Patches, a three-legged mutt, Songbird, a mastiff arrive, following Tristan.

The night isn't particularly remarkable in the way it starts... Guards are on the walls, soldiers patrolling, trying to keep people safe during the siege. However..

There is a flicker of something gray and vaporous in the sky in the very north neighborhood of the upper boroughs. Close to the walls. The smell of smoke beginning to waft on the chill winter breeze and then a cry--

"FIRE! FIRE!"

Tristan is strolling along a street on a besieged night. As one does. He pauses for a moment, the dogs pausing with him (Patches looks excited, perhaps wondering if this is a new game), before he hears the call and sprints off in the general direction of the smoke.

Leta is out for for a stroll, or on the way back from the tavern more likely, when her nose quivers and she tries to catch it on the wind, looking about until she sees that mist in the air and hears that cry. With a muttered curse under her breath, she sets off at a run in the direction of the alarm call.

The upper and lower boroughs aren't exactly the city center, safest place in Arx, but they're home. Asher called the lower home for a while, and he's seemed to have some good luck - which explains him moving about the upper at this time. As soon as the smell of smoke reaches his nostrils, however, he's on edge. Did the Shav's bring fire to burn the city- No! Fire, near the walls! Whether it's the Shavs and the Bringers, or just someone with bad luck, he's rushing over there from where he was. As fast as his feet can push him, to reach in time and see if he can help.

Halsim has been very busy with his own pursuits for a while now, but while he's busy with other work, suddenly a fire? Yeah, that's not good. The black robed man adjusts his hood, before Halsim steps over. It is, after all, a mundane fire. Probably from infiltrators.


Moira was wandering around the boroughs, something that she does from time to time. Home never being too far. She was enjoying her nice quiet night. Until she hears the shouts and the faint smell of smoke catching her nose. It wrinkles a moment as her brain processes what her senses are telling her and she bolts towards the source of the commotion

Leta checked perception + streetwise against difficulty 15, resulting in 13, 2 lower than the difficulty.

Tristan checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 22, 7 higher than the difficulty.

Halsim checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 41, 26 higher than the difficulty.

Asher checked perception + streetwise against difficulty 15, resulting in 44, 29 higher than the difficulty.

Moira checked perception + investigation against difficulty 15, resulting in 20, 5 higher than the difficulty.

It isn't /hard/ to find the fire-- by the time people scramble over to it an entire shack (a smaller part of someone's estate) has caught fire. The flames licking at the wood like an angry spirit, consuming it. People scramble along trying to find sources of water to put out the fire before it can spread across the slightly icy grass and to the walls or to the other buildings nearby...

There's a sniff as Halsim looks to it. The man in the black hood pulls his badge out of one of his many pockets, pinning the Inquisition badge as he heads over, surveying the damage... his hands folded on on themselves at the waist as he drinks in the sights for clues.

"There should be a rain barrel or something," calls out Tristan. "Find it and start a bucket chain...or chain of anything that holds water. Use your shirts if you have to." For his words, he's not immediately starting the firefighting. He's edging toward a group of people in the shadows.


Rounding a corner, Moira has just moments to process what she is seeing. Something, she cannot place it at first doesn't seem right to her.. Buckets, buckets of water... ready and waiting for those that were heading towards them. That was convient... there was some luck she thought. Water that didn't seem right. "Wait!" She cannot help but bark out the order, raising her voice. "Wait before you grab those!" That water was not right, and instinct told to her to speak up before the buckets were used.

Maybe she had a little too much wine at the tavern. Maybe it's just one of those days. Maybe Leta just isn't that keen-eyed or sharp-nosed. But she can at least find the fire, even if it's by following other people hurrying in that direction. The solid sellsword stares at it for a moment, pulling her hat off, then joins others in the scrambling for sources of water. There doesn't seem to be anyone in charge, so she heads for the nearest source of water like everyone else, until she hears Talen and Moira, and just stops. "Uh?"

As Asher gets to where the fire is, he's already pulled his too-thin leather hood down. The flickering flames give glint to his golden earrings. In the shape of rats, with tiny sapphire eyes. He, too, spots the people in the shadows, and gives them a look over - Asher knows so many of the people in the Boroughs, lower and upper. Does he know the people? Still, he raises an eyebrow yet says nothing - the fire is priority. And the fire needs putting out, so he makes for the water with all due haste - and stops, mid-stride. "Stop why? The fire's going!"

Halsim looks over at hearing the buckets might be a problem, and sniffs in that direction.

Tristan checked command + leadership against difficulty 20, resulting in 38, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Moira checked command + leadership against difficulty 15, resulting in 29, 14 higher than the difficulty.

