Wyssilka spits a gob of blood in Muri's general direction. "Having served my god well in life, I know my reward in death - and all is as it should be. My god has given me power to bring down the nobles of this wretched town at least a notch - and that was prior to last night!"
"Oh, last night was glorious. So much killing. So much DEATH!" she shrieks shrilly.
Muri's ready goes off.
"Did you promise Thamir Gixx the life of Lady Martella?" Muri dries his hands off, having hardly controlled the bladehead to his satisfaction. "Her life is much more important than ours."
”I’m glad you made it! I was about to have to tell them something.”
"Oh! My Lady!" Elen exclaims, trying to hide her shock at the Lady's condition. "There's some healing just around the corner! If I'm right, the clown is losing and the rest of us should be here shortly. I will remain here and guard you," Elen says, rushing to the woman in an effort to unshackle her. "Do you know if they trapped these?" Elen says peering at the locks before looking for a key on nearby green.
If she finds no obvious way to help LMartella out of the shackles, she'll turn to the dog.
"Good girl, Underfoot. Can you fetch help?"
”No, we had other plans for her under the best circumstances.” Wyssilka smiles an unfriendly smile and says no more on the subject. She does however take her AoO on the elemental.
Round 10, Init 14-, 18/19 hp, invisible
Bristling at the sheer malevolence of the clown in question, Mama D nearly wastes her remaining moments of invisibility. It is determination that sends her instead toward the door, to see if there is anything she can do for her very distant cousin.
Muri tries to reason with the diminutive clown, but she answers as expected - though Muri fails to follow through. Elen ducks around the corner and can be heard talking to someone. Anselm heals Kamari to full and himself a touch as well, as his elemental takes an AoO to move into position and slam Wyssilka! Alas, it only pops the image. Kamari resists the black wave of energy and stabs at her assailant, though she doesn’t connect. Mama D moves back to the cave (and may read the spoiler below). Major Kort takes a careful shot, and connects once more - though he’s sure the bolt was about to miss! His bolt plunges into the halflings chest, leaving a rather larger hole than expected as well.
Bleeding from a wide variety of cuts and scrapes and a big hole in her chest, she tilts her head back and laughs. She sputters as blood wells up in her mouth, ”So this is what it’s like to fail!” Her doll Duke Squiggles falls from her hand. Her dagger clatters from her fingers, and she collapses, slowly considering her height, to the floor.
You can hear the combat closing quickly in the other room. Underfoot stays near you, though her ears are pricked toward the passage and her master, Muri.
- - -
We are out of initiative.
Those who head around the corner to where Elen is may read the following.
Lady Martella Lotheed looks at you as you enter. You can see the injuries they’ve inflicted on her body as they tortured her for answers - and they’re not pretty.
She’s currently bolted to the wall by chains connected to bindings on her wrists. They’re setup in such a way that she can’t sit or rest, she must stand… or hang. She’s standing now, leaning heavily on Elen, but you can see her muscles shake with the effort of it. The accumulated abuse from being in this condition for more than a day now. Unable to rest due to the pain, yet being exhausted with fatigue, and even poison. For you see some of the wounds coated in something green and festering.
You’ll also note, quickly looking around, that the other manacles are situated so as to allow for much more range of motion. It’s clear this set of chains have been recently modified for use as a torture device. From the looks of Martella, not the only torture device they’ve used at that.
She’s leaning heavily on Elen, but manages a smile when you enter the room. ”Welcome to my home away from home. Anybody have a key?”
- - -
Dignity’s Barb (image) becomes a +1 darkwood light crossbow which reduces miss chances from concealment by 10%. In addition, once per day, when you threaten a crit, you may roll the confirmation twice and take the best result.
- - -
Anselm rushes to Martella's side. "Milady, I am so sorry. May I tend to your wounds while the others free you?"
Three prayers help close some of her wounds. He offers her an antitoxin for any lingering poison effects.
Elen remains to prop up Lady Martella while others begin to heal her.
"The keys to the shackles are with the clown, if someone could fetch them that would be great!"
Seeing that Elen and Anselm have Lady M's immediate needs in hand, Mama D heads back for the keys.
