Realms of Dread IC, Chapter One

[ewancummins]

Out back of the Militia HQ-

Sergeant Talbot quickly corrects Alain-

''Master Korund's bodygaurd? No, no- you've got it mixed up, friend! Jonet Prake was a member of Lord Bledryn Scoril's personal gaurd. Lord Scoril was Baron of Marsember, you see. ''


The sergeant lowers his voice a bit and adds-

''Lord Hintar Ildool is Baron of Marsember now. That's what tonight's fancy party is about; it's a celebration of his appointment being confirmed by the Regent in Suzail. All the high-ups are going, and that's exactly why I'm happy to be left off the list!''

[ewancummins]

in the Palace of Celestial Delights


Down in the parlor, Shana sees the Madam across the room. The fat woman is watching events unfold from a place near one of the building exits.

Upstairs, Blaise emerges from the room to see the violent fellow he'd tied up now trying to escape his bonds. The man is moving a bit stiffly and seems confused.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Out back of the Militia HQ-[/color]

Alain wipes the sweat from his brow. "I apologize for the misunderstanding. I am suddenly feeling a bit warm. I am sure it will pass." He pauses for a moment, swallowing hard.
"Did you happen to ask him what exactly happened in that refuge when the...creatures attacked? Did he mention how he alone was able to survive?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

Upstairs, Blaise emerges from the room to see the violent fellow he'd tied up now trying to escape his bonds. The man is moving a bit stiffly and seems confused.

Blaise angrily knocks the man back to the floor and then plants the heel of his boot into the thug's back. "Stop squirming, damn you," he grunts. He calls out, "Someone get me proper rope, please! I'm placing him under arrest. Hmmm, I've always wanted to say that..." He then looks around for Rardi and Shana.

[steveflam]

Once Rardi is sure the woman is fine, she makes her way up the stairs. At the top she sees Blaise with his foot on top of the man and the man tied.

Nodding to Blaise, she looks with contempt at the man, her eyes narrowing. She lowers her face to his and before he can even do anything
she slaps him in the face hard. "Ye lucky yer tied up, cause I'd luv ta teach ye a lesson, ye scumbag. I hope ye like bein in prison cuz Imma
make sure ye never leave it. Doin that ta innocent wimmin is unthinkable!"

She rises and kicks him in the ribs for good measure. "Well done, sir." She keeps up the appearance of not knowing Blaise. "The Militia will be here soon to take this criminal away. Everyone get back to what ye was doing and it should all be back to normal before long."

Rardi waits for the militia to show up.

[ewancummins]

Out back of the Militia HQ-[/color]

Alain wipes the sweat from his brow. "I apologize for the misunderstanding. I am suddenly feeling a bit warm. I am sure it will pass." He pauses for a moment, swallowing hard.
"Did you happen to ask him what exactly happened in that refuge when the...creatures attacked? Did he mention how he alone was able to survive?"

Sergeant Talbot answers

'' Well, the enemy had broken into the castle, and so Lord Scoril took his men to the worst of the fighting and tried to help. Jonet told me there was smoke, and men shouting, and the monsters were running about all over the place. The baron went down fighting, and Jonet grabbed him to drag him to safety in the next room. Just as he pulled his lord through the threshold, the burning timbers of the first room gave way, and the whole ceiling collapsed. All that were in there got buried, friend and foe alike. ''

''Lord Scoril died before Jonet could get him to a healer. Jonet himself got off with only a light wound to his arm and a singed surcoat, the lucky devil. He thinks the gods were looking out for him that day. Maybe he's right.''

[ewancummins]

Following Delthrin.....


Inovidil is still on Delthrin's trail. He has travelled on foot through the narrow streets of an old neighborhood. Now he has arrived outside a two storey building, built in the stucco walled and tile roofed style one commonly sees throughout Marsember. This place has a big wooden gate in the front, and also a smaller side door. The windows on the exterior are shuttered. Ino might be able to peek inside if she got close to one of the shuttered frames.

Delthrin goes straight to the side door and knocks three times. After a short interval the door opens and a middle-aged woman sticks her head out.

''Master Delthrin? Well met! C'mon in, why don't you? ''

''Yes, of course. I tell you now, though, I can stay only a short while. I must return home very soon.''

Delthrin moves to enter the building...

[BigBadQDaddy]

Out back of the Militia HQ-[/color]

Alain looks about breifly before returning his attention to Sergeant Talbot. "Yes, Gods. Perhaps." He mutters.
He looks to the ground and then back to the sergeant, running his fingers through his own hair as he does so.
"Before I get too far off track sergeant, About the girl, Master Korund's niece. You mentioned she was spotted in one of the citadel's hallways. Did he elaborate on that at all? Did he mention which hallway? Was she alone? Perhaps which direction she was heading in...if any?"

