View source for Snack talk (Part 2)

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== Log Info ==
*Title: Snack Talk (Part 2)
*Emitter: Liatris
*Characters: Karasu, Bannon, Ashes, Sabina, Lysos, Elleandra
*Place:  PROne: Village of Mornhaven
*Time: Thursday, May 07, 2020, 4:02 PM
*Summary: Ashlee, Bannon, Sabina and Karasu continue questionning Liatris the bard regarding the travelling troubadors when she suddenly drinks and invisibility potion and makes a break for it. The party piles on, managing to grab and hog tie her, then get her visible again and back in her seat. The locals, witnessing all this, are increasingly hostile towards her while she insists that everyone who volunteered to help the vampire was willing. Sabina eventually determines that the vampire is her mother, and not a travelling actor. Largely based on evidence Ash was able to provide after fingering things. Unexpectedly, Lysos and Elleandra coincidenally appear at the same time and hang back, wondering what the four are up to. The headman of the town appears, hears evidence and decides to hold Liatris. Additional information makes it seem that looking into the Vorhearst estate would be a good idea. As they arrive and stand before it, Ash informs everyone that they had been eating regular pork. However, the pigs did have a taste for human meat.</div>

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--<* The Village of Mornhaven *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

A sleepy little village which produces swines, vines and wines. The residents of which are so homesick ones of them leaves for better prospects every couple months or so. Tacky troubadors and a mournful mansion on the hill have nothing to do with these unexpected, yet strangely regular absences.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

<pre>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Karasu       5'9"     125 Lb     Human             Male      Clearly a man of Xian decent with dark hair and eyes.
Bannon       5'9"     195 Lb     Human             Male      A shorter man of Tsuran heritage, with a thin moustace and goatee.
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face
Sabina       5'4"     130 Lb     Human             Female    Tsuran woman of dark hair and green eyes
Lysos        5'6"     105 Lb     Human/Tsuran      Female    Dark eyes, dark hair, olive skin, a jotun-sized chip on the shoulder.
Elleandra    5'4"     108 Lb     Wild Elf          Female    Blue-haired, green-eyes, Sylvanori
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  As the GM  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Liatris    5'11"    2146 Lb     Chimerarilith    Female    Four armed, silver snake woman w/black hair.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=</pre>


The party has managed to surround the overly interested bard and has her seated and distraught, in a table seat along the wall of the inn, whilst assorted townsfolk grumble at the proposed link between her, and the troubles around town.

The Bard, herself, yanks her hand back as the Arvek releases it and adjusts the lay of her scarf, a little to close to the throat, perhaps. That ominous noose feeling as guilt and consequences close in? In defeat, she miserably intones, "He f-found something.... a... a necklace, I think.... he can't take it off... the troupe... the troupe are his family... they've gotta save him, please, it's not his fault!"

<pre>GAME: Liatris rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20
GAME: Ashes rolls sense motive: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Karasu rolls sense motive: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Bannon rolls Sense Motive: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Sabina rolls sense motive: (20)+6: 26
GAME: Karasu rolls intimidate: (14)+5: 19</pre>

Karasu's eyes narrow on the woman, and he leans into the chair he stands over a little further and lowers his voice. "I have a room upstairs. Perhaps we should have a more... private discussion." His dark eyes hold a promise of unpleasant things, and his knuckles go white where they touch the chair. "One where you will feel a little freer to tell me the truth."

<pre>GAME: Sabina rolls cmb: (12)+1: 13
GAME: Sabina rolls melee: (10)+1: 11</pre>

Bina's smiles are gone and she reaches out and clumbsily snatches the scarf from about the bards neck, feeling the things hidden within it she snorts. "We don't have to take her upstairs. All we have to do is start telling the people of this town how she and her love are responsible for the missing people. I'm sure they'll gladly handle the rest for us. She might even beg /us/ for help before they're done."

Ash simply stares. She has little sympathy. There are no end to sad stories involving vampires where she's from, and their victims are always so sympathetic. It may be tragic, but the solutions are as well.

Bannon glances towards Sabina as she reaches out and snatches the scarf, looking very non-plussed by the Bard's tale of woe up until now. With a grin, he raises an eyebrow, "Really. Think we could get paid twice?" He gestures over his shoulder, "The first for telling the townsfolk and the second for... uhh, angered populace threat mitigation?"

With a somewhat indignant yelp, the bard tries futeilly to pull away from the other woman reaching for her scarf, "Hey! Give that back!" and, while her pores are leaking with anxiety from her situation and the scary guy's threat, she glances around as she knows, no matter what, she's pprobably done for at this point. With the resignation of a convicted man about to walk the Mile, she shakes her head and says, "No." 

