Grand Dining Hall

[Viktor Hazan]

“For this, and this alone, is my advancement denied. Therefore, I throw down this gauntlet to the Umbral Fathers, the Lords of the Fraternity...”

"It would appear that the gauntlet is not all that he threw down."
Ambrose motions towards the cadre surrounding Van Rijn with his one good hand, "Now see here, you, make way. We simply must cart away that loud-mouthed carcase before he begins to smell."

Ambrose is suprised to find the ranks of person around the podium tighten when Ambrose approaches.

They do not speak, but make it clear they won't allow Ambrose won't pass throught it without trouble. A few put their hands in their cloak...

"Back up, Ambrose !", Viktor scream to him.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Crow's move to rise from his seat, at van Rijn's collapse, had reversed as he realized the crowd of Brothers already clustered round the man was too thick for an easy -- or unobserved -- intervention. He slid back into his chair, conflicted -- the ailing man's words had resonated deeply, and merely to see the stuffy senior Fraternity officers taken aback by Rijn's outburst had been enough to win this wanderer's sympathies, in itself -- but now was not the time to invoke his own unorthodox magics publicly. Nevertheless, his expression shifted from sardonic to concerned, and his hands slipped under the tablecloth, to review the concise gestures of arcane healing in a blur of finger-moves not unlike those he might employ for an impromptu musical performance.

Not in front of the Brotherhood; most have less respect for my variant of the art than for van Rijn's. To say nothing of what conclusions that scoundrel Hartly might jump to! But just in case....

To the table at large, of course, he merely resumes conversation.

[Grey Arcanist]

So he wasn't poisoned, Conrad thinks to himself. Obviously, he thinks, we need to know if Van Rijn is in any danger of dying immediately; if not he can be questioned about his statements later, but if he is dying, we may not be able to learn what we must know...Can he be saved, if he is dying? "Hartly," he calls out in a clear audible tone, "You just said you might be able to lend Van Rijn some aid. If you or anyone else present has some immediately useful magic, say so now!"

[Viktor Hazan]

Do you truly care about him, then? “Professor Hazan, are you saying that these rumours are true? Or are you merely voicing the suspicion?”

“He assured us he had burned all those black books!”. Viktor looked shocked. “It’s Death!”

She looked around at the hubbub- some women were in swoons, their husbands and fathers tending to them. Bloody weaklings… She removed her gloves gently, then clapped her hands loudly. “Gentlemen! For shame! We are brothers in Shadow, not children in a nursery, or actors in some melodrama! Take the women away, and all non-members!”

She turned to Hazan, slightly apologetic. “Forgive me for intruding, sir; I feel the less witnesses there are to our upheaval, the better.”

At his query, she murmured, “Security, I would assume…?” At Hazan’s answer, she began to be worried. A determined look came upon her face. “If there is going to be trouble we really must get the onlookers out…”

Viktor realized she was right. Remarkable, really, he thought. “Indeed, this can turn really bad… if the umbra are involved”.

He joins his voice to hers and the non members are moved toward the Drawing Room.

[Viktor Hazan]

A scream is heard and your attention turns to Lord Balfour’s direction.

The elderly man fell on his seat, where he is standing only because other people are helping him, otherwise he would be on the floor. His face is distorted in a hideous mask! His body is shaking, and it seems uncontrollable.

Some people scream "poison!"

.

[Pamela]

At Conrad’s remark to heal van Rijn, she called back, “No! Remember van Rijn’s words! This seems to be the gauntlet- but who are they?”

She saw some of the men in the circle reaching under their cloaks. “And how were they able to bring in weapons?!”

At the latest upheaval around Lord Balfour, she mentally began to swear. This is an asylum! “Quickly! Take Lord Balfour out!” She turned to Huntly, “If you do have any form of ‘aid’, I suggest you give it to him instead!”

She looked down at her plate, and reached for her steak knife, slipping it into her pocket. It was a lousy weapon, but anything was better than nothing.

