Shoe Thief

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Kathryn Pyke Human, Battle Master, Level 03 HP: 31 / 31 Armor Class: 19 Conditions: N/A Location: H12 --> H10 Action: Attack Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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Kathryn chuckled at Kosara's comment about Cavendish. She had seen people try to use size to intimidate others her whole life, and she had met few who tried on those smaller than themselves. And generally all Kathryn had to do was walk into the room to humble the ego of someone making a scene. Offer something nice to drink to the parties involved, and remind everyone who needed reminding, that violence wasn't in their favor. Kosara also stated Kathryn's thoughts on the matter well. The constable had a job to do, and not only had he failed it, he was going out of his way to be the thing his people needed protection from. Such a crime could never go unpunished. Though Kathryn did jump a little bit hearing the tiefling's voice boom. She didn't think so much sound could come out of such a small woman. "Don't worry Kosara, he'll take his punishment like the coward he is once we're done with him." Though Kathryn was one for justice done by governing bodies, if justice had to be dealt out with blunt force trauma, so be it. She had put down others like him before, and though she wasn't a fan of torture, she held little reservations for body counts. Thinking about it though, Cavendish wasn't like the others she had confronted in the past. She had battled kobolds, goblins, human bandits, but she had never faced on a town guard formally equipped with magic weapons.

When Baronfjord made a comment about his guards, Kathryn noticed the numbers too. "Another got away no? Be prepared, they may be waiting in the treeline for a chance to ambush. Or pull off some other trick." When Cavendish replied to her attempts to limit the damage, he had seemed to snack. Kathryn gave a small chuckle at the being children comment. Coming from the one shirking his responsibilities for personal power? She knew children with better honor then that. His followup comments had more to be concerned about. Kathryn heard the drops of water before she saw the beasts. The droplets splashing onto her helm as she turned to see the two giant beasts. They were... Nothing she had ever expected. Targeted for the people between her and Cavendish. As soon as things kicked off, an urge crossed Kathryn's mind. Charge Cavendish now, send him into the dirt, and maybe the beasts would stop being responsive. But if she was wrong, there would be less in their path to attack the prisoners. If she failed not only would her party be down a person, Cavendish would have his hammer back. No, the beasts would have to be dealt with first.

Marita and Blackberry had struck first. Hammering into the creature who seemed to care not what damage it took. She took note the guard's did nothing. Were they waiting for something to happen? A chance for their backs to turn? In Kathryn's thought she almost missed Marita's comment about how the creatures may be able to take more punishment from blunt force, Kathryn was in a pickle. Her family sword may have done the trick, but it wasn't silvered. She held off trying to keep old traditions. She had no idea if these creatures were immune to regular weapons as well, and she wasn't sure she was in a position to check that. If the hammer seemed ineffective, she'd still have the silvered axe. That would be something, and she was still good with it. And, she could politely give that to Cavendish as well. She hoped he wasn't picky on what Kathryn gifted him.

Though blunt force seemed to not be as effective, Kathryn figured she had to try for something here. She hoped the magic powers embedded into this weapon would be enough, or that her skill in combat could do enough damage that even being resistant wouldn't be enough. As she prepared her attack, she heard a tune she hadn't listened to in many a year. "Daughter of Arcanaple" wasn't something she had heard since she still lived in a keep, the emotional surge that came hearing music of her homeland inspired Kathryn. She felt just enough of a boost to establish her confidence in the fight. When they won, she would have to ask Victoria where she heard the tune.

She was not in a position to stop both creatures. She simply wasn't fast enough. But one creature had already been beaten down a bit, maybe if they were able to dish out enough punishment, they could all focus down on the last one before turning their attention. She returned a knowing look to Cavendish and his goons through the slits of her helmet. Reminded them of her words before she maneuvered around Blackberry with elegance not normally shown by the half giant, nearly oaf. As she moved she swung the hammer hard with all her might into the torso of the undead looking beast. Though it does not react to pain, and the attack didn't emotionally phase the creature in any noticeable way, she felt the crushing force as the hammer made contact. A force that any smaller or weaker creature would walk away with bones broken, flesh bruised beyond repair, and enough force to send it back to the cobblestone. She doubted the creature held any resistance to the punishing force she dished out. She ended her attack by sliding her feet into position on the other side of Blackberry shield raised, and hammer posed to strike. Her body now in the path that this creature would have to take should it want to advance any further, and hopefully holding it in place. Also allowing her to strike either beast should they be able to keep it still.

