It seemed to Rhydd that Lady Mallory and Torgrim wanted to cuddle up with Skath, and the hunter was having no part of that. He walked along in silence.

He would help Mallory (who still seemed a bit unsteady on her feet, although Rhydd could see no obvious wounds) get to the Town Hall -- or wherever it was that she would meet Naerth -- but he was not certain whether he would stay around for the discussion.

Hlin walked with a limp to her gait and had trouble keeping up with the rest. When Moyrah caught up to her, she ushered her over within earshot. "Don't speak with Naerth. None of you. It will do more harm than good. Everything he has to say on this will be a lie." She herself certainly had zero intention to accompany Skath to Town Hall, and so hobbled her way over to The Luskan Arms after clapping Thorben on his thigh — it was all she could reach — and stating she needed someone to help tend her wounds because she didn't wish to bother Ethen. In truth, she needed no help, but the man seemed a little slow and would be better served away from the situation. She'd have him unroll the bandages. It was doubtful he wanted to touch a tired, withered old Dwarf anyway. Nor did she want him to.

Skath opened the doors to the Town Hall. A few Targosi residents had poked their heads out their windows to try to catch a glimpse of the town's current status, though none dared venture outside. Perhaps for the best, as Skath would undoubtedly have yelled at them.

The foyer was far from as extravagant as one would expect from similar buildings in Neverwinter, Waterdeep, or any other sizable city down the Sword Coast. The walls were a dull brown, with space for a scarce few paintings of founders commoners must have forgotten about, a crinkled carpet, and a dusty shield displaying Targos' heraldic crest, same as the ones that could be found on the outer walls. Things looked borderline derelict, and an infusing cold permeated the open area as the embers of the untended fireplace began to smolder. Skath indicated for everyone to follow him up the narrow stairs, not just Mallory. However, if anyone wished to leave, Skath had neither the inclination to petition them to stay nor the manpower to restrain them.

On the way up the staircase he encountered the guardsman he had sent earlier, holding his helmet under his arm. He forcefully grabbed his shoulders, turned him around, and led him all the way up where he positioned him against the hallway's wall before pointing to him sharply. "You will watch our guests."

Then, turning around, he continued for a door that could lead to nothing but the Speaker's office. "Wait here." he instructed before shutting the door behind him. Two hushed voices started conversing in the other room, one of them being Naerth's.*

---

*Snoop if you like, but Skath and Naerth knows you're there, so it will be extremely difficult to gather any information through Perception checks. DC 20.

There's also some narrative space here for you to do as you please. Converse, leave, take a nap. Whatever strikes your fancy. It also allows Farwalker to catch up should she wish to. It is also perfectly reasonable to join Hlin to The Luskan Arms as well, in which case I'll consider posting diverging threads.

---

A brief minute passed, then Skath opened the doors once more. "In with you," he said, indicating to all those of the band of bothers who had followed along. He still had his suspicions, but who Naerth wished to speak to or not was Naerth's decision, not his. Clarification — it wasn't solely his decision. Skath insisted the huntsman would wait. If he attempted to enter the office, Skath would shove a hand into his shoulder to stop him.

Naerth stood leaning against the windowsill, tapping his fingers on the wood. From up here he had a view of Ethen's inn, its surrounding buildings, and the docks beyond. What he could not see, however, was the market square or the scaffolding the town had erected.

His coat hung on a rack near the door, and a few ledgers remained open on his desk, lit by the chandelier overhead. "Did your endeavors at the lake go well?" he asked without glancing at his guests. "Did you solve our problem?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:05, Tue 29 June 2021.

As the group was led along, parted or no, Astre soon rejoined his partner's company.  He'd been away for quite some time that whole blustery morning and had unfortunately returned to be the bearer of very bad news.  The fluffy feline fluttered down to land in Mallory's wake and briskly keep pace just at her heels, though he didn't seem comfortable set amid standing boots that might tromp on his tail unwittingly.  When they were led to wait outside Naerth's office he scampered over to sit beside the doorjam in a patient curl.

---

Astre
Perception DC 20
Mallory Bonheur rolled 21 using 1d20+5
Detective Astre is on the case and will share what he hears with Mallory.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:39, Tue 29 June 2021.

