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Rexus stammers for a second, seemingly not having realized just how bad this situation looks. "Ah, yeah, you all got back so late last night, and we couldn't do anything for her immediately without disturbing the scene..." his words trail off, obviously not finding a good excuse for their actions. He looks hurt as Believer uses her detect evil power, wounded you'd even try. "We only wanted to give you your rest, what would you have done for Jay? She died instantly, there was nothing either you or I could have done for her. Be upset if you wish, but focus that anger on whatever or whoever caused this, not me."
Believer's burgundy eyes flare with anger, casting a fiendish glow as if lit from within. But her voice drops low as she speaks through her gritted teeth. "How would you know what I could have done? From your long years at the elbow of a Sacred Healer of the people? From the countless fevers you have broken and bones you have set? From the hands you have held when all hope has fled? No? How could you know when you're so worried about disturbing the bloody scene. Next time you can't be bothered to dirty your hands, call someone who damn well cares." She knew she was likely being unfair to the former noble. Likely there hadn't been anything she could have done. But she was a goddess cursed Healer for Milani's sake! Nothing hurt her worse than the loss of a young life when help was within reach. Now it was far too late and she would never know. And sometimes anger was easier to bear than the hurt.
"You saying someone did this on purpose?" Korva says, her voice as strained as an avian's can be.
Believer shook her head. "We can't say for certain that anyone meant to hurt Jay. But someone definitely tampered with the wall. Is this where she always slept? You never heard anything like a tapping sound? Not even when you were in another room?"
"Is there anything behind this wall that someone might want to access? Could the wall have been destabilized from the level above?"
Her heart broke a little more to see Tessa humming a lullaby to Jay's poor broken body. "C'mon... Let's get her out of there. We'll wrap her in her blanket." She said gently, stroking the girls golden hair. "We can say a blessing for Jay. We'll all help."
Later, when the body is as reposed as they can manage. She put on gloves and retrieved the tools. Using what she had in terms of resources, her healer's and disguise kits, items from the kitchen. She tested for any residue left on them.
Yes, this was done on purpose. she thought but did not say aloud. No need to instill the hope for vengeance on the poor tengus. She just awkwardly stands around while Tessa and Believer take care of Jay's body. All Maccha knew were Asmodean funeral rites.
She paced around the Wasp's Nest, trying to figure it out. It obviously was not another one of the Tengus, nor Rexus or Laria. No one else should have been here, however the wall was tampered with while they slept. Someone entered here, did all that and left unnoticed? I don't think I would've been able to do that. Invisibility? Teleportation? Flight?
Tessa doesn't realize she's crying until Believer begins stroking her hair and tells her they can say a blessing for the poor tengu that she'd hardly gotten to know. A part her recognizes the ridiculousness of it, mourning someone whom she had barely even been introduced to, much less get to know. Then again, it isn't ridiculous, is it? A life cut brutally short for seemingly no reason at all is reason enough to mourn, is it not?
She lets go as Believer and those more versed in funerary rites prepare Jay's body to be carried out. She sits on the cot next to Korva and wraps her up in a hug, needing the support as much as she wants to give the tengu any comfort she can offer. It seems pathetically little compared to what Korva has lost, but Tessa gives it all the same, humming that soft, melancholy lullaby.
"How would you know what I could have done?"
Rexus takes the bait, even though he knows he probably shouldn't. "Can you raise the dead from their resting place? Surely not, or you wouldn't be rummaging around down here with us. She was dead as soon as that wall fell, and pretending otherwise because you're upset at whoever did this is childish." he says, turning back to the papers and work he was doing, making it clear he is done talking on the subject.
Is this where she always slept? You never heard anything like a tapping sound? Not even when you were in another room?"
"Yeah, this is our little bedroom area." she says shakily. "I don't remember hearing anything, no. I asked the other two if they had noticed anything weird, but they hadn't. We sort of...let our guard down when you guys arrived and cleaned this whole place out." she finishes, letting her head hang down.
Korva is grateful for Tessa's comforting, thankful for the gesture even if it small. "You go on, I'll clean up her things and meet up with you later." she says, smiling as much as one of their kind can.
Laria didn't come down with you, but after you're done investigating the site and putting Jay to rest she'll answer Believer's questions.
"Is there anything behind this wall that someone might want to access? Could the wall have been destabilized from the level above?"
