The Eye of Anubis: Book One

[yalenusveler]

Andre mutters to himself, watching the twitchy little Akiri man. "If that was an Avatar of Anubis, I'm Ra himself...", then watching Tomas take a bit of a more polite track, sat back and continued to watch, not particularly fancying himself an interrogator.

Sense motive=12+4=16

[Nathan of the FoS]

"I was having a smoke, young man, and braving the worst storm I have seen in ages, before this...tawdry mess happened. As for seeing anything unusual, nothing more than entirely too many people getting soaked for even sparser reason than myself!"

OOC: Sense Motive 28. w00t! Chaz is Very Intuitive today!

"All of that inconvenience and wet for a private smoke? Sparse reason indeed," Charles replies, perhaps a little too politely. Drawing the professor slightly aside, so as to give at least the impression of desiring a private conversation, he continues, "Our own reasons seemed pressing at the time, I suppose, but perhaps you're right--it seems to have come to naught. Tell me, though, Professor, when did you go outside for your smoke? Did you meet with anyone, or see anyone else in the garden? You understand, of course, that this is about to become a murder investigation; it behooves you to make all clear at this point, rather than to run the risk of awkward revelations later!"

[NeoTiamat]

The Search Party

Professor Smythe drew himself up to full height, a moderately imposing spectacle considering his paunch. He was of a height with Charles.

"Young man, I have already given my statement to the Gendarmerie, and I do not doubt that I will be speaking with Lord de Casteelle presently. I am guilty of nothing, and do not see why I must be interrogated by students and foreigners!"

Smythe's voice took on a mordant tone.

"Unless you have a gendarmerie's badge hidden about your person, this conversation is finished. And make note, I shall be informing President of the University of this rude behavior on your part."

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Inside

Jervis seemed a little displeased at having Tomas lead the Akiri away, but a hiss from Samael returned him to his previous apathy. The Borcan looked slightly amused at Tomas's unorthodox approach, but said nothing.

The unorthodox approach, meanwhile, was working like a charm. Once he had taken a few drinks of tea, fortified with a surreptitious dollop of brandy, Fassahd stopped twitching quite so much, though he still cast frequent glances at the tall windows.

"Thank you Effendi." Fassahd had a thick accent, considerably thicker than Khalil's more polished tone. "You are most kind."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia detaches herself from the wall and 'casually' strolls over to where Tomas and al-Muharin are standing. Her mask and veil, of course, show nothing of her facial expression. She only stands there, silently watching the little desert-dweller like some specter out of a penny dreadful.
"I still think you were telling the truth," Lia thinks to herself, "but even if you are, better that I be 'the scary one' standing nearby than one of those guards."

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Unless you have a gendarmerie's badge hidden about your person, this conversation is finished. And make note, I shall be informing President of the University of this rude behavior on your part."

"Rude?" Charles replies, giving a good imitation of being nonplussed. "Come then, Professor. We have merely been asking politely for your help in what may become a murder investigation and is certainly a shocking incident occurring on the University grounds. If you would be so kind as to tell Lord de Casteelle so, I will be delighted. I hoped that you might have seen something which could cast some light on the bizarre occurrences here and on the roof, which, in the confusion, you had not yet had the opportunity to share with the proper authorities. Now that we know you have already given a full statement concerning your meeting in the garden to the gendarmerie my concern is quite assuaged. Thank you for your reassurances, Professor."

[DocBeard]

If Tomas notices Jervis or Samael's movements, he makes no sign of it , calmly prepairing the man's tea while waiting. A few moments later, he's taking a sip of his own cup.

"Can I get you a cup while I'm making, Miss?" Tomas says towards the grim, unrelenting specter of lia, smiling sunnily. All he needs is the frilly pink apron.

"If a little decency can make the world a little less frightening, my mother used to say, then you're getting a bargan for it." Tomas sips his tea, looking out the window and licking his upper lip idly. "I'm Tomas, by the way. It's nice to meet you."

Another sip, "I'm sorry, but I'm a little...ignorant about religion. It is something of a Lamordian tradition, ja? If you're feeling up to it, I'd like to hear more about this 'avatar' you spoke about." What might be unusual is Tomas's sincerity; he honestly sounds interested in learning more about the Akari man's beliefs, as if this 'avatar' hadn't just tried to set the roof on fire.

[lostboy]

There is a short commotion as a small dark form glides through the shattered window and comes to rest on Khalils shoulder. The hawk seems ambivalent to the disturbacnce it jsut caused and rubs its head affectionatly against Khalils face.

The desert guide appears to whsiper a few words to it, before returnign his attention to the matter before him. He looks carefully at the stout man, sizing him up. The man reminds him of something forgotten in the recent excitement...

