HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

[Revka et al]

"Oh, so it was Søren who invited you." Cymra shows more interest in this piece of information than you would have expected. "That's curious. How did you happen to meet him?"

Cattia's eyes twinkle. "He was in town with Zoltan and a pair of hounds, hunting something or other. They were sniffing around the Burning Scroll and found us instead of their quarry."

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Options! 1) Stick with Yarek, 2) look for Søren, 3) other?

Vasili looks to see where Renhalt is heading. Unless his friend needs him, he's going to his room to set up some booby traps. He will, however, send Leila snooping for Søren by scent. Hopefully she can track him to wherever he's gone to while remaining discrete.

Stealth +25 for Leila to sneak around in small form.
[dice]0[/dice]

Perception +4 for her to track Søren by his scent.
[dice]1[/dice]

If it gets that far, Craft +8 to improvise some basic booby traps. This includes the penalty for having to improvise tools--drat Søren for changing the lodging plans on us! Vasili's floorplan of the Burning Scroll is now worthless
[dice]2[/dice]

[NeoTiamat]

"I don't suppose you know what he was looking for?" Lena asked casually, as if it were of no great concern. "We thought it passing strange that he would be out searching."

[Isabella]

This is predicated on the assumption Altan and Renhalt are following Yarek, otherwise we have named NPCs with no PC chaperon and they will all spontaneously explode.

Richard's discomfort at the whole situation was finally pushed beyond its limits, and he bid the other men farewell - getting a massage while shadows were on the loose was just a little too carefree for him. A pity, since he was genuinely curious about the experience, and the shadow probably wouldn't attack again tonight, having expended a number of spells. But it just didn't sit well with him, and besides, there was a crowd. Nothing like sour grapes to comfort him, Richard thought wryly.

He rather gratefully retrieved his clothes and sword, slipping on a silver vest to feel mildly less under-dressed (though it hardly mattered after spending his time entirely under-dressed). Unfortunately, most everyone else seemed to still be at the baths, which left him at loose ends. He politely inquired after his hosts, Søren or Helja, though the former somewhat begrudgingly.

[Nathan of the FoS]

"I don't suppose you know what he was looking for?" Lena asked casually, as if it were of no great concern. "We thought it passing strange that he would be out searching."

"It certainly is," Cymra replies, her mouth set in a firm line. She gives Lena a look that makes it clear she's suddenly thinking of Lena as a Barovian--and not just a Barovian, a Von Zarovich--and not as a guest. "I've no idea. Probably trouble."

[Kaitou Kage]

"I will accompany you," Altan said to Yarek, "if you do not mind. The hospitality here has been excellent."

What kind hosts, to notice he is thirsty. And in need of a massage. Shadows were obnoxious jerks like that."

[NeoTiamat]

Well this was inconvenient. Lena smiled easily, looking for all the world as if she were nothing more than a very pretty, slightly airheaded debutante from Dementlieu's finishing schools. It was surprisingly easy. Lena may have been a Von Zarovich, but she had spent her schooling in Port-a-Lucine's salons, and she could airhead tolerably well, if she'd never be the sort of master that Celeste Viardot was.

"I imagine Søren looks for trouble quite often. He seems intent on finding it." Lena sniffed, though she seemed more amused than anything else with this. "How precisely is he related to the Landsherr, if I might ask?"Lena allowed herself a quiet grin. "I find myself fond of the Thotts, even if I can't always explain why."

43 on my Diplomacy -- "I am harmless, honest."

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He rather gratefully retrieved his clothes and sword, slipping on a silver vest to feel mildly less under-dressed (though it hardly mattered after spending his time entirely under-dressed). Unfortunately, most everyone else seemed to still be at the baths, which left him at loose ends.

It was while Richard was dressing that he felt a cold, damp nose touching his leg. By the fact that the nose was fairly low to the ground, one could discern that it was not Maya but Ushka. The little fox followed him along with perfect good nature (she was bored and lonely, but there was no force on earth that was going to drag Ushka into the baths -- and since the scent of Wet Fox was not one of nature's more appealing aromas, Lena insisted only rarely).

Once Søren's name was mentioned, however, Ushka's outsized ears pricked. She prodded Richard again, and then set her nose to the ground and set to tracking.

And 39 on the Perception, with Scent.

[The Whistler]

"I'm Alaya Orensdottir. I, uh, I don't think you'll be able to fetch him...Goodman? He's not at the baths. That's why... Are you with the visitors from the south?"

“Goodman Avram ben Mansur, yes.” One of these days… “Good evening to you, Goodwife Orensdottir. Yes, I am in service to the Isfahanis, and…hmm. I am sorry to say, but Goodman Varreg is not here either.”

By the furrowed brow, Avram had become somewhat concerned. “…It is nothing that I can help with myself, is it, Goodwife? At least I might help you find Goodman Varreg: a poor guest would I be, if I let my host go missing.”

[Nathan of the FoS]

SECOND WATCH (roughly 10 PM)

Renhalt considers for a moment, then says, "No, I think I won't need your help tonight. I'm going to see how much I can find out about how the Thott feel about the governor--and how he feels about them. Keep in mind that we're guests here. Nothing too elaborate. Or deadly."
***
THIRD WATCH (midnight)
Leila has a great deal of difficulty finding a scent to follow; the wet of the baths has made the trail quite difficult to follow. Having had no luck by midnight, she returns to report her lack of success.

[Nathan of the FoS]

He politely inquired after his hosts, Søren or Helja, though the former somewhat begrudgingly.

