The Father of Waters

Game Master Fighting Chicken

Drazan gives Oios a long knowing look. As the mountain man is far and beyond ready for any distraction.

The oppressive silence is welcoming to Imix, who slides silently through the abandoned halls.
As he is stymied by the locked door he pauses, looking through the window and then back at Rigel.
"Dead? or Fled? Assuming you don't want to find someone with a key, I suggest you try the door and I'll start cutting bars."
True to his word he pulls his serrated terbutje from its sheath and starts on one of the wooden bars.

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Scouts, RETCON
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Istiel moves along the north of the farmland, circling south through the rainstorm as Oios and Drazan move up the hedgerow from south to north. Things look promising when a bit of Kalfu's Joy mucks things up; one of Oios' sleeves snag on a hedgerow branch, tearing loud enough to snap the guard's head up before Istiel is in position. Quickly, the man backs through the cottage door and in just a second the noises inside cease, the only sound the drumming of rain on earth.

Before he closes the door, Oios, thinking quickly, calls out a greeting. Pausing in the doorway, the man's posture indicating he's staring hard at Oios, he answers, hesitation on his voice.

Oios gritted his teeth. Despite his ardent belief in the entire pantheon the trickery of Mami Wati was not something he was comfortable with. Lying was anathema. Still, in these days of Kalfu and Marinette what was he to do? And where in the name of Damballah was Rigel when she was needed?

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Scouts
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Kellen stares at Oios for a couple of seconds more, before straightening and stepping back outside, opening the door and stepping right in front of Istiel, his back turned to the warrior-monk.

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Detectives
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After a half-hour of tough exertion, enough bars are removed that Imix and Rigel can climb through the window, although any hope of stealth went with the first sawing of the terbutje's blade on bar. The guardroom is as you saw from the waiting room - tipped over chair, half-eaten (and now cold) meal. Entering the hall, Rigel leads Imix towards the stairway up, taking a quick glance into the flanking rooms as she goes. There's no sign of life, though there are signs of something having happened; another meal abandoned in the breakroom, weapons lockers left hanging and empty.

Up the steps, in the fetid darkness of the penthouse; a slaughter. Five guardsmen lie dead. One's head is turned around, the man's neck snapped, his body laying chest-down on the floor, eyes staring to the ceiling. The others died of various wounds, insides turned out, limbs missing, blood splashed, like spilled goats' milk, across the wood floors of the Mayor's loft. Flies buzz about the bodies, the smell of carrion heavy in the air.

Surprise Round

Istiel is momentarily confused, and slightly panicked, when she hears Oios call out in Abyssal. Calmly inhaling through her nose, she does not increase her pace and creeps along the edge of the house- inches from her goal. Peaking around the corner, the warrior-monk immediately notices the lookout's back is turned, and does not hesitate to slip around the corner towards the man with fists raised.

The monk's fists lash out against the lookout's spine just as he steps forward to get a better look at Oios, her knuckles whiffing loudly through the air.

Surprise

Seeing Isitel inexplicably miss. Oios charges the lookout with his new weapon.

First Round

Deep in enemy territory Oios needs to bring the lookout down to maintain secrecy and stabs at him over and over, a wordless prayer to Marinette in his muted snarl.

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Scouts
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Drazan and Oios charge the sentry, and although Istiel's swings were wild as the man shifted on his feet unexpectedly, he's still brought down by Oios' spear. As his corpse slides off of Oios' weapon into the doorway, the door stays jambed half-open by the dead man's body. Silence emanates from within...

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Detectives
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The guards are men Imix recognizes from around town, and are men easily identifiable by Rigel - locals, the lot of them, one contingent of the Mayor's honor guard, though for the most part he wouldn't use them in public, as he had told Rigel many times, there was nothing Gilders had to fear from a Shadeholmer.

The men don't have mud on their boots, and their wounds are definitely not caused by man - or man's weapons at least: the bodies are covered in slashes and bites, the marks of an animal, though an intelligent one at that, or at least cunning. Exposed areas and vital organs were targeted, while the mens' armor seems to have seen little damage from the fight, armor removed or attacked around, or in the case of poor Illit, torn off before his gutting.

As Imix examines the wounds, Rigel's eyes widen, and she points to one of the guard's hands. "Imix. Look!" Clutched there, grabbed perhaps in the last desperate throws of a life departing: one oily feather, a couple of feet long, black as the moonless night's sky.

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Scouts
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"They wait, armed and ready inside." Drazan speaks softly to Oios and Istiel. "Flush them out or press them on the inside?"

