Part 26d: Traveller in black

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Part 26d - Traveller in black (Dorian) by Dworkin (GM)
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The traveller walks down the slope of the road.  His black, hooded cloak flutters behind him in the breeze which carries the smells of salt and smoke to his nostrils.
The staff in his hand raps out a regular rhythm on the road as he approaches the bridge.

Cadiniagart.  Soon he will be home.  From here he can get a ship, which is certainly easier than walking through Shadow closer to Amber.

But something isn't right.

The harbour looks deserted, though there is a ship standing just off-shore, which seems to be flying a green and white flag, which could be that of Amber.
Then there is that troubling scent of smoke in the air.  He has passed through Cadiniagart before, on a number of occasions, but that smell is new.

Stepping onto the bridge, he sees the watchman come out of the shelter at the far end.  Closer, and the man raises a hand in friendly greeting, "Well met, traveller.  Welcome to Cadiniagart.  Where are you bound for in the city?"

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dorian
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The traveler merely slows his gait, letting the cloak fall in close around him. Where am I bound for, in the city? Without looking at the watchman, he demands, "Is there trouble in Cadiniagart, today?" ignoring the question asked of him. His gaze remains steady, outward over the city, studying the sea and the lone ship.

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Well... not so much today, though there have been problems over the last few days.  Things've quietened down a little now."  The watchman seems friendly enough, with little hint of suspicion about him.
"If you're in need of a place to stay, I can provide you with a list of reputable inns.  Ones that won't charge for anything beyond what they provide."

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dorian
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Dorian drew his black cloak in against the wind and stood a while in thought. Something strange was in the air; he could sense it. If this watchman didn’t know, or wasn’t admitting, anything, it was deeper trouble. It was more likely he didn’t know, given his demeanor. “Fine,” he snapped.

He doubted he would learn more from the watchman, but the isolation provided a perfect opportunity for questions. “Things have quieted down? Was there trouble earlier? I see no ships in the harbor, and there is smoke in the air.”

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Well, Sir, we've had a nasty few days, and no mistake." comes the reply, "Riots, ships burned, looting and pillaging.  Some Amberite prince murdered the king, and there has been a fair bit of trouble, yes."

"All's well now though."

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dorian
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Dorian pursed his lips. Why would an Amberite even bother to murder a king of this place? The games Amberites play are complex, but something is strange about this. Dorian lifts an eyebrow, turning to face the watchman for the first time. "Oh? This is interesting news, indeed. Do they know they know who the Amberite Prince is?"

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Now, let's see, I did hear his name mentioned... what was it now?  Ah, yes, Blade, or some such fool name.  No, ah... Blaze, that was it.  Prince Blaze of Amber."
"Now, would you...  What the Devil?"  The man is interrupted by a flare of reddish lightning out of an almost clear sky, followed moments later by a clap of thunder.

Above the tallest pinacle of the highest tower of the palace of Cadiniagart, whisps of cloud are being drawn together into a swirling knot...

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dorian
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"Devil, indeed," Dorian mutters.

The beginning of the mystery was an Amberite being identified. This alone sounded like an imposter’s work. Bleys was cunning enough to avoid such complications, even if he acted in a hurry. Even so, he didn’t have a record of acting rashly. Dorian didn’t care if the realm was destroyed or not; other than being a stepping-stone along a path, it offered little to him. In fact, he intended to do very little but observe and investigate the matter, and see if there were any advantages to be gained.

With the faintest of curls at the side of his lips, Dorian straightens himself and turns to face the watchman, pulling the hood of his black cloak back to reveal his features better. Leaning forward slightly and looking into the man’s eyes with a penetrating look, he lets his mind gently wash over the man’s mind like soft waves lapping against a sandy beach.

There is nothing suspicious about the questions I am about to ask you; we are having a normal conversation, small talk. They are perfectly normal questions; you are willing to answer them.

"How would one best impersonate a guard in town. Do you need anything to identify yourself, papers or a badge? Do the guards know all other guard?"


Dorian continues with his series of questions, firing them off in rapid succession and absorbing the answers. When completed, Dorian takes a long, slow deep breath, smiling. He slowly reaches up and draws the hood back over his head.

With his old, crooked staff in one hand, he lifts the other and gestures, speaking lynchpins....

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dworkin (GM)
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As the traveller walks away, the watchman shakes his head and blinks.  Never had he met a man so obsessed with... with... with the weather.  That was it, obsessed with the weather.  Or something.

The road curves as it descends, and soon the bridge and its puzzled guardian are lost to sight behind a screen of hawthorn.  From here it can be plainly seen that clouds are spiraling inwards above the palace, becoming darker and more ominous with each passing moment.

A horse stands by the side of the road, harnessed to a small cart, and nervously watching the clouds.  There is no sign of a driver.

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dorian
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Dorian kept his eyes on the gathering clouds as he marched down the road, his crooked old walking stick tapping out a steady beat on the road. As he walked, his mind worked, pondering the possibilities of what might be taking place in the city below. He couldn’t tell, but he imagined that more than a few Amberites were down there.

His gait slowed as he noticed the horse, standing beside the road. Of course, a horse could be a inconspicuous spy, but the city would be looking for someone leaving. Would others be looking for an approach? The animal watched the storm with increasing nervousness; it wasn’t watching the road. It occurred to him that speed might be essential, given the rapidly gathering clouds. Emotions towards Amber might not be pleasant right now; he loathed the chance of causing more ill-will, by stealing the animal and cart. What was the saying he’d heard in some shadow somewhere? Some men deserve to be murdered, but there’s never a good reason to steal a man’s horse.

He approached the beast slowly, eyes narrowing in concentration. He studied the animal carefully, and then examined the area around for signs of an owned. There had to be a driver; at the least, there had to be a corpse.

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dworkin (GM)
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There doesn't seem to be anybody about, and no sign of a corpse anywhere nearby.  The animal seems to calm as Dorian approaches, until he is able to get close enough to touch it.

It's still four miles or so to the city gate, and there appears to be a large picnic basket in the back of the cart...

A decision made, Dorian climbs aboard the cart and urges the horse onwards.



At the gate the guards are too busy watching the mass of cloud looming above the palace to even notice the arrival of a horse and cart.  With the cloud to guide him, Dorian soon finds his way to the palace itself.  As far as he can tell, he's the only person actually heading towards the cloud.
The plaza is full of people, praying, cowering, screaming, as the strange cloud rotates above them, flickering with a sullen red light.

Only four people in the square are standing, and they are in a group near one of the other entrances to the area...

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dorian
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Bless them for being predictable, Dorian thought as he hunched down to blend in with the gathered crowd, though he did not cower. He sat and considered the situation a moment. He had no desire to get involved with something that did not involve him, unless there was some advantage to gain. However, he was curious. Deep inside, he had a need to know, and that prompted him to act.

Sneaking up on an Amberite was never a good idea, and should not be done without good reason. Dorian removes his black cloak, dressed only in a white tunic of simple cut and brown leggings, he stands and moves towards the standing group of people.

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dorian
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Seeing the quad of non-cowering people note his approach, Dorian says, <b>”You are going to try to get inside the Palace; I can help.” He only hoped his assumption up to this point were correct. If not, he could be getting himself into trouble. He tried to keep his demeanor casual and unassuming.

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Re: Part 26d - Traveler in black (Dorian) by Dworkin (GM)
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Continued in: Agents of Fortune

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