As the Pale Knight pads back to one of the breaks in the wall an enraged humanoid crow leaps from the darkness while screeching, "EEeeeeeeiiiiii!" The humanoid has oily black feathers, glittering eyes, and a sharp beak. It slashes at the Pale Knight with its two claws!
Somehow, the Pale Knight manages to evade both claws!
The Silver Shadow leaps beside the Pale Knight and casts a spell at the humanoid. A swirling stream of colored lights fills the area around the creature.
The Fiend, injured as he is, casts Shield on himself but is hesitant to advance right now.
Adun's quick reactions are all that save him from the crow-man's sharp talons as he hears the strike split the air in front of him. Unsure if he recognises the creature he nonetheless brings his gauntlets up, settles his weight and launches a punch at the thing's head.
The Silver Shadow creates a burst of color and engulfs the crow-man.
The creature fall unconscious!
Carl examines the unconscious humanoid. Does it look like it lives here?
"Does anyone have any rope? If we tie the creature up, we may be able to reason with it once it wakes up." He looks around to see if there are any others hiding nearby.
The Fiend pulls out a silk rope from his satchel and hands it to Adun. "You can tie the tightest knots. You should try."
"Birdman? Underground? This keeps getting weirder and weirder..."
"Once we secure this" the Beast pauses, not sure exactly what manner of creature this is "person, we should check the area. There might be more threats down here."
Adun takes the rope, glad that the birdman wasn’t going to get another chance to attack, and ties him up like tying up a roll of roofing felt, trying to get it done before his opponent woke up.
Carl watches Adun's competence, a little embarrassed at his weak frame. One day, young man, magic will make you stronger. Carl blinks at the voice in his head. Young man? he thinks, surprised.
The Pale Knight ties the ropes tight and the creature starts to wake as he finishes. The creature struggles against the bonds, thrashing violently and speaking in dark gutteral screeches.
Blue Thorn fetches a rope from her pack and cuts a length of rope, handing it to The Pale Knight as he finishes tying up the creature.
"We have more of this place to look over, who knows if he has friends hiding down here. Better to gag him until we clear out the space." As she speaks, Blue Thorn is watching down the unexplored passages.
"Good thinking, my friend," Carl says to Blue Thorn. "From what I remember about these creatures, they aren't particularly social, though they do form squabbling corby parliaments in their underground lairs. If there are more of them about, it would be better to avoid their notice."
"Looks like a dire corby, I've heard of people being ambushed by them in tunnels during building works. Does anyone speak it's language?" Adun asks, backing away from the thrashing creature and hoping his knots hold up.
"A dire corby? I've never heard of that. What a weird name. Looks dangerous. What shall we do with it?"
"If the creatures are that aggressive, we cannot leave it to wander the city. It will certainly harm someone else. It's not local to the area, right? It's come from elsewhere."
While Darius is typically soft-spoken, The Fiend's more pragmatic side is showing. "Unless someone knows a way to be safely rid of it, of course."
Wishing to forestall where this conversation seems to be going, the Beast shakes his head. [b]”As long as we can be sure the ropes will hold, let’s hold off on a decision until we’ve finished scouting the area. Laria will want to know who’s been filching her stores, and might have a way to handle this...Corby, was it?”[/dice]
"It is a fascinating term," Carl burbles to Agnes while the others discuss what to do about the creature. "From the early Taldane, I believe, corvid, and shortened to corvy and finally corby. They appear to be very similar to tengus, I believe, though both creatures developed independently in very different regions."
He tries speaking several words to the corby in Strix, Shadowtongue, and Infernal, but does not get a recognizable response. "I don't think I do," he responds to Adun, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Let's leave it here then," Adun suggests, realising they have no way to communicate with the creature. "We may find something that helps us understand it further into the tunnels. Let's have a proper look in here," he adds, raising his magically-lit gauntlet and stepping into the chamber from which the corby emerged.
Looking in the chamber that the corby emerged it is empty save for general debris. On the corby itself is three copper bracelets and a silver locket bearing the Elven rune for “mother”. Within in the locket appears to be bits of eggshell.
Leaving the tied up Corby where it is, the group continues to search through the last remaining passage way. Through it reveals stacks of unopened crates, some draped in moldering tarps, fill most of the space creating a maze. Two tables sit in the center, scattered with playing cards and a smoking, unlit lantern.
"There shouldn't be many rooms left. I'll keep watch over the corby to make sure it doesn't free itself. Give me a shout if you find another threat." The Fiend leans against the wall by the Corby, holding his rapier in his hand.
"Take care then," Blue Thorn gives The Fiend a nod, and pushes the rest ahead to explore.
Carl looks quizzically at the tables. "Creatures more intelligent than that dire corby must have been here recently. Perhaps they heard us fighting the crocodile and fled?" He approaches the table, attempting to determine what game was being played.
"That seems likely." The Beast says, following after the Silver Shadow and looking around the maze-like crates that fill the room.
"Ill provide you with some backup Fiend."
Agnes dismounts, and gives Laika the command to guard.
She then leaves to take a look trough the room with all the crates.
"Looks more like some kind of waiting room. Maybe smuggelers? Play cards while waiting for a boat to show up?"
”They can’t have gone far,” Adun muses, ”their lantern is still warm.”
He turns towards the empty space and shouts ”We’re not here to hurt anyone! We just want to make sure it’s safe down here!”
A single creature steps out of the shadows, a blade knowingly held in each hand of this tengu. "We've been listening and watching, who are you and why are you here?"
