The atmosphere within the Bearded Elf has calmed considerably. Most of those patrons that live in Camlin have left for the night, with the exception of those passed out in the common room, and those soon to join them. Even most of the inn's guests have turned in early, with the exception of the paladin, Andreas, who seems to have been pressed into service by Tully; he and the dwarf innkeeper are busy cleaning, Andreas' two hounds watching the pair move about the room from the stairs.
'Ere now, be off with ya! It's late, it's freezin', and I'm not much in the mood for whatever sob story you 'ave to tell; the guardhouse is locked up for the night, and ya ain't getting in from the cold unless yer in chains. He pauses before continuing, leering at Caydee. Unless being locked in chains is to yer likin', eh?
The watchman bursts into laughter at his own remark, though it quickly turns into a rather dry, hacking cough. After a moment he manages to compose himself and catch his breath. Now get ye gone, before I really do lock you up for the night.
K bids Orion good night and returns to her home.
The evening is a peaceful one as you all prepare to part ways and return to your homes. Caydee bids Orion a good night and takes her leave; the paladin returns to the Bearded Elf and reports the rude reception the two received at the Scions guardhouse before heading towards home as well.
Tully thanks Ahz for his help before the cleric departs the Elf. The dwarf then shakes Rowan awake, the young human having had a tad too much too drink, and sends him on his way. After some searching Sioned manages to locate Rusty, resting warm and comfortable between Adreas' two canines. She pries the pig from his refuge from the cold and bids everyone a good evening as well.
The snow is falling lazily to the ground when you all fall asleep, the sky having nearly cleared. If feels as if you had just closed your eyes when you're jarred awake by the sound of several bells ringing in unison. Somewhat groggy, it takes you a moment to recognize their meaning; the bells are only rung to warn the townsfolk of an emergency in Camlin. You note the number of bells by their distinctive tones. Three in total, they signify fire within the town.
Sioned manages to stumble out of her shack after a series of crashes and un-ladylike curses. She is rumpled and holding her cloak around herself. Rusty is tucked inside her vest, nose poking out and wide eyes peering around.
She take a few moments to get her bearings and tries to locate the fire.
( I'm making the assumption there's a temple here where I could be staying, since Orion is from the Harbor. If not, I guess I wouldve been staying at the Elf. )
Orion comes stumbling, sleepy eyed, from his room. He pokes his head out into the hallway to make sure it isn't HIS building that is burning, then ducks back inside his room.
4 minutes later he emerges again, his chain-mail strapped on properly and his greatsword in it's horizontal clamp on his back.
He asks aloud to any who might be within range, "What's happening?!" as he rushes out the door to try and see where he might be the most able to help.
KD rushes out of her room, shakes her "parents" awake, and then rushes into the city square, a wooden bucket in hand, to see if there's a fire brigade she can join. "A fire," she tells the paladin, also scanning to try and locate it.
The bells continue to ring, causing the people of Camlin to stir and venture out into the cold night. Despite their incessant tolling, however, some in the town prove reluctant to leave the warmth of their beds.
The sound of a creaking board causes both of you to look west. Even in the dim moonlight, Orion is able to make out four dark figures moving carefully along the buildings across the street. They are headed south, in the direction of the fire.
Caydee's elven senses allows her to pick out additional details; the four are hooded and wrapped in dark cloaks held close to their bodies. From the figure in the lead she notes the pale glint of light reflected off a blade of some kind, though before she can identify the weapon its wielder shifts and she loses sight of the item. The creature's motion, however, allows the ranger to see under its hood. Its face is that of an over-sized avian, dark eyes and large beak emerging from black feathers with white edges.
Orion gets a sense from their movements that the four are going out of their way to avoid being noticed.
You recognize the creatures as tengu, a race of avian humanoids known to inhabit the Icewalls. By the white markings on their feathers you recognize these individuals as members of a flock known as the Frost Talons.
Though aggressive, as far as you can recall the Frost Talons rarely venture beyond their aeries in the mountains; you can't remember ever hearing of them leaving the Icewalls, let alone entering Camlin. They have a well-earned reputation as thieves and scavengers, and possess an affinity for bladed weapons of all sorts.
KD hastily fills up her bucket at the well and walks rapidly towards the guardhouse, while she is curious about the tengu the fire is more urgent right now.
Sioned rushes to join the forming bucket brigade and ready to help anyone who may have been injured.
K nods in greeting to the witch, taking a place near her.
When you arrive at the guardhouse, you note that the flames seem to have originated from the second floor. Several bucket lines have formed, pinpointing locations of the building from which flames would be likely to spread to surrounding structures.
As you move to join those already in place and fighting the flames, you spot several members of the Scions standing with weapons drawn at the main entrance to the building. As you pass them you notice that several of their number appear wounded, bandages applied hastily to damage which you recognize as being inflicted by bladed weapons. At their feet lies the body of the night watchman, gutted and mouth agape as his eyes stare lifelessly into the sky.
( Sorry everyone. I got pulled into a no notice military function from last thursday till today. )
Orion is torn. He feels the need to pursue the Tengu, but there are innocent people who would suffer greatly should the fire continue to rage.
Hesitantly, he follows KD and helps with extinguishing the fire.
