047.1 "No woman is going to march in here and kill me!"

[Corwin]

[20:11] <Kotono> Balmuria's air blows cool and salty as you return to the docks. Your pace is quick and restless as you come to Captain Hamilton. Said Captain has his feet up in his quarters, drinking from a bottle of grog. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Whimsical Bloomin' Sweets!" He looks over as the party enters, "Aaeru, too! I haven't seen you since you helped put that haughty homo Sanuth back in his place!
[20:11] <Kotono> Do you ya have the goods so soon?"
[20:12] <Aaeru> "No. But Sanuth's boss got, like, revived by Shar," Aaeru tells him matter of factly. "And we thought she might try to kill you now."
[20:13] <Janson> "Like she just killed a quarter of Whimsical Sweets this morning," Janson adds to underline the seriousness of it.
[20:13] <Aaeru> "She's a very horrible person."
[20:15] <Kotono> "Hah!" Captain Hamilton takes another long pull of his drink, patting his blade on his belt, "I'd like to see the caroling cunt try! No woman is going to march in here and kill me!"
[20:15] <Aaeru> "What about her shadows?" Aaeru reasonably asks. "Does the Mythal even protect this far?"
[20:16] <Janson> "Okay, fine, you have fun with that," Janson considers his duty exercised at this point. "We might be a little late on getting those plants, or not at all depending on whether we all get killed. Be glad you're not paying in advance I guess?" he offers, already heading out the door.
[20:16] <Kotono> He nods, "I'm sure you'll get her." Captain Hamilton says, and after a thought, "You. Janson, right?"
[20:17] <Janson> "Glad you remembered," Janson pauses by the door as he's addressed.
[20:19] <Kotono> "You have a lot of fine wenches to protect," he says, reaching into his pocket. In his hand is a glittering golden ring, tossed overhand to Janson. "Pried that off the finger of merman noble that got uppity and wanted to tax my ship for sailing through the open oceans! Should be worth about a thousand marks. Make sure all of you are ready to kick her ass."
[20:21] * Janson deftly catches the ring. "Well I'm about to go see another wench about getting something capable of putting the bitch down for good, so this'll help. You're alright, Hamilton," he nods in respect to the sea captain before he really does depart.
[20:22] * Aaeru nods herself at the captain as she follows. "Another wen-- I mean, we're going to seee some woman?" she asks Janson.
[20:23] <Kotono> Neveril follows, "He's...a...." A blush follows, "A very memorable man."
[20:23] <Kotono> "He's a pig," Sylvie mutters, "At least he has some honor to him."
[20:24] <Janson> "Balyss," Janson replies. "Figure if anyone's gonna have something to keep a Sharran dead forever it'll be Selune, right?" he shrugs, it's worth a shot anyway. "If that doesn't pan out could try that magic shop on the hill or... something else. We'll see how it goes."
[20:24] <Aaeru> "The House of Suffering," Aaeru adds. "What if we try asking there first?"
[20:25] <Janson> "You think Croger's got anything there?" Janson asks, a bit surprised but willing to go along with Aaeru if she thinks it's worthwhile.
[20:26] <Kotono> "You know, we could probably get Balyss on in this if we tried," Sylvie speaks up, "Quite frankly, another ally would help, especially a healer."
[20:26] <Aaeru> "I think he, like, visited Ilmater some time way back," Aaeru elaborates. "All this soul-trapping magic is horrible! But if anyone knows something, maybe it's, like, someone like him?"
[20:28] <Janson> "It's a death sentence, and I like Balyss," Janson replies with a weak smirk as he adds, "I'd totally invite Marianne if she wasn't likely to just team up with her buddy again."
[20:28] <Aaeru> "Maybe she really knows better by now?"
[20:29] <Kotono> WHAM! Janson gets it right in the side, Sylvie's elbow knocking the wind out of him, "Hold on a moment, Aaeru," she says briefly, and then, "Janson, stop talkign like that! You're going to man up, have some confidence and we're going to celebrate over Senaril's cooling body. Stop talking like we're all going to die, since like hell we're going to let her win!"
