The Mystery of the Missing Donkey
-=--=--=<* A08: N. Bridge Over Tornmawr River and Shipping Channel *>-=--=--=-
The Northern Highbridge is immense, a marvel of modern-day artifice and engineering. Carefully cut granite blocks form four evenly spaced arches across the placid waters below, with cantilevered wooden bridge sections set into the stonework. On each side of the moving bridge sections are two crane-like contraptions made of iron attached to thick chain extending down to the bridge's surface. These contraptions appear to raise and lower the center of the bridge, to allow for greater and larger ships to move through Alexandria. These levers are controlled from tiny structures set into the stone, off the main causeway.
The Northern Highbridge is not the only way to cross the river. There are other bridges further south and there are ferries, but it is certainly the most impressive way. A sister bridge, identical, lies to the south.
On the eastern and western sides of the great 200 foot span of the bridge are two low, squat, well-constructed guardhouses. These structures obviously serve a defensive purpose, allowing access to be controlled by the troops stationed there.
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Aech A young human male that looks underfed. 38s 45m
Deryn a titanic half-oruch 48s 33m
Gregor A six-two Arvek with brown hair and a thick build. 0s 20m
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Down to the Bank <D> East <E> Southwest <SW>
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Gregor is leading a pair of bloodhounds who are sniffing for a trail. His progress seems poor, though, and the dogs don't really seem to have a scent. But when they sit, he keeps offering them a small rag. They sniff it and start searching again.
Meanwhile, Deryn's got his helm buckled loosely upon his swordbelt. The massive specimen of half-orc wanders with no particular rush. Gregor may note the patchups from before have long since healed, but no new ones are present to replace them. Instead, he's busy chowing on a charred stick of juicy meat. Likely not rat. He stands, watching passers-by.
Aech sits mounted on a noble steed, or more specifically a donkey named 'Mog', slowly plodding east across the bridge. He has no saddle, but seems comfortable enough and on the lookout. Catching sight of Gregor, his eyes light up and he waves towards the arvek enthusiastically, "Good sir! I could use your help!"
Gregor will give Deryn a nod of greeting and hail him as he passes. "Hello." When Aech calls out, he'll head over. "How may I assist you?" he asks. He looks the fellow over thoughtfully.
Narrowing his eyes a touch, Deryn tilts his head. He opts, too, to trail after Gregor after returning the nod, Aech-and-mount drawing his interest -- and maybe a little derision, judging from the shift in his mouth. He doesn't speak.
Aech seems relieved at Gregor's acknowledgement, noticing Deryn with a concerned look, but focusing on the task at hand. Though he tugs on the rope loosely around his donkey's neck and gives a feeble 'Whooaaa', the animal continues to plod along as Aech speaks with Gregor, "You see, my other donkey took off in that direction," he jerks a thumb back westward, "And I'm trying to track him down. I'll spend all day wandering around in the snow if I try to do it alone, but do you think you could help?"
Gregor eyes Aech skeptically at the tale of a lost donkey. "You lost a donkey inside the city?" he asks. "Or outside the city?" He can't be sure how far /in that direction/ the fellow means. "Is your brand on the donkey?" he asks. "Or else how will we know it's yours. I'm no Druid to speak with animals."
"Sounds like a pricey task, my friend," offers Deryn in commentary. He picks another sliver of dripping meat from the skewer, wiping his mouth with his clothed forearm. "And a tedious one. How'd you lose your animal?"
"Inside the city... and no, I don't have a brand, but I would know him if I saw him." Aech pauses and looks towards Deryn at the commentary, still slightly concerned about being basically at eye level despite being on the back of an animal, "Pricey? I think that any task is worth doing to further the cause of Serriel and civilization! I was shopping for some pants back at the market when a Sildanyar flew in on some giant winged beast and dropped into the middle of the market. It spooked him--he's not as brave as Mog," Aech ruffles the hair on the donkey's head, which continues its slow plod eastward.
Gregor shrugs to Deryn, and says, "A few hours of my day are certainly worth gold, but first I must be convinced the task is achievable. Otherwise it is wasted time. I will not end my search with an arguement over whether a donkey belongs to one man or another." He eyes Aech with a frown, and says, "Serriel and Civilization would have had you branding your mule so people will know it's yours. You claim you will know it, but if you simply expect to go up to another man, claim his mule as yours, and walk off with it, you are expecting too much. A druid might be able to talk with the animal and find out, but I cannot. You can hire one through the Explorers' Guild, or find them where they gather, in the woods north of the city. They tend to be soppy on stories like yours and will probably help."
