The Maison Soloumbre: Afternoon of April 9

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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Llana wrote:Crow’s pseudonym or stage name at least reveals the fact there is a secret; I am beginning to appreciate the ability to have advance warning.”
Larner nods. "A distinct advantage, to be sure; to recognize one's ignorance is the beginning of instruction*. I recommend that you use that awareness to best advantage and remedy your ignorance; it would be exceeding awkward to discover that one had, as it were, sheltered a viper in one's bosom."
She looked around, then said, “He must be inside still. Shall we?” They ventured across the lawn once more, the professor describing the bard in case her companion should spy out the bard before her. As they walked, she quietly asked, “Esteemed Brother, I’ve heard that Tarnos Shadowcloak shall be attending the meeting. Do you know if he has arrived yet- and whether he’d be amenable to discussion, or too preoccupied with the security measures?”
"The Shadowcloak?" Larner asks, startled; he gives Kingsley another considering glance before continuing, "I'm fairly sure he's here; Mikkelson spoke as if he were, but I haven't seen him. Might I ask the reason you wish to speak with him?"

*one of the First Precepts of the Divinity of Mankind
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Nathan of the FoS wrote: "A distinct advantage, to be sure; to recognize one's ignorance is the beginning of instruction*. I recommend that you use that awareness to best advantage and remedy your ignorance; it would be exceeding awkward to discover that one had, as it were, sheltered a viper in one's bosom."
Gertrude nodded somberly at the advice. An error would be more than awkward; it could be fatal now. Crow however was not going to be hurried into either trust or confidences, any more than she was. Still there was a tinge of regret at all the caution required. You’ve been warned by him yourself, she chided herself, about the danger of assuming yourself safe. Take that at least at face value.
Nathan of the FoS wrote:"The Shadowcloak?" Larner asks, startled; he gives Kingsley another considering glance before continuing, "I'm fairly sure he's here; Mikkelson spoke as if he were, but I haven't seen him. Might I ask the reason you wish to speak with him?"
Her pulse quickened at the news and all other concerns were temporarily forgotten. “Countess von Lovenhorst and I had a very pleasant time together in February- I thank you again for arranging our acquaintance,” she said with a warm smile. “She believed it might be opportune to make the Shadowcloak’s acquaintance. She suggested that he was not as bound to tradition as certain members…” She turned to her mentor and lowered her voice to a murmur. "I am unsure however of how welcome he is of approach by unknown members, especially under the present circumstances..." The measures that were being taken to secure their safety were already putting the Brothers on edge; a Father already prone to suspicion would be more tense- and dangerous.
His only real danger is if stupidity is contagious and lethal. In which case, we’re all dead…-Gertrude
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[OOC: Sorry for the delay getting Crow back on stage, Llana; I was traveling all yesterday, and getting ready to travel the day before. :roll: ]


The bard doesn't openly look up when Draxton and the fallen Vistana emerge from the interview-room, merely pauses in his monologue for another sip of his mint julep. As expected, the quicker Brothers had fast snapped up the denuded Library's few references on Tarokka cards, in the first five minutes of the attendees' release from the upper floor; appropriating a convenient table on the far side of the Maison's entrance hall, Crow had laid out a random sampling of cards -- carefully avoiding those from his own 'reading'; he had no wish, and could not afford, to get distracted -- and rapidly attracted queries from those who'd missed their chance at the Maison's references. He is now casually explaining the significance of the Charlatan and Spirit to a brace of Invidian Initiates, woefully misinformed about gypsies and thus unduly worried about their own 'readings' ... even as he watches the comings and goings of the other brethren, placing faces with names, infamy with individuals.

So far, so good. The spy had taken his cue from Mikkelson's rote-recited apology -- not surprising that it should sound a bit mechanical, for all the Valachani's eerie force of presence; the Father had been repeating those same words all afternoon, and any man with his reputation for hard-charging ambition would've surely been bored stiff -- and bowed his way out of the tableau, politely set the chair back in its place for the next test subject. (It's the little touches like that, which truly complete one's performance....) He'd held the door open for Quiret, when the two bards exited the dim-lit room, as well: the very picture of a younger member hoping to curry favor, yet too cowed by others' authority to dare pursue his ambitions with real vigor, let alone cross his superiors.

