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@ Aelgeirr, Ambra, but probably not Enlak?:

I think the decision rests on your shoulders, Ambra, but Aelgeirr, the one who originally met the Drow, doesn't seem to think it's that important of a lead? That's just my interpretation.

But if you don't follow him now, you'll either have to track him, or follow-up on another plan.

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@ Mercy:



"... really," the High Priestess would respond flatly, looking unamused.

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@ Tafiir:

You reach the only house of worship you can track down in the town, which happens to be a temple of Avandra. And, look! It's that brunette human from the meeting with the mayor earlier! She is... *ahem*... being 'evicted' from the temple (though one of the priests pushing her along seems to be enjoying it), and the doors close behind her as she now stands upon the steps.

Mercy, you likewise see the half?-drow from earlier walking up towards the temple.

"I'll wait here with you, then." Ambra would help Aelgeir put back on his armor, as long as he allows her to. Once he was ready to go, she would ask him cheerily, "So, what have you learned so far in your investigation? We found out that someone used teleportation to remove the Orb from the tower without the guards noticing, so we might be dealing with a mage. Hmm, it seems likely that he was here for more than a day so he had to stay somewhere. If I were a mage, which I am, and I wanted to hide, where would I hang out...?"

Ambra's face would get a look of concentration as she contemplated her own question. Back at the university there were a few places she would use to get away from it all. There was the massive courtyard garden, the roof of the arcane library, the occasional unused classroom, and if she really wanted to hide, there was the basement in the castle--none of which applied here. Still...

(Streetwise check of 6)

...She couldn't think of anything, but a different idea popped up in her head. "Hey, let's see if we can figure out where the abandoned buildings are in this town and check them out. This guy has to be staying somewhere and he obviously doesn't want to be seen. That's the first place I can think of to hide."

"Thank you." the high elf commented as he straightened out his armor and gear. As they worked to garb Aelgeirr in his armor, he would explain what the various armor pieces did and why they did what they did. To Ambra, if she seemed interested or to himself, to punish himself for his wardrobe malfunction.

"I figured that whoever did this may have needed something a little less than legal, shall we say? I tracked what leads I was given and here I wound up."

Aelgeirr listened to the small teifling and thought about the situation. "Might not be an easy task. Lots of buildings are abandoned now....but probably not so much the night before. This doesn't seem like a dying little town. We may also want to hunt down the dökkálfr and his companions."

@ Ambra:



Now I can give you a proper answer for this (which followed after your roll here), based on your last post. Something Ambra would be able to suss out once she mentioned checking buildings, is that moving the orb a matter of feet wouldn't undo it's effects. But the further away, the more likely it would to prevent it from doing its job. You wouldn't be able to gauge the actual distance needed without evaluating the Orb of Kendar yourself first-hand, but if you had to guess, the closer to the edge of town, the better, if not outside town completely.

@ Aelgeirr:

"Abandoned" isn't the proper word for most of them. Simply unoccupied. It's like people not going to work because of a different natural disaster, like a hurricane. If the quest is completed and safety restored, most will have occupants again within a day or so. There ARE some buildings unmarked and boarded up, but you'll probably be able to count the number of them on one hand if you explored the whole town.

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@ Tafiir:

When Mercy mentions people acting weird and there being a level of complacency, you think she's half-right. She is spot-on for never really needing to worry about defense. But the two of you are, for the lack of a better word, 'adventurers', and kind of expect such stuff as last night. These people, not so much.

With your passive insight, you can fairly easily tell most people are exhausted. They were terrorized last night for hours and hours, and even though some may have been able to sleep, they are worn out. The people you've seen in the streets (which is far less than yesterday, when you arrived) seem to be going through the motions simply out of habit. But they do look half-dead (figuratively) right now.

Ambra seemed to suddenly have an epiphany. "Wait! this might not be a difficult as you think. From what I understand of the Magic on the Orb, its power is amplified by its proximity to the Leyline. So for the barrier to be as weakened as it was, the orb must be being kept very far away, like on the edge of the town, if it is still here at all. With the city on lock down, though, there is a good chance the culprit hasn't had a chance to leave yet. If we started checking into any abandoned structures at the edge of the town we might get lucky!"

Suddenly Ambra a picks up some shouting from some distance away. She puts her hand to her ear and listens. "Huh, sounds like someone is giving a bombastic speech over there. Should we go check it out?"

@ Tafiir, Mercy:

Tafiir, you really haven't 'rested', at least not for long enough to recover encounter powers. You've been doing a lot of walking since you first used it.

But regardless, you give your speech, in front of the dozen'ish people walking the street or waiting near the church. You do coax a "YEAH!" out of one guy, who then sheepishly withdrew.

"But... your lady friend said she'd defend us....." one young woman would respond, pointing at Mercy, and people would continue what they were doing.

Sadly, your 21 heroic speech was out-heroic-speeched by her earlier heroic speech in this apparently very heroic speechy spot not even ten minutes ago (she got a 23).

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@ Ambra, Aelgeirr:

You follow the sounds of the speech, and you actually find the rather not-insane half-drow from earlier, standing next to a pretty brunette woman! However, en route, Enlak does the thing that seems to be common practice for fledgling adventurers and wander off aimlessly without a word. Why do they do that, anyways?

But you're in a part of town where the only temple resides, and the two are on the tail end of a speech that the townsfolk seem to be simply taking in stride.

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@ Thork:

You wake up.

Unfortunately, it's a ceiling you're familiar with, and not your own.

"Huh. Awake already?" Kassandra would lean over you, blocking your view of the ceiling. Unfortunately, Kassandra was someone you're familiar with as well. As an apothecary, she's treated your wounds many a time. Her hair was tied back in a bun, and she only ever did that when she was serious... when things were serious.

"Just because you don't want to die a coward's death, doesn't mean you have to charge a dire bear by yourself. Frankly, it's a small miracle you're still with us," she would chide. She would stand back up, soaking a cloth in a nearby bowl of water and resting it on your head.

If you were to look around, you would see several of your fellow guardsmen, in various states of injury. You were the only one awake/conscious right now, though.

A couple forms could be seen in the other room, sheets over their heads.

"As you might expect, Lieutenant Zathers wants as many of you back on your feet and out on the streets again as possible, but I want you to stay right there. You need rest - a concept that seems unfathomable to the man. You know if Captain Yurek was back, he'd make you rest, so please, just lay still." The half-elf woman would then walk over to someone else she was tending to before she heard you stir.

"Bear now know better, no stop Thork tavern trip." He tried to joke, despite her chide and the pain, even included a small chuckle at the end.

Though, He didn't remember the bear, nor care too. He did, on the other hand, like to see Kassandra's smile(He liked to see anyone smile). It always made the pain/troubles worth feeling and dealing with... And bun hair Kassandra looked like she needed to smile, at least for a moment.

Looking about The half-orc's eyes slowed and stared at the forms covered. Sadness creeped over him, for the fallen. And for a moment he thought about all those, who he might not be able to drink with again. Tales told, and repeated again... Lessons learned... Ale-fueled Fights... 'Foolish, all of them' Mother would say, but they were friends.

With a choked sigh; Thork turned his face the ceilling, and let single tear fell for them.

"Kassandra, see Mother?" A serious tone poised the rather simple question.

He reached the edge of the bed(to help him stand and walk, if needed) as the half-elf proceeded to help the others. Her answer would determine where he would go; to see Zanther, or go after Mother.

Mother could be endanger or people could be; ether case, he couldn't 'just lay still' no matter the pain he felt now. They and Bun hair Kassandra, despite her wish, required for nothing less...