Episode 61 "Truth within Shadows"

<Storyteller> Leaving the council chambers you head out into the street
<Storyteller> Several patrols, circle the area keeping watch for any dissenters
* William strides along at an impatient pace looking determined
<Angelo> "So, are we gonna find those witnesses, or what?"
<Edward> "Yeah, we should."
<Daniel> "Of course. Have patience."
<William> "Thanks where I'm heading..."
<Daniel> "We should talk to the Governor, first."
<Edward> "Good idea."
<Daniel> "I want to get his view on the situation, first."
* Angelo nods.
<Angelo> "I know a set-up when I smell one, and this smells like one."
<Daniel> "I would have to agree. Shall we go, then?"
* William looks at Daniel. "You are in charge now, and I will do what you think is best."
<Angelo> "Let's keep an eye out for that Inquisitor guy. If he's willing to accuse the Governor of treason, just think what he might accuse us of."
* William gets an angry look on his face
<Daniel> "Were I in a more combative spirit, I would welcome that charge."
<William> "I just *hope* we run into him..."
* Brianna frowns and folds her arms
<Hans> "Once we get to the governors, I should be able to find out what really happened."
<Daniel> "However, we must be careful, lest we suddenly find our power annulled against him."
* Angelo nods at Hans.
* Daniel begins walking to the Governer's holding cell
* William follows almost at Daniel's side
* Angelo walks behind, keeping an eye out for trouble.
* Brianna follows purposefully
<Storyteller> You walk quickly over to the Hall watching the patrols as they eye you
<Storyteller> The hall is filled with activity, as several guards man the door. The offices are filled with citizens
* William pauses to let Daniel stand in front as they approach
<Clerk> "Can I help you?"
<Daniel> "Indeed. We are here to see Governor Deter."
<Clerk> "I'm sorry you'll need the Inquisitor's written apporval."
* William puts his hand on the hilt of his sword and gets a hard look on his face
<Daniel> "We were charged by the Anacerons to investigate the matters surrounding the Governor's imprisonment."
<Daniel> "I have a writ from them, stating that were are to have access to him."
<Clerk> "Do you have anything to prove that?"
<Clerk> "let's see it."
* Daniel pulls out the writ
* Clerk looks at it and nods
<Clerk> "Go right in."
* William relaxes his grip and follows Daniel
* Daniel enters, looking around slowly
<Storyteller> A guard opens the door for you as you enter, you see the Governor in chains. He looks at you and his eyes light up
* Brianna looks at the Governor with concern
* Daniel bows
<Deter> "tell me the council has sent you to help."
<Daniel> "My lord."
<Daniel> "They have."
* William rushes up as close as he can get to the governor
<Deter> "Thank god, I don't know what's happened! I was arrested and suddenly all these memories came..."
<William> "We'll get you out of here, sir!"
<William> "But what about these memories? They claim you can remember doing what you were accused of..."
<Daniel> "You mean...you had no knowledge of these memories before the event?"
* Angelo stands back and watches.
* Deter nods sadly
<Deter> "I do remember these crimes..."
<Brianna> "What crimes were they?"
<Daniel> "As wierd as it may sound, m'lord...do you remember REMEMBERING them, all this time?"
<Deter> "They said i conspired with the spectres to increase my popularity, that I did it to become a hero."
<Deter> "I do, in a way."
<Daniel> "In a way?"
<Deter> "Yes, they are there in my mind."
* Angelo frowns.
<Angelo> "Can you remember DETAILS, though?"
<Hans> "Someone could have... planted them. I know of several Mnemos who could do that."
<Deter> "I.."
<Angelo> "Like can you remember the spectres faces?"
<Deter> "Yes, I remember Usher's face..."
<William> "Usher....."
* William shakes his head
<Angelo> "Any others? Usher's face is known to many."
* Daniel nods grimly
<Brianna> "Usher?"
* Brianna is instantly alert
* Angelo drums his fingers on his arm, looking thoughtful.
