Episode 53 – Intersections in Real Time
| Locale | An office located somewhere on an island in the Olman Archipelago; the secret home of The Family. |
| Date | 15th Reaping 582 CY |
| Time | Midday |
The room was stifling.
For the past three hours Montlebahn Criss had been shuffling papers. It was a boring but necessary job, vital to the smooth running of the Family. The weary man stood, stretched and worked out the kinks in muscles that had knotted during the day. He stared balefully at the remaining piles of paperwork and cursed the uncomfortable weather. The tropical climate of the Olman Isles was pleasant for much of the year but Reaping was notoriously humid in this region and Montelbahn's small office did nothing to protect him from the oppressive heat. The warm air in the office was thick with moisture and Montlebahn could not even open the window to let in some fresh air lest the room fill with insects. The chamberlain knew there would be no way to work in comfort today.
With a shrug the chamberlain resumed his seat and continued his duties. He took the next sealed missive from one pile and carefully examined the seal. It was a letter that had arrived that morning aboard The Reaper, a whaling ship that sailed from Chathold. Montlebahn cracked the seal and began to read. It was written in one of the many codes used by the Family to record important information. The cipher was instantly familiar to Montlebahn but it was still a tedious task to decode the document. Cursing his ill luck, the chamberlain retrieved a sheet of blank parchment and began to translate the message.
... Being an account of the events surrounding the kidnap of Saradock and the subsequent interrogation of his wards; Azareth, Craven, Creighton and Keldirk. Document prepared on the 14th day of Wealsun, 582 CY...
After completing the first paragraph Montlebahn sat back, shocked. He double checked his translation but could see no obvious errors. A Vesper kidnapped and his wards interrogated. This was no simple status report. Montlebahn stood and made a cool tisane to clear his mind before he sat down and began decoding in earnest.
Hours rolled by before Montlebahn had completed deciphering the lengthy document. He read over his work and shook his head in disbelief. Family matters in the Prelacy of Almor were not going well. So bad, in fact, that Montlebahn reasoned he best deliver the message to the Marque de'Ahb immediately.
The Marque de'Ahb was having another of his bad days. They were coming increasingly more frequent and Montlebahn had grave concerns for the health of his master. The ancient grandfather of assassins had been on the decline for months and the instant Montlebahn entered the audience chamber he knew that his master was unwell.
The hunched form of the Marque de'Ahb coughed feebly as Montlebahn approached the dais. His weakened state was a stark contrast to the once powerful, bright and charismatic man that had presided over The Family for the past one hundred years. Wrapped about the Marque de'Ahb's skeletal shoulders hung the gruesome Vilus Corumdak, the cloak of the Vanquished; a garment made from the sewn faces of The Family's foes. The cloak was as much a state of the Marque's office as an artifact of extreme power.
| Montlebahn | (bows low) Master, I bring ill tidings from the mainland. |
| Marque de'Ahb | (opens his eyes and squints) Ill tidings you say? There has been too much of that of late. |
| Montlebahn | (nods) The Midnight Darkness are a concern but I am confident that we will prevail. As always. |
| Marque de'Ahb | Yes. Yes. (reaches out a bony hand) What have got for me? |
Montlebahn rose, reverently climbed the stairs and handed the Marque de'Ahb both the translated papers and the original documents. The frail man sorted through the sheets before dropping the deciphered papers to the floor. Retrieving a pair of spectacles from somewhere within the voluminous cloak and placing them on the bridge of his nose, the Marque de'Ahb waved his chamblerlain away and began to read.
| The Assassins |
Keldirk - Rogue 5th level NE (PC) Sapphire - Rogue 10th level LE (NPC) |
| Locale | The residence of Saradock, the Del Mord Vesper |
| Date | 11th Wealsun 582 CY |
| Time | Shortly after sundown |
Sapphire sat at the desk opposite Keldirk and arranged her writing materials meticulously before her. She sensed that the young man was anxious to get started but the middle-aged assassin would not be hurried. Once her tools were arrayed precisely, she took a sip of water from her glass and cleared her throat.
