Triphylla continues the conversation with the group. "Cyrene, you disappeared for a time yesterday. Find anything interesting?"
As the group moves about Triphylla continues to wonder about the tower. Why post a guard for an area that is unused? Sure, the Grand Prince' apartment is special, but there would not be anything important or particularly valuable stored for him in Meratt County where he never visits, and will never visit again. Why not simply lock the doors and give it no more thought? No, the presence of the guards implies something else is in that Tower that the Count doesn't want anyone to know about. Triphylla would have to redouble her effort to sneak inside.
"Wait." Cyrene says sharply, holding up a hand to stop trip talking as she cocked her head in an oddly animalistic gesture. "Someone screamed. That way. Moffis is being attacked."
So of course the heroic ones are going to charge off to the rescue, regardless of how unprepared they are...
Cyrene sighs quietly to herself. It might have been better not to say anything.
"By Abadar she's right!" cried Tarrik, "I can hear it from inside the thicket, you'll have to push your way through on foot!"
There was no way to get the horses past the close tangle of trees so you make your way towards the screams on foot as fast as you can. After twenty feet or so of fending off branches recaching for your face you find a clearing of sorts and in the distance you can see an injured man in the torn and bloodied remains of a pantomime cow suit being chased by a ferocious winged beast, part lion, with a scorpion like tale which ends up in a bundle of metallic looking spikes.
Hindered by the tatters of the ox suit, Moffis runs in a blind panic in your general direction. Behind him the manticore made a blood curdling roar before digging it's heels into the ground and bounding after the man, throwing up clods of earth as it went.
Environment: Clouds of smoke
COMBAT ORDER:
Moffis
Lope <----- WE ARE HERE
Cyrene
Julia
Valeria
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla
Lope, Cyrene, Julia and Valeria are up.
One moment Julia was ruminating on the vulgar morality of the hunt she found herself participating and in the next she was watching her quarry be chased down by an honest Shelyn manticore. "Gods be good! The beast is real. We need to get that poor man before the beast does," she billows, trying to settle her own nerves as she watched the chimeric creatire bolt towards them. To improve her courage and that her compatriots, Julia quickly went into magical song about a troupe of brave hunters who together felled a rampaging hill giant. Given the circumstances it felt more than appropriate.
Cyrene slips away into the trees. She's not got the energy to charge the beast and she wouldn't even with a full nights sleep so stealth is definitely the way to go here.
Triphylla is horrified but not surprised to see the dreaded manticore. Why couldn't it attack Titus instead? More importantly, is there anyway to actually fend it off?
"I went looking for the secret alchemist laboratory but instead found the kitchen. The staff mentioned that the Tower is reserved for the Grand Prince, although he's unlikely to visit. I have not been able to sneak inside yet."
"Ahm. Interesting. It would be great if you can dig on that. Maybe he hides something that can come useful for us to undermine his leadership." states Lope while thinking pensive, not seeing anything else "The count invited me to share some magic one night. Could this create a distraction for you to act?"
The Aldori is automatically lured by Cyrene's alert and carried over by the action following along after her.
"For all the... the manticore!" Lope exclaims, moving forward towards the first line of trees while he draws the bow into his left hand "I will try to gain us some time by summoning a distraction, don't be scared by it please"
Picking up some fleece form his pouch, Lope creates the illusion of a raging huge green dragon just behind the fake-cow.
He will concentrate in the spell to make it move in response to any attack as if the dragon was alive in case the manticore wants to risk a fight instead of flying away.
"A distraction that pulls the guards away would be very useful. I happen to notice there is an entrance to the tower from the garden behind the Palace. That would be a good place to try from."
Lope takes a risk and summons the image of a massive green dragon - or at least what he thinks such a fearsome beast looks like, for he's never actually seen one. Sill the beast looks suitable fearsome as it rages in utter silence.
Poor Moffis had no idea what was going on and shrieked incoherently.
Cyrene slips into the shadows unnoticed as far as she can tell, although the Manticore has eyes tinged with madness that flick this way and that picking up every little movement.
Julia strikes up a suitably defiant song that stiffened your resolve!
Valeria struggled through the undergrowth and was slow to react.
