Lanny nods.
"This way, please." She gestures with her arm towards where the others are.
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@Raikdar: Kayle nods to your sentiment. "Here's hoping." It doesn't look like he's too affected by it, but a grim determination sits on his face.
"I honestly don't know-- nightfall, by her claim. She went out looking for Iszanna. I told her not to, but she left when I wasn't home. I was going to go looking for her, but then you folk arrived." He sighed. "She left a note--" he withdraws it from his shirt pocket-- "You can read it if you like."
Kayle,
I'll be back when I've found your sister.
I'm not alone but you shouldn't worry.
I took your dad's sword, so I'm armed.
I'll be back by nightfall.
Love, Ma
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@Percivel: The half-elf raises an eyebrow at the accusation. You both stand in the midst of the 'court room' props in the rear of the theater. "That's a fine way to introduce yourself, friend. You can call me Ithelien."
He crosses his arms. "Iszanna was a great girl and she was very young-- almost too young to be in the theater game. But she could act and she had a passion for it. Most of the people here are worried sick about what happened to her."
"As much as I wish I 'knew more', I don't." He shakes his head. "Apologies."
@Lantana: The young Varisian bows and approaches the others-- he finds a seat on a large crate beside the stage proper, sitting and waiting his turn for questioning. After a moment, he dredges a piece of charcoal out from his pocket and a folded piece of paper. Stealing a few glances at you, he begins to draw something idly.
The other actors and stage hands idly converse. You can tell a few of them are afraid of you, and one such person is clutching the holy symbol of Iomedae that hangs from their neck on a pendant.
Kyras seems to be wrestling with the decision to speak to you or not, his comedically small helmet clutched in his hands like a commoner's hat.
@Uriel: Chevoski sighs. "It was a day like any other-- we were rehearsing the Trial in the Belly of the Beast and things were going very smoothly. I don't remember anything really about the day's events... well, one thing. Ilsandra's kiss with Larazod, though that's hardly the topic you're seeking no doubt. I do remember the speed in which Iszanna left the theater once the day was done, however-- she was the kind of girl to stick around, flit about, help clean up, but in the last few days had no commitment for those kinds of things."
"The next day, she did not arrive for rehearsal. We moved on with Elanna in her place, and then... the next day she did not arrive again. Her family had seen hide nor hair of her as well. I informed the guard immediately. It took a soft bribe to get their attention away from the matter of the king's wedding, but... I'm glad that someone came, finally."
He considers the wings on the mannequin. "Elanna had promise, but then Iszanna came on Kyras' behest and overshadowed her so. I'm not sure if the performance will be able to survive her absence, to be honest."
"I am Percivel of Shelyn. I am not yet your friend. If you are lying to me, I will see you brought to justice. I am patient, I am tireless." Percivel stares evenly at the man, reading his body language as he talks.
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@Percivel:
Ithelien makes an incredulous face that quickly fades into a fearful one. You can tell that he's still hiding something-- something that he quickly begins to speak of.
"Iszanna, the girl-- I didn't want to say anything because of how it makes me look, but for a time she was infatuated with me. Her mother keeps her away from men, doesn't allow her to see anyone, and it made her a bit... well, she's still a teenage girl at heart. She would watch me, send signals, hint at things. I am, of course, much older than her, I have my own love life, so I didn't do anything-- but she wouldn't stop. She took the on-stage kiss as some kind of hidden signal when it wasn't one. So, one night after our time on stage, I told her to give up her adolescent crush and it made her very... emotional."
He continues, in a hushed tone: "Then, these last few days, she was... different. Rushing off after rehearsal, disappearing during, all manner of odd behavior looking back. The director was half-blind and didn't know, but she was... odd. The last time I was on stage with her, the kiss Ilsandra gives Larazod, she gives me... it was like it was from the mouth of a devil itself. She reminded me of a jilted lover, attempting to make me jealous of her new self."
Your gut tells you this was a lot less one-sided than he's letting on, but he's not lying when it comes to actively attempting to not enter a relationship with her. It seems there may have been some leading on, which doesn't leave this man with his hands clean.
On the other hand, what he says about how she acted-- not exaggerated or downplayed. It looks like something odd was going on with how she was behaving.
"Don't tell the others. I am not proud of how it resolved."
Rhiannon shakes her head. "We found the tree, the copy of the play, and her secret stash. I think that's enough to paint a rather clear image of what's been happening here, and we'd best either go gather clues elsewhere or regroup for the night.All of this might make some more sense with the information they picked up."
"Let's go see our friend downstairs and see what his take on this is."
Percivel nods. "I will not ruin your reputation nor sully your name unnecessarily. Thank you for confiding."
