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  1. - Top - End - #121
    Troll in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Stelio Kontos

    Nadine nods at your offers, but otherwise doesn’t reply as she turns and walks away. It may be irrational, but after their last attempt to leave Korvosa resulted in Beatrice’s injury it seems the sisters would be staying in the city for better or worse. Hopefully if you can put a stop to Gaedren’s plans, that stubborn decision will turn out to be for the better.

    As for Grau, the guardsman seems more surprised by your reaction to this unexpected revelation than anything.

    “I mean . . . I guess you have a point, Mr. Rose. It was thirty years ago, after all, and that’s plenty of time for Ms. Silverlight to have made new enemies. I just thought since we’ve been looking at Gaedren Lamm as responsible for her murder, and here I found a connection between them – something very serious in fact that would be worth deliberately targeting her over, rather than just a random mugging gone wrong. It also could open up other potential suspects than just Lamm, given they weren’t the only ones on this list of pardons, and someone may be attempting to keep this whole pardon quiet by eliminating witnesses. I suppose the whole thing could just be a forgery, but if it was then why go to all the trouble scattering it about the records office? And I trust my friend – I don’t think he would try to make this forgery himself, nor frankly do I think he’s good enough to make one that looks like this. I suppose you’re right that it could just all be Lamm again. Guess the only way we’ll find out is if we manage to bring him in alive, and I get the chance to question him about this directly. I imagine this time around, those treason charges are going to stick though, and Queen Ileosa isn’t going to be interested in writing a new pardon for him.”

    The sergeant shrugs and wanders off, clearly a bit crestfallen at your objection rather than elation at poking around in your mother’s past. But if he wanted praised for a job well done, then he’d have caught Gaedren Lamm already and stopped harassing everyone else in your social circle.

    PiccadillyPi

    After the near hour-long trek up into the Shingles to your friend’s abode, it was quite vexing to be left with nothing but a change in address. Fortunately, you do know of another friend who might have what you’re looking for, although her aid would not be free and she tended to take her payments in “favors” rather than coin. Not an unpleasant arrangement really - save for that one incident involving her dwarf “manservant” – but it had been a number of years since you last seen her and you really didn’t have the time right now to do all the “catching up” that she’d probably like to do. A woman’s life and career were in danger here, and you could only hope all these delays weren’t going to result in you being too late to be of assistance.

    Getting down from the Shingles was considerably easier than ascending to their heights, as it merely required carefully lowering oneself from one catwalk to the next, until a jump down to street level was not such a painful and life-threatening experience. Those new boots courtesy of the queen also certainly helped in this matter, and it was only a few minutes before you were down at street level. Unfortunately, once you were down at street level a new complication revealed itself in the form of three shadows disgorging themselves from a nearby alleyway and making a beeline for you. As they get closer, the lead one pulls its cowl back a bit, to reveal an unwelcomely-familiar scarred face.

    “Hey Hornface, remember me?”

    Tark the Fishmonger growls, while behind him one minion sighs and hands over a pouch of coins to the other who chuckles while muttering “Told you that scroll was worth every copper.” To your surprise, however, after that aggressive greeting the half-orc would-be kidnapper holds up his hands.

    “Much as I’d like another go at ya after the mess ya caused me, Boss just sent me to fetch ya for a nice private little chat. Don’t cause no trouble again, and ya won’t get a hair of ya head hurt. Uhh . . . oh yeah, and the Boss told me to tell ya “Save ya mercy for those that deserve it”, whatever that means.”

    The half-orc grunts, repeating the phrase that Vjala spat at you right after pulling her blades out of a child who had unfortunately been exposed to Shudder. Seems unlikely that anyone but her could have known she had said that to you, although sending Tark and his gang after you certainly seemed like an unusual method of communication. On the other hand, the idea that Tark and his men were working for Vjala in some capacity, at least enough to call her “Boss”, was a confusing turn of events given what had happened at Trinia’s flat in what now felt like years ago ( ).

    “So what’s it going to be, Hornface? Ya coming with us to see the Boss quiet-like, or is this getting physical?”

    Everyone Else

    Kroft blinks in surprise at Gavin’s initial challenge, and then scowls as she undoubtedly starts to parse out various arguments – that she could still swing her sword just fine, that there were plans in place to protect the palace (of questionable worth given Lamm could have had those plans given to him by the corrupt members of the Guard), and so on all until the man dropped the “dereliction of duty” phrase. Her eyes went wide at that remark, and she looked at Gavin as if he had just full-on slapped her across the face. To Gavin, it was clear that she had made the connection to the exact charges that had been placed around his neck to hang him with.

    The Field Marshall is quiet throughout the rest of Gavin’s argument, as well as Dalen’s logical appeal for delegation after the armiger’s pathos argument is complete. She finally seems to muster the strength to look up at the group, her gaze sweeping across everyone to eventually settle on Gavin.

    “I have missed your insights and passion, Mr. Dimir.”

    Kroft says truthfully, and then turns her gaze back down to her desk with a sigh, clenching her hands together into interlocked fists.

    “But I don’t think I can be that person again.”

    Those words trigger another memory in Gavin’s mind, of that other world, where he sat in this very office, soaked to the bone after swimming out to rescue a Sable Company marine from the Jeggare River, and exhausted from fighting through the riotous streets the night of King Eodred’s death. In frustration he had vented five years of pent-up anger at his former captain, who had simply taken it in stride before revealing she had always had faith in him after all. That had been the start of that Gavin’s rebirth as an unofficial member of the City Guard, and that service had started with that exactly same phrase uttered by Gavin to Kroft – “I don’t think I can be that man again.” An odd reversal of fortune, here, for that same phrase to be repeated back to him.

    “As for Sergeant Saldado . . . I find it very hard to trust him with anything important these days.”

    Kroft gives another weary sigh, which segues into another exhausted yawn.

    “There’s no sense in arguing against the truth, though. I am not fit for duty in this state, and if I am unable to function after my scheduled visit by the Abadarian clergy is delayed by even an hour, then I am of no use to Korvosa. So alright, I suppose the paperwork can be finished and sent on to the arbiters at Longacre tomorrow. Which, assuming nothing else goes wrong in the city for the next eight hours, means that I can return home for a quick bath and a night of sleep before returning to finish the paperwork tomorrow morning. Would that be satisfactory to you all?”

    The Field Marshall waits a beat, and then with a slight smile slaps her palms down onto her desk.

    “Then, it’s settled. Now then gentlemen, unless you have any further business to discuss with me, the sooner you get out of here the sooner I can lock up my office and go home. Except you, Mr. Dimir . . . would you mind staying behind for a minute? I was hoping that we could have a brief – and private – conversation.”
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  2. - Top - End - #122
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Staring off after Nadine, Aliani finally snapped back into the sergeant's conversation, just in time to hear... well, something incredibly stupid. Was the man daft, or merely egging him on?

    He let him walk away, a fair distance. It was all he could do, his face turning red the whole time; the alternative was to punch the man, and that wouldn't do right now. He waited for him to just about turn a corner before shouting after him; it wasn't intended, but it was probably loud enough for everyone to hear, even through the closed door of Kroft's office... which as it happened was just opening, anyway.

    "I already KNOW who did it, and I have for five years! You would too if you read everything I turned in to you people! The QUESTION is why you haven't arrested him yet! Chase after those wagons, why don't you, maybe there's still time to let you on!"

    A visibly angry half-elf greeted the party, putting on an obviously phony smile, and saying in the sweetest tone, "So, how was the meeting? Everything as meticulously recorded as usual, I assume?"

  3. - Top - End - #123
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Gavin twice resisted the impulse to raise an eyebrow, once at Field Marshall Kroft asking him to remain behind, and once at the anger coming off of Aliani. "We'll ensure the paperwork is finished in the morning, Aliani. We've just finished convincing the Field Marshall that repeated visits from one of Abadar's bankers is a poor substitute for actual sleep, and that she'll be of far more use to everyone after she makes up for the few days she's gone without. And, yes Field Marshall. If it is important, I can certainly remain for further questions."
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
    No news is good news.

  4. - Top - End - #124
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Dalen tips his head respectfully, "then I'll take my leave Ms Kroft. Until you next require my services,"

    The wizard is caught in reflection on his walk home. He'd also underestimated the threat substantially. Given the manpower at their disposal he hadn't even prepared his full complement of magic, leaving some in reserve for other applications later in the day. Even a single additional spell would have likely tipped the scales, and allowed them to apprehend Vreeg and confiscate that eye. It was not a mistake he'd make twice. Next time, he'd bring his full power to bear.

    Dalen arrived at his home ready to get to work, stopping only quickly to check what correspondences had arrived. His eyes widen as he finds Sabrina's note and he goes rushing out the door. With a flash of magic he conjures a steed and sets out without delay.

  5. - Top - End - #125
    Troll in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    PiccadillyPi

    Tark the “Fishface” scowls as you beg his pardon and request a raincheck of several hours on your meeting with their Boss, who you can only assume is Vjala. Tark’s lackeys tighten their grip on their weapons but the half-orc waves them off with a nasty laugh.

    “Boss said you wouldn’t have time to talk. Guess that’s typical for you then, because I also got this note to give to you.”