| Sapphire | Everything you tell me now will be reported back to our superiors without bias. You requested this official hearing and, as the senior representative of The Family in this region, I will hear your account. You may begin. |
| Keldirk | It's all Craven's fault really. Several months ago Craven contracted a disease after one of his frequent visits to a whore. This was not some ordinary genital condition but something much, much worse. In recent times it has become apparent that Craven was losing his mind. It happened slowly at first but, as time wore on, he became more and more irrational. These episodes invariably led to acts of violence that endangered not only our lives but also the very security of The Family. |
| Sapphire | That is a serious charge, Keldirk, I hope you have the evidence to back it up. |
| Keldirk | Just shut up and listen. |
| Sapphire | (nods her head imperceptibly and waits for Keldirk to continue) |
| Keldirk | So, slowly but surely, I came to the conclusion that Craven had contracted some vampirical virus. I don't know the details but suffice it to say that whatever it was drove him to commit acts that sane members of The Family would be loathe to consider. |
| Sapphire | Refrain from making value judgments and contain yourself to the facts. I am only interested in the events surrounding your Vesper's kidnapping. |
| Keldirk | Very well. All I wanted to do was set the scene. You have to understand that Craven was not himself. He was - is a monster, the others will tell you that. The reason we weren't in town when Vesper was taken was because Craven had savagely, and without provocation, attacked and almost killed the mage. The mage's delicate condition did not allow a quick return to Del Mord and we were forced to wait weeks for him to heal. And when the mage could finally walk Craven demanded that we travel by night, further delaying our return. |
| Sapphire | Traveling by night? |
| Keldirk | I told you. Not only does Craven act like a vampire but he believes he is one! He flat out refused our offers of assistance and denied our requests to travel by day. |
| Sapphire | Why did you listen? |
| Keldirk | (smiles inwardly) Because Craven was elected our leader and you and I both know that we must obey our superiors. |
| Sapphire | (nods) I see. |
| Keldirk | And, as our leader, Craven should take the blame for the tragedy. |
| Sapphire | That is not for you or I to decide. Let's remain focused. What happened upon your return to the city? |
| Keldirk | We arrived back much later than expected only to discover that Vesper had been abducted. |
| Sapphire | I take it from that comment that you believe you could've prevented Saradock's capture had you been in town? |
| Keldirk | I'm sure of it. We would've had more time to prepare our rescue or raise the funds for the ransom. |
| Sapphire | Let's hurry this along a bit. Describe the rescue attempt. |
| Keldirk | We didn't have a lot of time. Let me make that perfectly clear. I spent the next day checking out the place where the ransom was to be paid and making a few discreet inquiries. All in all it was a waste of a day. The kidnappers were good, real good. Not that we knew it at the time but the warehouse I checked out was not the place where they were holding Vesper. Once the mage arrived to make the drop he was approached by a beggar and directed to a warehouse further down the street. |
| Sapphire | Just a minute. You mentioned that you made a few inquiries. What were they and whom did you make them with? |
| Keldirk | I have an information merchant in my back pocket who does good work for me every now and again. I approached him to find out whether he knew anything about Saradock's abduction. He had mentioned these kidnappers on previous occasions and I'd hoped that he could shed some more light on the situation. He couldn't. |
| Sapphire | I see. Go on. Tell me what happened once Azareth went to the second warehouse. |
| Keldirk | The mage had transformed himself into the likeness of Vesper's manservant, Caruthers. Our plan was for him to approach the warehouse alone. The rest of us were positioned in various places around the warehouse and, when the beggar told him to proceed to the second warehouse, we had to adjust to the situation. I didn't have time to case out the place before the mage knocked on the door but, thankfully, one warehouse down there is pretty much the same as the next one. |
| Sapphire | Describe the area for me. |
| Keldirk | The warehouse had big cart-sized double doors that opened on to the street and there was an office door down the alley on one side of the building. The eastern wall of the warehouse was shared with an adjoining warehouse, and the rear of the place was empty save several piles of empty crates and one or two barrels. |
