Strange Aeons: The Thrushmoor Terror, Part 2 [IC]

[lostsole31]

Winter raises her hand, and now everyone looks at Vilma.

[silphael]

She nods.

"I still have enough resources to fight during the night if needed, but not really more than that, so yeah, we should rest."

[lostsole31]

St. Dorn respectfully verifies the sitting room's western door is shut, and the party leaves Jens and Flair and goes downstairs to the main hall where Kris is watching over the prisoners. The job of prepping the meal for selves and prisoners is done, though that makes for a cold meal. It boggles the mind why the main room to the north is just a dining room, and nothing else around seems to be a kitchen thus far.

Once the group has helped Kris feed the prisoners and eaten what they can for themselves, the party doesn't do any interpersonal cross-training, but rather beds down, hoping that Kris' alertness and the barricades hold against any other intrusion.

---

Sunday, 8 Lamashan 4716 AR (First Quarter)
Weather: 50/ 30 F. Winds S 5 mph. Dry. Wind Chill: 45 / 25 F.

It's chilly, but insulated, in the great hall, and it promises to be a slightly warmer day today.

Brother Jaume and Vilma, do you do anything different for your dailies? Also, do you reprepare anything that is NOT included in dailies, but is a limited resource (such as mutagen)?

[silphael]

Vilma prepares her mutagen.

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume will take a spare cloak or blanket if one is available in his size (or robe with mystical symbols from party treasure) to keep warm as he goes outside. He will return in one hour and takes his staff with him.

Spoiler: crunch

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BJ will see if he can find a cloak, blanket or robe he can wear over his current clothes before heading outside to pray silently. If he fails to find anything appropriate, he will go as is.

[silphael]

Vilma looks up the stairs.

"We've got stuff to finish up there anyway, and we need to make it quick now, given our remaining food."

[lostsole31]

St. Dorn nods and says, "I agree that speed is our friend, but so is communication. I think we should inform Ms. Wrentz of our progress and the loss of another of our number."

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume nods his head and points to St. Dorn.

[lostsole31]

Winter interrupts, "Yes, okay ... I know you are working for the Agency as contractors, I get it. But more important than that .... Vilma, you are still wounded from yesterday. And Brother Jaume really needs me to take a day with him to try to help him get back to connecting with language. To ask that he put his life on the line, and yours by extension, when his ability to heal or support through his own faith is pretty rough. I'm sorry, but I think we need to take a day. St. Dorn and Vilma to talk with Ms. Wrentz while Vilma heals, and I to have a couple sessions today with Brother Jaume."

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume appears contemplative and then nods reluctantly and points to Winter.

[lostsole31]

St. Dorn nods and looks to Vilma. "Coming to see Ms. Wrentz with me?"

[silphael]

She nods.

"Let's go, even if I probably shouldn't be your first option to talk with law enforcers."

[lostsole31]

St. Dorn and Vilma head off to see Ms. Wrentz at the Sleepless Detective Agency.

[lostsole31]

Ms. Wrentz sits there in complete stillness and control with her teacup and saucer in hand, unmoving for at least thirty seconds, which seems like an eternity to St. Dorn and Vilma after they imparted to her their story and the report of Flair's death.

She calls in her assistant and confers quietly with her before her assistant walks out and she turns around, putting empty teacup onto saucer onto mobile tea service.

She looks at Vilma, possibly disapprovingly, it's hard to tell, but definitely with no ounce of smile or cheer. Then, she turns to St. Dorn, and notes the disheveled nature of the old man in his cassock and beaten light armor. Finally, she speaks.

"Thrushmoor no longer functions as a proper town. The lord's manor is a war zone with strangeness and death. Fort Hailcourse is unreliable, and should have been your primary. Many prisoners are on hand, but among your number are those who refuse to do what cannot be done when there are not enough resources and the town is - though they don't know it - on a war footing.

"I am taking over the investigation."

[silphael]

"If the town is on the edge of war, since those are prisoners, I don't see how it's making things any easier. What, you're planning to execute prisoners of war ? Anyway, if you want to join, good. Though right now investigative talent is unlikely to really make the exploration of both places any easier."

[lostsole31]

"I've had time to think about our 'moral quandry, so I have a proposition," Ms. Wrentz begins. "We don't have the facilities for proper internment, and turned over to the authorities they simply get hung. How about ... each day ... we go in and take one of the prisoners. Somberly, almost as if it is to be an interrogation-execution detail. Once we have the prisoner-of-the-day well away from Iris Hill Manor, we take them to the edge of town, give them a day of bread, and tell them to leave town under pain of death. They have a fighting chance. Without fellow prisoners, they are less likely to return to Iris Hill, and their own fear and paranoia propels them down the road. If they return, however, no more dithering. They are put to death. They were shown mercy and scoffed at it."