@Sigil The X2 may retaliate now.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Kathryn Pyke Human, Battle Master, Level 03 HP: 31 / 31 Armor Class: 19 Conditions: N/A Location: Streets of Avonshire --> Town Square Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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Off to war they went. Though she wasn't the most experienced in combat, she had faced off against goblins and bandits a few times prior to joining the party. None of those situations compared to the caution she needed to exercise against the constable and his goons. Though a direct assault had some more risks, she was a bit relieved to be going this route. It was what she was most familiar with, and the type of environment she thrived in. Assuming she didn't get knocked flat on her ass again, or get caught out of position. Marita's comments on the constable seemed accurate enough. He played his battles with tricks and fear. Showing Cavendish that they would not bend to his will may help the party deal with him. She hoped at least. "So we hit him head on. We've already showed him we can go toe to toe with him and his goons, and I'm sure he'll remember that when we arrive." She also hoped that maybe she could talk down some of his goons, get them to back off until the fighting was over and deal with them afterwards. Kosara's point about being in the center of town was also valid, anywhere they decided to go afterwards they would be close, and be able to get there in short time. She had offered a chance for them to back down, and they declined. Kathryn was ready to end the life of any who had gotten in her way of saving those who were taken, and take those that survive into whatever form of custody was left within town when they were done.

"Shame we don't have marching drums. I always thought those were pretty cool. Cavendish shall know we're coming in with confidence none the less." As they moved on, Kosara began her light show, and Victoria played her music. It pumped her up, and it did help regain her confidence in the situation. Not that it had faltered, but she had her concerns. She had to remind herself, they had already defeated him once. They could do so again. Before arriving to the town center, Kathryn walked up beside Marita and offered her the silvered dagger. "I think I got enough weapons. And a few backups. Take it, just in case." Kathryn offered softly to the Cleric. She wouldn't push if she didn't want the dagger, but after she gave hers to Lizbeth Kathryn figured a new dagger could be helpful. She wouldn't miss a dagger. She had the hammer, her silvered axe, and a short sword still. Plus a non silvered axe, and her family's clan sword. And a short bow with the arrows it came with. And her pack. She was definitely well equipped.

Kathryn turned to give a friendly wave to those who dared to look outside. In her rusted, dented, and worn armor, she hoped the gesture wouldn't come across as hostile. But she had no way to be sure. And at this moment, she needed to focus on the mission at hand. Her helm would stay on for now, and her shield equipped. Kathryn noticed the flames first. As they grew brighter, and brighter. The cleared town square reminded her of arena grounds Ser Lucas had attempted to make money in after they had fled Arcanaple. Instead of an audience wanting to see blood of the fighter spilled, it was an audience of tall trees, looking down on the party as they stepped in. In the VIP seats, the hostages. Cecily included. Then Constable Cavendish and what remained of his goons. The eye slits on Kathryn's helmet locked with the constable as she walked in, almost golem like as she found her place to make her stand. "Your niece is safe. And she'll be even safer when we are done here." Kathryn said, a dark undertone in her voice as her polite demeanor was replaced with her professional warrior posture. She watched the constable, and took note of his guards around him. There were less of them, she hoped that meant their friend had not been discovered. She would still have to deal with him later, but she would take a crack at it when she had the chance. Added with that, he didn't seem to have anyone to replace the lost goon.

Kathryn took a few steps forward, away from the fountain, and making sure to put her person in the front of the party. Whenever Cavendish unleashed whatever trick he had for them, it would have to path it's way through Kathryn to do harm to the party. When Cavendish finished his proposal, Kathryn eyed the group of former town guards as if debating something really stupid. But she couldn't help it, she wasn't a fan of the idea of caving in someone's skull without giving them a chance to back down. "Option B." Kathryn spoke coldly. "Those of you with any moral compass left to your name, who care for what is right and wrong, or those of you with any sense of self preservation, now is your chance to back down, and prepare yourselves for surrender when we're done here." Kathryn took a deep breath, deciding how she wanted to phrase her statement. She wasn't the best at this, and she worried she would regret not running this by someone who was when she was done. "Keep in mind, the battlefield is bloody. And last time you lot had a lot of advantages. Last time we had doubts about your allegiances, last time you got the first strike in. Last time you had a chance at a second surprise, and failed to utilize it effectively. Last time we were poorly equipped, and split up. Last time initiative was yours. And last time, you had another in your ranks, who is no longer with you." Kathryn said matter of factly. "This time, you have whatever trick you have up your sleeve, and when we get past it we'll deal with you lot, our patience spent." She made sure to turn her head to lock her eye slits with the guards other than Cavendish. "I've seen how you react when Cavendish wields this hammer. You were concerned for what would happen to you once it was used. And that was in this goon's hands." She said pulling the hammer, and pointing it at Cavendish. "A man who is supposedly on your side. If I bring it down on you, it'll be with intent to kill. This time, I'm not going to be flat on the ground for you to stab away at. But you will be if you last longer than a couple hits." She paused when she lowered the hammer. "So option B: Back down while you lot still have the chance. Whatever advantage you think you have has much less a leg to stand on then last time. And you're running out of room to run away." Kathryn emphasized the municipal building behind their foes with the hammer in hand.

