"I will guard Mika with my life!" announces Fodd bombastically, unsure how else to contribute and pleased with his sentry duty so far. He moves to towards the stairs again, then pauses. "Should I start now?"
Corryn fetches paper and pencil from his backpack and prepares a quick and simple sketch of the heraldic imagery and inscription (insofar as it can be called that)) as well as of the wooden feather sigils, then takes it over to Joviar to show it to them. "This may shed some light on the identity of at least one of our assailants," he says, while straigthening out the drawing on the table. "The shield is very well made, despite its appearance, and it would not surprise me if it was at least mildly magical. It also bears faint markings that might be heraldic in nature; a tower precariously perched atop a hill, and an inscription 'Tower Fall.' I don't like this."
In thought, he then goes a few steps towards a window, more out of habit than necessity, and summons back his owl. "How about you, what did you see," he asks the owl, while stroking its head. ((Since I had sent it out to look around the building, basically just: were there any observers it might have spotted/other oddities))
Horrence comes down the stairs last, having taken a while to catch his breath. He walks very gingerly, wincing with every step. As he reaches the bottom he says
"Ohhh, Joviar my old friend, I'm not sure I'm made for this fighting lark. Any more of this and I'm going to have to find some kind of pain nulling potion." He pauses, and looks at the assembled staff, grins at Elin and says "but I suppose another tot brandy will have to do for now..."
He looks at the bodies on the ground floor, looks back at Jovair and says "though it seems you too have had your share of exercise. Was this your work?"
Responding to Ella he says, "Indeed child, this is very clearly not over. And perhaps we need to be a bit more proactive in our approach. Maybe we should try to get sight into the Leanin' before the trial commences?"
DM- what time is it and what time would it be if we were to take a short rest while talking? Only I'm going to die otherwise!
Corryn, your familiar hops over to you and cocks its head under your touch.
Telepathic images stream into your mind, slightly dizzying as you adjust to the perfect clarity of the owl's vision. The immediate surroundings of the inn appear and empty of life, citizens huddling in their homes behind barred doors even after the sounds of explosions and violence fade from the night. You believe you catch a glimpse of watching figures on a distant rooftop, but your familiar never ventured out far enough to be certain.
Your familiar bends its head in a different direction and a slight change of color to the visions lets you know you're witnessing a memory. You glimpse the outside of the inn from a low height. A broken window on the second floor is suddenly blocked by a figure leaping through it, falling to the ground but landing lightly on their feet. A moment later, an explosion rocks the building and flames shoot through the broken glass. The figure is already moving, darting around the side of the building and disappearing at a rapid jog in a vaguely easterly direction.
Elin, wiping his hands on his apron bows his head toward Horrence and disappears behind the bar. Moments later he returns, delivering a stiff drink in a small glass. He then returns behind the bar and stokes a small fire, and in a short time the hiss of boiling water in a flame-filled kettle can be heard.
((The time is around 3:30am, so a short-rest would take you to 4:30 and the first hints of dawn.))
"Thank you lad"Horrence smiles at Elin, as he take a long slow sip of the drink and holds it in his two hands for a moment as though it was a cup of tea. Placing the glass down he pulls from one of his pockets a small circular brass contraption that looks to the rest of the group almost like a miniature sun dial. He fiddled with a knob on it for a few seconds, muttering to himself, and says:
"Right, by my calculations we should have an hour or so before dawn breaks. I suggest we all take a moment to collect ourselves and then head to the Leanin' and see if we can't get a sense of what's going on in their before the trail. We won't have much time, but I'd far rather turn up late to this travesty of justice with a bit more knowledge about their motives than going in guesses. We can leave Mika here for now, I can't imagine they will be back until its time.
"Elin, would you be so kind as to give me a mug of tea?" Corryn asks while leaning against a table; he continues speaking to Horrence as well as the group as a whole:"I don't know that they won't,"Corryn sighs, "or that it matters. Keeping her here isn't save, for her, for us, for Joviar and the inn. We either have to somehow fortify the inn, Joviar willing, or we should try to find another place nearby that we can enter and exit without being seen and relocate so as to no longer paint a target on Joviar and make it easy for them to find us..." ... "... or Mika."
