The Shattered City: Chapter Three

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Or...I could try invoking a great spirit. I mean, I know it can be done, and one would likely be rather interested in getting whatever it is that's causing this out. But.." and there was always a but "I'd have to do something similar to what I did before this all really started, and I'm kind of worried about whatever that was. So I'd need some kind of defense.."

"I would be happy to raise a protective circle for you, my friend," Lia offers. "Though I lack personal experience with the great spirits you mention. Perhaps, with your guidance, I may provide you with the additional security you desire."

[Cronax]

"Hullo Mr. Agale." The Richemuloise young man came to a halt near Agale and waved towards the rest of you. "Sorry it took me so long, I got lost. Again."

"Anyway, I talked to Bertriz and to our...uh... friend. He'll see you." Christophe said, taking a breath. "I can take you to him, but he won't be in the area for long, so it's today or not at all."

"Greetings Mr. Renier," Agale answered. "I was unaware that you and your relatives had ventured to Troischamps. What brings you all this way if I may ask? If your contact knows something constructive, then by all means, lead the way." As he passes by the stout Richmuloise lad, he whispers something in his ear. "Assuming 'he' is a man in the traditional sense, Ms. Mournswraith suggests we truck with imps. A foolish plan in most circumstances. Doubly so in desperation."

[NeoTiamat]

Cemetery on the outskirts of Troischamps, Midday of April 21st, 770
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"What about the sites of the old battles between Dementlieu and Falkovnia?" Lia suggests. "All the fighting and killing would create the proper atmosphere. Were the bodies of the slain Falkovnians properly interred, burned, or just shoveled into ditches? And where are the corpses of those who die in Montmort deposited? If there is some charnel house beneath it, it would be the perfect resource for a necromancer - or a summoner."

"The battlegrounds would be some of the places in the King's Woods I mentioned," Thierri informed idly, as he began to chain smoke. "As for Montmort, a charnel house would be lacking in dirt. It would also require the necromancer to break into the highest security prison in the country, perform the animation ritual without being caught, and then escape with hounds in tow, without a single guard noticing. I am confident in omitting it from our list."

"Greetings Mr. Renier," Agale answered. "I was unaware that you and your relatives had ventured to Troischamps. What brings you all this way if I may ask? If your contact knows something constructive, then by all means, lead the way."

"Uh... business things." Christophe said, shrugging his broad shoulders in what a badly feigned attempt at non-chalance. "You'd have to ask Bertriz for the details, I'm just here to keep her company."

"But he should know something helpful. He's not too far from here..." Christophe said, then amended. "Assuming I don't get you lost."


Clearing in the King's Forest, Late Afternoon of April 21st, 770
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Christophe Renier got you lost. Had it been anyone else, you'd have been certain that it was intentional, but given the broad-shouldered young man's difficulties with the concept of directions, it might have been genuine. In either case, it took you passing by the second gnarled tree twice before you finally were put into the right direction. After some two and a half hours of roaming around in circles, triangles, and occasionally rather more obscure polygons, you finally reached the camp of Christophe's contact. You were probably in the King's Forest. Unless you'd taken a wrong turn somewhere and blundered into Barovia, but anything was possible.

You were maybe ten feet from the camp when you finally saw it. It was very well camoflauged, using brush and dirt, and a good covering of leaves. It was also neat and organized with military precisions, containing a number of bedrolls loosely covered with leaves organized around a currently cold firepit. Whoever lived here was ready to leave at a moment's notice. It was also a very well armed camp.

There were guns. Not just any guns, but quality breech-loading rifles, the kind of weapons elite skirmishers used. A dozen of them were leaning against a nearby tree, a careful stack of ring bayonets beside them. Army-patterend dagger-hilts protruded from a cloth packet. And of course, there were the crates. Camoflauged as well, but there are only a set number of ways to hide a crate. They were unmarked, but the slight stink of sulfer gave you a good idea of what they contained.

For all that, there were only two living beings in the camp when you arrived. One was a cat, a long-limbed, brown-coated feline with outsized ears, who slept peacefully beside the firepit and didn't so much as bat an ear at your arrival.

The sole human occupant of the camp was sitting on a crate, resting his feet by the firepit. He was older than all of you, perhaps in his early fourties, his face lined and his brown hair grizzled. His clothing was fine but drab, mottled with stains and ill-treated - the more canny of you suspected on purpose, as his dappled coat vanished into forest surroundings. He was currently wiping oil from the blade of a Parthian rapier, which did not suit his look in the slightest. He was a hard, wolfish-looking man, and the elegant blade seemed frail next to him. A plain, functional hunter's axe lay propped up on the stone beside him, within easy arm's reach, and a few more daggers were sheathed in his belt. His boots were made of heavy leather, the soles shod in black iron.

He stood up as you arrived, giving you a sharp nod in greeting as he looked you over with molten amber eyes. Something tugged at the corner of his lips as he looked at Lia and Tomas, and when he noticed the two Mulani twins, his face twisted into something that looked like a smile.

"I shouldn't be surprised," the forest hunter said.

Perception Check

[Nathan of the FoS]

When they arrive, and see who is awaiting them, Darius becomes quite sure that Christophe was not lost, so much as he was losing someone...namely, his companions. If this is the company he keeps, small wonder he's cautious about the circumstances of their meeting.

"Nor should we," Darius replies, half-smiling himself. Not quite glancing at Cyrus, he mutters, "Twenty. At least."

Making the sign of the Spear and Coils, he continues, "Law and Light illuminate your path. How has the hunting been?"

Perception 21

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Good day to you," Lia says. She walks up to the forest hunter and extends her gloved right hand to shake his. "An even better day to you," she adds, "if you can help remedy the latest... difficulty facing this blighted land."

(OOC: Perception check: 12.)

