RPM:4 Prison Break

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Starring: 🏹 Ehsan, 💃 Milady Rosalie, 🐘 One-Tusk
Guest Starring: Zephyrine, Iosif Kettleblack, Gritaan, Alyn Leyshon
Challenge: Rhys Samrook and thugs, Tawaporah's "framing" of Hugo
Location: La Magie de Prison, Eben Consulate, Sweet Cakes
Date Played: 06 Dec 2016

Hugo Arrested on a Murder Charge

💃 Milady Rosalie: Imagine my surprise when I find out Hugo is in trouble during the middle of the night. It appears the fool has done and murdered someone. Well, allegedly murdered someone. I decided to go to the scene before someone mucks everything up or plants evidence.

The scene wasn't clean, and things didn't sit right with me when I got there. Hugo is much cleaner. He also is no fool to leave evidence behind. There is a letter that implicates him, but it smells something foul in how it is written. I don't want to pull evidence, so I leave it behind.

I need some answers, and without Hugo here it will be hard to get them from my usual source. I'll have to go to ::shudder:: Sweet Cakes.

Returning Zephyrine's Favor

🏹 Ehsan: All day I've been keeping a watch on this house and the residents don't step out all day. This section of the city isn't particularly keen on the Royal Pride so I'd like to keep my presence relatively unknown and stick to the rooftops to get a good vantage. I should just slip the damned note under the door and leave it but Zephyrine specifically said to hand the note to this woman physically and I'll make sure to at least do this task correctly.

The air grows heavy as the sun sets and rain hits not long after. Thankfully I brought along my oiled cloak but the dampness still soaks into everything as the night goes on. It's almost morning now and as I'm ready to call it a night some figures in black start circling around the house while some commotion is going on in an alleyway. Whoever is in that alley needs to see to their own protection, because whatever is happening in that house is surely not going to go over well.

I try knocking on their door to draw the residents out towards the front of the house but it seems like I moved too slowly as there's already a commotion going on inside. I burst through the front window as it's the most direct way inside. Things are progressing quickly and I want to leave nothing to chance so I fire off a lightburst arrow (one of Florint's creations) into the room to distract the attackers just long enough for me to dispatch them. There is an older woman and young girl left reeling from my shot, but in order to act quickly it was necessary. They are...less than thankful for my assistance, thinking at first that I was with them. I try to correct them but it seems that my words don't really matter her. I'm Royal Pride. They don't trust me and when the older woman recovers tries her hardest to get me to leave short of physically shoving me out the door. Obviously I am not welcome here and pass along the note to her. My task is done and so I leave. I'll report this to Zephyrine tomorrow. Right now, I need to get dry and sleep. It has been a very long evening.

OneTusk Jumped by a Survivor of Briskadon

🐘 One-Tusk: Things are tense all over, and I'm deep in my troubles when ambushed by some thugs- at least, I thought they were just thugs. Someone claiming to be a survivor of Briskadon and holding a sword made out of an elephant's tusk leads them, and says he has a score to settle. I play dumb for a moment- I'm hardly the only Elephant wild-blood with a broken tusk, but he isn't having it. We fight, I teach some of his toughs a thing or two about how ambushes work, but in the end, he gets away… which is a problem. I don't know who he's told, what evidence he has, but he's going to need to be dealt with.

Visit to Sweet Cakes to Find Out More about Tawaporah

💃 Milady Rosalie: Alyn Leyshon, professional confectioner and chronic black market dealer. How I throught our paths wouldn't meet for some time. He did help the revolution more than I care to admit, though, and my debt to him is large.

The small talk is not as awkward as I thought it would be, especially with the small tryst he had during my grieving period. He has always held a small flame for me. I knew at that point I could stoke those embers for some information.

We were able to find that Hugo is being set up by agents of the Sorcerier. To what end, well, Hugo will have to let us in on that. Additionally, Alyn handed me the letters that I left behind at the crime scene. This is the best case scenario for me. The notes were logged as being received, but there is no way that a scribe could have recorded them. Missing evidence cannot be used in court, and could leave grounds that they were fabricated by the prosecutor. Things are indeed looking up.

