Of Games and Thrones - Forum RPG - LOOKING FOR PLAYERS

[Wingnut]

Sorry for the delay, life caught up with me.

"This can't be right... Can't be a mistake either," I muse to myself. The inconsistencies are simply too systematic to be some clerical error. How on earth could the mahogany table (a gift from the Archduke) outside the library have been damaged? The reports don't mention any fighting in that area. And what about the furniture in the great hall? "Well, isn't this quite the puzzle," I mumble. I consider bringing this to Tuthsfield's attention, but I'm sure he already has enough on his plate. I'll let him know once I find the reason for the discrepancy. While continuing to read through the conflicting reports, my hand reaches out to the cabinet on my left, to the third drawer down on the right-hand side. I pull out a floor map of the palace almost unconsciously (a benefit of having a well-ordered work space). "Now let's see... chipped paneling outside the King's chamber, superficial damage to the tile floor as well... then to the library and the Archduke's table... a few vases knocked over near the entrance to the yard near the main gate... Hmm... then where... Ah, the great hall and the reception area... and then, nothing?" Looking up from the damage reports, I examine the map, and the hastily sketched route I've managed to piece together. The walls of the great hall don't look quite parallel on this map, and I'm sure that'll bug me, but more importantly, the trail dead-ends. There are no exits in the area, the windows are either too high up to safely leap from or firmly mounted in the walls. No reports of broken glass (a relief, those windows are expensive), so they didn't defenestrate themselves. "Tomas always says it's not a dead end until you find the body. Guess I better get looking."

I fold up the map and put in my pocket and I am just turning to leave when a though strikes me. "How did Sir Harrad get to the King's quarters..." I whisper softly as realization dawns. Turning back to the cabinets, I pull out the duty roster and quickly scan the entries. For the second time in my life I realize how handy it is to pay the guards by the hour; it makes it much easier to find out where they've been. Ah! THIS is interesting. Sir Harrad was off-duty at the time the scuffle outside the King's chamber took place, as were the squires and Sir Brandon. Like good soldiers, that would mean they were all in the barracks. Sir Harrad wouldn't have been at the King's quarters before them, unless he already knew what was going to happen, in which case he would sounded the alarm instead of allowing them to proceed unhindered. Since he was the one who alerted the guards at the gate about the 'traitors' he couldn't have come after them, he would never have reached them in time to stop them, much less chase them from the palace. So he must have been with them. If they were plotting, they wouldn't have taken him along, and if he was in on the plot, why would he choose to betray them? More importantly, why would any of the Lion Guard betray the King...

It will have to wait until later. I still have a mysterious disappearance to sort out.

[knolli]

Simply grandiose, Wingnut. I'm impressed. That's the way this game is meant to be played. I'm happy to have you with us.

Leopold follows the trail of destruction. Although much damage is cleaned up, you notice details that can't be undone with scrubber and soap. As the reports claim the trail ends abruptly. Two servants are busy swabbing the floor and the hall looks like usual. Nearly. (Roll: 1. Perfect score!) You know what you are looking for and immediately notice a carpet missing in the next hallway leaving the great hall. The servants have removed it for cleaning, you guess. In a room nearby you notice a new small scratch in the doorframe, just the right hight for a scabbard. You follow the trail of nearly unnoticable marks and signs of recent cleaning until you reach a chamber that contains two armchairs in front of a fireplace,a bookcase and a big painting of a hunting scene. No second exit. The trail ends here. You doublecheck. Yes, the floor was cleaned recently. And look at this: The map clearly states that the room measures four times six paces while actually it is of square shape. Peculiar. It only takes you seconds to determine where the secret passage is. The hard part is to find the entrance.

