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[h2][color=FF6C5C][i][b]Marita Bärbel[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=FF6C5C]Human, Cleric, Level 3[/color][/b][/i]
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 18/18	[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 18	[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] The Infamous Pear
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A 
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Marita did her best to smile in return at Kosara's excitement. The infernal tongue was a curse on her existence and a mark of shame, but she didn't see it that way at all. From the way she spoke it was likely from a place of naivete, but at leas there was the small comfort that her second language could be spoken in a context unrelated to her past. That short-lived attempt at friendliness died when Hugh started yelling and making a scene again. Despite her best efforts it appeared as though she would not be able to smooth over the situation with the amount of courtesy at her disposal.

[color=FF6C5C]"I cannot undo the spell. It doesn't work like that. When you strike someone can you unpunch them? When you pour a drink onto the floor can you return it all to your cup? Can you return the words you speak to your mouth? There are spells where you must actively maintain their effects that can be consciously dropped; Zone of Truth is not one of them. If I had the capability I would have removed the spell as soon as I came to realize my mistake."

"You speak nobly of the right of self-determination, but by your words heavily imply that you are a killer. Zone of Truth does not compel behavior. While in the Zone you can think what you like. You can determine all the falsehoods you wish to speak, if you wish to only reveal part of the truth in a misleading fashion or whether or not you even wish to speak, as you have chosen when it comes to the topic of where and how you obtained your letter. All this area does is prevent you from speaking the lie. When you take a life, as you claim to be able to do so easily, that person did not decide to die. They can no longer determine anything, and you stripped that of them. For one who professes to detest arrogance, you sure think highly of yourself and speak with authority on matters of which you do not possess the knowledge. You broadcast it with every move you make and word you utter. You can breathe a sigh of relief because I have no desire to meddle with your sorry little mind. And unlike you, I will forgive you for acting like you know me and threatening cold-blooded murder."[/color]

Marita couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. She admitted she was at fault and did her best to explain succinctly how to mitigate the effects of the spell but he only doubled down on the insults and obscenities. On top of that he had to add low-key blasphemy onto the pile. It was like he was looking for reasons to be angry and add to a mental feedback loop of how right he was. Marita had hoped to quickly resolve the issue, but at this rate to prove her dedication she would have to resort to [i]that[/i] and she would really rather to avoid having to go to such extreme measures. Marita sighed before speaking up again.

[color=FF6C5C]"Anyways since we have almost everyone's stories on how they acquired their letters we can try to draw some conclusions. About half of us seem to have gotten letters meant for a specific person. Perhaps the original recipient of Kosara's letter threw it away of disinterest, or maybe that person she saw pass was the culprit behind this particular mystery, or they could simply have been another messenger. And in Victoria's case I suppose it could be interpreted either way as meant for her, or perhaps handing out letters to someone who looks like an adventurer."

"As the numbers play out, were I, Naivara and Ser Lucas the original three that Sheriff Gregory was trying to contact? Probably not, the nature of Victoria's message calls it into question as does Naivara's. If Alastor, Mona and Jorlton were still here we could ask them, but who knows where they're off to now. Depending on the answer, whoever is responsible for these extra letters were either handing them out haphazardly, or they have a very detailed information network to be able to determine our identities, where we were and who we trusted enough to be used as a contact. I'm inclined to believe it's the latter."[/color] Marita shifted in her seat and thought a moment more.

[color=FF6C5C]"Earlier Hugh"[/color] Marita spoke his name without injecting it with venom even though she really wanted to, [color=FF6C5C]"posited a hypothesis that the one sending the letters might be Gregory himself. I'm not so sure about that. While it is true that he possesses access to information most do not due to his position and background, he certainly would not likely know of me. I am not from this locality. I do not bill myself as an adventurer. I usually do not undertake these kinds of tasks and I'm not a troublemaker who has run-ins with the law. Furthermore, he appears to be a man of strong will, I don't think he would be susceptible to enchantment or mental unwellness to have been the one responsible for the current situation. That said, it still might be the case, and this entire mission has been compromised at every level. Until we can ask the man ourselves who his letters were intended to find, I think it best that we assume that every one of us had a false letter."

"Perhaps the most troubling question of all now is why us? If I was sending out false invitations to undermine an investigation, I wouldn't send the letters to the people here. There's too much experience at the table."[/color] The best she could hope for in regards to this infuriating question was that they'd be able to apprehend the culprit directly, or in an unfavorable environment, those reasons would become self evident.