| Sapphire | Which door did Azareth approach? |
| Keldirk | The beggar told him explicitly to go to the front doors, which he did. |
| Sapphire | And where were the rest of you at this time? |
| Keldirk | Creighton and I were across the street watching Azareth. I don't know where Craven was. As usual he refused to tell us what he was doing. (pauses for effect) I know now, of course. |
| Sapphire | And? What was he doing? |
| Keldirk | He was summoning rats, hundreds of the little bastards. Dogs, too, about a half dozen of the thin, mangy useless mutts. |
| Sapphire | (raises an eyebrow and scribbles a few notes on the parchment) |
| Keldirk | Next thing I knew the front doors had opened and the mage moved in a few feet. We watched and waited for his signal but it never came. (shakes his head) You see Craven had decided that he couldn't wait and he and his damned vermin entered the warehouse from the side door, making one hell of a racket. Whoever the mage was talking to obviously got spooked and combat began. Creighton and me sprinted across the road but we were too late to save the mage from the opening flurry of attacks. It was a bloody joke. Azareth was knocked on his arse and two warriors immediately engaged Creighton. I managed to slip by and enter the warehouse. The kidnappers had Vesper up in the loft, a thin cord wrapped around his neck. All they had to do was give him a gentle shove and he'd hang. But, due to Craven's recklessness we didn't find this out in time to plan an effective strategy. All we could do was go toe-to-toe with a bunch of guys who had set themselves up pretty well. |
| Sapphire | How many protagonists were there? |
| Keldirk | Six. (scratches his chin) Well, that's not entirely true. We didn't know it at the time but the two fighters at the front doors were illusions. As I said, they engaged Creighton from the outset and kept him occupied for the duration of the fray. The mage was as useless as ever and I had to rush in and attempt a rescue. But by then it was already too late. The damage had already been done. Instead of going directly to Vesper's aid, Craven went out of his way to kill two of the kidnappers. |
| Sapphire | What did you do? |
| Keldirk | I worked my way forward as fast as I could. I could see that Vesper was hanging by his neck and I figured that if I could cut the rope then he might have a chance. (shakes his head) But I couldn't get there. Craven's bloody animals surrounded the area under the loft and as I soon as I approached they began to attack me. I couldn't do anything but retreat. I yelled repeatedly for Craven to call them away but he was in one of his maddened states. Ask the others, when he fights he goes crazy and refuses to listen to reason. |
| Sapphire | So you couldn't reach Vesper and had to back away, what then? |
| Keldirk | I tried to climb some crates to reach the loft but I was attacked by a swordsman who emerged from the shadows. Two of the kidnappers managed to escape. Creighton, me and the mage all sported serious injuries and, truth be told, we were lucky to escape with our lives. |
| Sapphire | Creighton was physically injured? I thought he was only fighting illusions. |
| Keldirk | He was, but there was a mage controlling them and when the fight was almost over he blasted Creighton with some pretty serious magic. |
| Sapphire | (nods) What did Craven do once the two kidnappers escaped and the fighting was over? |
| Keldirk | After I cut Saradock down I saw Craven drinking the blood of one of the fallen kidnappers. He's disgusting. |
| Sapphire | (shocked) Craven was drinking the blood of one of his victims? Are you sure? |
| Keldirk | Absolutely. And it's not the first time he's done it, either. Just ask the others. You'll see. |
| Sapphire | Is there anything else you'd like to add? |
| Keldirk | Just that Vesper's death can be directly attributed to Craven's preemptive attack. I am sure that if he had waited for the signal like he was supposed to, our Vesper would still be alive today. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever. |
| Sapphire | Thank you, Keldirk. |
| The Assassins |
Azareth - Wizard 4th Level LE (PC) Sapphire - Thief 10th level LE (NPC) |
| Locale | The residence of Saradock, the Del Mord Vesper |
| Date | 12th Wealsun 582 CY |
| Time | mid morning |
Azareth eyed Sapphire cautiously as the attractive senior assassin prepared her quills and parchments for the impending interview. He knew that this was not the kind of scrutiny the four of them needed right now, but in light of what had transpired he understood the necessity.
