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Interesting. The fireplace, the mirror, and now this door - three portals on at least two different floors - all lead to places associated with Rosethorn Manor. Coincidence, arcane confluence, or intentional design? And if the latter, is the manor intended to be near the portals, or the other way around?
The wizard stays put for the time being as his colleagues advance.
++ There’s the slight chance this manor is currently involved in a dispute between its elven owner and Salvatori Oliveto, which historically ends with Salvatori killing the owner and claiming the manor for himself.
++ Remember Olive Toes, Pigeon?++
The elven watchman spins on his heels to spot the emerging humans. “Visitors?” he calls back (in Elven) with shock. “Uhh… halt. No, wait…”
The elf leans over the far side of the wall and yells down to someone out of sight. “Quick, go fetch the captain- there’s visitors outside.”
Turning back to Gavin, he continues, “Please approach the gate and wait for the guard to bring you to the captain.”
For a moment Lyra looks confused, then her smile widens to positively beaming. "Olive Toes" she laughs delighted he remembered.
The three 'corporeal corps' and their wispy friend make their way closer to the gate and Gavin straightens his yellow tunic. Practicing his best smile on Lyra, he then turns his attention back to the gate and waits.
The Witness returns himself to full physical coherence and accompanies his companions, following Gavin's lead.
Once the Witness has solidified, the field agents follow the path across the clearing to where a large gate is set in the stone wall. Another elf outfitted like the one atop the wall opens a door in the gate and allows them to step inside. Beyond the wall a score or so of small cottages fill the courtyard within the hold's walls and an austere keep looms to one side. Several of the nearby cottages clearly pull double duty with part of their first floors devoted to a smithy, loom, or other professional space. The keep, like the lower portion of wall, is made largely of old well-cut stone with large cracks and missing sections patched with a hodge-podge of other stones.
There are several elves visible on the narrow streets passing between the cottages, but all of them seem to have the pale complexion and tired visage the agents noted on the first elf, and none of them address the new arrivals nor come to investigate.
The guard at the door gestures towards another open door right next to him, which leads into a watchtower, and says (in Elven), "My captain awaits yonder."
The guard leads the group into the watchtower and then down a staircase to a small, poorly lit chamber. An elf stands waiting for them wearing what appears to be the same breastplate and shield they had seen previously through the strange mirror they encounter inside the Tower. "Greetings," he says in a deep, raspy voice, "I am Captain Markil Glarinor of Rosethorn. What business hast thou here?"
Gavin follows the guard dutifully and bows to the Captain as he introduces himself. "Captain Markil Glarinor of Rosethorn, I am Gavin Soleques, servant of Sarenrae. These are my trusted companions, Lyra Posfurore, Maxumus Benedictus, and our mage friend. We have been traveling for what seems like ages, and fortune it seems has finally smiled upon us. Finding this haven has been a blessing. You seem serious and purposeful folk, so I will get right to it." Gavin replies, thinking about how to best sum up their situation.
"We seek information, and perhaps a warm bed or two, and offer aid in trade. We are capable folk, and I can offer terms, if you are amenable to hearing them." he says, not wanting to ramble too much before getting feedback.
The captain seems very suspicious, but the priest's honeyed words clearly help soften his hard edge. Still, it's obvious that he is surprised and, perhaps, even concerned about the visitors' arrival.
"I kenneth not Sarenrae, Gavin Soleques. Tell me, whence cometh thou and whither goeth thou?"
Bending a keen ear to the elves’ inter-era patois, The Witness faithfully translates to the rest of the party via telepathy while he considers the odd tongue.
Their chosen vernacular indicates this conclave is likely some mix of “ancient” and more modern elves, without members of intermediate age; additionally, the ancient members most likely have been secluded from outside elven cultures, else they’d have knowledge of the changes to their own language, negating a need for a commingled lexicon.
The result of an isolated elven conclave, like the Alvorexians, joining with more current brethren? Or the native elves having prolonged contact with elven Seekers? If the latter, are the Seekers from within Redwatch?
++ Interesting; it appears the captain doesn’t need to breathe. It could be due to enchantment, or a variance in physiology. I’ll attempt to narrow the possibilities.++
The wizard expands his perception into the arcane spectrum, concentrating on the captain’s magical emanations in addition to his sonic ones.
The captain looks sharply at the Witness when the wizard’s eyes begin to glow, but he waits quietly for answers to his questions.
His speech and movements seem too natural for a construct; a simulacrum perhaps, but those usually breathe instinctively even if it’s unnecessary. He doesn’t appear undead, but there are spells that could mask that.
Gavin carefully considered his words as he tries to navigate the questions.
