It wasn't hard to find the building Alessandro remembers. It's there, though maybe not quite as nice as he might have memories of it being. In fact, now it's not fit for living in, and barely fit for looking at. One gets the sense that if they sneezed hard enough, the entire thing might collapse.

"Nobody sneeze, the whole building might collapse." Marius says back to his compatriots as they arrive. Stopping infront of it, he looks over the building with a sceptical eye. An eye that comes to linger on the doors, "What are the chances that's locked?" He muses, to himself more than anything then adds, "What are the chances that somebody is in there?" It's not a serious concern, by the tone of his voice, yet his hand goes to rest on the hilt of his morningstar as he says it, looking around not just the building, but the area around it as well.

Simone tugs her cloak around her tightly as she follows behind the others. She pauses as she picks her way carefully toward the old building, eyeing it dubiously. "We are going in there?" She glances around at the others, hoping the answer is no.

Being the one who had actually remembered seeing this building before, Alessandro is happy to be vindicated. Hopefully vindicated. He actually hasn't been vindicated quite //yet//, but surely he will be in a moment. He does not, however, go inside yet, just stopping with the others to eye the structure a little bit skeptically, since he does not want to have his head bashed in by falling debris.

Frowning slightly, Cullen gives the building a dubious look. "I don't think entering it seems like a great idea unless death by flattening sounds like a fun idea for someone. It doesn't for me." Hand wrapped around the hilt of Dusk, he tries to peer at the plaque more carefully, just in case there's anything more on it than the chains.

Cullen checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 9 higher.

"If there is someone in there," Norwood notes in an undertone as he comes to stand by Marius' side, "They surely know we are here already." The door gets eyed carefully, "If the building is unstable then knocking down the door would be a bad idea, but might also give us the element of surprise we need."

Marius glances back at Simone, "We came this far. It'd be a shame to leave now." He states as he wanders on over towards the door, looking up at the ruins of the building. He stops right infront of it though, somewhat hesitant himself to do more than stare at the door. "Knocking it down might take the whole thing down, thus removing anything of value inside unless you want to spend a few days digging." He remarks to the side, to Norwood, and then reaches to just try the door. Gently.

Norwood checked strength + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 19 higher.

Simone sighs softly, but stays back as they examine the door. Instead she starts wandering a bit around the immediate area looking for any signs of anything useful. "Do please warm us if you are going to try knocking down the door. Though you might try it first to see if it is actually locked."

Norwood checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 11 higher.

Standing no closer than necessary to peer at the plaque with a squint of his grey eyes, something brings a faint frown to his pale features. "Looks like there's some words engraved on here as well, but nearly effaced. It says 'Strong Compact, eee ess tee." When he sees Norwood starting to batter down the door, though, he quickly steps back. Madness.

Cullen adds, "There was a date, too, but that's been utterly wiped out."

Alessandro steps away from the door as well.

Marius checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 20, rolling 4 higher.

Cullen checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 20, rolling 12 higher.

With the door locked Norwood gives warning, "In that case, I'm going to knock it in. Stand back, just in case." Norwood puts his shoulder down and goes at the door to try to knock it in, his hand on his sword's hilt... just in case.

It's a surprisingly sturdy door, made of thick wood, and Norwood is probably going to have a bruise or two for Margerie to kiss better in the morning. But the Knight succeeds in becoming a battering ram and knocking one side of the double doors in. But then the stones, thick heavy ones, start to collapse around the entrance, seeking to crush anyone near by.

Marius steps to the side after trying the door, turning to Norwood and simply gestures towards the door as the man comes to put a shoulder to it. "Be my guest." He states, a little smile across his lips. That is, until that shoulder actually hits the door and the stone starts shifting. In his best action-movie pose, Marius dives to the side to avoid the crumbling rock.

Norwood is promptly covered in stones. Woops.

Studying the plaque, Cullen is too distracted to notice a Norwood slamming his way into the doors, but the sound and impact is enough to make his reflexes kick in, the Greenmarch knight jumping backwards in a hurry.

Simone gasps softly and watches the stones start to fall, calling out, "Get back! Please be careful!" After the dust settles she hurries over as close as she dares to get to the rickety structure, "Is anyone hurt?" She then kneels next to Marius looking him over carefully before offering him a hand up.

