DCC DotSK: Act 1-3

"And I'm sure the headwoman appreciates your honesty," Ty soothes, on Anora's behalf. "Never fear. Should we survive the night, you'll have an opportunity to redeem yourself." The elf reaches out and pats at the air, somewhere in the vicinity of Dolsten's shoulder.

And on the matter of the Hound's coming...

"Imprisoning Ru and the Jarl won't help us much. But there may be other ways for them to be useful. At least for tonight."

Anora allows a sideways glance at Ty, suspecting what he means regarding the Jarl and his continued usefulness.

"Perhaps." she allows, speaking as though it was a hard though necessary choice.

"The people may demand it so!" she says, stronger then. She knew they would seek blood. Hopefully she could wield that seeking into something useful.

"The Hound may be contented for a night, and we may find ourselves within the church and the keep, rather than the ale house. Better able to weather the storm, if the hound is not satisfied with the richness of the blood offered…"

To say nothing of calling on the witch to cast her protection over the village entire… A single night was surely a reasonable request.

She motions for Dolsten to stand aside, seeing that the way forward was now clear. She pounds a fist against the church door:

"Father Deacom! Would you come out so that we can speak more freely?" she asks, hoping her charm has carried this far!

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH (ANORA & TY)

When Ty reaches out to pat the air, Dolsten shifts sideways slightly -- until the elf has found his shoulder and can properly convey his not-very-assuring reassurance.

At the church door, the spitting, swearing crowd parts so that Anora can pound and call out.

There is a long moment of quiet from inside the temple, then the sound of Father Beacom calling back, loud enough to be heard through the thick wood.

"My dear Lady Anora!" he says urgently. "I cannot exit this hallowed church without risking life and limb! I do not know what has possessed the people of Hirot, but surely there is deviltry at play! They are a mob out for blood! Justicia save us all!"

"Get out here, Beacom!" someone shouts from behind Anora. "Send the Thegns out or we'll burn the place!" someone else yells.

AT THE WOODSMITH'S (DUFGAL)

There is a moment in that wood-shoppe that seems pregnant with pause. The apprentice has her hands on the hammer... two threatening-looking men have just revealed themselves. Dufgal's eyes flick, evaluating this options, his ways out with and without the artifact.

Turning, the auburn-haired girl frowns when she sees the newcomers. "Jenks," she says warily, "what are you doing? This might be our chance to be free of the thing!"

Figuring the jig is up, Dufgal moves more swiftly than it seems his body can, grabs back the priceless artifact and rushes toward the door he was led into by the girl. He is fully expecting to be challenged by word or blade, but he hopes that his momentum will carry him back outside where he might saved by the eyes of bystanders. He well knows that thieves thrive in the anonymity of shadows. Damn! He should have checked the alcoves.

Aldric is fucking busy. If he had more time, he might have taken a moment to speak about the excellent opportunities in the cult of Pelagia for a freakish, terrifying little girl like this one. Much like Dufgal, he saw the potential in people.

He returns her smile with his own mad smile, as if kindred spirits were meeting.

"Blood and bones, now you are the kind of person I'm looking for. A practical person, undoubtedly. Did you see a big man with the look of a killer cross by here?"

If the girl plays games or seems unhelpful, Aldric will keep moving toward where he thinks Dufgal went.

Aldric nods. "'The Strangers' has a good ring to it. Very mysterious." But, he must not get distracted by this delightful little girl.

"So which way did the big, dumb-looking man go?" He was going to give this one last shot.

AT THE WOODSMITH'S (DUFGAL)

Dufgal makes his move, grabbing the ornate warhammer head from here the would-be smith was looking at it -- then he bolts for the door without saying a word. The younger of the two men moves to intercept him, knife in hand... but the big thief is too fast. He's busting outside as the blade swishes through empty air!

IN THE ALLEY & OUTSIDE THE WOODSMITH'S (ALDRIC & DUFGAL)

"Oh you knows," the girl with the wild eyes says to Aldric, "that ways."

