Paridon: The Dark Metropolis (Ravenloft)

[jkason]

Ru Brike, barbaric human monk

"Yes, sir. Temp and I were in the tower together, just getting away from the crowd. We climbed up to the clock face and... that's where we saw the body, hanging from a chain. Please don't tell Temp I told you this." She stops a moment to adjust her mask.

Pigglemorth looks knowingly towards the policemen and back at Ada. Ada catches the look. "That... wasn't what you asked... is it?" You practically can see her blush through the butterfly. She rolls her eyes. "I'm sorry, Temp," she whispers.

Ru smiles in what he hopes is a comforting manner.

"I'm sure we can probably persuade the young man he was seen by an anonymous witness," Ru assures Ada. He turns to the others to say, "It seems we have another witness to question, yes?"

 

[industrygothica]

Darian watches as the jester looks down the street, seems to look for a way around the carriage, and takes off down an alleyway.

ooc: "Takes off" as in running away, or just turning a corner on a leisurely stroll?

In either case, Darian follows him down the alley, hoping to attract the attention of his partners before he gets out of sight; he doesn't especially like the idea of being caught alone with the man, at least not yet. There is just something about this felow that just merits further investigation... possibly requiring techniques that Darian hasn't used in quite some time. That thought brings a faint but wickedly sadistic grin to Darian's parched lips.

 

[Rhun]

Torhan accepts the beads from Sasha, and follows the gnome in white to the mask stand. After looking over the inventory, he picks out one of the more fearsome looking masks. At the words from the older gnome woman, he turns. "Madame? Your son has gone missing?" Out of the corner of his eye, the paladin sees Darian moving down the alleyway. He nods at his remaining companion and then in the direction of Darian, indicating that Abass should follow Darian and keep him from getting into trouble.

 

[Boddynock]

Abass raises his eyebrows, then moves off abruptly, following Darian into the alleyway.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

The woman turns to Torhan. "Oh, yes, I haven't heard from him all day, and we were supposed to celebrate the New Year together."

"Edditomas?" the gnome in white answers, "I know him, he's a great alchemist in town. I know where he lives, come, let's see if we can find out what happened! Come, sir, we'll get there right quickly... he's such a pillar of the community, I would hate to think that anything had happened!"

The gnome turns to his female companions. "Kitten, Marionette, go see after the two other policemen. Fetch them and bring them to Edditomas' place. Take care."

Sasha jumps off Torhan, grabs hold of her hand, and tugs slightly, a plaintive look in her eyes. She, the older woman, and the gnome in white gesture off toward a side street. The gnome's other two women detach themselves from his arms and head on, searching for the other two policemen.

* * *​

Darian runs down the alleyway. The buildings are built close together, designed to let someone smaller than him through, but he can move in the space without problem. The jester has a head start, but Darian grins as he realizes that he is still faster, with his longer legs. He will catch him. Abass follows Darian as best he can, keeping him in sight.

The jester turns a corner. Darian follows, and notices a pair of discarded masks on the ground quickly enough to avoid being tripped by them. A gnome couple huddles in one corner, lost in each other's embrace and oblivious to the chase around them. The jester stops at a dead end and pulls out a small brass key. Abass approaches, sidestepping the couple. Darian finds the jester, his presence and cloak filling the passageway.

* * *​

"We have another witness to question, yes," Perrin replies.

A sharp whistle comes from the carriage driver outside. Perrin pokes his head out of the shop and comes back in. "We need to act fast. Let's get these two to safety." He indicates the road ahead, further away from the clocktower square. It is hard to make out in the fog, but another horse-drawn carriage has appeared, barely visible, and clearly waiting.

 

[jkason]

Ru Brike, barbaric human monk

"We have another witness to question, yes," Perrin replies.

A sharp whistle comes from the carriage driver outside. Perrin pokes his head out of the shop and comes back in. "We need to act fast. Let's get these two to safety." He indicates the road ahead, further away from the clocktower square. It is hard to make out in the fog, but another horse-drawn carriage has appeared, barely visible, and clearly waiting.

"Hells," Ru swears under his breath. "Already being followed." He glances quickly about the square to see if he can find and catch the eye of his companions, but even as he says it, he tells the two gnomes, "Into the carriage, now, and get down away from the windows, curtains or no."

[sblock=OOC]Spot +7 to see if he catches sight of the other members of the party?[/sblock]

 

[Rhun]

Having little choice, Torhan follows the gnome in white to Edditomas' place. Hopefully his companions would be brought along in short order.

 

[industrygothica]

Darian mutters a few words under his breath, calling upon his minor arcane abilities as he focuses on the jester. At the same time, he removes his whip from under his cloak.

 

[kinem]

(ooc: spot +3, listen +3)

"We will keep you safe" Father Berman says quietly as he makes the sign of the butterfly with his fingers. He looks around.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

The carriage doors open, and father and daughter are ushered inside. "I can hold position or take us back the other way, toward the festival and from there away from the gnomes, just say the word," the driver remarks. Ru looks back toward the square, straining to see any sign of the other half of his team. Curse the mists! They obscure a clear view of the festival, leaving behind only shadows, laughter, and multicolored glows of fireworks. The mists are getting thicker, Ru observes. His companions could be anywhere...

* * *​

As Darian pulls the whip from his belt, he feels a cooling breeze. The mists appear to tighten behind him, shielding any view of the alleyway from outsiders. Excellent. It will just be he and the jester. The small, pathetic jester, fumbling with his key, trying to find the hole in a cellar door at the end of the alley. The jester turns, and trembling at the imposing figure blocking the mouth of the alley, asks, "M-m-may I help you, s-sir?"

* * *​

Having traversed through a few tightly packed winding streets, Torhan stands at Edditomas' shop. "Edditomas - Alchemist" the sign reads in small Common script beneath large gnomish runes. The alchemist's mother pulls out a stout iron key and unlocks the shop. The three gnomes and Torhan enter the shop, Sasha still clinging to Torhan's hand. "There you go. Edditomas' studio is up the stairs, behind the counter," his mother indicates. Inside, a long, wide counter extends the length of the shop. Dried flowers, small pickled animals, powders, and all manner of preparations line the shelves along the back wall. Behind the counter are a number of measuring tools, scoops, tongs, and combining paraphernalia. A staircase leading up and down stands in back right-hand corner of the shop. Torhan notices a faint odor in the air, like sugar and roses...

* * *​

Roses. Hieran stops a moment as he follows Darian. He smells roses. As he rounds the corner, he notices the gnome couple, oblivious to the world, oblivious to everything except each other. Even as he stands there, over them, they do not stop. Hieran reaches down to pick up one of the discarded masks. There is a pile of a pink crystal in the mask... this is where the scent is coming from. He looks down the labyrinth of alleys where Darian just went, and--there's someone behind him.

Hieran turns to see two of the gnome in white's women from before. Still masked, tightly wrapped with their colorful cloaks. They stand and wait, just looking...