An incredibly territorial creature such as The Iron Lash of Meratt wasn't going to put up with Lope's green dragonlike interloper! Its reared up and emitted another bloodcurdling bellow an with a whip crack, it's tail flicked forward unleashing a volley of spikes which sailed right though the illusion.
The Iron Lash snorted when it's spikes sailed through the illusion and it made a deep growl as it eyed the noisy newcomers...
Environment: Clouds of smoke
Buffs and Debuffs:
Moffis
Lope
Cyrene
Julia Inspire
Valeria Inspire
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire
Moffis Inspire
Lope Inspire
Cyrene Inspire
Julia Inspire
Valeria Inspire
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire
COMBAT ORDER:
Moffis
Lope
Cyrene
Julia
Valeria
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla <----- WE ARE HERE
Party is up.
Unsure on whether the manticore was still believing in the dragon illusion or not, but seeing she has attacked it for now, Lope keeps concentrating on the spell "For all gods! Moffis! Get out of there!"
He loads a bolt on the crossbow and the ranged weapon bursts with crackling magic as he swiftly enchants it.
Slow to react, Triphylla drinks an extract of Shield. She questions momentarily the prudence of engaging with such a beast, especially since it can fly and kill any one of them with a single whip of its tail beyond their reach. On the other hand, it could chase them down would they attempt to flee and kill them just as easily.
No, having been discovered by it, by unlucky chance, they are resigned to fight. She advances with all possible haste.
Move 20'
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Knowing the odds of them besting such a fierce in combat was slim, Julia fellows Lope's example and tries her hand at hampering the manticore with magic. "I might be able to blind it with a spell. It's a risk but I if manage maybe we can kill it... or abscond with Moffis. Either sounds rather arguable to me," she quips even as she mentally prepares her lyrical incarnation.
Valeria heard the scream and was quick to get down and head that way with her companions. She wasn't sure what they were going to see but once they saw the manticore she was more than a little concerned. This was not the kind of creature she was prepared to fight and she knew it was going to be rough. Once she was in range she pulled on the power her goddess gave her and called upon Nocticula to let this thing feel her displeasure.
Cyrene skulls closer, watching the manticore closely. She's only going to get one chance at this...
Triphylla downs her extract, summoning a vaguely shield shaped wedge of force which snaps into position between her and The Iron Lash of Meratt.
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Moffis looks at you and his face pales even further, for a second he looks truly trapped before something snaps within him and he darts off to the side away from you and the rampaging manticore behind him.
<--- FAIL
Lope keeps on concentrating on the ferocious green-dragon-kinda-thing as he loads his crossbow.
Well aware of how dangerous this encounter could be, Cyrene edges ever closer.
By all rights's Julia's spell shouldn't have landed on such a powerful beast, but everyone's surprise The Iron Lash ran head first into a tree which it bounced off after making a truly savage roar!
<--- FAIL
To add insult to injury, Valeria felt Nocticula answering her call, adding a level of super natural dread to the already irate but blind Manticore.
<--- FAIL
As far as rampaging beasts went, Manticore's were surprisingly intelligent. It knew that people flapping their hands around as they chanted strange words were dangerous, so it's tail flicked out sending a fusillade of spines with an oily metallic sheen which hit Julia and Valeria who both started bleeding.
<--- PASS
<--- PASS
<--- HIT
<--- HIT
<--- MISS
<--- HIT
Environment: Forest glade
Buffs and Debuffs:
Moffis Inspire
Lope Inspire
Cyrene Inspire
Julia Inspire, Bleed
Valeria Inspire, Bleed
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire, Shield
Moffis Inspire
Lope Inspire
Cyrene Inspire
Julia Inspire, Bleed
Valeria Inspire, Bleed
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire, Shield
Damage Log:Round: 1
Julia was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 20 (total damage taken 20)
Valeria was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 9 (total damage taken 9)Totals:
Julia: 20 damage
Valeria: 9 damage
COMBAT ORDER:
Moffis
Lope
Cyrene
Julia
Valeria
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla <----- WE ARE HERE
Party is up.
"Tsk!" understanding his illusion was useless, Lope drops the spell and hoping to help Julia and Valeria by dealing with the beast, he shots at the blindly barreling manticore.
While taking another step forward, he reloads the crossbow with a new bolt.
