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A wretched drizzle falls from the ash-gray sky. The crowded, rain-slicked buildings seem especially bleak and frightful this evening, hunched together beneath the gloomy skies. A few lights burn in their windows, but mostly their shutters have been closed for the night. The scent of chimney smoke fills the air, and the din of water trundles from the rooftops, splashing into dark alleys and turning street gutters into rivulets.
After morning work at the gates, you have had lunch at the barracks. You have heard the reports of disappearances this week have strangely raisen but Terseon Skellerang has no more men to investigate it. After some small rest on the afternoon you are enjoying some free time until late at night while walking on the street when...
You were looking for a short visit to the Drunken Morkoth inn in order to pay a visit to your “favourite” barmaid when you found Marigold walking altered in the streets. After she explaining you about a troubling dream of a skull with a smoking eye, you have decided to alter slightly your plans and try to sooth you as she looks for some guidance. You are talking and walking by her side when...
This has been a troubling evening. It all started when you found Gemma, your younger sister, fleeing from a hobgoblin in the middle of the city. Out of disbelief on what should have moved her out of the Malachite Fortress and what a hobgoblin might be doing in the city you instantly moved into her defence. Guided by a force you have never felt before, like if Abadar himself was speaking to your ear, you cut the left arm of the hobgoblin and made him flee in fear for his life, not before claiming a revenge for his lost limb. You brought then your sister, on blood and delirant, to the close church of Wee Jass for healing. The clerics have done their job, but she seems fallen into a comma out of their reach, perhaps due to the combination of her illness and wounds. Whatever she was looking for in Cauldron, it remains a mystery to you, and after some hours the clerics have convinced you to go home. You are walking back home when…
Tonight your dreams have been troubled again. The returning dream of a skull with a smoking eye has merged this time with a shadow towering over Cauldron. Profiting your break day in the Bluecrater Academy, you have decided to visit Kristof Jurgensen in the Shrine of Pelor. He always helps you interpret your troubling dreams. In your way, you have met with JJ and he is walking and talking by your side when...
You have just recently came back from Sasserine. The business was good and your uncle happy. He handed you a small bag of money for the well done job “Take some days free and enjoy the city. I am sure you are tired of the road by now”
After having some fun you are coming back to home pleased when...
Eyes red as rubies, white strong horns like a bull, folded big nose and dark blue skin. The image of the ogre mage that killed your parents is still vivid in your memory “Just a bad dream, kid…” You are no longer a kid, but walking away from the naive daughter’s bedroom of Maavu Arlintal, you cannot avoid to remember it was in a night like this your life changed forever, stolen by a criminal monster. Your thoughts are interrupted when...
You have been busy as of lately preparing for your tonsure. You have helped Ruphus Laro to tend for the less favoured of Cauldron, you have achieved dexterity with the mace and just meditation and blessings from Sarcem Delasharn, High Priest of the order, are remaining. After a complex day dealing with Taskerhill family businesses that have maintained you out of the temple, you are coming back to St. Cuthbert’s church when...
A sudden, plaintive cry for help from a nearby alley splits the evening air. As you turn to the alley, you see within, four figures assault a fifth, who lies face down on the wet cobblestones. One of the attackers lifts the victim by the hood of his cloak and thrusts him against a wall as another growls, "Stay away from the orphanage, you got that?"
The four attackers are unarmed, but dress with padded leather and have shortswords crossed on their belts. Although their most remarkable trait is they have painted their faces half-white and half black with makeup.
The half-white half-black faces makeup is characteristic of the Last Laugh, a local gang of thieves.
They turn their attention to you as they realize of your nearby presence “Get out of here, nothing of your business!”
You do recognise the man being attacked as Ruphus Laro. An Abadar cleric from the St. Cuthbert church.
Hearing the cry for help Dandarrion draws his bow as he moves toward the mouth of the alleyway. He shouts a command at the villains, "surrender in the name of the watch."
Miserable weather to be out in, but duty requires it. Ryan thinks to his self as he walks along with Dandarrion in the street. Neither saying much, keeping to their own thoughts. The sound of an altercation ahead draws him from his thoughts.....
That man it can't be, but it is! Of all the days to leave my shield at the Church.
Cleric Laro are you OK?
As Ryan and Dondarrion approach drawing their weapons, the southern thugs turn towards them while bringing their hands to their shortswords, ready to draw them. They look each other and seem to become nervous as Dondarrion proclaims the name of the Watch.
