Chana wishes Lady Marthane a good night, then heads back through the halls to meet up with the rest of the group as they're getting guided to their guest rooms. She looks up and down the hall at the sauna and public bath, then shrugs. "Thank you Sir Gusairne."
Before retiring for the evening, Chana fills the rest of the group in on her invitation to Lady Marthane. "Not sure if she's trouble, but I reckon she doesn't 'old much love for the ol' count. Not sure why she keeps eyein' the artwork and walls 'round 'ere either. But anyone wit the guts to try wot she did - I figga its worth 'earing 'er out. So I invited 'er to stop at the estate after all this."
Suddenly realizing something, Chana pops back into the hall to look for Purple Finch to see if she wants to stay with the rest of the group.
The baths and sauna immediately draw the eye of Greenly. She faces Photinè, grinning, and invites the older woman to join her as she relaxes in heat and comfort.
"It'll be grand, and, oh, what a way to relax after a hard day of winning, and, like, saving the day." She does not extend this invite to anyone else, but nor does she stop them from joining should they wish to.
Chiara Betony's sudden reappearance in the hall catches Purple Finch by surprise as she quietly plods down the hall. However, it is the noblewoman's offer that provides her with an even greater surprise.
"Oh, no...I simply couldn't," Alista stammers. "It's bad enough they're making me sleep in the servants' quarters instead of my own home back in town. With all due respect to you and your company, your ladyship, I'm just not comfortable being in close quarters with strangers."
Photinè leads confidently, taking Greenly through the steps of a simple ballroom dance. She listens seriously as the quarter-elven woman talks about her life, nodding here and there and making small noises of sympathy. ”I’ll dance with you anytime, mon ours,” she smiles, gently squeezing her hand. ”You’re a fascinating and capable woman, and I’m proud to count you among my friends.”
The older woman exhales audibly, rolling her neck and shoulders to gently stretch the muscles. Her cheeks are flushed from all the wine and her shadowed lids are beginning to droop, but her dark eyes are still bright with excitement as she smiles at Greenly. ”You are a font of wisdom tonight, chérie. That sounds heavenly. Just let me slip into something more comfortable.”
Minutes later, Photinè arrives across the hall in nothing but a filmy robe, and soon sheds that as well, leaving it in a pile on the floor as she slips into the baths near to Greenly. With a contended sigh, she submerges herself to her chin, closing her eyes and breathing in the steam. She takes a long moment to relax, floating her hands atop the water, before wetting her long hair and beginning to gently scrub the makeup from her face.
Amid this delicate work, she peeks at Greenly from the corner of her eye. ”Your thoughts so far, mon ours?”
As the evening winds down and guests and hosts begin to depart, Amandine takes a moment to surreptitiously pluck a few of the finer and tastier looking items from the food selection. She wraps the morsels in a couple of napkins and tucks them away.
Later, when Sir Gusairne has left them, Amandine offers the delicacy filled napkins to Alista. "In appreciation for keeping an eye on Calix for me. It's not much, but I hope you will enjoy them and accept my sincere thanks."
Amandine also lets Greenly know that Baron Okerra has offered to see to her injuries if she feels the need for further medical attention.
Amandine does not join Greenly and Photine in the baths. Instead she asks Lidia to join her in her room for a short while. When they are alone, Amandine offers her a drink and then takes out a sheet of paper. She writes quickly and passes it to Lidia.
This is probably an unnecessary precaution, but we are within Count Lotheed's house, and he has considerable skill in the arcane arts, which might include scrying. I do not want our conversation to be overheard. I have a great favor I must ask of you..."
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Olivia is a bit surprised by the request and looks conflicted. She gratefully accepts a glass of white wine and decides to follow Amandine to her room. When she receives the piece of paper, Olivia relaxes.
Okay, this must be business. I can work with that.
She writes down on the paper. What do you need, Amandine?
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Greenly heats the bath up to something fierce and strips, getting in. She grabs a wad of chew and lets it sit between her teeth and her lower lip, holding a shallow clay pot before her so as not to spit into the pool.
For the five minutes it takes Photiné to get ready, Greenly mulls on the day, yawing and spitting and dragging her fingertips thru the bathwater. Okerra didn't seem to get that she's been playing to the crowd, so he probably hated her now, or thought she hated him, at the least. Not that she particularly cared, but if he held it against the group as a whole, then that was a loss, strategically speaking.
