Shadows over Innistrad

Alduin · 2016-11-12 04:53:59

PROLOGUE: The Old Chapel

The chapel you enter is old by any measure - one of the oldest in Kessig, as a matter of fact. Cracked windows and wood laying at the side attest to it surviving multiple sieges, and similarly ruined artifacts are a testament to its funding (or lack thereof).

You see a pale-faced man approaching you from behind the pews. Holding a censer in his hand, he calmly takes a wooden chair and sits on it. He pats his hand on one of the pews as you both see each other, gesturing for you to sit.

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-17 02:01:22

"It's rare for someone like you to ask for my services."

The small, slightly hunched figure of Kjell-Anita Weirdtooth remains still. A wide hat and the shadow cast by it cover most of her face, which is only occasionally illuminated by the flickering candlelight of the chapel.

"Indeed," she absentmindedly tugs at the corner of her mouth as she speaks "you and yours tend to have quite impolite words for me. 'Witch' is one of the nicer ones."

Slowly, she moves to take a seat. A black barnrat scurries up her flowing robes to perch on her shoulder. "So I am sure you understand my skepticism, friar."

Kjell-Anita props her staff-a heavy-looking thing of lightly carved-over wood-against the pew. The rat lets out a squeak, barely audible in most circumstances, but here it echoes off the empty walls of the church.

"But I will hear you out."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-17 03:19:54

Adelbrand strides in, his impressive collection of weaponry clanging against his chain mail with each step. He stays near the entrance, carrying a cruel warhammer in his hands, eyes watching every corner. Finally satisfied, he takes up a lean on the far end of the pew, regarding the priest and the witch with equal suspicion

"Speak, o holy man." His voice echoes in the empty church, the sarcasm all too apparent"

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-17 05:35:54

"Nervous, armsman?" Kjell's toothy grin is illuminated by the candlelight.

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-17 06:44:41

"There are inquisitors in his church who would gladly mount your head on a pike just for dressing the way you do, miss, never mind what arcane nonsense you actually get up to. If I must die at the oh so loving hands of the Archangel, I would prefer to see it coming."

Adelbrand turns his head back towards the priest. "If this is a trap, I assure you, I will knock your block off before they kill me."

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-20 19:03:55

Kjell-Anita cackles

"Honey, you think they'd hire me to trap you? Don't be silly."

she presses her finger to her chin, and a flash of concern crosses her face as she turns to the priest

"It's not a trap for him, right? I mean I did memorize today-I do every day-but...."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-20 19:14:39

"Nonsense. I do believe that they'd lure two known malcontents to a broken down church to be summarily captured and beheaded."

Adelbrand strokes his beard with discomfort. "I've spent too long working on this beard to let it rot out in the elements on a pike."

daltar · 2016-11-20 20:46:53

"I have to admit, this is not quite what I was imagining when I got called by the Church" calls a voice from the entrance to the Church.

Inside walks an immaculately dressed slender figure, in what some around may recognize to be the uniform of one fit to serve the wine and look after the household of nobility. A dark jacket and pants, with buttons made of pure silver, white gloves and polished shoes as well as a perfectly tied up ribbon under the neck of a white dress shirt.

The latest guest into this meeting would perhaps, appear to be taller than they really were... in truth, their height was beneath the average by a bit, however, long limbs and a good posture did wonders for the perspective so long as one didn't pay much attention to the scale of things around them. As for what could be seen of the one wearing such clothes... well, they had raven black hair, long enough to reach past their waist, though it was neatly tied up with a ribbon in a low, low ponytail. They had a pretty face... and big eyes with irises so dark that they could hardly be told apart from the pupil, easily reflecting the world they gazed upon.

The figure walked a bit deeper into the Chapel, coming to the side of the two already there and regarding them before she took seat on the offered seats by the parishioner "I take it there is a job?"

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-20 20:48:50

Kjell-Anita pulls at her stringy hair.

