O brave new world, that has such people in't!

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The man takes the letter and quickly scans it, mostly just looking at the seal and the signature, before handing it back. "All right," he says pleasantly, "The Glossop house is...," and proceeds to provide directions. Having done so, he steps out of the way and lets the adventurers by. As they walk away, Penelope hears his partner say to the watchman, "Second bunch this week. No idea what's going on there, but I hear the dwarves never made it back."

When the group arrives at the address in the letter, they find it to be a huge mansion, though perhaps ruin is a better word. The building and its high wall (which has spikes and barbed wire at the top) were presumably once beautiful, but now consist of peeling paint which reveals old and crumbling bricks below. Some of the windows have been walled up, and of those that remain, all the lower are rustily barred. There is a large, unkempt garden in the front, and what looks like an even larger one in the back. The gate, which is heavily barred, has a small guardhouse near it where three armed guards are playing cards. It almost looks like a fortress,
albeit a crumbling one.

The guards, all of whom are women, walk over when the group attracts their attention, and after reading the letter carefully, they let the group in and escort them to the front door. There they ring a bell, and after a few moments, it is opened by a young woman. It’s hard to say how old she is, since it might be anywhere from the late teens to early thirties. She studies the adventurers coldly and, when told who they are, says curtly, “Come in. Wipe your shoes on the mat,” and lets them in. The guards remain outside. The hall beyond is dark and dusty, and she picks up a lighted candlestick sitting on a table and leads the way to a huge staircase which leads upwards.

As they proceed up the stairs and through a number of passages, the League members see that almost all the rooms are dark and seem to have seen little, if any, use for ages. All windows are curtained or, in some cases, nailed shut. Objects, some broken or falling apart, are strewn everywhere and dust and cobwebs cover most of it. The group’s guide neither speaks nor pays any attention to the chambers, leading them along till she reaches a large set of double doors. “Go in!” she says peremptorily, and strides away, taking the light with her and leaving the group in darkness except for the sliver of light spilling out from beneath the doors.

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Odanais knocks gently at the doors and then opens them.

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Realizing that he's out of his depth, Yatagan hangs back and stays uncharacteristically silent. For now.

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A harsh voice says, "Enter," as Odanais knocks, and when he opens the door it reveals a large room. This one is well lit too, with wax candles, and with not a glimpse of daylight to be seen. It is apparently a dressing–room, from all the furniture in it, all of it very antiquated in style. A table with a large looking glass stands against the far wall, a cloth draped the glass. In an armchair next to it, with an elbow resting on the table and her head leaning on that hand, sits the source of the voice.

The woman in the chair is dressed in rich materials—satins, and lace, and silks— all of it coal black. Even her shoes are black, and a long veil of the same sable color adorns her white hair, within which black flowers are wreathed. The only accoutrements which break the monotony are bright jewels which sparkle on her neck and fingers, others lying on the table near her, heaped with clothing of various kinds, also all black. More such clothing and jewelry and shoes are visible in the half-packed trunks which lie around the room.

As with the younger woman who led the League up here, it's difficult to say what her age is. She is clearly old, but could be anywhere from sixty to over a hundred, going by the wrinkled parchment skin which is stretched thin over her bones like a mummy's. The voice too seems dusty and old, but there is also a harsh strength to it.

"Well? Come in! Sit down!" she says roughly, before coughing violently, as she gestures to the furniture in the room. The cough seems to clear her throat and when she recovers her voice is less raspy. "You must be the mercenaries," she says. "I am Clarissa Glossop." Then she pauses and clasps both hands to the left side of her shrunken chest. "Do you see this? This is my heart! And it is broken!" She pauses, as if waiting for some response, and then says, "Well - what do you think?"

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"I do," says Odanais, as fingers tighten into fists. "Oh, I do see it. For, my lady, I know all too well the wreckage left behind when one loses the object of their love. The lightning strike pain in the chest, the weary, sleepless longings, the self-destructive thoughts that grow darker and more violent by the day... the tawdry parade of magically-adjusted street prostitutes who only make you sickly aware of how that hole inside you will never be filled again! Oh, I see it so clearly..."

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"The rich are different from you and me" says Yatagan under his breath.

