Our Venerable House

It begins with a notice. A short and brief message from Seldan's mother, sent via messenger, left at the Temple of Eluna in Alexandria that he is soon to receive a communication from the matriarch of the Padaryn family. "I know that you have been written out of the family line per your father's wishes, but know that I still have great affection for you, as do others of your family line. The matter that your grandmother wishes to send along to you is of vital importance--not to your father nor his wishes, but to the history of the Padaryn lineage." Her fine handwriting indicates to him that he should take himself and a trusted friend or two to the back room of a fine dining establishment in the Noble District of Alexandria, a private place where business meetings are sometimes conducted between members of the nobility.

The day and hour of the meeting arrives. There's a messenger who bears the crest of Seldan's family line in the form of a pin on his sharp uniform, waiting in the room that has been booked in this upscale dining establishment where there seem to be more wine glasses than plates in the areas that can be seen on the way to the private rooms. The messenger is a young human male, presumably a recently-hired servant of the house, who sits at a table, although he rises and greets those entering the room with a polite bow. "Greetings from Daneira Padaryn and her house. I am called Morgan, and I have been instructed to give you all the information that Daneira has on this sensitive matter, as well as the package that pertains to it."

The flood of emotions Seldan experienced at the receipt of such a letter was truly dizzying. He had been silent for some time after opening it, simply - staring at it. It had taken some prodding and a reminder or two to get him to share what was going on, to which the paladin had merely handed Zeke the letter to read and continued to stare, thoughtfully. In the end, he'd decided to go, and given _where_ they were going, and who they were to speak to, Seldan has opted to leave Reunion - and for that matter, the armor - at home for this.

He presents himself, bringing only Zeke, should he wish to come, dressed in a sartorial-looking overtunic of deepest blue, his shirt beneath it crisp, the trousers neat, the boots polished. The level of preparation says that the letter meant a great deal to him, but Zeke most likely knew that already.

"Her light upon your path, Master Morgan." The greeting is grave, but polite, and delivered with all of the quiet impassiveness of an alabaster pillar. It is not, though, wholly without warmth, merely -reserved. "I would hear your words."

Zeke follows in Seldan's wake. His green eyes scanning over the unusual location. The letter had been less emotionally charged for him to read, but no less confusing in reality. He knew from experience that Seldan and his nest-mother were close but that Seldan was far from close to any other members of his... family.

He is dressed in his usual clothing, but having opted to wear his armor. It is in a way in odd difference to the fact that Seldan has left his behind. It would not seem strange to anyone in his opinion, for Seldan's companion to be less concerned with appearances than Seldan himself. Still, he's aware in his way of the challenges and... pains of family. So he has polished his scales, his horns, and carefully ensured that his clerical vestments are quite clean.

He enters silently behind his kin, eyes landing immediately on the personage that greets them offering a low nod of his head and a customary greeting. "Peassce on your nesst."

Morgan's light brown eyes fall onto Zeke and then Seldan, perhaps lingering a little-overlong on Zeke in a way that suggests curiosity. He bows courteously before the two men upon greetings. "You must be my madame's grandson," he tells Seldan. "Madame Daneira wishes me first to express her most sincere regrets that she could not make this journey in person. Her health is at the point now where it is inadvisable for her to travel long distances, and so she could not leave the family seat to come here to you and sent me in her stead."

He gestures for Seldan and Zeke to sit at the table with him. The seats are more like stools, probably owing to the fact this place seems to be more of a ritzy wine establishment and that Alexandria sees a wide enough diversity of guests in the noble quarter that more universal seats were chosen as the standard rather than the exception. "The Padaryn family has received notice from a noble who recovered the deed from the belongings of the woman who had it last that the Ivyhold House, a manor that has historically belonged to the family. It has not been occupied for nearly the past two centuries, and Madame Daneira has sent out some of the household in investigation of the manor. It has fallen into disrepair, and the house has been entirely boarded up from the third floor down to the ground level. Every window, every door, every entrance point is blocked."

Morgan seems... hesitant to discuss the next, but he does anyway. "Research of the family histories has demonstrated that the house was effectively abandoned. No clear reason was cited. It was gifted to a cousin of the family and then it shuffled out of the family's holdings from there. The Madame has reason to believe that something is wrong with the establishment. Something that only you can help with, Sir Seldan.”

Seldan returns the bow politely, if less low, and seats himself as bidden, settling politely onto the stool and gesturing that Zeke should do the same. "Sunguard Zeke here has proven a trustworthy friend and ally," he observes in response to Morgan's long gaze. "Grandmother is ill, then." His eyes lower, and he lets out a long breath. "I see. I would have you convey to her my well-wishes and hope for yet many more long and fruitful years."