Spooked? For a moment, Deryn eyes the remaining pieces of meat on the skewer, and then Aech's donkey, and then back at the meat. He takes another bite anyways, chewing, picking at one of his microtusks once he's got one gauntlet off. "Are you still looking for those worshippers?" he asks Gregor first, sparing Aech-and-mount only another glance, "Your hounds don't seem keen on the scent. Perhaps they'll smell the scent of this sot," a bob of the head, "On the animal's hide and find it."
Aech frowns at Gregor, momentarily stunned, hurt by the response, "That is quite the accusation, pal--and I'm not looking for a mule, I'm looking for a donkey." Turning sideways on the back of the donkey he is riding, he studies Deryn for a moment before asking, "What worshippers?"
Gregor nods to Deryn about the worshippers, and he agrees, though he says, "I'm trying to track smugglers of hyenas. They are connected. But as you say, the trail is old. As trails are reckoned in a city, very old." As far as scent, he nods, and asks Aech, "Do you have the donkey's blanket, then? Or some other article?" He says to Deryn, "You can't get one animal's scent off another. The first animal's scent overwhelms it." He shrugs at Aech's response, and says, "No accusation; simply a statement of fact. Wizards and priests might be able to magically dig out the truth, but it is beyond my craft. I don't know you from the lost King, and while I would like to believe you, I have no compelling reason to assume you are not some beggar hoping to get a free donkey."
"The arvek has the right of it," says Deryn, not seeming to terribly mind having been corrected. He paces slowly to keep up, still eating as Gregor rattles off, and then he muses, "For all the two of us know, that one you've been riding's not yours either. See, you've got no blanket or tack on him. It might be you'd be better off talking to a guard ... or a stablemaster somewhere."
Aech perks up a little at something Gregor says, but is quickly distracted by Deryn with a frown, "There's really no reason to get the city guard involved in this, I'm just trying to find my donkey." Turning back to Gregor and quickly moving the subject forward, "There actually was a Lancer with a gigantic golden hyena just in the market when I left who might be able to help you with that." Looking the Arvek up and down he asks cautiously, "Maybe you already know her?"
Gregor nods to Aech, and asks, "A female Arvek Nar taller than me? That would be Lancer Serraphine. That was one of the hyenas we rescued, we are looking for it's littermates," he explains. "I am working with her." He resumes the previous conversation, "So you said you had the donkey's saddle blanket, or something that can be tracked?"
Sniggering, Deryn devours the last bit of meat, snapping the skewer and making sure the other two are too distracted to notice him litter, though maybe the dogs might sniff at the thing briefly. At least he does not threaten any more, looking here and there. "You saying there's great hyenas in the city? What do they go for?"
Aech slides off of the donkey as it continues to plod along, letting it walk away towards the east. He snatches a rope that had been bundled behind where he was sitting before Mog (the donkey) is out of arms reach. He presents the rope to Gregor, "This is the rope I usually keep around his neck, it slipped off when he bolted. Would that work?" He pauses now, looking up at both Deryn and Gregor before nodding to Gregor, "Yeah, I think she was taller than you. Not as tall as him though," he points at Deryn.
Gregor says to Deryn, "They go for Thul, is the problem." Thul, Lord of the Undead, one of the major evil deities. "None of the animal traders we found would admit to having them in business, and the one trader we found with them set a fire and vanished in the confusion. If you can find one, by all means let us know." To Aech, he nods, "That is Lancer Serraphine, then," he agrees, and he'll take the rope. "It may work," he says, and offers it to the dogs to sniff. If the trail is here, they ought to be able to pick it up.
"Get a hold on him before you lose him too," Deryn adds in suggestion, pointing a rearmored finger towards Mog who continues to move. The mention of Thul has him wetting his lips, nose wrinkling slightly. "I'll come with. I've got little better to do," he announces, slipping his helm on, but loosely. "See if this ends up anywhere fun," he adds in a mutter.
Aech shrugs at Deryn as he looks after Mog, "She doesn't really listen to me. That's part of the problem..." He trails off as the rope is handed to the bloodhounds, "To be completely honest, Tar didn't even actually come this way. He headed south out of the market, but Mog," he jerks a thumb at the other donkey, "Goes where she pleases. So I figured we'd take the long way around." He looks a bit embarassed about the situation, forcing a smile and looking back and forth between the two, unsure of himself.