She hoped she got her point across. She wasn't sure if she could really get through to them, but she had to hope. Bring the odds a little more in their favor. Maybe they could collect information from one of them sooner rather than later. It was clear Cavendish had a big part in this, if not leading it himself. But she wanted answers for all the pieces of this puzzle. Each and every one. She had doubts Cavendish would share anything with them once they defeated him, but maybe one of his goons would be more cooperative?

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Sigil

Brief recap on what’s going on in discord, and anyone feel free to correct or add to what I am saying.

Most of the plans mentioned IC are the same ones we’ve brought up in discord so far, though I don’t think we’ve committed to any specific one yet. So I think we’re still spitballing a little bit.

As well!! In my last post I mentioned kosaras short tail, Riv has pointed out that kosara has no visible tail. So!!! Can I have permission to edit that in my post?

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Kathryn Pyke Human, Battle Master, Level 03 HP: 31 / 31 Armor Class: 19 Conditions: N/A Location: Streets of Avonshire Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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Marita's assurance that the rat wouldn't attack had some sound logic to it. Her concern was more that the creature either didn't have the ability to reason like that, or that it had a totally wild train of logic to base it's actions off of. But if it was in league with Cavendish, then she supposed that Marita had a point. They had the ideal chance to do something not too long ago. Maybe it was missed while the party was inside, or maybe they had decided it wasn't worth the risks. It didn't matter too much either way. Kosara was able to get the note while not being attacked. Though Kosara's lack of concern for the situation only concerned Kathryn more. At the tiefling's comment about regrowing her tail, Kathryn held a puzzled look under her helm. Looking at Kosara's tail, it did infact seem... off. It was entirely non existent! Not that she was any expert in tiefling tails, but she would have to ask about that at some point. Was she attacked? Some form of cruel punishment? Torture? She wondered if the childlike shell Kosara put on was a reaction to some sort of trauma. But with that in mind, she couldn't be so sure on that either. She was no wizard who studied brains, nor doctor who studied tieflings. She was a simple woman who was very good at using her size, speed, and strength, to knock the cruel and evil down a few pegs when the occasion called for it. And a shoulder to rest on when those who did the same needed one. She did take a moment to acknowledge Blackberry's comment about Kosara. "Everyone has their own ways for dealing with the world. I guess this is Kosara's."

So that was some good news in this nightmare. Kosara wouldn't turn into a were-rat yet. Though thinking about it, she wasn't convinced rats under the control of were-rats could do that to anyone. Kathryn did take note of how quiet it was now. Not so quiet the world became deafening, but as if the whole town had just let out a huge sigh of relief, that they had been spared despite others not being so fortunate. And now waited for the inhale of the weight of the situation to kick in. Kathryn had no reason to trust the tone of whoever had spoken. For all she trusted it, there would be more attacks the moment they finished doing whatever they wanted to those already attacked. Be in before dawn, or the following nights. The whole thing reeked of deception. Though Kathryn was the last to wish for a fight, she wanted to sock whoever was speaking right in the face with her fist, and sit him down on his ass to give him a lesson in morality.

