Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

"hmmm? Sorry, I was just thinking about this cathedral and these damn guards. I suppose we could get in through a window, but last time I tried that I got caught and made to find a machine for some really weird Tech Priests..." Jansen looked downcast and glanced at his amasec flask, contemplating a drink. "What about you? I saw the trader, but I don't have any money, but you look like you got some good deals."

"Oh yeah. Got me some good stuff from 'im."
Zek shows him the sabre and the punchknife.
"I also got a revolver, but I'm keepin' it hidden for emergencies."

"I saw those Ashleen from the warrior compound. The trader looked pleased but the Ashleen not so much." Jansen chuckled "What did you say to them anyway?"

"Eh, not much. Called them all pussies, 'n told 'em to get their sorry asses down to the trader. Funny, some of 'em got offended. They actually 'ave a sense of manners. Wouldn' 'ave none of tha' back home."

"Heh. At least you got something done, if a little crudely. I've hit a wall with this investigation, if I'm honest. I just can't see where we should go from here - there don't seem to be any leads at all... I admit Aristachus has been acting oddly, and I think he is more than a little suspiscious, but it's not much - seeing as he is a psyker, he would seem odd. I don't suppose you've heard anything that could be useful?"

"Well, now tha' you mention it... some old ashleen bloke, wouldn't stop jabberin' on about the crows father, and how 'es the source of this all, or summin'. The other ashleen didn't like 'im talkin' 'bout it, though, so I guess its gotta' mean somethin' to someone."

"The Crows, eh? The damn things with no eyes that were following us on our journey here? It seems small, but another of the ashleen in the warrior camp mentioned them last night. I wonder...

Might as well. Come with me. Lets find out just who this 'Crow Father' is" Jansen turned and began walking towards the Warrior Camp, looking for the Ashleen who had been helpful the night before.

The sun rises high above your heads. You have only half the day left.

Jansen :"come on, we may be able to get some information from the Ashleen in the warrior camp. No name calling this time though, dead ashleen are hard to clear up if we get attacked."

Zek: "Bah, you're no fun!"
They set off, regardless.

Jansen: "keep an eye out for the old man who said that thing about the crows earlier. He may be useful." They set off towards the warrior camp. Jansen looks around for the Ashleen who he was talking to last night.

They spent an hour searching for him but to no avail.

Jansen: "I don't think they're here anymore." Jansen walks up to a group of Ashleen nearby. "Greetings. Does any of you know if there are any tribal elders around here?"

"That is not the sort of question outsiders ask or are permitted to ask"
They visibly put hands on weapons.

Jansen: "please. We need to know. You've all seen the signs around here. The crows acting wierdly. We're here to help, and we need to speak to someone who knows about the local legends."
"The crows always act like this. there is just more of them"

Jansen: "really? Why do you think that is? What about the other signs, the lights in the hills and the scratching behind the walls? You think this is some sort of trick? That we outsiders are against you? We're trying to help."

He gives a gruff grunt and turns away

Jansen sighs, annoyed. Do you think we would get any more from the bartender at the Tavern Zek?

Zek: It could be worth a look, I 'spose.

Jansen "we're not getting anywhere here at any rate." Jansen walks out of the camp, towards the Crying Clota



