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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 (Taproom)
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] Skill Check - [i]Arcana[/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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	Victoria mulled over the question that Kosara posed. She seemed to remember revealing her thoughts on part of this topic out loud, but didn't recall if her fellow spellcaster was in the room at the moment. Still, objectivity demanded that she reevaluate the words that the mischievous Tiefling lady had spoken, with the extra knowledge they had accumulated since the last time the nature of the Prince was brought up. [color=9932cc]"I still don't believe that Farid is a Lich. It doesn't add up. A Lich with resources and decades to brood could obliterate us all and take what they wanted, unless there's some other factor involved."[/color] Her verbal poise was academic as she mused over their potential destruction.

        Victoria considered the implications of making some sort of "deal" with a man who eventually believed that no preternatural help was actually needed in the first place, with an entity who then bought off the man with the occasional scribble of arcane knowledge or lesser magical trinket. [color=9932cc]"Arnaud L'Rose was offered what? Successful harvests and magic in exchange for silence and the metaphysical equivalent of 'a price to be named later?' From the state of things, I can almost guarantee that he never became a Wizard, proper. I believe Monsieur L'Rose was being conned."[/color] The Bard's voice was measured, even serene as she spoke, giving a very matter-of-fact quality to her words. 

        But Victoria was aware that she was getting off topic. [color=9932cc]"Yes, there are a couple standardized but powerful spells that accomplished Necromancers might use to inhabit someone else's body. There are also noncorporeal Undead that can possess sentient creatures, but none of them require that the person be magically active. None which I can recall having read about, in any case."[/color] 

        Victoria gave herself a moment to consider the possibilities and limitations of various undead creatures and even long-lived spellcasters. [color=9932cc]"I believe that Prince Farid, in whichever form he presently exists, is powerful. I also believe that he is [i]lying[/i]."[/color]

        The drink in Victoria's hand moved to her lips, whereupon she took another small sip. Maybe it was cursed. It was also, by any metric, excellent. Which led her to Baronfjord's concern. [color=9932cc]"Kathryn has proven that there is a connection between the brandy and the land. Urmdrus drank some, and he was the third [i]of three[/i] to have similar dreams. Point of view dreams, of things which might have happened. As long as the effects don't get too dangerous,  I suspect this will provide further insight."[/color] Victoria's gaze swept to Barbal, who had helped himself to some of the brandy earlier, himself. [color=9932cc]"Which means you are number four. Pleasant dreams, Monsieur Mosswater."[/color]

        Though humility was not Victoria's strongest suit, the possibility of her being wrong about something had consequences beyond her ego in this circumstance. So she turned back to Kosara, intoning, [color=9932cc]"Liches persist by binding their souls to a physical object. If their body is destroyed, they will reform near it after a while. It's called a phylactery. Destroy the phylactery - the Lich cannot return."[/color]