Inside, laughter lasted a note too long. Floorboards gleamed without a trace of dirt, cupboards untouched by dust as if the tavern had been cleaned tenfold. The ale was too rich in color than it had any right to be, the food too fat and satisfying for any common farmer to produce.

The smells of enrichening food could only be described as heighteningly addictive, the oak woods interior aroma matched of nostalgic childhood holiday memories. Colors seemed more saturated and lively as the taverns lanterns did not burn your sense of sight but massaged instead. The clinks of glass cups did not violently vibrate and more-so sung ever gently into the background.

Outside the barn animals behaved well without sound and slight movement. Cows did not stink nor was the grass eaten or treaded on. Chicken coops were still, hay beddings too neat. Pigs laid peacefully with their eyes fully open, blinking ever so slowly.

The weather was screamfully perfect without a buzzing insect in sight. At surface level there was no wind to bother anyone. Clouds above were shaped heavenly and only seemed to move when looked at.

The tavern patrons welcomed strangers and one another continuing their daily routines. Gnomes ordered their morning eggs at the high stooled bar. Sharp eared fae conversed with each other, breaking bread with friends. Beast-kin of all shapes and sizes sat, some would be graciously singing, some would be dancing with their mates.

In the far left corner of the tavern was an empty table where the adventurers guild wanted to meet together.

Eva Briar

Eva Briar entered the Stillrest Inn. SHe fixed her glasses as she scanned the inn's interior. She felts like there's something weird, but she couldn't put her finger on what it is. Her thought was interupted when a figure bumped into her on their way in.

It's Cipher, a green armored figure that is technically her sentient armor, but she just let it walks like regular person. It just felts safer, and she thought it would deter people with bad intention if she had an armored knight following her. It's just Cipher was clumsier than she thought and kept bumping things on accident.

Both of them sat on the designated corner while waiting for the others to gather. Eva put her arms against the table and leaned on it with a serious expression on her face.

"There's something strange happening here and I think I know what it is..." She talked to Cipher, who eagerly bodded and waited for Eva to continue.

"It is... there's no beer on my hand. Here, go buy me some beer." Eva handed Cipher some coins, should be enough to buy one or two cups. The armor immediately went to the bartender and tried its best to explain what Eva wants by doing gesture of someone drinking from a barrel. Cipher can't talk afterall so this was probably their best attempt at explaining.

Titles: [Prime - Mundane], Educated [Church's Executioner]

The elderly priest had been peregrining for quite a bit. After having helped free the villagers from the clutches of goblins, he had been trying to get a better lay of the land as well as the culture of those who inhabited it. Behind it, however, was the ever-incessant war (both spiritual and physical) against the unholy.

With one wizened hand, Johannes pushed the door of the Inn open, attentive eyes scanning the room behind the red-tinted glasses. He stood at the threshold for a moment longer before finally walking in. With each step, the silver pectoral cross and crucifix shifted slightly above the black cassocks. He stopped for a moment as soon as he saw Cipher gesticulating to the bartender, analyzing the machine.

He had seen many strange things ever since coming into that very world, but even he knew how to promptly know man-made things. "Interesting..." The man murmured.

He continued, however, until he reached the table at the corner, finding Eva there. "Are you with the guild as well?" He asked before pulling a chair and taking his seat at the table. Only then did Johannes finally remove the capello romano from his head, placing the hat at his side on the table. To say he looked old was an understatement.

"Is that automated armor yours? He asked Eva.

Lux was the next to arrive, pushing open the tavern doors as his bright yellow eyes swept across the room. He quickly spotted the other two already seated at a table and wove his way through the crowded tavern, slipping past hurried servers and weaving around drunken patrons.

Reaching the table, he pulled out a chair and dropped into it with casual abandon, leaning back until only two legs touched the floor.

"Luxiel Ashari, reporting for duty from the guild." His cheerful introduction cut through the conversation already underway. "But you can just call me Lux."
The tanned elf flashed them an easy smile, though it concealed the knot of nerves twisting in his stomach. This would be his first mission, after all.

Elara had gotten waylaid in her foray through Sweetwater, marveling at the all-too-good peculiarities she encountered on her way. She felt deep down that this truly was too good to be true, and wished to experience the moment while she could enjoy it. Perhaps she would one day be able to achieve a similar effect, and was determined to uncover the mystery of the root cause of this bliss.

