You nervously walk down an empty street. The street is broken and uneven. The walls of building on other side line the street at odd angles, making the street appear crooked. The sun is covered by clouds but everything is bathed in a blue grey color. All the vibrant reds, yellows and greens are now greys and blues; not because of the lighting but almost like the color has been drained from it.
You trip and fall as you walk along. You look back and see a large picture frame laying face down on the road. You grab the edge of it and flip it over. Inside is a painting of the Rookwood family crest. The paint begins to drip from the frame and onto the ground. The dripping turns into a steady stream. Soon, the paint is gushing out like a raging river. The grey-blue paint shifts into the crimson red of blood. You are overpowered and washed down the crooked street into a dark chamber with many alcoves on either side. Everything is still in the grey-blue hue except for the red dripping from your clothes.
At the end of the alcove, a pale light can be seen coming into the alcove. Shadows sway back and forth across the floor. You feel your blood chill and your feet seem to force you towards the pale light. You walk for an eternity, seemingly getting closer only to find that you're farther away. You break into a jog and then into a run. Suddenly, you're upon the room. You walk through the archway and see two bodies hug by their necks from a beam in the ceiling. The bodies spin around so you can see their faces... the faces of your parents. Their eyes are open in a glassy stare which seem to meet your own gaze. At that moment, they wretch forward, arms out stretched, with lightning speed...
You bolt up in your bed, breathing hard and drenched in sweat. a flash of lightning crackles outside your window as you hear the gentle rain tapping against the pane. as soothing as it sounds, you feel it will be near impossible to fall back asleep.
Damien gets out of bed and takes a look around
It is dark in your bedroom, but the soft light from the street outside allows you to see that most of your covers have been flung off the bed.
Damien: Maybe a walk will clear my mind.
Damien Puts on a cloak and takes a step outside
You walk outside and feel the cool rain on the back of your neck. The rain falls lightly to the cobblestone street, which glistens in the flickering lamp light
Damien starts walking down the road, face down, listening to the rain
Damien (ponders): it's been 5 years since the incident, I haven't had such dreams in a while, why now.
You walk down the road, not really paying attention to where your going. the rain seems to sooth you as you make your way down the empty street. You eventually look up and see that you are close to the Port Authority. It was only last week that a ship came into port, it's passangers suffering from a plague of some sort
Damien looks to see if anyone is about this night in the rain
You don't see anyone in sight. Most of the residents of Hemel seem to be sleeping or staying out of the rain.
Damien: Perhaps I am the only one foolish enough to be out in this.
Damien looks up at the sky, allowing the pouring rain to fall in his face
The rain drips on your face as thunder rolls off in the distance.
Man (voice to your left): Damien?
Damien (Startled), looks quickly to his left
You see a man standing about 15 feet away in the shelter of an awning on a building. He is cloaked in shadow but you recognize him as Orath.
Orath is one of your informants from the Drasney clan. He is not related to the clan but he is a servant in the home of Rostahm Drasney. Orath has been working for you for a little over 2 months now, gathering information that you otherwise wouldn't have access to. Rostahm is a high rank member of the Noble House Drasney. You risked your own life by coming out of hiding to try and get Orath to gather information for you. He almost didn't agree to help you which would have put you at risk. However, after Orath's own wife and son were taken from him by Rostahm and sold to the slave traders that have made a fair profit in the Duchy of Dalbo.
Orath's family was sold to slavers in secret since the Duchy of Hemel is oppose to slavery. Rostahm took his wife and son from Orath because Orath went to authorities after he had discovered a lucrative but illegal drug trade orchestrated by Drasney. Rostahm smoothed things over with the authorities and in order to keep Orath in line, took his family and sold them to slavers. He ensured Orath that he would het his family back but only after he proved himself as not being a threat to the Noble house.
Damien Walks over to Orath
Orath: that is you, damien!
Damien: Yes it is, what are you doing up at this hour?
Orath (looks around quickly): I followed you. I was just on my way to your place when I saw someone leave it. I wasn't sure that it was you so I followed. When you stopped and finally looked up, I realized it was you.
Damien Looks back down the street
The street is eeirly empty. A few of the lamps have burnt out but it is not completly dark.
Damien: You weren't followed were you?
Orath: no, I don't think so.
Damien Walks into an alley and motions for Orath to follow
Orath Glances one last time to the street and follows Damien into the alley
Damien: Have you something for me?
Orath: I do Damien. I think it's fairly important too.
Damien Occasionally looks out to make sure noone is coming
Damien: What is it?
Orath: I overheard Rostahm talking about a man who was a huge thorn in the Drasney clan's side. He said that this man holds a wealth of information that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. The have been looking for this man for 5 years and I guess they just picked up a lead.
Damien: Did you happen to catch a name?
Orath: I didn't, but they had some sort of document... They placed it into a wooden box and took it to a room. I'm not allowed in there, however.
Damien: Thank you for this information. Which room did they take it into?
Just as you ask the question, you here a rattle of somthing rolling across the cobblestone. It sounds like a tin can or something. It came from deeper within the alley.
