Cast in Shadows - IC

[Juicy Kisses]

The bridge creeks as you walk over it. Thankfully the stream below it has been dry for a few years, allowing you to cross with ease. The moon hangs overhead. You have arrived at Westwend, a modestly sized town but a days travel from the western coast, south of Valen. Your master has sent you here to collect a package, the final task in a series of which he has given you. He did not tell you what was in this package, only that you are to retrieve it from a dwarf by the name of Skavi Tovson. Once you retrieve this package, your master wishes you to return to your home in the undercroft beneath Vonderheide Manor.

Your master informed you that the dwarf, Skavi, can generally be found in a tavern called the Black Cat Hospice, which is on the northeast side of town.

[Ionbound]

Serena strolls through the town, looking at at the moon thoughtfully as she says, "Would it have killed the Master to tell it what it is we're coming to pick up? So we know if we're actually getting the right thing?"

[Centaurion]

Brennan

Upon hearing the comment, Brennan smiles -- well, at least his lips form a smile, but the remaining face shows that there is no true amusement going on in him.

"Would take away half the fun, eh?" he answers dryly.

"Let's just hope we find this dwarf soon. I'd rather not have another Piddleton-incident.", he adds, referring to an earlier mission, where they were not finding their target, and were subsequently discovered as what they truly were, and a group of oh-so-courageous clerics nearly managed to trap them on holy ground.

He looks around to see if there is some citizen on the street who they could ask for the way.

[Ionbound]

Serena winces at the thought and says, "Didn't we agree to never speak of that again? At least they tasted good..."

[Juicy Kisses]

As Brennan looks around the street for any passers by, he spots an older looking man wearing a guardsman's uniform. He holds a lantern in his hand and he slowly marches in your direction

"Ho there, travellers. What brings you in?"

He asks with a cautious look on his face. You can almost hear the blood coursing through his veins as his heart pumps a bit faster.

[Centaurion]

Brennan

"Good evening, good sir! We are looking for a place to rest after a long day of travel. We were surprised by dusk and are happy to have finally reached the city, we were already afraid we had to camp outside." He pulls together the dark gray cloak that covers his body a bit tighter as if he was uneasy imagining staying outside. "As it happens, a cousin of mine once told me about the Black Cat Hospice and a marvelous kind of heart-warming spirit you could buy there... If my memory serves me well, he said it should be towards the north east of the city. Are we on the right way, Sir?


[roll0]

[Juicy Kisses]

He lets his guard down a bit and motions down the road.

"Aye, you're on the right path. Head down the main road until you come to the fork with the baker's shop, then go to the right. It's not the largest tavern I've seen, but you shouldn't miss it nonetheless. Watch for thieves, they've been rampant ever since the orcs came."

[Ionbound]

Serena nods, barely biting back the urge to smile as she replies, "Thank you for the concern, but don't worry about us. The adventuring life pays well and the skills you pick up along the way are handy for making sure you keep what you earn."

[Juicy Kisses]

"I'll take your word on that then. Don't say I didn't warn you." He takes a few steps away from you and then turns back for a moment, "Ah, try the stout. It's quite good and it'll make you hit the floor after one tankard." He turns away and heads back down the road to stand watch by the bridge.

[dmarks]

Wilt strode along quietly beside the others. She wished Serena wouldn't describe them as adventurers. Their master still insisted that she wear the dresses of a lady and few men would think her an 'adventurer' from her appearance. She would rather they didn't ask the resultant questions.

"Thank you sir for your help," she added, as they passed the guardsman. "The man seemed afraid: perhaps there are more dangers in this village for mortals to fear than orcs and thieves." She did not need to add for the group to be careful: they were more than capable of handling such trivia.

[Juicy Kisses]

Eying down the road, you can spot there are more people about than you would normally expect this late in the day. Groups of men carry broken carts out of the road, and clean up the burned remains of houses. A man wearing brown robes stands in front of a small chapel, calling out to a small group of townspeople. "Come now everyone, we shall make the space we can. All are welcome until you can find new homes." The crowd shambles slowly into the chapel, a dull mumbling bubbling over them.

[Ionbound]

Serena looks at the crowd, then glances at Brennan, muttering, "You just had to jinx it, didn't you." She gives the crowd a fairly wide berth, eyes still searching for the tavern.

[Juicy Kisses]

Scouring for the tavern, your eyes do spot it after a bit of looking. One of the walls in the front has been caved in, however, they still appear to be fully operational. Matter of fact, this looks like it could be their busiest night of the year.

[Ionbound]

Serena rolls her neck as she sees the tavern and walks towards it, keeping an eye out for the group's contact as she opens the door and heads inside.