Kosara's explanation of the situation wasn't good, but she figured that is what Cavendish would want. A chance to deal with those who had beaten the shite out of him and his goons on broad daylight. Something that for legal stakes, Kathryn would request a pardon for later. Just to cover their own asses. "Even if Cecily isn't with him right now, she was taken by him. Even if we avoid a trap, we gotta locate her. And that may mean meeting him. Maybe we can do so on reserved terms. I worry about more crossbowmen like before though. Only now he'll have a proper chance to prepare for us." Sure, they had a moment to prepare, but they had no idea if he had more goons than what he had before, or if he would find some other sneaky trick. "A combined approach maybe?" Kathryn said in a hushed tone. "One or two of us meet him, the rest work on trying to find and free Cecily, or to remove as many of his goons from the picture as possible before they can react. A sort of... counter ambush. Though he may be expecting that... we could be making claims that the rest of the party left to get help from the fort. Or are inside the town municipal building." She wished she had more to offer in those regards. With a hostage, her skill set was just as much a liability as an asset. She wasn't a quiet fighter, and she was also only really effective up close. Sure, she was very effective, and if Cecily could be removed as a hostage, she is pretty sure she could take on Cavendish in a one on one without too much problem. She hoped. "It's apparent I am not good at a lot of these sorts of things, so if we go with an approach like that, I'll go meet him while the rest coordinate a way to save Cecily." Or if enough attention was pulled away, maybe she could do so herself? But in reality, if that plan were to work, she would need to keep all eyes on her.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Kathryn Pyke Human, Battle Master, Level 03 HP: 31 / 31 Armor Class: 19 Conditions: N/A Location: Inside bed and breakfast Action: Perception / Arcana Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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Kathryn held for a tense moment waiting for the door to open. She was ready to invert the face of whatever poor bastard was going to try and harm those in the building, and then correct their face into its original position by force. But when the door opened, there was nothing. Nothing, but the Axe she gave Cecily to defend herself. Kathryn's heart dropped, and he posture weakened. "No..." She mumbled inside of her helmet. She let the hammer drop and she followed the others outside. She was slump, shocked, and barely coherent trying to process what was going on. That was, until the voice boomed over the town. By the time the second word had finished, Kathryn was back into a fighting stance, shield up, Hammer posed to strike. But there were no targets to hit, no hostiles' faces to invert, and no Cecily. Kathryn gritted her teeth to the mockery, and dared the poor bastard to say his words to her face. See how that went. For now, she slid the hammer back onto her belt, and walked with heavy determined steps to her hand axe still embedded into the door. "Glad we're on the same page Kosara. Let's find a presence to that voice and give it a piece of our mind." She said trying to hide her vengeful tone. She wished she did more to act when she had time. Now, she was determined to make up for it. After pausing for a moment, she wondered if she had heard the voice projecting before? After thinking it over, she drew blanks. She wasn't sure this could be called a setback, but it wasn't super helpful either.

"Aye, it's mine. Cecily should have had it on her when she was here. Warning or taunt though, it does not matter. What matters in the message they are sending." Kathryn yanked the axe from the door with enough force to take a few chips out with it. "I vote we answer in kind." She said in a little more of a confident and calm tone. She took a few more deep breaths, and reminded herself not to let hate and anger get in the way of reason and smart decisions. Though she would still invert an asshole's face if given the chance. As she attempted to put the axe back into it's loop, and realizing she gave that to Cecily too, she took note of Kosara interacting with... A rat? "What in the four hells?" Kathryn said cramming the belt under her belt. She was starting to feel like a walking armory, not something she was against, but it was getting to be a bit cluttered.

Kathryn paused for a moment, wondering about wererats. "Kosara, careful. What if you get turned into one?" Not that she had a ton of experience with Wererats. But she thought about it briefly, and had actually recalled a story or two once long ago. And though Were creatures had many forms, she never recalled them doing anything like... That rat. "Or makes you sick. Rats are... Rats." But shy of physically removing Kosara from the situation, she figured there wasn't anything she could do to stop her. And she also wondered what the note said. Unsure if it was a lapse in her better judgement from her curiosity, or if she worried that the note could be much needed, she would let Kosara take the note.

Call of Cthulhu - Talbott's Investigators of Mysteries Enlightened

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Margarete O'Bryon

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Location: Streets of Arkham --> Home --> Benny's --> Car Ride
Hit Points: 13 Sanity Points: 46 Luck: 75
Mental State: Sane
Skill:

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The plan was simple, but it would get the job done. Gather up their gubs, take care of affairs, drive to the job. Simple enough. "I agree, a second car may prove to be a liability as much as a help. One should do the job just fine. I doubt we'll do a ton of driving once we arrive anyways." Her car would likely be used to help move about boxes if they needed to, or if they needed to check out locations outside of town. "If we want to meet up by my shop when we're ready to leave I think it'll make things quicker than trying to track everyone down. It's the beige two story building with the little tower that looks like a bell tower." In actuality, it was just a pretty chimney topper. But she liked calling it a tower. It felt more like an adventure to her that way. She gave a farewell to her party members, and began her stride to her home.

It wasn't a long walk, but knowing she may be gone for a few days was an uneasy feeling for her. Apart of the job, any of her jobs, but she still didn't like it. She would be tossed into environments that were chaotic, and she held little influence over. The same was true for when she was out in nature, but it felt... different in these cases. In nature, she felt like another piece to a grander picture. Anywhere else she felt out of place, and that everyone else there knew it too. Entering her home, she took note that Sprinkles had not greeted her at the door. "Oi, you wee bastard are ya not going to say Hi?" She called out. No reply from the cat. Walking up to the counter of her shop she reached around to grab a small jar of kibble treats and bacon bits. The moment the jar left the counter a little bell could be hear as sprinkles jumped up onto the counter. "Meow." He announced himself with the biggest smile on his face. "Fatass." She called her cat as she gave him a couple of the treats.

