Café de Nuit

The suppurating wound on the girl's chest seals and fades as the Morninglord answers Dogrio's prayer. Slowly, the deathly pallor of the little girl's face is replaced by a rosy glow, and her small limbs begin to stir. She coughs, twice, then breathes deeply. Her blue eyes open and she casts her eyes about fearfully, before focusing on the newcomer.

''Oh!
Father Dorgio!''

She sits up and embraces the mustachioed healer.
''I am sorry. I went to look for my puppy. He ran away. Oh, is he alright, too? Something bit me, Father Dorgio. ''

The prisoner on the rope tugs on his lead to get Sir Cirdan's attention.

'' That dwarf is crazy! I'm not going one more step until you swear by whatever gods you worship that you won't let him kill me.''

As signs of life return to the girl’s face, Dorgio lets out a breath he’d only been barely aware of holding in. “It is all well, little one, we will discuss it when we’re above.” With one hand, he unfastens his cloak and wraps it around the Anja. With his other hand, he maintains the spear level with the dwarf.

Though he still stands poised to attack, the words of the man with the crossbow and the prisoner complicate things. He turns his head towards the man with the crossbow, but keeps his eyes locked on the dwarf. “I am listening. For now.”

"My friend is on edge, herr, and a bit too quick with his blade." Bennedict says, pointedly lowering his crossbow to point at the ground. "We are in search of a young woman, taken by members of what I am very much afraid to be a plague cult operating within this city. This rat-" He points at the prisoner with his crossbow. "-works for them, and is leading us to their hideout in hopes of rescuing her. So, if you please, we will move on with our pursuit and allow you to escort the child back to the surface."

"We're lookin' fer the daughter of Denys Sancerre who bin kidnapped 'n' taken down in these sewers by this ingrates pals" Norzak points opver his shoulder, even as he sheathes his short sword. "I'm a bit on edge when it comes ta kidnappers of innocent young ladies, bub. Kindly remove yer spear from me face. After all I don't know ye and Ive put away me blade. Now. Put yerself in me place. A tarp moves along the water and all of a sudden grabs me leg. What would ye do? If ye're lookin' fer kidnappers down here? Bah!" HE looks back at Benn n Cirdan "THink what ye might, but youwas thinkin tha same thing that under tha tarp was a creature, not some innocent girl. READ ME LIPS, 'N' READ 'EM ONCE, FER I WON'T BE REPEATIN' THIS AGAIN. I HAVE NEVER AND WILL NEVER HARM ANY INOCENT. THEM'S I HURT DESERVE FAR WORSE. I FEEL TERRIBLE ABOUT HARMIN THE YOUNG ANJA. CALL ME DAFT IF YE WAN' BUT I DO WHAT NEEDS TA BE DONE."

Norzak's voiceg grows soft now, and his face actually looks remorseful as he looks at the little Anja. He approaches tentively, unsure, and feeling absolutely awful. Cirdan and Benn haven't seen Norzak act this way before. In a low voice almost a whisper, he speaks to Anja as he gets to one knee. "I'm really sorry, Anja. Ya done scared me. I fell real terrible I done hurt ye, and would like to make it up to ye. Me name's Norzak. Norzak Darkender of Darkon. Pleased ta meetcha" he winks at her before continuing "I'm here with my pals" he points over his shoulder at Cirdan and Benn "Lookin' fer a young lady, lil older n you, who's been kindapped by bad people. If I kin, I'd like ta help find ye puppy. Wots is name?"


Norzak stands. He turns and looks at their captive moving away from Anja. Very calmly, he walks up to him. He leans up and whispers in the man's ear, so that the man and the others hear, but not Anja. "Bub. You are lucky that Anja is alive. All I have to say to ye. Lead us right or die, unnerstood? I don' care if me pals try to stop me, sleep with one eye open, ye piece 'o' rat droppins." Norzak moves back to where he was and looks to the others. "I kin accompany ye to find Ms Sancerre or get ANja back home ta safety." He looks at Anja "It'd be an honor,missy." He winks and waits.

ewancummins wrote:The prisoner on the rope tugs on his lead to get Sir Cirdan's attention.

'' That dwarf is crazy! I'm not going one more step until you swear by whatever gods you worship that you won't let him kill me.''

Instead of an answer, Cirdan pulls hard on the rope around the prisoner's neck, so the bandit falls on his knees.

The tip of the sword pointing at the bandit's belly, Cirdan moves his face close to the criminal one's.

"By the Kingdom of Gray and my the eternal balance of the Order, I swear this to you, you piece of scum. Look at me! LOOK AT ME! The dwarf will kill you quickly, if you do something that is against his mind. I'll however, enjoy killing you slowly, if we loose the girl.
- Now, GET UP and walk on!"

The prisoner, looking cowed by Cirdan's wrathful display, gets to his feet and continues walking down the tunnel.

Anja seems a bit frightened of Norzak, but she isn't crying or running away.

