Velyra shakes her head, "nothing so far. If we don't hear from them by the time we're done here I'll send a message myself. It could be we have something worth more than we realize and they don't want to let us onto the fact."
((No grand alliance of Men, Elves, and Vampires. ;) ))
The aide returns shortly after your conversations begin to wither, looking expectantly to Bertrand. The military man gives a nod and turns to you, "Right. Here we go then." Motioning for you all the follow, he walks off after the aide. As you walk, the aide Though you pass many hallways and stairways that would no doubt take through many twist and turns, your journey through is very straightforward. The man leading takes you through a set of doors, into a a large room nearly eighty feet across. Stone pillars run along either side, bearing simple brackets to hold torches aloft. Once more, though the architecture in here is grand, the rest of the decoration - if you can call anything in here decoration - is incredibly spartan. At the far end of the room, sitting atop a raised platform is a middle aged woman. A bald man in a smart gray uniform stands next to her chair, arms folded in front of him. Behind the woman is a raised stone backing to the platform, with two snarling gargoyle heads attached. There are two tables set in front of the platform, about ten feet way, without chairs however. Kal activates his divine sense as you walk into the room and get close enough. No undead are revealed.
As you're lead up the long walk to the end of the room, the woman stares at you impassively with dark green eyes, the irises rimmed with bright circles of gold. Though obviously aged, she's still very beautiful, almost angelic. The aide gestures for you to stop at the tables, before walking to stand next the platform. He clears his throat, and then speaks. "Lady Anet, may I present commander Bertrand, and those responsible for our good fortunes. Kal Vorni. Usul Harj. Silthras Greyhame. Velyra Arnketh. And Sylnora Vülinn."
"This is the Lady Anet Sholte, Baroness of the Silvershard Region, the Bulwark of the Andenian Pass."
The woman leans forward now, interesting sparkling in her eyes as she looks over each of you. With a husky voice, she speaks. "Bertrand you're dismissed. As are you Allen, thank you." Both the aide and Bertrand give a quick bow, and make their way to leave the room, footsteps echoing off the stone. She casts a glance at the man next to her, a quick flicker of some emotion in her eyes, then continues. "You've done us a great service. The undead which plagued us seem to have scattered."
"I'm afraid details of how you accomplished this task have been scarce however. I should like to hear the story from you properly." The man standing next to her unfolds his arm and clasps his hands behind his bank, staring intently at whoever begins to speak first.
(( I won't write much because it's likely there would be interjections and at some point we will just 'describe' stuff without writing it ))
Silthras has been in such situations before but never as a the focus of attention, so it is with a little trepidation that he clears his throat, and tries for the correct bow to the baroness.
"Lady Anet, thank you for this opportunity. I will try to keep my tale brief, but first let me say that Sybil did a remarkably good job when she assembled this small team that has worked so well together. The quality of a leader is best reflected in the quality of those who work for her." Again he bows slightly, but keeps his eye on her. (( How does she respond to mild factual flattery?))
"So..to our tale. As you know, Sybil asked us to investigate these undead and we chose to go to Feyvrest, it being the nearest. Our first stroke of luck -- and we have had several -- came from the chance words of one of Feycrest's survivors -- a child -- who mentioned strange events at a manor just outside of town. When we investigated we found what later turned out to be a leader or scout for the invading creatures. It seems the creature had been free to move among the townsfolk, unnoticed."
He pauses to take a breath and assess the reaction of the baroness and her adviser. When he resumes his tale he is speaking faster, his tone becoming more urgent.
"Your ladyship is no doubt aware of the unusual nature of the undead that have been plaguing the region? This creature was unlike anything we have heard of before: it was able to occupy human bodies, use their knowledge, and assume their role, wearing their body as a skin. To speak in their voice." He pauses again, briefly, to assess his listeners. "It chose to reveal itself to us. Once it shed its human skin, its form was a mockery of anything natural. It seemed to be composed in part at least from the void itself. Recovering from our shock, we fought it and got in a few lucky blows and hurt it enough so that it fled."
