"Hey! Get way from there!" Valeros calls out, seeing someone try to steal from something within the vendors stall.  "Thief! Move along!" he stammers out with a lilted slur.  Just in case, he pulls his dagger from its sheath at the small of his back.

"I might be tipsy, but I can stick a small miser like yeh!" he says, easing forward cautiously.  He peers into the darkness but cant make out any detail yet.

Alaion quickly grabs and puts on both of his weapons belts. "Loki stay! I will be back in a few." He then goes out the window gripping the sill and dropping down to reduce the chance for any damage. Once on the ground he moves to intercept the advance of the drunken individual. "It's just a young woman, she just got there no time to do anything."

Movement in the darkness off to the right of the market catches Valeros' eye.  There's two of them, his numbed mind thinks.

"You're tha look out. I ain't no *hic* ones to be fooled." he replies, eyeing both the figures warily.  Even though he is slightly intoxicated, he can sum up the odds.  Two against one.

Dani watches from the deep shadows of the brush beside the Hollow Tribunal building on the northwest side of the low market area.  She was two hours from leaving The Rouge Lady and feared Kabran might send some thug after her.  That's why she hid in the shadows when someone come from the south in the night behind her.  The figure, the largest man she had ever seen, was moving north along the road, when suddenly a barking dog appeared.  It growled and began approaching the big man threateningly with a lowered head, growling, and bared fangs.  That's when the man hit the dog with a massive club, mace, or maybe a log branch as far as she could tell.  Killed the dog outright. The big man did not see her and started back northward, but ducks between buildings, not keeping to the road.

Dani was just about to move on, when suddenly there appears a girl in the low market and she discovers the dog.  Was it her dog, Dani wonders.  Then another man swaggers from the north with an obvious drunkenness that Dani is all to familiar with.  She watches the exchange warily, noticing the glint of steel in the man's hand. This was becoming dangerous. Another figure approaches and words are exchanged with obvious misunderstandings.

Dani steps from the deep shadows and approaches the others. "She's not stealing." Dani says to the man holding the dagger.  Just in case, Dani keeps a hand on her own sheathed dagger.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 20:07, Sun 04 Dec 2022.

Valeros' head swivels to the left as someone steps from the shadows and addresses him.  THREE of them, he thinks.  He becomes suddenly worried and shifts to thinking of self preservation.

"I ain' want'n no trouble 'ere." he says placatingly. "You kids can jus do whateva it is you doin, I ain judgin, and I will mosey on the other way."

Xenaryn grabs up her staff given to her by Vade the Sorcerer on her completion of the apprenticeship.  She stands protectively over the dead dog and glares at the approaching figure.

"You kill this dog?" she questions him accusingly.

The appearance of a boy from the direction of the inn is a surprise.  She nods at his helpful statement. "That's right!"

The appearance of a girl is equally surprising. "True." she replies to her statement. "And we are not doing anything.  I do not even know them. What is your business here?  If you killed this dog, you can be assured I will notify the sheriff or worse, the magistrate, of your cruelty."

" He was coming along after the dog was silenced, so it shouldn't of been him. We should be looking for someone else." looks toward the girl who had inspected the dog. " Any idea on who the dog belongs to, or is it a stray? If it belongs to someone you know we should bring its body to them otherwise leave it and we can look for signs of who or what did it."

Looks to the man who showed signs of being drunk, " No need to go the other way, just go where you were going. "

Valeros eyes the dog at the girl's feet and a lip twitches upward.  "You thought I did that!?"

The dog lies on its side with fully half of its skull and face bashed inward. The mercenary looks up at the male, noticing for the first time that it is an elf.  That's the fourth elf I have seen this year, he thinks in bewilderment.

"I think I seen-- well, shadows moving back up the road a ways.  Thought it might be kids.  Might be them you lookin for.  I can show you, if you aiming to find who did this." he offers.  He was sobering up quick as the adrenaline starts to fade from when he thought he would have to fight three.  He's glad that is not the case and offers some trust.

"My name's Valeros Sothgard, currently working as protection for Milon Rodham's crew in the cut yards."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Fri 25 Nov 2022.

Xenaryn eyes the stranger warily, and shrugs when he asks her if he had done the deed.  "Guess not she says.  Would take something big to do that I think. And certainly not a dagger."

"Im Xenaryn Faustich, friends call me Xen (Zen). I'm recently graduated from Vade's apprenticeship of magic. I personally would like to see who did this.  Maybe get a good look so I can describe them to the sheriff, a deputy, or the magistrate if he's in later today.  Never can tell with him.  The dog is JoJo and belongs to an old man a few houses over from ours, or mine-- er, my family's home."

