4: Stairs are Serious Business

[Ebiris]

[15:39] <@Ebiris> The metal snake crumbles in half from Myra's grasp, fatally rent asunder by Henrietta's dissolving magic. Lavinia peers over into the shadowed alcove where the end of the battle took place, herself lit by the fan of light shining into the serpentine-patterned vault from the torches out in the hallway. "So it's destroyed now? Is anyone badly hurt?" she asks, voice ringed with concern.
[15:40] <@Henrietta> "It shan't trouble anyone again, My Lady," Henrietta assures her.
[15:42] <@Rudy> "Nobody of significance was injured," adds Rudy, walking up to Myra and placing a hand on her shoulder. Inky blackness flows from the tattoos on his face, down his arms, and into her body, healing her grevious wounds.
[15:42] <@Rudy> roll 1d10+1
[15:42] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d10+1 and gets 7." [1d10=6]
[15:43] <@Glenn> "Well, I take a bit of offense at that given I was injured too, but it wasn't anything serious either," Glenn says at Rudy's words as he grabs a flask from his many pockets and drinks it, letting it soothe his wounds.
[15:43] <@Glenn> ooc: CLW extract. One sec to checkif it works exactly like the spell.
[15:44] <@Ebiris> Lavinia gives Myra an uncertain look before she steps back to let people out of the alcove. "There doesn't seem to be anything obvious here, but there's probably a hidden chamber or something where all the actual monies are kept safe. Could one of you get a torch and we'll start looking properly?" the brunette noblewoman suggests.
[15:45] <@Rudy> "You were injured?..." asks Rudy, glancing at Glenn. "Sorry! I must have missed it..."
[15:45] <@Glenn> roll d8+1
[15:45] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d8+1 and gets 4." [d8=3]
[15:45] * @Rudy blinks. "Right away, m'lady!" he adds, running to grab one off the wall before returning to the chamber!
[15:46] <@Ebiris> A torch is easily removed from a sconce in the hallway by Rudy, shedding clear heatless light, no smoke or anything to irritate him from it.
[15:46] <@Henrietta> Ah, magical light. If only she hadn't neglected that aspect of her magic it would have been her chance to shine!
[15:46] * Quits: xorn-AzureDreamer (~ferixstad@adsl-69-208-88-104.dsl.klmzmi.ameritech.net) (Ping timeout)
[15:47] * @Rudy shines it about the darkened room, hoping to illuminate their path.
[15:48] <@Ebiris> With light now more amply provided, Lavinia starts daintily looking around, studying the intricate pillars and spaces within the alcoves...
[15:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20-1
[15:48] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20-1 and gets 14." [1d20=15]
[15:48] * @Henrietta decides to focus her attention on where the snake originally struck from, hoping its hiding place might lend some sort of clue.
[15:48] <@Ebiris> OOC: anyone who wants to search can roll perception
[15:48] <@Rudy> roll 1d20 perception!
[15:48] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20 perception! and gets 17." [1d20=17]
[15:48] <@Glenn> roll d20+6
[15:48] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+6 and gets 19." [d20=13]
[15:49] <@Rudy> Rudy checkes out the Eastern wall, poking about it for any sort of crack.
[15:49] <@Henrietta> roll 1d20+2
[15:49] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d20+2 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[15:49] * @Glenn just randomly pokes around, hoping to get lucky.
[15:50] -> *Glenn* You do indeed get lucky! On one of the pillars opposite the doorway you discover a button recessed into the mouth of one of the ornamental marble snakes coiled about its length!
[15:51] -> *Henrietta* You find a gap in the pillar's snake pattern with bare marble underneath, but it doesn't seem to contain any secret panels or anything.
[15:51] -> *Rudy* You find a gap in the pillar's snake pattern in the alcove where the metal serpent met its end, with bare marble underneath, but it doesn't seem to contain any secret panels or anything.
[15:52] * Joins: Taishyr (~ferixstad@adsl-76-236-188-70.dsl.klmzmi.sbcglobal.net)
[15:52] <@Henrietta> "All I can see is where your replacement guardian might hide in the future, My Lady," Henrietta regretfully reports.
[15:52] <@Henrietta> Annoyed with her lack of success, she decides to take a look at the room with her arcane senses next, just in case they reveal something further to her.
[15:53] <@Rudy> "Indeed," mutters Rudy, peering at the ground.
[15:53] <@Ebiris> "That doesn't help us just yet, though," Lavinia notes, continuing to look around without touching anything.
[15:53] <@Glenn> "I think I found something," Glenn calls out as one of his random poking around does get lucky, and he finds a button in one of the ornamental snake's mouth. "Anyone want to push the button, or shall I do the honors, Lady Vanderboren?"
[15:55] <@Ebiris> "By all means," Lavinia invites with a smile. "I hope none of my ancestors were so obtuse as to place a trap that takes effort to even find in the first place."
[15:56] <@Glenn> "I didn't think so either, but figured I'd offer in case you wished to do it yourself," Glenn said with a smile of his own as he pushes the button.
