As the one soul with the least amount of wealth of any sorts displayed he made his way to the innkeeper and inquired/acquired a nice spot in a corner for his companions. He mentioned being travelers heading up to Falcon's Hollow in a few days and made sure to pay enough to acquire 'blankets'. He had no intention of sleeping under those that was for sure.
He did his best to make the evening pleasant for Naulla, talking about his home and clan, his travels. He didn't add that he was undertaking his Djimma, that much was probably obvious. Nor did he add he thought she was a very beautiful catfolk. He made sure that when they went to rest she was placed in the furthest corner and that he and Krogge were between her and open air.
Randu has a blanket to prepare, of his own, and he trusts it more than what they'd loan out. He also talks to his famliar quietly "Sage, when it gets dark, I need you most of all to keep an eye out. Give a hoot if you see this stalker, but don't be a fool and don't hesitate to fly back out of distance."
The walls of the inn are quite thin, keeping out neither the sounds of wagon wheels, hammers, saws, and other tools of industry nor the chill of the night wind. Nevertheless, many other itinerant workers quickly crowd into the lodge-style inn. A surprising few shell out the coppers for blankets or other items. The only food to be found is what they bring with them: mostly crusty rolls and boiled vegetables from street vendors, with no protein to be seen.
The party, accompanied by Naulla, claim a corner to camp out and bed down for the night. There you while away the hours of dusk, waiting for the Axeman.
In the meantime, Naulla speaks softly with Rrruh. She talks at length about the philosophical writings of Jubbanich, losing herself in her enthusiasm for the subject. She praises what's been born from those writings in Andoran while mourning how it was perverted in Galt.
The hour grows near midnight when Sage's insistent hoots float down from his perch atop the inn's roof.
Randu whispers "Sage thinks he sees the stalker." And the halfling gestures, creating a new sleeper, close to the entry way where he thinks the attacker is most likely to show. A pale haired human woman , whose beauty shines despite her dishevel. Vulnerable.
Rrruh was absolutely enthralled by Naulla. Just lost in her words and her enjoyment of the philosophes enjoyed by her. He was almost ashamed to admit he wasnt as familiar with the man's writings as she was, but he knew enough to follow along just fine. He almost forgot why they were there or that he was there with his companions even, until Randru's whispers cut through.
"Do not be afraid Naulla my friends and I will protect you."
None of the other sleeping, snoring patrons of the inn take notice as a vision of silent beauty takes shape upon the floor in their midst.
Rrruh tears his eyes from Naulla and scans the open rafters above. The long inn, more akin to a squat lodge, is only a single story, so it would be easily within Rrruh's acrobatic prowess to spring off the stone wall and clamber atop the rafters.
However, the wooden beams look quite decrepit. While they are unlikely to break beneath the weight of a single catfolk, they are liable to produce an audible creak or groan - albeit one that may be drowned out by the sounds of snoring and flatulence from the sleeping loggers and laborers.
Rrruh springs up to the rafters, swiftly and silently pulling himself up. The old rafters make nary a sigh as he claims his vantage point above the sleeping patrons.
A large, looming figure climbs through an open window in the northeastern corner of the flophouse masquerading as an inn. The heavy overcoat he wears only serves to emphasize his hulking frame. A wide-brimmed hat and scarf conceal his face.
He picks up a logger's axe propped up against the wall and scans the shadowy room. He then quietly picks his way across the floor, carefully avoiding the other lodgers laying upon the floor like heaps of cordwood, and makes his way towards the party.
He took a moment to steady himself on the rafters visualizing his actions. The monster had a clearish path to Naulla, he should have planned this better. He leapt flipping through the air and drving his fist torwards the large creatures face as he came crashing down.
He realized at the last moment his blow was off and likely wouldnt strike the form in the head at all. This was embaressing.
For the halfling's part, he decides to move closer slowly to Nualla as stealthy as he could to protect her if need be what am I doing? and maintaining his illusion
Sweet Pea blearily opens her eyes, roused by her companions' movement. "Whoops, didn't mean to fall asleep..." She looks around blinking against the dark, until her gaze falls upon the hulking shrouded figure advancing upon them. Rrruh dropping from the ceiling is the final event that brings her fully awake. She jumps to her feet and shouts, "LOOK OUT! It's the AXE GUY!!"
