Chapter 3 - Part 2 : Falling Down

[itches]

As Harald joins him, Lade took a moment to clear the fury from his mind before answering.

"I'm about done, what say ya to us sending him back to sleep?"

[The Alcotroll]

Harald shruggs. "I can think of nothing more to ask," he replies. "Will you do the honours, or shall I?"

[itches]

"Hard to decide," Lade said back with mock seriousness. "Why don't we both do it."

[BigRedRod]

Lade and Harald make short work of knocking the beaten and bound man back into unconsciousness. He falls sideways and cracks his head against the stone flags, it'll be hours before he wakes up.

Downstairs, Finn continues to work the locks eventually freeing the remaining two and sending the stout door of wooden bars swinging open. In response, the winged girl, Celeste, shuffles as far back into the corner as she can. Her former trust apparently shaken by Finn's success on the locks.

[Flagg Thornington]

"Come along child, let us find your parents and get you something new to wear." The rogue stays where he stands, not wanting to threaten the winged-girl by approaching.

"Those evil men upstairs will never hurt you again."

[BigRedRod]

Rising to her full height of around four feet, the winged girl, still partially shrouded in the sackcloth looks at Finn reluctantly, before managing a few brave words,
"Go away. I'll find my own way home."

[LuneMoonshadow]

"I think it would be better if we helped you get home. I'm sure your mother would be angry if we just let you wander the streets alone. Come on, now."

Malkanus smiles and leads the way up to the upper floor, even if she doesn't follow.

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn follows Malkanus back upstairs. After all there's only one way into the cellar. The rogue watches the girl while exiting the pit.

Something is still not right here.

The words won't leave the back of his mind.

[BigRedRod]

A few minutes after Malkanus and Finn manage to haul themselves out of the low basement, the winged girl wanders into view. Both of her hands are gripped tightly upon the piece of sackcloth she seems so attached to as she stands directly beneath the open trapdoor.

Tilting her head back she looks up helplessly at the rogue still hovering around the opening. She makes a small pitiful noise but doesn't seem either capable of willing to get out of the basement under her own power.

[Flagg Thornington]

Taking pity on the child Finn ponders the others body language before reaching down to lift the girl out. Before he extends his arm completely he pauses. "I'll lift you up but we're gonna have to agree on a couple of things. First you'll need to wear a cloak, we do not need anyone bothering us while we take you somewhere safe. Second when we get away from here, you're gonna have to talk with us for a while. Are you ready?"

[BigRedRod]

Casting around the dank and dark basement, the winged girl makes a small affirmative noise before tkaing hold of Finn's arms and allowing him to lift her into the warehouse proper.

Standing barefoot on the cold flagstones of the floor, the girl's skin turns a shade paler when she spots the two bodies and the bound man with Harald and Lade hovering over him. Finn finds her small hand weaving its way into his own and squeezing tightly.

[LuneMoonshadow]

Malkanus steps between her and the bodies and flashes her a weak smile. "Don't worry, little one. They won't hurt you anymore. Let's get you home to your mother so you can get cleaned up and have a good night's rest in a bed. Why don't you lead Finn there for us?"

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn gently squeezes her small hand in response. The rogue wraps the girl with his cloak saying, "This will keep you warm untill you see your parents. Are you ready to go?" Is she affirms, Finn will let her lead the group away from this tainted place.

[The Alcotroll]

Standing next to two sprawled corpses and a beaten, bound man, Harald tries not to look guilty. Surreptitiously, he shuffles sideways to block the girl's view of the mess he's made.

[itches]

Lade had never really understood or felt comfortable around children, let alone children with small wings. Unsure how to act or talk to her, the middle-aged man settled for awkwardly avoiding directly looking at the girl while waiting for her to move past so they can dump the unconscious cultist in the cellar.

[BigRedRod]

Harald remains behind to quietly drop the sole survivor of the warehouse guard down into the basement and then emerges into the snowy evening. Only the barest shreds of light remain and this suits the party just fine. Shivering slightly beneath Finn's cloak, the girl hesitantly leads the way forwards towards the main street running the perimeter of the city.

The area is its usual bustling self with burly men looking to remove themselves the responsibilities of heavy purses via the outlets of whores, dice and drink. Celeste ensures she has a firm grip on Finn's hand at all times, occasionally squeezing harder when anybody happens too close.

Disguising the small pair of wings attached to Celeste would have been a great deal more tricky if the sun was still up. Even so, a ragged and dirty girl wrapped in an oddly bulging cloak could easily attract the wrong kind of attention and so Harald does what he does best and discourages people from looking in his direction for more than a split second.

After a few minutes it becomes clear that the girl is rather lost, not seeming to know her way from Eastgate to Edinhumber in the dark. Luckily for her, her rescuers do roughly know the direction, Harald even having been inside her home.

The going is slow but eventually the party find themselves at a crossroads. The same crossroads four would-be heroes found themselves stood at not many nights ago when Celeste was taken from her bed, her house burned and her father killed. The crossroads where everything had started. The dwarf had since been slain by the red cultists, the mage had fled from the rats and the brother had vanished. Sophia too, the priestess whose funeral would soon take place had fallen and Harald has found himself in the company of new brothers-in-arms.

In Edinhumber all is quiet. The people have taken to their homes with the setting of the sun (and the notable lack of any street lighting as was commonplace in the more prosperous regions of the city). Celeste stands before what is left of her home, a small house jammed between the other buildings on the edge of the crossroads at the heart of the area. Already work is well underway to repair the damage. The cold air is thick with the smell of freshly sawn timber, in another few days there'll be nothing to say that a fire ever occurred.

Up above the clouds conspire to shake another few snowflakes on the frozen cobbles below. And down on those cobbles Celeste looks up at her rescuers unsure of what to do.

