Romero

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: Confinement (Attic)
Skills: Wisdom
Hit Points: 6
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Cobalt's headache had haunted him practically since he had arrived at the house, and the darkness that he was still surrounded by wasn't easing it. He had suggested that people try and find their way to a door, but instead one of his fellow guests seemed fixated on what they should do once they had escaped the room, fixating on whether they should stay close so as to not offend the household. It was all very well discussing the morals of their situation, but Cobalt wasn't planning to sit idly by while they discussed the ethics until they froze to death. He hadn't been with the group long enough to recognise the female voice that was talking, but he wasn't all that impressed by her train of thought, whoever she was.

At least some of the other guests seemed concerned with the practicalities of their escape, although whether they were acting on it, Cobalt still had no way of knowing in the darkness. Regardless, it was time for Cobalt to practice what he had preached. He had a wall at his back, so he wouldn't be left to fumble blindly in the dark. It stood to reason that Cobalt would only be able to travel so far along the wall before he reached a door, although whether that door would actually offer a way out of the room, Cobalt didn't know. Pressing himself against the wall as best he could, Cobalt began to move along it as best he could.

Thankfully, Cobalt hadn't moved far from the door, and he managed to find his way along the wall with relative ease. Considering it was the door they had come through, Cobalt suspected it would still be locked, but it was a start. And it was certainly more than anyone else seemed to have done. Even if they weren't going to do anything with the information, Cobalt figured he may as well share his progress with the other guests. They were in this together after all.

"I can check the door we came through. If someone can get to the other door as well, then we should be able to get out of here."

🦄 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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Instinctively, William slung his violin case over his shoulder, freeing up his other arm. He was used to the case's weight there, this wasn't the first time that he had had to defend himself while carrying his instrument. It was the tool of his trade after all, and he had spent years travelling the roads alone. The Soulless were a far rarer sight now than they had been in days gone by, but they still lurked in the shadows. Despite all of his appearance facing the things that go bump in the night, he still didn't want to have to face whatever Rutherford had become alone. He considered himself a brave man, but he wasn't an idiot. He didn't even know what the creature calling after Millicent was, and until he knew how to kill it, then he wasn't going to try and find out.

Millicent finally reached him, her hand grabbing his. In any other situation, William would have been taken aback by the gesture, but considering her fiance had just transformed into a monster before her eyes, he was willing to allow her this slip in etiquette. She agreed with William about where they should head towards, although amongst the chaotic panic that seemed to be taking over the town, William still had no idea where the church was. For now, he would settle with their destination simply being away from Rutherford. For a second, he was entranced by Rutherford, watching as the man, or whatever he was, called after Millicent, before seeming to be distracted by the grotesque appearance of his own face. Something was wrong with Rutherford's voice. William couldn't place what it was, but it seemed sweeter than it had been before. It was only Millicent tugging on his hand that finally pulled William's attention away.

The young woman seemed to have a direction in mind as she continued to pull on William's hand, the two of them still fighting through the crowd. It didn't take him long to see what she had seen. The flamboyant Russian that had greeted the Duchess earlier didn't exactly blend in, and William could see him through the crowd, not far from where they were. He was starting to regret not making introductions earlier. If he knew how to address the man, he could call out, but he had no clue, and even if he did, his voice might be lost amongst the noise of the crowd. Regardless, for all William knew, the Russian may recognise what Rutherford was. At the very least, he should recognise Rutherford as a threat, which put him firmly on the right side. William kept his grip on Millicent's hand as he moved towards the Russian, pushing through the crowd. He glanced down at the young woman for a moment, but now wasn't the time to offer any words of support, not until they'd left Rutherford far behind them. So he opted for practicality instead.

"Stay close"

🦄 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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Whatever was causing the world to shift and distort, it wasn't going away. William was struggling to focus through the haze, jostled by the flow of people suddenly moving past him. He heard Millicent cry out again, even above the simmering panic, and as he looked towards her, they locked eyes for a moment. There was fear in her eyes, a sheer horror that William had only seen a handful of times before. Something was very wrong here, and it wasn't just his shifting vision that was making him feel sick anymore.

