Goodbye to Gravity, and to Death(IC)

[Ari]

Marceau had been quietly watching the strange world(much more so than it would have been only a few centuries ago)that Parsinkle and the other Fey lived in, marveling at how clean and well kempt it all was. Waving politely to the cheering crowds lining the town streets, he had taken a moment to wonder if this was all planned for the humans' edification, quickly pushing the question from his mind as the massive and glorious castle drew nearer.

Remaining quiet as the two were directed to their room, Marceau had nodded in thanks to their guide as he walked into the plush apartments, surveying the otherworldly terrain that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Well my friend" said Rene to Marceau "I feel almost 200 again! This realm is full of vigour. Mercurial and ephemeral. That is not always a good thing, however. Youth has its attractions, but it fades like all things....And seductive, too. One could get lost here. Full of the joys, and then the horrors. But now, let us not be caught up with splendour and mirage. So, Parsinkle is not yet a king, but schemes to be. The plot thickens! And I think we should go exploring!"

He started at the words, answering slowly "Indeed, I feel younger myself, like I have found a path back to my childhood. Really Rene? We become invisible again so soon?" he asked with a joking grin "Mon professuer, if this goes on by the time we have done all our foes will walk around invisibly themselves. Lead on, I dare say you have seen the inside of castles more oft than I."

[Supercape]

"Castles?" replied the invisible Rene with mock indignation.

"I'm not that old!" he complained, his voice part irritation part mockery.

"In any case, I think this may be wiser than pulling the Redcap trick again" he explained. "That trick worked well enough the first time. But never try the same trick twice when it comes to the Fey".

He paused.

"In fact, it is best never to try any tick once when it comes to the Fey, but such are the lands that Fate has deposited us in!"

He opened the door, wincing as it creaked.

"Now, where would Parskinkle hide a secret? Come, my detective friend, your mind is as cunning as any I know!"

[Ari]

"Of course not, my friend!" Marceau laughed cheerily, slapping his invisible friend on the back warmly, walking quietly into the hallway and scanning the oddly well-lit passageways their apartments opened out to. "Agreed on the Redcap score, that might be a little harder to pull off now that Parsinkle knows about it. I wish now I had more dealings with these people before, then I would be more help to you Rene" he said with a note of gloom, carefully considering the last point.

He leaned against one tapestryless wall, deep in thought. He didn't know what some inhuman tyrant would take special precautions against, but he knew where people kept things they wanted hidden, and carried out business that was meant to go unseen. At length he offered "A place best suited to carrying out secret conversations would be the towers, and anything he has that he would want kept secret would be deep within the castle, somewhere that would make it dangerous to intrude, and a deathly hazard to even escape from. Where do you think we should start, and does that even fit with what you know about the inhabitants of this world?"

[Supercape]

"It has been a while since I trod the earth of this realm..." replied Rene, cryptically. "I wouldn't trust my memories of it. The event was rather...peculiar..." he said, whistfully.

"Let us see what hushed words fall from loose lips then. The towers it is. Although the Fey have silvered tongues and riddled phrases. It is not always easy to decipher the underlying truth. Trust them not!"

"And, might I suggest the noble power of intoxication lubricate their speech? A drunkard can speak more truth than a sober one, given the right encouragement..."

He looked around as they crept forward under cloak of invisibility, too see if any of Parsinkles generous welcome could found. Wine, glorious wine...

[Ari]

GM

One thing that the deceptively terrestrial castle had in abundance was spirits. Nearly every one of the small tables that littered the interior of the hallways had at least a glass suspended in air with the rich red or yellowed white of the fermented juice glowing within it. The bottles were also close at hand, as one revealed when it bumped against Rene's hand after his murmured comment about the glory of wine, floating silently in air with a soft and gentle glow at its cork. Two of the more elfin guards could be seen at the end of their hallway, idly talking with each other in the high and haughty tone quite familiar to the old painter's ears. A humble word from one of them would have seemed outright outlandish.

[Supercape]

"These two look like ideal candidates..." chuckled Rene softly to Marceau as the two of them crept forward.

Rene reached up to grab the floating bottle of wine, and gave it a sniff.

"As fragrant as I remember!" he said wistfully. "Although last time I was in this realm was...under different circumstances" he said, enigmatically as ever.

