"Thank you, that's kind of tha'." Ali smiles to 'Relshuhnt'; eyes darting to one side as he takes the mug bringing a slight sip to his lips. "Aye, hope he'll be fine for t'office tomorrow. Guess it's demanding work?" The personable youth says subtly.
"I expect he will be thoroughly hungover and will spend most of the day vomiting in one of the privies. It's unlikely he'll be of any use," the clerk says matter-of-factly. "The work can be demanding, but as long as one stays organized, it's a trifle really."
Suddenly, the precise clerk blinks once very pronouncedly.
Standing, he offers his hand and says, "Do forgive me. I have completely forgotten to introduce myself. I am called Relzand."
"Relzand, is it?"
Having bid his drinking companions farewell for the night, Armin finally sees it fit to approach the precise clerk. Ali's presence might have deterred such an action earlier, but perhaps Llewyn had rubbed off on him, for he was feeling rather bold. And rather drunk, for that matter. He acknowledges the boy with a nod; his memory was a tad off, but he could swear he saw him around earlier.
"I am not interrupting I hope."
Llewyn is completely oblivious to all things.
As the night winds down, he goes up to his room alone. Bidding good night to his new friends, and promising to see them in the morning. He doesn't feel particularly amorous this evening after having spent the end of the night playing pillow to a small dozing child, instead of. He'll make his way to his room. If he passes Cerwek and she expresses any interest then he will entertain some flirtations but will probably not ask her to bed, instead begging forgiveness etc, but he is not going out of his way.
He will make his way to his room and doze there until the morning.
There's a slight grinding sound as Ali pushes his chair back across the hard wooden floor of the tavern and with a momentary hesitation finds Relzands' hand with his own slight hand. Shaking it softly, Ali replies for both the newcomer and the clerk.
"I'm Ali 'Arper, of the Churlwood. Pleased to meet you. I was just sayin', that we'd look after his kaylied mate." the brogue is decipherable, despite the language barrier.
"Relzand, is it?"
Having bid his drinking companions farewell for the night, Armin finally sees it fit to approach the precise clerk. Ali's presence might have deterred such an action earlier, but perhaps Llewyn had rubbed off on him, for he was feeling rather bold. And rather drunk, for that matter. He acknowledges the boy with a nod; his memory was a tad off, but he could swear he saw him around earlier.
"I am not interrupting I hope."
"Relzand it is. Yes, you are interrupting," the man says without any irritation in his voice. "But if you are using that question to indicate a desire not to interfere in anything of importance, I believe you are safe to assume so."
"I'm Ali 'Arper, of the Churlwood. Pleased to meet you. I was just sayin', that we'd look after his kaylied mate."
"It is kind of you to offer. If this is true, I thank you for your kindness and will take my leave for the evening if there is nothing else required of me."
Relzand begins fishing in his purse for some coins to leave for the group's waitress.
"Nowt, I can thing of. Hope Desna visits you kindly and soundly." Ali says, trying not to chuckle at the fastidious precision of the clerk - even with regard to language.
Ali helps to pick up the drunken fellow and haul him across towards the fireplace before dropping him in a heavy wooden chair, whilst trying to be as careful with the inebriated fellow as possible - especially to avoid any vomitous accidents
Relzand cocks his head to the side for a moment at Ali's comment and simply stares expressionless at the young man. He blinks twice, then says without a hint of elevated pitch to his voice, "Ah!"
Nodding once, Relzand says, "Yes, because the goddess Desna watches over dreams. This is your way of saying 'sleep well.' I now take your meaning. Thank you again for you willingness to watch this colleague of mine while he sobers. Have a pleasant evening."
Dropping the coins he located from his purse on the table, the precise clerk turns to regard Armin. "I assume you chose to make your interruption for some purpose." No hint of sarcasm is evident in this statement. "I am intending to take my leave, so please go ahead with it, so I may determine if I should linger here."
Ali nods to Glen and takes a seat himself; "I'll make sure t' drunk clerk gets to sleep then I'll be up later - don't worry I won't disturb thee."
Patting Kalica on the elbow, the lad adds; "You'd best be to bed, it's alright you share the foreign investigators room." He reassures, leaning back in the chair and resting.
The other patrons of the tavern area may see that Armin approaches the precise clerk Relzand in the corner. Once Ali shuffles the drunk clerk into a chair nearer the tavern's hearth, Armin and Relzand speak quietly for a moment.