[20:32] <Janson> "Oww!" Janson grunts, even his supernaturally tough skin having a tough time with how rough Sylvie can get. "Look, all I'm saying is nine people have fought her, and only four are still alive. Throwing more bodies into the grinder isn't a solution, we need to outsmart her. Hell, haven't you read any books that can help here? Spells or weapons that can kill someone and make sure they never come
[20:32] <Janson> back, anything like that?"
[20:32] <Aaeru> "That's really horrible," Aaeru interjects. "You saw that fire! It'd be like that stuff! But... but we can take her alive, and then put her in prison, like with the Crimson Guard or Ilmater!"
[20:33] <Janson> "Any horribleness inflicted on her is completely deserved," Janson retorts.
[20:34] <Aaeru> "But it makes you a little bit horrible, too, if you use it! It's like keeping an evil sword and stuff, I bet!"
[20:35] <Janson> "If it means she never draws another breath, I can live with it."
[20:36] <Aaeru> "I'm not going to, like, use Shar's power to kill her servant," Aaeru states.
[20:38] <Kotono> roll 1d20+19
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+19 and gets 25." [1d20=6]
[20:39] <Kotono> "Trap the Soul would work," Sylvie shrugs, "It's also an eighth circle spell. That's archmage level magic. Look," Sighing a moment, "Sorry. If we want to neutralize her, our best bet is to take her alive and give her to a powerful temple or the Crimson Guard. As long as she's bound somewhere or trapped, she can't do much and Shar can't resurrect her."
[20:40] <Aaeru> "We could do it together, I'm sure we can," Aaeru says, trying very hard to convince herself.
[20:41] <Janson> "We can see if that shop can get us a scroll if Ilmater and Selune aren't of any help, then," Janson shrugs. "I don't care if it costs every penny I own, I want to live without looking over my shoulder for a psychotic nymph every day."
[20:41] <Kotono> "We do need a plan as well as help," Sylvie goes on, "But right now we don't even know where she is. We can't plan except in broad strokes until we know more. If she's sitting in some temple to Shar, surrounded by allies, we're in even more trouble."
[20:42] <Aaeru> "Maybe she'll attack me next," Aaeru says quietly. "She has my blood. If you have that you can track people, right?"
[20:44] <Kotono> As the party chats, "Yoo hoo!" A whistle as Silver flies down from above, "There you all are!" As you walk out on the docks and away from the ship, "Got some news for you."
[20:44] * Aaeru tenses.
[20:45] <Janson> "Go on, not like things can get much worse today," Janson lets her get it all out. He doesn't see any point in telling her what happened to Yuria, nothing good will come of it.
[20:49] <Kotono> "So are you suuuure those two are the bad set of lesbians? See, Marianne was certain that Senaril was going to do something vicious if she's back. Guess who was right! Good thing for your two's sakes," Giving Jansona nd then Sylvie a pointed look, "Unless thugs attacking your manor in a brazen assault is normal."
[20:50] <Aaeru> "Their home is being attacked? Like, right now?!"
[20:51] <Janson> "What?" Janson looks at Sylvie suddenly. "Calley and Anna!" and the maids but there's a lot of them and he can't list them all! He immediately starts running the *long* run back to their home on the outskirts of Balmuria.
[20:51] <Kotono> "Done and done," Silver shakes her head, "You'll need to plant some new grass on the front lawn, and I'm sure bloodstains aren't nice for your lawn either, but they took care of it."
[20:51] * Janson stops as he hears its been resolved. "No one was hurt?" he asks, then, "That we care about?"
[20:53] <Aaeru> "Let's go," Aaeru says. "You really need to, like, be with your son now, Sylvie. We'll talk there."
[20:53] <Kotono> Sylvie starts to sprint, 20ft away before she stops cold whirls around! As she does Silver waves a hand, "The thugs are pretty beaten up and the Guard's there now. Oh, they're also at Whimsical Sweets in case anyone tries anything in the city proper."
[20:58] <Janson> "Where are Lyris and Marianne?" Janson asks. He should probably stop judging the latter so harshly after all...
[20:58] <Kotono> "They're at your home, making sure they're safe," Silver says.