Having taken the scenic route, she was the last of this future team to arrive at Stillrest Inn, but seemingly only just as she caught the tail end of the introductions from Lux upon striding over to the table designated for the meetup.

"And I am Elara," she announced right after, dropping the large rucksack from her back with a heavy thunk on the floorboards, and rolling her shoulders in relief. "This is the adventurers' guild member meeting, right? Do you do handshakes around here?"

It whispered the color of red.

The barkeeper was a happy gnome, grey-haired old and experienced so he easily understood the armors gesture. Handing over a traysload of their signature ale named, 'Iron Raspberries, name etched on crystal mugs. It had a distinct carnivore-like flavor that stung the tongue with a raw savory sensation. Muddled in the bottom was a unique meaty texture of red fruit giving the ale it's foggy red shade. As strange as the beer was, what was weirder was that the barkeeper did not ask or care for payment, handing back the armors coins. "We don't do that here, anymore." He laughed a little too long for comfort.

If anyone noticed, the townsfolk radiated an adnormal happiness. Slurping the taverns ale like cattle desperately wanting their mother's milk. Drool slipped pass their cheeks and down to their chins as they feasted on a supply of food that no small town could even manage. Fats sizzled on overly juicy meat that never seemed to go cold no matter how many hours passed. Plunk vegetables never dried. Bread was always crispy and soft. And it was all free and up to grab. No matter how much they ate, there was always more.

Instead of a menu above the bar there was kingdom, city and town names with a particular number underneath each. It seemed random at first but if one were to notice it was all the places that have been devastated by the recent earthquakes. One of the workers began to write down Ryke. Then the number zero with an ominous question mark that made the rest of the patrons giggle and laugh in anticipation.

"Are you fellas here for the festival as well? Celebrating the success of the earthquakes?" It was a happy gnome, brown curls and a long single tipped cone on his head. Quickly approaching but staying his distance. Not too far away to be awkward but close enough for them to see that he had a knife tightly gripped in his hand. Answer him correctly.

Everybody was watching, even the cows. What used to be animals staring off were now looking in the direction of the adventurers.

Six Sense [Evil Spirits] - Even without investigating, Johannes can sense a demonic presence in every single morsel that he can see. Inanimate and alive, everything in this town has been cursed.

Titles: [Prime - Mundane], Educated [Church's Executioner]

"Handshakes?" Johannes repeated, his expression unreadable for the moment. And then, barely, something in him relaxed. "Sure, I don't see why not. I'm Johannes Kessler." He offered his hand to those around the table. And the ones who accepted it would notice how wrinkled his hand was. "A pleasure to meet all of you. This is indeed the meeting point."

The priest's expression then hardened as something began gnawing at the back of his mind. Sharpening his senses, he began looking around... and it was everywhere. "Do not drink or eat anything offered here." He said in a monotone, eyes moving behind the red-tinted lenses, as if searching for something. "Everything in this place reeks of curse."

His attention shifted to how the patrons engorged themselves in both food and ale. "Our senses are likely compromised. But whatever is doing this doesn't seem to have perfect knowledge of what is happening." He didn't answer the gnome as he approached the group. Instead, he began studying the Fae instead, watching him attentively.

Lux circled the table, shaking every offered hand with an easy smile. "It's very good to meet everyone."

As his gaze drifted around the tavern, however, the smile slowly faded. It didn't take a genius to see that something was off.

Then Johannes' demeanor shifted, and the change immediately put Lux on edge. As the gnome approached, Lux quietly slipped his right hand into his satchel, letting it settle around his wand in preparation for whatever might come. He forced himself to answer calmly.

"Oh yes, the earthquakes have certainly done their part."

The lie came out with a hint of unease despite his best efforts. He could only hope it would satisfy the gnome. Otherwise, they might soon have a problem on their hands.

Elara had slipped off her leather gloves for the round of handshakes, stuffing them into her trench coat pocket. Johannes’s comment not to eat or drink anything brought forth a bittersweet memory of her mentor and prompted her to reply with one of her earliest lessons.
“‘Never consume anything freely given.’,” she said with a wry smile after seeing coins being rejected at the bar, followed by a murmur. “Even across worlds, still getting justified.”

