Ruins of Mayca V2 IC

[WebTiefling]

Anomander signals an empty room and Maylene checks herself before turning back to the captain.

"Looks like we're doing well so far, but we still need to track down Sheena's kids."

Maylene turns to Sheena.

"How old are your children? If they got swept along with the crowds for a while, would they head back to your home or might they have another place they might go?"

"I suspect that there are probably people who were missed in the sweep, and a few of them could be children."

Maylene shrugs helplessly, black braids bouncing.

"Just the logistics of trying to gather up the entire population of a city means there are almost certain to be a few people left behind. While I don't think we can cover the whole city ourselves, we certainly should look for those we know are missing."

[asdflove]

"I speak good common too, miss Aela. I'm Maria."


"Oh, very clever. Its nice to meet you Maria"

Spoiler: elven

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"Would you like to see a little secret of mine?"

Aela whispers conspiratorialy

Spoiler: Elven

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"Sure...?"

Coreal's eyes widen in shock, and she stumbles back a few steps. "Y-your own?" she stammers. "Oh my goodness, m-my apologies, how awful of me. I did not mean to accuse you of such, I-"
She stops suddenly, and her guilty horror turns to anger. "How DARE the men under your command cause such an affront? Who knows what could have happened to her!

We must do a full sweep of the city at once, and make sure nobody else is left."

"It's fine. I had a hunch when you said there may be kids here. She told me she was going to try and spy on someone."
Maria grins. "I did, mommy! I saw him!"
"... Really? Not the point! We don't have time to search the entire city at this point. We must find Sheena's kids!"

[Sciffy]

[QUOTE=asdflove;16355447]

Spoiler: Elven

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"Sure...?"

Aela reaches to a foot by 4 inch leather case on her belt, un-fastens a simple clasp, reaches in and carefully lifts out a sleek ball of brown fur which she reveals to Maria as a beautiful brown rat - not disgusting like a sewar rat - fast asleep. Aela whispers

Spoiler: elven

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"Her name is Rea. She's a very special friend. I've known her for years. She loves being stroked on the head

She smiles warmly at the little girl

[asdflove]

[QUOTE=Sciffy;16355572]

Spoiler: Elven

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"Sure...?"

Aela reaches to a foot by 4 inch leather case on her belt, un-fastens a simple clasp, reaches in and carefully lifts out a sleek ball of brown fur which she reveals to Maria as a beautiful brown rat - not disgusting like a sewar rat - fast asleep. Aela whispers

Spoiler: elven

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"Her name is Rea. She's a very special friend. I've known her for years. She loves being stroked on the head

She smiles warmly at the little girl

Spoiler: Elven

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"Oooo. She's pretty."

She gently strokes the rats head.

[Sciffy]

Spoiler: Elven

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"Would you like to hold her and look after her while I get your ribbon?"

[WebTiefling]

Maylene smiles to see the wood elf so tender with the child. Still, time was passing.

"I can arrange for your daughter to be taken back to the mines if you wish, Captain. We should keep looking for Sheena's children, though. We don't know when a sudden shift in battle lines might bring the fighting to the town.

"And if we find others still out, we can certainly pass on the warning that the front is near and it might be safer in the tunnels. We might even run across more kids tucked away...."

Maylene's voice trails off for a second.

"Captain, er, Maria. Was it another child you were trying to spot? If so kids shouldn't be left out alone in a deserted city even without the threat of fighting."

[asdflove]

Spoiler: Elven

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"Would you like to hold her and look after her while I get your ribbon?"

Spoiler: Elven

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"Sure!"

Maylene smiles to see the wood elf so tender with the child. Still, time was passing.

"I can arrange for your daughter to be taken back to the mines if you wish, Captain. We should keep looking for Sheena's children, though. We don't know when a sudden shift in battle lines might bring the fighting to the town.

"And if we find others still out, we can certainly pass on the warning that the front is near and it might be safer in the tunnels. We might even run across more kids tucked away...."

Maylene's voice trails off for a second.

"Captain, er, Maria. Was it another child you were trying to spot? If so kids shouldn't be left out alone in a deserted city even without the threat of fighting."

"No! It wasn't another kid, it was my d-"
"Not now." She taps the crystal earpiece.
"Actually, I know exactly what's going out there, and the mine is just down the street."

[WebTiefling]

Spoiler: Elven

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"Sure!"