"Somethings wrong here. That fire doesn't smell like a fire. Anyone else get that? Sharp, Caustic." The Darkwatch Watch native finally speaks as Halsim gets just a bit closer to the fire, examining.

People snap into action when Tristan gives his orders. People start scrambling to get buckets. However, a young man skids to a stop infront of the buckets that Moira is telling him to wait before grabbing. He looks a little more closely at the buckets and gasps a moment, "It's oil!" He grabs one of the buckets and runs with it to a safe distance to pour out the oil.

...and as people get closer to the fire to start throwing water onto it from whatever they can? They start to cough, a little bit harder than normal from a fire...

And as for the people that Tristan is edging toward? They freeze and stare at him for a moment, before then trying to shuffle faster away. One of them muttering, "I ain't getting burned alive with you poshes."

"Poshes?" Tristan gives a sudden bark of laughter. "Me?" He displays his hands as evidence, splaying long fingers hardened from long day's work. (But, Tristan, remember you live in the _palace_.) "But I'm very interested in why you fine gentlemen aren't helping before the damn fire burns /everyone/ up, posh or not."

Leta checked stamina against difficulty 10, resulting in 21, 11 higher than the difficulty.

Asher checked stamina against difficulty 10, resulting in 9, 1 lower than the difficulty.

Look, Tristan's voice is louder than Moira, and putting out the fire seems to make more sense than waiting it out. Leta's a relatively simple woman. So she nods enthusiastically and grabs a bucket and starts running with it towards the fire, coughing a couple of times and grimacing at the smell of it. But she at least stops, ready to toss the contents of the bucket onto the shack. She is helping! But then she stops, coughing, and looks between Halsim and the young man crying about oil. Then she inspects her bucket.

A hefty snort from Asher. "Poshes, they say..." That snort gets him, though. The fumes get into his nose and he hacks up what might as well be a lung. "Gods' blood, that hurts!" A slew of swearing comes from him and he darts back from the smoke. And anyone who's familiar with the way Lower Folk talk, it's about as bad as stubbing one's toe on furniture, and creative in the most horrible way. So, easily the worst thing you've ever heard. He puts his face into his arm as he comes back, tumbling to the ground as he tries to not get any more fumes in his face.

Halsim ignores Tristan. His instincts are telling him something is very wrong here. He takes his time, giving the area a thorough inspection from a safe distance. Then, Halsim looks to Leta. "Does that smell like water?"


Moira wasn't sure how effective her command was, but anyone that listened was better than none. "The water... it's not right," and is relieved when the one noticed that it was Oil. And then the woman, grabbing the bucket to try and put out the fire. Moira feels a lump jump to her throat. But she looks at the people then the buckets. "We can try and salvage the buckets!" She tries to keep moving. "Dump them, far from the flames!" Moira was still trying to instruct the others. "Quickly, move quickly."

Moira checked stamina against difficulty 10, resulting in 13, 3 higher than the difficulty.

Indeed, Leta's bucket does NOT have water in it. It has oil. Dumping it on the fire would result in the opposite of what she wishes to achieve.

People now are running down the street, carrying with them buckets of water as they start to form a chain so they can start putting out the fire-- or trying too. The water thrown on the flame sizzles and pops and sends noxious flumes into the air but /toss/ seem efficient to put the fire out.

The group that Tristan addresses scoff at him and say, "Why should we! They ain't gonna put out /our/ fires."

One of them looks at Tristan, at the fire, and then makes a run for it.

Asher checked perception + streetwise against difficulty 25, resulting in 32, 7 higher than the difficulty.

Tristan whistles as one makes a break for it. "Go get him, girl," he says, with a nod of his head to the simply enormous mastiff at his side. The dog sprints after the fleeing suspect with a ground eating stride. (Patches hops along after because this looks like a fun game. Capturing culprits! Oh boy!) "Hey," Tristan calls to the others. "Could use some help here. Help with fists or swords, even."

Tristan checked command + leadership against difficulty 20, resulting in 19, 1 lower than the difficulty.

"Well shit, it's not water." Leta calls out to Halsim with a shake of her head, and quickly backs away from the fire, bucket in one hand, the other arm held up in front of her face so she's at least breathing through her padded sleeve. She heads for the Inquisitor, warily holding out the bucket for inspection. "Who'd have buckets of oil out, anyway? That's right strange, isn't it?" she looks around, trying to understand what's going on.


