Slime Ball - RPLOG
Participants
Date
24/10/476
Log
Early morning in Shanty Town. The streets are quiet and remarkably clean today, for some reason, or at least around what was until recently the local soup kitchen. Now, it's bustling, for not for the usual reasons - guardsmen patrol up and down the place in twos and threes, enforcing the cordon that's been set up about the place while the investigators work, finally being able to examine the building beyond the abandoned guard house, refectory and kitchens without having to worry about some local shivving them in the back for two crowns. There's a sense of tension and unease in the air, but that's perfectly understandable considering what's happened here. Folks plain disappearing tends to rattle the nerves.
"Finally, took them long enough." It had been what, two days now and they are finally able to search in the area around the buildings? Angus mutters a little bit to himself as he taps the toe of his boot against the cobblestones, his tail flicking as he looks around. Waiting for the others to finally appear.
Alef follows close behind Angus, the recruit quiet, other then her staff on the cobblestone, hood up against the chill in the air, looking around quietly. "Its quiet isnt it?"
Selena makes her way onto the scene, glancing about the cordon a little warily before approaching Angus and Alef - though the latter's hood makes her not recognise the fennec at first. "Angus, I heard about the disappearances... I'm not too happy about them, but at least they're being investagated. You'd think the guards would be able to take better care of themselves."
Kurzon arrives with the clank of of armor over chain, a rifle slung at his back with a heavy gauntlet on one hand and the other gripping an ornate hammer as he goes. His expression seemingly grim due to the cowl covering his heavy features. Going by size and shadow alone, he was imposing and certainly not from around here despite the markings of the clergy. A pause is given to look over the patrols and then the cordoned area before he strides over to loom over the trio, a book held up in his armored hand, the pages turning slowly until he comes to a drawing that resembles Angus, though the wording that one would assume is his name is all musical notation. "Angus...association:shadow hunting. Right. You I don't know....Hmm and you...you are...bah, the writing is smudged, I've met you, but I can't read my notes on your name."
The group is waved through the cordon, Angus naturally taking the lead due to his position. The grunts on the perimeter are mostly there to serve as pairs of eyes while a handful of junior officers go about in the search for any suggestions as to what might have caused the disappearances, starting from the main serving and seating area.
It's still largely as much as Angus and company left it a few days ago, save for the faint sheen of dust that's gathered on most surfaces. The used dishes are still in their trolleys and trays, the adjoining kitchen empty and clean. It's up to everyone to decide how to best begin looking about in more detail.
Angus turns to study Alef for a bit, propping the brim of his hat up as he sighs. "Over a hundred souls departed from here without a trace less then three days ago, the silence is their way of mourning. As most of the people that disappear from Shanty town. Don't come back." Selena's appearance is treated with a nod of greeting, a smile starting to grace his muzzle before he turns around to face Kurzon. "Not much need for a shadow hunter anymore my good friend, The Lightbringers are working more to protect the homefront. Yet our blades still remain as sharp, just in case."
Alef shakes her head "I mean... even with the cordon, there should be something. singing birds. Wind..." Frowning quietly, before giving Selena a gentle smile. "Hey Selena." Nodding her head quietly. but looking at the new person she gives a nod. "I havent ment you ether, Im Alef, I only just joined the guild recently." offering a hand. "Im going to see if I can sense any magic use in the area." nodding lightly.
Selena raises an eyebrow at Kurzon's obsessive note-taking, though she pats the fox on the back and grimaces slightly at the number. "I don't see how so many beings could just disappear overnight like that, but... Well, I suppose that's why we're here." She comments, nodding back to Alef. "Hello to you too, Alef. It has been a while, hasn't it?" She note, looking over the dust on the tiles for any disturbances, or any marks that might be indicative of older movement. "...Yes, I have noticed you there, Kurzon. Do you really still need that book to jog your memory on people?" She chuckles, looking back over her shoulder for a moment.