Little touches ... clearly, the Fraternity -- or at least Mikkelson -- knew of their importance, too. The VRS spy has to hand it to the Father: that "Brother Crow" had been given the powdered sheet of paper from his identity-test had been a classic. He'd folded it up with a puzzled expression, tucked it into a pocket, and had asked Quiret its significance before they'd parted company. The half-elf's reply had only verified his own hypothesis, of course -- indeed, he'd recognized most of the powder's active ingredients by smell alone; his Society used them continuously -- but failure to ask, after Mikkelson's parting remarks, would have been an amateur's gaffe. The spy would, naturally, have the powder analyzed alchemically at the first opportunity; Crow himself wasn't certain what manner of monstrosity the paprika in the mix was intended to discriminate, but if the Fraternity knew a trick his own colleagues did not, that information alone was well worth the risks he'd taken in coming here, and submitting to the cabal's "necessary test".

(Necessary, yes; a test alone, no. Again, the bard mentally tips a salute to the FoS Father, for courteously returning the papers to their test subjects ... and thus, lulling them into overlooking how their ampulles, still spotted with blood on the insides, had not been handed back to them. As in all malign societies, the Fraternity of Shadows was a hierarchy, even if its members pretended to an equality born of scholarly respect; the underlings were kept in the dark, and bound to service, as surely as the Kargatane submitted to the Kargat. In a crisis such as it now faced, reassessment and consolidation of human assets and stringent enforcement of loyalty would be paramount: the organization could not afford another significant betrayal, lest it disintegrate from within -- a chronic concern for villainous factions; rats do not rush to save a sinking ship -- as well as succumb from without.

(To Crow's eyes -- outsider's eyes, unblindered by propaganda or indoctrination -- this gathering in Souragne has nothing to do with lectures, any more than a wolf's howl in the night has anything to do with the moon. The Fathers were summoning their pack, from every corner of the Land, to measure and muster its strength ... and to leash those potentially-wayward souls who -- like Draxton Serd, if the bard's suspicions about the Richemulouise's book bore out -- might otherwise shirk their duties or ideological convictions. The papers might have been returned, but the ampulles would be kept: those blood-samples had too many potential uses not to be retained, for divinatory monitoring of suspected traitors or -- if this new-made Souragnien cell had done its homework -- for indigenous voudans' magic-for-hire.

(Unless, of course, Mikkelson had his own use for the vials' contents. Again, the man's reputation was for ambition, and for egotism as well; yet another line of speculation to file away for future analysis....)

Speak of the Devil..., the spy mused, as he sets his julep-glass aside and allows himself a quick glance at Serd's and Roeccha's progress up the grand staircase. He wonders, briefly, if the merchant-mage will be coming back down again; his prior encounter with the man in Nevuchar Springs had not revealed the nature of the "curse" Serd had allegedly picked up in Darkon, but it would be amusing if the effects rendered him vulnerable to one of the Father's tests....

Then a far more welcome personage enters the Maison, and the bard cuts his lecture to the Invidians short. Kingsley, again ... and not alone.
"Who [u]cares[/u] what the Dark Powers are? They're [i]bastards![/i] That's all I need to know of them." -- Crow
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Rotipher wrote:[OOC: Sorry for the delay getting Crow back on stage, Llana; I was traveling all yesterday, and getting ready to travel the day before. :roll: ]


