RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter 3

[ewancummins]

He nods again. "Good, I'll have Hornsby see to the arrangements in the morning. I'm penning letters to the others who came by tonight to help with the chase, since it's possible he might have marked them as being here. Many of them are quite skilled. And I'll be with Dorgio. So, I don't want you to worry."

He holds her hand. "Despite all he's done, he's still just one man. We'll find him and we'll deal with him."

''Yes."
Charlotte rises without more noise than a rustle of the bedclothes. She put Tilda in the bassinet in the corner of the room, and then gets back in bed without waking Jonas.
"Sleep, Benn."
When the candle's blown out and he's joined her in bed, Benn hears his wife whispering. Not to him, but to Ezra.

And then Charlotte falls silent. No sounds can be heard in the room but the hushed breathing of Benn's family.

After what seems a long while lying awake in the dark, despite the peace and quiet of the chamber, sleeps at last comes to Benn.


----------------------------------


THE NEXT DAY...

[ewancummins]

THE NEXT DAY


A hired runner delivers Benn's letters to the homes and lodging places of Sara, Raen, Kat, and the others.
All save Juergin, who never gave an address.
In every envelope, a missive for each of last night's guests, summoning them back to Gehrman house for an afternoon conference on a matter of grave importance.

Hornsby makes a separate delivery, an item not entrusted to the courier boy.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

DORGIO'S HOUSE


The priest doesn't sleep well that night, even though he's laid his "trap chains" below the door and window sills of his family's small home. He hasn't used these chains in years--bits of thin wire strung with bells and other pieces of metal, designed to create a racket should an intruder happen upon them. Cold comfort though, against an assassin like Maytr.

The next day, when he gets the missive, and before he leaves he stops in on his cousin, Konstanz, asking her to check up on Lorna and little Sandor while he is away. With that taken care of, he heads towards Benn's house, with one priority in mind: Finding Juergin and the young man's fiendish companions. If Gruz and Smezel could have detected Maytr last night, then Dorgio believes it is of paramount importance to find them once more.

[ewancummins]

BENN'S OFFICE

TWO APPOINTMENTS



Benn has two morning appointments.

The first is with Anabelle.
The gendarmes who brought the dead woman in do not linger long. They make signs against black magic and then leave Benn's office as soon as possible.


Laid out on the stone-topped examination table, with her winding sheet peeled open, the woman's corpse shows no hint of the unnatural semblance of life Dorgio's necromancy conjured up within her.

Benn has all his tools on hand. Surgical blades, a sponge, a basin, jars, fluids for washing and preservation, etc.

[Adam]

Comforted by the ritual, Bennedict places his dark leather bag carefully away from the table but within easy reach, removing his journal and writing implements and placing them near to hand as well. He lays the enchanted magnifying glass on a tray of instruments, near to an array of scalpels, forceps, and other surgical implements. He removes his coat, tying an apron around his waist, and fills a bucket with water and a caustic soap to remove the blood.

He turns back to the body, hands reaching to begin removing her garments, but stops. In his head, the image of her eyes snapping open appears unbidden, and he has to take a moment to clear it with irritation.

Taking one more deep breath, he resumes his work.

[ewancummins]

Comforted by the ritual, Bennedict places his dark leather bag carefully away from the table but within easy reach, removing his journal and writing implements and placing them near to hand as well. He lays the enchanted magnifying glass on a tray of instruments, near to an array of scalpels, forceps, and other surgical implements. He removes his coat, tying an apron around his waist, and fills a bucket with water and a caustic soap to remove the blood.

He turns back to the body, hands reaching to begin removing her garments, but stops. In his head, the image of her eyes snapping open appears unbidden, and he has to take a moment to clear it with irritation.

Taking one more deep breath, he resumes his work.

Benn finds things that tend to confirm his previous observations.

But then...

see PM

[ewancummins]

DORGIO'S HOUSE


The priest doesn't sleep well that night, even though he's laid his "trap chains" below the door and window sills of his family's small home. He hasn't used these chains in years--bits of thin wire strung with bells and other pieces of metal, designed to create a racket should an intruder happen upon them. Cold comfort though, against an assassin like Maytr.

