Ch 4: Part 3: House Vonnarc: Session 61

[15:36] <@Kilarra> *****Second Darkness*****
[15:36] <@Kilarra> ~~~Chapter 4: Endless Night~~~
[15:36] <@Kilarra> -Session 61-
[15:39] * Kilarra hefts her bag of diamond dust, repeating herself. "So, the password for the ward will be 'Delshkarl'. If you want to get into this room without getting a nasty burn on your forehead, speak it before you enter the room. The ward will be inside, so opening the door won't trigger it, but as soon as you step over the threshold, it'll go off unless you spoke the word."
[15:41] <@Kilarra> Kjell nods, commiting that word to memory.
[15:41] * Kilarra notes, "No need to shout it, just whispering will do. Especially if you don't want other people to know about it."
[15:43] * Aluthyra nods. "Very well." She smiles. "Hopefully, it does not activate, but if it does, and it is indeed Gadak that activated it, how shall we proceed?"
[15:44] <Aluthyra> Kahree shrugs. "Just knock the truth out of him, I'd say."
[15:44] <@Kilarra> Kjell notes, "So long as we have proof, specifically the curse mark, then we can probably leave it to Undamesta to deal with him. That said, I have no objections to getting the truth from him first, -if- somehow he is able to bypass this defense."
[15:47] <Aluthyra> Kahree grins, slumping back into bed. "Sounds good to me..."
[15:51] <@Kilarra> Kjell looks to Kahree, "While I suspect it may be the way things often work down here, we should consider ourselves above their ways whenever we can. We should only resort to assault as a last resort, if only because doing so would risk our cover."
[15:53] * Aluthyra nods at Kjell. "Quite." She moves to her and Kilarra's bed, slipping in. "Now, we should rest, and hopefully it is without intrusion."
[15:53] <Aluthyra> Kahree shrugs, curling into her covers.
[15:54] * Kilarra takes the ten minutes to trace fainly glowing lines around the perimeter of the room with the diamond dust, ending with a very faint glyph placed right by the door. The glowing fades as soon as the spell is completed, and she slips the dust away before slipping in to snuggle Aluthyra. She lamented not having a bigger bed.
[15:57] <@Kilarra> On the seventh day of servitude under House Vonnarc, the party having now been in Zirnakaynin a whole week, Kilarra and Aluthyra are assigned mai duty again, Kahree is 'volunteered' to take part in training drills, and Kjell gets a lookout posting.
[16:00] <@Kilarra> Kahree does not perform so well in the taxing drills, while Kjell's perception is not so great. Aluthyra and Kilarra make out just fine.
[16:03] <@Kilarra> Kahree makes up for this by getting some more information. The drow apparently have common knowledge of the Elf Gates, as well as knowing a small number exist down in the darklands. However, only the one gate has thus far been redirected by messing with magical 'ley lines'. rumour has it there are plans to attempt the same with other gates in the regions surrounding the city.
[16:03] <@Kilarra> Kahree thinks, after all this time, that she's probably got all she's going to get out of shaking down random civilian drow.
[16:07] <@Kilarra> The following day sees Kilarra and Aluthyra on maid duty again, while Kjell is back to doing drills. Kahree gets a simple patrol.
[16:07] <@Kilarra> Kjell can take the licking of the drills, while everyone else has a nice, easy day.
[16:07] <@Kilarra> Relatively speaking
[16:09] <@Kilarra> The next days sees Aluthyra and Kilarra back in the kitchens for another attempt, while both Kahree and Kjell end up at guard posts.
[16:11] <@Kilarra> Kjell ones again proves to have inadequate perception, but Kahree can more than make up for it at least. Kilarra actually manages to make some satisfactory progress in her cooking, bu unfortunately doesn't have time to help ALuthyra as a result.
[16:13] <@Kilarra> The party's tenth day in Zirnakaynin is a bit of a mixed bag. Aluthyra is back in the kitchen, Kilarra is sent down to the Stables, Kahree is placed at a guard post, and Kjell ends up on patrol
[16:16] <@Kilarra> Kjell's patrol is, as usual, easy, and Kilarra manages to hold her own in the stables, chatting up Verez a bit without giving too much away. Mainly she was wondering what he thought of Gadak. Aluthyra bungles the cooking again, and recieves sterner chastisement than usual, as this was two days of total failure in a row for her. Kahree, as is typical of her, performs quite well.
[16:18] <@Kilarra> Aluthyra is dismissed from the kitchen early, allowing her to head back to the room...
