The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: Act One

[Nathan of the FoS]

The sun is setting as you come over the last rise and see the fishing village of Apton-en-Mer before you. Mare Bay gleams beyond it, and beyond that lies the dark bulk of Mare Island; as you watch the sun slips behind it and is gone, leaving the yellow-green light of twilight in the western sky as the first stars appear overhead.

There is still enough light to see that there is a rather large crowd--you would assume it's most of the population of the village--in the plaza in front of the Ezran church (by far the largest building you can see). You can just hear someone speaking to the crowd; something about his tone of voice gives an air of tension to what would otherwise be an idyllic scene.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Gawaine, slighty ennerved, yawns and covers his head under the black hood of his cape.

"Fanatics - not again... Maybe I should stay back until we find out if those fellows are on a witch-hunt or not..."

If there's a possibility, Gawaine will draw back and try to watch the scene from a point where he's out of the sight of the preacher and the crowd.

[Nathan of the FoS]

As you come closer, it becomes clear that the tension is not that of an angry mob being whipped into a frenzy; instead, it is of a nervous crowd, and the speaker seems to be trying--without much success--to reassure them.

"...please, don't do anything rash," the speaker says. You can see now that he is a tall, red-headed man, perhaps a little older than any of you, dressed in the white and green of a cleric of Ezra. "Ezra will watch over us. I look forward to seeing you...all of you...at the noon ceremony tomorrow. Ezra be with you!"

The crowd slowly begins to disperse, some going down toward the bay, others coming up the road toward you, while the majority remain in the plaza, as if seeking comfort in numbers.

[Jasper]

Rebecca turns the nearest local.

"Sir/Madam...what is going on here? did we miss something important?And was that man Warden Jessop?

[Nathan of the FoS]

As you walk toward the plaza, the first people you reach are a couple--probably a farmer and his wife--who look at you with suspicous eyes until they see that one of you is an anchorite and another a young woman.

Rebecca turns the nearest local.

"Sir/Madam...what is going on here? did we miss something important?And was that man Warden Jessop?

"Good evening, miss," says the man. "Good evening, Warden, master. D'you mean the tall red-headed fellow? He's Warden Jessop, right enough. He called a meeting about those poor girls, as it's market day and all of us about."

[Le Noir Faineant]

When he sees that the man is red-headed as he himself is, Gawaine lifts his hood and walks towards Rebecca, again.

...Not without checking the people's appeareance...

Are there men holding weapons? - Crying women? - Hunting dogs barking?

Oh please, no other useless Vistani hunt... He thinks.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Gawaine's fears are quickly assuaged--no one seems to be angry, no one seems to be armed, and no unfortunate is to be found at the center of the crowd. Every is worried and unhappy, and a few look at you as if they aren't too pleased to see strangers arriving, but no one is overtly hostile.

The red-headed man sees Alessandro and hurries toward the three of you, extending a hand in greeting. "You must be Warden Luria," he says, with a slightly nervous smile. "Warden Calvin Jessop. Your companions are...?"

[Seamus]

"Pleased to meet you," Alessandro says as he takes the Warden's proffered hand. Gesturing to his companions, he adds, "this is Rebecca Foxgrove, a scholar of repute, and Gawaine of Tepest." He regards Warden Jessop with some concern. "If I may ask, what was all that just now? Guardian forbid, but there hasn't been a disappearance already?"

[Le Noir Faineant]

Gawaine puts a hand on his Kukri and stares back, like looking for trouble, to those who dare to throw suspicious looks towards him and his friends.

Besides, he stands next to Al and Beccy and listens to what the warden has to say...

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Pleased to meet you," Alessandro says as he takes the Warden's proffered hand. Gesturing to his companions, he adds, "this is Rebecca Foxgrove, a scholar of repute, and Gawaine of Tepest." He regards Warden Jessop with some concern. "If I may ask, what was all that just now? Guardian forbid, but there hasn't been a disappearance already?"

"No, not yet, praise be to our Lady," Warden Jessop replies. Turning to Rebecca, he bows, and then he offers his hand to Gawaine, whose belligerent expression puts him back for a moment.

"I was just encouraging everyone...we've been on edge here for the last few days, because of what's happened in the past few years."

[Jasper]

"I was just encouraging everyone...we've been on edge here for the last few days, because of what's happened in the past few years"

"I've read the written accounts of the dissapearances but I would like to get your local account if I could. It just seems far beyond the norm that not a single trace, neither physical or spirital has turned up after all these years. "

[Nathan of the FoS]

"It really is astonishing," Warden Jessop says, his face vividly conveying his confusion and dismay. "I suppose it's not so strange that we've never seen...ah...as you said, spiritual traces. We've never had hauntings here. You've no idea how surprised I was when I went to Mordentshire for the first time and learned that everyone--everyone--had two or three ghost stories...

But I don't really know what would be of interest to you..."

"How about, that it's your doing?"

All of you turn in surprise to face the new speaker--an old woman in the shawl and dress of a Mordentish housewife. Her eyes glitter with some dark emotion--anger? Malice?--as she stares down the young priest, who stares back at her with an expression of unabashed hostility.

"Your doing, Warden. Why don't you tell them about the Wicker Bride?"

[Le Noir Faineant]

... then he offers his hand to Gawaine, whose belligerent expression puts him back for a moment.

Gawaine grabs the hand of the warden and shakes it with force, showing the man all his teeth.

It seems clear that he doesn't like Jessop for some reason he himself might not be able to define...

"Your doing, Warden. Why don't you tell them about the Wicker Bride?"

As the old lady speaks, Gawaine, who had not yet released the hand of the warden from his grip, lets it loose - like throwing it away.

The young Tepestani hotspur eyes the priest with open unfriendliness. "You - what do you pretend with this?! - If we are meant to help you, then you'd better be plain!" He looks to his friends, searching for their approval.

Then, fearing that he might have gone too far, the intimidating expression in his face softens. "Even the most minimal detail might be of interest."

With that, Gawaine, blushing, steps back and leaves the interrogation to Alessandro or Beccy.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Warden Jessop looks at Gawaine with an expression of confusion and distaste. "I am trying," he says, his voice cold.

"Not too hard, you ain't," the old woman says, grinning. Whirling on her, Jessop grinds out, "I'll thank you to keep your nose out of this matter, Mammy Knass. Warden Luria? Miss Foxgrove? Please, come with me, so I can explain the matter without unwanted interference."

The crone grins and replies, "Well, then, your Worshipfulness. I'll just make our visitors a counter-offer and be on my way. If you want the truth of the matter, ask after me--Mammy Knass--and I'll tell you what he won't. A good evening to ye."

With that, Mammy Knass turns away. Around you several villagers have stopped to follow the conversation; as it ends they quickly turn away, perhaps in embarrassment at having been caught eavesdropping.

[Seamus]

"Thank you, Goodwife Knass," Alessandro says with veiled disdain. The implication that a fellow faithful priest would be dishonest with them, especially when lives could be at stake, rankled him. The fact that Gawaine seemed eager to believe it too was even more troubling, and earned the redhead a stern glare. But that would have to wait until a more private moment to address.
Alessandro was perfectly willing to dismiss the old woman out of hand. However he felt certain that Rebecca's curiousity after local lore would lead them back to Knass and her tale regardless. Not looking forward to that, he focuses on the moment and looks to Warden Jessop. "Of course Warden. Please, lead the way."