The Fall From Grace

[DeletedUser]

Oren
The Warden took the weapons and the pair searched through the armoury, looking for matching weapons.
However after a while of searching, they still had not found anything that matched, or any weapon that was out of place.

(OOC: Haven't for anything for Sir Krane and Daniel right now, since it's your decision what to do with the box and book.

 

[DeletedUser13682]

Daniel looked at the book, then at Krane. He really wanted to know what was in the book, but if he destroyed it trying to get in, his standing with Raerrith might become a lot lower than it already was, and that was something that Daniel did not need. "You're right," Daniel said, while slipping the poignard back into its sheath. "Let's report what we found." Daniel walked over to Raerrith. "High Inquisitor, we found some things of interest. I found a strange book with a keyholess lock."

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Oren swore, what had possibly been a good lead (and a chance to get some more daggers) had been futile. He took a sample dagger, sword and crossbow to get examined later. Then he decided he had seen all he had needed to see, this was a futile lead, the room revealed nothing to them without the help of Dist. With a sigh he turned to the Warden and said "I am going to ride back and get a magician to see if he can translate the runes. I want you to hold the perimeter and not to touch the mansion until I return." He waited for a reply.

 

[DeletedUser]

Oren
"Yes my lord." Bowed the Warden. "Although, what would you have me do with the bodies?"

Raerrith
"High Inquisitor, we found some things of interest. I found a strange book with a keyholess lock."
Raerrith examined the book with interest, his fascination dulling the pain in his shoulder.
His eyes flicked to the box held by Sir Krane. "And a box? Have you tried opening that?"

 

[DeletedUser]

"And a box? Have you tried opening that?" Asked Raerrith.
'I thought it best not to Sir. In case there was something I would damage or contaminate.' Krane waited, trying to judge Raerrith's reaction to his reason. He felt it was a sound logic but the High Inquisitor might not agree.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

"Dismount them and find somewhere to store them, the ones in the hidden room you need to leave though." Oren finished and mounted his horse, nodding at the Warden he spurred Thunderflash on and he rode out of the castle, urging Thunderflash into his full speed with Crux not slowing them down.

 

[DeletedUser]

Raerrith

The High Inquisitor nodded. "Go to the castle locksmith, get him to examine them both, he might work out if there's a booby trap or not."
Raerrith stood up, his shoulder had been attended to, and he was now ready. "I'll go with Sir Krane, Daniel, go and get The Scourge, find out how she's doing on Rothaw and our two new prisoners."

 

[DeletedUser]

Sir Krane bowed and taking the book from Daniel, turned to follow the High Inquisitor as he lead the way to the locksmith.

He was trying his best not to think of what the scourge might be doing with the man he had captured and he felt a pang of guilt for being part of what had brought such a thing onto the prisoner. The guilt did not last long however. The man was a traitor and the Scourge was loyal to the King. That itself was enough to steady Sir Krane's resolve on the matter.

When they did eventually reach the Locksmith's chambers, Sir Krane stepped aside to allow Raerrith to pass first. Sir Krane had drunk with the Locksmith before and even trained the man's son but their relationship was informal and this demanded profesionalism so Krane defered to Raerrith's superior rank.

 

[DeletedUser]

(OOC: Zemmy there’s nothing for me to write for Oren right now, so have him arrive back at the castle after a fair long ride, just remember that it’s a fair large country, and your horse can’t travel at lightspeed. )