"Celeste!"
The voice rings clear through the silent night and the scene is bathed in yellow light as a door opens. Rushing across the cobbles, the woman nearly slips twice but continues onwards, her arms outstretched.

It takes a split second for Celeste to recognise her own mother silhouetted against the warm glow of the doorway and then she too starts to run. Finn's cloak falls to the cobbles leaving her wings exposed for any onlooker to see. Tears streaming down their faces, mother and daughter embrace in wordless joy.

The glow is blacked out as a rather larger figure steps outside,
"Annie! Come inside, you'll catch your death and it does no good to have curtains twitching."

Scooping up her daughter, Annie looks at Harald, suddenly noticing those who had arrived with her daughter,
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
As Annie vanishes back into the warmth of the house, the larger figure beckons to the four. At once Harald recognises him as the man who had organised the bucket chain to quench the blaze.

Inside, the party find themselves in a rather too small room lit and warmed by a large roaring fire. Annie sits in a chair, tears streaming down her face as she cradles her daughter and occasionally manages another few words of thanks. Sitting opposite, Annie's companion looks at the party dubiously,
"You kept your word so you did, and that says a lot. A right lot. But, I reckon you'd better let us know how you found her. And where's the dwarf?"

[The Alcotroll]

Harald shrugs uncomfortably. "The Dwarf... fell." he says simply, deciding that tales of incompetence and cowardice are best kept to himself, for the time being at least. He glances sidelong at Finn, uncomfortable conversing pleasantly with a man still owed a beating for his insolence and ill-manners, and in any case unsure how much of their tale to leave un-said.

[Flagg Thornington]

"Celeste was found locked in a cell. She is lovely, aren't you sweetness?"
Finn flashes a toothy smile to the girl and her mother. He then turns back to the neighbor.
"We were on official business when we defeated her captors. And thus we were able to rescue Celeste." Finn's body language places emphasis on the secretive nature of such work.
"She hasn't eaten much, and there was food. M'aam, could we speak with you in private?"

[BigRedRod]

The man nods to Harald and Finn's vague descriptions of events but shakes his head at the suggestion of the rogue.
"Let the poor girl have some time with her mother."

Before his mouth has even finished forming the word mother, the man seems to change his mind somewhat,
"Annie, could you take Celeste upstairs. I'll be along shortly. I need a word with these fellows."

Finn is handed back his cloak as Celeste climbs out of her mothers lap and smiles up at the party. Her black feathered wings flex slightly and she walks up the narrow staircase closely followed by her mother who pauses to once again let out a few words of thanks.

The large man, who seems to have taken the place of Annie's husband in the time since the kidnapping, stands and turns his attention to the fire, apparently setting a large kettle of water upon it. He doesn't turn or speak again until the sound of footsteps above has ceased,
"Annie's a damn good woman and Gan was as good a friend as a man could hope for. They didn't deserve this, so I need to know who was responsible. I'll put their head on a stick myself if I have to, and I can't do that if you are going to try and shrug me off."

Taking a deep breathe to calm his rising anger and speaking again in a somewhat quieter voice, the man continues,
"You don't need to have been taught by a wizard or anything to see that Celeste ain't like other girls. I got eyes for that. She's a sweet lass though without a bad bone in her body. You hear about all these burnings though, and most for a lot less than what she has. We'd assumed the worst, we had. Thank the gods you brought her back alive though."

Standing again to poke at the water in the kettle and add a few dried leaves, he continues,
"It's a problem though. It could happen again..."

Seemingly lost in thought, he absently stirs the water as it slowly comes to the boil.

[itches]

"There's a long line of people who want revenge against the redcloaks," Lade said eventually, cutting through the silence that had fallen. "The bastards have done a lot of evil things to people around the city. The problem is that we don't know who is ultimately responsible, just a vague description of a man with burns on his face who travels with an orc."

Walking forward to the man, the failed bodyguard leant against the wall and lowered his voice enough so that there was no chance of his voice being carried to the people upstairs.

"Now you ain't wrong, there is a chance that they'll come back for fea- the girl, we can't deny that. We need to go have a word with some folk about what we've found, right lads?" Lade said quickly checking to see if any of his companions objected. "If we don't need ta tell them anything about the girl, then we won't. But ya need to start thinking about her safety. The way I see it there are two things ya can do."

Holding out a gloved hand, the mercenary raised one finger.

"Yer first option is to move her away, the bastards are bound to either know or find out where her mum's been staying, so they'll come. If there is somewhere else in the city ya can send her - or even better out of the city - then that might be the way to go."

Lowering his hand, Lade suddenly seemed hesitant to go on.

"Now the other thing is a more chancy thing, I ain't much of a thinking man but I've been letting a few things tick over in me head as we came back. We know that they want the girl for something important enough not to burn her, which means that they'll try to capture her again. If she really is that important to them, then they'll send someone important instead of just thugs. And they'll send them soon to stop ya from sending the girl away.

"No I know this sounds bad," Lade said holding up his hands to stave off any objection. "But think about it. For the first and maybe last time we know where the bastards are gonna be. We know they're gonna come soon and we know they'll have someone important with them. This may be the only chance we get to nab someone important and find out what they are really up to. Even if ya do send the girl away to hide somewhere, that might not work. The only way ta be sure that they'll stop coming, is to finish them off, and this is the only way to do it."

Taking a deep breath after his speech, Lade took a moment to gauge the man's reaction before adding in a very quiet voice.

"Besides, this'll be ya only chance to get revenge."

[BigRedRod]

While Lade speaks, the man makes tea and sets a mug before each of Celeste's rescuers and then returns to his own seat. He remains near motionless, looking down into his own steaming mug while the drunkard finishes his spiel.

The man sits in silence for some minutes, clearly the idea of using a child as bait doesn't sit well with him but neither does fleeing the scene without managing to have his revenge. When he does speak, it is barely a whisper,
"Annie won't go for it. Not one bit. She'd rather run. So... So, we can't tell her."

