"Interesting," Arren replies, as he listens to the Corporal and then reads the last of Emma's letters himself, confirming what he has just said. "Yes, that's definitely something worth asking her about."He pauses. "'BS' ? As in ... 'Breithe Staidear'? Most probably just a coincidence ... there might be dozens of people with those initials. But that name the Commandant gave us just came to mind."
I did see the 'dead brother' and for a second there I was like "WAIT WHAT?" But then I figured it meant "dear" and said nothing 😂😂
"I thought it too far fetched to mention, but my mind also went to Breithe Staidear on seeing the initials. Whoever it was was very specific about mentioning the phases of the moon as well. If you remember I asked Emma about the moon, and she said it didn't feel significant. Maybe I was closer to the mark after all", 'Tace' replies.
"And it seems Hector confided in his brother about his guilt. Do you think that whatever was given to Emma could also have affected Hector in some small way?", he then asks.
"I suppose we need some answers from Emma now, in truth. And we were going to collect the manacles too, but that means seeing the Lieutenant and the Commandant".
(OOC: I think Bryn and Arren were looking to read the letters handed over prior to the most recent as well. However, if time is pressing, I think they might have enough to go on now)
Arrennods. "Yes, that's what I thought as well. This BS person—whoever they are—tried to help Emma, and something went very wrong. Badly enough that it affected Hector too. I'm intrigued by what kind of ritual it might have been."
Regarding returning to Emma and retrieving the manacles, he adds, "Before we return to Emma, we need to figure out what we're actually going to do with her. Say we get the manacles and go back. Then what? We put them on her and bring her to Ersta? Where would we even keep her? There's no holding cell there, and if whatever's affecting her makes her that strong, no building in town will be able to contain her. For all we know, even the manacles won't be enough. Honestly, I have no idea what to do about it."
He pauses. "So, seeing the Lieutenant and the Commandant ... yes, it might delay us a little, but it could also be the only way to figure out a workable plan. The Commandant might even think twice about returning to Pyorre if this BS figure draws her attention as much as it has drawn ours."
He gives a slight smile. "You don't happen to know when the next full moon is, do you? Because if we want to pursue that clue, it might end up being us who place a cucumber by Emma’s window."
(ooc: If skimming through the rest of the letters would only take a few more minutes, I'm happy to do that first. But if it'll take longer, I agree we should head to The Three Frogs. Also: do we know when the next full moon is going to happen?)
"I was more thinking about questioning Emma again, based on the new information we have. But you are right, we do not have a plan to bring her in safely", 'Tace' replies thoughtfully.
"Do we need to restrain her, or just keep her away from people? She seems to be dangerous when threatened, we could bring her back and lock her in here for now, and keep everyone away", he suggests, motioning around Emma's living quarters. "If we did do that, it would be with a view to trying to help her situation, which would mean staying here longer. The Commandant likely wouldn't want that, you are right there as well. Unless by coincidence Emma can name Breithe Staidear as the mysterious BS", he says in agreement with the Sergeant.
When the Sergeant mentions leaving a cucumber by the window, he chuckles.
"Wouldn't that be handy if it did summon them".
(OOC: Assuming some kind of roll needed to know about the next full moon, so won't reply to that just yet)
Both Arren and Bryn recall that the moon was full about a week ago. (In Dite, 'months' are one moon-cycle long, from one new moon to the next, and each moon cycle is about the same length as it is in our real life.)
Back at the Three Frogs, Lieutenant Tireur and Commandant Nattensbarn greet you in about the same manner as before. The Commandant is now hard at work and seems about as focused as always. She raises her head just briefly to see your figures in the entrance and then resumes her work.
Walnuts rises from his seat and, after you shake off the water and hang your raincoats, leads you into the kitchen. It's empty now, but there is still a large pot with some stew left in it, along with two clean bowls next to it. "The innmaster said you can serve yourselves. There should be enough to fill and warm you up." Then, he adds in a low voice: "She ate too, this time. A whole bowel!" He clears his throat, but resumes speaking at a somewhat low voice, though not as low as before. "The kids are supposed to be asleep, though they aren't yet. Try to keep things quiet if you can."
(ooc: Arren got the potatoes right? Don't want to make Emma sad when we return :) )
With all the investigation, Arrenhad completely forgotten about the stew, but now that it was right there in front of him, the Half-Elf took a bowl, served himself, and savored a spoonful that tasted like heaven. A satisfied sound escaped him as he took a couple more mouthfuls and then said, "Gaitha's bounty, I was starving."He knew well enough that time was short, but running on an empty stomach would do no good, so Arren stole a few more moments to eat before facing Walnuts again.
"She what!?" Arren exclaimed, amazed. "Well, ain't that a miracle!"He looked back at the remnants of his stew and added, "We might need to take Zaba with us. Or I could just ask him for the recipe."
Leaving the bowl aside, he continued, "So, we found Emma in the forest. She's still there, but we had to come back with her key to investigate her and her husband's private quarters. We've found some interesting details, and we want to return to Emma again, but first, we'll need the key to the carriage. And we want to share our findings with you and the Commandant. We may be onto something she might be interested in ... ", he shared a glance with Tace,"... though I admit it's a long shot."