Raerrith
Before making for the locksmith, Raerrith ordered one of the guards to find Shyther, he must have finished his search of Rothaw’s quarters by now, and he needed to be filled in on the development.
The High Inquisitor walked with Sir Krane down to the castle locksmith’s room.
Krane knocked on the door.
“I’ comin’ I’m comin!” Came a slurred, yet angry voice from the other side of the door.
They could hear the jangle of keys alongside muttered curses as the locksmith fumbled for the key.
Eventually the door was opened, revealing a fifty-something diminutive man with a thick grey-brown beard wearing peasant’s clothes, his eyes were bloodshot, his face covered with wrinkles, countless keys hung off his belt.
His right hand was propped against the door, whilst in his left he carried a bottle of ale.
“Hardeng-“ Raerrith began.
‘High Inquisitor!” The locksmith blurted out, fear evident in his eyes. “I-I-I I didn’t know you was comin’ down to my workshop, I been workin’ hard honest-” He exclaimed as he tried to hide the ale bottle behind his back.
“Shut it.” Raerrith said, abruptly Hardeng stopped. “Sir Krane show Hardeng here what you found.”

Daniel
As Daniel prepared to make his way down to the deepest dungeons of the castle to talk to The Scourge, out of the corner of his eye he saw Leo, breathlessly running down the corridor to meet him.
“Daniel!” He called out, as he reached the Inquisitor.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

(OOC: How about about half an hour later than the current events this happens, I'll keep Oren out of the way for now.)

Oren arrived and the courtyard was deserted. He dismounted and handed Thunderflash to a stable hand. Then with all the weaponry he strode out of the courtyard and off towards were Erh'dra was based. It was time to see if the blacksmith could make any links between the weapons and possibly shed some light on this mystery. Once he knew what he needed then he would report to Raerrith.

 

[DeletedUser]

Sir Krane gave the locksmith a chance to compose himself by taking slightly longer to retrieve the book and box than was strictly necessary. He didn’t leave it too long in case it became obvious what he was doing but he left it long enough. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself or have the old locksmith think he was being pitied.

When he did produce the items, he presented the book first and waited for Hardeng to examine it before offering the box. Krane watched the man’s face carefully as he examined each one. The locksmith knew his craft but he had been caught unawares and did not look like he was up to his normal form. If Hardeng showed any signs that he was uncertain, Krane would not risk the evidence being damaged. He knew it would cause problems for the locksmith as well as himself but the investigation was more important.

 

[DeletedUser]

(OOC: Yeah, that’s fine Zemmy.)

Raerrith
Hardeng took hold of the book with his left hand, and began to squint at the place where the lock should be.
“Well this is interestin’.” He muttered, turning, he moved back into his workshop.
Raerrith followed behind him, motioning to Sir Krane to follow.
Inside was a small, ale-bottle strewn bed, as well as a large trestle table creaking under the weight of countless locks, keys and instruments placed upon the scratched and worn wooden surface.
Hardeng sat down on a well-worn stool next to the table, and began to examine it closely.
He looked up as Sir Krane offered the small box, Hardeng took it and placed it next to the book.
“So? What is it? And how do we open them?” Raerrith anxiously asked.
“You’ll have to wait a short while.” Replied the locksmith, as he picked up a small tool and began to poke at the metal clasp on the book, especially around the space where the lock should be.
“Ya see, some people make them with false fronts and the keyholes hidden beneath the fronts.” He explained.
A few minutes passed as he probed the clasp. Eventually he stopped. “Dunno how to open that.” He muttered, turning away from the book, be began to examine the box.
“This is far more usual.” Hardeng said aloud as he began to probe the lock on the front.
He examined it for a few moments before turning to the High Inquisitor. “Do ye want me to pick the lock?”
“Go ahead.”
The locksmith nodded, picking up a small set of lockpicks, he hunkered down to the box and began to carefully pick the lock.
A slow but steady series of clicks emanated from the lock as Hardeng worked his magic.
His face was that of pure concentration as he grew closer to making the final move that would unlock the box.
The locksmith sighed in relief; “Almost there Hi-“
Suddenly his sentence was cut short as a small dart sprung out of the lock, embedding itself in Hardeng’s left eye.
The locksmith screamed and fell backwards off the stool, clutching at the tiny dart that protruded from his eyeball.
Hardeng’s body unexpectedly began to convulse violently.
“The dart’s poisonous!” Raerrith shouted desperately. “DO SOMETHING!” He yelled.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Oren arrived in the shop and opened the door. He stepped inside and glanced around. Not seeing Erh'dra he called out "Erh'dra, where are you? I've got some more stuff for you to examine. This could help us solve the case quicker, leading you to get the dagger quicker."

