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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1467727" data-attributes="member: 15043">The Manor, The Mongrel, and the BribesMeanwhile... The Same Day, Further North...“Siabrey, why can’t I see the book?” Shaun grumbled.  He was curious ever since she’d shoved him aside the night before when he tried to peek over her shoulder to see what she was writing.“Look,” she growled, “I told you what he wrote!  The Prince is going with Zoe to try and save their butts, and the like!  And what was on the bottom was none of your damn business!”  Her tone was loud and visibly annoyed... which ironically meant her mood was better.  When her voice became quiet and deadpan... THAT was when one needed to fear for one’s throat.Shaun gave a sigh, and trotted up alongside Tess.  Before he could open his mouth, she gave him a harsh, “No Shaun.  I won’t make her let you see the book.  Stop being nosy.”It was already nearing dusk, and the party had been riding all day.  As much as Siabrey found Shaun’s persistence annoying... it WAS a diversion.  A slight one, for sure, but a diversion nonetheless.As the blazing red sun began to disappear over the horizon, the party noticed a hill up ahead that had odd shapes.. regular shapes, coming out of its smooth sides.  As the rod further up, they realized what hte regular shapes were... ...the stone columns and walls of a large manor, built into the hillside.  Its front held many columns adorned with statues and friezes, as large glass windows towered over the countryside.And not one light inside the structure was on.“Um... this isn’t good,” Shaun said aloud.  “No one’s home...”“That, or no one wants anyone to know there’s someone there,” Tess observed.  She covered her eyes, and tried to peer into the windows.  She thought she saw a momentary shape slip by one, but she wasn’t sure.“I know,” Siabrey growled, her forcefulness in full gear, “let’s just knock!”  Her sword was out in a flash, and she was striding up towards the door before Tess could grab her.Yet again... no subtlety, no tact... the bard rolled her eyes, as the fighter’s fists pounded on the large wooden double doors.“Lady Keshalya?  Open up!  We’re from Marith!  You are in danger!” Siabrey bellowed, pounding on the door.  There was no response, and Tess looked on in alarm as Siabrey started backing up.  “Siabrey!  What are you doing?” she cried, as the fighter starting kicking up with her legs, as if she was stretching them.“There’s no answer... so I’m going to knock the doors down,” she stretched her arms.  Get in here.  Get those idols.  Go back to Luke.Tess frowned, and pointed towards Grumki, and the half orc gave a grunt.“Oh,” Siabrey stopped in mid stretch.  “Yeah,” she looked her small frame up and down, “Grumki might do a better job.”  The half orc let out a large laugh.“The strength of Kord, even if it is not in your body, is in your heart, dear Siabrey!” he guffawed, before pacing up towards the door himself.  As he lowered his shoulder, however, the door flipped open slightly with a creak, and an eye peered out of the darkness inside at the party.“Who are you?” a voice, hurried and frightened, hissed in a high whisper.“We are friends!” Grumki roared, before Tess could slip in front of him and wave her hands around disarmingly.“He speaks the truth... rather loudly,” she apologized quickly, before the man could dash away.  “We are friends of Lady Marith, sister of Lady Keshalya.  We need to tell your mistress she is in great danger!”  Despite this being the truth, Tess added as best she could to her voice and mannerisms as the best theater presenter would.  It wouldn’t hurt, and could only help to persuade him of their good intentions.The door wavered a bit, and finally flew open... snatching away only part of the gloom inside.   “Hurry!  Quickly!” the voice hissed, and a hand, graceful yet old, motioned for them hurriedly to come inside.Once they had entered the gloom, they saw the man who had beckoned them was old and balding, close to Shaun’s height. He wore part of a nicely made uniform, in coats of arms of some noble family... Tess guessed Keshalya’s.  However, the coat was torn and ripped.The inside of the ornate palace was also bare.  