Chapter 1: Interesting Times

[The Fuzz]

Davore





Davore proceeds quietly from the library in the direction of the clinic. At the doors to the library, he pauses and turns to Hrune. He speaks softly.


"Devoted servant whose courage is silence, I thank you for your assistance today."


His lips twitch, as if he would smile, but the expression is stillborn.


"If you could bear for me a message, my gratitude would deepen. I sadly neglected to catch the name of my inquisitive cousin, the man who studies books and corpses, and the books of corpses. Tell me his name, and speak my name to him, inviting him to partake of my knowledge for the purposes of any investigation he intends to mount."


Onwards to the clinic. Davore has a report to write. Funnily enough, the words "Vedomosti", "marble" and "book" will not feature in that report. Not yet, anyway.

 

[PixelWitch]

Cled


His heavy brow knits when the spidery Yrva rears up into his face but he gives no ground. For a moment he almost considers picking her up by the scruff like a little hyperactive kitten and setting her out of his personal space. But he knows better. He might not have had much interaction with the Infernal Houses, but he knows better than that.


"Indeed," he responds, slowly and somewhat skeptically at their strange twitchy conversation partner, "My job is to look after the Little Miss. She is here to look for books on her chosen subject. I merely follow where she walks,"


Concerned he might loose fingers, but none the less, he offers a beefy palm in a handshake, "I am Cled,"

 

[Teh Frixz]

Yrva Andran


"Books! How lovely! Glorious path to the consumption of knowledge. If you require aid, I myself was working with them years back. My catalogs are extensive-large-grandiose and if you'd like we can exchange information."


Andran tilts her head back to the Orc after speaking to the human. Such nice hair. Something she once had and something she'd have again.Something she'd...something...my this Orc was tall.


Andran had recorded him and Identified the being but now she was actually looking at him. The noble jaw, inquisitive eyes, truly adorable ears. Her jaw opens and closes silently as she coos.


Then he jabbed his hand forward, palm open as if to take something from her but it wasn't upturned. Her initial reaction was terror but when he didn't proceed to try and take things from her MINE she decided to take the gesture head on.


With both hands, Andran grabs onto the orc's outstretched palm. Her humanoid hands oddly soft. She stares, unsure of how to proceed.

 

[PixelWitch]

Cled


Twitchy, ain't she?


He smiles awkwardly - gleaming white and very sharp shark fangs - not quite on par with a pair of pincers, but an impressive maw none the less.


Slowly, and with no sudden movements, he gently shakes her hands. Perturbed by their softness, despite the rest of her appearance.


"And, you... are...?" he prompts helpfully.

 

[Teh Frixz]

Yrva Andran


"YrvaAndran! Child...ehr Daughter of Yrva Melenk and his third Wife Chera, Scion of House Yrva..." She stutters out her words with a metallic tone, trying to hide her newfound nervousness.


It had been some time since her last fling-heartthrob-crush. That young guild member back in the outer markets of his 'grand' gear city. Their arguments were fiery and dealings in business fierce which somewhat inadvertently but altogether pleasantly led to a brief yet wondrous time together. Then his guild had to pull him away from her, taking what she wanted once again.


It was that crushing feeling of loss that sent her on this wild excursion to fill the void of want that filled her heart and now with this sharp toothed Orc smiling down and gently lifting her up and down as he shook the hand that she held ever tighter onto, that Andran found herself wanting again.


"Sorrynot used to Tradestongue. Urd always has beeneasier. Butnot always! Once I did not have such a bite"


A spider limb comes in close to point at her jaws as she gave her best impression of a smile.

 

[ZombieKitty]

Cecilia Arrington





The young woman smiled, glad to see Cled and Andran getting along.


"If you need a translator, I speak fluent Urd and Tradestounge." She offered cheerfully, glancing to Cled to see if he was handling this okay. He tended to impress her with his polite and rather gentle manner. Certainly it made her more comfortable having him around for protection.

 

[Silvertongued]

• Davore
• Andran, Cecilia, Cled, and Fortesque

• 
  
  
  "The former and younger is the esteemed Chronicler Hulbrad Fortesque. The latter and elder is the Librarian Floor Head of Magical Antiquities, the most honorable Hulbrad Kalphas," Hrune explains quietly, hands clasped at her waist.
  
