Famine IC

[M. Mayonnaise]

You have a dream.

The CHILD kneels in the dirt, digging with his hands into the soil around a sickly tree that bears no fruit.

His entire being is pure light, purest white, without a single blemish - except the filth now caking his hands.

He looks at you with tearful, determined eyes.

"What is the answer?"

The Banfeast bells are ringing through the city of Mazda.
It is hot and humid, unbearably so.
The tension in the air hangs thick enough to cut with a knife. The city guards have declared an active hunt for Pales, and everyone is afraid of another killing.

Samuel
The graveyard you work in and live near is very close to a church of Ban, and the ringing of the bells is as loud as always.
The door of your house hangs ajar, its locks undone. If you hadn't been a Pale already, you would have been after last night. A rolled-up piece of parchment sits on your table.

Will pay for bodies in good condition.
Meet me Journeyman Inn.

The note doesn't say what time to go or who the sender was.

Aimon
The room you stayed in last night was small and dingy; the one window, hanging above the bed, is clumsily sealed off with many boards, making your sleeping space limited and uncomfortable. There is a church of Ara down the road; a young man was proselytizing in the tavern yesterday about Ara's will and mentioned that the High Priest would be preaching at the nearby church today. He may have just been drunk.

Acaleus
You can hardly hear the Banfeast bells in your remote safe house, but the slight noise is, as always, enough to wake you momentarily. You have no outstanding contracts for today, but your handler at Sandal's Smithy may have new job offers for you.

Ezekiel
Even in the sewers you can vaguely hear the bells ringing. The only question you have to worry about is whether you hunt now or after nightfall.

Tordora
Just a day in the life for you. Watch out for the bloodstains. Rumor says representatives from the town guard are supposed to visit the various local smithies to talk about ordering improved weapons, tools, armor, and the like. If you're not careful, you'll lose the contract to your major competitor, Sandal Hills. If you're really not careful, the guards will find out about the incident.

Erik
The Banfeast bells ring, waking you. You feel like you got too little sleep last night. You're hungry, and tired. Today could be an important day, though; a messenger from across the Holmic Sea apparently arrived yesterday afternoon carrying orders from the High Sanra for the local church of Ban. If that's true, the Sanra, the head of Mazda's church of Ban, will be addressing the congregation today regarding the current crisis. His commandments could have a large impact on the city.

[Linguz]

Erik rose out of his bed and, after eating a light breakfast, sat down cross legged on the floor. He focused for five minutes, contemplating the perfect form that he was generating. In his mind, the bastard sword rang out with bolts of lightning at each swing, and as he focused, he brought that from mental to physical. He grasped at the air at the end of the five minutes and could see the dark purple blade shining with a slight yellow tint, a bolt of energy ran from the hilt to the tip of it. He dispersed his soulcraft, keeping the form in his mind for quick recall.

Once finished with his morning routine, he stood up and grabbed the keys of his home from the bowl where he keeps them. He unlocked his home, passed through the door, and locked it again from the other side. Being in the Ban district, he knew of where a church or two where the Sanra would be speaking eventually. He decided to go to one of them and ask about when he would be addressing the public.

[Urist]

Even after a few weeks of livng in squalor, Aimon still had trouble adjusting to his new situation. Just a short time ago, he wouldn't have even considered such a hovel a proper space for a human being to sleep, let alone a man of his stature; however, an imminent threat on ones life has a tendency to make overcoming discontent with ones surroundings far easier.

Rising from his small bed, the first action he takes is to grab his rapier from its place at his side in the bed and buckle it to his belt, within easy reach and drawing distance. That done, after proceeding downstairs, Aimon thanks the inkeeper, paying whatever fee necessary, and orders some food from whatever is available. After eating, Aimon fills his waterskins, and exits the inn. Although the heat is unbearable, sitting still and waiting for information to reach him would be just as bad, if not worse. And staying in one place for too long is something Aimon is, as of now, incredibly unwilling to do.

The first order of business was to attempt to find any information about his father's murder; with the guards also searching for Pales and information on the crimes, it seemed a natural place to start inquiring. Aimon travels to the local taverns and discretely asks for any information on the killings, and whether any other players in city politics had been attacked. After all, if this was an opportunistic attack by another group, his family would hardly be likely to be the only victims.


Gather Information: [roll0]


After finding another inn or place to stay nearby, Aimon then travels to the church the young man in the tavern had mentioned, if it is not too close to dusk to arrive back at his dwelling before dark. He would like to see how the Aran community is reacting to these outrages and worries.

[THEChanger]

The bells echoed down the dank walls of Ezekiel's sewer home. More of a hole really, where he kept what few belongings he had. The bells woke Ezekiel from his slumber. Since the first night of the Paling, Ezekiel's habits had been forced to change. Once he had counted the night as an ally, but now the darkness held a strange madness in it, one dangerous for Ezekiel. Mortal flesh held much joy for the madman, but he could not afford to subsist on that alone. Which meant that it was now the day that was hunting time.

Ezekiel took up his bow, and strapped his many knives to his chest. With a gleam in his eye, he set down the sewer, his keen ears listening for the scuttling feet of prey.

It was hunting time.

