When Jessibel arrives back at the Nest (fashionably late, as usual), she's shocked and horrified by the accident that's apparently no accident.
Seeing Davina and Dom in discussion about the incident, Jessi briefly joins them. "I saw Turl upstairs--maybe I can get him and his team to accompany me to Songbird Hall to get a healer or healer's kit, if we have enough money in the treasury."
Turning her attention briefly toward the fallen section of ceiling, Jessi comments, "This doesn't add up to me. Laria wouldn't sabotage the Nest, but it looks like someone wants us to think she would. How did no one hear whoever did this chiseling away at the stone? How did that person reach the ceiling--are there any ladders down here and do they hold any clues?"
Davina heads to sit next to Korva. "Korva, I'm so sorry this happened. We'll take care of you. Don't try to move too much until we can get some more healing arranged." she looks at the others, "Did any of you notice anything odd about the ceiling or hear anything like chisel on stone recently?"
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"Beggin' yer pardon, Mister Domitius, but I think the tools were filched from th' basement," says Maggie. That would make sense, as most of the tools in the basement of the Long Roads coffeehouse are sized to the hands of the owner and her employees.
"Lately we been thinkin' this place might be haunted," Jay admits, "Hearin' strange noises, knockin' or poundin', when we come back here from our sneaks, but never findin' nobody. Maybe it's a ghost, or maybe someone's sneakier than us been makin' th' walls fall down."
Dom's mind is spinning like a runaway cart. Jay's comment raises a possibility, but nothing firm...
"Of course, you're right, Maggie, that makes total sense."
Dom turns to Jessibel. "Jess, you flirt, beg, borrow, steal or kidnap your way into what we need. Take Turl and his buddies, if you think that's a safe idea. Leora," he addresses the priestess, "Would it be a good idea to go with her, make sure you get exactly what you need to help Korva, or are you better off here with her? I'd be more at ease having one more with Jess and Turl."
He then turns back to the Fushi sisters. "You do what you can to keep your sister comfortble; we'll get more help just as soon as we can. Anyone else that's staying here, I think we should start a top-to-bottom search of the Nest." He debates exactly how comfortable he is with saying things out loud. "I suspect some of the Fair Fortune Livery's luck has rubbed off on us, if you take my meaning."
"You'll need all the hands you can get to investigate this incident," Jessi tells Dom. "Turl and I will be fine."
Jessi then takes the initiative to borrow gold from the Ravens' treasury, grab the Nest's silver raven figurine, and compose a brief note in private.
Somewhat serious accident. Healer's kit required. Will arrive ASAP with gold to pick up kit and raven.
Jessi casts a prestidigitation spell before coloring the raven figurine black and her own hair and armor a boring brown. Once outside, she steps into an alley and, once she's unobserved, looses the raven, whispering for it to fly to Songbird Hall.
(+1 if target is attracted to Jessibel)
"You'll need all the hands you can get to investigate this incident," Jessi tells Dom. "Turl and I will be fine."
Domitius frowns, knowing his friend is right about that, but feeling terribly damned-if-you-do about this whole affair. I hope you're right about that, girl. "Be quick and be safe," he says. "If it comes down to it, choose the latter."
Tuning back to the Wasp's Nest, he starts scanning the rooms, looking for places a small creature like a grimple might hide...
"Leora can you begin detecting magic around the edges of the hole, and working outward? I'll start looking in the dark corners of the rooms with everyone else that can helping with the search." she shudders "Grimples."
While Leora is glad to stay with her patient, she shares Dom's worry about Jessibel going out alone. "Be safe! " She shouts as her friend leaves.
As Davina instructs, Leora casts detect magic around the damaged area of ceiling to see if there are any traces of magic, and around the Wasps Nest if time permits.
Shortly before Tinker and Leora reach the boarding house at the Iudeimus tenements at which he was staying, a screech echoes in the air, and a hawk flies down to land on Tinker's glove.
