RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:Raen bolts for the nearest exit, be it door or window and keeps running ignoring people until he's in a well-lit, crowded place. He doesn't stop to pick up the sign.
Human-rat hybrids. Rats big as hounds. This place is crawling with wererats.
And Benn is mixed with them. Is Benn a wererat? How well did Raen know the Archivist? Nah, this is just paranoia. The creatures probably want something from Benn and it's good that his family is away. Why they trashed Benn's place if they don't mind him?
What would have happened if the Rats didn't know he was allied with Benn? Raen has the answer for that. Were the two that have attacked him the same as those that he have met all that time ago? And just how many wererats were there in Benn's office? He stopped counting as soon as it was clear it was not "just" 6 but it seemed like at least double those if the ones in the halls and out of his vision are included. So many...
Those things if they organize they could take over the city!


VIEW CONTENT:
Note:Only the bedroom/storeroom he was in looked at all 'trashed.' But you are free to RP his impression of the scene as you like.I just to to make sure my earlier post was not misleading .


The rest of the office, at least what he sees as he hurries out to the street, does not look out of order.
No obvious stuff like flung-open doors, busted windows, or any of that.

But of course he's not sticking around to investigate further!
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by alhoon »

Raen, near a pub:

Raen managed to get a hold of himself and stop panting. He put a hand on a wall to rest and regain his composure, sure he has made a fool of himself to the eyes of the passerby. With the ash cloud and the number of murders, he probably made a lot of people anxious.
He notices the wall he rests at belongs to a pub. A drink would be welcome to collect his thoughts. Perhaps dust off. He walks inside, takes an empty chair and orders a drink.
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:Raen, near a pub:

Raen managed to get a hold of himself and stop panting. He put a hand on a wall to rest and regain his composure, sure he has made a fool of himself to the eyes of the passerby. With the ash cloud and the number of murders, he probably made a lot of people anxious.
He notices the wall he rests at belongs to a pub. A drink would be welcome to collect his thoughts. Perhaps dust off. He walks inside, takes an empty chair and orders a drink.

Noticing the blue glow as he enters the dim threshold, Raen has the presence of mind to cover his magical light before striding into the barroom.

A half dozen men in common garb sit at the long bar.

"What's your pleasure, monsieur?"
The bartender, a grizzled man with an eyepatch, scratches his neck-beard while he waits for a reply from Raen.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by alhoon »

Raen thinks a bit. "Something not to strong to take me down but strong enough to take my mind of bad happenings. Preferably not bitter, but at the time anything will do. What do you suggest my good man? I am Raen by the way."
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:Raen thinks a bit. "Something not to strong to take me down but strong enough to take my mind of bad happenings. Preferably not bitter, but at the time anything will do. What do you suggest my good man? I am Raen by the way."

"Louis."
The barman turns and grabs a bottle off the back shelf.
"Gin. That should help."
He pours Raen a drink.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by alhoon »

Raen takes a drink to soothe his skittering nerves. Then he turns to Louis. "So, I was wondering friend what have you heard about the sewers. I am sure I heard some nasty sounds coming from a sewer grate. Any idea what that may be? I am not long in this city you see."
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:Raen takes a drink to soothe his skittering nerves. Then he turns to Louis. "So, I was wondering friend what have you heard about the sewers. I am sure I heard some nasty sounds coming from a sewer grate. Any idea what that may be? I am not long in this city you see."

"Oh? Well, there's a lot of big nasty rats down there. Some say worse things...like ratmen, long-grabbers, pipe-fiends, and whatnot. I haven't seen any of those creatures, so I can't say which stories are right. If a man is smart, he doesn't go down below without a damned good reason-- like being part of the guild."
Louis holds the bottle over Raen's empty glass, but does not yet pour a second round.
" Confraternity of Rat-catchers, Sewerjacks, and Street-sweepers. The guild. Ask those guys if you are really curious about things going on down below."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by alhoon »

Raen passes the man a coin and nods towards the bottle for the second drink.
"And where can one find these sewerjack rat-catchers?"
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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alhoon wrote:Raen passes the man a coin and nods towards the bottle for the second drink.
"And where can one find these sewerjack rat-catchers?"