Lucretzia was cute and strange, but Greenly couldn't figure out what Chana meant by what she did taking guts. And the Baroness was weird and overly severe, but there was something about the curmudgeon that felt nice to be around, and she felt she could learn from her.
And then Photiné walks in. When the older woman drops her robe and steps in, Greenly's jaw drops likewise, her wad of chew rolling out and into the clay pot.
"Your thoughts so far, my bear?" asks the arcanist, and Greenly can't quite parse which meaning to follow. Dumbstruck, she stares for a few more seconds before blushing and turning her head.
"Holy f#!~, Teeny," she giggles. "You sure keep it all high and tight. Are you really a mother?"
Chana shrugs at Alista's response, letting her go on her way with a "Suit yourself." Considering how awful the servants had been treated during the party, Alista seemed to be choosing to get the short stick.
Rather than immediately retiring, Chana's curiosity leads her to the sauna. She lasts for all of a minute or two before scurrying out like a startled rat. Her flight from the sauna takes her to the baths, where she hisses out "What the 'eck is up with that torture room!" as she catches her breath and tries to cool down. "These nobles are nuts."
Though she dearly wants to jump in the baths to cool off, the lessons Chammy hammered into her about letting other nobles see her monstrous appearance keep her from doing so. She towels off and returns to see what Amandine and Olivia are up to, resolving to go and take a dip in the pool in the middle of the night instead.
Amandine takes the paper back from Lydia and writes again, much longer this time. When she finishes, she hands the paper back to Lydia looking sheepish.
Lydia notices that now they are in private and Amandine has dropped her performance, she looks very tired. She slumps slightly in her chair, and in the lower light dark circles are visible under her eyes.
When I danced with Count Lotheed earlier he was still in an ill mood because of the scene he made over you and his aunt. He was clear about the necessity of me reining you in. I needed to satisfy him, improve his mood, before I could work on him. The only thing I could think of was to promise you would apologize to him tomorrow.
I know you have nothing to apologize for, but can you please do so? I am sorry I have placed you in this very disagreeable position but it is important!
I understand very well that our mission here will almost certainly lead to conflict between us and Lotheed. But, until it is unavoidable, we must remain in the good graces of all those around us. The Lotheeds are the most powerful family in the County, and we cannot afford to tip our hand to them before we know how to proceed.
I believe with some more work, Count Lotheed will speak relatively freely to me. I doubt he will reveal any secrets, and I've no doubt he will attempt to manipulate me, but we can gain insight into his relationships in the County, as well as how he thinks, and what motivates him. Perhaps what he fears as well. Knowing his mind could be a great advantage to us when the time comes.
Hopefully Photine will convince Count Lotheed that Chana and I are easily influenced, and she can deliver the Betony family to him as faithful allies. But I will still need to be in his favor before he will be candid with me.
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Olivia sits on the bed in an upright position, though her stoicism is wavering. She smiles warmly when Amandine slumps back and tries to relax. After patiently waiting for the response, Olivia doesn't take long to reply.
Of course, I can certainly apologise to him. If I had known of this tension, I wouldn't have accepted her offer. I may heavily dislike the Count, but I have no intention of disrespecting him if I can help it.
"Holy f#+~, Teeny," she giggles. "You sure keep it all high and tight. Are you really a mother?"
Her face now bare of cosmetics, the fine lines around Photinè’s eyes and mouth are more apparent. They crinkle as she giggles, her laughter sending gentle ripples out through the hot water. "Oui, though in all fairness, it's been twenty-one years since I had my son. Thank you, and consider the compliment returned,” she purrs, giving the barbarian a coy glance.
Holding up the damp cloth she used on her own face, she cleans it with a bit of magic, and offers to help Greenly with the gold eyeshadow and painted whiskers.
Greenly accepts the offer, eager for any amount of attention. She moves closer and sits just beside Photinè, back erect, hands in her lap, smiling meekly.
"What are you dressing up as for the masquerade tomorrow night? You look best in darker colors, I think, but you have, like, good taste. I'm sure it'll be grand irregardless. I'm, like, real excited to see everyone."
When Chana enters the room Amandine silently hands over the piece of paper to her.
Chana takes an unusually long time to read the note Amandine passes her, then folds it over to write her own message in response. The scrawl she leaves on the paper is rough, with uneven letters and sentences that wander across the page.
Count Lotheed's rotten through to the core. You can smell it. I trust whatever your plan is. You know better than me how to get people like him to do things. And we need to know what dirty secrets he has.
Anything we want to do tomorrow to help you with that? Other than Oliv doing her sorry-making.
