Anna chews on her lip as the others suggest courses of action. She winces at the temptation of letting the vampire hunters keep preying on them. Not that she liked the vampires or anything, it's just that this is likely going to start a turf war.
"Okay, new rule for us here in Caliphas: no scarves, chokers, or turtlenecks. Everyone gets to look at a neck upon demand. No hard feelings, right?"
Danica thinks back at what she knows about vampires, especially about their weakness. Aside from the sunlight, Danica remember that vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from mirrors or strongly presented holy symbols. However, these things don’t harm a vampire, they merely keep it at bay. Submerging a vampire in running water will it them, and if held long enough, it will be destroyed. A wooden stake to the heart will also render it helpless, but it will only be killed if you remove its head and anointed with holy water.
Danica shares any information she knows about vampires with her friends.
She also adds, "Sarenrae detests such these creatures. Judgment is given by the Bright Lady's warmth embrace. It is the only path to redemption for them. Just letting you all know that I will find it hard to keep one of them away from the Bright Lady. All creatures should be able to bask in her warm."
We also have the appointment at the playhouse with the order of the eye coming up. Tolvan reminds. I, at least must keep that appointment and hope the order can illumine us about these murders and any related intrigue.
"You should also ask this order of the eye if this city has a vampire problem."
Andjela nearly giggles...
What if it's the Vampires that hunt something... they've not been able to kill?
With the sun rising, you head back to the main room for the first meal of the day. You take a look at it and are relieved that it isn't some sort of stew. Walking outside, you are greeted by another nice sunny day. With nothing specific to do before Tolvan as to go meet with the Order late in the after noon, you are free to walk around the city until then.
I believe I need to acquire proper attire for the my meeting tonight. Anna, would you like to help me shop? And all of you are welcome to come with me tonight if you like. Who wishes to come?
Anna's eyes dance with delight at the invitation to help Tolvan shop for clothes. "Why, certainly," she agrees.
At the suggestion that she could also go to the meeting, she hems. "Eh, I'm not sure. Meet a bunch of stuffy old spellcasters? No offense, but you're not stuffy. I think I'll pass. You don't need me there. I'll see if I can't find some more information on our 'killer.'"
Sonny accepts Tolvan's invitation, "I'll go with you. Any information we find out would be good."
I suppose your instincts are right my dear. I mean it's sure to be stuffy with all sorts of important and influential people there who will undoubtedly know all sorts of boring gossip and rumors. I shall do my best in that social net of intrigue to not slip up too badly.
Anna gives Tolvan a sultry look. "Do you think I don't trust you? I'm sure you will do great around those who think they're our betters." She laces her fingers with his and guides his arms to her back for an embrace. "We know now that they're going after vampires. Since I'm not a vampire, I'll be perfectly safe."
Let me be more clear. I..., well I find I am out of sorts in complex social situations. I am not good at reading people or convincing them to see things my way, short of a charm spell. I would feel much better if I were to be accompanied by someone who was better in such settings.
Sonny smiles at Tolvan, "I will help you along as I am good with people. I can even give some divine assistance for us as well as The Dawnflower has gifted me with the ability to be personable to others."
You spend your day shopping for clothes for the meeting later in the day. As you do so, you hear some of the local gossip. It seem that there was a murder last night. While this would be an important subject, the people are treating it like old news. Part of it could be because it isn't the first and people are expecting to be more. The main reason why it is not the main gossip is that there was a brutal attack on one of the inn in the outer city last night. No one was killed thanks to the quick action of the owner of the place and to the fact that a patrol was nearby. Still, there are report of serious injuries and that who ever was responsible managed to avoid capture.
After hearing news of the attack Sonny looks to the others and says "We may want to change inns again. It might be a good idea to change daily. That attack may have been meant for us."
Anna reconsiders after Tolvan explains why he wanted the others along. "All right, I'll come with. Last thing we need is you getting caught up in some secret society's crazy initiation ritual."
When they learn about the attack last night, her mind starts working. Sonny"s suggestion that they stay at another inn raises her eyebrows. "You mean you were wanting more watery stew? I thought we were going to find a better place anyway. Besides, we don't know last night's attack was at the same place we stayed at. Though it might be worth checking out and making sure."
She grows quiet and chews her lip in thought. "We know we've got something that A.A. wants. Maybe he knows we've got it, maybe not. But we should act like he does." She turns to Tolvan. "Why don't we check out that inn first, see if we can't get any clues about who -- or what -- attacked it. Then we'll go clothes shopping for your meeting tonight."
Andjela considers what she's heard... The Drunken Octopus, you think... the proprietor seemed the sort to think quick. Neh?
Sonny, if someone or some... thing is indeed after us, we should most certainly not change inns nightly, it would only get more innocent people hurt or killed.