"I doubt it. The only things down there other than the Nest are sewers and the other storage room. I doubt it'd be unstable from above either, as you said you found the tool marks and the tools themselves down there." she says, thinking. "I'll take a look around up here, see what I can find."
"I-I can help," Tessa says, her voice breaking as she lets Korva go.
Maccha sighs and addresses the group when they are away from the tengus, not knowing how to deal with someone else grieving.
"I know we are all very high strung due to circunstances, but it is not the time to assign blame. Well. It is. Kind of. Someone did this sabotage on the wall intentionally. We'll have to sleep with one eye open when we are here."
Llewela spots the tools and pauses as she thinks things over. If someone knew about their base, then why do this? Why not just alert the guards?
The raised voices rouses her from her contemplation. "I don't think it could have been any of us. But maybe this isn't their first attempt, or there's some other clue left behind."
She spends the next few hours thoroughly searching the nest for any more signs of sabotage or saboteur.
Llewela unfortunately doesn't find anything living that was the obvious suspect. She does find a few obviously new minuscule scratches and claw marks in several places, they look to have been created by a Tiny creature. In addition, hidden behind a piece of broken bedframe (Laria is still working on cleaning up down here) in one of the bathrooms in the unfinished bunk room she discovers a strange pile of obscure objects secreted away in a corner: buttons, some paper, food, and other supplies from the crate down here, some long burned-out candle stubs, a handful of feathers, and a few coins. Perhaps some form of offering site?
As Believer thought about and mentioned earlier, a faint smell of brimstone emanates from the entire corner. It's such a faint trace that had you not thought of it, you might have missed it entirely!
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Believer narrows her eyes at Llewela's discovery, sniffing and wrinkling her nose at what she smells. There is a certain familiarity here and she thinks back to their exploration of the Livery.
The group notices two things in this last chamber: first, a small nest in the northeast corner that seems to have been used at one point by a small humanoid creature—perhaps another grimple gremlin—but not enough material remains in the nest to reveal more. Second, three seemingly untouched crates sit in the northeast corner of the ruined chambers, largely intact.
Casting guidance she considers the problem from multiple angles.
The Grimples were tiny creatures, but while they were stealthy, she did not think they were capable of evading notice so completely. Not to mention they would carry their accursed lice anywhere they inhabited. No, she suspected they were dealing with something else now.
Llewela reports her findings and sniffs cautiously when Believer tells her about the smell.
"There were those lemure things at the Livery. And didn't we think it looked like something was making a portal to hell? Maybe they weren't the only creatures summoned? Could something else have followed us back here?"
She thinks, then talks quietly to the others.
"I haven't completed my morning rituals yet, I might be able to ask for a spell that could help us."
Llewela prepares and casts her fiend-detecting cantrip and actually does detect a qualifying fiend in the 60 foot cone emanation.
"Ah, drats." a high-pitched, shrill voice echoes through the room. "Guess that means you found me, and I need to formally present myself to the Sarini in the room, right? That's how this whole contract thing works, yeah?"
Tessa pales as she hears the fiend say it is there for her. Her breath catches in her throat as she shakes her head in denial and starts backing away from where she heard the voice.
Maccha immediately draws her daggers as Llewela reveals a hidden presence in the room.
"Who's there?!"
Believer detects evil toward the sound of the voice and steps protectively between it and Tessa, drawing her weapon. She observes the aura carefully and tries to judge by the strength what they are dealing with.
"What contract?"
23 Knowledge(Planes) roll in last post.
Believer thinks over the things she's both learned and heard about various fiends and recalls a particular creature that could fit the unique circumstances of this situation: an imp. A mischievous devil that can become invisible at will, this is almost certain what you're dealing with.
This hypothesis is proven as soon as the imp in question appears from out of said invisibility, perching on Tessa's shoulder at it does so.
"Yeah, the contract! Don't tell me the family has forgotten me over all these years."[b] she says, frowning. [b]"You guys took my contract out of that hellhole, pun intended, and must have it somewhere upstairs. I haven't gone up there yet, but I have to remain within a hundred feet of it, so it has to be here somewhere."
"The Sarini family called me to their service around the time of the civil war, and I worked with them for a while before my previous master, Merindius, died in a rebel ambush. The contract binds me to obey the orders of any Sarini family member that gives me any, to the letter. So, I suppose I work for you now, if you want me to, I presume you guys are at the very least rebel sympathizers?" she says, looking around at the group and their obvious Milani holy symbols.
