Pendar - Session 19

50 Merrysest, Shadesday -
The next day after Max's escapades, the party gathers at the inn again to confer, slightly more informed.

Sana sits at a table with Atremis.
Efta grins, bringing out a familiar journal from his pocket.
Atremis looks at the group from within Sana's lap, wary about getting yelled at for climbing onto the table again.
Efta: "I managed to find a few tidbits that my peak your interests~"
Maximilian: "Hoh? Do tell, friend."
Efta: "I had a read through Orielle's diary last night, and managed to clean it over with a few tricks."
Efta extends his arm across the table, offering the diary to Max.
Nimue grumpily drinks coffee and offers Atremis some of her scrambled eggs.
Maximilian: "Ah, so it actually is about this."
Maximilian peers through the pages, looking to see what's now readable.
Atremis sniffs at the eggs momentarily, before deeming them safe to eat.
Maximilian slides the book back to Efta.
Maximilian: "I suppose his house is worth a look if we find the time."
"Her husband, though... interesting lead."
Nimue: "What are everyone's plans? I think I am going to start my enchanting project for Atremis' anklets."
Atremis tilts his head curiously.
Sana: "I'm... not sure what I want to do..."
"(Maybe I could ask someone at a temple to look at this symbol...)"
Efta repockets the diary, tilting back on his chair.
Maximilian: "A good endeavour. I need to visit the tailors, but otherwise I think I want to look more into the Prince's entourage."
Efta: "I'd gladly accompany you, Max."
"Spider": "You'd best be quick about that. I don't think he'll be staying much longer."
Maximilian: "Sounds like we have a priority, then."
Efta: "Say, innkeep? Know of any cryptologists in the city?"
Nimue: "Mmhm, is there any reason to believe that there is something weird going on with the prince?"
"Spider": "Cryptologists? There's a fascinating question. None for hire. I'm only a dabbler myself."
Efta: "Oho, now you've peaked my interested. Perhaps I could pay you a visit this evening, then?"
"Spider": "I'll be here."
Efta: "Duly noted~"
"Spider": "As for the prince... There's not nearly enough weird going on with him. It's why he's too naive."
Maximilian: "This whole town doesn't exactly celebrate his ideals. I'm also quite concerned for the campaigns looking to keep him from the throne."
Nimue: "Mmhm. I could also take a look at your encrypted text, but I planned to hit the tavern in the evening to have a listen what the streets say."
Efta: "I could never deny a fair lady's help for a lowly gentlemen like me~"
"I'd welcome your help, miss Nimue."
Maximilian smirks.
Nimue's face goes blank for a moment.
Nimue: "Okay, then."
"Can I take a look right now? Maybe I can tell you already if I might be of assistance."
Maximilian slides his chair round to get closer.
Maximilian: "Not exactly my kind of wordplay, but I'm getting interested in this cryptology business."
Efta: "Why of course, although I'll probably need to find someone... specialised, you could say."
Sana: "...what's cryptology?"
Maximilian: "The art of concealing letters within letters."
Atremis looks at Maximilian, looking confused.
Sana: "Letters... within letters?"
"Paper's pretty thin in the first place..."
Nimue: "I think we need to teach the fox letters."
Atremis: "(Letters seem complex enough, yet peoples want to put more letters inside them?)"
"Spider": "What is it you need deciphered?"
Maximilian: "Much like you would hide a tree in a forest."
Sana: "Hiding a small thing in a big thing?"
"So... there is a tiny letter inside of a letter?"
Maximilian: "Hmm, not exactly..."
Efta slides back on his chair, getting up and approaching the desk, journal in hand.
Atremis paws at the page, seeing if he can move the letters to find the other letters hiding underneath them.
Nimue: "Kinda. You could, for example, agree that the first letters of the sentence in a letter spell out a message and use that to communicate with someone else, with anyone else reading your letter being none the wiser."
Efta opens the diary on the desk, flicking to the earlier pages.
Sana stares hard at the letter, looking for smaller letters in the letters.
Efta: "My magic isn't enough to remove this smudging. It's currently illegible."
Nimue and Hastur join Spider and Efta.
Nimue takes a look.
"Spider": "Hmm-mm. So that's all, is it?"
Maximilian: "The point is, you can sneak a message within another message by writing carefully. There's no tiny letters, just cleverly placed ones. Imagine trying to find a chicken pastry amongst a batch of pork pastries."
Efta: "Yes, from what I can tell."
Maximilian: "...only you don't have Atremis's masterful nose."
Maximilian gently pokes Atremis's snout.
Atremis responds by trying to gently bite Maximilian's poking finger.
Sana: "Maybe I could prepare a magic spell to sniff out the secret message..."
