texas ♔ don't want to face the fears we've met

[heavensend]

WHO || Anastacia, Avaleen, Thea, Riddick [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights try to track down some missing Shadowkind
WHERE || Houston, Texas
WHEN || April 9th [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

The Church of Good Hearted Souls is a nondenominational church, located in a poorer district of Houston. The neighborhood itself doesn't disguise the fact, but the streets that they walk through to reach the church are populated almost exclusively by Shadowkind, of all types. Dwarves, elves, gnomes, even a minotaur shuffle past, many of them making their way in and out of tenement buildings that have seen better days. The occasional humans that break up the mix often wear clothing more suited to a fantasy village - and those who don't sometimes have hairstyles that give them away as less than totally modern. The Church itself doesn't even remember a conventional church or temple in any way - it seems to have been built into a squat brick building, hollowed out to make room for folding chairs, since pews seemed to be outside their price range. "All faiths welcome" proclaims a sign out front, and another replaceable sign below it is flipped to read "Sister Deborah is in". 

Comments

[silvermaid]

[ the man readjusts his grip on her as she almost wriggles free, since he apparently wasn't expecting that resistance (grapple 17).

"Quiet, or we'll knock you the fuck out, creature," he growls.

outside, anastacia steps back to look at the building, and get a feel for it. faded lettering indicates that it was once a lightbulb factory, but those days look long gone. most of the windows are so dirty that they look caked shut with age. ] Maybe there's another way in.

[withasouvenir]

[ thea glances around (spot 22) for a different way in?? maybe a window that isn't completely unsalvageable. ]

[silvermaid]

[ oh hey there's a window up there that looks like its ajar. but they'll need a boost which means someone will have to be left behind 8( which is what's happening to riddick look at these smooth gming skills. time for a climb check ladies. ]

[withasouvenir]

[ smoother than a fresh jar o' skippy, tbqh. thea points out the window to anastacia and riddick. her climb was a 16 so she's pretty firm and confident in her ability to squeak through the window quietly. (move silently 24) ]

[delicere]

[Meanwhile, inside, their threats appear to be enough to quiet her cries. Ava safe in the belief that the others would not be far behind she decides it's better not to struggle for fear of injury. (Wis 19)]

Why are you doing this? I have done nothing to you!

[silvermaid]

[ "This isn't for us - it's for our family. Our country, which wasn't meant for monsters like you," scowls the man holding her. she hears the rattle of metal on metal, and the creak of a door. "Put her in."

anastacia struggles a bit with the climb, but manages to make it (climb 10), and is about as quiet as she sneaks into the window with her. their feet land in a dusty abandoned hallway. there's a door that leads to the second floor factory floor, and the hallway curves at the end to the left, and leads to a staircase at the right end. ]

[delicere]

[Ava struggles again, more-so on instinct than any master plan. Unable to see what it is that they plan to put her into, her imagination runs wild with thoughts of giant ovens filled with people or maybe its just cause I have TW Miracle Day playing in the background. (Opposed Grapple 16).]

So you capture me?! Why? What do you plan to do with me? [She's at least smart enough to try and milk them for info as she does this. (Wis 23)]

[withasouvenir]

[ thea silently draws her sword as she moves forward toward the door, keeping it down next to her leg to it won't catch any light. she tries to listen for the captors, but... she doesn't listen very well. (listen 3) so helpful, so useful. ]

[heavensend]

[ his grapple of 17 is only just enough to push her in despite her struggles, and she finds herself pushed into a large people-cage, basically.

"Guess you'll find out, won't you?" the man chuckles, and the sack is lifted off her head suddenly, before the door clangs shut behind her. she can see that she's on some sort of factor floor, and there's a small row of these kind of cages. the one beside her has a small figure huddled in the corner crying quietly.

anastacia opens the door, and they sneak inside onto what seems to be a balcony that catwalks around on top of the factory floor below - meaning they can see down to where the men are locking avaleen into the cage. ]

[delicere]

[With A ridic spot check of 28 and low-light vision up to 60 feet, Avaleen tries to get a better look at her surroundings, mainly at the huddled figure in the nearby cage as she scoots closer to the edge of her own, away from the men who had just unceremoniously shoved her inside.]