    Reaching into his jacket, Tark pulls out a slip of paper, crumples it up into a ball, and then bounces it off of your forehead. You stoop down to retrieve it from the street, expecting this as some sort of distraction pre-amble to an assault upon your person, but by the time you retrieve the paper and look back up Tark and his crew are already gone, with only a few swirling bits of detritus as sign of their hasty retreat. You uncrumple the note to find a message that is unmistakably in Vjala’s handwriting, terse and to the point as many of her recent communiques have been with you.

    Lamm meeting with Underworld leaders to recruit. Tonight. Beneath Kendall Ampitheater. Going to attack Devargo this evening to stop him from arguing against Lamm.

    And that’s it – while informative, there are no further directions as to what you should do with this information. And from the looks of it, Vjala would not be available to provide further detail. But you certainly wouldn’t be able to do anything about this by yourself, which meant getting back together with the rest of the group at all haste.

    First though, you needed to complete your original task or this whole side trip would have been for naught. You rush back to your residence, make yourself presentable, and then hurry on to where you could only hope Genevieve was still holding court. You had kept innocent tabs on your friend over the years since you had last needed her help, and while still a small congregation the CalIstrian church was doing *very* well for itself. Well enough, in fact, that Genevieve now managed a small chapel converted from a private residence located just outside South Shore’s walls for . . . private worship.

    Now properly groomed for the occasion, you go up to the front door of the residence and knock. A few moments later and the door swings open to emit a faint puff of pleasant perfume. The interior is darker than the street under the fading afternoon sun, but still lit with a welcoming glow that shines off the oiled skin of the lithe elf now standing in the doorway trying not to squint at you due to the aforementioned sun in his eyes.

    “Welcome to the House of the Unquenchable Fire, sir. Our formal service is not until this evening, but if you are here for private worship, I am sure that we can accommodate you.”

    The boyish elf states smoothly, adding just enough suggestive pauses at just the right points to suggest he’s had a lot of practice at delivering that greeting just so. He’s a bit lacking in experience all the same though, as he oogles you a bit too openly as he steps back to allow you admittance. Stepping into the immaculate foyer – decorated to resemble a garden – you find yourself with little time to enjoy the scenery – furniture or otherwise – as before you can even explain that you wish to see the Lady of the house, you hear a quiet purr from the balcony above.

    “Well, hello there, stranger.”

    You glance up just in time to see Genevieve LaBelle descending the second-floor stairs, clad in an elegant yellow dress accented with patches of black translucent fabric that show just enough of the skin beneath to be enticing rather than tawdry. A half-elf, the Mistress of Callistria appeared untouched by the passage of time since you had last seen her, and likely would remain so for another couple decades at least. Arriving at the bottom of the stairway, Genevieve smiles and gives you a curtsey that is just low enough to give you a better but brief glimpse of her decidedly human-sized assets.

    “It’s been much too long, Silas. I trust you are well?”

    Although she maintains her playful smile, Genevieve’s eyes flash with concern as she examines you intently – no doubt looking for any sign of relapse. She was sure to love it when she heard what your request was, as your former part-time dealer, then former nurse. With a gentle tilt of her head, the Mistress indicates for you to follow her out of the foyer and into one of the small side rooms curtained off from the rest of the ground floor. The boy-elf greeter simply stares after you as you follow, a clear expression of surprise and envy flitting across his face. But this visit was for business, and not for pleasure, and as soon as you are both behind the privacy of the side room’s curtain Genevieve’s smile fades away completely.

    “Why are you here, Silas? I hope that you have remained free of your various addictions, because I do not know how much aid I will be able to offer you this time. As you can see, I am a very busy woman these days, and while business is good my responsibilities have likewise increased.”


    Everyone Else

    Kroft is about to reply to Gavin’s question when she glances at the visibly irritated Aliani, and seems to think better of her request as she swiftly does an about face. It’s unclear if her change of heart has anything to actually do with the playwright’s outburst, or if she simply reconsidered the request after her tired mind had another few seconds to mull it over.

    “Nevermind, Mr. Dimir . . . or is it Ser Dimir, now? Simply a personal inquiry, nothing more. It can wait for another time. Perhaps one in which the city is not in imminent danger, and tempers are not so short.”

    The Field Marshall concludes, glancing at Aliani before turning her attention back to her desk, arranging the papers with purpose now and clearly dismissing the group as she returns her attention to her work.

    Spoiler: Atavian, Jakkin, Gavin
    Show

    Some of you know Kroft from having worked closely alongside her before, in this world or the last, some of you are just good at spotting bull**** when you see it, and Kroft’s ability to keep a straight face is still just as compromised as before. Whichever of those reasons is true for you, it enables you to notice several things that Kroft probably hoped to cover up by her sudden reversal and renewed interest in her paperwork.

    Earlier, while perhaps goaded by near-delirious exhaustion and frustration at the Guard’s situation as a whole, Kroft had spoken plainly to the group. Not as the Field Marshall of Korvosa but as Cressidia Kroft. And Cressidia Kroft was intensely curious about whatever she had wanted to ask Gavin. But when Aliani came storming in, his angry arrival had been enough to “shock” Kroft back into Field Marshall-mode. The professional wall was back up now, as best as Kroft could manage a professional demeanor in her current state.

    But despite her best efforts, Kroft still couldn’t stop that faint blush from spreading out from the bridge of her nose to the top of her cheeks. Cressidia Kroft was embarrassed by this whole conversation and her brief moment of “weakness”. Not so humiliated that she wasn’t going to ignore the whole conversation and go back to quickly working herself to death, but this “failure” in her eyes was likely due to be added onto to the pile of whatever baggage was driving her to this in the first place. This battle for Cressidia Kroft’s soul was a victory, but the war would continue.


    The group slowly files out of Kroft’s office, and with the sun starting its slow trek down towards the sea it seems as if everyone in the group would have a quiet evening to do whatever they wished for once. Since Dalen’s house/shop was relatively close-by, however, the entire group agreed to accompany him back there first before splitting up for the evening. Which was a good decision, as it turned out that a quiet evening apart might not be in the cards after all – Sabrina’s note was urgent and while her level of humorlessness might surpass even Kroft’s, neither did the queen’s bodyguard seem like the type to exaggerate the seriousness of a request.

    So Dalen taking the lead in flying back out the door before Greg has even really had time to say “hello”, the group hustles up into the Heights district of Korvosa, and at it’s center the black stone ziggurat known as the Grand Mastaba, atop which the white marble spires of Castle Korvosa had been constructed as one final insult to the Shaonti who surrendered the ancient structure last of all. Whether the guards manning the gates had been told to expect you or by now were familiar enough with the group to know you belonged here, they let you through into the entry courtyard without question. And that answer as to why they just waved you through was pretty self-evident in the fact that Sabrina Merrin was waiting for you just inside the courtyard, pacing back and forth like a wild animal caged by the walls of the courtyard.

    “Finally! Where the Hells have you been!? I sent that note hours ago – never mind! Follow me.”

    The queen’s bodyguard grouses, certainly giving the impression that she had been down here in the courtyard pacing while she waited for you literally for hours, even if that was not factually the case. Sabrina leads you all up into the castle proper, but you don’t get far inside before she changes course and leads you into a small waiting room. Judging by the furniture, it’s intended to be a small waiting area for dignitaries prior to meeting with the queen, but you’re pretty sure it was chosen just because it was the nearest empty room Sabrina could think of.

    “So, how’s your day been? Because mine started sucking this morning, and only got better from there!”

    Sabrina snarls, and then pauses, looking around suspiciously at the walls before taking a deep breath and continuing in a much quieter tone of voice – evidentially to frustrate any would-be eavesdroppers who would have to be deaf to miss her statements thus far.

    “Queen Ileosa is missing. I can only assume that she sneaked out of the castle early this morning, probably on some daft quest to personally avenge Eodred. Now, she’s occasionally sneaked out of the castle before, so I know that’s what happened and that this is not some kidnapping plot. And I know from those prior . . . adventures . . . that she knows how to be discrete. But those previous trips only lasted a few hours, it’s been the better part of a day, and oh yeah, none of those previous trips involved hunting down a murderous psychopath! Oh, and her stupid handmaiden is with her, so that’s something right?”

    Sabrina adds as an afterthought, and then after a moment’s further thought, vents some more of her rage by punching the nearby stone wall with a loud CRACK! as marble meets her steel gauntlet – and gives way slightly as a thin crack is visible in the marble pillar after Sabrina pulls her hand away without even a wince.

    “Oh, but it gets better! Y’see, later today I received a message from the Council of Nobles! They’re finally getting off of their butts to meet and select who Korvosa’s new seneschal should be since Seneschal Neolandus up and disappeared the night Eodred died – yeah, that’s not suspicious at all is it!? They’re meeting TOMORROW! And they sent a formal letter to Queen Ileosa to present the list of candidates that the various noble houses would be putting forth for consideration. Because as is tradition, despite not being Korvosa’s official sovereign, Ileosa does get to nominate her support for whoever she wants to turn around and order her dragged off the Crimson Throne and thrown into exile or worse! But with or without her seal of approval, the Council is going to select a new seneschal. And guess who is the current forerunner for that – gee, could it be the person at the top of the list in bold print!?”

