It is mid-day in Sasserine, and the appointed hour approaches. The letter written by Lady Lavinia Vanderboren summoned four individuals of various talents to the Vanderboren Manor. The clouds above the city have decided to celebrate this auspicious occasion by darkening the sky and drowning the city in a fierce deluge.
The manor itself is located in the eastern section of the Merchant District; an easy enough building to find, as it stands three-stories high. The architecture is gothic in nature, and a seven-foot-tall stone wall surrounds the plot of land immediately around the manor. On the southern edge of the square wall lies a large, iron gate that has been left unlocked and open. Beyond the gate is a small cobblestone path that winds through a miniature garden filled with flowers and plants that, in full sunlight, would no doubt be staggeringly beautiful. In the poor weather, everything seems dull and lifeless.
At the end of the path is the front door to the manor, a pair of wooden doors bearing inlaid carvings of pair of nymphs capering through a forest. This door, unlike the gate, is closed. Fortunately, an overhang held up by two massive pillars provides a reprieve from the rain. A large brass knocker lies on either door.
Information on the Vanderborens:
The Vanderboren name is recognizable as a family of minor nobles. They are said to be quite wealthy, and are among the few nobles in Sasserine that can claim to have earned their wealth by completely honest means.
Lavinia is the eldest daughter of the Vanderboren family, and the recent inheritor of the estate. One month ago, a tragic fire aboard a ship caused the deaths of Verik and Larissa Vanderboren. The Vanderborens were survived by the their two children, Lavinia and Vanthus.
Ila spends a bit of time asking the folks that she's brought food to today about their thoughts on the nobles... and doesn't turn up an abundant amount, but now knows significantly more. If they were nobles of noble nature, that explained seeking her, when there were so many more options that could have been more effective... if a little less scrupulous. It still surprised her to have been approached, though.
Still, she'd done quite well, and had filled many stomaches today. She took her incredible bounty as a sign of good fortune to follow, as she headed into the Merchant District.
She tilted her head slightly at the walls standing around the open gate. "So many mixed messages here. It's always strange to so so much... muchness."
She moves to the door, and rather than striking the knockers against the door, she decides to wait. She was a little early, and it wouldn't hurt to let her friend get a little more fresh air - or herself, really! Besides, it'd give her a chance to perhaps meet someone else.
She stood in the rain, examining the engravings, rather than standing within the columns; better to allow others access, than block the way.
If one listened hard enough one might hear whistling one night late night in the merchant district. That would be quite the feat though with the rumbling storm overhead. It promised to be a wet, if not abysmal, day tomorrow but that didn't concern the jolly soul wandering through the night. If one did manage to hear it they would find it hard to trace as is appeared to come from multiple directions, taking advantage of the odd acoustics.
Owl alighted to the top of one of the nearby buildings that night, another tall house with a useless amount of so called "accentuating" features. A gaudy affair, with heavily slanted roofs, balconies and even a small steeple at the four corners. Perfect for observing without being observed. He had been here before too. Another job. He left himself a way in should he need it later. Today he did.
His usual tactic would be to disguise himself as one of the many vagabonds that roamed the city but this part of the merchant district had very few. That meant he would stand out, something he didn't desire. The poor, homeless were the perfect cover in most cases. Every city had them. This one was no different. And they were as much a part of the scenery as the actual scenery. That and they saw everything. If you knew where to look and how to put the pieces together, they were a valuable source of information.
Owl peeked over the edge ever now and then with a mirror to watch the door to the Vanderboren house to see who came along. It was odd for them to request his aid. They were one of the few families to get to minor nobility through honest means. He would bet money there was a dirty secret somewhere in that house but until someone paid him for it he wouldn't just intrude. He wasn't a common thug. He had standards. The middle man that gave him the letter asked about his skills and set a time for this meeting. That meant others were being considered and likely to be invited.
He wanted to know who.
Was her armor too tight? She had remembered to polish it last night, right? What about her hair? Were there any braids loose? Vanessa was so distracted with her appearance and fretting over meeting a noble that she didn't even notice the other woman standing by the pillars near the entryway.
Even as she climbed the stairs, Vanessa couldn't help but taken aback by the exterior architecture of the manor. She thought it was old but didn't know exactly how old. As she climbed the stairs to the entryway, she took out the message from Lady Lavinia Vanderboren. Vanessa wondered if she was a nice person. What if she wasn't? What could she possibly want? The train of thought was making Vanessa queasy to her stomach.
Glancing around at the establishment, she finally peered over to look at the woman so casually standing next to a pillar. Vanessa jumped with a start then blushed at the thought of how foolish she must've looked to have completely missed someone standing there. Vanessa flashed a nervous smile, hoping to start an introduction.
The letter was now framed and mounted, on a small silver stand propped on the ornately engraved fireplace in the south-facing sitting room. There, the sun would sweep around the Palace and illuminate it, whenever he should have the need to view it once again. He doubted he would need to consult the letter, he had read it only once but had committed every word to memory.
