Mists of Winter: Chapter Three

[VAN]

Sara is glad when they arrived at Baronet's house, she couldn't stand this rain any longer. She gets a glass of brandy and drinks a bit so she gets warm and decides to remain silent for now letting Benn and Galandel do the talking.

[alhoon]

Sipping a bit of brandy, Raen speaks "Pleased to meet you Sir Sicart. While I respect aristocracy, I respect even more those that are raised to a title because of merit and good work than those born in it. Your actions to help the poor honor your peers.
My name is Raen, and as a scholar I appreciate your contributions to agriculture. Your reputation is the reputation of a good man, that helps those around him and makes the world a better place."

[ewancummins]

Sipping a bit of brandy, Raen speaks "Pleased to meet you Sir Sicart. While I respect aristocracy, I respect even more those that are raised to a title because of merit and good work than those born in it. Your actions to help the poor honor your peers.
My name is Raen, and as a scholar I appreciate your contributions to agriculture. Your reputation is the reputation of a good man, that helps those around him and makes the world a better place."

The Baronet smiles.
"Ah, thank you for the fine sentiments, Master Raen."
He sets his empty tumbler down on the small service table beside his chair.
"I try to...wait! In all this excitement, I've forgotten to ask you straight out--- what about the man Galandel found down in the tunnel? What happened to him?"

[RocEter]

"He is dead." Galandel says.

"As for the rest it, when I checked out the tunnel. I saw the human face first on the ground, I thought he was slain by what ever creature was attacked him. When I saw the others trying to pull Benn out of the room with the eyes, I withdrew." He says. "Be glad Sicart, wanted to return to see about the trespasser. Otherwise I would have not returned."

[ewancummins]

''He's dead?"
The Baronet dips his head and mumbles a prayer.
''Well, someone will have to go and claim his body after the rains fall off. We can't just leave the poor fellow to rot. He ought to have a proper burial. And maybe we can identify him and let his family know, if he has any people in the neighborhood."

The Baronet refills his tumbler, but only halfway.

"How did he die?"

[VAN]

Sara lowers her head, she feels embarassed and even a bit guilty that she shooted the man just because she thought he was going to attack Benn.

"It was an accident Sir Sircart. It was dark, Mr Benn was alone in the room searching and I was looking for hidden enemies. I saw a man going straight to him and I...I shoot him. Unfortunately the same mistake did another our companion who slashed the poor man with his sword. You have to believe me Sir, we thought he was going to attack Benn, not long time ago we were attacked by these evil eyes and fought a kind of giant in there. I speak on Franz's behalf as well here, we did what we did because we didn't want to risk Mr Benn's life. Of course we will going to retrieve the body and get it to his family for the proper funeral. I'm really sorry."

Sara looks at the others hoping they back her up and confirming her story.

[Adam]

"It is a shame," Benn agrees, "But such often are the fortunes of those that turn to larceny, I'm afraid."

He then moves on to relate the tale of what brought them into the tunnel in the first place, paying special emphasis on the drowning victims, the bewitching eyes in the jars, and their subsequent struggles with "Jenny."

[ewancummins]

After Benn has finished, the Baronet sips the last of his brandy, then gets up and stows the bottle and tumbler in the cabinet without shutting the door.

Turning back to the group he says,

"An amazing tale, but I did see those horrible eyes. I believe you, friends. And I'm sure the gendarmes will also believe you."

He looks at Galandel and frowns.
"I'll understand if you fear to go into the city. But the gendarmes may ask for your report. The writ will protect you if you keep out of fights and trouble with the law."

He looks over to Benn.