Nebul is the center of attention now. Too much attention for his comfort. The boy is clearly shocked by the obvious signs of disease on your face, but other passers-by remain scepitical. It only takes one of them to alarm the guards or even try to claim the bounty for himself and this would end in desaster. You try your best to convince them: "We are not the ones you are looking for." (Roll persuade: 15) Two or three of them actually lose interest in you and move on, but the rest has you surrounded.
"You, the big one, show us your face!", an muscular man demands.
You hear whispers and hushed voices: "Could it be?", "He only has one hand", "Is that a sword under his cloak?", "The traitors", "Call the guards", and even "Nah, they ain't not that dumb, eh?."
There are maybe twenty civillians paying attention. The street would be broad enough to let two carriages pass side by side but for the crates, sell stands and occasional piles of garbage. You are still in the lower city with all its filth. To reach the borders of the dwarven district you still have to pass six streets.

The cantrip is fine. As I said, I am more than willing to expand the list of spells.

[Wingnut]

Now if I were a mechanism for opening a secret passage, where would I hide? Not the bookshelf. This room is right off the reception rooms, there would be too many people who would be happy to sit down and read a book after a long tedious trade meeting. Somebody would have stumbled upon it accidentally. The painting, on the other hand, could be hiding something behind it. Too large for the servants to remove easily, it would probably be dusted in place, and nobles know better than to mess with a painting, so the secret could be preserved. The actual entrance itself would need to be on the side with the fireplace, judging from the map. So... sliding wall segment? Maybe... But unless it was perfectly made, dust would have settled in the joint and made it obvious. Probably. Maybe it could be sealed with wax or something to hide the joint until it was used. But you'd need someone to reseal it each time... And you would leave bits of wax on the floor. Getting too complicated. Think simple. What would be the obvious... oh...

The fireplace would do nicely. The way the stones are set would hide a joint perfectly. No noble guest would be possessed of the urge to inspect a fireplace of all things. However, opening the passage would disturb the fine layer of ash that's left after cleaning. Not something that anyone would notice, unless they were looking for it. I glance behind me to make sure no one is watching, and then move to inspect the fireplace. If my suspicions are confirmed, then this would be the most likely place to put the mechanism for opening it as well.

Simply grandiose, Wingnut. I'm impressed. That's the way this game is meant to be played. I'm happy to have you with us.

*bows* I'm happy that you were willing to have me.

[knolli]

Leopold: You make sure noone is watching and close the door. You know exactly what you are looking for and there it is. A small groove in the stone plate. If this indent curves that direction then this stone swings over here. Since the lock must be somewhere over here, the lever should be right here. Your finger run along the backside of the upper frame and...
*click* aha!
The backside swings open for a finger's width, but that is enough to pull it all the way. The passage behind the hidden door is dark and dusty. Several footprints are still clearly visible.

General Overwatch: It is the morning of the second day since the story started. Nenul is in the city on his way to the dwarven embassy where Kurgen is resting from a long but frustratingly boring night. In the meantime a young scribe named Leopold finds the hidden excape tunnel the disgraced knight and his companions had used the morning before.

[IVhorseman]

Of course now is when I finally start rolling shitty...

This is turning bad, fast. I need to act quickly to get them to leave us alone. They want to see Eduard's face? I'm going to make them regret that request. I'm going to make them scared of us. If I pull this off right, they'll clear a path for us and stay as far away as possible. I prepare another rotten flesh spell under my robes, covering my hands in sores and preparing to transfer the same spell to the next person I touch. I cough violently again, this time for real. The sores in my face start growing stronger as well, though my recently replaced cloak hides it. "Please, we're not the filthy traitors," I gasp between choking coughs as I stumble directly into the crowd, "we just need help. Please take us to one of the healers..." I trip directly into the closest adult human, grabbing his arms as I fall to the floor, transferring the spell as I do so, and making it appear as if I have already spread my sickness. Already his skin begins graying and forming sores, but the spell shouldn't extend farther than his hand, nor last for longer than an hour. "I don't have much time before I start losing limbs too, our elf had to amputate my companion's hand." Hopefully Eduard and Quanire can follow my lead. It's common practice for elves to lead the sick around these parts due to their immortal blood, so Quanire being our guide makes sense. I just hope Eduard can convincingly play being sick. We practiced, but not thoroughly.