Basically, for now, Ezekiel is going to hunt for rats and other delicious food items down in the sewers. If something interesting catches his eye, excellent. If not, oh well.
Currently, Ezekiel has learned the Path of the Combat Acrobat. He's rather good at not getting caught, and getting loose if someone tries to catch him. He has a +4 to Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble checks.

Survival Check to hunt-[roll0]
Spot, just because-[roll1]
Listen, just because-[roll2]

[Saidoro]

Tordora awoke screaming. A small, spiteful, corner of her mind pointed out that she should probably be more used to the dream by the third time she'd had it. Surprisingly, this did little for her mental state.
Several deep breaths later the girl was filled with a sort of quiet industry. Clothes were donned. Sheets were turned. Food was prepared. Not nearly as good as She used to make, added the dark corner. The main mass of her mind slid off the thought like a sled down an icy hill. After all, that thought would lead to stopping and then to thinking and then to remembering, and then no one would tend the forge. Someone had to tend the forge.
Moving almost frantically Tordora finished eating and began preparing the forge for the day's work. She had talked to customers before, even if she wasn't as good at it as He was she at least knew the basics. Ask what needed to be done, ask what they would be paid, name a slightly higher price, wait for counteroffer, repeat last two steps as needed. Surely they would be able to see that absolutely everything was normal and nothing at all strange had happened. And maybe then they'd be able to convince her.

[gparali]

Samuel woke up from the sound of the bells. He hated those bells with a passion, doubly so now. He did all his work at night these days and he didn’t need no bells robbing him of his, much needed, sleep. With a resigned sigh he threw off the sweat soaked sheets and got up. Still addled from sleep, it took him a few moments to notice the open door.

“What the….” He rushed to the door slamming it shut. He looked around the house. It wasn’t very big, just a big room with the bare necessities. There was nowhere for an intruder to hide, well nowhere except the cellar. He took a deep breath and concentrated, instantly the room’s temperature dropped a few degrees as an ominous aura surrounded Samuel. His hands writhed in purple-dark energy he descended into the cellar.

The cellar was much cooler than the room above. It was designed that way. Located inside the cemetery, the house was built years ago, for the cemetery’s undertaker to live in. The cellar was designed to hold corpses until they were buried. The room was empty but Samuel didn’t relax yet. He rushed to the most important item in there. At the back, hidden under a tarpaulin, was a trunk. He opened it and was relieved to see that everything was there. Strips of flesh and a lot of salt. Enough to feed him for two or three days. He wasn’t particularly proud of his feeding habits, of eating human flesh but he needed it to survive. One’s got to be practical.

Satisfied that no one was in the house he went upstairs. Samuel was perplexed. Why would someone break in, leave the door open and steal nothing? It was then that he noticed the parchment.

Will pay for bodies in good condition. Meet me Journeyman Inn.

“Strange. No hour is mentioned. Of course given whoever left this came at night, and wants fresh bodies, he must be a pale. Could be a trap…….could also be an opportunity….. Oh, well, I will decide when it gets darker. I have work to do now.” Samuel mumbled to himself.

It was important that he gets seen by people. Few would entrust the bodies of their loved ones with a pale. So every morning Samuel disguised himself and went out to be seen. People must believe he is still normal. First, he used some powders to hide the marks from the paling. This disguise might not hold up to close inspection but Samuel didn’t worry. His newfound magic could easily disguise them.

After getting ready, he goes out. He buys some pastry and eats it as he walks. He also keeps an ear open for any interesting news. Lastly he passes from the nearest churches to see if he should be expecting any new “customers”.


Disguise:[roll0]

Gather Information:[roll1]

If he notices anyone being even slightly suspicious or staring at him, he ducks into an alley and uses his False Visage ability to turn into someone else or erase his pale marks entirely, depending on the situation of course.

[M. Mayonnaise]

Erik

The streets are crowded this morning, despite the heat. You recognize a handful of the people you pass from church, and another handful from your time with the guard. When you reach the nearest, the Banfeast worship services are already underway.
When you pull aside one of the church officials to ask about the Sanra's address, he smiles pleasantly and says, ""Ah! Yes, he'll be here this afternoon. He's going to speak at the main cathedral first, in..." He glances at the clock mounted on the bell tower. "Oh, half an hour. You'll have to start walking now if you hope to see him then."

Aimon

Unfortunately, the people in this area know little of the nobles. You do hear from a man who has a friend whose brother is a gardener that there was a murder yesterday in the noble district, but the man doesn't know the name of the victim. Furthermore, rumor has it that there were another few killings last night, near one of the graveyards.

As you approach the nearby church of Ara, the streets grow more and more deserted. This part of the city is run-down and filthy, but the people here have a stubborn pride nonetheless. In time, you reach the church, and see a large crowd gathered out in front. A young child dashes into the crowd ahead of you.

"ARA lives!" booms a voice from the other side of the crowd. The speaker is male and deep-voiced. "So says ARA, the Mighty: 'Who is like unto me? Who has called forth the starry host by name? The wicked says to himself, "Their god is dead, none shall see my crimes." But see! I have sent among you a famine, to purge your evil from my sight! This is my sign, so the faithful may see the end times and weep.' ARA lives!"
His speech continues, and the crowd joins in shouting "Ara lives!" many times.

Ezekiel
You catch a few rats easily enough. You think you hear the pitter-patter of rapid footsteps far ahead, and the slight sound of a child sniffling echoes through the cramped sewers.