[silphael]

She nods.

"I was considering it as well. And from what I heard about this countryside, adding a few cannibals won't really make things worse, so yeah, let's do this."

[lostsole31]

St. Dorn nods as well, "As good a solution as anything, Ms. Wrentz."

He shifts in his seat while he takes a spoon to mix the honey into his tea a little more. "Now, you say you are taking over the investigation. Which since we were subcontracted to you, seems perfectly fine. And as a local person of means, if someone outside should come to this hate-encrusted town you would likely be received better. But what did you have in mind when you say 'taking over the investigation.' Are you asking my group to remove themselves? .... Is this a subtle way of having our employment terminated?"

Ms. Wrentz shakes her head only as much as possibly needed to convey the negative, a picture of efficiency in bodily movement. "I have a partnered team just returned from an investigation abroad, in addition to a few investigators in town that I've asked to hold on taking any new cases, as I admit I saw something like this happening within the realm of possibility. My investigators will assist you in the processing, feeding, and watching of the prisoners so the talents of your more experienced people are not taken from the task at hand. Though, allow me to inform you now the two investigators going with you are quite senior in the agency and are no slouches.

"Then, once we have your full group together .... outside of any that are on prisoner detail ... we shall discuss everything discovered and determine the best means of moving forward. I am not a friend of the sunk-cost fallacy just because of death, and I do not wish for your tea to dogger on if doing so is not in the best interest of the investigation. Agreed?"

St. Dorn, who obviously seems to like the plan, tries to hold his consent (though Vilma sees it plainly) as he looks to Vilma so as not to pre-empt her.

Vilma, what do you say?

[silphael]

She nods.

"That sounds good."

[lostsole31]

"Alright, here's what we need to do," she begins. "Relinquish your current spot at Iris Hill and fall back to New Chapel with Ms. Klasczka's patients. There's room and open area enough to segregate the prisoners. That will probably be much easier to watch them than in a mid-siege mentality at the manor and without having to worry about placement and furniture. I'll send some of our junior detes over to act as guards in the interim, and then your lot can come back to me and we can discuss what to do further.

"You might come back to the Manor, but it isn't a tactical imperative right now. Let it go for now."

[silphael]

"I'll go gather them, then. Let's hope that assassin left as was discussed."

[lostsole31]

And with that, the group makes it back to Iris Hill Manor with a handful of junior detectives to help.

Brother Jaume and Winter may now interact.

Ms. Wrentz says, "In the meantime, two of my very best detectives ... celebrated from Caliphas to the Palatinates for being the non-pareil of mystery-solving and troubleshooting ... the epitome of discretion where needed, and flair when desired .... Special Detectives Goleri and Emerov will be the two joining us. I have every confidence that once they catch up with us, our problems in Thrushmoor will be untangled and laid bare for dispatchment!"

[DrK]

Winter

Winter sits on a plush chair opposite Brother Jaume. ”Concentrate once more. Try and make a song, singing comes more easily than speech for many with aphasia or similar issues. Come now, start with a hum.” She starts humming gently, her voice melodious and forming an easy and slightly jaunty tune as she waits for Brother Jaume to join in.

Even as she starts again she looks up hearing the noises from below. Rising cautiously she offers a slightly stern. “who goes there? State your name and purpose.”

[lostsole31]

Cesadia calls out, "It's Ms. Wrentz, your boss, with your friends Dorn and Vilma."

The three of them appear to the north from the dining room area, followed by a handful of several junior employees.

"Pack up the prisoners. Tie them well. We're decamping to the New Chapel and quitting Iris Hill Manor for now," she adds.

[Blackhawk101]

BJ looks to Winter for askance and then shrugs his round shoulders. He rises to help prepare the prisoners.

[DrK]

Winter

Winter's slight tension seeps out of her as she spies Wrentz and a collection of others plus their friends. "I will not be sad to be abandoning the horrors of this manor for a while." She looks to Bother J' and smiles reassuringly, "I would hope we cna work on your voice more when we are in a more relaxed location like the New Chapel."

She then starts checking the bindings on all the prisonsers to ensure none can escape to cause trouble. As Wrentz enters she looks up, "We are still keeping the prisoners then? Have we enough food at the Chapel. It it will be tight with the remaining survivors from Brimstone." But as she listens to the answer she will continue to prepare the prisoner for transport.

[lostsole31]

St. Dorn offers, "Ms. Wrentz has a plan, but one that should be mentioned without the ears of the prisoners present."

