Unusual Activity: Dohral

*Lia heads to the city to gather supplies and sell some stuff that she has collected in her travels.As she wanders the city she stops to listen to the rumors.She begins to look concern as she looks around the city.Also hearing that a few have been found, she seems to be curious and tries to ask any about the few people found.*

*Aria while making something at teh college over hears students talking about the missing persons and heads out to try and talk with them*
"well damn this is odd"*she mumbles as she walks*

In the City, a large commotion draws the attention of local officials and passerby. A few of the more prosperous merchants are closing shop and exporting all wares and supplies via caravan to a destination outside the city. When asked about the move, many reply with the same responses, remaining vague on destination but expressing how important the trip will be for their businesses.

Local guards have compiled a list of professions leaving:
Blacksmiths
Woodworkers
Minor Enchanter
Meat and grain supply vendors
General trade merchant

Some are long gone, though one group is still putting together supplies for the trip, clearing out almost their entire shops.

*Lia finishes gathering the supplies she needs she heads out of the city of Dorhal. Calling on her dire wolf Arrna, she beging to walk to Humfoodale.*

The city seems almost empty, without the noise of even a small group of merchants and workers of South Bolovin. With the lack of people, the less reputable people left behind are thriving in both Mid and South Bolovin. Even squabbles over territory have begun breaking out in the daylight.

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((Seeing as I only have two chars I use on a regular basis, Grace and Toman, and Grace is out of play while in the Forum RP, I'm hoping to keep Toman available for IG play. He will, of course, be responding to the chaos in Dohral, as a watchman, but unless there's a specific engagement going on in the forums that he's apart of, I'll also be playing with him IG.))

Toman almost preferred Vrocks to people, sometimes. At least Vrocks were predictable. They see you, they attack you, you gut them. People reacted in a bunch of ways seeing a watchman approach. Disdain, fear, apathy. Sometimes they ran, sometimes they attacked, sometimes they summoned bloody demons.

Weird things had been happening in the city. At first it seemed like people were just going missing. Nothing too unusual- usually the bodies turned up later, unless some clever sod managed to get the body down the most southerly parts of the sewers- then the damn elementals pounded anything they found to ground beef. Except the numbers were too high, and no bodies were turning up. Then suddenly the city decided to have a mass exodus, with a whole bunch of tradesmen from Bolovin buggering off to deities know where. Considering the rumours of growing monster attacks to the north, and the assault on the Eastern Citadel, Toman wasn't sure why anyone wanted to risk travelling.

What he was sure about, however, was that the empty spaces left behind were quickly being filled up. A power vacuum, (or was this a money vacuum?), had been created, and Bolovin was a mess. Toman was trying to keep an ear out, keep check on the local groups- the Cavapolins, the multitude of small gangs that infested places like the Tall mugs, Justice and The Mainstay. And the mysterious group that he'd been trying to track down for almost a year now. Any number of these could decide to back or take advantage of the people fighting each other for a piece of free market.

As a nightwatchmen, one of the few actually doing their job, Toman had the whole damn city to patrol on a night. He tried to focus on Bolovin, use what limited power he had as a sergeant (One up from Corporal, and below everyone else). Except the fighting was breaking out during the day now. There wasn't really a day watch- the authorities decided the local guards on gate duty were enough to keep peace during the day. They didn't need to pay anyone else. Except when you have one or two guards facing a bloody mob, the poor sod's not going to stand there and get lynched. They needed more men, and Toman was trying to help, but he was exhausted.

A new night, a new patrol. Come day... well. He wasn't good to anyone dead on his feet. Should the bell's ring, he'd answer, but until then he'd rest.

*a small cat would seek out Toman and find him, leaving a small note with him before scampering off(the cat is a wild one, not saber FYI)*

"Hey there Tom, Your pal here, Just if you need help ask- currently investigating a merchant caravan again, will send this too you vai the cat, contact me through the bird dogs or cats of dorhal- all of them know gotta go, guards looking for me again"
*there is a small piece of bark attacked with some divine energy comming from it, it must how to call saber to you, somehow?*


*Aria sighed* well that work is done *she looks at her guild journal just in time for to see A'rys message and(\how dot hey work RP-wise anyway? /) replyed: "I'm am In dorhal- I may help but my first concern is making sure they dont come to town this week.But I'll see if, and how I can help"
*she sighed once more, was peace and quiet too much to ask for?*

A cage snaps into being, giving A'rys to an area a few feet around herself to move around in.

