[Group 1] Shadows Grow in the Alleyways IC

[Eonas]

The midmorning sun beats uncomfortably over the city as you each seperately trudge over to the sherriff's office. Another day, another assignment, and probably yet another stint of scrabbling in the muck of Himmelburg to fulfill the local sheriff's instructions.

The sheriff to whom you report to and from whom you receive your assignments is, as always, sitting with his pudgy legs on the table. For all you know, his shoes might be glued onto the table's surface. Maybe they have a cleaning maid who comes over once a day to feed him and shine his shoes. Certainly, her list of jobs wouldn't include washing him: the guy smells like he's never seen a bath or lavatory in his life.

Umgrub - that's the sheriff's name - doesn't even acknowledge any of you until all three of you have arrived. Then he frowns at you by way of greeting and begins talking, as dispassionately as a mathematics instructor: ""Murder again. Three of them. Somebody's been going around and leaving girls stripped, whipped, and dead. The first was Kramusa Fanu, daughter of the merchant Huggart Fanu. Her body was found a week ago bound and gagged in a back alley. The next was an unidentified teenager, same fate, found three days ago stiff and cold as a plank. And then a delinquent called Yala was found in a room locked on the outside. Her corpse was still fresh when they found it yesterday afternoon. Find the killer and fetch him dead or alive. Any questions?"

[AngryCyc]

"Just a couple" Kalux starts. "Is there any obvious connection between the girls that anyone's heard? And did this seem like... Like a sexual crime? Addresses of their families or last known residences would be good too, maybe piece together the last few days or hours of each girl's life to figure out where we can find the guy doing this."

knowledge local for facts about the girls or family [roll0]

[Farmerbink]

"Find the killer and fetch him dead or alive. Any questions?"

Charles raises a finger to indicate intent-


"Just a couple" Kalux starts. "Is there any obvious connection between the girls that anyone's heard? And did this seem like... Like a sexual crime? Addresses of their families or last known residences would be good too, maybe piece together the last few days or hours of each girl's life to figure out where we can find the guy doing this."

With a deadpan expression, Charles looks from person to person. Yes... what he said. His features shift into a scowl, and also, why are we just hearing about this now? I may well have found the culprit and saved two of these girls' lives had we known to be looking a week ago! Never mind that, what's done is done... What can you tell us of where these killings took place? It seems the first place to inspect should be the crime scenes.

[Ionbound]

Alyx frowns with disgust when she hears about the nature of the crimes, but sits back and listens to the questions already asked, thoughts about what a plan for tracking down the killer could consist of already forming in her mind. Just because the prey runs and hides doesn't mean it won't be caught.

[Eonas]

Umgrub listens to Kalux and Charles with obvious impatience. "No, I don't know if they're sexual. And no, I don't know if they're connected. Look, all I get are separate reports of crime scenes, not deductions and investigations. That's your job. But I can tell you the murder of Kramusa was in a back alley near here on Hippogriff street, between the tailor and the grocer shops. Her parents also live on Hippogriff Street, run a shop called Fanu's linens. I don't know anything about the teenager except that she was killed next to the butcher on Roderick's Street, and Yala's body was found in the back room of the abandoned warehouse near the Rottstein mansion. She used to be at the juvie at the west side of town."

He purses his lips and looks around at you as if daring you to speak aagain.

[AngryCyc]

Kalux nods curtly and quickly, looking to the other two for anything else.

[Ionbound]

Alyx hrms and then says, "Yesterday afternoon? Hmm...Has anyone cleaned up yet?"

[Farmerbink]

Charles purses his lips and taps his nose with a finger, gaze lost in the middle distance. Hmmm.... it seems to me, we should look into this Kramusa girl's murder first. At least inspect the scene and see if there are any obvious clues before we move further away. It's only reasonable to assume that three isn't somehow a special number, so we're working against the clock. It's only a matter of time until we're inspecting a fourth site, if we don't figure this out first. Without waiting on a response from the plump man, he turns on his heels and heads out the door.

Turning towards Hippogriff street, Charles starts off at a purposeful pace, musing aloud regarding the area.

I'd like to attempt a knowledge(local) roll to see what I might have heard about these events elsewhere. [roll0] + [roll1] inspiration = 17 total roll check.

If that doesn't turn anything useful up, I will suggest speaking to the parents and neighbors nearby, using diplomacy to gather information (appropriate rolls will follow, as necessary).

Edit: that's not likely to do much.

As he strides towards the first crime scene, he turns back to this companions. After we check this place out, we should talk to her parents and any other neighbors that might have seen or heard something. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky?

Please treat this post as having followed after any response to the previous question regarding clean-up. I forgot about the unanswered question when I wrote this.

[Ionbound]

Alyx blinks and says, confused, "What? Why the oldest body? The easiest way to track a hunter is by inspecting it's most recent kills, not old bones!" Annoyed, she chases after Charles anyways.

Perception to try to pick up tracks and generally find clues from wherever we go: [roll0]

And Survival to follow any tracks that have been found: [roll1]

[Farmerbink]

Alyx blinks and says, confused, "What? Why the oldest body? The easiest way to track a hunter is by inspecting it's most recent kills, not old bones!" Annoyed, she chases after Charles anyways.

Charles looks back, confusion evident in his features. Oh, no, it's certainly not the easiest way, but it might be the fastest. If nothing else, this scene is just around the corner. Anything we will learn, we will do so before we could even arrive at a different one. If we get there and it doesn't look like there's much to learn, I agree, we should move on. If we learn something, the fates are acting in our favor.... he spares a glance for the building they have just left, before adding, for once...

[Ionbound]

Alyx shakes her head and says, "We're looking for a trail. We won't find anything at his oldest kill...Anything that might have been there will have been washed away. But at his freshest kill, we might find something that we can follow back to him. There is nothing to be gained from checking old kills."

[Farmerbink]

Charles nods. You're almost certainly right. On the off-chance that you're not, it will be worth the added... 3, 4 minutes? to have checked here first. He then shrugs. If you'd rather go straight there, we will likely catch up a few minutes after you arrive. I suppose we'll see.

[Ionbound]

Alyx nods and says, "Meet you there, then," as she dashes off to inspect the scene of Yala's death.

[AngryCyc]

"Whatever..." Kalux says as the two brash investigators bicker over where to go. He rolls his eyes as they each decide to split up. "If we're not going to stick together then I'm heading to where I can be the most use and talking to the girl's parents. Meet me there when you've finished looking at the scene of the crime." he tells Charles as they head down Hippogriff.

He then starts looking for the shop mentioned and heads towards it to speak to whoever is inside.

Diplomacy to increase the starting attitude of whoever I find in the shop [roll0]

[Farmerbink]

Alyx nods and says, "Meet you there, then," as she dashes off to inspect the scene of Yala's death.

Charles' eyes widen as Alyx runs off in the other direction. Why... Dumbstruck, he realizes he's been standing in the street when Kalux steps past him. Right. I was... joking... she is an odd one.

He follows Kalux to the scene, and helps speak with potential witnesses.


As with Kalux, I want to improve the attitude of the parents and such, toward us
[roll0] + [roll1]?no need for inspiration

If it seems reasonable, diplomacy to gather information:
[roll2] +[roll3]?no need for inspiration
[roll4] hours taken

[Eonas]

In answer to Alyx' question, Umgrub shrugs. "How should I know? I'm just the sheriff. I'm in charge of investigators, not janitors."

---

The shop is simple and unassuming on the inside and outside. There's an old woman looking through a pile of clothes, and a woman in her late thirties behind the counter. She's self-posessed but not joyous, presentable but essentially nothing more; in effect, she seems like someone who is only going through the paces. She glances up at you. "Hello, can I help you?"

The warehouse in question is located at the more decrepit parts of the merchant's district: the area is beginning to take on the desolation characteristic of the slums. The warehouse itself is reasonably large, cobwebbed everywhere but at the main entrances, stacked high and irregularly with boxes and crates. The dust is disturbed with multiple different types of footprints, and at the back of the warehouse there's a shut door with a lock on the handle.

[AngryCyc]

"Ah..." Kalux says clearing his throat. He approaches the woman and says "I am Kalux. This is Charles. We work for the sheriff and are investigating the.. Well. We are... We're investigators Madame. We have some questions we'd like to ask to someone about, well, activities a week ago." He looks the woman straight in the face but seems to glance around the room as he gets to the point. He deliberately avoids mentioning the death itself, instead keeping it formal and almost as impersonal as such a greeting can be. He speaks warmly though, and it's obvious that he realizes the pain this woman must feel, assuming she is the mother of a slain daughter.

Kalux looks to Charles after the introduction and gestures to him.

[Farmerbink]

Charles nods agreeably, until Kalux gestures to him. Ma'am, I know this is a difficult topic, especially so shortly afterward. My deepest condolences for your loss. We are here to find out what we can about what happened. Perhaps, with your help, we will be able to prevent other families from having to deal with this, as well. Do you mind telling us, in so far as you are able, what happened the night Kramasu was killed?

[Ionbound]

When she reaches the Warehouse, Alyx lets herself in and smiles. It seems nobody has been here since the murders, and that's good for her. She closes her eyes and opens herself to the world of smells, nostrils flaring as she takes in smells mere humans could only dream of, trying to detect anything that would give her a clue to the killer's location or activities after the murder took place

Two Survival Rolls: One to find a visual trail and one to find a scent trail:

Visual: [roll0]
Scent: [roll1]

[Eonas]

The woman doesn't respond for some time, staring at the wall blankly. Finally she turns back towards you two. "Eight days ago, me and Huggart - that's my husband - we got cross with Kramusa. It was for something silly: she'd eaten all the cakes and we'd already all had supper. One thing led to another and then me and Huggart - my husband - me and Huggart started arguing about his... his affair. We didn't notice Kramusa run out of the house until it was too late. By the time we realized she was gone, she must have run too far for us to find her. All night we looked around for her... I asked the police but they were too busy with other cases to bother with a missing girl. They said she'd come back. Next morning they found her... body... in the alleyway"

Her voice, at first calm and collected, then emotional, now cracks entirely, and she looks down, teary-eyed.
The footprints in the dust - they're all muddled and therefore indistinguishable one from the other - seem to be heading towards the back door. From this direction you smell the strong scent of dried blood and dead flesh, which overpowers any subtler, more living scents.