Tessa staggers as the imp's appearance on her shoulder sends her into a panic. Her head lolls for a moment before her hair turns raven black. When she looks up to glare at the imp, her eyes are red.
"Do be careful, Imp. This particular Sarini is rather faint of heart," Alekto admonishes. "I doubt they told the poor girl anything about any contracts they made. From what I gather they kept her locked away. Besides, don't you think you should properly introduce yourself, hmm?"
Maccha did not understand the context of this conversation, but it was clear Tessa was also unaware.
"Cut the b&@#*~!*, did you kill the Tengu that was sleeping here?"
"Oh Maccha, is it," Alekto asks as she gets uncomfortably close and traces the rogue's jawline with a featherlight touch of her finger. "Please mind your manners. At least give our guest a chance to introduce herself before we start with the self-righteous indignation, hmm?"
The imp cackles as she sits on Tessa's shoulder, continuing on for a few seconds before finally speaking again. "Oh I like this version of you much better than that other weak one of her. Always crying and complaining." she says enthusiastically.
"Name's Blosodriette, nice to meet you." the imp continues, dramatically holding out a clawed hand for Tessa to shake. "I have a feeling we'll be great business partners, so glad to be back in my home town."
did you kill the Tengu that was sleeping here?
Blosodriette cringes a little, looking over at the crumbled wall. "Ah, regrettably yes that was me. But I wasn't trying to kill her! Or any of them, for that matter. Just scare them a bit, that's all, honest."
Maccha considers breaking Tessa's hand but it would be unfair to the poor possessed girl. Also, a vastly overestimation of her own hand-breaking capabilities. She endures Alekto for now, focused on the imp.
"Well, you've already even said my name and still not introduced yourself to the imp..."
And is that supposed to make me feel better?
She decides not to voice her complaints for now, just glaring at the imp. Dealing with both fiends at the same time could be a problem and if Blosodriette really is compelled to obey Tessa, an all-out fight could be avoided.
However, Maccha glances at Believer and Llewela. If they attack, she'll join them.
Believer bares sharp white teeth in a grimace of anger and disgust. She narrows her eyes at the Fury looking out of Tessa's eyes and the Imp perched companionably on her shoulder, trying to judge if this was a lie.
She turned to Maccha, speaking in the chime-like tones of the Celestial, trusting that neither of the Infernal fiends would understand.
"I think you'd better get Rexus. We need to see this contract."
Turning back to the Imp, her eyes flick to the pipes in her hand. "The music we heard beneath the old Livery, that was you then?"
Llewela grips her morningstar and narrows her eyes as she watches the imp carefully. She sighs internally at the reappearance of Alekto, but focuses on the imp for now.
"A likely story." she frowns. "If you are bound to the Sarini, why would you wait until now to reveal yourself? Why not tell us when you first saw us?"
"Yes, yes, my dear little rebel," Alekto says while giving Maccha a pat on the head. "I was getting to that."
She turns her attention back to Blosodriette and takes the tiny devil's hand.
"Charmed to meet you, Miss Blosodriette. I am Alekto," the devil possessing Tessa says. "It will be a pleasure to work with a like-minded being to be sure, however intermittently."
A slight frown crosses Alekto's face, though it disappears again into a broad smile that shows off the fiend's fangs.
"Well, let us allow bygones to be bygones, hmm? If she says that it was an accident, well then we can hardly hold poor Blosodriette responsible, can we," she asks as she gives a doe-eyed pout to the others while gently stroking the imp's hair. "It's not as if it's her fault the wall's construction was too poor to stand up to a little, ol' prank, is it?"
The half-elf harlot has a point, Alekto thinks to herself as she waits for Blosodriette's answer to Llewela's question.
Maccha listens to Believer and nods.
"I'll leave you to it, then. Call for me if you need it."
She, still with her weapons drawn, makes her way out of the Wasp's Nest searching for Rexus, to bring him here.
"My, that was rather rude of her to leave without even saying goodbye," Alekto mutters, seeming more amused than anything.
"The music we heard beneath the old Livery, that was you then?"
"As a matter of fact it was, yes. On my trusty pan pipes!" she responds proudly, in perfect Celestial. A knowing smirk graces her lips as she stares at Believer for a single moment before moving on to answer other questions.
If you are bound to the Sarini, why would you wait until now to reveal yourself? Why not tell us when you first saw us?
