Braddon cautiously approaches the chapel while Phil searches the man on the doorstep. Gristav comes down the stairs, filched arrow on borrowed bowstring, and recognizes the handiwork of Braddon's oversized blade on the fellow sprawled bloodily on the bottom steps. Snake shouts for the priest to show himself, to no apparent avail. One of the struggling women finally pulls herself free from the other, leaving hair behind in her hand, and runs for the exit, fleeing past Gristav through the open door.
The girl shakes her head helplessly to Snake's question, while the man in sailcloth whimpers at Snake's blasphemy and begins to mutter prayers of penitence under his breath: whether on his own behalf or Snake's is unclear.
Phillip continues to rifle through Rasper's pockets - seeking both his valuables and any information that he might hold... holy symbols, notes, or anything of note. To those within he calls out "Any word of where he went?"
Medium Dagger: for
Phillip comes up with three regular daggers, as well as a finely-honed punching dagger, from beneath Rasper's coat. He also finds a key. He has neither pocket change nor a money pouch, leading the halfling to believe that he must have personal belongings squirreled away elsewhere. He is wearing studded leather armor, but he doesn't take the time to strip it off of him at present.
Braddon continues to circumnavigate the room with his back to the wall. He pays particular attention to the chapel and climbs the stairs carefully but doesn't touch anything. After a brief sweep he continues around towards the dining room where Snake was.
"Dang," he responds, discouraged. As the crazy one continues to whimper behind him, Snake rolls his eyes, figuring to deal with that issue later. he asks, turning his attention back to the unconscious lady and the girl. "Is she your mother?" He lays a hand along the side of the woman's face, his eyes glow that familiar light as the healing energy flows through him.
Gristav grimaced, then grinned. Perhaps... If Kreun had given them the slip - hardly unlikely, given they'd arrived with no real plan against him - IF Kreun had, he would not lightly leave with his secrets surrendered to their prodding and plundering... probably?
Phillip was at the back, Snake in the kitchen, and Braddon would have come in the door... so, he hadn't left? Gris grinned again.
, Gristav shouted in Elvish, and then, in common, , his grin broadening.
He faux-repeated, in common,
Gris stopped his intent on descent, and stood listening at the top of the stairs. He'd seen another stairs... over by the altar...? He tried to remember.
turning his attention back to the unconscious lady and the girl. "Is she your mother?"
"No," the girl replies. "I don't think so."
Snake applies his healing magic to the woman. The gash in her throat knits together somewhat, and her breathing seems to come more easily, but she doesn't regain consciousness.
The second of the brawling women chases the first out the front door, and both are gone.
The key is sized to fit a door.
Braddon cautiously examines the chapel, peering beneath pews and climbing the short flight of steps to the priest's dais, but he finds no one hiding there. He walks back up what serves as the center aisle toward the dining room.
Tucking the oversized punch dagger into his belt loop, the other daggers are ferreted away in his bag... though Phillip stops short of stripping the man's armor. He then moves back to a standing position... pondering a moment before reloading his crossbow. Musing as he looks to the earth and where Rasper intended to flee for sign of passage...
Perception:
Looking out the front door, Gristav sees the two women disappearing down the street. Some other denizens of Rotgut have emerged from the surrounding buildings to peer curiously at the mission from which so many people have recently made a mass exodus, but when they see the half-elf looking out the front door, they duck back inside or make a pretense of being on their way someplace else, not wanting to get involved with whatever is going on in Rag's End.
Phil stows away the man's gear and then takes a moment to examine the ground in the courtyard. The previous day's rain must have washed away any but the most traveled of ruts, and the only footprints now visible past the doorstep where Rasper fell seem to be his own. The fact that the unkept yard hasn't grown over the path leading to the rusty gate, however, indicates that it must see some use. Beneath the shade of the tree, the halfling notices that unobtrusive wooden slats have been nailed at intervals to the trunk, forming an impromptu ladder leading up into the canopy.