[20:59] <Janson> "Lets go there, then," Janson says, "There's no one at the shop now anyway. It's close to Moonhold, too, if we end up going there... did you see the attack, Silver?"
[21:00] <Kotono> "Uh huh," Nodding along to it, "About a dozen thugs. It was a pitched battle but it didn't last long."
[21:01] <Janson> "Lyris and Marianne are tough... but it would've been a slaughter if they weren't there," Janson's head drops as he walks. "Damn, I guess I should've looked at the places inside the walls more seriously."
[21:03] <Kotono> The trip back to Janson's home is a blur of walking. On arriving you find that a contigent of the City Guard is about. They nod to you as you hurry along. At the front doors is Captain Wedge. He nods to Janson, "You're family and servants are inside and safe," he says, stepping aside.
[21:04] <Janson> "Good, uh, we want to see them first, but then we'll need to talk to you guys about all that's happened," Janson offers, before going to see for himself that everyone's well.
[21:04] <Kotono> "Where are they inside," Sylvie says, hurrying along as well.
[21:06] * Aaeru doesn't even try to push ahead of Janson or Sylvie. Instead, she keeps pace with Neve, hoping to see Lyris within.
[21:06] <Kotono> "Upstairs in the master bedroom," Captain Wedge says as you hurry inside! Upstairs you go, right into the master bedroom! There you find four. Sylvie's Mom is there, Calley resting in her lap. Near them stands Lyris, face expressionless and composed. Just besides the door inside stands Marianne, rapier in hand. Sylvie jets past both of them, smothering her Mom in a hug! "Mom! You aren't hurt,
[21:06] <Kotono> are you?"
[21:08] * Aaeru pauses before Marianne in uncertainty. "Thanks for being here," she says awkwardly.
[21:09] <Kotono> "Gutter trash like that have no business attempting what they did," Marianne says, a distinct frown on her face. "I know Senaril enough to know that she would like nothing better than to hurt you, and wouldn't hesitate to strike family."
[21:10] <Kotono> Lyris nods shortly, "They're all alive and being interrogated."
[21:11] <Janson> "Yeah..." Janson hangs back as Sylvie tends to her family, glancing awkwardly at the green-haired woman. "I guess we're even, now. Thanks... it's not really what I expected."
[21:11] * Aaeru has family, too, and turns away. Would she be too late if she left? Can she leave everyone after what happened?
[21:11] <Kotono> "We're fine," Anna says as she's held close.
[21:12] <Kotono> Marianne pauses, "We're not even. Not until Senaril's dead for good."
[21:14] * Janson then takes the chance to follow up on Sylvie, sitting down next to Anna and giving Calley a pat on the head. "You two weren't scared too badly, I hope?"
[21:15] <Kotono> Neveril lingers close to Aaeru, "We need to make sure that the cove is safe, too," she murmurs.
[21:15] <Aaeru> "You know her way better," Aaeru finally asks, snapping out of her indecisive self-pity. "Will she attack Erenholm because of me? If I go there, is that what she wants?"
[21:16] <Kotono> "My heart is racing, but we're fine," Anna says as Calley smiles to Janson, "Thanks to your friends."
[21:16] * Aaeru feels a bit bad for Neve's sake, but the cove, in the end, doesn't have anyone sentient living in it besides them.
[21:17] <Kotono> "It's possible," Marianne says, "I don't think she'd attack in Balmuria proper...she gave the city and the mythal a wide berth when she could. But a village? It wouldn't surprise me."
[21:17] <Kotono> Lyris steps forward, "Do you need someone to check on your family and protect them, Aaeru," she asks.
[21:19] <Janson> "Yeah, I think we might need to move into the city, at least until this is over with," Janson sighs as he overhears Marianne. "We'll get her, though."
[21:19] <Aaeru> "I... don't want to go, and then that's what she wants and it's a trap and she attacks me in the village," Aaeru tries to explain. "I can't beat her myself, but if she attacks just me, that's one thing. If Shar attacks my home again... if I can't beat Senaril, everyone will die, and I can't beat her... I don't know what to do."
[21:21] <Janson> "We need to either find out where she is, or lure her into a trap." Since they're talking shop now, Janson gives Calley and Anna another hug before getting up to join those standing.