Following this short discussion, the pair stand, and Relzand approaches the innkeeper to arrange for a room. After securing the room key the precise clerk and Armin start towards the stairs on the far side. As they do so, Brokk suddenly pipes up louder than ever.
"" The slur makes him almost unintelligible.
""
Before anyone can stop him, Brokk climbs onto his stool and then the bar. From his perch up high, he roars, ""
He leaps into space, and true to his word, his powerful legs get him a much further distance than one would expect. But almost just as everyone's expectations are about to be stolen by an amazing feat, gravity reaches up and brings the dwarf down, so suddenly one would believe a spell of flight had abruptly ended.
Brokk Brokkson the XII crashes down onto the table peopled by the two gnomes and the half-elf and what remains of their feast. Impressively the table is several feet away from the bar lending some credit to the dwarf's claims. The poor table's legs give way, and, in a resounding crunch of wood, the round wooden disk of the tabletop falls to the floor scattering chairs, their occupants, and the remnants of food and tableware in all directions.
Atop it all, Brokk snores with the silence of war drums rumbling in the distance.
Kalica sits there, patiently waiting on Ali. After the nudge via elbow by Ali, Kalica let's out a long yawn but is interrupted as she bursts into laughter over the dwarf's failed flight attempt.
"Awe, Dwarves, never cease to amaze me. Strange creatures indeed. Let's be off to bed my friends. We have a long ride ahead." She waits on whoever she is sharing the room with to guide the way. Time for sleep is well overdue.
Glen nods to Ali "Do not worry Glen is thinking he may prepare concoctions for the day tomorrow before sleeping, he will like not be asleep when you arrive."
Looking curiously towards the Dwarf the small goblinoid agrees with Kalica "Yes Dwarves can be rather fascinating their work with masonry and engineering very high quality, much for one to learn there. Though Glen must say this is the first time he has seen one in flight."
When the ranger mentions they should be off to bed he furrows his brow slightly. "Apologies Kalica, Glen believes we must part now though he does not mind sharing, he expects the room is large and he takes up very little space, he has understood it is not appropriate in this case." Since Kalica seems to be waiting for someone to go with her, the hideous investigator seems to have taken her to mean they should go together. "Or did you only mean we should walk together? Glen can certainly do that. Ali intends to stay longer and the others have already made their way to their resting places." Peering towards the snoring dwarf on the shattered table he adds "Some probably more comfortably than others. Come, Glen will accompany you" He hops down from where he was sitting.
"Sounds good to me. I am just not sure which room I am staying in. If you could walk with me that would most appreciated." She smiles at Glen in appreciation. Stands up and waits for Glen to guide her.
When Kalica finds her way to the room that she is supposed to be sharing with Miyari, the catfolk is already unconscious, face down on the bed with arms and legs spread out so that there is not a lot of space left for a person of average size to occupy. The blankets and her body have also become entangled in such a way that it would be difficult to disentangle. Her tail also lashes quite inconsiderately; it's unlikely that Miyari ever has to occupy the same room as someone who can't rest in the corner of space that remains on the bed.
After bidding good night to Glen after she finds her room she opens the door and looks around to see where to sleep. She looks at the bed situation with amusement. I guess I won't be sleeping in a bed afterall. She laughs and then gently tucks Miyari in. She then pulls her sword off and swings her backpack around reaching into it and grabbing her blanket. She then lays it down near the door. Tomorrow will be even a longer day. Her thoughts then fade to sleep.
Leaning back in the wooden chair downstairs by the fire, the smouldering wood letting off it's rich heavy aroma. The youth's eyes wearily close;
Restlessly rocking back in the wooden chair, Ali drowsily pulls the patchwork blanket up for the bitter winter bites through even the growling fire. The occasional pop of the wood punctuates a low voice, father speaking low his usually soft tones have an aggressive quality that Ali'd only heard after playing in the woods and ripping irreplaceable clothes. The strangers voice causes Ali to open an eye, through the blurred vision; a large burly fellow with the smell of stale ale and foul tobacco. The harsh tobacco is met with harsh foul words and Ali's small nose twitches as they turn over against the hard wood.
Looking out of the deep woods, verdant and in springs bloom with the first buds exploding into emerald. A path of tiny white flowers lead to the precipice, a magnificent vista of a rolling valley of deep hills and ochre plains. Majestically stood, one hoof placed into an outcrop of granite, is a stag. It's ivory antlers reach for the skies, twisting turning hopefully but decisively towards the heavens - splintering but growing, the light slips down their length effervescing motes of colour of bridal cream to flecks of gold. A hoof smashes into the rock with a shower of sparks and the taste of cinnamon bitter in the back of the throat.
