Meeting Mahuikaa
Log Info
- Title: Meeting Mahuikaa
- Emitter: Delilah
- Characters: Delilah, Donna, Ashes, Elyanna
- Place: W02: Wilderness
- Time: Monday, February 22, 2021, 8:33 PM
- Summary: They newly minted outlaw gang of Delilah, Donna, Ashes and Elyanna ride into the sunset, or more correctly perpendicular to it, for three days into the wilderness of Alexandros. They return to the sister's childhood protector, an elderly greenscaled Sith'Makar woman named Mahuikaa. She invites them in, and for dinner, and wants to hear the story. Delilah is still distraught so their tale is regaled by Donna and Elyanna, with some input from Ashes. Digging deeper, Mahuikaa or 'Ma' asks them to put together the pieces they have and see what's missing. They attempt to do so, and while there is some new information like the assassin that went after Donna the night before the execution, a lot is missing from the picture.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Donna 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A black-haired human girl in black robes. Delilah 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A golden haired human girl in white robes. Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face Elyanna 5'11" 153 Lb Half-Orc Female A grim, Arvek-blooded woman in raven feathers. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Mahuikaa Friendly Sith'Makar Female An elderly greenscale with grey tips matron -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Delilah 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A golden haired human girl in white robes. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
It has been three days since the execution.
After the first day, the need for extreme haste fell away, as the two sisters and two arvek put increasing distance between themselves and the city of Alexandria, with the twins sharing a horse -- a large, even tempered grey stallion, with a pair of white horses for Ashes and Elyanna. Delilah's had a change of clothes into a simple (and un-ruined) dress thanks to Donna's planning, and all of the chains but for four links dangling from the manacle on her right wrist have been filed off.
But that's more than alright by Delilah. Afterall, her head is still on her shoulders, and that's a win.
Late afternoon on the third day of travel sees the foursome arriving in a secluded clearing in the woods, on the edge of a waterfall, where the trees give way to a field of brightly colored flowers surrounding a moss-roofed cottage, built right up against the waterfall with an equally mossy waterwheel, creaking rhythmically as it turns. Smoke wafts from one of several mismatched chimneys, and a soft humming can be heard through the open windows.
Humming that stops not long after one of the horses whickers loudly; and a Sith Makar woman who's emerald green scales have gone a bit grey on the tips emerges striding out into the flowers to see who's come.
"Hello the house!" Donna calls, standing up in the saddle a bit, and raising a hand in greeting. "An' peace on your nest!"
Turning back to Ashes and Elyanna, Donna manages to actually smile for the first time in what feels like forever. "That's Mahuikaa," she says, as she starts to lever herself off the horse. "She's a sorceress, an' taught us how to survive out in th' world. We're safe here, an' we'll figure out what's what."
Ashes has a few spells from the Feiu of the Tears which makes the journey go a little better. Create Food and Water, Purify Food and Drink help a lot for both having food and eating things they naturally come across. While the Mourner isn't particularly 'woodsy', she seems to have a decent knowledge of nature and herbs even if her survival skills are minimal. There's lots to eat, although anything she hunts tends to be incinerated by her crossbow.
She also makes good on her promise to teach Elyanna how to ride. Largely by demonstration more than explanation. The ashen Arvec also advises her to stretch at the end of the first day. The hobkin is going to find muscles she never knew were there on the morrow. Ashes re-discovers hers as well. It's been some time since she's been in the saddle all day.
By the third, it's gotten a little nostalgic. Her heavy riding armour, all the trappings except her shield, it's like being in the cavalry again. She never did get her visor repaired, so she lifts it and holds it up when the Sith'makar woman is introduced. She stares, skull tattoo revealed once more. "Ok."
Then, "Hello."
Elyanna has come a fair ways on the road with Ashes's teachings. She sits the saddle much more a proper hob than her past forays, and while clearly pained from such unnacustomed length at first, she spared the waking world any bitching on the matter. To whit, any inquiries to any discomfiture were met with, "Pain means we are not dead, let us go."
She helped pass the time of empty miles with driving, occassionally uplifting cadences, mostly in Goblin, though she did some in Jotun and Yrch-speak as well.
Here, now, as they sisters lead the Arvek to their sanctuary, the hobkin straightens some in the saddle, more regaining her airs than any note of alarm on sight of the Sith. Her hands lift and draw the hood of her cloak back from her features, and she bows her head a touch, "Greetings."