William finally pulled his Dirk free. He couldn't fight the haze that had seemed to descended over the world, but some base instinct told him that he would need the blade. It had never failed him, and it seemed to hum in the air. William's connection to his violin was instinct, it was natural, but his connection to his shortswords came from countless hours of training. That was not to say his connection was any less, the Dirk felt like an extension of his arm, and it seemed to sharpen his mind as Millicent fought her way through the crowd towards him.

The flow of people suddenly seemed to shift, pushing back against William where it had once been moving past, and he had to plant himself to not be swept away. He looked past Millicent, looking for Rutherford, and saw him. In an instant, William's blood ran cold. His face was wrong. Even through the haze, it made William's stomach turn, the nightmarish vision of Rutherford, or rather whatever foul creature had been calling itself Rutherford.

Pushing through the crowd as best he could, the adrenaline pumping through his veins driving his motions, William moved towards Millicent, shouting to be heard above the crowd as an idea fought it's way through the haze.

"The church! We need to get to the church!"

It wasn't just the thought of divine protection that was fuelling William. He knew that the Russians were looking for holy ground, and William was suddenly very keen to see the Duchess again. Or at least her sword.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: Confinement (Attic)
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 6
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Maybe it was just Cobalt's other senses sharpening now that his sight had been robbed from him, but the distinctive smell that Cobalt suddenly found filling his nose was enough to tell him that someone was lying. Someone in the darkness had a means of bringing light, or at least if they didn't, they would be an embarrassment to their trade. Just as that thought crossed Cobalt's mind, a darker one slipped in as well.

Cobalt had heard stories that those who spent their lives in the darkness grew accustomed to it, that their eyes adjusted over time to the point that they could see in the dimmest light. If their was someone in the room who had the means of bringing light, what reason could they have for not doing so? Unless the darkness was their greatest advantage, and this was the opportunity they had been waiting for. Cobalt instinctively pushed himself even further back against the wall, eyes straining. But to him, it was just darkness. For all he knew, a killer could be standing just a pace away, and he would never even see it coming.

If Cobalt had thought the darkness might hush the other guests, he was clearly mistaken. While his ears listened intently for the ominous sign of creaking floorboards approaching him, he couldn't help but listen to them as they continued to talk as if nothing had changed. Their dislike for Titian had certainly not cooled off, and he heard several quickly condemn him for leaving the room. How they could possibly know that he had done so, Cobalt had no clue. He had heard the door, same as all the rest of them no doubt, but he had no inkling as to whether someone had been coming or going, or who that someone was. They all must know something Cobalt did not.

Perhaps Titian was the obvious candidate, but Cobalt wasn't one to jump to conclusions. He'd been burnt by that mistake too many times before. As he listened on, he heard another guest remark about the concern of heat, and for the first time Cobalt noticed the slightest drop in temperature. Not cold, not even unpleasant yet, but there was certainly a slight drop. If it came to it, Cobalt would certainly take a stab in the dark over freezing to death. Deciding that some action had to be taken at least, Cobalt opened his mouth to speak.

"If everyone is still in one piece, might I suggest that those that were near the doors when the lights went out try and find their way to them. They likely offer our best chance of escape after all."

🦄 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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William's pace faltered as his vision started to blur. The world seemed to shift and move, glassy and distorted. Almost losing his balance, William had to stop himself from stumbling, one hand firmly grasping the handle of his dirk as he glanced around, searching for some clue as to what was going on. The wind that had tore apart the carriage had sprung from nowhere, and now this? He didn't know of any Soulless that could affect the world like this, but he wasn't going to be caught unawares. With the back of his hand, he wiped his eyes, but it did nothing to lessen the effect.

Realising that he had looked away from Rutherford and Millicent, he turned in time to see Millicent pulling away from her fiance, horror written across her face as she broke free of his grip on her arm. William hesitated, glancing across at Rutherford, but he couldn't see anything that would have caused such a reaction, he was simply watching her. For an instant he could have sworn that he saw the Lord's face twist and change, but everything seemed to look strange, and William couldn't be sure of anything he was seeing.