"Naturally we pursued it. It led us to a device that allowed us to travel deep into the mines. And there, Lady, we found wonders! Artifacts of one of the seven that spoke of the last great war.It seems the High King's wisdom is now revealed: Based on what we have discovered, we are left in no doubt that his warnings about the Abyss Heralds are correct, that they are indeed returning, and returning now. The invasion here was but a foretaste -- a sign as the ancients say -- of the coming invasion and war."
Once more he pauses to assess and to let his words sink in. If there are no questions or interjections, he will continue.
If she would be able to, could Velyra get a sense of what was behind the look Lady Anet gave her advisor. Regardless, she'll want to keep a close on both to gauge their reactions to the information they're being given.
For Velyra, she would note that in that first glance the Baroness cast to her advisor, there was oddly a flicker of fear in her eyes. And as Silthras weaves your story, you would notice she seems to be making a conscious effort to not look at the man again. While the others see a face that marks faint interest, the elvish woman would be well attuned to the Lady Anet's apprehension. The man standing next to her, Calmaius, is much more difficult to read. His face is stoic, and his eyes still as they bore into Silthras. And yet, you think you might see the faintest hint of anger in them.
To Silthras, gauging their reactions is difficult. His flattery merits a raised brow from the Baroness, and for the rest of his recollection he has little idea what the two might be thinking or feeling.
The Baroness leans forward, but before she can open her mouth a deep baritone voice speaks up from next to her. "Artifacts you say? What is it exactly that you found down there?" Calmaius asks. Anet seems to balk for a fraction of a moment before giving a slight nod of her head, motioning towards Silthras to answer.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
While the others are talking and listening, Usul is just staying quiet in the back watching the interactions with these people clearly above his station. Slightly conscious of his clothing, but not letting it get to him, he’s more annoyed that the guards wouldn’t let Muad in, and hoping the poor pup is ok waiting at the door with those stiff guards…
While staying in the back, he sneezes in an attempt to cover his casting of an invisible mage hand. He then waits for Sil to tell the story to have it do anything at all, just in case someone saw. He also blinks, and Dib, who had been hidden under his cloak disappears into his pocket dimension, ready to be brought back if needed.
He then focuses his attention of the advisor. Though the Baroness looks very intimidating, the advisor behind the corner just looks like a stuffy old guy not to be trusted.
((Insight 18)) Not sure how you rule on this, but if attempting to hide a spell in a sneeze is possible: slight of hand; 18
Silthras raises his eyebrows, and waits for the baroness to agree then turns to the man, speaking clearly, and pausing occasionally to recollect details.
"It is -- was -- once a huge complex, judging by the rooms we have seen and the tunnels that are now blocked. To catalogue everything we saw would take a long time,and we barely scrathed the surface. For some of it, you had best visit it yourself, to fully appreciate the details."
"But...the first and perhaps most useful artefact was not even in the mine, and is easily accessible: It was the device that allows teleportation from the manor to the mines. Surrounding it is an assembly of eight watchers -- not the usual seven -- defaced by the creature that we pursued. It alone warrants further study, for it is the same type of magic that they used to attack all of the towns."
He turns back to the Baroness, "Each town had two...portals...that the clawed ones, and the other creature, used to travel. There would likely be return portals found nearby, if a search was conducted."
"The means of transport is unlike anything I have heard of -- the destination does not seem to require special preparation. Since this artefact is something that the invaders created, studying it may tell us about them."
He pauses again, trying to gauge their reactions, and focuses again on the counselor, "Once in the...temple complex...I don't really know what to call it...the rooms contain statues of someone dressed as one of the seven -- or now, eight -- there was a glowing map showing other locations, and a...creature, made of rock...some kind of defender that attacked, and which we were forced to destroy. We found a great many things -- some simple magic like the item I now wear..." he touches the circlet on his head, "...some ancient armour, broken, damaged by the void, and matching the armour worn by the watcher. Others, like the glowing pedestals that powered the stone creature far harder to fathom. The...invaders...also had some kind of device for opening a portal the home of the clawed undead. We did not explore far, but destroyed the tunnels they were using to access the areas around Silverfair. They are, at least for the time being, prevented from using that route to return."
