Legacy of the Silver Dragon: Chapter 1 (Chickens, Demons, and a Missing Girl)

[gambler1650]

Antares and Stellan

Once the pair, and the body of the creature they carry with them, are safely above - Stellan having created the rope harness to help pull up the creature's still form - the barrels reveal very little. They contain various salted meats, some grains, and fabrics of a rough and yet good quality. Stellan helps to cover the well as best as he can, and the sheets from the first floor are easily found. The body doesn't react explosively to light, but shortly after bringing her into the cellar where light can fall on her, it appears as though her skin begins to change color, initially more pale, more shimmering even then before. Looking closely, it seems as though whatever is causing the change of her skin compared to a normal human's is being drawn to the surface, and slight wisps as if of mist, are coming off of her flesh.

Once covered, and her body brought to the watch, a couple of soldiers are lounging in front of the barracks. One waves jauntily to Stellan, but both seem to ignore Antares at first.

 

[Voda Vosa]

"This is Anna, the girl who disappeared some days ago. We found her in the tunnels, some abberrant creatures were performing some sort of ritual to her, feeding her with a translucent liquid of sorts. Now she seems to embrace darkness and direct contact with light seems to harm her, more in the mind ya' see." the dwarf hits his forehead with his index finger.

 

[Binder Fred]

Antares and stellan

OOC: Took the liberty of NPCing Stellan for some of the small talk below (for time-saving reasons). Hope that's alright?

Stellan creates a rope harness to help pull up the creature's still form and hoals her up, letting the rope down again aftrewards.

Gathering his courage, the elf puts that first booted foot to the bumpy, slightly crumbling masonry of the well with some trepidation. Stellan takes up the slack in the rope, supporting him, and then his other feet half-skids into place, half-scarring him to death! But he's ok, and then it's only the matter of stepping up the wall - step by step, step by step - it's almost... easy!

Without Stellan he would have likely died here, unable to climb the rope with his burden - or eaten alive by the remaining White Things... Somehow though, his heartbeats fail to ramp up into panic. In fact he feels... strangely at peace in this new quiet - step, step - Almost elated: somehow, he made it through, helped overcome a massive creature composed entirely of slime, interacted with strange beings without eyes, uncovered the dripping source of the fell liquid which they seem to worship - step, step, step, the mouth of the well is getting very close now! - If it were not for the friction with his friends, for the dead creature by the well mouth, what a day this would have been! And it is hardly over yet!

Antares levers himself into the cellar, helped along by a good-naturedly rough-pull from Stellan <I'm assuming >. They- They actually made it! He's never been so glad to choke on the smell old smoke and hear the town's wide breath subtly sigh through a broken down structure! His green elven eyes survey the small, low-ceilinged room as he stands back up, finding it much as they have left it... was it only a pair of hours ago? [etc]

The barrels reveal very little. They contain various salted meats, some grains, and fabrics of a rough and yet good quality. Stellan helps to cover the well as best as he can, and the sheets from the first floor are easily found.

Discovering a sudden, ravenous hunger - it must be close, perhaps even slighty past the noon watch now, must it not? - Antares hesitates, then draws his father's sword and, holding it close to the guard, roughly cuts out two huge slice out of the meat, presenting one to Stellan with a wide, silent smile.

"Oh gods that's good," enthuses the young man after he manages to swallow a first over-enthusiastic bite. Not one to learn his lesson, he rends an even bigger one for his second try.

"It should at least hold us until we can manage a proper meal," agrees his elven friend. His bites are smaller, but much quicker than usual: adventuring is *hungry* work, it seems.

"Shawlty thaw," mentions Stellan, mouth still half-full.

"Smoky as well." Which... isn't at all unpleasant, actually. Strange how even a tragedy cannot seem to manage a perfection of unfortunate results... Almost heartening. He takes another bite, and then another.

At this rate the meat is quickly devoured, then hands and swords wiped clean on the ruined fabric. For all the strangeness of its circumstances, both companions feel surprisingly better for it all, both in mind and body, better equiped to face whatever still lies ahead.

"Shall we?" inquires Stellan, chewing the last remnants, wiping any lingering grease against the sides of his tunic, yet already casting his gaze towards the pile of wooden refuse.

"We shall," agrees Antares. He lays the fingers of his right hand on the closest barrel, closes his eyes and starts softly incanting.

Both working together, the well is quickly and efficiently covered: altogether not a bad job, given available materials.

"Ah. I think I shall maybe fetch us sheets from upstairs? That we may cover her form and not shock the good people of Ascadar?" Proposes Antares as they finish. He reflexively looks towards Former-Anna- then frowns in puzzlement as his eyes lock onto where diffuse sunlight from above falls across her face and upper body: it... appears as though her skin has begun to change color, getting even more pale, more shimmering then before! Quickly closing to have a closer look, it seems as though whatever is causing the change of her skin compared to a normal human's is being drawn to the surface, and slight wisps, as if of mist, are coming off of her flesh! "How... peculiar. Is this dread bleaching agency perhaps burned off by the light of day?" Which would go some way to explain why these creatures have never been seen above ground, granted... Antares reaches out, somewhat hesitantly passing his fingers through the evaporating mist, trying to feel it between his fingers, then downright touching her cool skin where the effect occurs. If nothing untoward happens, he even goes so far as to lean in and sniff a carefully minute amount of the strange vapor...