Tony walks forward, shrugging off an Invisibility spell.

"I'm right here. What do you want?"

*saber rushes swiftly through doral eager to start his "night watch"- he knew that tom never slept much, and so decided to take his watch tonight- how bad could it be, He was sure he could handle anything that came his way, and besides it'd give him a change to ask some of the merchants about the strange happenings going on*

*once again a cat bought a message to Toman*
Hey pal, I know you want to do the watch, but do half of it, tonight I've got your back, i'll do the other half- and don't worry, I remember your lessons!
Signed Saber-The cat of the Night
* a few plats are also enclosed about 200 or so*

Toman stops shaving as yet another cat pushes it's way through his open window. This time it was a large, scraggly looking tom cat, probably chosen because it was the only cat strong enough to carry what sounded like a very heavy coin pouch tied onto it's back. Tom sighs, lowering his razor and giving his jaw a quick run over. Still stubble here and there, but it'd have to do. The cat was meowing at him. Incessantly.

The watchman untied the pouch from around the cats neck and back, ignoring the swishing tail. Finshi knows how the damn man managed to train cats of all things to follow out orders. Toman weighs the pouch in one hand as he fiddles it open with the other. How much was even in here an wh- Oh Finshi. Inside the pouch was a note, along with There had to be over a hundred platinum in there. 10,000 gold. More even. How much did the damn cat steal? Not this cat. The Cat.

Toman was startled from the coin pouch when the cat started meowing again. Or wailing. Caterwauling. Noise. Toman put down the pouch and got the damn thing a saucer of milk. He'd started keeping a supply around, due to certain shifter. He'd always been told milk was bad for cats, but he wasn't sure if that was just his Ma not wanting to waste milk. What ever the case, they liked it enough, and Toman wasn't about to deny another man his choice of poison. Once the cat was quiet again, Toman went back to read the note.

"Oh No." The coin and note were tossed onto the table, and he went about getting prepared. Toman didn't even need to glance out the window to estimate the time, but knew it was coming up to sunset. Saber wasn't a.. bad man. But he was a damn sneak and probably had some form of kleptomania. And those 'lessons' comprised of Saber following him around as a dog. Not that Toman was one to let anyone else take his duty, regardless of that persons credentials. The man changed into the dark blue of the night watch with ease and carefully picked up the cat, which futilely tried to maul his offending hands.

"Like hell am I leaving ye in here. Go kill some rats." Dropping the tom outside the door to the complex, Toman tried to figure out where Saber was likely to be. Knowing the man, he'd go straight into the thick of the trouble, like a moth to a flame. Normally Toan would report to his barrack first, but tonight he'd start off from his home in Donnel, make his way to Bolovin. Keep an eye out for strange dogs, cats, people and deities know what else.

*toman would probally find saber around south north donnel(the one with cats) chatting with the cats and asking them questions*
look i know your cute but I have a patrol to do, and I plan on doing it correctly-for once
*he spins round* Hey there Bud, I see your still going to do a patrol, dont worry , I sent a burgular to jail with some stones I "found".
*he just grins and looks at tom*

"Were ye just chatting up a cat? No, never mind, I don't want to know." The Watchman just frowns at the shifter through his visor, " What I do want to know, is how you got hold of those enchanted stones- and the bloody coin you gave me."

Toman huffs inside his helmet, shaking his head, "What if those guards, or crier- or who ever ye took the stones from, needs them to arrest any scum they encounter? Criers can't handle a fight against uneven odds. They need those stones to protect themselves- more now then ever, with the city going mad." Toman looks away from the bloody kleptomaniac to scan the area and growls out, "And damn right I'm no letting some one else, who isn't even a guard of watchman, take my patrol."

Saber's heart was in the right place, but often his hands were not. Still, in the previous note, Saber had suggested he was trying to investigate the local exodus of merchants. Toman wasn't sure if knowing why they left would help deal with those who stayed, but any information was useful. It was a bit strange that so many decided Dohral couldn't provide the opportunities they wanted and to take to the road.

"You said you were askin' after a caravan? What have ye found out?"

Oh the stones are ones i've collected over time, not all taken from the poor sap- and no asking about merchants, not chatting up the poor fellow, and those coins were ones i earned *he just offers toman a grin * as for teh caravan, they refuse to talk to me, and i was being polite too!