''You are the leader? May I ask what your plan is, regarding this 'Jenny'? It sounds as if she, or it, will be very difficult to track, and still poses a deadly danger to people in this area. "

[ewancummins]

FRANZ, KAT, MUNCHEN

KAT AND FRANZ, THE SOUTHEAST WATERFRONT
Kat and Franz have been soaked to the skin, despite their cloaks, by the time they cross the outlying fields, pass the old city wall, and reach the south docks along the boardwalks.
Swift water hums under the boards; the river rides higher than Kat has seen it in years.
And still the rain falls.
Kat spots the Portmaster’s men seated under the awning of a nearby shop, on the street above the boardwalk. They sit facing out, cloaks muffled about their bodies, watching the swollen river.
Munchen barks, running along the zigzag wooden steps and ramps, up the steep upper floodwall and onto the street.
When Franz and Kat follow and reach the top, they find the men waiting for them, out from under the awning. One man feeds Munchen a flitch of bacon.
The sergeant, cigar long since chewed to a nubbin, waves Kat and Franz closer. “We thought you’d drowned! Went down on the bank for a look, but the water was too high, so we had to give it up.” He looks about, scowling.
“Where are the others?”

Franz eyes each man, including the sergeant with a scrutinizing glance. Having been a soldier under the Talons and their rigorous training permitted him to do so. Besides the sergeant, he wasn't too impressed with the rest of the men.

"Tank you for deiner snack for Munchen" he acknowledges the man who offered Munchen the bit of bacon. Looking to the sergeant he smiles.

"Ve are not dead. Dey are elsewhere unt safe for de moment, pursuing other avenues uff investigation. Both the Fraulein unt I haff come to varn you, unt your, uh, men about dis Jenny. She had a, vell a Ginat I guess is de best vurd, helping her from vut ve learnt. Ve haff just come to varn you to be careful. She might target you unt your men. De Giantt is now deceased."

Franz' demeanor to the Sergeant about the mans men are subtle, but the Falkovnian can tell the man will note it. He has deducted that the man is experienced and trained well enough and will deduct the same thing about Franz and his experience.

''You fought a giant?"
The sergeant motions towards the lower docks.
"Down there? How big was he?"

Some of the men chuckle and nudge one another with elbows, but the sergeant remains grim, serious-looking. He doesn't smile or laugh.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"And I am Dorgio," he tells the Baronet. At the mention of brandy, Dorgio instinctively licks his lips. He'd promised his wife he'd cut back. Lorna, who even now carried his child, who wanted nothing more than to let her love him, and for him to rise above his own self-destructive tendencies. But she had not seen what he'd seen tonight.

"Yes, I'll be taking you up on that. Lots."

The priest listens with rapt attention as the Baronet describes his encounter with Galandel, and then the eyes. "I doubt we'll be able to claim the body, sadly. I saw something snatch it when we fled the tunnels. Likely Jenny. I am fearing she wants something with his eyes. When last we looked, he still had his. She is likely rectifying that as we speak."

He turns to the Barnet, fixing the noble with his feverish gaze. "And when you looked into those floating eyes, what was it that you saw?"

[ewancummins]

"And I am Dorgio," he tells the Baronet. At the mention of brandy, Dorgio instinctively licks his lips. He'd promised his wife he'd cut back. Lorna, who even now carried his child, who wanted nothing more than to let her love him, and for him to rise above his own self-destructive tendencies. But she had not seen what he'd seen tonight.

"Yes, I'll be taking you up on that. Lots."

The priest listens with rapt attention as the Baronet describes his encounter with Galandel, and then the eyes. "I doubt we'll be able to claim the body, sadly. I saw something snatch it when we fled the tunnels. Likely Jenny. I am fearing she wants something with his eyes. When last we looked, he still had his. She is likely rectifying that as we speak."

He turns to the Barnet, fixing the noble with his feverish gaze. "And when you looked into those floating eyes, what was it that you saw?"

The Baronet takes the brandy out again and refills Dorgio's glass.
"I saw something, but I'm not sure what. A blurred image, as if I were looking into a muddy pool."

He moves the bottle back over his empty tumbler, hesitates, and then corks it again.

