Paridon Book II: A Taste For Power (IC)

[Neurotic]

"I concur. Let me see if I can find the way to open this downward."

Eugene carefuly searches around the toilet for a way to 'open' it. Maybe whole panel on which it is mounted can be rotated? In that case maybe the judge is kidnapped and these are somebody elses remains.

OOC: Eugene didn't pick things with his hands but with mage hand he can use at will due to item. I'm sorry I didn't indicate so in my post, it seemed clear in my mind. Also, I already regret that I didn't take DR aura, DR 2 should be enough to protect from the worms ...

[jkason]

Seeing that Eugene seems far better equipped for evidence collection, Ru makes his way back to the fainted servant. Carrying her out into the hallway, he sits her up against the wall and gently attempts to wake her.

Assuming he succeeds, he asks, "I know you've had a horrible shock, Camilla, but I need to ask you some questions. Was your master's secret-door privvy common knowledge? And if not, who had regular access to it? Do you know whom he contracted to build it in the first place?"

[Theroc]

Rhiannon remained quiet for the most part, listening to the exchanges, a fist tightening at the realization of how useless she really was in this instance. She knew nothing of such supernatural menaces, and had no idea of anyone who would.

"If someone could clear up the mess for the most part, I could take a look around and seek any additional hidden doors or storage compartments or whatnot..."

[InVinoVeritas]

Ru, Darian, Rhiannon, and Cliff escort Camilla to the dining room to revive, while Eugene, Fr. Berman, Skyler, and Calahan examine the privy.

With a little care and removal from the shock, Camilla reawakens. "Oh, Dear Lady... Is my lord... is he really... Oh, oh no..."

Carefully ushering the remaining worms aside, Eugene examines the porcelain bowl. The stench of death and feces is grueling.

Listening carefully to the police's questions, Camilla replies, "Um, if you mean his daily menu, he has always had a taste for the exotic. He rather prides himself on being able to swallow any, eh, delicacy."


Eugene determines that there is little more to be seen from here, and looks for a mechanism for the toilet. Calahan kicks the bloody walls, but they hold solid as stone.

"He's had a number of aristocrats through lately. Lady Nostra, Archbishop d'Henri, Mr. Sceleris, Chancellor Markuzi. Commissioner Gis stopped by last night, but I suppose you know that."

Fr. Berman notices a small receptacle in the wall above eye level. With a quick boost, he confirms that it is filled with water, only slightly reddened by spatter. A short chain protrudes from the wall below the vessel, ending in a well-worn wooden finial.

"As for the privy, it's the new popular design for bedchambers. A separate room in which to relieve oneself, hidden behind a panel. The servant pours a pitcher of water into a high receptacle, eliminate into the basin, and pull the chain. Your effluence is dispatched directly into the sewer, washed clean with the water. Your servant refills the receptacle once you are finished. I believe Mr. Sceleris himself invented the system."

Pulling the chain, indeed, empties the receptacle into the porcelain basin, and its gory contents flow down the hole--although plenty of stains remain. Eugene confirms that the basin could be removed from its place and put aside for a better look at the sewer connection.

"And... I would never mention this, a servant would lose her position for this... but the nobles would meet to discuss something they would only refer to as the White Tinker. They thought the White Tinker disgraceful and bound for the gallows, or perhaps... useful."

The bowl is lifted from its moorings and moved to the side. The sewer shaft descends into the depths. Too dark at first, light is brought in. The shaft, although only about a single hand-span in diameter and at least two storeys long, glistens in red all the way until the light disappears into the sewer's darkness.

[Rhun]

Skyler grimaces. "Well, if the killer came and went via the shaft, they certainly aren't human. Unless they are a mage, perhaps?" He looks around at the faces of his companions. "I will see if I can find a sewer access nearby. Perhaps there is a trail below which we can follow."

[Neurotic]

"A vampire or mage in gaseous form could get here unnoticed. Any shapechanger with snakelike or ratlike form could get also. Let's see what others found out. I'll get one constable to return these to Gis for further investigation." says Eugene showing worm samples

[jkason]

Ru grimaces at the list of people who have accessed the privvy.

"I should have expected as much," he mutters, but he smiles nonetheless to ease Camilla's mind.

"Thank you very much, Camilla. Now, which servants are tasked with maintaining the basin and refilling the reservoir? And would it be possible to take a look at the kitchen?"

OOC

I half-expected pulling the chain to have disastrous results a la the mask keys.

[Rhun]

bump!

[InVinoVeritas]

It's coming. Don't worry! I just need to know who's going to the kitchen, who down the sewers, and who back to Gis.