Regally Ali's hooves paw at the ground, feeling the power of the land deep within... the immense strength of the life of the land. Vivid the colours of the world seem more real than the clouded vision of the waking world, casting that sight out through animal eyes. Letting out a bray that rings through the deep forests, into the hollow hills where the folk dance and sing, through the trilithons - the portals to the other land.
Thick across the curved shoulders the heavy fur, damp with the weight of aeons... of life.... slowly transforms itself into a a robe. The ivory antlers twist into a crown that buries itself deep into the skull. Raising a hand in front of the eyes, it's covered with dripping gore and blood - the essence of the land... torn asunder.
Red...red as the fire that burns around Ali, the crackle as father house burns down around the youth. Sharp taste of the timber mixes with other more noxious fumes, Ali screams but only gets a lungful of air. Moving wildly in the familial cottage...
With a thump Ali, falls from the chair, dabbing with a shaking hand at the sweat beading across the brow Ali turns around and finds that none of the common room has awoke.
'Oh, it's returned....'
Ali sees Jellink humming some kind of tune while magic pours from her hands and slowly repairs the table Brokk smashed. The dwarf still lies snoring atop it, but the wood begins to rise up as the gnome's magic summons all the broken pieces together and returns the table to its previous sturdy state.
Picking it out of the bag, Ali inspects it by touch with a glance over to Jellink and the dozing elf.
Miyari thrusts her blade towards the Beast and for the first time, it meets resistance. Not the resistance of a friendly parry, nor the sudden stop of striking a training dummy or target. Resistance, but still passable as it cuts through flesh and organs. An act of true violence and of deadly intent.
"Focus on your footwork," says a familiar voice. "It's all in the feet."
It's impossible to focus on feet when the only thing keeping her hands steady is the rush of adrenaline. The Beast retaliates, and Miyari experiences violence in turn, blood trickles from the wounds. "No, no, you're doing it wrong. You'll get killed if you keep at it!" Her father's voice, she hears him there and calls, but no sound comes from her mouth, only an inaudible rasping.
Time stops. Fear vanishes.
Her father leans against their modest home, scarred visage looking on passively as his daughter, no older than ten, attempts to wield the longsword that she can barely wield and cannot without holding it in two hands. She lifts it above her head to swing against the target, immediately meeting the impassability. The solidness that is far beyond resistance. The dull thud of the blade on wood is heard only by her. She knows this.
They are inside the house, and the wiry but strong catfolk man polishes his prized grandfather clock. "I hope you never have to fight for your life, but if you do, you need to act decisively. But keep your guard up. Your mother and I, we can't protect you." He smiles wanly at the girl and then musses her hair, turning his head away and coughing into his other hand. "We won't always be able to be around when you grow up." She tries to speak, but no sound comes from her mouth, only a ghastly silence.
Time starts. Dread returns.
Miyari fights the Beast alongside her allies. They are tall and short and witty and dull, like shadows who she could identify if she really were to focus. But she is not focusing on them right now. She's certain that Glen is there. And perhaps Corinne, or maybe it's Kalica? She is not focusing on them right now. The Beast strikes at her again, and she parries, counterattacking. Soft resistance is met once again.
"Good," her father's voice speaks again, "You are learning something. Someday you could really have to fight." He holds his stomach, and blood drips down his darkly coloured chin. "I won't always be around when you grow up."
He falls. She moves to catch him, but the air feels like a thick impassable gel; her body encounters a soft resistance. She tries to cry, the thickness of the air catches her words and no sound comes from her mouth.
The smoke in the air was thick. Kalica could hardly breath. The heat from the fire was intense. She could barely make out the little girl's silhouette who was screaming, grasping onto her teddy bear in fear of it catching fire. The flames danced all around hissing and reaching out with thirsty hands trying to grab the two towards them. Kalica bit back her fear and rushed forward to grab the little girl. She could hear the creaking of the house as if giving way to the fire to be consumed. Soon the the entire house would be upon them and they were running out of time.
She reached for the little girl, the heat turning the girl's tears to steam evaporating away in the ever growing inferno. Once the girl was safely in her arms she turned and ran towards the door. Just then the roof gave way and a massive beam came crashing down in front of them before they reached the door. Kalica leaped back just in time to avoid the fate that would have been them if they had been by the door.
