RE: Strange Deity
"Strange for certain, I also feel a great responsibility to do right by people. There's no big boss keeping me in check. It's up to me to make my little part of the world a better place. So strange and scary yes, but freedom is worth it."
"Have you ever thought to get into brewing? Surely, you would craft spirits that would make mortal men drool."
"An excellent idea. I never thought of that, nor have I really had a safe place to organize this sort of endeavor. Thank you very much for that."
"Fondo, would you like to take a trip with me around the city? I'm on a fact finding mission to find out from whom I can learn to distill spirits into drink." [ooc]Diplomacy to do just that. Maybe with a +2 from my main man.
"Mayhap I’ll see if Charlie will go with me.”
"Of course my dear. Maybe we can make a day of it if we combine my search for a teacher with yours for permission. Maybe Fondo can find the tavern with the best spirits while you and I seek forgiveness before the fact."
As for brewing, you'll want to pick up the skill Profession, Brewer (link). It will give you all the various skills you need to brew anything from beer to wine to proper drinks. You can start next level, but of course we can do some role play for training.
"Kako, twould be a pleasure to tour the breweries and vineyards. Mayhap we'll find an architect as well, while we search."
With the hospitality of the festival, the nostalgia of the barracks in the Citadel, and the potential new occupations lying scattershot across the city, Barael feels a bit homesick.
Acquiring a couple good roast birds, some spirits, and, with a nod to Casanova, a bouquet of flowers, Barael goes back to the Midlands for the afternoon to check up on Mum. The odds of her being home or at work unsure.
Briar works on the Dollhouse during his free time.
I really need to set up *two* crafting areas, I suppose. One dedicated to books and scrolls and another towards more powerful magicks. Briar's mind floats to Charlie's staff, the ring of protection, and the known quantities of magical armors and blades. So many avenues of research.
Daily, Briar will take another look at the mysterious silver dagger with Identify.
Spellcraft
Spellcraft
Spellcraft
Spellcraft
Fondo, Dandilion and others go to speak to Fosie, the only priest of Pharasma you know. He listens to your suggestions, and is not pleased. However he dutifully checks the records and the plot is in fact for sale. "That crypt is $1,200gp. If you buy it, you may indeed reside in it - though why I can't imagine. However we CANNOT protect you in the event of an undead uprising. Granted, it has been some time since the last one, but they do happen, and when they do we protect the church and the town, not interlopers having a bit of fun." In the end though the deal is done (assuming you buy the crypt - group purchase?).
- - -
Fondo, Charlie and others search around town for two things, an architect and a brewer. The former is found through Saul in fact. He knows of a young (relatively speaking) dwarven woman named Kare Madic. She's in town just now, though she normally lives in the Dwarven stronghold to the north, Janderhoff. He thinks, with enough coin, she could be persuaded to remain in town for a time on a short term project.
Brewers are everywhere. Most Innkeepers (including your favorite Portenus) do brewing of one sort or another. Portenus does ale and mead, though he does dabble with dandelion wine as well from time to time. Any of these folks would be able to teach you the finer points of the profession and get you started on the right path.
- - -
Barael does in fact, uh, encounter, his mother. She leaps on the fact you've moved out of the Citadel as proof you'll not make it as a soldier and suggests you return home, to her, so she can look after you. Clearly you're not able to look after yourself…
- - -
The work on the Doll Warrens continues, but at a slow pace. Excavations at 30 seconds at a time are tough - it takes nearly the entire time to explain what is needed, and then *poof* spells over. Still, some headway is being made. You will almost certainly need the assistance of Kare Madic though. There are things about digging that you do not know, and you're a little unsure about the stability of some of the works you've begun.
- - -
The dagger, though it seems a simple magic, continues to elude you. Even with such an impressive and thorough examination, there is something about the dagger that is hiding from your ability to discern it. That it is magical is not in doubt, but there is something more than the +1 edge on it's blade.
