Realms of Dread [IC] Chapter Three

[ewancummins]

"My Lord, you're jumping to conclusions! Master Zilfarrik joined the Watch seeking adventure and to aid the city, but of course a person of his breeding is lowering himself by doing so: so he did not give his family name when recruited and downplays his connection in polite company! It was just the courtesies of society, there was no intention to deceive. We are here to petition for clemency for our friend: there's nothing unusual or sinister in that!"

[I'm sticking with my previous Bluff 31, as I reckon its part of the same Bluff. I haven't rolled intiative yet: I'm not taking any combat actions]

''Hold!''

The graybeard man pauses, still eyeing Shana warily.

The weasely clerks lets out an explosive sigh.

The big man relaxes his grip on Blaise's arms. The blood flow returns to normal.

The baron looks at Shana for a moment, puckering his lips and letting forth a low whistle.

''My lady will forgive me. It's easy to , ah, jump to the wrong conclusions about apparent imposters, given the situation. The enemies of the realm are many, and cunning. I ought to have realized that the Zhentarim would not use such a transparent approach. ''

He looks at Blaise, a smile on his lips that doesn't quite reach his blue eyes.

''I do hope you will accept my apologies, dear sir. The evil times have ennervated my sense of humor, it seems. So many wretched petitoners come through every day: widows, orphans, those made houseless by the great fire, etc It is positively heart-breaking. The poor people....''
He almost looks sincere.

[ewancummins]

When finally she can speak she says:

"What are you talking about? Are you insane? I was here with the Captain Rask!"

When shows the fist starts screaming hoping someone can hear her:

"Help! Help!! Please help me! You have no right to treat me like that! Help!"

''Shut up, witch! Roog, stuff something in her mouth!''

Roog never gets the chance, though.
The door bursts open in a shower of splinters.Roog hesitates. Something big rushes into the room. A huge right hand snags Roog and hurls him backward against the stone wall, where he sprawls senseless.

Ironheart has arrived.

Garlic-Breath turns to face the angry titan, and freezes in terror.
The hulking FFolk warrior snatches the smelly man by the collar and lifts him up one handed. He pulls Garlic-Breath close to his face.

''Bad idea. You leave now, or I forget the city-men rules about killing...do you understand me?''

Garlic-Breath manages a hoarse whisper-

''Yes...''

Ironheart drops the bully to the floor. Garlic -Breath and his two flunkies run away.


Ironheart is in front of Ino in a single great stride. He seizes her roughly and draws her close to his body. He sniffs her hair-

''Ahhhh...you smell good. I could take you now, woman, but the guards are many and they have bows. I could get you out- though maybe you would catch an arrow or two. What say you?''

[Ken of Ghastria]

The baron looks at Shana for a moment, puckering his lips and letting forth a low whistle.

''My lady will forgive me. It's easy to , ah, jump to the wrong conclusions about apparent imposters...these evil days. The enemies of the realm are many, and cunning. I ought to have realized that the Zhentarim would not use such a transparent approach. ''

He looks at Blaise, a smile on his lips that doesn't quite reach his blue eyes.

''I do hope you will accept my apologies, dear sir. The evil times have ennervated my sense of humor, it seems. So many wretched petitoners come through every day: widows, orphans, those made houseless by the great fire, etc It is positively heart-breaking. The poor people....''
He almost looks sincere.

Blaise does an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders, and he turns his head to give the guard a withering glare. Looking back to the baron, he says, "My apologies as well, Baron. I understand the confusion. It is as she says. Regarding my true name, I have not and would not have lied to a man of your standing, Baron. That would be ... unseemly." Blaise forces a smile to match Ildool's, and he maintains his hold on the gem in his hand.

"The only people I have deceived with the 'Redman' name -- poor, isn't it? I didn't put much effort into it -- are Watch-Captain Rask (an efficient soldier) and other members of the militia, as well as someone whose suspicious activities were part of what drew me here: the wizard Delthrin. Allies of mine believe that he had struck alliances that would have ultimately undermined your authority." He pauses for emphasis. "You have friends, Baron. They knew that I was planning to come to your land, and they asked me to ensure your welfare -- subtly, of course.