Moira winces at the heat of the flames. But does what she needs to to keep people moving. "Keep moving!" She yells now that the changes were going. She grabs the remaining bucket and pulls it along, best to get that far from the flames. Seeing Asher had dropped to the ground from the fumes hearing his curses, she set the bucket down momentarily to check on him, her eyes darting up towards Tristan as he yells for help to catch the runners. The bucket, the bucket needs to be moved. The man running... well that's not cool, and this fire. OH look doggies.. Moira stands back to her feet and then carry's the bucket further away until it should be safe to dump it.

Halsim checked perception + investigation against difficulty 25, resulting in 47, 22 higher than the difficulty.

Leta checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 25, 10 higher than the difficulty.

Moira checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 17, 2 higher than the difficulty.

After a few moments with the bucket, Halsims eyes zero in on a section of the wall. "Did anyone see someone over there?" Halsim points near the wall.

Considering his aversion to the smoke - screw that smoke, it hurts like that one drink that they served at the Murder one night - Asher coughs up as much as he can to get the smoke and fumes out. Then he stands, and attempts to head for the other poor folk. I mean, Asher's poor. He's wearing jewelry, but people know him in the Lower Boroughs. He grew up there. They might know him. And he might know them. "What *cough* in the world was he on about? And are you folk gonna help?" Seeing the dog chase down the guy who ran, Asher snorts. "We're a city under siege. You want this fire to spread Low while the Iron Guard can't stop it?" He jerks a thumb back. "Come help me at the back of the chain, this is over we'll get a few drinks like Gods-damned heroes."

The fire continues to rage, starting to lick and CATCH on that slightly frosty grass. Smoldering along the ground as it starts toward the building next to the groundskeepers shack.

When the dog is whistled for? It runs down the man that tried to make a break for it rather quickly. Leaping onto his back, and pinning him to the ground. The man screams in terror and wriggles around, trying to get free of the dog.

Tristan checked command + leadership against difficulty 15, resulting in 21, 6 higher than the difficulty.

Leta puts down the bucket as Halsim finishes inspecting it, and runs off towards the end of the bucket line. She's already had a breath of the smoke, and unpleasant as it is she's still hale and standing, so she steps a little closer to the flames and splashes the shack with water in with vigorous bucket tossing. Seeing the flames spread along the grass, the sellsword shifts a couple of steps over to to toss some water that way. Keeping the fire from spreading, that's the important part. The creeping flames there hiss into nothingness, so it's back to wetting the shacking.

Asher checked command + leadership against difficulty 15, resulting in 20, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Between being terrified of being eaten by a BIGASS DOG, and Asher's expert guilt tripping... The group grumples but acquieses and decides that they will start helping put the fire out.


Moira returns with a bucket with water and starts working to toss it into the fire. Closing her eyes as she does so, incase it pops more. focusing on where it was trying to spread, and sucessfully working with it.

It is a very big dog (and her little three-legged helper, who bounces up and down on the man's head). "Help," says Tristan brusquely. "But the dog's watching. Aren't you, girl?" The dog wags her tail, once, twice. Trusting to his canine companions, Tristan turns to grab a bucket (and actual water) to throw on the fire.

"So, now that you're helping... What was your buddy screaming about?" Asher is following to help with the bucket chain, but he's still curious. "People don't actually think all rich folk are bad, do they? I can name like, whole Houses that've been doing what they can to help us." And Asher can say 'us', being from the Lower Boroughs. "He just had a few drinks tonight?" Bucket forward, bucket back, water to the fire - they do this efficiently enough, and the fire shouldn't be too much of a problem. Still, the fumes are horrible, and that's unnerving too...

Letting the others handle the fire, Halsim heads over to a section of the wall slowly, peering down and being thourough as he walks his way over to s specific part of the wall.

Between the able commands of Tristan, Moira, and the guilt trips by Asher-- the people in the square manage to get the fire put out. The noxious fumes causing some of the firefighters to be sitting down on the ground, wheezing and coughing-- one or two are even throwing up from it.

Meanwhile, people start to try and slink away, while others try and get closer to see what was going on.

To answer Asher's question someone says, "What? Of couse poshes are all out for themselves. They talk about charity but its all a lie." Yes, in fact, there are some people who think that the rich and the nobles of the city are all bad.

Halsim checked perception + investigation against difficulty 30, resulting in 51, 21 higher than the difficulty.

Asher checked command + streetwise against difficulty 30, resulting in 37, 7 higher than the difficulty.

Tristan has rolled a critical success!
Tristan checked perception + investigation against difficulty 20, resulting in 84, 64 higher than the difficulty.

Moira checked command + streetwise against difficulty 15, resulting in 45, 30 higher than the difficulty.

Leta checked command + streetwise against difficulty 30, resulting in 31, 1 higher than the difficulty.