"The keys. She says that creature has the keys." Well schooled in hiding her emotion, her voice barely trembles at all. It is only then that she remembers to dismiss the invisibility spell. If no one else has them, or takes them, she will retrieve them, blood or no, from the the cursed clown corpse.
Kort reloads his crossbow, smiling at his shooting had done. He's killed before, but nothing so personal and so violent.
He moves to the center of the room and keeps an eye out for more danger. He's not certain that there aren't more assassins lurking.
After a while, if and when it seems quiet and the battle is over, he will cast Detect Magic and scour the rooms for things of interest, and magic.
Madame Lotheed returns to find Muri rifling through the dead halfling's effects, looking first for the holy symbol to Thamir Gixx, then the keys, which, if found, he hands directly to elder woman in her shuttling them back to her kin.
Kamari takes in the bloody scene while awaiting the next assault. When none comes, she rushes to the other room on the news of Lady Lotheed.
"I'm sorry we took so long." She blurts out, not quite sure what else to say.
She finally stows her rapier and does what she can to assist Lady Lotheed in recovering from her situation.
Anselm calls out to the elder veteran in the other room. "Major, your scrolls might be a help. The ones that help remove the effects of poison." He sets to work with the wand, first patching up Martella, and then his compatriots (and himself, with any spillover).
Martella - 6 charges => 4 hp to Anselm
Muri - 3 charges => 2 hp to Anselm
Underfoot - 3 charges => 1 hp to Anselm
Kort - 1 charge => 3 hp to Anselm
Mama D - 1 charge => 4 hp to Anselm
14 charges total, everyone healed to full
"Major, your scrolls might be a help. The ones that help remove the effects of poison."
Major stiffly moves to where he is needed.
”Yes, of course. I do recall that you recently supervised the acquisition of 4 scrolls like that, and I have memory for such things. As you may know, I served in logics for the First Army of Taldan Defense for many years, and it was job to know such things,” Kort offers in reply while looking through his haversack.
”This is what you’re looking for,” Kort offers Anselm the requested item without even needing a requisition form. Ah, civilian life is nice. No more forms.
Anselm nods. "Ah yes, that's the one. Milady, this should give you back a modicum of your strength."
He reads from the scroll with some small amount of hesitation, not yet being familiar with the spell in question.
"There. You're looking better already." Anselm bows, a tear of relief running down his cheek.
Anslem begins the healing process while Mama D gets the keys and Elen supports the Lady. It isn’t long before the party has her moved into the last room to check - which turns out to be Lady Lotheed’s home away from home. Two large bookshelves, an elaborate L shaped desk, and a well-dressed bed decorate a lavish bedroom. A variety of springs, gears, and small tools clutter the desk alongside pages of sketches and designs. You also see two brass crickets on the table.
There Lady Lotheed lies, propped up with pillows, as she explains about last night. ”Well, I thought I had managed to save some of the servants and Wyssilka, a clown, from the madness last night. Not knowing where to turn for the moment I came here, to one of my safe houses. No sooner did I open the secret door than the lot of them turned on me, and I realized I was being kidnapped!”
She rests her eyes a moment, ”So, I need to get out of here and somewhere safer for the time being. Clearly, this safe house is know blown.” She thinks a moment, but that may simply be the fatigue, ”Take me to Lady Gloriana Morilla’s. Her Pathfinders can keep me hidden while I mend.” She opens her eyes again, ”But my you lot have done well. Very well indeed. I shall make sure the Princess, ah, Queen, hears about this.”
Anselm heals much of her strength and wisdom damage and more bringing a bit of color to her cheeks. She smiles a bit, and thanks you all.
”Things may move quickly when we get to Gloriana’s, so let me say this now. Thank you. Thank you for coming for me. And thank you for your service to the new Queen of Taldor. I will be in touch as soon as I can with further instructions. Until then, I suggest laying low until we know what’s going on.”
”Now, before we go,” she sits up a little and swings her legs over the side, ”is there anything I should know? Oh, and get my things, they put them in the chest in the cave. I’ll need them, just in case there’s a welcome party when we climb out of here.”