Triphylla watches with shock and a sense of exhilaration when the Manticore stumbles head first into a tree, blinded by Julia's spell. She begins to think Valeria's gods may actually be on their side. Meanwhile poor Moffis is caught in the middle with no good options.
With new hope, the halfling drinks a Dexterity mutagen, feeling her body ripple, becoming more sinuous and agile. She continues to move ahead toward the Iron Lash.
"Gah!" Julia could barely stop herself from screaming out as the Iron Lash slashed her with its formidable claws leaving her armor sundered and her flesh torn. Knowing full well that another swipe like that would surely be the end of her, the bard once more called upon her magics and created an auditory illusion that mimicked her screams some feet away from her actual location and the others while she backed away.
As the blinded Iron Lash, snorting with range stumbles into things, Triphylla continues to power up...
Hampered by the shredded remains of his Ox suit, Moffis continues to run away.
Lope's crossbow cracks and the quarrel disappears somewhere into the Iron Lash's flank, earning a trumpeting roar of indignation.
Badly hurt, Julia tries to make it sound like she was elsewhere as she retreated.
<--- PASS
Cyrene hurries forwards, taking the risk of leaving the tree cover briefly to cross more ground.
Valeria bit back a cry of pain as the spikes slammed into her from a lucky shot and quickly followed Julia as she retreated. When they had some distance she called on her goddess once more and touched Julia with golden light.
Cyrene hustles into position while Valeria tends to her wounds, stoping the bleeding caused by the spikes in the process.
Uncertain of where the spell casters have gone, but angered beyond measure The Iron Lash of Meratt closes before sniffing the air. Lope's arrow was digging into it's flesh and it could smell him! Suddenly it's tail flicked and another deadly volley of semi-metallic barbs landed all around the man, but Desa's luck was with him for none hit home. There were now noticeably fewer barbs on it's tail...
<-- PASS
<--- PASS
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
Julia's wounds continued to bleed.
Environment: Forest glade
Buffs and Debuffs:
Moffis Inspire
Lope Inspire
Cyrene Inspire
Julia Inspire, Bleed
Valeria Inspire
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire, Shield, Mutagen
Moffis Inspire
Lope Inspire
Cyrene Inspire
Julia Inspire, Bleed
Valeria Inspire
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire, Shield, Mutagen
Damage Log:Round: 1
Julia was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 20 (total damage taken 20)
Valeria was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 9 (total damage taken 9)Round: 2
The Iron Lash of Meratt was hit by Lope for 10 (total damage taken 10)Round: 1
Valeria was healed by Valeria for 9 (total damage taken 0)Round: 2
Julia was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 4 (total damage taken 24)Totals:
Julia: 24 damage
Valeria: 0 damage
The Iron Lash of Meratt: 10 damage
COMBAT ORDER:
Moffis
Lope
Cyrene
Julia
Valeria
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla <----- WE ARE HERE
Triphylla, Moffis, Lope, Cyrene, Julia and Valeria are up.
This time, Triphylla imbibes an extract of Expeditious Retreat and feels her short halfling legs move with unnatural speed. She wonders what will happen when she gets to the Lash, if the thing will be able to focus it's terrible fangs and claws on them with more deadly command.
Move 50'
Cyrene sprints out from her cover and approaches the manticore from the side. She ducks under its wing and lashes out at the base of the wing joint, cutting deep.
"Thanks Val. You're a life saver always," Julia manages to get out to her old friend even as her wounds still ail her. Clutching her side, the bard attempts to end the manticore's blind rampage by leaving it prone and immobile with a grease spell. Focusing through the pain she manages to belt out a pithy yarn about a arrogant knight who meet a ironic fate when he slipped to his doom on account of a well-greased floor that sudden becomes a reality for the Iron Lash.
Lope sees the spikes landing all over around him, some of them lodging themselves on the nearby trunk. Knowing the flying manticore was at teach of his crossbow, he steadies his pulse and shots another bolt.
While taking another step forward, he reloads the crossbow with a new bolt.
With surprising speed for somebody of her stature, Triphylla makes a bee line towards the rampaging but blind beast.
Moffis runs a short distance further away but something, curiosity perhaps, makes him turn and watch.
Lope sends another quarrel slamming into the already enraged beast, enraging it even further!
