slovechnia ♔ we've expelled the goodness from our hearts

[princesmarming]

♬ The Big Freeze - Muse

WHO || Valentin Milosovici, Francesca, Tia, Thoster, Andie, Miles [closed]
WHAT || The Knights investigate the state of things at the Palace during a fancy soiree.
WHERE || The Royal Castle; Milosogoraht, Slovechnia
WHEN || Jan 9, evening|
HOW || Actionspam, don't sweat tag order!

Much smaller than the Knight's castle, but still large in its own right, the Slovechnian royal home has stood as nothing but a historical monument since the royal family was overthrown decades ago. Now, however, Valentin has reclaimed it as his own ancestral home. It's hardly a welcoming locale, however. The great halls are lined with so many weapons that if you walk too close to them, you're bound to get pricked. Many of the rooms have been declared off limits to guests and are marked off with cordons.

The Knights have spent several weeks in town, gathering intelligence on the country's current state.  Already, things are better off than they were when the last team visited:  the previous aura of unrest in the air is dissipated, people are returning to work, helping each other, picking up the pieces where they can.  The new King has instituted many economic reforms off the bat, that, while more brilliant than anything he could have come up with on his own, are no doubt effective.

There are, however, rumors, that no new Shadowkind have been arriving in the country, which seems suspicious of its own right, even if they can't find any evidence of slave ownership in the city.   Now is their chance to deal with the man himself, however, as there's a Royal Ball being held, to which the Knights have an open invitation.   

Comments

[bluffcheck]

[Speaking of fashionably late, Thoster (disguise check 15) purposefully arrives after the lovely ladies so that he can be seen walking into the party alone. He's hoping to be able to remain unattached to the Knights for the evening to hopefully be able to get some information.

Still, as he glances around the room, he lets his eyes rest longer on Andie and Tia, hoping to catch their eye long enough to let them know he's there.]

[telekinect]

[ tia sends him a tiny mental note: ]

You clean up alright, Chatwyn. [ and nudges andie so she knows he's there. ]

[bluffcheck]

[He stands a little taller when her thoughts enter his mind.

Well, that's a different feeling.

Thoster will begin his rounds of mingling now, trying to find someone to schmooze.]

[asap]

[Might have been a mistake to nudge Andie. She looks up to see Thoster and immediately shoots him a dazzling smile. She manages not to wave by sheer willpower and looks away quickly, blushing a little.]

[telekinect]

[ eavesdroppers make a listen check as they mingle. if you want to try to talk some info out, gather information checks!

also, don't think tia didn't notice that, andie. ]

So. You two, hmm?

[bluffcheck]

[For now, he'll get the lay of the land, trying to see if he can pick up on a conversation or two, trying to see where he can slip in and where to begin (Listen 19).]

[asap]

[Andie steals another glance at him.] No! I mean... sorta. Maybe. [She gives Tia a pleading look.] Boys are complicated?

[telekinect]

That they are. [ she smothers a smile against the edge of her glass, surveying the crowd.

meanwhile, thoster overhears something ~interesting~ as he makes the rounds. two stuffy looking old men with bad comb-overs (one of whom is wearing a monocle, and both of whom sport many medals on their red sashes) are deep in conversation, and don't even notice him hovering beyond them.

"It's lucky for them all that Milosovici came into power so readily, wouldn't you say. Belarus was poised and ready to swoop in, after all."

"They're not the only ones. Regardless of the mess they were in - still are - it's still in a strategic position. With the power vacuum that size, it's hard to believe it lasted long enough for an election." ]

[bluffcheck]

Best not to dwell on what might have been, gentleman. [Thoster says, deftly tossing out a comment as if he was part of the conversation from the start.]

After all, I thought the situation with Belarus was a thing of the past? [(Gather information Nat 20)]

[telekinect]

[ they seem to figure he belongs in the conversation, and one man snorts as he lifts a piece of cheese on a stick to his mouth.

"That depends on if his hold here proves to be solid enough to not convince them to change their minds. With the right push, they could still believe it were best for everyone to topple the new monarchical regime being set up next door." ]

[bluffcheck]

[With the ease that he slipped into the conversation, Thoster now relaxes back into his new role.]

Resources will need to be renewed, no doubt. Boost the trade market. With enough money, a king can buy a war.

[telekinect]

[ "Buy his way out, or buy his way into one?" The question prompts laughter from both of them, in polite asshole form. "Milosovici's been lucky to have friends in high places. I don't think he'd let anything so disastrous happen quite so soon." ]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster joins in on the laughter, because he's playing up just how much he can be one of the rich guys.]

Speaking of friends... [He says, taking a sip of his drink and swooping around to stand between them, putting his back to a majority of the crowd and dropping his tone a bit lower.] A friend of mine told me that the good King might be able to provide a hand if one was looking to, ah... expand the workforce. [(bluff 28) Because these guys look like they might be terrible enough people to know a thing or two about slavery.]

[telekinection]

[ they both seem to fall for it, one of them looking over his shoulder as well, and both sharing a meaningful look.

"Not the King himself, so much," one admits conspiratorially. "He just can't do anything to stop those who might be able to." ]

[bluffcheck]

[Now they were getting somewhere. Thoster leaned towards the man who had slipped that little tidbit.]

And if a man was looking to do a bit of business with one of those?

[telekinection]

[ Another ~significant look~ between them.

"Well, theoretically, if a man weren't afraid of the potential legal ramifications were he to be implicated in such a practice..." he lowers his voice, "he might speak with Gustavo, at the refinery." ]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster just nods, patting each man thoughtfully on the shoulder.]

I appreciate the help, gentlemen. I won't forget it. [He pulls back and glances towards the refreshments.]

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm due for another drink.

[He doesn't want to push his luck by asking too many questions, after all.]

[telekinect]

[ tia speaks to andie out of the corner of her mouth: ] He has a way with people, I'll give him that.

[asap]

[Andie does her very best not to giggle and succeeds admirably (will 16), just smiling a little more.]

He can be really sweet.

[telekinect]

Let's go see what he found out and whether we can use it. [ she sends thoster a mental nudge to meet with them at the punchbowl and says to andie: I can establish a mental link between the three of us, so we can speak without anyone knowing it. ]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster glances up at the nudge and moves his way to the refreshments, careful to not ignore them too obviously, but not associating with the ladies, either. Since they could be recognized as Knights, he doesn't want to blow his own cover to remove his chances of chatting up anyone else.]

[telekinection]

[ as tia pours a glass for andie, pointedly avoiding eye contact, she links up all three of their heads - so long as they don't try to resist.

Well? ]

[asap]

[Andie takes the drink with a smile and thinks excitedly This is so cool.

Then she hesitates and tries not to look outwardly awkward. I mean. What'd you find?]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster has never had two women inside his head before. This could be dangerous. He turns away from them, drink held in one hand as he 'observes' the crowd.

First of all, might I say that you both look dazzling.

Because there is never not time to compliment woman in his book.

Had a nice chat with two interesting fellows. A man by the name of Gustavo at the refinery. That's our man for any slave trading.]

[telekinect]

[ you'll be okay thoster... as long as neither of them are TRYING to go digging ;)

Why am I not surprised.

It's as good a start as any. Anything else? ]