Realms of Dread IC, Chapter One

[BigBadQDaddy]

Alain simply nods in understanding of Ino's plan. He then simply looks patiently toward the Captains office, waiting to be summoned.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Palace of Celestial Delights-

A pair of lovely exotic looking girls in brocade dresses giggle as Blaise walks past them. Both young women have delicate features, big sea green eyes, light golden tan complexions, and silky black hair which hangs down past their shoulders on loose braids.

Blaise smiles broadly and steps over to the two women. He bows politely as he says, "And already my first dark, dreary day in this town is forgotten. You are a lovely sight, ladies. Shall we have a drink? My name is Blaise -- a name that matches my enthusiasm right now."

After hearing their names, he strikes up a casual conversation with the two women, preferably in a comfy, secluded area with lots of pillows. In talking about his background, he uses elements of the truth, admitting that he's an experienced traveler who has just volunteered to temporarily help the militia on the watch. He says he's been asked to help collect funds owed to the city by a suspicious man called "Fortis," but "alas, I can't find the scoundrel. Oh well... if I could find him, I'd probably get some sort of reward, which I'd gladly spend on more ... pleasurable activities. Now, where were we?"

OOC: Should they get to a secluded room or chamber, Blaise will use his at-will detect magic ability to see whether there are any spells in effect around him. If he doesn't see any and if he feels that the women know information about "Fortis" but are holding back details, then he'll use his charm invocation on one of the ladies if he can do so without the second woman noticing. Otherwise, he'll simply rely on his natural Charisma. And Blaise will stay as long as necessary if he feels the "conversation" is going well. Ahem.

[ewancummins]

Palace of Celestial Delights, downstairs-

Shana finds that the madam is only to happy to allow her to put on an illusion show. The short, impromptu production proves a success. Everyone is smiling and clapping after Shana finishes the magic-show, and several people walk over to congratulate her on her magical prowess and cleverness.

Following the magic-show, Xanthippe approaches Shana[her young man has since left] and says-

''Wonderful show!''

The olive skinned beauty leans closer and whispers

''I'm frightened. I've learned something.... but I mustn't talk about here.''

Xanthippe then turns away without another word, and heads for the cloakroom.




Meanwhile, across the parlor, a couple of men approach Rardi, one staggering a little. The better dressed [and more nearly sober] of the two asks Rardi:

''Hey, do you work here? My friend, he's curious what dwarf women are like in bed.''
He then shoves his obviously tipsy freind forward, presenting the fellow to Rardi. The drunk man burps and mumbles...

''Ummmm....she's a stout lass...'''

Upstairs-


The two women have heard of Fortis, but claim to know little about him, except that he is an older gentleman who frequently visited Nell Wynnt. They offer to keep a lookout for him, and let Blaise know if he comes back to the Palace. Beyond that, the two Lantanese girls seem to know little of use to the investigation, and Blaise has no preternaturally gained indication that they are holding anything back from him.

On the other hand, they do know all sorts of other things, and are quite happy to entertain the warlock...

.................


Militia HQ-


Watch-Captain Rask summons Alain into his office.

The gaunt officer is seated at his desk, drinking a steaming mug of something[ mulled wine, perhaps, or herbal tea, judging by the smell].

''You may be seated. Now then, what have you to report?''

Outside the Militia HQ, on the trail of Delthrin-

Ino, now invisble, follows Delthrin out of the building and down the foggy street. He walks towards the run-down neighborhood, a derelict section with many burned-out shops and homes. Delthrin's long stride carries him to a two storey stucco-and-timber building which appears to have survived the fighting and fires mostly intact. A handpainted sign hangs out front. It reads: Orphans Welcome Here. Delthrin enters the building through the unlocked front door.

[steveflam]

Once Rardi steps in, she looks around. She's obviously never been inside a brothel so curiosity got the better of her. After a good looksee she approaches the first girl she sees and asks "I be Rardi Silverhelm, member of a task force assembled by Captain Rask to look into some grisly business. Mind if I ask ye a few questions? An I wanna talk ta whomever's in charge o tha establishment."

[Archedius]

Archedius transcribes the names of the smithies and departs for the nearest of them.

[Guest]

Once Rardi steps in, she looks around. She's obviously never been inside a brothel so curiosity got the better of her. After a good looksee she approaches the first girl she sees and asks "I be Rardi Silverhelm, member of a task force assembled by Captain Rask to look into some grisly business. Mind if I ask ye a few questions? An I wanna talk ta whomever's in charge o tha establishment."

Ignoring the drunken advances of a couple of idiots, Rardi finds a girl to question. The plain-faced girl is dressed like a servant. She carries a bucket of water and a scrub brush.

''Um....alright. Uhh...what do you want to know?''

[ewancummins]

Archedius transcribes the names of the smithies and departs for the nearest of them.

The nearest smithy is only seven blocks away, by skiff.
The shop is a modest little place, run by an gray haired smith and his two teenage sons. The older man introduces himself as Falder.

''So, what is it I can do for you? Wanna buy a blade?''

[VAN]

Inovidil thinks for a moment to enter, but then decided against it. She was invisible but in an orphanage with children running there was the risk someone fall over her and that would blow her cover. So decides to wait outside.

[steveflam]

"Well, less, see. Any workin' girls disappeared recently. I kin start with an easy one like that."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Upstairs-

The two women have heard of Fortis, but claim to know little about him, except that he is an older gentleman who frequently visited Nell Wynnt. They offer to keep a lookout for him, and let Blaise know if he comes back to the Palace. Beyond that, the two Lantanese girls seem to know little of use to the investigation, and Blaise has no preternaturally gained indication that they are holding anything back from him.