He didn't say anything more for now, figuring it would be best to tell the Lieutenant and the Commandant together to avoid repeating the same information.
'Tace' also fills up one of the bowls, facing away from both the Lieutenant and the Sergeant, leaving the bowl on a surface and lifting his mask carefully with each spoon of stew.
He isn't surprised the Commandant ate. Even she must know that her productivity will wain as she loses energy to hunger. It was logical to eat, and it also smelt and tasted very good.
As the Sergeant explains what they found, he finds nothing to add.
When the Sergeant gives him the look, he adds, "You'll need an open mind". He has no idea how open minded they are, but considering the Commandant's search for Breithe he expects that won't be a problem. Magic is scarce here, but they know it exists after all.
((I'm sorry for the delay, it's been a slightly busy time.))
Zaba's stew tastes about as you described it. Perhaps not the best either Arren or Bryn ever tasted, but it's still undoubtedly good. Its scent still hangs in the air, but much weaker than before, now that it is no longer directly over the fire.
Walnuts signs that Arren should keep his voice down, but he can't help but smugly smile as well. "Well, I imagine she'd excuse that she only ate so much so she can concentrate, but in my book, that doesn't make a difference."
When Arren asks for the key, Lieutenant Tireur hands it over without question. He appears to have a few questions regarding Emma, but since Arren said he wants to share it with the Commandant as well, he remains quiet. He turns back towards the lobby hall. "I'll wait for you with her then, but now that you've piqued my curiosity," he says in response to 'Tace's' remark, "don't keep us waiting too long, eh?"
((Although you're welcome to tell the rest of the crew the entire story as you know it (or parts of it), if you find that a little long to write, you can also just describe in general what Arren/'Tace' tell them, and focus in detail on what they emphasize/omit from the story.))
'Tace' takes a back seat with the report to the Commandant and Lieutenant, allowing the Sergeant to decide the amount of detail to reveal. The Commandant may have indicated they were off duty whilst investigating, but now they were asking for help and advice, he was sure this would turn more official. As such, he decided to defer to rank.
He does back the Sergeant though, being sure to emphasise the lack of a logical or rational explanation for what had happened.
He is wiling to voice his conclusion that Emma was being affected by something magical, but does not reveal he was capable of seeing magical auras.
If the personal tie between the wife of the real Tace Piete and Emma is mentioned, he will confirm it but look to steer the discussion away to the more pertinent pieces of evidence, as that really had no bearing on Emma's situation.
When it comes to the letter from BS, if the Sergeant mentions the name Breithe Staidear, he will only agree it is a coincidence.
In short, he will back the Sergeant without revealing any insight he wouldn't have as 'Tace'.
Also, it wasn't discussed I don't think, but 'Tace' would not have seen anything wrong with taking the pertinent letters from BS, and is happy to show the Commandant now.
(OOC: Sorry to land the decisions on you Fair, but I think it is in character to defer to rank right now. I might add more interjections depending on what you post).
(OOC: I didn't mention anything about the letters before, but Arren is totally in agreement with taking them. Private or not, they are now part of a murder investigation. Perhaps more than that.)
Arrendoesn't keep the Lieutenant and the Commandant waiting long. He finishes his dinner as quickly as possible—more due to hunger than the need to report to them, if he's being honest—then wipes his mouth with a napkin. Once he's sure the Corporal is finished as well, he follows after Walnuts.
Knowing the Commandant's mood, he doesn't waste time on pleasantries and gets straight to the point. He describes how they went into the forest, following the trail of Emma’s drawings, the spiders, and the carved messages and how they eventually found her. He leaves out no detail in describing her appearance and the conversation they had. He explains that, while they've seen no concrete evidence that she was the one who killed her husband or carved the trees, she seems truthful in her mind. They have no rational explanation for any of it, but they can't dismiss the fact that something magical or supernatural seems to be involved.
He explains that they chose to leave her in the forest, as it didn't feel safe bringing her back to town in case she poses a danger to the townsfolk. He mentions the idea, proposed by the Corporal, of at least manacling her before taking any further steps. He also says she has been cooperative, answering their questions as best she could, and that she gave them the key so they could continue investigating.
He recounts the contents of the letters—as much as he knows from the ones he read, or what Tace told him. He notes that Emma knows the Corporal's wife, and that Ms. Peite's letter revealed the couple had been struggling to conceive. He also goes over Hector's letters. When the Corporal sets the letters on the table, Arren points a couple of times to the ‘BS’ initials and says:
"We know it's a long shot, Commandant, but since you've been tasked with finding what you can about Breithe Staidear, we thought it was important to share it with you. Could be worth following the lead—and maybe being here when the next full moon comes around."
He pauses.
"What I don't know is what to do with Emma. Leaving her in the forest doesn't seem safe. Taking her sounds better to me, but it has risks."
Commandant Nattensbarn listens intently. Unlike earlier, she gives Arren her entire attention and doesn't interrupt him before he's finished. The Lieutenant also listens to Arren's tale, and he too doesn't interrupt Arren. Though in his case, knowing both well, Arren knows he avoids questions since the Commandant might get annoyed by him.