"A gift for those that work hard and talk merry!" he declared, within earshot of the two elfin guards, and with that, he lobbed the floating wine into their paws.

"A gift from a spirit Dionysian!" he sang, and waited to see if the two guards would fall for it...

[Ari]

"Well that was convenient" Marceau commented with a slight note of worry, glancing around the hallway with a suspicious glint to his eye as he looked for any more roving bottles of spirits. He wasn't much for alcohol himself, his work rarely allowing him the time or situation where that would be a good idea, and so entrusted the work of Bacchus to his friend. He remained a little behind, watching the way back so that none could sneak up on them unawares.

"At least Rene has found a good ice-breaker" he murmured to himself with a slight grin, "with any luck it works the same magic on their minds as ours."

[Ari]

GM

"Ah! A welcome present, Earthly one" one of the guards said warmly, taking the bottle with a flourish and a twinkle. Uncorking it with his teeth he put his thumb partially over the mouth of the bottle as he tilted it back, twin jets of the bright liquid squirting into his mouth down each cheek. After a few moments of this display, his comrade snatched the bottle from him, which provoked a furious snarl and flash of red light in his eyes..which vanished as soon as it was seen, and both were laughing heartily, taking swigs from the bottle in turn with their arms around each others' shoulders.

During a short break in the swigging, one of them said cheerfully to Rene "Earthly one, and friend of Bacchus, how are you enjoying the hospitality of the Red Prince? Is it everything that you have been told?" he asked innocently, his friend adding with an amazingly smooth face "Doubtless you wish to see all of his wondrous castle? A mighty work of..." suddenly the mood chilled, and they glanced around with suspicion, and not a little fear. Seeing that they were alone, the second went on more softly "We are both loyal to his sovereign-ascendance. He took this land and his title in accordance with our laws, and is leading us low Fey to greatness." he looked slightly uneasy just saying those words.

[Supercape]

Rene laughed heartily and bade the redcaps farewell. There tongues had wagged, loose as they were, but he fancied they would be no looser.

"So, an aggressive monarch!" he said to Marceaux as he stroked his beard. "Leading the redcaps to greatness, no less. Well, those two didn't seem overly keen on Parsinkles expansion. What concerns me..." he murmured, to himself as much as to his master detective companion "...is that Parsinkle doesn't think small. His expansive goals, and dreams of greatness, may not limit themselves to this dimension..."

He pondered the matter a few moments.

"Bah! We need to found out what is going on! I think it is time to delve into the depths of the Castle, as you suggested. Let us see if our good king has anything hidden from prying eyes...."

[Ari]

Marceau raised his eyebrows and whistled quietly as he followed René down the quieted passages of the castle, down the red stone stairs and through draughtless red-carpeted corridors as they searched for a way down into the lower regions of the castle. <"It could be like in our world, where we have the ambitious leader and his not entirely willing servants who go along so that they might be part of something great."> he suggested, a vague sound of quiet song nagging at the edge of hearing as they traveled down an especially broad staircase that had worryingly few handrails. He looked at the ancient painter with a slightly skeptical look <"Could Parsinkle strike into our world? That seems unlikely given that such as the lady Equinox and other mighty heroes dwell on Earth."> he asked dubiously.

[Supercape]

"Anything is possible" answered Rene, as much to himself and the stone walls as to the super-detective. "Whether it is plausible is another matter altogether..."

"I myself prefer to keep an open mind about these things. Patterns form, things are what they ever where, but in cycles new and changing despite their resolute stasis. Eldritch protects our world, as do the residents of Parkhurst hotel, and others, like Madame Equinox. And I understand she bears no love for the Redcaps..."

"Even if he does not enter our world, the effects may be felt there. Everything is connected, in ways beyond even the wisest to understand..." he stroked his beard, thinking.

"But enough philosophy, my friend, I hear a song. And if my old ears can hear it, they can hear us...."

[Ari]

<"Possible, plausible, whichever. So this may effect changes even without any of his people being in our world? Troubling, to say the least."> Marceau commented dourly, stepping aside to let a scurrying courtier scamper past up the stairs. He tilted his head at the mention of the song, frowning <"I cannot say i care for such music"> he said at last, quite casually <"But at any rate, yes, I will be quiet.">

Inclining his head to René, he quieted his step and slowed his breathing, signing that he would take the lead on this case.

He led the pair of them down stairs that echoed dourly, carefully choosing passageways that looked unused, where fewer Fey dressed in impossible finery walked, and where the decorations were a little on the austere side. They went unmolested, Parsinkle's people apparently having been told to smile benevolently at everything the human guests did and not try to forestall them At last at the center of the castle a small and unassuming door stood at the end of a otherwise bare red stone corridor with dim sconces. He listened at it, gesturing for René to keep watch.

[Supercape]

Rene bowed deeply at the Redcaps, moving slowly and carefully towards the door.

"Anything?" he asked in rather hushed tones, as Marceau listened. "My old ears are not what they used to be...ever since world war II, those shells made such a racket..." he complained, slapping the side of his head gently.

"I can barely hear myself, these days!" he smiled.

He looked around the Redcaps.

"At least we are, for now, not under suspicion! we are merely suspicious!" he punned, smiling slightly. Despite himself, he had a growing sense of vague nervousness, his mind playing over what they might - or might not - find.

[Ari]

GM

The Frenchman's keen ears detected at once the brisk and energetic tones of Parsinkle. This time the prince sounded anything but happy. Strident, harsh and imperious his voice rang out, answering some unheard challenge

"...and yes! I know they will come searching for trouble. I am certain of it! Humanity has not become so impenetrable to us because they kept their peace and never grew curious. What do you think they'll assume, my dear Hartfoul, when they hear of my ambition? What dreams of horror you do suppose they will come up with all on their own? I promise you, my oldest friend," the prince's voice had grown much softer, almost kindly. With a few faint steps(the young adventurer felt more than he heard Fey footsteps) the prince moved closer to something a little further into the room "there is nothing they can do by now. Everything has fallen out in my favor, from those rebels I have as a sign of my competence to the red lords and ladies, to the fact that now I have witnesses. Those two humans will be sure to talk, they will tell every-" "Everyone who can put a stop to you, yes." sneered a much older-sounding voice, rasping and cold "Parsinkle, you have done astounding much to serve the turn of the Redcaps, but do not put carts before horses, those humans will not just tell everyone, they will seek out those who can do something with such news. That young witch who defeated your your kinswoman is not the only warrior they have, there are dozens yet who can stand against us."

A strange chill settled into the air at those words, and it was several seconds before either Fey spoke again. At last Parsinkle's voice gently drifted through the air and into the door with total clarity "Yes. You are right. I am sorry for what I said, my brother-in-arms. Do not worry, they will see only petty dreams and foolery like an old dictator from their world, not the Fey who shall bring our race to its final glory." Hartfoul's cool rasp cut the air "I know you will do rightly, brother. I would have no other for such a task. Your arms, Parsinkle." "Here, Hartfoul."

There was a rustle of cloth and a soft scrape of metal on the red stone floor, followed both a gentle thud as the two Fey embraced.

[Ari]

The words that he could make out filled Marceau with horror, and his eager look of anticipation had melted away under the realization into a mask of raw terror. Stepping away from the door with creeping footsteps, the younger man bent over to René's ear. Hoarsely he whispered <"My friend, they know. Parsinkle has planned all this, along with some other Fey called Hatfoul, this is part of some plot they have lain to begin seizure of power for the Redcaps!"> he looked desperately around the castle <"They anticipate we will look for trouble, and are prepared lest we attempt to find out their plans. For all I know they know we are here..."> The King of Suits turned anxiously to the painter <"What do we do? Play right into their hands? Try to break character?">

[Supercape]

Rene stroked his beard, a fleck of anger in his fingers, eyes and tounge.

"Played for the fool. Not for the first time..." he said to himself, lost in memory.

"Enough! The games of the faerie folk are bitter. Yes, they may know we are here. And if they do, another cog in their machine of deception. But where and how do they wish to extend their power? Here lies the mystery..."

"Let us confront them then! See if their silver tounges can explain!"

With that, in a most vexed state, he flung the doors open!

[Ari]

GM

René burst in, the door slamming into the stone wall and making a bang like the crack of doom.

Springing apart from their affectionate embrace, the familiar red-garbed prince Parsinkle almost drew his sword, stopping in his tracks when he saw who it was. Replacing the half-drawn weapon he smiled his usual bloodless smile, beckoning to the old human and saying "Greetings friend! René de Saens, this is father's friend and my wise advisor, Hartfoul" he gestured to a short and incredibly ugly Redcap, with a face like wrinkled walnuts that had been beaten to death as an example to the rest of their kind, and ears so battered and cut they hardly resembled ears at all. His cap was of a darker hue than Parsinkle's, but the same strange smell came from it of dried blood. He wore simple brown robes trimmed with ermine dyed red.

"We were just talking about you two" the older Fey said blandly "A pleasure to meet one so close to us as you are, René. What about our scheme did you wish to know, before we drive you to your inevitable fate within it?"

[Supercape]

"Oh I am just a helpless old man, too long of years and burdened with the weight of mortality!" said Rene, creaking his back but meeting their gaze.

"Before I meet my inevitable doom, I would hear the words of Parsinkle and Hartfoul. For it seems to my addled brain and addled eye that your schemes have outplayed me and my companion. Alas, foolish pride of mine that thought I could match wit for wit!"

He snapped his fingers in frustration and puckered his brow.

"And yet, it is as it is, or is at is appears to be!" he said, cryptically, before continuing without pause. "Perhaps you would spare me the torment of ignorance, if only to replace it with the torment of knowledge? Tell me all!"

[Ari]

GM

"'Doom' is not how I would term it, friend guest." Hartfoul said with obvious amusement "What we want is for news of this to travel beyond our world, and for you to be the bearers of this news. For eons beyond number, and days that cannot be counted, we have sweated and bled for the red princes and their flaunting pride. We delve and die for them everywhere, and receive hardly anything in return! This will not continue."

The stout Redcap walked up to René, his thin-haired head tilted back to meet the gaze of the much taller human, his eyes gleaming with bloody intent despite his earlier assurance. In a low voice he went on, while Parsinkle carefully observed the King of Suits with a much more laid-back manner "My pupil here shall become King of the Redcaps, and will gather to him slowly a great mass of 'rebels' from the many courts of red games. He will proclaim to all that they suffer most exceedingly at his hands, and are kept within the darkest dungeons. This army will, at the last, storm the highest stronghold and break the strongest pact! We shall rule this land as we have been ruled in turn!" The evil eyes of the ill-favored Fey were gleaming now.

Parsinkle added calmly "It was unfortunate, but necessary that we steal some of your race for this deception. You may return to your land after the feast, and tell all you know what has happened here. My brothers will carry on my work of course, in case I am in some fashion destroyed. Such expansions as I dream of will need their boundaries eternally broadened. Your world, I hear, is in need of...stern rulership." he added with a cruel smile, beady red eyes filled with silent mocking.

[Supercape]

" Your world, I hear, is in need of...stern rulership."

Although Rene knew he could not change the mecurial and often cruel world of the Faerie, he was not without sympathy for Parsinkle and Hartfouls cause - in a manner of speaking.

But the words of Parsinkle at the end hardened him.

"Stern rulership is has had, make no mistake. I have felt its iron brains and cold chains. It was not good for the world then, and it is no better now. Stern Rulership only suits the rulers, until, once the vain and transient reward of power has faded, and the ruler is left only with the bleakness of what he has made. Scared to trust, alone, afraid..."

"And let me ask you how you intent to impose your will on Earth? you may be king here, but not there. The Freedom Leauge and Earth's mightiest heroes will oppose you. For all your armies, you lack the strength of sword and will to take Earth!"

"What message do you wish me to take? a declaration of war?"

[Ari]

GM

The prince shook his head "No. Only that I will soon come to them with an offer of friendship between them and the new ruler of Faery. And if they are wise, they will take it. I will not try to invade you with a force of arms, that has too many ways to go wrong and be repelled. We shall join the two worlds, and live in peace together. I shall see you at the feast, good afternoon René" Parsinkle said with a thin smile, sweeping majestically past the painter and the King of Suits, passing soon out of sight with Hartfoul trotting alongside.

[Supercape]

"Games within games! Deceptions within deceptions!" said Rene to Marceau as Parsinkle and Hartfoul trotted out.

"What make you of this?" he asked. "I can no more believe a word they say than I can pin down mercury. Whenever one unveils one plot, another appears. Ephemeral, transient fey! Ah, I love the transcendental, Marceau, but these Fey are pure chaos! Dionysian idiots!"

