#earthrunes

August swallows. "Dog baiting."

Coradel doesn't completely understand, but she gets enough of it. "August, you must call the number, speak to this Norm, find out where the game is."

August nods and, peering by the light of his phone, he dials.

"Norm." He reminds himself as it rings.

She nods and listens, restless.

"You're talking to the man with the plan," A voice says cocky and smug "What can I do you for?"

"Where's the game?"

"hold on hold on... who is this?"

Coradel listens. ((Can she hear the other side of the conversation?))

Sure

"Nick." He answers, putting it on speaker. "You're Norm, right?"

She mouths Andrew's friend.

"I'm Andrew's friend, Nick." He repeats.

"Damn, Look, Nick, Andrew's supposed to do the hands on resource gathering, I'm supposed to hand out the invite cards. Law's been tight. So tell you what, you tell me something only Andrew or someone else 'in' might know."

August freezes, looking at Coradel with wide eyes. "Ah. Ah."

She points at the paper about Rosh.

"Ah. The, ah, the bait you're using now. Probably not going to make another night, so Andrew's out looking for new."

"Shit, well, if you're a cop we're already busted" A hearty laugh "Yeah, yeah... Nick, you've got plenty of time. It's by the old pig slaughtering house at Extension four off the main road. In about forty minutes. Just tell em Chuckwagon and they'll know you're one of the fans"

"Right. Gotcha. Thank you."

She nods and waits until he hangs up. "Mortals, right? What's the best plan?"

"Sounded like mortals, yes. Ok, we head back, get a car, and get out to the address. Who are we taking with us?" He turns and sets off at a light, easy jog towards the manor.

A good question.

She keeps up with him. "There will probably be cages, so somebody good with mortal locks? At least one other besides that. Priority to get the Isis and the other animals out first."

"Vince, and...Theo?" She sounds uncertain.

August nods. "Other warriors? Do you think Magnus.... his specialty is investigation, his Arts tend to that. He could help us get there if we need it, maybe give us an edge before any fighting?"

"I wish Zara were here... "

"Magnus, yes. Good thought. Claire? Honestly, if we raised the alarm, everybody would join in, but we need to move quickly."

"Well, where she is, he will be. So we might as well get them both. Derynwydd would be great to have with us...."

It's not hard to find Claire. She's currently at post, armed, armored, and she bows

"Dame, where's Magnus? We need you and he to join us. Isis has been taken, we're going to get her."

While August is talking with Claire, Coradel runs to find Mr. Benson, the piskie.

"Find him and meet us ready for battle in the garage." He nods sharply and heads off to drop a message for Vince. Failing to find him immediately, he lets Leonora know of the mission as well.

"Magnus? He's in a debate with the seer, the library... Wait, Isis? Oh geez, Ludilla will rip a new hole in someone"

Actually, she seeks out either Warder, asking the closest boggan for their locations.

Summons roused, August will make his way to the garage, picking out a few nondescript vehicles that will serve well and waiting for the others.

Vince comes running up- his hair a mess, tied back roughly, socks mismatched and shoes in hand- his shirt is half buttoned incorrectly. As he pauses to catch his breath, a smear of lipstick might be visible on his face- and, er, chest as well. “I heard the call of the hounds... can someone give me a heads up?” Reminding them that his news came from the pooka child.

Ludmilla is the warder on duty, well, not oN Duty, but she's here for tomorrow's duties. And when she sees Coradel, she is surprised, and bows, "Lady?"

In the garage, August nods to Vince. "Isis was kidnapped, she's going to be used for bait at a dog fight tonight unless we get her."

And on a sudden thought, she also tells the boggan to alert the master of the hounds.

He goes icy still, his half-smile look, half expecting this to be a prank, frozen on his face.

"Ludmilla, Isis has been abducted. We are going to find her, get her back. Will you come with us?"

There is no question from the look on August's face; he does not 'prank.'

Her eyes darken, and she grabs a large two handed mace, far more refined than a club, yet still,,, essentially an uberstick of SMACKING skulls open "What happened?"

And the master of hounds is summoned

"Vince, can you drive?"

Coradel is already moving back to the entryway, explaining, "A dogfighting ring. They needed a new bait animal. Isis and Enri were out, four-footed, and Isis got captured. The fights begin in...probably 30 minutes now."

Any humor drains from Vince’s face. He may have been seen as solemn, but this is...cold. His hands clutch fists and release, as though claws are fighting to come out.

“The laws of this county. How deal they with this Sport?”

A pause, and he continues- his voice quieter, just for August (Coradel, if close enough, as well, but not meant for any crowd...)

“Shall we leave a scrap for the mortal law to find? Or is it the Jungle Law tonight?”

"As the Baroness commands." He says steadily, Coradel being in the Manor gathering forces.

Coradel arrives in time to hear that, and murmurs, "Rescue first. Revenge if opportunity allows. And if the evidence suggests that they were mauled by an animal that got loose..." A steady look at Vince. "I have no qualms with that outcome."

Sir Sergei is an iccy man, by nature and when h is told. He gathers not just his chimerical weapons, but a gun. "Mortals are not protected by the Escheat. "