"What?" Asher laughs. "Who do you think are leading the charges outside? You think they're out there because they only are about themselves?" He actually looks a bit irritated. "Do /you/ want to get outside against the Shavs to protect your home?" The fire, now dead, gets another look from Asher. "House Grayhope looks out for the little folk. You and me. House Saik, too. Most moneyed people do have a mass of greed but..." He points over towards Moira. "Look who's getting her hands dirty." A side-eye towards the people he had guilted before. "She's helping. Keeping the city from crashing. You guys know who started the fire? Need to stop this from happening again if we're all to live through this." A kind of guilting, half-angry glare. "All of us. The fires reach food stores and we're all in deep trouble. Even you."

Patches is determined to help. He's sniffing at the ground so eagerly his droopy ears bob up and down with his concentration. Tristan follows up, stooping to investigate the ground, first a powdery residue and then to a rope--and then a man leaning against a building. "Why," says Tristan, "hello there."

"You." Halsim looks over and points at a man across the street. "What are you doing?" The man Patches heads for, though Halsim speaks just as Patches is about to reach him.


Moira keeping her head up looking from person to person. Letting Asher guilt those that he could. Moira still took her stance as someone of authority, though there were those that had more so than her. She was a Grayhope, and with it carried her own sense of pride. After asking a few people she thought would give her results she was rewarded with something. A description. It was enough, she starts looking among the people for a pale skinned dark haired man... oh joy, her work might be cut out for her.

Leta coughs a few times into her sleeve as she heads out of the still reeking area to catch fresher air, and as she goes along she approaches a few of the locals, inquiring as to the fire. She looks authorative enough, or maybe it's the sword, that eventually someone mentions something. It's vague, so she just strolls about aimlessly, until she hears Halsim point at someone, and her eyes track the gesture towards its target, lifting an eyebrow.

Nobody knows how the fire started? Well, that bites. But they saw people who scattered after the fire set? And there's one still around...? He'll head over for Moira after sending the few people he promised drinks towards the Murder - with a few more coins for drinks. "Thanks for helping. Don't get too rowdy." Once he gets to Moira, he leans in a bit. "You heard who we're looking for? Pale, dark hair... Not exactly a good description."

Caught! The man blinks at the dog comes scampering up to him, and then Halsim demands to know what is going on. He doesn't speak instead he just smiles with mouth full of sharp, sharp teeth. His hands go to his clothing and they are torn straight off, his fingers elongated, and his body growing ever so slightly taller. He lets out a roar and swings out toward Patches.

Mirari checked dexterity + small wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 46, 31 higher than the difficulty.

Tristan checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 33, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Tristan growls, and springs forward, throwing himself between the Bringer and his dog. His hand is going for his sword hilt, but the first priority is simply protecting the little dog with his body. He catches the Bringer's swipe in his shoulder, claws racking across jacket and the flesh below.

Halsim gets a bronze flask with Mangata's symbol from a simple black pouch with a symbol of inquisition.

Tristan checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 20, resulting in 39, 19 higher than the difficulty.

Leta checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 20, resulting in 29, 9 higher than the difficulty.

Asher checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 25, resulting in 41, 16 higher than the difficulty.

"This is holy water, have fun with it." Halsim announces non-chalantly. Halsim starts to jog over, waiting for someone to take it from him.

Moira checked command + manipulation against difficulty 25, resulting in 27, 2 higher than the difficulty.

Asher, spotting the guy, spotting the /Bringer/, blanches. Immediately he goes for the steel needles holding up his hair, and both are taken out, one in each hand. A quick flick of his hand and one of the hairpins is flung out with impressive aim, while Asher moves over towards Halsim, eyes still on the Bringer - who now has one eye missing, due to steel hairpin. "Toss it here, I've got a trick I want to try." Assuming Halsim hands it over, he'll dip the other hairpin into the holy water. Poison the weapon, as it were.


When the person turns all... not person, Moira watches with wide eyes. Nope this was not in her knowldge of normal or how to deal with. Seeing it lash out at the stranger that dove to protect his dog, she is compelled to act. "Hey big, Sharp, and Unaturally pointy, I think you are forgetting something." Moira was now waving her arms and yelling at the creature, not having much else she could do. "You are a nasty looking fella arent' you. Don't you have better things to be doing... you know like far far away!"

Leta is already watching the man with a wary narrowing of her eyes when he suddenly isn't quite a man anymore. She blinks, and her hand instinctively goes to the sword at her side as she starts running. Halfway there, she starts to draw the large two-handed blade, slowing down her approach. "Oi! Pick on someone your own size, you rotten shit!" the sword is out and she lunges forward into a thrust, holding onto the base of the blade. It's a rushed hit, and just about pokes the thing in the side, but it does that.

