CH 1 - An Invitation

[pringerbeam]

Several shots ring out and three geysers of gore spray from Holt's back.  He slumps onto the bodyguard who shoves the corpse onto the floor.  He aims the gun at you.  "So, little cook, give me one good reason not to shoot you."

[Mysticsage]

"Hey look, I was in the closet like you told me and this man comes out of nowhere trying to open that locked door." He said honestly now perspiring with sweat pointing at the door that Holt had unlocked. "The sailor who was guarding me caught him after going to the water closet and then got himself killed. When he went to store the body in the closet he found me hiding. I did everything I could not to get stabbed myself. He was like a man possessed. Jace was honestly was sweating up a storm cursing his luck and wondering what the hell he should do now or even if he had a job to return too. What was meant to be an easy conversation and recruitment resulted in that very man dead. Perhaps he was cursed in more ways then one.

"I just want to go home, and  it's not very noble of you to shoot an unarmed man." he said before turning his back on the man with the gun hands still raised and went to the railing retching over the side due to the overwhelming smell of death that now filled the area.

[Mysticsage]

[info]
Rolling presence bull High Society
[blockquote]Rolled 8d6 : 4, 5, 2, 3, 5, 3, 5, 6, total 33[/blockquote]
[/info]

[Mysticsage]

[info]exploding 6s
[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 2, total 2[/blockquote][/info]

[pringerbeam]

     The bodyguard keeps his gun on you. "I'm not a noble man.  I'm a soldier."  He kneels down and begins to riffle through Holt's pockets with his free hand.  Pausing for a second, he mumbles "Wait a second," and tears open the corpse's shirt to reveal the bullet wounds and another wound over the knight's heart.  Despite the gore from the gunshot wounds, the bullet holes show no bleeding and the other wound is a sickley black.  "Undead it would seem dear Harper."  Another man speaks: a tall eldren in very fine clothes, some of the embroidery glows with soft light.  His eyes glow with magical energy.  "Necromantic magics seem to hve been at work here... Curious...  What exactly was its goal..."  The eldren kneels next to the corpse and examines the wounds on the body.  He looks up at you.  "And you said it wanted to get in... to..."  You see his eyes focus on your shoulder.  "Harper... our dead friend wasn't alone it would seem.  Seize that beast and do keep him alive.  I will need to question him." 

[info]Jace regains a fate point due to the complication of his curse.

Initiatives

Bodyguard
[blockquote]Rolled 8d6 : 6, 3, 6, 5, 3, 5, 1, 3, total 32[/blockquote]
Jace
[blockquote]Rolled 6d6 : 1, 5, 4, 4, 2, 4, total 20[/blockquote][/info]

[pringerbeam]

     The bodyguard runs up to you and attempts to club you with his revolver.
[info]Attack roll
[blockquote]Rolled 4d6 : 2, 5, 4, 2, total 13[/blockquote]
Black dice from charge
[blockquote]Rolled 3d6 : 6, 6, 3, total 15[/blockquote]
Damage roll
[blockquote]Rolled 7d6 : 5, 2, 1, 5, 5, 4, 2, total 24[/blockquote][/info]

[pringerbeam]

     The bloodslick which once tripped you now runs afoul of the bodyguard as he charges for you but instead loses his footing and goes crashing to the floor next to you.

[Mysticsage]

Jace's flight or fight response turned towards the former rather then the later. "I meant no trouble," Not wanting to be involved in whatever was meant to pass for questioning and fearing for his life he flung himself over the railings. with all the energy he had hoping he would hit water before someone attempted to grab him. In the water of the Thames he would at least have better cover from bullets and if he swam fast enough he would not be chopped to bits from the pull of the paddle wheel.

[info]Dex Athletics Might to dive as strong as possible.
using +1 fate point
[blockquote]Rolled 6d6 : 4, 3, 6, 2, 3, 3, total 21[/blockquote]
[/info]

[Mysticsage]

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1[/blockquote]

[pringerbeam]

     As you sail into the Thames you hear more gunshots as bullets whiz by you splashing harmlessly into the dark river water.  You hear the shout of the bodyguard as the steamboat continues up the river.  "You might have escaped this time cook but we will meet again and when that time comes you will not fool me again!"

[Mysticsage]

"Lets hope that never happens Harper" He thought to himself despite his own poor luck telling him otherwise. He swam slowly laden with clothes and gear getting eventually to a bank and shacking himself the best he could like most animals for lack of a towel. But first he said to the emptiness "I've got a ring to shove down someone's throat in the morning." For now he had to find a safe place that he could dry off and try to recover from the exhaustion that was soon descending upon him. He hated the hostel but the simple body heat would help him more then anything at the moment.