[ewancummins]

at the Palace of Celestial Delights-

A militia patrol soon arrives to take custody of the prisoner. They take a report from Rardi and then clap the drunk man in irons and drag him out of the place. When he decides to put up a fight, the watchmen knock him about a bit. Thus subdued, he's dragged away to face the justice of the city.


The madam points to the weeping woman and says,

''Alright, someone take her up to a room and get her some wine. As for the rest of you- the show's over now, so I suggest that we all get back to having a good time, yes?''

She smiles broadly and waves her hands in the air, then turns away from the crowd. With that, the fat patroness of the Palace waddles up the stairs.

[ewancummins]

Out back of the Militia HQ-[/color]

Alain looks about briefly before returning his attention to Sergeant Talbot. "Yes, Gods. Perhaps." He mutters.
He looks to the ground and then back to the sergeant, running his fingers through his own hair as he does so.
"Before I get too far off track sergeant, About the girl, Master Korund's niece. You mentioned she was spotted in one of the citadel's hallways. Did he elaborate on that at all? Did he mention which hallway? Was she alone? Perhaps which direction she was heading in...if any?"

''Well, he seemed pretty hazy on that count. I mean, he gave a fair description of her, but he wasn't sure which hallway he'd seen her running down, before the fight. He seems to remember the fight pretty well, but not everything that happened on the way to it. Maybe he breathed in too much smoke or maybe the shock of losing his lord and all his comrades was just too much for him, I don't know...''

[kintire]

As Shana sees the madam watching the commotion, she fades back into the crowd, and into a corner, where with a muttered wrod she vanishes from sight. With deft feet she slips quickly upstairs, to see if the Madam left her safe open at the sudden summons...

[VAN]

As before she prefers to not follow Delthrin inside. She isn't sure that she can manage to enter before the man closes the door behind him. Delthrin was a necromancer and for sure has high intelligence, it would have been a surprise for him if the door doesn't close immediately and get an obstacle. Also if she enters she should stick behind Delthrin when he enters with the risk to sense her breath. So decides to wait and visit the place with the others and interrogate the woman. Rardi is good to that and maybe a spell could help to know the truth.

As waiting Inovidil goes closer to the frame and gets a peek inside.

[Le Noir Faineant]

The Old Shell

The brawl rages across the middle of the common room. It's getting out of hand, now, and several men are visibly injured: broken noses, bruised faces,etc.

Just then, a wooden mug comes flying through the air, hurled by one of the brawlers. The cup smacks into the head of the old man sitting near Ironheart [he had no part in the fight] , and bounces off the unfortunate man's skull to land in Ironheart's plate of food and overturn the barbarian's own mug of beer. Ironheart is splattered with the remains of his half eaten meal and his tunic is now soaked with beer.

The old man seems to have been dazed by the strike, and slumps forward to rest his gray head on the table. The old woman sitting with him grabs the man by his shirt and drags him underneath the table.

Ironheart will look at Moorkroft, obviously not startled by the fight, but waiting for a sign of fear or weakness in his new companion.

Then, he will unceremoniously get on his feet, and,
without cleaning himself from the food,
punch the first fighter he gets hold of right in the face...

[BigBadQDaddy]

''Well, he seemed pretty hazy on that count. I mean, he gave a fair description of her, but he wasn't sure which hallway he'd seen her running down, before the fight. He seems to remember the fight pretty well, but not everything that happened on the way to it. Maybe he breathed in too much smoke or maybe the shock of losing his lord and all his comrades was just too much for him, I don't know...''

"Yes, I imagine so. Must have been a terrible ordeal to be a part of." Alain shuffles his foot in the dirt a little bit, looking around for some inspiration. "I understand that This Prake fellow must be under a lot of pressure, and most surely quite busy given the circumstances, would you perhaps know where he could be found?"

[ewancummins]

Upstairs at the Palace of Celestial Delights

As Shana sees the madam watching the commotion, she fades back into the crowd, and into a corner, where with a muttered word she vanishes from sight. With deft feet she slips quickly upstairs, to see if the Madam left her safe open at the sudden summons...

Sneaking unseen up the stairs, Shana makes her way to the Madam's room. She finds the door unlocked and open. Looking inside, she can see that the strongbox is closed and locked, sitting on the floor beside Madam's bed. The room contains various personal effects, a few touches of decoation, and a small desk with a lamp atop it. The lamp is unlit, but a hint of smoke lingers in the air just above it.

While Shana is looking into the room, Madam approaches her position, moving slowly. The brothel's patroness gives no indication whatever of being able to see Shana. Indeed, if she keeps to her present heading, she'll likely bump into the sorcercess.