The other two keep harassing the prone cleric who looks up on hearing Ryan calling his name "Ryan! For Abadar's sake! Help..." he is interrupted by a sudden hit on his belly.
"Hold up Marigold. He said something about the orphanage."
Drawing his sword, JJ runs down the alleyway to see what is happening.
"What's going on here?" he asks - not too sure who is doing what to who.
"Nothing of your business youngster. Get out of here with your blade before you get cut yourself!" shouts back one of the thugs not taking JJ seriously.
One of the thugs keeps hitting the fallen cleric "Out of the orphanage, do you understand?!"
Though it had been unexpected, Marigold was pleased to have run into JJ while on her way to Pelor's shrine. He'd been one of the few that she'd grown close with during their shared time at the orphanage but after growing old enough to strike out on their own, it had been difficult to keep in touch. She'd always worried a little about him; a good kid at heart but prone to turning to shadier activities in order to make ends meet.
"You know, I really think you should reconsider your uncle's offer. I mean I know it's largely patrols and breaking things up when people get too rowdy at the taverns, but it's honest work and you'd-"
She stops in her tracks next to JJ, the sound of what seemed to be some sort of mugging-in-progress having caught their attention. The ruckus had apparently caught the attention of some other people nearby as well.
"The orphanage? U-um, what w-would the orphanage have to do w-with a m-mugging? Hey JJ wait!" she calls as her friend draws his weapon and charges off into the alley. She feels her heart begin to race. She didn't want to get involved, but she couldn't leave JJ to fend for himself. Very reluctantly, she hurries around the corner and catches sight of what appears to be several men assaulting someone lying on the ground.
"અરે! એકલા કે માણસ છોડી!" she cries in a strange, other-worldly language.
Nonononotnow!
"H-hey! Leave that man alone!"
The prone Ruphus Laro, observing you coming to his aid, holds up a holy symbol depicting a large key of the city. With some words he calls the blessings of Abadar to your side.
The thugs tend to their weapons and draw their shortswords "We told you to leave!" and responds attacking you.
Why do I get the feeling these guys don't care about the orphanage, He thinks as he moves closer and let's an arrow fly. He yells to the civilians who have rushed in to aid, "Ware, they are members of the Last Laugh."
Of all places, she should have known hers! The girl's got no strength, and she's got the rashness to leave home to travel the hard travel... What's gotten into her?! She gets stronger, gonna have to tan her hide and send her packing...
The dwarf's inner turmoil is derailed, as he hears familiar voices in not so familiar context. The grizzled evening rain, a dark alley, and Kikinnin's focus is immediately drawn to the weakened voice of the priest. He spots Marigold at the mouth of the alley, and is about to speak to the girl, when she stuns him into silence with the words coming out of her mouth. He barely notices the other man to his right as he passes.
AC = 18
HP = 16/16
Weapon Equipped = Dwarven waraxe
Condition(s) = Heavily distracted
As he turns the corner, he sets eyes on the scene, and can't help but ask aloud. "Ruphus?" He sees the clowns in paint, doing their dirty deed. Makes him want to check for his axe. It's there, sheathed on his hip. Moments later, it's in his hand, vermin blood still carelessly left on one side of its blade.
"You have a problem, clowns. You got one man calling 'watch', you got several more willing to stop you from hurting that priest, myself included. You drop your blades, we'll not stop you from running away."
Ducking the thug's swing, Ryan brings his mace back around in a vicious backhand swing.
attack green
JJ, worried about the man at the back, irritated by being called'boy' and suddenly concened that he has stumbled into a Last Laugh operation stands stunned for a moment.
"In for a copper, in for a gold!" he says, realising the man on the ground is one of the priests from his uncle's church.
"And don't call me 'boy'"
He launches into a brazen attack against the laugh-er in the blue shirt with his shortsword.
<- assumes human
<- assumes human.
"Stay back Marigold, call for the watch!"
Rumen darts from cover to cover as the rain begins to fall. He hears it splash around him and feels the weight of the money pouch at his belt. The girl had barely a dozen coins with her and so he had added them to the collection, sorting the real from the fake later.
It didn't matter anyway because she was besotted with him, her enthusiasm earlier that night had clearly enough demonstrated that and so he had moved it to the next level and just had he had known it would, she bought it hook, line and sinker.
