Janos turns to see Ashan with the warden and it suddenly dawns on him that the elf hadn't been with them during the fight. He eyes the man and shakes his head slightly. He looks at Ashan. "Drosil was poisoned by the spider. Why don't you take him upstairs to rest and tend his wounds? We can handle this with the warden." He nods curtly to the elf.
Without waiting for any answer, the Ranger turns to the warden and Delgros. "What do you mean? This beast is supposed to be here? Why the hell would you have something like this here? And what happened for it to get loose?"
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"We keep specimens of local species locked up in the beast pens, for the less adventurous guests to 'hunt' when they so desire," Delgros says distastefully. "I keep the door locked, with the key I have round my neck," he says. The huntmaster pulls out the key to show everyone. "Our current collection is a grizzly bear, a juvenile dire boar, a dire wolverine, an elderly and arthritic dire wolf, a lobotomized ettercap with its web glands removed, four large wolves and...well, that," he finishes lamely, pointing at the spider.
The warden points at the blood on the door, "We must see what happened," he says. "Come." The thin man leads the way over the still open doorway, where the doorframe is smeared with blood. There is a trail of blood dripped on the ground leading away from the door. The warden, Delgros and Duristan follow it across the yard, and past the hedge maze to the entrance of the beast pens. The grounds keeper Paucy is sitting nearby in the grass. He grins simply, still drying blood sticky on his hands. "Paucy!" he says, still grinning.
"I knew it, it was Paucy!" Estovian growls. "You simpleminded idiot, you've gotten the Markiza and Belik killed!" The warden looks apoplectic. "Guards! GUARDS!" he shouts.
A few seconds later the lodge's guards come hustling up, having already been alerted and on their way by the earlier screaming.
"Take Paucy and lock him up in the shed. We must place him under arrest," Estovian commands. The guards nod and seize the groundskeeper bodily, who confusedly says "Paucy?" but doesn't put up much of a fight. The guards drag him away, tossing him in the maintenance shed and locking the door. Estovian whirls on Delgros. "Delgros, how dare you leave the beast pen door unlocked?! Your carelessness has cost the lives of the lodge's guests and one of our own!"
"But...I ain't leave it un.." Delgros starts under his breath.
the Warden thunders. "Return to your hut immediately, you are on probation until I decide an appropriate punishment."
The huntmaster spits in the dirt and looks defiant for a moment, and then he shakes his head and goes to his hut, slamming the door behind him.
Finally, the warden turns to the guests. "I claim full responsibility for this disaster. Paucy is my ward, and therefor his mistakes are my own. He was infatuated with the Markiza...perhaps he thought this would scare the other people away from the lodge, or some other foolish thing. I am not sure. I will work with the simpleton daily to make sure he understands what he has done, and that it was wrong. Please, forgive this disturbance. It was a terrible accident." By the end of his impromptu speech the warden sounds like he's nearly begging.
B'yelka nods curtly, as if she sees her cue and is ready for the stage. Of course I am ready!
She steps up next to the warden and helps to quell the lodge guests. Addressing the man play-acting across from her, "Of course Dear Estovian, we will all make this tragedy nothing more than a bad memory. With your strong guidance we can make that happen." She turns to the onlookers, her face a mask of emotional torment endured. "For all of our sakes, let us follow the good warden's advice. This was a terrible accident, and not one to take lightly. Delgros will be set to his hut, you all, honored guests, will have the run of the Lodge same as yesterday. Dinner will still be ready at six o'bells. The staff will clean this area." She turns back to the warden and tells him, "And we, my friends and I, will find out what exactly happened. We have suspects, Paucy the fool lad, and Delgros the obviously agitated ranger. What we don't have is evidence. All we need is your permission to investigate anywhere in the lodge, to ask any person - regardless of station - questions pertaining to the incident. Knowing the Warden is an educated man, B'yelka hazards a guess and steps within kissing distance of the warden and whispers in Azlanti, Μην ανησυχείτε? θα εργαστούμε για να διατηρήσει τη φήμη σας, καθώς και ότι το οίκημα.
The remaining guests, which are basically Corvin, Duristan, Cilas and the Six all seem to accept the Warden's explanation, with varying degrees of happiness. Corvin shrugs, shudders, and goes to find a drink. Cilas remains cool as a cucumber, showing no signs of any thought. Duristan is visibly upset, but makes no further protestations.
