(CSToA) Touch of the Abyss [IC]

[Bloodweaver1]

Tesla & Arcs

Telsa follows her companions lead and answers the guards questions as best as she can. However, the journey has been quite ruff and she is thoroughly exhausted so her answers maybe have been a bit short.

“The name is Tesla and this is my companion Arcs.” She says as she motions towards her hovering elemental steward.

“My business is my own and like my friends I do not know how long I will be staying.”

“Like my friends have said, six months.”

“None.”

“You are mistaken for I am not wearing any armor.”

“No I have not been to the Saltmarsh and why should I?”

“No.”

“No.”

“Yes, is not obvious? We are in fact wearing the spoils of such a victory.” She points to her dragon teeth headdress.

“No.”

“No.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I do not know and really do not care.”

“For I have yet to find something that sustains my interest. Perhaps your city will succeed where others have failed.”

After the inquisition, she makes her way through the crowd and re-joins her companions in the City’s Square. She pays the beggar no mind, but like Errol she does toss him a silver piece for his troubles.

 

[Redclaw]

The begger gets a piercing look in his eyes and quickly whispers, "Beware. It is always watching." He then begins to walk away.

Errol's head swings around at the warning. He tries to speak so only the beggar will hear him, while not looking directly at him, What is watching? What do you mean?

 

[Creamsteak]

He seems befuddled and genuinely confused. "It was just a vision, I have no idea." He turns back towards the gates and starts walking again.

 

[Creamsteak]

Taking his second bit of spoils, the begger makes his way off. Somehow he seems to know the coins in his hand are silver... and he has a bit more kick in his step.

When the group finds Veris, she's already made her way to the comfort of a humble little tavern nearby.

Though crowded and doing good business, the patrons fo this tavern seem introverted and withdrawn. Most seem to be alone and engrossed in their drinks or in small groups studiously ignoring everyone else. What conversations are taking place are little more than whispered, terse discussions at on a few tables near the wall. Despite the silence, the tension in the room hovers on a knife's edge - everyone seems to be watching everyone else surreptitiously.

 

[Nephtys]

Veris sips her drink, taking in the atmosphere in the tavern. Something was wrong here. She had felt it by the gates, in the questions of the guard she had overheard, and now once more in the looks of the people. That made her curious. Ordering another drink from the boy in the bar she flashes him a sweet smile and asks him as innocently as possible "What's going on here? I just came back from the road and now everybody looks as if the Demon Queen's army is on the march again. The gates-man asked me questions of dragons, nightmares and the undead, and now this... It's enough to make a girl a little nervous." She places her hand gently on his, a worried and at once mischievous and insinuating look on her face. "Please set my mind at ease."

 

[Creamsteak]

The barkeep responds as best he is able. "Ever since the war there's been something wrong with Istivin. Buildings cast longer shadows than they used to. People have been vanishing off the streets at night. There are never any signs of violence and no ransom demands are ever recieved. It's like they just step off the face of the world. Marquis Querchard, ruler of Istivin and all of the nation, is among the missing, but the government isn't doing anything about it."

A tanner rises from a table and heads towards the bar to settle his tab. As he passes another table, a mug of ale spills on a patron there. The mug spills onto a leatherworker sitting there. The leatherworker stands, knocking his table over and spilling a great deal more ale. His face turns into a glowing red cranberry of anger.

"OLAF! You did that on purpose! You will DIE for that!"

Olaf turns equally mad, balling his fingers around the handle of a knife in his pocket.

"I will not stand for such an accusation Dracus! It is YOU who will die today!"

The two men are poised to draw arms and kill each other right in the middle of the tavern.

 

[Nephtys]

"And I gather tempers are a bit flared in general around here..." She says, sipping her drink again and looking at the two angry men with barely concealed amusement. It was always entertaining to watch the common folk try to fight, they were usually so clumsy about it. Almost like children.

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Tesla & Arcs

There is a slight nod in her head as the boy confirms what she had already suspected the second they entered this city. "The boy is right. This city is cursed. A curse without morals and without friends. We should be extra weary." She says in a low whisper to the rest of the group.

She ignores the brawling commoners and motions towards a servent. "Are there rooms available and for how much?"

 

[Redclaw]

Errol, every wary of possible threats, keeps a close eye on the potential brawlers. He wants to make sure that they stay far enough away from him and his companions that they won't get swept up in any confrontation. If it starts to move closer, he will do his best to move the others out of the way.

 

[Dekana]

Slisik

Slisik steps closer to the argument, away from his companions. "Don't let him make a fool of you Dracus! Carve him up!" He goads the two toward a confrontation, happy to see human blood spilled. It might be fun after all.