The Shattered City: Chapter Three

[NeoTiamat]

Leon National Cemetery, Night of April 21st, 770
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"I see that we have abandoned any pretense that we are not assaulting these people," Thierri said, his eyes half-lidded as he lit a cigarette. "Or are we trying to pretend that this is not assault?"

"They began this when they summoned those abominations," Katja replied, coolly. "Whatever they profess their motives to be, they must pay the consequences for their wrongdoings."

"That applies to both sides." Thierri frowned and folded his arms. "I do not condone this."

"Then leave," Katja commanded.

[DocBeard]

Tomas takes a slow breath; this is exactly the sort of thing he wants out now, instead of in the middle of a fight.

"What would you suggest we do, Thierri?" Tomas asks in turn, "I'm not about to start lobbing off heads as soon as I see people walking, but I'm not going down into the secret crypt lair of a cult that's already tried to kill me once unarmed. Yes, if this is all a misunderstanding, we are going to apologize and leave peacefully."

"Our goal," Tomas continues firmly, looking over the rest of the group for signs of hesitation or panic, "Is to find out what exactly these people have done, what they want to do, and the best way to stop it. That is probably going to involve knocking a few of them out, binding them with rope, and interrogating them. We will also damage some property searching for relevant papers and if there actually is an unfathomable horror down there I am going to kill the hell out of it."

"If any of you seriously have a problem with that, now is the time to turn around and walk away." Tomas will give the others a minute or two to react and, barring any major revelation or Agale trying to start a fire, he'll start heading down into the crypt.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"There is an alternative strategy I would like to suggest," Lia says. "We have a few stealthy people among us. Why not perform a bit more reconnaissance and see if we can spy on the cult first, before we wade in with weapons drawn? Based on what we learn, we can always advance in force."

[Nerit]

The nun did similar to Mr. Agale, scrapping around for a branch and moss and what-have-you for a makeshift torch. Did they teach that at the monastery? one might have wondered.

When she was finished, she returned by Thierri's side with raised eyebrows.
"I agree with M. Boucher the Younger here," Nerit patted the magician gently on the arm, as nuns were wont to do when giving matter-of-fact opinions. "It is a mistake to declare ourselves enemies when we do not know the whole of the situation. They may blaspheme against Ezra," she said with a sharp look, "but war is not a justifiable solution. Even if we crawl in first, Mlle Mourneswaithe, is it still not with the intent of harm? We should be asking them questions, not killing them.

"Now, I do not mean to trivialize your bright skill, monsieur, but could you?" she held out the torch to Thierri. Either she was planning to go in there anyway, or attract the attention of all the moths in the graveyard.

[yalenusveler]

"I think we're all being played." Kerrian said "They mentioned people with snakes on their hands. What does that mean? I think they're trying to save the nation, but going about it in the worst way possible. If we can talk to them, get them to realize that this isn't a good idea, try to work out some sort of compromise...maybe we can find who is truly responsible."

Kerrian obviously knew that the likelyhood of that happening was akin to magical pixies suddenly coming out of the sky and giving everyone delicious candy that let them live forever young and vital. But a certain amount of optimism keeps the soul from being crushed.

"They have part of the picture obviously..and so do we. If we work together..we can fill in the pieces we're missing. I can't condone what they've done, but working together we can possibly undo some of the harm.."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia fidgets a little at Kerrian's words. She looks down at the heel of her staff for a moment, sighs, then looks at Tomas. "We need to talk," she says. "In private," she adds, with a brief, smoldering glance at the Mulani.

[yalenusveler]

"Considering we've nearly killed each other before...how are we going to manage diplomacy?" Kerrian asked quietly, coming to realize that the morally higher road (Not quite the Moral High Road though) was going to be significantly more difficult than expected.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"They may already know we are coming," Lia points out. "That ghost is flitting about. It could have been spying on us with ease. And it would not fear travelling through a graveyard to notify its companions."

[DocBeard]

"If we keep fussing, its not going to matter because we'll run into whoever made those tracks when they come back around.." Tomas pauses, and takes a long, slow breath.

"Fellows, we are saying the same thing with different focuses. Lia, we don't have the time or communication capabilities to properly scout. Sister, Thierri, I just said that I have no intention of killing anyone unless they are in fact flesh eating monsters. Kerrian, in the off chance that whoever's down there does not start shooting at us as soon as they make eye contact, and turn out to be perfectly innocent mourners...its a public cemetery. We heard noises, thought someone might need help, went to investigate. Otherwise, diplomacy's just a nicer way of saying interrogation."

Tomas pauses, stumbling backwards and quickly digging Ivorsen into the ground; he had been forcing himself to act as though the plague was not affecting him lately, and the sudden expulsion of breath caused the big man to get dizzy and light headed.

"I'm not trying to rush into this, but...we're sort of on a time limit." Tomas rubs his face, forcing a smile on his face.

[The Whistler]

"Considering we've nearly killed each other before...how are we going to manage diplomacy?"

