Aether Uncovered

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

As it so happened, Derrack's quest for "stupid people" had borne fruit.
It hadn't even been a hard search, a fact which was a bit surprising. There had been no need for long searches- the first tavern Derrack had gone into had given him enough information to know exactly where he should go if he wanted to find people to accompany him into the damnable Blackness. It was quite promising really.

Well, perhaps promising wasn't the word to use, considering how the taverngoers had described it- insane. Foolhardy. Diehard lunatics who thought with their muscles and ego rather than their heads. Of course, listening carefully, Derrack heard something more beneath their words. Fear. The Order's reputation wasn't all mockery it seemed- they'd garnered enough power to be considered a threat to any who might get in their path- whatever path that might be.

Derrack had heard a few more rumors about thrill seekers and dare devil sons of the three houses, but the Order seemed to be his best bet if he wanted to find some real adventurers to journey into the Blackness with. In fact, to listen to the rumors that hummed through the cities, it seemed like they might be sending in another expedition soon- an unusually large one, which had people murmuring quietly amongst themselves...

It was time to choose some course of action. The tavern he was in- the Shade's Pool, held no more information for him, and he had learned that the Order's headquarters were located on the outskirts of Crevice, where they could train without disrupting the populace. Of course, if he wanted to follow minor leads, the location of the noble houses wouldn't be hard to find either...

-Jadyn-

Jadyn had briefly returned to Crevice to restock on supplies and to get a breather from her travels and mad adventures, and so far it seemed to be going well. House Vesper, and most of the city, in fact, was too focused on the latest movements of the Order of the Hunt to notice her quiet return.
Or at least, that's how it seemed.

"Jadyn... our favorite little House brat."
Jadyn's attention was called to the present. She was hiding in the Fist headquarters- having worked with the corrupt law organization a few times, they would give her a little place to rest where she wouldn't immediately be seen by House Vespers. Of course, she still had to keep a wary eye out for herself, as Fist wasn't the most loyal group in existence... which is why the entrance of Craze into her room wasn't exactly reassuring or welcome.

'Craze,' as he was known, was one of the more active and powerful of the Fist Officers. He didn't really have delegated authority, but he had a mean streak and enough martial training to make him feared. No one picked a fight with Craze if they could help it.

The affectionate tone that Craze was using was not reassuring in the slightest. If Craze was happy, then he had gotten to- or was about to- brutalize someone. He was a sadist, and he admitted it.

"You weren't as quiet as you thought coming back into Crevice. Someone let it slip to a few family members that you might be slinking around..." Craze grins nastily at her, his overly large and wide eyes displaying just how he had gotten his name. "Vespers has some plans for you, darling. They're willing to pay quite handsomely to get you back..."

Craze reaches out an extraordinarily clean hand (that was another strange thing about Craze- an almost fanatic cleanliness in his habits) towards Jadyn's unusually blue hair and strokes it almost tenderly, though the light in his eyes and look on his face suggests a much more unpleasant attitude. He was disturbing in his focus, his single minded passion for cruelty.

"I was trying to think of reasons not to turn you over to them..." The mad brute says, grinning to himself even as he grins at her. He lifts a little of her hair and sniffs it, and then spoke again, more quietly, almost laughing as his grin stretched so far it seemed to split his face.
"And you know, I couldn't think of a single one."

Craze hadn't reached for his weapons, but he had quite an assortment of them ready. He felt that he had her completely trapped under his thumb... and maybe he did. Jadyn was in a tight spot, and struggling would be a gamble- a gamble that might buy her freedom or her death. They were in a smaller room with one window which- given luck and skill- she might be able to escape through, and one door, but unfortunately Craze was between her and it. She had been sitting on the cot assigned to her, eating a meal before Craze had come in, and the only other notable furnishing was a small, crudely made trunk which she could store things in if she felt like having a chance of them getting stolen.

She'd better decide what she was going to try to do- and fast.

-Melioli-

Melioli was in an abandoned district of Crevice, a place that had been superstitiously avoided ever since it had been torched by one of the first members of House Pyrrus who had failed to control his powers. The taboo that had been placed on the area was rubbish, and Melioli- as well as most of her Order- knew it. But they kept it alive, and the area would be used by them whenever something needed to be kept quiet.
Such as a meeting with someone from a House Vespers.

"Meli!"
Kara was practically running towards her, looking ecstatic about something. It only made her look more foolish in Melioli's eyes. When Kara reached her, she panted a little, obviously having run towards her, extremely eager for some reason.

"Meli!" She said again after she caught her breath. "Have you heard?" Without waiting for any sort of confirmation, she rushed on in a whispering voice, explaining that she had- out of luck- overheard a meeting with the head of House Vesper. The Head, Lord Proxus, one of the few suffused remaining in the city, had apparently been meeting with a representative of the Order of the Hunt. Not only that, but Proxus had seemed to be agreeing to some kind of alliance or truce between the two organizations, if only temporarily.

"Think about it! We might not have to hide anymore- they might even accept you back and welcome you with open arms if you wanted to see them all again."

Kara probably hadn't told her everything she knew- to her, after all, the important part was that Melioli might be able to be associated with House Vesper again. To Melioli, on the other hand, the emphasis would be something completely different. What on earth could have persuaded Lord Proxus to even consider supporting the Order in something? House Vesper was one of the most powerful houses, and it was rumored that Proxus was THE power of the city, when it came to it. What would he gain by this?

-Myriam-

Julie's tavern, nice as it was, wasn't holding many answers for Myriam's current situation. There just didn't seem anywhere to go or do, and her money was running out at a rather disturbing rate. She could probably make it another month, and then she had better find a source of income or a place to hide.

"Hey, Myr."
It was Serge. How he had tracked her down- why he had shown his face in a more middle class and less shady district- and why he was looking for her in particular, was all up in the air. It seemed completely out of character for the man. At least, however, he had made an effort to look presentable. He could pass for a laborer at the moment, so not too many people would turn their heads. Still, to Myriam he was extremely out of place.

The cut throat moved over and slid into the seat next to her, seeming to be in a hurry. He had a little packet of paper clutched in his hand, which he thrust out towards her across the table she was at.

"Look, I sees that you need a job, an mebbe you don't want something to risky like... you do this for me, an we'll take care of you fer a while no charge, we clear?"

He drops the packet of paper in front of her, assuming she was going to take the job. And maybe he had good reason to think that.

"All you gotta do is take that paper to summun stayin' with the Fist. Can't do it myself- an I don't have many 'friends' who could either, you ken?"

The situation made sense now. He could offer something that meant quite a bit to her with no loss for himself- after all, he'd been fine before she gave him donations, after all. He wasn't losing money, not really. He couldn't do this job himself, nor could many of the people who knew, because if they set foot near the Fist, they'd be snatched up and taken in due to the bounties on their heads. On the other hand, it held no risk for her, because she was new, unrecognizable and hadn't even done anything. She could waltz in and out without anyone really even commenting. What did she have to lose?

Clearly the situation was urgent though, otherwise Serge would have been more cautious and stingy with this. Just because he could afford to ensure her cooperation by offering such a nice deal didn't mean he had to- unless there was a time limit, and he couldn't afford to quibble over details.

"You in?"

-Willow-

There was a small grove outside of Crevice that Willow had taken a liking to. Everything about it just felt right- peaceful, beautiful, and full of life. Her power seemed to resonate with the little area, as if it were somehow amplified.

"Willow?"

Considering she came out here to escape from Crevice and its houses, the intrusion of both into her little grove probably wasn't welcome. At least, however, it was just Karl.

Karl was from House Vesper, a nice young member of the house who was a little too shy and uncertain of himself to be really make a good impression as a suitor. Still, at the insistence of Lord Proxus, he was attempting to court Willow and have her join the house, to form a nice little alliance between the isolated branch of Crathmore and the far more important House Vesper.

The young man twists his hands a little, smiling nervously. "I know this is probably a bit of a shock, but... I'm joining up with a group of the Order of the Hunt. They're making an expedition to the Blackness." He bites his lip, knowing that not only does it seem ill-fitting with his personality, but also with his place in House Vesper. The Houses didn't look kindly on the Order of the Hunt...

"There's something different about this expedition. Lord Proxus is supporting it- I don't know why, but he says this one is important. I think they've found something big, and I want to be a part of it."

He hesitates, then rushes forwards with his next words.

"Willow- I want you to come with me."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

When Craze leans close, Jadyn turns her head to the side and almost yanks her hair away from him, she does it before she can stop. She barely keeps herself from scooting back and away from him. She’s never liked or appreciated him. He is, as his name implies, crazy as a loon. She briefly considers the window, but it’s to far up and he blocks the door.

When he mentions her House, she giggles a little, They want Me? Back? What’re they gonna do? Pawn me off on some stupid fool? I already lost what they wanted to sell to the highest bidder. Nobody in a House wants married to used and damaged goods. She gathers her breath, perhaps he’ll believe her? She doesn’t want to ruin her place here. It might not be much, but it’s better than the street. They won’t pay you anything for me, they’ll just kill you on sight. On the other hand, I have worth to The Fist. You know what I did, planted that choice bit of jewelry in his pocket. Gave The Fist and that other House the chance to take it all from him. She gets ready to flip the rest of her food into his face and dodge to one side if he lunges for her.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow had been reclining in the crotch of a tree that shared her name, resting in the comfort of her secret place. Karl's entrance was something of a shock, and she stopped carving the small bit of wood she'd picked up off the ground-- taking on the rough shape of a badger-- instead fingering it gently in her hands while he spoke. She listened patiently, her green eyes staring unblinkingly at him.

At his request, she sat quietly for nearly a full minute, the silence stretching perhaps uncomfortably long. Eventually she breaks the quiet with the word, "Why?" Feeling that is, perhaps, too vague, she expands on the one word. "Why are they considering going into the Blackness at all? Why are they ignoring the danger? Why are you going? And why do you want *me*? We've been through this. Father wants me to try to marry into a house. Fine. I can do what he wants. I'd even consider you, although you could do with a bit more spine than you've got. Stand up for yourself a bit more, that sort of thing. But I'm nobody special, Touched or not. I certainly don't have any experience with the Blackness, and I like to think I've got more than enough sense to not set foot in that place. So if you want me along, you'd better have a good reason beyond the fact that you want me along. How did you find me here anyway? This was my private place."

[KevLar]

Myriam

Some day, I'm gonna think back to this very moment and think "that's when I should've said no."

Myriam covered casually the packet of paper with her hand. She had intended to avoid any sort of partnership with Serge until she made sure it was safe. Of course, it was not safe. Her greatest fear was getting in, and then being unable to get out. And she could see it happening before her eyes.

And of course, she would take the job anyway. All her other options had gradually lost their luster. She had made little progress with her research, and making ends meet was about to become a very urgent necessity. Serge and his... acquaintances were, potentially, a way to cover both needs. At a price. Myriam wanted to sigh, but instead she looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Serge. Odd place to do business, innit?"

She looked discreetly around, making sure neither Julie nor any observant customer was watching, before continuing. If she really had to get into this, she should at least try to get the most out of it.

"Sure I'm in. Always glad to help a friend. But I'll tell you what. I take care o' this for you, and you'll have some free time at last to do that little thing I asked you. A meeting with the old man, eh?"

Even whispering, Myriam didn't dare say Old Payne's name in there. He was, though not a seller himself, a counselor for hire, a man who could tell when a transaction was profitable and when not. Well, at least according to what she'd been told. Many preferred to be willingly robbed by him in return for his advice than blindly buy from an unreliable source, and end up both robbed and without the goods.

Myriam wasn't interested in buying, but she was interested in learning, and rumor had it that Old Payne knew everything a normal person could ever know about Aether. What exactly she would do even if she got to meet him, she had no idea yet. But she'd think of something.

The packet of paper had disappeared in her sleeve, and she was sitting there looking Serge in the eyes and smiling jovially, sincerely hoping the smile betrayed no fear at all.

"So what do ya say, hm? Deal?"

On top of everything, the Fist made her nervous, but thankfully she had managed to forget that for the moment.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Doing her best to hide her confusion, Melioli's first instinct is to make sure Kara doesn't do something foolish -- a constant risk, admittedly, but one she has been able to manage so far.

"Kara, that would be wonderful news," she lied, taking her friend's hand and drawing her close while dropping her voice to a whisper to imply the need for secrecy, even in this abandoned place. "But we must still be careful... what Lord Proxus suggests is... very unusual, given the relationship between the houses and the Order. This may only be a one-time deal, or it might just be a rumor planted to expose people like us, who defy the old fears."

What is Lord Proxus up to? For that matter, what is the Order up to? House Vesper, allied with the Order? It seems... impossible, and yet Kara wouldn't lie about such a thing, at least not to me. Well, at least, not well enough to fool me.

She tries to pry for more information. "I must sound silly and paranoid, mustn't I?" She throws in a girlish giggle for effect. "I'm sure I'm getting worried over nothing. If you tell me exactly what Lord Proxus said -- as best you can recall, of course -- maybe it will make me as optimistic as you are."

[insecure]

Derrack

Well, he had to make a choice now. Where could he find the most competent fools? Both the Order and the Noble house sounded promising, but there was something that made him think of the Order instead. And, being a man of impulsive decisions, he chose to follow the first of the two places that sprang to mind.
The Order it was.

Strolling through the streets of Crevice, he sought for the Order's headquarters where he, hopefully, could find some adventures. If he couldn't, well, he would just look somewhere else. Derrack wasn't afraid of failure, his experiments had learned him that. Failing equals learning. Of course, it would be nice if he succeeded on everything he did, but, where would the fun be then? He liked to learn, but more to use the things he learned. Especially if it had some sort of connection to the shadows of the world.

With the blackness in mind, he approached the Order's house.

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

It takes a while, but Derrack finds his way to the outskirts of Crevice and to the headquarters of the Order of the Hunt, a low lying, large building with plenty of space out back for various uses. Right now it seems like a number of people are being schooled behind the headquarters in weapon use, various people having partnered up to spar. A small group is mimicking a sword master demonstrating forms and stances.