Alista gratefully accepts the food proffered by Amandine. In return, she turns over the keys to your suite of guest rooms to ensure privacy.
"I almost forgot to give you those," she gasps before bidding goodnight and retreating down the hall. She pauses briefly, as though reconsidering Chiara's own offer, but then quickly continues her quiet march through the benighted palace.
.....
In the morning, Alista arrives at your suites' doors to collect you. She again wears the Purple Finch mask, but she seems to chafe less beneath its clownish aspect.
"I was certain that I would hate this whole affair," she quietly confides, "And if I was paired with any of these other nobles, I probably would have. As it stands, I'm almost eager to see what new turns you bring to this jubilee."
She informs you that breakfast will be held in the garden this morning.
"Spitchcock will be served. Well, I suppose you could call it being 'served.' The local custom involves a bit more self service, though."
Chana greets Alista with a wave "Good you're in one piece. With the way the Count lets people get mistreated, I was half expecting trouble in those servants quarters."
Having gotten cleaned up in the early morning hours, Chana is back in the same dress from the previous day. Sophia had mentioned something about how important it was to show off new outfits at every event, but Chana figured this counted as the same one... just way too long. She waits for the others to gather, and in the mean time asks "Spitchcock? What's that about? Are we supposed to go catch them ourselves?"
"Some of the girls in the servants' rooms complained about sleeping fitfully," Alista informs you. "Truth be told, they did look quite the worse for wear. I think they'll be counting on their jester masks to hide the circles beneath their eyes."
Chiara's second question elicits a wry smile from the attendant.
"You hit the eel right on the head with that one. Before they're split and grilled, you have to catch the darn things out of a large basin. I think it's meant to be a warmup for the day's main event."
"That would be the 'Grand Hunt,' as the count and his coterie describe it.
"Each hunting party will be assigned ground to cover by drawing lots. I'm not quite sure what game in particular will be the quarry. Boar and deer are very plentiful in the county, but they might be too banal for most nobles. They might be eager to catch something more exciting, like fading fox or silvercats."
Amandine writes a reply to Chana's question and passes it back.
It would probably be good to introduce yourself to Count Lotheed and thank him for his hospitality. You're also a Betony heir so he probably expects it. You can keep it short and simple if you wish. I've asked him if he would advise us in the future as we take up running the estate. If he brings that subject up with you, you could echo my sentiments on the subject?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Amandine groans audibly when Alista reveals the day's event will be a hunt.
"Ugh, so useless and uninteresting. Brambles, mud, wandering around in the forest. I'll probably end up lost and need to be rescued. Please don't tell me we must also ride horses!"
Nevertheless Amandine dresses for a day in the wilds. Although she wears trousers for practicality's sake, she uses her magical sleeves to glamour her clothes into something more appropriate for the company she will be keeping.
Amandine appears at breakfast smiling brightly in her hunting clothes.
"I hear we will be hunting today! How exciting!" she says enthusiastically.
Chana responded to Amandine's message with:
I'll try. Guy's a piece of sewer ooze. Not sure if I'll be able to do more than short and simple.
----
The idea of prowling out in the open to hunt had a certain... excitement to it that reminded Chana of the very violent games of hide and seek she'd played as a child. She gives a grin before saying "Amandine, it won't be so bad. Especially if we have some interesting prey to hunt. Just so long as the Count doesn't turn it into another disgusting game." The moment the thought leaves her lips, she realizes that that's EXACTLY what it's going to be based on their experiences thus far.
"Well, maybe we can make it fun." She cracks her knuckles.
Tables and chairs are laid out in the garden for breakfast. As the noble guests assemble - most arriving from their cottages along the palace grounds while a few, such as yourselves, exit the palace proper - they are seated and a large bowl of water, filled with live eels, is set before them. Each guest is also provided a miniature harpoon for them to spear their choice of fish.
Several grills have been set up beside the tables, well away from the topiary and rare flowers. Servants stoke the coals to get them heated in time for the first catch.
The only notable absence among the guests is Earl Merkondus.
Chana starts by asking around for where Earl Merkondus might be this morning.
Her watering mouth prevents her from being particularly eloquent in her question-asking. She soon gives up and picks up a miniature harpoon to try to get herself some eels. Forgetting herself and the image she's trying to maintain, she jabs swiftly and violently to kill each eel without causing it excessive suffering.
It's only after she has a pair of eels on skewers that she realizes that maybe she should be trying to chat up the guests this morning.
