Iesha suppresses a small smile at Sour Heck's come-back.
As Sour Heck begins to orate once more, Otto objects. "Your honor, please tell the witness to answer succinctly and end his constant mockery of this court."
The Chief Justice leers at Sour Heck as two others are clearly uninterested in his testimony. "Answer the questions directly or I will hold you in contempt." he says with a steel gaze.
As Sour Heck 'confirms' Otto's question, the man rolls his eyes and moves on to another line of questioning. "Did you or did you not break into the alchemical labs, attack the residents and then kill one in cold blood by hanging him outside on a tree?"
Sour Heck slips into an exact mimicry of the lawyer's prissy speech. "Please define the terms of your question. If a fairy has killed the resident of a house and dressed up in his skin, is he now the new resident? Does an undead monstrosity count as a resident?"
Peredur leans forward and taps the attorney on the shoulder. "Can you interrupt him? It's purely unhappy he's making th' judges, I'm thinking."
Gustav, hearing Peredur's words, takes a quick glance at the judges and whispers back. "Dammit, I thought there would be more on our side after that evidence you produced."
"Your honors!" yells Gustav, interrupting Sour Heck before it becomes apparent that the man is openly imitating Otto. "Can I request a five minute recess with the witness? I'm sure I can set him straight if you'd let me." the man mentions as Otto glares at him.
"Your honors, this is highly irregular. I should be allowed to finish my cross before Gustav here tampers with this miscreant's testimony."
A couple judges shake their heads in agreement as Otto talks, but Chief Justice Khard seems to take sympathy for the defense. "Five minutes! And if you are one second late, then I will hold you both in contempt." he says as he bangs the gavel and the judges exeunt the room.
---
Gustav practically drags Sour Heck into a private room as Peredur and Iesha follows. Eloise sees the group head into the room and she joins them.
Immediately, Gustav launches into a tirade. "What are you thinking?!" he begins. "This is no time to step on to a soapbox. Are you a lawyer? Do you know how courts work? Have you been trained at a University?" he asks rhetorically, not letting Sour Heck get in a word edge-wise.
"Answer his questions in short, succinct answers. Stop bloviating on how you see the case or on the merits of the prosecutor's case. You are a witness. Not an attorney or a judge, so stop presuming that you are some goddamned expert on law and wipe that smug look off your face as you are likely single-handedly loosing the case for my client." he says, out-of-breath.
Sour Heck gives Gustav a searching look. "Oh, you were winning the case before I came in the courtroom, Gustav?"
"A little bardic polish worked pretty well on the judges the last two times I was up there. Hell, I got a grin out of the quiet, older justice the other day--almost cracked his face, I think. After a few boring years sitting on the bench watching you barristers mince around with your asses sown shut so you can't fart, hearing from someone who knows he's a fool is probably a relief. And neither you or Otto had a word against my witnessing then."
"If you ask me, they're clamping down today because they're looking for an excuse to burn Andrew. The facts aren't on the prosecution's side anymore, so they're looking for something--anything--that will let them avoid getting strung up by an angry mob themselves. "
"Of course I'm not an expert on the law. I'm a bard; I'm an expert on hearts. And unless something or someone puts enough courage into those judges' hearts to do their job honestly, Andrew's a lost cause."
Sour Heck shakes his head. "Well, if I didn't put the fear of Pharasma in them, at least I tried. See if you can get that on my gravestone after the judges have me impaled."
Suddenly Sour Heck's eyes bug out. "Fear...of...Pharasma...that's it!" The bard turns back to Gustav, looking as excited as he ever has. "Tell Peredur and Iesha to run to Gravecharge and bring back Father Cidoimoikis. He was going to have a spell ready for us today...and he can cast his spell on the murderer as easily as he could have on the victim.
"Gustav, you and I are going to have to keep things going here while they get that priest. Delay, delay, delay. It'll give the judges more time to think about what they want to do to me when the trial's over, but it's the only way. I'll stick to yes and no for as long as you can ask me questions."
Iesha says to the group "Do you think someone destroyed the note? If so, I was right that one of us should have stayed there. I wonder if it would be possible to call those guards and question them."
"I'm starting to worry we might have to fight our way out of town," Eloise says, grimly. "Whatever you do, Gustav, plan it out properly with Sour Heck! We can't afford more slip-ups."
