"You have a beautiful home," he manages to force out before falling silent once more.
Luckily for the good doctor, Malakai and Arline were the force behind conversation. Arline was (and still is) quite gregarious, and chatting with her was less of a social encounter, but more of a game of speed-chess. Her husband leaned back and looked very proud of himself--he was apparently a well-known architect in Ustalavian style. His full belly and thick mustache (as well as thinning head hair) gave him the disposition of a man extremely satisfied with a world that as extremely satisfied with him.
Between pouring tea and several pie servings (which the couple would not take 'no' as an answer to), the sneaky question of marriage came up after exchanging the initial barrage of small-talk.
"What's your secret, Thaddeus? Haven't found The One?" she asked with a sly smile as her husband dug into his next pie.
It seems this question is mandated to everyone before Thaddeus makes a social visit.
Kids arrive
Two children entered the room (also well-dressed), occasionally pushing one another and picking at their (clearly uncomfortably semi-formal wear).
Arline turned and reached for one (the second stayed safely out of reach) and introduced them as Martin and Mateo, her sons.
They took on their father, although Mateo had his mother's hair.
Mateo's nose began running, and Arline (who didn't notice and was focusing on Martin picking his own) said to the good doctor, "Mateo knows how to count from one to ten!
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
"What's your secret, Thaddeus? Haven't found The One?" she asked with a sly smile as her husband dug into his next pie.
Content with his choice of opening, Thaddeus is caught quite off guard at the query, as commonplace as it was. Then again, it might not have been the question itself, but the questioner...
The doctor stammers for a moment, avoiding eye contact before managing to come up with an answer. "Well, ahem... my work requires me to travel often. That is hardly conductive to a life of domesticity, I am afraid. I could not possibly make commitments that I cannot uphold..."
DM Shade wrote:
Arline turned and reached for one (the second stayed safely out of reach) and introduced them as Martin and Mateo, her sons.
Mateo's nose began running, and Arline (who didn't notice and was focusing on Martin picking his own) said to the good doctor, "Mateo knows how to count from one to ten!
Thaddeus smiles awkwardly at the two boys. He did not dislike children, as such, but he was very uncomfortable being around them in non-medical capacity. There was simply no chance of conducting an sensible discussion with someone who had not yet reached intellectual maturity, and the doctor lacked whatever emotive quality was required to engage children on their own level.
Had he had time to prepare, he might have handled himself more admirably. Of course, the fact that Arline might have children had not entered his mind for a second.
"That is quite impressive," he says, with what he hopes is a sagely nod. "Perhaps he has a future in academia."
"What's your secret, Thaddeus? Haven't found The One?" she asked with a sly smile as her husband dug into his next pie.
The doctor stammers for a moment, avoiding eye contact before managing to come up with an answer. "Well, ahem... my work requires me to travel often. That is hardly conductive to a life of domesticity, I am afraid. I could not possibly make commitments that I cannot uphold..."
"But you have to settle down some time," said Malakai, with the same air of supreme peace with the universe. "Everybody does."
Arline nodded sagely and added, "Like in Lepidstadt. It's a good place, and a lot of good can be done by teaching there."
As Malakai poured Dusek more tea, Arline paused, looking at her noisy sons, and then said, "Putting the ghost-hunting 'doctor occult' thing besides, you are doing very well for yourself."
Malakai nodded, mumbling something about 'the noblest profession', as Arline added with an embarrassed smile and inscrutable gaze around her house, "I guess you always were destined for this."
Thaddeus Dusek wrote:
DM Shade wrote:
"Mateo knows how to count from one to ten!
"That is quite impressive," he says, with what he hopes is a sagely nod. "Perhaps he has a future in academia."
The boy looked as proud as he could be, and paraded like a peacock, reciting his numbers from one to ten. After he was finished, he basked in his mother's clapping and his father's approving nod.
"Martin can also--," Arline began, before slapping Martin's hand out of his nose. "-sing Augustin Doboș's opera singles!"
Soon, a small, yellowing (no doubt anemic) housemaid entered, inviting everyone to the dinner table, and Malakai led the doctor to the washroom to get ready.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
"But you have to settle down some time," said Malakai, with the same air of supreme peace with the universe. "Everybody does."
Arline nodded sagely and added, "Like in Lepidstadt. It's a good place, and a lot of good can be done by teaching there."
"Quite true," Thaddeus says with a deep sigh. "Honestly, I have considered opening a practise for a while now..."
Wait. An architect, huh?
The doctor glances between Arline and Malakai, his mind suddenly racing through various ideas. "But not in Lepidstadt. There are more than enough doctors there. Mister Iwan, it occurs to me that you might know of a property here in Ardis that could suit my purposes... but such considerations can wait until our business is concluded, of course."
DM Shade wrote:
As Malakai poured Dusek more tea, Arline paused, looking at her noisy sons, and then said, "Putting the ghost-hunting 'doctor occult' thing besides, you are doing very well for yourself."
Malakai nodded, mumbling something about 'the noblest profession', as Arline added with an embarrassed smile and inscrutable gaze around her house, "I guess you always were destined for this."
Thaddeus frowns. "There is no such thing as destiny. We make our own decisions, for better or worse..."
Realising the ominosity of his statement, Thaddeus clears his throat and breaks eye contact.
DM Shade wrote:
Soon, a small, yellowing (no doubt anemic) housemaid entered, inviting everyone to the dinner table, and Malakai led the doctor to the washroom to get ready.
The doctor follows along, making no effort to keep up the conversation once the men are away from Arline.
"But you have to settle down some time," said Malakai, with the same air of supreme peace with the universe. "Everybody does."
Arline nodded sagely and added, "Like in Lepidstadt. It's a good place, and a lot of good can be done by teaching there."
