The Hunted (DM: IronSky, Judge: ???)

The Hunted: Day 1, Hour 5, Minute 3

The people seem to be calming down as Illarion and Raijin speak, though many of them seem shaken by Earth's words.

Mrs. Grey lowers her crossbow, the initial shock of grief beginning to strike her. She stares at the ground as she speaks.

"Dart was always enthusiastic, adventurous, even as a lad. He read every book in Daunton on war, piracy, legends and myths of heroes and monsters. It was all we could do to keep him in the house until he came of age. Knowing he was determined to go find adventure, my husband, George, did some research and found a group that called themselves Lucy's Loves - named after the ship they sailed around in. That was when he, when my Dart... oh gods!"


George steps in and wraps his arm around his wife's shoulders as great wracking sobs shake her. He talks softly as he comforts her.

"They were treasure hunters, a decent success rate, no companions lost, competent, experienced. I arranged a 'chance' encounter with them and Dart and they took him under their wing. They sailed out and returned a few months later with a small trove of magical relics they'd found on a tomb or some-such on a remote island. They were instantly fabulously wealthy and even their junior partner, my son, received a decent sum.

"We had hoped that it would be enough for him, that he'd use his share to buy a house, find a nice girl, and settle down, but it only made him want more. We only saw him briefly in the years after that, stopping back after this failed adventure or that. He was gone for months this last time until he showed up at our door a few nights ago asking for money to fund an expedition.


"He said he'd managed to find his way back to the island with just his quarter of their 'treasure map', what he remembered from their first expedition, and some consulting with some of the old sailors at the docks, but it was too dangerous to go alone and most of the relics he'd taken had been subsequently lost in his flight through the jungle.

"We turned his request down and there was an argument. He stormed off, saying he'd get back with Lucy's Loves and they'd come back wealthy beyond measure. What he didn't know was that the others hadn't squandered their wealth the way Dart did but had used it as the seed capital to establish themselves in Daunton - in their own ways."


George Grey drops his head for a moment, struggling with emotion. There are tears in his eyes when he looks up and continues. His voice cracks, he clears his throat, and speaks.

"Dart came back just after supper tonight - gods, is he really dead? He came back, angry, and said that the others had all turned him down as well. He asked us for money again and we turned him down again, pleading with him to give up such a dangerous, unpredictable life. Our last words to our son were in anger and he stormed off saying he'd used the last of his money to pay a ship captain to take him back to the island and he'd just go to that disreputable Hanged Man tavern where all the mercenaries, foreigners, vagabonds, and other misfits gather, to put together his own expedition."


He pauses for a moment, stroking his sobbing wife's hair gently. When he speaks again his voice is soft.

"I should have known something was wrong when he left. He was jumping at every sound and looking about as if something were about to leap out at him from the shadows. And that was the last we saw of him."
 
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Devinihm, wilden druid


"Dart came back just after supper tonight - gods, is he really dead? He came back, angry, and said that the others had all turned him down as well. He asked us for money again and we turned him down again, pleading with him to give up such a dangerous, unpredictable life. Our last words to our son were in anger and he stormed off saying he'd used the last of his money to pay a ship captain to take him back to the island and he'd just go to that disreputable Hanged Man tavern where all the mercenaries, foreigners, vagabonds, and other misfits gather, to put together his own expedition."

Devinihm perks visibly at this piece of the tale, and when George Grey finishes, he asks, "This captain, did your offspring name him, or the ship he captained?" He turns to the party to add, "It is rare to hire a boat voyage without giving the captain an idea of the route, no? It may be this man knows more..."
 

"Perhaps, maybe Dartanian knew the captain's route. In that case, this captain might have information about the location of the island, and perhaps, of the source of this creature." replies the warden to the druid.
"Did Dartainan left something back in the house? Perhaps from his first adventure?" asked the Earth.
 

The Hunted: Day 1, Hour 5, Minute 4

"The captain? He might have mentioned the name but I had other things on my mind at the time. I would only be guessing if I estimated what this captain might know."


"As for Dart's things, he has been..." his voice catches. "Had been living on the road for years. He prided himself in that everything he needed to survive was on his person. Our servants cleaned his room yesterday and said that he took a blanket, some lamp oil, and a bit of food and didn't leave anything behind."
 
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Devinihm, wilden druid

"We should search the room, although it sounds as if there is little there," the wilden says. "Then, perhaps Dartanian's employer registered his passenger with the Port Authority? Perhaps the constable can grant us access to those records."
 

"I don't think we need to disturb this people just at this moment, Devilnhim. They just received bad news and they say he wasn't here all that much. I agree that he could've hidden something when he came, but they say he was freightened and I doubt he would imperil them needlessly. We can look in the morning."
 

Raijin does not seem to understand the reactions and behavior of the Greys. He looks at his comrades. Perhaps we can keep an eye on this residence, though I am not sure we would know what to look for. He looks about, walking around the outer area.

OOC: Arcana perhaps, I am specifically looking for the auras I have seen at the other locations
 

The Hunted: Day 1, Hour 5, Minute 5

Raijin searches the area and finds only the faintest traces of Abyssal magics coming a shadowed area on the street across from the Grey residence that then heads to the rooftops.

A bit of deduction reveals that Dartanian had good reason to be jumpy when he was here last as whatever killed him at the Hanged Man followed him there from here.
 

Finally over the shock of having the entire household turn their weapons on her, Auntie Mab works up the courage to speak again. "I'm dreadfully sorry Mr. and Mrs. Grey. I meant no offense, I didn't. I just thought if he were mine own son I'd want to know first thing. Sometimes I get ahead of myself and put my foot in my mouth though."

Turning to her companions, she says, "I think you're right Illarion dearie. There's no point in troubling the poor family by rifling through their things. After all, the beastie's already got Mr. Dartanian's quarter of the map, remember?"

"We'd probably best wait till morning, maybe grab a few winks, then go check down at the port authority, to see if anyone knows what ship Mr. Dartanian sailed on. Maybe we'd better keep watch here tonight though, just to make sure the bazzlebaum, or flibbertygibbet, or whatever it is isn't coming back. That is, if that's alright with you dearies," she adds, addressing the Greys. "We wouldn't have to come in. We could just stand watch outside," Auntie Mab finishes lamely, obviously still embarrassed at having caused the bereaved couple so much pain and consternation.
 


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