Bilko and Holbrook seem quick on their feet, immediately reacting, as no sooner had Hektor yelled out the order to vacate the building that the two were also bolting from their locations on the first level, towards the front door.
Stopping once outside the building, both the Private and the other Sergeant looked towards Lethe. And both were empty handed, assumably having found nothing and noone in their search.
Lethe caught his breath, trying to breath the fire out of his lungs. He was angry at himself, at spending time and coming up empty handed. He gathered himself, grinding his teeth. "Damn these arsonists, if we get our hands on them..." he let it go, grunting at the two Watchmen. "Form up, we move on, there are others that need our help tonight." Taking a moment to get his bearings, he turned to where he last saw a figure vanish to the next street, figuring it was as good a path as any.
The alley through which Lethe saw the figure vanish was between the burning building which the group had just left and the next one over. The flames of their burning building locked at its neighbor, and as the building's rear corner (where Lethe had investigated the second floor) gave way, the wall rear and right of the corner collapsed.
Even though Lethe, Holbrook and Bilko stood on the street at the building's front face, the partial fall of the opposite walls was evident, and flaming wood and brick filled the alleyway, pushing the flames to the next building over.
The direct route to the figure was cut off, but Lethe could still reach the next street over by going to the left or right of the two buildings.
"This way!" Lethe moved to the right of the buildings before him. Frustration had him grit his teeth, but there was little he could do now. He could do little to stop the flames himself, they would spread through this section of the city quite rapidly. If there was anything to gain, they had to press on.
Taking after the suspicious figure that Lethe had seen running from the scene, Holbrook and Bilko followed. They rounded to the next street over. The fire from the burning buildings provided a contrast of light and long shadows cast about, making details difficult as the flames danced and smoke began to billow. While none of the guards saw anyone about, Bilko found something on the street. He picked it up, bringing it back to Lethe and Holbrook. In the light of the flames, it was obvious that it was a standard issue helm of a city guardsman.
From an alley, approximately 30 feet, or so, from their current position, just at the edge of the shadows, a noise came. The sound of a wood door or something similar (constructed of sturdy wood) breaking.
Lethe glanced at the helm momentarily. "Hold on to that." He stated to Bilko before rounding his head at the noise of breaking wood. He motioned the other guardsmen with a tilt of his head, readying his own weapons. He moved toward the alley with purpose, looking for the source of the sound and anything or anyone else that might be lurking about.
Seeing nothing as he approached the alleyway, Lethe stared down into its blackness, attempting to identify the source of the sound. It was not until Holbrook came up to shine a lantern towards it that Bilko then pointed to a doorway. "There."
The doorway was near the back of the alley and led into the building who made up the alley's eastern wall. The door itself hung oddly on the hinges and had likely been broken in by something or someone.
As Lethe neared the smashed door, the three guardsmen could hear voices inside. The voices were muffled, likely coming from a room beyond the one that the doorway led to directly. Combined with the seemingly intention whispered volume of the voices, it was difficult to make out what was being said.
The room right inside the door, from the alley was small, barely large enough for the three guardsmen to fit. It contained a bench and small side table, with a broken lantern laying on its side. A few hooks were in the wall near the external doorway, though nothing currently hung on them. Only one other doorway was in the room, it's door still intact and slightly ajar, though through the crack, only a nearby wall could be seen. A faint glow of light was beyond the inside door, coming from a source that was out of Lethe's line of sight. It was through this doorway that the unidentified voices were coming from.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hector motioned for the men behind him to be silent.
He himself attempted to hear what the voices beyond the door were saying while they crept closer. He readied himself to spring through the door in the event they were discovered.
As Lethe stopped and strained to listen, he heard the last part of a conversation. "Palua-Palua will be a stronghold sanctuary, to take back control. We'll move as soon as the kid arrives."
"Sergeant Lethe?" A voice asks, behind the three guardsmen. Standing at the alley door was Private Hudson.