"Quite true," Thaddeus says with a deep sigh. "Honestly, I have considered opening a practise for a while now...
"But not in Lepidstadt. There are more than enough doctors there. Mister Iwan, it occurs to me that you might know of a property here in Ardis that could suit my purposes... but such considerations can wait until our business is concluded, of course."
Malakai nodded simply, saying (after drowning a bite of pie with tea), "Of course."
Arline gave a friendly smile at the thought.
DM Shade wrote:
Thaddeus frowns. "There is no such thing as destiny. We make our own decisions, for better or worse..."
A silence fell upon the living room, where Arline patted Martin's hair distractedly.
Dining Room
They had a large dinner table, nearly overflowing with a dozen and a half dishes--meat, several salads, a large pot of stew, and various breads.
'This is a lot of food':
"It's nothing--this is what we eat everyday!" Arline said joyfully while pouring vegetable stew to Dr. Thaddeus.
Sense Motive 10:
Showing off is a skill Thaddeus must master when entering married life, clearly.
Arline asked once she began eating with gusto, "Do you remember the Khadrev house?" The Khadrev house?
Flashback:
"What is this place, Maddox?"
"It's the Khadrev house, Thaddeus."
"Why do you never play around here?"
"Dad said so." Khadrev House
It was tempting to take a look. The three-floor manor stood at the bank of the Sanir, as the morning mist gathered around it, giving it a legendarily spooky disposition.
"Let's go in."
"Dad will know and punish us!" asserted both twins in fear.
"Just a look, then."
The morning air was heavy with the distant scent of mazut (which seemed to waft in from nowhere), and the crunch of old grasses under the little feet of the five children. Thaddeus, Arline, Maddox, Edric, and Agatha approached, seeing the house grow larger and larger as they neared its semi-rusted iron-wire fence.
There was nobody within sight of the five. A forest (or a forgotten garden) behind the fence bore several unusual-looking trees, and bright blue flowers hidden behind thorns.
Arline's little hand shivered in Thaddeus's own left, and Maddox did the same at his right hand, as the children approached, hand-in-hand, as if deriving bravery by sheer arithmetics -- five children versus one spooky house.
At the back of Thaddeus's head, some entity begged them to get away. You've made your point. You're brave. We must go before something ill happens.
Before something strange appeared.
--"but you're not eating, Doctor Dusek!" came the voice of Malakai Iwan.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Sense Motive:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19Heh. :P
Thaddeus snaps back to the present day, glancing around as if in a daze. He lets go of the napkin in his lap, noticing his white-knuckled grip on the piece of fabric—like a drowning man holding on to a plank.
"I remember," he blurts out. The doctor's voice cracks slightly, and he has to clear his throat to get rid of the tightening sensation in his chest. He forces himself to try some stew, but all he can taste is bile.
"What... what about the house?" he asks uncertainly. "Surely it is not still standing. The manor was half a ruin, even back then..."
"What... what about the house? Surely it is not still standing. The manor was half a ruin, even back then..."
"It stands," said Arline, smacking one of the kids as he attempted to pour his stew over to the floor, and the other for putting what was in his mouth back on the plate.
"You know we never returned since your uncle took our words," she said, pausing only for confirmation. She then said stoically, "Well...Shiraz returned."
Flashback:
The iron gate was unlocked, the groundskeeper's room empty and forgotten. Behind the gate strewn with green moss and devilish-looking plants, and at the door of the house she stood.
Alone, delicate, and thin as a flower-stem. A young girl at their age, wearing a white sleeping gown that reached her feet. Her collar had ribbons tied in a neat bow tie. Her raven-black hair flowed to her midsection, and her eyes were brilliant green.
Green eyes were uncommon to say the least in Ustalav--a cynic would say one would likely come across the red of supposed vampires.
While the children stood frozen outside, she approached, and opened the gate to a faint rusted squeak, smiling brightly.
"Come in. Don't be afraid--this is my house."
Maddox was the first to recover his ability to speak, asking slowly, "You're the Khedrevs' daughter?"
With the gate wide enough to enter, she said nothing, but beckoned the gang to enter. She then extended her pearly hands to embrace Agatha and said, "You're so pretty! What's your name?"
"A-agatha."
"You have a nice name. My name is Shiraz."
"Y-you have a strange name--but it's nice, too, Shiraz," Agatha said, recovering her color slowly.
Then Shiraz embraced Arline and whispered gently, "Why do you dress like boys? But -if you want my opinion- I think you're prettier that way."
She then extended her crystalline-like hand to Thaddeus--
Did Thaddeus shake her hand, and enter behind her to the house?
"Uncle says we aren't supposed to talk to strangers..."
Shiraz smiled, and said, "Well--my name is Shiraz. What's yours?"
Agatha (apparently warming up to the neighbor) said, "His name is Thaddeus!"
Shiraz gave another generous smile at the youngest of the group and said (keeping her hand offered), "Then we're not strangers anymore, right?"
Shiraz gave a small laugh (more like bells tinkling) and said, "It has to work that way, or I'll never be un-stranger-ed."
With that statement that made Agatha smile (especially that she was very pretty), she pulled the gate open a little more for everyone to enter. She led the party past the trees (both clawed and flowery blue) to the door with a silvery door knocker.
The door opened to a butler in a suit, who said, "Young miss Shiraz."
Shiraz led the party to an elegant lobby flanked by mirrors and art pieces.
Strangely, cobweb covered a lot of areas.
Didn't they have something to remove the cobweb?
"--till he remembers," finished Arline with a sigh, as one of her sons pushed away the salad she poured into his plate.
Once Dr. Dusek came to from his reverie, Arline looked tired. In answer to an unasked question, she said, while putting a napkin on the spot of water spreading from one of the childrens' spilled water glasses, "I came across the house by chance on the morn of yesterday. I found her standing next to the gate. She was laughing."