That said," he continues, "I agree that learning more would be helpful... but we are not an army, we cannot hope to openly fight them if they commit to attacking us, so we must prepare."
"I agree entirely, Mr Goldweaver. There is a way out of here which could take Mika out of here," Ella says, indicating the trapdoor hidden by the carpet. "I would suggest we utilise it once she wakes. And then, Professor, if we are to take up your suggestion of approaching the Leaning, then the question is how. I am merely a cleric, I have no experience of matters such as this - but I also know there are only so many ways you can thread a needle. I can imagine two ways forwards. Approaching the leaning in secret, using Mr Goldweaver's talents and Mr Fireforge's? We could certainly learn more they would not wish us too that way. Or openly challenging them to explain their attack in the night, and gamble that our words will sew doubt as Fodd's did last night? We could perhaps do both - the louder amongst us creating a distraction for the stealthier to creep in, but that of course means confronting them without more information."
"Hmm, all fair summations my friends. if you are right and Mika isn't safe hear, then perhaps my humble home might be sufficient at least for a time? However, there is only so long we can keep moving from pillar to post.
"As for our approach to the Leaning. I may have some tricks up my sleeve that could serve their turn. I suggest a subtle approach to find out more about who these brutes really are before we meet them in the field."
Joviar follows the discussion, his draconic head swinging from left to right as he contemplates each of you in turn. His brow is furrowed and lines of concern are visible, even against his scaled and faded skin.
"We have but a few hours before dawn, Delvers and they race by far too quick. Should you decide to leave, I am afraid you will needst either hide Mika supremely well here at the tavern or take her with you. If she is not here and a crowd shows up, we can simply acquiesce to a search. The people of this District will not permit these Purifier bastards to torch the Torch if their alleged murderess isn't even within. They owe me that much."
"It seems like Mika being here is bad for her and bad for the District. There will be no peace for either while she stays. I think we should use what time we have left to get her as far away as possible. We can return later to make these Purifier's answer for their wickedness."Fodd suggests, in what he hopes are suitably grave and convincing words.
“Alright. Sounds like a plan forming. We can take Mika to the Professor’s. But we better move quickly while it is dark or underground to avoid detection, unless anyone can mask our travel,” Ella says. “And then... Infiltrate the Leaning somehow?” She worries at her lip, nervous at the idea of her own abilities to sneak in.
Are you certain of this, Joviar; with several of them dead by our hands?
Then again, perhaps that can work to our advantage... they claimed they would conduct a proper trial and, clearly, either with the blessing of their leaders or without, some of them saw things differently... we might even be able to claim that the girl got away in the confusion... so now, we do not know where she went...
From above, you hear a door open and close and weak, shuffling footsteps. Moments later, Mika appears at the top of the stairs. She looks utterly drained, exhaustion warring with determination and a kind of shocked detachment on her face as she surveys you all, as well as the bodies lying separated from their pile of equipment on the inn floor.
Griga gasps and rushes up the stairs, forcing the girl to wrap an arm around her broad shoulders despite her protests. The two make their way down the stairs as Elin rushes to prepare a softly padded chair, dragging it on two tilted legs into a position side on from the fireplace.
Mika attempts a brave smile, or perhaps a thankful one, but the expression falters and she groans slightly as she finally lowers herself into the chair.
Welcome back to us child.
Joviar utters not unkindly, his deep rumbling baritone softened somewhat.
Thank you, Ear... and thank you all. I can't believe the trouble I've brought down on all of you...
The girl replies, her eyes downcast.
If there is to be a trial I'll face it, if only to be done with all this but... I do not think Shiraq will leave my fate up to a District filled with so many he considers sub-human. I don't know what the morning will bring, but I do not think a fair hearing is what we'll see.
