Soru approaches the man, it is clear that this was not the work of a street thug. Still feeling the pain of the attack of the two creatures, he is even more cautious as he inspects the man up close, trying to figure out what is in the dead man's fist.
In the dead man's hand is what appears to be a black gem of some kind. It appears to be emitting its own purplish light, instead of reflecting the light of Soru's blue wisps of mana.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
The gem does indeed pulse with some kind of magic. It's small, weak, and doesn't appear to be connected with any specific color of mana. Whatever it is, there isn't enough magic in it for it to be trapped.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
The gem pulses with mana, a quiet sound just lower than the spectrum of what Soru can physically hear. But he can feel it. The feeling can best be described as a whisper. Something barely there, but tangible nontheless.
OOC: Give me a d20 roll with a +1 modifier, please.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
The whisper solidifies into a voice. From the gem, a small figure is projected into the air. It's obviously an illusion, the gem some kind of message device. The figure is cloaked in black and its face is hidden.
"After you've captured the sailors," the robed projection says in a male voice "bring them to the ship we aquired, the Black Crest. We'll force them to give us the information about the Forever Dawn's cargo there."
Then the small figure vanishes the same way it appeared.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
I guess the sailors were neither too innocent nor irreplaceable to the captain... seems more like partners in crime... I guess i'll have to find out.
Soru got out of the warehouse, and headed back to the docks. To his infinite sorrow, the crowd was still cramming on the streets, meaning he would have to touch the unwashed peasants again on his way to the harbormaster's office.
Upon reaching his destination, Soru slightly knocked and entered, and before even looking around he voiced his question; Is there a ship by the name of "Black Crest" around the docks?
The deckmaster looks up. He's a skeletally thin man, with no hair and fine clothing. He narrows his eyes. "Why do you want to know? I'm not in the habit of just randomly giving out information about my docks to people who barge in unannounced."
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
Unsure whether telling the dockmaster all he had found out was a good idea, Soru pondered for a few moments before answering.
Excuse me for my impoliteness. My name is Soru Waden, of the Mahotsukai clan. I have bussiness with the ship's captain, in the name of my clan. Of course you may be wondering what bussiness a soratami would have so far from Kamigawa. There are certain "luxuries" one cannot attain in my home plane.
The dockmaster considers Soru for a moment, then smiles. "I understand. "Luxuries" are easy to come by here. Let me check my records..."
The dockmaster ruffles through some papers and shipping logs, until he finally settles on one specific page.
"Ah yes. The Black Crest is here, but is scheduled to leave within the hour. If you want to buy what you're looking for, you had best hurry. And don't delay them for long. We've got another ship scheduled to use their dock once they've left."
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
Hardly any time to waste then, i should be on my way. Would you mind telling directing me to the ship, since i have only been given a name, not an image?
OOC: Whoops. For some reason I didn't get a notification saying you'd posted. Bleh.
The dockmaster shrugs. "I don't inspect the ships myself. I keep the records and manage the docks. Tilly," he shouts. A tall woman who looks as though she could drink everyone in the room under the table or knock them out wanders over. "Give my friend here a description of the Black Crest."
"S'the only one with the black dragon on its flag," the woman says with a shrug. "Can't miss it."
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
I guess you are right... well then, if you'll excuse me...
Soru hurriedly exited the office, looking around for the dragon flag. It wasn't really hard to find at all. The whole ship awoke a menacing feeling down Soru's spine. He thought it would be best to hide near, and watch for people assosiated with it, before he tried anything else.
The ship sits sullenly at the docks. There is no activity on the deck, and nobody is coming or going. Everyone at the dock seems to be giving the ship a wide berth, as though they can sense the menace streaming off the ship.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
Soru decides to tether to the mana flow of the sea before attempting to proceed. After he feels the familiar feeling of the blue mana coursing throughout him, he gets onboard with caution, ready to face a very possible ambush.
OOC: You can hold one land in reserve, but after a few minutes it will start to have a measurable affect on you. Fatigue, damage, possibly other side effects. Just something to keep in mind.