Nicolæ's face lights up as his familiar returns looking well, all things considered. "Ah! You see, my Lady Isa has good ears. Even if you can no see them. Isa, this nice lady helped me so I could come back for you!" Isa blinks her eyes and cocks her head as if considering Leora. It is clear to see the intelligence working behind those bright, searching eyes. Finally she seems satisfied and extends her talon like a dignified noblewoman might offer her hand to a new acquaintance.
Tinker thanks to his landlady for holding his things, realizing that it is both simultaneously a little sad as well as convenient that everything he owns fits into a simple rucksack. "I understand, please take this as well as my gratitude." He says offering her a generous tip for going to the extra trouble of packing him up.
"Well, there's plenty of room at Laria's, if you want to stay with us," Leora offers when Tinker's former land lady delivers the news. "It isn't much right now, but we're working on making it nicer."
When Tinker explains his background, Leora replies "On the bright side, I guess you could say you found the right group of free thinkers in Kintargo."
"That's good news. I would no want-a to go without-a place to hang my hat-a these days. We'll do whatever we can to earn our keep, right-a Isa?" The hawk chirps in reply.
~~~When they arrive to find the Nest in such a disarray, Nicolæ is at a loss for what to do to be of help. But seeing as he has no skill at healing he does what he can. "I may be able to put-a her to sleep while you set-a her leg. The pain would wake her but-a she might be spared the worst of it-a." Beyond that, he feels it's best for him to try not to get in the way.
"Leora can you begin detecting magic around the edges of the hole, and working outward? I'll start looking in the dark corners of the rooms with everyone else that can helping with the search." she shudders "Grimples."
"I can do that-a!" Tinker calls, raising his hand as he volunteers. "What are we looking for? Some sort-a fey?" He quickly conjures a small bauble and casts light upon it, shining it around for him and Isa to look around to the best of their ability.
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The team spends a long time searching the Nest in depth. Unfortunately, you don't find anything in particular through ordinary methods. Detect Magic discovers one aura that is out of place, but it's on a particular sheet of paper among the documents that Rexus has been translating, in the pile of 'not-yet-worked' on his makeshift desk.
Isa the hawk frequently glances around suspiciously, as if she senses something that she can't see, but isn't able to communicate effectively with Nicolae to pass along what it is she's sensing.
Turl and Jessibel meet Lydia, who has convinced the temple to give her a healer's kit at no charge, and says she could easily get her hands on a scroll of lesser restoration if needed. Restoration or a similarly higher-level spell would require a special request of the High Priest. If necessary, he could come himself, as it wouldn't be that out of the ordinary for Zachrin Vhast to visit a well-known coffeeshop.
Kiri considered all of the discuss the situation Kiri couldn't help but agree the first person to spring to mind that could use those tools made absolutely no sense at all, If it wasn't her though then who could it be. She resolved to track down and deal with the source of the threat, this wouldn't stand, not at all. She didn't think it was the Sisters, unless they had family squabbles that resulted in death, she figured they'd use a blade to settle their differences. She was also certain that it wasn't Rexus or Laria, they had far too much to lose, nor could it be the newly rescued mercenaries. No, it had to be someone else. She took a scrap of paper, a quill, and ink, and began to write a list of the people who were part of the rebellion who fit her qualifications for possibly being involved in this incident.
1.) Not one of the PCs, the newly rescued Mercs, the Fushi Sisters, Laria, or Rexus.
2.) Their race and skill set (sneak, caster, healer, simple descriptor)
3.) Do they have anyone who could be used to coerce them into acting against us?
Jessibel gives Lydia a brief hug and quietly fills her in on the details of exactly what transpired at the Nest. Although she's tempted to accept the High Priest's offer to return to the coffeehouse, the bard decides to pass, feeling there's not much Zachrin can do that Leora and a healer's kit can't. Best to save any favors from Songbird Hall for something really big or bad.
Before heading back to the Nest, Jessi opts to try her luck at one last piece of business...well, more pleasure, actually. She asks Lydia if the priestess would be interested in going on a double date to the Tooth and Nail tavern with her and the Vashnarstill twins.
