The Unknown: A Game of Fear, Ignorance, and Adventure

[Kaboose the Moose]

Raven stood up in the dark and gently carrying Keil in his arms moved towards the sound of the Provost Guards. "Best be on the move now" he said to his dwarven companion. Up ahead lights from lanterns could be seen and the distinct silhouette of an armored knight drew closer. Raven was about to call out to Marneus when the sound of rushing feet was heard heading towards him. The guards were sweeping the ship checking all that roamed it's decks, Raven held up his arms to indicate his was no threat.

"Well then, who wants to lie to me about what happened here first?" a man who seemed to be in charge of the guards spoke.

"We have several members still at large" Raven added as Marneus completed his narration. "This be Keil, the lad our good knight was talking about. He's going to need a safe place to rest and get medical attention in the coming hours. In the meantime what do you suggest about our missing members and the damage done to the ship?" he asked turning to Deslock.

 

[Dragonearl]

"Lead the way sorcerer!" Alexis replaced his weapon and spat in the general direction of his fallen foe. "Good riddance to bad rubbish. Though I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of them or the mastermind behind this attack". A familiar voice echoing through the passageway interrupted his thoughts, it was Deslock. He was behind a sea of bodies that somehow looked shiny and official in the lantern lights that illuminated the wooden deck.

"Who be you lot then?" Alexis asked once the knight had finished recapping the day's events. "Why are you aboard this ship?" he asked the man who appeared to be in charge but not waiting for an answer, the dwarf turned to Deslock. "If I may be so bold there might be some explosives on this ship that needs looking into. Those men in tatters didn't come here with empty threats at least that's highly unlikely. We should get someone down below the waterline and check the hull."

The dwarf paused to take a deep breath. "I need a drink after this!. It's been a long day" he muttered audibly.

"Also this prisoner we have. Perhaps we should interrogate her. She may have information about what happened" Alexis cleared his throat to suggest he had finished his rant but the silence continued.

"Well don't all just stand there looking down on me. I know I am a dwarf, so either start speaking or start acting or at least get me a drink" he crossed his arm setting a stubborn frown on his face.

 

[Zemalac]

"I see," said Inspector Felkin. He hadn't moved anything but his eyes while Marneus, Raven and Alexis had been talking, but something about those eyes gave the disconcerting impression that he'd been taking notes behind them, and if necessary could repeat word-for-word what you had just said. "Right. Let's get busy then, shall we? Hal, get a message to Dockhouse, requesting more guardsmen and healers, and someone who can dive under the ship to check for explosives. Orric! Get the boy stabilized until the medics get here. Dalson and Gelt, find and secure the prisoner the dwarf mentioned..."

He went on, rattling off orders to his men, sending them saluting and running off through the ship.

Nearby, Doctor Nexaddo was kneeling over the body of the human physician who had been assisting him, staring down at him in shock. There was a pool of blood slowly spreading from the body, and the doctor's hands and trousers were soaked in it. A distant part of his mind was surprised by the amount, and his own reaction to it--he had dealt with blood before, but neatly, in a lab, and there had always been something he could do about it. He turned his head and retched.

There was nothing he could do now. He spit, trying to clear his mouth of the acidic taste, and wiped his mouth with a blood spattered sleeve. He checked the physician's pulse, without hope of finding anything. He sighed, and began reciting a prayer worthy of a man who lost his life trying to aid the injured, murmuring the words over the sound of Felkin barking out orders.

One of the guardsmen passed close by, carrying a first-aid kit, and made a questioning sound. Jemalkin looked up and shook his head, and the man passed on.

"...and I want a complete lockdown on this ship in five minutes," Felkin finished. "No one on or off without my say so."

"Wait a minute," Deslock muttered: then louder, "Wait a minute! I'll not be confined to--"

"This is a crime scene, sir," said Felkin, cutting him off. "And I'm not letting anyone leave."

Spoiler: OOC

Sorry about taking so long with this--been busy lately, and also waiting for a message from someone.