SECOND WATCH (10:30-11 PM)
Richard soon learns that Helja has gone to bed. Apparently her health is not good, and she has been quite tired the last couple of months. Søren was last seen in the inner courtyard you first entered on your arrival; Ushka succeeds in picking up his scent there, and follows it almost to the outer gate, where Richard finds Søren conversing with a tall blonde woman--probably a Nova Vaasan, by her coloring and dress. They fall silent as Richard approaches; the woman smirks and Søren glowers.

[Nathan of the FoS]

"I will accompany you," Altan said to Yarek, "if you do not mind. The hospitality here has been excellent."

What kind hosts, to notice he is thirsty. And in need of a massage. Shadows were obnoxious jerks like that."

SECOND WATCH (10 PM)

"It should be," Yarek says. "We have lots of practice. Here, Horst," (this to the wolf-totemed Mulani) "this is Altan Isfahani. Altan, Horst Kemalssen, an intimate friend of mine. Or should I say of ours?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

SECOND WATCH (10 PM)

Put off the scent, or perhaps just mollified by Lena's charm, Cymra smiles almost despite herself. "Søren and Yarek are cousins; my husband, may he rest in the Iron Paradise, and Søren's father were brothers. As for not knowing why, well, I can sympathize. They do have a certain charm to them, if one's willing to allow some things to slide. Søren in particular has always seemed to find himself in one's good graces, whether he deserves it or not. Yarek...has taken his father's death hard, and all the changes that came with it. He was indulged far too much and has found it hard to adapt himself to his new responsibilities."

Maternal partiality does not appear to be one of Cymra's failings.

"I have done my best to encourage him to view things in a more sober light, but he is not of an age--or a position, or a personality--to give heed to a mother.
And I fear that he learned...certain habits...in Ramulai that it will cost him greatly to break."

Cymra falls silent, then shrugs. "Well. Nothing more tedious than a mother talking of her child, they say! Perhaps it's time for the tepidarium? Shall we?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

THIRD WATCH (midnight-12:30)

By the furrowed brow, Avram had become somewhat concerned. “…It is nothing that I can help with myself, is it, Goodwife? At least I might help you find Goodman Varreg: a poor guest would I be, if I let my host go missing.”

"Oh, just call me Alaya, Goodman ben Mansur, I'm not married yet." Alaya bites her lip. "It's just that he really wanted me to tell him when something happened--a couple of things--and they happened and now I can't find him. And also..."

She falls silent. "Well, I guess maybe it's not my business."

For to make Diplomacy check pls!

[Isabella]

They fall silent as Richard approaches; the woman smirks and Søren glowers.

"Oh!" Richard came up short, looking politely sheepish. "My apologies, Freiherr, I-I-I didn't mean to interrupt. I-I-I was simply keeping the-the little lady company. I-I-I think she's taken a-a liking to you."

He bowed at the unfamiliar woman, and reached down to offer to scoop the fox up, so her little feet would be spared the return trip.

Detect "Evil"

Ushka is free to wreck Richard's attempts to leave politely. Indeed, I encourage it.

Roll: Sense Motive+8
[dice]0[/dice]
What's all this then?

[DeepShadow of FoS]

SECOND WATCH (roughly 10 PM)

Renhalt considers for a moment, then says, "No, I think I won't need your help tonight. I'm going to see how much I can find out about how the Thott feel about the governor--and how he feels about them. Keep in mind that we're guests here. Nothing too elaborate. Or deadly."

Vasili nods. "Nothing worse than water, was the plan. So if you get too groggy and forget yourself, you'll get a brisk soaking, you've been warned!"

On the way out, Vasili stopped to refill several waterskins. Only after winding his way up to his rooms and getting inside the door does he let out a long shuddering breath, his whole body spasming toward the end. What was he going to do? He had tried to put Lena out of his mind, but he couldn't help replaying their conversation from earlier. How did he let this happen? Now everything was upside-down. Right before he left the baths, he thought he heard her laughter from somewhere on the women's side--she seemed to have moved on. Of course she was comfortable, he berated himself. Being naked in front of strangers was nothing compared to what he had put her through less than an hour before. He could still feel the revulsion--

<If you're going to recriminate yourself, do it while you work. It saves time.> Leila interrupted.

Sullenly, Vasili lifted himself to his feet and set about rigging the water traps. He really needed to be more careful which of his thoughts he left open to her perusal. <You really don't think I did anything to be ashamed of, do you?>

<I told you before: you care too much. You're just making it more painful for the both of you.>

<Then why am I the only one in pain? She's the one who was-->

<All the more reason to move on,> Leila interrupted again. <It was unpleasant but necessary. She knows that, and so do you. You made it more unpleasant than it had to be, by telling her what you were doing. But that doesn't make it any less necessary.>

<I thought it would make it simpler, like with Cattia. But it was totally different. She felt li-->

<Cattia's a tactician--when she felt exposed, she considered killing you. Lena, on the other hand, trusted you in a way that Cattia would never do. That's the problem. Next time, don't tell her.>

<Next time?!> Vasili gave a strangled gasp, and tears actually started to form.

<I expect so, dear boy. It may be a long time coming, but it's part of your job now.>

<I can't accept that. I need to think. I need to sleep-->

<You can't be serious! This, of all nights, when everyone else will be awake, you're going to sleep?>

<Just for a few hours! I'll be well rested and have my spells again when they're all witless. That was part of the plan, right?>

<I suppose so, but-->

<Well, if you don't want me to sleep, at least stop interrupting me. I have a right to my thoughts. That's really what all this was about, right?>

Defeated, Leila retreated out of his thoughts, trying to make herself as comfortable with the silence as she could. It had been many years since Vasili had guarded his thoughts from her. If this is what Lena's arrival foretold, then perhaps Leila's thoughts were due for a darker turn....