There was no time she thought as she spun around to look....there was a window. It was now or never. She hastily made for the window and without another thought jumped through it. The glass cracked and burst to the outside shredding Kalica's arms in the process. The fall was going to hurt but that was the least of her concerns. The bandits were still in the village, burning it down and soon they would be upon her.
Kalica wakes suddenly. Sweat dripping down her face. I thought I was over this. I am still haunted by that day.
She lets out a heavy sigh and tries her best to shake it off. She then starts to pack up her blanket and get her gear ready.
Miyari snaps up awake, making a very annoyed squeak when she realizes that the blankets are trying to strangle her! She starts to fight with them to get free, and does so quickly, throwing them against the wall. Her teeth are bared, ears folded back and tail puffed up.
She then smells that Kalica is present in the room, and quickly forces herself to regain her composure.
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Glen lays curled up in a small corner of the bed, since Ali did not come up to the room, there was enough space left that could fairly comfortably fit two medium sized humanoids, or perhaps one with Miyari's sleeping habits. He twitched slightly as he slept
"Oh pardon me" The creature, which Glen now could see was a cat, said politely in a feminine voice "I didn't see you there, are you looking to go in?" The jet black cat squeezes effortlessly out of the hole that seems far to small to allow her. "Sorry but I can't let you in, you'll scare off any decent folk. Bye bye now." The cat continues on her way.
Glen moves to follow opens his mouth to ask a question, but abruptly runs into thick iron bars that he's certain were not there a moment ago. He reaches through the bars towards the cat, but she was gone without a trace. Turning away from the bars he finds the wall gone as well and himself left alone in an iron cage. Correction it seems he's not alone there was a squirming mass in another corner of the metallic cage. Glen became aware that it was making noises speaking perhaps a rudimentary form of Goblin perhaps, he understood words here and there but they were nonsense. The mass suddenly surges towards him splitting into multiple shapes and spreading to the full width of the cage. As they surged towards him glen saw that the shapes for what they were, goblin children. They were as big as he was or rather he had been reduced to the size of a child trapped in the communal cage once again forced to fight his siblings back or be ripped to shreds by them. The tide of tiny goblins descends on him like an avalanche glen is unprepared and they easily overtake him. With a maddening ravenous gleam in their eyes, their combined mass bears down on him and drags him to the ground hand clawing at him everywhere, and tiny jagged teeth sink into his flesh.
Glen wakes with a start his breath coming in short pants he keeps his eyes closed until the panic of the dream fades his fingers touching the scar on his arm were the tiny teeth had marked him. Slowly forcing his eyes open he finds a pair of yellow eyes and a black feline face staring back at him, only inches away. "Did you know people consider black cats unlucky? Really as if the colour of my fur would have any bearing on your fortune" She said somewhat indignantly.
Glen furrowed his brow now that she mentioned it his luck did indeed turn quite foul last time he met her. "Come now" The ebony cat said as if reading Glen's mind "That cage nonsense wasn't my fault, that happened before you ever met me. You haven't even told me about that yet though you will someday" The strange cat talks as if time had no bearing on her, like she had already stolen glimpses into the future, and knew what the outcome would be, already knew everything he would say to her. She interrupts his thoughts by jumping onto his shoulder as he stands "We must hurry" she said seating herself on his small shoulder. "It is an important day, or at least it will be when it comes, the others are waiting for us." Glen couldn't help but wonder why they needed to hurry, time didn't seem to matter to this cat she talked about the future as if it had already happened either way he went along with her.
Following the black cat's directions he found himself once again staring at the wall. "Now you can come in" His feline companion said hopping down of his shoulder. "I guess I had better do the carrying this time." Glen suddenly found himself looking up at the cat as she towered over him. With some inspection he found he'd become a rather diminutive speckled frog "Come now, we mustn't keep the others waiting." Trying a jump his powerful amphibian legs easily launch him onto the cat's shoulder she then sets about easily squeezing into the hole at the base of the wall (door?) less than half her size, and taking froggy Glen with her.
