[IC] JM's A Bit of Trouble (Book 2)

[Thateous]

Everett stays downstairs as well, but keeps to himself as he tries to analyze the situation.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

GM: I need to pay more attention to the names of NPCs, I guess. Yes, 276 is wrong.

"Surina, what are you doing in these parts?" Doran asks. "Last I'd heard you'd gone off for some religious training. Though it doesn't seem like you've gone the route of the priesthood.

"Oh, but the attacks, we think, were done very subtly. There's something very intelligent behind whatever is happening." He shakes his head. "Slowly and carefully, the outer farms were taken like a pot slowly coming to a boil. The thing is, there's been no bodies. None. Who would kidnap a town? Are they dead? Who knows? But initially, they were all taken away alive."

Surina frowned in concern at the description of such an organized and devious plan, then shook her self and put on a more calm expression. "I've felt the call of The Family as long as I can remember. I started to study for the priesthood, but then I realized I was called to be a force for justice. I still serve The Family, but as champion of justice, not a priest. As for how I got here, I had returned to Bit for the festival and started hearing troubling reports that the skiffs from Leed's Crossing hadn't arrived yet. I ran into the others as they were preparing to leave to investigate and joined them. It's good to see you Doran," although I'm sorry it's under such difficult circumstances. I'll do my best to find out what's happening and bring the missing home, or die trying. If you'll excuse me, I should introduce myself to Kendrel."

Surina makes her way to Kendrel. "Greetings, Kendrel. My name is Delmirev Surina; I'm just back from training at the Church in Cade-Crable. What do you think is going on with these disappearances and the night-time attacks? Have andy of The Family revealed anything to you about this?"

 

[jmucchiello]

"It is a pleasure to welcome a new knight of The Family, child," says the older priest. "I'm afraid I have nothing to add to investigation. I only left the chapel yesterday to huddle down with the others here in the inn. Before that me and a few other wayward souls were hiding down the road at the chapel. But the inn is better able to serve our small group of people. Sadly, N'drovio has not shown me any omens. And I suspect Corsill roots for the conquerors."

GM: The sun has set and anyone looking for a short rest can consider that to have happened. Are you guys doing watches? Who and when? The inn folk downstairs are mostly going to sleep soon with a few people staying awake to watch the boarded up windows and doors. Upstairs, the folks in rooms 3 and 4 are filing out to the various upstairs windows to keep an eye on movement outside the inn. Each of them is armed with a crossbow or short bow. Longest day of the year is tomorrow so dawn is only 8 or so hours away.

 

[Zadolix]

Zadolix perched himself on a stool and took a swig from his waterskin. Looking around the inn he could see the tired and drained faces of the local townsfolk, noticing the dread and foreboding that must be in their minds of what the night may bring. It was his first time beyond the walls of Bit, he'd heard of the rural lands beyond but never had need to visit as any business this way usually happened in Bit. The unfamiliarity was exciting... Like discovering new oceans again.

He shook himself from his thoughts as the light faded away from the cracks in between the boarded windows, Zadolix strided over to the one of the watchmen on the windows.

"Don't worry laddie..." he said in a gruff hushed tone as he pat his hand on his shoulder. "I lend ye me eye for this watch. So what be ye name? Ye ever killed with that here bow before?"

OOC: I'll take the first watch of the night with the townsfolk downstairs I don't think we should enact an escape yet, they have women, children and elderly a couple who can't walk. We shouldn't put them at risk.

 

[jmucchiello]

GM: fyi, the windows on the lower floor are all boarded up. Only the upper windows are open and they are open in unlit rooms so no light spills out. So I'm assuming Z asked and was directed upstairs.

The hallway upstairs is dark. Some light can be seen under a few doors. But other doors are dark. Z enters room 2.

"Don't worry laddie..." he said in a gruff hushed tone as he pat his hand on his shoulder. "I lend ye me eye for this watch. So what be ye name? Ye ever killed with that here bow before?"

The young boy looks up in surprise. "Dinyl." He replies looking back to the window. "Be sure to close the door in case some idiot brings a light upstairs.

"A few days ago, I killed a wolf right over by that building across the way." In the dim light of the stars you can bearly make out the building he points at. "In the morning there was a small pool of blood on the road but no other sign of the wolf."

 

[Zadolix]

OOC: ah okay no problem I'm happy to go upstairs

Zadolix glanced up and down the corridor and then shut the door behind him. He sat by the young boy and rested his warhammer against the wall. "Please to meet ye Dinyl, ye can call me Zad. We saw tracks of those dirty little rats the kobold in some of the farms on the way here. Either I be a hairy elf or these Kobolds have a new favourite food..."

He continued looking out into starlit roadway with Dinyl, the cool night air drifting into the window.

 

[EarlyBird]

OOC: Keth prefers last watch (are there three? around 2.5 hrs each), as he doesn't like putting on and taking off his arm a bunch of times. Its a hassle. lol Maybe in the OOC we should set an SOP for night watches. That way we have it good to go? Best way to put best Perceptions on at different times.

 

[jmucchiello]

GM: organizing in the OOC is what the OOC is for.

 

[jmucchiello]

Night falls and as the last remnants of sunlight disappear an eerie stillness lays on the inn. Even the children know better than to make noise. Outside, a distant wolf howls. It's call is answered many moments later by another wolf, also far away but located in a different direction. Over the next hour the sporadic sound of distant wolf howls come closer, obviously surrounding the small village. As people try to sleep, the timing of the howls is just enough that you feel yourself just on the cusp of sleep as then next howl shocks you awake. Or the howls invade your dreams. The dream of being attacked by wolves is common in the inn. On the fourth watch, Keth is awake when it sounds like wolf has howled right outside the inn's front door. The distinct sound of a bow string seems to echo loudly from above and the sound of the wolf running away is easily heard. Keth goes upstairs to the room over the front door. The old man sitting at the window with a long bow, an arrow nocked and ready, sees him and whispers, "I missed him."

Keth goes to the window and looks out. In the distance, beyond his darkvision, he thinks he sees a light across the way. Silently he points and the old man follows his gaze as the light goes out. "That's the church. No one is holed up there. Shouldn't be no light," whispers the man.

 

[EarlyBird]

Keth looks to the sky and then thanks the man. "It will be light in a few hours," he says quietly. "After the sun is up me and my friends will investigate the church."

OOC: Only one watch left, so not going to ruin anyone's long rest. Keth will tell Surina and Everett about the light in the church, so they can keep an eye out.