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[h2][color=darkorchid][i][b]Victoria Belmont[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=9932cc]Half-Elf, Bard, Level 3[/color][/b][/i]
[color=9932cc][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 23 / 23	[color=9932cc][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 15	[color=9932cc][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] [url=https://i.ibb.co/hWRvhS4/Hay-Barn.jpg]The Hayloft[/url] 
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A 
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] [color=black]Morty[/color]
[color=9932cc][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A 
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/KW5Pyxx/Victoria-FC-3-II.png[/img][/right]
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	Victoria tried to smile at what she felt was misguided optimism on Kosara's part. Perhaps the Bard's sarcastic inflection which marked her earlier words did not present sharply enough, as to communicate the appropriate nuance. She debated taking the wiser course of action; that being keeping quiet and giving some sort of mysterious, half contemplative smile, but in the end just couldn't help herself. [color=9932cc]"In just a moment's reconsideration, I have no desire to spend half or more of my money on furnishings for a place that we're not going to be in for very long, and, you know - [i]isn't ours[/i]."[/color] Maybe it was the wine from earlier loosening her tongue. Or just irritation at the evening's events. Likely it was a combination of both. 

	She sighed, forcing her voice to soften as she responded to the Tiefling's expression of gratitude, [color=9932cc]"Sorry. And you're welcome."[/color] Victoria began to question her original assessment of how much wine she had consumed so far this evening. Maybe in hindsight, she could stand to have another glass before calling it a night, just to loosen up. But that did remind her that she had an announcement for the whole group, [color=9932cc]"The locals were..."[/color] She paused, trying to figure out the most appropriate phrasing,  [color=9932cc]"...kind enough to donate multiple bottles of wine to the ceremony. The bereaved were not interested in keeping them."[/color] For emphasis, Victoria stepped back to her small errand cart and nudged it with a foot. The bottles jostled just enough to give a short symphony of clinks and hollow ringing sounds audible from the ground level of the loft before falling back to silence. 

	By the time Victoria stepped back to the edge, overlooking the level below, Kosara was in mid-disrobe. The Half-Elf froze, her face flushing slightly despite her features refusing to show a difference of expression. When Victoria realized that she was beginning to stare, she quickly averted her gaze with a whisper of, [color=9932cc][sub]"...different lifetime..."[/sub][/color] and reacted to what was being said. [color=9932cc]"Municipal, um, Municipal Building. In my home city, it's used for matters of law, keeping records, taxes, and is a meeting place for city officials. Governing persons of the city. And for the Sheriff, town guard, so forth, to keep office. This is a small place and it's surrounded by farms, but, is the [i]Constable[/i] the only person of authority here, that he personally can shut everything else down? If - what was his name - Cavendish? If he's responsible for something, I doubt it's just him."[/color] Without proof, anything she said was going to be supposition. Conjecture at best. But it got her fairly agile mind working on something aside from its previous train of thought. 

	Thinking about things, she piped up, [color=9932cc]"And no, I haven't seen Hugh at all since I left for the funeral. If he isn't back by morning, I recommend we split up his gear and sell what we don't want for pocket money."[/color] Victoria's mind flashed back to their post-battle conversation much earlier that day, with the condescending vitriol he refused to let go. She didn't consider herself vindictive, though she might be wrong about that. Introspection wasn't how she made her living. 

	But to actual business, Victoria gave a listen to what Kathryn and Marita had to say. She gave a wry smile at the fact that the Cleric had withheld the paper she did until this point. She was glad to have the information, granted, but she couldn't help thinking that if it were [i]her[/i] with this information and she held it back, it would be for the purpose of holding an advantage of some kind. Marita didn't seem like she was as ethically flexible as Victoria, herself, though the smile suggested that the thought was being entertained at the very least. She was ready to address the points raised by her colleagues, but first felt the need to say, [color=9932cc]"Might we [i]please[/i] stop talking about the non-existent kitchen?"[/color] She looked around, honestly amazed that her act of sarcasm was a point of serious conversation. [color=9932cc]"So, I agree that the victims seem to come from different social strata. And those are just the ones that disappeared and [i]didn't[/i] come back. In any case, I really didn't learn anything of great value, I don't believe."[/color] She bobbed her head from side to side, mulling over her evening prior to coming to the Public House, and mentioned, [color=9932cc]"Cecily and Lizbeth have taken up in a boarding house near the Silversmith's place. Um, I'm not particularly fond of this fog, either. And one more thing, so long as it was brought up - When I was coming back from the cemetery, I did feel like I was being watched. I said nothing for fear of upsetting Mrs. L'Rose or Lizbeth, but it happened."[/color]