Built from Pain Part 2

## Story

Deciding to pay a call on Daniel Vance, Seline and Talia make their way into an older more well-to-do part of town. When they arrive at the address given, they're taken aback to find the house looks remarkably similar another house they visited previously. As they move towards the door, Talia commands her glamoured armor to shift what looks like her brown duster and most of her regular clothing two black match her mood. As they're let into the house, Seline notices a familiar shield hanging on the right wall. As they move through the house they see similar things to death house although not the same extravagant touches. When they reach similar study, they know notice a painting on the wall of a man about 45 years old and a woman in her 70s. The woman bears some resemblance to Elisabeth Durst. The man from the painting enters the room although older, thinner, and paler then the painting. They exchanged names as are introduced to Daniel Vance. Of Victoria, he says she started acting strangely when her mother died, then goes on to say her sister husband and daughter also died. When Gandolin Greshan built his estates all over the district he had them built the same and cheaply. Daniel suggested that the asbestos-like material in the house is making the occupants sick. He says he never met Elisabeth but heard that members of her family had also died sadly. Victoria had her own manor built in the city similarly to the other estates after her husband and daughter died. Both Daniel and his late wife try to keep in contact with Victoria. Victoria had been refusing to see Daniel. Gwendolyn the Vance housemaid has been checking in on Victoria in Daniel's stead. A couple months before, Victoria's house was empty the first time. In a panic, Daniel had missing posters put up within 24 hours. She returned a few weeks ago locking herself inside the house which was the only hint of her presence. She did send one letter but as of last week the house is empty again. When Gwendolyn looked through the house she determined that more had been missing. In her letter, Victoria states coldly that Mr. Vance is prying into her business is unwanted. She was out collecting specimens for her experiments and had breakthroughs but did not want to give details. At the end, any further communication should be through the Postal Service at her address. Daniel says he promised Liza that he would watch out for Victoria. After Elise (Victoria's daughter who is named for Victoria's mother and sister) died, Victoria became the last of Eliza's children. Victoria is convinced that Daniel married Eliza for her money and this is the reason for her hostility. Elizabeth and Victoria both got their beauty and genius from their mother their hobbies however, came from their father. Both took an interest in death and in the possibility of reversing it. Seline and Talia decide to tell Vance about Death House. Liza had told him about the house's disappearance and he assumed the townspeople had torn it down. He also got numerous letters from Ernest and had heard rumors of the house reappearing in different places but kept it from Liza. Daniel feels that Gustav Durst married Elisabeth for her money and took advantage of her. He's not sure when Victoria was experimenting on because she kept it private even from her mother. Eliza's husband is Mance and brother-in-law is Robert. He mentions that Talia and Seline are the first to inquire about the missing posters. Gwendolyn says when she entered the front room, she noticed that the paintings were missing and there were packing cases all about. She called out but got no response and left because Victoria's house unnerved her. Talia and Seline inform Daniel if she's dabbling in undead, they'll put a stop to it. They ask him if he wants them to proceed knowing what will happen. When they share the details of Death House and Elisabeth to help him understand their position, he's shaken by it and asks to be excused. They decide to ask for his answer the following day. At the Ubendale Constable/DMP office, Talia asks Constable Grebble about Victoria Greshan. He says it's a waste of time but goes off to get information anyway. While they're waiting, Talia spots one of her would-be robbers from their last visit, scar still evident on his face (dubbed half face by Seline). When the constable returns, he says he doesn't have much but hands over what he does have. When asked about information Talia had sent from Clearwater, he brings back another folder and give it to her. On DMP side, they speak to Joshua in private. Talia expresses her concerns about the antagonistic relationship they have with the DMP. Friendly competition and rivalry is one thing but Branson withholding information about people they care about is another. She offers non-aggression and non-member information sharing cooperation. Joshua responds the DMP is in competition with the 42nd Mercenary Troop and while DMP can't directly attack 42nd some of that misplaced aggression falls on our adventurers. Not to mention a little jealousy at the fact that our adventurers are rising stars in the District for their various hard-fought victories. When asked how many nonhumans DMP members stationed in the city, Joshua says gnomes, elves, and dwarves makeup more than half all of the DMP forces in this city. As for fairies, mermaids, tieflings, aasimars, and/or lycans, he replies none except four tieflings. However in all of the DMP, there are only a few and out on the frontier they're not treated well. Talia says she's not sure if creatures like them would be welcome in the DMP, but she does however suggest becoming independent or private contractors for the DMP. Joshua again suggests joining. "The DMP is not a police force, it is not a club, it is not an army. What it is is an idea, the idea that people from all over this District can look out for each other and just try to make the frontier that much safer." When asked how the DMP would deal a fey and a lycan, Joshua counters with the story of Isaac, a tiefling DMP member who heroically rescued people from a fire in town. Isaac was tragically lost while searching for a monster stealing children north of Harnvel and east of Clearwater, when the 42nd allegedly "mistook" him for the monster in question. Seline consults her cards and they sign up.

> ...protect those on the frontier to the best of your ability. Don't take advantage of your fellow man or woman... don't abuse your authority... you don't need to sign but while you are in possession of this badge, you'll be held responsible, accountable to the authority behind it. Meaning that if you abuse that power to harm your fellow being out in the frontier you will have your membership revoked and a bounty placed on you. Protect your fellow man on the frontier, look out for their well-being that is what the Dead Man's promise was made by the 1st Lord Mayor to protect the frontier. Welcome to the DMP!
>
> Joshua Wilben

(The Story of Isaac as well as Seline and Talia joining the DMP are transcribed here)

## Characters

### Players

* Seline Argent
* Talia Grey

## Trivia

* the in story of Isaac, the monster in the marshes that might be in the Duskdown Area could be Lord Longfellow (Beware the Fellow)