[Ionbound]

Alyx follows the trail, smiling when she picks up on the scent of dead flesh and blood, and follows the trail out the door, tracking what she assumes to be the killer.

Another set of Survival Rolls, following tracks at half speed and all that:

Sight: [roll0]
Scent: [roll1]

[Farmerbink]

The woman doesn't respond for some time, staring at the wall blankly. Finally she turns back towards you two. "Eight days ago, me and Huggart - that's my husband - we got cross with Kramusa. It was for something silly: she'd eaten all the cakes and we'd already all had supper. One thing led to another and then me and Huggart - my husband - me and Huggart started arguing about his... his affair. We didn't notice Kramusa run out of the house until it was too late. By the time we realized she was gone, she must have run too far for us to find her. All night we looked around for her... I asked the police but they were too busy with other cases to bother with a missing girl. They said she'd come back. Next morning they found her... body... in the alleyway"

Charles' expression turns from rapt attention to grief in the blink of an eye. Gods, I am so sorry. I cannot imagine what you must be going through.

If you don't mind, we would like to look at the part of the alley where she was found. It may help us to find the person responsible for this, that we can bring them into the light of justice. Assuming consent, he follows the woman silently, searching for details that stand out.

[roll0] +[roll1]? (doubt I need the 4 extra :-P) perception

[AngryCyc]

"There have been other girls murdered since. We're trying to determine if there's a link. Can you tell us of her friends or places she likes to frequently visit? Any strangers following her around lately? Really anything in the last month that seemed out of place might be useful. And... Well. I'd actually like to know a little bit more about this affair you mention. Could be that it's related... A bit of revenge or some sort?"

[Eonas]

The woman hesitates before answering Kalux' question - this is obviously a very sensitive subject to her. "I, well, Huggart's mistress came over two weeks ago for dinner. I didn't know they were lovers then, just friends... Huggart, he'd always been faithful to me, I didn't have a reason to suspecta. Alyona kept complimenting Kramusa on how healthy and strong she looked, said it must be because of my cooking. I always did feed Kramusa well. I keep forgetting that she's not here any more - this morning I cooked three eggs instead of two."

She smiles, sadly, and continues. "Then next night I walked into Huggart and Alyona... on them... in our bedroom. We haven't been talking much since, me and Huggart. As for strangers... there was one, a few days before we fell out. Me and Kramusa were walking down the street and there was this man following us closely, watching my daughter. I think he had red hair. He stopped when we entered a shop, and when we exited he was gone."

The woman doesn't offer to lead you to the alley. Instead, she just says "She was killed in the alley right past the tailor's."
When you follow the trail to the door, and open it, you find it leads to a small, nearly empty room with another door on the other side of it. The only object within the room is the corpse of a girl maybe ten or twelve years old. She's lying on her stomach naked, open-eyed, arms outstretched above her head, rigid hands still frozen in a clawing pose as if she were trying to drag herself somewhere. All over her body she's lacerated with deep cuts, crisscrossed and too many to count. The joint between her right shoulder and arm is so damaged that the shoulder is dislocated, only a thin piece of skin and muscle keeping it from being severed entirely. In some places her flesh has been cut so deep that you can see the glistening bone shining through. There's a pool of dried blood centering around her open mouth, but there's also blood smeared through the entire room and even parts of the walls. Blood, yes, and bits of hair and skin stuck to the blood around the room. There's dried urine and feces in a corner, too, enough of it to suggest that the girl and her aggressor had probably been in the room for some time. The presence of a bloodied, half-eaten loaf of bread in another corner of the room leds credence to this theory.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to make you roll a will save now to avoid suffering shock, modified by your stability (so at a -4 penalty). Normally the DC would be 12, but since you're relatively used to gore and violence, perhaps we can lower that by 2 to 10.

[Farmerbink]

Charles nods as the woman describes the fateful evening. Thank you very much for sharing that information with us, ma'am. I have one more question to ask before we inspect the scene. The man with red hair, did you notice anything else about him? Was he about my size, bigger, smaller? Any details you can recall could be of immense aid in finding this man. Whether he is the culprit or not, he should know something. Assuming an answer, he nods and again expresses his condolences, before heading into the alley behind the shop.

Let's see here...

[roll0] + [roll1]? perception in the alley

[AngryCyc]

"Where is your husband? We might need to speak with him too. Charles, I could talk to a bit more people if you want to check out the alley on your own?"

[Ionbound]

Alyx retches as she sees the girl. It's clear that animal corpses are a different scenario entirely from humans and, to make matters worse, her nose was still very active and simply overwhelmed by the horrific scents in the room. Unable to even be in the same room, she flees, slamming the door behind her and sprints out of the warehouse, panting with her back to the exterior door, letting the fresh-ish city air fill her nose, desperately trying to forget the awful smells of the horrible room.

Oh dear. Perhaps -4 was not the best of plans...[roll0]. I accept the consequences with dread.

[Eonas]

The woman thinks for a little. "I don't really remember what he looked like. I think he was short. And his clothes were dirty. I remember that. I don't remember any more. I'm sorry. My husband, he's at the back. Do you want me to go fetch him?"
You leave at that point, and make the short trip to the alley where Kramusa was killed. It's narrow and goes for about fifteen feet before ending in a brick wall. Scattered about midway into the alley are bits of blood, skin, and hair, on the floor and walls.
The woman enters the back of the shop and comes back about a minute later with a middleaged man. He's aged well: his skin is wrinkled, but only slightly, and his hair is still thick and mostly ungreyed. He looks lethargic, only as clean as is necessary to be presentable. The man smiles joylessly at Kalux: "Yes?"
Well, for [roll0] minutes, you either flee recklessly, or faint, or scream, or weep, or run away, or throw up, or go catatonic, or something similar. Use your best judgement as for what would be appropriate.
Also, on a 1-10, something... interesting... will occur. [roll1] You may breathe easy.

[Farmerbink]

Charles tries his best to inspect the alleyway closely, looking particularly for signs of struggle or dried blood.
Taking 20, if possible for 32.

If not, for some reason:
[roll0] + [roll1] perception

[Ionbound]

Alyx uncontrollably vomits for 15 or so minutes, utterly voiding her stomach of her breakfast, then, when that is gone, regurgitating the uncomfortable mixture of acid and bile that comes from vomiting on an empty stomach. The smell, more than anything else, is what hit her hard, and she just cannot get it out of her nose.

Once that's done, however, she wipes her mouth and mentally readies herself, and reenters the room.

[AngryCyc]

"Yes hello I am Kalux. I'm an investigator for the Sherriff's office. I'm looking for some more information about the events a week ago. I'd also like to know a bit more about this, err, affair of yours... As it might be relevant or it might not. Furthermore do you recall anyone who was around your daughter in the days leading up to the murder?" Kalux says, considerably less gentle than with the wife.

[Eonas]

There are, as stated, patches blood, skin, and hair splattered around the dirt ground and walls up to hip height.
The man bites his lip and glances over at his wife. "A month ago Alyona came to buy linen. We talked and soon, well, I visited her house, and..." He doesn't finish the sentence, but it's clear by his and his wife's expressions what happened next. After a pause, he continues talking, a little touchily. "We recently had a dinner party with Alyona, met up with a tax registrar, and found our daughter dead in an alley. And Kramusa has spent all her time around me and Nurra. Nobody murderous, unless you're implying we killed our own daughter."
Okay, we'll just wait a little for the others to catch up with you. Presumably they'll both be in the warehouse in under 15 ingame minutes.

[AngryCyc]

"No I do not believe that either of you had anything to do with this. There have been other murders since that are identical, and unless you were behind all of them... No no, I don't think it makes any sense to have either of you as a suspect. But I do think it's important that I learn as much about what drove Kramusa out that night as possible.

And... On a personal note, I strongly suggest you two both seek counseling. Either to repair a broken marriage or just a grief counseling so that you might get through this time in your life without adding more tragedy. I actually am a private soothe sayer and fortune teller as my side business if either of you wouldn't be too fussed. I think it would do you some good to arrange a meeting sometime." Kalux says, a bit stronger and forceful than before as if it were more of a command than a suggestion. He continues "But for now, business is what I must attend to. I am going to solve the murder of your daughter. Please, if any new information pops up or there's anything you forgot, contact the sheriff's office immediately. More lives may be lost until we solve this." He concludes ominously, answering any lingering questions and saying the proper goodbyes, he heads out to the alley to meet with Charles again.

[roll0]

[Eonas]

Neither of the two seem that disappointed when you leave. The man goes back to whatever he was doing in the back of the building, and the wife goes to help the old crone looking through the linens.

The alley where Kramusa was killed, and where Charles now is searching, is narrow and goes for about fifteen feet before ending in a brick wall. Scattered about midway into the alley are bits of blood, skin, and hair, on the floor and up to hip height on the walls.

(You may conjoin spoilers with Charles now instead of only addressing them to me.)
Kalux rejoins you.

(You may conjoin spoilers with him now instead of only addressing them to me.)

[Farmerbink]

As Kalux joins him in the alleyway, Charles spits in a corner. As always, the woman was right. There's nothing to see here but dried blood and trash. I sure wouldn't want to go the way the girl did. Shall we catch up with Alyx, then?

As an afterthought, he adds: At least we know someone involved has red hair....

[Eonas]

Kalux and Charles, when they go to rejoin Alyx, find that the warehouse in question is located at the more decrepit parts of the merchant's district: the area is beginning to take on the desolation characteristic of the slums. The warehouse itself is reasonably large, cobwebbed everywhere but at the main entrances, stacked high and irregularly with boxes and crates. Alyx is hunched over a puddle of vomit, beside a door located at the back, still retching the thin liquid that comes when there is nothing less to throw up. The door she's beside is ajar, and through the crack you see a slice of a small room - in that slice is the tip of a bloodied foot.

