A New Barovia: Chapter One

[steveflam]

"I am sorry, but I can not help you with your spellcaster or who can get in the militia headquarters."

[BigBadQDaddy]

" I am unsure of what yo mean by that, Thomas. I do know who the Mayor is, who is the head of the Militia here, about the Goblyns if that is what you mean."

Thomas blinks and pauses for a moment before continuing his questioning. "You would be able to name an individual who stood out from a crowd? Or am I mistaken? Oh, I apologize. Assumptions sometimes get the best of me." He waves off the trivial indiscretion forcing a slightly embarrassed tone. "I had assumed someone of your considerable talents would take note of individuals who did not fit a particular mold so to speak." He turns to face Lemay, Thomas' usual cut and dry expression finding it's way back to his features. "To put it bluntly. Demi-humans. Those with enough clout to have access to militia records."

[steveflam]

"Ohhhh..... I see what you mean. Well, the only one I can think of is our Mayor. Azrael Dak is a dwarf after all. But why would he want to involve himself with militia records?"

[Ail]

"Still, that is a viable possibility. Of course, why would ANYONE resort to killing these women in the first place? That's why mysteries are mysteries!... they're cloaked in mist and we have to unveil them, so to say..."

OOC: pardon me the pun.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Master Gnome, I wish to learn the gnome tongue, not Akiri. And as your custom dictates," here he spits in his hand and offers it to Khalfani, "This is how we seal our transaction, am I not mistaken?"

Khalfani seems distracted for a moment. He glances at the doorway through which they came in, and then he turns back to Lemay, with a smile again on his face. "Yes, indeed. You are well traveled, sirrah," he says. He then spits in his own hand and shakes the other man's hand. "A transaction sealed, then." As they shake, Khalfani pays particular attention to a ring on Lemay's hand.

"Ohhhh..... I see what you mean. Well, the only one I can think of is our Mayor. Azrael Dak is a dwarf after all. But why would he want to involve himself with militia records?"

"Why indeed..." says Khalfani, a disconcerting possibility entering his already-troubled mind. "Alas, I fear we have imposed upon you even more than originally believed...."

The gnome turns to his companions. "Friends, I have just been made aware - by our mutual and small ally - that we have been followed here. It would seem that tonight's battle with our foes has been only delayed, not avoided. Prepare yourselves."

He turns back to Lemay and bows his head briefly. "A thousand pardons for bringing trouble literally to your doorstep. Is there another exit besides the doorway through which we entered?"

[steveflam]

Lemay frowns a moment then realization sets in. "There are miscreants after you, I gather by your comments. Very well. Follow me, I have a secret exit which will lead you back quite a ways to the district Quorrin's Inn is at."

He exits the room and takes you to what appears to be his kitchen. Opening a cupboard he reaches in and his hand seems to play with something. The cupboards back wall slides back, revealing stairs descending near twenty feet. It is illuminated by what seems to be a magical light in the middle of the way down.

"A friend left me that as a gift. It never goes out, you see. Take the door and it will take you near twenty five minutes to reach the end of the destination, a mere two streets from the Inn. It opens in an abandoned warehouse. Just exit in the alley and get back to the Inn safely. The door will lock behind you. Good Luck." He lets you pass before closing the door behind and you hear the distinct click of the secret panel locking.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Khalfani peers inside the secret passageway after Lemay opens it. The gnome is clearly impressed. Once all his companions are inside, he says, "You have our greatest thanks. I pray to the gods that the villains will not hound you in turn for what you have done. When the foul business is concluded, I will return to begin my part of the transaction." He bows and turns as Lemay closes the door.

When the door is sealed, Khalfani begins descending the stairs as instructed, but at a slightly cautious pace. He says to his companions, "It was Rizzen who alerted me. It is a ... strange sensation to hear another 'voice' in your head. Usually those who hear such voices are guests of an asylum. But yes, he warned that our foes were nearby. He also said that Delsenora was on her way to aid us if necessary.... hmm, I should try to contact that strange creature and let him know where we are. I do not know if it is possible for me to do so... always so much to learn, is there not?"

