RC's Carrion Hill IC

[razorfloss]

A drunk that thinks he's clever and a thief, so far. Well, those and a couple shining knights. A lovely mix of desperate means, Witt thinks to herself, slowly shaking her head. Mine's Witt, sailor-man. she pronounces bluntly, her guttural voice sounding oddly warm, at the surface – and yet off. And talking's a waste of bad breath, I say. Something like a hoarse chuckle is produced from somewhere deep within her throat, as she rolls a shoulder, letting the thicj bundles of muscle and sinew on her arm flow and ripple, still balancing the chest with casual ease on the crook of the other elbow. The worn flask emerges once more from some pocket, its content sipped, quickly. Grog, anyone? she holds it out, mostly towards this Nicholas fellow, as though in a challenge.

Nicholas looks at it before glancing at the now frozen puke and shakes his head.
I'm sorry miss but I will have to decline until after the situation is dealt with. Drinking on the job is how good sailors end up dead and I'm sure the same applies to landlubbers

[Metastachydium]

'S how all spirit's made. Witt snorts, seemingly in a good humour – but whether to Jochen or Nicholas, it's hard to tell.

[In4Dimensions]

Kov addresses the mayor. "Well, I shall start at the market, then. While I appreciate the advance gift, gold alone will not keep me alive. Would you, or a merchant in town, happen to have some sort of protective charm of equivalent value that I could purchase?"

Kov ignores the ramblings of the drunkard and the others, though his eyes flicker with interest when the human mage casts his spell. He says nothing to the woman offering him alcohol, though his demeanor makes his disinterest quite obvious."The good mayor wishes for us to make haste. Let us depart", he says calmly, and begins to walk towards the exit.

[Palanan]

"And I," says the last of their number, "am Marakos the Bold, swordsman extraordinaire!"

With the heavy chest cradled under one lace-sleeved arm, and a rather smug smile directed at the halfling servant, the dandy swirls his cape, sets his free hand on his basket hilt, and follows the others to Slipper Market.

[DigoDragon]

Zuri gives off a faint snirk at Witt's joke. It wasn't half bad. She takes mental notes on the teams' various abilities and attitudes. A few seem unaccustomed to working together, but Zuri is sure that'll soften when the team is in the thick of the investigation.

[RCgothic]

Heggry's face betrays relief, a flicker warming his tired eyes as the group agrees to embark. "Excellent! Then waste no time!" he urges, voice taut with urgency. "I suppose the locals among you don’t need babysitting to the market." A chorus of affirmations greets him. He nods curtly, a grimace tugging at his lips. "Excellent choice then. Hurry, for every moment you spend here, that creature grows bolder. Sir knight, I understand your horse is in my stables. If you wish to leave him here I assure you he will be safe, or you can retrieve him if you prefer." A harried servant appears, whispering urgently in the mayor's ear. Heggry sighs, his shoulders slumping, and excuses himself with a curt, "Duty calls. May fortune guide you, brave souls."

As the party exits Crown Manor, the oppressive weight of the storm descends upon them. Rain lashes down, each drop a tiny hammer of despair against the cobblestones. The sky bleeds a stormy purple, choked with clouds heavy and bloated like festering wounds. Visibility dwindles, the world shrinking to a claustrophobic tunnel of rain-streaked stone and shadowed alleys. Even through the downpour, the party senses eyes upon them. Actual crows, sleek and obsidian-feathered, huddle on rooftops, their beady black eyes reflecting the dying light in an unsettling manner. They caw raucously, their harsh cries echoing through the damp air, a grim chorus sung with unnerving synchronicity. Every few caws, their heads tilt in unison, a macabre danse macabre performed by avian oracles. They don't follow, not overtly, but their presence is omnipresent and oppressive, a constant reminder that you are watched, judged, perhaps… desired. The labyrinthine streets, usually teeming with life, were deserted. Shop shutters were bolted tight, doorways gaped like empty maws, and the only sound was the relentless drumming of rain and the occasional, eerie creak of a wind-tossed sign. An oppressive silence pervaded the air, broken only by the distant, muffled shouts and panicked whispers emanating from the direction of the Slipper Market.

As the party approaches the chaos became clearer. A throng of people, faces pale and fear-etched, huddled towards the edge of a cordon enforced by grim-faced Crows. The market itself was invisible, swallowed by the rain and gloom, but the stench of something foul, a melange of decay and burnt iron, wafted towards them, its source hidden.