She titters almost maniacally before speaking. "Well that's just all the fun of it, isn't it? Nothing says I have to present myself immediately, and she didn't give me any orders so I was free to do as I wish. Now the devil is out of the bag, as it were, there's not much reason to stay hidden, is there?"
"Well, let us allow bygones to be bygones, hmm? If she says that it was an accident, well then we can hardly hold poor Blosodriette responsible, can we," she asks as she gives a doe-eyed pout to the others while gently stroking the imp's hair. "It's not as if it's her fault the wall's construction was too poor to stand up to a little, ol' prank, is it?"
The imp nods enthusiastically in agreement with Tessa's (well, sort of) words. "This cute one has the right of it! Twas an accidental overstep, that is all. I did not mean to hurt anyone, was just a harmless prank, you can't hold it against me!"
"The music we heard beneath the old Livery, that was you then?""As a matter of fact it was, yes. On my trusty pan pipes!" she responds proudly, in perfect Celestial. A knowing smirk graces her lips as she stares at Believer for a single moment before moving on to answer other questions.
Believer sneers at the Imp. "And what, precisely, were you trying to summon up down there? Missing your friends?" She cared little for the answer, just needed to keep the conversation up until either Maccha could return with Rexus and the contract or Tessa came back around.
"And what, precisely, were you trying to summon up down there? Missing your friends?"
"What, that little old hole in the wall? Was trying to get myself back through it, if I'm being honest. But there wasn't enough energy there to open a portal to get me home, just enough to bring those two disgusting low-lifers." she says, obviously disgruntled.
"And what, precisely, were you trying to summon up down there? Missing your friends?""What, that little old hole in the wall? Was trying to get myself back through it, if I'm being honest. But there wasn't enough energy there to open a portal to get me home, just enough to bring those two disgusting low-lifers." she says, obviously disgruntled.
Believer considers, "So you do want to return to Hell. Could you have done so, if you had successfully opened a strong enough portal? Or would your contract have bound you here as long as it was intact?"
"Ugh, lemures," Alekto sneers when Blosodriette mentions the lowly devils. "Little better than pests."
Alekto seems content for the moment to let Believer lead the way in questioning the fiend. It not only gave her some insight into the feminine imp's usefulness but also some time to ponder how to use this to her advantage. It is too much to hope that the imp will corrupt Tessa, the insufferably naive girl was far too squeamish for that, not to mention that self-righteous b$@#! that was also connected to her.
No, Alekto decided, she would have to do something else about her situation. Blosodriette may be useful in getting revenge on the Sarini family. The question is if she can do so and have Tessa inherit the power and wealth that comes with the family name. Not likely, but so long as this merry band of rebels is careful, she will have the time she needs to figure it out.
Alekto smiles serenely as a plot begins to form in her mind.
"So you do want to return to Hell. Could you have done so, if you had successfully opened a strong enough portal? Or would your contract have bound you here as long as it was intact?"
"Well that was actually what I was trying to find out!" she cries out, frustrated. "I wanted to see if it would even work, but obviously it didn't, seeing as how I'm still here. Stupid useless portal." she finishes, grumbling.
"Little better than pests."
"That's what I'm sayin'!" she agrees, tittering a bit. "Don't even know why they still make them down there, if you ask me."
"Well that was actually what I was trying to find out!" she cries out, frustrated. "I wanted to see if it would even work, but obviously it didn't, seeing as how I'm still here. Stupid useless portal." she finishes, grumbling.
"There, there," Alekto says as she strokes Blosodriette's hair. "You are far too cute when you pout." the devil possessing Tessa chuckles.
"That's what I'm sayin'!" she agrees, tittering a bit. "Don't even know why they still make them down there, if you ask me."
"I had wondered that myself when I was far younger. Even the most lowly of creatures has its place, and pests they may be, they are quite capable of wearing down even the hardiest of opponents. At least they are nowhere close to as insufferable as Zebubs. Did you know that I had one propose to me. Made it sound as if he was doing me a favor, too," the erinyes says, finding it rather enjoyable to chatter away for once.
"Hardly a harmless prank," Llewela remarks. "And I find it hard to believe that even if you were under orders you wouldn't find some way to play another such prank."
She glances to Believer, trying to work out some coordination.
