Deals With Demons

[*WhenWizardsWar]

-MIRANDA-

If she was caught off guard by the outburst she hides it well as she begins to savor and slowly consume the meal out of respect for the couple.

"Yes, we didn't have time for introductions last night" she smiled softly.

"My name is Miranda, and I am a traveling merchant from far away, I had arrived in town last night to inquire about lodgings for the night and i came upon the scene at the inn, when I heard about the demon problem i tried to help for you see in my years of travel i have learned many things about a variety of subjects and believe it or not last night is not the first time ive come across an angry group of people wanting to burn down a building with a demon in it".

She slowly continues to eat the meal infront of her, careful not to eat it to fast out of respect for the likely hard earn provisions these people, who lost so much were sharing with her.

"It took me some time to convince the city watch that i knew how to eliminate the demon, and as we were prepaired to deal with the fiend, someone decided to progress things and threw a torch at the building".

[*Brindas]

-- Brindas --

The doctor's keen perceptions result in a series of small sketches, with each one he feels closer to grasping the concept of the puzzle before him. By the fourth, he believes he has it - a combination of numbered pins and subsequent turns needed to trigger an unlock.

Additionally, having looked over the box, Brindas has an inkling that the box's design is not the kind one normally comes into contact with and is likely imported. His first thought is likely Mechanus, given it's accessibility and the number of goods imported from it on a regular basis. This doesn't sit quite right, however. He then, perhaps, recalls the name of a distant prime. Eberron.

[align=center]- - - - -[/align]
-- Krystelle --

Krystelle succeeds in making a small incision on the box's surface, though the single draw of the blade does little to the overall thickness of the wood. It does not sound an alarm, however. The bell remains quiet to the scratch on the wooden lid. Evidently with such a tool, it would take some time to cut through the wood if she proceeds - not impossible, merely time consuming.

Brindas ponders what significance the box coming from that prime could mean. In the meanwhile, however, he sets to slowly turning the gears in the combinations he believes is correct...

[*LadyLightning]

Krystelle would continue sawing at the lid, far enough away from the mechanism
so as not to disturb Brindas. So long as the bell doesn't toll for her 'cheating' at
the puzzle, she would continue to saw about three inches from the side, hoping to
eventually separate one portion of the lid from the rest, so that she can open just
an inch of space between the incision and the wall of the box.

[*EM Lyrium]

-- Miranda --
Luizlurgh, Preularith.

The couple listen carefully to Miranda with kind, yet curious expressions. Despite the portal to Sigil being ever-open, it was a one way connection and not often that they received travelers to their town let alone had the time to engage with such figures personally. Both offer a bow of their heads in respect, exchanging pleasantries of their own and sharing names also.

"We. . . owe you our lives, Lady Miranda. I cannot thank you enough for doing what you, and others, did for my wife an I. That someone with such strength and wealth would step in to help us. . ." Jareth trails off with a mild furrow of his brow, the smile fading slightly from his features with the recollection. "We cannot thank you enough."
The same expression is mirrored on Ann's face as she lifts a few fingers to tuck wiry brown strands of hair behind her ear and nods. "It has been. . . a difficult few weeks, in truth."

Clucking a thoughtful note, the woman shakes her head and offers an apologetic smile. "Forgive me, your grace. You have been through much yourself. It would not right for us to bombard you with such troubles." Slowly she draws a piece of cheese to her lips and takes a small bite from it, continuing her meal.

Jareth nods in agreeance, reaching across the table for his wife's hand with his own weathered paw. He too, renews a smile and turns it on Miranda with a dip of his head. "How is the meal, M'lady?"

[*EM Lyrium]

-- Brindas & Krystelle --
The House of Healing, Sigil.

Carefully the Doctor begins turning each of the pins in the order her believes to be correct, the cogs turning and offsetting their tessellated partners. Full turns, half turns and quarter turns all down to the finest of points as he works his way around the circular mechanism in a clockwise direction. As the twelfth pin turns in place and stops after a three-quarter turn, a metallic click sounds from within the lock itself.

Success.

It is not the only sound they hear, however, almost overshadowed by the sound of a third and final ding of the bell accompanied muffled pop coming from within the box. This occurs as Krystelle's saw passes the two inch mark in depth and exposes a sliver of box's contents to the atmosphere. Whatever had occurred within the box, three rings of the bell had set it off.

[*LadyLightning]

Krystelle goes rigid at that sound for a split second, and her empty, detached gaze
drifts over to center upon Brindas' face. Her shoulders begin to tremble ever so
slightly, and a slight widening of her eyes betrays a heightened state of alertness.
This would be Brindas' first time seeing Krystelle's fear response, and a recent
development. Despite everything the good doctor has done for her, because of all
the things she believes that she owes him, she's honestly afraid of what his reply
will be. Her lips form words -- silently at first, and then barely above a whisper.

'I've failed. Please..'

"...Have mercy."

[*Brindas]

Krystelle goes rigid at that sound for a split second, and her empty, detached gaze
drifts over to center upon Brindas' face. Her shoulders begin to tremble ever so
slightly, and a slight widening of her eyes betrays a heightened state of alertness.
This would be Brindas' first time seeing Krystelle's fear response, and a recent
development. Despite everything the good doctor has done for her, because of all
the things she believes that she owes him, she's honestly afraid of what his reply
will be. Her lips form words -- silently at first, and then barely above a whisper.

'I've failed. Please..'

"...Have mercy."

Brindas lofts a singular brow, nodding slowly. "Well, the ouzzle is undone.. let us see what the damage is inside before getting too upset or overreacting." He begins carefully attempting to open the unlocked box, not looking directly as Krystelle at all.

He inwardly seethes, and wonders if he should simply start doing everything himself from now on... but he also knows that becoming upset with the girl would simply undo all the progress she had made with becoming more than she was.

[*EM Lyrium]

-- Brindas & Krystelle --
The House of Healing, Sigil.

The remaining lid of the wooden box is opened with only the faintest of creaks from it's golden hinges, inner walls lined with obsidian velvet.

The first thing one would notice is the smattering of black ink that now coats the felt interior and it's contents, liquid oozing from what appears to be a thin leather pouch connected to the bell. This bell mirrors the positioning of the outer mechanism and is connected by a few rods and wires.

Contained within the cherryoak confines, beneath the ink which was soaking fast, are a number of scrapes of parchment, a few rolled; others scraps, folded or tossed in haphazardly.

[*Brindas]

-- Brindas & Krystelle --

The remaining lid of the wooden box is opened with only the faintest of creaks from it's golden hinges, it's inner walls lined with obsidian velvet. The first thing noticed is the smattering of black ink that coats the felt interior and it's contents, liquid oozing from what appears to be a thin leather pouch connected to the bell which mirrored the positioning of the outer mechanism.

Contained within the cherryoak confines, beneath the ink which was soaking fast, are a number of scrapes of parchment, a few rolled; others scraps, folded or tossed in haphazardly.

Failure. Whatever Krystelle said, it was his failure that led to this. He could have simply insisted she not do anything, or done it in secret. He carefully takes out the ink soaked pieces of paper... he could remove the ink magically, of course, but then they would be blank, which would not be any more helpful. He begins blotting what of the think he can. He really has not further hope, whoever designed this was obviously too smart to use inks that didn't match.

Then again, even smart people made mistakes, and it was worth a try. He pointedly continues not looking at Krystelle.

[*Ariella]

after missing for a few days to allow the doctor time to reasearch the nymph finally returns in search of brindas at the house of healing intent on learning what he knows. she wonders around lightly calling the doctors name

"Doctor you around!! is there any news yet?"