<div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Sorry for the delay, folks - I haven't had much time to write this week due to (mostly) holiday-related shenanigans. Nevertheless, I'm back on schedule now... until Christmas, anyway. <img alt="&gt;.&gt;" src="./images/smilies/shifty.gif" title="Shifty eyes"/><br/><br/>Under the official rules, a natural 1 on a skill check isn't a failure unless the skill description says otherwise (e.g. Use Magic Device). However, this gets overlooked often enough that I'm considering houseruling the Nat 1 rule to apply everywhere. Thoughts?</div></div></div><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Dagnyr wrote:</cite>"Captain, with all due respect, you're badly injured and <span style="font-style: italic">poisoned</span>, you need rest and care under the eye of a healer."<br/><br/>"I understand that you're loathe to give up on this after all that, but it's only until morning and I'd like to think that after everything we've been through today that we've shown we're capable of getting back on our own."</div></blockquote><br/>Vignar's mouth moves to deliver a rebuttal to Dagnyr, but he doesn't get far before Alyssa, then Kaelen, step in to add their own arguments to the gnoll's. The captain's brow furrows as he considers the trio's words, his eyes shifting between the three of them - with, one might note, a good deal more than his share of attention to Kaelen.<br/><br/>"Shadow essence..." Vignar mutters, his brow furrowing deeper. The dragonborn pauses for several second before adding, "Very well, you've all made your point. I suppose I can afford to take leave of this case for a single night. However..."<br/><br/>Turning to face Alyssa, Vignar shrugs one half of his wing cloak aside and extends a plated hand, palm shimmering. "If you want to deliver a full report of the incident, you'll need my story as well. Fortunately, I have another means of conveying that message - come here, please." The dragonborn beckons his adjutant forward, resting his hand on her forehead once she's within reach.<br/><br/>Alyssa's vision blurs for a moment as Vignar's mind touches her own, bringing with it a mixed sensation of vertigo and déjà vu. When her vision clears, she's no longer in the city streets, but instead staring at the interior of a Watch carriage. Lady Elona is at her side, blade drawn, casting about the empty chamber warily. Elona glances toward the ceiling, shouting something she can't hear - a warning, presumably, as her borrowed eyes follow the archon's upward in time to see a pitch-black shape descending from the ceiling. What happens next is hard to follow - the shadow darts out of view, and a second later the entire carriage is thrashing back and forth as her viewpoint shifts rapidly. With effort, she can make out the blurred shape of Elona and her glinting blade, and the shadow of something vaguely feline on the wall riding what looks like a draconic silhouette. The thrashing increases until she can't make out anything at all, then stops abruptly before her viewpoint, teeters and collapses to the floor. Her last vision as the carriage dims is a sideways view of the shadow feline expanding to cover Elona, then vanishing in a puff of black smoke...<br/><br/>And then, she's back in the streets, watching Vignar's hand withdraw from her forehead. The vision inside the carriage remains fresh in her mind, replaying itself in small snippets until she chooses to push it aside.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Vignar uses <span style="font-style: italic">ki</span> power: <span style="font-style: italic">share memory</span><br/><br/>Alyssa gains Vignar's memory of the Alley Cat attack.</div></div></div><br/>"The memory will remain clear for an hour or so," Vignar says. "See to it that your report is delivered within that time, along with this-" The captain retrieves a sheet of folded paper from his shirt pocket and presses it into Alyssa's hand. "- a message Mr. Locasta discovered during his own examination. Perhaps you'll have more luck making sense of it than I have."<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Kaelen wrote:</cite>"On that note, while I was fighting one of the demons earlier, it seemed to sap my strength when I caught it's gaze. If you had something that could reverse that, I would be grateful, and I can reimburse you for the spell if necessary."