Minefields - RPLOG
Participants
Date
2/3/477
Log
A fine mid-morning in the Maritime district, when the fishermen are gutting and salting their catches and stinking up the entire waterfront with the scent of fish guts. Well, maybe not a fine morning any more, but at least it's more tolerable in and around the rose walkway, where a research vessel is being loaded. It appears to be a sturdy craft - one certainly notices the steel-reinforced hull - but if there are any weapons, they're not abovedecks. A few academics board the gangway and quickly disappear belowdecks from the gaze of the early morning sun, while a few more wait for the arrival of the hired bait - one means, field testers.
Bite stretches as she sways along, making her way to this vessel she'd been hearing about. A first-hand viewing should be helpful, for the right cost of course. She looks around at the fish, trying to decide who if anyone she will buy some from based on their works, before she stops at the steel reinforced boat and waits expectantly for someone to greet her.
Alef walks up to the gangway from the dock, wearing a simple cotton shirt and leather pants, leaning on her staff as she shields her eyes from the glare, moving to Taipan standing by it. "are you part of the research trip?" looking at Bite curiously.
Dio takes a heavy whiff of the air. Nothing like the smell of fish in the morning. A nasty scent to some, but fishing is certainly a handy skill for one who calls themselves a professional traveler. Coat, armor, and weapons checked, the lion strolls up behind Alef and Bite with the subtlety of a burning tree stuffed with gunpowder. "GOOD MORNIN' TO YA LASSIES," he booms, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "A fine day fer fishin', no?"
At length, a Water-Clanned sea krait steps down from the gangway - now that the wind's changed, the vessel's name is clearly denoted on its side, the Hathway. Taking a moment to appraise all three Freeswords, the krait keeps her face completely straight as she addresses them.
"Well, a very good morning to all three of you. I'm Aris, and while I trust you've all read the summons there nevertheless is a certain amount of explaining that needs to be done. This creature, whatever it is, was last spotted some ways south of the coast, not too far from the blockade - or rather, the attempted blockade - the Isharans have set up. When we approach the area, we'll lower you ina dinghy with anything you need, and then observe at a safe distance while...while you investigate the waters. Anything you can discover about this thing would help, but if you can find out anything about the beast's motivations, that would be ideal.
Are there any questions or requests you'd like to voice before we push off?|
Bite half nods to Alef and hisses "I hope so." before she blinks. The serpent reaches for her dagger as she turns around, stowing it again when she realizes it's the living shield from the forest. "Oh hey sssweetie." she says as she slips him off of her shoulder and giggles. As the krait somes out she smiles, giving a nod as she talks. "Nothing to request at this time, but I do expect there is some form of compensation for being up close with a massive creature?" she hisses.
Alef eeps lightly at Dio's entry, sighing "one day Dio, il get back at you for that." Smiling lightly, sighing gently as she feels slightly better about this now that Dio is along. "Its a pleasure to meet you." Offering her hand to Bite. "I dont think we have met before, my name is Alef Bustoke." nodding as the krait walks down the ramp. Shaking her head. "im ready to go." nodding lightly and heading up the ramp.
The living shield watches as the snake lady slips away, but soon turns his attention to Aris. "An' a good mornin' to ya too, lass. Read it front, back, an' to the side multiple times. I think I got it down pat, but I must wonder if the boat we're sailin' on 'as any fishin' poles o' any sort. Gotta 'ave somethin' to do durin' the downtime." Dio chuckles and gives Alef a light pat on the back before moving closer to the ship. "But aside from that, I'm ready to take off."
The krait looks slightly puzzled at Dio's request. "Fishing poles? I don't think so, but you're welcome to fish if you don't get in the way of any of the deckhands or faculty staff coming along for the trip. And yes, dear, we'll be compensating you accordingly to what you're able to tell us about it, and what we can observe from our position. If there's nothing else, we can be setting off, then."
After everything's stowed away and the anchor raised, the weather mage on board conjures a gentle breeze for the sails to catch and calms the waves, or at least until the ship is out of port. At length, a small island appears in the distance - while the ship draws close, it doesn't approach it proper. Sailors prepare to weigh anchor, and a small dinghy, about the size of a lifeboat, is rolled across deck and lowered into the water by way of pulleys.