The headquarters themselves seem fairly uncared for. It makes sense, in a way. The Order is formed to fight, to patrol the Blackness and in general focus outside of the city. Why pay attention to the headquarters when the goal is to leave it and go outside of the city to fight? That said, it is definitely kept in working order. It just lacks some of the sparkle and shine- no one decorates it. Repairs are made merely functional, and the aesthetics are completely ignored.

As Derrack approaches, someone lingering outside takes note of him and slouches over, hands in pockets, body slumped forwards in an almost exaggerated manner. The poor postured woman has very untidy hair that hangs over her shoulders, and her leather armor is stained black and dark in various places. Two small swords hang behind her back, ready to be used at any moment. Though she gives the impression of a sellsword, the eyes that flick up towards him are keen, intelligent, and far more insightful than those of a typical mercenary.

"You lookin' for somethin'?" She asks with lazy unconcern, only her intense, calculating eyes revealing that she's a lot more focused and interested than she lets on.

-Jadyn-

Craze drops his hand and grins nastily at Jadyn, leaning across the table to leer at the woman. He doesn't seem overly concerned by the points she has brought up, as if they didn't matter at all, as if he wasn't concerned with her value, or about his own safety. Maybe he had some plan in mind, or knew something she didn't...

"They don't want you for that... oh no. They have other uses in mind for you- ones that you might not come back from, if you get my drift..." Craze seems terribly fascinated with idea, and he pushes back and gestures expansively with his arms.
"Proxus knows even he doesn't want to anger the Fist. Killing me is just a bad idea- Fist likes me, see? You can't just kill a member of the Fist and expect it to go nice for you..."

The madman stands up and puts a hand to his side, running a thumb along a sheathed knife with a bit of anticipation, watching Jadyn closely. "Now what's it going to be, sweet heart? You going to play safe or rough? You know what I like..."
No doubt Craze would like to cut a few pieces off of her.

-Melioli-

Kara seems a little embarrassed, putting a hand over her mouth and looking to one side as she seems to think about Melioli's question, and what she remembers.
"Well-I didn't really hear very much, Meli... but Proxus said he was going to send his aid on the Order's next expedition- that they were going to call a truce for... for..."

Kara squeezes her eyes shut and thinks about it, as if desperately trying to remember, but Melioli probably knew that she couldn't recall what it was she wanted to think of, if indeed she had heard it at all.

"I don't know what for. But it was something about the next move of the Order- Proxus wanted to support it. He found something about it important."

-Myriam-

Serge sighs, but relinquishes the packet to her, putting his hands in his pockets and leaning back against the chair he had sat in. He looked resigned to her request, giving a shrug at her.

"I'll whis'er at im. Dunno why yer so keen listnin' to 'im, but I won't argue now, girl."

He pulls his hands out of his pockets and cups them in front of him as he leans forwards, still speaking quietly to her, more focused and direct, giving her a few more details on the situation.

"Yer messagin' fer a girl name Jadyn. Skinny, dyed blue hair, blue eyes- can't miss that 'un. I owe her a little somethin', and that packet is it."

Serge waves her off, pointing out the door with his thumb over his shoulder. He seems rather impatient and urgent.

"Go on, now. No time."

-Willow-

Karl looks to one side rather nervously, then looks back at her with a tiny, uncertain smile, raising his hands in an apologetic manner, as if begging her not to fault him for what he was about to say to her next.

"It's... Proxus told me where you'd be. I don't know how he knew.
"But I want to do this, Willow! It's a chance for me to prove myself to the house- a chance to get higher in standing and earn a name!"

Karl seems animated and more certain in himself as he moves on, his earnest desire overriding his more timid nature. This has obviously been troubling him for a while, and now that he has a chance to do something like this, he's seizing it with both hands, and perhaps with more impulse and less thought than he'd normally put into it.

"Proxus- and the order- think that the more Touched we have, the better it will be for us, and I know why they say that. But I'm not asking you to follow us in- just come along to Fringe. They're going to set up a little place nearby there for us to come back to- to rest and store whatever we find. It's a chance for you to see home again, Willow. A chance for you to get away from Crevice, and to be part of something big- something that means a lot to me."

Karl smiles at her, hoping it would appeal more to her if put that way, his plans thought out and detailed.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Very curious, indeed.

She pats Kara on the arm reassuringly. "It's fine, Kara. I can see why you're excited -- if Lord Proxus wants a truce with the Order, then maybe I can come back eventually, at least in some way. That would be very good news indeed."

Or not. But it's always best to keep up the impression.

"So... what else have you been up to?" She tries to divert the conversation back to "normal" girl talk, hoping to set Kara's mind at ease and possibly pick up another nugget or two of unguarded information, though doubtful that anything could come close to the bombshell Kara started with.

When it's time to go, she makes her way to headquarters to see if she can find out what's going on.

[insecure]

Derrack

"Oh, nothing special."

Derrack analyzes the woman with a cold gaze, but as soon as she looks him in his eyes, the stare shifts to a warm, glad one.

"I just wanted to look around, meet some of the folk around here. For example you, Ma'am. How are you? How ungentle of me to not introduce me the moment I saw you."
Derrack smiles, nodding with his head. "I'm Derrack Garron, son of Alexuan Garron, and happy to meet you. May I ask for your name?"

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow considers Karl for another long space of silence. It's clear she's not happy that Proxus knows where she spends her alone time, but it's also clear she's not letting that color her internal deliberation. "All right. As far as Fringe, anyway. I make no promises after that. Father should probably meet you anyway, so he knows I'm making some sort of effort to do what he wants." It's not a glowing recommendation of Karl's eligibility or likability, but it does show at least some level of willingness to entertain the clumsy attempts at courtship Karl has shown so far. "Doesn't seem like I have much choice the matter, no matter what I do anyway."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

After watching Craze during his interminable speeches and declarations, Jadyn realizes that he isn't going to listen and she needs to do what is required to get her out of her current situation and remain in one piece. She can always work on escaping after Craze 'turns her in'. She's already escaped from her House once, she can do it again. She sullenly nods, Fine, the safe way...

[KevLar]

Myriam

Right, I'm off.

Myriam winks to Serge, evidently pleased, gets up swiftly and heads for the door. She pauses for just a second before going out, looking inside again and wondering why on earth he doesn't leave too. He does seem out of place in there.

On the way to the Fist, she chooses to pass from the darkest, emptiest alley, for two reasons. First, she wants to see what she's carrying. Knowing things that don't concern you never hurt anyone. It's telling things that don't concern you that gets you into trouble. So she slows down, looks around carefully until she's finally sure that no one's following and no one's watching (those city kids stumble in the dark, but the dark never stopped her from seeing), and examines the "gift". If there's a way to open it without making it obvious that it's been opened, she'll do exactly that, and repackage it nicely. Otherwise, she won't risk it. The last thing she needs at this point is to annoy Serge.

Second, she wants to hide it properly. She slips it to the inside pocket of her vest, and speeds up again. Soon, she gets at the Fist. She looks around, a but wary, not knowing what to expect. Now, where is that blue-haired girl?

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

The woman lets silence hang awwardly in the air for a moment before answering, her eyes keenly focused on Derrack, as if boring into his mind and reading all of his thoughts. Of course, it's just a feeling, right?
"Gail."
She scuffs the top of her left boot with the toe of her right, now looking utterly unconcerned about the situation, then raises a hand as she talks, making laconic and vague motions to accompany her speech.
"Look, people don't sniff around here unless they want something. Order doesn't have a great reputation, after all."
She looks him straight in the eyes, instantly focusing back into clarity, staring at him pointedly.
"Some people think we're crazy, after all. Just madmen."

-Jadyn-

Craze frowns a little, scowling.
"Thought you had a little more in you than that. Fine then. Turn around, put your hands behind your back."
He seems to be fishing out a set of manacles.

-Melioli-

Eventually, Melioli makes her way back to the Order headquarters. She notices the old trainer, Garth, out back teaching new recruits- and old recruits- how to wield a sword. She knows he's good at it. After all, he put a lump or two on her head, and even with the skill she has now, she'd probably have trouble beating him.

She sees two people out front, just outside the doors of the headquarters. One of them seems to be a stranger, and the other is oddly familiar... as she gets closer to the pair, she realizes the second is the bodyguard of the head of the order. Her name was... Abigail, or something like that? Kind of a scary woman.

Anyways, nothing seems to be preventing her from going inside, though the presence of Abigail seems unusual. Typically the head of the Order- and thus his bodyguard- stayed near Fringe.

-Myriam-

Myriam makes her way to the Fist, but first reads the letter...
J-
Lord V is looking for you. Plans to send you outside Fringe. Meet me if you need assistance.

GM's Note- There is no signature, but there is a small little doodle where it might be. Some might ignore it, but Myriam is clever enough to realize that the random drawn and intersecting lines might mean something more...
Still, it is difficult to decipher what, if anything, it might represent.

The symbol:
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Other/symbol1.png
The Fist's building is rather large and well kept, gilded with all the money they earn one way or another. It is kept clean, and indeed, Myriam can see one or two servants (probably working off their debt with a few years of servitude) working on cleaning it even now. It is a very stately white stone building, contrasting the nature of those said to own it.
When she enters, she'll see a simple entry hall, with a few people with mercenary appearances walking around, talking to one another. None of them appear to be the person she is looking for, but there is no obvious direction to go to... maybe a servant could tell her.

-Willow-

Karl gives a weak smile to Willow, apparently getting the underlying feelings in her words.
"I'll make sure you don't regret it, Willow."
He hesitates, then looks back.
"I'm sorry to leave again so abruptly, but I really must be getting ready to go... I'll see you again soon, I hope."
He gives a short bow, then leaves the clearing.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

I intend to remain alive and in one piece, whereas you will end up dead by the hand of one of my 'family' before you ever get to spend that money. Jadyn kicks her tray on the floor and lies flat on her stomach on her bed, her hands behind her.

She's frustrated and wonders if it was even worth it to come back. She dreads what her so-called-family wants to do to her and will look for any opportunity to escape.

[insecure]

Derrack

"Happy to meet you, Gail." Derrack greets with a faint voice, loosing control of it for a moment.
"You see, there is a reason to why I am here, and it does involve asking some questions here and there, but I can as well ask you.
So, do you know anything about the blackness? Perhaps some of the members of this guild could provide some help on gaining knowledge and information on this dark place?"

Derrack found the nearest wall and began to lean against it casually, waiting for her answer and hopefully making Gail more calm. Not that she was angry or mad but she wasn't calm despite her seemingly relaxed pose. So much could Derrack tell from her.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow spends several more hours in the shelter of her tree before deciding to make a trip back into town to see if she can learn more about what is going on with Karl's expedition. She starts with some of the acquaintances she's made in House Vesper, not really knowing where else to start.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Melioli enters the building and looks for a superior to relay her information to, and, more importantly, attempt to probe for information in return.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam walks straight towards the most friendly-looking (or less unfriendly-looking) servant and asks politely if he can tell her where to find Jadyn. She'll give more information about blue hair and the like if the servant doesn't immediately recognize who she's talking about.

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

As Derrack and Gail talk, a woman (Melioli) enters the building, and Gail's eyes flick over to her for a moment before she nods to her, then looks back to Derrack, relaxing a little as he speaks, thinking over it. She seems less relaxed by his actions than by his statement of purpose, as if she had suspected him of some other, more nefarious motive.

"The Blackness? It's true we know more about it than most people. Of course, the only real way to know it is to go there."

She watches him closely, obviously wondering what his reaction to that would be. After a moment, she continues speaking, continuing to eye him curiously even as she put her hands in her pockets, foot tapping idly against the wall behind her. Her eyes were eerily wide, instead of focusing on him, she opens them as if to absorb everything about him.

"Why so interested, Derrack? Enticed by the allure of Aether? Do you think that the risk is worth taking?"

-Jadyn-

Craze seems unimpressed, and just grins devilishly at her. Instead of putting the manacles on her, he draws out one of his knives and toys with it in his hands, eyes dancing like ghostly lights. It was clear that he didn't really care about the money he had been offered- he'd rather have his own brand of fun, something that involved a blade and blood. He leans closer, knife firm in his hand.

"You know, thinking of pieces... they never said you had to be delivered intact. Maybe they won't mind a few cuts."

He seems quite ready to use the knife. If she wants to do something, she'd best try it quickly...

-Melioli-

As Melioli moves into the building, the bodyguard, Gail, flicks her eyes up to her and nods once in acknowledgment to her before looking back to the man who was talking to her.
Once inside, Melioli quickly moves through the halls and looks for a superior, keeping an eye out for anyone as she heads towards the quarters where they would likely be. On her way there, she notices that the officer's meeting hall is shut, and two guards are posted outside of it... maybe something big was going on? If she were lucky, she might be able to hear something, or even get inside...
On the other hand, she can see one of the younger officers casually strolling off in the other direction. He'd know a bit about what was up, if not everything. She could definitely catch him if she hurried.

-Myriam-

The servant addressed by Myriam looks confused for a moment, then his eyes widen.
"Oh yeah, I saw someone like that. She's staying the general quarters, over there.
He pauses his cleaning for a moment to give her directions, then swiftly gets back to work before anyone gets on to him. According to his directions, the quarters are just around the corner. Upon following them, Myriam finds herself in a small hallway, and hears a very intimidating voice which comes from a slightly open door nearby...

"...never said you had to be delivered intact. Maybe they won't mind a few cuts."

-Willow-

Willow guesses that the best person that she knows would be an underling to House Vesper's keeper of the archive. Jenna is a smiling, scholarly sort who always seems to have her ear to the ground, and knows a fair bit about everything you might want to know about. Such is the power of being a worker in Vesper's archive, it seems.
Willow receives respectful bows from everyone she passes, as she has been accorded a certain level of nobility for her Touched status. After all, the ability to use Aether is something very special...