As she points, her eyes flash with greengold light, and an unfelt wind ruffles her hair, bringing with it the sound of rustling leaves. A barklike texture embosses her skin.
The Axeman is caught unawares by Rrruh. Perhaps he was too distracted by the lovely illusion, seen in the corner of his eye, to notice the monk lurking among the rafters. Unfortunately, in his haste, Rrruh's first strike falls short of its target.
Randu draws forth an iron nail, and mutters "Be as Iron in thy joints, be as iron in sinew. Move like iron, not at all. And then this the spell takes it's due, and the axeman stiffen to iron's call."
He drew his fist way back telegraphing his next punch... only then he spun with it turning it into a spinning heel kick his foots leaving trails of what appeared to be snowflakes.
Right after Rrruh's second ill-fated attack, Randu's spell seizes hold of the Axeman's muscles and freezes him in place, his axe in midswing.
Krogge runs down the ramp and leaps beside Rrruh, ready to aid his friend in battle.
Elsewhere, the posted Toothknockers listen in, puzzled by the sounds they hear from inside. The innkeeper also rises from his bed by the disturbance rising in his inn.
"That won't hold him for long" The Halfling warns I might try to slit his throat, but I can't reach the damn thing.
It wasnt the most honorable move but the way the axeman was sitting there stiffly left the opening so he took it. He took the end of the magical quarterstaff they had found and jammed it right into his throat.
For a fleeting moment, you may actually entertain the stories from locals regarding the Axeman's supernatural origins - if only because of how the stout man, wrapped in his overcoat, survives what might have been a killing blow for another man.
Randu is more practical, "Oh nine hells he's still alive." And taking his dagger, tries for a kidney on the fellow, that he can reach!
The Axeman, still struggling against the quarterstaff choking him, feels only a slight sting from Randu's dagger - far from enough to bring him to the Boneyard.
Krogge twists and closes, to take a strike with his greatclub on the Axeman, hoping to finish him off
In a mimicry of what the Axeman had in mind for you, Krogge's mighty club brains the would-be killer, reducing his skull to the consistency of wood pulp.
Silence falls back over the flophouse, save for the snores of the still sleeping patrons. You resolved the nasty business quickly enough to avoid disturbing the rest of the building's occupants. However, you can see shadows moving at the windows and hear muffled talking.
Whatever accomplices accompanied the Axeman will soon grow suspicious.
Never one for letting evil doer's triumph he moved to the closest shadowed window. With a very feline like smirk he whispered out.
"Hey, so uh. That axeman sure is scary... how scary would be the folks that took him out do you think?"
It is hard to say which frightens the Toothknockers more: the sudden appearance of Rrruh's face at the window, looking very much like a panther emerging from the shadows; or the news that their bogeyman comrade has been taken out.
Whatever the reason, the result remains the same, and the gang of Toothknockers scatters among the Oregent alleyways, fleeing to avoid arrest - or worse - at the hands of their would-be victims. They fail to keep their voices down as they run, and some of the other Axehandle Inn guests begin to wake upon hearing the ruckus.
"Okay okay, you're scaring ME now, Rrruh," Randu says
As Rrruh looks out the window, he sees an odd figure come out of the shadows.
It's an odd form, standing over 6 feet, Female in looks it has on a Black uniform with silver inlays. You see as the Toothknockers start to brake for it, the figure calmly rises some kind of hand weapon. And one of the Toothknockers falls, dead, then another is shot in the leg and cries out as a dart-like thing hits it. The other Toothknockers look back and a new fear grabs them as they run even faster to getaway. The figure walks over to the one shot in the leg. It points its weapon at the fallen evil dower and places its foot on the wound pressing, the injured man screams. Then the foot comes off and they start having a conversation.
"So my friends, as scary as I may be, there is a figure out there who just uh... took out one of the bad guys. Tall too."
He began tilting his head and watching the figure in the distance. He glanced back to Naulla to make sure she was okay.After all it wasnt everyday a murderous hitman was sent after you and a dashing, sauve, handsome heroic figure and his friends took him out for you.
"Should we say hello to that figure? see if we can't get to the person responsible for this ugly guy or shall we deal with the fallout here first?"