Margarete went about the building gathering up some spare clothes, some gear, and some stuff for Sprinkles. Instinctively, the first thing she began to pack was the 12 gauge shotgun. Placing it on the bed with some of the ammunition. Store with it, some of the .45 caliber she kept on hand for her pistol she almost never used. Today, it would sit in her hand bag. Just in case. Grabbing the shotgun with both hands, she put her finger on the release and began ejecting the shells onto the bed until the gun was empty, then disassembled it like someone who had been practicing with the weapon for a long time. When broken down it fit nicely into a small and thin leather bag. Though a bit wide, it shouldn't draw too much attention to itself unless she decided to unpack it. She grabbed 20 shells for the shotgun, deciding if she needed more she could come home or buy more. For her grandfather's handgun, she grabbed 30, plus the six still loaded in it. She would not lack protection on this trip, that's for sure. She'd grab some of her tools of the trade incase her brains decided to take a turn helping her out, her outdoor clothes, lantern, and a bottle of fine wine for when this was all over. A good little reward for the group when they had a job well done.

Walking out back, she began loading up her bags into the Nash Touring. Suitcase for clothes, the rectangular leather bag, and a small metal box that could be identified as an ammunition box for the munitions she brought. The lantern would be packed neatly in her suitcase, and the wine under her clothes. Deciding she should have an option that didn't involve going guns blazing, she would grab the baseball bat she kept behind the counter. There are countless situations where drawing a gun would only escalate a situation, but where violence may still be required. Thankfully, other than the bat, most of her things fit into the two bags, and the munitions box. She figured she still had a bit of time before everyone would arrive, so she returned to her home and approached the sleeping Sprinkles who was enjoy the best of catnaps when his mother decided it was time to no longer sleep. Picking him up with both hands the big kitty was clearly confused as he was hugged and squeezed while trying to enjoy his nap. "Who's a good boy. Who's going to behave for Benny while Mother's working? That's right, you are, you are!" She said in a cooing voice, before stopping and realizing she had done so. "Gawd dammit sprinkles yer making me soft." She said in a more stern tone trying to redeem her embarrassing act her cat had witnessed. Sprinkles seemed more concerned with getting back into the bed, but realized his fate was sealed when the kitty harness that he may have been a bit too big for was attached to him. Despite his biting and tugging at the thing, it would not come off. And Margarete held him tight as she gathered his treats, a bag of litter, and some blankets and toys for the cat.

Rushing over to Benny's she made it short and sweet for the poor lad. He had put up with her nonsense for years at this point, and he did a damn good job doing so. But she did push it from time to time. "I know it's short notice, but I need you to watch after sprinkles for me. I'm leaving town for a job, shouldn't be more than a couple days. But things happen. If it takes longer I will do what I can to update you. I won't be able to share much yet, but I'll tell you what I can when I get back. Make sure to give him tons of love, affection, and attention. Also do not eat in front of him unless you plan on sharing. He gets really upset when people eat in front of him without having anything to eat himself. I got litter, and it should be enough to last until I am back. You'll have to figure out food, but he loves eggs, bacon, salmon, and chicken. You can do cat food but he'll get sick of it fast without something to break it up. I got his treats and toys so he should keep himself occupied as long as his other needs are met. Also, make sure to take the harness off once he is inside. He will begin to bite after a while if he is stuck too long in this thing." A bit of an info dump for poor Benny, but he would understand. "I'll pay you back and then some when I return. But this is important. Thanks!" She said as she passed off the very much resisting cat to the poor Benny, who had to watch there confused and awe struck as the most agitated cat in town was tossed into his arms. Margarete left the young man mouth wide open in confusion, still unable to get a word out by himself with Sprinkles as she closed the door and ran off back to the car.

Arriving back, she was surprised to see Ellie already at her car. Not thinking much of it, she unlocked it and stood by the trunk door as she unloaded her belongings into her car. She would do this with all, a compulsion to keep the situation with her vehicle under as much control as possible. Once or twice rearranging how everything was packed in together. Either for space efficiency, to make sure her most important things were easily accessible, or to just make sure all the right things were in just the right place. She took another note of Ellie getting into the passenger seat of her car. She was used to keeping that one free for her hand bag, but supposed in their tight conditions she would have to adapt and overcome. But once in the car, she had no room to complain. She had been handed money, and the greatest gift god had given the human race, Coffee. "Thank you very much." She spoke in a sweet, yet professional tone to the payment. She took a bit of note of the flirting, and thought no mind to it. It was far less crude than what she was used too before she got burned.

