8. Silvershield Estate

Apr 8, 2024 9:09 pm

The duke nods gravely. "Let us hope Koveras is himself, then."

He checks the clock on the wall - something no doubt easier to come by with the Gondsmen inventors in the city - and rises to his feet. "I will arrange for my staff to all come meet us, one by one, here in my office. I'll explain just enough of the situation that they're able to give consent, and then you'll mind-read them."

His lips turn in a wry half-smile, and for a moment he looks just like Aldous. "And then I will retire for the night. It's been a long day."

OOC:

We don't need to roleplay through interviewing the Silvershield staff, I'll just breeze through it with a summary. But if there's anything else you'd like to bring up, now's the time.

Stella

Carcabob

Apr 8, 2024 9:26 pm

Victor.Strokov Inactive for 3 months

Quote:

"They're talking, and I think it's going well!."

Stella perks up then relaxes further. She blushes slightly, feeling bad for getting so angry at Aiwë for, well, getting angry.

Quote:

"It's my fault things went so poorly in the first place."

"Oh, you can't claim all the credit," Stella wants to say but decides it would be rude to further berate Aiwë, who was already repairing things.

Quote:

Aldous shakes his head and claps Dieter on the shoulder, then takes Stella's hand once more. "Well. Who's hungry?"

The day had been so busy, Stella hadn't realized just how hungry she was. Had she eaten anything since breakfast?

She squeezes his hand and gives a weak smile, eyes starting to sparkle with yellow stars here and there. "Starving."

Quote:

"I’ll wait here for Aiwë, you Two should go on ahead." Dieter suggests

She glances at the door. "Okay," she nods. "And...thanks, Dieter," she says with another weak, but genuine smile.

Dieter

Apr 8, 2024 9:39 pm

"see you later" Dieter says. His stomach was also beginning to tear itself apart. He looks to the left and right then spots a staff member. "Could you help me? I need two meals brought out to ….. my balcony. Preferably venison with garden vegetables but we will make do with anything you have.Dieter asks, he slips the worker a gold coin for their inconvenience. He didn’t know where to take the food for Aiwë and him that Stella and Aldous wouldn’t go. Dieter didn’t like Aldous, in fact he strongly disliked him but he was Stella’s friend and she liked him. Despite Dieter’s professional feelings Aldous wasn’t a bad person by any stretch, He was just an incompetent mercenary and warrior.

Last edited April 8, 2024 9:41 pm

Apr 9, 2024 12:12 am

Aiwë stands and bows. "While you collect your staff I'll see Koveras and discuss our accommodations for the night with Stella."

Aiwë exits the office to find Dieter waiting for her. "Oh hey. Why did you guys leave? Come on, let's go find Koveras and the lovebirds."

Last edited April 9, 2024 12:13 am

Apr 9, 2024 1:11 am

OOC:

Skipping forward a tad. Stella can be in this scene too if she wants.

Aiwe and Dieter find Koveras in his assigned room. The half-orc is sitting at a desk, leafing through a handful of papers. Surprisingly, he's wearing a pair of spectacles, which he carefully takes off. "You're back. What happened at the Seven Suns?"

Apr 9, 2024 1:16 am

"Oh, you know. Blood, bedlam. The usual." Aiwë leans against the wall and drums on her crossed arms with her fingers. "Calmer here, I hope?"

Detect Thoughts again!

Apr 9, 2024 1:36 am

Aiwe skims over the surface of Koveras' mind. There's weariness there, plenty of it, but also a flow of turbulence brought about by her words. ...blood... so red, pooling at my feet... The line of thought is interrupted by a wall of calm, collected rage. Rieltar. I will make him pay...

Koveras' voice carries no sign of the conflict within. "Calmer, indeed! I was surprised by a maid who entered, but I think I startled her more." ...the swollen, bruised face of a human woman. Mother... He chuckles. "Aside from that, it's been rather boring." RIELTAR. A garrote, just like he used on her...

Apr 9, 2024 1:43 am

Aiwë hesitates, and gives Dieter and Stella an uncertain look. It seemed like him, but also something that would be easy for a doppelgänger to learn from him. Rage and bloodlust seemed to be inherent to them as well.

"That's a relief. Do you know anything about the Iron Throne and face stealers? Doppelgängers? They had taken over the Seven Suns. Eaten most of the staff and taken their places." As she talks she scans his surface thoughts for something more unique.

Last edited April 9, 2024 1:44 am

Apr 9, 2024 2:01 am

...doppelgangers, yes...

Koveras nods grimly. "They've been used in Iron Throne machinations before, but I never knew Rieltar to use them." The mental imagery accompanying Rieltar's name is... detailed. "He must have brought them in secretly, or after I left." I left. But I WILL return...

Apr 9, 2024 2:07 am

Aiwë looks at him with a frown. She is pretty sure, but needs to be very sure. She speaks in Orcish. "We double checked Aldous and the Duke, and I'm doing the staff next. Can you tell me anything to convince me you're not one of them?"

Apr 9, 2024 2:41 pm

Koveras cocks his head. "You tell me, Blood," he responds in Orcish. "Presumably if I were a face-stealer, I'd be good enough at my job you'd never catch me. But I've heard they don't bleed the same way we do." He takes out a belt knife and pricks the back of his hand. Sure enough, there's a driblet of red blood, and the skin around the small wound retains its coloring.

The half-orc raises a questioning eyebrow. "Good enough for you?"

Apr 9, 2024 2:50 pm

Aiwë blinks at the wound. "Huh." She draws her own blade and does the same to her hand. "I hadn't thought of that. Presumably you would be, but we've already caught a few." She smears the blood across the back of her hand and thumps her chest. "Glad you're you, Blood."

Aiwë shows the writs to the group. "Duke Silvershield has invited us to stay here while we work. First up tomorrow: Visiting two more Dukes to confirm they're themselves as well. They can choose the blood method or the mind-reading method. I prefer the first, honestly." She looks around at her friends.

"Thoughts?"

Stella

Carcabob

Apr 9, 2024 4:59 pm

"If the dukes are willing, and if Koveras is right, that seems the most reliable method," Stella agrees. "I can help heal them if they get too upset about the idea of drawing blood. We might need to verify that's a consistent tell, however..."

OOC:

If Stella fails the check or doesn't know for sure, I'd like to invoke my Researcher Background Feature to know where we can find out.

Rolls

Arcana (Is that true about shapechangers?) - (1d20+5)

(11) + 5 = 16

Apr 9, 2024 6:55 pm