"The Plaza of Statues. Walk south down that long street just that way, the one with wagon ruts."
He points right.
"Keep going. You aren't too far away now. You'll see a big paved square with statues all around. The rubbish men and ratkillers run things from the place with the big bronze rat in front of the gate. Used to be two guilds, but even before the merger they shared the same building."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by alhoon »

"Thanks Louis" Raen said and enjoyed his second drink in relative peace. After a while he paid Louis, checked the name of the pub to be able to find it again and send patrons and moved to find the guild.
On the way to the rat-catchers guild he considered that perhaps this place is compromised but he believes he would be safe in the early hours in any case. He touched his medallion with his fingers to get re-assurance. The attack in Benn's office and the realization that a dozen and more wererats knew him by name and affiliation has left him suspicious but he forced himself to be calm. Paranoia wouldn't help him.

With those thoughts, he went to the square with the statues and looked around for the building with the bronze rat.
"Well, nobody lives forever." he told himself and went to the door to seek entrance.
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by kintire »

Kat swiftly checks around to see if the man is alone and moves to pursue but pauses after a few steps.

She has not lasted this long in her profession without developing a keen sense of trouble. If he is simply a lecher she cares nothing for him. Anyone else, in this investigation or out of it, who might have cause to hire someone to follow her would know that she would spot such a one. She smells bait.

She eyes the alley thoughtfully, but resumes her journey to Flammarion's shop. Though she now expects a wasted trip and to learn he sent no note, she will not pursue her clumsy follower off the well travelled streets and down a secluded alley. Whoever is trolling for her will have to do better than that!
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

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kintire wrote:Kat swiftly checks around to see if the man is alone and moves to pursue but pauses after a few steps.

She has not lasted this long in her profession without developing a keen sense of trouble. If he is simply a lecher she cares nothing for him. Anyone else, in this investigation or out of it, who might have cause to hire someone to follow her would know that she would spot such a one. She smells bait.

She eyes the alley thoughtfully, but resumes her journey to Flammarion's shop. Though she now expects a wasted trip and to learn he sent no note, she will not pursue her clumsy follower off the well travelled streets and down a secluded alley. Whoever is trolling for her will have to do better than that!

She keeps on.

After a while, she looks back and catches sight of the same man, back on her trail.

Speeding up, she takes a detour, whipping round a street corner.
Squeezing through a gap in the fence that separates a green lot from the open lane, KAT sneaks through a vegetable garden, then opens and passes a gate on the far side.
The few gardeners at work don't look up at her. She barely rustles the beanstalks.

She checks the streets ahead, behind, right, left...

No obvious tail.

Keeps walking, fast now, but not a jog.


She reaches Flammarion's shop without seeing any indication the man was able to follow.

The shop's open, but no customers are present this early.

She finds Flammarion working in the back room. The door stands ajar.
Fumes from the workshop make Kat's eyes water, and the acrid odor makes her nose run a little.

The old alchemist sniffs a small green fire in a brazier and the hustles out to meet KAT past the workshop door, in the showroom-front area.
"Oh, good, you got my note. Pull up a stool if you like."
He indicates a short row of stools tucked under the open shelves of goods on the left wall.
"I've learned some things about the Black Ash. Or at least, I've done enough observation, experimentation, and analysis that I've developed some notions about the stuff and its origins."
He fetches a stool for himself.
"You noticed the way it seems to sublimate at a touch, but lasts longer on pavement? Well...it isn't sublimating at all. It's vanishing utterly. No mass left. Nothing to trap in an alembic. It isn't turning to phlogiston or vaporous essences or anything of the sort, as I first guessed. No, the instability appears more than merely physical. Metaphysical! It's as if the stuff came from outside our world and goes back to where it came from after a time. Something about the heat or vital energy of living beings speeds up that process. But the rate of return is slowing. The ashfalls last longer every day, and some of the stains these falls leave do not vanish at all. My calculations suggest that in a few more days, the stuff will be stable in our environment. It will remain indefinitely. Canals will clog. The river will likely stay clear enough, because of the current, but wells, gardens, poorly sealed homes, our lungs..."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by kintire »

Kat pulls up a stool and seats herself further into the room than Flammarion so that while facing him she is also facing the door.