The road trip wasn't all too bad. Sure Margarete drove a little bit too fast for the roads, and very much enjoyed the feelings of the engine of her car going full burn across the road way. But it was just some harmless driving. "If that thing leaves so much as a speck of ash, or a single smug on my car, we're going to have problems Ms. Estelle." She spoke sternly. She loved this car, and it was her biggest financial sink outside of her current home since she left her old family cabin. She wouldn't have it ruined by a cigarette. She did ponder the thought of something to eat. Breakfast had its own hiccups, so she wouldn't mind. But she would hold off for a bit. "I'll be fine for now. But thanks anyways lass. Feel free to ask again when we get there." She continued driving a bit like a mad woman, but they would make very efficient time.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Kathryn Pyke Human, Battle Master, Level 03 HP: 31 / 31 Armor Class: 19 Conditions: N/A Location: Inside bed and breakfast Action: Attack {Held} Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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The more Lizbeth explained of the situation, the more Kathryn suspected foul play. And the more she heard, the more she worried about Cecily's fate. The note, the screams in the dark. It all upset Kathryn. She was armed now, so that was something. The amulate Marita gave her may even help motivate her, or feel safer. Kathryn wasn't sure. She wasn't the biggest follower of religion. Though she did her best to respect those who did, she held little understanding herself. Her reaction to Kathryn wasn't the best, but she supposed that should have been expected. She was scared and anything spoken could only add to her fear and misery. Kathryn was determined to help this poor lass out though. Kathryn turned to acknowledge Blackberry and despite the helmet, she worked up a smile. "She's tough as a one of those rocks used to forge iron from." She said in her best gruff voice. And to her credit, she had a pretty solid one.

The half giant was a little more than surprised to see Kosara's gift. Had she not been wearing a helmet the whole group would have seen her jaw drop to the bag of Caltrops. She had heard stories from her uncle and Ser Lucas about how dastardly they were to horses and footman alike. Though they rarely killed, the injuries they caused were the stuff of nightmares. "Kosara... I..." She paused, retracting her thoughts. Remembering how desperate the situation at hand was. "N-Nevermind..." She said, not quite in a defeated tone, but pretty damn close. Victoria turned to help reassure Lizbeth. Soon the small girl would be hiding upstairs, safe for the night. And the party would end things by dawn. Kathryn got ready to face on the night, but it appeared the night would face them.

The thud hit the wall with enough for to make Kathryn question all sorts of things. She figured, something big, and something mean. Without speaking a word she finished strapping down her armor, locked her shield in place on her arm, and drew the hammer in her free hand. Stepping towards the door with a calm collective as Kosara prepared to open it, letting the terror of the night through to face on their own terms. Kathryn braced her steel clad boots on the ground, and held the hammer back preparing to swing it with enough force to invert any asshole who was stupid enough to try her tonight. "When the door opens, get clear fast." Kathryn said in a hushed tone as others prepared weapons and spells. She on the other hand, wanted a clean shot to get first blood on whatever came through that door. Kathryn's breath slowed as Victoria's music was sung in the background. She took note of Marita preparing on her flank, and hoped the woman would take a more reserved role. She saw what the Cleric's magic could do, and wanted her free to use it should the chance arrive.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Kathryn Pyke Human, Battle Master, Level 03 HP: 31 / 31 Armor Class: 19 Conditions: N/A Location: Inside bed and breakfast Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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It seemed the plan had changed. Though Kathryn wasn't against said plan, she worried they were under prepared for it. They knew little and less of the scope of what was going on, and things were kicking off to a degree that by morning, the streets could be littered with corpses. Kosara also had a point on how they couldn't sit back and do nothing. If they waited the night, so many things could happen that by the time things were resolved, there wouldn't be much left to save. She worried for sure, but in the end they didn't have a ton of options. Cicely was missing. Lizbeth was alone and scared. And already attacks had began. Kathryn let go of her embrace of the small girl and looked down at her. Worry in her eyes. She hated the idea of leaving her alone, and if anything happened to her while they were gone she would never forgive herself. But if they sat and hid while the turn burn, she also couldn't forgive herself for that either. But Victoria was right. Baronford was right. And both him and Marita prepared the girl as best as they could. But they had a job to do, and they wouldn't be able to hold her hand for now. "You should take the Blade Lizbeth. You know, when I had turned seven, I got my first sword." She said in an optimistic tone. "My uncle gave it to me, said "A lass like her needs ta know how to fend for herself." And despite my parents protest, I got a cool looking sword. No one expects you to use it, but I know having it made me feel a lot safer when things got scary." Kathryn said in a soft tone with a smile on her face.