Love the Overwatch!

[Wingnut]

I stoop to get a better look at the footprints, careful not to disturb them (or get my clothes dirty). I was too young to go out hunting before my father lost... no, squandered is more accurate, before he squandered his estate, but the old Master of the Hunt taught me a few things about tracking. Not nearly enough to identify who passed through here, but still enough that I know I'm looking at seven pairs of footprints. Which is odd.

I stand up and close the passageway. As curious as I am, following the trail of wanted men into a dark and unknown tunnel network while unarmed and poorly dressed for spelunking does not seem to be a prudent course of action. But the secret passage certainly answers one question. After all, it is not good policy to advertise the presence and use of such a passage; it undermines the whole "secret" part. So doctoring the report of the clash only makes sense.

But seven sets of prints? THAT doesn't fit the story at all... Who would the other two be? Why wouldn't they have been mentioned in the report? Possibly to protect their identity? But that would mean that there were still conspirators within the palace... I clearly can't go spreading what I have found until I can determine who else might be involved. If they were in such a position to 'adjust' the records, they are likely to be in powerful positions. I need more information...

Leaving the room as I found it, I make my way to the archives. My best hope of discovering who might be aiding these traitors will be to determine who it is they associate with. The records won't tell me everything, but it will certainly inform me of who they might have met on duty. Guards assigned to foreign diplomats, sent on missions to distant lands or to the territory of old enemies would be prime suspects. And that mage's apprentice, what was his name... Nevel? Opal? Ah, yes, Nebul, I need to know more about him in particular. My lack of knowledge is unsettling and I will correct that as soon as possible. As I walk down the corridors towards the archives, something still doesn't sit quite right with me. I can't help but shake the feeling that I've missed something. The narrative I've constructed is far from certain, I know, but it does fit the evidence I have. I just hope I haven't misinterpreted something crucial...

[knolli]

The narrative I've constructed is far from certain, I know, but it does fit the evidence I have. I just hope I haven't misinterpreted something crucial...

It is quite good and I like your creativity. There is only one point you have overlooked.
Although I said the guards are looking for one wounded knight, three squires and the apprentice mage, I forgot to mention "and another young man" several times. Quianires identity remains a mystery to the officials (at least until his absence in the temple is noticed and someone puts one and one together. Quanires colleges surely know that he is friends with the wanted Nebul).
It is also publicly known that Sir Eduard, the captain of the lion guard and, as it seems, also the leader of the conspiracy, died in the incident. It sais so in the letter to the dwarves and consistency demands that this is the official version.
Unfortunately this deconstructs the conspiracy theories you so carefully put together. It's a pity. But seeing seven different footprints here is another inconsistency. You havn't seen Sir Eduards body yet, but have little reason to doubt that he died. But obviously it was not in the hallway in front of the kings chambers as the reports claim.

Nebul: When you touch the man you feel the spell connect. It works well and the result is nearly instant - maybe a bit too well. He staggers back and doubles over, coughing heavily. The people around you shy away from the scene in shock. After a moment of absoluet silence fear and panic threatens to conquer them. The resulting reactions are manifold:
"Stay away!"
"Get lost!"
"It's the black death! Kill them! Kill them now before they curse the whole city!"
"No, don't! We should escort them to the temple. The priests will know what to do."
"They are cursed by the gods and beyond redemption."
"Evil sorcery!"
You don't want to wait for a decision. Instead you make a run for it. The crowd parts in front of you as people shy away in fear. Four of the more short tempered and violent ones give chase. You are in a disadvantage, you notice, since you and Brandon are not in best shape. If this were not bad enough you are not as familiar with your surroundings as the thugs are. (shake off pursuers: Mob+Int: 12, lucky roll. Thugs pursue: 3) Dispite all this you somehow shake them off. When you run around a corner you see an open door. You rush in and close it just as the thugs enter the alley. You hold your breath while they rush along and disappear down the narrow street. You can hear their shouts get more and more distant.

