Mists over the Musarde, Chapter Two

[Le Noir Faineant]

"Gentlemen... It is my honor to announce that Mylady Evangline has accepted my proposal. - When our business here is done, she has agreed to take my hand in marriage and come to live to the northern goods of my father."

Cirdan's eyes shine like the stars- or the eyes of a sheep.

"And I would like to extend that invitation to all of you, if you like. Once we have set things right here in Richemulot, please consider entering into my father's service. - NOT as my subordinates, but as souvereign and equal vasals."

The half-elf takes his skull medallion, and his mind seem to wander.

"You know... Darkon wasn't always... That dark. Today, it might be a country of shadows, but the memories, all those little details I remember from ym childhood, they are so wonderful..."

[Adam]

"Yes, well, *harumph*, I suppose congratulations are in order," Bennedict mutters out, heading towards the door. Of course they should get married. They've spent a whole month together, at least. "We'll just have to see. I need to be going, though, if I'm going to arrange a meeting with Frau Renierre."

He threw his hat onto his head, stepping out into the sun and trying not to shake his head at the provincial knight, glad to get out of there before Norzak lost it. He had to chuckle at the thought of the irritable dwarf serving as anybody's "vassal."

[steveflam]

"Gentlemen... It is my honor to announce that Mylady Evangline has accepted my proposal. - When our business here is done, she has agreed to take my hand in marriage and come to live to the northern goods of my father."

Norzak's jaw nearly drops at this announcement. His fists clench and unclench, blood pressure mounting. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches Benn saying a few words about some high tooty falootie. Smart man, leavin afore I give it to tha elf. I dun' think the others should be here for this either. Turning to the Alain and Dorgio, he says in an ice cold voice that gives no choice but to follow his order, and this is an order he's giving. It's also one of the few times he'll use a person's name instead of his characteristic "bub" or "mack" or whatever else he calls them.

"Alain and Dorgio, leave now. I want words with Cirdan. Now!" It's also one of the few times, if ever he's called Cirdan, well Cirdan.

Once the two men leave, he closes the door. He turns and looks at Cirdan. "Have ye lost ye mind?!?! Ye only kno 'er a month, Cirdan! Ye should know better 'n' that. Ye's part elf, dun' ye have a notion of propriety? Lemme tells ya somethin' bout marriage. I's was married many years, but I's not got engaged after a month! Get to know this girl. I knows she's 'uman, but ain' it proper to wait and get ta know a lady firs'? Gods!"

Norzak is now pacing, his face red. "Bah! It got somethin' ta do with bein' a noble? By the gods man! Think with yer head not yer codpiece, fer yer sake!"

Then Norzak remembers Cirdan offering them to be vassals and that's when he got real mad.

"In your service? What?!?!" He sputters. "I serve no man or woman. If ye wasn't me pal, I'd clock ye one. Saints!! Bah!!" Norzak reaches into one of the many pouches in his armor and removes a flask. He unstoppers it and takes a healthy swig and belches loudly.

"Laddie, take me advice, dun' rush this." Norzak casts detect magic on Cirdan, not really caring if the half elf is insulted or not. He needs to be sure that Cirdan isn't somehow magically insane or something.

"Wha' did her da say. Than again I'm not surprised. Bah!!!!!! Don' go nowhere, I's gettin tha other two." Getting the othet two meant to Norzak calling them back, so he did.

He stalks to the door, and opens it, calling down "Get ye behinds in here! Get some sense into this dolts head!" As an afterthought, ha yells down "An' I wanna know who in the name of Moradin is this Renier wimmin' 'n' how she kin 'elp us?"

[ewancummins]

"Yes, well, *harumph*, I suppose congratulations are in order," Bennedict mutters out, heading towards the door. Of course they should get married. They've spent a whole month together, at least. "We'll just have to see. I need to be going, though, if I'm going to arrange a meeting with Frau Renierre."

He threw his hat onto his head, stepping out into the sun and trying not to shake his head at the provincial knight, glad to get out of there before Norzak lost it. He had to chuckle at the thought of the irritable dwarf serving as anybody's "vassal."

Bennedict has no special contacts to allow him easy access to one of the most prominent noble ladies in the city [indeed, in all the League ], so a house call is probably in order. She maintains an estate outside the city, of course, but she's also got a small palace in the city. [This was the location of the Summer Ball which Benn and his friends attended]. She may or may not be at her urban residence, but surely a number her servants are there.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain leaves and comes back as requested . With an amused look on his face .