As if to illustrate the point, several chairs screech along the floor as certain of the crowd get to their feet at the wonderful suggestions being made.

Sabina hands over the items to Ashes without comment, setting a necklace pendent of ivory framing what looks to be gatorskin on top of the mess. "If you're so innocent in all this, which is now very much in doubt, you can explain /everything/. And I mean everything. If you lie.. well that would be bad. You don't seem to good at it, really. So. Take a brief moment and think about your very limited options and then start talking."

"It seems that you have no objection to my questioning her then." Karasu looks at Ashlee. "Ash, would you be so kind as to gather some items for me from the kitchen? I require a wash cloth, some salt, and if they can spare them - a few nails would be appreciated." Smoothly he flips the dagger in his hand back into its hidden sheathe and gives those that rose to their feet a steady look that brooks no argument. "You will answer our questions before you go into the hands of these people." He's moving toward the woman with a graceful motion that holds just an edge of violence.

Ash takes the scarf and pendant. She folds them and slips them into her satchel. Karasu's request gets a nod in response and she impassively steps away from the table and heads towards the kitchen. She goes into the back. Her arrival prompts a few loud reactions, her requests, less audible ones. Things are being gathered.

At the sound of chairs screaching, Bannon grunts and he slides off the chair and onto his feet almost too gracefully. He holds his coat behind the scabbard holding his rapier, the pommel, hilt, and guard prominently on display at his left hip, speaking to those starting to stand in no uncertain terms, "If there's going to be justice here today, it will not be by patchfork and torch. Go back to your breakfasts. Now." Bannon seems to be just as ready to unleash his hangover upon the townfolks as he had the bard only moments ago.

<pre>GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+1: (6)+1: 7
Sabina says, "Dazing touch 6/day"
GAME: Sabina rolls melee: (2)+1: 3</pre>

The bard, seeing her oppurtunity at making a break start to form as the last armed guy puts the knife away, she brings the hand that had adjusted her scarf to her mouth, flicking the cap off to chug down it's contents while two angry hands come her way to try and prevent it. She's too scared to look smug, then all at once she looks like empty air as her chair scoots back as she obviously stands.

Ash comes out of the kitchen. She's carrying a bowl of salt, a bowl of what might be salt water, a folded towel and a couple rusty nails that might have been pulled out of the wall. Her head turns as she looks towards the empty table and her three fellow adventurers surrounding it. She's blocking the kitchen exit, unaware of what just happened. With a dry voice she asks, "is there a change in plans?"

<pre>Bannon says, "Boom. I'm going to throw the contents of my glass of wine at where she disappeared."
GAME: Bannon rolls 1d100: (85): 85
GAME: Bannon rolls 1d20+Ranged: (2)+7: 9</pre>

Bannon turns around from the crowd just in time to note the bard is drinking a potion and disappearing. His eyes widen in horror before he reaches out, picks up his glass of wine, and chucks it in the general direction of the bard. The liquid disperses too quickly, failing to leave an indelible impression on their absconding perpetrator.

The patch of empty air takes a chance! The spooky man's fist whistles ineffectually past her recent history as she gets her leading foot down. It's as she's pushing off of that to get some distance, there is a solid sounding slap against her leathers and, suddenly discombobulated through the other woman's mystic gifts, ends up hitting the floor and... sliding a couple inches from the sound of it.

<pre>GAME: Sabina rolls 1d100: (4): 4
GAME: Sabina rolls melee: (19)+1: 20</pre>

Wine goes everywhere and Bina lashes out an arm like a stick with hand glowing. "Tarien!" She says like a battlecry and her hand hits something before there is a thud on the floor. She's left wringing her arm and hand.

<pre>GAME: Karasu rolls 1d100: (27): 27
GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+1: (6)+1: 7
GAME: Karasu rolls cmb: (9)+1: 10</pre>

Karasu can not be entirely sure where the woman is thanks to her invisiblity, but the thud on the ground is as good an indication as anything so he effectively throws himself on the spot and tries to pin down the woman that his eyes can not see. "You are only making this more difficult on yourself." His voice is a low, calm growl. Wuya, upset by his sudden movement flies up to the rafters of the room.

<pre>Sabina could try to aid grapple..
GAME: Sabina rolls cmb: (14)+1: 15</pre>

Sabina grumbles and flops hard down to where the bard seems to be. Having gotten a taste of how to do this when dealing with the vampire she latches on to bits and pieces she can feel. The sudden movement sending the peacock off with a fluttering cry towards the bar. "Rope? Or nail her to the floor. I don't care anymore!"