Noticing the wounds healing but the woman not waking, "Dang. She'll live but she's gonna be resting a while." He rises from his crouched position, looking to the crazy man. "Look, bub, sorry about being so cross earlier. Is that your blood?" he asks, wondering about the blood on his hands.
The man only seems to notice the blood when Snake draws his attention to them. "Oh ... blood on my hands ... blood on my hands," he moans, beginning to rock back and forth on his knees.
"He was trying to stop her from bleeding," the girl volunteers, seeing that Snake's not going to get anything coherent out of him. "I don't think anyone hurt him."
Phillip calls out to those within "Braddon! A little help?"
Snapping his head around in the direction of Phillip's voice, "Braddon's got it. Okay, nobody saw Kreun leave. He's not in here in the main room and Gristav would've seen him go upstairs." He speaks to himself out loud, trying to narrow down where else he could've gone. He then looks toward the kitchen, narrowing his eyes. "Okay," he says to the child, "I'm gonna need your help. I want you to stay right here for me. If you see Beltias, the preacher, I want you to scream, scream as loud as you can, can you do that for me?" Nodding, he looks back toward the kitchen, grabbing his staff as he makes his way in that direction. As an image of lights form within his mind, he brings forth several such and places them within the kitchen just in case. As he peers within, "Beltiiiiiaaas. Come out come out wherever you are."
Looking out the front door, Gristav sees the two women disappearing down the street. Some other denizens of Rotgut have emerged from the surrounding buildings to peer curiously at the mission from which so many people have recently made a mass exodus, but when they see the half-elf looking out the front door, they duck back inside or make a pretense of being on their way someplace else, not wanting to get involved with whatever is going on in Rag's End.
The string itched against his fingers. His sighting eye narrowed, of its own accord. His stance squared, and his arms began to point and to ply the bow...
More through sheer luck than any attempts at avoidance, the first woman to flee made it down the hazard-strewn front steps unimpeded; the woman chasing her, on the other hand, steps on a shard of glass, curses a blue streak from the pain, and stops, leaning against the wall of the stoop, to try to remove the fragment from the sole of her foot as the woman she was chasing vanishes down an alley to presumed safety.
She is past the first bloom of youth, tanned and bleary-eyed, both broad of shoulder and ample of bosom. She is clearly not Beltias Kreun in disguise, unless he has magic means of altering his appearance ready to hand. Her fingers fail to gain purchase on the bloody shard of glass in her foot, and she curses again, glaring daggers after her escaped adversary.
More through sheer luck than any attempts at avoidance, the first woman to flee made it down the hazard-strewn front steps unimpeded; the woman chasing her, on the other hand, steps on a shard of glass, curses a blue streak from the pain, and stops, leaning against the wall of the stoop, to try to remove the fragment from the sole of her foot as the woman she was chasing vanishes down an alley to presumed safety.
She is past the first bloom of youth, tanned and bleary-eyed, both broad of shoulder and ample of bosom. She is clearly not Beltias Kreun in disguise, unless he has magic means of altering his appearance ready to hand. Her fingers fail to gain purchase on the bloody shard of glass in her foot, and she curses again, glaring daggers after her escaped adversary.
"I don't know that you've cause to hate her, to fight her, only that you were not, just a minute ago.", Gristav summed aloud. "I do know that between then and now, Evil strove to twist every mind in that room. A man attacked a friend, another leapt through that window. And I'd guess, that one or both of you were twisted in that instance, perhaps incited to violence? I relate my suppositions, because you seem a person who would not be made a fool; who'd not allow such a mind-twister to make your choices for you, and because I hope that, thus informed, you might choose again."
The half-elf regarded her calmly, and smiled. "I am Gristav. We've a healer within, but he's still hunting Kreun. Kreun is the master of the madness that muddled your minds."
"I have to return to that hunt. I hope you'll choose to let us help you."