"Good thinking, Iesha...calling the guards for questioning might help, and it will definitely waste enough time for Father Cidoimoikis to get here. And Eloise is right...even if we win the trial, we'll need to sneak out of town with Andrew--after we visit the Gray Widow, enough said. Peredur, think you could track down the Crooked Kin? They owe us a favor, and they shouldn't mind helping a fellow freak. Iesha and Eloise know where Gravecharge is, so they should be able to bring in the Father."
"I'll go now," Eloise says. "They won't let me back in that courtroom anymore."
"Thinking back, I remember folks at Ghoran's mentioned a troupe camped just outside Lepidstadt's western gate. That's probably the Crooked Kin there."
"I need a witness to delay, but there were no additional witnesses for this part as we have already dealt with the lone witness from Karb Isle and you lot are the only witnesses to the new evidence being presented." Gustav states plainly, clearly out of ideas.
"It falls to you to keep Otto interested enough to keep your testifying if you want your friends to have any time to gather these two surprise witnesses." he remarks to Sour Heck. "You probably need twenty minutes at least to get people from outside the western gate to here and nearly forty minutes to get to Gravecharge and back with the Father. He's not got a fast gait, that one."
Gustav looks around anxiously as he knows they still only have a minute or so before they need to be back in court.
"Me," Eloise says, stepping forward. "I may be able to do it. Put me on the stand as a witness on the particulars of golem-crafting as corroborating evidence as to why Andrew can not be held responsible even if his hands did any bloody work. I can drone on about the particulars of the arcana involved and the bond created between master and creation. The more questions you ask, the longer I can carry on. Calling me onto the stand should stir up a fuss by itself, after I was kicked out already."
Sour Heck claps his hand on Gustav's back. "You had doubts about being Andrew's barrister, but it turns out you're the perfect man from the job! Who else would be better at d-d-d-elaying the p-p-proceedings?"
"Considering that Otto took a few hours to ask Karl to describe what he saw for a few seconds at Karb Isle, getting Eloise to explain golems for the benefit of people who can barely spell "enchantment" should take up more than enough time. But Eloise, maybe focus on what makes Andrew different from other golems rather than mention that Andrew's master can command him to do things like steal idols from the library or... well...crush people...to paste."
Sour Heck's jaw drops lower and lower as he pantomimes realizing that Andrew, once he goes free, will once again be at large to do his master's bidding.
"I think I'll go along to the west gate to fetch the Crooked Kin. If they can get him far from the city, maybe his master will never find him to give him more orders." The bard considers. "Or at least we won't be among the people he crushes. Is the court almost done with me, Gustav?"
Eloise grins wolfishly.
"The arcana are a fascinating web of interlocking principles with a jargon all their own. Explaining just the basic principles to the uninitiated is a task which usually requires two dictionaries and a great deal of patience. I'll give these people a lecture to put their grandchildren to sleep!"
"That leaves Peredur and I to collect the good father and the guards who found the body."
Justice Khard calls the session back into order as Sour Heck takes the stand with the remainder of Otto's cross-examination left. After the talk about the needs of courtly behavior, the rest of the cross-examination goes smoothly and the two justices that could possibly vote in favor of the Beast seem more at ease, now that proper respect is shown.
As illustrated rather crudely by Sour Heck prior to the break, Otto has relatively little to back-up his claims, however his ability to spin the passions of the judges and juries with logic and small insinuations is thwarted once the witness calmed and it seems that the man can only ask questions of Sour Heck for twenty more minutes, probing for, but not finding, anything to aid his case.
During this time, Eloise sits in the courtroom patiently, awaiting her shining moment.
---
Iesha and Peredur head off into the town to try and locate a means of travel to get the Father as well as to search for the guards. "Which task do you want Iesha? The guards or the Father?" Peredur asks, willing to do either, as he knows they must split up in order to save time.
Before she enters the courtroom, Eloise casts a few small spells on herself, removing grime from her person and belongings, then colouring her clothes a deep wine red. After a moment of hesitation, she shakes loose her hair and adds the image of two white lions, rampant and threatning each other, to her cloak.