When B'yelka whisper to the warden, he looks confused until she repeats her message in common. He nods, then takes her to the side out of earshot of the guests. "Of course. You may investigate the beast pens, and talk to the guests as before. I'm afraid I cannot allow you access to Paucy, though. I have already been negligent in my duties as his Warden. This night's events have no doubt traumatized him enough already. I will personally handle him."
Janos watches the accusations fly, looking back and forth among the individuals. He eyes the simple groundskeeper, looking at the man's hands which are sticky with blood. He steps forward towards Pauncy, but at that moment, the guards take the man away. Janos glances back and sees Delgros retreating to his cabin.
He pulls Anton a short distance away. "Something doesn't add up. See if you can get to Pauncy and talk with him. B'yleka seems like she can keep the Warden busy. I'm going to talk Delgros and have a look at the pens." Without waiting for any response, the Ranger takes off after Delgros.
Coming to the door of the man's hut, he knocks swiftly. "Delgros. It's Janos. Let me in, man. I want to talk."
"Yes," Ashan quietly agrees after a long while of watching the chaos build within the lodge. Slowly, he takes a knee and scoops one arm around Drosil's waist. Then, with a visible effort he hoists the fetchling up bodily and carries him cradled in both arms as one might a sleeping child. Ashan pauses, Drosil held fast, and offers one look to B'yelka and then Janos, then turns to depart for the stairs, leaving a few bloody footprints in his passing before the gore he tracked through finally scuffs off entirely.
But Ashan's ascent does not conclude at the bed chambers of his comrades. Rather, he brings Drosil's unconscious form into the Warden's office, while the other man is busy tracking down guilty parties and being sidelined by B'yekla's prodigious command of the spoken word. With a hushed apology he lays Drosil down on the Warden's desk.
Quietly, Ashan steps away from the desk and withdraws a forked twig from a pouch at his waist, pinching it between two fingers and holding it in line with one of his eyes. "Anor ahurdil beth'shemdai," he utters firmly. The incantation has no direct translation, but the words themselves have power to divine the truth. Soon, a light flickers between the tines of the forked twig, glowing brighter the more he turns towards the source of his search.
A tome so elusive.
___________________
4th level: 3 (Cast: scorching ash form)
3rd level: 5 (Cast: locate object)
2nd level: 7
1st level: 7
Janos watches the accusations fly, looking back and forth among the individuals. He eyes the simple groundskeeper, looking at the man's hands which are sticky with blood. He steps forward towards Pauncy, but at that moment, the guards take the man away. Janos glances back and sees Delgros retreating to his cabin.
He pulls Anton a short distance away. "Something doesn't add up. See if you can get to Pauncy and talk with him. B'yleka seems like she can keep the Warden busy. I'm going to talk Delgros and have a look at the pens." Without waiting for any response, the Ranger takes off after Delgros.
Coming to the door of the man's hut, he knocks swiftly. "Delgros. It's Janos. Let me in, man. I want to talk."
Delgros cracks the door, sees his fellow woodsman alone, and then opens it enough to let him in. "Aye, lad. What is it?" Delgros spits. He's obviously angry over what just happened.
Janos slips into the hut, closing the door behind him. "What happened back there? The Warden seems overly agitated. I can't imagine you'd leave the pens unlocked like he says. What do you think happened?"
"Yes," Ashan quietly agrees after a long while of watching the chaos build within the lodge. Slowly, he takes a knee and scoops one arm around Drosil's waist. Then, with a visible effort he hoists the fetchling up bodily and carries him cradled in both arms as one might a sleeping child. Ashan pauses, Drosil held fast, and offers one look to B'yelka and then Janos, then turns to depart for the stairs, leaving a few bloody footprints in his passing before the gore he tracked through finally scuffs off entirely.
But Ashan's ascent does not conclude at the bed chambers of his comrades. Rather, he brings Drosil's unconscious form into the Warden's office, while the other man is busy tracking down guilty parties and being sidelined by B'yekla's prodigious command of the spoken word. With a hushed apology he lays Drosil down on the Warden's desk.
