I have already spoken my mind on the subject, Firebrand thinks. I would much rather have a guide through this mess than wander around until we are hopelessly lost. Especially since the city guards seem to have taken such a keen interest in us for whatever reason.

The masked figure chuckles at Ophelia's not so subtle attempt to gender them.

"Call me Maanai," the masked figure with a slight bow to the party. "Barakah-Set family? I...well I was heading there myself actually, " they explain. "They are...well I'll be honest. They do not have the favor of the Queen Regent these days. You are outsiders so in meeting them you will not suffer the judgment of the other Houses.  I'd advise however not to bandy about their name to others unless you're sure they support the Barakah-Set.  Lord Kurido was dismissed from court," Maanai begin to move towards the Verdant Towers ahead, "I for one will already suffer judgment, " they add gesturing to their mask, "but those who care know I face judgment without them regardless," they explain with a shrug of their slim shoulders. 

Interesting fellow, Firebrand says telepathically to Glyph. I'm starting to think we should have read the fine print more carefully before  signing up to this job... I'd have probably taken it anyway, but it would still have been nice to know these things.

Is it more political intrigue or is our patron part of something scandalous. Well only one way to find out. Yes its time we meet Lord Kurido

Jada follows along and takes another glance at the golden mask. So its some form of punishment. Well at least Maanai still lives. Although some punishments are worse than death. I guess this means Maitland was also punished. I wonder what have they done to deserve such a fate. Ah musings for another day. 

I heartily agree, my friends. It's time to meet this scion of House Barakah-Set. I'll keep the lines of communication open during our travel. Hopefully we'll encounter no resistance on the way. Glyph puts a hand on his hip and begins to follow Maanai with a very self-important stride. He attempts to keep a wary eye out as they make their way through the city, not shying away from watching the wide variety of people who seem to inhabit the area. As the half-elf begins to hum a little tune to himself, he makes a tremendously performative yawn in order to make a sweeping glance around the party.

Perception JIC :) 15

'As I suspected,' Ophelia thinks to the rest of the group, 'we should be wary to whom we disclose our ties to the house of Barakah-Set.'

Ophelia gives a flourishing, elegant bow to Maanai. "A pleasure, my lord. I am Ophelia Silverbloom, and these are my companions, the esteemed misters Glyph Brookstone, Jada, and Sir Batrin Firebrand." Her voice drops a bit lower. "Though I suspect you already knew that," she whispers to the masked figure. "Might I inquire as to where we are headed? Discreetly, of course, so as to avoid eavesdroppers."

As they walk Ophelia searches her memories for any reference to the golden masks. Do they mark the condemned? And if so, for what crime are they made to hide their faces?

History: 14

Glyph notices the winged gaurdians take off as the party moves with Maanai. Glyph also notices the other denizens of the Royal Ward are giving the party a wide berth as they move with purpose as Maanai leads.

"If you insist on carrying on a conversation where I am excluded you do it more quickly," Maanai says to the group shaking their head they tone full of laughter. "One less confident would think you're speaking about them and not whatever seems to be troubling you all," the masked figure says as the party mobes towards to green towers ahead.

Ophelia doesn't remember the journals mentioning the masks but it was Maitland who said it was to cover their malady. The figure seems to move better than Maitland with a swiftness of step and a commanding physical presence.

"As I said the favor of the family," Maanai says pointedly a lack of monkier for their patron and continues, "maybe we walk without clandestine steps it will make people in this Ward less curious about your presences here. If I would have traveled with you I would have suggested a change of wardrobe firstly," they add their tone jovial as they match pace with Ophelia. 

Trust no one. The words echo in Glyph's brain, repeating several times (not in communication with the party). Taking in the not ostentatious, but clearly well-to-do appearance of this new guide, the half-elf narrows his eyes. He can't help but feel something is off. Perhaps Maanai is simply the guide; they're certainly not shy about their abilities. He thinks to himself, Show off. 

"Well! We've fallen on our feet, and no mistake! What luck that met so quickly." Glyph smiles, knowing full well that luck had nothing to do with this meeting. Recovering his disdain for being 'called out,' the half-elf puts a hand on Jada's shoulder and says, much too loudly, "Say, did you hear about the time I single-handedly vanquished the Porcine Pugilist of the Purple Prairie? What a battle, what a battle! I still have the scars to prove it!"

