Resonance of twilight Chapter One: Meetings

[Desertrising]

Dawn broke over Mordenthshire as it always did. First a pale light would begin to penetrate the overcast sky and land bound fog. Then slowly the fog faded, the sky's cleared slightly and the sounds of a new day began. Sounds of gulls screeching on the docks, of anvils ringing in the smithy's and of merchants barking their wares filled the air.

If anything was unusual about this day it was the absence of wind and breeze. Many people commented on the lack of even the slightest of breezes. However there was one man who was not surprised.

Kevic grimaced in pain as he leaned on his cane before the local bill board. Offering a passing youth a copper coin he observed as the message he had prepared the night before was posted. Before he departed he read the message one more time in hopes that this would somehow increase the attention it would be given.

I have need of those curious, honest, and experienced to investigate a strange occurrence. Please meet me at my office on two dogs lane under the hourglass sign to inquire further.

Satisfied, Kevic gathered his robes about him and began the painful journey back to his office. They would come of this he was assured. He only hope they came soon enough...

(OOC okay all feel free to post.)

[BigBadQDaddy]

Why was he here? Rent hadn't been paid, The horse looked starved, and he could sure use a meal himself. There were coppers to be made. Coppers from those who needed a carriage. Coppers that would pay his rent, feed his horse, and maybe put a bowl of broth in front of him. So why was he here?
He stared at the hourglass sign, blinking dazedly. What did a coachman know about investigating? What did a coachman know about strange goin ons? And most importantly, What was HE doing here?.
He figured if it was a mistake, he could leave and go back to coaching. Nothin to lose there? He had already been humiliated and abused by darned near everyone in town. What difference would this make.
He grunted at his own conclusion and lumbered through the door.

[Desertrising]

Rent moved through the door way a bell ringing above his head alerting whoever made residence inside to the presence of another being. Looking around Rent noticed that almost every inch of the small room was filled with shelves, tables, and a dizzying variety of equipment ranging from flasks and beakers to parchments and pins.

"ello?" said a rasping voice from deep within the room "Can I help you?"

[HuManBing]

Florian stirred at his lookout at the house across the road. There was a visitor. He peered through the curtains, down at the office at Two Dogs Lane - right across the street. The man seemed to be alone.

Florian recalled the sign. Curious, honest, and experienced, the billboard had said. Well, two out of three wasn't bad.

Beside him, the woman stirred in the covers as he pulled on his breeches and socks. But thankfully she turned and began breathing steadily in her sleep.

Reinhardt pocketed her key to let himself out into the leavening sunlight of dawn. There was a slot in the front door, he remembered. He would slide it back through.

On the staircase down, he thought briefly about leaving the woman a message of thanks. But the thought left as quickly as it came. He couldn't recall her name at this hour.

[Strahdsbuddy]

Curious. His brother had once told him he'd been blessed with the kind of curiosity that was known to kill cats. Just the fact that the word "curious" had been written as a way to attract prospective job seekers made him even MORE curious. He could let them know at Heather House that he was taking a brief leave of absense, following up on one of Weathermay's stories, just to add flavor to the book, of course. THEY wouldn't be curious, not the sort. They'd wish him luck and ask if they could fix him a lunch. Good people.

Standing just beneath the hourglass he saw a figure turn the corner, whistling casually to himself. Mortimer adjusted his specktacles and grinned with only half of his mouth. So, Florian was curious too. Well if the trip was dangerous, at least it would be entertaining.

Mortimer waited for Florian to reach him and took a sip from his flask before offering it to his friend. "This must be the unemployment line."


::OOC do i know anything about about this Kevic fellow? Is he a local?::

[BigBadQDaddy]

Rent moved through the door way a bell ringing above his head alerting whoever made residence inside to the presence of another being. Looking around Rent noticed that almost every inch of the small room was filled with shelves, tables, and a dizzying variety of equipment ranging from flasks and beakers to parchments and pins.

"ello?" said a rasping voice from deep within the room "Can I help you?"

Sheridon paused at the unfamiliar voice. Words failed to come to his lips as he knew not what to say. He took a step forward, allowing his twisted leg to slide forward as it followed the lead of the other.
Squinting his pale gray beady eyes, he tried to get a good look at the man in the room.
Quickly, he checked to make sure the collar of his highwayman coat was pulled up, concealing hi disfigurement. It was. He felt a little better. His massive frame took another step towards where the voice had come from in the room. Slower this time.
In a slur, he replied. "I shaw the advertishment. Inveshtigators? I am intereshted in lending a hand."

[Desertrising]

Sheridon paused at the unfamiliar voice. Words failed to come to his lips as he knew not what to say. He took a step forward, allowing his twisted leg to slide forward as it followed the lead of the other.
Squinting his pale gray beady eyes, he tried to get a good look at the man in the room.
Quickly, he checked to make sure the collar of his highwayman coat was pulled up, concealing hi disfigurement. It was. He felt a little better. His massive frame took another step towards where the voice had come from in the room. Slower this time.
In a slur, he replied. "I shaw the advertishment. Inveshtigators? I am intereshted in lending a hand."

From the shadows of the rear of the room a hunched figure shuffles forward leaning heavily on a staff. While the man is obviously crippled and heavily disfigured, there is a grace about his presence that is unmistakable.

He looks at Sheridon for a moment. Then as though he saw something he approved of he nods.

"Yes, the investigation, I did post a message about that" The man says in his raspy and wheezing voice breaking into a cough.

For several minutes the man grasps the edge of a table in order to balance his frail frame while the coughing racks his body. Finally the coughing fit passes and again he focuses on the Caliban.

"Names Kevic, owner of this fine establishment." He says "Please have a seat, I believe others will be arriving soon. Would you care for some tea?"

