Café de Nuit

The survivor--now a bound prisoner-- appears fully human.
He's a tall, well-built man in bloody clothes and a brigandine jack. Empty sheaths for a sword and dagger hang at his belt.


He opens his eyes as Dorgio lays a hand on his chest and prays.
The man coughs, struggles a little against the stony cord holding him, then relaxes.

A thin smile comes over his scarred face.

''Hope you won't think me rude for not thanking you for helping me." He tilts his chin into his chest, struggling to see what's holding him.

"Look, I know stuff. Stuff you likely want to know. I give you something useful and you untie me? I'm not crazy. I'm not going to try to fight all you guys, not after what happened to the others. What a bloody massacre that was! Poor bastards."

alhoon wrote:As the book that seems very similar to a spellbook makes the appearance again, Raen tells the cleric. "When you're done with this book, I would like a turn please. Did it have any magical protections or traps I should be aware of? My spellbook would blow up if you did that for example. And take a good part of its surroundings with it perhaps killing the intruder."

Klokulf looks up from his reading to eye the wizard, the cogs of moral calculation grinding away behind his eyes.

He looks back to the pages, "Once I have better ascertained the nature of its contents, I would be perfectly willing to hand it over." Flipping to the front page, he continues, "There is a cryptic warning about suffocation, but it would appear to be some sort of ruse, probably to trigger the actual trap. So far, nothing bad has happened to me, and the worst that befell the book's owner when I made him look within was punishment for bad acting."

Klokulf's gaze turns back to Raen, "I would like to retain custody of the book once you are done, if that is alright. Feel free to copy or cut out anything of interest to you."

When the revived prisoner speaks, Klokulf peers down and says, "Funny how they always want to be untied. What is it you know that is of such value to us?"

The bound man grins.


''I know where the bomb is."

At the house, Bennedict moves to retrieve the key before thinking anything of comfort or outfitting. Seeing the others trying to see to creature comforts he pauses for a moment, though it is difficult to entirely conceal his impatience.

Once everyone is ready to depart, he makes haste back to the Bastion.

Adam wrote:At the house, Bennedict moves to retrieve the key before thinking anything of comfort or outfitting. Seeing the others trying to see to creature comforts he pauses for a moment, though it is difficult to entirely conceal his impatience.

Once everyone is ready to depart, he makes haste back to the Bastion.

The brief delay for comforts like a change of clothes has slowed the return somewhat, but at least Kat and Alain leave the house warm and dry.

Benn , in his haste, stays wet and uncomfortable.

So it is that, by the time the little party reaches the Grim Bastion, Kat and Alain are merely damp, but Benn stands soaked to the skin with his cloak plastered to his back.
The scholar's boots squish and splash as he makes his way into the ruin.

Bennedict makes haste to the portal room, looking around for the others. "I've returned," he announces without preamble. "Let's seal the gateway."

Klokulf looks up at Bennedict's entrance. "While I hope we can get to that posthaste, we have a new development. This man," he points down at the prisoner wrapped in a coil of stone, "has started to speak of bombs. I believe it could potentially wait until we are done with the gate, but we have yet to get the full story."

He looks down at the prisoner, and says, "Perhaps you could elaborate on the bomb of which you speak."

Wolfglide wrote:Klokulf looks up at Bennedict's entrance. "While I hope we can get to that posthaste, we have a new development. This man," he points down at the prisoner wrapped in a coil of stone, "has started to speak of bombs. I believe it could potentially wait until we are done with the gate, but we have yet to get the full story."

He looks down at the prisoner, and says, "Perhaps you could elaborate on the bomb of which you speak."

''Sure. The Black Dog was having the gang make firebombs. He had men go and torch buildings, the other night. Not my idea! None of it was..."
The man blinks.
"Weird! But you want to know about the explosives, not about how I got involved. The bomb and the materials to make more are stored in these dungeons. I could try to give directions, but it will be faster if you just let me show you the way.''
He frowns.
''I'll show you the printing room, too. And if you guys agree to let me go free, I'll answer any questions you ask. About the Black Dog, the portal, that mad red-headed bastard...''

Adam wrote:Bennedict makes haste to the portal room, looking around for the others. "I've returned," he announces without preamble. "Let's seal the gateway."

Dorgio says,
''I still think we should wait until the morning. There's a very good chance if we attempt it without strong magical aids, such as I can pray for at sunrise, we will fail. And that means some of us die and the portal stays open, pulling things in from who knows where."

"I agree. I won't be able to receive more aid from the Lawgiver until noon, but I would like to rest. It has been a long day."

Klokulf kneels, clamps his hands down on the prisoner's ears, and whispers another Vaasi word.

"Rejuvenate."

The stone coils around the prisoner turn back into silk. As Klokulf begins to reclaim his rope, he says, "I presume you can control him without me while I read and watch our other prisoner."

"Are we sure the bomb won't blow up until morning? Perhaps some of those cretins lit a large slowburning fuse. Or our quarry expected us to be here."

Freed from Klokulf's rope, the (second) captive stands.

He's a big, rangy man and his body language suggests controlled tension.

''I didn't say any fuse was lit. But tonight's been...full of surprises. Could be it is burning. Now, since you guys were decent enough to untie me and even heal me a bit, I'll make good on my end. The bomb stuff is not too far from here, in a strong-walled chamber, nice and dry. Print shop's not far from that. I don't think any of the gang are left in those places, but if they are, how about no violence, eh? Let me talk to 'em first. I think with the Black Dog done for--he is done for, right? With him gone, all of us proper men can work out an accord."

Klokulf returns to a place where he can sit facing the Gaunt Man. Rather than resume reading straight away, he draws another book from his pack, along with a pen and some ink. He opens it near the end and begins to scrawl Draconic runes across it, forming the most bizarre and nonsensical stream-of-consciousness phrases.

Dorgio volunteers to check out the dungeon's bomb factory and print shop.
"'I'll look into that while you decide what you want to do about the portal and when, or if, we will attempt this ritual, comrades. You know what I think, but the choice isn't just mine to make. Benn is a very smart man. Even when I'm not agreeing with him, I'm listening."
He indicates the tall prisoner.
"'Let's see if this man is telling us the truth. I know we can't all go and leave the portal unwatched, but I would appreciate one of you coming along, just in case."

ewancummins wrote:Dorgio volunteers to check out the dungeon's bomb factory and print shop.
"'I'll look into that while you decide what you want to do about the portal and when, or if, we will attempt this ritual, comrades. You know what I think, but the choice isn't just mine to make. Benn is a very smart man. Even when I'm not agreeing with him, I'm listening."
He indicates the tall prisoner.
"'Let's see if this man is telling us the truth. I know we can't all go and leave the portal unwatched, but I would appreciate one of you coming along, just in case."

The armored swordsman has remained silent through out everything, his attention seemingly devoted to guarding the portal.

"I will join you, my presence should be more than enough to dissuade him and any friends he may have from attacking." He says to Dorgio.