Planeside 3

[Ironsmith]

Scorching Depths
"Sounds nice. I'll be su–" Charcoal is cut off by a massive crash that shakes the walls of the building. "It's a smart one. Look around, see if you can find somewhere to hide where we won't be found when the building collapses." She moves toward a grimy window. "I'm going to try to distract it."

There are a few places Vlad could check. Behind the bar, maybe, or in the various dark corners. This seems like the sort of shady joint that might have a secret hidey-hole. But where?

[Scorching Depths]

Vlad hops over the bar and begins looking for the sort of trapdoor that might lead down into a cellar. Seedy or not, this place likely had one, as a place to keep all the alcohol they aren't serving at the moment. And if this one happened to keep anything else below ground, out of sight of any of the queen's enforcers... well, that was their business.

[Rebonack]

[The Clocktowers]

It's strange, isn't it?

The previous shades hated her, too. And her Light wasn't shining as brightly. Somehow, paradoxically, the shades hate is intensified just as the Light is. They hate it so much that they don't care about the harm that it's causing them. It's a sad thing. Why do they despise light and peace so much? Is it something the Pit has imposed on them? Do they resent the fact that they're here in this dreadful place and it reminds them of the touch of the sun? Whatever the reason, they aren't being nice to Karaglen.

This is frightening the children.

Which Karaglen's barghest body is feeding on, bolstering its dark magic.

Which in turn Kara's Light is consuming for fuel, like oil fed into a lamp. Taking something dark and gross and turning it into brightness and warmth.

And then Karaglen Invokes and the world changes.

The nightmares are rather unceremoniously dumped into the bell chamber below, one of the skeletons BONG!ing off the side of that great big brass bell. One shade manages to grip the edge of a girder that was below the stone floor for a few seconds, but that gives it enough time to shriek "I HATE YOU!" one more time at Karaglen while attempting to slash at her legs with both of its claw-like hands. Of course, slashing at Kara means it isn't holding onto the metal beam anymore and it promptly drops. As for the stone floor the undead were standing on, it's just over there now, blocking access to the stairs. With enough effort they might be able to dislodge the heavy basalt slabs, but by the time they do Karaglen and her gaggle of children and dogs will be long gone.

With the monsters temporarily gone Talle leans forward to pet Kara's ears. "Thanks for being a helper," the child says. She still sounds a little scared, but Karaglen's bravery makes her feel better.

Another flight of stairs.

Another gutted chamber. In the middle of it is a rather large clock face where a floor ought to be, its hands slowly rotating around the empty space. A narrow walkway leads to another flight of stairs, but that might not be what our heroes are interested in. Much more interesting is the stone doorway on the other side of the room overgrown with blackberry brambles and a flight of stairs leading up into impenetrable gloom.

"There!" Sasha says, hope creeping into her voice. "That's what we're looking for, a way out!"

They just need to navigate across the clock face.

That should...

That should be easy, right? Just hope onto the giant second hand and ride it over to the other side of the chamber. Easy.

[Chaotic Bob]

[The Clocktowers]

From Evil, bring Good. If there must be something bad, at least let something positive come of it.
It's the only way Karaglen can really stomach eating their fear at all, however unconscious the decision may be.

In some irrational way, maybe all these wounds the shades are trying to inflict upon her is a worthy penance.

Still really doesn't feel good!
She can't do any wild maneuvers to get away from the things without unseating the children perched on her back, which just leaves her with the awkward task of just trying to jerk her leg slightly back from the final shade and still ending up with an unpleasant draw across the limb.
"Ouch! I'm sorry this is your life."

Familiarity with the shades makes her feel more bad for them than angry, though, as she watches them fall below.

But Talle offers innocent comfort and she can use that to pretend she isn't hurt a little longer. There's an impulse to look back and smile again, but it is handily squashed.
"You're very welcome. We all have to be good helpers when we can, right?"
It's what she was taught when she was even younger. It's what she hopes to teach others.

Now, a possible final room!
A clock, some stairs, and she's guessing the brambles are the briar patch that Sasha mentioned?

This seems straightforward.
Karaglen is immediately suspicious.