"I struggle to imagine what sort of task requires, specifically, an armsman, a butler, and a witch."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-21 02:04:04

"Maybe she's here to clean up after we've been executed."

daltar · 2016-11-22 00:29:25

"Please, I charge a hefty fee for clean ups. I hope the Church has better purpose for their donations than having an expert deal with something as simple as bloodstains"

Zeico · 2016-11-23 15:49:15

"This better be worth it..." another figure entered the chapel mumbling in discontent.

She wore a simple travelling coat and clothes. Mud from recent travel caked the bottom of her boots. A wand hung on her belt, a pair of tinted goggles rested against the blue scarf around her neck, and a disgusted scowl was on her face as she walked along the pews. Her eyes darted among the other people and they narrowed as she recognized the priest's clothes.

"I could be researching something useful right now..." She sat in a seat near the group as she continued to mumble to herself, "had to leave so much back in the labs..."

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-23 15:58:29

Kjell-Anita breaks into a toothy grin, slowly putting her hand on the priest's shoulder as she turns back to him.

"Now friar."

"Two mages, a soldier, and a butler walk into a church. What's the punchline here, hmm~?"

Alduin · 2016-11-23 16:47:09

"The punchline is that we've got our hands full suppressing other matters," the priest says, rubbing his face. "and we've reached out to individuals such as yourself to take care of them. Settle this and you will be handsomely rewarded."

"Geld Toros," he says, pacing back and forth. "was a friar of similar rank as myself in the Church of Avacyn. He went missing and was last seen around Kessig; where you are now, of course. We're having trouble enough as is - you four will be sent to deal with this mess."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-23 16:52:19

"That's it?" Adelbrand narrows his eyes. "I've heard tales of your flock, but is it truly so dire that you've resorted to using the likes of us?"

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-23 16:52:32

"Other matters, hmm hmm."

Kjell pets her mouse.

"Rewarded handsomely how, dear friar?"

Zeico · 2016-11-23 19:42:54

Sieglinde perked up at the thought of a reward. Could repair some old equipment with that.

She clicked her tongue, "Okay, what other information do we have to go off of? Why was your Friar here and did he have enemies?" The mage wanted to get this job done as soon as she could.

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-23 23:53:24

"Or any skeletons in his closet? Figurative or literal?"

Alduin · 2016-11-24 09:48:46

"Do not taunt me, witch." the friar hissed. He reached for a nearby platter.

"You recognize this, yes? It's been making the rounds lately. This is an experimental liquid our alchemists came up with." Motioning for a hidden cohort to close the chapel doors, he held the platter to them. Inside was a silvery liquid that shimmered off the moonlight, with the consistency of water and a smell like rusted iron.

"It's the closest thing we have to a real cure. To everything."

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-24 10:17:33

"Well that sounds positively lovely, but what has it to do with Friar Toros, and our compensation~?"

Kjell leans into her staff

"Noble aims are lovely, but I do not work for free, and I suspect the same is true of my newfound companions. The phrase 'handsomely rewarded' on its own is a devious trap, friar."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-24 10:52:20

"So. The rumors about 'Angel's Blood' are true then." Adelbrand murmurs under his breath, his eyes momentarily widening in wonder before returning to their usual scowl.

"Congratulations. You finally succeeded after years of empty promises about protecting the common folk from what they do not know." He looks at the solution, almost ravenously, before continuing. "But you haven't released it to the public at large, as far as I know, so...there's a problem. And you need this Geld Toros to fix it."

Alduin · 2016-11-24 10:59:52

"The cure is still experimental, yes. We need to have it refined - we can't have it released just yet." He doesn't say anything to Adelbrand, but he swipes the platter away when he sees the hungry look in his eyes.

"Geld Toros holds sensitive information regarding this elixir. If put into the wrong hands, we don't know how it could be subverted."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-24 11:08:29

Adelbrand scowls before getting to his feet.