"Anyway, yes, lead on." she says maybe a little too excitedly. She grabs a leg of the dead canine and drags his carcass over into the bushes next to the Tribunal building.  "I can come and get him later for the old man." she says wistfully.  She looks at the other two strangers as she sidles up to Valeros. "Wanna come along?"

Dani sums up quickly that the man is no danger.  Knows him in fact.  Well, not knows, but has seen him in the Rouge Lady, gambling and drinking.  She doesn't forget the face of a mark she has lifted a coin or two from.  Dani released her grip on her dagger, keeping it sheathed and steps closer.  A gasp escapes her when she sees the damage to the dead dog, but is not really surprised at the extent of it.

"I seen the shadow of the man that did this." she says, remembering the figure as it struck the dog.  "From the shadows.  It was a large man, taller even than you Valeros, by a head at least, maybe more, and was bulky.  Largest man I ever seen, if it was a man at all and it carried what looked like a large clubbing thing."

"I'm Dani." she says, adding her name to the group.  She kept it simple, not wanting to give her full name for her own safety. "I'll come along with you."

Dani glances at the elf questioningly.

"And who might you be sir?" she asks.  Dani has never seen an elf.  She scrutinizes the elf, noting the high pointed ears and almond shaped eyes.  Childhood stories come to mind.  Do they really dance in the moonlight with the fey? she wonders.  It seems a foolish thing, seeing the young man before her.

The elf nods his head at the introductions everyone has made, he then moves to examine the ground for any clues before examining the dog's wounds for a clue on the type of weapon used.

As he is examining the wounds, " You can call me Blade, my elven name would be a lot longer and harder to say."

After examining the dog, " I am interested in seeing whomever did this brought to justice. Will need to get the rest of my gear from the inn though."

Rolled 12 for tracks, 15 for weapon used both un modified for stats.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:09, Sun 27 Nov 2022.

Before Xenaryn pulls the carcass of the dog away, Blade kneels and inspects the area.  With a keen intellect, he notes some small droplets of blood leading away to the north.  There are too many tracks being in the low market area, but he does note one that is larger than others.  The damage to the dog appears to be from a blunt weapon.  There are no cuts, nor punctures.

After introductions, the carcass is pulled into the bushes at the edge of the Tribunal building while Blade runs back into Jak-a-Napes Inn to get his gear including Loki his dog.  He then leads the party north a few yards, then the track of droplets cuts west between buildings.  Here, in grassy terrain, he loses the trail of blood droplets. Continuing behind the buildings along High-Road, they come to Sheriff's Way, a road that cuts from High-road southwest to Mid-road and beyond.  Here, they can see the Sheriff's building across the street. Oddly, its door is open and light from within streams outward to illuminate the street in a soft orange glow. A flash of lighting arcs across the dark night sky to the west, heralding an impending storm.  Seconds later the peal of thunder is heard, louder than before. Leaves in the trees and bushes begin whispering as a breeze blows through.  The soft glow from the doorway begins flickering eerily as the candles within begin to flutter from the wind.


This message was last edited by the GM at 22:55, Sun 27 Nov 2022.

Xen glances at the others, "I have a bad feeling.  Common sense dictates that door on the sheriff's building should be shut.  Its almost Low Moon, and the wind is picking up.  Someone would have closed it.  C'mon lets see what is going on in there."

Xen begins walking toward the sheriff's building in a straight line, keeping a wary eye around her for anything that moves in the darkness.  She grips her staff tightly as she approaches the door and enters.

Valeros follows along behind Blade and his dog, Loki, until they lost the trail. At that point, he begins leading them northward toward the road that cuts in front of the palisade, because that's where he saw the shadows.  He stops though, noticing the building Xenaryn was pointing out and listening to her words.  Makes sense, he thinks, watching as the dim light from the doorway flickers on the road.

Following her lead, Valeros quickly catches up with her.  "Hey, let me go-- let me and Blade enter first. You two come after." Being the oldest of them at 22yrs, he feels somewhat protective. Well, the elf might be a thousand years old.  Everyone knows they live forever, he chides himself.  Giving Blade an expectant look, Valeros pulls his dagger from its sheath and enters the building, ready for anything.

[Private to Alaion Dragonblade: Please make an INT check if you enter the building... ]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:13, Sun 27 Nov 2022.

Blade moves forward to the area just before the door, "Loki, stay!" He then draws his mace from over his shoulder and readies his shield. "Valeros, you go right inside and I will go left."

[Private to GM: Rolled a 10 for the requested Int roll]
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:35, Fri 14 Apr 2023.

Xenaryn acquiesces to better logic, not because she is scared but because it made good sense tacticaly. As the two men prepare to enter, Xen readies by casting armor upon herself. She whispers the words of magic and feels the protective ward surround her.  If one looked closely enough, a very slight purple aura emanates from the magical field. She then brings the magical words for magic missiles to the forefront of her mind.

