Romero

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Road to Gretna Green From The Kirkpatricks
Skills: Perception

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William was glad that his comment hadn't sparked any argument. Maybe it was the shock from the freak wind, but Rutherford seemed almost obedient. He grimaced and he grumbled, but he held his tongue, walking down the road and nursing the wound on his head. Maybe it had knocked some manners into him. Whatever connection the Duchess had with Millicent, she seemed keen to preserve it, taking the other woman's arm as she led the group down the road. Clearly some purpose drove the Duchess, and for now, that purpose seemed to be protecting Millicent.

Hesitating slightly, William smiled slightly as he nodded at the Duchess' thanks. He tried to stop himself from watching her as she walked away, busying himself with collecting his things from the carriage. He knew next to nothing about the Duchess, but he knew a dangerous woman when he saw one. Who she was dangerous for, William didn't know yet. But she clearly wielded some power if she could silence Rutherford, and she could clearly use her sword. Not only that, but there was another detail that intrigued William. For a woman that held the title of Grand Duchess, her hands were calloused and worn like a common worker. Whatever she was, she was far from a pampered noble. For now, William resolved to play the part of the courteous gentleman, and any passions that the sight of the beautiful Duchess might stoke, would be quickly dampened.

Belongings gathered, William set off down the road after the others. He found himself falling into step, taking up the position of an impromptu rearguard. Something had caused that freak wind, and until they were safely indoors, then it could come back at anytime. Almost instinctively, he rested a hand on the hilt of his dirk. The blade at his hip might not do anything to the weather, or whatever creature had caused it, but he wasn't planning on going down without trying. For now though, their surroundings were still, but William didn't allow himself to relax. He had lived a good life, and he didn't intend on stopping any time soon.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: State Dining Room
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 6
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Cobalt's shoulders slumped slightly as he glanced around the room. Several of the other guests had joined him in leaping to their feet, but if he had been expecting a rush of activity, then he would be a little disappointed. The Lord of the Manor was dead, but his servants, or rather former servants, seemed to be simply carrying on with their business. One of the guests seemed suitably shocked, but considering it was the same guest that had managed to stab herself with a dinner knife, Cobalt wasn't sure he should trust her judgement.

Titian seemed to be barely phased by the most recent death of the evening, and the good doctor made sure to take the opportunity to laud his apparent deductions over Cobalt once again, seemingly in no great rush to tend to the Lord. The four musicians from earlier simply continued to eat their dinner, and Cobalt was sure that they would have even been doing that in sync if he could bring himself to watch them. Had the world gone mad?

The door opened again, and Cobalt was already tensed, but once again it wasn't a killer who entered the room. Or if it was, she was very well disguised. The woman's reaction to the sight of her employer's corpse was almost comically understated, and she proceeded to babble away as she tended to the self-injured guest. Cobalt pinched the bridge of his nose lightly, trying to find some sort of sense among the insanity.

His jumping to his feet seemed fairly unnecessary now, but he was on his feet, and he would remain that way for now. The doctor would apparently be having a busy night, if the corpses continued to pile up. Somewhat a waste of his talents if his patients that Cobalt knew of had already been dead by the time of the inspection.

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Road to Gretna Green From The Kirkpatricks
Skills: Intelligence

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William did what he could to brush himself down, not ignoring the fact that the Duchess had her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. He managed a weak smile at her question, glad that they both seemed to at least be in one piece, considering what had just happened. Scotland might have some wild weather, but whatever had just hit them, it seemed like more than just a freak storm.

"Not in my experience, m'lady. There's no weather like that around here."

He didn't have long to ponder the force of nature, Rutherford making his voice heard as he stumbled out of the carriage, looking suitably disheveled from the battering he had likely taken inside the carriage. The blow he looked to have taken to the side of his certainly hadn't cooled his temperament. If anything, it seemed to have only made it worse. A temperament that quickly turned on the Duchess.