    Sabrina spits as she yanks a rolled-up piece of parchment embossed with gold filigree out of a pouch at her belt and practically throws it at Aliani. Unfurling the scroll, the playwright reveals that the parchment is a letter that states what Sabrina just summarized, albeit in considerably more flowery speech. And in the middle of the letter were a list of half a dozen names, which indeed had the name at the top of the list in double the size print as all of the others: Lady Ambassador Andaisin of Cheliax.

    “So, maybe you’re starting to understand why I’m so alarmed, and why Queen Ileosa needs to stop playing adventurer and get back here so she can DO SOMETHING with her last day as Korvosa’s queen! NOW! And I would be tearing this city apart with my own two hands except that I would not be subtle about it, and oh yeah, there’s a regicidal maniac on the loose who would just love to add a second notch to his name! So instead, I’m STUCK HERE, and forced to rely on the lot of you to find her, convince her to return to the castle instead of playing at vigilante, and get her back here ideally without anyone else discovering the fact that Korvosa’s interim monarch likes to take long walks in the slums without her bodyguard! Oh, and bring her handmaiden back safe too, I guess. Oh, and you have until tomorrow afternoon to do it, or else we all get to bow down and grab our ankles before SENESCHAL ANDAISIN!”

    Sabrina gives an exasperated sigh, finally out of breath now that her tirade of an explanation was finished. With that expenditure of frustration finished, Sabrina’s expression mollified from somewhere below “furious exasperation” but still above “annoyed concern”.

    “Look. I know some of you have issues with the nobility – I’d like nothing better than to punch the smug grins off of most of their faces myself – and I can’t say that this was anything but blatant stupidity on Ileosa’s part. But she wants what is best for Korvosa which a damn sight more than what most of those nobles want. If she or her handmaiden has gotten into trouble, you’re the only people I know of that might be able to get her out of it, and do it without making it a front-page scandal on the Korvosa Gazette. If you need anything to get this done, I will try to give it to you. Please.”
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  6. - Top - End - #126
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "My apologies, I was performing contract work for Field Marshall Kroft today and had only just received your letter," Dalen conscientiously greets Sabrina, "you may consider myself at your disposal,"

    Dalen listens to Sabrina and his eyes widen as she describes the situation. He pauses to think, then nods, "Do you know if Ileosa is capable of casting a non-detection spell on her own power? If not, any such spell cast on her before she left the castle would have expired by now, and it would be possible to find her with the proper divination magic," Dalen bites his lip, "if you could forward me seven hundred gold pieces, I can rush to the goldmarket and procure a scroll of scrying. I'd need only a few hairs from her pillow to serve as a focus in locating her. Alternately, if you can narrow down a search area we could perhaps find her more quickly with a Locate Object spell. I crafted those sleeves for her, and can use them as a focus for the spell, but it has sharply limited range so we'll need to have a narrow search area for that to work,"

  7. - Top - End - #127
    Troll in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Sabrina, now considerably calmer but still with an edge in her voice shrugs and shakes her head.

    "I'm not an expert on this magic stuff, but I do know that Queen Ileosa - and by extension her handmaiden Elliana - do have magic items to block scrying and various information-gathering magicks (i.e. Amulet of Non-Detection). Many of the nobles do as well, I would guess as a hold-over from the days when they liked to play assassination tag with each other. I would say it's a pity they don't still play those games, but it tended to spill over into open violence that got a lot of innocent people killed as well, so I guess things are better now? Of course, once they get rid of Ileosa, who knows how bloody it'll get again to pick the next person to sit on that damned chair."
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  8. - Top - End - #128
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PirateGuy

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Jakkin grunts as the situation is laid out for them in refreshingly plain language – as if Kroft’s exhausted caginess as to why she’s pushing herself so far isn’t bad enough, the monarch is running about ‘incognito’?

    "While you’re mucking about with your scrolls and spells, I’ll get a start on trying to track them down on the streets," the Halfling observes. "Just in case one magic screws with another," he adds dryly. As they all too often seem to do. It might not be quick or glamourous, but he’s not feeling hopeless about his ability to track the pair of women by nosing around and asking questions.

    ...after he procures a change of clothing, mind. At the moment, he still looks like he stepped out of a slaughterhouse.

  9. - Top - End - #129
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "I'm sorry we're late" Aliani replied a bit testily, still harboring some leftover anger from the end of his meeting with Saldado, and further flushed with the lovely news about the ambassador. He picked at the charred remnants of his own clothing. "We were a bit indisposed attempting to do the guard's job for them, and as you can see it was rather unpleasant. But yes, it will be good to speak to Her Majesty; that little gift she gave me proved quite useful about an hour ago."

    Meeting Sabrina's eye before flashing a brief smile to let Sabrina know he was still on her side despite the near-death experience that that little gift had prevented, and that eating his face off wasn't a necessary action right now, he continued. "We'll do what we can do. I know some people. Jakkin's right, we put our noses out there and see what we come up with. At this point we've got enough people hiding from us in sewers and basements and whatnot that I think mathematically we're bound to bump into somebody we're looking for or that's looking for us. But honestly, if it comes to another scrap, speaking for myself .... I've got nothing much left of value to give. I won't be much help, if people get hurt. I rather suspect Mr. Rittle, behind his enthusiastic exterior, is rather well spent as well judging by the parchment he burned through. And as capable as my colleagues are, without that support... if it comes to a scrap, people are going to die. So we're going to have to figure something out."

    "And if we haven't done so by noon tomorrow, you take the ambassador and throw her down a deep well so nobody can find her, and buy us some time."

    "Oh! I almost forgot. How is Miss Sabor holding up?"

  10. - Top - End - #130
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Those amulets are far from foolproof... but it will take me an hour to perform the casting, in addition to however long it takes to procure the scroll. We can't afford to expend that much time on a longshot. Perhaps if all else fails it will be our last resort. I think a better course of action may be to attempt to make contact with a scroll of sending. With luck, the church of Abadar may have just such a scroll in stock. Normally an arcane caster such as myself would not be able to wield divine magic as such, but bards are somewhat notorious for getting these things to work," Dalen turns to Aliani, "do you think you can handle a divine scroll of sending if we were to purchase it?" Dalen's tone makes clear to all involved that he firmly believes this is within Aliani's capabilities.

    Dalen nods at Jakkin, "there is no reason we can't pursue all available avenues simultaneously. A scrying spell would take an hour to cast anyways, and it would be a waste for you to be idle during that time,"

    He turns to Aliani, "I expended a great deal of parchment, yes, but I still have a little over a third of my own magic still at my disposal. Suffice to say I was more prepared for street thugs than giant fire-breathing centipedes," he stops, then turns to Sabrina, "by the way, Lamm's allies have a giant fire-breathing centipede,"
    Last edited by Darvin; 2020-06-18 at 03:30 PM.

  11. - Top - End - #131
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    ”Could I pull it off? Yes... oh, yes, probably... Aliani replied, seemingly convincing himself as he spoke. “It’s worth a shot, at least. Just a matter of getting the mind and soul in tune with whichever deity one plans to, well, partake of the benefits of, same as any other specialized item. If the church of Abadar have one, I think... let’s see, ten minutes standard senior clerics casting fees, rounded up to the hour minimum, waivers of liability and materials thereof, secretarial acolyte processing and handling, filing fees... I’m sure it would all be quite reasonable. Above and beyond the cost of the scroll of course...”

    “Maybe we should try the Sheylnites first, might be easier. But yes, we’ll make it work somehow. And I’m glad you’re not totally spent... but all the same, perhaps we can go into this more fully prepared than one third of your mind. I’ve a feeling we shall need much more than that.

  12. - Top - End - #132
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "You'd need to cast it; we need Ileosa to hear from someone she trusts so she feels confident in telling us her current location. The Abadarites will doubtlessly try to upsell you on the casting services, but they will sell the scroll stand-alone if you make clear. I suggested them because they're the most likely to have it in stock, but if you'd prefer to try the Shelynites first, be my guest," he sighs at Aliani's comment about his preparedness, "What we need more than anything is time. I'd prefer to be at my peak as well, but that is not a luxury we have,"
    Last edited by Darvin; 2020-06-18 at 04:04 PM.

  13. - Top - End - #133
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    Gavin pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath in. "Now, hold on a moment. You mean to tell me that you-" Gavin motioned vaguely to the rest of the band of mercenaries fate has seen fit to throw him in with. "Know Queen Illeosa Arabasti, First of Her Name, appointed ruler of Korvosa personally. And that the queen is currently running about the city in an attempt to murder Gaedren Lamm, in a disguise, with no training, and possibly a handmaiden to accompany her. And you-" Now Gavin motioned more specifically towards Sabrina. "Want us to go convince her to come back. The Queen. The current highest authority in Korvosa. We're to convince her to listen to us."

    Gavin threw up his hands in disgust. "This is not even the strangest thing to happen to me today.
    Close, but not the strangest. If she has no training in investigation she's likely going after the most obvious leads, because those are the ones she'll have been able to find. The Order has been doing their best to track down Gaedren, and have already unsuccessfully raided several locations. Aside from the other options already discussed, which are sound if you have a rapport with Her Majesty already, we should check those sites first. There's a fishery in Midland that was the first we uncovered. Might make a good place to start."
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
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  14. - Top - End - #134
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Aliani nodded along. “About time... yes, quite right, very little of it. We shall make it work, somehow. Time and resources both, in more or less equal measure. But if we’re needing to go in with arrows nocked, I should at least like to have some arrows in our quiver.”