-----
She locates Onora and passes her a grilled eel. "Good morning, Ms. Piscum. What do you think of this show of... fake spearfishing? I think it'd be a lot more interesting to get this group out and wading in a lake nearby. Give them proper spears and see how they handle themselves." She grins behind her mask and her voice takes on a bemused tone.
It proves difficult for Chana to coax conversation with the other guests away from boasts of their fishing prowess, or subtle criticisms comparing this spitchcock fare to that served in Cassomir or Oppara. In the end, no one she approaches can explain the earl's absence, and they assume he had to depart early for important business.
On the other hand, Chana receives a much warmer reception when she speaks with Ms. Piscum. She does nothing to hide or suppress her chuckle at the prospect.
"The only one getting fed would be the old General," Onora jokes in return. "Of course, some of these nobles might surprise us and actually know their way around a harpoon - or at least a boar spear. That Baron Okerra, in particular, could probably back up his bravado."
Onora pauses to look at the small harpoon in her hand. She then stares at the water before her and suddenly stabs into the bowl. This produces a splash that showers her simple, homespun day dress with water, and for her trouble she pulls back an empty harpoon.
"If I weren't so bad at this, I might actually call it fun," she muses, brushing away water from her lap.
"For being an old guy, Okerra's got a lot of fight in him. I think Sir Greenly got on his bad side, but otherwise I think he'd make for a good ally around here. For Stachys too." Speaking to Onora, Chana thinks back to some of her steadfast allies back in the Narrows. People you could trust to watch your back, lettin' you sleep soundly when things were tough.
She lets out an unhappy sigh. She was FAR too far away from the old crew right now. Rubbin' knuckles with some total snobs. Gross.
Amandine eyes the harpoon and expects to go hungry. She seeks company with those who she figures will likely fare no better than her.
"Good morning Dame Crabbe, and to you as well Sepsinia. I hope you both slept well?"
She raises the harpoon in her hand with a flourish. "Do you have any 'pointers' she says with a smile, "for successfully feeding myself this morning? I've seen this sort of game back in Oppara before, but I was never placed in the position of needing good aim to eat."
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Lidia is dressed in a white under-gambeson, slacks, and leather boots. Her ornamental longsword is at her hip.
Before everyone is seated, Lidia swallows her pride and approaches Count Lotheed. "My Lord, may I have a word?"
She looks at the Count, whom she knows is an evil, self-centered, corrupt man, not too unlike her father. She takes a breath to center herself, and then says "My Lord Lotheed, I would like to apologize for my actions last night. I was naive to think that dancing with your aunt would be appropriate behaviour for someone of my station, and I regret it sincerely. I will make sure to be aware of this in my future dealings, and I hope you will forgive me for my ineptitude. I did not mean to upset you."
"Really?" Dame Crabbe asks Amandine with incredulity. "Spitchcock has remained in fashion for the past several seasons. Even I have practically mastered this slippery art. Please, watch how I hold the harpoon and see how I move my wrist."
Dame Crabbe, eager to show off how she is even on top of culinary fashion, sits shoulder to shoulder with Amandine and teaches her how to spear an eel in the manner of a proper lady.
Count Lotheed purses his lips, the bottom one trembling slightly. He looks down upon you with eyes brimming with nothing but judgment and contempt. However, your words keep his feet planted and prevent him from simply turning his back and ignoring you, or offering a yet more insulting rebuttal.
"You are a newcomer to my county. Nay, lower still - you are the attendant of a newcomer," he sneers. "When you enter my house as a guest, it would be wise to attempt to educate yourself and understand what is proper decorum.
"Nevertheless, I accept your contrition. If only for the sake of not making a further scene at this celebration, I will allow us to move on from last night."
Over the course of breakfast, when a noble guest spears their choice of eel, one of the servants quickly seizes the creature, splits its belly open, and flops it upon the grill. The head is left intact, and its mouth hangs agape when it is eventually slid upon a plate and placed before its diner.
.....
The guests are ushered into an adjoining garden terrace, where you are met by Purple Finch. Your masked attendant struggles to hold onto the leashes in her hands, fighting against the pair of Taldan bloodhounds on the other end.
"Good morning," she grunts, pulling back as the hounds leap and bray excitedly. "I hope you were not too put off by the chariot race last night, for it seems our host has something similar in mind."
As if on cue, a battery of trumpets peals through the air - eliciting a chorus of howls from the bloodhounds being brought out to you and the other teams of noble hunters. Beneath this fanfare, Sir Gusairne and his guards march out your "prey" for the hunt - men dressed as animals.