He regards the young man steadily, evenly, composedly as the rest is explained. "She believes it haunted." It's not a question. "I see. And she wishes me to learn the truth of the matter." His eyes lower again.

"I shall not refuse Grandmother. If I may be of aid, then I shall do what I can to learn the truth of the matter." He asks no more questions, knowing full well that none of his family are likely to know anything more than that. "Father has not attempted the place?"

Nearly-silent sentinel that he is Zeke takes the seat that Seldan suggests that he should. He might not have taken a seat at all if not for that gentle encouragement. Seldan's complement gets a pleased little wag of his tail out of Zeke and the sith looks happy to have earned such distinction from the other male. That being said, watching Seldan as he does while the other man talks, his tail grows still and his expression thoughtful.

"Your father has not been briefed on this matter by Madame Daneira," Morgan explains carefully. Something in his eyes about the way that he says that suggests there's a whole world of something between Seldan's father and Seldan's grandmother. "He has received an injury a few months ago that he has not fully recovered from, and given his age, has retired from his duties as a result."

There's a moment before Morgan reaches under the table and then brings up a locked box that has one heavy-looking padlock on it. "We recovered one thing from the site. One member of the search party had wandered off a little ways from the scene and found the contents of this box within what was likely a storage shed of some kind. There was a strange sigil painted onto the door of the shed that no one could identify at the time, but no apparent danger presented itself at the time of discovery."

He leans down and opens the box. Inside is... a single key, silver and gleaming, impossibly clean for something that's apparently been inside of a shed for nearly two centuries. It rests on a satin pillow.

_That_ is enough to send Seldan's fire-gold eyebrows shooting towards his hairline. A world of silent implication there. "Even so. I see," is all he says aloud, but Zeke will see more. Something about that surprises and intrigues the paladin - he just has better manners than to press for gossip.

He turns his attention, then, to the box and its contents, fixing a pale-eyed gaze on it for a very, very long moment. Then he looks up again. "A moment, if you will," he offers carefully. "I wish to - examine it more closely. The spell I mean to use is one of simple detection, no more." A very small smile accompanies that, an expression intended to be reassuring.

Zeke blinks at this news about Seldan's nest-father. The history there is one that he knows; if not overly well in truth. He's heard much but understands less than he'd like. He notices Seldan's lack of questioning, and knows that the other is curious but doesn't inquire. The blue-scale takes a breath, his green eyes on the messenger-servant. "Sssa... What kind of injury?"

The things that one does for kin.

“An errant weapon taken to the knee while not wearing proper protections," Morgan responds to Zeke's inquiry. "He walks with a cane now as a result, and has also been discouraged from traveling long distances by the family healer."

He looks to Seldan and nods politely. "It is yours to do with as you wish," he says, taking the key and placing it on the table for Seldan to observe and work his spell. In the meantime, he closes the box and rises from his chair. "If there are any other questions that I may answer for you, or any messages that I may relay back to Madame Daneira, please let me know." A subtle signal that he is about to exit the room.

Seldan turns his attention away from the key, with no change in expression, but merely inclines his head at the description of his father's injury, although the gesture is a brief thing. "He, and the family, have my condolences." The words are quite clearly polite only, formulaic, and with no heartfelt emotion behind them at all. This is not at all unexpected from Carissa's son or Daneira's grandson, both of whom would have expected manners without fail.

"Tell Grandmother that I pray for her health and long life, and shall investigate as she asks. I shall send word when I have learned more." His eyes now are on the key again, and he traces a sigil in front of his eyes, then speaks a few words. A blue-gold-silver shimmer appears before his face, and he studies the key intently, murmuring only to Zeke, "No evil."

Zeke nods to the messenger again, allowing the man to exit without further question. "Dragonfather'sss light upon you." He says, waiting for the door to close before turning his own green eyes on the key. "Magic?" The inquiry comes because detecting magical things is not a normal part of his duties in the temple. Thus the seeing of it is not something which he normally requests from the Dragonfather as part of his daily prayers.

Morgan seems visibly taken aback by the practice of magic that Seldan weaves in front of him, but he marshalls himself together and offers another bow. "Then I shall take my leave."

The key remains on the table. Remains for Seldan to claim it, now that it has been cleared of at least one kind of detection.