Gregor smirks at Deryn's admonishment of Aech. He nods about coming with, and agrees, "You may well be called on to witness that we come only to find the animal, not to take it away until a determination of ownership can be made." He eyes Aech. "It may well be that your mule has been found - in this city it is almost certain - and they are simply holding it until someone comes for it. But if there is dispute, we will call someone who can get to the bottom of things." He sighs as Aech explains where the trail starts, and will lead his hounds there, and he'll lead Mog there, too. He at least is skilled enough for that.
GAME: Gregor takes ten on handle animal: (10)+7: 17
<OOC> Gregor says, "Leading a donkey should be DC 10 (Handle an animal), with maybe a bit of plus if it's stubborn, but a 17 ought to cover that."
Grunting with mild annoyance, Deryn gives Mog's hindquarters a somewhat sour look. At least Gregor gets things handled, and there he trails behind, tugging on the baldric of his sword absently. "I'll be your witness," he supposes, not sounding entirely willing. "At least that'll have me out of the dens," he thinks on the bright side. "Some dead cultists is a bonus..."
<OOC: Travel spam cut>
-=--=--=--=--=--<* A06: Lower Alexandrian Gardens District *>=--=--=--=--=--=-
The city is divided, unofficially, into Upper Alexandria and Lower Alexandria. The Upper resides further up on the slope of the mountain, and rests to the east of the great river. The Lower resides to the west of it, and if the Lower could be said to have a heart, this verdant park might be its center.
Amid all the bustle of the Lower City, its Gardens District provides a peaceful respite. The warmth of Althea holds sway here, and though Daeus receives the occasional nod, this is clearly Her domain. She shares it with Dana, in the verdant green of this area. Vines and trees, remain green no matter the season and numerous flowers bloom along the park's walkways. Faerie-light lanterns hang from branches and along hedgerows.
A number of shops may be found here, most notably the city hospital, for which the park was originally built. Though now open to the public, the gardens by and large, remain underneath the hospital's care. However, in the Althean tradition, much of the work is provided by volunteers.
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Aech A young human male that looks underfed. 1m 2h
Deryn a titanic half-oruch 2m 2h
Gregor A six-two Arvek with brown hair and a thick build. 0s 1h
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South <S> Verdant Earth <V> Soldier's Defense <SD>
North <N> West <W>
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Not far ahead of the band of merry acquaintances from the river is the missing donkey, Tar. He is ambling very slowly through a patch of flowers, leaving behind him something that looks more like mulch. In the donkey's mouth he is carrying a wide-bodied basket which holds a stack of about a half dozen padded vests. Somewhere back in the market, a person with very good hearing may hear a merchant shouting at some poor bystander, "Thief! You took my vests!"
- GAME: Gregor rolls perception: (8)+6: 14
- GAME: Deryn rolls perception: (13)+0: 13
- GAME: Aech rolls perception: (5)+7: 12
Gregor and the hounds and Aech's donkey manage to follow the trail, which leads them a fair ways, to a patch of flowers. Apparently no one has intercepted, claimed, or just led off, the donkey that's eating those flowers. Heading toward it, he asks Aech, "Is that it, then? Your lost donkey?"
It's likely Deryn didn't hear it, or else he might be ribbing Aech some more on this arduous journey. One hand lifted to his mouth to hide a yawn, he squints off to the same donkey. "If it is, run and stop him," he says, mildly, "I've doubt you want to deal with merchants angry you trampled their gardens."
Aech beams over at Tar, nodding to Gregor, "And it looks like Serriel has given him another gift! She helps us out probably once a week, you know," he sounds smug with the privilege of it. Hurrying over, he pats the donkey on the neck and pulls at the basket. The donkey does not even seem to acknowledge Aech whatsoever other than to fight to keep his basket, but eventually Aech has wrested it free, "Good boy, good boy!"
Gregor peers at the basket, and the donkey, and Aech. As he does so, the owner of this missing basket, just behind us now having been pointed in this direction by the fellow he was haranguing, who'd seen Tar carry it off, cries out, "A-ha! So -you're- the basket thief." He's pointing at Aech. "He was right, it -was- a trained donkey." Gregor shakes his head, though, and says, "No, sir. This is probably the most untrained donkey alive."
