The Keeper pays a visit

[Ashard]

On this night the Grave Keeper left his hounds at home to play while he went out on the town. He rarely payed a visit to the tavern as he really had no need to, but now and then he rather enjoyed it. No one could see his transparent aproach as he entered and looked about, wondering what kind of fun could be had this evening.

The bartender preparing some drinks. A man leaning against the bar, trying to get a date with the lady sitting on the bar stool next to him. A waiter serving mugs of beer to a group of four guys seated at a table in the back of the room that were playing poker. A few others seated here and there.

It was not long before Ash saw a great oportunity. Two men got up from their seats at a table to the far left and started a fight, the one being more wasted than the other. The keeper took his place in their midst, ready for the right moment, and there it was, the finishing blow that knocked the one out cold. Ash changed his shape to match the apearance of that one and placed himself in the mans body. As the man hit the ground, the Keeper came out in his new apearance and completely visible. Looking down he saw the limp body and then looked himself over, his eyes grew wide and he turned to the other drunk with a frantic look on his face. "Holy bejesers! You killed me!!"

The drunkard's mouth droped as panic struck him. "I didn't mean too." He spoke quickly, glancing about the room for any sign of help but all he could see was condoning airs from the onlookers while some others continued going about their business. The drunkard droped to his knees and pleaded, "Please! Please forgive me! I'll do anything to make it up to you!"

[Cassius Ado Virtus]

The far corner of the tavern was occupied by a large group of uniformed officers from the Karadorian Army. They were sat about a long table, clustered about the gnarled and stain covered wooden bench.
Their bright steel armour shone from beneath their long red capes, which hung loosely about their shoulders, leaving the belted scabbards at their wastes clearly visible.
Each man was built like a house, with thick forearms and heavy shoulders and their faces all carried scars of some sort, their expressions were serious and care worn.
One of the larger men seated about the table, a man with short white hair, looked up at the commotion, gave a look of disapproval and muttered something to his comrades.
The assembled soldiers glanced at the ghost and the unfortunate sap, who thought he had just killed his friend, casting icy looks at the grave keeper.

General Cassius looked back over to the blathering drunk, “Get up fool, your friend isn’t dead. You’re being played with.”

[Ashard]

The old man was almost as bad as Kiara when it came to disrupting Ash's amusement. Almost... Kiara was always more abrupt than him in her actions. The Keeper, wanting to prolong his amusement for a little longer, remained in the drunkards form. Still bearing a frantic air, he looked down at the body once more and over to the other drunk, whose face bore a look of confusion now.

Turning, Ashard's eyes pleaded with Cassius. "You mean to say that I'm not dead? But that makes no sence!" His eyes bulged as he continued and pointed at the body that layed limp on the ground. "I mean, look!!"

[Deleted]

Aside from any conflict or contention occurring within, the tavern door opened to let a small group of wayfarers in from the darkness and a few dispersed into the crowd, a couple went to a table and ordered some soup. A taller man broke from the tiny congregation and went to the bar to quench his thirst.

He pulled off his hood, revealing a lengthy mane of well-tended red hair. He appeared to be of average human descent, perhaps some hint of nobility in his smooth, easygoing features. From within his long dark cloak he drew out some currency and with a very friendly smile to the bartender, paid several dummy coins which sounded, looked, and even felt like gold, but in a day or two would be ordinary wood chips.

Ana snickered quietly to herself.

"I just love a free drink," she thought and drew heavily from the flagon served to her. She checked her illusion, which was naturally in order and she thought her Rubedo was quite handsome this evening.

The tall man left his drink at the counter to confer with some of his traveling companions, and took the opportunity to casually inspect the scene. He laughed rather loudly at a comment made by an acquaintance, and then after finding everything in order he went back to nursing his flagon.

Inside, Ana thought about the rumors she had heard considering the pay of Karadorian officers and whether it would be worth the effort. She could almost imagine leaving with a much heavier purse than when she had entered ...

[Cassius Ado Virtus]

Cassius almost smiled. Almost. "Check his pulse for heaven's sake, moron." He yelled at the drunkard, who was busy blubbering and hugging his knees. Slowly, a small gleam of rational thought returned to the drunkards eyes as he recognised the military uniform of the man who was addressing him.
"Wh- Why ha- haven’t you a- arrested m- me?" He spluttered, his eyes filled with fear.
Cassius sighed heavily, "Check his pulse, friend. He's not dead - however that one is," Cassius pointed an accusing finger at Ashard, "and has been for some time. However, if you're really enjoying yourself feel free, don't let me interrupt you."
The drunk glanced up at the ghostly apparition of Ashard, then down at his friend, his eyes filled with confusion and fear as he reached out to his friend's neck to check his pulse.
Cassius shook his head and turned back to his assembled officers. "Now, back to business gentlemen! I assure you that tomorrow marks the start of something more, and possibly the end of everything we have come to know and love. In time you'll all come to understand what I mean, but till then - drink up!" He raised his tankard, spilling gobs of white froth onto the table.
The other soldiers followed suit, cheering and downed their tankards in one. Fortunately for Cassius, the ring he wore provided resistance to poisons and ills, and alcohol is a poison. At least he'd be able to keep his had on straight no matter how much he drank, and he trusted most of his officers to do the same. Many of them were already acting more drunk than they actually were, a useful little ruse, which often caught several would-be thieves.