[AngryCyc]

"Great. So you've found a lot more than we have I take it." Kalux says, avoiding looking in the door. "Is there a quick summary that won't leave me in similar condition..?"

[Farmerbink]

Charles walks in, jabbering incessantly to Kalux. If only there was something more concrete to build from, then we could really start- As he notices Alyx, his expression shifts from excited frustration to reserved observation.

Huh. Seems you found a... fresher scene than we did, to be sure. You were partly right, by the way. We certainly didn't learn much there. There is, however, a small bit of information. We have a red-haired person-of-interest. Questionably useful in a city this size, but at least it's red. Brown or black would have been useless, indeed...

He surveys the general area, with as much detachment as he can summon, never doing more than peeking though the cracked doorway. Well this is a lovely... warehouse. Why in the world would a young woman have come here by herself? I mean, the obvious answer is that she wouldn't, so we can somewhat safely assume that the perpetrator is doing more than kidnapping or murdering. He must be, in fact, gaining the trust of the individuals before guiding them to a remote location. I think I will.... wait for you to describe the next room. I have no overwhelming desire to expunge my stomach of its breakfast. He then patiently waits for Alyx to recover, allowing sips from his canteen to rinse her mouth as desired.

[Ionbound]

Alyx takes a deep breath and frowns, saying, "I'm afraid that I was caught slightly off-guard...We have a fourth victim. I think..." She takes another deep breath, "That our killer kidnaps young women and confines them here for some time before killing them. There's an 11-year old girl in there, cut to ribbons...And she was in there long enough to leave scat and food behind."

[Farmerbink]

"And she was in there long enough to leave scat and food behind."

At this last part, Charles' nose wrinkles in distaste. That... Somewhat explains your situation. I will, for now, happily trust in your senses, and not inspect the scene too closely, myself.

[AngryCyc]

"And she left no clue..? If I were trapped and believed I'd die, I would leave a clue to my killer's identity. Charles, I think you do need to get in there and look around. We all know I'm not the most perceptive of the group by a longshot but there could be vital information. Was, is... Can the girl be identified?"

[Farmerbink]

Charles places a finger on his nose, lost in thought. I suppose there's nothing to be done for it. Let's hope I'm not reduced to the same state Alyx was.... He gathers his wits and willpower and opens the door, peeking in to the mess beyond.

[Ionbound]

Alyx swallows and says, "I'll...Keep watch. Or something. That doesn't involve going in there again."

[AngryCyc]

"Here.." Kalux says, placing his hand on Charles. He casts Guidance on the investigator. "That should help you keep it together."

[Eonas]

The room, is small, almost empty. The only large object within the room is the corpse of a girl maybe ten or twelve years old. She's lying on her stomach naked, open-eyed, arms outstretched above her head, rigid hands still frozen in a clawing pose as if she were trying to drag herself somewhere. All over her body she's lacerated with deep cuts, crisscrossed and too many to count. The joint between her right shoulder and arm is so damaged that the shoulder is dislocated, only a thin piece of skin and muscle keeping it from being severed entirely. In some places her flesh has been cut so deep that you can see the glistening bone shining through. There's a pool of dried blood centering around her open mouth, but there's also blood smeared through the entire room and even parts of the walls. Blood, yes, and bits of hair and skin stuck to the blood around the room. There's dried urine and feces in a corner, too, enough of it to suggest that the girl and her aggressor had probably been in the room for some time. The presence of a bloodied, half-eaten loaf of bread in another corner of the room leds credence to this theory.
Make a DC 13 Will Save. Normally the DC would be 14, but you've already been warned about the horror inside the room, so at least there's no shock.

[Farmerbink]

Will save: I'm going to use the benefit of Kalux' guidance (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/guidance.html#guidance) spell. This seems like a big deal. If [roll0] is less than 13, I will pray and use 2 points of inspiration to add [roll1] to the check, for a total of:

edit: damn, thanks for the guidance, Kalux!

I would, assuming I pass (please, dice Gods, smile upon me!) like to inspect the room and the body to determine what might have caused this. Obviously, something capable of lacerating or slicing through flesh, but finer details. Do the injuries show evidence of jagged teeth on the blade? Does it more resemble knife/sword strikes or parallel swipes of an animal's or magical beast's claws? Was there bludgeoning damage (evidenced by bruising, broken bones, etc...)? I don't know whether perception: [roll2] (+[roll3]?) or knowledge, nature: [roll4] (+[roll5]?) is more applicable.

Heal used to be used to determine cause of death, though I don't see rules for it anymore. All the same, if applicable, [roll6] (+[roll7]?)

Let me know which rolls mattered, so I can adjust inspiration for the day, accordingly.

Charles almost loses it, but is able to stay composed, and takes a few moments to thoroughly inspect the scene, before returning to the hallway. Gods, that is.... messy.

[Eonas]

If the cuts were of a blade, it clearly wasn't serrated. The cuts are clean, thick, almost smooth. They clearly weren't clearly wasn't a beast - none of them are parallel to any others, except by accident. And there doesn't seem to be any significant brusing or bludgeoning damage... just long cuts.

Only Heal and Perception are necessary here.

[Farmerbink]

Charles breathes deeply for a few moments before relaying the results of his inspection to his companions. Whoever or whatever did this, they used fast motions and a sharp blade. I couldn't fathom why they cut her as many times as they did, but the cuts are clean and deep. No animal could have done this, and the blade lacked teeth. Whoever did this has some strength to his arm, as well; he damn-near cut through flesh and bone alike. Shaking his head, he finishes: that's all I know, for sure.

[AngryCyc]

Kalux speaks kindly to the investigator. "Thank you Charles, BOTH of you, for putting yourselves through that. It has provided us a lot more information. The question is, what to do now? Do you believe this is all the information we can gather from this place, or do we need to look more at the immediate area? For instance, should we look into who owns this warehouse? If the girl was here for quite some time, someone should've known about it..."

[Farmerbink]

"Should we look into who owns this warehouse? If the girl was here for quite some time, someone should've known about it..."

Charles expressions brightens at the suggestion. Almost immediately, it fades into a scowl, and he spits to the side. Some inspector I am. That's a great idea, and I'm a damned fool for not coming up with it myself. Where would those records be kept? One way or another, we suddenly have a very significant person-of-interest.

[Ionbound]

Alyx nods and says, "That sounds reasonable enough. Where do you think we could find him?"

[Eonas]

It's mid-afternoon when you arrive at the registrar. The woman behind the counter smiles at you and gives you the information about the warehouse as soon as she learns you're working for the sheriff. The warehouse used to be owned by a certain very wealthy noble and businessman named Hamatul Queev, but when he died the property was transferred to his daughter, Golantha, who's abandoned the merchant business to set up a nightclub called 'Medusa's'. The address: 345 Xill street.

[Farmerbink]

Charles taps a finger to his nose, as they leave the building. Well, well, well... this should be interesting, at least.

He leads the group to the nightclub, hoping to arrive and talk to Golantha before they get too busy.

[Ionbound]

Alyx follows and mutters, "Let's hope the name doesn't mean what I think it means...Does anyone have a mirror on them?"

[Farmerbink]

Charles chuckles at the joke. Heh, nice one.

...errr. That was a joke, right? You don't really think we're going to run into the medusa, do you? I'm definitely not prepared for that....

[Eonas]

Medusa's is a lurid crimson building, windowless and pulsing with sound. When you open the door, you find that the inside is almost entirely dark except for the illumination provided by dim red lights. A band loudly plays the sound of raucous, dissonant music. Sunset is still about another hour off, and as such the club is still fairly empty: two people gyrate together on the dancefloor, and you see several figures standing near the walls. A scantily-clad waitress walks up to you with a platter of glasses balanced on one hand and offers you a drink.

[Farmerbink]

Charles looks up to the building. Ah, this... this should be.... pleasant. Anyone have experience here? I'm totally out of my element on this one. Nonetheless, he steps inside and sees the scene described.

As the scantily clad waitress approaches, he allows his eyes to wander a bit more than perhaps he should. Thank you, but no. Sadly, miss, we are not here for pleasure. We come as representatives of the sheriff's investigation agency, and need to speak with the owner of this establishment. At current, she is not wanted- or a suspect, but we believe she may have information that would be valuable in our search for the perpetrators of a... gruesome crime. Do you know how we might be able to find Mistress Golantha?

[Ionbound]

Alyx snorts at Charles' question and says, "As a professional 'crazy old lady living on the edge of town', I'm even more out of my depth than you are here."

When she follows him inside, she waves off the waitress and looks around, taking in her surroundings as Charles chats.

Perception check: [roll0]

[Eonas]

Even in this relative darkness, you see the waitress' teeth glint. "Oh, yes, Mistress Queev is in the office at the back. Are you sure you don't want a drink?" she says.

You see nothing unusual except what I've already described.

[AngryCyc]

"I'll take a drink. ...what, that las scene was a bit more than I had expected. " Kalux says to the waitress. It might help to pad their pockets a bit to gain some info, and this seems a legitimate method to do so.

[Farmerbink]

Even in this relative darkness, you see the waitress' teeth glint. "Oh, yes, Mistress Queev is in the office at the back. Are you sure you don't want a drink?" she says.

I am quite sure that I do want a drink. However, unlike my esteemed colleague, I am also quite sure now is not the time to partake in one. With any luck, I may well return for more enjoyable pursuits later. Thank you for your help, miss.

Charles rises and leads the way to the aforementioned office, saying nothing more about the drink.

[Eonas]

The waitress hands Kalux a drink. It's tall and filled with bluish liquid.