Fondo, Dandilion and others go to speak to Fosie, the only priest of Pharasma you know. He listens to your suggestions, and is not pleased. However he dutifully checks the records and the plot is in fact for sale. "That crypt is $1,200gp. If you buy it, you may indeed reside in it - though why I can't imagine. However we CANNOT protect you in the event of an undead uprising. Granted, it has been some time since the last one, but they do happen, and when they do we protect the church and the town, not interlopers having a bit of fun." In the end though the deal is done (assuming you buy the crypt - group purchase?).
Dandi flushes beneath the displeasure of the priest, though she keeps seeing the skeletons, and the broken pieces of the poor Shoanti man. More likely, that we'll end up having to protect him instead. "As you say, Sir. We will be back." I hope.
Briar corrals Nikolay, the silver dagger in hand.
"This dagger is 'wrong'. There is no other way to describe it, Nik. It's wrong. I think we should sell it...or do some more aggressive testing on it."
Briar turns the dagger over in his hands.
"I think we should sell it."
Fondo shakes his head at the Pharasman priest. Púridaia would grab this idiot priest by the ear and give him a smiting he'd not soon forget. The folk of this city are strange indeed.
. . . . .
Fondo silently refuses to invest in the Doll Warrens, but does offer Kare Meric a fare sum to design renovation and expansion of the lot's small house. "We'll want a cellar or access to the Vault, with a stout door and lock. Space for three additional rooms. A turret, and an attic. Er, and space for brewing ale and brandy. And an alchemist's lab. If you're able, I'd wish your aid to source materials as well. I've some laborers in mind to help you, though."
Kare Madic nods and grunts, "Saul said your gold spends well, and I do have some time. A stone house then eh? With a tunnel beyond. We can use the stone from the tunnel for the house, so the tunnel - or at least some of it, will likely come first."
"Of course if you want the tunnel to be a secret, you'll need to fake some stone deliveries from out of town. Can you arrange that or shall I?"
"Varisian laborers?" she hesitates, "I see. OK. When we're done they can come in and do the finishing work on the wood if you like. I assume you'll want wood interiors and trim and the like."
She walks with you to the property, and examines the interior of the Doll Warrens with Briar.
"OK then here's how it works. We'll build the wood structure around the house and you're not permitted in while we work. The tunnel we dig underground is also off limits. It takes us as long as it takes us, but you pay 2,500gp - one months efforts for me and my team. By then, we'll be done."
She smiles a toothy grin. Those rates are clearly above what you'd expect, and far higher than you'd pay for Varisions over a months time. It also seems like it would take longer for the kind of construction you've outlined.
Fondo gives a lopsided smile at Kare Madic. "I'm Varisian, if you didn't notice. My gold's Korvosan, but my purse makes it Varisian. My country men'll be grateful members of your crew, and grateful that your mind is as open as my coffers."
"We're not used to working stone, and the fewer eyes on our tunnel work the better — we'll want to keep it hard to spot. But once we've got the stone above ground, I trust you'll be grateful for my countrymen's help moving the stone in place, and they'll be grateful for a bit of training. We'll all be grateful, all around."
"But first thing's getting the current house in sound shape. Then mayhap a tunnel into it. Then the add-ons. Just my guess work. You're the expert."
She gives you a sidelong glance.
"I see you're Varisian, but like I said your gold is pure. However the way in which we work is inviolate. Take it or leave it. When the house and tunnel are done, your team may come in and add the wooden flourishes."
She thinks a moment.
"I don't want you to misunderstand. You could have your own team of Dwarves here, good strong lads, but my team works alone, and in privacy."
She stands. "These are our terms. Are we agreed?"
Fondo considers. She's a dwarf. Rigid as the stone she works. "Let me confirm with my fellows. If they say yes, we'll have an answer for you on the morrow at the latest."
Briar turns the dagger over in his hands.
"I think we should sell it."
No sense at all. He makes no sense to me.