"I'm in. I don't know what you hear about me in Thraben or Videns or what have you, Gavon priest, but in Kessig, I am a hero. And I will not fail my people." He pauses for a moment. "However, I do occasionally come across werewolves, and my last silver weapon is stuck in the backside of a very annoyed whelp. A replacement or 100 gold to make my own. That's my price."

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-24 11:26:19

"I'm in too."

Kjell slinks up behind the declared hero of Kessig, somehow managing to loom over his shoulder at the friar, despite being much shorter than Adelbrand.

"My price is ownership of any intriguing items, scrolls and jewelry in particular, I find that is not relevant to your elixir. I'm writing a book, you see, about the magic of the world...."

She trails off, but her mouse squeaks. "My mouse, noble Inkfur requests ten silver for a fine cheese as his payment. I think that's fair, don't you?"

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-24 11:32:58

Adelbrand glances at the witch clambering onto his shoulder, picks her up gingerly by the back of her robe, and puts her back on the floor

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-24 11:33:56

Kjell uncorks a hissing laugh and sits back down in the pew, pulling her hat down over her eyes.

"In any case. That is my first, last, and only offer."

Alduin · 2016-11-24 15:32:28

"Taken. No problems; just get him back here. We shall deal with him." he says.

"And the rest?"

daltar · 2016-11-25 17:34:33

"I think I'll charge the same as the armsman... a hundred gold pieces, plus reclaiming rights to whatever material we acquire during the expedition with the exception of those containing classified church information, of course. If possible and the extract is refined, I'd be interested in making use of it as well" says the formally dressed woman as she gently pulls on her white gloves, making sure they fit more snugly.

"Your man was last seen in Kessig... but exactly where and by whom? Do you have a picture of his likeness?"

Zeico · 2016-11-25 21:50:00

"My services require a similar fee. I want the 100 gold, all information on this cure, and for your church to leave me alone." Sieglinde eyed the cure curiously.

Alduin · 2016-11-26 03:11:01

"I suppose that'll do." the priest said. He rubbed his temples. "All of your terms are accepted."

"An accompanying deacon was following him into the woods - he excused himself, and then was never seen again. Here is his picture." The priest showed the group a picture of a young man, almost handsome-looking if not for the completely bare head.

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-26 05:19:34

"So. Search the woods, ask the surrounding communities if they saw anything, and work from there?"

Alduin · 2016-11-26 13:52:51

"Exactly. Deploy as soon as possible."

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-26 15:18:49

"You hear that, trusted allies? As soon as possible!" Kjell snickers.

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-26 20:14:05

"Ah, but wait." Kjell-Anita sits back down, rummaging through the many pockets of her robes, and eventually pulling out a black wooden box.

"Why run off if we might be able to find the answer right here?"

Kjell opens the box, pulling out a deck of mysterious brown cards, which she promptly shuffles, and draws seven of.

"Hmm."

((?? Check: Result 16))

Zeico · 2016-11-26 23:00:02

"Are you really going to waste our time with unreliable card readings?"

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-26 23:20:03

"Yes." Kjell responds forwardly.

"It takes only a moment."

Alduin · 2016-11-27 04:06:10

You draw a Moon, two Werewolf cards, a strange Elixir of some sort, a Priest and - strangely enough - a card depicting a Backstabbing.

"Fortune-telling is a fool's game." snorts the priest.

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-27 04:10:55

"...Are we done then?"

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-27 04:13:01

"I don't tell fortunes, that's for diviners. This is postdiction, an attempt to understand what has already occurred."

Kjell-Anita studies her hand.

"No, this is just a simple story." She slides the cards around in her hand, rearranging them several times.

"If I had to guess. A few people--either two or three, but not just one--were involved in the creation of this elixir. Either both were werewolves, or, if there were three of them, two were. On a full moon, one group--I imagine the more wolflike but far be it from me to stereotype--betrayed the other. Whether the stabbing depicted here is literal or figurative I can't say, but given what we're dealing with I have my hunches."