Nimue: "So what do you say Hastur? "
Atremis sniffs at the paper.
Sana: "Do you smell any messages, Atremis?"
Hastur flies in a confused circle.
Maximilian gently pets Atremis.
Maximilian: "Now that would be a marvel of magic."
Nimue: "No code, just bad hand writing, would need to take a closer look with some more time."
"Spider" peers at the journal, squinting.
"Spider": "Guess someone left this in the rain? I can probably figure it out, but it'll take some time. Leave it here if you want."
Nimue: "Okay."
Nimue returns to the breakfast table.
"Spider": "Oh yes, one more thing. As you asked, Nimue. Calemna's knights seem to have an interest in your group. I'd be cautious, they have other sources of information."
Efta leaves the journal on the desk for 'Spider' to retrieve, returning to the table.
Maximilian tilts his head.
Nimue: "Thanks, how much do we owe?"
"Spider": "They had offered fifty. Insulting, really. If you hear anything more about the prince, that could go farther."
Maximilian: "(Um...)"
Nimue: "Okay, will put my ear on the ground."
Maximilian: "(The prince is something I'm really not comfortable sharing secrets about.)"
"(He's the person we need to protect, above all!)"
Sana: "(Correct. Spilling the pastries on him would be very risky.)"
Atremis: "(What's a prince, and what does he have to do with pastries?)"
Sana: "(A prince is a very important person in the land.)"
Maximilian: "(The leader, and source of inspiration!)"
Sana: "(He generally... I think lays down laws and talks to other important people.)"
Nimue: "(There is a price to be paid for our own goings and doings staying hidden and getting a warning, you are free to negotiate with Spider if you are unhappy with what I am ready to pay.)"
Maximilian scowls at Nimue.
Efta rests his head in his hands, yawning.
"Spider" watches the whispered discussion with a look of calm amusement, occasionally glancing down at the journal.
Atremis turns to Efta suddenly, having forgotten his presence in his silence.
Nimue: "Anyway I think everyone has made and shared plans? Well, except Atremis."
Efta: "I can feel myself dozing off... Spent too much time cleaning that diary last night..."
Efta sits back up, stretching and tilting his head in both directions.
Atremis looks at Nimue, letting out a bark.
Maximilian: "Does Atremis have any ideas?"
Atremis looks thoughtful for a moment.
Atremis pulls out a pastry from one of Sana's satchels, beginning to eat it while sitting on the table, heedless of whether he might get yelled at again.
Maximilian rubs his forehead.
Maximilian: "We'll certainly get to that later, I suppose."
Nimue: "I should try to find some time to check the library, libraries? for incidences of intelligent foxes."
Maximilian: "The library is a good idea, in general."
Sana: "If there's free time and such for me... I need to check this symbol. There's... a certain aura around it that should be investigated more."
Atremis yips in curiosity.
"Spider": "Intelligent foxes? An odd research subject. Are you starting a collection of those too, Nimue?"
Sana: "Our fox friend here, Atremis, he's very smart."
Sana rubs Atremis' head.
Sana: "He's a good fox."
Atremis yips in response to the compliment, then nuzzles his head against Sana's affection-granting hand.
"Spider": "I can see."
Nimue: "You want to visit the library with me, Atremis, looking for information about smart foxes?"
Atremis looks at Nimue, then to Sana and Maximilian.
Maximilian: "I'll come along. Though I think I'll be more interested in history and politics."
Nimue: "Sana can come with us."
Sana: "I can come with you."
Sana picks up Atremis and gets up, ready to go.
Nimue: "Um, library today? I meant to start enchanting for Atremis today."
"Hm."
Maximilian: "Ah, that's fair. Perhaps I'll work on my own things, then."
Nimue takes out a coin and flips it.
"Well, okay, library today. Starting enchanting tomorrow."

Crowding into the small library, the party finds a familiar-looking woman already there.
Atremis sniffs at the books, before wrinkling his nose from the mustiness.
Sana: "Oh, Hello... I believe we have met before."
Half-Elf Scholar glances up at Sana with a sniff, and turns her attention back to her book.
Half-Elf Scholar: "Hello."
Maximilian: "Good day, young miss."
Nimue takes a look at the books, being rather underwhelmed.
Atremis looks up to Maximilian, while the others seem occupied with greetings.
Atremis: "(So how do we get the letters out from the other letters?)"
Maximilian bends down and offers to pick up the fox.
Maximilian: "(Well, there's none of that here. But we can use the letters here to find what the rest of the letters are about.)"
Atremis pauses, tilting his head.
Atremis: "(Letters are confusing.)"