[15:56] <@Ebiris> Glenn pushes the button! The snake designs on the pillar begin to move! Slithering like living creatures, they writhe themselves up to the ceiling and aside to form a coiling archway, presenting a room ahead dominated by a single large pillar with dozens of deep grooves down its sides. Behind the pillar appears to be a map carved into the wall, although it's hard to see much with the obstacle in the way.
[15:56] <@Rudy> "Let us hope the signet ring is not required," adds Rudy, brightly.
[15:57] * @Henrietta decides to see if the room ahead is safe by proceeding there before her employer.
[15:58] * @Rudy steps inside the room in order to shed light upon the map!
[16:01] <@Ebiris> Advancing in, the group can see its a circular room about half the size of the entrance chamber, the grooved pillar being its dominating feature. Directly ahead is a map of a large island or continent, and to the left and right are similar maps of different, smaller, islands. The ceiling is only ten feet high, with another of those eight pointed stars radiating out from the pillar. Behind the pillar is a stone lever, set into the floor.
[16:01] <@Ebiris> OOC: you can roll geography on the maps if you care to
[16:02] <@Glenn> "Anybody recognize what the maps are about?" Glenn asks, having never really studied geography in any shape or form.
[16:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+2
[16:02] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 and gets 12." [1d20=10]
[16:03] <@Rudy> "I'm an architect, not a cartographer," protests Rudy. "There was some diagram of a compass with the ring, though. Hold on a second," he mutters, rooting through his pockets until he fishes it out. "It was very geometrically oriented."
[16:03] <@Henrietta> "I'm afraid I'm not from around here," Henrietta apologizes, her attention drawn towards the stone lever instead.
[16:03] <@Ebiris> "That's Pranneria and Athnas joined together," Lavinia points to the largest map dead ahead. "And that's Cimmeria," she points to the one on the left, "I recognise it from a painting at home. I'm not sure about the last, though..."
[16:04] <@Ebiris> The lever is about two feet long with a flared handle, currently pointing to the left. You can see some sort of gearworks within the raised slot it's embedded into.
[16:04] <@Rudy> "Hildspir, I suppose?"
[16:05] <@Henrietta> "Any objection to trying this?"
[16:06] <@Rudy> "It's a lever. It's there to be pulled, surely."
[16:06] <@Ebiris> "That would complete all the continents of the world," Lavinia nods thoughtfully. "My parents were explorers... but I don't know if this means anything." She follows Henrietta's gaze to the lever. "We might as well, yes."
[16:06] <@Henrietta> Sound logic! Henrietta pulls it towards the center, if she can, or all the way towards the right if it doesn't stop there.
[16:07] <@Glenn> "Your parents really seem to be wanting to make you work for your money," Glenn notes.
[16:07] <@Glenn> "Perhaps they're trying to draw you into the family business by doing so, or something."
[16:08] <@Rudy> "Parents always place unfair demands on their children. It's just the way of parenthood."
[16:08] <@Glenn> "I wouldn't know, never really knew my parents."
[16:09] <@Henrietta> "Ah, really? Mine were quite welcoming to my ideas rather than forcing anything on me."
[16:09] <@Ebiris> The lever operates smoothly in Henrietta's grasp despite its weight, pulled all the way to the right. A whirring grinding noise is heard immediately as the lever slowly moves back to the left, while the pillar rotates in place! Four clicks are heard as it shifts before stopping, the lever back in its original position. Lavinia gasps a little at all this, "Maybe it's a puzzle? I think they would have told me the solution when I was older if they hadn't..." she trails off uncomfortably.
[16:09] <@Rudy> "See? Some of them don't even go to the trouble of raising their children!"
[16:10] * @Glenn goes to observe the pillar in more detail, moving closer and slowly moving around it, checking its details out. "Well, if it's a puzzle, let's get cracking it..."
[16:10] <@Henrietta> "In that case, let us see what another turn of the lever causes," Henrietta suggests, doing so and waiting to see the difference from the first time.
[16:11] <@Ebiris> OOC: roll perception Glenn
[16:11] <@Ebiris> Henrietta pulls the lever! This time it simply slides back to its start position with a *thunk* and no whirring of gears sounds nor any movement from the pillar.
[16:11] <@Rudy> "Well, according to this scrap, certain directions are implied," replies Rudy, frowning. "As well as these shapes. I would posit that we need to point the, er, pillar, in the correction direction," he mumbles, taking a closer look at the turning object itself.
[16:11] <@Glenn> roll d20+6
[16:11] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+6 and gets 10." [d20=4]
[16:12] <@Ebiris> Glenn pores over the pillar, finding that the grooves are just a little too narrow for his currently clawed hands to get in, but he thinks they'd provide easy handholds normally for someone grabbing onto it... for whatever reason.
[16:12] <@Henrietta> If a correllation of some sort exists between the map and the pillar's position in any way, Henrietta might as well look for the similarities.