Adun reflexively wants to raise his fists to protect himself but he tries his hardest to present a non-threatening appearance to the Tengu. "We're colleagues of Laria, the woman who owns the coffee house above," he says pointing towards the ceiling. "She hadn't heard from her friend Nan in a while, so we came down to look," he explains.
"Now you know who we are - who are you? What are you doing down here? And are you responsible for the corby we captured?" Adun asks, forcefully but not aggressively.
Carl looks pleased and proud when the tengu reveals itself. "Ah! Whereas you, of course, are clearly tengu, not a dire corby like the creature that attacked us. The differences are obvious! Will you do us the honor of speaking with us, as fellow travelers of the world? We would prefer to avoid a fight."
The Blue Thorn relaxes her guarded stance, and flagrantly stows her weapon as the Silver Shadow speaks, hopefully making clear their desire for discourse.
Adun hopes that his forceful words haven't hampered Silver Shadow's much more eloquent attempt at negotiation.
"I am sorry if we scared you. we had a run in with a crocodile and the corby that the Silver Shadow mentioned. We're all a big high strung at the moment, but we mean you no harm."
The tengu nods while she fidgets again with the knife, spinning it with a little less nervous zeal than a moment ago. "My name is Korva, my sisters and I just want out of here. That Corby, her name is Chough. She killed Nan and got us all stranded in this foreign sewer without a guide. To be honest, I've been working up the courage to deal with her myself, so I thank you for handling that." She takes a few breaths to think for a moment and sizes you all up. "Not fighting is agreeable to us as well, but I'm not sure how far I can trust any of you and I know I can never trust that damned city above. What do you propose here?"
Carl shows his empty hands and steps forward to continue the conversation, discussing the situation with them in his observational, reasoned style. He allows ample opportunity between points for others to chip in. "The city above has become difficult for many of us too, as the powers that be have begun implementing and enforcing draconian laws designed to alienate and divide the citizens of Kintargo. It is our purpose to fight them, and establish a better place for all peoples of the world to live and prosper. There could be a role for you and your sisters in this endeavor, if you were of a mind to help us. Tengus, as everyone knows, are exceptionally talented with blades and adept at passing secret messages, and if you were to join the Silver Ravens as agents of the revolution, you would surely profit from the oppressors' losses at your hands."
Blue Thorn steps slowly beside The Silver Shadow. She tugs back the sleeve of her right arm, revealing a tattoo. Styled like a stained glass window, a rose lay in a bloody street.
"I fight the oppressors as a matter of my faith, perhaps you could trust that."
Her knife lowers a bit more, "Is that why some of you wear masks and disguises? Because you're fighting for a freedom that could cost you and your families your lives?" She looks to the side of the room towards a dark corner. "If we agreed, what would be next? Would we live down here with free access to the city or do you have somewhere else that is safe for us to go? And what would our voice be in this revolution? We're not scared of the work, but we're not blind peons." She then adds in quickly, "We stay together too, the four of us sisters. Together or nothing."
Agnes holds out her hands in a neutral gesture.
"We do indeed wear masks to protect those we hold dear. I've lost too many already to the beasts who make the law. Most of us here do have legitimate businesses. Fighting for freedom is something we do because we feel that we must. Living down here would work, altough it is less then pleasant, but then again, its safer then staying up on top. I dont think even I could come up with an excuse why I would suddenly would have hired four helpers."
Carl smiles pleasantly through the shadow of his cowl, nodding to Agnes and Brianna with enthusiasm. "Yes, yes, indeed! We are risking much to fight our oppressors, but it is a worthy cause. I believe now that we know what has happened to Nan we can return these passages to their purpose in service of the revolution, and I do not think anyone would object to you and your sisters remaining here to help us if you have a mind to do so. We would welcome your thoughts and advice on how best to strike against the agents of House Thrune or rebel against their policies. All of your voices are welcome."
Adun stays quiet during the exchange, in awe of Carl’s eloquence and passion. ”Anyone who wishes to fight with us to throw off the yoke of Thrune and make this city what it once was is welcome here,” he adds.
Three more tengu slowly creep out of the shadows. These are a bit more timid and keeps Korva between them and yourselves. "Fine, if you can help us arrange food and access to the city, we will stay here and help you as long as it's not total suicide. Who are you all anyway? You said something of Silver Ravens before?"
"We can easily get you food from upstairs. We're still working on how to get hidden access to the city though, but we'll do what we can," Adun says, trying to reassure the tengu.
"As to us, we're a group of citizens concerned about the direction being taken by the city we love. The Silver Ravens are a group of freedom fighters from Kintargo's past. It's been suggested that we take on that title, to inspire our fellow Kintargans and to free the city from the tyrant Barzillai Thrune."
The tengu's nod and seem comfortable with their situation for now. "The Corby, what will you do with Cough?" Korva asks before you leave.
Carl looks uncomfortably at the others. "We have subdued Chough, and had hoped not to have to kill her. What do you think should happen to her? If we released her, do you think she could find a place to live somewhere else?"
"We've known Cough since she hatched and still don't trust her. She loves to kill too much, has grown too short tempered. We fear she'll kill one of us if we don't put her down first. If you're not comfortable doing it, I suppose I can. We were preparing to soon anyways."
Agnes sighs a deep sigh. "I suppose that is inevitable then. If Cough has become a danger to you, something must be done, and caging her is not much of an option. I dont know what she was to you, but Ive had to put down my share of animals down the years. While I dont look forward to this task, I can assist you with it."
From the side, the Beast nods. "Sometimes unpleasant tasks are necessary. I will aid as well, if need be."
"Well, if Cough has kept you imprisoned, and you can confirm she is a killer, I agree that execution is appropriate. Has she harmed the innocent?"