(2023-05-06) Open Office Hours: Musquash Root and Coldstar Blossom

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Author:	Luridel
Summary:	Founder of Cobalt Company Elohad Ference, accompanied by translator Alaisa Lysander, rents out the Dwarven Mining Guildhall in Stormwind for an hour. Today's visitors are Sintha, Averlena, Ionala, and a bonus guest appearance as some nice guards come to pay a visit to Lord Ference.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: Open Office Hours

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Elohad brushes lint from his tabard.

Alaisa looks at the door. "Surely Raschal's not going to be late today."

[Elohad]: Oh, actually I sent him to go deliver an actual message.

[Elohad]: He won't be here today. I'm sure you're crushed.

Elohad laughs.

[Alaisa]: Oh, actual work.

[Elohad]: Right? Astonishing.

Alaisa chuckles. "I'll manage."

[Elohad]: I mean if you need a distracting toddler I could ask Niris to bring Dane.

[Alaisa]: How is he?

[Elohad]: Doing well. He's walking a little.

[Elohad]: I think he may have called me "Da" the other day, but it might have been a random sound.

Alaisa smiles. "Time flies."

[Elohad]: Right?

[Elohad]: He turned a year old yesterday.

[Alaisa]: Aw, happy birthday to little Dane.

[Elohad]: We didn't have a party or anything, because, well, he's a baby. Also I was too busy trying to make sure certain bodies were examined for certain things.

[Elohad]: Still waiting to hear back about that.

[Alaisa]: Ah.

[Elohad]: If I can help solve this, it can only help with the House seat situation, I think.

[Elohad]: Also, bloodless as it is of me to point out, there being four seats now instead of three also boosts my chances.

[Elohad]: I'm not sure how many are trying for 'em.

[Alaisa]: There's already talk, you know.

[Elohad]: Of course there is.

[Alaisa]: How convenient it is that you just so happened to know, etcetera, etcetera.

[Elohad]: Oh for Light's sake.

Alaisa waves a hand. "Just saying."

[Elohad]: Yes, really convenient that a twenty-year-old girl got poisoned.

Elohad shakes his head.

[Alaisa]: Regardless, it wasn't actually your doing, so that'll get straightened out eventually. How is she?

[Elohad]: She's been by to talk to Niris a couple of times, but they kind of shoo me out every time.

[Elohad]: I think they're both aware I don't really trust her.

[Alaisa]: Or maybe it's because it's a medical consultation that she deserves privacy for?

Alaisa shrugs.

[Elohad]: Maybe.

[Elohad]: There's just something about that girl, I don't know. Things unravel in her mere vicinity.

[Elohad]: Is that a thing? Warlocks channel chaos, right? Do you think it can… kind of affect things around them?

[Alaisa]: No.

Alaisa just politely shuts that one down.

[Elohad]: Well then, either she has phenomenally bad luck, or she's a pot-stirrer on purpose.

[Elohad]: And until I know which, I'm keeping an eye on her.

Averlena walks into the dwarven hall. A smile brightens her face as she sees Elohad and then Alaisa.

Elohad spots Lena and brightens. "Well look who it is!"

Alaisa looks up and smiles.

[Averlena]: Fresh in from Northrend, came in on Thursday.

[Elohad]: That's great! Missing the city?

Averlena's expression becomes a bit more guarded. "You could say that… yes…"

[Averlena]: For particular reasons that I think you might know, sir, I felt compelled to check in at the Lamb.

[Elohad]: Ho boy.

Averlena glances at Alaisa and back at Elohad in question.

[Elohad]: Look, I don't want you getting mixed up in this. Things could get pretty dangerous, and we need you.

[Alaisa]: I'm Ally. You must be Miss Coit?

[Elohad]: You two haven't met?

Elohad looks between them amiably.

Averlena turns her smile in Ally's direction. "I don't think so, not properly. Yes, I'm Lena Coit."

Alaisa smiles. "I've done a lot of paperwork with your name on it, but that's it. Lovely to meet you."

[Elohad]: Oh, @#$%. You and Mayellen Mullby studied together, didn't you. With Captain Tyrrell.

[Elohad]: You should know, she's had a bit of a misfortune.

Sintha enters in a manner that conveys a breeze has blown her breathlessly into the place, whoops, gosh! Her golden-brown eyes are wide and aglow, her dark hair falling sleekly loose over her shoulders. She's dressed in a trim, tailored waistcoat and trousers over a high-necked white blouse.