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gridley wrote:: "I do," says Odanais, as fingers tighten into fists. "Oh, I do see it. For, my lady, I know all too well the wreckage left behind when one loses the object of their love. The lightning strike pain in the chest, the weary, sleepless longings, the self-destructive thoughts that grow darker and more violent by the day... the tawdry parade of magically-adjusted street prostitutes who only make you sickly aware of how that hole inside you will never be filled again! Oh, I see it so clearly..."

OOC: Oh, that's beautiful! And here's a question - how disguised/changed (or not) is Odanais from when he used to live in the Sway? I'm just wondering what the chances of him being recognized are, so I thought I'd check how you saw him.

And back to IC:

Clarissa, luckily, seems to focus more on the sentiment than the content of Odanais' words (or perhaps she's very comfortable with magically-adjusted street prostitutes). She nods her head vigorously, "Yes! Yes! I see you understand!" She smiles sadly and continues, "This is the cause of my sorrow..."

"My ward, Pit, is lost. I fear that he is dead, but I need to know for certain. And if he is, he needs to be brought back from the Other Side. He must be!" The gnarled hands slam against the armchair's arms in emphasis and then one clawlike hand lifts to point at a window, which is of course curtained. "Pit was playing in the garden there when the ground opened up below him and the poor child tumbled in. When Star, my other ward, found the place, there was only a giant hole and no sign of Pit. And, I am told, a foul stench, if it matters. I sent one of my guards down there to bring him back and she never returned."

"I then hired a band of dwarves to go down there, since dwarves are good underground, I am told. The incompetent fools did not return either!" Clarissa scowls and continues, "And so I come to you. I wish to hire you to investigate that place and find Pit. And if he is dead, then I wish you to return him to me from Hereafter. I have already contacted a skilled medium who claims that he has located Pit in the Hereafter and can return him, but I do not trust him." Her gaze focuses on Vox. "One of your people. Splendid Robert. He asks exorbitant fees and I ... think he seeks to fleece me."

Her gaze shifts to encompass the entire group. "Money is not an issue here. Results are. I care not what your methods are. Investigate the hole. Go to the Hereafter. Do what you will. I shall have Pit back. I must have Pit back!" She falls silent, her gaze unfocusing, one hand stroking her own cheek gently.

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OOC: Pit? Oh, you son of a bitch...I thought that I recognized this place from the description.

Vox scowls. "Splendid Robert? Madam, I strongly advise you not to trust that fellow in any way, shape, or form -- he's not without talent, but slapdash, and huckle-muckle in his worksmanship."

"He's a jerk," Vox clarifies after a moment of resounding silence. "And utterly unprincipaled to boot. I, on the other hand, am a registered agent of the Eternal Beauracracy, and I can assure you that we can resolve this matter without undue difficulty."

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Rolzup wrote:: OOC: Pit? Oh, you son of a bitch...I thought that I recognized this place from the description.

I thought someone might. And Pit seemed appropriate, since he, well, fell into one.

Quote :: Vox scowls. "Splendid Robert? Madam, I strongly advise you not to trust that fellow in any way, shape, or form -- he's not without talent, but slapdash, and huckle-muckle in his worksmanship."

"He's a jerk," Vox clarifies after a moment of resounding silence. "And utterly unprincipaled to boot. I, on the other hand, am a registered agent of the Eternal Beauracracy, and I can assure you that we can resolve this matter without undue difficulty."

"Oh." The old lady studies Vox intently, with a calculating expression, and then says, "Thank you for the advice. And in that case, be about your business. Let me know if you need anything more. If you need information about the hole, talk to the guards. Or Star. And if you could fill it in after you're done with it, that would be good too."

Clarissa leans back, as if dismissing the group, and then suddenly sits up again, focusing on Penelope. "You. Let me see your face." There's a pause and she adds, "Dear." The word is more a statement than an endearment.

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Taking advantage of the relative quiet afforded by the fact he isn't talking, Yatagan pays careful attention to Madam Glossop, trying to discern any signs of deceit or moral turpitude.

(Aside from the fact she decorates like a vampire.)