Damien Thinks This could be the opportunity i've been waiting for.
Orath looks nervously towards the noise
Orath (whispers): a spy??
Damien Looks down the alley to where the noise came from
Damien: perhaps you were followed.
in the darkness of the alley, you see piles of garbage to one side. Crouched behind them, you see a shadowy figure hiding.
Damien (whispers): you should leave now and make your way home
Orath (nods): I will contact you soon.
Damien Thinks if this is a spy I must know for whom
Damien Tries to fade into the shadows and move closer to the garbage
upon seeing Orath leave, the shadow seems to crouch closer against the building that the garbage is next to.
You easily melt into the shadows and slowly approach the garbage. You are certain that he has not seen you.
Damien looks to see who or what was looking at us.
The darkness of the night makes it difficult to make out any details. It is a humanoid and appears to be fairly thin. The outline of the shadow indicates that they have long scraggly hair.
man (Stumbling back): w-who are you?! Get away from me.
Damien: That is the question I should be asking.
man: Me?? I'm nobody... Please don't hurt me, m'lord.
Damien (snickers): I am no lord, and if you don't want me to hurt you, stand and tell me your name.
Quithta (nervously): m-m-my name is Qu-qu-quithta.
Damien: Quithta you say. And what may I ask are you doing out in the rain hiding in alley ways?
Damien looks Quithta up and down
Quithta: I'm sorry, m'lord... I don't have much. I make my shelter here, in this alley. Please, don't call the night watch. I'm not causin' any harm
Damien tries to remember if hes seen this Quithta around here before
The face nor the name is familiar to you
Quithta: Sir, may I go now?
Damien: Very unhealthy to be here, find yourself some loggings for the night, perhaps a meal
Damien throws 2 silver on the ground infront of the man
Quithta: Oh, gracious! Thank you m'lord, THANKYOU!
Damien walks back out of the alley
Quithta Grabs coins eagerly and runs out of the alley.
Damien: perhaps a trip to my old house will quel my dreams
Damien begins walking towards his old home
You head to the home of your deceased parents. It was absorbed in the Noble house war with the Drasney clan and now it sits empty... unused, as if it were to symbolize the downfall of the once noble family.
Damien sighs
Damien (thinks to himself) I think I have given Orath enough time to return, I should go check out that room he mentioned, perhaps a clue can be found
The room that Orath had mentioned, you believe, is in the estate of the Dransey home. However, you soon realize that you have no idea what room it was.
Damien curses
Damien: I must find out which room it was.
Damien starts heading toward Orath's home cautiously, making sure he's not followed
You make your way towards Orath's home, occasionally glancing back. You believe you were unfollowed as you make your way to the intersection at which his home sits. It is directly across from you, with no sign of anyone there.
Damien walks to the back door
You make your way down the small alleyway and find the large oak door that is depressed into an alcove.
Damien quietly opens the door
You go to turn the handle and find that it is locked
Damien Takes a lock pick out of his boot after looking around, and tries to unlock the door.
You attempt to pick the lock but it doesn't seem to go
Damien Tries again
Again, the lock does not go. It is a stubborn one.
Damien tries One last time
You do not hear the satisfying click of an unlocked door...
Damien looks around to make sure his attepts haven't drawn any attention
No one is in sight.
Damien Takes his time and makes sure he picks the lock.
after a trying time with the lock, you manage to get it open after about 20 minutes.
Damien looks around one last time to make sure noone is there, then enters the home
You enter the home into Orath's kitchen. It is very dark inside.
Damien quietly makes his way to Oraths room.
You start making your way up the stairs. You feel a cool breeze blow into your back for a short moment.

Suddenly, a flash of a a torch light being lit comes from down stairs.
Quithta: Hold it right there, you theif!
Damien turns around and smiles
Orath (sigh of relief): Damien?
Orath Lowers knife.
Orath: I was waiting over at your house for you to get back. What are you doing here?
Damien: I apologize my friend, I did not get the chance to ask you which room it was you saw them place the box which contained the documents. I thought you would be here as I told you to return home.
Orath: I was going to, but I thought that you would go back to your own home. I figured I'd meet you there first since I had some important information.
Orath: Come with me, Damien, I'll show you.
Orath heads for the front door after he extinguishes the torch.
Damien: follows Orath
You follow Orath through the winding streets and alleys of Hemel. You come upon the estate of the Drasney clan. From the shelter of a alcove, Orath points to the building.
Orath: there... the second window on the left. Third floor. Thats the room.
Damien: thank you my friend, you should return home, I will talk to you another time.
You notice that the street also is one of the more frequented. The popular Snake's Head Tavern is right across the street from the estate. A Few drunken patrons stumble down the street as the Tavern is closing for the night.
Orath: I will do so. Be safe, Damien.
Orath pats Damien on the back.
Orath turns and leaves
Damien waits until the patrons are gone and the lights of the tavern are snuffed out
You wait in the cold wet alcove. Your bones begin to stiffen as the last patron stumbles off. The bar lights are snuffed out shortly after. All in all you've waited for close to 30 minutes.