| Sapphire | Thank you for your punctuality. |
| Azareth | Naturally. |
| Sapphire | Do you know why you're here today? |
| Azareth | I do. You want my account on the events leading up to the untimely demise of Saradock, our Vesper. |
| Sapphire | (nods and dips her quill in the inkwell) You may proceed. |
| Azareth | Where would you like me to start? |
| Sapphire | Perhaps you could tell me a little about your relationship with the others. How have things been of late? |
| Azareth | To be honest things have not been going too well. There is a palpable tension between Keldirk and Craven that borders on hatred. I have tried my best to keep the group together but Craven's sickness makes things very awkward. |
| Sapphire | Yes, Craven's sickness. Tell me about it. |
| Azareth | I am of the opinion that Craven is metamorphosing into a vampire or, at least, a vampire-like entity. He displays many of the classic symptoms; a fear of water, a strong aversion to sunlight, a taste for human blood and episodes of unrestrained violence. He is, at times, irrational and reckless - so much so that I feel he may become a liability to our success here. |
| Sapphire | I see. |
| Azareth | No, wait. Do not misunderstand me. I have been conducting research into his affliction these past few days and it is my considered opinion that there is still hope. The fact that he has not yet succumbed is a testament to his strength of will and loyalty to the family. |
| Sapphire | Hmm. Have you discovered a cure? |
| Azareth | Not yet, no, but I am well on the way. Of that I am certain. Craven's transformation is not complete and while he does not return to Natasha's side there is hope. |
| Sapphire | That raises an interesting question. Does Craven want salvation? Does he welcome your help or would he prefer you to leave him alone. |
| Azareth | It is a day by day battle, I am afraid. His resolve is tested daily but he has exhibited strong signs that he wants our help. He has literally begged for help several times. Creighton brings him fresh chickens' blood each evening and that seems to quench his thirst. Make no mistake, Lady Sapphire; Craven wants nothing else than to be free of this curse. He has willingly surrendered his weapons and allowed us to bind his hands and feet to his bed and, I believe, that is an act of someone who is crying out for help. Vesper's death, tragic as it was, has paradoxically strengthened Craven's bonds to the family and his resolve to be cured. |
| Sapphire | Tell me of the night of Vesper's death. |
| Azareth | Things were progressing smoothly enough, given the lack of time to prepare. I was magically disguised to resemble Saradock's manservant Caruthers and upon my approach to the warehouse doors all was in readiness. Craven was at the rear of the building and Keldirk and Creighton were across the street awaiting my signal. That was when the kidnappers pulled their surprise move. I blame myself really; I should have anticipated this. When I reached the doors a man dressed as a beggar directed me to another warehouse further down the street. |
| Sapphire | You say dressed as a beggar, you don't believe the man was actually a beggar. |
| Azareth | I do not. The information he was to deliver was crucial to the success of the kidnappers plan, I doubt they would entrust such a critical task to a common beggar. That coupled with the fact that the man's grime was too well placed has, in hindsight, led me to conclude that this man was in fact one of the kidnappers disguised as a beggar. |
| Sapphire | I see, go on. |
| Azareth | I had no choice but to follow the man's instructions and proceeded to the next location. I knocked on the main doors as instructed and waited. The doors opened and two burly warriors confronted me as well as a lithe, oily-faced man dressed in leather armour. As we discussed the terms of the exchange I attempted to peer further into the warehouse to better gauge their defences and ascertain Saradock's location. It was then that Craven entered through the rear door and the combat was joined. I sent a volley of magic missiles into the lithe man just as Creighton and Keldirk arrived from across the street. |
| Sapphire | Do you know how many kidnappers there were? |
| Azareth | At least four. One spellcaster, the lithe man and two fighter types. As it turned out the two burly men nearest the front doors were merely illusions and Creighton's time was wasted combating these. In retrospect, I suppose, I should have recognized the phantasms for what they were. (runs his hands through his hair) Keldirk rushed past me and I fought the lithe man with my knives before he disengaged and retreated into the warehouse. |
| Sapphire | What of the spellcaster? |
| Azareth | He remained hidden throughout the melee. |
| Sapphire | What do you suppose he was doing? |
| Azareth | Maintaining his concentration on the two phantasmal warriors no doubt. Once Craven had killed the two men guarding Vesper, the enemy mage blasted Creighton with a lightning bolt and a few magic missles before invoking a wall of fog to mask his escape. |