</div></blockquote><br/>"I can certainly try," the priestess says. "But it will take some time to prepare the treatment. This is the first case of demonic illness I've treated in... well, ever. I'm afraid it will be at least until morning until I can prepare the spells I'll need. In the meantime, please take this." While she speaks, the priestess withdraws a lacquered wooden disk from her pouch and presses it into Kaelen's hand. An engraved face on the token's front smiles serenely at the ophiduan from the center of a golden sunburst.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Kaelen receives a wooden holy symbol of Aura.</div></div></div><br/>"Until your strength returns, keep this symbol with you  at all times," the priestess instructs. Stepping back, she takes Vignar's arm and adds, "If there are no more wounded, I will take my leave. My Aura's light guide you... come along please, Captain."<br/><br/>Standing firm, Vignar tugs his arm away from the priestess recalcitrantly. "I would prefer to see my people off, Myrilla, if that's alright with you."<br/><br/>"And<span style="font-weight: bold">I</span>would prefer that you stop stalling and come inside while you have the strength to walk," Myrilla retorts. With a huff, she releases his arm and grabs... something on Vignar's head, in the vicinity of where an ear might be on another creature. Vignar winces and staggers after the priestess as she marches toward the temple doors, still firmly in her grip. One gets the impression that they've been through this before...<br/><br/>"Well... I suppose that's that," Padma says, breaking the silence. "We'd best get a move on, before it starts raining flying dogs or somesuch... er, no offense, Miss Rynn." The vanara makes an apologetic gesture toward Larynn, then clambers up the carriage step to reclaim his previous seat inside.<br/><br/><br/>The ride to the Watch house is brief, barely five minutes at a trot, and mercifully without incident; as expected, whatever thieves and lowlifes haunt the lower end of Prometa are loathe to set foot in the city's better half. Nevertheless, it's hard to shake the feeling that they're being watched...<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Perception DC 30: They are.<br/><br/>The cloaked strangers from before are back, lurking in the the shadows cast by the high walls of the noble manors. Every now and then, a well-placed streetlamp forces the pair into the light for a split second, revealing the soot-smeared wooden masks underneath their hoods.<br/><br/>Neither of the pair makes any movement toward the carriage, apparently content to follow from a distance. About a block or so from the Watch house, the cloaks cease their pursuit and melt silently back into the shadows, apparently unwilling to approach the building.</div></div></div><br/><br/>A short ride later, the two carriages round the last corner and roll to a halt at their final destination: New Prometa Watch House. In true Domrunian fashion, the place is less of a house than it is a fortress, or perhaps an overly militaristic mansion: a towering five-story square of worked stone and wrought iron, decorated with rows of leering, devilish grotesques and massive gargoyle statues at every corner. The main gate swings open as the carriages approach, ushering them into the main courtyard after a brief challenge from the guards. The yard is still quite busy, even at this hour, but the raven-haired figure striding toward the carriages is hard to miss even in this hubbub...<br/><br/>"Adjutant Niberos," Sgt. Ananda snaps as she reaches the carriages' side. "And Constable Thuror - your escort was expected ten minutes ago. I would have expected Captain Vignar to keep you on a tighter schedule-" The Sgt. pauses, noticing the decided absence of the dragonborn commander and his charge. "Adjutant, where<span style="font-style: italic">are</span>Captain Vignar and his escort? And where did<span style="font-style: italic">those</span>come from?" She indicates the two bound catgirls atop the carriages, giving them are usual suspicious glare. Her anger disappears under pallid shock a second later as her brain recognizes the prisoners for what they are, and begins to piece the rest together. "No... don't tell me..."<br/><br/><br/>While Sgt. Ananda works herself toward a small aneurysm, a passing dwarven constable sidles up to Kaelen, motioning him around to the other side of the carriage. He makes a show of adjusting the fastening of his cloak, ensuring that Kaelen can observe the clasp: a short-bladed symbol of Domrun, similar to the one fastening his own cloak. "Mister. Locasta," he says. "I understand you have some information for the Guard."