Tordora
A man enters the smithy. He is tall, handsome, and well-dressed for the slums; he wears a respectable-looking brown coat with the sleeves rolled up and rolled-up breeches that show his tanned legs. The tan is very uneven, though; his forearms and legs are tan, but his upper arms and neck are downright pale. He carries a lute in his left hand.
"Hello?" He notices you and smiles. "Ah, hello. Are you open for business? I was hoping to buy..." He trails off, glancing around the room. "A sword, perhaps."

Samuel
Rumor has it there were another few killings last night, near your own graveyard. The churches are abuzz with the usual activity, but the Banra churches seem to be even more active than normal. You overhear a few comments that indicate there is an important announcement to be made for the Banra today; unusual, as today is not a normal Banra festival day.

[Azoth]

Acaleus opens his eyes and does his immediate check of his surroundings. No strange noises or smells, his body moved fine, and the daggers under his pillows were still there. With a groan he begins to sit up in his bed muttering to himself, "What in the infinite abyss was that about? Suppose I should take a break from the booze and whoring for a bit."

With that he rose and got dressed in the same methodical fashion he always did. He placed his weapons carefully into their sheathes, and donned a cloak. As he reached his door he paused for a moment to listen to the sounds outside. Then he exited the sqauler of his safe house, he locked the locks, unlocked them and then relocked them before moving to make his way through the back alleys to his handler.

A nother job meant another chance to feed. Not to mention that the coins would come in handy. Life was getting more and more expensive these days.

[gparali]

“More murders…terrible business that….but more money for my pocket!” Samuel thinks with a smile.

It doesn't take long for him to hear about the announcement. It is strange for the Banra to make an announcement on a non-festival day, but not unexpected. These are strange times after all.

Samuel decides to go hear it. It might be important. He stays at the edge of the crowd or in an alcove or something, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible.

Don’t know which skill is applicable so rolling Hide and Bluff. Maybe a combination of those will do.
Hide:[roll0]
Bluff:[roll1]

Samuel doesn't take risks. He will use False Visage if at any moment he believes his disguise might not be adequate.

[Linguz]

Erik said hello to just about everyone he met along the way. After being told of where the location he needed to go was, he bowed to the man and thanked him before going on his way. He considers using his supernatural abilities to gain a boost but figures that the duration isn't enough and the risk that it'll show him as a pale is too high. Erik would be at the back of the crowd, preferably higher than the crowd. His trained ears should be able to still hear the Sanra from that far away, and he could see threats coming from future away hopefully, if they come.

[THEChanger]

Ezekiel froze as the sound of footsteps reached his ears. Stowing his catch safely in the sacks he kept with him, Ezekiel slowly followed the noise of the sniffling. It was soft, small. It stirred memories in Ezekiel, memories of a young boy who was lost in the sewers, and found an old man.

But Ezekiel was never sure of what memories were true anymore. Just a few nights ago he remembered sleeping in a grand house on the surface, and he was sure that had never happened.

[M. Mayonnaise]

Acaleus

These back roads are fairly deserted now, with only a handful of urchins and old beggars inhabiting them. All of them have skin white as snow; the Paling was not kind to the homeless.

Sandal's Smithy is already open for business by the time you get there. A member of the city guard is talking to one of the apprentice blacksmiths over by the forge, which is still heating up. Sandal himself is, as usual, snacking on some Northern fruits over by the anvil. He likes to call his gluttony his "personal homage to Ban". Judging by how relaxed Sandal seems, the guard in the shop may well be on the Shadows' payroll.

Sandal nods you over and hands you a note. Nothing is said.
Bounty on Pales now 40 a head.
"Samuel", undertaker of cemetery, west Banra district. Alive only. 20.
Maintain high alert. Await further messages.

Ezekiel
The sniffling disappears as swiftly as it came, leaving the sewers desolate once more. Footsteps come from behind you, though, closer, heavier, easily heard in the sewers; clearly they are made by someone not native to this domain. Do you hide? Is this a predator... or prey?

Erik and Samuel
The crowd around the main cathedral of Ban is massive now; clearly the rumors about the announcement have traveled quickly. The crowd seems unremarkable; mostly the average citizenry, with a few wealthy supplicants surrounded by bodyguards also waiting to hear the Sanra. Some members of the crowd seem unusually dressed for the heat; does skin white as the moon hide beneath those coverings? A conspicuously beautiful young woman is smiling her way through the crowd, laughing and chatting avidly with the townsfolk.