Did you talk to her?:
"Impossible. I wouldn't have dared."
How was she? Did she get married?:
"Impossible for her to be married, Thaddeus," she said, looking distressed.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus shakes his head slowly, trying to get of the fogginess invading his mind. He suddenly felt very tired. "I... I do not understand, Arline. What does this have to do with me?"
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus feels the icy tendrils of fear creeping down his spine, but quickly steels himself against the growing terror. This was nothing new to him, just another case amongst a hundred others.
"Now now," he says calmly. "There are multiple reasonable explanations for what you saw. She might be a younger relative, or merely the offspring of a current resident that found some of her old garments. Who knows, maybe it was another unruly child that sneaked in against their parents' wishes. Or it might have been nothing at all! Indeed, we cannot rule out the possibility of a visual hallucination. Have you been eating and drinking regularly? Getting enough exercise? I understand that as a mother of two, one might forget to take care of their own needs on occasion..."
Dr. Thaddeus knew (due to his work) also of hormonal imbalances that would cause halted growth, and perhaps she was a halfling all along. They might not be exactly common in the north as in the south, but there was a lot of Taldor in the mansion...
As the table was cleared (leaving a regrettable amount of leftovers) and the conversation moved to the living room, Malakai drew out a pipe and began executing some kind of surgery on it with a wire.
"You won't let the doctor thing go, will you?" She said, smiling tiredly, shaking her head. "You remember those days and that girl. You know just as well as we do; this is more dangerous."
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus removes his spectacles and rubs his eyes and temples, sighing deeply. He stays standing, starting to slowly pace back and forth as he tries to get his thoughts in order.
"I am afraid my memory is not what it used to be," he admits grudgingly. "Regardless of what you think might be going on, the truth is likely to be mundane. That is how it is. Only a fraction of these cases have anything to do with the supernatural, and everything to do with superstition. We were just children, Arline. Who is to say how much of what we remember is imagination?"
The doctor sighs again and puts his glasses back on. "I will look into the matter, if that is what you require. For our friendships' sake. Just do not try to predispose me to believe anything without proof."
"I am afraid my memory is not what it used to be," he admits grudgingly. "Regardless of what you think might be going on, the truth is likely to be mundane. That is how it is. Only a fraction of these cases have anything to do with the supernatural, and everything to do with superstition. We were just children, Arline. Who is to say how much of what we remember is imagination?"
Arline looked to her husband's eyes, and then towards the doctor, and said, offering Dr. Dusek a bowl of strawberries, "Do you remember our first visit?"
Flashback:
With cobwebs at every corner, and a heavy scent was in the air. A woman stood next to the house's large dining table. Her hair was gray, and her face bore the marks of age.
Once she witnessed the children led by Shiraz, she smiled kindly, and said, "Shiraz's friends? Welcome. My daughter's friends are my friends. Poor dear never finds children her age. What are your names?"
With names either given by the child or by Shiraz, she invited the children to sit at the table, and then offered them a bowl of blue jelly--it was astoundingly delicious, and she asked her young guests about their families, schools, and lives. Her face was kindly and open, and when apprehensiveness prevented an answer, she did not hold up the conversation at that point.
"Why didn't I see you with Shiraz before?" she asked.
Maddox scratched his hair and said, embarrassed, "Well..."
She patted Maddox's shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't say it--let me guess: your parents told you not to come by?"
"In fact," started Arline.
"Don't worry about it. You don't have to tell them, but if you want to come by again, please feel free to consider this your home."
She then offered the gathered children fresh strawberries bursting with flavor.
When it was time to leave, it was an unspoken agreement that this world will not be revealed to the parents.
"Blue jelly? Fresh strawberries in Neth? Malakai questioned, finally setting a fire into his pipe.
"You weren't there--the very air seemed different," said Arline to her husband. "It was captivating. When we were children, we never said a word to our parents. Shiraz had all the boys' attention, and Agatha always shadowed her when we visited."
Curiously, she had a neutral expression with the last few words, and gave a brief pause.
She then looked down, and said, "Birds never neared their house. Remember? Neither did cats."
Malakai shook his head, and said, "You were all extremely innocent. Nature did whatever it could to warn you, but you didn't understand."
Flashback:
The children visited Shiraz's house several times--sometimes in the morning, sometimes at the beginning of dusk, and Shiraz was always waiting by.
As always, she laughed, exchanged kisses with the girls, and invited them in.
And then the games began--catch, hide-and-seek, catching small lizards (done by the boys), soccer, climbing trees, and then leaving the house with bated breath, counting the seconds till the next visit--
The house was big and filled with surprises, and the fact that this was forbidden enjoyment added greatly to the value of the adventure.
Was the young Dr. Dusek as captivated as the rest? Was he more or less so? Young Arline became jealous when the boys' and Agatha's attention diverted from her to Shiraz (who was better-looking and cheerier). Did Dusek also get captivated by Shiraz as well (contributing to Arline's future actions in the plot), or was he apprehensive towards the whole thing and uncomfortable with participating but drawn in with peer pressure?*)
* This is not the normal plot progression, but I can roll with it.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
"Certainly, there was something quite out of the ordinary with the manor and its inhabitants," Thaddeus admits, still reluctant to indulge in speculation. "Strangeness does not equate supernatural, however. I will do whatever I can to look into the matter, as promised, and remain as impartial as I possibly can. Of course, considering my personal involvement in the case, that might be impossible..."
I can hardly tell them to ask for a second opinion, can I?
The doctor turns to Malakai, assuming a more business-like mien. "Mr. Iwan, I assume that your education included some architectural history. What do you know of the building in question?"