She proceeds behind Blade and Valeros, beckoning Dani to follow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:35, Mon 28 Nov 2022.

"I will umm, keep a watch out here. " she says, then bites her lower lip.  There is no way I'm going in there, she says inwardly.

"Be careful." Dani whispers as the others enter the sherrif's building.

Blade and Valeros enter the building quietly and cautiously. A short hallway lit by candles on a mounted board to each side opens into a main room that is 30' by 30' in length and width. The far east side of the room is occupied by four barred cells. Two on the north side and two on the south side. A door barred with wood on the inside is between the cells on the eastern wall.

Lying on the floor in the middle of the room is the corpse of a man. His skull crushed. His face is unrecognizable and a very large pool of blood and brains cover the floor.  The building is otherwise empty. A fire still burns in the fireplace on the western wall. A desk sits along the north wall. There are sheafs of paper, an inkwell, and a quill-stand with two quills. A metal lockbox sits against the wall behind the desk on the floor with a lantern and some hard riding boots. A set of skeleton keys on a metal ring hangs from a pegged board nailed to the wall behind the desk.

[Private to Alaion Dragonblade: Blade notes a trail of blood drops leaving the building. He notes that a cell door is ripped from their iron hinges. ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:17, Mon 28 Nov 2022.

"It looks like a prisoner has escaped and killed who ever this was. Xen can you search the desk, see if anything has been written or logged as to who the prisoner might have been. Dani can you and Valeros search the lock-box might have something useful for us or belonging to the prisoner that we can use. I will stand guard for everyone."

"Loki, come here." Once Loki comes to him, he and Loki will move to the blood trail. " Good boy Loki, Get a good smell of that blood boy." as he helps Loki find the blood trail. He keeps and eye out as he hopes everyone is searching the areas for any clues.

[Private to GM: RPing trying to teach Loki to track or trail, Will do more with other tricks too.]

[Private to Alaion Dragonblade: Roger that! ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:34, Mon 28 Nov 2022.

Val whistles lowly when he sees the dead man. When he kneels and searches the body, he notices a short sword that is lying beneath it.  Did he even get to use it? he asks himself, pulling the weapon free.  He finds no other affects on the corpse.

He then grabs the iron strongbox and sets it up on the desk. "I think it might be empty" he says, noting that it did not rattle when moved.  He then goes back to the door and motions for Dani to come in, but doesn't see her.  "Dani?" he calls in a loud whisper.  "No one's home."

[Private to Alaion Dragonblade: A closer inspection reveals that someone did not break out... but that someone broke someone else out.]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:58, Mon 28 Nov 2022.

"Here." Dani says quietly, stepping from the deep shadows between building and bush.  She shakes her head furtively at first, but when he says its empty she dares.  "Okay, Im coming."

She follows Valeros back into the building and moves to the strongbox.  Its a simple lock and one she should be able to open easily.  "I'll give it a try", she says, taking the lock picks from the pouch on her belt.  She kneels next to the desk and begins...

[Private to GM: Rolled a 3, unmodified for an easy lock]

"Deputy schedules, a town decree for the unknown person(s) or creature taking cadavers from the cemetery." Xenaryn says aloud to anyone that is listening.  "Unknown is marked out and Zarrin written above it.  I was in Jak-a-Napes last night and there was some buzz about someone catching the body snatcher. That must be who broke out of here.  Hey! There's Vade's name written in the edge with a question mark?  REALLY!  I swear... these PEOPLE."

Xenary shakes her head angrily and continues poring through the documents.

"Some correspondence between Gavel Kreed and the magistrate about Kabran Bloodeye, more rumor mill fluff. Death certificate for someone named Negle.  Some receipts for supplies and wood.  Nothing else really." Xenaryn says, shoving the papers into the desk.

[Private to GM: rolled a natural 2, -2 modifier.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:49, Mon 28 Nov 2022.

Valeros watches Blade interact with Loki. "Will he sniff out the trail?"

He picks the short sword back up and begins swinging it, getting the feel of the weapon. "Nice.  I guess he wont be needing it."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:17, Mon 28 Nov 2022.

"Don't even think about it Valeros.  That is the property of the sheriff's office, or the town, I would think."  she says pointedly, crossing her arms.  "Just leave it on the desk."

"Do we notify the sheriff, or go after whoever this is?" she asks no one in particular.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:29, Mon 28 Nov 2022.

"Looks like I was wrong, Someone broke someone else out. Xen keep anything document wise, regarding the grave robber etc." Watches Valeros test out the shortsword and Xen's response to him. "Valeros do you like the blade, take it with you on loan from the town while we go about seeing what or who did this. Loki is just learning to track so we will see how well he does, he is just a pup still with plenty to learn."

Looks around the room one more time looking for any other weapons. " Any one see any bows and arrows?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:37, Fri 14 Apr 2023.