Acension City: Redux

[Rayleonarde]

A spindly old ferret pulled the huge oak door open and smiled at the two investigators. "Hello, gentlemen. Can I help you?"


Ray nodded. "I'd like to uh...take a tour of the church? I-I'm with a...." He glanced at Angder before continuing. "A historical society. We've not got many documents on the church, and we'd like to make some, i-if that's okay."

[Angder]

Angder offered to shake the ferrets hand, and gave him a warm smile. "This sort of church is rather my area of expertise" he stated. "Must date back... oh its certainly one of the older buildings in this region, need to examine the inner walls to get an exact date. Hang on..." Angder looked past the ferret, into the room beyond "Hang on! Is it just the lighting, or is that a Geranas style pew?" He asked. "Wow! I haven't seen one of those for years. I must get a closer look." he began to move into the doorway, past the ferret.

Angder of course, had no idea what he was talking about, but hopefully the ferret didn't either. He knew the key to this sort of con was complete confidence in yourself, and to look like you belong.

[Rayleonarde]

The ferret looked extremely annoyed for a brief moment, but he opened the door. “Of course,” he said, venom dripping from his voice. “It’s not like I’ve got a sermon to prepare for.”




Ray pulled a notepad from his coat and began scratching at it with a pen in a somewhat convincing fake-writing. Part of him hoped Angder had more bull-hokey to distract the priest.

[Angder]

Angder moved confidently into the room, he made a beeline for the pew. "Yes" Angder stated. "Look at this thing. Solid, strong. All the carpentry in here is top notch. Though... probably not original. Wood has a nasty habit of decaying and stuff." Angder looked excitedly towards the back wall. "Now this..." Angder moved towards the stone wall. "These blocks of stone... Fascinating. I would swear it was added later! Which suggests large parts of this church have been replaced. See how this block here." Angder pointed to a random block "Is distinct from this block here..." Angder pointed at a different random block that was lower down "The history of this place must have been fascinating." He looked over at the Ferret. "Don't suppose you have any of the original plans and things here in the church somewhere. We have similar stuff available to us. But most of it is incomplete. Any church records would be amazing to see!"

[Rayleonarde]

The ferret followed Angder closely, his paws folded behind his back. "We do not, those would be in the library in town. However, I will attest that this structure has been rebuilt. After a witch-hunt in the 1700's, this church was burned down. But, it was rebuilt a few years later."


As the two chatted on, Ray slipped into the basement. He crept down the stairs, slowly, and eventually reached the area where community banquets are held. In the corner sat a young girl, a fox, bundled and tied. The raccoon approached slowly, looking around carefully. His gut told him he wasn't alone, and a few seconds later, a plank of wood across the shoulders confirmed his suspicions. Ray tumbled to the floor, but stood quickly, throwing a fist at the otter that struck him.


The scuffle was somewhat audible from the main floor.

[Wilco Whiteheart]

The hole wasn't that deep, and there was a ladder against the hatch anyway. "I can understand your confusion and fustration. I was in the exact same spot as you when my master found me."

[Angder]

Angder sighed Looking over at the ferret "Don't suppose you can head over to the library to grab some of those papers? I will stay here and take some pictures with my camera"

Angder reached into his coat, his camera was not to far from one of his revolvers, and had not yet decided which to pull out. He could hear the fight downstairs, and had a feeling things were about to get ugly up here to, but he really didn't want to shoot an old man if he could avoid it.

[Rayleonarde]

The ferret again shook his head. “I can’t leave! I’ve a sermon to prepare! Gods’ blood, no respect for religion these days.” Sighing, he strode to the pulpit. “Look, I’ll write a note for you. Tell the librarian that Father Alzwell permitted you and your friend to see the documents.” Alzwell looked about for a moment before speaking. “Where is the raccoon anyway?”



The basement went dark, and the scuffle ended soon after.

[Michen_S]

"You have a master now?" Since the hatch didn't seem that deep, Zila decided to jump in after the bread. Landing safely on her feet without issue, she picked up the bread again and focused back on the wolf above her.

[Angder]

Angder sighed. "Sorry old man" He flung what he hoped to be a clean knockout punch at the back of the ferrets head. He did not have time for this, with the scuffle below ending. He needed to be down there NOW.

Angeder raced down into the basement, hoping to find out what had happened to Ray.

[Rayleonarde]

Alzwell collapsed against the pulpit, unconscious.


Angder would find the basement completely dark Only the dim, dusty light from the small windows high upon the walls filtered through.

[Angder]

Angder swore, he pulled out a revolver, with one hand, and a torch with the other. If anyone else was in the room, Angder was about to make it very clear to them where in the room he was.

Grimacing, he turned on the torch. Fully prepared to shoot if someone attacked him.

[Rayleonarde]

On the floor lay Ray, nursing a hurt jaw and lump on his head. He groaned as he sat up.


The fox-girl and the otter were both gone.

[Angder]

Angder Lowered his gun, and glanced around, He knew no-one went past him on the way down. So that means there must be another exit, or Ray punched himself in the face.

Somehow the Latter seemed unlikely.

"You OK there? What happened?"

[The Past]

After a long struggle to sleep, Geoff gave up and stepped outside. He supposed he might as well explore this area of the city and find safe 'home' and resource spots. As he approached a building near the back of an old church, he spotted some shadows scurrying about. A person. Or multiple people?
He instantly channeled the light surrounding him, his body disappearing in the darkness, and he scrambled behind a wall.