CH. 1: Haven and Hell

[Breila]

Desparate, Khush swings his staff at the female goblin again. "Zeshun, help me!" he implores his godess in his mind.

INIT:11, To hit:11 miss, isn't if? If not, please roll the damage.

[Just_Ice]

Memories of his own sweat and his own iron flooded the smith's son. He saw where he made his first horseshoe, where the leaky bucket had been, and where his father had struck him for burning good steel. His thoughts turned momentarily to his brother- he'd stayed with his father, and he had no idea what had become of him.

Kynaston held his hands together and sauntered up to the counter, eyeing the nails. He could probably use some for the house if he was going to stay here.

He spoke, "This place hasn't changed much, has it? Forgive me if I get a bit nostalgic- I spent quite a bit of my youth in here."

[Haahque]

Weaving and pushing his way through Haahqae can occasionally get a good line of sight to the prophet, but it never lasts long as someone invariably comes and stands right in front of him soon after he finds a good spot. It dawns on him, that if he were a bit taller, this wouldn't be a problem, so he looks around for a tree or low building he can climb up on to get a good view of any miracles that were going to be performed.

When he's looking, what he finds is the largest opening in the crowd he's seen so far. It's almost like people forgot that they could stand in this area, except for the one girl in red and white, who seems to have started talking to the prophet. Well, if other people aren't going to use this space, Haahqae might as well use it, so he walks over and sits himself down right beside the girl in the middle of the clearing.

[mgbevan]

Gregeddin follows out behind the guard and girl. Just as he is about to walk down the street towards the market square he calls to the guard "Hey! if you decide to trade her for a fine from the parents, you had better buy me a drink in the Tankard!"

With an arm raised in greeting, Gregeddin sets of along the street. Pushing his stride as he begins to feel the cold damp of the rain settling in.

(OOC: I'm heading away for the weekend and may not be around much, Cheers!)

[JadedDM]

Kynaston Trench (Karn's Blacksmith, Blade Street)
A middle-aged, big man with blond hair and blue eyes, steps out from the back wearing an apron and covered in soot. "Welcome, welcome," he says, dusting his hands off, then wiping them on his apron--which does little but smudge the soot around more.

"Oh, is that so?" he asks in response to Kynaston's statement. "I've only set up shop here about...let's see, maybe six months ago?" he says with uncertainty, scratching at his chin (and smudging it with more soot, as a result). Not sure what went on here before that. From Gateway, originally. Thought I'd do better here. At least before all those refugees showed up and the local iron mine dried up! Still, I do alright."

He heads over to a nearby water basin and tries to wash off the soot from his hands. "So, you used to work here then? Back under the old owner?"

Haahqae and Kendra (Marketplace Square)
Haahqae maneuvers around, reaching the 'clearing' Kendra has created and finding much more elbow room there.

Kendra's remarks quickly turn the crowd against her. People begin scowling and booing at her. "At least the Master can create real miracles, unlike your fake Seeker gods!" calls one person anonymously.

The prophet holds up his hands, and the crowd immediately goes silent. He then steps down from his crate, so that he is at eye-level with Kendra. "The miracles of the Master are open to all who accept them with an open mind," he says simply. He looks into her eyes. "He could heal your wounds, as well, if you let him."

Gregeddin (Marketplace Square)
Gregeddin heads east, resuming his journey to the marketplace. When he arrives, he notices a crowd of a score or more people have crowded around a man speaking to them. A woman in red and white--another Holy Guard--appears to be arguing with him. Judging from the murmurs of the crowd, they are clearly on the prophet's side.

Khush (Road to Haven)
Before Khush can even swing his staff, the male goblin hurls his spear at him. It's a lucky shot, but effective nonetheless as the weapon pierces Khush in the gut. The world spins around him as his knees give out and he falls over. The last thing he sees as he calls out to Zeshun, are the two goblins looking down at him. Then there is only darkness.

===========

Initiative
Khush (1d10+4): 11
Goblin 01 (1d10+6): 7
Goblin 02 (1d10+6): 9

Round 4!

Goblin 01 throws his spear at Khush in the daylight (-1) and in the light rain (-1) (1d20-2): 18, critical hit! for (2d6): 6 damage. Khush falls.
Goblin 02 has no opponent.
Khush is unconscious.

(OOC: Welp...)

Coroccoco (Herbalist Street)
Daxia nods. "Maybe I'll see you then," she says with a smile.

The waitress accepts the steel coin with gratitude and promises to pray to Weerschaal that very night, as soon as she was off work.

Stepping back outside, she finds it is still raining lightly. There are a few refugees out on the street, but most avoid her when they see her race. She walks westward, reaching Herbalist Street. To the north is the Steel Tankard and to the south, the marketplace square.

(OOC: Coroccoco spends 1 steel piece.)