The other side of the wall was just as interesting and intricate as Glen had imagined gears and cogs turned everywhere it was a maze of complicated machinery. Glen peering around wanted to stop wanted to examine each one find out how it worked and what it was for. The cat once again understanding without him uttering a word laughs "Don't be silly Glen you know more about them than anyone we spent years building them together after-all. Ah here we are everyone is ready." The cat stops in a grand hall a red carpet leading to an ornate throne, and Glen dismounts. The others he'd met at the bar were there lining either side of the carpet. The jet black feline walked purposefully up the carpet hoping up and sitting herself on the throne regally. A small bejeweled crown was placed on he head and an ornate cape around her shoulders. Yellow eyes turning towards the frog sitting nearby she speaks in a voice sounding more commanding than earlier "Your task is done foolish goblin your meager ambition is no longer needed, and we can't have you ruining the new kingdom." she makes a pointing motion towards Glen with her feline chin and addresses the others lining the carpet "Take him away." It is an excessive group to corral one frog and as they capture him Glen can hear the yellow eyed cat say "Nothing personal, I couldn't have gotten here without you after all."
Locked behind bars again Glen sits in the dark, he couldn't even tell if he was still a frog let alone how much time had past. An hour? A year? it seemed like an eternity as he sat there alone not even his savage siblings for company. A scraping sound came from somewhere slowly moving closer, and eventually Glen could see a dim light slowly edging closer swaying back and forth. The light made it all the way to the bars of his cell before Glen realized it was a small glowing jewel around the cat's neck. The cat easily slipped through the bars. "Hello old friend" She said softly, her voice sounded tired and she had clear gray patches around her whiskers she seems to have aged considerably since he had last seen her. "I've come to spend my last moments with you." She climbs into Glen's lap and curls up purring quietly "I have missed you, missed our time adventuring together... I don't suppose I deserve it" The cats words sound laboured as she makes an effort to push each one out "But can you forgive me? Can we... try again?"
Her soft purring ceases, and the jewel's glow dims, flickers, then leaves Glen once again alone in the dark. "We can try again Miyari" the goblin's strained voice chokes out "Just don't go."
Armin sat alone in his room, contemplating the titanic responsibility bestowed on him. It was more than he could have possibly hoped for. After several minutes he stands, intent on turning in for the night. His feelings of apprehension aside, the alcohol in his blood was still in effect. It did not matter too much - the nanites would purge it from his system in a few hours.
Laying down in bed, the android stares up at the ceiling, before quietly and quickly drifting off to sleep...
The question catches her off guard, but she does not miss a beat.
“That depends. What did I say last night?” she asks, her mouth curving into a small smile. He knew by now that she was being deliberately evasive. That the question was purely rhetorical. He decided to answer it anyway.
“That this is harder on you than it is on me.”
“Hm…”
She goes silent for a moment, tapping her chin. He could not tell whether this was merely a stall tactic, or if she was genuinely pondering the matter. It did not particularly matter to him, so he remained silent. She would grow bored of the game soon enough. But he did not expect what she said next.
“Perhaps it would be better if I just showed you.”
He blinked.
“What?”
“Do me a favor and close your eyes.”
He complied despite himself. Even with his eyes shut, he knew that she would approach him. He could visualize every one of her fluid movements. There was something strange about her. Only a few short days had passed since they first met, And yet, he knew that he could trust her completely. It was not something that he could bring himself to question.
He could feel her cool, delicate fingers brushing his dark hair aside, touching the back of his neck. It was such a simple thing, but the feeling was indescribable. What happened next was beyond his comprehension, beyond anything he had ever experienced. Of course, he had not exactly been alive for very long. For the first time in his life he smiled, feeling a thing that he now understood to be joy. For a fleeting second, he understood why it was that he could trust her so easily. But then he opened his eyes, and the image was shattered.
Her body was torn apart, strewn about carelessly as though it were garbage. Her face was a mask of cracked porcelain, her small smile frozen in time. The oils that once flowed through her veins now pooled on the ground, glistening in the dim light. He backed away hurriedly, his eyes wet. Dozens of different feelings that he had not even known to exist welled up inside him. But only one was starting to reach the surface.
“She helped you remember,” a voice said from behind him, calm and steely.
He spun around, only to find that he was looking into a mirror. The figure looked just like him, down to the very last detail. His voice however was not all like his own, and he carried himself differently.
“I… I don’t understand,” the one called Armin Albright stammered, frozen to the spot.
“She helped you remember,” his reflection repeats, approaching him with steady, purposeful gait. “I am here to make you forget again.”
