Ash grinned. "The answers would be for us, not for him, so outside the scope of what we were hired to do, since that would be what we were asking about. But okay."
***
Having nosed about as well as he could, and not found any lookouts, Ash quietly made his way back to the nook where he'd taken the form of a cat. Bones crackled and flesh shifted as he regained the form of a man; then he went back to where the others waited.
"I didn't hear anyone moving in there now, but I think there were a lot of people there recently. Multiple bodies in there... maybe undead." He described the entry points, and the best ways to reach them unseen.
"Maybe Goggh and you, Illendur, could go in loud on one side, and Jixel and I could take the other, quietly. Maybe the second floor. What do you all think?"
Ash was surely wise, as neither ratfolks nor their chicken familiars were overly fond of predatory felines. Thus, oblivious to how the man had "actually" discovered so much and remained undetected too, Jixel just had to listen and suck up the very useful report.
"Go in? Undead? Make noises?"
Jixel chuckled. No wonder this guy had all the luck finding noble jewelry just lying in the street. It was to make up for poor luck on account of terrible plans! An equalization of fate!
"Are you fool or genius, friend? I can't decide."
The ratfolk smiled to take the edge off the comment though, hoping for it to be taken in good humor.
"It sounds like more sneakysneaky required... to count bodies. Two is multiple. So is big number. Un makes big difference between dead and undead too. Both smelly though. Can we looky through windows, really carefully? Any volunteer? If not, I'll do it... hehe."
For what it was worth, Jixel was dark-furred and would probably blend into the shadows well enough. She wasn't very tall though... so it would come down to how high the glazing actually was.
Ash chuckled, taking no offense. "I think 'fool' may be the most accurate description I've heard. But should you and I go in alone? I don't imagine Goggh here has a light step, and Illendur already opted out of sneaking. If someone were to provide a quick distraction at the front, we might have the chance to discover something at the back in peace - if it's even necessary. There might just be a pile of normal corpses in there. Hopefully, not our target, too. But what I mean is, why go alone if we might need backup due to undead? ...Or did you just mean you need a boost up to the windows?" He grinned at Jixel teasingly.
Illendur turns to Goggh, What do you say, drunken carousers passing by? and does his best to sway unsteadily on his feet, attempting to look intoxicated.
It was nice that Ash hadn't been offended by Jixel's jest. Some folks wouldn't have taken nicely to being mocked by a rat with a chicken for a friend. She grinned and gave the man a friendly wink.
"Well, if all are determined to upgrade. Upgrade from stakeout... to sniffout, then so be it. Just don't want Illendur and Goggh to get mugged, that's all. Oh... and Ash, if we go in together... mmm hard to explain. But I might whisper in your head, and you can whisper back, if we split up."
"So... which hole we go in?"
She pulled her hood a little further over her head, ready for some sneakysneak.
The minotaur grunts and nods at Ilendur. "Sure, I can do that."
Waiting on Ash and Jixel to depart, Illendur will then wander somewhat drunkenly down the street, singing loudly,
Hoping the ruckus will draw the eyes of any guards, Illendur continues loudly down the street, before slumping against the wall just past the warehouse.
I tell you.... Didsh you see her eyes? I shwears...I'm in looove. No, no, no, its for real this time. I know, I said that last week as well, but this is different thish time...
Goggh joined in with a voice like a fog horn.
He was an excellent singer, his deep, deep bass echoing off the cobblestones with a thrum that was felt in the chest. And he was surprisingly good at acting drunk- he probably had a lot of experience observing drunks at his job.
The minotaur weaved and wavered and put out his hand to steady himself against the wall next to where Ilendur sat, surreptitiously glancing under his arm to see if there was any response from the warehouse. Unfortunately, it looked like whoever was in there- if anyone at all- was leaving the drunks to their singing. "Might have to go in, he murmured to Ilendur.
Moving quietly around the building, Ash and Jixel managed to get up the fire escape and to the door while Ilendur and Goggh tried to draw attention to the front. The stealthy pair weren't quite as stealthy as they'd hoped but the little noise they made didn't seem to attract any attention.
Unfortunately- and perhaps to be expected in this neighborhood- the door was locked from the inside.
Darn, okay. Let's give it a minute. Maybe I have to relieve myself? Illendur looks at the big Minotaur. Giving it a moment to collect his thoughts, before standing up and weaving his way over to the front door.