| Sapphire | If you had the chance to go through this time again would you do anything differently? |
| Azareth | (sits for a moment and thinks) As I said earlier, I should have anticipated the change in drop off point and come up with a more flexible plan to allow for that contingency. Similarly, I might have alerted Creighton to the fact that the warriors he fought were illusions. But, I see now, our biggest mistake was leaving Craven by himself. In hindsight we should have paired him with Creighton and set Keldirk to watch the rear. |
| Sapphire | Thank you Azareth, you may go. |
| The Assassins |
Creighton - Fighter 4th Level LE (PC) Sapphire - Thief 10th level LE (NPC) |
| Locale | The residence of Saradock, the Del Mord Vesper |
| Date | 12th Wealsun 582 CY |
| Time | mid afternoon |
Sapphire waited for Creighton to sit down. She could tell that the big man was nervous and Sapphire had to try and disguise her smile. She was thankful for Creighton's discomfort because it meant he wouldn't notice her own revulsion at the warrior's appearance; muscular in a brutish way but with a face that would endear him to no one. The experienced assassin suppressed a shudder at the sheer ugliness of the man sitting before her and focused on the task at hand.
| Sapphire | Hello Creighton, it is nice to meet you again. I only wish it could be under more pleasant circumstances. |
| Creighton | Yeah, well, shit happens. Why do you need to talk to me? Azareth has already told you everything. |
| Sapphire | Perhaps, but it is important that I hear from everyone in this matter. Losing our Vesper in such a controversial manner is not something that The Family takes lightly. |
| Creighton | Okay, so what do you want to know? |
| Sapphire | I already know the sequence of events that led to Vesper's death so what I need from you is your insight. What were the main problems with the rescue attempt and what do you think could have been done better? |
| Creighton | The main problem was that we only had two days. Nowhere near enough time to get the money and pay the ransom. Whatever money Saradock had was tied up in stock. Caruthers said the rest of Saradock's money had been sent to Chathold the very week of his kidnapping. There was no way we could get that much money in such a short time without attracting unwanted attention. |
| Sapphire | Agreed. Is there anything else? |
| Creighton | (thinks) I suppose we were over confident. We trusted in our abilities to rescue Vesper and grossly underestimated our opponents. Things didn't go according to plan and once it came to blows it was already too late. |
| Sapphire | Do you think anyone is directly responsible for this tragedy? |
| Creighton | (laughs) The kidnappers, of course. |
| Sapphire | Of course. What I mean is; do you feel as though there was any negligence on your part that contributed to the death of Saradock? |
| Creighton | (thinks) Perhaps if we were more coordinated we would have focused on saving Vesper instead of allowing ourselves to get drawn into our individual battles. I mean, I wasted my time fighting illusions, what I should've done was rush on through and search for Vesper. Maybe I could've cut him down before he choked to death. It was like once the fight began I was on my own - there was no teamwork. (sadly) We haven't exactly been working too well as a group lately. |
| Sapphire | Why not? |
| Creighton | Well Craven's curse has been a major obstacle. He's been a real nutcase. He and Keldirk have been at odds for a while now and that doesn't help any of us. Keldirk has never really gotten along with Azareth - in fact I think there are some real trust issues between them. And Azareth's so busy trying to please everybody that he ends up helping nobody most of the time. (stops suddenly, worry in his eyes) I've said too much. |
| Sapphire | Not at all. I appreciate your candor. In fact, there's nothing you've said that I haven't already gathered for myself. Thank you Creighton, I think I have what I need from you. |
| Creighton | So what now? |
| Sapphire | After I interview Craven I will send my report back to The Family along with my recommendations. |
| Creighton | Then what? |
| Sapphire | The Family will decide. |
| Creighton | Can I ask you a question? |
| Sapphire | Sure. |
| Creighton | What would have happened if we arrived in Del Mord a week later? Vesper would still be dead and there would have been nothing we could have done. |
| Sapphire | Correct. But you did arrive in time and you did fail to rescue him. That's all we are discussing here; what did happen - not what might have been. You may go. |
| The Assassins |
Craven - Fighter / Rogue 3rd / 3rd CE (LE suppressed) (PC) Sapphire - Thief 10th level LE (NPC) |
| Locale | The residence of Saradock, the Del Mord Vesper |
| Date | 12th Wealsun 582 CY |
| Time | after sunset |
Creighton accompanied Craven silently through the streets of Del Mord. Hidden beneath his thick cloak the troubled swordsman's hands were bound in sturdy manacles, just as they had been for the past week. But Craven's incarceration was self-imposed; an agreement made with Azareth as a sign of his commitment to finding a cure.