[pringerbeam]

     "Mister Lord, it's time to get up.  His lordship awaits."  Carlson's voice wakes you from your slumber.  The hustle and bustle of th hostel in the morning just now beginning.  Standing at the end of your bed and taking up a sizeable area of the cramped quarters is Carlson, looking as dapper as always.  "Your clothes."  He presents your clothes to you, they are neatly cleaned and folded.  "They were... soiled, so I took the liberty of laundering them.  Now if you would be so kind as to get dressed so that we might be on our way. His lordship was quite worried when you did not return yesterday evening."

[info]A new day dawns.  You regenerate a fate point, and heal any damage that you can with a nights rest.[/info]

[Mysticsage]

As he awoke seeing Carlton at the foot of his bed that image did something to quell the fire burning in the pit of his stomach since the previous night. While he was still fuming the new morning seemed to bring with it a bit of perspective and direction to his anger. He sat upright and got out of bed without saying a word feeling the sting of acid words mixing with bile that better left unspoken for now. He dressed quickly to fueled by his new found determination to look at his own reflection or eat.

He was failing miserably at hiding the fire that burned in him as he called from the hall, "I'm ready when you are Carlton."  He was curt but trying his best to turn this anger into a blade that even that supposed lord might be taken aback by. His thinking about last night made him come to the realization that this Noble had no clue about how strong the forces he was thinking of facing truly were and what's worst did not have the heart to do the proper background work. He no doubt sent other similar souls to his into who knew what fires and then simply moved on to the next victim. Well he would see just what flippant behavior brought him.

If Carlton attempts to speak with him Jason will mostly ignore or wave him off unless forced. If that's the case then all he will say is, "Remind me the next time I ask you  about someone's character to do the exact opposite. Because you Carlton, are uniquely inept at judging others." Before continuing forward.

[pringerbeam]

     Your walk to Lord Blackblade's home goes on in silence.  You eventually arrive and Carlson opens the door, taking up his position inside and beckonging you in. "His lordship should be in the solarium, at the end of the hallway.  I will fetch some refreshments."  He closes the door behind you and heads off a side hallway, vanishing through a doorway.  You find the solarium at the rearmost of the house, a room which seems to span the sizeable width of the home.  Panes of glass compose most of the walls allowing the warm morning sun to shine into the room and displaying a courtyard filled with flowers and citrus trees.  Despite the grand size of the room it still manages to be furnished quite well.  Chairs and sofas with accompanying end and coffe tables are arranged throughout the room with one end spared for a sizeable dining table.  The walls are lined with bookshelves packed with books and curios.  Lord Blackbalde stands at the far wall, looking out into the courtyard, a trolly with a partially consumed plate of sausages, eggs, and grilled tomatos next to him.  A look of concern is on his face but changes to relief as he turns upon hearing you enter.
     "Ah, Carlson was able to find you!  I had feared for the worst when you did not return yesterday and then there was the news I recieved this morning.  I was worried you had befallen a fate worse than death."  He pointed to a letter that lay open on a nearby coffee table.  "I have recieved word of Sir Holt's death.  What happened last night?"

[Mysticsage]

"What happened last night was that I was raked over the coals by your obvious incompetence." Walking over he ripped the ring of his finger and slammed it hard on the trolley. "And that I am a fool for thinking that I could put my faith in your ability to do anything outside of sit here playing at saving the city!" His face was flushed and he was trying his best to keep his own temper from crossing a line to far and getting physical. His own past in the kitchen both adding fuel and the needed restraint. "Your Sir holt tried to kill me last night I hope you know. A man you claim to be a friend and a man of reason was no better then a rabid dog. What's worse I find out after all my effort to keep him safe I find out that he was already long gone before I ever met the man! You sent me hunting after a fucking ghoul sir an undead shell!"

He was screaming in rage at full volume at this point. "Do you understand what that means? The dead do not just raise on there own meaning that from the moment you called him he probably relayed your plans and my meeting him to whoever was puling his string. Your fucking crusade is still born, as dead and gone as your supposed ally. At best it means the powers at be know everything and know you are so blind that they can let you run around without causing harm. At worst we are all already dead and just do not realize it yet not to mention what could have happened to those guests if he had gotten the signal to go mental. And I do not appreciate that you broke our agreement within the very first night and left me to deal with the consequences!" He stopped out of breath having let his anger from the night before and then regained some composure, "You have lost your game sir before you even started."