1. Journals

23. Ratalyn Sarhain's Rat Run

June 14, 2026

23rd Sypheros, 998 YK

  • Chantalyn Sarhain does another in-character recap of last session, earning an Improve on her least developed theme. It's so good
  • They're in Hareth's Folly still, but they know where they need to head next: Granite Halls. They don't know where the gallery they want is exactly, but they have the name: the Allaris Gallery
  • They debate how to get down to Granite Halls. They'll need to either head down and then go to Lower Central Plateau, or head to Middle Central first and then go down.
  • Chantalyn suggests they just jump?
  • Damien says no
  • Ban comments that they seem to jump off of something every adventure
  • "Exactly, let's jump right now!"
  • Yashira asks if Chantalyn has a means of not dying from the fall?
  • Chantalyn opens up her designer handbag and starts rummaging through it. It's a bag of holding. She's pulling out swords and maces and other various dangerous objects, before realising she left her featherfall token at the hotel.
  • Damien is aghast. "You brought all this other crap but not the thing that will save you if you fall of a bridge?"
  • "Okay but these are essential"
  • "Why do you need more than one weapon?"
  • "In case these break!"
  • Damien is losing it. Yashira grabs him and tells him he's starting to sound like her.
  • Damien comments that he doesn't have the skin to pull off Yashira's level of stress.
  • Yashira agrees. "Don't ever become like me, it'll age you"
  • Chantalyn gets out a grandma strawberry candy and gives one to Damien, saying his blood sugar seems like it might be low
  • Yashira takes it and shakes her head. "His blood pressure is through the roof, it'll probably kill him off"
  • "You should probably get that checked out"
  • "Adventuring isn't good for the heart anyway"
  • "Yeah you've gotta really center yourself and monitor your cortisol levels"
  • Mhmm
  • She offers him more help and he flips his lid saying he doesn't need help!
  • Nerys says they should stop doing the thing where they stand in front of an establishment chatting for an hour
  • They're walking and talking
  • As they pass through the bazaar, a pretty half-elf woman bumps into Chantalyn and puts a note in her hand, and then starts to make a hasty exit.
  • "They've been taken. I can't do this anymore."
  • Chantalyn reads the note, touches Yashira on the shoulder, and says "oh my gosh this person put my note in my hand by accident I don't know what this means. Hey wait!"
  • and she begins to chase
  • Yashira reads the notes, goes "oh sovereigns" and starts to chase Chantalyn
  • Damien loses his shit and kicks a barrel, hurting his foot.
  • "Why did I do that!? What is wrong with me!?"
  • Charlie tells him not to worry about it
  • "Why do we have to do this? I actually want Drego back, are you kidding me!?"
  • Yashira comments that Chantalyn might be his personal nightmare, but Drego is hers. Lock in, son!
  • Chantalyn is trying to follow the woman, but she loses sight of her in the crowd. There's so many people around.
  • Yashira is very experienced at stalking though, so she is able to follow Chantalyn and pick up the trail of the woman.
  • They then follow as a group, and catch up to the woman. Yashira asks Chantalyn how she wants to handle it?
  • "Yeah I just wanna make sure they get their note back, as this definitely has nothing to do with me. I think she's going through a really bad divorce."
  • Yashira passes the note around so they can all read it. She suggests maybe talking to them anyway, ask what's been taken?
  • "Oh yeah we can be their hero!"
  • Yashira tells Chantalyn to start, and she gets shy??
  • "Don't get shy now, I thought you were a social butterfly?"
  • "Oh I'm the most butterfly of socials"
  • Chantalyn advances and calls out to the woman, who looks back and then speeds up. Chantalyn then summons the sparkly flame inside her heart (and the others start freaking out) to create a sparkly silver wall in front of the woman. It works, the woman, and the crowd panics.
  • Chantalyn runs to catch up to the woman and calls out "hold on, wait! You gave me this letter and I don't think it's for me and I don't know you but you shouldn't kill yourself"
