Heroica RPG - Quest #72: A Party

[Pandora]

Nyx does not take kindly to being pushed around, but the events happen so quickly she barely has chance to react. She meets Hybros' gaze as he tries to reassure her, and smiles falteringly back, as if unconvinced. The annoyance is rising, and with it, her temper.

"I assume you are Doctor Daneeka; Doctor Everstien and I have already met, and I heard you discussing the ceiling with Docken. I really hope there will be some sort of explanation forthcoming? Is Guts right? Is this indeed "not real" and Guffington isn't actually dead after all? And can you both also explain why both of you have been calling out the time? I thought it was some sort of affliction of Everstein's here, but I heard you do it too."

Nyx takes the necklace and regards it for a while. Not too horrible, and at least it was jewelry. She slips off her High Heels, dropping a few inches in height, and ties the Necklace around her neck wondering why it was so necessary.

"And this?" she points to her new necklace "What is this for?"

[Zepher]

"Now, care to explain the meaning of this? Eheh..."

"Every second we waste now is a second lost. No time to explain entirely. If you find Everstien after the jump, he will be your guide. I do not have enough of the potion to retain my own memory. You will have to brief me each time. I assume this is your first go."

"Correct."

"This isn't real."

"Very real, very dangerous. Real consequences."

"I assume you are Doctor Daneeka; Doctor Everstien and I have already met, and I heard you discussing the ceiling with Docken. I really hope there will be some sort of explanation forthcoming? Is Guts right? Is this indeed "not real" and Guffington isn't actually dead after all? And can you both also explain why both of you have been calling out the time? I thought it was some sort of affliction of Everstein's here, but I heard you do it too."

"And this?" she points to her new necklace "What is this for?"

"He is dead. We called the time so that you could mark when things were happening. You must remember. The amulets are rare, but from a friend. Had to take them from Dastan, very risky. Guffington made her promise to return them to the dragons afterwards, but I think she may have taken one for herself. Do not take the amulets off, or you may lose your brain."

The heroes arrive at the foot of the stairs in a cramped space- cramped only because it is filled to the brim with potions, notes, gadgets, and many other things they don't recognize. Everstien closes the door behind them.

"Remember heroes, I'm a professional problem solver. I have yet to fail a case." Everstien coughs weakly. "I hope Guffington's trust in you is not misplaced."

Daneeka plunges a syringe into a plant and draws some fluid out.

"Find Everstien. No one else will recognize you. Don't act strangely."

He wheels on the heroes.

"Ready? Remember, I will be at your service. Do not mention anything to anyone besides Guffington, Everstien or myself. Everyone is a suspect."

Before they have a chance to respond, he pricks them each in turn with the needle. Everstien gets pricked last. He smiles maniacally at the heroes.

"I love a good murder mystery," he wheezes, and then there is a flash of light and the heroes are momentarily blinded...

...the light recedes.

"...and of course, thank Mercutio the marriage was called off. A mere folly, I assure you!"

"No trouble, Gerald. It will of course be the normal deal, and I'll be staying for the party. A Selkreeth never refuses good drinks."

"Of course, you'll stay, Zora. I'll just make sure that U'Or keeps an eye on you."

"Won't both his eyes be glued to the Ladybug?"

What would the heroes like to do?

[Brickdoctor]

I wait politely for Guffington to finish speaking to the Selkreeth.

[Pandora]

Nyx sighs internally at the turn of events. So she was to relive this evening, well, this might explain the necklaces. She looks again at the Hinckwell gentleman, remembering the shiver she had felt the first time she experienced this and watching his movements carefully.

As she also waits for Guffington to stop talking, she considers that they all had a lot of conversations the first time round, and at some point they should pool information and suspicions. Perhaps here and now, in front of Guffington, wasn't the best time, though.

[Scubacarrot]

Before the Raider can protest, a needle has been pricked in him, and moments later, he finds himself back when they first came in. Suddenly, he understands. They went back in time. That is just great. He would have to sit through the people's pointless banter again. Guts sighed. Still slightly affected by the alcohol, he scratched his throat. Couldn't they just tell Guffington not to drink? Still. The Doctors were keeping something from them, the raider was sure of that. Guts wasn't even sure if this was actually real. This just seemed like a very convoluted way to find out who is trying to kill you. Why surround yourself with these people in the first place? The ones Guts had spoken to were only looking out for themselves anyway. But then again, this was a unique experience. This might get interesting. The raider started to think about how things went... He had leant against a tree until Guffington turned to him, he had then given him a bottle of wine. He had brought two. Guts makes sure if there is only one bottle of wine.

Edited June 19, 2013 by Scubacarrot

[JimBee]

Hybros questions the possibility that this was real, internally. But then he remembered that he had experienced stranger things with Guffington and Daneeka before, so he decided to accept the situation, for the time being.

"Keep an eye on those waiters..." he muttered to his allies. "And if we are to find out who did this, assuming someone did poison Guffington, we must act differently. Last time we had no idea that this would happen. Keep your senses sharp, hehe..."

He then lead the party towards Guffington, and bowed slightly and touched his hat. "Sir Guffington, it is a pleasure to see you again, eheh..."

[Zepher]

Guffington looks down at Hybros and smiles.

"Again, is it?"

Henry Hinckwell finishes up his conversation. He steps away from who the heroes now recognize as Lord Chauncey and walks through the big doors. Chauncey turns to look at the heroes, and he and Nyx make contact briefly. He then heads inside as well.

"Hybros, Guts, Docken, and Nyx!" Guffington bows to the final name, and shakes her hand exuberantly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, finally. I saw you at the Founder's Day Ball. Quite an evening." Guffinton turns to all the others. "How have you been? I'm very happy you were able to make my party. I'm afraid that most of these people don't see many rough and tumble adventurers, should do their blood some good. This here is Zora Felix, an old friend of mine."

"It's a pleasure, heroes."

Guts checks his pack and notices that there are two bottles of wine in it. He notices, however, that all the consumables that he and his fellow heroes took while walking to the party itself are still missing.

[JimBee]

Guffington looks down at Hybros and smiles.

"Again, is it?"

Hybros looks around shiftily. "Yes, again. I hope you have not forgotten our last encounter. It involved many dreams and hopes of life, heheheh..."

[Scubacarrot]

Guts roughly puts one of the bottles in Guffington's hands, this time only accompanying it with an untelligible mumble, and an unhappy look. He turns to the Selkreeth, fixes a more charming look on his face, and extends his ungloved hand: "Captain Guts Holla, at your service, my lady."

[Pandora]

Nyx grins widely as Guffington shakes her hand.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you sir" she turns to the Selkreeth and curtseys deeply, still smiling "Lady Felix, it is an honour to meet you."

She straightens again, and turns back to Guffington, smiling merrily, still.

"Sir, I don't doubt that your parties are wondrous, but the note left at the hall mentioned murder? I hope you're not expecting any trouble?" and she laughs as if it were a joke, but watches carefully for any reaction.

[Zepher]

Hybros looks around shiftily. "Yes, again. I hope you have not forgotten our last encounter. It involved many dreams and hopes of life, heheheh..."

"Yes, yes, of course I remember, my friend!"

Guts roughly puts one of the bottles in Guffington's hands, this time only accompanying it with an untelligible mumble, and an unhappy look. He turns to the Selkreeth, fixes a more charming look on his face, and extends his ungloved hand: "Captain Guts Holla, at your service, my lady."

"Ah, some Charissan Wine. An expensive drink for a hero, but I suppose one must know their tastes. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Captain Guts." Lady Felix shakes his hand and smiles.

"Sir, I don't doubt that your parties are wondrous, but the note left at the hall mentioned murder? I hope you're not expecting any trouble?" and she laughs as if it were a joke, but watches carefully for any reaction.

Guffington smiles cordially, but Nyx notices a little bit of sadness and even perhaps fear in his eyes. "It's always best to be prepared," he says. "What with the excitement of the Ball, I thought I should warn that there might be murder. You've heard that my dear friend and rival Lord Hughes was murdered recently, correct? You never know when tragedy may strike. We're still trying to figure out exactly what happened to him - the who, why, how, all of that. Perhaps I'll hire you some time to look into it." Guffington nods to the heroes graciously and turns to Lady Felix. "If you wouldn't mind escorting the heroes to the dining hall, I believe they have a great many faces to meet and greet. I personally must check on something at the gatehouse. I'll be with you shortly." Guffington gives Lady Felix a kiss on the cheek and walks past the heroes.

[Scubacarrot]

Guts offers his arm for Lady Felix while they walk:

"I must admit my taste for Charissian Wine is acquired, I am but a simple man, born among salt and sand. You however, look great this evening, if I may be so bold."

[JimBee]

"Well, let us go..."

Hybros enters the mansion, and immediately seeks out the waiters, and keeps a close eye on the glasses being passed around. Especially the ones going towards Guffington.

[Zepher]

"That almost rhymed, Captain Guts," Lady Felix says with a great broad smile. "And you may be so bold. I find boldness very attractive."

The heroes arrive in the room.

The faun server, Thomas, remains the only one in the room. Assumedly the other two remain in the kitchen, as they were the first time the heroes arrived in the room. Guffington has yet, like last time, to actually enter the Dining Hall. The heroes all glance at Everstien, who immediately begins to make his way towards them, his eyes locked with theirs.

[JimBee]

Hybros waited for Everstien to approach, while keeping an eye on the faun. He was, so far, thoroughly confused at the whole time travel thing. The more he tried to wrap his head around it, the less it made sense. Hopefully the doctor would know what to do.

[Pandora]

Nyx too waits for Everstien to approach, but makes a show of looking around the room in supposed appreciation and wonder rather than expecting Everstein to attend the group.

As she looks around she keeps an eye out for the other two servers, or any movement in or out of the kitchen.

[Scubacarrot]

Guts takes a quick look around the room, then says to Lady Felix: "I'm sure you have business of your own to take care of. It'd be my pleasure if we could speak more later this evening." The raider looks at the kitchen door. If he remembered it right, and they were here on the same time, any second a waiter could come out with drinks. When the waiter comes out, Guts attemts to sneak into the kitchen.

Edited June 21, 2013 by Scubacarrot

[Zepher]

Everstien makes his way to the party just as the blue winged servant steps out of the Kitchen. Guts slips in before the door can close.

"Hello heroes," Everstien coughs weakly a few times. "How is the party treating you this time around? We have time to discuss a little now. The syrup that the good Doctor injected into us can only send us back an hour, so I'm sure you understand the necessity of our rather hasty departure from the future." Everstien laughs a raspy laugh and collapses into another fit of coughing. He squawks harshly to clear his throat and continues. "I apologize, time travel does not agree with me."

"Now, the simple facts and objectives. Recently, Lord Hughes was found dead. The officials of Bric'Lin pronounced it natural causes, but Guffington believes strongly that his friend was poisoned. He has narrowed down a list of suspects, and set up a party in which he was certain that they would strike at him. He was baiting the trap, you see. His death confirmed his suspicions. One of these people murdered both Lord Hughes and Guffington, and we must use any means necessary to discover which."

"There is a catch, however. These are Guffington's dear friends, or at least the ones not murdering him are. Guffington wishes to be absolutely sure before he turns any of them over to the Watch. He also would very much appreciate not dying when we apprehend the individual. We may go back in time two more times after this. That third time, we must apprehend someone before Guffington drinks the wine. That means that this time we must at least figure out one of the important questions - the who, the how, or the why."

[Brickdoctor]

"You seem like a smart wereraven, Doctor Everstein. At about what time do you suppose Captain Holla will ask you what the significance is of your repetition of the time?"

[Zepher]

"Captain Holla most certainly already has realized the importance of our time repetition. Now you know when events happen. What will happen when the sun sets at 8:30? Unless disturbed, the waiters and waitresses will retreat into the kitchen to serve the wine. What will happen at 8:55? Unless disturbed by our actions, Guffington will keel over dead. They were markers so that we may know how to act when."

[Brickdoctor]

"Yes, of course, but if we didn't change anything, when do you think Captain Holla would've come to ask you that question?"

OoC: Sorry if my post wasn't clear; that was the best thing I could think of that I could ask him to check to make sure that this is the same wereraven as the one we met in the first dimension.

[Pandora]

Nyx nods as she listens to Everstein.

"Well, I should personally like to talk to the female waitress. It's possible she gave the goblet to Guffington, and soon after he acquired his drink she dropped a whole tray of drinks, and she made a comment about poisoning. And..." Nyx screws her face up remembering her conversation with Lord Chauncey "... I didn't receive a drink, yet she went past me. I only noticed now. I doubt she's behind this, but I think she might know something and maybe there's a reason she didn't give me a drink and dropped the others? Anyway, I'm going to talk to her when I see her."

[JimBee]

Hybros nodded as he listened to Everstien. Detective work. Not his forte, but as long as they were able to bend space and time... and there was Guffington's life on the line. A man that powerful... Hybros couldn't imagine the political repercussions.

"That sounds like a good idea Nyx. I have some... other business to attend to, so if you will excuse me... eheh..." Hybros slips out of the dining hall.

[Zepher]

"8:25." The wereraven looks Docken up and down. "You'll do well tonight. Be careful of assassins. They're made to destroy well defended men like yourself."

"As for the drinks, it is important to note that Guffington himself dictated who got which cup. You remember that he stood near the door to the kitchen as they were coming out? I believe he wanted to make sure that no one beyond himself was poisoned. Perhaps your cup was one of those spilled."

[Brickdoctor]

"8:25." The wereraven looks Docken up and down. "You'll do well tonight. Be careful of assassins. They're made to destroy well defended men like yourself."

"As for the drinks, it is important to note that Guffington himself dictated who got which cup. You remember that he stood near the door to the kitchen as they were coming out? I believe he wanted to make sure that no one beyond himself was poisoned. Perhaps your cup was one of those spilled."

"Thank you for the warning."

I equip the Cobweb Cowl in place of the Counterstrike Gloves.

"So do you believe there's a chance that we could be dealing with some sort of poison specifically created to affect only Lord Guffington?"