The Curious Case of Dead Fred

RP Date: 2026-10-18

Location: Lake of Life

Participants: Marw, Naledi, Wolf

Summary

Marw and Naledi dig up Dead Fred, discover an ominous hourglass pendant, and narrowly avoid becoming lunch for a suspiciously intelligent wolf.
Marw leaves with a conspiracy theory, Naledi leaves with the necklace, and the wolf leaves with Fred's arm.

This archive was published after approval by all listed participants.

Roleplay

Marw was standing where the drag tracks started. Perfectly still, bar the lock of hair that the wind decided to use as it's plaything. An arch of a brow and lips pursed in deep thought as she looks at the tree line and the recently disturbed earth there. Interesting. She glances over her shoulder, past the lake to the hill by it, to the little jagged outline of stones perched on it like a crown. That is where she had intended to go today but keen eyes had brought her this way. For a minute, she considered abandoning this curious diversion and getting back on track with the plan. However, one must learn to adapt. So, returning her attention to the tree line, she sighed, bending down to start tucking the bottom of her trousers into her boots. "Another day, another Grimwych mystery." she mutters to herself in mild annoyance peppered with curiosity.

Marw was standing where the drag tracks started. Perfectly still, bar the lock of hair that the wind decided to use as it's plaything. An arch of a brow and lips pursed in deep thought as she looks at the tree line and the recently disturbed earth there. Interesting. She glances over her shoulder, past the lake to the hill by it, to the little jagged outline of stones perched on it like a crown. That is where she had intended to go today but keen eyes had brought her this way. For a minute, she considered abandoning this curious diversion and getting back on track with the plan. However, one must learn to adapt. So, returning her attention to the tree line, she sighed, bending down to start tucking the bottom of her trousers into her boots. "Another day, another Grimwych mystery." she mutters to herself in mild annoyance peppered with curiosity.

Naledi barely slept last night.  After the heavy conversation with Lucian and Lilith and then the horrifying encounter with the shadowy creature with Morgane--it was a lot for an elf to handle for one evening.  She wanted to check on the latter woman and knew that she referred to herself as "Morgane of the Lake" or something of the like--at least that's what she claimed at the community meeting--so that's where Naledi found herself walking to this morning.  She hadn't been back to the lake since she had found herself nearly drowning in it's depths when she arrived in Grimwych.  The elf is surprised when she sees not Morgane, but rather Marw Foxx when she arrives.  Naledi looks over her shoulder as if contemplating her chances of backtracking without being seen or heard, but in the end she sighs and closes the distance by a few more steps.  "Mrs. Foxx?" she calls out.

Marw has just straightened her stance when the elf calls her name. A brow lifts, accompanied by a fleeting look of recognition. After all, she has indeed seen the woman at the village meeting. There is no other recognition. She inclines her head and corrects her. "Ms." Then she starts to unbutton her coat. "Ms Foxx." Once all the buttons are undone, her hand slips into her pocket to retrieve a small pocket knife, only for it to be placed into the back pocket of her pants. "Sorry, what was your name?" she asks as she steps towards the tree line, careful not to disturb or tread upon the track in the earth. It is only a few steps before she reaches the disturbed ground, and she carefully kicks some of it with the toe of her boot. "I would suggest perhaps not going for a swim this morning?" However, that is a thought. Has anyone actually tried swimming back into the lake and down into its depths??

Naledi purses her lips together when Marw corrects her, but she doesn't push it.  Instead, she takes in her appearance and full appreciates the differences between the woman standing before her and the one she knew from back home in Solol.  "Ms. Foxx," the elf slowly correct before offering her own careful introduction.  "I'm Naledi Thomas." She continues to watch Marw's movements curiously and wrinkles her nose slightly at the mention of swimming.  "No plans for going back in the lake for me, I'm afraid."  A beat.  "What are you doing?"

Marw tilts her head to one side as she draws her boot back from the soil. Blue eyes snap towards the elf, and she blinks before delivering, in a tone so dry that even the Sahara would be willing to send aid her way, "Well Naledi Thomas, I am currently knitting stuffed bears and planning next month's book club." She has never been known for her sunny disposition, but the woman is also suffering from nicotine withdrawal?not that it entirely excuses her. She quickly shrugs her coat from her shoulders and holds it out towards Naledi. "You can either stand there like a drip or make yourself useful and hold this for a moment." While she waits, she glances back down at the earth. "You voted for the sacrifice, didn't you?"

