HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 1

[Nathan of the FoS]

and also Marcel

As fortune would have it, the whole group of you (less Altan, conspicuous in his absence) converge more or less simultaneously on the entry to the Helholt's great western hall. Søren does not look terribly pleased by this turn of events--this is several more people than he expected, after all--but Helja seems to be determined to take charge of proceedings. "Some private place, Søren, quickly."

Frowning, he directs you to a smaller chamber up the hall and stands tapping his hellbeacon baton against the heel of his hand as he scans the hallway for passersby. "Now then," Helja says. "Let us have the gist of things. Baroness, you begin."

[NeoTiamat]

Lena looked scarcely more enthused than Søren about this situation, or by the way that Helja took charge. It was one thing to deal with small groups which Lena could, if she weren't being too hubristic, control to some extent. But this was a slightly larger conspiracy than she had in mind. Still, one could only hope that everything would work out -- and Lena was not going to even whisper anything about Barovian troops.

"Very well, Landsyf. Søren and I believe that the Iron Inquisition is nosing about Helholt." Lena said crisply, though not before sending Vasili an absolutely chilling look. She was going to have words with him later. "And that they are investigating something that could well bring ruin on House Thott." Lena paused, then said very quietly, as gently as she could. "Has your husband ever spoken to you of the Slaves of Iblis, or the habits he discovered in Ramulai?"

Please don't hate the messenger; Diplomacy +22
[dice]0[/dice] Total: 25 (Okay you can hate the messenger a little bit.)

[The Whistler]

Oh, hey! There were all of the people that Avram was looking for!

"Very well, Landsyf. Søren and I believe that the Iron Inquisition is nosing about Helholt. And that they are investigating something that could well bring ruin on House Thott. Has your husband ever spoken to you of the Slaves of Iblis, or the habits he discovered in Ramulai?"

...Um. The hetman quickly closed his mouth and faded into the least conspicuous portion of the circle. If any of you had been paying attention to him, you might have had the impression that, while Avram was certainly supposed to be helping you with a conspiracy, he was also not quite sure whether it was this particular conspiracy. Until more information was forthcoming, silence appeared to be the best option.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Helja turns her head toward Søren, who nods—then, remembering her blindness, says “Yes, I told her so.”

Her expression cold, Helja turns back to the rest of you. “I am…less surprised than I wish I could be,” she says. “By several things. We must act at once, of course. If this is true we must find my husband and end the—end the proceedings, keeping in mind that they will not be pleased at being interrupted.”

“I’ve brought a hellbeacon,” Søren interjects.

“Have you. Yes, that would work. Very well. If possible we must identify the Inquisitor in our household and delay his report to his superiors, or if he has already reported, which seems likely, delay those whom he has called to assist him. Do you have any idea who the Inquisitor might be, Søren?”

[NeoTiamat]

"I am willing, if it proves necessary, to offer whatever connections or allies I have in Barovia to see that your husband secures asylum or safe passage." Lena said softly. She gazed around the gathering, adding. "Has anyone spotted or heard of anyone acting strangely? People who are not where they should be, things like that."

Ushka, still in Richard's arms, is still, a soft bundle of fur that makes no motion to distract the proceedings.

[Isabella]

"I-I beg you to forgive a-a foreigner to these lands," Richard said, shifting his weight. "But who-who, what, are the Slaves of Iblis?"

"Your-your hellhounds would be able to find the Landsherr, would-would they not?" he asked Søren. "I-I trained Maya to-to track, she is-is no bloodhound, but her nose is-is still better than, ah, mine."

[DeepShadow of FoS]

"Very well, Landsyf. Søren and I believe that the Iron Inquisition is nosing about Helholt." Lena said crisply, though not before sending Vasili an absolutely chilling look. She was going to have words with him later. "

Though he was already avoiding eye contact with Lena, the look caused Vasili to shudder, until he was shaking so hard he had to steady himself against the wall. His shoulders slumped, his breathing ragged, he stayed on the edge of the group and tried to make himself less conspicuous.

If this is true we must find my husband and end the—end the proceedings, keeping in mind that they will not be pleased at being interrupted.”

As Vasili is unwilling to draw attention to himself, Leila slips to the other side of the group and speaks his mind for him. "Where would such a large group meet? They would need someplace sufficiently spacious for their numbers, out of the way so as to be undisturbed, yet reasonably accessible. Depending upon the extent of any magical wards, they might also prefer someplace soundproof."

At that last sentence, Vasili's ragged breathing suddenly stops, and while he makes no other movement, his eyes lock onto Leila. Something passes between them in that instant that only the most observant might catch: she added that last sentence herself. She was speaking his words until that moment, and he isn't happy with her departure from the script.