Flashback:
DM Shade wrote:
Was the young Dr. Dusek as captivated as the rest? Was he more or less so? Young Arline became jealous when the boys' and Agatha's attention diverted from her to Shiraz (who was better-looking and cheerier). Did Dusek also get captivated by Shiraz as well (contributing to Arline's future actions in the plot), or was he apprehensive towards the whole thing and uncomfortable with participating but drawn in with peer pressure?)
Young Thaddeus was not immune to the strange wonders of the manor, but he could never quite rid himself of his cautious nature. Perhaps this was because he was so well-read, and his mind was swirling with stories where foolish children were drawn to their dooms by idle curiosity, or maybe it was some seed of what would develop into the skepticism he would come to be known for. Certainly, his cousins' enthusiasm affected him as well.
However, it was concern for Arline that kept the to-be doctor coming back. Had it only been his cousins, he might have gathered the courage to tell their father about the gang's misadventures, but the thought of getting his dearest friend in trouble was too much—nor did he want to let Arline go to the manor without making sure that she was safe. As time went on and nothing explicitly untoward befell the gang, his suspicions were somewhat abated. Even then, he never trusted Shiraz enough to feel completely at ease around the strange girl...
"Shiraz, I really like you," said Maddox. The young Thaddeus was looking under a nearby bush when he came across the conversation. The two were talking.
"Maddox, stop this or I'll tell mama," Shiraz said.
"I'll die if you order me to."
"Good--then die."
Maddox clutched at his chest, and then fell unto a pile of autumn leaves.
"See? I'm dead now. Now do you like me?"
Shiraz laughed coyly, and gave the body a slight kick, and said, "You're not dead. And how about Arline? You like her."
"Not anymore. She's boring."
"I'll tell her!" said Shiraz with a sneaky grin, causing Maddox to spring to his feet, abandoning the role of the lovestruck Galtan.
"No, shut up!"
"Arline! Maddox says--" began Shiraz, taking off with a wide grin, cupping her hands around her mouth, and running across the grounds to where the girls were.
Maddox, red in the face, took after her, and grabbed her hand, shouting, "Shiraz, be quiet!"
The two lost their balance and fell--leaving a sickening thud of bone on stone.
"No--I'm sorry. I was kidding!" cried Maddox, as Shiraz sat up, holding her forehead.
Male Human (Varisian) Expert 1 | AC 13 | HP 6/6 | Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3 | CMB -1, CMD 12 | Init +3 | Perception +5
Thaddeus had been frozen in place, more out of fear of getting caught eavesdropping than any real interest in the the discussion. Seeing the girl go down, however, he immediately forgot to be afraid of his cousin—or to be wary of Shiraz, for that matter. He knew nothing about treating wounds or mending bone, but he had an instinctual need to help others. The boy rushed over, kneeling next to Shiraz.
"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly. "Lemme see. I read about this somewhere, I think..."
Young Thaddeus saw a wound crossing her marble-like forehead, and her vivid eyes glaring at Maddox silently. The wound seemed like it would leave a scar.
"Y...you have to go to the hospital. It's a big--," began Maddox nervously.
"No." she said sternly. She then let her black bangs cover it, and stood up with as much dignity as she could muster. She then turned, and left that corner of the grounds. Maddox followed, head lowered.
Perhaps it was shame or awkwardness that prevented Maddox to bring this up again, since Shiraz never spoke of it again.
At one point, when Thaddeus had nothing, Maddox approached, and sat next to him, saying, "I'm not sure about what I saw...but did you see any blood?"
"You noticed that, too?" asked present-day Arline, as their servant poured more tea. She was thoughtful as she said, "I've noticed her hands scratch thorns, but she never bled. In fact, when she shook our hands as we left, they were as as if never wounded. I thought my hands were just too soft."
"Children see a lot of strange things, but never try to answer them," said Malakai.
Dr. Dusek wrote:
"Mr. Iwan, I assume that your education included some architectural history. What do you know of the building in question?"
"I can ask. What I know about it is very little," he promised. "What are you expecting?"
He then smiled, remembering something, and said, "Arline says you were taken by Shiraz."
Perhaps Arline did not know young Thaddeus's actual feelings, for she nodded, and added quietly, taking a sip of her tea, "Not just him. Edric and Maddox as well."
No longer the Lady of the Seven Moons and the Queen of Arcadia. The pangs of jealousy must have torn her little heart apart. Showing off fallen teeth and helping to cross pits in the street stopped, and nobody jumped the walls of the nearby garden to steal her a flower (which naturally fell on the more physically-able Maddox and Edric). The devil Shiraz took over her world. Even when it came to the more level-headed Thaddeus, he was also intrigued with the manor, which would always turn something strange or another. Flowers he never saw before that he could sketch, or the view it granted over the nearby river that seemed picturesque enough to be portrayed in a painting.
But yet she remained, feigning happiness and joining in play.
In the end, it was clear that she could not compete with Shiraz--not when she made no visible effort; she yet dressed in pants and had short hair, while Shiraz was a child-lady (if such a term was familiar in the children's eyes). The small heart filled with black smoke and dark feelings. Even when it came to Thaddeus's cousin (and Maddox's and Edric's sister) Agatha, the smart young thing found Shiraz to be more interesting and feminine.
Yesterday, these feelings may have not been understood, or dismissed as nonsense ('she was laughing with us, wasn't she?'. Today, they are clearer than ever.
One day, the children were busy in a 3-man board game in Shiraz's yard. As Thaddeus, Maddox, and Edric struggled for victory and Agatha watched, watching the game with an intrigued grin. Arline burst in the yard, and saw everyone, before releasing a scream of frustration.
"You're all here for her! Nobody wants me! " she shouted, and kicked the board off (throwing away Thaddeus's upcoming strategy). She then added with tears in her eyes, "I'm going home, and never returning!"
At the silence that followed this declaration, Arline added, before running home, "And I'll tell everyone you came here!"