[OOC: Sense Motive: 7

Distracted by his companion pecking his ear looking for a scrap of dried meat Khalils attention is deiverted from professor smythe. Feeding the hawk quickly he returns to the conversation, a steely glint in his eye, as this pompous fop talking to Charles exhausts his patience.

Another concerned more with image and pomp than action. He thinks silently as he eyes the large man, its a wonder this country functions at all. Still flattery gets you everywhere...

"Affendi Charles is correct." He says staring at the overweight man "Forgive me for my impertinence Affendi but a man is dead, his soul passed onto du'at, we are about to embark on a most hazardous expedition, and the events of the past hour may have a grave bearing on our undertaking. In light of this perhaps you would be kind enough to share your wisdom with us, learned professor."

He continues to stare at the professor, absently rubbing his chest and shoulder.

[NeoTiamat]

The Search Party

Professor Smythe chewed on his cigar for a moment, looking at Charles with an inscrutable gaze. He seemed to ignore Khalil's comment entirely.

"Bah!" The fat literature professor whirled to Khalil. "If this will get the meddling lot of you away faster, very well."

Smythe looked back towards Charles, his gazing pausing on Otto as well. "And mind, if this reaches that honey-haired vixen with you, I will make certain neither of you ever studies at this University again."

"I went out for a smoke, yes, but also to meet a... feminine companion. Needless to say she did not arrive and her name is irrelevant to this discussion. But as a result I smoked two good cigars in the miserable cold and wet. I must've been out there half the night. Deceiving minx."

"As for who I saw? I must've seen bloody near everyone at the Reception! I saw you, madam," He pointed a cigar at Allikhain. "And you, young man." This was with a nod to Khalil. "I saw that Borcan scoundrel wander about, heavens, I remember that rascal when he was in my classes."

"Lord Ramsey passed by, also Lady Chantreaux in a bit of a huff. The Falkovnian Ambassador and Lord Balfour de Casteelle spoke briefly early in the evening. Also a pair of men I didn't recognize, a very tall man in a top hat and smoked spectacles, talking with him a rather ratty looking man in workman's leathers, long-faced with yellow eyes as I recall."

Prof. Smythe chewed on a cigar briefly. "Oh, and I saw a rather sharp-faced looking dog, small, gold-furred, not the least like that monstrosity you set upon me."

Chewing the cigar, Smythe inquired sardonically. "Will that be all?"

[OOC: Knowledge: Nature check please.]

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Inside

Fassahd looked a bit nervously at Lia, but it appeared that in the comparative scale of things, she ranked fairly low when placed next to the Avatar of Anubis.

"Thank you again, effendi." Fassahd nodded to Tomas. "I am Fassahd al Muharin, but you know this."

"The Avatar... it is a legend in Har'Akir, that should one transgress against the guards of a tomb, then Anubis will send his Avatar against you. And when the Avatar is sent, then you should set aside the money for the priests, for they will soon be preparing your mummy."

Fassahd's thickly accented voice was almost calm. You noticed his hand shaking like a leaf, however.

"I had reached all the way from Har'Akir to this land without sighting the Avatar, but now it has found us, and it will not depart. It is the sending of a god, and we are all guilty of planning to rob a tomb in its eyes."

"We are doomed." There was a bleak misery in the Akiri's voice. "Damned and doomed."

[Nathan of the FoS]

Chewing the cigar, Smythe inquired sardonically. "Will that be all?"

"Quite," Charles says, his lips curving into a seraphic smile beneath his elegant mustachio. "I am sorry for your misfortune in the assignation, Professor, but it is very kind of you to share your information on what transpired in the garden this evening; I am sure it will be useful to us in determining the course of events. Please be assured that your confidences will be respected fully."

Bowing slightly, he says, "Good evening, Professor. Thank you again for your help."

Turning to the rest of the group, he motions by a nod of the head in the direction of the group now conversing with al-Muharin. "Shall we, gentlemen?" he says, stepping toward the others.

[OOC: Knowledge: Nature check please.]

No ranks in it, so I'm no help! Khalil? Otto?

[steveflam]

"Lord Ramsey passed by, also Lady Chantreaux in a bit of a huff. The Falkovnian Ambassador and Lord Balfour de Casteelle spoke briefly early in the evening. Also a pair of men I didn't recognize, a very tall man in a top hat and smoked spectacles, talking with him a rather ratty looking man in workman's leathers, long-faced with yellow eyes as I recall."