"No! It wasn't another kid, it was my d-"
"Not now." She taps the crystal earpiece.
"Actually, I know exactly what's going out there, and the mine is just down the street."

"All right. I'll defer to your knowledge. Still I would feel better if we did hurry. Fights are rarely predictable, and wars never."

Maylene steps aside for a moment to concentrate on what her tiny Expeditious Messenger is seeing. If nothing is immediately of interest on the street before the Inn's entrance, she decided she would take the construct on a quick flight to get a better view of a wider area.

Spoiler: Spot Check, if necessary

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(1d20+0)[4]

[Simba]

Maylene turns to Sheena.

"How old are your children? If they got swept along with the crowds for a while, would they head back to your home or might they have another place they might go?"

"Marcon, my son, is 7. My father runs a soup kitchen and we often offer places to sleep to homeless children. When I left a few hours ago there were about a dozen kids there. They tend to hide when the guards show up. I trust my father can look after himself just fine, but the kids are another story. Some are only 3 or 4."

[Sciffy]

Spoiler: Elven

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"Sure!"

Spoiler: Elven

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"Put your arm like this

Aela puts her arm horizontal palm open and face up just under her chest

"Now if you hold her carefully im one arm you can stroke her with the other"

Aela places Rea gently into Maria's arm, rises and fetches the little girl's ribbon
As she does so Rea gives a little squeak and turns over in Maria's arm revealing her underside.

[asdflove]

Spoiler: Elven

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"Put your arm like this

Aela puts her arm horizontal palm open and face up just under her chest

"Now if you hold her carefully in one arm you can stroke her with the other"

Aela places Rea gently into Maria's arm, rises and fetches the little girl's ribbon
As she does so Rea gives a little squeak and turns over in Maria's arm revealing her underside.

"Awww."

"All right. I'll defer to your knowledge. Still I would feel better if we did hurry. Fights are rarely predictable, and wars never."

Maylene steps aside for a moment to concentrate on what her tiny Expeditious Messenger is seeing. If nothing is immediately of interest on the street before the Inn's entrance, she decided she would take the construct on a quick flight to get a better view of a wider area.

Spoiler: Spot Check, if necessary

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[roll0]

"Predictable is definitely something war isn't, but I have the head general of Rania, at this battle, feeding info into my ear. They're roughly 4 miles away."

Spoiler

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Everything is deserted.

"Marcon, my son, is 7. My father runs a soup kitchen and we often offer places to sleep to homeless children. When I left a few hours ago there were about a dozen kids there. They tend to hide when the guards show up. I trust my father can look after himself just fine, but the kids are another story. Some are only 3 or 4."

"Okay, I know where that soup kitchen is. Let's go."

[Sciffy]

"Awww."

Aela returns with the ribbon and kneels in front of Maria

Spoiler: Elven

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" Oh, I think she wants you to scratch her belly but gently. Now would you like me to tie your hair up nicely?"

"Okay, I know where that soup kitchen is. Let's go."[/QUOTE]

Aela addresses the captain

Spoiler: Elven

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"Captain...err sorry I forgot your name. Will Maria be safe here? Or should she be taken to the shelter?"

[WebTiefling]

Maylene had just been thinking of guards missing people by oversight. Given the homeless population's aversion to guards, it was a surety that most of them had been left behind.

The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became at the city's stupid actions. If fighting reached the city, people would die, and it was perfectly likely that having people packed into tunnels merely meant they would die packed into tunnels.

She was tempted to start defending the city herself, but she had learned by seeing adventurers try that it merely pulled the adventurer into the war - it didn't change things fundamentally.

Feeling slightly better about their immediate situation, having verified the immediately area was deserted, and significantly worse about the larger picture, she decided to help with what she could.

"I have reservations about the wisdom of packing people into tunnels if fighting actually reaches the city, so I don't care if people want to stay out, but kids are another story."

Maylene turns to the captain and Sheena, "If you'll lead the way we can check the soup kitchen."

[Simba]

Sheena smiles "Thank you!", then turns to take the fastest route towards her father's house. Her knives have disappeared as has her fear and insecurity. Her moves are sure and quick as she leads anyone who would follow towards their goal.

[asdflove]

Maylene had just been thinking of guards missing people by oversight. Given the homeless population's aversion to guards, it was a surety that most of them had been left behind.