Insight: 5+2+2+20 = 29

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The member 'Mallus' has done the following action : Dice Roller

'd20' : 20

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Penelope feels that Clarissa's estate is unsettling. When the old woman starts talking about Pit, her uneasiness becomes heightened. Maybe we should have accused her of pederasty, she thinks. Ah, damnit. I really hate kids...

Quote :: Clarissa leans back, as if dismissing the group, and then suddenly sits up again, focusing on Penelope. "You. Let me see your face." There's a pause and she adds, "Dear." The word is more a statement than an endearment.

The archer, who was only moments before quite happy to be leaving, is startled by the request. She contemplates telling Clarissa to fuck off and that her appearance is irrelevant to the retrieval of her "charge," but ultimately decides to not cause a fight.

Though the act of removing her hood seems like a dramatic moment for Penelope, it's an utterly mundane thing. She's a rather average looking woman with dark hair and slightly mannish features, the latter quality being something that is at least partially noticeable with the hood on.

Posts : 1078 Join date : 2008-08-21

Mallus wrote:: Taking advantage of the relative quiet afforded by the fact he isn't talking, Yatagan pay careful attention to Madam Glossop, trying to discern any signs of deceit or moral turpitude.

(Aside from the fact she decorates like a vampire.)

Insight: 5+2+2+20 = 29

OOC: Damn, nice roll!

IC: Yatagan studies the old lady carefully and he's fairly certain that her grief is completely genuine, and he detects no sign that she is lying or hiding anything. He's also certain that she's a lot more aware of what's going on than is evident at first glance. Even though he's not an expert on human sexuality, he's fairly certain there's nothing sexual in her desire for Pit to be returned.

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Penelope wrote:: Though the act of removing her hood seems like a dramatic moment for Penelope, it's an utterly mundane thing. She's a rather average looking woman with dark hair and slightly mannish features, the latter quality being something that is at least partially noticeable with the hood on.

Clarissa Glossop studies Penelope's face carefully, as if searching for something, and then smiles slightly, with a strange mixture of disappointment and satisfaction. She leans back in the armchair and says, "Thank you, dear. I see why you wear a hood. Men," and her eyes studiously don't look at the people around Penelope, "Are not to be trusted. Break them, if you can, and preferably their hearts." She reaches, without looking, to the table beside her, picks up the first thing she finds, and tosses it to Penelope.

"That might help. Consider it a first payment." The object is a deep blue gem on a thin gold chain. It must be worth a few hundred gold coins, at least. Clarissa doesn't seem interested in what Penelope does with it, closing her eyes and pulling a bellpull near her. A few moments later, the girl with the candle opens the door. Clarissa, eyes still closed, says, "See these people out, Star. And answer any questions they might have."

The girl grimaces but nods and steps out of the way, indicating to the group that they should follow her.

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shilsen wrote:: OOC: Oh, that's beautiful! And here's a question - how disguised/changed (or not) is Odanais from when he used to live in the Sway? I'm just wondering what the chances of him being recognized are, so I thought I'd check how you saw him.

His style of dress is growing less dandy by the month, his countenance gloomier, his hair less styled, his long sideburns a bit more unruly, and his patience for etiquette and other social graces now spotty at best. I suspect that anyone who bothered to study his face would recognize him fairly easily and recall the Dare family tragedy ("That poor girl, taken by pirates!"), but that in his current, less posh state, most fine residents of the Sway wouldn't really give him a second glance, probably assuming that he was just someone's coachman or courier.

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shilsen wrote:: The girl grimaces but nods and steps out of the way, indicating to the group that they should follow her.

Odanais walks close by Star's side, allowing his arm to brush against hers, attempting to gauge how startled or uncomfortable it makes her [Insight 5+10=15], "Don't worry, my dear, I assure your that we have great expectations of finding your friend Pit and will not rest until we do. Can you tell us anything about the boy himself? It may give us greater understanding of where to follow him once we're inside."

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The member 'gridley' has done the following action : Dice Roller

'd20' : 5

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shilsen wrote:: Yatagan studies the old lady carefully and he's fairly certain that her grief is completely genuine, and he detects no sign that she is lying or hiding anything.

As he turns to leave, Yatagan looks directly at Madam Glossop, "Your grief has touched my poet's soul, as the loss of a prized possession has roused the Dragon Within my breast. We shall go at once and return your beloved Pit from the pit which unjustly devoured him". The Dragonborn can't help but look a little pleased with himself at the cadence of his last sentence.

