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Several Days After The Black
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:45 am
by GM-Mike
A stranger, well dressed for the weather and for travel, walks into the inn. He looks weary with eyes bloodshot as if the travel had been long, hard, and with little sleep. Still, he moves with purpose to whoever was there, to whoever looked important, and he sat next to him/her (first person to respond who isn't a beastman
)
"Greetings, friend," he says in a tired voice. He begins fumbling in a pouch as he talks. "My name is Vantavius Kane, and I've traveled four days, three nights with little rest to get here, and I see now, walking by your keep, that my efforts were well founded."
Finally finding what he was searching for, he pulls a small cloth bag from his pouch, not yet showing its contents. Turning even more serious, he says, "I'm going to show you something but for your protection I'm going to ask you not to touch it for I don't know what it will do. Possessing it has had no effects upon me that I am aware of, but I cannot speak to physical contact as I have not yet had the courage to touch it myself."
He turns over the pouch and out falls a necklace, completely black, including what appears to have been jewels. His next words confirm as much. "Four days ago, this was gold, the gems were red, blue, brilliant yellow. It was my wife's favorite and had the fastener not broken just the evening before, if my laziness had not prevented it from being quickly fixed, it would have been around her neck when this occurred. I cannot speak intelligently to why this happened, but I know a man who might, a man who will surely be in danger if I'm right about him, a man who may endanger all those around him at the academy where he works.
"I guessed that whatever may have happened to this necklace may in some similar form have happened here, and that guess has proven quite true. I'm hoping then you might be motivated to help me discover what this man knows and help protect him from whoever else may seek this knowledge."
Having said his peace, he seems even more tired, but he rushes on with his last statement, as if it were as important as the rest of what he said, "And boy could I use a drink..."
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:54 am
by Smitty19
*Serith not speaking just glares at the man
"Excuse me if I sound a bit, apprehensive, but how in the Phanterra did you know to come here so quickly?"
*Sertih tries to relax a little, but finds it hard to ease the tension he is feeling
"And a bit of drink is fine, but we are going to need you to start spilling a whole lot more information..."
*Serith looks at the necklace and starts focusing his essence in a gathering of natural elements trying to accertain the magical properties in the necklace and surrounding aura (Sense magic then Sense Greater magic)
"Thank you for the warning, but if it is magical in nature, then I am unafraid of its affects, for magic and I have a unique understanding."
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:18 am
by Zeira
"Well count me in. I could use a good mystery. What's your friends name and where is this academy?"
Zeira points at the necklace
"Once your done finding out if that thing has any spark left let me know. I can dig a little deeper and find out more about it."
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:53 pm
by GM-Mike
The man smiles and nods at Serith and then chuckles at Zeira. "What a wonderful dichotomy. The man who worries and the one who doesn't. In this matter," he says, focusing on Serith, "I imagine yours is the wiser approach."
He nods again, momentarily lost in thought, as if trying to decide where to begin. "Possessions are an interesting thing. Save for those items forged by our own hand and still in our possession, we aren't generally privvy to an item's history. Where it came from. Who made it. Perhaps most importantly, who owned it. I happen to know something about this necklace, that before it was my wife's, before it was mine, it was another's. This item was stolen by my father many years ago and quite unbeknownst to me, I assure you, but something I know now to be a certainty. The woman who owned it was an elf who had a young son at the time and the gems were stones created at his birth, in celebration of his life. Why I know this will become clear momentarily so bare with me just a moment longer.
"Years later, many many years I suppose, I met the boy turned man. I suppose you could say I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but when he saw the necklace around my wife's neck, he became very agitated. He accused me of stealing and then demanded it back. I was terrified and if not for something...something that to this day I cannot say what...something that spooked him, caused him to leave and leave quickly, I believe he would have taken it and killed both my wife and I and we wouldn't be heere today with no knowledge of what was happening or where to begin.
"Anyway, I'm rambling. After that encounter I sought to learn as much as I could about that necklace, confronted my father, discovered the truth. And I've been vigilant every day since, always looking over my shoulder, waiting for the man to return, waiting to be killed for the sins of my father for the man who claimed ownership was Corbyn.
"When this blackness occurred, this was the only place I could think to go to find others who may have had simlar experiences. Here, and then," turing to Zeira, "the Brandybrook academy. There' a professor there who has dedicates himself to all things Corbyn. If anything knows, he would."
The man stares then into space, awaiting other questions.
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:19 pm
by Marcus
Across the table from the man, Marcus leans back in his chair. The knight lifts a stein of mead to his lips, eye-ing the man ever so intently over the rim before replacing in upon the table.
"Yes.... and I am the man who is interested, and would have to say your story is definitely piquing that interest. And as for your opinion about items and their histories, from firsthand knowledge I would have to agree with you.
I'm intrigued by the man being so affronted by the item's theft, but so hesitant to gain it back. Possibly he sensed something malign within the item, something that had been placed upon or within it, as so obviously evidenced by it's...current condition.
I agree that we should travel to this Academy, for any insight my give us a lead into what happened to the keep.
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:13 pm
by Dallid
Dallid joins the gathering about the newcomer.
