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Completed Chapter III: Scales of Justice

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Violet never did get Meric's opinion on the matter. Suddenly the back door opened and a man came through, probably in late forties, wearing a red leather coat. His long brown hair was tied in a ponytail. Fixing his glasses, he studied Violet and Meric with a surprised expression.


"Visitors! And two shadow elves, at that!" It was impossible to determine whether he was shocked to see elves in his shop, or visitors in general. He spoke in a somewhat high but pleasant voice. "I am Andrew, the proprietor. How can I be of service?"


Meric briefly looked at Violet and then widely smiled as he addressed Andrew. "We are here to collect an item that was ordered some time ago, and should be ready."


Andrew matched Meric's smile with ease, managing to look genuinely happy to hear this. "But of course! If you would kindly provide the receipt, I shall look into it immediately."
 
Violet Robbins

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Violet quickly rummaged around in her pocket and produced the receipt, handing it to Andrew. She was almost hesitant to let the clue go, but she knew she had to, so she did.
 
As Andrew took the receipt and straightened it out in his hands, his wide smile withdrew to the corners of his lips. He looked up from above his glasses, one glance at the two elves followed by a remark: "I see." He made no comment about the dried up blood drops, despite definitely noticing. "An odd time to come for this." The man slowly placed the receipt on the counter. "I thought... Oh. I get it." A nervous smile appeared on his face, making him seem uneasy all of a sudden. "No problems. I'll be right back. With your order. Wait here..."


As soon as Andrew turned and dissappeared behind the carved side door, Meric spoke to Violet in half-whisper. "I don't like this. Something's not right." He looked around as if to make sure no one was sneaking up on them. Nothing changed.
 
Laurolf Fangür

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"'Dark Company?'" Laurolf thought, hemming. The name did ring a bell, "A bloody ragtag lot o' ruffians an' all sortsa' bad folk, as I recall.." He knew of the notorious group mainly by name and through "inadvertent" eavesdropping for information he had done a lot of, prior to his engagement with the specters' little fellowship. Not many Dwarves had ever traveled the southernmost lands of Asgard before the war and much less after it- Thus, they didn't know much about the on goings of the farthest reaches of the human Empire. The surface world wasn't for the Dwarfkind, the depths of Knalga alone had enough to both satisfy and threaten, the Dwarves they accommodated.


Laurolf gave the smith a suspicious look, from underneath his hood. "Ye' 'ave me thanks, lad. Donnet be leavin' town now, eh? I mite' be comin' back to browse ye' wares further.." Laurolf said with a slight bow, then turning around as he walked out the door. "Or bash ye' bloody skull in, if ye' are involved with 'at lot." He thought as he joined the crowd of the marketplace, unable to shake the feeling of suspicion he had, regarding the blacksmith. "That fool of a Drake, must've had sum' reason, to be goin' to rough 'im up like 'at.." He thought, blowing out some smoke as he walked out of the Market Square. "Either he was followin' a lead, o' then 'e's really a blasted fool, fer makin' 'imself stand out like 'at.. Whichever be the case, we mite' 'ave to deal wit' 'is, before we can be leavin' Ridge. Even if he has, but a personal grudge, I cannot be allowin' 'im to endanger the young lass' life, not to mention 'e lives o' the rest of us." Determined to one way or the other, solve whatever Xenthriss' issue was, Laurolf crossed the Fisherman's Bridge and headed for Justice Square. The buying of supplies would have to wait for another time, right now he needed a pint and a secluded corner in the inn, to have a good think about the situation- Before discussing it with the others.
 
Violet Robbins

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"I think you're right. We best keep our guard up." Violet said, sidling closer to the other elf. It was always better to be close to someone in case of trouble. She doubted that Andrew would be launching an assault on two armed elves, but there was no guarantee that he wasn't contacting the shadowy group that was seeking this item or that anything else sinister wasn't happening. Her hand drifted to her bow out of combat reflex; with her mentally preparing to use the weapon just in case.
 
