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

[withasouvenir]

[ looking around, thea's lips purse as she takes in the neighborhood, being reminded, uncomfortably, of the glades. uncomfortable because of what became of it. her fingers twitch against her legs before folding across her chest, ]

Should we split up so a couple of us can speak to Sister Deb and the others can speak to the some of the ...neighbors?

[delicere]

[A little on the wide eyed and curious side, Ava's here just, probably not who you want to ask about the best way to proceed because she's too busy taking in her surroundings whilst trailing behind Ana.

Yeah this has been a tag to say she's here.]

[silvermaid]

I suppose we could. [ anastacia doesn't really seem uncomfortable with the neighborhood, but she recognizes that they do have a small group. ] Although I don't know how much Sister Deborah will have to tell us.

[withasouvenir]

I can talk to the Shadowkind. My club in Bruges was pretty much Shadowkind central. [ she glances between ava and riddick, but leaves any actual decisions up to anastacia. ] If either team finishes before the other, it's not like it'll be hard to meet up.

[silvermaid]

Riddick, why don't you go with Thea? [ that way he can protect her if any trouble goes down... and anastacia would prefer to keep her own squire where she can see how she does ] We'll speak to Sister Deborah.

[withasouvenir]

Works for me. Come on, Muscles. [ she flashes him one of this ingratiating smiles that makes it read as a light tease instead of an insult and turns to flounce off and make friends. it's what she's good at, after all. ]

[delicere]

[Ava goes so far as to send the others off with a smile and a wave before turning her attention on Ana.]

Perhaps the sister will be able to point us in a more appropriate direction. [Yep. Ana gets little Miss Optimism.']

[notafraidofthedark]

[Riddick just nods, following Thea with a "Hmmph" at her nick-name, saying to Ana as he passes-] Watch your backs.

thea & riddick → meeting the neighbors

[withasouvenir]

[ with a purposeful stride that speaks of being used to the environment and secure in her ability to talk to pretty much anyone, thea moves across the street toward the tenement building. she made a paladin drop it like its hot, she can do anything. ]

Are Shadwkind big where you're from? [ it's a casual question while they walk, her way of sussing out riddick's comfort level with the people here. ]

[lightblindbadass]

[Even with Thea walking like a boss, Riddick still has to shorten his stride to match hers so he doesn't leave her in the dust. At her question he shrugs, answering in a deep bumblebee rumble-] I guess that's what you'd call 'em here, for lack of a better term. It just depended on what planet they were from what they were called.

ana & ava → sister deborah

[heavensend]

[ into the church they go, anastacia looking around with a small smile on her features as she scans the small church.

that smile vanishes, however, when a woman rises from the bench near the front, turning to greet them. her hair is long and white, her eyes all but colorless, her dark red lips the only real shade on her face, beyond her dark eyebrows. she's robed in long snowy robes, and she notably has a pair of small horns on her head. anastacia stares, looking almost stricken for a second.



"Can I help you?" her voice is emotionless, even as she studies them carefully. ]

Er... Sister... Deborah, I presume?

[ the sister seems to catch her discomfort, looking between the two of them and seeming to have a moment of revelation of her own.

"Mm. Yes. That would I." ]

[withasouvenir]

[ yeah, she's pretty tiny tbh.

she nods, pleased with that answer. while she didn't think he was some kind of shadowkind racist, it's best to double check. ] For the record, I'm going to ask about those planets later. [ maybe on the flight home. but work first, she flags down a nearby person/creature/whatever. ] Excuse me, hi, hey.

[ look, she is pretty and teeny and unintimidating, please talk to her. ]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ the first person they encounter is half-elf, all but dressed in rags. his blonde hair is chopped into what is basically an elven mullet, since apparently someone told him that was a good idea to fit in here. feel bad for him. he looks over them suspiciously. ]

What is it?

[withasouvenir]

[ offering an ingratiating smile, thea tries to set the man at ease. (diplomacy 24) she wants to give him a mini makeover, but resists the urge. ]

We were just wondering if you might be able to answer a few questions?

[notafraidofthedark]

[Riddick is just going to stand behind Thea and not say anything b/c he and diplomacy? Not so good together.]

[delicere]

[In stark contrast to Ana's reaction, Avaleen has a slow, warm smile spreading across her features, not stopping but closing the distance between the two women and Sister Deborah with an outstretched hand offered to the pale woman.]

Good day Sister. Thank you for welcoming us into your Church. I'm Avaleen and this is... [Babbling away as she casts a look over her shoulder at Ana and finally notices the other woman's discomfort, a questioning look in her eyes before she refocuses on Deborah.] We've come here to help? [Another brief look at Ana as if to ensure she's doing this right.]

[behindcloseddoors]

Depends. What about?

[silvermaid]

[

recognition flashes across her features, and she looks more solemn for it.

"Wynn sent you," she says, by way of understanding. hearing his name off her lips, and noticing avaleen's easy manner seems to alert anastacia to her own guarded one, and she visibly attempts to shrug off the discomfort. ]

Yes, about the disappearances. We were hoping you might be able to tell us more.

[ "Of course," she says simply. "Four members of our congregation have gone missing. Two halflings, a dwarf, and a gnome. None of them would be considered troublemakers, by anyone's account. Most of them minded their own business, kept a low profile." ]

[withasouvenir]

[ the smile slips to something more serious, but she still maintains a welcoming appearance. ] About the recent disappearances.

[delicere]

[Sorrow touches Ava's features, as if she might have known each one of the missing personally, voice softening as she speaks again.]

And there has been no trace of them at all?

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he frowns deeper at that. ] Don't see how that's human business.

[silvermaid]

[

her expression hardens slightly and she looks down. "There is evidence that they were all taken violently: a broken door, a splash of blood and a ripped jacket, a ransacked apartment. There was also one witness. You might want to talk to Lilijune, the younger sister of the missing gnome." ]

[withasouvenir]

[ her lips purse slightly, irritation flashing through her eyes for a moment before she reins it in. he has every right to be bitter, especially here. relax, thea. ] Because we're trying to help so it doesn't happen again. In order to do that, we need as much information as we can get.

[delicere]

There is still hope, is there not? [Trying for an encouraging smile as without hesitation, she reaches to grasp Sister Deborah's hand.]

Perhaps if you could tell us where we might find Lilijune, she could tell us something that might lead to their safe return.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ his lips curl back and he thrusts out a finger at her chest ] Your kind's taking them, that's what. The people from this world. The... the government. They're coming to kill us off.