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio laughs in ernest when Cirdan announces the betrothal. It's not as if short courtship periods are anything unusual in Old Gundarak. But as Cirdan continues, Dorgio grows more concerned. He peers at Cirdan with squinted eyes, trying to obtain some idea of what's going through the half-elf's head.

When Norzak asks for him and Alain to leave, he complies with a smirk, and steps outside to light a cigarillo.

"Do you know much of the Eternal Order?" he asks Alain between puffs. "Fools from Darkon obsessed with appeasing the undead. Slaves to all things chthonic. Who knows what blackness they shrouded him with while he was back in his homeland?"

"Dorgio raises a hand towards Norzak when the dwarf calls back for them, signaling he'll be a few minutes. "If you are having any skill at divination, it may not be too bad an idea to find out what you may."

He then walks back in, and responds to Norzak's question. "She's the woman, the very rich one, who took a liking to Benn at the ball. She's got an in with the Ezrans, so she might make a powerful ally."

[Adam]

Benn steps lively across town, making haste towards Madame Renier's city residence. Once there, he makes his intentions to set up a meeting of some kind known and stands patiently, perhaps picking irritably at any dust or lint that may be otherwise marring his appearance.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain says : " Sorry I've no talent for divination as yet . " before he goes back to talk about tonight's possible meeting .

[Le Noir Faineant]

Cirdan eyes get bigger and bigger as he listens to Norzak's impressive rant, and opens and closes his mouth in an attempt to defend himself, but is so baffled that nothing comes out.

Finally, the face red hot, he stands up and crosses his arms, looking down on his friend. all kindness gone from his eyes.

"You might want to reconsider that, Sir dwarf, but I understand your surprise and thank you for your opinion. Now, however, I think we have other matters to discuss."

[ewancummins]

Benn steps lively across town, making haste towards Madame Renier's city residence. Once there, he makes his intentions to set up a meeting of some kind known and stands patiently, perhaps picking irritably at any dust or lint that may be otherwise marring his appearance.

Benn arrives at Lady's Renier's mansion. A tall and stately building of antiquated stonework, it's even more impressive in daylight than it had been under the moon and stars the night of the Summer Ball, when Benn first saw it.

Benn is admitted after only a brief wait in the courtyard, and servants soon bring him refreshments, take his jacket, and seat him in a side parlor. Open windows let in fresh air and plenty of sunlight. The room is well appointed, with an understated elegance. There is a bookshelf against one wall, with a number of titles upon it: gazetteers and travellers' tales, a volume of Invidian romantic poetry, an annotated collection of the Books of Ezra, and several books about gardening.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain begins by saying to the group: " I was thinking Cirdan could meet the note writer to see if he/she is legit, while Norzak and me are keeping watch from the shadows as it were." he's waiting for any other suggestions anybody else has to make.

[steveflam]

"If'n tha elf feels up to it, sure. We shoul' be waitin' in tha shadows, bows trained on tha note writer. An' I think we shoul' be waitin' a few hours afore tha appointed rendezvous time. Scout tha place. I have ta check me spells, see what ones I might chose fer the meetin' after it goes bad." Norzak says that, knowing full well the meeting is a trap.

"Dorgio, mebbe ye kin' use some dee-vine magics ta see if there'll be some peoples hidden once we are there? Mebbe not lon' afore tha appointed time? Ye think Benn'll be back soon enough? WHy we need that Ree-neer lady's help? We do juss' fine by our own, no? Don' wanna be owin' favors to now snooty noble lady." He spits on the ground at the word noble.

"Yeah, tis' all we need, ta owe favors to some mamby pamby high class nobody." Mumbles to himself in disgust.

"Oh Cirdan, I ain' reconsiderin nuthin', bub," Norzak eyes the half elf seriously. Then back on track to everyone "So what does yer think of the plan ? Pitch in ye ideas, we's five not jess' two."

[Lord Skybolt]

" That sounds good to me I'll come with you to scout out the meeting place before hand. " Thinking: I don't need to decide what spells may be needed.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Cirdan shakes his head angrily, but finally smiles.

"We have a common interest in trying to discover the circumstances of this conspiration. For you, it's business, but for me it's personal now. Why don't we work together, and you tell me what you have found out while I was fighting in Darkon?"

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio explains to Cirdan about Benn's theory about the history of the city, and about the information that may lead them to discovering the secret of the mirror. In an attempt at tact, he neglects to mention the "expedition," they just returned from.

When done explaining, he turns to Norzak. "I know nothing that could detect a hidden foe, but if things were to get out of hand, I could help cover our location by calling upon the mists to enshroud us."

He stands. "I'm with you on scouting the place out first, Norzak. Come, let us not waste the hours."