"Your-your hellhounds would be able to find the Landsherr, would-would they not?" he asked Søren. "I-I trained Maya to-to track, she is-is no bloodhound, but her nose is-is still better than, ah, mine."

Leila smiles. "It would seem the Landsyf has no shortage of skilled noses at her disposal. Ushka would also be suitable to the task, as would myself. If anyone had a hint as to our inquisitor, one of us might be set upon that trail while the others sought for the Landsherr."

[The Whistler]

"Has anyone spotted or heard of anyone acting strangely? People who are not where they should be, things like that."

“There is a rumor about, that one ‘Agata’ has a secret that she is keeping about House Thott, and that she and Sergeant Arslan have met to discuss it…perhaps in the barracks, or in the caves below…” Avram trailed off, speaking quietly and choosing his words carefully. "...and that the Master of the Baths also wished to know this secret."

He hadn't stated Rastem's name directly: it was following the letter of Ayala's law if not the spirit, but the circumstances seemed to warrant it.

"...If the secret is as you describe, then if one looked to one of the two people who wished to know it, one might indeed find an Inquisitor."

[Nathan of the FoS]

"The Slaves of Iblis believe that the Iron Lord has given this world to Mytteri, and that depravity in this life will give us spiritual enlightenment in the next," Helja says. She might almost be reading from a textbook on the subject, but the tension in her neck and mouth shows the strain she is under. "I know very little of their rites, and scruple to describe what I have heard before decent folk. Thank you for your offer, Baroness. I fear it may become necessary to avail ourselves of it."

"About five years ago a group of them were found in Ramulai and brought to trial," Søren says. "I saw part of the proceedings. I have what you might call a wide experience of the world, but I wouldn't have believed what they said about their rites if they hadn't been under the Iron Star. I don't think they will be in much of a state to resist us, but any who are still able to think may well use violence. As for where they are--we have numerous caverns where even quite a large group might conceal themselves without fear of being overheard. A hellhound or another tracker is an excellent idea."

At Avram's revelation about the reason for his being here, Søren looks a bit sour and Helja slightly surprised. "Varreg's been here, what, a year? I'd say he has to be the Inquisitor, if Yarek's the reason they planted someone here. Arslan's been with us since before Yarek was born. Actually..."

Søren trails off, looking a bit displeased at where his train of thought is taking him. "Well. I'm for the kennel, then the tunnels. Anyone with me? Blackwood? You're dressed for a party already, I can see."

"I will attempt to find Goodman Varreg--if it is he who is the Inquisitor--and see if he cannot be dissuaded or diverted," Helja says. "I had better go at once. If any of you think you may be able to help me persuade him, you are more than welcome to come with me."

[Kaitou Kage]

Altan kept one arm around Yarek's shoulders as they stumbled through the tunnels. The swordsman was still stumbling and in a stupor from the drugs. Altan swore inwardly and hefted Yarek's weight again.

The Isfahani and the Thott had left the confused ritualists behind, but Altan had no idea how to navigate the tunnels.

I'm going to die down here, he growled to himself. I'm going to starve because of this fool.

Flashes of feline rage, a simmering, calculating ire surged through Altan. The sorcerer stopped walking and heaved a deep breath. Irritation would get him nowhere.

"Sit down," he said softly, forcing the younger man down onto a rocky shelf. "Sit down and wait for your head to clear."

Nothing left to do but hope Yarek could guide them out once the drug-induced haze faded.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

"I will attempt to find Goodman Varreg--if it is he who is the Inquisitor--and see if he cannot be dissuaded or diverted," Helja says. "I had better go at once. If any of you think you may be able to help me persuade him, you are more than welcome to come with me."

Leila slides up next to Helja, brushing against her just a little so as to not startle her. "I will be your eyes as well as your nose, Landsyf. If you'll have me, that is. Vasili will have to come with us, but despite his limitations, I think you'll find him well suited to distracting someone from a task. He's driven plenty of others to distraction, I can't imagine an inquisitor will fare any better."

Vasili's only reply to this little barb is to straighten up and nod weakly to the others. "I think that's a good idea," he says in a hushed, hoarse voice. "Perhaps Leila could go pick up the scent in the baths, then meet us back here once we've chosen our groups."

[Isabella]

"Varreg's been here, what, a year? I'd say he has to be the Inquisitor, if Yarek's the reason they planted someone here. Arslan's been with us since before Yarek was born. Actually..."

"She-she seemed devoted to him," Richard said, pausing and furrowing his brow pensively. "She is-is-is... a swordmage, yes? A-a very strong one or-or is the red just... the House color?"