Upon reaching the archives, she finds Jenna squirreling away, translating or making notes on some scroll, focused so intensely on it that she doesn't seem to see Willow coming.
'Seem' being the key word.
"Karl disturb you from your faerie grove?"
She asks teasingly, eyes completely locked onto her work.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow twitches every time someone bows to her. It took her weeks to learn to not bow in return each time, and she still feels uncomfortable with her new found status. She jumps slightly at Jenna's comment, clearly not feeling at home in the building. "I'm fine," she squeaks before realizing that wasn't the question. "Oh, I mean, something like that. He said there was something big going on. I was hoping for some more information on it, since it looks like I'll get the chance to go back to Fringe-- even if only for a little while." She sounds like she'd almost prefer to stay in her old home.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

She listens, then makes up her mind. She grits her teeth, hoping she makes it out of this and flips over. She aims a kick for either his face or his groin, whichever is the closest/unprotected as she tries to make him more concerned about himself than about what she's doing. ((kick (1d20+1=18) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1806442/) Init (1d20+3=13) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1807206/)))

((If this works? her next goal is to run))

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam stops dead on her track when she hears the voice. The menacing tone makes her almost turn around on the spot and flee, but the content of the letter springs to her mind and she cringes. If I came too late and they got her, Serge will be sorely disappointed. And Myriam, out of sheer self preservation, doesn't want to disappoint Serge. But of course, she doesn't want to irritate that man in the room, either.

Shades help me. She spins a story in her head as she takes the final steps to the doorway, peeks in, takes a deep breath, and then she knocks once and quickly opens the door. Without coming in, she does what she knows best: play dumb.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, but..."

Her eyes widen as if she just saw what's going on, and she looks at them in apparent surprise.
"...Oh."

She's ready to either turn aside and make way - if the girl manages to flee - or run away - if the man comes after her.

[insecure]

Derrack

Nothing really. Everyone wants it, right? Aether, I mean. But in fact, the Aether's just a secondary thing; that I really would like to investigate is the Blackness. There's just something with, I don't know what. There's gotta be something that makes it special, right? But perhaps it's just a wild thought. I mean, you can't control darkness, of course. It would be silly if someone could command the shadows and that, but maybe that's just me. All I know, is that I think the Blackness is interesting.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Melioli makes the decision to try the junior officer. "Do you know what's happening? I'm hearing some very strange rumors regarding an alliance between the order and House Vesper. What have you heard?"

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

Gail pauses, turning his words over and over in her head. Derrack can almost see her mind working and calculating it all, and her eyes gaze off into the distance as she thinks, as if trying to see something very far away. She runs a hand through her hair, scratching at all her scalp, then suddenly pauses, her eyes sliding towards Derrack and fixating on him as she grins widely and disturbingly.

"Yes. Quite silly if someone could control shadows. I don't even know why the thought of such a person would enter your mind..."

She drops her hand down to her face, lightly tugging at her lower lip with a thumb, her mind having danced off to another topic, as if satisfied where her former train of thought had led.

"Of course, no one really knows what the Blackness is. Why would they? What would possibly possess someone to try and get closer to something that hostile towards them?"

The slight smile on her face says she has an answer to her words, and she's not speaking her own view on things.

"I've been to the Blackness a few times...
You can't survive long if you don't respect it. You can keep a hand on your sword, you can fight the monsters and be wary enough to avoid the strange occurrences in the dark..."

Her eyes pierce into him, locking onto his eyes as she completes her thought.

"But the Blackness itself is the real adversary."

-Jadyn and Myriam-

With a sickening crack as Jadyn kicks Craze in the face. She can feel his nose splintering under her foot, and the thug staggers back, cursing loudly, nearly stumbling into Myriam as she enters. Jadyn barely avoids Craze's thrown knife as he hurls it along with expletives at her. She's in a bad spot, and needs to get out of it quickly...

OOC

Initiative:
Jadyn
Craze
Myriam

Jadyn is on her feet, about ten feet from the door. Craze is right in front of the door, and Myriam is just on the other side of it.
Jadyn's kick hit, and due to sneak attack, did a substantial amount of damage to Craze. He doesn't look so good.
It is Myriam's turn. You need not post your actions in order, but KevLar's post will occur before wxdruid's.

-Melioli-

The officer stops and looks down at her, then raises an eyebrow at her lack of formality towards him. Apparently he's a bit too proud of his station- and, if Melioli guess correctly, a bit too confident in his own skills. She's seen him once or twice out in the training yard, and bets she could best him nine times out of ten...
"Nosing around? Hmph. Though I thought you would have heard by now. Not keeping track of things as you should, perhaps?"
He sniffs and crosses his arms, giving a smug look at her that begs to be wiped off his face somehow.
"We're sending out an expedition to the Blackness, and it seems Lord Proxus has realized we're the only reliable way to get anything out of that place. In order to gain a share of whatever we might bring back, he's donating to our cause."
Oh but he's so proud and self important.

-Willow-

Jenna grins a little, but still doesn't look up from her book.
"That would interest you, wouldn't it?
Well, it seems Lord Proxus has taken interest in the Order's expeditions to the Blackness, for some reason. He hides his intentions with politeness and formalities, declaring that he wants to make truce with old enemies, and share knowledge and wealth with all."
She snorts and finally looks up at Willow for an instant.
"As if the old ass would do anything except out of tight fisted greed and jealousy. I wish I knew what he was really up to. But I can guess...
He's found that the Order has something- or has found something- that he wants. So he's going to assist their next little endeavor to try and get a share of it. Anyways, so a fair bit of the house will head up to Fringe with the Order, and they'll set up a base there while various expeditions head into the Blackness."

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

"I suppose it just shows that it's true what some people say-- that the touch of aether drives one to madness." She sounds somewhat glum about this, being Touched herself. "Mounting expeditions into the Blackness is practically suicide. Living in Fringe, we see lots of people go in, and most don't come back out again. Does Lord Proxus really think his house can fare better? Does he have some trick up his sleeve, or is his just willing to throw lives away on the chance someone will make it back with the whatever-it-is he wants?" She realizes the questions may get her in trouble, but she's also learned that being Touched has granted her some leeway that wouldn't be afforded to those she grew up with. And any trouble she does land herself in won't be too hard to deal with. It also shows the intensity of her feelings about the Blackness that she can voice herself so well in what is decidedly not a place where she feels comfortable.

[insecure]

Derrack

Oh goddamn... Well, she had looked through him as if he was a glass, seeing his thoughts, guessing his intentions, and spotted his small lies. But she intrigued him with her playful wit and almost dull appearance, like if she had put on a disguise only to play small games with people she met during the day. She probably had done that, actually. Derrack knew this kind of persons, and was both kind of impressed and sort of scared when he met them. But as he liked to analyze things if he could get a chance at it, he decided to stay here for a bit longer. Anyway, there was no way to deny this fact from himself, and he didn't like to hide things for himself in an attempt at ignoring them, shoving them out of his mind to the darkest corner of it.

Still, casually leaning against the wall, but now with a flame of curiosity in his eyes that he could not quench, he continued.

"And that is exactly why I'm intrigued by it. I don't care about the monsters out there; they may come, but I'd fight them. The darkness may come, but I wouldn't fight back. It doesn't scare me, it's just... interesting, poking to my wanderlust, however so small it might be."

Going through the information he gathered from the various places around in Crevice quickly through his head, his mind stumbled upon something he almost had forgotten: some man, was it Proxun?, was gathering some people for a journey, or rather, an adventure into the blackness. Actually why he had came here in the first place. Deciding to confront Gail with this, he hoped she could yield more knowledge on this.

"So, I heard one of your superiors is gathering some people for a journey into the blackness, no? Well, what do you think it takes to join, 'cause I might want to help you out on this in exchange for the opportunity to discover the shadowstuff with my own hands."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn slips out a knife and rushes forward to take advantage of his momentary confusion after she busted his nose. She doesn't count on the other girl to help her. The best help she can give herself is to overrun Craze and get out of the room. She attempts to trip him and preferably lay him out flat so she can get by him.

unarmed melee touch attack (1d20+1=15) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1817577/) and STR check (1d20+1=19) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1817579/)

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

He's full of himself, isn't he? Fighting back the urge to be equally sarcastic in her reply, she simply muses out loud. "That sounds a little backwards to me... the Order wouldn't exactly advertise a major find, and we wouldn't want to share one with Lord Proxus. I think it's far more likely that Lord Proxus provided the information about the find, but lacks the ability to exploit it, and so has to turn to us."

[KevLar]

Myriam

As soon as Myriam realizes that the situation is way past negotiations, she mutters a curse, blaming Serge and that girl and herself.

Certain that she'll regret it, she takes out a handful of marbles from her pouch and throws them at the brute's feet, while nodding to the girl, already on her way out: "Run!"

I'm not sure if you need an attack roll for that, if so, here it is.
1d20+2=12 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1820015/)
Also, a Knowledge (local) about Craze. 1d20+4=21 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1820016/).

OOC: I'm terribly sorry for the delay...

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

Gail smiles a little, as if amused at something Derrack was saying. However, she answers his question directly, and as far as he can tell, honestly.

"Yes. Captain Morris, head of the Order - to whom I am a bodyguard to - is organizing an expedition to the Blackness. It's an unusually large one, actually, I'm not surprised you've heard of it."

She shrugs, her face and posture falling into a settled, relaxed state that makes her almost seem laconic.

"The Order doesn't turn away volunteers. There are few enough of us as it is. Of course, those who don't prove their worth to us in some way get tested while they're in the Blackness, get it? Letting someone stand up against dark monsters really shows what they're like on the inside... literally or metaphorically."

Gail smirks darkly.

-Jadyn and Myriam-

Myriam's marbles slide around towards Craze's feet, but don't initially seem to do anything... he's taken up a rather solid stance, after all. However, Jadyn gets a lucky shot in and trips him up. Craze gives a shout of shock and surprise more than anything, and attempts to climb up to his feet, but then experiences the annoyance of the marbles, immediately slipping back to the floor.

--OOC--
Craze fails his strength check against Jadyn because of a lucky roll on her part, then spends his turn trying to make balance checks to get up amongst the marbles, and failing. Truly, he is having bad luck today.

However, the marbles now cause anyone going through that square to make a balance check or go prone. If Jadyn wants to tumble through, she's going to have a difficult time.

Myriam's turn.

-Melioli-

The officer laughs at her.
"The Order doesn't need Proxus's information on the Blackness. We're the ones who go there, he just sits in Crevice and lords it over the meek. The Order is just going to take his assistance and toss the scraps to him."
Apparently his arrogance extends to the Order as well, however, he makes a point Melioli can't deny. The Order definitely knows more about the Blackness than Proxus...

-Willow-

Willow's question seems to have broken through Jenna's divided attention at last. The young librarian slowly puts a scrap of paper into her book to mark her place, then stands, moving over towards a small scroll rack.
"Proxus isn't a fool. He has taken precisely the amount of risk he wants to take, and knows how to expend fewer resources for more profit. Or at least, that's how he looks at it."
Jenna comes back from the scroll rack, one scroll in her hand.
"This is a list of those people he is sending, and their task assignment on the expedition."
She slips it open and taps a name.
"Voice of the House, Lady Aery. Chief of the Vesper's guards, Renault. Both assigned to overseeing the expedition, and to be stationed in Fringe until further notice. No doubt that's where the spineless Captain Morris of the Order will be too."
Jenna looks up at Willow.
"Big names... but you know how dangerous Fringe is. They'll be fine where they are, no harm will come to them. Their names will lend credence to the mission, however.
"Then there is the list of those actually going into the Blackness. I won't bore you by reading out all the names, but... young upstart lords with all arrogance and no finesse or power. Those who have worked against the house or never contributed towards it. And a brace of guards to make sure they all go into the Blackness, if not come back out..."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn hastily gauges the distance, the marbles, the girl in the doorway and when the way is clear, she tries to go over Craze. At the middle point she tries to grab the door frame to help her across. She wants out of the death trap of a room. She's frustrated and mad at the loss of a 'place' all because Craze is a greedy little...and the language goes downhill from there in her mental tirade against him.

balance (1d20+2=17), Jump (1d20+1=13) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1820042/)

[KevLar]

Myriam

Get in, deliver, get out. What could possibly go wrong? a part of Myriam thinks sarcastically, as she watches the brawl in front of her.

Seeing the man fall, she reacts impulsively and kicks him, right before nodding again to Jadyn "Well come on!" and moving out, heading for the exit. She looks behind her to make sure the blue haired girl follows and, despite the general mayhem, she manages to mutter "I have something for you."

Of course, Myriam can guess that, barring an extraordinary coincidence, the message she's carrying is outdated and useless. But she's not supposed to know that. In any case, getting out without losing Jadyn is her first priority for now.

unarmed attack 1d20+2=16, damage 1d3+2=3 (+ sneak attack 1d6+1=7, if applicable) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1820108/)

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Then why involve Lord Proxus at all? The situation nags her, as she can't seem to make sense of it at all. If the Order has the knowledge, then we don't need House Vesper at all. Or do we? I know we're not many in number, but for a major find, surely we have the resources to exploit it on our own. And if we don't... how dangerous is this going to be?

"Well, since I joined to Order to go hunt in the darkness, I suppose I should volunteer to go along, shouldn't I? "

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow shivers visibly at Jenna's words. "That's monstrous," she whispers. "To willfully send so many to die in the Blackness. It's not even a proper sacrifice to the Spirits-- it's just slaughter." In her emotional distress, evidence of her connection with the Aether plays across her body-- a briefly feral look in her eyes, and a slightly green sheen of acid playing across parts of her skin before fading away again. A single drop-- no larger than a bead of sweat, drips from one of her fingers and momentarily sizzles on the floor before losing all potency, not having harmed the elegant flooring at all. "He might not be a fool, but he's cruel." She says the last statement flatly, still stunned by what she'd learned.

[insecure]

Derrack

Derrack seems to daydream for a moment, but he quickly snaps out of it again. Fiddling with something small nearby, a pen or such, absently, he asks Gail again.

"So, where would you advice me to go now, if I want to join this expedition? I don't think Captain Morris wants to talk to me personally, but if there's others I can contact, I'd like to."

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

Gail yawns and leans her head back against the side of the building, scratching at her shoulder casually, and in a very bored manner.
"Go talk to Training Officer Marcus. He'll see to it that you're ready."
She stretches out an arm to point out behind the building she's leaning on.
"Black hair, squinty eyes, stiff posture. He'll be scowling at someone or watching them like a hawk. Can't miss him."