He should be pleased.... But his mood was blacker than the gloomy night sky above. For the first time in a while he had thought about that horned bustard. Maybe it was the wind and the rain - he thinks it was a night just like this. No matter, he was used to long cons and his patience was drew out like a blade.
The cry splits the night suddenly and without a flicker, his stride does not falter - the city was full of unfortunate fools who take the wrong short cuts at the wrong time of night. But then he hears mention of the orphanage and thoughts of that missing kid come flooding back.
He is already astonishing himself for getting involved when he rounds the corner.
Hey, you guys throwing a party or what? You've had your fun, now back off before you lose more than teeth. he says, ripping his longsword free
There are others already coming to help. That's good, if anyone's blood was going to be spilt he didn't want it to be his.
If you're gonna play it hard guys don't expect sympathy at Abadar's healing halls.
Ruben rushes forward and slams the flat of his blade against the thug's temple.
A look of puzzled recognition flashes across Marigold's features as a dwarf approaches from further down the street and rounds the corner into the alley.
Wait, is that Kikinnin?
However as things in the alley begin to turn ugly with weapons brought to bear on both sides, Marigold grows more and more agitated. "તે તે રોકો રોકો રોકો!" she shrieks, her inability to speak proper Common only adding to her distress.
She takes a faltering step forward despite JJ's call for her to run, wishing that she had some cold water. She'd often seen others use it to great effect to break up fights between the stray cats that roamed the city, so maybe it would work on people too? But there was no water or bucket to be had.
"હું તેને રોકવા જણાવ્યું હતું!" she cries and suddenly water seems to materialize out of nowhere, drenching some of the attackers surrounding the fallen man.
"Stop it stop it stop it!"
"I said STOP IT!"
:
His head still fuzzy from good tobacco and better liquor, Maxim squints at the scene before him, before double-taking as various other Cauldronites converge on the thugs and their pious victim.
As the others rush in, he recognises fleeting glimpses and voices - some familiar, others less so. The dwarf spits and shakes his head as he joins the fray;
"Ah skit! Knew tonight was too good to be true!"
Maxim moves to the shoulder of the guardsman he knows...
Ah Dandarrion. Nose for wrong-uns. Reckon that's why the Guard like him.
"Evening Brokenhill. What you sniffed out this time?"
As it becomes clear that the thugs are intent on spilling blood rather than backing down, Maxim grimly draws on his magicks:
Pointing not his infamous black-powder pistol at one of the thugs, but an empty hand pointing in a parody of his firearm.
"Lets soften these curs up a little eh?"
The dwarf winks at Dandarrion wryly and cocks his thumb...
"Toverkracht Projectiel"
Magic Missle :)
... before a glowing shot of energy fires forth unerringly finding its target
:
You naturally answer to the thugs aggression going on defense of the outnumbered cleric.
Dondarrion strikes with an arrow at the thug in green boots which combined by Ryan strike on the man's chest makes him collapse to the cobblestones of the alley unconscious.
On his side JJ responds to the thug's attack with his blade, causing a bleeding wound on his right arm.
Then Ruben strikes yet another thug while a magic bolt lights the alley instantly as Maxim conjures his magic. The double effect of the blade lateral and the magic missile collapses the man to the floor also unconscious.
The two remaining thugs seem to step back on the strength of the cleric's defense when a sudden mass of water engulfs them leaving the men totally soaked in water.
At that point a jester's laugh is heard from the top of the roofs. You cannot tell from where exactly, but after looking up the thugs seem to regain their conviction on the attack "Go away! You do not know where you are getting involved!"
They move ahead and use their swords decided to not run away without a fight.
Ruphus Laro tries to defend himself from the floor.
Seeing the man crumple before him, Ruben snorts laughter.
Ever the one to take the opportunity to impress new people, he deftly reverses his blade and brings the pommel down in a two-handed slam onto the crown of the man's head, as if he were hammering in a nail.
Round 3
The rain makes the cobbles slippery, but so does the blood on the arm of the man in front of him. JJ uses a rather naughty word as he is splashed by the water. He knows who is responsible, its not the first time Marigold has soaked him.
"I'm trying to help Marigold!"
Realizing that the weight of numbers is now on the clerics side, JJ adopts a slightly less aggressive stance, opting to use the flat of his blade as a club rather than the point to kill.
"Leave the man alone, or at least tell us why he has to stay clear of the orphanage! If he has done wrong then let the watch deal with him."
