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Onitka looks empty. More than thirty people - adults all, but of every description, as far as is possible to get much variety of inhabitants in a smallish town - have gone missing. As the vanishing residents left with whatever valuables they had access to - the banker with half the contents of the bank vault; the blacksmith with a cache of weapons, including his stocked inventory and some items commissioned individually; the miscellaneous peasantry with what little savings or family heirlooms they could collect - the disappearances had first been dismissed as a rash of bizarre thefts, albeit by upstanding citizens no one would have suspected of such behavior. As the disappearances mounted, however, it seemed clear that something more sinister was afoot - what, of course, no one knows.
Only one person has actually been seen leaving town. A group of young teenagers spotted one of the many miners wandering dazedly south, but of course instead of notifying some authority figure, they took off after him, leaving only one of their twelve-year-old sisters to watch them leave, wringing her hands; hours later, when they - and the man they followed - still had not returned, she ran to her parents and described the whole event. Her description, inconclusive though it is, is now common knowledge throughout Onitka.
People have taken to traveling in groups, locking their doors at night, hiding their possessions, but none of these measures have stopped the trickle of villagers disappearing, typically in the middle of the night unwitnessed by the night watch - itself minimally staffed, and admittedly ill-equipped to catch anyone and solve the mystery. Talk of evacuation has been bandied about but thus far gone nowhere; the villagers, fearful though they are, are loath to leave their homes and work.
For whatever reason, you're on Main Street when the mayor, flanked by several loudly and stridently concerned citizens, finally agrees that he will divert some of the public funds to hire a group of mercenaries or adventurers to go south, the only known direction of the wayward townsfolk, and investigate, even though it's clear the mayor believes it to be a fool's errand.
"I've hunted worse...finding missing persons is easy enoughs." Turning to the forming crowd, Torak takes special note that the mayor seems not to care about thirty missing people...and as he surveys the area, he looks across the others that seem interested in this endeavor.
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EVE:Online - Mr Noah
Steam: SlippingSand
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He was walking along a side street, and just reached the main road when the Mayor appeared. Doubtless it was about the missing people. Thirty people, gone. There had been many prayers in the temple, many requests for guidance and for the safe return of the missing. Everyone in town knew of one of the missing.
Once the mayor had finished his piece, Byron looked about. It could be that he had just happend across the square on his way back from visiting an acquaintenance, or it could be providence.
A medium-height man steps forward, wearing vestments of a priest of Kord.
Very well. If it is time to seek out the missing, I offer to go.
A raven-haired woman dressed in finery rivaling or surpassing the mayor's, stops at the commotion, pausing to listen to the debate. When the mayor agrees to spend money, she approaches closer and asks, "How much are you offering?" She strokes the feathers of a white-and-grey owl resting on one gloved wrist as she waits for a reply.
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Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
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Avatar courtesy of Vael
"I, ah, suppose I could see my way to furnishing each person on the expedition... ah... four hundred gold pieces?" says the mayor, pulling slightly at his collar while shying away from the stares of the townsfolk. "Provided there aren't too many takers - is it just you three?" he asks hopefully of those who have spoken.
An elderly woman hobbles forward, carrying a small basket of vegetables from the local market. Or maybe she was carrying them to the market... either way, the vegetables have clearly seen better days.
Granny tugs at the dark-haired woman's cloak. "Oh dear, you simply mustn't go prancing around in the night without a scarf and some mittens. You'll catch your death of cold! Or the ennui!" She looks at the others who have come forward. "I insist that you kind, young folk come with Granny for a proper hot meal before you go anywhere." She furrows her brow and peers into her basket, muttering. "I might need more turnips... and more parsnips... yes..."
The elegantly dressed woman looks down at the basket of vegetables. "I think I will decline your kind offer," she says, doing her best to be polite. "We appear to have different ideas of the meaning of proper."
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Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
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Avatar courtesy of Vael
Looking at the old woman, and not wishing to incite obvious distaste, avoids the invitation and turns to the Mayor. "400 gold is fines, assuming it is your coin and not the coin of the peoples." He glares intimidatingly to the mayor, attempting to convict his soul if he has done wrong - his hand rests on his chest armor showing his deity.
