Ronegan takes the berry petulantly. "This...thing sustains, it does not nourish. To fully unravel this conspiracy, we must nourish ourselves. Immerse ourselves in the world of courtiers, and the royal houses and the finest cooks in the land. Surely some of our counterparts from the other Houses would be willing to share some intelligence -- or at least allow it to slip after a few fine glasses of Elvish wine and a rich dinner. I will come to the apartment and lend my faculties, but we must be active, my friends! We cannot protect Opal and her brother if we do not know from which direction this threat presents itself."

He pops the berry into his mouth nonetheless. "Hmmm...this is not bad. Would be better mashed up into a buttery pastry, but it will do for now."

Ronegan nods his assent and remains on Elavor's horse, heading for the apartment.

Trying to remember the layout of the city from what he knows of it, Ran tries to place the location of the main barracks in relation to the high king's court. 

"I would like to stop on the way to the royal apartments, and see if I can find any of my old comrades. They may have a feel for what's been going on around here and might speak more freely than royal courtier. And it won't cost fine elvish wine either. Good ale and some old stories should do the trick."

As they continue towards the apartments, he keeps his eyes open for any familiar turns to go to the barracks.

"Let's make sure the apartments are safe and secure, then perhaps we can split off and search out some information..." 

Kiran listens quietly while the others talk about their plans for food and investigation before speaking up, "I may be able to ask around the churches as well, if there were injuries, they would need tending by the priests, so they might have heard a few things. But first, I think we'd be better off getting our gear stowed and settled in, it might look suspicious otherwise. People might gossip about what we were up to. I would suggest we go get settled in, then perhaps split up into pairs?"

Petal shudders in disgust at the idea of Ronegan tarnishing the delicious taste of her goodberries with pastry. 

She nods in agreement with everyone “Yes, lets check the house - make sure theres nobody there  up to no good. I saw part of an address was stanped onto that passage the barkeep sent off - it was sent here - to the Amber Isles. I don’t know much a out what he was up to, but you guys seemed to be suspicious of him. The only other thing I noticed, is he’d been in contact with the halfling lords... the Marshfields.”

Elavor laughs during most of the conversation to himself. If they only knew this city... but there's some truth to their conversation and it's good they're on their toes. The encounter on the road rattled Elavor, this wasn't the typical random bandits he'd run into a time or two while mapping dangerous areas... storing their gear made sense, but he could totally feel the call of the city. To explore, to visit old shops, with or without a sticky finger or five. To visit restaurants that served GOOD food...

"Although the idea of a nip of whiskey and a plate full of food does sound about perfect... I think getting settled and coming up with a plan of what we want to do would be best." Elavor says... 

Elavor starts riding towards the general direction of the apartments...

"Well, I'll be happy to see everyone to the apartments. I can try and help with directions when we all figure out where we are going from there. Then, I'd like to check in with the cartographer's guild... and some other places as well." He rides on, thinking. Then it occurs to him: " If any of you come across places that don't "Feel" correct, or are dark.. just turn around, ok? Ospel has her secrets, and doesn't like to share them that much... " 

"But, Elavor, the dark places always have the juiciest secrets to find!" Varen flashes a smile, using the reins to keep Mouse at Dust's pace. 

Ronegan gains one temporary hit point thanks to Petal's goodberry

Moving through the city the party takes about an hour to travel from the canal side through the Umber and Ochre districts. They however are stopped at the Cadium district where a multi-gated guard station seems to be checking everyone who's intending the pass. There is a bit of a scuffle before a group of what looks like musicians are turned away their expression angry. They quickly move on however when armed high king's guard pushes them on with hard looks and hands on the hilts of their swords. Each of you has papers from house Firstforge identifying you as a member of said house. These allow you to move freely anywhere in Embera as a representative of the Firstforge house. In turn, you all produce your papers and are allowed passage into the Cadium district. It takes another quarter of an hour however to reach the ferry to the Amber Isles. The ferry comes in due time and takes the party to the palace where they are shown to the Firstforge apartments. There are whispers everywhere as you enter the courtyard of your own area of the palace as servants from the palace await instructions. None of the royal family is present. Your time again is seemingly your own.

OOC: A note. I realize I said nothing of this earlier but all of you are wearing either the combination of colors of house Firstforge or an emblem or a crest of the house. Something that distinguishes you as apart of the Firstforge household. This can be changed later but for story purposes, this is something that's apparent on your PCs person. You can, of course, select the item yourself!

Petal awkwardly looks at all the palace servants, eyeing them suspiciously for concealed weapons or anything amiss. (let me know if you want a skill check)

In a lowered voice she asks Varen “These people at the palace, they all work for the for the Firstforges right? I don’t know if I’ve seen any of them before... how much can we trust them? I mean they live HERE, they don’t know the family like we do..”

Varen fingers the Firstforge emblem stitched on her leather chestpiece, just below her left collarbone. The heavy winter cloak she had worn the first days of the trip had obscured it, as did the bindings of the lightweight gray travel cloak she has worn since crossing the Tumunzirs. The threads of the emblem are muted in color, a dull maroon and navy instead of pink and blue, though the stone house in the center is made of a silvery thread.

She speaks quietly to Petal.

"Only trust those you recognize from home, Petal. They may be in the employ of the Firstforges, but they may also hold loyalties to the Court." 

Varen sees Mouse to the stables, and unpacks the saddlebags. She gives him an apple she had stashed away, patting the side of the horse's head and neck with affection before leaving him to be tended to by the stablehands.

Once she reaches the apartments, she will take a look around for anything amiss, similar to when they did a sweep of the inn. (assuming someone helps her)

Investigation 21

Ran hears Varen and Petal discussing the servants.

