IC World of Vampire Hunter D: Welcome to the Frontier, Part 1

[SacredAncestor]

The Small Town of Lodes, in the middle of the day and center of Lodes, a crowd had formed, whispering and observing, bloodstains near the fountain and the laying dead bodies next to them. The corpses have been lacerated by claws bigger than the usual animals around here and some clearly visible gashes. Your group of hunters had come here, following the tracks of a werewolf, with a bounty of 1000 dala coins on his head.

Small buildings, wooden signs and what appeared to be the local sheriff was there as well, a tall man with a cowboy white hat, a brown jacket and a riffle strapped to his back, smoking a cigarette, while checking out the corpses near the fountain.

Children, men, and women, stared at your group entering town, some moved out of the way, others talked low enough that your group wouldn't hear. But, as hunters, you already a good idea of what they might be talking about.

ooc: Welcome to World of Vampire Hunter D! Feel free to make a nice introduction post and we will get started relatively soon enough. If you want to use some skills, feel free to go ahead, if not sure ask in the ooc.

[Eotyrannus]

Samuel frowned, looking at the corpses. "Looks like it's beaten us here," he said darkly, shifting his hat. "Nasty piece of work. Caspar, if you could talk to the sheriff for me? I'll see if I can get a better idea of what exactly we're looking at."

He moved towards the corpses respectfully, to avoid the anger of their ever-watching souls. He gave a tip of his hat in their memory, then he crouched down to inspect the damage. "Let's see here..." he muttered.

Knowledge (Not Geography or Planes) should be appropriate. I roll [roll0], plus a free Inspiration for [roll1].

[Azoth]

Ryner shifted his cloak as he dismounted his trusted bison mount. He knew how towns looked at Hunters, especially the ones that hardly looked human. His all white eyes scanned the crowd as he moved next to Samuel.

Let's try to make this quick. I get the feeling soon enough they are going to blame us for this, and I'd rather be gone when that happens.

His hand shifted down to rest on his revolver. The silver rounds already loaded and ready for their target.

[Triskavanski]

"They seem more vicious than a corn buzzard caught in a wheat thresher." replied the more cowboyish of the group. His heterochromatic eyes aluded to something just a tad different than the human he appeared to be. Even his colloquialisms seemed to be a tad forced. He unshouldered his rifle scanning the horizon.

[Wymmerdann]

Caspar took the instruction on the chin. Samuel seemed the kind to get rather focused on the hunt, and even then maintained niceties considered rare on the frontier.

"Aye it's a nasty piece of work and the sooner we're back on the road the better," Caspar responded.

Weapons sheathed at his belt, he removed his blackened helm, ran his hand through his matted hair and strode over to the apparent Sherriff. As he walked over to the sherrif, he drew more than one pair of eyes from the gathered square. Unsure how this town would judge newcomers, he elected a conciliatory disposition.

"Well met," he greeted the Sherrif, offering his right gloved hand, "I am Caspar, called The Blackhelm by some. These are my companions Andreas, Anderson, Ryner and Samuel," he gestured vaguely at his companions. "We hunt a cursed shapeshifting beast, and by the looks of this tragedy, you have cause to aid us in that venture. I trust these poor unfortunates must be recently deceased, to be left so unseemly in your village street, rather than laid in proper repose. Please, Master Sherrif, tell me of what transpired here."

Well, mostly conciliatory.

[DoctorFaust]

"They're probably just scared," Lee says, idly thumbing the hammer of his revolver. "Some of their own did get killed by something they have no hope of fighting against. Feel like we should be a bit more charitable than assuming they're going to attack us."

[SacredAncestor]

Samuel observes the victims with various lacerations and wounds, reminiscent of werewolf attacks, like the one they have been tracking in the last few days.

The crowd whispers to each other, as Samuel get closer.

"Hello Mister Blackhelm, so now Hunters heh? Guess the day isn't over yet." As the Sheriff looks down at the victims while puffing some smokes and some chatters among the crowd becomes louder when he mentions hunters.

