La Maison Soloumbre: Night of April 10th

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Nathan of the FoS
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Llana wrote:She curtseyed as the Father departed, and then turned to the rest of those squashed in the little tent. “Brothers, if you do not wish anything further, I ask your leave.”
"Go ahead, if you like," Vedarrak replies, gesturing to the three equally. "Paul--as savvy as ever, I see, in your sense of timing. Did you have something important to say?"

OOC: The continuation here between Dirac and Vedarrak will have to wait until Crow and Dirac arrive at the tent; if you want to leave you can, though.
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Post by Rotipher of the FoS »

Nathan of the FoS wrote:"Oh, I doubt we could rescue them," Dirac says. "Father Mikkelson? My cousin? I just want to find out what's going on..."
Crow chuckles, conceding the point. "Very true ... more likely, we'd need to rescue the trespasser, while there's still enough left of them to question! Better to look for what the first party was in too much haste to observe, then, before the rains wash away all traces: if there is some intruder about, our quarry may well be the one they came to meet."

"Surely if we had a good light to search by we could hardly be mistaken for undead in the dark, and it "furnishes a pretext," as my father used to say."
Another chuckle, this time mental. Dirac is Crow's pretext, should he need one. Still, the young man is a quick thinker, albeit perhaps a bit prone to diving in over his head with both feet.

"Sounds like a gentleman worth knowing, Brother--...?" The interrogative is unnecessary for the spy, but 'Brother Crow' hasn't yet been introduced to this fellow.

Suiting his actions to his words, the Dementlieuse draws his rapier from its scabbard and mutters a few words, tapping the hilt just where it meets the blade; a soft illumination spreads from that point. Turning the sword over so that the ground is well-illuminated and their faces but dimly, he gestures to Crow. "Shall we have a look, then?"
The bard blinks admiringly at Dirac's weapon -- not out of any inclination to steal it; it's just a fine piece of bladesmithery -- then nods and gestures for the young Brother to join his search for clues.
"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 of the FoS wrote:The bard blinks admiringly at Dirac's weapon -- not out of any inclination to steal it; it's just a fine piece of bladesmithery -- then nods and gestures for the young Brother to join his search for clues.
"Brother Paul Dirac, your servant," the young nobleman says, making the over-elaborate bow of an au courant Dementlieuse fop, with just a hint of self-mockery. "Shall we? I believe they went out to the left of us a bit...over there by the willows."

The two proceed fairly quickly over the grass; there is a confusion of prints about fifty feet from the house, but little information can be gained from them. Several lead away toward the tents, while a pair (one of the two sets belongs to someone very heavy, and wearing hobnailed boots which have done a sad mischief to the turf) lead off toward the willows, passing a statue set beneath them and leading out toward the perimeter.

Suddenly Dirac's light shows something gleaming in the tall grass, growing rank and unkempt beyond the little shrine. Crow sees it first, but Dirac notes it a moment later. Hurrying to it, he bends and swears softly in astonishment.

It is a silver ring in the form of an Ouroborous, the serpent that eats its own tail, and in its mouth it holds a black onyx.
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Post by Rotipher of the FoS »

[OOC: Just for you, Llana, I'll give Crow a nudge to knock off playing detective and get back in synch. :wink: ]


Espying the ring, the bard anticipates Dirac's reaction, holds out a palm to caution the Dementlieuse not to touch it.

"Either a clue or a ruse, and possibly a trap in the latter case. Either way, best not to disturb it just yet."

Crow's expression grows more serious. "Unless some other Brother's been unconscionably careless, this proves there's more than just a false alarm afoot. It may not be wise to procede on our own; better to slant the odds in our favor, first.

"Is there anyone in attendance you think we can trust to join us, Brother Dirac? Preferably someone who won't object to showing he has his ring, first...?"

[OOC: Okay, Nathan, Dirac can offer to go run for his cousin now. (Crow would rather stay to make sure there's still a ring there when the others arrive; he'll be listening also, in case the culprits realize they've lost one and try to retrieve it.) Your call, of course.]
"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 of the FoS wrote:"Is there anyone in attendance you think we can trust to join us, Brother Dirac? Preferably someone who won't object to showing he has his ring, first...?"
Dirac nods, still staring at the ring. "May I see yours, Brother Crow?" he says, only half-joking.

Crow displays his borrowed finery, and he can see the doubt flicker across Dirac's face--can this slightly uncanny and entirely unknown Brother be trusted?--followed by a mental shrug.

