Lady Origena Devy NPC's page

Time: 10.00am
Date: Starday, 2nd day of Gozran
Location: Devy Manor
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With breakfast finished, the group readied itself and left the inn; making their way up the hill toward the baroness' estate.

Once more the party is greeted at the door by a male house servant and shown into the drawing room. A moment later Origena, Arnholde and their private guardsman enter the room and take their respective positions. The guard and noble son eye the stranger (Janusz) among the group with some curiosity and suspicion.

Lady Origena, in her ornate sitting chair, hands clasped in her lap, addresses the party, "I have been most anxious to hear news of the kobold situation. Have they been dealt with for good? Is the town safe from their trickery and attacks? I see the pretty healer is not among you. Did she perish in the endeavour?"

"I have no trouble in killing my enemies, Jarl Origena."

"Those folk have already wounded me; therefore they are my enemies. I will help you in this task."

The noblewoman briefly inclined her head and silently accepted the warrior's response to her ensuing offer.

"Must they be driven out?" she asked, her voice quiet. "If you have long remained peaceful, could there not be some sort of accord reached to ensure there are no troubles between your people and theirs?"

A line crossed the baroness' brow at the woman's words.

"Did you and your companions not relay to me the kobolds' part in the collapse of my tower? That they carved a tunnel from their land into mine for the purpose of crossing into my lands unheeded? An accord was struck when they first moved to these lands. I have kept my side of the accord, but it would seem the kobolds' honour can be bought with mere promise of treasure. Once news of this spreads throughout my town, then who can say with any assurance whether others, with corrupt longing in their hearts, will not seek this tribe out and offer them bounty to undertake another attack on my lands?" The noblewoman's voice never raised but remained steady and pointed in her response. "I cannot trust them, now. If you do not care to kill the chieftain or his kind, then they are to be driven out all the same. I cannot have such threats on my doorstep as Connor son of Ceorl has mentioned more than once." Lady Origena smiled at the warrior, but again the light never quite reached her bright hazel-green eyes.

I believe Felix is holding onto the wizard's ring.

Lady Origena pondered the warrior's words on the matter of the kobolds and a dead human, possibly the wizard, Balthus Hunclay. The one named Connor mentioned a ring, "May I see the ring in question? I am versed in its appearance and can say whether or not it is Hunclay's. As to the kobolds, are you telling us a tribe has risen up against the town and plotted to take down the Witch Tower on their own, killing the wizard and some of their own kind? And that mayhap the kobolds were allied with the wizard for the purpose of the destruction of the tower and some other villainous plot, moving through a secret underground tunnel in the tower?"

Currently, there are only two "green" deputies left in town: Letha Mulle and Varyl Hodd. The Sheriff (Sir Pelle Benhovy) and his main deputies are on the way to Cassomir with the captured smuggler, Silas Gribb. It takes 3 days to get to Cassomir and then they have to turn back for Belhaim, and your party has only been in town for two days. The man standing at attention in militia uniform is the baroness' own, personal guard. Your offering to the baroness does not sway his attitude toward your group one way or the other. He is always watchful as that is his position. Since Lady Origena took the gift well and asked you to sit, he does not consider you a threat at present. However, he is still watchful.

"That we have your friendship is payment enough, Jarl Origena," he says to her with a polite response, glancing at this friends, hoping that they may offer some further support, then looks back to the Baroness.

The baroness inclined her head once more and with hands clasped in her lap waited for someone to regale her with news of the tower.

Lady Origena's attitude was brought to 'Friendly' from the good diplomacy the night before, so there's no problem there.

Lady Origena inclined her head toward the warrior's respectful address and was curious about the article the man held in his hands. She gestured for Arnholde to take it and bring it to her, so she might inspect it closer.

Her gaze surveyed the the depiction: the crowing rooster above crossed spears and read the words, Confession Cleanses the Soul--Pain Clarifies the Mind." Inwardly she shuddered at their meaning and understood them well enough - The long lost Canteclure family crest and motto.

"Sir, this is not a symbol of our House, but that of the Canteclures. My late husband's ancestor, Sir Arkhold Devy, was awarded the Barony of Belhaim for aiding in taking down the seditious Canteclures. Still, it is a piece of history that serves as a true lesson for any future baron and thus we freely accept the offering. You have my gratitude, Connor son of Ceorl." She looks to her son and waves her hand and Arnholde summons a house servant, who upon instruction, promptly removes the plaque from the sitting room.

You only get a +1 Circumstance bonus for the family crest because of the stain of the disloyal Canteclures and their torturous ways. But the offering is readily accepted on its historical value - and should be passed from one baron to another, in the eyes of the baroness. So it is received well enough. Good job on the gesture, Connor.

Once the bronze plaque was removed from the chamber, Lady Origena gestured for the adventurers to sit down on the chairs provided. "Please sit and tell me all you have discovered." The noblewoman's smile was small, but friendly - you could presume that the baroness rarely smiled large or chortled like a commoner. The melancholy you noted the night before still sits in her eyes.

Calling out to the manservant waiting outside the door, "Bring some tea for my guests", Lady Origena awaited the revelation of how the Witch Tower collapsed.

"You may begin."

A long sigh escaped the Baroness's lips. Her next words were spoken a little more tersely, "My fool husband lost his life poking around in the damn tower and since then I have considered the tower his memorial. I am not too surprised to learn the old ruin finally fell. Hunclay has long pestered me for permission to knock the tower down and his absence this night is most disconcerting." Lady Origena reached out for her son's hand -- a mother seeking the reassurance of her son. Arnholde yielded as a dutiful son would.

Image of Lady Origena Devy
Image of Arnholde Devy

The noble woman who stands before you appears to be in her mid forties. Even in middle-age, she has retained most of her looks and petite figure. Her hair is the colour of platinum blonde lending to silver and her eyes are a bright hazel-green. She has a regal bearing and possesses an air of authority. The younger man beside her; her son and the future Baron of Belhaim, is a man strikingly different to his mother in appearance. He is tall and lean, with dark hair and eyes. He appears to be in his mid twenties and he looks to be assessing each of you with his direct, dark gaze.

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The baroness was pleased with their courtesy and general manner. That was a good start. She was somewhat astonished by the striking cat-man with the courtly manners, yet she kept her reaction from general sight. Never had such a creature as he been seen within Belhaim before this day. Both women were extraordinarily beautiful and her keen senses picked up that there was something other than human about them. Then there was the warrior with the bright blue eyes and the dark-haired male standing in the shadows of the warrior. Astounding that such a group as this enter the town on such a day, she mused inwardly.

"I am Barnoness Origena Devy and this is my only son, Arnholde, future Baron of Belhaim." She paused, almost dramatically, so the detail would be remembered during their stay in her town.

”Today’s your lucky day. Mulle and Hodd here can’t handle this without Sheriff Benhovy to hold their hands, and I want to know what happened here." Did she did not look at either deputy but remained focused on the group.

"You appear to be a capable bunch. If you go in the tower and look through the rubble - find out what happened and why there are kobolds in my town - I’ll pay the lot of you five hundred gold pieces.” Again, she paused, allowing her generous offer to sink in.

”While you’re looking around in the ruins, keep an eye out for any signs of our local eccentric wizard, Hunclay. It seems suspicious to me that he’s not answering his door. Let me know what you find.”

Please roll a Sense Motive check at this time.