Closed A Dagger in the Hand is Worth Two In The... (Kel)

[Gad]

21st of Spring, 513AV Daggerhand Prison Gad rested his chin on his left hand, which in turn was resting on his right arm crossed over his chest. He looked through his brows at the sight before them. He and Kel had just made their way out of Roberns old haunt, and now they were staring down his personal torture rooms. Across from the Rotting Mansion was the prison. It was more of a dungeon really, as prison implied that the denizens broke some law. There was no law in Sunberth, other than the laws of mob rule and barbarity, and the retaliation of crime lords. This building was a prime example of that. "Well, guess we...knock?" Gad walked forward to the door and rapped on it with his knuckles. It swung inward gently at the mild perturbation. Gad stuck his head into the cool darkness on the other side of the barrier. "Helloooo." His voice echoed through the building. "Any Daggerhand in here?" Gad pulled his head out the doorway and looked over to Kel. "Well, we haven't been stabbed or shot full of arrows yet. I guess it's safe? Come on, let's move." Gad stepped into the corridor. All down this main hallway, it looked as though there had been some kind of struggle. There wasn't much on this first floor that Gad could see, though there was a door at the end of the hallway that no doubt lead to dungeons bellow ground. Gad looked at Kel again. "See anything? These daggerhand like to keep records. I bet there's a ledger around here of who's in what cell." Gad went to the door and the end of the hallway. This place wasn't actually all that big, larger than a normal house, but smaller than the mansion. Guess Robern would've rather killed most of his enemies than keep em around here. But, it's the closest thing to a lead we had, so might as well check while we're here. Gad reached for the handle of the door and pulled. "Tsk" No such luck. It was locked, which wasn't exactly unexpected. Gad called over to Kel. "You find anything? Maybe a key or a," The wannabe wizard returned his attention to the door and crouched down to look at it "a heavy object or something..." He could hear something, a sound through the keyhole. He put his ear to it and his eyes went wide. It was faint, and raspy, but he swore he heard moans of 'help' through the other side. He peered through the hole, but decided that nothing of value could be seen.

[Kel Ehmry]

The Daggerhand Prison was not the most welcoming of buildings, not that anything associated with the Daggerhand were inherently welcoming in the first place. As the door slowly swung opened, the pair peered inside to find a dark and narrow hallway. Kel noticed torches on both sides of corridor, but they were unlit. Sunlight from the open front door was the only thing revealing the inside of the building. At the end of the hallway was a wooden door. It would no doubt lead to the prison cells below ground. Gad called out into the building before entering. It wasn't exactly a tactic Kel agreed with, signaling your presence to anyone within earshot. But fortunately the only reply they received was the echo of Gad's voice. With no response Kel and Gad both walked inside. Gad went straight for door at the end of the hallway while Kel moved much more slowly and cautiously. "This place looks pretty cleaned out..." Kel said as he began running his hand along the stone walls. "I wouldn't bet on there being a key..." One of the stones he ran his hand across appeared to be loose. He began playing with it and freeing it from the wall. "...But maybe this rock will get us in eh?" Once the stone was free, Kel began feeling around the slot it had been in. Kel then stumbled across a crumbled wad of paper. He hastily unraveled it and began to read whatever was scribbled upon it. "I've also got something else you may find interesting. A note to Teygar, whoever that is, from Robern himself" he said as he waved the note in the air. Kel read aloud, Teygar, I trust you know what to do with the remaining prisoners, but in case you've forgotten, kill them. All of them. After disposed of, you know where to find us. Signed Robern Dalagnar "So ya think this Teygar fellow is behind that door?"

[Gad]

Gad's eyes widened and he rested his left index finger across his upper lip as Kel read the note. He brought up a good point. Gad put his ear back to the key hole and could hear the cries of help and screams still calling out. Sounded like it was getting messy in there. He snapped his fingers and walked over to Kel, and began to speak softly. "Let me see that. Hmm. You said you were a map maker didn't you? You must be good with your writing hand. You still have that ledger on you? A quill or something like that? I have an idea, listen. Copy Robern's hand as best you can. Write a letter saying we were sent here to retrieve Soren. Think you can do that?" Gad wasn't sure of the man's forgery proficiency but of the two he figured Kel was the best candidate, and it would have to do. Gad now moved back closer to the door. He reached up to one of the unlit torches and collected some oily ash from them. He dipped his finger in the stuff and began to draw glyphs around his wrist and fingers. He created the best Path type glyphs he could with the materials at hand. Then, he set about focusing on his djed. From the wrist joint he dislodged his astral hand, and then worked down to his fingers. This took a few chimes even with him working as quickly as he could muster, but finally his appendage was free. He then took his limp hand in his other and placed it in side his jacket to rest, so that it did not look suspicious. When this was done, he looked at Kel and spoke. "You done? Come on, we don't have time to waste, our guy might be done for if we don't hurry it up." Gad walked over to the door, and prepared to knock.

[Kel Ehmry]

Kel shot Gad a sly smile as he reached inside his bag, pulling out a quill, paper, and a vial of ink. "Well, I can't say I've done forgery, but we'll give it a shot here. Give me a few chimes" Kel said. He knelt down on the stone floor and placed his paper next to Robern's letter. Glancing between the two notes, Kel slowly ran his quill along the paper, trying to create an accurate forgery of Robern's hand. It wasn't a particular unique style, but it was different enough from Kel's. But, after a few chimes of focused writing and heavy breathing, Kel stood up and handed Gad the paper. Anyone who had any experience with handwriting analysis would be able to tell that the note was an obvious fake. But, Kel hoped that the brute behind the door in charge of torturing Robern's enemies wasn't one of those people. "Hopefully this does it" Kel took several deep breaths before Gad knocked on the door. He wasn't sure what all he was about to see behind that door. But from what he was hearing, it wasn't going to be pretty. Torture, blood, death. Kel hoped for the best but prepared for the worst. What if he doesn't buy it? We are so dead. Oh...get it together Kel. He breathed again and nodded at Gad.

[Gad]

No risk, no win. That had always been Gad's motto, but now, looking Teygar in the eye, he'd had to reconsider, at least for a moment. STUPID STUPID STUPID YOU PETCHING IDIOT Don't break eye contact, the note! GIVE HIM THE NOTE! Gad's arm moved mechanically to produce the script. He'd seen worse, sure he had. He hadn't, but he'd have to tell himself that. The man was gore incarnate. He was splattered with fresh blood and human grime, even on his face. As Teygar shifted weight from left foot to right, one could hear the squishes and squeaks of his crimson coated boots, filled as they were with fresh human life juices. All in all, it was a pretty intense scene, and Gad hadn't even made it into the depths of the dungeon yet. Either way it was something that he couldn't think about now, and he didn't. In the second of recognition, Gad pushed the visuals to the back of his mind and spoke. "Robern sent us." Gad said coolly, not showing signs of duress. He held the note for Teygar to see, but didn't hand it to him. The man crossed his eyes reading it, and he did so slowly, but he certainly could read. Teygar analyzed the notes contents and crossed his arms as he leaned back on the door frame. Gad continued. "He wants us to take care of Soren, personally." "An why o why would Robern Dalanger wanna do a fing like dat? Don he know his ol' boy Teygar's got all fings square on dis end?" "So, you haven't killed him yet I take it." "Damn boy but you are curious." The warden had a wild look. "Why ain't ah seen ya before dis eh? An who's dis ya brought wif ya?" The man had a point. Gad could've wasted breath struggling for a suspicious cover story, but decided to go for a more direct approach. "Listen here. Robern's left the city, there's punks in the street screaming for Daggerhand blood. Things are on a need to know basis. If it wasn't in the note, well then, you don't need to know." Teygar's lip seemed to raise a tad on the right side and his nose scrunched up in accord, he looked like he was about to say something. He was interrupted mid breath by a voice from behind. "NO! I heard him...gha...gh...ng." The man was in pain, Gad could hear the sounds of his struggle. He peaked his head around the mass of a man that was Teygar, who'd also turned around to the distraction, and saw him in the light of the torches. He was bloodied, and missing more than a few digits, and an eye. And covered in long, horrible scars. "It's Libyana! She's back...nfg... Please Teygar! Please! Don't send let her take me!" The man pleaded like a child. Not in a derogatory sense either, but like a true child with a face full of tears, thoroughly aware of their inability to change their fate, but still struggling against the unpleasantness of the world. "Please! Kill me Teygar! Don't send me back to her..and that...that animal." Soren almost hissed the word. "Ah," Gad said coolly. "So you haven't killed him yet. Good for you." Gad slid his lanky body through the space between the door frame and Teygar's mass of a body. Teygar already seemed to have forgotten the dubious note by the time Gad had made his way into the dungeon. Gad smiled. The key to being where you aren't supposed to? Seems like its acting like you're supposed to be there. So far. Don't get cocky, this could still get real messy Gad. He was lucky for it too. Teygar didn't seem to be just a dull brute. Brute sure, but not dull. Gad had seen the scrutinizing eye he'd gone over the note with. Perhaps, it better lighting, he'd have caught the inconsistencies and irregularities. Gad's ears twitched as the man called out to him. "Wut in da bloody... Wut the petchya doin? Wuts all dis about?" "What's this about? What do you think it's about? This poor bastard's number is up. Libyana missed him so, wants her favorite toy by her side." At this, Teygar seemed really taken aback. "Wut, now!?" "Yes, now!" Gad stopped in front of Soren's cell and looked at the mess of the man, and then he shot an earnest look at Teygar. "Come on Teygar, think. Have you ever known him to say 'no' to Libyana?" Teygar considered it and then shook his head, shrugged and went to open the cell. Inside Soren moaned in pain and agony. Gad could see the tell-tale signs of numerous beatings, and worse. He even saw what looked like claw and bite marks, and now that he was close, he could've sworn the man's right foot had been gnawed off. Before he stepped into the cell, a cool bead of sweat broke down the side of Gad's face. He looked over to Kel with a stern expression, but in his head he was screaming OhmygodohmygodsIhopewedon'tdie. He simply nodded at the man and spoke. "Well Soren, it's your lucky day. This here is Buford, he's a- well, he's a kind of doctor. He's going to help you get fit to travel. D'you know where we're going?" The man in the cell groaned, and spoke in low mumbles. "Nn-nnoo..no..please." "That's right! To see your ol' pal Libyana. Come on now, don't fret, we'll get you all cleaned up for your play date with Libyana." Teygar went to unshackle the man with out a fuss and when his back was to Gad and Kel, Gad took the opportunity to grab the cartographer's attention. Gad's eyes widened and he shook his hand in the air, then opened and closed it like a talking duck, and pointed to Soren. He then pointed to himself, then to Teygar, and then through his thumb over his shoulder, suggesting out of the cell. Gad hoped Kel had gathered what little of a plan he'd concocted. When the shackles were undone, Gad cleared his throat. "Buford, if you would, take care of our friend here." To Teygar that'd hopefully sound like something obvious, but hopefully Kel would get what he really meant. Gad stepped out of the cell and Teygar followed him. "So, Master Dalanger sent you down here from da..." Teygar nodded his head expecting Gad to finish. "Hmm? Oh, no, no. We got a message from an anonymous street rat, you know how he is." "Roit roit. Bloody mess this's been eh? Real trouble for all us, specially you blokes on in da street...what parts you say you run in again?" "I didn't. Near the Quarters, sometimes I'm over in Seaside though." Gad tried to continue innocuous small talk, while hopefully Kel was extracting information about Robern from their good friend Soren.

[Kel Ehmry]

Upon entering the chamber they were met with a large brute standing before them. It was Teygar Kel suspected. Gad began talking right away, and looked as if he knew what he was doing. While Gad spoke and showed the torturer the note, Kel subtly glanced around his surroundings. The air was heavy and thick with the scent of blood. It was a disgusting smell, but Kel remained stoic, as if he was a trained professional. A Daggerhand through and through. Several empty cells lined the room, each with dried blood stains upon the floor. A wooden chair also sat in the center of each cell, often dyed a red hue from the beatings. Kel also noticed untied bindings in the corners of each cell. Gods this place is wretched he thought. Kel then crossed his arms and turned his attention to the brute standing before the duo. Kel made sure to meet him in the eye whenever the man happened to glance in his direction. The man's gaze was crippling, and Kel had to fight the urge to glance down at the floor when their eyes did meet. Realizing that him just standing there trying to look stern wasn't helpful, he decided to tap into some other talents. Calling upon his untrained auristic eye, he began to try and read Teygar's auras. The Zeltivan did not like what he could see. His aura was violent and chaotic, that much Kel could discern. He decided to halt his auristics for the time being, as the man's aura left Kel feeling almost sick. Gad continued to talk Teygar down, when from behind the brute came a groan. And that must be our man Kel thought. The boy called out, begging not be taken away, begging for death. It was an awful feeling watching such a scene unfold. He would rather die then be taken back to this Libyana. She must be a real mean bitch. Naturally Gad was playing this to his advantage, saying that the women wanted poor Soren back. Gad was good. It looked as though the man could talk his way through just about any situation. Kel wasn't much of a talker, relying on quick feet instead. A doctor? You've got to be kidding me Kel quipped inside his mind when Gad identified him as Buford, the doctor...of sorts. Kel smirked at Soren and marched past Teygar to retrieve him. As he knelt beside him, Kel once again called upon his auristics, this time in an effort to read Soren. Soren's aura was different breed than Teygar's. It was frightened, desperate, almost hopeless on the verge of giving up. "Shhh, calm down. Stop groaning. We aren't here to hurt ya, just to get you out of here" Kel whispered to the boy while Gad kept the brute preoccupied. "What? What the-" "Shut up and just believe me will ya? We arn't the enemies here. Just a couple of blokes trying to put an end to this whole mess" Kel continued to whisper. "Now, we are gonna get you out of here. But we need information...about Robern" "But- before the boy could even start his sentence, Kel put the boy's arm around his neck and hoisted him up. Kel slowly walked the limping boy over to Gad and nodded at his companion. OOCGreat post Gad! Hopefully my follow up was appropriate enough