<pre>GAME: Ashes rolls cmb: (11)+0: 11</pre>

Ash can see some sort of struggle is going on with an invisible opponent. She immediately sets all the things from the kitchen on a table and steps in to help. Except, she's not skilled in this sort of thing, so stepping is what she does putting a foot where the invisible bard appears to be.

<pre>GAME: Bannon rolls Dexterity: (20)+4: 24</pre>

Things seem to happen very fast. First Karasu jumps on the bard as she hits the ground, the Sabina follows suit, finally Ashes completes the pile-up. Bannon takes a step away turning towards the gathering with a broad smile, "She's a scrappy one, isn't she?" He clears his throat, "Now if you'll excuse me..." He reaches down to his oft-swashed buckle, nimble fingers stroke, pull, lift, and seperate the clasp of the belt, the leather loosening just slightly. He reaches down with his left hand, taking the scabbard of the rapier in his muscly grip. With a deep breath and a sigh, he yanks at the belt, removing the belt with a whipcrack and a pelvic thrust. Thankfully he keeps his pants up in other ways. He turns crouching down and begins loking for the hands of the bard, attempting to secure them with the leather of the belt.

<pre>GAME: Liatris rolls 1d20+1: (19)+1: 20</pre>

The invisible girl, finally under her own power again, bucks and squirms to little real effect as she's pigpiled and Captain Ashley'd. Somehow, "Bastards!" some way, "Rabble!" a hundred and fifteen pounds of transparent "Let me GOOOoooooo!" actually manages to wiggle out of all but the very visible leather band securing her wrists behind her back.... and not much else.

<pre>GAME: Karasu rolls cmb: (12)+1: 13
GAME: Karasu rolls intimidate: (10)+5: 15</pre>

Karasu is... momentarily distracted by Bannon's... well. It's long enough for the woman to wiggle free of him and he grunts irritably and grabs her by the foot, tripping her and clammoring back over her to try and pin her in place. "If you do not disisst, I will end this with a dagger." He's almost whispering it in her ear, a promise just between them. He means every word.

<pre>GAME: Sabina rolls cmb: (20)+1: 21</pre>

Sabina rolls over and starts grabbing. Then her fingers find hair. With a savage little grin Bina wraps her hands into the bard's tresses and yanks backwards with her own body laying atop the bard's. "STOP...IT...NOW!"

<pre>GAME: Ashes rolls cmb: (4)+0: 4</pre>

Ashlee tries to reposition herself, except she loses track of Liatris and can't seem to touch her body again. At best she can see her wrists. She moves to be more in the way of the door.

<pre>GAME: Bannon rolls Diplomacy: (12)+11: 23</pre>

As things seem to be fairly well in hand now that the bard's hands are tied, Bannon maneuvers around to the side he thinks her head is probably on. He looks up for a moment, nodding to Sabina, then Karasu, then he notices Ash breaking off to cover a door. This seems alright to him as well. He looks down towards the invisible bard, his voice softening, and for a moment it almost seems as if you're on the great plains of the Vast, sitting in the middle of a wagon circle. There's a campfire, the warmth of the fire combatting the chill air and complimenting the warmth of the Airman's voice, "Listen, I know that can't be very comfortable, darling. Drop the invisibility, stop fighting us, and work with us towards a peaceful resolution."

At end of the dagger man's words it a little 'ptui!' and a frothy, faintly tea colored wad of saliva splatters along the floor, "Fuu-!" the start of the bard's defiant statement getting a firm tug of the reins by the bird lady, becomes a shrill, "Yeaaaghhhhh!" and her feet kick against the floor trying to find enough purchase to propel her away from her captors, while her puny muscles can't even get a creak out of the swashbuckler's belt. The final entreaty by the man who's taken her hands out of play seems to sap a lot of her fire and, she goes still, "... I caaaaannn't....!" she whimpers pitifully, "Just... let me go... I'll stop it... please, just... just leave us alone...?"

Karasu takes her response as reason to draw his dagger once more, a little flicker of motion that spills something cold and dark into his black eyes. "I say we drag her upstairs and get out answers." His tone is cold and ruthless. "Bannon, there is some rope in my pack if you would not mind gathering it for me. I do not trust her on her feet." He says this all from his place holding her on the ground.

"You can't? You can't?! That's what you should have told your man when he sugjested taking people!!" Bina yells into the bards ear. "People are missing. Their loved ones. People that love them want to know where they are. And right now you're the only one who has a clue for those people. You're not going anywhere. And we're not leaving you alone."

