Realms of Dread [IC] Chapter Three

[ewancummins]

Shana,


Morningmist Hall, sometimes called simply 'the House of Dawn', is not hard to find. It stands as a bright beacon amid the grayness of Marsember's foggy streets- literally so, for great glowing lanterns hang in each of its four domed towers. The temple itself is a large stone and wooden structure with a lovely facade hewn of reddish marble.

Shana is admitted by acolytes. She's not alone with the clergy- there are dozens of petitioners and worshippers here.

Within, all is soft light from a thousand candles, and beautiful art: mosaics depicting the deity amid scenes of spring and renewal, hanging chandeliers of rosy quartz; and a grand marble statue of the handsome and athletic god himself, placed before the primary altar.

[Lord Skybolt]

"The Dwarf can stay injuried as far as I'm concerned . The big guy is just crazy so he just stay as he is . I was mainly talking about the your people in the militia ." Threan answers with exasperation .

"Oh the red haired fellow with sense. Yes I'll have him seen to first for showing he has a brain and knows when to use it as he may need healing from whatever else they may have encountered in Delthrins house after I left, then if you know any one you think that might need healing my brother will happily be willing to aide them with a quicker recovery ." Saying in more mellow tone of voice .

[ewancummins]

Threan-




''Ha, they didn't hardly scratch any of us, Master Threan! The bailiff, he told us we'd win that fight, and so we did! No, all of our guys are fine- nothing but petty scratches, and one man stubbed his toe on a rock. Young Arnulf is walking about now, doing much better, thanks to you! I thought for sure he was a goner. You must be some kind of magical gnome....''

[Lord Skybolt]

"No just some useful items made by my talented brother is all, thanks for the compliment any how . We sell some useful items besides just weapons and armor at are shop in the city ." Replying in jovial manner to the guard .

[VAN]

Despite was due to Threen that they were capture Inovidil is really happy to see a familiar face and more of that someone that can help her with the spellbook. She was worried more about the spells than her wounds.
"Glim! Nice to see you. Can you do something for my spellbook please."

Tears come from first time to her eyes as she mentioned her book. Ino doesn't even try to hide her pain for the Gnome, all spellcasters knew how important was the for wizards. Glim could heal her physical wounds but the emotional would want way more time to heal.

[Ken of Ghastria]

''Did you go with the monster that you freed, the one from Delthrin's laboratory, of your own free will?

''Yes.''

''Did the monster that you freed from the cage in Delthrin's laboratory kill you?''

'' remove...bargain....''

The woman shrugs and shakes her head at this less-than-clear answer.

''Did the monster that you freed from the cage in the laboratory kill Delthrin?''


''his head....''

Blaise watches the proceedings intently. Afterward, he says to the priest, "That was ... very interesting, Mistress. Two things stood out, though, if you'll indulge me, as I hope you will." He again smiles brilliantly. "One, Archedius seemed to be unsure as to whether he had been killed by the monster ... almost as though he's as alive, or as dead, as he was before. Two, following up on that, Archedius then suggests that he made a bargain with the monster - a bargain that involved Delthrin's head. Fascinating, yes?"

He turns to Rask. "Spirit on no, Captain, Archedius' mind is still actively participating in events. No, I don't quite know what that means, either, other than that Archedius and the mind flayer have entered into an arrangement involving Delthrin's head." He rubs his temples. "Oooooh, too much thinking again. You wouldn't happen to know where I can get some Calimshite coffee, would you? It's been a long day."

[ewancummins]

Ino-


Threan's brother slips an amulet of blue stone over Ino's head.

''This will speed your healing, Inovidil. Just whisper...''

He speaks a word of power very softly into the human woman's ear-

''and the healing magic will take hold. It works over time, and is subtle, but very effective. You'll soon be all mended.''

Glim paces back and forth.

''Well, then, your book...hmmm, I think I may be able to repair some of the damage tomorrow. Some spells may simply be lost, of course. Threan has asked me, if that proves to be the case, to share some of my own spells with you, replacing lost magics if at all possible. Of course I have agreed.''

Glim tells Ino-
'' My brother is worried about you, Inovidil. It wasn't supposed to turn quite like this...he was just trying to get help. He cannot control the bailiff and his men.''

[ewancummins]

Blaise watches the proceedings intently. Afterward, he says to the priest, "That was ... very interesting, Mistress. Two things stood out, though, if you'll indulge me, as I hope you will." He again smiles brilliantly. "One, Archedius seemed to be unsure as to whether he had been killed by the monster ... almost as though he's as alive, or as dead, as he was before. Two, following up on that, Archedius then suggests that he made a bargain with the monster - a bargain that involved Delthrin's head. Fascinating, yes?"

''Those certainly are interesting theories you spin, Master Redman.
I'm sorry to disappoint you, but...Lieuteneant Targaris was most likely killed in the same dark attic where he was found. With little light by which to see, confused and frightened, not knowing what was happening to him...his body simply does not 'know' the exact circumstances of its own death. This is hardly unheard of in crime victims. I'm sorry.

The blonde smiles that faint smile again, this time with a hint of warmth and sympathy.

He turns to Rask. "Spirit on no, Captain, Archedius' mind is still actively participating in events. No, I don't quite know what that means, either, other than that Archedius and the mind flayer have entered into an arrangement involving Delthrin's head." He rubs his temples. "Oooooh, too much thinking again. You wouldn't happen to know where I can get some Calimshite coffee, would you? It's been a long day."