"No further!" a grim-faced Crow barked, his voice hoarse from shouting over the din. "The Market is closed by order of the Mayor! Turn back, lest you join the others who have met their doom down there!"

He gestures towards the gaping maw of the Slipper Market, its entrance swallowed by swirling mists and shadows. The rain, driven by the wind, lashed through the opening, revealing nothing beyond an inky blackness that seemed to devour light itself.

The crowd, agitated by the Crows' pronouncement, begins to murmur, their fear morphing into anger. "Let us pass! We have family trapped down there!" cried one woman, her voice cracking with desperation. "We must see if they are alive!"

Panic, a shapeless entity birthed of the storm and whispers of eldritch horrors, pulsed within the crowd. Faces contorted, warped by fear into grotesque masks, pushed forward. Shoves turned to desperate lunges, the press of bodies forming a churning sea of despair. The Crows, their obsidian armour glistening with rain and sweat, fight back valiantly, the hafts of their halberds forming a wavering dam against the tide. Yet the pressure mounts, the line buckling like a sapling in a hurricane. The adventurers stand at the precipice of chaos! Will they join the fray, becoming part of the writhing mass? Appeal for a return of sanity? Or stand firm - allowing the dam of control to crumble - unjamming their obstacle but unleashing a torrent of terror upon the city and, perhaps, themselves?

Spoiler: Deadline

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8am UTC February 28th for responses please.

[DigoDragon]

Zuri

Not two seconds outside, Zuri already missed the warm dry interior of the mayor's office. She sighs and pulls her cloak over herself, drawing her shoulders in. She walks with the group, feeling ill-at-ease with the "attempted murder" of birds perched above. The soft pat pat pat of her shoes on puddles is the only sound coming out from her as she walks, keeping ears and snout at attention.

At the market, Zuri wrinkles her nose. Her sense of smell is dampened by the rain, but her tail is itching. There's danger in that maw of darkness. Zuri looks to the assembled party.

"We are going in that hole, yes? Perhaps we could appease the crowd by convincing them we will search for survivors on their behalf. This will keep them out of our way while we investigate."

[DrK]

Elthis

Elthis keeps hand to the hilt of his sword watching the crowd warily. "It'll get nasty" he mutters to the others, "I wonder if I can get the crowds attention. What do you think?" he asks looking to the others. "I can make a b of a bang?" he mutters as he holds a firecracker in his hand that he has pulled form his pack, holding it tightly to keep the soaking rain off the wax covered firework.

[Alhallor]

Yes we should definitely try to calm them down, Zuri. Jochen nods towards Elthis.

Yes please make a little distraction that may bring they're attention towards us. Jochen recast his light cantrip on his staff but not before shielding it with part of his cloak.

When Elthis makes his distraction Jochen raises his staff into the air to draw even more attention to them.

Good people of Sagus cliff, don't be afraid!

Jochen proclaimed loudly.

You're good Major Heggry has given us the task to search for you're missing family and friends! Please let us through and do as you're told by the crows, this way you can embrace you're loved ones all the earlier.

Says Jochen, full of hope that everything will turn out okay.

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy: (1d20+5)[19]

[Metastachydium]

The crows that fly and stare don't bother Witt much. She doesn't stare back either. Her business is under the cobblestones now, or so the Mayor's gold says, not with the birds. And there's little new in the latter. Sucg crows don't break mishapen tavern chairs on her back. Don't barf the smell of stale beer into her face. Don't have gold to pay her.

The other Crows, in their armour, circling the pit, circled by the mob, are a different beast. Witt wades into the crowd, looking in face after face from close up and snorts. She lets this Jochen speak first; that's a bloody fine speech. And she just knows how to make it better yet. Or you can come along, for all I care. If y'wanna die a stupid death's what I mean. she snorts, as though genuinely amused. 'S not like we won't have use for some live bait, catch my drift?

Spoiler: OOC

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Intimidate: (1d20+8)[15]

[DigoDragon]

You're good Major Heggry has given us the task to search for you're missing family and friends! Please let us through and do as you're told by the crows, this way you can embrace you're loved ones all the earlier.

"Yes, we will do everything in our power to find your missing loved ones," Zuri added, trying to assist.