"You've done well," The Commandant concludes, "as long as you are certain that something supernatural is occurring and not just a tale spun by a criminal to avoid arrest." She thinks for a brief moment. "Had she killed anybody else since her husband? You've mentioned animals, but have any people lost their lives as well? If not, perhaps we should leave her be and send word to a nearby military camp to dispatch a party with the means to apprehend a potentially dangerous creature and take her to Tus. Despite all its faults, if she just needs sturdy walls around her, that place should still have a few standing.
"But if she has harmed people, other than that one time, we cannot leave things as they are and leave the town in danger. If you think the prison's manacles can keep us safe, then it might be a good idea. If you think it won't be strong enough..." She pauses for a long moment. "We might have to either take the danger out or stay here and call for proper backup in order to do so. But I would rather not delay here if possible, and... would you be able to kill this woman, if she proves herself dangerous?"
She pauses, gets off her chair and paces a little around the room, stretching her legs and back as she does. "If she is as dangerous as you say she is, taking her with us is probably out of the question. Even if we take the safer road north of the mountains, we might still encounter some danger, and if she flips on us when that happens... no, it's too risky." She keeps thinking and talking to herself, and in the meantime, Lieutenant Tireur uses this chance to sneak in a few questions.
"You said she knows your wife?" He directs the question to Tace, despite his attempt to steer the discussion away from this topic. "And from the letters," he holds the one from BS up, "it seems like this person became informed of the matter and turned to Emma, rather than her seeking their help. I imagine then that they didn't know each other beforehand. How did they learn of the matter? Could it be that your wife knows this person and knew they might be able to help? Has she ever mentioned knowing a person who could... do such things?
"I don't think it was Hector or his family," Walnuts continues, "since this BS person turned to Emma, and not to Hector himself. Of course, it's also possible they were passing by Ersta, heard the story while staying here, maybe from Emma herself if she talked of it in front of guests in The Stewpot."
"If Breithe Staidear found some way to, by use of magic, help women bear children, it could explain why the Levickans are after him." Commandant Nattensbarn interjects. "But we've only heard of him a few moon-cycles ago. A person travelling about helping infertile women is sure to sprout rumours wherever they go. And, I imagine, if they possess such magical abilities, they must be able to do other, perhaps more concerning acts. This is all, however, too few facts and too much conjecture to reach any conclusion. Even if it is Breithe Staidear, he might not come back here soon, if at all. He was last seen in Pohja, so if he were here, it must mean he travelled some distance. If he does that often, we might be too late. We also don't know how long it's been since he was here."
Commandant Nattensbarn walks back to the counter and sits back in her chair. "I think we're still missing too much information to change our course of action. Even if I wanted to chase such a lead, I have too many other pressing duties. It should be a very convincing lead to be worth changing our course of action. And regarding Emma, if it stops raining tomorrow as she claimed it would, this means we have only this night to resolve it ourselves. After that, we'll have to call on someone else. I'm going to leave the decision up to you. But if you're still unsure, maybe you should try talking with her friend, the Wood Elf. Perhaps she knows something you've yet to hear."
"We do not believe she has killed any more people. She went to great lengths to warn them away in fact. And if we thought she were a danger to people, we wouldn't have left her there", 'Tace' confirms. "We did consider Tus, but the issue was the uncertainty that Emma would be there when others arrived. And it seems whatever happens to her that makes her violent occurs when she feels threatens, or is in danger. Of course if those who are sent are aware of the situation and have the means to apprehend her, that does solve that issue".
At the comment about being able to kill Emma if necessary, he defers to the Sergeant, who is more a more experienced combatant than he.
She was able to survive wild animals!
And then the Lieutenant asks about his wife, and he knows he has to be careful.
"We found letters from Kone to Emma, yes. I was unaware of the connection between them until I read those letters, and I have no knowledge of a connection between Breithe Staidear and Kone. If she knows anyone with magical capabilities it is news to me", he says carefully, hoping that by phrasing his answer in such a way to be truthful would help sell the answer.
"Of course, if whoever BS is has magical abilities the link doesn't even have to be a logical or mundane one", he adds not letting the conversation about Tace's wife linger.
He then listens to the Commandant's as she seems to think out loud, not knowing if should speak or not. He decides not to, and looks to the Sergeant when they are left with the decision.
"Of the options—bringing Emma to Ersta, taking her with us, or having her delivered to Tus—I prefer the latter. But the prison's staff need to be informed that they must handle her with caution. Even if we haven't seen her display her... 'abilities', she said danger can trigger a transformation. And we'd have to hope she’s still in the forest when they arrive, of course."
When asked whether he thinks he could kill Emma, he rubs his chin, pondering."That’s difficult to say without knowing what she's capable of. I'm not at full strength, the spiders did a number on my leg. If it had to be tonight… I’d say it would be difficult. Either way, I’d rather not face that situation. I'd rather keep her safe, investigate further, and perhaps figure out what's afflicting her so it could hopefully be undone."
The Sergeant says nothing when the conversation shifts to the Corporal's wife. Instead, he glances at the Corporal’s hands, noting the absence (ooc: I assume) of a wedding ring—something that might have revealed his marriage, instead of it being uncovered through a most coincidental letter tied to a murder. How convoluted this all is, and how private the Corporal. Still, he thinks, once they reach Pyorre, it might be worth speaking with the Corporal's wife—ask how she met Emma, and whether she knows anything about 'BS'.