"No, I mean..." Meric began, "This Andrew got too suspicious too fast. It's probably safe to say we've given ourselves away somehow, but I don't think we're going to be attacked here in broad daylight. Just the opposite." He went around the counter and carefully tried the door without success. "I fear we may have seen the last of our good proprietor. If we wait any longer, that is." He added with a cunning smile as he took a step back and then raised his knee.


The door with all its fancy carvings surrendered after the second kick. Meric broke half the frame with it, but showed little remorse. A very short hallway was on the other side, spiraling down in a wooden stairway barely half a dozen feet from the threshold. It was dark beyond, and the only torch holder on the wall was empty; Andrew must have taken the light with him. Meric shrugged and went in.


Pausing at the stairwell, he said: "Come with me if you want, or stay here and keep guard. I don't prefer surprises from behind any more than I do those from the front." And with that he descended down the stairs, slowly at first and then more quickly until he was finally out of sight. He made next to no sound. A true elf. However, he was forgetting that they already made enough racket by breaking down the door in the first place.
 
Violet decides to hang back and remains standing by the door leading to the spiral stairway. A minute passes. The world outside seems to be minding its own business, hardly suspecting that anything out of the ordinary might be happening in the store. Then, a sound of something crashing, but muffled, coming from underneath. A few moments later someone shouts but the voice sounds like it's coming from far away. She can't even recognize to whom it belongs, let lone the words. Then comes the sound of running feet.


Next thing, a figure swings up from the dark of the stairway. In rush, carrying no light, across the several feet of distance between the stairs and herself, Violet has just enough time to realize that it's Andrew, running towards her with what seems like a knife in his right hand.
 
Violet Robbins

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Despite years of pseudo-military training, Violet's respond was quite simplistic. Stepping out of the doorway and moving to the side, she wait for Andrew to Draw near the threshold and placed her leg in such a way that it would prove very hard to avoid. This move hard proved incredibly useful since her childhood and she hoped it would prove useful once again.
 
Sure enough, the trick works. The clumsy human was no match for elven agility, stumbling and hitting the ground. The knife he was holding falls just beside him. Merely moments after Meric speeds up from the stairway. Seeing the situation under control, he allows himself a brief rest to catch his breath.


"Bastard hid... knocked down some boxes... tried to escape.... Good work, Violet." he says, managing a smile.


At that moment Andrew curses and quickly reaches for the dagger. Apparently he still hadn't come to terms with the situation.
 
Violet Robbins

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Aiming for the small of the shop-owner's back, Violet put her foot down. Applying a light, but very apparent pressure, Violet said in a falsely sweet voice, betraying the fact that she was not messing around, "Now Andrew, you wouldn't go and attack a woman would you? If you would just be so kind as to help us, I'm sure we can all get out of her happy." She puncuated the last part of the sentence by increasing the pressure she was applying to the man's back.
 
Andrew cursed again under his breath as he abandoned all attempts to resist. "W-what... do you want?!"


"Now we're getting somewhere." Meric joined in, crouching beside Andrew's head. The wooden counter completely blocked what was going on from the shop's entrance. If someone were to come in, all they would see would be a shadow elf standing in the back. "Information on the Dark Company, if you please."


The proprietor's eyes widened, but he didn't look surprised. He probably had a few guesses by now. "The Dark... You're crazy!"


"Not the answer I was looking for." He looked at Violet and nodded. After some more persuasion from her part, he asked again. "What is your connection to the Dark Company? Where are they located?"


Andrew began panicking. "I c-can't! You don't know what they'd do to me!" Even in his current position, he wasn't going to relent easily.


"But I know what I would do to you." The voice was hoarse, deep, and coming from the door. There, just past the threshold stood a figure so massive that it made one wonder how'd he get in. It was a drakkar, but not a normal looking one. The skin visible in front where his cape didn't cover it was blackened scales. Two sickly green eyes glowed from inside his skull. He seemed to emanate sheer dread. Yeah, it was Xenthriss in his usual appearance.
 
