Romero

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Gretna Green
Skills: Perception

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Whoever this Ludwig had been in life, he was apparently worthy of attention from the Duchess, even in death. If nothing else, her ordering of one of the newcomers confirmed that she did hold some power over them, and the 'Bazhooli', whatever that meant, leapt onto his horse, his exit just as extravagant as his clothing. However he did not leave, William noticed, before giving Rutherford a hard-edged look.

Speaking of the Lord, the man was clearly keen to seize upon the momentary lapse of the protection the Duchess had been giving Millicent, grabbing his fiances arm and all but dragging her away from the group. Millicent didn't put up a fight, letting herself be led away by Rutherford, and William suddenly realised he couldn't simply stand and watch any longer. For starters, it was the promise of payment from Rutherford that had seen him begin this journey in the first place. That being said, the Russians promised adventure, even if it was an increasingly confusing one, and William was surprised to see the Duchess let her apparent charge be taken away so roughly.

But if the Duchess minded, she showed no signs of it, despite her two new companions looking obviously troubled by it. It was above William's pay-grade to concern himself with the reasons behind her sudden change of demeanor, and he quickly moved after William and Millicent. He had been hired to do a job, and he planned to do it. And if it came to it, he would at least still be close at hand, in case Millicent really did need help. He was glad he had taken the time to gather his things from the remains of the carriage. He held the wooden case in one hand, and he could feel the violin inside almost humming, hungry for the chance to play once more.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: Confinement (Attic)
Skills: Charisma
Hit Points: 6
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It was an unusual crowd that found itself locked in together, but then nearly everything about the night so far had been unusual. Death and intrigue had walked hand in hand through the house, uninvited and unwelcome guests, but then they all were. Two amongst their number had already met their ends. Cobalt stopped himself. Three. Mauve was gone, whether she was dead already, or quickly on her way there, Cobalt already knew that he would not be seeing the woman again, at least not in this lifetime. There were a dozen of them left now, but who knows how many would live to see the morning.

Cobalt came back to the present in time to see that the imprisonment had hardly drawn the group any closer. The woman that had managed to injure herself at dinner had slid down to sit against the wall, still accompanied by her unusual choice of pet. But it was two of the other guests that seized Cobalt's attention. The woman that had attracted his attention earlier, not just because of her attack on the good doctor, now seemed intent on uniting the group in order to root out the enemy within. It answered one question at least, Cobalt wasn't alone in being drawn to this house by a blackmailer. He had suspected some thread must unite them all, but now that he knew it was crime, Cobalt's imagination was whirring with ideas of what those around him could be guilty of.

Titian was back to his characteristically brash self, and even though Cobalt had seen the two together earlier, there was clearly no love lost between the two now. But in his uncouth manner, he voiced the thoughts that Cobalt had already had himself. Although he didn't like the man, Cobalt could hardly accuse Swamp of killing the Lord of the Manor. If Cobalt knew anything about group dynamics, then things in confined space could get heated quickly. Chances are, people who be drawn towards either one of the two figures, who could hardly be more different in appearance. Some would look for self-preservation in companionship, seeking the safety in numbers, while others would side with isolationism, keeping everyone else at arms length. The two groups could well, unsurprisingly, find themselves quickly at odds with one another. Maybe it was time Cobalt tried to put some of his charm to good use. Putting on his most winning smile, Cobalt glanced across the group, making eye contact with anyone who would let him.

"There's no need for us to become fast friends, hell, I still don't know what to call some of you, and I'm fine keeping it that way, but if we isolate ourselves, then whoever it behind all of this can just pick us off one by one. I say we try and work together so that we can get out of this place alive, after that, we need never see each other again. Someone wanted us all to be here, and from what I've seen so far, it wasn't for a good time, at least not for us. Keep each other at arms length yes, but I agree with the lady when she says that we should combine what we've learnt of this house's secrets."

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Gretna Green
Skills: Perception

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Things certainly weren't getting any simpler. Millicent seemed to recognise the two men, but considering William had only known the woman for a matter of hours, that hardly helped him. Rutherford may well have recognized them too, but he took the opportunity to curse about the Circus again, although that name still meant nothing to William. Truth be told, William was starting to feel thoroughly out of his depth.