<Deter> "No that is all."
<Hans> "That could explain a lot if Usher is the only one you remember."
<Deter> "There was one other...but I can't remember his face..."
<Brianna> "What do you remember about Usher?"
<Angelo> "Sounds fishy. Any time in my life that I did anything important, I can remember what cologne I was wearing, what suit I had on..."
* Daniel thinks
* Angelo shrugs.
<Deter> "I remember talking to him, and," he looks down, "Cutting a deal with him about certain battles."
<Daniel> "This...other face...DOES exist in your mind, correct?"
<Angelo> "It sounds like a memory he read about, or saw in a movie that wasn't very good."
<Brianna> "What kind of deals?"
<Deter> "I don't know, look I didn't do these things...I think."
<Deter> "deals that would have us lose, here, win there...."
<Daniel> "What I mean to say, m'lord, is that...you DO still remember seeing another?"
<Brianna> "Yes but what you remember is important. You could have clues buried in your memory somewhere."
<Deter> "It's all so hard to bring up..."
* Daniel looks at Brianna. "My thoughts exactly."
<Daniel> "Perhaps I can help."
<Daniel> "Do you trust me, m'lord?"
* Angelo looks thoughtful.
<Deter> "yes."
* Brianna nods
* William watches everything in silence
<Brianna> "Do you know when these supposed events took place? Was anyone else around with you?"
<Deter> "No one else."
* Daniel steps forward and holds his hand out
* Deter takes Daniel's hand
<Daniel> "Take my hand...and sleep..."
* Deter slumps to the ground
<Hans> "If this does not work, perhaps I will be able to add some help to this."
<Storyteller> You enter his dream and head straigt for the memory
* Daniel comes out of his trance and looks around, blinking
<Hans> "Well..."
<Daniel> "There WAS another."
<Daniel> "But his memory of him is completely clouded."
<Brianna> "Hmmmmm."
<Hans> "Let me try something."
<William> "This other...maybe he is the one who sent the memories..."
<Daniel> "I'm thinking the same thing, myself..."
* Puritan walks into the room and yells, "Who are you!"
* William draws his sword almost eagerly
* Daniel turns around and faces him
<Puritan> "What are you doing to the prisoner?"
<William> "Who are you, is a better question!"
<Daniel> "We were the ones sent to investigate the Governer's purported crimes."
* Hans looks at the Governor, "Let me see the memory of the men you talked with."
* Daniel steps forward
* Puritan looks at Hans with a strangled look
<Puritan> "I will not allow you to tamper with his memory!"
<Puritan> "Guards!"
<Daniel> "We are investigating...much as you did, sir."
<Daniel> "You have no authority here. We are acting on behalf of the Anacerons."
* Hans slumps a bit, "something.. affecting his memories."
<Hans> "I'll try again."
<Daniel> "Go your way, Inquisitor. And we will see no reason to bring charges against you for obstructing our investigation."
* Hans looks at the Governor again. "Let me see the memory of the men you talked with."
<Storyteller> three guards enter the room and point there weapons at you
* Brianna keeps her hands away from her sword
* Daniel looks at the guards
* William looks around in frustration, still holding his sword
<Daniel> "There is no need for that, brave sirs. You may lower your weapons. We are here on behalf of the Anacerons."
<William> "Who gave you authority over the anacerons??"
* Daniel displays the writ
<Daniel> "Back down."
<Puritan> "I have official papers from the deathlord himself..."
<William> "Death lord??"
* Angelo smirks a bit, but says nothing.
* William grumbles
<Puritan> "No get out before I have you arrested..."
<William> "On what charge?"
<Daniel> "And may I see these papers?"
<Puritan> "tampering with evidence."
<William> "Sound like you might know something about that..."
* Puritan holds the writ up
<Storyteller> You can see that it is official
* Hans turns to the Puritan. "You bastard! Get out now! I am close to finding out if the Governor is guilty or innocent!"
* William thinks, "What is this place coming to??"
