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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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	Kathryn had quite a bit to say, from Victoria's viewpoint. And the truth was that she agreed with most of what was said. It was also a bit of a relief that finally, [i]finally[/i] someone was using their voice to put people on a collective path. Victoria was rarely what one might describe as a "follower", even if she did go along with the flow of a social situation from time to time, and she was loathe to now. Things being what they were, it was within everyone's best interests - including her own - to fall into the proverbial line and be a team player. She had grown fond of little Lizbeth. Even felt inspired by her youthful spark and willingness to continue in the face of some serious existential upheaval. Victoria looked over to Lizbeth, gave her a little, enigmatic smile, and turned back to Kathryn. When she finished her speech, Victoria responded. [color=9932cc]"I must admit, Lady Kathryn, that I have never been party to a siege, either. This is actually the longest I have stayed in one place for a long while, in fact."[/color] She gave a quick, huffing laugh, continuing, [color=9932cc]"Before the drama with the letters and the Constable, I was actually trying to get to the coast and find passage on a boat to take me north, to Khimn."[/color] She spoke in frank and open tones, stating simply what was, and not how she felt about it on any revealing, personal level. [color=9932cc]"I'm getting off topic; apologies. I will certainly defer to your greater knowledge of all things martial, and I shall assist where able, but you would be better off with a true Wizard than myself. My abilities are better described as 'in the moment' as opposed to preventative. There exists a simple spell which could set up an alarm in the way you are describing. It's even a ritual spell, so that it may be cast several times without arcane fatigue. Unfortunately, it is not part of my repertoire."[/color]

	Victoria cast a quick mental command to Morty, the burlap-wrapped porcine thrall who had, up until that moment, been doing its best impression of a stone still and dead silent piece of macabre, decorative furniture. Morty clopped evenly toward Victoria's small errand cart near the wall and pulled it over to its mistress. The Bard went into her travel chest therein and produced a proportionately sized hand bell, which Kathryn had apparently called for specifically as an option. [color=9932cc]"In case you'd forgotten, I picked this up in Darenby, just after we all met. I gave it to my Morty and turned the little fella into an alarm sentry. Watch is so much easier when you give it to something what doesn't require rest."[/color] Sure enough, anyone who had been in that Hayloft would have remembered Victoria's animated companion with the handle of the bell in its mouth, standing steadfastly with eyes pointing to the only area of egress. [color=9932cc]"You know how the old story goes; a lady and her thrall, off on a whirwind, Big City Adventure."[/color] She spoke with levity, hoping to give a touch of it to the situation. [color=9932cc]"But I shall be happy to lend the assistance of Morty, my bell, both or either, to the cause of fortifying our location. A girl needs her beauty sleep, after all."[/color] Yes, beauty sleep. That and she required a properly rested mind to fill her arcane cup, so to speak. Her major contributions to the group were her skill sets and her magic. Only going in with one was limiting. 

	Whispers of fried scorpions drew Victoria's attention for one short, frothing second as she wondered what generally went on within the horned skull of her Tiefling associate. She tried not to think on it with too much in the way of effort. Aneurysms were birthed from such things. Whatever it was, it was probably quite personal, and she left it at that.

	The musings of Baronfjord seemed to come from a place of logic, and Victoria tried to put it together with what they had figured out about their probable antaogonist. [color=9932cc]"There could be something to that, of course. I do not say that there [i]is beyond certainty,[/i] but historically, Prince Farid had many who worked under him, and he was one of the (probably adopted) sons of the Lich Emperor of the Alhazred."[/color] A sort of darkening came over Victoria, [color=9932cc]"...although he is supposed to be dead now..."[/color] She shrugged, [color=9932cc]"Well, they wouldn't be subtle."[/color] Equal parts apocalyptic and diplomatic, usually suffixed with a smile and glass of wine. Or brandy, in this case. Thus was Victoria. 

	She did take a passing interest in the books which Kathryn and Baronfjord were kind enough to bring up. Victoria did not select anything specific, settling on giving things a quick glance and, admittedly, reading over a shoulder or two. This was starting to give her a headache, attempting to figure out the mental and emotional patterns of a deceased man who wrote about magic in such a way that one had to fact check it, then check it for misspellings, then rearrange until it made sense. [color=9932cc]"I cannot speak to state of mind, but it looks like there are a couple [i]almost[/i] rituals in there, buried among the personal discourse. Nothing I can use as it is."[/color]

	Lastly, for the moment, Victoria began to count on her fingers the number of languages that Lizbeth had demonstrated proficiency with. How she was able to do so at her age, with little to no schooling in linguistics nor the appropriate, expensive tutors nearby, was truly impressive. Though it was not kin to this revelation about the young heiress, Victoria nonetheless had another thought in that moment. [color=9932cc]"I am going to try sending music out into the wind tonight. Maybe I am being foolish, but something happened a few weeks ago and I prefer to test coincidences in the face of looming despair."[/color]