The figure outside is talking when the hurt Toothknockers faints falling back and come back fast with a knife. Stabbing the leg of the tall figure. The blade seems to stick in the stall stranger's leg, who Shoots the Toothknocker point-blank. A bolt in his head, obviously dead the Toothknocker falls back.
The tall stranger then puts its weapon away and inspects its leg and the dagger sticking out of it, but then the stranger just falls over and is still.
Randu has to help himself up to take a peek, then blinks "Did that 'figure' just just kill one of our enemies quick as you please?"
The oddest thing, the from on the floor seems to give off blue light.
The light dims and the figure's arm comes up and flops to its leg, wherewith some effort it grips the dagger and pulls it out slowly. It seems to look at it a moment then it Lets the blade clattered to the street. Slowly with some effort, it stands. Wabbles a bit then starts to walk towards the building they are in. With each stride, it seems to get stringer. Soon it's at the Axehandle Inn's door. Banging on it,
"By warrant of the law let me in"
Says a strong but firm female voice.
Randu sighs, "I think the fall out has come to us." And ..with reluctance, he opens the door and moves to the side
She steps into the room, but nods at Randu as he lets her in.
You can see she is bleeding from the leg wound, the blood is blue in color.
"Thank you my good Halfling"
She now takes in the hovel looking around slowly.
"My name is Special Investigator Night, and I have reason to believe that a perpetrator of a number of murders entered this building a short while ago. They would be a large person in hooded garments. Possible wielding and an Axe. Are any of you aware of such a described person in the vicinity?"
She asks this in a deadpan voice and in all seriousness.
"You're welcome, I suppose, my good..." His eyes fall on the blue blood "Whatever you are." a cough Special Investigator Night. I'm Randu, this is Rrurh, Sweatpea, and Krogge."
He doesn't mention Nualla because well, Rrurh seems sweet on the girl and might want her to have plausible deniability
Then at her question, "We might have had an encounter with him." Just as deadpan but perhaps not as serious.
She nods at each in turn and seems to pay no heed to Nualla.
"A possible encounter you say"
She takes a small notebook and pencil stick out ready to take notes.
"Would you be willing to tell me about it Mr Randu? Note that time is of the essence as this killer will, I have no doubt, strike again, possibly tonight."
She seems sincere, wanting to catch this killer.
She has not blinked on the whole time she has been in the room.
She is a construct of some kind, but not like any you have seen before.
His ears flickered back and forth as his gaze fell on the stranger in front of them.
He didnt think she was a normal humannoid being. Not that any of them really fit what was normal in these lands. She seemed to really want that axeman dead.
"I am afraid that if you wish to speak with whom we believe to be this axeman you will need a priest yes yes."
He began simply pointing a claw at the fallen body.
"We also have beliefs that he is a lacky of some shady members of the consortium which we are looking into getting to the bottom of."
He finished making his way to Naulla to see if she was okay. He moved slowly to her kneeling and offering a soft smile.
"Are you okay Miss Naulla? do you think there will be a further threat to your life?"
Sapphire makes notes as Rrruh talks jotting down everything he says about the axeman. Then she puts the notebook away as she walks over to the body. She kneels down next to it and takes off her backpack. Opening it she proceeds to take out some small veils and a set of tweezers.
She moves about the body.
"There have been six victims so far, spread across four attacks at four locations. The threads in his clothing places him at the site of the 1st attack."
After which she starts scraping off the dirt from the dead man's footwear.
"This mud on his boots places him at the lumber lodge of the second attack."
She scrapes some colored flakes from under his fingernails.
"The paint under his fingers matches that of the Axe used in the third and fourth attacks.
She stands back up.
"Well done you seem to have put an end to the Axe-killer"
She takes out from a coat pocket a folded piece of paper and writes on it. Then offers it to them.
"This is a copy of the warrant for the capture dead or alive of the murder known as the Axe-man. I have written I have verified this is indeed the Axe-killer and signed it, any bounty is now yours"
After they take it, she seems to relax and looks around she finds a place to sit, taking her pack she sits.
"Well now you have done me a great service, so in payment, I will offer you my services in tracking down this fellows compatriot in crime. This is if you will accept my Help, for in truth I am looking for this consortium.'
She remembers her leg and taking out a healing kit and starts to work on the wound. As she does she adds.
"Outside I came across some of the street gang known as the Toothknockers, Who I believe where helping this fellow, this was confirmed when one of them told me they had sent him in here."