"This is the location of the last credible sighting of the creature," the Krait says as the boat hits the water with a soft splash. "Some of the sailors have taken to calling it the Leviathan, after their own ancient mariners' tales...are you sure you don't want to ask for anything? Any assistance we might be able to render will naturally take some time to reach you."
Bite can't think of anything they can do for the group off the top of her head, so she shakes it and says "I think I'll be fine." With that, she dives off of the boat, naturally away from the lowered dingy.
Alef shakes her head "Not really, just be ready to get out of here if the Leviathan turns hostile, we will manage on our own somehow." Nodding lightly, the unsure mage frowning lightly as she slowly climbs down the latter to the boat, sitting down easly, ready to use watermagic to move the boat toward there destination when dio joins her in the boat, smiling lightly at Bite's dive.
"Think we got all we need," Dio nods, checking over his equipment one last time before he gets ready to leave. "If anythin' goes awfully wrong, we'll fire off a fire magic signal o' somethin'." Waving to those on deck, the lion hops aboard the boat and settles himself in.
Slowly, the little boat drifts away from the research vessel and towards the island, and as it does so, one can see the sides start to get quite packed with onlookers. Those aren't the only eyes on the three Freeswords, though - even as Bite dives into the chill winter ocean, something else stirs below the surface, something impossibly huge. It's only after some distance has been placed between Dio's little dinghy and the research vessel that the beast does surface - just a little, enough to carry the boat a little way out of the water on a patch of grey, barnacle-encrusted skin and set it down again like a child playing with a paper boat in a pond.
Bite is quite thankful of her dedication, her rubbery skin pushing off the chills of the ocean. She swims along the dingy, at least until the water stirs and something very large gets very close to her, and lifts the boat up. She stops and tries to consider her options. "Umm... sssweeties don't panic okay? It did this before..." she says as she tries to solve the puzzle worth her research boat crowns.
Alef powers the boat along on a artifical current of water math, keeping pace with bite, not aware that Bite's pacing for them, though the spell is instantly dispelled when the massive... thing in the water starts to move, eyes widening as for a moment a barnicle as large as the boat she and Dio share is there neighboor and then it sinks back into the water. "I.. I... oh creators..." Eyes wide as bite says something, "N.n.no worrys... I.. I... dont think anything I could muster would phase it..." Looking at the surrounding water in only bearly constained fear and a little controled panic.
Dio was planning to take a little nap, folding his arms across his chest and let some air magic breeze him on by. However, a funny feeling wrenched in his stomach, and a look over the edge of his tiny boat told all the tale he needed. He grabs the boat's edge and holds on, hoping and praying its integrity holds for the playful abuse that would probably follow. "W-whoa there, lad!" Dio shouts, but not in a negative tone. "Let's talk 'bout this before gettin' to the playin' part. I wonder if it can even understand me... I mean, it must like us a little bit if it ain't tryin' to kill us."
Indeed, the beast does seem to remember Bite and Dio, at the very least. Eventually, Dio's boat is set down, the water churns, and the beast rises out of the water - or at least, some of it. If it weren't so big, the Leviathan would look almost comical - a flat-topped head lined with blubbery flesh, an oversized lower jaw that looks to blend seamlessly into its belly - or at least, as far as the eye can see below water. The beast's eyes are, as glimpsed before, at least twice as wide as the average being - meaning poor Alef - is high, and as Dio's boat is gently set down upon the water's surface, it seems to be watching them expectantly as it nudges the boat, causing it to rock precariously. That, in and of itself, would have been bad enough, if not for the blubbery, oily stink that Leviathan exhales from its strangely plated mouth. Do those count as teeth?
Before there's any time to reconsider, the beast hums and nudges Dio's boat once more. What does it want?
Bite looks at the beast and studies it, before thinking to herself how she can help. She makes a rather pitiful attempt to draw the creatures attention, a wave going over her head as she attempts to start singing.