Ashlee keeps her post in the way of the door, watching. She's leaning forward, which makes her loom for a prostrate point of view. At first she remains silent, not a lot of things come to mind for her to add. She spares a glance around the inn, her eyes peering out of the skull around at the other locals, meeting each pair of eyes in turn before looking back at where she assumes the bard's head is. More for the local's benefit than Liatris', she adds, "they'll want to lay them to proper rest after what you have helped happen."

<pre>GAME: Bannon rolls Diplomacy: (8)+11: 19</pre>

Bannon looks up towards Karasu, shaking his head, "Not quite yet. I had to be a bit forceful in the beginning, but I believe that our little bard here can make the right decision." He even holds up a hand to Sabina, "Easy, easy." He then looks back to the bard, "I can make this all stop, but we need to talk to him. The issue here is that you don't have the power in this relationship. Just an illusion of it. I want to help, and I can keep these people from doing what they seem intent on doing, but I need your help."

"THEY WANTED TO GO!" the bard wails, which draws something of a collective gasp/grunt of disbelief. She continues though, her voice cracking in taut desperation and despair "They said so, they offered themselves up!" There is a little thump after Sabina's browbeating, or... Ashley's or both. She may have turned her face away from them, "....they were smiling...!" She sniffles some as Bannon speaks, appealing to her ability to reason with the promise of prolonged existence, answering his offer with "Please... I don't.... I don't know what happened, after. They just said they were happy to help...!" and she sobs, "I swear...! I swear...!"

The locals barely notice the peering gaze from Ashley for the most part, their eyes are colored in a spectrum from dismay to cold blooded murder, and it's one fellow in the corner that finally clears his throat, "Someone go get Edmund... he'll wanna hear this, too."

<pre>GAME: Ashes rolls sense motive: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Sabina rolls sense motive: (5)+6: 11
GAME: Karasu rolls sense motive: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Bannon rolls Sense Motive: (8)+7: 15</pre>

Bina sighs and slowly gets up to a sitted position. Not that she lets go of the woman though. "Alright. I think she really believes that. /I/ think she was and is fooling herself though. I think that her man was interested in a .." She pauses and looks about at the others in the room and sighs. "meal. They were smiling? Wanting to help out? Help out with what exactly?"

<pre>GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/religion: (2)+7: 9</pre>

Ash takes Liatri's scarf and pendant back out of her satchel, now that things appear to have calmed down a little. She moves over to an open table, sits down, spreads the scarf out, sets the pendant nearby. Her white centipede crawls out of her sleeves and onto the table, walking over the scarf. The arvec appears to be playing with her familiar, nudging the pendant it's way. She runs her finger along the back of the bug. She's speaking to it as much as she is the rest of the room, and her words are again, flat and evenly paced. "A vampire is certainly capable of bringing up hidden feelings and exploiting them. Some might be very good at it. These people could have been a little unhappy and the vampire made them more."

The centipded moves over to the pendant, coiling around it. Ash says, "This is very important to her. Very special. There's a lingering resonance. The scarf is nice, from someone foreign."

Bannon hmms, "They were smiling. I'd like to see that." He begins working his way to his feet, "I'm going to help you up, and then you're going to sit back down in a chair, but I need you to not make me regret that decision. Suffice to say, with regret in my heart, I may not be able to stop what will have to happen next." He begins to stand, seizing the handle provided to him by his own belt wrapped around her wrists, "First though, you have to dismiss the invisibility spell or you're not going anywhere. Do you feel my finger near your hand? Take your thumb and forefinger and then flick my hand as hard as you can. Feel free to get a little angry. It helps the magic wear off..."

The invisible woman, despondant, beaten, though physically undamaged, is almost still save for the almost silent sobs rocking her frame. "It's true! They were happy!" she repeats, "I swear!" The tears and, well, the justification for sniffling, begin to accumulate under her head, and, alas, in some quantity on her cheek and chin as her position requires.

The observation about the pendant prompts one of the locals to wonder, "Di'nt her ma giv'r that?"

To which another growls, "I'ma hang'er with it...!" between gnashed teeth. Even as the captive shifts suddenly, a contoured smear of tears and snot flips up to float shakily in the air, "No! Shut up!" She goes still again as the man gets up and steps around her. There's a resigned sigh and, as the swashbuckler gets pidgeonkicked for his troubles, the woman reappears in her puffy eyed, runny nosed, just generally dreadful glory.

Making sure that the others have the bard well in hand, Sabina stands up and looks about at the croud in her mask and smiles. "Would one of you fine people lead me to the leader of your village? I think one of you made mention of them before. I think you're right and it's time to get them in here to help us all move this along."

As the coyote masked woman speaks, there's a murmur or two, then a reedy, freckle splashed fellow says, "I'm own't!" and ambles on out to go get 'Edmund'.