[Averlena]: Yes, both of us, with Tyrrell.

Averlena turns to Ally.

[Averlena]: Lovely to meet you too. Are you tied up in… recent events? *Does she mean the poisoning? Wishock's death? The House of Nobles? Up to Ally to decide.*

[Alaisa]: Tied up in, no. Aware of, always.

Sintha stops short to look wide-eyed and expectantly from face to face.

Alaisa smiles at Sintha. "Oh, welcome!"

Elohad is briefly distracted by the entrance of Sintha. "Hello there. I know you, don't I?"

[Averlena]: The best place to be, then.

Elohad peers at Sintha searchingly.

Alaisa waves her over.

Averlena turns to look at the newcomer curiously.

[Sintha]: Ally! Hello, darling! And Lord Ference, I don't know that we met properly yesterday?

Sintha curtsies before Elohad.

[Sintha]: Lord Fallon's sister, Sintha.

[Elohad]: I know I've seen you— ah!

[Elohad]: Pleasure to meet you, Lady Sintha.

[Elohad]: Officially.

Sintha stops at Ally's desk to lean on it and grin down at her, then looks up at Elohad and beams some more. There are many shades of Sintha Smile.

Sintha blinks at Averlena. "Oh, gosh, and I'm sorry, I haven't met you either! Sintha. I'm a friend of Ally's."

Alaisa smiles at Sintha and rearranges her paperwork. "I only just met her as well. This is Lena Coit, a member of Cobalt Company."

[Averlena]: Pleased to meet you. *Lena somehow looks like she's taken a step back, though she hasn't moved. She's still smiling.*

[Sintha]: Hello, Lena! Delighted!

[Sintha]: I hope I'm not interrupting anything?

Sintha glances down at Ally a little anxiously.

[Averlena]: Oh, nothing terribly important, I think. *Lena darts a glance at Elohad*

[Averlena]: Did I miss Sandy, by the way?

[Alaisa]: Oh, you're fine, Sintha. Lena just got back from Northrend, she said. How is Northrend?

[Elohad]: It's an open house! Interruption is impossible!

[Elohad]: Sandy? You mean Spellbond? I haven't seen him in a dog's age.

Elohad seems kinda okay with that.

Alaisa shakes her head. No Sandy today.

[Averlena]: Hm, okay. Maybe he'll be coming along later. *Lena turns back to Ally.* Northrend is… well, cold. Dangerous. All the usual things. Dalaran is very pretty.

[Elohad]: Ben's all right?

Elohad peers at Averlena searchingly.

Sintha steps a little away from Ally's desk and tips her head, looking avidly between Elo and Lena. She twists a ring on her finger absently.

[Elohad]: I wish he'd come home, at least for a little while.

[Averlena]: Certainly, yes. I saw him not two or three days ago.

Alaisa leans forward in her chair, folding her hands on the table. "Do tell me about the vrykul."

[Sintha]: Gosh, Shay is dying to meet him, if I'm honest. I had tea with Lady Ismene not two days ago, and I am positive the two of them will be fast friends.

Elohad smiles at Sintha.

[Averlena]: He's awful proud of what all you're doing down here, sir. *Lena blinks* The vrykul? What about them? You mean the protogenitor theories?

[Elohad]: The what now?

Elohad smiles at Ionala.

[Elohad]: Webster, hello there. What can I do for you today?

[Averlena]: Oh, it was a thing we saw in a vision… from a shaman… that they might be protogenitors of our people. Oh… hello, Nala!

[Alaisa]: Elohad, do you not read the newsletters?

[Elohad]: I don't remember any "protogenitor" in them, so maybe not carefully?

[Alaisa]: Progenitor.

Sintha brightens even more brightly at another newcomer, but in reflexive, absent way that suggests she's listening pretty closely to the rest of the conversation.

Ionala walks in bearing a scribe's satchel. when she gets near, she opens it and produces a collection of handwritten pages. "Sir, I have a report."

[Elohad]: Oh you mean that they're our ancestors? Yeah, hard for me to weigh in on that, not having seen one.

[Elohad]: Oh fantastic, Lysander and I can take that report.

[Elohad]: What've you been up to, Webster?

Elohad smiles at Ionala.

Sintha steps politely further away from Ally, so as not to peek at any reports.

Ionala sets it down. "When I found out sommeone attempted to poison Mayellen Mulby in a way that would imitate the appearance of brain fever, I researched death records at the Cathedral."