A few chairs were laying around on the main floor, but for the most part, the ornately painted and and frescoed rooms were devoid of furniture.“What the...” Tess said quietly, as the setting sun’s angle now finally showed waning glory into the halls.  “Where is everyone?” she asked the man slowly.“My name,” he sighed, “is Theophilus Manizert... I... am,” he said the last word after some indecision, “the chief steward of Lord Charles and Lady Keshalya.  They, obviously, are not here.”“Where did they go?” Siabrey asked.  We’ll just go there then... by night if needbe!”They went to the family safe keep... north of here.  They left me to guard the manor with the other servants, as well as keep watch over the valuables they couldn’t take with them,” he motioned to the empty rooms.Damn... they cleaned themselves out! Shaun looked in admiration.  Now, if only those movers could be converted too... Shaun... that’s not your life anymore!  Stop it! he chided himself.“Well, let’s go then!” Siabrey blurted out and started for the door.  Tess’ hands were quicker this time, and managed to grab her friend and pull her back.“Siabrey, we’d better find out what we’re facing,” she said, looking at the Steward.  “Why did they run?  When did they run?”  Contrary to the speed you want, Siabrey, we’re going to take this slow.  I’m not galumphing around the countryside half-assed... might make problems worse.“Them,” he pointed in alarm as Iranami walked in the front door.  A dagger appeared in his hand, and he started to charge her, before Shaun grabbed him tight. “She’s a friend! She’s a friend!” Tess said softly to him.  It was all too obvious what they were afraid of.  “She’s helping us track the other mongrels,” Tess paused suddenly, before correcting herself, “I mean, Ak Konyluites, before they cause too much harm.  Your lady possesses an item they are searching for.  Lady Marith wanted us to take the item back to Irulas, where the mongrels cannot fetch it.  It might make them go away,” Tess lied, hoping to re-persuade the Steward to keep them in his good graces.He sighed, and looked at Iranami uneasily.  “Fine,” he said finally, his voice sounding unwilling.  “As long as one of you is with her at all times,” he admonished, and the party agreed... though Iranami understandably looked insulted.  Shaun went to talk her down, while Tess continued asking what was going on.“So... the mongrels come.  Where to the north is your family keep?  We wish to deliver our warnings and fetch this totem as quickly as possible!”  Tess asked, the Steward’s face fell into fear.“You wish to go there?  To t...the swamp?” he started, before Siabrey interrupted.“Yes!  Now!  You’ll lead us!” she started to grab him, before he recoiled away.“N...no!  I won’t go!  Not in the dark!” fear saturated his face and eyes.  He leaned closer to the party, his eyes wide, “You aren’t familiar with what is in the swamps?”The party looked to Iranami, who shrugged.  “The swamps north of here aren’t well charted...  I haven’t checked them out personally.  They’re large... supposedly they cover some ruins...”“The Great Swamp,” the Steward used the local name for it, “covers the remains of the city of Harlsbad, former home of the White Emperor.  After bebiliths destroyed his line, his remaining family angered a wizard, who sank the city in a mire of mud!  Ghosts, ghouls and spirits haunt the place!  Along with... m...m...monsters!”“What kinds of monsters?” Siabrey rolled her eyes.  For Tarantor’s sake! We’ve fought demons, old man!  I can handle a frickin’ ghost!“Giant frogs, larger than a castle keep!  Fearsome horses they drink blood!  Mosquitos the size of birds!  And the entire swamp is ruled by a black dragon!” his eyes were huge, his voice a mere whisper.“I’m not sure if I believe you,” Shaun said.  “With all those dangers, why they hell would someone build a keep there?  Not to mention it would be hard as hell to build a stone structure in mud!”“Why the hell wouldn’t someone build a keep there?” Tess asked.  “No one would dare to come in... mass armies would be decimated by the natural swamp... and it is on their family lands... they could easily have charts of the safest areas, and arrangements with the local dragon for safety...”“Perfect place, if you ask me?” Siabrey said quietly.  “Can we go now?” she started leaning insistently towards the door.“NO!  