Craven quickened his pace. He knew what was waiting for him in Saradock's home and he welcomed the opportunity to finally present his account. He had no doubt that Keldirk and the others would blame him for Saradock's death but, one thing was certain, Craven would not go quietly.
Sapphire greeted Craven in Saradock's dining room and once Creighton had departed she dipped her quill in ink and began the interview.
| Sapphire | I assume you know why you are here? |
| Craven | (nods) Yes, and I'm ready to answer all your questions. |
| Sapphire | Good. You may begin by telling me what is wrong with you. |
| Craven | I'm becoming a vampire. It's a curse that I most definitely want to be rid of. Because of it I am prone to sudden turns of violence. There are some definite benefits to my affliction but also severe hindrances. I'm sure the others would've mentioned something about it. |
| Sapphire | When was the last time you were overcome by this rage? |
| Craven | During the combat with the kidnappers. |
| Sapphire | I see. What happened that night? |
| Craven | (leans back) Things were going according to plan. The mage's spell went off without a hitch and he approached the warehouse perfectly disguised as Caruthers. That was when things got interesting. A man dressed as a beggar approached Azareth and instructed him to proceed to another warehouse, a little ways down the street. (closes his eyes, remembering) As Azareth and the others made their way towards the second warehouse I decided to remain hidden. I sensed that something wasn't right and in recent months I've learned to trust that instinct. |
| Sapphire | (dips her quill in ink and makes a few notes) |
| Craven | (waits for Sapphire to finish writing) As it turned out my instincts were correct. As soon as the others were out of the immediate area, the beggar began to follow them. He moved skillfully from shadow to shadow always keeping them in sight. I do not believe he knew that I was watching him. Once Creighton and Keldirk were in position the beggar moved away and into an alley directly across from me. Once he was out of the others' sight, he sprinted away. I decided to follow. He ran through a maze of narrow alleys before entering the warehouse through the rear door. I knew at that moment that he was no beggar but instead a member of the kidnapper's crew. I knew he would tell his companions that the hand-over was a trap and I decided to act immediately. |
| Sapphire | What did you do? |
| Craven | (stares at his manacled hands before answering) This curse does have some interesting aspects. One of these is an ability to summon and control creatures of the night, vermin mostly, but useful in the right situation. |
| Sapphire | So you summoned some rats? |
| Craven | (nods) And a few stray dogs. I had no way to alert the others and I knew that if there were many kidnappers inside then a little help would go a long way. |
| Sapphire | Why didn't you call out to the others? |
| Craven | I had no way of knowing whether Azareth had begun the exchange. What good would it have done to yell attack with the front doors still closed? No. I decided to go in alone and possibly gain the advantage of surprise. |
| Sapphire | What happened once you entered the warehouse? |
| Craven | I ran into the beggar and one of his colleagues, a large barrel-chested man dressed in banded mail. I dispatched the beggar quickly but the bigger man proved more difficult. He managed to slice my shoulder and press me back against the wall. He was a formidable warrior. Only when the rats and dogs attacked was I able to push past him and enter the warehouse proper. But, by that time, I was too late. They had already pushed Vesper off a stool and I found him hanging by his neck from the rafters above the loft. Beside him stood one of the kidnappers, an elven warrior. |