Kurzon's expression does turn grim when Angus says his part about the shadow hunting, his hammer having been raised to tap against his armored breast in respect for those so vigilant. Oddly, he had no such reaction involving the dissappearances and soon enough he is latching his hammer to his hip so that he can update his notes, writing in his musical shorthand, a new page made for Alef, his gaze slipping from her and back several times as he takes useful details down and makes a few rough sketches. "Alef? Pleased to make your aquaintance, may your efforts ever bear fruit." When Selena adresses him he bows his head in embarassment, his round ears folding away to shield scrutiny as he replies "There is ever so much to think on, so many mysteries to chase, it pains me to admit, but I do still require some aid to put name to face." Thus does his writing correct the errors that make Selena's name clear to him before he makes a new page for notes on the investigation, his first effort to utter aloud a prayer for the focus and success of the others in their investigative efforts.
Seeing that the group is with Angus, the junior officers doing the grunt work of the investigation quickly spread out to give everyone the space they need. As Selena looks through the dust on the floor of the common seating area, there doesn't seem to be anything out of sorts at first. Footprints of all manner of beings line up from the main entrance, to the counter where food is served, then to the seating areas and back to the entrance in one big circle. Most of them appear to be from old boots or even bare feet - not uncommon for the shanties.
Interestingly, there's no dirt on the floor, just clean-smelling dust. Considering how filthy and refuse-filled the shanty streets usually are, one would expect at least some to have been tracked in from outside.
Angus gives Kurzon a respectful nod, tipping his hat very slightly before turning around. "The birds?" He asks, blinking a bit as his gaze turns up towards the roofs of the buildings. "I don't see how it could happen as well Selena, I've been trying to investigate the disappearances of the Guards here, but I can't find any information on the beings from the Roster. Excuse me." Turning around he walks outside the Kitchen, his eyes scanning for anything out of place as he looks for an alleyway or the closest entrance into the sewers.
Alef frowns lightly. "Shaking her head "All I have is background feelings." Sighing lightly. looking at the various guardpost rooms. "Angus? You know the guard pritty well. can you point out regular sources of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire magics the guard use around here?" Seeming genuinely curious as she reaches up to rub between her eyes.
Selena raises herself back to her feet and dusting herself off for a moment. "Well, that's... Surprising." she comments, looking over the floor again. "I'm surprised that this room's so clean, comparatively." She notes, furrowing her eyebrows for a moment. "You know, if you can't find anything about the beings on the register, wouldn't it be possible that someone tampered with it so there were no guards on duty here?" The wolfess suggests, rubbing her chin for a moment before examining other parts of the room - tables, chairs, any valuables.
Kurzon naturally gravitates toward communal areas, seeking the places where people read, prayed or otherwise may have scratched out a frantic note. If anything a few days' dust would highlight such a thing to even his apprentice eyes. Well when it came to investigating, he was decent at other...wait silence, cleanliness, missing people...this just kept shaping into a better mystery by the moment, he kept his mouth shut for now, but he couldn't wait to study the seating thoroughly, take notes and contemplate all of this and discuss it passionately with the others.
No matter how incompetent one might imagine the Firmament city guard to be, at least they've known enough to leave the scene undisturbed. As one goes over the contents of the seating area, the remaining plates, bowls, mugs and other utensils apparently haven't gone bad despite the food remnants having being left out there for three days now - some of the plates are still greasy, as are the stains on the tables and benches, but the oil and fat hasn't gone rancid.
Kurzon's own searches find a tray of freshly-baked loaves of bread fresh out of the oven - or they would have been - they're a little hard and stale, and it looks like something's taken bites out of the loaves - or at least, the parts that've started to go mouldy.
On Angus' part, the search for the nearest sewer entrance leads him to a chute behind the building where wastewater and grease is poured away into the covered trenches that pass for Shanty Town's sewer system. For some reason, while it doesn't smell particularly rosy, the stench that should be there, considering the accumulated filth of the shanties, should be present.
Angus frowns as he crouches near the chute. "Hm? any mathemagics that the guard would use? Well, they usually have a mage stationed at the guardpost I would believe." He shouts as Alef walks away. There was something off about the smell of the chute, it wasn't there... Reaching into the pouch at his side he pulls out a crown, and drops it down the chute. Listening to see just how long it takes for the thing to reach the bottom.
Alef shakes her head, walking to join Angus. "I mean. im detecting above background level magics around us. on all four elements. but I cant tell where the sources could be." Watching him drop a crown down the sink. "What?" watching curiously, wondering what hes up to.