  
  "This servant will return in time, exalted doctor-artist, performing the tasks that have been appointed to her. As this one leaves, she asks, would a meal or refreshments for the Ascended be appreciated upon her return?"
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  The cleaning servants pause and watch the group as you leave, their faces stoic and unflinching.
  
  
  Harrison bows to Cecilia, mentioning that if she would have further need of him, she has but to ring the small, stone bell that had been given to the Mage earlier on. It was a simple affair, complete carved of some smooth, pale stone, though had no clapper.
  
  
  Phillip, on the other hand, is much more silent, almost pantomime. He merely taps Andran lightly on the shoulder, gesturing to the still clutched Agnu Puzzle and extends one broad hand, his expression completely flat.
  
  
  

 

[Teh Frixz]

Yrva Andran


Few things were as dangerous as trying to take something back from a Yrva and it was even worse when you were interrupting the process of them taking something else. Phillip, the unforgetful silent bastard of stupid Hulbrad rules seemed to either forget this or quite possibly not care.


Dragging all eight of her eyes off cled, Andran looks at the puzzle and then back at the hand. Back to the puzzle and back to the hand. This goes on for a few moments before through a sheer act of will, the seemingly physically hurt Andran drops the puzzle into Phillips hand. What color she had drains from her face as the feeling of being ill washes over her.


She gives everyone a last weak smile before skulking off at the edge of the group, feeling sorry for herself as she tags along.

 

[Grey]

Hulbrad Fortesque


Q leads his guests from the Library, into the warm, dim corridors of the Rose. They spiral through the structure and sometimes shift location, but with a degree of predictability - the lanterns are all green, so Q walks them down to his apartments on the floor above.


The walls in this section are paneled in mahogany, sometimes hung with paintings whose eyes, or teeth, or worse seem to follow you around the room.


Through the double-doors of his home is darkness dimly lit with purple traceries of script on the walls around eye height. Wtih a spoken word of Urd, globes in the ceiling flicker into easy light and the script vanishes. This receiving room has a table in the centre, bookcases in the back, many comfortable but uniform chairs, and a well-stocked liquor cabinet. Semi-ornamental boardgames sit on a shelf of their own, arranged as if partway into a round - Chess, Queenshill, Firedance. A pair of tiny golems blink in the sudden light from their arena-enclosure.


"I invite you to find comfort in my abode and offer you my every hospitality," Fortesque tells his guests, tugging a cord to summon a servant.

 

[The Fuzz]

Davore





Hungry.


Want.


Cons- No.


No.





"Appreciated, but not required at this time. This physician shall, in wisdom, tend to his own needs. Later."


Davore nods and lets Hrune go, then proceeds back to his chamber at the clinic, straight to his office. Terrifying medical implements line the walls, the light glinting off razor edges honed to infinity, while murky things lurk in jars, neatly labeled. He makes space at his desk by delicately restacking books on circulatory systems (Krencher's Vol. II, The Doe, gets added to the heap on top of Vol. I, The Woman. Davore suspects that the author was making a point.)


He idly taps the lid of the jar containing Montmorency. The tumour stirs in its fluid, and opens an eye which it has been working on for several days. Mental note: devise a test for colour vision. And how the hell does something which used to be a lung know how to make eyes, anyway?


With space cleared on the pale wooden desktop, Davore pulls down stylus and paper.





Daring The Challenge Of Lesser Minds And Scorning The Weakness Of Ignorance, This Forerunner Stands As





Initial Report Into The Failure Of The Servitor Mal To Remain Among The Living





[bombastic Medical Jargon Intensifies]

 

[ZombieKitty]

Cecilia Arrington





The mage steps into the receiving room, hands clasped in front of her as she takes in the room curiously. She then dips her head politely towards Fortesque, giving a small smile. "You are most generous for such hospitality, especially given the events which occured. I extend my thanks and that of my bodyguard."


Her eyes are drawn to the little golems in their enclosure on the shelf but she makes sure to turn to Cled first. "Fortesque has told us to make ourselves comfortable and offers his hospitality." She explained. "I've thanked him for the both of us."

 

[PixelWitch]

Cled > Fortesque's Quarters


He'd felt the hair prick on the back of his neck the entire time he'd followed everyone. It was a perpetual feeling here. He hated it. Like he always had to be on edge.


Least the room they where being led to to seemed a little bit more... well, as ordinary as things got here.


Little Miss's explanation was met with a blunt, "That's nice," with a faint hearted smile.