Her items, when retrieved, include magical studded leather, masterwork rapier, dart wrist launcher (”Be careful with that, poison you know.”) magical cloak, masterwork thieves’ tools, sunrods, tinder twigs, her family signet ring, a magical small silver raven sculpture, about a dozen potion and other small flasks, her Senator Badge, and a variety of cogs, wheels, and trap components as well as nearly 200gp in cash.
Major Kort finds a few things on Wyssilka and her allies of value.
Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x4
Potion of Hide from Animals x2
Masterwork short sword
Masterwork daggers x4
Silver unholy symbols of Norgorber x4
+1 chain shirt (small)
Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2
Miscellaneous coinage 35gp
Anselm perches on the side of the bed, naturally adopting the tone of a confidante.
"Never have so many years passed within one cycle of the sun. The broaches whisked us away to long disused chambers below the Senate. It seems the Gixx cultists anticipated that effect, and one of their number attempted to infiltrate our party. We were able to guide Lady Trant and others out and defeat the assassins. One of them told us of Wyssilka's true identity and her presence here. We came as quickly as might ensure our success. I'm so sorry it could not have been sooner, milady."
He looks to the others for reminders of anything he missed, before adding some of the news from the streets. "There has been no word from Stavian. Oh, do you know to whom this cameo might belong? The different guards have hunkered down, with no one to unite them. I expect time is ripe for Princess Eutropia to fill the void."
Kort bows stiffly at the words from Lady Lotheed, also eager to leave before any bad things happen.
He doesn't know how to take the praise except with stoic mien, as is appropriate for a soldier.
* * *
Being more curious about magic than almost anything in his civilian life, K'Aldrian takes a look at the mundane magics.
Spellcraft - studded leather
Spellcraft - cloak
Spellcraft - raven sculpture
Spellcraft - dozen potions?
Kort holds up the ring, hoping it triggers a memory or observation from his past.
nobility
Kort offers the unidentified magics to Mama D, hoping he can learn from his failures.
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Muri picks up the halfling chain, and holds it up to the light. He purses his lower lip forward, recognizing the craftsmanship of the armor, so keeps it for himself. Calling Underfoot over, he turns to drape the chain over the sheepdog's back, only to realize that he's raising his arms higher than he has before. "Smack my backside... If you don't stop growing, you'll eat us out of homestead and farmland, girl!" The halfling puts his small hands on both sides of the sheepdog's muzzle, and measures. Muri makes a couple of wondersounds, before he remembers himself.
"Now, before we go, is there anything I should know? "
Tucking the Gixx holy symbols into Underfoot's satchels, Muri turns to answer the Lady. "There are a couple of norgs in our cart on the street, if they're still unconscious. I don't know if they're valuable, but there were at least two of them who got away, fully aware of our intentions to get into the Depository." Muri thinks a little bit longer.
"We also left a... magical... rat... behind, in the underground halls beneath the Senate. It was difficult deciding whether to end him as a threat, or bring his body with us, and we did neither."
Kamari stands by to assist in any way she can while the magically inclined assist Lady Lotheed back to health. She notices the pair of crickets on the table and wonders what might the Lady willing to depart with one of them. It can't hurt to ask she decides.
"Your advice to lay low makes sense. No one seems to know who won the night or even who is in charge."
Kamari helps pack things away for travel and pauses at the pair of crickets.
"Do both these work my Lady? If you could spare one, it would likely aid us in our efforts to aid you and the Queen?"
While still propping up Lady Martella, Elen helps Mama D undo the shackles that bind the noble to the wall. She helps move the recently liberated kidnapee to her 'home away from home'.
Elen checks out the bookshelves and the elegant home away from home office in the lavish bedroom. She pauses over the table of sketches, designs, crickets and parts.
"May I ask," she says, hunching near the edge of the table to get a closer look at the crickets, "do you make these? Also -- why do you need a 'safehouse'?" she says rising and turning to face Lady Martella. "The run in with evil cult clowns being a recent thing, by your own words."
"There has been no word from Stavian. Oh, do you know to whom this cameo might belong? The different guards have hunkered down, with no one to unite them. I expect time is ripe for Princess Eutropia to fill the void."