"I would agree with Varen, Petal," he says. "While this lot provide service to the Firstforges, they do not serve the Firstforges, if that distinction makes sense. We are in the high court now and even without a monarch nearing the end, and without assassination or kidnapping attempts putting us on edge, it is wise to tread lightly here."

He brushes off his cloak and the tunic that covers his armor, the Firstforge crest displayed in the center of the cloak and on his chest.

"I suggest we quickly clean up and then head out and see what we find out. And perhaps find something to take our mind off the troubles this house is facing. I'm sure that you," he says to Elavor, "have an idea or two of somewhere we can gather, away from the prying eyes and ears of the palace where we can share our findings."

Petal gulps at the words of Varen and Ran, what had she gotten herself into...

Later she is eager to help Varen check over the place, if the family were to be attacked from within their own palace she would be beside herself

Kiran quickly sees to the remainder of the Firstforges belongings from the carriage gets offloaded before the carriage is taken away and supervises the servant bringing them up to the apartments. Afterwards, he drops off his few belongings into his room, though keeping his weapons, and rejoins the others as they make plans, "So where to first? And do we split up or hold together? It could be more dangerous if we split up, but it would also draw less suspicion and allow us to cover more ground."

Ronegan will retire to his room while the others searched the house. He had hoped he might have an opportunity to use his magic at the apartments, to detect anything that may be amiss. But with so many strangers around it was too risky. Besides, with the advice he had given Petal, he himself could not be reckless now. When things were quiet in the still of the night. Even then, Ronegan thought, he could never be entirely sure he would be safe. Unless...

He looks at himself in the mirror, and traces the Firstforge crest stitched into the breast of his scholar's robes. The family had been good to him, he had to admit, especially when he had tried to turn down the job almost a dozen times before. He felt duty-bound to help, and there were so many avenues in Ospel that he could pursue. His sisters, especially Lucinda, that gossip, might have some information, there was the royal library, and finally those rumors that Ronegan had been turning over in his mind for a long time. If it is real, it could be the answer to everything. He thinks, knowing that if its not, or if its some sort of trap, he could doom them all.

He knew he needed to be careful and keep Onyx safe (and Petal as well, he added belatedly.) But there was just much excitement here!

Ronegan will rejoin the others, looking refreshed. "For my part, I would visit the library and the Union Bazaar." He looks a little shame faced. My eldest sister is in town, and I would not be surprised to see her there, selling her pastries. Her tuber pie is simply delightful.

Varen finds very little out of place it seems. She's never been in thw royal apartments before but it looks tiddy. She knows from her background however the servants here are from the palace. They are merely loaned to the Firstforge family while they stay in their royal apartments within the high king's palace, eyes and ears of the court.

OOC: Think Versailles. Everyone ALL together under watch as well as watching each other....

The palace servants within the Firstforge royal apartments are everywhere. From footman to maids, the six room apartments seems busy with preparations for the Firstforge's stay under the grand tournament. A knowledgeable looking middle-aged dwarven man in red robes with gold trim enters the apartments and addresses the party.

"You are to be informed the royal family will remain at the cathedral this evening. Your king is on the mend however and the tournament is to begin tomorrow as planned," he says with a curt nod pausing as if to wait for questions. The man hands over a scroll to Varen. "If you would all be so kind as to put whomever name is to be added to the lists I shall take it as soon as possible to the tournament grounds," he adds gesturing at the scroll.

OOC: Tournament is going to have a little something for everyone but feel free to 'sign up' for whatever your PC would be good at.

Opening the scroll Varen finds a formal list of tournament games.

The lists reads as follows:

Jousting

Hand to hand combat

Melee

Archery

All culminating in a final event...

The Gauntlet - a maze of beasts and puzzles to be completed by a team of 8.

Kiran listens to the list carefully, "I believe the hand to hand and melee combats suit my style the best, I'm not too good with the armor needed for jousting, and I could compete in archery, but it is certainly not my strongest suit. As for the gauntlet, I assume we will all be participating in that to showcase our most appropriate skills."

Looking to the dwarf, Varen asks him a few questions. "Does the house only submit one contestant to each event, or can we submit several? What are the rules for each event?" 

She looks over to Kiran. "And by what manner is the church ensuring that the tournament is upheld with all tenants of the Lightbringer?"

Ronegan groans audibly as she silently reads the list. "Leadership is more than martial ability. Where are the history quizzes? Where is the science examination? The language portion? You know, sir, I would have words with the ones who designed these so called tests!" He says haughtily, puffing out his chest. "I suppose there is the puzzle component of the gauntlet. That is a minor consolation."

(Needless to say, Ronnie will only be participating in the gauntlet.)

Elavor gathers with the others and helps them get settled. 

When Ran mentions a meeting place and Ronegan mentions the library and bazaar, Elavor responds : " Yes, I have a place in mind... and Ronengan, to get to the library..." and Elavor pulls out a small slip of paper, writing a quick, but easy to understand map of where they are and how to get to both places along with small notes. 

At that point, the dwarven male interrupts their conversations and Varen reads out the scroll.... Elavor listens, realizing that an archery contest actually sounds like fun. A way to hone his skills. The gauntlet has him worried. The ambush on the road was still on his mind, and how he had come so close to death's door... 

He shivers, rousing himself from his thoughts. "Right then, Archery for me, I suppose. And I'll join you lot  -if you'd like - for the Gauntlet. " 

"Now, everyone, I am sorry but I have to make a quick stop in at the cartographers guild, and then Ran.. about that quiet place... " and Elavor tells Ran about a tavern he knows.