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EVE:Online - Mr Noah
Steam: SlippingSand
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A kind-sounding male voice speaks to Granny Godwin: Go with me on this, I will help these youngsters if you will. She notes that no one else seems to hear the voice speaking. Then a young woman, not strikingly beautiful but fairly exotic-looking, in a gown and with a comb in her hair, steps from around Granny and speaks to the three hirees. "Please, it would be our honor if you came to our house for dinner. I know these don't look particularly appetizing, but I can cook very well." pointing discretely at Granny better than she can, anyway Tugging at Byron's sleeve, she says, "We will wait for you to conclude you affairs." She backs up a few steps and looks pointedly at the mayor, waiting for him to conclude the deal.
(The hat of disguise makes funny situations, eh? It will work if the players don't fuss too much.)
"Well - not that I have funds like that, my own pay is not so high - and the people do obviously want to spend the public gold on - I mean, it is a public problem," says the mayor awkwardly at Torak's words. "So - just you three - four hundred each - I guess that makes twelve hundred - you don't mind collecting when you get back, do you?" he adds shrewdly. "I'm sure you're all trustworthy, of course, but under the circumstances..."
Eying the younger peasant, Circe shrugs, still petting the owl's feathers. "We can, perhaps, discuss it after business is concluded." Turning her black eyes from the old woman and her friend or relative back to the mayor she replies with a counter-offer.
"A quarter now, the rest after. And we keep any spoils we find along the way."
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Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
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Avatar courtesy of Vael
"Well - but the people who've been disappearing have been taking things with them; you can't have those things, they belong to the people they belong to. But any other spoils. And - a quarter," he says weakly, "I'm not sure I can pull that together on such short notice - I'm going to need to divert some budgets - fifty each to start?"
"Done. For my part at least. I shan't presume to speak for the others."
She turns her attention back to the strange women trying to press dinner on them. "So tell me, what possible reason could there be for me to spend the evening in your company?"
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Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
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Avatar courtesy of Vael
Zeke
(Is it okay if my Psicrystal speaks telepathically for me? It'd really only be for flavor, until Zeke is able to do it himself. I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work, as he can speak telepathically to the psicrystal and the psicrystal can speak telepathically to anyone within 100 feet.) Because we can help you. Disregard my vocal speech, and please come with us. says the warm, light male voice. The young woman makes a slight gesture toward herself and Granny as Circe hears the voice, and says, "Because we can cook better than the innkeeper, madam, and we wish to help the town in any way we can. After all, if we are appointing heroes for us, it's best they not get food poisoning." She smiles, and turns to the other two.
Although she long ago grew accustomed to hearing the thoughts of others, Granny is still a bit startled to have someone deliberately communicate to her in that way. Still...
"Dear, I'm sure that you and your new friends will want to make a plan, after all! And what better way than over a warm meal and some nice, nice tea?"
((Well, it's personality is sympathetic, so I'd imagine it's pretty accomodating.)) This message will be deleted after meaningful things happen.
Also, I will be leaving town for Thanksgiving on Thursday, I will be returning on Monday, and posting will likely not occur from me. I'm sorry, and I may be able to post, but I do not know at the present time. I'll post a lot tomorrow, I guess.
Byron looks over Circe, assessing their negotiator, coming to his own judgement about her.
I'm happy to accept whatever terms seem appropriate.
He turns to the elderly lady.
I would love to join you for an evening meal, but I am needed at the temple briefly. I have some duties to attend to, and I must collect some things and inform the head priest that I am about to journey for a time.
The only reaction the raven-haired woman shows to the telepathic message is a slight narrowing of her eyes and a hitch in the rhythm of her petting of the bird on her arm. "You're under the mistaken assumption that I'd be staying at the inn. But very well, you've piqued my curiosity."
__________________
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
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Avatar courtesy of Vael
The mayor nods at all the assembled. "Well, you can stop by city hall any time before you leave to pick up your gold, the three of you, and I'll make sure there's someone there to give it to you. Have a, er, lovely dinner." He practically scurries off, shedding peasant hangers-on as he goes.
Zeke New color, the other one is too close to mdsoze's.
"Grammere, let me carry that." says the young woman, reaching for the basket. "Now lets go home, and we can wait for Byron there." ((I figure since Byron has been at the temple here for a while, and Zeke has been in town for a while, he should know his name by now. If not, substitute "the priest" for Byron))
Making an uncertain gesture, she says, "Lead the way, Grammere."
(OOC: Byron has indeed been at this temple for a couple years now, so knowing his name is not unimaginable. If you are a believer in Kord, he would probably be formally addressed as "Brother Byron", but he would have answered to Byron without making comment.)