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
"You noticed that, too?" asked present-day Arline, as their servant poured more tea. She was thoughtful as she said, "I've noticed her hands scratch thorns, but she never bled. In fact, when she shook our hands as we left, they were as as if never wounded. I thought my hands were just too soft."
"Children see a lot of strange things, but never try to answer them," said Malakai.
Thaddeus continues to pace, stroking his chin as if deep in thought. He does his best to retreat back into the refuge of professionality, finding ample reason as the discussion veers towards his speciality. "As an ignorant child I might have been disturbed by something as trivial as that, but at the present I am one of Ustalav's leading experts on the field of diseases of the blood. There are multiple hereditary afflictions that might cause such symptoms, ranging from simple anemia to congenital thrombophilia. There are also various acquired conditions with the same symptoms, likewise explaining our erstwhile friend's unearthly pallor."
DM Shade wrote:
Thaddeus Dusek wrote:
"Mr. Iwan, I assume that your education included some architectural history. What do you know of the building in question?"
"I can ask. What I know about it is very little," he promised. "What are you expecting?"
The doctor digs out a small notebook from his breast pocket, simultaneously donning his spectacles. He flips through his notes and starts going through a familiar list, counting with his fingers in a demonstrative manner.
"Anything that might help to elucidate these anomalies," he says in a lecturer's tone. "Past and present proprietaries and occupants. Present status in regards to habitability. Previous disturbances, whether they be mundane or supernatural. Reports of intrusion or squatting. Structural matters, such as the presence of toxic gasses from underneath the bedrock."
Thaddeus makes an additional note and snaps the book shut, turning back to Malakai. "Assuming you do not remember all the salient details—which I do not hold you accountable for—any records of the property that you might have access to would be much appreciated..."
DM Shade wrote:
He then smiled, remembering something, and said, "Arline says you were taken by Shiraz."
Perhaps Arline did not know young Thaddeus's actual feelings, for she nodded, and added quietly, taking a sip of her tea,
"Not just him. Edric and Maddox as well."
Thaddeus looks away, his true expression hidden by the glint of firelight off his glasses...
Male Human (Varisian) Expert 1 | AC 13 | HP 6/6 | Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3 | CMB -1, CMD 12 | Init +3 | Perception +5
DM Shade wrote:
"You're all here for her! Nobody wants me!" she shouted, and kicked the board off (throwing away Thaddeus's upcoming strategy). She then added with tears in her eyes, "I'm going home, and never returning!"
At the silence that followed this declaration, Arline added, before running home, "And I'll tell everyone you came here!"
Thaddeus sat there for a couple of seconds, frozen in terror. As he came to his senses, he immediately rushed after Arline, sendind more pieces scattering across the yard.
"Arline!" he shouted. "Arline, that's not true! I want you here! Stop, you'll get in trouble..."
*Not-yet-Dr. Dusek*
That day, young Thaddeus, Maddox, Edric, and Agatha stood bashfully before Alistair (uncle to Thaddeus, father to the rest), ears red in shame as they waited his verdict.
"Arline's mother said you went to the Khadrev house. Have I not told you not to?" he said calmly.
A pregnant pause was the children's response.
"How many times have you went there?" he continued.
It was as if silence could shout...
"How many times? Two? Three? Six?!...more than ten!?"
His face reddened in fury at this sacrilege, and he almost exploded (scattering blood and brain-matter over the room), before his wife intervened.
"What did you see there?" she asked.
The cousins all began (slowly at first, and after correcting one another) explaining everything...Shiraz, her mother, the house servant, the jello, Arline's jealousy--
Alistair's look of intense interest contrasted with his wife's expression of horror, and they shared a meaningful glance, before Alistair rose up as the story ended. He headed to the mantelpiece, and drew the Parables, the holy book of Erastil.
"What is this?" asked Alistair.
"The holy book," returned the cousins.
"Swear to me that you will never return to the house so long as I draw breath."
'But--':
"No buts. You don't know a sliver of what we know of that house. I swear upon this very book that who doesn't make this oath before the Lord of the Hearth will suffer gravely indeed," he warned.
What emotions ran through the children that day...The feeling of betraying Shiraz? Shame of being caught? Sadness that the upcoming days will be gray and wonder-less?"[/b]
*Dr. Dusek*
Dr. Dusek wrote:
"Anything that might help to elucidate these anomalies.
"Past and present proprietaries and occupants. Present status in regards to habitability. Previous disturbances, whether they be mundane or supernatural. Reports of intrusion or squatting. Structural matters, such as the presence of toxic gasses from underneath the bedrock."
Assuming you do not remember all the salient details—which I do not hold you accountable for—any records of the property that you might have access to would be much appreciated..."
Malakai had a mischievous look in his eye that did not fit his obese frame (and his overall aura of self-satisfaction and security), as he said, [b]"I don't know about structural matters, but I do know why it doesn't sell."
He looked to Arline, who shrugged in resignation. Malakai's mouth turned to a grin under his heavy mustache, and he added, "The Khedrevs (wife, daughter, and servants) all died in a mysterious accident on 4660. Fifteen years before you visited it."
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
Malakai had a mischievous look in his eye that did not fit his obese frame (and his overall aura of self-satisfaction and security), as he said, "I don't know about structural matters, but I do know why it doesn't sell."
He looked to Arline, who shrugged in resignation. Malakai's mouth turned to a grin under his heavy mustache, and he added, "The Khedrevs (wife, daughter, and servants) all died in a mysterious accident on 4660. Fifteen years before you visited it."
Thaddeus nods, unwilling to give in to any sense of superstitious fear or uncertainty. This was hardly surprising: most houses had seen their share of tragedy, if you looked back far enough.