[Viktor Hazan]

“Headless chicken for real now”, murmurs Viktor. Looking back toward the podium, he notices a few persons there are grinning. “A game of chess. That’s what we are looking at now.”

“Yes, Hartly! If you can help Balfour, I implore you to save him!”

To the others around him “stop eating or drinking! We don’t know if all has been poisoned!”

[Ambrose Skully]

'What treatchery is this?" Ambrose shrieks at the circle around Van Rijn. His tiny face is a deep red fury, "Who let you... thugs in here!"

[Tobias Blackburn]

Hartly glanced down at Kingsley as the chaos grew.

"I was unable to get close enough to Van Rijn to attempt my spell. I doubt I would have an easier time reaching a member of the Umbera who might have been poisoned."

There is a moment of uncertainty taht crosses his face.

"And I have not yet deciphered the particulars necessary to cleanse the blood of contaminantes."

Seeing little else to do, he began to direct the non-members out.

[Grey Arcanist]

Pity I just used my Detect Poison cantrip on Van Rijn, Conrad thinks as he hears the shouts suggesting that Lord Balfour has been poisoned. But perhaps I can save both Van Rijn and Lord Balfour, he thinks, if they are suffering some sort of magical attack... Conrad moves to a position in the room where both Balfour and Van Rijn are within range, and then casts one of his most powerful spells, Break Enchantment, hoping to free them from any enchantments, transformations or curses which may afflict them.

[Tobias Blackburn]

Hearing Hazan's encouragement, Hartly decided to try towards Balfour. Perhaps an Elder's word would allow him to get closers.

Upon reaching the member of the Umbra he began to chant, using words that held a power in the school of conjuration, but mixing them with words that were unfamiliar to those who listened. It was no call to any god or ideal, but it still gathered energy. He laid his hands on the member of the Umbra and realeased the power, trying to direct it to heal his body.

(OOC: Cure Moderate Wounds. If only I had memorized Neutralize Poison!)

[Rotipher of the FoS]

“stop eating or drinking! We don’t know if all has been poisoned!”

At this latest outcry, Crow risks throwing discretion to the winds. Blast, if that isn't a summons to pandemonium in here, I don't know what is! He turns in his chair to where his instrument-case rests against the wall -- out of the path of traffic, but not for long if panic spreads any further -- and gestures in a flurry of chords strummed on air. The guitar-case lifts into the air and flies unerringly into his waiting hands, to be caught and tucked beneath his seat, out of the way of any impending, trampling mob.

His greater fear averted, he can then take the time to deal with the lesser matter of the brewing crisis in the dining hall.

[Viktor Hazan]

Pity I just used my Detect Poison cantrip on Van Rijn, Conrad thinks as he hears the shouts suggesting that Lord Balfour has been poisoned. But perhaps I can save both Van Rijn and Lord Balfour, he thinks, if they are suffering some sort of magical attack... Conrad moves to a position in the room where both Balfour and Van Rijn are within range, and then casts one of his most powerful spells, Break Enchantment, hoping to free them from any enchantments, transformations or curses which may afflict them.

There is no effect that you can see for now.

[Moral Machivelli]

"If you black robed thugs will impead my path" cries out the borcan " Mabey you will not impead this one" He intones ritual chants and incantations, and an enormaouse creatur, wreatheed in fire materializes. It advances on the Blackrobes

"Now Who are you!!"
OOc Major Image

[Viktor Hazan]

Hearing Hazan's encouragement, Hartly decided to try towards Balfour. Perhaps an Elder's word would allow him to get closers.

Upon reaching the member of the Umbra he began to chant, using words that held a power in the school of conjuration, but mixing them with words that were unfamiliar to those who listened. It was no call to any god or ideal, but it still gathered energy. He laid his hands on the member of the Umbra and realeased the power, trying to direct it to heal his body.

(OOC: Cure Moderate Wounds. If only I had memorized Neutralize Poison!)

OOC: good enough

The shaking of the elderly man stops. He glances briefly at the tall man who just stopped this symptom. You can read his thanks in his eyes.

However, he is still weak and has to be carried outside.