Trumpets sound from the church, and the crowd quiets down to a low murmur. The opulent figure of the Sanra, clothed in bright purple and gold visible even from this distance, appears on a balcony protruding from the bell tower. "FAITHFUL OF BAN!" His deep, accented voice booms from the balcony, though it is somewhat difficult to hear from here. "The Grand Sanra has issued a decree for the salvation of the faithful! It has been delivered unto us now, and I shall now decree the words of His Excellency:" You can see him holding a long scroll. "His Excellency the Grand Sanra, master of the Holy Rite of Communal Feast,
To our brothers in the grand city of Mazda, across the Holmic Sea,
Greetings and blessings in Ban's name. It is Our hope that you faithful have been blessed and shielded by the grace of the Holy Master as We have been thankful to be.
In the past weeks, it has been made plain before the sight of the many that the Master Ban has provided unto his mortal children a Sign for the glory of his Name; namely, the withdrawal of his grand starry host from the night sky, and the appearance of his terrible Sign, the Pale Moon.
It is clear to Us, chosen by Ban to guide you, that the Master Ban has ordained a time of Famine, as he has withdrawn his feast from the night sky.
But take heart, children, for it is clear that in Ban's benevolence he has laid plans for a future of great rejoicing and plenty for his faithful; or have you not perceived his truth? It is clear that this is a grand Banfeast, when our Master shall devour the stars continually for his glory, and we his faithful who persevere in humility and joyfulness unto the ending of this feast shall be rewarded in equal glory.
So the following is our decree:
That the Banfeast bells shall be rung in place of the Banfast bells every evening until this Sign should pass,
That there shall be daily worship and praise for our Master Ban at noontide, accompanied by much song and the ringing of the festival bells,
And that there shall be, before the ringing of the Banfeast bells in the evening, held a ritual of sacrifice, when the tenth part of the food possessed by the congregation, in effect, enough for each member of the congregation to eat and be satisfied as if for supper, shall be offered up as burnt offering for the glory of our Master.
Such is Our decree. Go in peace and in industry, children, and..."
His voice begins to become difficult to hear, as the crowd begins to stir and murmur angrily.
"It's a famine! We can't sacrifice food!" A man angrily shouts.
"This is insanity!" A young woman joins in.
Before long, the entire crowd is working itself up into a fervor.

[Urist]

Simon listens to this sermon with distaste, but joins in chanting, so as not to appear unfaithful. After, he approaches the priest, and, offering his hand, utters a traditional greeting.

"Blessed be the true faithful, Father. Your sermon was quite inspiring. May it rally the believers to greater honor our great Father Ara."

If the priest responds favorably, Aimon attempts to obtain any relevant information about any recent murders in the Aran districts, as well as any information on the murders in general. As well, the positions and hiding places of suspected Pales during the day interests him greatly.

Diplomacy:[roll0]
Gather Information:[roll1]

[M. Mayonnaise]

Aimon

It's difficult for you to get a chance to speak with the High Priest; he is crowded by the congregation for some time after the sermon. Eventually he seems to excuse himself, and the young man at his side - the same one you saw last night - takes over for him.

The High Priest is a middle-aged, bearded man, massive in stature and heavily muscled. He towers over you, and his great bulk is barely concealed by the threadbare habit he wears. He accepts your greeting with a smile.
"And blessed be our Father, the Mighty." He answers your greeting. "I've not seen you among our family before. I am Arajan, the man of Ara." The man of Ara! You know that is not a usual title. This man is more than a High Priest; he is something akin to a prophet. "Indeed, our faith is all that shall preserve us before this, the great Ordeal of Ara." He smiles reassuringly, giving you the sense that you may have made a good first impression.

Arajan appears to have little time for secular matters, but tolerates your questions about local murders. "Our people have not been spared Ara's wrath. Many of us are homeless, and have been afflicted with his curse. We shall bear it humbly, though; we are not monsters as the heathens are, and shall not profane ourselves with vile feasts. There have been no murders here... yet. I do not doubt that the unfaithful will soon attempt to prey upon us to sate their foul hunger."
When you ask about nearby Pales, he answers, "We do not exile the afflicted as the Nelans and Banra do. They remain in our congregation, and choose to fast rather than become intolerable in Ara's eyes." He fixes his gaze on you. "As one of the faithful, I implore you not to share our secrets with the Nelans or Banra. They would murder our afflicted and prey on the unharmed, as they always have."

[THEChanger]

Ezekiel immediately attempts to find a place to hide. He did not take kindly to strangers walking in his sewers. If they were prey, he would soon have a feast to last him some time. If they were predator, he would do well to not be noticed at all.

A Hide check!
[roll0]
And, just in case, we'll roll Move Silently as well.
[roll1]

[gparali]

Samuel almost laughs when he hears the announcement. Given his profession he is aware that men of faith sometimes can make questionable decisions, but this was beyond stupid.

Already hearing sounds of discontent from the crowd, Samuel decides he has heard enough and leaves the church. He decides to check the Journeyman Inn. The man that left the note will likely not be there, but it’s worth a try.

[Linguz]

Erik believed that the Sanra had asked for way too much of the people, but what he asked didn't affect him. He always had leftovers after a meal, so he could always burn that. Though, he doubted the gods would enjoy that meal.

Erik got out of his vantage point and began to move through the crowd, heading up to the front. If the man was attacked by the crowd, an unlikely happening, he'd protect him. And it was much easier to do that from right next to the man then all the way in the back. His destination is now the front of the crowd, but not all the way in the front, as he wants to remain relatively unseen.

[Azoth]

Acaleus commited the note to memory, and then balled it up before swallowing it. Rather distatseful practice all in all, but he people needed their fiber. A small smirk crossed his lip at the thought. With that he was done, and paid his farewells to all, including the guard.

Samuel the Undertaker...He wondered what the Shadows wanted with him. Not that it mattered much. Orders were orders, and like any obediant blade in the night he had to obey. Atleast it was still early enough in the day for him to gather some information on this target before considering the order too heavily.