[WolfKook]

"Strange Ocurrence"? After weeks of delving in her books, reading about curses, coincidences, vistani, mists and all kind of folkloric and superstitious tales, Melissa could not help but smile when she saw the announcement. A couple of weeks ago, she wouldn't have even noticed it: She would've probably been busy in one of her many parties and social events. But now...

Week had passed, and there wasn't even the slightest clue as to how to solve the puzzle she was trying to figure out. The puzzle of her life, quite literally. Her head still ached from the sheer amount of information it had received in such a short time. She had decided to take a walk to clear up her mind, to organize her ideas, and to figure out where to start.

But there wasn't a specific place to start, so... Why not? Two-dogs lane wasn't that far, anyway. Perhaps she wouldn't find the answers she needed there, but maybe she'll find some of the questions she had to ask.

And she found some of them even before she got there. Florian Reinhardt? He seemed out of place there: He should've been in one of the many parties and social events she should've been in. And what was he doing with the Weathermay's newest protegé?

OOC: Same question as Strahdsbuddy. Do I know anything about this guy?

[Desertrising]

(OOC I posted commonly known information about Kevic in the OOC thread.)

[BigBadQDaddy]

"Yes, the investigation, I did post a message about that" The man says in his raspy and wheezing voice breaking into a cough.

For several minutes the man grasps the edge of a table in order to balance his frail frame while the coughing racks his body. Finally the coughing fit passes and again he focuses on the Caliban.

"Names Kevic, owner of this fine establishment." He says "Please have a seat, I believe others will be arriving soon. Would you care for some tea?"

Sheridon is caught off guard by the man's disfigurement. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea...if anyone would understand him it would be this old man, Kevic.
"No thank you shir. Don't partake in the shtuff." Sheridon approaches the man a bit more, taking in the room as he does so. "Am I the only one to arrive sho far?"

[WolfKook]

Melissa moved forward, towards the couple of men. She delivered a flirteous smile at Florian, and nodded at the other guy as she approached.

"Should I guess we're here on the same business, gentlemen? That would certainly be a most interesting coincidence..."

[Desertrising]

Sheridon is caught off guard by the man's disfigurement. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea...if anyone would understand him it would be this old man, Kevic.
"No thank you shir. Don't partake in the shtuff." Sheridon approaches the man a bit more, taking in the room as he does so. "Am I the only one to arrive sho far?"

Kevic nods slightly as he slowly and painfully settles himself down into a chair. "Aye, you are the only one. However, I am sure someone else will show up too. There are always some.."

His words are cut off as a series of coughing spasms rack his frail body. While he tries to hide it Sheridon sees that there are bits of blood on the cloth Kevic uses to wipe his mouth

After taking several deep breaths Kevic smiles apologetically at the Caliban and continues speaking "As I was saying, there are always some people who seem to find mystery interesting."

"So how came you to Mordentshire?" he asks Seridon

[Strahdsbuddy]

"Miss Crawford, isn't it? Mortimer Wachter, I believe we met at Heather House...briefly." He looks over at Florian, nudges him with his elbow.

[HuManBing]

Florian smiled broadly, with a disarming shake of his head of fine brown curls.

"In Lamordia we have a saying, that there are only two things that go against the order of nature: a persistent vacuum, and a Mordentman given to passions!"

He proffered his hand to each and gave a firm, confident handshake.

There was a tone to his voice, undoubtedly learned and aristocratic, which still struck of an outsider. Something clipped about the polished vowels, back in the palate, and something slurred about the digraphs, suggested an education or childhood spent abroad.

But as he continued speaking in his even, leisurely way, there was no doubting his fluency.

"My godfather, Gottfried Stirlitz, is captain of the ship-of-the-line Der Föhn. He came to Mordent and learned much of the great men and women of deed here. After my graduation from the Gymnasium, he saw that I lacked... how do you say... resolution... for the Edelkorps, and so it was his wish that I attend tutelage here in the learnings of spirit and resolve," Florian said. "He said the strongest physical force known to him was a thwarted Mordentman plotting his workaround!"

Florian looked about him.

"I look forward to my lessons in tenacity from you all," he said, with a little twinkle for Melissa.

[WolfKook]

"I look forward to my lessons in tenacity from you all," he said, with a little twinkle for Melissa.

Melissa looked away prudently, lowering her eyes a bit -not just to portray modesty, but also to catch a good glimpse of Florian while feigning it -, and smiling in such a slight way that any movement her thin, rosy lips, was barely noticeable, as was the custom for noble mordentish women: Old habits die hard, and even with all her current concerns, she still loved games, especially this one. She raised her head again, looking at him, and smiling again.

"I celebrate that such a fine man as he seems to be, has my country and my people in such a high esteem; I hope to have the opportunity to show you how spirited and resolute mordentmen -she made a calculated pause, raising one of her eyebrows as she caught his eyes -, and women can be".

Both men got an opportunity to look at her: Her striking blue eyes were the first noticeable thing, as was her carefully kept hair, of a raven black color that contrasted perfectly with them. Her clothes were of the finest mordentish tailoring, carefully made to fit her lean body, stressing her pale skin, delicate shoulders and long neck, at the same time making her breasts appear bigger than they were, and hiding her hips and legs under a long skirt. Her almost arrogant confidence and her higher education were also readily apparent from her posture and the way she expressed herself, and her choice of jewerly and accesories quickly marked her as a member of the scarce aristocracy of the city, as her name also did:

"Crawford, indeed -she continued, nodding as she turned to Mr. Wachter, with a well-measured move that allowed her hair to flow without resulting improper -. Melissa Crawford. I do remember having seen your face before, though I don't recall us having been properly introduced. You work for Master Jules, don't you?" -her eyebrow raised again, defiantly.