After all, he had to give the town watch something useful to do. . .

The soldiers in the armies of Karador very rarely took the city guard seriously, even looking down on them on occasion, but Cassius knew their captain well, and trusted him to do his job. The guard were just lucky that they weren't the ones leaving the city at dawn, to find and combat an ancient and terrible foe.

[Ashard]

While Cassius continued to bear down on Ashard's fun for the evening, Ash took note of a peculiar situation; a group of guys that entered the tavern with a cute elven woman in their midst. What he found most odd about this was that none of the males in the room seemed to take note of her presence and drunken men always[/b] take note of any women that are near them. Though the reason behind that would be rather intriging to know, he decided to delay the search into it for a little longer as there was a bit more fun to be had with the drunkard.

As the 'moron' reached over to check his friends pulse and Cassius turned away, Ash leaned closer to the limp body as if to see for himself. When the drunkard realised that the general was right, the Grave Keeper started to laugh like a mad man as he backed away ever so slowly and his entire body swelled up untill it apeared to explode, he then disapeared. The look on that man's face was worth it enough for Ashard. The looks on other patrons was a bonus.

While the Keeper was out of everyone's sight, he took the liberty of scoping a few things out with regards to the mystery elf. It did not take long before he realised that illusions must be a part of this lady's pakage as her coins were not coins so he wondered how the rest saw her. Though it seemed as though her eyes were just about everywhere, especially on yours trully and his companions. Putting the fact that her coins were fake and that she was scoping the joint, Ash figured he had to be dealing not only with an illusionist but a thief.

Things were about to get interesting and Ashard definately wanted to have his part in making it even more so. Now to figure out how to go about it.

[Deleted]

Ana breathed a sigh of relief as the ghost disappeared. The dead were not her idea of fun. She had tried ignoring the situation in the corner as best she could in hopes it would blow over and she could continue unhindered. Her brain began to swim with questions and ideas, and she gave pause to the fact the apparition seemed to be connected with the group of soldiers.

"At least it's gone," she said to herself.

The young man "paid" the bartender for two more drinks, which he then gathered up and brought over to his associates at a shabby looking table which had seen its share of fights. From a pack on the floor he withdrew a small scroll and began in a low tone a discussion about their travel destination, pretending to drink from the flagon he had emptied earlier.

Ana did her best to feign occupation with the three others and risked looking up a few times to be sure the ghost was gone. How was it tied to the guards? What sort of other dark forces were at play here? Was there some sort of elaborate trap being staged to lure her out? Had she been discovered so soon? She couldn't be sure in a new environment like this.

Questions spun like a wind dervish inside her mind as she weighed the risks of getting involved with those affiliated with the dead. She didn't desperately need money, but it might not hurt to try either, and some patrons did appear rather intoxicated ...

[Cassius Ado Virtus]

Cassius frowned hard. That spirit was a damned nuisance, sure enough he was no harm, but some things Cassius just wasn't amused by. Well, most things actually. Cassius was a serious and sombre man, and Ashard was far from it. He'd never see the last of that one Cassius concluded, sighing and turning his attention back to his drink.
As he did, he noticed a shadowed figure out of the corner of his eye, a figure that seemed somehow alien in this place. Without turning his head, or giving any sign of interest, Cassius continued to talk with his officers, making a mental note that he would have to keep an eye on the sinister guest.

[Ashard]

After taking a gander into the situation at hand, Ashard figured it was about time someone played tricks on that girl's mind just as she did to others. Though in his style.

The fun thing about being a ghost is that you have no bone structure or anything else thats physical. One is therefore left with endless posibilities as to what shape and form they can take. So it was not long that the ghost at hand found himself looking very much like a liquid with eyeballs in it and in the theif's flagon, awaiting with watchfull eyes for the moment that she would come back to it for another drink.

[Kiara Karador]

Kiara sat up in the rafters watching the amusing antics of the ghost known as Ash, as he worked his wondrous way about the tavern making things ever so exciting for the drunkards that were trying to enjoy their blurred vision and less than capable unsteady mouths, as well as minds. They made such delightful targets for the rather eccentric and most playful ghost. Besides, she was indeed quite happy to see that he had taken her advice and gotten out of that dreary graveyard for a bit of clean fun with the townsfolk. Her attention kept moving back to the table where Lord Cassius sat however, her onyx orbs drifting there as if in automatic response of some sort that she seemed to have no control over. Several times she had thought to come join him, several times she had thought against it.

The Female elf that had wandered in was truly in for a surprise when next she took a stolen drink from her tankard and though interested in keeping an eye on the next happening with her, she found, once again, her eyes watching Cassius, knowing he was due to move out the next day, wanting to talk to him but not knowing whir to start. She had come here with every intention of speaking to him, but instead, continued to hide up in the rafters to watch the circus below, that, and mentally kick herself for not taking the opportunity that awaited her at the table just below her ghostly figure.

