A New Barovia: Chapter Two

[steveflam]

The alley is quiet. Those of you looking at Delsenora will see she has no apparent wounds on her body except that of two tiny pierce marks
on her neck. They are obviously bite marks and you do not need to come to any conclusion about the bite marks or so it seems. Thomas especially knows these to look like a Vampire's bite. Blood is abundant near her head and neck, however.

Then footsteps can be heard approaching the scene. That of one person. From the street enters an adult woman at a quick pace. At first she only sees the form of Delsenora. Then a frown appears on her face as she sees you all near the body. Stopping in her tracks she assumes a non threatening pose, having judged you have arrived on the scene as well. She holds her hands out by her side and speaks.

"I am now going to pull a sunrod from my bag. It looks like you have just arrived here as well. I am hunting a Vampire and not a threat. Will you allow me to take out my sunrod?"

[VAN]

Adam runs towanrds Deselnora and checks her breath. When is sure she is dead she closes her eyes and makes a short pray so she can rest in peace. He notices the bite marks at her neck and swears in low voice. Then stands up and says:

"A vampire...I just hope isn't the Count. I know all of you loved Deselnora but we need to prevent her of becoming a vampire as well. Looking at the others continues:

"I need to cut her head and drive a wooden stick at her heart. Yes I know that isn't the best thing to do to the dead body of the woman that helped both us and my father in past but I'm sure she would want same thing. Also I know that Jacob isn't in the best mental condition but I want to inform him. He needs to know the fate of his daughter."

When the woman arrived Adam, just nods and says:

"Yes go ahead, but be careful with the vampire I don't want to deal with 2 dead women today."

Turning to the others says:

"Can any of you cut her head now and someone fetch me a wooden stick please?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Yixrib beitak! By all that is holy, Adam, restrain yourself!" Khalfani calls out with shock and rage. The gnome glares at Adam and then he advances toward the body. "For her memory and for the sake of possibly finding evidence about who or what is responsible, let us at least take a moment to look at the area before you rush to cut off Delsenora's head!"

He calls over to the newcomer. "Yes, a sunrod? Please do light it. We all need a better look at the tragedy that has occurred tonight." His face still contorted in disbelief and anger, he begins to examine Delsenora's injuries more closely. "Poor, talented, enchanting woman... you deserved better," he mutters. He glances up at the blood around her. "So violent, so much blood... yes, why IS there so much blood? Would a vampiric fiend not have..." He feels the gorge rising in his stomach. "...not have fed?"

[steveflam]

The woman nods at Khalfani and breaks the sunrod and the alleyway is illuminated now. She now has the chance to eye everyone and nods in agreement with the Gnome's assessment. "Yes, I doubt she was bitten by a Vampire, just made for people to think so. A Vampire would not leave all this blood and...." She pauses, doing a double take as she spies Thomas and gets a good look at Adam. "Thomas... what in the name of... and Adam.... you've both grown. Someone needs to alert the militia immediately about Delsenora and maybe alert Jacob about her." She looks down on the ground and swallows. Adam will recognize the woman as Laurie Weathermay whom he has met on at least two occasions in the past due to his friendship with Thomas.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Thomas looks at his aunt in stunned silence for a moment. His eyes go to Adam and back to her as his mouth works to conjure words. After regaining a bit of his composure he replies, "Aunt Laurie..." He begins, blinking away some of his surprise. "I had heard you may be in the area. Despite the circumstances it is good to see you. I agree we should send for the militia, does Krezk have patrolman whistle blowers?"

He makes careful strides towards the woman, cautiously avoiding the body that he can't help his eyes from looking over. Such a free spirited woman...her poor husband. And of Jacob, oh Jacob...hasn't the poor man been through enough.
He takes a deep breath.
In a discreet tone he says quietly to his Aunt, "Aunt Laurie, Perhaps we should wait on notifying Jacob of this turn of events. No one should have to see their kin put on such brutal display." He turns to look over his shoulder at the others investigating. "The psuedo-dragon yet breathes. If nothing can be done for Del...perhaps at least we can save her friend."

He stands quietly, looking at Laurie, as if he expects some sort of tongue lashing, before he builds up the nerve to ask her, "We were told you may have a book in your possession. One of great uncle's. His work on Lycanthropes. And of the one who told us, what do you know of Arselius? Is he to be trusted?"

[VAN]

"You got me wrong Khalfani, I don't disrespect the dead. I do know that if someone is bitten by a vampire can become one as well and to prevent that need to behade the body and get a wooden stick directly to the heart. Believe me if Delsenora was alive she would done same thing to me, you or anyone else and for sure would have wanted this to be done to her as well. It's precaution not vandalism. But if you think that wasn't bitten by a vampire then ofcourse nothing will happen to her body and she will get burried with all the honours that she deserves."

