The Halls of Medeia - Chapter 1

[Ail]

"THanks fer that information." Thinking about how much work she has, he frowns. A thought occurs to him and he voices it ot her.

"Do you need help 'ere in the library? I'd be willing ter help ye, fer a small fee or salary. Not right today but somethnig on the semi regular if it is possible." He picks up the slip of paper, pocketing it.

"Er, do you know where this address is from here?"

"Ah, that is the address of the previous librarian, that you asked me. He's an affable man, you'll find."

"Help me? Oh, most of the days it's fine, it's just that occasionally I have this lump of requests on me and then the returns. I wouldn't mind, but I can not decide that. You would have to ask Miss Emily, I suppose."

"You misundertood me. How do I get to this address from the school?"

"Ah, oh, sorry George. Well, Ladymere is about 2h walking from here, so I suggest you get a cart or something. But it is easy to go there. You leave the college and turn left, go to the top of the hill, and then follow the road straight down until you reach the Great Park. Follow it until the lake and it should be there."

[steveflam]

"Thanks mum," he nods and exits the library. He tries to judge if he can get a cart to the address now and attempts to. Otherwise he returns to his room for studies.

[Ail]

Being the late months of the year, the sun has already set, despite being barely tea-time. But George reckons that would not give him much time to go and be back in college before dinner time.

Of course, there is also the matter of leaving college.

[steveflam]

George heads back to his room. He will study for the erst of the evening.

[A G Thing]

Christine keeps herself at the ready to throw her lantern toward the creature should it attack but hearing the approach of someone else not aware of what is before her she shouts out a warning. "Watch out! There is a creature!"

Her leg trembles with pain as she holds herself up on it, her free arm braced on a nearby tree she keeps her eyes on those of the creatures. She studies them as best she can with her poor eyes through the dim light of her lantern wondering what the beast form was beyond those glowing orbs.

[Ail]

The steps advance more rapidly in Christine's direction, as a young male voice shouts waving his lamp. The creature, startled by this new noise, blinks and runs away, as someone arrives close to Christine.

"Are you all right? Who are you?"

His voice seems familiar, but there's no hint of recognition in his voice.

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George goes back to his room. As he enters, it is dark and apparently empty. The window shutters are opened, but not much light comes in. George lights a flame and can see that Oliver seems to be in bed, asleep. He's so well covered that George thinks he might be feeling sick and cold.

[steveflam]

George goes back to his room. As he enters, it is dark and apparently empty. The window shutters are opened, but not much light comes in. George lights a flame and can see that Oliver seems to be in bed, asleep. He's so well covered that George thinks he might be feeling sick and cold.

George walks quietly over to the window and looks outside, hands in his pocket. Leaning against the wall, he thinks about the events thus far. Why did the retired librarian take books out? He probably knew a lot more than he let on to anyone. He needed to find out the dead boy's name and anything else about him. First off, he needed to visit the retired librarian.

He walks over to where Oliver is sleeping and takes a cursory glance at him, just to make sure he isn't more than in ill health.

[Alastor]

Niles leaves the chapel just after dusk, looking bit downcast as he contemplates the questions Father Richard had asked.

As the five o'clock bell rings behind him, he realizes that the few students rushing off of the lawn are probably late for afternoon tea and that this would be as good a time as any to make inquiries of the undergraduates.

Niles speeds his pace a bit as he walks to one of the common rooms around campus where students congregate at this hour.

[Ail]

Niles knows the boy is Basil Gribble, and that he is a second year student. As far as he was told by Father Richard, he is the son of Scottish well-to-do merchant, but not of noble blood.

OOC: note that neither George nor Christine know this information.

He goes to a common room where some of his class mates study and tries to talk with the students to see what he can find.

OOC: Make a Gather Info check. There is no particular DC, but your result will determine the information you receive. You can add +2 because some students have previously consulted with Niles.

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George wanders in his room for a little while, thinking, and then goes to take a look at Oliver. The other student is very silent, and not moving at all, and when George looks more carefully, his head appears to be totally hidden under the blankets.

[steveflam]

"Oliver, mate, you awright?"

Even as he is asking, George is reaching for the blanket to pull it down and check on the boy.

[Ail]

As George does so, he is disillusioned to find Oliver is not there, after all. In his place are a bundle of clothes, covered and arranged in a way to fool a casual observer.

[steveflam]

George relaxes and replaces the bed as he found it. For the rest of the evening he studies, goes to eat supper, then studies some more.

[A G Thing]

Christine watching intently as the creature flees into the woods at the approach of the boy. Holding her lantern to try and keep the light from her face she shakes her head as she had given any pretense of hiding her voice at her warning to him.

"Hahaha... Since you arrived and happened to save me from my foolish effort... Sigh... I'm Christine Reliard... Can I ask your name oh gallant hero?"

She keeps herself about 10 feet from him backing away on her injured leg if she must as she clears her eyes and holds her lantern between them until she either sees who this is or he tells her his name. The rather humorous laugh and carefree tone is to cover her own embarrassment and her fading fear of how dumb she had been.

In her mind she can't help but berate herself... Wasted her disguise, twisted an ankle, nearly eaten by a forest beast and now rescued by someone who saw through her obviously poor attempt at stealthiness.

[Ail]

"Christine?"

The boy approaches, illuminating his face.

"What are you doing here? Are you hurt?"

Christine can recognize Oliver. He looks equipped for an excursion, bringing with him a rope and a backpack, along with the lantern.

"Lucky I found you, I was not expecting to meet anyone."

[A G Thing]

Christine finally recognizing the voice stops herself midway through backing up from his approach and lowers her lantern to a more comfortable level. "Oliver? I would ask what your doing, but looking at your things I think your sneaking out alone as well. And well... I may have twisted my ankle a bit."

Her relieved tone does not hide her embarrassment or the blush at admitting it, but it also is far more conspiratorially happy even if clearly still tense. But her eyes still scan around her nervously as if looking for the creature from before. She is obviously favoring her good leg as she braces near a tree.

"I'm very glad to see you though. We should get over this wall and out of these woods before we discuss much further. We clearly shouldn't be in here!"