GAME: Seldan casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 16 DC: 18

Seldan does not even look up as the man takes his leave, so intent is he on the key and what the spell is telling him. After a moment, he makes an arcane gesture of dismissal and turns to Zeke. "Necromancy," he answers, picking up the key and displaying it in a hand. "It is in my mind that the house is haunted, and Grandmother wishes it removed, that the house may be restored and used. I shall not deny her." His smile, at last, now that they are alone, is much more real. "In truth do I yet think fondly of Grandmother, and of my aunt and uncle, but - I wish for no strife, and that I too oft cross swords with demons and worse makes it safer, do I remain distant." Yep, keep telling yourself that, Seldan.

"Come, I would learn what this holding offers."

Zeke lets out a soft hiss at the word 'necromancy'. Still, the blue-scale rises to his feet at Seldan's suggestion, nodding his head along and watching the key with suspicious eyes. He mislikes the manner of magic associated with it very much. "Perhapsss a lore-ssspell would be wissse? If it isss old, perhapsss there are sstoriess of it?" It doesn't look old really to Zeke's eyes. It looks magical.

The key, when Seldan picks it up, feels cold. Very cold. But maybe that's just the normal property of metal that's been inside, away from the heat of the Alexandrian summer.

Or so one would hope. But then there's a sound of _growling_ from the key. Something dark snakes out of the key and _bites_ Seldan's thumb, tearing off the skin and first joint of the finger -- followed by the phantasm forming on the floor where the top of the digit has landed.

Except where both it and the rest of Seldan's thumb should be crimson, there's... a glittering black substance instead.

The black dog that growls at both Zeke and Seldan with hateful yellow eyes doesn't much seem to care, however.

GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/religion: (18)+15: 33
GAME: Zeke rolls knowledge/Religion: (1)+24: 25 (EPIC FAIL)

"AGH!" The key clatters to the floor as Seldan screams, the other hand immediately reaching for the injured one. "Zeke, I left Reunion aside! I did not wish Kanian to offend!" Just when you think it's safe to go unarmed anywhere in Alexandria -

Instead of backpedaling a couple of steps, though, like anyone else might do, he _steps_ between the phantasm and Zeke, hand cradled close. The other hand raises to work a swift spell, sigils interweaving beneath Eluna's holy aegis to weave magical protection for the both of them in blue and silver.

He doesn't seem to have noticed the black and glittery just yet - or perhaps that is merely part of the phantasm?

Zeke has a weapon though, nothing as big and fancy as Reunion, and in truth he's only used it once as a weapon, but it might serve Seldan here better than its ever served him. "Kin!" He replies, offering his walking staff, or rather his quarterstaff which has faithfully served him as a walking staff for years to Seldan. "Ward the feline off with thisss."

He unlike Seldan does note the sparkling black ichor that comes to the wound unlike the blood he is far more used to seeing. However he has no idea if it is something that is an effect of the animal that has attacked or not. The blue-scale quickly snatches up the discarded bit of flesh and bone, knowing he has the magic to return it to Seldan, but it will have to wait a moment... Felines first.

The black dog growls at Seldan, seeming to grow mildly in size as it continues to exist outside of the key. The beast lets out a baleful bark, a thing that rattles the soul, before it lunges in at Seldan's leg, its teeth far too sharp for the incorporeal creature that it should be.

The black ichor on the ground continues to glitter and retain its hue even as the dog moves away from it. It seems far more interested in Seldan than it does in Zeke.

Knowing full well that a weapon will be needful, Seldan leaves the matter of his thumb aside and turns to take the weapon from Zeke. Blood and the glittering black ichor mingle on the wooden shaft of the weapon as he grasps it, the stump just enough left to - painfully - grasp the weapon. Unfortunately, this has left him open, and teeth sink into his leg as well. "Agh!" This time it's more quietly, a pained hiss than a cry. "It's no cat," he mutters low, aiming the bottom of the shaft to thump the creature soundly on the head, hopefully hard enough to get it to let go. "A guardian. It does not wish a Padaryn to have the key! We must remove it, if we are to learn more." So saying, he aims several good, hard blows at the creature's head, trying to ward it off with what he has. If this does not serve, other means shall be considered.

GAME: Zeke casts Holy Aura. Caster Level: 18 DC: 23

Zeke puts the thumb into one of his pouches. It will be safe enough there for now, but the blackened blood worries him. Particularly that no red is following in the wake of it. Rather Seldan seems to be bleeding the stuff. "Then we will do sssso." Zeke says sternly, claws raising and building power inside himself. The light of the Dragonfather pours forth, infusing him and Seldan with extra protections from things that are of evil intent. He doesn't worry Seldan with the details however. Now is not the time for grim knowledge.