* William nods firmly at Hans in pride
* Puritan face is now a mask of anger
<Angelo> "Hey, break it up."
<Puritan> "You have no authority here. Get out."
<William> "Are you saying Ambrose is not authority?"
<Hans> "No, you have no authority. We do."
<Daniel> "Let us go. We have what we came for."
* Daniel looks at the Inquisitor
<Puritan> "Arrest them if they do not leave, if they struggle, shoot them."
* William gives Daniel a frustrated glance
<Daniel> "I hope, sir, for your sake, that you are not proven wholly at fault."
* Daniel walks out, head held high
* Hans throws the Puritan an angry stare.
<Brianna> "Come one, we won't do anyone any good if we're in a jail cell."
* William imagines running Puritan through as he passes him
* Brianna stares levelly at the Puritan before turning and leaving
<Angelo> "C'mon, let's go."
* Hans stares down the Puritan, then leaves.
* William takes Hans by the arm
<William> "I understand...we'll have our time with him..."
* Daniel walks fast away from the Hall, turns a corner, then stops
* William and Hans walk out, both giving deadly looks to Puritan
* Daniel turns to the others
* Angelo braces himself to break up a fistfight.
* William stops, too, giving Daniel a slightly guilty look
<Brianna> Once we are away from the Puritan, Brianna speaks
* Daniel smiles
<Daniel> "Restrain yourselves. We will have the upper hand."
<Daniel> "As for his memories..."
<Brianna> "Well, all I can tell is that he plays an important part in the future, and his fate is tied with NYC. What effect he will have on the future, or how he is tied to the city is beyond me.."
* Daniel taps his head. "I saw much..."
* Brianna shrugs helplessly
<Hans> "That stupid bastard..." Hans mutters.
* William swings his sword in whisting arcs to relieve pent-up tension
<Storyteller> You walk out of the hall and into the street again
* William stops and looks at Brianna and Daniel with interest
* Daniel grins at William. "Perhaps we should practice together sometime..."
* Hans nods to Daniel. "Yes, there is much we have to look through though."
* William grins back at Daniel. "You got it!"
* Daniel nods <Hans> "What did you see Daniel?"
<William> "Yes...it better be good..."
<Daniel> "I saw the meeting, through Lord Deter's eyes."
<Daniel> "There was Usher, indeed, as he said."
<Hans> "I saw the same. ."
* Brianna 's eyes grow hard
<Daniel> "There was also another...and try as I might, I could not clarify the memory of him..."
<Hans> "Did you see much of the other?"
<William> "You know it to be a male?"
<Angelo> "You know what I think?"
<Daniel> "I...cannot be certain."
<Hans> "For me, he was cloaked in shadows."
<William> "What's that, Angelo?"
<Angelo> "Now stop me if this sounds crazy..."
<Storyteller> You walk through the streets, and as you pass by a lonely alley
<Angelo> "What if the one you couldn't see was the one who planted the memories?"
* William nods
* Daniel glances in the alley
<William> "That's what I'm thinking."
<Storyteller> "I knew you'd come this way..."
* Angelo looks up.
* William turns toward the alley quickly
<Storyteller> "in here, the alley..."
* Brianna turns
* Daniel turns into the alley, hand on Nocturne
* William hefts his sword a couple of times
<Storyteller> You walk into the alley and see far down it, a wraith standing there in the shadows
* Hans rests his hand on his pistol.
<Cloak> "Come a bit closer, what I have to say to you should not be overheard."
* Brianna frowns, concentrating on the figure
* Daniel takes a few steps closer
<Daniel> "Forgive us if we act suspicious."
* William looks at Daniel to see what he's doing
<Cloak> "Good enough.."
* Angelo scans the alley and the way back, to make sure we aren't followed.
<Cloak> "You're the ones investigating the Governor...yes?"
* William follows Daniel with his sword held at waist-level
<Daniel> "Yes. We are."
* Daniel loosens Nocturne slightly
* Brianna keeps alert
<Cloak> "You are looking in all the wrong places..."
