Hamathin looks around for the source of the cry as best he can from behind the warriors.
Impatient with the others' excessive caution, Rayne cups his hands to his mouth and calls out loudly to the darkness.
"HEY!" The half-elf bellows. "WHO GOES THERE?!" His thunderous inquiry echoes off the walls of the museum, undoubtedly heard by just about everything within it.
Rayne responds to the looks of irritation he receives with a smug grin.
"That help Ben?"
Benedetto grins. "I'd help a mite better if it was over there. Warn the folks in front if you decide to shoot it, and aim fer something wooden."
"HEY!" The half-elf bellows. "WHO GOES THERE?!" His thunderous inquiry echoes off the walls of the museum, undoubtedly heard by just about everything within it.
"Now, that's the way we do things back home!"
Laughing...."Bravo! Now, care to inspect our glowing enigma? Colvare by the way."
|
Benedetto grins. "I'd help a mite better if it was over there. Warn the folks in front if you decide to shoot it, and aim fer something wooden."
"That help Ben?"
Colvare shrugs and throws the bolt as far as he can in the direction Bendetto pointed.
"I'll keep hold of it for now, don't want to be paying for the damages!"
Seeing the glowing object on the floor, Andrei moves in for a closer look, staring cold anger at the idiot who decided to call out.
Mirra walks into the room and looks at the glowing object just as the shout echoes down the hallway. She whips her head around towards the shout and her eyes fall on the old looking half-elf with a giant grin. Wow you can almost see all of his teeth with that grin.
Mirra scans the ground around the object for any clues on who may have dropped it.
When the knight walks up to the object Mirra puts her hand out, "Don't get to close, let me look around first to see what happened here."
Continuing to move with stealth, Shagraat stays along the outside wall of the chamber once he enters, sticking to the shadows to guard the flanks of the others. Whatever they say, the half-elf's shout covers the noise of his own movement and he is glad to take advantage of it.
Spoiler for Colvare
"I'd gonna caught the culprit, I am that fast. Gotten away now. Surely."
Urthone shakes his head.
Mirra walks cautiously up the object, which turns out to be an everbright lantern, lying on its side and with the shutter half-closed. Her feet crunch on glass as she stands over it - the lantern lens is broken, maybe as it was dropped.
As she stoops to examine the lantern, she feels something wet land on the back of her neck. Putting her hand up reflexively, she can feel a sticky fluid there. Stepping to one side, she looks at her hand to find it smeared with what looks like blood.
Looking up, she finds she has stepped out from under the gallery level into the hall. Flowing over the edge of the gallery and dripping on to the floor of the hall below is a stream of red. An out-flung hand hangs limply under the gallery railing, the rest of the body being hidden from view at this angle.
Colvare moves over to the lnater, glowing bolt in hand, and looks around again, looking for a way up to the gallery, mostly, but checking for anyone lese at the same time.
Mirra looks at the blood on her hand and then looks up to see the hand hanging over the gallery edge. She snaps her fingers to get everyones attention and points up towards the hand.
"I can't see very well, is that the guy that gave the shout?"
"What's there? Where shall I go?"
Benedetto's first instinct is to run up and check the injured man on the balcony.
But that would leave Colvare exposed, and it wouldn't do the injured man much good.
"Colvare, they're gonna need light up there on the balcony. Might be fastest to just hand it to that knight feller."
"Good Point."
With a small gesture, and some yellow powder Colvare causes another bolt to glow
"Anyone fancy a looksy upstairs?"
"Colvare, throw the light up near the body." Andrei said, a tone of command that the sorcerer had never heard before creeping into his voice. "I will go and take a look." A grim, determined visage settled on the young man's face as he drew his longsword, whispering something under his breath.
Waiting briefly for his instructions to be followed, Andrei begins to make his way up the stairs.
Colvare fires the bolt into the cieling of the gallery, right above the body, throwing light right over it.
He then follows Andrei carefully up the stairs, keeping back, and sholders the crossbow, so he is ready to run.
Benedetto follows, weapon at the ready.