Now, the conversation that Ticky and Derlan are having can't continue until I receive a specific message from someone who seems to be very busy at the moment (can't tell you who, so don't ask), so instead of posting everything all at once I've decided to split it up. So those on the ship can chat with Felkin and his men without having to wait on events outside of your control. Hopefully that will let us move a bit faster, and keep you all from dying of boredom and anticipation.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

"I suppose" Raven began a thought half to himself "We should assist in any we can" he paused looking around.

There was nothing more to see in the corridors of the ship; the guards from the Dockhouse now made the majority of the ship and they were scurrying about carrying out instructions to the word. Deslock himself seemed outvoted with the events now happening on board and Raven doubted the Grummond would have any authority against Felkin.

"I would like to make a request though" he said finally turning to Felkin. "I would like to be present when your men are securing our prisoner. She may have some information that may prove valuable"

 

[Zemalac]

The cloaked man looked at Ticky, and though his face couldn't be seen beneath his hood there was a sense of something there: whether frustration, amusement, or annoyance, who could tell?

"Really?" he said. "For someone who preaches cooperation, you don't seem willing to meet me halfway."

Derlan took a step forward from beside Ticky, trying to slip around the table. The cloaked man shrugged. "Very well, then," he said, and Derlan's only warning before the shot was a flicker of motion beneath the dark cloak.

The pistol fired with a sharp boom, sending a flash of fire and smoke from beneath the cloak. Derlan shouted in surprise and dived aside, a splash of red across his stomach showing where the bullet hit. The elf crashed to the floor, swearing mightily, as the cloaked man flipped the table into Ticky's face. The man spun, one hand shoving his pistol into his belt and one hand groping in his pockets, trying to find...there it is.

It was a little pouch of soft leather, packed tight with specific herbs and a few easy to manufacture chemicals, with a simple flint-and-steel trigger on top. With a flick of a thumb sparks were struck, snapping on the inside of the pouch and into the alchemy inside and sending a metal tab careening into the air, which opened up a little hole that gave it just enough oxygen to burn...

Acrid, blue-tinged smoke poured out of the pouch as the man threw it down and ran, making for the back door while his enemies were blinded.

__________________________________​

Inspector Felkin took a moment to examine Raven. "Generally speaking," he said, "we don't allow members of the public to be present at interrogations. However, we may make an exception, seeing as you are a...magical expert, as it were. Yes, that would work, I think."

His eyes took in the impromptu bandage running across most of the wizard's chest, seeping blood. "At the moment, though, you should receive medical attention yourself. The prisoner isn't going anywhere...right, Dalson? Right. The prisoner isn't going anywhere, and I'd hate it if you were to suddenly pass out from blood loss in the middle of things. Sends the wrong impression to the person we're questioning, yes?"

Spoiler: OOC

To clarify for the first part: Derlan got shot in the stomach, a nonfatal but very painful wound, and Ticky was distracted by dodging the table for long enough for the cloaked man to pull out what appears to be a smoke bomb.

 

[Dragonearl]

Alexis stifled a yawn under his beard. "Alright then lads, this has been a lovely and shocking experience but since Mr. Fancybadge here is running the show and we are no longer under interrogation, I am going to take a stroll on the main deck and if there is a pub open in this wee hours of the morning, well, need I say more?" he made a gesture of moving away from the group

 

[Saskwach]

Spoiler: OOC

Sorry about the absence since the fight guys. My PC died and real life matters took up the internet time I could scrounge on other computers. I'll read up what I've missed soon and get right back into it.

 

[Zemalac]

"Alright then lads, this has been a lovely and shocking experience but since Mr. Fancybadge here is running the show and we are no longer under interrogation, I am going to take a stroll on the main deck and if there is a pub open in this wee hours of the morning, well, need I say more?"

"Really?" said Inspector Felkin. "Perhaps I wasn't clear enough, then. I am detaining your entire little 'Expedition' until further notice, which I suspect will be given when the Provost throws you out of town."

He folded his arms, and the guardsmen around him managed to look a little more threatening without being distracted from their current duties. "That would include you, master dwarf. No one is leaving or boarding this ship until I get a written notice from the Provost's office saying that I can release you."

Boots pounding on the deck above punctuated the end of his sentence, and the Inspector flashed a look of annoyance at the ceiling. "I said no one boarding," he began, only to be interrupted by one of his men.