Averlena glances briefly at Sintha at the movement.

[Alaisa]: I admit I was wondering about their speech, and how recognizable it is. Whether they have their own distinct—

[Elohad]: Ho boy.

[Ionala]: One name stands out, Sir.

Alaisa looks very curiously at Ionala. "Oh?"

Elohad rubs his forehead.

Sintha raises her eyebrows. Gosh. She twists her ring again idly.

[Elohad]: I… I am getting the feeling that Mullby has just… kinda gone ahead and… she's just… doing her own thing on this, huh.

[Ionala]: We didn't really give her much choice, Sir.

[Elohad]: None of you thought to come to me?

[Averlena]: Oh, I just happened to be in the area, is all. *Lena smiles. Happened to be in the area of Stormwind, though she's living in Northrend*

[Ionala]: That's what I'm doing right now.

[Elohad]: I mean, I do want to see what you found, don't get me wrong.

[Ionala]: I checked the records for a connection. I found one. I'm bringing it straight to you.

[Alaisa]: Well, don't leave us in suspense. Which name stands out?

[Sintha]: If I oughtn't be here… ?

Alaisa seems totally fine with all of this being discussed right in front of Sintha.

Elohad glances to Ally and seems fine when she seems fine.

[Ionala]: Peter Winstanley died five years ago. the record indicates that the best guess is a brain fever, but no one treated him while alive to be sure.

[Alaisa]: Oh, no, Sintha dear, it's quite all right. This is interesting.

Averlena seems confused why everyone is totally fine with all of this, but doesn't protest.

[Elohad]: And what do you think makes this connect?

Sintha says to Ally in a stage whisper, "It is. Gosh."

[Ionala]: So I went to look at the records of political decisions, and the like, and…he designed the Slaughtered Lamb, Sir.

[Elohad]: ….Holy….

[Ionala]: Five years ago. and then died.

[Elohad]: That… that does seem to stand out, yes.

[Averlena]: Oh, the usual thing. *Lena sighs*

[Alaisa]: Ah. The architect.

[Elohad]: Okay, okay. We should definitely follow up on this.

[Averlena]: You want a place with underground tunnels and secrets passages and whatnot, you don't want a living architect to know about it.

[Sintha]: Oh, gosh.

[Elohad]: That's exactly what I'm thinking.

[Alaisa]: I've always suspected that the building plans Stormwind has on record don't necessarily match the building itself.

Ionala nods. "Indeed. It was quite the exciting chase through the records."

[Elohad]: Who all knows you were looking into this, Webster?

Elohad looks concerned.

[Averlena]: Besides all of us, now.

Averlena glances at Sintha.

[Elohad]: I mean outside our little family.

Elohad follows Lena's glance. "It's okay, Ally says she's a friend."

[Alaisa]: Oh, yes.

[Elohad]: Lysander is like the canary in the coal mine when it comes to Suspicious Personages. if she trusts someone, I trust them.

Sintha nods gravely, big-eyed. "I would never," she says, still in a sort of stage whisper.

[Ionala]: Annibeth, Jonas, May, Maisha, Hectorius. And I asked for permission to research death records from Brother Joseph.

[Elohad]: Brother Joseph. Okay, I think he's safe.

[Elohad]: Wait, who's Hectorius?

[Ionala]: Hectorius was at Bruuk's when May told us what happened. He offered to help however he could.

[Elohad]: Lysander, let's maybe look into this Hectorius guy, just make absolutely sure he's okay.

[Alaisa]: Do you know his full name, by chance?

[Ionala]: He is apprenticed to someone impressive, whose name i can't remember.

[Elohad]: Sometimes mages just have the one. Like Khadgar.

Sintha's eyes widen suddenly and she bites her lip.

[Averlena]: And I haven't done anything significant without consulting with you, sir. I just checked in at the Lamb and spoke to a few old colleagues. About our mutual acquaintance that's a fan of musquash.

[Elohad]: I'm not too familiar with Peter Winstanley, but maybe we should find out if there's anyone who knows anything more about his death.

Elohad looks increasingly uneasy the more people he finds out have been investigating.

[Elohad]: Lena, did you find out anything useful?

[Sintha]: Does he still have family in the city? Did he have — *Sintha falls silent when Elohad speaks.*

Alaisa writes a few things down.