"I am quite a distance, and quite some time, removed from my home. I would be happy to point out where that is, but I would likely need access to your largest map. The names of small towns so far away would be far less useful to you than me pointing it out. Our business is exploration, simple as that may seem, I can assure you we bear no ill intent."
"As to Sarenrae, the Goddess I worship, she values life, healing, second chances and truth. As do I." Gavin says.
"The answer to where we go depends upon your grace. We are presently a bit lost, and the fog outside seems almost set against us."
"I am sure you have many questions, and I would like to be able to answer as many as I am able. I propose a sharing of information, a question for a question, beginning with pointing out my origins on your largest map." Gavin concludes.
The captain cracks a wry grin and begins speaking; the Witness’ translation rings out in the field agents’ minds, ++I like you, Gavin, but I’m afraid you’ll find grace in short supply around here. And, since I like you, allow me to explain your situation more clearly: you have been brought before the captain of the guard for questioning. If you’d like to negotiate terms for answers I propose this, you answer whatever questions I ask honestly and directly and I’ll let you go free—inside the gates if I like your answers and outside if I don’t—or refuse and I’ll have you jailed.++
++Now, no visitor has reached our gates in centuries, where did you come from and how did you reach us?++
"We're explorers!" the pigeon answers his threats, obviously irritated, hoping or not hoping one of the others translates "We didn't come looking for you, don't know who you are, and are rapidly getting to the point of not caring." the human woman frowns, looks at Gavin and feels guilty for her outburst since he did such a wonderful job of buttering up. So she crosses her arms, gives an expansive Huff, and resigns herself to the 'muscle' role some more.
Raising his eyebrows at Lyra's outburst, Maximus grins slyly as he cuts his focus over toward the captain. "Don't make her angry, bub, you wouldn't like her when she's angry."
"I am..."" she starts, clearly going down a denial path before shifting to "rarely, ever, angry" her lips quirk to the upward motion, just slightly, sending a quick glance Maximus's way before resuming her defiant grumpy stance.
Gavin smiles just a bit at the passion on display, partly to ease tension on both sides. "My apologies, youthful passion can sometimes be a bit reflexive. Many a long night I have rightly spent inside a cell," Gavin says only briefly reflecting on his past," and I am sure yours are quite hospitable, but I'll give you no need to use them if I can avoid it." the old man thinks for a moment about where to begin, then does his best to answer the questions carefully.
"I am from a part of Cardriss called Westfall, though I have also called Eastwatch my home, and more recently, Tzekal." He says, pausing to see if the places seem familiar to their host.
"As to how we have arrived here, we were made aware of a disturbance in space I'll not pretend to understand, and decided to discover to where it led, as explorers might. How have you come to find yourselves so secluded?"
++Is it possible this place is some kind of pocket dimension?++
The captain seems unfazed by Lyra’s untranslated outburst, and does not appear to recognize any of the place names Gavin listed. His interest is clearly piqued, however, by the priest’s explanation of their arrival. He begins speaking again and the Witness translates, ++A disturbance in space? Where? When you passed through this disturbance, where in Rosethorn did it deliver you?++
"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure where in 'Rosethorn' we were delivered, as I stated before, a map might prove useful to both of us. I'm afraid Rosethorn holds as much familiarity with me as Tzekal does for you." Gavin replies.
++We have no need for maps, everyone here knows every inch of this place. You arrived via the path to the Marsh Gate—how did you reach it? Did you arrive in the forest or the marsh?++
Clearly growing frustrated, the captain calls out for one of the guards upstairs to bring him a paper and quill. When it arrives, he draws the keep wall on one edge and the path stretching through the woods to the swamp. Then he adds a small lumber camp in the forest and two huntings blinds in the marsh.
Gavin points out the blind in which they arrived. "This is, as far as I can tell, the place where we first arrived in your land. Is there a point in our conversation where there will be an actual exchange of information? Or should we consider this to be a prisoner interrogation?"
++The latter++ the captain answers flatly, ++though you have not actually asked any questions. Show me this disturbance and I will consider answering whatever questions you have as we ride out to the blind.++
"I see no reason not to show you the place in which we arrived." Gavin replies.
++Should we decide not to do business with these elves, it would be easier to depart their company once we are back outside the keep.++ he thinks to the others.
If there are no objections from the group, Gavin follows the captain out.
Once the elf suggested that the talk was an interrogation, Lyra tensed. When Gavin mentally spoke she answered ++Should?++ the swordswoman arches an eyebrow at her friend. She is rather ready to go, but won't of course. Instead she stays on edge, ready to defend her friends when this goes bad.
++ Is it possible this place is some kind of pocket dimension?++
++ Yes.++
”Excuse me, captain, but we’d assumed we’re in the prime material plane. Is this not the case?”
”I kenneth not thine meaning, Mage.”