"Greetings Vantavius, I am Dallid. Thank you for being so forthcoming - you have granted us a new direction regarding both Corbyn and the decay that took his former keep. I am glad fortune left your wife unharmed when the necklace turned. Where is she while you make this perilous journey?"
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:18 pm
by Smitty19
*Serith listens Intently and as he hears Corbyn's name a snarl comes from his lips
"That Traitorious bastard will not harm one hair on you or anyone in your familes heads friend, of that I promise."
*Nods to Dallid
"I agree, if he saw it on your wife, he will try to strike at her, we will do everything we can to get your family to safety. We will also send our scholars and anyone magically attuned to the Academy. Luckily, I am in a unique situation as I can do as much book learning as ascertaining to somethings magical qualities."
"Vantavius, thank you for the information, I am sorry if I seemed hostile to your arrival, but this is something that could ruin everything we have strived to build since that bastard tucked tail and ran."
"Who is the scholar at the Academy?"
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:50 pm
by GM-Taki
*Korrigan walks in from the construction site outside with sawdust on his hat and an empty tankard. Seeing the group gathered around the newcomer he listens for a moment and then disappears behind the bar. He returns a few moments later with a tray of drinks and brings it to the table.*
"Here's one for our new friend and a fresh one for the rest of you. Normally I'd be all in favor of Corbyn's things getting turned to crap, but this feels more dangerous than justice finding that asshole's purse. Do we think this is because of something he did, or something that happened to him, or what?"
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:27 pm
by GM-Mike
Vantavius nods in acknowledgement to Marus and then answers Dallid. "My wife is traveling with a group that I trust to a location not even I am aware of, so that should something happen to me, hopefully she would remain safe. She knows where I am and will contact me via messenger at some point in the future. Hopefully soon we can be together again."
Then to Serith, "Actually, I was hoping we could send anyone you had available to help defend the scholar and the academy. I believe he is in grave danger if he has any of the information I hope he has. This is information people would be wanting to get their hands on. His name is Professor Lawton. I fear I don't know his first name. I know little in fact about him save that he is supposed to be...odd...eccentric. Perhaps difficult in the way most geniuses are."
And then to Korrigan: "That is precisely the information I am curious to learn as well, precisely what others would want to know. Is he more powerful or less and if he is less, is this an opportunity for someone else to rise up. If he is more, what needs to be done to protect ourselves? I think the sooner we can get this information, the sooner we can protect this man the better."
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:31 pm
by Marcus
I volunteer to go to this man's defense. I am no scholar, but I swore an oath upon my honor to defend all those who justly deserve it, and this man's case seems more than worthy-unless or until any circumstances should prove otherwise.
And eccentricities don't scare me. I once helped in the defense of a holding that was led by a man who -and I have good knowledge of this- wore a slip under his armoring gambeson, and at times a corset in private. *he shrugs* He took good care of his people, though.
Marcus looks at Korrigan as he swipes a mug from the tray and quaffs it.
Korrigan, is there any help I can provide outside? Like I said at the keep, I was never more than a blacksmith's bellows boy in the fishing village, but I assure you I can haul lumber with the best of them.
As for Corbyn, I know nothing of him other than the Night of the Burning Skulls, and I have to tell you, as one of the many 'peasant folk' that were affected so collaterally that night, many would hold the other "Heroes" from that night as accountable as him for the events that followed. Though that is, as they say, history.
It's always possible someone has put some sort of ruinous curse upon everything associated with him.
As for you Vantavius, you look like five miles of bad road, and could use a good rest. If you don't mind?
Marcus reaches over the table and gently lays a hand on Vantavius' arm and closes his eyes. His hand seems to gain a faint blue aura that spreads to the other man's sleeve both up and down his arm. He keeps his hand there for several moments, and hopefully the other man gains some color and begin to looks less weary, and then he lets go.
"....There. That ought to do you wonders, though you should get at least one good night's sleep and some food along with it to get back your energy.
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:43 am
by Dallid
Dallid closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. After a moment, he again addresses Vantavius.
“It is good she is safe and hidden. There are few things in this world that could frighten Corbyn. Perhaps he sensed the taint taking hold on the necklace. But there is also the possibility that your wife is more than you know. What, may I ask, is her name?”
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:13 pm
by Smitty19
*Serith nods in acknowledgment to Dallid's question and listens intently for the answer
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 3:24 pm
by Torakhan
Quen walked in from outdoors, kicking snow from his boots and pulled back his cloak.
"Korrigan. We're gonna need more nails made. I'm grabbing more steel and I'll be in the back..." He noticed all of the folks around the new guy and eyed him and the blackened jewelry. "Is that the thing that caused the Keep to do what it did? If so, shit, why'd you guys bring it in here? You tryin' to kill me or something?" He thumped his heavy walking stick.
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:40 pm
by Marcus
"No, this necklace didn't do the deed, as far as we know, anyway. It actually might be a lead towards who did it, seeing as it was affected at the same time as the keep, but in a totally different place.
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:08 pm
by Torakhan
Quen didn't get any closer to it. In fact, he looked displeased it was even in the building.
"... anyone tried to cleanse it yet? Anything anyone does to it should be done at least a good half mile from this place just in case you activate it and make it do what ever happened to the Keep."