[Juicy Kisses]

You enter into the tavern. A man standing at the bar shouts to you, "Take any seat, wench'll come by to take an order in a minute." Looking around, you don't seem to spot the dwarf anywhere.

[Ionbound]

Serena nods and sits, taking a calming breath as she lowers herself into a chair. So the dwarf hasn't shown up yet. That's fine. She can always ask the wench to lead her to a room and search later.

[dmarks]

Wilt takes a seat beside Serenla, but her eyes and ears do not rest, scanning the crowd to see if any holds even a hint of suspicion. She checks for those who seem one thing, yet sound another, or for a tell-tale ripple that might give away an illusion.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

I've got the modifiers, may as well use 'em :smallcool: <- clearly the wrong emoji to use. Wilt must have been wearing sunglasses to fail that badly on spot.

[Juicy Kisses]

All of you, being rather perceptive as vampires, notice a booth next to the hole in the wall. A tankard sits on the table next to an open book. There is a coat laying in the seat. However, there is no one sitting there. After several minutes, it doesn't seem that anyone is coming back.

[Ionbound]

Serena strolls over to the book calmly and takes a look at it, curious to see if the missing fellow is their contact. She also examines the coat closely, curious as to if it holds any clues.

Search on the coat and book: [roll0]

[Juicy Kisses]

The inside cover of the book has the letters "ST" written in it. It appears to be a ledger of some kind.
The coat is rather fine and expensive looking, something that a merchant would wear. It is kind of small, like it was tailored for a dwarf. Inside the coat you find a pocket with a letter inside of it, sealed with wax. The name Charles is written across the back of it.

[Centaurion]

Brennan lets his gaze go over the other guests to see if anyone is watching them with particular interest, especially when one of his fellows is inspecting the booth.


I did not want to react on the findings yet, assuming that Serena might react on it even before telling them.

[Ionbound]

Serena picks up the ledger and letter, and looks at Brennan and Wilt, saying, "I think these might be what we came here for. If our contact isn't here, so much more the pity for him."

[Juicy Kisses]

Brennan manages to spy the bartender, who is eyeing Serena as she rummages through the coat.

[Centaurion]

Brennan

"Good. So, do we still try to find this dwarf? Oh, and by the way, the barkeeper saw you rummaging through the stuff."

[Ionbound]

Serena shrugs and says, "Like I said, more's the pity. Sucks to be him if he got himself arrested or was expecting payment." She then glances at the bartender and says, "Feh, what's he going to do? Send the guard after us? I was feeling like a snack anyways, and while the wench is more my speed, guards will do."

[Juicy Kisses]

The bartender walks over to you and says in a stern, slightly frightened voice, ""Do you know who's stuff that is you're rummaging around through? If he comes back and notices some of his pocket change is missin, we're all gonna have hell to pay." You notice his hand is slightly shaking.

[Ionbound]

Serena shakes her head and replies, "No. In fact I do not know who he is to you. But you don't have to worry about his pocket change. We're friends."

[Juicy Kisses]

The man's face gets a bit more grim as he looks you over. It doesn't matter who's friends with who with those people. By the look of you, you should know that. Just put back whatever you took before he comes back with those boys that followed after him, and nobody has to worry about them. It won't only be your funeral when they return.

[Centaurion]

Brennan

"Look, you worry too much,
it was arranged beforehand that we take what we took should he not be here. I wonder though, what kind of men were following him? We're his friends, and friends take care of their friends.

[roll0]

[Juicy Kisses]

He looks around to make sure nobody is listening.
"Vendeces men. Hunters by the look of it. Might be after some of your folk. Maybe even yourselves." He whispers, not wanting anyone else to hear.

[dmarks]

Wilt stayed quiet during this exchange. The contact they were sent to meet was actually a hunter? Wilt knew well enough that men who hunted vampires were fools for sure, but this nonetheless had the smell of a trap.

As the others continued their conversation she went to stand outside, eyes scanning the night and ears alert to anyone approaching.

Listen [roll0]
Spot [roll1]

[Juicy Kisses]

The word sticks in your mind, Vendeces. Youve heard your master say it a few times before, but he did his best to keep you rather isolated from a lot of the outside world.

As Wilt goes outside to take a look around, it doesn't appear that there is much new going on. Scanning for a short while, you spot a man walking towards the tavern with a sense of urgency. A scent of garlic reeks from him, you can even smell it from here.

[dmarks]

Wilt wrinkled her nose at the scent. Only a true fool would believe those superstitions. Still, fools were dangerous and she had no desire of getting caught up in violence if it could be avoided.