"I made myself look through the eyes. That stopped whatever was happening to me, I think. And then Galandel called out for us to break off, get away. So we left in haste. ''

[steveflam]

Franz is equally serious, ignoring the men. "Ja. He vast twice my size," he replies. Franz is over six feet tall, his body not an ounce of fat ob it. He weighs over 200 plus pounds just so the men can imagine what the Giant Golithos was as a foe. He mentions the flying eyes as well and what they did to people.

"It all happened so fast. Suddenly ve vere fightink it. Ve are LUCKY to be alive after dat, Sergeant, belief me. Any person with no experience or taking it for granted would definitely haff perished." Franz looks directly at the Sergeant.

[Adam]

After Benn has finished, the Baronet sips the last of his brandy, then gets up and stows the bottle and tumbler in the cabinet without shutting the door.

Turning back to the group he says,

"An amazing tale, but I did see those horrible eyes. I believe you, friends. And I'm sure the gendarmes will also believe you."

He looks at Galandel and frowns.
"I'll understand if you fear to go into the city. But the gendarmes may ask for your report. The writ will protect you if you keep out of fights and trouble with the law."

He looks over to Benn.

''You are the leader? May I ask what your plan is, regarding this 'Jenny'? It sounds as if she, or it, will be very difficult to track, and still poses a deadly danger to people in this area. "

"Leader may be a bit strong, but Dorgio and I have some experience hunting creatures of the night." He shrugs.

"My plan? For now, the best thing we can do is spread the word that the rivers are unsafe. It may be more likely to work if we spread the word that it is a mundane killer, rather than a supernatural enemy. I've found in the past that the message of self-preservation can be lost if you cloud it in doubt." Unable to stop himself, he begins his professorial lecturing tone, pacing up and down the sides of the room and punctuating his points with a jab of his finger. "When that is done, the hunt will be on in earnest. You are correct when you say that finding her will be quite difficult, now that she knows we are coming. She is a cagey, intelligent opponent, and we don't know a weakness yet. This is something I intend to rectify."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio savors the brandy, forcing himself to drink it slowly. "So you had looked through the eyes? A wise move. We've reason to believe that staring too long into the eyes can lead to...physical damage. Knowing that we can try to look through them instead of into them will serve us well in our hunt."

Turning to Benn, he says, "We know one weakness--if we could get her on dry land, our fight would be much more simple. But we cannot ignore our own powers. In a stand-up fight she would be no match for us, but in the water, she possesses a psychological advantages as much as a physical one."

"Now..." he says, looking to both Benn and the Baronet. "There is another thing we could try. The poor soul we found in the cavern, Benn found what were were thinking to be a Tarokka deck. But on closer examination, it looks to come from Souragne or Arkandale, a legacy of seers who deal with spirits more directly than you or I do, Benn. Do either of you know anybody in this city who hales from those lands?"

[ewancummins]

Dorgio savors the brandy, forcing himself to drink it slowly. "So you had looked through the eyes? A wise move. We've reason to believe that staring too long into the eyes can lead to...physical damage. Knowing that we can try to look through them instead of into them will serve us well in our hunt."

Turning to Benn, he says, "We know one weakness--if we could get her on dry land, our fight would be much more simple. But we cannot ignore our own powers. In a stand-up fight she would be no match for us, but in the water, she possesses a psychological advantages as much as a physical one."

"Now..." he says, looking to both Benn and the Baronet. "There is another thing we could try. The poor soul we found in the cavern, Benn found what were were thinking to be a Tarokka deck. But on closer examination, it looks to come from Souragne or Arkandale, a legacy of seers who deal with spirits more directly than you or I do, Benn. Do either of you know anybody in this city who hales from those lands?"

''I've never met anyone from Sourange. But I've had dealings with some Arkandalers. I sometimes sell produce from my farm to the traders when they come up this way along the Musarde in their chimney-topped boats. Hmmm, and I imagine there may be at least a few men and women from that country living in the city. "