Knocking loudly, the half-elf leans against the door, one hand dropped onto the hilt of his long sword in case, but out of sight should the door be cracked open. Hey, this is the Lord D'artaign's afterparty right? They said there was a cask of lemongrass mead they'd be opening and my fine friend here said there was no way it was superior to dark rum, but I'm trying to enlighten his palate.
Goggh nodded in his best approximation of drunken fashion. "I want to taste this MEAD!" He pounded his fist on the door hard enough to rattle it in its frame and echo down the alleyway.
The door apparently wasn't built to stand up to that kind of punishment. The door frame splintered right at the lock and slammed open with a bang. Goggh grunted and shot Ilendur an apologetic look. "Damn. Sorry."
"WHERE'S THAT MEAD!?"
Inside, tables and chairs were carelessly tossed across the floor, some broken. It looked like something had definitely happened here, and probably recently. From the door, Ilendur and Goggh could also see stairs rising to an open level above.
Ash fished a sheet of paper from his pack and pressed it against the window, where it stuck. Then he removed a small tool from a pouch and cut a small circle with it. Tapping one side of the cut until he was able to remove it, he reached inside and unlatched the window, then ripped the sheet off the remaining glass and pulled the window open.
"You didn't see that," he warned Jixel with unusual seriousness, knitting his fingers to make a step to boost her through the opening.
"Go in and open the door, all right?"
Brightening at the door's disintegration, Illendur steps inside, I'm telling you, this is definitely where the after-party is! Seeing the quickly overturned tables and chairs, he looks back to Goggh, and then into the room.
Maybe they are upstairs, it looks like someone was here, maybe they went on a run for more snacks? Illendur continues the ruse as he walks into the warehouse.
"Oh, such scrupulous company I keep," the ratfolk said, looking first at Ash's glazing removal skills, and then to the step made from the mans phalanges.
"Okay then..."
Jixel paused for a moment, gently wriggling her tiny claws and mumbling something about fleshy steps and chicken's pecks, feathers and thick-skinned poultry. Then, she popped a foot onto Ash's offering and moved to hop through the opening. Hopefully without touching any sharp edges.
Maybe they are upstairs, it looks like someone was here, maybe they went on a run for more snacks? Illendur continues the ruse as he walks into the warehouse.
Ilendur didn't get far before he smelled it- blood and death. The source was almost immediately apparent, as a dozen bodies had been piled against the east wall behind a tall stack of crates where they couldn't easily be seen from the door.
***
"Oh, such scrupulous company I keep," the ratfolk said, looking first at Ash's glazing removal skills, and then to the step made from the mans phalanges.
"Okay then..."
Jixel paused for a moment, gently wriggling her tiny claws and mumbling something about fleshy steps and chicken's pecks, feathers and thick-skinned poultry. Then, she popped a foot onto Ash's offering and moved to hop through the opening. Hopefully without touching any sharp edges.
Jixel found herself in an office that looked like it didn't get much use. There was a sturdy wooden desk, a wooden chair on casters, and a lantern in the middle of the ceiling that was currently un-lit. The whole place was dusty and she could see cobwebs in the corners of the room.
She also noticed that there was a steel bell positioned at the top of the door, right where it would jingle loudly if the door was ever opened.
Illendur stops a few feet into the room, and draws his sword quickly upon smelling the corpses and seeing them piled against the wall. Well, I guess it isn't a party after all... This isn't good Goggh.
He begins to cross to the piled corpses looking for someone matching the description of Floon. Scanning the room he looks for any clues which might be apparent.
As he looked around, Ilendur realized what had happened- he'd been baited into a trap. His eagle eye spotted four tengus slinking toward him, swords drawn.
Well, hello there angry armed Tengu!
Illendur lets his voice carry throughout the warehouse, hopefully allowing Jixel and Ash to hear him....
He quickly draws his second sword, and closes toward the closest Tengu combatant.
Jixel touched down inside and looked around.
A strange sensation followed... like that she should really pay attention to something about this area's innards, but the ratfolk couldn't work out what was worthy of note. She returned to the window and whispered out to Ash.
"A bell dingalingling and a janitor that has retired by the look of it. I'll let you in."
Jixel moved to the door that was keeping Ash on the outside.
Once inside, Ash let his eyes rove over the interior, not looking for anything specific so much as anything out of place.
LOL
But he was distracted by Illendur's muffled call.