Lifting his mug, he shakes his head and takes a quick sip before setting it back down,
"And that means you can't wait here for them. That makes it all a good lot more risky, I don't want to see Annie hurt. Not again. Best you tell me the plan then and I'll do all I can to help."

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn's voice is barely audible. He leans close and whispers. "Do you have something to defend yourself with? I can loan you a splendid dagger. You really need a line of last defense, just in case. You should be able to easily conceal it on your person." Finn pauses.

"Since there's little chance the redcloaks will attack tonight, we should first scout the surrounding rooftops for a potential lookout location. We can locate possible approach routes and set up traps to delay any would-be Celeste-nappers. Lade and Malkanus can go pick up a bottle after returning to deliver our report to the proper authorities."

The rogue continues to deliberately emphacize what must remain secret.

"We'll try to get everything ready before sunrise when we'll have a chance to rest for a spell."

Finn presents his dagger, holding the blade gingerly between his fingertips and thumb.

"Now here's the most important part. You're gonna have to spread word of Celeste's return to your neighbors and tell them that you ran us off with the knife you took right out of my hand. Remember to tell as few lies as possible, and the story of your heroics should fulfill everyones suspicions.
If you find someone asking more than they ought to, come visit Annie's where we'll be laying low to alert us."

[LuneMoonshadow]

The cleric, standing off to the side, glances about the house looking atthe windows, doors, and other exits that he may have to remember should the cultists attack. He sighs a bit and rubs at his eyes with his hand. A long day...

"And if asked why you ran us off you'll need a reasonable explanation, considering someone may have seen us bring back Annie's daughter," he adds after Finn is done. "Perhaps you're just tired of all the trouble we seem to bring. Either way we just don't want anyone to suspect we might be hanging around here."

[The Alcotroll]

Harald clears his throat and adds; "If they ask why you got rid of us, tell them we wanted paying."

Such conversation having apparently exhausted him, he returns to contemplating the fire burning in the grate.

[BigRedRod]

This plan seems to appeal to the burly man as he nods in agreement,
"Close enough to help but not enough so Annie'll get all worried. So the big ol' Northerner we saw the night was taken was behind it all, gotcha."
He adds a pantomime wink and continues,
"I won't need your knife, son."

Happy to have concluded business on favourable terms, the man stands and then smiles broadly,
"I'm Roen, by the way. A pleasure to have made your acquaintances. This city could use more folk like you. Right now, I’ll go and let the neighbours know that Annie got her girl back. Good news spreads fast, there don’t seem to be all that much lately.”

[Flagg Thornington]

"Roen could it wait 'till morning, just so we have time to prepare?"

[BigRedRod]

Roen shrugs, clearly slightly put out that his only part in the plan to catch the kidnappers will have to wait,
"It's your plan, hopefully Annie and Celeste won't be stirring till the sun is up. Shouldn't be a problem. No problem at all."

[LuneMoonshadow]

Malkanus taps the shaft of his scythe idly, looking from person to person before finally speaking. "So now what? Off to see Tybalt for a friendly chat with the friendlist man in town?" The cleric scoffs a bit and digs the toe of his boot into the floor, his eye narrowing in disgust at being used by the man.

"I'm sure he'd like to hear about our encounter earlier from us rather than a city guard who so happens to stumble upon it." Waving everyone out the open door, the cleric makes sure they start moving in the right direction and in a timely manner.

[BigRedRod]

Leaving Celeste in the care of her mother and Roen, the four walk out into the snow-covered streets. The clouds have broken slightly, allowing the great white moon, the common orb, to shine down on the white city giving everything a blue tinge.

The air still carries a strong chill though and Eastgate is a good walk from Edinhumber making the progress slightly more hurried than it might otherwise be. Most of the traffic of the city has left with the daylight, although Edinhumber never really sleeps and as the taverns, gambling houses and other dens of iniquity draw closer the streets become a little more crowded and the streets a lot less snow covered.

Reaching Tybalt's station at the gate from which Eastgate claims its name the party are hasty in entering and shutting the winter outside. The same young man as before raises his head at the arrival and offers a thin smile,
"Cold ain't it? And back so soon, he'll like that he will. Come on then."
Abraham gets up and leads the party up the stone steps with their threadbare carpet once again.

Tybalt stands as the party enter his office and are presented by Abraham. The young guardsman is quickly dismissed and the large Ward-Sherrif waves a hand at the chairs before his desk as he reseats himself.
"Excellent. Men of your word I see. Well then, what news?”

[itches]

"What news?" Lade replied derisively. "It took me a day to do more work then ya did in the entire time ya were 'interrogating' me. A nest of the cultist stocking up arms right under yer nose, and all because yer'd rather blame an easy innocent person then do any real work ya incompetent bastard."

[BigRedRod]

Clearly taken aback by Lade's hostility, Tybalt's expression becomes a picture of rage and for a moment it seems as though he may leap from his desk and throttle the bodyguard mid-rant. Instead, he manages to calm himself, showing only a little red of the cheek when he replies in a cool, level voice,
"Are you quite done or do you need a night in the cells and a day in the stocks to help you calm down? Yvonne Stroud may not have died by your hand but your failure to provide the protection you were paid for makes you just as guilty."

Content that he has settled things with Lade, the Ward-sheriff rolls his head on his shoulders producing an audible click before speaking again,
"So you found another cultist group. What do you mean arms? I'd expect them to have a few blades, but so can any group of men with a few spare coins."

[LuneMoonshadow]

Malkanus eyes Lade as he speaks, a small sigh escaping as he imagines the trouble that is about to brew. Quickly taking a step forward and pulling the small red disc out of his pocket, the cleric speaks up before Lade manages to spout off something sarcastic and end up shackled again. Finn's diplomacy can only go far.