Edit: Good point, JJ would not likely be wearing his shield, even if he did have on a chain shirt. so AC is 17 for this encounter.
AC = Actually 16, as he doesn't have his shield up at present
HP = 16/16
Weapon Equipped = Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Inspired, courtesy of Ruben
Kikinnin watches as Ruben moves up and smacks with the flat of his blade. "Clowns aren't being that polite. You sure you want to pay them that kindness?" The dwarf tilts his head, as the man lands a solid blow, crumpling the clown. It inspires him, no doubt.
A sudden downpour in the drizzle startles Kikinnin, and he looks skyward, expecting to see more clowns with empty buckets. Seeing none, he looks around briefly, and catches Marigold out of the corner of his eye, and the corner of his ear. That one's touched. Never seen it til now, but there's more there than I'd marked. Those words, though. Don't like how they sound. Don't know why, just don't like.
Kikinnin decides he'd better see to Ruphus's continued living, let alone health. He walks past Ruben , to face off against the clown standing above the priest.
"You got more of you elsewhere, eh? You feeling confident enough to stay ground-level with all of us down here with you? Your confidence is borderline delusional, you ask me." The dwarf looks back at Ruben, and shrugs, swinging his mighty axe in less than optimal technique, bringing his flat to bear.
"You should give up now."
Ruben laughs again as the dwarf beside him makes a comment about his attempts not to cut these men. He points to the barely conscious man at his feet who writhes like a worm on the wet cobbles.
You reckon he thought I was being kind, hoss?
The dwarf follows the man's point to the unconscious clown, and can't suppress a chuckle. "Suppose you're right. He'd thank you for not cleaving him, if he weren't blacked out at the moment."
A hint of satisfaction is seen on Ryans face as the first thug sinks to the ground, however this is no time to gloat as his friend decides to continue the attack, catching the incoming blade on the reinforced section of his mace. Unfortunately in the close confines of the alleyway his misses his returning swipe.
Catching sight of Kikinnin on the other side he laughs though and calls out "Bad night to pick on one of Abadar's own, just need Aleck here to really have a party. Whose your friend?" Knowing the dwarf from St Cuthberts.
"Lets soften these curs up a little eh?"The dwarf winks at Dandarrion wryly and cocks his thumb..
Upon hearing his name Dandarrion looks around, it takes him a second to put a name with the face finally the name comes to him, "Maxim". He winks back and draws his bow releasing another arrow.
Noooo, it didn't work!
Her dismay at seeing the water have absolutely no effect is tempered by the surprising appearance of several familiar faces and voices as they come to the cleric's aid.
That *IS* Kikinnin! And that's Ruben...Dandarrion from work...don't know the other dwarf but the man with the mace seems familiar too...
The hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as she realizes that this is surely no random occurrence, but with weapons still flying she can't afford wool-gathering. Darting up behind JJ, she reaches out and places a hand on her friend.
"સાવચેત રહો JJ!"
"Be careful JJ!"
"Bad night to pick on one of Abadar's own, just need Alek here to really have a party. Whose your friend?"
The dwarf struggles to look around the clowns, and manages to see the young cleric in the alleyway, for the first time. "Ryan, man, what? You out here with Ruphus? As for this one here, I can't tell you, but he smells pretty."
"سأكون حذرا . ولكن ترقب وراء ، قد يكون, هناك المزيد منها "
He looks up, hearing his uncle's name and trying to see through the dim light who was saying it.
While maintaining his performance Ruben hits with the blunt part of his blade into the back neck of the thug in blue trousers. The hit is precise and the man loses his consciousness almost immediately collapsing to the floor.
JJ exorts to the remaining thug while performing a precise manoveour and approach damaging the man in his left leg. Dandarrion and Ryan attacks are too imprecise, but the wounds are enough for the man to collapse unconscious to the floor.
As the last thug kiss the cobblestones, a shadow looming over the roof becomes even more clear. As he stands up you observe a woman in short black hair and dark brown eyes. She wears a hooded black cloak, black boots, and black leather gloves. Like the other thugs her face is painted white and black, transforming it into a grinning harlequin's visage.
She looks at Ruben as she muses "Nice display beauty..." then looks at JJ very deeply, then the fallen bodies and shouts "Well done! But the cleric lives because we wish it so, not because of your misplaced bravado." She then points a baleful finger at Ruphus and says, "Take these words back to your temple, priest! The children are lost and no longer Abadar's concern."