---

Astre’s Perception Check [21] against DC 20 to listen in on Skath’s and Naerth’s conversation: The two conspirators were conversing quietly, so quietly even Astre’s sharp ears couldn’t pick it all out. Naerth: “. . . much do they know?” Silence for a second. Skath: “. . . the huntsman out of it . . .”, Naerth: “. . . Mallory, the woman, could be of use . . . talk to her before Hlin does . . . Sephek’s whereabouts . . .”, Skath: “ . . . send the rest away?”, Naerth: “No. We have to figure out how much . . . sure the cat doesn’t hear . . . intelligent.”
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:08, Tue 29 June 2021.

Rhydd chuckled when he heard Skath instruct the hapless town militiaman to keep an eye on the newcomers. "I don't blame him," he said to the man in a sarcastic tone of voice. "Looks like there's plenty of valuable stuff here in the room that we mayhap could pocket and walk off with."

~~More likely, he's just trying to show off what a big shot he is, giving orders and assigning useless tasks.~~

When Skath made it clear to Rhydd that he was not invited to join the others in speaking with Naerth, the huntsman thought for a moment. Truth be told, he wasn't all that interested in talking to the Town Speaker -- 'twas probably better to let the others who were better with words than he was -- and mayhap less blunt-speaking -- carry the flag in this instance. ~~Plus, 'tis best to pick one's battles with people like Skath. Let him have his meaningless little victory and think that he has lorded it over me.~~

Rhydd turned to go, and sought out Moyrah, who had come up behind the original threesome. "It appears that Master Naerth does not wish to hear my wisdom," he said to the Half-Orc. "I want to look in on Hiln. I'm going to head back to the inn."

He had noticed the female Dwarf limping after the battle with the Trolls, and he knew that she had stood with Farwalker to take the brunt of the creatures' ire. Dwarves were all tough as nails, sure enough, but Rhydd wanted to check on his shield-sister to determine for himself how bad her wounds were.

Lowering his voice, he continued speaking to Moyrah in a low tone. "Look after Lady Mallory if you are going up there. That Torgrim fellow seems to be falling all over himself to kiss Skath's arse -- he may or may not be trustworthy."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:35, Wed 30 June 2021.

The warmth of her bed, the comfort of her home were almost detrimental to how Moyrah's evening would proceed, but Hiln's cautionary tale, heard in passing, permitted Moyrah to retire for the night, thus leaving Mallory alone with Naerth. "Thank you" Moyrah whispered back to the stoic dwarf, nodding her head in assurance. The town speaker's shady behavior was no news to Moyrah, rumors of his clandestine endeavors were swirling around Targos ever since his arrival. Still, he was one of the only ones who offered us some help, while Targos was going through the gutter, which made Moyrah set the he-say-she-say crap aside. Moyrah approached all of the group members who weren't in Skath's vicinity and shared what Hiln has warned them about discreetly.

Once Rhydd came to her and raised his concerns, Moyrah nodded back in agreement, purposefully as to not reveal the intention behind his words. "If you remain awake, I will stop by after to check on Hiln. Your heart is in the right place Rhydd" She said, tapping the huntsman's shoulder. Before entering the speaker's office she brushed the snow off of her clothes and rubbed her hands together to warm the numbness away. Once in, she walked up to the speaker's desk, with Hiln's words echoing inside of her mind. "The monster is no more Mr. Naerth. Fishermen can resume their duties, without fear, from now on..."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:56, Wed 30 June 2021.

When Rhydd withdrew from her to leave, Mallory let him go with some clear reluctance to be left but stood silent with arms hugged about herself during the brief wait.  "Mister Maldhon?  Thank you..." was all she could call softly to Rhydd as he made his way off.

Even in a small crowd of her companions she still seemed lost, somehow, as her distant gaze shifted about without focus or clear purpose.  As they were finally given entry to Naerth's office she just numbly made her way to a nearby chair and sank down into it listlessly; Astre, meanwhile, was close by her heels to slink inside with her.  True to the bothersome manner of any cat he set idly sniffing and poking about a bit, then perched back on his haunches to bat at the drape of Naerth's coat with playful paws.

"The monster is no more Mr. Naerth. Fishermen can resume their duties, without fear, from now on..."

"That's not entirely the case." Mallory added in after a moment.  Naerth wouldn't have any chance to feel relief for one problem being solved before others were heaped onto him, it seemed.  "The Lake Monster was just a tool being used by someone else; I convinced it I was more powerful than its master, but the root of the problem remains.  Just now we helped fend off a pair of Ice Trolls driven into town through unguarded gates as well.  Targos seems beset from all sides by enemies."  There was no ire or even smugness in the noble's tone as she summarized the situation; her voice remained listless and small, unable to gain momentum from the shock she'd taken.

