In light of whatever might be a threat in the dark, Josef suddenly turns and runs off. While Delfig barely has time to recover from this surprise, Kazimir begins to back away. "I can't," he says. "I can't..."
And then he is gone too.
In the inky blackness, Delfig senses that something other than his two friends is moving...
[OOC - I don't normally use the Internet/Online-ese... but this seems appropriate. FFS!!!!]
ReplyDeleteDelfig backs away from the thing (at fighting withdrawal speed) that I'm sensing and I'm reaching for my lyre strapped to my back. My intent is to cast "Command" and the word I will use is "retreat".
(Thus, the last words of Delfig were FFS and "retreat"...)
Backing away in which direction? While there is something distinctly out there, you're not certain in which direction. It seems to be moving in a circle around you.
ReplyDeleteBacking away towards the middle of the buildings and the castle.
ReplyDeleteA stone will thump on the ground and lightly bump into the back of your heel. There is a paper wrapped around the stone.
ReplyDeleteDo I still feel like something is all around me?
ReplyDeleteI'll reach over and pick up the stone/paper if it doesn't seem like I'm about to be attacked...
It reads, "Behind You."
ReplyDelete(Oh man, I am so being played with...)
ReplyDeleteI'll groan, take three steps forward then spin around. I still have my (now useless) lyre in my hand.
"Hello?"
There will come the chortle of laughter from several voices around you--uncomfortably close, since you cannot see anything.
ReplyDelete"Herr Kolhupfer," says one, somewhere in front of you. "You have nothing to fear from us."
Another voice says, "We might have killed you at the farm."
And another: "It's good that you let the Jew alone."
I gulp and slowly lower my arms into as non-threatening of a position as a big guy like me can be.
ReplyDelete"I am... ahh... glad that I have pleased you enough that I'm not going to die for my mistakes. Who are you? Might I be allowed to gain shelter from the cold so that we can talk?"
"No, we will not give you shelter. We do not rest with humans. But we will ask a question: will you continue in the employ of the snakes who swallow the people of Dachau? Or will you accept our coin?"
ReplyDeleteWho are these snakes? The merchants? And who are you?
ReplyDelete(OOC - great, my captcha is "raver" - if you've read Thomas Covenant books, then you know why I say: I have a really bad feeling about this encounter now... )
(OOC: I do know the Thomas Covenant books, quite well. Ha ha.)
ReplyDeleteOne of the voices will say: "He's not that bright is he?"
And another voice: "He thinks we mean actual snakes."
Yet another: "And he didn't answer the question."
"I beg your pardons. I will answer. No, I do not wish to be a party to the merchants who would squeeze everyone dry of their wealth and then look for more. It's the merchants who caused much of the bloodshed of recent past wars and I have no small love for being played as a fool in a merchant's game. I wanted to talk to Herr Meyer and find out what we found ourselves into, but a certain foolhardy man made that impossible, so I count myself fortunate that Herr Meyer didn't kill me.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't mean actual snakes, but as I am talking to the wind and darkness who sound as if they are opposed to the merchant, I wonder what powers the merchants may also have.
As for whether I'll accept your coin, while I am in need, I am also wary of something I cannot see, that speaks to me from the dark and asks if I will get involved in something that may find me similar to the innkeeper, hanging with a rope around my dead neck. Before I accept any coin, I would like to know more."
In answer to your speech, you will see Josef reappear from the darkness. He has tossed off his weapons and his hands are empty.
ReplyDelete"Do not concern yourself with the powers they have," Josef says. "Nor with the consequences that might await you. None can know their future. Forgive us for our distrust. It is not to threaten you that we remain hidden, but because we must protect ourselves."
At that point, his face will begin to transform, and his body will visibly shorten. Watching, you are quite mesmerized--and probably too stunned to make a move. In less than the count of twelve, Josef has transformed into Ells...
