1. Journals

Session 20: Inchoate Questioning

Session

Continued from Session 19: The Catch

The party had recently captured Amaro Barden, a servant dressed in the colors of House Fournius but who was not hired to be there at the Fournius Gala. Amos seeks some Vigilant advice from his sister Laybeth and grandfather Eli. Eli offers to rough the suspect up a little bit, but Laybeth's approach is more by the book. Amos opts to follow his sister's suggestions. He, Ren, and Meriel take Amaro—now officially declared a person of interest—downstairs to the ovens. Tor'in joins them, but not before quietly leaving a note with Lit'ta's weapons asking for a parley with her later.

Amos suggests to Amaro that he cooperate. Even though his boss Salan Cornys gave him a way to contact his barrister, Amos pointed out that the barrister would only watch out for the interests of Salan, not for Amaro. Amaro wasn't an entirely happy participant in the questioning, but he did not cause any problems, either. Amaro said he was twenty-seven years old, and had worked at the Dark Horse Den for three years, usually waiting tables or tending bar. He did agree that he did the occasional side jobs to help make ends meet. Amaro was asked to lift his sleeves and show his forearms, to see if he was the shapeshifting murderer. He hesitated briefly, but complied. He had a few scars that are more common with fighting than waiting tables, but did not have any signs of cutting himself for blood magic.

Amaro explained that Lady Zara fae'Fournius came to him for help, and met him yesterday afternoon around 3. She paid him 100𝔊 to help watch her. She said that she was fearful for her life, and wasn't sure if she could trust anybody in her House. She wanted Amaro to keep an eye on her, and insinuated that others would do the same. The group remembered that the time Amaro said he met Zara was the same time that they saw Zara during the Solari speech. Amaro said that Zara was wearing a fine blue dress for the meeting, but was not wearing any of the expensive perfume he normally associates with nobility. He did remember she was scratching her forearms. He had seen Zara before at the Dark Horse Den, as early as last week. Amaro said he was supposed to meet Zara, or her proxy, again tomorrow afternoon at a tavern called the Welcome Chill.

While Amaro was being interviewed, Tor'in went upstairs to confirm that Lady Zara had not talked to Amaro previously.

After talking to Amaro, the group decided that they would also be at the Welcome Chill. Amaro mentioned that there would be a code phrase the proxy would use so he would know who it was. Tor'in followed Amaro back to his flat in Darin's Folly to make sure nothing happened to him along the way.

Amos spoke to Zara next. She confessed that someone matching Braelyn's description was attempting to blackmail her. When Zara did not immediately agree, threats were made that Zara would be followed and there would be eyes on her at all times.

Continued in Session 21: Uncertain Insights.

Player Notes