Imix sucks quietly at his teeth as he takes in the carnage. He desperately tries to make sense of what he sees, but draws a blank. It is Rigel who find the answer - embodied in a feather black as death.
Imix blinks as he looks between the feather and Rigel.
"These men were helpless. Normal weapons failed them - not even a drop of blood from their foe. We have to warn the other leaders: stay anonymous, or stay near magic." he looks grimly at the girl "I go to tell Bellett. I will try to stay with her, and keep her safe. May the gods go with you Rigel. Send me someone to act as a runner, when you can."

With that the Suriname is off, briskly walking back the way they came, eyes ever alert for danger - and ears trained for the flapping of wings.

Whatever we do. We must make it fast. But we stick together for the blessings of the gods Oios says.

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Scouts
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COMBAT MAP

The windows are shuttered, but otherwise open. The door is propped open by the corpse of the Frozen that you killed.

Drazan looks to Istiel, "Burn the house down with them still inside?"

Istiel glances at Drazen, and nods. She produces a stoppered gourd of alchemist's fire, appropriately painted with red and yellow pigments. The monk grabs the door, forcing it open the rest of the way and slamming it into the wall of the house. She moves to stand in front of the door, on the porch, and shouts "A warrior's death awaits you outside!" in Tkoyah before throwing the gourd hard into the carpet near the middle of the house.

When Istiel tosses the alchemist fire, Drazan draws a portion of the igniting flame to his arms speaking in his native tongue. The fire spread swiftly and furiously to consume all of the barbarian's body and and quickly grew double in size. Then just as suddenly as it began, Drazan stood there, twice as big and covered in fire, steam rising from the moisture in the air, and he reaches out and placed his burning hand on the house to aid in the burn.

Imix is halfway down the street when the thought hits him.
'Texikuk' he pauses for a second 'If they attacked the mayor, they may be seeking information. In which case they might well have also sought to capture the Excise head.'
Imix snaps his teeth in annoyance, pausing for a moment at a fork. Down one road is Lady Bellet, in need of news and protected only by all too human guards. Down the other is the excise house and, presumably, Texikuk. Both are logical targets.
'Bellet has anonymity on her side.' he decides at last, breaking into a run on the way to the Excise House.

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Scouts
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Istiel throws the door open and lobs the alchemist's fire into the room, spying an overturned dining table behind which three men crouch. To their right is a small hearth area; a fire place, and next to it, a cauldron and a few crates sit on the dirt floor, their contents spilled across the ground. To the men's left sits a closed door, leading to - presumably - the private area of the house, the residence's bedchamber and bathing area.

The men behind the table have bows pointed at the door, which they fire immediately upon seeing the monk. Istiel calmly bats one arrow aside, while another bounces off of Oios' enchantment, and a third lodges in the door frame beside the monk's head, before she nimbly steps to the side and out of view.

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Imix
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The Excise House is a small building that sits next to three larger ones - the warehouses where the excise and excess supplies are kept. Although Tex and her workers have offices at the High Hall, the Excise House also serves as an on-location office, given that the supplies are stored about as far from the High Hall on Eel Mound as it is possible to be.

So, the Suriname makes his way back north, towards where Antuk and his men fought the saboteurs. Looking into the Excise House, Imix finds it empty. The eastern warehouse will also be empty, having been filled with the goods delivered to the Excise. However, the Suriname has luck at the middle warehouse - a guardsman nods and opens the door for the Suriname and within, he finds Texikuk, a couple more guardsmen, and the missing children, Mauni and Mossy. The guards stand at attention, on edge, while Texikuk, standing with a large ledger propped up on a bale of last year's hay, chews absently on the end of a quill. "Mossy, count those logs in that grouping over there. Mauni, I'll need an exact number of wood pegs in that barrel. Take them out, and then one by one, put them back in, counting as you go."

Her head rises from her work as she hears Imix coming, a slight frown registering as she sees him, her voice flat. "Suriname Imix. I'm happy to see you alive. Your students and I are double-checking my numbers, and making sure that nothing has been taken or tampered with. We'll have an exact accounting of everything in the next day or so."

Istiel moves to the side, pressed against the door frame. "I only saw three with bows. They are taking cover behind a table. The others could be using the south door."

The monk steps off the porch and moves back and around, stopping at the south corner of the house. Drawing her last javelin, she watches the south door, arm cocked.

Oios starts at the suddenly burning Drazan but has enough wits to further call on the gods for good fortune in their bloody task. He then readies an act to stab at anything that may come through the door.