Alef squeeks and looks conserned as the huge being presses the boat with his snout, nose curling at the smell coming from its mouth, "Hello? Can you hear me? Can you understand me?" Calling up to the being curiously, if it really wanted to hurt them it could, so obviously the huge being is not trying to hurt them... but shes at a loss as to how to communicate with the creature.
Dio lets out a relieved sigh as his boat is finally let down. Still playful as the day they met. "Alright, we're gettin'... somewhere I think." With their boat down where it should be, the lion relaxes his stance and tries to smile, despite the awful smell. "Yeah, can ya understand us, lad? If ya can, try wavin' like this," he says, pulling up one arm and waving slowly in front of the leviathan.
Alas, Bite's efforts fail to catch the beast's attention, but Alef and Dio's words seem to have some effect, even if it's not exactly what was expected. At least sure that it now has their attention, the Leviathan sinks under the waves and resurfaces a little way away, turning around and looking at Dio and Alef expectantly, then expelling a small cloud of fine bubbles at the underwater Bite. It makes a vaguely distressed mooing, sound, swims in circle -causing the water to turn choppy - then moves further away once more before turning back and eyeing them expectantly.
Dio peers closely at the strange creature's actions. He's never really seen wildlife act in such a fashion before. It definitely wants something from the group, but what? They didn't have anything to give, aside from maybe food and it could easily get that if it tried. "Those sounds it's makin' make 'em sound pretty mad. I bet there's somethin' somewhere that's agitatin' it, and it wants us to go see what it is. If we're up fer it, we should follow 'long."
Bite looks at the creature and then Dio and swims slightly around the bubbles, unsure of them before she decides to try and follow the creature.
Alef blinks. "you want us to follow it Dio?" already the water around the boat churns abit. her water math going back to work to ready it for moveing. "Just say the word and we will follow." Nodding again and following Bite and the whale creature as fast as she can make the boat go safely.
Indeed, Dio's guess is correct. Satisfied that the small boat is following it, the Leviathan leads Bite, Dio and Alef out to a wide expanse of ocean, with the Academy's research vessel tailing along behind. The trip is largely uneventful - up to the point when the beast lets out another agitated rumble and bats at the sea with a flipper, a tremendous wave carrying Dio's dinghy backwards and away - the underwater Bite included. Moments later, the ocean's surface upwells in what could only have been an underwater explosion, and bits of steel-riveted wood float to the surface. Everyone is wet, but largely unharmed, thanks to the beast's actions.
Bite is rather startled by the push, staring at the scene before she rises to the surface. "Tell the reserach vessel to stay back sssweetie there's things stuck down n the water, barrels of some sort." she hisses. She then tilts her head and sighs. "And I think he's been upset because whatever that was seems to have hurt him, they're dangerous."
Alef crys out as the wave approaches. dio feeling a tingling in his throat and lungs as the boat goes under with them. though the sensation of drowning never comes as after a moment Alef pats Dio on the shoulder. breathing the water as easly as if were air as she adjusts herself and starts to swim to join bite. "You think that being wants us to clear those barrels?" blinking "You think the Isharans put them there?"
"Whoa whoa whoa! What's goin' on lad!" Dio shouts, gripping tightly at the tiny boat in vain as he soon finds himself cast into the ocean, boat flipped over along with him. In little time at all, the awfully wet lion surfaces with help of Alef's magic and grumbles under his breath. No matter how many swim assisting water magics were put upon him, wet fur, especially his mane, and clothes still remained. "Thanks lass," he says, shaking his about to remove some water and uprighting the boat with some effort. "I bet the navy will wanna hear 'bout this."
Now sure that everyone has seen what it's wanted them to see , the Leviathan swims a little distance away from the minefield with surprising speed for something that's bigger than a large airship. Letting out a gentler, plaintive mooing sound that's quite loud underwater, the beast blows another cloud of frothy bubbles at everyone. It's likely that it expects the trio to do something about the mines.
