Session 05

Shadows

The AC meet with the JIRA contact within the Kerrygold family. The encounter takes place in the dead of night, near a well just outside one of the many palace entrances.

Sanmeria disguises herself as best she can [A Thousand Faces] to avoid whomever they are about to meet from recognising her as the long lost Kamaria Kerrygold.

Usul and Wilson run point, scouting the area [Look Around] ahead of the other companions. The small plaza is deserted, the buildings surrounding it are dark and silent, and the guard that would usually stand at the palace portcullis seems to be conveniently distracted by a harlot.

As they reach the well at the center of the plaza, a figure appears from the shadows of an alley and approaches them. Sanmeria instantly recognises her [Recall Lore] as Felìcita, an old pocket-mouse that worked as housemaid for her family ... one that her mother seemed to never approve of.

Felìcita gives the AC useful intel on their target, Heleesa. A gambling event in a few days, outside of palace grounds and scrutiny (and approval), will see Dandelion present. Surely Heleesa will be there to cheer for her champion. Also, her only protection will be the single guard she has entrusted to keep her secrets ... Darren Whitefall, Dayne's brother!

Usul presses the housemaid for her motivations [Read Someone] and learns that the jerboa are not the only blood in Cheddarwood that is treated as pariahs. Pocket-mice seems to have it bad too, and they too harbour resentment.

While the meeting draws to an end and the AC are going away, Sanmeria lingers a moment more near the housemaid and, shockingly, reveals her true identity to Felìcita... leaving the old mouse speechless and confused.

Plans in motion

Later the same night, the AC reconvene in their hideout to plan the kidnapping that has to happen in just two days. They agree that information will be the key to success.

Sanmeria and Cedric set out immediately to scout the area of the upcoming gambling event to learn more about it, it's participants and the overall organisation and security. They are successful [Legwork + Intervene] and in just a few hours they learn a great deal about the Inn of the 12 Rows, the annual competition taking place there, it's recurring participants, the prize, etc.

The day after Usul instructs the newly formed and freshly ready "Midges" (the relocated orphans from Maple Tunnel) to find info about the current whereabouts and situation of Darren: ex city guard and now palace bodyguard. Rob, the older of the kids, accepts the charge and already offers a few info: apparently Darren was a violent and abusive city guard they all hated. Rob also mentions Darren's old address.

Surprise!

Usul decides to quickly take a look at Darren's place. Posing as a mail-mouse he learns from the neighbours that the small house is still owned by Darren, but that in the past year or so he seldomly spends time home.

To gain access without raising suspicion and alarms [Take a Risk] Usul sends Wilson to find an entry point and open a way in. The little spider eagerly disappears on the roof, only to reappear a few minutes later from a first story window, now open. But while Usul is climbing up to it, someone grabs the spider from inside the house!

Accelerating the climb, Usul ends up in a room to face Darren. For some reason he was home, although everything was closed and quiet, suggesting otherwise.

To justify his invasion in a way that hopefully would not alert Darren of any impending danger to Heleesa, Usul comes up with a bogus threat based on his knowledge [Recall Lore] of local crime/guard dynamics and players. This way the assault would seem like a banal squaring off between a resentful small-time pimp (some Don Biffero) and an ex city guard with an unpleasant track record.

Violence soon ensues [Brawl]. As a result of it Wilson is freed, Usul gets a superficial wound on his flank, and Darren ends up tangled with a chair. The brief respite allows Usul to eye [Look Around] an interesting object: a map of the countryside surrounding Cheddarwood with a bunch of locations marked.

To avoid further harm [Take a Risk] Usul grabs the map and bolts back out from the window whence he came, leaving Darren angry and screaming.

Midges Fly Around

Alone in his isolated apartment in the tree, Dayne is visited by Freddy with a message from Falìcita. She wants him to know about an old Kerrygold counsellor named Alford which has recently been at odds with the Patrician's way of government. He might know something about the Whitefall's tragedy...

Later on, the AC are waiting for Usul in their hideout.
Meanwhile young Rob breaks the formal Guild protocols to deliver some info about Darren, appearing unannounced at their doorstep. This causes a bit of a ruckus, earning the too eager mouse a stern scolding. The info is precious though, as it reveals the name of a past love/interest ... Daisy, a prostitute employed at The Tamed Filly.