"You give its owner too much credit," Deryn comments, arms folding in front of his chest, but once of the vests in the basket draws his eye. It's likely way, way too small, but he inquires, "How much for that one?"
Aech wheels around, setting the basket down at his feet and reaching out to touch Tar's neck, as though emotionally wounded on his behalf, "Are you calling my donkey a thief?! This basket was a gift!" Turning to Deryn at the question, Aech glances down at the basket for a moment and then back to Deryn with an offer, "8 gold pieces."
Gregor watches as the man fumes, "That's -my- basket, those are shirts -I- made. I am Hamilond, the tailor." To Deryn, he says, "You may have the whole basket for four gold, and all the shirts in it. Or I'll call the watch!" Gregor just looks on quietly, with a critical gaze on Aech.
"Nay, on second thought, make me one, all properly sewn. I'd rip those open," Deryn points pointedly down at the top layer of shirts and vests in the basket, clothing priorities in mind firstly. "Two gold." With a sniff, his eyes roll over towards Gregor, then Aech. "Where'd you get your gift, friend?"
Aech points at Tar, "From the donkey, you were right here with me when we walked up and found him." Turning back to Hamilond, Aech appears incredulous at the offer, "And four gold?! That's outrageously low but I guess I could go as low as 1 gold piece for the contents of this specific basket, for whoever can pay right now." He gestures to Deryn or Hamilond, just as happy to sell to either it would appear.
The tailor, a merchant first, agrees quickly with Deryn. "As you say, in that style, but sized for your remarkable proportions, and perfectly fitted. Two gold, sir, and I will have it done by this evening. If you will come with me and let me take some measurements, while the watch arrests this man and his trained donkey." The man peers dumbfounded at Aech, and says, "You will /pay me/ four gold, or give me my basket back. Or I will shout for the watch, and that is the last we will see of you and your trained donkey." The trained donkey comment makes Gregor snicker, and he advises Aech, "Give the man his basket back, and a couple silver for his time. The watch does not like adventurers."
"A fair price," agrees Deryn, "But we best wait until the matter of the basket thief's dealt with." However, the look he gives Aech and the donkey is not dirty, but rather, amused. He shakes his head, helm coming off again and his fingers combing through his hair. "Looks like your instincts were right," he observes to Gregor.
Aech frowns, looking back and forth between Gregor and Deryn. He turns to Gregor, particularly at the last comment which he responds to, "I know all about the watch, I was raised here in Alexandria!" He turns to Hamilond picking the basket up and leaving the Tar to continue pulling flowers out of the ground. He holds out the basket to the tailor, "If you want to take from the Church of Serriel, by all means. I hope you can sleep at night."
Gregor nods to Deryn. "And the hounds did a good job of tracking, I'm pleased to say. The trail was much fresher than the one I -had- been tracking, of course." The merchant all but snatches the basked from Aech's hands. "I tithe," he says indignantly, "But not a weeks's work in one go!" A small merchant would make much less, of course. "I had no idea Serriel employed brigands to steal donations for her, though, I shall certainly protest!" This puts Gregor's back up, and he says to him, "The Mithril Lady does not steal. This man," he points to Aech, "and his donkey are attempting to pretend innocence to the crime of theft. I will bear witness if you wish to prefer charges." The man looks to Deryn, Gregor, and Aech, and says, "... I've got my basket back. That's enough." To Deryn, the tailor says, "Come, let us get you measured."
"Good luck, eh?" Deryn tells Aech with a slow exhale, pinching at his nose bridge as he ties his helm to his belt. Dusting himself off, he begins to trail after Hamilond. "I'm off to get better threads."
Aech rolls his eyes at Hamilond, pausing through his indignation to respond to Deryn, "Thank you, and you as well." Turning back to Gregor, he reaches out to grab a hold of the rope holding Mog, "Bear witness to what? I was with you the whole time, I thought we could even be friends. I'll take my donkeys and leave then."
Gregor hands over the leads to the donkeys, and says, "Sir, while you may not have taken the man's basket, your donkey clearly did, and that makes it /your/ responsibility. It was clear that the basket was taken and not a donation, and you attempted to take it, either for gold for yourself, or as a donation makes no difference. But you also cast Serriel in an improper light, and if I whisper that to her paladins, you will probably be slowly grilled over a fire." Well, probably not, given paladins. "So, take this donkey and your lying self and begone. I want nothing to do with you."