''''Ummm...no, Blaise, I think you're a bit off on that count. As I understand it, his mind is gone. Mistress Gyrglass explained it as a print of a sort, left in the dead body- not a thinking mind. Is that right, madam?''

''Yes, just so. There is no mind or spirit present in that corpse. We only read a record- it wouldn't even have remembered a question I had asked a moment before, or been able to perceive anything other than my voice, or to speak sponatenously. The mind is dead and gone, just as the man.''


Rask sighs heavily.

''Well, nothing for it. Come on, son, I know a place that serves Calimshite coffee. Let's get off the Rock.''

[Ken of Ghastria]

Blaise frowns and seems about to say more, but then his shoulders slump with resignation. "Very well, but the phrase 'remove...bargain' is going to torment me for a while." He says to the woman, "Thank you very much, Mistress Gyrglass, for the information. It was fascinating to watch. May I call upon you later if I have other questions? I had once pursued a more... spiritual course years ago, and would like to discuss ethics and other topics with you in a less gruesome atmosphere."

After her reply, he bows his head and leaves with Rask. "Coffee, then warehouse, if we have time."

[VAN]

Inovidil receives the healing blessing with great pleasure.

"Thank you for that Glim."

When the gnome tells her about the spellbook.

"Whatever you can do will be very much appreciated Glim, you know what the spellbook means to me. If you can replace the lost spells or share yours with me is the best thing someone has done to me. Thank you very much for your kindness. Yes, the Bailiff and his men were unreasonable and treated us like criminals without giving us the chance to speak. I don't want to discuss what happened here during the interrogation...Can you tell me about your brother? I know that he was very annoyed and mad with us for letting the mindflyer have Delthrin. But we told Threen many times that we didn't know what an illithid could do to him. There was no chance to let it have Delthrin if we knew...alas if only we knew...But the point is that your brother gave us to the Bailiff Glim, why? He was with us in there, saw the same things we did, well not saw with his eyes, but we have told him about the kyton, the beheaded bodies we found in the lab. Why after all that he abandoned and called Bailiff to get us? He could have talked with us first."

[ewancummins]

Blaise-


Mistress Gyrglass answers-


''You are most welcome, Master Redman. If you should wish to arrange an interview, simply leave a message at the local shrine of Waukeen.''


She looks to Rask, then back to Blaise,

'' I am afraid I must excuse myself, gentlemen- I have pressing duties.''

The priestess gathers her candles and then leaves the room in the company of the scribe and one guard. The other guards remain to watch over the dead, grim-faced and silent.

Rask says to Blaise-

''Yes, coffee and then more work.''


.....

Watch-Captain Rask and Blaise Redman leave the island and head for the mainland. Once ashore, Rask leads the way to a hole-in-the-wall cafe. The place is decorated inside with pastel landscapes and seascapes, all bordered by complex geometric motifs. The air is redolent of spices and incense, and the music of zithers and lutes hums in the background. A crowd half-fills the shadowy common room.

Among the expected mixed crowd of locals and travellers from elsewhere in the kingdom, there is a large foreign element:
Amnite merchants with their great cotton turbans and pointed yellow beards; supple dancing girls of Calimshan whose bodies flow like liquid fire- to set men's souls ablaze with desire, hardbitten Chessantan sellswords in their cuirasses of layered linen and thin iron scales; a Sembian shipmaster and his officers, conspicuous in their natty uniforms of blue and white, etc.

Rask takes a booth in a rear corner of the big room, near two exits- both of which he can see from his seat.

[ewancummins]

Ino-

''You'll have to talk with him yourself, to get the whole story. I understand that he wanted to get help last night, and that he's worried there is something wrong with Rardi's mind. I only arrived a little while ago, and still haven't heard the whole story of last night. His first concern was that you receive healing and that I try to repair your book.''

[VAN]

Inovidil smiles at the gnome.

"I will talk to him. Don't know if there is something wrong with Rardi's mind though, she is a cleric of Lathander and they have an issue with undead and devils...I just hope someone will talk with her and try to understand that she didn't hit Delthrin and let a mindflyer take him for fun. We have witnessed horrible things in there and of course as I said we didn't know what is an illithid and what it can do. Rardi is a good woman Glim and deserves a fair trial to prove that she is innocent."

Knowing that she repeats herself, Inovidil sighs and just adds:

"Anyway, thank you very much for everything Glim and your brother of course who called you here and asked you to help me."

[ewancummins]

Ino-


''I'll tell my brother what you've said, Inovidil. ''

Glim climbs onto on the stool that had been used by Ino's interrogators.

''You know, Threan isn't exactly fond of undead. In fact,he's quite good at destroying such loathsome creatures. ''

[ewancummins]

Threan-

Threan isn't kept waiting long before the bailiff returns to his office. The bailiff is happy to take the time to answer his questions.

''Yes, of course you may see my nephew. And, as for the rest...I want you to know that I appreciate your cooperation in this matter. I understand you concern for your friends, but I assure you that I am constrained by my duty to the law. Still, I will do what I can to ensure that they are well-treated while in my custody.''

Threan then goes to check on Arnulf, who is doing very well after receiving healing from Threan this morning on the beach, before departing Fishgut Rock for the mainland.