(CSToA) Touch of the Abyss [IC]

[Creamsteak]

"Oh, a reward of some sort... well I'm uncertain what has happened to my finances in my absence. I should still have something with a bit more liquidity around here... let's see..."

The marquis stands up, still quite worn, and heads to a bookshelf two rooms away in the study where your equipment was left when it was supposedly 'tampered' with. He then locates a small lantern and turns it forty-five degrees before going to one of the drawers below the books and hitting three keys in no particular order. The last step he takes is to head to the very opposite side of the room and pull one of the books back from their shelf, revealing a small opening behind it. He reaches his hand in blindly, grabbing for whatever is back there.

"Well that's good news. Not everything has been rearranged in my absence."

The marquis pulls a small satin bag from the hole and shakes it's contents gingerly. There's not much there, only a few objects clink together inside. "I'd offer you more, but I'm certain there will be some contest of my estate given my... status... and lengthy absence. Consider this a down payment."

The bag is handed off to Errol first, and when he glances inside he sees that the contents are five rings. One each of copper, silver, electrum, gold, and platinum. They seem rather simple and undecorative, clearly not intended as noble jewelry pieces.

Jesme, silent until the hidden treasure was revealed, chimes in "Whatcha get? I want something!"

[sblock=Stats]Each ring provides an enhancement bonus to one ability score, a penalty to one ability score, and grants access to a feat.
Copper - +2 Wis, -2 Dex, Iron Will
Silver - +2 Dex, -2 Con, Lightning Reflexes
Electrum - +2 Con, -2 Str, Great Fortitude
Gold - +2 Str, -2 Int, Power Attack
Platinum - +2 Int, -2 Wis, Wild Talent
[/sblock]

 

[Dekana]

[sblock=Verbane]"What, pray tell, do you want?"[/sblock]
Slisik calls back, "It is Slisik. We saw each other just a minute ago... I wanted to speak with the archmage about 'Emondav'."

(if Slisik is let in)

"The Marquis tells us that Emondav was captured over a month ago by foul creatures in the deep dungeon, yet of course she just hired us. Does the archmage think the Marchioness we met was an imposter? Or perhaps her mind is now under the dominion of the 'dark master'. Has the archmage noticed anything unusual in her behavior lately?"

 

[Creamsteak]

Sneering and frustrated, Verbane responds quite clearly...

"So you have one and two and can't figure out how it came to be three for yourself? Of course she was a fake. All of them were fakes. That was the whole point of the charade now, wasn't it? To keep the fact that Emondav is gone a secret just a bit longer. Of course, I never expected you to come back with the Marquis. The whole point of sending you off into that dungeon was in the hopes you would find Emondav, not that lunatic."

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Tesla & Arcs

Tesla eyes the rings with a careful eye before commenting, "These will do well to compensate for the 600 platinum pieces that we were promised. What can we expect for the Emondav?"

 

[Creamsteak]

"I'd offer whatever I can, though I'm not yet certain what exactly I can still claim. I also worry that, should I fall under the Malgoth's influence again, the situation may not turn out for the better. What I can offer, I will."

"I'll make a better conversationalist in a few days, I hope. My head is still pounding! Would you please leave me be for a bit? I'm going to retire for the day shortly. If you do seek out Emondav, be very careful. The Malgoth still has a number of servants."

 

[Dekana]

"Then why not..." Slisik's voice trails off before he finishes. No, if he wanted to keep her disappearance a secret, then he wouldn't have told us. "I understand then. We weren't trustworthy enough to be told the truth.
Before I take my leave then, may I ask what the request you were going to ask the marquis was? I'm not comfortable with the idea that the ruler of the city's mind could still be under the dominion of whatever darkness is in the dungeons."

 

[Creamsteak]

"I'm afraid that's a matter of private concern. Seven years ago, before the Marquis became... problematic... we were discussing the possibility of securing our borders against the potential threat of the giants. The issue, however, remains in debate."

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Tesla & Arcs

“We shall see you then.” Says Telsa as she stands and leaves the rooms. Once they are outside the palace she turns and asks, “I require rest before we continue forward. Shall we retire for the evening and reconvene in the morning?”

 

[Dekana]

Slisik bids farewell to the archmage and then returns to his companions. He fills them in on what was said; "It looks like he knew the marchioness disappeared some time ago, but he wanted to keep it a secret. At least now we can go back into the dungeon, rescue her, and get our reward twice."

 

[Redclaw]

Unless they're keeping more bloody secrets from us, Errol points out. I'm feeling a distinct lack of trust and reliability around here.