Naledi , thankfully, is all too familiar with Mrs. Foxx.  When she first arrived in Solol it had been hard for her not to take her quipping comments to heart and she spent many a night crying in the shower over them.  But now?  The elf merely crosses her arms over she shoulder and simply smirks back.  "Oh!  I'm not much of a knitter, but I love to read.  What's next month's book?"  She waits a moment to see if the woman is going to hurl something at her, but, assuming nothing comes barreling at her face, she steps forward to accept the coat, folding it over her arm.  "Yes, I did."

Marw takes her time unbuttoning her cuffs and neatly folding the sleeves up to her elbows now she was free of the burdon of her coat. "To Kill a Mockingbird," she says without hesitation, though she adds as an afterthought, "If you happen to come across a gentleman called Mr Lucian Corvo, please inform him of the book choice." Then she crouches down, one hand reaching towards the soil before hesitating for a moment. "So, what are your thoughts on the whole thing?" She takes a deep breath in and exhales slowly before allowing her fingers to touch the damp ground, brushing the soil aside carefully and methodically. It isn't long before she comes across what looks suspiciously like skin. Her jaw tenses, and she brushes more of the earth away to reveal what, until very recently, would have been a rather ridiculous frill of a sleeve. "Oh dear," she mutters without hesitation and no empathy, more so as if this was an inconvenience to her day. Rising to her feet again, she brushes her palms against one another before stepping around the disturbed earth to the other side. Her gaze moves towards the trees until she spots a nearby branch she deems suitable. "Hang it there. I will need your help."

Wolf looms in the adjacent woods and underbrush, crouched and bunched up in tall grass and overgrowth. The creature's eyes follow any movement.

Naledi nods solemnly at the book choice.  "Ah, such a good one.  I can't wait for the riveting discussion on Boo Radley.  I'll be sure to pass the message to Mr. Corvo."  Cobalt eyes continue to watch Marw as she crouches down and begins to disturb the dirt with her fingers.  "I...am conflicted.  On one hand it does seem far fetched to believe the words in some journal but on the other..." she lifts up her palms and shrugs dramatically.  "I saw and unwillingly participated in some weird shit in Solol, so who's to say?"  The elf blows out a heavy sigh.  Was that...a sleeve?  "But if this is a chance for everyone to go home, I don't want to ignore or discount the idea either."  Naledi continue to watch Marw curious and her nose wrinkles when she sees what looks like skin.  "...my help?  My help with what exactly?"

Marw almost smirks at the thought of this particular choice of literature making its way to him. "Please do," she says, as though they are simply having a leisurely afternoon tea conversation rather than standing in the midst of uncovering the dead. There is a brief pause at the word Solol. It does not sound quite as foreign as many of the places people have claimed to come from, but she cannot place it. "Never been there," she says dismissively. "As for going home, that isn't at the top of my priority list." Crouching once again on the opposite side, she starts shifting the earth, too distracted to glance up and around and potentially notice any watching eyes. With her other hand, she gives a dismissive wave towards the surrounding area. "But we are in a cage, Naledi. I'd rather know where the door is before we find out why someone bothered to lock it." Another arm is uncovered, the skin cold and waxy to the touch, slightly swollen and possessing a softness that it should not. "Grab that arm." She inclines her head towards the one on Naledi's side. "Then you count to three, and we will both pull this person out of here. Let's see if we recognise the face."

Wolf inches closer as Marw crouches and is uncovering the body.  The creature is visible now, too large to be a part of the mere flora and fauna, easily twice the size of a wild wolf, of which there have been none.  The wolf's hackles raise, and a growl rumbles deep in its chest.

Naledi cants her head to the side when Marw mentions not having heard of Solol before.  Either this was an alternate universe Mrs. Foxx or she was a very accomplished actress and Naledi never knew.  She doesn't try and push it though, and instead drapes the coat over a nearby, low hanging branch.  Her stomach rolls as more of the corpse is uncovered and the elf makes a quiet whimpering sound.  She is momentarily taken back to a time at the circus when a tourist got stuck in the merry-go-round and her--quite literally stuck in the gears somehow--and her, Lex, and Mara were trying to free his corpse.  She walks closer to Marw and down at the corpse.  "Why are we digging him up?" she asks before her head suddenly snaps up at the sound of a low growl, blue eyes going wide at the sight of the large wolf.  "Uh...good doggy?"