<pre>GAME: Ashes rolls diplomacy: (15)+0: 15</pre>

"You'll haunt this when you die. Then someone who has it can talk with you. Won't that be nice?" Ash remains fascinated with the pendant, more than what's going on around her, and the apparently possibility of a connection to the other side. Given enough time. She turns to look over at the Liatris, seeing her wretched state and how she's being handled back into the chair and restrained.

"We need to know where this troop is, passwords, keys and traps to avoid. Names. If you believe it's all a tragic circumstance then tell us what we need to know to safely capture the Baetriov, the Queen of the Dead may reverse it. Otherwise, we will ask these others to come with us to help out, and destruction is assured."

The skull-faced arvec looks around at the locals, "You do have torches and pitchforks, right?"

Bannon grunts as he's kicked, and he shakes his head, "The things I do for lost causes..." He seizes her arm, and then lifts, placing her back on her feet. He pauses a moment and then directs the bard to sit back down, "Don't move from here." He then calls out, "Can I get a glass of wine, please?" He takes a few steps away, seizing his rapier and beginning to carry it with him, "Now, I sincerely recommend you start giving information. The sooner we get that information, the sooner we can get this all sorted out."

Sabina smoothes out her clothing and then retakes her seat across from the now captured bard. "Ahh.. Here we are again. Right back to where we all started. Right? So. Please..for the love of all that is holy and for this person of yours you hold so dear. Please.. Pleasepleaseplease tell us exactly what's been going on. Hmm?" She sighs and leans back into her seat, crossing her arms.

The bard sits hunched forward, being her hands are tied behind her back and sitting on them wouldn't be comfortable. She glances askance as the woman with the centipede starts talking, then, "They headed to Greenholme, they should be most of the way there by now unless they beat the storm." she says sagging in her seat, "They.... they didn't give me any passwords, they know me. You... please, don't hurt them....?" She shakes her head, "Just... protecting family..."

<pre>GAME: Liatris rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Ashes rolls sense Motive+5: (9)+7+5: 21
GAME: Sabina rolls sense motive: (20)+6: 26
GAME: Bannon rolls Sense Motive+5: (7)+7+5: 19</pre>

Ash continues to stare a the bard, her face impassive. She looks at the other locals gathered, then back at Liatris. Her voice is flat, uninterested, "We know a little more than we did before. Not much is useful. We might as well go to Greenholm and leave you with the locals. Any reason we shouldn't?"

Bannon glances towards Ashe, then nods his head sadly, "She's right. That's not enough for us to go on. As it is, we'll need to take this at face value and act in the interest of the people of this village unless you can give me names, locations... Answers to any of her questions." He then adds, "You had better hurry though. The village elder will be here soon..." He takes a step back, leaning towards Ashe and whispering quietly, "Does she display any of the same effects of compulsion that the others did?"

Bina watches the bard carefully. Very carefully. Green eyes looking for those signs she knows so well from her childhood. And those eyes narrow as the bard speaks of the troupe and storm. "I feel like you should know more about us. Or just about me." She says to the bard. "You see my parents weren't the nicest of people to strangers. They were con artists, you see. Taking money from strangers and travelers was their bread and butter and kept me fed and us on the roads moving about. I was never really proud of their actions but it kept me fed so I had little room to complain. Now... now it gives me some insight to the other liars and theves and grifters in the world. Like you." 

She holds up her hands and makes them fists spaced apart. "I have an object I don't want you to have though I tempt you with it. I offer you a tempting target. Hedge and keep mentioning details. You pick..and you end up picking the one I wish you to. Magicians force. In this case it's a over simplication of whats really going on. But you're doing the same thing right now. You love isn't with the troupe. So where is he? He must be near. Local. Or you'd be on your way to his side. Where is he hiding?"

<pre>GAME: Ashes rolls intelligence: (14)+3: 17
GAME: Sabina rolls intelligence: (12)+3: 15
GAME: Bannon rolls Intelligence: (14)+2: 16</pre>

"Oh stars above.." A voice, outside, so probably hard to hear, but the door opens abruptly and admits Lysos as she finishes her phrase. "Can someone just tell me where..." And she trails off, looking around. It doesn't take a genius to get a sense of the tension in the room. Or maybe she's just imagining it. Either way, it strikes her to silence.. at least for a few seconds.

The Tsuran woman narrows her eyes. "Or is it another layer of misinformation. Yes.. I think I understand. Not him.. her. Could it be your mother is the vampire? A childs love for her mother is strong. Even beyond death."