The gesture she makes with her head is entirely unhelpful, as the priest could interpret the direction she loosely indicates as one of about four different pathways. Either the girl didn't really see him, or she's--

A crash from down the alley grabs up Aldric's attention, and when his eyes dart -- there! Almost on cue, Dufgal has come thundering out of a building a hundred feet down the way! He holds the gleaming warhammer head in both hands, and seems under some duress.

Behind the fleeing ruffian, back in the shop, there comes a squawk and a growl. Dufgal hears the man clearly.

"Oh oh! Put that back, you dog!" Master Jenks calls out. "Give us that relic or this here apprentice won't draw another breath!"

---

ROUND 2
Init Order: Dufgal, Jenks, Wolf, Catkins, Apprentice, Aldric [TBD]

Aldric gently places a hand under the special girl's chin, lifting her face to meet his gaze. His voice is low and fatherly, as though sharing a secret.

"Thank you. Thank you very much. Fancy a go with these cunts? I bet you have at least one sharp knife hidden away in that pretty dress."

Releasing her chin, he glances in the direction he hopes Dufgal is heading and begins to follow. Aldric had expected Dufgal to protect him, not the other way around—but, clearly, these were strange times.

Already gripping the warhammer head tightly, Dufgal turns on a shekel and attempts to drive the pointy end into the chest of the thug chasing him.
"You’se wanted THIS!?!"

Happily ignorant of the trouble two of her fellow Strangers had gotten into, Anora raises a steady hand for quiet!

"Deviltry, yes! We have the story in its entirety now, Father! The whole charade has been laid bare! We know of Sylle Ru and the Jarl’s mischief…" she says, falling short of including the priest in the plot.

"I would happily explain it to you, if you would just come on out. I can vouch for your safety." she says, believing very much that she could in that moment… at least for the short term.

IN THE ALLEY (ALDRIC)

The girl nods and grins when Aldric asks her if she fancies a go.

But when he releases her chin, the little fiend giggles and snaps at him with those teeth, trying to bite his finger!The girl's teeth sink painfully into the priest's flesh and blood spurts! Catkins growls like an animal and holds fast as the man tries to pull his hand away -- to no avail!

---

ROUND 2
Init Order: Dufgal, Jenks, Wolf, Catkins, Apprentice, Aldric

IN THE ALLEY & OUTSIDE THE WOODSMITH'S (ALDRIC & DUFGAL)

"Urk!" the man pursuing Dufgal cries as he barges through the door -- straight into the business end of the warhammer the big thief stabbed at him with.

The point of the weapon pierces the man's chest and probably one of his lungs easily; he gurgles and slides off the spike, collapsing into the muck of the alley without a further word.Dufgal, now blood-drenched, hears the other man who is still inside (and therefore out of sight) shout louder, more insistently.

"Stranger! Bring back that hammer or I'll slit this girl's throat! Her blood will be on your hands, boy!"

Further up the alley, Aldric recovers from the shock of the psychotic-seeming girl's sudden attack, but still has to contend with her sharp teeth, with her furiously, loudly, and very painfully trying to bite his finger off!

---

ROUND 3
Init Order: Dufgal, Jenks, Wolf, Catkins, Apprentice, Aldric

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH (ANORA & TY)

"I would hear of this charade, this mischief!" Father Beacom calls through the heavy door, his voice muffled.

"But I dare not risk venturing outside these walls, Anora! The townsfolk are mad, they are possessed by some sinister force that causes them to wish me harm! Instead, I will try to allow you entry so that you may find shelter 'neath Justicia's wing!"

Dufgal feels more satisfaction than remorse as the thug slides off the weapon and into a lifeless heap. He made his choice. As did the girl. Likely, the gruff-voiced man was bluffing anyway. So, the thief wipes the weapon clean on its victim’s clothes and then tucks it under his cloak.

He scans the area to assess whether any witnesses saw the fray. That’s when he sees what makes no sense to him, but it fills him with dread nonetheless. Somehow, Pelagia’s unlikely champion was being maimed by a ragged urchin.

Rather than cleaning up the bloody mess, Dufgal instinctively makes haste to support Aldric in case the situation becomes unmanageable for him.