Case Reference: GC–FIR–006
Report by: Insp. Tomas Reed
Rank: City Watch, Gearcross Detail
Assigned Under: Senior Investigator (Protagonist)
Date: 9th Day of Frostwane, 11:35 a.m.
Primary Location: Brass Crown Salon – Exterior Walkway (North Entrance)
Secondary Location: Patent Registry (Front Office & Internal Records)
Incident Classification: Suspicious Death / Blunt Force Trauma
At approximately 22:18 hours on the 8th Day of Frostwane, City Watch patrol units were dispatched to the northern exterior walkway of the Brass Crown Salon following reports of an unconscious male found near the service entrance.
Upon arrival, the individual was unresponsive and exhibiting severe cranial trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene by attending medics.
The deceased was identified as Halver Istrin, age 41, registered inventor and recent patent holder.
The body was found collapsed against a low stone balustrade bordering the Brass Crown’s outer promenade. The area is well-maintained, illuminated by gas lamps, and monitored indirectly by Salon security.
There were no signs of robbery. The victim’s wallet, personal effects, and identification papers were intact.
Blood spatter and impact pattern indicate a single, forceful blow delivered from behind or the side, consistent with a blunt object approximately fist-sized or larger.
No weapon was recovered at the scene.
Foot traffic in the area is intermittent during evening hours, particularly following high-profile gatherings inside the Salon.
On-site examination indicates:
Cause of death: catastrophic cranial fracture
Impact delivered with sufficient force to cause immediate loss of consciousness
Death likely occurred within minutes
No defensive wounds
No evidence of prolonged altercation
The nature of the injury suggests intentional application of force, not an accidental fall.
Name: Halver Istrin
Age: 41
Occupation: Independent Inventor
Residence: Rented workshop residence, Gearcross Fringe
Istrin was known for developing a compact pressure-modulation device intended to stabilize small-scale mechanical systems. His work had been under dispute with the Patent Registry for over three years, repeatedly rejected or delayed due to “incomplete applicability.”
One week prior to his death, the device was formally accepted and registered following a closed review process.
Colleagues report Istrin was “relieved but agitated” in the days following approval.
On the evening of the incident:
Istrin attended a dinner at the Brass Crown Salon
Witnesses confirm a verbal argument between Istrin and another patron shortly before departure
The argument was described as restrained but intense
No physical confrontation observed inside the Salon
The other party to the argument was identified and cooperated fully with Watch inquiries.
Name: Darrin Vole
Occupation: Commercial Systems Broker
Status: Questioned
Vole admits to arguing with Istrin regarding the patent approval, which he described as “long overdue and poorly timed.”
Vole provided a detailed alibi placing him inside a private smoking lounge for the duration surrounding the estimated time of death.
However, during a 20-minute interval coinciding with the likely window of assault, Vole reports a lapse in memory.
He does not claim intoxication, coercion, or medical distress.
His alibi is otherwise corroborated by multiple witnesses.
The 20-minute interval in question is notable for the following:
Occurred immediately after the argument
Took place during a high-traffic transition period within the Salon
No witnesses recall seeing Vole exit or re-enter
Salon security logs show no breach or anomaly
Vole states only:
“I remember leaving the table. I remember being back. Nothing in between.”
No medical cause for memory loss has yet been identified.
Review of Patent Registry records confirms:
Istrin’s device was approved after extended dispute
Approval authority originated internally, bypassing standard revision loops
No public justification for reversal was filed
The acceptance occurred six days before the incident.
Registry officials state the approval was “administratively resolved” and deny any connection to the death.
The evidence establishes:
The death was not accidental
The victim was engaged in a long-standing professional dispute that abruptly resolved
A verbal conflict occurred immediately prior to death
The only identified person with motive presents a complete alibi except for a precise and unexplained absence
No evidence currently supports premeditated murder by the identified party.
No evidence currently explains the gap.
Requests to:
Review private Salon surveillance
Examine closed Patent Registry deliberation records
Interview certain Registry officials
have been delayed or denied pending authorization.
No jurisdictional authority has yet accepted responsibility for bridging these gaps.
Halver Istrin died from a deliberate act of violence shortly after achieving professional recognition he had pursued for years.
The act occurred in a space where:
Access is regulated socially rather than formally
Observation is indirect
Responsibility diffuses quickly
The presence of a near-perfect alibi with a precise void raises concerns not of deception, but of interruption.
The man who argued with him may not have killed him.
But something happened in that missing twenty minutes.
And whatever it was, it required no witnesses, left no records, and did not disturb the room.
The inventor finally won his dispute.
Then he stopped being necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
Inspector Tomas Reed
City Watch, Gearcross Detail