Realms of Dread [IC] Chapter Three

[ewancummins]

front of the gaol




Davos-

''Indeed. Perhaps we simply have a sad failure of communication at work here. Why exactly did you refuse to cooperate, then? When I came upon you all, I only issued an arrest order for the two suspects. I made it clear that the rest of you would go free after being searched. Why did you fear being searched?''

[kintire]

"Why did I fear putting my person at the disposal of a large gang of men? Perhaps I am guilty of vanity, but I would have thought that was obvious."

[ewancummins]

"Why did I fear putting my person at the disposal of a large gang of men? Perhaps I am guilty of vanity, but I would have thought that was obvious."

The bailiff actually laughs. His attitude softens a bit, and his body language relaxes.

''Ah...yes. I assure you, I wouldn't let that happen. ''

The bailiff opens the door for Shana and Blaise [and their escort].

''Let us continue this inside. I will take you to see Inovidil now, as you like.
I'm interested to learn why you and your fellows seem to be so hostile to Master Delthrin.
He was a very great man, a very good man. He spent his life helping the poor. ''

[ewancummins]

Balzar and Jamethon, at the Frogwife


Jamethon continues to question Cross-face-


''Did Delthrin ever commit any crimes, to your knowledge?''

''No.''

''Did he ever ask you or anyone else to break the law?''

''No.''

''Will you testify to that in court?''

''Will I get a reward?''

''Yes, if you are telling the whole truth. If you are caught lying....''

Jamethon looks sideways at Balzar, then back to Cross-face.

''Not with a pen-knife, he said. I don't think he was joking.''

[steveflam]

Balzar grins a big wide grin now, sitting up and paying very close attention to what Cross-face has to say. HEestands and stretches, cracking his knuckles.

"I really hope you're lying to my friend here, I really need some exercise and fun tonight." He spits on the floor for effect, hand now on his axe handle, foot ready to flip up his shield.

"Feeling lucky, punk?"


OOC: HAH! I couldn't resist that last one LOL!

[ewancummins]

Frogwife

Cross-Face jerks back, clearly intimidated by the crazy dwarf.

''No, I swear I'm telling you the truth. He was no criminal! ''

Jamethon sighs heavily.

''Alright- you are coming with us, Cross-face. Don't make any trouble, or I'll let the dwarf hurt you. ''

[steveflam]

Glaring at Cross-face, Balzar says "Don't get any funny ideas, bub. Come by your own volition or come unconscious, your choice."

[ewancummins]

Glaring at Cross-face, Balzar says "Don't get any funny ideas, bub. Come by your own volition or come unconscious, your choice."

''No, don't hurt me! I'll come, I'll come.''


Jamethon looks at the others.

''You are all coming, too. Get up- get on your feet. ''

The gravedigger/smugglers get to their feet and file out of the Frogwife under the watchful gaze of Balzar and his partner, Jamethon.

Once outside, Jamethon says to Balzar.

''We will take these men straight to headquarters, and there we will wait for Watch-Captain Rask. He's going to meet the whole group- leaving aside the ones who are not able to come- for a pre-trial briefing. ''

[ewancummins]

Ino-

Ino has been alone with Ironheart for a couple of hours. It must be midday by now.

Watch Captain Rask enters the room. He looks red in the face and is sweating.
He pulls up a chair and sits. After catching his breath, he asks Ino:

''Delthrin's journal- did any of you read it, while it was in your possession?''

[Archedius]

"Hmm, well you're as determined as my Rardi was but I'm afraid there's no copper wire anywhere for miles. Archedius. Does that name sound familiar at all to you?"

The man reaches out to touch the face of the being.

[ewancummins]

root cellar

"Hmm, well you're as determined as my Rardi was but I'm afraid there's no copper wire anywhere for miles. Archedius. Does that name sound familiar at all to you?"

The man reaches out to touch the face of the being.