"I would please." Raikdar takes the note long enough to read it, then hands it back.
"Can you describe your mother for me Kayle? We might cross paths with her. It could save some time if we do."
Raikdar frowns. "Took your fathers sword eh? Is she a trained duelist? If you don't know the sword, you're better off with a stout walking stick."
Uriel nodded as the director spoke, [b]"Do you know if anyone here bears miss Imoroa any ill will? Anyone more involved with her than the others? Anything else you can tell?"
While speaking Uriel makes a mental note to bring in the girl next, she could have an interested in the girl's disappearance, though he had no idea how she'd link to the others.
Lanny looks Kyras over.
"Wanna say something?"
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@Raikdar: Kayle struggles a moment with describing someone he's known his whole life, but then begins. "She's about... shoulder height on you," he says, using a nearby table as a scale of measurement. "Brown hair. Long but put up in a... thing," he says, gesturing to his head in a cone shape-- "A bun. She's... not in shape."
He shakes his head at his question. "I don't think she's ever held it except to move it 'round the room. If she'd just listened, this would be a lot easier-- you'd be speaking to her and I'd be out in the rain instead. If you guys don't mind, can you ask if they're done yet? I'd honestly like to lock up and go looking for my mother soon."
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@Uriel: The director shakes his head. "She's too much of a sweet girl to have enemies. Zachariah and Kyras may know more-- Zachariah is our stage wizard, dresses like a peasant, Varisian, I believe your... ally was calling out to him when we left the room. He often watches members of the cast in case its necessary to replicate their image due to unforeseen accident, or something like that? I don't understand magic. That's why I pay Zachariah."
"Kyras is the fellow with the small hat and the jovial appearance. He's playing our Tybain, and he's the one to bring Iszanna to us to replace Elanna, as I said before. He'd also perhaps be able to help."
Chevoski nods, all too eager to help find the missing actress.
@Lantana: Kyras, clutching the helmet, approaches Lantana. You can see he's intimidated by your look-- oddly, your commanding tone seemed to have affected Kyras more than it did the ratty Varisian. "I wanted to ask if the investigation is, uh, going well. Iszanna and I were friends, and well... I'm pretty afraid somethin' bad has happened to her, but who knows what? It's terrifyin'. Do you have any news you could share?"
@Percivel: Ithelien thanks you and quietly removes himself back to the stage. As he leaves, you catch the ratty-looking Varisian looking him over, and then he takes his attention back directly to a small pad of faded paper in his hands.
Hania makes her way downstairs with Rhiannon.
Raikdar notes Hania and Rhiannon coming back down the stairs. "Ah there they are now. I don't have any more questions for you Kayle, but the girls might."
The magus smiles slightly. "If not, we'll be on our way. We know where to find you if we need to."
"Just one. In the weeks leading up to her disappearance, did Iszanna spend a lot of time in her room, possibly without making a sound for hours at a time?"
"Ok, thank you very much, I think that is all for now. Thanks again for your cooperation. Would you be so kind as to send Elanna in next?" She was the most likely suspect, the only one who, as far as he knew, stood to gain something from Iszanna's disappearance.
"Only that we're looking for her. When we're done here, pass that word around."
Lanny resumes her silent watchfulness.
She cracked a little smile. "I told you, we were hired for a reason. Thank you very much for your help." Adjusting her cloak and starting to whistle, she started back toward the door, leaving Raikdar and Hania to finish up themselves as she went outside to think
"I have no questions. If you are ready?" Haina asks Raikdar.
While she waits for the others to come, Rhiannon decides to climb the tree, hoping that being closer to it might show her some evidence as to who was climbing it, like hair, bits of clothing, anything.
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@Rhiannon: While you're able to expertly ascend the tree trunk, you discover no other signs of passing. The perch affords an excellent viewpoint of the alleyway, though this reveals nothing pertinent to your current questions... unless one of them is "How much garbage is over there?"
@Lantana: Kyras nods and dips back into the fold, quietly talking to the other actors.
@Uriel: As Chevoski leaves, you're alone in Iszanna's room for a few short moments.
After a period of quiet, the wide-eyed young blonde enters the room, still carrying her script. She looks pensive and forces a half-smile as she closes the door behind her. "Afternoon," she says in a soft voice very unlike the one she used to argue with the director. "The director said you wanted to see me?"
Rhiannon sighs and climbs back down the tree to meet Raikdar and Hania once they leave the house.
"Yes, lets go." Raikdar holds the door for Hania, then steps out after her. "May Desna guide you, Kayle." Then he pauses. "If you need to contact us, go to 1414 Wave St. We probably won't be there, but you can pin a note under the table."