[16:20] <@Kilarra> However, she does not manage to catch Gadak sneaking away from the room. He was clever enough not to leave the door open, but the burning mark that appeared on his forehead shortly after his intrusion will be quite obvious to anyone who meets him.
[16:21] * Aluthyra sighs as she makes it to the door. "Delshkarl," she whispers, pushing the door open.
[16:22] * Aluthyra slips into bed early, dismayed that her recent duties ended in failure.
[16:23] * Kilarra returns to the room after her shift to find the door left open. She whispers the password and slips inside, suspecting trouble. She instead spots Aluthyra on the bed and moves over to her, "Hey! Are you alright?"
[16:24] * Aluthyra nods. "Yes, I am fine, though I failed at cooking. Again." She sighs. "I am worried that I may be due for punishment if I continue."
[16:25] * Kilarra frowns, "Well, I'll do what I can for you, but did anyone else come in here? Apparently, though he wouldn't say much, our Troglodye acquaintance has a lot of 'opinions' of Gadak."
[16:26] * Aluthyra shakes her head. "I did not notice." She raises an eyebrow. "What did he have to say?"
[16:28] * Kilarra seats herself on the bed, throwing an arm over Aluthyra and wishing she had her tail. "Guy's a snivling, conniving, git who would do just abotu anything to move up, and tends to hide it behind the facade of a fool."
[16:29] * Aluthyra leans into Kilarra. "I cannot wait for this all to be over. All of these people... I do not understand their ways. "
[16:30] * Kilarra nods, "Nor should you really be expected to. Even if my life in a more ambiguous city has provided a bit of insight, I still know well enough that this is a painfully precarious setup. One loose screw and the whole thing will collapse in on itself."
[16:32] <@Kilarra> Kjell returns from his shift and also finds the door open. He whispers the password and steps inside, glad to see it's Kilarra and ALuthyra, "Anything happen?"
[16:32] * Aluthyra shakes her head. "No, nothing yet."
[16:33] * Kilarra conveys to Kjell the things she had inferred to her by Verez
[16:33] <Aluthyra> Kahree returns several moments later, whispering the password before entering. "No sign of Gadak?" She looks to Kilarra. "Or, can you check if your ward activated?"
[16:35] * Kilarra ponders that a moment, then looks to Kahree, "Your eyesight is better than mine, as is Aluthyra's. Check to see of the outline is scuffed at all. If it is, it means someone passed without deactivating the ward first."
[16:37] * Aluthyra and Kahree nod, both moving over to inspect.
[16:40] <@Kilarra> Kahree manages to spot a very faint scraping on the floor near the glyph just inside the door.
[16:40] <Aluthyra> Kahree frowns. "Yeah," She points to the scraping. "something activated it."
[16:41] * Aluthyra blinks, looking to where Kahree is pointing. "It seems someone did stop by..."
[16:42] * Kilarra frowns, "Well, one guess who. If Gadak has the mark, like I suspect he will, then we can throw him to Undamesta. In the meantime, check your stuff. In case he was rifling through or nicking anything."
[16:42] * Aluthyra nods, moving to her packs to inspect.
[16:42] <Aluthyra> Kahree does the same, searching her packs.
[16:56] * Kilarra frowns as she checks her haversack, "Some of my Riddleport coins are missing."
[16:56] * Kilarra notes, "Two silver pieces. Lack of value notwithstanding, they're definitely not from around here."
[16:57] <Aluthyra> Kahree frowns. "Shit. If Gadak took them... we need to find him."
[16:57] * Aluthyra notes, "I cannot, but you might say that the coins were from the elves."
[16:58] * Kilarra smirks, "We shouldn't have to go far. His room is still within these quarters. Besides, if he took his 'evidence' to Undamesta, and that's a good idea actually, we could just say that, and we'd have as much proof of his involvement thanks to the curse mark."
[16:58] * Kilarra gets up, grabbing her whip and mace.
[16:59] <Aluthyra> Kahree stands. "So, should all of us go?"
[17:03] * Kilarra shrugs, "Might be easier to convince him to do what we want that way."
[17:04] <@Kilarra> Kjell frowns a bit, remembering the murder they witnessed in the streets. "Perhaps, but I should think only two of us need to go. Any more than that would be needlessly excessive."
[17:05] * Aluthyra nods. "Then it should be Kilarra and Kahree. I am not very useful for interrogation, and Kjell," she looks over. "I would assume you are the same?"
[17:08] <Aluthyra> Kahree smirks, looking to Kilarra. "Well, I guess that'd work."