She glances at the cameo, but shrugs, ”I’ve not seen that before. Could be anyones I suppose. And as to what void may or may not exist, that is for another time to decide.”
Major Kort, and perhaps Mama D, take a few minutes to rummage through Lady Lotheed’s personal belongings before returning them to her, trying to discern more about their benefactor perhaps. She doesn’t comment on the delay, or likely notice in her current state.
- - -
Tucking the Gixx holy symbols into Underfoot's satchels, Muri turns to answer the Lady. "There are a couple of norgs in our cart on the street, if they're still unconscious. I don't know if they're valuable, but there were at least two of them who got away, fully aware of our intentions to get into the Depository." Muri thinks a little bit longer.
"We also left a... magical... rat... behind, in the underground halls beneath the Senate. It was difficult deciding whether to end him as a threat, or bring his body with us, and we did neither."
”There were a lot of them from time to time, so I’m sure there are others out there who know about this place now and are likely selling the information as we speak.” she shrugs, looking around, ”And this was such a good place too. Ahh well. A magic rat huh?”
"Do both these work my Lady? If you could spare one, it would likely aid us in our efforts to aid you and the Queen?"
”Please, help yourself.” she offers one of the crickets to Kamari.
"May I ask," she says, hunching near the edge of the table to get a closer look at the crickets, "do you make these? Also -- why do you need a 'safehouse'?" she says rising and turning to face Lady Martella. "The run in with evil cult clowns being a recent thing, by your own words."
”Yes, I enjoy working on little mechanical things, and you never know when you just need a safe place to crash!” she smiles, almost laughing, before growing serious. ”I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be flippant, and you deserve more. I am the Queens spy-master. I make sure she knows as much as possible about any question that may come her way. And that means I need to know the answers to a great many questions. That takes agents, such as yourselves, all over the country, in my own limited fashion of course. This is one of the places where such folk can go, er, could go, in an emergency. Myself included. Here though, is where I tended to go to be alone, and work on my little gadgets. It was a good workspace, and quiet. The warehouse is pretty profitable as well, and easy to maintain.”
She puts on her gear, somewhat slowly, as she listens and responds to your tales and questions. Though the obvious injuries are healed, she’s still stiff and sore from hanging and the other, deeper, injuries. Fully kitted, she gathers a few more things from the table, including the remaining cricket and masterwork clockwork tools. She checks one or two more cupboards, and gathers a bundle of weapons from the next chamber as well from behind the northern door.
”No need to leave anything behind of value. I’ll have some people sent over to secure the warehouse, and any who still live who might teach us more of what happened last night, but it’ll be a while before they get here I expect. Can someone carry this for me?” She’ll hand over her bundle to whomever offers.
”You should all stay in town a few days until I can reach out to you. Is there somewhere I can send a message that will reach you safely? If you need rooms, I know the owner of the Silent Horse. She can square you away. No charge of course. Might be a good place to lay low for a while as well, and with all the nobles who routinely stay there, it’s well protected.”
- - -
You head back up the ladder into the warehouse and Martella is impressed by the sheer number of bodies lined up in the loading bay (remember you moved everyone here from the cart and elsewhere). When you look, you’ll see they all bear a single new injury. Someone has slit all their throats, even those you had already killed. It looks like they just went down the line, cutting each throat as they passed before leaving again. Even Snootle. Not knowing this, and clearly assuming you did it, Lady Lotheed gives you all a dispirited but understanding look, ”A little bloodthirsty aren’t we?”
Kort returns with the items, offering them to the Lady. "No one seems to have tampered or cursed them, from what I can tell," he offers stiffly.
* * *
"A little bloodthirsty aren’t we?”
K'Aldrian shakes his head. "This is not all our handiwork. Someone else has been here, or we missed them during our sweep. Likely our foes know of their failure tonight, and your release. They may be returning with reinforcements. Perhaps we should hasten to the Pathfinder Lodge."
Know (Local)
"The Silent Horse? I can temporarily encamp there, if that would be easier and more central to our work," Kort offers...stiffly. "M'Della? Would that be easier for you?" he asks Mama D.