Just under the wing, Cyrene's dagger slides in to the hilt and she gives it a vicious twist before yanking it out in a spray of gore!
Julia casts a spell that made the ground underneath the Iron Lash, incredibly slippery. The Iron Lash did slip slightly but then it just dug it's claws in.
<--- PASS
Valeria pauses momentarily uncertain of what to do.
Having worked itself up into an truly apoplectic fury the Iron Lash of Meratt unleashed itself upon Cyrene, or rather where it thought she was. Somehow it managed to leave her with a nasty but miss with everything else!
<--- HIT
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
Environment: Forest glade
Buffs and Debuffs:
Moffis Inspire
Lope Inspire
Cyrene Inspire
Julia Inspire, Bleed
Valeria Inspire
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire, Shield, Mutagen
Moffis Inspire
Lope Inspire
Cyrene Inspire
Julia Inspire, Bleed
Valeria Inspire
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla Inspire, Shield, Mutagen
Damage Log:Round: 1
Julia was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 20 (total damage taken 20)
Valeria was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 9 (total damage taken 9)Round: 2
The Iron Lash of Meratt was hit by Lope for 10 (total damage taken 10)Round: 1
Valeria was healed by Valeria for 9 (total damage taken 0)Round: 2
Julia was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 4 (total damage taken 24)
The Iron Lash of Meratt was hit by Lope for 4 (total damage taken 14)
The Iron Lash of Meratt was hit by Cyrene for 18 (total damage taken 32)
The Iron Lash of Meratt was hit by Cyrene for 6 (total damage taken 38)Round: 3
Cyrene was hit by The Iron Lash of Meratt for 12 (total damage taken 12)Round: undefined
[/b] was healed by [b]undefined for NaN (total damage taken NaN)Totals:
Julia: 24 damage
Valeria: 0 damage
The Iron Lash of Meratt: 38 damage
Cyrene: 12 damage
[/b]: NaN damage
COMBAT ORDER:
[b]Moffis
Lope
Cyrene
Julia
Valeria
The Iron Lash of Meratt
Triphylla <----- WE ARE HERE
Triphylla, Moffis, Lope, Cyrene, Julia and Valeria (you can also post a round 2 action) are up.
With the manticore landed, Lope discards the crossbow and rushes forward over the the creature, attacking silently to avoid giving clues of his position while making his blade crackle with magical energy.
While fearsome, the blinded beast has far less bite. Triphylla approaches from the opposite side, natural weapons threatening the infamous monster. She leaps at it with her fangs, which must be a humorous sight to behold if there was a safe distance to watch. Moffis probably has a good view.
She misses everything, embarrassing herself.
Cyrene stabs once more and then takes advantage of the manticore's blindness to retreat out of range and start circling. She can't help but keep half an eye on the manticore's reactions - her blood has some surprising narcotic qualities and it just ingested quite a lot...
Triphylla was unused to the shear speed of her concoctions and she misjudged her attack.
Lope however was luckier, his sword crackled with power as he approached the blinded manticore and it bit deeply into the creatures flank. The manticore trumpeted in pain and shifted away from Lope but onto the point of Cyrene's dagger which bit in deeply. Again she twisted the blade viciously before yanking it out.
The Iron Lash which had looked so fearsome moments a go was now in a bad way, bleeding profusely from multiple wounds.
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With her grease spell having faltered to the manticore's still sharp instincts, Julia switches it up when it comes to magic and attempts to assail the beast... with laughter of all things.
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Despite Julia's best efforts, the beast was far too hurt for her magic to penetrate it's skull.
<--- PASS
Valeria knew it was a tricky shot, perhaps the trickiest shot of her life. The Iron Lash was in a brutal combat with her friends and there was a chance that if she missed, she might hit Triphylla or Lope! Inwardly she sent a prayer to Nocticula to guide her aim.
She sighted the beast with Dignity's barb, closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. The crossbow made a snapping noise as the stock jerked back into her shoulder.
The bolt was roughly in the right direction but it was likely to go a few inches too far to the left but a sudden gust of wind pushed it back on target. The bolt hit the manticore square in the face and it suddenly fell like a ragdoll whose strings had been cut.
There was a moment of stunned silence in the clearing.