"Just watch your back, it's a seedy neighborhood."
Raikdar watches Rhiannon clamber back down from the tree, then asks all innocent like: "How's the weather up there?"
Then in a more serious tone he asks. "Where next? The Laughing Wave?"
She straightens herself out and relays what they found upstairs to Raikdar. "She seems to have known her kidnapper rather well. Either he snuck in through the window to leave her messages, or she would excuse herself for the night, climb down the tree, and go to meet him. We should wait and see what the translated notes turn up, but it seems very likely that she knew her kidnapper and was comfortable with him."
"Yes, that seems like a good next step from here. One way or another, we'll manage to get into that room."
As Rhiannon, Raikdar, and Hania make their way to the Laughing Wave:
"That we will. So, I am up for some excitement. Any ideas on how we want to try this? Should we just go in and ask to be let into the room?"
"If we want I could impersonate a guard. Or I could act like a thief and act as bait to draw the guy out. Or any number of things. Or you could "charm" him into letting us in. Oh so many options."
Even a casual observation shows that Hania is enjoying herself immensely.
"The guard has already been denied. Our best course of action is to try and talk him, see if we can get him to open it up to us legally. If he doesn't, then the fact my appearance is static means I would be better as the bait. You could easily leave, change, and come back in with Raikdar while his eyes are focused on me, because I seem to be the sketchy sort who wants into that room. Except this time, we don't have the luxury of time. I'll give you some of my empty sacks when we get there. If you need to break in, loot the room, get out, and we'll sort it out once we meet back up with the others."
"That seems a good enough plan. Raikdar? Any suggestions?"
Raikdar looks thoughtful, he actually likes the plan, it suits his wild side.
"I think we should try honesty first. Tell him why we need to get into that room. If that doesn't work, then we could go with extortion. We tell him that we'll spread the word, that people who frequent the Wave disappear."
Raikdar gives a small grim smile.
"That may not be so far from the truth anyway."
Raikdar recounts his conversation with Kayle, including the bit about Izsanna sometimes visiting the Laughing Wave.
Percivel goes looking for Uriel, intending to help in the questioning.
"Yes I did. Please, take a seat." He motioned to the nearest stool or chair. "The director told me miss Imoroa took the role that was originally intended for you and, now she is gone, you have the role again. As you understand, that makes you a suspect." He said it rather matter-of-factly. He didn't ask her anything, simply waited for her to protest.
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@Rhiannon, Hania and Raikdar:
In the soft patters of rain, it takes you almost thirty minutes to navigate the streets and alleys of Old Korvosa, crossing over from Bridgefront to Ridgefield on the other side. The Laughing Waves isn't deep into North Point, sitting near the bridge at the end of Mainshore Boulevard. As you approach, you can see a group of people meandering across the inn and tavern's foyer, under a drooping overhang.
The Laughing Waves would not be the oldest inn in Korvosa if not for the Shoanti, who successfully burned all of the others in 4439 AR. Large, square and faded white, the Waves sits on a triangle point on the street, many of its windows facing out into the square, which the building dominates the view of. Tall, almost three stories, you can see a stable peeking out from the rear as you approach, many of the windows sitting with blinds pulled shut. A few stand open, and you can make out a few silhouettes as you approach-- the entire first floor is easily viewable from the interior, the windows uncovered from the inside.
When you walk to the steps leading into the Waves, you can see that a majority of the people on the foyer are tourists or travelers by their garb, a smattering of Varisian faces in a sea of white Chelish. Some of them look hopeful that the rain is soon to stop, but almost the instant you come under the foyer, the sky cracks and another large deluge ensues, flooding the streets with rain water again. "Gozreh works her craft in mysterious ways," an old seaman laughs to a bitter looking merchant as you pass by.
Inside, you can see that the first floor of the inn is full of people, many of which appear the same as those outside-- tourists, travelers. This room seems to fill up the majority of the first floor, tables and chairs surrounding one side of the room where the bar stands, and comfort chairs, sofas and pillows on the other side, where the fireplace crackles. The stairs to the second floor sit in the center of the room, working as a sort of 'dividing line' between the common area and the tavern area. The innkeeper-- a robust human with a large moustache-- bustles behind the bar as a few young serving girls intersperse themselves in the crowd, bringing food and drink to the rain-soaked patrons. At the far end of the room, a tall and thin Ulfen man sits beside the fire, playing a lute, filling the room with music. The room isn't very well lit, the many windows here open to the overcast rain-filled streets.
A serving girl, cute with short red hair in her barmaid's chemist, slips in front of the group. She politely begins: "Welcome to the Laughing Waves. May I be of service?"