Søren trails off, looking a bit displeased at where his train of thought is taking him. "Well. I'm for the kennel, then the tunnels. Anyone with me? Blackwood? You're dressed for a party already, I can see."

Richard tapped on his breastplate idly.

"I-I-I don't mean to join it unless we have-have no choice. Since we seem in agreement that none of this ought-ought to come to light-" He said this with a sharp look at the people around him, at Søren, at Lena, "-then we would be-be better off removing them without violence, if-if-if we can. Perhaps someone who doesn't-doesn't... perhaps a foreigner might-might convince them that they are not in danger from-from us, long enough for them to-to listen."

"If-if it does come down to violence, I-I-I can deal with it with less bloodshed," he said, putting a hand to his sword as his eyes went hard. "Our-our mysterious shadowmaster is still out there - we must do our-our best to be discreet."

[NeoTiamat]

"Well. I'm for the kennel, then the tunnels. Anyone with me? Blackwood? You're dressed for a party already, I can see."

"I-I-I don't mean to join it unless we have-have no choice. Since we seem in agreement that none of this ought-ought to come to light-" He said this with a sharp look at the people around him, at Søren, at Lena, "-then we would be-be better off removing them without violence, if-if-if we can. Perhaps someone who doesn't-doesn't... perhaps a foreigner might-might convince them that they are not in danger from-from us, long enough for them to-to listen."

Lena seems unperturbed by Richard's look, though on the other hand, the Barovian baroness was extremely good at hiding her feelings. "I'll come with you. You'll need someone to talk to Yarek if we find him, in any case, and convince him that it's all over." She smiled dryly. "Ideally we take the cultists into custody and decide whether to feed them to the hell-hounds later."

"I will attempt to find Goodman Varreg--if it is he who is the Inquisitor--and see if he cannot be dissuaded or diverted," Helja says. "I had better go at once. If any of you think you may be able to help me persuade him, you are more than welcome to come with me."

Vasili's only reply to this little barb is to straighten up and nod weakly to the others. "I think that's a good idea,"

Lena looked at Helja, then at Vasili, and bit her lip. There was no help for it. She sighed and drew a small scroll from somewhere in her dress, holding it one hand. It was written in Vaasi, though in a style that an observant individual could recognize as Kartakan. "Can anyone use this? It's a Kartakan spell that helps with Inquisitorial matters."

Translation, I've a Scroll of Glibness I can give to Vasili or Cattia or whoever has UMD and is going with Team Helja. Does anyone there have UMD enough to use it?

[Nathan of the FoS]

"I'll come with you, Landsyf," Renhalt says. "It can't hurt to have a Jarenberg present. If no-one else can use the scroll, Lena, I'll take my chances with it. Surely having Kartakan neighbors must count for something. Are we looking for Rastem, then? I understand he offered you a room for the night, Goodman ben Mansur, and you seem to have some idea where he's gone--can you set us on the right track? And would you care to come with us? You did seem to rather hit it off with him."

"I don't know what to make of this about Feray and Agata," Søren says. "She's not a swordmage, Freiherr, although she's pretty good with a sword--all steel, no arcana. The red is just our House colors. Agata is, let's see. That's right, the redhead who talks too much. I don't know why Feray would want her, unless..."

He stops, glances at Helja, then shrugs. "I guess we'll see."

***
Those of you who accompany Søren do not, in the end, see the kennels; he sends a runner ahead and Zoltan, together with two of his charges, meet you on the way to the baths. The hounds seem to have little liking for the baths, possibly because of the wet, and they communicate their displeasure in the location and the company (though not the same hellhounds as you met this afternoon, these also seem to have taken against Richard) in low, guttural growls which at times seem to verge on human speech. Søren gives them verbal directions in a harsh language you don't know* and they quickly put their noses to work, setting off into the tunnels and leading you forward at a pretty good clip. Suddenly one of them bays--it has scented someone. Søren asks, "Yarek?" and the hellhound shakes its head briskly, its eyes narrowed.

*Unless you speak Infernal? Do we have any Infernal speakers present?

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Sit down," he said softly, forcing the younger man down onto a rocky shelf. "Sit down and wait for your head to clear."
Nothing left to do but hope Yarek could guide them out once the drug-induced haze faded.

Yarek hunches over, obviously unwell. "I don't...ah...sorry," he says. "Was that really the Inquisition? Did you do that?"

Suddenly he leans forward and vomits, then wipes his mouth with shaking fingers. "I didn't...I didn't know she was going to do that," he says, his expression blank. "I didn't...It's good we left." He looks up. "Uh. This way? Maybe?"