RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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kintire wrote:Kat listens wide eyed. She has not heard of such things before, though the Master Alchemist'scaution clearly signals that they have strayed into risky territory. At the gesture to the experiment and the veiled promise of dramatic revelation her curiosity overwhelms her caution and she moves to the tale with alacrity.

"Is that what you think has happened then? Someone has summoned... something... and it has become trapped? And it is now wandering the city, operating on its own laws of nature? Wow! But how do you get rid of such things?"

''Yes, a summoned and trapped creature could be involved. But unless you have information I lack, I don't know that the evidnece suggests that particular possibility is a strong one. It could just as well be something entirely different. Perhaps a backlash produced by some grand magical ritual that failed, some natural change in the Mists causing the extrusion of one reality into another, pollution from the dying breath of some dark Power or Principality, or even a magical and alchemical attempt at physically altering our city and its environs by calling exotic reagents from another world. "
With a deft movement she whips off the cloth covering and bends close to examine what it concealed
A sooty black rat stares up at her from the bottom of a birdcage.
It squeaks.

Flammarion comes close.

''He was albino two days ago. That's how deeply the stain goes. But there is more-- look very closely."

If she leans in and squints, Kat can see tiny puffs of smoke from the creature's snout.

''No doubt you have encountered more terrifying monsters in your adventures. But if this is what a couple of days of Black Ash ingestion do to a small mammal, imagine what as -yet invisible changes might already be underway in the bodies of human beings in this city, people who have been breathing this stuff, drinking water and perhaps eating bread tainted by it, for the better part of a week? And if the Black Ash is becoming more stable, lasting longer, staining things visibly..."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:"Thanks Louis" Raen said and enjoyed his second drink in relative peace. After a while he paid Louis, checked the name of the pub to be able to find it again and send patrons and moved to find the guild.
On the way to the rat-catchers guild he considered that perhaps this place is compromised but he believes he would be safe in the early hours in any case. He touched his medallion with his fingers to get re-assurance. The attack in Benn's office and the realization that a dozen and more wererats knew him by name and affiliation has left him suspicious but he forced himself to be calm. Paranoia wouldn't help him.

With those thoughts, he went to the square with the statues and looked around for the building with the bronze rat.
"Well, nobody lives forever." he told himself and went to the door to seek entrance.


THE GUILD
AKA
WORSHIPFUL CONFRATERNITY OF RAT-CATCHERS, STREET-SWEEPERS, AND SEWERJACKS



A scrawny man with a big nose answers the door, but does not open it all the way.
Over the fellow's shoulder, Raen sees a dim antechamber with peeling yellow wallpaper.
"You have an appointment? Here to make one?"
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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"Goodmorning sir, I don't have an appointment, I just want to ask a few questions of the veterans around here about the sewers and some strange happenings in them. Should I schedule an appointment? Or perhaps some people lounging after a night's work or preparing for an excursion may have an idle moment to speak to a fellow adventurers? " Raen tries his most winning smile on the old big-nosed man.
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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Kat remains bent over the table, staring at the little puffs of smoke as if mesmerized by them.

"Damn. We did meet a creature I thought might fit the bill as the summoned thing. I thought maybe kill it and end of problem... but looking at this... it was probably just a dog that had stayed too long in the ashfall. Its not going to be that easy is it?"

The she suddenly grips the table and turns pale, her eyes wide as she looks up at the alchemist, knees going weak as the implications of his words penetrate her fascination with the creature in the cage.

"M..master Flammarion... are..are you saying that PEOPLE who have been in the ashfall for a while might be turning... might be turning...into..."

She stares at the rat, then back at the alchemist again
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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kintire wrote:Kat remains bent over the table, staring at the little puffs of smoke as if mesmerized by them.

"Damn. We did meet a creature I thought might fit the bill as the summoned thing. I thought maybe kill it and end of problem... but looking at this... it was probably just a dog that had stayed too long in the ashfall. Its not going to be that easy is it?"

The she suddenly grips the table and turns pale, her eyes wide as she looks up at the alchemist, knees going weak as the implications of his words penetrate her fascination with the creature in the cage.

"M..master Flammarion... are..are you saying that PEOPLE who have been in the ashfall for a while might be turning... might be turning...into..."

She stares at the rat, then back at the alchemist again
Flammarion says,
''I can't be certain. But, yes, human transformation seems possible, given significant exposure. What that would constitute for a human being, I really cannot say for certain. I can only guess. I have not, of course, conducted experiments on human subjects.''

He falls silent, watching Kat.

''Hmmmm...''
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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Kat shudders.

"If this ash turns a stray dog into a monster that can threaten a dozen armed men, We really do not want to meet wha a human becomes. We've got to stop this. I... oh shit..the fires... were..they?"

She trails off and shakes herself.

"I don't suppose you have any preparations that can protect from this stuff? Or advice foor avoiding it? Or something for my nerves..." She gives a slightly weak grin
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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kintire wrote:Kat shudders.