| Sapphire | Did you try to cut Saradock down? |
| Craven | (his mouth dry) No. |
| Sapphire | Why not? |
| Craven | (silent) |
| Sapphire | Why not? There was a chance that Saradock was still alive, wasn't there? |
| Craven | (nods) It's possible. (lowers his head) |
| Sapphire | Why didn't you try to cut him down? |
| Craven | (licks his lips) |
| Sapphire | Answer me! |
| Craven | In my mind Vesper was dead and as soon as I accepted that my focus shifted. I needed to kill. (raises his head and stares coldly at Sapphire) And that's precisely what I did. |
| Sapphire | So, by your own admission you chose to satisfy your bloodlust rather than try to save Saradock? |
| Craven | There was no choice! Vesper was dead! |
| Sapphire | How can you be so sure? He would have only been hanging for a few moments. |
| Craven | Long enough to die. |
| Sapphire | You should know better than that, Craven. The body is resilient. |
| Craven | Fine, so he may have been alive. I still had two, possibly three opponents between Vesper and myself. (angry) At least I was doing something. If it weren't for me the beggar would have warned his friends and we wouldn't have had what little chance we had. (leans back in his chair, fuming) So Vesper died; people die every day! We're in a dangerous business, I know that, you know that and Vesper sure as hell knew that. |
| Sapphire | I see. (makes a few notes) |
| Craven | (spits) You condescending bitch! You don't see at all. You weren't there; how could you possibly know? You sit before me pontificating and scribbling your notes. (stands) Things aren't always black and white in the real world. |
| Sapphire | (dangerously) Sit down. |
| Craven | (moves around the table) This is a god damned witch-hunt. A Vesper has died and The Family needs a scapegoat. (points a finger) You think I don't know what's going on here? (laughs bitterly) You and the others have decided that I'm going to take the fall for this. Haven't you? Haven't you? |
| Sapphire | I am not going to ask you again. Sit down, Craven. |
| Craven | Don't insult my intelligence! I'm neither blind nor stupid and I know perfectly well that this will be no fair trial. You've already condemned me! If you think that I'm going to sit idly by while- |
| Creighton | (hears Craven's raised voice and enters the room) Is everything alright? |
| Sapphire | (calmly) Take him away Creighton, before he does something he regrets. |
| Creighton | (restrains Craven) Come on, let's not make a bad situation worse. |
| Craven | (growls and fights to break Creighton's hold) |
| Creighton | (begins to drag Craven away) |
| Craven | (snarls) Alright! Just get your hands off me. (casts a withering glare at Sapphire before taking a few deep breaths) Let's go. |
| Locale | The Audience chamber of the Marque de'Ahb. |
| Date | 16th Reaping 582 CY |
| Time | Just after midnight |
The Marque de'Ahb finished reading the document and allowed his frail hands to fall to his lap. He sighed and looked wearily toward his chamberlain.
| Marque de'Ahb | A most troubling report. |
| Montlebahn | (nods) I agree, master. |
| Marque de'Ahb | It appears that this experiment has taken a turn for the worse. |
| Montlebahn | But, master, there is the other group stationed in Greyhawk; they seem to be operating smoothly enough. |
| Marque de'Ahb | (nods, his expression grim) |
| Montlebahn | What would you have me do? |
| Marque de'Ahb | Brief Shaka Kuss of the events in Del Mord and have him prepare for a journey. |
| Montlebahn | Will that be all, master? |
| Marque de'Ahb | (shakes his head) Provide him with four black scrolls. |
| Normal Text | Character's words or descriptive text if part of a paragraph |
| Italic Text | Character's thoughts or actions if surrounded by parenthesis |
| Bold Text | Character is shouting. |