"It's true—we don't know how 'BS' learned about Emma’s condition. Hector did travel a lot for work, and he had contacts in Katto and Pohja. If Breithe Staidear was seen in Pohja, he might have heard about it from Hector. Or perhaps there was magic involved, as the Corporal suggested. In any case, speaking to Fir might give us a clue. Let’s check on her first. Though… it might be better if she came out here, rather than us asking questions in there. She doesn’t like the children overhearing what happened."He adds, recalling the look she gave her father when Arren had spoken to him about the murder.
The Commandant sighs deeply. "It's always so complicated here in Dite," she remarks, mostly to herself, though you see Lieutenant Tireur nodding along. "Then ask her to come with you to..." She looks around, considering the options. "Try the kitchen, perhaps. Being questioned by four soldiers could be intimidating, so it's best to find a somewhat private space. If they were close, maybe her son knows something too."
((Bryn would have found Tace's ring on the guard when he took his clothes back below Tus. It is a simple ring that doesn't attract much attention. Unfortunately, it is a little large for Bryn's hand. Not by a significant amount, but enough that it slides a little too easily off the finger. Whether Bryn wears it or not is up to him.))
(OOC: Bryn would have taken the ring and looked for some string / boot lace / twine or something to tie it around his neck. Does his Passive Perception of 15 allow him to notice Arren';s look to his ring finger?)
Arren furrows his brow slightly at the Commandant's remark about Dite, puzzled by what she and Walnuts find so strange about what he just said. How would it have played out differently on the mainland? But with time pressing, he lets the thought go, nods at her instructions, and unbuckles his weapons before stepping into the room where children who should be asleep are apparently still awake. He casts a quick glance at the Corporal, checking whether he intends to follow. Probably not, as last time.
Moving as quietly as he can into the room, Arren finds his thoughts drifting to the odd little group they've assembled: the half-breed, the one who never takes off his helmet, the one prone to sudden rage, and… Walnuts. He smiles faintly. Yes, Walnuts is definitely the least complicated of them.
Once inside, he scans the room to Fir and her son, hoping they're both still awake. If any of the younger children approach him again, he'll do his best to slip past them quickly—but gently.
If Fir is awake, Arren offers her a brief nod in greeting before getting straight to the point. He keeps his voice low and steady, trying to sound calm so as not to make her nervous, and quiet enough not to disturb the others in the room. "You're Fir, right? My companion and I need to speak with you about Emma. We believe your insight could be helpful to our investigation, and to ensure her safety. Would you mind coming with me to the kitchen, so we can speak privately, without disturbing everyone's rest?" He quickly adds, "Don't worry, it will just be our Corporal and me. Our Commandant and Lieutenant will remain in the main hall while we speak."
If her son is nearby, he gives the boy a glance and adds, "We'd appreciate it if your older son could come too. He might've seen something that could help us."
With the hope that the majority of the younger children are asleep, or at least calm, 'Tace' follows the Sergeant's lead and removes his weapons. He then follows him to the doorway of the room, but that is where he stops, not venturing too far inside just pushing it to behind him. He also attempts to be as quiet as possible.
Better to stay out of range of further questions.
Whilst the Sergeant approaches Fir, he takes a look around the room, seeing all the people that have been displaced from their homes.
((Arren might recall that magic is endemic to Dite, meaning that it is not found anywhere else in the world, at least according to the Meyen settlers here.))
The room is dark and mostly quiet. Some heads rise to view the people at the door when they enter, but many are already asleep. You notice that a few men have joined the group, and two of them are already sleeping, their breathing audible as they lightly snore.
The Wood-Elf woman sits by the corner of the room, and reaching her means stepping between sleeping children, which Arren must do carefully. Next to her sit her husband (also an Elf) and son, and the baby girl sleeps in a small crib. In response to Arren's request, she shares a glance with her husband, then silently nods and stands up, her son behind her. Without words, she gestures for Arren to lead the way out of the room. Her husband remains to keep watch over the baby.
When they reach the kitchen, she finally speaks in a soft, low voice. "Have you found Emma? Is she okay? I don't know much, but I'll answer your questions if I can." Since she's an Elf, it is hard to estimate her age. Probably older than both Arren and Bryn, given her son's age, but she's not old yet. Anything between fifty and a little over a hundred could make sense.
Her son, meanwhile, leaps and sits on a nearby counter. He listens intently, though. He has yet to mature fully, and when he sat by his father earlier, they looked strikingly similar. He keeps his hair long, tied back with a simple string.
The Elf in front of Arren is of low-average height for Elves, reaching a little lower than his shoulders. Like most Elves, her build is lean and graceful.
Her hair, of a reddish-brown hue, looks like it would normally be very long, as even when braided as it is, it reaches about halfway down her back. It looks like she hadn't fixed the braid in a while, though, and the unkempt braid now has plenty of loose hairs sticking from it.
Her skin colour is the greenish-blue shade that some Wood-Elves have that looks like oxidized copper. She wears simple light-brown clothes.
She looks tired, the kind of perpetual tiredness shared by all mothers taking care of newborns, and her clothes smell faintly of a baby's vomit, though no stains are visible on her clothes.
