Magda pours the tea herself, waving her maid away and passing you each a cup and saucer, gesturing to the cakes should you wish any. She turns to Alice with a frown at her suggestion. Hm...Perhaps there are a few bits and pieces I could part with, but they are not very rare so I doubt you'd be interested. You'd be wiser to accept money. Money is how I accumulated all this in the first place, she gestures to the room with pride. Though my father's collection gave me an unfair advantage perhaps. Still, I'm pleased just to see this, even if you won't sell it to me. May I see i? she waits expectantly. Should you allow her to examine it she'll put on a pair of spectacles she keeps in her breast pocket, squinting hard, thus showing where her frown lines have come from. Well you came to the right person. I think...yes...I think this was ceremonial rather than functional. Mind you they often performed sacrifices with jade, but the condition of this one is too fine. See how sharp the edges still are? How delicate? Not to mention here, see this groove? There was probably a gemstone here at one time. Pity it's been lost, she shakes her head. Besides all that, perforators and votive axes were the more common tools for sacrifices, not daggers. This had to be for some kind of ceremony, religious of course. It's more decorative than anything, and so detailed... Hm. Her frown deepens. How much would you accept for it? Assuming it can be bought?

Alice laughed, [Russian] ”Oh you don’t know Mistress Penny. She loves old things and would probably trade it to you for an old map or half a book. She is just in love with the mystery of it all. If you had something like that and talked it up properly, she would jump at it and you would both be happy.”

Penny let Magda scrutinise the knife, and she sipped her tea and nibbled her cake while she waited. When Magda reported her findings, Penny listened with genuine interested. 'Oh, yes, of course.' she agreed on the condition of the blade. 'I suppose whoever first found and sold it plucked the gem out themselves. More profit in them apart than together.' she tutted in archaeological mourning.

Wondering just what Alice was telling Magda, Penny answered 'Ah, no, it's not for sale, I'm afraid. I only just purchased it recently, and am in no hurry to part from it so soon.' Tabitha had made it very clear she wanted the item returned, even if she herself had mooted the idea of proposing to sell for the ruse. Penny wasn't about to risk her ire, or any more of it.

While wondering just how Ian, Emma, and Tabitha were getting on in the search for the scroll, Penny knew she needed to keep Magda talking 'May I ask, who was your father? What did he collect?'

Magda arches a disappointed brow at Penny's refusal to sell, but is fortunately distracted by the question of her father and her face smooths quickly. Ah yes. My father was a professor and something of an archeologist. He taught at the university in St Petersburg. He knew more than anyone else of course, he was brilliant, my father. She smiles with pride. He was always taking the family on excavations. Showing me how to identify this and that. We even went to Egypt a time or two! Though he had to scrimp and save to take us. Professors are never paid enough you know. His specialty was ancient Sumerian and Greek, but he loved everything. She takes a long drink of her tea and suddenly her face is serious, down to business. Are you sure I can't convince you to sell the knife? I have many items I would consider trading... There is something unsettling about her expression, though it looks normal enough. This is a woman who is used to getting her way. You feel ever so slightly...threatened somehow, though you have no idea why you should feel so considering she's been nothing but polite. Still...

Alice felt it, it was subtle but it was there. A threat. She sat back a little, her face going flat. She pressed the tips of her fingers on each hand against each other, her eyes taking the witch in. She looked at Penny and when they had eye contact she made her eyes flick to the door, quickly but perceptibly.

17:12, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 26 using 1d20+8.  Bluff - Send Secret Message.
Time to GO.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:13, Wed 12 June 2019.

At Magda's abrupt change in demeanour, Penny made sure to finish her cake, unable to politely reply whilst her mouth was still full and she took in Alice's subtle warning. Magda had earlier declared she never traded her pieces, and now she seemed quite willing, which was too quick a turn around for Penny's comfort. She tried to think of how to extricate herself and Alice, and whether Ian, Emma, and Tabitha had had enough time to locate the scroll and escape themselves. 'Alas, I wished to show it to some scholar friends in England before I parted with it. Perhaps I might mail it back in a few years...' Penny began, taking back the jade blade before it happened to get left behind.

She lifted her teacup to see that it was still mostly full and still hot and glanced curiously at Magda 'I hope we haven't kept you too long, Ms. Petrovich?' she began as a prelude to parting company. Politely, of course.

Magda smiles at Penny's precursor to leaving and shakes her head. Oh you've not kept me at all. There's nothing more important to me than looking over such precious artifacts as your own. A few years you say? What a pity, but I suppose I have no choice but to be patient until you pass by this way again! In the meantime, you've been so kind as to allow me to enjoy your artifact. Would you care to view a few more of mine? I have some wonderful things in my library I'm certain would interest you both. It's rare around these parts that I meet a fellow collector you know. The smile widens.

Alice laced her fingers together and looked at Penny over the top of her hands. She made the same eye motions...