He turns back to the baroness, "I could go on, but I think the most worrying...the most immediate concern is that these creatures can seemingly become anyone...and go anywhere." Once more he pauses to try to assess the reactions of the baroness and her adviser. "We have only encountered one so far. Warnings should be sent to Sonatide, the Astrium and the High King. Such creatures could be anywhere."
He pauses to catch his breath and to assess any reactions to his last remark, as well as to give his companions a chance to speak.
"If it lends any credibility to the argument of an invasion, I can say for certain the portal used by the undead lead to a different plane of existence." Sylnora says, taking a slight step forward to elaborate on Silthras' description. "I can't speak much as to how exactly it worked...But that I know for sure at least."
@Usul, just let me know what you wanted to try with the mage hand. (;
Unbeknownst to anyone else in the room, an invisible mage hand appears at the location of his choice within range. His initial impression of the advisor as surly sticks with Usul, but than that trying to guess the man's thoughts is like trying to read a brick wall.
Both Calmaius and the Baroness continue listening to Silthras, noting Syl's interjection. "Very well then." The man leans over to whisper something in her ear, and then makes his way off the platform, striding past the five of you towards the door at the back of the room.
The Baroness waits for the door to close behind him before speaking. "Messages will be sent through the proper channels to the right people, rest assured." For the first time, she stands from her seat, clasping her hands in front of her. Her eyes linger on the door for a moment before snapping back to Silthras. "I must admit I care little for artifacts of times long gone...But this creature you spoke of, capable of becoming other people...That has piqued my interest."
"Perhaps the five of you could return for an evening meal to speak more on the matter. I must also insist that you make use of the rooms here in the keep for the rest of your stay in Silverfair. It is the least we could do in way of thanks."
Kal glances at the others, slightly shrugging his shoulders. Though what she was saying sounded like a request, he figured they had little actual choice in the matter without making a fuss. "I think we can make time for such an affair Lady Anet, my thanks for the offer. When would you like us to return?"
Though he was satisfied that no undead had been in the room, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was still off. Some alone time with the others for discussion would do well. Perhaps they picked up on something he hadn't.
A look of concern crosses Silthras' face and he bows again, "You are most generous, Lady Anet. Most of us are unfamiliar with such fine surrounds and with the etiquette that such refined company properly deserves. I hope you will forgive any failures on our behalf, and recognise that they are failures due to ignorance, and not intentional slights."
He waits a moment, a slight smile on his lips which does not make it to his eyes, "And...having said that..." he eyes move briefly to the door through which Calmaius departed, "...the creatures of which we have spoken are powerful and cunning." He pauses, searching for words, but eventually pushes ahead, his eyes watching the baroness closely. "Do you ... ah ... have the means to ensure that those closest to you have not been compromised?"
The Baroness looks briefly over towards the knight, "So long as you don't stray too far, I can have someone find you. We tend to take supper shortly after sundown here. Or we used to." Her eyes lock back onto Silthras, unblinking and serious as she considers his words. "I am certain that the counsel I keep is without compromise, I'll not have you suggest otherwise again." Though she says the words loudly and sternly, she gives you a kind of look, glancing pointedly towards the door and making a slight show of tucking her hair behind one of her ears. "We can speak more later. Unless you've something else to add?"
Silthras nods, his head barely moves, but his eyes flicker from her ear and then to where she looked. "I understand, Lady Anet. Please accept my apology for my impertinence. We shall return this evening."
With a deeper bow than any before, he backs away a pace and glances at his companions to see if they have more to say.
The Baroness' shoulders slouch a bit, as if releasing tension. She says nothing more, but waves a hand to dismiss the five of you. As you turn to leave, she sinks back into the chair silently.