"Well then... I suppose we won. Fantastic," she says with clear relief despite the sarcasm in her voice. Julia's body still ached from the fallen manticore's claws but that did not stop her from peering over at Moffis and seeing if the man was alright.
"You're Moffis, yes? Are you uninjured? We have a cleric who can heal if you are. You don't have to fear us."
Moffis hangs back behind a tree, torn bits of his ox suite hanging off him in blood soaked strips. Eyes wide, he keeps on looking at the slaughtered Iron Lash and then you and back again. He doesn't immediately reply.
"Ah! Good shot Valeria" Lope cleans the edge of the aldori sword with the hide of the manticore, while pushing the carcass with his foot in order to appreciate at full the beast "I do not know what you did to her eyes, but I think you saved all of us here today sister"
At last the man smiles satisfied at Triphylla and Cyrene "Think you got a good trophy to present to the Count"
Only then he looks back to check on Moffis "You can get out of your hiding. Don't fear, the manticore will take all the eyes, no one will bother we return with a different quarrel."
"It's a shame we never found our quarry isn't it?" Cyrene says loudly to Lope. "We were right on his trail when the manticore attacked and I don't think we can reasonably hope to pursue him now. We should return at once."
She looks sideways at Moffis to make sure he gets the point. "I suppose our quarry will escape and earn his forgiveness. What a shame."
Hoping that her point has been made she turns her attention back to Lope.
"It could be presented to the Count, but then he'll claim the credit. This is your trophy My Lord, not his. No doubt the head or hide will adorn your new manor most suitably."
"I agree, he should be rewarded for his cleverness."
Though she contributed nothing to the fight and wasted her extracts, Triphylla is relieved to have not gotten her nice clothes bloody.
Valeria was quite proud of her shot and relieved that the manticore went down. As the others gave their "quarry" the hint to run Valeria walked up to him and healed him from his injuries before he took off.
Once that was done she worked on her friends of the worst of their injuries.
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A little nervously Moffis replied, "Er... Right you are then, erm. Thank you, I er won't forget this!"
He then ducked back behind the tree.
A few moments later Tarrik came crashing through the thicket, he saw the remains of The Iron Lash, did a double take and cried, "Blimmin heck!"
When he regained his composure he said, "I'd say you won the hunt! Let me rig up a litter we' gotta use the horses to drag your trophy back to the palace. The count will probably want to have it stuffed!"
Tt took about half an hour, a fair deal of hatchet work and all the rope Tarrik had brought with him but a litter was constructed and the somewhat icky remains where manhandled onto the litter and secured. The trip back was rather slower than the outward journey, everyone had to walk with both horses pulling.
It was late afternoon by the time you got back to the palace and the sight of the slain beast caused quite a commotion. Word had spread like wild fire and your reception was a sizeable crowd of curious nobles and staff alike.
"It's the Iron Lash!" somebody cried, "They've slain the scourge!"[/v] Spontaneous applause started and many people looked at you in a new light.
Shortly after Count Bartleby appeared and he congratulated you, [b]"My my, that's quite the trophy you have there! Hmm if you'll take my advice, I think you should have this alchemically preserved and stuffed. It'll make a talking point for Bentony estate, one the citizens of Stachys will appreciate."
He gave Triphylla an appraising look before suggesting, "Of course the nearest trustworthy independent taxidermist is in Cassomir, a fair step. I'd recommend Hansen and Son, but perhaps I can save you a week or more round trip? I recall you won a wager and perhaps I can repay you in kind. You see Alchemy is something of a family tradition, and I've experimented with taxidermy. Never anything quite so big I must admit, although I'm more than up for the challenge. I can make suitable embalming fluids and have the blood staines removed and it's wounds repaired. Wires can be inserted to pose it a life like and suitable ferocious manner! What do you say?"
Finally understanding what is there about Moffis, Lope smiles and nods in agreement. Happy to see the man running away.
"Heck, yes, it will do for a good trophy. But if there is something better than a good trophy head, that is a good story to tell" Lope winks an eye to Cyrene and stands proud over the beast when Tarrik arrives.
---
Reaching the camp, Lope rubs his nose with pride as the group is congratulated by the count "That is a good advise. I am confident our servants will find a good place for it"
Exultant by the victory, Lope seems to be in a perceptive mood "That's a generous offer. I am sure we will take it"
He looks in particular to Triphylla, to whom the count seems to be particularly addressing on this topic.