She stopped the bleeding.
"Unfortunately that individual stopped being cooperative and is now dead. So I or we may have to find others to talk to"
She kept working on the wound waiting to see what they would say to her offer.
Then she thinks it best to point out who she answers to.
"And to put you at ease, about who I am, I work for Magistrate Regere"
The interrogation had Randu wondering if he needed a barrister for self defense and he's glad when their catfolk companion takes the lead. The Bounty mention makes him raise a brow.
"Thank you kindly. Ah, give us a moment to consider your offer"
She nodded in understanding and got up.
"I need to talk to this establishments owner about the removal of the body. Take all the time you need"
and left them as she went to look for the owner.
By now, the entire population of the flophouse has woken up. A few seek to flee and escape the scene, dominated by the slain Axeman and the party around him. Most, however, simply scramble to secure their meager belongings, keep to themselves, and wait for the spectacle to pass without getting involved.
The angle of Naulla's ears suggest lingering fear, and she is clearly trying to bring her heart and breathe back into line after she short, brutal confrontation with the Axeman. She simply nods when Rrruh asks if she is okay, but it takes a few moments for her to find her words.
"I'm not sure if they will seek revenge," she whispers to Rrruh and the party. "If this woman does work for the magistrate, then the Consortium might be pressured into curtailing their crueler activities for a time. Then again, with how much control they exert around the city, they still might not fear to act openly and brazenly."
...
Sapphire finds the innkeeper in his backroom behind a door in the southeast corner of the inn. This single room seems to serve double duty as office and bedchamber for the man, who is currently busy shoving copper and silver coins, brass and iron jewelry, the odd bit of amber or agate, and other small trinkets into a rucksack.
Sweet Pea pokes at the body with her foot. “Huh, I thought he’d be scarier.” She droops a little. “I didn’t even get to hit him once.”
She perks up hearing about pursuing the Axe Guy’s masters. She approaches the strange law woman. “Hi, I’m a Sweet Pea! You’re really tall, what are you? Where are you from? I’m from the woods!”
She sized up the sene in a moment. She knows about this individual and his reputation but there is not a warrant for him. So she enters and points at his bed.
"Have a seat Mr. Renardier, and I would suggest you not leave just yet. Not unless you wish me to go and tell your clients their missing things may be found about your person."
She takes out her note pad and writes a short note, handing it to him.
"That is the address I wish you to have the body outside sent. You will be paid on delivery have no fear. Do we understand each other Mr. Renardier?"
She gives him a cold hard look until he blinks and looks away
Then she left.
Coming out she is stopped when she finds Sweet Pea in front of her.
She looks down at the odd plant-like being. Then crouched down to get closer to eye level.
"I'm normally the one asking the questions, but... Yes I suppose I am tall to someone such as yourself. As to what I am, I'm a synth-golem, a construct-copy of a now long-dead person and I am from the city of Almas, seconded here, to work for the local magistrate for the time being. So what of yourself, what are you and where are you from?"
"Any woods in particular?"
She glanes at the others trying to assess who and what they are.
She stood back up, her eyes glow blue as her night vision picked them out. What an odd group. The confident Sweet Pea, a well-muscled and by the looks of him capable Catfolk Krogge, and the halfling Randu who had introduced them. But who was this Miss Naulla?
"I'm not sure if they will seek revenge," she whispers to Rrruh and the party. "If this woman does work for the magistrate, then the Consortium might be pressured into curtailing their crueler activities for a time. Then again, with how much control they exert around the city, they still might not fear to act openly and brazenly."
"Well, I'm not a people person by nature, but I fear I was a bit rude to her.." A lower voice "Frankly I don't know what she is but she gives me the heebies. She's odd. And I know odd. I just don't know her." Then he says "Naulla, I don't know if things are settled or not, but I think for now, odd or not, our group should work with this Investigator Knight for a bit. The one thing we DO know about her is she fought against those that are our enemies. Doesn't mean she's a friend, but she appears to be an ally. Still gives me the heebies though."
"North of Falcon's Hollow. I've only been out of the woods for a few weeks and I've met so many interesting people!"
She glances at Sapphire Knight's wounds. "Are you hurt? I can help with that a little, if you want."
She looked down as her leg.
"Yes I am, and if you can render help that would be appreciated. What do you have in mind"