Born of Ravnica

[WetHawk]

Alice nodded to the strange Mouse girl before turning and beginning to lead the way towards Grave Hide Park. "In many senses, yes. Their traps will be harder to spot, and the Gruul love to train wolves for hunting. The night does present some benefits as well, though. Other than wolves, the greatest predator that we would likely face would be a few roaming wild boars, but they're mostly active in the morning. Also, while wolves would pose a great threat to a lone traveler, even a pack would rarely risk attacking a well lit and well numbered group such as our own. Unless they're very hungry, that is, which is a possibility given the way the Gruul treat their poor animals." Alice frowned to herself slightly before continuing to address Gru's question. "Well, Bosun and his brother, Garth, are both warriors of the Grave Hide Clan. Garth isn't as overtly violent as you would expect from a Gruul warrior, but he can be pretty ruthless in his own way. Bosun can keep him in check, but you need to mind what you say to him. I once suggested braiding lilies into his mane because they would help a lot to bring out his eyes, and I thought he was going to decapitate me on the spot." Alice chuckled at the memory.

 

[Abrahms]

Nievein nodded numbly as the group began to walk, before adding, "Ah ... are we a well-lit party? The dark does not bother me as much as it might some others." Digging into her pack for a moment she pulled out a candle that quickly became damp in the rain, "This is all I have for light ... and with the moisture I don't think it will work well."

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

Kavlov looks perturbed by the realization that his fellow guild members' poor planning and inaction had lead to the eascape of this criminal. His face went from slightly angry, to a bit defeated, but he followed along as the group set out toward Grave Hide Park.

The streets were quiet, though there were still people out and about. It's too late for children to be running around, and not late enough for the drunkards to be roaming the streets. The walk to the "park" takes about a quarter of an hour, but the group quickly comes up to an overgrown section that takes up a decent area. There are no obvious paths into the forest, but Alice knows the area fairly well.

 

[Ash-6116]

Stepping forward through the park, Thia was being helped by Niev to keep an eye out for traps. 'Looks clear, though there's plenty of nice flowers around,' Thia thought to themselves. That was when they heard a sudden creak, 'Oh shit' Thia thought, having just enough time to duck towards a hedge before she could think of warning Niev. As they turned to do so, they saw Niev dangling from her ankles, her fins splayed out making her look like an inverted kite that was just ready for takeoff.

"Err, does someone have a knife?" Thia asked, as they heard hooves approaching, "Also it sounds like we've company."

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

The trotting sound of the hooves slows before a large figure steps out of a bush, brandishing a spear and yelling. The centaurs seems to be a bit taken aback by the large group standing in the middle of the woods, and he takes a couple steps back as he looks around, suddenly quiet. "Alice?" the war paint covered Boson asks, incredulously.

 

[Expersprobi]

Gru stepped up, drawing a dagger from inside his vest. He reached up with his trunk, taking hold of the rope to keep it steady while using his free arm to support Niev as he cut the rope.

"So much for not drawing attention." He placed Niev on her feet. "Head in the clouds, feet on the ground, Niev." Gru let out a small chuckle as the hooves got closer.

"Well Alice, I hope you know what to do." He tucked the dagger back into his vest and smoothed the front with his trunk to adequately conceal it once more.

 

[WetHawk]

Alice was focused on avoiding the many snares that the Gruul set in their hunting grounds, quietly pointing out the ones that she noticed to the group until she was shaken from her efforts as she heard the sudden rustling and whizzing of the snare trap being set off and catching Niev. She looked up at her apologetically. "Sorry, I guess I missed one..." She then heard a familiar galloping and turned to greet her friend, waving her torch-bearing hand. "Hey Boson, it's so good to see you! You're looking strong as ever, how's the mare?" She glanced back towards the group for a moment, realizing that they probably didn't want to hear several hours of small talk, and smiled sheepishly to Boson. "Sorry for entering without permission and for ruining your trap there, but my friends and I were wondering if you could help us out. Its important, for everyone really. Have you heard of a goblin named Krenko before?"

 

[RadientAni]

Picking her way through the underbrush Rhet found herself following close behind the others humming a small tune to herself hushedly. The night time was the most exciting time.

Hearing the click and rustling of leaves she side steps as Niev gets hauled up into the air. Drawing a snort from Rhet and a slap on her knee. “Oh Niev always the life of the party.” Before she could follow the lead back to its starting point. Gru had begun cutting her down. Not long after Gru’s approach the thud of hooves caused her pull her arms into her cape searching the wood frantically.

