Astarael42 — Roleplayer Guild

~~~~Group A~~~~

Isabeau eyed her guests carefully, letting just a whisper of her talent drift through her mind as she looked at them.  Both were healthy and strong, and possessing unusual abilities though she could not discern the nature of the abilities.  In fact she had never really known what Adam's Talent was, only that as the acting Master of the Society it must be quite strong.  

She did pick up a whisper of something odd about Adam's health, but she dared not probe further.  She didn't want him to suspect her actions, or anything else about her for that matter.  That meant she must be brief. She wasn't thrilled he had brought a companion but she hid her ire quickly behind a deceptively warm smile. 

“Welcome” she said keeping her voice pleasant and musical. “Adam it's so good to see you.” 

Adam bowed his head slightly but kept quiet.  He had not been unaware of her brief scrutiny and deduced she had used her Talent in some way; he wondered what she had seen.  But this was a game, or a trap, either way it would be played out.  

“Your letter was most convincing” he said keeping a serious tone. “My companion and I thought it best to visit and discuss the issue in person.”  He kept details about Lily purposefully vague.  He knew that Isabeau would be trying to work it out and hopefully that would distract her some.  

Isabeau blinked genuinely startled.  “Letter?”  The she remembered.  That was long ago, well long enough.  When she first discovered the truth.  She had forgotten she had been afraid once.  

Adam too was surprised.  He thought the letter had been the bait for a trap, was she genuinely afraid and seeking aid when she wrote it?  That was a piece he wasn't expecting.  

Isabau once more composed herself and waved a hand airly.  “That was a trifle, the ravings of a grief stricken widow and my dreams.  I had terrible bouts of insomnia you know.  It's all better now.  But come, come, lets not talk in the entry way.”

She clapped her hands once, swiftly, and a housemaid materialized from some side room. 

“We will be taking tea in the salon” she said in an imperious voice.  

“Wee Wee madam” said the young maid in a french accent that was so atrocious Adam fought to hid a wince.  “I will see to it immediately.”  

A well trained french woman was the current ideal in ladies maids, modistes, and all manner of other servants.  Thus most enterprising young women tried to mimic a french accent and slip as much french into ordinary conversation as they could.  The results were a mixture of bad, really bad, and terrible. 

Isabeau seemed not to notice and glided the rest of the way to Adam's side, looping her arm through his and leaning against him in a far too familiar manner. 

“Come come Adam.  I shall tell you all that has been going on and you can have a good laugh at how silly I was.  Me, a woman of science, a modern thinking woman of the world terrified of a ghost.”

She laughed a charming laugh and guided him down the hall towards the sitting room.  She very pointedly ignored Lily, leaving the other woman in her wake to join them as she could.   

The drawing room was hideous, at least in Adam's eyes.  Velvet, tassles, and ornate wallpaper was everywhere.  The shapes and carvings were busy and unpleasant, and the furniture was too fussy.  He much preferred the asture surroundings on the House Ianus or the traditional men's study to a ladies salon.  Funny thing was, he thought Isabeau would have felt the same. 

She wasn't wrong in her earlier assessment of herself.  She was a scientest and a very practical woman.  She kept things simple and easy to manage; at least in relationships and clothing.  He had assumed her house would be the same.  He looked around as he assisted the Lady to a chair.  He wasn't sure, couldn't be certain, but this room seemed somewhat...old.  Not just the style of the furnishings and decorations but the air.  Like she hadn't used it in a very long time.  Longer than he expected.  She didn't have many guests, even when her husband was alive, but still this room seemed to have been ignored.  

Adam carefully settled himself down on a chair, not next to the Lady as she so clearly wished, and pulled the letter from his pocket.  

“Your words were somewhat puzzling” he said smoothly “perhaps you could explain a bit?” 

Isabeau smiled graciously, her eyes rivited on Adam.  She touched just the tiniest bit of her talent, there was still something that bothered her about him, but for all intents and purposes he seemed perfect for what she needed and she didn't want him to depart.  Adam's companion she would deal with later, Isabeau considered her no more than a trifle, a woman to be disposed of eventually but  right now she needed a man.  Adam was who she had chosen for this final phase of her work, her research was almost complete and together she and he would make history.  

Adam felt a bit uncomfortable as she turned a radiant, though he suspected false, smile on him and began to talk.  He also felt a bit unsettled, things weren't fitting into the puzzle as they should and what was more worrisome was that the puzzle didn't seem clearly defined any more.  There was something seriously wrong with the whole thing and damned if he wasn't going to stick around and find out just exactly what it was.   

~~~Group B~~~
Havel was relieved to be done with the carcass, after they manhandled it onto the carriage he was coated in stinking mess which he was not thrilled about.  The lady had suggested she might be back but he didn't want to wait, smelling like a corpse, in this cursed woods.  He took off home, putting the forest and the creature and the curse out of his mind.  The forest didn't notice his absence and what few creatures were still around continued their business.  All, even traditionally nocturnal predators, knew that daylight was the time to be out, and that the darker it got the less safe it became.  

Most of the day had passed by the time Johanna was finished with her examination.  The sun was low in the sky and Havel was long since home.  Adam hadn't thought to let Johanna know the home address of her guide, and he was keen on avoiding the night in the forest, so he left no sign of where he went or if he would be back.  It was left to Johanna, now with the assistance of Wes, to delve further into the woods on their own.  

The creature knew darkness was coming, it paced within the walls that confined it, one single command cemented in its feeble mind.  

Go out only in Darkness.  Go out only in Darkness.

But it knew that soon it could leave, it would be free to roam.  These walls were so small, so tiny, and there was so much to learn still.   

NOTES FOR REFERENCE:
Group A—Adam, Lily
Group B--Rabid Bear in the Woods. Johanna, Wes
Group C--Missing Men. Aleksandra, Lucie

The IC will move when it does.  Not sooner.  I'm sorry but real life is just complicated and challenging right now.  I appreciate those who stick around and understand how chaotic things are for me now.  

I know we are divided into 3 groups; I will be posting each group as I write it.  Just so that it can be seen that yes, indeed, I am going in a forward direction.  MOst of these posts will be quickly accompanied by PM's to the players they involve and I will edit onto my post if needed to avoid double posting.  

Thanks all.   

oh sorry for all the images.  I tend to sit at work and flip through photographs and unknown artists I think should be better known, and the ones I like I keep for later use.  It would be a shame not to actually use them.

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