[IC] Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia was stunned to see that the payment was in platinum bars. "Woah...!" she breathed out. After Shor answered her, she nodded and told him, "See you around, Shor," After he left, she looked at the rounds, and after Pylia made her comment, she questioned, "How much is one bar...?! This is just...wow!" She watched Shortfang as he picked up one platinum bar, and she thought on his words. She answered Shortfang, "Actually, Shortfang. If we wait and finish helping around the market, then we can shop here and get more gear for the money with the help of Ferric's discounts and deals. More bang for our buck!"

She then snapped out of the somewhat platinum induced stupor as she commented "Speaking of helping out..." She then stood up and she started to gather the bars and put them into the haversack, and she told her friends, "We should get going. We still have friends to warn, and some gangsters to catch," After the bars are in the haversack, and she made sure that her deputy badge was visible on her robe collar, she would lead the way out of the back room.

[Lucius Cypher]

The group snaps out of their riches induced haze aside from Buddy, who seemed rather nonplus at the bounty. The party moves onward towards the market. There doesn't seem to be much going on right now but as you approach, you see Andras and Thurson outside their shop cleaning something off their walls. From where you were standing it looked like it was some sort of paint, but most of it was already gone. Elena comes out with a bucket of water and some more rags. "Looks like they're safe for now. We should hurry and warn them."

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia raised an eyebrow at the sight of Thurson and Andras cleaning off paint. Seeing that brought up a memory of passing by people who were cleaning graffiti off of a building in New York. She nodded in agreement with Pylia, but she honestly wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that the group was too late. After answering Pylia with a nod, she led the way up to the store greeting them in a friendly manner, "Hey! Andras, Thurson, Elena!" After they were close enough she asked them, "How have you been?"

[Lucius Cypher]

The family looked at Sylvia with stressful smiles. "Oh hello there Sylvia. Doing fine, doing fine... Bunch of the lads are getting rowdy for the festivals is all. Well, it's to be expected, young men being merry and drunk." Andras says calmly. Thurson however didn't have his brother's patients. "Inexcusable is what it is! Festival or not, doesn't mean we throw civility out and make a mess of other people's businesses. They want to go be drunken fools on their own, they're free to do so. But once they're in the walls they ought to follow the laws, no matter the occasion." Elena just sighed as she exchanged the rags, cleaning the dirtied on in the bucket. "A few boys came around splashing each other and anyone else they'd fine with paint. A few of them were just arrested not too long ago for drunken and disordery conduct. Fortunately our store only took a bit of a splash. Anyways, how are you doing Sylvia? Off on another adventure?"

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Just as Sylvia somewhat suspected, the paint job was not their doing. She listened to what they had to say and she raised an eyebrow at the mention that some guards had arrested the boys for drunken and disorderly conduct. She had her suspicions that the mentioned guards might be the corrupted guards who only arrested the mentioned men with pain, so they could have scapegoats prepared for the real vandalism cases.

She smiled at Elena's question as she answered, "We're doing good. We area on another adventure," She then continued addressing all three of the family, "I'm glad to see that you guys only had paint splashed on the store. Our current adventure involves worse acts of vandalism," She then added, "We should talk more inside," She was cautious that someone could be eavesdropping, and she wanted to ask more about the guards who arrested the people who splashed the store with paint.

[Lucius Cypher]

Elena looked at your group seriously as you mentioned the trouble. "Oh yes, of course. Let's head inside." Elena would guide the group inside as her father and uncle continued cleaning up the paint outside. It reminds you a lot of Iola's shop, though instead of minor adventuring gear, this shop had more produce and farming tools. Shovels, hoes, hatchets, and reaping scythes. There was even a few wheelbarrows stacked against a wall. Sunlight from a window on the roof illuminated the shop as Elena directs your group over towards a counter where presumably her family does their transactions. There were a few stools you could sit on if you wish to do so. "So, there's more trouble in town? Is there anything we can do to help?"

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia followed Elena into the store. She went over to the counter Elena directed them to, and she answered her, "There is. And you can help by answering some questions of mine, but first things first," She then got to the point, "Elena, the reason we came here is primarily inform you and your family of something important. While we were investigating the cases of vandalism that's been taking place at the stores here in Gransys, we found a hit list for the culprits to possibly vandalize next. This store was on that hit list,"

She then reassured Elena, "Now, we took the hit list, so those gangsters don't have it. And we will be going after them. But we thought it would be wise to warn you guys, just in case they somehow have some other way of learning of their next targets from their sponsor. Forewarned is forearmed,"

She then asked Elena, "Now, I'll go onto my questions. When did the paint incident happen, Elena?"