<William> "What do you know, stranger?"
* Brianna keeps her eyes on the cloaked figure <Cloak> "the witnesses, the Governor, all their memories are locked in place."
<Daniel> "I suspected as much."
<William> "So the witnesses are false-witnesses?"
<Cloak> "This is a conspiracy, and you have become pawns in this little game."
<Daniel> "But tell me...where should we look for answers?"
* Brianna whispers to Hans, who is standing closest to her, "Be careful, there is danger."
<Cloak> "I'm not here to give you the answers, but you need to look higher. This goes all the way to the top..."
* Brianna inches over to William and whispers the same message. "Keep alert. There is danger here."
<Daniel> "The Anacerons, as well?"
* William nods to Brianna
* Cloak stands silent
* Daniel sighs
* William begins backing up so he is at the mouth of the alley
<Daniel> "We will take your advice, good sir. Thank you for your help."
<Cloak> "be careful what you say and who you say it to."
<William> "How do you know so much?"
* Cloak fades into the wall
<Brianna> "Why are you involving yourself?"
<William> "Let's get out of this alley, people!"
* Brianna nods
* William looks both ways outside
<Brianna> "right. I sensed danger about that person, whoever, or whatever, it was."
* Daniel backs away, and draws his black-bladed sword
<William> "Who is he, and how does he know so much? That's what I want to know!"
<Brianna> "And why did he chose to speak to us.."
<Angelo> "What I want to know is why we should trust someone who won't even show his face over the Anacerons."
<Angelo> "Like I said before, this whole thing stinks."
<William> "Does this mean one of the anacerons might be working for a dark cause?"
<Daniel> "These are dangerous times. We should be wary of anyone."
* Daniel smirks. "I gather none of you could determine as to the nature of our beneficiary?"
* Brianna looks at Daniel. "Do you know who or what that was?"
* Daniel shakes his head
* William shakes his head disappointedly
<Brianna> "All I could see looking at him was danger."
<Daniel> "I do not trust him, but his words give cause to trust no one."
<Brianna> "But that might not have meant danger to us.. it could have just been danger in general. I would assume he, or it, is quite powerful."
<William> "Why is it we always end up as pawns? Now the governor is a pawn, as well!"
* Daniel smiles grimly
<Daniel> "Perhaps it is for the pawns to put the king into check."
* William grins a wide grin at Daniel
* Brianna smiles slightly at Daniel
* Daniel sheathes Nocturne
* William slowly sheaths his sword as well
<Daniel> "I mean...I've done it before. Surely, it can be no different than on the game board."
* Daniel chuckles
<William> "I think we need to meet with some of the higher-ups...maybe this wraith is our only source of truth."
<Daniel> "But is there anyone we can go to above the Governor and the Anacerons?"
* William shakes his head. "I wish I knew!"
<Daniel> "If not, then we must work within our constraints, and best them at their own game."
<William> "It's interesting that Puritan found us so fast..."
<Daniel> "Indeed. I suspect he has many under his sway."
* William starts feeling paranoid
<Brianna> "I'm sure he had the governor watched.."
<Daniel> "Of course. Or various clerks were in league with him."
<Daniel> "But perhaps we should be on our way...there are others to see, yet..."
* Brianna nods
* Hans nods.
<Storyteller> Will nods as well
* Daniel begins walking
<Storyteller> You walk the streets heading towards the safehouse
<Storyteller> Nearly twenty guards stand at the ready here
* Daniel approaches them, and withdraws the writ
<Daniel> "Good day."
* Daniel salutes them
<Storyteller> One of the guards approaches, "Good day, Centurion."
<Daniel> "We are here to talk to the witnesses. On order of the Anacerons, we are charged with investigating the matters surrounding Governor Deter's charges."
<Storyteller> "I see," he says looking at the writ. "Right, come along then..."
* Daniel puts the writ away and follows the guard
<Storyteller> He leads you in and you see two women, sitting in a large room
<Daniel> "Good day to you, ladies."
