Paridon: The Dark Metropolis (Ravenloft)

[Rhun]

"He is a criminal, no doubt. But any good advocate wil be able to get him out of any charges we might throw at him now." Perrin scratches the back of his head in thought. "We need proof of his dealings. And we need to find out what we can about this 'brass' person." I say again, we should head to the gnomish district and see what information we can scare up."

 

[Le Noir Faineant]

"So, you mean we let him out alive?" The disgust in Calahan's voice cannot be hidden.

 

[Rhun]

Perrin sighs. "We are constables, Calahan. We are not judges, nor are we executioners."

 

[kinem]

Father Berman shakes his head. "We know he's guilty. I think we have plenty to charge him with. It's not the most recent employer of the masked madman that matters, but rather the placement of the mask, and we know he uses them.

And if we need to tighten up the case a bit, to prevent a criminal from beating the system - well, only Ezra knows all. We know that evidence was destroyed in the fire, but we saw it, didn't we Like the records of his dealings that I found, but which were lost in the rubble when that room collapsed over me

But this talk dies give me an idea. Perhaps we should release him - but only if we put the word out that he sung in our custody, betrayed his partners and so on. Perhaps soon we'll have a new murder to investigate, one that will lead us to this Brass person."

 

[Le Noir Faineant]

Calahan laughs.

"You surprise me, Father. - I think you all know that I am happy with anything as long as we get our revenge."

 

[jkason]

Ru Brike, barbaric human monk

And if we need to tighten up the case a bit, to prevent a criminal from beating the system - well, only Ezra knows all. We know that evidence was destroyed in the fire, but we saw it, didn't we Like the records of his dealings that I found, but which were lost in the rubble when that room collapsed over me

But this talk dies give me an idea. Perhaps we should release him - but only if we put the word out that he sung in our custody, betrayed his partners and so on. Perhaps soon we'll have a new murder to investigate, one that will lead us to this Brass person."

Ru's lips thin.

"Unfortunately, I have to agree with Calahan: you surprise me, Father. But I'm not suborning perjury because a gnome got the better of us. Undermining the system makes us more like Alek. And since he seems to be all about reshaping the world to suit his whim, I'd say that would mean he wins, not us.

"As to the other plan; Alek said he didn't know who this 'Brass' was. Given the pain to his family, I don't figure he has much call to withhold that info if he has it. Setting his compatriots on him, then, doesn't sound like it would get us closer to finding our quarry, and it might cut off a resource--which, like it or not, Alek is for the moment."

Ru shakes his head. "But we're getting sidetracked. Someone needs to keep an eye on Darian, and I think we need Master Gis to give us an official go of some kind on whatever plan we decide to use for Alek."

 

[InVinoVeritas]

As his companions continue to argue about what to do about Alek...

Darian moves toward the woman but stops short, and instead goes to the corner, in the shadows. "I know," he whispers, defeated.

Looking down at the cobbled floor with the shadows dancing on his face, he refuses to look at her, refuses to hurt her again.

"Tell me of the one called Brass," he says quietly.

Suki sighs. She taps her mask.

Darian remembers that although all gnomes have some minor magical capabilities, unless they are trained as other spellcasters, these capabilities are severely limited and easily exhaustible. She might not be able to use the ghost voice again today.

 

[kinem]

"I thought you were a team player, Ru" Father Berman says. "Alek is a sinner. I know his type too well. Do not allow him to fool you. He lost his family - but what of the other families he has destroyed? Slaves to the drugs, dead men, corrupted souls. The suffering should be returned to him not once but tenfold. He must be brought low by whatever means are necessary - surely you can see that.

But if you think he may still provide useful leads, I can agree that we should exploit the possibility. However, I don't think we should release him or the women - even as bait - for at least a few days, while we investigate what we can.

As for investigation - conveniently for our little friend, no doubt the fire has destroyed most hard evidence, and the monster slew a couple of important witnesses. We'll see what Darian turns up with that girl, and we can poke around the city.

By the way - we have to get the masks off of those gnomes. Especially Alek. No way they can leave here with the masks. You remember what happened last time we tried removing one with that key - they are dangerous."

 

[Le Noir Faineant]

Calahan chuckles.

"Team player"? - How mean that zealot can be... The Falkovnian army would be a better place for him than the chruch of Ezra... [Thinking to himself.]

 

[jkason]

Ru Brike, barbaric human monk

"I thought you were a team player, Ru" Father Berman says. "Alek is a sinner. I know his type too well.

Ru bristles at the jibe. "I am a lawman, father," he says, hands clenching and unclenching in fists"not a judge. And much as I respect your faith, it's not my job to stop sinners, but to stop those whom I have proof break this city's laws. And so far as I'm concerned, no one gets to hold himself above those laws in my presence."

"Do not allow him to fool you. He lost his family - but what of the other families he has destroyed? Slaves to the drugs, dead men, corrupted souls. The suffering should be returned to him not once but tenfold. He must be brought low by whatever means are necessary - surely you can see that.

"Gods can judge with impunity, but none of us here--however holy--is a god."

By the way - we have to get the masks off of those gnomes. Especially Alek. No way they can leave here with the masks. You remember what happened last time we tried removing one with that key - they are dangerous."

OOC: Do we know when the gnomish new year rites end and the gnomes would traditionally doff their masks?

Also: Drama = Fun.