Mists of Winter: Chapter One

[Adam]

"Indeed, after you," he says, sorely missing his breastplate and crossbow.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

PORT MASTER'S

"Of course," Dorgio tells the port master. "Good day."

On the way out, Dorgio leaves information on how to contact him through Benn's agency.

"It was worth a try," Dorgio tells Vlad as they leave. "He would not have believed us if we'd have told him about this killer's monstrous qualities. But there is one more man I want to ask, back in the Gundarakite quarter. There is a priest, Stefan, not a wielder of divine power, but a wise man none the less. Perhaps he can advise us on the hunt."

[steveflam]

"Indeed, after you," he says, sorely missing his breastplate and crossbow.

Franz nods and enters slowly, eyes looking around, taking in what he can. He will make his way slowly to the door. He walks on the balls of his feet so as to make as little noise as possible.

[VAN]

The Lorelai
Sara

Sara studies the silver haired man for few seconds, she was expecting someone with fancier clothes but at least Theon seems to have travelled a lot not just stay put and make up songs. She turns to look at the patrons reaction to him and then turns again to face the stage and smiles warmly at the bard. Waiting him to tune his lute and start playing she asks the domino masked woman.

"Do you work here? It seems a really nice inn."

[kintire]

''Yes, yes indeed. He once burned half a man's ---ah, sorry. Not a tale for a lady.''

"I'll just use my imagination to fill in the rest of that then. I'm not sure it's better!"

But despite her words, she is still smiling an impish grin, talk of violence apparently not disturbing her.

"But enough of the departed Van Diecks. What of you? Will you search out your lady love? Accost the madam? Or while away a little more time with me?"

She glances at the bard as he mounts the stage, eying the bard with interest that becomes tinged with a cautious respect.

"Hmm, he does look well travelled. Not the usual sort of stringplucker at all..."

[ewancummins]

SARA

The Lorelai
Sara

Sara studies the silver haired man for few seconds, she was expecting someone with fancier clothes but at least Theon seems to have travelled a lot not just stay put and make up songs. She turns to look at the patrons reaction to him and then turns again to face the stage and smiles warmly at the bard. Waiting him to tune his lute and start playing she asks the domino masked woman.

"Do you work here? It seems a really nice inn."

"Inn?" The woman cocks her head to one side, just like a bird.
"Oh, this isn't an inn. Did you just come in off the street, then, or did someone bring you here without telling you--"

A sweet note floats down from the stage.
The musician has begun playing. His finger dance over the frets and strings. The tune swells, perhaps magnified as by some builder's trick of acoustics, washing over Sara and the other people gathered near the stage.
The old fellow opens his mouth. Though Sara doesn't know the foreign words, something about his sad, slow song seems familiar.

VIEW CONTENT:

Did her mother once sing the same tune?

The newly-arrived male guests and the domino-masked females who sit among them all remain silent, attentive.

As the song dies and the soft clamor of clapping rises, the short woman turns back toward Sara. She adjusts her mask, rubbing under her left eye. In a whisper, "Theon's really good, isn't he?''

The man on stage chuckles. He looks down at Sara and her companion.
"Nice to be appreciated. '' He winks at the short woman and smiles at Sara, letting his gaze linger longer on her.
He mutters something.

listen check DC 15

VIEW CONTENT:

''Masks.''

And then he sets to playing a bawdy tavern song, much to the delight of the growing crowd.

[ewancummins]

KAT

''Yes, yes indeed. He once burned half a man's ---ah, sorry. Not a tale for a lady.''

"I'll just use my imagination to fill in the rest of that then. I'm not sure it's better!"

But despite her words, she is still smiling an impish grin, talk of violence apparently not disturbing her.

"But enough of the departed Van Diecks. What of you? Will you search out your lady love? Accost the madam? Or while away a little more time with me?"

She glances at the bard as he mounts the stage, eying the bard with interest that becomes tinged with a cautious respect.

"Hmm, he does look well travelled. Not the usual sort of stringplucker at all..."

''I'm going to seek Genei out while the music is playing and before any other man looks for her. Thank you for talking with me and offering advice. If you wish to speak again, drop by the cathedral. I've taken a temporary post there, as a guardsman. Ask for Bernart. Goodbye, mademoiselle.''

He rises and heads off into the growing crowd of guests and working girls.

Music drifts from the stage. After a melancholy introductory piece in some language Kat does not know--though some words seem familiar-- the bard switches to a popular tavern song.

The guests applaud, toast with raised pewter goblets, and laugh as they sing along with the verses about naughty young laundresses and lustful old merchants.

[ewancummins]

BENN AND FRANZ
A DERELICT BUILDING



Franz goes in first, trailed by Benn.


The sun rod's golden light drives darkness back into the furthest corners of the large rectangular chamber and down into the crevices in the rotted floorboards.

Benn and Franz see a gap in the floor, rough-edges of broken boards, midway to the door in the far wall and a little to their left. Munchen heads for that hole and sniffs around it.

Looking about, neither man sees any other figures in the room. No furniture, either. Canary wallpaper covers about half the vertical surfaces, peeled and spotted with leprous patches of fungus.
The stale, cold air carries a musty odor.

Benn, getting closer, sees that door on the far wall has warped into the jamb. Rust speckles the iron door knob and lock plate; a careful look shows that the mechanism has corroded to the point of uselessness.

[kintire]

KAT

She listens to the music with appreciation, although the songs of lustful old merchants gives a twist to her smile that for a moment looks almost... dangerous. But the mask hides the rest of her face, except the glitter in her eyes.

She rises, rather abruptly, and circulates through the crowd, trying to find another conversation, and ignoring the song.

[Adam]

He points to the door.

"Whatever it is, I don't think it went this way," he says. "I think your beast is on the trail, though I'm not sure we can fit through that gap."

[steveflam]

"You're probably right. Let's have a closer look."

[alhoon]

RAEN AND MISS SOPHIE
"I had the fortune to know some magic users that were working for the betterment of the world. And I had the misfortune to know some people that have had their lives destroyed by non careful use of magic or evil applications. Magic is not a whimsy tool miss Sophie"

[ewancummins]

DORGIO
Vlad turns and looks at Dorgio,
"Yes, let us be going to see this man, this Stefan."

...

[ewancummins]

FRANZ AND BENN


Franz shoulders the door. Hard.
Wood buckles and snaps as the door flies open.

The big man pulls back, steadying himself lest he fall into the next room.

Munchen sneezes as a dust cloud rolls out to engulf Franz and the dog. (Benn catches some of it).

Holding up his sun rod, Franz sees the chamber into which he has opened the warped--now cracked-- door.
Dust and cobwebs cover a jumble of furniture, chests, and cloth hangings in the small room. If there is another door leading to other parts of the building, he cannot see it through the mess and the hazy air.

[steveflam]

"So do you want to continue here or check that gap in the floor?" Franz relates to Benn what he heard.