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Johann "Do dwarves take human squires?" Johann asides to Jakob. "The Shallyan priests likely run an orphanage where they can take him. Either way, we need to bring him into the city."
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Jan 21, 2016 21:44
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Olivid Ole Olivid puts the boys description of home into his internal map and admits there would be little time lost accompanying him. As they walk the streets he occasionally talks quietly, more to himself than any listener, "This area is quite wealthy, but he looks like an urchin. Perhaps a servant family? I mean, I don't think they've built any slums in this area, but it would be a fine example of the spread of urban decrepitude as warfare affects population dynamics. I mean, just look at that lean-to they've thrown up between those buildings. There was probably an alleyway there, but now it's just... where... this boy... lives with his mother. Lived. poo poo." Olivid looks from the boy to the magistrate's office up the street and back again. "If we can get into the city, we can probably get him in with us." The child does look healthy, right? Healthier than most of the party, anyway.
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Jan 21, 2016 22:09
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Cavendish Locke, V.I. As the smoke cleared, Cavendish clutched his bleeding arm and began cursing extensively and fluently in Kislevite. Once the boy piped up in his accent, however, Cavendish trailed off, hoping that the young lad had not picked up on some of the more descriptive phrases. As they reached the boy's house, Cavendish stopped to reload his trusty pistol and bind up his arm to at least cover up some of the bleeding. After that, he ducked inside to meet the matron of the house... Overhearing the suggestions about how best to help the boy, Cavendish said, "We have been accosted by ogres, beserkers, and now packs of feral rats. I don't think any of us are suitable guardians for children at the moment. One of the temples inside the city may be able to take in an orphan, or one of the trade guilds may need apprentices. Regardless, let us keep moving. This is no place for any of us."
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Jan 21, 2016 23:28
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Ironfoot I did not allow the belly aching of my temporary companions to distract me. An offer of squireship was a serious business. If the lad accepted I would treat him just as I would any Dwarf fresh to the life of a warrior. I would train him, guide him, feed him, clothe him and try not to get him killed for nothing. "The life of a squire is a dangerous one lad, if you do not think you have the guts for it, I will escort you to an orphanage." Yeah, an orphanage is a good idea. I didn't think of that. otoh, squires are cool. So whatever the kid wants. Probably easiest if he wants to go to the orphanage since that way I won't have a second character.
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Jan 22, 2016 00:10
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Aelphas/The Watchman When the group is led to the boy's hovel, Aelphas can't help but feel anger. While his childhood wasn't pleasant, the life of household servants to nobles and merchants was leagues above where this boy was. When they get to the place and see the boy's dead mother, Aelphas actually leans up against a wall to catch his breath. Maybe Aelphas was weaker than the rest, but all this death and heartbreak was too much. A life of crime stealing from the wealthy was a much more simple way of life compared to this. Plus there was also fear present. He was likely sick with the same thing that killed the boy's mother; staring down one's own mortality can have certain effects. Aelphas lowers himself on his haunches so he can be eye level with the dwarf and the boy. "There is no way he is going to be a squire to you dwarf. I'd maybe allow it for Ser Jacob, since I am familiar with his particular line of work in the city. If anything the boy can come with me. I know enough people with more gold than sense, based on the art they've bought, who could use a boy servant and would treat him fairly. He'd have a more comfortable life than he would in any of the orphanages in town. That is of course if we can make it back into the city." Aelphas stands back up and dusts his shins off, even though they didn't even touch the ground.
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Jan 22, 2016 05:09
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Cavendish Locke, V.I. "Fine, bring him along to be a squire or an apprentice art dealer, or whatever. Your problem, not mine. But what is all our problem is this," Cavendish says, holding out his right arm, covered in blood. "We need to get paid, we need to see an apothecary or physician, and we need to not be here. Wild animal bites can be really bad. Kid. Don't worry, we'll send someone to help take care of your mother. Meantime, stick with that elf. He's got candy."
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Jan 22, 2016 05:32
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Snorri "Ridiculous," Snorri grumbles, checking each of the rats to ensure they are dead. "You want to drag a youngling around after us? He can't look after himself, and we can't afford to. Not to mention who knows what the wizard's going to do next. The boy'll be a quivering mess before the day is out. No, I say we drop him at the orphanage with a donation. If you want a squire, you can come back and claim him when we're done." The slayer spits on the ground to emphasise his point. "Otherwise, I'll have no part of it." He stalks off towards the magistrate's office.