[NoTrammeling]

Treading purposefully down the road, the priestess hardly spares a second thought for the refugees ignoring her. After rocks and curses mere wariness is a delight. Pausing for a moment at the crossroads, Coroccoco decides on the Southern road. The Steel Tankard did not appeal so early in the day, and the market is always flush with new wares and interesting people. She makes her way to the large crowd, quickly grasping the situation at hand and pushing her way forward through the crowd with little difficulty. She comes to a halt on the edge of the clearing made by the orator and the Holy guardswoman.

[HorizonsDream]

Kendra ignores the crowd around her mostly because she knows that those people are upset with the way things are going in Haven right now. They will cling to anything that look like miracles because it gave them hope. She couldn't blame them for giving into what the man had to say. There was even a part of her that wanted to believe what he had to say, but she knew better.

The sound of someone sitting down beside her standing form, caught her attention and she looked down. At first, she assumed it was just someone's child that decided that all of the space she had created seemed like a chance to break free from the confides of the crowd. "Well," she finally said, turning her gaze back to the so called prophet. Oh, but he was a handsome one, she would give him that. She drew one of her swords and put it to her free hand. "Providing that you agree to come to see my superiors, peacefully, I'll allow you and your God to perform this healing miracle upon me," she said as she slowly swiped the blade against the palm of her free hand.

Despite the fact that Kendra had been part of the guard for years now, it still stung whenever a blade cut into her skin. She winced lightly, so there was no denying that she actually did cut herself. Blood started to pool into the palm of her hand, and then drip down the side. For all she knew, the prophet could have simply fooled the crowd into thinking he really cut himself, and then dispelled the magic to show that the hand was actually healed. He couldn't do that here.

[Haahque]

"I just got here, and I'd love to see a miracle." The words sounded better in his head than when he said them out loud, but you can't unsay something, so Haahqae will live with it. Chances are these two will be so caught up in their conversation they won't care what he says anyways.

The important part is seeing the miracle, and he has a great seat, he could almost smell the blood while it dripped dangerously close to getting on his clothing.

Actually, on second thought Haahqae squirms away a little to remove the danger of getting bloodstains on his pants.

[mgbevan]

Holy guard and another argument. Gregeddin rolls his eyes and sets off towards this altercation. Thinking he could blag some calmness out of the crowd before anything rash happened.
The guard have enough trouble running the city. No need to become barbaric monsters in these hard time it would be tragic to let standards fall.
He walks up to the edge of the mass of people straining to get a good view and trying to suss out what's happening by vocalising his intrigue.

[JadedDM]

Kendra cuts open her hand with her own blade, and the prophet simply shakes his head. "I actually meant the wounds within," he clarifies. "You have the look of someone who has given up on ever being happy." Taking her hand gently, he removes a bandage from his pocket and starts to wrap it around her cut. "As for miracles, I am afraid I must first rest and pray again before I can do any more. There will be another demonstration tomorrow, assuming the Seekers don't attempt to silence me before then."

[HorizonsDream]

~Do I really carry that look around with me,~ Kendra asked herself silently as she watched the man bandage up her hand. That wasn't exactly a miracle. It was something she could have easily done on her own. "I don't think even the Gods of old can heal those wounds," she said softly. "As for silencing you tomorrow, that isn't up to me. Though, I do need you to come with me today...sir, what is your name?" she asked.

[Haahque]

"No miracles? Aww man, but I wanted to see... I hope I get to see you tomorrow!"

"Oh well what was I doing before I came here? Oh yeah, mountain guy needs help clearing demons out of his mine. Critical importance and stuff. Anyone feel like helping me help him clear out the mine? Oh right, should mention that it's an iron mine, good for making weapons to help the war effort and the sort." Haahqae says while standing up.

[mgbevan]

Gregeddin peeks between the heads of onlookers. Then in the clearing sees a small figure in addition to the guard and man. Was that... "A child!" Gregeddin blurted out and promptly made his way through the crowd starting a rant
"You should be ashamed of yourselves! Am I the only one here with a shred of decency left to tell the public these days that weapons shouldn't be used nearby children?! What message are we sending the youth of today with swords wantonly brandished?"
Just now approaching The circle. "So I implore you both to sheath your weapons in the presence of this innocent child!"

[Haahque]

Haahqae scans the crowd to find this child the new arrival speaks of, "Oh sorry" He says reflexively, then it dawns on him. "Hey wait, I haven't even drawn any weapons yet!"

[mgbevan]

looking at the face of the now speaking 'child', Gregeddin internally reels in horror as he realizes this is no child at all.
Bowing his head in apology, "Oh dear, my sincerest regrets for mistaking your identity. Please forgive me, just from afar... I thought the guard was swinging her sword about a child... and the hat..."
Looking up at the faces of the crowd he feared his faux pas would be the highlight of these people's day. Perhaps in some small reconciliation the mood of the crowd may have lifted.
Now noticing the guard's bloodied hand, he asks "Are you alright miss?"