DeepBlue's Vagabond - Act 1

[Deepblue706]

"Eh..." he lets out a deep sigh. "Tried to eh..." he glances away. "...steal' somethin'. But it was for a good reason!"

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold nods. "To be honest, Mr. Jeremy, we're not concerned overmuch with sins on the scale of theft at the moment. What do you know about the inhabitants of this manor?"

[Deepblue706]

He scratches his head. "Uhh...they're rich. And a little wacko, if you ask me. The lord of the manor is just plain nutty, with his experiments and such. He's always complainin' to his bodyguard about his two sons, who are idiots, er somethin'...I dunno, never seen 'em around. But uh, they mess around a lot with magic around here. Can't imagine the townsfolk like it - I mean, they've got dead people in the fields! They said they were gonna put me out there with 'em, but they just kinda stuck me in here...hey, I'm kinda hungry, mister; they haven't fed me in a couple of days. You got anything to eat?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold nods. "Sure, when we're done here, you've got free reign of the kitchen. There's a bit of a mess, but I'm sure you'll find something there. Could you talk a little more about these experiments, please?"

[Deepblue706]

Jeremy shakes his head. "I don't really know nothin' that you probably don't. I'm not even from 'round here. Just know the rumors - digs up dead bodies, tries to get them workin' again. Might be tryin' to get them thinkin' again, too - or so, this one fella said. Crazy stuff like that. Don't know what's drivin' him to do it; but, I knew this one fella who thought he was in it for profit - which I guess makes sense. Dead people doin' the work? They don't need to take breaks, eat, or anythin'. Pretty uh...efficient, yeah?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold inspects the man carefully.
"uh...huh." abruptly, he switches tacks.
"What were you trying to steal here, Jeremy?"

[Deepblue706]

Harold can't see many features of the man, as there isn't much light here. However, he can tell he's about equal height, with a similar build and frame. He remains still until Harold asks his question, which causes him to turn to the side, and scratch his head. "I dunno. Anything. Me and a couple other fella's broke in because we knew the magistrate was rich, and he didn't really have a lot of guards. Not sure what happened - one minute, we were running, the next, I was layin' sick on this here floor. Some dark wizardry is to blame, I'm sure of it."

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold smiles.
"That's better. Dark Wizardry, eh? So then you must have an opinion of the Magistrate himself, yes? I wonder if you would share it."

[Deepblue706]

"Well, I've heard rumors 'bout how he worships devils. And, of course, there are those things out in the fields! He's either mad, or he ain't got a soul. Either way, does it really matter? He's someone with authority and he doesn't deserve it!"

[amanodel]

Shimar

Upon realizing it is only a mortal man, Shimar lost interest in fighting, and returned to keep an eye on the unconscious magistrate. You can never know...

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold half-smiles.
"Hm. I see. And where are your companions now?"

[Deepblue706]

"Who knows?" He speaks with a hint of frustration. "I'm guessing they made it out. Although, they say God has a way of handling those who escape their proper fate. Personally, I hope they end up in the belly of a dragon."

[Proven_Paradox]

Drahlo patiently hangs out with the unconscious people (and one corpse). ((Just letting everyone know I'm still around, just not doing anything right now.))

[Deepblue706]

Drahlo notes the corpse is rather smelly, as it released quite a bit from its bowels upon the time of death.

((There, now you have something to do, too!))

[Proven_Paradox]

Drahlo doesn't even seem to notice the foul smell. Being a tribal orc, it's probable that he's dealt with worse at home.

((I refuse your plot hook! Ha-HAH!))

[amanodel]

Shimar

The barbarian got tired of the whining man at the door.

Shut up, and come with us, or I will make you do so, little man.

[Deepblue706]

Jeremy seems a bit nervous as Shimar demands him to come along, although he does seem to have a hint of laughter behind his voice. "Sure! Just one problem...the door is locked. You wanna...uh...get it open for me?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
"Now, now," Harold says, "No reason to threaten the young fellow. He's probably got about two or three good reasons he's going to list right about now as to why we should help him out of this cell."

[Deepblue706]

"Ehh..." he begins to scratch his head again. "Maybe you know deep down I'm not a terrible guy and learned my lesson? And uh...I'm pitiable! And..." he pauses a little longer this time. "Fine folk like you wouldn't let me just stay trapped down here indefinitely!"

[amanodel]

Shimar

Oh, you get me wrong. I'm rather fine with pitiful looters robbing the evil magistrate's home in our wake. I just dislike having independently operating cutthroats around me unsupervised.

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold nods.
"How would you rate the chances that your erstwhile mates have been experimented on by the Magistrate; maybe turned into some of those shambling things outside?"

[Deepblue706]

He shrugs. "I really can't say. He didn't really have his men interrogate me - just beat me and occassionally throw some gruel at me. So, they didn't give me any uh...basis of their uh...understanding. Haven't heard anyone talkin' in the other cells; just the sounds of rats scampering about. So, my guess? They're gone. That, or he did everything to them while I was asleep..." he scratches his head once again. "Either way, can you let me out now?"

[Ya Ta Hey!]

Len resumes her glaive and hovers expectantly by the splintering door.

[Deepblue706]

((Wait, what do you mean by 'resumes'?))

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold spreads his hands.
"Well, that's just the thing; if you're here because you tried to steal from the magistrate, then it sounds like there's no reason you should walk free. Magistrates have the power to summarily pass judgment on stuff like this. So unless there's some reason why the Magistrate A:" The handsome minstrel lists the items off on his fingertips
"Made some mistake, which is unlikely given that you just confessed to us, B: Was acting on illegal authority, which is also unlikely, or C: has performed some other acts which make the Magistrate himself a criminal, which therefore directly forfeit his authority." Harold coughs.
"Which do you think it is, Jeremy?"

[Deepblue706]

Jeremy seems to be dreading every moment that Harold continues to speak. His voice grows a little more emotional. "Of course he's a criminal! He's made crimes against God himself; what with his walking dead outside! And, ain't it slavery, even if they're dead? I mean, that was abolished years ago. "No citizen may be forced to work for another unwillingly"; that's what I remember readin'." He pauses. "Clearly, you should let me out. He's not fit to be passing judgment on anyone. Ain't that why you here, anyway? Eh? Take him out?" He gestures to both Len and Shimar. "Your brute squad here still has fresh blood on 'em."

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold nods shortly, acknowledging the point of blood.
"To be fair," he says, "Quite a bit of it is their own."
He taps his fingers on his other elbow, thinking.
"Well then, Mr. Jeremy. Seeing as we agree on so much here, I'm inclined to think you should go free. What are you going to do, if you get out?"

[Deepblue706]

He shrugs. "Well, maybe raid the storehouse for a couple days of food, maybe grab a coin or two to buy my auntie some medicine, and then head home. It'll be back to farmin', for me."

[Ya Ta Hey!]

((Wait, what do you mean by 'resumes'?))

Much like many other ill-fated nouns, Glaive has apparently become a verb. Now let me resume internetting in peace until I feel the need to spaghetti, please.

IC:

*Ready Action: Sunder door on Harold's command approval polite and subordinate request*

Damage (1d10)[3]

[amanodel]

Shimar

Upon being charged with still bathing in blood, Shimar starts to inspect his clothing for stains of blood.

edit:

If Len starts whacking at the door, Shimar will help.


(Talky-man no friend for bar-bar-eey-uhn. Don't listens to him no more.)