With a determined pace Acaleus moved about the city. Checking the usual places a man frequents to find out what he can of this undertaker. Taverns, brothels, back alley merchants...every man had a vice. It was just a matter of finding out his.

Gather Information to find out about Samuel. Specifically, residance, place of business, and what kind of man he is. [roll0]

[Saidoro]

The same color as His face.
Tordora stares at the man's neck for a long moment before processing his words.
Right. We don't have much in stock at the moment what with all the trouble going on but we are accepting commissions. You'll need to pay half up front for materials and then I can get just about anything besides a masterwork done inside a week.

[M. Mayonnaise]

Ezekiel
A man is making his way slowly through the sewers, not bothering to hide his approach. He is tall and tanned, but a patch of white across his left arm, not hidden by the rags he wears as clothing, betrays his nature. His brown hair is unkempt and bedraggled, and the beginnings of a beard are forming on his face. He glances about the sewer and catches sight of you.
"Hello? I mean you no harm..." He says nervously.

Samuel
The Journeyman Inn is in the slums, about an hour's walk away in the crowded city. Your friend Jason had mentioned it before, though he did not speak of it in... glowing terms, exactly. It's nearing 11 o'clock by the time you arrive.
The interior of the inn is cramped and dusty, made even more so by the windows being boarded up. The inn is quiet; no drinking songs or sounds of merriment at the moment. Just a mass of hunched bodies, gulping ale with scowls on their faces.
No one seems to pay you particular attention. Perhaps you're early?

Erik
As you move through the crowd, the people seem to be slowly working themselves up into an angrier and angrier state. The Sanra is speaking again, shouting over the din to attempt to calm the people, and a few of the church guards seem to be becoming agitated. The same beautiful young woman you saw earlier flits through the crowd in front of you, bumping into you as she does. She flashes you a smile and gently touches your chest with one hand. "Excuse me." She starts moving through the crowd again.

Acaleus
Samuel the Undertaker is not a particularly famous person, but you do hear a few odds and ends about him. You succeed in confirming that he is an undertaker at one of the lower-class cemetaries near the Banra district; the few people who know of him say that much. You hear a few rumors that he may have sold charms or potions or wine or something of that sort at one point, but nothing of great substance.

Tordora
The man notices your stare and smiles. He may have mistaken it for something else. "Ah, alright." He idly rubs the back of his neck with one hand. "How much for, say, a regular old shortsword? These are dangerous times, of course." He smiles slightly.

[Linguz]

Erik stops for a moment to let her pass and doesn't think much of it until a few seconds passed... then he brought a hand into his pouch to make sure nothing was stolen.

If something was, he follows her path and tries to find her again.

If nothing was, he continues to the front of the crowd.

[M. Mayonnaise]

Erik
The few coins you brought with you are gone.
The woman hasn't gotten far into the crowd yet, so you can still trail her without too much difficulty. She darts in and out of the crowd, and you can see her brush across a few more people, perhaps by accident. Make a spot check to avoid losing her too quickly.

[gparali]

Samuel leaves the inn and starts walking towards his home.

“What a dump..” he mumbles when he is outside the door.

"It’s is a pity he wasn’t there. He wouldn’t have tried anything in broad daylight. Oh, well maybe I’ll try again later, I am sure the crowd will be more interesting then.”

[Linguz]

Erik quickly tries to keep his eyes on her as he goes through the crowd.

Spot: Taking 10, 17
If I can't take ten: [roll0]

[Saidoro]

Tordora seems to miss the significance of the smile. A few quick calculations ran through her head, 2 gold for metal, 1 for leather, odds and ends for coal, repairs and such. Set the price high enough to get thrice the material cost after they've argued it down a bit.
A simple modern one I'll put at 11 gold pieces, I can have that done in... three or four days.
Closer to two, probably, but it never hurt to give yourself time.

[Urist]

Upon hearing the mans identity, Aimon starts mentally, barely keeping himself under control. A man of Ara? The populace truely are riled, for such a prophet to have gained prominence and such a large audience. I must tread carefully.

"I beg your pardon, Man of Ara. I had no idea such a distinguished servant of the True God was among the faithful. I have been travelling for a long time, and only recently have I made my way back to Mazda. It is good to hear that the faithful have not succumbed as the Banra or Nelans have, to cannibalism and murder.

Upon Arajan's request not to reveal the locations of any Pales to the Nelans or the Banra, Aimon nods.

"I would not betray the faithful to such a fate, Man of Ara. The heathens would descend upon the entire community, burning and slashing as they went. I will keep the congregations secret safe. Watch for the city guards; they will likely mass in force and move on the congregation soon. The entire city is whipped into frenzy by the Judgement of our Lord."

This being said, Aimon wishes Arajan a safe journey on the way of the Lord, and begins making his way through the crowd, towards the outskirts of the Aran district. He will search around for another place to spend the night, as well as asking after any Nelan or Banran Pales or murders in the immediate area once he finds a place.


Gather Information:[roll0]
Gather Information: [roll1]

[M. Mayonnaise]

Festival bells begin ringing throughout the city from the churches of Ban. The sun is high in the sky; it is early in the afternoon.

