"I think that's pretty f^*(ing obvious and you don't need a damned sample for that."
"But with a sample I may be able to determine what or at least some of what has changed. Unless you fully understand what has happened to you and you can just explain it to me."
Billy briefly considers responding, but remains silent.
Shut your pie hole, Bill, let Henry handle this...he's obviously more used to trying to make deals than you are... the hot-tempered thug thinks to himself.
Henry pauses for a minute and lets out a breath even though he does not need to do so.
"Perhaps we should start by lowering all of our weapons. After all Sir Richard, if you have any inkling of what we have become then you should know that a gun shot will certainly be more fatal to you than to one of us. If you are dead how can your experiments continue?
As a sign of good faith, I shall fill the first glass while you explain whet exactly took place and your role in all of it".
Henry heads over to the glasses and picks one up. He grimaces as he considers just how the hell he is going to fill one.
"I am perfectly content with my pistol where it is Mr Aketer, curious that you think you are so immune to it's effects. I was not involved in the experiment directly, but I was aware it was going to take place. The complete details are not known to me, but my fellow seekers of the deeper mysteries were attempting a transformation upon you. Seeking to use science both alchemical and arcane to transfer some traits to you while not transferring others that were considered undesirable. They wish to perfect the process before using it themselves."
He pauses for a moment. "There is a knife in the drawer of that table if you need something to cut yourself. Now fill a goblet before you ask your next question."
Henry opens the drawer and finds the knife, he winces as he cuts himself and is surprised how little pain he actually feels.
He fills the glass halfway and pauses.
"We are dead and you are not, I believe that the gunshot will cause one of us a bad day and end yours.
For my next question, who are these people who wished to perform such an experiment upon us. Be specific now a generic response will be met with extreme dissatisfaction".
Henry practically snarls his next question as he feels himself becoming more angry since the blood drained from his system...
"Are you truely dead? Or merely just in another state of life? Anyway as to your second question, they call themselves the green order or more properly the order of the green dragon. They claim to be an offshoot of some ancient order from somewhere in the east. They seek knowledge for the power it brings. The order operates in circles and has various ranks. I communicate with a couple of circles on matters of mutual interest. The circle you fell afoul of is seeking eternal life. Now fill a second goblet before asking your next question."
Henry fills another glass as his vision begins to become a bit blurred at the edges, "You were saying they wanted to include only benefits and exclude only drawbacks eh? What did they seek to gain and what did they seek to limit?"
Henry fills another glass as his vision begins to become a bit blurred at the edges, "You were saying they wanted to include only benefits and exclude only drawbacks eh? What did they seek to gain and what did they seek to limit?"
"My knowledge in that area isn't great, I know they found a being that was beyond mortality, somewhere between life and death. But it's form came with some weaknesses that they didn't want. They are trying to only take the positive aspects of that state, and slowly making progress."
Henry fills yet another glass he begins to feel the hunger more acutely than ever before, "Where can we find this Order? What city, we need names as well..."
"They tend not to use their real names, I am sure you can understand why. Meetings are co-originated through a dead drop or intermediary. Occasionally I will host a member or two here."
Henry pauses, "So far you have been of little use. It would seem that we will need to work more closely with you to find those responsible for what has happened to us.
Perhaps some correspondence between you and these others could be useful to review, have you any on hand?"
"I could always just start breaking bones too." Billy less than helpfully chimes in.
"You think I would keep such records? Most folk are to ignorant to see true science, even when it is right in front of them. Now I think our chat has gone on long enough, if you have something else of worth in the future, come and speak to me at a reasonable hour and I am sure we can come to some arrangement."
You should be at 5 now, you don't need to check for frenzy until you are at 3 or less. At least until there is fresh blood in sight/smell.
Henry turns to Billy and Miles, "Before we depart, I would like my companions to ask any questions that they may have. Of course, a further meeting I think would be fruitful for all parties involved..."
"No questions for now. I'd love to beat that smug look off his face, but no questions."
"Er..." Miles had been silent, more out of shock and some morbid curiosity than anything else. "...I don't have any questions."
Aside from what on Earth you're going to use those blood-goblets for...
"Well then I bid you gentlemen a pleasant good night. Please have the courtesy to send a letter ahead next time."
Henry steps into the hallway with Miles and Billy closing the door behind him.
He heads down the stairs and stops looking back at both of them. "He knows more than he is telling. I doubt we can trust him. Tell me Billy, does it make sense to head back up there right now and accost him, perhaps tied up and facing a knife to his throat he will be a bit less smug?"
"Couldn't hurt." Billy responds. "It'd make me feel better as an added bonus." he adds with a wicked grin on his face.
Henry nods, "Miles, thoughts?"
Miles shifts uneasily from foot to foot. "...I'll admit that I'm more concerned with what he's planning to do with your blood, sir."
Henry nods in agreement to Miles' assessment, "William, if you would do the honors of leading us in this combat?"