Baranabous Snipe, the foremost Investigator in Diabolic Affairs in the Chelaxian capital of Egorian had first introduced Abraham to the notion of a Memory Home. It was a simple mnemonic in principle, he explained, where items or information you might need to recall reside in imaginary format in a context you can remember easily. Snipe’s own home was a two bedroom town-house he had once lived in during his childhood. Abraham had been fascinated with the practice and had soon built his own Home. But unlike his mentor’s the place was purely borne of his imagination, and was a sprawling Palace with grounds that stretched for acres, outbuildings and a lake. In truth, Abraham didn’t even know how large he could make it but without fail, his disciplined mind could recall any detail he cared to commit to his Palace with remarkably acuity.
It was a revelation that both astounded and frightened Snipe.
Abraham stretches his long legs and strides over the slick, cobbled streets of the Merchant District.
He knew of the Vanderborens, how could he not? The only noble family in Sasserine to have earned their wealth fairly was like as not to garner enemies and enemies committed crimes, crimes which he would solve. It was the way of things and people were more predictable in that regard than rise and fall of the sun.
The rain dripped noisily from his wide-brimmed hat, his long frock-coat was wrapped around him and with the deluge now clung wetly to his tall, angular frame. He approached the house through the iron gate, unconsciously noting the weight of it, how it creaked and from which windows it could be viewed.
A woman stood beneath the porch, either waiting for an answer or deciding whether to knock. He offers her a curt smile as he removes his hat.
Good day, Madame. I would venture that I am not the only invited guest.
Vanessa shot a look of wonder towards the newest arrival.
It would appear so. I thought I would be the only one called here.
Vanessa glanced again at the woman standing behind the pillar as if to not attract attention. She didn't want to glance at the doors again as it would only make her blush an even deeper shade of red. This newcomer was a welcomed distraction.
My name is Vanessa. Vanessa Stronghart.
"He seems nice enough," she thought to herself while giving this stranger a warm smile.
A pleasure, Ms Strongheart. the man replies with a disarming smile. Though not handsome in any traditional sense, the man is undoubtedly engaging with piercing eyes and sharp features. Abraham Maedrhos at your service. Or rather at the service of the Lady of the House.
How was the journey by ship? I hope the seas were calm.
A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Maedrhos. The seas were about as calm as I could hope for... Travel by sea isn't really a favorite of mine.
The question took her back to the few days of travel by boat from Bloodcove to here in Sesserine where she spent most of it seasick and pent up below deck. To think that she was looking to book passage away from here were it not for this request.
Well now that you're here, and she's over there... said Vanessa pointing over to the other woman, I wonder if this is everyone or if someone else is coming? Maybe we should knock on the door?
The woman didn't question how he knew she travelled by ship. Which immediately leads Abraham to believe she has a trusting nature.
Her armor has a mirror polish,but remains functional, not ceremonial. A mercenary would favor substance over style and would not bother preparing themselves so, even for a potential employer. No, they would want to demonstrate they were men and women of action.
This leads him to believe she is likely a holy warrior, likely of one of the Gods of justice or tolerance. Given that she wore a longhorn wt her belt, Iomedae would be his deduction.
Let. he says, rapping on the door. And you miss, are you here for an appointment with Lady Vanderboren he asks of the tattooed girl
Now thoroughly soaking, and having offered a smile to Vanessa in return, the woman stepped under the awning, an Osprey fluttering from the sky as if the winds and rain couldn't touch it and alighting on her shoulder.
As she stood outside of the rain, she concentrated upon her arcane half... the part that used a book to study, that didn't simply come naturally to her... and the water began to slowly clear off of the bird. Once the bird was dry, she repeated her intonation, and the water began to slowly disappear from the top down.
"If you would like, I could dry all of you as well. It's nothing significant, just a minor cantrip." she smiles. "I felt it wise to not smell of the wharf when I arrived."
The woman was wearing quite thin silks, meaning they were easy to dry, but also hiding little of her form. She wore a thick leather belt that covered her stomach and shoulder (allowing the Osprey a favored perch).
Like the detective, the woman had piercing eyes, but hers looked distant, as if they didn't want to bore into anyone, distant like the sea. Her hair was the color of white sandy beaches, and she had a black spiral swooping around the side of her face that wasn't covered in thick hair.
She was also barefoot. Were there such a thing as a 'druid of the beach', she would be the poster child thereof.
"Ila, by the way. Ila Indigo. A pleasure to meet you both, I'm sure."
Ila:
As Owl peered through some ornate carving that he supposed was some kind of bird, he found himself a little surprised by the first arrival. "Well if it isn't the Shadowshore Goddess herself?" He didn't know her name but he had seen her on more than one occasion handing food or healing the wounds of the poor. Food she caught herself and healing that came from her own divine connection. She was a sickly sweet altruist but sweet on the eyes too.
Vanessa:
Owl smiled as he watched the next person arrive. Even from her he see the nervous fidgeting. Checking her armor, trying to smooth out her clothes, completely missing the other person not 2 feet from her. She didn't blame her, the rumor mill was afire because of her. First day in Sasserine and she had loped off one arm of smuggling ring. He would say wrong place, wrong time but it might have been the other way around.