Imix straightens as a weight is lifted from his shoulder. He bows politely as he sees Texikuk.
"I also am happy to see you alive. Thank you for sheperding my charges. Mauni, Mossy, Chukix is worried you are dead. Ensure you report to him at your first chance."
"With appologies, Excise Head Texikuk, I believe I have information you should know. It appears there was an attack on the mayor - I surmise post invasion. One of the unnatural creatures affiliated with our enemies was responsible, and appears to have killed all of his bodyguards without taking injury. This adds weight to my belief that only a magically augmented weapon can injure said creatures." he coughs slightly "As soon as I knew assassins of this nature were striking I came looking for you."
Imix hastens to explain his reasoning "If they seek to destabilise us, your position makes you a target - especially if you are in an obvious location like this. I now seek to warn Lady Bellet. Might I ask you to accompany me?"

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Imix
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Texikuk waves Imix off, her eyes back on her ledger. "Saw the mayor not even an hour ago. He wanted to check on the our food supplies 'with his own eyes.' I sent Nurix and Telltuk with him, next warehouse over. Or he may be in the granary, looking at what is left from last autumn's harvest."

Glancing up, for a second, her brow furrowed, Tex meets Imix's eyes and quickly lowers them. "Remind him to bring me back my keys when he's done."

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Imix
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Raising her head again, Texikuk frowns, and her eyes settle on Imix's, holding his gaze. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be flippant. I have no doubt there was an attack. Another attack. But you must be mistaken about Gilders. If the Mayor was attacked, he'd say so, right?"

The suriname starts to burst into movement, then pauses "Or it could be what it seems. Did he see in any way different?" this last question the Suriname addresses to the entire room.

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Imix
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Texikuk's eyes grow wide, and she looks to the guards. "Well, he didn't have his keys with him. And he was curt. To the point, But he always is that way with me. I told him we'd get an accounting of the food soon enough, but he was insistent he have a look immediately." Turning back to you, Tex's eyes get even wider, a look of fright crossing her face. "Gods. I sent Nurix and Telltuk with him."

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Scouts
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The rain turning to steam as soon as it hits Drazan's fiery body, the Man From Fire Peaks steps forward and holds his hand to the house's wood frame...

And holds it. The house is sodden and wet, just like everything else in Shadeholme, having been rained on for days. Still, a sodden house is no match for magical fire, and after a couple of minutes, a low flame alights on the wood, and the area around it smokes as it burns, slowly growing in size. The smoke peels up the wall and under the thatch roof, where it seeps under the roofline, as if looking for respite from the storm.

In the end, it is the smoke that drives the Frozen from the hut, rather than flame. One raider bursts through the east door, coughing, while another crawls through the window to the south.

COMBAT MAP

As the one from the door stumbles out Oios stabs twice.

Istiel takes a step forward and tosses her javelin at the man climbing through the window. Where are the others we saw?

Imix pauses.
"How long ago?" he looks at the door "We need Rigel. She knows him well enough to pick if he is himself. She shouldn't be too far, perhaps if I run I can catch her."

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Imix (and Rigel)
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Texikuk inches closer to the guards. "An hour ago, at most."

Drazan steps closer to place the mountain man into reach of his burning greataxe, and there is little remorse when he swings away.

Rigel uses the time to herself after Imix leaves to double over, retching copiously. She'd held it together while the Suriname investigated, and she'd found the feather - but this was too much. She knew these men. To see them slaughtered like that is too much after the earlier horrors she's endured.

Finding a gourd of water, she uses it to rinse off and generally tries to make herself presentable (not easy, when her hands are shaking). After that, she doesn't really know where to go. Follow Imix, she supposes.

Seeing him with Tex, she tactfully gives him some space before it's clear that their conversation has moved on.

She trots up just as Imix says she is needed.

"Well, I'm here." She does her best to give a smile, but it twists sort of downwards. "Hello, Tex. What do you need me for?"

Imix interjects
"The Mayor. He was here. Unharmed. Insisted on seeing to the remaining food stores without reason. Did not have his keys. Didn't mention any attack. I fear he's possessed, or enchanted, or even replaced by a shapeshifter. I don't know the man well enough to tell. You do."

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Imix and Rigel
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Tex stammers. "I... I, don't need you to do anything. I suppose stay alive. Gilders was going to the westernmost warehouse and the granary."

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Scouts
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Istiel's javelin catches the raider in the stomach as he squirms through the window. Grunting, the Frozen circles to the south and draws a large club.