Kurgen: I'm sorry that your investigation was without result. This must be frustrating. But what did you expect? To find them by walking the streets when all the city is looking for them? You have an advantage over the city guards. You just didn't make use of it yet. Do you need some hints?
Mostly it is in your control what you do, but you have to get active.

[Wingnut]

Ah. I thought that Sir Eduard might have gone "mysteriously missing" from how it was described, possible to show up under the necromancer's later. Being dead has got to suck, but it is better than having to fight him later (barring zombie knights... ).

So ignore everything after "So doctoring the report of the clash only makes sense. " and instead insert:

But seven sets of footprints... That would mean that all the conspirators had managed to make it to the passage... So why wouldn't they have just left? If Sir Eduard could have escaped, why didn't he? Perhaps this passage doesn't lead directly out of the castle, or maybe he returned to... to convince the King they weren't traitors? To alert whoever he was working for? No. It just doesn't make sense. One way or another, Sir Eduard was slain, but the others escaped, probably into the sewers. But with the guards searching everyone who attempts to leave the city, they have nowhere to go. They can't stay hidden within the city forever. Judging from Tuthsfield's reaction, it would seem the king would sooner empty the Treasury than allow them to escape. If they stay in the city, it would only be a matter of time until they were caught... They need a sanctuary, someplace where the King would not dare to send his troops... A foreign embassy would do nicely, especially if they had backed the assassins. But that would instantly make that country the prime suspect, and perhaps start another war. No one would take in the traitors...

...Unless they believed them innocent. If they had friends in one of the embassies, people who trusted them and would vouch for their innocence, then they might have a chance.

Leaving the room as I found it, I make my way toward the archives. If any of the squires were assigned as embassy guides or interpreters, they might have the connections and goodwill necessary to gain asylum.

But what about Sir Harrad... Something still doesn't seem right with him. I briefly consider the possibility that Nebul could have dominated him with dark magics and forced him to aid them, but I highly doubt that an apprentice would be able to wield such power. Still, my lack of knowledge of the mage leaves me somewhat unsettled; I will need to correct this lack as soon as I can.

[Quantumsurfer]

Oh, haha, I'm not mad or frustrated. I knew my investigation would yield nothing before I began it. Kurgen didn't, though, so yay for roleplay.

I haven't said anything since then because reasons:

Kurgen is asleep, yet to be awakened by Njalla.

You said it was IVhorseman's turn awhile back. Then Wingnut jumped in. When I jumped in, we switched narrative focus. So I guess I just assumed you were doing things in turns and you'd get back to me after you got through with these segments of Wingnut's and IVhorseman's.

I was also sitting back to enjoy the other two players' most excellent scene writing.

[IVhorseman]

You're right to be suspicious of me. Try talking to Resco, or if you can manage to locate him, Master Laurence, my tutor. Of course, all this info is OOC, so draw your conclusions as needed.

Kurgen, I'm heading your way so be prepared! I dunno if we're taking turns really, I'm just putting my actions up and then waiting for them to be acknowledged - i'm not afraid to wait for a bit to have them acted out.

"Well, that.... could have been worse. How are you all holding up?" I ask out of reflex, but my heart is pumping too fast to listen or care. I discharge my spell and rejuvenate my skin. Then, I look behind me to see where exactly we decided to take refuge. If the coast is clear, we check back outside for the same requirement, and keep moving towards the Embassy after we catch our breath.

[knolli]

Ah. I thought that Sir Eduard might have gone "mysteriously missing" from how it was described, possible to show up under the necromancer's later. Being dead has got to suck, but it is better than having to fight him later (barring zombie knights... ).