What had even prompted her to look at her surroundings to catch the failed exchange of the automaton was her wanting to see if there were any other patrons avoiding the food, or seemingly having not yet partaken, so she could intervene, but that desire came to nothing as the knife-wielding gnome approached.

Elara was not quite satisfied with Lux's response as she placed a hand on the back of a chair in case she needed something quick to batter the gnome with, but, noticing the surrounding gazes all settling in this direction, she opted to act instead. She pulled the chair around so its back was facing the gnome and sat backward on it, with the backrest between her and the potential knife in her ribs if things went south.

"Is there anything we ourselves could bring to the festival? The hospitality everyone here is showing has been incredible, and it would only be right as a gesture of appreciation for us to contribute." Elara's nerves were rising, but she kept a practiced, easy smile, much like when addressing the audience during any other nerve-racking theatre performance she grew up doing, albeit far less deadly. "But I've been stumped by a bit of a conundrum, you see. What could we possibly provide you with that you might want, when everything is already so plentiful?"

Eva Briar

"Oh, you have sharp eyes, Father." Eva replied at Johannes' inquiries. Amused not only by the fact that he can pinpoint that Cipher is some sort of automaton(more or less), but also by the fact that a priest is answering this particular call. Wonder what that means about the adversaries they would face.

"The answer to your questions is yes. Eva Briar, at your service." She introduced herself as the others did. "The green one is Cipher. You can also call them C."

She looked at the beer that Cipher got for free. Yeah, there's something weird going on. They said if you are given goods or services for free, then you're the product. Unfortunately she hadn't build her lab yet so she wouldn't be able to examine the drink closely. She silently put the beer aside.

Still though, she did wants to drink something. So as things seemed to be potentially escalating around them, Eva sneakily chugged down a few sips from her own canteen. It's not exactly beer, but it should satisfy her craving for now.

"Earthquake? Yes, I love earthquake." Eva pushed her glasses up as a smilegrin crept over her face. Time for her to socialize...

"Mountain rises because of earthquake. Valleys caved because of earthquake. Sea sweeps the land because of earthquake. Even islands cross the ocean because of earthquake!!"

"Earthquake number one. Yay!!" As if on cue Cipher raised both of their arms enthusiastly showering whatever Eva was babbling with thumbs up.

The father did not reply. Except he watched the gnome, eyeing him from tippy cone to his tippy toes. In seconds the bright jubilee contrasted with the health of the gnomes skin, turning into a sickly grey color as if their God became more present. Tavern smiles that went cheek to cheek wrinkled even tighter as the disrespect from the father was shown. Answer him correctly? The Father didn't bother to answer at all.

The clinks and glee started to halt. Plates and forks began to slow. Chatter became mumbles. Instrumental songs turned into single long notes. From the beginning every patron in the tavern were silently listening to the new group of adventurers, previously they would glance an eyeball, maybe a quick turn of the head. But now it was slow stares all in their direction.

The first to answer? A nervous lux. He mentioned how the earthquakes have done their part. It was an acceptable answer but the unease displayed was loud. Lux would find his wand in his satchel, but he wasn’t the only one to do so. The patrons also had their hands under their garments, obviously hiding weapons of some sort. Bags underneath their tables with contents unknown. This was their town so perhaps they even had weapons strapped underneath tables or under the bar counters. The possibilities were endless, this whole town could be bootytrapped for all they know.

The tavern became silent. Not even the draft of the wind was heard. Not a single blink or whistle of nosehair was present. The townsfolk's ears were fully wide open, listening to what they had to say. The acoustics of their voice, every single feeble emotion was to be analyzed. Studying the adventurer’s body language, their mannerisms, their speech patterns. Anything to give them a reason…

Elara chimed in. Awkwardly moving her chair around. Did she do that to give the gnome her full attention or was she nervous? Asking the gnome what the group could contribute. The gnome tilted his head at this question. Then she continued asking about things that were already so plentiful. Ranting on about not knowing what to contribute as if she didn’t know anything about their God.

A quick whistle from outside. Calling in the farm animals from the fields to block the tavern entrances and windows. The livestock were quick and unnaturally obedient. Herds of cows blocked the streets. Horned goats birched themselves on the window frames to watch inside. Pigs rolled over and laid behind doors, barricading the way out. It was silent. Not a single grunt or noise was made by the livestock as if they were a hivemind.