Kathryn gave the girl another good squeeze before letting go. "For now, we'll need you to take care of yourself okay? Find a good spot ta hide, and wait for our return. We'll be back as quick as we can, but we gotta go help the town now." When she spoke softly bits of her old accent poked through, something that was harder to hide as she spoke. But listening to Marita, she was right. it was time for war. Kathryn stood up, gave Lizbeth a rub on the top of her head, and smiled on her one last time before affixing her helmet to her head again. "We'll be back soon." She strapped on her battered, but still effective shield. Made sure all her belts and straps were all tightened, and checked her weapons on hand. All where they needed to be.

She wanted to do more for Lizbeth. Barricade the door maybe, or hide her in a secrete compartment. Stash her away under the floorboards. Take her with them and hold out the night, preventing anything that would want to hurt her from getting anywhere near her. She wanted so much to not let this poor girl's world get turned upside down like her own world was all of those years ago. But Lizbeth had to be brave, and the party needed to take action. Aggressive, and precise action. The Municipal building would be a start. Clear out any rodents along the way, and grab Cavendish. Get some answers, and finally some solutions. Something, anything really. She thought of all the old stories she used to have read to her growing up, where the plot device was found and everyone was saved once it was used or destroyed. She doubted this was the same kind of situation. But she hoped. She hoped that they would be the ones to come in and save the day.

Call of Cthulhu - Talbott's Investigators of Mysteries Enlightened

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Margarete O'Bryon

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Location: TIME Agency --> streets of Arkham
Hit Points: 13 Sanity Points: 46 Luck: 75
Mental State: Sane
Skill:

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Margarete listened closely as Happy spoke. She had some focusing issues, but she figured she got the most important bits. Margarete did her best to follow along when the other members of her team spoke, and though she supposed what they said made sense, she struggled to make much sense of it herself. Professor Dupree had mentioned the school's involvement in such matters, but it all seemed way too complicated for something that didn't need to be. Granted, most of her "Expeditions" were personal and rarely needed more than a boat ticket, some cash, and a location to hash things out. And when Berry, her main contact was in a good mood, those places she didn't need to show up with a gun in her purse. What did catch her attention was Harry's comment against Eleonora flirting with the secretary. That caused Margarete's thought process to pause a moment, and process things. She wondered if the woman was in fact, a Lesbian, or it was a crude jest from Harry. She supposed she would figure out one way or another. As long as it didn't interfere with their work, Margarete didn't mind too much. She didn't know too many, or any on a first name basis, but she gotten enough comments from the opposing sex years ago before she got scarred to hell. They still made comments, but not the same kind. Though she supposed one didn't need to be attracted to a woman to make cruel comments.

Margarete didn't like the response for how they would be received. Margarete was normally at a disadvantage in these sorts of situations. Between her crude social skills, her blunt nature, and just... the other obvious factors. There were always complications without a mutual third party involved. One reason of many why she enjoyed working with Benny yet again. "Big City Cheese?" Sure, Margarete enjoyed the outdoors, had even done some amateur hunting from time to time. But she was about as big city cheese as they came. She was well educated despite her learning difficulties, always well dressed, even when spending time outdoors, held a commanding presence, and she was ill-tempered. She didn't handle being corrected well either, especially in an area of her expertise. "I hope you realize what yer asking there Harry. But I shall do my best. As for the notes and such I wouldn't put it past him to have some personal work space. Either at home or in a place of occupation." She paused, not convinced she used the right wording. Before she let herself get flustered, she took a deep breath and sighed. Not letting it get to her. "When we talk to our lawyer friend, it may be a good idea to try and get keys to such places. See what he was working on before he was lost." She took a pause again, but decided she contributed enough and just took a moment to catch her breath and focus. She let herself get too stressed over her own words, but she had practiced and that would be a quick fix with some controlled breathing.

When she paused, she noticed it again. That Fucking Lamp. It was so close to being perfect in the corner of the desk. And yet, it was off just enough to get to Margarete. It wouldn't need to be moved much, just a little. Just a little bit to help put everything else where it needed to be. She took note of the map to distract herself, but Eleonora had snagged it up pretty fast. It was time to leave, and if she left that lamp the way it was when she left it would be on her mind all day. As they were ushured out of the office, Margarete couldn't wait anymore. She reached out with a couple fingers, and pushed the lamp about a half inch one direction, then less than a quarter of that in another to correct any errors along the way. She did a couple more corrections in rapid successions hoping to fix it fast, each one being less than the last. But within two seconds of the first correction, it was better. As long as it never moved again, everything would be okay. "Have a lovely day Harry." She spoke in her most professional tone as she stood up, smoothed out her blouse, and walked away with all the pride in the world. Her work for now was done.

