Realms of Dread [IC] Chapter Three

[ewancummins]

Inovidil

The youthful warrior replies with a grin-

''So...you want me to strip off your armor and tie you up, eh?''

He winks at Inovidil.


''As you wish, lady.''


With good humor, he helps her get out of the armor. Then he ties her up, but not too tightly. She can wiggle her fingers and toes, and the circulation is unaffected by the bonds.

[ewancummins]

Shana


A man approaches Shana. He's a big fellow, not unhandsome in a rough sort of way, and dressed as a tradesman.

''Excuse me, but have I seen you around...umm..someplace?''

Shana, looking at the man, does indeed find him somewhat familiar.

[ewancummins]

Blaise, Balzar, and company

Watch-Captain Rask soon returns. After being filled in about Balzar, he agrees to let the dwarf come along, provided he not disturb any evidence found and respect the authority of the captain and his men. Balzar agrees, of course.

Rask addresses Blaise,

''Blaise, my plan is to surround the place with lanterns shuttered. Then we move in and block all exits as near to simultaneously as we can manage. I'll blow my whistle as the signal for all doors to be breached. The man have axes for locked doors. Any suggestions from you- or Balzar?''

[steveflam]

Balzar speaks in hushed tones to Jamethon and Blaise. "Archedius is dead? What? This is serious indeed. May his soul rest in peace, as says Jamethon."

A man approaches and Balzar is introduced to Captain Rask. So this is Rardi's superior. He looks competent enough and seems a good enough leader.

Balzar agrees not to disturb any evidence. At the Captain's question, he has a short response. "Whatever yer planning, so be it. I've no suggestions for you, Captain. I am accustomed to following orders. Yours seem organised and logical. I have nothing to add at this time. Know that I am at your disposal, sir."

[kintire]

Shana looks at him closely, trying to remember his face

"You do seem familiar, sir, but I can't place you... I'm Shana. May I know your name?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

''Blaise, my plan is to surround the place with lanterns shuttered. Then we move in and block all exits as near to simultaneously as we can manage. I'll blow my whistle as the signal for all doors to be breached. The man have axes for locked doors. Any suggestions from you- or Balzar?''

"Only to be careful," says Blaise. "I'm fairly sure that zombies were being used to move the cargo. They may well still be in there -- undead rarely take a break to eat lunch -- and may react violently to intrusion. If you're not sure about their nature, cut their skin. If they don't bleed and they try to bash your skull in, they're zombies."

[steveflam]

"Hmmmm..... Zombies eh? Can we get a priest to come with us? Mebbe get us some holy water? Would that help against the Zombies? Is the Temple of the Morninglord close by? We could warn them about Rardi at the same time. I had some experience fighting a Vampire or two is why I'm askin."

[BigBadQDaddy]

Alain-

"You don't even know where I am going boatman. How can you be so sure you can get me there? Regardless, I am in no mood for an evenings taxi over the water. I would just like to know where I am. I can find my own way."

[VAN]

Inovidil is surprised by the young warrior. Despite she doesn't laugh with his joke he lets him help her with the armour and when he ties her she murmurs "thank you" between her teeth so the other guards cannot listen to her. This man was different from the other guards, so she asks:

"Who are you? You don't seem a guard."

[ewancummins]

Shana looks at him closely, trying to remember his face

"You do seem familiar, sir, but I can't place you... I'm Shana. May I know your name?"

The big fellow replies-

''Hullet, my name's Hullet.''

Shana now recognizes him, though not his name; she's seen him at the Palace of Celstial Delights, where he was one of the customers.

''I was wondering...uh..are you working tonight?''

[ewancummins]

Militia HQ[ Blaise and Balzar]


Rask-

''Hmmm...well, we could send for a priest. Most are asleep at this hour, I expect. It'll delay us by at least an hour. My only experience with fighting undead is of battling those child-monsters....nasty things. We found that pushing them into the fire worked pretty well. Ah, well of course I have seen Delthrin's creations at work- but I've never fought them. They've always either ignored the people of the city, or actually helped us. ''

[ewancummins]

Ino, in gaol

"Who are you? You don't seem a guard."

The young warrior answers in a low voice, so as not to draw too much attention form the other guard.

''Me? I'm Henryk. The Bailiff's paying me to help out, that's all. Really, I shouldn't talk too much. The others might think you've seduced me and we are planning to run away together, eh?''

Henryk smiles.

''Better get some sleep. I think you'll need the rest for tomorrow...'

[ewancummins]

Alain-

"You don't even know where I am going boatman. How can you be so sure you can get me there? Regardless, I am in no mood for an evenings taxi over the water. I would just like to know where I am. I can find my own way."

''Heeeehhhhh....''
The boatman exhales, a dry sound like leaves in a fire.

He poles off without another word, leaving Alain standing alone on the boards.

Somewhere in the distance, Alain hears a faint rumbling sound, perhaps a cart of some kind moving down a nearby street. The boardwalk on which he stands stretches out of sight [about ten paces] to the left and right. Does either end connect with a road or alley? Impossible to say from where he stands now.

The building to Alain's rear [one of those that borders the vacant lot, on the other side] is a lightless hulk of plaster and wood. There are two doors visible, and several small, shuttered windows.

There's no activity visible on the far side of the canal before Alain. Indeed, the fog there has grown almost impenetrably thick, and seems to be rolling towards him.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Alain listens to the sound of the boatman poling himself away from the dock and thinks for a moment. He tries to capture a good visual of the area so he may find it again in the morning. Facing the lot he then heads left down the board walk, taking note of his surroundings.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"I'd rather not wait," says Blaise. "Now that it's dark, some of the, well, living smugglers could take the opportunity to move some of the goods. Now that I have my arcane equipment again, I can certainly be of some help if there ARE zombies inside. Just make sure your men have swords or other slashing weapons. Clubs ... well, they're about as effective on zombies as a fist smacking a slab of beef."

He looks toward Jamethon. "Are you coming, too?"