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GargantuaBlarg

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"I do," Esvele replied to the scrap of deformity before her. She closed her eyes and counted to three, giving Zygfrek some time to assuage her concerns of judgement. With the practice of years, she looked to a side, keeping Zygfrek in corner of her eye, rather than focusing on her, much as it irked Esvele to be unable to read her body movements. Esvele liked to think that she'd always paid little mind to the twist of Zygfrek's body... but it was true that she thought herself a much more repugnant wretch than Zygfrek, and that the only times she shared her bed was in the throes of her curse and a great deal of alcohol.

"It isn't from who he suggested I seek out, but it ought to do. I procured it just last evening and applied the unguents The Abbott gave me, so it ought to be in fine condition yet. I have it wrapped in a brown sack, bound with twine, between a chest and a crate, under my bag of candles, in the wagon I've been travelling with at the Blue Water Inn... I'd suggest you see if you could fetch it from there yourself... though I suppose that might turn out troublesome, even with some bribes and my name on your lips, wouldn't it..."

Esvele bit the joint of her thumb.
"I may run into some trouble and miss the dinner bell, is why." If anything, paranoia was something the two of them shared. Esvele considered her paranoia perhaps more reasoned than Zygfreks... but then, she figured most people would think that about their own particular dysfunctions. "Let me give you some silver. I'll leave it in the alley behind the inn - you'll know it by the unguent's smell. I'll place the Lord's mark on a wall nearby, though it may not last if I leave it early." The nun raised a finger, and a reddish gold disc of spell-light hovered in the air. "If I fail to return, you'll have to wait or take it from the cart yourself. The silvers should buy you some cooperation if you tell them you're there for something from me and mention my name, no?" She held her hand out, 5 silver pieces in her fingers. She wasn't entirely sure Zygfrek would actually take them... or if that plan would actually work. Still, it would be worth setting up, just in case.



When they approached the coffin maker's workshop, things seemed... odd. Quiet. It couldn't be time to break for midday's meal yet. She sent Nevermore to circle, as she often did, bidding him report if he saw anything strange - either on the roof, or in the back of the building, or perhaps in the workyard that she might have missed.

"Coffincraft is just carpentry. The trade ought to be decently busy in Vallaki, yet I hear no hammers or saws. We ought to have asked how long it had been since the trade - our fellow might be gone."

Esvele let Yari lead the way, instead pulling a candle from her hip satchel.
"In the dawn, beauty reigns, and the way is clearer," she recited aloud, and invoked the holy word that caused it to begin to glow.

Casting Light on my candle.
 

Pervy

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Yari Darkbane
At the Coffinmakers!
Tag: Esvele, primarly.


"I concur with your suspicions, but we can only make wild theories as to what this business is about now. An ordinary coffinmaker could not have known of the bones location to begin with, if you consider it. We could research what we could be dealing with here further, but it seems like an established business.. has the man inside been seduced or replaced by darker things?" She offered, in a hushed voice, then shrugged to indicate she was just guessing.

"But a more direct approach might yield us answers that would otherwise be hidden if we took too much time. It's not been half a day now since the theft, not all clues can already be hidden.. perchance, would you have the skills to open this door.. more subtly than I, or should we seek a better entry?" She asked, with a neutral tone. "I'd rather avoid making a ruckus and risking trouble with law enforcement through a break in..."
 

GargantuaBlarg

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"Did we ask him when he did it? My memory seems to be failing me once again. But ah, no, that isn't one of my particular talents, even if it would make collecting alms much easier." Esvele let the dry joke hang as she pressed an ear to the door, listening for the sounds of habitation behind the door. Perhaps she could send Nevermore down the chimney... but that was more than likely to just get her bird trapped. Barovian homes tended to be built to keep the unwelcome out, she found, what with the frequency of unpleasant night-time visitors.
 