Abraham:
Oh balls. Him. Abraham Maedrhos he knew by name. The man was a thorn in his side and it was only because he was smarter than the average crook that he managed to stay off the detective's radar. He doubted he could walk into this meeting without the man recognizing him to some degree. And that was not a good thing. Owl had heard rumors that the man could read minds or divine the past and future of a person with a look. Of course that was bullocks. He was just perceptive. Very perceptive. Annoyingly so.
Owl almost left right then and there. This was not a group he normally associated with. Too...righteous and altruistic. He opened the trap door beneath him and disappeared into the attic. From there it was simple to elude the staff, whose routes and schedules he knew by heart, and exit out onto an eastern balcony. He casually dropped off the ledge and turned the rolling landing into a sprint to the wall. He vaulted over the wall easily and placed one hand within the two foot gap in the breach of the houses magical alarm, the back door he had installed on his previous visit.
When he landed he had sorted through his thoughts and decided to continue to the meeting. The curiosity alone was more than enough to compel him to go. It was unlikely the Vanderborens didn't know at least a little of his less than legal dealings in the past. He certainly wouldn't put himself on the same moral ground as the other three or even the noble family. But they came to him with a job offer. Did they have some dark secret itching to claw its way to the surface? Were the other three a ruse for the real job they needed done under the table? Did this have something to do with the deaths? Was little miss Lavinia involved?
He could continue but that would be an exercise in futility. None would be answered unless he sought them himself. The smile turned into something almost maniacal. This was a challenge. A test to himself to get to the bottom of things. To find all the juicy morsels of information. To, perhaps, get away with something under the perceptive eyes of the detective and magical observance of a paladin. Or if nothing else to earn some new allies on the other side of the law. Always a benefit.
That settled he began walking towards the Vanderboren estate. With a snap of his fingers his clothes sloughed off their stains, popped out the wrinkles, and looked like they had the day he bought them. His shoes shined like they had been recently polished and water ran off him and his attire as if he was one of the Gillmen on the docks.
Owl approaches the others, confident and smiling. He has bright green eyes, dark, neatly trimmed hair, and roguish good looks. For now his hat is stuffed away in his pack, making his half-elven heritage obvious. "Good day to you, fair ladies," he says with a wink. "Maedrhos," he says turning to the elf. Likely the man would already know who he was but a test was still in order. He looked the man directly in the eyes and said, "My name is Lucien. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I assume we are all here for the same reason no?"
Crap. Did he pronounce that right? Up close these women were very distracting.
"Ila." she responded as the person called someone else by name, then introduced himself.
She recognized the man's general disarray; he looked like he belonged here, but he also seemed I'll at ease. Perhaps there was something about these people or this place that made him uncomfortable.
Seeking to set him at ease, "This is my friend and traveling companion. He's quite polite, although a little defensive of me. He's a sweetheart though, so there is little to worry about."
She tilted her head somewhat. "You remind me of someone... but I'm terrible with faces. So I apologize if I'm confusing you with someone else."
But... Pass on sense motive; she isn't suspicious of you. We'll assume your strange demeanor is taken as nervousness. :)
A light creak sounds out as the right side of the double doors cracks open to reveal an old halfling woman; the same woman who had earlier presented the group with their letters. She clicks her tongue in mild annoyance, but swings the door fully open to admit everyone.
"Come in, come in. Mind you don't wet the floors overmuch, they've just been cleaned," she grumbles, obviously oblivious to the fact that several members of the party are already magically dry. "'Less you want to do the cleaning yourself. Wouldn't recommend it, hard on the back. Come, come." Kora beckons the party to follow, and walks off without bothering to see if they do.
Kora walks through a handful of winding hallways before coming to a stop in the atrium, where a large glass window facing to the sky stands almost 30 feet above. The window is blurred with streaks of rainwater running across it, though it seems in good repair as none of the rain penetrates the building.
"You can wait here," Kora says, gesturing to a small round table with seven chairs. "The lady will be in to see you short-" Kora cuts herself off as four humanoids emerge from a door to the east: a jaunty male half-elf dressed in leather armor and armed with a half dozen daggers of different shapes, a dark-skinned dwarf with a sour expression dressed in green and brown robes and clutching a large curved spear, an attractive but haughty-looking woman dressed in dark purple robes and with a tattoo of a crescent moon on one cheek, and lastly, a tall and handsome man dressed in polished breastplate carrying a bastard sword.
The last man turns to the party with an eyebrow upturned and gives them an appraising glance. "Hmm. You must be the help Lavinia's bringing in to do the chores. Best of luck to ya!"
These are the Jade Ravens, a mercenary company that's been in the Vanderboren employ for several years. Their leader, and the man speaking, is Tolin Kientai. The others are Zan Oldavin (the half-elf), Kaskus Kiel (the dwarf) and Liamae Teslikaria (the human woman). They are known for being efficient, but possessing of a hint of arrogance that has made them less popular than a group of their renown would otherwise be.