With the shopping done, you have a few hours to kill before the meeting. You could do some more investigations about the recent event or find a new inn near the meeting place to go sleep later tonight. There is also the option of exploring the city for some of the land marks and tourist attractions.
I am thinking like Andj here. We could move to that Inn that was attacked. If it's a nice place. he adds with a quick look to Annna. And I agree we should at least check it out, time allowing.
You decide to head over to the inn that was attacked last night. You ask around and get directions from the people still in the street. As you get closer of the place, you realise that the inn that was attacked was The Dancing Harlequin, the place you slept the first night in town. From the outside, you recognise the same well taken care building, but now there are a bunch of planks sealing the hole that used to be the window. The front door, while still standing, isn't closing properly anymore.
"That's... not good. Well, looks like the place is boarded up. So, unless you want to give me a half-hour to sneak in and look around, we might need to come back here later, after it's opened back up." Anna says softly to the others when there are no bystanders nearby.
"It is a shame. I kind of like this place. The owner seemed he care for the patrons and the quality of the food. Maybe we should come back here if they are still accepting patrons."
Lets go in and get the real story of what happened. Might be useful information. Tolvan urges.
Danica agrees. She will be using her Detect Evil ability to assist.
Anna heads in without hesitation. She keeps her eye out for clues as to what happened last night.
You walk into the inn to find the place a total mess. Broken tables and chairs are piled in a corner, glass and cloth are stuffed in a barrel by the boarded up window and there is a woman in the middle of the room that seems to be trying to clean it up. She looks up to you as you enter. "Hi, umm. I'm sorry but we are kinda closed at the moment. We should open again soon." She seems to be holding back tears as she speak to you.
Andjela tries to be comforting, Hey... actually that's why we are here. To help. Or see if we can by finding out what exactly happened. How's the owner?
Danica, let's help with some of the heavy stuff.
My name's Andjela... what's yours?
"Stenen? He is, he is resting upstairs. Zirgas helped him a bit, but he is no healer." She turns her head toward the stair and then back at the group. "My name is Veja"
Our own Sonny might have a look... He'd been known to soothe what ails you.
Sonny nods, "If you take me to him I can help him I am sure."
Anna walks past Sonny as she goes to turn an upended chair upright. "Check his neck," she whispers to him.
Tolvan will begin to cast Prestidigitation to help clean up.
Veja, sit and rest your legs a bit... help is here. But, please tell us...
What happened?
Danica will go with Sonny. "My healing abilities are quite limited, but I can offer to assist Sonny if needed."
As Danica walks by she whispers to her team "No one from our group goes alone."
Sonny heads to the room where Stenen is. He knocks on the door and when admitted says, "My name is Sonny Wright. We stayed here two nights ago and I am a healer. I would like to tend to your wounds if you would allow me." If allowed Sonny gives him a good once over, including the neck, to ascertain all his injuries and how best to cure him.
Anna sits down in the chair she just righted. She adopts a relaxed position, putting her feet up on a broken table. "This is more than just some bar brawl. What happened?" she asks Veja.
Sonny and Danica walk upstairs and heads toward the only room occupied. It is a simple room, and the only decoration in the room is an armor on a stand in the corner. They also find the large man lying in a bed covered in bandages. The bed looks almost too small for him, but yet, as you look at him, he seems smaller then when you last saw him. Probably because of the way he looks like, injured and currently vulnerable. He looks up as you walk in. "Hey! I though we were close tonight. Oh well, since you are here, what can I do for you?" He tries to stand, but the pain obliviously gets the better then him. "Arg, maybe someone else can get you what you need." With the mention that Sonny is there to heal, the big man just give a thumbs up while holding his ribs.
Sonny's inspection reveal that the wounds were caused by a blunt weapon. They also show signs of burnt flesh, likely there was also the use of fire during the fight. Paying close attention, Sonny see no evidences of bite mark on the neck or any other location.
Meanwhile down stairs, Veja just sits and start recalling what happened the night before. "It all was going like usual. People were happy and music was going on, but then, just minutes before the curfew, this big heavy armored man walked in. One of the other waitress went over to greet him, but he just pushed her aside. Stenen didn't appreciated this and started walking toward the man." She stop for a second, wiping a tear from her eyes. "That's when we heard his voice. It was cold and ragged. He said that he was after the relic, and that we needed to give it to him. Stenen said that he had no idea about he was talking about, but that he wasn't welcome and needed to go. The armored mentioned that he knew it had been here and would kill everyone until he gets it. Stenen once again told him to leave immediately or things would become quite unpleasant. The man pulled out a flail that bursted in flame and that when the fight started. Stenen charged in and punched the man straight on the helm."