Quietly, Ashan steps away from the desk and withdraws a forked twig from a pouch at his waist, pinching it between two fingers and holding it in line with one of his eyes. "Anor ahurdil beth'shemdai," he utters firmly. The incantation has no direct translation, but the words themselves have power to divine the truth. Soon, a light flickers between the tines of the forked twig, glowing brighter the more he turns towards the source of his search.
A tome so elusive.
___________________
You sense the direction of a well-known or clearly visualized object...You cannot specify a unique item unless you have observed that particular item firsthand (not through divination).
Ashan's spell fails. However...
he spots the book on a nearby shelf anyway. The Halo of Dreams belongs to Ashan now.
Anton nods as Janos talks of speaking with Paucy. The warden seemed all too ready to blame the simple-minded man and though it is true he was found literally red handed, blood still sticky on his person, something here just wasn't adding up.
Aye, I'll speak to him if I can find a way.
He watches the warden leave and loathed as he is to go against his host's wishes, his desire for the truth outweighs his decorum.
Take care of Drosil, please. he says simply as his friend is carried away. I'll see what I can find out here.
When the spell fails, Ashan's brows furrow behind his mask and one hand clenches closed tightly. His haste had blinded him to the complexities of finding a proverbial needle in a haystack. Fortunately enough for Ashan, the haystack is not very large, and the needle is labled clearly enough. Tugging the book from the shelf, Ashan quickly turns and scoops up Drosil, tucking the book beneath the fetchling's body. Then, striding out of the Warden's office, Ashan briskly makes his way back to the bedchambers of the group where Dantrian has confined himself.
Ashan offers a cursory knock before entering, quietly bringing Drosil to one of the unoccupied beds to lay him down. "The kayal is poisoned, if your servitor did not relay that information to you already." Taking a knee beside Drosil's bedside, Ashan removes one glove again to reveal the leathery gray skin of his bare hand and ink black veins showing through where the flesh seems parchment thin. "There is little I can do for him. The poison has rendered him paralyzed, he is aware of his surroundings however. I could accept the venom into myself, but without knowing the severity of the poison I fear we would simply be trading one incapacitated individual for another."
Quietly, Ashan untucks the Halo of Dreams from beneath Drosil and offers it out to Dantrian. "The Warden was indisposed after the... events downstairs. I borrowed this from his study." There is a quietness to Ashan's tone, accepting of his own role in this and seemingly comfortable taking responsibility for the theft. "I presume both Drosil and this tome are better cared for in your hands."
Dantrian snatches the book from Ashan's hand with a low growl, his lupine features twisting dangerously as he turns to the masked figure, "Let's hope the Warden doesn't note its absence. We've enough problems to deal with as it is, compounding things with an obvious theft would be... unfortunate." The last word is offered as much through Dantrian's narrowed eyes as it is through clenched fangs.
Turning to Drosil, Dantrian shakes his head and tries to swallow his rage and ire, "You're more a fool than you act if you think Drosil aware of anything. While he breaths, he is unconscious. I will do what I can for him, but I suspect the poison has already done its damage and that he'll remain this way for some time without further ministrations from the wand in Anton's possession."
Anton approaches the shed and greets the guard with what he hopes is a wan smile.
Hi there. It's a terrible business, what happened in there. No one deserves what happened to Belik and the Markiza and it would be a travesty if we never found out the truth behind it. Could I have a moment to speak with Paucy, do you think?
Anton approaches the shed and greets the guard with what he hopes is a wan smile.
Hi there. It's a terrible business, what happened in there. No one deserves what happened to Belik and the Markiza and it would be a travesty if we never found out the truth behind it. Could I have a moment to speak with Paucy, do you think?
[dice=Diplo ]1d20+13
"No, sir." the guard replies. "I have my orders, and I need my job. The Warden will handle the truth."
Anton touches the tip of his hat and pulls it down a tiny amount in the manner of a traditional Varisian greeting or farewell.
Fair enough, friend. I wouldn't want to get in the way of a man and his duty, we all have our responsibilities. Take care now, there's something going on here.
After failing to convince the guard to speak to his charge, Anton instead heads back upstairs to the others.
He sees Drosil still unconscious but his breathing seems to have levelled out.
He's going to be ok, Dan? And... ummm.... are you?