Seeing that Mr. Dare is already engaged with Star, Yatagan again chooses to keep his dragon's trap shut and merely observe.

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Insight: 5+2+2+20 = 29

OOC: damn, at this rate, I won't be able to hit a thing the next time we get into a fight...

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The member 'Mallus' has done the following action : Dice Roller

'd20' : 20

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Mallus wrote:: As he turns to leave, Yatagan looks directly at Madam Glossop, "Your grief has touched my poet's soul, as the loss of a prized possession has roused the Dragon Within my breast. We shall go at once and return your beloved Pit from the pit which unjustly devoured him". The Dragonborn can't help but look a little pleased with himself at the cadence of his last sentence.

OOC: I'd say your restraint is less than mine, but I did decide that it seems appropriate to drop Pit in one, so I cannot throw stones.

IC: Clarissa Glossop simply nods her head, not opening her eyes, and then returns to sitting in the chair like a particularly badly preserved waxwork.

gridley wrote:: Odanais walks close by Star's side, allowing his arm to brush against hers, attempting to gauge how startled or uncomfortable it makes her [Insight 5+10=15]

Star flinches slightly but her expression doesn't change, and she doesn't step away. Odanais gets the impression that she's a little uncomfortable but trying not to show it.

Quote :: "Don't worry, my dear, I assure your that we have great expectations of finding your friend Pit and will not rest until we do. Can you tell us anything about the boy himself? It may give us greater understanding of where to follow him once we're inside."

"Pit," Star says as she walks, "Is not a boy. He's 30 years old." She glances at Odanais. "Or was, since I'm quite certain he's dead. Probably tried to crawl down that hole to get out of this place and broke his foolish neck." She shrugs, casting a look around. "But who can blame him. Wouldn't you want to get out of this bleak house if you could? Anyway, he's out now, one way or the other." Odanais gets the feeling that Star is quite upset, but hiding it fairly well. Yatagan, listening silently behind them, is certain that it is both anger and frustration at once. And perhaps sorrow, if fairly faint.

She switches the subject, saying, "If you're going down that hole, the guards can get you some rope or other tools. Make sure to give it back when you return. If you return, that is. Five dwarves went in. Well-armed ones too. None of them returned," she finishes, with some evidence of grim satisfaction.

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Mallus wrote:: Insight: 5+2+2+20 = 29

OOC: damn, at this rate, I won't be able to hit a thing the next time we get into a fight...

Edited the info in the post above to account for the roll.

And speaking of fights, considering that we'll be doing this online for another week and a half, plus the four of you posting are all damn fast, I'm very tempted to try having a little physical action on the forums too. Obviously we'd be doing without a mat, but I think it's doable. What do you guys think?

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shilsen wrote:: "Pit," Star says as she walks, "Is not a boy. He's 30 years old." She glances at Odanais. "Or was, since I'm quite certain he's dead. Probably tried to crawl down that hole to get out of this place and broke his foolish neck." She shrugs, casting a look around. "But who can blame him. Wouldn't you want to get out of this bleak house if you could? Anyway, he's out now, one way or the other." Odanais gets the feeling that Star is quite upset, but hiding it fairly well. Yatagan, listening silently behind them, is certain that it is both anger and frustration at once. And perhaps sorrow, if fairly faint.

"But surely, if egress is all he desired, Pit would have left through the front gate," says Odanais, feigning obliviousness to the eccentricity of his surroundings. "I mean... it's not as though you and he are being held against your will?"

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shilsen wrote:: "Pit," Star says as she walks, "Is not a boy. He's 30 years old."

"Bit old for ward, wouldn't you say?" says Yatagan in a friendly, conversational way totally at odds with the surroundings.

Quote :: Wouldn't you want to get out of this bleak house if you could? Anyway, he's out now, one way or the other."

"Why can't you just leave? What, precisely, is the nature of your --and Pit's-- relationship with Madame Glossop?"

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Vox trails along behind the others, listneing with half an ear as he runs his fingers across walls, tables, and other flat surfaces.

"Have there been any deaths here?" he asks abruptly. "The Veil feels somewhat thinner than usual."

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