Damien Glances across the street at the estate, looking for a way inside.
The walls of the estate are made of large stones with mortar. It would be fairly easy to climb. There are also many windows along the street level of the home.
Damien quietly moves across the street and begins ascending the wall
The rocks are slippery from the rain and you have a hard time finding your grip.
Damien tries again
You find a crook in the wall that is dry and pull yourself up. You have reached the second story.
You climb the next ten feet to the window Orath had pointed out to you. You notice that there are thin, black bars across it that you couldn't see from the street. The window beside it does not have the bars, however.
Damien Carefully move over to the other window and peer in.
You stumble a bit but catch youself. you peer into the window. Inside it is dark. It appears to be a study of sort.
Damien pulls himself into the room
The window slides open and you creep through.
Damien quietly makes his way to the door to the room
You approach the door. A light is shining from beneath it.
Damien places his ear to the door to see if he can hear anything on the other side
all is silent
Damien quietly gets down on the ground to see if he sees anyone walking down the hall from underneath the door
You don't see anyone walking or any shadows moving.
Damien quietly opens the door to the study and peeks out
Looking into the hall, you see lanterns lining the walls. There are some nice paintings hanging on the walls and plants sitting on small tables off to the side. You see the door that is where the document was placed
Damien makes sure feet is dry to not leave any marks in the hall, then quietly makes his way to the room next door closing the door behind him.
You get to the next room's door. The hall is empty for now.
Damien checks for traps on or around the door, then test to see if it's locked.
You do not believe that a trap is on this door. You test the handle but it is locked.
Damien once again draws the picks out and begins work on the door, keeping an ear out incase he hears something coming
You just about get the lock to go but it doesn't get through
Damien tries once more
The lock opens with a 'click'
Damien quietly makes his way in
This room looks fairly similar to the last one you were in. Lots of books and a desk indicate it as being a study.
Damien starts looking for any boxes in the desk
You search the desk high and low but don't find any boxes.
As you are looking beneath the desk, you look up and above the desk, in the ceiling, you see what looks like a hatch door.
Damien stands on the desk to see if he reach the door
Standing on the desk, you can just manage to reach the hatch. You feel along the edge and find a handle.
Damien slowly pull the handle downwards
The hatch opens up gently, stairs slide out and into place with quiet little clicks. The hatch leads into darkness.
Damien looks around for a lamp
You see a lantern sitting on a shelf.
Quachie grabs the lantern and makes his way up the stairs.
You remember seeing matches in the desk and grab them as well. You head up into the hatch.
lighting the wick to the lantern, you see that the room is very small. It is only 1 feet by 10 feet. At the other end of the room, you see a chest.
Damien walks over to the chest and take a look at the chest.
It is a plain wooden chest. There is no lock on it.
Damien opens the chest
Inside, you see a couple of bags. beneath those is a thin, smaller wooden box.
Damien check the bags
Inside one bag, you see a pile of silver coins. in the other, there are gold coins.
Damien take the bags of coins and places them in another sack to muffle the sound of coins, then looks at the smaller chest.
The wood box is fairly ordinary. It is long and wide but not very tall.
Damien open the box carefully
you slowly open the box. Inside you see a document. In the bottom right there is a seal of the Drasney Clan.
Damien (thinks to himself) this must be it, I will take a closure look later
Damien places the document in the sack and snuffs out the light, then makes his way back down the stairs carefully.
You get to the bottom of the stairs.
Damien pushes the stairs back up and closes the sliding door. Then makes his way back to the door.
Damien listens for any noise and checks underneath to see if he can see anyone.
You don't hear anyone. nor do you see anyone
Damien slowly open the door and peer out into the hall
Damien makes his way quietly to the study room
as you open the door to the first study you were in, you hear someone whistling from down the hall.
The whistling is getting louder.
Damien quickly go in and close the door, then make my way to the window
You get to the window, and you hear someone walking past the door. They stop and cough outside your door.
Damien quickly get on the window ledge and move to the outside wall.
As you climb out the window, you see the door handle slowly begin to turn...
You get your leg caught on something inside and fall halfway out the window. At that point you hear the door open up and light floods into the room
guard: Hey! what the- - !
Damien tries to pull his leg free
You struggle but the boot is stuck on something.
The guard pulls out his sword and advances to the stuck theif. You can just barely see what is going on behind you.
You feel the thump of a hilt on the small of your back.
Damien attepts to free leg
You free your boot from the obstruction. You see a snarling guard behind you.
Damien pulls himself out the window
Damien quickly moves down the wall
The guard swings and misses as you skitter down the wall
You climb a part of the ways down and jump to the ground. You run off down the street.
Damien runs home, when he reaches home, he dries himself off and pulls out the bags of coins and the documents
Damien (smiling): this had better be worth the trouble
There are 20 silver and 10 gold coins. The document has important info
Damien (Thinks things over) This is a lot better then I expected, I must find this Gilbert Hinton before Quaedo'o. He may be the key for me to attain my revenge on him. But that will have to wait till morning, this bruise is already give me a headache.
Damien falls asleep