Allikhain waited until Smythe finished speaking. Something about what he said rang a bell. "Excuse me Professor" she spoke up "but this ratty looking man bumped into me this evening and handed me a paper asking me to meet in the garden fifteen minutes later. The man in the top hat is none other than Mr Lancaster I spoke of before."

[The Whistler]

Otto actually smiled a bit despite himself during Martel's and Smythe's first few exchanges--Go get 'im, Charles!--before remembering that yes, a man had just been murdered, and no, it probably wasn't appropriate to be that enthusiastic about an interrogation. Even if the interrogate-ee didn't seem to be too good a sort.

Smythe looked back towards Charles, his gazing pausing on Otto as well. "And mind, if this reaches that honey-haired vixen with you, I will make certain neither of you ever studies at this University again."

Ooh...*definitely* not a good sort, then. Still: catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, and all that. This guy needs calming down.

The gunsmith stepped forward, hands spread in a conciliatory gesture. "Professor Smythe, there is no need to make such a declaration--after all, it is in all of our interests simply to collect as much information as we can, yes? I am certain that we would be happy to receive it in whatever way would make you most comfortable."

He listened to the rest of Smythe's confession without interrupting again; he intended to stick by his word--no matter how pompous the professor seemed, a promise was a promise--but he reasoned that he could tell Lily some of the more forensically pertinent bits while leaving out the witness' identity and illicit motivations. Didn't want to muck up the investigation too badly, after all.

I went out for a smoke, yes, but also to meet a... feminine companion... ...Deceiving minx.

Whoof...certainly doesn't seem too chivalrous, does he, though.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The Avatar... it is a legend in Har'Akir, that should one transgress against the guards of a tomb, then Anubis will send his Avatar against you. And when the Avatar is sent, then you should set aside the money for the priests, for they will soon be preparing your mummy. We are doomed." There was a bleak misery in the Akiri's voice. "Damned and doomed."

Lia audibly scoffs at al-Muharin's words. "That was no god, nor an avatar of a god," she whispers, her voice cold and slightly sibilant. "If it had been, it would not have fled before us into the night. It could have killed us all with a gesture of its hand. As for being damned, you could turn to the protection of other deities to safeguard your soul, monsieur al-Muharin."

[lostboy]

[OOC: Knowledge Nature roll: 16 ]

Khalil watches the professor with an bland air of indifference, broken only once when the topic of his activities outside are brought up. The desert guide stiffens and his hand comes up to his chest then relaxes abruptley as the professor moves on.

Beneath his affected air, Khalil watches the man like the hawk on his shoulder, absorbing the information imparted. Nodding briefly to the man as he finishes speaking he turns on his heel and prepares to follow Charles.

Allikhains voice gives him pause for thought, turnign back he sizes up the woman in front of him, she appears wordly and ready for anything, he notes that she like him came fully armed to the reception. "Madam, forgive me I am Khalil, a guide on this expedition, I would be most intirgued to hear about your encounter outside". He says a gleam of interest in his eye.

[DocBeard]

"So that's a no on the tea then?" Tomas's smile is a little stretched at Lia's reaction, though any other reaction is quickly swallowed with another small sip from his cup. "Seems kind of a strange attitude towards religion, though. Damned by one god, hop to the next? Wouldn't they keep in touch or something?" There, she can be irritated at him. Wait. Tomas smacks himself internally, wondering how he thought that was a good plan...

[steveflam]

Allikhain sighs inwardly at Khalil's interest in once again her clandestine meeting with Lancaster. I'll tire sooner than later of repeating my meeting. With a curious look, she inspects Khalil from head to toe.

Well at least he had the common sense to come prepared like I did. He looks like a Calimshite or from somewhere far south. She spoke up so everyone would hear her and thus, wouldn't have to repeat herself anymore. "All right... so everyone hears what happened to me this evening and I don't have to repeat myself, listen up people!" She paused until everyone was indeed paying attention.

"Earlier this evening a ratty looking man bumped into me. He discreetly handed a piece of paper to me. On this paper were instructions to Meet me in the garden in fifteen minutes, come alone. This is when you saw Ulsaon and I leave and I believe one or two of you saw us outside heading for the garden."

"We got there early in case it was a trap but alas it wasn't. So this man in a top hat, with dark glasses, pointy teeth and claws met us. He called himself Lancaster and had a proposition for us. When we get to the tomb steal the eye of Anubis. It's about the size of two fists he said. He offered us 20,000 shades when the job was done."

"Well I refused. Gold is not high on my priority list. Lancaster found that incredulous and tried to persuade me but I still refused. He left after that. And now Professor Smythe says he saw the ratty man and Lancaster together earlier this evening.

Allikhain took a short breath, happy that was over.