Log:Undermoon Wedding, Scene 1

Undermoon Wedding 2014/09/11 	 Ghost Ten Paragon Titan Q Porter

1

Atop the rocky cliff near the end of the bridge stands the tiny "fairy tale" castle that serves as the Undermoon embassy. It's no larger than a large house, and its great front gate (with drawbridge to cross a decorative moat) is only the size of a normal door. Its slender towers are topped with graceful spires from which fly pennants of many colours and designs, but chiefly of purple and silver. Over the main gate hangs a rectangular flag of the same colour.

That's the outside. As soon as one passes through the gate it's another story - the castle is vast, the walls tall, the spires tower above the courtyard! Various buildings of the same graceful architectural style are found among the gardens of exotic flora, and the place is busy with staff, both human and fae.

Ghost enters from Sandy Bottoms Island.

Ten enters from Sandy Bottoms Island.

Paragon enters from Sandy Bottoms Island.

Atop the rocky cliff near the end of the bridge stands the tiny "fairy tale" castle that serves as the Undermoon embassy. It's no larger than a large house, and its great front gate (with drawbridge to cross a decorative moat) is only the size of a normal door. Its slender towers are topped with graceful spires from which fly pennants of many colours and designs, but chiefly of purple and silver. Over the main gate hangs a rectangular flag of the same colour.

That's the outside. As soon as one passes through the gate it's another story - the castle is vast, the walls tall, the spires tower above the courtyard! Various buildings of the same graceful architectural style are found among the gardens of exotic flora, and the place is busy with staff, both human and fae.

Q enters from Sandy Bottoms Island.

Ten thinks that Ghost can enchant tech so it can survive. Or my staff has had it.

Atop the rocky cliff near the end of the bridge stands the tiny "fairy tale" castle that serves as the Undermoon embassy. It's no larger than a large house, and its great front gate (with drawbridge to cross a decorative moat) is only the size of a normal door. Its slender towers are topped with graceful spires from which fly pennants of many colours and designs, but chiefly of purple and silver. Over the main gate hangs a rectangular flag of the same colour.

That's the outside. As soon as one passes through the gate it's another story - the castle is vast, the walls tall, the spires tower above the courtyard! Various buildings of the same graceful architectural style are found among the gardens of exotic flora, and the place is busy with staff, both human and fae.

Porter enters from Sandy Bottoms Island.

Undermoon is in the midst of preparing for the upcoming royal wedding, between Duke Vanatherion and Princess Stephanie. There's a festive feeling in the air, with that sound of a party just waiting to happen. It's almost like the entire realm is on the edge of its collective seat, waiting for the most auspicious event of recent memory. Well...in addition to the return of Liandere, but that was ages ago as Undermoon reckons time.

Ghost mis wandering in the city, just entering the market square, as she 'feels' out the ambience of the city's population. She's trying to keep her figer on the pulse of the city so she will hopefully know if anything is developing.

Ten is present as a sort of auxiliary quasi-member of the Princesses' Guard. She's supposed to be here as security for the wedding, of course, but so far she's pretty much just taking in the wondrous sights, sounds and smells of Undermoon, and here in the marketplace doesn't know where to look first.

Harlequin looks around to get his bearings here in Undermoon. The mage has only been here once before after all. He lets his various senses take in everything around himself as he stands near a fountain. A smile is hidden behind his porcelain face as he takes it all in.

Ten thinks. o O (It's all I heard and more! And I thought stuff at the embassy was impressive...)

Atop the rocky cliff near the end of the bridge stands the tiny "fairy tale" castle that serves as the Undermoon embassy. It's no larger than a large house, and its great front gate (with drawbridge to cross a decorative moat) is only the size of a normal door. Its slender towers are topped with graceful spires from which fly pennants of many colours and designs, but chiefly of purple and silver. Over the main gate hangs a rectangular flag of the same colour.

That's the outside. As soon as one passes through the gate it's another story - the castle is vast, the walls tall, the spires tower above the courtyard! Various buildings of the same graceful architectural style are found among the gardens of exotic flora, and the place is busy with staff, both human and fae.