She takes a few seconds again as if trying to make sense of what happened next. "That's when things got really weird. The helmet went flying and landed on the floor. We tough that we would see who the man was, but there was nothing where the head should have been. Like completely nothing. The fight raged on for a moment, but Stenen, I think, realised that he wasn't going to win that one. So in a big powerful move, he grabbed hold of the... the thing and threw... him? it? through the window. Stenen followed and pick up that fight right back, but the noise also alerted a patrol that was nearby by. When the guard showed up, the thing just ran for a black horse that was near and bolted. Stenen, with the battle over, collapsed in the street. Zirgas used some of his magic to heal him, but he isn't much of a healer."
Tolvan pauses in his arcane clean-up to listen. He blanches slightly at the mention of the headless man and his black horse, thinking he understood the reference.
Danica sits beside Stenen and tries to comfort him "I don't know if you remember me. We came the previous night to stay at your establishment. You told me that you don't serve my kind and then started to laugh then opened your arms for me to enter. I must say, your hospitality and your food was amongst the best in my travels. It infuriates me that a good man like yourself would befall such a crime. My name is Danica Quinn and this is my good friend Sonny Wright. We are devout followers of the Bright Lady. The warmth you will feel will help with the pain."
Danica grabs his hand while Sonny performs his healing magic.
"Can you describe what happened?"
Sonny asks "Was or is anyone else injured? I can heal many at once or just you if you are the only one injured."
Anna goes silent after listening to the accounting from last night's attack. Disturbing her was the fact that one of the gamblers she talked to last night mentioned a headless undead looking for something. She replays the conversation and tries to remember which one said that, calling what they looked like to her mind.
Then she thinks back two nights ago from when they were here in this tavern and tries to remember if that same person had been here as well.
Seriously? A headless... horseman? Specifically, one with a burning flail.
Did he touch anything with the flail... besides Stenen?
Tolvan recalls all that he can about any possible creature that could fit the description of the thing that attacked the night before. The only thing that comes to mind is a Dullahan. It is an undead creature that are created by powerful fiends from the souls of particularly cruel generals, watch-captains, or other military commanders. Sent back from the pits of Hell to sow terror and harvest new souls, dullahans return to the towns or villages they lived in as mortals. While their favored victims are evil men and women whose souls are destined for Hell, the dullahans have no qualms about adding innocents to their lists of victims.
There are a few things that doesn't match however. The Dullahan are known to carry edge weapon finely sharpen to cut off the heads of their targets. Also, their weapon emits cold and not fire. Lastly, they don't usually go about and look for specific items.
Anna's recall the story from one of the gamblers. She tries to think if the man was also here two night ago, but quickly scratches that off, as the man's look would have made him stick out like a sore thumb in this place.
The waitress looks at Andjela for a moment. "If the flail touch anything? I don't know... I mean I wasn't really paying attention to that, more trying to get out of the way. But it might have touch the floor there by the door and some of the broken tables."
Sonny start healing the large man. He start by using five charges of his wand and looks at the result. While looking better, the man is still injured. He uses three more and was about to do more, when Stenen wave him off. "It is alright. I'm good enough to move around now." He slowly sit up in his bed, the wood creaking in objection. "No one else got hurt, well maybe some of the guards, but I am pretty sure they got better from their own healers. As for me, I've fought worst, but it just got me unprepared." He points with his thumb at the armor on the stand in the corner. Looking at it, you have a hard time imagining how it would have helped since it leave must of the vital organs exposed while covering the shoulder, arms, and legs.
"As for what happened Danica. It is pretty simple, some undead got in his dumb mind that there was some sort of relic here. I politely, but sternly explained to it that there was nothing for him here." He cracks some of his fingers to clarify what he means by explaining. "I don't think that it will be back anytime soon, but if it does, I'll be ready to punch the crap out of it again." He sigh a bit as he look toward the door. "He did leave a mess however that will take a bit of time to pick up." He stands and stretches. "Now, how about we head down stairs and see if I can get you something in your stomach to repay you for that healing?"
Danica uses her ability to Discern Lies.
Sonny smiles at the man as he finishes with the wand. At the offer of breakfast he says "I'd gladly have a good meal. You don't happen to know what kind of undead it was? Like my goddess I have a strong hatred for undead. We may need to stay here again in case it comes back."
Danica doesn't detect any lies coming from Stenen.
Danica offers her hand to help Stenen up on his feet.
"If it's all right with you, my friends and I would like to stay the night. My friends and I have some experience with dealing with this kind of ……… situations. If that thing shows up again then this time you will have backup."
She also asks him, "Do you know anything about the murders that has been happening here lately? You don't happen to have a vampire infestation? Do you?" Danica looks over to Sonny with a questionable shrug.