<Dreol> [The Tempest, The Underworld, ???? 1262(probably), ??:??]
<Dreol> [After a very confusing trip through the labyrinth, you all found 
yourselves on a cliff somewhere, where you then rescued Aliz from falling 
off the cliff, and then she rejoined with ghostly Aliz. Eliana looked 
into the pit and freaked herself the fuck out and now you are ascending 
some stairs to get the hell out of... well hell, essentially.]
<Dreol> [Begin!]
<Dreol> [Oh the stairs are carved into the face of a mountain and go up 
farther than you can see.]
<Dreol> [Now begin.]
 06* Moriel climbs, looking up and around rather than down as he goes.  
Occasionally he glances at Eliana as if checking on her.
 06* Eliana climbs, frowning but not spazzing anymore. Burning that 
handkerchief must have done her some good.
<Dreol> [After what seems like hours of climbing, the stairs lead to a 
massive stone wall with a, comparatively small, wooden door.
 06* Varyn stays in the back, and moves a bit father back to Moriel and 
Eliana. "Ah, what were you all doing before you came...here?"
 06* Anstace looks at the door. "sleeping, then trying to get out of 
fire," she says abruptly, not really looking at Varyn.
 06* Rolf was the best at climbing. He growls out a, "Awakened by this 
hellfire."
 06* Moriel glances at Anstace and adds quietly (and hopefully more 
informatively), "Visiting Prince Jurgen's court."
 06* Eliana looks the door over, then looks around. Just wall?
<Varyn> I... hell fire. OH. Prince Jurgen's court?
 06* Moriel nods, though he's looking at the door now, rather than Varyn.  
"Not long after our arrival we were awakened by...what appeared to be 
fire and demons attacking.  Then we encountered that child, and then, of 
course, we found ourselves here."
<Varyn> That's strange. Though no moreso then the rest of this place
<Moriel> No.
<Moriel> Shall we open it?
 06* Anstace reaches out and grabs the door handle and then turns to 
Rolf. "are we ready?"
<Varyn> I don't see any other path.
 06* Rolf nods slightly, his feet shifting on the stone. "As we can get."
 06* Anstace nods solemnly and then turns back to the door, pushing it 
open.
<Dreol> [The door opens and you are suddenly exiting out into the city of 
Buda, where you left. Except the city is twisted and warped. People 
wander around it as if they are detached from their surroundings. Ahead 
of you, you see Lord Jurgen's manor. The door shifts from a bent, warped 
version of itself to a proper and straight reflection of the real manor. 
No one else seems to notice.]
 06* Eliana frowns more deeply, somehow. She looks at Aliz.
 06* Moriel considers.  "Well, it's progress."  Then he glances at Aliz, 
too.  "Perhaps we can reach her mother."
<Varyn> Wait for the straight version to open it?
<Dreol> [Aliz looks down at the ground sadly.]
 06* Rolf growls and stomps forward, saying, "It's straight now."
 06* Varyn follows Rolf?
 06* Anstace looks around at the buildings and at the manor, tightens her 
grip on her spear, and follows Rolf.
 06* Eliana shrugs with one shoulder and walks after him. It's as good as 
anything, and probably better than most.
 06* Moriel pauses before following Rolf and looks down at Aliz.  He 
frowns, concerned.  Then he crouches down to look her in the eye.  "I 
know you want to find your mother, Aliz.  But I don't think it would be 
good for you to stay here.  I think maybe you'd better come with us for a 
little while longer.  All right?"  He holds out a hand to her.
<@Dreol> [Aliz looks down at the ground and nods, a few tears falling 
down her face and she places her hand in Moriel's.]
 06* Moriel straightens and leads the little girl after the others.
 06* Varyn nods. "It's not a good place here."
<@Dreol> The door continues to shift. It is straight for probably around 
10 seconds at a time.]
 06* Eliana walks up to the door and waits for it to straighten out 
before opening it.
<@Dreol> [When Eliana opens the door the building remains straight. 
Inside you can all see the manor as it was when you left except minus all 
the fire and demons and ... okay not at all how you left it, but the 
entry way is empty.]
 06* Eliana glances back at the others, then steps in and holds the door 
open so, well. Yes.
 06* Moriel leads Aliz through.