While Jixel's back was turned, he took a deep breath and... changed.
Less painful than a full transformation, it was still an uncomfortable reminder of his past. Now, the markings of a tiger were much more prominent upon his flesh, and his animalistic features (and movements) were more catlike than ever.
He reached up and caught hold of the bell's ringer, then grasped the entire bell and unhooked it, fingers keeping the bell from ringing. He set it down on the table and nodded to Jixel.
Well, hello there angry armed Tengu!
Illendur lets his voice carry throughout the warehouse, hopefully allowing Jixel and Ash to hear him....He quickly draws his second sword, and closes toward the closest Tengu combatant.
Ilendur dashed toward the tengu on his left, hoping to take it by surprise before it hopped down off the box it was climbing over, but the black-clad bird-man was more agile than he expected and Ilendur's blade sliced through nothing but air.
The furthest tengu, hearing they'd been spotted, threw something on the floor and a cloud of smoke enveloped it.
Ilendur's target cut at the half-elf's head with a blade that was either a small sword or a large knife. Either way, it looked well maintained and like the tengu knew how to use it.
The tengu's cunning attack slipped through the Phiarlan's defenses and struck home hard.
But then Goggh entered the fray. Not bothering to sidle through the door, Goggh bellowed and charged, taking the door frame off whole as he blasted through the wall. The huge, enraged minotaur ran straight at the stack of boxes another tengu was preparing to jump down from, greataxe poised to strike.
There was a reason Goggh was a respected bouncer at one of the toughest clubs in Throneport, and it was on display. The minotaur's enormous axe cleaved entirely through the unfortunate tengu as well as the sturdy wooden crates it had been standing on.
The other tengu didn't flinch, either at Goggh's bellowing roar of triumph or the loss of their companion. The one around the corner from Ilendur fairly danced around the half-elf's warding blade as he took up a post at Ilendur's back to set up a wolf pack attack with his companion.
Luckily, Ilendur was able to ward off the second tengu's attacks.
The bell was on the inside of the fire door, so Ash climbed in the window as Jixel had. There were two doors leading out of this office, one to the south and one to the west.
Just as Ash finished shifting, the cat and the mouse heard a bellow from downstairs, through the south door. It was unmistakably Goggh's battle cry- they had both heard it during the riot at the Keelhauled Dwarf.
Illendur, quickly realizing the threat the two Tengu provide steps toward the wall, attempting to remove the tengu's flanking opportunity. As he does so he turns to the tengu between himself and Goggh, stabbing with his shortsword and launching a vicious overhand cut at the Tengu's head with his main weapon.
Illendur, quickly realizing the threat the two Tengu provide steps toward the wall, attempting to remove the tengu's flanking opportunity. As he does so he turns to the tengu between himself and Goggh, stabbing with his shortsword and launching a vicious overhand cut at the Tengu's head with his main weapon.
Ilendur showed off his training as he took down the tengu who had danced around the corner, following up a stab to the belly by knocking the rogue to the floor with a cut to the head.
The tengu flipped down off the box, following Ilendur's lead as the two of them crowded against the wall.
It was good, slipping quickly past Ilendur's well honed defenses again.
The tengu's move turned out to be prescient, as Goggh tried to bull his way through the stack of boxes but couldn't shift them all in time to get into the fight.
"Get out of there, Ilendur, I'll take it!"
The open second level was stacked with crates and overlooked the main, lower level of the warehouse.
Illendur, bleeding profusely from the two rogues attacks, thanks Goggh Thanks mate, I'm using this wall to keep me up!
He holds his swords out in front of him, points levelled at the Tengu's face as he slowly back away from the combat...
The tengu, seeing the angry minotaur coming for it, decided discretion was the better part of valor and dropped a smokebomb, too.
Goggh pushed through the crates and into the edges of the smoke, shaking his head. "Where'd it go!?"
Ash tried to keep out of view of anyone who might be below - but it limited his view, as well.
"Wha... &$*#!"
Jixel's hair was kind of standing on end for a second, her jaw hanging open and eyes wide with fear. It was an instinctive thing born of well... a rodent's reaction when confronted with a feline. A moment later of course, logic overcame any further survival responses as it was clear that this was another of Ash's "tricks".
"Hells Ash, some warning next time maybe? Maybe you need a bell to dingaling! You almost got to smell rat wee then..."