The next day, when he gets the missive, and before he leaves he stops in on his cousin, Konstanz, asking her to check up on Lorna and little Sandor while he is away. With that taken care of, he heads towards Benn's house, with one priority in mind: Finding Juergin and the young man's fiendish companions. If Gruz and Smezel could have detected Maytr last night, then Dorgio believes it is of paramount importance to find them once more.

DORGIO


Asking around Benn's neighborhood before knocking on Benn's door, Dorgio learns from a rag and bone seller that a masked youth was seen by local children this morning carrying bundles into an abandoned house.
From the vague description, the stranger might be Juergin. Or maybe not.


Checking at Benn's Dorgio learns from Hornsby that his friend is out at the moment but may be expected back in time for the afternoon gathering. But the serving-man offers little more information--he's clearly quite busy.
Indeed, the Gerhman household buzzes with activity. In the parlor, Charlotte discusses the price of berths with a man in an Arkandale riverboat captain's blue, brass-buttoned coat. Her maid hauls luggage into the front hall. As soon as Hornsby's not held up at the front door by Benn, he goes back to his own part of the travel preparations.
Charlotte steps out of the parlor for a moment to invite Gorgio's wife and son along to Mordentshire.
"Benn told me who was responsible, Dorgio. That's why he's sending us to Mordensthire; we'll be safer there. I think Lorna and your little boy should come too, but of course that's your decision."

With or without a definite answer from Dorgio, Benn's wife excuses herself and goes back to finish her arrangements with the riverboat officer.

[Adam]

Benn sighs and closes his eyes, drinking in this last tragic discovery. No matter how deep our loathing may be, he thinks, There is always room for it to grow deeper.

He carefully removes the discovery and places it respectfully aside before concluding his examination.

He writes down his discoveries in his notebook and prepares for the arrival of Mr. I.

[ewancummins]

Benn sighs and closes his eyes, drinking in this last tragic discovery. No matter how deep our loathing may be, he thinks, There is always room for it to grow deeper.

He carefully removes the discovery and places it respectfully aside before concluding his examination.

He writes down his discoveries in his notebook and prepares for the arrival of Mr. I.

BENN



...

Benn has completed his entry when he hears scuttling at the side door of the office, which leads into Norzak's old room.

Investigating, he finds his guest squatting in front of the pot-bellied iron stove the dwarf had installed, years back.
'Mister I." wears a hooded cloak but Benn can discern his distinctive features even in the shadows: long nose, whiskers, bright and wary eyes.

''Benn, you called. I came. Got something juicy for me? Arson, kidnapping, murder? Or maybe you rethought the offer? Want to join our family? We got a package deal going for you. I cleared it with The Boss. I can induct your mate along with you. The brood too, when they're ready. There's safety in numbers."
He titters and rubs his hands together.

[Adam]

Bennedict smiles, pulling the holding his hands up to allow them to dry after washing in the basin, trying to mask the shiver crawling down his spine. "As usual, Ignatz, your offer is very gracious, but I must decline. I do, however, value our partnership, and am glad you could take time to meet with me this morning."

He sets his bag down on Norzak's old table, looking down ascant at the creaky boards. "I called because there is a new case on my plate, one I care about a great deal. There is a murderer of women on the loose in the town, an old foe we were matched with named Jonathon Maytr. We had thought he had fled the city forever, but he has returned and is resuming his gruesome efforts."

He rustles in his bag, pulling out the small evidence pouch. "Last night, a woman was murdered by Maytr." Bennedict supplies him with the location. "I examined the scene and, during the encounter, it appears there was a struggle and he may have been splashed with this fragrance." He reaches into the pouch, fetching out the scrap of cloth. "I don't know how long it will stay on him but, knowing your people and their skills, I thought perhaps you may have be able to track him down. Or, perhaps, you've heard something of a new player in town?"

[ewancummins]

BENN AND IGNATZ

NORZAK'S OLD ROOM AT THE OFFICE


NOW A STORAGE SPACE

Bennedict smiles, pulling the holding his hands up to allow them to dry after washing in the basin, trying to mask the shiver crawling down his spine. "As usual, Ignatz, your offer is very gracious, but I must decline. I do, however, value our partnership, and am glad you could take time to meet with me this morning."