"Interesting," Arren replies, as he listens to the Corporal and then reads the last of Emma's letters himself, confirming what he has just said. "Yes, that's definitely something worth asking her about." He pauses. "'BS' ? As in ... 'Breithe Staidear'? Most probably just a coincidence ... there might be dozens of people with those initials. But that name the Commandant gave us just came to mind."
I did see the 'dead brother' and for a second there I was like "WAIT WHAT?" But then I figured it meant "dear" and said nothing 😂😂
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"I thought it too far fetched to mention, but my mind also went to Breithe Staidear on seeing the initials. Whoever it was was very specific about mentioning the phases of the moon as well. If you remember I asked Emma about the moon, and she said it didn't feel significant. Maybe I was closer to the mark after all", 'Tace' replies.
"And it seems Hector confided in his brother about his guilt. Do you think that whatever was given to Emma could also have affected Hector in some small way?", he then asks.
"I suppose we need some answers from Emma now, in truth. And we were going to collect the manacles too, but that means seeing the Lieutenant and the Commandant".
(OOC: I think Bryn and Arren were looking to read the letters handed over prior to the most recent as well. However, if time is pressing, I think they might have enough to go on now)
Arren nods. "Yes, that's what I thought as well. This BS person—whoever they are—tried to help Emma, and something went very wrong. Badly enough that it affected Hector too. I'm intrigued by what kind of ritual it might have been."
Regarding returning to Emma and retrieving the manacles, he adds, "Before we return to Emma, we need to figure out what we're actually going to do with her. Say we get the manacles and go back. Then what? We put them on her and bring her to Ersta? Where would we even keep her? There's no holding cell there, and if whatever's affecting her makes her that strong, no building in town will be able to contain her. For all we know, even the manacles won't be enough. Honestly, I have no idea what to do about it."
He pauses. "So, seeing the Lieutenant and the Commandant ... yes, it might delay us a little, but it could also be the only way to figure out a workable plan. The Commandant might even think twice about returning to Pyorre if this BS figure draws her attention as much as it has drawn ours."
He gives a slight smile. "You don't happen to know when the next full moon is, do you? Because if we want to pursue that clue, it might end up being us who place a cucumber by Emma’s window."
(ooc: If skimming through the rest of the letters would only take a few more minutes, I'm happy to do that first. But if it'll take longer, I agree we should head to The Three Frogs. Also: do we know when the next full moon is going to happen?)
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
(ooc: Forgot to say that Arren will grab the potatoes before heading to The Three Frogs.)
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"I was more thinking about questioning Emma again, based on the new information we have. But you are right, we do not have a plan to bring her in safely", 'Tace' replies thoughtfully.
"Do we need to restrain her, or just keep her away from people? She seems to be dangerous when threatened, we could bring her back and lock her in here for now, and keep everyone away", he suggests, motioning around Emma's living quarters. "If we did do that, it would be with a view to trying to help her situation, which would mean staying here longer. The Commandant likely wouldn't want that, you are right there as well. Unless by coincidence Emma can name Breithe Staidear as the mysterious BS", he says in agreement with the Sergeant.
When the Sergeant mentions leaving a cucumber by the window, he chuckles.
"Wouldn't that be handy if it did summon them".
(OOC: Assuming some kind of roll needed to know about the next full moon, so won't reply to that just yet)
Both Arren and Bryn recall that the moon was full about a week ago. (In Dite, 'months' are one moon-cycle long, from one new moon to the next, and each moon cycle is about the same length as it is in our real life.)
Back at the Three Frogs, Lieutenant Tireur and Commandant Nattensbarn greet you in about the same manner as before. The Commandant is now hard at work and seems about as focused as always. She raises her head just briefly to see your figures in the entrance and then resumes her work.
Walnuts rises from his seat and, after you shake off the water and hang your raincoats, leads you into the kitchen. It's empty now, but there is still a large pot with some stew left in it, along with two clean bowls next to it. "The innmaster said you can serve yourselves. There should be enough to fill and warm you up." Then, he adds in a low voice: "She ate too, this time. A whole bowel!" He clears his throat, but resumes speaking at a somewhat low voice, though not as low as before. "The kids are supposed to be asleep, though they aren't yet. Try to keep things quiet if you can."
Varielky
(ooc: Arren got the potatoes right? Don't want to make Emma sad when we return :) )
With all the investigation, Arren had completely forgotten about the stew, but now that it was right there in front of him, the Half-Elf took a bowl, served himself, and savored a spoonful that tasted like heaven. A satisfied sound escaped him as he took a couple more mouthfuls and then said, "Gaitha's bounty, I was starving." He knew well enough that time was short, but running on an empty stomach would do no good, so Arren stole a few more moments to eat before facing Walnuts again.
"She what!?" Arren exclaimed, amazed. "Well, ain't that a miracle!" He looked back at the remnants of his stew and added, "We might need to take Zaba with us. Or I could just ask him for the recipe."
Leaving the bowl aside, he continued, "So, we found Emma in the forest. She's still there, but we had to come back with her key to investigate her and her husband's private quarters. We've found some interesting details, and we want to return to Emma again, but first, we'll need the key to the carriage. And we want to share our findings with you and the Commandant. We may be onto something she might be interested in ... ", he shared a glance with Tace, "... though I admit it's a long shot."