Iesha hesitates as Peredur makes a snap judgment. "I'll make the journey to get the Father. It'll take longer, but you should be able to find the circusfolk outside the walls. Try the western gate first." he tells the woman before setting off a quick jog.
Iesha makes her way to the western gate of the city and sets about to find the Crooked Kin.
Iesha looks around the western gate, but it seems that the Crooked Kin have left the Western Gate, even if they were here to begin with. Near the gate, she sees a group of merchants dealing with the local guards, signing paperwork and the like.
---
Sour Heck is dismissed from the stand as Otto scowls at the man. "Your honors, I would like to call one more witness to the stand: Eloise." Gustav says with a bow towards the Justices.
The prosecutor rolls his eyes and looks about ready to object, but decides to stay his hand. Khard looks expectantly at Otto, but shrugs when no objection is given. "The prosecution seems perfectly fine with it. Send her up, but keep it quick, please. I don't need a rehash of the previous witness's testimony." states Chief Justice Khard.
Eloise is brought up to the witness stand as Sour Heck sits down in the gallery. He notices, now that he has left the stand, that the crowd seems more subdued. The break likely calmed some of the emotions of the townsfolk.
"Eloise, we heard from your compatriot about the evidence you uncovered at the alchemical warehouse, so we needn't cover that again, however you are also an expert on magic and magical creations, are you not?" Gustav asks.
Not waiting for an answer, Gustav quickly gives the woman a large latitude in eat up the time of the court. "Tell us, what is your understanding of the magic that ensorcells Andrew and what is the extent to which it can be used to cause harm, fear or mayhem?" asks Gustav.
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"My lords and ladies of the court," Eloise says as she clasps her hands behind her back, "in order to properly understand the qualities inherent in the defendant, Andrew, we must consider the nature of the larger category and the precise subcategory to which he belongs - and yet, from which he deviates in significant ways! If I might be provided with a blackboard and some chalks, it may prove enlightening to the audience, who I assume have not been educated in matters of either Arcane Science nor - and this shall be most important despite its standing in the academical world - Arcane Philosophy!"
Blackboard or not, Eloise starts with a bilateral explanation of the concept of constructs, beginning with the Science, which is to say the practical nuts and bolts of the general concepts of construct-crafting.
"Now we move on to the Philosophy! In its basic methodology, construct-crafting is as basic as animating any lifeless object to do your will, except for a prolonged duration. And yet! Let us consider first the humble homunculus. Rather than have an elemental spirit as its animating force, it is an extension of the vital force of its maker! Let us then consider that ALL constructs are mind-locked to their maker, as is the homunculus. By philosophocal deduction and induction, this leads us to hypothesize that constructs may ALL serve as receptacles for vital force - for spirits."
Pacing through the room - if allowed to - Eloise gestures at Andrew.
"Looking at Andrew, it is easily enough deduced that he belongs to the greater order of constructs, and the narrower category of flesh golems. This makes difficult hearing for all present, not in the last place for Andrew himself, but there are those wicked spellcasters who will disturb the sanctity - though not the rest - of the dead and assemble constructs out of them. Pay heed, faithful of Pharasma! This is NOT the same process which crafts the hated undead!"
Again, Eloise waxes lyrical on magical theory, outlining the Arcane Science of necromancy and how it differs from golem-crafting. She lists the various spells commonly used for such work and outlines their common elements in the infusion of negative energy. Then she goes on about negative energy as well!
"Andrew here is not undead. He was not ripped out of the grave and filled with negative energy, unborn to only hate, torment and devour the living. No, his maker intended only to instill movement and obedience into a shape of his own choosing and design. Not a hungering monster, but a mute slave. Think on this and know the difference."
Eloise outlines the spells used for crafting flesh golems now, going into almost tedious detail as she discusses the various components used and the facilities required for such work.
"And the end result, as I have said: a mute, obedient, fearless slave. BUT! Look now on Andrew. He weeps in fear of disapproval and anger; he flees injury; he delights in poetry; he feels compassion for children. Look at him. Every so often, this happens; a construct distinguishes itself from its voiceless, willless kin by developing awareness, consciousness, a voice. Out of the torment of Arcane Science bent to enslavement, elemental spirits bound and base matter forced to move against nature, a true essence arises. One might almost say a new life is born, unbidden and unheeded. In this, constructs who come to true awareness are not unlike children born of rape. An evil act, yet one with a result which can be bane or boon deprnding on how we treat its fruits."
