[Game Thread] Book 2 Chapter 1: A New Dusk

[jj_wolven]

News of the recent arrivals reaches all the ears in town quickly. While accidents and losses are not uncommon on the parties that leave the wards, but this recent news is something more. Two bodies completely encased in webs accompanied by a metal dog and a snuffling badger were found by one of the supply caravans that had been traveling near the major forest to the west. The elders met them as they arrived, news of a caravans return is always quickly spreading to see who died and celebrate those who survived, and the wrapped bodies were transported to one of the quarantine buildings. Typical quarantine guards were stations, so few had seen much more than the occasional glimpse of the mechanical dog or the large badger that had followed them in. Over the next few days the council members, wizards, clerics, and other specialists made their way into the building to determine safety.


For the days following the arrival, the primary marketplace of Kalbee has bee abuzz with discussions, speculation and rumors that started within a few hours of the arrival.

The rumors say that they were carted in after the healer that had accompanied the caravaneers confirmed that they were not dead. There didn't appear to be any issues when they passed the pillars, so it confirms that they are least humanoid.
Other rumors said that the creatures that had accompanied them were either guardian spirits or demons, though it didn't explain how they had passed the pillars. One guard was treated by the healer after being bitten by one of them, though the only thing overheard was that it happened when he tried to remove the 'freakish thing' from the house.

The discussions started in the streets of the marketplace for hours after they first arrived; loud and prevalent in large groups. Since days had passed, it had decreased down to small groups rehashing comments they had heard, and discussions in the shops. As you arrive in the main street, you notice that the buzz in increasing again and overhear that there has been a change. People are saying that the guards are changed, and they are no longer wearing the quarantine tabards and the sign declaring an active quarantine has been removed from the building. You can't see this from the marketplace where you are, but the general buzz of it continues.

[Evil Abed]

Grant walks up to a group in the marketplace who is in discussion.
"G'day gents. What's going on with the quarantine? I see it's down but has any news come out?"

[Caveman]

Tam's morning had been going badly. He was awake far earlier than his hangover would suggest were healthy and there hadn't been any food in the house. Tam had rolled out of bed, stubbed a toe and then nearly fallen over Scar - who had clearly done it deliberately (the grin and the lolling tongue would have told him even if the link between them hadn't throbbed with irritatingly smug satisfaction.)
Rolling a piece of his home-made willow-bark paper into a tight cylinder, Tam had used the dying coals in his grate to light the end of the roll-up and stepped out the back door, pulling a long drag on it as he did. The willow bark softened the pain in his head, and despite the brightness of the day he'd sloped off through the trees to head into town the long way around.
Approaching the main street on the way to market, Tam realised the buzz of noise meant more folk than usual - bad news for his chances of a quiet drink in a deserted bar for breakfast. He slouched down into his thick bearskin cloak and approached Market Square via the back alleys. As he arrived into the market he stopped and crouched down against an alley entrance, muttering under his breath and looking in his bag. To those casually watching he seemed to be talking to himself - just another one of his oddities - but a close and careful watch would show that his Cast Detect Magichands flickered in a co-ordinated dance and the muttering was almost musical in nature. A couple of seconds later he looked up and stood, stepping into the street but then pausing and leaning up against the wall. A couple of quick hand movements and a grimace sent Scar loping down a parallel alley, sniffing the street, alert to anything beyond the usual scraps and rats.
As prepared as he can be Tam settles against the wall, slowing drawing on another willow-bark roll as he watches the street, ears and eyes open for any new news.

[Jeffkevlar]

In Chester’s experience the market was always buzzing about something, but this morning the chatter was a bit more intense. Quarantine breaches, when they happened, always for people excited.

He rose from his usual morning seat, guarding the Ratperson booth in the market, and wandered over to a group of people talking about the news. He realized that no one knew any more than he did, the speculations ranging from there is nothing to worry about to the world was ending again. The usual.

A man walked up and Chester believed they had met at least once. Grant? Greg? What was his name?

He nodded to the newcomer, whatever his name was.