He didn't say anything more for now, figuring it would be best to tell the Lieutenant and the Commandant together to avoid repeating the same information.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
'Tace' also fills up one of the bowls, facing away from both the Lieutenant and the Sergeant, leaving the bowl on a surface and lifting his mask carefully with each spoon of stew.
He isn't surprised the Commandant ate. Even she must know that her productivity will wain as she loses energy to hunger. It was logical to eat, and it also smelt and tasted very good.
As the Sergeant explains what they found, he finds nothing to add.
When the Sergeant gives him the look, he adds, "You'll need an open mind". He has no idea how open minded they are, but considering the Commandant's search for Breithe he expects that won't be a problem. Magic is scarce here, but they know it exists after all.
((I'm sorry for the delay, it's been a slightly busy time.))
Zaba's stew tastes about as you described it. Perhaps not the best either Arren or Bryn ever tasted, but it's still undoubtedly good. Its scent still hangs in the air, but much weaker than before, now that it is no longer directly over the fire.
Walnuts signs that Arren should keep his voice down, but he can't help but smugly smile as well. "Well, I imagine she'd excuse that she only ate so much so she can concentrate, but in my book, that doesn't make a difference."
When Arren asks for the key, Lieutenant Tireur hands it over without question. He appears to have a few questions regarding Emma, but since Arren said he wants to share it with the Commandant as well, he remains quiet. He turns back towards the lobby hall. "I'll wait for you with her then, but now that you've piqued my curiosity," he says in response to 'Tace's' remark, "don't keep us waiting too long, eh?"
((Although you're welcome to tell the rest of the crew the entire story as you know it (or parts of it), if you find that a little long to write, you can also just describe in general what Arren/'Tace' tell them, and focus in detail on what they emphasize/omit from the story.))
Varielky
'Tace' takes a back seat with the report to the Commandant and Lieutenant, allowing the Sergeant to decide the amount of detail to reveal. The Commandant may have indicated they were off duty whilst investigating, but now they were asking for help and advice, he was sure this would turn more official. As such, he decided to defer to rank.
He does back the Sergeant though, being sure to emphasise the lack of a logical or rational explanation for what had happened.
He is wiling to voice his conclusion that Emma was being affected by something magical, but does not reveal he was capable of seeing magical auras.
If the personal tie between the wife of the real Tace Piete and Emma is mentioned, he will confirm it but look to steer the discussion away to the more pertinent pieces of evidence, as that really had no bearing on Emma's situation.
When it comes to the letter from BS, if the Sergeant mentions the name Breithe Staidear, he will only agree it is a coincidence.
In short, he will back the Sergeant without revealing any insight he wouldn't have as 'Tace'.
Also, it wasn't discussed I don't think, but 'Tace' would not have seen anything wrong with taking the pertinent letters from BS, and is happy to show the Commandant now.
(OOC: Sorry to land the decisions on you Fair, but I think it is in character to defer to rank right now. I might add more interjections depending on what you post).
(OOC: I didn't mention anything about the letters before, but Arren is totally in agreement with taking them. Private or not, they are now part of a murder investigation. Perhaps more than that.)
Arren doesn't keep the Lieutenant and the Commandant waiting long. He finishes his dinner as quickly as possible—more due to hunger than the need to report to them, if he's being honest—then wipes his mouth with a napkin. Once he's sure the Corporal is finished as well, he follows after Walnuts.
Knowing the Commandant's mood, he doesn't waste time on pleasantries and gets straight to the point. He describes how they went into the forest, following the trail of Emma’s drawings, the spiders, and the carved messages and how they eventually found her. He leaves out no detail in describing her appearance and the conversation they had. He explains that, while they've seen no concrete evidence that she was the one who killed her husband or carved the trees, she seems truthful in her mind. They have no rational explanation for any of it, but they can't dismiss the fact that something magical or supernatural seems to be involved.
He explains that they chose to leave her in the forest, as it didn't feel safe bringing her back to town in case she poses a danger to the townsfolk. He mentions the idea, proposed by the Corporal, of at least manacling her before taking any further steps. He also says she has been cooperative, answering their questions as best she could, and that she gave them the key so they could continue investigating.
He recounts the contents of the letters—as much as he knows from the ones he read, or what Tace told him. He notes that Emma knows the Corporal's wife, and that Ms. Peite's letter revealed the couple had been struggling to conceive. He also goes over Hector's letters. When the Corporal sets the letters on the table, Arren points a couple of times to the ‘BS’ initials and says:
"We know it's a long shot, Commandant, but since you've been tasked with finding what you can about Breithe Staidear, we thought it was important to share it with you. Could be worth following the lead—and maybe being here when the next full moon comes around."
He pauses.
"What I don't know is what to do with Emma. Leaving her in the forest doesn't seem safe. Taking her sounds better to me, but it has risks."
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Commandant Nattensbarn listens intently. Unlike earlier, she gives Arren her entire attention and doesn't interrupt him before he's finished. The Lieutenant also listens to Arren's tale, and he too doesn't interrupt Arren. Though in his case, knowing both well, Arren knows he avoids questions since the Commandant might get annoyed by him.