I will not as long as its dark!  Tomorrow, first light, I can lead you!” the Steward said firmly.  After Tess tried to use her wiles to charm him to no avail, she shrugged.“Tomorrow it is, then,” she sighed.  Siabrey walked over to one of the frescoes, and kicked the wall to vent her frustration.  Tess sighed again, and looked at the Steward.  “Are there accommodations here for us?  We don’t need anythi...”“You, stop!” the Steward shouted at Iranami, who merely was wandering into the next room, examining the frescoes in the last waning of light.  “Stop or I’ll put you downstairs with the other one!”“Other one?” Tess raised an eyebrow.  “You captured one of... them?” she momentarily forgot the proper term, and decided on the less offensive ‘them.’  The Steward nodded vigorously.“Hmm... perhaps he has some information that might be of use,” Siabrey thought aloud, causing Tess to nod her head.  Finally... that girl is using her head instead of her pangs for Luke...“Lets go down and talk to this fellow... then worry about arrangements.”The Steward took some lit candles, and led the party through the manor, down a series of staircases, past the wine cellar, past the ale cellar, to finally the storage cellar, far below ground.  Here, the party found cots arranged about amongst the stored food... the vast majority of the serving staff had taken refuge here.  Those that hadn’t were upstairs, in guest rooms.The Steward led them further on, toward the small manor jail.  It was there that the party saw their first hostile Ak Konyluite up close.He was roughly 5’5” they guessed... they couldn’t tell for sure because he was bound hand and foot.  From his shoulder’s sprang the elegant head of a red fox.  His eyes looked up at the party, and lightened with something distant... fleeting... perhaps hope?  “Ah,” his voice said, cut heavily by an accent, but nonetheless surprisingly smooth for his head, “more gawkers.  How quaint.”“We do not come to gawk,” Tess said sternly, “we come for information.”“Oh... that.  Surprising my currently hosts haven’t quizzed me yet.  Tell you what,” he said, looking up at Tess, “I’ll tell you some things... if you let my legs be unbound.  Its dreadful being held like this.”Tess raised an eyebrow in question, the actual words not leaving her lips  Should we trust him?  Shaun shook his head no, Siabrey nodded yes.  Seeing an impasse, she turned to the fox man again.“Can we trust you on your word?”“Dear madam, I might be just a mercenary,” he said with a touch of a furry smile, “but I do have honor.”“I’ll let his bond loose,” Siabrey said, motioning towards the Steward for the key.  The man shook his head no.“Are you sure you want to release him?” he asked quietly.“Yes... now give me the frickin’ key!” Siabrey growled, and the cowed man quietly scoured his pockets for the item.  As soon as she had it, her katana was out.  The gate to the cell creaked open, adding an ominous background to her simple threat, “As I do this, if you look at me crosseyed, my blade will slit your manhood in twain.”The foxhead laughed.  “I have no need to trifle with someone so well armed.”  Siabrey slipped in, and while keeping an eye on him, slit the ropes binding the creature’s legs.  With a sigh of relief, the fox man stretched his legs out.“Now... how many are with you?” Tess asked, Siabrey still was in the cell with her sword ready.“Not many... maybe a hundred... all split up, searching for the item,” he said matter of factly. “Where were your people headed?” Siabrey then asked, and the fox gave her a smile.“For more information, I need my hands to be unbound.  I swear on Tian-Lin I will not harm you or conduct myself dishonorably.”   Siabrey looked at Tess, who shrugged, and then unbound his hands.  As he stretched his arms with glee, she started rebinding his legs... and the fox gave a jerk.“Um... if you do that, no information!  I never said it was ok to rebind my legs!” he chided grumpily.“Sir, I don’t think you are in a position to dictate terms to me,” Siabrey said coldly, wrapping the rope around a second time.  The fox gave a simple hiss.“Then I won’t tell you where they’re headed... with their clockwork machines...” he said, his voice dripping with an offer for an exchange.</blockquote>

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