---

Astre
Perception - Sniffing around for telling scents
Mallory Bonheur rolled 20 using 1d20+5
This message was last edited by the player at 22:53, Wed 30 June 2021.

"I don't know if you had a direct view of the conflict from your office, but I am sure you have been informed by the men around you, about the assailants, and the damage they caused, if you haven't heard the commotion yourself already, that is. I am afraid that there may be casualties, casualties which could have been easily avoided if everyone was where they should have been." Moyrah was still confused how two humongous creatures have managed to get so far into the city with such proficiency, and hopefully, by the end of the meeting, all of the absurdities will, be clarified and put to rest. In her mind, sheer incompetence couldn't have been the reason why all of this happened, there had to have been something that occupied the guards' time and attention, for them not to be fully attentive to the incoming danger of such size. All of these thoughts, influenced Moyrah's tone to come across a bit more pointed, compared to her initial answer.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:02, Thu 01 July 2021.

"Piss off,"
"Seems uncalled for, but fine." Torgrim fell back and gave a shrug towards the others. He fished out his notebook and opened it to the newly started page labelled "Skath", then added "Not susceptible to flattery" to the bottom of the list. The page now read:

SKATH

• Captain of the Guard.
• Tiefling.
• Probably Z/BN (Stay away)
• Not susceptible to flattery

Torgrim paused for a moment upon seeing his last notes on the tiefling, which he had partially forgotten. Zhentarim. Right. He would have to be more careful in the future.

As they reached Town hall and were ushered into Naerht office, the half-elf hesitated in the door frame for a second. He had not yet directly crossed paths with the newly elected speaker, and perhaps it would be best for things to stay that way. The Zhentarim and the Easthaven Snow Geese had not always played nice with each other, and though that part of his life was over, it was probably best to err on the side of caution, Fisherman be damned.

"Mister Maldhon?" He turned around and caught up to the huntsman, mimicking the name the witch had used for him. "I believe this is all the excitement and politicking I can handle in a day. Mind if I tag along back for another celebratory drink?"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:20, Thu 01 July 2021.

Rhydd had taken his leave of Lady Mallory and Moyrah and was making his way back to the Luskan arms, following the trodden-down paths through the snow and avoiding the higher snow-drifts.

He heard Torgrim call out to him, and he turned and regarded the Half-Elf coming up behind him. The huntsman considered the fellow's question in silence for a moment, his expression neutral -- neither welcoming nor overly hostile.

"If you wish," came the reply after a moment.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 15:50, Thu 01 July 2021.

Once Rhydd had left and there were left no-one in the hallway, Skath dismissed the guard and joined the meeting in the office. Naerth rapped his knuckles on the windowsill as his guests spoke and Skath assumed position at the back. The Town Speaker was perfectly content staying silent as long as information was willingly being divulged. When the conversation died down, he took to word. "I have heard," Naerth answered Moyrah. "It is good that you were present. Captain Skath may like having things in order, but know that the entirety of Targos is thankful you were there." The comment earned no remark from The Captain, who leaned against the wall with folded arms, lit by the low fire of the office's hearth.

Naerth turned away from the window and strode to his desk to sit. "The fishermen will be delighted to hear they can resume their trawling — even if it is just temporary. You will receive your payment in due course." He licked a finger and flipped a page in a leather-bound notebook, then shut it close. "I can arrange it before this evening and have it delivered to you in The Luskan Arms."

Then he arched forward, twined his fingers, and fell silent after a long breath. This wasn't the conversation they had come for — the idle chatter was merely appetizer for the main course. He was bouncing his leg as he met Moyrah's and Mallory's eyes in turn, but said nothing. He had no intention of being waiter.

---

Astre's Perception Check to sniff for scents on Naerth's coat [20]: It smelled clean, like it had recently been pressed. It was a bit wet from melted snow, and only carried the faintest odor of the fish-stench that permeated Targos, but nothing else. If anything, the coat smelled of The Luskan Arms.

The room itself, while somewhat dusty, didn't smell of much either. He had, however, very briefly smelled something familiar in the hallway that was similar to the scents he had picked up in Herve's household.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:06, Thu 01 July 2021.

