InVinoVeritas
Adventurer
[sblock=Rhun]
Yes.
[/sblock]
Yes.
[/sblock]
Paridon: The Dark Metropolis (Ravenloft)
- Thread starter InVinoVeritas
- Start date
Rhun
First Post
Torhan curses and shakes his head, pointing his finger at the halfling female in a stern gesture. "You are in trouble, Sasha. But we can deal with that later." The paladin turns to his companions. "We need to get to Combledorn Manner with all possible haste. But first, someone get a guard on her..."
InVinoVeritas
Adventurer
Ada giggles, her voice stretching out, changing. "Oh, Torhan, I never could keep a secret from you!" she squeals.
She strips off her mask. Honey-colored ringlets fall, a wide mouth and upturned nose--this is not Ada from before. This must be Sasha. She bounces over to Torhan's finger, almost touching it. "I wish you'd stay. But I'll wait right here for your orders, officer. Don't worry, I won't go anywhere. Not for you."
She jumps back into her cushioned seat and randomly drapes herself across it. "Say hi to Alek for me!" she sing-songs. "Lock me up, I'll still be free!"
She strips off her mask. Honey-colored ringlets fall, a wide mouth and upturned nose--this is not Ada from before. This must be Sasha. She bounces over to Torhan's finger, almost touching it. "I wish you'd stay. But I'll wait right here for your orders, officer. Don't worry, I won't go anywhere. Not for you."
She jumps back into her cushioned seat and randomly drapes herself across it. "Say hi to Alek for me!" she sing-songs. "Lock me up, I'll still be free!"
industrygothica
Adventurer
"I knew it!" Darian shouts as he storms out of the cell and heads toward the carriage. "That vile little man is playing us for fools in our own house!"
His foot falls heavily onto the step up into the carriage. The sound of a whip--his whip--flashes in his mind, a streak of blood across Alek's masked face.
The corners of his mouth upturn into a sadistic grin underneath his full mustache, and he takes a seat and waits for the others in a brief moment of revered silence.
His foot falls heavily onto the step up into the carriage. The sound of a whip--his whip--flashes in his mind, a streak of blood across Alek's masked face.
The corners of his mouth upturn into a sadistic grin underneath his full mustache, and he takes a seat and waits for the others in a brief moment of revered silence.
Ru Brike, barbaric human monk
"Faster than just about anyone I know, and a man half my size is always a step ahead of me," Ru grouses, silently cursing Alek even as he finds himself becoming fascinated by how the halfling can pull so many strings at once without even seeming to move. He leads the way to the carriage, hoping this fire, like so much else, isn't what it seems.
Because what it seems like is the beginnings of burning off loose ends.
"Faster than just about anyone I know, and a man half my size is always a step ahead of me," Ru grouses, silently cursing Alek even as he finds himself becoming fascinated by how the halfling can pull so many strings at once without even seeming to move. He leads the way to the carriage, hoping this fire, like so much else, isn't what it seems.
Because what it seems like is the beginnings of burning off loose ends.
Rhun
First Post
Torhan ushers his companions out of the room, closing and locking the door behind him. "Hurry now. We must reach the manor with all possible haste." Turning to the nearest enforcer not on his team, the paladin points a finger to the door. "Post a guard here before she disappears again."
InVinoVeritas
Adventurer
Everyone rushes out of the police station. A warhorse is waiting for Torhan, and everyone else piles into the police coach. Tavish says the word, and the coach is off, only slightly trailing Torhan. Just outside the gates, the white pony-carriage waits, its driver shrugging as everyone passes.
Earlier...
Ada waited impatiently for something to happen. She paced, sat, sipped some water, and folded paper cranes to pass the time. She looked over the floor and table of her cell; there must have been something like fifty.
Ada had folded paper cranes to pass the time.
Boom! The building rumbled slightly, loosing dust in the corners. Startled, her flock of cranes took flight, only to fall back, unmoving. Carefully, she crept to the door of the room, hoping someone would be able to help. Yet it swung open of its own accord, and another gnome entered from behind it.
"Who-who are you?"
"Sasha. A friend of Temp's brother. Quick, we have to change clothes."
Ada blushed, looking at Sasha's odd party outfit, essentially nothing more than swaddled veils. "What? I could never be seen wearing that!"
