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

[asap]

[MEANWHILE Andie glances around the chapel (spot 7) but unless there's something REALLY obvious, she's off again to try and find the office (navigate 18) because that sure is not the right room.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ andie's lucky to find the hall where the office is stationed empty. and even better: unlocked.

all things considered, it's a smaller office than one might expect, done in rich wood, with antlered animal heads hanging on the walls and stuffed creatures on the desks. there are a great number of papers and ledgers stacked about, so it's going to take a search check to find what she's looking for... ]

[asap]

[Too bad she... just crit failed that search. (u n s u r e)]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ as she's rooting through the dressers and such, she moves between two big stuffed birds on the desk and... fails to realize that one is not so stuffed. and it flutters its giant wings right by her head and then starts squawking incredibly loud at her ]

[bluffcheck]

[Back at the party, Thoster is doing good to look like the dutiful suitor.]

Name your price and it shall be yours, my darling. No task is too mighty for me to conquer if it would grant me your eternal love.

[telekinect]

[ a sly smile ] You have to give up drinking.

[bluffcheck]

[He stops, not expecting that. But instead of trying to recover, he decides to work the hesitation as part of his show.]

I... well, I could... That is...

[telekinection]

I want to hear you swear it in front of all these people.

[bluffcheck]

[He furrows his brow in confusion, reaching out through the link quickly to add:

you do know this is all for show, don't you, lass?

But after that, he clears his throat.]

It's a small price to pay to have you by my side for all our days. Yes, I'll put down the bottle. I swear it. (bluff 14)]

[telekinection]

[ she doesn't respond mentally at all, but as she looks down at him and offers her hand, she does flash a wink ]

Then by all means. Yes.

[bluffcheck]

[A grin breaks out over his face. He jumps up from his kneeling position and rushes towards her, picking her up and twirling her around (str check 21). If Thoster knew what a Hallmark moment was, he would say this was one.]

[telekinection]

[ she lets him twirl her around, laughing a bit, although it's not the best act in the world. she looks a little concerned that he's going to drop her...

oh and the crowd starts chanting "KISS! KISS!"

so there's that... ]

[bluffcheck]

[Well, how could he deny a crowd? He sets Tia down gently on the floor, leaving his arms wrapped around her waist.]

Suppose we best give the people what they want, hmm?

[He leans in, really just trying to make it good for the crowd (Charisma 17) and kisses her.]

[telekinection]

[ well, that's good, because in spite of the act, she seems surprised that he just goes for it, and there's a startled sound in her throat at first, her hands sort of clasping and flexing for a moment before she relaxes back into her 'role' and kisses him back. when she draws away, her eyebrows are arched to her hairline, but the people are clapping and cheering and clinking glasses.

and yes, that will have been the moment when andie gets back. ]

[asap]

[Aww yeah that was a successful mission and Andie's feeling pretty good about herself until

oh

that is not what she wanted to see.

She thinks as disapprovingly as she can in their direction and heads over to the refreshments table to sulkily eat her feelings rather than blow their cover.]

[asap]

[She lets out an embarrassing squeak and shushes at the bird. Which... probably doesn't help.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ gurl make a handle animal check ]

[asap]

[14! So I guess she shushes the bird pretty nicely.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ it settles... mostly, though it's still walking back and forth on its perch. and it's unclear whether anyone heard it or not... ]

[asap]

[Well she's looking around to see if they did... (Spot 11). Seriously I'm buying her ranks in spot/listen/search when she levels up this is embarrassing.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ It... SEEMS OK???? ]

[asap]

[YAY well she continues her search and FINALLY starts looking more carefully even if I had to use an action point to get there (search 15).]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ it's just as andie gets a lower drawer open and opens a ledger inside which seems to be the one she wants, that the door opens and she can hear a voice murmuring: "Damned rutting bird." ]

[asap]

[Eeek! She removes the book and closes the drawer without a sound (move silently 25), then crouches under the desk, PRACTICALLY INVISIBLY (hide nat 20).]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ wow, with listen of TWO and spot of SIX, the guard takes a very cursory look around the room, makes a hrmph noise... and then leaves again. ]