"It's true that taking actions that cause a death is still a crime. Manslaughter, I believe is the common term. But given we are... disinclined to seek out a court of justice. What are you prepared to offer in terms of... reparations?" Believer asks, supporting Llewela's concerns.
She tries to consider what she knows of such contracts, including what happens to the Imp if the contract is destroyed, as well as what happens to the Imp and the contracted master, in this case Tessa, if the Imp is killed.
"And I find it hard to believe that even if you were under orders you wouldn't find some way to play another such prank."
"Believe whatever you want, you certainly know nothing about how Hell or its contracts work. If the person in control of me or my contract (that would be the delightful lady I am currently standing on) orders me to do something, I must do it." she says, scowling at the warpriest. "Besides, it was meant to be a harmless prank, I didn't intend to kill or even hurt anyone, just scare them off."
"It's true that taking actions that cause a death is still a crime. Manslaughter, I believe is the common term. But given we are... disinclined to seek out a court of justice. What are you prepared to offer in terms of... reparations?"
"Uh...nothing? Are you intending on taking me to court? I don't think any of you wonderful people in this little rebellious group will be entering any sort of court anytime soon. So let's do away with that little bit of false bravado shall we?" the imp spits out, dismissive.
She tries to consider what she knows of such contracts, including what happens to the Imp if the contract is destroyed, as well as what happens to the Imp and the contracted master, in this case Tessa, if the Imp is killed.
Destruction of the contract would likely just dismiss the imp back to Hell, it wouldn't free it or kill it or anything. The contract itself probably has some protections against her acting on or damaging it directly, so she can't just destroy it and return herself back to her home freely.
Maccha finally returns with Rexus in the middle of this conversation, and when he's caught up with the new info he reveals that he has found the contract the imp mentioned. "It's uh, extremely convoluted and will take me a few hours to decode all the intricacies and hidden clauses and such, but the gist of it is that she's telling the truth: the contract is magical and binds her to the service of the Sarini family. I can answer a few basic questions, but nothing complex yet. I wonder how this document got into the Raven's possession."
Maccha for a moment wished she was a Sarini so she could order the imp to disappear from her sight, but remembered what Tessa told her of her life as one of that family and dismissed her petty vengeful thoughts.
She stupidly tries to communicate in Celestial with Believer, unaware the imp also spoke it.
"I am tired of this standoff. Rexus needs time and we have better things to do than stay around and humor this situation. I say we leave this imp here... hopefully when Tessa is back she can order it around and disallow any pranks."
"Hopefully..." Believer answers back in common, not bothering with Celestial. "The Imp speaks Celestial, somehow. I'll keep an eye on Tessa, explain what she missed when she comes back around. Maybe you can help Rexus make sense of the contract." She was wary of how chummy the Fury and the Imp were acting. If Alekto began giving orders... well, worrying about it now was borrowing trouble. She would just keep a watch until the situation changed.
"Oh? I hadn't pegged you a scholar of the infernal," Alekto says when Rexus talks about the contract before stifling a yawn. "I fear that my stay is coming to an end. Blosodriette, would you be a dear and wait on the Lavender One's shoulder? I'd hate to send you tumbling."
Believer's eyes flash with that burgundy glow at Alekto's words, but she moves to catch her and stop her falling so that Tessa doesn't wake with a new bruise.
"Oh." Maccha is crestfallen because their private conversations in Celestial were, in fact, not private. "Come on, Rexus, I'll try to help you make sense of that contract." she does not elaborate, but Maccha felt her time with the Asmodean church could help her with that sort of activity.
”The Imp speaks Celestial, somehow.”
Blosodriette cackles upon hearing this, clearly enjoying her surprise, but then a strange look comes upon her old face. ”I think…I think I know that language from my life before…before all this” she says, waving her hand over her impish form. ”I have a handful of broken memories, and learning the language of angels before is one of them.” she says, her head turning as if she was deep in thought.
…”would you be a dear and wait on the Lavender One's shoulder?”
She looks confused for a second before seeing Believer’s skin, understanding. She launches off of Tessa’s shoulder and comes to rest on the tiefling’s instead. ”Hi! That one sure is a strange one, huh?” she says, pointing back to Tessa.
Believer grumbles as the tiny fiend settles on her shoulder. Still, she endured the trespass. It was better than having her perch so near to Tessa that the girl swooned all over again. "That's not usual for Imps, is it? What do you remember from your life? Did you serve the Sarini family then too?" She had the rather unpleasant thought that the memories might mean the creature didn't become a denizen of Hell by the traditional route. Could a powerful mage have changed her somehow? If so, that would make Blosodriette a victim. The idea softened her expression.