Maximilian: "(But they unlock a marvelous world if you can master them. Maybe Sana or I should teach you.)"
Maximilian looks up to investigate the categories of books on the floor.
Atremis: "(Teach? Do all these letters mean something? They just look like lines to me.)"
Sana: "(I can teach you to understand the lines.)"
Maximilian: "(Letters don't mean anything until you put them together. But the way you do changes the meaning.)"
Nimue starts to browse the library catalogue.
Maximilian: "(The best arrangements of letters have different meanings depending on who reads them.)"
Sana: "(Would you like me to help you learn how to understand the lines, Atremis? It is a useful skill to have.)"
Atremis: "(Will it mean I can read these books?)"
Sana: "(Yes, it will.)"
Atremis: "(Okay. I want to find the book that tells me who that guy is.)"
Sana: "(Who what guy is? The lady in the corner?)"
"(...books... cannot teach you that.)"
Atremis: "(The old guy.)"
Atremis: "(But then how will I know who he is and why he made me think?)"
Maximilian: "(It'll be hard. Druids are secretive at the best of times.)"
"(I mean, I can't say I know of any myself.)"
Efta: "Young miss? Could I interest you in a particularly curious book?"
Nimue: "Huh."
Efta: "In order to... solve a mystery, shall we say~"
Half-Elf Scholar looks up from her book to watch the group closely.
Nimue: "Efta, are you talking to me, or trying to flirt with the half elf?"
Maximilian: "(That said, you can find books about people who are well known.)"
"(Such as...)"
Maximilian walks his fingers across a shelf, pulling out a book on recent Iranri events.
Efta sweeps his hair back, ignoring Nimue as if to make a point, before approaching the half-elf.
Half-Elf Scholar: "Yes?"
Atremis: "(Is that the one that tells us who the guy is?)"
Nimue: "Sana, have a look at this."
Maximilian: "(No, but it does the last duke of this place.)"
"(I'm afraid your old man is not known well in these parts.)"
Efta sighs, rubbing his forehead.
Sana: "What do you want me to see?"
Nimue shows Sana a fable about a talking fox revered as a prophet.
Efta: "Did you hear my plight, miss?"
Half-Elf Scholar: "Plight? No."
Maximilian: "(Hmm... so that's why everyone is so enamoured with these... knights.)"
Sana: "(Why are people in armour with knights?)"
Maximilian: "Say. It says here that the old duke was unpopular because he was lax. Which explains why people are celebrating these overzealous knights."
Sana: "As in the Jerk Squad?"
Maximilian: "Well, of that group, I think only one was that bad. But yes."
Maximilian rubs his head.
Sana: "I wonder if I could have one of them to duel if they're being mean again..."
Efta offers the diary to the scholar, before clearing his throat.
Maximilian: "It certainly makes things harder to spread the Prince's influence."
Nimue chimes in.
Maximilian turns to Sana.
Maximilian: "Oh, you definitely should."
Efta: "A-Ahem, I was wondering if you'd be able to look through the first few pages of this diary, miss."
Nimue: "Which people celebrate him? Pretty damn sure it is not the peasants and poor."
Maximilian: "When we arrived that baker's girl was talking about them being popular."
Sana gleam with excitement, before clouding with indecision
Sana: "I could beat one of them up with my special sword... but... means standing up to them..."
Atremis barks confidently.
Half-Elf Scholar takes the offered book, paging through it with a curious look.
Half-Elf Scholar: "You should take better care of your things. This is a mess."
"What am I supposed to do with it?"
Efta: "It belongs to someone else."
Sana: "Most people read books, miss."
Efta: "Do you know how I might tidy the ink?"
Half-Elf Scholar: "...I am aware. I question why I should read this specific book. And no, I don't. I've never neglected my books that way."
Atremis turns back to the books, pulling one out with his mouth and laying it onto the floor.
Efta: "(A cold beauty, it seems...!)"
"Well, apologies, miss."
Sana: "(Ah, Atremis, shall I start helping you with learning how to read?)"
Maximilian: "Hah. It's good that you don't, miss."
Maximilian looks over to see what Atremis has found.
Atremis stares at the book, trying to make heads or tails of it.
Nimue takes a book with her and approaches the half-elf.
Half-Elf Scholar hands the journal back to Efta.
Nimue: "Miss, you are the librarian here?"
Half-Elf Scholar: "Just visiting."
Efta takes back the journal, somewhat reluctantly, before leaning against the far wall.
Nimue: "Do you know where the librarian is?"
Efta: "(Ah, the woes of a being a heartbreaker...)"
Half-Elf Scholar: "Out. He said I could watch the place."
Efta: "(They become too shy to show their true feelings!)"