"A mysterious one, like I said," he said, appearing slightly disappointed at the lack of a reaction. "Nobody really knows. Of course, most houses had seen their share of tragedy, if you looked back far enough, but the owner of the land (who lives in Caliphas by the way) could never find a buyer. No-one in Ardis would buy it."
He paused, and then asked his wife, "You really thought nothing when you saw her never bleed?"
Arline shook her head, and replied tiredly, "If a child asked about everything they didn't understand, they wouldn't have time to wipe boogers on the underside of the living room cushions."
Silence then fell on the group, as Malakai took another sip of tea and another piece of pie.
"If it was only a few ghosts from the past, we wouldn't send for you. With zombies to disprove and snake-oil salesmen to bust, your schedule must be tight," she began.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus sighs deeply. Always with the zombies! Was there any chance of actually moving back to serious medicine, or would his to-be practise be crowded with curious gawkers and people asking for advice from 'Doctor Occult'? Quiet retirement in Garund sounded ever more enticing...
"Worry not," he says reassuringly. "As I said, I shall look to this with the utmost seriousness. However, I will do it in my own way. I am afraid I have become quite set in my ways, with age."
He turns back to Malakai. "I hope that you can provide me with the documentation I requested at your earliest convenience. I will do some premilinary inspection of the site tomorrow morning, but I am afraid I must fulfill some familial obligations before I get too involved in my investigations..."
The doctor pauses for a moment, looking hesitantly to Arline. "How are they, by the way? My cousins, I mean. We... haven't really been in touch..."
He turns back to Malakai. "I hope that you can provide me with the documentation I requested at your earliest convenience. I will do some premilinary inspection of the site tomorrow morning, but I am afraid I must fulfill some familial obligations before I get too involved in my investigations..."
The doctor pauses for a moment, looking hesitantly to Arline. "How are they, by the way? My cousins, I mean. We... haven't really been in touch..."
Malakai nodded, and said, shrugging, "I don't know how much I could get, but I'll see."
Arline tilted her head, and her eyes widened, before saying, "Wait...that's a good idea. They haven't left Ardis like," she paused, moving on awkwardly, "Maddox inherited his father's house, and Edric and Agatha both moved to new places at the edges of town. We should have them over and discuss this: why did Shiraz return?"
"Seems like a plan," Malakai said, seeming to focus on the now, as he added as he rose up, "Doctor, please consider resting in the guest room for now if you plan on investigating the house tomorrow. You've had a long trip."
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus shifts in his seat, uncomfortable with the thought of meeting all his cousins at once. He had quite been hoping to apportion the social gatherings over an extended period of time, for the benefit of his own sanity. The issue seemed to be out of his hands now, however. At the very least, having Arline there would mean that he would not have to keep up the conversation...
"Yes, I think I shall retire," he says wearily. "Good night to you, and thank you for your hospitality..."
Arline seemed to want to add something, but evidently decided to delay it to tomorrow with her husband's control over the conversation.
The guest room was done in the style of the house, with a round mirror with golden framing hanged on the wall, and heavy curtains that would hold the cold of winter at bay. The corridor outside held a well-designed and proper grandfather clock, which ticked in the silence of the night.
Dream, or Memory?:
The sun was setting over the Khedrev House, painting the sky with bloody reads and vivid yellows. Shadows formed the children--how many were there?
"Shiraz, I'm afraid of the sunset," said a childish, familiar voice. "It's like the sun is dying."
"Silly...the sun doesn't die at sunset," said Shiraz, her long shimmering black locks casting a wider shadow than the rest. "It goes to sleep in its house far away."
"Shiraz...I'm afraid."
"Afraid while I'm with you?" she asked.
Perhaps no one could bring the courage (or understand themselves well enough) to admit it was not that---perhaps fear is from her.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
What was the good doctor's plan for tomorrow?
Thaddeus rises early, with the intention of scouting out the location in the light of the morning sun. Really, this was more to make it concrete for himself that the structure was still standing. Since he had no need to meet relatives, he instead decided to spend the rest of the day seeking allowance to city archives. Perhaps he would uncover something Malakai Iwan's connections could not...
The grandfather clock ticked and tocked in the silence of the night, where soft moonlight passed through the curtained window.
In the haze between sleep and wakefulness, Doctor Dusek heard another noise aside from the ticking and the tocking--a scratching noise on the floor outside.
Was the room door opened when the doctor slept? Such things do not come easily when one is unsure if asleep or awake...
But the darkness in the corridor embraced a small figure on its little knees in the blackness--one busy scratching the wooden floor.
If calling out:
Thaddeus tried to call out, but his voice was a hoarse, breathy, whisper softer than a mouse. The figure did notice, however, and seemed to turn to face him.
The cascade of black within black seemed to be hair over the face of a child.
If staying silent:
The scratching continued for another half minute, before it ceased, and the figure rose to leave.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus stares at the doorway, frozen in terror. He does not move a muscle, and his breathing becomes shallow. Probably just a dream... a stray cat, and a branch scraping across a window... or perhaps sleep paralysis. For what feels like hours, he lies there, trying his best to rationalise the situation, but in his groggy state his thoughts come tumbling out in an disorganised mess.
The feeling of helplessness is even worse, perhaps, than the fear of whatever is out there in the dark.
When the darkness over the world began to lighten, a dim mist swept over the city of Ardis. Come morning proper, Dr. Dusek managed to wake up.
As if to confirm that what blurry visions and thoughts ran in his mind were a dream, the door to his room was closed, and did not look over the dark hallway.
Is it fair to presume Dr. Dusek's preparations will not change his current formula loadout?
Once prepared:
Dr. Dusek heard Arline's voice behind his room door.
"Mateo?! What did you do?!"
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
Is it fair to presume Dr. Dusek's preparations will not change his current formula loadout?