GAME: Zeke rolls Heal: (8)+21: 29

Zeke's light causes the black dog to lurch back, away from Seldan. A closer inspection of the dog's form reveals that smoke is wisping away from it, wicking away from its form like a candle that is burning a little too brightly. The holy energy appears to be the ticket to driving it off.

That same black, glittery substance now oozes freely down Seldan's leg and fairly soaks his left hand. It is not, in reality, an ugly thing, although it most certainly is unnerving, but his focus remains on the dog. Seeing the dog retreat, its form wisping away at the touch of Zeke's holy spell, he remarks, "It dislikes your spell, Zeke. Let us see if I may aid you."

To do so, though, he'll need to leave himself open for a moment, and he brings the quarterstaff to his face. "Holy Dreamer, send to me one of Your servants, that Your holy power may flow through my strikes." He is, instinctively, trying to keep all of this quiet, so as not to disturb the other diners!

GAME: Zeke casts Dispel Evil. Caster Level: 18 DC: 20

Like Seldan, Zeke is wholly conscious of the people on the other side of the door. He works another spell, this one to protect himself from the guardian-cat and which might allow him to drive it off... if he's lucky. He's never been much of a fighter, but perhaps while it is distracted with Seldan...

He daren't heal the other man. Not now. Not with the limb still detached. So he steps up beside his kin, preparing himself for the inevitable. The moment when the creature lunges forward to strike. Praying to Daeus that he'll be fast enough. That Seldan's injures allow him to hold the beast off long enough for this to work....

Assuming he even *can* send it back.

The Dreamer, She listens. The Knight, He listens. The quarterstaff infuses with Eluna's light, a spirit sent by Her loving hand, and when the black dog makes another lunge at Seldan--

Zeke protects his kin.

There's a quiet canine whimper as the dog-phantasm slips away, fading away with the bright light of Zeke's strike into its form. Leaving behind the black ichor on the floor, the detached limb, and Seldan covered in blood.

Outside the door, one can hear hurried footsteps approaching. When the thing vanishes from being, Seldan at once - relaxes. Lets out a breath. "Well - done, Zeke. Come, we must -"

It's about then that the deeply bitten leg, waves of cold and heat and prickles shooting through it, gives way, and he drops to one knee. The staff clatters to the floor, and one hand immediately goes to cradle the other. "Agh. What in-"

It's only now that he gets a good look at the glittery black stuff, and all color drains from the already fair features. "What is -" He is left wordless, to _stare_ at the effect.

Zeke moves forward as the creature tries to sink its teeth into Seldan, and he does so without thinking. On instinct. Just as he had intended to do. His crystal claw stabs into the creature, banishing it back to wherever it had come from. He is amazed for a moment, and he starts to...

Seldan goes down to one knee and his flesh-and-blood claw grabs the thumb out of the pouch, him going to one knee too. His left arm feels oddly heavy, but he doesn't notice it yet. It doesn't really register. There's a glow that helps illuminate Seldan's injury and he doesn't think on this either. Carefully he moves his hand to Seldan's hand.

"Thisss one doesss not know what it issss kin." He says, his tone conveying his worry, but he can't focus on it either. There's something more important. Seldan's thumb. "Here, quickly, we mussst reattach it." He holds it out to Seldan.

So worried about his kin, and the black substance that's pouring freely that he hasn't even noticed that his crystal arm is no longer attached to a claw but to a glowing crystal sword.

There comes a frantic knock at the door. "Everything okay in there!?" comes a man's voice on the other side. "Busboy said he heard noises coming from back here like a fight!"

"Come," Seldan calls, the voice tight and pained, said without thinking. He lets Zeke take the freely bleeding hand, sinking to sit on the floor very slowly. His gaze has dropped to the floor, but he looks up when the soft crystal glow pierces his consciousness. "Zeke," he murmurs softly. "Look at your arm." Unlike with his own problem, this brings a ghost of a smile to his face.

The pain is pretty bad at this point, but the paladin has known worse. "It is beautiful. How did you - do that?" He is clearly trying to focus. To be useful. To handle the matter at hand. The mess. His eyes fall on the key, clattered on the floor.

Zeke is even more worried when Seldan's voice is laced with pain. How many fights have they seen, and how many times has Seldan allowed him to hear *pain*? Zeke doesn't look at his arm, he puts the thumb where it belongs and then lifts the crystal claw to support it while he works his prayer. Only... It's not a claw.

