Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lamprolign" data-source="post: 1105405" data-attributes="member: 7860">026If the night turned coldAnd the stars looked downAnd you hug yourselfOn the cold cold groundYou wake the morningIn a stranger's coatNo-one would you seeYou ask yourself, 'Who'd watch for me?'My only friend, who could it be?It's hard to say itI hate to say itBut it's probably me-Sting, It's Probably Me"Ansgar!"  Jake Brewer's rough voice jolted Gabe back from the vision.  "What the hell is the matter with you?!"Gabe examined the beefy detective's blocky, scuffed shoes, avoiding eye contact.  "Nothing.  I'm fine.""Like hell you are!" Brewer snorted.  "Normally people don't stop mid-sentence and stare into space for five minutes.""I was thinking."  Gabe's voice was uneven, his head still spinning from the vision."Must've been one hell of a thought."  Brewer rubbed his stubbled jaw and eyed Gabe suspiciously.  "You on something?""Get bent."  Gabe turned deliberately toward the door.  "I've seen all I need here.""I've seen plenty myself, smartass.  I haven't figured your place in the puzzle yet, but you keep turning up like a bad penny lately.  If you're holding out information on me, I'll get obstruction charges on you so fast it'll...""It's been a real pleasure, Brewer," Gabe interrupted.  "But your whole routine plays like a broken record, and I'm done dancing.""I've still got questions for you, Ansgar!""The Cubs will win the pennant, to get to the other side, and yes, that trenchcoat does make you look fat.  You want any more answers, you're just going to have to roll up your sleeves and do some old fashioned detective work.  I'm outta here."  Gabe waved over his shoulder as he exited the house.  ****Asher Russell stepped into the great hall of the old church.  Dishes clattered as the Haven residents served hot meals to the hungry.  The air was redolent with the fragrance of fresh baked bread and the pungent fumes of the unwashed.  Asher willed his nose not to wrinkle at the smell, and glanced up at a familiar placard hanging above the doorway he had just passed through.  "Give To Him That Asketh Thee. "  Asher read the inscription aloud.  Here it was more than just a sign on a wall.  It was a way of life.  In the many years he had known the Sister, he had never seen her turn away a person in need.  Asher surveyed the rapidly filling tables.  Most would consider these people worthless bums, and some of them undoubtedly were responsible for their own circumstances, but they were never judged here.  They were all just hungry people.  "Your behavior has been quite admirable today, Asher."  The Sister's voice startled him.  She had a way of sneaking up on people.  "Perhaps you learned something in your time here, after all.""Well, I, um, I was just...." "Have you come down for dinner?  We have Shepherd's Pie tonight."Asher's growling stomach answered for him.  "Go and eat, young man," the Sister ordered before gliding away with a swirl of her earth-toned dress and apron strings.  Asher watched her moving among the eating people, giving her smiles freely and listening with genuine interest to all who sought her ear.  Although she was known only as the Sister, she was the quintessential mother figure.  The only mother I ever really had, Asher thought as he helped himself to a large portion of shepherd's pie at the serving counter.  He saw Poe enter through one of the many doors edging the great room.  She strode purposefully toward the front doors, where Gabe Ansgar was just coming in from the blustery night.  Gabe's expression was grim as he and Poe conversed briefly.  Asher started towards them, anxious for news of the search for Becky's daughter, but before he had taken a step a bony hand grasped his elbow.  Asher turned to see a painfully thin, world-weary old man staring up at him from over a finished plate. "You r-r-r-r-emind me of muh-muh-muh-my suh-son," the man finally managed to say.  His watery eyes spoke of some heartbreaking loss.  Ignoring his stomach's audible protest, Asher sat his own steaming plate of food on the table before the thin man.  "Here old fella, have some more.  I have to get going."  Asher stopped after just a few steps, however, and turned back to the man.  "My name's Asher.  Asher Russell.  I have some work to do right now, but next time I see you, I'd be glad to talk, you know, I mean, if you want to...."The old man smiled and nodded.  "I'd l-l-l-like that.  Now g-g-g-get guh-guh-goin', suh-son.  Suh-suh-see you 'round."Asher did not notice the Sister hovering nearby, watching the scene unfold with a warm look of pride on her face.  The moment did not last long, as she quickly bustled off to her study to await Gabe and Mary.  ****"Did you find anything?"  Poe demanded before Gabe had even closed the door behind him. "Yes and no," Gabe responded cryptically."You're so <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />ing useless.""Simmer down, Poe," Mary admonished.  "We did find out that whoever has Sarah has been snatching homeless people to make ghouls.""Sister's gonna be pissed."****"Now, Gabriel," the Sister settled into her usual chair near the fireplace.  "What have you found?"Gabe flopped in a chair opposite the Sister while Poe and Asher remained standing.  Gabe recounted his conversation with Chris Ebbing and his examination of the scene.  Asher listened with rapt attention as Gabe described the details of the encounter with Brewer.  His eyes grew wide when Gabe described the vision."Kidnapping?" Asher asked, an edge in his voice."And a murder," Gabe responded.  "They seemed very particular about who they where carrying off.""That is because a ghoul servant can only be made from someone who has the gift.  This is worse than I feared.  I had believed the practice of creating thralls was extinct.  It appears I was mistaken.""Is that why they took Sarah?"  Poe asked in a low voice."No," the Sister replied.  "One with the level of power that Sarah possesses could never be controlled by the magics used to create a ghoul.  I believe her captor has something else in mind for her...."Asher stood silently, deep in thought, then suddenly interrupted the conversation with a loud snap of his fingers.  ."I think I know where to start looking..."© 2003, Austin Hale</blockquote>

Verification