From what he could tell, the Duchess wasn't to blame for what had just happened to them. Not directly at least. William liked to think that he was a good judge of character, and the look of shock on the face of the Duchess as it rushed towards him had seemed genuine. William hadn't encountered anything, or anyone, that could control the weather like that, but he knew it wasn't natural. And he knew that whatever had caused it could come back.

"Forgive me for speaking out of turn, my lord, m'lady, but this carriage isn't going anywhere, and we still have ground to cover before we reach Gretna Green. Unless we can find a new form of transport, might I suggest we start walking?"

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: State Dining Room
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 6
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Just as he was starting to admire the man, Cobalt could only sit and watch as the Lord all but keeled over, falling face first into his dinner. Cobalt instinctively rose to his feet, pushing his own plate away from him, in case the man had been poisoned by the same food that sat before him. A surreal silence seemed to have fallen over the room for an instant, the Lord dead, the pale girl crying out, and Jasper attempting to grasp what had just happened. And then the doors of the Dining Room swung open.

Cobalt turned sharply, half-expecting trained killers to pour into the room. But instead, he was greeted by the sight of another servant, Amaranthine, and the petite woman he had spotted earlier. And the good Doctor of course, so perhaps Cobalt was half-right about the killers, even if he had changed his clothes. Now that there was action happening before him, Cobalt could feel his thoughts sharpening, at last. Jasper had barked his own orders, but Cobalt added his own voice, looking towards Swamp as he spoke.

"I believe your expertise would be most welcome, doctor."

The pale girl's voice sounded again, little more than a whimper now, and Cobalt turned in time to see her break way, running towards one of the windows. Perhaps she knew something the others didn't, or perhaps she was simply trying to get away from her father's corpse. Either way, Cobalt found himself taking a step away from the table, so that he wouldn't find himself tangled in his chair if he needed to make any sudden movements. He subconsciously squared his stance slightly. People were starting to drop like flies around here, and Cobalt had no intention of being next.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: State Dining Room
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 6
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A carnival of fools. The other guests continue to bicker, barely veiling their snide remarks about their host. If any one of them was a criminal mastermind, then they were very good at hiding it. And Cobalt was starting to lose his patience. He was on the verge of voicing his own opinions, when the Lord of the Manor spoke again. If there had been any veil over their host's threats before, it had been burned away now. The edge on his voice could almost wound, and even though the venom wasn't directed entirely at Cobalt, he still had to suppress a wince. He called for help for the accidental woman at least, although whether that was to save her or the room's furnishings, Cobalt couldn't be entirely sure.

For now at least, the masked woman had caved, taking off her mask. Although the choice that she had been faced with was hardly one that encouraged disagreement. If her defiant defence of her mask had been an effort to conceal her identity, then the plan had certainly backfired. Not only that, but she had managed to make an enemy of their host, and Cobalt didn't doubt that the eyes of the house would be watching her every move from this point on. If anyone was going to have a nasty accident in the shadows of the manor, Cobalt would almost be willing to put money on the fact that it would be Blush.

Titian seemed to have found his voice again, leaping into action and pulling the injured woman away from the table. The simple action of helping set Cobalt's mind whirring. With Mauve either dead or lost somewhere in the house, the closest thing Cobalt had had to an ally was gone. Who knew what friendships had already sprung up between the other guests. He knew the good doctor was likely still following the Chanteuse around like a puppy, although whether Swamp being shot had affected that relationship, Cobalt couldn't know. But there might be others around the table who had friends. For all Cobalt knew, some of them had been allies before they even arrived at the house. Cobalt glanced around at the faces around the table, and frowned slightly. For now, he'd wait, but the time for waiting quietly was coming to an end.

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Road to Gretna Green From The Kirkpatricks
Skills: Perception

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William still didn't know if he could trust the strange woman, but she hadn't bitten anyone's head off yet, and she seemed friendly enough. In fact, he figured he could even hear a warmth in her voice as she replied to him. Maybe here he could finally find a woman that wasn't engaged or Irish! If nothing else, she might hold some answers, things were quickly becoming complicated after all. He had half turned, realising he didn't know for certain if they even had any water on the carriage, when the world exploded.