The bard doesn't openly look up when Draxton and the fallen Vistana emerge from the interview-room, merely pauses in his monologue for another sip of his mint julep. As expected, the quicker Brothers had fast snapped up the denuded Library's few references on Tarokka cards, in the first five minutes of the attendees' release from the upper floor; appropriating a convenient table on the far side of the Maison's entrance hall, Crow had laid out a random sampling of cards -- carefully avoiding those from his own 'reading'; he had no wish, and could not afford, to get distracted -- and rapidly attracted queries from those who'd missed their chance at the Maison's references. He is now casually explaining the significance of the Charlatan and Spirit to a brace of Invidian Initiates, woefully misinformed about gypsies and thus unduly worried about their own 'readings' ... even as he watches the comings and goings of the other brethren, placing faces with names, infamy with individuals.
OOC: Actually, the other Fraternity brothers have shown no interest whatsoever in Perrison's bizarre behavior, at least overtly--a reaction which Crow must find puzzling in the extreme!
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Post by alhoon »

Nathan of the FoS wrote: Standing, Roeccha says, "That concludes our first identity test, Brother Serd. Please accompany me upstairs for the second."
Draxton stands "That would be a pleasure Exalted brother." And follows Roeccha upstairs. He decides to not share his own suspicions about Buchvold and the stolen books with this exalted Brother, unless ofcourse Roeccha gives him an important enough secret.
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Llana wrote: She turned to her mentor and lowered her voice to a murmur. "I am unsure however of how welcome he is of approach by unknown members, especially under the present circumstances..." The measures that were being taken to secure their safety were already putting the Brothers on edge; a Father already prone to suspicion would be more tense- and dangerous.
Larner shakes his head slightly. "I am not at all sure I know how to advise you, Professor. On the one hand, I have the greatest difficulty imagining him feeling physically threatened by--well, much of anything, really. But in the current atmosphere almost any action is magnified in its implications...If the Countess thinks it possible, I would be guided by her opinion."
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

alhoon wrote:
Nathan of the FoS wrote: Standing, Roeccha says, "That concludes our first identity test, Brother Serd. Please accompany me upstairs for the second."
Draxton stands "That would be a pleasure Exalted brother." And follows Roeccha upstairs. He decides to not share his own suspicions about Buchvold and the stolen books with this exalted Brother, unless of course Roeccha gives him an important enough secret.
Roeccha leads Serd upstairs and down a passageway; he knocks at the door, and someone within instructs him to enter. "One moment," he says, in Serd's general direction, and steps inside; emerging a moment later, he says, "Come in."

The room is dark and manages to seem rather small and quite large at once; it is dimly lit, with four persons seated around a table at the center. Roeccha seats himself at one end of the table; after a moment's thought, Serd identifies the others as the Countess von Lovenhorst, Viktor Hazan, Pierre Lacomte, and...Father Jan Mikkelson?!?

"Brother Serd," this last speaks, perhaps a trifle impatient. "Please, be seated. We would be obliged if you could furnish us with a sample of your blood." He gestures slightly to the table, where several pins and ampoules await.
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Post by alhoon »

Draxton raises an eybrow in surprise... Perhaps, only perhaps someone here is more versed in necromancy than he should. Important note. very important. A delicious, delicious thought! Even the possibility of this could worth a cartload of gold... or lead to his murder.

"Will my blood be used in divinations about my nature Father and Exalted brothers?" Draxton said as he removed his left glove. His hand seemed to be deathly pale while his nails seemed to be pitch black, reflecting no light. While they seemed to be as agile as ever, when Draxton Serd pricked his finger with a needle, he showed no emotion at all, as if the nerves there registered no pain.

OOC> good enough for PCheck curse Nathan?
Important: After the brothers reply (if at all) Draxton will make Spellcraft check, Is there any chance that necromancy is involved in what they tell him? Perhaps a SMotive check also to see if they are telling him the truth first?
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Post by Pamela »

Nathan of the FoS wrote: Larner shakes his head slightly. "I am not at all sure I know how to advise you, Professor. On the one hand, I have the greatest difficulty imagining him feeling physically threatened by--well, much of anything, really. But in the current atmosphere almost any action is magnified in its implications...If the Countess thinks it possible, I would be guided by her opinion."
Gertrude nodded at Larner’s words. Paranoia was hardly a natural reaction, and had little to do with one’s real abilities or threats. It did mean however that the Countess’ opinion was not well-known, and that she’d be wise not propagate it herself from now on. “Thank you, Esteemed Brother; I have been wanting to talk to someone else about this. I believe I will ask then to see if he is available; if he isn’t, then I’ll see when he would be.”