  • "I understand its hard and your kids got taken away and-"
  • as she pulls the woman into a very drunk white woman hug and says "let's go talk about this"
  • She tries to wriggle free, saying she has somewhere to be and Chantalyn says "no, just be here, it's okay"
  • Yashira makes eye contact with the woman, who has a look of dawning horror on her face. She goes "No, I'm sorry, I wasn't going to-" and then she just stops talking and her eyes go blank. Like someone flipped her off switch, Chantalyn now has a limp weight in her arms.
  • The crowd was already fleeing, so nobody has noticed that.
  • Ruckus goes "oh my god she killed her"
  • Yashira fights back the panic that she is experiencing now, and tries to assess what to do. This all seemed low stakes until this point, and then Chantalyn escalated the situation with the fire, and the woman's reaction has put her on alert as she tries to work out what the fuck is going on.
  • She wants to do something, but feels if she's too impulsive this could go so wrong.
  • I ask them each to roll to see if they knew her or knew of her. Most of them do! Her name was Wroen Bakker, she was an artist, though not a very well known one.
  • I ask each of them who know her to tell us how they knew her.
  • Ruckus has seen her around in the lower city, selling her art. He bought a painting once, just to try and support her, and gave her a little mini he made of her.
  • Nerys saw Wroen often when walking to work, selling the paintings. They never directly interacted though.
  • Damien frequents art galleries, dragged to them by his family when he was younger and appreciating them himself later in life. He met Wroen whilst walking through a park one day, painting a landscape, and he spoke to her. He didn't buy any paintings, but he did toss her some coins for the nice chat.
  • Yashira took her on as a client one day, after she was robbed in The Bazaar. Yashira took her on without charging, and managed to recover the paintings. They'd been acquintances since and kept in contact this whole time. Several of Wroen's paintings are in Yashira's family estate.
  • So this is hitting hard.
  • Nerys tries to do something about the panicking crowd. They put their arms out and yell out "House Jorasco is on their way! We don't know what happened, we have a healer here, everything is under control!"
  • They have a healer!?
  • Ban, apparently
  • This is the first time Ban is hearing of this
  • Nerys has a trustworthy face, she manages to calm down the stampede but it means people are staying around to see what's going on, in the way that people do when there's a medical emergency. Nerys calls out for a healer
  • Yashira puts a hand on Nerys' shoulder and says they need less attention, not more.
  • "Why are people just standing around, watching!? Why is nobody helping!?"
  • Yashira explains that people probably care, but lack the skills to help. They lack the skills to help.
  • Yashira checks Wroen's pulse, and there is none. Nerys asks if anyone has a revivify scroll.
  • Charlie goes to speak but decides better of it.
  • Yashira raises her voice and asks the crowd to part ways, this person needs medical attention, and they start to carry Wroen to somewhere more secluded.
  • Nerys is freaking out. Maybe it's a spell that just makes them look like they're dead?
  • Yashira doesn't think so. "Perhaps if we hadn't pursued them, this wouldn't've happened. We can get caught in what if's all our life, it doesn't change the facts."
  • Chantalyn has a visceral reaction to the statement that if they hadn't pursued Wroen, she'd still be alive. There is a visible switch in her demeanor. She's carrying Wroen through the streets somberly, her usually bubbly demeanor gone cold.
  • She's not even speaking, which is so unlike her.
  • Nerys asks if they can examine the body, to try and work out what happened?
  • There are no wounds, no blood, not even bruises. There is no evidence of any harm, no broken bones? This has to be magical.
  • Yashira's heard of a geas, could it be something like that? To what end, though?
  • Yashira asks Chantalyn if she'd like the others to carry Wroen? Chantalyn doesn't speak, but clenches her hands on Wroen's clothes and keeps walking.