[16:13] <@Ebiris> OOC: you can perceptify as well, Rudy. Or use knowledge architecture.
[16:13] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+6 engineering
[16:13] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+6 engineering and gets 17." [1d20=11]
[16:13] <@Glenn> "I might be guessing, but maybe we're supposed to climb the pillar after finding a certain configuration for grooves from the lever pulling?"
[16:14] -> *Rudy* From your understanding of such designs, the pillar is actually designed to be rotated in place. The lever is a 'reset' switch, so you'd wager it's nothing so much as an incredibly oversized and elaborate combination lock.
[16:15] <@Rudy> "No, the lever just resets the pillar," replies Rudy, eyeing it up and down. "It's intended to be rotated by hand, see," he adds, starting to try turning a part of it himself.
[16:15] <@Ebiris> OOC: which direction?
[16:15] <@Rudy> OOC: Eastwards, so I guess to the right?
[16:16] <@Ebiris> Rudy rotates the pillar, finding it mostly smooth but with a little bit of resistance as if pushing against something. After a few degrees of movement he hears a loud click!
[16:18] <@Rudy> "I'd suggest that's the first entry," replies Rudy. "The diagram indicated that it be turned east first, then.. west.. squarewise?" he mutters, peering at it. "I don't really know what the shapes relate to, here."
[16:18] <@Ebiris> "Let me see?" Lavinia leans over to look at the shapes, furrowing her brow. "But the pillar is circular, isn't it? That doesn't match any of those shapes."
[16:19] <@Rudy> "No, but it could indicate a certain position, or perhaps a number of turns," replies Rudy, glancing around the walls to see if they hold any shapes themselves.
[16:19] <@Henrietta> "So it's a combination of four numbers, essentially, corresponding to the degree of turn?" Henrietta asks. "Lady Vanderboren, have your parents entrusted you with any such thing?"
[16:21] <@Ebiris> The chamber is mostly rounded but has flattened sides where the maps have been carved. There don't appear to be any pictures of geometric shapes or anything - the maps are the expected fractal landmasses and don't show obvious triangles or squares.
[16:21] <@Ebiris> "I don't think so..." Lavinia paces a little, expression thoughtful. "Unless they had but didn't make it obvious for whatever reason? Let me think..."
[16:22] <@Rudy> "Well, in the meantime, I'll see if it will obligingly solve itself," suggests Rudy, deciding to try turning the pillar back in the other direction.
[16:22] <@Henrietta> "You mean to swap directions at each click, and try the other way around if this doesn't work?"
[16:23] <@Ebiris> Rudy hears another click after a few degrees of movement to the left reversing his progress...
[16:23] <@Ebiris> OOC: going to keep going?
[16:23] <@Rudy> OOC: So it clicked at the same point where I started, I'm guessing?
[16:23] <@Ebiris> OOC: yep
[16:23] <@Rudy> OOC: No!
[16:24] <@Ebiris> Rudy stops moving the pillar! It remains standing, mute in the face of their efforts.
[16:24] <@Rudy> Instead of turning back right away, Rudy opts to pull the lever once again to reset the mechanism- who knows what's going on where he can't see?- before turning the pillar to the east three times, then to the west four, the east five, and then west three.
[16:28] <@Ebiris> The pillar resets with more unheard grinding, although this time it doesn't move. Then Rudy moves the pillar, hearing the requisite number of clicks each time before reversing his direction. At the end of the third click on the second turn left, a loud grinding sound is suddenly heard from the walls! The three maps recess into the walls and then rotate in place, revealing nearly a score of heavy chests and coffers, all looking fine and sturdy, good quality wood and well polished brass!
[16:29] <@Glenn> "Well, it looks like you solved it," Glenn notes the obvious, giving a soft whistle at the sight.
[16:29] <@Rudy> "There we go, milady. Quite an imposing trove, if I might say so," remarks Rudy.
[16:30] <@Ebiris> "Oh!" Lavinia claps brightly. "How did you figure it out, Mr Giacomo?" she asks, going to the leftmost chest on the Cimmerian side.
[16:33] <@Henrietta> "Most impressive!" Henrietta agrees, patiently waiting for Lavinia to examine her belongings.
[16:33] <@Rudy> "I simply followed the directions, milady," replies Rudy, eyeing the scrap of paper. "Shall I write them out clearer instructions for when you return, or would you prefer to commit it to memory in the interests of security?"
[16:35] <@Ebiris> "It would be better to memorise it - father probably intended that as a clue for me in case he never had a chance to tell me," Lavinia remarks, but her cheer seems mostly undiminished as she pops open the chest. And her face abruptly falls, leaning over and plunging her hand into the bottom of the chest in apparent disbelief. She then quickly opens up the chest's neighbour, and looks into it with a pained expression. "What... I don't understand..." she murmurs in a tiny voice, pulling open a third chest and almost staggering as she clearly doesn't find what she expected.
[16:36] <@Rudy> Rudy walks towards the chests and peers in himself.