As you cross the club to the office, you can't help but notice that the couple on the dancefloor seem to be naked. Even through the orgiastic clamor of the music, you hear the both of them moaning, yelling. The figures on the sides of the nightclub seem to be staring at the spectacle, faces ghoulishly lit up by the dimmest of red-tinted lamplight.
You realize that both partners seem to be splattered, almost covered, in blood. Their dance isn't simply a dance, you realize: the two of them are actually scratching or clawing at each other.
The office on the other side of the building is lit a little brighter, if not by much. It's small and contains essentially little more than a desk, two chairs on opposite sides of it, a drawer, and a woman reading through some papers on the desk. She looks up at you as you enter. Her face is stern, cadaverous, with stringy black hair and eyes that seem almost irisless. "Yes?" she asks coldly.

[AngryCyc]

Kalux eagerly takes the drink, the pretty colors of it intriguing him. He sips at it as they make their way through the club, putting most his attention on it.

Entering the office he starts "Mistress Queev? We're investigators for the Sherriff's and we have a few questions we would like to ask you. I see that you're fairly busy and I hope to not take up too much of your valuable time." he says a bit smarmishly.

[roll0] to improve initial attitude.

[Farmerbink]

Charles crosses the floor, eyes scanning actively.

[roll0] Charles notices the dancers peculiar dress and gruesome behavior. They- they're clawing each other to pieces! he hisses at his companions. I'm afraid we're on exactly the right track...

As they enter the office, Charles nods-agreeing with Kalux. Indeed. Hopefully, we can be on our way, quickly.
Intended to assist Kalux: [roll1] (DC 10 to assist)

[Eonas]

The woman stares at Kalux for several moments, then adresses him. "You aren't like the others, are you? Do they know?"

[AngryCyc]

"Haha!" Kalux laughs charmingly. "You know, I'm not sure they did. But I think right now we are more concerned with a dead and mutilated girl, found inside a property you own, and looking like she may have been there for quite some time, so maybe we should focus on that first?"

[Eonas]

The woman starts visibly. "Which property are you referring to?"

You begin to feel slightly woozy. Perhaps it's the drink?

[Farmerbink]

Charles looks askance at his comrade before stepping forward to answer the question. There is a fairly large warehouse, mostly abandoned, near the Rottstein mansion. I believe it technically belongs to you, through your late father's will, but it seems that someone else has been using it for somewhat less savory purposes than the storage and distribution of goods. Do you know anyone in particular who might have known it was disused and had reason to take advantage of the fact?

[Ionbound]

The perceptive around might notice Alyx's nose flare and crinkle as she turns and curiously looks at the pair bleeding all over each other, and siddles off to take a closer look at what, exactly, is going on.

[Eonas]

"It hasn't been used in years. I think it would be obvious by now it's abandoned." says the woman, sternly. She leans forward, and hisses: "If you, for some reason, try to trace the murder back to this place, I'll crush you like insects. I'm no murderer, but I'm a businesswoman."

As Alyx approaches the couple, one of the onlookers at the side of the club strides up to her and grabs her arm.
It's an ugly little man with a crooked nose, breath like a dog, and a vicelike grip. "Don't disturb the dancers." he growls in a low tone. You feel a sharp point against your midriff.

[AngryCyc]

Kalux downs the rest of his drink. "You hear that, Charles? We come without any hint of accusation and she jumps straight past the defensive all the way into threatenings. Wonderful." Kalux sways slightly.

[Ionbound]

Alyx very, very carefully nods and says, "Not at all. I wanted to get a closer look, is all."

[Farmerbink]

"If you, for some reason, try to trace the murder back to this place, I'll crush you like insects. I'm no murderer, but I'm a businesswoman."

Charles nods his head. I understand your concerns, but at the risk of point out the obvious, if we wanted to blame you, we have already traced the murder here. We're just looking for any information you might have.

Any benefit for a 32 diplomacy?

[Eonas]

Yup, your diplomacy roll had an effect. Just not, like, an enormous one, obviously.

The woman smiles thinly. "If I learn anything new, I'll be sure to notify you." She claps her hands."Alyona! Show these gentlemen out. I'm afraid I have to attend to some very pressing business right now."

The waitress who greeted you arrives at the doorway, still holding the tray of drinks, but says nothing.

The man releases your arm, but doesn't withdraw the point. "All right, then."

[Ionbound]

Alyx frowns and says, stepping away from the point, though away from the dancers, "Don't touch me again." Assuming nonsense doesn't happen, at that point she simply watches the dance, curious as to what's going on, though certainly not going to interfere unless something dire happens.

[Farmerbink]

"If I learn anything new, I'll be sure to notify you." She claps her hands."Alyona! Show these gentlemen out. I'm afraid I have to attend to some very pressing business right now."

Charles puts a hand up towards Alyona, Just a moment. He turns back to Miss Golantha. I'm afraid, for the moment, that that is insufficient. We have dealt with you entirely in good faith, and intend to continue to do so. However, that will require some recompense or effort on your part. I am more than happy to take whatever information you can give me regarding others you know who would have had reasonable access to your warehouse. I will even be happy to leave you to your work, once we have said information. Alternatively, I can encourage the sheriff to send a deputy with us next time, so that you can tell him, in person, what you hesitate to tell us now. He raises a his eyebrows slightly, anticipating her response.

Really, the choice is yours.

[roll0] sense motive. I'm pretty sure she knows something, as is attempting to hide it, but some confirmation (assuming she's bluffing, and my roll is high enough to note it) would be nice.

edit: epic nat 1.

edit again: just for clarification, Charles is not bluffing. My next stop, if she refuses to be helpful is the sheriff. Between the bloody dancers and her connection with the building, we've got more than enough to have a couple deputies come with us and have her arrested.

[Eonas]

You detect no lie.
The woman nods and snaps her fingers. The waitress turns around and enters the room of dancers again, while Golantha smiles a politician's smile. "I'm afraid I've told you all I know, gentlemen. You're more likely to find your murderer within the ranks of the police than you are here."

The waitress re-enters, followed by two wiry young men, greasy and scarred to the point where it seems half their skin must be scar tissue. Each has a hand in the fold of his thick leather coat. Golantha folds hands and looks at you two. "Will that be all?"

The wooziness amplifies to queasiness; you hear a ringing in your ears now, faint but insistent.
When the waitress enters, you fancy she gives you a long, hard stare before going to fetch two of the other bystanders from the side of the building.

The man nods and retires to the edge of the floor again. The dancing continues, and the taller dancer - who seems to be a man, although in this low red light it's hard to tell for sure - seems to be flagging. You hear his (her?) screams piercing through the music, see his feet stumbling around the other's.

[Farmerbink]

The woman nods and snaps her fingers. The waitress turns around and enters the room of dancers again, while Golantha smiles a politician's smile. "I'm afraid I've told you all I know, gentlemen. You're more likely to find your murderer within the ranks of the police than you are here."

Charles nods. I'm sure you can see how that might be difficult to believe. Very well, we will see ourselves out. He turns to face the two men. Would you be so kind as to step aside, sirs? He places one hand on his rapier's hilt and raises an eyebrow, expectantly.

[AngryCyc]

Kalux follows Charles though less standoffishly and a bit complacently. He puts effort into making sure his feet follow where he wants them to.

[Ionbound]

Alyx continues to watch, curious as to whether or not the dance will stop before one of the dancers dies.

[Eonas]

The men don't move an inch. "Suppose you leave the club and come back with the police? You must understand that this sort of negative attention would be very bad for business. " Glorantha asks, cooly. "I'm afraid I can't let you leave unless I have some proof of your discretion. A posession of yours that I can keep as a safeguard. An arm, perhaps?"

The dancers show no signs of stopping - or dying. If anything, their dance grows in frenzy alongside the crescendoing music, although the male dancer now drunkenly sways back and forth in a distinctly inelegant fashion.

[Farmerbink]

Charles squints briefly. You are a spectacularly poor negotiator, Miss.

Suddenly, Charles draws his rapier and attacks the nearer of the two men (as stated last post, my hand was on my hilt, somewhat expecting this sort of response). Alyx, Kalux! Time to go to work!


Charles (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=64397)AC 17, HP 23
For some reason, my sheet doesn't want to fill out the stat block.

[roll0] (+[roll1]?)== 9 initiative. -_-

[roll2] (+[roll3]?) attack
[roll4] potential crit confirmation (threat on 24-26, for x2 damage)
[roll5] damage
+[roll6] crit damage

if this doesn't count as a surprise round, and they attack me in return, I'm going to attempt to use the swashbuckler riposte&parry deed.

AoO to parry, if he attacks before next round: [roll7] (+[roll8]?) {-1 panache}
If that attack roll beats my opponent's, his attack misses and I can use an additional panache point to riposte- attacking him as an immediate action, as follows:
[roll9] (+[roll10] (-2 inspiration)) attack {-1 panache}
[roll11] potential crit confirmation (threat on 24-26, for x2 damage)
[roll12] damage
+[roll13] crit damage

If it does count as a surprise round, well, it may end better for me.

[Ionbound]

Alyx blinks but sigh as she appraises the situation and says, "Fine. If we must." She springs backwards, drawing and firing an arrow at the man Charles slashes at.

Move as far away as possible from all potential enemies,

Attack the man: [roll0]
[roll1]

[AngryCyc]

Kalux does little more than draw his shield and mace and hold them defensively, a bit unsure how they came to be fighting actually.


Initiative [roll0]

And a full defense when he can.

[Eonas]

When Alyx retreats to the entrance and fires at the men, she sees her arrow penetrate one of their backs. The other steps over to Charles before the investigator has a proper chance to go on the offensive himself, pulling out a long, serrated red knife and grabbing his opponent's arm. Charles feels his legs knocked out from under him, and he lands on the ground with a sickening thwack.

The music in the dance floor doesn't abate; neither do the dancers. One of the figures at the edge of the room begins walking towards Alyx, holding a long knife at his side. The rest watch on like silent judges.
It's the same man who grabbed your arm. He doesn't speak now, only grins.
Charles is prone. The thug who tripped him is adjacent to both Charles and Kalux.

It's Kalux' go if he wants to do something different than just full defense (if you do decide to change his action, maybe delete the original post for clarity's sake? Otherwise, I'll move on.