"It is good that you were present. Captain Skath may like having things in order, but know that the entirety of Targos is thankful you were there."

Though Mallory didn't cast her gaze over her shoulder, she could feel Skath nearby in a presumed blind spot and gestured vaguely toward him.  "The others seemed to feel rather sour toward the Captain's action with the Trolls.  While I do agree he could have taken a bit more caution before leaping in-" she led quietly, with care for Moyrah's opinion "- it is, of course, his duty to protect Targos by his best judgment.  If anything, he should be commended for the effort."

That silence fell on the room quickly enough was no surprise.  It was an annoyance though, to say the absolute least.  Mallory's thoughts briefly flickered back to business negotiations and long arguments held over tables filled with untouched cups of tea.  A mere veneer of civility; set dressing as if to make cutthroat business planning somehow more palatable.  She'd never had a taste for it, herself.  A knack, perhaps, but she never savored it the way some did.  But it was all too obvious to recognize Naerth's shift to quiet for the measured caution and anticipation of what was to come.  Everyone - save Moyrah - knew what was in the air and it was just a matter of who broke the silence.

Perhaps if she'd been in a better mood and state of mind, Mallory would've played coy and made Naerth squirm first.  But after what her vision had shown her, she had no such desires to dance.  "He really is doing the best he can, given the circumstances.  I imagine you all must truly be overwhelmed if you didn't know Sephek Kaltro had been lurking around town since at least yesterday."

Astre, meanwhile, continued to pace about as he pleased while the Humanoids were all busy in their conversation.  He sniffed and nosed and brushed along the side of a bit of furniture, then shuffled down to scurry his way beneath it in pursuit of a cozy space to wait in from the looks of things.  The last anyone could see of him was his fluffy tail swishing contentedly side to side before it tucked up in a curl away from view with the rest of him.

Once Astre is fully out of sight behind cover, Mallory will dismiss him to his Pocket Dimension and then re-summon him in the rafters outside Nearth's office, back in the hallway so he can keep an eye on the door.  As ever, let me know if any Stealth or Perception checks are required.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:43, Sun 04 July 2021.

"- it is, of course, his duty to protect Targos by his best judgment.  If anything, he should be commended for the effort."

Under her breath, Moyrah added to what Mallory was saying. "I wish the captain has commended us for our efforts on the field as well." Captain's presence was completely irrelevant to Moyrah as she voiced her mind, he was warned beforehand of the things to come, and she cared very little of what the Targosi leaders will think of her, as she planned to hit the road pretty soon. "I find it disappointing that instead of a thank you for our help, we were only blamed and accused of ruining some grand attempt at strategy, which up to that point caused only the death of innocent bystanders and destruction of their property, which you will notice first hand when surveying the land." After feeling like the carnage left behind by the trolls was taken so lightly on Naerth's behalf, Moyrah reinforced her point, once again.

On the mention of Sephek's name, Moyrah quietened up as this figure's presence was a complete mystery to her. Could he be the person who stole her sketches, only time will show, but for now she sat back and watched the conversation that is unfolding in front of her very own eyes.

As she had expected, the bodies didn’t really have anything else of worth on them. She did tuck away a particularly alright chunk of bone for later, but that was it. For now, she wasn’t even entirely sure what to do with the stone she’d been given. Given the recent uptick in violence nearby, she might just keep the damned thing. Of course, by that point everyone had wandered off. “Hmm.” She squinted in the direction she was pretty sure they’d headed, and made her way that way. It was a nice, quiet walk.

Fortunately, town halls were generally large buildings. Even if she came at it from the side, having wandered off a short way to look at a particularly pretty configuration of icicles reflecting the light. Entering the town hall, she frowned. “Well this empty. Where is everyone?” She muttered quietly to herself as she looked around. The place was a wreck. If that wasn’t a direct correlation to the rest of the town, she wasn’t sure what would be. With nothing else to do, she began systematically opening any doors she stumbled across. There was bound to be someone somewhere.

Dining hall. Locked door. Kitchen. Room with chairs and a stage, likely for conferences.

The building was mostly tall and narrow. Not much girth to it, and even the dining hall and conference room looked crammed, able to fit maybe two dozen people at most. But there wasn't a single soul here. Farwalker had ran into a single guard on his way out, but aside from that, the building was entirely empty. As she ascended the creaky staircase — well, perhaps they weren't creaky for normal-sized individuals, but they were for her — she found the second story told the same tale of abandonment. Astre then popped into existence amid a puff of magical twinkle to grace the empty building with his presence.