    At Gavin’s revelation of the fishery, Aliani gave Dalen a sideways, knowing glance.

    ”I think you can cross that off the ... never mind, we can talk while we walk.”
    Last edited by Stelio Kontos; 2020-06-18 at 05:28 PM.

  15. - Top - End - #135
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Once the factual recounting ends, Atavian stands back and lets his allies put into words and threats the spirit of how he feels about Kroft's drive. Her ultimate submission under their onslaught bring about a mixed array of feelings. Pity most of all. Sleep she desparately needs - but what could bring her to this point, what lies underneath it all that is crushing her so transparently? Once dismissed, Atavian is the last to leave the room. Though perhaps too colleagially for this Field Marshall, or really even for the one he half-remembers, Atavian says with more depth than the idle platitude conveys, "take care of yourself, Cressidia."

    -----

    Atavian was tired and his resources spent. Tallox was gone for many, many hours still, and when he did come back, he would be possessed by a crankiness that only a beheading could instill in the beyonder. So when Sabrina beckoned them to the palace, Atavian went reluctantly - he had hoped they would get a fancy meal to celebrate a job well done. Sure - they had failed... but his stomach didn't need to know that.

    In the courtyard, Atavian vapidly endures the woman's frustration and energy. While it would be surprising news for a more alert Atavian, the Queen's noctural activities were none of his concerns. Seeing the list snaps him to life. "You know Andaisin is bad news, but I believe the reality is far worse than any of you could possibly imagine," fuzzy memories of corpses in the street haunt him, but will not come into focus. Thinking through the consequences of voicing the thought only far enough to speak it quietly, he says, "could we just kill her?"

  16. - Top - End - #136
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    Silas held the crumpled parchment that Tark had gifted him in his hand as he waited for the elf to finish his line. If Silas could be called patient, this was certainly the least interested he had ever been in allowing anyone to finish speaking. His hand circled, and he mouthed the last few words of the sentence he'd heard so many times before as if it might've quickened the speech of the creature twice his age and only half his maturity.

    He placed the boy's chin between his thumb and forefinger, gently covering his lips to quiet him.

    "Marvelously said, darling. Better than any other before you. However, I am in need of-"

    Before he could finish, she appeared. Genevieve. The tiefling cupped the boy's cheek as he walked past, tracing the tips of his fingers against the young elf's lips without a glance. It was a fun thing to do, but ultimately unnecessary. They'd likely never meet professionally, and Silas didn't wish for spiritual guidance. He headed immediately for his old friend, twirling for her playfully to show how healthy he looked. With a wink, he assured her he was better than ever. Of course he spoke sprightly until they could find privacy.

    "Fantastic day we are in, are we not? You look enchanting as always, dear. Is that a new robe? It's gorgeous!"

    Once behind the curtain, he dropped his gut and lit two stick of incense while his friend gave him a few choice words.

    "Just a moment, Geney. I've come to love cheese - I couldn't not have a nibble before stopping by - but I fear it's not reciprocated."

    With the incense behind him, he sat on a chair while contorting his face. For only a moment it looked as if the ash flowing down the sticks burned brighter. Genevieve was about the only person he could be completely honest with, in all ways.

    "Right, you know me. When it comes to my past, I've only ever spoken in half-truths. You are... how do I put this... I don't want to disappoint my dearest friend - perhaps only friend. You were there for me when I had no one. You helped me stand when I had no legs. This is why I came, but it is also why I hesitate to answer."

    The addict cradled the back of his head while his fingers scratched at his guilty mind.

    "I... have come for what you suspect - but it's not for me! I'm stronger than I used to be. I am! I'm sleeping as well as I could hope for, and I even... I saw Vjala. Actually her! No trick of the mind nonsense. She's alive - and certainly hates me - but alive! If I relapse, I don't think... well, you know. That'd be the end of me."

    Silas' eyes grew listless at the thought of death. The notion of dying so pathetically before even achieving a single bond to his current life was utterly depressing. It was only a brief glimpse, but he blinked back into the room with Genevieve. He stood from his seat, standing tall and bluff chested. He still hadn't pocketed the note. It remained crumpled in his hand as if he might be able to channel his thoughts directly to his daughter. His entire life's worth of words could not express the depth of his regret and rage. Regret that he had failed so completely as a father and husband. Rage beyond any other that he allowed himself to fall so far. These emotions attempted to breach his stoic face, and caused his lips to quiver and voice to shake.

    "There are people depending on me. Not clients. Maybe friends. Certainly citizens. Definitely the queen - she's very nice, by the way, if a bit naive. I think she needs a mother, if ever you're looking for an 'in'. Either that or a tool for her lonely nights... but I'm getting distracted. You know of the field marshal, Cressida Kroft? She hasn't slept in at least a week. I mean to say she has been fully awake through uneven restorations for possibly two weeks. Unless by some miracle she has been convinced to get some rest by my current companions - yes I said companions - then she could very well die. Worse, she might get someone else killed. Her faith in her staff is less than ideal, and I can't say I disagree. Now, she has access to magic, so as long as I administer a controlled dose, she won't have any adverse reaction to the milk. I just... I know this is not ideal, but it is an unfortunate specialty of mine. I'd rather her live longer than a tenday if I can help it, even if it's a **** way to help. She's an astonishing woman. I swear, if either of us worked as hard as she does, I'm sure we'd be dead. If only she wasn't so bloody pig-headed..."

    At last, the tigerstripe tiefling teased his whiskers.

    "If you have any other suggestions, I'm open to them. Ah, she also needs a good bath. She smells worse than this room without the incense. I suppose I'll have to grab some less exciting oils from the market."
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  17. - Top - End - #137
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    PiccadillyPi

    The growing unease that Genevieve had been expressing as you meandered your way through an explanation of why you had come to her abruptly fades into a bark of a laugh as you finally reach that it is not for you, but rather Field Marshall Kroft. Genevieve is quick to recover, smoothing out her skirt with her hands while smoothing her own face back out into that carefully neutral expression.

    “I will admit that I was concerned you were here for you, Silas. I met the Field Marshall once, back before she was the Field Marshall and just a normal guardswoman. She tracked down and arrested one of our . . . visitors who had gotten a bit too violent with some of the girls. And then she turned around and wrote out a fine to me for – oh, it was something or other to do with our signs not matching city guidelines! So yes, I know all about how hardworking and bullheaded our Field Marshall can be. The lack of sleep is concerning though, especially for so long, but . . . Silas, you know how addictive the milk can be. One use on its own is not dangerous, save that it can lead to a second, and then more. And while the Field Marshall does need sleep, one night is not going to solve the problem. In fact it might even make matters worse, if the Field Marshall comes around to seeing the milk as an alternative to sleep, just as she seems to think magicking it away with the power of the gods is an workable plan. That is even assuming you can convince her to take it in the first place.”

    Genevieve frowns at the likely end result of that conversation and shakes her head.

    “Your case was different, Silas, as you also needed the peace that the milk can bring to escape . . . mmm . . . “him”.”

    Genevieve adds quietly, referencing your father, which you had spoken of only briefly as being the source of your recurring dreams, although you left out the bit that he was actually speaking *to* you in those nightmares, alternatively cajoling and taunting. Still, given your heritage the nature of your father probably had occurred to Genevieve at some point, hence her oblique reference to him. Genevieve shakes her head again and tightens her delicate hands into fists.

    “No Silas, I don’t think I can help you on this unwise course of action. But . . . I think I may have a lesser alternative that I can offer. There is a plant known as Dreamer’s Star whose petals can be dried and ground to produce a mild sedative tea. Consuming it prior to sleep will shorten the necessity for a night’s rest by a couple of hours. Better still, it is non-addictive as far as I know, and thus not an illegal substance by Korvosan law, so your Field Marshall should have no objections to using it. I think that will be a better long-term solution. We even have a number of packages already made, as it is a somewhat common item that we make available to our clientele. Why don’t you try that, first, before we resort to drugging the poor girl. I’ll go get you a package of it on the house, for old time’s sake.”

    Genevieve gives you a soft, reassuring smile as she stands up, but before she turns to go she steps forward and runs a hand down your cheek.

    “It is good to see you well still, Silas. I must admit I am curious about why you care so much about whether or not our Field Marshall is getting enough sleep, but well . . . I think I can guess one possible reason!”

    The Mistress of the House teasingly scratches you under the chin, and then pulls her hand away as she turns and moves over to the curtain. She stops before passing through to make one final remark.

    “You know, Eodred never seemed to have any use for us, despite his proclivities when he was younger, but then I suppose the king does not often have to ask for someone to lie down beside him. I know what the city’s nickname for his bride and our queen is, which always seemed rather tacky, but . . . perhaps I will see if Her Highness would like any lessons on how to behave as the city expects.”

    Genevieve gives her lower lip a mischievous bite as she looks back at you, and then she ducks through the curtain and is gone. A few moments later the elf boy is there to escort you out, handing you a well wrapped but plainly decorated bag of a half-dozen tea bags.

