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The sun burns from the sky like a madman's eye, trying to see what isn't there. The streets of Kaledun are packed with people, as usual, going nowhere, doing nothing, but hurrying nonetheless. Humidity rises from the rivers, suffocating the city like a stench of rot. There is no place like Kaledun.
Hag Market is closed during the day, and the traders at other markets are hiding in the shade, trying to rest till the evening. Even the dogs are felling to hot to bark. Only chained slaves stand in the sun, waiting for new owners; slaves, Halfling beggars - and several travelers aboard the merchant barge tied to the dock at Grath Port. While they wait for the Constabulary official to finish the cargo inspection, they pass the time watching Lizardfolk lolling and sunbathing on the stone dock. One of them, especially huge and horned, looks back. There is no place like Kaledun.
Jack sits on a post by the pier, watching the customs officials. "Smells like fish and hot lizard," he mutters, idly cleaning his fingernails with a dagger. He is small, even for a halfling, slight and lithe and he moves with a grace most can't muster.
Zissaren luxuriates in the sunlight, idly watching the city officials at work just across the water. He wears just enough to conform to Kaledun's sense of decency, exposing the maximum number of copper scales to the warm rays. His stomach growls, reminding him that he hasn't eaten yet today. He stands and stretches before starting the tiresome process of getting redressed to head off in search of food.
Above it all, flying unseen, the small pixie makes his way back towards the estate of Baba Svetlana, carrying several tiny vials containing the tears of joy that his latest errand had him collect.
Looking down on the sprawling city beneath him, his thoughts are cast back to a time before all of this, a time before his life was confined to this endless service, a time when he was free… He missed his forest, the trees, the birds, the rolling waters of the stream, and most of all, he missed her – she was the reason he found himself in his current situation, but he missed her still.
Leaf hovers over the river. Using a combination of 'glue' and 'mage hand' cantrips he stacks pebbles on the riverbank as high as he can.
"Hot Lizard...smells like...You know, I'm not even sure I can smell."
After a moment, he buzzes over to the aforementioned 'big, horned lizard' and says: "hello!". All the while he tries to discover if he has the sense of smell.
Whatever the lizardman's disposition, Leaf perseveres with conversation:
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Leaf hovers over the river. Using a combination of 'glue' and 'mage hand' cantrips he stacks pebbles on the riverbank as high as he can.
"Hot Lizard...smells like...You know, I'm not even sure I can smell."
After a moment, he buzzes over to the aforementioned 'big, horned lizard' and says: "hello!". All the while he tries to discover if he has the sense of smell.
Whatever the lizardman's disposition, Leaf perseveres with conversation:
Arathalia takes in the sounds and sights of the city, trying to ignore the heat. In the brilliant sunlight, her pale skin is almost painful to look at, her arms and shoulders bare, pale grey stylized leather armor vented at non critical points allowing her skin to breathe.
The ghost elf walks down the streets, warily observing those around her, her mirrord eyes not betraying exactly who or what holds her attention.
The cry sounds, scaring the seagulls away. Shrill cry; a scream even. Woman's voice, filled with tears, desperation and denial. The throng of passers-buy hides the source of the cry. You would need to have wings to locate it in the busy streets.
"Hey, what was that?"
Leaf zips along 120' on an upward diagonal 'towards' the sound.
Hearing the sound, Arathalia looks around, partially to seek its source and patially to observe how few others are even remotely concerned with a woman's screams.
As she scans the area she sees a glowing ball of light soar into the air. Intrigued she heads in the direction of the orb.
The desperate cry snapped his thoughts back to the present, his reminiscence shattered by the urgency of the sound. Beating his wings frantically Luff struggles to spin towards the source of the sound, but in his distracted state he only manages to ungraciously arc around a wide turning circle before descending towards the crowded street below. A good thing, he reassures himself, no-one saw that ungainly manoeuvre.
Hearing the scream, Jack begins to scan the crowd, looking for the source, or if not, some one who seems to be headed toward the cry as well...
Perception: IC down! Rolled a 10 +8 = 18
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Most of you are new to the city and unaccustomed to its small winding streets and throngs of pedestrians. No mater how hard you try, you can not locate the source of the screaming. Furthermore, angry shouting of the other people slowly drowns the cries.
@Luff
After quickly scanning the gathered crowd Luff gently sets down on the cobbled street near to the woman, suppressing his natural invisibility as he lands to reveal his short frame. Looking at the wailing woman with his wide, solid black eyes he tilts his head curiously.
“What is wrong?” he asks the woman softly, an oddly soothing quality to his unearthly voice. “Perhaps somebody can help.”
Zissaren glances up from tightening the buckle on his belt to see a small ball of light hovering at eye level. He opens his mouth to say something but the female scream interupts him and the glowing apparition shoots of in the direction of the noise.
He spins to follow the path of the orb before grabbing his bag, slinging it on his back and moving off in the same direction, using his large size to part the crowd. He accidentally barges into an extremely pale elf and turns to check if he hasn't knocked her over. "Sssorry lady, didn't ssee you there" he apologises.
Arathalia begins to glare at the lizrdman, but notes his politeness and action, both seemingly rare in this city. Following the ball she realizes that they are headed in the same direction, though she begins begins to outpace him, her slender form lithely flowing through the crowd, his long strides and powerful frame soon plough a path through the chaos, bringing them upon the scene at roughly the same time.
Jack slips into the crowd, following the glowing ball and the seemingly large crowd of people who do the same. He keeps one hand on his belt pouch and another on the hilt of his sword...
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Based on the angry mutterings of the people around you, it is easy to come to the conclusion that this woman's child is sixth gone missing in the last month. The woman surrounded by her neighbors is now silent. She clutches the torn shirt still and gently rocks back and forth, kneeling upon the cobblestones.
