CH. 5: The Sending is Coming from Inside the House

[Breila]

Ouragana accepts a share of ale and says: "Thank you Val, the next round will be mine. And yes, the clockmaker seemed nervous, but since he didn't make any move to keep one of us near him, at least he probably won't be the one choosing and approaching the women. But let's talk about that tomorrow, when we are all together again and not distracted" she continues with a nod towards Areilon and Jocelyn who are both engaged in conversation elsewhere.

[Jenara]

Listening intently she sips the ale and watches the inn with interest, these people... She didnt really know them, and they didnt know her..

"Nice tune, love doesn't work like that.." she frowns her head low, "You ever been in love?" She asks the halfling.

[HorizonsDream]

"We have a couple of suspects. I actually have a date with one of them tomorrow," Jocelyn says, sounding a bit disgusting with that fact.

[JadedDM]

Pearl gives off a bark of laughter. "No way. I don't even believe love exists. It's something that makes for good songs and stories, though. People eat that stuff up."

Noah looks concerned. "You should be careful, then, if you intend to date the suspects. There's no telling what might happen."

[HorizonsDream]

"I set up the date so that I could question him a bit," Jocelyn admits. "I don't want to actually date him. I mean...eww."

[Jenara]

"Oh it exists, even if it is sometimes painful." Arei responds as she downs the rest of the ale in one go. "Do you know the song of the lost pirate, it always makes me smile."

(If Pearl does, Arei gets up and dances)

[JadedDM]

Pearl does know that song, indeed, and plays it while the elf dances. At least, until Brock returns and reminds them they had promised to keep the noise level down. After that, Pearl sheepishly retires for the night. Soon after, Noah, Oren and Grey do, as well, just leaving the four girls left.

Ouragana carefully sips at her ales, but Areilon is more careless and knocks both back quickly, leaving her feeling a bit tipsy. Val drinks more than anyone else, but never gets worse than buzzed.

The girls decide it's best to call it a night, as well, and they go to their rooms. Jocelyn in Noah's room, and the three others in the suite. Val quickly strips off her armor and falls fast asleep on the floor, while the elf and mage take the bed.

Two hours later, Areilon wakes with a start, still slightly tipsy. She thought she heard a noise. After listening a moment, she hears it again.

ticka-tacka-ticka-tacka

whirr, whirr, whirr

ticka-tacka-ticka-tacka

whirr, whirr, whirr

It seems to be coming from outside the window, and fairly close.

==============

It is now 12:00 AM (midnight).

(OOC: I was waiting for Breila's input on the ale thing, but...I'm eager to move things forward. I still have one more thing I want to do before I end this chapter, as it's getting long in the tooth as it is.)

Ouragana drinks two ales (-2) and makes a CON check (1d20): 8, pass. She remains sober.
Areilon drinks two ales (-2) and makes a CON check (1d20): 10, fail. She becomes slightly intoxicated.
Val drinks two ales (-2) and makes a CON check (1d20): 15, fail. She becomes slightly intoxicated.
Val then drinks a third ale (-2) and makes a CON check (1d20): 1, she remains slightly intoxicated.
Val then drinks a fourth ale (-4) and makes a CON check (1d20): 10, pass. She remains slightly intoxicated.

At 10:00 PM (when the girls go to bed)
Areilon is slightly intoxicated and incurs the following modifiers for 4 hours: -1 INT, -1 WIS
Val is slightly intoxicated and incurs the following modifiers for 2 hours: -1 INT, -1 WIS

At 12:00 AM
Areilon is slightly intoxicated and incurs the following modifiers for 2 hours: -1 INT, -1 WIS
Val is now sober again and has no modifiers.

[Breila]

(OOC: Sorry, I read the posts and thought it was OK, but then got distracted and forgot to tell you so)

Can Ouragana hear the sounds, too?

[JadedDM]

(OOC: Just woke up in the middle of the night--damn acid reflux--and realized I had 2 extra ales in the mix. Two pitchers, 8 servings...that should equal 2 for Areilon, 2 for Ouragana and 4 for Val; not 6. So I subtracted the 2 extra from Val's share and that means she doesn't have a hangover and in fact, has already sobered up. I've modified the above post to reflect this. This is why the DM should always double check his math.

And yeah, Ouragana can hear them, too. I was actually going to have her be the one to wake up originally anyway, as she has the highest WIS score of the three, but I wasn't sure when you'd be back.)

[Breila]

Ouragana softly nudges Areilon. "Do you hear that, too?" she asks the elf.

Is the sound in any way similar to the ticking of the clocks in Frisno's shop? Ouragana quietly gets up and moves closer to where she believes the window to be, to hear better.

[Nuke]

Val snores loudly once and rolls over.

"ZZZZZZ"

[Jenara]

"So it wasnt just my head then." Arei mumbles and reaches for the stiletto she kept under the pillow, "Let's find out, surely they arent looking for me? I joked about being a victim!" Moving to the window she listens intently.

[JadedDM]

Ouragana notes that there is something vaguely clock-like about the sound, but not exactly the same.

The window is just above the bed's headboard, and the curtains are pulled close. The two thus sit on the bed, listening intently. They hear a strange chittering sound; like the kind squirrels might make, but it has a tinny quality to it. It is as if they were listening to it from a long metal tube.

Suddenly, the window shatters loudly, and a gust of night wind blows inside, pushing the curtains aside. The assailant lands on the bed, just behind the two women. It appears to be a spider--a very large one, at least two feet in diameter. But it's not like any spider, large or otherwise, they have ever seen before. The light of the red moon gleams off its metallic body. It's single eye, which appears to be some kind of gemstone, glitters. Its legs are sharp and piercing, like swords. It makes a 'whirr' sound when it moves, the sound of gears turning. There's nothing organic about this creature--device, really. It's purely mechanical in nature.

Clockwork Spider.JPG (121.35 KiB) Viewed 9011 times

A second creature peeks its head in from the window. They seem more than capable of climbing up walls and ceilings, like a real spider.

Meanwhile, in the room next door, Jocelyn awakes with a jump at the sound of glass breaking. Did she just dream that or did she really hear it? Noah sleeps soundly in the bed on the other side of the room, blissfully unaware.

Key:
J - Jocelyn
N - Noah
O - Ouragana
A - Areilon
V - Val
1 - Spider
(Note: The 2nd spider is in the window itself, right behind the bed and cannot be seen on the map.)

Paragon Inn 2F 01.JPG (93.03 KiB) Viewed 9011 times

===============

(OOC: Actions and Initiative?)

[Jenara]

"By the gods!" Arei shouts, pulling Oura away from the spider and towards her blade that lay near the bed. "Val, spider, diamond eye, many blades, oh $$#!" She curses, defending herself the best she can.

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn sits up and looks around in the dark. With a frown, she grabs her stuff, and leaves her room only to start banging on the door where Arelion, Val, and Ouragana are.