Midnight Mysteries: The Warlowes Party Poisonings
NORVAN: ”Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Midnight Mysteries. I’m Norvan Brose, and this is my co-host, Montevic Foste.”
MONTEVIC: “Hey there.”
NORVAN: “Today we’ll be doing something a bit different. Instead of exploring the site of a haunting or paranormal sighting, we’re investigating a different sort of phenomenon: Jay Marlowes’s most recent, most infamous party. For those out of the loop, two days ago*, Jay Marlowes, famed radio entertainer*, hosted one of his famous parties to celebrate a talent show he ran in Paydo Moga. But at midnight, everything went horribly wrong: after a toast, curios began transforming into savage monsters, attacking indiscriminately. Thankfully, after the authorities arrived and everyone was treated, the curios returned to normal, injured, but otherwise fine...but leaving the question: just what happened that night? We’ll be investigating this and more, tonight, on Midnight Mysteries.”
---
“Excuse me, sir, do you have time for an interview, please?” Norvan asked, holding out his microphone to a tall, blue-furred curio with their arm in a sling. “It’s for my radio show. You can remain anonymous if you want.”
The curio, dressed in what Norvan guessed were probably a waiter’s outfit and several bandages, grinned wearily and scratched the back of their neck. “Well, sure. People’ve been asking me a lotta questions today, but it’s not like I’ve got anything else to do. Go ahead.”
“Great! Thank you!” Norvan fumbled for a bit as he tried to remember his planned list of questions. He was out of luck. Looks like he’d be making it up as he went. “Uhh...let’s see. What was like, the party, and...what happened afterwards?”
“‘S was fine at first,” the waiter answered, gesticulating with one hand. “Very fancy party, but I was working, not partying. Then there was the toast...I thought I could get away with sneaking a drink on the job. It didn’t go so well after that. I don’t really remember much of what happened after I got sick...all a bit of a blur, really.”
Norvan nodded, then noticed something. “What happened to your eye? Is it going to be okay?”
The waiter seemed surprised at the concern. “Like I said, I don’t really remember much of what happened. But the doctor says there’s a good chance I’ll recover, more or less. Now go on. Ask me the question.”
“What question?”
“Ask me if I saw anything suspicious that night.”
“Oh! Right.” Norvan sheepishly looked up at the waiter. “Did you see anything suspicious that night?”
“You betcha. So, see, a bit before the toast, there was this curio who tried to get into the party. Said they had papers for Jay, the usual excuse.” The waiter spoke like they’d told the story multiple times before. “I didn’t see them again until right before I got sick - they climbed out through a maintenance hatch.”
“The same one that some of the partygoers escaped through?” Norvan interjected. “By the chandelier, was it?”
The waiter nodded. “Yeah, that one. Anyway, whoever that person was, they were probably involved. I didn’t get a super good look, but they were about yea high -” they gestured with their free hand, then broke out coughing. “Sorry...bruised lungs. Anyway, I’m sure I’d recognize them if I saw them. And that’s about all I know.”
“Right! Thank you for your time, sir.” Norvan switched off his recording equipment.
---
MONTEVIC: “While Norvan was talking with the waiter, I was busy interviewing one of the scientists working to uncover the mysteries of just what was in those drinks that fateful night. Let’s go to that.”
---
Montevic sauntered into a makeshift laboratory tent, recording equipment slung over their shoulder. “Anyone in here?”
A slender curio in a blue-and-white lab coat looked up from her workstation. “Hm? Oh dear. Another reporter. I suppose you’re here about the drinks?”
“Of course, miss.” Montevic switched on the recorder, and a quiet staticky hum whispered from the machine. They plugged in the microphone and offered it to the scientist. “For our radio show. What did you find? I’ve heard some rumors, but I’d like to hear it from you.”
“Right.” The scientist set down the bottle she’d been examining. “The drinks were laced with a sort of mutagen not unlike the kind found in strange capsules, glowing vials, and the like. We were lucky, in this case, that the effects weren’t permanent. The drinks themselves seemed to be color-coded - red contained the most mutagen, blue the least. My best guess is whoever laced the drinks wanted to keep track of who drank what.”
“Interesting,” Montevic mused. “You know, based on that, it sounds like this whole thing was some kind of...mad science experiment.” They wiggled their fingers ominously.
“Or some sort of statement.” The scientist looked about warily. “Could you turn that thing off? I have another theory, but I’d rather not have anyone else hear it.”
“Sure, sure...” Montevic switched off the recorder. “Let’s hear it.”
“In strictest confidence...I think it could be part of a plot to discredit Jay Warlowes,” the scientist said, her voice hushed. “He’s been known to speak out against the guild leaders, and it’s possible someone might have taken action to get back at him. Such an event happening at one of his parties...it could ruin him. The experiment theory is a good one, but regardless of the exact motives, it’s clear whoever orchestrated this is not fond of Jay Warlowes.”
“Now that’s a good conspiracy theory if I’ve ever heard one.” Montevic clicked their fingers. “It’d be a shame not to mention it on our show. Mind if we do? Keeping you anonymous, of course.”
The scientist nodded. “I just don’t want it traced back to me. Best not to draw attention to myself, yes?”