Marw wrinkles her nose as the smell of the decomposing corpse reaches her. Despite her previous line of work, it is not a smell one ever truly gets used to. Before either of them can take hold of the uncovered arms, however, a suspiciously large wolf comes into view. Blue eyes snap towards the beast, taking in its size. "And this is why we should not be caged together," she says quietly. Keeping her voice low and steady and her movements slow as she speaks, she reaches around to her back pocket and pulls out the penknife, careful to keep it concealed within curled fingers. "Right now, Naledi, do not move. Listen to me first. Then, when I tell you I have finished speaking, do exactly as I say." Again moving slowly, she reaches out and lifts the arm closest to her with one hand, bringing the other, the one holding the concealed knife, beneath it. She keeps talking, carefully masking the faint scrape of metal as she draws out the blade. "What you are going to do is stand. Slowly. Do not turn your back on it. Take one step backwards at a time and retrace your steps to the path. <i>Do not turn around.</i>" By now, the blade is pressed against the soft underside of the corpse's arm and carefully pushed into the flesh. "Once you are on the path, take another ten steps backwards towards the village." There is a small pause as Marw wrinkles her nose in concentration. The metal pierces the skin, her fingertips pressing against flesh that feels unpleasantly rubbery beneath them. There is no rush of blood. That alone is telling enough. All she feels is a dark, sluggish seep of liquid from the wound. Shame. "Then you turn, and you run like hell." She gives Naledi the briefest sideways glance before returning her attention to the beast. Then, sounding as calm as day despite feeling anything but, she politely dismisses the elf. "You may go now, Naledi."

Wolf doesn't approach any further.  The creature's eyes follow Marw's movements, but they are slow enough not to trigger any prey drive response.  It also doesn't leave.

Naledi 's eyes dark between Marw and the wolf and back again.  She clamps her mouth shut and listens to the woman speak, but she doesn't move, even after she is dismissed.  "I'm not just going to leave you here!" she hisses, her own blue eyes returning to the creature, uncaring what is happening to the corpse at this point (#sorrycorpse),  Seems like everyone is at a bit of a stalemate.

Marw's jaw tightens. For a few seconds, she says nothing at all, her eyes remaining fixed upon the wolf. "How noble of you," she says to the elf in an empty tone. It is curious that the wolf has not advanced. Again, she keeps her voice low, steady and unalarming despite the topic. "I don't think this corpse is its meal. Too far gone. I would also expect it to be in pieces and strewn about the place. The burial seems human. Regretful, perhaps, though not particularly well executed. Hurried, maybe?" Very carefully, she folds the blade back in, though keeps the penknife pressed against her palm beneath her curled little and ring fingers. Her index and middle fingers remain outstretched as she gradually moves her hand away from the arm she is holding, lowering it slowly back to the ground before reaching towards where she judges the corpse's hip to be. The process is painfully slow, given that she can neither look at what she is doing nor move with any real purpose. Eventually, her fingers work through the dirt and find what feels like a pocket. She carefully checks inside. Nothing. "If you must remain, Naledi, check your side."

Wolf 's eyes lock on Marw.  She is not moving in a threatening manner, so the wolf moves forward a few steps.  Again comes that low, deep growl that rumbles thunderously in his chest and sends a few birds flittering from their nearby branches in an area that, besides the movements of the women, has gone eerily silent.  Is he more or less terrifying in the light of day?

Naledi isn't attempting to be noble, she's not trying to be a heroine.  She just...couldn't leave someone when there was the potential for danger.  The hairs on the back of her neck stand on end when the wolf low growls again and he stalks forward a few more steps, but she gives Marw a slow nod before shifting her hand slowly to slip into the corpse's pockets.  Running from shadow creatures.  Digging up bodies.  Grave digging.  What a wild weekend.  Her slender finger wrap around a chain which she pulls out.  Hanging from the end is a circular pendant which the elf holds up to her face for inspection.  "It says Fred," she offers to Marw.  The elf flips it over and adds, "And it looks like maybe an hour glass etched on the other side?"

Marw of course, finds the wolf terrifying. Contrary to popular belief, she is a woman with a full range of emotions. She simply happens to be extremely adept at boxing them away and refusing to let them control her. So she maintains eye contact with the wolf, breaking it only for the occasional blink, until Naledi utters the word <i>hourglass</i>. A sideways glance shoots in her direction, but there is no time to inspect it properly. For now, she will simply have to believe her. "Interesting?very interesting." As the wolf growls again, Marw speaks quietly but firmly to the beast. "No. Back off." She slowly draws her hands back until her forearms rest across her knees from her crouched position, a brief flicker of discomfort crossing her face after remaining like this for so long. "This wolf is strangely large. Shifter, or are they simply bigger in this world?" Still, its behaviour around the corpse is oddly possessive. Too possessive. Something about that lodges firmly in Marw's mind as suspicious. Slowly, she lifts both hands to show the wolf her open palms, the small penknife visible against one of them. It is not a threat; the little blade would be useless against a creature that size. The gesture is meant to reassure. "Back away," she says again, increasingly willing to entertain the possibility that the beast understands her. "I am not going to take the corpse. I am not threatening you." One arm slowly extends towards where she judges the deceased's face to be. "But I am going to uncover its face. Then we will leave." She does not touch the soil yet. Her hand simply hovers an inch above it, waiting for some sign that the creature is willing to accept the terms. To sweeten the deal, she adds, "And while I do it, I will tell you both something very interesting about Grimwych."