Your heads involuntarily whip around as the tavern's front door crashes open with a deafening bang and Fridi, the diminutive halfling bartender comes skidding into the room. She looks as if she was just recently roused from sleep, her blonde pony-tail released into a bob of messy hair and her nightclothes visible from where she has hastily wrapped a coat around herself. As soon as she's inside the tavern she frantically turns around and slams the door, pressing her small back against it, gulping huge lungfuls of air as she attempts to catch her breath.
When she speaks, her normally cheerful voice is ragged and her speech is halting as she attempts to communicate while simultaneously sucking all the tavern's oxygen supply into her weary lungs.
"Ran... Here... Purifiers going... door to door... huge crowd... Claim Mika murdered children... Delvers helped... "
She gesticulates wildly behind her, still trying to catch her breath.
Elin goes pale as a sheet, and then bows formally to you all.
"Ms Mika, honored Delvers, I shall take upon myself the burden of poor hospitality. You must depart, and swiftly, whether by the tunnels below or in some other way. The District is roused and they will burn this place to the ground with all of us in it should they find you within."
This is the moment Fodd has been waiting for: immediate danger makes things nice and simple. "Quickly Mika!" he roars as he shoves Joviar's armchair to the side, whips back the carpet and and wrenches up the trapdoor, holding it wide for Mika to enter.
The trapdoor moves with a creaking drag, threatening to leave grooves in the inn's floor as it's propelled by the strength of the young paladin's arm. Whipping away the carpet so hard Griga is forced to dart aside to avoid being wrapped up it, you reveal a wooden trapdoor of stout boards topped with a single ring of iron. Gripping it firmly, you haul upward with all your strength and, after a long moment of strain and creaking resistance, flip it open in a shower of dust.
Below, a set of stone stairs descends into the darkness, the common room light illuminating only the first few steps. Mika, stepping carefully over the gorgeous large shield Corryn identified as unusual and potentially magical earlier (OOC: !!!!!!) moves over to peer down into it, but seems terrified to continue into the darkness on her own.
“It’s alright Mika, we’re with you,”Ella murmurs, waving her hand over Fodd’s sword to illuminate it with a softly glowing white light. “You’re not alone in this.”She toes the shield aside as she moves to descend into the tunnels. “Is this anyone’s?”
Moonlight begins to shine from Fodd's battered shortsword, casting its cold glow over the stairs and illuminating most of the first flight. The stone steps run about eight feet before disappearing out of sight beyond the lip of the trapdoor. The smell from below is one of stale, musty air. Cautiously, with the Delver's Torch staff watching over her shoulder, Mika begins to make her way down, her steps still somewhat unsteady after her ordeal.
"I will guard Mika with my life!" announces Fodd bombastically, unsure how else to contribute and pleased with his sentry duty so far. He moves to towards the stairs again, then pauses. "Should I start now?"
Corryn fetches paper and pencil from his backpack and prepares a quick and simple sketch of the heraldic imagery and inscription (insofar as it can be called that)) as well as of the wooden feather sigils, then takes it over to Joviar to show it to them. "This may shed some light on the identity of at least one of our assailants," he says, while straigthening out the drawing on the table. "The shield is very well made, despite its appearance, and it would not surprise me if it was at least mildly magical. It also bears faint markings that might be heraldic in nature; a tower precariously perched atop a hill, and an inscription 'Tower Fall.' I don't like this."
In thought, he then goes a few steps towards a window, more out of habit than necessity, and summons back his owl. "How about you, what did you see," he asks the owl, while stroking its head. ((Since I had sent it out to look around the building, basically just: were there any observers it might have spotted/other oddities))
Horrence comes down the stairs last, having taken a while to catch his breath. He walks very gingerly, wincing with every step. As he reaches the bottom he says
"Ohhh, Joviar my old friend, I'm not sure I'm made for this fighting lark. Any more of this and I'm going to have to find some kind of pain nulling potion." He pauses, and looks at the assembled staff, grins at Elin and says "but I suppose another tot brandy will have to do for now..."
He looks at the bodies on the ground floor, looks back at Jovair and says "though it seems you too have had your share of exercise. Was this your work?"