"All my new friends in the Silver Ravens are so much older than me," Jessibel explains, even though she knows that, as a half-elf, Lydia could be quite a bit older than she appears, "except maybe for Dom, but it'd be awkward for him cuz he sort of had to tag along in the shadows last year when Sabrina and I were dating the twins...yeah, it would be awfully awkward. And Angus is quite handsome and one of Kintargo's most eligible bachelors...or will be once he comes of age shortly."
After getting Lydia's answer, Jessi nods and hustles back to the Nest with Turl, anxious to get Korva on the road to recovery.
"...it'd be awkward for [Domitius] cuz he sort of had to tag along in the shadows last year when Sabrina and I were dating the twins...yeah, it would be awfully awkward."
Domitius sits back against one of the dock pilings, tired, soaking wet, and more than a little on edge. He'd helped turn their underground refuge upside down, but there'd been no payoff. He couldn't shake the feeling they'd missed something, and judging from the hawk's restlessness, he wasn't alone in that.
The only noteworthy discovery to come of their efforts (apart from noting one particularly deep spot of the water where Dom went under quite unexpectedly, a little too much excitement when one is wearing scale mail) was to note that one page of the documents Rexus had been translating seemed to radiate magic. With any luck, that might yield some more clues...
Staring out at the statue of Calistria and her wasps, he mutters, "What're you looking at? You're so smart, you find 'em."
Leora is stumped by the results of their search - or more accurately, the lack of results of their search. "Hmm. How can we set up something to let us know if someone comes in here? Traps, magical wards, anything. Like if we get some flour or something from Laria, we could sprinkle it on the floor and see tracks from someone who comes in. Unless they're flying things, like the grimple gremlins Davina was talking about."
Later, when they are done (or out of ideas) searching the Wasp's Nest, Leora remarks on the magical piece of paper "I know it's magical, but I can't make heads or tails of what the spell is."
"It's nice to meet you, Lady Isa," Leora says to Tinker's bird. "I've heard so much about you. All good things, of course," she adds, doing her best to shake the hawk's talon.
"Hmm..." Nicolæ strokes his well trimmed beard as he considers the problem. "Have you thought-a of getting a guard dog? A keen nose can often find a threat-a the eyes may miss." When Leora mentions flour he snaps his fingers and digs in his pack for his drying powder. Pulling out a small cloth sack that wafts dust from the agitation, he plops it down before the cleric. "Here. This is powder made from crushed chalk. I use it-a to dry ink so as to prevent-a smudging. It's cheaper than flour and should not draw pests."
Then he turns his attention to the magical parchment. "Alright-a, let's see what-a we have here... a scroll, perhaps?" He begins to whistle softly to himself as he examines it, seeming happy to be of use.
Davina looks distractedly at Dom while he's sitting on the piling as she searches along the walls. "Try taking the armor off next time you want to swim." then she thinks, "Well maybe not if Grimples are in the area."
Davina exasperated that the exhaustive search turned up nothing physical. She studies the paper along with Tinker. She examines it for what type of document it appears to be not it's magical properties. "If Rexus thought it was a scroll of some kind, he'd have mentioned it to us."
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Kiri thinks about the matter, and the only folks who have access to the Nest are:
The PCs, Laria, Rexus, and Sabrina, all of whom she is confident had nothing to do with this;
Turl and his performers , who do not live in the Nest and none of whom were present, except Turl, when the collapse happened;
And finally, Laria's employees probably know about the Nest, although Laria maintains that she has only told the secret of how to get in to the Ravens. Of course, one of the Fushi sisters, or one of the Performers, or for that matter, Rexus or Sabrina, might have told one of them.
Kiri has to admit to herself that she knows the least about the employees, but the performers might be a weak link as well. She doesn't know of anyone who could be used to coerce those whom they have invited into the Nest.
Lydia chuckles and shakes her head. "Actually, Zachrin and I have been seeing each other, sort of, for a couple weeks now... I don't know if it'll be going anywhere but..." she blushes. "Why not take that firecracker friend of yours? I thought you two were thick as thieves."