Inside the hall once more, she paused to look around then smiled at the returning glance. “Ah, there he is,” she remarked warmly, smiling at the bard. She gave a questioning glance but Crow made it clear from his own actions that he was ready to leave the group around him. She moved forward slowly, giving him time to excuse himself from his company. Her smile returned when she saw him pick up his tarokka cards. Busy at the fortune-telling once more...I wonder if he knows any of them?

When they had reached the bard, Gertrude began introductions. “Brother Crow, may I introduce you to Esteemed Brother Alfred Larner? Esteemed Brother, this is Brother Crow…” Her pleasure was sincere at the introductions; she liked both men but the earlier warning made her smile slightly wistful.
His only real danger is if stupidity is contagious and lethal. In which case, we’re all dead…-Gertrude
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

alhoon wrote:"Will my blood be used in divinations about my nature Father and Exalted brothers?" Draxton said as he removed his left glove. His hand seemed to be deathly pale while his nails seemed to be pitch black, reflecting no light. While they seemed to be as agile as ever, when Draxton Serd pricked his finger with a needle, he showed no emotion at all, as if the nerves there registered no pain.
"You might say so," Mikkelson replies briefly, taking the tubule of blood from Serd and exposing it to the candle flame. The blood does nothing in response that Serd can detect. Taking a paper with a fine metallic powder from beneath the table, Mikkelson touches the tubule to the powder; the blood runs out, staining the paper with red.

"You should be very careful, Brother Serd," Mikkelson says as he gives the bloodied paper to the Brother, with a meaningful glance at his strangely altered hands. "The eye of the Watchers is upon us.*"


*a quote from The Oathes and Compacts of the Fraternity of Shadows


OOC> good enough for PCheck curse Nathan?
Important: After the brothers reply (if at all) Draxton will make Spellcraft check, Is there any chance that necromancy is involved in what they tell him? Perhaps a SMotive check also to see if they are telling him the truth first?
Sure, that's fine for a powers check. As near as Serd can tell, what they are doing is non-magical, and the very little Mikkelson said is true.
Last edited by Nathan of the FoS on Tue Aug 01, 2006 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Llana wrote:When they had reached the bard, Gertrude began introductions. “Brother Crow, may I introduce you to Esteemed Brother Alfred Larner? Esteemed Brother, this is Brother Crow…” Her pleasure was sincere at the introductions; she liked both men but the earlier warning made her smile slightly wistful.
OOC: Just in case it matters--this post assumes that the Fraternity brothers did NOT flock to get Tarokka resources, and that Crow has been talking to one or two brothers at most (see above).

IC: "A pleasure, Brother Crow," Larner says, offering his hand. Casting an eye over the cards the bard has laid for himself, he continues "Do you take an interest in divination, then? Or is this more in the manner of an entertainment?"
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Post by alhoon »

Nathan of the FoS wrote: "The eye of the Watchers is upon us.*"

*a quote from The Oathes and Compacts of the Fraternity of Shadows
OOC> And IIRC it means that the Father has guessed or at least believes possible that Draxton's curse is self-induced, not from the mummy.

IC> Draxton just nods at the offered wisdom. "I will keep it in mind Father. Anything else?" So the wise fathers of the fraternity believe the watchers placed the curse on him. Perhaps they were right. Necromancy was rumored to carry its risks for one's soul after all. Perhaps the practice of it was earning the attention of the Watchers... Perhaps some of those in the room have personal experience.
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Post by Rotipher of the FoS »

Nathan of the FoS wrote:[OOC: Just in case it matters--this post assumes that the Fraternity brothers did NOT flock to get Tarokka resources, and that Crow has been talking to one or two brothers at most (see above).]
[OOC: Fair enough. Ironically, since Crow thinks his reading was a mocking jab at him from the DPs, he probably wouldn't be all that puzzled that others at the gathering didn't notice anything interesting in theirs! :wink: Still, if both Gertrude and Buchvold were perplexed enough by the cards to ask questions, it's surely reasonable that the bard could've found at least a couple of NPCs who wondered about theirs.]