[DocBeard]

Eisenwald's eyes narrow; he's been laying his sword against his shoulders for most of the trip out, and his shield is outright ready for a fight.

"Its funny, I was thinking the same thing." Tomas mutters, otherwise waiting for Christophe to make introductions. He'll play along for the moment, if only because the guy has All The Guns; Eisenwald does wince when Lia saunters up to shake the man's hand, though. Damn oblivious...

Perception: 19

[Kaitou Kage]

Cyrus smiled pleasantly and nodded, acknowledging his brother's comment.

"Lawgiver be with you," he said, "Have you had any more luck hunting boar since we last met?"

Perception 29

[Cronax]

Agale did not see them. He did not need to. The quantity of armaments and prevalence of camouflage made the situation rather obvious. "Greetings sir, Your precautionary measures are commendable, but despite the armaments my fellows carry, our purpose today is inquisitive, not combative."

He snuck a glance towards the Hazlani, wondering if the twins' discretion was born out of ignorance or honest-to-Ezra common sense. Cyrus's amicable recognizance of the man only complicated Agale's understanding of the situation.

While unlikely, it is possible that this man is in league with Poincare's group, the possibility cannot be wholly discounted. He considered. Better to beat around the bush on that topic until we know more about this man's current goals and motivations. "Indeed, we had hoped you could provide insights regarding the crop blight and plague ravaging this area."

Perception of 8
Streetwise 31 to confirm what I already suspect

[The Whistler]

Celeste read a broadsheet now and then, but was apt to forget 95% of the contents within a day or two. Nonetheless, it was probable that a certain quantity of rumors on...this topic did get around, even in Mlle. Viardot's rarefied social circle.

So: all that considered, it was possible that Celeste had some idea of whom she was talking to. It didn't show. Judge not lest ye be judged in return, and all that: someone who was willing to give the benefit of the doubt to actively murderous cultists was certainly going to do the same here. Celeste tagged along behind Lia, all smiles, and moved in for the curtsey after the Professor's greeting.

"A very pleasant afternoon to you as well, good monsieur! And, might I say, a more picturesque occasion for a hunt I have rarely seen...in consideration of the doleful state of the countryside at present, it is heartening to find such a scene of sylvan tranquility so close at hand. I am Celeste Mirielle Viardot, of Bienassis--ah, but as I see you are acquainted with my fellow-travelers, I shall allow them the credit of further introduction! They speak volumes of your capabilities, good monsieur. You may depend upon it!"

Perception: 11

[Nerit]

Nerit sighed and glared at the back of Christophe's head. She didn't seem as much upset at what was about to happen than the people who had decided to follow Renier, which was of course, them.

"Good day," she said politely to the man at the center.

Perception 16, but the guns and the PCs hint at it enough, I think.
Insight 18

[lostboy]

Nicholas merely nods to the man, polite but distracted. Whatever sickness gripped the poet had finally, or at least for the moment cut of his theatrical and impulsive nature. As it is Nicholas just stands there, gazing vacantly at the man, shivering despite the warmth of the sun.

OOC: Perception 9 Streetwise 31 for anything Nicholas should know on the tracker guy

[yalenusveler]

There was a certain moment of cold, naked panic when one sees that the individual one is to meet is in fact, not alone. And the others with them are very well camouflaged. And very well armed. It also caused little things to creep into one's mind. Things like "Are those the only ones there, or am I simply missing the others?"

It was the sort of situation that would cause one to break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, being slightly more than mildly feverish caused one of those already, so Kerrian hoped he didn't look too conspicuously nervous.

Either way, his greeting wasn't a verbal one, simply a polite nod, letting those more skilled at the social graces handle things.

Even if his new spectacles did make him look rather professorial.

OOC:Perception result of 28

[Isabella]

Clearing in the King's Forest, Late Afternoon of April 21st, 770
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"Good day to you," Lia says. She walks up to the forest hunter and extends her gloved right hand to shake his. "An even better day to you," she adds, "if you can help remedy the latest... difficulty facing this blighted land."

The man sheathed the Parthian rapier, heartily clasping Lia's arm as he flashed a grim smile. "I aim to," he replied.

Making the sign of the Spear and Coils, he continues, "Law and Light illuminate your path. How has the hunting been?"

"Lawgiver be with you," he said, "Have you had any more luck hunting boar since we last met?"

"I'm hunting stray dogs nowadays," the forest man informed, before giving the twins a dry grin. "I hope you're not out looking for deer again."

The grin quickly faded into a grim look of frustration, succinctly answering the Mulani's questions. "Hunting's been poor. These things are smarter than mindless undead, and someone is giving them orders," the hunter growled. "Seven days ago, I came across an entire dead swath of forest, and a pair of corpse-covered hounds rifling through an old barrow mound. There was a man with them, commanding them. I killed him, but not before he ordered the hounds to flee." The man broke off for a moment, as if trying to control the urge to snarl. "I didn't expect that," he admitted.

"I've been tracking them ever since, but I can't fight them if they don't surface. If they do, they burrow underground when they're badly injured," the man said in disgust. He tapped one of the crates with his boot. "I intend to set a trap for them next time I find them. But first I have to find them."

[Nathan of the FoS]

"We hunt the same prey, then," Darius says; he might have been a little surprised by Lia's gesture of friendship and the "warden's" response, but he gets over it quickly. "It's a dangerous pastime, the hunt, and to have two hunting parties working at cross purposes makes it more dangerous. Two parties working together, on the other hand..."

He gestures to the group eloquently. "Much preferable."

[Nerit]

Nerit didn't move an inch, her polite smile still on her face. It was a kind of smile that expressed O, how quaint hunters are, how idyllic. I have never seen them outside of my tiny, tiny cell at the monastery.

"A trap, monsieur?" Nerit asked blithely.