Owl does a quick spin in the foyer, pretending to be impressed at the size of it. I reality he is scanning for exits, escape routes, hidden figures, and traps. Force of habit. He is about to grab a seat when more people enter. They were definitely not household staff. The Jade Ravens. Vanderboren's mercenaries. Lovely. This just gets more and more interesting. They were on the Vanderboren payroll but why were they here fro this meeting? Joint venture? Oh good gods I wasn't scouted for these morons was I? His face remains a happy neutral as the mercenaries enter, deciding to leave introductions to Kora.
The man who approached was unremarkable. Deliberately so, Abraham thought, in a way that has to be practiced so that one does not stand out in a crowd. The investigator instantly noted the difference in musculature between the right and left side's of the man's body. It was subtle, but noticeable if you knew where to look, and spoke of a man who had drawn a bow many times in the course of his life. Archers had a unique stature and Abraham would be amazed if this man was not one.
He seemed to know Abraham, a fact that neither surprised nor interested him, but as he began to fawn and gush over the lady named Ila, he lost even more interest and turned toward the door as it opened.
As the Jade Ravens approach, Abraham measures the man at their head.
Hired help. Interesting. I wonder what their part is to play in this whole affair. Still, the fool cannot help himself.
A look of grave concern passes over the investigator's face as the leader, Tolin Kientai, approaches.
Dear God, man! You look as if you are in tremendous pain! he then snaps his fingers as he often did when a solution occurred to him. My mistake. I realise you were just straining to think of that witticism. he says, snidely. Be about your business, Mr Kientai, we are hear to converse with company whose IQ is larger than their boot size.
He doesn't wait for a reply, he is done with the man, he simply strides past into the foyer, hands laced behind his back and says to the halfling;
Take your time, good woman, I'm sure Lady Vanderboren will be along presently. he says, taking in the grand hall.
I take it none of you have any notion of this endeavour? he asks over his shoulder.
The bird stares at Owl until he swaps sides, and then ruffles his feathers slightly as he moves out of sight.
Ila, on the other hand lofts a brow at first, as he says her name... then comes the monikers, several of which quite creative that she hadn't heard, which made -her- nervous. Then came the actual -personal- compliments and she turned an off shade of pink, and had absolutely no idea what to do at all. She just nodded to him as he was drawing to a close... and turned back towards the door. Which also made the bird now on the same side as him. And it was still staring.
It was clear that Ila was over the hero nonsense; doing what everyone should do was nothing to be proud of... but she had no idea how to react in a social scene relating to her appearance... besides perhaps apologies.
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Ila follows after the woman, still mildly flustered, but dry. Through the house she goes, moving with practiced ease, even barefoot. Nary a drop fell from her.
As they walk, the bird pays careful attention to the surroundings, and stares at anyone who comes closer to Ila. He doesn't do anything threatening, but simply stares at them, which could be naturally intimidating, but given his stature, most simply ignored him. That is until they reach the window, streaked with rain, which draws the bird's attention.
The osprey flies up to the window and lands, nails digging into the wood slightly to look at the outside, head tilting this way and that, as it examines the window. Ila watches for a moment, but then returns her attentions back to where she was going.
She enters the room with the round table, and profers a smile to the others as they begin to pass, proffering a simple "Thank you," to the final man. She had no idea why the other who'd arrived with her - Abraham, was it? - felt the need to chastise the man with a random crack and is about to ask...
But then she takes a few steps backwards, in time with the woman, despite her demeanor, she has something that interests Ila. "Hello there, my name's Ila, and that's a very interesting tattoo." she smiled a little more widely, "You can probably see why I'd be interested in such things. May I ask what it means to you, and where you got it?" If the woman stops, she'll stop, otherwise, she'll turn to keep pace.
Owl takes some small comfort when Abraham's critical eye focuses on him, then merely passes over. Excellent. Was it the fanboy nature or just lack of interest? Either way, couldn't hurt to reaffirm the man's perceptions of him. He loved being underestimated.
Owl then turns to Vanessa and feigns sorrow, bowing heavily. "I apologize my lady. It is a pleasure to meet you too. Rumors of your own deeds are almost as prevalent. And they too fall far short of the individual in the flesh. A maiden of striking allure and delicacy that belay's her true strength, character, and...well luck. I am not sure who was more in the wrong place and at the wrong time, you or those vicious thugs." He was really getting into it now. And why shouldn't he. Not every day you find yourself potentially working with breathtaking beauties. Almost made him want to take up an honest living. Almost.
After Abraham's snipe at Tolin Kientai, Owl's smile was no longer fake. It took some effort to restrain the snort of laughter that followed. Usually Owl found the arrogance of true elves to be grating on the nerves but Tolin could afford to be brought down a peg or two. The Jade Raven's had an equally difficult problem with arrogance as elves did. That's what you get when you aren't given a decent challenge by honest employers.