"The woman Inovidil is indeed an ally of mine, and she is skilled in arcane investigation. And as Shana says, we are here in full honesty to plead for clemency. I would like to hear what happened in Delthrin's keep, from her own lips." He looks around the room. "Excuse me, but is there a chance of any good wine, your lordship? That orc piss I've been forcing myself to drink at that horrid inn has ruined my digestion."

[ewancummins]

''Ha! Yes, some good wine, indeed. Randall- be so kind as to have the servants bring in some red Chess-wine, eh?''


Weasel-face hops to obey his master's orders.

''Now then, what's this about Delthrin and alliances that might undermine my lawful authority?''

[BigBadQDaddy]

Threan comes back out through the security door to come meet Alain at the counter . "So how can I help you today ? " Threan asking on his way to the counter . Alain may notice that Threan is walking at rate closer to what Ironheart moves(when IH walks) than what someone of his small size would normally move at without any apparent extra effort on his part .

Alain smiles in return. "I wanted to see if you had time to talk. If you are busy I would have no problem arranging for another time." He drums the counter lightly absently. "To be quite honest, I wanted to talk about what transpired the other night. Perhaps hear your account of things?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

''Now then, what's this about Delthrin and alliances that might undermine my lawful authority?''

Blaise says, "Delthrin had been strengthening ties with Marsember's criminal element, funding a thriving smuggling operation on the docks. Smuggling what, I'm not sure -- yet -- but I sense the operation may have been only a device to forge an alliance with the cult of Mask. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. A priest of Waukeen came to examine Delthrin's corpse. Considering that the churches of Waukeen and Mask are constantly battling, her appearance was ... intriguing, to say the least.

"In any event, Baron, I had earlier shared some of my suspicions -- but not my conclusions -- with my allies Inovidil and lovely Shana here. In my 'Redman' guise, I had been following up on clues, but within legal guidelines, at least at first. Inovidil, impulsive as she is, took the other approach, going outside the law to search Delthrin's home for evidence that he was working to seize power within this city.

"I should have kept a tighter rein on her. It was my one mistake, and a costly one. When I learned of her activities, Shana and I quickly made our way over there, but at that point, it was too late -- Delthrin was gone, and that overzealous gnome, Threan, had alerted the authorities before I had a chance to do a thorough examination and make the best out of a bad situation.

"Shana wisely fled, and I immediately surrendered once crossbow bolts started flying. After all, I'd be unable to uncover the conspiracy, Baron, if I were dead, and I certainly had no wish to die under a false name! The spirts of the Zilfarrik family would be MOST upset with me in the afterlife for that humiliation.

"So there you have the facts, your lordship. Again, my apologies for the most understandable confusion, but considering I didn't know how deeply Delthrin had embedded his talons in the militia or even here, subtlety was necessary. Inovidil may have useful information, as may the dwarf Rardi, although she knows me only under the 'Redman' guise. Rest assured that any actions have been taken with your interests at heart."

[ewancummins]

Ildool's House



''Hmmmmm...Mask! Well...I'll have my men look into all this, of course. I wouldn't want the innocent to be punished and the guilty to go free! It would be prudent to delay the trial for a day, I suppose.''

The baron frowns, rubs his chin.

''Very well, you- and the lovely Shana- will be escorted by my servants to Shamran Isle. Ah, do I detect a trace of confusion? It's more commonly called 'Fishgut Rock'- a rather vulgar nickname. You may visit your friends. I'm afraid that they shall have to remain in custody for the time being.''

Randall enters, followed by a serving man with a tray of cups and a bottle of wine. He waits in the doorway, listening to the conversation.


Ildool stands, streches his arms, stifles a yawn.

''This cleric of Waukeen, you mean Mistress...ummm?''



