[5E] The Kalarian Precipice - Chapter One

[daindarkspring]

Dain - Alleyways

Dain watched the girl dart in and out of the moving crowds and then vanish into an alleyway. She was quick!

She's got the quickness of a lynx! And sounds as fearless!

Something drew him onward, despite the knowledge that a guardsman was not far behind him. Skidding in the gravel to slow himself down, he sprung to his left down the alleyway his nimble quarry had vanished into. He reminded himself that he wasn't chasing her, but was in fact trying to help her. Did she need help? She certainly hadn't accepted his offer, and in fact had not sounded distressed at all!

But Dain was a hunter in his heart, and he felt like he wasn't just chasing a rogue village girl but rather chasing his own past! Yes. That was it!

Once in the shadows of the alley, he slowed down slightly, looking for where she might have gone if she was not in fact still just sprinting away. If there was anything right at hand in the alley that he could knock over to slow the pursuing guard, he would certainly do so if it could be done quickly!

<will roll a perception check...13+5=18>

 

[Carthum One-Tusk]

Carthum One-Tusk: Streets of Kalair

Suru, this would not go well when the elders heard of this! And unless the guard found something more entertaining to take his mind off of things, they would indeed hear of it... not too many orcish priests in the city...

Pushing such paranoid thoughts aside, Carthum rose to his feet. He could only do as his soul told him, and he felt no guilt over his actions. Plenty of worry about the consequences that would happen next- but no guilt over the actions themselves!

The half-orc prepared to give chase to the guard, though he was not sure why. Perhaps, if the guard caught up to the woman, he could at least make sure that Dolstian justice was administered through the courts, not through the sword...

But he would spot Metea coming the opposite direction, then. "Metea!" He called. "Don't worry yourself- I'm okay! The guards are chasing a criminal, but Suru tells me... I must still act!"

He would notice Otiroth coming up behind his sister. And he was immediately suspicious.

Still, he wanted to give chase! Poor Metea would need to run a bit longer...

 

[Jeovanna]

Jeovanna- Alleyways

The streets were busy- but mostly the main streets. Stick to the alleyways, and things were a bit quieter...

Jeovanna had taken advantage of the back roads and the shops there to do some trading. She had furs and antlers, mostly, to trade, and there were a few backalley brewers that would trade her decently well for such sundry materials. She did not much care what they did next with them; all she cared was that she had a full wineskin and another cask at her hip, and the next few weeks on the road would be a bit merrier for it.

A woman went darting past the entrance to the alley she had taken, apparently heading towards the next road over.

A moment behind her was Dain- a fellow wanderer. They had passed before, even traded once or twice, but it was still somewhat odd to see him in the city. Perhaps no more odd than her being there, though. Was he fleeing, or chasing?

Jeovanna stepped out into the road, contemplating to simply follow him and find out, but doing so would step her out in front of the guard.

She didn't particularly enjoy being surprised. Especially not by the guard. A bit of thought might've put two and two together for her, but that simply did not happen, and she'd scowl at the man as if he had actually had the audacity to charge at her.


<Can I do an intimidation check? 19+3=22>

 

[97mg]

Dain, Otiroth, Metea, Carthum

Otiroth & Metea & Carthum:

“Where are they going?” Dira looked quite upset at the duo’s urgent departure. Her hand snapped away from Arrol and she moved to rush after them.

What! He reached out to grab her, but the little one was too quick. She’d been learning a thing or two from their pasture’s hares.

“Hells! Get back here Dira, stop!”

There was none to do but follow. This was one place not to lose sight of her. If they disappeared into the crowds… it could be a very long morning.

Luckily, as he jogged to the end of the road, eyes locked firmly upon the bounce of his running girl, it seemed the perfume man and his fancy friend hadn't got too far. They’d recognized someone… a half-orc who was now running back towards him, with young Dira following close behind like a game of chasies.

“Get back here Dira!”

These townspeople, such chaos, they buzz about like bees blown in the wind.

Arrol stood and waited at the end of the road, focused on his daughter yet also noticing a guard rushing by, quickly glancing down each alleyway one by one...

Dain:

Seasoned timber walls greet the ranger on both sides. A few bolted doors lay to the flanks, and ahead an old sign creaks on an iron brace. No words, just a rough painting of a cart’s wheel. Probably a trader’s place or one of the smaller drinking holes, the door beneath it half ajar. Along the opposite wall are several tired looking stairs, leading up to some kind of landing.

At the alley’s entrance you find a few things that might serve an obstacle for any who might follow. A bucket of apples. A few timber palings. Several ceramic pots. Easy to tip over into something of a trap.

Ahead the buildings form something of a cross intersection. Somewhere down there you hear a door latch shut. A good thing the ranger has a hunter’s ears! Then she steps around the corner to face you, a smirk on her face and a small blade clutched in one hand, a questioning look in her deep brown eyes.

She gasps as Dain would too hear it. Footsteps coming fast! The guard barges in from the road! He wasn’t however expecting so much litter underfoot, slipping and yelping as a knee hits the dirt, and his two hands thrust forward to break the fall.

<Dain: The guard is prone (advantage for you if you wish to "do" anything to him) and you have a round up your sleeve. The girl will attempt to flee again, however we can roll initiative if you wish to do anything other than pursue her.

