The Royal Hounds of Thalia

Dalen Capital, Valade Estate. Evening, 2 DSTR-

“Well that was very fast,” Kalena observed with surprise upon seeing the Royal Hounds arrive within minutes of her request for them. They were huge black dogs whose eyes gleamed with a crimson glow in the evening dusk. Each were thicker with muscle than a dire wolf and far taller in stature than even a Verdish Mastiff when standing on all fours.

“We were taking them out for their evening constitutional when we got word,” one of the houndsmen explained, leading two by a leash.

Kalena nodded approvingly and smiled at the sight of them before her. “My, oh my, but aren't they wonderful, aren't they ferocious looking?”

“They are at that,” Perun murmured apprehensively, keeping a healthy distance from the monstrous canines.

Kalena fearlessly approached them and scratched one behind the ears and stroked its back. “I've seen them drag down a lion like it was nothing. They always get their prey, unlike the City Watch,” she commented, her voice going cold with anger as she turned to glare at the army officer that came shuffling into the courtyard. “A murder on Sovereign Street! On my property! Heads will roll for this, make no mistake about that, Colonel!” she said, blasting him furiously. At her raised voice, the hounds bared their teeth at the man and let out threatening growls.

“We're already scouring the area, Miss Valade. Whoever is responsible won't get far,” the officer promised nervously, holding up his hands to mollify her even as he shrank from the humongous dogs that eyed him balefully.

“I'm afraid I don't have any confidence in you and your men any longer,” Kalena said. “This murder would never have happened if not for your incompetence. The Queen has been informed, and I doubt she is very pleased.”

“The report was of a lone male victim?” the officer asked, trying to maintain a professional attitude in the face of his own probable impending death.

“The killers have long since fled, curiously taking with them one of my slaves, yet we shall soon have them all in our grasp, won't we, sir?” Kalena said, turning back to the royal houndsman.

“That is so, milady,” the handler replied with a steadfast nod. “Unlike normal hounds, Her Majesty's don't just track by physical spoor. They home in on the spiritual essence of that which left the spoor, and are capable of following it to the ends of the earth; through swamps, over mountains, and even across the ocean.”

“Then by all means,” Kalena said, with a hard smile. “Tally-ho!”

The Fae-bred dogs stood taller and howled excitedly at the prospect of a hunt, that which they lived for, and the professional handlers guided the eager beasts over to the guesthouse to gain the scent of their unknown quarry, even as Laffy returned with the priest.

The cleric proceeded to perform the divination ritual over Van's corpse, but then stopped. He turned and looked at Kline. “I cannot summon his soul,” he said in a voice that squeaked like a mouse.

“What?” Kline responded and angrily picked the little priest up by his robes.

“It is not here, it is gone,” the Priest said in a panic, clearly realizing his feet were no longer on the ground. “They must have taken it. It is neither here, or in the Beyond.”

“They took his soul?” Kalena exclaimed, dumbfounded. “Who in the Seven Hells are we dealing with here?”

“This has the smell of forbidden magic,” Perun whispered.

She turned to her major-domo. “Forbidden magic?”

“Necromancy,” he whispered even lower.

“Necromancy? I know little of such things,” Kalena said, frowning. The only thing she mostly knew from her training was how to kill mages fast, before they could cast their incantations. At thought of mages, she looked about for Chiren. Where had the Count gone off to?

“You…” The priest croaked out, but the rest of the words were cut off by Kline's hand that now had an iron grip about his throat, crushing the life from the little man and causing his face to turn blue.

Kalena quickly caught the eye of Gularzob, and gestured to Kline and the priest. “Gular, would you? There's a good fellow.”

The only one present among them who rivalled Kline in physical strength, the powerful orc moved forward from the crowd, gently prying Kline's fingers off the priest's windpipe. “I think there is a human saying about killing the messenger that applies here,” Gularzob said softly, trying to reach Kline through his killing rage.

“Thank you, my... er...son,” the priest gasped out, rubbing a bruised throat with a shaking hand as he stumbled back from Kline. “Please, keep that mad man away from me!”

Kalena let out a slight laugh of amusement. “Save your strength for our mysterious foes, Kline. I should think we'll be making their acquaintance very soon. Very soon indeed.” She looked to the red-haired man behind the apoplectic Baron. “Will you be accompanying us on the hunt, Lafayette?”

(OOC – I'll add my voice to all those wishing Tyler well and much looking forward to his return! If not the heart he's a vital organ to this whole game, and I'll miss his contributions to this story in particular. I think in lieu of writing Gularzob further I'm going to have the orc go back home as soon as it makes sense.)

<Tag – Kline, Lafayette, Eliza, Chiren/Jack, and optionally Auriel, Thalia, and anybody else that wishes to jump into this.>