The captain leads the way up the stairs and out into the gateway with the field agents trailing behind him. When they emerge, he shields his eyes for a moment and squints while he acclimates to the light, despite the foggy sky being no brighter than twilight. After a moment he signals two guards standing nearby who trot off and quickly return with five horses. The captain and each guard mount a horse, leaving two more for the four field agents to share . As the humans situate themselves, the captain asks, ++So, what information are you hoping to learn from me?++
”Prithee, good captain, what lord or lady doth preside o’er this estate?”
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"Mine liege beeth Cirilith Linenviel, Archduke of Rosethorn, Lord-commander of the Shadowguard Legions, Imperial Black Wizard of the Fifth Arcane Congress, Archbishop of Ilgathoal, and Lord High Counsel to King Thingol the second, son of King Taewyn the first, son of the most High King Thingol the Exalted," the captain answers.
The Witness nods to the captain, clearly impressed.
++ This Cirilith Linenviel is likely quite an accomplished wizard. Enough so that I’d prefer not to meet him without proper preparations. ++
Pigeon rides one of the horses, giving the pretty beast a affectionate scratch behind its ears.
Gavin saddles up behind Lyra, allowing Maximus the last horse.
++Best not to let the mistform be public knowledge just yet.++ he thinks.
"How long has it been since you last had visitors from outside?" Gavin asks, trying to form the best questions to move forward.
"My interests include the various calendars used by cultures other than my own. How does yours work? It what year are we considered?" he asks while mounting up.
" Is there a nearby mountain range of large body of water that could be used to help me get my bearings?"
"What has caused this thick fog? Does it ever lift?"
With the Witness flying nearby and everyone else mounted up, the captain leads the group out towards the hunting blind. During the ride he reiterates that there have been no visitors in what must have been centuries, and explains that there is nothing in Rosethorn other than the keep, the woods, and the swamp. He also reveals that the people of Rosethorn have given up on using any calendar as the endless fog never clears enough to see sun or stars, the season never changes , and they live in perpetual twilight (never any brighter than the current overcast conditions, but never fully dark either).
Maximus snags the last horse, hops on, and follows behind the others.
”Amidst what court and reign didst these conditions most dreadful befall stately Rosethorn?”
"That beest a query best brought unto mine liege," the captain answers after a moment's thought.
The final stretch of the brief ride proves somewhat uncomfortable as the horses gallup through the swamp, splashing muddy water on everyone (except the Witness who adjusts his height to remain dry). When the group arrives at the hunting blind, the captain dismounts while the two guards remain on their horses. He looks around for a moment and then says something which the Witness translates as, ++Now then, where is this disturbance you spoke of?++
The prospect of conversing with a possibly pre-Cataclysm elf seemingly unaffected by any ‘mind plague’ had so enticed The Witness, he’d temporarily forgotten other methods of inquiry. As the captain proves himself unwilling or unable to provide information of any historical interest, the wizard’s mind inevitably turns back to other matters.
From his aerial vantage, The Witness attempts to see through the illusion he knows masks the captain.
...appearance of what now?.....
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++ I’ve discerned the reason the captain doesn’t need to breathe is, in fact, due to a variance in his physiology: he’s a vampire.++
A good thing Fenrick is no longer with us - he’d no doubt find the captain’s nature upsetting!
++Should we be worried? I mean more than when he threatened interrogation.++ Lyra thinks back.
Working hard to not show any emotion, ::"A vampire?!?! Are you freaking kidding me?!?! Let's kill it! Just say the word, people. Any word at all. Something like: 'Let's kill it!' will work."::
++This is certainly concerning. It is possible that he was posted here as a living elf, lost contact with his superiors, and chose this path in order to continue his task past his lifetime. He is likely feeding on the residents of his keep and controlling this mist for his own comfort. It is likely that these guards are either aware of his condition and loyal anyway, or under his control. In any case, I am disinclined to offer further aid, and am leaning toward Maximus' solution. Any objections?++
++None++ Lyra responds, having already deemed this man a threat way before the vampirism was ferreted out by their wizard.
After dismounting, Gavin summons a ray that will, no doubt, escalate the discussion.
vs. touch ac. at the Captain.
The Witness flies down adjacent to the hunting blind entrance.
++ I see no real benefit to engaging the captain in combat; it falls outside the purview of our commission, and while unhelpful, he’s not been antagonistic. Vampires are notoriously difficult to destroy, and he’ll likely attempt to dominate Maximus or Pigeon, which could prove troublesome. Worse yet he could summon his master Cirilith Linenviel, the Archbishop and Imperial Black Wizard, whom I’d prefer not to meet without proper preparations, let alone fight. If we no longer wish to deal with the captain, we can simply exit through the portal.++
In case hostilities commence, the wizard readies his attuned mind.