Quinn wanders the city as well, dressed in a copy of his Mk II armored suit. The visor is up, allowing people to see his face and letting his armor blend in, slightly, with the inhabitants of the city. In fact, this is what has brought him into the city, more or less. He moves through the market and various clothiers finding odds and ends to better help him look more appropriate. While his armor will never pass as a creation of the city, with the addition of a surcoat, cape, and various other accouterments he hopes to at least make it passable as the armor of someone from a foreign land and so he has come to consult with tailors, merchants, and various other people of the city in an attempt to make himself presentable for the wedding.

Ghost debates visiting the diviner, Aunt Silfy. But decides she can do that later. For now she's going to combine pleasure with business and buy some spiced stuffed rolls from a mistress of the baker's art.

Paragon has already managed to find the food stalls in the market, checking foreign fae produce and delighting in figuring out what the things must taste like. So far, she's glitch free, but just as a precaution, she brought Porter along in case she suddenly broke and needed someone to take care of getting her back to Allison for a backup installation. "Hey, look at that. I bet it tastes...purple," Paragon mechanically intones as she spies a bright purple fruit. Or vegetable. Maybe it's meat?

The heroes are not the only outlandishly garbed people about. Undermoon is a cosmopolitan city, and other foreigners - not all fae, either - are to be seen about the market.

Porter has been a few places and seen a few odd things. Magicky stuff, though, is different. He's still really new to that. But he has a trip planned to a magicky place sometime soon. This trip just winds up being a ...pre-trip trip? A test run to see if anything breaks. Like Paragon.

Since he isn't dressed up, Porter probably sticks out as much as she does. Unless they have wayward quasi-beach bums here. He tries to take in the sights while keeping one eye sidelong at Para. "Uh..." is his opinion of the fruit/vegetable/meat/vehicle? "No idea. What does purple taste like, anyways?"

A tired rider arrives on horseback, shouting for the guards. The civilians part for the rider as he moves through the street. He's quite easily noticed by all of those in the square, and he's wearing the livery of Duke Vanatherion. He says to Ghost, whom he comes across first, "You are a member of the Princess Guard, yes? We have dire need of your assistance! The Duke's entourage has been attacked on the road!"

A woman who could almost be human if not for the bright-red skin says something incomprehensible, seeing the interest in the fruit. She points to the fruit and hold up three fingers.

Paragon nods solemnly at his question as she leans down to inspect it further. Her glowing eyes narrow to slits. "Hmmmmm..." she buzzes with a slight amount of static interference. "Good. Question. Let's find out!" She straightens up and looks to the red woman. "Three. It costs three." Her head pans to Porter, then she pans it back to the woman. "Three what? Oh. I know how this works." She holds up one finger. Haggling. It's what one does in markets.

Ghost calls out for the members of the Princesses Guard in earshot to come together. Then she asks the rider where on the road and by what was the Duke's party attacked. All this after sending her standby messenger to warn the firebird carriage driver to be ready to leave immediately.

The woman shakes her head, and goes into a long spiel with lots of broad gesturing in some language the translation spell doesn't seem to handle. And she holds up three fingers again.

Harlequin notices various members of the Princess' Guard out and about in the market. He apparently decides to head over to the pair near the food stalls. After all, he should pick up some food. ONe never knows when one might need an apple or three or its equivalent.

His attention is then arrested by the arrival of the rider and what he says to Captain Ghost. The mage takes a step, fades from sight, and reappears next to Ghost.

Ten's attention it dragged back to the job at hand, and she presses through the crowds to join Ghost.

The rider gives directions to the location, which is just beyond where the valley where the wedding was to take place...on a road in a wooded area. He says, "It appeared to be mostly Goblins...though there were others among them that looked someone like Fae. Just...more pale."

Ten tries to remember the briefing. "Fae and goblins - that's weird, right?"

Ghost glances to Harlequin, "I'm glad to see you, Harlequin. I wasn't expecting anything so brazen as an open attack on the Duke's party. Neverless the Firebird carriage is ready. Ten, also good to see you. Yes, although Palanir has used goblins to do his bidding before."