She paws her more injured hoof at the ground contemplatively.
"I think that maybe I should test this before you guys jump onto it. Just to make sure it's safe."
If it's just going to end up flinging them into the void or something at sudden warp speed, it's probably better that its her. Barghest bodies seem more inclined towards abuse than little children and yeth bodies.

[Rebonack]

[The Clocktowers]

It's pretty easy for Karaglen to imagine what it would be like if the Name Teine Dhoo had actually gotten its grip on her the way it was supposed to. It's still there, looming. Like a moth stuck in a small room with her that flutters against the side of her head every now and again. A constant irritant but utterly incapable of causing any harm to her. Teine Dhoo was supposed to be a terrifying barghest, a hellhound in the most literal sense. A monster of fire and darkness and smoke and fear. A slave to the ogress. Another monster to bring to heel for her wild hunt. A devourer of children with just enough memory of being Karaglen that the pain of her lost kindness would be keenly felt. It was going to be her job to chew up captured children that misbehaved. To strip them of their Names and spit out feral yeth hounds to serve as the wild hunt's attack dogs.

But the Light that burns in Karaglen's heart refused.

Carrying children to safety and having them pet her is definitely preferable to that fate.

Even if that means getting scratched up by shades every now and again.

Kara gets a pretty good view of that last shade tumbling away as it screams at her. It doesn't have a choice. It has to be awful just like Teine Dhoo would have been forced to be awful. Even though, deep down, she would have hated it. This place is a factory that churns out suffering. How could Karaglen bring it Peace?

Oh well. There will be time to contemplate that once all these children are to safety, right?

Assuming Karaglen lays down again, the children will scoot off her furry back, leaving little smears of black soot all over their clothing. The five yeth hounds quickly surround the human children like shepherd dogs forming a fence around sheep just in case anything threatening approaches. Then? Hop out onto the second hand as it passes. "Be careful Miss Karaglen," Amber calls after her, holding her infant sister tight.

Kara's feet land on the brass hand with a click of hooves on metal and-!

It keeps ticking along seamlessly, each little jolt running up her legs. Keeping her footing is a little tricky, but not too hard. Especially since she can just walk on air to cheat a bit. So long as it isn't being used to fly it seems like the storm doesn't throw TOO much of a tantrum over it.

"Well! It looks like you're doing pretty okay, Teine Dhoo!" declares the pooka sitting at the hub of the clock's hands, a great big crescent moon smile on his face. "You always loved those wolves and now you get to try your hand and being one, isn't that great?"

Technically she's a dog.

A pretty wolfy looking dog, but still a dog.

The children are scowling at the pooka. "You're a buttface!" Jude informs him.

[Chaotic Bob]

[The Clocktowers]

You tell him, Jude.
Even Kara's thinking it a little bit.

Karaglen twitches a little bit at the surprise voice of Maph'tey, so focuses was she on making sure her footing was secure and that the clockhands themselves weren't going to do anything insane that she neglected to remember that there were other possible threats.
Whoops.

She carefully reorients herself on the clockhand, there to given an irritable look to the pooka. Which, on the face of a barghest, is probably just murderous.
It it even possible for it to do an in-between expression of displeasure? Probably, but she's not familiar enough with all the flames and fangs to manage it.
One way or another, it's a physical expression of violence completely at odds with the sweet (if grumpy) voice that comes out of it.

"Did you know it wouldn't work right, or did you just think it would be funny anyway?"
Wait a minute, Kara. That really doesn't matter right now.
"Actually, I don't care. Are you here to cause more problems? I would really like it if you weren't here to cause more problems."

This is a fantastic time for the shining aura of tranquility around her to just fizzle away like a flashlight with low batteries.
Certainly not at all suspicious that it happens right as a certain troublemaker shows his face!

While Kara doesn't think he caused it, as she can feel the power has sort of...shuffled away a bit on its own she thinks, she isn't going to put it past Maph'tey to have simply timed his appearance to when her primary protection happened to dissipate itself.
Somehow.

[Rebonack]

[The Clocktowers]

It's almost hypnotic.

Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.

The way Maphtey's tail bounces back and forth in time with all the shuddering motions of gears and springs and hands and pendulums in the Clocktowers.