When he saw Millicent pull a weapon from within her dress, and call out for Rutherford to keep his distance, William realised that this was more than an argument, and he started forwards. He wasn't sure what he intended to do when he reached the pair, but something drove him forwards anyway. Or at least it tried to. As William's vision shifted again, he faltered. If he tried to run, he'd likely end up sprawled on the ground, so he slowed down, still reaching to pull his Dirk free, as he called.

"What in the blazes is going on?"

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: Confinement (Attic)
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 6
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Cobalt's headache was starting to set in again. Titian had apparently identified himself and subsequently leveled accusations at just about everyone else in the room, whatever patience had been restraining the man seeming to snap. And it was certainly an impressive snap, and if what he said was true, then it certainly cast the petite would-be murderer in a new light. Clearly Cobalt had missed a great deal while trapped in the bizarre realm of his own dreams, and he was still playing catch-up. But if Titian's outburst was supposed to end the bickering, it only seemed to inflame it, and Cobalt quickly realised that his grand ambitions of the group working together was already falling apart at the seams. Sighing slightly, Cobalt glanced around the room, only half-listening to the argument of whether or not they should try and find their way out of their confinement.

In truth, Cobalt felt like he was largely out of place in the room. There at least seemed to be some loyalty between a handful of the others, but Cobalt had barely shared more than a handful of passing words with anyone in the room. The only guests that Cobalt had spent the time to try and understand were either presumed dead, or in an entirely different part of the house. And the figure that he felt the closest to having any kind of connection with, Analia, he may well never see again. At the very least, the abrupt death of her father would likely cast a dampener over any kind of kinship they could have shared. He had no reason to trust anyone in the room, and in truth, holding his tongue had probably caused him to slip into obscurity. With the almost overwhelmingly large character of Titian vying for attention with several of the other guests, who was paying attention to Cobalt? He wasn't used to it, and he wasn't sure he liked it.

The scratching at the back of his head sprang back to life, and the impatience that had been bubbling underneath the surface started to break out. If they wanted to break out, then break out! Wandering around the corridors of this house, with no idea what was around the next bend, let them damn themselves. Cobalt opened his mouth to speak when he heard the faint sound of a violin playing, somewhere within the house. His words died on his lips, and he cocked his head slightly to try and hear the tune better. He had heard Amaranthine play before, or Miranda Manchester if the other guests were to be believed, and he fancied he was hearing her again, although there was no way of knowing that. The music was like nothing he had ever heard, haunting and violent all at once. Cobalt almost allowed himself to be lost in it, before the lights began to flicker. He heard Titian's question, and then the room plunged into total darkness.

Cobalt knew he had the wall at his back, and he stumbled back until he pressed himself against it, suddenly wary of an attack from every angle, his eyes straining. He heard a door open and close, but whether that was someone coming in, or going out, Cobalt had no way of knowing. Someone at least had the sense to call for light. Hopefully someone would be able to provide it. Cobalt didn't like the idea of blindly wandering across the room, so he kept his back against the wall, senses straining for any clue.

The Last Laugh

I'll throw my hat in the ring for this, looks very interesting. The first idea that comes to mind is playing a splinter group of a now-collapsed empire, that have become a pseudo-scavenger/pirate faction in recent years, a haven for renegades and runaways based around a Port Royal style home-planet/star-base. Would that be something that could work?

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: Confinement (Attic)
Skills: Intelligence
Hit Points: 6
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So the group clearly weren't about to start holding hands and singing songs around a campfire, but they weren't totally at each others throats. And when the woman spoke, then Cobalt's attention certainly was piqued. It appears that she had all of the rest of them at a disadvantage. She claimed to not have had a chance to properly inspect the list, but who's to say she was telling the truth? With Cobalt's own disappearance, he had no idea how long the woman could have been alone with those supposed list, it could have been more than long enough to learn the real identity of the other guests, Cobalt included.