A beat passes and then Eloise speaks again, her voice cold and sad: "Most aware constructs are immediately destroyed by makers who seek not wonder, but mindless service. Even those allowed to continue existing are not free. To a construct, the maker's will goes beyond law. Even if the very spirit cries out, disobedience is IMPOSSIBLE. Order your construct to destroy itself, to torment its own body, to destroy everything it has come to love, and by the laws of its creation it. Can. Not. Disobey. Think on this."
Slowly, gently, Eloise lays a hand on Andrew's shoulder.
"That is the true horror of the magic infused into Andrew, oh ye faithful of Pharasma. Here is a young child, born of another's actions, as all children are. He was born into a form that denies him the understanding and companionship all young crave. Fear and loathing have been lavished upon him to the point that he would rather be alone and apart from all others. And yet he cannot! The uncaring maker that so set him apart from those of us born from the womb, rather than the laboratory, can compel him to go where he may only expect more fear, more hatred, more pain. He may compel him to do that which Andrew knows to be wrong and rather would not. THAT is fear. THAT is horror. Life often appears in odd forms that we judge to be frightful, but rarely is it so alone, so absolutely enslaved. Unless the bond can be cut. Unless the child may be freed.
Andrew should not be hated, faithful of Pharasma. He is a child who wishes to be happy, not a monster. The monsters - Brother Swarm the wraith, the skin-wearing fey - they have been brought to the light and slain. Drag Andrew into the light and he does not deserve death. He deserves a chance at a peaceful life. He has been tormented enough, in birth and life."
Iesha nods, setting off towards the Western Gate, listening as she goes to try to test the temper of the town.
She thinks "Hopefully, the most hostile folks are already at the Courthouse and the rest of the town just doesn't really care one way or the other..."
Some of the members of the gallery have fallen asleep by the time Eloise finishes answering the question in her roundabout way but she still hasn't seen Peredur or Iesha return to the Courthouse yet.
Gustav snaps out of his reverie and stands, having taken a seat while Eloise talked for a solid ten minutes. He moves to the witness stand and knows that he has to keep this going in order to buy time.
"Umm... yes. Eloise, can you elaborate on the intricacies of how a construct is created and how limitations can be placed on their. You alluded to this at the beginning of your last answer, so if you could elaborate please." the man says, blinking his eyes rapidly, as if trying to wake up.
Otto stands up in a huff. "Objection! Relevance, your honors!"
Judge Daramid raises her hand this time. "Overruled. If a golem or construct can be proven to have set limitations to its actions, then that is a valid defense. Go on, Miss Eloise." she says with a smile.
Gustav gestures towards Eloise to continue.
Heck's eyes glazed over somewhere around "The nature of the larger category and the precise subcategory..." The bard fetches out his needle, thread and cloth, and sets to work embroidering a handkerchief while the testimony drags on.
Eloise asks for a glass of water and drains it. She then flips over the blackboard and painstakingly draws a series of diagrams that would seem reminiscent of an unholy marriage of the works of Escher and Tesla in another dimension.
Going over every detail of the diagrams and referring to the substructure of each of the spells involved, Eloise delivers a long, long, LONG lecture. She even draws more diagrams representing the spells and talks animatedly about their substructures and how those resonate with the surface structures.
What it all boils down to is that constructs are full of limitations. There are the limits of the materials used, the limits of the spells cast into the crafting, and above all of those there is the core of a construct's nature: the will of the master is beyond law.
"As you can see in each of these basic diagrams of the energy matrix, the matter configuration and the conjunction pattern in which the animating force is captured, your honours, this is the central line: the master's will is absolute. It is the central and universal theme. A construct must obey its master.
Apart from this, limiters can be installed during the construct's creation. The modern clickworks are very flexible in this regard, for instance, but all constructs come with the potential for limits and their masters may set as many as they like."
Iesha thinks to herself that she might check with the nearby guards for the location of the Crooked Kin and she finds herself in luck. "Down o'er by the southern gate. Had to move 'em out from 'ere due to a big merchant's day." the guard says to Iesha. "Pretty good show, if'n I do say so. Bit odd the folk, but seems like good people."