"With the requisite politeness and decency befitting an experienced Investigative Squadron, of course!" Celeste smiled encouragingly--this was probably not the "how" answer that Kerrian was looking for, but she clearly thought it was still applicable.

"Recall, gentle compatriots, that throughout the whole of our perorations throughout the City, we have not once been the aggressors in a conflict--we should be ill-pressed to begin now! Lest we forget, our late encounter in Troischamps would not have been forestalled with such delicacy, were it not for our ability to forge an amicable understanding with Mlle. Anne-Marie. I must declare, I am quite in agreement with the good M. Boucher upon this matter!" With a brisk nod, she moved a step closer to the magician, in solidarity.

[Kaitou Kage]

Cyrus ignored Lia again. The professor was a crotchety, irritable old bat and he apparently did something else to make her mad without even doing anything this time. Maybe she'd get over herself one of these days. For now, he couldn't be bothered.

Sword in hand, he gestured toward the crypt.

"We ought to move," he said, "And accept the fact that whatever we do may be received badly by someone."

[Cronax]

"Mr. Eisenwald is correct Mr. Boucher. 'Assault' implies that our initial intention is to do harm." Agale interjected, "In this situation we are merely doing our civic duty as concerned members of the citizenry in investigating a suspicious goings on. If in the course of that investigation, we are met with a violent opposition, self defense may be necessary."

"By the Dommer's account, The crypt has been recently accessed by a number of people this night. A suspicious state of affairs in and of itself. In fact, inaction in this situation, by some statutory interpretations could be considered negligence."

[NeoTiamat]

Navarre Crypt, Leon National Cemetery, Night of April 21st, 770
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"What would you suggest we do, Thierri?"

"Mr. Eisenwald is correct Mr. Boucher. 'Assault' implies that our initial intention is to do harm."

Thierri's only response to Agale's reassurance was a half-raised eyebrow.

"My suggestion," he replied to Tomas, "was simply that everyone be very clear on what we are doing before we venture into this tomb."

"If any of you seriously have a problem with that, now is the time to turn around and walk away."

"Eat something, drink something." Thierri reached out to steady the fading Lamordian. "Everyone who is ill. You'll dehydrate fast. Nothing alcoholic," he added, with a glance towards Nicolas.

"Regardless of my personal intent, you came here due to information I imparted, and were injured assisting my family," Thierri said bleakly. "It is my responsibility to stay with you and keep you standing, but don't expect me to fight."

"We have spoken with these women before, and their methods alone mark them as reprehensible. We should not allow false hope to put ourselves and our allies in danger," Katja rejoined. "If you are against that, then go home and stay out of our way."

"My brother is dying," Thierri suddenly hissed, his eyes alarmingly wide. "Don't you dare tell me to leave."

"Now, I do not mean to trivialize your bright skill, monsieur, but could you?" she held out the torch to Thierri. Either she was planning to go in there anyway, or attract the attention of all the moths in the graveyard.

Thierri reached out and snapped his fingers, lighting the makeshift torch with fire that neither burned nor gave smoke. Light flooded out from the wood, racing out across the graveyard before stopping abruptly, with no transition between it and the darkness.

"A smokeless flame will prove better for an enclosed space, yes?" the magician said, his eyelids returning to their normally half-lidded state.

"Let us go," Katja said coolly.

================================================

The Navarre Crypt was empty. Empty of life, empty of ghosts (that you could see), and most certainly empty of Grave Weirds. It was a fairly straightforward crypt, with two rows of six sarcophagi. No cauldrons, no ritual circles, no unquiet dead ready to protect the crypt from all intruders.

You did, however, find evidence that the crypt had been occupied, and recently. Because there was a lit lamp inside. A slow-burning lantern, to be precise, still about a third full of oil, which provided a minimum of illumination to the windowless mausoleum. The lantern was on the floor in a corner of the crypt, and next to it was a door.

A trap door, actually, or more like a grating, with metal bars covering a narrow and spiraling stairwell straight down. Motifs of skulls and holy symbols decorated the stairwell, and there was little doubt as to just where it was leading. The Navarre Crypt, it seemed, contained an entrance to the Port-a-Lucine Catacombs.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Right, then," Lia says after a brief pause. "Illumine." The crystal on top of her staff bursts into warm, golden light. "Shall we proceed? Or would you all like me to check this chamber and the tunnel before us for magical traps, first?"

[DocBeard]

Tomas can only look equal parts grateful and humiliated as he's watered like a plant; Thierri's clarification mollified Tomas, honestly, and his resolve to aid is appreciated. It is difficult to say this however, so Tomas simply grunts and nods in the tradition of men around the world.

Some time later, they're in the catacombs and Tomas realizes just how useful this sort of secret route would be to a sinister cult. Damn. "Just keep an eye out for any of Sebastian's relatives." Tomas murmurs, half expecting another wererat flood to come pouring along the ground. "I can't believe they didn't keep some kind of sentry around here..."