Ashan's head subtly tilts to the side as Dantrian snatches the book and inspects Drosil. After the alchemist explains that Drosil is unconscious rather than paralyzed and aware of his surroundings, Ashan eyes the lycanthrope more patiently. When Anton enters, Ashan regards the paladin with a quiet stare for a moment, before speaking. "Drosil's condition is unchanged. Dantrian has kindly discerned the nature of the poison on observation to be some sort of... muscle weakening agent, rather than a paralytic as I had assumed. Poison is, unfortunately, not my forte." The masked elf slowly rises to stand, tugging the removed glove back over his hand. It is with a disappointed sigh that Ashan regards Drosil once more, having done all he can for the fetchling for the time being. "Unfortunately it seems alchemy will be of no use right now, nor will I be of any further aid here."
With Drosil out of his care, Ashan moves to the door. "I will return when I have more information on what happened." Ashan looks around the room, then briefly to Anton and Dantrian before excusing himself.
____________
Beaming as her cohorts begin their work B'yelka lays her hand on the warden's arm in a familiar gesture. She also notes that their audience has gone about their business. I do so love having good, loyal people around me. Makes even the least enviable task easy." She turns her radiant smile to Estovian, "Don't you agree, dear man? I mean what a life to be the one that understands how things work and to be the one that can make the decisions that matter!" Look at me you twit, my friends have work to do and you will only get in their way. "But, even this has me wondering why you had that silly lout Delgros or Paucy so close to where they could do such serious harm to your pristine reputation?" Again she leans close lips hear his ear, she whispers, "And what would you give to make sure word of this killings never leaves? You can count on me and mine to stay tight lipped, but the others. What a mess they can make..."
Janos slips into the hut, closing the door behind him. "What happened back there? The Warden seems overly agitated. I can't imagine you'd leave the pens unlocked like he says. What do you think happened?"
Janos looks at the woodsman. "Come on, show me the pens. If you didn't leave them unlocked, then maybe there's something to tell us what happened. Does Pauncy have a key?"
Thank you Ashan, let's just let him rest for now.
I couldn't get in to see Paucy. They have him under lock and key in the maintenance shed and the guard is very dutiful. Its possible he accidentally let the creature loose but for some reason that rankles with me, like he is being used as a patsy. I can't imagine he was the one who write that note to us and now our lost of suspects in the Lodge has grown shorter.
Janos slips into the hut, closing the door behind him. "What happened back there? The Warden seems overly agitated. I can't imagine you'd leave the pens unlocked like he says. What do you think happened?"Janos looks at the woodsman. "Come on, show me the pens. If you didn't leave them unlocked, then maybe there's something to tell us what happened. Does Pauncy have a key?"
"Nah, just me...and the Warden I guess," Delgros says. He takes Janos outside and shows him the large padlocked door to the beast cage cavern. It is locked, and appears to be unhamred. There is no evidence of any tampering. The corpses of several rats lie near the door, their heads torn off. "Ugh...f&##ing simpleton. Always tearing the heads off rats. It's disgusting! I don't know why we put up with him..." Delgros mutters hatefully.
He points to the locked gate. "See for yourself lad, it's locked tight." The blood trail from the Lodge ends just before the doors, near the pile of rats.
Janos looks at the rat corpses in disgust? "He does that for fun? Or sport?" The Ranger tugs at the padlock and the gate itself, trying to find a weakness where the groundskeeper could have opened it.
He looks around at the others pens nearby. A thought occurs to him that the other animals might have been able to see what happened. He looks around for the other pens. He turns back to Delgros. "So if you still have your key, then the only other one is the Warden's? What other animals do you have here?"
"Who can know the mind of a retard?" Deglros says. He shrugs and then listens to Janos's next question. "Yeah, far as I know only the two of us have keys," Delgros replies.
"Would you mind taking me down there, Delgros? I want to see where Pauncy opened the cage."
"Aye, I suppose so. Warden might not be happy though, he's been actin' weird ever since y'all showed up." Delgros takes out his key and unlocks the thick padlock. There is a natural opening into the ground inside the small room, and nothing else. The cave has steps carved into the stone of the floor, leading down. Delgros descends, ducking his head to avoid bumping it. Below, there are several huge cages. The other creatures look up at the men as they enter. One of the cages is open, and empty.
Janos casts the spell on himself, using the secret of the forest which has long heard the inane chatter of animals. The spirits of the oak impart their knowledge to the Ranger, and he turns to the great grizzly bear.