"Crates of weapons, crates of shields. I wouldn't consider the amount to be anything like 'a few', so you definitely need to keep that in mind. The people guarding it were... interesting, to say the least."

Malkanus holds the red religious icon between his index finger and thumb to where Tybalt can see it. "They have knowledge of the Red Moon lore and the Moon Bringers quite unlike ordinary folk. I would assume the person leading the cultists is teaching them the doctrine in order to strengthen his hold over them. Regular people have to die, but religious fanatics jump at the chance to become martyrs."

He pockets the disc before the Ward-sheriff can ask to see it, continuing on in his explanation to ensure that the icon remains his. "Whatever the reason for the supply of armaments, it surely isn't a good thing. These people, at least the ones at the bottom of the chain, believe they are actually serving the Gatekeeper, doing his bidding. To them they are doing what must be done. That's a very dangerous thing, Ward-sheriff."

[The Alcotroll]

With his grin concealed by his beard, Harald only has to stifle his laughter at Tybalt's discomfort. For the most part, he manages.

"Not just common thugs," he cuts in as Malkanus finishes. "These are trained men, well motivated."

Aside from controling his mirth, this is his only contribution to the discussion.

[itches]

Lade's mouth move soundlessly as, his face slowly turning red as he struggled to contain his rage. Finally he could contain himself no longer and burst outload, cutting off everyone else.

"My failure?" he just about roared at the other man. "My failure?! Yer the Ward-Sheriff here ya moralistic bastard. How many people have died that ya were supposed to protect? How many innocents folk have ya let burn because ya too incompetent to do anything to stop it?! I failed once and I've done more to make up for that then ya ever will. Yer as much a threat to the folk of this city as the cultist are ya self righteous bloody fool!"

Taking a deep breath and gritting his teeth to try and reign back his temper, the failed bodyguard only partially succeeded.

"And if ya think I'm just going to let ya take me down to yer dungeon so ya can try to beat a confession out of me again, then ya more deluded then even I thought. Don't make the mistake of thinking that I'll be as easy to take down when I'm not already unarmed and out-bloody-cold!"

[BigRedRod]

"GUARDSMEN!"
Tybalt jumps to his feet at Lade's outburst, his hand dropping to the sword at his hip but not actually drawing the blade. It only takes a fraction of a second for the door to burst open and three fully armed and armoured guardsmen to assemble behind the party,
"Take that one to a cell."

His free arm gestures towards Lade and he takes a deep breath to steady himself,
"Without me there would be no law and anarchy would tear down not just Eastgate but the whole of Edinway. My men and I do a great deal more than a mere hired sword such as yourself. Now go quietly before I change my mind and take your tongue."

The Ward Sheriff’s office teeters on the edge of violence.

[itches]

"First one of ya boys who lay a hand on me will regret it," Lade growled at the 3 guards before turning his attention back to Tybalt, his hand hovering near the haft of his axe not willing to be the first to draw steel.

"Tell Yvonne about the law and order ya keep. I saw it first hand last time ya had me here, how many other innocent men do ya have down there because ya don't care enough to find the real criminals? I've heard all about ya and yer bloody version of Law! Was there really any plague in The Welcome Arms, or were ya just looking for an excuse to punish them folk for being sinners in yer city?"

[BigRedRod]

Acting quickly, Finn throws his hands up in the air, making an unconscious motion to show that no violence need happen here today,

"Whoa there, everyone needs to take a deep breath and calm down! We have enough problems with the cultists without turning on each other, Lade you won't be able to do anything if you're stuck in a cell! Ward-Sherrif, he did help us uncover a large cache of weapons and capture one of these well trai-"

Finn's words clearly catch Tybalt's attention distracting him from having Lade arrested,
"Captured? A warehouse of arms and a live one."
As he speaks his expression of surprise contorts into a grim smile, clearly the idea of a genuine live cultist pleases him greatly.
"Where is he now? Did you question him?"

The guardsmen loiter uncertainly behind Lade, confused by Tybalt's sudden change in mood and wondering whether the order to arrest the bodyguard still stands.

[LuneMoonshadow]

"Laying on the stone floor with part of his skull bashed in. But we already questioned him and learned nothing we haven't told you."

The cleric shows his dismay at the man's apparent need to torture a confession from someone, as evident by him grim smile. "Those of higher authority never really tell those who do the dirty work about the reason."

With a quick glance to the soldiers tempted to arrest Lade, Malkanus hopes to make his accusation quite clear, if subtle enough to warrant no rebuke.

[BigRedRod]

Tybalt sits back down and sighs. After a second or two he waves his guardsmen away,
"Well? Back to your duties."

Thinking for a while longer he looks back at Malkanus as the trio of guardsmen quickly retreat from the room to avoid Tybalt's wrath,
"In your next run in with these damned criminals be sure to bring one in alive. I would prefer the chance to conduct my own interrogation... So then, a warehouse of arms and another gang of fanatics, these ones with actual martial training. I do not like where this is heading. At least you managed to put an end to them, I will have some men recover the weapons."

Rubbing his chin he adds,
"If the crates came through here then we'll have records we can match up. Should find who has been helping the bastards with their little stockpile. Oh and you'll be able to collect your bounty in a day or two. If there is nothing else then just let Abraham know where the warehouse is on your way out. And keep me informed of anything else which comes your way."

Narrowing his eyes, Tybalt seems unable to resist getting the last word with Lade as the party make to leave,
"Oh, and Lade. Speak out of place again and I will have your tongue. Helping with the investigations of the watch does not put you above the law."

Returning to a more curt and businesslike tone he nods at the party,
"Thank you gentlemen. Edinway thanks you."

[itches]

Bristling at Tybalt's parting comment to him, Lade found himself rushed out of the office by his new companions before he had a chance to try to get himself arrested again. Once outside however, his demeanour suddenly changed and he became remarkably cheerful.