[21:22] <Aaeru> "What if... we all go, and bring everyone in the village back? For a while, until we catch her?"
[21:23] <Kotono> "I can go to the village to protect it," Lyris offers, "If Senaril comes there, it will be the last thing she does in this life."
[21:24] <Aaeru> "Just you?" Aaeru asks, embarrassed. Is she really just too scared to think straight?
[21:25] <Kotono> With a tight smile, "She couldn't touch me last time. One on one, I can beat Senaril." Lyris says, "I know I can."
[21:26] <Aaeru> "She has really strong shadows with her, now...."
[21:26] <Janson> "We're better off in numbers," Janson puts in, "You remember how hard she was to put down with all of us, and she never even tried attacking you or me, Lyris, except with that cold. And her new minions are nothing to sneeze at either - normally you'd figure a shadow would be vapour if it went up against a cleric, but we lost Orval that way earlier today."
[21:26] <Aaeru> "Two bites!" Aaeru confirms.
[21:30] <Kotono> "I can go with Lyris as well," Marianne adds, "But if we all sit back and protect places, Senaril moves unchecked."
[21:31] <Aaeru> "You're right," Aaeru says suddenly. "It can't be just revenge, right? So what does she want? Does she, like, still want you?"
[21:34] <Kotono> "I don't know, but I know revenge is a part of it," Marianne says, "She hasn't made a move towards me yet, at least."
[21:35] <Janson> "Well, my first stop is getting something that'll keep Shar from just sending her right back in our faces after we kill her a second time," Janson puts in. "Hoping the Lunatics or that magic shop might have something good. If she's still after you either way, Marianne, we could use that to trap her."
[21:35] <Aaeru> "Well, she's back, and she's a fey. She had her fey realm before. Can she have a fey realm now? Can we find it?"
[21:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23 (+6 inspiration)
[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 (+6 inspiration) and gets 30." [1d20=7]
[21:38] <Kotono> "It's possible," Sylvie says after some more thought, "I've heard stories of mirage mullahs in the desert, a type of decadent fey. She'd get along with the nastier ones well enough."
[21:39] <Aaeru> "How can we find it, then?"
[21:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[21:41] <Kotono> "We'd need to get information from a friendly fey that knows the area, or an expert. There's a noble in Arad that studies them, I believe. Wali Faris, he's part of the Pasha's court. He'd know well. I might be able to find out with some time and studying as well."
[21:43] <Aaeru> "So... it's a plan, right? We check the House of Suffering, and with Balyss, and with someone about this stuff, and maybe we'll have some good way of stopping her and finding her!"
[21:43] <Janson> "It's a bit of a stretch, but it's that, hanging around Marianne in hopes we can jump Senaril on the chance she shows up personally to recruit again, or acting like normal until we fall into another trap... although Josa and Whurric might've found a clue in Wetwind that changes things," Janson puts in hopefully.
[21:45] <Kotono> "Right," Sylvie nods.
[21:48] <Kotono> Moonholm is not far. On knocking your fortune is running good. Balyss is there, wearing light clothes with a hanging holy symbol necklace. "Well, Whimsical Sweets again," she says with a smile, "What can I do for all of you today?"
[21:48] <Aaeru> "Remember Senaril, the crazy killer Sharran nymph?"
[21:49] <Janson> "We killed this evil Sharran nymph but she's alive again," Janson answers bluntly. "Was hoping Selune might have something to help do it permanently."
[21:50] <Kotono> "You said the magic word," she nods, "Sharrans. So you need an anti-resurrection spell?"
[21:51] <Aaeru> "Something. Anything! Even if we kill her, Shar will, like, keep on bringing her back!"
[21:51] <Kotono> "Exactly," Sylvie says, "I thought about trap the soul, but that's expensive and powerful. Do you have anything else?"
[21:51] <Janson> "Or weapon or anything, yes," Janson nods in agreement with Aaeru. "We need her to die forever."
[21:52] <Aaeru> "Or, well, get imprisoned. Forever."
[21:53] <Janson> "So long as she's miserable," Janson smiles brightly.