The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became at the city's stupid actions. If fighting reached the city, people would die, and it was perfectly likely that having people packed into tunnels merely meant they would die packed into tunnels.

She was tempted to start defending the city herself, but she had learned by seeing adventurers try that it merely pulled the adventurer into the war - it didn't change things fundamentally.

Feeling slightly better about their immediate situation, having verified the immediately area was deserted, and significantly worse about the larger picture, she decided to help with what she could.

"I have reservations about the wisdom of packing people into tunnels if fighting actually reaches the city, so I don't care if people want to stay out, but kids are another story."

Maylene turns to the captain and Sheena, "If you'll lead the way we can check the soup kitchen."

"The tunnels lead away from the city. Sending them to the tunnels was my idea. If we were to do nothing, almost everyone would die."

Aela addresses the captain

Spoiler: Elven

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"Captain...err sorry I forgot your name. Will Maria be safe here? Or should she be taken to the shelter?"

"Shelter is on the way." she said tersely, grabbing her daughters hand and strode out.

[Sciffy]

"Shelter is on the way." she said tersely, grabbing her daughters hand and strode out.

Luckily Aela had finished tieing Maria's hair up with the ribbon in a bow as her mother took her hand and strode out. Aela gets to her feet brushing her knees and turns to Coreal

" That was a bit rude. "

[WebTiefling]

Follows the captain and Sheena out. Anomander and then Goth follow along, Goth slipping into shadows and disappearing as they go.

[Tacitus]

Val is waiting outside the inn as the others begin to emerge, with the guard captain leading the way with a small child. She waits until at least one other has exited before she pushes off the wall to move into a walk, "Fruits of a noble quest? Or just one step along the way?"

[WebTiefling]

Maylene falls in with the dragonborn.

"Fortuitous step along the way, I think."

Maylene nods at the girl firmly grasped in the captain's hand.

"That be the Captain's daughter. She was sneaking around playing some game of spying on someone and hid from the guard who was supposed to gather her up."

Maylene grins in some anticipation.

"Pity the poor idiot who was supposed to have gotten the girl. That said, our next best bet is Sheena's father's home. There are normally a bunch of street kids there that her boy plays with."

[asdflove]

Maylene falls in with the dragonborn.

"Fortuitous step along the way, I think."

Maylene nods at the girl firmly grasped in the captain's hand.

"That be the Captain's daughter. She was sneaking around playing some game of spying on someone and hid from the guard who was supposed to gather her up."

Maylene grins in some anticipation.

"Pity the poor idiot who was supposed to have gotten the girl. That said, our next best bet is Sheena's father's home. There are normally a bunch of street kids there that her boy plays with."

On the way, the captain briefly stopped, and ushered Maria inside, and handed the rat back to Aela.

[Zolkabro]

Coreal followed closely behind the Captain as she marched off.
She muttered to Aela before leaving, "Her child was in jeapardy, you can understand a little sharpness, can you not?"

Once out of the cellar, she trotted forwards to catch up with the Captain.
"So, how did you attain this position of Captain of a City Guard?

[asdflove]

Coreal followed closely behind the Captain as she marched off.
She muttered to Aela before leaving, "Her child was in jeapardy, you can understand a little sharpness, can you not?"

Once out of the cellar, she trotted forwards to catch up with the Captain.
"So, how did you attain this position of Captain of a City Guard?

"That's a long story... I just realized that I never even told you my name. Call me Ani. My real name is much longer than that, you know how elves usually are." She sighs, shaking her head. "Long story short, the captured me as I was fleeing a battle, after a few months they were impressed with 'my spunk', so they put me in a low level position and I've worked my way up."

[Zolkabro]

"That's a long story... I just realized that I never even told you my name. Call me Ani. My real name is much longer than that, you know how elves usually are." She sighs, shaking her head. "Long story short, the captured me as I was fleeing a battle, after a few months they were impressed with 'my spunk', so they put my in a low level position and I've worked my way up."

"Impressive!" Coreal commented. "Do you, uh. Do you think I might be able to attain a similar position (although obviously not here, if you are in charge)?"

[asdflove]

"Impressive!" Coreal commented. "Do you, uh. Do you think I might be able to attain a similar position (although obviously not here, if you are in charge)?"

"If you know how to say no to people who think they're better than you, yes."

[WebTiefling]

As we're walking along, Maylene's typical interest in magical items takes note of Val's armor and shield, examining the make and styling.

