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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] Exhaustion (1) 
[color=9932cc][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] Coach House
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] [i]Skill Checks:[/i] (Arcana & Investigation)
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color]  [color=dimgray][i]Familiar[/i][/color] stuff, [color=black][b]Morty[/b][/color]
[color=9932cc][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/k55RrWV/Victoria-Alt-4-2.png[/img][/right]
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	It may have been a vulgar display of power, such as Victoria's meager magics could provide, to pass a message along to the rest of her party through her Raven. But to be quite honest with herself, it was a boost to her sense of vanity. Further self-honesty had her admitting that she was indeed a touch vain. But in Victoria's mind, she deserved a touch of vanity. Earned it, even. Others might agree. But for now, despite the seriousness of their position, she allowed herself a quiet smile and then set herself to what she wished to do. Well, before a fortune was callously destroyed by her working associates. Not quite to herself, she spoke softly even as the others were entering the Coach House, [color=9932cc]"We're obviously involved in [i]something[/i], and I do not prefer to be without compensation."[/color] A sidelong look at the somewhat distraught Lizbeth had her smoothly continue her sentence, [color=9932cc]"...unless it is to ensure the protection of our friends."[/color] 

	Their tall Knight clipping her head on the top of the door frame might have given Victoria a mote of mirth, but Kathryn looked like she wasn't in great shape and the bulk of the energy necessary for her to feel happy had drained away anyway. She offered a sympathetic, [color=9932cc]"Ooh. That does not look comfortable. Come, have a cup of tea. Water is on if you need more; I still have plenty of pressed black and herbal from Southmoor. Honey's on the table."[/color] There weren't quite enough cups in the set for everyone with Lizbeth present, but plenty of substitutes were available behind the bar. So she grabbed something a little bit larger for Kat and poured her a cup. Kosara was offered a cup of piping hot libation from the set, be it a smaller that Kathryn's mismatched one, it was aesthetically more pleasing. 

	Victoria's own cup of tea/brandy/honey was quickly finished. When the idea of food was brought up, she declined to involve herself. No, she had something she needed to do - or at least start doing - and as much as she could go for some food, it was probably best to leave well enough along at this point. Maybe just [i]one[/i] of Baronfjord's biscuits. It was polite, after all. Okay, two. Then she was done. But thinking to Baronfjord's silent communication concerning his own claims on languages and the pressing incident, she merely waved it off. They all had secrets in one form or another and she was no exception. Adventurers, by nature, commonly dealt with unusual things about themselves. And if it was about his inability to figure out the phonetic to off-alphabet language issue, well, she had to use magic to get around it, herself. [color=9932cc]"Not to worry. I have no complaint if you have no desire to discuss something. Anyway, I am about to be busy again, anyway. Please excuse me."[/color]

	Victoria made for the door, pausing only to recommend to Lizbeth, [color=9932cc]"Perhaps, hmm... Perhaps it is best that you remain here until I return."[/color] She was going to be dealing with corpses. Ones that, if they suddenly decided to be difficult (she did not know the full extent of the shattering yet), she was in a unique position to protect herself against. Victoria wrapped her cloak about herself and secured her new shawl around her head, slipped on a pair of gloves, and went to find their new, quite deceased guests. 

[center][h3][color=9932cc]*****[/color][/h3][/center]
	It was a while until Victoria had things sorted. And by "sorted", she meant putting the clothes into different stacks, ordered by general type, total outfit, and assumed intended gender, though the flowing nature and open styles made this difficult. It seemed that accessories and application really set the difference on that, meaning a "mix'n'match" philosophy was appropriate. Her eyes were keen for fashion, and as an extension of this she was able to pick up that these articles of clothing came from many cultures throughout that area that they would refer to as The Southlands, beyond the mountains. But this was mostly just clothing. Fine, colorful textiles, a number of which she set aside for herself - many of the purples and a few of the blacks, naturally. But others. A splash of color every now and again to keep things interesting. And it still did not come close to what might have been considered her share, were they to split it along even lines. 

	It was the vast amount of silk cloth used to wrap the now shattered bodies which gave her pause. Acquiring them was an exercise that did genuinely disgust the usually stoic-around-death Bard, as she unwrapped the frozen shards of corpse-ice and let it tumble with tiny tinkling cacophonies into the barrels provided. When she had nonchalantly (and a little greedily) shuffled the body bits into a barrel to be set aflame, Victoria pressed the textured, amazingly produced silks into as small a space as she could, and cast just as many Prestidigitation spells as was necessary to rid these shrouds of anything offensive, while still maintaining the quality thereof. Her eyes fell over the stitching of the black shrouds and then the white ones in turn, attempting to bring about a memory of something like this into her sleep deprived brain, even as cold-numbed fingers ran over them for a hope of some tactile clue. [color=9932cc]"...these mean something..."[/color] she mused aloud. [color=9932cc]"Even if their bearers don't know it."[/color] Victoria would personally have felt better about herself if [i]she[/i] could remember what it was. But something was there. Maybe after rest and food, it would come to her. 

	But it wasn't the only thing of interest she found among the clothing. 

	After a while, Victoria returned into the Coach House. Her ability to clean and polish with magic worked very well for her, as she came carrying several bundles of silken cloth - some black, some white. One additional bundle with a bit of mottled purple poking out, obviously her cherry picks, and another, random article of fiery orange cloth which might have been a scarf or head wrapping which was folded around something bulky. She set the silks down upon the table next to where the party and Lizbeth were sitting, but unfolded the orange cloth directly onto the table before them. Five knives with decently crafted sheathes were uncovered; two single edged with a reinforcing "T" shape along the spine of the blade, three double-edged and curved, resembling small scimitars. All were ornamented and amazingly well crafted, but different enough of appearance as to not be confused with a regular military issue. Victoria picked up one of the single edged ones and gave it a closer look in the firelight. It bore irregular, wavy markings in the steel of the blade which gave her no small amount of curiosity. [color=9932cc]"I found these, one each, with the diplomats. I have not training in knife smithing, nor a lot of knowledge of these cultures aside from burial practices. So, I am open to opinions more expert than mine. Now, the silks?"[/color] She took a moment to give a dismissive gesture, [color=9932cc]"They're clean, It is alright."[/color] Getting back to her point, [color=9932cc]"I will need some time with them. After a meal and some sleep."[/color]