Fifty turns of the minute glass past six bells.

Garryn and Caylin depart the small, dusty square that has recently become the scene of a confused death with potentially dangerous consequences.  The two leave Aine, Villhalas, and Totmacher awaiting the arrival of whatever authorities Borderton boasts, and set out southwards towards the water tower.

The human and halfling pass numerous people on their way to the tower; most are clustered in small knots--drinking, talking, or just silently observing.  Those who are more active are occupied with bucket brigades to continue to put out the embers of the inn fire, or are engaged in filling various vessels with water from the tower.  Wagons roll up to the tower, filled with barrels, urns, amphora, and other containers.  Two town guardsmen then open the valve that allow water to rush down the tower's chute to fill the various containers.  Thus, the level of activity in the immediate vicinity of the tower is quite high.

Garryn and Caylin take up positions in the shadow of the walls of the town granaries--watching the proceedings carefully.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:29, Thu 09 Sept 2004.

A short-eared owl silently glides down and lands on Garryn's shoulder.  The owl peers around alertly, then with a painful clenching of its talons on Garryn's shoulders, the bird launches itself back into the air and heads northward.

Garryn watches the shrinking bird for a moment before turning to Caylin, "Well, it was a longshot but it sure would have made things easier if the bird could have directed us to  Barbaras." That said he turns his attention back to the watertower with an eye out for anyone acting unusual. "Ya know, Caylin, I've had such poor success talking to these guards recently that I'm a bit reticent to give it another try. Keep an eye out, I'm going get a closer look and try to find a guard that doesn't look angry or officious, maybe I'll have better luck."

OOC:  What are you doing?  Talking to the guardsmen?  To some of the other folks around?  Let me know, and I'll move this thread along.

Cheers,
Kev

Garryn moves closer to the water tower, close enough to hear what is being said and see facial expressions. He's looking for unusual behavior, someone who is unusually impassive or emotional, a guard that looks uncomfortable or a person wearing all black.

Caylin keeps his position near the wall of the granary, watching Garryn.  The human moves among the townsfolk, seemingly a part of the effort to provide water for fighting the fires, but in reality observing and watching carefully for anything unusual.  A difficult task, the halfling reflects--given that this level of activity around the water tower is, itself, unusual.  Caylin keeps his eyes on Garryn, trying to get a different perspective on what was happening.  So many people...so much activity.  The two guardsmen were able to coordinate the dispensation of the water from the tower, but all else appeared to be a barely orchestrated scene of confusion.  Perhaps Garryn was making better sense of all of this activity?

OOC:  Bret, please have Garryn make a Spot check.

The level of activity prevents Garryn from making any sense of what is going on around him. He abandons his plan and approaches a guard, waiting patiently while he deals with others. When the guard acknowledges him he says, "Greetings, I know you are busy but I have just visited the sites of two fires and was present when another was averted. I am a member of a team investigating the incidents on behalf of Savin Perysinos and it is our belief that this water tower is the next target. The man responsible has been using a form of magical possession to force otherwise innocent citizens to do his dirty work, in the latest instance it was an unfortunate guard. There is simply too much activity here for me to prevent the disaster and you are obviously too busy. Would it be possible to get more guards or to simply shut the tower down until tomorrow?"

The guard to whom Garryn has been speaking shakes his head.  "Story o' me life, sirrah...too much t' do, an' too little time an' bodies t' do it.  I was s'posed to be spelled an hour gone, an' I don't s'pose I'll see supper or a pint 'til th' sunup.  An' no, we can't shut down th' tower--what wi' th' fires, we need all the water we can lay  our hands on."  The guard turns his full attention to Garryn to say something else, but falters as his gaze tracks past the rogue and upwards.  "Oi!  Get offa there, boy!  Now, Mithras damn it!"  Turning and looking upwards, Garryn sees a boy of thirteen or so, climbing the ladder on the side of the water tower--already some 25 feet or so up.  The guardman and rogue watch as the kid leans backward to throw something at the tower.  A flash of fire erupts, and several people yell out in fear and confusion.  Overbalanced, the boy falls off of the ladder and lands with a sickening thud.  The wooden side of the tower shows a bit of blackening, but the tower does not catch fire.  The kid, however, isn't moving at all.

Seven bells.

Garryn immediately turns to where he left Caylin, "Look for others!" He yells at his small friend then he begins looking not for other arsenists but for Barabas himself.

Garryn scans the crowd and the surrounding area.  Some of the people have moved over to the motionless body of the boy.  One of the two gaurdsmen grabs a nearby man, and tersely commands, "Go get one o' th' Mithran acolytes, what are helpin' out at th' warehouse fire.  NOW."

The other guard has his bow out and an arrow nocked, peering around at the buildings.  Neither Caylin nor Garryn spot anything unusual or noteworthy, beyond what they currently see.