"Wait," Alessandro starts to say as Norwood moves toward the door, but anything else he might have said is too late. He is far enough back that he doesn't have to jump out of the way -- but he still does lurch backward a little bit, anyway, when the rocks fall.

There's a tremor, a shiver of rock, as if the whole thing might follow the entranceway down... but it doesn't. Everything remains aloft. For now.

"Grhnh." Marius replies with keen oratory grace in a groan to his wife, face down in the dirt. It's followed by some of the finer words in Shav, referring to different body parts before he rolls over and takes Simone's hand, getting himself up on a knee and then upright. "I'm fine." as he looks over to the door and what remains standing of the building. "Did Norwood..?" He looks around and as the dust settles, heads back on over to where the door once was. "You still in one piece?"

After helping Marius up and assuring herself that there are no serious injuries, Simone moves back over to stand near Alessandro while the others inspect the rubble. She gives Alessandro a shake of her head and says with a soft sigh, "I am so glad that did not come down on all of their heads." Turning back to look toward Cullen, she calls over, "Is the plaque still there Cullen? If it is loose can you bring it here so Alessandro can study it too please?"

Norwood comes out of this encounter a bit more bruised than he might like, but his armor absorbs most of the blows to his body. There will probably be some dents that need taken out of his steel armor. Pushing himself upwards he shoves rocks off of him and stands slowly. "I am assuming that was a bobby trap." He'll peer though the dust settling to try to confirm it.

Exhaling slowly after jumping out of the way of rubble, Cullen quickly looks over to see that everyone is alright, then nods at Simone. "Yes, if I can pull it off, I shall." Approaching the building very warily, he carefully pokes and prods at the plaque with a knife to test to see if it is removable and not going to bring yet more rocks down.

Cullen checked strength + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 20 higher.

Alessandro looks back at Simone with a sigh of his own, but he just nods without adding anything of his own. Instead, he looks toward Cullen, waiting to have the plaque brought over.

Marius side-eyes Norwood for a moment at his comment. "Could have been." He states in the most placating voice possible before edging towards the door and rubble once more. "Could also have been an ancient building that's barely standing as it is." He tests the fallen rocks with a foot to make sure he's not going to slip and fall and then peers in past the threshold and up into the building itself.

Monique checked dexterity + all at difficulty 9, rolling 9 higher.

Norwood checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 32 higher.

Cullen carefully pries the plaque from the old masonry, then seems to be quite glad to get away from the crumbling edifice to hand it over to Alessandro with a nod to Simone. "Came off easily enough, hopefully it'll prove useful in some way."

Norwood checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 10, rolling 43 higher.

Marius checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 10, rolling 12 higher.

Norwood examines more and then shakes his head slowly. "I believe you are right," that to Marius. He steps deeper into the building to try to get over the stones before anything ELSE can fall on his head.

Simone smiles at Cullen gratefully, "Thank you, Cullen. We will study it. Can you please make sure that Marius stays safe?" She turns to Alessandro and helps him to study the plaque, even if that just means holding it however he needs it held.

"Of course, Simone." Giving Alessandro and Simone a dip of his head in farewell, Cullen hurries over to climb over the rubble with the Marquis and Norwood, since his charge is now climbing off ahead of him.

Cullen checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 10, rolling 57 higher.

Alessandro checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 23 higher.

Alessandro takes the plaque, and at least he seems capable of holding it, if not much else physically. So that's good! He shifts it so that Simone can see it as well, and he leans closer, squinting to make something else out. The date is a lost cause, but after a few moments, he reads something else. "Compact, Above All," he murmurs, and he points to something just beneath the title of the plaque, so that Simone can see it as well.

Monique checked dexterity + all at difficulty 9, rolling 22 higher.

Marius clambers over the loose rocks unsteadily, carefully, and not very steadily as he tries to support himself against what wall is still standing, while not putting his weight on it. It's slow going. There's also the fact that he tries to look up for rocks falling and down to where he's setting his feet all at the same time. "If anybody sees anything, anything at all, that moves shout it out. May only have a second to duck out of the way."

Simone peers at the plaque, studying what Alessandro found with a frown. She reaches over and runs her finger over the lettering with a deep sigh. "I wish I understood what all this means and what it is about. But all I can conjecture at this point is that the group is very hostile." She turns back and moves closer to watch the other three as they make their way into the building, her face a mask of worry. She tries to watch the ceiling above them to see if there are any signs of shifting stones or movement in hopes that she might at least warn them in time to keep them from getting hurt.