Hearing and hoping that Braddon might be supporting Phillip, Gristav moves toward the kitchen, bow readied, to support Snake.
Braddon stops for half a beat at the sound of his name, then immediately rushes back to Phillip, both swords at the ready.
He doesn't say anything, but raises an eyebrow quizzically, awaiting further instruction.
The half-elf regarded her calmly, and smiled. "I am Gristav. We've a healer within, but he's still hunting Kreun. Kreun is the master of the madness that muddled your minds."
"Father Kreun?" she scoffs. "The chump what feeds half the drunks in Rotgut? You're off your head."
Gristav doesn't stop to argue but moves into the dining room to support Snake. The slashed woman lies in a mess of blood and spilled gruel but seems to be resting comfortably now and in no immediate danger. The little girl clutches her doll and gives the half-elf a mistrustful glare as he approaches. The barefoot man in sailcloth continues to mourn quietly to himself.
Snake summons arcane lights and sends them ahead of him into the kitchen. Despite being a windowless room, it seemed well enough lit by lamplight when he was in it before, but he is taking no chances. He waits for any reaction his arcane orbs might draw before inching around the corner, calling for the priest.
The kitchen is as foul as last Snake saw it, albeit more empty: The dirty pots and dishes are stacked on both tables and floor; high shelves hold bottles and vials; a tall cabinet in the northwest corner is closed. At the far end of the room, a small figure is sprawled on the floor in a dark red puddle.
Meanwhile, Braddon joins Phillip in the back courtyard.
Not another one. Moving the lights to the end of the room, Snake looks around cautiously before moving himself in that direction toward the unconscious body and - if not interrupted by an unseen enemy - stabilizes the humanoid, hoping he's made it in time.
Phillip gives Braddon a nod and then turns his head towards the ladder that leads into the tree's canopy "Fancy a climb?" he says with a smirk.
"I'd have gone up... but you'd be a bit more able if there were antagonists in wait. I'll keep watch and make sure you're not left stranded or unawares if anyone comes to us below." hefting his crossbow and ensuring it's loaded while waiting to see if Braddon consents to be the mine-shaft canary for whatever's in the tree-house.
Braddon doesn't return the smirk, but nods once.
He makes his way to the foot of the tree and peers up carefully, circling the trunk once.
Only then does he stow his weapons and begin to climb.
The prone personage appears to be a female halfling, both younger and stronger than the middle-aged one Snake saw dishing out the gruel, although there seems to be a family resemblance: perhaps a daughter or niece? A broken bottle lies on the far side of her, and from the smell, he isn't at all sure that it might not be cheap wine rather than blood that's puddled around her head.
Outside, Braddon examines the tree and its makeshift ladder. He can see no sign of life in its leafy canopy so sheathes his blades and trusts his well-being to Phil and his undersized crossbow. The climb is not challenging, as long as he takes the time to search out the nailed-on slats; they wind around the trunk circuitously, but little attempt is made to conceal them once he is above a man's height among the leaves. Before long, he is even with the pigeon-keeper's deck and could easily step down the bough to drop onto the surface and go back through the door to Geezer Pidge's room. The slats on the tree continue, however, climbing up toward a gap in the canopy where a long-ago storm must have twisted a branch off of the old oak.
Nearing the body, Don't recognize this one. It's not Mumsy, that's for sure. Better be careful, could be a trap. As he comes upon the body, he observes to see if she's breathing while he moves to pick up and examine the broken bottle.
"People are surprisingly like animals, and a wounded animal will often seek its lair."
Braddon looks carefully at the bough he could step down to drop onto the balcony but doesn't move. He judges where a man's foot might have stepped and peers closely searching for scuffs of fresh dirt or sap leaking from recently broken leaves or twigs.
As Braddon climbs, Phillip paces around the back door garden keeping a lookout.
