Imarra finds a Red Cedar Cape under some collapsed shelves and Ioanna goes to unlock a coffin that was left last time you were there... a coffin that had some weight to it. Opening it you find Ivette Domineus, delerious and dehydrated, but alive. You immediately bring her back to the surface and call Karmen Kenezzar over to help. Ferron sticks by her side the whole time. Karmen has one of her aides send for Che.

Meanwhile Odi finds another disturbing sight down in the labs, a dead pseudodragon, this one golden among the shards of broken glass. Jar

acknowledges that there were once many being held captive there, then only two. Jar approves the idea of burying their dead.

Born from earth. Return to earth. Return to mother alligator.

You bury the pseudodragon in the courtyard above.

Che arrives at the headquarters and rushes over to his daughter, thanking you for finding her but saying he wants to detangle her from the danger you have brought. He hands you a letter addressed to you, that was given to him this morning under his door. It is an invitation to Archduke Sigeric Maveli's Estate for a party and banquet. Karmen gives you payment for clearing out the labs and offers a discount at a local tailor for proper non-elven party-garb. After picking up some decent threads, the party decides to make a quick stop by Pascal's house and finds it, yet again, empty. After some scouting you do manage to find a similar invitation to Sigeric's party and some nice clothes laid out on the bed. Firn makes a light cut in the back hem.

You head to the stables and Karmen has arranged for your travel via stagecoach. You decline a driver and drive yourselves.

You head up north through the woods towards the Maveli estate untill you see a strange sight, the color of blood, diluted in the river. As you continue north you notice a horse and cart with four guards walking alongside. You keep out of sight but eventually decide to pass them.

You begin to make your way past the vast Maveli Estate and their sugarcane plantation and vineyard. You stash the coach for awhile to do some reconaissance before making a grand entrance. Firn rides on top of the coach as Confidence blasts out a tune. An unamused housekeeper approaches you and offers to have someone take your ride, and if you want a tour of the premesis. She takes you through a few rooms but eventually you press her buttons enough that she leaves you alone. The party searches the Grand Hall before some commotion in the adjacent room stops you. In walks your host Sigeric Maveli

and his wife Isabella MaveliThe party decides to take his advice and heads to the lawn where you are split into three groups with other party guests. Ioanna and Firn are partnered with Cassius de Bolbec and Alys de Bolbec , who are known for being part of the Iron Lords . Odi and Ferron are partnered with Millicent Boulderdown , and Peronell Morningfall . Millicent is from Trastamara but Peronell stays oddly quiet. Lastly Confidence and Imarra are partnered with Payton Twoorb and Robin Glorybuff , two young men from the Conclave District who Confidence and Imarra are immediately repelled by.   Ioanna and Firn find out that their partners are nervously hoping to gain favor of members of The Conclave should a dramatic political upheval take place.   Odi and Ferron find out that Peronell was following Millicent looking for somebody from Eastern Karmard at this party who may be trying to cause trouble. She doesn't beleive Millicent is that person.   Confidence and Imarra find out that Peyton and Robin are even bigger tools than they thought they were and thoroughly enjoy making them look like fools by sabotaging their swings.   After croquettes the banquet is announced to be open and party guests begin to funnel in the house to get food. Odi decides to try and sneak into the Kitchen and manages to witness the chefs alude to a particular bottle of wine that is poison and should not be revealed till later. Odi is caught and ushered back out. Ioanna, Firn and Confidence decide to see how far they can get exploring the house by just acting like they are looking for Sigeric and manage to get pretty far, making their way past several housekeepers and onto the second floor and then into the attic where they find a suspicious room where they identify the voice of Sigeric Maveli   Odi probes some guests and finds that several of them have a fear about change coming to Crandlewood but know that things are about to boil over. Odi, Ferron, and Imarra head through a service door and hide amongst an empty laundry room. Outside they hear running through the hallway and a shreik as a woman runs into the vestibule, tearfully claiming a footman was slain by an Elf trespassing in the south wing.   Above in the attic Firn hears a voice in the room say "It's time".

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/blood-and-scales-nerd-squad/donations