I take it none of you have any notion of this endeavour? he asks over his shoulder.
He pulls a seat out for the ladies as he responds. "I am sure we will know in do time, but I get the feeling you have an idea, or seven. You can go first." He was probably going to tell them anyway.
I wouldn't presume to know the Lady's intentions. Not without meeting her that is. he adds with a wave of his hand.
The Jade Ravens are the Vanderboren's hired help. Capable, but arrogant, and led by that fool, Kientai. I know that the Vanderboren's underwent some personal tragedy, just a month ago. The father and mother of this family were killed when their ship was struck aflame. If she wants us to investigate the cause of that fire I fear we are in for a difficult time, any evidence of the fire itself is at the bottom of the harbour.
Still, she is no doubt aware of my prowess as an investigator, Ila's knowledge of the city and good standing with its citizens, Vanessa's strength at arms should there be criminal activity and your underworld connections, Lucien.
He shakes the rain from his coat as he continues;
You mentioned you used to live in Shadowshire. In my experience it is rare for anyone to escape that dreary district by anything other than dishonest means. You are a charming man, Lucien, not a trait commonly found among the brow-beaten wretches who are forced to call that area home. I would assert you honed your social skills as a confidence trickster or a deal-maker for certain unsavory groups.
Stil, it may have nothing to do with the fire, it is too early to tell.
Vanessa would've blushed were it not for a general sense of unease about how quickly news spread. The lessons of Bloodcove had tempered her expectations about the intention of others but decided to play along with it, maintaining an unassuming grin. She was here for another matter after all.
"Well Mr. Lucian, it seems that I now have a reputation the precedes me. Regrettably, it was all just an unfortunate chain of events that I would like to put behind me. Since you seem to know about me, I think it would only be fair to know a little about you."
Vanessa wasn't intending to be deliberate in probing, but her curiosity of now finding out about having a reputation compelled her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Observing the exchange between these unknown batch of strangers and with whom she had just met made her feel more like a fish out of water than ever. Her not so subtle unease easily bled through her wayward grin.
Abraham Maedrhos wrote:
I take it none of you have any notion of this endeavour? he asks over his shoulder.
He pulls a seat out for the ladies as he responds. "I am sure we will know in do time, but I get the feeling you have an idea, or seven. You can go first." He was probably going to tell them anyway.
I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage again. I honestly have no idea what this meeting is about.
Tolin's grin turns to a scowl at Abraham's words, and he opens his mouth to say something. Whatever he was about to say is lost as Kaskus releases a deep boom of laughter that echoes through the atrium, and quite possibly the entire three stories of the manor. Tolin turns to Kaskus and narrows his eyes.
"Ah, leave off th' newbloods, Tolin," Kaskus says, directing himself and the other Jade Ravens to leave the room. "Spare th' wee pups th' need ta listen ta yer blather."
Tolin turns a light shade of crimson, but says nothing. He shoots a last dirty glare at Abraham before leaving the room.
Kora snickers lightly, and quirks her head to the door through which the Jade Ravens had recently entered. She pushes through, and leads the party up a small staircase to the second floor. After a few sharp turns down a winding hallway, the halfling stops before a door which she opens before stepping to the side to allow the party entrance.
Inside is a small private dining room. It is comfortable, cozy, and surprisingly modest for a noble's home. A dull glow made by wall-mounted lanterns lights the room, displaying a large portrait on the wall of a young man with a short bearded goatee. The portrait bears resemblance to the human woman who stands below it; a young woman wearing a long, flowing blue-and-gold dress. Her hair is dark brown, though it contains the luster common to those who keep up with personal grooming. Her brown eyes watch with genuine interest as each member files into the room. She gives a practiced curtsey as the party enters the room, offering each member a warm smile.
"Hello. My name is Lavinia Vanderboren." She pauses and gives a coy grin. She seems to be waiting for someone to say something.
But then she takes a few steps backwards, in time with the woman, despite her demeanor, she has something that interests Ila. "Hello there, my name's Ila, and that's a very interesting tattoo." she smiled a little more widely, "You can probably see why I'd be interested in such things. May I ask what it means to you, and where you got it?" If the woman stops, she'll stop, otherwise, she'll turn to keep pace.
===========================================
Once her conversation is over, possibly before it even started, Ila begins to head into the room, as the osprey flies down to land on her shoulder once more.
She follows after the halfling, still interested in the surroundings. "Much muchness." she says without really noticing, herself, after the second turn in the hallway. It's clear she's paying no attention to where they're going, more of where they are currently.
As she enters the room, she looks at the furniture, then the woman, the portrait, then the woman again. She bows slightly, just in the upper back and neck, eyes closing as she does so. "Ila Indigo. You requested that I accompany you here?" she tilts her head.
Liamae turns to Ila with a look of disbelief. As her eyes take in the other human's threadbare clothing, the look turns to one of disgust. Liamae quickly turns away without a word and continues on her original path.