[industrygothica]

Darian will go to the kitchen with Ru.

[Rhun]

"I will pursue whatever this vile killer was into the sewers, and attempt to track it," says Skyler, his hand on the hilt of his blade Naraithus. "Who is with me?"

[InVinoVeritas]

Cliff and Calahan offer to take the samples back to HQ and let Gis know what has happened.

Eugene and Skyler depart for the sewer.
The entrance to the sewer takes Eugene and Skyler off the D’Marosso property, to the far side of the mansion’s outer wall.

The sewer entrance is below the main wall.

They descend the ladder, move back the grate, and enter the fetid world under the city.

* * *

Rhiannon, Darian, Ru, and Fr. Berman head into the kitchen to speak with the cook.
Inside, Cassilda is busy, walking around the counters, preparing soup for the next course. While she hums a little ditty, she pulls up a large red sausage-like block. A red cake in a sausage casing.

Cassilda unwraps the cake from the sausage casing.


* * *

Eugene and Skyler carefully pick their way down the tunnel, lighting the way. The swirling filth at their feet smells of death and alchemy and the effluvia of a hundred nobles—no cleaner than the hoi polloi. They come across a chain ladder leading up a skinny passage, and nearby, the end of the pipe that must be the late Lord Gustav D’Marosso.

The sewer extends into the darkness.


* * *

Almost in fascination the police pause to watch Cassilda slice a piece of the cake into a bowl, warm it over an open flame to melt it, and place spices on top.

The soup has been plated for serving.

Camilla clears her throat, and Cassilda lets out a short startled shriek as she notices the gathered. “Oh! I didn’t see you there! Are you ready for the next course, then?”

* * *

The duo underground looks around. Here and there, individual worms can be seen, blindly inching their way among the grime and feces coating the floor. Occasionally, one lifts its head and writhes—whether to look for prey or to lament its existence, it is hard to say.

A wet shuffle is heard, from further down the narrowing tunnel.

A shadow can be seen, heading deeper into the sewer.

credits

Photos by loupiote
loupiote
skylens
rudeboyninja
substreet

[Rhun]

At the glimpse of the shadow, Naraithus is in Skyler's gauntleted hand."Come, Eugene," he hisses, trying to keep his voice down. "Let's fine out if our assassin still creeps these passages." With that, Skyler chases after the withdrawing figure.

[industrygothica]

Camilla clears her throat, and Cassilda lets out a short startled shriek as she notices the gathered. “Oh! I didn’t see you there! Are you ready for the next course, then?”

"No, I don't think we'll be eating anymore. Thank you." Darian looks to the others and asks without words, Doesn't she know?

[jkason]

Ru opens his mouth to speak, closes it, sighs, then starts again.

"Miss, I'm afraid there's been an incident. The Lord D’Marosso has been killed. And I'm afraid, further, that the source for his death may have been secreted through the kitchen. We'll need to take a look around, and perhaps ask you a few questions?"

[Neurotic]

Readying his weapon as he moves, Eugene follows Skyler. As they run, sewers come sharply into focus as Eugene and Skyler attune to their surroundings.

OOC: change (again) to Senses aura (+2 spot/listen and initiative)

[Theroc]

Rhiannon didn't say anything, still a bit disturbed by the gore over earlier, the preparations in the kitchen nearly causing her to lose her fruit once more. Instead of attempting to speak, the Half-Elf looked about, drawing a javelin from her pack if she felt the need to poke something... she'd rather not have strange worms burrow into her flesh, after all.

[OOC: Searching the room for anything out of place, of course.]

[Rhun]

Skyler continues to lead Eugene through the sewers after their quarry.

[InVinoVeritas]

"What? Dead? Where? How? Are you sure?" Cassilda exclaims. The slice of cake slips from her hand and slops to the floor, quivering and splashing terribly. She looks at everyone, and when she sees Camilla, she responds, "No... Really... Oh Ezra..."

She slumps against the nearby counter, steadying herself.

Rhiannon stumbles upon a small bin, filled with live but listless crickets.

* * *

Skyler leads the way with Eugene close behind. They follow their quarry down a very narrow tunnel. Their target, in the flickering light, appears to carry a large sack, huge and stuffed, but still squeezing readily into the confines of the tunnel.

The figure appears not to notice the police as he stoops over an exposed pipe, descending into an area even deeper than here. He takes his sack and sticks the end over the pipe.

The sack then appears to take a life of its own, adhering to the pipe like a pair of sucking lips and pulsating.

credit

Photo by minhanh7803.

[Rhun]

Skyler tries to close the distance, moving as quickly and as silently as possible.


How far away is the figure?