CH. 01 - Crane's Angels

[GravityEmblem]

April is not well-suited to dealing with children. Despite her misgivings, though, she feels too much for the child to simply ignore him. "Excuse me, sir, what are you crying about?" she asks him, as formal as if she was speaking to the Supervisor himself.

[Daos]

"I CAN'T FIND MY MOMMA!" the lad cries between sobs.

[HorizonsDream]

"Ah, sorry," Kalinda says to the older women. "What do you mean the Vengeful Mother...fanatics are on the rise again?" she asks curiously.

[Daos]

The two old women turn to her.  "You didn't hear about that fire in Sumrae a month ago?  Oh, they say it was an accident, but I remember well the old days when the cult attacked regularly.  They loved burning things down," says the sea elf.  "The whole thing reeked of their involvement, believe me.  There's also been word of caravan attacks on the road a lot more often the last few months.  They say it's bandits, but I suspect they're just trying to avoid a panic.  The truth is, the cult is behind it.  Mark my words, history is repeating itself and our weak supervisor does nothing about it."

[GravityEmblem]

April, completely out of her element, asks, "Well, where did you last see her?"

[Daos]

"I DUNNO!" the child cries, weeping profusely.  Several people stare as they pass by, but none offer any help.

Suddenly, a shadow passes over April and she hears flapping above.  An aarkocra, specifically an osprey, lands nearby.  He's got brown and grey plumage and piercing green eyes.  He's also wearing the traditional green and blue uniform of the garden guard.  He tucks his wings back and steps forward.  "Ho there, citizens.  What seems to be the problem here?" he asks.

[HorizonsDream]

"Well, what can he really do?" Kalinda asks.

[GravityEmblem]

“This child has lost his mother, who I presume is an adult female halfling with a similar hair color,” April
answers. Addressing the child, she says, “Now, think clearly. Do you know where your home is?”

[Matt4]

"Well, that was cool. Unfortunate, but cool." - Penelope thinks to herself.
She steps out of the alley and esaminates the building, whose roof the drow woman stepped onto.

[Daos]

Kalinda
"He's a weak leader, and others can smell that weakness," the sea elf says.  "If his grandmother was still in charge, she would do something about this.  Round up any of these cultists and lock them up.  Or exile them.  Something.  Instead, he actually gives the Riverdom tribute.  It's pathetic."

April
"I DUNNO!" the child cries.

"Hmm, perhaps I can be of service.  Come, child.  I can fly you around and we can see if we can spot your mother from above," the aarakocra offers.

The child quickly grabs April, burying his face into her leg.  "Noooo!"

The guard hesitates, unsure.  "Aha...odd.  I'm usually pretty good with children."  He clears his throat and addresses the child again.  "It is alright, little citizen.  I am with the garden guard.  I am here to help.  If you will just come with me..."

"Noooooooooooooo!" the child yells.

The guard immediately backs off.  "Um, hmm...oh, I know!  Perhaps if I sing to him.  That always calms down the hatchlings.  Ahem!  CAWWWW!  CAWWWW-CAWWWW!" he crows in birdsong.

The child responds by screaming so loud one wonders if it it might have shattered any glass were it nearby.

Poppy
The building in question appears to be some kind of general store.  It's called The Sailor's Way.  It looks like there might be a residential area on the second floor.

[HorizonsDream]

Kalinda finishes off her coffee and nods her head politely to the two older women before she takes her leave from them and the coffee shop. She shakes her head at what she just heard, and decides to explore the festival from the outside for a little bit, even though the sun is on the bright side.

[Matt4]

Poppy decides to enter the shop: "Hello~" - she greets whoever is inside.

[Daos]

Kalinda
Kalinda steps outside and is grateful to see that some clouds have appeared, suggesting rain may soon be arriving.  A welcome relief, in her mind.  She walks around the marketplace, burning off the excess energy from the two coffees in her system, when she hears music.  Or what one might generously describe as music; it almost sounds like someone is rubbing two saws together.  She comes across a street musician playing to a small crowd of people that are forming.  She also notices her roommates, Rain and Mist, among the onlookers.

The musician is a very tall half-orc, well over six feet, with long brown hair, yellow eyes, and green skin.  He is wearing a black shirt with a denim jacket over it, and denim pants with holes in them, and a plaid shirt tied around his waist.  He was playing some kind of lute, but it seemed to cackle with electricity suggesting some kind of magic to it and it did not make sounds like any lute Kalinda had heard before.

Poppy
Poppy enters the shop, and a little bell rings when she does so, having been attached to the door so it rings whenever it is opened.  She finds herself inside a standard general store, selling all sorts of things including coils of rope, dry rations and waterskins, empty sacks and barrels, various tools and kits, and other assorted items.  A male drow steps out from the back and approaches.  He has red hair, slicked back and hazel eyes that seem a bit beady.  "Ah, welcome, welcome," he begins.  "How can I help you this fine summer day?  Are you looking for something in particular?" he asks, clasping his hands.

[GravityEmblem]

April sighs and scratches her head. “Why don’t you search for his mother, while I watch over him?” she tells the Aaracockra. She’d much rather be continuing on her mission, but even she couldn’t just ignore a crying child.

[HorizonsDream]

"Rain, Mist," Kalinda calls out as she approaches her roommates. "What's this?" she asks.