Café de Nuit

Adam wrote:Bennedict gives her the winningest smile he can as he holds it up. "Seems to fit wonderfully. My thanks for the gift."

''You are most welcome.''
She scoots in closer still and takes Benn's hand in both of her hands.
''Yes.''
Then she releases Benn's hand and leans back on the couch.
''My men will give you instructions about where and when to meet the soothsayer.''
She sighs, rising.
'' I am afraid city business demands my attention today. I shouldn't put things off too much longer, so you must forgive me for cutting short our time together.''
Jacqueline fixes her dark eyes on Benn's own.
''If I had learned a little earlier about the burglary at your home and the murder of poor Hornsby, I'd have sent guards on the boat to protect your family. You must not be afraid to ask for my help, Benn. ''

Bennedict stands, snapping the chest shut. "Of course, Madam. I simply did not wish to impose. I will make sure to dispatch a messenger with an account of the meeting with the Vistana."

He bows and takes his leave.

Adam wrote:Bennedict stands, snapping the chest shut. "Of course, Madam. I simply did not wish to impose. I will make sure to dispatch a messenger with an account of the meeting with the Vistana."

He bows and takes his leave.

After Benn says his farewell to Jacqueline Renier, the lady's swordsmen escort him out of the grand house and back to the little dock.
They row him out into the stream...

Bennedict removes the ring and places it back in the box.

THE NIGHT BEFORE


Wat leans in beside Alain, looking into the alcove.

''More books.''

The old woodsman stands back, torch lifted, as Alain examines the small collection of manuscripts.

''There's something bad about this place, Alain. Evil. Let us not stay too long.''


MORNING, WATERFRONT

Alain arrives after Benn has been gone a little while, well after Charlotte, Lorna, and the wee ones have departed on the Briar Rose.

Coming along with him, Alain brings a lean fellow with a dirty gray beard. A long hunting knife hangs at the man's belt.
(Dorgio recognizes.)

Seeing Sara, Raen, and Dorgio, Alain heads their way...

ewancummins wrote:THE NIGHT BEFORE


Wat leans in beside Alain, looking into the alcove.

''More books.''

The old woodsman stands back, torch lifted, as Alain examines the small collection of manuscripts.

''There's something bad about this place, Alain. Evil. Let us not stay too long.''


MORNING, WATERFRONT

Alain arrives after Benn has been gone a little while, well after Charlotte, Lorna, and the wee ones have departed on the Briar Rose.

Coming along with him, Alain brings a lean fellow with a dirty gray beard. A long hunting knife hangs at the man's belt.
(Dorgio recognizes

VIEW CONTENT:

Wat, the rustic who helped Alain after the Witch-Queen blinded him by sorcery, about eight years ago. Wat had come through the Mists to this city with Ottokar and others from the ghostly villainess's realm, after the party defeated her

.)

Seeing Sara, Raen, and Dorgio, Alain heads their way...

On seeing Dorgio and the rest he explains what he has been doing for last half day or so in exploring the Grim Bastion and what he has discovered there .

ALAIN describes an expedition into THE GRIM BASTION, in search of sound-proof, solid walls for his planned laboratory and workshop.
He found those in part of the ruined fortress, but more besides...

sigils and circles chalked all over an old magical portal room

signs of a beast in an adjacent room, claw marks, blood, dung

a small collection of occult texts

evidence of a man sleeping in an alcove, some clothes

and, hidden under a stone in that alcove--a copy of Dorgio's short book about Jonathon Matyr, 'The Woman-Killer.'
Perfumed, with underlined passages.



Odall's Eats

Benn's directions lead to Odall's Eats , a small eatery in the River Quarter, right along the waterfront.

Near the street side door on the brick front wall of the café hangs a big wooden board covered with handwritten notes and printed broadsides: announcements of auctions, estate sales, rewards, and other things.

Past the door and inside the café is a large chamber.
Three men sit near those windows, watching the cards in their hands and the progress of their game, not looking out onto the riverfront or paying you any attention.

No other customers in sight. Plenty of places to sit. Rows of cotton napkins and jars of preserved food (pigs' feet, pickled vegetables, eggs in vinegar, some kind of gray nuts in fluid etc..) line the top of the counter.

A big man emerges from the half-door set in the back of the room.
The man goes round behind the counters and opens one of the cabinets that line the left wall, taking out a small box and dropping it into the pocket of his apron.
Seeing Kat and the others, he pauses.
''Good day to you all.''

Odall's Easts

Raen gives a nod to the man. "Good day to you, sir. Are you Odall I presume? Lovely establishment." He turns to the others "Should we have some tea here and wait for our friend? Seems nice."

Kat arrives a little breathless and gives the man one of her winning smiles.

"Good day! Yes, fine establishment indeed."

She notes with relief the others are here, though seems a little alarmed not to see Benn.

"Shall we order something? I have a bit of a tale to tell.."

Sara arrives soon after Kat.

"Good day to you too sir and good morning everyone. Almost everyone is here I see."

alhoon wrote:Odall's Easts

Raen gives a nod to the man. "Good day to you, sir. Are you Odall I presume? Lovely establishment."

''Yes, I'm Odall.''
Odall stretches out his right arm in a wide gesture.
''Plenty of empty seats. The ash cloud has hurt business in this neighborhood. But as you folks see, not a speck in here.''
He squints at the dingy trail the party has left on its way into the café.
Turning back toward to half-door in the rear wall, Odall calls out,
''Sam, mop.''

He waits for a break in the party's conversation, and then says,
''I'll bring some tea out shortly, if you like. Pot's liable to boil soon. Anyone take whiskey in his?"
He winks at Sara.
"Or hers?"

Bennedict bustles in a moment later, sitting down with the others. "Well, that was...something."

He relates the details of his visit with Madam Renier.

Adam wrote:Bennedict bustles in a moment later, sitting down with the others. "Well, that was...something."

He relates the details of his visit with Madam Renier.

Wat (Benn will surely recall )
settles into a chair. He rubs his eyes.
''Meeting a rich lady? This seems not so bad, Benn Book-man. I and Alain and some others, we spent most of the night searching an old ruined keep. It smelled evil in that place. Like the Witch-Queen's stronghold."
He glances at Alain.
"We founds strange things. The lair of a beast. And books and clothes, a bedroll. But what kind of man would choose to sleep in such a dark and ill-starred pit, when there are empty houses yet in this city?"

Bennedict listens carefully, having the man reexplain which books they found. At the mention of Dorgio's book, he scratches his mustache thoughtfully. "That could be our prey," he mutters to himself, "Or it could be nothing."

He looks at the others. "I have agreed to attend the meeting with this seer at some point before sundown. I may as well see to it now, I'm thinking. If you wish to attend with me, feel free. If not, I think that this lair could warrant some observation."

He snaps his fingers, something suddenly occurring to him. "When were you there? How recently did it look like the place had been occupied? And did you leave any sign that you had been inside?"