Waiting until the innkeeper leaves the room to get their orders, he turns his head to the members of the group.

"Temnir, I trust your tongue has memory of the old ways? What is about to be spoken of must not be repeated, lest the speaker be traveling alone in the near future. Is this understood?"

He waits for the inevitable nods of approval or dissenting groans.

"A beast of a man haunts these streets by night. He kills, I will not say, indiscriminately, but rather that the pattern is yet to be found.  Perhaps as diverse a group as this has individuals who are trained in detecting that which I am not capable of?"

He looks at Skraag and the cleric.

"This city's true face is hidden by the masquerade balls of noblemen. They refuse to see the darkness that plagues their people. Or if they do not refuse to see it, they are reveling in it. And yet, the people here are unaware that their plight is caused by the respectable ones they care for. They vote for. They serve willingly. Do they die, willingly? I've never met a man who has died in that way. So why do they refuse to care for their own? What enchantment serves the nobleman's dire purpose?"

He poses this last question slowly, scanning all of their eyes as if for some treason. They seem honest enough. Is honesty what I need to get this job done though?

This talk of helping the people at least partially rouses Renard from his own thoughts.

"If this.. beast that you speak of is in some way magical or undead then I may be able to sense its presence nearby without actually being able to see it.  I would need to be close, though, which means we must find the most likely area for it to strike."  This was the most he had spoken since they entered the city, and it was marked by a half-distracted quality.  Even Jeeves knew to keep quiet when Renard got like this.

"As he said, I can probably sense it if it's nearby. I don't need a precise location to burn it to ash in any case. Dragon breath can cover a fair area.", Skraag offers to the new guy.

"I take it you want us to help you hunt it down?", Skraag asks Inori.

Solomon looks over to Temnir, "I don't suppose it could be the same evil that escaped Skraag's Mine?"  He kept his voice low so as not to attract undue attention.  "What kind of creature could influence the minds of an entire ruling class?  Granted the greedy bastards would only need the slightest of push, but still..."

Temnir scratches his chin through his wraps, contemplating Inori's words and Solomon's question. Leaning over slightly to him, he mutters softly, "There's a possibility. He did mention having a base near the capital. It's within reason to think that he's manipulating someone high in power to bring the city low like this." Lowering his voice so that only Solomon could hear him, he gives words of caution as well.  Looking back to Inori, Temnir seems interested in the man's information, "If what you say is true, what is keeping you from dealing with the man yourself? Surely a man of your...skills...would have the means to execute such a deed."

Kuldar shakes his head, this whole town could do with a makeover of the drastic kind. "Man-beasts stalking the streets and preying on the innocent? I wouldn't be a Bard if I passed up a tale like that..." His grip tightens on his Axe, though he kept the weapon stowed. "And I ain't no Dwarf if I let this stand." he half-growled from his seat, it was obvious this man's blood had been heated since they arrived, since the first Inn he found was in shambles, since he had to witness children turned to pickpocketing for a chance of survival...survival that was short-lived at best given the current state of their nights.

"Our goals were broad anyways.  Seek out the evil that plagues this land and cleanse it..." he was going to through in "with Pelor's light" but caught himself.  "There is definite evil here."  He took a sip of his ale and cringed.  He looked into his mug as if evil was inside it.  "Let us rest for tonight then perhaps Inori here could show us around town."

Temnir's question ruffles Inori a little bit but he replies starkly.

"And execute it I will. My 'skill' is part of the reason I have not intervened. It is of utmost importance to gather information about this foe. Why, so important for this one? Not so much more than any foe. All those worth consideration of my... hobby... must meet my qualifications. Knowledge is something I'd prefer to have on him and them, not the other way around. I can do this on my own, but if you have an interest in getting back into the game, I'll oblige you. Just this once, since I never got to give you any sort of parting gift."

He looks to the others, his red eyes gleaming... kindly?

"As for your talents, detection of this 'man' would be useful. He leaves few tracks that can be detected by the usual means. Some say he's a ghost. Ghosts are kinder. You talk about undead as if you are quite acquainted with them. Perhaps this man has influence of that sort?"

He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms.

Renard watched this Inori fellow intently, picking up a hundred little question about the man but very few answers.  Obviously he and Temnir were acquainted, but how he could not say and neither man seemed likely to go into detail if questioned.  Still, there were no overt hostilities so he figured he was safe enough for now, especially if this fellow was intent on bringing down whatever sort of evil plagued this city.

"First I think we'll need to know more about this fellow we'll be tracking." here he holds up his hand, pointer up, raising another finger with each question, "What has he done?  Who are his victims?  How often is he active?  Can we visit the scene of his crime or crimes?  Perhaps the most recent one to see if possible."

He looks around the table at his companions, "Any other suggestions for where to start?  I think we should rest this evening to rid ourselves of this travel weariness and start fresh in the morning."  He raises his eyebrows in question, hoping for some support from his travel-worm teammates.

Solomon seems to ponder Renard's words.  "In fact, taking a look at the bodies themselves may answer a few questions.  I don't suppose any of you are trained in the healing arts?  And by that, I mean without the aid of divine intervention?"

