So as not to create a general panic Agrippa pulls Cesadia close
The Fort has fallen. The Magistrate is dead, slain by some shape-shifting assassin no doubt. There is nothing left there except death. Iris Hill is the only place left to turn, and I have reservations about that place as well. Take this prisoner, interrogate him...and then do what you please.
Cesadia frowns, "I feared as much, poor Tillus. We weren't friends but there was respect. We will hold this, uh thing, until aid comes from the capital." She glares at him, "I'd advise you to talk, if you wish any form of clemency." She then beckons several of her agents over and they escort him away.
Aware that the crowd didn't need to know everything that had just happened but they did need something to take there mind off of what had happened; Filbert scans the crowd for Scintilar Rouy. Spotting him along the back of the group fearfully watching the fort, Filbert calls out.
"Hey, hey! get him back there, bring Scintilar Rouy up here!" the tone of his voice almost accusing but as the crowd parts and Scintilar is brought forward
"This man, a thorn in the church's side for the past several months, preaching his own kind of religion based on the economy as he saw it." Pausing to allow the crowd to focus, looks at Sintilar and winks"Relax"
"This man.... voice changing supplied the firework freely that allowed our group to gain access to fort, now I owe him and all of you here, who joined the Dragon's Maw in drawing attention to the front gate our thanks and a round of drinks at the tavern!"
Turning he grabs Scintilar's elbow and begins walking towards the tavern, leaving Agrippa and Cesadia to deal with the sorcerer in peace.
Agrippa gives a thankful wink to Filbert.
To Cesadia he says It's much worse than we ever thought. I'll need access to any information you have on Iris Hill. Agrippa beckons Cesadia to lead on towards the Sleepless Agency
As Lizzie was dozing off while daydreaming, the brief dream she had mentioned pier 19.
"Say, there's this pier we can still look into. This strange guy told me, back then, it's a fine place to stash something, since people are staying clear of it."
Scintilar's eye almost pop out at Filbert's antics and he replies with a faint tremor, "Y.y.yes, a drink would be g.g.good."
Cesadia nodded, "Yes I thought you might so I did some research. Iris Hill has always been the official residence of the aristocratic rulers of Versex. It was built in 4487 ar by Pragmus Lowls I, one of the current count’s most illustrious ancestors. Once prosperous and tidy, it has begun to deteriorate in recent years as Count Haserton Lowls IV became more and more wrapped up in his dangerous, esoteric studies. The decline in upkeep was exacerbated when Lowls, with some encouragement by Melisenn, fired his regular staff some months ago. It's like he just gave up caring about it. Very odd. Another thing that's odd is that hedge. It's magical and partly alive, having grown to it's current impressive height in less then two months. I wouldn't recommend trying to go through it, the thorns are said to be poisoned..."
Luckily for Filbert, The Silver Wagon tavern was just up the road from the fort.
Entering the tavern with a crowd following him, Filbert calls out to the barkeep "Mistress Gallegos, we have a bit of a celebration to have here, you see I promised these lovely people a round on me and my companions for helping us to rid the fort of the corruption growing there. Take these and let me know if you need more."
Slipping Mistress Gallegos 5 gold coins, Filbert is sure that should get things started. (5gp = 125 mugs of ale)
Indeed. Poisonous. Do we have any confirmation on that? Also, have the Agents noticed any untoward goings on in the vicinity?
Dena Gallegos looks at Filbert askance for a moment, "Not expecting to see any of that back are you? No. OK. I think you mean well but Idon't any fights here Mr Springbit. Some these folk loose their minds after few..." Scintilar wisely says nothing and downs the first drink in one, not quite believing how the day turned out...
Cesadia shakes her head, "Supposedly the Jenkin's youngest son became seriously unwell after getting torn up by the thorns after attempting to retrieve a ball. Nobody I'm aware of have been game to try and ascertain if they really are poisoned, certainly the hedge has wicked looking thorns. As for goings on, well nobody has really heard anything after the regular staff where fired. It seems they where replaced with brutish looking foreigners."