Titian seemed to be entertaining himself with the idea of breaking down the door, or rather some of the other guests were entertaining the idea of Titian breaking down the door, and Cobalt didn't doubt that the man-mountain would be able to. But should he? Cobalt didn't fancy the idea of annoying the household any more than they already had, and even if the wall opened up to reveal an escape from the room, Cobalt wouldn't leap at the opportunity. For now, their best bet was to put their heads together, and try and work out what the brief clues they had all seen could mean.

As if she was reading his mind, the woman that had so intrigued Cobalt earlier spoke up, continuing her condemning of Swamp. Cobalt didn't like the good doctor, but his dislike apparently paled in comparison to hers. Hardly surprising, she had tried to kill him after all. Maybe it would have been for the best if she had succeeded...

🦄 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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William had to move quickly to keep up with Rutherford, the other man clearly knowing where he was going, and determined to not waste any more time. The slight smile that Millicent cast back towards him had more of an effect on William than he had expected it to. Something linked him to the woman, it had been scratching at the back of William's head since he had first seen her across the crowded inn, but every time he tried to put his finger on it, it darted away. The storyteller in him wanted to call it fate, and maybe it was. All that William really knew is that he had stumbled into the midst of something, and for now, that meant he was the rogue piece, the piece that didn't fit in these grand plans because he couldn't have been accounted for in them. And that gave him an advantage. Picking up his pace slightly, so that he was only a few paces behind the couple, William glanced at Rutherford.

Maybe it was his recent revelation, but something granted William a rare moment of clarity, and he finally had a better idea of what he was up against. A dagger in the Lord's belt, and a pistol in his jacket. William had known Rutherford was armed, and now that he could tell with what, he could start to plan. If it came to it, then Rutherford held one advantage over William, range. With that pistol in play, then William would need to close any distance between the two men quickly. Once he was close, then William would be able to use his short swords, and if it came to it, he could make use of his training in Kadlin. Some part of William still hoped that it wouldn't come to violence, but if it did...

Something else caught William's eye, and as he looked over towards Millicent, he saw a flash of metal. It was only for an instant, and for a moment, William questioned he had even seen it at all. But some part of him knew that he had. He had learnt a long time ago not to judge people by appearances, and it appeared that he had found another example in Millicent. The meek and slight woman was armed; the cat had claws so to speak. Frowning slightly, half-expecting every new turn to reveal some new detail, William continued after the increasingly unusual pair.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Justice Cobalt

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Location: Shadowell Manor: Confinement (Attic)
Skills: Perception
Hit Points: 6
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Cobalt had almost felt proud of his speech, a little long-winded perhaps, but he'd held his tongue for long enough, and he felt that his words had been charismatic enough. It certainly seemed to have some impact on his fellow guests at least, in fact it seemed to provoke another speech, from the woman that had been so adamant to keep her mask on earlier. What information she offered was exactly what Cobalt had wanted. They had all seen different parts of the house, whether voluntarily, or involuntarily in his case, and if what the woman said was true, then it certainly cast Swamp in a different light. But was Cobalt willing to practice what he preach and trust her?

His attempt to gauge how genuine the woman's reaction was only caused the headache that had been plaguing him since he arrived to rear it's ugly head again. Cobalt winced slightly, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment as he struggled to focus. The other guests mostly seemed occupied with getting more information about this apparently incriminating evidence, and Cobalt could hardly blame them. He doubted the good doctor had made any friends amongst those gathered, his only companion seeming to be the Chanteuse, so any information that could bring the man down, would be welcomed.

A laugh caught Cobalt's attention, mostly because of how out of place such a sound seemed, considering their surroundings. He wasn't surprised to see who it was that was laughing. He knew someone would push back, and he would have put good money on it being Titian. Truth be told, he wasn't too devastated. Titian hardly seemed to be the type to knuckle down and solve puzzles, and if the mystery killer managed to kill the big man, then they really were in trouble. Titian could keep to himself, the rest of them could try and work out who it was that had brought them all here, and who was responsible for the growing pile of corpses.