"Thank god you're here, Sir; as security I've been frightfully concerned about the safety of our town."
Sara acts the part of sycophant, something she is both practiced and talented at.
"Abadar sends his servant where he is needed most. Show me your areas of concern, and I will provide advice on how best to shore up security."
Gusairne walks with Sara for a time, suggesting hiring several deputies to assist the sheriff, pointing out a few good spots to set up checkpoints to search visitors coming to town, and offering tips on how to notice "seditious individuals."
Zileska asks to come along as Gul Gusairne mansplains to Sara about how to do her job. She remains quiet and demure, and she watches from the back as Gusairne struts about like an overpuffed pompadour. As the day wears on her demeanor shifts to take on one similar to one of Gusairne's guards: Attentive, watchful, quiet, quick to hop when Gusairne announces that the group will be moving to a new location. It's almost as if her personality shifts to become what Gusairne is expecting.
From time to time onlookers might catch her with her head bowed, mouth moving silently.
She is taking notes.
~~~~~~~~~~
Later in the day the sheriff and his men are, of course, brought to the manor for dinner; playing host to minor nobles being part of the function of an estate-holder. Zileska disappears to change for the occasion and instead of the heart-wrenching salacious garb that she often favors, she wears a lengthy skirt, shoes with high delicate heels, and a high-collared, long sleeved blouse that happens to stretch a bit as it's not quite the right size to accommodate her bust. Her hair is carefully put up in a simple fashion, with just a single blonde lock straggling along one side, slightly curled.
As dinner proceeds she asks some fairly innocent questions...
"How long have you been a sheriff, Master Gusairne?"
"Clearly you have a great love of the law. Could you tell the story of the greatest lawbreaker you've ever captured?"
"What would you say is the best advice you can give to someone who wants to avoid falling into any... vices?"
Each time she asks a question, her body leans slightly more in his direction. Her fingers twitch back and forth over the stem of her wineglass, and by the time she gets to the third question she is leaning noticeably toward Gusairne, twisting the single lock of hair around one finger, the straining button in front of her blouse leaving a narrow line of visible cleavage.
Regardless of whether the Night Swan could be convinced to join them or not - if they could even get in contact with the vigilante in the first place - Maria did not want anyone else breaking into the manor (that this lined up with Gusairne's assessment, she wouldn't know that for another couple of days when he arrived). While Sara could handle more direct security Maria felt it best to cultivate something a bit more discreet.
Gathering some of the more attentive townsfolk she'd noticed, she tried to organise them into a covert array of eyes and ears for Stachys. Those who agreed were taught what to look for in regards to anyone scouting out the manor ahead of a heist or otherwise seeming to scout the town in general. She also threw in various tricks for spotting con-artists, something she felt wouldn't go amiss after catching out Eta.
Sadly, far fewer of them take to the training than she'd have hoped.
**************************************************************************
Outside of the initial introductions, Maria focused more on getting a feel for the man.
As the topic of the Night Swan came up, Maria gave her own insights. "From what I can tell, they don't seem to use any magic, or at least not to any notable degree - they got into the manor by using a crowbar to trip the latch on a window. As there's been no sign of activity elsewhere in the house besides there and where the pieces were stolen from, I have to assume that was also their point of exit as well as entrance. Their letter has not yielded as much as I had hoped - the handwriting appears feminine, but you'd be surprised how many calling card thieves also have the skills to fake that. It's more whether they think to or not in the first place. Beyond that, I get the feeling that they are extremely anti-nobility on sheer principle.
"I suspect that; regardless of how a noble acts, to the Swan's eyes, they're simply laying the groundwork for future exploitation. My father once apprehended a gang leader who'd gotten his start doing exactly that on a smaller scale - started off protecting a neighbourhood that was basically ignored by the city watch, but that was just a prelude to him exploiting the people there for everything they were worth. And if a simple gang leader would employ that tactic, there's nothing stopping a corrupt-minded noble from doing the same. The Night Swan may believe that to be a certainty, rather than merely a potentiality."