Rexus examines the page as well. Nicolae is able to determine that it is a dim transmutation aura, but neither he nor Rexus is able to definitively determine what it is. It is certainly not a scroll, however, because it has no resemblance to a magical formula, and appears to be a listing of accounts payable and receivable for -- wait, that's a bit of a coincidence -- "Merindius Sarini". A relative of Sabrina's, perhaps?
Sabrina, asked about this, ponders for a while, and shakes her head. "I don't know that name. My family is pretty large, so it might be a cousin in a cadet branch or something. It also might be an ancestor -- I remember the names of my grandparents, but that's as far as I've bothered to learn. My parents have a book with the family genealogy in our -- their home."
As the conversation steers around the Sarini family, Dom feels a sick pit in his stomach, which he does his level best to not show. Ugh, I really, really hope we don’t have to go back there. Even as he thinks that thought, he recognizes it as mere wishful thinking.
“That book, you think it's in the downstairs library, or the one in your father's study?” A thought occurs to Dom, and he asks, “So, we don't know who Merindius Sarini is. Can we follow the money? Does anything on that page tell us other parties that are paying, or getting paid?”
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"The library. Mother maintained it, until she started getting ill."
Sabrina and Domitius probably would have told the rest of the Ravens about how Sabrina's mother, Countess Urora Sarini, has been mentally unwell for years. Her father, Victorio, has recently started moving the Kintargo branch of the family back towards the Thrune fold, performing more Asmodean rituals and enforcing tyrannical discipline over the servants/slaves and members of the family.
The finances in the document seem confusing -- it isn't entirely clear whether Merindius was being paid or paying the amounts shown on the page.
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When the twins first invited Jessi out, she told them that Sabrina had shipped out to parts unknown. Also, Sabrina out in public--especially with Jessibel and the Vashnarstill twins--seems super-reckless: I'd think someone who knew any of them might put 2 and 2 together. So Jessi's plan is to keep her fun night secret from Sabrina.
Jessibel is crestfallen when Lydia turns down her invitation, but offers a smile when the priestess/sorceress says she's seeing Zachrin. "I'm happy you've found someone."
Turl accompanies the bard part of the way back to the Nest before going his separate way to join up with the other members of his minstrel band. Jessibel makes a quick stop at the Vashnarstill villa to ask the twins what night they'd like to visit the Tooth and Nail ("Tomorrow night, maybe?") and also inquire if the place stays open all night (and its patrons party 'til morning) or if it closes down before curfew and makes everyone rush back to their homes.
When she finally gets back to the Nest, she's tired but dutifully asks the others how the investigation into the collapsed ceiling went. A bit later, she tries to speak with Leora alone.
”I’d like to ask you a question…and then maybe a favor of you,” Jessi begins slowly. After a thoughtful pause, the young woman continues.
”I don’t know about you, but I need a break from all this—the secrecy, the rescue missions, running Turl’s street company, dealing with the members of the Kintargo Opera House Society. I need some off time…some me time. I need to blow off some steam.”
Jessibel stops and looks around to make sure no one can overhear.
”I visited the Vashnarstill twins earlier today—I used to double-date with Sabrina last summer until she and Angus had a spat and between that and the arrival of cooler weather we all sort of drifted apart. I discovered I still have feelings for the other twin—Phenio—and, to make a long story short, the twins invited me to join them for a night out at a place called the Tooth and Nail in Old Kintargo. I know it wouldn’t be proper for me to go out with them both alone…and I doubt that you’d be interested in robbing the cradle and going out with a seventeen-almost-eighteen-year-old …but I probably should have someone there with me, just in case something bad happens.”
”Obviously, Sabrina would love to go along, but that would be the height of recklessness, even if she were wearing the world’s greatest magical disguise. She has no self-control; she’d make a scene with herself at the center. And once she’d gotten a taste of going out and partying…she’d want to do it every week, regardless of the risk to herself and to the rest of us. No—we need to make sure Sabrina never even hears about this night out, so the fewer people who know about it the less chance she’ll hear about it.”