Hudson's voice obviously attracted the attention of the unknown men in the other room as their footsteps now approached.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Lethe grit his teeth. Stronghold Sanctuary? His eyes widened as he heard a voice call his name. He glanced back at Hudson, a look of shock and a tinge of horror before rounding himself once more on the door in front of him. Lethe moved to block the doorway with his shield and body. He motioned with his head for one of them to attend to Hudson while the other backed him up. Lethe steeled himself for what was about to happen.
Ready Intimidation when the door is opened "Men of the Watch! Surrender or face cold steel!"
When the door opens, Sergeant Lethe calls his warning only to be met with another Sergeant of the Watch; a Sergeant whom Hektor know only by name and brief reputation, as well as a brief encounter, the day prior in the Black Pearl.
While Sergeant Slater too burst through the door, looking like he too was ready for a fight, he eased at the sight and sound of the room's inhabitants. "Sergeant." He said with a nod, straightening up and lowering his sword.
Over Slater's shoulder Lethe saw another man. A human male of slender frame, wearing a dark brown hooded robe. An amulet around his neck was general obscured from vision, tucked into his robes, but a wavy twisted dagger was at his belt, and in view.
Hector narrowed his eyes, but didn't drop his guard. He slowly glanced to each individual before returning to Slater. "Sergeant, this area is under attack by arson, we followed a lead and come to find you here with..." he glanced at the robed individual. "...an armed individual I am not familiar with." He paused, the room tense. "You have to know this doesn't look well Sergeant, but I am willing to hear an explanation about you being here, that individual, stronghold sanctuaries and your ideas for young Hudson." Lethe reaffirmed his grip on his weapon, stressing the point but not overtly leveling an 'or else' towards the other Watch members.
Sergeant Slater looked back at the robed man. "I came to this man's aid. I was on the east street and I heard a cry for help." He pointed towards the wall opposite that of which Hektor knew bordered the alley in which he came from.
"There was another man here. An elf or half-elf, I'd reckon, from the ears. Likely mugging or robbing this man. I managed to stop the assault, but he fled out the front."
Slater stepped forward, his sword still in hand but not brandished in a threatening manner. "Do you think the assaulter be responsible for your arson?"
Hector shook his head. "That doesn't explain what we heard, about the city becoming a stronghold sanctuary. An orc stronghold?" he hazard, looking to see Slaters reaction. "It's equally as likely as the one there is the arson. Answer." Lethe prepared himself for a possible attack.
"Yes, you are correct. A stronghold. A sanctuary. A spiritual one." The man stepped forward.
"Forgive me. I am Brother Malak. And I thank you brave members of the city watch for coming to my aid. The gods will reward such honorable actions." Brother Malak then proceed to bow to Sergeant Lethe.
"This city it rotten with discontent of the lower people's, and we intend to bring peace to their souls. The actions of the one who ran from us moments ago are proof that our services are needed here."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hector was suspicious of Malak.
Insight: 19
But lowered his guard. "I see. So you've come to the lower district on a mission of peace and thwarted an arsonist while he attempted to shiv you." he sighed. "Very well, now that we are together, how would you like to proceed?" He kept his shield at the ready, but lowered his blade to a non-threatening stance.
"Sergeant Slater had offered services to escort me safely to the temple," Brother Malak claimed.
"Indeed, we were waiting on the Private," Slater mentioned and motioned towards Hudson, still standing almost dumbfounded at the doorway to the alley. "Your arsonist headed north. I don't know if he intends to continue his work or to hide, but if you leave now, you may still catch him."
Lethe didn't like the situation, but he also couldn't find any reason to linger or to doubt that wasn't on unsteady ground.
He sighed. "Though I doubt we will find anything at this point, we must be diligent in our search. Form up, press north." He nodded at Slater and Brother Malak. "May your watch go untroubled." he intoned before shrugging the weight of his shield and moving deeper into the district.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Exitus Acta Probat
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Bilko and Holbrook seem quick on their feet, immediately reacting, as no sooner had Hektor yelled out the order to vacate the building that the two were also bolting from their locations on the first level, towards the front door.
Stopping once outside the building, both the Private and the other Sergeant looked towards Lethe. And both were empty handed, assumably having found nothing and noone in their search.