Bite analyzes the mines for a while, before coming up and sighing. "We do need to inform the navy about this, and I don't know how far these go along. I do have an idea I'd like to try before we leave though." she hisses and looks to the others. "Do any of you know enough math to help me attempt to freeze a chunk of ice above that area over there?" she hisses and looks expectantly. "I guess we could get help from the researchers too."
Alef nods lightly, "I dont have much experance in Ice math, but I can help you if you do." Nodding lightly at the mention of the researchers, "What should we use to signal? I would rather not also summon any Isharan ships with something too flashy." nodding lightly as she treads water beside Bite and Dio. "Anything you want me to do just let me know." Nods lightly.
With the boat flipped back over, Dio quickly clambers back on board and frowns deeply at his dripping clothes and fur. "Don't need anythin' special to signal 'em. I said I'd use a bit o' fire magic if we ever needed their 'elp. They should still be watchin' us an' I bet they'd notice a simple fire orb." Using some fire magic, Dio raises an orb of fire a few meters in the sky, hoping they'd take the signal they discussed earlier.
The serpent works to create a decent size chunk of ice overtop the location of the mines, doing her best to make it as massive as she can.
Alef focuses on her air and water, combining the two in tandum with bite to try and maxamize the size of this artifical iceberg, sweating abit at the amount of power going into the spell, not that its noticeable underwater as she focuses on doing the equations needed for the spells.
"Looks like they're comin', lassies," Dio proclaims, watching the ship's actions and nodding. "I ain't too sure what ya two 're up to exactly, but it seems like yer doin' it well! Good luck to ya." In the meantime, Dio takes off his coat and dangles it in his hands, using a trivial amount of air magic to blow dry it off.
It doesn't take too long for things to start happening, and not in a good way. Once the artificial iceberg reaches critical mass, the ocean's surface is churned into a froth as the Isharan mines are triggered and explode into the iceberg, shattering it from below and breaking off chunks. Still, more keeps on being added thanks to everyone's efforts - after receiving Dio's signal and watching the first explosions, the mathemagicians on the Academy's vessel realise what's being done and gradually take over maintaining the makeshift minesweeping spell.
There are far too many mines for them to all be swept at a moment's notice, but at least the Leviathan appears to understand that those nasty things are going away. While everyone's been busy, it's disappeared and has just returned with what looks like...oh yes, it is a wreck of a merchant sloop, still dripping silt from the ocean floor and looking pretty old. Not too unlike a dog with a rather large bone, really. The beast lets go of the wreck, leaving a few loose teeth still embedded in the wood, and then slowly sinks below the water's surface and vanishes into the depths. At least the wreck appears to be floating on its own power - although it'll need to be towed back to be properly salvaged.
Bite calls to the ship to help get the salvage together, swimming over to it herself, quite pleased with herself, to secure a tooth, humming to herself as she does so. "We can tell sweetwater what the problem is and how to help alleviate it. And look at this!"
Alef cant help but giggle, giving the Leviathan a pat on the side as he starts to swim back into the deep water. "So long. and thank you for letting us know those were there." nodding lightly as she swims back to the boat. growning weakly as she trys to climb back in with dio. her arms visably straining as she falls back into the drink. trying to swim toward the research boat, her body visably drained as she slowly, weakly, trys to climb a ladder up the side.
Siyu just keeps sitting at the bar, he glances a bit, left and right, and everything is starting to get pretty crowded, but he'll just keep his cool at the bar.
Flora blinks a moment, before looking up at Kaelli, tail swishing behind her lighty as she nods towards Kaelli a little. "F-Flora... Flora might like that. Flora knows those squigglies. People call them letters," Flora mumbles softly, before shrugging lightly.
Kaelli smiles softly at her companion's reaction and nods once. "I have a few history texts that I have been studying, to learn more about this part of the world, hmm? We could work out of those unless you have a particular text you wish to use? The hard part is assigning the sounds to the letters. Once you remember those, it gets easier." Propping one elbow up against the table, she took another swig of her drink before chewing lightly on her lower lip in further thought.
Asher glances around, seeing a few familiar faces, but everyone seems to be absorbed in their own problems, or drinks. He opts to take his favorite seat near the fireplace, setting his tray on a low table and scrambling up into the high backed chair.