    It is well towards evening by the time you get out of the House of the Unquenchable Fire, and later still by the time you manage to make it back to Citadel Volyshenek. There, you learn something both reassuring and rather vexing – apparently, our allies had managed to convince Field Marshall Cressidia Kroft to go home for the day and get some rest. Unfortunately, that meant that you would either need to wait until you saw her again to provide the tea, or go to her residence directly and gift it to her. Which might be a problem as you don’t know where Kroft called home (save for her office), and both Grau Saldado and Detective Rhev seemed to be away from the Citadel right now as well.

    Everyone Else

    Sabrina snorts in either amusement or indignation – it’s hard to tell which – at Aliani’s explanation as she eyes the crisped playwright up and down, followed by the bloody-shirted Jakkin.

    “Oh, Kroft threw you head-long into danger, did she? Did she blame you afterwards for things going sideways – she’s good at that, you know. Never seems to bite her personally in the ass, either.”

    Again, there is a note of pure bitterness in Sabrina’s tone that makes it very clear she does not consider the Field Marshall a friend or ally. Looking over the group again, Sabrina quirks an eyebrow.

    “So, what happened? Your friend, the tiefling with the sword cane, er . . . Silas! He’s did here with you – did he . . .?”

    Sabrina blinks at Dalen’s brief summary of what you found waiting in Lamm’s drug lab.

    “A fire-breathing . . . centipede? That’s a thing now . . . damn, I want to fight a fire-breathing centipede.”

    Sabrina mutters to herself as she mentally reflects on what that fight might look like, and from her little grin a moment later you get the feeling that such a fight wouldn’t end well for Odium. Then the moment passes, and with a quick shake of her head Sabrina returns to the matter at hand.

    “If we had more time, I’d say we could go down to the vault and shift through all the magical items Eodred collected over the years in lieu of taxes from various adventuring parties and nobles, but as far as I can tell keeping an accurate record was never a priority for him. So the place is a mess with random items piled up about the place with no rhyme or reason. It could take hours of sifting before we could find something actually useful for this situation. Hrmm . . . here, take my bag of potions. It’s not much, but it’s what I’ve got to offer. I also put together some money to cover possible expenses, including this scroll Dalen’s talking about. Get two if you can – that way you can contact me if Queen Ileosa *is* in trouble but you manage to find out where she is. I’ll take care of whoever is holding her hostage.”

    Sabrina shrugs off a small satchel which she hands over to Aliani, and then hands off a very heavy sack of coins to Dalen. Looking in their respective containers, Aliani finds half of a dozen potions, all clearly labeled – three potions of Cure Moderate Wounds, one potion of Protection from Arrows, one potion of Barkskin (+2), and one potion of Invisibility, while Dalen finds 250 platinum pieces.

    “As for where to start looking, this guy –“

    Sabrina points at Gavin.

    “Has the right idea. She’s going to go where there are people to talk to and bribe – so that rules out the Grey given there’s only corpses and Pharasmans there, and neither are a talkative lot. We can make a lot of jokes about the nobles being the real criminals living in South Shore, but it’s a fact that street-level criminals don’t operate there due to all the private security. Unless Lamm is living out of some noble’s basement, he’s not there either and neither is Ileosa. But even if Lamm is living out of some noble’s basement, nobody is going to talk about it so Ileosa will still have to look elsewhere. That rules out the two southernmost districts of the city. Similar to South Shore, between the Bank of Abadar, Longacre, and all the various city administrative offices North Point is probably also unlikely.”

    Sabrina sighs and shrugs.

    “That just leaves the other two-thirds of the city – Old Korvosa, The Heights, Midpoint, and East Shore. I don’t have access to the city guard records anymore, so I have no idea where Lamm’s businesses are set up these days. Which means that’s all I have by way of advice.”

    Sabrina turns back to Aliani and nods.

    “No need to worry about Miss Sabor. I believe she spent most of today working on finishing that painting she was doing for Eodred. Although I believe that “Lady” Andaisin may have caught sight of her, as I overheard her asking one of the servants about “the queen’s new guest”. I’ll keep an eye on the “good” Ambassador while you’re out looking for Ileosa. As for pushing her out of the nearest window . . .”

    Sabrina glances at Aliani and Atavian both and shakes her head.

    “Making the Ambassador disappear for a few days won’t stop the Council of Nobles from debating who gets to kick Ileosa off of the Crimson Throne, and when they find out their new seneschal is missing there will be hell to pay. To say nothing of what will happen when Cheliax gets wind of it. No, you want Andaisin gone, you need to get somebody else selected to be Korvosa’s new seneschal, and then you need to get her ambassadorship revoked. Touching her before then is going to only cause worse problems than it solves . . . and I hate that, but trust Ileosa’s assessment of the situation. You should as well.”

    Sabrina concludes, her tone making it clear just how strongly all of you should heed her advice regarding Ambassador Andaisin. Given that the ambassador had access to high-level clerical spells given the defenses of her small home, an assassination attempt also seemed fraught with peril, especially without Sabrina’s direct aid.

    “Anything else you need to know? Otherwise, I won’t keep you given time is precious right now.”

    Sabrina says, clearly hinting that it was time for the party to get out and start searching for the missing queen.

    ***************************************

    (OOC: The party has acquired the following items courtesy of Sabrina (just to re-list them here outside of the larger conversation). You are free to go shopping at the Bank of Abadar, which is open even into the evening – just ask for whatever items you wish and I’ll check to see if they are available for sale.)

    • 250 PP (2,500 GP) – for purchase of supplies/new clothes/general expenses
    • 3 Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds
    • Potion of Protection from Arrows
    • Potion of Barkskin (+2)
    • Potion of Invisibility
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  18. - Top - End - #138
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Dalen smiles as Sabrina's mention of wanting the Cytillipede, "in the unlikely event that we can subdue the creature alive, I'll be sure to bring it back just for you,"

    He turns to the party members, "That fishery is as good a place to start looking as any. I suspect Lamm's operation abandoned it that night, but Ileosa may have still been scrounging there for clues. Take Atavian and my familiar, Rhetoric, with you. If you find anything, do not hesitate to send him back as a messenger,"

    He then turns back to Sabrina, "I will be procuring a scroll of Whispering Wind for contacting you. It is quicker to cast than Sending, but the drawback is that the message is delivered to a place and not a person. You will need to leave a servant at the prearranged location to receive the message and relay it to you, but it will be much faster than contacting you via sending,"

    He then turns to Aliani, "we'll make haste by horseback to see if we can procure the scrolls we need. I'll provide you a horse for that very purpose," Dalen opens his pocketwatch and it flares with magical light; not missing a beat he channels the newly-refreshed energy into a Mount spell for Aliani, "You will look for a divine scroll of sending, while I'll head to the Goldmarket to pick up some arcane scrolls to hedge our bets. We'll rendezvous with these two before casting the scrolls,"

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show

    Dalen uses his pearl of power to refresh his Mount spell slot, which he promptly casts for Aliani.

    In terms of purchases, Dalen wants Aliani to buy a Scroll of Sending (700 gp), while he wants to pick up a scroll of Whispering Wind and Locate Object (150 gp each). That leaves 1500 gp for other purchases if other party members have any ideas.

    Dalen will carry one potion of Cure Moderate Wounds if no one objects, otherwise he'll leave the potions for the others.

  19. - Top - End - #139
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Scratch my chin? She knew what she was doing!"

    With brief mutterings, Silas left the company of Genevieve with a similar issue one might have after attending a large dinner. Even his hindsight was measurably identical. His trip home was less than ideal thanks to this, and while he didn't mind the gawkings of his neighbours, it would have been nice to advertise in more accommodating trousers.

    Upon arrival at his abode, Silas placed Vjala's note on a table as he prepared himself for the field marshal. While he did not spend an especially long time redressing, the dandy did his best to be called uniform adjacent. Something that he assumed would please Miss Kroft. He didn't know why he dressed up for her, or what Genevieve had meant when she asked him of his interest. He just knew it would make an impression. He told himself that she would be a welcome addition to his clientbase. With his breastplate secured, and gear prepared, he exited the building. Of course, a few minutes later, he would reenter it to retrieve the note. It being more important than the tea he had repackaged with strings and bows as to look more like the gift it was intended to be. He had even written a note into a small parchment that said something to the effect of "go the **** to sleep," written in elvish. Given its place among the aristocratic, he assumed she could speak it well enough to read a few common words. Inside the box was also a simple instruction with the intended effect of the dreamer's star tea, and a small block of soap from Silas' personal collection.

    His later disappointment upon hearing the news of his companions' success seemed plain for anyone around him as he stood in the . Of course he was well accepting of her decision to sleep, but he was a selfish kind of cat. Of all the times for her to listen to reason, it had to be then.

    "I could have seen my daughter today!"

    He of course didn't yell this. That would have been embarrassing. Instead, he said it in a powerful exasperated exhale. As the words escaped his mouth, he fell against Rhev's desk chair. He looked up at the man, clearly annoyed at the situation.

    "I was counting on you! What do you mean you couldn't stop her? Ah well, she's sleeping and that's all that matters I suppose."

    Beyond these examples, the tiefling gave a slurry of indignant questions - displays of character that while not damning were rather embarrasing, and he had no plans to repeat the encounter to anyone. With an apology, Silas finally explained the tea he had procured for the field marshal, that it was not a drug, and that he would appreciate Rhev to hand the tea bouquet to Kroft once she returned to her office. Perhaps even leave the box tied to her door. With no chance to talk business with the field marshal, Silas settled his chat with Rhev before heading over to Dalen's where he expected to find the wizard hunched over a hundred unfinished scrolls of horse summoning.

