Into the Gray

Session Summary

We are able to talk our way into a short appointment to see Orna Julianna. She deigns to interview us and thinks it would be hilarious to let us search the house two days from now for one hour.

Log

I ask Elzara for the name of the latest victim, whose name I learn is Orna Julianna.

At the gate is a guard and a mechanism, presumably to open the gate from the booth. The wall is large, smooth, and difficult to climb. There are two more people sitting down in the back near the booth. They ask our business as we approach. I declare that we are problem solvers and give my name to pass on to Orna Julianna. #encounters/guards

The gentleman is bemused and writes on his paper.

“We’re good with delicate issues,” I emphasize.

“So, I’ll make sure this gets delivered to her. She should get it and I should know within the hour if you’re good to go. I do expect that should be the case. I understand that, um, you’re very good problem solvers and I am sure the name Pharèl is known across the land. Come back within an hour, though it may be later than that.”

I inquire about getting vetted for accessing areas like this. For official grievances and such there are processes. This corner is where regional influencers and important people live. We would go to the center and process it through the city center that way.

He presses a button and he hands the note to another person who is to go deliver it to Orna Julianna. “Right away, sir,” and the person runs off to do that.

He explains there there is a chance that we won’t gain access and I use words that I learned from Hedvika to explain that I am sure there are other ways for us to gain appropriate access to help solve this area’s issues.

“You’re more competent than you look,” he lets slip out. I force a grin but squint slightly.

I say I want to change into my finer clothes.

“If I ask you what suspicious behavior is, could you define that for me where you’re from?” Arachne asks me to gauge where I’m at on understanding my behavior.

Arachne gently sways the conversation to suggest Elzira should be the face of the meeting. Elzira says he’s familiar with the upper class, though perhaps not public officials.

Elzira and Arachne attempt to explain how lying for profit works. Though I am chaotic neutral I do not lie and explain that these kinds of pranks were for good fun with the satyrs.

In town, I change into my fine clothes and wash up a bit.

Star looks under houses for snakes.

I ask the innkeeper about Orna. She’s a big shot and in charge of finance, the coffers, for the town. I slide him a silver piece for this information.

We head back to the gate and back up to the gentleman. “You know, I know it sounded like your intent is to help Orna out with her problems. Here’s the thing, in 25 minutes, Orna will meet you for 10 minutes. The grounds is she will interview us and ask us questions.”

I explain that I completely understand that there are people with nefarious intent. Elzira explains that I only just learned about lying.

He asks for the name of our group, if it should be Pharèl’s group. Elzira isn’t sure, I suggest the Problem Solvers.

Star is looking around. He can’t see a good hiding spot.

20 minutes later, we hear a crank and the gate opens.

Inside are several large, very fancy houses. Even here, the houses have dedicated areas for small animals very excited as we pass. We are led through a high quality pavement past a house and turn left. “It’ll be right through in here.”

They open an outer gate to puppies and kittens greeting us. We walk up and into a house. As we enter the first room, we look and there is a chandelier… but its ornaments are missing. We can see shelves, also barren. There are no paintings. Compared to Hedvika, it looks very plain.

Inside the next room is a tall human woman wearing a fine dress, pouring herself a cup of tea.

We are introduced as “Pharèl’s team” and she dismisses the person who ushered us in.

She asks us to sit. We have piqued her interest.

“I had a few questions, my understanding is you all had quite the run in with owlbears on the road.”

“Yes.” Star says some got away.

“That is what I had,” she looks at her report. “I heard of a group coming in with wild claims, but it all seems to be true!”

“We’re an unlikely group, but are tales are true.”

She says we’re an incredible group. She asks about our activities in Valdethirsk and Gendry.

We say that we met owlbears together and decided we could help people and were the only ones who could. I explain that in Gendry we helped the founder of Valdethirsk.

She asks about our other expeditions.

Star tries to get a read on her and asks what she is vetting us for, but she is holding a firm poker face.

Star says we’re all looking for different things, like family heirlooms, but what brought us here specifically was looking for a pet. He says we want to know why monsters are heading north.

“So you came here for puppies…?”

Yes! We agree.

“Have you ever done investigative work? It sounds like your primary skill set is violence.”

I talk about how we’ve had to help with communications and negotations and finding a win-win negotation. Star says we’d heard things about the Disco Thief and it tied in with what we heard when we got into town.

She says we’re fascinating and she doesn’t think we’re any better than the people she already has working on this. But she thinks it would be very fun to watch us work for an hour.

Arachne raises her hand. She asks if she meant that we can investigate here for one hour.

“Yes, of course,” I’ll show you the premises and the robot, the ball, the-

Star asks if we’d be getting paid.

“We’re here to help,” I keep insisting.

Orna says if we find any useful information she will compensate us handsomely, if it’s new and interesting.

Thursday 10am we will be given the hour and she will be available then to talk as well.

Star is dragging me out. She claps and the assistant comes back to usher us.

“I hope you got what you wanted out of this,” the guard says.

“I had so much fun!” I exclaim.

“Thanks for your patience,” Star says and tosses him 1gp.

“Wow, this almost makes it worth dealing with you!“

Out of earshot we discuss how we will proceed.