 06* Anstace enters the manor as well, leaning forward a bit to peer down 
the hall
 06* Rolf stomps through as well, nodding at Eliana. She knows how to 
rolf sometimes.
<@Dreol> [Aliz looks back at the warped buda and continues to cry. She 
doesn't say anything, but she slowly follows Moriel.]
<Varyn> That looks a little comforting.
 06* Varyn of course goes through
<@Dreol> [Okay! On the other side you find yourself in Jurgen's manor. 
The city of Buda outside the door now is now restored to normal, and is 
empty of people. Well all of you except Varyn, who finds himself just 
outside the house that he was occupying. He climbs off of the ground and 
looks forward to see Valerie, the Lasombra from earlier approach him. 
"Mister Schmied! But how?"]
<Varyn> A small trip. It's amazing how those begin and end. 
 06* Eliana tilts her head, listening to Valerie outside, and she looks 
at Anstace. "I didn't know you slept naked," she comments.
 06* Anstace looks at Eliana. "if i am not required to be bound, i choose 
not to be"
 06* Rolf only gives Anstance a glance before saying, "I'll run around 
and see if the place is as quiet as it seems." He looks to Eliana. "We 
think this whole thing is what was, uh, drawin' people out?"
 06* Moriel twists around to where he heard Valerie's voice.  He notices 
out of the corner of his eye that Anstace is no longer wearing Aliz' 
mother's dress - or anything - so he's careful not to look in her 
direction.  He glances at Rolf.  "It seemed like it."
<@Dreol> [Valerie nods and motions for Varyn to follow her. "Come then! 
We must get you back to Lord Jurgen!" She starts off towards the manor.]
 06* Eliana nods at Rolf. "It's reasonable to assume that Aliz was the 
primary cause. But the why..." She looks at the little girl. "Did 
creatures or strange people abduct you from your home?" she asks with as 
much tact as can be expected.
 06* Varyn smiles pleasantly. "Of course, but I do have my wagon to worry 
about too. If it isn't too late?"
<@Dreol> [Aliz looks down at the ground for a few minuts in silence 
before saying simply. "They threw me in... Into the dark place." Then 
tears begin to fall down her face again and she turns to Moriel and 
buries her face in him.]
<@Dreol> [Valerie shakes her head. "There is no time now. You can return 
after we talk to Jurgen. This is important."]
 06* Moriel scoops her up and wraps his arms around her comfortingly.
 06* Eliana nods. "We may need you to show us where that is, but we won't 
let you return there if we can possibly prevent it."
 06* Anstace walks over to a window, unashamed by her state of undress 
and seemingly unconcerned by anyone noticing or not. "it does not appear 
that any more than one hour and fourteen minutes have passed. the night 
is still relatively free."
<Varyn> Of course. I will be happy to talk to him
<Moriel> Good.
<@Dreol> [Aliz does not respond now. She just continues to cry.]
 06* Rolf steps off to see if anyone else saw crazy fire. Or is currently 
sucked out of their soul.
<@Dreol> [Valerie nods and heads to the Manor. She soon appears in the 
doorway, with Varyn in tow. "Oh! You are all here... I found the Ravnos 
that I mentioned... he's alive! And... who is that child?"]
 06* Moriel frees a hand to stroke Aliz' hair.  He lets someone else 
answer Valerie while he continues to try to comfort the crying girl.
<@Dreol> [Rolf leaves the room and after a few moments encounters a few 
ghoul servants. They seem completely fine. "Lord Rolf, how may we serve 
you?"]
 06* Anstace looks at the group. "as i believe that we will soon be 
venturing out, i shall take a few moments to dress so that i do not 
bother anyone's sensibilities." she looks at Moriel as she says this last 
part, then turns and walks back towards her room to get dressed.
 06* Eliana turns to face Valerie. "Aliz. She was carried away by the 
demons who set the house aflame."
 06* Moriel murmurs to Aliz, "I know it's awful, but we need to try to 
find out what happened to you so we can make sure it doesn't happen to 
anyone else."
<Varyn> I agree. We need to stop it.
<@Dreol> [Aliz makes no response, but Valerie purses her lips and narrow 
sher eyes. "Hm... I will talk with Jurgen. For now, I will instruct a 
ghoul to place the girl in a bedroom upstairs. She will be safe there and 
can rest. We will make sure no one feeds from her. She is too important a 
source of information."]