Wind, the noise of it like some unholy howl, hit the carriage like a wild animal. The horses screamed and broke away, and in an instant, the driver was gone. Before William could even think to reach out, the other man was wrenched away, the reins dragging him along. The roar in his ears disorientating, William was almost thrown from the carriage himself, clinging on desperately as the carriage ground to an abrupt halt. He had only barely kept his own balance when a shape slammed into him. It didn't take long for him to realise the shape was the Duchess, thrown forwards by the movement of the carriage. William thought they were both destined to be thrown to the ground, but the Duchess proved to be impressively agile, catching both of them before they fell.

And then, just as quickly as it had arrived, the wind was gone. The Duchess, still clinging to William, looked around as she asked for some kind of explanation, but William was in no position to offer one, gasping for air, the breath knocked from him by the collision by the Duchess. For now, he seemed to all be in one piece at least. A quick glancing over of the Duchess suggested she was fine as well. And the shouting emerging from within the carriage itself suggested that Rutherford had also survived the freak storm. William started to detach himself from his entanglement with the Duchess, glancing around, waiting for some kind of explanation.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: State Dining Room
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 6
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If the Lord of the Manor cared about the distress that one of his guests had apparently put themselves in, then he certainly didn't show it, barely glancing over to the woman as she cried out in pain. It was towards the still-masked woman that his attention was turned towards. The chill in the Lord's voice only intensified, making it clear that the illusion of choice was quickly evaporating. They were his guests after all, and if the mood to throw one of them out into the cold struck him, then there were few that could stop him. Cobalt turned to watch the masked woman himself, curious to see if her defiance would last when the suggestion of a threat had become an actual threat.

The other guests attentions seemed torn between the two women, the stabbed and the masked, although the two guests that did speak up both seemed to suggest that the mask issue was one not work focusing on. Cobalt frowned slightly. If the Lord was willing to throw one of his guests from his house just for keeping her mask on, then what was to suggest that he wouldn't be just as trigger-happy with those attempting to argue with him? The Dining Room may well be becoming even more empty before long.

The injured woman seemed to be floundering, and unless the ferret that had just climbed out from her clothing had medical training, then no-one was rushing to help her. Cobalt wasn't about to either. Titian was being uncharacteristically quiet, and Cobalt glanced over at the large man, not surprised to see him leering at the pale girl. Predictable. For now, Cobalt held his tongue, but he didn't let his mind wander. He'd found that if things happened around here, they tended to happen quickly.

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Road to Gretna Green From The Kirkpatricks
Skills: Intelligence

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Rutherford was clearly not in the mood for conversation, and William left him to it, even if it did mean turning away from the entertaining sight of the Lord struggling to cling on as the carriage rattled along the road. Taking advantage of the brief pause in excitement, William tried to make sense of recent events. Another Soulless, he'd been around long enough to recognise what that creature was, but it was the woman that intrigued him. Rutherford clearly recognized her, and she clearly had something to discuss with Millicent. But judging by her disheveled appearance, and her confusion over where she was, it didn't seem as if she had intended to cross paths with Millicent here, if at all.

As the carriage continued forwards, William racked his brains, but it was no use. If he had ever heard of 'the Circus', then he had long forgotten about it, and with no clues to go on, he had no idea who 'the Duchess' that was currently perched atop the carriage was. It seemed as if their journey to Gretna Green was becoming more eventful with every passing moment, who knows what could be waiting for them around the next corner? This did somewhat complicate William's half-formed plan. While he had been glad to see the group part company with Egerton, loyal to Rutherford but hardly much of a fighter, they had now been joined by a clearly dangerous woman, with her loyalties as yet unknown. If it came to it, would she protect Millicent? Or was her purpose altogether more complicated? With so many pieces in play, the board was becoming crowded.