The creature's face looks vaguely familiar. Indeed, it resembles Rardi in some respects, but the skin is brown and pebbly.

[Lord Skybolt]

"Well Alain that is good to hear that someone in this group seems to have some brains and knows how to use them .
If you are still on the smuggling case I will help you as this was what me and my brother were brought on board for in the first place .

Can you wait a minute for me to get my brother as he has been repairing Ino's spell book .
I think he should come with us for more magical and healing aid as needed .

Oh and by the way I did read Delthrins Journal while I was at Fishgut Rock . "With that he goes in to the back room to get his brother .

[VAN]

Inovidil notices Rask's tense, but doesn't comment it for now. She just replies his question.

"I haven't read it for sure. I think Threen got it, but don't know if he kept it or gave it to Bailiff's men. You have to ask him Captain. You can ask his brother Glim where is Threen."

[steveflam]

The beast doesn't say anything, but the man can clearly see its face is definitely sad. In it's odd voice, it replies "Yes I knew an Archedius Tangaris. But he be dead as doornails now. I knew im for many years in fact, even back in Damara. Why ye asking me tha? More importantly where am I?"

OOC: Rardi has seen this man's head is quite bruised. Now does she recognise him from somewhere else? Say when Ironheart nearly beat the man's head into the cliffwall? Same man?"

[ewancummins]

Fishgut Rock-


Shana and Blaise have been busy talking with the Bailiff. His attitude is much less hostile now. He's still a bit wary of Shana, but he no longer calls her 'witch' or treats her as a suspect. He's actually cooperating.

Shana's suggestion that she be allowed to peruse the journal brings a surprised look to the bailiff's face.

'' You never even opened it? Of course you may read it- while I stand nearby to make sure the evidence isn't accidentally damaged, of course. Master Threan's brother is simply wonderful at both copying and mending books with his spellrcaft, though, so even if the original were somehow defaced- we'd still have all the evidence we needed.''

The journal is brought forth.
Shana reads it and learns:




Delthrin had nothing to do with the recent undead attacks on the city or the great fire - but he did order his own creations to battle the undead children and to protect the city and its people from both the invaders and the fire.

Delthrin was pursuing his own private investigation of the beheadings. His curiousity was sparked by the manner in which the heads had been severed. He retrieved and stored [in a cold box in his lab] the two headless bodies he had found for further study. When the party came to interview him, he realized the full magnitude of the murders. He resolved to remain distant but open to helping the party, as Rardi seemed so hostile and suspicious.

Delthrin had a daughter, Nell Wynnet. She was a 'natural child '[ a bastard] about whom he did not know until recently. He confirmed her identity and rescued her from the Palace of Celestial Delights, where she worked. He seems to have doted on the young woman, and been very happy at finding her.

Delthrin also had a ward , Alys. Alys is a young girl [maybe 8 or 9] who was horribly disfigured as a child and abandoned on the streets. Delthrin first encountered her a year ago. He took pity on her and took her in to his home. He tried to educate her, but she was almost feral from years of neglect. Her health was very bad, and her face was a freakish mass of scars. He did his best to improve her health and care for her. He began working on experimental face grafts using cadaverous tissues, so that he could eventually construct a normal face for her. The work is ongoing.

Delthrin mentions his first and only wife, Imrhyss, more than once in his journal. The journal mentions how she had died: giving birth to Delthrin's first child, a stillborn boy. This event seems to have influenced the young student to focus on necromancy.

Recent entries describe the discovery of a mind-flayer and Delthrin's realization that this monster is the 'Headsman'. He seems not to have had much regard for Shana's party, by that point. He writes of how they must have framed an innocent man, then killed him to cover it all up.

''I was right not to trust those villains.''


Delthrin writes with exaltation of his narrowly-won victory over the flayer, and of how he will now learn more about such monsters in order to be better able to protect the city and to advance science.

The journal contains no mention of clandestine political plotting, law breaking, or other such illicit activities.