He had names for the two newcomers at least, but one of them sounded like gibberish, and the other was foreign to William. Hardly any clues as to who they were. Things only grew stranger still as William caught sight of the same thing that grabbed the attention of the Duchess. A man, or corpse rather, that the Duchess clearly had some affection for, although he was dressed differently from the three Russians, his clothes plain compared to the extravagance of the others. The mere name of whatever action the Duchess was suggesting she perform was enough to give William a headache, but what was it she was calling for? Some way to stop the body from returning as a Soulless most likely, but William's imagination was already whirling. Who was to say that the woman standing before him wasn't capable of raising the dead...

William realised that he'd half-missed a conversation, absorbed in his thoughts, and hurried to catch up. From the sound of it, the winds that had hit the carriage hadn't just hit them, they were also responsible for the death of this "Zimmer". By the sounds of it, these two men were just as in the dark about what had caused the winds, a fact that did nothing to reassure William. Regardless, the three figures were obviously close, and William struggled to tell if their behavior was out of sorts, to him it was all strange.

It didn't help that the more extravagantly dressed of the two men slipped into Russian, and the marginal grasp of the conversation that William had had slipped into non-existence. All of this was starting to give him a headache, and he was seriously starting to regret his thirst for adventure. If he had known that this is where that thirst would lead him, then he would have found roving the inns of Scotland, and the subsequent barmaids, plenty adventure enough.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: State Dining Room (3rd Floor) -> Confinement (Attic)
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 6
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Cobalt could see the logic in the words of the other guests. Why leave the good doctor alone in his examination, and give him the opportunity to destroy or alter any proof. He would be accompanied by Amaranthine, but the dynamic between the two had changed somewhat since Cobalt had seen them in the Gaming Room, what seemed like an age ago. Then, the doctor had been following after the woman like a puppy, at least to Cobalt's eyes, but now it seemed as if it was Amaranthine that was doing the following. If she was willing to aid the injured man, the injured murderer if what some of the other guests were claiming was true, then she could be more than willing to help him in other ways.

The difference then, is that Cobalt chose not to voice these opinions. A decision that apparently put him almost in the minority of the unusual dinner guests. Three of the guests voiced their opinions on how things should be handled, but Cobalt held his tongue. Questioning the moral character of the good doctor was hardly something he drew issue with, in fact it was a past-time he had indulged in himself, but to almost outright accuse the man of killing the Lord? That seemed a step too far. As far as Cobalt knew, the doctor had never met the Lord in life, and almost all of Swamp's time since he had arrived at the house could be accounted for. He had spent time in Cobalt's company for a start, then during his fateful examination of the poetry-prone guest, and after that he had been whisked away for his wounds to be tended to. When could he have found time to commit murder? Cobalt checked himself. Commit a second murder.

Accusations aside, the Lord had clearly been irked by those thinking they had the right to an opinion, and if the remaining family shared his pride, then Cobalt didn't want to risk stoking any ire. For all he knew, the late Lord of the Manor could have been a pussycat compared to his mother.

Cobalt's concerns proved to be correct, Lady Oriold's soft speech not entirely covering the edge of her words. Cobalt tried to catch Analia's eye as she was ushered out of the room, trying to express sorrow for the death of her father, but if she saw his efforts, he couldn't tell, and he didn't even know if he would ever see the girl again. They were clearly more prisoners than guests, a point driven home as they were led to a room that Lady Oriold had ominously called "Confinement".

In truth, the room was far from the nightmare that Cobalt's imagination had conjured up. It was warm enough, and although it was bare, it wasn't uncomfortable. The only thing that did cause Cobalt to feel a little uneasy was the sound of the room's door being locked behind Jasper. He still couldn't rule out the fact that one of the guests that he was now locked in with was a killer, or even his blackmailer. And even if they were relatively innocent, he could hardly call any of those present friends, and this was a dangerous place to have enemies. In a room without windows, and with locked doors, things could turn ugly quickly. Almost instinctively, Cobalt moved a few paces away from the rest of the group, keeping the wall behind him.