"You've done well," The Commandant concludes, "as long as you are certain that something supernatural is occurring and not just a tale spun by a criminal to avoid arrest." She thinks for a brief moment. "Had she killed anybody else since her husband? You've mentioned animals, but have any people lost their lives as well? If not, perhaps we should leave her be and send word to a nearby military camp to dispatch a party with the means to apprehend a potentially dangerous creature and take her to Tus. Despite all its faults, if she just needs sturdy walls around her, that place should still have a few standing.
"But if she has harmed people, other than that one time, we cannot leave things as they are and leave the town in danger. If you think the prison's manacles can keep us safe, then it might be a good idea. If you think it won't be strong enough..." She pauses for a long moment. "We might have to either take the danger out or stay here and call for proper backup in order to do so. But I would rather not delay here if possible, and... would you be able to kill this woman, if she proves herself dangerous?"
She pauses, gets off her chair and paces a little around the room, stretching her legs and back as she does. "If she is as dangerous as you say she is, taking her with us is probably out of the question. Even if we take the safer road north of the mountains, we might still encounter some danger, and if she flips on us when that happens... no, it's too risky." She keeps thinking and talking to herself, and in the meantime, Lieutenant Tireur uses this chance to sneak in a few questions.
"You said she knows your wife?" He directs the question to Tace, despite his attempt to steer the discussion away from this topic. "And from the letters," he holds the one from BS up, "it seems like this person became informed of the matter and turned to Emma, rather than her seeking their help. I imagine then that they didn't know each other beforehand. How did they learn of the matter? Could it be that your wife knows this person and knew they might be able to help? Has she ever mentioned knowing a person who could... do such things?
"I don't think it was Hector or his family," Walnuts continues, "since this BS person turned to Emma, and not to Hector himself. Of course, it's also possible they were passing by Ersta, heard the story while staying here, maybe from Emma herself if she talked of it in front of guests in The Stewpot."
"If Breithe Staidear found some way to, by use of magic, help women bear children, it could explain why the Levickans are after him." Commandant Nattensbarn interjects. "But we've only heard of him a few moon-cycles ago. A person travelling about helping infertile women is sure to sprout rumours wherever they go. And, I imagine, if they possess such magical abilities, they must be able to do other, perhaps more concerning acts. This is all, however, too few facts and too much conjecture to reach any conclusion. Even if it is Breithe Staidear, he might not come back here soon, if at all. He was last seen in Pohja, so if he were here, it must mean he travelled some distance. If he does that often, we might be too late. We also don't know how long it's been since he was here."
Commandant Nattensbarn walks back to the counter and sits back in her chair. "I think we're still missing too much information to change our course of action. Even if I wanted to chase such a lead, I have too many other pressing duties. It should be a very convincing lead to be worth changing our course of action. And regarding Emma, if it stops raining tomorrow as she claimed it would, this means we have only this night to resolve it ourselves. After that, we'll have to call on someone else. I'm going to leave the decision up to you. But if you're still unsure, maybe you should try talking with her friend, the Wood Elf. Perhaps she knows something you've yet to hear."
Varielky
"We do not believe she has killed any more people. She went to great lengths to warn them away in fact. And if we thought she were a danger to people, we wouldn't have left her there", 'Tace' confirms. "We did consider Tus, but the issue was the uncertainty that Emma would be there when others arrived. And it seems whatever happens to her that makes her violent occurs when she feels threatens, or is in danger. Of course if those who are sent are aware of the situation and have the means to apprehend her, that does solve that issue".
At the comment about being able to kill Emma if necessary, he defers to the Sergeant, who is more a more experienced combatant than he.
She was able to survive wild animals!
And then the Lieutenant asks about his wife, and he knows he has to be careful.
"We found letters from Kone to Emma, yes. I was unaware of the connection between them until I read those letters, and I have no knowledge of a connection between Breithe Staidear and Kone. If she knows anyone with magical capabilities it is news to me", he says carefully, hoping that by phrasing his answer in such a way to be truthful would help sell the answer.
"Of course, if whoever BS is has magical abilities the link doesn't even have to be a logical or mundane one", he adds not letting the conversation about Tace's wife linger.
He then listens to the Commandant's as she seems to think out loud, not knowing if should speak or not. He decides not to, and looks to the Sergeant when they are left with the decision.
"Of the options—bringing Emma to Ersta, taking her with us, or having her delivered to Tus—I prefer the latter. But the prison's staff need to be informed that they must handle her with caution. Even if we haven't seen her display her... 'abilities', she said danger can trigger a transformation. And we'd have to hope she’s still in the forest when they arrive, of course."
When asked whether he thinks he could kill Emma, he rubs his chin, pondering. "That’s difficult to say without knowing what she's capable of. I'm not at full strength, the spiders did a number on my leg. If it had to be tonight… I’d say it would be difficult. Either way, I’d rather not face that situation. I'd rather keep her safe, investigate further, and perhaps figure out what's afflicting her so it could hopefully be undone."
The Sergeant says nothing when the conversation shifts to the Corporal's wife. Instead, he glances at the Corporal’s hands, noting the absence (ooc: I assume) of a wedding ring—something that might have revealed his marriage, instead of it being uncovered through a most coincidental letter tied to a murder. How convoluted this all is, and how private the Corporal. Still, he thinks, once they reach Pyorre, it might be worth speaking with the Corporal's wife—ask how she met Emma, and whether she knows anything about 'BS'.