My player must have rolled a natural 20 for my story telling when I was writing the official letter to the dwarves. I wasted so much potential there. The worst thing: I had his zombie comeback planned and all. Stupid me

Leopold: Your assumption about international conspiracies and connections to foreign embassies seems a bit farfetched to me. The idea that the king's personal bodyguards would have their own safehouses in or secret passages out of the city would be at least equally plausible. But fine, we can work with that.

You return to your study and a huge pile of new reports and lists awaits you. All of them are marked as "urgent" but a brief look tells you that there is nothing that cannot wait another hour. You reach for the asignments of the past two weeks and there it is: Squire Eadmund was tasked to akt as a guide for the new Dwarven ambassador and did so with remarkable enthusiasm. That's nice to know. You also check for any reports about this dubious Nebul, but with little result. One old reprimand because he has tried to pass the gates after sundown, his testimonial and here and there a note of minor importance. He is the handservant of Master Resco, the court magician and the pupil of Master Laurence, the "converted necromancer", a very shady personality.
When you search for his name you realize that he is not mentioned on any reports that are younger than a few weeks old. But there is no report of his departure. No destination. No reason. No official funds. Strange.
It itches you to look further into this, but where to start? And you still have work to do.

So I guess I just assumed you were doing things in turns and you'd get back to me after you got through with these segments of Wingnut's and IVhorseman's.

There are no turns, but I try to keep the timeline consistent. So if you are fine with Kurgen wasting his time, so am I. I will give you a call when you wake up. Which will be about now.

Kurgen: You feel like you have just closed your eyes. Loud voices from downstairs have waken you up. Not even the dead could rest in this noise. Baldir Stonebrow has one of his infamous tantrums. They are rare but after the last one (short after you had met him) you had several bones to patch up. What could have made him loose his temper to such an extend? You can make out the words "outrageous impudence" and "arrogant bastard".

Nebul: You want to leave the relative safety of the empty house when Quanire stops you. "Wait. That was close. Too close. There are still six streets until we reach the dwarves and we don't know what other obstacles bar our way. We don't even know how they will react to our sudden arrival. What makes you think that they will risk a political incident just to help us? And if we get cought again we won't be that lucky next time. Sir Brandon is in no condition to last through another scene like that. Let I go first and scout for a save route. As you said, they aren't looking for me."
How does Nebul react? Do you let him go? If you want you can switch characters for now and direct his actions, too.

[IVhorseman]

Nebul thinks for a moment and realizes that Quanire is correct. "You're right. I don't like sending you alone. You're my friend, and I never wanted you to get caught up in such danger. I'll let you go, but you've got to promise me that after we find a healer, you're going to find somewhere safe to get away from us. If something happened to you, I'd never forgive myself. Head to the Dwarves without me, and see if you can do some persuasion. Brandon and I will hole up safely in here. I just hope whoever lives here doesn't come home any time soon. When you return, knock twice, then twice again." Quanire nods in understanding, and without a word hurries off to meet the dwarves. I could certainly do with worse friends.

In the mean time, I have some time alone with Brandon. "Are you okay? I promise we won't have to go much further." Together, we walk around the house. No furniture, food or decorations makes it seem abandoned, but several scuff marks and the fact that the door was unlocked make it likely that this house is a fairly common hideout, or perhaps even a store room. "While Quanire is gone, we need to look around this house for a better place to hide, or anything unusual." I pry a loose piece of wooden paneling off of the wall, and prop it up against the door as a makeshift lock. "I'd like to start meditating soon, if we can afford the safety. I'm a caretaker of the dead, and I haven't visited the Land Beyond in far too long. I should have gone when we were safe in the sewers, but I couldn't risk giving away my location - after all, it's how I discovered the Necromancer. Luckily now, we're on the move and won't stay here long. Normally I need several hours of meditation, but the night of the treason I fell into it almost by accident. I think some kind of resonance must be being produced by the amount of dark magic radiating from this evil wizard, and I might be able to tap into his network. If we can assure our safety, I'd like to take a quick visit before Quanire gets back."