But the Englishwoman was too polite to beat a too-hasty escape, and perhaps too polite for her own good. More practically, she did not wish for Magda to return to her library too soon, and potentially catch the others red-handed. She needed to keep the witch here, in her sight, as she manoeuvred with good manners back to the front door. 'Alas, the hour is getting rather late, and I have a dinner appointment in town, with a, ah, gentleman friend, so I must not stay long... But, if you really do insist, perhaps you weould be so kind as to introduce us to the rest of the delightful contents of that cabinet?' Penny rose from the table and approached the display of Mayan artefacts. 'It would be quite remiss of me to leave such a true scholar without learning a little more of what I can only dabble in.' When time and space needed filling with words, Penny could certainly supply them.

ooc: I don't know why but imagining Alice's facial expressions is hilarious for some reason!

IC: Magda looks pleased at your interest and she eagerly crosses to the cabinet and begins to point things out, sparing you no detail at all as she tells you of each artifact and its history. It's actually quite interesting, but in spite of that you both start to feel strangely sleepy. It's getting hard to stay upright in fact.

ooc: Fort saves please! DC 17 or down you go....mwahahahahahahaha!!

16:51, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Fort Save.

Alice falls asleep snoring lightly...

Penny stifled a yawn. She would not normally get so tired at such a fascinating topic, yet the hour was getting late, and she recalled, however dimly, that she really needed to be leaving. Surely Ian, Emma, and Tabitha had enough time to find the scroll. 'Well, thank you, Magda, for such an illuminating discussion. It was quite educational, and I shall be glad to refer you to my colleagues. But, ah, we really must be going now. Alice?' She raised her voice sharply to rouse her "bodyguard". It did not seem like her to nod off and fail to keep alert.


OOC:
11:35, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 20 using 1d20+6. fortitude.

Alice does not wake up, and Magda's polite expression fades away into a puzzled frown and mutters to herself in Russian, looking at you with scrutiny. Well, she looks very tired, give her a few minutes I suppose. In the meantime, I think it best you and I have a...blunt conversation. Her lips tighten and she straightens up as though about to begin a lecture. I will do whatever it takes to procure that piece from you. It is rare to find such an artifact in such good condition and since I have a particular interest in that era, I cannot let it leave when it would be so perfect for my collection. Name your price. If you still refuse, however, I will be most put out. You get the feeling you are in more trouble than you thought. Alice isn't waking up, and with how drowsy you are, she's clearly at work with something. Every instinct tells you she's on the very edge of doing something...unpleasant.

Blast! Tabitha's decoy treasure was too good, and Magda was willing to fight for it. The Mayan dagger meant nothing to Penny, yet if she sold it off, Tabitha would cease to be cooperative. Meanwhile, Magda had becoming distinctly threatening and this sleepiness that had overcome them was not natural. It seemed they were going to be drawn into conflict regardless of Penny's best efforts to avoid it. Maybe Alice had been right, but Penny really didn't want to have that conversation.

'As special as that, is it?' Penny wondered, turning the dagger over in her hand, incidentally putting its point toward the avaricious witch. 'How about you let me... think on it over night and I'll contact you again tomorrow with my decision and perhaps a price?' She'd almost said "let me sleep on it", but had a feeling Magda would be too happy to oblige.


OOC: Diplomacy 23
Ready attack: stick her with the knife if she does anything aggressive

I don't think you quite understand, she shakes her head with a small smile. I cannot let you leave with that dagger. You seem pleasant, the both of you, and I've tried to be polite. This is the last time I do that. You will leave the dagger and accept my sum, whatever that may be, or I will be forced to make things difficult for you. I have ways of doing that. Ways you couldn't possibly imagine. Now, perhaps you'd better take the deal.

ooc: Haha! It's only because of your good diplomacy she doesn't outright attack yet! And Alice, you can make another save, dc 17 to see if you wake up.

Alice is still in dream land.

09:42, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Fort sv.

'Madam, are you threatening me?' Penny demanded indignantly, with all the outrage and shock of a society lady. 'This is appalling and crass behaviour. All of Portland and the academic world shall hear about this!' She was trying to keep both Magda and herself still talking long enough for (a) her to think of some way out of this or (b) Alice to wake up and blow the witch's brains out. Well, the latter wasn't happening, and she'd never live it down if it did. 'Hmph! Well, name your price then, if you must insist.'

Then, mid-answer, Penny would stab Magda with the Mayan knife, and hopefully surprise her. But not before she heard how much it was worth. She was curious now.


OOC:
Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Magda
Initiative 15
Using the Mayan knife, full attack
#1: attack 14, damage 5
#2: attack 19, damage 5

She does indeed start to name her price but is interrupted by your attack, managing to dodge the first swing only to be taken by the second. It slashes her across the collarbone and she recoils in shock for a moment, clearly not used to being so vulnerable. She's obviously underestimated you.