Zileska's dress and mannerisms certainly catch Sir Gusairne's eye. The half-elf inquisitor studies her form appreciatively, but his demeanor is all business as he answers her questions.
"I have served the Lotheed family as their seneschal for decades, first under Count Mercater, and now under Count Bartelby.
"When I was young, I received an intense religious education at the Grand Bank of Abadar. It instilled within me certain core values. I don't so much 'love' law as I am devoted to upholding it at all costs. The story you ask me for has yet to be written. Once I bring the Night Swan and any of their co-conspirators to justice, then I will have a tale to tell.
"My best advice would be to confess your sins and submit yourself to a church official for guidance and atonement. It's never too late to repent your wanton ways. Even a lifelong harlot may be absolved if she is sincere in her remorse."
Overall, it is quite clear that Sir Gusairne is a dry and humorless man who is likely severely sexually repressed.
---
Gul is much more interested in Maria's observations and insights into the Night Swan's motives and modus operandi. He takes careful notes, his obsession with capturing the vigilante keeping him from delving too deeply into your own activities.
At the end of the day, he gathers his soldiers. "Everything here seems to be on the up and up. I may check in again from time to time just to be sure nothing unseemly takes root in your town. Thank you for your hospitality. May the teachings of the Master of the First Vault guide you on the proper path."
The inquisitor departs, leaving you to your own devices.
Melodie stays well out Gul's way, playing the part of the haughty noblewoman to the hilt - based on what she's seen of Bartelby and how the two interact she feels reasonably sure that the only contact between the Count and his Seneschal is purely business and acts accordingly - leaving the 'mundane business' to her associates and generally treating Gusairne as though he is a bothersome fly beneath her notice.
This is in part because much of her efforts are currently focused on Stachys itself. More worried about the Night Swan than she has let on to others she sets her agents to organising the locals - apparently to collect a fund for further improvements in the town, but equally to assess the population for dissidents and anyone who might be inclined to support the dangerously radical activities of the Night Swan.
Once he begins his inspection Zhi stays out of Gul's way as well. Her instincts tell her that he would see through any attempt she made to deceive him.
Waking from the same dream, Zhi sits up clutching her arm to her chest. She gulps air for a few moments.
Just a dream. Just a dream.
She lays back down but finds herself staring at the ceiling, fearful of falling back to sleep.
Just a dream. It's not going to happen again. Just a dream.
After a few more moments, she gets out of bed, pads silently across the floor and opens the door. She moves through the library until she finds herself in front of Sara's door with her hand on the lever.
No. I can't do this.
Her eyes close, willing the tears not to come. She slowly removes her hand from the door. She doesn't step away, however. Conflicting desires war within her and twice more she reaches out for the lever before pulling her hand back. Eventually a decision is reached and she turns from the door and walks away. Although instead of the door to her room, her steps lead her out into the hall and towards the master suite.
Please don't be angry with me.
She silently opens the door and moves through it, closing it behind her. She takes in the comforting feel of the room and steps over to the bed. Moving carefully and quietly so as to not to disturb Melodie, she curls up on top of the blanket - not close enough to touch, but close enough to feel her warmth. Eventually peaceful sleep claims her.
The next day, you follow the trail of the missing Abadarran acolytes, heading southwest along the South Cassomir Highway. It takes the majority of a day of travel to reach Gold Canyon.
Gold Canyon is not a natural canyon but rather the remains of a strip mine that followed a winding vein of gold and quartz for miles through rugged, rocky terrain some 4,000 years ago. For a few centuries after the veins played out, the canyon still served as a quarry, providing much of the granite used in local fortifications. All that remains today is a staircase-style ditch some 30 feet deep, 80 feet wide, and nearly 10 miles long.
A stone bridge, left over from the quarry days, once crossed the canyon, providing the only easy travel between east and west portions of southern Meratt, but a small earthquake collapsed the long-neglected bridge decades ago, leaving only the watchtowers on either escarpment. Now, though, the new bridge Melodie has commissioned is nearly complete, and soon livestock and wagons will be able to cross freely once more, another step towards reversing Stachys's economic woes.