Lethe caught his breath, trying to breath the fire out of his lungs. He was angry at himself, at spending time and coming up empty handed. He gathered himself, grinding his teeth. "Damn these arsonists, if we get our hands on them..." he let it go, grunting at the two Watchmen. "Form up, we move on, there are others that need our help tonight." Taking a moment to get his bearings, he turned to where he last saw a figure vanish to the next street, figuring it was as good a path as any.
Exitus Acta Probat
The alley through which Lethe saw the figure vanish was between the burning building which the group had just left and the next one over. The flames of their burning building locked at its neighbor, and as the building's rear corner (where Lethe had investigated the second floor) gave way, the wall rear and right of the corner collapsed.
Even though Lethe, Holbrook and Bilko stood on the street at the building's front face, the partial fall of the opposite walls was evident, and flaming wood and brick filled the alleyway, pushing the flames to the next building over.
The direct route to the figure was cut off, but Lethe could still reach the next street over by going to the left or right of the two buildings.
"This way!" Lethe moved to the right of the buildings before him. Frustration had him grit his teeth, but there was little he could do now. He could do little to stop the flames himself, they would spread through this section of the city quite rapidly. If there was anything to gain, they had to press on.
Exitus Acta Probat
Taking after the suspicious figure that Lethe had seen running from the scene, Holbrook and Bilko followed. They rounded to the next street over. The fire from the burning buildings provided a contrast of light and long shadows cast about, making details difficult as the flames danced and smoke began to billow. While none of the guards saw anyone about, Bilko found something on the street. He picked it up, bringing it back to Lethe and Holbrook. In the light of the flames, it was obvious that it was a standard issue helm of a city guardsman.
From an alley, approximately 30 feet, or so, from their current position, just at the edge of the shadows, a noise came. The sound of a wood door or something similar (constructed of sturdy wood) breaking.
Lethe glanced at the helm momentarily. "Hold on to that." He stated to Bilko before rounding his head at the noise of breaking wood. He motioned the other guardsmen with a tilt of his head, readying his own weapons. He moved toward the alley with purpose, looking for the source of the sound and anything or anyone else that might be lurking about.
Perception: 5
Exitus Acta Probat
Seeing nothing as he approached the alleyway, Lethe stared down into its blackness, attempting to identify the source of the sound. It was not until Holbrook came up to shine a lantern towards it that Bilko then pointed to a doorway. "There."
The doorway was near the back of the alley and led into the building who made up the alley's eastern wall. The door itself hung oddly on the hinges and had likely been broken in by something or someone.
"Let's move!" Lethe ordered, heading through the door with purpose.
His mind raced behind his forward purpose. Who would have done this, why, how did they plan this without any hint? Perhaps they missed something.
Exitus Acta Probat
((It's alive!))
As Lethe neared the smashed door, the three guardsmen could hear voices inside. The voices were muffled, likely coming from a room beyond the one that the doorway led to directly. Combined with the seemingly intention whispered volume of the voices, it was difficult to make out what was being said.
The room right inside the door, from the alley was small, barely large enough for the three guardsmen to fit. It contained a bench and small side table, with a broken lantern laying on its side. A few hooks were in the wall near the external doorway, though nothing currently hung on them. Only one other doorway was in the room, it's door still intact and slightly ajar, though through the crack, only a nearby wall could be seen. A faint glow of light was beyond the inside door, coming from a source that was out of Lethe's line of sight. It was through this doorway that the unidentified voices were coming from.
Hector motioned for the men behind him to be silent.
He himself attempted to hear what the voices beyond the door were saying while they crept closer. He readied himself to spring through the door in the event they were discovered.
Listen: 22
Stealth: 7
Exitus Acta Probat
As Lethe stopped and strained to listen, he heard the last part of a conversation. "Palua-Palua will be a stronghold sanctuary, to take back control. We'll move as soon as the kid arrives."
"Sergeant Lethe?" A voice asks, behind the three guardsmen. Standing at the alley door was Private Hudson.