"How far away is it Captain? I can likely get us there quicker than the firebird." The mage gestures in the directoin the rider came from.

Paragon's head tilts slightly. "I still don't understand. I thought she was supposed to hold up two fingers next. I miscalculated," her voice echoes quietly aside to Porter. "I don't have any currency for this place," her eyes dim, them she notices the commotion with the rider and Ghost as she calls out. "Sounds like trouble," she rotates her body around with a clanking adjustment of footsteps to face where she hears Ghost and starts to march in that direction. "We'd better go help."

Ghost accesses the aerial maps she's made of the surroundings and especially the place where the wedding is to take place.

"Sure. Why not?" Porter grins at Para. What's the worst that could happen? Aside from the purple thing trying to eat them back? An attack on an entourage seems to be the answer, though hopefully completely unrelated. Porter turns from charades to the yelling. "Uh, Para... how stable-ish is your whatchama shield?" This was supposed to be a simple walking test. Before any possibility of Bad Stuff (tm).

The wedding site is about 10 miles away. The map itself shows the road beyond it that winds through a wood in the general direction that the Duke was arriving from. He's been on a bit of a tour of the lands on his way to the wedding site.

Ghost opens her eyes again after closing them for a second or two. "It's fourteen miles to the most likely site for an ambush." She queries the rider, "Did the attack take place in the woods, near the stream bridge by the bend in the trail?"

Harlequin murmurs, "If you can show me the location on a map, Captain, I can open Gate to at worst nearby the location."

The rider nods to Ghost, "That's the location. They seemed to appear from nowhere in the trees surrounding the bend."

[To Ghost] Ten says, "Something significant about that place, wherever it is?"

Fortunately those Berlitz courses in Fae are really starting to come in handy. Quinn is only able to catch every third word or so, but since they are words like "Duke", "Attacked", and "Guards" that's enough to get his attention. He quickly excuses himself from the merchant he was conversing with and appears next to Ghost with a sudden <*VWORP*> as he bends space.

Ghost nods. She casts a spell and the group around her becomes a map of the area, with the likely ambush point highlighted in red. "If the Duke was able he would have gathered his party on one side to the stream. That way the stream helps defend from one direction. The map expands to show the detailed terrain of the exact spot, the stream meandering through the woods and the bridge over it. "Is that sufficient for you to open a gate, Harlequin?" she asks.

"I'm fully functional." Despite that, Porter's still leery. Things supposedly break in Undermoon. Things always break around him. But there's also people in need of help, and he knows neither one of them can really say no. so he says the opposite.

"We can help. What do you need?" Porter and Paragon move up to the gathering of people around the warning knight.

Ghost

On a first casual glance Ghost looks like a scrawny undernourished girl of about sixteen years of age. She's dressed in Fae casual style, a silk jacket over a quilted sleeveless vest, snug fitting crimson tights held up by a wide golden colored belt, polished black leather boots, with her long metallic silver dyed hair pulled back in a pony-tail.

She has the colorful sash of a war-leader worn diagonally across her chest. There is a mysterious flat dark grey parallelogram shape adhering to the back of her right hand. It has the look of a weapon but not one common to Earth.

Then look into her eyes. Eyes with an oriental slant that are an icy blue and as cold as space. Notice the ears, too, no larger than human but pointed like a cat's and mobile, twitching to zone in on whatever sound occurs nearby. The face is thin, her chin narrow, lips hardly existent.

Q

At roughly six and a half feet tall Q wears a battle suit of advanced design. Sleek and aerodynamic his armor is a highly polished black with a silver faceplate. Twin eye slits glow with a bright blue light within the highly reflective faceplate giving the armor at least minimal facial characteristics when the faceplate is not retracted.

The armor is in the basic design of a classical hardsuit as opposed to being designed of a flexible material though its articulation seems to allow for excellent mobility. Centered in the middle of the chest is what seems to be almost a circular window which gives view to an eerie sight, the Q-Drive. Energy swirls within the Q-Drive in patterns that cause the eyes to hurt if you stare at them for too long and seems to brighten and dim like some sort of pulse. Surrounding the Q-Drive is a broken circle which glows with a bright blue light and contains the emitters for the shockwave blast and thunderclap charge as well as the holographic projector and spotlight. Feeding outward from the ring are lines which clearly carry energy throughout the suit, energizing the various systems and glowing with the same blue light.