[AngryCyc]

Kalux lumbers forwards woozily, taking a step around to the side of the thug. He uses his mace to try to knock the man senseless without doing too much irreparable harm.


Non lethal attack [roll0]
Confirm [roll1]
Damage [roll2]
Crit [roll3]

[Eonas]

The man smiles crookedly as he easily sidesteps Kalux' attack, allowing the momentum of the mace's swing to throw his attacker off balance before he sweeps Kalux off his feet onto the floor.

[Ionbound]

Alyx growls at the man approaching her as she takes a step back and draws and fires another another arrow at the melee, "You don't want to do this. I will kill every last one of you, all for naught. Is that what you really want?"

[AngryCyc]

As Kalux falls to ground, he ignites into a blaze of fire. The burning man lands heavily on the ground, sending flames all around him. The flames attempt to burn into his own skin however they merely flick against him, doing no harm.

[roll0] fire damage to anyone starting a turn adjacent to me. Activated as a swift action after the immediate action.

[Farmerbink]

Charles attempts to rise and renew his attack on the thug who tripped him.

I know I incur an AoO for standing.

[roll0] attack.
[roll1] (24-26, x2)
[roll7] damage
[roll3] crit damage

if I get the chance to parry:

[roll4] parry. Functions as my AC. If they miss:

[roll5] attack as an immediate action
[roll6] (24-26, x2)
[roll2] damage
[roll8] crit damage

[Eonas]

The man makes no reaction as Kalux' fire burns his legs, instead focusing his attention on stabbing his dagger at the rising Charles. Charles easily parries the man's attack and has a chance to stab his rapier deep into the thug's flesh, through a layer of chainmail and into his side. The man yelps this time, but when Charles jabs his sword at him again, manages to dodge the point of the rapier.

The other thug, taller and darker-haired than his companion, rushes over towards Charles, pulling out his dagger. He wildly flails it and his other fist at him in a sort of one-two motion; both attacks connect, hard, and Charles has to stagger back.

The waitress and Glorantha watch the scene unfold from the doorframe and behind the desk, respectively. "Make it quick, boys, I don't have all day." Glorantha says, and looks down at her papers again.

Your comment is apparently lost on the man advancing towards you. On everybody else, too, apparently; it seems to be swallowed up by the noise and lurid red atmosphere of the nightclub.

Oh, and I forgot to roll the extra damage dice for the stance the fist-and-dagger thug's in. I don't think you can parry&riposte either of them, since you can only do one immediate or swift action per round. If so, both attacks hit, so 2d6. [roll0]
6+7+6=19 damage from the man's attacks, unless I'm missing something.

[AngryCyc]

Kalux smulders on the ground, burning more profusely and not moving.

[roll0] fire damage to anyone starting adjacent.

[Eonas]

Alyx' arrow pierces right through the shorter, burning thug's shoulder, until you see the bloodied arrowhead sticking out in front. He screams, and simultaneously his trouser legs catch fire. The flames race up his clothes as he desperately - and ineffectively - stabs his dagger down at Kalux, as if trying to wipe out the source of the fire.

[Eonas]

As Kalux lays motionless, the flames continue to spread. Charles' clothes catch on fire, and he briefly feels the fire sear his flesh before he falls to the ground, unconscious.

Alyona runs out of the room; Alyx sees her grab something from one of the watchers on the wall. Meanwhile, the other thug circles around his burning companion and, apparently heedless of personal injury, stabs his dagger down at Kalux. The heat seems to distract him, however, and Kalux manages to roll out of the way in time.

Charles' turn will consist of rolling a DC 10 Constitution check at a -3 penalty (because he's at -3 HP). Also, make a will save, and maybe delete post #92 for clarity's sake?

Thug 2 Attack/damage/extra damage [roll0] [roll1] [roll2]

[Eonas]

Alyona comes back with a large coat and flings it over the burning man.

The man in the dancefloor closes onto Alyx and grabs her arm with both his hands, twisting it behind her back. "Calm down, little fish. Don't disturb the club." he hisses into her ear.
Initiate grapple: [roll0]
You get no AoO on him.

Your turn again, firedaemon.

[Ionbound]

Alyx curses as she tries to turn and the man grabs her arm behind her. She stomps on his foot, trying to get her to release the hold. If this is successful, she turns and runs, trying to get away from the fight.

Break Grapple Check: [roll0]

Just to clarify, there are three thugs left, including the improved grapple one?

[Eonas]

Alyx manages to disengage herself from the man.

The thug's entire set of clothes are by now on fire, despite Alyona's best attempt to put them out, and he's now screaming, writhing in agony. Suddenly, without warning, he falls to the ground, unconscious.

Yes, that's right.

Your turn again, Kalux.

[AngryCyc]

Suddenly the flames around Kalux go out instantly. He uses the momentary chaos and confusion to roll 5 ft over to his downed companion. Spitting out the words quickly, he attempts to cast a spell to awaken Charles.

CLW [roll0]

[Eonas]

Charles revives with a gasp; stands up and is immediately cut down by the standing thug, who slashes a bloody diagonal line on his face.

Without warning, Glorantha looks up, says "Enough." and snaps her fingers. Alyona slams the door, effectively cutting the combatants in Glorantha's office from the dancefloor; and though they still hear the music from the other side, it now sounds muted and soft, as if it was playing a great distance away.
The thug facing off with you suddenly pauses. You see him beginning to withdraw as Glorantha suddenly pulls the chain to the lamp beside her. The dim red light in the room extinguishes entirely, leaving you in utter darkness - although, of course, you can still see through it - and near total silence: the only sounds here are the music outside, the breathing of the combatants inside, and... the sound of large, flapping wings, not ten feet away from you, about where Glorantha was sitting. Which is strange, because you can't see any wings. She stands up and begins walking towards you, and though the flapping sound approaches, you still see no wings.

Furthermore, for a split second when the lights turn off, an image flashes across your perception: a young girl lying someplace dark and grimy, screaming.
As you extricate yourself from the man's hold, you manage to open the door to the nightclub. The world is tinted red outside, as it is inside, but a blast of fresh, cool air accentuates the oppressiveness of the nightclub's atmosphere. The man catches up to you and grabs you again - but you manage to pull yourself away from him.
Initiate grapple again: [roll0]

[AngryCyc]

Kalux calmly stands and brushes off his clothes, beating the ash and dirt off them. For someone who was just fighting for his life he is surprisingly nonplussed.

"And?"

[Ionbound]

Alyx growls at the man, "I told you you would regret this," and her eyes flash yellow...But nothing happens. She frowns and mutters, "Dammit," struggling against the man. If successful, she springs back away from him and retreats to an effective bow range.

Transformation Check: [roll0]

Take a five-foot step out of grapple range, then move as far away from the man as possible.

[Eonas]

Glorantha's underlings wait as she approaches, then lightly touches you. For a moment, you feel warmth, then pain. When you look down at your hand, you see it's splitting, cracking up like dried earth. The thug springs towards you and plunges his knife into your stomach; when he withdraws it, it's with a slicing upwards motion which slices your stomach open and causes your guts to begin to slide out. Everything goes black, and you vaguely feel the floor rise up to hit your head.
You take [roll0] damage from Glorantha's attack, DC 17 Will save to halve. (If you fail the will save, then I think you're dead at -12 HP, but you're not off the hook; it's not game over yet. And if you do die, don't let firedaemon know.)
Furthermore, Thug 2 gets an attack/damage: [roll1] [roll2]+[roll3]
The street which you run into is still frequented by pedestrians, although not as thickly as it would be earlier in the day. Hokay. If you'd like to attack, would you like to do the attack roll?

[Ionbound]

Now out of the man's range, Alyx stops and fires an arrow at the man, before continuing to run through the crowd.

Ranged Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Eonas]

Your shot is wide of the mark, although the darkness prevents you from seeing where the arrow actually strikes. You notice the man begin to follow you, until the crowd swallows him as well; he's just a head of dark hair lost among many other heads of dark hair.
He's following about 15 feet behind you with knife drawn.
Is there anywhere you're aiming for? A back-alley? The police station? Your home? An abandoned spot in the slums? Some restaurant or squre or something? It's a medieval-noirish setting, so just about anything you can imagine having a place either in medieval Europe or 1920s america probably exists in Himmelburg.

[Ionbound]

Alyx looks around wildly as she looses track of the man, and, failing to see him, sprints off in the direction of the police station, trying to get some official help for Kalux.

Full Sprint Action in the direction of the Police Station, wherever that is.

[Eonas]

The streets thin out as you near the police station, and soon you see the wiry little man sprinting behind you, panting heavily. When you turn the next corner, you find that he doesn't follow after you.

When you arrive at the police station, the secretary at the front - a grey-haired, middle-aged woman who has looked bleary and slightly disheveled every time you've ever seen her in the office - informs you that Umgrub has left to go home for the night. Certainly, she's the only person in the station's front room.

[Ionbound]

Alyx barely bothers asking where Umgrub is, simply saying, "I need help...We were attacked while investigating the murders. Can you send anyone to help us? My partners are still trying to fight them off."

[Eonas]

The secretary stares at you a moment. "Well... where are they right now?"
You see her lips move ever so slightly - although you can't tell what they're mouthing - and a blackish-brown beetle a little smaller than a mouse crawls out from under her desk towards the door, then remains still.
We might as well RP outside spoilers at this point, since there's no one to spoil it from.

[Ionbound]

Alyx nods and says, "The nightclub, The Gorgon's Head. We have to hurry!"

Perception Check: [roll0]

[Eonas]

The secretary smiles, motionless. You hear a low and rapid skittering sound near the door, and she nods. "I've sent for help."

[Ionbound]

Alyx's head whips around as she hears the scuttling sound and says, "What was that?"

[Eonas]

"Messenger." the secretary replies - shortly and not entirely pleasantly, you think - without looking at you. "You're free to go about your own business. The situation will be taken care of by the morning."

Whoops, I thought I'd already replied!