[withasouvenir]

[ lmao thea got a nat 20 spot check to probably ZOOM IN DIRECTLY ON AVALEEN'S BRIGHT HAIR like fuck this noise. who needs ears when you have eyes!

her head swivels back and forth, trying to find a way down from the catwalk. now would have been a great time to have her bow, but alas. ]

[heavensend]

[ it appears to be a little gnome! huddling there wiping his nose on his sleeve. he looks up once, twice, as the two men step away, talking in hushed voices to each other, seeming to be arguing about something.

"T-they got you too, huh," he says forlornly.

there are some metallic steps that lead down below, but they would take them right over the heads of the two men. ]

[delicere]

[Ava manages to push her own fear down rather easily (WS 20 total), as if the sight of the young male gnome gives her hope. As the men talk to each other, she reaches through the bars towards the boy who spoke, offering what is meant to be a hopeful smile as she whispers;]

I met a young girl, rather like you today. She told me how she misses her brother desperately.

[withasouvenir]

[ thea wants to get closer, but she doesn't want to give away their position. but... there doesn't seem to be any other way down so... she glances to anastacia, dropping her voice to barely a whisper. ]

There's steps but we'll have to go right over them.

[ and thea hasn't proven herself to be super duper stealthy today. ]

[silvermaid]

[ the gnome's eyes widen, with hope of his own. "L...Lilijune?" he sniffs.

anastacia hesitates, clearly uncertain about her ability to sneak down there. ]

Maybe we should try to overhear what they're up to [ she offers, putting herself in position to listen in with a 27. ]

[withasouvenir]

[ thea nods, following suit, crouching down like being closer will make it easier. it probably does not. (listen 16) it's all you, anastacia. ]

[delicere]

[Avaleen looks pointedly towards the men, trying to impress upon the young gnome that she was fearful they might overhear their conversation.

After a silent moment, she looks back at him and nods her head.]

She is quite safe... and has hope that she will be reunited with you, very soon.

[silvermaid]

[ the young gnome groans, looking despondent. "I... I only wish it could be, but I fear these men will never let us leave here alive."

anastacia listens solemnly for a few moments, before her expression gives way to growing horror, the color fleeing her cheeks. she turns wide eyes back to thea. ] They're talking about ... selling them. They-- they mentioned a deal with a Pastor Windright.

[withasouvenir]

[ thea looks appropriate horrified by the revelation, but probably more so because of how it's clearly affecting anastacia. she wants to reach out and comfort her, but she's honestly not sure they have time. ]

Did they say when?

[ if it's not until later they can have riddick stand guard and go after windright themselves, put a stop to this at the source and find the rest of the people who've been taken.

but if it's soon... well, thea's dad is a murderer. she might have to find out if it's genetic and use those two guys as her test subjects. ]

[delicere]

I would not have told you this if I did not believe there was great reason to hope. [Looking back to the gnome with raised eyebrows, silently imploring him to understand her meaning.]

You are not injured I hope?

[silvermaid]

[ he winces, turning to reveal his arm, which he's cradling to his chest. it's possibly broken, given the awkward angle that it's hanging at, but he's trying to keep it clutched in place.

anastacia shakes her head. ] They didn't say, and I don't dare to hope that they intend to wait. [ she hesitates a second, before looking back at thea ] We have to find a way to detain them until the police arrive. I... might be able to hold them with magic, but if they resist, they'll know we're here, and they might threaten the captives until we reveal ourselves.

[delicere]

[Worry flashes in her bright blue eyes, Avaleen pressing herself closer to the edge of the bars, trying to reach far enough to lay her hands on the gnome.]

May I? [And if he is okay with it and she can reach him. (IDEK what that would be... a Dex Check? 19.) Ava will attempt to at least ease his pain, if not mend the break. (Cure Light Wounds: 8hp.)]

[withasouvenir]

...what if I get down closer to them before you start? [ her grip tightens on the katana -- if they threaten the captives, thea will threaten them. ]

[silvermaid]

Maybe if you take the stairwell out in the hall, you can sneak down around? I'll wait until I see you from here.

[ the gnome hesitates for only a moment, but likely because she brought up his sister, he scoots over to where she can touch him, and his eyes widen as the healing energy helps relieve some of the pain that the arm is causing him.

"T-thank you." ]

[delicere]

I shall try and do more for you - [Giving him a meaningful look.] When we get out of here.