Into the Moral Darkness: IC

[Velmont]

When Venial see the Entrance, he remember the only time he entered the estate by that door. It was before he got employed by the Baron, when he was simply an helper for his uncle. He was wondering why the Baron had asked him to come. Generally, the Baron didn't ask for any one in particular. His uncle used to send his second. He had never expected to recieve this offer. The offer that finally got him in the situation of yesterday. But he was aware of the risk when he accepted the job.

It wasn't the time to use the emrchant entrence. He used to come that way only to deliver a written message. He use to send some tindertwigs to the Baron once in a while. It was a nice way to pratice his skills, provide the Baron with some cheap ressources, as he gives them at teh cost to produce it, and also was perfect to pass a writtent message when needed. And with a small trap in it, someone unaware would most likely burned the pack ebfore he even know there was a meesage hidden in the box. That was normal for a tindertwig box if badly manipulated, and it bring enough attention that the person who want ot intercept the message needed to steal the box, which was a bit harder.

But he needed to see the Baron itself, so he will need to pass by the servant gate, as he is use to do. Officialy, he was an helper at the different hunting ground, even if he knew that many rumors was now running on him. After many years of work under the Baron, people who was always near to him could be hardly fooled. but his status had officially never changed. But today, officialy, he was supposed to be in Elk River, not Stalagmite. For most, he would only be out of town for the Baron's service, and to a few persons, he was at Devil's Hand. He needed for the moment to let the people think that...

...or do I want? If I show up in front of everyone, I could have the first reaction of everyone. Someone might have a reaction that would allow me to have a clue on who was knowing I was at Devil's Hand and that i should be coming back. But that mean teh news of my coming must not be spread among the servant. I hope the Wall will be there.

The Wall was one of the rare guards Venial was trusting. Today, he had doubt, but if he had to choose, he would rather fall on the Wall than any other guards at the Gate. The Wall is an aster who is working almost every day at the Gate. He was one of the best to detect hidden object on a person. Because both was an Aster, they had a good relation between each other, and the Baron had taken care of giving him some advantages to let pass more easily a few people who needed discretion. He knew how to keep his mouth shut. And he always have doubt he would be an informant to anyone except the Baron. It is that kind of discretion he needed.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Making his way around to the back, noticed by only a few people on the street who don't really seem to care about him,Venial is able to bring the Gate into view. As to be expected during the evening meal all the servants would be inside preparing, serving,and cleaning up from the meal. The Gate was empty - except for the guards. Venial would have to approach closer than this before seeing if the Wall was there or not.

 

[Velmont]

Venial looks at the gate, but he is unable to identify anyone from here. He decides that being not recognize is teh most important thing for now. Using his magical skill, he complete his disguise as a simple servant, taking the appearance of someone he has see leaving, and thinking he wouldn't come back for the night. He would pretext to simply having forgotten something and that he would be back in soon. If the Wall was there, he could tell him teh truth to be sure he wouldn't be annoyed.

Once this precaution done, he head toward the Gate.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

As Venial approaches the Gate, Venial notices three guards standing around talking to one another. They spot Venial and one of the guards approaches. Venial's friend, the Wall, is there, but it is a large muscular dwarf who comes over to the gate seeming to recognize Venial - or rather Venial's disguise.

"Bertrand! You've come back so soon? Don't tell me you forgot something. If you're not home for supper soon your wife will have your head!"

 

[Velmont]

"Don't remind me. But I forget to complete a task that I had to interrupt. I have the choice to have my wife tonight on my back, or the butler tomorrow. And if I lose my job, I will have my wife all the day on my back..." tells Bertrand.

Bertrand walk naturally toward the Gate, with some haste and talking to to the dwarf, passing next to him. Not really looking where he is going, he stops and turns back in front the Wall and nods and await for a quick inspection as he truns his attention back to the dwarf. "That distraction will cost me a gift to my wife." As the Wall is about to start his inspection Bertrand put into the Wall view his hand. On the hand is the ring of Venial's mother. The Wall knew about the ring, being one of teh two object that is a sure way to identify Venial when under a disguise, that and his father's dagger. Seeing it one someone else would mean either Venial is dead, or he is disguised. Venial trust the Wall would come to the good conclusion and will avoid to make any comment if he find something suspect.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

The Wall nods and says to the dwarf, "Don't worry Trubard. I'll check out Bertrand tonight. You get the next one." The wall turns to Bertrand and says, "I can't possible imagine what a stablehand would need from the butler, but I can sure empathize with holding down the job. I'd advise you to make haste. Now don't let us keep you any more."

The Wall does a decent search of Venial, but from Venial's perspective the Wall is simply putting his fingers on him without feeling Venial closely.

 

[Velmont]

"Well, I could explain you, but I must hurry, or I will need to repeat all that to my wife, and I just want to go back home." tells Bertrand, with a smiles that tells he is half-joking and half worried by his wife reaction. As soon as the Wall finish to seacrh him, Bertrand go toward the stable.

As soon as he is out of sight of the Gate, he go toward the main buidling and go toward the large room, where the Baron generally eat, in hope he will not disrupt his habit tonight... but Venial knew that he would need more than then luck that time. His job havn't helped him to make many trusted friend in this place, and now that he was aware of a spy, he would need to pass through the second wall, the one created by the bodygards. Even if it was unlikely, they were among the possible spy.

All he needed, it was a way to approach the Baron for the night. If he cover was blown by tomorrow morning, it didn't matter that much, most likely he would have made his first reappearance, but he needed to contact the Baron and speak to him alone if possible.

It is then he had an idea. I just need to approach the Baron. Bertrand wife would be sick and Bertrand would like to have the Baron's blessing. He would also ask to kiss his hand. It would be there he would show his mother's ring and put a small message in the hand of the Baron.

Venial find a place where he knows he can hide for a moment and hide his backpack. He put his father's dagger in it, as he know most likely a bodyguard could search him if he had to approach the Baron like that. He take a small paper and write on it a small message.

Bad news. Meet at the stables. Alone if possible.

The only signature is a small eyes, printed with the help of his signet ring. The message ask teh Baron to be alone if possible. He could request it, or it would be too much like a trap, but he had to ask, as teh bodyguards wasn't safe for that news. After hiding his backpack somewhere sure, with only his clothes, his small paper hidden and his ring at his hand, he heads toward the large room where the Baron generally take his supper.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Venial (Bertrand) receives several strange looks from the staff inside, but nobody seems to question him. As he approaches the Baron's dining area he can see that the main entrance is guarded by Joffrey as it normally is. Joffrey takes his business seriously, which is good for a guard. He's never shown any personal dislike of Venial in the past, however.

He spots Venial (as Bertrand) coming down the hall. He knows better than to ask one's business unless approached, but he keeps an eye on the one dressed as a stablehand.

Venial would also know that there is an entrance into the dining hall through the kitchen, but that would likely mean passing through another set of guards. The kitchen guards are usually much more stern and less forgiving as they have to watch not only who is cooking but also who is serving.

 

[Velmont]

Bertrand appraoch teh guard. As he come next to him, he asks, with an obvious heistation, as if he was breaking the law in asking that, and with a bit of a desesperate tone that let guess he is foing that on some last resort. "I know the Lord is eating, but could I go and speak to him? It is very important."

 

[Nonlethal Force]

The guard looks down to Venial, "Is the Baron expeting you?"