Some noise can be heard from a short distance off- the sound of a group of men moving closer, and not at all stealthily.

Norzak nods to the others and whispers "Lemme get lil missy ta Sancerre, he kin take care 'o her. Anja, I kinna bring ye to a nice man who will take care of ye, if ye be favorable ta the idea. Hear them's footsteps there? They're tryin' ta sneak up on us 'n' hurt us 'n' you. Are ye good at playin' quiet? I kin be purty quiet meself" Norzak winks at her and makes a funny face then places a finger to his lips and winks again at her, trying to put her at ease. He moves to the puppy and picks it up, then returns it to it's owner.

The sound of footsteps and indistinct voices draws closer.


[Listen check DC 18 to make out what they are saying]

Norzak feels the time is now to act for her sake or she may actually get hurt by the men approaching. She gently takes her by the hand and speaks in as soothing a voice as he can. "Anja, trust me. I got ta get ye outta here and to a safe place. A nice man up there" he points up where they came from "Kin help ye and keep ye safe. BUt I'm gonna have ta carry ye and yer pup." Norzak looks into her eyes, showing her only warmth. He reaches to pick her up and holds her in one arm. Then he bends and gets the pup. Turning to the others and the newcomer he says "Take care 'o that, I'll come back soon as I can" With that he turns, and with pup and girl in his arms, hurries back up to find Sancerre.

A few tense moments pass as the cleric meets Norzak’s eyes with a steely gaze. Finally, as the dwarf is finished explaining himself, there is a look in Dorgio’s eyes. Not absolution, but understanding, perhaps even recognition. At last he nods, and lifts his spear away from Norzak’s face and holds it at the ready, tip pointing up, as a fencer might do with his foil.

“Such things…they do happen. But what does one do? One must accept risk to oneself instead, and takes fate by the nose!” He is silent for a moment, then continues. “Dorgio Varga, of the Morninglord.”

When Norzak takes Anja, Dorgio starts to reach to pull the girl from the dwarf’s hands, but stops short, thinking it perhaps better to avoid a struggle, for the child’s sake. He begins to follow, then hears the voices, too indistinct for him to make out. “Take care with your blade,” he whispers to the group. “There are others down here searching for her.” With that, he readies his spear and follows the dwarf, keeping a careful eye on the dwarf and his weapons, and especially on the girl.

“Keep the cloak tight around you, little Anja.”

Listen check 20+4 for 24!

Norzak nods appreciatively to Diorgo. " I be Norzak Darkender. I'll take good care 'o tha lass. Take care of them's coming to try to do her harm, unnerstood?" In a gesture unlike of Norzak, he opens his backpack(YEs he has it on him) and removes a well worn blanket. He puts ANja gently down and wraps her in the blanket along with the pup. "You be warm now, Anja." Looking to the others as he departs he mouths "Save some fer me. 'N' keep that one alive" he points at their captive " I be wantin some fun with him later!" He winks at the others out of sight of the prisoner and heads back up with his two "little" packages.

Norzak takes the girl and the little dog and moves off on his way back to the surface.

.......................

The captive has made it to the far end of the tunnel down which Dorgio had come. He stops, turns, and looks back to Sir Cirdan.

''It isn't far. Just a little ways more, and we'll be under Malreux's warehouse by the river. Now can...''

Something long and brown shoots through the muck behind him and takes him off his feet in a swishing motion. You all get a quick glimpse of something like a big , dark, and vaguely serpentine wrapped around his chest, and then he's gone, pulled out of your field of vision.

''Merciful Ezra! Help...''

The tunnel carries sound well, and you can all hear something big thrashing about, and soft ,wet, tearing sounds....

Sir Cirdan is still holding the rope, yes?

ewancummins wrote:Sir Cirdan is still holding the rope, yes?

Yes.

Where is the pipe? - If at all possible, Cirdan will run behind the prisoner, or jump after him...

Brock Marsh Runoff wrote: “Such things…they do happen. But what does one do? One must accept risk to oneself instead, and takes fate by the nose!” He is silent for a moment, then continues. “Dorgio Varga, of the Morninglord.”

"You are a long way from home, Dorgio. What brings you here from Gundarak?"

ewancummins wrote: ''It isn't far. Just a little ways more, and we'll be under Malreux's warehouse by the river. Now can...''

Something long and brown shoots through the muck behind him and takes him off his feet in a swishing motion. You all get a quick glimpse of something like a big , dark, and vaguely serpentine wrapped around his chest, and then he's gone, pulled out of your field of vision.

''Merciful Ezra! Help...''

The pipe carries sound well, and you can all hear something big thrashing about, and soft ,wet, tearing sounds....

Some of the foulest profanity even Norzak has ever heard escapes Bennedict's lips as the prisoner is jerked off of his feet and pulled away.

"Will this night ever end?" he concludes, face flushed with fury, as he hefts his crossbow, turns away from Dorgio, and moves to follow the rope, flashing his light back and forth for any sign of the man tethered to it.