Tordora
The man glances over his shoulder at the sound of the untimely bells. "Can't be evening already, the bells are different... Anyways, yeah, I can pay eleven gold pieces." The man seems distracted now, and counts out the money from a conspicuously-full coin purse. There is an ugly red splotch on it. "I was hoping to be able to pick it up as soon as possible. I'll check back day after tomorrow. Name's Joshua, pleased to meet you." He smiles, and after exchanging pleasantries and collecting whatever receipt or proof of purchase you may provide. hurriedly makes for the door.

Erik
You can keep track of her fairly well, now that you know who to look for. Your experience as a guard serves you well. She departs the crowd and heads through the alleyways at a rapid pace. You keep up with her fairly well, but if you intend to pursue her unnoticed you'll have to start being more subtle about it. She'll detect you before long at this rate.

Samuel
"Oh, there you are."
A man is hurrying down the road towards you. He is handsome and well-dressed for the slums, wearing a jacket with rolled-up sleeves and breeches with rolled-up legs. He carries a lute in his left hand, "Bit impatient, hm?"
The man gestures toward the door. "Please come in. I've a proposition for you, and unfortunately I'm late for work." He smiles predatorily. "A man's got to work to put food on the table."

Aimon
Your search for information lasts throughout the rest of the afternoon, and the Banfeast bells ring a second time in place of the Banfast bells.
You hear news of the Sanra's announcements that day, as well as his mandate of food sacrifices throughout the city for Ban's faithful.
Of the inns in the area, the Journeyman is the cheapest, though there is a small Nelan shelter where nuns are providing nighttime housing for the homeless who've been lucky enough not to turn Pale.
As far as murders, the city is now abuzz with news of three murders near a cemetery in the district near the main Banra cathedral. You gather enough information to know that there are rumors that the victims may have been connected to a local gang or thieves' guild.
You've spend enough of the daytime that you now need to start looking for shelter.

[THEChanger]

Ezekiel rose from his hiding place, an arrow notched to his bow. His eyes gleamed with the madness in his mind, and narrowed in suspicion of this new-comer. "You are not a sewer-man. I've not seen you before. State your business here, and tell Ezekiel why I should not put this arrow through your heart."

[Urist]

Ara's blood and Nel's mercy, I've spent too long outside. I need to get indoors, now.

Moving with all reasonable haste, Aimon makes for the Journeyman inn. The cemetery and murders would have to wait until morning.

[Azoth]

Acaleus decides to try and check out the cemetary where Samuel works. He didn't normally like capture jobs, but they were usually easier than kill jobs. Unfortunately, Acaleus doubted he could carry the man inconspicuously to his handler. This meant a side trip.

He headed to a carriage company that was on the payroll of the Sgadows. He needed a carriage and driver for the day. He knew he couldn't request one for over night. The Shadows had forbidden night jobs. Still he hoped this would be quick and cheap compared to his wage.

[gparali]

Samuel warily regards the man, his eyes automatically drifting to his exposed flesh, searching for telltale discolorations.

Looking the stranger in the eye Samuel speaks
.
“This is a dangerous world Mr…….”

He waits until the stranger offers his name and then he continues.

“And your invitation was…..well, let us say it was extremely rude. So, would you be so kind to explain your actions or why I should go through that door with you? Or maybe why I shouldn't expect any more….rudeness, on your part?”


Sense Motive:[roll0]

If Samuel senses a lot of lies he bolts. If his sense motive isn't high enough or if he doesn't sense overwhelming risk, he goes in. In the second case feel free to jump on our conversation inside.

[Saidoro]

Tordora checks the position of the sun to make sure there's still time left in the day and then sets about ordering supplies and gathering materials for the stranger's sword.

Tordora will take 10 on a weekly craft check and spend an inspiration point, giving a result of 20. Multiplying that by the craft DC of 15 gives 300, 3 times the goal value of 100 silver pieces meaning she can complete it in one third the normal time or 2 and 1/3 work days.

[Linguz]

Erik activated his power and a quiet shrill came out of his vicinity. After that was quickly done, he charged the girl, aiming to grab onto her. While he does so, he tells her, "That was a nice little trick you've did back there. Unfortunately, you did it to the wrong man." When he missed, he added, "And don't try to run. I'll let you off easier if you don't."

Manifesting: Burst, +10 movement enchancement for 1 round, swift action
DC to Manifest Silently: 16
Concentration: [roll0]
She can hear it with a DC 11 Listen.

This should allow him to catch up with her.

Touch: [roll1] (She doesn't know he's there, so I believe this would be against a flat-footed opponent.)
Grapple: [roll2]

[M. Mayonnaise]

Ezekiel
"Hey, woah, I'm not here to hurt you!" The man holds up his hands placatingly, showing that they are empty and also making the ugly white splotch across his left arm even more glaring. He is frightened, even terrified; clearly not a man accustomed to fighting for his life. "I'm Samuel Jeshin. I'm just looking for a place to hide. Please, don't hurt me. I have a family, they need my help." The man is slowly trying to back up.