Renard briefly mocks a hurt look at Solomon's suggestion, showing a bit of a return to his normal self.  He hasn't forgotten about the suffering outside but now he has a clear goal in mind that he believes might actually alleviate part of the problem, "Of course, Solomon!  You learn an awful lot about someone's insides just by seeing what's there before the magic closes them up.  It comes in mighty handy when the magic ceases to flow, let me tell you..."

The rest of the night was spent in collecting information from Inori while Temnir kept watch, both of Inori and the increasingly suspicious Sven who seemed to be eavesdropping in on their conversation from time to time. While nothing came of it as the group headed to their rooms, shabby excuses for living quarters with barely enough room to fit the over-small feather mattress with quills poking through the lining in all the wrong places and barely enough room to store gear and no proper place to do so. Still, the group was happy to have a bed, no matter how uncomfortable and even with their reservations about the city, everyone quickly falls into deep sleep...

...That is until a man's piercing scream of pain splits the air, jolting everyone with ears in the district upright in their beds with the tone of it. Almost immediately, the scraping of feet can be heard as boots are thrown on, door hinges being ripped open, and footsteps of concerned patrons, the few there actually were other than those in the group, hurrying down the stairs to see what the commotion was. The scream had not come from within the inn but it most definitely was close and nobody in the inn seemed to want to be alone for fear they were to be a victim themselves as can be seen when the group makes it down to the common room. Three men and a woman are huddled together in what passes for nightclothes as well as Sven with a candle and a larger man with a billy club in hand standing nearby, all looking cautiously out the inn's one window.

Inori lurches out of bed instinctively. He hooks on his belt and pulls his hood up over his head. He creeks open the window and silently as possible, and then merging with the shadows climbs straight down the side of the building like a spider woven from darkness.


He glimpses through the darkness of the night, but he is more than used to it.

He scuttles along the wall with an insectile grace.

Solomon lacked the subtlty of Inori.  He came flying out of the room dressed in nothing but a loin cloth and a small tight red turban.  The charm of Pelor, which was constantly around his left wrist, was forgotten in his room.  Pelor's Thumb, his magic tetsubo, was in one hand as he carried a lantern, that was swiped off his bedroom wall, in the other.  Leaping down the stairs he gave the room a quick look.  Noticing that the attention was drawn to the outdoors, he threw open the front door and stepped outside ready to confront the nightmares that plagued his mind as of late.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:41, Fri 28 Dec 2012.

Exhausted from the long journey Renard is not stirred by the screams.  Instead it is the rattling of the chains, still worn around his neck even as he sleeps, and being jerked back and forth so hard that he is nearly tumbled out of bed before he can reach out and grip the edges of the mattress, "Ugh.. Jeeves.. what-" he stops and listens, hearing the commotion from other parts of the inn.  Untangling himself from his blanket he hops up, throwing his light crossbow sling over his shoulders and grabbing his morningstar before emerging carefully in his room.  Following the noise of the others moving about he makes his way downstairs to see what the fuss is.

Skraag bolts upright at the scream. He grabs his pack from beside his speeling pad and slips it on as he races to the top of the stairway. His wings snap out and he glides quickly to the floor below. Following Solomon, he rushes outside, looking around first with his darkvision, then scanning for magic auras.

Kuldar was sleeping in the manner he was most accustomed to- sitting on a hard wooden chair with a half-full mug of lukewarm ale barely held in place by his unconscious digits. A scream woke him from his slumber, his first reaction being to rise and empty his drink with a sour expression, he couldn't help but smile at the little gem adorning his left pauldron, knowing nights like these was what he bought it for.

OOC: Still armored thanks to my Restful Crystal, Kuldar felt that being able to sleep in his armor was a good thing to manage.

As a few of the party members make their way out of the inn in various fashions, Solomon, Skraag, and Temnir through the front door and Inori down the side of the building from his room's window while Renard and Kuldar make their way to the common room, still unsure of what was occurring. One thing is obvious to those that are either outside or can see out the window of the inn; while there are many people watching the streets in fear from out of their respective abodes, none have ventured out into the street. Again, a scream, this time weaker, comes from down toward the flooded section of the city and while there doesn't seem to be anybody in sight of the single dim gas lamp that still miraculously works, the sound of aggravated footsteps in water is easily heard.


"No, no, no, no...." Sven murmurs to himself, rocking back and forth slightly. "Not again. This can't be happening." From around the back of the inn, the sound of Cho'kobo and Kilgur's anxious cries can be heard where they are still secure in their stabling that was provided for them earlier by one of Sven's employees.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:29, Wed 02 Jan 2013.

Skraag takes off down the street towards the creature. He was a Dragon and Dragons did not fear creatures that skulked in the shadows. His fiery breath would take care of it. If the craven beat did not run away.