Once inside the first floor of the building, it's possibly to see that the interior walls are just as old as the exterior, what few are left. It must have been a grand stone edifice when first built, but the ravages of time and the lack of upkeep have had their way. It's mostly open space now, a giant hall in front of them, and smaller meeting rooms off to the sides that were separate but aren't any longer. In the distance, what used to be a kitchen, judging from the cast iron stove sitting forlorn and cold. At least the ceiling seems intact. The only light let in comes from various crumbling windows.

And there are rats. Lots of rats.

Norwood checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Norwood is not at ALL fond of rats, and when one scrambles right under his foot the knight has his sword out before he can even register it's just a furry bald-tailed creature and not something that's actually attacking him. "//Rats//." If it's an acknowledgement of the creatures or a curse is anyone's guess as Norwood shoves his sword back in place again.

Following behind Marius as nimble as a Keaton goat, Cullen moves over the crumbling wall with light steps and keeping himself balanced aloft with the occasional bracing himself here and there. Taking his orders from Simone quite seriously, the Marquis now has a Cullen rather stuck at his side. Peering occasionally to make sure the whole thing isn't going to collapse upon them, he hears Norwood's cry! Rats! "Sir Norwood....is that an exclamation of surprise or actually rats you're talking about? And...normal rats or big, giant rats with sharp teeth and a lust for blood, if the latter?" Mean.

Alessandro sets down the plaque -- carefully -- and then glances toward Simone. "I am going to go inside," he murmurs to her, before he starts that way, attempting to carefully pick his way over the stones like the other men -- whether he'll be successful or not remains to be seen.

Alessandro checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 10, rolling 1 lower.

5 inflicted and Alessandro is harmed for minor damage.

After losing sight of them in the building, Simone pulls her cloak around her more tightly then starts walking around the perimeter of it, searching for anything that she might find. She pauses periodically to study the walls to make sure they still seem like they are holding. She turns to look back at Alessandro with a frown, "Please do be careful, Alessandro! I will check around outside!"

Marius squints as he makes his way into the dim darkness of the interior. The rats may not get the same reaction from him as Norwood, but the Marquis is less than thrilled to have them scurrying about his feet. One of them even gets kicked after with a grumble. "Look around. I doubt there's anybody here, but any hints at all as to who we are dealing with or what they want. Anything at all. Would help." That said, Marius starts slowly inching his way inwards, studying the large room as he goes.

"They seem to be rodents of usual size." Norwood deadpans at the question asked of him about the creatures as he sweeps deeper into the rat-infested building. Those rooms off to the side get a careful look, though Norwood has learned his lesson and doesn't bang into anything else whatsoever.

It soon becomes apparent that Alessandro entering the building is Not Happening. He loses his footing almost immediately, and falls heavily with a little yelp of pain. It doesn't sound //that// painful -- he may mostly be embarrassed -- but it's a little painful. He doesn't try again, just goes back the way he'd come a lot more carefully to check outside instead.

It soon becomes apparent that Alessandro entering the building is Not Happening. He loses his footing almost immediately, and falls heavily with a little yelp of pain. It doesn't sound //that// painful -- he may mostly be embarrassed -- but it's a little painful. But eventually he gets inside, just with several bruises, including one to his dignity.

Norwood checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 28 lower.

Marius checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 19 lower.

Alessandro checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 4 higher.

Norwood is overheard praising Alessandro for: He tried to come in!

Once inside, Cullen doesn't seem to be particularly bothered by rats, although they're certainly not something he has any fondness for, lips turned into a frown. "Well, this is gross. Although a little difficult...." Eyes up! Look around! So he does that, despite not being so great in that department.

Cullen checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 13 lower.

Simone stops dead in her tracks, tilting her head slightly as she smells something. Turning around she quickly heads back toward the entrance to the building. As she approaches the door, she sees Alessandro just inside, "Alessandro! I found something! There is a small hovel out behind here and I smelled woodsmoke and food cooking. I will go check it if you wish but I wasn't certain I should go alone."

Marius runs a gloved finger across some of the debris inside, stirring up the dust. "Think we can rule out this as their current base of operations." He remarks on his way through the great hall. Stopping as he hears Simone calling, remarking to the side, "Did she stay outside?" as if for the first time realizing where his wife was in this whole mess.

