Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter 3

[ewancummins]

The dwarfish shadow detaches from Juergin's back, leaving him without any shadow of his own--just like the nosferatu of legend.

It creeps closer to Benn and Dorgio.
A harsh, high whisper leaks from the black shape-
''Dead...me brother....the sea...teeth...cheatin', lyin' cursed gypsies!"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Mister, 'tseems ta me yer in some discomfort," Everline says to the shadow. "Still 'n all, I'll be grateful ta ye if'n ye don' come any closer. Ye're makin' me a mite nervous. How's about we all have a nice, peaceful conversation righ' where we are, yeah?"

[steveflam]

Juergin takes a deep breath. "Dark One I call him. He found me drifting on a piece of my fathers destroyed ship after the pirates killed everyone aboard it and destroyed it. He helped me find a safe place. Then he helped me find the pirates who were responsible for the death of my crew and father. I disposed of them. He is de one who told me of this treasure that may or may not be here. I asked him who he was and he told me about Norzak and what happened to him. He has been my only friend ever since that fateful day and has caused me no harm."


The lad sighs, looking down. HE still keeps an eye on the others, ready to defend his friend.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio's jaw drops almost in sync with Benn's. "Napkirály's blood-stained fucking mouth..." He steadies himself by bracing the butt of his spear on the ground, and the silence that follows his curse is punctuated by the spear's arrhythmic rattling.

All thoughts of temperance flee from his mind as he quickly uncorks a flask with his free hand and takes a long swig while Benn and Everline try to make sense of the discovery. He swallows a long gulp just before hearing the shadow rasp out to them.

"I knew he must have died. Knew it when he never came back to Pont." He turns to Everline. "Norzak was a friend of ours, the last time we saw him, he had slipped off to pursue some Vistani who'd cheated him. The sea? Did they send him out to drown?"

"Benn, are you remembering, Norzak had a shadow creature of his own? It...it is making sense in a perverse way. He was always fond of children."

[PathOfDreams]

Before they leave, Petrie excuses himself to his room to gather the things he had prepared this morning. His armor is donned in a short time along with his scabbard across his back; over it, his backpack with his adventuring gear. He ensures his waterskin is brimming with the precious fluid. Reluctantly, he corks the rest of his whixkey and places in the bedside drawer. lastly, he sheaths his broadsword on his back and grasps his spear and shield.

In mere moments he meets Thom out front of the chateau. He slings his shield across his backpack and they head rougly north toward the rumored lost settlement.

Petrie speaks very little duing their journey of a few miles to the coastline. The late morning sun and calm breeze holds Petrie in its rapture. Petrie seems to not be attentive until he and his companion come upon the half-buried town. "Look at that!" he says in a soft exhuberance. "Seems like it was once a great little place to call 'ome, eh?"

Petrie follows along to act as a sort of guard while Thom pays close attention to the ground and likewise. "What do you think we'll find 'ere then Thom?"

[ewancummins]

Lost Settlement-



While looking over the half-buried village, the Forfarian spots a furtive shape moving on four legs through the ruined buildings and the heaps of sand. It might be a wolf, a dog, a huge fox...or something else.

[Adam]

Benn's eyes are still narrowed in suspicion, but his hand drifts away from his crossbow. "Aye, I remember. You are right, he did have a fondness for orphans. It fits, but...perhaps one more thing."

He screws up his courage and stands face-to-face with the shadow. "Tell me how we first met, Herr Norzak. Who were the first foes we battled together?"

[ewancummins]

Benn's eyes are still narrowed in suspicion, but his hand drifts away from his crossbow. "Aye, I remember. You are right, he did have a fondness for orphans. It fits, but...perhaps one more thing."

He screws up his courage and stands face-to-face with the shadow. "Tell me how we first met, Herr Norzak. Who were the first foes we battled together?"

The shadow whispers-

''The kidnappers....protect Miss Evie, a stranger then too... Cirdan was there at the beginning. "

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"So this is legit?" Everline asks, her voice very carefully even. "We - ah, you... Arright, I dunno what ta say ta this." Hesitantly, Everline addresses the shadow: "So... whatchou want, mister? Why youse hangin' aroun' da land a'da livin'?"

[ewancummins]

''Girl...I never died. Norzak died. I'm not Norzak....his shadow...now, Juergin's shadow."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Okay... So if'n you en't my friends' friend, what do you want?" Everline asks, her stick rising perhaps an inch.

[ewancummins]

The shadow-thing does not answer Everline, but merely returns to Juergin's back; climbing on without a sound.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Is it jus' me, or is that real disturbing?" Everline asks of no one in particular.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Mostly focused on watching for surprises from behind them, Primeiro stays several paces back as Juergin explores and as Eustace, Dorgio, Benn, and the ever-surprising Mme. Vaughn weigh in on matters supernatural and arcane.

In the blink of an eye, he pulls his rapier as the other men spot the eerie shadow near Juergin... and then, like Benn, his jaw drops in astonishment as the shadow is revealed to be not only a "friend" to the boy but apparently a former comrade of the others!

"Is it jus' me, or is that real disturbing?" Everline asks of no one in particular.

"Ohhh, it's very disturbing, mademoiselle," Primeiro says in a hushed but guarded voice.

"Excuse me, my friends, as I seem to be the only one who has NOT made the acquaintance of the devil-may-care sentient shadow...! Did it... he... just say that he has maintained an existence apart from the body of the person he's attached to? First this Norzak, and now Juergin?"

He looks at Juergin with a raised eyebrow. "Allow me an opportunity to understand this, lad." He lowers his rapier but does not sheathe it. "This... Norzak's shadow... found you, possessed or replaced your 'real' shadow, possibly saved your life, and has been your companion ever since? In exchange for what?" His voice is skeptical, though not antagonistic. He genuinely seems to want to understand something that sounds, to him, impossible.

____________________________
Wow, I'm away for a day and a half, and crazy stuff happens. That'll teach me.

[ewancummins]

Primeiro, standing back a little distance, gets a good look at what's happening with Juergin, and the reaction of the others. The roof overhead is not entirely collapsed in this section of the ruins; so that the scene before Primeiro lies half in shadow, half in the sunlight.

Juergin stands near the edge of the pit, close to the stone table, with the glowing coin on the floor at his feet. The boy eyes the others, a wary look, but not necessarilly hostile.

Benn and Dorgio face the boy and his dark companion.

Everline remains behind the two scholars, also facing Juergin and the pit.