investigation check to see if they are the slippers he described 22

While the others are helping the elf recover from the strange dance they were performing, Kellen moves around the room, looking for any other interesting (possibly stolen?) items and trying to determine who owns the warehouse.

Perception 10

Investigation 12

Celesta notices that the slippers still have a faint aura of magic about them. She suspects that Parolanta’s spell ended the effect for just long enough to let the elf remove them, but the enchantment or curse is still active. Ember also just picks up on this aura as he studies them. He determines that they do in fact match the description you all had been given, although the design is ruined by bloodstains.

Once she is able to recover her breath a bit, the elf says, “Yes, I am Lydia--Lydia the fool! And no, I am not alright, though better than before.” She looks up at Parolanta to say, “Thank you. I believe you saved my life. Although what it is worth now, I can’t say. Surely Lady Daneliean will learn of my treachery and who knows what judgment will be mine?” Tellior can see that her feet are bruised and bleeding. She must be in a lot of pain.

Meanwhile, Kellen moves quietly around the warehouse, which as noted before is a space for storing carts and wagons when not in use. He finds a desk near the door with a ledger that lists several names and descriptions of vehicles. Walking down the row of wagons and carts, he sees leather tags on each one, each with a name or symbol upon it. He gathers that this shows who owns each cart. It seems more like a business arrangement than anything stolen or underhanded. 

Kellen also finds a target hung on the wall between two carts. A person could stand between a couple of the wagons on the opposite side of the room and shoot an arrow at this target for practice. He also notices that there is a bow and a quiver of arrows on the ground not far from Lydia. Almost like a certain famous detective featured in obscure ballads, Kellen puts the clues together to guess that Lydia may work here, but uses the space to practice her marksmanship. Perhaps she is stuck in an unfulfilling job but wishes for something more challenging and free.

“Yes, who knows what judgment, indeed” Kellen replies “That is why it is best not to dwell on that until it is known.  You may be able to help yourself by telling us more about what happened here.” Kellen gestures around the warehouse “Why did you take the shoes and wreck poor Frendamus’ shop? Please, tell us everything that happened, spare no detail.”

Tellior listens to the others speaking with elf as he finishes examining her injured feet. He starts to mutter a few words - probably in Elvish - under his breath, then making a quick motion he ever so lightly touches Lydia's foot as he casts Cure Wounds. (3 hp healed) "I hope that will help a bit with the pain.  But we would be curious to hear just what exactly you were doing taking those slippers." 

Ember scowls "im going to get frendamus. Celesta could you come along. He might try to run. We need to ask him why exactly the lady's shoes were cursed"

Celesta nods and says “Good idea Ember, but as dangerous as we’ve found this place to be so far, I don’t feel splitting up is a wise plan.   Let’s go as a group, with our prisoner, after we get some more answers.    The slippers magic is suppressed for now, but they are still dangerous.  Do not touch them- but let’s put them in a bag out of sight- let me clean them first!.”   (She casts prestidigitation and the blood and tear stains on  the slippers lift and float away, leaving them looking as good as new)   To Lydia, she says “ Answer our questions truthfully Lydia and we will tell the Lady to be merciful.” 

Lydia sighs with relief as she feels Tellior’s healing wash over her. After taking a steadying breath, she explains, “Frendamus has nothing to do with it. My name is Lydia El’Ranatoth. I am a skilled archer and bowyer. My business has done well for the last few years. More recently, though, Lady Daneliean has favored dances. She has not openly disparaged hunting amongst the nobles, but my business has suffered nonetheless. No one wants a bow if our Lady only wants to dance.” This is said with great bitterness. 

She pauses for a moment as if making a decision, and then continues. “When I heard that Frendamus was making Lady Daneliean another pair of dancing slippers, I had to take action. I bought a spell scroll, stole the slippers, and cursed them with the intention of delivering them to the Lady secretly. However, as you can guess, my plan backfired. I must have touched them as I was trying to put them in a bag. I have been dancing for hours. I confess all this to you because there is no way to hide what I have done.”

Seeing the elf calm a bit, Tellior speaks to her. "Lydia, we certainly appreciate your honesty - even it came only because there was no way to conceal the truth.  While I can sympathize about your disappointment in your business, I think you know it does not excuse all of this."  He looks at his friends as he continues, "Perhaps should we take her to Lady Daneliean directly?"  He then focuses back to Lydia, "That is IF you might be willing to apologize for your behavior.  The Lady seems to be quite reasonable, so I would trust in her judgement." 

