"It started weeks ago. I think around... five caravans, perhaps? Perhaps 18, 19 people?"

Jade wondered if it might not be the Graymen causing such mischief.

"Pardon, but the ones who came back, did they see their attackers ?" Jade blushed realizing she had blurted that out ad mists Jon's conversation.

Jon is about to respond, when Jade speaks up.  Jon nods and waits for his answer to Jade's question.

"No-- the ones who came back are the ones who weren't attacked at all. No one that we know of has been attacked and then also escaped. We have no proof that any caravans have been attacked at all-- we just know they've gone missing. ...I have heard, though, that some sort of monster was seen attacking-- and killing-- the mayor of Weirmonken. The last caravan to come back told us that. They didn't see it themselves, but it's what they were told."

Ariadne nodded, looking concerned
"What is your plan to stop this from happening?"

Jon nods Mr. Tazik answers Jade's questions.  He is pondering this information, when Ari asks her question and Jon waits for an answer as he mulls over the information so far.

~Hmmm, Caravans have gone missing, but no confirmed evidence of them being attacked.  The Mayor of Weirmonken has been killed, per a returning Caravan, that doesn't bode well. We are missing something.~ Jon thinks to himself as he is listening.

"Our plan? ...Please forgive me if this sounds impertinent, your grace, for no disrespect is meant, but our short-term plan has been to stop traveling to Weirmonken, and our long-term plan was to hope that the royal family of Amber would arrive to provide a solution. ...And... here you are." (He eyes Jon's big sword again (and Ariadne's axe, if she's got it on her).)

It was a measure of Ariadne's acting abilities that she immediately didn't do a confused double take, realizing that "Oh Crap!!!  We ARE the police!!!"
Ari had hardly been a "damsel in distress" back in Earth, preferring to handle her own protection and occasionally that of her friends, if need be.   She'd even gotten a bit of a reputation of being a kind of guard dog when a friend was being hassled by a creeoy guy in a bar or even on a movie set, and Ariadne had always been loathe to ask for help in such circumstances.
This, however, was a different situation.   While She'd been happy to drop kick a celebrity stalker or creepy barfly, she'd never been a vigilante or part of law enforcement, and it was just dawning on her that, as a member of the Amber Royalty, she was both.

Instead, she nodded.
"Well, then, perhaps we can see what we can do, or at the very least gather information to send back to the king or other higher authorities.   But i also wanted to know if you'd tried to investigate and what you'd found.   What else can you tell us?"

She was already trying to come up with plans to deal with this, like a stealth mission to the border, or maybe taking a fake caravan to the border?
Honestly, knowing that she could actually arrange such extravagant and important decisions made her a little bit light headed with wonder

"Ah... I'm not sure what else I can tell you, your grace. I have summarized all that I know." He tries not to shrug, and barely succeeds. "The people of Bercarro simply presume that the shapeshifters that plagued Weirmonken in long-ago times are behind the disappearances of the traders-- especially since one apparently killed its mayor recently, or so we were told. I... admit that that could be the work of a rogue, since they are said to go mad sometimes-- as individuals, I mean-- but add the other disappearances to it, and...

Is there... some... other specific information you wish to know...?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:37, Tue 03 Oct 2023.

Ariadne almost bit her lip in thought, but stopped herself just in time. That, she realized, might undermine her authority as a Badass if she were nibbling her lower lip in consternation.
She nodded, mostly to buy time for what to ask.  She was usually not at a loss for words, but this was definitely outside her comfort zone.   It reminded her of an Improv Comedy class she'd taken as part of her acting classes.   The class had been EXCRUCIATING.  It was like being on a high stakes game show where the grand prize was not being humiliated in front of her classmates.

Looking at Mr. Tazik, Ariadne shrugged
"Well, to be honest, I'm a little new to the area, so perhaps you could refresh my memory about these shapeshifters?"

"They were used in the old times when the throne..." Jade decides to discuss the rest with Ariadne more in private.

Ariadne raised an eyebrow when Jade stopped herself, then realized the green haired girl might not want to talk in front of their new buddy Tazik.  She nodded to her cousin

Tazik looks back and forth from Jade to Ariadne. "It... sounds like her grace may know more about them than myself..." he says, meaning Jade...

"I need some time to speak with my kinsman if you don't mind." She asks respectfully.

Jon nods and speaks up. "Can we meet with the personnel who returned recently? Have you actually sent word to Amber or where you hoping for a random encounter?" he pauses "Also, you seem very interested in my weapon. Have been since I arrived? Why is that?"

"I can make that happen, but I'm not sure how quickly I can make it happen... how long do you plan to be here? Some of them will likely be in the mines right now..."



"We have not, milord... we have no ability to send word. The last time someone from Amber was here-- it might have been Prince Gerard, though I could be wrong-- there had only been one or two disappearances, and we still had some hope that they might return. I'm not even sure if the mayor of Weirmonken was dead yet at that time.



"Well, I'm no expert... but it looks like your graces have come... ready to fight monsters." You feel like there might be an extra thought in Tazik's head that he's holding back...

(I'm not gonna make you roll for it-- just press him further if you choose, and if you do, he'll say a little more.)

Jon nods "How long ago was Prince Gerard here?" and then looks at the man and narrows his eyes and gives the man a stern look for a moment. "What is it that you aren't telling me? I sense you are holding back something and right now..." he pauses "Information is key to getting to the bottom of this situation.  So please share what you know or heard." his tone is friendly.

"Many weeks ago, now... I didn't see him, myself... he passed through quickly."

"What is it that you aren't telling me? I sense you are holding back something and right now..." he pauses "Information is key to getting to the bottom of this situation.  So please share what you know or heard." his tone is friendly.</quote>

"Well, I'm no expert in the old legends... but Prince Eric was said to use a very large sword to defeat the shapeshifters in the first place. Is... I just wondered if that might be the same one."

Jon nods "Could you share your old legends? And yes, this is that same sword." his tone is still friendly.  He gives a glance to Ari and Jade to see if they want to add anything.

Jade is smiling to Jon, "I knew your father's sword was special."
She twirls her closed parasol a little, letting him know she will help if there is danger.

In reply to Jade (msg # 91):

Ariadne also raised an eyebrow, very interested.  Amber seemed to be full of magical weapons, like some overly melodramatic Greek myth.

Tazik picks up on this. "The son of Prince Eric? How can this be?" It's not that he doesn't believe you, it's just... Then he thinks about it, and does a double-take at Ariadne. "Then again, you... you look much like every picture I have seen of the Princess Deirdre..."

Ariadne looked at Tazik, slightly surprised at being "recognized".   She chuckled wryly and smiled

"Yes, Dierdre is my mother."

Jade almost bounces on her toes waiting to see if he takes a guess at her heritage.

Tazik notices. "Oh, and, er... ah... daughter of Princess Llewella?" he (incorrectly) guesses (but, I mean, can you really blame him for getting it wrong based on the almost-no-info he's got?)