LoD Chapter 2 - The Legend of the Forsaken Brother

[Astral Harmony]

Renetta frowned as she glanced at the flier. "It's something they do to all travelers," she was explaining to the others, her run in with that one guy already forgotten. "Fariya doesn't offer much for hiding places, so either the guard will find 'em all too easily or they've escaped from the village and..."
Trevor. Clifford.
What in all the hells I heard about in fairy tales is this?
Renetta was frozen in place as though time had stopped for here, her mouth slightly hanging and her eyes wide as though she had been physically slapped.
"Ralph."
One of the officers suddenly looked at Renetta. "How do you know my name?"
Renetta looked at him. "C'mon, you can't tell me you don't recognize me. I know it's been six years but geez."
The officer stared at her for a good bit, then elbowed the guy next to him, someone Renetta knew by face, but not by name. "Hey, it's Renetta! Man, she's finally come back!"
The officer grinned warmly. "Wow, is it really you, little Renetta? Damn, you sure have gotten pretty, and your breasts have practically explo..."
"My 'developments' are not the issue here!" Renetta squealed, her sudden blush worsened by the cold weather. "Just...can you tell me why my brother is on the list?"

[Lioness]

"Well, err ..." Ralph managed. "He's assasinated many important political figures, Renetta. I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you. He's not the brother you remember."

To the entire group, he warned, "Do not trust Trevor Clifford. He is very dangerous. Contact a policeman with any new information you have about him. Do not attempt to take him on yourselves."

Ralph flashed a consoling smile to Renetta and walked as quickly as he could in the opposite direction, and before anyone could say anything, he was gone.

[Astral Harmony]

"God, I never had a clue."
Renetta could only stare after Ralph's retreating form, letting someone else take the wanted list. She was obviously speaking to herself.
"Did he just go completely insane after mom died? Maybe that was why dad took me away from here."
It sounded logical, but something just didn't ring true. Richard would have eventually told Renetta about Trevor going overboard at some point before now. What he was really hiding had to be something bigger and more destructive to Renetta's heart.
"I...have to find him. I have to find Trevor. There may be some information at the mercenary guild."

[Toastburner B]

Connor sighed. Part of him wanted to tell Renetta that they hadn't come to help her brother, but to find the next altar. But, while he had never had a real family himself, he knew that bonds of blood were strong, and that Renetta would be distracted by this until it was resolved.

"To the mercenary guild, then." Connor said. "Perhaps we can also find information on where the next altar may be." he added, hoping to remind Renetta of their true purpose here.

[Mintaro]

Karnok Grumbled to himself quietly sounding like a distant waterfall. He took the piece of paper and looked it over. Then folded it up and put it in one of his pouches. He squatted down where he was and bean to draw symbols in the snow with his pipe while he waited. Puffing on it in between each symbol and seeming to be thinking hard about what he was doing. The sight of a 7'5" Minotaur squatting to draw in the snow was to say the least comical. Passerbys held in there laughter however, not wanting to risk angering someone so large.

[Zephie]

Jen wandered off to the nearest diner with a spring in his step and a whistle on his lips, barely giving any thought to the cold, even as it blew across his uncovered torso. Thank goodness for fur, he always said.

Stepping inside at last, he took a short glance about and located an empty table to the side, while also taking stock of the people within.... nobody he should be concerned about in there. Taking a seat, he waited for a waiter and ordered a soup and glass of rum, having to pay only one gold piece for it all. Hmm. Came out ahead after all.

He sat back and waited for his food then, leaned comfortably against the wall with his feet up on the other chair, and shut his eyes so he could relax for a bit...

"Figured you'd wander in here."

He sat up with a start and glanced about nervously, then whispered back to the man in the next booth, "Sora?! What the hell are you doing in here?! You ought to have more sense than that--"

"Relax, no one saw me," Sora replied in a hushed voice. "And they won't see me again when I leave."

Sora lowered the hood from his face and leaned over, hidden in the shadows on that side of the diner. Jen checked the room once more, but saw nobody taking too much stock of them and leaned over. "What do you want, old man?"

"Just asking about my investment."

"You'll have it by the end of the day, don't worry about it," Jen answered, settling back into his seat.

"So I take it you've not been able to get into the palace yet?" Sora asked, ever so calm.

Jen looked about the diner again, a look of half-worry and half-annoyance on his face. "Not yet."

"Well, you'd better soon."

Jen glanced over quick and wanted to say something back, but Sora was already getting up. Deciding against it, he looked front again and tried to look natural, while Sora drew his hood back up and left, muttering, "By the end of the day, thief. I'm going to hold you to that."

Jen sat and contemplated his words after he left, and so was a little startled when the waiter came back with his meal. Sitting up and thanking him, he then went about eating it, and put some serious thought into how to get into the palace. One thing he would need now, however, was a disguise...

[TheBlindMime]

Watching the police move away and the members of the group attempt to console Renetta, Howl had to hold back a laugh. What a quaint little town, the police hand out fliers as they patrol the towns edge. I'm sure the villagers all come together for group hugs as well. He strolled over to the minotaur who was drawing in the snow. He kneels down and draws two sets of perpendicular lines in the snow, then draws an X in there center. He giggles for a moment before asking in a perky manner, "Up for a game of tic-tac toe?"

[Lioness]

"This is not the time for games. We must get going," Ian said firmly.

"Shall we head to the mercenary guild or the park? Myself, I think the mercenaries may have more to say than the trees, but it is the group's decision."

[Astral Harmony]

Renetta eventually arrived at the park, signalling the others that this was the place. Probably not surprisingly, the park was pretty active. Street merchants selling furs and caps. Children having snow fights and making angels. People just relaxing on benches and gazing at the falling snow. The steam rising from the fountain.
"The fountain water runs through a system near an underground heat source, the same heat source which is responsible for a few of the inns having hot springs. The water comes out hot and that's why there's steam rising up from the fountain. After snow fights, Trevor and I used to warm our hands up here. The...this is where the next altar is, right? I guess we should wait around here for a while, then."

[Mintaro]

Karnok sucks deeply on his pipe and looks at the playing Field before him.He then uses the end of his pipe to draw a circle in the middle left position. "We be matchin da wits now." Karnok says to his jolly opponent. Gesturing slightly to the others he says "You be doin what you want. We can be catchin up." Karnok narrows his eyes at the cross bars before him and waits for the furry man-wolf to make his move.