[16:36] * @Glenn does much the same, wondering what's wrong.
[16:37] * @Henrietta restrains her curiousity, waiting for Lavinia to reveal the source of her troubles.
[16:37] <@Ebiris> Rudy can see two lonely silver coins in the bottom of one chest, the other two are completely bare. Lavinia leaves them behind, starting to quickly throw open all the other chests with increasing distress and franticness.
[16:39] <@Rudy> "My word... perhaps I spoke too soon," remarks Rudy, softly.
[16:41] <@Ebiris> By now Lavinia's reached the Hildspir section, and suddenly gasps in stark relief. "Oh! Finally!" she pulls open a wide chest, precious metals and gems gleaming within, numerous sheafs of paper neatly arranged in an iron coffer beside it. "But there should have been far more..." she looks back at all the stripped chests she left behind, a hand on her cheek.
[16:42] <@Henrietta> "How much more, if I might inquire?"
[16:43] <@Glenn> "I doubt that it was Vark, he would have not left anything behind for you, I imagine..." Glenn notes with a frown, though glad that Vanderboren still had some of her treasure left.
[16:43] <@Ebiris> "Well, tens of thousands, clearly!" Lavinia gestures at the other chests. "My family was not poor, not in the least." She turns and picks up a sheaf of parchment, looking over it. "These look like IOUs..."
[16:44] <@Henrietta> "Enough to explain away the difference, perhaps?"
[16:44] <@Rudy> "The trappings of wealth don't always imply it," remarks Rudy. "You said your parents were explorers, but where did they derive their sustained income? Holdings outside the city? Business?"
[16:47] <@Ebiris> She shakes her head. "Why would my parents keep so many empty chests?" To Rudy, "They often did... favours, for people. From these it sounds like they never bothered collecting the rewards, but had the understanding that it could be claimed at any time. And we have investments in several profitable businesses." She swallows and studies the chest of gems and gold for a moment, furrowing her brow. "If I can claim back all the debts, there might just be enough here to get things in order, but it's going to be a very hard year..."
[16:48] <@Rudy> "Is there a pressing need?" asks Rudy, glancing at the chest. "Beg pardon, milady, but the coin present should be sufficient for some time. It would seem to me that you can take it slowly..."
[16:50] <@Ebiris> "As I said before, there are many taxes and debts that are owed. You'd be surprised at how quickly even a sum like this can vanish," Lavinia sighs, before drawing herself up tall. "But there is enough here to carry on, and you four will still receive your wages."
[16:52] <@Glenn> "How many debts are there so far?" Glenn asks curiously.
[16:53] * @Henrietta does not find herself particularly troubled, having enough money as is to live comfortably for a year. "If I might be so bold to suggest it, perhaps you could trade these IOUs for the debts in lieu of going to the effort of collecting the money on your own, Lady Vanderboren? And if you worry over misdeed, it might be possible to check with those guarding the vaults. If they keep any
[16:53] * @Henrietta records, they may know whether anyone tried to access it in recent times."
[16:54] <@Rudy> "Are these IOUs legal tender?" asks Rudy, curiously. "Signed by both parties, in a formal contract?"
[16:55] <@Henrietta> That is indeed what she expected them to be from the name, and Henrietta looks towards Lavinia curiously herself.
[16:56] <@Ebiris> "Oh, I needn't burden you with the minutiae of my family's financial details," Lavinia shakes her head. "Just be assured that the Vanderboren House will endure." She nods to Henrietta, "Both good ideas, the IOUs seem quite airtight from my understanding, and the guilds and families which owed my parents are all respected, so should be good for payment." She turns and spends a moment sorting through the papers, finally coming up with a fairly thick handful. "This should be enough for today's business. Lets seal up the vault and then ask the clerk as Henrietta suggested - I had to sign in myself just now, after all."
[16:57] <@Rudy> "Certainly, milady. The lever should reset the vault, so stand clear, everyone."
[16:57] <@Ebiris> Lavinia stands near the pillar, well away from the alcoves.
[16:58] * @Rudy pulls it once everyone has gotten themselves away from the chests!
[16:59] <@Glenn> "What are you going to do in regards to the guardian, by the way?" Glenn asks as he moves away.
[17:00] <@Ebiris> With another loud grinding of gears, the pillar rotates with three clicks back to the right, while the three alcoves swing around and show the maps once more! "I can hardly afford to replace it now," the young noble responds to Glenn as she heads back through the arch. "Perhaps if the Jade Ravens return with enough of a loan from my aunt and uncle in Burnriver I can worry about it then."
[17:01] <@Henrietta> "The bureaucracy and the puzzle together should be more than sufficient," Henrietta voices. "And if we take the pieces of the guardian back with us, perhaps an opportunity will arise to repair it some day in the future."
[17:03] <@Glenn> "Perhaps. We'll need to make it slightly less aggressive, or find some way to reasonably calm it from attacking someone before they can even prove that they're meant to be there, though."