Hello, brother. I was hoping you could tell me what happened to the spider that was here. Did a two-legs come to open the cage and let him out?
The Ranger dips into his pouch for a spare piece of dried beef. He tosses it into the bear's cage.
"Rat blood smelling hairless ape come, open hairy eight legs metal stick cave, then go," the bear replies, before snatching up the beef and eating it.
Janos nods. Many thanks, brother. I don't think you belong in this metal cave. I hope you are fed well.
The Ranger looks back at Delgros. "Well, it does seem like Pauncy. I doubt anyone else would go to the lengths to actually smell like a rat. That means he had to have the Warden's key." He guides them up and out of the pens with a glance back. "Do you have to keep them like this? All for silly noble sport?"
Janos returns to the others. "It seems it was Pauncy. The animals spoke of a 'rat blood smelling' person. But Delgros insists only he and the Warden have the key. There were no signs of forcing the pen open, so Pauncy had to have a key."
How could such a simple-minded man obtain they key? And why? I still feel like he's being set up by someone here. Anton says, scratching at the stubble on his chin
He's going to be ok, Dan? And... ummm.... are you?
Dantrian glances at the shattered inn table beside the large chair Anton had last seen him seated in and shrugs. "Likely no, Anton. When Mosswick observed Ashan slipping away," he points to the book on the bedside beside Drosil, "to apparently slip into the Warden's quarters unbidden, the curse-" his words trail off. "My time is short. And I fear the strains of mistrust and impertinence shorten it further."
---
"Then it is seems Delgros provided Pauncy the key, Estovian gave Pauncy the key, or Delgros is either mistaken or lying and there are more than two keys. Given the speed at which the Warden isolated Pauncy and the fervor with which he insists to deal with the simple minded man personally, I think it likely that Estovian lies at the root of the tragedy." A low snarl escapes Dantrian's wolfish snout as he considers the implications. "I wonder too at the loss of Belik during the attack. I confess, I wonder if he might have penned the note of warning we received and that his death might have been one of the desired ends for whoever orchestrated the spider's release."
Well Belik has been the most helpful to us since we've been here. He gave the information about Madame Ivanja and could well have been targeted either in retribution or to make sure he didn't say anything else. Where is the warden? I will tell if there is evil in his heart and perhaps whether it is prudent to confront him directly.
Beaming as her cohorts begin their work B'yelka lays her hand on the warden's arm in a familiar gesture. She also notes that their audience has gone about their business. I do so love having good, loyal people around me. Makes even the least enviable task easy." She turns her radiant smile to Estovian, "Don't you agree, dear man? I mean what a life to be the one that understands how things work and to be the one that can make the decisions that matter!" Look at me you twit, my friends have work to do and you will only get in their way. "But, even this has me wondering why you had that silly lout Delgros or Paucy so close to where they could do such serious harm to your pristine reputation?" Again she leans close lips hear his ear, she whispers, "And what would you give to make sure word of this killings never leaves? You can count on me and mine to stay tight lipped, but the others. What a mess they can make..."
"Thank you, but I must be going," the warden says distractedly. He disentangles himself from B'Yelka and returns to the lodge.
Janos nods. Many thanks, brother. I don't think you belong in this metal cave. I hope you are fed well.
The Ranger looks back at Delgros. "Well, it does seem like Pauncy. I doubt anyone else would go to the lengths to actually smell like a rat. That means he had to have the Warden's key." He guides them up and out of the pens with a glance back. "Do you have to keep them like this? All for silly noble sport?"
"Were it up to me, lad, there'd be no nobles, no damn lodge, and no damn none of it. We'd all just live in the woods as we're meant ta. But, I ain't make the rules, I just have to follow 'em like everyone else."
Rude. and a liar. B'yelka watches the man move off into the lodge. She considers using a minor spell to hide her from view so she can follow, but it occurs to her, What is he hiding? Does he have allies? With a small sigh she lets him go and then makes her way back into the lodge, lookig for Dantrian's room at the end of the hall. She knocks and then lets herself in, slipping through the narrowest of openings. "That was a staged tragedy. Oh, I don't know how, but dear dear Estovion is definitely hiding something. What did you all find?" As the rest of the evidence is discussed, she sees the obvious connections that no-one has missed.