"Allow a brief round of applause for our volunteers," Count Lotheed announces, delivering a sharp wave of his hand towards the four costumed men. "Through their service as quarry, we can avoid any tragic injuries that might otherwise mar such a beautiful day. Lots have been drawn to randomly assign each hunting party to not just their prey but to a stretch of land surrounding the palace grounds."
With a wry smile, Sir Gusairne comes around and informs you that your party will be pursuing one Moffis, a man dressed as a wild ox, through the woodlands of the nearby Brashen Deeps.
Chana chitters something strange under her breath at the two bloodhounds to calm them, then gladly takes the leashes from Purple Finch (assuming the hounds seem amenable). She looks down at them through the eyeholes of her mask and locks eyes with them to establish her dominance. Once pack order has been established, she turns to Alista. "Well, they seem nice."
When the cruel twist to the hunt is established, Chana almost begins to hiss in irritation. Quietly she asks "Is that Count trying to make me strangle him? This isn't any kinda hunting. It's another stupid game."
She looks to the rest of the group, wondering exactly how they would tackle this "game". When Olivia seems to be going along with it, she comments "Any chance we can wreck this whole thing? This mockery don't sit well with me."
Amandine takes some time to watch Moffis discreetly, trying to read his mental and emotional state at the moment.
"The best way to handle this would be to come to an agreement with Moffis if possible. Perhaps we can satisfy the particulars of this "hunt" without any harm coming to anyone if we cooperate. Shall I ask him if he's agreeable?"
In passing, your eyes also fall upon Sir Gusairne. None of the empathy he showed his own servants last night is present today, and he joins his noble lord in looking down upon the men and women dressed like animals. This leads you to suspect that Moffis and the others are recruited locals rather than members of the palace staff.
When Olivia approaches, the bloodhounds pull at their leashes to leap and slobber at the knightly woman. However, when Chana takes the leashes and looks them in the eye, the dogs sit and calm themselves. The droop of their ears and the position of their tails bespeaks obedience to their new "pack leader."
"The 'prey' needs to be brought back alive," Purple Finch explains. "If not out of what little decency and humanity remain on these grounds, then simply for the fact that these people come from the lands belonging to the count's neighbors. For instance, Moffis hails from Cascina, which makes him one of Baroness Voinum's citizens. If Count Lotheed got him killed, that iron maiden would never let the count rest easily.
"Of course, I suspect many of these other 'noble hunters' will have no compunction against wounding their targets like any other animal," she says, heaping her venom upon the last word.
"Don't worry. These hounds are excitable, but they are well trained. Here, observe this," Purple Finch says. She reaches over to a tray set upon one of the garden tables and retrieves a quail egg.
"A sign of good rearing in Taldan bloodhounds is whether they can hold an egg in their mouth without breaking it."
To emphasize her explication, she inserts the dainty quail egg into one bloodhound's mouth. The dog sits nervously with the egg balanced in his mouth. His eyes dart between Purple Finch and Chana, unsure what to do now.
Chana holds out a hand, expecting the dogs to offer their eggs. When she gets them, she cracks open one of the eggs and offers half to the well behaving dogs and sips the other half herself, raw.
"Alright, then I'll make sure these two good girls" She gestures to the bloodhounds "Are not biting anyone they shouldn't be. Working together we shouldn't have too hard a time catching Moffis. Do we get nets or something else to catch the prey?" She looks up and over at the other groups of nobles to see what they're preparing.
"Only other question is if we can protect some of the other runners from... people who don't care for them."
Amandine waits until Moffis is relatively alone, with nobody within ten or fifteen feet of him.
She gathers Lidia and Chana in closer to her so it looks like they are having a quiet conversation. But instead of speaking to them (although they can hear what she says), she focuses on Moffis's face, making it close to her's in her mind's eye.
"Moffis, don't be afraid, just relax. You are really hearing my voice. My name is Amandine and I am a member of the party that has been assigned to hunt you. We don't want to hurt you. I have a plan to get all of us through this nasty game unharmed. If you look over at the hunting parties, you will see me and my friends. I am wearing the dark blue dress. I am talking to you secretly, don't do anything to give the secret away. You can also whisper to me and I will hear you. Whisper back to me, 'yes' if you understand."
From a distance, you see confusion play out upon Moffis' face then watch as it blossoms to panic when he cannot find the source of the voice in his head. He quickly calms when he turns to find Amandine, in her dark blue dress, looking straight on at him and realizes that hers is the reassuring voice that he hears.