"If this ash turns a stray dog into a monster that can threaten a dozen armed men, We really do not want to meet wha a human becomes. We've got to stop this. I... oh shit..the fires... were..they?"

She trails off and shakes herself.

"I don't suppose you have any preparations that can protect from this stuff? Or advice foor avoiding it? Or something for my nerves..." She gives a slightly weak grin
''I have some gin."
The old alchemist smiles, but only for a second.
''In all seriousness, you do well to be worried. You've been exposed, you and your friends. You were investigating things across the river, in the Ghost Streets, collecting samples, all that. Maybe no harm has been done. I cannot say.Perhaps you should do what I'm preparing to do soon, and leave the city. Get out to the countryside. Breath fresh air, drink clean water. Leave the Black Cloud be. Some other citizens have evacuated already. I suppose we could--and probably should--warn the authorities. But I'm doubtful that we can convince the rulers to order a mass evacuation. Not without more evidence. I don't think a person can be blamed for thinking of his own--or her own--wellbeing in this situation."
He sniffs.
" If you prefer to remain, though, I can at least manufacture some alchemically-treated coverings for you and any of your companions who mean to go back under the Black Cloud and investigate further. "
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:"Goodmorning sir, I don't have an appointment, I just want to ask a few questions of the veterans around here about the sewers and some strange happenings in them. Should I schedule an appointment? Or perhaps some people lounging after a night's work or preparing for an excursion may have an idle moment to speak to a fellow adventurers? " Raen tries his most winning smile on the old big-nosed man.

GUILDHOUSE

''Stranger than usual happenings? Sure. Come in. I'll take you to the mess where you can wait while I go see if a master has time for you.''

Big-Nose leads Raen within, through the antechamber and down a dim hallway.
A door on the left of the hall opens into a chamber where a score of men sit at benches around a long wooden table, eating and drinking. The chatter dies down as Raen enters with Big Nose.


Big -Nose steps under a rectangle of sunlight filtered through one of the high lattice windows.
''This fellow's here as a guest.''

The chatter picks up again.
One man scoots down on the bench, making room for Raen. Another worker calls for a prentice to bring the guest some wine and cheese.


'
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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Guild-house of ratcatchers, street-sweepers and sewerjacks

Raen politely thanks the men for their hospitality and takes the offered seat. He speaks to anyone interested.
"Hello gentlemen. I am Raen. A traveling scholar that has helped the gendarmiere in a few cases. I work sometimes with the Archivist Bennedict, if you have heard of him. This is one of those times as we try to figure what's going on with the ash cloud and the mysterious string of murders.
Long story short, I was trying to visit Bennedict's office. I found it in disarray but before I could leave a large group ... "
he finds his courage leaving him as he revisits the scene. His mind doesn't want to go there. He loses his charm and brings a cup of wine to his lips that have turned dry. He notices his hand is shaking.
He takes a sip and gets it over with he skips eloquence and details.
"The office has been messed up by wererats, ratmen. I ran away in panic. I didn't get a headcount, but there were many. Before I ran away, I found an sewer grate leading to the sewers. These creatures... they were well informed. They knew stuff that they wouldn't if they spent their days and nights in the sewers. "
He makes a pause. "Are there many such monsters in the sewers? What's happening there? Are there wererats elsewhere perhaps?" as an afterthought, he remembers the rats rushing in the river. "Also as you probably know, the rats are behaving strangely through the ash rain."

And then and only then, Raen thinks of something. "If there are wererats in the sewers and half of these guys work there and come to socialize with the others... " the image of the bronze rat comes to his mind.
Did he actually stepped in the midsts of a group of infected wererats? His hand immediately goes to his pouch, grabbing a few silver coins as he tries to eye the nearest window or exit. If they start to change, he may have the time to throw the silver pieces on their faces and ran. Or they could just grab him in their human form and then change and eat him alive.
Or force him to join them.
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by kintire »

Kat nods

"Yes! Alchemically treated protection sounds good." She sighs "And so does a shot of gin..."
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:Guild-house of ratcatchers, street-sweepers and sewerjacks

Raen politely thanks the men for their hospitality and takes the offered seat. He speaks to anyone interested.
"Hello gentlemen. I am Raen. A traveling scholar that has helped the gendarmiere in a few cases. I work sometimes with the Archivist Bennedict, if you have heard of him. This is one of those times as we try to figure what's going on with the ash cloud and the mysterious string of murders.
Long story short, I was trying to visit Bennedict's office. I found it in disarray but before I could leave a large group ... "
he finds his courage leaving him as he revisits the scene. His mind doesn't want to go there. He loses his charm and brings a cup of wine to his lips that have turned dry. He notices his hand is shaking.
He takes a sip and gets it over with he skips eloquence and details.
"The office has been messed up by wererats, ratmen. I ran away in panic. I didn't get a headcount, but there were many. Before I ran away, I found an sewer grate leading to the sewers. These creatures... they were well informed. They knew stuff that they wouldn't if they spent their days and nights in the sewers. "
He makes a pause. "Are there many such monsters in the sewers? What's happening there? Are there wererats elsewhere perhaps?" as an afterthought, he remembers the rats rushing in the river. "Also as you probably know, the rats are behaving strangely through the ash rain."