"Well all things considered, I think that went rather well."

[The Alcotroll]

"All things considered?" asks Harald incredulously, "You called the most feared Ward Sherrif in Edinway a moralistic bastard and a self-righteous fool! Let me know next time you decide to do something as damn foolish as that, so that I can arrange to be somewhere else!"

He takes a few calming breaths and rolls his shoulders.
"Let's get out of here before he changes his mind. Besides..." he adds with a sidelong glance at Lade; "...I need a drink. And after that performance, I think it's your round."

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn nods his agreement to the Jarl's chastising words.
"Let us find some dinner and drink and hurry back to the burned out shell of a home. I'd hate to miss our opportunity to get some real answers to this mess."

[BigRedRod]

Stopping by one of the many alehouses on the way back toward Edinhumber, Harald finally manages to have a drink. The ale may be weaker than what he is used to back in his homeland but together with the chicken and vegetable stew he finds it hard to complain for a change.

The meal is brief, as the party are fully aware of their obligation to spend the night (and possibly the next night) in the cold overlooking Roen's house. The northerner hastily quaffs another mug of ale and hurries after his companions with his waterskin filled to near bursting with the stuff.

It's a grim evening outside, the cold chills to the bone and makes the journey to Edinhumber seem longer than it ever has before. Teams of men work with broad shovels to clear the freshly fallen snow from the cobbles although by the time that the party arrive at their destination there is no evidence that anybody has even tried to shift the thick snow blanketing the streets.

Annie and Celeste's former home remains a hollow shell still undergoing major repairs after the fire. Finn finds the front door open, in fact the door still needs to have a lock fitted. The upper floor of the tiny building allows access to the rooftops of the area via the boarded up window.

Carefully removing a few nails, Finn slides over a wooden panel slightly letting in a terrible rush of freezing air but managing to create an ideal view over to Roen's house at the same moment.

[LuneMoonshadow]

Malkanus wanders around the house, his eyes dropping from weariness and the taxing duty yet to come. With a heavy sigh he sinks to the ground with the back against the wall, his hand tossing his scythe off to his side with a slight ring of the steel as it clatters across the floor.

Looking around at his fellow companions he rubs his eyes a bit and brings himself back to the task at hand. Been a long day...

"Seeing as how it is so cold outside, I think it is best that we keep watch from in here, away from the majority of the blistering wind. And I don't know about the rest of you, but I am exhausted. We need to get some sleep to keep our strength. We do no one any good passed out from exhaustion in the first chair we find. I'd like to take first watch, though."

[BigRedRod]

Resigned to spending a night in the cold inside the remains of Annie's house, the party settle in. The street outside is empty, the cold and dark being more than enough to persuade the residents of Edinhumber to stay indoors beside the fire with a mug of warming ale.

Hours crawl by for both those trying to sleep and those keeping watch. The flurries of snow play tricks on the eyes and once or twice vaguely human shapes can be seen lurking between the higgledy-piggledy buildings.

Lade sits by the window wrapped in his cloak and shivering at what must be the darkest part of the night. The windows of Edinhumber are shuttered and lightless and yet he sees a strange glow. A lantern. A lantern which illuminates the rooftops across the way and the outline of a man. A man stalking his way across the roof tiles in complete silence and seemingly completely unaware of Lade.

Remaining still for a few seconds Lade is finally convinced that the light is real and not just his imagination playing a cruel trick. A man bearing a lantern is crossing the rooftops and drawing ever-closer, seemingly heading toward Roen's home. Before he can do anything to alert his companions, Lade spots a second lantern.

Down at the street level the figure stops every few feet to look up at the shuttered windows of the houses lining the street. Both figures are a couple of hundred feet away from Roen's house but both also seem to gradually be slinking closer. With their lanterns held before them though, they are little more than shadowy outlines.

[itches]

Taking a second look at the two lanten lit figures, Lade withdrew from the open window and quietly made his way through the darkened burnt out house. Silently shaking his companions awake he quickly explained the situation.

"I think it's about to start," he said with a low voice, almost a whisper. "There's someone with a lantern comming across the rooftops and someone else comming along the street checking the windows of the houses. I bet they're scouting the way along."

[The Alcotroll]

Rising to his feet with a rattle of scale links, Harald reaches for his helmet, dons it, and brushed out the wolf-tail plume over his shoulders.

"What now?"

[LuneMoonshadow]

"It never stops," the cleric sighs as he rolls over and stumbles to his feet. He fumbles with his scythe a moment before strapping it to himself. "And sleeping in armor is the worst idea I've had in a while."

He rubs at the back of his neck while taking a quick peek out the window at the lanterns before shrinking to the back wall of the small shelter to avoid being seen. "If we're here to protect the girl we should jump out now and stop this before it starts. But if we're here to catch these criminals and end it once and for all we need to wait for their true approach," he whispers. His face shows how dubious the morality of it all really is, though he speaks none of it.

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn rises from his nap and readies himself for the worst. After hearing Lade's report he thinks for but a moment before responding.

"Priest, do you have a silencing prayer available to you? I think I have an idea how to proceed."

Finn pauses while his secures his bow to his pack and draws his rapier.

"There's a wellyard behind this house that leads down a small alley to the southeastern street. You can cast your silent magic on a rock that The Jarl will carry. That way Harld and I can slide out the back to the wellyard and up the alley, after the figure on the street passes by. You two will need to watch and be ready to rush out as soon as you see us make a move. I'll be sneaking up behind the one on the street with my blade ready."
"Try to fire something at the man on the roof, while you make your way across the street. As soon as Harald occupies the guy on the street, I will be heading down the alley across the street to climb up on the slates. Priest, your part will be the most important, head straight for the neighbor's door as soon as you show yourselves. You must get inside to protect the girl and alert her guardians. Lade try to pin down the target on the roof untill I can get up behind 'em. If they take off when they spot us, we'll need to concentrate on capturing the one on the street who will be nearly surrounded."