"What would you sell it for? How would you determine its worth? This dagger came from Verik. There must be more to it. Give me some more time with it."
Nikolay will take the dagger to the university and spend several hours a day researching it and talking to anyone there who might have knowledge of magical daggers.
Nikolay will ask his sword, It might be a cousin of yours. Do you recognize it?
For a magical weapon it is remarkably plain. It is silver, and it's aura suggests more than the +1 that you've been able to identify.
Normally, even a simple weapon such as this, would have some scroll work or signature of the maker. This dagger has nothing.
Please give me a Knowledge, Arcana while you're working on it. You will get a +2 circumstance bonus for working in the library.
Also give me a Diplomacy to get aid from the other denizens of the institution.
Your sword is mute on the subject. Perhaps it is jealous of the attention?
knowledge arcana
Nikolay spends hours searching through books, happy to avoid any work at the crypt. He looks through both arcane books on weapons as well as any history books. Such a dagger doesn't just pop into existence.
--Swords do.
Not likely. I think you might have a story or two to share.
He'll stop shortly before dinner and then offer to buy dinner to a senior mage who might be able to assist.
diplomacy.
"A real nice dinner. I promise. What's your favorite place to dine?"
The daggers magic continues to elude you, but something occurs to you. What if it's not a thing, but rather a creature?
That takes you down a whole new set of stacks and a few options crop up, none of them friendly. At long last you come up with the idea of a shapeshifting spirit known as a Raktavarna.
No sooner do you say the word aloud then the blade becomes a snake and strikes out at you! Before the strike even lands though, it's eyes go dim and the snake dies, mid strike.
You now have a dead Raktavarna and no magic dagger...
"A courtyard. With trellises, that enjoy the sunlight in certain sections, and darkness in others. If we can acquire seeds, or snippets, we could bring about some rare flowers that could bring the root of some good extract." Barael walks the lot, and traces the spaces with his finger. The more he sees it, the more bounce infuses his step. Poisons being so damn expensive, we could harness nature, maybe even turn a profit in its production.
***
When talk with the priests comes about, Barael inquires about the bone pits, and their responsiblity to see them properly interred. Unless, of course, the bones are meant to be there, and haven't fallen to desecration through the party's activities.
***
Barael wipes his brow, dirt smudge illuminated sporadically with the movement of the ioun torch. "Briar, you think we can find time in the week to get outside the city walls? Feels like it would do my lungs good, get that kind of air in em. As opposed to... well, you know."
I presume everyone is going to dinner to Vencarlo Orsini's.
Vencarlo looks uncharacteristically tired when he greets you - though his voice is in full vigor, "Well met indeed my friends! Please come in and enjoy what little I've managed to scrape together! Or more particularly my cook! haha!"
He brings you in to his sitting room for a pleasant evening of chatter and then into the master dining room for a lovely meal. As before he steers the conversation to light topics throughout the meal, "To aid in digestion." As the meal comes to a close, and the after dinner drinks and sweets are served, he looks more serious, and again tired.
"I presume you've come about the Queen. It seems everyone wants to talk about the Queen. Poor dear."
Nikolay holds the dead monster in his hand.
What killed it?
--How should I know?
Nikolay looks around for who might have saved him or who might have seen it. Assuming he sees no one, Nikolay stuffs the snake in his pouch and continues his research.
When he's done he will go to see Briar.
How would Verik get something like this?
Where is Briar? Oh yes. Dinner.
Nikolay cleans up with some prestidigitation and rushes to dinner.
Fondo picks up a bottle of fine spiced Varisian wine before crossing over into Old Korvosa, and presents it to Vencarlo as he arrives. "I hope you'll find this a festive libation in trying times."
He proceeds to share over dinner a number of caravan tales of lads and lasses, hags and drakes. Our new friend looks as vexed as the times are vexing.
Fondo defers to Nikolay as talk turns to Ileosa and the investigation into the king's death.