[21:54] <Aaeru> "I suppose in that case Ilmater wouldn't mind a lot," Aaeru hesitantly agrees. "Probably."
[21:55] <Kotono> Nodding to that and leaning against the wall, "The problem is this. If a truly powerful cleric wants to call someone willing back, it has good odds of working. If a Goddess wants to call one of her servants back, it's going to happen. No body? She'll just make another. As long as she has the soul of Senaril, she can bring her back. There's two options for her here - one, trap the soul. It's
[21:55] <Kotono> expensive and powerful, but it does work as long as the gem the soul is trapped in isn't shattered. Two, you keep her alive and imprisoned somewhere. Say the jails of Celestia or the third layer of Elysium."
[21:57] <Janson> "So anything you can do to help with that?" Janson asks hopefully.
[22:00] <Kotono> "You guys have a good reputation and are known anti-Sharrans." Balyss considers, before she at last nods. "I need to go talk to my superiors. We should be able to help in some way or another."
[22:00] <Aaeru> "There's, umm, another thing," Aaeru quickly says. "It's more of an advice thing, okay?"
[22:02] <Kotono> "What's the advice?" Balyss asks.
[22:02] <Aaeru> "Listen, all the souls that Senaril... had... when she killed people? There was this horrible magical fire and it, like, really messed them up. I thought they might get destroyed, but can you really do it to a soul? And can't, like, your god stop it if it happens to you? Did Yuria and Orval really die horribly and then their souls died horribly, too?"
[22:03] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[22:03] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 and gets 26." [1d20=16]
[22:05] <Kotono> "You can't just destroy a soul...I think." Balyss says with a distinctly nauseated look, "If anyone could find a way, it would be Sharrans, though. Shar's the goddess of entropy among other things."
[22:06] <Aaeru> "Can you, like, check? I think Orval was into this dwarven deity or something, but Yuria... just believed in her dead emperor and I don't think he's a god so I don't know who to ask for her!"
[22:07] <Kotono> "Alright," Balyss ays, "Make yourselves comfortable out here."
[22:08] <Aaeru> "Thank you!" Aaeru says empathically.
[22:08] <Janson> "Thanks," Janson deems this worth waiting and goes to take a seat on the grass inside Moonhold's courtyard. Was so fun the first time they came here... how life has changed.
[22:11] <Kotono> Sylvie sits next to Janson, going to rest her head against his. Murmuring quietly, "I just want this to go away," she murmurs, "I just want a normal day of getting up, reading, seeing Calley and Mom, going to work, coming home, being with you..."
[22:12] <Kotono> Neveril stands, resting against the wall where Balyss was. She closes her eyes, sighing.
[22:13] <Janson> "Life's pretty good when Senaril's not around," Janson agrees tiredly, wrapping an arm around Sylvie and holding her close. "She's a monster."
[22:14] * Aaeru moves to stand by Neve, taking her hand and squeezing it lightly. "I'll train more, so it won't happen again. Ever," she swears quietly. "And I won't let her touch you. I'll stay with you."
[22:17] <Kotono> Lyris hangs back and keeps her eyes out, Marianne standing. "She is. We have to end her once and for all."
[22:21] <Kotono> Time slips by. It's a long wait of anxiety and misery...but at last, after far too long, Balyss returns. She has a sack in hand, carrying it closely.
[22:21] * Janson groans slightly as he gets up and stretches his legs once more, looking expectantly at the aasimar.
[22:23] * Aaeru has just about dozed off leaning against the wall, but shakes her head at Balyss's appearance to clear it.
[22:25] <Kotono> Slowly she reaches into the sack, taking it out! It's a smooth circular pearl, completely transparent like glass. "If Senaril dies within 10 feet of this orb, her soul will fly right into it," she says, "However, there's a catch."
[22:26] <Kotono> "What's the catch," Sylvie asks, getting up as well and dusting her legs off.
[22:26] <Janson> "There always is," Janson notes, eyeing the orb hopefully.
[22:27] * Aaeru grows more and more alert by the second as she listens carefully.
[22:27] <Kotono> "We want her soul," Balyss says without preamble, "So that Selune's light can take her as the Moonmaiden pleases. Also, you owe us a huge favor."