Nimue: "Ah, okay. Thank you."
Maximilian: "(It's a book about fish people. A story of fancy.)"
Atremis: "(Fish people?)"
"(Are they tasty?)"
Nimue: "If I may be that forward, but you are part of the prince's retinue, aren't you?"
Half-Elf Scholar: "Yes, I'm with El. Why?"
Sana: "(I've heard fish is tasty... but fish people sound... less tasty)"
Nimue smile and steps to Max.
Maximilian tilts his head up to Nimue.
Maximilian: "Yes?"
Nimue: "(Are you fine with revealing your loyalties to one of the retinue of your prince?)"
Maximilian bites his lip, thinking.
Half-Elf Scholar: "Did you want something?"
Sana: "(I would risk telling her, Maximilian)"
Maximilian: "(My allegiance to the prince is no secret. My aid to Lady Valdya is no devotion, though I would gladly aid her again.)"
Efta: "...Did you say something, Sana?"
Efta perks his ears in Sana's direction, confused.
Nimue directs her speech to the Scholar.
Sana: "I was speaking to Max about... some things, Mister."
Nimue: "Just finding common ground, our leader is a strong proponent of the prince. And it is always good to have friends in a foreign city."
Sana: "Things about fish people."
Efta frowns.
Efta: "I hate to sound impolite, but... your voice sounded... odd, a few moments ago."
Atremis gets bored about this book about fish people, feeling rather confident that the man he's curious about isn't a fish people, and pulls out another book.
Sana: "Sorry, that happens sometimes when I'm nervous.."
Half-Elf Scholar: "Huh. We're leaving tomorrow so don't count on much."
Maximilian moves towards Nimue and the half-elf, occasionally checking on Atremis and Efta.
Efta: "Nervous? Why would you be nervous?"
Sana looks around quickly.
Maximilian: "(Oh, I thought you meant...)"
Maximilian: "Maximilian Magnus, at your service, miss."
Sana: "Because I saw a shady guy watching us."
"I think it was Lord Jerkington."
Half-Elf Scholar: "Selia of Haladrin. Hello."
Sana looks to Max.
Sana: "...are we introducing ourselves now?"
Half-Elf Scholar eyes Maximilian with a smirk.
Maximilian: "We've been trying to follow a group of ...sellswords.... trying to threaten the Prince's allies."
Maximilian 's voice trails momentarily at Sana's words.
Sana: "...should I introduce myself... or should you continue to talk?"
Maximilian: "Doesn't hurt to. ...though, if there was someone watching us, they're gone now."
Nimue falls behind the others.
Sana: "Hello, Miss Selia. I am Sana, and this is my fox-friend, Atremis."
"Max, I think it was that guy you beat up, Lord Jerkington."
"Is... it my turn to beat him up now?"
Maximilian: "...Lorreal. And no, he's done nothing that we can prove."
Atremis doesn't seem to notice who Sana is referring to, instead going up to sniff at Efta.
Sana: "...I think Lord Jerkington fits him better."
Nimue: "Can I help you?"
Sullen Youth: "Selia. Gotta leave now."
Maximilian: "...unfortunate. Perhaps we could speak later?"
Nimue: "Your name?"
Half-Elf Scholar: "I'm reading. Later."
Sullen Youth: "El's getting ready to leave. We're done here. Read later."
Maximilian frowns.
Nimue: "Will tell her."
Half-Elf Scholar reluctantly shelves a book, heading for the entrance.
Nimue: "Max, maybe you want to give an escort, with questionable people making the streets unsafe."
Maximilian: "Is it that bad, lad?"
Maximilian turns to the youth at the door.
Nimue: "Paranoia keeps you alive."
Sullen Youth: "Selia can take care of herself. We're fine."
Maximilian: "Alright. I would like to chat with you folks some time, though."
Nimue raises an eyebrow and returns to her book search.
Nimue comments while searching.
Half-Elf Scholar: "Then be in the capital or make it before tomorrow noon."
Nimue: "Then accompany her"
Maximilian: "...right."
"It's not my choice to make, Nimue."
Half-Elf Scholar: "...I don't mind company."
Sullen Youth mutters something under his breath, earning a elbow jab from the woman.
Maximilian: "O-oh! Very well, then. I'll fetch my horse. See the rest of you tomorrow?"
Nimue: "Till tomorrow."
"Will keep Atremis in pastries till then."
Maximilian: "Thanks."
Maximilian turns to the leaving pair.
Maximilian: "If you need to ride ahead, do so. Aquila will be my eyes and I can catch up."
Sullen Youth: "Yeah. Can do."
The two head toward the north of town, Max parting ways with the others to catch up.