Violet Robbins

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Violet's eyes shoot up at the sound of the new voice and also went wide when she saw who it belonged too. She hadn't spent much time around the drakkar, but that wasn't accidental. He gave her all the wrong vibes and she had distanced herself accordingly. The fact that he was here did not bode well; especially for Andrew
 
Meric decided to play along. "Well, you've had your chance, Andrew. I'm afraid the situation has now escalated."


Andrew twisted his head, obviously distressed, in attempts to see what was coming. When Xenthriss finally came around the counter into his line of sight, taking slow, heavy footsteps, the man gasped. "W-what the hell?!"


Xenthriss laughed. It was a slow, disturbing sound that only served to emphasize the threat he presented. "Hell... doesn't even begin to describe it." he said. Taking a final step forward so that he was practically looming over the proprietor, he revealed his serrated, flame-scorched sword - a wide, long weapon viciously curved toward the tip. The drakkar then lowered the blade, letting the sharp end land a few inches from the man's terrified face.


Andrew began shaking, twisting, fighting to break out of Violet's hold, but it was in vain. All she had to do to bring him in line was apply more pressure. "By the Maker, no!" he screamed. "You can't! Please! I-I'll tell you everything you want to know!"


"The Dark Company. Where are they?" Xenthriss growled before Meric could manage to ask anything.


And Andrew told them.
 
Later that day, around nine in the evening, the fellowship gathers at the Ruffled Feathers inn & restaurant on Justice Square.


"Now that's settled," said Meric while raising a glass of wine, "let's get to business."


The place was more than half full but they managed to occupy the same table as yesterday thanks to Laurolf who arrived earlier. They were waiting on drinks to arrive before they would engage in proper conversation. Their orders of food - fowl again, of course - were already pending. The topic of the Tribunal seemed to be echoing around the restaurant where just yesterday the murder investigation was merely a whisper between City Watch guards. There were no soldiers present today, by the way.


And the fellowship itself was in an odd number. Of the Chosen, only Meric, Dina, Laurolf and Xenthriss were present (the drakkar joined them unlike the day before, much to the dismay of nearby customers). Henvei and Eltheron were missing, and no one knew where they were. On the other side, there was a new member - Tharos Silverlane, a local blacksmith and partner in the investigation. Violet was sitting next to Meric, or more precisely Meric wanted to sit next to her. All that 'elves only' mission must have left a lasting impression on him. Whenever she looked at him, he was looking at her, or seemed to have been, because he would quickly look away.


It happened again just now, but this time he didn't avert his eyes, making it look more natural as he smiled with that clever smile of his. "Dina and Tharos, what have you learned from our good Captain?" Laurolf was still unfamiliar with that exactly happened today, but he knew that the group involved themselves with the Tribunal. More explanations were about to follow, and thankfully with a sufficient supply of ale.
 
Laurolf Fangür

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Other than a greeting or two, Laurolf had remained quiet with a half-empty pint having already been in front of him, when the others arrived. As they now conversed, he continued to be silent, leaning back in his chair, puffing out smoke from his pipe every now and again. From underneath his hood, he stared at a small object in his hand- A locket of some kind, worn and dirty, with a small round dent in the middle of it, as though there'd been a gem there once. As Meric questioned the others about some Captain, Laurolf hemmed and fiddled with the small latch on the side of the trinket, as though he was hesitant to open it.


After a few moments, Laurolf muttered something in Dwarfish and put the locket away, stuffing it into his satchel. He then took a sip from his pint and listened to the others' conversation.
 
Dina Ailsa

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Dina couldn't help but notice the way her elven friends acted as she was sitting across from them. What happened in that antique shop, I wander. Dina sighed at Meric's question, clearly irritated. "Sadly, we learned nothing new. The only one being pointed at is dead. Our murder victim at that! Captain seems to think that if there is an ongoing investigation, Ferndown was the one to know about it. Other that this, Captain knows as much as a commoner." Dina explained before giving Tharos a chance to do the same. Looks like another dead end to me. "Now, if the Captain's guesses are correct this might be a motive for the murder but we have no way of confirming it. Not one I can think of, I mean.", another sigh. "Any thoughts?" she asked, hoping someone among them was more creative that her when it comes to this kind of matters. Now, where's that waitress? she thought after eyeing Laurolf's drink. After such a long and dinamic day she felt like she could eat a horse and free a lake of it's water.
 