Aimon
--downtime, you're several hours ahead--

Acaleus
The owner of the carriage company is extremely short with you, clearly in a vile mood. He demands an unusually high sum and is uncharacteristically picky about getting the details of the task you're requesting the carriage for, but when you mention Samuel the Undertaker he immediately becomes more helpful, with a nasty vindictive smile spreading across his face.
"Oh, that's what this is for, hm? That bounty's common knowledge now, and good reason. That whoreson killed three of ours and left a fourth one scarred. 'e's a bloody Pale, and a big one too. Brutal as hell, apparently ripped 'em limb from limb with his bare hands. He'll get the same, though. You'll have your driver. This one's on me. One of 'em was a friend." He gives you a once-over. "You sure you can handle him, though?"

Samuel
"Joshua." The man offers as his name. "And I assure you my invitation was nothing of the sort, Mr. Samuel!" He feigns great offense "And I think you should not be so ungrateful; after all, you are rather indebted to me, if I do say so myself. Now I must insist." He pulls the door open and holds it for you, eyebrow raised. You can't sense any lies on his part, but he's hard to read. You really can't tell what his intentions are.

Tordora
Conveniently, you still have several hours of daytime left to you. You can fit in a third of a day's work now if you're industrious, or you can attend to other business in the city if you choose.

[THEChanger]

Ezekiel's eyes widened. Even in his madness, he could recognize what the white sploches were. "You are one of the Light-Maddened. The ones the surface-dwellers call Pales." Ezekiel kept his bow leveled at Samuel, but relaxed somewhat. "There is no flesh for you down here. Only other Light-Maddened, and me. You will not be able to hunt here."

[gparali]

Samuel stands still for a moment, thinking:

“To get in or not to get in? It is a risk, but no one made money by not taking risks”

Samuel shrugs and walks through the door talking at the same time.

“Ungrateful eh? Well I wouldn’t want to be ungrateful. Let us sit so you can remind me, if you don't mind, why I should be grateful.”

[Saidoro]

Tordora will be industrious and get to work on the sword.

[M. Mayonnaise]

Erik
She is fast. She slips out of your grasp as you try to reach her, even though she didn't seem to know you were coming. She swings back toward you with an elbow, but the attempted attack misses. "Hey! Stop!" she yells shrilly, sounding distressed. You're in a back alley, but someone could still hear...

Ezekiel
"I'm not looking to hunt! I just want a place to hide." He says shakily, still slowly backing up. "Look, you know what they're doing to people like me up there? Guards are rounding us up during the day, and we're getting... hunted... at night. I have a kid. I need somewhere to hide. Please." The man sounds earnest, but still very afraid.

Samuel
"Of course!" Joshua invites you inside and pulls up chairs for the two of you in the corner of the room. He gives a nod and a smile to a scruffy man cleaning a mug over on the far side of the room and receives a scowl in return. Joshua begins strumming easily on the lute he holds, playing a simple but charming tune. "Well, Samuel, first of all I'd say you're quite indebted to me for this free performance." He says quietly over the music. "And second, you'll be happy to know I handled a few thieves in that graveyard of yours last night. I happened to be in the neighborhood, and decided to do my good deed for the evening." He smiles. "It was my pleasure, no need to thank me. Considering all the charity I've already paid you, though, I think you'll not think my offer of business too unreasonable, hm? I am interested in a steady food supply, to supplement my own... scavenging."

Tordora
-downtime till other players finish the day-

[gparali]

Samuel looks thoughtfully at Joshua and speaks

“Ahhh, the three murders near the cemetery. Thieves you say and I was their target? What could they possibly want with me? “

(Waits for Joshua to elaborate on the matter, after he does or if he doesn’t answer at all)

“Well it doesn’t matter, they are most likely to be buried in my cemetery and that means money and food for me, so maybe I should be thankful after all. I think we can certainly reach a mutually beneficial agreement.”

He stops for a second and looks around for any curious stares and continues.

“I am all ears. What exactly did you have in mind?”

[M. Mayonnaise]

Samuel
Joshua shakes his head as you guess that you were the thieves' target. "Oh, not you, exactly, though I suppose they wouldn't have minded taking you as well. They were after the bodies, of course. Easy food."
Joshua smiles as you say they'll likely be buried in your graveyard. "Perhaps. One did get away, unfortunately, but the other three did not leave. But in any case." He leans back for a moment, still idly strumming the lute. "Here is my proposition, dear Samuel. Protection in exchange for bodies. I keep you and your graveyard safe, and perhaps provide a small stipend of additional gold, and in return you supply me with a steady food supply. Simple as that. Interested?"

[Linguz]

Erik tried to punch the girl, since she was being violent. He was holding back, though. If his attack connects, he asks her again, "Are you sure you want to do that? I'd rather not knock you unconscious for a pale to eat."

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: 3 (Normally, 1d3+3. He's holding back to deal just 3 damage).

[gparali]

Samuel thinks for a moment but only for a moment. He must admit that it seems a sweet deal. The bodies give him more food that he needs and his powers aren’t on the destructive side.

He mouth forms an evil grin as he extends his hand for a handshake.

“You got a deal Joshua.”


If there is nothing else to say with Joshua he returns to his home.

[M. Mayonnaise]

Erik
She grins predatorily. Your punch swings wide - she's just not there. The girl retaliates with a punch of her own, slamming you across the jaw; somehow, though, you manage to block her next blow.
You take 4 points of nonlethal damage.
The girl screams again. "Help! Help!" She's still smiling at you, and she takes a step back.
She is now 5 feet away from you, and her motion did not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Samuel
Joshua smiles pleasantly and shakes your hand. "Glad to hear it. I'll be seeing you around soon, then. Watch yourself out there." Joshua waves at you as you leave, and begins to focus more intently on his music.