Small circular emitters sit on the back of each gauntlet containing the circuitry for the neural blast systems. The gauntlets themselves are slightly oversized with a slight bubble shape along their backs and snap open at a mental command to reveal the smartwave missiles inside. Larger emitters sit in the palms of each gauntlet housing the emitters for the force bolts, utility lasers, and his often used quantum bolts.

Harlequin

This figure stands a little under 6 feet tall and has a wiry build. His features are covered by a white porcelain harlequin's face mask. The eyes are obscured by dark tinted glass that barely reveal the eyes beyond. The mask has an obscure, faint smile on its sculpted features.

The figure is dressed in a floor length hooded black cloak that covers a scarlet tunic with long sleeves and loose fitting pants. All the clothing seems to made of some silken material. Black leather gloves cover his hands. The pants are tucked into a pair of calf high leather high boots.

The figure seems very confident in his mannerisms and stance. His gaze does not seem to linger long on any one person or object.

Paragon

This tall figure stands at about 6 feet tall, covered in articulated, form fitting high tech heavy armor. It gleams like bluish-gray metal. The body is broad chested, muscular and athletic. The plating along more flexible areas, such as the abdomen and sides of the torso, are banded and flexible. The front chestplate has angled edges and looks like a solid piece, save for some hairline seams. In between the plates and in areas where there is no armor, a black armor mesh material shows through that doesnt quite look like fabric. This can be best observed on the figure's hands. The backs of the hands are plated, but the rest is just covered by the resistant armor mesh like gloves. The front of the helm has a flat profile with no nose, a thin line seam that represents a mouth, and two black eye-slots covered by dark glass that reflects surrounding light and a solid faceplate, completely encasing the head. From deeper within the helm, one can see the "eyes"; two glowing white orbs with a red fringe that blink out in unison from time to time or narrow into lines of determination.

When Paragon talks, the voice is tinny and echoes from within the metallic helm. But the tone of the voice doesn't match the imposing figure. It sounds young and not very deep, and has friendly overtones, which sometimes boom with heroic or chivalrous overtones. There's a robotic quality to Paragon's actions, but also a humane aspect.

Ten

This young woman is like something out of an adolescent fantasy, from her curvaceous figure to her lips that seem designed to kissing, to her amazing blue, inviting eyes, to her cascade of blonde hair, to her voice, whose alluring tone seems to say so much more than her words. And she carries herself to show this package off to best effect, too, standing with her hips cocked and her chest out, or slinking as she walks, though this all seems natural, guileless.

Her identity is concealed by a blue mask about her eyes, which nonetheless leaves her mouth and hair visible. Below the neck and above the legs, hands and arms included, her skin-tight costume appears to be a single piece of pure white, but for a proud blue '10' on her chest. Her boots too are blue, reaching just short of her knees.

In her hand, or, when not in use, coiled about her, is a curious silver-coloured segmented weapon like a flexible staff in small sections held together by fields of force, faintly glowing blue. The individual segments are roughly cylindrical, yet the surfaces are not smooth, but rather shaped for a variety of functions.

Atop the rocky cliff near the end of the bridge stands the tiny "fairy tale" castle that serves as the Undermoon embassy. It's no larger than a large house, and its great front gate (with drawbridge to cross a decorative moat) is only the size of a normal door. Its slender towers are topped with graceful spires from which fly pennants of many colours and designs, but chiefly of purple and silver. Over the main gate hangs a rectangular flag of the same colour.

That's the outside. As soon as one passes through the gate it's another story - the castle is vast, the walls tall, the spires tower above the courtyard! Various buildings of the same graceful architectural style are found among the gardens of exotic flora, and the place is busy with staff, both human and fae.

Porter

This young man is several inches under six feet with an average build. Brown hair is cut in a short but current style and coffee eyes are bright yet generally unremarkable. As a whole, he could probably be overlooked in a crowd fairly easily.