Kamari finds a cloth to wrap the cricket in before depositing it in her pouch next to the frog. She resists the temptation to take the both out at the same time and wind them up.
Kamari lends a hand in transporting Lady Lotheed's to the surface. She's as surprised as the rest to see the bloodshed above.
"I don't know the Silent Horse, but it might be best to avoid home for the night."
"My Lady, after we ensure you are safely secured elsewhere, will you reach use through the badges again in the future?"
Anselm raises an eyebrow. "Ah, the Silent Horse. Father brought me there for tea once. It would be an honor to spend some time recuperating there with you."
He doffs the wig upon his head and offers it to Lady Lotheed. "This can provide you a disguise while we are in transit. A glamer."
"If you need rooms, I know the owner of the Silent Horse. She can square you away. No charge of course. Might be a good place to lay low for a while as well, and with all the nobles who routinely stay there, it’s well protected.”
Elen considers this offer quite seriously. Oh, these evil cultists... I should not lead them to dear cousin Númen... or the dance studio.
"Oh," Elen says, hesitantly, not wishing to take advantage of anyone. Still, the Lady has offered. "The Silent Horse is of lavishly excellent repute! It would be a most excellent place to lay low."
"A little bloodthirsty aren’t we?”
Elen looks upon the fresh carnage in dismay and shoots a hopelessly alarmed look at Anselem. "This -- we did not do this. Could it have been one of the other evil cultists that we let go?"
"I have no doubt. Father Skinsaw does not like his secrets divulged."
Anselm covers his mouth, threatening to vomit. He manages to wrestle his gullet down.
I've ordered our enemies dispatched these last two days. What mercy I might have sought was denied me. And I fear I may face many such decisions before long. Is this me? What am I to become?
"This -- we did not do this. Could it have been one of the other evil cultists that we let go?"
Kort nods stiffly in agreement with Elen’s words. He stows the crossbow and again pulls out his walking cane.
”These last two days have been bloody. And we can’t be sure that there won’t be more. We should be careful,” Kort takes his place next to the Lady Lotheed for the walk to the Lodge.
"A magic rat huh?”
Muri nods, as he unharnesses Underfoot more difficultly, for her increased size. "You had to be there to really understand its strangeness." When the halfling sees the slit throats, he instinctively reaches for his own throat, swallowing. "If someone came through to see these men dead, I wonder if they did the same with the rat and the other halflings, beneath the Senate."
"If you need rooms, I know the owner of the Silent Horse. She can square you away. No charge of course. Might be a good place to lay low for a while as well, and with all the nobles who routinely stay there, it’s well protected.”
When Lady Martella offers a hideout, Muri is quick to accept, starting to worry that somehow they've been marked for throat slitting in the near future. Returning to Senate Hill is not the wisest idea, if they have eyes on them.
"Yes, please. I hope they accept animals." Muri looks up into Underfoot's eyes, pulling on the scruff of her neck.
Kort returns with the items, offering them to the Lady. "No one seems to have tampered or cursed them, from what I can tell," he offers stiffly.
”Thank you.” she smiles appreciatively.
When the party reacts with revulsion and denial, she shakes her head it, ”Oh, but they are vicious aren’t they. Those Thamir Gixx halflings are lethal. I’m doubly lucky you arrived. Thanks again.”
She’s pleased when you take her up on her offer of the Silent Horse. ”When you get there, ask to speak to Ghislain Maret, and give her this.” she writes a hasty note and seals it with her signet ring (she would have done this downstairs at the desk for convenience). ”I’ll reach out to you in a few days.”
"My Lady, after we ensure you are safely secured elsewhere, will you reach use through the badges again in the future?"
”Oh my, yes, I’ll need those back. I need to return them to Queen Eutropia, though I suppose, prior to her coronation, she is still Princess. So much to do…” She starts thinking of other things and grows quiet a moment as you walk toward the Pathfinder Lodge in Oppara. Or at least to an address that Lady Lotheed gives you.