"I knew it wouldn't work right. And I knew it would result in the ruination of Pitstain's wild-hunt. And I knew if she stole children from that specific house that you would arrive to put an end to her raids into the Waking World. It's like cogs, all in their proper place. You turn one and all the rest turn along with it."

Is he implying that he just knew what was going on?

Or is he implying that he had a hand in setting this chain of events in motion?

Then he smiles a very big, very toothy smile.

"And I also knew it would be really funny."

Ah, there it is.

Then that smile fades and be puts on the most doleful, kicked puppy face possible.

"Aaww... I'm not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to see one of my old friends again. We've had so much fun together! And we'll have more fun in the future, too! You're growing up and that means we can start playing grownup games instead of tag in the rafters. Now that you've seen my world, how broken it is, you and I can start playing the Eternal Game together. We both want the same thing, we both want peace. We want people to be happy. And the Pit churns out suffering. That just won't do."

It won't do at all.

It needs to be fixed.

But how?

"You take after your Mother, but you're your own person. And that own person has Teine Dhoo as part of who she is. The Abyss is part of you in a way that's unlike any others of your kind. Chaos looked to grab you and turn you into something ugly, Karaglen. But instead you've apprehended chaos and I think you can make it into something beautiful. You can bring peace and healing to the Valley of the Shadow of Death like no one else can, Karaglen. I think that'll be a fun game that you and I can play together. Way more fun than stealing hats."

The pooka's smile returns.

"Head back up the stairs through the briar patch with my blessing. You'll find another friend nearby, but he probably won't recognize you. You're persuasive, though! I'm sure you can convince him."

Then he fades away, bit by bit, in tune with the tick tock of the tower.

"I'll see you again soon. Hehehe..."

And he's gone.

The rest of the kids (and hounds) look on, waiting to see what the barghest will do.

"Kara?" Sasha speaks up hesitantly, not really sure what to say.

[Chaotic Bob]

[The Clocktowers]

Kara takes a minute to respond to Sasha.
Well, probably slightly over a minute. However long it takes the second hand to finish its current rotation and then one more.
She's pretending to make sure it's absolutely safe, despite Maph'tey's "blessing."

What she's actually doing is being completely flabbergasted.

She was just metaphorically slapped in the face with a whole lot that seems in pretty dire need of processing.

1. Maph'tey more or less orchestrated this whole thing. She's pretty upset about this.
2. He did not, in fact, try to have her enslaved as a dog-monster to a goblin. Technically. She's only somewhat upset by this.
3. All of that stuff about the "Eternal Game" and saving the Pit. Okay, she has no idea what to think of the game at all, but...saving the Pit seems like a not-terrible thing. Well. It involves the Pit, so it's actually really terrible, but with a good end-point. Maybe.

Yeah, she definitely needs to talk to Mother.

By the time that second second-hand (haha) rotation has finished, Karaglen shakes herself out of her thoughts and rejoins the rest of the kids and hounds.
"Okay, everyone! It seems pretty safe to me, it looks like Mr. Sleeping Sounds didn't do anything dangerous to the clock while he was here. Everyone with hands, all aboard. Everyone with paws, watch your step."
Well, watch your air-step? Since they're sort of flying?

She takes a second to ponder that (an escape from other thoughts), while she kneels down for the still-human children to get up on her back again.
Then...it's off to see if that really is their exit.
"Time to go home, kids."

[Rebonack]

[The Clocktowers]

Time to get out of here.

With a few minor notes.

First?

The way out is choked with brambles. They absolutely do not want to let Karaglen though.

Thankfully Kara's Light can and will utterly incinerate them. Thus, the path is clear.

Second?

Several of the children begin screaming.

Oh hey Mister Crawlin' Eyes is back! It looks like he's here to make good on Kara's promise of getting him out of the Pit. It takes a great deal of reassurance to get the kids to calm down and wow that influx of absolute terror felt equal parts nice and gross. Getting the kids to accept that the ridged, mummified corpse with centipedes for eyes is not actually a danger to them.

"Heh. Sorry about my unsightly appearance, kiddos. Your star-heart girl friend here promised to get me outta this Pit, too. I just want to see the sun again, same as anyone else."

God this place is absolutely terrible.

Well!

After that it's just a matter of climbing up the stairs, ascending the Seven Hundred Steps of Deep Slumber, and back into the Waking World.