You'll pay for that she growls, and raises her hand in the air, a scowl on her face.

ooc: Ok, roll a fort save DC 17, otherwise you take 14 damage as you feel like your internal organs are being squeezed. Alice, since there is commotion around you, you may try to make another save to wake up. For future reference, the witch's DC is 16. Good luck!

With a stiff upper lip and the barest grunt, Penny withstood the gut-wrenching spell. 'Pay? Madam, I told you, I have no interest in doing business!' she retorted, slashing for the witch once again. 'But what is this knife worth to you? Surely not your very life!'

Unfortunately, the knife was not worth a lot to Penny either, certainly not as a weapon. She needed a better weapon, namely Alice. 'Alice! Rouse yourself!' she shouted.


OOC: Fortitude 24, success
Do I get an Attack of Opportunity because she cast a spell? If so, attack 21, damage 5 (corrected from roller)
Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Magda
Move: Exploit Weakness 20 vs DC 15, success, add Int to attack rolls
Plan bonus was +2 last round (included), now +1
Standard: knife attack 18, damage 5

ooc: For time's sake I rolled for Alice to see if she wakes up. She does. You're welcome ;P
12:43, Today: Secret Roll: Artemis rolled 21 using 1d20+2.  Rolling for Alice to wak up.

Penny's shouts work and Alice groggily comes to, seeing the two women openly fighting. What a mess!

Meanwhile Penny's two attacks succeed, though not nearly enough to do much good. Still, it is satisfying to draw blood. In the meantime the witch responds with an inhuman scream of rage. It is loud. Incredibly loud. So loud in fact that your ears start to ring and threaten to go deaf...

ooc: Ok, you can roll a reflex save dc 18. You take 18 damage and go deaf for 8 rounds but if you succeed the save you manage to bring your hands to your ears in time and negate the deafness. Damage would be half too, meaning you'd take 9 instead of 18. Penny, you did get an Aoo for the witch's first spell, thanks for reminding me, but this one seemed to happen so unexpectedly you think that it is not a traditional spell at all, at least not cast the same way, so no Aoo for this. Next round please :)

Unable to react in time as the witch suddenly screamed like a banshee, Penny winced as her head rang and blood leaked from her ears. Then, mercifully, the noise was abruptly silenced. Then she realised with horror it was because she was completely deaf. 'You fiend!' Penny bellowed, but couldn't even hear herself.

Switching to a sabre grip, she slashed the witch again, left and right. The blade might be good for carving out hearts from bound sacrifices, but it was not terribly effective in a knife fight, not even in the hands of one trained on the streets of the East End. But she needed to keep harassing the witch, in the hopes of catching her in the midst of her next spell, and couldn't go for her gun or fetch her cane from the umbrella stand.


OOC: Reflex 21
Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Magda
Plan bonus ended
Using the Mayan knife, full attack
#1: attack 20, damage 3
#2: attack 21, damage 4

With the commotion Alice woke. She drew and fired her weapon twice, hitting the witch in the head both times.

11:02, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 22 using 1d20+7.  Conf Crit.
11:02, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 27 using 1d20+7.  Attack 2.
11:00, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 27 using 1d20+12.  Conf Crit.
11:00, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 32 using 1d20+12.  Revolver attack.
10:58, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 27 using 1d20+8.  Initiative.
10:58, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Fort save.

Do I even need to roll damage?

ooc: Golly Moses! How do you keep doing that Alice?! Hahahahahaha! I bet Penny is glad you woke up!

IC: As Penny's blade makes minimal contact with the witch, she's suddenly surprised when a spurt of blood blooms from the side of the woman's head. Penny can't hear a thing of course, so it takes a moment to figure out just what has happened. Magda is not dead, but she falls down in a heap, clutching at her head with abject terror. She seems to be moaning and sobbing something, but again, you can't make out what. Blood seeps from her hands, still pressed against the side of her skull, and she lays completely and utterly still as though in shock. Then you whirl around and see her. Alice. Her gun still outstretched from what no doubt was some very impressive shooting.



Alice: You graze the witch's skull with two bullets. Enough to scare the living daylights out of her and bring her down instantly, but not quite enough to kill her yet. If she keeps bleeding the way she is though, it's a real possibility. It's startling how quickly she stops her attack, instead sobbing and mumbling in Russian. Please! I'll stop! Take anything you want! Take it all! Please, please don't kill me! You're actually a bit taken aback. This woman, who is so superior, so obsessed with worldly things, is seemingly willing to give it all up for her life. You have a feeling terror is not an emotion she is well acquainted with. It does not suit her.

Alice pointed her weapon at the witch’s forehead, and thumbed back the hammer. ”Anything you wanna know, Penny?”

Still stunned by the surprise victory, and still lost in deafened silence, Penny just stared, unable to understand what Magda was saying, even if she could hear her. She didn't even know Alice had spoken, but was grateful she was awake again and was such a superb shooter. 'I can't hear you!' she said, too loudly, pointing at her ears.