Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

[ewancummins]

Charlotte clutches Jonas close when Everline speaks of innocence.

[Adam]

Bennedict sighs. "It may, in that it functions to allow us to give him commands. I can use it to send him back to his home so we can confront him there. As for actually putting him to rest?" He shrugs, "I doubt it."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro's consciousness has been catching only stray words and images over the past minute. Dodds' whimpering... the venom in Sancerre's words... Everline's fractured comments... Slowly, he gets to his feet. "Dorgio," he says finally, "I'm not entirely sure what you did -- or even what I did -- but I believe I owe you my life. I shall not forget that. Thank you."

He steps forward to where the others are discussing the fate of the apparently defeated spirit before them. He looks at Everline with a degree of compassion and sadness that surprises him. The young woman who was so mysterious and darkly enchanting two days ago seems... broken, like a clock with inexplicably missing numbers. He hopes that her mind can be "mended" somehow.

He says to Eustace and Benn, "Gentlemen. Am I to understand that you're unwilling to destroy this spirit right here? Right now? This monster has tormented us, tortured some of us, and killed who knows how many! It deserves no leniency. Or are you saying that its eternal destruction cannot be accomplished so easily?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Not enough," Everline says. "Shred this. Not. Enough. Needs... more?" She looks at Benn for confirmation. "Otherwise..." She jiggles her left wand in a meaningful way.

[Ken of Ghastria]

One or two of Everline's earlier words suddenly seem to sink in after the young woman speaks. Primeiro steps closer, resisting the urge to act as though he were talking to an invalid or an asylum inmate. Everline's mind may be injured, but her spirit remains intact, and she deserves respect.. "Mademoiselle... Just as his corruption led Dodds to this ... immortality, cursed as it is, you mean that innocence, if part of some ceremony, could reverse this, and return Dodds' spirit to a state where it could vanish from our world forever?" He manages a smile. "Forgive me, the arcane is a tricky subject for me."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Everline shrugs helplessly. "Theory," she says. "No more."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro ponders silently for several seconds. Then, with a grim, resolute expression, he turns and walks toward the hovering, flickering, twitching spirit. His rapier is still out... and then he sheathes it.

He crouches down to get at eye level with the ghost. Then he says in a soft voice, "Mr. Dodds? It's me, Primeiro. You painted a picture of me, remember? It was nice." A pause. "I'm sorry that my dad hurt you. I really am. Would you like to get rid of the pain?" In the crouched position, Primeiro's arms are crossed, resting on the young man's knees -- and he remains prepared to summon the rapier back to his hand if the spirit reacts violently to his words.

__________________________________
OK, this is different. Let's see how this goes. Let me know if a Diplomacy roll or the like is required. Primeiro draws his rapier as a swift action if the ghost attempts to attack him.

[Adam]

"No, I'm saying that extraplanar entities informed me that he CAN'T be destroyed here, as he exists simultaneously here and in the realm of shadow," Benn repeats, "We have to destroy him in his lair beneath the ruined temple."

[ewancummins]

The ghost doesn't move-- it doesn't even blink.
It hangs in the air and flickers in and out of focus.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Would he," Everline asks the others, "Follow the. Corpse?"

[ewancummins]

"Would he," Everline asks the others, "Follow the. Corpse?"

Charlotte shrugs.


Denys, standing by the broken window across the room, either hasn't heard Everline or else ignores her question.

Jonas, of course, has nothing intelligible to say on the subject.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio shakes he head angrily as he watches the confrontation between Juergin and Denys. "He may have committed evil, but perhaps the rot is not all the way through. We won't know until we talk to him...I am speaking not of blind trust, but neither do I speak of blind vengeance...not this time."

His words are made moot as both Juergin and Denys storm off. "We'll need to find the boy, before this is all done," he tells Benn.

Turning to Primeiro, he says, "I am not sure what happened either, everything went by so fast." He turns to regard Dodds' shade. "What could put this poor wretch out of its sorrow? Perhaps justice, a real trial for his crimes instead of a mob of vigilantes? A strange thought, but perhaps there is something to it."

"But perhaps the corpse is the key. Maybe it needs to see what has happened." Dorgio cracks his knuckles and heads to the bar where they left the corpse. "Primeiro, can you be giving me a hand?"

[ewancummins]

Webs of darkness still hang all over the bar, but Dorgio finds the box containing the corpse after some fumbling.
Within a minute after the box and its contents are moved into the ballroom, Dodds floats towards these things. He does not speak or show any sign of being ‘awake’ or alert. His curled up posture doesn’t alter one bit.
The ghost hangs in mid-air above the box with the corpse in it, flickering in and out of focus.

[Adam]

"Ah, well, that sorts that at least," Benn says, "I suggest haste. I have absolutely no idea how long we have until he recovers."

[ewancummins]

Charlotte gasps.
''So this ghost will return if we don't--what, exactly? What are you thinking, Bennedict Gerhman! Hmmm? You'd better tell me."

Benn probably remembers other times Charlotte has used his full name like that-- if not under such dire circumstances.