"It's true—we don't know how 'BS' learned about Emma’s condition. Hector did travel a lot for work, and he had contacts in Katto and Pohja. If Breithe Staidear was seen in Pohja, he might have heard about it from Hector. Or perhaps there was magic involved, as the Corporal suggested. In any case, speaking to Fir might give us a clue. Let’s check on her first. Though… it might be better if she came out here, rather than us asking questions in there. She doesn’t like the children overhearing what happened." He adds, recalling the look she gave her father when Arren had spoken to him about the murder.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
The Commandant sighs deeply. "It's always so complicated here in Dite," she remarks, mostly to herself, though you see Lieutenant Tireur nodding along. "Then ask her to come with you to..." She looks around, considering the options. "Try the kitchen, perhaps. Being questioned by four soldiers could be intimidating, so it's best to find a somewhat private space. If they were close, maybe her son knows something too."
((Bryn would have found Tace's ring on the guard when he took his clothes back below Tus. It is a simple ring that doesn't attract much attention. Unfortunately, it is a little large for Bryn's hand. Not by a significant amount, but enough that it slides a little too easily off the finger. Whether Bryn wears it or not is up to him.))
Varielky
(OOC: Bryn would have taken the ring and looked for some string / boot lace / twine or something to tie it around his neck. Does his Passive Perception of 15 allow him to notice Arren';s look to his ring finger?)
Arren furrows his brow slightly at the Commandant's remark about Dite, puzzled by what she and Walnuts find so strange about what he just said. How would it have played out differently on the mainland? But with time pressing, he lets the thought go, nods at her instructions, and unbuckles his weapons before stepping into the room where children who should be asleep are apparently still awake. He casts a quick glance at the Corporal, checking whether he intends to follow. Probably not, as last time.
Moving as quietly as he can into the room, Arren finds his thoughts drifting to the odd little group they've assembled: the half-breed, the one who never takes off his helmet, the one prone to sudden rage, and… Walnuts. He smiles faintly. Yes, Walnuts is definitely the least complicated of them.
Once inside, he scans the room to Fir and her son, hoping they're both still awake. If any of the younger children approach him again, he'll do his best to slip past them quickly—but gently.
If Fir is awake, Arren offers her a brief nod in greeting before getting straight to the point. He keeps his voice low and steady, trying to sound calm so as not to make her nervous, and quiet enough not to disturb the others in the room. "You're Fir, right? My companion and I need to speak with you about Emma. We believe your insight could be helpful to our investigation, and to ensure her safety. Would you mind coming with me to the kitchen, so we can speak privately, without disturbing everyone's rest?" He quickly adds, "Don't worry, it will just be our Corporal and me. Our Commandant and Lieutenant will remain in the main hall while we speak."
If her son is nearby, he gives the boy a glance and adds, "We'd appreciate it if your older son could come too. He might've seen something that could help us."
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
With the hope that the majority of the younger children are asleep, or at least calm, 'Tace' follows the Sergeant's lead and removes his weapons. He then follows him to the doorway of the room, but that is where he stops, not venturing too far inside just pushing it to behind him. He also attempts to be as quiet as possible.
Better to stay out of range of further questions.
Whilst the Sergeant approaches Fir, he takes a look around the room, seeing all the people that have been displaced from their homes.
((Arren might recall that magic is endemic to Dite, meaning that it is not found anywhere else in the world, at least according to the Meyen settlers here.))
The room is dark and mostly quiet. Some heads rise to view the people at the door when they enter, but many are already asleep. You notice that a few men have joined the group, and two of them are already sleeping, their breathing audible as they lightly snore.
The Wood-Elf woman sits by the corner of the room, and reaching her means stepping between sleeping children, which Arren must do carefully. Next to her sit her husband (also an Elf) and son, and the baby girl sleeps in a small crib. In response to Arren's request, she shares a glance with her husband, then silently nods and stands up, her son behind her. Without words, she gestures for Arren to lead the way out of the room. Her husband remains to keep watch over the baby.
When they reach the kitchen, she finally speaks in a soft, low voice. "Have you found Emma? Is she okay? I don't know much, but I'll answer your questions if I can." Since she's an Elf, it is hard to estimate her age. Probably older than both Arren and Bryn, given her son's age, but she's not old yet. Anything between fifty and a little over a hundred could make sense.
Her son, meanwhile, leaps and sits on a nearby counter. He listens intently, though. He has yet to mature fully, and when he sat by his father earlier, they looked strikingly similar. He keeps his hair long, tied back with a simple string.
Varielky
The Elf in front of Arren is of low-average height for Elves, reaching a little lower than his shoulders. Like most Elves, her build is lean and graceful.
Her hair, of a reddish-brown hue, looks like it would normally be very long, as even when braided as it is, it reaches about halfway down her back. It looks like she hadn't fixed the braid in a while, though, and the unkempt braid now has plenty of loose hairs sticking from it.
Her skin colour is the greenish-blue shade that some Wood-Elves have that looks like oxidized copper. She wears simple light-brown clothes.
She looks tired, the kind of perpetual tiredness shared by all mothers taking care of newborns, and her clothes smell faintly of a baby's vomit, though no stains are visible on her clothes.
Varielky