-Jadyn and Myriam-
Myriam manages to kick Craze in the back of the head while he's scrambling to get up, and as such, Jadyn leaps over and past him (not to mention over the marbles), out into the hallway with Myriam. Craze, despite taking a beating, manages to pull to his feet, and scowls at the two girls.
They'd better start running.

-Melioli-
"Volunteer?"
The officer gives her a look of derision and amusement.
"I doubt you'll get a choice in the matter. The Captain is pretty insistent on having a lot of people going. You'll probably be drafted in even if you don't volunteer. However, some of us have a little more weight, and could avoid it..."
He looks smug. Oh but he's just asking for her to slug him in that stupid face...

-Willow-
"He's not cruel. Cruelty implies emotion. Proxus is cold and uncaring. If there is cruelty to his actions, it is only accidental."
Jenna says, but she doesn't seem to think that is much better of a recommendation. She rolls up the scroll she had taken out and replaces it.
"House Vesper has prospered under him, but even so... his actions disturb many. But it isn't our place to argue. What can we do?"
She smiles wryly at Willow before reopening her book.
"We just have to work where we can."

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

"That's easy for you to say. You're not being asked to go along, are you?" She sounds angry, but she soon gets control of her emotions. "I'm sorry, that isn't very fair of me. I don't think I'll ever understand the way things work here. I'm sort of surprised I'm not on that list myself. I'm sure Lord Proxus considers me an embarrassment."

[insecure]

Derrack

"Well, thank you. I'll look for him."

With a nod to Gail, he bids her farewell, and goes off to look for 'Training officer Marcus'.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn doesn't spare any time for pleasantries, and she'll try pulling the other girl with her, straight towards the front door and away as fast as she can go. She has no desire to stay around an enraged Craze. He'd likely kill her after this, just for the enjoyment factor.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Looking behind her shoulder and seeing that the man doesn't mean to stay down, Myriam waits a split second until Jadyn catches up with her, and then throws another handful of marbles on the corridor behind them. She hates using the same trick twice, but if he's gonna run after them, she gives a good chance that he will slip again. Hopefully, that he will fall and break something, too.

She doesn't want to think what will happen if she gets caught, so she doesn't wait to see if it worked, but turns around again and runs like hell.

I think I was already on the corridor and running for the exit when the round began. Delay action until Jadyn passes in front of me, then spread the marbles on the corridor and run.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

"Avoid going? Whatever for? This is what we do -- and I'm not about to pass up on a chance to be a part of a major find."

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

After a bit of a walk around the building, Derrack manages to find the person he's looking for. Gail had managed to describe the man almost perfectly- all the traits she listed seemed to describe the man unmistakably. He is standing stiffly, watching people with a narrow eyed, hawk-like expression as they work through blade forms. Everything about him screams 'intense focus.'
As Derrack approaches, Marcus glances over at him, giving him a weighing gaze that almost seems the same as Gail's, but is somehow less... knowing. Marcus seems to size Derrack up at a glance, but Gail's gaze pierced and unfolded him. Strange thought, really.
"What are you here for? Speak up."

-Jadyn and Myriam-
Craze manages to get to his feet, snarling, plucking out another dagger and hurling it at Myriam as he carefully steps around the marbles she dropped. However, it seems he didn't have quite enough time to aim, because the dagger flies past them, glancing dangerously off the wall before spinning to the floor with a clatter.
Even if he's having bad luck, Craze's strength is obvious in that one throw. Getting hit by that would have left a wound that would last for quite some time, if not eventually prove fatal.
The two girls manage to get to a bend in the hall (which takes them left. Down it they can see the corridor go down for a ways and then go left again, but midway down it there is a door on the right. That door should lead back to the entrance hall.

-Melioli-
The officer just smirks at her and waves a dismissive hand.
"Whatever you say. I have better things to do..."
He stalks off, nose in the air.

-Willow-

Jenna quietly finds her place in the book.
"It doesn't matter whether I am asked to go along or not. No one can argue with Lord Proxus. He is a god among men... even if he is a callous one. Defying him means destruction."
She points out another, small black book nearby.
"As one wise man said, 'Suffusion does not only influence the person who is suffused.' Proxus's abilities have changed our entire society. We cannot argue with his authority."
Her voice is rather small and quiet, though it seems equal parts submissiveness and hurting.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Being an ass does come with the territory in this outfit, but still... she shakes off the thought and goes to look for someone who can tell her more about the expedition.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn will keep on running til she is far far away from there or til she falls over. Whichever comes first.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam would turn towards the entrance hall, but seeing the other girl keep running, she figures she must know something. So she follows headlong, her heart racing.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn heads out to the entrance hall and out of the building.

((sorry, read it the wrong way, Jadyn wants out of the building.))

[KevLar]

Myriam follows...

(( ...in that case :) ))

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow looks at the small black book for a moment, puzzling out the words of the title-- reading was something she'd only recently learned how to do. "I'd argue with him, if he paid any attention to me at all. Even if it didn't do any good." She gives Jenna a sort of wry grin before returning her attention to the spine of the book. "It just doesn't seem right, what he's doing. Even if he won't do anything about it, someone should point that out to him. Um," she adds, pointing at the book in question. "Did you want me to read it, or what, exactly?"

[insecure]

Derrack

As he's used to, Derrack starts off by quickly analyzing him with an absent-minded gaze. Shortly after, he reacts to Marcus' question, briefly answering him, as this man seemed to be one who'd only like hard facts.

"You see, I heard words about some kind of expedition into the blackness. I'd like to join this, if it is possible. My own reasons to get out there are besides the point, but I think I'd be able to help you."

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

"And so you came to me because...?"
Asks Officer Marcus, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't run recruitment, after all. That would be Morris's job."
Marcus seems to have some reserved feelings on that subject.

-Jadyn and Myriam-

The two girls burst out into the entrance hall and out of the Fist Headquarters in general, the shouts of Craze and servants getting more distant behind them... at this point it isn't so much a matter of avoiding Craze as deciding where they want to go to.
((If you need some suggestions, I can provide them via PM or OOC thread. Minor hideouts and things are okay for you to make up on your own.))

-Melioli-

Well... Gail out front might have picked something up, as she is Morris's bodyguard. There is still that meeting going on to one side... she could search the officer quarters, and maybe out back where people are training.

-Willow-

"I was just pointing it out. It doesn't matter."
Jenna says quietly, turning to copy something from the book she was reading. The girl seems much more reserved and less talkative than she was a little while ago, as if there had been some shift in the situation and her own perception of it all.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow blinks in confusion at the sudden shift in Jenna's attitude. She stands there silently for the better part of half a minute before saying, "Oh, well, thanks for the information. Sorry to bother you." She retreats from the room, looks for a quiet spot on the Vesper House estate grounds, and climbs up a tree to think about what she learned.

[insecure]

Derrack

"So, could you provide any information on where I find this Morris?"

Derrack assumes a friendly smile, but his voice is still thoroughly serious.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn makes her way out of the building and several buildings away before she looks back. If there is no one back there, she ducks into an alley.

If the other girl is still with her, she turns, Now...who are you? Why did you help me? I haven't seen you around there before. She looks suspiciously at the girl, although not overtly threatening. She's more interested in knowing her name and why.

She keeps one ear tuned towards the streets, listening for pursuit. Craze doesn't give up easily. She draws one of her knives and scans the immediate location, looking for anything out of place.

Listen (1d20+2=22), Search (1d20+5=17), Spot (1d20+3=11) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1829748/)

[KevLar]

Myriam

I helped you because I wanted to make a good impression to a friend of yours.

I helped you because you're a friend of a friend of mine.
Still panting, and looking around to make sure they are safe from pursuers and prying eyes, Myriam retrieves the message from her inside pocket and hands it to Jadyn.

I'm Myr, and this is from Serge.

She should, by all rights, be frustrated. Several things went bad. Her best card was that no one knew her, but now she's burned - she certainly can't get near the Fist again. Not to mention she could have been killed in there.

But she feels elated instead. She's very much alive, she got away one more time, and she has done more for Serge's little friend than she had been asked to. Now that they are far away from the Fist, Myriam sizes up the girl in front of her for the first time.

So. Do you regularly get yourself in trouble like that, or did I catch you in a bad moment?
Her words aren't the kindest possible under the circumstances, but she seems amused, and something in her tone indicates that she actually approves of people who get themselves in trouble.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn gives her a hard long look before scanning the area again. She takes the paper and reads it, then rereads it. The symbol at the bottom convinces her of the notes authenticity and of the good possibility of Myr's sincerity, plus the fact she did help her escape from Craze. All of that adds up, at least til she has the chance to learn more. Jadyn takes what help is offered when it's offered.

A friend of Serge...is a friend of mine, Myr.

Jadyn adds on in her mind, At least for now, til I learn more about you...

She tucks the note away. Do you know where he is now? We should get out of here as fast as possible.

She doesn't answer the last question, that one has a rather personal answer and she'd rather not go into it in an alley.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam thinks fast. Serge may have sent a letter of warning to Jadyn and offered to help, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'd risk his neck for her. And if Jadyn just showed up, waving her blue hair around for all to see, it could mean trouble. The walls have eyes in this town. That last thought is hardly reassuring, and Myriam looks around again, uneasy.

"I can find him sooner or later, but we need to hide you somewhere first, and then I'll bring him to you. Because frankly, I don't know who's after you. If it's just that lunatic in there, it'll be easy. If it's the entire Fist, we need to go deeper. We can't just stroll through the city to get to Serge."

And if there's more? Myriam doesn't know who "Lord V." is, and has assumed it's rather a codename than an actual Lord, because what business would a Lord have with a girl like that? She can't just ask about it though, and only hopes Jadyn will tell her on her own initiative if it's important. In any case, Myriam prefers not to be seen with Jadyn if anyone can recognize them, so she takes out her cloak and gives it to her.
"Here, put that on and bring down the hood. Your hair is a dead giveaway."

Immediately realizing she has a bit abrupt all this time, and that they both need to be cautious but calm, she changes attitude and smiles.
"Don't worry, we'll find a safe place for you. Come."

Suggestions are welcome indeed. With no other information, Myriam would look for a hideout as safe as possible from the Fist's reach. If Jadyn tells her more, she may change plans (depending on what exactly she's told).

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

"He's in a meeting at the moment, and I doubt know how his mood will be when he gets out."
Marcus frowns at Derrack.
"What made you come to me for this?"
Apparently his question last time wasn't just rhetorical.

-Jadyn and Myriam-

Craze doesn't seem to be sneaking up on them, and he's not the stealthy type anyways. If he was coming, they'd know it quite well beforehand. As for places to hide...
Best place would likely be the thieve's guild hideout that she was shown by Serge. It's a minor place, one that they still might want to leave from soon, but it would be a start.

-Willow-

No one really disturbs Willow, and she is left on her own in the calm peace of the Outer Vesper Gardens.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Melioli heads toward the meeting, trying to overhear information without being too obvious as an eavesdropper.

[insecure]

Derrack

"As I told you, that's unimportant. I have no hidden agenda that you should concern with. Now, do you think I can attend this meeting in any way?" Derrack asks, partly rhetorically, since he'll probably just locate it himself.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn reluctantly nods, Myr is right, she does need to hunker down, hide away. She quietly says, Yes...you're right.

She accepts the cloak and pulls the hood up to hide her blue hair. Somewhere safer than this alley. Lead the way.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

After a half-hour or so of thought, Willow slips out of the tree. She feels a need to apologize to Jenna, but doesn't quite have the nerve to face her at the moment. So instead of retreating to her favorite spot outside of Crevice, she wanders through the streets, still thinking about what she'd heard.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam heads towards the hideout, taking a few moments from time to time, to make sure they are not being followed. She has a lot of questions, but they can wait. She walks in silence, eyes darting around at every corner and every opening. She's more nervous than she looks.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn walks next to her, one step back, hood up, although she's constantly looking around. Watching for anyone tailing them, following them or others that are a bit to interested in them. She just wants to get under cover and out of sight.

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

"I am not looking for your reasons, I am looking for the reason you came to me rather than someone else, which is very much my business. If someone is sending people to the wrong person, then they need to be corrected."
Marcus seems to be getting quite irritated with Derrack's slowness in picking up his meaning, and doesn't even address his question. He narrows his eyes and crosses his arms, stubbornly waiting for an answer to his question.

-Jadyn and Myriam-

The two girls slowly make their way to the hideout, and to their relief, make it there with no problems, seeing no one searching for them or anyone suspicious on the way.
The hideout they have gone to is a simple cellar, built as a stand alone portion of a house that was demolished and never quite rebuilt. People have no use for the ruins, and much of the house foundation would be difficult to remove or build on top of, so it remains unused. However, a few canny people noticed that the cellar was quite intact, and as such, put it to use for the thieve's guild.
After discretely entering the cellar and hiding it once more from the outside, the two find themselves in a fairly large room, a bit sparsely decorated. There are two cots, a shelf, and a small barrel.

As it turns out, one of the cots is occupied by a sleeping form, likely by a thief who needed a place to hide for a moment or two.

-Melioli-

Melioli moves just outside the room, leaning next to the frame as if she were waiting for someone, or perhaps guarding the entrance to warn people off. However, she can't manage to hear anything through the thick wooden door... so though her ruse works quite nicely, she can't really profit from it in the way she wanted to.

-Willow-

The streets are fairly busy today, with people bustling here and there. Every once in a while, Willow hears a snatch of conversation or gossip about the expedition to the Blackness that has so recently become known to her.
However, something does catch her attention.
A large group of people has begun moving down the streets behind her, easily seen by the way they push most others to one side (not forcefully, but just because their presence as a group is imposing, and people veer away from them). In fact, they seem to have come from the same direction that Willow had...
As she takes a closer look at the disturbance, she notices that many of them are wearing symbols of House Vesper.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

It was worth a shot, thinks Melioli as she decides to see if she can wheedle some information from Gail at the entrance. "So, who's in the big meeting in there?" she says, jerking her thumb casually over her shoulder back toward the meeting room.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Once inside, the door shut, she slumps down on the barrel and irritably shoves back the hood and takes off the cloak. She shakes her head and runs one hand through her blue tinted hair. She lays the cloak across her knees and thinks about what will happen next. What will she do now that Craze will likely have informed his cronies at the Fist and anyone else who'd listen. She frowns and looks up at Myr, but doesn't say anything.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow steps out of the general path of the group, climbing a tree if one is available, if not, simply standing off to one side. She watches the group with some interest to see if there are any faces she recognizes, and to listen to anything she might overhear.