Selena shakes her head a little, a quiet hmm escaping her lips before looking for some kind of shift list or other roster. "There's usually some kind of background magic wherever you go." She notes quietly, moving around the guard's section of the building should there be one.
Kurzon frowns as he sniffs over the food he finds, noticing a lack of decay and chemical advancement in all things save the bread. Tasting the fat, he nods, taking notes carefully before moving to each new dish until he is examining the bread, tapping it gently with a talon, testing the hardness before prodding the muldy parts nooting the difference in texture and look of consumption. Rising to his feet he brings one plate of food and one of the loaves of bread to Selena. "I feel as if there has been a stasis here or some sort of halting of nature. aside from this bread, everything has stopped decaying and of all things the decayed part looks to be eaten by something recently..."
The chute isn't terribly deep. About two seconds pass before Angus' coin lands, a slimy splash coming up to his ears, followed by a bubbling and squelching from underneath. As for Selena, the kitchen's duty roster is still pinned up to one of the walls by a number of cauldrons, stained by still legible - the names and shifts of each and every kitchen hand for each meal is listed.
Angus frowns when he ears the coin plink into the water, his ears flicking. "Just testing something." He answers Alef as he stands up and dusts his hands off. He eyes the chute once more, checking around the grating before he turns around. "...Does this place have a storage basement?" He asks of no one in particular as he turns around and walks back into the building.
"Over there, sir. There's a root cellar where the potatoes and such were kept," one of the junior officers says, pointing towards the back of the kitchen. "We haven't searched there yet, bull will get to it within the hour."
Angus nods as he rubs at his chin. "...Anyone up for some spuds?" He asks as he walks over and flings open the root cellar doors. Standing up at the entrance he flicks his tail and draws his Rapier. "Could I get a torch here please?"
Alef shakes her head "Its fine..." Turning to look at Kurzon "The food isnt decayed except for the bread? That proves something strange is going on here." nodding lightly and using her fire mathemagics to create a light for angus, following him into the root cellar
Selena looks over the list of workers again, offering it to Kurzon for a moment. "If you have trouble memorising things, this might come in useful." She comments with a wry grin. The note about stasis is met with a shake of her head. "I doubt it, Kurzon. I haven't so much as heard of a spell capable of freezing an area in time. As for the cellar, though... That might be a good place to look." She notes, before calling out; "Angus, I'll be with you in a minute!" She announces, making her way over to the fox and cellar.
Kurzon grunts, accepting the list, quickly onehandedly transcribing the info into his notes before replacing it. When it becomes clear everyone is going down the stairs he unlatches his hammer from his leg and hunches down to follow, bringing up the rear and making certain that nothing may attack from behind, his gaze wary as it sweeps from side to side. His eyes luminously silver in his intense effort to go unsurprised in this descent.
The door to the cellar is situated down a flight of stairs, about twelve feet below ground level. The air here is cool and slightly pungent, light from above filtering down into the stairwell. There are a couple of sconces on the walls, but the torches in them have gone out long ago. Odd, though - as Angus attempts to open the door, the handle turns well enough, but the door appears to be stuck in place. Glued, even.
Angus grunts in effort, blinking a little in surprise. "What in the name of....Kurzon, mind giving me a hand?" Was the door locked from the inside or glued? Something was just off about this. Grabbing one of the handles in both hands he plants a foot on the side close to the door, and starts pulling with all his might.
Kurzon is of course utterly obliging when asked to help out, one hand clamping over Angus', the other bracing against the door frame as he lends his leverage and size to the effort.
Selena shakes her head, moving back to the others and tapping the other's shoulders before pulling a half-spear like implement. "You might want to know there's something behind that door. It could be a shadow or old one, but there IS one around." She notes, readying herself.
With one final pull under the combined efforts of Angus and Kurzon, the door gives way, opening with a wet, sucking sound, followed by a stench that threatens to overwhelm all present.
The far back wall of the root cellar has collapsed inward, masonry giving way to earth and then the darkness of the sewers beyond. The reason for the sewers' cleanliness becomes evident: all the muck, dirt and rot in the surrounding area has been pulled together into a single necrotic, festering mass of filth, glistening in the light of Angus' torch. Bits of refuse and other things are visible in its black, translucent body - rotting wood, sewage, assorted trash...and bones. The black goo is spread all over the cellar in a thick, vile layer - dripping from the walls and ceiling, flowing over what little remains of the corroding barrels and stored food. It's little wonder why the streets of shanty town have been so clean of late...devoured by this thing of decay and putrefaction made flesh, undulating slightly as it pulls itself together off the walls and into one great mass.
