(encrypted message left under your door)
To the Esteemed members of the Fraternity of Shadows,
We are contacting you for a grand event. As many of you know, our colleague in darkness Eric Van Rijn is coming back - after a long travel - to the Fraternity Manor exactly on time for the annual reunion of the elders.
For this event, in which we will be honoured by his presence, all members are invited to listen to Mr Van Rijn’s conference about his lengthy researches in those far away patches of lands surrounded by mists.
Exceptionally, since it’s a Saturday night, you can bring your spouse for diner. However, as for our internal chart, they will have to leave the main room after diner, for the elder’s annual recommendations and Mr Van Rijn’s conference. A tea room with table games will be available for the lady’s entertainment.
The annual event will be held in about two weeks, on Saturday October 29th, and part of the day of Sunday the 30th.
We count on your presence.
We are brothers sworn to search the shadow,
We are brothers neither of darkness nor of light.
Viktor Hazan
Professor of Philosophy and Numbers
University of Richemulot
FoS elder
FoS messages ...
-
Viktor Hazan
- Criminal Mastermind
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:05 pm
- Location: St. Ronge FoS Manor
-
Viktor Hazan
- Criminal Mastermind
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:05 pm
- Location: St. Ronge FoS Manor
(encrypted FoS internal note)
From: Kristoff Lutemmi, FoS elder
To: All Ste Ronges FoS members
For the end of October event, all is under good control and I wish to inform you of a few varied points regarding this event.
The menu and wine list has been taken care of by Viktor. We can have confidence in his fine taste for this evening we wish to be exceptional. The other areas will look at us in awe and we will get more prestige out of it. Please make sure this time Mr Scully stays away from the brandy.
I, Kristoff, am in charge of the security measures during the evening. We believe nothing will happen with a fine audience as we plan to gather, but the usual check points will be posted at all entry points, to make sure no weapons enter the Manor. However, please prepare a few defensive and detection spells in case, as usual.
We have contacted Van Rijn. He is supposed to arrive on Saturday. Our minor concern is the still unknown subject of his conference. We are quite sure it will be very worthwhile, as Van Rijn is a good orator and a great researcher. But if he let anybody of you know of this topic in his eventual private correspondence to you, please forward this information to an elder.
Also, we are pleased to announce that brother Lilavivat will make his complementary report on his puzzling but extremely well documented latest essay available on this Saturday. The modalities of this release will be known soon, when we will know how the University press can fulfill this rush special order.
Yours in shadows,
Kristoff
From: Kristoff Lutemmi, FoS elder
To: All Ste Ronges FoS members
For the end of October event, all is under good control and I wish to inform you of a few varied points regarding this event.
The menu and wine list has been taken care of by Viktor. We can have confidence in his fine taste for this evening we wish to be exceptional. The other areas will look at us in awe and we will get more prestige out of it. Please make sure this time Mr Scully stays away from the brandy.
I, Kristoff, am in charge of the security measures during the evening. We believe nothing will happen with a fine audience as we plan to gather, but the usual check points will be posted at all entry points, to make sure no weapons enter the Manor. However, please prepare a few defensive and detection spells in case, as usual.
We have contacted Van Rijn. He is supposed to arrive on Saturday. Our minor concern is the still unknown subject of his conference. We are quite sure it will be very worthwhile, as Van Rijn is a good orator and a great researcher. But if he let anybody of you know of this topic in his eventual private correspondence to you, please forward this information to an elder.
Also, we are pleased to announce that brother Lilavivat will make his complementary report on his puzzling but extremely well documented latest essay available on this Saturday. The modalities of this release will be known soon, when we will know how the University press can fulfill this rush special order.
Yours in shadows,
Kristoff
-
Viktor Hazan
- Criminal Mastermind
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:05 pm
- Location: St. Ronge FoS Manor
Le Manor de Penombre, late after the midnight hour
As he walked through the dimly lit hallway, Kristoff Lutemmi saw that a faint light trickled out from underneath the door of Anthony Reuland's laboratory. Kristoff gently knocked on the thick, wooden door. After a few moments and some muffled words, the door opened revealing the tall, grey-skinned man.
"Working late again?" Kristoff's detached voice asked Anthony, the shadows around him unnaturally twisting into angular tendrils.
"Yes. My work on the University Council took all of my time this afternoon, and today is the day of the week that I feed the shadow critters. Damn, they eat slowly!" Anthony's face made a funny look as he mimicked something with bulging eyes and a protruding tongue.
Kristoff smiled slightly. After a silent moment of thought, his face turned more serious.
"Anthony," Kristoff's shadows whispered, "I have just received a report from my contact with the Celestines in Dementlieu. From their observations, the star gazers say something is wrong with the sky. And, from the movement of the rogue constellations, it points toward the end of the month…"
Anthony chuckled lightly and grinned wryly at his colleague. "My dear Kristoff, do not let these star worshippers influence you again! We can discuss this matter in more detail tomorrow morning with the rest, if you wish. Goodnight."
Kristoff was about to say something, but he just nodded and left, the shadows folliwing in his every quiet step.