Iesha thanks the man and sets off for the southern gate, posthaste.
---
Given the length of the lecture, Gustav is worried that pushing Eloise's lecture any further might just get her thrown off the stand. "Hopefully, those other two show up soon..." he mumbles under his breath as Eloise finishes the lecture.
Seeing that she is finished, Gustav raps the table twice, rather loudly, to get the attention of the room. A few people in the gallery jump with a start from the sound.
"So, Madam Eloise, in your expert opinion, could Andrew have committed these crimes based on your expert testimony about constructs and golems? Additionally, please make sure to explain to the jury exactly why or why not." he asks of the lady.
As he finishes, Gustav turns to Sour Heck and hides his left hand with his body and other hand. He gives the man a thumbs up and then a thumbs down with a lost look on his face. He then point to his watch, waiting for a response from the man.
Sour Heck considers how long it would take Peredur to get to Gravecharge and back.
He then gets up to stretch his legs--at this point in Eloise's long lecture, he's probably not the only one--and settles himself near a window that faces the route back from Gravecharge, ready to signal Gustav the moment he sees Peredur returning, with or without Father Cidoimoikis.
"The murder of the children could not possibly be Andrew's fault. As testified by a church official, they were slain by means of an undead's life-draining. Flesh golems DO NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY. Furthermore, my comrades and I had testimony from one of the undead children that Brother Swarm and not Andrew was their killer.
The eyewitness report of the attack exhonorates Andrew: the appearance of the attacker was too different from his appearance. Flesh golems DO NOT HAVE SHAPESHIFTING POWERS. Once a construct is cast in a mould, it may not, CAN not change its form. Further, the instances of grave robbery and defilement of the dead utilized tools and methods to which Andrew's powerful frame and appendages are simply not suited. His maker clearly desired a giant, not a gnome."
Sour Heck looks longingly out the window as he expects Peredur to return shortly, hopefully on horseback or by carriage, based on the woodman's ability to tame animals, but if he had to travel by foot, then Sour Heck feels he has no hope.
Gustav looks to Sour Heck as the man kind of spins his finger in the air, indicating that the testimony needs to continue and the prosecutor turns to the witness, Eloise.
"Madam Eloise, your argument is persuasive, but how does this relate to your findings in the alchemical factory? Is it not possible that Andrew could have had dealings with such an area?" asks the public defender in an attempt to draw out more words as he stresses with his eyes and words that she needs to speak at length.
Bracing himself for more testimony, Sour Heck looks out the window and pitches his voice so as not to be heard by the bailiff or judges.
"Dying of boredom isn't the worst way to go, but hanging would be faster."
"Unlikely," Eloise says. "There is no benefit in any of that to Andrew. He has come to desire peace and solitude; the alchemical works stand slam in the middle of town! Dealing with that place would be to constantly risk exposure, capture - and what is happening right now: his very existence is threatened.
Moreover, the skinthief was in business to make money. Dirty money to be sure. Sale of the undead, to name but the most glaring aspect. Let us look at Andrew: he represents a HUGE investment of materials and magics. To wit..."
Eloise returns to the blackboard and once again lists all the spells that go into the construction of a flesh golem. She then launches into a tediously longwinded monologue about the pricing scheme for the sale and purchase of spells of various levels in the Inner Sea area, taking time out to compare different prices in different nations before she finally spells out how much the spells that go into a flesh golem's creation would cost in Ustalav.
Then she does the same thing for all of the other components of the creation process...
"In conclusion, a free-willed flesh golem like Andrew, one whose master remains at large and who the skinthief had no way of restraining or controlling - we certainly found no such means while we were there, and the skinthief would have kept them close to hand if he were dealing with constructs of any kind - would be worth more as merchandise than as an ally.
In short, the skinthief would have stood to gain more from disassembling and selling Andrew than from keeping him around. The mystery master could have taken a shine to the skinthief's wealth and compelled Andrew to claim it anytime. And before you ask, no, the skinthief had no means to craft a flesh golem of Andrew's quality."
Sour Heck catches a glance out of the window as he sees Peredur literally carrying the aged Father through the streets up to the courthouse, bounding like he has never seen the elf bound before.