"Pharasma bless you, Dear!" she calls after the woman. Though, given that the goddess was of birth and death, not just fate, it could have meant nearly anything. Though it was more commonly associated with karma, by Ila. And just for an added bit of flair, she had her prestidigitation color her tattoo blue and back... starting in the center and flowing out to the outside as if a comet had flown through it.
She seemed much more at ease once she'd gotten her feet back under her.
"That I did," Lavinia concedes, and looks pensive for a moment, as if unsure quite where to begin. She nods to herself, and begins speaking.
"First, I must thank all of you for coming. I must confess that I have sent several more letters than people who have shown up, but that is neither here nor there. Ila Indigo, I have summoned you for your kindness and generosity. You are willing to help others, and I am in need of help."
She turns to Vanessa. "Vanessa Stronghart. I have summoned you for your fierce fighting prowress, and ability to cut through lies to find the dirty truth underneath. I am in need of truth."
She turns to Abraham. "Abraham Maedrhos. I have summoned you for your keen mind, and your investigative strength. I have a mystery, and I am in need of a solution."
She turns to Owl. "Owl. I have summoned you for your reputation to get things done with efficiency and with few complications. I have an item that needs to be found, and I am in need of this item."
Lavinia walks towards the party and leans in conspiratorially. "As you may have heard, I recently inherited my parents' estate. Along with this fine house, unfortunately, came a fine amount of debt owed the Dawn Council, the harbormaster, and quite a few guild halls. It seems my parents, for all their success as adventurers, were not as skilled at finance as one might expect. If I'm to get these taxes paid, I'll need to access my family's vault under Castle Teraknian." Lavinia pauses again to collect her thoughts.
"And that's the problem, you see. The vaults are magically locked-keyed to special signet rings. Both of my parents had these rings, at least, until recently. My mother lost hers a few months ago. She arranged for a replacement, but it won't be done for another month or so. And I need the money before that. Which leaves my father's ring. He never wore it...he had a thing about men wearing jewelry. He kept it hidden somewhere on his ship, the Blue Nixie. The problem there is that the harbormaster's seized the ship until someone pays for the last four months of mooring. I've paid the fines to the man the harbormaster's put in charge of my ship, a brute named Soller Yark. Yet when I went to claim my ship, Vark's men wouldn't let me board,
claiming that I hadn't yet paid the fines. I spoke to Vark again and he denied ever receiving my payment. My complaints to the harbormaster have fallen on deaf ears; he's a doddering old fool who trusts his man and won't relent," Lavinia states flatly.
"Vark and his men are up to something on my ship. What I need is to find out exactly what they're up to. Unfortunately, Yark's not the type to react well to diplomacy or logic. I need someone who speaks his language... which is where you all come in. If you can find out what he's using my ship for, or even better, recover the money I paid him, I'll pay each of you 200 gold in return once I've access to my vault," she finishes, and waits for a response.
While it was true that Ila didn't say she would, the woman probably already knew that she wouldn't turn her down. If the lower class thought these were good people, that was enough for Ila.
"Do you happen to know where your mother lost her ring? That may be simpler. If you have an idea of it, I'm certain one of my companions could aid you." she smiles slightly, not mentioning that the heroes they'd just passed probably felt this was beneath them... Or perhaps simply had a motivation -not- to aid her.
"Well Mr. Lucian, it seems that I now have a reputation the precedes me. Regrettably, it was all just an unfortunate chain of events that I would like to put behind me. Since you seem to know about me, I think it would only be fair to know a little about you."
"Oh. A little of this and a little of that. I like to consider myself a Lucien of all Trades." He laughs nervously at the pathetic joke. The things I do to stay in character. "I guess you could call me a mercenary but I'm smarter than that."
Stil, it may have nothing to do with the fire, it is too early to tell.
Guess that's why he's a detective. Making some assumptions but still annoyingly accurate. Have to be more careful.
"Ah yes. A fool jumps to conclusions and usually falls to his death. A wise man looks before he leaps. And an intelligent man builds a bridge. Sometimes I am the wise man. Other times the fool. Or all three. It takes a special kind of man to get out of Shadowshire." Then he looks over at Ila with a wonderful facade of an adoring look. "And a special kind of woman to stay and help."
She follows after the halfling, still interested in the surroundings. "Much muchness." she says without really noticing, herself, after the second turn in the hallway. It's clear she's paying no attention to where they're going, more of where they are currently.
Not as much muchness as you might think. Quite modest really."
After Kora leads them to Lavinia:
Up the stairs. Left. Right. Left. Northeast corner based on the size from the outside. Unless there is magic. Then its anyones guess. When they enter the private room Owl immediately takes stock of his prospective employer. Lovely, classy, confident. Everything he liked in a woman. He meanders over to one of the tables and examines one of the obviously expensive baubles.
