Hello, Everyone!
Last time, we got down from the cloud palace of Francesca Findabair and landed back in Zerakas tol. A 1st level bard tried to duel Aurum (which was hillarious and pretty pathetic) and then we had a dinner with the Lavores. In the middle of the meal, Mary got a feeling she hadn't had for a while – her Patron Gillean was calling for her. She excused herself and went out of the dining room.
Outside, in the hallway, Mary read Gillean's message.
he had written. "I was busy."
She felt frustration rise in her chest. Oh, was he busy? While she was being lied to and betrayed by the person she'd trusted like a friend? He could have watched over her, he could have protected her!
(or at least told her that he was alright. She’d thought he was hurt... or DEAD, for Ioun's sake!)
Well, Mary thought. I'm busy, too.
She shut her Book and looked around. She didn't want to go back to the others, but she didn't want to go to the guest room either. There was something bothering her ever since they arrived in Zerakas tol, and she was going to investigate it now, while everyone was busy.
Until now, Mary had been fine with all of Aurum's conquests. They were a one-time thing – he’d just have fun with them, and then he'd be back to the group. But Reina was different. He'd had so much time with her! He'd kept on talking about her weeks after he'd left her behind!
He'd come back to her.
Bruno and Agatha thought Mary was just jealous, but they were wrong. Yes, she was aware that Aurum was pretty charming, and she'd felt her heart flutter a few times around him. But he was, before everything else, her friend.
And if there was something she cared more than anything in the world, it was looking out for her friends.
Mary didn't trust Reina. That woman was too perfect. Like she was designed to fulfil every one of Aurum's desires. Using her womanly wiles and her deep coin purse, she could easily manipulate him, separate him from the only people who could protect him from harm.
He couldn't be trusted to suspect her. Bruno and Agatha were taking the situation as a joke. It was up to Mary to find out the truth.
And, if it turned out that there was nothing to be worried about, she'd step back and let Aurum have his fun.
It was not like she cared.
The door of Reina's room was locked. That was suspicious. Why would she lock the door in her own home? What was she hiding?
Mary looked through the keyhole and Misty Stepped to the other side.
The room was just as it had been when they arrived. The four-poster bed, the door to the closet, the table full of spell components…
(The library…)
It wouldn't hurt to check out Reina's library. Who knew what she was hiding on those shelves! She didn't want to let Mary browse them, under the pretence that they wouldn't interest her. But what if it was because she was hiding some awfully evil books in there?
Mary browsed the titles. There were a few fictional novels on the shelves, as Reina had said. There were also books of spells and alchemy. One of them attracted Mary's attention. It was about astral projection – the ability to send your consciousness away from your body. Mary hadn't been able to find any books on this subject during all their travels so far. She thumbed through the pages and imagined herself putting the tome in her Bag of Holding.
(But she didn't. She wouldn’t take another person’s books, no matter how much she didn't like said person.)
So, there was nothing too suspicious among the books. Mary blinked into her Eldritch Sight and took a second look. Yes! There it was! The glow of illusion magic on the top shelf!
So, Reina was hiding something!
Mary couldn’t find a ladder or something else to climb on, but she made sure to remember the exact place of the illusion. There could be a chance to look at it later.
She turned around to check out Reina's nightstand. The woman had been writing in some kind of a diary when they teleported to her room. It was a far reach to think that she would record any evil plans inside, but it could prove useful to check it out anyways. Wouldn’t it be awesome to return to the others with proof that Mary had been right all along?
The diary didn't have a lock like Mary's journal but it was glowing with abjuration magic. She opened it and gave out a quiet ‘huh!’ All the pages were blank.
Just then, a key clicked in the lock and the door started opening.
Oh, no! Is our dear Mary about to get caught? That wouldn’t be great. Also, do you think that Reina is, indeed, hiding some kind of a dark secret? What could it be?
See you next time when we'll try to find out!
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide, the Glossaries (Part 1 and Part 2)
and the Map for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: Mary Windfiddle's story is my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum, Bruno and Agatha) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.