Luff turns his dark-eyed gaze towards the man in the crowd, and regards him silently for a moment before speaking in a flat voice.
"Missing?" the fairy asks quizzically, "then shouldn't someone look for her? Things that are missing are not often found if nobody looks for them."
Zissaren follows the elf through the crowd, arriving at the front of the crush of people to see a small winged figure standing next to the distraught mother of the missing child. He nods in agreement with the pixie's words and calls out above the noise of the gathered mob.
"The fairy haas a point. When and where wass the child last sseen?"
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One of the older constables in the crowd looks at the Lizardman and the pixie. "You two talk to much." Then he turns to the crowd. "Common, folks, nothing to see here. You know what will happen if they hear of trouble. This is the matter for the Constabulary."
Reluctantly, people disperse. But, perhaps, some of them look relieved.
"You would silence them? Are you not the authorities, the guardians of your tribe? A child goes missing and you disperse those who could help? You said one more. This has happened before no?"
"What did you say to me?"
The elven woman looks into the mans's eyes showing him only a reflection of his own. This close he is aware of a glow radiating from her very skin, an aura of power and danger.
A buzzing sphere of light hovers behind the Elf, lending even greater majesty to the threat.
"buzzz"
The pixie casts an assessing glance over the newcomers, and watches the reaction of the constable closely.
As the elf makes herself the centre of attention with her outburst, Luff quietly backs towards the weeping woman and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps you can tell me your story," he whispers to her, leaning close, "if I know how your daughter went missing, I could look for her."
Jack stands just back and behind the woman, watching the confrontation and assessing the risks. Finally he slips up next to the woman and the pixie and smiles reassuringly.
"Perhaps I might be of assistance? I am something of a free-range investigator, (Bluff: 1d20+7=24) a sort of free lance police force of one. I am quite interested in helping you, ma'am and you, sir. I am a stranger here myself and unbeholden to the local authorities."
Zissaren glared at the constable and then studiously ignored him as he crouched down to be on a level with the woman and the pixie.
He spoke quietly, adding to the pixies words. "and I have some skill in tracking, if you tell us what happened we may be able to return your child"
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"What did you say to me?"
The elven woman looks into the mans's eyes showing him only a reflection of his own. This close he is aware of a glow radiating from her very skin, an aura of power and danger.
Constable looks at Arathalia and smirks. "Don't try to scare me, woman. There are those who scare me more than you can imagine. I've killed my share of both long-ears and long-beards when you came to this land to pillage and burn in the name of Hohenbaurgs. Now go away and take that puffed-up ball of gas with you, or I'll summon more constables to throw all of you freaks in Lord's Dungeon. You've already made things dangerous for these people. Go!"
Arathalia glares at the man for a tense second, her posture almost promising violence. A moment later she ignores the man, looking around her at the other individuals that came to the woman's aid.
"Well at least there are some in this city with a sense of...how d'you say....community. Perhaps this society is not as hopeless as I believed."
Luff's face remained neutral as he silently watched the woman walk away, before slowly looking at each of those who had offered their aid to the woman.
"Do you know where the inn of Yanko is?" he finally asks them as a group, "Martha did not say."
"bzzz?"
Leaf throws to back of the authority figure as he walks away.
Arathalia looks at the pulsing ball of light.
"You are,..odd."
Arathalia looks at the pulsing ball of light.
"You are,..odd."
"That would explain the crossbow bolts I have been dodging the last few hours. I have wrapped myself in a protective shield"
Leaf bobbles in closer to the Elf:
"I enjoyed your attempt to deal with the armed authority figure. I do not understand his reference to the trouble we might have caused. Are agents of another power in attendance?"
"Hmm...powers..I thought you reminded me of something. Strange to see your kind here."
Knowledge planes to identify Leaf 1d20+9=19
A dirty Halfling dressed in rags comes up from nowhere and starts to pull your clothes, begging for money. "Please, masters, mistresses, please, spare a coin. Gods will bless you..."
"Listen, whatever your name is. A coin for you if you point toward <the inn mentioned..> Understand?"
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"Hmm...powers..I thought you reminded me of something. Strange to see your kind here."
Knowledge planes to identify Leaf 1d20+9=19
Instantly you recognize Lantern Archon, although this one is rather stranger than the ones you read about.
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A dirty Halfling dressed in rags comes up from nowhere and starts to pull your clothes, begging for money. "Please, masters, mistresses, please, spare a coin. Gods will bless you...""Listen, whatever your name is. A coin for you if you point toward <the inn mentioned..> Understand?"
"Yes, boss. I'll show you, boss. You must be important Halfling, being so rich and all. Just follow me. It's easy to get lost in Kaledun..."
Luff launches himself into the air to follow the halfling beggar along the steet, casting the occasional glance towards the sun as it arcs its way across the sky. He has a deadline to meet, but this diversion shouldn't impact too harshly on his other tasks.
The Lantern continues to hover in front of Arathalia.
Arathalia looks at the glowing orb that is the lantern archon.
"I suppose we should follow, yes? What would bring you to this place?"
"We should follow? oh...We SHOULD follow."
Leafs bobs in place and starts to follow.
"What brings me to this place? I am uncertain. Would you know what reasons there could be?
I would like to believe I am part of a grand design. But it is more likely I am simply an accident or a mistake.
If I had but one guess and a desire to keep my answer short I would hazard: 'lack of proper respect' as my guess.
The local merchants call me 'Leaf Hysical'. I would know your name?"
The pixie hovers several feet above the pavement, swaying back and forth as his translucent wings beat quickly to keep him aloft.
"I wonder who the guard did not want to know about the missing children..." he muses, half to himself.