Even without the bridge, though, locals can cross the canyon fairly easily on foot. Since steep stairs are carved into the rock next to the old bridge, all one has to do is descend; wade through the shallow, stagnant water in the canyon's bottom; and climb the opposite side. Several rocks in the water flicker with the telltale shine of gold flakes.
Surveying the canyon from above at first does not reveal anything out of the ordinary. After several minutes, though, Sara spots something—a body dressed in gold and silver robes lying facedown in the water and half-buried in the mud on the western shore.
"That's not good," Zhi says when the body is pointed out to her.
She takes a moment to cast mage armor and then begins climbing down the stairs to investigate the body.
Where's the other one?
Zileska busily examines her fingernails.
You climb down the stairs into the base of the gorge to investigate the body. As you wade through the shallow water, Sara suddenly shouts a warning, the only one who spots the hidden danger. The sparkling river rocks begin moving towards you, and you quickly realize they are actually stony scales along the back of a massive, twelve-foot-long water snake!
Before you can react, it rushes at Zhi! Rearing up to its full height, the snake hisses and snaps at the rogue! Its jaws clamp shut several feet away from her!
Sara trips on the way in, opening herself up to attack, but makes up for it with a heavy kick to the beasts underbelly, her sharpened heels making a deadly weapon.
Taking advantage of Sara's advance, Zhi splashes around to the opposite side of the creature before stabbing at it with her new rapier.
Moving towards the creature, Maria readied her blade while analysing the creature's movements.
Melodie draws on her magic, somehow finding that her spell comes more easily amongst the old metals of the canyon. Fine particles of gold leap from the water and the walls, coating the creatures head in yet more bright metal.
Maria studies the snake closely as she cautiously approaches. Sara blunders as she moves closer, and the beast snaps at her. The magic of Dame Crabbe's amulet has thickened her skin, and its jagged fangs scrape against it but don't puncture it. Sara's heel does some puncturing, though, as she kicks a hole in the snake's underbelly.
Melodie coats the snake with glitterdust, and it hisses and thrashes about blindly. Zhi is able to slip behind it and stab it with her rapier.
The snake chomps and thrashes its tail through empty air, unable to see its targets!
Zileska unfurls her whip and cautiously moves to a distance from which she can safely strike with its long reach. She handles the whip with practiced ease, and it makes a significant crack as it lashes the snake!
Spotting what looks like a vulnerable spot, Maria lunges forward to try and skewer it.
Sara kicks out and tries to land a punch, the kick landing once more with a second satisfying puncture, while her punch lands flat against the creature's scales.
Zhi keeps herself positioned to keep the huge serpent between her and Sara.
Zileska lashes the snake twice in quick succession,the second hit flaying open its stony hide. Maria stabs her sword cane into a vulnerable spot, and Sara kicks another deep hole in the beast's belly.
Zhi strikes the snake with both swords, her rapier severing part of the monster's spine. It splashes into the stagnant water, the blood pouring from its numerous wounds staining the water red.
Examining the body reveals it to be a woman in Abadaran robes--Acolyte Dradi Maladus. Her corpse has been partially devoured but is still identifiable. A shiny circle on her belt turns out to be a magical chakram, and its scabbard is a fine example of Taldan leatherwork featuring a grinning wolf face, worth 100 gp.
You can hear a faint voice calling out weakly for help. Following it to a nearby cave reveals the other missing acolyte, Festo Mise. He huddled shivering along the western wall, weak from exposure and snake venom. "Pl-please, help me," he stammers.
Zhi wakes well before dawn feeling surprisingly well rested. Moving so as to not disturb Melodie, she sits up and wraps her arms around her knees.
She sits there for more than a few minutes watching her companion continue to sleep.
What does she see in me? She could have anyone she wanted. She's beautiful and graceful and ...
Zhi's face shifts to a grin.
And she didn't scream when I climbed in to her bed. Well, on her bed.