[22:28] <Aaeru> "That's not a catch," Aaeru says in confusion. "We're friends. Of course we'll do you any favor you want!"
[22:28] <Janson> "So long as she never gets out of the pearl, we can at least be alive to make good on that," Janson smiles at her, having no trouble with such a fee.

[Corwin]

[19:52] <Kotono> "As long as she stays dead, who cares?" Lyris observes with a curt nod.
[19:53] <Kotono> Balyss passes the sphere over to Aaeru, "Good hunting then. Have any idea where she is?"
[19:54] <Janson> "Not yet, though we still need to speak to the guard about the guys she hired to attack my house," Janson says, glancing at Lyris and Marianne. "Didn't hear anything juicy while taking them down, right?"
[19:54] <Aaeru> "Not really," Aaeru admits, peering at the sphere curiously. "And there's that lead back in the Fiefdoms, too," she adds to Janson's words.
[19:56] <Kotono> "Well, if you need divinations," Balyss says, letting it hang, "I'll have to charge you for them, though."
[19:57] <Aaeru> "Speaking of that, like, did you find anything about Yuria?"
[20:00] <Kotono> "I asked," Balyss says, "Tell me more about how she died and the circumstances surrounding it."
[20:03] <Aaeru> "She called on this huge ghostly king that burned a shadow away, but then Senaril got her. She said something about... saving her special touch for me, or something like that, and she used those maces with teeth all over them. I... does that help?"
[20:04] * Janson shudders a little at hearing how Yuria died. Senaril's swords were bad enough...
[20:04] <Kotono> "It doesn't soundl ike anything should have trapped her soul," Balyss considers with some thought, "Was there anything else involved? Another person, anything in the area like that?"
[20:05] <Kotono> Sylvie's color drains again, "...teeth? Mace-teeth?"
[20:05] <Aaeru> "The whole house had these... ghost-hands all over it. I couldn't break out until I put, like, everything into it. And Archie said the hands tried to stop her teleporting, too."
[20:06] <Kotono> "Shadow and Pain," Marianne speaks up quietly, "Senaril spoke of them. The teeth bie you, inflicting more harm with each successive bite. A heavy mace and a light mace, both made by Sharrans."
[20:06] <Janson> "Guess we didn't clean out her mansion as well as we should've done," Janson sighs. "She tell you anything about these Sharrans that make her gear, Marianne? Hitting at her support could work, too."
[20:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 and gets 27." [1d20=17]
[20:09] <Kotono> At that Balyss bows her head in prayer then, "A possessed house with spirits? I'm sorry, but it's entirely possible she was taken then. It sounds like a possessive phenenom. Yuria may be lost, or damaged beyond repair or in Shar's hands. I'm sorry."
[20:10] <Kotono> Marianne shakes her head, "She never talked about her friends. I know why now - Shar is the goddess of secrets and lost knowledge. She told me enough to damn myself, but nothing to save myself."
[20:10] <Janson> "So Yuria's... basically in Hell forever?" Janson confirms, appalled.
[20:11] <Aaeru> "If it's, like, favors you want, you'll have as many as you need!" Aaeru insists. "Do you have a way to save her, too?"
[20:14] <Kotono> "She may be. I'm going to be honest - I'm not sure." Balyss spreads her hands open wide, "After this, if I can talk to all of you, gather information and research, I can get you a definintive answer. Right now I'm just making the best guesses I can."
[20:15] <Kotono> A look to Aaeru, "I'd need to pick your brains about this as much as possible, sa well as trying a few divinations to aid it. It's not likely, but if anyone can do that, it's Shar."
[20:16] <Janson> "We can't do much right now, but after Senaril's dead... look, we went into Hell for each other, we're not going to leave Yuria to rot like that. Orval, too, if he's in the same boat. We'll see about those divinations once we've taken care of the nymph."
[20:16] * Aaeru can only nod to that.
[20:18] <Kotono> Sylvie nods as well, "I can help with the divinations too, I think. I'm getting better at my cleric practices," she says then, shaking her head, "Also with the research. Her face is sad but calming, drawn pale but determined. "Back home. If those assassins have any information..."