Dandi puts on her finest clothes and tries to look presentable, though the days' have been full of trial and stress. She smiles a lot, but says little during dinner,preferring to listen to anyone else rather than the internal dialogue that has been her constant companion. As things grow more serious, even her smile fades.
Barael wipes his brow, dirt smudge illuminated sporadically with the movement of the ioun torch. "Briar, you think we can find time in the week to get outside the city walls? Feels like it would do my lungs good, get that kind of air in em. As opposed to... well, you know."
Briar looks up from his watching of the dire rat scuttling around performing minor errands.
"You mean another hunting trip? I think we just went, right? What was it, a few days ago?" Briar's sense of time has become skewed during his time working on DOLL.
"But sure...that would be nice. We could also discuss some additional defenses for DOLL. Maybe some battle pugs? A few pug puppies to raise to defend the area? We can talk about that when we hunt."
Briar wipes some dirt off his face while watching the rats consume some bone.
"Say...isn't it time for dinner with Vencarlo? Let's get ready. Tomorrow we hunt."
* * *
Briar will attend the dinner with Vencarlo, wishing that the master were a known mage or arcanist rather than a swordsman, but tries to keep this attention from waning in a rude direction.
"Master Orsini, thank you once again for your hospitality." *burp* "I will regret becoming so accustomed to fine meals." Barael reaches across the table for a piece of dark chocolate.
"Your take on BlackJack brought me here tonight. If the beheading was considered by invitation of the Queen only, then either BlackJack was personally invited, or was obviously made aware of the proceedings by a sympathizer. Is BlackJack for real? Haven't stories been told a him for years longer than a lifetime? And will his actions do more to heal Korvosa, or cause her further pain?" Barael leans back in his chair, realizing his over-eagerness to get it all out. "One thing's for sure, man's got nerve. Took a lot of it, to launch himself, Trinia, and his balls over that wall."
Vencarlo sips a little light after dinner wine and leans back in his chair.
"Well, many people knew about it, so it could have been anyone - not just an invitee. I myself did not bother going, but I suppose I could have sold my invitation to someone to let them go in my stead. Illegal of course, but done, and done frequently."
He looks at Briar, "I think Blackjack is an elf personally. He has been around a long time, but if were an elf, or even a half-elf it would be no big thing."
He sips thoughtfully, "Is Blackjack good for Korvosa? That's a loaded question my young friend." He chuckles, "The man does have nerve, and if Trinia is in fact innocent, he's kept blood off our hands. Isn't that as important as what's good for Korvosa?"
"One death will not make or break a city, but one death can cause me anxiety."
Briar's ears perk up as Vencarlo finally mentions something interesting.
"An elf, Vencarlo? Truly?! That is interesting. Certainly the bladework of elves is among the finest in Golarion, but it's hard to imagine a pureblood involving themselves so deeply in the politics of Korvosa."
"From personal experience, don't elves tend to keep their distance from political affairs of cities largely human?" Barael glances at Briar, checking for ruffled feathers. "As for innocence, I would have thought we could have trusted to our tribunals to tell us true. Cressida thought the decision a little too curt. Are you on that side of that debate?" Barael refills his cup of kahve. "For that, I'd say it was important as anything, that our law applied evenly to all."
Fondo listens for a change, while Barael engages Vencarlo in speculation. Is he speaking true? An elf defending human smallfolk?!
He then interjects, "Signore, I wonder whether Trinia went before a true tribunal. The Field Marshall claimed the priests of Asmodeus and Abadar'd be asking their gods directly. Yet who truly saw their divination? Would it be wise to ask them direct whether the Queen's word of what they said matches truth?"
"If Ileosa's truly behind the king's death, how would one prove such a thing, what with the clues all secured by Queen and court?"
He tries to remember his other line of questions. "It also seemed a number of nobles in the crowd were quick to join the jeers aimed at Ileosa." He lists any whose names he knows. "Assuming Ileosa's truly as vile as Blackjack says, I wonder what role those gentlefolk could play?"
