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Norran and Katriana sit before the hearth, talking amongst themselves.
"In return, I merely think of what would have happened had I not intervened," answers Norran, smiling faintly. "It calms me, enough. I know what must be done to protect those I'm charged to protect, and I will not hesitate to do so and live with those decisions."
Vesta Seamel steps into the tavern, with a satchel across one shoulder not unlike a better-made courier's bag. She offers a smile and a wave to the other two, but takes a table to herself. It's soon clear why - room to unroll a large map.
Katriana Nillu's fingers drift over her bow once again, "I guess I will just have to hope that I do not find myself in such a situation anytime soon, and if misfortune does bring it about, then I will pray that the Light gives me strength to do the right thing." Vesta gets a surprised and curious look as she's waved to, but lifts a hand in a tentative greeting, wiggling her fingers a few times.
"I'm sure you will," answers Norran, glancing over his shoulder to the noblewoman who's just arrived. "Hm, very friendly. And well-travelled, it seems. Two of you seem like you might get along, how about we go and introduce ourselves?" suggests the Lomasa, tone playful and bearing an amused grin toward Katriana as he begins to rise from his chair.
Vesta Seamel looks up and smiles brightly. "Oh. Sorry. Lady Vesta Seamel. Are there some good cave systems near here, would you say?"
"Katriana Nillu," the female archer replies, rising to her feet with Norran and slinging her bow and quiver over one shoulder. "No... I do not believe I can think of any cave formations around here. I remember ones along the rivers, but I believe they were further east..." She shakes her head. "Forgive me, it has been many years since I explored them."
Norran, Katriana and Vesta are all gathered around a table, apparently, talking amongst eachother while the last of the trio mentioned has just laid out a map atop it.
"Norran Lomasa, if we're keeping things simple. There are a few caves along the riverside going north, but I can't remember exactly where there are. Nothing terribly large, however," Norran observes, crossing his arms as he looks over to Vesta. "Any particular reason why you're looking for them, might I ask? Looking to stake a claim, maybe? Kahars have claimed about any veins worth much of anything at all along the river a long time ago."
Vesta Seamel laughs. "Oh, Light no," she says. "Just eliminating possibilities. I mean, I explore, but poking in caves outside my House's lands is just...well, rude, really." She pauses. "Oh. Nillu, Lomasa...I *know* I have notes..." and she fishes in her satchel for a bound journal. This gets opened, and thumbed through quickly, with little scraps of notes occasionally in danger of falling out as she turns the pages. "I don't suppose either of you have heard any old family stories of a Sunburst Key...? Just possibly?"
"If not claimed by Kahar, then claimed by Nillu," Katriana interjects gently to Norran. "We Nillu are known for our mining, after all." She smiles, "There are also a multitude of caves further into the Forest District," she adds on. "But mostly under Nillu control. If you had reason for visiting them, I am certain you could receive a waiver from the new Duchess." She pauses and thinks, then shakes her head. "My apologies, my Lady, but I have never been one for history or old stories..."
Sauntering into the Trout is Trinsa Kahar with a soft smile on her lips. The young woman pauses by the door for a moment to shoo away a large wolfhound that was trying to follow at her heel. "Go on Joffy, find yourself a mutt or two for the night." She grumbles before closing the door quickly behind her. Cyan eyes turn to look over room, searching for anything of interest.
"Your house doesn't own all the mines in Fastheld, or else I'd be very poor indeed," retorts Norran, chortling at Katriana's response, looking curiously over to Vesta. "Sounds...vaguely familiar. Isn't that some sort of Church relic? I'm a bit better aquainted with famous weaponry but it's hard to avoid hearing about other lost things that way." He spares a glance over to yet /another/ noblewoman entering from outside, brows raised. "...quite busy in here tonight."
Vesta Seamel looks both delighted and fascinated. The journal in her hands gets shoved back into the satchel, and another - much less bookmarked - is tugged out, and a pen with it. A clean page is quickly turned to. "Oh my. A lead. Please, my lord, anything you've heard? It's not really an artifact at all. It's a key in six parts."
"Of course it is a busy night in here," Katriana says with a proud smirk. "It is always busy in Nillu lands." She eyes Norran curiously as he mentions some knowledge on the subject.
Without her doggie escort Trinsa lets out a low sigh and heads towards the bar, a smile growing on her lips with each passing step. Once near she makes sure her hat is perched at the right angle. "Yes? I would very much like a room here tonight, one of the ones without the fleas if you would be so kind." She smiles towards the innkeeper.
"Where did this sudden bout of patriotism emerge from? Should we ask you for a treatise on the merits of superior Nillu soil? Superior Nillu pottery? Superior Nillu cobblestones?" further muses the Lomasa with a boisterous laugh, teasingly nudging the Nillu with his shoulder before turning his attention back to Vesta. "A key, you say? Now that you mention it...ah, yes, Bardobras Lomasa - son of Daudauf Lomasa, who's ridiculous name embittered him so much as to inflict the name Bardobras on him - received a gift given to him by an aunt of his who was affiliated with the Church."
The young man pauses, stroking his chin as he thinks before snapping his fingers, "Late 4th century, he at first thought it to be a knife, small and gold, odd-looking, but was told it was a part of that other relic you mentioned. I completely forget why it was that important. Perhaps because /his/ son, Himarf, went insane and was mysteriously found out in a farmstead surrounded by mutilated goats. That was probably it."
