"I ah suppose that could work. Err seems like it would attract people would they be the right sort."
Good, The queen nods getting up from her seat walks over to the young man who brought the tea Wyl, my darling would you kindly go have the guards begin informing the town. We will hold the event here in the throne room this afternoon. She says with a smile toward the young human, you note the silver pendant he wears glows blue briefly as she makes her request.
Yeah sure he mutter's quietly and briefly walking away.
The queen turns back to you two, I believe we have an event to set up for, Would you mind helping me move this table into the throne room? She asks politely, clearly excited about the future event.
He seems nice. Maria mentions as she prepares to move the table.
I didn't think it was that good an idea.
The queen helps lift and move the table and chairs into the throne room. she being's lighting up various torches and lights to brighten up the room.
Wyl? Yeah, we've been together for a while now...I'm sorry for his behavior, he was exiled from the tribes...ever since he's been awkward around other humans. The queen explains
The crowds of contestants disperse, all except the chosen two. A young sylph woman dressed in white and gold robes get's up from a small table where the three judges sat. Welcome to the city, and congratulations. Your performances were quite impressive. I'm Cera Blackthorne, queen of the sylph people and High queen of all Idris. From now on, you will be accepting bounties and payment from either myself or my assistant Wyl, were ever he went off to.
As she speaks, a pale, young man, with blonde hair walks into the room, clearly out of breathe. He's carrying a white mask, a thin purple smile painted on it, it bares a happy expression. Cera, there's a problem. The young man pulls the queen aside looking distressed.
The queen moves to her throne sitting down, The young man follows obediently standing next to her. As i'm sure you know, every guild has a sponsor or mentor to watch them. Generally this person is an experienced adventurer or bounty hunter in there own right. How ever your's has been kidnapped, I had Ashling out on a job in the city as one of the two members of my personal court. According to Wyl, she was taken during the mission...She was taken by the killer. Your mission Should you choose to accept it, find the killer and do whatever you must to stop him and bring Ashling back. Prior to this event, i was unable to act in any official capacity, however your sponsor is also a member of my court, meaning That upon return and completion of the mission you each will be awarded 500 gold pieces, to make the mission easier you also have access to the armory to increase the mission's chance of completion.
Wyl, beside her finally comment's, giving the queen a chances to rest, Listen, normal procedure is we would give you four a chance to get to know each other first. I'm sure you understand the gravity of the situation. The killer's dangerous and intelligent, a virtual master alchemist.
A little shocked she had been picked, Aanya stood close to the others, she said nothing. She was trying to not look as naive as she felt. This was all new to her and she want to see how the others acted.
Brand smiles, "Ah welcome err you um both did well. We are the ah 'Greywater Storm.' Well now we are um. I am err Brand Hopespring."
"Ashling is er missing oh my."
Maria seems keen to continue being her warm self to the new recruits, pointing her thumb to herself, she speaks for the first time since the show began.
Maria. You two with us. A shame. I kind of liked being the tallest. We should be finished with our duty sooner than I expected.
She then turns to whoever's giving the mission
Where was she seen last?
Ashling seemed like a tough kid, but I still have to wonder how something like this will affect her.
Bump was humbled to have been picked on the talent show, and sincerely couldn't find much words to thank the queen and her advisors - other than greet them respectfully and smile. He signed for Shiva to greet them too, but the tiger didnd't really seem interested.
When Maria called them, Bump immediately followed. Shy, the Barbarian avoid their eyes as much as he could, but yet spent some moments discreetly analyzing the Goblin and the Human. Even more curious he was, however, about the other woman - the one chosen in the show, with him. He couldn't quite see her demonstration and was clueless as to what she was capable of.
Willow thin and tall IMAGE HERE Rosalyn bowing deeply to the queen, it seemed she had decided to speak and not only to the Queen but to the others.
"Your Majesty, I am the Lady Rosalyn Aanya_Luminuss a noble of the house Luminass of the city of Soliana and Battle cleric of Soriel. I wish to state that, House Luminuss is honored to have this chance to assist you in your needs."
One more bow then back up.
That formality being done, she leaned back up her hear what would be needed of her.
When Maria spoke she smiled back,
"please call me Rosa, most do."
Then looking at Brand she adds
"Thank you for letting me join the Greywater Storm company"
Wyl responds quietly to maria She was on an assassination mission here in the city, taking out a spy. Her mask, was found in an alleyway in the market area of the city. Along with a note, addressed to Cera. He's calling her out, trying to lure her out of the city.
Where do we find the market? After an answer, Maria gets up from her seat adjusting her armor before leaving.
Very shy, Bump tried to greet his companions and introduce himself.
Rosa... Maria... Brand... - he started, stuttering a little bit. The tigress by his side rolled her eyes - ... I am Bump. Er... Yes, Bump. And this is Shiva.
He pointed his companion and then smiled, trying to be friendly. Bump was simply too shy to even refer words to the Queen herself, limiting himself to bow again.
"If ah the mask was er found how do we know um Ashling is safe and er being lured anywhere. . . um maybe she's already taken?"
