Episode 7

SHORT SUMMARY

Synopsis
CN: mentions of attempted rape

We have kind of a free day and the party doesn’t start till after lunch. So as our set of acolytes gathers during breakfast, Xanthus sleeps in. Aalea and Mouser are not there either. Bianca is absent from breakfast as well. This prompts the party to shit talk to Bianca after Agrippa asks what everyone thinks about her. Caeso states that everytime he interacted with Bianca, she flirted with him, which made him uncomfortable. Aurelius is still salty about him losing in the fight with Bianca. Seadancer agrees with not liking Bianca, since she came up with the idea for the party, which Bianca co-opted. Agrippa and Julius have a reading lesson with Klaus, where he goes over the basic things written in the poisoning book Spiderkiller gave us.

Aurelius and Nadya leave for the library. Aurelius asks the Chronicler if there is a particular system in place, he states that there is no system and that it’s mostly just guess-work. He shows the general categories, stuff seems to appear. Aurelius finds a book about the history of Prophets in Liis and a guide to prophetic dreams. He goes over to one of the tables, starting to read the books. One goes into the reaction to prophets in Liisian culture, the prophets of the four daughters are oftentimes considered more important than they are in Itreya. Prophets come in different kinds and different levels. There are very practical uses of prophets in Liis, for example those in harbours. The focus in Itreya seems to lay more in the religious order. The other one goes into how to tell the difference between a normal and a prophetic dream. It seems to be very interwoven with symbols of the gods.

Nadya finds a diary of one of the past teachers and the unpublished history of the red church. The Chronicler mentions that there is a two book limit. She takes both with her and leaves the library to make some potions. Meanwhile Petra and Caeso wait for Agrippa and Julius to return from reading class to head to the baths together. In there they find some of the other Acolytes, one of them is Tacitus. Petra and Agrippa jump into the pool, Tacitus currently occupies, while Caeso and Julius head for the other. Aurelius sticks nearby to Tacitus and Agrippa. We get a clear look at the tattoo on Tacitus’ back, it’s a spread eagle. On one side it spells Itreya and on the other Verus. After a very awkward introduction, they have a chat with Tacitus in which he proceeds to talk about Xanthus. Agrippa comments on the weirdness of the conversation after Tacitus leaves, which he happens to overhear.

Xanthus joins the others around lunch time still dressed in his pyjamas. Mouser comes over to the table for a quick flirt with Xanthus. During lunch Xanthus and Aurelius notice that Seadancer takes a few bottles of wine. Nadya notices this and that Aalea sees all of this. Agrippa nods to Mouser, asking what the thing between Xanthus and Mouser was about. Xanthus answers that Mouser has seen him naked.

As we head to the party outside of the quiet mountain, we see two suns already behind the horizon, only the biggest one remaining in the sky. Coating everything in a dusky light. There is a huge bonfire set up in the sand. Petra goes to the stables. Bianca asks Caeso for assistance getting the fire started in an attempt to flirt with him. Caeso doesn’t get the fire started. Nadya notices a guy, Talos, sitting across the fire, glaring at Bianca and Caeso, directing his anger at the latter. Nadya taps Caeso on the shoulder and asks him if he wants to grab a drink, giving him a pretence to leave the conversation with Bianca. Bianca continues to fail at starting the fire, when Aurelius stands there and casts a fire spell.

Agrippa sits next to Nel, a street fighter who knows Agrippa, they start to have a chat. They have seen Agrippa fight in the arena. He compliments his fight with the Brute of Vaan. Agrippa lets him in on the secret that off the stage most of the gladiators are actually friends. Nel admits that they got a crush on the Brute of Vaan and asks Agrippa about him. They chat for a bit, before Agrippa proceeds to give him a combat lesson. Agrippa goes off to find someone who wants to fight him. Petra tells him that she will punch him. Agrippa wins the fight and Aurelius heals Petra. After this fight Agrippa asks who wants to fight next. Diamo steps forward, after failing to do much to Agrippa, he pulls a knife. Agrippa tells him he knows how to deal with cheaters, proceeding to disarm Diamo, trying to break his arm. Agrippa humiliates Diamo in this fight and the crowd cheers. In the meantime Aurelius steals the dagger from Diamo. Xanthus arrives at the party fashionably late with a very expensive bottle of wine. Aurelius goes over to Agrippa and heals him, they chat about the fact that Aalea warned Agrippa about this.