Outside the room, you find Bertrand waiting for you. The aide of hers, as well as Calmaius, are nowhere to be seen. "Let's not talk here." He says quietly, motioning for you all to follow. In a somewhat hurried manner, but not so much as to raise alarm, he leads you back through the keep. As you cross through the gate back into the city proper, he seems to slow down and relax a bit. Briefly, he looks back, and then continues on, leading you back to Sybil's. He shuts down any attempt to talk about what happened while you're out in public.
It's only when you're safely inside Sybil's home, that he finally speaks. After exchanging a worried glance with Sybil, he asks, "Well? Did you find anything?"
Silthras purses his lips, then looks at Kal before speaking, "I think not. Not yet at least. The baroness is aware of the issue now, and her adviser hurried off part way through the discussion." He pauses, "I'm not sure what for...maybe Elyxir is going to have company on her journey, or maybe he is already vetting the staff."
"In any case, we have been invited back to dinner, which may allow us to perform a broader search, if Kal is up for it. I did ask if Lady Anet had the ability to detect the body stealing creatures and she told me her staff was beyond reproach. But from he behaviour I concluded that was a ruse for any who might be listening."
He grins at Sybil, "It seems we will be less of a burden for you as well: Lady Anet has asked us to stay in the Keep from now on. I thought at the time it was to keep an eye on us, now I wonder if it is for another purpose...Do you know much of this fellow Calmaius? There certainly seemed to be tension there."
"Yeah, that advisor guy was not cool! We don't like him much."Usul adds, as he sits down with the group, petting Muad while Dib sits on his shoulder munching on a snack. Grinning, he continues, "If we're gonna stay at the keep tonight, we can try to sneak around to see what we can find."
Silthras nods, "Nothing this morning? Didn't we ask about what exactly they wanted us to bring?"
shoot I should have paid better attention, sorry
Velyra shakes her head, "nothing so far. If we don't hear from them by the time we're done here I'll send a message myself. It could be we have something worth more than we realize and they don't want to let us onto the fact."
((No grand alliance of Men, Elves, and Vampires. ;) ))
The aide returns shortly after your conversations begin to wither, looking expectantly to Bertrand. The military man gives a nod and turns to you, "Right. Here we go then." Motioning for you all the follow, he walks off after the aide. As you walk, the aide Though you pass many hallways and stairways that would no doubt take through many twist and turns, your journey through is very straightforward. The man leading takes you through a set of doors, into a a large room nearly eighty feet across. Stone pillars run along either side, bearing simple brackets to hold torches aloft. Once more, though the architecture in here is grand, the rest of the decoration - if you can call anything in here decoration - is incredibly spartan. At the far end of the room, sitting atop a raised platform is a middle aged woman. A bald man in a smart gray uniform stands next to her chair, arms folded in front of him. Behind the woman is a raised stone backing to the platform, with two snarling gargoyle heads attached. There are two tables set in front of the platform, about ten feet way, without chairs however. Kal activates his divine sense as you walk into the room and get close enough. No undead are revealed.
As you're lead up the long walk to the end of the room, the woman stares at you impassively with dark green eyes, the irises rimmed with bright circles of gold. Though obviously aged, she's still very beautiful, almost angelic. The aide gestures for you to stop at the tables, before walking to stand next the platform. He clears his throat, and then speaks. "Lady Anet, may I present commander Bertrand, and those responsible for our good fortunes. Kal Vorni. Usul Harj. Silthras Greyhame. Velyra Arnketh. And Sylnora Vülinn."
"This is the Lady Anet Sholte, Baroness of the Silvershard Region, the Bulwark of the Andenian Pass."
The woman leans forward now, interesting sparkling in her eyes as she looks over each of you. With a husky voice, she speaks. "Bertrand you're dismissed. As are you Allen, thank you." Both the aide and Bertrand give a quick bow, and make their way to leave the room, footsteps echoing off the stone. She casts a glance at the man next to her, a quick flicker of some emotion in her eyes, then continues. "You've done us a great service. The undead which plagued us seem to have scattered."