As the doors finally open the Fox stumbles, nearly losing his footing. "Well, lets see..." He stops as soon as the smell hits him, his smile turning into a scowl as he tries not to gag. His eyes grow in horror as he stares at the goo creator, frozen in shock as he looks over the decrepit horror. The bones are what drag him from his stupor, anger replacing the shock as he now knows where the innocent beings as Creator flames spark to life on his Rapier.
Alef's eyes open wide! Her nose curling on her muzzle as she almost drops her staff. "Th...Th..thats it! Angus! Thats the goo from the swamp i told you about last night!" Shaking her head as she coughs "Guys, we should get to higher ground..." The wisp of fire shes maintaining starting to grow into a full attack as she mumbles the equations between words.
Selena raises her free hand to her nose and groans at the stench - "...Disgusting thing..." She groans quietly, lining up the mass of decaying matter with the item, a burst of air magic launching it into the goop. While there's no immediate effect - target neither defeated nor willing - there the spear piece remains, lying in wait to 'trigger' its effect.
Kurzon was just in the middle of bolstering Angus, his armored hand braced against his back when the stench hit him. His studies of festering wounds and butchered animals in other cases helped him, but this was on a whole new level and for a moment his throat works repeatedly as he swallows saliva and bile back down, his hammer rising as his free hand to rub his nostrils as he considers his options, his first coherent words being "I MUST have a sample of this thing...please don't burn it completely."
Disgusting is an understatement, when it comes to this essence of rot that fills the room. Clearly, it has something of a mind of its own - the moment Selena's spear piece lands in the necrotic jelly's form with a soft splat, it turns upon everyone with murderous vengeance clearly in mind.
Edges and points don't hurt the goo very much, but at least Angus' flaming rapier and Selena's fire harm the creature. Without any outward appearance of being harmed, it's hard to tell how long this is going to take up to the moment Selena's spear tip flashes a brilliant gold and burns its way through the festering slime. With an expunging of foul gases, it recedes and oozes into the cracks in the cellar floor, leaving behind a large amount of debris that one would rather not look at.
The overwhelming presence of unease fades somewhat, although it's not completely gone - until all present get a brief sense of pure hatred, before all is finally still.
Angus pants, covering his eyes with a bloody forearm as the spear flashes bright and the foul monster disappears. He trembles lightly, blood welling up and flowing freely from the new wounds as he surveys his new aches and pains. The flash of pure rage makes his flinch, but then he clenches his teeth as he takes a step forward and strikes the flagstones with his burning blade as he snarls. "Damned Monster, those were innocent people!"
Selena ooc Pardon for a moment. I need to take a look at my eye. x_x
Alef is only bearly standing on shaky legs as her tounge is dry, the repeated castings of every spell in her limited arsenal have taken there toil, her staff supporting her more then her legs as areas around her are exposed from where goo dissolved her robe and padded armor beneath, compared to angus she got out of it fine. the wave of hatred is enough to knock her to her knees. only a tight grip on her staff keeping her from faceplanting the ground.
Selena moves over to Angus slowly - though whether it's from exertion or an unusually calm take on the situation is uncertain. Or, it could even be caution. A few moments pass of the fox hacking at the flagstones before she puts a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. "Angus. That's not going to solve anything at all." She states quietly, carefully reaching around the noble to stay the rapier-wielding hand. "I know you're more productive than that.
Kurzon is caught in a place of confusion, the thing they just fought, it was the very antithesis of his very being, he could feel it each time his rifle pierced it or his hammer struck it's gelatinous hide. He was a purifier and that thing was pure corruption, for a single moment he felt a mirror in his heart, that hatred was mutual, but he was not a creature of hate. Shock held him in place speachless, staring at the corruption on his hammer.
"Sir? Are you all right? We heard some commotion and..." the guards coming down the stairwell all fall silent as they look through the doorway and into the root cellar. "Creators above. I...we...how are we going to put this down in the paperwork?"
No answer, not that one was expected.
