HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

[Kaitou Kage]

Altan smiled.

"Excellent. Do you feel well enough to move or should we rest a while longer?"

[NeoTiamat]

"I'm flattered that I'm so well known. Actually, Freiherr Horst... could you come with us?" Lena said smoothly. The close proximity of the words 'Yarek' and 'Private Party' and 'got out of hand' was enough to set off all sorts of mental alarm bells. She favored the Mulani with a dazzling smile. "We'd greatly appreciate it if you could help us find Yarek and the rest of the partiers."

There was a certain quiet intimation that Horst could probably do with being cooperative just now. Everyone would be happier.

[Nathan of the FoS]

"I don't think I'd be any help," Horst replies, shaking his head. "You've already got better eyes and noses that I could possibly lend to the effort, and I haven't seen Yarek since before things started getting a bit intense. Actually, your friend Altan was down there too, wasn't he? I haven't seen him since I left, either."

He shrugs eloquently. "Sorry, but I really think I'd better clear my head. The path to the baths is just up that way, isn't it?"

"Yes," Søren replies. "Back that way, take your second left and stick to the main hall and you'll get there pretty quick." He then says a couple of sentences to the hounds, who have pressed forward to sniff at Horst with every evidence of interest.

"Very well, then, I'll take my leave."

He goes back up the tunnel; after he takes his first turn one of the hellhounds turns and follows him. Søren watches it go, then turns to the rest of you. "I think it's worse than useless to try to make him stay if he's not willing to cooperate," he mutters. "Erebus will bay if he turns back, so we'll be warned. On we go, Pyrrha."

Somewhere ahead of you someone screams--a hair-raising sound, followed by an even more uncanny burst of hysterical laughter.

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Excellent. Do you feel well enough to move or should we rest a while longer?"

"No, I'm all right. I just, uh. I had a bit too much…everything."

Somewhere well ahead of you someone screams, followed by a burst of hysterical laughter.

[Isabella]

Richard seemed grimly determined to say nothing at all to Horst - at the scream, he put his hand on his sword again. "The sound-sound echoes off the walls... where are they?" he asked, starting to move without answer toward the front of the group, and where he thought he heard the noise.

Untrained perception
[dice]0[/dice]

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Sweeping forward confidently, she makes her odd clucking sound and then bows to Marcellus. "Jernspogmaler Abtor," she says. "How very unexpected. The blessings of Law and Light be upon you this New Year."

Having already cast his whisper-thowing spell on himself, Renhalt and Helja, Vasili stays close on her left heel, even as Renhalt is on her right. Leila stays back behind the Thott retainers, but allows herself to be seen. As Helja introduces herself, Leila slinks backwards around the gate, just out of sight.*

Vasili covers his mouth with one hand for an instant, and murmurs, "I've taught you my lesson on iguanas and chameleons. Perhaps we should pass it on."**

Stealth +17 to avoid being seen by the inquisitors.
[dice]0[/dice]

Bluff +14 to pass a message via Innuendo
[dice]1[/dice]

[NeoTiamat]

"I think it's worse than useless to try to make him stay if he's not willing to cooperate," he mutters. "Erebus will bay if he turns back, so we'll be warned. On we go, Pyrrha."

"You are probably right." Lena said reluctantly. She wondered if she hadn't missed a trick by not enchanting Horst, but so be it. "I just mislike letting people like him out of my sight, especially at a time like this. Still, you're the expert."

Somewhere ahead of you someone screams--a hair-raising sound, followed by an even more uncanny burst of hysterical laughter.

"...I think we might not need Horst now." Lena said softly, looking over at Ushka. The little fox had her ears standing straight up, swiveling around as she tried to figure out where the sound was coming from.

Perception +20
[dice]0[/dice] Total: 36

[The Whistler]

”You are probably right. I just mislike letting people like him out of my sight, especially at a time like this. Still, you're the expert.”

Avram looked after the departing “partygoer” with the same conflicted air, before coming to the same conclusion. “I am with you, Freiherr Thott. We are to fix this quietly and quickly…”

…Pause for distant screaming.

“…Very quickly. Let us go.”

[Nathan of the FoS]

"I've taught you my lesson on iguanas and chameleons. Perhaps we should pass it on."

Nodding, Renhalt whispers "Tails welcome."* He moves up to flank Helja. "Good evening, Jernspogmaler Abtor, dommers all. What brings so many officers of the Church here tonight?"

"Heresy," Marcellus Abtor replies, in a surprisingly deep, smooth voice. "We have great reason to believe that rites offensive to the Law and the Lawgiver, and to every decent person, are being celebrated here this night. I charge you by the Nameless Name, by the authority of the Church, and by your conscience to assist us in finding and rooting out this evil."

Bluff 13 to convey secret message by innuendo in return. If you can figure it out, DS, go ahead; if not, well, Vasili will have to get ingenious in some other way!

[Nathan of the FoS]

[quote="Nathan of the FoS"]

Hurrying forward, you round a corner and catch sight of...something, or someone...at some distance from you, perhaps a hundred feet away. The subterranean corridors are lit by everburning torches at fairly regular intervals, but at such a distance it is not immediately apparent who it is. There is a moan, and then another voice.

"Is that you, Søren? Thank goodness. There's something gone very wrong down here."

"Feray?" Søren replies, slightly puzzled. "Yes, I'd say so. Who's that with you?"