 

[DeletedUser]

Oren
"Erh'dra, where are you? I've got some more stuff for you to examine. This could help us solve the case quicker, leading you to get the dagger quicker."
A clattering came from teh back room, and Erh'dra scurried out to meet Oren.
"Really? Let's see it then." He said, weariness evident in his voice, and bags under his eyes.

 

[DeletedUser13682]

Daniel nodded, "Yes, High Inquisitor," and departed, leaving Raerrith and Krane to deal with the locked items. It must be punishment for yesterday, Raerrith making Daniel deal with the Scourge. It wasn't that Daniel was afraid of her, he knew what she could do, and he didn't want to anger her and end up like one of her victims. Still, it was important to find out what she had found out, and, to be frank, Daniel was interested in seeing a reanimated corpse. There were stories about them from naval explorers but they were just stories.

While Daniel was thinking about these things, he was interrupted by someone calling out his name. Looking behind him, he saw that it was Leo. "Leo, you look like you got something important. What's wrong?"

 

[DeletedUser]

As the Locksmith hit the ground and convulsed Krane froze. He had no clue where to begin. Venom could be sucked out of a wound but this was the guys eye. With no real medical knowledge, he dove from the room calling for help.

'Fetch the physician! Now!'

Once he was satisfied that a guard was on his way for aid, he did the only thing he knew. He forced a strip of leather between the mans teeth so he wouldn't bite his tongue off and tried to hold him still.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Oren produce the swords he taken from the assassin and from the armoury as well as the dagger he'd taken from the armoury. "So can you draw any more links between the original dagger, and these two" he said indicating the sword and dagger from the armoury. When he was done he decided it might be worth taking the daggers from Vorashti's body.

 

[DeletedUser]

Raerrith
As Sir Krane tried to hold down Hardeng, the locksmith began to convulse even more violently, his arms thrashing, blood began to emerge from every orifice on his body, eyes, nose, mouth, even from under his fingernails.
“PHYSICIAN, FASTER!” Raerrith yelled out of the door.

Daniel
"Leo, you look like you got something important. What's wrong?"
“It’s Briccone…” Leo panted. “He’s deserted us!”
As he regained his breath, he began to speak more clearly. “We went out into the town, he sent me off to talk to some ‘contacts’ who didn’t even exist, whilst I was on a wild goose chase he lifted some gold and legged it out of the city, he left this note.” Leo passed the note Briccone had left behind to Daniel.
Once Daniel had read it. Leo spoke again. “So, what’s been going on?”

Oren
Erh’dra took the proffered items and began to examine them, he turned the blades over and inspected the other sides.
After a few moments, he looked up. "Interesting, the dagger you showed me yesterday was elegant, from the Eastern kingdoms, and made by a very skilled smith. These are not, they are crude, and probably from the Western kingdoms. They are the complete opposites.” The weapons merchant said confusedly.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

"Two of them I took from an assassin's armoury. The second sword I showed you I took of the body of a dead assassin. Is there nothing else you can tell me? I know where I might find some more weapons to show you and see if you can draw any more links." Oren had listened puzzled, he had thought that at least the assassin's blade would come from the east. He had spoken softly and calmly and knew that he could pick up Vorashti's blades and bring them back to Erh'dra, if he set off at a jog, within ten minutes.

 

[DeletedUser]

'God Damn It!' Krane yelled as the locksmith began pouring blood. 'Hardeng,' he said as he held the man's head and looked into his good eye, 'hold on you old goat. Just hold on. Live and I will buy you all the ale you want.'

Krane doubted that the man would survive but he wouldn't give up hope yet. At the back of his mind though he thought about how he would break the news to his son.