Paridon: The Dark Metropolis (Ravenloft)

[InVinoVeritas]

Ada gasps slightly and sits straight in her chair. The quaver in her voice returns, and Darian can tell she is torn between fear and exhaustion.

Exhaustion wins. She slumps back down, reaches back, and takes her mask off. She extends her mask out to Darian, not even looking up. "It's just a stupid superstition anyway," she drones.

Ada is young. Her face has a light dusting of the freckles of childhood across her cheeks. Her skin is fair, as smooth and pale as maplewood. Her cheeks are round, but just gaining the angularity of maturity. She must be what, seventeen? Eighteen? No, gnomes live long, would she be older?

In any case, the events of the night have been hard on her. Her eyes are red with worry, out of tears. She has been terrified, awake all night, and her eyebrows knit together softly, more out of enervation than determination.

Her voice cracks as she adds, "Is there anything else you want, sirs?"

 

[Rhun]

Although quite confident that Ada knows more than she is letting on, the paladin realizes it wouldn't do to push her any further. She had already seen horrible things this night. Torhan smiles at the young gnome again. "You've been most helpful, Miss Ada. If you don't mind, before you leave, giving us your residence, as we may have more questions for you later?"

 

[wmasters]

Perrin stops himself instead of asking more questions, seeing the wisdom in letting Ada rest for the night. Perhaps the scene of the crime will reveal more information until there is a better time to speak with her.

 

[industrygothica]

Darian glances up at the paladin as he speaks. He was hoping to talk to the girl a little more, hoping to get the information he wanted quickly. He grins a little, and nods more to himself than to those around him. Perhaps it is better this way, he thinks. An investigation of the crime scene would seem prudent at this point, befor any other means are exhausted.

Darian examines the butterfly mask thoroughly before he gives it back to Ada. "Beautiful," he lies. "Simply beautiful."

ooc: Darian is searchingthe mask for anything odd, like bloodspots or any other sign that Ada involved more than she is letting on.

 

[Boddynock]

Before Darian can hand the mask back to the young gnome, Abass holds out his hand for it. He examines it closely - its pattern, its manufacture, the blend of colours and textures - until he is confident that he could recognize it again, even amongst others which are similar. Then he hands it back to the witness.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

Ada looks up at Torhan. His speaking of leaving gives her some hope, and she says, "I'm at Markovstrasse 4, Gnome District. The watch shop."

Darian carefully examines the mask. The outside of the mask is relatively clean, considering her ordeal, and shows no indication of blood or other suspicious substance. The inside of the mask shows the dried crystals of tears and smells of sweat. He and Abass note another gnomish inscription on the inside of the mask as well--possibly the maker's mark. After the examination, both men feel perfectly comfortable that they could identify it out of a sea of other masks.

They return it to Ada, who promptly puts it back on. She looks up at everyone now, feeling less threatened. Gis nods after the interview, and heads out, tapping Ru on the shoulder. "Make sure she gets home safely," he says to Ru and Fr. Breman, as he heads back to his office.

Ada is led by a junior officer to the front steps of the Central Barracks, and stands waiting with him on a foggy morning, waiting for the carriage to be brought around.

Perrin is about to close the door when he notices a movement across the street. A man, leaning against a lamppost, kicks off the base of the post to stand and start across the street. Another man approaches in a seemingly unassuming manner from the right. Undoubtedly a third man lies in waiting to the left, hidden by the mists. Perrin knows what this means. He had seen it used before.

These men are members of the Strahd Street Irregulars, and they appear considerably interested in Ada.

 

[jkason]

Ru Brike, barbaric human monk

Ada looks up at Torhan. His speaking of leaving gives her some hope, and she says, "I'm at Markovstrasse 4, Gnome District. The watch shop."

Ru perks up at mention of this. He looks to the others to see if any of them think it odd that the witness to this murder amidst clockworks herself lives in a watch shop, though he holds off voicing the oddity of it for now.

They return it to Ada, who promptly puts it back on. She looks up at everyone now, feeling less threatened. Gis nods after the interview, and heads out, tapping Ru on the shoulder. "Make sure she gets home safely," he says to Ru and Fr. Breman, as he heads back to his office.

Ru bows his head to his mentor. "Of course, Master Gis."

Ada is led by a junior officer to the front steps of the Central Barracks, and stands waiting with him on a foggy morning, waiting for the carriage to be brought around.

Ru takes a position slightly in front of the small girl, his bow in hand but currently unloaded. As they wait, he focuses his senses through the gloom, shifting every so often to take a different angle on the street.

[sblock=OOC]Ru's Spot and Listen are both +7. I assume he doesn't recognize the significance of the other men unless Perrin points it out, so I'll just leave him 'at the ready' for now.[/sblock]

 

[kinem]

While they are waiting for the carriage, Father Berman takes the opportunity to chat with the girl.

"I am Father Berman. I would like to talk to you again sometime soon. In the meantime, try to remember any other details you can. Don't be afraid; I won't be harsh. You may confess your sins to me, lest they drag your immortal soul under.

By the way, do you know the meaning of the butterfly symbol?" He taps his own dangling holy symbol.

 

[wmasters]

Seeing the men, Perrin grabs his axes. "Trouble," he says, simply to the others, then whistles, calling Spirit, his wolf companion over to him from the fire he had been lazing in front of. Opening the door to follow, he mutters the words of his Longstrider spell so that he can catch up faster.

 

[Rhun]

At Perrin's warning, Torhan moves to follow his fellow constable out the doors.