"I'm afraid details of how you accomplished this task have been scarce however. I should like to hear the story from you properly." The man standing next to her unfolds his arm and clasps his hands behind his bank, staring intently at whoever begins to speak first.
Since both Kal and Usul are unused to such settings, and Syl is relatively new, Silthras glances at Velyra as of to say, You, or me?
Catching the look from Silthras, Velyra will grimace slightly. Speaking to authority has never been a strong suit to her.
(( I won't write much because it's likely there would be interjections and at some point we will just 'describe' stuff without writing it ))
Silthras has been in such situations before but never as a the focus of attention, so it is with a little trepidation that he clears his throat, and tries for the correct bow to the baroness.
"Lady Anet, thank you for this opportunity. I will try to keep my tale brief, but first let me say that Sybil did a remarkably good job when she assembled this small team that has worked so well together. The quality of a leader is best reflected in the quality of those who work for her." Again he bows slightly, but keeps his eye on her. (( How does she respond to mild factual flattery?))
"So..to our tale. As you know, Sybil asked us to investigate these undead and we chose to go to Feyvrest, it being the nearest. Our first stroke of luck -- and we have had several -- came from the chance words of one of Feycrest's survivors -- a child -- who mentioned strange events at a manor just outside of town. When we investigated we found what later turned out to be a leader or scout for the invading creatures. It seems the creature had been free to move among the townsfolk, unnoticed."
He pauses to take a breath and assess the reaction of the baroness and her adviser. When he resumes his tale he is speaking faster, his tone becoming more urgent.
"Your ladyship is no doubt aware of the unusual nature of the undead that have been plaguing the region? This creature was unlike anything we have heard of before: it was able to occupy human bodies, use their knowledge, and assume their role, wearing their body as a skin. To speak in their voice." He pauses again, briefly, to assess his listeners. "It chose to reveal itself to us. Once it shed its human skin, its form was a mockery of anything natural. It seemed to be composed in part at least from the void itself. Recovering from our shock, we fought it and got in a few lucky blows and hurt it enough so that it fled."
"Naturally we pursued it. It led us to a device that allowed us to travel deep into the mines. And there, Lady, we found wonders! Artifacts of one of the seven that spoke of the last great war. It seems the High King's wisdom is now revealed: Based on what we have discovered, we are left in no doubt that his warnings about the Abyss Heralds are correct, that they are indeed returning, and returning now. The invasion here was but a foretaste -- a sign as the ancients say -- of the coming invasion and war."
Once more he pauses to assess and to let his words sink in. If there are no questions or interjections, he will continue.
If she would be able to, could Velyra get a sense of what was behind the look Lady Anet gave her advisor. Regardless, she'll want to keep a close on both to gauge their reactions to the information they're being given.
Insight: 26
Silthras Insight: 9
For Velyra, she would note that in that first glance the Baroness cast to her advisor, there was oddly a flicker of fear in her eyes. And as Silthras weaves your story, you would notice she seems to be making a conscious effort to not look at the man again. While the others see a face that marks faint interest, the elvish woman would be well attuned to the Lady Anet's apprehension. The man standing next to her, Calmaius, is much more difficult to read. His face is stoic, and his eyes still as they bore into Silthras. And yet, you think you might see the faintest hint of anger in them.
To Silthras, gauging their reactions is difficult. His flattery merits a raised brow from the Baroness, and for the rest of his recollection he has little idea what the two might be thinking or feeling.
The Baroness leans forward, but before she can open her mouth a deep baritone voice speaks up from next to her. "Artifacts you say? What is it exactly that you found down there?" Calmaius asks. Anet seems to balk for a fraction of a moment before giving a slight nod of her head, motioning towards Silthras to answer.