You head down toward the docks, with the wagon, eventually stopping at a greasy bait and tackle shop with a surprising number of customers lounging about. When Martella enters however with so large a group in tow, the various folks standing around, pay rather more attention and the proprietor, after glancing out the door greets you, ”What may I find for you this evening? We were just closing…”
Whereupon the Lady says, ”It’s OK Maurice, they’re with me. I need entry, but they’re not staying, is there any problem?”
The man’s demeanor changes immediately and he breaks out a large smile, ”Oh, no problem at all my Lady, we’re glad you’re safe. Please, come and be welcome.” A sliding wall panel opens and Lady Lotheed turns to you for the last time this evening, ”Thank you again friends, now go and lay low. I’ll be in touch when I can, though it may be a few days. So much to do!”
And with that, she enters the tunnel into another building beyond and the panel closes tightly behind her. The ‘customers’ all go back to what they were doing and you’re on your own again. The Silent Horse is, as might be expected, across town and you’ve still got to return Anselm’s wagon to his home before you’re done for the night. It’s around 8:00pm.
Maybe it's the lingering effects of the poison sapping or her strength or maybe it's the long night of bar hoping the night before, but Kamari finds herself ready to bring events to an early this night.
"They so no bed is as comfortable as your own, but I'm willing to give one at the Silent Horse a fair evaluation. After of course we see how their meal compares to a home cooked meal. And dessert, too. Must give them a chance to show what their worth."
Kamari moves to help pull the wagon, but she won't be moving it on her own in her condition.
Anselm enthuses at the mention of dessert. "I believe they're known for their Baked Irrisen. Their tea cakes certainly take the prize. But I, for one, look forward to a bath with their famous salts."
Kort is quick to find a chair after bidding the Lady a farewell.
”We will be standing back and standing by, M’Lady,” K’Aldrian offers stiffly, knowing how to keep a militia force ready for action. He won’t sit until he’s certain that her needs have been attended to, but then is happy to sit when given the chance.
”...baked Irrisen?”
Kort quirks an eyebrow at the suggestion. He could eat. If there was food. But he’s also thinking that it’s the middle of the night, and breakfast might be soon as well.
The party escorts the wagon (pulled by some fine horses) back to Anselm’s family home. Leaving it with the servants to unharness and store, you make your way back toward the Senate building, and the nicest parts of town. The Sleeping Horse is easy enough to find, and is a large structure with white columns lining the front. As you approach, you see a pair of footmen, backed up by three well equipped guards, at the entry. One of the footmen approaches you, seeing you are headed his way. The guards straighten up and watch you closely.
”Sirs and ladies, how may I assist you this evening?”
Anselm approaches, back straight and head held just so. "Good evening, citizens. We bear a missive for Ghislain Maret. May we see her?"
"I understand, and what is your business with Lady Maret?" He inquires, emphasizing Lady for your benefit, though he makes no further comment with inflection or body language.
He seems genuinely ready to help, just needs a bit more to go on before he can assess your position. He's being careful to treat you with deference, though he does not know your station. You also suspect he'll be hard to fool from his intense look.
"Lodging in the Silent Horse for a few days. Our note should explain it. It's for her eyes only, but you'll recognize the seal, hopefully."
Kort stiffly stays silent, letting Muri and Anselm handle the discussions. No need for too many cooks to butter the turkey.
He does, however, let his full parade armor speak for him.
Diplomacy to aid Muri
"Thank you for your vigilance. I am Anselm Basri. This is Madella Lotheed. And Master Muri Daybreaker. I can vouch for these others, good citizens. We are here at the behest of a friend of Lady Maret." He extends his hand into the lantern light, letting it glint off his family's signet ring.
Judging you worthy-enough by some measure which he doesn’t share with you, the footman nods to the guards who relax a bit and he escorts you wordlessly inside.
Wow.
The entry opens to a large chamber three stories tall, lined with walkways and grand staircases leading to rooms above. Beautiful dark wood accented in brass and crystalline chandeliers with continual flames cast on dewdrops of glass to provide light. The main one hovers without obvious support over the grand space at about the second floor.