Kjell shuffles the cards back into the deck and places said deck back in her box. She pinches her own cheek, pulling it back and perhaps inadvertently showing off her filed teeth.

"S'more coherent than usual I'll give it that."

She tucks the deckbox back in her robes. "The cards are from my departed father. They're from another world, or so I'm told."

"Of courrssssssssshhhhh." She draws out the word "course" to a long, harsh hiss. "If Mr. Friar, Mr. Armsman, and Ms. Alchemist think themselves too smart for such things, well, who am I to tell them otherwise?" She lets out what sounds like the start of a cackle, but chokes it back.

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-27 04:33:23

Adelbrand gives Kjell a Look before pinching the bridge of his nose through frustration.

"Moving on. I say we check the nearby villages first. It gives us a chance to stock up on supplies, and if anyone has seen the errant choirboy, it'll allow us to narrow our search once we go into the forest. Assuming that what the witch said wasn't entirely hogwash, which it very well sounds like, it might be useful to borrow some silver weapons from some of the cathars."

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-27 04:42:48

"We don't need to. I can make silver, and I do not trust the cathars."

Kjell eyes Adelbrand, then glancing to the alchemist, and then to the butler, hoping perhaps for some sign that her reading was not universally seen as pointless.

Alduin · 2016-11-27 04:43:28

"I...yes. That would be prudent."

The priest gulps.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must go."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-27 05:08:29

Adelbrand started to raise a question to the priest, but thought less of it. This mission is more important; he can investigate the details once the cure's free to the public.

(Insight: Natural 1. Whoops)

Alduin · 2016-11-27 19:35:11

save this space

daltar · 2016-11-27 22:02:41

Gabrielle nods her head, acknowledging the details of the mission and that she has enough to go on about trying to find the missing man "I'm Thomason... Gabrielle Rene Theresa Thomason. Seems like we'll be questing together to retrieve this cure... a please to meet you all" says the finely dressed woman as she gives them a nice, proper bow.

Zeico · 2016-11-28 03:39:14

"Right.... Never did get anyone's name. Thank you for the reminder Gabrielle." She gives a polite nod to her.

"I am Sieglinde Zwiebel, and I agree with the hunter type that we should gather information at the nearby villages," she motioned at Adelbrand.

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-28 04:32:48

"...hunter type?"

Salix Babylonika · 2016-11-28 04:36:52

Kjell stood up, as tall and straight as she ever did.

"I am Kjell-Anita. Weirdtooth, by appellation. I am a mage, more formally a wizard, and a transmuter first and foremost."

She sat back down and cracked a wide grin.

"My goals are the usual for a person of my type, you know? Infinite power, immortality, the classics."

She stroked her pet mouse. "This is Inkfur, a most noble rodent, and my familiar."

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-28 05:01:29

"...I will never understand you," murmured Adelbrand under his breath, glancing at Kjell-Anita. He continued at full volume. "Adelbrand, of Kessig. I keep Kessigers out of trouble, I keep non-Kessigers from causing trouble, and I fight, not hunt, werewolves. Try not to make my job any harder than it already is."

Alduin · 2016-11-29 14:10:29

With the four of you done, you leave the chapel and head out into the Kessig wilderness. The priest's instructions were to meet at a tavern called the Wailing Wraith.

It is dusk when you arrive. The autumn air is tepid this time of year, and the only wind accompanying you is a light breeze. Trees tower above you, reaching farther than your eyes can see; their leaves almost blot out the twilight sky. Ahead of you, in a clearing, you can make out a building with its lanterns starting to turn on...

Yarrun XIX · 2016-11-29 15:11:21

"Hmpf. Typical Gavony choice. Upscale and far away from the regular populace." He stretched his back for a moment. "If any of you want to order anything, let me do it. They overcharge outlanders."

Shadows over Innistrad

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