The woman then turns around while drawing some kind of stick and disappears in the shadows jumping from roof to roof.
"Marigold..These thugs are dying..." calls out JJ.
Then, remembering, he tries again " મેરીગોલ્ડ , તેમણે મૃત્યુ થાય છે "
JJ dashes over towards the one in the green shirt. He kicks away the mans weapon and pulls back the mans jacket to see the wound. As he does so his hands glow blue for a moment, the light seeping from them into the unconscious man's wound, which seals up - the bleeding stopped for the moment.
Maxim watches the harlequin painted woman slink off into the night's gloom with a scowl;
"Reckon we all have unfinished business with that one..."
The dwarf pauses to survey the damage wrought by the converging group as he lights a cigar;
Know some by name. Know some by face...
He walks toward where the thugs lie, clapping Dandarrion on the shoulder as he passes;
"What sour deal occurred here Brokenhill? You Watchies get any wind of it?"
Maxim nods at anyone who knows him, or whose face he recognises. At Kikinnin, Ruben and the fallen thugs he stops, releasing a large puff of acrid smoke in application of their work;
"Kikinnin ain't it? You and your friend here fair dropped the hammer on these two! They for the dirt or fixing to be saved?"
As JJ steps in to heal the green shirted thug, he shrugs;
"Huh. Saved it seems..."
Honey, that ain't nothing. What say we get out of here and you can show me your real smile instead of the one that's painted on?
The Last Laugh. What interest do they have in the orphanage? he thinks as she flips away.
He bends down, as of to help up the stricken cleric but in fact just begins rummaging through the pockets of the fallen thugs.
Why were they leaning on you, padre?
JJ looks suspiciously at the newly arrived men.
At least they seem to know the guy that was attacked.
He looks closer at the victim before adding. "I think unless they done murder, they fixing to be saved - be nice to know what interest any of this lot had in my old home."
He looks hard at the men, wondering what they will make of his association with the source of the nights disturbance.
Turning his attention to the first dwarf he asks "You know Uncle Alek?"
Is he the dwarf that used to come round and give us rats to play with? Bah, all dwarves look the same to me.
With the battle ended Marigold feels her heart rate finally begin to slow, though the masked woman's parting words leave her feeling deeply concerned.
Lost? What plans do these people have?
JJ's call that some of the men are injured jars her from her thoughts. "O-okay..." she responds. As she moves up to have a better look at the men, she acknowledges Kikinnin and Dandarrion with a quick, nervous smile and nods at the other dwarf and the man dressed similarly to the injured priest. Kneeling down she gives the thugs a quick once-over, made slightly more difficult by Ruben rummaging through their belongings at the same time. "Um, Ruben...you're...sort of in the way..." she says weakly, letting her voice trail off.
"Um, I don't think they're in any danger of dying, at least not from bleeding out. Head injury might be another story, looked like some of you hit them pretty hard..." she reports, her examination complete.
She finally turns to the injured priest. "Are you okay?"
The woman smiles at Ruben's words as she turns around and disappears in the shadows. The rain continues soaking everything as Ruben examines the thugs possessions and finds 4 shortswords, 4 padded armors and 14 silver pieces.
As JJ places his hands over the thug in green shirt, he feels again the familiar wave of warmth and you all can see how the bleeding stops. The man wakes up visibly confused, the water from the rain and Marigold's spell removing the layer of make up partially, mixing up both black and white "Uggghh..." he slowly attempts to stand up. As the man takes eye contact with Dandarrion he gets scared and attempts to hide his face from him.
As the layer of makeup disappears you recognise the man. This is Anders, a middle-aged town's guard and father of five children. You look then closely to the other unconscious harlequins and all of them seem familiar to you, all of them calm town's guards and family men.
Marigold tends to the other thugs but it seems they are only unconscious and out of danger from dying. As she takes interest in Ruphus' injuries he nods with his head although it is clear he can barely stand on fit.
"First... first of all thanks you all" express Ruphus Laro with effort. He looks at Ryan "Oh, Ryan, I am so happy to see you. I am sorry all this was unexpected"
He then nods to JJ "Yes, I am a member of the temple with Sir Aleck Tercival, our great champion and defender. You should be the little JJ" he smiles "Your uncle sometimes talks about you..." Ruphus stops his conversation as you all and Ruben in particular request for explanation on what happened.