K excuses herself, draws her weapon, and walks rapidly over to the Scions. "What happened here?" she asks.
Bucket in hand, Sioned walks over to stand beside Caydee.
"Who did this?"
You gather around the Scions standing watch at the entrance, asking what has happened. The eldest human in the group, a captain, steps forward to meet you as you approach. He takes a moment to look you over before answering, and during this time you recognize him as one of only a handful of Camlin's citizens to pursue a career in the organization.
A small band of intruders lit the guardhouse on fire, killing the watchman to gain entrance. They're still in the building, and being pursued. They will be caught; no one is entering or leaving the guardhouse until ...
The captain's sentence is interrupted by an explosion as the doors of the building's second floor balcony burst outward, showering you and the Scions gathered below in splinters of wood and ash from the fire within. Silhouetted in the firelight you can make out several figures, apparently locked in combat just beyond the opening.
KD equips herself with her longbow, muttering "I didn't think I'd need this," and tries to figure out which one is the intruder.
As you watch the scene unfolding above, a single individual separates itself from the fighting and stumbles to the edge of the balcony, a longsword in its talon. Illuminated by the firelight behind it, you easily recognize the black plumage and large beak of a tengu. The creature calls into the night, a high-pitched and unintelligible shriek, before tossing something in a bag over those gathered below and into the middle of the street behind you.
Four black figures detach themselves from the shadows well away from the fire. Also recognizable as tengu, these individuals immediately move toward the bag.
K darts towards Azh and the satchel, pointing her longbow at the threatening tengu. "What's the meanin' of this?" she demands angrily of them.
Azh and the tengu race toward the satchel, the avians reaching their destination first. One of the humanoids claims its prize and turns to flee, two of its fellows turning with it. The fourth tengu, the one bearing a bastard sword, grasps a pendant that appears to be a bird skull encased in ice and issues a shrill squawk.
A heavy fog begins to materialize, draping the area in mist and hiding the four tengu from sight. Caydee's demand goes unanswered as she and Ahz reach their destination.
Ahz and Sioned recognizes the tengu's actions as the trigger of an obscuring mist spell.
Confusion and a hesitation to act leaves Sioned standing around dumbly as the action carries on around her. She takes off at a sprint, trying to skirt the edge of the mists and catch sight of one of the fleeing Tengu.
At the same time, she crosses her fingers, hoping to not catch a stray arrow in the back while running around the mists.
K, despite the fog, walks up beside Ahz (to avoid accidentally shooting him) and tries her best to hit the sword-wielding tengu with her arrow.
Azh's spell catches the tengu off guard, burning away a fair amount of the mist; the humanoids' positions are revealed, and all four are caught in the fiery evocation's effect. With a clear shot now presenting itself, Caydee quickly draws a sight on the lead tengu and fires her bow.
From her position outside the mists, Sioned is startled as the burning hands spell outlines the positions of all those within.
The Tengu are backlit by the arcane fire while her companions should be beyond it. At least this is what Sioned tells herself as she targets a figure in the mist and commands it to sleep with an uttered hex. If she is able to make out one holding a satchel, then that is the Tengu she will target.
The mists take on the stench of burned, oily feathers as Azh's conjured flames are felt by all four tengu. Following close behind, Caydee's arrow finds its target. The bastard sword-wielding humanoid stumbles as a result of the pain from the successive attacks but remain on its feet.
Sioned's words carry overwhelming power, and a bastard sword clatters against the cobbles in the street. Though it withstood the combined fire and ranged attacks, the witch's hex sends the lead tengu to the ground alongside its weapon. Pausing to note the fall of their leader, the remaining three avians turn once more toward the far side of the street, bearing the satchel into the mist and the shadowed town beyond.
Sioned runs up to the fallen Tengu and kicks his weapon away from his grasp. She then crouches down on his chest, dagger to his throat, before the dazed Tengu awakens.
"Wakey wakey...you have some explaining to do..."
K gets out her longsword, swinging her bow over her shoulder, and dashes after Azh.
The three tengu have withdrawn from the fight entirely, hiding the path of their escape by keeping to the dark shadows where the moon and starlight do not reach. Tracking them should be possible, but even with
Caydee's heightened vision it would pose a long and arduous undertaking during the night.
Sioned takes a position over the fallen tengu, her dagger held threateningly to its throat as the avian's large eyes open and eventually focus on the half-elf. It releases a breath as a low his before speaking in Common.
Kill me, bareskin. The will of Lady Raven has already been set in motion. You will not stop it now.
Sioned tilts her head to one side as she regards the Tengu.
I'm going to assume for a moment that there has been some sort of huge misunderstanding...that you didn't steal into Camlin simply to light a fire and kill a Scion Guard.
She taps the dagger on his chest, considering.
Did that blow-hard Covaut take something from you that he shouldn't have? Is that why your "Lady Raven" sent you here? If you give up and die right now, then the situation could get much more sticky for everyone involved. Instead, be brave and talk to us now before there is more bloodshed.
"Should we go after them? If we don't, we might not see them again, but if we do the same could still happen, and we might be ambushed," K says to Azh.
K heads off after the fleeing bird-men, longsword in hand. Her demeanor is no longer careless, as she is absorbed in the hunt.