Duraze is a towering, slender man with a long goatee, with a
widow's peak and silky raven hair, waist-length and braided,
and alabaster skin. He is carrying his fused ring, his
water-filled mug and his black book. He is wearing a green
leaf, black boots, a gray gauze shirt, a dark pouch, a black
belt, gray pants, a pin, a black cloak, a black scabbard and a
cavalier hat.
Duraze muses silently to himself, "Great Duraze... You were
disappointed when there were so few people in here, and now
you're nervous with this many."
Duraze smiles nervously at the lecture hall.
[Lots of people smile or nod supportively or encouragingly to Duraze.]
You see Charmiam, Andrew, Jenisha, Mintle, Watchwoman Judith,
Myrrh, Watchman Lucas, Armsman Philo, Siobhan, Deirdre, Punzel,
Martel, Elke, Duraze, Kiera, Robert and Avaria.
Duraze stands up in front of the wooden lectern.
Duraze bows humbly, "I would first like to thank you all for
coming to this on such a short notice. The Chamberlain was so
gracious as to allow me this eve, and as I have been so eager
to share this legend with all, I felt inclined to accept the
earliest time I could."
Duraze adds, "For those of you whom I have never made the
acquaintance of, I am Ser Duraze, Duelist and a Seeker in the
Faith of Natura Balanus."
You notice Hetchel standing nearby.
Hetchel is a diminutive, spindly old woman with white hair,
long and windblown, and cadaverous skin. She is carrying her
gnarled staff. She is wearing a shapeless cloak, a ragged dress
and a silver pin.
[Lots of people glance at Hetchel, nod to Hetchel, etc.]
Duraze coughs experimentally.
Duraze explains to the lecture hall, "I have had an interest in
the history of the Castle for some time now, and have begun
trying to seek methods of obtaining records of such. Such
records, for one of humble resources such as myself, are hard
to come by. Many eves I did spend in quiet jealousy of the
Chroniclers, but I know that I myself have not the mettle for
their work, and I tip my hat to them in respect."
Duraze politely tilts his cavalier hat.
Andrew exclaims, "You can always just ask us!"
Andrew chuckles merrily.
Avaria laughs softly.
Armsman Philo shushes at Andrew.
Hetchel glares at Andrew.
Andrew leans on the south wall.
Duraze smiles secretly at Andrew.
Duraze continues, "However, I have managed to make some little
headway, and did quite accidentally stumble upon an old story
of the castle. This story was related to me by oral tradition,
and I have done my best to record it as precisely as possible."
Duraze confidently begins, "Many many years ago, the exact date
not recorded but insinuated to be over a few centuries, the
Outer Bailey was unfortunately presided over by a Chamberlain
not nearly as Honorable and just as our own beloved and
respected Chamberlain, Sir Launfal."
Duraze continues, "This Chamberlain, whose name is also
unrecorded, did manifest certain strange powers. It is not said
how he did gain these powers, whether they be innate or
achieved through other means. This Chamberlain found that he
had the ability to "see" other places beyond where his eyes
might look. I believe this power was akin to what the Magi
refer to as "scrying"."
Duraze coughs politely.
Duraze quietly explains, "The Chamberlain did use this powers
to divine the location of a cavern within the Castle, which was
previously unknown to him, and unmarked on any maps of the
Castle grounds."
Duraze continues, "He did then, in a manner unexplained in the
record of the tale, find means to enter the cavern. An
interesting feat given that the cavern itself apparently had no
entrances, but was instead completely impermeable of entry."
Duraze raises his arched eyebrow mysteriously.
Duraze coyly remarks, "As to how he did gain entry into this
cavern... I will leave the musings of such up to the Magi. I
myself dabble not in those arts."
Duraze quickly relates to the lecture hall, "So in this cavern
did the Chamberlain find himself. Alone, save for a fist-sized
rock of some strange ore. It did have a blackish tinge to it,
but did not exactly resemble iron."
Duraze shrugs slightly, "Being curious as to why the cavern
might contain simply this rock, he did take the rock back with
him when he left the cavern. And when he did return to the
Castle, after much examining of the rock... He had it fashioned
into eight rings..."
Duraze pauses dramatically.
Duraze glances speculatively at the lecture hall.
Duraze opens his dark pouch.