He then adds to her friends. "And as Ember has suggested, we should probably follow up with Frendamus first. Lydia, do you think you can walk now? Or should we give you another moment to rest?"

Triss grimaces. "It's the cursing part that's really gonna get ya in the end, I guess. No one else touch 'em yet, yeah?" they call out to their friends, glancing over their shoulder to check on all of them. Seeing that no one's gotten any closer to the shoes, Triss relaxes a bit before turning back to Lydia. "Can you remove the curse entirely, or did you only learn how to cast it?"

“Can we put them in a bag without touching them, or quickly while the effect is suppressed?   Then let’s go to the gnome, on our way to the lady.”  Celesta says

"Personally i would suggest skipping town. But if you decide to stay ill try to convince frendamus and the lady to be reasonable"

Kellen wonders if there is more to the story than a disgruntled hunter losing work due to more dancing than hunting.  If she is struggling to find work, how can she afford the spell scroll?  Is someone else really behind all of this?

“If you are struggling with work, how did you come across the gold to buy the spell scroll?  How does cursing the good lady solve your problem?”

Insight for her explanation of the events and the answers to Kellen’s questions: 17

Tellior gives Ember a curious look.  "You are encouraging Lydia to skip town? We pull the most harmless of pranks and call for us to be put in manacles!"

But then as Kellen asks his question he turns his attention to the response. 

“Listen, I was desperate and foolish. As I said, my business was quite successful. I am not some average bowyer, selling cheaply made shortbows to every satyr who comes along. I have sold beautiful, accurate, high quality bows to about every noble family in Hedgegrove. But we have a fickle aristocracy. They spend piles of gold on the latest fad and fashion. Currently it all goes to fancy attire, dancing lessons, and hairdressers. This did not immediately impoverish me, although it is clear now that spending my own gold on that spell scroll was folly. In any case, I was angry and thought I could teach our Lady a lesson.” She seems forthright to Kellen, if a bit prideful.

She turns to Ember, “You clearly have not seen the Topiary Gates, the only way in and out of this city, aside from magic. They are five foot thick, interwoven heartwood branches, stronger than steel. Topiary beasts accompany the elven guard at each one. I am unlikely to leave by any of those routes. I would do better to simply hide somewhere within the hedges, but what would I live on? No, better that I turn myself in, as shameful as that will be.”

"Well, I am not sure there is anything else to do here."  Tellior looks to the others for confirmation. Then he asks Lydia, "Is there anything we can help you with here to close the place up before we go?"

He then says, "Otherwise then, we should quickly head to Frendamus and let him know what we found.  I can only imagine - despite the state of the slippers - he may be pleased to know they are returned." 

After a moment's pause he adds, "Hmm, who is going to try to grab the slippers?"

"Well not me. Not after what happened with that song."

“Alright, hang on, wait.” Triss holds their hands up, their face scrunching up as they think. They’ve been in a situation similar before, getting caught with things they’ve stolen. They’ve always managed to find a way out. Surely there’s a way outta this one, too. “Bear with me a mo’, alright?”

They point at the slippers. “If we just remove the curse now, then Lydia doesn’t have to get brought up. We figure out how to remove it, take the slippers to Frendamus. Have him make sure they’re polished and ready to go. Then we take ‘em to the Lady. Make our apologies - tell her we got a little lost, but, hey, here you go. No worries. Everyone wins.” They hold out their hands, wiggle theirs fingers a little to punctuate their point. 

Tellior looks to Triss with a smile.  "That does sound great Triss.  But how are we going to remove this curse?  The magic that I know is not even going to touch it.  I'm afraid curses - and the magic to remove them - are rather powerful things."  He gives Celesta a quick look. "Unless you know of something that I don't.   Which isn't that far fetched!   But I just don't think removing the curse is within our abilities."

After speaking he stops to look through his pack. "Hmm, I have a blanket.  Guess I can try to gather up the slippers with that."

(Tellior, roll a Dexterity check to see if you can wrap up the slippers without touching them. Really low DC, but I just want to see how you do.)