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
There it is. Partly hidden by dust and its own design is a trapdoor behind the bar. With a bit of force it pulls up to reveal a dank and dusty cellar.
Charcoal smashes the window and fires a bolt of flame out of it. The hellhound roars in anger and pain, but the succubus has already run away from the window to crouch near Vlad.

[Recaiden]

[Brefaisil]

"They were bound by the same laws as I, and were not present for either attack. All they had was the word of myself and my daughter, which simply put, was not good enough." Gryffaf strokes his beard as he recalls some of the finer details of the incident. "We were at war at the time, which I suspect may have had something to do with it. The king would have been leery of losing any of his elite soldiers to the peasantry, regardless of said soldier's conduct. What is one woman's dignity compared to the continued prosperity of our land?" He scowls. "I say, if we cannot preserve both, we would deserve neither. Thankfully, Arnbaith agrees."

The bull-man waves the unpleasant topic away and moves on. "When I say Absum made me his messenger, I meant that very literally." He continues. "As you have likely heard, Lords and Ladies are among the few who can stand in Absum's presence without being unmade. By Lording me, Absum not only saved my life, he granted me the ability to carry news of his displeasure to Arnbaith himself."

"I know what you're thinking. 'If a Lord can stand before Absum without dying, and Arnbaith is himself a Lord, why did Absum not simply appear before him?'" Gryffaf shrugs. "To this day, I can't say for certain. But I suspect I was chosen so Arnbaith could see the harm to his subjects, rather than be intimidated into submission by our god. For all his might, Arnbaith is still only a man. A proud, stubborn, fallible man." The bull-man scoffs. "Perhaps that is also why I was made a Lord, rather than merely given a message. Arnbaith himself would need reminding of this fact every so often."

"As for the firmament and the heavens... yes, all you have said is true. Absum shows his face by day, Adea by night, and in the latter's absence the former has been cautious to show only the barest portion of his countenance. However, I have never touched the firmament myself. I do not know what it is made from. There is only one I know of who has... Lady Skuld, the Dragonslayer. Unfortunately, she departed from Brefaisil several months ago, along with Lord Maldwyn of the Bridge, and we have not heard from them since. That knowledge may be forever lost to us." Gryffaf sighs. "As for communing with Absum... I do not think you know what it is you ask. Absum's very presence is destructive, and to speak with him in person invites desolation."

Thunder rumbles in the distance at this declaration.

"Moreover, Absum cannot be summoned. He appears to his chosen, but his followers have no way to seek him out. It is unlikely I, or any other Lord, will be able to speak with him."

About some things there must be no compromise, eh? A strong statement, but she would not disagree even if the bull-lord hadn't moved them off the topic.

"That question would go too far. If Lords were only for such things, why would you need more than one Lord at all? Absum must also have expectations for what you would do in your long life as a Lord. Although it might only be that he doesn't wish to talk to Arnbaith all the time."

This goes from not good to even more not good, but then, if it were simple the lords would have already handled it. Probably.
"Do you know where Skuld and Maldwyn were venturing to? It is a thin lead, but I may as well ask. And if we never find them, there are still options we can use to investigate ourselves." Escalation again. This whole project is going to get expensive.

"As you surmised, I had hoped to find a Lord to speak to Absum on my behalf. If that is impossible, we will have to act with less information. Oh, have their been any new Lords or Ladies since Adea's death?"

Marcie looks aside, surprised that she can hear the thunder all the way down here.
"Yes, I hear you, Absum, but I don't understand. If you want to send a message in the thunder, send it to Dho Chladach where we can hear it clearly, thank you."

[Ironsmith]

Scorching Depths
There it is. Partly hidden by dust and its own design is a trapdoor behind the bar. With a bit of force it pulls up to reveal a dank and dusty cellar.
Charcoal smashes the window and fires a bolt of flame out of it. The hellhound roars in anger and pain, but the succubus has already run away from the window to crouch near Vlad.

[Scorching Depths]

Hopefully it's the sort of trapdoor that both can be barred from the other side and hasn't yet. If they retreat to an obvious location and the hellhound follows them, Vlad and Charcoal will be retreating into what is most definitely a dead end. They can at least buy themselves some time with an appropriate barricade.