The Jorasco Clinic

  • Chantalyn is taking Wroen to the nearest Jorasco clinic.
  • They're asked what happened, but they don't have an answer. She just collapsed. Damien tries to explain what happened before she collapsed, she seemed panicked, she called out in distress and then just dropped.
  • The matter of payment is brought up. Damien goes to pay, and Chantalyn pushes him out of the way and slams her cheque book down on the table.
  • The clerk asks if they know who the woman's next of kin is? Yashira mentions she had a sister, she can try to find out an address or contact details. She just needs some time.
  • The clerk then says they will do what they can, but there this unspoken weight that they can't do anything. This woman is dead.
  • Chantalyn touches the clerk on the shoulder, and says "I don't care what magical autopsy bullshit you need to do, you will tell me what caused this woman to die."
  • This intimidates the hell out of the clerk, who says "yes ma'am" and asks if they want to wait?
  • Yashira asks for an estimate of time?
  • "I'll try and speed it along"
  • Chantalyn tells Yashira to go ahead, Chantalyn will wait here and send her a Sivis when they learn more.
  • Yashira asks if she's sure? She has other contacts she can leverage.
  • "You didn't cause this."
  • Chantalyn says if that note was really meant for her, maybe her family knows something.
  • Yashira thought it was related to the model situations, but now she's not sure the note was meant for Chantalyn. She locked eyes with Yashira, who knew her, before she died.
  • Chantalyn reiterates, "do what you have to do, I'll be here. It's important that the family is talked to, this is just as important."
  • Yashira nods. She'll prioritise this, get in touch with the sister, and then get back to the models. "I can kill two birds with one stone, I have means. It'll be okay."
  • Yashira excuses herself to "get some air", and then goes to find some rats to call in a favour.
  • She steps into a side alley, throws some food down, and waits for a rat to come by. When one does, she says "hey, Zae, is that favour still good? I might need to call it in."
  • Damien buys some healing potions from the Jorasco clinic.
  • Yashira is waiting 10 minutes for something to happen. Just as she's about to leave, a rat approaches, sits up, and speaks, giving her an address in the Lower City. Yashira scratches the rats head and says "thanks, we'll make it up to you"
  • She returns to the others and tells them she's got an address. They're all a bit confused. "I have contacts"
  • Chantalyn stays at the clinic. Nerys gives her a supportive arm squeeze. Chantalyn grabs their hand in hers and squeezes back. A single tear rolls down her cheek before she wipes it away and nods at them to leave.
  • Yashira tells Ruckus to lead the way, he knows the Lower City better than she does.


Zae

  • As they head down, Ruckus talks about Wroen. "I was so sure she was going to make it, y'know? She was trying so hard with the art."
  • "I know, this city is a shithole. How did you know her?"
  • He explains their story, he used to buy art from her. "I was so certain she was going to get noticed, make it big. It shouldn't have ended like this."
  • Yashira agrees. Anything can happen in Sharn, it sucks. "I think you made a difference in her life, though."
  • Ruckus laments at how many nameless faces show up in the obituaries with a story to tell, that they'll never hear?
  • Yashira puts a hand on his back in support. "That's why we do what we do, right? To make a difference in whatever ways we can. We've gotta take it one day at a time. Get up every morning, do what we can. Eventually it'll all have been worth it. You're doing a good job, Ruckus, I'm proud of you."
  • "You are too"
  • "I'm trying, it's all we can do"
  • Damien steps in dog shit and shouts about it, breaking the tension.
  • Yashira comments they need to teach Damien prestidigitation. She tells him not to try and clean it off, he's just making it worse.
  • Charlie says he knows how to clean leather properly, he'll sort it when they're done.
  • They arrive at the address, and round the corner in an alleyway is a concerning number of rats. And a halfling.
  • It's Zae Tarkanan!
  • "Hello. You've called in your favour?"
  • Yashira says yes, they need help. They're on a time crunch and everything is going wrong.
  • "What do you need?"
  • Yashira explains they're looking for the models, she can give descriptions and rough locations they were last seen at. "If you can find even one of them, that would be helpful. We're losing daylight and now we've got another problem. Did you see what happened?"
  • "There was some kind of commotion." A rat climbs her and whispers in her ear. "Oh, a commotion involving you."
  • Yashira explains what happened, how they just dropped dead. Like some condition had been met and they just, died.
  • Zae says she's seen something like that before. She sends a rat to confirm, and then sends rats to look for the models.