[17:03] <@Ebiris> "It may be cheaper than replacing it entirely, but there's no point carrying it right now when it's safely out of the way down here," Lavinia shrugs, heading back into the hallway.
[17:04] <@Rudy> "Might be better not to bother with any such contrivances," remarks Rudy. "Traps! Honestly, if the vault and castle guards are not sufficient, it would take a far higher level of security to stop the determined thief."
[17:05] <@Ebiris> "One would hope so, but it never hurts to take extra precautions. Sometimes the reputation of such alone is enough to dissuade many from trying at all," Lavinia observes, waiting for everyone to come out before she closes the door to the vault, giving it a push afterwards to make sure it's locked.
[17:05] * @Henrietta nods. "True enough. I would wager the real purpose of the guardian is to delay an intruder while help could be summoned."
[17:07] <@Ebiris> Heading back up the stairs, Lavinia approaches the clerk from earlier to ask if anyone else has visited her vault recently. "Oh, yes," the clerk smiles officiously at her, "Your brother Vanthus has been in I think half a dozen times in the last month."
[17:08] <@Rudy> "Ah, and the prosaic explanation appears," remarks Rudy.
[17:08] <@Ebiris> "What?" Lavinia's eyes widen, clasping her hands on the rim of his desk. "But Vanthus has been missing all this time!"
[17:08] * @Glenn nods. "So it seems."
[17:09] <@Ebiris> "He has?" the clerk blinks. "But he had a signet ring and I recognised him well enough, so I thought all in order... I promise if he returns I'll inform you at once, my Lady!"
[17:10] <@Ebiris> Giving the clerk a shaky nod, Lavinia wordlessly retreats to rejoin the group and head to the exit of Castle Teraknian. "My own brother... I can't believe he would do such a thing!" she laments quietly.
[17:10] <@Rudy> "Under what circumstances did he go missing, might I ask, milady?" asks Rudy, matching step with the noblewoman.
[17:11] <@Glenn> "You'll have to tell us more about your brother if he's been missing. Is he the sort of person that would do this?"
[17:11] <@Henrietta> "And how likely is it that this was, in fact, your brother, Milady?" Henrietta adds. "Magic and mundane disguises alike can easily fool the clerks, can they not?"
[17:12] <@Glenn> "Not to mention ensorcellment."
[17:14] <@Ebiris> "He'd been different, ever since we both returned home earlier in the year, I from Thanallar Academy in the capital, and him from our uncle's plantation in Burnriver," Lavinia admits as you approach the carriage waiting outside. "We used to be so close as children, but now he's all scowls and malice. He slept all day and spent his nights with... dubious people," she frowns. "After a while he moved out entirely, I think to stay with a lover in the Azure District somewhere. He came back after our parents died, but he was even worse - we quarrelled often, and at the last time," here her hand goes to her cheek, softly rubbing it, "He struck me. I think he was as shocked as I was, but then he put his familiar scowl back on and was out the door. I haven't seen him since..."
[17:15] <@Henrietta> A charming individual, just as rumor suggested.
[17:16] <@Rudy> "Hmph! Does not qualify to be called a gentleman, I say! These dubious folk must have rubbed off on him... or rubbed him- er, and besides, magic is one thing, but I would presume the signet is not so easily duplicated. 'twould have had to be on his finger, or removed from it."
[17:18] <@Ebiris> Stepping into the carriage and waiting for everyone to join her, Lavinia presses on. "Something must have happened to him, he must have fallen in with a bad crowd - smugglers or thieves or worse... But I'm sure if I could just talk to him I could help him see reason, and bring back the old Vanthus!" she asserts hopefully. "I think this must be your next task for me - I need you to find out where he is, so I can talk some sense back into him."
[17:19] <@Rudy> "If it was that easy to talk sense into foolish men, why, the world would.. um... be better..."
[17:19] * @Henrietta frowns, asking, "Since you've mentioned smugglers, Milady, do you think there might have been some sort of like to Vark?"
[17:19] <@Henrietta> *link
[17:20] <@Glenn> "It would make sense, if he knew the signet ring was on the boat, and keeping you away from the vault as long as possible."
[17:20] <@Ebiris> "I know my brother," Lavinia bunches her fingers in her skirt, "He wasn't always this way, we used to share everything with each other." Taking a deep breath and looking to Henrietta, "I don't know, how closely do such people congregate together? If you can make contact with any of Vark's 'employees' maybe they could give you a better lead than I can, though."
[17:22] * @Henrietta nods respectfully. "I was thinking it was worth the attempt, yes."
[17:22] <@Rudy> "In those kinds of circles? Most tend to know one another, at least, those who have been in the business for any length of time," remarks Rudy. "Shall we pursue it, then?"
[17:23] <@Ebiris> "If there's anything you need from me, let me know. There's a painting of Vanthus in the house so you can see what he looks like as well," Lavinia offers. "We'll stop there so you can see that and then follow any leads you can while I see to the estate."
