Ulthar -- Ulthar

        The feudal town of Ulthar is the largest of the three towns of the
Skai valley, and is one of the centres of trade in this area - caravans
from either side of the Skai end up here, trading their wares. 
        Superficially, at least, this looks to be a fairly welcoming
place. The narrow streets are cobbled and well-worn. The houses here have
peaked roofs and overhanging upper stories. The other noteworthy buildings
here are the temples: the Temple of the Elder Ones, dedicated to Nasht,
sits atop the highest hill here; and shrines to many of the Great Ones can
also be found. The temple library is said to be home to some of the more
disturbing grimoires ever written. 


The cats know it first, of course, but the rumor brings it fast through
the streets. The Hound, the dream-people murmurs. The Hound. The cats
scatter to the alleyways. The people draw in fearfully, but do not run or
panic, knowing that if the rumor be true, hiding is of no consequence, for
anywhere there is a corner there may be a Hound and a Hound never leaves
the chase. And perhaps they see the revelation of their fears in the
blurry figure that rounds the corner, grey and indistinct, for he seems to
slip from place to place without covering the space in between, to careen
suddenly out of a corner and across a jagged cobble only to disappear
again, his features...yes, human features...intent but somehow confused
and distracted. His path traces an ever-narrowing spiral of angular
half-steps, rises and falls, appears in upper windows and on roofs, down
walls, across broken angles of the road, closing in on the Dark Lady, but
it is unclear whether the man (?) is even aware of her. 

Grant is, as he grows more distinct, definitely not dressed like any other
inhabitant of Ulthar. He looks like an Earth man, and a very ordinary one
at that. Perhaps Selene remembers his face coming out of a terrible
gorilla suit at Halloween. More likely not.

Dark Lady notes the disturbance. Cloaked in darkness and shadow she
smiles. But it is anything but alluring or pretty. It is a feral, savage
smile. The smile of the predator as it is about to devour its prey. The
tall dark figure stops suddenly. While she does not turn to face the
approaching figure, it is obvious that she awaits its arrival. 

Grant stops, just out of arms length, and finally, perfectly in focus. He
stares at her blankly, as if he'd expected someone else, or as if he'd
just bumped into her on a busy street. He opens his mouth and a rush of
fizzing, crackling static leaps out, like a radio tuned between stations. 
He shuts it quickly, then looks around, eyes widening a little in wonder. 
When he opens his mouth again, his voice is back. "Hiya." he says. "This
ain't, uh. This ain't Broadway and 36th." He pats down his pockets and is
-very- surprised to find a pack of cigarettes, from which he selects and
lights one. His nervousness at his surroundings appears to be fading
slowly - he is more apprehensive of the lady before him. 

Dark Lady

        The creature before you seems like something straight out of myth
and legend. To say that her appearance is 'unnatural' is definitely an
understatement. Tall and statuesque, she radiates with a soft glow, like
the moon above. Her cream coloured skin is smooth and flawless. A river of
black hair spills over her shoulders, shrouding her face in a dark nimbus. 
Ebony and ivory perfectly contrasted. But what attracts and horrifies you
most are the burning orbs of fire which are her eyes. They glow like
raging infernos, gleaming like red bloodstone. 
        Royal luxury. Layers of silken black material flow over her body
like a black wave. Slightly oriental in look, the robes are trimmed with
gold and silver. The material shimmers with a strange luster that is
reminscient of a starry nightsky. The outer robe also bears the insignia
of a cresent moon. 


Dark Lady smiles at Grant, though its unlikely that he can see it.
"No...no it isn't" she replies simply. "Shall we?" she asks though
something suggest that it's more an order and not a request. 

Dark Lady looked me over.

Grant(#929PXfnce)

        This is a man in his late twenties in a battered dark blue suit,
the sort that might be worn by a down-on-his-luck stockbroker, or a con
artist on his day off. A conservative grey shirt with a carefully knotted
tie lies beneath the dark blue coat, though the pants are more casual, and
the battered, well-used black sneakers look even more comfortable. He's
wearing a vest, but for some reason it's not buttoned across his thin
frame, giving him a somewhat tatterdemalion air when he moves. His black
hair is combed straight back and shaved at the sides, and his blue eyes
are only visible if he takes off those little octagonal mirrored
sunglasses. 

        His skin is vaguely tan, like he spends a lot of time outdoors,
but manages not to get much sun in the process, and he has the sort of
wiry, athletic build that comes from exertion, not exercise. His voice has
a Brooklyn accent - his body language is vigorous, brash and confident. 