They made their way back to town in one piece with their prisoner and she let Heinrich and Cessadia take care of escorting him away. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do for now, it was the first time she'd really had any time to do what she wanted with. It took her some time but she finally decided that she should practice her forms. She began to wander around the town looking for a park of some kind, somewhere with life and growing things.
Not expecting to see any of that back are you? No. OK. I think you mean well but Idon't any fights here Mr Springbit. Some these folk loose their minds after few...
Smiling Filbert replies "Not here for fighting just celebrating, I'll make sure they take any disagreements outside and they will not be able to return."Filbert makes his rounds while the others celebrate nursing a single mug of ale, keeping the peace and then seeing everyone off after a few rounds so that the Silver Wagon can return to normal.
Heading back to The Sleepless Agency he whistles a tune, relatively happy with the impromptu party.
Arriving back "What'd I miss?"
Brutish looking foreigners? Do we have any details more than that? Agrippa asks as he walks.
Momijii had the vague sensation of familiarity pass through her mind as she practice. That pier was oddly familiar to her and it struck her that Lizzie's friend mentioned it. She had the phantom memory of carrying something but she couldn't remember what it was. She decided that it could be important and that they should probably investigate it. Momijii continued practicing her katas and it helped her focus her body and still her mind, almost too much.
It wasn't until she shifted into a slightly different pattern than normal that she noticed the Stelae and how the writing faced Iris Hill. She shifted again through a different kata and faced towards the Sleepless Building and that it faced here, with a turn towards where Iris Hill was and a shifting into a final stance she looked at Iris Hill and realized just what that pattern of placement would end as, an equilateral triangle. This could be very important.[/b]
"Brutish foreigners, like barbarians, or those northland types?"
Cesadia grimaces slightly, "It's not from the most reliable of sources, but Old Tobias who used to be the count's farrier claimed the new comers came in the dead of night. They where red-eyed humanoids with disturbing tribal tattoos covering their faces." She looks a little incredulous, "He claims further that many of them had filed their otherwise jagged teeth down to points. If you want to talk to him, he'll be propping up one of the bars."
Knowing little of the studies of nature and peoples Filbert can make no more sense out of Cesadia's description that brutish people, but he could work with that.
"It's doubtful that we are unknown around here to Iris Hill, so perhaps we should make a trip by there to test the defenses. Much like we did at the fort. It would give us a chance to investigate the hedge surrounding the place at any rate. Perhaps an early morning visit would be safest.....Or draw the least amount of attention."
Momijii began to make her way back to the Detective Agency since it seemed as good a place to rendezvous as any. As she went she felt a tickling sensation between her shoulder blades and knew that she was being watched. She didn't think that they were admirers, she had a rather poor reputation in town and didn't imagine anyone would look at her like that, but just in case she added a bit of swish to her stride just in case she was mistaken, after all a girl liked to be looked at.
Momijii still made the effort to shake off her followers and get a glimpse of them. She didn't trust the people here, nor much of anyone lately, and she wanted to know who it was that was behind her. Her efforts succeeded and she caught sight of them but the two men managed to get away from her before she could reach them. Shrugging her shoulders she let them go and made her way towards the Detective Agency where she hoped to meet up with her friends once more.
Earlier on the way back
Happy with the celebration's results Filbert makes his way back to the Sleepless Agency, even when he'd waved greeting to the same guy twice, and store fronts had more window shopping than usual. They had not been exceptionally quiet, more akin to a bull in a china shop actually; it was surprising he'd taken this long to notice.
Or draw the least amount of attention.
"Speaking of which I was followed on the way back here from the Silver Wagon, They're good but not that good. Perhaps if they want to stick around after dark we could bring them in, save us a trip out to the Hill."
Mmmm. Kuru. Not a good sign.