Getting again near Del Adam examines the body better. When he recognizes Laurie he says:

"Mrs Laurie, I was hoping to meet you again under better circumstances but is a pleasure have you here with us. Your experience will be very useful to us right now."

After finish examining Delsenora Adam goes to check on Rizzin.

[steveflam]

Thomas looks at his aunt in stunned silence for a moment. His eyes go to Adam and back to her as his mouth works to conjure words. After regaining a bit of his composure he replies, "Aunt Laurie..." He begins, blinking away some of his surprise. "I had heard you may be in the area. Despite the circumstances it is good to see you. I agree we should send for the militia, does Krezk have patrolman whistle blowers?"

"I do not think so." Khalfani will confirm this. To his knowledge, he has never heard a whistle or seen a militiaman have one for that matter.

In a discreet tone he says quietly to his Aunt, "Aunt Laurie, Perhaps we should wait on notifying Jacob of this turn of events. No one should have to see their kin put on such brutal display." He turns to look over his shoulder at the others investigating. "The psuedo-dragon yet breathes. If nothing can be done for Del...perhaps at least we can save her friend."

"You're right, we can wait for that. Jacob is already in a bad place as it is. As for Rizzin, yes he appears to be alive but merely unconscious. Good job on spotting that." Her smile is genuine.

He stands quietly, looking at Laurie, as if he expects some sort of tongue lashing, before he builds up the nerve to ask her, "We were told you may have a book in your possession. One of great uncle's. His work on Lycanthropes. And of the one who told us, what do you know of Arselius? Is he to be trusted?"

"Ah yes, the book. I asked Arselius for it because I wanted to read up on what Uncle had noted for Werebadgers given the situation here. Am I to presume you and your friends here are investigating these gruesome murders or will be?" She pauses, scratching absently at her arm.

"Arselius? What about him? Well I know he is an strange fellow, but he can be trusted. He has proven himself to both your mother and myself in the past. He just is a bit of an oddball is all. It took me a few times to get used to him actually. Look, let's take in the scene. Excuse me," she looks at Robert "Would you mind terribly going to fetch the Militia with your young woman friend? It would be of a great help."

Turning back to Thomas she says "Listen, I am here until the day after next. I have a free day tomorrow. Perhaps we can sit and compare notes on what we've found out here? I've been here since we've been able to get into Barovia, actually. It really is good to see you!"

Unshy and bold, she moves forward and grabs Thomas in an affectionate hug.

"Mrs Laurie, I was hoping to meet you again under better circumstances but is a pleasure have you here with us. Your experience will be very useful to us right now."

After finish examining Delsenora Adam goes to check on Rizzin.

Upon examining Rizzin, Adam realizes that the pseudodragon is unconscious, having been burnt badly and beneath the burns he has been beaten badly. He realizes that the familiar will need more than a simple orison of a healing. From what the Cleric knows about Jacob, Rizzin will need quite a few of his best Cure spells as a matter of fact.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"'Aunt Laurie'...?" Khalfani mutters after hearing Thomas speak to the newcomer. From her words and manner, she appears to be an accomplished and confident person and well acquainted with the undead.

"You got me wrong Khalfani, I don't disrespect the dead. I do know that if someone is bitten by a vampire can become one as well and to prevent that need to behade the body and get a wooden stick directly to the heart."

"I misunderstood nothing, Adam," the gnome says as he stands up from where he had crouched by Delsenora's body. "It was not your reason that I questioned, but your haste. I do not presume to know as much as about vampires as I sense that this woman does -- your aunt, Thomas? -- but I am unaware of any vampire's victim falling to Ulmaut -- the Undeath -- within minutes of the vile act."

He walks over to Laurie and bows, "I bid you, greetings, aunt of my new friend Thomas. My name is Khalfani Fenimikk. And you are correct in that we do have much to discuss. Before we do so, however...."

Khalfani looks back to Delsenora's body. "Whoever killed that good lady wanted us to believe that a supernatural creature was responsible. Delsenora may also have possessed something that the killer wanted, but was not able to retrieve because of our arrival.

"I am shamed to ask, but could one of you ... search through Delsenora's clothing before we summon the militia? I would have done it...." He is clearly uncomfortable. He presses on. "In my culture, taking the possessions of the dead is an affront to the gods. I am a gnome of learning, I know, but the old customs are buried deep in my mind. If you could perform the task in my place, I would be grateful.... She may have something of great value to our investigation."