His doppelganger snatches out, grabbing the sides of Armin’s head with a powerful grip. Armin tries to shout out, but his voice is gone. Try as he might, he cannot even move his body in resistance. The reflection forces his head to face forward, making him stare straight at him.
“Forget!” the reflection bellows, blinding blue-white lights pouring from out of his eyes. The earth below him shakes, the pressure in his head slowly builds, and all the stars in the sky grow closer as the light washes away everything that he is.
Kalica realizes it is still dark out. Even as she gathers her gear, she may of course choose to once again attempt to sleep or remain awake. Of course, Miyari has just thrown her blanket across the room and appears to be awake...
Ali warms his hands near the dying embers of the fire, a low grumble in his stomach reminds him that a midnight snack could be a good idea.
Nearby, Cerwek suddenly places her hand on her temple and gives her head a little shake. Frowning she turns and glances at the stairs, but then notices a bleary eyed Brokk is lifting his head from the table. Jellink and Broquart are speaking softly with some of the other servers, but they also pause and seem to look around the room slightly perplexed. There is an audible scrape of wood as the half-elf stands and his stool rubs on the wall. His eyes are wide open, and he is scanning the room with his hand on a wicked axe Ali cannot recall having seen on his person when he was eating. He must have retrieved it after Ali dozed.
Miyari's ears swivel around, "Kalica? Are you there? You're not in bed." She's not fully aware that she made it relatively impossible to be in bed in a comfortable way. "Do you hear that ringing? And..."
"I hear some footsteps," she whispers as she quickly gets dressed and grabs her weapons, "And ugh, that awful ringing... getting loud..."
The ceiling. Not a star in sight. Armin slowly rises from bed, still in a daze. How long have I been asleep? Only when he raises his hands to rub his temples does he notice the strange sound.
Wearing a frown, the android approaches the door and opens it, taking a look out into the hallway.
"Yes" Kalica whispers and frowns slightly. Perturbed by these strange events unfolding. "Prepare for battle little one." No longer caring about her blanket or her bag she quietly moves to the side of the door holding her sword with purpose.
Making sure to be on the side of the door that if opened she would be able to attack straight away. She will then stand there waiting, watching and listening intently.
As soon as she is decent enough and her armour is on, Miyari holds her longsword, following Kalica's instruction on the matter, sniffing lightly at the air to try to make anything else out. Noting that Kalica is being quiet, she tries to be the same.
Ali nearly takes a step back into the fire as the half-elve grasps the haft of an axe. Wrinkling his dirty brow at the increase in the tension in the room, the youth is torn between ensuring the sleeping clerk is alright and stability with the servers.
Sniffing softly, trying to ascertain if there's anything beyond the smoke and smell of stale beer, Ali kicks his heels and only then realises his boots are still on the floor underneath the chair.
The door itself is not particularly quiet as the hinges let out the tiniest squeal, however Kalica and Miyari are saved from detection as they were so careful, plus the fact that another person has opened their door as well much less quietly.
The three shapes freeze and all their heads swivel to regard Armin who blinks back at them.
"Go back into your room, traveler. Our business does not concern you."
The group waits tensely for the barbarian's response.
All the while, the mental crystal peal continues, evidently coming from the object held in the one's hand.
Glen slowly uncurls himself raising from the bed peering around the darkened room he quickly confirms Ali is not there, unlike the darkness he experienced in his dream the absence of light now did little to impede his vision.
He wonders at the bell chiming it didn't seem to be coming from outside and it wasn't whistling... should he still run? His droopy ears perk slightly as they pick up noise from beyond the door. Sounded like someone needed a lesson in stealth maybe Glen could teach them a thing or two.
He grabs his few things and his backpack before silently he creeps over to the door to take a peek and find out what's happening.
"Cloak and dagger. How fun," Armin remarks dryly, eyeing the weapons the trio have drawn, as well as their strange bell. His gaze narrows. "But seeing as your business woke me at this time of night, I would say that it does concern me."
The barbarian not-so-subtly reaches behind the door frame for the stout, spiked weapon he had left leaning against the wall.
Brokk wakes from his slumber groggy with the rancid smell of his own drool in his beard his head ringing from the drink.
He motions for a waitress and a drink, something to stop the headache.
Miyari slips through the door and keeps her blade drawn (though she currently does not hold it threateningly, more like someone who is concerned for her own safety with all this skulking about). She hisses a whisper at them, while trying to keep all in view: "It looks like you're skulking about in the inn that I'm staying, which is hardly something I can agree to remain ignorant of. State your business or I am raising my voice."