"Agata, and...several others. Guests from upstairs, I think, mostly the worse for wear. There are more about, but I'm not sure where they all are."

As she speaks she approaches; you can see the older woman with an arm around the young redhead with her, both of them wearing simple smocks and not much more, though Feray does have her sword at her side and a kukri in her free hand. Two Mulani follow behind her, looking rather confused, dishevelled and vacant.

[NeoTiamat]

"What happened?" Lena said softly, looking over the scene before her. She had her suspicions about just why the two Mulani looked quite as glassy-eyed as they did, but now was not the place to discuss it. Something was badly amiss here, and Lena wasn't sure what to do about it. "We heard screams, and then a demonic laughter."

A coin dropped as Lena looked at Feray. Sword at her side, kukri in her hand. The Five of Swords -- Beware the Bearer of Blades. She continued, glancing meaningfully at Søren and Richard. "And why for are you bearing so many blades?"

Bluff 29 -- Lena, on the basis of prophecy and paranoia, thinks it's a TRAP. Please be wary.

[Isabella]

Richard glanced at Lena, as if to warn her off. He took a breath, and began to move towards the approaching group. He walked at a clear, even pace, though by no means a slow one. He kept his hands down by his sides, clearly free from any weapon. If everyone here wanted to act as if this were all innocent - an unfortunate necessity if they wanted Yarek alive, Horst had clearly demonstrated that - there ought to be no reason to fight.

Detect "Evil"

Untrained Bluff +4 at Lena, Stop That.
[dice]0[/dice]
=15

Untrained Perception
[dice]1[/dice]

Sense Motive
[dice]2[/dice]
=19

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Reading Renhalt loud and clear. Showtime!

"Heresy," Marcellus Abtor replies, in a surprisingly deep, smooth voice. "We have great reason to believe that rites offensive to the Law and the Lawgiver, and to every decent person, are being celebrated here this night. I charge you by the Nameless Name, by the authority of the Church, and by your conscience to assist us in finding and rooting out this evil."

Vasili steps forward, affecting his unblinking stare and a corresponding posture that those who don't know him might mistake for religious zeal. "I will assist you," he states matter-of-factly. "I found evidence of unnatural acts--acts that defy reason."

Pre-empting any protest by Helja or Renhalt, he looks at the two of them askance, allowing his features to cloud. "It's not natural, and you know it. Even under the effects of painkillers, it's not natural to wound your own body."

Turning back to the Abtor, Vasili points back at the Helholt. "Inquisitor, among the many people within these walls, you will find a few with all manner of injuries, all self-inflicted in their masochistic worship of Yutow. They have burned themselves, cut themselves, flagellated themselves with whips and chains, all to appease a wretch that dares to call itself a deity. Some of them ingest drugs to dull the pain so they can wound themselves more. It's the way of all life to avoid pain, and the precept of submission demands that we obey that law. I ask you, Jernspogmaler, is it not contradictory to the law of nature to wound yourself?"

Vasili leaves this question hanging in the air--it is not rhetorical.

Bluff +14 to spin this into a first class heresy. Hopefully Renhalt and Helja will assist once they clue in?
[dice]0[/dice]

[The Whistler]

Avram caught Lena’s eye, advancing just behind Richard and just as unthreateningly — but returning the Baroness’ suspicions with his glance. Heaven knew where a village mayor had found opportunity to gin up the necessary paranoia, but he didn’t think this group had its hands clean either.

Bluff +13: "Yes, IT'S A TRAP, but let's be careful about this."
[dice]0[/dice]

Sense Motive +16:
[dice]1[/dice]

Untrained Perception +5:
[dice]2[/dice]

[Nathan of the FoS]

"I see you are a theologian...Freiherr," Marcellus replies, pausing long enough over the title that it's clear he doesn't know quite what to make of Vasili's appearance and apparent social standing. "Passing over the question of the law of nature and what it allows, the law of the Church abominates self-destruction to mystical ends. I am astonished that it should have been countenanced by persons of such standing," (here he half-bows to Helja and makes a rather smaller fraction of a bow to Renhalt) "but all may yet be put right. Come, let us find these...flagellants."

"It has not been countenanced, Dommer," says Helja crisply. "It has been discovered, and that within the hour, at least by us."

"It is something worse than the Penitents, Jernspogmaler Abtor," Rastem Varreg says quietly, "or I miss my guess."

"Worse than heresy?" Renhalt asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Worse than that heresy," Varreg replies, giving Renhalt a cool look quite unlike the usual demeanor of a Rashemani addressing a member of a Great House.

"Bad enough as it is," Renhalt replies. "We trust, of course, that nothing worse will, or could, be found here than the rites of the Penitents. You will wish to have our assistance, of course, Dommer Abtor. We are entirely at your service and eager to ferret out these evildoers as quickly as possible. How can we assist you?"

Just to explain some of the dynamics here, which I probably should have done sooner, but I don't think it has made a difference so far:
1) Renhalt used the scroll of glibness on the way over and is ready to lay it on thick.
2) As an initiate (at the lowest level) of the White Academy, Helja can't tell a direct lie. She is not, however, obligated to tell the whole truth, nor to point out the falsehoods of others, nor to undeceive others if they somehow happen to take a wrong idea from what she tells them (*ahem*). The reputation of the White Tower oracles for honesty may very well be useful to you.
3) Vasili's actions will drive the conversation more than they might otherwise, In the interest of "having the PCs be the real focus of action."