02-17-963 - The Gang Goes into Other People's Houses.

The morning of the Masquerade ball featured a breakfast that was almost servant free. Only the one who had explained the impropriety of leaving a meal unattended remained to serve.  

Before going to view the collections of Houses Orunbaev and Kuysok, Nexus purchased a scroll of sending and Chedvah purchased the ingredients to create a paralytic poison.  While she was shopping, Chedvah inquired whether anyone had been purchasing a few specific ingredients, but the owner said those were fairly niche, and he'd remember if anyone was looking for them.  

With shopping completed, Chedvah, Nexus, and Dendra went to see Lord Bekjan Orunbaev and his collection.  Inside, they saw an array of different statues, pieces of art, and artifacts.  Bekjan gave them a demonstration of his unbreakable tea set, and none of the party were able to shatter it.  Nexus picked out a few other magical items, including an immovable rod, a wand, a tapestry, and one of the glass cases.  Thanking the young Lord, they moved on to the next house. Lady Jasnet Kuysok's collection was much more extensive.  In addition to the numerous statues and other art, Nexus detected a magic sword, cloak, rope, ewer, and shield. Unfortunately, neither house had any magical keys or similar items.  

Meanwhile, back at the County Carnen Residence, Sinata was enjoying a relaxing morning.  Watching out a window, he enjoyed the sights of his fellow gentry walking about. Perhaps this is what being a knight was about when you weren't fighting hags and watching your friends pretend to leap to their death. The sound of the front door closing came up from below, and Sinata noticed Luci heading out as if he had somewhere to be.  That's odd.  I wonder where he's going.  I'd better make sure he isn't getting into trouble.

Luci left through the gate into the New City, and made his way into Ballow's Field. As he walked through the city and all its splendor, he didn't notice the robed and masked figure following behind, darting from alley to alley and hiding behind the carts of confused street vendors. Whatever Allison is doing at the palace, I'm sure it can't be good for me. A quick jaunt over there to check things out, then maybe I can see why that Ullman fellow is interested in me.  By the Moonweaver I hope he doesn't keep in touch with his brother.  As he walked up to the Palace gate, he was stopped by one of the guards, who then got his captain.  After introducing himself, he explained that he was looking to see if his sister had been through.  She's been here for weeks? Gods above, that can't be good. But what is she up to now and what was that note about in her room?...Is that Sinata hiding near the bank?  

The two caught up and Luci asked if he wanted to come along to scope out the manor where the party would be this evening. Sinata agreed and they took off on Barnabus.  Luci took them across the river and west toward the coast. They passed the large shipyard where the Dragon's Head Trading Company was based, and continued along above the road.  As they drew near, they were met with a vast manor, with walls surrounding a large lawn, featuring gardens, verandas, and a small pond.  They also saw a figure flying through the sky land on a patio and enter the manor.

To avoid notice, Luci flew up high then lowered them onto the roof. At this point, Luci and Sinata decided it would be a good time to figure out what their plan was.  With that aside, Luci lowered himself onto a balcony and they snuck into a darkened room. Sinata listened at the door while Luci poked around. After searching about, it was determined that the room likely belonged to the Duke's daughter and heiress, Lavena. As Luci went to close the door, a Raven that had been following him around just managed to get inside.  Hearing no one in the hallway outside the door, Sinata and Luci ducked across the hall, leaving the strange Raven behind.  It seemed that this room belonged to the Duke and Duchess, and Luci read through some of the Duke's letters in the desk.  In a tense few minutes, Sinata heard two sets of footsteps coming down the hall. They both hid, but it appeared that it was just two servants.  They spoke about getting ready for the party and ironing something, then heard the raven trapped in the other room.  They eventually shoed it out of the door onto the balcony and walked off.  

Deciding to check one more room, they snuck down the hall and entered a bedroom.  Luci searched the desk and found out that the room belonged to Cedric, who had invited them.  He found a few bills for party expenses, a list of where three guests were staying: Haith, Ginsman, and Kelren, and a note about King Luthair and his lost sword potentially being a good way to get into the favor of the Royal family. 

The sound of footsteps sounded from outside the door, causing Sinata to hide in the large closet while Luci dove under the bed.  A servant entered, picking up a note from Cedric's desk and grumbling having to fetch things, then left. As one last effort, Sinata looked around the desk, eventually finding a latch to a hidden compartment.  Inside, he found numerous notes detailing the the comings and goings of other nobles to Pedron's Call, where nobles' residences are.  As he was looking through the letters, footsteps were quickly approaching the room.  Luci threw open a window, got them both onto Barnabus, shot through the window onto the roof above.  From inside came the sound of someone coming in, and reading over replies to invitations, and noticing the servants left the window open.  Having narrowly escaped their host discovering them snooping, Luci and Sinata returned back to the County Carnen Residence. 

Once everyone was back at the Residence, they all caught up and Sinata explained what he knew about King Luthair.  He was the Grandson of King Emon the Founder, and ruled for only a few years before dying in battle against clans in the Canglir Foothills.