Lucian packs up some equipment, his apprentice Apollon, and a few grogs and heads for one of the covenants landings to begin his journey to Olympus, traveling over Euboea to Chalcis where he books rooms at an inn owned by a retired redcap for the night, and Lucien heads out into the evening to enjoy the night life of the city...
Apollon
Turning to Dawn who had been following out of sight until Lucien left and she passed through the wall of the inn, Apollon says, "I've never seen an actual city, except as a crow. We should take a look around." And with that heads towards the front door of the inn hoping the old redcap hasn't been given orders to keep him contained... not that it's likely to stop him but he'll have to get more creative.
The front of the inn is a tavern, and the serving girl wave at you on the way out. The streets are busy with people walking from place to place, and you see several other taverns and inns open, as well as theaters, from those where you would probably have to pay a high price to get in to performances on the street, actors and musicians playing for tips, and from their clothes doing modestly better than the beggars.
Apollon
Waving at the young woman as he exits Apollon thinks for half a second that perhaps he could stay but steps outside anyway and is immediately pulled along by the crowded street. Entranced by how different an experience this is than watching from a perch or from the sky. The touch and the smell of the people is not completely pleasant but it is a new experience and does have his mind moving in new and interesting ways.
He stops to take in a performance of these poor street performers. A retelling of the story when Hermes stole Apollon's cattle. It is amusing at first but then the facts are all wrong and Apollon is merely made a fool, constantly tricked by Hermes devolving into a low sort of comedy. At the end of the performance he approached the players. "You have it wrong! Apollon was not fooled by Hermes' professed innocence! Hermes did not kick Apollon until he fell down, I could tell you the story as it actually happened if you want."
The actor shrugs "We tell the story that earns the tips, if you would like to see a better telling, perhaps a good tip?" he holds out his hat and Apollon realized that while he was getting angry about the play someone has stolen his purse.
Apollon pats his belt then pats the other side of his belt in case he placed it differently then he normally does but that small hope is quickly dashed and he looks around for a likely culprit. Turning to Dawn, right in front of the performer, "Did you see who took my purse?" And he can't help think this seems like some of the bawdier parts of the play he just witnessed, if nothing else he can learn from the the play and not make accusations of every urchin he sees.
Dawns smiles "Of course I did, was it important?"
meanwhile the actor seems to think you are talking to him "sorry, we are to busy performing to watch the audience."
Ignoring the player, Apollon again addresses the empty air. "I mean it would be useful... and I'm really not sure whether Lucien will be mad or just laugh at me. I would guess that he'd react better if I could tell him more of a story about it though, even if I can't get it back."
She tilts her head "He might get mad. Won't matter much in the long run though, he'll get over it."
Finally realizing that he probably looks like a mad man, Apollon gives the player an awkward look and begins moving through the crowd. "Yes, yes, I know but... well we aren't all thousands of years old," he says exasperated at her often opaque idea of what things matter and what things don't. "Anyway, I want to find it so if you can help that would be nice... it just seems so dishonest."
[No rush, just curious if you noticed I had responded to this thread or maybe got forgotten in the glut of postings.]
she shrugs "people can be dishonest, and so can some gods. better to learn from this and remain vigilant than to rely on others to watch out for your responsibilities." Whoever took the purse seems to have disappeared into the crowd long ago.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to find some fun without it then." Apollon stops and looks around him. Apollon has heard a story or two of faeries that live within cities among the people and the dominion and is curious if perhaps he can find one here. Getting that far-away look, he tries to use his faerie sight to see if anything he can see along this street isn't what ti appears to be.
[Rolled an 8 on Second Sight before the aura is applied.]
You notice a spirit hanging out on the rooftops, watching the crowd.
Apollon looks for a spot off the main drag, perhaps far off it, where he can transform into a crow without being noticed. He then flies up to the roof where he saw the spirit and perches.
You find an alley which apparently is used primarily for patrons of a nearby bar to relieve themselves, and transform. The sprit takes no note of you approaching or perching nearby.
Apollon watches the spirit for a minute or two.
[What does the spirit look like? If it doesn't seem a particularly threatening form:]
Apollon moves to the apex of the roof and converts back into a boy, sitting down on the apex.
"Hello?" He says.
The spirit seems to be an older woman, and she seems to be scanning the crowd intently. When Constantine changes back into a boy she glances at him and says "You're not my son." before she resumes looking over the crowd.
"No, I'm not. But perhaps I can help you find him."
"Do you know my son?"