”Dom’s met the twins and tagged along in the shadows for some of our double-dates last summer, but…it would be really awkward to ask him to come along. First, he was Sabrina’s bodyguard at the time and, as such, was only briefly introduced to the twins once before being told to go keep watch at a distance…if at all. Like I said, having Dom along would be really awkward.”
”And while I like Kiri and am two-for-two in befriending the strix I’ve met in Kintargo, I hear the rest of civilized humanity hates them, so she’s out. Mrs. Eradon—I mean Davina—well, she’s nice, but I know her daughter. She’d be more like a chaperone than a pair of friendly eyes if you catch my meaning…and I don’t want to be chaperoned this night—I want to have some harmless fun or maybe even some slightly less harmless fun, if it comes to that.”
”So…that leaves you. I know you’re not averse to having a drink or three while having a good time. And you wouldn’t have to hang with me and the Vashnarstill twins—we’d just kind of keep an eye on each other…have each other’s back. Angus says the Tooth and Nail is ‘decadent.’”
Just in case that less-than-glowing endorsement didn’t sell Leora on the plan, Jessibel digs into her belt pouch, pulling out a few small waxed paper packets. ”And if you’re looking or hoping to get lucky…I’ve got a stash of night tea that I bought mainly for Sabrina. I’m taking a dose tonight and then again tomorrow, just in case Phenio and I reignite the fireworks we had a couple of nights last summer. You’re welcome to it as well, if you’re interested.”
Jessibel presses something into Leora’s hands—her prized possession, the Kintargo Blue Book. ”Please, just look it up—the Tooth and Nail—and then give me your decision in the morning.”
"I don't think this is a real ledger at all. It looks like numbers were put down at random in an attempt to make it look like a ledger. It could be invisible ink or hidden writing on the document."
Looking up from her study of the paper, she asks Sabrina, "Would you have to go to the Sarini manor to get that information? Maybe the University library or a bookshop has the same book. Your family is fairly prominent so there should be more than one record of the family history."
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Jessibel, still more a stage performer than an adventurer, dutifully tries to figure out what the deal is with the magic document, casting detect magic and then trying to puzzle things through with her weak magic-fu.
She comes away shaking her head, learning nothing that the others hadn't already discerned about the paper.
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A bit later, she meets up with Sabrina, and the frenemies go into 'friend mode' to better perform a joint information-gathering venture....
Nicolae’s given a few hours to meet with Laria and some of the rank-and-file members of the new Silver Ravens, take a tour of the subterranean Nest, and generally get himself acclimated to his new life when he notices Jessibel and her redheaded friend Sabrina circling him at a distance like vultures. Then the two young women swoop in to verbally poke and prod the ‘new meat.’
”Welcome to the Nest,” Jessibel begins with a warm and welcoming smile which is brightly mirrored by Sabrina. ”Indeed,” echoes the redhead. ”The smell’s a bit much at times down here but the food and drink topside are actually quite good.”
”So…you’re from Varisia,” Jessi gently initiates the interrogation. ”Not from Korvosa, perhaps?” inquires Sabrina. Poor Nicolae’s head’s on a swivel as the two young noblewoman double-team him.
”You see, Sabrina and I keep a close eye on women who rise to positions of power,” Jessibel explains. ”Not necessarily as role models,” Sabrina interjects, ”but as fashion models and trendsetters at the very least. Take Queen Abrogaill II, for example. She may be a bit ruthless and over-the-top, but her taste in fashion is exquisite. You may have noticed Jessi here doing a song-and-dance impression of her at the Aria Park Protest. Her haircut and face make-up were spot-on but her choice in clothing…Tsk-tsk-tsk! Also, Jessibel’s too sweet and timorous to pull off our queen’s domineering presence.”
The scowl that momentarily passes across black-haired Jessi’s face looks anything but sweet as she listens to her friend’s lukewarm critique. ”We were also fans of Queen Ileosa of Korvosa when she rose to power a few years back,” Jessi continues. ”She showed real promise…at least during her first few weeks.”