He sets his bag down on Norzak's old table, looking down ascant at the creaky boards. "I called because there is a new case on my plate, one I care about a great deal. There is a murderer of women on the loose in the town, an old foe we were matched with named Jonathon Maytr. We had thought he had fled the city forever, but he has returned and is resuming his gruesome efforts."

He rustles in his bag, pulling out the small evidence pouch. "Last night, a woman was murdered by Maytr." Bennedict supplies him with the location. "I examined the scene and, during the encounter, it appears there was a struggle and he may have been splashed with this fragrance." He reaches into the pouch, fetching out the scrap of cloth. "I don't know how long it will stay on him but, knowing your people and their skills, I thought perhaps you may have be able to track him down. Or, perhaps, you've heard something of a new player in town?"

Ignatz takes the cloth, sniffs it, and then tucks it ino a pocket sewn into his cloak.

"I'll see what can be done."
He retrieves a moldy baguette from the floor beside him and begins gnawing it.
Talking between gobbles of bread, he says,
''New player? Not that I know of. But there's something strange going on in derelict quarter, the Ghost Streets. All that ash. Surprised you need me to tell you about it, but I guess you've been pretty busy thinking about your old pal Maytr and then doing the slice-up on the dead mattress-girl. '

Ignatz sniffs in the direction of the door to the office.

"The weird thing is there's been no big burn. Just cold ashes falling from the sky."

[Adam]

Bennedict squints thoughtfully. "Really? That is odd..." he trails off. "Maybe I should see about taking a look. Might be related, might be nothing. In any case, if its odd enough, I'm certain the gendarmes will drop it in my lap eventually. It can't hurt to have a look in advance."

He reaches into his journal, pulling out the slip of paper with his sketch of Maytr's face on it. "This was what the boy looked like when we knew him, but that was nearly a decade ago. His true nature, however, is something akin to you and your compatriots. He doesn't transform into a rat, more like a weasel creature, and I was unable to perform a test to see if it was true lycanthropy. Are your kind able to detect each other? Tell who is an untransformed were-creature as opposed to a normal human?"

[ewancummins]

Bennedict squints thoughtfully. "Really? That is odd..." he trails off. "Maybe I should see about taking a look. Might be related, might be nothing. In any case, if its odd enough, I'm certain the gendarmes will drop it in my lap eventually. It can't hurt to have a look in advance."

He reaches into his journal, pulling out the slip of paper with his sketch of Maytr's face on it. "This was what the boy looked like when we knew him, but that was nearly a decade ago. His true nature, however, is something akin to you and your compatriots. He doesn't transform into a rat, more like a weasel creature, and I was unable to perform a test to see if it was true lycanthropy. Are your kind able to detect each other? Tell who is an untransformed were-creature as opposed to a normal human?"

''A weasel! Eek! They eat rats, you know."
Ignatz adjusts his cloak.
"But can we sniff him out? Maybe. If he's some kind of polecat or stoat, he might have a sort of musky odor even in man-shape. I don't know much about those kind of changers, really didn't know for sure if they existed...though I recall some story. Let me think...yeah, it was about a guy who ran the Lorelei, years back...Van Diemen? Not that, but something like it. He claimed to have fought some sort of weasel-man down in Arkandale. So I heard secondhand. Can't recall any details, though. It was years ago."

[Adam]

Bennedict looks grim. "I'm familiar with the man, and was nearby for the events of which you're speaking. May be worth giving him a look as well, see if he's heard or seen anything."

He straightens up. "That's what I needed from you. The compensation will be your standard rate, plus a bonus if you bring me something that leads to the man's capture. Is there anything I can do for you or your kind in the meantime?"

[ewancummins]

Bennedict looks grim. "I'm familiar with the man, and was nearby for the events of which you're speaking. May be worth giving him a look as well, see if he's heard or seen anything."

He straightens up. "That's what I needed from you. The compensation will be your standard rate, plus a bonus if you bring me something that leads to the man's capture. Is there anything I can do for you or your kind in the meantime?"

"Nothing special. Except maybe delay that burglar case you are working on. Just for a week or so. It's not as important as Jonathon Maytr, anyway, right?"