The Clinic

  • Chantalyn is sat in the Jorasco lobby, elbows on her knees, hands clasped together. Occasionally touching the Silver Flame pendant at her neck, and just reflecting. She starts repeating mantras to herself, slowly coming back round. She sits back in the chair, takes a deep breath, and tries to let the flashbacks go.
  • Sometimes, you've gotta do a PTSD roll.
  • She uses her memories with Drego to ground herself, and manages to come out of the episode.
  • A staff member comes to get her, and takes her into a doctor's office. They ask her again what happened.
  • Chantalyn explains that Wroen handed her a note, she'd never met her before. It sounded like a call for help, it said "I can't do this anymore" and it sounded like she was suicidal. The Silver Flame teaches they should help people. The woman ran, Chantalyn chased her, gave her a hug and told her it would be okay and she didn't need to do anything drastic and they could fix whatever was going on. When the others got closer, she mumbled something about not meaning to do something or "no I have to go I have somewhere I have to be" and then her eyes glossed over and she just collapsed.
  • The doctor explains that there is no trauma, no injuries. It's like the woman's soul was just separated from her body. They will have to inform the Blackened Book, any further information she can provide will be instrumental.
  • Chantalyn reiterates that she didn't know this woman, and this is such a scary situation. "She just stopped."
  • She really hopes the "Burned Book people" can figure it out.
  • They ask how they can get in touch with Chantalyn if they need more information? Chantalyn says she's well known, and tells them about the fashion show tomorrow. "You can find me there"
  • She couldn't have said anything less expected than that.
  • The doctor is totally flabbergasted. Their bams have been boozled. They thank her for her time, and say the Blackened Book will likely be in contact if they need any more information.
  • She does write down where she's staying in the hotel. She then makes her way to the nearest Sivis message station to make a Sending to Yashira. She gives a description.
  • The Sivis messengers gives a blank stare. "We need a full name, not a description"
  • "Yashira....Medani. But she doesn't have a d' cos she's a girl"
  • Uh huh...
  • "Okay..."
  • The marked gnome she is currently talking to is also a girl. They ask what they want the message to say?
  • "Yashira, no physical identifiers as to why she died. Instead the Jorasco think it's something Magical and not easily determined. Also The Cops"
  • The gnome just let her keep talking and just cut it off. Incredible.