[ricktur63]

Joya Dueclawe Joya had been angry at her father for the last week. Every since they had brought the cocooned bodies into town she had wanted to investigate the people entombed within. Her mind was sharp and she may have been of help to care for the men. Yet she had been denied access entirely. For someone so intelligent sometimes Louis could be so frustratingly obtuse. Surely she could have been of help but Joya had been shut out. Walking through the market that morning the streets were abuzz with conversation of nothing else. It made the woman wonder for the thousandth time why he had been so adamant that she stay far from those poor souls. She tried once again to put it from her thoughts. But from the word on the street the quarantine had at last been removed. She was thrilled that she might at last get a chance to see them for herself and ask questions. Her adopted father Louis so far had thwarted all of her attempts. Today her luck was surely to change. She watched the people gather in the central market and wondered again what might be happening. So she stood there waiting to see if any of the council, including her father might at last give the people any information on what had happened to those poor guards.   Stealth to blend into the crowd to avoid notice from Louis or any other council member who might recognize her. Dice Stealth: 1d20+11 (14)+11 Total = 25 OOC: Detect magic reveals a magical 'purse' and her chainmail shirt.

[Unforgiven]

John Yug (Yg'ffwla'vngl'asr) John Yug woke up around 4am just like he always did, he spent half an hour tuning and cleaning his best friend Xul, then winding him up so that he could function throughout the day. After that he helped himself to a breakfast of fungus with some oil for flavoring, and then prepared his normal attire, turning on his hat of disguise to appear as his normal gunslinger form. After his early morning was complete, he spent the next hour tinkering with Xul's help on his clockwork golem he was building before gathering up his various wares for the day and heading to his stall. He set everything up, and began to hawk his goods, hoping for a large order for something magnificent to build, and maybe to get some more shinys for his collection, he did like shinys after all. At some point during the day, he noticed that the guards at the door were no longer quarantine guards, and John became giddy with excitement. He quickly told Xul to watch his stall while he tried to get a look at the mechanical K9 that was inside the tent, and maybe get to inspect the corpses of those inside. Noticing a bunch of people grouping up, along with his friend, Chester, he walks slowly up to him smiling, and then holds out his hand in greeting; "Greetings rat friend-Chester, this one-errr, I am happy to see you well today. I have noticed that there is a mechanical dog-thing in the tent and two cocoon things, do you think we might be able to inspect them now? I would most like to get my hands on the mechanical dog-thing and disassemble it to see how it was made."   John Yug is always covered in magic, so if you detect magic, he is encased in illusion spells.

[Jeffkevlar]

"Hiya Jon," Chester greeted his friend. He was glad to see that Jon was wearing his human face today. While Chester had come to trust him, having been a customer
And friend to the Ratfolk in Kansas, and a good traveling companion on the road here, Jon’s true form was...disturbing.

"Glad you are talking about taking apart a mechanical dog today and not a real one like when you wanted to ‘examine’ my mount, " Chester teased.

[Unforgiven]

John Yug (Yg'ffwla'vngl'asr) John makes an odd smile with half of his mouth smiling and the other unmoving, "Ahh yes, my offer to make improvements on your mount still stands. I believe there is ample room in the middle fleshy bone cavity to install an engine and exoskeleton improving the creatures speed by over 20%." As he speaks, sometimes his eyes look in different directions at once with neither looking at Chester, "Come friend, let us inspect this new guarded mechanical marvel, and perhaps dissect the remains in the cocoons. Maybe they will have shineys inside them.... Xul can watch our stalls while we are gone..." Then he turns back to yell at his intricate clockwork raven, "Construct-Xul, watch the stalls for us and make sure nothing is stolen!" Then John begins walking to the tent without looking back to see if his friend followed, he was too interested in the mechanical creature and possible shineys.

[Jeffkevlar]

"Sure," Chester said. "Why not." everyone was hacking and not shopping. He followed Jon.

[jj_wolven]

Kalbee, Central US - Tuesday, morning

The general murmur continues in waves; growing when a few new people arrive and dying shortly after. A middle aged human turns at Grants voice, his gaze flickering down momentarily to the mechanical arm.
"They lift'd quarantine on the the outsiders they brought in, but no real update." he said, "But still don't look like they're lettin' anyone in."