This was arranged like a waiting area. It had a settee and a small table, and even something that looked sort of like a receptionist's desk, but it was situated in what appeared to be a hallway, which stretched a few doors down and ended in another staircase. Voices carried through the door closest to her.

---

"Indeed. Perhaps Captain Skath could have expressed more appreciation. But the Militia responded with haste upon being made aware of the threat," Naerth replied to Moyrah first. Best to cover this thoroughly, so it wouldn't crop up in the issue that was a degree more pressing. "and the guards who lost their lives to defend Targos at the gate will be honored in proper northern ways. If any bystanders suffered the same fate they will be paid the same respects."

Again, Skath elected not to respond. Up until now, he had been keeping an eye on the Tressym who had now been sniffing around. It had disappeared behind Naerth's desk, and then not reemerged. Slinking in between chair legs, Skath presumed. Nevertheless, it earned a raised eyebrow.

Naerth turned his attention back to Mallory. "You've been made privy to information that has yet to reach the public ear. We planned to issue a statement regarding Herve's — and his daughter's — demise at a later point in time. A truly tragic affair. But an assassination is rarely a simple nut to crack. We know the culprit. What we do not know is his current whereabouts. This causes a slight issue, as I am sure you can understand. The last thing we want is to inspire panic among the townsfolk. The times are trying enough already."

Outside the office, Astre appeared perched amid the rafters and gave a quick look about the narrow exterior hall.  Farwalker's wandering presence was noted, but so too was the absence of the posted guard.  The feline's suspicions were already high to begin with and he wasted no time to dash across the support beams to give chase.

---

Astre will attempt to follow the guard and see where he goes.  If he's already left the building and Astre is unable to find an exit or get the door open himself... well, that's that.  ^^;  I can't imagine there are any open windows to let the arctic breeze in, but maybe so run-down a building has some gap in the roofing he could squeeze through.

Astre
Perception - trying to follow the guard's scent
Mallory Bonheur rolled 25 using 1d20+5
Nat 20~

---

For the first time since she'd arrived, Mallory's gaze lifted to meet Naerth's across the room.  Despite his guarded phrasing and careful understatements it was clear in the disinterested furrow of her brows that she wasn't convinced; she bore the clear expression of someone who was already weary of listening to a song-and-dance routine.

"I understand the sort of position you're in, Speaker.  You have a community to protect, investments that need to be secured, and troubles bearing down on you from all angles.  For all the good our recent aid may have done, it's a huge security risk having a Diviner about learning things she doesn't want to know.  And on top of it all, you have a rogue murderer skulking around.  A terrible predicament to be in, I'm certain." her tone remained flat, as if she were simply going through the motions with equally couched language.  "Tell me; what do you intend to do about Kaltro, now that you can no longer trust his discretion and motives?"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:09, Wed 10 Apr.

"I will take that as an apology for the captain's poor behavior. I hope you understand the amount of danger we, as a group, have exposed ourselves to today. After an arduous trip to the middle of the lake, we had occupied the frontlines to protect not only the citizens of Targos, but the militia too, in a manner that was completely unsolicited. I assume the rest of the group couldn't be here because they are fatigued or perhaps wounded. To tell you the truth I can't even understand how I got any more energy left in my body to sit upright in front of you, after all that we have been through today." After Naerth has shown a bit of remorse, Moyrah's approach eased a tiny bit, still she wanted to get across the amount of blood and sweat the group has invested in their endeavors.

The guard had left the building, Astre found after a brief moment of sniffing the air. He had stunk of fish, sweat, and damp leather, and left the odor behind like a snail trailing mucus.

The exit had closed, but a single leap and shove on the handle was enough for the clever Tressym to get it open. The cold winter air hit him as he took to the rooftops in pursuit. The guard was on his way to the gates, fastening the straps on his helmet.

---

Astre can give me a Stealth check with Advantage if he wishes to remain unseen.

---

Whether or not the noblewoman was dressed for the occasion was of no concern to Naerth. The music was playing and the dance had commenced, whether she liked it or not. All the better if she wasn't paying attention to her footing due to fatigue. Or was it something else? And even if Naerth wished to let his guard down, there was another dancer in the room, one who was more unpredictable. What the Half-Orc would do with the information here divulged was anyone's guess. But the prospects of getting rid of her were small.

