4. Silvershield Estate

"That's some textbook," Aiwë chuckles. "Thorough and efficient. Rieltar and his ilk have certainly earned it." She takes another sip of tea.

"This is a really good blend, my Lord Duke. Do I taste notes of citrus?"

Aldous frowns at Dieter. "We're supposed to remain undetected for as long as possible, or risk Rieltar returning to the seat of his power in all his 'wizardly glory'. Barging in and killing everyone is hardly discreet."

He taps his chin with a finger. "Koveras was sure any incriminating documents would be on the top floor."

Entar puts his teacup down rather hard upon hearing Dieter's plan. "I wasn't aware we were sending brutish raiders for this task. It is meant to be covert."

At Aiwe's question he retrieves his cup and takes another, longer sip of tea. "I'm not sure, Aiwe, to be honest. I think it was imported from Cormyr, but you'd have to ask the head cook."

Dieter tried to laugh aswell

"The book of the dead - by Ragnar." Dieter answers
"It takes a certain reader. I’d also recommend his book ‘man-trapping; the ultimate game’

"What I am trying to say is that we remove the decision making process by making the decision now. If we have to take the time to think we lose the initiative.

We are entering the home of a Bhaalite cultist, what do you think will happen if we are captured?"

"I'll have to look those up sometime," Aiwë says with a smile.
"I shudder to think," Aiwë murmurs into her tea. She clears her throat. "But the Duke wants covert! Besides, we don't want Rieltar being alerted of our ruckus or he'll race home to find us, won't he?"

Stella nods, relieved at the Duke's and Aldous' support of covertness. "Then we turn invisible, enter on the second floor—Dieter climbing, the rest flying—sneak our way up to the fourth floor, and fight only when necessary to protect ourselves or to prevent someone from alerting others of our presence. Agreed?"

"Sure thing, girlie." Aiwë drains the last of her tea. "Anything else we need to talk about?"

"Then it’s decided" Dieter says.

Stella blinks and frowns. Did Aiwë want to get cornered, just so she could let loose? She had been through a lot, but...

Girlie? Had Aiwë ever called her that before? Come to think of it, had she ever called her just 'sister' before, instead of 'sister-girl'?

A thought strikes.

How long had Aiwë been alone with Koveras? He seemed confused and afraid but wasn't even phased by Aiwë's Hold Person spell. Was it because...he wasn't a humanoid?

Stella's eyes, stars still green with calculation, flick over to Dieter's and Aldous' arms, specifically looking for the cut they had made the night before. Then she looks for Aiwë's cut to see if it's still there, then down at her tea with a sinking feeling.

"Dieter, can you please stand watch by the door for a moment?" she asks, trusting he'll oblige.

"What's wrong, sister?" Aiwë puts a hand to her mallet and begins scanning the room for danger. Her 'blood pact' cut is covered with a bandage as it has been since yesterday.

Dieter pauses at the sudden request.

He walks over to the door and jams it closed then draws his sword. He stands facing the occupants.

Stella looks at Aldous, eye-stars teal, giving him an intense look with teal and orange eye-stars, then glances down at his wand and back up at him.

Stella sets down her teacup, grabs one of her tomes and stands, flipping through it. As she does, she silently summons Noctalia behind her chair. "Aiwë, can you please cut your arm? You were alone for a little while. We just need to be sure."

If she were Aiwë, she'd do it without hesitation. If she weren't, well...then they'd have either a fight or a chase on their hands. While they were all probably poisoned.

Dieter stiffens at Stella’s accusation.

What worried him is that he saw it too now.

"If you don't count your tiger, then yeah, I was. Thanks Aldous." Aiwë frowns. "Look, I know you don't trust me, but we've been over it. Can we not do this again in front of the Duke, please?"

"Do it" Dieter orders

Stella doesn't wait.

"Auroth! Bind." She summons a giant constrictor snake and it tries to wrap itself around Aiwë.

She commands Noctalia to go. She slips her antitoxin into the owl's talons and it glides over to the Duke. "Duke! Get back! And drink this antitoxin. I believe we've been poisoned!"

(If 21 hits, 'Aiwë' takes 11 bludgeoning damage and is restrained.)

(Auroth: AC 12, 60/60 HP)

"Really?" Aiwë hisses from her scaly constraints. "You attack me now? Fine! In the name of the Flaming Fist, you are all under arrest!"

Trusting these seasoned adventurers, Duke Entar immediately downs the antitoxin.

Sputtering at the taste, he raises his voice. "What is the meaning of this?! The Flaming Fist?"