Toman mutters something along the lines of 'you bein' polite? yea, no wonder they didn't want to talk'. It wasn't implausible that the other man had 'earned' the coin. He had no idea what Saber did with his time when he wasn't stalking the city or pestering him. He'd heard about adventurers making a small fortune from their travels, and he himself had managed to strike lucky on the few times he explored the regions outside the city.

Toman had a love-hate relationship with the city. He loved Dohral at night, when the enchanted street lamps bathed grey stone in warm light, and the air was clear and crisp, lacking the myriad of smells that came from day time activity. He knew the peaceful atmosphere of the night was just an illusion, and somewhere danger crept through the streets, but sometimes it was easy to imagine the city simply sleeping; people safe inside and the streets quiet. But of course, that was just the illusion, that kept him coming back, hoping to make real. After a night of stress and pain, another shredded corpse, or murdered prostitute, or blind guards... All he wanted was to get away.

Often he came back after finding that everywhere else was just as mad.

"Well, let's get movin' then. The streets have been more chaotic than late."

Toman set off, letting his feet guide him, trusting the werecat to follow.

*saber looks at tom and grins* And here I was thinking you'd deny me~ Sure i'll help, cant have you not doing your job properly can we?
*he follows tom, without changing, odd for saber almost ALWAYS shifts to a dog when on patrols*

Animayhem wrote:A'rys chuckles, mutters a few words and waves her hand and the cage vanishes but yet one appears around Tony.

"Always a flair for the dramatic, eh Tony.  You like challenges and also put on airs of supremacy. I propose a challenge to you.  There have been mutterings about the recent events recently.
Some even claiming magic is behind some of the odd behaviors being exhibited by humans and non-humans alike. I am sure the government is working out mundane possibilities and not many on the arcane.
I am tied up here at the moment with the gnome. If you are so inclined, see if anything of an arcane nature about this mess. It would not surprise me if Valerion had something to do with it. If you already have some ideas about it I would like to know."

She sorted some things out while she waited for for his response.

The cage explodes in a busy of fire, Tony having disappeared. Upon second look, the fire on the floor is in the shape of letters. It says:

Do your own errands.

Absol 13 wrote:*saber looks at tom and grins* And here I was thinking you'd deny me~ Sure i'll help, cant have you not doing your job properly can we?
*he follows tom, without changing, odd for saber almost ALWAYS shifts to a dog when on patrols*

Saber is lifted into the air by his throat, the hostile action dispelling the invisibility and Tony appears, lifting him up with one hand and a choking grip.

"I'll teach you for 'marking' me."
He tosses him back to the ground, and readies a large amount of magical muscle

Tom was surprised when he didn't hear the crack and shuffle of Saber turning into his dog form. Although, he supposed that at least now he could speak openly, without people assuming he was mad and talking to a dog.

He was even more surprised when he heard Saber choke and an unfamiliar voice come from behind him.

"I'll teach you for 'marking' me."

Oh, great. Tom didn't waste much time thinking- Saber was on the floor, with a very pissed off man standing over him, he couldn't waste time pondering on the why's and who's. Obviously Saber had put his hands in the wrong pockets again, pissed off someone who looked to be a mage of some sort, and was feeling the consequences. While a small voice in the back of Tom's mind urged Tom to just let the man 'teach the lesson', Toman wasn't about to let his friend get assaulted.

And mages were all damn crazy. The man's lesson probably included setting internal organs on fire.

"Halt!", Toman followed up the command by charging forward with his shield- if not to knock the man down, then at least to shove him back and distract him.

*Saber gasps as he is thrown to the floor and hisses, glaring at Tony*
you know it was a joke right?... and hells if you did it in the city, while i'm with a city watchman.. looks it was a joke, and yes I'll accept the responsibility's, but now now and NOT in the city, i'll not have you making MORE magical and evil things appear.
*Saber nodded to himself, and look at Tom*
sorry bud, this doesn't concern you, you can go if you want... somehow I don't think my words will stop him..

Steps to the side as Toman charges, crushing a Ruby in his fist and throwing the powder at him. An invisible cage of pure arcane force would spring up and stop his charge.

"Neither the Watch nor the Highguard has ever been a concern of mine. If you think I'd let such a thing go, your sadly mistaken.

He throws a vial at him, which smashes against his clothing, covering it with a thick Green paint.

"Now, I'd make myself scarce if I were you. That paint has a arcane resonance that is very easy to home in on."


Teleports out with a smirk.

*saber curses to himself*
"sodding green paint?! Now i need to dye and change my clothes, AGAIN"
*he looks over to tom in the cage*
you ok there?..damned mages...