[steveflam]

"You are right. There would be no blood at all and Delsenora's body would be near empty of it's blood as well. Looking at the marks on her neck I think perhaps she was poisoned. I'll search her body if there are no objections."

Turning to Khlafani, she smiles "I am Laurie Weathermay, Aunt of Thomas and a hunter. Give me a moment."

Now Laurie begins the grisly task of searching Delsenora's body. She appears to be accustomed to this task and performs with without flinching. Presuming that Robert and Marilee go get the militia, they all arrive within minutes. Laurie takes nothing but notes in a pad what she finds and takes nothing. She does use gloves so as not to disturb anything on the body.

Dmitri is amongst the militia and he curses in Falkovnian under his breath. When the militia do arrive, Laurie winks at you all as she has quickly slides two items into a pouch. "Yes, I believe she was indeed poisoned through her neck. Her body is full of bruising but no burns like Rizzin, I believe that Delsenora was quite resistant to magic and thus perhaps was unaffected by the burns Rizzin suffered. Her clothing smells of fire. This is not the work of the same madman who is killing women in the city. That doesn't mean to rule out these person know each other or are perhaps working together. Sergeant, that is all I have found."


Dmitri sighs. "Vell, tank you Miss Veathermay. Ve vill take it from here, Fraulein." Laurie has now moved back from Del's body. In the meantime, Adam has cast a Cure spell on Rizzin which slightly revives the pseudodragon. Its eyes flutter open slightly and it takes a few seconds for the eyes to focus. When it sees Adam it appears relieved, then it frowns and gasps. His voice rings out to the party's minds.

"I have no connection with Master Jacob ......... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Terrible terrible...................... Is, is.... Mistress Delsenora well? I tried to protect her from our attackers but failed.... " The tiny creature looks at the ground and tears can be seen streaming from his face.

[VAN]

Adam moves away giving Rizzin some more space to breath. With sadness clear at his voice said:

"Try to calm Rizzin, you are still very weak. Unfortunately Delsenora...ah...well...she didn't make it. But I swear we will do our best to catch who did that to you and her. Tell me about Jacob? Ah...is...is he...ah...you know...still alive? I know a shock of losing a child can be tremendous for a father. Do you think you can tell me anything of the attackers?"

[Ail]

Robert is slow to react. He interjects at once after Adam's suggestion, feeling intuitively they must be sure she is dead, and dead from the supposed cause. He looks around. He too finds all the blood strange. He wholeheartedly agrees with Khalfani.


"Why is there so much blood if she has no wounds? Surely it could not have bled that much from just those two wounds... And who'd make them before her being killed? Cause, you know, I'm no doctor, but I've seen lots of men bleeding in my life... and they don't bleed after dead, as far as I know.


He is not present when Laurie gives her verdict that Delsenora was poisoned, having gone fetch the militia, but as soon as he is put up to date, he frowns.


"You sure, miss? That sounds mighty strange to me. Poisoned through those wounds? And bleeding through them, you say? Odd...
So, someone was here, he used potent magic and had some art in fighting at close range, apparently. Hmmm.... something's very fishy here."

[Ail]

As Rizzin speaks, Robert raises his eyebrow.

"Why don't you have any connection to Jacob? Don't tell me someone killed him too!"

Robert offers to go check on Jacob, just to make sure he's well. He asks for company (and directions).

[Ken of Ghastria]

"I do not know the way either, Robert," Khalfani says. "Wait a moment, please, until we hear what Rizzin has to say. It may be that the poor creature is too stunned to sense Jacob just now." The gnome waits for Rizzin to answer Adam's question.

[steveflam]

"No.... no.... not stunned.... I am a familiar... if my Master is dead, there is no more connection. The Master had a spell upon himself and the Mistress. To explain this, our attackers surprised Mistress. She nearly died right there, but the spell between her and her father kept her alive. There was a woman and three men attacking her first. They did not see me. I kept hidden as she tried to defend herself. She fought valiantly, but to no avail. Then I cast a spell the Master gives me and burned all four assailants. By then, the mistress was in a bad way and I jumped in to help. The last thing I remember is her fighting back.

I.. I ,.... think Mistress took too much damage and thus the Master succombed to her fate unfortunately. The men were young, as aged as Thomas or Robert. The woman, she was in charge. I merely saw her face briefly, but it is human. I think she was after you all near George Lemay's. I have no Master and no Mistress now....."

The Pseudodragon stares at the ground and sits up with difficulty.

[kintire]

Marilee fetches the Militia as instructed, then listens closely to the Pseudodragon and frowns

"More enemies? perhaps they are servants of the werebadger. Why would they try to make this look like a Vampire's work instead of the serial killer's otherwise? But why the deception anyway?"