"I understand. It's certainly been an eventful day, doubly so for you." He then stood and walked over to the fireplace, where a small liquor cabinet stood nearby. "I will track Kaltro down," Naerth said. He opened a drawer and dusted off an old bottle of a Waterdhavian vintage. "Would you look at that, Dinnesmore had fine taste  . . . and it is a task I am going to need help with. He has acquired abilities that make him quite elusive — neither I nor Skath realized he had already arrived in Targos. A Diviner is a risk, as you say, but it could also be a great boon." With three glasses in hand, he strode back to his desk and poured into them a strong purple wine. "Or perhaps you have divined the outcome of this conversation already? If so, then you know your answer."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:34, Sat 03 July 2021.

Getting out the building was easy enough; the cold wind from outside was more than sufficient to help the door swing open to spare Astre the trouble of trying to wedge his way through.  But that same blustery wind was a trouble all on its own as the Tressym took to the skies.  A sudden shift threw him off level and brought him down to crash into a sloped roof in a puff of displaced snow where he laid for just a moment as still as he could, so as not to draw notice.  Or perhaps to just uphold the 'I meant to do that' image cats were so inclined to manage whenever they fumbled their way into a tumble.  After a beat he quickly returned to the skies once more in his pursuit as he drifted from rooftop to rooftop in gliding bounds.

---

Astre
Stealth w/Advantage
Mallory Bonheur rolled 8 using 1d20+4

---

Mallory cast a sidelong glance from beneath the edge of her hood over Moyrah's insistence.  The urging for proper recompense for their work and hardships was far too overt for good manners, but given the noble's mood she could hardly disagree with the sentiment.  Moyrah's lack of concern for the fate of Herve and his young daughter was a bit disconcerting... though, really, Mallory knew little of Moyrah's feelings toward the townsfolk.  Perhaps she held no sympathy for them, or simply didn't even know them at all?  The noblewoman herself recognized she had a bleeding heart to begin with.  But for as bothersome as Moyrah was being (perhaps without even realizing it, by her tone or by her presence), Mallory was glad for the security she brought.

When one was intent on walking into a lion's den, it was very helpful to have a lion of one's own at their side.

"My visions and insight don't give such clear comprehension.  Far too often I only realize the truth of what I've been shown too late to do anything about it, or how a misinterpretation of my visions can lead to disaster.  What I can afford in supernatural prowess-" she placed a palm first to her chest, then gestured to Naerth himself "-is best paired with, and served by, a more knowledgeable foundation." she gestured once more, to Moyrah at her side "And by the strength to carry out what needs to be done.  The fisherfolk of Targos may be fond of you, Speaker, but they can't handle these threats.  My recent associates and I are more capable, though I don't see my companions as changing their mind on you... but that's what gold is for, isn't it?"

The all-too familiar plunk of a wine stopper being pulled and numbing drink being poured snapped Mallory's gaze immediately to the glasses, far more immediately than it had been placed on any other subject about the room thus far.  She didn't even realize she'd begun to reach for a glass until her hand was halfway extended but, with a firm swallow, she resisted.  Fingers trembled as she forced her eyes to shut and look away from that alluring purple where, as her vision was taken by darkness of her own volition, she saw the haunting scene of the crime laid out before her once more.  So vivid a memory both made her ache for wine to blur it away, to numb her from the pain it brought, but hardened her will in the same moment as she swept  her outstretched hand to the side.

Thin trails of arcane energy flitted from the ends of gloved fingers as the noble flexed her will once more.  Motes of rising light sparkled and shimmered together as the little discussion was joined by the presence of three men: illusory duplicates of figures seen the night before, all of whom would be familiar to Moyrah as well.  Stood side by side - the short, bald man who had left an untouched ale at the Luskan Arms, the taller dark-haired man with bright blue eyes who had fled the scene, and finally Arkemos with his raven companion perched on his shoulder.

"Kaltro was hiding among the fishermen of the Three Flags Sailing last night under magical disguise.  I didn't recognize what he was until it was too late... far too late.  I gave pursuit, but this cultist fellow you worried about interfered and gave him the chance to escape via teleportation magic.  I am uncertain if they were truly in cooperation with one another, but the cultist did make to flee Targos that very night." The knowledge of what Kaltro had done immediately after the chase turned her stomach and she quickly shook her head to try and banish the thought.  "I believe that I can... ah..." For a moment, she trailed off with a furrow of her brow before she looked back over her shoulder to Skath.  "Captain, was that guard at the door supposed to remain at his post?"