Wolf 's ears swivel forward when Marw starts speaking, and behind those lupine eyes is a keen and deep intelligence.  The creature takes a step forward in defiance of her words, but only once, since the buried corpse isn't being disturbed further.  Since neither of the ladies are threatening, disturbing the wolf's claimed chew toy, or running in terror, he sits back and watches.

Naledi isn't actually sure what Marw has planned, but she's on board with placating the wolf.  "We're not going to do anything," the elf echos, likewise showing her hands which only hold the chain with the pendant.  Ms. Foxx's promise of sharing something interesting about Grimwych piques Naledi's interest and she quirks a brow.  "Oh?  And what do you have to share with us, Ms. Foxx?"

Marw carefully lowers her hand as she begins to speak again, taking the wolf's silence and the fact that it has settled back after stepping forward as permission. Carefully, gently, and, all things considered, respectfully towards the dead, she begins brushing the soil away. Her fingers first uncover the nose. "So, an hourglass is quite symbolic. It can mean a number of things. Beginning again is one. Rebirth, of a sort. However, it is also heavily linked to the saying Memento Mori?" Her hand moves lower, uncovering the mouth next. The skin is still terribly cold and far too soft beneath her fingertips. "It is quite often carved into coffins. Sometimes with wings, meaning that time flies? but I am getting off track." That particular detour is quote deliberate, buying herself a few more seconds before returning to the point as she carefully brushes the soil away from the eyes. They are still open wide, dirt clinging unpleasantly to the surface of them. Once she realises this, she makes no attempt to clean it away. "The hourglass symbol keeps rearing its head. If you stand by the stone circle, you can see it clearly, the lake itself is shaped like one. It is carved into the stones in the circle. It appears on a ship that is somehow sitting in the middle of the land. Again in the shrine. Now on the necklace. Perhaps elsewhere." By now, enough of the face is uncovered for her to see it clearly. She does not recognise him so she withdraws her hand. "Anyway, the point being: Memento Mori. It means, 'Remember that you must die.'" She pushes her shoulders back for a moment, a slight wince crossing her face. "Anyway, it is time for you to back away, Naledi. I will follow in a once you are on the road, grab my coat for me. I will be wanting a closer look at that necklace soon."

Wolf rests his head on his large paws like a child at storytime and listens. The wild creature has nothing to offer, but continued watchfulness of the other two.

Naledi likewise listens as Marw explains about the hourglass symbol appearing all over Grimwych and, having spent a decent amount of time at the shrine, she does recall seeing it there.  She now suspects she will be spying it everywhere now that it is stuck in her mind.  The elf feels her heart stutter slightly at the phrase 'memonto mori' and once more a cold shiver runs down her spine.  Was this another sign confirming that what was written in Morgane's journal was true?  This time, Naledi doesn't argue with Marw, simply nodding her head and slowly straightening with a slight click to her left hip that causes a wince.  She slowly, so as not to startle the wolf, walks towards where she hung up Ms. Foxx's jacket, and once more drapes it over her arms before she slowly retreats up the path towards the village.

Marw does not look towards Naledi as she retreats, her gaze remaining fixed upon the wolf save for one brief glance down at her filthy hands. She resists the urge to sigh at them. Once the crunch of leaves fades enough to make it clear that Naledi has backed away a sufficient distance, Marw speaks quietly. "Stay hidden, wolf. The village has enough to fear without having to learn to hunt wolves." Then she slowly pushes herself upright, and her body makes it abundantly clear that it does not appreciate having been crouched for quite so long. Her first half-dozen steps are careful and backwards before she finally turns to face the direction she is heading, returning towards the path. One arm extends for Naledi to drape her coat over the crook of her elbow. A deep rush of air escapes her, some of the tension leaving with it, though not all. She casts one cautious look back over her shoulder towards the tree line and the grave hidden within it. "I must go wash my hands and have a drink." Priorities, after all. "I will come and visit you soon, Naledi. For the necklace. However, let the village know of the corpse, on the board perhaps. Not the wolf though. " She does not know where the elf lives, but villages have a way of letting information travel. Ask the right person and she will find out. Then, with that, Marw marches steadily back towards the village and home.