic when he went to hunt kobolds on the 25th. When it was noted that he was seen speaking with Amun later on the day of the assassination, Karim stated that he hard already talked to the Jannisaries about it and that and did not offer anything further.

Two hours prior to the assassination, a Creep-Bellow for Karim was sounded to offer work. A quarter-bell after the assassination, Karim was witnessed meeting with a man garbed in all black, wearing a hood. The next day, Karim was witnessed in possession of a large amount of bank notes. The Crows were allegedly not aware of the details of these interactions.

Karim stated that he had a long meeting with Zaniah between 3:55 and 4:50. He was the final meeting Zaniah had for the day. After the meeting, Karim and Dagr went to the Souk together. He says that he saw Zaniah enter the Souk, but that he was in the pyramid at the time of her death, apparently due to the explosion in the Pyramid at the time. The explosion Bellows took place around 4:55 pm or 4:56 pm, but Zaniah was not seen in the Souk until right before her assassination. Karim may be lying about seeing her alive in order to distance himself from the killing.

It is not impossible that Karim acted as a broker between Amun and the Client, unaware of the planned death. This is less probable due to the individual selected for the task, who specifically presented as a killer for hire. Karim is a key witness to identify the client, if not directly involved in the plot.


2. "Client." Probably Banda Rossa leadership or financiers. Possibly the Capitana by proxy.
A personal grudge was held by the Banda Rossa  for Zaniah rebuking their numbers and having their members searched on or around the 20th of Tabbah. Zaniah was often bragging about the scar on her neck, which she received then the Banda partially slit her throat. The Capitana herself was rebuked and insulted. This was five days prior to the assassination.
The Banda are very, very well known for their finances. Funding an assassination through the Crows would not be difficult at all.
The Crows are regularly working with Banda and often share clients.
The Banda's grudge against Zaniah likely heightened when she became Legate on Tabbah 6th. Her death came just 19 days later.
It is said that the Capitana initially ordered Zaniah's death, but was talked down by her Condottiero. The Banda Rossa source of this information will remain anonymous, but perished in the recent battle with the lizardfolk.

3. Qari
Hours after the murder, was noted to only have 100 dinar in his pockets. The day following the assassination, he was witnessed carrying an estimated 50,000 dinar to submit his candidacy paperwork. This has been suggested as a bribe which secured him Gold League candidate status over Gers, who won the actual vote.
Qari had hired both the Banda Rossa and the Crows as protection. He would be a probable individual to convey work between the groups.

4. Najera Ryenkoga
Priestess of Izdu. Crow. She confirmed she is able to cast True Seeing. Probable as the one who enspelled Amun prior to the attack, either in the Creep or invisibly in the Souk.


Witnesses
Lyrist Lynneth
Saw Karim, Sparrow, Khalid, Dagr and Amun in the Souk. Witness statements on record.

Balladeer Student Nathyra Everdance
Stated there was a 'plump human with a mustache' around the Souk. She didn't know his name and thought he might be a drifter.

Unnamed Janissary
Female, spotted Amun's odd behavior, pursued him after the killing.

Inquisitor Salvatore
Saw Karim and Amun interacting in the Souk on the day of the murder.
Saw Amun pacing around the Souk prior to the assassination.

Witness G.
They saw Karim meeting with an unknown figure in the Creep within 15 minutes of the assassination.

Witness S.
They saw Karim with a large amount of bank notes the day after the assassination.


Crime Scene



Amun was spotted in the back alleys of the Souk by a Janissary, who cautioned the group. Moments later, Amun attacked. He was already enspelled, including True Seeing, which he was not capable of casting himself. It is possible he had a potion or other method of placing this upon himself, but such things are rare and costly. It is more likely he received support from someone capable of casting it. Given the connection to the Crows, Najera Ryenkoga is likely. It is possible the spells were cast in the Creep or Gutters rather than in the Souk, as there are few places in the Souk out of view or earshot of witnesses.

Apothar Cassandra was present. Her Lens may have recordings of the event which are not public. Astronomers are unlikely to supply this, if it exists.

Souk witnesses do not appear to have been questioned by Janissaries. No information currently available.
 


Body
Not reviewed by investigator. Autopsy information unavailable from Jannisaries, if conducted.


Motive
1. Possible: Tax increase. Both Gers Geiger and the Crows were furious about the increase in prices.

Counterpoints:
Massive amounts of dinar was spent to kill Zaniah. Anyone with sufficient coin to hire a killer likely would not be so mad about the increase that they would spend even more dinar to kill her.
Killing Zaniah would not change the tax hike.
Political action would remedy the increase and would be supported by many.


2. Possible: Kha'esh debt. Many were enraged by the 15,000 dinar Zaniah used to save her own skin.

Counterpoints:
A lack of dinar prompts more dinar to be spent in hiring a killer?
Who would be so angry that they purchase an assassination when they could just destroy her politically?
Zaniah had acquiesced to the demands of the Purple League after their anger over the debt. It does not make sense for them to have her killed hours after she agreed.


3. Possible: Revenge. A personal grudge the Banda Rossa held for Zaniah rebuking their numbers and having their members searched on or around the 20th of Tabbah. Zaniah was often bragging about the scar on her neck, which she received then the Banda partially slit her throat. The Capitana herself was rebuked and insulted.
It is said that the Capitana initially ordered Zaniah's death, but was talked down by her Condottiero. It is probable that the Capitana did not stay placated.