---

Mallory casts Minor Illusion for the sake of demonstration
This message was last edited by the player at 00:43, Sun 04 July 2021.

"Hmm." Came the low rumble of Farwalker's voice, quite loud in the sudden silence after the sound of tearing wood. It wasn't the sharp crack of properly maintained wood either. Apparently, her ducking down so that she could fit through the doorway put enough torque on the hinges that they simply tore from the doorjamb. She turned the now doorway-less door sideways thoughtfully, and as casually as if it was nothing more than a particularly large and rigid piece of parchment. "It appears your door was poorly attached to the wall." She turned and carefully maneuvered it back where it belonged, leaning it ever so slightly so that it wouldn't fall out of place in case a stiff breeze came through. Which she didn't really put past the building given how much it had been creaking.

"I could fix it, but I fear if I tried, the stairs my crumble on my way down." She continued softly, "Apologies for the interruption, and my lateness. I had to pray and ensure the trolls had nothing dangerous on their persons. What have I missed in the meantime?" She didn't mention that she'd also wandered off to look at some pretty pieces of ice. That would just make her seem a touch ridiculous.

After receiving practically the same reply over and over again, no matter how much she shifted and accented certain parts of her group's experience, made it clear to Moyrah that she won't get her way, not tonight. The town speaker seemed to be incomparably more interested in what Mallory was ready to share, causing Moyrah to lean back into her chair and pay more attention.

Mallory's gesture brought a short-lasting, subtle smile out of Moyrah, which lightened her mood a bit. But this shift in disposition couldn't compare to one caused by Mallory's illusory projections. No matter how grave the subject matter was, the skill and talent necessary to project such vivid imagery out of the tips of one's fingers always impressed and entertained Moyrah, but of course she kept a straight face. "Yes, yes, this was exactly what he looked like." Moyrah said, pointing her finger at the short bald man. "If this winter wasn't terrifying enough, we now have to worry about some shapeshifter who is murdering people left and right, mercilessly, while hiding in plain sight. Not even a simple exchange of words seems safe enough."

"Captain, was that guard at the door supposed to remain at his post?"
Skath raised a brow ridge. Being a Tiefling, he didn't have much in terms of eyebrows, but was capable of a quizzical expression despite the fact. "He was dismissed from his post to aid the others at the gate. You don't think . . ? Surely not . . ."

Naerth had caught on immediately. Up until then, he had watched the configuration of illusions weave into existence and listened to Mallory's story. "Send someone to apprehend him, to be safe," Naerth said. Skath nodded, and Naerth turned his attention back to Mallory. "I'll question the fishers who were at Vegord's last night. Since there was quite the event taking place we have lots of eyes, true enough, but unfortunately on the wrong point of interest. As for Arkemos . . ." He was interrupted by the sound of cracking wood and the grinding of rusty, old hinges as they were forced asunder.

"It appears your door was poorly attached to the wall."
The emerging Goliath had said – with the tip of a longsword at her throat. Skath stood facing her. He had managed to put one hand on the handle before the entire door was ripped away from him, and his steel had rung against the scabbard quicker than one could utter the word "creak". He was content letting it stay threatening for a few moments before sheathing it again. With an annoyed grunt, he shoved his way past her and made for the staircase.

Naerth had bolted upright and had almost toppled the bottle of wine. When it was clear it had all been just an accident, he sighed and sat back down. "It appears I've gotten out one glass too few." For now, he didn't feel like getting up again. Because again, he was no waiter.

It almost seemed like Moyrah had expected this to happen, judging from the way she nonchalantly continued the discussion and expressed her concerns. Had they planned this? He doubted it upon further thought. What purpose would it serve? " . . . I am unsure of Arkemos' involvement in the matter. He is a Knight of the Black Sword, a cult that festers in the keep on Caer Dineval. Or rather, he was a Knight of the Black Sword. We are uncertain of his motivations or allegiance, nor do we know the reason for his defection. The Arcane Brotherhood is involved, and we have no small reason to believe that they've introduced a degree of turmoil that has turned the entire situation into a right mess. It is possible he has been acting in consort with Kaltro. Even if he hasn't, he could know something we don't if it's true as you say and he's fled town." Naerth rubbed his chinstrap beard. "The question then remains – to where did he flee?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:32, Sun 04 July 2021.