"My pleasure." Billy says with a wicked grin on his face before heading back up the stairs and blasting through the door again.
Sir Richard has returned to his work and turns around, seemingly surprised that you have returned. The pistol sits beside him on his desk.
Billy rushes in at Sir Richard, throwing a heavy punch as he arrives.
Henry opts for the weapon on the table, Henry lunges trying to grab for it.
Dexterity+Athletics
Miles swallows and nervously starts to approach, and when Henry lunges for the pistol, he decides to do the same.
1 success
Henry and Miles both rush for the pistol which they both grab at basically the same time.
Meanwhile Billy hammers Sir Richard with his fist, leaving the older man in rough shape after only a single hit. Sir Richard grabs a pen knife off the desk and tries to stab Billy with it.
But it slips out of his hand and skids across the floor.
Henry steps back relinquishing the gun to the younger Miles.
"Upon further consideration we find your answers unsatisfactory sir!"
Henry throws a punch to emphasize his statement.
Dexterity
Damage Strength +Potence
Seeing Henry throw a punch, Billy takes that as his cue to continue pummeling Sir Richard.
Miles snatches up the gun and stands back while Billy & Henry start slugging the man.
Can't shoot into this. I might hit one of them.
He turns to the door and checks to make sure no one else is coming to investigate the ruckus.
Sir Richard manages to weather the next round of hits then tries to bolt for the door. But doesn't get out of the chair before he is stopped.
Henry steps back to block the door. "Now then let's have it, fill in those gaps we know you left missing before we get really rough with you chap!"
Henry steps back to block the door. "Now then let's have it, fill in those gaps we know you left missing before we get really rough with you chap!"
"I don't know what you are talking about, we had an agreement, why go against it so soon."
"Because you agreed all too readily to betray those you are allied with. Now, we know there is much you have not told us, tell us now and we can know that you can be trusted, fail to do so and I cannot be certain how my companion here will treat you..." Henry's eyes turn to Billy once he finishes his statement.
Billy draws back his fist, ready to continue pummeling Sir Richard at the blink of an eye.
"Because you agreed all too readily to betray those you are allied with. Now, we know there is much you have not told us, tell us now and we can know that you can be trusted, fail to do so and I cannot be certain how my companion here will treat you..." Henry's eyes turn to Billy once he finishes his statement.
"What would you have me do, not co-operate with things that could kill me. Completely betray the trust others have in me? I now know that I can't trust you or your friends."
"Sounds like you've put yourself in between lots of things that can kill you. Maybe you should pay a bit more attention to the ones that are closest."
Henry approaches the Nobleman and sniffs at his neck, "You fellows seemed to gain strength from drinking the blood of a man, perhaps it is high time I tried to do the same thing? What do you think Sir Richard, shall we experiment on you now to ascertain what sensations you feel as the blood courses out of your veins?"
Henry approaches the Nobleman and sniffs at his neck, "You fellows seemed to gain strength from drinking the blood of a man, perhaps it is high time I tried to do the same thing? What do you think Sir Richard, shall we experiment on you now to ascertain what sensations you feel as the blood courses out of your veins?"
"Th, Tha, That see, seems like an unnecessary place to g, go at this point."
This close to fresh blood, the likes of which Henry has never tasted, his canines involuntarily slide down in preparation of bloodletting.
"Oh, then you do have something further to say then? Outside of horrific screams of course..."
With Sir Richard not being able to think of anything else to say, Henry starts drinking.
As he begins draining blood, you hear a commotion outside.
Morgrym, you wake up as you are thrown from some kind of coach. It is evening, you feel slightly woozy, have no idea how much time has passed since you last remember anything and have no idea where you are. To make matters worse whoever through you out the coach decided to take your clothes first. You find yourself in the middle of the street in a well off part of town, medium sized town houses line both sides of the well lit street, it is currently dark out.
Henry pauses and turns to Miles, "See if it is Sir Richard's friends eh? Take the gun my boy in case you need it".
Henry looks back down at Sir Richard, "As you wanted to sample my blood, so have I sampled yours. While I find it mentally repugnant, physically it is, exhilarating. If you would wish that my experiment come to an end, talk..."
Morgrym rolls over and gets up with a groan checking himself over and realizes he is naked murmuring to himself quite right, stiff upper lip and what not and then looks for a place to go to get off the street.
Miles nervously does so, now with two pistols.
...at least I'm not having to watch this.
Sir Richard seems to have passed out.
When Miles goes to see what the commotion is, he sees a man standing naked in the middle of the street looking confused.
Henry turns to Billy, "Shall we bring him with us? He may still be useful".
Henry turns to the glasses of his own blood that he filled and begins to drink them back. "Best not to leave this evidence behind eh?"
"Yeah, we can drag the bastard with us for now I suppose." Billy says, hefting the man on to his shoulders. "By the way I go dibs on the next bit on him."