[17:23] <@Glenn> "The description will definitely be helpful," Glenn agrees.
[17:23] <@Rudy> "Best hope it's still current."
[17:23] <@Ebiris> OOC: okay to skip along? What are your plans now?
[17:24] <@Rudy> OOC: I was gonna float going to see Vark's girlfriend, although that sort of fails as a group thing...
[17:25] <@Henrietta> OOC: I was thinking of asking Trucy, who I think would want to help more. But either works?
[17:27] <@Ebiris> The painting of Vanthus is actually the one in the dining room from when you met Lavinia the first time, showing a pointy-faced young man with brown hair in ruffled courtier's clothes with a neatly trimmed goatee. Looks quite striking and recognisable, at least.
[17:27] <@Ebiris> OOC: How do you plan on finding Trucy?
[17:28] * @Henrietta thinks that heading down to meet with the sergeant that took Trucy into custody may well leave them with a clue, either from the man himself or by gaining access to Trucy.
[17:30] <@Ebiris> Sergeant Graves is found at the same guard post as before, drinking a mug of steaming black coffee it looks like. "Ayup," he nods in recognition at seeing the group arrive. "Nice to see you lot again, we got all those animals squared away neatly enough thanks to you."
[17:30] <@Ebiris> *Lieutenant
[17:30] <@Rudy> "What exactly happens to them now?" asks Rudy, curiously.
[17:31] <@Henrietta> "The pleasure is all ours," Henrietta assures him, curious about the answer to that as well.
[17:32] <@Ebiris> "They'll get auctioned off, we do that every week for smuggler's takes, what isn't obviously stolen anyway," he replies. "If you're looking for a new pet you'll want to head by the Azure district tomorrow I guess, that's where it goes down." Taking a long draught of his coffee and sighing, "So, what brings you by today? Uncovered anymore crimes for us?"
[17:34] <@Henrietta> "As a matter of fact, we were hoping to find out if you knew anything about Lady Vanderboren's brother," Henrietta responds honestly. "You see, Sir, she fears that he has fallen in with bad company. Smugglers, perhaps. And given your vocation, we were wondering if you could help us locate the man or learn more, to either prove or disprove such worries."
[17:35] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+2
[17:35] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 and gets 4." [1d20=2]
[17:36] <@Ebiris> "Hells..." he rubs his head. "Didn't even know she had a brother. Sorry, but can't help you there. Gimme a name and description and I'll keep an eye out, though?"
[17:37] <@Rudy> "His name is Vanthus, and he has this most awful goatee," replies Rudy, with a grimace. "We were actually hoping if we could chat with that girl we brought in yesterday on the topic, by the way."
[17:40] <@Ebiris> Graves nods to that. "Oh, Trucy? Bad luck for you but good luck for her, we let her out this morning. Lady Vanderboren doesn't want a fuss and the Harbourmaster's sweeping things under the rug as well. Got her address if you need to track her down, though." He leans back off his chair and opens a drawer on the cabinet behind him, pulling out a piece of paper. "13 Dredger's Lane, over in the Azure District."
[17:40] <@Rudy> "Does she live with her parents?" asks Rudy, shiftily.
[17:41] <@Ebiris> "Never mentioned any," he shrugs, putting the paper back.
[17:43] <@Henrietta> "Thank you very much, Officer," Henrietta says. "If we uncover any crimes as we look into this matter, we'll be sure to let you know."
[17:44] <@Ebiris> "You do that," he smiles at Henrietta, giving her a half wave/half salute.
[17:44] * @Henrietta smiles back politely!
[17:45] <@Rudy> "We will? Really?" asks Rudy, after they've paced away from the officer.
[17:45] <@Henrietta> "Certainly! Unless you want to clean up after all the smuggled animals we might come across?"
[17:46] <@Henrietta> "Why does it matter whether Trucy lives with her parents?" she asks then, finding herself curious.
[17:47] <@Rudy> "Well, that was different, we were involved," replies Rudy, with a shrug. "We'll like be heading to the seedy side of town, with all those taverns you wanted to visit, so it's not out of the realm of possibility we'll see a few things unrelated... oh, that?" (More)
[17:47] <@Rudy> "It was just when she was talking about having to tell her dead friend's father what had happened," he adds, rubbing his nose. "I just assumed they might still be together."
[17:48] <@Rudy> "Not her and her friends father," he adds, hastily. "I mean- you understand me, right?"
[17:49] <@Henrietta> "Quite naturally, we shan't report every single crime, no matter how slight," Henrietta expounds. "But some crimes must certainly be addressed-- and yes, I understand. Let there be no more spoken on that subject."
[17:49] <@Ebiris> OOC: heading to the address now?
[17:49] <@Rudy> OOC: sure
[17:49] <@Henrietta> OOC: Sure thing!
