Heart of Artifice: Part I--Engineered Enigma

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Anvuss]"Well...I guess that's possible. Shouldn't we look for the Ruby around here first, though? If we find it, then all that is moot, right?"

"I do mean a location beneath the towers of Sharn when I say the undercity, not Xen'drik...I guess I could show you where it is, but I should ask Diggy. He'll probably want you to wear a blindfold, especially Aethelus. He also won't want me going if you think it's dangerous, but he also won't want to just give you directions...he'll try to go himself, but I don't want him to be in danger either--if one of us dies, it should be me; he's already given me a new life that I don't deserve after what I did in the old..."[/SBLOCK]

 

[Patlin]

[SBLOCK=Anvuss]"Well...I guess that's possible. Shouldn't we look for the Ruby around here first, though? If we find it, then all that is moot, right?"

"I do mean a location beneath the towers of Sharn when I say the undercity, not Xen'drik...I guess I could show you where it is, but I should ask Diggy. He'll probably want you to wear a blindfold, especially Aethelus. He also won't want me going if you think it's dangerous, but he also won't want to just give you directions...he'll try to go himself, but I don't want him to be in danger either--if one of us dies, it should be me; he's already given me a new life that I don't deserve after what I did in the old..."[/SBLOCK]

[sblock=To Elizabeth]So... her story was autobiographical. She should be able to defend herself while showing us to the target location.

"Very well. Let us get the others and comb over the entire place thoroughly, in case the ruby is still here. We must hurry, for Lucy's sake. I will let you do the talking, so as not to risk violating any of your confidences."[/sblock]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Anvuss](OOC: Yeah, it was DC 30 to get her to admit that, but I figured it was fairly obvious...of course, a Reincarnation is fairly piddling for Wish-level magic--maybe she also got a retrain to turn those Assassin-levels into Chef/Researcher appropriate NPC classes so she could live a quiet life )

"Yes...thank you. I hope Lucy is safe!"[/SBLOCK]

*Elizabeth and Anvuss return.*

"Shall we search the house now for belongings of Lucy and the Wyrd Ruby?" she asks the others.

 

[Patlin]

"Yes." Anvuss agrees. "It is imperative that we establish whether the Ruby is here in a definitive manner. Let us all search."

 

[Rystil Arden]

*Everyone searches the dwelling, and though they find some toys of Lucy's, they do not find the Ruby. Elizabeth comes along to help, of course, though she nearly-always helps in the areas where Aethelus is searching.*

 

[Velmont]

While Elizabeth is tooc oncern searching with Aethelus, Kharas asks to Anvuss. "Why is it so imperative to find a ruby? What make her so shy about her experience with the Lord of Blades?"

 

[Patlin]

"She asked me not to say. I do not judge her personal experiences to be particularly relevant, and I wish to keep her confidence. However, if the ruby is no longer in the house I believe I have a fairly good idea of where we need to go next. Demonstrating that the ruby is not present should ensure Elizabeth's full cooperation. Her cooperation is very important, as we will need her to guide us to our next destination."

 

[Velmont]

"What? Ok, pass for Lords of Blades experience. But what is about that ruby. If it is teh ransom, and it is no more here, why keep the kids. Someone kidnap four kids simply to get a gem that worth a few hundreds gold pieces, let's say a few thousands. That's would be the story? That make no senses, not with that construct with rare metal that could worth even more."

 

[Patlin]

"It will be interesting to hear what Elizabeth chooses to explain about the gem, but it seems to be a more than sufficient motivation for any number of crimes. And the truth may turn out to be more complex."

 

[Velmont]

"Small thief and ruffian, sure. Sending a construct that have in his heart a metal that worth more than any gem. Come on. Three heads is better than one. I can help, but if I miss the main information of this story, I'll be no more usefull than a grunt, and in that case, you can do your investigation alone and then call the guard once you've found teh kids to help to recover them.

And can I remember you that I have played a part in the acquisition of the schema Noah is studying, and if the Lord of Blades is implicated in that story, he will have more reason to kill me than you or Aethelus. To save four kids, I'm ready to take that risk, but I want to know."