Nevertheless, as Vlad opens the trapdoor (or at least, tries to), he'll scan the immediate area underneath it for a potential weapon. If the hellhound follows them down, he's going to need it.

[Brefaisil]

About some things there must be no compromise, eh? A strong statement, but she would not disagree even if the bull-lord hadn't moved them off the topic.

"That question would go too far. If Lords were only for such things, why would you need more than one Lord at all? Absum must also have expectations for what you would do in your long life as a Lord. Although it might only be that he doesn't wish to talk to Arnbaith all the time."

This goes from not good to even more not good, but then, if it were simple the lords would have already handled it. Probably.
"Do you know where Skuld and Maldwyn were venturing to? It is a thin lead, but I may as well ask. And if we never find them, there are still options we can use to investigate ourselves." Escalation again. This whole project is going to get expensive.

"As you surmised, I had hoped to find a Lord to speak to Absum on my behalf. If that is impossible, we will have to act with less information. Oh, have their been any new Lords or Ladies since Adea's death?"

Marcie looks aside, surprised that she can hear the thunder all the way down here.
"Yes, I hear you, Absum, but I don't understand. If you want to send a message in the thunder, send it to Dho Chladach where we can hear it clearly, thank you."

[Brefaisil]

"Who would?" Gryffaf quips with a chuckle, at Marcie's insistence that Absum wouldn't want to always be talking to Arnbaith. That slightly seditious remark made, he sits and patiently listens to the rest of Marcie's questions.

"Lady Skuld and Lord Maldwyn were bound for a shrine further inland... a place called Gweld Gorwel. A holy place, where they were hoping to find answers in resolving this crisis. We have not heard from them or their entourage." He strokes his chin and frowns at the somewhat one-sided conversation between Marcie and Absum. "...I said it was unlikely, not that it was impossible. Were we to venture to someplace remote, where there is no chance of any danger to others... perhaps Absum would deign to appear before us." He stands and rolls his shoulders. "In which case, I would be more than willing to commune with him on your behalf."

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
No weapon is visible, just lots and lots of old glass bottles.
Fortunately, the trapdoor does have a bar that can be put in place as soon as the two of them are in the bolt hole. "Phew, that was close!"

[Recaiden]

[Brefaisil]

"Oh, he's not so bad. A man like many others, yes, but perfectly alright." But, Marcie did laugh with him for a moment.

"Gweld Gorwel." She repeats to herself. "And several months with there being no contact. All the same, I'd like to set out there as soon as possible."
"AS for yourself heading somewhere remote, can this tunnel-digging operation spare you for long?"

[Ironsmith]

Scorching Depths
No weapon is visible, just lots and lots of old glass bottles.
Fortunately, the trapdoor does have a bar that can be put in place as soon as the two of them are in the bolt hole. "Phew, that was close!"

[Scorching Depths]

"Don't have to tell me that." Vlad quips, fumbling around for a light switch, lamp, or some other form of illumination.

...Oh dear.

He's pretty sure that's not a lamp he just touched.

[Brefaisil]

"Oh, he's not so bad. A man like many others, yes, but perfectly alright." But, Marcie did laugh with him for a moment.

"Gweld Gorwel." She repeats to herself. "And several months with there being no contact. All the same, I'd like to set out there as soon as possible."
"AS for yourself heading somewhere remote, can this tunnel-digging operation spare you for long?"

[Brefaisil]

"For the moment, I would say so." The bull-man nods. "The tunnels are coming along smoothly, and for the moment, we are ahead of schedule in terms of actual digging. I may be able to free up enough time to escort you to Gweld Gorwel, if that is your wish." The bull-man stands and dusts rubble off his trousers, letting out a little groan as he rolls his shoulders. "How soon will you need to leave?"

[Recaiden]

[Brefaisil]

"I should go back to the palace and check on things." Like that guy who came with her from Dho Chladach. He hasn't gotten into trouble or been eaten, she hopes.

"I could leave just after that, or I could set out tomorrow." This has been lengthy and tiring, and a rest would be appreciated. They should have sent someone else on this mission. But she can set that tiredness aside if it might help.