His clothes are fairly common, with comfortable jeans, name-brand sneakers, and a tee that varies by mood. Most common are popular bands or catchy quotes. When it's cold or wet outside, he covers up with a jacket.

Harlequin peers at the map for a long moment then slowly nods. "Yes, it should suffice. I can open the Gate at will." The mage start to rach into his cloak then chuckles. "No need for that bit of frippery here I suppose. At you command, Captain."

Ghost nods thankfully to Porter and Third. "Muscle and firepower. Harlequin is going to open a gate to the location where the Duke's party is under attack. We need to support him and help drive the attack off."

Harlequin murmurs, "We should also encourage his Grace to retreat to this side of the Gate is we can."

Ten nods to Ghost. "The sounds like a job for the Human Shield..."

Ghost smiles wryly, "I know the Duke. He won't retreat and leave any of his group behind. He'll be the last one to leave. Unless the odds are bad that will probably place him in more damger than simply fighting off the attack.

Ten says, "Right. So I'd better guard the duke especially, yeah?"

Ghost nods to Ten. "Yes. That will be good, Ten."

Porter doesn't think he's ever been called firepower, but certainly knows he's NOT the muscle. That's all Para. Whom he can barely pick up. "I'm pretty sure we can change the odds," he smirks at Ghost. That's another thing he's certain of. It's just a matter of getting there, which someone else is probably taking care of.

Harlequin apparently tries to do something but the mana of Undermoon eludes him for a moment.

Harlequin seems to concentrate for a moment then turns his hands in is large opening circle in front of himself. A point of silvery-blue light appear then flashes out into a flat circle rimmed in that same silvery-blue in the air a few meters in fropnt of him. Through it one can see forest and perhaps here the sound of fighting. He mutters, "Well, that was more difficult than it should have been."

The gate opens up to a wooden area. The sounds of fighting and a running stream can be heard through it, though no combatants are immediately visible.

Ghost has been thinking at high speed. "Harlequin, if you can hold the gate open I may, just may, be able to talk the Duke into using it to come to Undermoon City."

Ten says, "Should I go through first as a guard anyway?"

Ghost sees the gate is on the other side of the stream and bridge to the Duke's group. "No, let it close after we pass through. You can open another back here I assume, Harlequin?"

Ghost nods to Ten.

Ten heads through the gate, one-woman vanguard1

Harlequin bows slightly as Ghost as he replies, "As you desire, Captain. Remember two at time everyone."

"Guys? Get there first, figure it out after?" Porter suggests. Probably a terrible suggestion, but it's the sort of not-a-plan plan he's used to. Also, under attack is kind of a time-sensitive thing. He heads through the gate, taking Paragon with him. So the saviors go marching, two by two?

Quinn follows immediately behind Ten, trusting in his armor to shield him from the slings and arrows of outraged goblins.

Ten tries to get her bearings.

Ghost points to Ten and Q. Then Paragon and Porter. Finally at herself and Harlequin.

Both Q and Ten notice that the fighting appears to be back behind where the portal faces, so you need to turn around when you arrive. There's general chaos, with a number of fallen Goblins and Fae around the caravan, though the dead Goblins far outnumber the dead Fae. Q specifically notices the Duke himself on a rise on the far side of the stream, with a couple of bodies at his feet. Just as the heroes arrive, the Duke runs through his last immediate remaining opponent. Apparently it was a Fae...with skin like alabaster, and eyes and hair as dark as coal.

The fight is just about over, it looks like. There are a few remaining Goblins starting to retreat back into the woods, but it looks like the Duke's party fared relatively well.

Ten doesn't spot - or at least recognize - the duke, but that doesn't stop charging full-tilt into the fray, propelling herself tree-to-tree with the staff. It may be almost over but no need to take chances.

Porter takes a moment to realize he's facing the wrong way and has to walk around the portal and incoming people to see what's going on. "Well, that doesn't look as bad as the guy made it sound..." He doesn't mind so much that it's almost over. That's a good thing.