[Lucius Cypher]

Elena looked a bit solemn as you told her the news about how her family's shop might be targeted by ruffians. "Of course. I'll... I'll make sure my father knows. As for the incident, it started about an hour ago? Maybe a bit less. We heard it from one of our neighbors; a couple of the younger men were drinking during their breaks. They were suppose to help paint a sign to welcome the duke and his men, but I guess they got a bit too drunk and started playing around with the paint they were suppose to use. We didn't really think it'd be a problem since it was so far away, but somehow or another it caused quite a bit of a stir and a couple of the boys managed to get up to here." Elena motioned towards an apron hanging off the wall with a bit of blue and purple stains on it. "I was outside helping a customer load vegetables when I got a bit of paint splashed onto me. I went inside and my father came out to make sure the boys didn't bother us, but when he shouted at him they threw paint at him. Though he was able to avoid getting much on him, they did end up splashing paint onto the shop. Fortunately not too long after a few guardsmen came along and arrested them, and since then my father and uncle have been trying to clean the paint off. It's very sticky while it's wet, so it's easier to clean when it's dry, but my uncle wants to get rid of it as soon as possible."

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia listened carefully to what Elena had to say in response to her questions. After quietly considering her words, she continues her questioning, "Could you describe the guards who arrested them as well?" She then took out the paper with the drawn symbol of the Lightning Company and showed it to Elena as she asked her next question, "Did those guards have this emblem?"

[Lucius Cypher]

Looking at the emblems, Elena thought about it. "Hmm. Not really? Most of them had the standard uniform on... Oh, but I do remember one of them! A red haired girl, she was the first one to arrive. She seemed rather passionate. She took down two of the louts before the rest of the guard arrived and arrested the others. I'm not sure where they took them, presumably towards the castle town. That's where the dungeons are, though I suppose if they have a barracks nearby they might've left them in the prisons there."

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

A red haired girl...

"I see..." Sylvia mumbled as she mulled over the words. There was only one red haired girl Sylvia encountered before...Briar. But Briar couldn't be a guard here, could she? She was busy searching for the Iron Hammer amulets for bounty last she saw her. Plus she was pretty sure that Briar's armor was not the guard's armor.

But that wasn't the major point right now. The major point were if the guards were the Lightning Company, but so far, it didn't sound like it.

As she pocketed the emblem drawing back into her pocket, she thanked Elena, "Thank you for answering my questions, Elena. Don't hesitate to let us know if you or your family need any help,"

There was nothing else to ask as far as Sylvia knew, it was time to head to the empty brewery and get the gangsters there.

[Lucius Cypher]

With the information told, your party gears up and heads back towards the brewery. Things are fairly quiet in the streets as it was somewhere between noon and sunset. People are still out and about doing their business, but it'll only be a few hours before nightfall. In the distance you could hear a bell ringing eight times. By this time of the day, the giant sword in the castle town cast a shadow that covered nearly all of the dock's district. It was bizarre seeing how one side of a town would be shrouded in relative darkness while it was still a bright and sunny day.

Once on the docks your team starts gearing up, with Pylia putting her shield on, Shortfang loading his crossbow and summoning Syfr, and Buddy brushing off his axe. Once you arrive at the brewery you cold vaguely hear the sounds of shouting inside; seemed like the gang was all there and none-to-happy about your discovery. Pylia looked over to you as she drew her club. "How should we do this? Kick in the door and start putting them down, or something else?"

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Eight chimes...If Sylvia had to guess the time now, she would have guessed it would be about 8 P.M. by now. But she wasn't sure. After all this time, she hadn't really learned much about Keratia's calendar or time system. That's something she would have to correct at a later time. Sylvia drew and armed herself with her tonfas as they drew closer and closer to the brewery, but she didn't summon Dinah. She did recall that familiars can help in battle, she knew that she can't cast the spell again unless she had the Scroll of Find Familiar again. Therefore, she figured it would be wise to not have Dinah participate in battle unless Syfr was out of the picture. She could hear the gang shouting. Apparently they weren't too happy about the fact that there was no pay. She grinned mischievously at the thought.

When Pylia asked what to do, she grew serious and she answered her friend, "I'm thinking an ambush. Some of us hide, and we can come out from the shadows and knock them out. If necessary, one of us can be a distraction," She then added, "I'm thinking either me, or Buddy, can be the distraction," She asked Buddy, "You up for being a distraction, Bud?"