Fenris saunters down the stairs with his guitar slung across his back, prepped for his almost nightly performance at the inn. Glancing around he takes note of the regulars, including Siyu at the bar and Flora at her usual table. . . with a new friend! Hopefully a friend anyway. The tiger watches as Asher walks across the room to climb into a chair with his plate of cookies and wanders over to say hello. "Asher!" calls Fenris amiably, "Hitting the cookies a little hard this week, don't you think?" The tiger grins to show he is only teasing.
Flora mumbles for a moment, before looking up at Kaelli, then looking down again to pull out a large engineering-manual on golem-parts, ranging from gears to drivechains to well, everything there is to know about mechanics. Very dry and technical matter, too. Even so, Flora seems to find it fascinating.
Asher starts a little when he hears someone call his name. He turns with a cookie hanging from his lips to see Fenris coming towards him. "Oh! Hello, Fenris," the corgi says around his mouthful of sugary cookie. "I can't help it" he moans, taking another bite, "It's the only thing that maniac behind the bar will give me!"
Siyu remains sitting at the bar, drinking his beer, giving a glance over to Fenris as he comes in, but nothing much. So far the rodent isn't interacting with anyone, just buying drinks.
Adjusting her position at the table once more, Kaelli tilts her head to get a better look at the text. Gesturing mildly in the book's direction, she glanced over to Flora before inviting the other to proceed, "Choose a section that sparks your interest. You already know what most of these things are, I think? That will make it easier. Choose something that calls to you or is familiar already and we can start there."
Fenris unslings his guitar and flops into a chair by Asher. "That's what happens, I guess," the tiger laughs, "you let the guy get his joke in once and he's got you forever." The tiger strums idly at his guitar, just to feel the strings under his fingers. "I see that you've ditched the old outfit," he observes, "What happened? Did a gop splatter on it?"
Flora mumbles softly as she flips through her pages, before suddenly bolting upright. "Flora is sorry. Flora forgot the time. Flora doesn't normally forget the time no. Can... Can Flora talk with friend... Flora doesn't have Friend's name, no... But can Flora talk with Friend later? Flora has to do things, yes. Flora is sorry," she mumbles timidly, looking up at Kaelli again, before pulling out a piece of charcoal and a piece of paper and sketching out Saint's Square in... Well, that's actually a lot of detail. One home in particular is circled. "Flora sleeps here, yes. If Friend needs Flora, can meet Flora there sometimes, yes yes." she mutters softly, before standing up silently.
Kaelli accepts the map, lips pursed gently in appreciation for the skill of the diagram. Nodding, the tigress got to her feet and gave another bow to her new friend. "Kaelli is my name. I will certainly come and visit some time and we can start our lessons, hmm? Be well, friend." Stepping aside, she made room for the other to depart.
Asher huffs a little, but continues to nibble at his cookie. "I suppose that it is partially my fault," he agrees. "But they are very good cookies," he says, still munching. The corgi pats his round little belly and laughs. "The problem is that if I keep this up, I will be as round as Lord Blackback!"
A mound of rags in the corner appears to come to life...and out of those rags appears a little hyena, her ruff all ruffled. Noosha looks...conscious, but that's about the best you could say for her. Her gaze still bleary, she looks about the place, shaking her robes out and trying in vain to straighten the wrinkles.
Fenris laughs at the thought of little Asher swelling to the proportions of the abundant skunk noble. "You are always welcome to join me for my morning exercises, kid," he says with a grin, "They'll help keep the worst of it off, at least." The tiger catches sight of Noosha rising from the corner. How had he not noticed her earlier. "Little sister!" he calls out to the hyena, "Why are you hiding there in the corner? Come sit by the fire." He pats an empty seat by his side. "Have you had anything to eat this evening?"
Siyu just remains at the bar buying drinks
Asher perks up his ears at the invitation. "Really?" he asks, "I wouldn't want to slow you down." The corgi looks over to the indicated corner with surprise. "You have a little sister?" he asks, the gawks in surprise when the person turns out to be, not a tiger, but some sort of ragged hyena girl.