IC:
Nathan of the FoS wrote: "A pleasure, Brother Crow," Larner says, offering his hand. Casting an eye over the cards the bard has laid for himself, he continues "Do you take an interest in divination, then? Or is this more in the manner of an entertainment?"
Having risen from his seat at Kingsley's approach, the bard nods once to the Lady Scalpel, then accepts Larner's greeting with a hearty, yet respectable handshake. "The pleasure is entirely mine, Master Larner," he replies, continuing 'Brother Crow's' mannerism of addressing his Brethren by their professional titles. "Indeed, a delight to meet anyone our worthy Sister holds in such high esteem!" Crow smiles broadly, tipping a nonexistent hat to both Zherisians.

At Larner's query about the cards, he waves a dismissive hand at the tabletop, where a few Tarokka lie scattered loosely and apparently at random. "Divination? Not particularly -- I've dabbled a bit, and can prattle my way through a show of it, but it's hardly a specialty -- although the good professor and I did discuss that topic briefly, earlier today. For the moment, my interest is more mundane than mystical: I'd lost two out of seven hands of Geas in Port d'Elhour last night, and was trying to work out whether I'd've been better served to build a Pragmatist's band rather than an Opportunist's*."

Crow chuckles, and shakes his head in mild self-mockery. "So I'd say it's more of an entertainment than the other ... though far more of a frustration than either one! But never mind my idle doings; I'm sure it's your presence, and upcoming presentation, which will truly afford us all both satisfaction and insights in the days to come, Master Larner." The bard's head tilts inquisitively, clearly exhibiting his curiosity about the Zherisian cell-leader's anticipated lecture.



[* -- The initial objective in a game of Geas is to build an "adventuring party" of four Tarokka cards, one from each suit, that are all Good (1-3), Neutral (4-6), or Evil (7-9). Since Good, Evil, and Neutral are blatant gamespeak, I gave the Neutral and Evil hands new in-character names. :wink: ]
"Who [u]cares[/u] what the Dark Powers are? They're [i]bastards![/i] That's all I need to know of them." -- Crow
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

alhoon wrote:Draxton just nods at the offered wisdom. "I will keep it in mind Father. Anything else?"
"You should keep it in mind," Mikkelson says, rising. "That will be all, Brother Serd. You will have guessed that the test in question is to detect non-human impostors among us, of course." Turning to Roeccha, he asks, "Is that all?"

The darkling nods, and Mikkelson turns back to the Richemulose brother. "You are excused." He leaves himself immediately; Roeccha and Lacomte begin to converse with each other in low tones, and the Countess von Lovenhorst and Viktor Hazan leave together.
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Rotipher wrote:Crow chuckles, and shakes his head in mild self-mockery. "So I'd say it's more of an entertainment than the other ... though far more of a frustration than either one! But never mind my idle doings; I'm sure it's your presence, and upcoming presentation, which will truly afford us all both satisfaction and insights in the days to come, Master Larner." The bard's head tilts inquisitively, clearly exhibiting his curiosity about the Zherisian cell-leader's anticipated lecture.
"You're too kind, Brother Crow," Larner replies, in a tone of voice that implies both that Crow's praise is slightly overwrought and that he's sure Crow is aware of its being so--a slightly skeptical amusement. "I hope for that it may be satisfactory, indeed, but the fact of the matter is that much remains to be done. I'm sure you will have heard that Esteemed Brother Hazan and the other brothers in residence here have prepared a survey of this demesne for our edification, and I wish to do the same for Paridon. We've made some progress, but...well, our home city is not a place quick to relinquish all its secrets. In fact, I've been considering asking Fraternity members from outside our own, ah, home-grown membership to participate--both to spread our net more widely and to overcome certain local suspicions. We are, to my knowledge, almost unique among the people of the Mists in giving our confidence more quickly to those not native to our own land."
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