"You don't think...? Surely not..."

"He is headed for the gate now, though after last night you'll find me terribly cautious from this point on." Though Mallory had plenty of opportunities to show an apparent level of omniscience despite her repeated claims of her insight being limited, it was given more credit when the door frame being jarred completely off its hinges startled her outright.  There was no faking the yelp she gave as she sprang instantly to her feet and nearly over to Naerth's side with such haste that she toppled her chair over.  For a moment she just gawped in as much surprise as the Speaker had for the sight of their earnest Goliath helping herself inside before she gave a sigh that deflated the tension out of her shoulders.

"I may be able to see many things, but free will is not at all tethered by fate." it was the closest thing to a joke Mallory could manage as she gave Naerth a defeated, sidelong smile.  "Hello again, Miss Farwalker.  I expected you to have taken more interest in following the others back to the Luskan Arms.  We were just bringing the good Speaker to speed on events."

Mallory also expected that Naerth would be quite finished with the discussion of the murderer-at-large and matters of conspiracy with such an unexpected entrance, but she was surprised once more when he continued on.  She was uncertain whether he'd anticipated hiring the lot of them as convenient sellswords if they were able to manage the Lake Monster, or if he'd just surrendered to the idea that he was going to remain overwhelmed.

"The question then remains – to where did he flee?"  To that, Mallory could only shake her head.  She regathered her toppled seat and eased herself into it once more with a weary slump.  "That, I could not say.  I have some clue as to his reason for being here to begin with, but none of where he's gone since.  I would imagine he'd flee to rendezvous with those of his order to plan a new approach." Mere speculation in that regard as she could only shrug off the notion.  Though for as much as she had revealed to Naerth already, what she knew of Arkemos' motivation was kept notably unspoken.  One couldn't simply give away everything, after all, especially not when key elements could yield profits.  "For the moment, it's unclear how many individual facets have their eyes on the Ten-Towns, let alone Targos itself, and how many are coordinated with one another.  The Lake Monster was set upon your waters by a vengeful Druid - perhaps she too urged the Ice Trolls to action.  Perhaps each of these villains are of an accord with one another.  It requires investigation.

But I must ask again; what do you intend to do with Kaltro now that he's crossed this line?  He's a rogue element now; his actions mean he cannot be trusted to be bargained with, nor could he be imprisoned." Naerth had side-stepped the question already, but she was not inclined to let him remain undecided.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:45, Sun 04 July 2021.

The dramatic arrival of their third member seemed to have spurred the fair Lady Bonheur into taking the dance more seriously. It earned a coy smile from Naerth. He tapped his desk with a finger more attentively than the previous slow roll of his knuckles. "It goes without saying that we are all rattled by what's happened, and we do not wish it repeated. Restraining him is difficult, if not impossible, unless we have access to magicks that can suppress his abilities or if he is somehow stripped of them. But he will receive his comeuppance one way or another. If you decide to help me, I will ask you not to engage with him. He is an extremely dangerous individual, so I would insist that once he's been found, you fall back, report to me, and then I will take it from there. If he has to die, he has to die.*

"These premises are non-negotiable. The job will pay. Well. Where you decide to go from there, be it hunting for vengeful Druids or The Frostmaiden herself, is not my concern. For the time being, only Kaltro is." He then gestured to the drinks. "Do you accept these terms?"

The door fell over.

---

Give me an Insight check here, each of you (Mallory, Moyrah, Farwalker).

---

Farwalker's Insight check on Naerth's truthfulness [20]: Though difficult to spot since he was situated behind his desk, ever since Naerth sat back down he'd been bouncing his leg, almost as if impatient. Skittish. Now, it had stopped bouncing. He was focusing more heavily, a telltale sign that someone was lying – one had to use a different part of their mind and at times certain subconscious functions stopped to make room for others. Which of his statements were a lie, however, wasn't entirely clear. But then again, Farwalker could be wrong, as she hadn't caught most of the discussion.

Moyrah's Insight check on Naerth's truthfulness [12]: Moyrah had only his words to go by when judging his honesty. Though under-the-table killings, which Naerth seemed to suggest would be his likely course of action, wasn't typically within a Town Speaker's purview.

Mallory's Insight check on Naerth's truthfulness [10]: From the way this conversation had transpired, this might be the most concrete he was willing to get – a bunch of hypotheticals.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:52, Sun 04 July 2021.