[17:09] * Kjell nods, "I simply do not wish to be involved this time." After the other two leave, he tells Aluthyra about his guilty feelings regarding the murder he witnessed but couldn't stop
[17:10] * Kilarra goes with Kahree to Gadaks room and doesn't bother knocking, kicking in the door.
[17:11] <@Kilarra> Gadak is there, and looks rather startled.
[17:11] <Aluthyra> Kahree grins, stepping in front of Kilarra and into the room. Drawing a mace, she looks to his forehead...
[17:12] * Kilarra smirks wickedly at Gadak, "Alright, this is going to go down one of two ways you thieveing little shit. Either you can give back what you took and come with us to see Undamesta." She sneers, "Or Kahree will beat a confession out of you." She adds, "As a bonus, if you come along, we'll remove that nasty mark on your face." She poitns to his forehead.
[17:13] <@Kilarra> Gadak shakes his head, "Don't know what you mean. I scaulded myself in the kitchen today is all." He itches his forehead, where the mark is plainly visible
[17:14] * Kilarra is aware of Gadak's convincingness, but simply knows he's not telling the truth, both because of the mark, and because Aluthyra was in the kitchen.
[17:14] * Kilarra looks to Kahree, "Beat it out of him then."
[17:17] <Aluthyra> Kahree turns her head, whispering to Kilarra, "All for show." She chuckles, stepping forward. "Sure, sure." She points to Gadak, then to her neck, motioning a line across it as she mumbles to herself. A moment later, she is gone, once again vanishing.
[17:17] <Aluthyra> Kahree steps closer to Gadak in her invisibility...
[17:20] <@Kilarra> Gadak jumps up and pulls out a hand crossbow, firing right in front of him
[17:21] <@Kilarra> The bolt glances off the invisible Kahree's shoulder padding.
[17:23] <Aluthyra> Kahree chuckles, leaping forward, a devious grin across her face. She becomes visible as her mace is swung towards Gadak's side, though she tones it down to not outright kill him.
[17:25] <@Kilarra> Gadak is knocked back across the room by the blow. Rather than trying to reload his crossbow, he drops it and backs into his own bed, "Alright, alright!" He tosses the pair of silver pieces on the floor.
[17:26] * Kilarra picks them up, then pulls out her whip. "Now, how about you explain, -why- you thought stealing from us would be acceptable?"
[17:26] <Aluthyra> Kahree scowls, pressing her mace to his chest. "Better speak quickly."
[17:28] <@Kilarra> Gadak scowls, but sings like a songbird anyways. "You folks are strange. I've been watching you since I brought you here. At first I thought you were just lucky, but there's something odd about you. I wanted to know what."
[17:30] <Aluthyra> Kahree frowns. "You'd be wise to mind your own business."
[17:31] * Kilarra nods, "Now then, you're going to come with us to Undamesta and tell her you stole from us. After whatever punishment she doles out is done, -then- we shall get that mark off of you."
[17:33] <Aluthyra> Kahree smirks. "And if I catch you stealing again," she leans down, whispering, "I will break every single one of your fingers, your toes, and legs." She smirks, continuing, "And when you're crawling away, I'll crush your arms. We'll see how far you can get with every bone of yours broken." She sits back up, then chuckles. "Oh, and the head is last."
[17:34] <@Kilarra> Gadak groans and stands up, still itching at the mark. He winces away from Kahree
[17:34] * Kilarra takes Gadak to Undamesta, who doesn't really care to hear anything after Gadak is shown with the mark, sentencing him to a week of latrine duty.
[17:36] <Aluthyra> Kahree begins back towards the room, smirking triumphantly. "I think that was enough to convince him, what I said. At least, I hope." She chuckles. "Not really into torture, but he seemed to believe it."
[17:37] * Kilarra comes back, withholding her snickering until she's back in the room with the door shut. "A week of latrine duty. Appropriate for a piece of shit like him."
[17:37] * Kilarra notes, "I'm glad I had the mark of proof, Undamesta doesn't take kindly to interruptions, as I thought I might end up getting flogged for bothering her."
[17:38] <Aluthyra> Kahree chuckles as she enters behind. "Well, that solves that." She flops onto her bed. "And now time for some rest."
[17:41] * Aluthyra smiles, glad the crisis was averted, and slips into her own bed.
[17:41] * Kilarra totally sent the information Kahree gathered about the Elf Gates to Eviana at some point.
[17:44] <@Kilarra> The following day seems as though nothing major had happened. Aside from Gadak being on latrine duty, everything continues as normal. Aluthyra get a nice easy maid shift, Kahree and Kjell were assigned as lookouts, and Kilarra was running assistant work again.