She sits on the edge of Drosil's bed and takes his limp hand into hers and gently strokes his dusky skin as she talks, "Now, Estovion had set loose a monster that killed his own porter as well as a guest. But why? Is he a member of the Mumbling Murder Monkeys?" Tibideau! "A staged tragedy, but for who's benefit?"
"If it was the Warden behind this attack, then whatever the reason we have to actually admit that Ashan might have been right. It would have been a mistake to trust him. We should be on our guard if more 'accidents' begin to happen" He shrugs.
"Dantrian, have you taken a look at that book? Whatever answers are here could start in there."
Aye. But do we have time to study it, with things seemingly escalating here. Anton says, once more walking to Drosil to put the back of his hand against the fetchling's cheeks and brow, checking for signs of fever.
Dantrian's tone is short and impatient as he growls at the ranger, "No, I haven't." Swallowing his building anger as best he can, Dantrian takes a deep steadying breath. When he speaks again, his voice is still tight and strained, but the air of obvious frustration is gone. "My apologies, Janos. No, I haven't examined the book yet. I thought Drosil's condition a more urgent priority." Dantrian turns to Anton then, "He'll be fine with time, Anton. Though more attention from that wand of yours would hasten his recovery considerably."
You're right Dantrian. I know you say he'll be fine but I'll only be happy once he's back on his feet.
He pulls the wand from his pack and begins casting again.
Janos nods. "Of course, Drosil's life is our priority. No need to apologize for that." He looks at the others. "So if we leave Dantrian here to study the book, what shall we do next? Keep tabs on the Warden? Likely he returned back to his study..." The Ranger trails off.
"Hopefully he doesn't notice the book missing. But I suppose there's little we can do about that now. And the person who might know the most about his activities was Belik, who is now dead."
"Tibideau spoke with the dead before in defense of the Beast of Leipstadt. Perhaps Ashan, with his seeming connection to various spirits, might be able to accomplish the same or similar?"
As Anton finishes his ministrations, Drosil's eyes flutter open. He tries to sit up, then winces and immediately lays back down. "Gods! Remind me not to do that again, will you, Anton?" He probes the spot where the spine pierced him and grins, "Guess I should have been a bit more careful...and perhaps a bit slower to run headlong into danger."
He looks around, then, and sees the others gathered there, faces taut. "So what happened? How did that thing get in the lodge? What book? Belik's dead?"
It's alright, Dros, easy mate. Anton says, easing the fetchling back down onto the couch.
It looks like Paucy, the poor fool, let it in. I don't understand why though and I think he might have been compelled somehow. It killed the Markiza and Belik. he shakes his head. There was nothing you could do.
As for the book, it is a volume Ashan... borrowed... from the Warden's office. Hopefully it will give us some clues about what the Way were doing here.
After seeing that Drosil is ok, Anton has a sudden desire for a strong drink. He heads downstairs and into the sitting room where several aides are busy cleaning up the mess of the giant spider.
He heads to a drinks cabinet and after checking the labels, selects a particularly strong Andoran Gin.
Can I pour you one? Anton says to the grey haired man still sitting in the room. Cilas, isn't it? Anton Klasnic. Are you alright after that thing?
Janos looks around the room, suddenly realizing Ashan wasn't with them. He sighs. "I'll go find the elf." He nods to Dantrian. "See what secrets that book holds and we'll be back to check on you."
*****************
Janos finds Anton working over the bodies of the slain lodge members. He walks up. "What are you up to? Are you helping prepare them for burial?"
Outside of the lodge near the hedge maze, kneeling over the body of the Warden's now former attendant Belik, Ashan turns away from the task of collecting a sample of Belik's blood—smeared on a piece of parchment—to regard Janos. "Eventually," is his level response to the inquiry. "Their deaths were violent, their spirits will struggle in the ether, they will resist judgment."
After folding the piece of paper containing Belik's blood over and over again into a star-like shape, Ashan lays it down next to a few other pieces of identically folded paper. "Every minute we spend here will claim more lives." He gathers up the folded papers, tucking them into a pouch at his belt before standing up. Behind Ashan, the bodies of the other victims of the attack are laid out shoulder-to-shoulder, each covered in fresh linens held down by rocks at the corners.
"I recommend a funeral pyre," Ashan indicates, looking back over his shoulder to the deceased.