Vesta Seamel laughs and seems to be quickly jotting every detail down. "You can never tell what will be important later," she says happily. "Thank you, very much. I imagine we might dig up records of the trail of that piece in Lomasa records. Hopefully. If it didn't go back to the Church - oh." She pauses her scribbling. "I'm really very sorry. I should have -" Quickly, the journal's put away again. "I'm sorry, my lady Nillu, I should explain a bit more. I'm...kind of a cross between a scholar and a hunter. I hunt history. The artifacts of old, and the books, and - well, everything. Nothing too small. But this one I'm hunting now? Not small at all, or I'm hoping it isn't. You see, the Sunburst Key unlocks a door. A very big door, I think, by reports of the size of the pieces of the key. And the door seals off part of a cave, somewhere in Fastheld."
"It sounds like quite the interesting life," Katriana says with a nod. "I wish I could be of more help to you, Lady, but I must admit that I was never much for learning as a child. I would prefer to be outside and enjoying the day. If you ever needed a compatriot to search these places, however, please let me know. Of that I could be of some use to you... but these dusty books and such." Her nose just wrinkles.
Once she has secured her room for the evening Trinsa turns back towards the room proper. The sight of the other nobles causes a brow to flare up for a moment. The woman pushes herself off the counter and starts in the direction of the other three. "Oh my, proper company? Would you three be so kind as to let me join you for a time? First clean group of people I have seen in some time." The Kahar winks.
Norran hovers over Vesta's writing for a short while, interjecting, "Ah, yes, remember to write down that part about the nudity. Totally nude. Yes, there - you're not writing it down, should I spell it for you? N - U, ah nevermind." As she tells them of her hobby, as it were, Norran looks quite interested. "A sort of travelling scribe, then? Very curious. I'm a swordsman, and Katriana here is an archer seeking entrance into our respective House Guards. ... a door, you say? Couldn't you just...knock it over? Have a bunch of men dig around it? Come in from above, maybe?" he queries innocently.
And then Trinsa shows up, causing Norran to glance over to her with a quizzical look on his face. He takes a moment to sniff under his arm before shrugging and offering a friendly-enough smile. "It's not the Shadow District, you know. I am Norran Lomasa, this is Katriana Nillu and this is Vesta Seamel. She's asking us about the local geography, apparently."
Vesta Seamel laughs and takes out her journal again, dutifully noting down the bits about the nudity. "You really never can tell what will be important later, my lord, in some other hunt. For all I know, this Himarf was hiding something of great historical interest in...um, well, possibly the goats. As to digging down or around...well, first we have to find the cave. My lady Nillu's explorations will help there, in ruling out some of the available options. I mean, if you're willing." Train of thought jumping tracks again, she gives Trinsa a wave. "Please, my lady, feel free to join us." Returning her attention to Norran, she says, "Actually, my lord, in between hunts I manage a ranch. Well, mostly I manage a ranch and I do these hunts when I have the time. Which right now, I do."
"Of course, please just let me know of how I could be of service," Katriana says again to Vesta. She then gives Norran an amused look. "Some doors cannot be opened without a key, silly. Have you never read a single book of myths and legends?" She clasps her hands together and looks quite pleased. "It could end up being a real adventure. That would be marvelous."
"A Lomasa? Well that certainly does explain the alcohol fumes wafting up from this corner of the inn." Trinsa directs a fox like smirk over at Norran. "Why thank you." The Kahar gives a slight bob to the group. "Trinsa Kahar, a pleasure I am quite sure." She smiles. "Geography? Well that could have its uses I suppose. Where the roads are, high ground and all those important little tidbits."
"Yes, he certainly did hide something in the goats, but it was nothing of significance," deadpans Norran, grinning over to Katriana afterward. "Well, there you go. Something to do. I think I may join you when you go about it - ah," he pauses, a wry smile taking place on his lips as he looks over to Trinsa. "A Kahar? Well, you've probably inherited your grandfather's sense of smell, as you should be sensing the fumes everywhere all over a Lomasa tavern. I'll leave you three girls to it, I think I've lingered late enough for the night." He withdraws, bowing his head to all three and making his way for the stairs. "Light guide you all."
Vesta Seamel grins, but - as might be proper - doesn't comment further on the goats. "I thank you for your help, my lord. I will be sure to ask Lomasa historians about that piece of the key. And, my lady Nillu, I would most definitely appreciate a map of caves you've explored, if you are willing. I still need to talk with the Church about this - I think it is technically a Church treasure and I wouldn't want to offend them."
Katriana Nillu nods consideringly, "I would of course need the permission of my Duchess before putting such information in the hands of another House, but I will see what I can do," she says with a smile. She glances at Norran, "Walk in the Light, Norran," she offers. "And to you Ladies, I'm afraid I must also be excused. I promised Sundown a carrot before I retired for the evening."
"Oh I am sure you know all about Kahar curse, but if it keeps my poor nose intact in Lomasa districts, I'd much rather call it a blessing." Trinsa chuckles. "Good evening and thank you for the few laughs." She directs towards Norran. As Katrina makes her exit as well a brow is lifted. "Well.. that does raise all sorts of questions now doesn't it?" The Kahar mock whispers towards Vesta.