Shifting her stance, she limbered up, ready to stike.

Assassin's Stance

Stepping forwards she moves between the man and the entrance to the tavern with a smile on her face. "Can I help you? You look lost."

[Juicy Kisses]

The man looks grievously offended by you stepping in front of him. "Out of the way, I have important business to attend to." He says as he attempts to walk around you.

[Ionbound]

Serena steps forwards and puts her hand on Wilt's shoulders, saying to the man, "Please forgive my daughter. I give her some leeway around the house and sometimes she expects the same of strangers. We'll be on our way now."

[Juicy Kisses]

The man grumbles a bit and pushes past you into the bar. He begins to look around a bit, and upon spotting what you assumed to be the dwarf's seat, he walks over in its direction.

[dmarks]

"Garlic!" Wilt muttered to Serena as the man left them behind. "Whoever he is, he is involved in this. I say we wait and watch him, and follow when he leaves.
He might know where our Dwarven friend has gone."

Suiting her words, Wilt drew Serena to a table and sat in conversation. If a waitress approached them she would order wine and sip it slowly.

[Juicy Kisses]

The man ruffles around through the dwarf's coat before tossing it to the ground, a swear slipping off his tongue. He marches over to the bartender and the two of them argue for a moment and then go to the back room behind the bar.

[Ionbound]

Serena follows Wilt back to a table and grins when she sees the man go through the coat and apparently not find what he's looking for. She nods to her 'daughter' and whispers, "See? He was looking for what we found. We should get out of here before there is a bigger problem than what we already have."

[dmarks]

What use are eyes that refuse to see, or hands that fail to grasp? We have been sent forth to do a duty. I have long since passed the time where I would turn back out of caution."

Wilt siddled over to the door, ears straining for a sound beyond the wooden frame, or a clue of what was happening in the room.

[Juicy Kisses]

Wilt leans in to listen to what is happening on the other side of the door. She hears the stranger's voice,

" He has betrayed the Vendeces. You know what must be done. Tell me where he has gone, or I will include your silence in my report to the masters."

There is a silence for a moment, and you can hear footsteps circling. The bartender speaks up,

"Ah, Skavi forgive me...He ran out after he saw you and your friends enter the tavern. If he's done something to betray the masters, then he must have known you were after him. He would have gone to his safe house,
it's in the basement of the warehouse in the western end of town. Make it quick for him,
he was always a good customer."

The stranger thanks the bartender, and you can hear feet shuffling towards the door.

[Centaurion]

Brennan

While the others had followed garlic man to the inside, Brennan stood outside the inn, his back leaned against the wall, then and now rocking a bit and searching his balance again. The drunkard who needed some fresh air and has lost most perception for space and time. Back then, a daily activity for him. Now, a role he is good at playing.

His eyes scan the environment for possible further threats.

[Juicy Kisses]

Scanning the area, Brennan does not see anything that looks to be an immediate threat.

[dmarks]

Wilt turns on her heel, so as not to be caught eavesdropping. "Follow me," she whispered, ushering her companions out of the bar so that she could explain.

"Skavi, our contact, seems to have betrayed the Vendeces. They're heading to a warehouse in the western part of town, but if we get there first we can get him out and find out what he knows."

Suiting her words, Wilt led the group west, looking for the warehouse.

[Juicy Kisses]

The group comes to the district the bartender spoke of. You spot a large warehouse standing in a rather open plot of land, crates scattered about around the building. The door hangs open, as if beckoning you to enter.

You take a few steps to your approach, when suddenly a searing pain cuts into your chest. It's as if your heart has beat one last time and faded forever. An intangible force thrusts against you, nearly knocking you off of your feet. The connection you once felt to your master is suddenly gone. You know not if he has died, or has abandoned you, you know only that his influence is suddenly gone. You stand together in the road, yet you feel as though you are alone.

[Ionbound]

Serena's voice catches in her throat as she opens her mouth to make a snarky comment at Wilt as they walk along towards the warehouse. She grins widely, fangs fully on display as she looks at the sky and cries out, "YESSS!"

[dmarks]

The pain was so intense that Wilt barely had the presence of mind to check to see if her companions were so afflicted. Still, she could not tell whether the pain went on for seconds or hours, but once it passed, she felt herself with one knee in the dirt of the track.

She felt strangely empty, and not just that. She felt as though a pressure had been lifted from her. She was free... But free as a puppet whose strings had been cut. She could move, but she had no purpose, no direction.

"What?" She muttered, dumbfounded. She had resigned herself to that life. What was there for her now? "Are we free? What has happened to... him?"