Shagraat moves over to the other stair (the one not being used by the knight and the sorcerer) and begins to slowly ascend to the gallery above. What other exits are there from this chamber? Just on the ground level, or are there passages leading from the gallery level as well? He surveys them, assessing which direction a hypothetical assailant may have chosen. Which exit(s) lead toward the doors of the University and potentially to freedom?
In a few quick strides Urthona is up the stairs and with the others on the gallery. His sword drawn, throwing quick glances in every direction, if a danger might present itself. "Not shifter. Urthona."
If you thought you might outrun him, think again.
"Whoa, you're quick Urthona, I hope as quick with that sword. I'm Colvare."
Urthona nods to Colvare. "You seen nothin yet."
Benedetto takes stock: the knight, the spell-slinger and he are going up one set of stairs; the hobgoblin and the shifter are at the top of the other set. The elf and two half-elves are still down on the main floor.
"This looks serious. If one of you's a cleric-type, this fella could use you up here. Meanwise, could you two" (indicating Mirra and Rayne) "find someone in charge? Maybe the folks who are supposed to be lockin' up in a minute or two?"
** spoiler omitted **
Mirra notices that the shifter is acting like a dog on a leash just waiting to be let loose.
"Hey, Shifter, some help up here might be good"
Under her breath she mutters "Sick'm boy." as she watches the shifter bound up the stairs.
"This looks serious. If one of you's a cleric-type, this fella could use you up here. Meanwise, could you two" (indicating Mirra and Rayne) "find someone in charge? Maybe the folks who are supposed to be lockin' up in a minute or two?"
Mirra shoots a look up at the man with the black hair, "Ben right? I think I should take a look up there also but then I will be happy to fetch someone for you."
Sense Motive 5
It takes Hamathin a moment to orient himself in all the confusion, but he sees the dripping hand at about the moment the lanky human [ooc: Benedetto] calls for a cleric. Hamathin races up the steps behind the armored warrior and looks for the injured (hoping he is not too late).
GM:
"Pfft," the half-elf scoffed. "If there's anyone here with any kind of authority, they would've heard me earlier. You're right, though, we should fetch someone. I'll take care of it. Wouldn't want the lady to have to inconvenience herself or anything..."
Rayne cast a glare of indignation at the other half-elf, shuffling off in the direction of the administrative offices. A moment later, he bellows another resounding call "ANYONE THERE?! YOU'VE GOT DEAD FOLKS IN YOUR RAFTERS! MIGHT WANT TO CALL SOME GUARDS!"
Mirra shoots a look up at the man with the black hair, "Ben right? I think I should take a look up there also but then I will be happy to fetch someone for you."
Benedetto waves her up, presuming she has some skill with either injured people or crime scenes.
He realizes that introductions are in order. "By the way, folks, yep, name's Ben. I'm a guardsman for one of the tradin' houses."
"Pfft," the half-elf scoffed. "If there's anyone here with any kind of authority, they would've heard me earlier. You're right, though, we should fetch someone. I'll take care of it. Wouldn't want the lady to have to inconvenience herself or anything..."
Rayne cast a glare of indignation at the other half-elf, shuffling off in the direction of the administrative offices. A moment later, he bellows another resounding call "ANYONE THERE?! YOU'VE GOT DEAD FOLKS IN YOUR RAFTERS! MIGHT WANT TO CALL SOME GUARDS!"
Mirra watches the half-elf walk off shouting for attention, Subtle, well if the culprit is still here he would have to be deaf or extremely stupid.
He realizes that introductions are in order. "By the way, folks, yep, name's Ben. I'm a guardsman for one of the tradin' houses."
"I'm Mirra."
Mirra starts walking up the stairs and as she passes Ben she asks."Trading house? Do you mean a Dragonmarked house?"
When she reaches the top of the stairs she takes a quick look around.
Sense Motive Check for Mirra (1d20=13)
(Spot check) (1d20=12)
"Urthona, message runner."
"ANYONE THERE?! YOU'VE GOT DEAD FOLKS IN YOUR RAFTERS! MIGHT WANT TO CALL SOME GUARDS!"