Randall supplies the name-

''Gyrglass''
''Yes, thank you, Randall. Mistress Gyrglass? Davos mentioned her briefly in the report. It seems to me I've seen her at a party...''

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Yes, that's her, Baron ... Mistress Gyrglass. Quite fetching, as far as clerics go! And I believe she's not betrothed." He gives Ildool a knowing wink "You are most generous, your lordship. We'd greatly appreciate the escort. But my taste-starved tongue will lash my brain if I don't try some of that wine first! May we?"

[ewancummins]

"Yes, that's her, Baron ... Mistress Gyrglass. Quite fetching, as far as clerics go! And I believe she's not betrothed." He gives Ildool a knowing wink "You are most generous, your lordship. We'd greatly appreciate the escort. But my taste-starved tongue will lash my brain if I don't try some of that wine first! May we?"

''Yes.''

The servant pours wine for all of you. The goblets are very nice pieces, carved of rock crytsal.The wine is a full-bodied red.

Randall dilutes his wine with water, as do the baron and the grey man. The big fellow takes his drink straight.

[kintire]

Shana remains politely silent, although she rolls her eyes at the remark about mistress Gyrglass. She takes her wine diluted.

[ewancummins]

Jamethon and Balzar


Jamethon has taken the dwarf to a lousy winesink named the 'Frogwife.'

Once inside the place, Jamethon gets a table and waits...

''Balzar, I was supposed to meet a contact of mine this morning. Unless we have missed one another, he ought to be here soon. Keep your eyes peeled for a man with a big cross shaped scar on his face. Tap my leg under the table if you spot him before I do.''


Balzar hasn't long to wait before he spots just such a man enter the tavern in the company of three rough-looking types. Jamethon gets the signal from Balzar, and nods.

Whispering over his drink-

''Alright, keep an eye on this lot. These men are body-disposal professionals- but they don't always wait for the bodies to die of natural causes.''



Cross-face pulls up a chair.

''Moorkroft, I see you aint dead yet. That's amazing. Old Skullface is long overdue to collect your black soul.''

''Nice to see you, too. Now, can we do business?''

''I don't know this dwarf. My friends don't know him, either. Is he trouble?''

Cross-face and his two lackeys stare at Balzar with blank, unsympathetic faces.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Blaise opts to side with the aristocracy and take his wine diluted as well. "Magnificent, Baron! As excellent as I had hoped." Once he has a few sips, he shares a glance with Shana, then he looks back at Ildool and says, "I feel quite envigorated and -- to be honest -- relieved that I can now be completely forthright with you. With your leave, Shana and I will depart for Shamran Isle."

[VAN]

Inovidil is really happy to see Ironheart beating Roog and is surprised with the ease he lifted the garlic-breath man! For a second thought to tell him free her, but with a better thought she changed her mind.

"You are free to go right? Well I'm not and if I flee they will run after me and I'll be a fugitive. Can you call Captain Rask, the Bailiff or a warrior named Henryk? I'll stay here and wait. Thank you for your help Ironheart!"

[ewancummins]

Inovidil is really happy to see Ironheart beating Roog and is surprised with the ease he lifted the garlic-breath man! For a second thought to tell him free her, but with a better thought she changed her mind.

"You are free to go right? Well I'm not and if I flee they will run after me and I'll be a refugee. Can you call Captain Rask, the Bailiff or a warrior named Henryk? I'll stay here and wait. Thank you for your help Ironheart!"

''Yes.''

Ironheart grabs the iron ring that holds Ino's chain to the wall and rips it loose. She's able to move freely now, to sit or stand as she pleases.

''I'll be back.''


The big man departs, leaving the splintered cell door hanging loose on broken hinges.

[ewancummins]

Lord Ildool's residence


''Yes, I understand your concern for your friends. I will provide you the use of a carriage, a skiff, and of course- a proper escort. ''

Ildool finishes his glass.

''If you would be so kind as to call upon me tomorrow at midday, we can discuss this case further. Perhaps you'll then have more information that might be useful in getting to the bottom of all this mess, no?''