War for the Crown Gameplay

"I doubt you would find much information about him if he didn't want it to be known, with him being such a powerful mage," Sarina comments. "Knowing of the schism is useful, though, and does help explain some of the Count's reaction on seeing his Aunt."

”That’s all I have. Is there anything in particular you want me to follow up on?” Laela asks.

"Nothing at the moment, just continue to filter through the rumors from Count Lotheed's estate, and let me know if anything interesting turns up," Sarina says. "I'll let you know if there's any new topics to look into as well. Now, I believe it's my turn," Sarina says, relating the details of the trip just taken to Laela, and the previous night's events.

Laela listens carefully, asking clarifying questions whenever a detail gets missed. ”The situations in Sotto and with Dame Crabbe are interesting, and I’d already heard some word from a merchant travelling from Sotto hailing you as heroes there. But Baron Telus’s situation does mean that you’ll effectively only be supervised by Count Lotheed for months - regardless of how his situation pans out the focus will be on his area.”

"Mhm. I'm sure an opportunity from that focus will present itself soon enough," Sarina agrees.

”I do notice that the Night Swan is a complication,” Laela hums. ”On one hand, them being at large gives you some cover to act disguised. On the other, they did threaten you.”

"Certainly true," Sarina says with a nod. "We'll have to see what further actions they decide to take. I imagine the events of last night will take their notice,"

”Without a doubt,” Laela agrees. ”Is there anything else?”

"That's all for now," Sarina says. "Let me know if anything new comes up, and I'll do the same for you."

After collecting taxes and rumours for the day, the rest passes without incident. However, the next morning, shortly after dawn, just as peoples’ morning routines happen, Athena bursts in the front door, carrying a crossbow bolt with a rolled up note attached to it. ”My lord and ladies,” she calls out loud enough to wake up anyone sleeping. ”This just appeared wedged between the stones at the back.”

Sarina is quick to shake the morning tiredness from her eyes, heading downstairs to see what the commotion is. "Let's see what the note says," she says, reaching out for the crossbow bolt.

Athena hands over the bolt. After unbinding the note, Sarina reads, That was quite the stunt with Lotheed’s dog. We should meet. Come to the forest off the south bank of Lake Lauchlein tonight. If I suspect a trap, I disappear. At the bottom, the note closes with the image of a black swan’s head.

"Oh, fantastic," Adelaide comments with a genuine smile, sipping her coffee.

"Thank you for delivering the note, Athena," Sarina says to the head guard. "We'll discuss it among ourselves." After Athena has left, Sarina begins, "Seems to me like we should attend this meeting with the Night Swan. I think the only question would be should only myself and Josie attend in disguise, or if it would be alright for all five of us to go."

”All of us, and not only because I very much want to meet her.” Sipping her coffee and setting the empty cup down, Adelaide crosses her arms. ”She already knows it was us that did it, given where the bolt was found, and the sooner she knows all five of us are with her the better.”

Josie nods, and tries to hurry through a yawn before continuing, "I agree. It would be weird to send two and then more show up later. Easier to just go all at once."

Sarina nods. "That's fine with me, just thought it should be brought up as an option."

Momo purses her lips. "I find this whole ordeal distasteful, but I suppose we may as well follow along. The Night Swan has far too much access to our grounds for me to feel comfortable not entertaining this."

"We prolly should meet 'er," Corey nods. "Daddy always said, the more ya know, the better ya can make decisions fer yerself."

That evening, just as the moon is rising, the group enters the forest. After about twenty minutes of walking towards the lake, a voice calls from up in the trees. ”No farther,” calls a smooth, refined, woman’s voice. Up in the trees, crossbow trained on the lead of the group, rests a figure clad in a long, black cloak with a black swan’s mask covering her face.

Sarina raises her hands nonthreateningly. "The Night Swan, I presume? It's nice to finally meet in person."

”I hope to say the same,” she lowers the crossbow and hops down off the tree. ”Why are you here? In Meratt. Don’t feed me the line about joint inheritance you told everyone at the Jubilee. If that were the case you’d be staying in your little corner of the county, not sticking your nose in every problem you find.”

"We have an interest in seeing Count Lotheed lose control of his estate, and thus, his control over the county of Meratt," Sarina says carefully. "Thus, the sticking out noses into every problem we find, and finding more problems where we can."

”Then why save him?” the Night Swan counters, directing the question to Josie. ”I had him dead to rights but for your intervention.”

A bit defensively, Josie replies, "We don't want him dead, we want him disgraced. Mostly because it's unsavory. But also, if he's dead, people can paint him up as a martyr or claim all sorts of things about his killer or successor. If he's dismissed because of his own actions, no one talks about him except to continue badmouthing him. And frankly, he deserves as little mention as history can allow."