Gristav arranges for a clear line of fire, and prepares an arrow for loosing at any sudden ambuscade from the tall cabinet. Uncharacteristically, he remains silent.
Gristav covers the tall cabinet suspiciously while Snake advances to check on the halfling. There are no obvious wounds visible. The half-bottle he picks up has no label but appears to have held cooking wine. As he is examining it, a low moan escapes from the lips of the woman at his feet, and her eyelids flutter as she seems to be regaining consciousness.
Braddon continues climbing carefully up the tree, watching carefully for any threats or clues.
CDG Crossbow:
...before calmly reloading and looking up to see where Braddon had reached.
Phillip looks up into the tree, trying to keep an eye on Braddon's progress. The half-elf is difficult to pinpoint, except by the movement of the branches as he climbs, but he appears to be above the level of the second floor and still ascending.
Placing the bottle on the cabinet, he crouches. "Take it easy, Miss. Looks like you've taken a nasty fall. Here, let me help you up. Grab my hand and I'll pull you up." He offers her his hand.
She hesitates, giving Snake a wary glance, before taking his hand and slowly sitting up. "Oh, my head," she moans. "There's smelling salts ... over on the shelf. You!" she raises her voice a little to address Gristav, gesturing to a shelf on the southern wall. "Do you mind? Up there! A square bottle with a bit of cork."
Snake grins slightly at the commanding halfling. "So who did this to you? Can you remember?"
"If you're well enough to demand, you're well enough to hush and wait.", Gristav reasons, refusing the 'resuscitating' wren's request. "The salts will serve you less well than still silence, unless your purpose is our delay...? Kane?", Gris adds the last in notes of annoyance and hurry, shifting his position and his sense.of the scene to cover the cabinet and the halfling, and hopefully to avoid any line of fire crossing Snake.
"So who did this to you? Can you remember?"
She glares daggers at the half-elf. "That damned priest," she tells Snake, "or so-called. If you won't give a lady a bottle of salts, can I at least go outside and get a breath of air? It stinks like Besmara's bilge in here." Indeed, the aroma of the gruel is not improving as the pot sits unstirred on the stove and the bottom layer begins to overcook and congeal, and the acrid, alchemical smell continues to linger.
Phillip keeps a watch below, periodically looking up for any sign from Braddon that he's encountered anything of interest.
"C'mon, let's move this to the dining area. There's at least a place to sit and it doesn't smell near as bad." He allows her to move first before following.
"She's part of this.", Gristav warns. "She needed none of your aid, and was awake when we came in, planned to stab at our backs as we passed, she's settling for delay. Have her open the cabinet, and be ready for a blade, if ever her hands pass from sight.", Gristav reasons aloud. Then as his hopes of being heard over the faint and feminine foolishness fade, he adds, "Or leave me again to battle alone; it seems to bring me luck."
Holding to the trunk with one hand, you reach into the hollow with the other and, beneath a layer of dry leaves, feel something unbotanical in origin. Brushing out the detritus, you discover a small leather knapsack. From its weight and the soft metallic clatter when you lift it out by its strap, you surmise that it contains coinage.
Looking up from below, it seems to Phil that the tree is grown still, as if Braddon's ascent had halted for some reason.
Snake looks from Gristav to the halfling woman, securing the grip upon his staff. "You work for Beltias?" he asks through narrowed eyes and with venom. "Do as the man says. Open the cabinet. 'Cause I'll tell you now, Beltias is through - whether he knows it or not. And if you're a part of it, you're gonna burn with him," he vows.
"Ah, subtlety...", Gristav growls. "Let it be said, it was a deduction. I could be in error, I am in earnest, we are in haste, and if you remain in the way, you may well become remains, yourself."
From behind the borrowed bow, Gris adds, "Whether I'm correct or not, I do hope, that does not occur."
With glance towards the house proper and thoughts in particular of a manhandler that look both at and not at him at once, Phillip calls up "Is all well above?"