Agrippa responds to Filbert. Indeed. I fear it has come to this. The Cult realizes the danger we pose...we should expect more direct action against our own persons. I propose that we no longer travel the streets alone, even in daylight. I will advise Cesadia of the same. The threat comes from Iris Hill. We should investigate as soon as we can.
Your deliberations are interrupted by a the sound of a struggle and a bloodcurdling scream from one of the adjoining grooms.
Faster than a flash Cesadia rushes to the door, and pulls it open. She gasps at the scene inside. Several of her agents lie butchered, throats slit in the middle of growing pools of blood. The sorcerer you captured is beset by a pair of deadly female assassins!
The silvery one has to be Tilsitari, the one you fought before. You notice there is indeed a mirror on the southern wall. The other one is a beautiful blond haired woman with piercing eyes and a rapier dripping with blood. She glances in your direction, before running the sorcerer through with her blade!
Initiative rolls:
???
Lizzie "beads" Tamar'
Luxina Tenebris <----- WE ARE HERE
Tilsitari
Cesadia
Filbert Springbit
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Momijii
Luxina Tenebris is up.
Filbert daydreaming is caught off guard by the sudden commotion.
Luxina moves over to the door, mixes up a batch of chemicals and lobs the explosive mixture at the blond haired woman.
Luxina's bomb detonates in the blond woman's face, blackening it. Angered she glowers at Luxina, "How rude! Come Tilsitari..."
The mirror like woman nods and throws a vial of something noxious on the floor, the ghastly choking fumes of which rapidly fill the room!
???
Lizzie "beads" Tamar'
Luxina Tenebris
Tilsitari
Cesadia <----- WE ARE HERE
Filbert Springbit
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Momijii
Filbert Springbit, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa and Momijii are up.
Agrippa shouts Smash the mirror! upon moving and seeing the scene.
Lizzie heads over to near Luxina and takes total defense.
"Well she's persistent I'll give her that. Maybe we can keep her around a bit longer this time."
Filbert having seen the mirror in the room before hurls a blast at the location he remembers. "Cesadia Duck!"
Momijii heard the sudden cries of pain and fighting and made her way there as quick as she could She saw their captive and several detectives dead as well and then the mirror woman, right before the flask was thrown. Nodding her agreement about the mirror Momijii moved in. She headed towards where the mirror had been and swung her fist at the thing when she found it.
Between Momijii and Filbert the mirror is reduced to fragments, there would be no escape for Tilsitari that way but there are stairs leading up and down... The blonde haired woman explodes out of the ghastly cloud and dashes up the stairs out of sight!
???
Lizzie "beads" Tamar' <----- WE ARE HERE
Luxina Tenebris
Tilsitari
Cesadia
Filbert Springbit
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Momijii
Lizzie "beads" Tamar' and Luxina Tenebris are up.
Luxina holds her shield hand in front of her mouth and moves into the room.
Lizzie hadn't quite seen the stairs yet, so she heads south.
So basically the mirror gets smashed into tiny fragments. Momijii doesn't sense anyone going past but Luxina hears footsteps going up the stairs. If you follow them upstairs you find an open window with the remains of a rope attached to a grappling hook (it's been cut with a blade). It appears the assassins have made their escape...
Combat is nominally over unless you're going to search for them.
Not wanting to chase the longer legged vixens, Filbert tries to make his way to the sorcerer. Sure if they were trying to kill him then he obviously knew something they needed to know.
if Filbert thinks there is any chance at saving the sorcerer
Agrippa begins studying the crime scene
Did they enter through the window...or the mirror? he looks for evidence of a break in.
"Well, let's assume the unlikely that was said possible.
The mirror, but if it's broken, it should be of no use anymore, as a means to escape."
Cesadia. We must find all the mirrors in this place and either smash them...or lock them up. Agrippa begins doing just that.
Check on all the Agents. The Cult knows of your assistance now, they are all in danger.