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
Charcoal giggles. "The instant you get me alone, huh? How do you like it?" She attempts to retaliate in kind, but she can't see any better than Vlad can. At least she has the advantage of knowing which direction she was grabbed from.

Considering the situation they just got out of, it's probably good to make light of things.

[Ironsmith]

[Brefaisil]

"I should go back to the palace and check on things." Like that guy who came with her from Dho Chladach. He hasn't gotten into trouble or been eaten, she hopes.

"I could leave just after that, or I could set out tomorrow." This has been lengthy and tiring, and a rest would be appreciated. They should have sent someone else on this mission. But she can set that tiredness aside if it might help.

[Brefaisil]

Seth of Sangrosse has been out of contact with her, it's true. But given her running all around Brefaisil, that's to be expected... in all likelihood, he's exactly where she left him.

"Very well." Gryffaf nods. "Will you be needing any help getting back to the palace? These tunnels can be confusing without a map."

Scorching Depths
Charcoal giggles. "The instant you get me alone, huh? How do you like it?" She attempts to retaliate in kind, but she can't see any better than Vlad can. At least she has the advantage of knowing which direction she was grabbed from.

Considering the situation they just got out of, it's probably good to make light of things.

[Scorching Depths]

Vlad hastily releases Charcoal's... *ahem* and withdraws his hand to himself, wiping it on his shirt. "Oh, no, not like that at all, I wasn’t intending t-... you're [messing] with me, aren't you?" He clears his throat awkwardly. "...If you must know, I feel a bit misled. The experience was a bit overhyped. Not you, specifically, I mean!" He's quick to add. "Just, um, in general... not that I have a broad basis for comparison, I don't make a habit of... I could, obviously, I'm just not... normally doing things like that."

The engineer in him just died a little after witnessing that train wreck.

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
Of course she's messing with you, Vlad. "Really, it's nothing." Finally, Charcoal conjures a flame so the two of them can see. "It's like you..." She stops. "You're not a succubus, are you?" Uh oh. "You're too bashful. I see now," uh oh, "That's just a form we'd be comfortable with, right? You want to spare our sanity and so you look like one of us?" Uh oh?

She seems to have entirely understood the nature of the disguise while entirely misinterpreting the purpose.

[Ironsmith]

[Scorching Depths]

Well, that's just great. Vlad doesn't exactly want to tell her the truth; it's supposed to be a secret. At the same time, lying to her seems unpalatable, too; she's too nice, it just feels wrong.

Fortunately, having spent some amount of time working for an intelligence agency, he has a third option available.

"...Um... y-yeah, you got me. I'm not really Vlatka at all." Vlad begins, momentarily switching off the succubus voice in favor of his much deeper, natural one. "My true name is Valaktos the Incomprehensible, devourer of realms. Tremble in my glory, insignificant wretch!"

A beat, then,

"That, um... that was a joke. In case it wasn't obvious."

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
Charcoal snickers. "Right, and I'm the queen of Sheba." She eases back. "Don't worry about it. We've all got secrets. Sekhmet wouldn't have invited you here if she thought you were a threat." Of course Sekhmet doesn't seem like a great judge of character, but it's the thought that counts, right?

[Ironsmith]

[Scorching Depths]

"Hm. True, that." Vlad agrees, stepping back a bit to give Charcoal her space. "So what do we do now? Wait for the hellhound to get bored and leave? Maybe try to find a drink down here in the meantime?"

If nothing else, they should find a source of illumination that won't react badly to any spilled alcohol that might be down here.

[Recaiden]

[Brefaisil]

Seth of Sangrosse has been out of contact with her, it's true. But given her running all around Brefaisil, that's to be expected... in all likelihood, he's exactly where she left him.

"Very well." Gryffaf nods. "Will you be needing any help getting back to the palace? These tunnels can be confusing without a map."

Marcie nods politely.
"Yes, I could use directions on getting there from here."
Going back the way she came is not really an option.

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
Charcoal looks around. "Right. Looks like there's a lamp up there." She projects her light up to the shadowy ceiling and uses it to light an oil lantern hanging there.
The room is small, barely large enough for two people. The walls are lined with bottles. "If this is a smuggling hole, they might have the good stuff, not just alcohol." She begins looking through the shelves.

