Darl, Belle
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Re: Darl, Belle
Belle looks over at Dan, "I have a strange feeling that these two know each other. Somehow I think that both you and I have been played for fools by both sides."
After a moment, she will bend down and pick up the dropped items and had hand them over to John, "I believe these are yours?"
Belle is not surprise that people are avoiding them. There is an Apok, a metal warrior, and a monster that is pretty frightening as well. Anybody sane would avoid them. "Perhaps a few steps off the road would not be a bad idea."
After a moment, she will bend down and pick up the dropped items and had hand them over to John, "I believe these are yours?"
Belle is not surprise that people are avoiding them. There is an Apok, a metal warrior, and a monster that is pretty frightening as well. Anybody sane would avoid them. "Perhaps a few steps off the road would not be a bad idea."
Re: Darl, Belle
"Oh? And here I thought you said you were off to visit your sick mother, not your aunt." Darl responds, mocking the same indigence.
"I said my mother! Don't be putting words in my mouth." John's tone implies an increasing lack of self control.
Dan looks over at John with what can only be a hint of suspicion in John's apparent inconsistency in his story.
Back to Dan, Darl adds, "Sure ... those buildings over there work for you?" gesturing towards the buildings off the road. "While the pillars do provide more privacy, I'd be concerned about a possible ambush ... and I'd like to stay within sight of the road, so I can watch for the others who can corroborate what I've told you."
Belle looks over at Dan, "I have a strange feeling that these two know each other. Somehow I think that both you and I have been played for fools by both sides."
"Hmm... perhaps you're right...both of you. Let's step over there so that we can get to the bottom of this." Dan replies to both Darl and Belle.
After a moment, Belle bends down and picks up the dropped items and hands them over to John, "I believe these are yours?"
John, looks surprised for a moment that Belle would volunteer to help with his stuff. With the staff in one hand and the bundle of clothes and supplies falling from under the other arm, he leads the way towards the cluster of houses nearby and stops when he gets around the corner of one and out of direct line of site of the road. Dropping his load of stuff he turns back to Dan. "If you don't trust me, you're welcome to go back to your tavern. Harvey and I will take our chances. But first, I need that orb back. You don't understand."
"Make us understand, then." Dan says patiently.
John looks on defiantly while he struggles with an internal debate before finally sighing. His head, shoulders and apparently entire body seems to sag as he realizes that his lies aren't getting him anywhere. Finally he begins to speak again. "Not everything was a lie...at least not totally. The have my parents and kid sister."
"Who has them?" Dan urges for clarification.
"Salome, The Unholy, The Confessor...I don't know which exactly. I overheard Father Malaki talking to Brother Tobius about how this orb was something powerful. I thought if I could steal it and take it to the demons I could trade it for my family. I don't know what it does, I just hoped." Looking at Darl he continues "...and yes, I did take the staff as well. I didn't mean to start a fire, the staff just seemed to...to...just go off. I tried to put the fire out, but as you can see," he holds up his singed sleeve, "All I managed to do was burn myself in the attempt. I took off and met Harvey outside of town and we hightailed it out of there. We ran into the women and children on the road and thought it would be safer to travel with them. We left them yesterday morning. They should be safe this close to Chisel Town."
John looks crestfallen as he continues. "I didn't find out about the demon raid until last night. I feel very sorry that I may have caused that."
"I said my mother! Don't be putting words in my mouth." John's tone implies an increasing lack of self control.
Dan looks over at John with what can only be a hint of suspicion in John's apparent inconsistency in his story.
Back to Dan, Darl adds, "Sure ... those buildings over there work for you?" gesturing towards the buildings off the road. "While the pillars do provide more privacy, I'd be concerned about a possible ambush ... and I'd like to stay within sight of the road, so I can watch for the others who can corroborate what I've told you."
Belle looks over at Dan, "I have a strange feeling that these two know each other. Somehow I think that both you and I have been played for fools by both sides."
"Hmm... perhaps you're right...both of you. Let's step over there so that we can get to the bottom of this." Dan replies to both Darl and Belle.
After a moment, Belle bends down and picks up the dropped items and hands them over to John, "I believe these are yours?"
John, looks surprised for a moment that Belle would volunteer to help with his stuff. With the staff in one hand and the bundle of clothes and supplies falling from under the other arm, he leads the way towards the cluster of houses nearby and stops when he gets around the corner of one and out of direct line of site of the road. Dropping his load of stuff he turns back to Dan. "If you don't trust me, you're welcome to go back to your tavern. Harvey and I will take our chances. But first, I need that orb back. You don't understand."
"Make us understand, then." Dan says patiently.
John looks on defiantly while he struggles with an internal debate before finally sighing. His head, shoulders and apparently entire body seems to sag as he realizes that his lies aren't getting him anywhere. Finally he begins to speak again. "Not everything was a lie...at least not totally. The have my parents and kid sister."