"Don't!" Alessandro calls back to Simone, "Wait a moment!" He looks toward Cullen then, and asks, "Could you go outside to check with her? If there is anything dangerous in there, I will not be of any use." So at least he's realistic. He moves forward into the structure then, looking around, then disappearing up the stairs. A minute or so later, though, he calls, "I found something!" He comes back down holding a scrap of parchment.

Cullen looks around the abandoned building with a slight frown at the nothingness contained within, and nods at Alessandro in the affirmative. "Alright! I shall go guard Simone then." Not seeing the scrap of paper, he blithely exits the structure without any clue at all that there was anything worth noting, at least until Alessandro calls out having found something - but by then he's climbing over wall again already and heading towards Simone.

Cullen checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 10, rolling 25 higher.

Feeling much braver with Cullen at her side, Simone leads him back to where she saw the hovel. She whispers to him as they walk, "There is woodsmoke and do you smell it? Someone is cooking something. The hovel looks like it was made out of canvas and some of the rocks. There is definitely someone here."

Did the skittering of rats paws just get louder... or have the rats grown exponentially...

Marius, always interested, heads on over to where Alessandro announces that he's found something after stating a short, "Yes, keep her safe." towards Cullen. "What is that? There's no paper left behind here that would be anywhere near readable. Is that a new document? Who would have left it there?" The Marquis is full of questions and then furrows his brows, looking into a dark corner of the room, "What's that noise?" More questions.

Norwood checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 15 higher.

Norwood has been poking into corners and moving rats about with his foot gently to peer under them. There's nothing to be found from him, and he echos Marius' comment, "I think you're right." No one is hanging out here recently. At Alessandro's comment Norwood draws closer to him to see what it is that he's found, pushing another few rats out of the way as he comes closer, then frowns, "Where are these rats coming from?"

Treading quietly as possible with Simone at his side, Cullen peers at the hovel curiously, nodding as she whispers to him. "I do smell it, yes...there has to be someone in there. Question is...who and how many?" Staring at the hovel, he hopes to hear or see something that'll clue him in.

It's a very small hovel, outside. Room enough for one, maybe two if they're tiny. But the entrance is covered with convas and there are no windows to speak of. Only the smell of stew drifting up through the small 'ceiling' hole.

Norwood checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

"Well I can peek my head inside but if it is something hostile, then I am useless. If it is someone who I can talk to then just yanking the canvas off or going in with your sword swinging may scare them half to death and make them less likely to talk." Simone looks up at Cullen. "You are the House Sword, this is your decision."

"Marquis Marius- Look." Norwood keeps his composure this time as rats rats RATS are everywhere. "We should probably get outside. Quickly." The rats look hungry.

The rats look very hungry. And they're starting to charge the boots of the three men still inside.

"I should have worn more armor," Cullen murmurs to Simone with a grimace, noting that he's only in a breastplate. "Well, my mistake there...." Drawing Dusk and gripping the hilt in both hands, his brow quirks at Simone. "The opening is small. Perhaps if we toss some pebbles against the outside, whoever is inside will come out. Or, I can open it with my sword sheathed, and draw it if they attack. You shouldn't put yourself at risk - if they don't seem hostile, feel free to talk to them."

Once Alessandro is on the ground, he starts to look at the paper more fully -- but he doesn't really have a chance before the hungry rats appear. And get closer, and look like they're going to attack. "Gods," he says, and he starts toward the exit quickly -- which probably isn't a good idea for him, let's be honest.

Marius abandons trying to figure out what Alessandro found and instead shoulders the man back towards the doorway at Norwood's exclamation, putting himself between the Prince and the oncoming rats. "Alessandro, out." He states, evenly, through somewhat clenched teeth as he starts backing up himself, aiming a kick or perhaps a punt with his morningstar at any rats that decide to get too close.

Marius checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 15 higher.

With Marius turning to defend from the tide of rats Norwood does the same. His longsword isn't //quite// the best weapon for hitting small creatures but damn it if he isn't going to do it anyway.

Norwood checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 32 higher.

Alessandro checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 3 lower.

Alessandro has rolled a critical success!
Alessandro checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 32 higher.

Alessandro checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 10, rolling 1 lower.

Marius checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 10, rolling 21 higher.

Alessandro doesn't argue with Marius, but just gets out. Or tries! And apparently all he needed was some incentive, because he actually manages to get out the door. But then, of course, he has to brave the rocks again. Hello, old friends. And yet again, he takes a header, but at least he'll have matching bruises, and that's probably what's important, anyway. It's not pretty, but he makes it.

5 inflicted and Alessandro is harmed for minor damage.

Norwood checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 10, rolling 47 higher.

And then he looks at the paper!

Simone nods to Cullen and stays back out of the way. "Look inside and tell me if you need me. But please keep your sword handy. I would rather you be safe than worry about someone getting scared I believe."

"Alright. Sounds reasonable to me," Cullen replies quietly to Simone, heading to the entrance of the hovel and peering inside, Dusk still held in his right hand. Peering warily and carefully, approaching as quietly as he can, which probably isn't all that much.

Cullen checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Marius somehow scrambles over the rocks in the doorway backwards, faster than he came in with just the minimal amount of slipping and swaying. It's amazing what being chased by rats will do to your efficiency. As a parting gift as he comes out, he sends a foot at one of those rats nipping after him to send it flying back inside the building all over again. "Is it just me, or does rats not usually do that?" He asks, of nobody in particular, somewhat out of breath as he eyes the threshold to see if the rats are following them outside.

{As the rats chase the men out of the old building in swarms, a rough, male voice rises from inside the hovel. "Touch that door and I'll skewer you ten ways before you can draw your next breath."

As the rats chase the men out of the old building in swarms, a rough, male voice rises from inside the hovel. "Touch that door and I'll skewer you ten ways before you can draw your next breath."

Giving Alessandro a head start means that when the man takes a digger Norwood doesn't have to help him to his feet and can focus on scrambling out of the house. No time to realize that there is threats of skewering going on over there.

Simone frowns at Cullen and reaches out to try to pull him back, "Wait, please." Looking over at the hovel, she calls out, "Please we mean you no harm. We are only here seeking information. Will you please speak with us?"

Freezing in place, sword in hand, Cullen calls over to Simone in Oathlands shav, "Might be the time for you to try a more friendly approach. Clearly they know we're here. Or at least I am here. In any case...just...talk through the smoke hole, I guess." Backing up to Simone, he places himself between her and the Hovel.

Simone checked charm + diplomacy at difficulty 40, rolling 50 higher.

Whatever Alessandro reads on the scrap of paper makes him take in a little breath, but he doesn't have too much time to ponder it, because they're all being threatened! He doesn't try to help in any way now, except for staying //out// of the way, which may be the most helpful thing of all.

There's a moment of silence from inside the hovel. And then, "What do you want to know? I'll tell you... for a kiss."

And the rats, they don't come outside. Weird. They stop at the rubble, squinting into the daylight and making angry, hungry rat noises.

Simone checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 7 higher.

Marius keeps pushing back from the rats swarming around inside. His head tilts lightly as he notices them not really following before he turns back to Alessandro. "What's on the paper?" He asks, before looking around, seeing where Cullen and his dear, faithful, wife went off too.

Simone blinks in surprise, both of her eyebrows raising as she looks at Cullen with a bewildered expression, "Did he just say... a kiss?" But little deters her from her purpose, she turns back toward the hovel, and says calmly, "In order to do that you will have to step out of the tent please. And I make no promises, but I will consider it if you will step out to speak to us at the least. As I said, we sincerely intend you no harm. We are just here seeking answers."

Norwood stares at the rats, glaring as they stop at the doorway. "There is nothing natural about rats like that." It's more of a mutter to himself before he looks around. "Where did the Marquessa and Lord Cullen go?" Putting words to Marius' thoughts.

Alessandro doesn't say anything, just wordlessly hands over the paper to Marius so that he can read it for himself. When he does, he reaches down to rub his knee, which has taken quite a beating today. He looks over at Norwood then, though, and says, "Simone said she found a hovel right as I went inside. It must be around here somewhere close."

Silence, and then the flap of the tent is shoved aside. It reveals... well, he's very handsome. Not young, no, but thick, dark hair with just a little silver at the temples, tall and unbowed with age, around fifty, by a guess. He wears the clothes of a peasant, but his musculature and regal bearing is anything but common. Piercing blue eyes greet Simone and Cullen. "No harm, but a glance from you might cut my heart in two," he tells Simone smoothly, stepping out of the hovel. "What information?"