The aged looking Sith lifts a hand in greeting, and breaks into a broad smile when she hears Donna's voice. "Well! There's a right pair that I haven't seen for far too long. You'd think with all the running around that adventurers get up to, you'd have had time to come and visit an old woman in her cottage." The chiding, of course, is more like teasing, as she wades her way through the flowers towards the horses. "But you've brought friends, and I'm surey ou've got interesting tales to tell, so you're forgiven of course. Please upon your nests, and welcome to mine."
At about this moment, Delilah hops down off the horse she's sharing with Donna, so she can help secure it and the other two; and before she can say anything (she was right about to), Mahuikaa's good cheer is replaced with a deeply oncerned look, upon catching sight of the manacles and the chain hanging from Delilah's right wrist. "Interesting tales to tell indeed it looks like," she observes. "Well, come inside, then. You must tell Mahuikaa everything."
"Okay," Ashes says, twisting and dropping out of her saddle. Despite her armour, her landing is oddly quiet. Her hand remains on the equine's shoulder, a couple quick pats and she ties her steed up. They will need a brush-down, but that can come later. Her visor closes, and the Mourner leaves it for now. A military step, her eerie aura, make her an intimidating presence. She moves over to Elyanna, in case she wants some assistance, holds her hand out. She's hoping the others will do all the talking.
Elyanna returns the Sith's welcome with a, "Thank you. Peace upon your nest." with a subtle awkwardness in her tone.
As Ashes moves to assist her down, she holds a hand out in a halting gesture, then swings a leg over to dismount, managing to mostly suppress the reflexive wince when her boot touches down and gently strokes her horses neck. She gives her friend a quizzical look, then pat-pats her beast's shoulder and draws him to a spot to tether.
The red woman watches the sisters for a moment or three, considers their hostess several more, then turns to whisper in Goblin to Ashes, "Did I do that right?"
"Yeah," Donna says, leading her horse to the nearest hitching post as well. "Sorry it hadda wait until things got bad before we visited again, Ma..."
As she secures the reins, she smiles at Elyanna and nods. Apparently the Arvek did, indeed, do it right. Once she and Ashes are led into the house, Donna nudges her sister and mimes wrapping up her wrist. "So yeah we're in trouble," the brawler says to the elder Sith. "I'll tell you the long form later, but the short version... Delilah got accused o' killin' a noble -- innocent, o'course -- an' we an' some others kinda stormed her execution to rescue her."
The piece of cloth that Donna had given Delilah to wrap up the stubborn bit of chain on her right wrist had, indeed, slipped; Delilah fixes it up quickly just to keep it from being noisy, but it's still there, of course. There's really no hiding it, it's not small chain.
"I'll let Donna and Elyanna and Ashes tell it to you," Delilah adds, waiting for Donna to head in before she follows. "They can probably tell it all a lot better than me. I spent pretty much the entire last couple of weeks in jail, looking at four walls and reading trashy romance." She pauses. "Well, aside from the part where I was... I... nevermind."
Delilahs cheeks turn the color of beets as Mahuikaa turns and fixes her with a look, but it quickly abates (the look, not the blushing).
The inside of the cottage is comfortable and cozy; there's a fire burning in a stone hearth making it comfortable for a Sith and maybe a touch too warm for everyone else, but not to the point of discomfort. The ceiling is a mite low; and the walls are lined with shelves full of books and scrolls and an assortment of curios. There's a polished wooden table with a half dozen chairs (none of which match) in the middle of a space that joins onto a kitchen, where Mahuikaa goes to rummage about. "Take a seat, all of you," she offers, pointing towards the table. "I'll be with you in a moment. Just need to decide how to make dinner for one feed five instead."
Ashes takes off her helmet and slips it into her satchel where it vanishes without a bulge. She moves over to an indicated seat and slides into it, then pulls the tattered bag onto her lap. The hut is nostalgic for her in a different way, she was raised with a witch, and the tight space and chock-a-block storage takes her back. She glances at the fire a few times, she's warmer than she'd like to be. She squeezes her lips together.
"Evidence was ignored at her trial. Her alibi, Ella, was compelled to lie because her son was kidnapped. The guards had it in for her. The judge was unconcerned about corruption and collusion." She looks over at Elyanna, then Donna. There were more details, but she's not sure which ones were relevant. "The regular guards were ok. The Knights acted like they owned justice."
Elyanna follows everyone in, giving the lodgings a once over. She shrugs her cloak back for the warmth of the place, and settles into one of the mismatched chairs.
"Certain of our compatriots were forced to withdraw when our only recourse ran counter to the law. Otheres were... seperated from us by the means of our getting Delilah off of the block." A look to the sisters, to Ashes, "We have heard nothing since."