    "Knock knock, darlings!"
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  20. - Top - End - #140
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    As Sabrina continued on in her discussion of the queen's possible whereabouts, Aliani poked his head into the bag, letting out a low whistle and turned a bit red-faced -- but did his best to keep his opinions on the matter to himself otherwise. He likewise tried to not think about the lives that could have been saved with such things, if they weren't laying about the castle like a spoiled child's toy room. That satchel had the wealth of, what, two or three people's lifetimes in it? Not that he wasn't turning into a walking treasure trove himself...

    It was only when Dalen addressed him that he snapped out of his reverie and back to life. "Y -- yes, of course, of course. A horse? Of course, yes, that makes sense. Get the sending scroll, meet you back at, what, at your place and we'll figure out what to say? I think I've got enough, you said it'd be what, six hundred right? I... you'd better lend me some of that coin in there to cover the difference."

    That the coins in the satchel Dalen had been handed turned out to be platinum -- of course they'd be platinum, why would someone in here trifle with handling mere gold and silver, they probably let the servants throw those into a fountain or something -- and Aliani choked a bit, again. "On second thought, you'd better give me the full sum." He shoved the second bag, the one with the potions in it, into Dalen's hand as well as soon as he had counted out the cash required. "You plan out what to do with these, please? I figure there's six of them and six of us so everybody should get one I think?"

    "Well, I'm off, good luck with the clue gathering and such, I'll try not to get robbed on the way." He placed a foot in the stirrup and hopped up -- well, most of the way up -- onto the horse, which shifted just a bit and caused him to lose his balance just enough to abort the mission. After the false start, he managed to ascend the saddle on his second try. He flashed a self deprecating grin to the group as he said "Never work with children or animals, they told me..." as he caressed the horse's neck. "Come on, now, let's go, gently now, good horse, please don't kill me. That's good, yes!" was his command to the horse, which set off on a docile pace while the actor wrapped his arms around its neck and held on for dear life.

    The bank of Abadar and the sanctuary of Shelyn were quite close together, no more than a few blocks apart up in North Point. He figured he'd hit the Sheylnites up first -- definitely his type of people, less paperwork for sure, and all around a more pleasant experience -- if they happened to have anything on hand. The bank was a surer thing but he was hoping to not stand in line for half an hour and he knew his wrist would be sore from all the paperwork to be signed. No pressure either way he thought to himself, you screw it up she probably just dies or something. Would that even be bad right now? Probably?

  21. - Top - End - #141
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Gavin raised an eyebrow at the awkwardness of Aliani's departure. Something was clearly making the man uncomfortable, though Gavin had no idea what it could be.

    "Alright. Well, unless there's any objections, the rest of us will head over to the fishery, see what we can find. I don't suppose you have any more of those fancy horses, Dalen?"

    Taking one of the potions of healing and slipping it into a pouch on his belt, Gavin cracked his neck. "Best get moving, then, if we want to try and catch up with her before anything else terrible happens."
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
    No news is good news.

  22. - Top - End - #142
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Filching the rough-textured potion bottle out of the bag and tucking it away in a pouch on his bandolier, Jakkin plucks ineffectively at his stained and scorched clothing.

    "I’m going to have to learn that little spell that magickers use to clean their things; how hard can it really be?" he grumps, only halfway kidding.

    "I’m going to have to detour to pick up some new clothes; I’ll meet you at the fishery, it’s a good place to start the search," he agrees, then sets off into the city at a pace and route only an urban-experienced Halfling could manage; and not even many of them at that. Darting around cart wheels, bounding over upended barrels, and weaving in amongst a throng of moving legs like they were no more than tall grasses, he heads for his preferred shop that caters to client of his stature that require clothing.

    He’ll have to salvage a few of his less replaceable items, but the rest of his outfit is for the rag bin. No one ever said revenge was good for the wardrobe, that’s for certain.


    Spoiler: OOC
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    Claiming the Potion of Barkskin; will quickly shop for a basic Traveller’s Outfit, since there’s no need to go overboard on clothes that will most likely get wrecked again.

  23. - Top - End - #143
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    PiccadillyPi

    You are starting to feel like the world is conspiring to give you the run-around today, as not only is Kroft already gone but you get a bunch of noncommittal answers to inquiries regarding Rhev’s location as well. You finally run into him in one of the hallways of Citadel Volyshenek, and before he can complain about you wandering around the place unescorted, you shove the bag of tea into his hands, explain its nature as non-addictive tea, request that he deliver it to Kroft on the morrow, and vent a bit of your frustration over the situation under your breath. Rhev assures you that he will take care of seeing the tea to Kroft, but not without venting a bit of passive-aggressiveness of his own over being made your “delivery boy”.

    The runaround continues when you arrive at Dalen’s house, only for just Greg to answer the door when you call. Apparently, some sort of note from the castle had been delivered a few hours ago, and as soon as Dalen read the note he hurried everyone else out of the house and off to the castle. Presumably he wouldn’t have done that if it hadn’t been important, but yet again you are forced to move on to the castle.

    Only for the cycle to repeat yet again, as the guards eye you strangely before informing you that the rest of your group had just left. But the queen’s bodyguard Sabrina was still in the courtyard, so she waved you in and quickly explained the situation – Queen Ileosa had run off to go hunt down Gaedren Lamm by herself, she hadn’t come back yet, and she needed to be back at the castle by tomorrow morning, because the council of nobles was meeting tomorrow to decide the new seneschal and that Urgathoan Bitch was at the top of their list!

    Unfortunately, Sabrina had no idea where everyone had run off to, although she does recall them mentioning “the Fishery”, which does ring a bell in your mind. There’s only one “Fishery” that could mean, and so you set off at a run again, and this time you finally manage to catch up with the two new guys – erm, the hellknight Gavin and Atavian.

    (Welcome back to the rest of the party, pal! You may check the “TheChanger & SanguinePenguin” section below as well!)

    Everyone Else

    “Bah, that thing sounds dangerous. Better just kill it if you get the chance.”

    Sabrina replies with a slightly wistful tone to Dalen’s offer to capture the highly dangerous Shudder mutant centipede – she clearly really wanted to fight that centipede.

    “As for your message . . . hrm. Do you remember that garden where we had lunch the other day? It’s right outside where the painter girl had her studio set up, and we’ve set her up in there with a cot. It’s in an out of the way corner of the castle so nobody but Andaisin will ever bother her, and just in case she tries something tonight I’ll be set up in the garden outside “admiring the stars” or whatever you artsy types call it. Might as well bodyguard someone tonight.”

    Sabrina says gruffly while waving at Aliani to provide the example of what she thinks of “artsy”, although the slight curl of her lips suggests that it’s a bit of a joke, given the state of Aliani’s current attire. Her expression returns to being cold and grim a moment later as she says her way of good-byes to the group.

    “I’m counting on you to find her. Don’t screw this up. Please.”

    From there, everyone splits up to go their separate ways – Dalen to purchase arcane scrolls, Aliani to purchase a scroll of Sending, Jakkin to purchase a change of clothes, and Gavin and Atavian (with Rhetoric in tow, who is uncharacteristically silent about all this) to the old Fishery to see if Ileosa and Elliana checked there first.

    (OOC: Individual sections below!)

    Darvin

    You head back out alone into the city as it settles down into its evening as the sun disappears beneath the sea and the moon rises in the night’s sky to take its place. Fortunately, several shops near the Acadamae are still open even at this hour, catering to late-studying students, and you have no trouble finding copies of the scrolls that you are seeking.

    Still, despite managing to get the requested scrolls at the first shop you check, the detour over to the Acadamae from the castle takes up valuable time, and without a Mount as Aliani has it takes you the better part of an hour to get from the castle to the streets surrounding the Acadamae, pick up the scrolls, and then travel to Midpoint to the old Fishery down on the docks. Fortunately, the group is still having a look around the place by the time you arrive – even Silas is somehow here (because Sabrina contacted him).

    Captain Jak

    With a bit of experience on Korvosa’s Midpoint docks – and a bit of cognitive dissonance over having two sets of memories involving the docks and businesses along them, which didn’t always match exactly when it came to what business was located where – you knew of a small adventuring shop that catered to adventurers coming into Korvosa off the docks. And since they were catering to adventurers new to Korvosa, they tended to keep odd hours, which definitely included the evening hours just after the sun set. The more important bit here, however, was the fact that the proprietor was also a halfling and a tailor, and so to fill in the often lean-times that came with catering to adventurers in-between the windfalls, he also managed a clothing shop specifically for halflings. And since the shop was nearly located on the way to the Old Fishery, it was the perfect stop to get some new clothing before moving on to the business at-hand. Wouldn’t do to go saving the city’s new queen in these torn and bloody rags, after all!

    When you come into the shop, the proprietor – Seamus – seems to be in an unusually good mood. The halfling tailor is normally pleasant enough with all of his customers, but today he greats you with a big smile.

    “Jakkin my boy, what happened to you!? You look like you’ve been in a fight with a horse-drawn carriage, and the carriage ambushed you by running you over first! Come in, come in! Least I can do to help one of my favorite customers is to get him a clean shirt!”