"Yessss. It appears that is precisely what he said," Cullen murmurs to Simone with a surprised look, then keeps guard in front of Simone with a wary look at the man who pops out of the hovel, somewhere between peasant and nobility, which narrows things down not at all. His cheesy come-ons though bring a roll of grey eyes with a shake of his head. "If only it were that easy," the knight sighs out with a tap of a boot against the ground.

Marius takes the paper from Alessandro with a nod towards him, glancing at it as he wanders on around the back towards where the voices are. Reading as he goes. Although with an eye against the ground, because apparently there's plenty to trip on around here. "Are they safe?" He asks of Alessandro at that, then spots the scene with the stranger. Staying back a few paces, to let Cullen and his wife handle it like they already are.

Those rats get one more eye before Norwood turns his attention back to the pair before noticing the stranger. He's gone like a bulldog already so he'll stand back and let Cullen take this one, but he stands ready to dart forward if needed.

Simone studies the man closely for a moment, then carefully composes her face into a friendly smile, "Thank you." She steps forward and lays a hand on Cullen's arm gently, "He has cooperated, we must keep our promises as well." Turning toward the man, she says gently, "Please, can you tell us anything of this building? Do you know any of its history or what the plaque outside of it means?" She is careful to not get too close and to stay near Cullen, away from his sword arm, yet she also keeps her actions calm and friendly.

Alessandro looks back at Marius with a raised eyebrow, and he shrugs. He does not know, Marius. But he does follow along, though stops when the Marquis does, looking at the scene but staying mostly back and not saying anything.

"I might, and I might not," The man's cool blue gaze drifts to the others as they arrive, missing nothing. "But it's a kiss or a fight, and I'd much rather the former, my Lady."

Keeping an eye on the man, a slight nod is given to Simone. Sliding to her side but still very wary, sword held downwards but not up in a threatening gesture, the Sword waits patiently at the Marquessa's side and lets her do her thing. The demand of a kiss or a fight brings a faint scowl to his face, glancing over with a grunt of disapproval. "No wonder he lives by himself in a shack," he murmurs under his breath.

"And please forgive my manners, I am Marquessa Simone Greenmarch, nee Telmar. May I inquire as to your name, sir? Certainly you can understand that I do not simply go around kissing strangers, yes?" Simone gives him a winning smile, bringing all her charm into play as she does. "Indeed what assurance do I have that as soon as I near you, then you would not attempt to use me as hostage? You do understand that I must be cautious in such matters, yes? We have no wish to fight you good sir and if I give you my word then I will keep it."

Marius only has to hear so much of a conversation before he gets the gist of it. And the gist is that he's rubbing his face with a shake of his head. "Alright." He mutters under his breath before raising his voice on over towards the stranger. "We outnumber you by a good amount unless you happen to be hiding somebody in that hovel of yours, so I fail to see how you are dictating terms. We are certainly not handing over a non-combatant, disregarding the..." Creepiness might be the right word, but he settles for, "Oddity of your demands. Tell us what we want to know and we can all move on."

Norwood comes to try to be intimidating on the other side of the group, his hand resting on his sword.

Alessandro looks over at Marius a little sharply when he says this, but he says nothing, only turning to look back at the strange man and Simone, his body unnaturally still otherwise.

Cullen glances over at Marius with a nod of approval, clearly disliking the idea of letting some weird stranger put grubby lips on Simone, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his bastard sword, grey eyes returning to the man with suspicion, sticking to Simone's side.

"A pleasure, Marquessa. More than a pleasure. Less so, the rest of you," The tall man replies to the rest of them, lip curling. "Not my type. Don't see much of my type here, as I can't leave my post. If they come back..." he trails off, rolling his broad shoulders in a shrug. "I give you my word as a Knight, I'm not about to harm the beautiful lady. But I need more incentive than just intimidating words. A fight, then?" He eyes Marius speculatively. "Prove you're worthy of it?" He flexes, and it's not just for show. He's well-muscled.

"If you are a knight my Lord, why would you ask that of a Lady of stature?" Norwood's eyes are narrowed as he takes in the man before him. Norwood's disbelief of the mans'c claim of knighthood is clear.