The sour bard signals Gustav as Peredur bursts through the doors, setting down the old man as Gustav smiles at the judges. "I have nothing more for Eloise, your honors." Gustav says with a bow. "However, as the Beast's culpability is at issue, I would also like to present testimony by way of Father Cidoimoikis with regards to the deceased..." Gustav asks of the court.
As expected, Otto objects to this being introduced this late into the trial, but the court overrules him and the Father brings forth the soul of the dead to give testimony.
The watcher of Pharasma looks on, wary but restrained. You can sense that this is adjacent to raising the dead in her mind, but she is sure that she can put the spirit back to rest in the Boneyard once the Father is done.
---
The testimony weighs heavily in the defense's favor, but Sour Heck can hear whisperings in the audience about how this must be staged or that this is all a conspiracy.
Upon the completion of the Father's testimony, Gustav and Otto both summarily end their testimonies as Iesha has still not returned.
The judges stand and call an end to the trial and retire to their chambers to begin deliberation. Judge Daramid speaks before they leave the bench. "We will convene in the morning to pass our verdict for the defendant. Until then Andrew will be returned to safe holding."
Once they are out of the room, the Beast is shackled and the Pharasmin cleric shields him with magic as he is marched back to his carriage.
---
Upon retiring to the inn for the night, most of the townsfolk appear to regard you with suspicion. However, you notice one face stands out amongst the others: a woman.
Eloise gets up early, goes through her training routine and has a sitdown with her spellbook before going downstairs for breakfast. If anyone gives her funny looks, she glares right back at them, her hands never very far from her weapons.
When she notices the one face that is not unfriendly, she gives the woman a polite nod.
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Sitting at the table for breakfast, Gruoch takes out a small object from her pouch, placing in the palm of her other hand. She begins petting what seems to be a scorpion.
"Ah, my dearest Chuck. Where shall our travels take us next?"
The scorpion twitches in her hand. "Fret not. We will soon find those bastards. I know patience is not your strong suit, but we must screw our courage to the sticking post and persevere."
Gruoch looks over and sees Elouise nod. She nods in a return with a suspicious smile.
"Perhaps we are not alone, my love," she speaks softly to the arthropod. Gruoth gently taps a chair at her table with her toe as she looks over to Eloise. The chair invitingly slides out.
Shuffling and wincing as if suffering a hangover meant for a god, Sour Heck gropes his way to the table and collapses into it, evidently not caring who is at the table with Eloise and himself.
"Part one of my plan is complete: I will no longer mind if the judges have me hanged. I may even prefer it."
The bard cradles his head weakly in his hands a few moments, then notices the scorpion. "Bug in your soup? I'd send that back if I were you. Now the next part of the plan is trickier: I have to convince the judges that instead of calling for the hangman, it'd be easier for everyone if they just pay me to hang myself. It's true I have no prior experience, but I'm sure I could learn the ropes."
Sour Heck catches the innkeeper's eye and elaborately pantomimes a request for gruel from the common pot, which he sets to eating with many a shudder. "Seems that Peredur and Father Cidoimoikis have a lot in common. Our elf-blooded friend told me over drinks last night that he intends to stay in Lepidstadt after the trial and focus on making the streets safe for honest Pharasmins. He'll send word to us if he finds any sign of the Whispering Way. And I've convinced our young friend Talia to stay here and enroll at the University. I'll be sad to see the end of her--or rather, I'll miss seeing the end of her--but she'll be safer her with Peredur, and she might learn something about our necromantic nemesis from the academics. If she does, she'll send word."
"Any thoughts about where you'll head after the trial, Eloise? Can't imagine the streets will be very safe for us around here after our testimonies. I'm thinking of heading off with the Crooked Kin, to see what I can find out on the road."
"I'll see if the judge has any solid leads on the whispering filth as pay for our services, and then I'll be off chasing them," Eloise says, frowning unhappily. "I'm sad to see our group fall apart like this. I'd hoped... No. I'm sad, but we all have to lead our lives as we will."
Eloise notices the stranger's signal and quirks an eyebrow in surprise.
'What is this? Is she... flirting with me?!'
Dot.
"Depends," Eloise says, nodding at the scorpion. "That thing been fed or not?"
