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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] Neil & Bob's Public House
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] [color=black][i]Morty[/i][/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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	Twice now, the incident right in front of the Public House's doorway was brought back up. Victoria gave half a moment's worth of time to mentally address the event in question, her feelings on it, and a quick ponder as to what she might have done differently. It wasn't the first time that a group of drunken locals prevented her from going somewhere and insisted upon getting [i]certain physical attentions[/i] before [i]maybe[/i] letting her by. Maybe she should have called for help from her associates inside, if they might have heard her. Perhaps she should have run away. Victoria was fairly spry. But no, she opted to dip into her lesser magics and play up a connection to necrotic powers to frighten the reprobates into leaving her alone. Did she go too far? To Victoria's mind, debatable. Considering the lower profile for which they might have opted, this turned into a solid maybe. But she refused to give any reaction, positive or negative, to either of the two who had brought this up except to give a tiny, sarcastic upturn to the corner of her mouth, followed by a sip of her tea. Arguing seemed counterproductive. Curiously, she tried to put herself in the shoes of either of these other two women, wondering how they might have handled it. Probably with something that played to their strengths. 

	 Now, the idea of planning [i]did[/i] seem like a decent way to use their time of rest, so long as it didn't get too animated or involved. A bit of downtime would do her less good than it would some of the others, owing to the particulars of her spellcasting, but one was foolish to not take advantage of a quiet moment when the opportunity presented itself. The particulars of the plan, embryo stage though it was, did not ultimately set to her tastes. Not a great strategist by any stretch of her fertile imagination, she did nevertheless have a thing or two to input. [color=9932cc]"Remind me again,"[/color] she said after a time, [color=9932cc]"who first brought up setting the Municipal Building aflame? I mean, we could, but what else is in there?"[/color] Be it profit or innocents on her mind, she didn't reveal. [color=9932cc]"And what if it spreads? Last resort, then?"[/color] Victoria did not wish to openly discredit the idea and trample on anyone's participation, yet at the same time thought the idea needed to be shelved, and fast. 

	[color=9932cc]"Nor am I against setting a trap; less chance of getting hurt than a frontal assault."[/color] Victoria then sighed. As a Bard, it was her duty to bolster and raise morale, but her mind kept finding the possible negative consequences of the potential plan. [color=9932cc]"I should imagine that our enemy possesses advantage with both numbers and home territory. Laying a trap (though I must admit that the bait [i]is[/i] sterling) runs a risk of being reversed, it seems to me. But I like this better than arson. For now."[/color]

	Victoria leaned back in her chair and picked up a more or less respectable piece of fruit. [color=9932cc]"And here's the harder part - for me anyway: This Township is a gem among the rural places of the world, truly it is. And Cavendish must answer for his misdeeds. So if we are going to do something about it, whatever course of action we choose, we must be committed. As far as our contract with the Sheriff is concerned, we have already fulfilled its terms. There is no dishonor in returning with this knowledge, collecting our pay, and moving on."[/color] The Bard glanced around the room, really observing everyone within her field of vision before continuing, [color=9932cc]"I have reasons for wanting to stay. Personal reasons that revealed themselves to me just last night. But I cannot do much on my own, and I fear that something bigger than Wererats growing their numbers is happening."[/color] She shrugged, shaking her head to display a functional lack of knowledge and some exasperation at this realization. 

	The thought crossed her mind, fleeting though it was, that if she were more powerful in her craft she could use the cemetery outside of town to quell the problem readily enough.

	As an afterthought, Victoria did address a question left by Kosara: [color=9932cc]"Oh, the L'Roses are in a Bed & Breakfast a few doors down from the Silversmith, near the bridge over the river."[/color] She settled into a sort of knowing smile at the statement. [color=9932cc]"Lovely people, the L'Roses."[/color] One hand strayed to a pouch on her belt, lightly rattling the contents within. [color=9932cc]"I suggest that we escort them away from this place when it is safer to travel."[/color]