Responding to Ella he says, "Indeed child, this is very clearly not over. And perhaps we need to be a bit more proactive in our approach. Maybe we should try to get sight into the Leanin' before the trial commences?"
DM- what time is it and what time would it be if we were to take a short rest while talking? Only I'm going to die otherwise!
Corryn, your familiar hops over to you and cocks its head under your touch.
Telepathic images stream into your mind, slightly dizzying as you adjust to the perfect clarity of the owl's vision. The immediate surroundings of the inn appear and empty of life, citizens huddling in their homes behind barred doors even after the sounds of explosions and violence fade from the night. You believe you catch a glimpse of watching figures on a distant rooftop, but your familiar never ventured out far enough to be certain.
Your familiar bends its head in a different direction and a slight change of color to the visions lets you know you're witnessing a memory. You glimpse the outside of the inn from a low height. A broken window on the second floor is suddenly blocked by a figure leaping through it, falling to the ground but landing lightly on their feet. A moment later, an explosion rocks the building and flames shoot through the broken glass. The figure is already moving, darting around the side of the building and disappearing at a rapid jog in a vaguely easterly direction.
Elin, wiping his hands on his apron bows his head toward Horrence and disappears behind the bar. Moments later he returns, delivering a stiff drink in a small glass. He then returns behind the bar and stokes a small fire, and in a short time the hiss of boiling water in a flame-filled kettle can be heard.
((The time is around 3:30am, so a short-rest would take you to 4:30 and the first hints of dawn.))
"Thank you lad" Horrence smiles at Elin, as he take a long slow sip of the drink and holds it in his two hands for a moment as though it was a cup of tea. Placing the glass down he pulls from one of his pockets a small circular brass contraption that looks to the rest of the group almost like a miniature sun dial. He fiddled with a knob on it for a few seconds, muttering to himself, and says:
"Right, by my calculations we should have an hour or so before dawn breaks. I suggest we all take a moment to collect ourselves and then head to the Leanin' and see if we can't get a sense of what's going on in their before the trail. We won't have much time, but I'd far rather turn up late to this travesty of justice with a bit more knowledge about their motives than going in guesses. We can leave Mika here for now, I can't imagine they will be back until its time.
Thoughts my friends?"
Horrence takes a sip of brandy and looks around, waiting for someone to break the silence at his proposal...
"Elin, would you be so kind as to give me a mug of tea?" Corryn asks while leaning against a table; he continues speaking to Horrence as well as the group as a whole: "I don't know that they won't," Corryn sighs, "or that it matters. Keeping her here isn't save, for her, for us, for Joviar and the inn. We either have to somehow fortify the inn, Joviar willing, or we should try to find another place nearby that we can enter and exit without being seen and relocate so as to no longer paint a target on Joviar and make it easy for them to find us..." ... "... or Mika."
That said," he continues, "I agree that learning more would be helpful... but we are not an army, we cannot hope to openly fight them if they commit to attacking us, so we must prepare."
"I agree entirely, Mr Goldweaver. There is a way out of here which could take Mika out of here," Ella says, indicating the trapdoor hidden by the carpet. "I would suggest we utilise it once she wakes. And then, Professor, if we are to take up your suggestion of approaching the Leaning, then the question is how. I am merely a cleric, I have no experience of matters such as this - but I also know there are only so many ways you can thread a needle. I can imagine two ways forwards. Approaching the leaning in secret, using Mr Goldweaver's talents and Mr Fireforge's? We could certainly learn more they would not wish us too that way. Or openly challenging them to explain their attack in the night, and gamble that our words will sew doubt as Fodd's did last night? We could perhaps do both - the louder amongst us creating a distraction for the stealthier to creep in, but that of course means confronting them without more information."
"Hmm, all fair summations my friends. if you are right and Mika isn't safe hear, then perhaps my humble home might be sufficient at least for a time? However, there is only so long we can keep moving from pillar to post.