[Ionala]: I was thinking that I could go on rounds to their home, sir, to offer healing services to the staff.

[Elohad]: Ooh, clever.

[Averlena]: Possibly. I'm a little worried because I meant to warn Sandy, but I couldn't while we were right there. If he comes by later, can you warn him about the poison?

[Elohad]: Go ahead with that, Webster, but just be careful, all right?

[Ionala]: I don't think I will get complete answers, but I'm sure I'll get leads.

Elohad nods at Ionala.

[Alaisa]: You know the specific poison used, Elohad?

[Elohad]: Yep. Easy does it. We'll just see what you can add to our big picture here.

Ionala nods and steps back.

[Elohad]: I do.

Averlena nods at Ionala.

[Elohad]: It's a combination of musquash root and coldstar blossom.

[Averlena]: Anything you find out'll be better than nothing, right?
Alaisa winces and writes that down.

[Alaisa]: Miss Mullby is very lucky to be alive.

[Elohad]: Hell yes.

[Elohad]: It was a near thing.

[Elohad]: Luckily I married a genius.

Averlena looks a little bit sick, and nods.

[Elohad]: Okay so, couple of things, Lena.

[Elohad]: First of all, you're expecting Sandy to show up here today it sounds like?

[Elohad]: If we can just… like tie him up somewhere safe for about two weeks that might be our best bet right now. He is an element of pure chaos that could mix very badly in this situation.

Sintha glances at Elohad in a way that suggests she's wondering whether he means literally.

[Averlena]: He said he'd come by, but… you know him. Might've forgot. I just wanted to make sure he knew to be careful.

Elohad may regret using that exact turn of phrase.

[Elohad]: Someone should definitely find him and uh, minimize his possible damage.

Sintha arches a brow and glances down at Ally. She is unfamiliar with this Sandy person.

[Elohad]: There is no telling what he'll do in response to all this.

[Elohad]: Second of all, did you hear anything about our musquash-seeking friend that could be of any help?

[Averlena]: All I got's somebody we might ought to keep an eye on, fellow called Ernald.

Elohad peers at Averlena searchingly.

Alaisa sets the sheet of paper down in the corner of the desk most visible to Sintha.

[Elohad]: What do you know about this Ernald that caught your ear?

Sintha twists her ring idly and glances down again.

Ionala listens quietly.

[Averlena]: He's new, probably low-ranking. Might be running the musquash friend's errands.

[Elohad]: Mmm, potential source.

[Elohad]: Maybe if you can track him down you can befriend him? Get him to tell us something?

[Elohad]: If he's new he might still be relatively innocent in all this.

Averlena takes in a breath. "I can try, sir."

Elohad looks around at the others.

[Elohad]: Anyone else have thoughts? Anything I'm missing, here?

Elohad is missing something pretty huge, but he'll find out soon enough.

[Alaisa]: You have the name of a suspect already.

[Elohad]: I know who poisoned Mullby, yes.

[Ionala]: And perhaps one other person.

[Elohad]: It is probably the same person who poisoned Wishock but… we can't be a hundred percent on that.

Ionala nods.

[Averlena]: She might not've acted alone. The Lamb is… not a safe place.

[Elohad]: Right.

[Elohad]: It could be a whole little cabal of 'em working together. But we know at least one bad actor in all this.

[Elohad]: She calls herself "Mistress Natasya."

[Elohad]: She is the one who asked Mullby to get her musquash root and coldstar blossom.

Sintha shifts her weight.

[Elohad]: Mullby said no. Next day, she almost died from those exact things.

Alaisa writes that name down on the same piece of paper, along with 'Ernald'.

[Sintha]: Do you think — sorry. I don't mean to interrupt.

[Alaisa]: Please, go ahead.

[Elohad]: I wish we'd moved faster on this, but at the time, it was very much a possibility that it was just… an overreaction to perceived insubordination.

Elohad turns to Sintha curiously.

[Sintha]: It's just — and I only just realized who you're talking of, Mayellen, I know her and I'm distraught to hear of it — but if she was poisoned because she was asked to collect the suspect ingredients, isn't it… I mean, it isn't necessarily the insubordination so much as that she knew who'd asked for those two things. Could this… Arnold be in danger? Or does he seem very knit in already?

[Elohad]: That's a good question.

[Sintha]: Because if you could persuade him he's in danger, he might… be more helpful.

[Elohad]: Absolutely.

[Averlena]: Well, yes, I'd say he's in danger. He's dealing with ruthless people.