Bringers probably aren't very smart! The thing swipes and catches Tristan in the shoulder, and then takes a sword to the side. He shifts when he hears Moira's words. He lets out a roar and tries to stagger in her direction-- just in time to get a hairpin to the eye. Another roar is let loose and it reaches up to pull the hairpin free.

Tristan checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 20, resulting in 40, 20 higher than the difficulty.

Leta checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 20, resulting in 59, 39 higher than the difficulty.

Patches yelps and backs away so quickly he tumbles head over hatches. Tristan's attention is on the Bringer, blood glistening on his shoulder, but his sword strike is true, cutting through the Bringer's defenses.

Once she's got her first blow in a rush, Leta has the time to step back. And hey, the thing's not even fighting back! This lets her draw her sword up high and bring it about in a wide arc that cuts deep into the foul unnatural creature. "Foul unnatural fucker!" she helpfully announces, stepping right in the thing's face to block off its advance towards Moira or anyone else.

After that throw, Asher's got the hairpin in the holy water... He's gonna let that steep for a bit. Of course if things go south - it's a Bringer after all - then he's gonna dart in and help out. Nobody needs to die tonight except the Bringer.

Moira checked command + manipulation against difficulty 15, resulting in 23, 8 higher than the difficulty.


Moira looks at the beasty as it tries to wobble towards her now. She annoyed still kees her poker face... cause yes, she has one, and continues to yell at the Bringer. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth... that's just nasty." As far as insults go, well they are mild, but he she just had to keep his attention. She steps backwards as she keeps insulting the being. "Have you never learned to take care of your nails, man, what a sad sad life you are living... how do you even use those fingers!"

Mirari checked dexterity + small wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 62, 47 higher than the difficulty.

Leta checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 23, 8 higher than the difficulty.

This time the Bringer is NOT distracted by Moira's shouting. Instead it staggers underneath the blows of Tristan and Leta, and then whirls on the brightly dressed woman. The bringer lifts its hands to swipe and claw at her. Splattering blood as it gets a good nick in at her.

Tristan checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 34, 19 higher than the difficulty.

Leta checked dexterity + huge wpn against difficulty 15, resulting in 51, 36 higher than the difficulty.

Asher checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 20, resulting in 26, 6 higher than the difficulty.

Now that the hairpin has been in the water for a bit, Asher pulls it out and corks the water closed. And that needle, with aim almost as good as before, sails with precision towards to the Bringer's eye. Hopefully it'll be distracted enough by the people fighting up close that it won't think to defend itself... And hopefully as well, that holy water has some effect on the bastard, dropping the divine power on him. Asher's no priest but surely holy water fights evil, right? And sure enough, whether by his attack or by the myriad of others... It's done and gone, dropped like a sack of bricks.

Tristan's blade glints, ruddy in the firelight. He dances a step, ready on the balls of his feet--and then drives forward, pressing the attack, until the Bringer collapses to the stones.

That did the trick! Though it seems the trick was to draw the Bringer's attention. So it's no wonder she takes that violent claw across the shoulder and chest, the thick padding of her jacket tearing in a weaker section to let the Bringer's clawed fingers in, rending flesh. She howls out and staggers back a step as blood soaks into the fabric. Ah, but the jacket's already red, so who can tell? She braces her feet against the stones, and the howl of pain gives way to harsh yells punctuating the big powerful strokes of her sword. The thing goes down to the combined attackers, and the sellsword steps away from it to lean heavily against the nearest wall.

Halsim stands there, watching the Bringer get beaten into a pulp. His flask is kept up and open for anyone wanting to poison weapons.

It doesn't so much as 'drop' as it suddenly collapses into dust. Falling apart raining down onto the ground. No more Bringer... No there's just the burnt out shell of the groundskeepers shack, and some very very confused people...

It takes a few moments for Asher to realize what's happened... But wow. It's done. He slowly hands the holy water flask back to Halsim, and gently pats the man on the shoulder. "Thank you. I think it helped. Probably." And then he's off towards the dust, to collect his hairpins. "So... That... Was what we're fighting outside, then? I've not seen any of it. Not that I want to be out there, I'd get slaughtered." He shudders, and looks to Moira, smiling. A bit unnerved, though. "Maybe people will realize what we're fighting and work together, now."

Halsim takes the flask back, corks it, and puts it back in the pouch. Then, Halsim gives a nod to Asher. "I try to do my part. I've been busy for a while, but I'm an Inquisition Investigator. This is my job." Halsim gives evenly, before he heads for the ruins that were previously on fire... taking out his notebook as he begins to comb it over for a timeline and evidence.