Sasha rolled her eyes. "You won't be. Listen. Temp's here, too, and we're getting you out of here so that you two can get married before anyone stops you!"
"What? Temp's here? Where?"
"Through the front gate, a white pony carriage is waiting. He'll be there."
"Won't I get in trouble if I leave?"
"You're not under arrest, so no. Quickly! We don't have much time!"
Sasha threw on Ada's dress and worked to wrap her in her sashes. Ada held her arms close, feeling slightly chilly and exposed.
"Don't worry, no one's going to see you! Here..." Sasha waved her hands, and Ada faded from view. "Now you're invisible. No one can see you. Now go! Get to Temp and get married!" The front door opened and closed behind her. Sasha breathed a sign of relief as she sent cranes flying with a puff of breath. She shook her head as she perched in the chair and stretched out. "Lucky kids..."
Travel to and through the clocktower district is simple and fast. The streets are deserted, with only the detritus of the day's festivities the only reminder of earlier revelry. Dancing is replaced with marching, as enforcers prowl the streets for stragglers.
Torhan is first to reach Combledorn Manor. Smoke, lit up, billows from the structure. The fire crackles around the edges, framing the mansion in a wreath of destruction. A bucket brigade is hard at work, dousing where they can. Tavish and the police coach arrive soon after, and everyone steps out.
Breaking away from tending to the bucket brigade and providing water, Fr. Abingdon approaches. The stress of this job has been getting to him--his hair line must have receded a whole inch just in the past two months. "Praise Our Lady, but the scene is bad in there. We have already found three bodies, but we think there may be more. The entry hall has been quenched. It looks like two servants were killed at the front door, and there is one more in fancy dress at the end of the hall. The brigade is working to douse the fire in central courtyard, where there is a rose garden, and a small building behind it. I can't be too sure, but I think it's a chapel to whatever gnome gods there are. The wings of the mansion are still on fire... those hallways are so small and confusing, I don't know if anyone is still there or not."
Bree traveled through the passages, twisting this way and that, until she reached the servants' entrance. She opened the door, and the white carriage appeared.
"Temp! Ada! Happy New Year! Please, come in. Ada, welcome to your new home and family! Temp has said so much about you, and you are every bit as lovely as he said."
Ada shivered. "Happy New Year. But please, don't call me lovely. Not in this."
"Don't worry, we're all family now. I am Breechalgandigroot, your new sister. Alekalargo is in the main hall, distracting the police."
"The police! Are they here for us?"
"No, no, they're just too fascinated with his shenanigans, as usual. He can be such a pill sometimes. It's good you're such an angel, Templeton."
"Thank you, Bree, I try."
"Of course, dear," Bree indulged. She nodded her head, and a man and woman in servant's outfits appeared. "Now, head off with Biljakook and Stobblegorm, they'll help you get dressed in something more fitting for a wedding. Don't worry, Adalavas, the dress is most chaste. I'll let Alek know he can lead the police away."
Men flow in and out of the great hall, carrying full buckets in, and empty ones out. In the entryway, lay two gnome bodies. One appears to have been impaled on his own sword, while the other looks dessicated and with her neck snapped.
The Great Hall beyond lies in ruins. The beautiful objets d'art from earlier are destroyed, and menacing light from fire pours in from the side passages. The brigade extends through the hall into the courtyard, the large humans only keeping the edges of the small passages moist to keep the fire at bay in the wings.
The Great Hall of Combledorn Manor lies in ruins.
[sblock=ooc]
Photos by:
It'sGreg
fasheezee
[/sblock]
* * *
Earlier...
Ada waited impatiently for something to happen. She paced, sat, sipped some water, and folded paper cranes to pass the time. She looked over the floor and table of her cell; there must have been something like fifty.
Ada had folded paper cranes to pass the time.
Boom! The building rumbled slightly, loosing dust in the corners. Startled, her flock of cranes took flight, only to fall back, unmoving. Carefully, she crept to the door of the room, hoping someone would be able to help. Yet it swung open of its own accord, and another gnome entered from behind it.
"Who-who are you?"
"Sasha. A friend of Temp's brother. Quick, we have to change clothes."
Ada blushed, looking at Sasha's odd party outfit, essentially nothing more than swaddled veils. "What? I could never be seen wearing that!"