Duraze takes a fused ring.
[Lots of people gasp or look interested.]
Duraze grins slightly at the lecture hall, "Of which this is
but one. Or should I say, it *was* one, until it was destroyed
by some mysterious force."
You hear someone at the back of the room inhale suddenly.
[Lots of people look around, examine the south wall, etc.]
Hetchel mutters.
Duraze glances inquiringly at Hetchel.
Hetchel shrugs.
Watchman Lucas watches Hetchel.
Hetchel glares at Watchman Lucas.
Watchman Lucas smiles politely at Hetchel.
Duraze gazes intently at the lecture hall.
Andrew covertly glares at Duraze.
Duraze coughs politely.
Duraze stands up in front of the wooden lectern.
Duraze extends his fused ring.
Duraze nods obligingly to the lecture hall, "Feel free to have
a glance."
You begin to examine Duraze's fused ring.
A ring of black meteoritic iron, fused by some mighty force
into a nearly unrecognizable (and quite useless) lump.
[Lots of people examine the ring and look confused, interested, etc.]
Watchman Lucas says thoughtfully, "Hmm..."
Watchwoman Judith ponders, "and the other rings?"
Duraze gazes patiently at the lecture hall.
Andrew anxiously taps his foot.
Duraze glances inquiringly at the lecture hall, "Has everyone
so inclined had the chance to examine the ring?"
Duraze nods, "Excellent."
Duraze stands up behind the wooden lectern.
Duraze puts a fused ring in Duraze's dark pouch.
Duraze closes his dark pouch.
Sinistrelle arrives through the west door.
Sinistrelle gazes curiously at the lecture hall.
A momentary breeze passes hrough the room.
[Lots of people shiver, shudder, and look around.]
Duraze guardedly holds his dark pouch.
Sinistrelle smiles widely.
Hetchel mutters.
Sinistrelle opens his dark pouch.
Duraze opens his dark pouch.
Duraze takes a fused ring.
Sinistrelle takes a red stone.
Duraze closes his dark pouch.
Sinistrelle gazes deeply at his red stone.
Duraze tightly holds his dark pouch.
Duraze tightly holds his fused ring.
Andrew mutters quietly to himself, "..."
Sinistrelle rubs his red stone slowly.
Hetchel begins to examine Sinistrelle's red stone:
A round red stone about one inch in diameter. It looks like has
been made smooth by erosion or handling.
Andrew narrows his pair of deep green eyes.
Duraze coughs politely, "On second thought I think I'll just
hold this..."
Sinistrelle frowns at Hetchel slightly.
Sinistrelle holds his red stone protectively.
Sinistrelle is a gaunt man with with a full head of silky
silver hair, long and worn in a ponytail, and cadaverous skin.
He is carrying his red stone. He is wearing a black cap, black
boots, a black robe, a black cloak, black gloves and a dark
pouch.
Duraze glances warily.
Sinistrelle shuts his pair of violet eyes.
Hetchel watches Duraze impatiently.
Duraze glances warily at Sinistrelle's red stone.
You blink at Hetchel's silver pin.
Hetchel removes a silver pin.
Sinistrelle smiles raptly.
Duraze coughs politely.
Duraze gazes expectantly at the lecture hall.
Duraze continues, "The Chamberlain did give each of this rings
to his closest co-conspirators. As to what heinous deeds this
circle of conspirators did commit..."
Duraze shrugs mysteriously, "So much is still left to further
investigation."
Andrew frowns purposefully at Duraze.
Watchman Lucas frowns.
Watchwoman Judith gazes at Duraze.
Duraze adds, "I would simply say that we should all pay our
respects to the current administration of the Castle, which I
am sure all those in this room have complete faith in."
Hetchel grumbles.
You hear a poorly-concealed cough at the back of the room.
[Lots of people look around.]
A large high-ceilinged room, its walls painted white. A
square window, with glazed panes, is centered in the east wall.
At the front (north) end of the hall is a wooden lectern, the
wall behind it covered in a board of soft cork. The room is
filled with rows of seats facing north.
Watchwoman Judith and Hetchel are standing near here. Kiera is
sitting next to Robert. You are standing near Martel.