[Quantumsurfer]

So if you are fine with Kurgen wasting his time, so am I.

Of course I am. It's logically consistent.

I groan and roll out of bed. I don my outerwear and grab my kit as I move out toward the main hall. Oh, by Grabthar's Ugly Bearded Mug, this was going to get nasty. I approach rapidly but with caution. I've seen this only once before but once was enough. I enter into the hall in time to see a newbie trying to calm the old warrior. I wince as the beardling lays a hand on Baldir's shoulder and again at the inevitable backhand that sends him flying across the room. I think I hear something crack and hustle over to examine the young dwarf's injuries, careful to stay outside of Baldir's range. It's hard to get a handle on what exactly has the old dwarf in such a state but if there's one thing a dwarf can't stand, it's to be talked down to. I'll calmly tend my patient and patiently wait for Baldir to work his frothing rage down to its usual simmer. I catch Njalla's eye (thank the gods she's smart enough to stand well back and let Stonebrow's anger cool) and she moves around the room to help me with the well intentioned, but very unconscious, young aide. We move him together to a bench. I shrug, lesson learned. Diplomacy is a hard business. Njalla and I coolly watch the others as they buttplug in to determine the source of the ruckus and hope that no one else is stupid enough to approach our leader. We wait it out as best we can. Eventually, Baldir slams his massive fist onto the stone table (the only piece of furniture left standing at the front of the room) and stands there for a long time, his back to us, head bent in a concerted effort to bring himself under control. No one breathes as they wait for him to turn and speak. Judging by the effort it's taking him to calm himself, this was indeed going to be nasty. Njalla and I exchange worried glances.

[Wingnut]

Assassinations are inherently political. Unless some random madman happens to be wandering around the capital, an attempted assassination will either stem from internal struggle or external interference. Given that things have been relatively quite in the kingdom to Leopold's knowledge (feel free to correct me on this), that means this is an external threat. Hence the embassies. (But it would be less than ideal for your own assassins to return to your embassy, and thereby expose you, it would be best if they could convince somebody else's embassy that they were innocent...) He is just working off the assumption that they need someplace safe. A safe house or a hideout is great, but given the efforts of the redoubled guards, likely only postponing the inevitable. And having secret exits out of the city that other lion guard did not know about is silly. You would have something like 12 different weaknesses in the city's defenses that could be exploited if some random dude stumbled upon them, and even worse, only one of the defenders would know about it. What if that member of the lion guard was killed in battle? Then nobody would know to guard the secret entrance in case the enemy found it. {Not saying this is not possible, but Leopold thinks it unlikely.}

And romping around in a secret passageway alone and unarmed is not exactly smart. Plus Leopold was afraid there might be big, hairy spiders. Bleh!

Experienced Necromancer missing, his apprentice among a group of otherwise extremely loyal guards who made an attempt on the King's life, and the King and Sir Harrad acting decidedly odd. I really, really do not like what this seems to add up to. Not. At. All. If things are as bad as I fear, I can no longer keep my suspicions to myself. I must speak to Master Resco at once. Perhaps Master Laurence is just on vacation? Perhaps the paperwork was just misplaced? I know it's probably wishful thinking, but I am desperately hoping that there is not a rogue necromancer taking control of the kingdom. I'll just ask Master Resco about Laurence's absence, make inquiries as to how powerful Nebul is, and whether or not it is even possible to use black magic to control someone. I'll pose the questions like I'm trying to clear up rumors among the assistants, scribes, and apprentices. Then, if things still look like I'm right (and I pray to all the gods above and below that I am not) I'll share with him what I have found. He'll know what to do, right?

I am in over my head...

[knolli]

Oh, this will be a long one.