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Jan 22, 2016 05:42
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Bernhart of the Western Wind "Think smaller scale, we need to gather our wits before we can make any decisions. Let's go see the magistrate and with any luck we can at least get a warm meal for the kid. Should we get out of our current situation Cult of Rhya can see to him." The priest holds his wound to stifle the blood seeping from the wound. With any luck the Magistrate will provide a suitable space to call down the aid of Taal.
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Jan 22, 2016 14:23
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Ironfoot "That sounds like a fine idea Aelphas. Cavendish is right about one thing, this is no place for anyone." "Come along Janko, we are going to see the magistrate and get you somewhere with fewer Skaven running loose." Taking the young human by the hand I guided him towards our previous destination. As I did so I realized how young he was, a dwarf lad his size would have been a squire or an apprentice for several years already. Fool humans grow tall years before they grow up mentally though.
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Jan 22, 2016 22:27
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Jakob With the sickness and the effort keeping the rats away from him required, Jakob was at first too exhausted to react to the boy and his dead mother. But then everyone else immediately started arguing about the child's future, and were now about to just drag him away from what was probably his only family in the world. "Enough of this, all of you! What lies in store for this young man can wait until after we know if this city has a future. For now, at least be respectful. We need to give her a proper burial, at the very least. If you can't stand even that delay, then go ahead to the magistrate's, I'll catch up later." They weren't inside the main city yet, so there should still be a patch of ground that wasn't paved over. Hopefully there was a shovel somewhere nearby, but if not, Jakob's shield should do fine. No one should be forced to leave dead loved ones to rot above ground.
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Jan 22, 2016 23:07
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Olivid Ole "On that, sir, I would disagree. The least we can do is ensure that her son survives this mess. As for her, I wouldn't call a shallow burial in unhallowed ground a service if this all turns out to be some necromantic plot. If you must insist, then I would suggest dropping these walls to raise a cairn over the site. Or... we follow the example of those cultists we heard on the road." Not shouting this so the kid can hear, I am not a monster.
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Jan 23, 2016 22:47
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Old Man Wiprecht Wiprecht takes out an old shopping list he still had tucked away somewhere and writes on its empty back few lines. He takes out a pristine seal stamp, stamps the letter with it and shoves it in the kid's hand "Don't let go of this. Give it to the first city guard that you see." he says and begins chanting. Out of a building's shadow an eerie jet black horse manifests itself. It strides over to Janko, grabs him and tosses him on its back. As soon as the child lands on its back the steed takes off at a full gallop which should, but doesn't, shake its rider clean off. "Okay, that's one issue solved. Kid is going to be taken care off." Wiprecht mumbles. "Those bastard's better understand what a letter of recommendation to a College of Magic is." Channeling vs. 65: 1d100 10 Success, Add +6 to Casting. Casting Shadowsteed TN 5 (11-6): 3d10 16 Success. No doubles. <Sormus> I'm sending the kid to Hogwarts. <Dyne> you just poo poo yourself and are walking in poop pants <Dyne> and now 'YER A WIZZARD, JANKO' <Sormus> "OR POSSIBLY THE NEW JANITOR AT THE COLLEGES, I DONT REALLY KNOW" <Sormus> "HERE, HAVE A HORSE MADE OF SHADOWS OF NETHERWORLD" <Sormus> Altdorf – Talabheim: 295 (260 / 330) miles Road (Altdorf-Talabheim Road/Old Forest Road) <Sormus> horse can gallop at 30 miles a hour <Sormus> thats merely ten hours of full-tilt gallop <Sormus> That kid is going to COLLEGE! Sormus fucked around with this message at 23:52 on Jan 23, 2016 |
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Jan 23, 2016 23:12
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Johann "Call me callous if you like, but I am not spending most of the day around a diseased corpse digging a proper depth grave. We should burn it if anything at all," Johann states quietly, for the boy's sake. "I am going to see about entrance to the city. I trust you won't play with the boy's future too much." With a sniff, he turns away and goes to see about just that.
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Jan 24, 2016 00:13
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Snorri Snorri sniffs. "First smart thing that wizard's done," he mutters, "although he still smells like poo poo."
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Jan 24, 2016 04:03
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Old Man Wiprecht "What do you mean 'like poo poo'. Sadly thats what it is. Phenomenal cosmic power has itty bitty consequences. I suggest we find a bath house""
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Jan 24, 2016 17:09
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Olivid Ole Olivid stares slack jawed at the receding shape of the horse, then slowly turns to the wizard, "Is that one of those horses you can't fall off?"
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Jan 24, 2016 19:26
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Old Man Wiprecht "Well strictly speaking its a physical manifestation of mankind's most primal fears and horrors, a nightmare made flesh. Wiprecht lectures. "Its not that you cant fall off, its more along the lines that you are held captive until it reaches its destination or the next day dawns"
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Jan 24, 2016 20:07
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Olivid Ole "And the best they could come up with is a horse? Pretty feeble nightmares humans have."
