The lad looks up at the druid, swiveling his gaze back and forth between, Barkas and Tiandra.

"It's true what she says," he whimpers. "Scaly monster men. They held me down and slammed that stick into my chest. I wasn't as brave as she, though. There were more than three so I wrenched free and began to run, but could barely keep my eyes open. It was as if they took a piece of me."

"Who are you?" 
"I am - eugh - Misha!" she said, startled by how unattractive the woman was, embarrassed by her sudden remark.

Agata: Her smile doesn’t waver, body language as open as she can one handed, and she glances at the large figure of Misha. 
Misha returns your smile, warm and protective.

Misha listened to the woman tell her tale. A weapon that made you ugly? Perish the thought. It must be destroyed!!

"Any idea where thees leezard people would be, now?" Misha asked.

Tiandra answers, "All the attacks have occurred in the Lower Ward, and they always happen at night, just before midnight." She looks to the sky, gauging the moon's ascent. "Would you prowl the Ward tonight for the assailants while I find this lad a safe spot for the night?"

Misha's eyebrows raised, looking at the others with a friendly smirk, confirming that she is down like a clown, Charlie Brown.

"Attacking innocents is something I cannot abide."  Kel growls out, his grip on his glaive tightening, an aura of leashed tension around him in contrast with his normal jovial nature.  "These monsters will be found and punished."  He says, his face a hard mask.  

"Agreed!" Ada states firmly. "There is no reason these creatures should be victimizing these people." 

She's in like Flynn.

As the rest of the group files out, Daetris keeps to the back. Her hand has long since gone back to her bow, though she hesitates to draw it in public. For now, at least. She stays to the side to make room for those in her party with more close-range weapons. However, at the mention of scaly lizard men, a slow smile begins to spread across her face, and her hand twitches back toward her quiver instinctively. "A midnight hunt for lizard people cursing people?" She lets out a quiet laugh. "Oh, yes, you can definitely count me in."

Barkas says “I am up for a stroll in the Ward at night.  You bet.” He throws his head back and mimics the howl of a wolf, a little too well...

After a few moments, and remembering that he has strangers in front of him, he straightens up, says "Eh erm.  Excuse me.  Sometimes I get a little excited.  I knew that something big was going to happen tonight.  By the power of Muamman Duathal we will find these creatures and set this aright, hopefully find a cure for the alteration in your, uhm, visage."  Barkas turns to look anywhere but at Tiandra's face.  

He then turns to the young lad to see if he can learn anything more about the type of magic used to alter his body.

Arcana :  15

THE ACHERONIAN CODEX
A READING FROM THE BOOK OF CREATION
THE FIRST PRIME
52:15 - 52:21

52:15 In the Genesis Chambers, a child was birthed. The First Child. The First Prime. 52:16 With His powerful hands, Bane, the God of War, slowly picked it up chest level and held it in close, examining it. 52:17 The child, a girl, was wet, bloody, and crying. Merely seconds old, it was healthy, and Bane smiled. Without moving his mouth, Bane spoke to everyone, to all who could hear, and all who listened. 52:18 BEHOLD, THE FIRST PRIME. THEY SHALL BE MY FINEST HOLY WARRIORS. LIKE CLAY I SHALL MOLD THEM, AND IN THE FIRES OF BATTLE FORGE THEM. I SHALL CLAD THEM IN BLESSED ARMOR AND WITH HOLY WEAPONS THEY WILL BE ARMED. 52:19 UNTOUCHED BY PLAGUE OR DISEASE, NO SICKNESS WILL AFFLICT THEM. WITH MY BLOOD INSIDE THEM, THEY WILL HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF MY TACTICS AND STRATEGIES SO THAT NO ONE WILL BEST THEM IN BATTLE. 52:20 THEY ARE MY ULTIMATE BULWARK AGAINST THE LEGIONS OF HELL, AND ALL THAT THREATEN ACHERON. THEY SHALL KNOW NO FEAR. 52:21 BEHOLD, THE FIRST PRIME. I NAME HER PRAXIA.

When the girl was born, like all Primes, Mischa Praskovya was inspected. If she had been weak, or puny, or sickly, or misshapen, she would have been immediately discarded. From the time she could stand she was baptized in the fire of combat - taught never to retreat, never to surrender. For death on the battlefield in service to the Lord General was the greatest glory an Acheronian could achieve in his life. At the age of 7, she was taken from Banehold and plunged into a world of training and violence, fueled by countless years of Acheronian society and conditioning to create the finest soldiers the multiverse has ever known. She was taught to show no pain, no mercy. Constantly tested. Left to pit her wits and will against the war of Acheron's fury and her enemies, it was her initiation - for she would return to her people a Prime - or not at all.

