[ CLOSED ] WAR TABLE: INVESTIGATE COMTESSE DE VELONEY

[comtessedevelony]

WHO: Herian, Anders, Issana, Velanna, Pam, Malcolm
WHAT: A series of disappearances in the Orlesian countryside has culminated in the vanishment of some of the Inquisition's own scouts. A team has been sent to investigate the estate of one Comtesse Eléonore Vaillant de Veloney.
WHEN: Over the span of 4 days in the 2nd week of Harvestmere.
WHERE: Estate of Comtesse Eléonore Vaillant de Veloney
NOTES: Trauma, gore, dark themes, homicide, pretentious wine usage, other things not labeled as to avoid spoilers.

Welcome to the Estate

It is a terrible misfortune, all these disappearances- but with a civil war on and all this strange Venatori and Red Templar activity- with the rifts in the countryside? People simply not appearing where they ought is a sad reality. Nothing to be done for it. That such an esteemed noblewoman has found herself unjustly accused simply due to her wealth and prosperity? Cannot stand. Comtesse de Veloney invited the Inquisition herself to investigate her manor and put the matter to rest- they are to be afforded all the cooperation and respect imaginable.

Even the mages. Even the elves.

They are met at the gate by a veritable delegation of footmen led by the Gardener and Tanner to see them inside and out of the stormy, dreary weather. Packs are secreted off to rooms (a lovely set of suites in the east wing if the Steward does say so herself), baths drawn (The Comtesse insists, it's been just dreadful and they've come all this way), and a lavish banquet prepared.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

He chuckles, looking off to the side for a moment. It's weird, and nice, and weirdly nice to hear people are taken with him. Even more weird when some of them are murder suspects. But right now Edgar, Narcisse, and the cook are very low on his list of who is likely responsible.

"Depending on how many cups, or bottles, he is in?" But it's mildly asked. "He seems a gentle soul, if a bit sloshed."

He gives Edgar's hand a gentle squeeze back. "So let's take our time in here, plucking flowers and talking." A beat. "Is there any interesting gossip you don't think we might have heard yet?"

[comtessedevelony]

"He never seems to be wholly sober- though I do wonder why he suddenly started drinking so much. It wasn't always like this- even Gabriella was a little more cheerful. Impossible to imagine, I know, but-" Edgar shrugs. "They're not miserable just. Different, now."

Six years and suddenly the bottle is so much more appealing than your woman. Odd.

"That depends on if you've spoken to Ignatia and her girls yet, she knows everything."

[justice_is_blond]

Gabriella. The butcher. The implication is there that Narcisse might know something and he's drinking more to deal with it. Anders files that away, frowning lightly for a moment.

"When did the drinking turn heavier? Because I've spoken with Ignatia, but I got my fortune told. Clearly I should have gone for gossip instead."

[comtessedevelony]

"Oh- about five, six years ago? She'd been here for two years and they fell in...whatever they'd been in after a few months. It was only an extra glass or so a day, but you know how it is. After awhile that's not enough so you have more. He hasn't made himself unfit or ill- we try to keep him away from anything dangerous and he's always as close to sober as far as we can tell when important guests are around." Narcisse does take his job very seriously after all.

Delicate twists of the wrist flick petals from the blossoms in rapid succession, not a single one bruised. "It was sudden, the shift in her mood. That was when she became surly and really began to have it in for Ignatia. If she were younger I'd have thought Gabriella assumed Ignatia was seducing him but- you've seen her? More like a grandmother than anything else. So there's more than petty jealousy at work there but- they work in different buildings and I work with Loupe more than with either of them. It doesn't affect me."

[justice_is_blond]

Narcisse with the butcher. Well that's something else entirely. If it's the butler at fault with Edgar and Clara, then it could make sense that Narcisse would drink more heavily. He's trying to ignore what's going on despite his heart? But why did it start then, five, six years ago, and not ten? What happened then?

"When you're not in the same building, it's hard to keep track of things. And you've a lover who isn't that conscientious to concern yourself about. I understand." Somewhat. Losing a child could account for drinking and surliness, but not murdering. Which is going to get Edgar caught up in the middle if he's innocent, and Anders feels sorry yet again for the perfumer. It can't be easy when the person you care about is caught up in something else and killing people.

"So. We've plenty of time to kill, you're not sure of the reason behind the moodshift... Pick a topic as we mess with Loupe?" ...Which might be a really dumb idea, considering where Ignacia put him on the scale of things, but Anders is good at having dumb ideas.