So at this point you're free to do whatever you like, obviously, as always. You can go rest, or go back to the club, or ask around about the Gorgon's Head - it's not a particularly obscure establishment (although not a very well-known one either), so you're bound to rake up some answers there. Or perhaps there are other things you can think of that you'd like to do?

[Ionbound]

Alyx takes a deep breath and says, "Alright, then. I...I guess I'll go home then. Tell me what happened to them, will you?" And, with that, she goes home, all the way out to her cabin.

[Eonas]

It's dark and the moon is beginning her journey through the heavens by the time you arrive at your lodge, the journey entirely without incident - the man must have gone back to Glorantha.
If you like, you may briefly describe your routine and what you do next, and then we'll press on. Sorry about the loss of momentum caused by my slow IC posts. Hopefully we'll have that back up to full speed shortly.

[Ionbound]

Alyx makes her way home, grinning as she watches the moon's ascent, though she's careful to keep the wolf under wraps until she gets home. Once there, though, she simply hangs her bow on it's rack and goes back outside, making her way a little way into the woods before taking a deep breath and howling as she changes, fingers curling into claws and face extending into a muzzle as her ears point, muscles swell, and a coat of fur grows over her body as she lets the inner beast run rampant, letting her human self simply defocus as predatory instincts come to a point, trying to forget about the horrors of the day.

Effectively taking 20 on the Con check to transform.

[Eonas]

Through the trees you see a doe's head, watching you in terror. It turns around, leaps in a graceful, tall arc through the air, and you see a baby fawn, bleeding profusely and hanging out of its mother's rear end. The stench of death fills the air.

You feel yourself beginning to lose control, beginning to be completely overtaken by the hunter and animal within you.

DC 20 Will Save to avoid losing control, please!

[Ionbound]

Alright! [roll0]

[Eonas]

Everything goes red as you leap towards the deer, teeth bared - and then you lose yourself entirely.

When you wake up, shivering and naked on your (now totally human) back on a cold stone surface, you see that the sky is painted a dark shade of blood-red - not in the delicate watercolors of a sunset, but rather in a way that reminds you of a bucket of red paint having been dumped onto the sky. There doesn't seem to be any sun, or moon, or stars - just solid, lurid red.

And then you look around, and find that the sky is the least strange part of the landscape. You're clearly not in Himmelburg anymore, or if you are, it's not at all the Himmelburg you know.

You're in the middle of a city, and all around you are tall, impossibly tilted and teetering citadels that seem to crookedly claw at the sky. The alleys around you zigzag back and forth until, for you know, they might all just be a trick of the red light. You see a castle in the distance, but its walls are all bent outwards, like the leaves of a bluebell flower. Nearer you, there's a statue of a giant, bloated humanoid figure (you're briefly reminded of Umgrub, but that's only a very passing and far-fetched resemblance), and nearer still, a small, mouldy, dusty warehouse.

It's almost completely silent here - all you hear is the beating of your own heart and the buzzing of insects you cannot see.

Although, come to think of it, there is the gentle echoing of footsteps emanating from... well, you can't tell exactly where. The non-Euclidean-ness of the whole place makes pinpointing the origin of echoes this vague almost impossible.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to make another Will save. This time it's against shock because of the uncharacteristically bizarre situation in which you find yourself, and it's with a penalty equal to your negative Stability.

[Ionbound]

Alyx gapes as she wakes up, wildly looking around to try to get a hold of her surroundings. She whips her head back and forth as she hears footsteps and shouts out, "Who's there!? Where am I!?"

Perception Check: [roll0]
Will: [roll1]

[Eonas]

The footsteps stop abruptly, and the only sound that answers you is the incessant buzzing of invisible insects.

And yet, for a moment you thought you saw a darting shadow, somewhere in the alleyways behind the warehouse.

And - lucky for you - you succeeded the Will save.

[Ionbound]

Alyx's eyes catch the shadow and she carefully stalks towards the alleyway, trying to at least get a look at what cast the shadow and, presumably, is watching her.

[Eonas]

No footsteps answer yours as you walk through the alley toward where you saw the shadow, past the warehouse. When you get to the other side of the warehouse, you notice that the door's wide-open... inside are stacks of boxes and crates, and suddenly you realize that this looks like the same warehouse in which you found Yala's corpse. And, come to think of it, the spread-open castle bears an odd resemblance to the Rottstein manor.

You hear a gentle scratching or scrabbling sound coming from inside the warehouse. There is also another, more atmospheric sound (or constellation of sounds) that sees to originate in one of the citadels - it's like something between the strum of a lyre, a scream, and - especially - the squeal of a pig.

[Ionbound]

Alyx shudders as she realizes the similarities between this warehouse and the one where she found the body, but when she hears the scuttling sound, she starts towards it as silently as she can, determined to get some kind of answer as to where she is.

[roll0]

[Eonas]

You sneak through the warehouse's door - as far as you can tell, it's in exactly the same configuration as the murder location: boxes, doors, even cobwebs: all is perfectly identical. Except for the door which housed the corpse: that's shut. When you look around, the warehouse doesn't seem to be occupied.

... Until you hear the gentle sound of breathing above you. You look up: there's a man on the ceiling there, latched onto the ceiling by four hooks at the end of his thin limbs where hands and feet should be. It's the ugly little man who'd been following you earlier, and who now silently grins down at you, displaying two rows of grossly oversized needle-thin teeth, like those found on the maws of deep-sea monsters. He drops down from the ceiling above you, splayed-limbed.
DC 13 Reflex save to avoid being caught in his fall.

[Ionbound]

Alyx frowns as she explores the warehouse, realizing the similarities to the one in the real world. When she comes to the door, though, she she swallows, and, steeling her nerves, tries to open it.

Perception: [roll0]

[Eonas]

The door opens slowly, with a creak, and you see the inside of the back room. It's exactly as you left it: the little girl's corpse still lies on the floor as she was, naked, bloody, and mutilated; all about the room are still scattered feces and moldy food and blood and - but you don't remember previously seeing a small door there before on the other side of the room.

And then, the silence is shattered as the girl suddenly begins screaming, thumping her lacerated feet and hands on the ground like a fish on dry land. Thumping silently, for all noise is cancelled by that scream, dissonant and harsh and so ear-piercingly loud that the very walls around her rattle. That it's a scream of agony is made clear by the expression on her face as she swivels it towards you. It's the expression of somebody for whom a scream is not enough, for whom only eyes, wide-open and bloodshot, can adequately convey agony and despair.

Another Will save at a -Stability penalty, DC 15.
Take [roll0] damage and you're temporarily deaf for [roll1] rounds. Fort save halves damage and negates deafness.

[Ionbound]

Alyx shrieks and slams the door shut, turning and sprinting out of the warehouse, turning and slamming the door behind her as she exits at speed into the street, bleeding from her ears.

Another day, another failed Will Save: [roll0]

Fort: [roll1]

[Eonas]

As you run out the door, you vaguely notice large and pinkish-brown droping to the floor, but in your terror you don't look back, even as it follows you through winding alleys and bizarre landscapes, aiming for any location except for the warehouse with the screaming girl. When you regain your hearing, you half-notice a peculiar galloping rhythm of gentle taps on the ground, as if a horse was running on stilts behind you, as well as a hoarse and deep panting.

The city you run through is similar to what you'd already seen: tall, narrow citadels and labyrinthine streets. There are more Umgrub-like statues of bloated pseudo-humanoids, as well as of other things less obvious. The whole city seems practically deserted - except for a few hobos that stare at you malevolently, and the pursuer at your back. It would seem as if you're not in Himmelburg at all, except that you notice strangely familiar objects and landmarks: a certain large gnarled tree you've seen a hundred times in one of the city's central markeplaces, the rundown lair of a drug trafficker you ousted a few weeks ago, the spires of the great cathedral to Pelor in the distance.

And then, suddenly, as you're in a narrow alleyway, the sounds of pursuit behind you stop. You continue fleeing, of course, but finally the terror subsides, and you find yourself in the middle of a large square, seemingly built out of black tiles. The square is lined with citadels, as with the rest of the city you've seen so far, and there's a fountain in the middle, spewing something that looks decidedly like blood. You would have no idea where you are, except that you can see the cathedral's spires in the distance, apparently identical to the ones in Himmelburg - you might be able to use that as a point of reference, or perhaps retrace your steps?

Okay. So you need to roll a will save (minus your Stability, as always) to keep control over your disadvantages.
Furthermore, since you failed the check by at least 10, you gain another psychological disadvantage related to what you saw at the warehouse. Perhaps a phobia or hatred of children, or a compulsion to close all doors when necessary, or something else that you think fits.

[Ionbound]

Alyx wildly whips her head around as she looks back and forth, panicked, trying to figure out what hellscape she's fallen into. She shakes her head as she looks at the spires, and mutters to herself, "Okay...So if those are there...Then the outskirts are...That way!" With that, she runs towards where she thinks the exit to the city is. Hopefully she's right.

Will Save: [roll0]

Phobia gained: Abandoned buildings. Who knows what lies within...

[Eonas]

You wander through the alleyways, using the cathedral's steeples as a landmark as best you may. It's impossible to truly tell if you're going the right direction or not: no further landmarks present themselves.

Then, as you wander, you suddenly hear a soft, rapid rhythmic pattering behind you, augmenting in volume as if it approaches. When you turn around, you very briefly see a figure - small, slender, apparently dressed in peculiar red-and-grey-mottled clothes, dart into one of the side-alleyways about 30 feet from where you stand.

[Ionbound]

Alyx curses as she sees the figure, and calls out, "You! Get back here! Tell me where I am!"

[Eonas]

Once again, your only answer is silence - silence, and the distant buzzing of insects. And, presently, a low, deep creak coming from the side-alley.

[Ionbound]

Alyx frowns and then when she hears the creak, whips her head around, sniffing at the air, trying to smell out who-or what-is there.

[Eonas]

The air around you smells - and has smelled since you've gotten here - putrid, of ash, with metallic undercurrents. But there's a new smell that emanates from where you saw the figure: human, perhaps, or... something else. You're reminded, somehow, of blood, burnt linen, and cobwebs.