🏹 Ehsan: ...and apparently the evening will not end. It seems I am to continue on through this day no matter how much I insist on some form of rest.

A note was left for me at my door by Lady Rosalie. The note is, predictably, vague in nature and only says to meet her at a specific location to discuss some matters immediately. One Tusk is also there, Ildefons and Hugo being both notable absences. As for Hugo this meeting seems to regard him. Apparently he has been arrested under some...suspicious pretenses. Though I may never fully understand how their policing and governance works, I will at least accept it for what it is. The reactions to crimes by, from or in the name of the Sorcier are taken in such serious regard that the swiftness of the process surrounding those matters is enough to give someone whiplash. Regardless, Rosalie has spoken to Hugo regarding the nature of his arrest and it seems to be that the man was framed. Something like this will definitely be hard to work around if we're to clear his name, but Rosalie says she knows a man who may be able to help. My presence no longer seems necessary so I retire to my home to change and finally sleep.

Or, as it is evident, this did not happen at all. I sleep for possibly 10 minutes before an overly aggressive pounding is at my door. My presence is actually required it seems. The group of us travels to a well known bakery in the area; a place called Sweet Cakes. Rosalie is old friends with the owner and he should be able to help out with Hugo's situation. While I don't see why I was necessary for this particular portion of our outing, I will say at least that the baked goods here are some of the best I've had so far. Nothing like our sweets back home of course. The ones back home are more subtle, but I will say the one pastry here with the apricot jam was particularly wonderful.

🐘 One-Tusk: Hugo is arrested… again. They're giving him the rush-job, which is painfully ironic considering how long Zephryine's been left on a leash. No, I don't really believe he's the mole in the Pride.

Should Zephryine Be Set Free?

💃 Milady Rosalie: At this point, it is clear that Zephryine is a double agent. I feel she needs to be set free, though a break-out would seem very suspect since she already got out once. She also cannot be pardoned as there is enough evidence on her that she cannot be let go without heavy political repercussions.

One Tusk has a brilliant, though far-fetched idea. In the least, it will alleviate some of the consciences for the group; we put her on trial and find a way to defend and clear her of charges. I have some pull in the court and can arrange for the incompetent defender to be relieved. Though I am no lawyer, I have been to nearly a hundred of these tribunals in my day, and have even helped develop some of the pitfalls that the prosecutor would try to employ. With some luck and a little grace, I could get her out of this.

🏹 Ehsan: Rosalie finishes her business with Alyn and we head back to her place for some much needed (at least for myself) coffee along with discussing some business that needs attending to.

Zephyrine is a matter that we have yet to deal with and personally I think it is one we should have dealt with days ago. I already blame myself for putting her back in that place, thinking she would have been safer there. Really it was a death sentence and nothing we can do now will seemingly help her situation. One Tusk believes the courts should have their due process, Rosalie stands somewhere in the middle, while I think we should just break her out. All we really need a sufficient distraction. A couple of ideas go back and forth between Rosalie and I. Her ideas tend to go for the more political and subtle route while mine lean more direct. Truthfully I really do not have a plan for getting her out, but I should at least report back to her that her message was delivered before she looses her head tomorrow afternoon. I would hope that I will at least think of something while I make my way there.

🐘 One-Tusk: I don't know how much more clear this subject can be: she's a sorcier, she's been working with counter-revolutionaries. Even if she is a double-agent, she knew the risks when she took the job. She should be ready to die for the Revolution. Of course, saying that is impolitic- so I raise another option. We can place her on trial, and find a way to clear her of the charges- the specific charges being that she attempted to assassinate an ambassador. I doubt this is going to work, but it keeps Ehsan from doing anything rash, which is as close to a miracle as I can expect.