Actually, I think he will swap his usual doctoring extracts for something a bit more... investigative. He is not supposed to be seeing any patients today, in any case. Let's say heightened awareness and identify, with an empty slot for flexibility.
DM Shade wrote:
Dr. Dusek heard Arline's voice behind his room door.
"Mateo?! What did you do?!"
Thaddeus picks up his bag and cane, going through his mental checklist to make sure that he has not forgotten anything important. Thankfully, he had not really had time to unpack the previous night.
Finally, he braves the hallway, peeking out to see what all the noise is about...
In the hallway, Arline stood over her thin housemaid, who was busy scrubbing the wooden floor that seemed oh-so-polished yesterday night. Arline's son was nearby, looking confused with a half-eaten apple in his hand, shaking his head vigorously in denial.
"No, ma. I swear!"
"Oh, Thaddeus! Did I wake you?" Arline asked. "Oh, this is terrible. Go wake your brother and tell him I want to see him," she commanded her son.
When the housemaid took a breath from scrubbing the floor, she said, "Mistress, it's carved in too deep. I think we need to replace it."
The scribble on the ground, noticed Thaddeus, looked vaguely familiar.
It resembled some kind of board-game fit for three players...
Khadrev House
As Thaddeus left the house, Arline said, "We are going to have your cousins over for dinner."
Ardis, Thaddeus noticed (now in the light mist of the morning) was truly a shell of its former self. Several neighborhoods were almost entirely uninhabited (usually those at the outskirts of town). Shops had barricaded windows and faded signs, and the old riverside waterwheel that was once maintained by that cantankerous old man when Thaddeus was young did not move anymore, and reeds and weeds grew in once-pristine lawns and gardens.
The area where the Khadrev house was not out of the way, but it did not exactly sit between any landmark and Arline's house.
It was strange for her to claim to be 'passing by' when she saw Shiraz.
The house itself seemed to be hosted in the mists. On a slight hill and guarded by iron grates (and a gate chained shut), it seemed to not age beyond how it looked decades ago. Ivy intersected its iron-wire fence, and the odd flowers Thaddeus once found worthy of being sketched yet remained. There were no lights by the dusty old windows.
The place was quiet. Even the wind seemed to whisper rather than blow.
If Shiraz appeared to Arline, she might be too busy for Thaddeus...if ghosts from the past had a particularly strict schedule.
Eatery/Breakfast
The closest shops to the house were shops Thaddeus once used to visit. The confectionery shop that once sold hard mint candies, licorice, and sweet cakes is still there, and seemed to expand into the adjacent shops, where there used to be a barber. Now also selling coffee and alcohol (and acting as a restaurant), it seemed a little surprising that Ardis boasts a large confectionery with its reduced population. Few Ardisanians sat in what morning sun that passed the overcast skies and looked over their papers in scattered tables.
"Breakfast for one or coffee?" asked a lanky and freckled young waiter droned. A small family sat on a nearby table--two parents and three children. The father looked up from his newspaper, and squinted at Thaddeus from a distance of a dozen or so feet.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
The place was quiet. Even the wind seemed to whisper rather than blow.
If Shiraz appeared to Arline, she might be too busy for Thaddeus...if ghosts from the past had a particularly strict schedule.
The doctor walks up to the gates, running his hand across its rusted bars in contemplation. He was not quite sure if he was more frustrated or relieved to find no sign of Shiraz. The fact that her presence had seemed like a real possibility—even for a moment—was worrying enough. Was there any chance of being able to remain objective, when there was so much of himself within these walls? Was he doing the Iwans a disservice by returning to Ardis, and giving their fanciful suppositions any credibility?
Certainly, Arline would not have sent for him if something was not amiss. Yet, the most obvious answer to the mystery was all too apparent. The case had all the hallmarks of the attention-seeking fabrications of a bored housewife—indeed, Arline had always been prone to such stunts. Everyone in the Iwan household seemed all too eager to buy into the narrative she had presented, as well. Their lives were obviously stable enough, but perhaps lacking in excitement. Seeing Ardis as it was now, could he truly blame them? He thought back on the night before, and the scribbles on the floor of the hallway. The boys had likely heard their conversations, giving fuel to the fires of their childish imaginations. Yes. Certainly, that was the most obvious answer, and as such the most likely to be true.
Why, then, did he have to keep convincing himself it was so? Why was he only now remembering things that he had not thought of in decades, and why could he not shake this constant feeling of unease?
He hoped that his cousins would help him talk some sense into Arline. Even more so, he hoped that they would help put his own worries to rest...
DM Shade wrote:
"Breakfast for one or coffee?" asked a lanky and freckled young waiter droned. A small family sat on a nearby table--two parents and three children. The father looked up from his newspaper, and squinted at Thaddeus from a distance of a dozen or so feet.
Thaddeus sits down so that he is facing squarely away from the man with the newspaper. While the sketch artists at Soiva Arcana were hardly masters in their medium, they had made his face all too recognisable to the public. "Breakfast, thank you."
The breakfast presented was all-too familiar to Thaddeus's palate. Local beans, the way eggs are fried, and the spicing seemed to be a blast from the past. No county does breakfast like Ardis. From inside the shop/restaurant, the scent of roasted coffee beans and fresh bread wafted out, giving life to an otherwise very quiet square in town.
Deep in thoughts of the events surrounding this old city and while consuming his breakfast, Thaddeus noticed the father of the family stand up and approach. He had a deadly serious expression, was wide around the midsection, and stood around Thaddeus's height. His hair was black and streaked with gray, and he bore bushy mustache and eyebrows, and he leaned over Thaddeus's table and said, "What are you doing here?"
Before the sense of hostility to this action set in, something in Thaddeus's mind lit up.
Trying to remember:
This man looks like Maddox, but it could easily be someone else.