[17:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[17:49] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 84." [1d100=84]
[17:52] <@Ebiris> Dredger's Lane happens to be on an island connected to the Azure District by a bridge but entirely seperated from the Merchant District, necessitating either a gondola ride or a very roundabout walk to get to. It's a rather smelly street, lots of fishing nets being dried out crab pots stacked up. The denizens here seem quite inured to the smell, however, going about their business industriously. Number thirteen is a ramshackle three storey wooden building with rotting stairs up the side allowing access to the floors above the first, and a basement cellar providing access below the ground as well.
[17:54] <@Rudy> "This building is going to fall down, you know," remarks Rudy, peering at the structure. "It really needs some work done."
[17:55] <@Henrietta> "My father warned me about slumming it too much and staying in places like this," Henrietta quietly agrees, confiding in her companions. She then looks hopefully for a bell to announce her presence with, though knocking on the door would suffice in a pinch.
[17:57] <@Ebiris> There's no sign of any bell. The ground floor door feels almost soggy to her knock and paint flakes off against Henrietta's knuckles as she raps them. Nobody answers from within, but two young boys drawing with chalk on the wall nearby look up at her. "Who're you?" one of them asks in a high pitched voice, looking no older than five. "Mummy and daddy aren't in right now!"
[17:58] <@Henrietta> "No one is in, then?" Henrietta asks the children, happy to have someone to learn more from!
[17:58] * Joins: Merc- (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net)
[18:00] <@Ebiris> "Mummy's doing her messages, and Daddy's out on his boat!" the boy exclaims proudly, throwing out his skinny arms. "My name's Dhalt! I'm four and I can count to nineteen!" he points to the chalk markings on the wall where he has nineteen numerals showing. The other boy stays silent and stares in awe up at Myra.
[18:01] * Quits: @Glenn (~k@c-98-196-68-69.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) (Ping timeout)
[18:01] * Merc- is now known as Glenn
[18:02] <@Henrietta> "My name is Henrietta, so now we are acquainted! Is your mother's name Trucy?" she asks the talkative boy next.
[18:03] <@Ebiris> He frowns at that. "No! Trucy's the mean girl who lives upstairs!" he declares, gesturing up as if to the heights of Olympus. "One time a boy was playing up there, and he slipped, and he fell all the way down, and he died," Dhalt then rattles off with grave sollemness. "I know because Mummy told me, and that's why we can't ever play up there."
[18:04] <@Rudy> "Listen to your mother," adds Rudy, insightfully. "And make sure you always hold onto something when you go up the stairs. Got it, kiddo?"
[18:05] <@Henrietta> Henrietta's eyes widen in shock. "That's horrible!" she exclaims, covering her mouth with both hands.
[18:05] <@Ebiris> He nods earnestly. "I don't want to die! Daddy told me that's when you go into this big bad locker under the sea, and you can't ever get out, and you can't breathe, and it's real dark and scary and cold!"
[18:07] * @Henrietta finds herself, for the first time, wondering if her homeland's version of the afterlife isn't a better and more benign concept than most.
[18:08] <@Rudy> "That's only for sailors," replies Rudy, shaking his head. "Virtuous men receive the comforts of bright, sunny fields! With lots of trees and things to play in, and you can ride unicorns and play with swords all day long! But only if you're a good boy."
[18:09] <@Ebiris> "I'm good!" he sticks out a pouty lip. "Mummy will bring me a treat back if I am, so you can't say I'm not!"
[18:09] <@Rudy> "Good! You be a good boy, now. We have to go and speak to the bad girl," replies Rudy, somberly, and he starts to head up the stairs.
[18:10] * @Henrietta wipes a tear escaping the corner of her eye, having been thoroughly derailed from her original purpose in coming here. Rudy's actions are enough to refocus her somewhat, and she offers a shaky smile to the children, hurrying up after Rudy.
[18:11] <@Ebiris> The stairs creak ominously, but seem to hold Rudy's weight well enough. Up to the third floor he goes, finding a battered wooden door waiting for him! "Be careful you don't fall! I heard the boy cried for hours and hours before he died when he fell!" Dhalt calls up after Henrietta.
[18:12] * @Henrietta shudders, catching herself upon the wall. She takes a deep breath or three, only then ready to resume her climb.
[18:12] <@Rudy> Rudy knocks on the door! Knowing exactly how much danger he's in is somehow liberating, although he opts to leave Myra behind instead of adding to the risk.
[18:13] <@Ebiris> "Coming!" Trucy's familiar voice is heard, the door opening a moment later to reveal the slender teenage girl. "Oh, it's you!" her eyes widen. "Hey, thanks for putting in a good word, I got out of hock this morning!"
[18:14] <@Henrietta> Maybe if she summoned her whip in those precious few seconds to swing herself over to safety? It would be difficult, but in the face of certain, horrible death....
[18:14] <@Rudy> "Hello, you bad, bad girl!"
[18:15] <@Ebiris> "Well if you're going to be like that..." she pouts at Rudy's accusing greeting, moving to close the door...
[18:15] <@Henrietta> "Oh. Oh! Hello!" Henrietta waves, trying to gather her composure. "Can we talk? Somewhere safer?"