Sinistrelle is standing near the west door. Duraze is standing
behind the wooden lectern. Robert, Watchman Lucas, Ghobii,
Siobhan, Avaria, Charmiam, Myrrh, Mintle, Deirdre, Elke,
Jenisha and Leeto are sitting on a wooden seat. Andrew is
standing near the south wall. Martel is standing near the east
window. Catharsis is sitting next to Watchman Lucas.
Dittersdorf is sitting near Mintle. Armsman Philo is sitting
near Elke.
Sinistrelle chuckles amusedly at Duraze.
Duraze twitches slightly.
Duraze coughs politely, "Ahem..."
Duraze glances at the lecture hall.
Hetchel asks loudly, "Who is there?"
Watchman Lucas stands up near the west door.
Hetchel exclaims loudly, "Show yourself!"
Watchman Lucas closes the west door.
Duraze glances warily at Hetchel.
Sinistrelle gazes expectantly at the lecture hall.
Sinistrelle smiles, "I thought I felt something..."
Hetchel approaches the south wall.
Andrew thoughtfully narrows his pair of deep green eyes.
Hetchel begins to examine the lecture hall.
Andrew crosses his arms.
Duraze carefully watches Hetchel.
Sinistrelle rubs his red stone eagerly.
Hetchel sighs, "Nothing ..."
Dittersdorf says, "There is a secret passage behind the south
wall, perhaps the cough came from there."
Duraze glances sharply at Sinistrelle.
Watchman Lucas opens the west door.
Watchman Lucas leaves through the west door.
Hetchel asks Dittersdorf, "Who told you that?"
Charmiam tells Dittersdorf, "That is outside in the hallway,
ser."
Catharsis tells Hetchel, "We have all heard about them"
Sinistrelle reminds Charmiam, "The door might be in the hall,
but where does that door lead?"
Sinistrelle raises his forehead cryptically.
Hetchel grumps.
Duraze sighs deeply.
Watchwoman Judith shrugs, "It's easy to tell something is there"
Dittersdorf shrugs, "It's a guess. Perhaps it doesn't go behind
there, but it seems logical."
Watchman Lucas arrives through the west door.
Watchman Lucas closes the west door.
Watchman Lucas shrugs.
Duraze absently leans on the wooden lectern.
Martel gestures to Duraze, "Mayhaps continue?"
Dittersdorf says, "In any case, this room is crowded, I doubt
anyone invisible can hide well. And yes, please continue."
Hetchel appears to be counting the people in the room.
You see Punzel, Watchman Lucas, Zenaida, Catharsis,
Deirdre, Leeto, Hetchel, Dittersdorf, Sinistrelle, Ghobii,
Watchwoman Judith, Andrew, Charmiam, Jenisha, Mintle, Myrrh,
Armsman Philo, Siobhan, Martel, Elke, Duraze, Kiera, Robert and
Avaria.
Duraze nods to Martel.
Sinistrelle chuckles at Hetchel.
Hetchel shrugs.
Duraze gazes expectantly at the lecture hall.
Duraze apologetically states, "That's actually where that
particular story leaves us off."
Duraze smiles slightly, "As to where the stone is from, what
the rings might do, and how this one was destroyed..."
Hetchel sighs relievedly.
Andrew mutters softly to himself, "Good."
Sinistrelle winks at Hetchel.
Duraze bows humbly to the lecture hall, "Those are stories for
another evening. Thankyou very much for your time."
[Lots of people applaud Duraze.]
Duraze smiles thankfully at the lecture hall.
Hetchel begins to examine the south wall.
Duraze glances distractedly at Hetchel.
Ghobii asks Duraze, "where did you get the ring?"
Hetchel glares at Ghobii.
Sinistrelle shakes his head slightly.
Duraze grins at Ghobii, "I will be happy to invite you to the
telling of that story, ser."
Sinistrelle sighs tiredly at Duraze.
Duraze adds, "Another time, though."
Hetchel makes an obscure gesture with her hand.
It occurs to you that Hetchel isn't here any more.
[Lots of people blink and look around.]
Sinistrelle tells Ghobii, "Stringing us along..."
Duraze twitches slightly.
Duraze mutters to himself.
Sinistrelle shrugs disappointedly.
Duraze glances neutrally at his fused ring.
Charmiam mutters, "She always disappears like that."
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