"It's the healers, sir."

"Ah. That's all right, then." Felkin returned his attention to the Expedition members. "As I was saying, I'm afraid you may need to wait for that drink, master dwarf."

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

Raven nodded to Felkin.

"I'll differ to your medical expertise, Mr. Felkin." he began as the healers boarded the ship. I'll make myself available on the main deck for immediate treatment but I will be present for the prisoner's interrogation" with a short bow, Raven made his way to the top deck where he signaled for an approaching healer.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Spoiler: Post

Shall be up within 24 hours.

No turkey-day theme though.

 

[Dastardos]

Spoiler: Post

Shall be up within 24 hours.

No turkey-day theme though.

Spoiler: My Friend

It's been 24 hours!

 

[Caimekaze]

Spoiler: Post

Shall be up within 24 hours.

No turkey-day theme though.

Spoiler: My Friend

It's been 24 hours!

Spoiler: Not quite,

Only around 22.

 

[Dastardos]

Spoiler: Post

Shall be up within 24 hours.

No turkey-day theme though.

Spoiler: My Friend

It's been 24 hours!

Spoiler: Not quite,

Only around 22.

Spoiler: Well

Now it sure as hell is 24!

 

[Flying-Emu]

The smoke poured through the room, causing the patrons to cry in outrage and the bartender to heft his cudgel menacingly. Derlan cried in pain somewhere off to his left, but Ticky could do nothing but smile. Laugh, even.

Clasping his hands together, Ticky lifted them upwards and snapped outward, blowing through the space vigorously. The smoke filtered to the sides of the tavern, giving Ticky a clear shot at his foe. Lifting his arm once more, palm forward, Ticky grinned and called "Oi; we gave you a chance."

Ticky closed his eyes at the same moment as his fist, feeling for the flows of life, the pressure his target exerted on the ever-flowing air. He sent himself along the flows, the stream of power, and snapped it closed.

Spoiler: Explanation

Essentially, Ticky used Elemental magicks to push the smoke to the side to give him a clear view, and now is attempting to grab the man's ankle using the awesome power of Telekinesis.

 

[Zemalac]

In the hold of the Cepolada, eyes watering from the flinchingly bright lanterns after so long in darkness, Doctor Nexaddo rose to his feet wiping bloody hands on his trousers. Inspector Felkin seemed to have things under control now, with the possible exception of the whirl of blood where the undead abomination was slowly being torn apart. Jemalkin seated himself on a crate nearby, pulled out his notebook and watched with fascination. One of the guardsmen who were surrounding the bloody mess tried to wave him back, but he ignored the gesturing hand with academic distain, bending over his paper and pen with intense focus. This was something new to the doctor, and new things were worth recording. He noted everything--the noise of flesh being slashed to pieces, and the way the crimson beast was slowly faltering. The gashes created by the invisible fighter were no longer healing completely, and disgustingly wet slabs of flesh were falling to the ground as if the very threads holding the creature together were being picked apart.

Up on deck, a man with a healer's emblem embroidered on his cap and a businesslike air to his movements examined Raven del Cid. Breath hissed between his teeth as he unwound the bandage and saw what lay beneath.

"Are you sure you're not dead?" he asked sourly, reaching for his tools. "You shouldn't be walking around with a wound like that. Hell, you shouldn't even be conscious." He poked the wizard in the side with a rune-carved stick and was rewarded with an involuntary wince. "You got some blood in your left lung--gonna have to drain that somehow--but the hole in the lining seems to have closed without any help, which shouldn't be possible, by the way. Fucking wizards." He paused, hand in his medical bag, reaching for some potion or other. "You have any allergies or lingering curses that I should know about, do you? Those things can really screw with healing, let me tell you."

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

"Are you sure you're not dead?. You shouldn't be walking around with a wound like that. Hell, you shouldn't even be conscious."

Raven took a deep breath ignoring the pain in his lungs. "I assure you I am quite alive, it must be all those Aletheas leaves I keep smoking. They do wonders for your mortality you know" he said with an amused smile. "Or maybe the guy who did this had really bad ai-" the healer had poked his ribcage sending a pulse of pain through his nerves "Do you mind?" was all that he could manage to say.