Counterpoints:
The Banda could resolve the killing directly rather than involving a third party.


Timeline (Central Baz'eel Time)
Tabbah 25th

12:11 pm - Orlando Otisopose reports on the Purple League Meeting by order of Gianluca. According to this report, Khalid notified that the Legate was not present and that the Crows were upset over prices of property. He further reports the Legate being seen in the Souk speaking with Gold Candidates. Unknown which candidate(s).

12:58 pm - Legate Zaniah reports on the Bellows about Sephidra, promoting her candidacy.

1:40 pm - Gers complains about the increased property tax.

1:48 pm - Marcellus makes a bellows expressing displeasure about the property tax.

1:57 pm - Sparrow on the Bellows to note that Krak rooms have increased taxes.

2:20 pm - Najh-Ra announces that she and Amun will "raid the cavern of monoliths to slay the squatting reptiles and take their riches for ourselves." She announces that they will be in the Krak.
Karim appears to have given Amun spells in preparation for this, connecting them hours before the killing.

3:07 pm - Karim yn Tarek calls for Qari to meet him at the Krak.
Karim claims he cannot remember the meeting events or if it happened. He believes it was regarding some employment as a hired on group, but it never happened.
Qari stated that the meeting did not happen, as he was in the Souk with Zaniah and Mari at the time. Karim came across them there in the Souk shortly after the Bellow. They could not have the meeting at that time, as Karim was called away by a Creep-Bellow that is not documented by the Scribes.

3:10 – 3:15 pm - Creep-Bellow for Karim. Per Qari, it was an unknown voice. It called for Karim to return to the nest to discuss a task. Mari, Caleb and Zaniah were discussing a League official at the time.

3:16 pm - Zaniah makes a Bellows to Gers, then announces she is in the Pyramid for more meetings.

3:23 pm - Zaniah calls for Marcellus on the Bellows. Gers engages Zaniah in Bellows-talk about property taxes and Zaniah's 15,000 payment to Kha'esh.

3:53 pm - Legate Zaniah calls for Skgorr to come to the pyramid.
Skgorr states the meeting took place right inside the pyramid entrance, immediately after the Bellows and was regarding some trade. Zaniah tried to sell him a ring to help ease her debt, but he declined. The meeting took only a few minutes. Other people were present, but Skgorr cannot recall them. When he left, she was still in the pyramid attending to the other meetings. Zaniah did not appear worried or fearful. She was focused on her debt.

3:55 to 4:55 pm: Karim states that he had a very long meeting with Zaniah. She said he was her last meeting and she'd be going to bed because she was tired. Karim and Dagr go to the Souk together after the meeting.

4:34 pm - Lynneth opens her stall. It is the first time in three months that she has done so.

4:35 pm - Sparrow visits Lynneth's stall. She left some time after without making a purchase.

4:47 pm - Sparrow makes a Bellows to sell a Hornbow, purchased by Wajeeb later outside the Souk.

4:55 pm - Apothar Azimi makes a series of Bellows threatening Cosine. Cosine responds and then an explosion is heard on the Bellows.
4:56 pm - Karim and Dagr leave the Souk to see about the Pyramid explosion. Karim claims to have seen Zaniah. Approximate earliest True Seeing is cast on Amun, allowing it to be dispelled during the chase.

5:03 pm – According to Lynneth, Zaniah entered the Souk, approached her stall in the back of the Souk, and was immediately attacked before they could speak.
5:04 pm - Lynneth's shop closes, assassination of Legate Zaniah Almirah.
5:07 pm - Scribe Bashir announces Zaniah's death.

5:15 to 5:20 pm – Witness G visited the Creep under heavy stealth enchantment and witnessed Karim meeting with an human male clad in all black. Witness G believed they were conducting some sort of business transaction and were heading into the back room. The client noticed Witness G, who fled. Witness G could not recognize the figure but said it was not someone commonly seen in the Creep. The figure wore all black and had a hood and mask. Witness G says they could recognize the voice if they heard it again. Witness G has reported this to others who they trust.


Tabbah 26th
Witness S sees Karim with bank notes totaling at least 10,000 dinar. As the bank is not freely issuing notes to even Voiced citizens at this time, someone with great authority must have secured them. The bank note exchange should be traceable.


Possible Related Events
Tabbah 25th, 10:43am -
Estellise Azimi on the bellows. She notes that a concerned scribe informed her that the treasury sat at only 1,000 after Zaniah pulled 15,000 to pay off her Kha'esh debt. Azimi notes that Zaniah told Balladeers that she had been intentionally making bad decisions to ensure the Purple League failed in the upcoming election.
Clarified later, there was no scribe. Zaniah had told Azimi directly. This was confirmed by Cosine.

Tabbah 26th 11:30 pm - Qari carries 50,000 dinar to submit his candidacy paperwork. He is escorted by the Banda Rossa. He appears to have lost the candidacy by votes, but bribed to succeed.


Current Lead:
Bank notes, rare in Ephia's Well, were allegedly used to pay for the killing. The withdrawal by Client or deposit by Karim should be available for review. I propose we check transactions around the time of the assassination.