”Yeah, so beautiful and fashionable!” Sabrina gushes. ”Is it true that she had her own corps of female bodyguards? And that she ordered them hideously scarred so their beauty wouldn’t approach her own? And made them wear iron masks that hid their faces at all times?”
The two young noblewomen finally give poor Nicolae a chance to answer their questions before pouncing anew. ”It almost seems like when a woman rises to a position of political power she has to go overboard to proves she’s just as capable as her male predecessors,” Jessibel notes aloud. ”More capable,” Sabrina corrects with a smirk.
”More wicked and ruthless,” Jessi counter-corrects. ”Although Jilia Bainilus—our previous Lord-Mayor—was pretty fair and…well…sane.”
”And weak,” Sabrina points out with an air of disdain. ”When Barzillai Thrune arrived, Jilia fled…or vanished. Besides, her fashion sense left a lot to be desired.”
"Tinker, that would be perfect. " Leora helps spread the dust he offers around on the floor to at least figure out where these nasty folks are coming from, especially near the doors and the sewer dock area. "Maybe we should keep watch tonight, see if we can catch them in the act. " Leora asks the Fushi sisters if they've noticed any certain times when they hear the ghostly noises they mentioned and where in the Nest they hear them.
Leora raises an eyebrow as Jessibel starts, then tries not to smile as she really gets into convincing her friend to go with her. Clearly she's super excited about seeing this twin, and Leora is ready to agree pretty quickly. She listens to the whole spiel and takes the book and tea packet, grinning at Jessi.
"Robbing the cradle, huh? Maybe he'd be intimidated by a more experienced woman" She says, though it's hard to tell if she's joking or not. "I'd love to go for drinks with you. All this silver ravens stuff is interesting and important, but it's totally not relaxing at all. "
"If you want to tell the boys it's a double date, then see the look on his face when he meets me, I'll play along. Who knows, we'll see how things go and maybe we'll even hit it off. I'll try just about anything once. As long as you don't want both of them for yourself. .." Flipping through the book, she exclaims "Wow! This place looks great!"
Once all the details of timing and whatnot are hashed out, Leora starts speculating and gossiping on the whole thing. "So what do they look like? Are they cute? Do they look exactly the same? Anything you want me to mention or not mention as your wing-woman? "
Domitius frowns as he considers their alternatives for how to get a hold of the book they need. “Way I see it, Sabrina, we got two options. You and/or I can go to the manor and pinch the book. Either we sneak in there, or go in under some pretext and grab the book while we’re there. To be clear, this is the option I hate the most, because if this one goes bad, whoo, does it go really bad, really fast.” He grimaces, and stops dwelling on it.
“But, what if we don’t get it ourselves? What if we talked someone into bringing the book out to us? There’s pros and cons there, it makes one more person we have to trust, but lowers the amount of risk considerably. Think that could work? Any other ideas I’m missing here?” Dom sits and thinks over the members of the household staff, trying to decide if any of them can be trusted enough to do this...
Davina frustrated with not being able to figure out what is going on with that piece of paper goes through every type of knowledge she can think of before finally checking with Spellcraft on it.
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Secret Page? That's the spell. We could discover what the secret would is. If we someone who could cast True Seeing and comprehend languages we could read without knowing the trigger word. We can also dispel the True Seeing spell. Do we know anyone who can cast True Seeing or Dispel Magic?"
Dom wracks his brain about the piece of paper. "Same time we found this, we found a ring, right? We still have it? Maybe the magic word is inscribed on the ring. Longshot, but hey..."
Secret Page? That's the spell. We could discover what the secret would is. If we someone who could cast True Seeing and comprehend languages we could read without knowing the trigger word. We can also dispel the True Seeing spell. Do we know anyone who can cast True Seeing or Dispel Magic?"
"Well spotted! I'm afraid those spells are beyond my capabilities. For now, at least-a." He shrugs, wishing he could be of more help.