"You don't have to--" Donna trails off, sighing. "Sorry for interrupting dinner, Ma... But, yeah. One of the adventurers helpin' us loaned me his cape, an' that let me teleport the three of us out of the scrum. Onea the regular Guard made sure our way in was unlocked, an' that got us to the scaffold. It... it was a really near thing, Ma. I think D's still got the lines on her neck, that's how close it came."
"The executioner was a Gnoll, and someone used..." She shrugs, "Mage hand, I think, to stop the axe just as it broke my skin." She pauses, "Norrington tried after that with his sword, but someone stopped that too, just before it hit me." She plops down into a seat since one is offered, and lets out a degree of tension that she didn't realize she'd been saving up. This does necessitate drying her eyes as they mist up a bit.
Mahuikaa continues to rummage about in the kitchen; after a couple of minutes she approaches the table as well, with a bucket full of potatoes and carrots and some other assorted roots, that she tips out on the table between Donna and Delilah. She sets the bucket on the floor at their feet, and puts a couple of short knives within reach. Then she's back to the kitchen, and returns to take a seat beside Delilah, with a large bowl full of an assortment of wild mushrooms.
"Hush, dear," the old Sith whispers, patting Delilah on the shoulder. "Let the others tell it. You are safe here -- you all are -- and you don't have to retell something painful and fresh yourself." As she starts sorting the mushrooms into two piles, she looks back up between Donna, Ashes, and Elyanna. "So. Framed for killing a noble, and badly but the trial ignored it, the guards are honest but the knights are not, Delilah's alibi -- who is this Ella? -- lied in court with her child as leverage against her; seems like a lot of effort to make it look like Delilah was the murderer."
"Merek." Ashes says, all her words flat and even. "Merek stopped it the second time. He stayed behind to save Boshter."
The ashen Arvec gazes at the elderly Sith'Makar, and nods. "Bethany's family said they were concerned about her murderer but weren't interested in finding the real one. Her pregnant sister was hysterical at the suggestion Delilah didn't do it."
"I suspect the murderer wanted Bethany dead and Delilah framed. That should be a small group." The ashen Arvec stares at the piles of mushrooms, although she doesn't move to do anything with them.
Elyanna watches ths interplay between the Sith and sisters, considering things and then, "The sister could be the hidden hand." she muses, "For lines of succession, or, perhaps competition for a mate."
Perhaps Norrington was someone's Eliday thing?
Like Ashes, the hobkin doesn't make movements to meddle with the workings of food, though she watches curiously, "Somehow, it seems there was at least some involvement of someone in Charn."
Peeling potatoes is like taking a punch; once you figure out the trick, it's easy no matter how much you don't really want to do it. As soon as the knife is set down, Donna has her gauntlets off, and ribbons of tuber skin fall into the bucket. "The night before the execution," she says, "an assassin tried to jump me. All I managed to get outta him before I let 'im go was, Delilah *was* set up. By someone with enough money to hire more'n one to set this whle mess up, too." Loosing a long, slow sigh, she settles back in her chair. "Like as not there's a price on our heads... Mind if we shelter here for a bit, while we figure out-- dammit. Sorry, Ma... This's Ashes," she says, nodding at the skull-faced Arvek, "an' Elyanna." This, with a nod to the bard. "If it weren't for them an' the others, D wouldn't be alive right now."
"Yeah, I'd be a good twelve inches shorter, too," Delilah confirms. "That's... why I'm manacled. Donna manag--" She trails off, suddenly aware of the look she's receiving from Mahuikaa, and her cheeks flush red again. "Sorry," she mumbles, and picks up the other short knife in one hand and a carrot in the other, to add orangy ribbons to the potato-colored ones that Donna is making a pile of in the bottom of the bucket.
"Elyanna," nods the elderly Sith, "And Ashes. I am *very* pleased to meet both of you. You are safe and welcome here, and I invite you to stay as long as you like; and thank you for saving my Twins, I will be eternally grateful." She holds up a mushroom for a closer inspection in better light, and mutters something about 'not for eating' and puts it in one of the piles.
"So. Someone wanted this Bethany dead, and wanted our Delilah to be the one who's head rolls for it. I suppose if you are going to commit one murder, then two or three isn't much different, and getting someone else to take the blame for you is... sensible, in a fashion." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "So, talk it through. Who was Bethany, and why pick Delilah to take the blame for her death? Surely there were a host of people who could have been chosen."