Benedetto turns towards the fading echoes and takes that in. "Well, he ain't never gonna make it as an assassin."
"Trading house? Do you mean a Dragonmarked house?"
"Yep. Tharashk."
He turns towards the elf bending over the body. "What's the story?"
"ANYONE THERE?! YOU'VE GOT DEAD FOLKS IN YOUR RAFTERS! MIGHT WANT TO CALL SOME GUARDS!"
"Hush!" Andrei hissed at him, still keeping his voice low. "If only out of respect for the wounded."
Spot Check. (1d20 1=19) - Looking for anything suspicious...
Obviously, the female half-elf was some kind of investigator - and it also seemed as though a healer was present.
"Can you tell me anything of what happened here? Is he dead?" Andrei asks, sheathing his blade, whilst directing his questions at the two apparently most knowledgeable about such things.
"I am Andrei. Soldier of the Silver Flame." He said, feeling that introductions would serve better later, but not wanting to seem rude.
"Yep. Tharashk."He turns towards the elf bending over the body. "What's the story?"
Mirra smurks at his answer, "I see, yeah I have had some interaction with that house a couple times." She walks over next to the elf. "...and other houses." she finishes under her breath.
"Is he dead?" she asks the elf as he looks over the body.
Squatting down next to him she looks over the body and the surrounding area.
Mirra finds the body of grey-haired man lying on his back, his arm out-flung and hanging over the edge of the balcony. It is the elderly beadle who called out closing time before. He lies is a pool of blood which spreads out underneath him, though the wound which killed him seem to be in his back, as they are not apparent from the front. His eyes are wide open with shock, and he is definately dead.
From the hall you left, you hear the heavy thud of the main doors to the museum being closed and the dragging sound of them being locked.
Shagraat's voice floats across the room to the others out of the deep shadows on the other side of the gallery.
"Did we just get locked in here? With a murdered employee? And no one answers the half-elf's challenge?"
"I suggest you all arm yourselves. Something is wrong here tonight. More wrong than one murdered usher." He looks around suspiciously. Are there passages at this level?
"It appears we do have time to introduce ourselves, after all," Hamathin says dryly. "Hamathin, of Aerenal."
When Shagraat suggests arming themselves, Hamathin looks down at the dagger at his belt. "I agree with Shagraat. Did anyone see serviceable weapons -- or armor -- in the displays? Unlike some of you, apparently, I didn't realize the museum would be so dangerous, even in human lands."
"Shagraat Gharuun. Well met Hamathin. Perhaps we'll fight together today, eh?"
Shagraat stands on the balls of his feet, senses tuned to the darkness around him.
Protecting the spell-slinger isn't urgent right now. Other things are.
"Urthona, get a move-on, will ya?" Benedetto gestures the shifter to follow him as he runs full speed for the door.
Did anyone see serviceable weapons -- or armor -- in the displays?
Protecting the spell-slinger isn't urgent right now. Other things are.
"Urthona, get a move-on, will ya?" Benedetto gestures the shifter to follow him as he runs full speed for the door.
Urthona and Benedetto get back into the main hall. This is now completely deserted. The main doors - impressive things about 10' high and made of densewood, are now closed. It is very quiet - the museum is in one of the more out-of-the way parts of the university, and it is unlikely anyone much is passing at this hour.
Upon hearing the museum doors snap shut, the sarcastic half-elf's demeanor darkens. His eyes dart from shadow to shadow, his brow furrowing in anger.
Inaudible to all but the keenest ears, he muttered to himself: "F@&~."
Slowly he backed away from the administrative offices, returning to the main hall to join the others. "Glad to see we're all friends. Times of crisis create strange bedfellows. I'm Rayne."
Though visibly humbled by the mounting terror of the situation, the half-elf's sarcastic smirk persisted. Introductions had always been his favorite.
Rayne. He had chosen it as a name because it could mean so much if it wasn't written out. Rayne. Rain. Reign. Rein. It was all the same in speech and oh how the changeling loved to talk...
"Anyone have any idea what's happening here? Is this some kind of twisted test for us? I just wanted to find a job!"