RP:The Fantastic Frog and Rat pop up book - Chapter 1 Rowen witnesses a human sacrifice

Setting -Outside Kelay Tavern

Kelay Way

Kelay: the most famous part of the land. Something is happening. But you don't know what and by the looks of all the villagers around, and their confused expressions, neither do they. For the moment though it seems relatively calm, whether it is the calm before the storm though is yet to be seen. Perhaps more can be found out in the tavern to the north? Perhaps shelter in the great cities to the east and west could be found as well? You ponder which direction you should take and wonder if it will lead you onto your destiny be that glory, or death.

Juniper appears intimidated by the ogre, and skirts around the creature. She smiles sweetly at the drunk, and caresses his cheek, bringing a smile to the man's face, "Would you like to help me with a very special ritual?" she croons to him, "I need a sacrificial victim, to help restore this village to Mother Earth's good graces." The inebriated man nods in response to the beautiful young woman's sweet voice, not really grasping her meaning. Deftly, and with a practiced hand, she thrusts with her razor-sharp dagger and severes the aorta of the drunk. So sharp is the blade that the barely-conscious drunkard is unaware that he has been struck. The wound leaves the heart intact, the better to empty the blood of the dying man's body. The blood surges from the still-living heart, spilling to the dusty street, where it disappears, as if the soil itself is sucking the blood away, while the man lapses into unconsciousness. "We thank the Earth Mother for the gift of life. We return our life's blood to the soil from which it sprang. Accept this offering, Mother Earth, from you loving and grateful children." She looks pleased and smiles sweetly to those around her. "Our Mother is pleased. We have, all of us, been blessed.""

Rowen is rolling along in her hamsterball, when she witnesses, the terrible atrocity of human sacrifice, happening openly in the streets of Kelay. "I am the supreme empress of the known universe, and you are under arrest for murder. What is your name?"

Juniper appears to be a little taken aback when a rat speaks to her, but quickly recovers her composure, "Good afternoon, talking rat. I am Juniper." she smiles swwetly again. That same sweet smile seems never to leave her face, "Please note that I have observed all of the rituals necessary for a proper sacrifice; no crime has been committed here. In fact, I even had teh consent of the sacrificial victim. Did you not witness this?" She is wiping the blood from her dagger.

Ovoose narrows her eyes to to druid as large musclar arms fall to her side. With her ape like face keeping a stoic expression, the seventeen foot tall ogre begin a slow march toward the woman. Her footfalls send tiny quakes through the earth and soft thumping noises emit from Ovoose's bare feet. "You shed the blood of one who have done nothing to you... And what reason?" The ogre asks as her massive hands form fists, her eye never leaving the face of the smaller human.

Rowen said to Juniper, "That fellow was so inebriated that I doubt he even understood your words. Human sacrifice is illegal and it is wrong, no benevolent gods would ask for such an evil offering. Please wait where you are until the imperial guards come to arrest you." The imperial guards exist only in the insane rat's imagination.

Juniper is still smiling as she scampers backwards to the east, "It was a proper and necessary sacrifice to the Earth Mother," she explains calmly, though her actions indicate that she is anything but calm, "He consented to be the victim. What is wrong with you people? Know you nothing of proper worship?" Juniper seems thoroughly intimidated, and breaks into a run.

The tiny rat nods politely to the ogre, rolling her hamsterball a little to the side, to be sure to avoid being accidentally trodden on. "A good question. A very good question indeed, milady. Does she think she can get away with such a crime in the imperial presence?"