    Given his good mood, Seamus probably would take the time necessary to tailor you a custom-fit suit of new clothes, even at this late hour, but you certainly don’t have the time for that so it’s over to the pre-made selection of clothes which will fit well enough for tonight. As Seamus is helping you pick through the jackets and shirts, he leans in conspiratorially.

    “I know I shouldn’t talk about other customers when they’re not here, but Jakkin my friend I’ve had another run of wonderful luck. Earlier today I had one of them come in – one of those adventurers with too much money and not enough time. Elven lass, and I swear to you she must have swam the rest of the way into port because she was soaked from head to toe. Must have gotten attacked by a reefclaw or shark on her little swim too, because there was a long bloody tear in her dress. It was almost a comical sight, but judging from the look on the lass’s face if I had started laughing, she’d have either burst into tears or burned the shop down – maybe both! So I made her a cup of tea to warm her up and got a fresh change of tall-folk clothes picked out, but she was rather tight-lipped on what she was doing. I didn’t press her on it – adventurers can be a weird lot, so I’ve learned not to ask too many questions. But here’s the best part – after she got changed in the private room and it was time to settle up, she dropped ten platinum crowns on the counter! Said it was a tip for helping her out! Adventurers my friend . . . more money than sense, the entire lot of them . . . although I suppose you might know a bit about that yourself, eh?”

    Seamus teased, gesturing at your ruined outfit.

    “Ah well. It’s been a good night my friend, my expenses for the week have been covered. Don’t worry about the change of clothes – it’s on the house for being a repeat customer instead of one of these crazy adventurers that are in and out, gone, never to be seen again.”

    (OOC: If Jakkin wants to hurry on, you can move down to the “TheChanger & SanguinePenquin” section, or he can stay here and try to press for more details.)

    Stelio Kontos

    Between Dalen’s conjured horse – which had an eerie level of obedience to your commands compared to a “normal” horse – and the relative proximity of North Point to Castle Korvosa, you arrive at the Sanctuary of Shelyn in record time. A small but regal looking chapel of white marble, the sanctuary encloses a relatively large (for the building’s size) courtyard garden that traditionally is full of sculptures, tapestries, flowers, and other less conventional forms of art. It’s usually quite pleasant to visit, so long as you don’t mind all the artists working within who will ask you to critique their work.

    Today, however, the open courtyard has a somber air to it, and it seems that there is some sort of evening vigil being held as when you arrive the courtyard is mostly full of people holding a dizzying array of lanterns, candles, and other light sources. Indeed, scarcely have you clambered down from Dalen’s horse and awkwardly tied it to a hitching post (although you have a strange feeling that the horse will be exactly where you left it) before an acolyte is casting a Light spell on a small piece of carved wood and handing it to you.

    “Are you here for the vigil, Mr. Rose?”

    The acolyte quietly asks, gesturing at a nearby wall which has been plastered with sketches depicting a mousey half-elf woman with a nervous smile. Although the sketches vary widely in the woman’s facial proportions and overall drawing skill, they do consistently depict her as wearing acolyte robes with an abalone-shell holy symbol of Shelyn hanging from her neck. Many of the sketches are labeled “Jostilina Susperio”.

    Although you don’t recall the half-elf woman depicting on these sketches, under normal circumstances you may have stayed out of politeness until the vigil was over but this was looking like a several hour affair and you simply did not have the time tonight. So with apologies, you explain that you were just visiting here on business, and the acolyte frowns a little but nods and leads you around the outskirts of the courtyard and into the chapel proper, handing you off to a half-orc woman whose acolyte robes seemed to be serving as a billboard for all manner of bone scrimshaw. This acolyte was notably cooler than the one that greeted you at the entrance – must not be a people person, hence why she’s back in the chapel – but she was professional and quickly found a scroll of Sending from the chapel’s stores which she sold for the standard fee of 700 gold pieces. 700 gold pieces . . . all so you could have a brief 25-word conversation with a woman who had deliberately slipped out of the safety of her castle and guards to go on an ill-conceived quest for revenge. And yet the alternative of Senaschal Andaisin was far worse, so you smiled, thanked the half-orc woman, and went on your way.

    Dalen’s horse was indeed exactly where you had left it, and less than five minutes after arriving at the Sanctuary of Shelyn you were off again, this time heading down along the docks to Midpoint . . . and the old fishery that you had hoped you would never have to see again, in this world or any other. But it seemed like it was going to be a night full of you not getting what you wanted, so what was one more sacrifice?

    (You may skip down to the section below for “TheChanger and SanguinePenguin”. Feel free to enter into the scene whenever you like as you are certainly the first of the group to arrive after Gavin, Atavian, and Rhetoric.)

    TheChanger & SanguinePenguin

    It doesn’t take long after the two – well, three of you counting Dalen’s familiar – arrive in Midpoint to realize Lamm’s old base of operations may be a dead-end. Where the Old Fishery once stood, there is now only a burnt-out ruin, a charred skeleton of a building that was unlikely to offer any clue to the criminal mastermind’s location. This was not a recent destruction, either – judging from the lack of smoke or ash hanging in the air and the absence of any smoldering fires, the Fishery’s destruction had happened a number of days ago. Possibly even later on during the riots, during the second night if not the main night of carnage following the announcement of King Eodred’s death.

    That being said, you were not here to look for clues for Lamm’s whereabouts – rather you were seeking clues to the whereabouts of the one blindly chasing after him. And there was ample evidence of that, as a trail of gingerly-left footprints in the ash leads directly into the interior of the structure’s remains. There was only one set of footprints in the ash, and more worryingly, there does not seem to be a trail of footprints leading back out of the ruined fishery, and while nothing intelligent would seek shelter in a ruin of nothing but burnt support timbers, there are any number of dangerous vermin who would not be so picky of new tenants.

    Memories from his time investigating crime scenes are close to the surface of Gavin’s mind as he takes point in stepping across the building’s now wide-open threshold, eyes scanning the wreckage carefully for additional evidence or potential danger. It doesn’t take long to find both, for as soon as the two of you move halfway through what was the entry office, the blackened floorboards beneath your feet being to creak ominously. Through the remaining charred beams, the two of you can follow the meandering path of footprints into the next room, where the inevitable happened, and the footprints end in a fairly sizable hole in the floor where the Fishery’s structure began to jut out over the Jeggare River, and there was no solid ground beneath the burned planks to provide support.

    It would be dangerous even for the lighter Atavian to venture out that far to examine the hole in close detail, but here the third member of your team proved his worth as even as a prime member of his species, Rhetoric still had all the weight of a thrush. But perhaps a bit more intelligence, as the thrush flew out unbidden to land at the edge of the hold, peer down around in it for a moment, and then peck at something snagged on a broken timber jutting out into the hole just beneath the level of the floorboards. The thrush returns a moment later with a long strip of blood-stained cloth that had apparently gotten snagged on the outstretched point of the beam as the would-be investigator crashed through the floor.

    That blood was not a good sign though, given the occasional flash of a fin reflecting moonlight out in the Jeggare River beyond the furthest remains of the old Fishery. Jigsaw sharks would frequently come up the river, following the fish boats and cargo trawlers in from the sea, and find themselves a new home dining on the frequent scraps – and occasional bodies – thrown into the River. A bleeding human would be no different than any other scrap of food tossed into the River to them, to say nothing of the always ravenous Reefclaws that were probably only kept from overrunning the city by the fact that they were just as viciously hunted for their delicacy claws by the same fishermen luring them in with the offal from the day’s catch.

    It was definitely not looking good for the would-be investigator at this point, but a quick circle around the sides of the property revealed a light trail of trampled earth where someone had clambered their way back out of the River, bleeding more heavily than when they had gone in. The blood trail ends rather sharply a short distance from the water line, however, implying that curative magics or at least bandaging was applied to the wounds, and then whoever it was walked off into the streets and disappeared once more.

    While the two (sorry, three) of you ponder what other areas could be explored for more information about where this investigator went next, other members of the party started filtering in – first Aliani, then Jakkin, then Dalen, and finally Silas somehow found his way to you all as well. The only question now was, having failed to find any answers here, what was the next step?
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  24. - Top - End - #144
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PirateGuy

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    As always, it was a treat to deal with Seamus; their professional relationship had begun with stops for supplies when Jakkin's ship was in port, and had only expanded when he had come to town indefinitely to deal with the whole Lamm situation.

    "Hardly a homicidal carriage, my friend," as always happy to be able to speak a proper language for a time rather than the cobbled together mess that was the common tongue. "Merely a spirited discussion with some friends of mine and the more belligerent members of an underground movement," he quipped. Given that a large portion of Seamus' clientele were dyed-in-the-wool adventurers, he would likely believe the story if Jakkin were to tell it to him; however, he didn't want to give the shopkeeper the idea that he was one of such a group of unreliable people.

    He wasn’t on an adventure. This was vengeance.

    His fellow Halfling's explanation of why he was in such a good mood set his pointed ears on more pointed points, however. That description sounded familiar – could it be, the Queen's handmaiden?