Alef walks in to the inn from the public baths in the back, sighing lightly as she has a wraping of cotton around her head, drying her head as she is wearing dry bathrobes as well as a cotton shirt and pants. "Evening everyone." yawning lightly and relaxing abit as she walks over to sit wherever is free.
Noosha scrunches her face at Fenris--partly for calling attention to her, and partly for being so damn loud about it. Generally, she wasn't bothered by what other folk would call pain, but this felt like full-body misery. And come to think of it, the stone walls had been a bit chilly, and a toasty fire sounded like heaven right about now. Pulling her robes tight around her, she shuffles to Fenris, taking a seat nearby--though not quite next to him. She does finally speak, though her usual squeak sounds a bit rusty. "Baro prala." She spares a nod for his tiny companion, though she watches the little fuzzball as carefully as she can.
Fenris waves down a serving girls and sends her scurrying to the kitchen for something hot. "Welcome!" he says brightly as she sits, "This is my friend Asher," he says, waving to the little corgi. "Asher," he says, turning to the canine, "This is my sister of the long road." The hyena has never offered her name, and Fenris has never felt the need to ask for it. It was hers to give as she saw fit. "Little sister," he says, turning back to Noosha, "This is the friend I mentioned who could make you a new dress, if you would like one."
Asher wriggles a little in his chair and nibbles a cookie nervously. "He-Hello," he says to the hyena. He does not like the way she is scrutinizing him. "Um. Yes. Well," the little dog stammers, "I could certainly make a dress. Or a robe. Or whatever you like." His eyes flicker between Fenris's grin and Noosha's scowl. What did Fenris mean? Sister of the long road?
Shanty Town is bustling as many figures can be seen eyeing the guard, who surround three bodies and two bloody individuals. Among the dead, a small canine form pinned to a wall with what looks to be a heavy crossbow bolt, missing a large chunk of their stomach and entrails, a flayed goose laying facedown over a blood trail, and a mantis folk who is missing his tongue. One of the injured, a bandaged hamster looks rather nervous, and the other an lightly armored guard with an arrow sticking through their knee sits on the ground. The figures converse lowly.
Sveta arrives on the scene after receiving the general summons, her face straight as always. One would imagine that a couple more dead beings around these parts would be par for the course and that folk would have gotten used to it by now, but there's that sense of self-preservation for you.
In any case, she looks back and forth between both bodies like a maid sizing up a particularly vicious stain, then decides to wait a moment to see if anyone's going to volunteer information before going to get it herself.
Fenris arrives on the scene and looks around with a frown. He would much rather be dealing with the evening crowd at the inn, but this was his job too. The tiger draws a sharp intake of breath when what he is looking at registers. Sure it was the shanties, but this was hideous. Fenris regrets inviting little Asher along, especially seeing the brutalized canine staked to the wall. “What happened here?” he breathes.
Siyu walks in, all silk and finery. Shanty town is a rough area, but he feels safe enough. Making sure his coat isn't of course tucked in, or caught on anything. The rodent will walk with a swish of his hips upon the scene. Blood, violence, death. He tries to recall the ebon trade here and what else might be going on, but soon enough he's just standing there.
With his clothes and fur nice and dry, Dio needed something to help burn off the midnight oil. And what better way than to solve a murder. He's heard of the various misdoings of Shanty Town, but upon seeing body, he didn't quite expect this. "Somethin' awfully brutal," he comments under his breath as he walks up behind the others. "Someone must've 'ad a serious grudge. I'd 'ate to bother ya all in such an awful circumstance, but we need all the information we can get 'bout this attack."
Following close behind Fenris, Asher was expecting to see a confrontation like he had witnessed a couple of nights ago. A little suspense, maybe an exciting chase. Not bodies. The little corgi’s eyes water at the smell of offal, and though he tries to hold it back, he is forced to take a stop to heave into the gutter. “I’ll be fine,” he says, though he doubts anyone is really listening.