[20:24] <Kotono> Back home. You find the goons are being interrogated in the servant's quarters of Janson's home. Standing outside those doors is a maid with long black hair, in her 30s perhaps. Rather pretty in her way, bowing, "Sir," she bows to Janson, "The City Guard is working in there."
[20:25] <Kotono> "Thank you, Rosalin," Sylvie smiles a moment, heading on in.
[20:26] <Janson> "Thanks, Rosalin," Janson smiles at her, "But you remember I gave you the next few days off, you don't have to stick around right now."
[20:27] <Kotono> Lyris tags along, while Marianne gives her a second look. As she does, Rosalin smiles, "Right now, I feel safest with the City Guard here. Once they leave I'm going into the city."
[20:29] <Janson> "You're a clever woman," Janson gives her a brief grin, "Hopefully we'll get things back to normal soon," he adds before following Sylvie inside to see the interrogation.
[20:29] * Aaeru is too tired by now for that, and decides to stay by Marianne for now.

[Corwin]

#t

[20:32] <Kotono> As the two of you linger with Rosalin, "So you're Aaeru?" Rosalin asks, cocking her head to the side slightly. A little smile starts to show on her face, "I've heard stories."
[20:33] * Aaeru blinks, focusing on Rosalin. "Really? What sort?"
[20:35] <Kotono> "I'd heard of a girl who lies out in the city who's a bare fisted fighter, then I've heard Sir Janson mention you," she says.
[20:37] <Aaeru> "I actually don't live in the city, but yeah, I guess. Huh. So people, like, talk about me? Is it because I don't have a house?"
[20:39] <Kotono> With the slightest smile, "I've heard you have a gift at making an impression."
[20:39] <Kotono> Marianne chuckles at that, "I suppose. Few would have the courage to confront Senaril with nary a weapon in hand."
[20:41] <Aaeru> "I try not to be afraid and to, like, help people. But I wasn't really good at it today."
[20:46] <Kotono> "Then get up and try again tomorrow," Marianne says, "As long as you live you can still feel pain. As long as you can feel pain, you can still fight. As long as you can still fight, you have a chance."
[20:48] * Aaeru laughs tiredly despite herself. "I didn't really expect, like, to hear you tell me that. I mean, of all people?"
[20:51] <Kotono> "Hmph," With the slightest hint of amusement in her eyes, "What's so unexpected about it?"
[20:52] * Aaeru shrugs. "Because you just never liked me from the start? I actually wondered why and stuff."
[20:55] <Kotono> "I like very few people," Marianne says coolly, looking away, "People are vain little things, consumed with their own immediate needs and grasping for whatever drops of pleasure they can get." Despite that she speaks again after pausing, pursing her lips together, "You're brave, confident and unconcerned with your own luxury. In a way, that's admirable."
[20:59] <Aaeru> "It's really hard to resist, like, wanting more power, or going all out against your enemies and not hurting them even by accident. I admire that," Aaeru reciprocates.
[21:00] <Kotono> "Hmph." Marianne doesn't quite smile yet, "I have millenia of recollections about doing the exact opposite. It's far harder to stop once you get going and not adding another body to your count."
[21:01] <Kotono> Rosalin listens to all of this with a polite smile in place, glancing back and forth as it goes.
[21:03] <Aaeru> "Since Captain Wedge's interrogating the, umm, prisoners now, it seems like you're just being humble and stuff?" Aaeru shrugs again. "Of course it's hard. If it, like, weren't hard, it wouldn't be that admirable at all. So it is."

[Corwin]

[20:32] <Kotono> Marianne and Aaeru linger outside while the others head in. Inside you Captain Wedge, sitting in a chair in the hall. He's reading a scroll as you come in, "Come here to find answers or are you looking for me?"
[20:34] <Kotono> "Answers," Sylvie says, "Do ou have anything at all?"
[20:37] <Janson> Sylvie said it best, so Janson doesn't clutter things up by adding anything further.