It was only at that moment she saw Alessa walk in. Another member of their team who would assist however her expertise allowed. "Welcome." Margarete gave the woman as things wrapped up. "It is time to get moving though. SO let's get going." There were some talks of plans, and who shall drive. What they needed. All the good stuff. It seemed much of their group lacked in the form of automobiles. Thankfully, Margarete owned a rather nice car, with a fair amount of seating. She debated a moment not offering it. Like her own home office, it was a space she controlled in its entirety. Once she allowed passengers, she was sure she'd spend countless hours trying to fix it up. But... They had a job to do. Sacrifices needed to be made. She had decided, no one else shall drive her car but herself. That was where she would draw the line.

"I have a car we can take, but we'll need to walk to it. I wouldn't mind picking up a few things, as it seems this may take a while, and I don't think this is a trip we can make every single day for the next few days. I'd like to pack some changes of clothes." She spoke nicely. But another thing that crossed her mind, was the shotgun she kept under the bed. Though this should be like any task she's worked on, something about it seemed off. It could be because it was Time asking her to do it. But remembering how things turned out in France, she wanted to have as many cards in her hand as possible should things turn south. "Cover some gas and coffee and I'll take you there." Margarete said in a surprisingly soothing tone to Eleonora as she began to take her huge strides back to her shop. "After we grab a few things, we can get coffee and get moving. We can either go strait to my place and stop around, or all meet up at my place once we get all of our necessities." Like a 12 gauge shotgun. She supposed they could also meet up at the diner. With a car, Margarete would likely be first to arrive should they choose to split up. She'd have to make sure Berry took care of Sprinkles. The poor kitty would starve without her present for more than a day.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Kathryn Pyke Human, Battle Master, Level 03 HP: 31 / 31 Armor Class: 19 Conditions: N/A Location: Inside bed and breakfast Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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Kathryn looked at the note, even more confused when seeing it. No wonder the poor girl was terrified. She knew so little, and so much was happening so fast. Kathryn wanted desperately to help her out though. "Do you know where she may have gone? We may be able to find her before she returns?" Kathryn said optimistically. Hoping that would help reassure the poor girl everything would be alright. "I don't know," responded Lizbeth, her voice whispering a childlike lamentation. "Aunt Ceecee and I were the first to come down for supper. I left to go wash up like she told me to. When I got back, she was gone." The girl sniffled a bit as tears welled up in her eyes, "The front door was open and this was at her place setting." Lizbeth pointed to the dining table and the door in turn, confusion and sorrow playing heavily on her face. The response wasn't the game changer she hoped it was. Kathryn worried Cecily could have been taken by force, had legitimate concerns and left in a hurry, or could have been one of those turned already.

Kathryn wished she knew how to make Lizbeth feel safe. She was isolated and alone. Scared and unsure of everything going on around her. She wanted so badly to embrace the poor girl in a hug. Let her know she was safe. But there was that little voice in the back of her head telling her she wasn't safe. Physical contact with anyone could always turn into letting her guard down, her not being ready if someone tries to hurt her, make her vulnerable to ill intentions. The screams off in the distance only made that voice in the back of her head worse. She imagined what Lizbeth was going through right now was very comparable to how she felt when her home was destroyed. The sounds of those unfortunate enough to have been found being cut down, every person who was supposed to be there for you now being dead or gone, and your best hope being some strangers who you barely know. Kathryn gave at that point, remembering how scared she was more than a dozen years ago. How scared and alone she felt, she figured Lizbeth was in much the same boat. Silencing the voice in the back of her mind Kathryn took the shield off her arm and began to hold her arms out. Hesitating at first, she reached out again and embraced Lizbeth in a firm and safe hug, though still soft enough to not hurt her or crush her under all the steel. "It's going to be okay darling. Everything is going to be okay." Despite everything working against her, the hug was gentle and protective.

Without breaking the protective hug, Kathryn turned ever so slightly to the rest of the party and mouthed "What do we do?" She wanted to go out and find Cecily, but they were out of time. They could hold up there, but that may leave Lea unprotected, and they knew nothing about this place. It seemed no more secure than anywhere else they had been so far. Maybe less so. And for sure, the rats would have watched them enter. The loft or the public house they may be able to make distance first. But they were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and Kathryn found herself split on how to handle the situation at hand.