Anyway, the man's "shift" complete, Jixel hopped along behind him, keen also to see the reasoning behind a great minotaurian roar.
Ash and Jixel, once they came to the railing and looked down into the open area, could see two thick clouds of smoke, a stack of bodies against the east wall- where Ash had smelled corpses from the outside during his scouting expedition- a pair of dead tengu, a severely wounded Ilendur, and Goggh shouting.
"Two tengu! I lost them! Keep your eyes peeled!"
Illendur casts his gaze around the warehouse, searching for the disappearing Tengu...
Jixel too peered over the railing, hoping to see one of said tengu. The ratfolk muttered as her beady eyes scanned the smoggy scene below...
Nope. Nothing. She turned to Ash.
"Illendur looks ill. Shall I pop down and help?"
"I'll go with you - let's stay together," Ash whispered back, slinking carefully toward Illendur.
No one could find the sneaky tengu, and as they'd apparently decided discretion was the better part of valor Ash and Jixel made it down to the warehouse floor unmolested.
Lowering his weapons with the threat diminished, Illendur looks around, Ow, that hurt, a lot...
Sheathing his secondary sword, he makes his way over to the pile of bodies on the floor, and begins looking for their target. Oh they stink already. Damn heat. Think Floon met with unpleasantness in this heap of corpses? Who the heck are they all? And why'd it have to be ninjas?
Barring finding Floon, he'll look for identifying tattoos, papers, or loose change...
Jixel's method of descent to the level of the others wasn't overly traditional. In fact, the ratfolk lass reached into her pack and stroked the head of the exceptionally obedient poultry within.
"Its ok Peekee. I just borrow a little of what makes you so special. Feathers here and feathers there, oh so soft we go down there."
Then, without further ado, she just jumped over the edge, and rather than falling like a sack of hard cheeses, she floated down gently with a wink towards Ash along the way.
Upon touching down, she immediately scurried over to Illendur.
"Oh you are beat, friend. Umm, so anyone know how to... you know... magic healy things?"
If not, then once again she'd mumble something about birdlife, and gently touch the half an elf on the shoulder.
Sighing as the healing magic courses through him, Illendur looks at Jixel, Thanks Jixel! That's a lot better for now. But could I use a night's sleep for sure.
As Ash descended the stairs, he saw there was a door under the steps that looked like it had been half broken off. In his tiger aspect, he could smell vinegar and fish that had been sitting out too long.
Ilendur, gamely investigating in spite of the pain, found that the two dead tengu were uniformly equipped, in black leather armor with the same utilitarian short sword and other gear. The pile of bodies against the east wall turned out to be recently dead, with another pair of tengu, four shifters, a hobgoblin, and five dead humans.
The tengu, shifters, and hobgoblins were all equipped the same as the two who had jumped Ilendur and Goggh. All of these corpses had the same tattoo somewhere on their bodies- the Daask eye.
The five dead humans had mismatched gear but all of the same general type used by street thugs. These all had a different tattoo on them- the stylized beholder of House Tarkanan.
In addition to the gear on the bodies, the crates Goggh had broken open during the fight had spilled weapons, rations, and other gear onto the floor. If the rest of the warehouse contained similar items, it was likely this was some sort of equipment storehouse for House Tarkanan.
"Uh... I really don't think we want to be here when the Tarkanans come back," Ash worried, though part of him was wondering why the Daask had stayed behind. Had they not gotten their objective?
Despite his words, he poked around a bit more, hoping to suss out what it was they were after to instigate a gang war.
"Glad you feel better. Still some open wounds, but life threatening? No."
Jixel nodded to Illendur, pleased that the half elf looked a little less worse for wear. She looked to the pile of bodies then.
"Undertaker is going to be busy..." And Ash was right, this was most certainly not somewhere to loiter for too long. Seeing her friends poke around some of the spoils anyway, Jixel grabbed a few rations.
"Ah, this will help the tummy rumbles."
Next, she grabbed two daggers if nobody minded, leaving the "fancy" stuff to the others. Honestly, weapons weren't the ratfolk's thing. Too complex. A small knife or two though, they might be handy.
"So... our guy isn't here. Where next then?"
Did we check everywhere, sorry I'm still a little lightheaded. Might as well see if we can't pawn some of this stuff that isn't useful to us.
Illendur will quickly walk around looking for any other doors they may have missed, and will even open the fishy door to see what's behind it.