🦄 Soulless Regency - Merged With T.S.

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William Fraser

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Location: Gretna Green
Skills: N/A

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The unusual group made it to Gretna Green, but William quickly realised that that did not mean safety. The place was in chaos, no doubt caused by the wake destruction that the horses had left behind them. William squared his jaw slightly as he look at the chaos. He had liked the driver, the two forming almost a camaraderie, but no-one could have survived the scene before him. He realised with a heavy heart that he didn't even know the man's name. Beneath his breath, William uttered a prayer to the Old Gods. He didn't know what the man had believed, but he hoped that it was enough.

The Duchess had clearly decided it was wise to take the long way into town, and the rest of the group followed after her. Rutherford was lagging behind, but William was in no mood for conversation, and kept his distance from the other man, walking a few paces behind Veta and Millicent, still arm in arm with each other. As they made their way towards the center of town, they found themselves going against the tide, the townspeople heading out and way from whatever chaos had blown in. William saw the two men on horses just as the Duchess did, the mysterious woman calling out to the strangers and waving towards them, joy and relief evident in her voice. Whoever the two men were, she clearly knew them, but William still found himself instinctively gripping the handle of his trusty dirk.

Rutherford wasn't trying to hide his annoyance as he finally caught up with them, but William was almost enjoying himself. The day only continued to get stranger, and the flamboyant and extravagant Russian that leapt onto his saddle when he saw the Duchess was no exception. The other mounted man, also Russian if his thick accent was anything to go by, was more conservatively dressed, but he was clearly just as excited to see the Duchess, although his joy seemed to dip slightly. William couldn't be sure why, or even confirm that he had seen any change in expression, but he knew what he thought he had seen. Something held William back from introducing himself to these newcomers. He had the feeling he had found himself in the middle of something far greater than himself, and for now, he would wait to see where this journey took him.

🦄 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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Cobalt half-glanced over towards the short figure of the woman that had intrigued him earlier. He'd wanted to talk to her then, but the imposing figure that had been watching over her had ended that idea then. Maybe in the shock and confusion following the Lord's death wasn't the ideal setting either. Before Cobalt could make a decision, it was made for him, another guest moving over to talk to the woman. Another time then perhaps, Cobalt did still want to learn more about the guest that had apparently shot Swamp. He was sure they would get along swimmingly...

He glanced around the room and noticed that he had been somewhat stranded in the middle. The good doctor had taken to the task of inspecting the Lord's body with ease, the Chanteuse hovering around him like a concerned mother hen. Titian seemed to be amusing himself with the woman that had managed to wound herself with a dinner knife, apparently keen to draw attention to the scar that Cobalt had noticed earlier. If it was an attempt to flirt by the big man, it was a strange one, and judging by the response from the woman, a misguided one. Beyond those two groups, the other guests included Walnut and her new companion who appeared to be in conversation, the reluctantly unmasked woman, who seemed content with issuing vague and foreboding warnings, and the handsome man, who seemed at a loss at what to do. Cobalt frowned slightly. That made two of them.

He needed something to do, if only to keep his mind sharp. One glance at the four musicians put him off that idea, he wasn't at such a loss that he wanted to tolerate the surrealism of four men speaking as one. Not yet anyway. The servants hardly seemed in the mood for conversation, and as he glanced across at Analia, he saw that she wasn't either. Besides, his time with the young lady had been fleeting, and it was far from his place to assume any kinship existed between the two. Even if he had wanted to attempt to talk to the girl, again, a decision was made for him.

The guards that had been summoned arrived into the room finally, led by an older woman. Lady Oriold if Jasper's greeting was anything to go by, although the name meant nothing to Cobalt. She seemed only half-there, letting Jasper issue orders, her own voice quiet. She moved to offer some comfort to Analia, and her words suggested that the power in the house had already shifted. Whoever this dowager was, they were all at her mercy now.

🦄 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.