R
Rando
Guest
Rupert watched as the small group of magistrates, all huddled together in a little knot of red robes, moved out the door and onto the street. Rupert threw back the remainder of the ale the magistrate had given him and headed outside, leaving a crown on the table to cover his other drink and provide a nice tip.
Rupert grabbed his hat and satchel off the pegs on his way out and almost tripped over the stoop as he began calling after the officials.
"Good sirs! Wait! Mr. Murdock! Do wait, there's been a bit of a misunderstanding."
All four of the provential magistrates stoped and turned as one, and Murdock steped forward a bit, a sour look on his face.
"Yes young man, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Well, you see sir..."
Rupert went on to explain that this was his first asignment and appologized for his ignorence of the customs.
"Yes, yes...very well." said Murdock. "Why don't you follow us to the Provential office and we can discuss the issues which have brought you to Belton."
Rupert followed the old men down the main street and to the northern end. Here they headed down the first of the two cross streets in town and stopped at the large, white, domed building at the western edge of town.
It was a building far too grand for this dust pit. It was three stories of gleeming marble, with a grand and sweeping staircase leading ot the brass doors. Out upon the steps were four halberd bearing guards, each dressed in red.
The magistrates went up the steps and Rupert followed. The guards lifted thier weapons and gave a hearty "Ho, Hail to the Magistrates!" as one broke ranks and opend the doors for the old men.
One of the guards deftly put the point of this halberd's pike onto Ruperts cheast, until a glance and grunt from Murdock told him that it was safe to let him pass.
The group passed the threshold and were in a circular, gold-gilded entrance hall with a brass spiral stair case in the center of the room, leading to both higher and lower levels. All around the large round room were doors, dozens of them.
The magistrates led Rupert to one of the doors on the left side. Inside was a plush office like area. There was a semi-circle of high-backed, finely carved wooden chairs set upon little platforms.
In front of these was another row of smaller, much more humble chairs. Rupert shose on of these as the magistrates filled out the more grand seating.
Once they were all settled and comfortable, Murdock pulled a velvet roped dangling from the ceiling near his chair, causing a bell to ring deep within the building.
"Would you like some refreshment?" asked Murdock. "A drink, or perhaps something to eat?"
"No no, I had a bit of something at the Inn. I'm fine for now."
"Suit yourself. Now, what buisness brings you to Belton and the Southern Provence?"
"Well good sirs, " explained Rupert, "It seems there are rumours in the northlands that there those in this area unsatified with thier station and wish to throw down the king! Now, we have not had any kind of conformation, just suspisions at this point, but the court officials, at the behest of the king himself, wish me go and check on the validity of these claims...if only to ease the minds of the nobles back home."
"I see" said Murdock, now leaning back and stroking his chin. All four magistrates leaned in close the whispered to each other for quite a while. A group of fast moving servents rushed in the room during this conference and set up a tea service for the magistrates. They all but ignored Rupert both on entrence and exit. It seemed the magistrates had forgoten Rupert when at last they looked back up.
"Well we wish you well on this investigation, though we assure you that there is no such thing going on in our jurisdiction. None the less, we understand politics."
Another of the magistrates leaned forward at this time. He was younger then Murdock, though still twice as old as Rupert. He had silver hair and deep, black eyes. "As a sign of our good faith and willingness to help, we have decided to give you a gift. We will let you choose what you wish."
Without another word the four old men stood again and exited the room. Rupert guessed he was meant to follow and did so.
They led him across the entrence hall and to another door. Here they paused. "Avert your eyes a moment" asked Murdock. Rueprt did so and heard a series of clicks. "Alright" said Murdock. When he looked back up, the door was open.
Inside was a vault of some kind, cramed with boxes, bags, racks and shelves. All manner of things were here, from objects of art to gold and silver bars stacked in a corner to a nice selection of weapons.
In the center of the room was a large table covered over with a black sheet. Murdock took the sheet away, revealing a set of 5 items. Each was quite fancy and appeared to be of the finest make. There was a short sword, a stoppered jar, a small shield, a scroll case, and a single, white glove.
"You may have your choice of items here on this table. Each is of a magical nature."
"The sword was found in a ruined temple far to the south of here. From what we've seen, it's sharpness cannot be measured."
"The jar contains liquid fire, a large quantity."
"The shield was the last item made by our only local magus before his death last year and is suposed to offer protection from the elements."
"The scroll case contains three scrolls of protectin...one for animals, one for men, and one for demons. Thier protection only lasts a short while."
"The glove is a mystery. We know it is magical but cannot determine it's use. We also do not know if it is one of a pair. What we do know is that of these items, the glove's magical aura glows brightest."
