![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
I was far too skeptical of pursuing an observational recon of the Cask and Flagon. Thanks to some outstanding intelligence work by Cheryl, we now have some leads to pursue. I am suitably chastened. Reminded me of the old gumshoe adage, about the need to burn shoe leather in order to progress in a case. Often the best thing to do is get out and talk to people. Worth keeping in mind in the future, no?.
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Tora may be a good prospect for recruitment by Sir Baris, although her former Laranian affiliation might make for an awkward fit. She appears to have excellent observational skills, and may perhaps be gotten on the cheap due to her infatuation with the doughty Baris. The only uneasy thing is the whole Marina connection. Do we know who originally put Marina on to Baris? Is someone continuing to pull the strings here, and are they friend or foe?
Vemion said he didn’t know Sir Ewen was a candidate for Thilisa’s hand, indicating that Thilisa never told him. Which probably means Vemion doesn’t know about the Deryni thing. Vemion also seemed to confirm Sir Rollard’s report that a choice had been made. But, by Vemion or Thilisa? What do we make of all this?
Sir Toren Curo is going to be (has been?) questioned by Vemion regarding patronage of the Sir Forren play. He will deny this and probably claim (if I had to guess) that the clever patron framed him as well. Unless Vemion has questioned the thespian very cleverly (obtaining, say, some specific detail about the meeting between Bors and Toren that inarguably confirms that Bors met with Toren), I suspect Sir Toren will maintain some plausible deniability. Which leads me to conclude that we have more work to do convincing Vemion that Sir Toren was behind the play, and possibly behind the other attacks on Ewen’s character.
Vemion appeared to mentally check something off his list when Ewen stated he did not elicit the name of the patron from Bors. I took this to mean he was comparing Ewen's story with Bors's account. Also wondered if he was drawing a conclusion (good? bad?) from Sir Ewen stopping short of more dire methods.
One interesting trump card we know, which we should not. We know the name Dregald, which we only obtained by Kaelyn’s scrying. Something to keep in mind. Could dropping the name (i.e. spuriously claiming we overheard the name used by the quartet, say) implicate Curo, and seem innocent enough, as we have never met the gent?
Imarë's tracking, and Tora's testimony, appear to conclusively to exonerate Sir Rollard as bad guy in the kidnapping, in spite of his suspicious (but necessary, to frame Sir Ewen) survival, no? Anyone not a taker?
The session closed with our decision to take Tora before Vemion. We still, however, have time to reconsider. Seeing Thilisa return to safety only to have her marry another man has little to recommend it, although her safe return would presumably clear the present cloud of suspicion lingering over our heads. One working goal should be to have our group, and Sir Ewen specifically, rescue the Lady if at all possible. Another goal should be instigating a baronial war, if at all possible, between Vemion and whoever is behind the kidnapping of Thilisa (assuming they are affiliated with a major family, which I think we do assume). These goals may, to some degree, work at cross-purposes to each other, but perhaps they don’t have to. At any rate, if we feed Vemion the information we have obtained from Tora, only to have his men rescue the Lady while we are elsewhere chasing a lead, our roles become that of bit players. I doubt Thilisa will marry Sir Ewen out of pity that he was framed. A rescue would be good, a daring one better. I said in session that Vemion had more resources to pursue Tora’s leads (the description of the horses and riders) than we do, but let us consider. Is that necessarily true? Outside Minarsas, yes. Vemion could send riders all over the place looking for this group of horses in nearby settlements. But could (should?) we manage checking the Minarsas stables ourselves, tonight, before we admit defeat and let Vemion run with it?