The rest of the party can see Moffis mouth the "yes" that only Amandine can hear.
"I hear you Moffis!" Amandine replies in a whisper. "Very good, this is really very easy isn't it?"
Although she's whispering, Amandine does her best to keep her voice warm and soothing.
"We're all caught in an unhappy situation. You don't want to be hunted, and we don't want to hunt you. None of us can risk having the Count upset with us though. We will have to suffer through this and let the Count have his sport because, if we don't he would make things worse for us. Am I right?"
"But if we cooperate it doesn't have to be too bad. This is what I have in mind. When the time comes you'll run, just as if we were really coming after you. And then we will set off to find you, just as if we were really going to hunt you down. But later on, once we are well away from everyone else, we will meet up. Then we bring you back here claiming to have finally caught you after a good chase. Very simple."
"But we must make it look convincing. We don't want to win the contest because we don't want attention or extra questions about what happened. We'll let others have all the attention. We will delay our return until we're as sure as we can be that someone else has won. I'll see if I can put together some food to bring along for a little brunch while we wait. I'm sure you'll be hungry after all the running through the forest."
"We must also look the part. While you are running, don't avoid mud or brambles. You should look tired and sweaty, scratched and muddy, as if you have done your very best to get away. We will do the same so it looks like you gave us the best chase you could. We will let you come to us. We will be making plenty of noise, and will set the hounds with us to baying so you can find us when you're ready. By the way, don't worry about the hounds. My cousin Chiara has them well under control and they won't harm you. Does my idea sound like a good one to you Moffis? We will need to trust each other for it to work, but we can do that can't we?"
While Amandine tries to get Moffis on board with the fake-hunt plan, Chana looks around at the other hunting parties to try to spot which ones seem to be most eager to chase down their human quarry.
If she has time, she takes her bloodhounds around to each of those parties to try to let the dogs have a smell of their horses and any other distinctive olfactory elements to their party. She figures that if they have a chance to do so, they might as well try to protect the other "prey" individuals. But to do so they'd need to be able to find them first.
Nevertheless, still won over by the first impression you made upon him, Moffis seems amenable to your suggestion. He remains very jittery, though.
As Amandine quietly, magically communicates with Moffis, Lord Titus and his cronies saunter over.
"So, you've been assigned the Brashen Deeps?" he jeers with a voice that matches the condescension of his smile. He snatches a glass of warmed brandy from the tray of a passing servant and takes a gulp before continuing his thought.
"You'd best beware the vicious beast you must hunt in those hilly pines," he chuckles.
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20+8
Amandine quickly whispers to Moffis "Give me a moment Moffis." and dismisses the connection.
She doesn't want to do anything that might encourage Titus to remain with them so she stays silent, just watching.
Of all the nobles, it looks like Lord Titus is the only one that's really going to have evil intentions. Chana shrugs at his comments and adds "Careful all that drinking doesn't make you lose track of your quarry. Or that your bloodhounds' noses get plugged by the fumes. Would be a shame if you caught no one this morning."
She makes sure the team's bloodhounds get a good whiff of Titus' quarry.
Amandine waits until Titus has moved on then contacts Moffis again.
"I believe you didn't sell the Count soured butter Moffis. But the very first thing we need to worry about is getting through this hunt. Will you follow the plan I told you about?"
Moffis eagerly agrees to Amandine's magically conveyed plan.
The dairy farmer, pressed into service for the count's game, now appears much more at ease.
At the drop of a thunderstone that sets many of the Taldan hounds barking, Moffis and the other costumed peasants are sent running. At the direction of the Count, the "quarry" is given a one hour head start to allow them "a sporting chance." During this time, the noble hunters sip warmed brandy, nibble on finger foods, and chatter among themselves.
You have already saddled your horses when the signal is given for the hunt to begin. With Alista the "Purple Finch" guiding you, you cross the gentle hills around the palace and reach the Brashen Deeps within 45 minutes. Moffis has left clear tracks for you to follow, doing his best to shorten the game. You plunge into the thick undergrowth that chokes this stretch of forest, making plenty of noise to call Moffis' attention.
Before you can meet up with him, though, a deafening roar tears through the forest, followed shortly by a man's screams for help. Racing through the undergrowth, you find Moffis desperately dodging the swipes of a massive beast. It resembles a lion of fearsome size, but with leathery wings and a long tail coated in spikes.