 06* Rolf says, roughly, "Anyone collapsed or, uh, bein' strange 
otherwise since moonrise?"
 06* Eliana nods. "If I may, I think it prudent to room Moriel MacRae 
nearby."
 01<Eliana> At the moment, he's likely the only person the girl trusts.
 06* Moriel had just opened his mouth to say something similar, so he 
closes it again and nods.
<Varyn> Do these folk...work for Jurgen?
 06* Varyn sounds like he's unsure what people are.
<Moriel> No.  We're merely passing through.  And happened to be somewhat 
caught up.
<@Dreol> [Valerie shrugs. "If you wish. Then of course we will do so. The 
girl will need someone to care for her during the day, though. I will 
assign a ghoul to her."]
<@Dreol> [The ghoul shakes his head to Rolf. "No, Lord Rolf. Nothing of 
the kind. Night set in barely an hour ago."]
 06* Moriel nods again.  "Let me introduce them to her, please," he 
requests quietly.
<@Dreol> [Valerie shrugs. "If you wish." She catches the eye of a ghoul 
and motions him over.]
 06* Rolf nods a little and sniffs the air a moment, before growling out 
a, "Sure, right. Thanks." He turns and stalks off.
<@Dreol> [The ghoul bows to Rolf. "Of course, sir."]
<Varyn> Ah. I see. Like myself. How do you know the lord?
<Moriel> We don't, really.  As I said, we're passing through.
<Varyn> Ah. 
<@Dreol> [Valerie turns to Varyn and says, matter-of-factly. "These are 
members of the Order of the Black Rose. They are an... elite group of 
kindred from Mithras' court in London."]
 06* Varyn seems a bit confused but goes with it.
<@Dreol> (swap those)
<Varyn> Oh. Thank you, Valerie.
<@Dreol> [She nods. "We must meet with Jurgen. Mister MacRae, please join 
us after you have ... finished with your instructions for Frederick 
here."]
<@Dreol> [Valerie walks out towards the great hall.]
 06* Eliana watches Valerie head out, then looks at Moriel. "I'll gather 
the others," she tells him.
 06* Moriel nods at Valerie and Eliana in turn, then turns to Frederick.  
"Take me to a room for her, please."
<@Dreol> [Frederick nods. "Of course, m'lord. Where would you like her to 
stay?"]
<Moriel> Near my room, if possible.
 06* Eliana goes to find a Rolf and an Anstace.
<@Dreol> [The ghoul nods and walks down the hall, finding an empty room 
across from Moriel's and walks in. "Will this be fine, Lord MacRae?"]
 06* Varyn follows Valerie keeping the smile on his face
 06* Moriel controls his grimace at the "lord".  He looks around and 
nods.  "Yes, thank you.  Stay, please."
 06* Moriel turns his attention to Aliz and shifts her a bit to try to 
get her to look at him.  "Aliz?" he says softly.  "There's a bed here for 
you to rest.  Would you like to lie down?"
<@Dreol> [The ghoul nods and remains. The room is quite nice. It has an 
ornate bed large enough for one, full grown adult, a large window that 
overlooks the courtyard as well as a small table and chest at the foot of 
the bed to store clothing and such things.]
<@Dreol> [Aliz pulls her face back from Moriel enough to nod.]
 06* Moriel sets her down on the bed and tucks her in.  He motions to the 
ghoul.  In the same gentle voice he says, "This is Frederick.  If you 
need something, you can ask him, or you can ask me.  My room is right 
across the hall.  All right?"
<@Dreol> [Aliz nods again.]
<@Dreol> [Frederick looks to Moriel. "Anything else, m'lord?"]
 06* Moriel sits beside Aliz on the bed, stroking her hair.  "Do you have 
other duties to get to?"
<@Dreol> [He shakes his head. "No, m'lord."]
 06* Moriel nods.  "Then stay with her until I return, in case she needs 
something.  I need to speak to Prince Jurgen.  I'll be back as soon as I 
can."  This last seems more directed at the girl on the bed.
<@Dreol> [He nods. "Of course, m'lord."]
<@Dreol> [Session End!]