"Now, now," the guttural voice says again. "No need for you all to be concerned. I assure you, no matter what you think you can do here, it will go badly for you. Aside from the fact that we are here to retrieve something belonging to our master. You should return to your rooms and choose to forget you ever saw us."
"Y-yes...what can I get ya?" she says distractedly.
Before Brokk can respond, four humanoids enter the Dragon's Rest, most with hoods and cloaks pulled up and tight against the rain. One of the men loosens his hood and throws it back slightly. He approaches the bar followed by the others. He smiles with an almost excited expression and asks, "Are there any rooms available?"
"Another drink, one of the ones ye give to children."Brokk whispers queitly. "But don't tell no one! I have the worst head-"
He looks dumbfounded at the men as if he recognizes them. And the releases a belch from what seems like deep in his chest. "Pardon me, I have a terrible headache and could really use something to drink. I also seemed to have misplaced my things..."
Turning to side on, Ali bends over and grasps the poker to stir the fire gently. The heavy weight of the solid metal, whether cast iron or burnished brass Ali cannot tell, feels comforting in the uncalloused hand.
Kalica peers at them with her long curved Elven blade drawn. "Who is your master and what business do they have here?" She says menacingly.
Peeking out the door while still trying to remain hidden Glen spies swords in hands of Kalica and Miyari, if there was trouble he'd better be ready for it. He readies a bolt in his crossbow if an attack was made he could intervene to help out his friends.
The suspicious men don't seem to be lying, but skulking around in the middle of the night wasn't the way to retrieve something legitimately belonging to them if a battle ensued Glen would be ready.
Miyari narrows her eyes slightly and says, "Something? Some thing?" Miyari says twice, emphasizing 'thing' the second time around. "I'm not buying it, and I would suggest that you drop your weapons now and don't take another step in this direction. You wouldn't be sneaking if you didn't care whether anyone found you."
Armin glances around, realizing that he was not alone in noticing the intruders. "Sneaking? I had not noticed. They were so loud that they might as well have been stomping down the hallway."
Something...? Are they here for me? the android wonders, his weapon arm getting a little twitchy.
Probably because he has never seen a catfolk before, Miyari's appearance and slight hiss to her angry speech causes the one who had been holding the crystalline object seems to shrink away from her slightly.
As if Miyari's and Armin's attempts to be menacing somehow was an unspoken trigger, the three not-so-stealthy sneaks attack. This surprises no one, and Miyari's reflexes jump into action even before the trio's actions are complete.
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Miyari shouts, "Skulkers! Help!" to try and rouse anyone still sleeping by now to come to her aid, as she promised she would if anyone took hostile action.
She swings her longsword at Tracker.
Seeming to be unnoticed by shady being that just pouched the intriguing crystal, and in just the right position to possibly grab it for a closer look. So he pops out and reaches out to grab it, though he may not have asked permission.
Realizing he's now in close to these skulkers he draws his dagger in case he needs to fight in close.
Glen pops out of the room unexpectedly, and puts his hand in the pouch where the thief in the front had stashed the strange item. Caught off guard the man jerks away.
His movement simply makes it easier for Glen to pull his hand free clutching the crystalline object. A powerful ring almost like a church bell sounds in everyone's mind.
Even as the wave of mental energy washes over everyone, Miyari swings her sword. Off balance, the thief is not able to pull away and sucks in his breath as the blade cuts his flesh.
The thief who did all the talking shakes his head as the mental wave hits everyone. Blinking a couple times, he otherwise seems unaffected though his two cronies both reel and clutch their heads. Growling he lunges forward to attack Armin.
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Current order: Miyari, Lurker, Sneaker (dazed), Armin, Glen, Kalica, Tracker (dazed, shaken)
Standing by the fire, not being able to observe the strangers at the bar in the smoky taproom causes the old nervousness to materialise. For Ali had been very apprehensive during the journey across the stolen lands to this town, the feeling of being watched was strong.
There's a dull ringing, and maybe a noise from upstairs.
Armin lets out a shout of pain when the kukri slashes across his chest, drawing a spray of blood. His eyes flash dangerously, giving his assailant a vengeful stare. Before he can retaliate however, the wave of mental energy washes over him. The android blinks, the light in his eyes suddenly gone. He looks down at his wound, and then the weapon in his hands, as though trying to remember something he had just forgotten.