He pauses, closes his eyes, and concentrates on an image of Rizzen. Then he puts all other thoughts aside except for the words that form in his mind: Rizzen. It is Khalfani. We are safe -- I believe. Lemay showed us to an underground passageway. It leads to a building near the inn. Keep yourself and Delsenora safe. We shall meet with you in, oh, thirty minutes or so.

[steveflam]

"Master Khalfani. Very well, we will reconvene at the Inn then. Glad you are safe Master Gnome. I presume you saw his ring, sir? I hope my heads up will help you all in the future, sir"

[VAN]

Adam's eyes go wide when sees the secret passage. It's a strange a common bard to have one at his house. Adam's mind goes back at the ease Lemay let them in without many questions. The cleric starts to believe that Lemay isn't just an ordinary bard after all...But anyway he risks to save them so he says:

"Thank you once again for the great help Mr Lemay once we get this filhty were badger I will come back to you to discuss out travels. Fare well."

With that he enters the passage and moves ahead.

[kintire]

Marilee frowns

"Wait a minute... the culprit is right outside, and we're going the other way? shouldn't we at least see who it is?"

As the others vanish down the secret passage she gives an irritated sigh, bows politely to her host, and follows reluctantly

[Ail]

Robert becomes enthusiasmed with the prospect of a fight, even though a adequately scared for the outcome, and begins to prepare for it gallantly, but then Lemay shows them his passageway. He quickly considers that it is best to live a bit more to be a hero another day and so enters the tunnel. He says farewell to Lemay with a flourish and follows into the darkness.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Marilee frowns

"Wait a minute... the culprit is right outside, and we're going the other way? shouldn't we at least see who it is?"

As the others vanish down the secret passage she gives an irritated sigh, bows politely to her host, and follows reluctantly

Thomas' lips draw together tightly for a moment before he replies, "For once, I agree with you. On the bright side we now have our number one suspect."
With that he ducks into the passageway and follows the others, his pistol drawn in anticipation for the worse.

[steveflam]

Twenty five minutes later you arrive at a door. Easy to open, stairs rise up to ground level and a trapdoor. It is easily opened from within, but as you notice when you've exited the trap door is well hidden behind some crates. The warehouse is quiet yet some noise can be heard from within in regards to the street. The more you approach the exit, the more the noise becomes clearer. A battle! As you find the exit, the battle sounds end as if the fight is over. Opening the door, you see it opens into a dark alley. What Khalfani sees is a cloaked figure hunched over an inert one. The cloaked figure looks up from the inert form and hisses at your approach, red eyes blinking. The cloaked figure holds out a wand and utters a word, thus disappearing!

The figure on the ground doesn't move and it is eerily silent in the alley, even the area. As you approach the figure on the ground, light enters the alley from the street lights. The figure on the ground, though it is lit dimly, has white hair? There appears to be some liquid on the ground by the figure. The light glances off of it, showing to be crimson? Now right at the figure, you can see that it is clearly blood by the figure. Not only is the hair white, but the skin is ebony........... and you recognize the figure as Delsenora! To Khalfani's eyes, her body shows blue, which means her body temperature is cold*. Thomas notices another body nearby, a tiny one. He quickly realizes that it is that of Rizzen!


*= I am a big fan of 2nd Ed and judge that Khalfani, being a Gnome can tell the body heat of a person as any person with Darkvision could in that edition. So living would be red and blue is dead.


END OF CHAPTER!

[Ail]

"Aaahhhh nooooo!"

Robert advances furiously when he realizes they've let another woman die, but he becomes positively mad when he discovers it is what seemed as their truest and most powerful ally in this city. He looks around with a maddened look, trying desperately to remember every detail of the figure that had just left the scene.