OOC: Anything? Has Antares ever heard of something like this, Gambler? Creatures or substances allergic to sunlight and/or cured/dispelled by sunlight? Does he think the effect would have cured her or hurt/killed her if she was still alive?

Sheets from the first floor are easily found.

He's about to head back down, hands full, when his steps suddenly slow with thoughts triggered by his immediate surroundings... Missing bodies. Skin perhaps older than a young girl's.

OOC: Antares will have a quick look around: is there any portrait or drawing of the wife that used to live here anywhere that he can see? I'm guessing he's never met her/seen her around town himself, right? If he finds/remembers something, how does she compare with Former-Anna?

OOC: For simplicity's sake it's probably better to pause the Barracks thread until all of the House threads have been concluded, right? Let me know if you'd prefer that I go ahead instead.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Bosco listens in the temple, staying as close to the door as possible, waiting for the seemingly inevitable attack by "Anna" against the good parishoners or, worse, him.

He's also thinking where to stash the cash, before he's dragged into near-certain suicide, back underground.

 

[gambler1650]

Mysthyr, Muzdim, Bosco

"Oh. Anna. I think I remember her." Carlog peers under the hood, "Right. Your mother was worried sick about you." Then he blinks. Then he straightens and looks at Myst, and then looks at Muzdim. "Tunnels? What tunnels?"

A few of the townsfolk and acolytes glance over, becoming curious about an obviously unusual event. One of the nosier women in the town gets up and starts to meander over. Carlog, seeing this says, "I think maybe Elara might be persuaded to leave the meeting for a few minutes, and perhaps... Perhaps Anna would prefer to rest in one of the side rooms while we wait?"

Anna nods her head, "Yes. Please. I feel like I might faint. You... you wouldn't happen to have something to eat would you? I can't remember the last real food I had." The other priest smiles slightly, "I think we have some fruit that you could have while we wait." He starts to walk towards the side room, "Would you care to wait? It shouldn't be long."

OOC: Let me know what you decide... As a couple of suggestions, all can wait.. Or some can go and do other things with the intention to meet back somewhere later for progress reports. If I don't hear back by, let's say Tuesday, I'll assume everyone here stayed with Anna.

 

[gambler1650]

Antares

OOC: No worries about Stellan... In fact, I'll assume he's the party's "Henchman" at the moment...

OOC: Also, I just realized I forgot something... The rest can still happen as you've described it, but first...

When Antares comes out of the well and into the house's cellar, he begins to look around. As he does, sunlight falls on the hand that he dipped in the pearly colored water. Instantly, a burning sensation begins there. Not sharp pain, but certainly uncomfortable, as if the hand was brought too close to a flame. It fades almost instantly however, and when the elf looks at the hand, it appears to be the same hue as the rest of his skin with no markings or sign of the phosphorescence there was previously.

The examination of the body when the same effect starts to happen reveals nothing specific. The mist doesn't appear to do anything to the elf's fingers, and there's perhaps only a slight fungal smell in the air when he tries to breathe some in. The next time he goes into a shaft of sunlight he sneezes, but that's the only obvious effect.

There are no portraits that can be found, but that's not surprising. It's something only a few of the richest folk in town have ever had done.

 

[Binder Fred]

Antares and Stellan

Now 'peculiar' does not even begin to cover it! "Essence of Vampire?" he puzzles, looking at his hand with some wonder. Who ever heard of such a thing? "Though in truth we now probably know what caused our missing companions to leave this place so quickly." Off to Pelor's healing temple post-haste, in all likelihood... (It is a bit sad to know that the cure could be so easily found though. If you had lived but a watch longer, Anna who is no-more...) A blink as a worrying thought occurs and he looks back to Stellan: "I hope still-human-Anna was not hurt too badly in the discovery?"

How-would-I-possibly-know shrugs back the young warrior -- not uncaring, but not overly given to worrying about things outside his control either. She was either hurt or she wasn't. "Sheets?" he very practically prompts instead.

"Oh. Quite right. Sheets." Antares hesitates a few beats longer, still blinkingly thinking about it, wondering, amongst another myriad of things, where - oh where - he could have seen that half-imagined tapestry of the pale little monsters? Lost in the mystery of it all, he even goes so far as to lean in and sniff a carefully minute amount of the strange vapor still coming off of her... there's perhaps a slight fungal smell in the air? Perhaps not. "*Sheets.*" He's still wondering as he abstractly rises and heads towards the stairs, tripping on debris not once, but twice in his distraction. (The next time he goes into a shaft of sunlight he also sneezes, but he hardly notices. There's plenty of dust and soot in here after all...)