Sasha rolled her eyes. "You won't be. Listen. Temp's here, too, and we're getting you out of here so that you two can get married before anyone stops you!"
"What? Temp's here? Where?"
"Through the front gate, a white pony carriage is waiting. He'll be there."
"Won't I get in trouble if I leave?"
"You're not under arrest, so no. Quickly! We don't have much time!"
Sasha threw on Ada's dress and worked to wrap her in her sashes. Ada held her arms close, feeling slightly chilly and exposed.
"Don't worry, no one's going to see you! Here..." Sasha waved her hands, and Ada faded from view. "Now you're invisible. No one can see you. Now go! Get to Temp and get married!" The front door opened and closed behind her. Sasha breathed a sign of relief as she sent cranes flying with a puff of breath. She shook her head as she perched in the chair and stretched out. "Lucky kids..."
* * *
Travel to and through the clocktower district is simple and fast. The streets are deserted, with only the detritus of the day's festivities the only reminder of earlier revelry. Dancing is replaced with marching, as enforcers prowl the streets for stragglers.
Torhan is first to reach Combledorn Manor. Smoke, lit up, billows from the structure. The fire crackles around the edges, framing the mansion in a wreath of destruction. A bucket brigade is hard at work, dousing where they can. Tavish and the police coach arrive soon after, and everyone steps out.
Breaking away from tending to the bucket brigade and providing water, Fr. Abingdon approaches. The stress of this job has been getting to him--his hair line must have receded a whole inch just in the past two months. "Praise Our Lady, but the scene is bad in there. We have already found three bodies, but we think there may be more. The entry hall has been quenched. It looks like two servants were killed at the front door, and there is one more in fancy dress at the end of the hall. The brigade is working to douse the fire in central courtyard, where there is a rose garden, and a small building behind it. I can't be too sure, but I think it's a chapel to whatever gnome gods there are. The wings of the mansion are still on fire... those hallways are so small and confusing, I don't know if anyone is still there or not."
* * *
Bree traveled through the passages, twisting this way and that, until she reached the servants' entrance. She opened the door, and the white carriage appeared.
"Temp! Ada! Happy New Year! Please, come in. Ada, welcome to your new home and family! Temp has said so much about you, and you are every bit as lovely as he said."
Ada shivered. "Happy New Year. But please, don't call me lovely. Not in this."
"Don't worry, we're all family now. I am Breechalgandigroot, your new sister. Alekalargo is in the main hall, distracting the police."
"The police! Are they here for us?"
"No, no, they're just too fascinated with his shenanigans, as usual. He can be such a pill sometimes. It's good you're such an angel, Templeton."
"Thank you, Bree, I try."
"Of course, dear," Bree indulged. She nodded her head, and a man and woman in servant's outfits appeared. "Now, head off with Biljakook and Stobblegorm, they'll help you get dressed in something more fitting for a wedding. Don't worry, Adalavas, the dress is most chaste. I'll let Alek know he can lead the police away."
* * *
Men flow in and out of the great hall, carrying full buckets in, and empty ones out. In the entryway, lay two gnome bodies. One appears to have been impaled on his own sword, while the other looks dessicated and with her neck snapped.
The Great Hall beyond lies in ruins. The beautiful objets d'art from earlier are destroyed, and menacing light from fire pours in from the side passages. The brigade extends through the hall into the courtyard, the large humans only keeping the edges of the small passages moist to keep the fire at bay in the wings.
The Great Hall of Combledorn Manor lies in ruins.
[sblock=ooc]
Photos by:
It'sGreg
fasheezee
[/sblock]
industrygothica
Adventurer
Darian approaches the two bodies in the entryway. Is there any evidence that proves whether or not these are Ada and Templeton?
Rhun
First Post
Torhan frowns as he considers the devastation. The paladin was willing to bet that this destruction could have been prevented had any one of the gnomes simply told him what was going on. He walks through the great hall, his heavy boots echoing off the walls as he heads toward the courtyard beyond.
InVinoVeritas said:
Ru turns up his nose. "I'm not sure to be happy they seem to have died before the fire reached them, or outraged that they've been left for the fire to consume," he says, looking about. He strains to see or hear any signs of life amidst the home--other than the twisting pseudo-life that fire itself possesses.