"I was heading back to the temple when I was mugged" he touches his left arm were a big bruise stands now "I thought the thugs planned to rob me until it became clear they were trying to intimidate me. It seems that someone does not want the Church of St. Cuthbert involved in an investigation to find four missing children from the local orphanage, but I cannot fathom why"
"If you were so kind to escort me to the temple so nobody else tries to assault me, my superiors can reward your kindness and bravado" he looks then at Ryan "And Jenya can update you about the last events" something seems to strike his memory then and asks the Taskerhill cleric "Oh... what about your family businesses? How did things underwent?" he does not seem to put any attention to poor Kikinnin he probably knows as well as Ryan.
"Um, Ruben...you're...sort of in the way..."
Sorry Dimples, these guys were cheap anyway. Hey how'd you know my name, we meet someplace before? he asks with a charming smile.
a bit earlier
"Ruphus you should not be out here alone on a dark night such as this." Ryan gently admonishes his superior before kneeling and holding a golden key on a chain at his neck a moment, "A bit of Abadar's healing to ease your pain and aches, Sir."
spontaneous change bless to CLW
He then helps the older cleric to his feet.
after Ruphus addresses those present
"I'm sure we'd be happy to escort you back to the Church, as for my family business it is going as well as can be expected with the weather as it is. Father says there have already been two minor cave-ins and numerous areas are currently under water; but none of the workers have been injured so work continues. Just not along the most prosperous veins."
As Maxim listens to Ryan's address, recognition crosses the dwarf's ruddy features;
"Mines! Young Taskerhill right..? Thought I knew your face... Now I reckon I do."
The gun-mage eyes the rest of the assembled Cauldronites;
"Don't recollect all of you. Some I do. Reckon introductions might be in order, lest The Watchies want a full report on what we all seen and done?"
The dwarf takes a long draw of his stogie;
"For anyone who don't know me... Name's Maxim Snaphånce. Kin to Adrick Garthûn, known best for Garthûn Imports; Finest smoke, spirits and sweets a Cauldronite can buy..."
Maxim smiles wryly and taps the leather bound handle of his sidearm before continuing;
"... Work for the company. Little bit of imports, little bit of trading... little bit of whatever Adrick needs me to do... Might have heard me called Garthûn's Gun on account of the black-powder pistol I'm packing here."
"JJ... Surabar" he pauses to make sure everyone takes account of his family name.
"Alek, that is Sir Alek Tercival, is my uncle..."
He looks up at the rain.
"Lets get to shelter and take these thugs with us, maybe they can shed light on my little brothers and sisters going missing."
"Kikinnin ain't it? You and your friend here fair dropped the hammer on these two! They for the dirt or fixing to be saved? Huh. Saved it seems..."
Kikinnin turns full face to answer the new voice. He blinks rainwater outta his eyes, then grins. "Aye, that's my name. Good to see a face without the clown paint, let alone your familiar mug." A blue glow catches his attention, and he turns to watch JJ heal the mugger. It gives him enough time to reach for a name.
"Maxim, that's right. You've got relations 'round here, right? Haven't met them myself, but you're building a name enough to hear every so often." The black-bearded dwarf claps the blond on the back.
"You know Uncle Alek?"
Kikinnin raises an eyebrow, as another congregant speaks up. "Uh, I only call him Tercival. 'Uncle Alek' feels a little too friendly, calling him that." When JJ announces that Tercival's literally the monkey's uncle, the dwarf nods in understanding. "Ah, I didn't know that about you. Thought you were a Lantern boy."
As the others attend to Ruphus, the black-beard turns his attention to learning the nature of events unfolding this evening.
Kikinnin nods wordlessly as the others agree to join Ruphus in returning to the temple. Suppose I can dry off a little in the warmth of St. Cuthberts. There's just as good as any. He smiles as Ryan heals his colleague. Lightning bugs, glowing in the dark, passing their energies back and forth.
As the first dwarf introduces himself, then the boy, the second dwarf speaks up. "Kikinnin Rouradont, ratcatcher extra-mediocre. Looks like we might all share a little more time together, if you're joining us back to the temple. Faces with names always feel better than without." Although he's familiar with more than Maxim, he lets the others speak for themselves.
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"Sorry Dimples, these guys were cheap anyway. Hey how'd you know my name, we meet someplace before?"