He has the fainest urge to give the little golems an exploratory poke though...

 

[Silvertongued]

A servant arrives at the door promptly, a tall, almost menacingly monolithic character, with a gangly frame and bony features. He rumbles in a voice so baritone one would expect nearby glass to shiver.


"You rang?"

 

[Grey]

Hulbrad Fortesque


"Attend to the requests of our guests." Says Q, not looking around as he grapples with the pipes and gauges of his baroque coffee machine. A rich-smelling burlap sack, taken from a stasis-locked box, sits on the table beside him.

 

[Teh Frixz]

Yrva Andran


Immediately, Andran sizes up the servant and begins rattling off a list of things she requires.


"I shall need a serving of tea, non Hulbrad. Bad experience in my youth. Several meat pies, bring bin for the skins. Oh! Any book you have on the abnormalities of skin, particularly on flesh turning to stone. And metal, ore if you have it."


She nods to the servant before slinking back over to Cled and the Golems.


"Don't place finger in arena, they will break it....do you wish to play?"

 

[ZombieKitty]

Cecilia Arrington





She looks to the servant Fortesque summoned and waits until Andran finishes her list of items before she makes her request. "A large glass of water, please. Cled, do you want anything?" She asks her bodyguard as she examines the golems in their enclosure curiously.

 

[PixelWitch]

Cled


"This thing is a game then?" the Orc's thick brow knitted, staring from the little golems to Andran, to Fortesque, "I'd rather not touch other people's property without them sayin' so. Ain't mine to play with,"


Oh. Little Miss was talking.


"Er... well if they got any decent fish worth eatin - that ain't those jellies - I'll take them. Though I'm pretty sure this isn't a restaurant,"


He was finding this a bit out of his element. He wasn't used to having people waiting on him hand and foot all the time. It was exhausting him.

 

[Grey]

Hulbrad Fortesque


Placidly, Q activates the gurgling machine. Moments later the rich smell of dark coffee fills the room.


He instructs the servant to bring one of those little mint chocolate cakes Cyphiss the kitchen-rat bakes and begins setting places at his table.

 

[Teh Frixz]

Yrva Andran


She shakes her head vigorously up and down. "Yes! It's a game! I've seen them and only played once. You take control of the golem and I take control the other one. Then we fight! The losers golem will lose its head. We can play if you want."


Andran smiles, rising up to Cleds height.

 

[Silvertongued]

Fortesque's Study


The servant nodded, taking the requests in stride, before quietly exiting the room.


There's nary a moment of silence before there's another knock at the door.

 

[Grey]

Hulbrad Fortesque


Frowning, Q opens the door.

 

[Silvertongued]

The female servant from earlier, Hrune, waits patiently at the door, bowing gently as you come to face her. Her face is one of polite expressionlessness.


"The Ascendant medical practitioner, Lybar Davore, who was present at the earlier, unfortunate incident regarding the unfortunately passed Indentured Mal, would appreciate making your acquaintance. He has asked me to notify you of his willingness to further discuss the aforementioned incident in greater detail while utilizing his extensive medical knowledge and skill," she explained, hands clasped at her waist, standing just before the threshhold of the room.


"Incidentally, your esteemed father also wishes to inquire if you would appreciate any further contributions of snack edibles and hot beverages while you entertain your guests, or will Cyphiss' contributions be enough,"

 

[Grey]

Hulbrad Fortesque


"Cyphiss' contribution is quite sufficient. Extend my gratitude to my esteemed father for his consideration. Further, ensure that respected physician Lybar Davore is invited to join me here at his first convenience, unless he wishes to converse in his practice." Q replies, and as some accustomed to servants all his life, turns and goes back to making coffee.

 

[PixelWitch]

Cled


"Well... so long as I don't have to pay for any damages to anything... or there's no feedback..."


Can never be too sure with these hellforged... magical... things.


He steps alongside the little arena, at a loss at what to do with himself.


"Erm," he frowns.

 

[ZombieKitty]

Cecilia Arrington


Her gaze has been flitting around the room, taking in a little more of its details after the servant left with their requests. Fortesque seems busy with the coffee contraption at least until the door is opened. After the female servant gives her message and leaves, Cecilia turns back to Cled and Andran to find they are about to play the game with the golems. This looks like fun but then she has some of the same worries as Cled about there being possible backlash with such an item. She'll keep an eye, she likes having Cled around. He's been such a nice companion.