[The Alcotroll]

"Sounds good to me." replies Harald, shrugging his shoulders and wondering silently if all the magic in the world could silence his heavy scale-mail coat.

He straps shield to arm, tugs on the straps, then draws his sword from it's sheath to indicate readiness.

[LuneMoonshadow]

"Your plan sounds fine to me," the priest says while still rubbing his eyes from the horrid night's 'sleep.' He leans over and picks up the closest rock from the rubble in the home, tossing it up in the air one time to test its weight. "Just keep in mind that my abilities will soon run dry until I can get a proper night's rest."

He unhooks his scythe from his back, pulling it forward to rest at his side in his left hand with the rock still in his right. "Just tell me when."

[BigRedRod]

With a nod, Malkanus enchants the lump of rubble carelessly left behind in the mostly stripped-bare shell of Annie's house. At the completion of the prayer the only clue Harald is given that anything has happened is a sudden void in sound. An almost painful nothing stinging his ears.

Finn soundlessly taps his arm and leads the way down the steps. With no fear of making a sound and the house shrouded in darkness neither man pays particular attention to moving stealthily as they open the door leading out to one of the many communal wells.

The pair lurk in the darkness for what seems like a lifetime but is likely little more than a minute, watching the glow of the lantern come ever closer as the figure walks his snaking path down the cobbled street.

Steeping into view the figure turns his back to the pair, apparently intent of peering between the wooden shutters of the home opposite. Illuminated by his own lantern Harald and Finn can clearly see the hunched man. His tattered clothes aren't red as expected but a mishmash of all shades as if he has simply picked up every scrap of cloth he has come across in an effort to keep his pale flesh warm.

Unaware of his own silence, the beggar continues to peer between the shutters. Evidently something has caught his attention.

Looking out from the glassless window in the burned home, Malkanus and Lade can see equally clearly that the man approaching by ground does not appear to be a scout sent by the moon cultists in their effort to recover Celeste.

The rooftop figure moves at a much slower pace than his counterpart, having only moved a few houses along the rooftops, pausing to study any windows and chimneys he passes by for extended periods.

[LuneMoonshadow]

"So glad we are so prepared to take down lantern-wielding townsfolk. The Gods only know how dangerous they can be." He raises a hand in the air and lets it fall, sighing as well in futility. "We prepare for an attack, so we see one even when there isn't one to be had. I suppose we should watch them either way, though, just to be certain. No sense in ceasing in our hyper vigilance now. Not after it's been so fun thus far."

[itches]

"The man on the rooftop might not be so innocent," Lade replied tensely, notching an arrow on his bow. "It's not exactly innocent behaviour. Do we warn Finn and Harald about the man in the ground?"

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn notes the man's rag-tag attire and pauses in thought. And why has he stopped here, where the girl is not hiding? Though briefly delayed, the plan is already in full swing.

Finn motions for Harald to follow as he walks toward the man's back still holding his rapier. Once close enough for the magic's spread to affect the lantern-wielder, the rogue brings his blade quickly to the man's throat and holds it there. With his free hand Finn will reach out to extinguish the lantern. Once the light has ceased, the rogue motions toward the alley leading to the wellyard.

[itches]

"Well that answers that," Lade muttered as Finn engaged the man on the street. Keeping his arrow notched, the failed bodyguard turned to pay close attention to the figure on the rooftop, watching to see any sign of alarm.

[BigRedRod]

Finn moves deftly across the silent street, keeping low as he draws closer to the beggar-man. Behind him, Harald only has time to mouth a few words, their warning lost as Malkanus' silence still blankets the area around the trio.

The blade clearly takes the man by surprise at his appears at his throat, instead of freezing in place or even struggling he chooses a third option. An option which Finn had not considered.

A burn of terrible cold washes over Finn's arm briefly as the beggar steps forwards and turns despite Finn's sword and arm blocking his way. Where the beggar collides with an obstacle his body just explodes briefly into a miniature snowstorm.

Grinning menacingly the spirit swings at Finn again with his free hand keeping his lantern firmly behind his back. Another short lived snowstorm erupts as the hand of the beggar lingers for a moment within Finn's chest. The flash of cold is far more painful this time, chilling the rogue down to the centre of his bones.

From their position in the house above, Malkanus and Lade watch in disbelief.

[ooc: Lade and Malkanus are inside house A and will need to invest 25ft of movement to arrive in the square in the wellyard or 20ft to get to the exit on the main street.]

Initative
Finn
Lade
The Koldsjal
Harald
Malkanus

Map
http://bits.bris.ac.uk/bigredrod/ORP/Maps/NS/NS%20Edinhumber%20Intersection%20Koldsjal%20Round% 201.PNG

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn is greatly weakend by the lost soul's touch, the icy cold brings thoughts of an idle death beckoning to take the rogue to wander without eternal rest.

Something deep down tells him to run from the thing he can't strike. HOwever he opts to test the waters. Finn lashes out with his rapier before stepping back out of the ghost's reach.

He concentrates on dodging it's counterattack and waits for help.

[itches]

Their trap was ruined as the lantern carrying figure on the street revealed itself as not a man. As much as Lade cared about capturing a high ranked cultist, he cared more about keeping his friends alive. Not quite sure what he would do when he arrived, the old mercenary turned from the window and ran down to the building entrance, silently preying that he would arrive in time.

[ooc: Unless I'm mistaken it would take a full round of movement to get to where the fighting is]

[BigRedRod]

Finn manages little more than a clumsy thrust with his own efforts to keep out of reach, the beggar-man doesn't make any form of attempt to avoid the blow, instead allowing the tip of the blade to momentarily transform a region around his waist into another miniature blizzard.

Axe in hand, the older Lade rushes down the steps taking two at a time and barges out into the frosty night air, skidding to a halt beside the strange incorporeal man.

