It is Sunday. The bells have struck nine and the Lion's Rest is busy as it often is. People walking back and forth with pressing objectives, others just floundering without meaning or goals. People holding hands and staring deeply into each other’s eyes. It is a nice night for a roman.. "GUARDS, THERE IS A DEAD BODY!" the scream splits the calm night air in two, Like a hard steel cudgel in a bowl of ice cream. SPLAT. The calmness is shattered, splattered, thrown here and there as the woman who is running towards the guards tries to get their attention.
"Where?" one of the guards replies and the woman frantically waves and gestures towards Mage District, "COME!" she yells, pointing again, "She was choked to death we think!". By now the calmness of the night is definitely gone and laid to rest, everyone is muttering, the guards are picking up speed, moving with the woman towards the tunnel leading to the Mage District, not far from there is a tree, leaning against the wall, offering shade on a hot summer day, or in this case, offering protection from prying eyes. Prying eyes like mine, or those of people gathering to see the gruesome spectacle, the dead body. The woman. The victim. The murdered young girl. As if the tree did not provide enough cover, the guards soon do. A perimeter is formed in a half-circle around the dead woman, making it difficult to get any further details.
But we have seen enough. The woman is on her belly, their belly?, is it showing a lack of respect for the dead to describe a dead person as it? the corpse? or is it the dead woman’s body? does it matter? Dark blood is seeping out from her right temple, neck showing bruises. Eyes open and glassy. This is a grim one. But aren’t all murders?
Witnesses are rounded up, apparently a ren'dorei was around, being suspicious. But this is Stormwind, there is always someone pointing blame at our void-affected allies, why would now be any different. First Company is the guard unit at the scene, and their medical officer processes the body, carefully placed in a body bag, carefully lifted, and placed. Ready to be transporter to the coroner’s office in Old Town. Autopsy is a given in circumstances like these. The guards lift the corpse, and off they go.
But what is that? a small sack laying near where the corpse was, the tall grass nearly hiding it. The guards must have missed it. Luckily, reporters are law abiding citizens and the sack is quickly reported to the guards so they can grab it, and make sure the corpse does not get separated from their belongings. Who knows, could be something important in there.
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Victim #2:
The above was a week ago. The first victim of the weekend killer, and despite us having tried to get information from the autopsy and the ongoing investigation then we had no luck. But sometimes something bad happening, can be good in a minor way. We skip to Friday night. Once more we are in the Lion's Rest, and it is night.
"Stay back" the guard instructs our reporter but staying back does not prevent him from spotting the medical officer putting a mallet into a bag. Blood is dripping from it, the dead imp, her right shoe, and the many papers and notes scattered around the scene are all splattered with blood from the blow of the mallet. The body is not stiff yet, no rigor mortis. It must be fresh. More guards, witnesses rounded up like cattle to the slaughterhouse, instead, witnesses for the City Hall. The body had its head smashed by a blunt instrument, the ears burned and the smoke rising from them showing just how recent the murder was. Neck bruised and a shoe missing.
There is little more to gleam from this murder, and once more we let the guards have a little time. Why push for answers - when they have none to give yet.
The Story so far:
Last night - Saturday we finally managed to catch the guard handling the case and got to ask a few questions, which, per tradition resulted in even fewer answers, but still more than we had.
The officer confirmed a few things we knew. The first victim was a young woman, twenties, a student of magic - this was gleamed from the bag found near the corpse, apparently the content was linked to fel magic. Strangled, but she did manage to fight back a bit.
The second murder was a bit more messy. As mentioned above, head beat in, also strangled, and judging on the wounds on the victim's hands then the struggle was a lot more fierce. Another young woman, in her twenties and a student of magic. An apprentice warlock judged by the notes and books spread out near the dead woman.
Two young women in their twenties, both connected to fel magic, both strangled and beaten horribly in various ways. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have a serial killer on the loose. Captain Anestre Thodim, and case-officer, Senior-Constable Ivana St-Claire promise us they will spare no resources to catch the Stormwind Strangler. "We need people to be aware and on guard but also reassured we are hunting the killer." the Captain says, as well as promising to increase patrols.
Despite the officers promises that they are close to catching the killer, then Light keep us all safe, especially young women with an interest in fel magic.