Back to Zae

  • After like 20 minutes, the rat returns and speaks to Zae, who looks concerned.
  • "Okay, we have seen this before. We dealt with it though, so that means there's another Radiant Idol."
  • A what?
  • There was a cult running out of a tavern, worshipping an Idol of Death. Not as deadly as Bal Tarkanan though.
  • Zae explains that this is something they can do, when somebody is encultified (she asks if that's a word), the Idol can just kill them.
  • Damien is the one who finally asks, "what the fuck is a Radiant Idol?"
  • Zae asks if they know what an Angel is? Most angels come from Syrania, and they can go bad. The metaphor is a bit stretched, she compares it to strawberries, raspberries, oranges, and swords, that go bad if you worship them.
  • Charlie comments that it's like the play...
  • Huh, that's weird!
  • "But she hasn't run that play in so long. She said she was ruminating on it..."
  • It can't be related? Right?
  • Damien says "our mutual friend is probably more tuned in than we realise."
  • Yashira asks how they can deal with this?
  • Zae goes on a very long tangent about it depending on how big the cult is, and some of the Idols aren't that bad depending on their domain, but this one killed someone already so it does seem pretty bad. The bigger the cult, the more people at risk.
  • "You're gonna have to kill this guy"
  • Damien is concerned what this means for their souls? Charlie says "evil happens when good people do nothing"
  • Sigh
  • Guess they're killing an angel.
  • Yashira's eyes unfocus and she goes "And the cops?"
  • Her brow furrows and her hands go up as she tries to desperately piece together what the fuck that means and how to respond.
  • "And... The cops? I'll assume Blackened Book, given the context. We think a Radiant Idol is the cause. Want to kill an angel, Chanty? Oh--"
  • She got asked a question while speaking and the Sending picked it up.
  • "Sorry, Sending. We've got another companion in the city."
  • Chanty says "yeah that's what I said, the cops." Yashira can't hear this.
  • She also doesn't know where the party are
  • Damien is shocked that Chantalyn can just send Sendings on a whim? How rich is she?
  • He goes off about how more efficient it would've been to write a letter and get an Orien courier to send it.
  • Yashira asks if Zae has heard of the Silver Blight? "Could you get a rat to go find her and bring her here? I'll owe you more favours, we'll hash it out."
  • A rat approaches Chantalyn who is going shopping, since she's in the Bazaar anyway. A woman's voice comes out of the rat and says "Chantalyn Sarhain. Hey."
  • "Oh my Flame a talking rat"
  • Chantalyn picks up the rat, and the rat explains her friends are waiting for her. It gives her an address, but it's clear Chantalyn doesn't know it.
  • "Hey can rats see colour?"
  • "Yeah"
  • "Okay cool"
  • The rat decides to stay with Chantalyn and lead the way, since she obviously doesn't know where she's going.
  • When Chantalyn gets to the group, she has changed her outfit. She is now in a pink and blue barbie girl dress. She has also put the rat in a matching outfit. Zae didn't say anything, but she did react to it.
  • Yashira has a very strong reaction to this.
  • "You said something about killing an angel?"
  • "Is...the rat going to kill the angel too?"
  • "I don't know but she's like my best friend, I can hear her voice."
  • Yashira says "about that" and points at Zae, who gives a little wave and says "hi"
  • "Oh my god you sound just like the rat, are you guys sisters?"
  • "In a sense..."
  • "That's great!"
  • "Anyway this is Ratalyn. Ratalyn Sarhain."
  • Damien and Yashira both have a visceral reaction to this. "Maybe just Ratalyn. I don't need a rat Sarhain in my city forever."
  • The gang's all together again, at least.
  • Okay, where is this Radiant Idol?
  • Could be anywhere
  • Hmm
  • Yashira suggests going to Wroen's address to look for clues?
  • Chantalyn says isn't that what they were supposed to be doing? "Wait, the rat lady isn't her next of kin? What did you spend the last hour doing?"
  • "It's a really funny story. I had to- I was talking to Zae and we got sidetracked by Radiant Idols and...no you're right, we need to prioritise"