His focus grows somewhat as he goes up the stairs: it's sad, but they have so few points on which to hang thought, like far-scattered towns about which they know nothing save their existence, somewhere, somewhen, impenetrable dark woods between. (Water bleaching here, a pale ecology there, five curving segments dancing in the foreign sky above like a dark sun...). No. Outside knowledge, steady and clean, is what they need to wash their wounds now, ready them for the journey ahead. To talk to Teacher Dysarre about these things, discuss all the implications deep into the night with the town's few other apprentices, even his sire perhaps... He can almost taste the quickening joy of kowledge shared and gained! Uhum... Ah, once they make sure the people of Ascadar are safe, that is. Of course. So that, in truth, at least none may be hurt twice by dangers already known? "I'll be right back."

With a nod to himself he steadies, and quickens, his steps up the stairs. Temple or (mostly) Teacher are tempting next steps, 'tis tue, but this is probably the right thing to be done -- Not that it's a decision with earth-shattering repercusions or anything of the like, but he's more and more convinced it is the path he should suggest to Stellan once he returns: it just feels... appropriate. With his friend's approval, that is in deed what they will do!

There are no portraits that can be found, but that's not surprising. It's something only a few of the richest folk in town have ever had done.

(His sire has hung several upon the walls of his family's wizard tower; mostly small ones depicting famous ancestors mixed with legendary warriors and kings, but also one of himself in his glory days, with another of his wife beaming by his side...)

Ah well. Antares tries to ignore the pinching of his heart. Perhaps someone at the Watch office will know the good wife by sight? Or will know of someone who knows? (Inquiring directly of neighbors... might not be a wise idea at the moment, considering what they travel with? People could be so unpredictably touchy at times.) He heads back down, sheets in hand.

Once covered, and her body brought to the watch, a couple of soldiers are lounging in front of the barracks. One waves jauntily to Stellan, but both seem to ignore Antares at first.

A floating bundle of white escorted by two dusty/sooty young men smelling faintly of smoke has attracted surprisingly little attention from the populace at large as well, strangely enough. One would have thought... But perhaps it is for the best? The gods smiling down on them at last?

The young elf waits, but as Stellan does *not* take the lead, as expected, he turns a blinking, questioning eye his way.

'Your baby,' mouthes the young man with a light-hearted shrug.

Ah. Well... Fair enough, 'tis true. Antares turns back to the milling guards, trying now to spot the grizzled features of *officer* Gregof, the man who seemed most inclined to listen to his 'cursed bell' story last night...

<If he spots him:
"A better day to you, officer Gregof. Might we - ah - Might we have a word? It - ah - it seems," How to even begin? "It seems as if, in rescuing a kidnapped girl, we might have uncovered some sort of possible threat to the town itself?" he finally says, looking somewhat sheepish.

OOC: If he can't locate Gregof, Antares will ask the closest guard if they can be led to the highest-ranked officer present and will then say the above to him instead. 'Barracks'? Does this mean Ascadar has a complement of actual, full time soldiers/men of war (from out of town too?)? (Talking with Gregof, I was imagining a local boys militia (and hence going back home every night) -- mostly a part-time police force really). Are there serious threats from outside the town then? Are we a walled town by the way ('palisaded' would be more apt, I guess )?

 

[Voda Vosa]

"We'll wait, the elf can fend himself down there, aye?" The dwarf asks back to Mysthyr and Bosco

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"We'll wait, the elf can fend himself down there, aye?" The dwarf asks back to Mysthyr and Bosco

"Elf? There was an elf? I don't recall any elf."

 

[gambler1650]

Antares and Stellan

Gregof is indeed in the area, stepping out from the barracks as he notices the odd gathering outside. While the few townsfolk passed by on the way here did their best to NOT look curious, a couple of those within sight of the barracks are beginning to wander over. Gregof looks the two young men up and down, "Hmmm, looks like you boys have been into something... And you're bringing what looks like a... body?" The last is said after casting an eye to the sheeted corpse. His eyebrows raised, he waits for the explanation and at Antares' beginning to describe the situation he notices the people beginning to move within earshot. "Missing girl? Perhaps we should best go inside." He waves the two into the rough enclosure where a dozen or so cots are laid out. One end of the room is free of cots, and has a small desk and chair. Gregof sits at it, and there are no other chairs nearby. "Now. Would you like to start over? Or from the beginning. Are you talking about Anna?" While he casts another gaze to the sheeted body, he seems content to wait for more information.

OOC: The barracks are a relatively new element of Ascadar, built when the council decided to look to the security of the town with the departure of Eliaesel. Simple, and more of a centralized place for the militia to meet and rest in between watches, than anything more grandiose. A debate is currently undergoing whether to expand the area for more formal training than the current 'learn anything you can by watching or talking to other members of the militia' which has always been done in the past.