A wolf trots past Joya, turning down an alley just beyond the catperson. Stretching her neck a little, she catches the end of the man talking to Grant as he mentions still no one is being allowed in.
Tam watches as his wolf trots by one of the only catpeople in the village. He sees a few of her item light up in his spell, but that is no surprise as most people have an item or two with a magical aura. On the opposite side as the catperson, he overhears the comments made by a man he recognizes as a tanner. Jarred is one of the people that also made their home further away from the tiny town, though his reason was due to the smell of his work.

Chester and OOC: Please clarify if and how many people are aware of his 'other face'John chat over one of the other interests from the new comers, a spectacle but not something many take a deep interest in. Any mention of the mechanical dog is one of vague curiousty mentioned as part its apparent guarding of the encased bodies, and usually in the same breath as the fat badger.

John moves down the street, heading for the quarantine buildings situated a quarter mile down the road in a less populated area. The others notice as the man obviously heads toward the building with one of the ratfolk, numbering only around a hundred in the city, trotting after him as he moved.

[Jeffkevlar]

"Damn it, Jon," Chester puffed as he scrambled to keep up with the taller creature on his shorter legs. "You know I can’t charge around as fast as you oversized guys!" His Weapons bounced against his body and his leather armor as he jogged along, much louder than he liked to be, even in the relative safety within the wards.

[ricktur63]

As Joya listened to the conversation around her she was keen to hear the words of the elder man about the cocooned bodies. Her senses were on edge and something had piqued awareness. It was surely some type of canine. She turned just in time to see the little fox stride past her. Unable to help herself she let out a low hiss toward the creature. It matched her sour mood. Spotting the men headed toward the quarantine building Joya could not simply stand there. She had to follow. She could hardly expunge the guards from her consideration. She move as stealthily as she was able after the strange men. Yet as she moved from her place of cover she accidentally knocked over a small bit of pottery and it crashed loudly to the ground. She hastily attempted to sweep the remains away with her foot so as not to draw too much unwanted attention.   Joya stealth attempt Dice Stealth: 1d20+11 (1)+11 Total = 12

[Caveman]

Tam watches through a cloud of willow smoke as a small knot of men moves towards the quarantine building. "Well, good luck there boys!" he thinks to himself, certain that they're on their way to disappointment. The hiss and crash from Scar's location pulls his attention to the Catwoman lurking across the market from him. Immediately suspicious he watches her carefully, and pulses a wave of concern to the fox, pulling him back towards him. Scar gives a contemptuous yip as he passes the woman - baring his sharp teeth at her and then trotting away down the alley to circle back and rejoin his master.

[Unforgiven]

John Yug (Yg'ffwla'vngl'asr) John slows his pace so that his friend does not have to run to keep up, "My apologies friend of many scurries. It was most inconsiderate of me to be moving at a quick pace, I am inclined to acquiesce to your request. What do you think that badger is made of? Just more small fleshy things, or do you think it might be mechanical creature driven by a Grig and just disguised as a real badger? We should probably dissect it as well to make sure." When he hears a crash of a pot, he glances back behind him and seeing nothing unusual but a cat-thing, he continues moving to the tent with disinterest to the cat-thing.

[jj_wolven]

Kalbee, Central US - Tuesday, morning

Scar returns to Tam's side, a scrap from the alley hanging from his mouth as the pair moves out of the marketplace with the catwoman shortly behind.

A few minutes of travel gets them to the quarantine section; a collection of a half dozen basic huts separated from each other by several dozen feet. In the center is a posting board with quarantine posts on it.
A quick glance around shows two other buildings in use, with Guard is used as a relative term.
The guards are a group of the better trained people in the town, some that venture out regularly with caravans, but deputized by the sheriff. Their uniforms are nothing more than tabards that are changed depending on their current duty. Their weapons come from the town's stockpile, but those with better weapons usually wear their own as well.guards in quarantine tabards standing outside of those buildings. The building containing the outsiders is obvious with guards in regular uniforms and the quarantine sign removed from above the door. There are several guards patrolling the edge of the quarantine area.

"Hey, careful." one of the guard in a regular tabard says as he steps up to John, "You're coming into the quarantine error and there are still two groups here."
He leans back a bit and glances over to the two quarantined buildings as he speaks, then back to John.