[insecure]

Derrack

Derrack shrugs, looking slightly tired, hoping to get the answer he wants from Marcus instead of this.

"I'unno. A woman, Gail I believe, sent me to you. Now, can you direct me to the nearest possible place to the meeting?"

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam breathes out in relief as soon as she shuts the door behind them. She looks at the occupied cot and decides that the man sleeping there poses no immediate danger. No need to wake him though. She turns to Jadyn and whispers.

All right. You'll be safe here. Give me a few minutes to rest, and I'll go fetch Serge.

It's not so much resting she needs, as relaxing. She got a scare today. She remembers the knife that flied past her head, and the look on her face is telling. I could have been killed over delivering a bloody message. From the many questions she has, the ones concerning the man who chased seem more urgent. She needs to know whom she has to avoid from now on.

Who was that man?

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn looks up and whispers back, her face has a pained expression, His name is Craze and he is crazy. He is a high ranking member of the Fist and thought he was going to make money by turning me in to my House. The word 'House' is said with a tone of disgust. The Lord wants me back. Craze planned to do it. But first, he wanted to act out his depraved fantasies of cutting me up and who knows what else. She looks in Myr's eyes, I do want to thank you for the help. I did want to escape from him, and I don't think I'll ever be going back as long as he's there.

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

"Hmm."
Marcus gives Derrack a look over once more, judging him, then shakes his head, turning away as he walks towards the people he is training.
"I don't know what's going on in that woman's mind."
He thinks out loud to himself.
"The meeting chamber isn't too far from the entrance, just straight down the first hall and directly on the right. If you want to kiss Morris's boots after the meeting is over, I'm sure he'll let you join us."
The officer has clear contempt for his superior, and anyone who gains entrance into the group by gaining Morris's approval.

-Jadyn and Myriam-

((I don't have much to add here. As long as you both stay quiet, the guy won't wake up. He just looks like a typical thief, nothing special about him.))

-Melioli-

Gail yawns, raising the back of her hand to shield her mouth as she does so, then crosses her arms in a relaxed manner, looking over at Melioli with a blank slate of a face. Her expression is at once tense and loose, her expression effortless, and yet her eyes drawing everything into a tight, focused knot of intelligence. It's quite strange to look at.
"Captain Morris. A few of the big wig officers who plan everything. Y'know, Morris's appointed people."
While Gail's words seem quite vague, to anyone actually in the Order, it makes a lot of sense, and specifies quite well. There is a definite difference between Morris and the people he appoints, and the officers who gain their rank in the field, and everyone knows it. Morris is a very strange leader for the Order, more of a bureaucrat and typical noble than one of the usual Order recruits. The rumor holds that he's never actually been out into the Blackness, and only his social standing got him his position.
His appointed officers seem to share his personality and capabilities, none of them real warriors, just political pawns and lackeys. It's something that a lot of the Order quietly takes issue with, and complains about when they don't think they'll get caught. Of course, it has been known that while out on duty, some of the commands from the higher ups just get... conveniently forgotten or distorted after they pass into the hand of the veterans who actually lead expeditions.
"They'll probably be babbling up a storm for a while. Who cares."
Gail has clearly placed very low importance on Morrir's maneuvering and meeting.

-Willow-

The group doesn't seem to be speaking, but Willow does recognize a number of the people in it, specifically the one that everyone else seems to be gathered around: Lady Aery. The grand daughter of Lord Proxus is frowning slightly, apparently thinking about serious matters as she and a large number of retainers- as well as a notable number of scholars from the Archives, and the captain of Vesper's guards- head off to some unknown destination.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Curious as to what may be going on, Willow follows behind at a reasonable distance.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam almost fails to grasp what kind of "house" Jadyn is referring to, and when she does, surprise mixed with awe mixed with the familiar "where did I get myself into" feeling leave her speechless.

The description of Craze makes her flinch, and to Jadyn's thanks she can only answer with a stutter.
"N-no problem." she whispers.

"We'll have to find Serge as soon as possible then." she adds, troubled, rather thinking aloud than addressing anyone in particular.

[insecure]

Derrack

"I'll try that, then."

Derrack bides Marcus farewell, looking for the place he described.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn notes the reaction and physically withdraws from the conversation. She stands and walks away, to the limits of the room. The cloak falls forgotten on the floor. Always... She looks down at her hands and wishes she could walk through walls, walk away from it all, never deal with the Fist, the thieves guild, any of it. It gets tiring to be on the move all the time. Yet, she'd never go 'home'. That way will turn her into a prisoner and she refuses to be a slave to the Lord. She knows she'll never be safe, never. Despair beats against her inner mind, she bows her head and presses her forehead against the wall. One ear constantly listens for the two others in the room, she doesn't want them sneaking up on her.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam just stands and stares at Jadyn's turned back for a few moments, and then she sighs quietly.

"Right. I'm off, then."

She picks up the cloak from the floor and, after some thought, folds it and leaves it on the barrel before walking out the door. She'll go straight to Serge's usual place. If she doesn't find him there, she'll try the tavern, just in case he's still there waiting. As before, she is alert and on the lookout for followers - and of course Craze - but this time she opts for speed instead of stealth. She's almost running.


(( OOC: Do we have to railroad ourselves to the expedition, somehow, so we can become a group - or at least end up in the same place? (That's what I thought at first, and expected Derrack to be recruited, Willow and Melioli to join, Jadyn to get dragged and Myriam to get caught in the fray with her. But then Craze pulled out a knife and that last bit fell apart.) Or do we act naturally, and potentially never see each other? No problem either way, just asking. ))

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Once Myr is gone, Jadyn turns around and slides down the wall to sit on the floor with her back against the wall. She puts her head in her hands and thinks, not like there is anything else to do in here. She listens, in case the other person wakes up.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

"So, nothing important then," Melioli comments with a sly smile as she bids Gail a good day and wanders out to the exercise yard to see if she can find info from a field operative or two. Damn ladder-climbers running the show... if I wanted to deal with that, I would never have left House Vesper.

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

Getting to the meeting room involves moving around to the front again and through the doors. Gail raises an eyebrow as he passes, but otherwise says nothing to him, just letting him go to his destination. Strange that she could be so perceptive and yet send him to the wrong person... but oh well. On to the meeting room. The meeting room is easily found, but it is still shut, and he can barely hear the voices within, though he can't make out what they're saying. He might be waiting for a while...
Maybe he could find a way to get in, or another officer who could help him take care of things. Or he could wait.

-Jadyn-

The thud of the trapdoor as Myriam leaves wakes the man, and he rolls over off the bed and to his feet in a practiced and very paranoid motion. On the other hand, he did this after one of them left rather than when they came in, so it puts an amusing light on his abilities. He blinks a bit, then looks down at Jadyn.
They definitely don't recognize each other.
"Hiding?"
He sits back down, feeling less threatened by her after noting her position and lack of drawn weapons.
The man has short brown hair, worn leather armor, and longer, semi-tight black pants. In all, he looks like a typical Crevice thief, wearing what is practical, but yet will not be commented on in the lower section of town, especially with the addition of the cloak he is picking up and slinging around his shoulders.

-Melioli-

"You'll be going, won't you?"
Gail says, slinking along beside Melioli as she begins walking off. The woman smirks up at Meli knowingly, her wide yet half lidded eyes encompassing far more knowledge and understanding than they should.
"They're not discussing anything important... yet. The real players in the game haven't showed..."
Gail looks off in the distance, then nods back over at the door.
"I was waiting for them, you know."
She gives a sly smile, then stops, letting Melioli keep moving if she wants, though she gives her a few more words before letting her decide what she wants to do.
"They'll be arriving soon. Would you like to hear what they have to say?"
The captain's bodyguard watches Melioli with a face that says everything about her mood, and yet reveals nothing. She is smiling slightly somehow satisfied, but her eyes reveal curiosity and perhaps a hint of playfulness... but that playfulness is almost like a cat with a mouse. There is something about the woman that just makes her seem like she is in control, no matter what anyone does.

-Myriam-

As Myriam runs through the streets, she sees Craze looking for her. He even glances her way and squints, but somehow- very luckily- fails to recognize her. She slips away into the crowd, darting off to Serge's place, where she knows she'll be safe... at least from Craze.
"Serge's place" happens to be a small corner in a low tavern. Usually if he isn't there, he has an informant or two who are there. If an informant isn't there, there happens to be a small loose floorboard which either no one else has noticed, or Serge has specially made clear is for his use alone. Anyways, one can manage to slip messages into it for Serge later, if need be.
However, Serge is there at the moment, and so it seems she won't have to use that method.
"Hey Myr, just in time. She get my message?"
He's grinning a little.

((Yeah, Craze had a string of bad luck. Don't worry, I have a few other ways... :smallamused:))

-Willow-

The group slowly makes their way towards the outskirts of Crevice, and eventually heads towards a large building in the distance which Willow vaguely recognizes- the Order's Headquarters. What a stroke of luck. Maybe if she was lucky or clever she could find a way to tail them inside and find out exactly what was going on...
Who knows? Maybe being up front about it with the delegation from House Vesper would gain her entrance. She is Touched after all. That typically grants her a lot of leeway with Vesper to do what she wants...

[KevLar]

Myriam

"Oh yes. Yes she did."
Not that it was much use to her.

Myriam sits opposite of Serge and grins back at him.
"That was the good news. Bad news is, a lunatic is after her, and she's in trouble. I made sure she's safe for now, but she needs your help. Also, I won't be stepping near the Fist for a while. Wanna hear more?"

Before anything, Myriam is really curious how much Serge is willing to risk in order to help Jadyn - if at all. From the moment she spotted him, she's been looking at him straight in the eyes, ready to pick up any change of expression while she's talking, any sign of worry or anything at all.

She's in a good mood. If Serge, for whatever reason, really cares about Jadyn's well-being, he'll be pleased that Myriam helped her out of this mess. If not, well, at least there will be less trouble from now on. This turned out bigger than she thought.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

"Well... now that is a different story." She stops and turns back toward Gail. "So, who's coming to join the boring people in there?"

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn's head snaps up when the man moves. She watches him, evaluating. She wonders how much he heard...which is probably everything, considering they weren't exactly quiet when they came in.

Yes, and you are? She's suspicious, he's paranoid. She watches him swirl on his cloak, Going somewhere?

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow catches up with the group at the tail end, figuring she'll try just walking inside with everyone else and see what happens.

[insecure]

Derrack

"Oh, well."

Derrack sighs, choosing to wait and see what happens. Finding a nearby chair, if there is one, he places himself close to the door.

[AmberVael]

((Order swapped around for this set of posts... it was more convenient and logical to do it this way.))

-Jadyn-

The man grins at her, stretching out his arms.
"Just a common man suffering injustice. No one in particular... I would assume the same goes for you."
He stands up and swishes his cloak a little.
"And no, not really. It's probably better if I stay hidden for a while- a day won't cut it."

-Myriam-

Serge nods to Myriam, leaning a little closer, hunching over secretively.
"Go on, you have my ear."
He glances around behind them, making sure no one was going to sneak up on them and listen in on their conversation. The place is mostly empty, however, and the soft white noise provided by the atmosphere should muffle what they're saying if they keep low enough.

-Derrack, Melioli, Willow-

"House Vesper."
Says Gail to Melioli with a smirk, leading the way back around to the front of the building casually, slouching with her hands in her pockets. The bodyguard seems a bit cocky and amused by the situation as she looks off into the streets and then points the approaching group out.
"You can even see them now. You're going to be a bodyguard for Morris while they're here, got it?"
Gail grins and Melioli's chance to object or interject is cut off as two heralds of House Vesper arrive, having raced ahead on horses to get there. They're dressed in matching livery- blue tabards with a stylized white symbol decorating them, and both of them appear vaguely haughty.
"Nobility of House Vesper approaches, and you are here to greet them?"
His tone and words imply that he finds it very displeasing that someone as obviously uncouth and low as Gail is there to meet them and lead them inside, and the authority he represents would likely take most aback... but Gail just keeps grinning.
"We're the Order, son. We don't kiss feet, we messily and ruthlessly kill things so you can have your pretty little nobility. I do hope that's appreciated."
The herald stammers as the rest of House Vesper arrives, then presents the two at the head of the entourage with a steadier voice, trying to regain at least some pomp and dignity.
"Lady Aery and Captain Hawkins of House Vesper!"
As he names the two, they dismount from their respective horses. Lady Aery is a young woman who appears quite athletic, her sleek brown hair kept just above her shoulders in length. She might have had a soft appearance in another place, but her eyes and mouth are serious, her clothing- while decorative- is quite practical. However, what most catches attention about her is the glove fixed on her hand, containing two slots for specially made vials of inert Aether- a few vials of which can be seen on her belt.
Captain Hawkins is wearing light, ceremonial armor, but it is clear that he is a combative person, having gained a few scars from battle. There is a hint of tactical intelligence in his eyes, along with a grim resolve.
Gail greets them both, still slouching and acting with extreme casualness, caring not for their positions. It obviously loses her some respect in Aery's eyes, but Hawkins keeps his eyes on her almost warily. The group from house Vesper begins moving inside, though most of them are standing in the entrance hall, apparently not allowed to enter the meeting with the others.
Willow is near the back of the group, but as they begin separating- with Gail leading a few inside, she manages to slip up to the front and towards the meeting with Aery, Hawkins, Gail, and Melioli among others. A few people give her an odd look, but perhaps due to her Touched nature, no one comments.

The now reduced group makes their way to the meeting chamber, where Gail looks down at Derrack, who is just waiting outside. She gives a very small, sly smile, then snaps at him.
"On your feet! You're protecting Captain Morris now, and that doesn't mean you get to take a break. Follow us inside."
Derrack can swear he sees her wink, but she turns to the meeting room door before he can do anything and opens it, leading the group inside.