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BlueSlime

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Nevermore circled around the building twice, taking his time to poke his beak into windows and give his bird's eye a good view down a sooty, tiny chimney hole too small for even a gnome to shimmy through. The bird reported what seemed apparent from a good view of the business. Its entrances appeared to be sealed and shuttered against the outside world. No light came from within the workshop, and not a single opening was letting the gloomy daylight in either. For a business with trade likely to be quite regular, the building was oddly silent. It did not have an outside egress to the upper story, and appeared to have two doors, one the front entrance to the workshop which held the sign, and also a nondescript entrance on the rear right side of the building. There were 8 shuttered windows in total on the ground level. spread evenly around the the house, save for a lack of them on the front left wall. On the upper floor there were three windows close together on the left side, and one window each on the front and rear of the building. On the right side, there were three windows on the upper floor. All windows were closed and shuttered.

Ireena frowned and rubbed her elbow idly, then put a hand down on the pommel of her rapier, looking at once from Vita, to Esvele and then lastly to Yari.

"I seem to recall Father Lucian mentioning that he had been worrying about the break in prior to letting loose his suspicions to us, but it does not seem like much time has passed, no more than a day and a half if I read the situation right. But I agree with Yari, we should take care..."

As she said this, she nodded across the open trade grounds, where a pair of steel capped guards trod their beat, carrying pikes that rested on their padded shoulder guards.
 

GargantuaBlarg

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Esvele sighed as she noticed the guards. "I suppose we can't just kick the front door down, then." She tried the door's handle once again, making sure it was barred. "Right. Let's kick the back door down instead." She stepped away and rounded the workshop to the back entrance. Hopefully this one was open... she didn't imagine anything good coming of breaking in.

"Perhaps we ought to ask the man's neighbors when they've seen him last, if the other door's locked up as well."
 

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Yari Darkbane
At the Coffinmakers!
Tag: Esvele, Ireena, Vita


"Hmn. I wasn't aware collecting alms would have to be so proactive around here. Where I come from the spirits protection and demons prosecution of sinners are very real things.. but let us speak of theology when less pressing concerns loom overhead."
She chuckled, never indicating if she had 'gotten' the joke or not, clearing her throat demurely, before following Esvele. She presumed that this door was closed as well. Why go through the trouble fo barricading up the windows but leaving a back-door unlocked?

"How did you know there was a backdoor here, actually? Anyway.. if it is locked as well, we have little choice. Vita.. your errr, your assets are.. you would be the most proficient at..

Ahem.. could I request of you to ask the guard about directions while slightly bending your chest forward, like this?" She cleared her throat. "I am most certain this would distract them from any but the most severe noises of us opening the door, allowing us to break in and you to return momentarily after."
She nodded and stepped towards the door.
"I am loathe to dull my blade on wood... I shall listen to your lead in opening this door." She decided. "You've not always been a priestess, have you? .. well, it matters little. It is not who we where, but who we are." She calmly asserted, having read Esvele by the way she spoke to people.

(Yari is gonna aid another on Esvele. .. 11 strength, if that needs a roll!)
 
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BlueSlime

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The back door was indeed less visible from the trading grounds though not entirely so, should the guards patrolling eventually bring them close by. Trying the door handle, it was locked from the inside, presumably with a simple bolt, as most locked doors were in Barovia. Nevermore settled down on a perch above a nearby window shutter and observed the proceedings.

Vita blinked in confusion at Yari's initial request, and Ireena, looking nervous, stepped in protectively of the tiefling.

"I'm sure that between the two of us, we could figure something out to distract the guards." The noblewoman with her flowing auburn hair guided Vita with a comforting arm around her shoulder as they moved across the trading grounds. The arm slid down halfway through the walk and traced across the warlock of light's butt and the base of her tail. The two had been floating the idea of exhibitionism earlier... perhaps now would be a fun time to put that recreational notion to practical use.

[Hidden Performance roll mechanic will give Yari and Esvele more or less time to complete their break in.]

The questionable priestess and princess each put their shoulders into it when they thought the coast was most clear and crashed into the door. Several loud cracks and painful bruises later, and the door gave way. They stumbled forward into a room full of coffins. It was a spacious room, and dark, save for the gloomy daylight from their door, and a sudden flicker of candleflame from a creaking door to their left. There, at the base of a stairway, stood an old, pale man with a scruffy beard and wild, greying hair. He was dressed in a tradesman's clothes, and he had dulled, tired eyes.