"If we're going to be working together, it would help to know more about what you can do, Blosodriette. So we can be sure we aren't wasting your talents on something a less skilled agent could handle."
As Tessa began to stir she cautioned, "Be careful what you say. Our new friend here is contracted to obey you. I'm fairly certain that means she can't harm you, but I would bet that protection doesn't extend to anyone else. An errant turn of phrase could be mistaken for a command." Deciding that it might be help Tessa overcome her fear if she felt some sympathy for the creature, she added. "I think she has been alone for a long time."
"That's not usual for Imps, is it? What do you remember from your life? Did you serve the Sarini family then too?"
"I...don't think it's usual, no. Then again, I'm not an expert on the Hells, you know." she answers, making herself at home on Believer's shoulder. "Cozy! As for serving the Sarini's, I think it might have been something like that? I remember I've always been small..." her words drift off, as if she is lost in thought.
it would help to know more about what you can do,
"Good question! Well, you've already seen my invisibility, and I can use it to stab things real good from behind. I can change shape into various small animals, but I don't like doing it so don't ask me to. I have a handy collection of magic scrolls to use in combat, as well as my pipes." she says, pulling the set of pipes out. "When I use them just right they attract rat swarms, though they don't really like listening to me so it's not very reliable." she plays a little tune on the pipes, and it actually sounds pretty good.
"Got a handful of divination magic too; can ask some questions every now and then, to see what's a good idea, or even ask the big man downstairs himself once every handful of days."
Once you're done deciding what you're to do with the imp, Rexus takes Believer aside and asks to speak for a second. "We had someone order your re-leaf tea...she's waiting upstairs." he says, looking over at the tiefling knowingly. "Perhaps leave the imp down here until we're sure she can be trusted. I'll take a quick read through her contract while you speak to the 'customer', see what I can find in the meantime."
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Alekto closes her eyes and falls into Believer's arms as her time in control of Tessa's body comes to an end. Her hair begins to return to normal as specks of black ash float from her hair and disappear into the aether. Tessa whimpers as she regains control of her body, something that hadn't happened last time.
The flowers and trees of the small sanctuary that Aoede and Tessa had built for themselves in the shattered minds of three different beings withered away as the third of those beings invaded it. Alekto appeared much as she had two years before, a darkly beautiful woman with raven-black wings and hair, though even Tessa could feel that she was much less than what she was before.
"We need to have a chat, my dear Tessa," Alekto said.
"What about," Aoede asked as she put herself between Alekto and the cowering young woman whose twin she now was.
"This doesn't concern you," the fury spat, her patience already gone with her strength waning with every moment. Still, she mustered up enough of it to backhand Aoede and send the eidolon sprawling to the ground. With Aoede dazed, the fury stepped up to Tessa and twisted her taloned fingers in the young woman's hair. Tessa cried out as the fury lifted her off the ground.
"Listen well," Alekto hissed in Tessa's ear. "The imp is a useful tool. You will not send her away, or I will tear what's left of your psyche apart. Do you understand?"
Tessa whimpered out a yes before Alekto dropped her. The show of strength had taken much from the weakened fury. Her form was already beginning to fade.
"Good," Alekto said before her form disappeared and left Tessa and Aoede alone in the dead and withered garden that had been their sanctuary.
Tessa comes to her senses as Believer explains the situation. Two devils, she now has two devils haunting her. That is the thought that fills her mind as Rexus says that Believer has a customer.
The young painter wobbles unsteadily on her feet for a moment as she steps away from Believer, though what she really wants to do is cry until she can't anymore. She looks to Blosodriette, yes, that was the imp's name, and swallows.
"Blosodriette, c-come here and stay with me," she says, her voice shaking despite her attempt to put some steel into her voice.
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Believer offers Tessa a tight smile and a nod of approval. She gives Rexus much the same look, "Thank you, Rexus. This is definitely something that must be handled by the book." She says with some warmth, giving his shoulder an apologetic squeeze.
Glancing down at herself, she realizes she is still only partially dressed. No time to don her full disguise, so she slung her bag off her shoulder and shimmied quickly into her breeches and shirt, tying her hair scarf to cover her feathery locks.