Still grinning, Finn meets the cold, dead eyes of the figure for a split second before hopping backwards and avoiding a swift sweep of his freezing arm. The other still hands behind, dangling the lantern which provides the only source of illumination for the melee.

Initative
Finn
Lade
The Koldsjal
Harald
Malkanus

Map
http://bits.bris.ac.uk/bigredrod/ORP/Maps/NS/NS%20EH%20Intersection%20Koldsjal%20R1ii.PNG

[The Alcotroll]

Overcoming his surprise and fear, Harald draws his blade and leaps forwards with a roar.

He bellows something soundlessly as he swings his blade at the figure's shoulder.

[LuneMoonshadow]

The cleric growls as he exits the house, running towards the group in combat while pulling his holy symbol free. The silver moon gleams on the chain and as he skids to a halt, the power is already being channeled into the symbol.

OOC: I assumed pulling out a holy symbol was a move action. If not I'll turn undead.

[BigRedRod]

The blade of the Jarl glides through the air as he brings it downwards and around from left to right. It passes cleanly through the beggar-man and splits him cleanly in two from shoulder to shin. A silent shower of sparks end the blow as the bastard sword strikes a paving cobble and reduces it to a collection of tiny rock shards. Unlike any mere man, the beggar doesn't seem especially perturbed by the devastating wound, before the northerner can even bring his sword back around the wide snow flurry around the lethal splitting has already dissipated leaving the lantern-bearer whole once again.

His heavy footfalls suddenly cease as Malkanus stumbles into the region of divine silence, his scythe strapped to his back, the priest has chosen another weapon to bear. A silver symbol of The Gatekeeper's power rests in his hands.


Initative
Finn
Lade
The Koldsjal
Harald
Malkanus

Map
http://bits.bris.ac.uk/bigredrod/ORP/Maps/NS/NS%20EH%20Intersection%20Koldsjal%20R2.PNG

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn realizes that he must distance himself from the lost soul if he is to survive. He steps back from the icy figure and moves around behind the priest, silently praying that his God answers.

[itches]

Seeing Finn fall back, Lade yelled something that was lost in the enchanted silence and swung his axe, trying to hit the lantern the creature carried.

[BigRedRod]

Running away from the icy-grasp of the spirit Finn withdraws further up the street. Looking upwards across the rooftops his eyes meet the second lantern-bearer's. Now close enough to be seen, the rogue is left without a doubt that the second figure is also not a cultist but is another of the mysterious incorporeal beings. Abandoning it's careful search of each window it passes, the second beggar-man starts into what passes for a run in so bent a figure. He isn't here yet but soon another of the foes will be among the party.

Lade's blow is clumsy to the say the least, but what it lacks in accuracy it makes up in power. Another cobble explodes in a silent shower of shrapnel as the spirit leans forwards and plunges one of its arms into Lade's exposed body. Cold spreads throughout the middle aged man's body, a somehow bleak and cold born of pure despair.

Wheeling sideways still with his lantern held behind him, the beggar-man moves backwards as to avoid becoming surrounded and lashes out at Harald with his free arm. Aware of the uselessness of his armour, Harald pivots and turns in a swift fluid motion which saves him from the effect of the biting cold.


Initative
Finn
Koldsjal #2 (1 round from the northern edge of the map)
Lade
Koldsjal #1
Harald
Malkanus

Map
http://bits.bris.ac.uk/bigredrod/ORP/Maps/NS/NS%20EH%20Intersection%20Koldsjal%20R2ii.PNG

[The Alcotroll]

Crouching behind his shield and tensing to move, Harald prepares to meet the Koldsjal's attack, rather than waste time striking at something he can't hurt.

[OOC: Full defense, like the man says.]

[LuneMoonshadow]

As his allies all seem to fall back the cleric lifts his holy symbol into plain view, determined to end this right here and now. He was born into the Gatekeepers; He was meant to do this.

I ask for your guidance and support in these times of need. Grant me your power to do the deeds you have so charged me to do. Empower me to bring about the Red Dawn.

With that he channels his energy, intent on driving the creatures back from this place or destroying them if his prayer is sufficiently answered.

[BigRedRod]

The Holy Symbol in his hand sparks with tiny bolts of brilliant red and black lightning. It was The Gatekeeper who ultimately had dominion over the fate of all souls and now his will was being brought to bear on a wandering spirit forged of little else but misery and cold.

Perhaps some sound should have accompanied the red flames which sprouted from the cobbles encircling the ghost. As the beggar-man's incorporeal mouth opened and his face contorted into something both joyful and tortured the flames leapt higher.

The lantern struck the cobbles soundlessly for its owner was no more. Consumed by fires far more intense than those he stalked the streets in search of the Koldsjal was gone. His lantern, now extinguished and lying on the snowy cobble-stones the only sign he ever existed.

Distracted by the impressive themantics of Malkanus' faith, Finn quickly notices the missing form of the second spirit. The flicker of lantern light is no longer rushing along the frosted roof tiles.

[LuneMoonshadow]

Malkanus places his holy symbol back beneath his clothing to shield it from prying eyes. Whispering a silent prayer to his lord the cleric takes a step from the magical silence, glad to hear the simple clicking of his boots on the cobble below. He sighs, surprised that he is still so unnerved by the unnatural effects of his own magic.

Turning back to his companions as they exit the silence, Malkanus straightens his hat ritualistically and gives them a solemn nod. "You can thank Him for that one later. We better get back to the house before we draw undue attention to ourselves. With these things," he says, punctuating it with a nudge of the lantern with the tip of his boot, "roaming around we better be more careful. I personally have no idea where they came from, though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since the Red Moon hasn't dawned in quite some time." With a hint of sadness on his face at the latter fact the cleric takes a couple of steps away from the lantern, watching it as if it might suddenly bring back the spirit.