The bard shakes her head slowly, "Keep your trinket." she says softly, "You're not gonna cure anything, and the wierdo over there said as much... I'm already dead." She looks up toward the door as the new person comes in, puffy eyed, her hands tied behind her back with a belt where she sits, surrounded by adventurers. A woman effecting some rebellious look, but her equipment is too nice. She doesn't seem injured, though she is in disaray.

Then... the coyote mask speaks again and she looks up, wide eyed in horror, "No! Don't hurt her!" and she tries to lunge at Sabina!

There are more locals milling around, and they look UNhappy. They part some expectantly, turning to see.... -not- who they were expecting, then back to the scene.

Part of Elly's duties include investigating abominations that might threaten or just hint at some manner of interference with the natural order of things. When she heard that there was something preventing the growth of plantlife in the area, her interest was piqued. When she heard that vines were growing well despite this, she had to come. And so she is here, just in time, it would seem, to see something stir up. Fortunately she came dressed for trouble.

The weirdo over there, being Ashlee, ignores the bard and instead looks at Bannon. She leans his way, whispering, "No. The protection should have suppressed any. She does feel this way."

She turns and looks at the two entering, mostly staring, giving a slight nod to Elleandra, then back to the scene in general. She rests her hand on the pendant, and spins it on the table as she watches. Her centipede goes back to the scarf and picks at it.

<pre>GAME: Bannon rolls CMB+4: (16)+4+4: 24</pre>

Bannon reaches out, taking the bard by the shoulder and forcefully returning her to the seat. The Airman looks towards her and tsks, "Please remain seated. There's a lot going on right now and I need to keep track of it all." He then sighs in mock exasperation, "And my headache isn't nearly gone yet." He then looks towards Ashe, raising an eyebrow, "Is there any possibility at all?"

Lysos was just tapping on the back of one of the rear most villagers shoulders asking, "Hey... what town is this?" as Elleandra arrived. Her eyes sparkle with recognition, though also confusion. "Oh, Elleandra, you're here... that's... weird..." The tension in the room leaves her unwilling to cause too much disruption, and Ashlee's gaze, brief as it may have been, unsettles her some, but she starts maneuvering past the locals to get to the subjects of their attention further in.

Well /that/ looks weird. Elleandra is watching the group who holds the woman right where she is, but she's not going to intervene. Hearing Lysos's voice draws her attention and she smiles at her friend, "I heard there was an issue with plantlife, and since all the more experienced Druids are occupied, I decided to come see what I might do. If these crops aren't growing soon, people will go hungry."

<pre>GAME: Sabina rolls intimidate: (4)+5: 9</pre>

Sabina's eyes widen behind the mask as the bound woman tries to lunge but is swiftly caught and seated. The two new folks being known to her get a small brief wave and a nod before she focus's back on the captured bard. "You're not dead yet. Unless you too are a vampire? I doubt it seeing as you're walking about in the daylight but stranger things have happened." She smoothes out her dress again and then stares at the other woman. "Where is your mother. Where is the vampire? Tell us now and perhaps these fine folk will be lenient and maybe even merciful. I've seen what unmerciful people do to others."

<pre>GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/religion+5: (15)+7+5: 27</pre>

Ash stares back at Bannon, her eyes moving the dark skull-sockets. She's rotating the pendant around on the table with her finger still. "She believes what she is saying."

She takes a long look at Liatris again, sitting still. Still no emotion in her words, "That these people gave themselves up happily to help her mother. Baetriovs can compell people and meddle with memories. So. It's possible these people appeared to, and also possible she is remembering wrong. Baetriovs are powerful."

"Daylight isn't a threat to them. Injury is difficult without a piercing, or good aligned weapon." Ash adds.

The door to the inn open once more, and the reedy framework for freckles leads an older man, possibly half-elven from the look of him, into the building, "Hold!" He looks amongst the villagers, the strangers, then the woman in the chair, "... Is what young Ferno tells me, true, then? Is she involved in this perfidy?"

Bannon nods his head to Ashes, his face twisting into a frown. He looks towards the bard, hmming and then looking towards the village eldar, "You're Edmund, I believe?" He then continues, "We were hired by Noelle to help find Velarie. We believe she is involved in this perfaffery." He blinks, stops, and then shakes his head.

The response Lysos gets from Elleandra doesn't seem to alleviate the latest-tsuran-to-arrive's confusion... in fact, the squaring of Lysos's shoulders and the expression she adopts suggests she might just have given up on figuring out where she is. Word drops like vampire and baetriov... she silently mouths the second one to herself, as if trying to memorize it. Then nods to herself. With the elder's arrival she, like others, turns her attention to him, then sidles over to stick next to Elleandra.