"We're closed." He said somberly, looking over the ruins of his door. "I didn't hear your earlier knocking... No need to attack my home."
 

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Yari Darkbane
At the Coffinmakers!
Tag: Esvele, The Coffinmaker


Yari rubbed her shoulder slightly. Be it well-padded through Kimono, be her body well trained, it was not that well used to impacts. Still, she bottled down her complaints. She looked to Esvele.. well, she had requested to be the one to speak first, after having her seen intimidate the young gravedigger roughly, so perhaps she should speak up once more.

"We did not knock." She stated, raising her hands to make a gesture to apologize to the spirit of the household, before focusing on the man before her. He looked not like a schemer, he looked.. disheveled.
"We know you've paid the young boy to steal the bones under the churches altar. The priest wishes them back and not even the worst sinner should be denied their rest in the end."
She nodded, her hand slow, but steady reaching to hold the grip of her sword. "Speak no falsehood, lest you convince me that the only way to prevent you from tainting your soul any further is to bring it peace right here and now." In a way, she was bluffing. She could hardly bring herself to cut down a man that wouldn't attack her. Then again, he would not be the first man she had killed, .. albeit at the insistance of her father that she 'be readied'. Somehow, he did not seem as bad as the horse-thief and murderer she had been made to execute however. The way he was shut in, to hide from prosecution, yes, but.. he must have known he'd been found out quick enough. Perhaps he wanted to be found..

She shook her head, her voice managing to be both gentle and accusing. "But personally... I want to understand who or what motivated you to follow such wicked ways. This place lacks the oppulence of someone corrupted by money or power. So why..Was it not once your duty to ensure the safe rest of the departed? Why disturb a noble spirit and shake the very foundation of the congregation you serve? What poison has tainted your spirit such?"

(Intimidate of 14 effectively!)
Roll(1d20)+0:
15,+0
Total:15
 

GargantuaBlarg

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"How did I know? A little birdy told me," Esvele said, pointing up as Nevermore winged overhead to roost nearby. Her second reply came much drier: "Very sharp, milady. You are correct, I was, in fact, not born in a habit. Perhaps it is different where you are from, but the servants of the Morninglord can and do come from all sorts of walks of life, and I experienced a good deal of life before I donned these vestments."


The nun set the door roughly back in place... or at least, she tried to. When she noticed what was most likely their Henrik standing near the stairs.

Esvele supposed paranoia and violence did not work to her benefit all the time.

"Ahem," she coughed, clearing her throat. "Yes. Mister van der Voort... please excuse my friend, here. She is very passionate about the sanctity of the dead, as you can see. What she means to ask is, when opportunity knocks, what will you do? Because you see, we represent opportunity - very aggressive opportunity - and we simply could not wait to find you. Now you, Mister van der Voort, could be ten gold pieces richer, if only you give us the where and who and the where those particular remains are. Which, we understand, you would know of, simply because you are the quite well-informed sort of person - and not because of any other reason."

As she spoke, she strode towards the man, though she tried to seem casual about it, plucking gold pieces from her purse.
 
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BlueSlime

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The older man, humphed and smoothed his jacket. He seemed to pick up on Yari's threats and accusations moreso than the offer of Esvele, though as she approached him, he did hasten to press his back up against the wall, and make no sudden movement, save to raise his hands slightly.

"Indeed, you didn't knock. That is customary around here, unless you are unlawful thieves. As for all this other nonsense, I've not a clue what you're talking about. But you're armed, and clearly know how to use your weapons. I am unarmed and am not a fighter. So if you intend to do me harm, best get on with it. But you'll not find what you're looking for here. And the guards will be having words with you, one way or another."

He raised his chin and eyed the gold coin in Esvele's hand.

"What exactly do you want? Hm? I don't know what you're on about."
 

GargantuaBlarg

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Esvele kept smiling pleasantly as she ambled her way towards the man. "Oh, I'm sure it's been just a terrible mistake. An old friend of mine - long dead, you see - it seems his coffin was disturbed, and some gentlemen seemed to have wanted to get him a new one. But that old coffin has quite a bit of sentimental value - so many fond memories over the years of being dead in it, you understand -and I think even if its a little worn he would prefer it, as much as I've heard how fine your work always tur--"

Esvele lunged once she got close enough to manage it, hoping to squeeze her hand down over his mouth and smother any chance at screaming for help he might have before he could make use of it.