For the first time since this whole incident began, Marigold looks mildly annoyed rather than anxious. "Hard not to notice someone that takes as many pains to keep to yourself as you did, but I'll admit that I don't remember your last name. Anyway, since you've obviously forgotten it's Marigold, not 'Dimples'," she responds indignantly. Looking around at the others, namely the unfamiliar dwarf and the younger cleric, she adds, "Marigold Montajay," offering her hand for a shake. "Um, formerly of the Lantern Street Orphanage. I think I know most of you already, though." She smiles again, nervously. "Quite a coincidence..."
When Maxim introduces himself, her eyes grow wide. "I've heard of you! They say you can work spellery as well as that gun, but I'd always thought that Zinli was just pulling my leg."
However, any excitement she might've had at meeting something of a minor celebrity is immediately dampened by Ruphus' words. "W-wait, children have gone missing from the orphanage? When?"
"I was a Lantern boy. " he agrees.
"Uncle didn't think he had enough time to bring me up proper with his other commitments. Still made sure I turned up to church, and taught me how to handle a sword better than average."
He hefts one of the muggers onto his shoulders.
"I think I know the way. I'm not sure I like letting that woman get away though. And she just left her mates for us. Not nice at all."
With a shrug he settles the man on his shoulders.
"I guess there is no honor amongst thieves."
Ryan laughs at the voice piping up behind him, "Yes, and I thought I smelled a familiar odor as well, turning to face Maxim hand outstretched still say your gonna blow yourself up one of these days with that thing."
Watching JJ attend to the thug he'd laid low "Nice work, your uncle would be proud."
Looking to the others .. "Marigold, Reuben, nodding to each will you join us back at the church to continue this conversation. We can drop these fine gentlemen off with Dondarrion's friends in the guard along the way. Collecting another of the ruffians
"Ya think? Alek never seems to think I work hard enough." says the youth in a slightly sulky manner.
"Maybe if you put in a good word it'd help..." he adds hopefully.
Ruphus smiles happy at your decision and starts walking towards the temple "Thanks again"
As you charge with the fallen thugs and start walking following Ruphus the one not unconscious intervenes "No please. The town's guard not. We only accepted the task because it did not involve killing anybody, we just had to scare the boy."
The man seems ashamed and it seems he is worried about visiting the town's guard for more than the possible arrest.
"We will stay away of the Abadar's temple and it's business. Just let me take care of my friends and you will never see us again" prays the man.
"When you started beating on the priest, you could have swung your blade like me and him." Kikinnin points over at Ruben. "You'd be more believable in word, if your actions backed them up. Your swings could have killed him, and you could have considered your point already made and left when we told you you could. He looked proper scared, what, with you outnumbering him four to one." The dwarf snorts, unconvinced.
"Now, go on and explain why you're worried about more than being arrested by the Guard. You've got a look about you that gives you away. Again, actions, now your words."
Ruphus Laro expression turns dull as Marigold asks about the orphanage "There was a children kidnapping three days ago in the Lantern Street Orphanage... When the news got to us Jenya sent me to the orphanage in order to discover more, but those thugs got me and... well you know the rest of the story" comments the cleric as he walks towards the temple.
The street thug looks ashamed at Dandarrion then answers Kikinnin "We have families to feed, the town's guard salary is not enough for that. The woman you saw in the roof. Her name is Jil. She approached us with a task to do. It is not the first time we perform some task for the Last Laugh, they pay well." he looks to the floor before continuing "My poor Ricky needs for new shoes and his sister some trousers of new... She said it will be easy, just 'to send a clear message' to the Church of St. Cuthbert not to investigate the disappearance of the four children from the Lantern Street Orphanage. Because we badly needed the money and since the arrangement didn't involve killing the cleric, we agreed..."
He crosses his hands and kneeling prays to you "Please, if we are rejected the town's guard salary our families will starve to death. Let us go."
The words of the man seems trust worthy. He seems truthfully concerned by his family fate.
Kikinnin looks the kneeling man over. He really wants to see the man in front of him. For a moment, the dwarf's eyes dilate, the color of his blue irises disappearing. He stops blinking, and focuses on the essence of the guard turned thug.
You do not detect evilness in the man.
Anger building in Ryan with each failure admitted to by the town guard turned thug....
"First you, betray your duty as town guardsmen to beat a cleric for money.
Then when you are given a chance to leave, you choose to attack us .
Now you want to sit here a plead for us to worry about your family if you get turned in?"
The young cleric speechless for a moment turns to Dondarrion, "Well?" for while he has no desire for the families to starve; he can not in good conscience condone what the men had done tonight