Grant scratches his head a little. "Go ahead." he says. "I want to see if
I got a choice." And when she moves, he moves, from corner of cobble to
edge of sidewalk, keeping the same distance from her. He looks dizzy and
discombobulated until he starts walking with her, getting the hang of
where to put his feet to keep them from slipping through the lines of the
road to spring ahead or fall behind slowly but surely. "Kind of what I
figured." he says. "I guess you're who I'm looking for." 

Dark Lady heads down a dark and lonely sidestreet. The Cats of Ulthar give
her a wide berth. For some reason, they avoid her. "I suppose I am, yes." 

Grant says lowly, "I don't guess you'd let me see your face...or tell me
who you are. Your voice is familiar, but I can't quite place it..." He
seems to worry that Selene might refuse...or is he worried that she will
assent? 

Dark Lady chuckles. "Some questions are better left unanswered as some
requests are better left unfulfilled. Don't you agree?" 

Grant blows out some smoke as his feet jitter beneath him, eerily
transforming the straight path of their walk into a crooked, ugly, twisted
stroll. "I don't know." he says. "I've never known any questions like
that, I guess." Then suddenly: "This is a dream, isn't it? But I've never
had one like this before...so much for nachos before bedtime, eh?" 

Dark Lady laughs, as she floats towards her destination. "Be glad you
didn't have pizza and beernuts. Imagine the dream you would have had
then...." Selene laughs darkly. 

Grant chuckles, and he stops walking, and annoyingly, this brings Selene
up sharp, momentarily. It's a silly psychological trick (is it?) but it
brings Grant's look into sharp focus for a moment before they walk on. 
"You're the one that...hired? no, not hired...something, though...you're
the one that is using Elizabeth Braddock's kidnapper." 

Dark Lady says "In a sense, yes..." Selene continues her journey. "You
will soon see that I have many...agents in this world of dream and in the
waking world. Agents whose sole desire it is to promote my agenda. 
Elizabeth could have been such a one, but she unfortunately made the
mistake of attempting to usurpme. For that hubris....she will pay. Pay the
highest place." 

Grant smokes meditatively. Then a look of relief washes over him. "Oh." he
says. "You're only Selene. Thank god." Then he looks interested in
Selene's statement about Elizabeth's hubris and how she'll pay. "Really?
You gonna do her like she did you? Bet it'll work about as well." 

Selene smiles from beneath her hooded cloak. "Indeed it will, my pet. It
deed it will. Now follow me..." Selene walks an odd, zig-zagging path
through the side streets and alleys. Every so often, she changes the angle
of her approach. If one where paying attention, they'd dare say her
footsteps where marking some arcane pattern of some sort.

Grant doesn't notice it of course, but his own feet execute a different
pattern, twice as angular and half as Euclidean. "So what would be the
point?" he muses out loud. "She didn't kill you -that- bad." He seems to
be not entirely clear on which of his thoughts he's saying out loud and
which he's just thinking - a typical problem of inexperienced dreamers.

Selene says "A death is a death, regardless....even if those who are dead
do not die." 

Selene is uncommonly patient. Her path seems to be leading her down a dark
alleyway. 

Grant shrugs. "I mean, it's not like you racked up that many funeral
expenses." he says loudly. "Chuckles the teenage chop shop zapped your
body outta the room tout suite. You were barely cold!" 

Selene sneers, though the darkness hides it. "Meddling little twit! She
too will pay for her crimes." Selene makes her way towards a secluded
little building. The doors swing open and she enters, fully expecting you
to follow. 

Grant doesn't have a choice about following, though, without seeming to
really notice it, he 'quarters' the door first, approaching along one
wall, then along the other, entering the room at the most oblique angle
possible. "Oh, hey, great, three murders instead of one. Just what the
city needs. More bodies cluttering up the pavement." he says, around his
cigarette. 

Selene smiles. "There are worse things than death, my dear...." Selene
sits at the table which is in the center of the room. Her chair looks
almost like a throne. 

Grant sits on the corner of his chair, which has no armrests. "Yeah." he
admits. "You could be a Red Sox fan." 

You say "So, who exactly are you? Ya know, we never did find a last name
for you. Dawn says you go way back, but you must not have done anything
important, 'cause you didn't leave a trail." 

A serving girl approaches Selene. She carries a silver tray with two
goblets on it. She offers it to Selene, who takes it. The girl then offers
you the second. 

Selene says "Didn't I? Or perhaps you don't recognize the trail for what
it is...." 

