Shibaten Story (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

"You really cannot see?" Atsushi seemed genuinely concerned for his gnome friend. "it is so very clear, the paint so obviously less bleached!"

"I realize this would be a good spot for a secret door, they must have an emergency exit somewhere. But no, I can't see. Let me feel... Sure, there is a draft, a scent..." Queck flexed her nostrils and tasted the air.

Together, the two thieves carefully bent the panel open. There was no lock as such, the panel was obviously intended to be pushed open from the inside, but pliers and tongs let them pull it out and to the side. Atsushi grunted as he pulled the panel back in position to conceal the entry. The passage was short and ended in a ceiling trapdoor, visible as a faintly glowing square outline.

"Mind the beak!" You can't pluck my tail feathers!" Queck batted the duck's head, only half joking.

"Can't see my own beak in here! Lets get a light out!" Atsuchi said, fumbling for his belt pouches.

"Shh... Let me go on ahead. Now, these humans make everything so big and heavy. Help me push!" Queck grunted, pushing against the dark inside the glowing lines.

"Heavy?" quacked Atsushi as the trap-door opened.

"You big strong drake you!" teased Queck. Atsushi grinned back at her, completely missing the irony.

Together they crawled out from under the lectern and into the gloomy church. The stained glass casting blood-red silhouettes on the benches made it look like a place out of a hellish nightmare. The horned brass statues dispelled any doubts about what kind of church this was.

"It is supposed to be hidden behind the altar-piece." Queck swept her hand in the direction of the gruesome painting decorating the western wall, behind the alter. Moving around to see the back of the painting, seeing ordinary fabric, with two dark clots about halfway up. "Ah, they use the rubies as eyes, ingenious!" The gnome seemed genuinely impressed and was caught off-guard as Atsushi grabbed her by the waist, provoking a squeak, and put her on his shoulders, climbing up the back of the wooden frame. He just got her head level with the ruby eyes when the main doors opened and two humans in cowled red robes entered, deep in discussion.

"Remember, the fourth precept. I admit that greed is a sinful virtue, but under-paying the guards still seems foolish to me!" The taller human spoke in a young man's voice."

The thieves froze, Queck peering out through the sockets where the rubies used to be.

"Ah, but we can pay them in blood and spectacle! Never underestimate the morale effect of a spectacular sacrifice!" The shorter human seemed to be an older lady, with exquisite diction. She seemed to be preaching even in conversation.

"What do you see up there? Are there only tw..." Atsushi growled as Queck, wise from experience, put her foot down firmly on his beak to keep him silent. Meeting his angry stare, she nodded a silent yes to his unfinished question. Atsushi's eyes lit up and the painting swayed dangerously as the angry duck started to lose his temper.

The first thing the devil clerics noted was that the portrait of the dark lord was swaying dangerously. Then there was a billow of dark smoke as the drawing toppled, accompanied by a loud screeching, guttural sound. A dark-cloaked figure leaped at them from on high, making wild swings with a blade that gleamed like blood in the murky red light.

"Begone, you foul pretenders! Quacks! Charlatans! I will show you what we do with your kind here in the colonies!" Atsushi's screams filled the church, and the younger human immediately ran. The elder was less easily impressed and started a spell, but before she could complete it, something exploded behind her, igniting the back of her robe and breaking her concentration. Atsushi landed on top of her, released the blade in order to hold on, and head-butted the priestess prone. Faced with this onslaught, the lady couldn't hope to get another spell off and instead struggled with her assailant, screaming for help. The drapes were already burning when the guards entered, and smoke filled the room to chest height.

"You fool, let's run!" Queck pulled on Atsushi, trying to get him to disentangle, which was surprisingly easy. They both rushed back to the lectern and jumped into the hole, closing the cover as they disappeared.

"Quack! Where is that infernal exit? I can't breathe! You know I hate your smoke pellets!" Atsushi swore. Queck, used to his temper and able to see despite the gloom, turned him towards the panel and pulled a tail feather. Predictably, he jumped right into the panel, slamming it open and spilling him into the evening street. The thieves fled, only pausing once they came up behind the "Buck and Bull".

"And now, I present to you the famous, the everlasting, the Quack and Queck duo! Ladies and gentlemen, give a big hand to our twilight comedians!" Easily falling into role to the show host's presentation, the two sweaty runners set about to establishing their alias for the night.