Then she heads upstairs to see her customer. "Here is your tea, Madame. It's my own special blend. I do hope it will give you some re-leaf." She says, smiling at her own bad pun. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" She asks and searches the woman's face for signs of what might be ailing her.
Llewela remains on alert as she watches the conversation take place. She does breathe one sigh of relief as Alekto fades away as Tessa returns.
"So, it looks like the imp will serve you." she says to Tessa, trying to keep her tone neutral. "I think it should be your call what we do with her, and I'll support what you decide."
As it appears the probability of combat is dwindling, she relaxes a little more, and starts to consider the tactical benefits of the imp as an ally. Invisibility could be useful, although having to remain near the contract makes it trickier to use. Still, it would be handy for defense. Communing with Asmodeus would clearly be useless. She'd heard a tale or two about the Prince of Hell and any truths he told would no doubt have a catch.
Are we just on the main floor amongst the other customers or on the 2nd floor where we've been sleeping?
The woman is waiting upstairs in the office for Believer, and the paladin finds herself meeting with another of her kind, though quite different in kind. Her skin is deep red, marking her as one of the more common kinds of tieflings found in Cheliax.
She gasps as she sees Believer (and anyone else who joins), her face looking up to her with hope.
"It worked! I had heard rumors but I wasn't sure they were true...to think someone is actually trying to help the city again, it's been such an awful week."
After small talk is made, she introduces herself as Zea, a woman from the district most commonly known as Devil's Nursery. "I...well, we have a problem over in the Nursery. Do you all take on murder spree cases?"
Believer clasps Zea's hand warmly in greeting. "My name is Believer, well met, Zea. I'm glad word is getting out. I've been worried about how to be available to people with Father Blom's clinic shut down. But you don't look hurt or sick... what... Murders? In the Nursery? Milani's thorns, that is terrible! Here, you drink your tea, it's soothing, even if you've only had a shock. I'd better round up my fellow Ravens, I expect they will want to hear what you have to say as much as I."
She quickly rounds up her friends, advising that they park the Imp somewhere temporarily and leads those who want to speak to Zea up in the office. Once they were assembled, she made introductions as preferred, offering code names if that was what they wished.
"Now then, please tell us what you can. Who all has been killed?" She did not doubt for a moment that murder could happen in the Nursery, she'd nearly met her own end there as a child, more than once.
She offers a quick prayer for guidance as she tries to think of what someone might seek to gain by terrorizing the Devil's Nursery.
Maccha nods along as Llewela speaks, indicating her support of whatever Tessa's decision regarding the imp is. She relaxes and just walks around the basement until her stress subsides, until Believer calls for the entire group.
Before she joins them, Maccha once again dons her handkerchief as a mask, a half-hearted attempt at anonimity, since she still was not sure she would act freely as Maccha Licinus or something else.
Maccha puts a hand on Believer's shoulders. In her youth, when she still lived in the streets, Maccha would sometimes roam and even sleep in the Devil's Nursery. The situation was already dire back then, she could only imagine now.
After Believer goes upstairs, Tessa looks to Blosodriette and wonders what she's supposed to do now. After a moment she finds a place that's a little more secluded in the Wasp's Nest, but still large enough for her to dance in.
"Blosodriette? Wait there, please," Tessa tells the imp while pointing to one of the barrels that had been left down here. "Do not tell anyone or anything about what you see next," she commands once her shoulder is no longer burdened by the imp.
Tessa dances around in a circle, moving as if she were performing a duet with an unseen partner. A runic circle appears beneath her feet with each step. Motes of starlight flicker into existence as she summons Aoede to her side once again. After a minute, the eidolon is fully formed, Tessa's twin to anyone who does not know the truth. Tessa looks between Aoede and Blosodriette, wondering what will happen next when the eidolon wraps Tessa up in a tight embrace. For a long moment, the twins stand there, supporting each other as the moments tick by.
"Keep Aoede's true nature a secret," Tessa tells Blosodriette just before Believer comes down to fetch her.
===
Tessa asks Blosodriette and Aoede to stay down stairs while she joins the others. She isn't sure what to do with the imp and feels as if she's handling a viper every time she talks to the tiny fiend. While she's woefully ignorant of what the Devil's Nursery is like, other than it is where most tieflings in Kintargo stay, the news of a murder spree is more than enough to cause her worry.
"We're here to help however we can. Can you tell us more about what's going on," Tessa asks.