Hoku slips out of her imperfect hiding spot and rejoins the others.
Elohir seems a little bit displeased, but he follows none the less, occasionally muttering something incomprehensible.
Aden sprints after the barbarian
"And I thought this was going to a boring"
""Boring" and "Irawaru" never meet in the same sentence. "Recklessly stupid" and "Irawaru" are old friends."
"C'mon, shadowman," Irawaru says to Aden, "Could be some heads to bust."
Hoku reminisces, "Reminds me of Melak, boy of the twins. Won't stop taking food of the hot stove, hey? More well-fed than the others though."
"How fast do you think news travels around here?"
"Thinks it's kind of like running away from those big lizards, hey? Faster than friend? Doesn't matter how fast news travels, as long as she faster than us."
"Run!"
Elohir looks confused but runs alongside, using his preternatural constitution to keep pace despite his weak limbs.
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As the group races to the warlock's former home, they see they are too late to help much. The third house on the left is a total loss, but still smoking. All that stands is the fireplace and chimney. The bucket brigades are concentrating on keeping the neighboring buildings -- a cutler's shop with apartment above, and another small house -- from going up in flames.
Perception DC 18:
If make Perception, Insight DC 15:
Hasnett nudges Hoku.
"Over there. Not from last night and interested in us. Think we should the boys over to chat to him?"
"What are you talking about? I do not see anything more than a burnt our lead," says Elohir somewhat dejectedly.
"Over there. The alley opposite."
With a nod, Hasnett directs Elohir's gaze in the right direction.
Rolling her eyes slightly, Hasnett draws the attention of the party to the small figure and his fixation on their ill-assorted group.
"Ah, now I see. Should I kill him then? He is very suspicious."
"He's probably more useful alive at the moment. Later maybe."
Hasnett heads towards whoever seems to be in charge of the firefighting operation.
"You need help? I'm a healer if anyone's hurt."
Elohir tries not to look suspicious.
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Elohir:
Hasnett easily finds her target, a loud man bellowing directions to the brigades. "Eh? Thanks, healer, but nobody was in there -- best we can tell, anyhow. A couple bods took a bit of smoke while checking, they're across the street there." Hasnett realizes she's lost his attention as he returns to his duties.
Hoku attempts to separate herself from the party and circle towards the watcher without them noticing her in the crowd.
Elohir pokes at the rubble with his boot.
"So this is where our friend lived. It does not look like anything useful will be found here. Maybe we should go hurt him some more."
Elohir's poor eyes, ruined by years of reading small book-print by dim candlelight, attempt to make something out of the wreckage.
Hasnett looks absently in the same direction as Elohir.
"Later. Need to talk to the injured first. Hoku looks like she's on the case and Irawaru and Aden can be very persuasive."
"With my sword perhaps" he thinks momentarily before nodding and asking those nearby just what happened.
Irawaru grinds his teeth and heads back to the temple.
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As Hoku melts into the crowd and Irawaru stalks off, Hasnett, Elohir, and Aden are left at the site of the fire.
Aden gets little from his investigation, only that the fire started toward dawn. Nobody he speaks to seems to know more, or at least that they share with the shadar-kai.
Hasnett:
"Join me?"
Under her breath she tells them. "I think there's a trap door under what's left of the house. We should investigate. Keep an eye out for Hoku ... and where's Irawaru gone now ... hell's teeth, it's like herding cats."
Irritably, she heads across the street to tend to the injured.
"Hmmmm, strange that they would leave a basement unharmed if they were trying to hide everything. I doubt we will find much of use if they neglected to even destroy it. Still, I suppose if we came all this way already."
"No help. No one seems to anything" The shadar-kai sighs as he follows Hasnett
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Hasnett is able to relieve the coughs and pains of the smoke victims.
All:
Hasnett curses fluently and inventively as she gives in to instinct and chases after the barbarian.
"Trap door and someone watching us. You can play with your warlock later."
Irawaru growls and turns, "What the hell you mithering about, woman?"
"There was someone watching us from an alley near the house. Plus, trap door under the wreckage. Hoku's watching the watcher, Melora alone knows what Elohir and Aden are doing and I'm just going a little crazy. Anything more you want to know?"
"Yeah, when's lunch?"
"C'mon then." he says as he heads back to the former dwelling.
Hasnett shrugs. "One thing I really like about you, Irawaru. Life is simple to you. Makes things easy."
Realising she's speaking to empty air again, she lengthens her stride to keep pace with him.
"Nah, mate, life is complicated. Way I see it, you reduce the complications in the quickest way possibl, ya got yerself a nice life. Or as I like to say, cut the crap."