"Which gift would you like?"
Choose Your Path...
A - Sword
B - Jar
C - Shield
D - Scrolls
E - Glove
Rupert grabbed his hat and satchel off the pegs on his way out and almost tripped over the stoop as he began calling after the officials.
"Good sirs! Wait! Mr. Murdock! Do wait, there's been a bit of a misunderstanding."
All four of the provential magistrates stoped and turned as one, and Murdock steped forward a bit, a sour look on his face.
"Yes young man, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Well, you see sir..."
Rupert went on to explain that this was his first asignment and appologized for his ignorence of the customs.
"Yes, yes...very well." said Murdock. "Why don't you follow us to the Provential office and we can discuss the issues which have brought you to Belton."
Rupert followed the old men down the main street and to the northern end. Here they headed down the first of the two cross streets in town and stopped at the large, white, domed building at the western edge of town.
It was a building far too grand for this dust pit. It was three stories of gleeming marble, with a grand and sweeping staircase leading ot the brass doors. Out upon the steps were four halberd bearing guards, each dressed in red.
The magistrates went up the steps and Rupert followed. The guards lifted thier weapons and gave a hearty "Ho, Hail to the Magistrates!" as one broke ranks and opend the doors for the old men.
One of the guards deftly put the point of this halberd's pike onto Ruperts cheast, until a glance and grunt from Murdock told him that it was safe to let him pass.
The group passed the threshold and were in a circular, gold-gilded entrance hall with a brass spiral stair case in the center of the room, leading to both higher and lower levels. All around the large round room were doors, dozens of them.
The magistrates led Rupert to one of the doors on the left side. Inside was a plush office like area. There was a semi-circle of high-backed, finely carved wooden chairs set upon little platforms.
In front of these was another row of smaller, much more humble chairs. Rupert shose on of these as the magistrates filled out the more grand seating.
Once they were all settled and comfortable, Murdock pulled a velvet roped dangling from the ceiling near his chair, causing a bell to ring deep within the building.
"Would you like some refreshment?" asked Murdock. "A drink, or perhaps something to eat?"
"No no, I had a bit of something at the Inn. I'm fine for now."
"Suit yourself. Now, what buisness brings you to Belton and the Southern Provence?"
"Well good sirs, " explained Rupert, "It seems there are rumours in the northlands that there those in this area unsatified with thier station and wish to throw down the king! Now, we have not had any kind of conformation, just suspisions at this point, but the court officials, at the behest of the king himself, wish me go and check on the validity of these claims...if only to ease the minds of the nobles back home."
"I see" said Murdock, now leaning back and stroking his chin. All four magistrates leaned in close the whispered to each other for quite a while. A group of fast moving servents rushed in the room during this conference and set up a tea service for the magistrates. They all but ignored Rupert both on entrence and exit. It seemed the magistrates had forgoten Rupert when at last they looked back up.
"Well we wish you well on this investigation, though we assure you that there is no such thing going on in our jurisdiction. None the less, we understand politics."
Another of the magistrates leaned forward at this time. He was younger then Murdock, though still twice as old as Rupert. He had silver hair and deep, black eyes. "As a sign of our good faith and willingness to help, we have decided to give you a gift. We will let you choose what you wish."
Without another word the four old men stood again and exited the room. Rupert guessed he was meant to follow and did so.
They led him across the entrence hall and to another door. Here they paused. "Avert your eyes a moment" asked Murdock. Rueprt did so and heard a series of clicks. "Alright" said Murdock. When he looked back up, the door was open.
Inside was a vault of some kind, cramed with boxes, bags, racks and shelves. All manner of things were here, from objects of art to gold and silver bars stacked in a corner to a nice selection of weapons.
In the center of the room was a large table covered over with a black sheet. Murdock took the sheet away, revealing a set of 5 items. Each was quite fancy and appeared to be of the finest make. There was a short sword, a stoppered jar, a small shield, a scroll case, and a single, white glove.
"You may have your choice of items here on this table. Each is of a magical nature."
"The sword was found in a ruined temple far to the south of here. From what we've seen, it's sharpness cannot be measured."
"The jar contains liquid fire, a large quantity."
"The shield was the last item made by our only local magus before his death last year and is suposed to offer protection from the elements."
"The scroll case contains three scrolls of protectin...one for animals, one for men, and one for demons. Thier protection only lasts a short while."
"The glove is a mystery. We know it is magical but cannot determine it's use. We also do not know if it is one of a pair. What we do know is that of these items, the glove's magical aura glows brightest."
"Which gift would you like?"
Choose Your Path...
A - Sword
B - Jar
C - Shield
D - Scrolls
E - Glove