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Jan 24, 2016 20:30
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Old Man Wiprecht "I just had it manifest as a horse, but it is this strange fear of seeing an unrecognizable shape just in the corner of your eye or a silhouette of a person in a room just as you blow out a candle. Its not actively malicious unless you empower it, by fearing it is, to be" Sormus fucked around with this message at 22:28 on Jan 24, 2016 |
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Jan 24, 2016 21:12
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Olivid Ole "Hm. I might be interested in learning more when we're not trying to avoid dying of a suspicious plague."
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Jan 24, 2016 21:19
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The boy does not seem to take the news of his mother's passing well, and reacts as one would expect of a five year old boy who has never in his life seriously had to contemplate his own morality, let alone that of the one person in the world who cared for him and loved him unconditionally. He does seem calmed by the prospect of his new hero taking him on as a charge, but seems scared and confused by the other suggestions; for a moment he clings to Ironfoot, having only his own imagination to fill in the gaps on what an orphanage would entail for him. Wiprecht, however, signs his name with as much of a flourish as he can and pins the letter to the boy's shirt, before simply summoning forth a steed forged entirely of shadows that carries the boy east, towards Altdorf and some possibility, slim as it may be, a better life and a brighter future. Janko's screams of terror fade into the distance as the horse moves with preternatural speed, and is soon carried out of sight and out of sound, beginning a grueling ten hour journey towards one of the most magical and poverty-stricken cities in the old world. But none of this is a concern for the wizard, who has simply given an elegant solution to an inelegant problem. The issue of what to do with the mother, however, is a different story, as the sounds of the screaming child draw a nearby guard, who, spying the corpse, orders the adventurers away from it and goes to find someone to add it to the burning piles at the dock. Heading down the alley brings them out onto Pauper's Court, a block away from the entry to the Wizard's Way. A squat building bearing a sign stating MUNICIPAL ENTRY OFFICE stands on the corner, and the group approaches it; however, one the door is tried, they find it is barred. Olivid notices wax seeping from the edges of the doorway, and notices the windows have also been barricade and sealed with wax as well. Snorri takes to the front and hammers on the door, hollering out for someone to open up. Above, on the roof, two figures wielding crossbows and wearing metal skullcaps appear, their weapons trained on the adventuring party. "Oi! State your business! Ain't no one comin' in or out due to the plague!" Jakob, knowing the men, speaks up for the group, informing the men that they're there to see Hohenlohe. The two share a furtive glance, and one disappears for a moment. "Uh, the magistrate's fled the town, lads. Headed back into the city, he has. I don't know what he's promised you but he ain't going to be holding up to it now; first sign of a cough after hearin' the rumors and he went in to be with his family. Didn't leave nothin' behind, really." The other man re-appears, tossing down several satchels of coin. "'Cept for your pay, of course. Hohenlohe's not a man to leave his debts unpaid, but if you needed him for anythin' else, then Ranald's laughin' at ya right now for your luck." Each pouch that is tossed down contains the remainder of the pay for their previous job. Further pressing does not get far with the clerks; once business is done and they've made it clear they can't do anything, they simply retreat back into the office and dutifully ignore any attempts to get them to open the door or bring them back out to chat. A passing guard calls out the time, and makes mention of a curfew; all citizens must be indoors, due in part to the zealots roaming town and also thanks to the vulture-like criminal element deciding to prey on the poor and weak. Down the road a stretch is the Poor Man's Respite, a fairly decent inn for the part of town the group finds themselves in, and one that is fairly inexpensive; two silver karls gets one a spot in the common room, while a mere five silver karls gets a room of one's own to stretch out in. The clerks have given the group the finger, and the magistrate has flaked on his offer to help. You are stuck outside Talabheim at least for another night. Due to the night time shift, recover all wounds and recover all fortune points. Everyone passes their toughness tests and no one feels weaker for the next day.
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Jan 27, 2016 06:49
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Johann Johann gets his own room, because screw sleeping in the common room where he'd likely be farted on and plagued. The next morning, he's waiting downstairs for the others to gather to head back to the gate and find someone to yell at.
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Jan 27, 2016 16:51
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Ironfoot "Bah! That's what we get for trusting a fool human. I am half tempted to burn his office down for breaking faith. I would feel bad about the clerks who did pay us however. So I will refrain." "In the meantime, I say we take the Underroads into Talabheim. Get in through the old tunnels. It is what we should have done in the first place, but I let myself be led astray by the fool promises of a dishonest human. Any objections or frills anyone wants to add?"