Within the room is a long rectangular table with numerous seats placed around it. At the far end is Captain Morris, the rather bureaucratic leader of the Order, along with four of his officers. The Captain is a thin man with very primped blond hair among other features. Even at a first glance he appears rather vain.
Lady Aery takes a seat at the opposite end, with Hawkins sitting at her right, along with a few other officials sitting around them. Gail moves to stand behind Morris, while gesturing for Melioli to join her nearby, and Derrack to shut the door and then join her on the other side.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow does her best to remain unobtrusive and finds a seat in the back corner which she drops into. Curiosity is etched all over her face as she looks around the room and waits for something to happen.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

She's curious, but she doesn't ask, it isn't something you ask about. Instead she sarcastically says, Really...I wouldn't have guessed. She's wondering if he's simply posturing for her in those tight pants, he seems rather full of himself. She, in turn, rests her forehead on her knees, thus blocking out the sight and indicating her non-interest. She keeps her ears open for any sounds from him and her eyes open in case he tries to come to close.

[insecure]

Derrack

Just nodding in some sort of acceptance, he follows the captain and leans back against the wall close to him, curiously waiting for the meeting to begin.

[Duke of URL]

Melioli

Melioli joins Gail and simply watches, content to see this absurd, though apparently real, situation play out.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam gets down to business. She keeps her voice low, avoids gesturing like she usually does when she tells a tale, and keeps looking for eavesdroppers.

"Alright, listen up. When I got there, she was desperately trying to get away from a fellow named Craze - you know him? He had pulled a knife and was threatening to cut her up. So I stepped in, helped her bring the fellow down. Thing is, despite the beating he took he got up again and came after us. No bloodshed, but we came close. We ran the hell out of there, and I reckoned she needed a place to lay low, so I took her to the cellar. Later she told me that he wanted to take her straight to her... "

Myriam pauses, looking for words. Even in this relative safety, she doesn't want to utter anything incriminating.

"...family, and he wasn't gonna be gentle about it either. So, here's the situation. She's still in the cellar, and asks for your help. If she's really a friend of yours, we'd better move fast and we'd better be cautious. Craze is on the loose, I almost bumped into him on my way here, and... other people are looking for her."

That would all she had to say, but she suddenly thinks of something and pops up a question that only now sprang to her mind. And she whispers it so softly, that Serge may have to read her lips to understand her.

"Um, Serge... is she Touched?"

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

"Well you're pretty friendly."
The thief looks down at her, matching her sarcasm perfectly as he sits back down on one of the barrels.
"Look, we're probably both going to be down here for a while. You can sit and sulk if you want, but the time will pass better if we talk."

-Myriam-

Serge frowns as he listens, pressing his hands together, thinking about the situation as it is presented to him. Dark thoughts are obviously passing through his mind, but as Myriam asks her last question, he laughs darkly.
"Think she'd be'n this if she was?"
He taps his fingers together, then smiles in a way that reminds Myriam that helping people isn't something he does just so he can feel good about himself.
"Don' worry abou' tha girl. You get to yer meetin' with Payne."
The cut throat rolls a coin through his fingers and tosses it to her. It feels and looks strange- perhaps it is a bit light, and instead of the head of one of the various nobility on it, there is a thin circle with a hand inside, and on the opposite side of the coin is an eye.
"Give tha' to him. He's stayin' at tha Gray Horse."
The Gray Horse is a small inn Myriam knows of it, not too far from here.

-All the Rest-

"I see you've finally made it here." Captain Morris begins, his voice long suffering and hopelessly drowned in noble whining.
"I was beginning to think you had forgotten what day we scheduled this for."
A few of his officers give quiet laughs, as if mocking those from House Vesper.
Captain Hawkins is completely unimpressed, and just raises an eyebrow at Captain Morris, while Lady Aery narrows her eyes and frowns at Morris, placing her hands in front of her.
"For future reference, I'll keep in mind that you can't wait more than a quarter of a candle mark without your humours unbalancing. Now, to more important matters..."
She draws a scroll from a pouch, then hands it to Hawkins, who stands and passes it to Morris.
"That is the list of supplies Lord Vesper is willing to commit. A fair contingent of explorers and soldiers, a few scholars, and quite a few supplies, I daresay."
Morris looks it over, and those who are very keen eyed and observant will note Gail discretely reading it over his shoulder. After a moment, Morris passes it to one of his officers, then is about to say something when Aery interrupts him.
"Now, have you gathered more information, or are we to be left with vague hints once again?"
The Captain of the Order looks quite put out to be scolded and treated so roughly by the Lady, and finally takes his chance to speak.
"Gathering information is not easy. We've mobilized as many of the Order near Fringe as possible, but infrequent and delayed reports have continued setting us back...
Gail quietly speaks up.
"If I may...
"Last I was in the Fringe, I noted the high injury and casualty rate- even among our most skilled. It is not lack of effort preventing us from gaining information, but significant risk and danger."
Morris nods in agreement, taking her words as if they were his.
"We're putting a lot on the line to get what we have. I should hope you appreciate our efforts...
"We have gained an impressive amount of information considering the difficulty."
Lady Aery rolls her eyes.
"Lets have a summary of it all again."
"Well, as we have told you before, we discovered a strange well-like fissure within the Blackness. Every method we have discovered so far of finding Aether has pointed to this area containing a far quantity of it- though we've only found small traces of inert Aether as of yet. However, it seems to attract monsters, and the way down is treacherous."
Morris sighs, irritated.
"What is more, we have now determined that there is indeed some aetheric source of interference to our scouts- which is what we are counting on Lord Proxus to deal with."
...
The meeting goes on, with a lot of arguing, formality, and discussion and speculation about what what might be in this strange place, and how best to divide it. It seems that Lord Proxus, while supplying lots of manual labor, is mostly lending the experience of Aery and his Keepers in order to try and counter the aether's influence on those nearby, while the Order will bring in a larger force to deal with whatever monsters may be encountered.

Of course, there is a lot that can be learned by reading the undertone or focusing on specific subjects and the like, so everyone can roll three sense motive checks to try and focus on a specific person or faction, a specific discussion topic, or anything else they might observe during the meeting. You can be as vague as you like, but the more detail in what you're studying, the more detail you'll receive about it. IE- if you say you study the Order faction during the negotiations, you'll receive a paragraph about how they present themselves and what their focus is- if you say you study Morris, you'll get a paragraph or more just on him.
The people to watch for are Hawkins, Gail, Aery, and Morris. Subjects can be like things opinions of specific parties, speculation on what is in the 'well,' who seems to be in control, etc. If you have confusion about this, please bring it to me via PM or the OOC thread.

Also, if you want to interject about anything, just stick it in your next post.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam looks carefully at the coin and asks "What's this?"

With or without an answer, she'll leave Serge to his business and head for the Gray Horse. She's not in a hurry, she tries to keep her eyes open and avoid any undesirable encounters. But she has a lot on her mind. Most of it, she tries not to think about, because it makes her uneasy and perhaps a bit guilty. What Serge is really up to, for example.

She wishes everything could be sorted out quickly, so she could go home. She misses being around people she can trust.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow is barely concerned with the Order, although she does try to pick up more on what the Captain is going on about in regards to the source of Aether out there. She pays more attention to the Lady Aery and her escort-- unfamiliar though she is with Hawkins-- than she does to the members of the order, trying to figure out as much as she can as to what they and Proxus might be up to.

(Sense motive checks for Aery, Hawkins, and what Morris is saying about the Aether, in that order:
_: 1D20+3 = [12]+3 = 15
1D20+3 = [3]+3 = 6
1D20+3 = [13]+3 = 16
(http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=6713))

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn looks back up, Her voice is a mixture of sarcasm and wry humor at what he said. I suppose...

What do your friends call you? She isn't asking for his name, merely what name he's known by on the streets.

[insecure]

Derrack

Derrack will focus on Gail during the meeting.

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

"Sly. Not a fancy name, but it works."
He stretches out his hands, grinning a little with pride.
"There was this noble, you see, and he was looking to gamble and play some games of chance and skill. I lured him in with a few nice wins, then kept to low bids and pretended to be a drunk and bad gambler. Eventually I brought out a game of skill and offered to play for huge stakes- all the money I had lost to them, and then quite a bit more- and by that time he thought I was a drunken fool and so he jumped on the offer.
"He went home with his purse empty."
He shrugs, smiling a little bit to himself.
The trapdoor creaks a bit, the false lock on it clunking as if someone was about to remove it and open it. Sly glances up at it warily, backing off just in case. It was unlikely that it was anything other than someone else in the thieves guild, but that wasn't overly comforting anyways.

-Myriam-

Serge grins as he stands up, an unpleasant smile that was a little distant- obviously focused on something other than her.
"Jest summin ta tell him yer a costumer. Now go."
He waves her off as he and heads out himself, whistling cheerily. The man was up to something...
Myriam, however, manages to get to the Gray Horse with no trouble, and there she sees a small crowd of people gathered around a man who seems to be posing as some kind of fortune teller. One by one he quietly leads them off to a private side room, then brings them out, receiving a small amount of coin from each. However... Myriam notices that he is wearing a symbol of an eye about his neck that is identical to the one on the coin she is given. He's certainly not Old Payne though... maybe he's just a servant to the man.
It wouldn't be difficult to ask him or present him the coin, though she could also quietly ask at the small bar area if Payne was around, if she didn't want to make her way through the crowd. Granted, it might draw less attention, but they also might not know.

-You Other Peoples-

Willow
Lady Aery seems to be the most in control of the meeting, having the full authority of Lord Proxus behind her, and a personality that wasn't nearly as foppish and cowering as Morris's. She seems to have used her influence to draw quite a few benefits from the mission, and it is easy to imagine how Proxus got involved in this in the first place- a bit of spying, with a few threats and bribes tossed in- would have been easily performed by Aery, and Morris wouldn't have had the guts to resist. Still, the Order has retained some control over the expedition, and Aery seems to be trying to extract that from them as much as she can, using cunning and wheedling as necessary.

Hawkins is much harder to read, not in the least because the man so rarely says anything. He seems to be an observant protector, more guard than Captain, sent along with Aery to make sure nothing bad happened to her. He interjects once or twice about his men, but very little more than that, excepting Aery's protection. There might be more to him, but Willow gets the impression that he isn't thinking too hard about the situation or the expedition.

Morris- or rather the Order of the Hunt- seems to have made an extraordinary find, what seems to be a large cache of Aether, which could very well unbalance all the politics and schemes of Crevice, if not the world. However, he is lacking in resources- or perhaps the cunning- to extract it (or at least that is what he seems to believe, though this may be more due to Aery's influence). As such, he has employed the help of Lord Proxus, and though he is willing to grant some of it to House Aether, he obviously believes a large portion will go directly to himself. However, the monsters in the Blackness appear to be quite dangerous, and there is some strange interference of Aether that prevents anyone from using divination or the like to discover exactly what is within the well, so there is still a great deal of caution and speculation around it all.

Derrack
Gail acts as quite an exceptional bodyguard to Morris, attending to his safety quite adequately both in the planning of the expedition, and during the meeting. However, Derrack's long observation of her proves that this is not all she does- and indeed does not seem to be her primary focus. She acts as if she were nothing else, but each action she takes seems to manipulate the plans, tugging at them by the few methods she has until they are changed discretely but thoroughly. For instance, Morris and Aery pushed to have a large contingent of bodyguards surrounding Morris at all times (in a rather overcompensating manner), but Gail used her expertise to change that into a more spread out protection- there were men guarding Morris at all times, but there were also more "proactive" guards that would patrol for monsters at a fairly long range. The explanation she gave made sense, but Derrack couldn't help but notice that she took a little more satisfaction in her success in that area than might be explained by her 'devotion' to Morris.

And that is another thing he distinctly noticed- despite her protection and position in respect to Morris, she doesn't seem overly fond of the man. It doesn't show obviously, but in the nuances of her actions and words he can see an almost contemptuous disregard of his plans and desires. Rather than modifying or editing his plans, she sweeps them aside and replaces them with her own. Perhaps it isn't so much a lack of respect as it is assuming too much authority herself, which would be unseemly if she did it more openly.

There is clearly far more to Gail than meets the eye, and Derrack is sure that his original analysis is correct- she just pretends to be what she is. In truth, she doesn't seem to be a simple, slow bodyguard at all, but is in fact a cunning and hidden manipulator. Now he just has to wonder how many people know that... after all, he managed to figure it out fairly quickly. Was he just lucky, or was there more to it?

The meeting slowly wraps up, and Morris and his contingent stand, bowing to Aery and her group after they haggle out the last details and speak a few pleasantries. Aery and Hawkins begin leading the way out of the Order building, with Aery giving Willow a curious glance as she passes her...
Gail motions for her "guards" to move outside and into the hall.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

As the group leaves, Willow tags along as close behind Lady Aery as she can manage, hoping to overhear something further, and to perhaps speak with her, if opportunity arises.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Sly, no, not fancy and easy to get away with. When the trapdoor creaks, she also warily looks up at it, waiting to see if it opens. In a quieter voice, she asks, Planning to stay here a few days huh, I think I would go stir crazy down here in this hole if I had to stay that long.

[insecure]

Derrack

Derrack follows Willow's example, following the group. He takes on an almost sluggish pose as he tags along, hoping to remain pseudo-unnoticed.


((Also, I apologise for the belated responses lately:smallfrown:))

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam heads to the bar slowly, watching the scene carefully and a bit annoyed. Who is that fellow, now? She doesn't want a sidekick, and she doesn't want a "deal" like the others. She wants to talk to Payne himself.

Any thought of Serge and his schemes has been pushed back. Not only because she has other things on her mind, but because she really doesn't want to think about it. Myriam knows very well that she might as well put a blindfold over her eyes, but, at least for now, she can live with that. It's not like she didn't know where she was getting into.

She greets the barkeeper with a smile and a nod, and points discreetly at the man with the symbol.
"Say, isn't Old Payne here today? Do you know if he's coming?"