Byron stops by the Mayor's house, then heads back to the temple. He collects his belongings, leaves 10 gold as an offering to Kord, leaves word with the head of the temple that he is going to be leaving town. Then he makes his way towards Zeke's house, stopping off on the way to tell his siblings that he is leaving town as part of the group to find the missing.
"Alright then, dears, follow me..." Granny leads the others through the streets to a small cottage on the outskirts of town. The garden in the back is reasonable well-kept, but overall the furnishings are humble.
The kitchen, however, is in disarray. The spice rack seems to contain several vials of a single spice (paprika, maybe?), and there seems to be an overall lack of cooking utensils, with the exception of seven mismatched decorative spatulas, which hang on the wall at various angles. There seem to be permanent scorch marks surrounding the oven, suggesting an explosion in the not-too-distant past. The air carries the tang of slightly stale cucumber, which is not altogether unpleasant.
A flicker of shame passes across Granny's face as she turns to the young, beautiful woman who offered to help. "Shall we get started then, dear?"
"But of course, Grammere." She then proceeds to set down the basket, and pulls an assortment of cooking utensils (knives and spoons mostly) out of a small purse that ought not be able to hold a knife so unmaidenly. She takes some of the vegetables out of the basket and sets them on the counter, where she washes them with a bit of water from the bucket and then murmurs a few words over them, watching in satisfaction as the bruises disappear and they don't look quite so withered. (Circe would probably notice that a Prestidigitation was cast.) She then chops them with the large knife and places them all in a pot, which she fills with water and hangs over the fire. "Grammere, where is the lard? We need just a small touch of it." When she recieves it, she adds it and some flour to the pot, creating a thick onion and pepper stew. She adds some paprika, and searches for other spices. Then she turns to the two guests, her flurry of activity over, and says, "Now, I believe that we were here to discuss aid in your venture?" She continues to slowly stir the soup with a large ladle.
((Technically, it's Granny's house, and while Zeke has given his name to people, no one would think that this is him.))
Doing her best to avoid any dirty surfaces, Circe watches the pair work. "Although your ability to enter my mind without my permission is intriguing, you don't appear terribly useful. Unless you've got heretofore unannounced and less obvious skills."
__________________
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
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Avatar courtesy of Vael
Deciding it's best to wait for the cooking to finish, less get involved in something he knows little of, he decides to wait outside while viewing the horizon - not turning down the casual conversation from others if so joined.
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EVE:Online - Mr Noah
Steam: SlippingSand
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Byron arrives late, having attended to his business, but still before dinner is served.
As he approaches he sees one of the volunteers in front of the house. It's not Zeke, so it must be the other man.
Greetings. I know you volunteered this afternoon, said something about being a hunter. But for the life of me, I can't recall your name.
For my part, I'm Byron, priest in the service of Kord. Strength, exercise, battle, with a good dose of chaos and luck tossed in for good measure. Mix well, simmer over a fire for 20 minutes, and serve hot. Aids the spirit every time.
Zeke
The girl says to Circe, "Actually, about that..." and then a field of intersecting lines of multiple colors briefly flashes over her to reveal that she is, in fact, a he.
Description
Spoiler
He is around 5'9-10" with extensive tatooing and dark hair. He has fairly light skin with crow's-wing black hair and dark eyes. He wears a costly but not gaudy outfit that fits a traveling scholar or well-to-do merchant: a dark brown pair of breeches, a short-sleeved tunic of dark green with silver embroidery, and a sleeveless overtunic of black and dark green with silver embroidery in fantastical "arabesque" patterns. He also has tattooing across his entire body, as though done in henna, but it is, in fact, permanent. A mandala on his forehead (see my avatar) connects its points to a pattern that mirrors his clothing's embroidery, and this tattoo, should anyone ever manage to see, goes across his entire body.
"My name is Zeke, and I'm a psionic telepath. So you could say that I have less... obvious skills. I want to help you and these people, but not for money and certainly not for fame. If you would allow me to accompany your team, I would be most honored." He bows slightly. "And please, when Animus speaks my words to you, do not take it as an invasion. He can do no more than transmit to you, he cannot see anything that resides there."
_______________(Possible continuation of conversation)________
Taking the cauldron off the fire, he rummages around for bowls, and when he finds them, begins to ladle the soup into them. "Come everyone, supper is served!"
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