Glyph bares his left arm, revealing blemishless skin of perfect half-elf complexion. He quickly covers the arm again, though his facial expression remains as smug as ever. "Anyway, it was a real task, a trial, a major obstacle! In the end, however, I skewered the wild pig-man and returned peace to the valley."

The half-elf falls behind a bit, wrinkling his nose to himself. 

Firebrand is completely taken off guard by the fact that this individual seems to know about the strange telepathic conversation everyone is having. What else might this strange person know? Are... are they able to read other thoughts as well? The Dragonborn is visibly shaken by this revelation. But he keeps his mouth closed.

"I'm afraid I'm quite ignorant of outsiders," Maanai says to Glyph with a shrug and smile, their tone friendly.  "Possibly you can tell me of your exploits when we're safe in the Verdant Towers," they add walking casually as to not draw interest. "You'll find the more relaxed you seem here the less people will take notice of you," they add and as the party looks around them they feel an odd sort of calm from the once intrusively curious denizens. "They haven't any real intrigue of their own you see so they try to find out the secrets of others," they add they tone verging on laughter now. "I wear a mask to be sure but they all know me," Maanai adds moving towards the large walls outside the Verdant Towers now looming in the pale orange skies fading into inky black!

Without much fanfare Maanai does a few gestures, mumbling a phrase and the gates open. The party had note there is no visible guards here protecting the Towers but as they pass into the gardens before the Towers with a U shaped two story palace between they notice the plants here are large and slightly intimidating!

"Stick close," Maanai says in a casual tone taking a particular path through the gardens.

OOC any insight or investigation or perception can be rolled.

Glyph eyes the vegetal monstrosities suspiciously.

Investigation! 14

Firebrand pauses for a moment, briefly tasting the air with his forked tongue to figure out if anything is amiss.

Perception: 20

Jada peers at the plants. Indeed they are large, but are they a danger to the party. Lets take a closer look

Perception Check

22

 "They haven't any real intrigue of their own you see so they try to find out the secrets of others,"

"Is that so?" Ophelia responds. "After being stalked by guards and hearing the games of the noble houses, it seems intrigue is alive and well in Anjara."

She inspects the plants as they walk past. Investigation: 9

Glyph and Firebrand don't seem to notice anything overly interesting or harmful. The plants are huge but being unfamiliar can't be sure which are harmful or not.

Jada looks at the plants and immediately realizes that the most direct route to the house passes by several large plants with enormous pods that could fit nearly every member of the party within them if they were to open! Peering at them he then swears one tremble as if something is indeed inside!

"Oh, I mean those here now on the street," Maanai begins. "It's the week before the festival celebrating the quincentennial of the Ta'a dynasty. If you're not already at a party thrown by one of the Royal Houses or on your way to one you're very dull indeed," they explain to Ophelia with a curt nod.

As Ophelia studies the plants she's surprised to find more than a half dozen that eat flesh! One in particular when a breeze wafts the smell of rotting corpses towards the party. Maanai sighs shaking their head.

"I hate these gardens! I'd rather have guards to contend with," Maanai says another chuckle in their tone before suddenly a lantern appears ahead with a beautiful human-looking woman holding it aloft.

"Nai," the woman says, "is that you," she adds, auditable annoyed!

"Yes," Maanai replies. "I found Maitland's strays," they add bowing deeply at the young woman as they stop in front of her with the party behind. "Everyone this is her lady Adhida Barakah-Set," the masked figure introduces the young woman. My cousin if she'll claim me," they add slyly as Adhida smiles brightly. 

"You're quickly becoming the only family member I can trust," Adhida says before ushering the party into a side door that leads into an inner conservatory with yet even more lush green plants!

Glyph gives a very dramatic bow to the Lady Adhida, then stands up and strokes his chin. He raises an eyebrow slightly at the back-and-forth between the cousins, wondering why the family is experiencing trust problems within the House of Barakah-Set.

Because they’re a family, dimwit, he thinks to himself, remembering his own family background.

