Safad's Dream

After the first bulette battle, Safad set off toward Old Weir in a fugue state, muttering about some half-remembered dream. Once the second bulette was taken care of Zireael thought it wise to go look after the city boy, bumbling through the forest. Z caught up to him on the trail and helped him set up camp. That night they shared a dream, something calling to them from an old manor in Old Weir. It was a benevolent force seeking some form of salvation. Safad knew he had to have it. Z knew he had to help.

They passed through the gate with no trouble (foreshadowing) and stopped by GPS for Z to return Fendral's brooch and pay his respects to D-double-e-l-o-n. After that they canvassed the town looking for the house from the dream. They found it in the northern part of town, set up against the wall. A stone marker out front of the estate read "Daleman." They took note and back at Julian's asked about the Dalemans. Julian told him what he knew, that the Dalemans are a very old family, and that the grandfather had been involved in the founding of GPS. Percy was the last of the line, and was slowly ruining the family's good name. He had tried to make it at GPS as a child but could not cut it and left in disgrace. 

Zireael and Safad picked up some pies from Lucille for Layal Dunbar and decided to swing by Daleman Manor to size up the place. They encountered a thick, thug-like "butler" who summoned the master of the house. Percy came to the door with a dangerous looking man, armed to the teeth. Z told him someone down at Three Copper Annie's had said Percy was the man to see for ranging outside the town and would he be willing to show them around. Percy said he didn't do errands. 

Z and Safad left deflated and went back to Julian's where they camped out until just after midnight. Under the cover of darkness, they slinked through town unnoticed and went out to the back garden of the Daleman manor. Z vaulted up the side of the house, helped Safad up, and opened a window on the second floor. It was trapped and a poisoned needle pierced deep into his hand as he slid open the window. He swigged a healing potion and went inside. 

They saw the sleeping thug in the room next to the one they entered, and slit his throat silently. They heard another sleeper in a room nearby but decided to search upstairs first. With insanely lucky sneak rolls, they encountered the dangerous man sleeping who awoke while Z's blade was sliding into him, but Safad's magic missiles ended him before the alarm could be raised. 

They slipped back downstairs and found the door with another sleeper locked. Z and Safad knocked it down and found Percy Daleman surprised and terrified. He managed to whip out his rapier but the two catspaws made short work of him. They found a keyring and opened a locked door upstairs where they discovered an old chest full of the grandfather's treasures. When Safad removed one of the items he was hit the back with a poison dart, but managed to carry on. Inside a beautiful walnut box he found a large dagger, but unlike any he had ever seen before: matte midnight blue metal with a thin brighter steel edge and a slight curve into a wicked point; the hilt has small metal claws serving as a crossguard before bright silver bands wrap delicately around until it reaches a metal-wrought raven, shielding its head with its wings, a tiny polished ruby set in the eye. The blade introduced himself as "Rook" and was glad he had managed to find him and free him from his boredom locked up in the chest.

Z was touched by the reunion but wanted nothing to do with that devil blade. He thought it best to cover up the situation they had created and he and Safad dragged the bodies down to the kitchen table, laid out some bottles of alcohol and set the house on fire. They were back at Julian's before they heard the neighbors yell "Fire!"