She shifts a little.
Either that or she's a really sound sleeper.
She leans over Melodie's sleeping form.
"Thank you, again." she whispers. She leans down as if to kiss the girl's cheek, but then thinks better of it. Without making a sound, she gets off the bed and makes her way to and through the door.
"It's ok," Zhi says. "The snake's dead."
Once we've healed up the acolyte, Zhi asks him what should be done with Maladus' body. Should they bury it here or return with it to Lotheedar.
"We were just trying to g-get to J-jambis. The bridge hadn't been built yet, and we didn't know there was a s-snake in the water," Festo says sadly.
He wipes tears from his eyes when he sees his fellow acolyte's remains. "It would be best to bring her back to Lotheedar, but if we can't, I will perform her last rites here."
Zileska sighs and coils her whip back up. "Not the wisest course of action. Stay sitting, I'll see what I can do about that poison."
She crouches down and opens her enchanted satchel once more. "You've lost a lot of blood," she says as she mixes a powder into a metallic broth. "Drink this. It will help stimulate your humours to balance your body and generate more blood." She scrutinizes his injuries and binds up the worst of the scrapes and bites while checking his limbs with palpitations to see where his extremities have suffered the worst deprivations.
In the dream Melodie had been standing in a dark forest, surrounded by trees all singing a familiar and eerie song. The sense of fear and loneliness had been almost unbearable, feeling that there was always someone behind her, whispering in her ear.
Then, suddenly, a light in the darkness and a figure on a white horse came riding through the woods bringing silence in its wake. The figure leapt from its horse and gathered her in his arms.
They danced slowly, Melodie and her prince - whose armor didn't prevent him from moving with perfect grace, dipping and twirling Melodie perfectly to a sweet music that only they could hear. Unlike the earlier music this was gentle, safe, and lying on her bed Melodie's face morphed into a smile.
As the prince dipped her once more Melodie reached up to kiss the golden helm the prince wore, and as she did so, it melted away to reveal Zhi's face, smiling down at her. Just as Melodies lips were about to brush Zhi's the prince faded away, leaving behind a faint trace of perfume.
With her protector gone, suddenly the trees closed around her again, the song returning - more insistent now and threatening. Melodie screamed...
and found herself sitting up her bed, tangled in sheets which still smelled faintly of Zhi.
Unable to face sleeping again Melodie pulls on a robe and goes looking for her friend.
"Zhi - I'm sorry if this sounds strange but, did you come into my bedroom last night? I was having a nightmare and then you appeared and it was all better and we were just about to kiss then you went away" Her voice trails off. "I'm sorry - this is weird... I just wanted to know if you were really there or if I just imagined it..."
-----------------------------------------
"Perhaps we should bring her to Stachys." Melodie suggests. "It's a shorter journey and you could bury her in our cemetary, so she might have a proper funeral at least. You are certainly coming back with us - I insist. We can carry the news of your safe return to Lotheedar once you are cared for and well."
She refuses to take no for an answer on that point but, once the two acolytes are returned to Stachys, begins making preparations to ride to Lotheedar herself.
Festo thanks Zileska profusely as she tends to his injuries. The snake's venom seems to have transmuted the priest's blood to water, leaving him weak and prone to bleeding. The Calistrian's ministrations keep his condition from worsening, but he'll need further care to reverse the affliction.
Festo accedes to Melodie's wishes, and you make it back to Stachys late that same night.
As Melodie enters Zhi's room, she sees that she's in the middle of her morning stretches. She stands facing her single window with one foot pulled up over her head.
"Zhi - I'm sorry if this sounds strange but, did you come into my bedroom last night? I was having a nightmare and then you appeared and it was all better and we were just about to kiss then you went away" Her voice trails off. "I'm sorry - this is weird... I just wanted to know if you were really there or if I just imagined it..."
Zhi lowers her leg and turns to face her friend. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and her gaze moves around the room avoiding Melodie's eyes.