[Ionbound]

Alyx blinks a couple times as she picks up the new scent, then looks at the alley and carefully stalks towards it, trying to see what is there.

Stealth Check to sneak up on whatever it is: [roll0]

[Eonas]

The alley's just like all the others, only this time, one of the many citadels seems to have a large black door ajar that's just large and wide enough for a human to enter without ducking.

Which is odd - none of the other citadels seem to have doors.

[Ionbound]

Alyx presses her back to the doorframe and peers inside, trying to get a look at what's within before entering the door.

Perception: [roll0]

[Eonas]

The inside of the citadel is, like its outside, a circle of approximate diameter 20 feet. The walls are entirely black, and the only form of light emanates from a small flickering candle sitting on the floor. Coiled around the walls is a narrow circular staircase, winding up perhaps 50 feet before leading through the ceiling of the room. The floor is covered with complex swirling symbols or hieroglyphics. There's a large cabinet near the wall, and a bizarre x-shaped table, and crouched underneath beneath it, a man.

Immediately you recognize him as your pursuer from earlier, then realize that there's something wrong. His legs... they aren't normal; in fact, they bear so little resemblance to normal human legs that you can't even distinguish them. He grins at you and draws a knife from his tattered cloak.

Initiative, please?

[Ionbound]

Alyx curses and growls as she sees the man, "Where am I!? Tell me now and I won't hurt you." However, her eyes begin to glow yellow as she tries to transform.

Initiative: [roll0]

Con to transform (why is this not a skill like in 3.5...) [roll1]

[Eonas]

The old man (if that is what he is) grins so wide that you can see his rotten yellow molar teeth, and advances towards you. Once he's out from under the table, you realize what's wrong with his legs. There are five of them, spindly, crooked spider-legs that skitter across the floor towards you in a sort of ungainly but rapid dance.

"Himmelburg. You've always been in Himmelburg. But then, every city is Himmelburg. That's the problem, isn't it?" he says.

Your veins pop blue; the world begins to go red. Hair and fangs erupt, your back hunches over, your voice lowers to a growl, and then - and then you're a wolf standing against an inhuman man holding a crooked, bloody blade, alone in a black citadel in the middle of a strange city.

Sure, let's Werewolf Transforming a skill. Not a class skill, though.

[Ionbound]

Alyx lunges at the man, snapping as she tries to sink her fangs into his body, ripping at his flesh.

Alright, I think I'm doing this right:

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Eonas]

Your jaws rip the man/creature's arm's flesh away all the way to the bone, and twist him (it?) towards you. He lands on his face, spidery legs flailing madly. Then, letting go of the knife, he rights himself and turns tail, heedless of any attacks you make upon him, and scrambles up the spiral staircase around the room.

You may make an attack of opportunity and chase him if you like.

[Ionbound]

Alyx pounces at the creature as it flees, trying to rip into his flesh once more and drag him to the ground. She then pursues him up the tower, her attempt to bear him to the ground failing.

Let's just go with what you said for the rolls

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Trip: [roll2]

Argh, dem ones!

[Eonas]

Even with a torn arm and now a torn back, the mancreature skitters up the staircase almost too quickly for you to keep up with. When you follow him through the hole in the ceiling onto the next floor, you find yourself in a room far larger than the bottom-floor room, at least twice the diameter. Which is strange, because when you were outside the citadel, it seemed perfectly even, like a cylinder.

That's the least strange part of the room, however.

For around you, hanging to waist-height from a ceiling at least 20 feet high, are countless barbed, rusty chains. The room is so thick with them that it's difficult to walk through the metallic jungle without being scratched by the barbs - there's at least one per two square feet. The chains rattle and sway, as if by some unseen, unfelt wind. The ambiance sounds vaguely like the chirping of innumerable metallic crickets.

But there's also another, subtler element to the ambiance of the room, however, so soft that it's all but drowned out by the chains. Around the edges of the room is not a staircase, but a dozens of tiny, toy-sized figurines, dancing and gyrating as if by some strange magic. From them come the sweet sounds of humming - you're reminded of children's voices, although these sound artificial. The figurines each seem to be playing their own tune, and so the sound that rejoins the chains' ambiance is not melodious and beautiful but cacophonous and dissonant.

In the center of the room are five altar-like tables arranged from tip-to-tip to form a sort of pentagon. Four hooded figures in dark cloaks bustle around them, carrying objects that look rather like instruments of torture - an impression that is strengthened by the 'tool-racks' that stand scattered around the perimeter of the altar-pentagon, tool-racks that most definitely carry rusty, jagged instruments of torture. The figures seem pre-occupied by some pressing and attention-consuming task, and therefore do not seem to notice you until the mancreature scrambles towards them, heedless of damage done by the chains. Then two of them turn around and point at you.

[Ionbound]

Alyx makes a low growling noise as she looks around at the room, thoughts of tearing the man-thing apart forgotten for now. Instead, she just looks and sniffs around the room, at the men holding the torture implements, and then at the gyrating figures to the side, before growling at one of the torturers, pouncing at the figure, trying to rip into him.

Really counting on that DR to keep me alive...

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Eonas]

The chains' barbs tear into your flesh as you run, but your charge is successful - you scratch cleanly across the figure's flesh, tearing the dark fabric. His scarred, pale-eyed face registers no emotion, even as you wound him. The other figure begins running towards you with a bizarre rod-like implement that has dozens of hooks attached to it, like branches on a tree. You glance at the figure's face - and realize that it's the waitress from the nightclub, slavering and wild-eyed.

The two other figures, those who didn't point at you, still don't seem to notice you: they seem preoccupied in working at one of the altars, operating on a motionless body that seems to be dressed in a strange, almost jagged set of clothes. One figure jabs a sort of screw into the body; another seems to be using a scalpel on the body somehow.

On an adjacent altar, another figure lies, apparently also dressed in the same set of jagged clothes. Suddenly, with a horrible screeching, scraping sound, it moves an arm.

From the table the figures are working on comes a strange, unfamiliar sound. It's like the sound of a human moan, only deeper and far raspier.
Okay, take 1d4 damage from the chains: [roll0] DR applies, of course.

You acted on the surprise round, so you get to go again!

[Ionbound]

Alyx growls, pouncing again at the figure, trying to tear at his throat, the chains barely leaving scratches on her which quickly heal with unnatural speed.

Perception: [roll0]

Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]

[Eonas]

You leap at his throat and tear out a large chunk of flesh; he's still standing, eyes blinking, even with one half of his neck ripped away so that you can see his spine. A steady stream of blood pours out of the gaping hole in his neck as he calmly raises a rod of metal with a hook at the end, like a scythe with a disproportionately large handle and an almost laughably small blade. As he swings it down, the blood pouring out of his neck practically drenches the fur on your head: it smells sweet and oddly inviting.

You're easily able to leap to the side to dodge his blow, but the figure you recognize as the waitress reaches you as you do so, and plunges the barbed rod she holds into your side. She seems at ease in this environment, able to navigate through the chains dangling from the ceiling without them harming her.

The two figures working at the altar still don't seem to pay attention to you.

Figure 1 attack/damage: [roll0]-1=5 [roll1]
Waitress attack/damage: [roll2]+2=19 [roll3] +2 = 6 before DR.

(I forgot to factor in strength bonuses, haha).

[Ionbound]

Alyx growls, the brief wound that the waitress leaves closing up almost completely and unnaturally quickly thanks to her lycanthropic nature. However, she snarls and continues attacking the wounded figure, trying to finish it off.

Sorry I left this for so long, I ended up really busy and forgot. Totally my bad.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Eonas]

The figure collapses under your assault with a groan, deep gashes in his neck and chest. The waitress screams at you, cutting through the soundscape of chain rattling and cacophonous humming. "Run away, wolfie! You're not welcome in our hell!"" She stabs the hooked rod down at you again, piercing your neck again: you feel the barbs penetrate your skin and then tear it as she pulls the rod back out again.

Nearby, on an altar that isn't being operated on, the body with the jagged-looking clothes slowly sits up. Suddenly, you realize that it isn't wearing clothes at all: the entire body seems to be cobbled together from dried blood and razorblades: chest, arms, head, everything except the eyes - which are distinctively human and bloodshot - and teeth, which it seems to have hundreds of, long thin needle-like things. It entirely lacks a nose. And yet, the figure somehow seems so familiar...

Yup! No problem.

Waitress attack/damage: [roll0] [roll1]
That's a hit I believe, because your armor melds into your animal form. I think you have an AC of 15: +3 dex and +2 natural armor. Incidentally, I just realized I've been misreading the Lycanthropy rules: you get to keep your normal stats or your animal stats, whichever is higher. So your stats are exactly the same as they've always been, except your con is temporarily 15 instead of 12. Mark 3 extra HP, apparently?

[Ionbound]

Alyx growls at the waitress seeming to imply, Get out of my city, the wound completely sealing up. Then she lunges, snapping and tearing, trying to rip into the transformed waitress.

Ah, I see. I suppose it's good we caught this here then.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Eonas]

Even in this relative darkness, you see the waitress' eyes gleam as you as you tear her leg out from under her - she lands on her back with a sickening cracking sound. She claws at the air above her, shrieking words in a language you've never heard before.

You may make an attack of opportunity if you like; then we'll finish the opponents' turns.

[Ionbound]

Alyx barks triumphantly and lunges at the waitress, ripping and tearing at the downed opponent.

AoO: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Eonas]

You tear a chunk out of the waitress' neck: she flails wildly, but now the only sound that comes from her open throat is a horrible sibilant piping, as of air being forced out of a punctured bag - and then the flailing and piping ends, and she just lies there, blood pouring from her wounds.

Whatever noise and scuffle that you've just made, the other two hooded figures don't turn around, just continue working on the altar. But the strange metallic figure sitting on the other altar slowly stands up on the floor, a little shakily - it's unclear what its intentions are, although its bloodshot eyes stare at you intensely.