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Jan 27, 2016 21:21
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Snorri "The sewers would be fine by me," Snorri replies, nodding. "I hear rats like to live down there."
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Jan 28, 2016 03:49
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Cavendish Locke, V.I. Cavendish takes the pay from the refugee job, and tucks it into his pack. Later, at the inn, over some thin stew and weak beer, he says, "I know that sunlight and fresh air sometimes makes dwarves ill, but I am not sure the city sewers are the best cure. Let us look for a reliable apothecary, if we can find one out here, to get a better idea of what is going on." Before bedding down in the common room, he carefully cleans his pistol, and examines the powder bag. Hopefully he can also find a seller of that, as well. sullat fucked around with this message at 06:18 on Jan 28, 2016 |
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Jan 28, 2016 06:12
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Aelphas/The Watchman As usual, the only purpose of government was to take bribes and be stolen from. It was now time to finally contact the Night Watch. His people will know how to get them into the city in the safest way possible. Going to write a letter to my thief network to get us smuggled into the city. Will use secret language thief to write it in code in case mail is being read.
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Jan 29, 2016 00:53
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Jakob "Actually, I know of an apothecary not too far from here, owned by a man named Gotthard. Maybe. Been a while since I've been there, and the coughing makes it hard to focus. Anyways, might as well go there, not like there's anywhere else to go." Jakob makes sure to glare at the dwarfs as he says this. There is absolutely no way that Jakob is going into the sewers. He was sick enough as he was, thank you very much.
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Jan 29, 2016 01:15
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Johann "This is asinine. Check with the apothecary or whatever. I'll be back," Johann states, adjusting his hat and storming off. He walks the streets to head to the main gate of the city, pushing his way through the crowds and glowering all the while until he finds someone in charge. 'In Sigmar's name, take me to your Watch Captain. I need entrance to the city for myself and my retinue, plague be damned. I am on official Templar business," he states, waiting expectantly as if that should be all that needs to be said.
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Jan 29, 2016 02:00
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Olivid Ole Olivid wakes refreshed, not having the illness to sleep off that others do, and chats with the inn staff as they open up for the morning. He expresses his surprise that the gates haven't been rushed in a panic, and asks how the fanatics have been treating the town. Asking some general questions. Will go along to the apothecary if nobody objects
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Jan 29, 2016 02:12
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Bernhart of the Western Wind The priest was not in a terribly great mood upon waking up. The gash on his neck had scabbed up but it it still burned and bothered him as he laced up his leathers and joined the others. "Although I'm not sure an Alchemist's tinctures would do well for our malady, it's probably better than just letting it run its course. I guess it's to the alchemist we go."
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Jan 29, 2016 17:39
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I'll join the apothecary crowd even though it's less exciting than bashing rat faces in a desperate do or die fight miles beneath the surface in not-moria. We can still do that afterwards.
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Jan 29, 2016 22:18
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Old Man Wiprecht Old wizard lights up and puffs smoke from his trusty pipe, mostly to cover up his stench. "Sewers smell worse than me at the moment and I'm sure I'm not particularly trustworthy looking even in my finest drabs, which might rule out both the Guard Captain and the underground society. I.. MIGHT, and that's a strong might, be able to ask the Jade Order for assistance." Trying to not steal the show here, I understand I might've done that a bit with the ogres and the orphan things.
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Feb 2, 2016 10:58
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Snorri Glaring at the old man, Snorri growls, "I'd rather shove my head up my own arse."