You see the hint of a smallish pub to the left through a wide archway, and what look like meeting rooms, or maybe offices, through another wide arch to the right. Straight ahead are a handful of servants, ready and waiting to serve you and a few more doors. The main portion of the room is taken up by a number of comfortable chairs, sofas, small tables, etc. Some of which are inhabited by nobles rather better dressed than you, sipping late evening cocktails and talking quietly about the political upheaval of the last 24 hours. They eye you suspiciously, but say nothing.
The footman guides you through it all efficiently, but with time to take it in, eventually leading you to an office door, with ‘Manager’ on a beautiful brass plaque against the far wall. Knocking twice perfunctorily, he opens the door and guides you in, closing it behind you (he does not enter). The office lighting is dim and subdued, revealing a richness within. There is a large teak desk with three comfortable chairs arrayed in front of it. There is also a settee to the right with two more chairs facing it and a low table in between for cozy meetings.
A tall muscular woman, dressed in subtle blues and greens, rises from behind the desk and comes over to greet you, ”Welcome. Please turn these chairs around and make yourselves comfortable. Then tell me how I may be of service. I am Gizzy Maret, and I think you have a letter for me.” She seems to be expecting you.
Kamari brushes herself as best she can before following the others in.
The stares of the nobility don't disturb her at all. She eyes the nobles in turn, or rather their drinks, as they move through the lobby to the manager's office.
Whiskey with a cube of ice and an orange peel. Such a simple looking luxury, but one of which I will have to avail myself.
With a nod of appreciation to Gizzy, Kamari takes a seat on the settee, leaving enough room for someone to join her.
Anselm produces the letter and hands it to Gizzy, looking up into her eyes. "From Lady Martella. Thank you for your hospitality." He remains standing politely until she has read it.
Kort waits patiently, used to waiting for orders and requisitions to be read so that they can be acted upon.
Gizzy takes the letter, carefully unseals it, opens it, and takes her time reading the contents, though short. After a time, she smiles, ”Well done then, looks like you shall be my guests for a few days at least. Excellent! I have prepared a suite for you, which I hope will meet with your approval. I shall take you there at once, but before we go, do you have any questions? Anything you need that you might not want to ask a butler about?”
”Oh, my, yes. Moving to the Silent Horse sounds most wise.”
—————-
Mama D avails herself of one of the chairs, though she seems to perch upon the edge rather than settling fully into it’s tempting embrace.
Muri perks up at the invitation to ask questions. Several had already been flitting about his head while entering the Silent Horse, and now he has the headmaster at his disposal. He leans towards an abbreviated list of inquiries.
"A suite for each of us, individually, or a common suite we will all share? How many days will we be staying, at the least? I've been a guest at several travel inns, but by 'guest', do you mean we're staying for free? What amenities should we pay for? What amenities are there? Are animals kenneled here? Do you have groomers? What is expected of us, with regards to your other guests? We received several looks that didn't feel welcoming. Do you understand the risk we bring by staying here? What kind of security does the Silent Horse offer its guests? Do you have messengers? I have family on Senate Hill, and it would be great if I could send word of my safety." The halfling considers more questions, but decides to weigh the patience of Gizzy, before continuing or not.
Kamari is about to speak and then is amazed to learn how much air a halfling's lungs can hold. When Muri's flurry of questions is answered, she will ask, "Is there a back door?"
Kamari smiles.
"It would be nice if everyone was not so aware of our comings and goings."
”Anything you need that you might not want to ask a butler about?”
Kort smiles at the question. He forgets there are times when he gets to think about himself, rather than feeding an army.
"Is there a library on the grounds? Or a parlor? I would like quiet and solitude, if it can be arranged," Kort asks stiffly, his breath caught in his throat. I can just decide to read all day. Learn. Explore the mind.
Elen silently follows along taking in the grandness of the establishment, looking up a all of the crystal candelabras too engrossed in her thoughts to notice the nobles' stares. Ohh, this looks promising. I do hope they have hotsprings and Spa...
She smiles and curtseys to Lady Gizzy, removes an unsightly spider hair from her armor, and takes a seat next to Kamari on the settee.
Oh my feet need a soak... I hope my room has one of these fancy long chairs in my room!...
She nods once at each of Muri's questions as they are asked, as if counting them off from some predetermined list.