~~~
Tinker had just finished feeding Lady Isa when approached by the young ladies. The hawk had clearly sustained herself while she was on her own, but just as he suspected, the bounty on vermin had reduced her options and she was a good deal lighter than he liked to see her. Fortunately, the kitchens here had some fresh rabbit meat and he'd acquired a generous portion and sliced it into strips for her. Before long she had gobbled it down greedily and was looking quite drowsy.
Nicolæ bobbed his head and smiled as the young ladies greeted him. But he soon found himself somewhat disconcerted by the way they circled around him. He had not missed some of the things said in passing that implied the red-head was one of the nobility and the way they carried themselves suggested they both were. He had learned to be careful around such important personages. "I am from Kovosa, yes. I attended the Acadamae there. I'm afraid I know little about fashion, though." He says apologetically, indicating his simple artisan's clothing made of drab linen and wool. "I was given a nice robe when I graduated, but-a it's embroidered, so..." He shrugs, feeling certain the ladies will know about the law against embroidered clothing for the lesser castes.
The turn the conversation was taking made him a little nervous. He glanced around the room for Leora, hoping for reassurance. The little interrogation smacked of trying to verify or disprove his identity. Is this something they do to everyone they take on? He wondered to himself, but he was eager to prove his veracity, so he answered to the best of his ability. "You mean the Gray Maidens. They wear armored helms in public, but-a yes, they are all female. I would not-a know what they wear in private or if they are really scarred, though."
His brow furrows when Sabrina insults the former Lord-Mayor, but he does his best to smooth it out. He turns his attention to Isa, stroking the plumage behind her neck as her bright gaze flickers between the young ladies who seem to be upsetting her master.
Davina finally noticing the girls circling the new member calls out, "Sabrina. Jessibel. Leave our new friend alone, and come help. We need to research how we can get a Dispel spell cast. Maybe find a scroll to purchase." She uses the exasperated mother tone just a little bit to get their attention.
Having finished he efforts to find a weak spot within their ranks Kiri went and tracked down the others and said simply, "I don't think any of our people did this, or if they did there's something strange involved that forced them into it. None of them have a reason to do this, and none of them have people that could be exploited to force them to do this. Has anyone else got any clue as to what might have happened?"
When Davina lightly scolds them, the frenemies flock over to join the older woman.
"Welcome again to the Nest, Nicolae!" a smiling Jessibel calls back over her shoulder.
"Yes, welcome--our house is your house!" a beaming Sabrina adds.
"Technically, this is part of Laria's house--not ours," Jessi points out as they walk over to Davina. Sabrina counters that the sewers belong to the city and are thus probably considered municipal property. A relatively subdued "Uh-huh/Nuh-uh!" debate ensues. Both Smoke and Fire shrug in unison at Kiri's question about what might have caused the roof collapse.
The girls tell Davina they've both visited the Newt Market before and would love to accompany Davina there.
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"Sure--a blind date with an older woman might be priceless! We should probably go more or less with the truth: I'll say I met you at the Aria Park Protest when I saw you healing someone bashed by a Thrune Goon. You can tell the twins anything else about yourself as you see fit. Their parents are loyal to Kintargo itself--not House Thrune--and I've surreptitiously quizzed them about their own thoughts and opinions on the Thrune occupation. They're not happy about it, but that may be just because it puts a serious crimp in their nightlife."
"As for their appearance: Yes, they're identical twins, brown-haired and fit, a couple of inches taller than me. Brown eyes, kissable lips! And Yes--I'll know if you're kissing my Phenio! He has a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and a mole on his neck. Angus is the elder by a few minutes and the future heir; as a result, he's more serious but far from a total bore."
Davina smiles at the girls, "I've been to the Newt Market a time or two. If we get the scroll can anyone here cast the spell? I'm more of a mix it together, and hope it doesn't explode kind of lady myself."
Now that Jessibel had returned safely with the healer's kit, Leora continues tending to poor Korva's wounds. With the proper supplies, she attempts to set and wrap the tengu's broken leg, murmuring prayers to Cayden Cailean to help get this tough, brave bird back on her feet.
She's so wrapped up in her work that she doesn't notice Jessibel and Sabrina surrounding Tinker until it's too late. Fortunately, Davina swoops in to save the poor guy before they scare him away.