"My lady I think it is quite obvious what is happening to your ship. Yark, or someone close, knows about the ring and is trying to find it thereby allowing them to acquire what rightfully belongs to you. Disgraceful conduct. Thankfully item acquisition is a specialty of mine." Owl approaches the woman with just the right amount of swagger and a smokey grin. Not so much as to come across arrogant but certainly confident. "200 is a good start but I have a feeling this ring is worth more to you." He reaches for her hand and bows with practiced grace. His unique, feathered hat seems to appear in his hand with a flamboyant flourish. If allowed he kisses her hand gently. "You have my interest and I accept many forms of payment," he says laying slight emphasis on "many". "Information, items, mundane or magical, potions are handy, scrolls. I am sure we can work something out."
"Still much more than is necessary, I would think.." she says, surprised she'd spoken out loud. The halls must be dizzying, indeed!
Ila frowns slightly as Owl asks for more. Well, it was to be expected of at least one person in the bunch. Plus... much muchness. More money meant helping more people.
The thought had occurred to Vanessa that there were people here more keen and observant than herself. It was by no small measure either. She felt simply marveled by some of her fellow compatriots.
Until Lucian started to ask for more... Vanessa thought there was a bit of fake charm to this man. Clearly she was beginning to see more of his true colors.
"Lucian...is that really necessary? Were you not listening to the same story as I? Our gracious hostess brought us here asking...no, pleading for our help. Are we to take advantage of that? The way I see it, we have been offered more than fair compensation for the tasks at hand, which should be nothing more than simple recovery."
Vanessa turned her attention away from Lucian and back to Lady Lavinia Vanderboren. "M'Lady, I cannot begin to state how greatly it offends me that there are those in this world who do not uphold their end of an agreement. If you say that an arrangement of payment has already been made, then I will require proof of said arrangement long with proof of record of the payment. We will take it to this Soller Vark and have a discussion with him. If necessary, we will prove that the debt has been paid to the harbormaster. We will recover what is rightfully yours. Afterwards, we will be glad to retrieve the contents of the family vault and return it here to you."
Vanessa gave a look towards Lucian.
"Afterwards, depending on our level of success, you may reward us appropriately. Any additional recompense beyond the stated amount would merely be a kindness and a show of great generosity on account of our Ladyship."
After you, Ms Strongheart. Abraham says as they are led up the stairs.
Upon entering Lady Vanderboren’s drawing room, the tall elf has to stoop somewhat to get through the door but offers his hand to the erstwhile inheritant of the Vanderboren estate.
My Lady. Condolences on your recent tragedy, this must be a difficult time.
He waits patiently for her to explain their reason for being there. In truth, though she mentions a mystery, what she describes is nothing more than a simple extortion and seizure. It is not the kind of thing that usually interests him, not the kind of work that would stimulate him sufficiently. But, he did have bills to pay, an irritation that must be served. And his interest was piqued more by the sum than anything else. 200 gold pieces was a good sum to pay for an investigator. 800 for a team for such a seemingly simple task either meant Lady Vanderboren was a fool with her money or there was more to this than meets the eye.
She didn’t strike him as a fool.
I take it since your parents’ passing, your brother is content with you taking control of the family wealth? he asks.
"My dear," Owl says turning to Vanessa, "Good will doesn't pay the bills. How much do you have left to your name after your voyage? How long will it last? Besides," he says turning back to Lavinia. "This job is far more than it seems isn't it? Tell me, why us and not the Jade Raven's hmm? They are the Vanderboren family's personal mercenary group. And he good detective brings up a good comment as well."
I merely mean to ask where is he in this. I certainly wouldn't want to inadvertently get involved in an inheritance dispute. There is nothing that drives a wedge between people so well as money. he taps a forefinger against his chin as if in though before adding; Or perhaps a lover.
"Speaking from experience?"
Twice your lifetime's worth. Abraham replies
"I have met many an old fool." Owl is now imagining a strange game involving two people with odd weapons hitting a yellow object over a taunt net. His imagination was getting away from him.
Ila watched the exchanges bouncing around. Vanessa and Owl, Owl and Abraham... she seemed to be the only one being left out of the slippery snideness going around. "This is going to be a lovely day." she said, deadpan. She may have even still believed it.
Vanessa pursed her lips together in an obvious show of disapproval. "Good will is payment towards the heart." Vanessa turned her attention from Owl and returned it back to Lady Lavinia.
"M'Lady, I cannot speak for those whom I have only just met. However, I graciously accept to bear your request for aid and lend you my sword."
Vanessa did her best to curtsey as well as she could despite the limitations of movement in her armor. Whether or not she would be going at it alone remains to be seen. It appeared that Lady Lavinia's intent was to pair this motley band of individuals together. For the most part, Vanessa was comfortable with that. Abraham was intelligent. Dangerously intelligent. Yet she didn't sense any uncouth desires from him.
Ila was an interesting individual in which Vanessa felt compelled to taking a liking to. Judging from the interactions from others, she was the one that was most humble of the three. It was a characteristic of Ila that Vanessa found most endearing. Then there was Owl, a man whom she found difficult to read. Perhaps he was an individual that is used to being so guarded having to contend with his own share of scrapes and rough-goings. Vanessa could relate to that as she would sometimes find her mind drifting back to Mendev, only to remember that she must live for the present, not the past. At any rate, she felt to maintain an err of caution around him. Having another incident like the one when she first arrived in Sessarine was a long-forgotten desire within her mind.
