(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

 

Emon: *nods* Sadly. *smiles at Mitham* Who's this?

Darnell: I'm sorry to hear. I'm glad she has you now, though. *hand on the boy's shoulder* This is Mitham. He'll be joining me for this investigation. Mitham, this is Lord Emon DuPrae, the master of this household.

Mitham: *bows awkwardly*

Emon: *small, concerned frown.* /Join/ you on the investigation?

Darnell: Well, tailing, at least. He's already aware of what's going on. In fact, he may well have saved my life last night. Unfortunately, that makes him a possible target too. I'd prefer to keep him close if only for his own safety...such as it may be.

Emon: Saved your life? *how?*

Darnell: The raven that people have seen? The one with red eyes? It's real. I mean, it's /physical/. It was in my room last night. *will describe the nightmare he had, including everything that Brogan said, and waking up to Mitham fighting off the bird with a chair*

Emon: *has a hand over his heart....* Life Light... How do we stop something like that?

Darnell: .............I'm still working on that. Although . . . capturing the raven, since it /is/ a physical creature, may be a good first step.

Emon: *nods* I'll have the soldiers keep an eye out for it and will tell them to try to catch it. Alive?

Darnell: Yes. Injure it if they have to to keep it from escaping, but I think we will need it alive. We don't know what will come of its death, if that will hamper Brogan or just set him freer somehow. Also, if it's alive, I can take it to Lady Rei to see if she can tell us anything about it.

Emon: *nods* I'll let them know. All the people you wished to speak to are in a room down the hall as well.

Darnell: Thank you. They do know that they're not in trouble or anything of the sort, right? That I just need any information they can offer? *so he knows how much he's going to need to reassure these poor people...*

Emon: *nods* They are aware and know you're here to help.

Darnell: Thank you. I'll take them one at a time to speak to, so they're not having to speak in front of a whole room of people.

Emon: *nods* They’re waiting for you. I’ll be here if you need anything from me today.  And thank you again, detective, for coming to help.

Comments

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: Of course. I just hope that I can. In any case, I'm as involved as anyone else. My rightful place is here with you for this. I'll talk to you later, Lord DuPrae. *small bow, then will head down the hall*

[socrowdedinhere]

*Darnell will find the room easily, and a smaller one beside it is empty as well. Everyone looks up at him expectantly, there’s even hope in those gazes.*
Mitham: *hangs back out of the way.*

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *steps in and gives a nod of greeting* Good morning, everyone. My name is Darnell Barrett, master detective in service to His Majesty, King Sidon. *holds up the badge - and now Mitham knows what that thing really means* For those who don't know, I was here several months ago and helped end Brogan DuPrae's reign of terror. *small, rueful grin* Or so I thought. I'm here now with the aim of finishing what I started. I apologize in advance if this takes a long time, but I'd like the chance to speak with each of you in turn about your experiences, both in the past and more recently. We'll start here and go around the room. *picks the closest person on his left* Come with me, please? *will offer the person a hand up, then lead the way to the other room*

[socrowdedinhere]

Mitham: *can’t help looking at Darnell a little wide eyed. Damn, he... h-he /really/ got lucky... he’ll stay out of the way as Darnell starts to take people off to the other room to chat. At some point he’ll slip away. He knows he was told to observe, but really, his skills come more into play when not around people.*
*Darnell will start to learn the stories from people. Every one of those in this room are people Brogan had tormented personally for one reason or another; didn’t like their face, they coughed where he could hear them, he felt like it, they committed some minor infraction by accident. Doesn’t matter the reason, Brogan personnally knew these people, or at least had contact with them once. The burns aren’t much on most of them. Those who truly angered Brogan tend to have worse marks than others, or more of them at least, but nothing as severe as Emon’s are. He’ll start to see a pattern too, everyone sees the red-eyes raven somewhere in thier dream and often after waking too. The times the raven has been spotted when not associated with their own dreams it’s been near other sleeping quarters.*

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *is sympathetic even as he presses for as much detail as he feels he needs, always giving people space to cry or gather their thoughts or even rant in anger or fear, treating everyone the same regardless of gender or race. He takes notes, doodles, will do sketches of people, wounds, settings, whatever will help clarify the information he's getting. Each one, before he releases them, he encourages to come find him at any time, even middle of the night, if they remember something or slmething new happens or they just need to talk. He doesn't notice when Mitham first slips from the room, but he does as soon as he's done speaking with the person he's with. He'll leave it be till lunch. Those he's not spoken with yet, he'll release for an hour to go get something to eat, and he'll go looking for Mitham.*

[socrowdedinhere]

*the people are grateful for his tenderness and sympathy and it helps them to open up.*
Mitham: *Darnell win’t have to look far. The boy is slipping back down the hall towards him, looking a bit spooked. He spots Darnell and hurries to him.*

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *more concerned than actually angry* Mitham, where did you get off to? *and then he really registers the expression* …what happened?

[socrowdedinhere]

Mitham: I was just looking around. I... I found something I think you should see...