Marius goes back to rubbing his face. He already had to deal with rocks, rats and now this. Some days should just end. "Your word as a knight is meaningless, since there is little to back it up. Especially with the keen demonstration of chivalric values being put on display here." The tone dry as Marius stares at the man for a second and then waves his hand, "Lord Cullen, if you would." as he motions the Sword forward.

Simone frowns slightly her brows drawing together, "If who comes back, Sir? And you've not answered my question and given me your name. Why do you have a post here?" She glances back as Marius speaks though and sighs as she looks at Cullen. "This truly does not have to be a fight."

The longevity of Greenmarch House Swords on his mind, Marius gives him the command to step forth, and he raises his blade. "Well then. Alright Marquis." Stepping forward with both hands gripping the hilt of Dusk, Simone's words then follow him. And he stops in place, unsure of who to listen to. "Alright. Marquessa. When you come to a consensus, I'll either...fight the man, or step back. Until then, I'll just...keep standing here in front of Simone. Should he try to place his blackguard hands or greasy lips upon her." Peering at the stranger, he looks for any signs of knighthood upon him.

Alessandro continues to keep quiet for now, though he does look around to see if he can see anything else of note.

"Them who were once the Strong Compact, and now exiled," the man replies to Simone, reaching back into his hovel to draw out a rubicund sword. "One of us always keeps watch. But you'll forgive me," he nods his head to Marius, "it's been awhile since I've had to practice such knightly virtues. Don't get many visitors here."

Norwood steps back to give the men more room. If this is to be a duel of honor, the Sword of Artshall is going to take up a place to make sure no one from the outside does anything to get in the way. Glancing at the man, "The virtues that make a man a knight need no practice if they are truly held in one's heart." More than a hint of disdain there for the stranger claiming to be a knight.

"I can tell." Marius calls back to the man, "Since your knightly friends slaughter innocents, murder children, and burn the homes of the helpless. It must have been quite a while since you practiced any virtues at all. I can see why your kind were left to live in disgrace and hovels." His eyes set on Simone, "The man has made up his mind, and he is not touching you. While I'm of mind to simply take him down, there are things he might tell us so," Again, he motions to Cullen, "Cullen, try not to kill him unless it distinctly required."

Simone eases back to stay out of Cullen's way, moving toward the others just in case and trying not to stumble over the rocks. Her curiosity gets the better of her as she stops and turns to look at the knight again. "What is the Strong Compact? Is that the same as the True Compact? Why were you exiled?"

Hand a half sword of alaracite in both hands, Cullen grimly nods at Marius after Simone gets out of harm's way, and moves to engage the stranger who is perhaps a knight or perhaps not. "There's no shame in yielding and answering our questions. I will not kill you unless you force me to do so, but do remember that, please. I'd prefer if you would toss down your sword and simply reply with the same courtesy you were granted, despite your outrageous demand." Making a lazy arc with Dusk, the sword is raised in a guarded position.

"I'm not one of them. They've long since been driven from the City, their Order broken, their honor forfeit," the man offers, spitting at his feet. "No friends of mine. But then, you're no friends of mine, either." He brings up his sword. "And I've given you all the information you'll get from my lips. The Strong Compact are no more. If they have become something else, it is not here, and I know nothing of it."

"Yet here you are, guarding their building. At a place where the attacks on my people led us. You'll forgive me for not trusting your words, when there is so little forthcoming." Marius states back at him, arms folding across his chest. "If they're no friends of yours, one might think you wouldn't try to defend them as such and aid in their downfall. If you truely have no association with those that would murder children in their beds, prove it."

Norwood keeps an eye out for RATS. And people. And Ratty people. And People rats. All combos.

Cullen sucks at talking, or at least in a manner that is at all persuasive and more likely to cause insult, so he just keeps his blade at the ready, waiting for someone to tell him to attack or not. "So. Am I fighting this person, or are we letting him eat rat stew, or what, exactly?"

Marius grunts after a moment and then waves his hand towards the so called knight. "Let him die an old man, alone and forgotten. Don't think we'll get anything else from him." as the Marquis turns to walk away.

It's almost as if the man can smell his rat stew burning. As Marius dismisses him, he turns back to his hovel for a long lonely night, without kissing. The group walk away with a plaque and a piece of journal, and a few bruises. Poor Alessandro.

Nodding at Marius, Cullen sheathes Dusk and saunters over to Simone and the Marquis with a slight grunt of approval. "Yes, and to eat his rat stew. A life of joy, I see."