Hudson's voice obviously attracted the attention of the unknown men in the other room as their footsteps now approached.
Lethe grit his teeth. Stronghold Sanctuary? His eyes widened as he heard a voice call his name. He glanced back at Hudson, a look of shock and a tinge of horror before rounding himself once more on the door in front of him. Lethe moved to block the doorway with his shield and body. He motioned with his head for one of them to attend to Hudson while the other backed him up. Lethe steeled himself for what was about to happen.
Ready Intimidation when the door is opened "Men of the Watch! Surrender or face cold steel!"
Intimidation: 11
Exitus Acta Probat
When the door opens, Sergeant Lethe calls his warning only to be met with another Sergeant of the Watch; a Sergeant whom Hektor know only by name and brief reputation, as well as a brief encounter, the day prior in the Black Pearl.
While Sergeant Slater too burst through the door, looking like he too was ready for a fight, he eased at the sight and sound of the room's inhabitants. "Sergeant." He said with a nod, straightening up and lowering his sword.
Over Slater's shoulder Lethe saw another man. A human male of slender frame, wearing a dark brown hooded robe. An amulet around his neck was general obscured from vision, tucked into his robes, but a wavy twisted dagger was at his belt, and in view.
Hector narrowed his eyes, but didn't drop his guard. He slowly glanced to each individual before returning to Slater. "Sergeant, this area is under attack by arson, we followed a lead and come to find you here with..." he glanced at the robed individual. "...an armed individual I am not familiar with." He paused, the room tense. "You have to know this doesn't look well Sergeant, but I am willing to hear an explanation about you being here, that individual, stronghold sanctuaries and your ideas for young Hudson." Lethe reaffirmed his grip on his weapon, stressing the point but not overtly leveling an 'or else' towards the other Watch members.
Exitus Acta Probat
Sergeant Slater looked back at the robed man. "I came to this man's aid. I was on the east street and I heard a cry for help." He pointed towards the wall opposite that of which Hektor knew bordered the alley in which he came from.
"There was another man here. An elf or half-elf, I'd reckon, from the ears. Likely mugging or robbing this man. I managed to stop the assault, but he fled out the front."
Slater stepped forward, his sword still in hand but not brandished in a threatening manner. "Do you think the assaulter be responsible for your arson?"
Hector shook his head. "That doesn't explain what we heard, about the city becoming a stronghold sanctuary. An orc stronghold?" he hazard, looking to see Slaters reaction. "It's equally as likely as the one there is the arson. Answer." Lethe prepared himself for a possible attack.
Exitus Acta Probat
"Yes, you are correct. A stronghold. A sanctuary. A spiritual one." The man stepped forward.
"Forgive me. I am Brother Malak. And I thank you brave members of the city watch for coming to my aid. The gods will reward such honorable actions." Brother Malak then proceed to bow to Sergeant Lethe.
"This city it rotten with discontent of the lower people's, and we intend to bring peace to their souls. The actions of the one who ran from us moments ago are proof that our services are needed here."
Hector was suspicious of Malak.
Insight: 19
But lowered his guard. "I see. So you've come to the lower district on a mission of peace and thwarted an arsonist while he attempted to shiv you." he sighed. "Very well, now that we are together, how would you like to proceed?" He kept his shield at the ready, but lowered his blade to a non-threatening stance.
Exitus Acta Probat
"Sergeant Slater had offered services to escort me safely to the temple," Brother Malak claimed.
"Indeed, we were waiting on the Private," Slater mentioned and motioned towards Hudson, still standing almost dumbfounded at the doorway to the alley. "Your arsonist headed north. I don't know if he intends to continue his work or to hide, but if you leave now, you may still catch him."
Lethe didn't like the situation, but he also couldn't find any reason to linger or to doubt that wasn't on unsteady ground.
He sighed. "Though I doubt we will find anything at this point, we must be diligent in our search. Form up, press north." He nodded at Slater and Brother Malak. "May your watch go untroubled." he intoned before shrugging the weight of his shield and moving deeper into the district.
Exitus Acta Probat