A hundred years ago, he would have kicked over a chair in frustration. But he was older now.

"Tell me know, my detective friend, what plot do you think these two are up to? They say one thing, then another, and then do something else entirely!"

[Ari]

Marceau had stayed quiet for the exchange, willing to let René deal with the haughty Prince as his confederate. Stepping to one side so Parsinkle and Hartfoul could pass by, he waited until the pair were out of sight before entering the room. He looked quietly surprised at his friend's outburst, and when the mage asked his opinion he took a long minute to think over the question. However much he wrangled with the matter, the answer to why they would be by turns so circumspect and then bold as brass eluded him, and he gave his initial response as a short, sad shrug.

"René, I am afraid these creatures are far less opaque to you than I. I can see it as well, they plot something even within their professed honesty, but what it might be..." he shrugged again. Glancing down the hallway he wondered glumly if Fey hearing was stronger than the human 'They must have adapted to constantly needing the power to hear plots, judging by this it would appear they're quite used to this. It must be practically normal to them-wait!' he turned suddenly to the painter, eyes brilliant with excitement.

"Although that may work to our advantage! The Fey, they assume plots everywhere, as they work schemes and plans for the increase of their power and status constantly, oui? If so, what if we started going around to the staff of this castle, appearing to casually be plotting the downfall of Parsinkle? It will not be what they expect from humans, but it might encourage them to speak more freely than otherwise, since we will be doing as they do. Imagine, if you will," the King of Suits continued, leaping elegantly onto the table and crouching on it so as to speak at head-level with René "that you met a Grue at a book shop, and they wore clothes like ours and talked like we do and did business as we do it. The Grue is conforming to our standards and would hence be better accepted than if they barged in shouting mental commands and trying to attack you so it could take what it wanted." Giving the mage a look that invited comment he went on "We would be suspicious. But less hostile than if it did as we expected, and perhaps more open."

Jumping down from the table he asked René eagerly "What do you think mon amis? Could that work?"

[Supercape]

"I see your mental acumen extends to deception as well as detective work!" agreed Rene enthusiastically.

"Very well then...I dislike this game of chess we are playing. Or, rather, I dislike who we are playing it against. The Fey are grandmasters at lies and twisted words, they are the finest chef's of plots. And yet, play their game we must, if we are to penetrate what transpires!"

"For all their honeyed words, they do not keep silent. From foolish lips and foolish tounges the truth may fall!"

He smacked a fist into a palm, eager to duel wits with the Faerie.

"Come then, let us wander the halls! Let the play begin!"

[Ari]

GM

It didn't take long to find the kitchens, where the King of Suits was certain they would do best to start sowing their pretended plot. It was enormous, several times larger than any castle kitchen René had ever seen in his life. Amidst the riot of gnomish Fey scurrying about the floor of bricks turned as red as the fires that blazed in massive ovens and baked the air itself(though oddly this made breathing no harder), food of every description on their backs, in their hands, on trays, platters, rolls, spikes, swords, shields and fancy hats, one tall whip-thin raw-boned creature in iconoclastic blue smock and green apron with knife-shaped ears, flashing white teeth, a prodigious black beard and flowing black mane that almost hid his beady red eyes stood on a small platform shouting orders that were lost in his minion's shouts of affirmation, the cries of anger and vicious battle that ensued from accidental collisions, the slam of ovens, smash of crockery as it was flung about(occasionally with food still in it that went to a tragic fate) the massive and cramped kitchen, the constant din of food frying, being chopped or boiled or beaten, and his need to continually lay about him with a copper ladle.

Seeing their approach, he reached down to dash two Fey in the midst of a snarling quarrel together, tossed them carelessly aside to fall in a heap among their pots of stew and soup, and greeted the humans with impeccable warmth. "Earthly ones! Please forgive the slight disarray of my small domain" he said with a bow, one ear twitching as a distant chorus of howls and whoops erupted from some distant part of the kitchen. The walls and misty ceiling danced in the firelight and the shadows of the cooks, and it was all but impossible to guess distances. Leaning closer to the two on his pedestal, he asked with a grimace "What are ye about here? Parsinkle sent you on a tour, eh?" he frowned at Marceau "I didn't know you had a darkling, wizard, good company I guess" he commented to the painter.