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@Uriel, Percivel:
Elanna looks shocked that the accusation was made, stammering for a moment before shaking her head. "I-- I would never-- It's just a play! A-are you implying I would..."
Her train of thought is broken by Percivel, who enters the backstage room. She looks back and forth with a bit of worry on her face before sitting down in a ragged chair. "I don't know where she is and I didn't do anything to her, I swear!"
"I don't know about you two but I am getting a bite to eat." Hania says to Rhiannon and Raikdar.
"Stew and a mild drink please." Hania tells the barmaid.
She then makes her way over to an empty table and sits down. She casually looks around the place to see who is about.
"Might as well." Raikdar agrees. "Fish and chips, and a beer if you will." Raikdar places his order with the server as well. Then he slouches into a chair and regards the room from under his shadowy hood.
"Just somthing light to eat for me, please," she says politely, not wanting to introduce any drinks into her system and start meddling with her senses. While they wait for food, she starts to recall anything she can about the place, the innkeeper, and anything about the man that could give a hint as to how best to approach him with their proposal.
Lanny continues to watch the cast and crew.
Percivel stares at the girl, steadily and calmly.
"Very well. Tell me, did Ms Imoroa act strangely in the days before she disappeared? Did she have any odd visitors?"
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You each become seated comfortably in the tavern, listening to the music echoing from the Ulfen man's pickings at the far end of the room. Food is brought out, money is exchanged and drinks are filled.
As you watch over the place, you can see that it's bustling and busy in the rain, but mostly everyone here appears to want to be somewhere else. In the corner, a pale man with knuckle tattoos plays Towers with a dark-skinned woman in warrior's garb, red tattoos ringing her wrists like chains. In this time, the music slows, stops, and changes.
@Rhiannon: You can recall that the innkeeper's name is Ovidio, and that's he's fond of money as well as storytelling. The Laughing Waves is old and full of tales, but its most known is that the inn boasts a story of a Shoanti princess whose ghost is bound here, slain after her untimely death during the burning of Korvosa nearly 300 years ago.
Even outside, the thunder crack is audible, and it sends shivers through the people stageside.
The gnome, popping his collar and putting on a wide hat, prepares to leave. He looks up at Lantana for a moment before pausing as if considering. "You'd make a fine Asmodeus, my dear," he says in a high pitched timbre before turning and exiting the theater through the front doors.
"Critics," the ratty Varisian stagehand says, shaking his head. "That was a bit rude, wouldn't you say?" he asks, returning his attention to the tall tiefling.
@Uriel and Percivel: Elanna shakes her head. "I didn't see anyone, but she was a bit..." she tries to find the right word for it, chews on it for a second and then says "Calistrian."
With a shrug she continues. "She and I were friends, and then one day I guess she found some sort of ... gentleman. She said that they moved fast, and he was a bit... daring? She was kind of ashamed of him, I guess, because she wouldn't introduce him to me or even tell me his name. I guess she was worried I would tell her mother, or someone else. But I'm not like that! If you love someone, so what? That's how I feel. But... she was kind of.. he was changing her, you could tell."
With wide eyes, she tells Uriel: "Once, during the rehearsal for the Trial in the Belly of the Beast, she kissed Ithelien so hard it was almost pornographic. She wasn't like that before him."
Elanna pauses to catch her breath and then says tentatively: "I'm sorry if I'm not bein' helpful."
Raikdar finishes his meal and takes a long pull from his mug. Wiping the foam off his upper lip he stands up.
"I going to do a walk around the building. Check out the stable. See if I can guess which window matches the Priestess' room. I shouldn't be long."
He pauses to tell the barmaid that he is coming back, tipping her a few extra coppers, then strides out into the sheeting rain. A flurry no doubt heralded by the earlier thunder-crack.
I'm gonna have to get a room after all. I'm not spending the night in sodden clothes, that's for sure. Thinks Raikdar as he examines the outside of the inn looking for likely places to climb up to it's second floor.
"That sounds good. Let us know of anything you find."
Hania says After Raikdar speaks and makes to leave.
"I will stay here and keep an eye out. It never hurts to have someone watching."
Hania will keep her ears tuned to everything around her. She wanted to be alert in case anyone noticed and would say anything. That and she was going to try and hear how the bartender responded.
"We should figure out how we're going to convince him." Rhiannon stared off blankly, losing herself in the music, letting it soothe her. "Always have a plan when trying to convince a man to part with what he wishes to keep."
"Alright then. If the direct approach doesn't work I feel that we can think of something to get what we want."