Looked on not really knowing what to add. She checked her healing kit and got herself ready.
The queen responds this time Yes, Brand, that the point, she has been taken...all we know is that the killer wasn't truly after her, all he car's about is the blood of his victims. Her's wouldn't do him any good, mine or Wyl's... or even your new companion's over there would definitely strike his interest..The Queen points to you Rosalyn in reference. There is little doubt in my mind this was to lure myself or Wyl out, I have only two members of my court other than myself, those would be Ashling and Wyl...i do not abandon my charges, at the same time i cannot take the risk personally. I do have a country to run after all.
You all leave the palace, their's a silence in the air as you walk through town. People whispering, staring at a marked off alleyway guarded by two men with spear's and heavy armor.
You walk up to them, they let you through. Shattered boxes, slashes and crumbles bit's of wall all clear signs of conflict. The alley itself doesn't seem to possess many clues at first glance.
One of the guards speaks up, briefly mentioning There was a dead body, a guard. we moved him to the morgue. His neck was snapped, not Phantom's usual method of killing.
After he talks she asks.
"O which morgue I may want to have a look at the body, see just how his neck was broken"
Then she has a fast look around.
Maria her search in silence. She specifically checks the gouges in the wall.
Look around, Shiva. - Bump says, speaking to the tigress directly on her language.
One of the guard's responds to Rosalyn, Only morgue in the city, at the very bottom of the island, take the tunnel's down until you can't go down anymore. The place is run by a kid looks to be about your groups age, named Faust.
The gashes in one section of the wall are thin, some crisscross, most likely from a sword of some kind.
While the other half are thick and deep in close groups of three, most likely from animal claw's or something similar
Brand looks about. What sort of things do investors look for? Didn't they get away. I better look the part we just signed on 2 new guys to our merc company.
Thrown away down the alley barely visible you find an oddity, a long white coat.
It's torn as if it has seen battle, there is blood on it still wet.
Cast aside, a broken blade (Long sword sized, though not designed as a longsword) nearby also stained with blood.
knowledge checks may reveal more about these item's.
A heal check will count as knowledge medical.
She looks at the blade once it's found.
As they search, eventually Bump notices a long white coat. Clearly worn in battle, he can't avoid but noticing the blood in it. Yet, a broken blade nearby catches more his attention.
He handles the blade to his companions, still in silence, but as if inquiring their opinion.
Your check tell's you that the blood came from whoever wore that coat, and it was caused by the sword. The wound itself despite the amount of blood, would not have been serious.
Also oddly enough the blood has a very slight black coloring to it suggesting that it doesn't belong to a human
The blood is still fresh, you guess that if the group were to hurry Shiva could follow the scent to it's owner.
The blade itself, despite being broke you can tell it was a dueling sword though modified in various way's. you cannot tell for what purpose however.
Maria nods to Bump in approval. she turns her head over to the rest of the group with her findings.
Only some of these marks were made with the blade. The others, claws. Animals don't kidnap. Someone had a pet, like Bump.
She looks back over to the man she mentioned and glances to Shiva, nodding over in a suggestion to show her the bloody clothing.
Bump shook his head and got down to his knees, looking the tigress deep on her eyes as he magically spoke to her while holding the bloodied cloth.
Find the owner, sister. Use your senses. Just don't forget we're slower than you!
She might be able to track this person. We don't have a moment to waste, my friends. - he says to the rest of the group, immediately getting ready to follow Shiva.
Looking at the blood and sword.
"Well to me it looks very much like this blood came from whoever wore that coat, and it was caused by that sword. The wound itself despite the amount of blood, would not have been serious I think, some healing would have fixed them back up in now time"
She looks closer. .
"Black look to the blood as well, a slight tint. Kind of suggests its not human but some other race."
"Will the cat be able to track it?"
You take off like a bolt of lightning following the scent through the city. Following the scent it takes you lower and lower, eventually off the floating islands of the city and to the world below. You are lead down the mountain, to the west.
At the bottom of the mountain is the entrance to a dark forest.
she liked the other sort to see what was in the dark wood.
You see a actual dirt pathway, a road used and frequented by tradesmen that leads through the forest.
You notice that there are only a single set of foot steps that seem to be dragging something or someone.
Veering off of the trail is a trail of blood, is has a blackish tint to it. it seems to be leading elsewhere
You also see amidst the foliage, white strands of hair.
"I'm ah seeing blood on the um path here. Errr Is this grove from something being dragged." Brand points out a few things as the look at the path.
Looking interested.
"Gosh I say, your right master Hopespring, that looks like more of that black blood and that there is that white white strands of hair. This is an odd place"
She says, point to foliage,
Lady Rosalyn really dose seem to have not gotten out much. It all seems like one big adventure to her.
Floating rocks are peculiar. Maria responds to Rosalyn.
Should follow these tracks. May have to watch for wolves.
I guess we should investigate. I can help Maria take point, if she so desires, or go a little behind if you prefer. We might need Shiva's scent, however.
Bump is still fairly shy, but he's gaining confidence - especially with the prospect that someone is clearly very hurt, or being hurt even more.