Vanessa gave a look towards Ila as if trying to convey "sorry" before returning her attention to the front.
Ila found herself smiling widely (though without showing teeth) at Vanessa's response to Owl, even with the tone, it sounded like something she, herself, would think, and that was the look she was met with as she turned to Ila. Ila turned quickly back to the lady, trying to fix her face back to something more approaching serene. After a moment, she spoke up.
"I am inclined to agree... both with Miss Stronghart, though I have no sword... and with the men. They do bring up valid concerns." She shrugs slightly, fidgeting a little. "Though I feel we should certainly move quickly, as a result of the men's points."
"I would ask that rather than paying me directly, you give me something. A bauble perhaps, or a trinket. I'm much more inclined to take gifts that mean something, than a simple payment of gold; I've little need of that... were it possible." She bowed her head slightly, once more, eyes closed.
A bemused smirk crosses her face as Owl asks for an increase in payment, although she says nothing, instead opting to watch the exchange between the group unfold. She beams a grateful smile at Vanessa as the armored woman denies greater payment.
When Abraham mentions her brother, Lavinia interjects. "My brother is out of town. At present, I have inherited several debts with no immediate method to make the payments. I do not think he would object to paying debts that are owed."
Lavinia is visibly distraught at the mention of her brother. When she mentions that she does not think her brother would object to paying others their due, a ghost of a frown passes over her face.
She patiently waits as Owl and Abraham exchange wits, words, and wisecracks. After Vanessa and Ila accept, she grins from ear to ear.
"Excellent. And Owl makes a good point," she muses, "it would be best to start off on the right foot with those whom I may have a long-standing relationship. 300 gold," Lavinia says, but holds up three fingers. "If you can find the ring, recover the payment I made to Mr. Vark, and either find out for what purpose he and his men are using my ship, else at least convince them to leave it. She places a light emphasis on the word convince, making it clear that she does not regard mere conversation as the only method to achieve this goal.
"I will also see if I can find alternative means of payment for Owl and Lady Indigo," she says, nodding towards each in turn. "Acceptable?"
So is it the brother that makes this more than meets the eye? How interesting.
He nods curtly and says;
Your payment is more than fair Ms Vanderboren. I accept.
Is there anything else you can tell us about Vark or his men? How many there are?How they might be armed and so on? I hope to simply explain that their seizure of the vessel is unjust but sometimes people require a more direct explanation of the law. It would be useful for me to know how vociferous I might be required to be in that explanation.
Ila began to say something to the lady, then paused, looking to Abraham, brow furrowed. "Vociferous?" She then turned her attention back to the lady (probably after getting the response).
"You had me at 'help', really. The people I work with each day had only good things to say about you, so that's good enough for me." she shrugs with a smile.
She fidgets a little more, but then reaches down into a pouch opposite her two daggers, and pulls out a handful of berries, perhaps a dozen, and whispers to them in a soft, flowing tongue.
She picks out a few of the berries with a smile and drops the rest back into the pouch with a smile. Today was a bountiful day.
Abraham waves his hand in the air and offers Ila a warm and genuine smile.
I just mean to say, if Mr Sark does not wish to leave peacefully, what can we expect in the way of opposition.
A reaction. And well hidden. Interesting. All it said was that the brother was likely part of the problem but not much more. Od well. He'd find out eventually. He always did.
He smiles genuinely at as she adds to the duties for a higher price. "An excellent counter-offer My Lady. I accept as well. Word of advice though. If you intend to have dealings with people like me I the future, don't le them know you are desperate. They might take advantage of it."
He then places his hat back on his head with a flourish and ambles towards the door. "I believe Ms. Vanderboren has exhausted all means at her disposal to rectify the situation or else she wouldn't be hiring. I doubt we need to pester her further with questions."
He slaps Abraham on the shoulder as he walks by. "But if you insist I will head out to do what I do best. How about we meat up later at let's say...The Fuzzy Clam?" He gives Vanessa a wink.
At the door he addresses Kora. "Would you mind showing me the way out again?"
"Show desperation?" Ila tilts her head, having spotted nothing of that. As Owl heads for the door, she holds out the hand with berries in them. "If you would, take these. Use them in a pinch... they won't do much, but they'll help you or someone else recover... they also double as a meal." she smiles, and should he accept, he receives two goodberries.
"That goes for everyone, I've got two for each of you." she says, offering them out.
Abraham remains passive as Owl makes his comment about the Lady being desperate. He turns and looks down on the slim, blonde as she places the berries in his hand.
That's very kind, Ila. Let's hope we don't need them though and that this Vark charcter listens to reason.
"It's no trouble... should things go badly, they'll help us to keep people going in a pinch... Or rather, keep them from bleeding to death... Friend and foe alike. They only last for two days, though, so don't fear wasting them. I'll make more tomorrow as well."