She leans forward and pays close attention, some of his words not making a whole lot of sense, but the general thrust of what he is saying becoming clear.

"Master Flammarion, that's amazing if what I understand is true, but perhaps you could explain a little more..." her mind flicks to sublimation, phlogiston and alembics "in terms a simple girl can understand." She gives him her best winning smile. "When you say 'outside our world' what do you mean? Isn't the world... everything? Do you mean this ash is divine?"

She is aware that last question would be greeted hostilely by some traditions and she has no idea what Flammarion's beliefs are, so she adopts her best 'simple girl eager to learn' look to deflect any hostility her remark might arouse, green eyes wide with admiration at his learning and erudition and fixed on his face... though still keeping the door behind him in her field of view
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by ewancummins »

kintire wrote:Kat pulls up a stool and seats herself further into the room than Flammarion so that while facing him she is also facing the door.

She leans forward and pays close attention, some of his words not making a whole lot of sense, but the general thrust of what he is saying becoming clear.

"Master Flammarion, that's amazing if what I understand is true, but perhaps you could explain a little more..." her mind flicks to sublimation, phlogiston and alembics "in terms a simple girl can understand." She gives him her best winning smile. "When you say 'outside our world' what do you mean? Isn't the world... everything? Do you mean this ash is divine?"

She is aware that last question would be greeted hostilely by some traditions and she has no idea what Flammarion's beliefs are, so she adopts her best 'simple girl eager to learn' look to deflect any hostility her remark might arouse, green eyes wide with admiration at his learning and erudition and fixed on his face... though still keeping the door behind him in her field of view

''This world, the Land and the Mists, is all there is for us, yes, Kat.
Maybe in dying we can travel Beyond...
But I have read of other realties beyond the Mists. Powerful sorcerers and hierophants have summoned beings from such realms, creatures whose physical and metaphysical natures differ radically from ours. Not gods but angels, devils, incarnate ideas, living flames, and stranger things.
When called, these beings often become trapped, unable to return home. They may grow hostile and difficult to control--break free and kill or torment the summoner.''
He coughs, casting nervous looks at the front room.
''Mind you, I am telling you what I have learned in books of lore and from consultation with sages. I most certainly have never attempted that sort of magic!''
He drops his voice to a hoarse whisper.
''At first I suspected summoning magic of some sort might explain the curious instability of the ash. Only no spell seems to be in operation, no dweomer sending it back wherever it came from or somehow annihilating it. Its disappearance is, I think, a natural phenomenon. But not one arising under the laws of nature normally in operation here. And the way it disappears when it touches skin...''

He indicates a covered object on a table nearby. The outline through the opaque cloth suggests wire, perhaps a small cage.

''I've conducted an experiment using ash samples, water and food from the neighborhood directly beneath the Black Cloud. Go ahead and look for yourself.''
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
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Re: RAVENLOFT: The One That Got Away, Chapter Nine

Post by kintire »

Kat listens wide eyed. She has not heard of such things before, though the Master Alchemist'scaution clearly signals that they have strayed into risky territory. At the gesture to the experiment and the veiled promise of dramatic revelation her curiosity overwhelms her caution and she moves to the tale with alacrity.

"Is that what you think has happened then? Someone has summoned... something... and it has become trapped? And it is now wandering the city, operating on its own laws of nature? Wow! But how do you get rid of such things?"

With a deft movement she whips off the cloth covering and bends close to examine what it concealed
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