"Umm ... sometimes I ... sometimes I have bad dreams too. Last night ... I had one last night and I ... I ... "
She finally meets Melodie's eyes.
"Please don't be mad. I didn't want to wake you. I just wanted ... I went in to your room and I ... and I slept for just a little bit with you ... on top of the blankets. Being next to you helped me sleep."
Her arms clasp her chest tighter.
"When I left, I almost ... I almost kissed you."
"You were asleep. It was wrong, I know. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
As Zileska treats Festo, Sara kneels by the acolyte to ask questions.
"How long have you been lying here? Why were you headed to Jambis?"
"It's been several days. A week maybe? We were on our way to Jambis to investigate Baron Telus' isolation," Festo says.
"You need several days of care to recover, and I'm afraid your companion is beyond help. We'll finish that task once you're out of the woods," says Zileska.
"We can look into that for you if you like," Maria offered, "you'll need time to heal properly, which you can do back in Stachys, and we can look into Baron Telus for you in the meantime."
She shivers, in a way that seems to have nothing to do with the open window.
"I've never really had nightmares before, but that last week or two I keep hearing a song, strange music. It calls to me but I don't like it - something about it is wrong, but so compelling..."
Her voice trails off and there is a strange, far-away look in her mismatched eyes...
----
"So, do we ride to Lotheedar and inform the Arch-Banker of what is going on, or do we want to seek out Baron Telus first?" Melodie asks, trying to get a sense of the group opinion.
"Both seem important."
Festo nods at Zileska and Maria. "Abadar's blessings upon you. I would have joined poor Dradi in the Great Beyond if you hadn't found me." He turns to Melodie. "She was quite proud of that magical weapon of hers. She would want to know that it's in good hands."
"I can stay here and get Festo back into health if you ladies want to take a trip to Lotheedar. Or we can go to find Baron Telus and let Festo go to Lotheedar and deliver the news once he's well," says Zileska.
Sara looks guilty. Out of earshot from Festo, she tells the others "About Jambis," she lets out a long breath before continuing, "Zhi and I kind of visited the Night Swan as other costumed vigilantes and I may have promised we would look into it as those same costumed vigilantes. I am positive we can get her to see things as we do, she's very close to it already, just approaching it from the wrong angles, but I don't know how we're going to do this."
"I've never really had nightmares before, but that last week or two I keep hearing a song, strange music. It calls to me but I don't like it - something about it is wrong, but so compelling..."
Her voice trails off and there is a strange, far-away look in her mismatched eyes...
"I've had nightmares ever since I can remember, but they seem to change," Zhi says with a frown.
She steps closer to Melodie as someone moving close to the light in fear of the darkness.
"What do you dream about?"
~~~
"First things first," Zhi says. "At the very least, we need to get Festo back to Stachys so he can rest."
"In regards to the Night Swan, Sara's a lot more optimistic about our chances with her then I am. I think she's a complete nutcase who will only be happy with total anarchy. And I don't think we're going to be able to bring her over to our point-of-view."
She relays some of the conversation they had with her.
"As far as Baron Telus is concerned, we should find out what happened to him, but I don't think we need to do it in costume."
Melodie trails off and starts staring out of the window again. "There it is! Can you hear it! It's calling me!" She takes a step towards the window, and then another, and appears intent on walking right out of the second story...
-----------------------
"We'd best find the Baron first." Melodie agrees. "Then we can go to Lotheedar and deal with multiple issues in one go."
Zhi looks confused and fearful.
"I ... I don't hear anything, Mel."
She looks back and forth between Melodie and the window.
She takes a step towards the window, and then another, and appears intent on walking right out of the second story...
Zhi steps to the window quickly and closes it. She then steps between Melodie and the window taking hold of both her hands and pulling her back to sit on the bed.
"There's no music." she says, an edge starting to rise in her voice. Not knowing what else to do, she mutters an arcane phrase and looks over Melodie with eyes glowing a shimmering green.
"There's no music. There's no magic." The edge is turning to panic. "Should I call Zileska? Tell me what to do, Mel."