Sabina stands and gives the headman a small bow of her head. "Yes.. Sadly we believe she is invovled in the case of your missing people. It's somewhat complex but the explination is this. "That in some way her mother is now a vampire. A specific vampire called a Baetrious that is required to bath in blood from time to time. That she assisted in the kidnapping of people to this purpose.. but believes that these people willingly chose to help her mother. Likely their assistance was due to magical compulsion. Probably she herself is blinded by love and or magic though not currently under spell we think?" She looks to Ashes to confirm this and looks back. "Now we seek a place her mother might be hiding. Family property or local cave or burial plot? A place with at least some room to work in and hide in."

Elleandra is watching, but while vampires interest some, they repel her. "Those filthy abominations seem to be everywhere we turn these days," she grumbles. "It may be coincidence, but still.. if anything will pervert nature without concern, it would be one of the undead." She looks to Lysos, "So how did you end up in Mornhaven, anyway?"

Ashlee nods at Sabina's explanation, and in answer to her question nods a second time, "Yes. She believes what she says. The Protection from Evil doesn't change that."

The elder bows his head respectfully to the others as he steps closer to the situation, his arms folded behind his back, but despite the slight favoring of his right leg, he refuses to rely on a stick for extra stability. Or Dapperness and he looks first to the man with no belt, "I am, sir, Edmund Morn, I speak for this village." He turns grave eyes to the woman in the chair, and Bannon's belt, and shakes his head, "If this is true, then..." he sighs, "We owe you a greater debt than we first thought. Young Liatris is the heiress apparant of the Vorhearst family. Our village has a particular... relationship with the Vorhearst, though perhaps one that was ill considered." He chews on that for a moment, not seeming able to get through the gristle of some of the concept, "A vampire, though? Ellastra? I've walked with her through the streets just yesterday... but you are.... certain this is true?"

Liatris, for her part, doesn't feel confident enough to say anything, or perhaps too defiant. In any case, she stares at her feet.

Lysos tries to keep her voice down to avoid distracting what is clearly an important interrogation and information gathering session. "Mornhaven..." She repeats the name given to her by Elleandra, then shakes her head blankly. "I'll be honest with you, Elleandra, I have no idea..." she admits. "I was walking down an alley, turned a corner.. then a man, I think he was a wizard, suddenly shouted "No! Where did you..." And then I was here." Lysos shrugs helplessly, then looks down at her toes, just visible under her skirts. "Without my boots."

Elly arches her left eyebrow at Lysos' explanation. "Okay, well, we must get you some boots immediately. And I can get you back home. It's not terribly far. Call this.. a matter of Eluna and Althea's graces that you were brought here at this moment. Besides... judging from what I'm overhearing, we are likely to be needed."

"Daylight doesn't harm this kind." Ashlee repeats, looking at Edmund. She has her centipede in hand now, and it's coiling around her wrist, then her other wrist. "What is the particular relationship you have with the Vorhearst family?

Bannon nods to Ashes and then back to the village elder, "It seems to make sense at the moment, but we'll need to continue our investigation at the Vornhearst residence." He then says, "You say her name is Ellastra?" He then nods his head slowly, "That's the first time I've heard the name." He frowns, finding one of the loitering staff members and asking, "More wine, please?" Yes. For breakfast. No. He's not ashamed.

Sabina looks to Ashlee and then nods again. She turns to look at the others from the village. "Do any of you know where her mother might be right now?" Then to the headman. "I am guessing they have some sort of estate then? Some dwelling of importance if they have such an influence on the village."

"They provide all of our meat." Edmund replies thoughtfully, "Swine, primarily, of course." as he absently waves a hand to someone's untouched plate of pork sausages, now tragically cooled, "Eggs, though as some of the birds get on, the'll provide chicken meat as well. Their pigs are quite vigorous and free with their teeth if you aren't careful. I don't envy their swineherds the work at all." The news from the... rather unsettling Arvek doesn't fill him with comfort, "I see, thank you, Madame. I expect from your features you speak with some experience in this regard. We are blessed to have a knowledgable soul with us in this... crisis." The bard draws his eye, now, "We have no judge in this village, and, while I can act in their stead... I am too close to this, and must send for a member of the Temple of the Highest One." there is conflict in the old man's eyes, eyes the young woman will, or can, not meet.

The serving girl, as she brings Bannon another wine says, "They have that big house up the hill. Where they keep all their business, really. They've always been good by us... well.... we thought..."

Lysos nods slowly, agreeing with Elleandra. "Yes, I'm defnitely going to need some boots," she verbally affirms. "I sometimes wonder," she goes on to add, "If it's appropriate how dark my thoughts go when I hear stories like this. Or if my thoughts aren't going dark enough."