"Who has them?" Dan urges for clarification.
"Salome, The Unholy, The Confessor...I don't know which exactly. I overheard Father Malaki talking to Brother Tobius about how this orb was something powerful. I thought if I could steal it and take it to the demons I could trade it for my family. I don't know what it does, I just hoped." Looking at Darl he continues "...and yes, I did take the staff as well. I didn't mean to start a fire, the staff just seemed to...to...just go off. I tried to put the fire out, but as you can see," he holds up his singed sleeve, "All I managed to do was burn myself in the attempt. I took off and met Harvey outside of town and we hightailed it out of there. We ran into the women and children on the road and thought it would be safer to travel with them. We left them yesterday morning. They should be safe this close to Chisel Town."
John looks crestfallen as he continues. "I didn't find out about the demon raid until last night. I feel very sorry that I may have caused that."
Joe - Administrator
Re: Darl, Belle
A bit defensive, Belle responds, "The Confessor would not do something like that."
The blond Apok thinks about what he says. One ability she wished she has was the ability to tell lies from telling the truth. With the amount of lies told, there is no way to know if he is telling the truth here either. Of course, no way of knowing if the Temporal Raider is telling the truth either. She decides it best to voice these concerns, "Tell me, why should we trust this story after the others. What can you offer as evidence for me to believe you now."
She pauses for dramatic effect, "I want to believe you. I really do but what can you offer as evidence." There is a compelling tone in her voice of 'trust me.'
The blond Apok thinks about what he says. One ability she wished she has was the ability to tell lies from telling the truth. With the amount of lies told, there is no way to know if he is telling the truth here either. Of course, no way of knowing if the Temporal Raider is telling the truth either. She decides it best to voice these concerns, "Tell me, why should we trust this story after the others. What can you offer as evidence for me to believe you now."
She pauses for dramatic effect, "I want to believe you. I really do but what can you offer as evidence." There is a compelling tone in her voice of 'trust me.'
Re: Darl, Belle
"I'm sorry, I have nothing more to offer in way of proof." John looks her square in the eye as he says this and Harvey nods his head in agreement.
Joe - Administrator
Re: Darl, Belle
> "Tell me, why should we trust this story after the others. What can you offer as evidence for me to believe you now. I want to believe you. I really do but what can you offer as evidence."
Darl looks over at Belle with a touch of bewilderment. "Well, he just confirmed everything that I told you ... I cannot vouch for the bit about his family, or motivations for stealing from the church ... but the rest is true, so I have no reason to doubt him."
Turning back to John, "The only bit that doesn't make sense is why they would raid the town if you were already enlisted to bring the orb to them. Personally, I think they were simply using you to confirm whether or not the orb was actually in Newhome. Once they knew, they came to get it themselves."
"So yes, in that sense you probably did cause the raid ... but in another sense, by stealing the orb yourself, you prevented them from getting their hands on it. That, in itself, was a blessing. However, if you were to hand the orb over to the Unholy, both you and your family will have lost their usefulness ... at which point you all would be killed in order to cover any tracks linked to the orb."
Darl lets that last statement sink in for a moment before continuing.
"Where were you taking the orb, and how were you planning on delivering it to them? Have you been in contact with them recently? Now that we've finally got down to the truth here, you're going to need some serious help ... and the only way we can provide that is if you tell us everything."
Darl looks over at Belle with a touch of bewilderment. "Well, he just confirmed everything that I told you ... I cannot vouch for the bit about his family, or motivations for stealing from the church ... but the rest is true, so I have no reason to doubt him."
Turning back to John, "The only bit that doesn't make sense is why they would raid the town if you were already enlisted to bring the orb to them. Personally, I think they were simply using you to confirm whether or not the orb was actually in Newhome. Once they knew, they came to get it themselves."
"So yes, in that sense you probably did cause the raid ... but in another sense, by stealing the orb yourself, you prevented them from getting their hands on it. That, in itself, was a blessing. However, if you were to hand the orb over to the Unholy, both you and your family will have lost their usefulness ... at which point you all would be killed in order to cover any tracks linked to the orb."
Darl lets that last statement sink in for a moment before continuing.
"Where were you taking the orb, and how were you planning on delivering it to them? Have you been in contact with them recently? Now that we've finally got down to the truth here, you're going to need some serious help ... and the only way we can provide that is if you tell us everything."
Re: Darl, Belle
Under the mask it is impossible to tell Belle's expression. The story does make sense and thought she was getting some elements of the truth but what elements might be true or false is hard to judge. Of course, some other motivations seem to make a bit more sense as well.
Best to wait and listen for the moment, possibly finding information from both sides.
Best to wait and listen for the moment, possibly finding information from both sides.