Heavy plate mail of a dark hue encased the form of the pale tigress and an assortment of weapons were close at hand as Kaelli arrived in answer to the summons. Lips pursing and a faint, nearly inaudible tsk is given as she surveys the scene. Mismatched eyes take in the details and gauge the amount of brutality displayed upon the victims. An equally sharp gaze trails across the crowd in the next few moments, taking in the visage of friend and stranger alike and adding them all to a mental catalog before the feline bowed her head, lips moving in silent, if brief, prayer for the deceased.
One of the guard turns to the new arrivals, the others continue talking amongst themselves, watching their surroundings, or talking to the hamster. "Hello there, thank you for responding so quickly... what happened? Well we arrived here, with three dead bodies and an injured fourth. After we thought we had the area secure we aided the hamster over there, Greg his name is, and we proceeded to take an account from him regarding the attack. Seems they were all good will messengers, the clothes and goods they had are gone, and they were attacked by three cloaked figures by surprise. We were pushing more questions and then out of nowhere Limmons got shot with an arrow, right through his knee he did. We're in the process of picking up where we left off now that everyone is patched up."
"I take it that's the end of Limmons' career," Sveta remarks dryly. "Well, then. A goodwill trip to shanty town by a couple of loners is not the most intelligent thing I've heard folk come up with, but it's their lives to do with as they see fit. But tell me...what would the details of this goodwill mission be?"
Fenris looks over the grizzly scene. "This does not seem like a grab and run," he says, "If the culprits were just after food and clothing from a goodwill group," he eyes the hamster getting bandaged up off the the side, "it hardly seems that they would have to KILL for it." Especially like this. "The attackers took trophies," he says, pointing out the goose's missing tongue and the chunk missing from the canine's entrails, "This does not add up." The tiger saunters over to where the hamster is sitting. "Mind if I ask you a few questions, sir?" he asks politely, looking the being up and down.
Siyu earperks at the word of goods "What exactly were they transporting that they would be hit with such violence." is his first though. Looking at the pinned being. Heavy for the heavy crossbow, to go through all the flesh and bone and right through to pin to a wall. That must have been a large, powerful crossbow.
"Good will trip?" Dio questions, looking away from the dead body and instead observing everyone's injuries. What a curious crime and an even more curious mission. "Shanty Town's known fer their various crimes an' such, but murder an' assault fer some beings doin' a goodwill trip seems a bit out o' character in my opinion. Surely ya must know some group that 'as it out fer ya."
Asher returns from his brief communion with the gutter, covering his nose with a handkerchief. He had planned to spend the evening with a cup of tea and a treatise on the Shralestan Theocracy. No better way to fall asleep fast. Instead here he was staring at the scene of a brutal murder. The corgi blinks for a moment, then tilts his head to one side. "It doesn't look like an ambush," he blurts out, though he knows he is hardly the right person to be speaking about this. "I m-m-m-mean, look at the bodies! This was an execution!"
"Yes, flaying..takes time. Or complicated math.." the tigress commented in a thoughtful tone, agreeing with Corgi's assessment and offering a sympathetic glance to the poor guy's upset stomach. Seeing others amongst the group going to question the survivor, Kaelli turned her attention to the wounded guard. "Question please," she began, leaning down slightly to ask. "Where, exactly, where you standing when injured? And which direction?" An apologetic expression graced the feline's features at having to question a being who had just been injured in such a manner.
The guard nods to Sveta and gives a quiet "Yeah but I'd rather not break it to him yet, he's being rather optimistic." The hamster looks to Fenris, then nods. "Sure thing... and we were carrying clothes, food, and a few odds and ends to help folks out. The only group that has it out for me is that gang of rats, I stepped on one of their shoes... not on purpose of course." One of the guards helps answer the tigress's question, Limmons being a bit nit picky about the exact spot as he directs them. "Right there. Facing that way down the street." Limmons says as the guard gets just the right spot.
Sveta nods. "I take it you've searched the area already for those rats, then. In the meantime, I'd like to take a look at the area where our poor fellow received an arrow to the knee. Do you know which direction it came from?" She taps over to the spot that was pointed out and begins looking anyway while waiting for her answer.