[17:48] <@Kilarra> Kjell still proves less than adept as a lookout, but Kahree more than makes up for it with her scouting proficiency. Kilarra is successful in her notary work, and Aluthyra's maid shift spares her from punishment
[17:50] <@Kilarra> The next day puts Kilarra back in the kitchen, Aluthyra as an assistant to other sertivors, Kahree on a regular patrol and Kjell as a guardsman.
[17:52] <@Kilarra> Kilarra has gotten better at making serviceable food for the drow, but Aluthyra is no more skilled at notary work than usual. Kjell manages to not mess up his gaurd post this time, and Kahree's shift is nice and simple.
[17:54] <@Kilarra> The party's 13th day sees Aluthyra and Kilarra both doing assistant work, while Kjell and Kahree both end up doing drills.
[17:56] <@Kilarra> Strangely, this time it's Kahree who makes the drills without incident, rather than Kjell. Meanwhile, Kilarra's experience with information gathering and notary allows her to help Aluthyra now that she's alongside her.
[18:00] <@Kilarra> The party's two-week aniversary of coming to Zirnakaynin is marked by Aluthyra getting put on washing duty for the first time. Kilarra ends up back in the kitchen, Kahree is back on Lookout duty, and Kjell is participating in drills again
[18:00] <@Kilarra> Apparently the drow have no concept of a 'day off'
[18:02] <@Kilarra> Aluthyra, interestingly, finds that working the wash seems to be less about the clothes, and more about gossip.
[18:03] * Aluthyra has never taken to gossiping before, but she finds it easy to tell of Gadak's weakness and how he hid when they met.
[18:05] <@Kilarra> A number of the servants have plenty to say about Gadak. Apparently he's good at sneaking and kissing-ass, but they are all very amused to hear he got a week of latrine duty. One particular servant, never says anything.
[18:06] * Aluthyra raises an eyebrow, examining the servant for a moment.
[18:06] <@Kilarra> The servant has no tongue. Her otherwise rather evident beauty is somewhat marred by the missing internal appendage.
[18:07] <@Kilarra> "That's Disakav," notes one of the other drow servants, "She used to be really good at toeing the line of insubordination. One time though, she took it too far, and lost her tongue for her troubles."
[18:09] * Aluthyra grimaces. "Unfortunate." She raises an eyebrow. "Was it the Slavermother's doing?"
[18:09] <@Kilarra> The drow shakes her head, "No, I think it was paingiver Drovoanis that did it. She was a guard before, weren't ya?"
[18:09] <@Kilarra> Disakav simply nods.
[18:11] * Aluthyra frowns. "I have not come across Drovoanis before. Although, seeing that... I assume I should keep it that way?" "
[18:12] <@Kilarra> One of the other servants, "You seem quiet enough that I don't think anyone will notice. Drovoanis leads the guards anyways."
[18:13] <@Kilarra> Another drow speaks up, "DId you hear that Harado got himself locked in solitary for a week? Tried to peep at the Slavermother while she was bathing this time." The drow seem to snicker and chortle at that.
[18:14] * Aluthyra chuckles lightly. "This time?"
[18:15] <@Kilarra> The drow woman chuckles, "Everyone..." she looks at Aluthyra, "That is, everyone who's been here a while knows old Harado's one good eye is only for the SLavemother. A regular 'mother's lad'." She snickers some more.
[18:17] * Aluthyra blinks, smirking some as she continues to wash laundry.
[18:19] <@Kilarra> Kilarra's frequent times in the kitchen allow her to get to know another well known Servant named Mellios. She's constantly knicking bits from the pantires and covering herself with outrageous gossip about other servants. The only thing that really keeps her from getting punished is her exceptional cooking skills.
[18:20] <@Kilarra> The gossip filled day actually goes fairly well for the party as a whole.
[18:22] <@Kilarra> The following day sees Aluthyra acting as an assistant again, Kilarra back in the kitchen, and Kahree and Kjell together on lookout duty.
[18:24] <@Kilarra> Except for Kjell, the day goes well
[18:27] <@Kilarra> The next day sees Kahree participating in another duel, Aluthyra back in the Stables, Kjell working a regular guard patrol, and Kilarra doign assistant work again
[18:31] <@Kilarra> Kahree performs well in her duel, and Kjell can't really fuck up a normal patrol. Aluthyra's animal handling has improved a bit, but Kilarra messes up her asisstance that day
[18:31] <@Kilarra> -End Session-
[18:33] <@Kilarra> Rewards: 2 EL 8's, 1 EL 9; 4000 Experience Each