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[h2][color=darkorchid][i][b]Victoria Belmont[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=9932cc]Half-Elf, Bard, Level 5[/color][/b][/i]
[color=9932cc][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 33 / 33	[color=9932cc][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 16	[color=9932cc][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] Coach House (Roof) -> Coach House (Random) 
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] Skill Check (Investigation)
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] [color=dimgray][i][b]Familiar[/b][/i][/color] stuff, [color=black][b]Morty[/b][/color]
[color=9932cc][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] Ow.
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/ZzgLdXRt/Victoria-Alt-8-ss2.png[/img][/right]
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	The steady tap-tap-tap of Victoria's boots upon the wooden floor of the Coach House, followed by the almost equally steady clop-clop-clop of her thrall's smoky hooves. They reached the top of the stairs, prompting the slightest pause from the Bard that she may address her powerfully strong, Knightly companion, [color=9932cc]"I'll likely always need your strength of arm, Kathryn."[/color] It was said with reassurance, and in no small part to focus her attention on a time just before she did whatever she accidentally did to Lizbeth. The girl seemed fine; they could sort it out later. Victoria's touch of ambition was flaring just then, coupled with the deep smouldering annoyance that gave her eyes a bright, sharp aspect, like her crystal blues could cut stone at a glance. It [i]might[/i] have slightly overridden her broader sense of empathy in the moment, making her earlier words seem more performative than sincere. Nevertheless, she wasn't stopping any longer than she had to. Victoria had seen things before she was whisked away by random magic, and that, to put it simply, was something she was highly motivated to sort out. She was already on the stairs by the time she realized that Lizbeth was following her. 

	She caught Baronfjord's gaze, and apparently unaware that she still had blood streaking her face (until mentioned), gingerly brought her hand up and touched the affected area. No, the quick healing spell had worked - this was just a lack of full cleanup from earlier. She sighed. First a little mild manipulation, followed by ambition, a touch of apathy, and now she was irrevocably falling into her primary personality flaw: Vanity. She might have made a fine servant of the Jasidan church, had she the motivation for it. Victoria did carry one of their coins in her hatband, however, which did suggest an association of some kind even if it was of the most informal sort. Nevertheless, vanity did prompt her to carefully dab away the more arterial nature of her facial coloring. 

	In an attempt to maintain her fleeting sense of pride, she addressed the Dragonborn fellow directly. [color=9932cc]"Well, Mr. Chedgusah, my estimation of the Wild Magic was ...inaccurate."[/color] Her eyes were coldly upon his, with just a hint of anger flaring underneath. Not at him, even though his face held an accusation the last time she gazed upon it, but at her own folly for having missed what she had. She left her words at that, but did quickly avert her gaze and return to the hidden study. Morty, ever the loyal thrall, followed at her heel. 

	Standing near the center of the room, the Bard took quick stock of where she saw the briefest of flashes of magic in the briefest flashes of presence within the room from earlier. There were more than one, obviously, including the dim red glow of inset circles and runes upon the floor. But this didn't draw her main piece of attention. Behind the haphazard pile of wooden boxes was a curious sight, though she really didn't know until she got there - an offset piece of stone, slightly different in appearance to the stone around it. [color=9932cc]"I cannot believe this,"[/color] she murmured. Her dagger found its way solidly into her hand as she slipped behind the crates. The "stone" upon the wall among the other heavy, fitted monuments of stability was more of a tile, designed to look [i]almost[/i] exactly like the actual stones around it. Behind this tile was a hollow space. Hollow, but not empty. 

	[color=9932cc]"Monsieur Arnaud L'Rose,"[/color] she began, [color=9932cc]"wasn't a talented magician, I do not believe."[/color] She looked back to Lizbeth, clarifying, [color=9932cc]"I don't mean to insult his memory, Lizbeth. I promise you. Let me explain: Your grandfather was obviously studying magic, like a hedge wizard. But it doesn't look like he ever learned the basics. It's like ... like he got a book of spells and theory that was way too advanced for him to follow, and he deconstructed a few useful things. Like this."[/color]

	Victoria raised what appeared to be irregularly cut crystal set with delicate metal fittings, hanging from a braided leather cord. It was hollow, and within this reservoir sloshed a red liquid that suited the glow of the runes upon the floor all too well. [color=9932cc]"I believe that he hoped to hide the things of magic in this room, but was unaware that simple divination magic can penetrate wood, and even stone if it isn't too thick."[/color] She withdrew a scroll case and a small bundle wrapped in a square of cloth, as well. [color=9932cc]"But he tried to hide these for a reason. They might belong to you now, Lizbeth."[/color] 

	The Bard looked around the room once more, her mind shifting to remember exactly where the other arcane auras were located.