Dima is going to remark on this out loud, noting the extreme scarcity of good leaders, let alone good leaders who manage to be decent people.
<.>
Also, Faolan hasn't recoiled from the touch, and in fact seems more present each time he glances at Dima.
<.>
Dima is going to keep his hand where it is, and begin to give a slow and pressured back-and-forth brushing of his thumb. He's trying to be reassuring (comforting) without imposing too much presence on Fae; he wants Faolan to know Dima is here, and both aware of and sympathetic to Fae's unease.
Dmitri will remark that the handkerchief may possibly belong to Calabra's wife or daughter.
Rin is dividing the coin into equal shares, and toss the remainder in the pouch into the bag of holding, calling it their 'party fund.'
<.>
The first letter—
My Lord, At your command, we have withdrawn to the borderlands and await further instruction. Forgive me my forwardness, but there is much confusion about this decision and I have no answers to offer my men. Perhaps some small explanation of your plans would go far to assuage them. - L. Hillcarver, Gen
The second letter—
D- I am pleased to hear of Nephela's eagerness to be wed; she has been nothing if not cold to all prior suitors and I began to fear she might see spinsterhood. I have no doubt you will please her in every way, as a good husband must. I will remind you, my friend, of the concerns I expressed in my previous letter, as well as the need to maintain strict silence about this union until Zara marries. You have my oath on this: if, in one year's time, Zara has yet to make a match, I will give Nephela to your stewardship, that you may enjoy her delights as you will. In two years' time, regardless of Zara's nuptials, I will see you and Nephela wed and on that day shall proudly name you my son. Know that Nephela pines for you, often calling out your name in the midnight hours, seemingly in states of misery and joy. She lives for your letters, though I must wonder what you write that causes her to blush so. Continue your correspondence as you will; what pleases Nephela pleases me. - U
The third letter—
Calabra, I know what you're up to, you godsdamned ratfuck scraper. I'll smile as they shell you from the feet up and feed you your own bastard hide. You won't get away with this. - Jannos
<.>
qs! -would dima have some sense of what 'the borderlands' might refer to? -does he recognize the name 'l. hillcarver' -has dima ever encountered nephela, and if so, when did he last see her? -is zara the older daughter? -does dima recognize the name jannos?
<.>
The borderlands refers to the borders between territories, which, rather than a line, tend to be more like five to ten mile stretches of forest, or a river or some other natural feature. Make a history check for Hillcarver The last time Dima would have encountered Nephela was when she was ten or so, before Calabra began arguing for taxation on the canal. Zara is the older daughter And make a history check for Jannos.
[HIST for hillcarver: 10 HIST for jannos: 15+ with Bardic Inspiration from Sen]
Dima recognizes Jannos as 'Jannos Stonehand', on the council of Merchant Lords of Mysos. He's a rough-spoken dwarf whose father was among one of those who hewed the Canal; Jannos is currently involved in establishing trade routes to points south.
Hillcarver's a big ol blank. For Sen and Fae, too.
So, while this is going on, Sen is idly spinning the miniature in its frame on the table. He stops it mid-spin with a single finger to its center and looks oddly at Rin. "Where did you say you found this?"
<.>
"Oh! It was in one of the trunks. Closed and unlocked and—" They think. Think. "...Shit, Sen. It was in the guard's trunk. I think? This shirt was in there too." They toe said shirt toward Sen.
<.>
Sen blinks, then turns the miniature so it's upright from his perspective. "Now, why would this be in the guard's trunk? My supposition - from the strong resemblance - is this is one of his daughters."
<.>
Rin helpfully remarks that they sure hope there aren't a lot of Calabra-looking people in the world. Because it'd be miserable for those people of course because of how much Calabra sucks.
Dima would like another look at the portrait, though he's nodding: "I take that as a logical conclusion.
"And the question, of course, is which daughter. And whether Calabra knows of the guard's - Torrio's - apparent interest— if interest it is."
[q: does the baron of Riversdown have any children? a: Yes, a son around 11 years of age.]
<.>
Sen slides the portrait over to Dima; meanwhile, Faolan is reaching for the as-yet unopened box.
<.>
Dima is going to look at the portrait. He'll look for any signs of marking or writing on it, and while he's at it, try to discern how recent the portrait is and whether the clothing tells anything about which daughter this is.
[PERC: 8; There are no identifying features that Dima can pick out.]
And is going to hand the portrait back to Sen, shaking his head. It's been too long since he saw Calabra's daughters, and they were never really worth his noting.
<.>
Sen will just pass that back to Rin for safekeeping.
<.>
[q: has dima heard rumors regarding calabra's intentions to marry off his daughters or people who seemed particularly keen on getting on that marriage train? a: Y u p. Zara in particular. q: what rumors pls? a: Namely what's in the letter: both daughters have been quick to reject suitors. He's probably also heard a lot - a LOT - of men express interest in marrying them, a handful of women as well.
And there's also a pretty salacious rumor about the way Calabra talks about the girls. Or stemming from. He speaks very openly about their attributes and also in not-that-coded language about their sexuality / what other men will enjoy about them.]
Dima has not been prone to giving much credence to this rumor. Though he's not not thinking about that monogrammed handkerchief.