The next morning, Zileska tends to Festo's poisoned wounds again. With her magical healer's kit, she's confident the Abadaran acolyte will purge the snake's venom from his system today. You return to Gold Canyon and use the new bridge to cross the gorge and continue along the South Cassomir Highway.
As evening approaches, you reach New Towne, a hardscrabble little village situated in a gentle valley. The outlying farms seem to be barely producing crops, and the town itself is mostly ramshackle timber-and-canvas homes. Several dozen miserable-looking residents emerge to peer at your carriage as you arrive.
Soon, though, a large, gregarious man approaches to greet you. "Lady d'Valois? We've not met, but your reputation proceeds you! I believe we have you to thank for re-building the bridge over Gold Canyon. With luck, the increased road traffic might help stimulate or little home here. Welcome to New Towne! I am Baronet Caphridius Vort, late of Jambis."
"This is the Lady d'Valois," Zhi says formally, indicating Melodie.
"I am Lady Matsuo. We're trying to locate Baron Telus," she continues in a commanding tone.
Vort's expression becomes sad. "Alas, poor Araig! Come, come, let me pour you some wine and I will tale you his tale!"
The baronet leads you into a run-down home, where he offers some bitter wine and meager food for you to eat. "The baron and I were once dear friends, up until three or four years ago. That's when a terrible witch came to Jambis! Araig offended her in some way or another, and she placed a vile curse upon him. He was once a lovable sort, but he quickly transformed into a violent and paranoid man who preyed upon his own people. The population of Jambis fled from Baron Telus in all directions!
"My particular band of companions followed me to the south in hopes of settling better farmland, but the soil here is overworked and poor quality. With the limited supply of seed, tools, and livestock we brought with us, I'm afraid New Towne has yet to produce enough on its own to feed the people. Resources grow increasingly lean every season, and we are forced to overhunt the surrounding area just to survive. I have tried to convince my people to relocate again--a "New New Towne," if you will--but they are too proud and stubborn to pull up roots again. A sad tale, to be sure!"
"Well, perhaps we should pay a visit to Jambis. Maybe we can do something about the Baron's curse," Zhi says with a questioning glance at Zileska.
"At the very least, we might be able to do something about substandard tools, seed, and livestock."
Zileska can't help but frown a bit at the bitter wine as Baronet Vort tells the sad tale of New Towne's woes. "Well, maybe we can find a way to get some magic done to improve the soil," she says, "but also maybe the focus should be on raising goats or sheep or rabbits? Something that can live off grass and weeds, in hard terrain like this?"
"Certainly we can look into removing any sort of lingering curse," she continues as she carefully puts down her simple wine cup unfinished. "But we'll have to do that in person."
"Splendid! If you can cure poor Araig, perhaps we can return to Jambis and our lives there. Certainly that will be far less expensive and time-consuming than trying to make this place livable. Here, take my family amulet, if anybody is left in Jambis or the Telus Estate, they'll recognize it and hopefully be favorably disposed towards you!"
"Jambis is about 12 miles further up the road," Vort says after handing you the amulet. "You could press on tonight, but it would be pretty late by the time you arrived. If you'd rather stay on here, we'd be happy to provide you what hospitality we can. We don't have an inn to speak of, but you all can stay in my home if you'd like. Er, I'll stay elsewhere, of course! It wouldn't be proper to be the lone man among all of you ladies!"
"It might not be a bad thing to see this place at night," Zhi says looking around at her friends. "And see what can be discovered ... surreptitiously."
She looks at their host.
"You say that he's been 'preying' on his own people - how so? Is there anyone still in Jambis besides the Baron?"
"He demanded tributes of treasure and food in ever increasing amounts. We ran our economy into the ground in an attempt to satisfy him! I have not been back that way in years, but I hear his remaining servants have turned to banditry, robbing anybody who travels the roads near Jambis at his command."
Sara fervently agrees about doing it at night, still hoping to be able to claim that the attack was led by two masked vigilantes under cover of darkness.