Domitius sighs, and shrugs his broad shoulders when Kiri reveals the results of her research. "I'd have hated for that option to be what happened, so thanks for running down that list, Kiri. As for other theories, I think we've got a little uninvited visitor here in the Nest. My first thought was a grimple, like we saw in the Livery. While you were working that list, the rest of us turned this place upside down searching. We didn't find nothin'..." Dom pauses a moment to look apprehensively at Isa, then around the room in general, "But I think that just means we didn't find nothin', not that there was nothin' to be found."
He holds up the bag of crushed chalk that Nicolae presented. "We were about to spread some chalk powder around, try and keep track of who's makin' tracks around here. Gonna get a might messier in this place. Nicolae, it ain't a big deal to get more of this, is it?"
Before Davina leaves with the girls, Dom asks her, "Miss Davina, I think I oughta stick around the Nest a bit, try and keep an eye on things. I know I still gotta clear out some of that brush on the back of the property, but I think this might be a bit more urgent, y'know?"
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Jessibel giggles as she overhears some of what Dom tells Davina.
"I still can't picture you playing at being a gardener," she tells her friend's ex-bodyguard, eyes flashing with amusement. "I'd hate to be one of the weeds that gets in your way."
Domitius suddenly finds himself a bit red in the face, unsure how to take Jessibel's comment. A bit defensively, he stammers, "I-I'm not playin' at anything here, Jess. She needed a hand around her place, and I figured I could help," he says, nodding in Davina's direction. "And yeah, gettin' to use sharp objects on a more regular basis is a big plus," he quips, hoping the attempt at levity takes away some of the self-consciousness he is now keenly aware of...
"Take your time getting to the brush. It's been there for a while. A little longer won't hurt. Thank you for taking care of the garden for us. We're a family of scholars and writers with the occasional explosion thrown in for excitement not gardeners or herbalists. The area around the basement windows stays relatively clear." she laughs, That's about the extent of the gardening that goes on at the Manor."
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Domitius examines the ring that was found in the livery, but finds no sign of any code words, even when, in a fit of whimsy, he tosses the ring into the embers of a fire to see if that causes any magical writing to appear. The ring is unharmed by the heat, but shows no sign of any words.
The Tooth and Nail will stay open past curfew as long as there are people buying drinks. The dottari don't actually care as long as you're not out on the street after curfew. Like many taverns, they have a few rooms available. The proprietor is a short but outgoing human woman named Setrona Sabinus who happens to be the sister of the Lictor of the Order of the Torrent Hellknights, the small, local hellknight order, so her well-connected brother may be helping her avoid attention from the authorities.
Leora is able to set the leg, and a few judicious applications of a curing spell help it heal. By the end of the day, Korva is able to gingerly put weight on it, and the next morning is walking about like nothing happened. She seems in awe of Leora's healing capabilities and promises to do anything the cleric needs or wants.
After secretly meeting with the Vashnarstill twins and setting up the details of her impending night out, Jessi goes about her business. The afternoon of the rendezvous, she tells Davina, "I have some Opera House Society business early this evening; I'll report back in some time tomorrow."
"Well, I'm stumped. Not sure what else we can do. Maybe when Davina and Rexus decipher some more pages, it will give a clue to this page?" Leora wonders.
Leora is thrilled to see Korva recover so quickly, though she doesn't have any particular requests at the moment. She reassures Korva that she'll let her know if there's anything she can help with.
Leora is nowhere near as good a liar as Jessibel, but she tries her best on Kiri, since the strix had been staying at the Wasp's Nest lately while her father and Korva recovered. "I'm meeting a friend of a friend for some drinks tonight, he used to frequent the Thrashing Badger. If we lose track of time, I'll just spend the night and not risk getting caught after curfew."
Davina doesn't believe her She gives Jessibel a worried look. "Be careful on your "Opera" business. Maybe you should take one of the ravens just in case your "business" stirs up some trouble. I'll be heading back to the manor for the night. If you need something, you can find me there."