"You got some blood in your left lung--gonna have to drain that somehow--but the hole in the lining seems to have closed without any help, which shouldn't be possible, by the way. Fucking wizards."

Raven grinned, "I apologies for being a special case but I hope that this means I can be cleared for active duty soon?" he coughed to clear some blood in his throat. "There is an interrogation that I need to attend to and I don't intend on missing it"

The healer muttered something inaudible as he reached for his medical kit. "You have any allergies or lingering curses that I should know about, do you? Those things can really screw with healing, let me tell you."

Raven paused for a second. "Well excluding Dragon tears, Wyrrms, Sal-Tamroths and Haskin feet I am have no other allergies or curses."

 

[Zemalac]

The black-cloaked man had almost reached the back door of the tavern when Ticky's spell snatched at his ankle. He fell in mid-stride, abruptly, slamming into the door and scrabbling for a hold as an invisible force tried to drag him backward. He pulled sharply on the door, and the rotting piece of leather that served as a latch snapped with a sad little snick.

Ticky frowned and gestured, as though he was pulling on an unseen line, and the man's leg shot out from under him, sending him sprawling completely to the floor. He hit the ground hard, the impact pounding the breath from his lungs in a single burst of air, and a small black sphere rolled out of his pocket, an orb as dull and blank as a dead man's eye.

Those in the tavern who weren't mages didn't see much in the next few seconds. They didn't see the tendril of dark energy that snapped out of the black orb like a whip, going through Ticky's magic like plague through a city. They didn't sense the sudden, powerful, and quickly fading aura of necromancy: all they felt was the sudden chill, which they promptly ignored in their stampeding rush for the door.

Those who were paying attention saw the gnome grimace in sudden pain and stagger, as though something he had been grasping tightly had suddenly vanished. They saw the black-cloaked man pick himself up, snatching the orb off the floor with one quick hand. They saw him adjust his hood and step through the door. They saw him vanish into the shadows, and they heard his running footsteps.

 

[Dragonearl]

Alexis was hardly amused with Felkin's curt reply. "That's just great!" he retorted as he stormed off. "We have been here long enough and a dwarf can't get to shore for a drink. What has the world come to?. Where has that other dwarf gone, perhaps he died in the battle?. Oh well all the more ale for me, if I can find any. Oh I say, who is that?" the dwarf stopped his ranting when he saw the mage standing on the main deck next to a healer.

"Alowey Raven!" Alexis greeted with a grunt. "I don't suppose your skills could conjure up a keg could you?. Something to make the time pass a bit quicker. I wonder where everyone else is?"

 

[Zemalac]

Spoiler: ANNOUNCEMENT: User Group

I've decided to create a user group for the Unknown, for all the OOC chat and stuff like that. I'm planning on posting announcements and other interesting stuff there on a fairly regular basis, so I'd suggest joining if you don't want to miss anything.

You can find it here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/The-Unknown]. There's nothing up quite yet, but rest assured there will be soon.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

Raven was admiring the new stitching that the healer had applied when he caught glimpse of a dwarf appearing on the gun deck. "Alowey Raven!, I don't suppose your skills could conjure up a keg could you?. Something to make the time pass a bit quicker. I wonder where everyone else is?"

Raven smiled at the initial request. "Master dwarf!" he began. "I have learned many arts throughout my travels in these lands but conjuring alcohol from thin air isn't one of my disciplines. I am afraid I cannot help you there my friend, it is beyond my realm of control. Had I been an alchemist however and you had something of equivalent exchange for the transmutation, I could theoretically create a bottle of Merlot for you but alas the dark days where I skipped my basic alchemy courses." he paused to study the shore which was now filling up with the morning markets.

"As for the others..I have no-" he suddenly fell quiet as if something far off had grabbed his attention. "Lords of Arakish!" Raven suddenly spat getting up from his seat much to the annoyance of the healer who was busy with the last bit of stitching. He noticed the questioning look on the dwarf's face. "Necromancy!" the wizard blurted out. "Someone is using dark magic in the city. We have to go to help"

Raven turned to Alexis. "Where is Felkin?"