"A noble." Ashes says, turning to look at Elyanna who has a better pedigree, even if she has no more knowledge of Alexandrian noblity than the Mourner. Her attention turns back to Makuikaa, "Seldan investigated Bethany's family. I don't know what he found out."
"Bethany owed Delilah money and kept weaseling out of it. She also kept involving Norrington." She explains further, "I wasn't there to see that. I only met her when she was dead, and then not properly."
Ashes prefers a good twelve to twenty four hours vigil with the dead person to properly become acquainted.
"You are kind to offer, thank you." the Hobkin replies with a bow of her head, then looks to Ashes, "I saw one occurance, a year ago. Norrington was not there, that time." her eyes return to the Sith and she adds, "Allegedly, the family did not want her body thoroughly investigated. not for poison, nor for other possible causes of death."
"I keep wantin' to say it's family," Donna muses. "I just dunno if Bethany was s'posed to inherit anythin'. If she is... well, sister's my first thought. Either way... Yeah. Bethany lost some money at cards to D, an' hadda be forced by law to pay up. An' there's this Knight Captain, Norrington... *Also* lost money to D--" Pausing, she blinks, turning to her sister. "Maybe try dice from now on? Might be as you get money at cards, but..."
"I win money at dice, too," Delilah points out. "And it's not *my* fault if when I'm playing against the boys they're not paying attention to their cards 'cause they're too busy... staring... y'know." She puts a carrot next to the pile she's been creating, and selects the next one, lopping off the top and bottom before going to work on peeling. "I mean, I don't know what Bethany's problem with me was in particular, it's not like I'm the only person to ever beat her at cards."
Mahuikaa has a little nibble off the side of a mushroom she apparently couldn't decide on, and puts it in the apparent 'eat' pile. "So," She muses, "You should start a list of questions that need to be answered, then. Who had the money in Bethany's family seems certainly to be one of them, yes? And if it was Bethany who either had it or stood to inherit it, it would seem strange that she'd get that upset about losing a little bit of it to Delilah. So." She settls back in her chair, after putting the 'to eat' mushrooms back in the bowl. "What else? You don't have the answer yet; start by working out what you've overlooked?"
"Lady Bethany was not a boy." Elyanna replies absently. There's a soft sigh through her nose, "The scene was cleaned to an extent. The methods of the killer were too out of joint. The trial was hastened, and the original magistrate replaced." A shrug, "The Madame knew Ella had been put under duress, before she met Delilah."
Ash nods to each of the questions Mahuikaa raises, staring at her. She can't stare as well as a Sith'makar, but makes a good attempt. Her ears dip a little. "I don't know. We asked the guards, they said these questions were fully investigated. There wasn't time before the trial. After we were prevented from asking; it would be harassing the family."
The Mourner stares a bit more, "The family didn't like my testimony. They didn't want to see us. Silverguard Seldan may have looked into it. We couldn't."
"Norrington delivered the writ to set Delilah's court date with Bethany for the money owed. She was killed the night before. He moved up her trial date." Ashes adds, "he has a vendetta. He seemed to dislike Bethany, I'm not sure about her sister. I am not sure he is behind it though. He seems idiot enough he may be played also."
"Ella bein' a night-girl D spent some time with, before Bethany turned up dead. We were s'posed to be goin' before the Magistrate, cos Bethany got Norrington to serve us a summons, accusin' us of bein' threatenin' an' taking money we didn't have a right to. Norrington... Iunno why, but, he's been convinced we never shoulda set foot in Alexandria from day one."
Shaking her head, she tosses another embaldened potato onto the pile. "We *thought* he just had it out for D because he lost to her at cards, but... Unno. It's weird. It was always D he tried to get into trouble, was one point he tried to *hire* me to be a Guard. Said it was the only way I'd ever see D, after he shut her up in jail forever."
Ashes is nearly convinced she should never have set foot in Alexandria as well. She left Blar for a bunch of reasons, largely the militaristic attitude and the insistance that everyone follow the rules, all the time. Despite her naturally regimented mind, she's not all that organized and prefers to come up with her own methods. The Vardama Temple in Blar suggested she might enjoy the more 'relaxed' attitude of the Alexandrian branch.
"The family's magistrate was a Mul'niessa and throwing a lot of magic around at Delilah's execution. Godswin seemed off the hook as well. The two of them could have done it. The wounds suggested two attackers. Perhaps they're using Norrington as a patsy. He was adamant his Knight Lieutenants brought the crime to him, and he signed off their inadequate investigation."
She thinks about things a bit, then corrects herself, "No. It was the court's halfling scribe."
Things are a bit muddier, again.