Grant shrugs. "Maybe not." he says. "I understand if you're not too proud
of it. There are a few things I've done I don't like to admit to people." 
He takes the cup, tries to drink from it, and somehow fails. The liquid
bumps against his lips but doesn't enter, or splash, or leave a mark. He
looks at it askance, then sets it down on the table, carefully, like he's
afraid he might spill it, even though he sets it down far in, on the flat
surface.

Selene sips her drink. She nods to the girl who leaves for the moment. "I
am proud of everything I have done..." 

Grant slides to the other corner of the chair and puts his feet up on a
corner of the table in what can only be described as a rather casually
insolent manner. "Proud of being one of the murdered heads of a criminal
syndicate." he says. "Hurray, you've come so far. And me still with car
payments to make." 

Selene laughs. "You are so entertaining...."

Grant grins. "Ain't I, though?" he says. "Everyone's a wiseacre in this
t....in New York." he corrects himself. "So whyncha tell me how you're
gonna do Illyana and Braddock. Axe? Meat hook? Talk 'em to death?" 

Selene says "Nothing so gross, my pet." Selene nods a servant who enters
with another tray. A silken bundle sits on the tray. "I have considerably
more style than that..." 

Grant shrugs, regarding the ceiling through the smoke of his cigarette.
"Hey, I dunno, I kind of like the meat hook. Come at a guy with a knife
and he might get a little scared. But one look at a meat hook and he will
be -freaked out-." he says. "So what's -your- style?"

Selene laughs. "Whatever is fitting at the time....Depends on the
circumstance." Selene reaches for the bundle and begins to unwrap it. 

Grant nods. "Huh. Method of opportunity. Angling for second-degree instead
of first, huh? I get it." he teases. "Not bad. Particularly since dreams
aren't admissible. So how much do you know about Braddock's disappearance?
Been too busy bossing the help around to know what your flunky's doing?"

[[[[ LOG BREAK.  OOPSIE. Selene has put a amulet on the table and asked 
     if Grant has ever heard of the Amulet of Koth. ]]]

Grant grins. "Never heard of him. Unless you're talking about the same
Koth as played the sheriff in Death Of The Ninja 3."

Selene shakes her head. "No...I am not. But do not worry, there's time for
that." Selene sips her wine. "Tell me this....how what would you say if I
told you I could help you bring a certain fugitive to justice?" 

You say "I would say, 'Go on, I'm listening.'"

Selene smiles. "You've had an eye on her for a while, I am told.
However...her unique...abilities and position make her difficult to
apprehend. I...however...can fix that for you." 

Grant grins. "And this person would be..."

Selene smiles, "Illyana, of course."

Grant chuckles. "Well, fact is, I can get her in anytime I feel like it,
and hang onto her as long as I want, but let's pretend I didn't say that.
What would -you- do?" 

Selene smiles. "I would take the game to her....meet her on her own
turf...see what she is really about." 

Grant ahs. "In Iow...er, Nightmare, sorry, that's an inside joke." he
says. "Well, that's out of my territory. What she does there is her own
business." 


Selene smiles. "No...Nightmare is her tuft." A wicked gleam enters the
dark one's eye. "...at least it is for the -moment-." Selene savours that
thought. 

Grant rolls his eyes. "You guys are worse than the gangs in South
Brooklyn, even if you do have better haircuts." he says. Did he mean to
say that out loud? Now his inexperience at the Dreamlands might mask some
other manipulations. Just like him to make a weakness into a tool. "So," 
he says, definitely intentionally now, "how do you go about taking over a
crazy magical world?"

Selene says "Its not as complicated as you would think....However, it does
take considerably planning and preperation. And so, that is why I have
brought you here." 

Selene's tone is very frank and matter-of-fact. Hmm....maybe being a ghost
has improved her demeanor? Nah.... 

Grant blinks and looks amused. "Oh, -you- brought -me- here!" he says with
a chuckle. "Sure, sure. Okay." Humoring her, he says, "So what do you need
me for, if you got everything planned out so good?" 

Selene smiles, ignoring Grant's ignorance. "You are a detective, Mr
Sutton. I have need of a detective's skills. Ergo, our little meeting." 

Grant nods. "So what would you want me to detect? Not that I'm in the
market. I already -got- a job, remember? I know none of -your- friends do,
but..." 

Selene pifts, "None of my friends need jobs, but that is neither here nor
there. As for your time, I'll only take up your nocturnal hours. What else
would you be doing? Sleeping?" Selene chuckles mockingly. "As to the what
of the matter, I had a body. It is now missing and cloaked from my
detection. I need it. You are a detective. You detect things....Detect
where that little scamp has hidden it. Simple, succinct and to-the-point.
If only all your cases where this straightforward, Hmm?" 