"Unfortunate." said Meric in reply. "Good thing we've been... slightly more successful. Violet?" For some reason he decided to let Violet recount their discovery at the antiquary. He raised his glass and sipped some wine from it, taking his time.


Xenthriss literally growled at a man from the next table who tried inconspicuously leaning over to get a better look at the drakkar. As result, he moved his chair further away and focused on the conversation he had going on, not daring another glance at Xenthriss.
 
Violet Robbins

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Swallowing the bit of food, the Violet cleared her throat and started. "Well, we were right to follow that clue. The owner of the antiquary was actually more than we thought. Nearly got away, but we were able the situation under control."

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She took a sip of her drink, a tea with a sweet, earthy aroma, and continued saying "Turns out that Andrew, that's the owner, was connected to the Dark Company. Obviously, the item that we found the receipt for is of some interest of theirs. We have may well stumbled on something larger than what we first thought. Its hard to say now, but it'll definitely be more dangerous with them involved."

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Turning toward Xenthriss, almost letting loose a giggle as he growled at the man. He still gave her bad vibes, but that one moment was almost cute coming from so scary a figure. The moment past, she posed a question to the drakkar. "Xenthriss, what is your connection with this shadowy group?"

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Laurolf Fangür

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"Aye-" Laurolf cleared his throat and put out his pipe, as his meal arrived. "I'd bloody like to 'ear an' answer to 'at as well, lad. After 'at hole scene ye' almost made, at the blacksmith's, hmh! It'd be good to know, whether o' not, ye've a good reason fer riskin' the hides of not only yerself, but the rest of 'is group!"
 
Xenthriss chuckled, slowly, as if amused. "It's none of your business, or at least it was not, until now. Tell them, elf."


"Yes, well..." Meric continued carelessly, "It turned out that Andrew was in fact a supplier for the Dark Company. Xenthriss confirmed it, as if the proprietor's confession was insufficient."


"The receipt... It started and ended with the number three. The Company's sign." Xenthriss added in the same manner that an expert on brickmaking would discuss the art of making bricks.


"Our friend here is apparently quite knowledgeable on the matter. And bloodthirsty."


"I know as much as I do..." the drakkar spoke painfully slow, and quieter now. "... about their affairs because... I used to be one of them."


"Indeed." said Meric. "More about that later. What matters the most now is that Andrew told us the location of the Dark Company's base of operations - with some persuasion" he added while Xenthriss grinned and patted his hidden sword, "here in Ridge. Xenthriss believes it sounds likely." The elf spoke much quietly than before, though the restaurant was so noisy that they were nearly impossible to be overheard. "Our good proprietor is now keeping company to Captain Raynard, so technically he is in no position to warn anyone of recent events. In other words, we have the location of a secret group involved with the murder we are investigating, and no one is on our tail. Surely you can appreciate the meaning of this?" A cunning smile appeared on his face.


And then, finally, that waitress appeared with platters full of food. It looked good and smelled even better.
 

Dina Ailsa​

http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/

"Excellent."

Dina said shortly but was obviously excited about the news.

"Oh! I want one of these as well and whatever the dwarf is having to drink."

she pointed at one of the plates talking to the waitress. Dina surprised even herself with the last part of the order. She grined at the girl.

You actually are cute...

suddenly Dina thought of Eltheron.

"Does anyone know what happened to our third elf and that wierd guy? They should be here by now, no?"

she looked around the table.

I should also see if those spectral meanies are available.
 
"No one's seen Henvei or Eltheron since this morning, when they went to the Academy together, I think. Or so they mentioned." Meric answered.


"Maybe," said Xenthriss, "they've gone and gotten themselves killed somehow, and now we can spill some blood to avenge them." He grinned. "If we're lucky."


Meanwhile the waitress had fully served their table, finally. All they had to do now, was work out a plan for tomorrow.
 
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