Carthum & Metea & Otiroth: If you pursue the guard we will place you a round behind him. Entering his chosen alleyway at speed will require a dex check (target to roll is 15 - Medium difficulty) in order to avoid various obstacles. You can fit three abreast down the alley. You are of course, welcome to explore other options if you wish

PS: There is a tough looking woman near the entrance to the alleyway too hehe.>

 

[97mg]

Jeovanna

Jeovanna: There is definite action on the streets this morning! Indeed, leaving your alley and loitering near the road a moment, you see a young woman rush past, then Dain with his familiar face, and finally a guard, all entering the next little alleyway up the road.

Your scowl seems to unsettle the guard some, as he briefly turns to look at you. He won't stop running though!

A short time after they all disappear out of view... you hear the sounds of wood splitting and pots breaking down there. To make things even more interesting, it looks like some other folks might be headed this way too!

What the hell is going on? Thank goodness you've secured some wine...

 

[97mg]

Mudmap

 

[97mg]

Pesserl: Pink Skies

At last, words boomed across the lands from atop the tower.

“This is the year of...” Pesserl hesitated a moment...

“Downfalls!”

He didn’t expect the masses to completely grasp the meaning, but they might in the coming days or hours.

There, it was done, he clambered back to lean against the wall and exhaled. So much change would come, so angry were the heavens he’d seen, a rare view from the tower’s peak. That sensation of being watched just wouldn't retreat either.

Down below among the peoples, the response was positive. Water was the foundation of life. Many stood and cheered, happy that this year might bring abundant rain to their crops, or widen the rivers and fill dams so that fish might thrive! Bards began to sing of wondrous summer rains. A builder smiled at the prospect of doing well, for many a roof or rudimentary gutter might be in need of fixing too.

The rare pessimists among the gathering exchanged questioning expressions, mumbled to themselves, guilty, or concerned at other… possible implications.

Either way, the naming was done.

For most, it was time to sing, dance, eat and make merry with friends!

 

[Metea]

Metea: Streets of Kalair

Metea had barely paused a moment before Carthum started going on like a man possessed.

"What? What are you babbling about? Have you gotten into the sacramental wine?" Metea demanded of her brother. "Otiroth, you talk some sense into him!"

She was already a bit out of breath from the sprint, not being of particularly stout stock (and why would she need to be, when she copied books all day for a living?) but would begin after Carthum regardless, slowing down a bit when she spotted that Dira had followed them.

"Dira!" She scolded the girl. "Did you run off and leave you father?"

This did allow her to catch her breath, if nothing else. Honestly, she was tickled that she and Otiroth had made such an impression on the girl, but of course, it wasn't proper to state that. "You run back to him right away. My brother is being very silly, and Otiroth and I are going to talk some sense into him."

If they could... given he was already all shield-beating about Suru.

But what is he seeking? You must find out.

Perhaps she should follow anyway... though she would lead Dira back to her father first...

 

[Otiroth]

Otiroth: Streets of Kalair, approaching the alleyways

"For Paga's sake, Tusk! Do you think you're a damn centaur?" Otiroth had barely even skidded to a halt before the half-orc went barreling past him once more.

He would follow, because... well, kind of because Metea had told him to, the tail had had more of an effect on him than he thought!

Of course, Otiroth didn't exactly have eyes on the procession into the alley, and was automatically more concerned with the giant standing near the entrance. "Uh- ma'am- excuse me!" and he'd stumble into the alleyway.

It was a mess, and Otiroth barely managed to keep his feet- but he would, if only at first.

"Somebody better start talking!" Otiroth blurted as he approached the scene, for he was a dragon, and this nonsense was beneath him!

<Dexterity check=13+2= 15>

 

[daindarkspring]

Dain - Alleyways

Dain had barely noticed Jeovanna at the entrance to the alley, and in fact would not have noticed her at all had she not been such a giant. He had no time for greetings, however, and instead he praised his luck at finding such a rich store of items that could be used to impede the guardsman.

Fortune is with me today! I will ride it while I can!

With a kick, he sent a bucket of apples and several palings falling behind him. Then he burst forward, hearing a latch close and then coming face to face with his elusive quarry. He put his hands up in a gesture of non-aggression as she waved a small blade in her hands. The smirk on her face seemed to indicate she was not intent on stabbing him, but neither was there an expression of familiarity there either. She did not know him, and therefore did not know his past.

His frustration lasted a moment, even as the guard crashed behind them, and Dain wasted any chance of saying or doing anything outside of looking disappointed. Then the word 'downfall' swept over the village, carried from the tower both by the booming horn and by the voices of hundreds of villagers. Downfall. The word seemed to crush down on his chest like a great leaden weight.

A second later the woman took off once again, and Dain could muster only a brief chase before he stopped and gestured angrily at her. "Who are you?!" He still felt a sliver of light that might pierce into this past, linked somehow to this girl, and to the naming ceremony, but it was fading, and only the great yawning gap of mystery was left behind.

Fortune is a fickle maiden...

He wondered if the guard had gotten a good look at him. It might be best if he made himself scarce.

<I will roll, just in case you need it for anything: 12>