Dandi nods along quietly, then mentions, "Plus, there's the dress." as if that explains everything.
"As for innocence, I would have thought we could have trusted to our tribunals to tell us true. Cressida thought the decision a little too curt. Are you on that side of that debate?"
Nikolay cringes as Barael speaks.
"Master Vencarlo, it is good that Trinia is safe from the executioner's axe, but is she safe from whoever framed her? Is the queen safe? Is the queen responsible?"
"My friends and I are learning quickly, but are in need of some guidance. We only wish to be of assistance, but I feel like we are just in the way. With some guidance, some connections, I'm sure we could better ensure the safety of the innocents in this city."
Vencarlo listens to Fondo's suggestion to interrogate everyone and laughs, "Such hot heads of youth! You think that if the fix was in fact in, that would not have already been covered? You must think more steps ahead than that my friend."
"Nikolay is asking the right question. Who is safe and who is responsible? Just because Blackjack feels the Queen is guilty and Trinia is innocent does not make it so."
"Many have gone round and round with this, but frankly there is no way to know the truth in such matters without great power and a little luck. Myself, I am pleased Trinia has avoided the axe. I am not sure she is innocent, but surely she is not the mastermind either!"
"You are too quick to rush in. That will get you killed as surely as it almost did Trinia. When dealing with powerful people, slow and quiet is often the best way. Advice I should heed myself as I too tend to get wrapped up and emotionally involved in such matters."
"You want my advice? Keep your eyes and ears open and learn what you can while keeping your mouth shut. You are not nobles, and have little power as yet, though I suspect that is changing rapidly." he grins, "Be careful you do not overstep your bounds, or you may find your own heads at risk."
"I will do what I can to aid you. If I learn anything of use to you, where can I contact you?"
Fondo blushes more deeply at Vencarlo's words than he did at Barael's chiding. He sits quietly for a while before saying in his rather thickly accented Taldane, "Quiet as mice, with the ears of a bat. Truly glad am I that we've sought out your wisdom today."
"But what's to keep us from making friends in the right places, while we wait for truth to speak itself? We've like minds at court and more in the servants quarters. We need not speak sedition to win folks' hearts."
Charlie will sip thoughtfully, as well. Mostly just watching and listening.
"Nothing! You should certainly find what allies you can. You've started well with Cressida I think, and you can count me among your friends I hope." He grins widely.
Charlie gets the sense that Vencarlo is being very straightforward in his dealing with the party. He seems genuinely on the fence about the guilt or innocence of the Queen. That said, he likes to see no one lose their heads and is glad Trinia has escaped, if only for a short while.
Vencarlo rises and announces it's far past his bedtime and time for you to leave. He's quite polite about it, but firm. He does look rather tired. You suspect he's had many meetings such as this one over the past day, and it is getting late.
- - -
There will be nothing else of note happening in the next week or so. I presume a few things will occur during the week.
- The Dwarves will be hired and begin their construction -
The assemble, with the aid of local craftsmen (the Varisians in all likelihood), the wood frame around what will become the building. It is unknown what sort of progress they make that first week, but they leave sweaty and tired every night - leaving a lone Dwarf as watchman over the site at night.
- Doll Warren construction continues a pace -
Briar, Charlie, Bareal and Dandilion continue to work on the Doll Warrens. The place is quite cleaned out by now and fit for habitation (once you get some new furniture in). The work on the stone is taking more time as the powerful magics being brought to bear only work for short periods of time. Still, it is nearly unrecognizable as the cesspool it once was.
- The party continues to worry about the Queen and her motives -
The move by Blackjack has rippled through the town but there are no further riots over it. Things in general have quieted down though people do still talk of it quite a bit over their ale. The Queen herself appears at a few public functions, but nothing earth shattering comes from the throne, and no one among the nobility challenges the Queen directly.