Looking into the Zephyrine's Charges

🐘 One-Tusk: I visit the ambassador, a Stoat-Wildblood with a fetish for Tameblood's. He hired Zephyrine as an escort, and at some point while they were intimate, she attacked him. The story doesn't really add up, though I can't put any specific finger on it. The ambassador isn't lying, I know that much, but we know that there are illusionists in play…

Still, in the end, there's nothing to break his story, which is what I expected going in. I'm not entirely displeased.

Talking with Zephyrine

🏹 Ehsan: I arrive to the prison with little issue. Rosalie splits off to go discuss some legal matters while I make my visit to Zephyrine. The guards are no stranger to my visits and the process goes as smooth as one could expect for these things. My effects are left with the guards outside under lock and key as per usual and I make my way inwards.

Zephyrine's illusory cell is in turbulence, no doubt due to her impending trial. I inform her of my success with the mission, including the rescue of these people. Her face grows visibly disturbed. No doubt these people were important to her, but I don't know how nor do I press. I have no other information to offer her on the mysterious people who sought to do those people harm. She wants me to leave to go warn them to leave the city, to make sure they make it out safe and leave no matter what it takes. I have other ideas though. While talking with her I think I've come up with a plan that may get her out of this place...

Prison Break by the Sorcier

💃 Milady Rosalie: I go to the court house and prepare to take the place of the defense. The process is pretty easy, especially since I sent a telegram to Iosif earlier of my intentions. The codger was none to happy about it, I can imagine, but the path was paved for me. That was until a group of terrorist barged into the building and put a ball into Iosif

Iosif is dead. The hole in his chest can tell no other tale. I felt a cold rage growing inside of me; the kinds I tried to put to rest many, many years ago. I swallowed hard, doing by mest to not make any sudden moves.

The leader slapped irons on me, telling me I live due to "respect for my position." He appears to be managing through a recent injury; the loss of three fingers. Even though injured, he had a steely resolve I decided that was not best to test and gave into his demand for staying put... at least for a bit.

A few minutes after they left, I was able to struggle out of my chair and reach my foot to the key ring around Iosif's belt. If these people were dumb enough to use his cuffs and leave the keys within reach, I may have a chance of escaping and getting help.

I broke my bonds and made my way to the garrison. They intended to break out Zephyrine, and I don't know to what ends. It is in the best interest of everyone to stop them, and do this the right way. Perhaps, with luck, we can get a mistrial. At least then Iosif's death would not be for nothing.

🏹 Ehsan: I barely make it out of that prison alive. No time to grab my things. A stab to the gut is almost always a death sentence, especially when left untreated. Those people in black are attacking the prison. Guards left dead up and down the hallways. I think to go back for Zephyrine for a moment before the thought passes. She'll need to take care of herself for now. I need to get to the Royal Pride headquarters. Healers there will be able to stitch me up enough so that I can at least get on my horse and get Zephyrine's family out of the city.

My companions find me in the infirmary not long after I arrive. I fill them in as best I can about the situation at the prison but I need to leave here. The healers have done their job as best they can. One Tusk requests I stay to rest however I cannot wait. Her family is in danger and they need to get out, the sooner the better. I try to leave on my own, knowing I'd be able to get to them faster on my own but if they know I will not stay in the infirmary they insist that we at least travel together. Their concern is appreciated but it is not necessary. Regardless I don't seen myself getting out of this situation so I go along with them, for now.

I feel I may come to regret my decision later but the choice was made and the deed is done. Zephyrine has escaped the prison, hopefully to run as far away as she possibly can from this place and never return. I had my story straight for what I would tell the guards to take the blame off myself, but it doesn't seem like I'll need to use it. The Sorcier have launched their own breakout shortly after Zephyrine left the cell. The one man believed me to be her. It took a bit of convincing but they left me alone after a bit of royal threatening. I would have hoped that they would have left me to my own devices outside of the cell, but they shoved me back in. Hopefully there are some guards that yet live to free me of this place.

🐘 One-Tusk: