IC Scene - The Alleys of Windholm

"Pleased to meet you Haroun." Mattus managed a slight nod towards the Knight of the Eventide."You would be stunned at the sight of mettenheim even from the sea you could see a huge volcano right in the center or our land, he surpasses even the mountains of Ravenstern in the north. And he is still active, right now streams of molten stone are making their way down the sides of the mountain." Mattus paused a second as he sank into nostalgia."To many visitors it would seem that the countryside is as well littered with volcanoes, but these are only the many furnaces forging our masterful weapons and armour." He looked at his spear and turned him around in faint light that reached their spot.

"From time to time I miss Mettenheim"

Haroun's face brightened as Mattus weaved a tempting description of Mettenheim. He listened intently, with a look of good-natured curiosity on his face.

"It sounds like a wonderful place. I would love to go visit once I get a chance. As I said, I haven't traveled much around the world, through no fault of my own. If I could have, I would have. I've heard many interesting tales about Vecavvi, Amala, and even the old Barclay lands. If I wasn't a Knight, I would be a traveler, no doubt about it. Have you any family in Mettenhiem?"

"Oh yes I still have family there. But from an early age I was encouraged to travel as the youngest son of four. Every day I see something new here in Pendor. It is just an awesome feeling that somewhere out there is something I haven't seen. Maybe in twenty years time I will continue my journey to Amala. Do you still have family in Pendor?"

Mattus sat down on the wooden floor. The whole day he was on his feet by now and he didn't knew how long it would take these two inside the room to sort things out.

Haroun smiled. "Pendor still has many wonders for me to see, and I've been around."

At the mention of family, Haroun's face darkened, and with a gloomy demeanor he said "I've been an orphan my whole life. I never knew my mother or father. I was raised in the Eventide chapter house by Rayvs my entire life. He's like a father to me."

"Your family is what you make it. For me it is Father, Mother and brothers and for you it is the Eventide. It is not for me to decide what is better. But it seems our familys did a good job at raising us. We both grew up to be Knights and we are good at what we do."

Mattus paused a second and looked at Haroun

"At least I am."

Mattus laughed loudly for a few seconds, then he stood up again and stretched his arms and legs

Ravys sighed, then nodded.

"It seems we have no other choice. I can only hope that this does not turn into a fruitless endeavor."


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Haroun shrugged.

"The Eventide has always been my family. They raised me to be a Knight, and a Knight I am. However, I don't think you choose your family. It is something thrust upon you. Would I have chosen the Eventide over my true parents? I don't have the chance to find out."

Morek got up off his chair, putting his morningstar back onto his belt. He speaks well enough for both of us. You'll have the support of the Radiant Cross unless it becomes obvious what you want us to do is in conflict with what our orders hold dear.

He looked over at the Eventide. I wouldn't think it'd be fruitless friend, you got to meet me after all, and I expect we will know each other very well after all this is said and done. Lets get moving, we have somewhere to be now. Though it should be interesting so see how the Dawn deal with you in their holy place. He thought, smirking a bit under his helm.

"We share that hope, sir knight," said Harold, as he extended his hand to both Rayvs and Morek. "You should go; the hour grows late."

Rayvs shook Harold's hand, then turned and gestured out the door.

"We've kept them waiting long enough. Come."

Waiting for Morek to finish his farewells, Rayvs turned and opened the door, heading out into the hallway.

Morek took the old chamberlains hand once and shook it. Keep your end of the deal.

The Radiant exited the room as well, his blank faced helm turning to find Mattus against the wall. He hooked a thumb towards Rayvs. We're with the Eventide for the moment Mattus, for better or worse we have something to do now. We're headed for the Church of Astrea now to meet with one of the people who is the cause of all this trouble. He moved a bit closer and gave his comrade a brief but complete rundown of what was discussed.

As Evedas reached the first tavern he could find in the Artisan District, he sensed something. A faint, but familiar "smell". It was the smell of the Eventide.

-I don't know what the other Eventide knights doing here, it's not my problem.

He could not care less about other knights. He was here for the job, and to get the job done. A quick look around the tavern, Evedas saw a bald man with a scar on his face, sitting in the center. A renowned D'shar Bounty Hunter called Jafik. Seems like his timing was perfect, so he sat on the same table with Jafik and started talking while pulling down his face covered hood.

-My dagger wasn't poisoned that time, or you wouldn't be here tonight with a scar would you, Jafik.

Jafik wasn't surprised, he was scared. Before he could have time to react, Eveda continued with his talking.

-What did you see tonight dear friend, what rumor about knights, the rebels that you have heard of?

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{OOC: I'll get my bounty hunter and something interesting too. Have to get some progression and information before the morning. What Evedas can learn about, is up to Laisha to decide, so that I don't OOC myself to the plot..}

Rayvs exited and turned to Haroun.

"It's time to pay a visit to a visit to a church, and find out what the rest of my Knights have been doing."

As he exited the tavern, he explained what had occurred inside the room to Haroun and Boadice on the way. Upon exiting the tavern, he collected his men outside, noticing a look of guilt on Terstine's face. Deciding it was not worth pursing, he began to make his way to the church.

Morek acted in much the same way as Rayvs, collecting his men and getting them into a semblance of order. He ensured that the 3 plaguewardens sheparding the girl they had picked up were still doing their job to a degree that satisfied him before finding Ravys.

Eventide. A word if you please. As he spoke the Radiant party began to move in the direction of the Church, Barclayan Conquistadors, briefed on the new aspects of the mission at the same time as Mattus, at the head as their leader tended to his own business.

Rayvs glanced at the Radiant, eyes filled with suspicion until curiosity overcame him.

"Go on ahead. See to it that the vermin is tightly guarded."

He turned to Morek and awaited his words.

Morek glanced over his shoulder to check to see if the girl his men had and the supposedly unconscious one were out of earshot before continuing.

I'm guessing you refer to the woman I agreed to allow accompany us. You're correct, I am talking about her and the one your men are currently dragging about. I don't believe her story anymore now that I saw someone in the same attire following you and your men about, they're agents of some other party. Morek held up a hand to forestall any talk of assassins. I am not saying they are as you believe purely intended to mean us harm. But if someone wants to track us, I want to know who that is. Do you remember a certain group of people outside the city from earlier today? All cloaked in black with hoods up?

Rayvs thought for a second, then nodded.

"I remember arriving and seeing a group of cloaked strangers, yes. I assumed they were Knights from one of the other orders, but I do not know which. As I recall, they never introduced themselves, nor had they any sigils or symbols of identity. It seemed strange at the time, and still is."

Rayvs paced a bit, then he turned to Morek with a glint in his eye.

"I stand behind the fact that they can't be knights. There are no knights I know of that hide in the shadows. There are rumors, of course, of the Silvermist assassins or the even more mythological Ebony gloves, but I cannot see a reason for them to come to Windholm..unless there is something that is of immense value in the city. I don't think Harold was giving us the complete truth. There's something that he is hiding. There has to be. It makes no sense otherwise."

Continuing to walk, Rayvs noticed a spider crawling along the street and he shied away from it, murmuring "Damn spider" underneath his breath before continuing his walk with Morek.

Morek didn't notice the spider, Rayv's reaction, or the slight crunchas his armored foot turned the spider into a smear on the street. He continued to talk.

The Ebony Gloves would fit. They were wearing dark cloaks after all, though I don't know why a bunch of Noldor opponents would come this far west. If they are members of that order we have two of them, and I would think they dearly would want them back. I guess we will know soon enough when all the orders see each other in the Church of Astrea. I think we have enough leverage now to get some answers out of our shadowy friends, maybe enough that whatever they came here to find will be found more use to be to the Radiant Cross and Eventide than an order known as traitors to Pendor.

Morek's voice took on a more amused approach as he thought of the old Chamberlain. Of course the man is hiding something, people in power always have skeletons in the pantry so to speak.

Among the Eventide, the hapless glove among them began to awaken. Not that being bound was any way to wake up.
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Jafik regarded Evedas carefully as he gathered his thoughts. "If I've heard and seen correctly, nearly every order has come to the city tonight. Including the Eventide. Sounds like they're here to help deal with the rebellion." His eyes wandered for a moment, as though he was reluctant to maintain eye contact for too long. "If I hear right, there's going to be a meeting at the Church of Astraea tomorrow. Probably not the place you want to go, but...you might learn more."

Evedas closed his eyes and took a moment to analyze the information, and finaly made his decision.

-Then I will need the service of your little crew. You and you 4 other man will stay hidden in front of the church with your crossbow ready, shoot whoever I point my hand at. Bounty on kill. Don't try something funny though, you know I have no sense of humor. Lowered his voice, Evedas hired the Bounty Hunter crew to do the dirty job for him.

Evedas then pull his hood over to cover his face, thrown a pouch of denars at Jafik. Jafik nodded and guaranteed.

-We work for money, you can have my word of honor.

Evedas laughed out loud saying:

-What honor can a Bounty Hunter have, you have a quite a sense of humor Jafik.

Done what he's planned, Evedas finally left the Tavern, pull the hood up to cover his face again, and walked out into the night, heading toward the Church.

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Jafik then gathered his crew, they were also sitting at a corner of the Tavern, drinking. There was not any of the fear left from meeting Evedas early on. He looked as calm and composed as ever.

-We've got ourself a new job, get your ass up and go.

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{OOC: Evedas used 25 renown to hire 5 bounty hunters. They are Exceptional Crossbow user.}

Everyone made their way towards the church of Astrea. They picked up the other spearmen of the Radiant Shield on the way. Mattus greated them heartily and told them everything that happened before and in the Tavern. The streets were dark an full of shadows but no one wanted to come close to such a huge group of Knights. Mattus walked up to Morek and Rayvs.

"If we really want to enter the Church we should make a plan. The Dawn will surely be there as well, and we know how they love to burn things. I suggest, if we meet the Knights of the Dawn, that you and your friends stay back a bit and let us do the talking."

Mattus tried to sound as diplomatic as possible, he didn't want to offend their new allies that early.

Rayvs looked at Mattus and nodded.

"That was the plan all along. I don't like dealing with fanatics. One of them even burned down a tent full of civilians at the Festival of Burning Fields."

Turning to Morek, Rayvs said "I'll interrogate the one I have before we enter the church. If she doesn't give us anything, and our the gauntlet friend doesn't say anything, I will start chopping. A dead assassin is better than a captured one."

Morek shrugged, the action accompanied by the jungling of mail and scrap of metal on leather.

Fine by me. I find my reserves of sympathy and compassion very much drained when it comes to spies and assassins hiding in the dark. Maybe if it comes to that I'll give you the one my men have after you finish up with yours. But my hands will remain clean of it unless necessary. Morek shuddered imperceptibly as he thought of what an Eventide with a grudge might do to someone.

He glanced over his shoulder back at the trussed up woman as the Church of Astrea peeked over some of the roofs.

Speaking of our friends, it appears that yours might be waking up.

Rayvs grinned. His eyes had an evil glint to them as he turned and appraised the woman who was groggily getting to her senses.

"Radiant, I suggest you leave me to the interrogation and punishment all together. I don't think you can handle what Eventide interrogation holds, for the onlooker or the victim. I don't want to do it at the church; the Dawn or other orders might interfere."

Drawing Dusk, the scrape of metal eeirly echoed around the street. Rayvs signaled for his men to halt, and with an ease of a commander, barked "Form a perimeter."

He focused on the lone girl, bound tightly, and stopped in front of her. Madness seemed to slowly creep into his glare; he turned it onto her and began to speak.

"Assassin. Spy. Whatever you are, you've awoken. It's time for the interrogation. I will give you one warning before I punish you for delaying and wasting my time. Answer every question truthfully or you will be punished. I know more than you think. I can tell if you lie. Punishment will increase in severity if you continue to lie and delay. I will warn you once, then punishment will occur. If you continue to disobey, lie, and delay, I will destroy every particle and fiber of your body to the point where no one will recognize you. No one will know who you were, what you did, or how you died. You have ten seconds to get ready. Your friend has already cracked under similar interrogation, but I have reason to believe she lied. I know the right answers. Do you?"

He turned to Morek and said "It would be much easier if you bring the other swine here as well. You can watch if you like; this is how an interrogation needs to be done. If you decide to bring her here, gag her. I don't need outside interference in my interrogation."

Rayvs then pulled out a dark cloth and bound it around the woman's eyes. He ordered his men to find an alleyway, with instructions to post a watch on opposite ends of the alley, with Rayvs bringing the poor woman into the middle of the alley. He pointed dusk at her bound hand, then looked like he was ready to begin the interrogation.

(OOC: Morek/Mattus, if you want to interrupt the whole process, just say so and I'll erase the offending part. Just doing this b/c of time restraints.)

Morek nodded before summoning the plaguewardens who were charged with Melka.

Bind her hands and muffle her as per the Eventides instructions. His men gave the ominous circle a few wary looks before complying with his orders, tightly binding her hands with a bit of rope and providing a crude but effective gag with another bit before heading back to the others of the radiants who had stopped nearby. After they were done Morek took her into the alley by a strong grip on the scruff of her neck. This wasn't for his men to see, he wasn't sure he wanted to either, but his sense of curiosity at what was happening and how everything was connected drove him forwards like any other Radiant. He stopped a few paces back from Rayvs and his prisoner and just stood there like a statue. For all Rayvs knew he could be watching intently or have his eyes screwed shut beneath the helmet. All that there was to see were a pit of black holes where his eye slots were.

Pay attention and watch. It wasn't clear if he was talking to himself or the woman he had by the scruff.





[OOC: I don't have a problem with it, just don't go TOO nuts with the interrogation.]