Aurelius notices Xanthus arriving at the party, Tacitus notices Aurelius starting at Xanthus. He leans across to Aurelius, saying »He really is something, ain’t he?« Misunderstanding his grudge against Xanthus. Aurelius doesn’t say anything. Tacitus hands Aurelius a drink and Aurelius asks how he knows Xanthus. He tells him that they go way back, their families know each other. Tacitus mentions that they kind of had a thing. He further mentions that they have known each other since they were twelve. When Aurelius asks if his personality was always like this. Tacitus says yes and compliments things about Xanthus, much to Aurelius’ annoyance. Aurelius asks about the tattoo. He tells him that yes he was in the army, but had the tattoo way before, since it resembles his family's crest. They have a military connection through the fact that they breed horses. Aurelius notices something about Tacitus.

Xanthus looks for Nadya and finds her standing next to Caeso drinking and chatting. Nadya notices the fine vintage Xanthus has. He shares some with Nadya and Caeso. After a little bit Caeso puts his hand on Nadya’s shoulder and tells them that he will take a look around, looking for people who look nervous or suspicious. Nadya and Xanthus tell him that they will stick around here. As he leaves, Talos approaches him, asking him in Liisian what he wants from Bianca. He gets all weird and jealous, while Caeso tells him he has no interest in Bianca. Xanthus and Nadya go off to have a private conversation.

Caeso goes over and saves Aurelius from Tacitus simping for Xanthus, by asking him to take a walk with him. Aurelius thanks Caeso for the rescue. Caeso asks Aurelius about that day in Mouser’s class, where Aurelius told him he shouldn’t bother, because he wouldn’t have done the same. Which prompts Caeso to ask, why he would say that and what he knows about Xanthus. Aurelius explains the patronage system in Godsgrave and how Xanthus sent him away. He tells Caeso that Xanthus’s family is one of the 12 riches marrowborn families. Caeso wonders if he thinks he is dangerous to any of them or just an asshole. Aurelius tells Caeso that Tacitus and Xanthus knew each other, telling him that he seems very invested in Xanthus. Caeso proceeds to ask Aurelius if he is invested in Xanthus. Aurelius tells him he is invested in making Xanthus’ life as hard as possible here, stating that he doesn’t want him dead. Aurelius says that he usually doesn’t trust people who have been in the military, but he feels comfortable to at least say that to Caeso. Caeso mentions that if it changes anything, he didn’t choose to join.

Around the time a fight between Ashlinn and Osrik starts to take up steam. They have an argument. Ashlinn tells him that he sucks. Osrik replies saying: ''»It's just honest. Some of us will be Blades and some of us won't.«'' Ashlinn questions his superior training, stating that he doesn’t know what any of these people have been through. »I know exactly, who you would sidle up to if you could go over that.« Osrik gets more angry, telling her to shut up. »Dad said not to get too friendly with the competition and you are out here trying to make friends?«

Ashlinn tells Osrik that she needs friends, since she is a people person, she would die of boredom if she only had to hang out with him.