[Ironsmith]

[Brefaisil]

Marcie nods politely.
"Yes, I could use directions on getting there from here."
Going back the way she came is not really an option.

[Brefaisil]

"If you go down that tunnel there-" the bull-man points, "and follow the left wall, you'll eventually reach a lift full of crates and carts. Every few hours, it goes down to dispose of our hauls, then up to pick up more workers in a plaza about half an hour south of the palace. If you hurry, you should catch it." Gryffaf produces a rolled-up parchment from a pouch on his belt. "Give this to the lift operator. He can't read so well these days, but he should recognize the seal. I'll meet you up there as soon as I can."

As soon as the words are out of Gryffaf's mouth, cries of shock and alarm sound from down the tunnel where he was pointing. This is quickly followed by shouts of "man down!" and "murder! There's been a murder!"

Because Marcie is not allowed to have a dull moment, apparently.

Scorching Depths
Charcoal looks around. "Right. Looks like there's a lamp up there." She projects her light up to the shadowy ceiling and uses it to light an oil lantern hanging there.
The room is small, barely large enough for two people. The walls are lined with bottles. "If this is a smuggling hole, they might have the good stuff, not just alcohol." She begins looking through the shelves.

[Scorching Depths]

...Not alcohol?

Vlad raises an eyebrow, taking a seat on the bottom step of the stairs, not entirely sure what to make of that information. What could possibly be down here that would be more prized than alcohol, presumably illegal, and hold so much appeal for a demon?

He's not entirely sure he wants to find out. But it looks like he's about to.

[Recaiden]

[Brefaisil]

Marcie turns to look at the tunnel. That way, left wall, down to unload, up to get workers, then back here.
She takes the parchment and tucks it into a pocket, ready to set off, and-
"Thank you Lord Gryffaf, I-"
"What?" Weren't people not supposed to be murderable around here?

Obviously she hurries down that tunnel to see what's going on. It may not be safe to get to that lift, if nothing else.

[Ironsmith]

[Brefaisil]

As the workers dutifully move aside so Marcie can pass through, she'll be quickly reminded that the situation here is that it's very hard to murder someone, not impossible, and there are methods to make it happen.

Such as, for example, decartication. Marcie will have seen the aftermath of that method before, in a jewelry box on the queen's nightstand.

It appears that the victim in front of her today has suffered a similar fate. His chest cavity has been ripped open, to such a violent degree that she'll be able to see that a number of his organs (not just his heart) have been displaced and/or misplaced, nowhere to be seen, along with some fractures in his ribcage. The body was then dumped down the lift shaft, where it's now come to rest, deprived of any dignity, on a crate full of rubble.

Marcie won't have to worry about meeting up with Seth again. He's come to her. Though it doesn't look like they'll be discussing their respective findings.

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
"Let's see... They couldn't keep it out in the open. It's got to be hidden somewhere..." She looks through the bottles. "If it were in one of the bottles labeled as alcohol, that would hide it. But how would I tell?" She's musing aloud, almost as if she wants Vlad's input. But without knowing what they're looking for, how would he be able to help?

[Geopol4r]

Scorching Depths
A bottle with a few runes on it rattles. Swirling mist is acting up in it, and a little blue flash occurs.

[Ironsmith]

Scorching Depths
"Let's see... They couldn't keep it out in the open. It's got to be hidden somewhere..." She looks through the bottles. "If it were in one of the bottles labeled as alcohol, that would hide it. But how would I tell?" She's musing aloud, almost as if she wants Vlad's input. But without knowing what they're looking for, how would he be able to help?

Scorching Depths
A bottle with a few runes on it rattles. Swirling mist is acting up in it, and a little blue flash occurs.

[Scorching Depths]

"That might do it, but they'd probably also want it somewhere out of the way." Vlad offers. "Presumably, a place like this would still have more staff than the owner, and they wouldn't all be in on the use of contraband goods, right? Maybe try th- what the here was that?!" He cuts himself off in response to the bottle... doing something, he can't quite tell what, but it's obviously magic.

[bc56]

Scorching Depths
"That's not it. Even if it wasn't hidden, it wouldn't do that," Charcoal comments. "I'm going to keep looking, can you check out the weird bottle, oh Valaktos the Incomprehensible?" She's making fun of him for that joke.