[Ionbound]

Alyx howls triumphantly as the waitress bleeds out, then lunges at the next robed figure, determined to somehow interrupt their ritual...Or at least, in bloodthirst, still is attacking the softer target.

Attack the nearest hooded figure, ignoring the barbed fellow for now:

[roll0]
[roll1]

Trip: [roll2]

[Eonas]

You knock the figure over onto the altar, the screw he was holding clattering onto the floor. His succulent flesh gives way to your teeth, and you easily rip out his neck. Then you glance at the body on the table.

Below the chin, it seems to be similar to the other figure on the altar, apparently made of dried blood and razorblades. But the face... much of its skin is... the only accurate description is 'peeled off', still connected to flesh in many places, but loose and flapping in others. The muscles are damaged and punctured, its nose its non-existent, and laced into what skin remains on its forehead are thin, delicate strands of rusting metal. The other figure is doing something to its feet with his scalpel.

The body on the table's bloodshot eyes dart around wildly, and eventually (accidentally, it almost seems) notices you. With what seems to be an inhuman effort, he whimpers "Kill me..."

And then you recognize the voice. The figure on the table is Charles Farthingham.

The jagged body on the other altar walks towards you, almost casually, baring its hundredfold needlelike teeth. Hello, Alyx." it says in a hideous screechy voice, and suddenly ignites into a large aura of flame that burns your flesh. The body - who by now, you recognize to be Kalux' - stretches its jagged metallic arm and grabs you by the neck - you feel its claws resting on your skin, not puncturing it. The touch is almost soothing, until suddenly you feel something like your soul being torn to shreds.

Take [roll0] fire damage. Not subject to damage reduction, I believe, since it's elemental damage?
Also: [roll1] Yup, hit.
On a hit, take [roll2] negative energy damage, will save half.

Furthermore, make a will save (with a penalty equal to your stability... you still get to add your normal Will save bonus, by the way, in case that wasn't clear) against shock from having found your ally in such shape. You won't go paralyzed here, but neuroses might kick in.

[Ionbound]

Alyx yelps in pain as the fiery aura surrounds her as well as at the soul-sapping nature of Kalux's touch, but his unnatural form, the sheer corruption, steels her as she growls angrily at what she believes is corrupting her
beloved forests and lunges at what's left of Kalux, angrily trying to tear at his corrupted body.

Will Save to Resist: [roll0]

San save: [roll1]

[Eonas]

Your teeth clamp down on his metallic arm - ineffectively, and almost painfully: the blades feel like they cut you more than you cut him.

Now Charles is screaming "Kill me! Kill me!", adding his voice to the symphony of rattling chains and chaotic melodies, to the high-pitched grinding of metal against metal as Kalux claws at you with sharp fingers, still aflame.

Meanwhile, the waitress stands up again, newly healed. She points at you: you suddenly feel woozy, and the world spins around you. The two bloody dancers from the club appear before your eyes, seeming as one, whirling around you like a top, laughing and moaning. The doe from last night (if it was last night you saw it) with the fawn's head hanging out of its rear end. The two deer are bloody, like the dancers. The doe grins at you, humanlike. Vaguely, in the background you see Kalux trip and fall, and the waitress cackle. The last thing you remember is hearing Charles' screams rise above all the rest of the din and seeing the floor rising up to hit you.

And then you wake, gasping and sweat-drenched. You're lying naked in human form on a small, mattressed wooden bed in a decrepit wooden building. Next to you, a man lies with his back to you, also naked. Bright yellow sunlight streams in through the many cracks in the walls and ceiling. A small bowl, filled with feces and swarming with flies and beetles, sits in the corner. There are two sets of clothing lying on the ground in a heap, as if haphazardly thrown there: one of them you recognize as yours. Your skin is still cut and bruised in various places, but the wounds are more superficial than anything else.

The man next to you turns around: it's Kalux, completely normal in appearance, made out of regular flesh and blood as opposed to razorblades and dried blood. "Good morning, good morning! How did you sleep?" he beams at you. There's something about his tone that feels slightly odd - especially given the strange circumstances you're in, especially given the fact that you don't even slightly remember how you got into bed with him, especially given the fact that what the hell happened? - but at least it's a far cry fom the hideous screeching rasp you'd heard in the nightmare.

Because it was a nightmare, right?

Barely succeeded the Will save, so only 4 damage taken - DR doesn't apply here as well, I think. Bad luck for the Shock roll, though - you don't know what the effects are yet. I'm still not nuts about the whole Shock roll subsystem - it's clunky and confusing and dysfunctional. So I'll be working on fixing that when I have the time.

Claw attack 1: [roll0] [roll1]
Claw attack 2: [roll2] [roll3] So only 1 damage throughout. Not that it matters, because...
(I'll roll a will save against spells for you, just for the sake of expediency: [roll4])

Because you heal all damage.

[Ionbound]

Alyx wakes up screaming, then retches as the scent of feces reaches her nose, then realizes who her caretaker is. Panicked, she scrambles away from Kalux and says, "Y-you...You're dead. You shouldn't be here. Where...Where am I?"

[Eonas]

Kalux draws closer, extending a hand towards you. "You're in the slums. We ran away, you and me. Charles didn't make it out of the nightclub, but we did. Remember? And then something came over you. It was all I could do to follow you here." he says, his tone hovering between nonchalance and concern.

[Ionbound]

Alyx shakes her head and rubs her temples, saying, "No...No, that's not right...I-I went home. I sent someone to help you, but I didn't come...What...What happened?"

[Eonas]

Kalux grabs your hand gently. "Are you sure you're all right, Alyx? I was right behind you as you ran. I escaped from the nightclub as they killed Charles." He looks into your eyes, full of sincerity and concern.

[Ionbound]

Alyx scrambles back away from Kalux and says, "No...No that's not what happened...I ran alone. I-You died! How are you still alive? What...What's going on!?" Her eyes dart around the room, looking for a door or any other way out.

[Eonas]

There are two exits on the opposite sides of the small room. Both wooden doors, one shut and the other obviously jammed, the latter door being too large and of the wrong shape to fit the doorway. The jammed door is cobwebbed: clearly, nobody's been through that one in quite a long time.

"Alyx!" Kalux cries, leaping towards you and grabbing your hands a second time, this time a little more forcefully. "You're not yourself! You need to rest. Let's get you back to your home. The one outside town - it's not safe anywhere else."

[Ionbound]

Alyx shakes her head and says, "No. No...Something is going on. You're a part of it. I don't trust you." With that, she kicks at the door that's jammed up, trying to knock it down.

Strength Check: [roll0]

[Eonas]

The door topples over easily, its hinges only having been affixed to weak, rotting wood. About two feet from the entrance is the wooden wall of another building, which isn't perpendicular to the ground but instead leans in towards this one. You could get through the narrow alleyway between this building and the other, to wherever it leads, but you'd probably have to either crawl or walk sideways.

"Wait! I know you're not yourself right now, but you have to trust me!" Kalux cries, and there's a note of real desperation in his voice. "It's not safe out there - Umgrub's a bad man! And don't you want to put on your clothes?"

[Ionbound]

Alyx frowns and looks back at Kalux and says, "Fine. If you're really looking out for me, where are we? Why am I here? Where are my clothes? And why is there a bowl of **** in here?"

Sorry I let this deadtime for so long. I forgot it was a thing for a while.

[Eonas]

Kalux grabs some of the clothes on the ground and tosses them at you. They're yours, all right, but all torn and bloody. "The slums! You came here last night - you weren't yourself. And we... we..." Kalux pauses. "Don't you remember anything?"

Outside, you hear footsteps, slow, heavy, irregular footsteps maybe 30 feet from where you are right now. Coming from two pairs of feet, it sounds like. Somebody's whistling (out of tune) and making a sound like they're dragging something on the ground.

[Ionbound]

Alyx shakes her head and says, "I was out hunting, blacked out, woke up in a twisted version of the city where you were a monstrosity of razors, and now I'm back here with you after you *killed* me. Forgive me for not being very trusting." Her ears perk up, though as she turns her head and says, "Someone's coming. Know who?"

[Eonas]

The whistling stops, and for a moment everything outside is quiet. Kalux, for a moment, convulses, burying his head in his hands and trembling - either out of frustration or something else. "Look, look," he says, "You just had a nightmare. Clearly you've been in Himmelburg all along, and... "

Your conversation is abruptly broken by loud banging on the walls outside. "I... I can shmell your shweat..." a deep, drunken voice yells, as the whistling resumes.

Argh. Accidentally unsubscribed. Sorry!

[Ionbound]

Alex listens and shakes her head, saying, "No...I know I went home. And I know I went hunting to try to let off some steam. I just don't know how I-" She pauses, listening to the drunken voice, then looks around for a weapon as she curses, "Damn! My bow is still out in the woods somewhere. You have something like that around here?"

[Eonas]

Kalux nods, finds his pants on the ground and rummages inside them until he finds a small scalpel wrapped in cloth. He tosses it to you. It's the size of a kitchen knife.

Outside, the voice keeps yelling: "I can shmell the oil that greashes your bonesh... the blood between your gearsh..."

Another voice laughs, a grating raucous sound. There's a thud, and a splintering noise: one of the boards in the walls cracks, smashed by a large object.

Kalux pales. His hands cover his face again, and he suddenly begins whimpering. "No, no, we need to get out, we need to get out..."

[Ionbound]

Alex frowns as she listens to the words and closes her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nose, trying to detect what's outside, as well as what's up with Kalux, via her lycanthropically-enhanced sense of smell.

[Eonas]

Kalux smells normal, of meat and blood and sweat. The figures outside smell the same, but there's something else: tar or hell-crack or something similar.

There's another thud, and several of the boards break in two at the impact. You see the blade of an axe poke through the hole in the wall. "Peek-a-boo, little ratsh. Daddy'sh come to play..."

[Ionbound]

Alyx nods to Kalux and says, "Alright, let's go." A hint of fear shows on her face as she turns, looking for a way out that doesn't go through the man with an axe at the door.