- Hunting party goes off without a hitch -
A group of the party, lead by Briar, takes a break mid-week and goes out on another hunting romp in the countryside. They do spot a Shoanti party a few miles off at one point, but otherwise the group finds nothing. Not even a hare crosses your path. Eventually a spring squall drifts in, and before you can make it back to town you're soaking wet and cold. Truly a frustrating outing...
- Day of Destiny Festival (Serenith 3, 4707) -
Held to be the day Emperor Halleck IV signed the charter that eventually became Korvosa,
celebrants of this holiday toast the city’s health with cheap but abundant liquor. The Queen has a small party (nobles only - and likely only those loyal to her) and the streets are filled with drunkards - mostly amateurs who only 'properly' drink once a year on this day.
Briar is genuinely happy to go out of the City for a trip. It's been some number of days since the last trip and working underground was slowly beginning to take its toll on the elf.
Briar looks at Barael.
"Today we hunt brun ränna enkelbeckasin, Barael. It's rare, but very tasty. Not that dangerous, but difficult to hunt without a willing virgin to help. I don't suppose..." Briar looks at Barael and isn't sure.
"Anyway, let's get to hunting." Briar hands Barael a leather sack. "I'm going to go out and drive the creature to you. You wait here..." Briar points out game trial next to a rock. "...you wait here and get ready to pounce on the snipe when I drive it to you. Now, you'll have to sit very still...and it maybe take me a while to find one...but don't you worry. You'll love delicious sni--, delicious enkelbeckasin."
Briar moves away, making sure that Barael in his spot.
* * *After Briar's nap and picnic* * *
"Strange that we didn't catch anything today...did you even see a enkelbeckasin? You were in your spot, right? I thought I drove 3 or 4 towards you...and you didn't catch one?"
"We'll have to try again next week, eh?"
He strides well, Briar does. Doesn't know the length of his legs. Takes well to the outdoors. Glad I got him out into sunshine. Barael doesn't complain a bit in single-timing, then double-timing, then single-timing his steps to keep up with the elf.
"Brun ran away, be back in a second? What?" Barael is so late to the insinuation, Briar misses the faint blush that hits Barael's cheeks.
Barael takes the sack, inventories the interior space, and pictures the size of this back-in-a-second creature. "So, it's a chicken, then? You gonna whistle something ahead of time, so I know which direction you're coming from?" Barael looks at Briar, and is unsure.
Barael crouches for the first half an hour. Then he kneels on one knee for another half. He alternates knees for another half. Rare is right. There's not a single rustle amongst the brambles for the last hour. He must be stalking em like a cat.
Barael tries his best, but the squat lean against a tree trunk turns into a nod off. Then a good catnap. He awakens with a start, and checks the runs towards his clearing for fresh tracks of rare birds.
***
"Never saw it once, and I held that ground like a rock. You actually got a handful to bolt my way?? They musta smelled something, cause I never got a shot at bagging nary a one. What was it they looked like again?"
Nikolay spends the week in his usual routine of practicing his sword and spells in the morning before heading to the university. He'll stick to his strengths and continue to research the Raktavarna through books rather than talking. What types of wizards favored them as familiars? Is there a cult or family that favored their use?
+?
+?
+?
+?
+?
+?
+?
Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (planes) +7,
Accepting the fact that the mystery of the king's assasination and Trinia's framing will not be solved quickly, Nikolay will contribute to the expenses of the building for the group. He'll occcassionally stop by the crypt and give a good faith effort of helping with the tunnel via acid splash.
On the first day Nikolay has some success, but then his luck runs out. Rakshasas favor their use, and while there are rumors of such beasts to the north, deeper in Varisia, there have been no sightings this far south, and certainly none in the city proper.
It is possible for the owner to 'see' through the Rakavarna's eyes, so it's likely that whomever the owner is, they'be been spying on the party from the time you picked up the dagger until it's death.