  • Yashira doesn't have an excuse, she's just not on her A-Game today. "Anyway, Zae, hi"
  • Chantalyn turns to Ratalyn and says "y'know Drego is the one who told me Yashira was good but I am beginning to worry about his opinions."
  • Yashira dies, instantly.
  • There is a noticeable physical shift in her demeanor, she goes stiff and stands up straighter. She clenches her hand, gets out a silver pocket watch, clicks it and looks at the time, and then puts it back.
  • Her jaw is set, her expression serious. She says to Zae in a low voice.
  • "Hey, I need you to find me the address of Wroen Bakkar's next of kin. She was in the Lower City, you might've met her. I need you to find that address and we're going to find out where this cult is. And we're going to find the missing models. By the end of today, we will have achieved everything we set out to achieve. I don't care how we do it or how messy it gets, we're going to get it done."
  • This worries Nerys, who comments that this sounds like a lot.
  • "I can get it done."
  • Damien affirms that she's the best detective in this goddamn city and if she says she can do it, she'll do it. He's got eye contact with Chantalyn the whole time.
  • Chantalyn breaks out into a bright grin. Damien's hand goes to his rapier, Charlie's hand goes to Damien's. He tries to defuse the situation.
  • Nerys comments that maybe the angel is jealous of the models? Are they connected?
  • Maybe its an angel of beauty?
  • Chantalyn says if that's the case, why wasn't she taken?
  • "Because you're too powerful, not stealable."
  • Yashira reasserts that she will do whatever needs doing to pay for it, but she needs unfiltered access to Zae's rats for the rest of the day.
  • The others are concerned with this statement.
  • Zae leans forward so that only Yashira can hear her. She apologises, but says she can't do that, she can't split her attention that much. She can focus on one or two rats at a time, she can look for the models or the address. The rats can act somewhat autonomously, but they're just rats.
  • Zae's sincerity snaps Yashira out of it. She thanks her anyway, and says to priotitise the models. Anything is better than nothing.
  • She then addresses the rest of the group and reiterates the plan, and asks if anybody has any questions?
  • They all stare at her for like 5 seconds and she moves on. She's being a bit abrasive.
  • Nerys asks if everyone is doing okay? They've been through a lot today. Everyone fed, hydrated? Does anyone need a hug?
  • Charlie says he's doing okay, but he didn't pack anything. He didn't think he needed to. Nerys gives him a sandwich.
  • Damien has water bottles.
  • Chantalyn asks if Nerys needs a hug?
  • Nerys says they're fine! Just making sure everyone else is okay.
  • Yashira says "okay great, we're all on the same page we're all feeling great let's go let's go"
  • As she looks at her pocket watch again, tapping her foot
  • As they head out, Chantalyn steps up next to Damien and says "you're a really good friend. To Yashira. Don't ever let that change."
  • "I don't intend to, but thank you. These people are good people."
  • "I agree! I've seen a lot of good people go bad though."
  • Damien misses a step. "I'm sorry to hear that...but I would like to think that won't happen"
  • "Eh, as long as you guys are good friends and continue to stay by each others sides. That's the most important part."
  • Damien says this was always meant to be a temporary thing for him, but he looks over to Charlie and says maybe it'll be less temporary than he originally intended.
  • He then looks to Yashira. "She's a good detective. Drego wouldn't've recommended her if she wasn't. Be kind to her."
  • "Sometimes you have to make people mad to get them to do what you want."
  • "Ah, yes. You and Drego are quite good at that."
  • "Oh, does Drego do that too?"
  • "That man drives me fucking crazy"
  • "I thought you were with Charlie?"
  • Damien gets all flustered and makes a bunch of syllables. He teleports away.
  • Nerys asks if he's okay? He gets some water out and starts drinking it. "Yeah I'm fine"
  • Charlie asks Damien if he wants to use his fan, since he seems a bit warm?
  • Damien wants to but he doesn't. He knows that blond behemoth is behind him, watching them both.
  • "Fucking Sarhains"