Spotting the Duke and realizing he is in no further danger Quinn takes to the air, jets roaring, to make himself a nice big target and hopefully distract the remaining goblins and strange fae who have remained in combat. Quantum Bolts and Shockwave Blasts are tossed about along with Neural Charges to encourage any of the ambushers who seem recalcitrant.

Ten doesn't have too much clue what's going on, but jumping in front of the missiles the goblins shoot and lob to cover their retreat is obviously useful. Particularly as some of those arrows look like they've been dipped in something nasty.

Ghost goes invisible. If any fae are seeing her they'll get a shock. She becomes invisible to Second Sight too. Taking to the air she follows the retreating Goblins and pale fae. If she has to choose she goes with a pale fae rather than a goblin.

Harlequin steps through the Gate after Captain Ghost when the others have passed through and lets the Gate close with a melodic tinging sound. He looks about at the carnage of the ambush as he shakes his head. "Curious and curiouser," he murmurs.

The mage makes his way towards the dead bodies of the attackers.

One of the few remaining pale Fae opens a Way with a spell, to a neighboring realm. The others jump through, a couple of their number carrying wounded comrades with them...and the goblins line up to do similarly. Clearly they're taking their leave. Ghost doesn't appear to have been noticed.

Ghost watches to make sure they depart and takes what note she can of the detains of the realm they are heading to. She doesn't pass through after them. She's no world walker. She'd be stuck. Instead she returns to the site of the ambush after the attackers have left.

Duke Vanatherion comes back down over the rise, back into view of the caravan. The heroes were all able to see where he was, but the caravan must have been out of sight, based on the lay of the land. He says to the nearest guard, "Check on the caravan...make sure the healer treats all that he can." He finally notices the heroes that have arrived, recognizing a few of them. "Your timing was good, considering how far away the city is. I'm glad the messenger arrived in time. I believe your arrival drove them off."

The Duke looks like he's taken a few wounds from various weapons, though he's none the worse for wear. He looks every bit as regal as the other times he's been seen in public.

Ghost drops her invisibility well short of the gathering. She's not going to surprise a fae by appearing next to him or her. She'd have a sword through her before either Ghost of the surprised fae could stop and think.

Ghost swoops down from the sky. She bows to the Duke, "Your grace." she greets him. Noticing the sword in his hand she smiles, "I trust the Silver Lady acquitted herself well?" she says.

Ten turns back toward the duke now the fleeing goblin have scattered, or vanished - many of them shapechanging into animals to make themselves harder to follow.

Harlequin tilts his head for a moment then looks down at one of the dea goblins before apparently around for Captain Ghost. He spots the Captain and makes her way to her.

The guards of the caravan start to gather up the wounded for the healer to attend to. The Duke hesitates at Ghost's comment, but then he bows slightly to Ghost, "Quite well. Thank you again."

Ten thinks. o O (Huh - I guess that must be the duke!)

Ghost bows back. "May I tend your wounds, your grace? They may be poisoned. I'm sure you have spent as much time as you ever wish to recovering from poison already."

Harlequin murmurs to the Captain after bowing gracefully to the Duke. "May I heal the Duke, Captain?"

Quinn continues to circle above the trees, lobbing in the occasional Thunderclap Charge to help hurry any hidden stragglers on their way. He leaves the hob-nobbing to Ghost and others for now.

Ten heads toward the others, trying to remember stuff she was told about Undermoon manners and failing. . o O (Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut to be safe.)

The Duke considers Ghost's offer for a long moment before nodding, "Of course. I understand your concern. I feel fine, but if it will ease your mind, you may tend my wounds."

Ghost makes a mental note. o O(I must ask Princess Linandre to check the members of the Duke's party. In the chaos it would be relatively simple to substitute a shapeshifted goblin for one of the group.)

Ghost does so, healing the Duke and checking for poison.

Harlequin murmurs softly in English. "He is a very handsome man. And under the effects of a very subtle non-Fae spell." His body language is completely open and relaxed.