Nothing happens as Soru climbs onto the deck of the ship. The sails whip in the breeze, and the wood creaks as the ship bobs in the harbor. There are no candles shining through the windows in what must be the captain's cabin. For all intents and purposes, it almost seems as though the ship has been abandoned. Opposite the captain's cabin, a door that presumably leads to the lower decks is closed.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
The captain's cabin door opens with a quiet creaking. The cabin is dark, but there is an unmistakable smell in the air: Blood. A lot of blood. The coppery scent is thick. On the floor where the sunlight is shining through the two small windows, red pools of blood are congealing.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
A corpse sits at the nearby table. Whoever it was (the captain, perhaps?), they were butchered horribly. Throat slashed. Multiple cuts and stab wounds. Nearly gutted. Blood and worse is pooled around the legs of the chair the corpse sits on. The blood on the floor and walls comes from the spray of cut arteries and vicious slices.
Whoever did this, strangely, seems to have left no footprints. They certainly would have, with this much gore. Yet there is no evidence that anyone has been in this room, aside from the mauled corpse.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
The corpse has been moved here perhaps?
Soru started looking around for a more consistent trail of blood, maybe there would be one if the corpse was dragged here.
Soru finds no evidence that the corpse was moved. The blood is most heavily pooled around the chair the man is sitting in, with smaller sprays all over the room. He does find a small, thin, leather-bound book sitting on the writing desk on the far side of the room. It's open to about the middle, and appears to be part ledger and part journal. Blood is spattered on the book, obscuring some of the words. Other sentences and words appear to have been purposely scratched out or erased.
Everything scares me... kitties scare me... squirrels scare me... corpses....corpses bring forth a pletora of confusing feeling which i prefer not to dwell on...:p
{Magic: The RPG}
{Magic: The RPG}
OOC: Give me a d20 roll with a +1 modifier, please.
{Magic: The RPG}
"After you've captured the sailors," the robed projection says in a male voice "bring them to the ship we aquired, the Black Crest. We'll force them to give us the information about the Forever Dawn's cargo there."
Then the small figure vanishes the same way it appeared.
{Magic: The RPG}
Soru got out of the warehouse, and headed back to the docks. To his infinite sorrow, the crowd was still cramming on the streets, meaning he would have to touch the unwashed peasants again on his way to the harbormaster's office.
Upon reaching his destination, Soru slightly knocked and entered, and before even looking around he voiced his question; Is there a ship by the name of "Black Crest" around the docks?
{Magic: The RPG}
Excuse me for my impoliteness. My name is Soru Waden, of the Mahotsukai clan. I have bussiness with the ship's captain, in the name of my clan. Of course you may be wondering what bussiness a soratami would have so far from Kamigawa. There are certain "luxuries" one cannot attain in my home plane.
The dockmaster ruffles through some papers and shipping logs, until he finally settles on one specific page.
"Ah yes. The Black Crest is here, but is scheduled to leave within the hour. If you want to buy what you're looking for, you had best hurry. And don't delay them for long. We've got another ship scheduled to use their dock once they've left."
{Magic: The RPG}
The dockmaster shrugs. "I don't inspect the ships myself. I keep the records and manage the docks. Tilly," he shouts. A tall woman who looks as though she could drink everyone in the room under the table or knock them out wanders over. "Give my friend here a description of the Black Crest."
"S'the only one with the black dragon on its flag," the woman says with a shrug. "Can't miss it."
{Magic: The RPG}
Soru hurriedly exited the office, looking around for the dragon flag. It wasn't really hard to find at all. The whole ship awoke a menacing feeling down Soru's spine. He thought it would be best to hide near, and watch for people assosiated with it, before he tried anything else.
{Magic: The RPG}
Nothing happens as Soru climbs onto the deck of the ship. The sails whip in the breeze, and the wood creaks as the ship bobs in the harbor. There are no candles shining through the windows in what must be the captain's cabin. For all intents and purposes, it almost seems as though the ship has been abandoned. Opposite the captain's cabin, a door that presumably leads to the lower decks is closed.
{Magic: The RPG}
{Magic: The RPG}
Whoever did this, strangely, seems to have left no footprints. They certainly would have, with this much gore. Yet there is no evidence that anyone has been in this room, aside from the mauled corpse.
{Magic: The RPG}
Soru started looking around for a more consistent trail of blood, maybe there would be one if the corpse was dragged here.
{Magic: The RPG}