"I would say imagine the worst and your surprises will all be pleasant, but.. my imagination has routinely not been up to the challenge that such an assertion poses." Elleandra sighs softly, "Well, might as well stick our noses into this mess more formally. What do you think, Lysos? Should we commit ourselves to assisting them?"

"I... see." Ashlee says, a little happier now she wasn't able to get those sausage links. The bacon this morning and the pork last night, well, best not to dwell. She scoots her centipede into her satchel, folds the scarf and puts the pendant on top and sets it in front of Edmund.

Karasu lingers against the wall, a shadow of a stain. His black eyes fixed on the prisoner. His black knife flipping, and flipping, and flipping...

Bannon takes the glass of wine from the server, raising it to his lips and taking a sip. He then nods his head, "I think I might have spied that house coming up the path to the village. It certainly stands out." He takes another sip, seeming contented for the first time this morning. He looks towards Sabina, shrugging his shoulders, "I think, perhaps, we should take a trip up the hill."

Lysos takes a deep breath, then puffs her cheeks and nods her head to the elven druid. "What's the worst that could happen?" she asks Elleandra with a shrug. "No, I know, don't answer that. Yes, let's."

Bina grimices but then nods slowly. "I think it is time to do so, indeed. I hope we're all wrong. I truely hope we are but I do not think so. Too many things match up and the lady's reactions are too odd and too strong not to have some issues hidden within them. It would be wiser to go confront her mother now then later, most likely."

"You already asked," replies Elly, wincing and laughing. "The worst involves us either becoming the finest bacon or sprouting teeth. But I'm sure that evil is more creative than I." She makes her way closer to the table, calling out once within a polite range, "If you are looking for an extra couple sets of hands on this work, we are both willing." Somehow, in the back of her mind, this sounds like admitting she's lost her wits.

There is a shake of her head and Liatris throws herself on the floor at their feet, "No! Please, I'm begging you, please don't!" and, while she's trying to fight out of the belt holding her wrists behind her back, she's not getting a lot of progress there, "Don't hurt her! It's a sickness, it's not her fault! IT'S NOT HER FAULT!"

The elder, Edmund, shakes his head sadly, gazing questioningly at the experts in this particular mess, then, "Ferno, go get the guards, Bael, Perin, please help escort this soul to the jail until the Temple sends someone. I'll see you paid for the time."

Two men who probably remember having necks at some point in their adolescence, step forward, while the reedy fellow scoots on out the door, and the bard carries on grovelling at their feet.

The ashen arvec nar looks around. She doesn't have a lot to contribute towards interpreting Liatris' grovelling. Slowly she moves around the tables and the others then drifts towards the kitchen. Her stride is unhurried and she faces forward. Just before she goes through the door she brushes her fingers through her hair and tucks a thick lock behind an ear. Again her entry sparks a surprised reaction, but there are no further noises. She comes back out of the kitchen a few minutes later and waits in front of the door, far enough away it won't hit her if it swings open.

The party, with two new additions, head out to the mansion on the hill.

The Vorhearst home is walled, but barely chest high, mostly as a deterrent for their animals, an old building in good repair. From within the boundry come the sounds of farmhands handling assorted business. Clucking chickens, slopping hogs, that sort of thing. The gate is currently open, and seems for the most part like business as usual.

The miserable weather of last night has left the sky only partially overcast, with plenty of 'guess that shape' fodder for later, should anyone survive what horrors are to come...

Lysos did, indeed, manage to get some boots, though 'ill fitting' would be a kind description for them. Regardless, at least they keep her feet somewhat dry and mostly clean. When she comes to a stop with the rest at the the old house.. manor? she looks at it in the manner of one trying to reconcile all of the dark tidings below with this scene of... normality. "Well. This should be interesting."

Ashlee is not about to attempt to out-angst Karasu. She is for the most part, angst-free. She does drift up the path towards the Vorhearst Mansion like like a tatty piece of grey cloth blown on the wind. She steps slowly and carefully, her faded black clothes swirling about her form as she moves. She watches the other witch's Raven, Wayu, and Sabina's Peacock, and mildly wonders why they don't interact more with each other. Bannon had the right idea, she should have brought a glass of wine too. She keeps a hand in her satchel to tickle at her familiar and looks at the cloud shapes in the sky. As Lysos remarks on the manor, she nods, replying in her usual bored sounding monotone, "It was regular pig meat."

She adds after a moment of further silent staring a the estate, "They did have a taste for human."

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[[Category:Logs|Snack talk (Part 2)]]