He stares at his own limb in utter shock. Forgetting to hold Seldan's thumb in place but... There's no need. The thumb stays where it's meant to be without him and when he looks back to be certain he can tell that its repairing itself. Green eyes slide back to his arm and he expects to feel somewhat concerned, after all his claw is... GONE. But he doesn't. Like Seldan he feels peaceful. Like this is supposed to happen.

"Ssseldan." He warbles uncertainly, trying to understand a magic that is so far beyond him.

"Worry not Zeke." The sword says in a gentle, woman's voice and the voice shocks him even more than the weapon. It feels... familiar. Like he should recognize it from somewhere. "Tend your kin, I will be here. Always."

Then, the weapon reverts slowly back into his claw and he looks at Seldan in raw astonishment.

The door to the room opens, and there's a jotun man dressed in very nice clothes on the other side who also looks built enough to toss your usual drunken noble outside if needed. However, he looks at Seldan and Zeke in total astonishment, clearly recognizing Seldan from the way his eyes in particular widen upon seeing the paladin--

And then he takes in the blood on the floor. "Shit," he mutters. "Both of you okay? I, uh--don't worry about the room, sir Seldan, I'll just get the manager to... clean..." And the man turns about and staggers away in bewilderment, leaving the two kin to themselves for the moment. For this moment of wonder between the two of them. For the glittering black ichor that repairs the thumb and for the weapon that briefly manifested. Two changes in two of kin.

By now, Seldan's entire left hand is positively covered in the glittery black substance, and the thumb is clearly mending itself. Reattaching itself. A glimpse at the deeply torn leg reveals a similar situation - the entire injured area is covered in it, and he _stares_ at it, but when the door bursts open, he lets out a slow breath. "I shall clean it, and would ask your forgiveness." But the man is out before he can.

He shakes himself and returns his attention to the crystal claw. Despite his situation, he forces a smile, even though he seems utterly uninterested in moving. "I see. A soul has chosen your claw as the weapon's form. Most fascinating. It cannot but be there of its own free will, and thus do I not fear for it."

Zeke gives his claw a little shake as if to see if it will suddenly change, but when it does not he turns the whole of his focus back to Seldan. "Thissss one doesss not know, but it ssseemss that you are..."

A flash of memory, of terrible memory and he motions for Seldan to do what he suggested. "We mussst clean thisss. Sssoap. Water. Ssseldan." He carefully reaches out and touches the other man on the shoulder, worried that blood loss has rendered the other man slightly detached from his own memories and being. "You are repairing. Like the plague."

Was today a blessing or a curse? There was no way of knowing. But he needed to get Seldan to a place of healing and quickly "Thisss one mussst take you to the temple, but we dare not leave thisss room untended."

From Seldan's suddenly crestfallen expression, he had clearly had the same thought. Suddenly deeply troubled, he forces himself to his knees and then to his feet, carefully putting minimal weight on a leg that tingles and prickles, and reaching for the key that had spawned such an awful thing. Too many memories flood him, staring at this in growing worry. This was - not good. "Salina - was to have cleared this," he begins uncertainly. "I - would try an experiment. Let us learn if this is as it was before."

With that, he raises a hand, and begins a spell that Zeke has watched him perform many times before - in response to exactly this - A set of sigils, the words of power that cause them to burst into violet fire. The negation and reversal of the gathered power, aimed at the glittery black remnants left behind on the floor. His focus is not the best, but he wills himself to stand, to finish it, and waits for the sickening nausea that he remembers all too well.

Zeke waits as well, standing himself in Seldan's wake. He waits. For the ooze to try and expel itself from Seldan's body. For the stuff on the floor to awaken and try to eat them. Or force its way into their bodies.

Neither happens.

Zeke waits a moment longer and looks at Seldan with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "If it isss not that... what isss it?"

And that is a very good question indeed.

A very good question, to be sure.

Seldan lets out a breath he did not know he was holding. "I am not ill," he tells Zeke simply. "I am - weary, but not ill. I shall clean this place. Perhaps it is best, did you hold the key in trust. I shall write my grandmother on the morrow and ask her of this missive, and this messenger, and this Ivyhold place. I shall yet attempt to free it, but we must understand the dangers that lie ahead. Was Father attacked by that thing?"

In the end, Seldan manages to clear the area, with a mix of dispelling and prestidigitation spells. By the time he is finished, his hand and his leg are wholly mended, leaving only the faintest tracery of scars that will soon fade. He leaves an appropriate sum of coin for a meal that might have been, and extra _for the disturbance_, and allows Zeke to take him where he will.

Several disturbing mysteries, all rolled into one innocent-looking silver key. Some, at least, will have to wait.

-End