“I gotcha.” Montevic winked. “Thanks for your time.”
---
NORVAN: “Once we finished speaking with the witnesses, we headed down to the club to see what else we could discover. But we ran into a bit of trouble along the way...”
---
“Please, sir, we’re reporters, can’t you please let us in?” Norvan pleaded with the guard stationed at the entrance to the club.
The guard stared gruffly at them, refusing to move their arm from the door.
“We won’t touch anything; we’re just here to look around; help investigate!” Norvan’s words had no effect on the stubborn guard.
“Let me give it a shot.” Montevic gently pushed Norvan aside as they stepped forward. “Hey, buddy.”
The guard stared wearily at Montevic.
“It’s gonna be a long day, huh?” Montevic held up their coffee cup, steaming hot and fresh from the roadside cafe they’d picked it up from minutes ago. They pushed the cup into the guard’s hand. “Best coffee in Seajewel. Just the thing you need to get through a long shift.” They winked.
For a long moment, the guard didn’t move. Then, slowly, they took a sip of coffee. Paused. Mulled it over. Then lowered their arm from the door and nodded ever so slightly.
“Glad to see you enjoyed it.” Montevic gave the guard a winning smile, then pushed open the door. “Come on, Norv.”
Holding his breath, Norvan stepped through the doorway and into the ruins of a vast room. “Whoahhh.”
“I know, right? Watch your step, broken glass.” Montevic strode across the dance floor. Norvan followed close behind, picking his steps carefully.
“Did you just bribe a guard with coffee?” Norvan asked, almost disbelieving.
Montevic sighed dramatically. “Unfortunately. I barely even got a sip of it, too. There goes my focus for the evening. You’ll just have to keep me on task.”
“Right...” Norvan stared at the ground, trying to find a path through the sharp shards of what probably used to be the chandelier. “Okay, where do we start?”
“Not sure.” Montevic peered across the room. “I investigate ghosts, not poisonings. Maybe the kitchen? That’s probably where they kept the drinks, right?”
“Good idea.” The pair made their way across the venue, Norvan doing his best to avoid the minoroos used by guards. Montevic found the kitchen and ducked inside, beckoning for Norvan to follow.
It was the biggest kitchen Norvan had ever been in - but then again, he hadn’t been in very many kitchens. He spotted the minoroo before he spotted the investigator - damned things always spooked him. As soon as it smelled him, it barked, alerting a curio shrouded in a dark cloak and hat, crouched next to a crate. There was a sound of tearing paper as the investigator jumped to his feet, turning and fleeing.
“Hey, wait -” Norvan called out after him, racing after the investigator. Montevic joined in the chase.
“Someone stop that curio!” Montevic shouted, their long legs allowing them to overtake Norvan.
A stabbing pain shot through Norvan’s paw, and he cried out in pain, dropping to the floor. Montevic whirled around, running back to help Norvan.
“Norvan! Are you all right? What happened?” Their face and voice were full of concern.
“I stepped on a piece of chandelier.” Norvan gritted his teeth, trying to block out the pain. “Don’t worry about me! Go get the shady guy!”
“The city guard can handle him. You’re bleeding!” Montevic crouched next to Norvan.
“So I am,” Norvan admitted, feeling dizzy at the sight of his own blood. A chunk of crystal was still embedded in his paw. “Can you...get that for me?”
“Of course. Hold still.” Montevic gently pinched the shard of chandelier between their fingers, then quickly tugged it out. Norvan hissed in pain. “All right! There. All done.” They wrapped their hand around Norvan’s paw, applying pressure to the wound. “There’s a bandage in my bag. Can you get it for me?”
Norvan nodded and reached around Montevic’s shoulder, pulling the bag toward him. He searched through it, pushing aside snacks and recording equipment, until he found the small first aid kit Montevic had taken to carrying with them after they’d gotten into yet another accident. Norvan hadn’t expected he’d be the recipient. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Montevic took the bandage and wrapped it carefully around Norvan’s paw. “There you go. Do you think you can stand on that?”
“Not sure.” Norvan shakily got to his feet, grabbing onto Montevic for support. He tested his paw against the ground, and stabbing pain shot up his leg. “Nope! No. Ow.”
Montevic wrapped their arm around Norvan, holding him steady. “I’ll just have to help you outside.”
“Right. Okay. Thank you.” Norvan’s hand gripped Montevic’s shoulder. “I think I can do that.”
Slowly, together, Montevic and Norvan headed towards the door. When they made it outside, they found several curious scattered about, apparently searching for something.
“Did anyone catch him?” Montevic called out, referring to the suspicious investigator who’d fled the scene.
A guard - not the one Montevic had bribed with coffee, to Norvan’s relief - shook her head. “It’s like he disappeared.”
Norvan groaned. “You shouldn’t have stopped,” he told Montevic.
“Nonsense. You’re more important than a weird shady investigator.”
“That’s...very sweet of you. But I couldn’t waited.”
“I’m sure.”
---
NORVAN: “We left soon after that, so we didn’t see what happened next firsthand. We’ll get to that soon, but first...a word from our sponsors.”