While the others are talking and listening, Usul is just staying quiet in the back watching the interactions with these people clearly above his station. Slightly conscious of his clothing, but not letting it get to him, he’s more annoyed that the guards wouldn’t let Muad in, and hoping the poor pup is ok waiting at the door with those stiff guards…
While staying in the back, he sneezes in an attempt to cover his casting of an invisible mage hand. He then waits for Sil to tell the story to have it do anything at all, just in case someone saw. He also blinks, and Dib, who had been hidden under his cloak disappears into his pocket dimension, ready to be brought back if needed.
He then focuses his attention of the advisor. Though the Baroness looks very intimidating, the advisor behind the corner just looks like a stuffy old guy not to be trusted.
((Insight 18))
Not sure how you rule on this, but if attempting to hide a spell in a sneeze is possible: slight of hand; 18
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
(( Silthras' passive insight a massive 10 ))
Silthras raises his eyebrows, and waits for the baroness to agree then turns to the man, speaking clearly, and pausing occasionally to recollect details.
"It is -- was -- once a huge complex, judging by the rooms we have seen and the tunnels that are now blocked. To catalogue everything we saw would take a long time,and we barely scrathed the surface. For some of it, you had best visit it yourself, to fully appreciate the details."
"But...the first and perhaps most useful artefact was not even in the mine, and is easily accessible: It was the device that allows teleportation from the manor to the mines. Surrounding it is an assembly of eight watchers -- not the usual seven -- defaced by the creature that we pursued. It alone warrants further study, for it is the same type of magic that they used to attack all of the towns."
He turns back to the Baroness, "Each town had two...portals...that the clawed ones, and the other creature, used to travel. There would likely be return portals found nearby, if a search was conducted."
"The means of transport is unlike anything I have heard of -- the destination does not seem to require special preparation. Since this artefact is something that the invaders created, studying it may tell us about them."
He pauses again, trying to gauge their reactions, and focuses again on the counselor, "Once in the...temple complex...I don't really know what to call it...the rooms contain statues of someone dressed as one of the seven -- or now, eight -- there was a glowing map showing other locations, and a...creature, made of rock...some kind of defender that attacked, and which we were forced to destroy. We found a great many things -- some simple magic like the item I now wear..." he touches the circlet on his head, "...some ancient armour, broken, damaged by the void, and matching the armour worn by the watcher. Others, like the glowing pedestals that powered the stone creature far harder to fathom. The...invaders...also had some kind of device for opening a portal the home of the clawed undead. We did not explore far, but destroyed the tunnels they were using to access the areas around Silverfair. They are, at least for the time being, prevented from using that route to return."
He turns back to the baroness, "I could go on, but I think the most worrying...the most immediate concern is that these creatures can seemingly become anyone...and go anywhere." Once more he pauses to try to assess the reactions of the baroness and her adviser. "We have only encountered one so far. Warnings should be sent to Sonatide, the Astrium and the High King. Such creatures could be anywhere."
He pauses to catch his breath and to assess any reactions to his last remark, as well as to give his companions a chance to speak.
"If it lends any credibility to the argument of an invasion, I can say for certain the portal used by the undead lead to a different plane of existence." Sylnora says, taking a slight step forward to elaborate on Silthras' description. "I can't speak much as to how exactly it worked...But that I know for sure at least."
@Usul, just let me know what you wanted to try with the mage hand. (;
Unbeknownst to anyone else in the room, an invisible mage hand appears at the location of his choice within range. His initial impression of the advisor as surly sticks with Usul, but than that trying to guess the man's thoughts is like trying to read a brick wall.
Both Calmaius and the Baroness continue listening to Silthras, noting Syl's interjection. "Very well then." The man leans over to whisper something in her ear, and then makes his way off the platform, striding past the five of you towards the door at the back of the room.
The Baroness waits for the door to close behind him before speaking. "Messages will be sent through the proper channels to the right people, rest assured." For the first time, she stands from her seat, clasping her hands in front of her. Her eyes linger on the door for a moment before snapping back to Silthras. "I must admit I care little for artifacts of times long gone...But this creature you spoke of, capable of becoming other people...That has piqued my interest."