Deciding it could be a good idea to not forget his manners, and intrigued by the woman sitting a few feet from him, William turned back to face the mysterious 'Duchess', careful to keep his gaze on her face.

"Forgive me for intruding, m'lady, but is there anything you require? Some water perhaps?"

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: State Dining Room
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 6
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Cobalt glanced across at the sound of giggling, the noise seeming totally out of place considering the situation they all found themselves in, but he wasn't entirely surprised to see who the sound was emanating from. The earlier hard edge to her remarks had clearly softened, and if Cobalt didn't know any better, he would say that Titian's brash charm was having the desired affect on her. That or she was just another actress, playing her chosen role. All of this was starting to give him a headache again.

They'd been invited to a masquerade ball, but it was quickly becoming clear that people didn't drop their disguises when they removed their masks. The pretense of the ball had been blown apart just as comprehensively as the bridge allegedly had been, but here they sat, caught in some bizarre mimicry of a dinner party, when any one of the guests sitting around the table could be a killer. Maybe Titian had the right idea in throwing off the shackles of polite society, this surreal situation could hardly get any stranger.

The still masked woman spoke again, echoing Cobalt's compliments of their host's hospitality, although with a far more licentiousness suggestion. Cobalt couldn't help but smile slightly. He had always thought he would die amongst blaggards and charlatans, so if he was destined to be cut down in the shadows of this house, then it would be almost fitting, considering his current company. His death seemed to quickly be becoming more imminent, judging by the tone of the Lord's voice as he spoke, but Cobalt's face didn't flinch.

Cobalt did hesitate though. There was a coldness behind the Lord's word, and the threat was barely veiled. Perhaps his time behind the mask was destined to come to an end, for the sake of his life if nothing else. The other still masked guest remained adamant that she would continue to wear hers, but her reasoning may be very different from Cobalt's own. Thankfully, the Lord's attention seemed to turn towards the pale girl that had taken the seat beside him, answering her observation of how the guests ranks had thinned somewhat since they arrived. One thing the Lord said did catch Cobalt's attention though. Escorted to the gate? A quick glance around the table brought one name to mind. Mauve.

Cobalt's train of thought was promptly derailed by a cry of pain, and he instinctively tensed as he turned sharply to find the source. Another guest, clearly in some discomfort, but he couldn't see any reason for it. Titian and another guest had already expressed their concern, as had the handsome man Cobalt had seen on the stairs, so Cobalt simply lent forward slightly, frowning as he awaited some form of explanation. In the rush of movement, and with everyone's attention turned away from him, Cobalt finally took off his own mask, laying it on the table beside him.

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Road to Gretna Green From The Kirkpatricks
Skills: N/A

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The lady seemed to be checking her surroundings, and William had to stop himself from holding his breath. Whoever this figure was, she had power, and although she had slain the Soulless, William still didn't know for sure what allegiances she held. With that in mind, he didn't totally relax his grip on the dirk in his belt as she turned back to face them, not yet. And the Circus? Before he could even open his mouth to question her answer, someone beat him to it.

To call the interaction between Rutherford and the woman an exchange would be an overstatement. Rutherford clearly recognized the woman, even going so far as to call her by her title, although looking at her... interesting dress sense, she wasn't like any Duchess that he had come across before. And it wasn't Rutherford that the woman seemed interested in talking to, brushing past him and greeting Millicent, still inside the carriage. However, just as William's curiosity was piqued, it was quickly made clear that whatever the two women had to talk about, it was a private affair. The 'Duchess' made that crystal clear.

Once Rutherford had clambered up to take an awkward seat on the roof of the carriage, his face looking like thunder, the driver started them forwards again, just as speechless about the turn of events as William was. He had wished for excitement, and excitement had, by all accounts, arrived. He should be careful about what he wished for next, in case it was waiting for them around the next bend. Glancing back at Rutherford, William saw that the other man hardly looked to be in a conversational mood. But of the three of them, he was the one who seemed to have the slightest idea of what was going on, so William spoke regardless.

"Still on to Gretna Green, sir?"