And then and only then, Raen thinks of something. "If there are wererats in the sewers and half of these guys work there and come to socialize with the others... " the image of the bronze rat comes to his mind.
Did he actually stepped in the midsts of a group of infected wererats? His hand immediately goes to his pouch, grabbing a few silver coins as he tries to eye the nearest window or exit. If they start to change, he may have the time to throw the silver pieces on their faces and ran. Or they could just grab him in their human form and then change and eat him alive.
Or force him to join them.

The whole room falls silent.

Men stare at Raen.

A man seated across from him nods, stroking his whiskers. ''Rat-men. Everybody knows about them. Nasty creatures, brutal and diseased. Most people say they're little more than animals, rodents of unusual size that walk on two legs part of the time and can handle objects sort of like a monkey does. Scared of dogs and bright lights. Stay away from their lairs and you'll never see one of the cowardly vermin, unless maybe it tunnels into your cellar to get some cheese.''
The whiskered man grins, baring yellow teeth.

An apprentice boy sets a platter of cheese and a goblet of wine down in front of Raen.
Men chuckle on either side of the wizard.

The speaker continues, ''But I've heard stories like yours, more than once. Even from sober men. If your story is true, and not a prank you're playing on us simple workmen, then those rat-men must be smarter than most folks think they are. What's the word? Organized. Like a gang. Or...hmmm...like a guild."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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What's done is done, and the dice is cast. He had informed people he was looking for these people and if he "disappears" it may lead back to them. And is it really possible for all those people to be wererats and nobody to have noticed? It was, but it was also not very likely.
Images of him being dragged to be consumed in the darkness of the cellar threaten to push in his mind, but Raen is a trained wizard. He had come to accept that one day, not very far away actually, he will fall to monsters. He has chosen to live this life. So he used his training, the one that allowed him to channel arcane magic even under duress to calm and function despite his mounting fear.

He steels his will. "I am aware of their powers and have studied similar creatures. They are considered by scholars as smart, or even smarter, than man. But they're motivated and ruled by hunger I am told. Similar to the werewolves of the dark forests of Verbrek." He leaves aside that he was actually 'told' in a way by wererats about to eat him. Twice.
"And they don't go for cheese" he says, his left hand (the right is still gripping silver coins) passing over the cheese. "They eat people. They tried to eat me today but something make them hesitant and I used that hesitation to escape before they could sort it out and decide that I was a snack."
He looks at the whiskered man "Have you encountered any such behavior? Why would Wererats, smart as they are, organized as you say they are, do that? Why would they be delving in a fellow scholar's office?
And who is controlling them? There was reference to a command structure. One that for reasons I don't know was not categorizing me immediately as food. Whether they were right or confused about my identity, they knew of me and there was a ... debate... about my fate. "
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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The whiskered man says,
''I don't know. You said a scholar's office was burgled by these monsters? Papers? Books? I can believe they are clever beasts, but can rat-men read?"

Laughter from around the table, some of it sounding forced.

One man blurts-
''I've heard it said the ancient ratmen were the Old Builders! That means they could read and write, once.''

Heads turn down to the left.
The young man who'd spoken jerks his goblet up to his mouth, sloshing wine over his tray.
Someone asks him to explain--

Just then, Big Nose returns. He gestures to Raen.
''Master DuPont will see you now. Come along. He's a busy man, and impatient of delay.''
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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Raen stands up. The whole scene has relieved him somewhat about the prospects of a whole guild being converted. But a one-on-one meeting? What could be better than get the main leader of these people... no, he shook those paranoid thoughts from his mind.

He stood up. "Thank you for the lunch and the company gentlemen. The work you do may be thankless but it doesn't go unnoticed. Perhaps some people overlook the importance of what you do but with the streets clogged with ash, I believe they realize your service even if they don't mention their gratitude. I have no such problems to express it. Thank you for your hard work." and he follows the big nose.
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"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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MEETING WITH MASTER DUPONT


Big Nose leads Raen out into the long hall and down a side corridor to a closed door.
He knocks.

A voice calls from the other side, ''Come in.''

Big Nose opens the door for Raen.

Inside, Raen spots an old man with a pince-nez, hunched over a heap of papers at an antique desk. Books line shelves on the wall behind the Master.

DuPont fishes a particular sheet out from the stack, opens a drawer in the desk, and drops the sheet out of sight. Closing the drawer, he looks up at Raen.
He scratches the gray stubble on his chin and neck.

''So, you said at the door that you had questions about strange happenings in the sewers."
DuPont gestures to an empty chair pushed into a corner of the office.
''Sit down, and ask your questions. The city sewers are my special passion. It's why I took an apprenticeship in the first place."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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