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *frowns, worried now as he nods* Show me. *moves to follow*

[socrowdedinhere]

Mitham: *kind of curled in on himself, hugging himself woth hands tucked under his arms. He’ll turn and lead the way. He actually heads them down to lower levels and into a hall that doesn’t look like it gets used often. There’s a split in the wall ahead, like a secret doorway opened up. Mitham heads straight for the secret room. Darnell will note bloody handprints on the inside of the door, small, child-sized handprints from someone pushing the door open from inside to get back out of the room.*

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *hesitates an instant, looking at the handprints* That's not good… *muttered to himself before he continues into the room, pausing again to take in the sights*

[socrowdedinhere]

*The room is simple, unfurnished, and has a black ball of...something sitting in the middle of the room. The designs on the ground are carved in and filled with dried blood.*
Mitham: Don’t touch any of it.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *grimacing as he looks around, gives Mitham a wry look* Why, did you? *and if so, what happened? . . . he'll move farther into the room, getting a closer look at the designs and pulling out his journal from the last case to compare to*

[socrowdedinhere]

Mitham: *can’t help the way his chin trembles for a moment before he untucks his hands. From wrist to finger tip his hands are a bloody mess, skin buned away. His hands are shaking hard.* I barely touched one of the lines. I-it’s shocked me, and when I fell my other hand touched another line. *he forces a soft chuckle.* B-bet it’s related to your case.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: Life Light! *catches Mitham's shoulder and pulls him back out of the room, where he stops him at the door* Stay here a moment. I'll be right back. Don't let /anyone/ in there if they happen by. Though if that raven comes . . . get out of here. I'll be back. *races off to find Emon, also grabbing the first guard he sees to go fetch Elhokar*

[socrowdedinhere]

Mitham: *stumbles back out and tucks gos hands under his arms again, his shirt is bloody from doing so.*
*He’ll be able to send someone for Elhokar and Emon is where he said he’d be.*
Emon: *looks up* Detective? What’s wrong?

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: You need to come see something, and then I'm leaving to go fetch Overseer Rei if she's willing and able to come.

[socrowdedinhere]

Emon: *stands with a frown* All right. Show me.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *nods and will lead the way, though he'll detour to pick up Elhokar first, so he can show them both - takes them to the secret room* Do not touch /anything/. That mistake, unfortunately, has already been made.

[socrowdedinhere]

Emon: *frown of concern at Mitham as he passes the boy and steps into the room.* What... is this?
Elhokar: ...What happens when something is touched?
Mitham: It tries to kill you.
Elhokar: *brow up, eyeing the boy...and frowns. He nods* Noted. You all right?
Mitham: *n-nod* I’ll be fine.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: I'll take him with me to the healers at the church. I wanted you both to see this. Captain, post trusted guards at this door until I return. I'm going to fetch Overseer Rei. *if not stopped, he'll leave, drawing Mitham with him and heading for the stables*

[socrowdedinhere]

Elhokar: It’ll be done, sir.
Emon: *just...worried.* Did you know of thos room, Caprain?
Elhokar: No, sir. I doubt anyone but your uncle did.
Emon: ...*nods* It is quite dusty, so it’s likely no one has been in here since he died.
Mitham: *goes easily with Darnell until out of earshot.* I-I feel... dizzy.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *yeah, he's sure if Elkhokar had known, he'd have brought Darnell to see it - nods at Mitham, steadying hand on his shoulder* Easy. Just hold out for me a little longer, all right? *will get to the stables and urgently request a horse be readied /now/, one of his or another, whoever can be saddled and ready to go the fastest*

[socrowdedinhere]

*It won’tbtake Blossom to be brought to him.*
Mitham: *second guessing himself as the pain takes over.* I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I w-was going to stay out of the way.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: We'll talk later. *thanks whoever brings him Blossom, mounts and has someone help him get Mitham lifted and settled in front of him, then will take off, keeping her at an easy canter, one hand on the reins, the other arm wrapped around Mitham*

[socrowdedinhere]

Mitham: *those words on top of the flagging ability to cope finally draw a sob from him. He trembling, arms pressing Darnell’s arm to him.*

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: */hugs/ the boy to him - they'll ride to town, Darnell not slowing till they reach the gate of the church, pauses to pull out his badge as he addresses the guard* Master Detective Darnell Barrett. I need to speak to the Overseer on /very/ urgent business.

[socrowdedinhere]

Guard: Follow me. *runs along ahead of the horse and towards the gardens.*
Rei: *looks up, and stands, excusing herself from a group.* Detective.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *slides down off thr horse and offers a quick bow before pulling Mitham down into his arms* Lady Rei. This boy needs your attention, and I need to know exactly what happened to him, /what/ it was that did him this injury. *speaking even as he approaches, will apologize to the rest of the group later for the intrusion*

[socrowdedinhere]

Rei: *looks at Mitham.* Let me see.
Mitham: *sobbing softly, he holds out his hands*
Rei: Do not be frieghtened. What I do will hurt, but then your injuries will be gone. *gently cups her hands under Mitham’s and then wraps her fingers around his wrists to hold him. She sweeps him with Spirit and will heal... all his wounds, though she focuses on his hands first and the thoughts and memories that come with those injuries. She turns a concerned frown to Darnell* Where is this place he was injured?
Mitham: *gasping and then just /staring/ as his hands heal before his eyes!!*

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: */scowling/* The DuPrae manor. Brogan's back. I don't know how, but it's tied to a raven with glowing red eyes. And the brand he left on me. There's a secret chamber that was just opened...maybe as much as just this morning. *and now that he's thinking about it, those bloody child's handprints are probably Mitham's, which begs the question...how did he get /in/* I'd like for you to come with me, Overseer. Take a look at the room, it's a ritual room of some kind, and help advise me on what to /do/ with it. *supposes they can try to just burn it lime the others, but...*