The centaur making itself known with Alice, Rhet eased. Settling back onto her heels she crossed her arms in wait of an answer.

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

Boson grunts out loud and looks around at the group standing before him, then his head drops. "What had Garth done now?" He checks behind him, seemingly to ensure that none of his guildmates have followed him, then he lowers his voice. "I don't know much, but I have overheard my brother saying that name to some of the people who follow him." He looks very embarassed. "The other day, he and a group of his thugs were missing for a few hours. Skorik nearly ripped his throat out when he returned with no explaination."

 

[WetHawk]

Alice paused for a moment and looked around back to her group, legitimately surprised to hear that her shot in the dark yielded some actual leads. Turning back to Boson, she frowned slightly. "Well... I can't say for sure, but it sounds as if he might have something to do with a prison break freeing a dangerous rebel leader." She grimaced, now faced with the conflict of potentially getting her friend's family in trouble. "I know that this isn't a great situation for you, but we need to find Krenko. We're suspicious that he might have connections with the various guilds. Mother knows what he might have in store for Ravnica if he remains free. If there's anything at all that you know, please tell us." She looked to the centaur imploringly, feeling awful to put her friend in a situation that might hurt his brother.

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

Boson ducks slightly, and his face sinks. "I wish I could help you more, but I'm not the only one on guard duty tonight, and the others are... much less accepting of guests." He begins to gesture for you all to leave. As you turn around, you notice that Gru and Kavlov are nowhere to be seen. He escorts you out of the wooded area quietly, stopping Thia and Niev from stepping into more traps as you walk.

Once outside of the woods, you can see Gru and Kav having a very animated argument that ends in both of them yelling some obscentity in their own language and storming off. Boson doesn't step out of the woods as he continues to push you all out. You can hear some howling coming from behind him as he gets a panicked look in his eyes. "I'll tell you what little I know. When Garth and his pals came back from whatever he was doing, they smelled... more like a sewer than normal..." he gave a small, but obviously still panicked smile. "I hope that helps."

 

[WetHawk]

Alice frowned but nodded in understanding to her friend. “That’s alright, Boson. I know how the others can get, and I don’t think they’ll be as accepting of an armed group of people looking for trouble as they are a painter. We’ll be leaving then.” She followed after Boson as he led them out of the woods, pausing as she heard the arguing. “Wait... are Gru and Kavlov okay? Where are they?“ She didn’t have the opportunity to get her question answered in Boson’s haste to escort them out, however, and she followed, still concerned for her two friends. When they stopped, she looked to Boson with worry in her eyes. “Are they going to be alright? Are you?” She sighed. “Anyways, thank you for all your help.” She looked to the painting she’d been carrying all this way before holding it out to Boson. “Do you want this? I was supposed to display it back in the Conclave, but I could always paint another. Besides, I doubt it’d make it through our little adventure.”

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

Boson looks into Alice's eyes. "I will be ok, they wont attack me, but if you stick around, they might chase you down." He looked at the painting, thinking back to the others he had recieved over the years, and smiled. He accepted the canvas and placed it into his pack. "I hope to see you again, in a better circumstance, perhaps?" He turns back into the forest and you can hear hooves take off into the night.

 

[Ash-6116]

Following Bosun's hands as he guided Thia and Niev away from any more traps that would leave elves dangling from strings, Thia'Varis' ears perked up as they heard Bosun mention the sewer.

'So, Garth went into the sewers in the Undercity?' Thia thought to themselves, 'That could be an interesting place to check after we've seen the crime scene then. Should make sure to check sewer entrances nearby.'

Seeing the two storming off, Thia'Varis shook their head as they heard Bosun take off into the forest. "Guess those two have wound each other up. Crime scene?" Thia'Varis asked, looking to Niev to check if she was still awake.

 

[Abrahms]

Still a bit dazed from having suddenly found herself upside down, Niev had kept quiet during the brief discussion, clutching her bag tightly as they were led out of the area. Her eyes had been mostly closed as her mind instead shifted to thinking about the trap that had fired and caught her -- how it could be improved, hidden even better and so on...

Noticing Thia seemed to focus on her, Niev opened her eyes wider, "Er ... yes. I was awake the whole time, paying attention, yes. Seems we're due for a trip to the sewers, and ... unfortunately two people short." She was silent for a moment before continuing, "Well ... hopefully we can still hold our own, I expect we're all reasonably resourceful, yes ...?" Nodding to Thia, "To the crime scene I believe."