[Lucius Cypher]

Buddy raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. Presumably this was his way of saying yes as he adds a nod with it. Pylia nods and looks back to you. "So what'll be the distraction? Buddy just knocking on the door or something? From the looks of it, there's a window and a door. Shortfang didn't spot any backdoors when he had Syfr look around, and nothing on the roof seems like it'll be big enough for any of us to fit through. Or maybe we try and draw them out into the alley?" Pylia suggested.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia nodded and she answered Pylia, "Something like that," She then realized something and she softly and quietly snapped her fingers at the idea, "Oh! There should be...seven gang members, right? If Buddy can intimidate them into surrendering and coming with us quietly, we'll have less gang members to deal with. Buddy can go into the house put the shackles on the ones who are intimidated, and any who go past him and into the alley, we jump in and deal with them," She quickly brought out the wooden shackles and handed them to Buddy.

[Lucius Cypher]

Pylia rubbed her chin. "Not that I... Don't think Buddy can handle himself, but if there's seven of them and Buddy goes in alone, I don't think they'll be too intimidated. If anything, they might get cocky since they'll out number him seven-to-one." Buddy shrugs. He seems like he's fine with going in and scaring them. Pylia was the one who had doubts. Shortfang spoke up. "Shortfang send Syfr with Buddy, eyes out for trouble, do screechy noise to scare bad guys! No backdoor means no way bad guys can run!" Pylia just sighs quietly. "It also means their backs are against the walls. They might try and fight us knowing that they can't escape. Still, if we can avoid fighting them all together, that'll be for the best. Though we only have two manacles..."

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia pointed out to Pylia, "Pylia, Buddy was somehow able to scare the trogs in the sewers during one of our battles. I think his ability to intimidate isn't just backed up by strength alone. There's something else behind it," At the mention of them getting cocky, she pointed out to Pylia, "If they get cocky and desperate, they get careless. That might work in our favor," At the mention of the manacles, she paused. That was a good point. She then suggested "We can always use rope to bind them as well,"

She then asked her friends as she looked towards the brewery, watching to see if the gang was going to come out of the brewery, "Are we ready?"

[Lucius Cypher]

Pylia gulped, a bit uncertain but Buddy and Shortfang were ready as ever. "Alright... Let's do this." Pylia said as Buddy walked up to the door. Once you all got into position, Buddy waited for a few seconds before he knocked on the door very loudly. The shouting inside immediately stopped for a few seconds before soon someone came to the door. They didn't open it, they just yelled from the otherside. "Piss off! We don't want anything!" Buddy glanced off into the alley, raising his foot up but not moving yet. He seemed to be waiting for you to see if he was clear to kick down the door.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

After getting into position, along with her friends, she quickly got into the satyr stance once more, and she watched. She was ready to pounce, but controlled herself so that Buddy can intimidate as planned. However, the gangsters didn't come to the door. Apparently they thought they were salesmen. With Buddy's foot raised, she saw that he was waiting for the call. She signaled to her friends, holding up three fingers, and counted to one. After the final finger went down, she nodded to Buddy as though telling him to go ahead and kick down the door.

[Lucius Cypher]

At your go, Buddy slammed his foot into the door, kicking it off it's hinges and knocking the man behind it to the ground. His shouts warned the others of Buddy's presence as one of them started shouting. "Wake the fuck up ya cunts, we got trouble! Go go go!" As the criminals gathered their weapons to fight, Shortfang had a net in hand, waiting just around the corner for anyone to come out and try and escape or attack Buddy. As for Buddy himself, he marched right over to the one who had answered the door, smacking him across the face with the blunt side of his axe. Raising his urgrosh high into the air Buddy stabbed it into the ground neck to the bandit, threatening him with it. You could hear more bodies starting to move through the brewery towards Buddy or possibly the exit, however from the sounds of their boots and equipment, they're getting ready for a fight.

Rolls and Info

Shortfang (36/36) | Syfr (1/1) - 20
Buddy (40/40) - 18
Sylvia (27/27) - 16
Bandits (A 2/11) (B 11/11) - 15
Boss (65/65) - 14
Pylia (31/31) - 11
Orcs (A 15/15) (B 15/15) - 5
Thugs (A 32/32) (B 32/32) - 1

Shortfang readies an action to throw a net at anyone who tries to leave the building or attack Buddy!

Buddy's Urgosh vs Bandit A = 20
Urgrosh Damage = 9
Buddy's Urgrosh Stab vs Bandit A = 11