Ms. Wrentz adds with admiration for her own people, "Trust me, as soon as Special Detectives Gomeri and Emerov get here, they'll help make quick work of the mystery and the problem. Allison Kindler actually wants to add their personalities to one of her next novels - a romantic mystery. When I say 'celebrated by heads of state,' I mean that they've been asked to court in Ustalav, Molthune, and even far away Druma. They are the finest warriors, clever with magic, and surpass me in every way with deduction. When I retire, if they haven't opened their own business, I no doubt will leave it to Gomeri as Emerov is ever the doughty support. Oh, I'm sure you've even heard of Gomeri and Emerov with the Lost Waif of Kinton, or their actions in stopping the Ghoul Street Slasher, or pershaps---"

And at that, she is interrupted as a minor employee, red-faced and out-of-breath runs in and whispers to her and Ms. Wrentz stops cold. Though unflappable, it seems she is disturbed by what she hears before she gasps, "Werewolves, you say?!"

Ms. Wrentz looks to the party, her stony demeanor a little off-kilter with regret as she says, "Ever the dangers of Ustalav's woods test our greatest heroes. Ever our greatest heroes meet their doom in Ustalav. It seems Gomeri and Emerov will not be joining us after all."

She turns back to the assistant. "Then we are on our own?"

"Not exactly, mum. We've another scheduled return today."

"No!" Ms. Wrentz gasps after a second of realization, looking askance at her assistant. "Not those rough-hewn reefclaws!"

"Yes, mum. The Wilde childs are due here any minute now from Caliphas."

Ms. Wrentz recenters her thoughts and with forced jollity and bland admiration she says, "Yes! You shall be helped by the Wilde sisters, who led to the capture of the Tamrivena cat--"

"Acquitted."

"Uh, stopped the kidnapper of Ardis!"

"Who burned death with three of his victims."

"And, uh, broke up the pesh drug ring in the lower quarters of Caliphas..."

"Lillian stole half the evidence, OD'd, and that was what got her into the rehab center, where she was released a few days ago."

Ms. Wrentz just stands there. "Yup, we're screwed. This job just got a whole lot more difficult."

"Look, mum," says the assistant blandly, "our vainglorious heroes return."

Coming across the large Iris Hill Manor yard, freezing in the cold weather, are two figures, the aforementioned Wilde sisters.

Seresy and Lillian, describe yourselves!

[Farmerbink]

Even from a distance, the duo is easy to distinguish. One broad-shouldered and tall, the other slight, two women stride through the manor gate side by side. The one on the left (the broad-shouldered woman) paces forward with long, urgent strides, covering ground fast enough that the less-driven sister has to occasionally take several quick steps just to keep up.

She approaches the meeting purposefully, eager for the warmth of walls and fireplaces. Lowering her dark purple hood reveals distinctly Orcish features, failing to completely hide keen eyes. "Ms. Wrentz," the taller woman murmurs with a slight inclination of her head.

"We were told to report to you at our earliest availability, but little else." Her hands part, indicating the gathering. As she removes her cloak to hang near the fire, she adds, without looking, "How can we help you?"

[DarkOne-Rob]

As the women enter the room, the smaller can be heard speaking. "...Well, they say you have to want to get clean before their treatment will work, and I didn't, so..." the airy-voiced woman trails off as she stares into the middle-space between, her steps light but steady. "Besides," she sighs, "It was a lovely trip and where am I going to find a stash like that again? You can hardly blame me."

The curvy, exotic-looking woman in a low-cut courtesan's outfit is dripping with overt lustiness. There is no doubt as to her intent wearing such clothing - she wants the men's attention on the holy symbol of Calistria tattooed on her brazenly exposed chest and she wants the women who see her to grow sick with envy. As she turns and sees the collection of people talking to Ms. Wrentz she smiles dreamily and laughs in a tinkling, high-pitch. "Look, Seresey! We're expected and they've already assumed so much that's wrong! Maybe coming down to this mudhole will be worth it!" As she laughs Lillian Wilde's form is positively distracting. Those looking (usually everyone) can't help but notice the numerous piercings and tattoos covering her skin (below the neck). She walks up to the two men (but not the assistant) and circles them slowly. "One of you smells...nice..." she says before shrugging and returning to her sister's side. With a yawn she stretches and then looks vaguely in the direction of Ms. Wrentz. As she's about to say something she brushes at something unseen before her eyes. When it doesn't appear to go away she follows it with her gaze, apparently forgetting the gathering of people entirely as she follows it off several feet to the side and then stares into the air, apparently unseeing...

[Blackhawk101]

A large bald man with homespun robes and a prodigious gut hustles up to the pair of newcomers, beaming. Silently, he shakes each one’s hand in turn pumping it up and down vigorously before giving each a enthusiastic bear hug. His eyes twinkle merrily as he grins at the two women from the depths of his bushy brown beard.
He waves goodbye before finishing rounding up the prisoners.