She was desperately out of practice. As far as burglaries went, this was not one of her more elegant ones.
 
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BlueSlime

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Henrik started to back away from the approaching nun, but far too late. Even if she were out of practice, Esvele on her worst day would outstrip the aging van der Voot. And this was not her worst day. Her lunge placed her up against him, knocking him back against the wall and clamping down on his mouth with her hand in one smooth motion. He grunted, but any other alarm was muffled. Wide eyed, he began to struggle, but her strong, warrior's arms kept his efforts neutralized.

"Mm mmmff!" He mumbled, glaring at her with a mixture of annoyance, but mostly fright. Esvele had taken clear, physical command of the situation, allowing either herself or Yari a far easier time of intimidating him, if such were their inclination.
 

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The nun yanked the coffinwright's head back before she slammed him into the wall, to keep from knocking the old man senseless. Her other hand gripped his wrist, pressing it up against the wall, and she rolled to the side, sliding her hip in to pin his other hand. She wasn't sure either could hurt her, but it was always best to err on the side of caution.

She stared at him as she thought how best to proceed - her face a mask not of anger, nor greed that might be expected, but calm disapproval. She found a silent gaze often made people uncomfortable - which was good, at least for wringing their secrets from them.

Esvele decided to go for the direct approach. "Henrik van der Voort. I will assume you aren't the one who wanted those remains taken. You don't seem the type to know, nor the type to have the silvers that made this happen, if you will pardon my say-so. That means you passed them along to someone else. You did it perhaps for silver and the comfort and safety silver brings. Am I correct?"

She waited for an answer - a nod or shake of the old man's head.

"But as you can see, disturbing the dead brings trouble. I have no quarrel with you, Henrik. But I will have the remains taken from the chapel back. Now, Henrik, you know where they've gone. You will tell me where, and the trouble that arose from that plundered grave goes elsewhere. I and my friend will leave - we'll even give you some gold, to keep this nasty business from being entirely bad for you. Don't tell, and the troubled dead already have you in their claws, and there's an empty grave just waiting to be filled up again." She squeezed her grip on him tigher, for emphasis. "Make this easy, Henrik."
 

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Yari Darkbane
Coffinmakers hideout
Tag: Esvele, The Coffinmaker

Yari observed the situation, certainly not in her element and actually startling, just a little, when Esvele took literal charge. "Know that the reason the guard is not accompanying us in strength is on respecting the wishes of others. If you are to call them, we have six voices to speak against yours and paint an unpleasant picture of your doings. To reclaim stolen goods is not theft, but justice." She pondered how to continue on, not quite comfortable with Esvele's threats, but perhaps such an approach would serve the greater good better.

"My companion threatens you with an early grave. I do not wish such upon you." She slowly drew her ornate sword. "There is a particular method of interrogation that my .. emperor enjoyed applying to those that wronged him. Its name would roughly translate to 'Death by a thousand cuts'." She stared at her sword, her expression shadowed by a secret loathing of what she had seen her father command. Ironically, Van de Voort would qualify for such treatment for lying to the princess and accusing her of being a thief... not that she'd ever agree with this barbarism.

"It is a common misconception that a torturer need be a master of inflicting pain. In truth, the greatest of torturers pride themselfs in keeping someone alive. So to reiterate, I shall not offer you death." That was, technically, true. She could kill beasts. She could kill monsters.. she couldn't see herself killing this frail man, or even truly hurting him, lest he was truly heinous.
"Sister Esvele, if this man refuses to speak to you, I merely request we bring him to a place where his screams cannot be heard easily, I shall aquire some answers, certainly. To inflict pain upon the wicked is no sin, after all." She brushed a hand along the backside of her sword, with an almost reverent movement. Her Katana was too large to make for any good torture acessoiry. She hoped this man didn't know that.
She actually avoided eye contact, but to not look weak decided to look around the estate just a little, as if to look for a good place to torture the poor gravedigger at.
 
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