[itches]

Exhaling his breath in a large white fog, Lade made a quick sign against evil towards the fallen lantern, shivering either from the cold seeping into his bones or the presence of the dead.

"Yer god keeps helping us out lad," he said to the red cloaked cleric. "When we have leisure it would be good to talk to ya about him, but not tonight. Let's get inside before we freeze to death."

[Flagg Thornington]

Finn hurries over to the others when the undead vanish. He follows them back to the burned out house before speaking.

"The man on the rooftop was no man. He bore a lantern and looked just like the other one, does anyone know what those things are?"

For a moment the rogue forgets his pain, but grimaces sourly when he is reminded.

"Priest, I'm hurt badly and could use a divine touch, if you're willing."

[LuneMoonshadow]

Nodding, the cleric pulls a small rod from his pack and kneels down close to Finn. "I'm out of energy for today, but this will get the job done." He nods and begins to channel the power stored within the rod, attempting to heal the rogue's wounds.

Once finished with Finn Malkanus rises and looks over at Lade, taking a step towards him and performing the same process on him to heal the wound received from the undead.

OOC: 2 CLW charges on Finn, 1 charge on Lade

[Flagg Thornington]

"My thanks to you and your god for dispensing the supernatural. Priest what are you called?"

[LuneMoonshadow]

Taking in a breath the cleric takes a step backwards and pulls his cloak to the side to reveal the emblem set into the cloth in the inside of the cloak where few can see it. "Years ago, far more than even our parents can remember, wizards and clerics once poured over tomes to begin unlocking the secret of immortality. Though that secret was eventually discovered, it came with a grave taint that we now know as undead. Because these men and women were so eager to overcome the limitation of mortality without any thought of the ramifications, the world was soon overrun with those without a soul walking among the living.

"Because of the tampering of tainted clerics, the Red Moon ceased its dawning. It is the Red Moon that ushers the souls of this world into the next, keeping the ultimate balance between the planes. At first no one knew this fact, but a wizard by the name of Kelryn Fell stumbled upon the answer. He said that an entity called the Gatekeeper ushered in the souls of the dead upon the dawn of the Red Moon. Once this was known an organization known as the Moonbringers was created in order to usher in a Red Dawn once again, cleansing the world of the walking dead.

"The problem with this was the fact in order to cause the Red Moon to dawn you had to kill the undead. So that is what they did. Day and night they hunted them down, one by one, and killed them. Eventually the Moon was brought back and the souls departed this world as they were so destined to many years before. The world rejoiced and the Moonbringers praised, for a time.

"Soon the world grew complacent, as there was no sudden growth of undead since the Moonbringers were doing their job. Society began to take the organization for granted and eventually numbers began to fade and the organization was threatened. To solve this issue and ensure that the Moon would always dawn, the remaining members of the group gathered together to create a soulless hunter to continue on after them.

"Moonbringer legend says that a powerful lich caught the group in the act and took advantage of their state, destroying each and every one of them. The world thought they were all dead that day, but some members witnessed the destruction on the horizon and escaped. They fled to a place where they could remain and rebuild their ranks, and that is where they were for generations to come.

The cleric pulls out his holy symbol from under his clothing, holding it out a ways from him. “I am a warrior in a long line of such warriors. A Moonbringer at heart and soul, and loyal servant of the Gatekeeper.”

He places the symbol back under his clothes ritualistically, shifting his weight about the balls of his feet afterwards, seemingly unnerved by the absence of the relic.

[itches]

Lade eyed the cleric as he gave his speech and struggled to shrug off an instinctive suspicious response. He'd had plenty of opportunity to betray them, but had instead proved himself to be a true companion.

"Moonbringer ya say, these redcloaks we're trying to trap. They call themselves Moonbringers too."

[The Alcotroll]

Harald, never much of a pious man, shrugs his shoulders uneasily.

"Gods and Gatekeepers are beyond my ken, but I know what that old man was. When a man dies in the bitter cold of Jedaart, he sometimes returns as a spirit, wandering the land in search of warmth. Such spirits we call Koldsjal, and until now I have seen but one. Never before have I heard of one beyond the snows of Jedaart."

[LuneMoonshadow]

Malkanus casts a gaze over toward Lade, looking rather put off that his organization is being lumped together with these heathens. "A Viceroy butterfly may look like the Monarch, but their similarities end in appearance. These cultists are the same, using the Moonbringer name simply as an end to justify their murders. I believe my abilities are a testament to who is truly doing the Gatekeeper's will in this regard."

After taking a seat on whatever rubble presents itself as acceptable and listening to Harald's words, the cleric speaks once again on the matter of undead, his self-proclaimed expertise. "Every day that the Red Moon fails to rise, the longer these spirits will wander. I don't find it odd in the slightest that these spirits have made their way to places outside of your homeland considering the amount of time they have had to wander. I think it speaks volumes to just how critical it is to being back the Red Moon."

[Flagg Thornington]

"I have personal interest in the return of the red moon. On that, I shall say no more. What do we need to defend ourselves against these Koldsjal. I fear facing another only armed with the trinkets we are presently carrying."

Finn turns to the priest and continues. "Moonbringer, is that what you wish to be called? Surely we shouldn't spout that about the taverns idly."

"So we'll need to destroy all the undead wandering these realms. We should start here in the city, where there is a chance for us to better prepare ourselves for such a task."

[BigRedRod]

The remainder of the night is spent in fitful rest around the rest of the watch. It was unsettling to see the dead wandering through populous areas of the city, and a sight which would only become more common with each moonless day.

Snow sparkles under the moonlight, giving the usually filthy streets an oddly pure appearance. The extinguished edge of a circle of trodden snow is scant evidence of the earlier struggle.

-=Chapter End=-

[BigRedRod]

Harald
3050

Finn
3100

Malkanus
3300

Lade
3300