"I notice your shield is Feycraft. Have you spent time among them? I've managed to make it to a few different planes over the years, but I haven't made it to the Feywild, nor have I really spent much time with those who hail from there. Do you mind if I look at it more closely?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Just making conversation on the walk. If you let me take a look, I'll offer to bump it up to a +4 shield. It'll last for about 2.5 hours before wearing off. Feel free to interrupt us for story actions.

[asdflove]

Suddenly Ani bursts into a sprint. "We have to hurry! The lines just started falling back!" They arrive at the soup kitchen.

[Zolkabro]

"If you know how to say no to people who think they're better than you, yes."

"I like the sound of that." Coreal smirked.

Suddenly Ani bursts into a sprint. "We have to hurry! The lines just started falling back!" They arrive at the soup kitchen.

Corral galloped ahead, before having to check her pace in favour of the others. At every turn she is forced to wait, pounding her hooves in frustration until they finally reach the kitchen.
She looks around guardedly.

[Sciffy]

Aela considers Coreal's words as she follows her out of the cellar

"Hmm I don't think it was that"

Maria is ushered away before Aela reaches the shelter but as Rea is being taken from Maria she sits on her hind legs and gives the girl a wave with her little paw.

Aela takes Rea and places her on her shoulder

Spoiler: Elven

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"Thank you"

As everyone is walking along Aela can be heard whispering quietly to someone who is squeakily whispering back

Spoiler: Elven

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"I am sad the little girl left, she gave such nice tummy scratches"

"You did seem to be enjoying yourself, such a sweet and adorable little girl. Reminds me of my niece when she was that age"

"Lysona? Yes, she does a bit. Similar facial features"

Rea clambers down Aela's shoulders and under the cloak, reappearing shortly holding a tiny amount of food in her mouth. Rea then proceeds to nibble on it in a very rodent like way.

Spoiler: Elven

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"So what have I missed? Who are all these people?

"Well, I was practising my Clarsach when some guards knocked on my door asking me to come with, I asked why, and they said it was very important so I went with them. There was a lot of people waiting outside and once they had got everyone from the building they took us all to this shelter underground. Some of us, well the ladies here, got shoved into the corner with no explanation, though later someone said it was because they were evacutating the city or something. I forget. You know me. Anyway there was one poor young woman" She points to Sheena "who was shaking, so I went and asked her.."

Rea is patiently nibbling away at the food as Aela explains what is going on though she can only remember Sheena's name

"The war is nearing us? I suppose where ever we go it'll always be close. Let's hope at least the people of this city can make it to safety and that we find Sheena's children. And you know I don't like us being too near the war The little rat sighs "But I know that we know we have to help, for the sake of Briec, Lyall and Yann"

Aela nods solemnly

When Ani breaks into a run, Aela too speeds up

[WebTiefling]

As they hear Ani call out, Maylene says to Val, "I hope I can get a rain check to see that shield."

As they begin running, Maylene calls out to the air. "Goth, take to the air and keep watch. Follow us and signal if anything shows up. Anomander, we could all use a bit of extra speed."

She watches Coreal take off like a race horse in spite of the heavy armor.

"Well, most of us need a bit of extra speed."

Anomander begins casting Haste on each person, first on the captain, then Sheena, and then the rest.

As Maylene runs, she begins casting some spell on the fine nightscale armor she wears under her dress.

Spoiler

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Haste adds 30' to movement and a few other odds and ends. Not quite enough to keep up with Coreal, but closer. Lasts for 1 minute. Anyone who wants to know what spell I'm casting - it's an Artificer infusion, so I'm not sure what the Spellcraft check would be, but it's an armor enchantment. If you get a crazy good check, it's the Displacement armor enhancement.

[Simba]

The soup kitchen is in an old building around 30' wide, with a only one story and a relatively flat roof. It looks worn, but well cared for. A sign above the door shows a pair of crossed spoons.

Sheena runs straight for the door and enters the building without a pause.

Inside, a large room going back about 60' takes up almost the whole ground floor, with only a 20' x 10' area at the back separated. A door leads into that area, most likely the kitchen, while another door might lead out back.

Well worn but solid tables and benches fill the room while a large fireplace in the middle of the left wall looks like it might be enough to heat the building in winter.

If the room is empty Sheena runs straight for the kitchen.