"Let's approach him together. With both of us working on him we should be able to find something to get to him."
She nods, taking another bite of her food and getting up. "It had best not be too much coin. Or anything involving the word 'lady." She shuddered.
Before leaving the table, she casts Prestidigitation on her food, temporarily giving it a very foul flavour for any who would decide to take food from an unattended table.
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@Raikdar: You can see that an intrepid leaper could easily jump onto the roof of the stable in the back of the inn and climb up to the third story windows without any issue at all-- the problem is leaping the ten feet vertically to get to the stable roof, which has no ascending structures within arms reach.
It might be possible to jump from the building next door, but this doesn't seem feasible-- it would startle the horses, and someone would be bound to notice unless you were especially soft footed or small.
@Hania, Rhiannon: Hearing nothing in the way of conversation that is useful, you stand to approach the bar.
If there's anything anyone could say about Ovidio, its that he's actually a kind and pleasant man. You've heard stories of him defending his serving girls against rude patrons, which in Korvosa might earn you a knife in the back one day. Ovidio remains alive now, obviously, so it looks like it hasn't come for him yet.
You know that Ovidio is a devotee of Abadar, especially to the tune of the aspects of commerce, currency and civilization. He keeps his faith under wraps, though, especially to those who don't want to listen to him boast about the city and 'the destiny of expansion'. Like the Shoanti.
Ovidio is conversing with another patron, an old man who looks well into his cups, when you both appear at the bar before him. Turning to face you, he cleans his hands on his apron and asks jovially "I noticed you in the corner, whispering-- casting spells on the food! Was it not to taste? Let me know and I'll have my halfling cook dragged into the street by his ankles and spun on a maypole."
"You'll have to catch me first, fat man." The surprisingly deep voice comes from a round halfling with a chef's hat and a permanent scowl who leans out of the kitchen doorway behind Ovidio. He smirks at the innkeeper before disappearing back where he came.
Ovidio laughs. "What can a humble innkeeper do for you two young women today?"
Raikdar walks around to the doors of the stables.
Rhiannon smiled at the innkeeper, and laughed along with him. "Oh no, sir, I am very satisfied with my food. Quite the contrary; the spell I placed on it is temporary, and will simply give it the taste of week-old horse dung while left unattended. The food here is far too good to risk anybody stealing it, and any who would pick at an unattended plate deserve a nasty surprise."
"We're unfortunately here on business. Investigating the disappearances of several women around Korvosa, one of which was staying here, before she vanished."
"Don't worry, you are being very helpful." It sounded like she had been charmed, one way or another. [b]"Did anything else happen around the same time? Not just with miss Imoroa but with the theatre or in this area? Anything out of the ordinary? Doesn't mature how small or insignificant, it could be useful."
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@Raikdar: The door to the stables opens easily, and inside the smell of wet horse, feed and wood rushes out to meet you.
Inside, a pair of men sit on the hay bales. They look over to Raikdar-- these men look less stablehands and more street rats. "Can we help you?" the larger one asks in a friendly tone.
You catch the glint of steel off of the lantern illuminating the stables. It's easy to see that both of them are carrying short swords, tucked into their belts and hidden in the folds of their cloaks.
@Rhiannon and Hania: Ovidio's happy expression dims considerably. "I pride the privacy of my inn, and that those who pay in advance are to not be disturbed. This is about the young priestess of Erastil, yes? Then let's talk somewhere more private."
He gestures to the kitchen door behind him, opening the side of the bar for you and walks into the kitchen. Inside, it's much warmer, much more humid, and there are many more halflings. Six or seven halflings of varying roundness and height move about the room, testing spoons of soup and arranging plates of food. It's very noisy-- but easy to have a quiet conversation here.
Ovidio stands near a hot stove as a halfling prepares... exactly what you were eating, Rhiannon. He asks over the din of the kitchen "Are you affiliated with the Korvosan Guard?"
Elanna goes over a hundred tiny details and miniscule facts and events, but none of them seem related to your case.
She seemed charmed, but maybe she's just... charming. You can tell that Elanna isn't under any kind of spell or mental control.
Hania nonchalantly makes her way upstairs to the room instead of following Rhiannon into the back.
If she doesn't appear noticed she will go to the room and, if it is not locked, step inside.
She immediately takes stock of the room and begins looking for anything hidden or out of the ordinary.
"You may be able to..." Raikdar steps farther into the stable and throws the damp hood back onto his shoulders so the two can see his face clearly. "My name is Raikdar Silvershrike. I've been commissioned by the Guard to find a missing person."
"Do you two work here, or are you just in out of the rain?"
Raikdar tries to gauge whether the two belong here or not.