"These two hoodlums, were out carousin' and guess what...we heard screams and before we knew it...we had some blood in the fountain.This happened only a couple of hours ago and while you are here...don't cause troubles. We have enough of those around here."

ooc: You can attempt to do some tracking, survival check for that of course, you could look for other means/talk with the people, gathers information (Diplomacy checks) etc...

[Azoth]

Ryner turned to look at Lee, " I am as charitable as any man out here can be. It just ain't a stretch of the neck to see how these folks would blame us. Even easier to see how their feelings could turn to violence."

Shifting his eyes back to the crowd he let out a low sigh. " Doesn't even look like the S.O.B. did it to eat. Thinking maybe he did it to sandbag us. Why do we get the ones that keep their brain?"

[Wymmerdann]

"We desire no trouble, I can assure you, friend sherrif. If there are witnesses to the events, and particularly the direction of the beast's flight, please, let them come forth. " With a nod of gratitude Caspar walked over to his companions.

He spoke to them, "The killings seem to be at the hands of our quarry, only a few hours ago. We should decide quickly whether we intend to give immediate chase, or run it down over time. I for one would welcome an end to this hunt before it can continue to carve this swathe of destruction."

[Eotyrannus]

Getting up from his analysis and returning to the rest of the group, Samuel told them, "Certainly looks like our target's been through these lads. I doubt there's anything else that could get in and out of a town so quick. I'm afraid to say I haven't the skill to track the beast on hard ground- but you were pretty decent in the wilds, Lee. Might be an idea for you to check it out."

He hummed to himself, thinking. If I were a werewolf, where might I go...? He started considering the general lay of the land- the manhound would have to return to its human form at some point, and if the more sociable of the group couldn't dredge something up he could have a pretty good guess at where the creature might look for shelter.

I make a Knowledge (Geography) check of [roll0] plus [roll1] to figure out habitable places for a werewolf in the local region- potential locations of groves, springs and lairs. With luck the rest of the party can scrounge up some real information, like witnesses and tracks, but being able to guess where it's hiding out should help if we have to brute-force it.

[Triskavanski]

Anderson frowned a little as he looked over bodies and such. He had some abilities the other hunters would likely know, but they weren't things one would show off in the midst of 'proper' company. Especially when they were hunting a shapeshifter like a werewolf.

"Well ain't like he's gonna just randomly butcher folks, even animals have a reason they kill something."

[DoctorFaust]

"Not so sure I'm skilled enough either, but I can certainly give it a look," Lee replies. "If I can't tell, we may as well leave town and try to find it in the wilderness."

He tosses down the reigns to his horse, gives it a pat on the nose, and then walks over to the fountain. He squats down over the bodies, staring intently at the ground to look for any distinct claw marks.

Survival to track: [roll0]

[Azoth]

Ryner presses his thumb and index finger against the bridge of his nose. A look of obvious frustration on his face.

If he didn't do this to eat, he might have done it to slow us down. Make us waste time here looking for him while he puts some distance between us. If he is crafty, he is still here, and hopes we make that deduction and take off on his heels.

This is a damned if we do, and damned if we don't situation boys.

I say we ask about town to see if anyone new showed up recently. We know he had a lead on us, so maybe he is trying to keep his nose down. Worst case, we waste half a day resupplying and eating something other than rations. We can always double time the mounts to make up for it.

[Wymmerdann]

Ryner's insight surprised Caspar. That the beast might kill townsfolk just to mke it easier to hide amongst them was sickening. It was just that lateral thinking that made the man so useful. Well, lateral thinking and magic.

He turned his gaze back over his shoulder, toward the Sherrif, and felt his gaze double for a moment as he sought a glimpse of the man's heart. After all who would be less suspected than the Sherrif?


Taking his companion's advice he headed for the local hostelry, to ask around after recent travellers. Descriptions, direction of travel, whether there were any other folk missing. Critical questions all. He began with the ownr, using the same Gods-Given Insight that he had on the Sherriff

He hated anything that didn't wear it's own skin.

Detect Evil on the Sherriff and the Owner of the local hostelry/Inn

[Triskavanski]

Anderson followed Casper himself, not having a whole lot he could do in the eyes of 'pleasant folk', after all he was one of those creatures that shapeshifted himself, which particularly fulled his own hunt against those that slaughtered without a real cause.