"It was I that killed the dogsbody, was it not? And inspired your friends to change their minds about trusting Johann Mizer."
His visage shifts again, this time to a face you do not recognize, but one which is pleasant and unthreatening. "And now I approach you to ask you to do some small part in breaking the Merchant's Guild in Dachau."
(OOC - OK, that's just damn cool.)
ReplyDeleteI look in astonishment as the darkness shapes into Josef/Ells/figure in turn.
"I'm sorry, Josef... or by whatever name you have for yourself. I meant no disrespect by my answers, as I did not know.
I have felt uneasy about the goings on in Dachau since I learned of the hangings of the innkeeper, and I did not go with my friends in service to Mizer to fulfill his wishes. I have no particular loyalty to the Merchants Guild, I live for my art."
I break off, gulp nervously and continue.
"What would you have me, a single person, do against the Guild?"
(OOC: Yes, well...he willingly left the campaign, and on the spur of the moment I realized I could use that. I thought it was inspired.)
ReplyDelete"You may call me Triskoon...when we are not in the company of others. Then I am Hans. And what I wish you to do is to take a journey. Not to any place in particular. Only away from here. If you will give me but a sample of your blood and a single personal item, your disappearance will make an excellent frame."
Delfig shivers in the chilling air and rubs his arms.
ReplyDelete"Forgive me, Triskoon, but the air begins to affect me poorly. I was seeking shelter in these buildings in order to make it through the night. Could I please have some shelter and we can talk further?"
(Now I'm looking up the state of medical science in medieval times. I'll ask you this - being the son of a physician, what is generally believed by physicians of the properties and value of blood? This is what I've found so far http://highschoolresources.tripod.com/health.html, but I'm balancing trying to research medieval medical science and a group of *cough* programmers who are turning in crap code today.)
Triskoon looks at you with some pity. "Come with me," he says. He will lead you to a shed a quarter mile from the village, where dry hay is stored. the two of you seem alone now. "If you climb down into the hay, you may pass the night more comfortably. What say you to our bargain?"
ReplyDeleteI thank him gratefully as I rub my arms and legs to get warm. I then look at him curiously.
ReplyDelete"A drop of blood and a personal item. You say those will serve as an excellent frame. How will my blood, my essence, and an item of mine, give you a 'frame' - the murders of the horses seem to have already gotten attention enough. A drop of my blood won't be so unusual."
"More than a drop...a small bottle I think. Identified by a cleric as blood spilled in violence, associated with Herr Mizer in the proper manner, so that he will be found guilty of your murder. We must bring the two of you face to face again, and we must raise Herr Mizer's temper in public. Then we shall manage the rest."
ReplyDeleteMy eyes widen.
ReplyDelete"That is an audacious plan and would indeed be a serious accusation against the merchant, especially with the involvement of a cleric. You have some powerful friends.
"I must admit reluctance at having that much blood taken from me. I have little wish to find myself sickened from an imbalance of my humours. How will you keep Herr Mizer or his companions from simply carting me off to the gaol or worse? And you mentioned coin?"
Delfig, believing himself warmed for now, will slowly remove his pack from his back, open it, remove some of his hardtack and wineskin and offer a share to Triskoon.
Triskoon will change shape again...and Herr Mizer takes your wineskin from you and has a pull. "Why would Mizer need to be involved at all?" he asks.
ReplyDeleteDelfig resists the urge to involuntarily make the sign of the Cross and chews noisily on his hard tack instead.
ReplyDelete"Your point is well made, Triskoon. But as you, or one of the voices you created, stated outside, you haven't answered all the questions... you mentioned coin?"
(OOC note - I'll be leaving in about 5 minutes. I'll be able to check on blog entries till about 7CDT. Tomorrow, I should be good for morning/early afternoon and Sunday, I'll be AFK doing a Dark Ages game. I'll be able to check Sunday evening. Very interesting plot twist.)
ReplyDelete! Awesome !
ReplyDelete