Dima is ps reading the letter again, brow very furrowed. Dima is inclined to take the words in this letter as embellishment... But. It is very mm interesting. Either way.
no subject
<.>
Also, Faolan hasn't recoiled from the touch, and in fact seems more present each time he glances at Dima.
<.>
Dima is going to keep his hand where it is, and begin to give a slow and pressured back-and-forth brushing of his thumb. He's trying to be reassuring (comforting) without imposing too much presence on Fae; he wants Faolan to know Dima is here, and both aware of and sympathetic to Fae's unease.
Dmitri will remark that the handkerchief may possibly belong to Calabra's wife or daughter.
Rin is dividing the coin into equal shares, and toss the remainder in the pouch into the bag of holding, calling it their 'party fund.'
<.>
The first letter—
My Lord,
At your command, we have withdrawn to the borderlands and await further instruction.
Forgive me my forwardness, but there is much confusion about this decision and I have no answers to offer my men. Perhaps some small explanation of your plans would go far to assuage them.
- L. Hillcarver, Gen
The second letter—
D-
I am pleased to hear of Nephela's eagerness to be wed; she has been nothing if not cold to all prior suitors and I began to fear she might see spinsterhood. I have no doubt you will please her in every way, as a good husband must.
I will remind you, my friend, of the concerns I expressed in my previous letter, as well as the need to maintain strict silence about this union until Zara marries. You have my oath on this: if, in one year's time, Zara has yet to make a match, I will give Nephela to your stewardship, that you may enjoy her delights as you will. In two years' time, regardless of Zara's nuptials, I will see you and Nephela wed and on that day shall proudly name you my son.
Know that Nephela pines for you, often calling out your name in the midnight hours, seemingly in states of misery and joy. She lives for your letters, though I must wonder what you write that causes her to blush so.
Continue your correspondence as you will; what pleases Nephela pleases me.
- U
The third letter—
Calabra,
I know what you're up to, you godsdamned ratfuck scraper. I'll smile as they shell you from the feet up and feed you your own bastard hide. You won't get away with this.
- Jannos
<.>
qs!
-would dima have some sense of what 'the borderlands' might refer to?
-does he recognize the name 'l. hillcarver'
-has dima ever encountered nephela, and if so, when did he last see her?
-is zara the older daughter?
-does dima recognize the name jannos?
<.>
The borderlands refers to the borders between territories, which, rather than a line, tend to be more like five to ten mile stretches of forest, or a river or some other natural feature.
Make a history check for Hillcarver
The last time Dima would have encountered Nephela was when she was ten or so, before Calabra began arguing for taxation on the canal.
Zara is the older daughter
And make a history check for Jannos.
[HIST for hillcarver: 10
HIST for jannos: 15+ with Bardic Inspiration from Sen]
Dima recognizes Jannos as 'Jannos Stonehand', on the council of Merchant Lords of Mysos. He's a rough-spoken dwarf whose father was among one of those who hewed the Canal; Jannos is currently involved in establishing trade routes to points south.
Hillcarver's a big ol blank. For Sen and Fae, too.
So, while this is going on, Sen is idly spinning the miniature in its frame on the table. He stops it mid-spin with a single finger to its center and looks oddly at Rin. "Where did you say you found this?"
<.>
"Oh! It was in one of the trunks. Closed and unlocked and—" They think. Think. "...Shit, Sen. It was in the guard's trunk. I think? This shirt was in there too." They toe said shirt toward Sen.
<.>
Sen blinks, then turns the miniature so it's upright from his perspective. "Now, why would this be in the guard's trunk? My supposition - from the strong resemblance - is this is one of his daughters."
<.>
Rin helpfully remarks that they sure hope there aren't a lot of Calabra-looking people in the world. Because it'd be miserable for those people of course because of how much Calabra sucks.
Dima would like another look at the portrait, though he's nodding: "I take that as a logical conclusion.
"And the question, of course, is which daughter. And whether Calabra knows of the guard's - Torrio's - apparent interest— if interest it is."
[q: does the baron of Riversdown have any children?
a: Yes, a son around 11 years of age.]
<.>
Sen slides the portrait over to Dima; meanwhile, Faolan is reaching for the as-yet unopened box.
<.>
Dima is going to look at the portrait. He'll look for any signs of marking or writing on it, and while he's at it, try to discern how recent the portrait is and whether the clothing tells anything about which daughter this is.
[PERC: 8; There are no identifying features that Dima can pick out.]
And is going to hand the portrait back to Sen, shaking his head. It's been too long since he saw Calabra's daughters, and they were never really worth his noting.
<.>
Sen will just pass that back to Rin for safekeeping.
<.>
[q: has dima heard rumors regarding calabra's intentions to marry off his daughters or people who seemed particularly keen on getting on that marriage train?
a: Y u p. Zara in particular.
q: what rumors pls?
a: Namely what's in the letter: both daughters have been quick to reject suitors.
He's probably also heard a lot - a LOT - of men express interest in marrying them, a handful of women as well.
And there's also a pretty salacious rumor about the way Calabra talks about the girls. Or stemming from. He speaks very openly about their attributes and also in not-that-coded language about their sexuality / what other men will enjoy about them.]
Dima has not been prone to giving much credence to this rumor. Though he's not not thinking about that monogrammed handkerchief.
Dima is ps reading the letter again, brow very furrowed. Dima is inclined to take the words in this letter as embellishment... But. It is very mm interesting. Either way.
<.>