[Elohad]: He may be safe so long as she thinks he's under her thumb, but then again, she might just dispose of him anyway, so finding him should be a priority.

Sintha spreads her hands and nods.

[Averlena]: They've killed their own before, and I'm sure they will again. People don't look too careful if it's kept to the warlocks.

Guard Marley appears in the doorway, flanked by a couple of other guards, hesitating awkwardly.

[Alaisa]: Don't eat or drink anything while you're there, miss Lena. It's an ingested poison.

Sintha's gaze flicks to the guards, then back to the group. Then more sharply to the guards.

Alaisa looks past her.

Guard Marley says: Ah… excuse us. Lord Ference… sir. We uh.

[Elohad]: Hello there boys! What can I do for you?

Averlena steps back, looking at the guards in confusion.

Guard Marley says: You could uh… you could come with us, sir? If you don't mind?

Elohad blinks.

Sintha glances at Ally and arches a brow, frowning.

[Elohad]: Come with you where? Has something happened?

[Alaisa]: Lord Ference is on schedule here for the next fifteen minutes. Is this urgent?

Guard Marley says: Uh, I'm not… supposed to talk about that, sir.

[Sintha]: I'm sorry, you can't… tell the man why he needs to go with you?

[Sintha]: That doesn't seem very cricket.

Guard Marley says: Yes, ma'am, it's… it's urgent, we're to… he's to be um, my superiors need to question him, ma'am.

Averlena's confusion is turning to alarm.

Alaisa looks the guards over.

[Sintha]: And what are the names of your superiors?

Guard Marley says: There was an… incident and we just um, we need to verify whether or not he um, knows anything. About it.

Guard Marley says: Captain Rolling is my direct superior, ma'am.

[Sintha]: Captain Rolling.

[Sintha]: And your name?

Guard Marley says: Yes ma'am. Miss. I'm Marley.

[Averlena]: What kind of an incident? Is anyone hurt?

[Sintha]: Is he being taken into custody? Or just cooperating in your investigation?

Guard Marley says: I'm not supposed to talk about it. I am hoping, yes, that Lord Ference will just cooperate and come with us.

Guard Marley says: We are authorized to use force if not, however.

Alaisa begins to pack up her paperwork.

Elohad looks alarmed, and raises his hands.

Sintha folds her arms.

[Elohad]: Okay, okay. I've got nothing to hide. I'll come with you. There's probably a misunderstanding somewhere.

Sintha looks at Elohad, and then at Ally.

[Alaisa]: Indeed. We can close out early. Would you like anyone to accompany you, sir?

Guard Marley says: We appreciate that, sir. Hopefully this will all be over in a jiffy, sir.

Elohad looks around.

[Sintha]: Gosh, hopefully.

Sintha sounds downright acid.

[Elohad]: Is it all right if my assistant comes with me?

Guard Marley looks briefly flummoxed.

[Alaisa]: I can't imagine why it wouldn't be.

[Averlena]: Maybe Nala and I could close out here, in case anybody comes by looking?

Guard Marley says: They uh, didn't say we couldn't bring additional people, I guess.

[Elohad]: I'd appreciate that, girls. Thanks.

Alaisa nods to Lena.

Sintha leans over to say something under her breath in Alaisa's ear. It sounds like… Gnomish?

[Elohad]: All right then. I'll come with you and straighten out… whatever it is. Just… can you tell me… has anyone else been killed?

Alaisa rises and moves around the desk, discreetly handing Sintha a folded piece of paper.

Guard Marley says: Not that I know of, sir. You're definitely not being accused of murder or anything, sir.

Elohad exhales.

[Elohad]: Okay, good.

Sintha tucks the paper in her waistcoat pocket, twisting her ring idly again to cover the movement.

[Averlena]: Ally, maybe next time we can talk about vrykul language. After this is cleared up. *Lena gives a hopeful smile*

[Elohad]: You girls going to be all right? I'll be fine, don't worry.

[Alaisa]: I'd like that.

[Elohad]: I haven't done anything, and I'm sure this will be sorted out soon enough.

[Elohad]: Better I just go along nice and easy.

[Sintha]: I'm sure you and Lady Alaisa will get it sorted, Lord Ference.

Elohad bows before Sintha.

[Alaisa]: Of course.

Elohad heads off and follows the guards out.

[Alaisa]: Lovely to see you, Sintha darling. Do take care.