[18:16] <@Rudy> "Oh, don't worry. Coming from me, it's a compliment! May we come in- or, er- do you want to go get a drink?"
[18:17] <@Ebiris> She arrests her door closing movement and smiles, stepping back, "Come on in, then," she invites, revealing a ratty one-roomed dwelling, a single threadbare rug over exposed wood floor panels, uneven shelves on the walls, a single straw mattress with a rumpled blanket over it, and a rather battered looking armoire with one door half off its hinges.
[18:18] * @Henrietta is visibly happier to be out of the deathtrap of the stairway and into the faux safety of the dangerous house. "We heard that you would not receive any more grief over that whole affair," she tells Trucy. "That sounds about right, doesn't it?"
[18:19] * @Rudy wanders in as well, peering rather curiously at every aspect of the broken room.
[18:21] <@Ebiris> "S'what the guard said," Trucy shrugs, "I was just about to head out looking for work, so good thing you caught me. What's up?" Her eyes track Rudy suspiciously as she speaks to Henrietta. Rudy notices he can see through gaps in the floorboards down to the dwelling below, which seems fairly similar except it has a proper cupboard, a small dining table, and a double bed. Looks about as poor, though, really.
[18:21] <@Henrietta> "We wanted to see that you were alright," Henrietta says, her composure finally back in full. "And I wanted to offer you a job. It is actually fortuitous, then, that we caught you at home!"
[18:22] <@Ebiris> "Yeah... uh, Mera's dad was a bit rough, but just gotta get on with things," Trucy rubs the back of her head awkwardly. "What kind of job?"
[18:23] <@Rudy> "We're hoping you can help us find someone, actually," replies Rudy, turning back to face Trucy.
[18:23] <@Ebiris> "Who're you after?" she asks back outright.
[18:24] <@Rudy> "Vanthus Vanderboren, of course. Her ladyship's dear brother," replies Rudy.
[18:25] <@Ebiris> She scratches her head at that, ruffling her short brown curls. "Not really the sort of circles I run in, y'know... maybe you want to try the Champion's district for people like that?"
[18:25] <@Henrietta> "I am new to these parts, so I was hoping to put you on retainer, in a sense," Henrietta elaborates, gathering her thoughts. "I intended to offer you a monthly payment, in return for information and help about local affairs. The matter of Vanthus Vanderboren would be one such thing, then. If you would prefer to work on a contract basis, however, that would be fine as well."
[18:26] <@Ebiris> "Like a tout?" she blinks at Henrietta. "I guess, I know my way around the docks. Figured I'd try and sign onto a boat if I could, but what's the pay?"
[18:29] <@Henrietta> "A... tout? I was thinking guide, or something in the area. As for the retainer, my father said that ten gold a month is enough for proper lodgings and necessities, but that was back home. Does the same hold here as well? Naturally, you would be free to find any work to supplement your income, since I would hardly run you ragged."
[18:30] <@Ebiris> "Oh, hey, ten's plenty!" she lights up, offering Henrietta a hand, "Right then, you just say where and I'll guide you there!"
[18:31] * @Henrietta shakes it. "I intend to look into finding a place to call my own once things settle down some, so if you would like, I could provide for your lodgings there. Or I could actually pay in gold. Either way works for me."
[18:31] <@Rudy> "You're planning on moving here? I thought you were all for travelling," remarks Rudy, glancing curiously at Henrietta.
[18:32] <@Ebiris> "I'll need gold for other things anyway," Trucy replies, "And ten would cover food and rent for a better place than this, easily," she smiles in relief.
[18:33] * @Henrietta briefly looks confused, before she suddenly smiles at Rudy. "Ah! I see. No, I plan on staying for a while, but I don't intend to commit for years, as I would have by joining the Watch or such organizations."
[18:36] * @Henrietta coughs. "Back to our immediate concerns, then. We have reason to suspect that Vanthus is hanging around the same crowds the late Vark was. What should we do to confirm or disprove it?"
[18:37] <@Ebiris> "Well, I didn't really know Vark. Mera worked for him as a dockhand, and that's how she got me the job," Trucy admits with a momentary look of sadness, "Maril would probably know just as well, though. Probably better, so could ask her."
[18:37] <@Rudy> "She hangs at the Crooked Lantern, right?"
[18:40] <@Ebiris> "Most nights, anyway," Trucy nods. "She used to be a sailor, but her ship pulled out without her last month and she's mostly been idling about town and making money by gambling... or smuggling, I guess, too. She'll probably be somewhere around the docks during the day, if you feel like taking a walk to look for her."
[18:41] <@Rudy> "Night's better, I'll make a date of it," replies Rudy, nodding. "Do you know if there's anything she likes?"
[18:42] <@Ebiris> "Ugly scarred bald men?" Trucy rolls her eyes. "Well, she probably does like dangerous thug types, I guess. That or easy money."
[18:42] <@Rudy> "I'm easy money!"