"Now, don't be morbid, Eloise. A bug that size couldn't eat all of you, no matter how hungry. I doubt it would even hurt you! You'd be dead from its venom before you felt any pain. Could we stop worrying about such unlikely things? I need to talk to you about how many of the citizens of Lepidstadt have been replaced by skinstealers and flesh golems."
The bard turns back to Gruoch. "There's only two reasons you'd be sitting at this table after what I watched happen on it last night--either you know it's our favorite table, and were staking it out to talk to us, or you have absolutely no sense of smell. Which is it? Because if you're a simple olfactory-impared bug fancier, you might want to move along before you hear something that will disturb you."
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"I will not beat around the bush, as I have been known to feel the future in the instant. I am Gruoch MacBethad, and I am hear to seek you and your party. I heard whispers that we have mutual pursuits, and I was curious if we could work together to find our... way."
She looks at both Eloise and Sour. "Is this making sense to you all? I dreadfully hope so. I had such high hopes for our partnership."
She waits. And sighs. "I see. I believe we could strike up a symbiotic relationship here. If you would join me at the table," gesturing to the avaliable seats, "or another table if you wish, I would love to tell you of my plans ... our plans."
Gruoch, holding her dearest Chuck in her hand, petting him delicately,"I come from a small hamlet of an unimportant name," she pauses and looks off for a moment,"For what is in a name?... My husband and I lived quite well among the community and shared power with others in the area that allowed us time and comfort to pursue our interests in knowledge and the arcane arts. Unfortunately my husband passed. He would frequently jest that life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. But I did not know his health was so fragile. I was unprepared for his departure. As a result, I was left weak in the community and lost my position. I tried to regain what was stripped from me, first through diplomacy, then my few loyal men aided me in some brief skirmishes, and finally I even tapped into my knowledge of arcana, but all to no avail. And I lost many good people, people who looked to me for guidance. I needed more strength. More power to take back what is rightfully mine! To protect those who trusted me with their livelihood! To make right what they wronged!!"
She calms down and looks down at Chuck,"They must think this all sounds like a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Gruoch turns back to Eloise and Sour. "But I heard of a particular group that might hold the very power I need to set things right again. And I heard that you all might know the way to find them. I aim to join you, to aid you in your pursuit."
She looks to them, waiting for their reply.
Eloise's face goes stony at the less than subtle clues of Gruoch's goal and her hand closes around the hilt of her longsword... but still she sits down.
"I will warn you and expect you to heed me, Gruoch MacBethad: the people you seek are murdering scum. They are not in the business of redressing wrongs, they commit them. My purpose in seeking these whispers is to silence them forever, not add to their number. To join them or petition them is to embrace perdition. Are we clear?"
Sour Heck begins to wolf down his gruel. "What our dear wizard of war here is saying is that going to the Whispering Way for power is a really bad idea. People like you who ask for their help don't end up on top; the lucky ones stay dead. The unlucky ones..." He bugs out his eyes and lets gruel dribble from the side of his mouth as he pantomimes a zombie swaying back and forth.
"But necromancy isn't the only path to power, is it? Gold's better--gold doesn't ask for anything in return. Get enough gold and you can buy back what you lost; you could even buy your husband's life back from the church, if you think widow's weeds don't look good on you."
"Now, you might guess from my rough clothes that I'm not a rich man. But I'm about to come into a big bag of coin. I'd be glad to contribute to your campaign to become the Dark Lady of whateversburg you're from, in exchange for some solid information: How you heard of the Whispering Way, who told you of them, and exactly what you heard, in as much detail as you can manage."
"But that will have to wait a little while," says the bard as he licks his bowl clean. "We have a court date we can't miss. Perhaps you'd like to come to the courthouse with us?"
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"Oh, stay her hand, my love. You have no reason to fear my intentions. We are, as they say, in alignment, so to speak. I have no intention to join them. Quite the opposite. I plan to take their power. To learn their secrets. And I do not mean to ask them nicely for it either. It will then give new purpose to their power; a purpose of good."
Gruoth turns to Sour, not too amused by his zombie impression. "The courthouse? Hmmm. Probably more civilized there than in here. Lead the way and afterward we can talk more on this topic."