"Perhaps the five of you could return for an evening meal to speak more on the matter. I must also insist that you make use of the rooms here in the keep for the rest of your stay in Silverfair. It is the least we could do in way of thanks."
Kal glances at the others, slightly shrugging his shoulders. Though what she was saying sounded like a request, he figured they had little actual choice in the matter without making a fuss. "I think we can make time for such an affair Lady Anet, my thanks for the offer. When would you like us to return?"
Though he was satisfied that no undead had been in the room, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was still off. Some alone time with the others for discussion would do well. Perhaps they picked up on something he hadn't.
A look of concern crosses Silthras' face and he bows again, "You are most generous, Lady Anet. Most of us are unfamiliar with such fine surrounds and with the etiquette that such refined company properly deserves. I hope you will forgive any failures on our behalf, and recognise that they are failures due to ignorance, and not intentional slights."
He waits a moment, a slight smile on his lips which does not make it to his eyes, "And...having said that..." he eyes move briefly to the door through which Calmaius departed, "...the creatures of which we have spoken are powerful and cunning." He pauses, searching for words, but eventually pushes ahead, his eyes watching the baroness closely. "Do you ... ah ... have the means to ensure that those closest to you have not been compromised?"
The Baroness looks briefly over towards the knight, "So long as you don't stray too far, I can have someone find you. We tend to take supper shortly after sundown here. Or we used to." Her eyes lock back onto Silthras, unblinking and serious as she considers his words. "I am certain that the counsel I keep is without compromise, I'll not have you suggest otherwise again." Though she says the words loudly and sternly, she gives you a kind of look, glancing pointedly towards the door and making a slight show of tucking her hair behind one of her ears. "We can speak more later. Unless you've something else to add?"
Silthras nods, his head barely moves, but his eyes flicker from her ear and then to where she looked. "I understand, Lady Anet. Please accept my apology for my impertinence. We shall return this evening."
With a deeper bow than any before, he backs away a pace and glances at his companions to see if they have more to say.
The Baroness' shoulders slouch a bit, as if releasing tension. She says nothing more, but waves a hand to dismiss the five of you. As you turn to leave, she sinks back into the chair silently.
Outside the room, you find Bertrand waiting for you. The aide of hers, as well as Calmaius, are nowhere to be seen. "Let's not talk here." He says quietly, motioning for you all to follow. In a somewhat hurried manner, but not so much as to raise alarm, he leads you back through the keep. As you cross through the gate back into the city proper, he seems to slow down and relax a bit. Briefly, he looks back, and then continues on, leading you back to Sybil's. He shuts down any attempt to talk about what happened while you're out in public.
It's only when you're safely inside Sybil's home, that he finally speaks. After exchanging a worried glance with Sybil, he asks, "Well? Did you find anything?"
Silthras purses his lips, then looks at Kal before speaking, "I think not. Not yet at least. The baroness is aware of the issue now, and her adviser hurried off part way through the discussion." He pauses, "I'm not sure what for...maybe Elyxir is going to have company on her journey, or maybe he is already vetting the staff."
"In any case, we have been invited back to dinner, which may allow us to perform a broader search, if Kal is up for it. I did ask if Lady Anet had the ability to detect the body stealing creatures and she told me her staff was beyond reproach. But from he behaviour I concluded that was a ruse for any who might be listening."
He grins at Sybil, "It seems we will be less of a burden for you as well: Lady Anet has asked us to stay in the Keep from now on. I thought at the time it was to keep an eye on us, now I wonder if it is for another purpose...Do you know much of this fellow Calmaius? There certainly seemed to be tension there."
"Yeah, that advisor guy was not cool! We don't like him much." Usul adds, as he sits down with the group, petting Muad while Dib sits on his shoulder munching on a snack. Grinning, he continues, "If we're gonna stay at the keep tonight, we can try to sneak around to see what we can find."
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM: