Café de Nuit

Gertrude looked at their small but powerful arsenal. It was a shame about the explosives, but as Hazan had mentioned, they didn’t have the time or expertise.

Then a realisation hit her. Over the stifling reek of the laboratory came the smell of smoke. We are in the process of burning down the Manor, and its knowledge, she thought with some horror. And another ruthless thought crossed her mind, stiffening her back and resolve. Then so be it. Better it burn than fall into van Rijn’s hands. But not without a fight.

At Lauren's suggestion she replied, “Indeed let us go, and swiftly, to the library. Unless we have magical means of putting out this fire, we are in danger of losing our lives to that instead of those monsters." Where's a druid when you need one... "We must retrieve whatever we can and leave the Manor.” As an afterthought, she added, “We should also make sure any non-members have had the sense to leave, and didn’t leave Lord Balfour behind.”

She looked up at Conrad's appearance. "Good. If you came from the library, our passage should be clear. We'll be going there with our little artillery-" she raised up a couple of the molotov cocktails, "and rescue whatever- and whoever- we can. Do you mind picking up that- that thing?" she asked him, pointing to the cage. "Just be careful when you do; it's not been house-trained yet..."

She paused at Crow's interjection. "Perhaps we can discuss it on the way..."

"We'd better discuss it. Because if anyone among us should be the one carrying that which our enemy seeks from the Library, that person -- unknowingly or not -- will be his preferred target. Nor can we afford to leave that same prize behind, for Rijn to claim.
"Either we take what he desires away under fire, or we destroy it here and now."

Conrad raises an eyebrow at Gertrude's statement. "Before we burn the library down, I have a suggestion. I have a Rope Trick spell prepared. If neccessary I could use it create an extradimensional space...in which we could hide the most important and valuable books in our library...including whatever book Van Rijn seeks."

Anthony quickly enters the laboratory and joins the rest of the assembling group. His balck hair has come loose from its bond and is wildly splayed every which way. In addition, his white shirt and black trousers are badly scorched and heavily coated with ash. Ironically, his emacited grey flesh looks untouched by flames of battle.

"Damage report?" Anthony asks the group as he swings his bronzewood cane over his right shoulder. Looking at the group, he begins to wonder if he truly wanted to hear how the rest of the manor had been fairing.

"Either way, let's go! Now! The Borcan's alone back there! Or do you think Rijn's wolfweres will have taken as long as weak-nosed human folk, to catch wind of that smoke?"

And with that, Crow turns to march back to the Library, alone if he must.

"Buchnold is guarding the library, and the library door is unhinged," Conrad reported,. "We've gotten all the cold iron weapons for the armoury, which gives us five iron daggers and one iron long sword. We also have some explosives. Now I think we should follow Crow back to the library, unless we're needed someplace else?" Conrad says.


OCC I see that the Library thread has been locked, which I guess means we are needed someplace else?

Anthony gives Conrad a quick nod as he reports the current scenerio. Doing some quick mental notation, Anthony looks to Viktor and the others in the group. "We also have a supply of holy water stored in the gallery. I keep five flasks hidden under the bust of my great grandfather."

"Just in case my familial progenitor decides to show up and pay me a visit," Anthony adds after a slight pause. He matches eyes with Viktor. "In any case, the holy water might prove useful against some of Erik's necromantic companions if anyone is able to get there and back."

"Until then, I guess we'll see if I can keep some of our guests from meeting an early death." Looking at the doorway, he brushes off his shirt and begins to leave. "At least the seminar hasn't been boring..."

Anthony Reuland wrote:Anthony gives Conrad a quick nod as he reports the current scenerio. Doing some quick mental notation, Anthony looks to Viktor and the others in the group. "We also have a supply of holy water stored in the gallery. I keep five flasks hidden under the bust of my great grandfather."

"Just in case my familial progenitor decides to show and pay me a visit," Anthony adds after a slight pauce. He matches eyes with Viktor. "In any case, the holy water might prove useful against some of Erik's necromantic companions if anyone is able to get there and back."

"I will go."

Hartly towered over the group, stepping forward.

"I can pass through safely, and will meet you back at the library."

"Good luck, Hartly," Conrad said, "I'll make sure the way to the library is clear," he added, as he went to the stairs that led to the library.

OOC: Just a reminder that whatever is in italics in my posts are unspoken thoughts.

Rotipher wrote:"We'd better discuss it. Because if anyone among us should be the one carrying that which our enemy seeks from the Library, that person -- unknowingly or not -- will be his preferred target. Nor can we afford to leave that same prize behind, for Rijn to claim.
"Either we take what he desires away under fire, or we destroy it here and now."

“Good point,” Gertrude remarked, and at Conrad’s contribution of the Rope Trick, smiled. “And now we-"

She halted at Anthony’s arrival. She let the others speak the awful news of the state of affairs. Wolfweres too now?! she thought at Crow’s unwanted but necessary revelation. She would follow in a moment, but she wanted all the information she could get on whatever else she might have to face. “Monsieur de Chateaufaux, may I have one of the cold iron daggers? Unless of course you gentlemen require them more than myself. I admit I am not the most skilled in combat.” It was wisest that those best equipped to fight be the ones with priority in receiving weapons. A foolish vain effort to save her own skin could likely end in her own death, let alone others’.

At Anthony’s request for volunteers, and Hartly’s prompt response, she said quietly, “Be careful, Mr Hartly, and good luck.”

She called out to Conrad as he left, “We’ll be right behind you, Monsieur de Chateaufaux." She then turned to Viktor and after a slight gesture, lowered her vioce magically so that only he would be able to hear. "Professor Hazan, if you are unable to tell us what this item in the library is, well and fine, but it falls to you to retrieve this item. Is there anything special we need to know in order to recover it? Is it trapped, or specially warded? Do we have what is required to retrieve it, or must we go on some other goose chase?"

OOC: Message cantrip

OOC - good morning everybody

Rotipher wrote: His gray eyes focus on Viktor Hazan. "It's high time you told us what your 'old friend' is looking for."

“If I knew!”, Viktor said, slightly exasperated that he doesn’t know. “While in the Entrance Halls, he said something about plans… but I do not have any idea as to what it is exactly…”

Viktor think for a moment, then adds “but judging from his revelation about his new necromantic studies, I guess it’s in the forbidden knowledge drawer… We do study these things to better know them, and then lock it so necromancers can’t use it…”

Llana wrote: She called out to Conrad as he left, “We’ll be right behind you, Monsieur de Chateaufaux." She then turned to Viktor and after a slight gesture, lowered her vioce magically so that only he would be able to hear. "Professor Hazan, if you are unable to tell us what this item in the library is, well and fine, but it falls to you to retrieve this item. Is there anything special we need to know in order to recover it? Is it trapped, or specially warded? Do we have what is required to retrieve it, or must we go on some other goose chase?"

OOC: Message cantrip

“Well, as I said earlier, the Manoir had numerous magical traps, that Mr Reuland activated. It should have been enough to keep them occupied until we get reinforcements. However, this has been neutralized… somehow … and …”

Viktor is looking outside. His eyes widen and fear appears on his face for a moment. “Damn! Like if we needed more! Wait! Come here and look!” as he points the window…

Outside, the permanent lights of the park light a scene Viktor would have preferred not to see… Corpses… Walking! Nearly a hundred of these, shambling slowly toward the Manoir… Judging by their speed, they will be around in less then 20 minutes…

"Oh bloody hell- we've got to warn the others!" Gertrude called out, unnerved by the horrible sight. She took up the remaining bottles and very carefully, the cage with its hostile denizen, then ran out of the laboratory and down the hall.

Draxton invisible watches Getrude taking up the bottles the moment he enters the lab.

"Hey, miss!" he whispers.
"Leave some bottles for me. I'm invisible and a defender of what is right. I'm Draxton Serd"

Then he takes a couple of poison bottles from Getrude and a few syringes.