Aalea enters the party, greeting people and picking up a drink. As she goes over to Xanthus and Nadya, Xanthus offers her a drink from his bottle. She pours out the drink she had in her hand into the sand and lets Xanthus fill her cup up. Xanthus tells her that there has been a fight already. Aalea asks Xanthus about his night with Mouser, saying that Mouser was very happy. Aalea reminds Xanthus that he told her in her conversation that the first week at school is too early to sleep with someone. Xanthus says that she knows how convincing he is. Aalea goes over to have a chat with Agrippa, sitting next to an unconscious Diamo, telling her that he is a cheater pulling a knife in a fist fight. Aalea stabilizes Diamo, but leaves him unconscious, healing up Agrippa. Aalea reveals that she is here to fetch Caeso for the interrogations. She goes over to check in with Caeso, telling him that she is here to get him. Before he goes Nadya catches him, giving him a kiss on the cheek, whispering »Don’t forget to breath.«

After some words of encouragement from Aalea, telling him that it is rarely the most obvious suspect, they enter the room. All of the Shahiid’s are present, in the middle Mother Drusilla. They offer him something to sober up, if he feels too drunk. Caeso says it will be fine. Spiderkiller seems very scornful of the fact that everyone has been drinking. They start by asking him where he was the night Leo was murdered. He tells them he was in his room and never left it. He tells them that Nadya can confirm this and at least Aurelius heard him having a bad nightmare that night. He says the both slept that night. Solis tells him that this means he could have slipped out unnoticed. Caeso denies this. They ask what Leo has said in the fight the night before, warning him that since Aalea knows Liisian, she has already translated for them. He tells them Leo confronted him about being Liisian and joining the Itreyan army thus betraying his people. They ask him if he knew Leo and if he was ever stationed near Galante. He says he never heard of him and just passed through the city,as he was stationed mostly in Vaan. Mouser tells Caeso that he has done a sweep of his room for evidence. Asking him if he ever had any reason to meet Liisian radicals. Caeso says he didn’t. Mouser further asks if Caeso has been in Leo’s room, looking very pointently at Caeso’s red tunic. Caeso denies this and after asking again also tells Mouser that he never was in his room after the murder too. Caeso denies knowing about who was in the room. Aalea slips out saying she is going to collect the next person. Mother Drusilla asks about Caeso’s theories. He says that he thinks he is being framed.

Bianca goes around making a big deal out of the fact that someone stole her drink containing her favourite wine. As Aalea goes over to get Talos, Nadya, Agrippa and Aurelius overhear Osrik and Ocativa talking about how they are sure Caeso did the murder. When Caeso returns he gathers the party to have a talk about what happened during the investigation. He tells them that they knew someone was in his room and Caeso explains that he lied saying he didn’t know who went into his room. Xanthus says that Tacitus doesn’t have anything to do with it and says that he will hold onto the red thread. Caeso and Xanthus get drunk on Xanthus’ wine. As the bonfire party winds down, Aurelius takes this opportunity, wanting to leave the party, seeing blood tracks in the sand. Aurelius finds the tracks going towards the hall of eulogy. Near the stables he finds the dead body of Talos. Aurelius gets Caeso’s attention. They try to get Nadya’s attention. They find Nadya and Xanthus making out in front of everyone. As she is looking up from kissing she notices them and drags Xanthus along, they follow Aurelius and Caeso to the dead body. It is gone. Nadya notices the imprints of fabric or sheet in the sand, some trails leading up towards the direction of the hall of eulogy. Aurelius finally explains what has happened. Aurelius shows his bloody hands from checking Talos’ body. The four of them decide to follow the tracks. Xanthus shadow cloaks him, Nadya and Caeso and as they enter the hall of eulogy they see Aalea absolutely drenched in blood, carving the name of Talos into the floor. She sees them enter. They are very shocked seeing this display, as they want to leave. Aalea asks them to stay, they are magically bound to do so. Aurelius tells her that he isn’t alone, because he must ask her truthfully. Xanthus has to drop the spell and the rest of them are commanded to stay. Caeso asks what is going on. To which Aalea tells them to sit down and that she will explain, finishing carving in Talos’ name. Nadya asks if the investigation is now over, to which Aalea explains this is something different. Spiderkiller notices when things are getting missing. He planted something in Bianca’s drink, wanting to drug and rape her, after Aalea tested her drink, she killed him. Aalea gets up and leads Nadya to her interrogation.

Additional Note: There is some information about the state of Liisian politics in this episode, it’s in the timestamps.

Acolyte count: 33 remain