After closing the door, Anthony went to a window and looked out at the sky. While his amber eyes drifted up to the sky, his reflection on the window showed his ashen face suddenly turn pale.
As he walked through the dimly lit hallway, Kristoff Lutemmi saw that a faint light trickled out from underneath the door of Anthony Reuland's laboratory. Kristoff gently knocked on the thick, wooden door. After a few moments and some muffled words, the door opened revealing the tall, grey-skinned man.
"Working late again?" Kristoff's detached voice asked Anthony, the shadows around him unnaturally twisting into angular tendrils.
"Yes. My work on the University Council took all of my time this afternoon, and today is the day of the week that I feed the shadow critters. Damn, they eat slowly!" Anthony's face made a funny look as he mimicked something with bulging eyes and a protruding tongue.
Kristoff smiled slightly. After a silent moment of thought, his face turned more serious.
"Anthony," Kristoff's shadows whispered, "I have just received a report from my contact with the Celestines in Dementlieu. From their observations, the star gazers say something is wrong with the sky. And, from the movement of the rogue constellations, it points toward the end of the month…"
Anthony chuckled lightly and grinned wryly at his colleague. "My dear Kristoff, do not let these star worshippers influence you again! We can discuss this matter in more detail tomorrow morning with the rest, if you wish. Goodnight."
Kristoff was about to say something, but he just nodded and left, the shadows folliwing in his every quiet step.
After closing the door, Anthony went to a window and looked out at the sky. While his amber eyes drifted up to the sky, his reflection on the window showed his ashen face suddenly turn pale.
-
Ambrose Skully
- Conspirator
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:42 am
- Location: Le Manoir de Penombre
- Contact:
(encrypted FoS internal note)
From: Ambrose Skully, FoS elder
To: All Ste Ronges FoS members
Still no news of the topic for Van Rijn’s conference. It seems he didn’t say a thing to anyone about it. This lack of common courtesy is common amongst humans, though I had hoped members of our organization would be able to transcend the limits of crude nature. I blame myself, however, for not impressing my proper Gnomish values upon this society of hapless homosapiens. Until then, we shall have to wait for the Saturday of the 29th.
I received a message from Jonothan Lochspeare in Darkon; he won't be able to be here on time for the meeting of the elders. He promises to send us soon his first report on the subhuman (or , more correctly, sub-gnomish) races. I for one eagerly await the opportunity to ignore this treatise.
At the demand of Kristoff, we investigated the rumors of possible kargatane spies in the Manor on the day of the gathering. All sources point to only one source, Ryven Trylbare, a former purveyor of rare books. Despite our most thorough questioning, Trylbare remained silent. Though he offered only passive resistance, the man’s fearless, impassive stare can only indicate the deep currents of that flow beneath his calm surface. I recommend that we redouble our efforts, as I am sure that he will start talking very soon.
And for your information, the Acolyte of Zebulon didn’t even know we where having this meeting, so we do not see problems this way either.
On a final note, I have been recently injured in a boating accident and am required to keep my arm in a sling. Sadly this injury has badly disagreed with my stomach, which now makes the most peculiar noises – not unlike muffled speech. I would ask our members for their sensitivity to my condition, as discussion of the injury will only serve to aggravate the situation.
All these researches made me thirsty.
Yours in shadows,
Ambrose Skully
From: Ambrose Skully, FoS elder
To: All Ste Ronges FoS members
Still no news of the topic for Van Rijn’s conference. It seems he didn’t say a thing to anyone about it. This lack of common courtesy is common amongst humans, though I had hoped members of our organization would be able to transcend the limits of crude nature. I blame myself, however, for not impressing my proper Gnomish values upon this society of hapless homosapiens. Until then, we shall have to wait for the Saturday of the 29th.
I received a message from Jonothan Lochspeare in Darkon; he won't be able to be here on time for the meeting of the elders. He promises to send us soon his first report on the subhuman (or , more correctly, sub-gnomish) races. I for one eagerly await the opportunity to ignore this treatise.
At the demand of Kristoff, we investigated the rumors of possible kargatane spies in the Manor on the day of the gathering. All sources point to only one source, Ryven Trylbare, a former purveyor of rare books. Despite our most thorough questioning, Trylbare remained silent. Though he offered only passive resistance, the man’s fearless, impassive stare can only indicate the deep currents of that flow beneath his calm surface. I recommend that we redouble our efforts, as I am sure that he will start talking very soon.
And for your information, the Acolyte of Zebulon didn’t even know we where having this meeting, so we do not see problems this way either.
On a final note, I have been recently injured in a boating accident and am required to keep my arm in a sling. Sadly this injury has badly disagreed with my stomach, which now makes the most peculiar noises – not unlike muffled speech. I would ask our members for their sensitivity to my condition, as discussion of the injury will only serve to aggravate the situation.
All these researches made me thirsty.
Yours in shadows,
Ambrose Skully
I may be drunk, but you're.... I should drink it!