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Feb 5, 2016 21:59
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Cavendish Locke, V.I. "It seems to me that we should rule out all the mundane causes to this epidemic before bothering any wizards. They can get quite testy if called upon to work unnecessarily. Bad air, bad water, bad food, lack of devotion to the gods, that sort of thing." Cavendish coughed for a moment. "And find something to help with this damned headache" Academic Knowledge (science): 1d100 56 v. 58 (68-10). Quick mental check if I am up to date with current theories of epidemiology in the local academic community
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Feb 6, 2016 17:45
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Locke wracks his brain for a minute, trying to think of any disease that mirrors what's going on with the plague going about; to the best of his knowledge and recollection, he knows of nothing in the Empire that matches it. It is certainly new to the Talabheim region, and the Empire itself - and to all he can imagine, just plain new at all. Olivid finds that the fanatics have been everywhere during the night, and sees the damage they have done on a home that is still smoldering, even as a volunteer fire crew hurls buckets of water onto the once blazing building; the occupants, as he found out, were nailed to their beds inside. As the Witch Hunter heads up the street towards the main gate, he pauses as he sees what is a veritable army of men storming towards the gate; he estimates there must be over 400 men in the group, all wearing the clothing usually associated with Hochland. One of them cries out that they, themselves, are a Witch Hunter and they have amassed their army to gain entry into the city; Johann immediately recognizes the man as one of his own colleagues, a bit of a radical by the name of Josef. [b]"It is heresy itself that bars these gates to Sigmar's own servant! The corruption in this city is obvious! Men, forward!" He brandishes his pistol and saber and the men surge forward, with Josef trailing behind. But the rioters make it only about a hundred paces before the fortresses above open fire. Dozens of cannonballs explode into the disordered mass, ripping them and the streets behind them to pieces; blood and bits of Hochlander fly every which way, and everything for fifty yards to the rear of the impact zone is either levelled or reduced to a pulp. Johann watches in horror as Joe's hat flutters to the street, soaked in blood and gore; the Witch Hunter has seen some poo poo in his days, but that is a sight that is going to haunt him for some time. The Watchman decides the best course of action is to get ahold of his contacts in the city, and quickly writes up a letter; he moves quickly to the docks to catch the mail boat, and as he does, he watches on as a group of desperate peasants jump into the river with their belongings, swimming fervently towards a passing riverboat. However, they don't make it very far, as marines on the ship step out and open fire with their rifles and pistols, slaying the would be stow-aways in the water. Aelphas hands over the letter for delivery and spies one of the corpses floating serenely down the river. With the majority of the group deciding the apothecary is their best option, they head down the street towards the shop itself, finding, particularly after the riot had been quelled, that the streets are eerily empty of people. It takes only a handful of minutes before Jakob leads them to the shop, which is a simple two story building tucked away slightly from the road. A sign hangs from the front, showing an unblinking eye with a curling ivy plant wrapping around it. A small wall separates the front of the shop from the man's garden in the back. Jakob knocks on the door, expecting Widenhoft to answer swiftly as he normally does; however, even after several minutes of waiting, hammering at the door, and hollering up to the man, there is no response. The halfling finds the door to be locked, as well, which is peculiar given the man's hours. He sees no movement or light through the windows on the second story, but does spy an open window up there; it'd take some climbing and finagling to get in, if that were the route they planned. A quick look around shows that there is absolutely no one on the street; all of the militia seem to have fled their posts, which might be a good thing for the bit of larceny that may be needed to get inside.. Yeesh, didn't mean for this to take over a week. Work has been busy and I spent about 5 days in my home town where I visited my dad in the hospital and met my birth mother for the first time (woo), but I finally found the time to write all this out. You have discovered approaching the front gate is liable to be a bad idea, and that there is no means to get out in the water as of yet without getting ripped to shreds by firearms. The front door is locked, but what's a lock to a master thief or crime lord? Or an angry enough dwarf. There is also a wall you can try to climb over; there might be an unlocked door in back.
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Feb 9, 2016 22:02
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Snorri the Door Slayer "Stand back," the red-haired dwarf says gruffly, pushing up the sleeves of his mail shirt and unslinging his greataxe. He wastes no time in setting about breaking the door down, striking up a rhythm of thwacks echoing down the empty street as he steadily turns the door into kindling. He pauses only once, to put his head in the hole when it is large enough and look around the room within. Despite the unlikeliness that anyone present wouldn't have heard the commotion, he decides it prudent to announce himself, bellowing into the apothecary's workshop, "Here's Snorri!"
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Feb 12, 2016 09:14
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Johann Johann bends and picks up his associate's hat as it bounces past, flung by the cannon fire, brushing off some fingers that were stuck to the brim. "Josef, you were a real dick. But you didn't deserve to go out this way," he laments, stepping back into an alley to avoid being inadvertently shot. Obviously that would be a grand mistake on the city's part. He turns and hurries away back to find the others at the apothecary, putting distance between himself and the riot.
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Feb 12, 2016 21:48
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Old Man Wiprecht "A thought occurs, We might look like a bunch of looters." Wiprecht says while tapping his pipe to empty it against the wall. "Not to hurry you, master dwarf, but it would be prudent that we get in before the guard come to investigate. It would be a shame if we had to deal with them. Such a shame indeed."
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Feb 12, 2016 21:56
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Snorri "I'm sure you could manage to scare them off by vomiting, or making GBS threads, or vomiting poo poo," the Slayer shoots back between axe swings.
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Feb 12, 2016 22:23
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 02:21 |
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Old Man Wiprecht "Exactly, though you lot have not yet witnessed the awesome misfortune that Tzeentch's curse can, and eventually will, bring upon people other than the wizard."
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Feb 12, 2016 22:59
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