[20:42] <Kotono> "Two assassins gave wildly divergent information than the others. The rest had the same story - they were hired in Parsifal by a dwarf named Wirhelm. Knew what they did for a living, offered the right amount of coin and made himself scarce after. They'd never seen him before and haven't seen him since." Clicking his tongue, "Smooth work. I don't think they're lying, whomever did this knew how
[20:42] <Kotono> to do it without tipping their hand."
[20:43] <Janson> "Huh. What'd the two different ones say?" Janson asks curiously. "For that matter what were their specific orders?"
[20:45] <Kotono> "One gave us a line about a man in black hiring them," Captain Wedge replies, "The other said they were doing it just because." After a beat, "Kill everyone inside and burn the entire manor down." HIs voice is grave at that, "Merciless extermination."
[20:45] <Kotono> Sylvie's head is bowed at those words, fist balling up and hitting against her side. "Senaril..." she grinds out.
[20:47] <Janson> "Her death was too quick the first time," Janson grumbles, visualising a few better ways of doing it now. "Going to Parsifal... mmm, I have a feeling Wirhelm isn't going to know anything useful even if he hasn't already disappeared. What do you guys think?"
[20:49] <Kotono> "He's either an agent of Senaril's cause or a dupe," Lyris agrees, "A dead end would be my guess. She's already launched one attack when we were distracted, another could follow while we chase our tails in Parsifal."
[20:51] <Janson> "Probably our best bet now would be going back to Wetwind and seeing if Josa and Whurric found any clues there to track her by. If that fails using Marianne to hook her in is about all I can think of," Janson muses, looking between the two women for their opinions.
[20:51] <Kotono> "That's about my line of thought," Sylvie pauses to untense, rubbing her face with her hands. "Seconding that. "
[20:53] <Kotono> Lyris pauses, her body seeming to tense up. "If she's still interested in and all else fails," Slowly enough does Lyris say that, "But only as a last resort. If we lose and she gets Marianne, able to break her to her will without anyone interfering?" That's a longer, harder pause, "We're joined in the graves by an entire generation."
[20:53] <Kotono> *if she's still interested in Marianne
[20:55] <Janson> "Naw, was figuring we'd be on hand to strike instantly, not giving her a free shot," Janson explains, turning now to Wedge. "Thanks for taking care of all this, Captain. We're likely gonna be out of town for a while while this gets dealt with, but I'll buy you a drink once she's dead again."
[20:58] <Kotono> Captain Wedge offers his hand out to Janson, "You're a fine breed," he says as the handshake is taken, "Whimsical Sweets has some of the same bravery as the old Crimson Guard did, while they still walked amid us."
[21:00] <Janson> "Hah," Janson returns the shake grimly. "Senaril already killed one of us who worshipped one of the old Crimson Guard. Maybe they'll look favourably on us for avenging her." A second time... but the first doesn't really count at all now, does it?
[21:01] <Kotono> "Make this one count," Captain Wedge says, "Make it count."
[21:02] <Janson> "Selune'll take care of that," Janson promises. "Help yourself to some of the wine in the cellar in the meantime, and share it with your men," he offers in parting, heading back out to rejoin the others.
[21:03] <Kotono> Heading back you, you catch Aaeru saying, "...that admirable at all. So it is." Meanwhile Marianne glances as the others return, "Anything?"
[21:05] <Janson> "Probably a dead end, they got hired by some dwarf in Parsifal and told to burn the place to the ground. Figure it's not worth chasing our tails all the way over there, better off seeing if she left any clues behind in Wetwind Harbour - Josa and Whurric are out looking there now."
[21:07] <Kotono> "Let's go," Sylvie says, and after a beat, "Josa's going to be poor paying for all of our teleports at this rate."
[21:07] <Janson> "I've got this one," Janson shakes his head. "Guy's not our boss anymore, can't put all the burden on him. You two in?" he asks Lyris and Marianne.
[21:08] <Aaeru> "Let's stop her together?" Aaeru offers the pair.
[21:08] <Kotono> "We are," Marianne says, "I'll pay a third of the cost as well, to cover our teleport."
[21:09] <Janson> "Just make it an even sixty marks, easier on the math that way," Janson tells her. "Take care, Rosa. We'll be in touch through the guild when everything's back to normal," he bids farewell to his maid before they go.