Realms of Dread Chapter Two

[ewancummins]

At the Frogwife-




Cross-face and his crew head to the pub, Blaise in tow.

The Frogwife is a hole in the wall winesink, nothing fancy. The decor is moldy wioth a side of scrap and the clientele looks low class or at least rough around the egdes.

Cross-face shouts out an order to a barmaid-

''Bring us a mug of ale each, and something to eat, besides! ''

He then seats himself in a corner table, back to the wall. The rest of his lads take up seats near him, leaving Blaise a spot to sit.

Cross-face speaks to Blaise-

''Don't expect any fancy fare here, my friend. They do serve good wug-jambs, and a nice fish chowder. Are you particular?''

[ewancummins]

near the Marsh Gate-


Not very long after Blaise and his new friends depart the little alley down the street, the guards at the Marsh Gate are relieved by another set of men.

Threan is easily able to slip away unnoticed by the watchmen, and enter the alley where Blaise had been helping the workers unload that cart. The cart is gone now, and the storeroom door is closed.

[Alain can also sneak off and seek out the militia HQ- if he would like to do so.]

[ewancummins]

in the tunnel

Moving past the eerie symbol on the floor, your party continues down the tunnel for perhaps another twenty feet. The passage through which you have been moving terminates at the bottom of a vertical shaft. Resting at the base of the shaft is a broad wooden disk, rather like a round tabletop. It's rather smaller than the diameter of the shaft, which is about ten feet. If you stand near the arched opening of the shaft and look up, you can see that it extends upwards for some distance, and you can make out opening along the shaft walls, higher up.


[I'm assuming that Rardi is the one looking first, being in the lead. Darkvision reveals three openings higher up the shaft. The top of the shaft is actually beyond the range of vision]

[Lord Skybolt]

Threan tries the door to see if it's locked if not he will just open it . Otherwise he will find another way in if necessary . Being as quiet as possible and keeping a look out for anybody snooping or guarding the place from people like him .

[ewancummins]

Threan tries the door to see if it's locked if not he will just open it . Otherwise he will find another way in if necessary . Being as quiet as possible and keeping a look out for anybody snooping or guarding the place from people like him .

In the alley, outside the storeroom door


The door is locked, but Threan spots a nearby window that has only a flimsy latched shutter to keep him out. Getting in through the small window is no trouble for the diminutive skulker, who accomplishes the task without making much noise at all.

Once inside, his eyes adjust to the semi-darkness. Only a little trickle of moonlight is coming in from outside, but it's enough for a gnome. The storeroom is of modest size and well stocked with crates, barrels, and chests. A small table sits near the closed and locked alley- door. An interior door, hanging slightly ajar, stands across the room from the alleyside.

[VAN]

Inovidil looks up at the shaft but cannot discern the opening very well. Then looks at the broad wooden disk at the base of the shift.

"I bet this thing goes up someway. Guess will be a lever or a button that activates it."

She gets closer and looks carefully the walls around the shaft.

[Archedius]

"Using this device might not be the best idea- you never know what sort of noise it will make or if an alarm will sound."

[ewancummins]

underground-



There is a wooden handle set into the broad disc.
There are no visible catches, handles, switches etc set into the interior wall, doorway,etc.

[steveflam]

"I be in agreement Archedius. We dun wanna advertise our presence ta anyone aroun these parts. Let's see which way we kinna go. I be forst a cuz a me eyesight, o course."

[Lord Skybolt]

Threan investigates the room quietly for any useful/interesting items or documents, then he will listen at ajar door . He will also look through the ajar part of the door before going through it to investigate the rest of place for more concrete evidence of smuggling . He will be sneaking around the place trying to not engage in any fighting, but will certainly not shy away from a fight he thinks he can win . But he would rather not leave any trace of him being their at all .

[VAN]

Inovidil nods and says:

"I agree too. Lets go up."

[ewancummins]

Threan investigates the room quietly for any useful/interesting items or documents, then he will listen at ajar door . He will also look through the ajar part of the door before going through it to investigate the rest of place for more concrete evidence of smuggling . He will be sneaking around the place trying to not engage in any fighting, but will certainly not shy away from a fight he thinks he can win . But he would rather not leave any trace of him being their at all .

Investigating the room, Threan finds that the place is more than half filled with various crates, boxes, barrels etc. Most of these are firmly nailed shut, but a few poorly secured and he's able to get inside for a peek without too much trouble or noise. He finds dry goods, some preserved rations, oil,etc. He doesn't find weapons, contraband,etc.

There is light and some sound coming from beyond the interior door. Peeking through the crack, Threan sees six men in the next room, which is fitted out like a modest office lit by two oil lamps. There's another door in the next room, on the right wall. Four of the men stand silent and motionless, one in each corner of the office. The other two men sit on either side of a big wooden desk. The man behind the desk is an elderly man with silver gray hair clipped short and a trim beard to match. He's dressed as a tradesman. In front of the desk sits Delthrin the Deadmaster.

Delthrin speaks-

''Yes, of course we can...wait.....''


The magus leans forward, rubbing his temples.

The old gentleman asks-

''Master Delthrin, what is it, is something wrong?''


''Yes, my alarms have gone off. Someone has broken into my house. I may need to kill some people tonight, after all. I hate thieves. Speaking of which, you've got one in the storeroom now. I may as well start with him. ''


Delthrin gets out of his seat...

[ewancummins]

the Palace of Celestial Delights-

Shana has finished questioning pretty much everyone available, in her usual manner [subtly]. Aside from the girl, Marna, mentioning having seen Fortis in public a couple of days' past, there's nothing much of value coming up now. No one claims to know anything more.

It's nighttime now, the sun having descended out of view while Shana was working her contacts and listening to the stories of the girls. The main room is now lit by lamps, as there's little more than slivers of pale moonlight coming in through the narrow windows of the building.

From upstairs, a loud shrieking begins quite suddenly. Horrible curses and imprecations are poured forth in rapid succession. The voice belongs to the Madam, who Shana last saw walking towards her office/bedchamber.

''Thievery!''

[ewancummins]

a foggy street, somewhere between the Marsh Gate and the Old Shell -

Alain moves down the fog-draped street alone. The night air is perhaps a bit chilly for the summer, but not truly cold. No one else is in sight [not that he can see very far away, ten yards at most]. His footfalls are softened by the damp, muffled and indeed almost swallowed by the fog. Somewhere, perhaps not far away, frogs are singing their deep throated night-songs. The only light is that of the pallid waning moon, cutting through the misty atmosphere and giving enough illumination that a man can walk with lessened risk of stumbling into a sewer ditch or canal.


As Alain walks along, he soon becomes aware of a clattering sound coming from behind him, like wheels on cobblestones. Soft footfalls are just barely audible over the rolling din and Alain may, if he strains his ears, detect a very soft sound of breathing.

[kintire]

Shana looks startled at the sound, then immediatly adopts the interested and politely sympathic look anyone would adopt in such circumstances. On no account does she make any effort to dash for the door.... yet.