Another raider dives through the window following after the first, his knee catching on the sill as he goes through. Scrambling to his feet, the second raider draws two stone hatchets and snarls at Istiel.

Drazan and Oios deal terrible wounds to the first Frozen through the door. Screaming in rage, the raider whips his spear at the Man From Fire Peaks, the raider breathing raggedly as his spear plants itself firmly in Drazan's thigh.

Two more raiders flee out the door, pushing past their wounded comrade. As they go, each flings a weapon; a javelin at Drazan and a small axe at Oios. The javelin goes high, but the axe leaves a nasty gash across Oios' arm.

Lastly, one more Mountain Man runs through the doorway, the large pack slung over his shoulder, a horn in his hand.

Drazan swears in his native tongue as he tightens his grip on the metal axe and swings down with a mighty chop. "Your numbers mean nothing to the flame! DIE!" Drazan rages with his burning tongue before he leaps through the air like an over-sized ember bringing his axe down again on the one of the other mountain men.

COMBAT MAP

Round 1

Istiel is already moving by the time the second man draws his axes, the monk clearly fixated on her previous prey.

She ducks and rolls out if his reach, springing up in front of the club-wielding man as he gets his weapon to bear. A series of blows with killing intent are unleashed on his torso and shoulders as the two on one contest of strength begins.

Grunting with pain Oios retreats to behind the raging barbarian and touches Drazan to confer even more of a blessing of the gods to him.

Call if you need help monk! he shouts to Isitel unable to see around the corner of the smoldering home.

The Frozen that threw his spear barely has time to register its impact before his face is turned to mist by Drazan's axe. The other wounded warrior lets loose a rage-filled scream and charges Drazan, drawing his spear on the way, before he stabs twice at the enlarged axe-wielder, thrusting the spear-point into Drazan's side. The other raider runs to the north, skirting around the Man From Fire Peaks and drawing two hatchets as he goes, before ducking and weaving into the fray. Slicing twice at Drazan, the man slips in the mud and his strikes fail to connect.

On the south side of the house, Istiel ducks under the man with the hatchets' swing. As she lands two solid blows on her opponent, he returns the favor, cracking the monk's ribs with a powerful strike of his massive club.

The man with the hatchets follows behind Istiel, trying to weave, but he's limping from the contact he had with the windowsill, and makes himself an easy target. Closing, he slashes at the monk four times in quick succession, nearly taking Istiel's head off, and merely settling with landing a nasty slash across the warrior-monk's neck.

The horn sounds, five quick and loud pulses, echoing through the downpour, as the last warrior runs for the south.

COMBAT MAP

Round 2

Istiel's body is nearly lifted off the ground as the club strikes her rib cage, the air being knocked out of her in a mighty heave. She reflexively clutches her cracked ribs, ducking down enough so the decapitating blow from behind only slices her neck.

The pain to her neck causes her to draw in a deep breath, and the monk is moments away from panicking at the idea she is in over her head. Instead, she exhales a slow, ragged breath and loses her mind to her training, eyes flicking between the two opponents, watching their movements. There was a defensive technique taught to her by Domhnall long ago that she quickly lost interest in, but the forms are still buried in the rigorous muscle memory of countless hours training. Istiel pushes her right foot back, raises her arms high with elbows cocked, and waits for the two men to attack her, punishing them as they do.

Her master would simply shake his head at her shoddy, tired technique, especially the way she leaves herself open to purposely strike vitals instead of taking what she can get. Poor form or not, the monk strikes the club-wielding Frozen again, and again, and again with each clumsy swing, keeping the hatchet wielder back with quick, fake-out kicks.

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Imix and Rigel
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Tex stammers. "I... I, don't need you to do anything. I suppose stay alive. Gilders was going to the westernmost warehouse and the granary."

"I think you Rigel, at least one guard, and I, need to investigate. You've known the man a long time - you should be able to tell if everything is alright. If there is a problem I will use the last of my power to enchant a weapon such that it can kill whatever he is. I will need to concentrate to do so, so it is probably best it be your knife." He hesitates "While normally best to err on the side of caution, stabbing the actual mayor to death would be almost as bad as having the food lost to sabotage."

Rigel nods, numbly. It fits that the one person she trusts most in the world (other than Issy) would now be under suspicion. "Let's go."

Round 2
There is no answer from around the corner of the house except the enraged shouts of the Frozen. It is disconcerting to say the least. Leaving Drazan behind runs around the corner to see a terribly wounded Isitel lashing out at the men surrounding her. Taking up position Oios stabs at the one that looks the most wounded.