Some of the stone is much too hard for the acid to work on it, but not all. You will find yourself still useful in various areas - especially the purging of gore... :)
Nikolay will share what he's learned with the party.
"So was someone spying on Verik or was the dagger his? In either case, there was likely someone above him who took the opportunity to keep watch on us."
Technically, Cressida gave us the dagger and 'said' it came from Verik's belongings.
Nikolay keeps this thought to himself.
Briar rolls his eyes at Nikolay's story, but quickly apologies as he gets his hands on the 'snake'.
Know (Planes) vs. Raktavarna
"This? This is it? How did you say it died? Are you sure it's dead now?" Briar draws his dagger and considers beheading the snake.
Ah! I knew it was wrong! It's not magic at all!
"Do you any of you remember if this dagger was among Verik's possessions? I'm not so sure it was. We disarmed him together. We should remember if one of us took it from him."
Briar looks at everyone.
"Anyone remember seeing this before Cressida gave it to us? If not, then we have two true sources for this dagger: it was either Cressida or the Monarchy. It's only logical."
Briar turns over the snake in his hands then looks at Nikolay.
Heal check, cause of death
"Did you want to keep this? I could mount it under glass within the Dollhouse. For keepsakes and future study, of course. It is an interesting piece...if we can determine how it died, what might provide additional clues as to who was watching us."
We should have sold it when we had the chance.
You found the dagger on the desk upstairs. I looked at the relevant description of the room and no dagger was listed - my mistake.
Verik was not carrying the dagger as a weapon. It was on his desk with his other papers being used as a letter opener.
Apologies for the oversight, but that's where the dagger was originally found.
Briar reconsiders.
"Waitaminute. We found this upstairs on his desk!" Briar can't believe he forgot that.
"So that means that either someone was using this to spy on Verik and we just happen to get it passed to us...or that Verik was going to use it to spy on others. This means even less now that I recall that. It seems likely that we were never the intended targets and it's unlikely that this thing's master ever wanted to spy upon us." Briar looks at the party.
"I am concerned that the master of this thing knows about the dollhouse, however. Which makes me worry that we might need protections from scrying down there now..." Briar's voice trials off into avenues of magical defenses against scrying and counter-scrying techniques.
"So, the dagger was a snake, but not really a snake. More like a pet that someone used to look around." Barael looks at Dandi, more like her hair. "So there's a mage out there been snooping. And we've been carrying it? Out on a belt loop, or tucked away in a backpack? Our conversations with Cressida and Orsini have been rather unflattering of our respects towards our Queen. Did the thing just see things, or was it listening as well?"
Magic can be used to snoop, and prevent snooping. Well, that's interesting.
Nikolay is pretty certain it had it's full range of faculties - sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch. I'm pretty sure it was on Nikolay's belt, ready to use in the event of a battle, but I could be wrong.
"You still have the dagger? I mean the snake? Yes? Mayhap twere possible to scry in reverse? A familiar's a powerful link." Fondo looks unworried—either too self-possessed or just foolish, youth thinking itself invulnerable.
"Yes. I still have the snake. But divination magics are not in my area of studies." Nikolay looks around the party for assistance.
"I'm sure we could find someone else to help. We shouldn't have to explain what it might have overheard, just that we want to locate the owner."
"How did it die? Can any of you tell?"
Clearly unheard, Briar repeats his earlier question and avenue of exploration.
"Did you want to keep this? I could mount it under glass within the Dollhouse. For keepsakes and future study, of course. It is an interesting piece...if we can determine how it died, what might provide additional clues as to who was watching us."
"Might be a drabarni in Trail's End's got a crystal ball..."
Dandi eyes the dead snake thing suspiciously,"We're sure it is dead now? And no longer usable to listen to us? I mean, if it were, then it would be only too easy to set up someone in Trail End to tell us what they want us to hear."Right place, right time is easy to pull off if you know when and where to be. "unless, Fondo has someone in particular in mind?"