Ghost tells the Duke, "Your grace, this wound has a look I do not like. When we reach the city of Undermoon you should have a master healer look at it." She hasn't noticed anything but paranoid *is* her middle name,

Porter is neither hob-nobbing nor chasing. All of that seems well covered by everybody else. So he just... keeps an eye out. Just one. The other is mostly upon his partner and fellow non-hob-nobber. If just to make sure Paragon doesn't suddenly glitch, keel over, explode, or whatever else weird anti-tech magicky things could happen. Porter barely knows other CBers here, and definitely less about magic, fae, or much else. Not that ignorance has yet to stop him from helping out in some way.

The Duke raises a brow at Harlequin's statement. He appears to have understood what was said, unlike the other fae of his entourage, who do not take notice.

Harlequin murmurs softly in English. "He is a very handsome man. And under the effects of a very subtle non-Fae spell." His body language is completely open and relaxed.

Ten is assisting the fae warriors as she can. Also checking them out. . o O (Are all the fae so good-looking?)

Harlequin bows slightly to the Duke as he murmurs again in English. "I apologize, your Grace. I did not realize you understood English and meant no insult, but my duty is to protect the Princess." His posture is still relaxed.

The Duke considers Harlequin, "You're a member of the Guard, yes? That makes good sense, then. I assure you, I am fine, however. I'll certainly let the healers look at me, though. As the Captain requested."

Ghost nods to Harlequin before speaking to the Duke, "As is mine, your grace. You have wounded. Harlequin can open a gate to the city. Shall we make use of it to get your people to the city healers as fast as possible?"

Vanatherion nods to Ghost, "Please do so. I'd like to make sure that everyone is tended to as quickly as possible."

Harlequin nods to the Duke and then to the Captain. "It can be easily removed but is crafted to be all but invisible to detection. Shall I remove it?" He bows slightly. "The Duke is who he is. Not changed save for this spell." He gestures in the direction of the pale Fae. "Who knows what they may have done?"

Ghost makes sure the pale fae bodies are taken back to the city. As far as she is concerned the entirety of the Duke's group is compromised. She wants to get master healers and a mistress of Glamour to check over them, including the Duke.

The Duke shakes his head, his jaw setting slightly, "I appreciate the offer, but I shall have one of our own healers check."

Ghost steps to a goblin body and then another, and another. "Curious." she says.

Star Girl enters from Sandy Bottoms Island.

Harlequin nods slightly. "So be it, your Grace." He turns and opens a Gate back to the city of Undermoon.

Sure enough...there's not a single cold iron weapon to be found amongst the corpses.

Ghost thinks. o O(No poison as far as I can tell. No cold iron. There is more to this than the obvious.)

The various members of the entourage start to help the wounded through the gate into the city. The Duke waits until the wounded are dealt with...wanting to be the last one of his caravan to go through to get attended to.

Ten is oblivious to the peculiarities, not knowing what is normal in goblin attacks, but helps convey the wounded back to the city.

Quinn likewise is completely oblivious to the subtleties of goblin attacks and fae intrigue. In this instance he seems to be reduced to the role of muscle. He continues in his attempts to harry to attackers as he waits for the caravan to make it through the gate, lacking anything better to do, before following himself.

Harlequin waits on the far side of the Gate until everyone else is through.

The various members of the entourage that are wounded get through the gate. The Duke is the last to go, though a couple of his people remain with the caravan to make sure the carts and horses arrive in the city.

Ghost delays to sqeak to Harlequin, "Something is not right. Goblins use poison and the goblins of Wyrmwood use cold iron. Neither was used here. I do not know what is going on but I'm sure something is."

Ghost says, "Harlequin, were you able to get any sense of as to the function of that spell you detected is?"

Harlequin murmurs, "The spell on the Duke is unknown magick to me but is not Fae magick of Undermoon. Its function is unknown, I could barely sense it on him, and I fear what it could do." He gestures to the Duke on the other side of the Gate. "I cannot recommend his Grace being around the Princess until it is removed."

Ghost nods. "I will speak to Princess Linandre immediately." she says, and hurries through the gate, taking to the air immediately after and flying to the castle.

Harlequin adds, "The spell is crafted for subtlety, not strength. It would be easy to break."

Before she goes Ghost asks Harlequin, "If he tries to see the princess without being cleared, please break the spell. I'll take responsibility."