Finding Wroen's Next of Kin

  • Yashira heads to Wroen's address, as she knew them the most. She wants to get in there before the Blackened Book show up, cos then it's cooked.
  • A little vigilante justice never hurt anyone.
  • Yashira picks the lock to the apartment expertly, even with people being on the street. This constitutes a Milestone in her not letting the law get in the way of solving a case.
  • Yashira and Nerys (inquisitive in training) search the apartment for anything that could help them. There's no food in the fridge, a few non-perishables in the cupboards. A dirty glass of water on the nightstand. When rummaging through her drawers, they find a journal where she logged who she was selling her art too. Recently, the Allaris Gallery purchased a bunch of her paintings.
  • Ah, the place they were supposed to go at the start of the session! They got there eventually.
  • Nerys asks if this is an art cult? Maybe they recruited her to put her art in the gallery.
  • Yashira says those who are down on their luck, who don't have a lot, are easy to prey on. It's a common playbook for cults, they prey on the vulnerable.
  • What's the art gallery got to do with the cult? It'd be quite a coincidence. Yashira says she doesn't think coincidences are a thing, she's never encountered one.
  • Damien says it makes sense. Buy some paintings and you've got someone in your corner, they can make propaganda.
  • Yashira says she's struggling being here. She knew Wroen. "Apartments are sad, they give you a snapshot into somebody's life. Maybe I should've tried harder."
  • "I don't want to overstay our welcome. We've meddled in her affairs more than we probably should've. As long as we can get some justice, that's what's important."
  • Yashira does another sweep to make sure she hasn't missed anything. She wants to find any details on the next of kin.
  • She finds a photo of Wroen with her sister, and a name on the back. That's enough to send a Sivis message.
  • She passes the photo to Chantalyn, and says they should pop by a Sivis station and inform her. Chantalyn says this is a good idea.
  • Sivis station first. Then the gallery.
  • But first, Yashira needs to relock the apartment. She manages it, but she takes ages to do it and burns more of their precious, precious time. She breaks a lockpick.
  • She tells the others to go ahead without her, while she sorts it out.
  • The others head to the Sivis station near to the clinic.
  • Damien drafts a rough message, and asks what the others think? They workshop it a little bit
  • "I'm sorry to inform you that Wroen Bakker is dead, we are investigating the circumstances, could we meet? They are at [address]" 
  • "What do you mean she's dead? What happened? I'm on my way now."
  • They make their way to the clinic, and Yashira catches up with them.
  • Orianna Bakker arrives at the clinic to see them. She has a family resemblance to Wroen. She addresses Yashira by name, Wroen told them about her. Yashira is devastated that apparently Wroen thought they were closer than she did.
  • "What happened? I got a...I got a sending saying that Wroen's dead?"
  • Yashira apologises and says they want to give answers, but they don't have much. Wroen handed them a note in a busy, crowded area and ran away. It said "They've been taken. I can't do this anymore." They don't have full context, but when they caught up to her she just...stopped. Somebody, somewhere did something to her magically and she just died. It was quick, painless. Like she just sort of switched off.
  • "I'm deeply sorry"
  • Orianna gets more and more teary as Yashira tells the story, and that final statement is so absurd that it just breaches the dam and she begins sobbing. "What are you talking about? That makes no sense!?"
  • Yashira doesn't know what to do, she extends a hand, withdraws it. She says, very softly, "I know. I know. It sounds insane, and it's upsetting, and I'm so sorry. I...we think we know who's responsible, we just need to find them. Do you know anything about getting into contact with new people lately? I understand this is really upsetting and I wouldn't normally ask this of you but we're so close to finding them, Ori. If you could tell us anything, any change in her personality, any new people in her life? Did she get tied up with any new organisations? We suspect there may be a cult involved. Any information you can give, I promise you I will bring them to justice."
  • Yashira is coming on really strong here, and it takes Damien stepping in and reframing, and calming her down, to get anywhere.
  • Orianna explains that her and Wroen had grown more distant recently, she didn't know of any new people or organisations in her life, but she just seemed to be busy all of the time. They'd barely spoken over the last few weeks.
  • This lines up with the art purchases in the journal.
  • Yashira opens her mouth to ask another question, but decides that whatever she is about to say is just going to make the situation worse again. She re-evaluates, and just thanks Orianna for the information. "It's a great help, if you need anything, let us know. Let me know."
  • She gives Orianna her address, and tells her to come find her if she needs anything.
  • "I'm sorry. For everything."
  • A Jorasco staff member approaches, asking if this is the next of kin? They ask if she would like to see the body, to discuss what happens next.
  • "Don't worry. Everything has been paid for already."
  • They all say goodbye, and it's time to solve the crime.