Webs of Rumors

The Rumormongers in TroubleWesser Romaru
Ruma Sereny Aliquami


The aelfir does not move a muscle when Ruma comes with her request. Instead, he keeps his glowing eyes focused on the drow noblewoman.

"I am afraid that mister Maddox committed a crime, of which I am the unfortunate witness and victim. What reason would there be to set the man free?"

"I have sufficient reason to believe there's more to this case than initially meets the eye. If you know Mr. Maddox half as well as I do, you'd well know he's not one to be caught so obviously and clumsily."

As a gesture of sincerity and contrition, Ruma removes her hat and holds it with both hands ahead of her.

"If I could just have some time to speak with him and ask around, I'm sure I'd find the necessary evidence to convince you. At the very least, you could let him out on some sort of bail agreement? An Incarnadine priest such as yourself should appreciate the value of such a debt."

"Yes, the man may have been imprisoned, but surely we can at least exchange words with him," Wesser says to Lieutenant Idris while Ruma works her charm on the high priest. "With your fellows all around the place, we can hardly conduct an escape attempt."

The Rumormongers in TroubleWesser Romaru
Ruma Sereny Aliquami


The man seems unmoved by the delver's words. Moving his gaze from Ruma to Wesser and finally back to Ruma, he finally answers.
"I would not dare to stand in the path of justice and the man had been caught during the act itself."
The aelfir then looks at Idris, before turning back to Ruma.
"However my memory may be cleared of these painful memories with promises of a future favor. From each of you."

The Hound lieutenant chuckles at the aelfir words. To some, this may be shocking - the Hounds were supposed to be independent, and an Incarnadine priest deciding about a prisoner's fate so blatantly spoke of Whisper's influence in Ghorryn.

"I have already offered my service to Master Wenton at the temple," Wesser admits. He glances at Ruma, wondering how much she's invested in the freedom of this man.

The Rumormongers in TroubleWesser Romaru
Ruma Sereny Aliquami


Whisper shrugs his shoulders.
"Our faith luckily allows accumulating obligations."

Quiller takes a step back as he realizes the delvers may actually contemplate the idea.
"I... I don't think I can do that, apologies. Perhaps Mr. Maddox did commit a crime after all, eh?"

Ruma raises her hand calmly, to indicate that she's calm and intends no harm. Her face is stone-like as she reaches carefully into jacket and pulls out one richly ornamented revolver, then another. emptying the chambers of each, she places them on the floor.

"These two pistols are antiques. Respectable craftsmanship from the duchy, emblazoned with Ivory and mother-of-pearl from the old Homelands. There are no others like them, and I guarantee that they can still taste blood."

She hesitates slightly. She then pulls a small medallion that clicks open and turns it.

"My heirloom. A pocket mirror from the homelands. Rubies inlaid. There's a small slot for cosmetics. All Nujabian."

She puts the small mirror next to the guns and kneels calmly on the floor.

"This is all that remains to me in wealth. If it please my lord priest to quit this debt he is owed, then take them."

Hearing Ruma's offer makes Wesser widen his eyes. The apiarist quickly looks down to conceal his surprise from the others. This Maddox must be more important to her than he'd anticipated. That, or she was lying very well about the state of her coffers.

Song stops, breaths a sigh, and nods. As he does so, he ponders on his options. He leans in to the monk and whispers.
"Alright, no poems this time. Are these books enchanted to alert the monks if I take them out? Or is this just the stuffy rules of this place?"

The Rumormongers in TroubleWesser Romaru
Ruma Sereny Aliquami


There is a period of silence so long that most start to shuffle around. Only Whisper stays stationary, piercing Ruma with his glowing eyes.

After what seems like an eternity, he finally responds.
"Very well, though it pains me that you do not wish to honor my faith."

As Quiller releases a sigh of utmost relief, the aelfir turns towards the Hound lieutenant.
"Lieutenant Aneirin, I believe I must have been mistaken when I identified mister Maddox as the burglar who trespassed in my property. Would you be as kind as to release him from his cell?"

Idris blinks a few times, visibly confused. Then, he nods his head a few times.

"Uhh, sure."

Not bothering with the man, Whisper turns back to the trio.
"If that is all, I wish you a good day. "
Taking the pistols and the medallion, Whisper-Of-Boundless-Sky then leaves the grounds.

The group is made to wait in the courtyard some more as the Hounds go and fetch the rumormonger. When they do so, he does not seem to be in a good shape.

Gethin Maddox seems to have had a rough time recently. His skin is pale, with dark circles under exhausted brown eyes. The dirt in his disheveled hair and on his black coat suggest that he had to spend a night or two lying on the ground. Gethin does not seem to be injured though, only exhausted.
When the Hounds give him over, Quiller has to step in and help support the man, unless he would fall onto the ground.
"Thanks," Gethin whispers as the group leaves the Hound HQ.

---

"Father!"
A boy on the verge of adulthood opens the door of the building where the Quiller leads the group. With some familiar features and the greeting, it is clear that this is Gethin's son.

The later is quickly brought in and laid on the sofa as his son brings a jug of water and a cup of wine.

Gethin skips the water and goes straight for the wine, downing it in a few thirsty gulps. Wiping his mouth, he nods at Quiller.
"Thanks boss, I knew you'd not leave me."

Hall of Forgotten RitesSong-From-Heart


"I do not know about any enchantments my lord. It is just that seeing you leave with them may cause... Commotion."

Already Song can notice a few heads turning at the whispers disrupting their work. As he glances around the room, the skald's eyes fall on Crystal. Even with his features still hidden behind a cape, it is clear the aelfir is surprised and perhaps somewhat disgusted by Song not speaking in verse.

Ruma stands by the side of the group with her mouth drawn to a thin line, her expression just on the sharpest edge of civil. She almost can't bring herself to care about what's happened here today.

"I do not know what game you are playing at, but a debt was owed, and a debt was paid. At significant expense."

She crosses her arms impatiently.

"I will at least have one of you acknowledge that before I take my leave."

Wesser stands at the other drow's shoulder, looking at Quiller with a raised eyebrow. "That and an explanation are long overdue, I think. What business exactly did master Maddox have with the Incarnadine Church?" The apiarist addresses the round man - he surely knows more about Maddox's break-in than he had initially let on.

With a wince and a twitch of muscle, which are hidden under his clothes, he breaths in a steady breath as he thinks about not simply running out of the library in that instant. He nods as he takes a walk around the columns of the room, hoping to find a shadowed space where he can shove the books into his robes. As he does so, he then makes a glance to Crystal and the gnoll monk before confidently stepping out the room and allowing whatever that may happen happen.