    "You know I don't go on adventures, Seamus," he replied dryly. "But I do have to thank you for your slight indiscretion; that sounds like you were visited by Elli! Oh yes, I'm familiar with the lady in question," he says with a grin; he's made it no secret of the appeal he finds in the ladies of the larger races, much to Seamus' scandalized acceptance. "How could I not? Tall, beautiful, fiery, and with absolutely no head for money?" No stretch at all to imagine he was pursuing this 'adventurer' – in other circumstances, he might be doing just that.

    Wet and injured, however, doesn't sound good; and being alone didn't bode well either. Surely the queen and her handmaiden hadn't decided to split up; but if not, where had her Majesty been?

    "Sounds like she's run herself in a spot of trouble; maybe she needs a clever fellow who's good with his hands to help her out of it?" he mused aloud with a grin. "How long ago was this? Did she perhaps say where she was heading? Do a good customer a solid, describe what you sold her to wear so I can spot her more easily in amongst the rest of the trees out there?" he suggested, laughing.

    A fortuitous stop indeed; if he'd been thinking, he would have come here or somewhere like it apurpose to see if the ladies had stopped by for supplies.

  25. - Top - End - #145
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Aliani winced at the sight. Someone in acolyte robes... ugh, some sort of funerary memorial, likely of one of their own, not good, and if it were any other night... well, at least he'd had endless nights of practicing small talk designed to get him out of such situations.

    He whispered to the acolyte greeting him at the door, trying his best not to disturb the ceremony. "I am truly sorry that I cannot stay. If it were any other night, of course, you know that I would, but an ... inspiration, for lack of a better word, has struck, and I am quite afraid it must be struck immediately. Would it be inappropriate to come back at a later date to pay my respects? I hadn't heard, with all that has been going on in the city ... how did Jostilina pass?"

    Beyond that, he did his best to keep his head down, and leave them to it. He thanked the half-orc most kindly for the scroll, tucking it carefully away in his breast pocket. "I thank you. You have no idea how important this may be..."


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The sight of the fishery, burnt to a crisp... was that how they'd left it? He didn't really remember, didn't seem right, there was a fire on the dock maybe? It was hard to go so far as to trust his own memory of these things, reality blurring with dreams as it had. At least Gavin and Atavian, two familiar sights, were there. He hopped off his horse (truly a good horse it was, he had to admit) before making his reintroduction from near the front door.

    "Hello again!" he announced, making a point of not stepping anywhere near anything even remotely rickety-looking. "I, that's what I had meant to tell you earlier... you're days late on this. We were here, the night of Eodred's death... we almost had him. We were this close... but he got away on boat." The memory of that seemed to cause him a great deal of discomfort. "I don't remember it being all burned up quite like this though. There was a fire out on the docks, one of his shudder-infused minions was possessed with a similar sort of magical distemper as the one you saw earlier today.... was enough of a distraction... but I didn't think it had burned the whole place down.

    "So, this is the room they had the kids working in. A dozen or so, shoveling around fish slop all day. We got them out at least. So that's something, right? Oh, be careful, there were a few soft spots in the floor even before it burnt up, and I'm sure it's even less sound now. Downstairs Lamm had a pile of trinkets, mostly trash really, they were loading up onto a wagon when we interrupted them. I think that's still tucked away over at Dalen's come to think of it, not that there's anything of value except to whoever he stole it from.

    "And, I've got the scroll!"
    he finally remembered, patting his shirt pocket. "I just need a bit, to figure out the right words. Fortunately, that's one of my few actual talents. If you need anything let me know!"

    He found a spot to lean against one of the outer walls, one that seemed like it wouldn't collapse under the pressure of his back, and began to scribble idly with a charcoal stick on a piece of cheap parchment he'd pocketed, crossing through things with an occasional grunt and grimace of dissatisfaction. Finally, he produced something that seemed to please him, and showed it off to all that would look:

    Need your location and status. Sabrina insists immediate return to prevent Seneschal Andaisin. Are you harmed? Captive? Provide relevant information, will attempt rescue. Stay stationary!

    "What do you think? She'll know it's coming from me. I think it covers all the relevant points, including the urgency of the situation... anything else we need to address? I could perhaps take out the questions, they're perhaps repetitive, but I thought it best to be clear so we can be prepared for any eventuality..."

  26. - Top - End - #146
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Upon hearing Aliani's proposed message, Dalen speaks up, "Utterly insufficient; you must provide the time of scheduled council meeting. There's every possibility the queen may blow us off - much as she already disregarded her own bodyguard - if she doesn't believe the problem is imminent, and we have no second scroll with which to reply if she does so. Furthermore, for the love of every god under soon and moon do not give orders to a queen. I assure you, that will never end well. We will request to rendezvous with her and offer to assist with whatever task she is undertaking. Council meeting, seneschel Andaisin, we're here to help, let's meet up; use your own words, but cover those points and don't be overbearing,"

  27. - Top - End - #147
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Gavin chuckled, surveying the damage. "So that was you. We had figured Gaedren burned down the place because he knew we were onto him. Good to know there wasn't a rat on our team."

    The Hellknight shook his head at Aliani's first draft. That was not how you spoke to a superior, even with only twenty five words to work with. "Dalen's right. She already has demonstrated she does not want to be told what to do, and that is not how one speaks to a member of royalty regardless." Picking up a piece of broken lumber, Gavin found a relatively undisturbed square of ash to write in as he tried out a few different phrasings. As he did, he relayed some of the information he and Atavian had discovered. "Someone was here, recently. Their prints in the ash suggest some careful investigation, until they found their way to a portion of the floor that wouldn't support their weight. Into the Jeggare they went, where they had a brief encounter with some aquatic wildlife. Rhetoric, who is an excellent bird and should be rewarded Dalen, found a bloody scrap of cloth over there. The investigator then exited the river there, and the trail of blood ends a little ways up the road, where I suspect they applied some healing magic to deal with their wounds. There's no tracking them after that point - if they had followed the riverbank they would have left footprints, but across the cobblestones there's nothing to work with."

    Gavin stepped back, looking at his revised version of the message. "Maybe something like this?"

    Majesty, Aliani. Council meeting tomorrow, elect Andaisin Seneschal. Would appreciate rendezvous, discuss solutions to mutual problems. Can provide assistance if danger. Reply twenty five words.
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
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  28. - Top - End - #148
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Aliani shook his head rapidly at Dalen's insistence. "No, no, we can't tell her it's tomorrow! If we tell her it's tomorrow, she'll think she doesn't have to worry about it until tomorrow. You have to remember, she's... well, if I had to guess, she wants to be anywhere BUT in that castle dealing with things at the moment -- else why would she sneak out like this? I've half a mind to tell her it was happening tonight, but outright lying would, as you so eloquently put it, not end well. Leaving it to her imagination, on the other hand... and that's the reason for the urgency of the language, you see. Immediate return is, to my mind, the most essential phrase in the entire missive. And you'll note that it is not I who am ordering about the queen; Sabrina insists it, not us. We are mere messengers, you see?"

    Still, he pondered Dalen's words even as Gavin piped in with his own thoughts, seemingly in a trance as Gavin talked about birds and something or other... before making a quick slash with his charcoal at the start of Gavin's written suggestion. "Well, we can strike the first two right off; the nature of the magic itself will inform her absolutely as to who is sending her the message, so no need for introductions. There's a time for fluffing it up with the 'Your Majesty' and the 'Your Royal Highness and Grand Poobah', but not when we are forced into an unnatural economy of language. And" (he struck out a few more words) "I am quite sure she would be at least roughly acquainted as to how the seneschal is elected, so no need to mention the council specifically. Seneschal Andaisin should provide all the encouragement she needs on that front."

    "I do rather like the 'rendezvous' you both came up with though. That's nice, very nice actually, let's include that. It leaves us open to anything from a daring rescue to a quiet dinner; Elliana will like that if nothing else, I dare hope to suggest. And if you both think the language needs to be softened, we can certainly do that, though I truly believe we do need to use words of power, of urgency of action, to convey the vitality of her at least replying regardless of her circumstance, so I think I'm going to need something stronger than 'request' but short of 'demand'...yes, rendezvous is very good!"

    The charcoal flew across the page once more at lightning speed, with a few more crossings-out and circles around words, before he brought out a fresh sheet of paper, snapped it tidily in the air to remove all the creases, and began to write once more. Within a few seconds, he had produces a new suggestion.

    Sabrina concerned, insists immediate return for preventing Seneschal Andaisin. Requests party rendezvous forthwith. Can provide rescue, safekeeping, companionship. Provide location? If endangered, details of threat?

    "I know 'companionship' may seem a bit out of place, but again, leave what can be left to her imagination and fill in the blanks from there. I rather suspect she feels quite alone at the moment."

  29. - Top - End - #149
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "I am well aware that Rhetoric is an excellent bird who will be rewarded," he smiles as the familiar returns to his shoulder, then turns to Aliani, "I would prefer 'assistance'. The queen is doing something, and we can help. Speaking of unnecessary words, there is no need to ask specifically if she is in danger and needs rescue. Doubtlessly if that is the case she will appraise us of such in her reply," his tone is more composed than his previous objection, no longer concerned with the possibility of causing great offense to a sitting monarch.

  30. - Top - End - #150
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    ”All right... how about if we drop the ‘rescue, safekeeping, companionship’ and replace that with ‘assistance’? Saves two words. What would we do with them?”

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