Kurgen: With visible effort Baldir takes one deep breath after another and calm down a little more with each one. Finally he stands up straight and turns around, facing everyone present.
"The honored ruler of this realm has just informed us that in consideration of the recent events he has sent guards to each embassy in the city - for our safety, he says, since the fugitives are still on the run. Pah! If he wants to tresspass on dwarven territory because he thinks we are hiding them he should say so outright! Of course he does all this for our protection and with the best interests and thanks us for our understanding. This makes me sick! Who does he think he is?! He... one... two.... three... it's alright, Njalla. I'm in control. Kurgen, you go out there and tell the captain of the watch to piss off. We do just fine without him meddling in our affairs. Tell him he can keep his men where the sun don't shine or anywhere as long as they stay. Off. Our. Land. I will be in the workshop. Everyone, don't bother me unless the king himself is here to say he's sorry."
You notice that all the time he has clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turn white. His temper is still only a small piece of tense string that could snap again at the slightest touch. Without another word he nearly runs from the hall to lock himself in his workshop and not leave it until he has cooled down for real. The way things are this could mean hours - or even days.

Nebul: Sir Brandon is pale like a sheet and sweating hard. He has high fever and manages to stand on his feet only by force of will, it seems. How he has managed to run just now is a mystery to you.
"Yes, you are right, I'll look around on this floor, you go and see if you find an attic or cellar."
The house is small. It only has three rooms at ground level and one room upstairs. The attic is full of empty crates, broken furniture and other trash. In the former kitchen you find a stair made of brittle wood that leads down to a cellar. After you made some light, you look around. At first it seems to be the same as the attic. On second glance you notice that not all of the crates are empty. It is possible that you fond one of the Mocker's hidden storerooms. Some of the crates are big enough to hide a person. In the dark corner behind the stairs you discover a hole in the stonework A wall breakthrough to an abandoned cellar next door. The air is old and stale, but you should be just fine there for some hours.
You help the knight to hide in the small cave-like cellar, then extinguish your light. He is in no condition for complicated conversation and barrely staying awake. Although you are anxious and worreid for your friends you try to calm down and meditate. (meditate: 11) It feels,.. normal, in a lack of a better word. Whatever it was that dragged you here last time, it is gone. The fog is its normal clean white again and the Gates are open as if nothing ever happened. Until you notice the absense of the usual Boron guard. Instead two new Visitors have taken their place - probably priests of said god who have not yet recieved their "final promotion".

Leopold: When you knock on the door to the high wizard's office an old, angry voice barks: "What know? I'm a busy man." You say you are the treasurer's assistant and would be honered if he could spare the time you help you with some questions (persuade: 6).
"Come in then. But be quick about it. What is it you want to know."
You ask about Nebul and his teacher.
"As I already told the king. And the officer of the guard. And Baron whatshisname. And nearly everybody else: Nebul is a fine lad. Good sense of duty. Quite talented. Still learning the basics, though. But has the potential to take the exams in about half a year. Well, had, if he survived that long. Now that he is wanted and all that. Can't believe he tried to kill the king. Or maybe he lost it like most practicioners of the darker arts do. How unthoughtful. Who is going to keep my office clean now? Speaking of necromancers, yes, Laurence. Quite a nice guy. For someone of his school at least. Of the silent and brooding type. Seldom talks about his past. Knows many secrets nobody should ever know. A great acquisition for the academy. ...To control a person? Well, he could answer your question for sure. I am no specialist for the dark arts. Could be possible. There is the school of magic of the mind. Ah, yes,yes, legend has it that the great mages of the past knew such magic. But it is lost. And that's good this way. Anyway, spells of such kind are forbidden. ...Using necromancy? Well, let me think. Maybe... If you controled a ghost and made him possess someone? Yes, yes, that could work. I think Laurence once mentioned something like that. Anything else? ...Ah, where he is? Yes, yes... I have no idea. He does that now and then. Simply vanishes. Is your curiousness satisfied now? Fine, then leave me to my tasks. And tell the kitchen maid to bring me my breakfast up here. Or lunch. Whatever."

Fiuh, I finally finished that wall of text after over an hour. But I have fun, so it's fine.