[Azoth]

Acaleus smirked to the man. I won't know til I try. Good to know he is a pale though. That makes things interesting. Say...I only managed to find out where he worked...ya know where he lives? Promise I will do you right if ya can tell me.

This was definitely going to be interesting now. He had to knock out a man that would probably eat him if he messed up. Gotta love these situations.

[M. Mayonnaise]

Acaleus
He shrugs. "Rorke said the Pale came from a cottage right next to the graveyard. He'll be easy to find, hard to take down. You better hurry if you want to collect, though. Won't be long before evening and I don't doubt another Shadow will have figured out where he lives by now."

[gparali]

As he walks home Samuel decides to take a detour and visit his friend Jason first. As a bouncer maybe he has heard something more about this “Joshua”. Doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Plus he might also have heard anything else interesting.

Gather Information if needed:[roll0]
Unless something happens he returns home afterwards.

[Linguz]

"Seems you too are a pale." He conjures up his bastard sword, still glowing with energy, and attacks, intending to not just knock her out now.

Attack: [roll0] 24/25 threaten
Check: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2] x2 if crit
Electric Damage: 1

And in case he gets an attack of opportunity...

Attack: [roll3] 24/25 threaten
Check: [roll4]
Damage: [roll5] x2 if crit
Electric Damage: 1

[M. Mayonnaise]

Erik
Her lovely blue eyes go wide as saucers when you materialize the sword. She tries to whirl out of the way of your attack again but - just a moment too slow. You open up a nasty gash across her stomach, and she cries out genuinely this time. "AH! God, stop, please, stop!" She stumbles back another step, clutching her side and not trying to fight back again. Her face has turned stark white and she pants for breath.

[Linguz]

Erik dematerializes the sword. "I told you, didn't I? Don't try anything, I can bring it out again if you try anything. Give me back my gold and tell me why you were stealing from me and my fellow brothers and sisters." He follows her steps, making sure that she doesn't get too far away.

[Azoth]

Acaleus smirks, "I will be off then...maybe I will bring you a souvenir." With that he heads out to his carriage in hopes of finding his target before someone else beats him to it.

[THEChanger]

Ezekiel lowered his bow, breathing in through his nose deeply. Part of his madness urged him to kill the man where he stood. The carcass, despite being Pale, would provide him with food for a long time. But the man had a child. For a long time, Ezekiel merely stood, breathing in the man's scent. The fear was evident, potent, and Ezekiel could appreciate why. He too had been hunted. He too knew what it was to need a place to hide. "Tell me. Has you child also become Light-Maddened?"

[M. Mayonnaise]

Samuel
Jason knows little of Joshua, but the owner of the Juggling Jester recognizes from your description of him that Joshua is the minstrel in the Journeyman Inn. He is otherwise of little interest - he is not involved in the city's criminal side at all, to the best of Jason's knowledge.
By the time you get home, it is nearing evening.
Because you are a Pale, you may feel free to stay out in the moonlight for awhile. You will need some sleep after your busy day, though, naturally.

Erik
With her left hand, the girl pulls a few coins from a pouch on her belt and throws them at your feet, wincing. Her side is still bleeding, and she clutches it tightly with her right hand. "It's five bloody gold pieces, you psychopath," she mutters. "Please don't... eat... me." She turns beautiful, pleading eyes on you. "I'm just trying to get by. I... I lost my family, except for one, and I can't find him..." She grimaces and looks down at her side, her voice trailing off. She doesn't seem to be lying.

Acaleus
The carriage driver is a disciplined, businesslike man - not the obnoxious, crass sort of thief often found in the Shadows' lower ranks. He gets you to the graveyard in the late afternoon. The undertaker's house is nearby, but you've only got a little time left before the bells ring and the sun starts to set.

Ezekiel
"Is she Pale?" Samuel looks down. "Yes," he answers quietly. "I don't know what to do but hide. We won't hurt you. We're not monsters." The pleading tone in his voice returns again, backed by a new element of resolve.

[Linguz]

"Without a job, five gold pieces is plenty. You should be glad I don't turn you into the guards as a thief and possible pale." Erik pockets the five gold coins and looks at her. "And to answer your request: I don't eat petty thieves. Who is it that you lost?"

[gparali]

Samuel will return to his home. He locks the doors and shutters. He stays awake for a while (until well after midnight), reading a book, and then goes to sleep.

[Azoth]

Acaleus looks to the driver and sighs as he realizes the time. If I am not back by the bells, leave and come back in the morning at the earliest it is safe. I will hold up inside if I must.

With that he makes his way towards the graveyard. There must be a work house on the property. He can't picture an undertaker doing the dirty work in his own home. He decides that perhaps stealth here is not the best approach. It has gotten several of his comrades killed.

He walks openly through the graveyard. His head turning about as he makes his way. Just because he isn't relying on stealth, doesn't mean that this Samuel isn't.

[THEChanger]

Ezekiel sighed. "I cannot guaruntee your safety, or the safety of your child. But, for her sake, I will do what I can. They call me Ezekiel. Most people avoid me if they can, but we must be cautious."