Int to remember:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 Yes, trained memory check because you're such a studious old man.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus stares for a moment in a state of perplexity, squinting and adjusting his spectacles. "Maddox...?"
The doctor takes a moment to wipe his mouth on a napkin before getting up from his seat. He straightens his coat and looks the man up and down, tensing as he tries to assess his motives. "Pardon me, but I am quite unsure as to what you mean. Where else would I be?"
"Pardon me, but I am quite unsure as to what you mean. Where else would I be?"
"Having breakfast with me! By the gods, it's been decades!" The man's stern face cracked into a grin once recognized, and he clapped a heavy hand on Thaddeus's shoulder, continued. "Come, we'll have a party! I'll send for Edric and Agatha and Edric's wife and Agatha's husband and my wife's brother and their children--" he began, running off names that seemed (until recent memory) to be forgotten.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Thaddeus relaxes a bit, daring a slight smile. Seeing that age had done little to temper Maddox's boisterous nature was oddly comforting. "Well... uh, yes, actually, there are already plans for a reunion of sorts. You see, I am here in Ardis to see Arline..."
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Torn between his original intent and the joy of being reunited with his cousin, Thaddeus decides to leave his investigations for the archives later that day.
"Not quite," he says. "But that can wait until later. We should catch up! What have you been up to...?"
"Doing fine. Come, meet my wife and kids," he said. Said kids were poking into their morning pastries (the oldest looked like she was dressed like a vampire and was sitting in the shade, while the youngest was throwing his sausages on the floor).
If joining:
The eldest daughter ignored the introduction, and was observing her black nails and didn't eat. The youngest gawked at the doctor, and the middle child (who looked like the most well-adjusted) sat up and shook a pudgy hand.
Maddox's wife was pretty (though bony), and social (having the admirable talent of never running out of things to say or comment on.)
"So what brings you to Ardis? What reunion are we talking about?"
If apologizing and inviting Maddox to sit next to him:
Maddox only seemed too happy to oblige, resting a meaty leg in a very informal way on one of the chairs near Thaddeus. He looked behind him to his struggling wife and back to Thaddeus, smiling, and saying,
"So much for quality time. So, what's this reunion about?
In both cases, Maddox told the doctor he works in the countess's court as an medium-level administrator. He upended a cup of black coffee and said, wiping his mustache, "Ah, you should've been here last week. The countess and people of high society were all in the Grimol Hall, Alison Kindler's estate. That was a strange night."
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
"Doing fine. Come, meet my wife and kids," he said. Said kids were poking into their morning pastries (the oldest looked like she was dressed like a vampire and was sitting in the shade, while the youngest was throwing his sausages on the floor).
Thaddeus motions for his cousin to sit down, tapping at his broken pocket watch to indicate that he is short on time. Honestly, he just could not bring himself to stomach more pleasantries. "Any introductions and reintroductions will have to wait till later this evening, I am afraid. For now, I have to finish my breakfast and be off on some errands..."
DM Shade wrote:
In both cases, Maddox told the doctor he works in the countess's court as an medium-level administrator. He upended a cup of black coffee and said, wiping his mustache, "Ah, you should've been here last week. The countess and people of high society were all in the Grimol Hall, Alison Kindler's estate. That was a strange night."
The doctor makes use of Maddox's monologue to work through his eggs, raising an eyebrow at his casual name-dropping. For now, he keeps side-stepping the reason for his presence in the Old Capital.
"Undoubtedly," he says in response. "Kindler is truly one of a kind. You know what they say about meeting your heroes, though. I think people are almost invariably disappointed..."
Maddox seemed to enjoy letting known his current status in society, and grinned as he looked up to the skies heavy with possible rain tomorrow.
"Oh, you would have not been disappointed," he said with a mysterious grin. "'twas a night of horrors. Heavy rain throughout the night and a fog-laden dawn had us almost trapped in the house, where we did nothing but exchange frightening stories, and all left in a dreamlike state. We had this actress, and an editor from the Arcana, and this doctor...I sort of forgot most of their names. You know me and names."
Indeed...Maddox was. Maddox was great with names.
He then said, standing up after the short exchange, "Don't be so cynical, Thaddeus. Tonight will be a great time to catch up."
He headed for his table.
Timeskip to the evening? Is there anything else Thaddeus would like to do?
Visiting the city archives, it was a mostly empty building with a lone (very) old librarian writing in a large tome. The woman was not familiar.
Looking up and answering Thaddeus's inquiry, she shot him a suspicious look once he said the Khadrev house.
"What do you want with it?" she asked. When asked about official documentation such as ownership and past residents, she took in Thaddeus's cover and didn't fetch any documents.
"Set up practice on the hill?" she asked. "You a doctor?"
Upon confirmation, Thaddeus had to suffer the usual barrage of questions a doctor had to in Ustalav: 'are these boils tumors or hexes', 'my knee hurts, listen to it crack', and 'is what the news says about wolfsbane useful to heal rheumatism true?'.
But in the end, Thaddeus had the (admittedly few) documents with him.
The records of the house being built were in fact not present in the dossier, and the Khadrevs lived in the house until 4660. This hints that the Khadrev house might have not started out as the Khedrev house. Ownership fell regardless to a distant relative abroad. Said relative did provide a name: Socva Gress-Khadrev, but was not seen in Ardis.
After the Khadrevs by twenty years (five years after Thaddeus and his cousins stopped visiting), another owner (from Brevoy) purchased the house, but moved out within two weeks.
The dossier also has records of the gardens and a map of the house, but it is clear that is is not a blueprint; the map does not include the basement or attic.
The librarian looked over Thaddeus as he looked over the dossier, and added some information of her own: The Ailson Kindler visited the house, but said it was ghost-free. That was not taken seriously by the rest of the residents of Ardis, who insist that Kindler did not stay in the house for over a day before leaving for a cold.
