MURDER! Grisly Murderer Jimmy Nardello Strikes in Minoc and Trinsic, Who is next?!
Jimmy Nardello, the common criminal who had defeated the Crux Ansata and fled Britain, has committed at least four murders as of Tuesday. One in Minoc, two in Trinsic and one in Magincia. At all four scenes an Ouroboros ring was discovered, as well as a Nardello pepper in both Minoc and Magincia.
Based on other evidence at the scenes, the two in the area of Trinsic have been identified as Lady Serian and her son Mikhael, both of Magincia. The identity of the victim in Magincia has yet to be determined. The victim in Minoc has been identified with the help of Adamu Wellings, but further information is currently being withheld due to certain circumstances.
One of the pages torn from Lady Serian’s journal proved to hold some significance, as it mentioned the Ouroboros families being in great danger. Part of a name could also be discerned, the rest having been torn and lost. “Must tell Lord Well…” It was determined by the small group investigating that night that Lady Serian must have been speaking of Lord Adamu Wellings. We journeyed to Magincia to speak with him.
Adamu was found in the wooded area on the west side of Magincia, and seemed rather surprised when the Ouroboros families were brought up. We quickly informed him that Jimmy Nardello was likely behind the attacks and that four bodies had been discovered so far. After a quick stop at the inn, Adamu asked us to show him the bodies. Our first stop was the one by the beach to the north.
While Adamu confirmed that the victim, who had a Nardello pepper in his mouth, had descended from someone Important, he unfortunately couldn’t tell us who it was. He also seemed confused when told that Lady Serian had been in Trinsic, until told that she had been there looking for her son, who was a part of the guard there. Our next stop would be the Rusty Anchor inn in Trinsic.
The remnants of a destroyed journal lay on the front steps of the inn, thrown from a window on the upper floor. Inside, the remains of Lady Serian, her ring, and several pages of her journal remained. After taking a moment, Adamu began to tell us some backstory of the Lady.
“Lady Serian was a widow. She married another noble. But, when he died, she inherited a second ring. She gave it to her son, even though it was not meant for him. By blood it should have gone to another. I told her this. But people do not always do as they are supposed to. She loved her son; I cannot fault her for that.”
We arrived at the guard tower to look over the remains of the guard Mikhael. His clothing had been chewed and his bones picked clean by the large population of rats in the forest. Aside from his ring, there wasn’t much else to see, so we were soon on our way to the small cabin on the edge of Minoc.
At first, we had believed this victim had been a Knight of the Crux Ansata, but we were informed otherwise as Adamu pointed out that the armour had been ceremonial. “More of a scribe… A dear friend to many.” When asked how many rings were given, Adamu began to further explain their origins.
“Twenty-four rings were given… Many families were given them, a very long time ago. Men and women, with certain destinies. Important people, people that held something in their blood, or their future. Decisions they would make, actions they would take... Or not take. People with names like Cromwell, Desryn, Saul, Raym, Jerison... The rings were to be passed down to their first born. Through the generations. Always the first.”
He told us that while most of those families are now gone, the line would always continue. “Rings can be lost, and found again by those who they are meant to find them. I do not remember why I gave them... a maddening thing, to remember details of something... But forget others.”
It was probably more surprising than it should have been to be told that Adamu himself had given the rings to these families when he had donned the white cowel. “I gave them to the ancestors of many of the people you may know. Or at least heard of.” He continued speaking as we contemplated possible motives for the killings.
“I cannot answer to our friend Jimmy... You asked why he is killing them. First you must understand, it could have been simply rage at being denied his birthright. Or it could be, he is trying to undo something I set into motion ages ago in the past. You see... Lady Serian's step son was one James Nefran. Her Lorded husband died. His son James should have gotten his ring. Instead she gave it to Mikhael. I asked her to follow the line. Even though she didn't see James worthy. I cannot force anyone to do anything. I can only suggest they follow a course of action. James Nefran is the man you are looking for I think. James Nefran is Jimmy Nardello. An Alias. A new name for a hardened criminal.”
He told us that he would warn the others who carried the rings. They were not a secret, but could be objects of great jealousy. He explained that he had advised those who carried them to keep them secret, and they were never meant to be such an important thing, just a mark of destiny. He also told us that he feared they might gain a sinister meaning over time.
A curiosity though is that if James Nefran had simply been angered over being denied the ring of this father, why leave it with Mikhael's body? And why take two victims that had no obvious connection to him or his family? Is there another motive, or does he believe he can erase the past and begin anew?
Who Jimmy Nardello really is, and whatever his motive may be will hopefully be known soon enough. For now though, it is imperative that Lady Amandine be informed of these latest developments.
Faeryl Tyr'athem
Atlantic News Reporter
Knight Major of the Crux Ansata