Then to change the mood, Eva’s manic behavior was indeed a certainty in their case. Celebrating the earthquake (singular?) was a good answer, but she never stated anything about celebrating how many human deaths they have brought. The numbers underneath the names of kingdoms and cities were quite accurate on how many humans were suffering or died. If any of the adventurers cared to notice now, none of the townsfolk in Sweetwater were humans. Correlation? Huge. Cipher raising its hands up in the air in rejoice was a giant gesture of ‘I DON’T KNOW WHY WERE HERE’

But they weren’t totally in the red yet. The gnome confronts them, stepping in closer. Some patrons are now standing up from their seats. Soulless smiles all around. “Okay, okay.. I get it. Pants are on fire, it’s okay” the gnome says pretty enthusiastically, gesturing to the patrons to settle down.

“It’s obvious.”
“Would you like to know more about our newly found God and saviour? Come downstairs. Everyone deserves forgiveness and second chances.” Knife holstered back into his pants.

From behind the bar counter, the bartender opened a trapdown which led to an endless staircase going down into pitch black.

Eva Briar / Lux - From the heavens above came a blessing. Activating their [Appraisal] without the townsfolk seeing. Shielding a message from the divine to protect them from the unholy. From their perspective only they saw the titles of some of the patrons. An elf fae in the corner had the title “The Human Leg Butcher.” A dwarf that sat at the other side of the bar was “The Gore-Saint, Flayer of Ryke’s Humans.” A rat-like beast-kin titled “The Human Children’s V8 Bone Engine - Scream Powered.” Another fae had “The Human Liver Soup Chef” Another had “The Human Skin-Walker, Well-fitted and fashionable” The names kept showing up, more and more vile than the last. Appearing more the longer they stayed. The gnome that confronted them and had asked them to come downstairs had the title of “Laboratory Head Of Human Suffering.”

Six Sense [Evil Spirits] - Evil burns even brighter than before. The second the gnome mentioned to come downstairs the floorboards of the tavern would increase tenfold in ectoplasmic activity. Underneath them was grand in size. Swirling with evil.

As Lux glanced around the tavern, the tense expressions of the patrons made him increasingly uneasy. They looked ready to spring at the slightest provocation, but he knew better than to escalate the situation. Slowly pulling his hand away from his wand, he settled back into his seat and remained silent as events continued to spiral with the arrival of more and more animals. It seemed the entire town was prepared to bring the party's journey to an end before their investigation had even begun.

When the suggestion of venturing down into some dank, forgotten hole was made, Lux immediately recoiled at the idea. He had no desire to go, but for the moment he chose to wait and see how the others responded, hoping someone might find a way out of the increasingly dire situation.

Leaning closer to Johannes, Lux lowered his voice to a whisper. "What should we do?" he asked, his eyes nervously darting from one patron to the next, searching for any sign that the fragile calm was about to shatter.

Titles: [Prime - Mundane], Educated [Church's Executioner]

Johannes watched the developments with a stony, unchanging expression. His weathered face kept locked on the cheerful gnome, yet the subtle movements at the periphery of his vision didn't escape his notice. Looking only cool and collected, his left hand moved to reveal prayer beads wrapped around his palm. And the priest's lips began moving at some point, mouthing quiet and silent words.

"Nam et si ambulavero in medio umbrae mortis, non timebo mala, quoniam tu mecum es. Virga tua et baculus tuus, ipsa me consolata sunt."

He muttered it thrice and then suddenly stopped.

And as Lux leaned towards him, he returned the favor, grave tone dropping to a whisper. "We kill them all and let God sort them out." Johannes pushed his own chair back with a loud scrape against the floor. The elderly man stood up, looming at over six feet while standing.

There was no warning, no creak of old joints, only a sudden, violent eruption of movement as the old priest lunged.

Hands moved inside the cassock, drawing the Manriki-gusari-styled flail at the same time he dashed toward the gnome. And, upon reaching him, his hands shifted to pass the chain around the Fae's neck in an attempt to strangle him with it at the same time he lifted him from the ground towards gathered patrons, his expression stony and unchanging. [3 actions]

Actions:
1/2/3 - Manipulate (Draw the weapon) + Movement (Fast E) + Containment -> Fighting Style [Manriki-gusari styled Flail] E + Flexible F + Tangle F + Energized E -> 7 Base Effectiveness