Re: Darl, Belle
"They didn't 'enlist' me, I planned to track down the group that took her and trade them the orb for my family." John replies to Darl's queries. "They were taken from a small town a few hours walk from Worldgate. I had hoped to acquire transportation here in Chisel Town, but with the influx of refugees the city is in chaos so I decided to start walking that direction and hope to catch a ride with a transport going that direction." OOC: If you don't have a book handy, Worldgate is about 500 miles from your current location. It is just on the opposite side of the mountain range separating Demon territory from the free lands.
Joe - Administrator
Re: Darl, Belle
"Why didn't you ask for help," Belle asks frostily. "There are many who still fight the Unholy."
Her voice becomes more conciliatory, "If you told me that from the beginning, I would have be willing to try to help in any way I could. Stealing the orb and trading it just does not work. The Unholy's minions would just kill or enslave you and your family."
She decides to turn to Dan, "What are your thoughts?"
Her voice becomes more conciliatory, "If you told me that from the beginning, I would have be willing to try to help in any way I could. Stealing the orb and trading it just does not work. The Unholy's minions would just kill or enslave you and your family."
She decides to turn to Dan, "What are your thoughts?"
Re: Darl, Belle
"Why didn't you ask for help," Belle asks frostily. "There are many who still fight the Unholy." Her voice becomes more conciliatory, "If you told me that from the beginning, I would have be willing to try to help in any way I could. Stealing the orb and trading it just does not work. The Unholy's minions would just kill or enslave you and your family."
"Because," John responds acidly "I didn't want your help, Apok! And I did ask for help. I asked the church for help and they turned their back on me. Years of service to the church and the only answer I got was that my family was dead and they wouldn't waste resources and lives trying to get them back."
She decides to turn to Dan, "What are your thoughts?"
"I was deceived and knew nothing of his treachery. I will, however, still follow through on my original promise to help John and Harvey reach WorldGate. What happens after? Well, we'll just have to wait and see. Like you, I do not like to be deceived." Dan responds sincerely.
"What are your intentions now that John has admitted the orb does not belong to him. Will you return it to Father Malaki in Newhome and what of the other items he took?" Dan asks Darl.
"Because," John responds acidly "I didn't want your help, Apok! And I did ask for help. I asked the church for help and they turned their back on me. Years of service to the church and the only answer I got was that my family was dead and they wouldn't waste resources and lives trying to get them back."
She decides to turn to Dan, "What are your thoughts?"
"I was deceived and knew nothing of his treachery. I will, however, still follow through on my original promise to help John and Harvey reach WorldGate. What happens after? Well, we'll just have to wait and see. Like you, I do not like to be deceived." Dan responds sincerely.
"What are your intentions now that John has admitted the orb does not belong to him. Will you return it to Father Malaki in Newhome and what of the other items he took?" Dan asks Darl.
Joe - Administrator
Re: Darl, Belle
> "What are your intentions now that John has admitted the orb does not belong to him. Will you return it to Father Malaki in Newhome and what of the other items he took?" Dan asks Darl.
"Father Malaki is dead." Darl states, matter-of-factly. "That staff, and any of the other missing items that we are able to locate, are the property of the church in Newhome, and will be returned there under the care of Brother Tobius. As for the orb, it is no longer safe in Newhome ... it's presence there will only bring further trouble to the residents of the village, as evidenced by the demon raid on the village the same day these two left town."
Darl takes a long glance at John and Harvey before continuing, unsure of how much more he wants to share with them listening. After measured consideration, he continues ...
"The charge laid upon us was to see the orb safely returned to Father Malaki, and barring that, seeing it safely destroyed. I'm afraid that's all the information I can provide you for the moment ... other than sharing that my next task is to reconvene with the others who share my responsibility in this quest."
Turning to Harvey, he adds, "What of the books ... 'The Tales of Jane Farstrider', various notebooks, and two bloodstones were listed as missing as well. Would you object to showing us the contents of your own pack?"
"Father Malaki is dead." Darl states, matter-of-factly. "That staff, and any of the other missing items that we are able to locate, are the property of the church in Newhome, and will be returned there under the care of Brother Tobius. As for the orb, it is no longer safe in Newhome ... it's presence there will only bring further trouble to the residents of the village, as evidenced by the demon raid on the village the same day these two left town."
Darl takes a long glance at John and Harvey before continuing, unsure of how much more he wants to share with them listening. After measured consideration, he continues ...
"The charge laid upon us was to see the orb safely returned to Father Malaki, and barring that, seeing it safely destroyed. I'm afraid that's all the information I can provide you for the moment ... other than sharing that my next task is to reconvene with the others who share my responsibility in this quest."
Turning to Harvey, he adds, "What of the books ... 'The Tales of Jane Farstrider', various notebooks, and two bloodstones were listed as missing as well. Would you object to showing us the contents of your own pack?"