With the beast slain, Triphylla cuts out one of the manticore fangs with the intention of making a small dagger from it some day.
Surprised by the Count, first by his apparent genuine appreciation and then by his willingness to provide a valuable and complicated service, and finally in the manner in which he addressed her directly, Triphylla assumes he conceals his motive. Was he implying she was untrustworthy? That seemed likely. But then he would have to know she was an alchemist too, and how would he know that. The effects of the mutagen wore off well before the group reunited. One could surmise from the bandolier full of potions, perhaps. Or maybe the help was snooping through their rooms and had discovered her kit! Well, did it matter? It's not like she had pretended to be anything else.
"Very generous indeed; the debt is repayed. If I may, your grace, my mother is a renowned alchemist in Oppara and I have skill of my own. I would be very interested to serve as your second during the procedure."
Count Bartleby seemed pleased with this, replying "Very good." before he made his excuses and headed off on 'important' business.
Afternoon soon turns into evening and the nobles are ushered into the feast of the hunter. Tonight's repast is heartier fare suitable for mighty hunters. As before, all food is paraded before the guests before preparation to the refrained disgust of Baroness Voignum among others. A small orchestra plays during dinner, performing a variety of popular symphonies from great Taldan composers like Richilo Sampolo, Gwenavive of Mut, and Nalappho. The meal concludes with large slices of jubilee eel pie.
As you sat down Count Bartleby gave a speech thanking all of the hunters and he dedicated the meal to the hunt's victor - Lord Titus. There was a scattering of applause as he stood up to bow, although there was a noticeable undercurrent of tension between the two. Then the count mentioned the Betony airs as honorary runners up on account of actually having hunted something of note which lead to much more enthusiastic applause to Titus's visible irritation.
During the meal the Baroness comes over to speak to you quietly, saying "I understand you arranged for Moffis, one of my tenants to escape. Thank you for that, he's a hard worker and I don't deserved the cards fate dealt him. It's well known butter doesn't keep in the summer heat..." She shook her head before adding with a tone of disapproval, "Still at least he was spared Lord Titus' brutal methods of capture."
Later after the Baroness had moved on, Dame Crabbe, with a rather bored looking Sepsinia in tow, headed over to speak with Lope.
Smiling she gushed, "Sepsinia was most take with your trophy sir! Weren't you Sepsinia?"
Sepsinia yawned, "Er... Well I guess it was kind of large."
Undeterred Dame Crabbe ploughed on, "Anyway I wondered if you have plans for the Masquerade Ball? It's the highlight of the season, and everyone out does themselves with their disguises. This year my darling Sepsinia will be the silver fox. Should you wish to favour her with a dance, she would be positively delighted."
Sepsinia who had her head buried in her book replied automatically, "Er, yes mother."
Lope smiles and vows as the group is mentioned for their hunt, and profits the chance to give a few words to further win some hearts remarking the accomplishment and diminishing their rival's "Of course we would have never been able of such a feat without our brave Lord Titus taking care of the real danger at our backs"
----
Approached by Dame Crabbe, Lope tries to show her interest on Sepsinia while giving the girl a sign that they need nothing else than appeasing her mom and nothing else is expected "A Masquerade Ball? I would be relieved if Lady Sepsinia could be my guard at the ball and spare me from a night of boredom. Just look for the jet black bull"
Having observed Bartleby and Titus, Triphylla finds a moment during the afternoon to confide with the group: "Prior to the Hunt I witnessed Titus swapping fugitives with the Count, though the Count was unaware. I made mention of it at the time. Does it not seem now that there is increasing tension between them? Perhaps it is a division we may exploit."
She is coming to appreciate Count Bartleby for having more complexity than first impression warranted. And though she is beneath his station by two orders of magnitude, she felt it was worth trying to learn his motivations.
"So you think they have a rivalry on the go?" Lope is interested by what Triphylla seems to have just discovered "Indeed, if we can find a reason for that distrust to explode into open opposition, that could definitely pave our road."
"The Count seems to value Intelligence. If we could proof Titus has been taking clumsy decisions on his role, he might end deposed of his function which might trigger this opposition"
Triphylla has no idea what to make of the parade of game before the evening meal. The aristocracy is ridiculous.