<Storyteller> They look up at you as you enter
* Daniel bows slightly
<Storyteller> They look at you expectantly
<Daniel> "I am Centurion Connelly. And we are here to discuss the incidents surrounding Governor Deter's incarceration."
<Storyteller> They nod, one of the women stands
<Storyteller> "I will tell you what I know..."
* Daniel nods
<Daniel> "Please do."
<Storyteller> "I saw the Governor on several occasions, allow a certain mysterious man into his chambers alone. The man would stay for hours then be gone without a trace."
<Brianna> "What did this man look like?"
<Storyteller> She leans in close
<Storyteller> "he had no face!"
<Daniel> "No features of any kind to identify him by?"
* Brianna blinks
<Brianna> "None at all? How do you know it was male?"
<Hans> "Just like the Governor," mutters Hans. <Storyteller> "None! he was blank, he had the features of a man, and wore a man's clothing."
<Storyteller> "He never spoke, he would just enter and the governor was ready to meet him.."
<Brianna> "how often did this happen?"
<Storyteller> "he must have met the governor four or five times."
* Daniel frowns
<Daniel> "And I gather no one saw where this faceless man left to?"
<Storyteller> "No, Centurion."
<Daniel> "Interesting."
<Daniel> "And what were you doing at the times you observed this man visiting with the Governor?"
<Storyteller> "I sat out in the clerk's office."
<Daniel> "So...you were a clerk, then?"
<Storyteller> "Yes, and so was she."
* Daniel nods
<Daniel> "And do you know who this faceless man checked in with before visiting the Governor?"
<Storyteller> "No, I do not."
<Daniel> "But, of course, he had to check in somewhere...I'm certain the Governor's staff are not in the habit of letting just anyone walk into his office without at least SOME explanation."
<Daniel> "Am I not right?"
* Brianna smiles
<Daniel> "So, surely at one of these times, SOMEONE must have taken down his name, at the very least."
<Storyteller> "I believe so.."
<Daniel> "And do you keep work schedules?"
<Storyteller> "yes."
<Daniel> "And more importantly...surely you can give me one or two dates..."
<Storyteller> "I will try."
<Daniel> "If you remember all the other events so clearly, a day should be no problem."
<Brianna> "When was the last time the Governor had this visitor?"
<Storyteller> "January 19th...I believe."
* Brianna narrows her eyes
<Brianna> "That is the day Usher killed Ahuru."
* Brianna swallows slowly
* Daniel looks at Brianna
* Brianna looks over at Daniel and he can see the rage concealed behind her eyes
<Daniel> "Brianna...perhaps you could go outsde for a moment and ask the guards to send a runner to fetch a schedule for the 19th of January?"
<Brianna> "Right. Good idea."
<Daniel> "You need not be in a rush."
* Brianna is having a hard time staying objective and goes outside to ask about the schedule.
* Daniel smiles and turns back to the others
<Daniel> "Is that the only date you remember?"
<Storyteller> "It's the last date..."
* Daniel nods
* Brianna walks outside and asks the guards to fetch a runner to get the schedule for January 19th.
<Brianna> After speaking to the guards, Brianna stands outside and stares off into the city, lost in her memories.
<Daniel> "And...I don't believe I recieved your names."
<Storyteller> "My name is Sherille, and this is Chris."
* Daniel nods again
<Daniel> "Very well. You have my thanks, Sherille, and you as well Chris."
<Daniel> "I believe we have what we need for the moment...but we shall be in touch with you should we have more questions. Be well."

<Storyteller> Somewhere in New York
<Storyteller> Two men watch the house their eyes scanning the windows
<Storyteller> "So this is the place?"
<Storyteller> "Yep, this is where they live."
<Storyteller> "Remember what the high priestess said, kill them all."
<Storyteller> The other man nods, "What was the name again?"
<Storyteller> the man lights a smoke and looks up at the window, "Emily Leclaire."