Renard enters the common room to find his companions and the other guests gathered at the front windows.  He was as eager as Skraag to get out there and help, but the innkeeper's words kept him back.  He tugs Sven's shoulder to turn the groaning innkeeper away from the window and look him in the eye, "What is happening?  Tell me everything you can, man!"  His chains rattle threateningly as he interrogates the fellow.

Solomon looked down the street towards the scream.  His attention was then torn from him as he heard his mount call out.  Without pause he took off towards the stables.  The image of monsters and murderers faded from his mind and was replaced by something he wouldn't be able to fight against.  Before he did anything else he was going to free the animals.

Kuldar gave a loud whistle hoping Kilgur could hear it and do something to meet him, otherwise he'd continue his path toward the stables behind Solomon. Once mounted the Dwarf raises his shield arm and rides off toward the troubling sounds of the night.

In the blink of an eye, Solomon is around the corner of Daruin's Last Resort and around back to the stables which consist of four poorly maintained stalls, two of which contain nervous horses and the other two Cho'Kobo and Kilgur. Quickly unlatching the door that bars his mount, the paladin also has the good sense to unlock Kilgur's stall as well as he hears the dwarf whistle from back on the road. While Cho'kobo waits for his master's orders or for him to take to the saddle, Kilgur races off and almost before Kuldar's whistle finishes echoing off of the broken cobblestone, his mount is at his side.

Inside the inn, Sven stares wide-eyed into Renard's intense gaze at the questioning, clearly in shock, mouth hanging open slightly as if he has the words but they won't manifest themselves. Unexpectedly enough, it is the man with the billy club that answers Renard's question. He speaks in a rough voice in a heavy accent that speaks of little formal schooling, perfect for his chosen profession. "Ain't none stupid 'nuff t' go outside after midnight no more. That be when people get attacked, it is. Never tell us by who or what but the bodies dun look like it be a person killin 'em. If ya want me humble advice, dun make the mistake yer friends made; stay inside where it be safe." To this, Temnir scoffs and speaks quickly while pushing his way through the others crowded in front of the window to look out for himself. "And what makes you so sure that staying indoors will keep you any safer than if you were out there with it? I strongly doubt something that is murdering its way through the populace nightly would be hindered by something as trivial as a window or perhaps even a barred door." Snapping out of his stuppor enough to correct Temnir, Sven starts in a shaking voice, "I-I-It didn't k-kill one of its t-t-targets once. The woman e-escaped into her h-home and it just stood t-there on the hearth f-f-for a moment before runnin off."

Outside, Skraag's pride as a legitimate dragon, which had been called into question more than once recently, dictated that it was the time for action. Charging down the street as fast as his legs would carry him, the dragon contemplated the best way to cook the shadow-stalker with his fiery breath even as he splashed through the water that covered the lower areas of the street. The beast had lost its main source of attention when Solomon went to fetch his axebeak so now its attention was fully on the smal creature running toward it but it wasn't until Skraag neared it that it locked eyes with him and slowly unbent itself up into a standing position. Standing there at the height of a man, with the flickering red eyes looking down at Skraag, the sorcerer's mind begins to fog over and his movement begins to slow. Realizing what was happening, Skraag steels his mind as he learned to do through his studies of the arcane and the defense against it and closes his mind off to any intruding forces. The creature huffs as he does so and bends forward letting out a terrifying roar of frustration and anger before making ready to rip the little dragon limb from limb.


(OOC: Initiative and actions! Those not outside can continue to talk or join in the fight, your call.)

Skraag laughs at the creatures attempt to control him, yelling at it, "You can't touch a Dragons mind stupid!"

He then lets loose his most powerful blast of fire at the creature.



OOC:
Initiative: 21

Current/Max HP: 50/50
Current AC: 21
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 17
CMD: 17

Target: Creature.

Rolls:
07:57, Today: Skraag rolled 32 using 7d6+3. Breath Weapon, Fire.
07:56, Today: Skraag rolled 21 using 1d20+4. Initiative.

Inori watches Skraag run off into the distance, fuming, so to speak. Impetuous little whelp. Nevertheless, an interesting distraction. Perhaps my quarry will toy with him a little bit first before I get to strike.

Inori attempts to jump the ten foot distance across from the inn to the warehouse to his left. He lowers himself so that it's mostly a horizontal jump and he won't fall the full one story. 15:40, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 34 using 1d20+17. Leaping across to the warehouse.

He will then expend a point from his ki pool to increase his stealth bonus whilst utilizing fast stealth to get as close as possible to the creature as he can. This should get him to at least point P2 if successful.
15:48, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 27 using 1d20+23. Stealth to move close to the monster. .

Initiative: 15:29, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 21 using 1d20+8. Initiative vs. scary clawed thing.

Current/Max HP: 38/38
Current AC: 16
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 10
CMD: 21

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)+4 to stealth.
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)
Ki pool: 7/8 points

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Casting "true strike" spell.
 - Move:
 - Swift/Free: Knowledge Religion roll (identify the weaknesses of an undead creature): 16:34, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 14 using 1d20+7. Knowledge Religion: undead weaknesses.

This message was last edited by the player at 06:29, Tue 08 Jan 2013.