On the other hand, they do know all sorts of other things, and are quite happy to entertain the warlock...

Blaise thanks the women for offering to keep a lookout for Fortis -- even offering another few gold coins in gratitude -- and he happily gives himself over to entertainment for the next several hours.... assuming he hears no violent cries for help, that is.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Militia HQ-


Watch-Captain Rask summons Alain into his office.

The gaunt officer is seated at his desk, drinking a steaming mug of something[ mulled wine, perhaps, or herbal tea, judging by the smell].

''You may be seated. Now then, what have you to report?''

Alain takes the seat somewhat reluctantly. He looks to Rask with a somewhat disappointed look on his face. He clears his throat and then speaks. "Well Capitan, that is just it. I do not have much in the way of a report. I come here to make a request."

Alain smiles uncomfortable, before gaining control over his bearing. "It dawned on me, that despite there being no identification for the decapitated bodies that where found, that surely there would be reports of recently missing people." He shifts a bit in his chair, wringing his hand absent mindfully. "I have no doubt that such a list would be large to say the least, given the current state of things, but we may be able to find a connection between some of the missing people. By doing so we may be able to gain a suspect.
"Do you happen to have such a list Capitan?"

[kintire]

Shana poliely negotiates atips split with the madam, then pauses for a moment, muttering a few spells.

The light in the room turns golden and shimmers a little, catching attention, as Shana steps towards the center f the room, dressed in a couple of wreaths of flowers, a haunting music filling the room. She begins to dance, a shimmering carpet of grass and flowers spreading out from each step, until the room is a beautiful woodland grove, scintillating and glistening colours everywhere, nymphs stepping lightly out from the petals of flowers and dancing to the music. Swirling sparks in many colours, looking like silent fireworks follow her dance and that of the nymphs each of whom moves to one of the customers and showers them with flowers of many colours, that turn into glittering gems as they fall to the floor. The scene shifts and changes several times, arrangements of flowers and nymphs forming patterns of many colours, untill at last the magic fades, leaving only Shana in her green outfit in the middle of the common room.

As Xanthippe approaches her, she accepts the congratulations gracefully, not a single hint in her face that the whisper was anything but more praise. After a brief pause she heads for the cloakroom, pleading weariness and need for a breather

"Xanthippe, what's wrong?"

[ewancummins]

Outside the Orphanage:


Inovidil watches Delthrin enter. There is no activity for at least fifteen mniutes, then the necromancer exits through the same door he had entered earlier. Delthrin is accompanied by two workmen who are carrying something about the size of a pig, wrapped in coarse cloth and lashed to a plank. The object is hidden from view by the folds of burlap, so Ino cannot say for sure what it might be.

In Captain Rask's office-



''Well, we do have a partial list of the missing, but I assure you it is far from complete. The city doesn't even attempt to keep records on all residents, you know. That would be an absolutely impossible amount of work for the scribes. We keep count by established households, and not with a headcount of all residents. No one really knows how many people are missing or dead, as a result of last week's horrors. Beggars, street whores, those without much money and without close kin- these people might as well never have existed if something were to happen to them, because we'd never hear of it.''

Captain Rask dispatches his clerk to retrieve the list.
.........................................


The Palace of Celestial Delights

the parlor....

The servant girl answers Rardi,

''Ummm...well, Nell Wynnet, she's gone missing. I heard she's run away with one of her lovers. I dunno the truth o' the matter.''


an upstairs room -

Hearing no cries for help, Blaise no doubt figures out some profitable use for his time.


cloakroom

Xanthippe clutches at Shana's right arm and whispers-

''This morning I heard Madam telling Hoster the doorman how she plans to recoup part of the money which Nell owed her by selling some of Nell's things. Then she told him she'd found Nell's diary, and had been reading it. She laughed about that, and said 'the stupid girl really thought he'd come for her.' I'm not sure of what she meant, but I think that she knows something about Nell's fate, and I don't think that she shared this knowledge with the militiamen who visited yesterday, the ones who were asking about missing girls. ''

[steveflam]

Once the girl answers her question and moves off, the two men approach Rardi. She sighs. Figures as much, I get ta talk to some deviants. Lathander give me strength.

"First 'o' all I is stout. But I got no interest in no 'uman man, mac. I dun work 'ere. I work for tha militia and am gettin' answers to some gruesome murders 'avin takin place in tha city. I'm sure ye heard bout 'em. Ye should really not drink so much, ye might enjoy life more, sir.

Now, gents, sit across from me an lemme get ye some coffee. I be glad ta talk to ye." She gently pushes the drunk man to a seat and sits him down. "Now, ye ever 'ear bout some man named Fortis? An ye know a girl named Nell?"

Rardi gets the attention of a working girl and miraculously gets t he two men some hot coffee.

[ewancummins]

Rardi gets the attention of a working girl and miraculously gets t he two men some hot coffee.

The drunk one mumbles ''Fortishhhh....'' but doesn't offer anything useful.

His somewhat more sober [though still a bit red-faced and smelling faintly of booze] companion is more helpful-

''Nell that worked here, you mean? Nell Wynnet? I haven't just heard of her, I...uhhh...''

He seems to notice Rardi's openly displayed holy symbol for the first time,

''I knew her pretty well. Is she in some kind of trouble?''