Spoiler: ooc

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Diplomacy vs DC 10(?) to assist:
(1d20+9)[14]

[razorfloss]

Nick sighs and rubs his face with his hands muttering F***ing idiots everywhere as dealing with mob and crowd is just pissing him off as it makes his hangover worse. He growls low Move or be moved to help accent Witts point not caring if a fight breaks out or not as either way the poison will be let out.

Spoiler: OOC

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Intimidate vs DC 10 to assist(1d20)[20]

[In4Dimensions]

It would be best for the others to do the talking, Kov thinks, as he sees the scene unfolding before him. He is all too aware of the difficulties of trying to reason with angry surface-folk as a drow. Instead, he attempts to squeeze through the crowd and slip into the market amidst the confusion, trusting his new compatriots to prevent a riot.

Spoiler: OOC

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Acrobatics or Stealth (Kov has the same modifier for both) check to make it through the crowd without attracting attention: (1d20+10)[25]

[RCgothic]

Chaos momentarily engulfs the scene as Witt and Kov attempt to navigate the surging crowd. Shoves and blows rain down, but their practiced agility allows them to weave through the fray, reaching the wavering line of halberds just as Elthis's firework explodes overhead.

A fiery bloom paints the sky, momentarily silencing the cacophony. The sudden spectacle draws all eyes upward, creating a welcome lull. Seizing the opportunity, Jochen and Zuri address the crowd. Their voices, firm and reassuring, convey the mayor's plan and the party's role in carrying it out. Nick, with a subtle display of strength, adds a reminder of the dangers within the market. Witt, her voice cutting through the tension, just warns the crowd not to stand in their way.

The tense standoff begins to thaw. Mollified by the party's words and actions, the crowd slowly disperses, easing the pressure on the Crows' line. The watch sergeant, visibly relieved, expresses his gratitude for their timely arrival:

"By the Nine Hells," the sergeant croaked, his voice hoarse and strained. "You arrived just in the nick of time! Thanks to you lot, we can finally catch our breath." He gestures to his weary Crows, some of them slumped against the wall, tending to bruised knuckles and aching muscles. "We haven't had a moment's rest since this mess started. Be careful, friends. Whatever's lurking in that market, it's got the whole city on edge."

Spoiler

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Posts by next Sunday 8am UTC please.

[DigoDragon]

Zuri glances down towards the market, then looks back at the sergeant. "You haven't sent anyone into the market, have you?"

[Alhallor]

Jochen nods towards the sergeant of the crows. It's the least we could do. If at all possible, it would be good to still have some crows stationed here. If someone climbs in after us, we will be more hampered than helped.

Jochen looks from Juri to the sergeant. You haven't right? If yes we will be for the lookout for them.

After the discussion Jochen goes towards the market, trying to take in the surroundings of the market, looking for any collapsed buildings or other signs that were described.

[Metastachydium]

Witt, unharmed and unfazed spits after the fickle crowd as it retreats with a habit of contempt she barely notices herself, before walking past the line of Crows with the same casual gall – albeit not crossing over into open disdain this once. These men have done their bruising today. That's well worth a grain of respect, even from her.

Their words reach her ears also. Not the words of gratitude, of course: thankless jobs suit her well enough, and a thanks that doesn't buy a drink or a roof for another day always rings empty. Rather, the words of worry. Lurking, you say? she says, with unbroken calm, not turning back to look at the man. 'S it still here? Now that's something to think about, and more of a concern than another damn fool that stumbled in here for a promise of gold – or so she deems. She looks around, with a curious squint.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception: (1d20+9)[22]

[razorfloss]

Glancing at wit and noticing her growing contempt for people he makes a note to pay attention to that in the future assuming he remembers after his hangover. He nods at the Sergent Glad to be of help. Mind giving us an update on the situation. The last thing the mayor told us is that the monster struck recently but any new InfoMation would be greatly appreciated

[In4Dimensions]

Kov stays silent, though he clearly takes an interest in Zuri and Jochen asking the Crow captain about whether he's sent anyone into the market.

[DrK]

Elthis

Watches with some joy at the flames flickering across the sky before as the crowds disperse then turns his attentions to the men. Casting at glance over them to assess their injuries. After a glance at their wounds he'll look around the market square, a question to the Crows, "Is it still in the market?" Elthis asks with some consternation, pulling out a metal fused ball the size of his fist in his hand as he glances around nervously. "Have you seen it?"

percpetion (1d20+11)[15], Heal (if needed) (1d20+5)[11]