"As for our approach to the Leaning. I may have some tricks up my sleeve that could serve their turn. I suggest a subtle approach to find out more about who these brutes really are before we meet them in the field."
Joviar follows the discussion, his draconic head swinging from left to right as he contemplates each of you in turn. His brow is furrowed and lines of concern are visible, even against his scaled and faded skin.
"It seems like Mika being here is bad for her and bad for the District. There will be no peace for either while she stays. I think we should use what time we have left to get her as far away as possible. We can return later to make these Purifier's answer for their wickedness." Fodd suggests, in what he hopes are suitably grave and convincing words.
“Alright. Sounds like a plan forming. We can take Mika to the Professor’s. But we better move quickly while it is dark or underground to avoid detection, unless anyone can mask our travel,” Ella says. “And then... Infiltrate the Leaning somehow?” She worries at her lip, nervous at the idea of her own abilities to sneak in.
From above, you hear a door open and close and weak, shuffling footsteps. Moments later, Mika appears at the top of the stairs. She looks utterly drained, exhaustion warring with determination and a kind of shocked detachment on her face as she surveys you all, as well as the bodies lying separated from their pile of equipment on the inn floor.
Griga gasps and rushes up the stairs, forcing the girl to wrap an arm around her broad shoulders despite her protests. The two make their way down the stairs as Elin rushes to prepare a softly padded chair, dragging it on two tilted legs into a position side on from the fireplace.
Mika attempts a brave smile, or perhaps a thankful one, but the expression falters and she groans slightly as she finally lowers herself into the chair.
Joviar utters not unkindly, his deep rumbling baritone softened somewhat.
The girl replies, her eyes downcast.
Your heads involuntarily whip around as the tavern's front door crashes open with a deafening bang and Fridi, the diminutive halfling bartender comes skidding into the room. She looks as if she was just recently roused from sleep, her blonde pony-tail released into a bob of messy hair and her nightclothes visible from where she has hastily wrapped a coat around herself. As soon as she's inside the tavern she frantically turns around and slams the door, pressing her small back against it, gulping huge lungfuls of air as she attempts to catch her breath.
When she speaks, her normally cheerful voice is ragged and her speech is halting as she attempts to communicate while simultaneously sucking all the tavern's oxygen supply into her weary lungs.
She gesticulates wildly behind her, still trying to catch her breath.
Elin goes pale as a sheet, and then bows formally to you all.
This is the moment Fodd has been waiting for: immediate danger makes things nice and simple. "Quickly Mika!" he roars as he shoves Joviar's armchair to the side, whips back the carpet and and wrenches up the trapdoor, holding it wide for Mika to enter.
The trapdoor moves with a creaking drag, threatening to leave grooves in the inn's floor as it's propelled by the strength of the young paladin's arm. Whipping away the carpet so hard Griga is forced to dart aside to avoid being wrapped up it, you reveal a wooden trapdoor of stout boards topped with a single ring of iron. Gripping it firmly, you haul upward with all your strength and, after a long moment of strain and creaking resistance, flip it open in a shower of dust.
Below, a set of stone stairs descends into the darkness, the common room light illuminating only the first few steps. Mika, stepping carefully over the gorgeous large shield Corryn identified as unusual and potentially magical earlier (OOC: !!!!!!) moves over to peer down into it, but seems terrified to continue into the darkness on her own.
“It’s alright Mika, we’re with you,” Ella murmurs, waving her hand over Fodd’s sword to illuminate it with a softly glowing white light. “You’re not alone in this.” She toes the shield aside as she moves to descend into the tunnels. “Is this anyone’s?”
Moonlight begins to shine from Fodd's battered shortsword, casting its cold glow over the stairs and illuminating most of the first flight. The stone steps run about eight feet before disappearing out of sight beyond the lip of the trapdoor. The smell from below is one of stale, musty air. Cautiously, with the Delver's Torch staff watching over her shoulder, Mika begins to make her way down, her steps still somewhat unsteady after her ordeal.
Fodd follows her in, protectively close, his sword hovering over her head to light her way.