“Oh well, if a service is to be rendered, we are your helping hands,” Agata claps her hands together in affirmation, looking to the rest of the group. As they all agree, she turns and smiles at the pair in front of her. 

“We’ll find them, and stop them alright? No more... transformational nights out, me thinks. You know, this may be an Illuminating experience,” she says, face cracking slightly as she struggles not to laugh. “What were you both doing out so late at night anyway? If this city is as... colourful as you say, after all...” 

Sadly, Barkas cannot identify what means of magic or whatnot was used to alter the appearances of the two. 

Asking about, the group quickly learns the directions to the Lower Ward, a hazardous place to be at any time, much less at midnight. The Ward is known to boast ruffians, shadow-skulkers and, apparently, scaly fiends. Arriving in the Ward, the group ascertains all of this talk to be true. The place is a rundown warehouse section of the city, likely a bustling work scene during the day as merchants worked to ship their trade fares. At night, it is a shadow-filled, desolate place. The souls wandering about all appear to be up to little good, if not outright avoiding your presence. As you walk along the cobblestone street, ahead on the corner stands an agitated, middle-aged human man, looking to and fro. Seeing you all, he waves you over hurriedly. "Help, help. They've taken my boy inside. They've taken him inside," the man shouts, pointing to a nearby rundown building. "They dragged him through that door there!"

Disgusted by the very thought of these scaled lizardy creatures victimizing these poor people, Ada walks over to Tiandra and tries her best to look her in the eye "We will avenge this for you!" she states solemnly "and as Barkas said, we will also search for a cure for what they have done."  She then gives her a slight bow of her head because other outward signs of compassion are not the way of most Elves or even Half-Elves.  She turns around, arcane staff in her right hand "By Mystra herself, we will have crispy fried lizard tonight!" she growls in a low voice as she heads to follow the others.

As the group walks down the cobblestone streets to the lower ward, the glow of the street lights is much dimmer here and the air is palpable with the desolation that encompasses this section of the city.  Wandering eyes watch from the shadows as the group moves along.  Seeing the agitated man ahead Ada speaks "look, there - something is going on, let's check it out." The groups pace quickens a bit, the agitated man see us"Help, help. They've taken my boy inside. They've taken him inside,"  the man shouts,.

Ada runs over to him "Who took him!?  Which door!?" the man point to a nearby rundown building. "They dragged him through that door there!"

The man looks pleadingly at Ada, pointing to the door of the dilapidated building. "That one. Through there! Please hurry! It's my boy!"

The distinct feeling of danger in the air has Kel's senses on high alert.   He continuously looks around,  scowling at anyone on the street giving the group more than a cursory glance.  Seeing Ada approach the man, he steps up next to her, not ready to trust anyone is this area.  

Insight check 5

Something in the man's demeanor seems off to Kel. Keen-eyed, Kel notes the man's insistence in seeking their aid. He also spies that under his cloak, the man appears to be holding a crossbow.

Agata nods encouragingly, pulling out her crossbow and holding it casually to her side. "See you in there?" she asks Ada, and sets off towards the side of the building.

With a curl of her shoulders, the beaded costume is replaced by dark - but equally likely to flare if she spun - leather armour. Softer, quieter and generally more form fitting, she pulls a sash around her Lute to dull any sound and tightens any straps holding her bag to her side. As she peers around the corner through the somewhat smashed in window, her skin ripples, skin tone changing to match the darker atmosphere - hair dark and pinned. The only thing that sticks out is the oddly light coloured eyes - reminding the group somewhat of Cat eyes in the lamplight. She looks into the building carefully, trying to avoid being seen and trying to locate the snatched child.

(Stealth Check - 23)

Kel puts his arm in front of Ada, not wanting her to move towards the door and so he can push her out of harms way if necessary.  He leans in toward the man,  pointing his glaive at him.  "You sure about that?"  Kel questions in a low voice, staring hard at the man.

Intimidation check 16

((Give me a perception check Agata))

16

The man steps back a bit at the intensity of Kel's response. "Sure about what?" he stammers, looking about before uttering a quick. "Shit." He turns to run through the aforementioned door. 

Ada, with a questioning look on her face, is a bit alarmed by Kel's arm holding her back a bit but stops as he starts questioning the man.  Seeing the man's reaction she hollers out "Agata, stop!"  Looking back at Kel "Thank you! Glad you saw that.... I owe you one."