“Well, well! A pleasure to finally meet one of the scions of the Barakah-Set,” he chuckles. “I’m awestruck to be in the presence of such a beauteous spirit, one that puts these lush gardens and tendrils to shame! I’m speechless at the grace and elegance of this venerable great house! Allow me to introduce myself: I am Glyph Brookstone of Dwendalia, your Grace, though introductions may be redundant.”

The half-elf quickly waves a hand through the air, settling into his typical mode of self-aggrandizing performance. “Perhaps you’ve heard of my exploits, eh? The slayer of the Porcine Pugilist! The scourge of the wanton wasp warriors? The bane of the conference of gelatinous cubes? Flayer of the Mind-Flayer? Yes, yes, indeed! Then there was the case of the Gray Vampiress of Daggerbay! She'd clearly heard of my prowess with Beatrix here” He pauses, tapping the hilt of the saber, an almost magical gleam twinkles in his bright eyes and smile. “One look at my celestial smile and her grimy, undead heart exploded right in her chest! It's all in my upcoming work, A Thousand Flat Doughs: Food and Fellowship in Tal'Dorei. Oh yes, and voted seven times in the Rexxentrum Broadsheet as most eligible bachelor in the whole of Wildemount!”

Blech, he thinks to himself at that last statement, though his expression remains fixed. “Anyway, I forget the kingdom has been, hmm, a bit insular, so perhaps my tales have not yet breached these thriving walls!”

Performance roll from the game log (in case you need it! Might as well throw a psi-bolstered knack in there, too): 20 total!

Firebrand wrinkles his nose slightly at the smell of the plants. Rich people... they always seem to have 'quirky' hobbies. He's certainly met eccentric nobles with stranger hobbies than cultivating plants that smell like crap. But still... couldn't these people have chosen plants that were just a little bit easier on the senses?

When they meet the lady, Firebrand does a significantly less elaborate bow than Glyph's.

"How do you do, madam?" he asks politely.

Jada follows and has a look of displeasure on seeing more plants that can be quite dangerous. He stays clear of any of the plants as he enters. "I am Jada and yes Maitland hired my services. As well as my companions. We have come as requested. Now lets get to work shall we or should we wait to see Lord Kurido"

"My uncle Lord Kurido is out," Adhida explains next with a frown. "He will certainly speak to the party when he returns but I can not say when that might be, unfortunately. He's attempting to earn back his influence over the Queen Regent since she publically renounced his council," she adds with a sigh.

"Not in the mood for a party dear cousin," Maanai asks with a jovial tone verging on teasing.

"As you know I am a scholar, not a courtier like our uncle," Adhida smirks at Maanai who laughs out loud before she hushes them setting down the magically lit lantern and gesturing for the party to follow her into the house from the conservatory into another room connected to the conservatory.

"Well, I was never a courtier Addy," Maanai calls out after their cousin as they move into the palace behind her. "At best I was a jester and as we both know my favor," they pause gesturing at their masked face, "was lost long ago before uncle Kurido's misstep," they add with a shrug of their shoulders.

Adhida leads the party through a large area with a water feature in the middle. The water smells fragrant, like jasmine, and is filled with lit candles floating on the water. Adhida and Maanai move through the space quickly and then descend a short staircase. The party finally passes through a set of large reinforced double doors walking into a dark wood-paneled room. The walls are lined with bookshelves groaning with books, a large table of apparatuses that look like they are distilling various liquids, and all manner of objects of Adhida's possible invention. In the far corner of the room sits a large desk. It's set in front of a corner with the back of the chair positioned into the corner so that whoever is seated can see the doors. Beside the chair sits a pillar with a large cushion atop it. There on the cushion sits a gray and white-winged cat like a creature with an owl's face, a reskinned tressym. It's cleaning its feathers. As the party enters the winged creature's large amber eyes flash as the animal disappears from sight!

"Ameen it's rude to hide from our guests," Adhida chides the creature but it remains invisible!

"Ophelia Braithewait Elydathis Silverbloom. A pleasure, my lady." She gives a short, polite bow as befits one noble greeting another. "I'm a scholar myself, from the Imperial university. Might I ask your area of expertise?"