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

Sly just nods, while down the ladders comes a rather thuggish looking guy. He steps to one side, while another man comes down as well. Serge.
Serge smirks and moves forwards towards Jadyn.
"Got away from tha Fist, didja? Didn' think they'd have their greasy paws on ya too long."
Serge sits down on a barrel, putting his hands in front of him.
"Bu I'm in a bi' of a pickle, see? 'Cause the high an' migh'y Lor Vesper has a pretty little reward on your head- 'nough for me to ge' out of this business fo'ever, see?"
The cut throat flicks out a knife and neatly pins it in the barrel he's sitting on with only the barest whisper of pressure.
"Yer a good girl, bu' a man can' jes pass up on tha' kinda rewar' so eaz'ly. Bu' since ye've jes been so nice, I'm gonna let ya have a chance to say why I should'n jes turn you in and collec'."
The thug is waiting for any sign of threatening movement, while Sly is obviously just staying out of it at the moment.

-Myriam-

"Payne? You mean the guy posing as some kind of crazy psychic? He's in that room over there- he's got a man charging for admittance- see him?"
The bartender says, pointing to the room that people are being lead into, then nodding towards the man wearing the eye symbol.
"I don't know why they fall for that crap. I guess people are willing to believe anything if it means good for them."
He looks down at her skeptically.
"You're not going to get a telling from him, are you?"

-Willow-

Willow follows after the delegation from House Vesper, but if Lady Aery has an opinions, she's keeping silent. Likewise, the captain merely rides at her side stoically. The rest of the party is watching Willow with a bit of curiosity now, marking her presence.

-Others-

Gail leads the group away from the hall and towards a smaller, more private sort of meeting room which is currently unused. She glances this way and that, then shuts the door.
"Interesting stuff, mmm."
She slouches over to a chair and slides into it, kicking her feet up on top of the table, shoving her hands in her pockets as she stares down towards her legs.
"Lord Vesper's got too much influence for my liking. Always pushes his way into things."
The bodyguard glances towards the others.
"Any questions?"

[KevLar]

Myriam

A... a psychic? Now that was odd. Myriam was looking for an expert in aether, not a fortune teller. So either Payne was so damn discreet that even the barkeep of his own place didn't know what he was doing, or Serge had played her for a fool. Had he sent her to someone with the same name, perhaps? Unless, of course, her information was wrong all along. Well, either way, she would have to find out. A good starting point would be to learn if this Payne looked like the one she had heard about.

Myriam hides her concern, looks at the bartender with dreamy eyes and asks innocently.

"Why? You don't believe in that sort of thing? Why, it doesn't hurt to get some... insight, does it? Hey, I wonder, do you know how old Payne is? I heard he has gray hair but his beard is white like snow. That true?"

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow has to hurry a little to keep up with the riding woman, but manages to do so. She speaks to Lady Aery without preamble or introduction. "This is not likely to end well, you realize. Too many people are going to die."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn opens her mouth and then closes it. What can she say. She knows her place in the world and it isn't a valuable one. It seems that no one really cares about her and no one ever will. She doesn't expect help from Sly or anyone at this point. It would be to hard to get past him. At least he doesn't seem inclined to add scars to her flesh. She watches the knife... well, maybe not as many as Craze had in mind and not for the same reasons. She hides a sigh and a frown. I don't know of anything that would convince you, not if they're offering that much money. I'm only a outcast girl. If you are bent on turning me in for staggering amounts of money, then let's get it over with. So I can work on escaping again and going somewhere far from here...

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

"Well... is a siz'ble sum. Qui'e a bi' more than I migh' spec' a lil girl like you ta have on her."
Serge says, watching her carefully as he picks up his knife and turns it this way and that, watching it glimmer in what light there was in the cellar. He seems to be thinking a fair bit about the situation, more than someone might guess he'd think about going after a fair bit of money.
"Few reasons you migh' be so wanned. One's tha' ya piss'd 'em off. Doub' tha- doesn' seem like yer style. Mebbe he's got some plan for ya- if he does, mebbe we can work a deal if he does. 'course..."
The cut throat waggles his knife at Jadyn, not so much threatening as he is just emphasizing his point.
"There's tha chance he doesn' intend ta pay at all. Be jes' like the ol' devil ta skin tha low society ta keep 'is pocke' lined. Bu' even so, issa risk. So why are ya so wanted, little girl? Whatcha got that Vesper's so interested in?"

-Myriam-

(Working on the assumption that she just described Payne...)

The bartender shakes his head, but otherwise keeps his comments and skepticism to himself.
"It's true- and I don't know how old he is. Old enough to have white hair. All I know is that he's getting good money and some of it is going to the bar for the use of the space. Keeps a few customers for us too. That's all that matters really, you see? It's all about money in the end. Doesn't matter that I don't believe what he does, doesn't matter to him what he predicts- all about the money."

-Willow-

Lady Aery turns and raises an eyebrow, looking at Willow with a bit of curiosity and surprise. After a moment she smiles politely and distantly in recognition, though the emotions behind that expression seem a bit condescending.
"Ah... Willow, was it? One of the touched..."
From the top of her horse, dressed finely but sensibly, Aery definitely seems to be rather haughty and definitely considering herself of a "higher" class- which is a strange reverse of the usual order of things. Typically anyone with magic finds themselves elevated, as Willow has found out multiple times, but Aery seems to retain some kind of lofty status despite her lack of power.
"There will be some deaths in this endeavor, no doubt, but that is a fact of life where we live. To gain, blood must be spilled out in payment to the land and the shades.
"Of course, Lord Vesper shares your concerns, and has taken suitable precautions to prevent any significant losses of life. Any notable losses we sustain should be the byproduct of a typical exploration mission, nothing more."
Aery smiles a bit more and leans down to address Willow more quietly.
"Now some might let you run about as you please because you can flash a little aether at them, but you'll find that I'm not so lenient. You don't have any authority- you're not even yet a Vesper. From now on, I advise you keep your nose out of important business."
She straightens up, turning her gaze away from Willow as she prepares to move on.

[insecure]

Derrack

Yeah, like Lord Vesper is the one pushing things. Derrack assumes once more his absent-minded look, but this time actually paying attention to the situation at hand, analyzing Gail again. She has far too much influence, he thinks, before he begins calling himself a hypocrite. Taking a firm hold on the thought with his force of will, he pushes it away into the depths of his consciousness, still keeping his facade up.

Nah, can't think of anything.

There was something to this woman, and he still wasn't sure of what it was. But he wouldn't show any signs of weakness. Not before he had control over the situation.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

I don't know why he wants me. I don't know if he'd actually pay up or just ignore whomever took me back. I can't stop you, not here. She stands, stares at him for a moment, and then paces away. Her actions are not threatening, more of frustration and because she doesn't want to sit still. She wraps her arms around herself and talks to him and herself, I'm not touched, I ran away, to get away from their demands. All I want is to stay away.

She turns back, mind made up, So, just make up your mind. Either do it, or let me leave and find a different place.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow shrugs off Aery's quiet remonstrances. She doesn't particularly care what anyone in House Vesper thinks of her. "No, I'm not. But I am from Fringe, and I know better than you what you're getting into. It's madness." In a fit of pique, and perhaps an unrealized desire to 'flash a little aether' at the woman, Willow's shape blurs into that of a leopard-cat, and she slips around Aery's horse, through the legs of the crowd, running away into the town. Once distanced somewhat from the Vesper contingent, she slows to a walk, and pads through the streets, wandering idly and thinking about what's occurred thus far.

[KevLar]

Myriam

"Yes, money has its uses..."
admits Myriam as she watches the people in the queue. She wonders if a fee is as unavoidable for admission as it seems at first glance, and how she could get around that. She also counts mentally her coins. Even if she can afford it, the more broke she's left, the more dependent she'll be on Serge, and everything his company entails. She turns to the bartender again.

"How much does he charge, anyway?"

((OOC : How well-off do the people waiting for admission seem? (judging from clothes, demeanor etc) )))

[AmberVael]

-Derrack-

"I see."
Gail says simply, adding nothing more. Her appearance is still lazy, but Derrack gets the feeling that there is more going on in her mind that she reveals. In any event, she seems content to wait and let the silence fill out awkwardly until someone else says something.

-Jadyn-

"Hmm."
Serge sticks his knife back into his sheath.
"Then I have a proposal for you."
The cut throat stands.
"You dunno why he wants ya- I dun either. But if ya don't know why, but he's offerin' all tha' money... too bigga chance he gives us a blade instead.
"Bu' one way or t'other, he wants ya for some reason. So I say we hand ya over, figger out what's goin' on, how we kin profit from it, then sneak ya back out. Might be that ya'd find a way ta keep 'im from comin' after ya again, too."
Serge smiles darkly at her and spreads his arms.
"We kin put this little encoun'er behind us, yes? I jes' needed ta see tha situation, an a blade is good at bringin' out tha truth."

-Myriam-

Those entering seem to be quite a varied lot- like the crowd you might see at a circus. Well born, low born, beggars and merchants.
"Not much. He seems to charge varying amounts. You know, I saw some people get in with only a single coin."
The bartender shrugs.

-Willow-

Willow notices that the flow of the streets seems to be drawn towards a small tavern, moving there quickly until they gather in front, inside, and around it in general. The name of the place appears to be the "Gray Horse."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Craze had a knife as well, he just wasn't interested in showing it to me.... She turns towards him, arms still wrapped around herself. Yes...money, I doubt they'll will be willing to part with it or take any unnecessary risks.

Any particular way you want to do this? I want to be able to escape from them as soon as possible. Tie me up in something that I can escape easily from? Arrange a point off Vesper's lands? I don't enjoy this, and I never wanted to go back. No, she doesn't like this, it shows in the tension in her body. She irritably looks to one side, her hair flips in front of her face.

[KevLar]

Myriam

"Well, I think I'll try my luck."
Myriam winks at the bartender and moves to the queue, with the strange coin still in her purse. She tries to listen to any comments of those waiting, and what the man with the symbol says to each customer, but remains silent for her part.

For some odd reason, she doesn't think at all of what exactly she should say to Payne once she's in. For some odd reason, she thinks of Serge. How long would it take from accepting simple errands for him to accepting any order from him? And could she split if she felt like it?

If she wasn't too scared to push her luck, and if she wasn't so desperate for income at this point, she would disappear just to see if anyone will come looking for her. She's all for going with the flow. It's when the flow turns into a current you can't possibly get out of that she begins to worry.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Her curiosity piqued, Willow takes advantage of the smallness and agility of her borrowed shape to slip through the worst of the crowd, returning to her natural form once inside and in a more or less secluded corner, looking to see what the hubbub is about and if it relates to the goings-on between House Vesper and the Order.

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

"Tough deal, girl. Ya got ta do a lotta things ya dun wanna do."
Serge says, dropping his little 'nice guy' routine.
"Vesper's up ta summin, and tha boys and I like knowin' what's goin' on, see? Can't have tha most powe'ful dog runnin' aroun' unchecked. You dun like em? Neither do we- but tha don't mean we're just gonna run away like lil cowards."
The cut throat crosses his arms.
"We gonna give ya to Vesper. Yer gonna stick with 'em 'til we getcha out. Saavy?"

-Myriam-

Those waiting seem to be talking excitedly about their fortunes. One woman is talking about Payne's abilities at palm reading, and whether he'd say the same thing as some other fortune teller had told her. Another is skeptical, but wants to try and prove Payne wrong by getting their fortune told. It's mostly unremarkable stuff- if he's really Old Payne, he's doing a nice job at staying undercover right now.

Myriam's turn comes up, and the assistant moves over to her.
"Good day, madam. You wish to have your fortune told? What sort of telling do you want?"
He holds out his hand, smiling in a greasy sort of fashion that implies the more money she gives, the better she will be rewarded.

-Willow-

Listening to the crowd, and noting a sign outside, Willow deduces that the crowd is completely unrelated to the other matters. It advertises that they are currently playing host to one Master Payne, a fortune teller and oracle of most astounding powers! For a small price he can give away a few secrets, but for more he can tell your entire future!
It looks rather hyped up, but considering the crowd, there had to be something more to it than just plain faked divination. It might not be genuine powers, or even accurate predictions, but something was attracting a larger crowd than normal.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam takes the strange coin out of her pouch and shows it to the assistant.

"An unusual one", she says calmly, and stares at the man's amulet for a moment before looking at him in the eyes. All she can do at this point is hope that presenting the coin is the sign that she's not here to learn her fortune, and that any other fee will be negotiated later and in private.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn looks at him, now it comes...

Really...and what will you give me to ensure I actually stay there, hm? I don't see why I should spy for you. Once you hand me over, it's out of your hands and in his. Give me a reason.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Her curiosity piqued for the moment, she worms her way through the crowd to try to get in line for the fortune-teller. She feels confident at being able to tell if he's for real or not, and hopes that if he is, perhaps he can tell her something about what lies ahead for the expedition.

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

"Sweet, ya know how tha city works. Its only shades protection tha keeps a lone man safe. Ya need friends, gotta have summin you kin coun' on. Vesper ain't yer friend- they gotta price on yer head. Fist ain't yer friend, they got men lookin' ta hurt ya. Us? We jes wanna make a lil deal. You do tha job, ya get our gratitude, see?"

Serge smiles smugly and darkly at her, quite certain that his position can't be argued with.

"If ya turn our frien'ship away, who ya gonna turn to? Ya got no one. Ya lost a lot, little girl. Ya lose anymore, an its a slippery slope to a slit throat. You know tha'."

-Myriam-

The man smiles smirkily, his fingers closing around the coin and slipping it away.
"Ah, very good, very good. Come along then..."
He brushes her along with shooing gestures, taking her into the room that everyone else had been entering.

The room is fairly large and dimly light, only a couple of flickering candles illuminating its many recesses; it seems strangely eerie, and the cloth covered table and dark eyes of the man sitting at it only add to the feeling. The man, presumably old Payne, is indeed an older man, with long, flowing white hair, and a body that is almost unnaturally slender, with an angular face that focuses his expression inwards, making him appear disturbingly serious and knowledgable.

"Master Payne."
The assistant addresses him, placing the coin Myriam gave to him on the table before him.

Payne reaches forwards with one hand and draws the coin to him, not looking down at it, already knowing what it was.