-
Viktor Hazan
- Criminal Mastermind
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:05 pm
- Location: St. Ronge FoS Manor
Wednesday October 26th, around 9h00 pm
His guest had just left, and Viktor Hazan was enjoying his after diner cognac while watching the fire in the Richemulouse inn’s main room. He was thinking…
Damn, this isn’t at all like Van Rijn. Why this mystery over his conference subject? He was among the first to insist that we always had a proper program to present to the Fraternity. Why is he silent on this? Is he mad? What did he find during his trip?
Viktor took another sip. He let his fingers tap upon the tabletop repeatedly in a nervous motion.
I sure would like to find the title of this text before Saturday. yet, this is not like him to keep us guessing. Not at all…
Then he saw a vistani offering her clairvoyance service to the inn’s clients. Hazan waved to her.
"Good evening, mademoiselle, there is something in my future that I would like to know, and your arrival here is timely as usual," Viktor told her with a half-grin.
The woman made sure he noticed that she saw his Fraternity sigil ring. "How can we serve you tonight, Sir?" she replied with a similar half smile.
"I’d fancy learning more about my fate, my dear," Viktor said, “short term, if possible."
She nodded and shuffled her deck of bluish painted cards.
The first card on the table: the Seven of Stars, reversed. She said, "This is you, my lord, the Illusionist. It should mean much about your occupation."
"Very good!" Hazan replied with enthusiasm, his smile broadened. "You are either very good at shuffling these cards, or very observant. It is reversed, does it mean anything?"
"Yes," she answered, "it is reversed, meaning possibly the deceiver is about to be deceived..."
Hazan frowned, "Go on."
The second card was the Ace of Stars, the Transmuter. "This is your past, lord. Your whole life is about to be changed by a past discovery, possibly a dangerous one."
Viktor listened with attention, serious.
The third card is the Raven, reversed. "And about this discovery, this will require that you make important choices and could bring dire consequences. It means betrayal by someone close to you."
"But by whom?" asked Hazan.
"This card said all it needed us to know. It doesn’t say anything more. Let’s continue," she said. The fourth card revealed was the Eight of Stars, the Necromancer. "A keen and learned mind close to you is in pursuit of dark knowledge."
Viktor didn’t say a thing. He was thinking about the meaning of the cards. Him?
"The last card is your future, Sir," she said. And then she drew the Horseman.
The Vistani only briefly glanced up at him, but it was long enough for Viktor to read concern in her eyes.
"It usually means … death," she whispered.
"Other possible meaning, mademoiselle?" Viktor asked with a cold voice.
"None that I can see, my lord," she said while looking at the last card, "death, or something close to it..."
In the following silence, Viktor looked a long time at the hooded skeletal figure with a scythe on the card. He had the impression it was grinning at him.
His guest had just left, and Viktor Hazan was enjoying his after diner cognac while watching the fire in the Richemulouse inn’s main room. He was thinking…
Damn, this isn’t at all like Van Rijn. Why this mystery over his conference subject? He was among the first to insist that we always had a proper program to present to the Fraternity. Why is he silent on this? Is he mad? What did he find during his trip?
Viktor took another sip. He let his fingers tap upon the tabletop repeatedly in a nervous motion.
I sure would like to find the title of this text before Saturday. yet, this is not like him to keep us guessing. Not at all…
Then he saw a vistani offering her clairvoyance service to the inn’s clients. Hazan waved to her.
"Good evening, mademoiselle, there is something in my future that I would like to know, and your arrival here is timely as usual," Viktor told her with a half-grin.
The woman made sure he noticed that she saw his Fraternity sigil ring. "How can we serve you tonight, Sir?" she replied with a similar half smile.
"I’d fancy learning more about my fate, my dear," Viktor said, “short term, if possible."
She nodded and shuffled her deck of bluish painted cards.
The first card on the table: the Seven of Stars, reversed. She said, "This is you, my lord, the Illusionist. It should mean much about your occupation."
"Very good!" Hazan replied with enthusiasm, his smile broadened. "You are either very good at shuffling these cards, or very observant. It is reversed, does it mean anything?"
"Yes," she answered, "it is reversed, meaning possibly the deceiver is about to be deceived..."
Hazan frowned, "Go on."
The second card was the Ace of Stars, the Transmuter. "This is your past, lord. Your whole life is about to be changed by a past discovery, possibly a dangerous one."
Viktor listened with attention, serious.
The third card is the Raven, reversed. "And about this discovery, this will require that you make important choices and could bring dire consequences. It means betrayal by someone close to you."
"But by whom?" asked Hazan.
"This card said all it needed us to know. It doesn’t say anything more. Let’s continue," she said. The fourth card revealed was the Eight of Stars, the Necromancer. "A keen and learned mind close to you is in pursuit of dark knowledge."
Viktor didn’t say a thing. He was thinking about the meaning of the cards. Him?
"The last card is your future, Sir," she said. And then she drew the Horseman.
The Vistani only briefly glanced up at him, but it was long enough for Viktor to read concern in her eyes.
"It usually means … death," she whispered.
"Other possible meaning, mademoiselle?" Viktor asked with a cold voice.
"None that I can see, my lord," she said while looking at the last card, "death, or something close to it..."
In the following silence, Viktor looked a long time at the hooded skeletal figure with a scythe on the card. He had the impression it was grinning at him.