"I'll get Vedarrak," he says; turning, he sprints into the night, leaving Crow momentarily (and hopefully metaphorically) in the dark.
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Nathan of the FoS wrote:"Go ahead, if you like," Vedarrak replies, gesturing to the three equally. "Paul--as savvy as ever, I see, in your sense of timing. Did you have something important to say?"
"No, it's important!" Dirac replies. "You must come. I should have said so to Father Mikkelson, but he rather put me about."

Vedarrak shrugs and says, "Well, then." Glancing at Kingsley, Buchvold, and Serd, he says sardonically, "Stay if you like, but go easy on the wine."--a remark which all three interpret, correctly, as an invitation to leave.

OOC: If you want to come you'll have to jump in here. ;)
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Post by Moral Machivelli »

Hmm what's got Dirac stered up? Buchvold looks interested

"If you permit, Brother Verredak, may I tag along? After what happened earlier, I would like to render what assistance I can." Buchvold is quite sincere
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Moral Machivelli wrote:Hmm what's got Dirac stered up? Buchvold looks interested

"If you permit, Brother Verredak, may I tag along? After what happened earlier, I would like to render what assistance I can." Buchvold is quite sincere
Vedarrak seems about to object; then, looking at Dirac, then at the three erstwhile captives, he says instead, "If you like." Dirac turns and is gone immediately, and Vedarrak follows.
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Post by Moral Machivelli »

Hmm. What is Veredak thinking of? Why do I have the fealing that this will not go well? Ah, I'll worry about that later.

Buchvold follows, keeping pace with Verredak.
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Post by Pamela »

What cheek, Gertrude thinks as she curtseys to the Falkovnian, but what can one expect from a branded barbarian. She rubbed her wrists, trying to decide whether to return to the Maison or to annoy this brother by tagging along. As she stepped out of the tent, and saw the others going in the direction she had come, her instinct for self-preservation returned. I’d better go, she thought, Buchvold will probably try to blame me for whatever might be going on...

She followed in their wake, wondering if the Fraternity had yet identified the missing brother, and who it might be. All those tests, and still this happens, she thought to herself. It must have been someone who wasn’t supposed to spend the night- and so return to their point of assignation.

Unless of course they were meant to stay here, and get a good idea as to which of the higher echelons are staying here, and where…


She shook her head at the tangled web that suspicions always wove. So many possibilities, so little trust…

Her thoughts trailed away as she began to recognise the grove of willows where the group seemed to be headed, a lone figure waiting. Bloody sun, now what? As they approached and she made out Crow’s features, she offered him a small smile before turning her attention away from him. Now wasn’t the time to implicate friends or try to drag them into the circle of suspicion.

“I was here a couple of minutes ago. Has something happened since then?” she asked with seeming curiosity, while the wave of dread built up. Better to admit what she’d already mentioned, than to wait for the Borcan or invisible man to make insinuations.
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 »

Crow doesn't have long to wait--perhaps two or three minutes, although it seems longer--before he sees Dirac's light bobbing across the grass. Behind the young nobleman he can make out several other dark forms; as they approach he can see Dirac, his Falkovnian cousin, and...Buchvold? And Kingsley? And Serd?

Vedarrak nods at Crow. "Brother...?"

"Crow," Dirac supplies. "He and I found it just here. You see?"

Vedarrak's hard face becomes harder as he sees the ring. "You were here, Professor?" he says. "You didn't see anything then?"
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Post by Pamela »

“No, I did not, Brother,” Gertrude replied, “But again, when the alarm was raised, Brother Buchvold and I were already approaching the Maison. I would assume that whatever you’ve found was dropped afterwards.” Could it have set off the alarms? What is it?

She moved in closer to get her own look at the found item. Puzzled, she asked, “Why would anyone leave their ring behind? It’s hardly the type of item which one loses easily, so it could hardly be an accidental loss.”
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Post by Moral Machivelli »

Oh, well played, professor, Buchvold silently applauds the professor at her ability to distance herself (and Buchvold, by extention), from whatever was going on

Sorry to break it up Sister, but best this is done throughly he thinks to himself.

"Hmm. Are we sure that it is recent, sister?" Buchvold interupts.
"Why would someone have discovered it before now? The grass is long here, so we can assume that whoever tends the grounds has not checked for some time. Even assuming it is relitivly recent, we can't make any assumptions, It may have happened at any point in the evening."

"However, a closer inspection may clear that up" The Borcan brother turns to Verredak "May I, Brother?"

OOC, Is the ring sunk into the mud atall? If it is, that might help to establish (Vaguley) When it was dropped. If it was within a short space of time, it would still be relitivly clean, whereas if it had been there since the start it might be coverd with mud by now.