"So..."

Says Payne, in a deep voice that almost sounds like stones rolling against each other; gravel that was being crushed and reduced to powder. It was powerful and strange.

"Why have you sought me out? What information can I provide to you?"

-Willow-

Willow manages to get in line, but it seems to be moving slowly, even though it is relatively short. Most people are just discussing him and patronizing the tavern at the same time... they seem focused on what he said about their particular fortunes, though some are discussing the validity of his words.
If only she could get ahead a little in line though... that would let her figure things out faster.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

There ain't nothin' that says he won't kill me either. I won't stay unless you give me some options... The tone of her voice turns dark and vehement. I hate them, so if you won't give me a reason, you might as well slit my throat now so you don't have to do it later. Then you can drag my dead carcass there and fling it in front of him 'cause I won't care anymore.

[KevLar]

Myriam

As soon, as the assistant takes the coin, Myriam composes herself. She'll try to talk nice, be polite, act calm and as detached as possible. As if she doesn't care personally, but represents someone else. As if she wants to get the job done, but isn't personally affected.

Entering the strange room, she's momentarily taken aback, but immediately reminds herself that someone who poses as a fortune teller is pretty much required to have a relevant scenery. So she takes a seat, refrains from fidgeting no matter how she wants to, smiles professionally and responds to old man's inquiry.

Information about aether, Master Payne. And how people are changed by aether. I am here on behalf of a man who wishes to remain anonymous, and he has a few questions.

Myriam pauses and looks at the old man, waiting for a nod of understanding before continuing. If she sees an expression of surprise or alarm instead, she'll have to spin a different story, and spin it fast.

They say that our great lords have been... transformed by aether, and can do anything the mind can think of. They say that some of their children and their children's children have some of that power. The Touched.

But is there another way? Can someone be... gifted without relation to any of the lords? Can aether... rub off to someone a bit, without him even noticing it? And is there a way to know that?

Simple, general questions like that, are all he needs answered, Master Payne.
From a reliable source, for once.

In reality, Myriam has many more questions, an endless string of questions for that matter, but these will do for now. She doesn't want to say everything without giving Payne time to respond, and she certainly doesn't want to get carried away and show how much she cares. She's just a messenger. On behalf of a mysterious stranger. Nothing personal. Right?

1. It's been so long since the beginning of the story, that I forgot what I meant to ask, exactly. :smalleek: Hope this makes sense.

2. Of all the times I've had to remind myself that my character doesn't know what I do, this was the first time that the piece of knowledge in question was "recessive genes". :smalltongue:

I guess I need a bluff check here, for claiming to represent someone else : Bluffing Payne (1d20+9=18) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1921941/)

EDIT: Apparently, Invisible Castle changed the Notes process, and you need to register to write notes. I did that, and now Myriam's previous rolls are gone, at least if you link to them from this die roll. They are still there if you link to them from the previous one, though. *sigh*

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

Serge takes a single, smooth step forwards and flings his knife at Jadyn, piercing her shoulder before drawing two more in a single hand, watching her with deadly serious eyes.
"No playin', love. Ya wan' a sli' throat, I'll provide. Else, ya shoul' come quiet like."
He gestures for the thug behind him to just stand ready, giving Jadyn one more chance to make a decision.

Serge wins initiative by virtue of surprise (I'm not going to give a surprise round- if you want to turn this into a fight, it's your turn, but Serge has already acted, so he's not flat footed.
Serge dealt 5 damage via thrown knife.

-Myriam-

Old man Payne watches her with complete calm and knowing, moving the coin between them and then meshing his fingers together, placing his hands before him. He shows no surprise to her introduction, and gives a faint gesture with one hand for her to continue, simply waiting. The various novelties that testify his oracular trade lie around them- unused, yet not unmarked, somehow still significant.

Payne smiles a little, a smile that conjures the image of a lion looking down at his domain, prideful and masterful, completely in charge. It's rather smug, honestly... as he's shown nothing but flair and dramatics so far, it might be a bit exasperating.

"Your friend was wise to send for my knowledge in this, for I know more than many.
"But little there is known on the subject of which you speak. There are those infused by Aether, and there are those who are descended from the infused. The rest of us make do with harnessing the powers of inert aether...
"There was one a man who wondered what your friend did- he and strange scholars and scientists conducted an experiment, giving constant exposure to Aether in many bizarre and dangerous ways... in the end, they believed something had changed him, but they did not know what."

Payne raises a finger, his eyes dark and dangerous as he adds to his story.
"Yet... they never truly know how, or if, he was changed, for in their pursuit of power and knowledge, they killed him."
He is solemn and grave, letting those last words hang in the silence for a time before continuing.

"There have been more experiments since- some, they say, have even been successful. But these tests were more than simple contact with Aether- there was always much more to it."
His voice is final, cutting off any possibility that it could have been otherwise.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow looks over the people in line, trying to determine if any of them had any small abrasions or other equally minor injuries. A display of power would probably get her some preferential treatment, but she didn't want to do anything that would appear hostile either.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn stumbles back a step or two in surprise as the knife thunks into the meat of her shoulder. Her eyes widen and her breath catches as the pain begins. In a short, pain filled reply, Whatever! Fine, if you want it that way. She backs against the wall, letting it hold her up.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam listens carefully to Payne's speech, and her mind races. If there is "much more to it than simple contact", I don't think it has anything to do with me.

I see. And the powers of the Touched, are they hereditary? Would the son of a man who can harness lightning develop the same power - if he's fortunate to be Touched himself - or is it random?

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

"I coulda been nice abou' this, bu' ya had ta make it difficul' for me. Keep tha in mind, little girl."
Serge says unpleasantly, glaring at her.
"We'll be watchin' you."
He gestures for his thug to go over and collect her- which he attempts to do. Unless Jadyn decides to struggle, he's going to yank the knife out of her and sling her over his shoulder.

-Myriam-

"Hereditary, with slight variants."
Payne frowns to himself, thinking as she asks that question.
"That's fairly common knowledge- everyone knows of the powers of House Vesper and House Adamant. Your friend... he's not from around here, is he?"
The old man looks at her narrowly, possibly guessing just who her "friend" is.

-Willow-

There might be someone with an injury within the crowd, but if there is, Willow is having a hard time spotting them. If she wants to make a display of power, it might be best to do it in some other way, or just try and be persuasive about things.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

No, Jadyn isn't going to argue, she's busy trying to not fall over due to shock. She grunts when the thug pulls out the dagger and again when she's thrown roughly over his shoulder. Once up there, she closes her eyes and tries not to throw up, although the urge is strong (and it would get an amusing reaction).

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Fortune favors the bold, someone once said. Willow starts to push her way to the front. If anyone objects or complains she adopts the haughty sort of attitude she's seem among the nobles of House Vesper and announces that she's on business for House Vesper. In a sense, it's even true.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam smiles as if she realizes why Payne would ask that, and it's only a misunderstanding.
My friend wishes most of all to separate truth from rumor, Master Payne.

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

Serge and his henchman take Jadyn up and out of the hideout, every step coming with a jolt of pain. The henchman obviously doesn't care for her comfort, and nor is he paying much attention to whether she bleeds to death or not.
Luckily for her, the wound isn't very serious. It wasn't so much damaging and deep as it was shocking and painful, so she'll survive, and hasn't even really suffered in capability from it... though it did serve as a warning against whatever she might try to do.
They seem to be move through somewhere darker now- lots of ups and downs as they've been moving. As she's closed her eyes, however, she's not entirely certain where they are.

-Myriam-

"Mmm."

Payne strokes his beard with one hand, eyeing her curiously.

"Does this friend want to know anything else?"

-Willow-

Willow begins making her way up to the front, and has some success before she bumps into someone.
It's a lady- not a noble, or someone who looks like an assassin or mercenary or anyone important or intimidating. Just a typical peasant woman.
"Now just you stop there, dearie. I'm aheada you and I don't plan to be moving."
She seems pretty stubborn, and looks up at Willow with a hard, wrinkled old stare.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow decides to try to be reasonable before displaying a show of power. "And how do you know that this prophet speaks truth? What proof do you have? I'm here to determine the truthfulness of his power. Let me pass, and you'll know whether you can trust the words you'll hear."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn is carried along, she doesn't care where they're taking her, it's just another place to work on escaping from. And this time, she's not coming back here. Not to Craze, not to anyone else. All this goes through her mind, but since there's little she can do about it at the moment, she just thinks about it all and how she got into this mess and vows not to let it happen again.

After about 20 min, she opens her eyes, only to watch things bounce up and down upside down and disorienting her further.

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam doesn't actually mind if Payne understands that she's not really there on behalf of anyone else. She imagines that, in his line of work, such excuses from the customers are common, and some discretion from his part should be part of the services. But if she lets slip that she has a bit of a gift herself, now that would be a cause of alarm.

"Just a little more of your time, Master Payne. He'd like to know about other, lesser Houses, and their powers. And about the experimenters. Do they have headquarters? And perhaps a contact with a name?"

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

They seem to be moving through some underground passage- what might be a long unused sewer, actually. It's a bit dirty, but there are no overhanging cobwebs, meaning that the place has been used relatively recently.
Serge and his cronie stop under a ladder, a Serge slips up to take a look, leaving Jadyn with the single thug, who is staring up after Serge, paying no attention to Jadyn at all. He adjusts his belt, the a few dark pouches rustling with strange contents, and a dagger shifting a bit with the movement.

-Myriam-

"There's only one lesser house left, my dear- House Radiant. It's fast on the decline though, as only powerful houses survive. Most of its members possess some kind of power over light or darkness, which was the power of their founder.
"Experiments are mostly carried out by those in possession of aether- such as the houses. However, I've heard tell that the Order has some who have looked into the matter as well.
"However, the experimenters are typically people of higher rank- since they need access to aether. A common man wouldn't be able to talk to them- but I can still provide names, if you wish..."

-Willow-

"I reckon I can determine how truthful he is just as well as you can. What makes you think you're so special?"
Asks the woman.
Willow begins to wonder if the fat little lady would move for Lord Vesper himself- she looks as stubborn as an ill tempered, lazy mule.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow sighs. It was so much easier in Fringe. She didn't understand the dynamic here nearly as well, and it seemed that only power was respected. So, if a show of power was what it would take, that's what she'd do. "What makes me so special? Oh, just this." A muttered word and she brings her arm up above her head. From elbow to fingertip, her arm is coated in a hissing and bubbling layer of acid. A few drops slip from her elbow and sizzle into the floor at her feet.

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Quite a few thoughts flit through her mind, but...escaping is rather useless at this point and they might just decide to plant the dagger elsewhere. So instead, she looks down at the pouches and if her hands are free...she'll see if she can search through them without the thug's knowledge.

If she gets away with her somewhat clumsy attempts...she'll slip any items into her shirt or sleeves.

Move Silently (1d20+7=8), Search (1d20+5=23), Sleight of Hand (1d20+3=12) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1949601/), rolls that you might need

[KevLar]

Myriam

Myriam bends forward in apparent anticipation and stares at the old man, elbows resting on her knees and hands knit together, fingers tapping. As if this is what she's been waiting for the whole time. Which of course, it isn't.

"Yes, please." she says, while her mind races.

Meanwhile, a discreet spot/listen check to see if there seem to be any other exits in the room (or hidden people or other such weirdness):
Spot/Listen checks (1d20+2=5, 1d20+2=15) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1953439/)

Huge success. :smalltongue: If I can take 10 there, I will. :smalltongue:

[AmberVael]

-Jadyn-

The man holding her doesn't appear overly attentive, and for a few moments Jadyn scrambles through his pouches- there's bits of gold, a wadded up piece of parchment, and what might be some kind of seal, but before she can get a good glimpse at it, the man happens to glance around, noting her movements just by pure luck as she fumbles an item.
"You little brat!"
The thug snarls, twisting at her legs to hoist her higher and give her a bit of pain.

Grapple check- you can make an opposed one if you want to resist his movements or get away.

-Myriam-

The old man begins rattling off a list of names and associations, which goes from rather difficult to follow to boring in short order. A few things stick out though- leads that Myriam could follow and use to her advantage.
House Vesper has quite a few resources related to inert Aether, and the archivists there are in charge of such matters. Anyone there who has started an experiment has been associated with the archivists, so if she goes to investigate that route, they would be the ones to look at. However, they seem to emphasize using the Aether in its current state rather than manipulating a person with it- Lady Aery has had much success with this route.
The Order has apparently experimented with modifying and improving people with inert Aether, and has a scientist devoted to the cause, but many, many disturbing failures have come along with his research. However, there have been rumors of one or more successes...
House Radiant, desperate to retain any of its power, has turned to modification via Aether in order to tap into their remaining resources, and are rumored to have developed something which is in the works, though its success is yet to be seen.
"Of course, there are many people underground who do such experimental work as well- some more successful than others, I believe. But most of them are very difficult to track down. They have a way of slipping out of notice even when caught, you see. You might say that their method of hiding is golden; it would take quite a bit to learn more of them."
Old Payne smiles thinly.
...and then people begin screaming outside.

-Willow-

Willow has gotten quite a bit of attention- after all, only a few people can conjure up acid from their fingertips, and she looks about ready and mad enough to use it. Apparently no fortune is worth that trouble, so people begin running from the tavern, except for a few drunken louts who don't seem to get the gist of what is going on, and the bartender who looks terrified of her and horrified at what that acid might do, but really is kind of caught behind the bar.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Willow

Willow's had a long, and somewhat difficult, evening. Still, she has no real desire to harm anyone, and once the obstruction is out of her way, she approaches the door, the acid absorbing back into her skin. The floor of the tavern has a few small scorch marks where it dripped, but no real harm to it. When she gets to the door, she tells the door warden (assuming he's still there), "I believe I'm next."

[wxdruid]

Jadyn

Jadyn grunts as he 'readjusts' her body on his shoulder. She struggles a little, to ease the pain. At least it was amusing to go through his stuff, even if she got caught doing it. After all, he should have known better...carrying around a thief and all. Perhaps it passed a little bit of time as well. By now, all she wants is to get down and be done with these people.

grapple to ease the pain (1d20+1=10) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1967282/)