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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] 28 / 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 (Taproom)
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] Skill Check - [i]Arcana[/i], Ritual Magic - [i]Identify[/i]
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] [color=black][b]Morty[/b][/color], [color=dimgray][b]Familiar[/b][/color]
[color=9932cc][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/ZzgLdXRt/Victoria-Alt-8-ss2.png[/img][/right]
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	It occurred to Victoria that she had neglected an answer one of Lizbeth's questions from a moment before. Being honest, she was most likely caught up in her own interests, as she had a tendency to do when something interested her. Being that she was able to ascertain that the items taken from the desk were indeed magic, as well as the things in the hidden cache, Victoria was definitely piqued. However, her usual social detachment and personal motivations were not a valid excuse to ignore the query of a girl who looked to her for knowledge, whom she was actually fond of - and not because of Lizbeth's potential to advance her own interests through money and connections. Victoria saw a little bit of herself in the young wine heiress. [color=9932cc]"Apologies, Mademoiselle L'Rose."[/color] It was a choice, as always, to use the honorifics of the land, even if her tongue more reliably spoke the affectations of her own home. [color=9932cc]"I barely saw what you were able to do against the creature downstairs; I'm afraid that I was being influenced at the time. But yes, I am aware of an ability similar to what you did downstairs. A sorcerer's power reflects what is possible from their bloodline and the choices they make with that power, even if they aren't aware of that a choice is being made. I suspect that your time training with Lady Kathryn is already shaping what kind of Sorcerer you will become. To answer more directly, that spell has different names depending upon who is casting it and where they learned it, but most general academic texts on the subject of Arcana refer to it as 'Booming Blade.' It is used to enhance weapon strikes."[/color]

	A quiet, understanding smile reached Victoria's face, and an equally quiet, understanding voice suggested, [color=9932cc]"Now, let's see what we have here, shall we?"[/color] The Bard, now apparently fulfilling the role of Wizard, focused back to her Ritual work. 

	That is not to say that there was no attention paid to the gift of a light plate of canapes and tea sandwiches from the esteemed Mr. Mosswater. [color=9932cc]"Thank you very much, sir,"[/color] she said respectfully. It was a little bit of a canned response, said quickly and with practiced air. But it was a nice gesture, and the request wasn't unreasonable, so long as nobody in the group had any objections. [color=9932cc]"I'd consider it a kindness if a cup of tea found itself my way, if it's not too much trouble."[/color] Simple. Polite. Not a command, a request. Delivered with emotional distance and a core of basic respect. Still, it was a touch cold, so Victoria followed with, [color=9932cc]"I was raised to have a sophisticated palate, Monsieur Mosswater, but there is something noble about the rustic care put into Halfling cuisine that cannot be easily replicated. I appreciate you."[/color] A smile. A bite from a fish canape, and that smile broadened. [color=9932cc]"This is no exception. Thank you so much."[/color]

	Back to Lizbeth, who was indeed still interested in Ritual spellwork, at least academically. [color=9932cc]"A ritual, in this application, is the slower buildup of arcane energy to fuel a spell. Doing it this way does not deplete your own magical reserves, but it takes longer. Not every spell can be cast by ritual. The ones that can are usually utilitarian in nature. It makes them no less potent. For myself, I require my Ritual Tome every time I attempt to cast a spell like this, which is not intrinsically part of my repertoire as a Bard. I am a little unique this way. Today's practice is to cast an Identification spell repeatedly as a Ritual."[/color]

	Victoria looked at the items gathered on the table before her. There were the wands from the desk, the scroll case, shard of obsidian, box, and rough crystal vial from the cache, and some papers. The Bard's hand drifted to her head, where that gods-cursed wooden sandal gave her a brutal thunk to her noggin. She pitched her voice loud enough for the room to hear her, [color=9932cc]"Did anyone recover the footwear from downstairs? The ones that gave me that stunningly offputting headache?"[/color] She should probably slam a Healing Word into that sooner rather than later, she reasoned. 

	With that, Victoria picked up the first wand of the bunch and cleared her mind. The material components were present. She utilized the square of black cloth with a cruciform circle as a base to rest it upon as she swirled together the strands of the Weave to achieve an act of traditional Divination, taking notes all the while.