Grant laughs, "Oh, is -that- all?" he says cheerfully. "The kid already
offered to show it to me. She -wants- you to find it. She tattooed
something dirty on the arm or something and she wants to gloat. Kids. 
Anyway, so what's the bribe, uh, I mean, why should I do this wonderful
favor for the both of you?" 


Selene says "Why not? You've taken such an interest in my death....Are you
not equally as interested in my resurrection?" 

Grant beams slightly. "Sure!" he says cheerfully. "The more there's
internal fights in the Hellfire Club, the easier it will be to smash in
the face. Except, wouldn't you know it, Braddock is missing, too. Maybe I
should wait until one or two of your more ambitious thugs decides to take
over before getting you back. That way it would be a four-way conflict
instead of just three. Right?" 

Grant chirrups this with all the grace of someone who has never had a
secret plan and doesn't see why he would ever want one. 

Selene laughs but is it with you or at you? "Don't worry about
Elizabeth....she is being seen to. As for the power plays, the Club is
notorious for such. It won't be long before another erupts, that I can
assure you. But...I have more important issues to deal with first. Such as
my body....."

Grant grins insolently. "I'm still waiting for a good reason. Do you want
to try threats or bribes first?" Suddenly there is a flash of calculating
in his eyes, and you get the feeling that despite his casual rejection, he
hasn't discarded the idea yet. 

Selene laughs. "The reason is that I desire you to and that is good
enough." Selene's eyes burn with fire and power. "If it were as simply
matter of fetching and returning, I would have gotten a hound to do it and
not you." Selene sips from her gobblet. "Now...may we proceed or do you
still wish to play your game?" 

Grant waves a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Go ahead." he says, his mind
clearly elsewhere. 

Selene nods and continues. "Retreiving my body is only the first part and
the most simple. You said so yourself, the Nightmare childe is more than
willing to give it back. She believes that her spells and enchantments can
somehow bind me or weaken me. She simply has no idea....But the second
step is more precarious and more important. Once you have completed the
first boon, your job will be to use your unique ability to link a path
back to Illyana in Nightmare. As it stands, I cannot freely enter her
realm through the more...conventional...means. Your job will be to find me
another route. And that being done...you will take me there." 

Grant looks somewhat askance at her, as if he didn't hear that quite
right. "Ohhh-kay." he says slowly. "Ya know, I don't do directions. It
doesn't work like that. All I get is impressions." 

Grant is thinking something else, though.

Selene sighs. "I never cease to be amazed by how truly ignorant you
foolish mortals can be. In man there is so much...potential. By time and
time again....age through age....you miserably fail to capitalize on what
is within you. You, Mr Sutton, are disappointing me." Selene leans back
and smiles. "But luckily....I am in a generous mood and will suffer your
shortcomings." 

Grant says briefly, almost curtly, "I don't make the gun, I just pull the
trigger. Since you don't think I have a choice, there's no point in you
hearing my answer, is there?" He brings his feet down off the table and
stubs his cigarette out on it. It smoulders there, an ugly little stain on
the table. "I'll do what I can, but what I got..." He taps his head. "It
doesn't work with directions. Dream or no dream." 

Selene smiles as she begins the lesson. "Your thinking, Mr Sutton, is
surprisingly linear considering..." she lets the thought drop on the verge
of revealation. "....In any case, you need only find the connections. I
shall take care of the rest. Once that is done and all is ready, you will
trace them for me and in so doing, led me to her stronghold. Very
elementary, my dear Detective. Surely even you can handle that." Selene
smiles, already visualizing her ultimate goal. "Now unless there is
something more you are in need of, I believe you have quite a bit of work
ahead of you." Her tone is noticeably dismissive.

Grant nods. He looks at the amulet. "So what does this Koth guy have to do
with the price of tea in China?" he says, indicating it. 

Selene smiles. "Oh that..." Selene sweeps the trickets away. "...nothing
of importance to you, my dear. A vague hope, but nothing more. " Selene's
tone is sickenly sweet and obviously fake. She's much better than that and
knows you know it. "Simply take care of your end of things. That is all I
require from you.....at the moment." she adds as an afterthought. 

Grant grins at her. "I'll try not to be too linear for ya." he says. "Have
fun rotting." He looks more staticky, again, and even shorter than usual,
like he was slowly moving away from her, though he remains at the corner
of the table. 

Selene chuckles despite herself. "I shall. Have fun hunting....It is what
your -kind- does best." Selene smiles knowingly. 

Grant rolls his eyes again, clearly not thinking much of this
characterization, and opens his mouth to reply, but nothing comes out, and
then he is gone.