As I couldn't think what skill this would come under, I just had Buchvold do it anyway.
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Post by Rotipher of the FoS »

Crow hears the others approach, recognizing Buchvold's all-too-familiar stiff stride and the creak of Vedarrak's leather scabbard as the group draws near. Noting so many footsteps, he prepares to feign a double-take; that Serd's and Kingsley's presence honestly does catch him a bit off-guard only adds authenticity to his surprised look.

Shooting a momentary glare at Dirac -- he had, after all, suggested that only trustworthy aid be brought back, and "Brother Crow's" dislike of the Borcan is already an established facet of his facade -- the bard gestures to the tracks he and the young Dementlieuse had followed to this point. Vedarrak, more of a seasoned professional than his cousin, takes heed at once, halting the group before their trail can further erode those of the unknown quarry, already fading under the rain's impact.

Shading his eyes (and his makeup) from the drizzle, Crow acknowledges Kingsley's slight smile of greeting with a discreet wink, then stands aside as the new arrivals draw closer, to inspect the mysterious ring beneath the glow of Dirac's rapier-hilt.
Llana wrote:“Why would anyone leave their ring behind? It’s hardly the type of item which one loses easily, so it could hardly be an accidental loss.”
The bard has his own theories, none particularly pleasant. He proffers one of them for the Fraternity members' consideration:

"Lose it, no. Have it taken from one, perhaps more plausible: if an attendee witnessed some treachery in progress, the culprits could have rendered him senseless or worse, then hauled him off the grounds to hide their misdeeds. Or, perhaps, the abduction of one of the Brothers was their true purpose in coming here. Brother Dirac and I followed the trails of two others to this point, and the imprints from one man's boots were quite deep, as they'd be if he carried a dead body or living captive.

"In either case, such a victim's assailants might have divested him of his ring, in the belief that the perimeter's detection-spells would register and record its passage. Perhaps it would be prudent to count heads -- and rings -- as soon as possible, to learn who among us has gone missing since this morning? Whether they're betrayers or betrayed, we need to know who is unaccountably absent."

And maybe, he silently adds, uncover the other spy -- or spies -- in the process.

The bard isn't unduly worried about his own imposture, if such a census of attendees is attempted. Save the last couple of minutes, he has been constantly in the company of at least one true member since the evening's lectures, and his previous harmonica-playing would have been heard by dozens of witnesses, to vouch for his own activities since the security-alert. As for the last, brief moment when he was left alone with the telltale ring, he can hardly be accused of tampering with it himself, as he's not budged an inch since Dirac went to fetch help: his own tracks in the mud testify to that.
"Hmm. Are we sure that it is recent, sister?" Buchvold interrupts.
"Why would someone have discovered it before now? The grass is long here, so we can assume that whoever tends the grounds has not checked for some time. Even assuming it is relatively recent, we can't make any assumptions, It may have happened at any point in the evening."
In keeping with "Brother Crow's" demonstrated distaste for the Borcan -- and because he's still a mite peeved over certain of Buchvold's remarks to Serd -- the bard executes a masterfully understated snicker, then observes:

"Rather a lucky break for the owner, if so, that the ones Dirac and I were chasing happened to practically step on the thing on their way to who-knows-where. Really, what are the odds? Perhaps Viktor and the others should have that statue tidied up a bit, if it's as popular a vista for passers-by as that."

The ingenuous tone in which he delivers his comment is sufficient to keep the sarcasm in Crow's reply just shy of rudeness ... but only just. His voice then turns more serious, as the VRS spy turns his considerable charismatic gifts toward steering the gathered vipers' course.

"In any case, it might be prudent to leave the ring -- under guard -- for later examination. Unless I'm very much mistaken, it's not likely to melt in the rain in the next half an hour; the tracks Brother Dirac and I followed, on the other hand, are vanishing as we speak! Do any of you gentlefolk know how to read such spoor in detail? Or know of someone else in attendance who may? Best if we learn as much as we can, and follow the trail as far as it runs, before we inspect more durable clues.

"Especially if one of our fellows has been carried off, against his will and to the profit of the enemy."
"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 of the FoS wrote: "Especially if one of our fellows has been carried off, against his will and to the profit of the enemy."
Vedarrak nods, his hard blue eyes scanning the scene. "Get Kaspan--better yet, get Krakul," he says to Dirac. "Get..."

Uncharacteristically, the Falkovnian pauses and wets his lips before continuing. "Get the Shadowcloak, too. If he'll come. Mikkelson or Roeccha, if not...someone who can look for the right things and who might recognize the ring."
Last edited by Nathan of the FoS on Wed Feb 14, 2007 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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