[Deleted]

She had it all planned out. A carefully directed snake illusion to scare the willies out of a few patrons, a few insulting remarks projected into the air, should start to generate just enough chaos for her plan to unfold.

Ana smirked.

"Almost too easy," she whispered to herself.

She went to fake a sip and barely noticed something sloshing around in her flagon.

"It was empty-" but her thought was interrupted by a horrific sight staring back up at her from the watery depths of her empty drink. Eyeballs and intestinal fluids.

Ana nearly threw the cup in fright but just managed to ungracefully drop it on the table and watched, mortified, as the contents spilled out in a sickly fashion. She cupped her mouth with a hand as she felt the contents of her stomach make an upward revival.

The others at the table yelped and backed away in sick curiosity as their red-headed comrade spilled the grisly contents across the table and onto the floor.

His face quickly matched the shade of green of a nearby potted plant as he turned in a wavery, dignified manner and quietly deposited his breakfast in the plant dirt. He wiped his mouth on a kerchief and leaned against the wall by the corner for relief, breathing heavily.

"Oh Gods, what in the Ninth Hell was that?" Ana shouted in her mind.

Her eyes darted back and forth, trying to get a clue. Another illusionist? Yes, it had to be. Was it the bartender? Perhaps he detected the false coins, it wasn't impossible.

"I had better keep my cool," she thought.

The young main straightened up and gathered his senses, straightened his attire, and chose to sit on a nearby stool while his stomach settled.

[Cassius Ado Virtus]

Cassius glanced across to the other side of the tavern, to the suspicious looking patron who had entered earlier. Something seemed to have shocked the stranger.
Running his eyes over the tavern, Cassius noticed what appeared to be human entrails scattered over the floor. The general's frown hardened and he rose to his feet, closely followed by two heavy set officers. This was not something he would stand for, and it would have to be dealt with.
The three men slid their benches back, and stepping around them, began to stride across the tavern, towards the scene of the commotion.
Cassius and the two bulky men who accompanied him stepped up behind the patron who had seemed to be at the centre of the disturbance, but were unable to see the guest's face.
"What seems to be the problem, friends?" Cassius asked, his tone underlaid with all the warmth of a blizzard, and a deep frown creasing his sharp features.

[Kiara Karador]

Kiara watched, cupping her own hand over her lips to hold in the sounds of laughter she felt coming forth. She did not want to blow her cover though, likely with all the commotion about, due entirely to the pranks of Ash, of course. must give credit where credit is due she thought to herself, still holding in a gail of laughter that was trying so hard to burst from her lips.

She watched now, as Cassius and two of his soldiers, rather burly men, walked over to investigate. Suddenly she thought how lucky she had been NOT to have Ash here when she was in charge of keeping peace in the realm and a twinge of woeful feeling began to well up inside her at Cassius’s position, though still, she had to admit, that was a very good joke this time. That thought however was just enough to keep her laughter inside and her amusement at the entertainment at a level of quiet observation and she maintained her secrecy.

[Ashard]

From within the flagon and all over the table and floor, Ash was laughing to himself as he thought 'Now that was fun.' He then made his liquidy self steam away from sight and the eye balls that were still slooshin around in the flagon started to shake and crumble to pieces, melting into the other contents of the glass untill every last bit of 'him' was gone.

Just as he had completly vanished from sight, Cassius and two of his soldiers came over to where all the 'comotion' occured. Ash could hear a slight laughter from up in the rafters, though he did not look to see who it was he knew it was Kiara, no one else could be there.

His plans of having a slight diversion aparently went a little too well and Ash would now have to wait a little longer before he could pay a visit to Cassius with no interuptions. He was set on getting his mission accomplished on this night, and when he wanted something he did not give up easily.

[Deleted]

As she sat on the stool, and her stomach settled, Ana quickly went over the possible courses of action. She had attracted attention, or more precisely, the contents of the flagon had. The guards were on their way over now and she would have to explain her way out of it. Somebody was onto her, no doubt. But no one except Ana would have any idea.

Should she play it off like nothing happened? Or try to lure out the trickster? No.. that probably would compromise her position. Uh oh, here comes trouble.

The red-head sat on the stool, gathering his senses and turned his head to the approach of a large burly man who did not appear amused by much.

" I'm sorry, I thought I saw something disturbing in my glass and, well, having been on the road for some time, I must be tired and seeing things," the young man replied to his inquirer. He rubbed his temples as if to emphasise the fact he was indeed weary.

"I'll be on my way after I clean up this mess ... sir."

"That should get him off my back", Ana thought. The big guy looked pretty bored and she didn't want to give him anything interesting to do. If there was one thing she knew, listless guards could be a real pain sometimes. She gave the guard a weak smile through the mask of Rubedo and continued to catch her breath. The thought of being stalked was rather disturbing, but it would be definitely worth it to see it through.