Fenris listens, keeping a look of sympathetic concern on his face. Oops! There it is! Fenris spots a a familiar scar peeking above the hamster's bandages. "Thank you sir," he says. "Keep an eye on him gentlemen," he says to the guards minding the hamster's wounds, "Keep him comfortable." The tiger ambles back to the others. "He's no goodwill anything," he says under his breath, maintaining his look of sympathetic interest, "He's Vox, a local street gang known for this kind of violence. You may want to check the other bodies for marks like this one." Fenris draws a quick sketch of the symbol in his little notebook and discreetly shows the others.
Siyu givew a faint little hm. Nothing much to add, the rodent will keep walking, keep walking, untill he wanders down the street and away from the scene.
Dio peers closely at the hamster and his body languauge. Something doesn't quite match up. Looking at Fenris' drawing, the lion nods and rubs his chin. "Now that's quite the mystery we got. Can't say I've 'eard o' 'em before. They just start growin' a name fer themselves? Doin' nasty deeds gets ya known on the streets faster than petty crimes after all. I'd 'ave to wonder if they're just in it fer the thrills. Nasty bunch."
Asher pales a little at Fenris's announcement, and shakes his head a little. "Don't bother searching the corpses," he says, "If they had marks, it would explain the missing. . .hurk. . . pieces." The corgi was becoming more and more certain that the tea would have been a much better way to spend the evening.
Whether or not the goshawk would take note of the action, the tigress extended one hand to indicate the most likely direction the arrow would have come from - assuming it was fired without any sort of augmentation and that the finiky guard's stance accounting was accurate. Head tilting, her gaze cut over to the sketch that Fenris offered and she filed that information away for later study. She had heard mention of them in passing, certainly, but now found herself curious to learn more. "Could be so, items removed? But..ah.. perhaps still time to move bodies?" Her hands were cupped, left above right and then flipped over to emphasize her meaning. "See if there is anything else there?"
The direction pointed to by the tigress is accurate, leading towards a small dark alley. A few of the guards look to Fenris curiously, but all but a few resume watch. They make no effort to stop Siyu from traveling along his way, more concerned with their work. The hamster is asked to list off the good and he produces a crudely written list, which is looked over. "Well that's not that much of a loss really..." says a hedgehog under his armor.
Responding to a nod from Sveta, Fenris tosses a tight, controlled, but dazzlingly bright ball of flame into the darkened alley, keeping far from the sides and ground to provide light, but hopefully not raze shanty town to the ground. "Keep an eye out," he says, "This is the second time this week we have found someone trying to pin crimes on Johnny the Rat and his gang. Looks like something big is up."
"Johnny the rat?" Well, she's been out of the loop for a while. Instead of taking cover, Sveta unslings her tower shield off her back and crouches behind it, positioning herself to intercept anything that might come running out of the alley after Fenris' little light show. It probably won't burn shanty town to the ground...and even if it did, it's not as if it hasn't happened before.
"Indeed lass," Dio comments, taking out his own shield while the fire goes out and everyone prepares. "Just got outta prison the lad did, an' people 're just waitin' fer an opportunity to throw 'em back in. O' perhaps use 'em as a scapegoat." With his sword and shield at the ready, the lion whips up some air magic and starts a small hover. "I'll follow 'long on the roofs an' watch ya. Looks like ya got the ground covered." With another burst, he hovers his way to the roof and waits for the group to advance.
Asher puts a hand on his small, but sharp saber, ready to fight if necessary. Who knows? All this terror might help burn off some of that embarrassing belly he had started to develop. Only trouble is, he isn't sure who he should be preparing to fight. "What about the hamster?" he whispered, "Shouldn't we be taking him away somewhere to interrogate or something?"
The comment on gang warfare was lost on the tigress, the meaning was taken but the specifics beyond her. Even so, her own shield was held at the ready while a wickedly curved axe was brought up in her free hand. Tail twitching as the fireball arced into the alleyway, the feline stood at the ready for whatever may be down that way, even if it ended up being nothing at all. "Would you like to?" Kaelli asked in reply to the Corgi's question, there was no malice in the query, just simple curiosity.