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Zek walks up to the bar, and enters, preceeding then to the barkeep.
Jansen follows him in "we should probably buy a drink each. It might soften him up a bit. You'll need to give me a few coins though, as I don't have any right now."
Zek pats his pockets, and rummages around, then produces a single throne.
"Barkeep!" Jansen calls "How much for a drink?"
Zek hands Jansen the coin, then moves away, able to hear whats going on, but not part of the conversation.
"watcha want?" he yells
["a drink! and a talk, on a matter of some importance!"
"what drin'k ya want!"
"what have you got?"
“Rotgut an' Second best”
How much for those then eh?
rotgut tis 3 thrones, second best tis two
"What would this Stimm pack get me?" Jansen retrives one of his Stimm doses from his pocket
"nothin'"
"why not?"
"I trade in thrones here not baubles"
Baubles? This is one of the most valuable items I have! If I get into a fight, and need to get an extra boost, then this would be the thing I would use. I could imagine it would be extremely useful around here, you could even distill it and make it a drink. A proper, warriors drink that would net you huge amounts of money.
"I couldn't make much from that. Even if I watered it daown"
no, but there must be plants around that you could mix up to have a similar effect. If you could make a brew similar to this, you could make a fortune.
"Yeh and while I'm at messin' with plants I miss out on selling booze to this lot"
fine then. I'll keep my stimm and find someone else. Now, about that talk. You know why we're here yes?
He shrugs.
No? we're here to investigate the disturbances that have been occuring. It is believed that something awful could happen here, and that means that every piece of information that is witheld from us could be the piece of information that would have saved your life. Now, answer me this. Who is the 'Crow Father'?

"beats me. sounds like something an ashleen would believe in, The owner is one and it's his day off”
Could you tell me where I could find him? Or perhaps you know where these crows come from?
he waves a hand in the air, "they are just here, no one’s ever found a nest"
What about the owner, where is he?
"his day off, likely to be at home"
"Where is that then?"
"He lives in a tent behind the building, he could be there?"
"Thank you" Jansen rises to leave, heading for the tent behind the building
Zek follows him out.

OOC: Stuff actually happens from here, due in part to me getting bored of pussyfooting around and someone giving the wrong answer to a question.

OOC: If anyone has any comments and I mean watchers Pm me. If I get a lot of pms I'll set up a comments thread.
And Rando He gave you the honest answer.

Shale crows circled en masse over the rocky mesa where just days prior Aristichus told the acolytes about what he thought was a warp loop.

Their shill voices filled the air, as they circled lower and lower obscuring the mesa.

The calls reached a crescendo and the crows disappeared, bursting into a storm of feathers. A man stood where they once were. A man with strong avian features, a long nose and ears close to his head. His eyes narrowed. He turned to face the direction of Stern Hope.

A cry, the sound of a hundred crows again could be heard and he vanished, a dark rift moving towards Stern Hope.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
A young asleen boy walks alongside his mother towards The Crying Cloyta.
The boy stops and looks to the sound of the crows. His hand rushes to his mouth, a cry escapes his lips. A trembling hand points.
The mother grabs him and rushes to the tavern screaming.

Dozens of wanderers, pilgrims and ashleen, scream, point and run from the cloud.

Two of the acolytes walk out to the centre of the street.
Zek un-slings his Lasgun and immediately starts shooting, the sharp crack of his Lasgun distinct against the roars of the crows.
Jansen starts to run for the cathedral.

The cloud rears up in front of Zek then engulfs him, barely a scream escapes his lips as he is tormented and abused. Nothing can see through the thick cloud surrounding him. It gains in size then a sickening crunch is heard. The man stands tall in midst the swirling cloud, Zeks mangled and broken body at his feet.

He motions to Jansen and he stops in his tracks, unable to move. Silently the man moves towards him, menace pouring out of every motion. Once there he stands to his front. Gently takes his chin into his hand and lifts his face, stars deep into his eyes. And skewers him on the sharp talons protruding from his hands.

He drops Jansen, slumped to the floor. The avian man eyes open in what would pass for shock. Chazzic stands a bit away recovering his stance after throwing his knife. The avian man pulls the knife sharply out from between his shoulder blades. A place where no mortal man could reach. He looks at it solemnly, staring at the steel. A loud shot is heard, the avian man stumbles back, his shoulder oozing slightly. He looks again at the knife before throwing it back, embedding it into it’s owners neck.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
(The game ended early due to our group tribling in size so the next game involoving everybody could take place . Not because we were not commited enough to it.)

For those of you who have been watching this thread and haven't found the other one yet - the thread can be found here:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/312212.page