Madness, Blood and Thunder in Ravens Bluff IC

[rypt]

Ravendark Castle

Returning to the Central Office of the Watch at the appointed time, Cael takes some small measure of relief in recognizing the same officer from before. Even with a familiar face to greet him, however, the elf finds that his mouth feels suddenly dry, anxiety churns in his stomach, and his heartbeat thunders in his ears. As he approaches the front desk, his smile comes only with deliberate effort. "Hello again, officer," he manages before an uncomfortable swallow. "Have you had word from your supervisor?"

[TheFallenOne]

Ravendark Castle

"Yes he has", another watchman answers instead, stepping forward. "Chief Constable Roryn Sunriver", he introduces himself shortly; the dress of the blond, muscular man doesn't seem to betray his rank, although his ornament-less armor does stand out for its old, almost ancient appearance. "Before you are to meet her, let's make some things clear - the room is dimensionally locked, so if you try anything you won't get out of here alive. As was already told the embassy of Aglarond, any attempt on her on their behalf will be considered an act of war. Thay certainly has not the best reputation in these parts, but in light of suitable offense we might reconsider our stance on their conflict with Aglarond, as well as various treaties and trade agreements. Is that clear enough?"

[Jeff the Green]

Mirielle's Apartment

Alaister tilts his head to the side, quizzically, pondering a bit about Kelemvor, and his clergy... When he speaks, it's idly curious... "And what if the law cannot be enforced, due to the whims of noble corruption?"

...

Mirielle frowns. "I'm not a naïf, Alalaister; I did say 'when the law cannot act.'" She taps her chin and continues. "Though if that is in deed the case, I believe I may have to work to challenge the corrupt nobles protecting them. I may not agree with Ilmater's priests on many things, but their intolerance of Loviatar's followers and their opposition to Thay's wizards is entirely salubrious. Gods know I hope that's not the case, though. I do not need another project that promises political retribution."

Alaister frowns for a second, after, contemplating the question he had received.... "There are any number of ways to discredit her."

"So, more pavement pounding, then. Hooray," Mirielle deadpans. The day's events have not produced a good mood. "If you want to work on that research, I'll do what I can to help, and I'll see if I can't find Jorran to help as well. I still need to be at the library, but for this, I can probably spend afternoons away from the bookshelves."

"Oh, speaking of pavement pounding," Mirielle adds, "I may have stumbled on something worrying about Cybrarvain. It seems he has been watching me." She relates her chance meeting with Vandroy and the arrival of the letter at their lunch and hands him the letter to examine. "I didn't tell anyone where I was going, which I think suggests that either our incendiary elf or one of his agents was close enough to hear us in the street, he's using Vandroy as a pawn, or Vandroy is Cybrarvain. The last is intriguing, but were I stalking me I wouldn't hesitate to implicate a known fire-using mage to escape suspicion. Besides, he used alchemist's fire at the archive, not magic."

[rypt]

Ravendark Castle

The constable's sudden appearance catches Cael off-guard, his introduction eliciting soldierly habits that the elf would have preferred to suppress. A keen eye might have noticed Cael's posture straighten, his left foot shifting closer to his right such that he stands slightly taller as he turns to face the senior watchman.

Before you are to meet her... Cael only half registers everything that Sunriver has to say after that as he begins to imagine the innumerable ways in which his reunion with his sister might unfold. The desk officer's earlier remarks regarding Liara's condition weigh particularly heavily in his thoughts. Would she even recognize him?

When the constable has finished warning him against harming his own flesh and blood, Cael answers with more certainty than he might have answered any other question. "Yes, sir, it is."

[Sallera]

The High House of Magic

Maybe nothing, maybe something, but no easy way to tell. Perhaps she'd simply been making sure Beregor was nowhere in earshot; if Aya had thought of the possibility, she'd have checked for herself before playing with that story. She turns back to Tarthree, listening attentively to his explanation while keeping half an eye out for any overly persistent glances from Cortalyn.

"Oh, it does sound like I can't really watch out for anyone in particular, then. No sense in getting too worried about something I can't do anything about, after all. Still, thank you; it eases my mind to know where I stand." She gives a small smile, changing the topic; she'd learned what she wanted to know, whether Ambrath had any relation, for good or bad, with Wyrmhoard that she could exploit, and it sounded like that was a dead end.

"Who is Lady Flemeer? I haven't heard the name before, but it sounds like maybe that isn't any surprise?"

[candycorn]

Mirielle's Apartment

"Apologies, Mirielle... At times, I conflate the law with those charged to protect it. That said, from what I have seen in this city thus far, I am entirely convinced that innocence here is nothing more than a commodity to be bought or sold, through coin or service. The 'law' here is merely a veneer to allow the noblewomen a pretense of civility... And a tool to allow those in power, to remain so. Call me a cynic, perhaps, but I don't believe there is much integrity among any with power." Alaister's voice doesn't carry any anger or disappointment at any of this... He continues, in the same conversational tone, "I have no trouble seeking the information, though I'll need to get the initial information from Misti Marva before I begin. It makes no sense to rediscover what has already been found, after all. I do think Jorran may be useful... He's rather imposing, and that can sometimes be as effective as a gentle tone, at least in the short run."

Alaister stops to listen to the full tale of Cybrarvain, and, when he speaks, it's much more thoughtful, as if he's trying to work things out...

"Soon... Sounds like a threat, but why would he feel the need to threaten you? He could leave the city whenever he liked, and I doubt any in this city would notice him leaving. I hate to admit it, but at the moment, we're not entirely successful in tracking him down. So he has a goal, an objective, keeping him here. The only reason he has to threaten you is if he needs to stay. In that case, it may not even be a threat, but instead, gloating that his goal is nearly complete. That would be quite unfortunate, I suppose... But if one of the players in town has hired him, it's possible that they continue to do so..." Alaister pauses for a moment... "I... would very much like to be in the room when you next meet with Vandroy. I've met Cybrarvain personally, you know. It wasn't recently, but when he attempted to kill me, it was for walking in on him at an inconvenient time. While that has made my life more... complicated, it may be of use in telling you whether this Vandroy is, in fact, Cybrarvain. I doubt he is, though. I doubt even that he's a mage, at least not one of note. While I wouldn't put it past him, were he a mage, to use alchemist fire to set a blaze, using certain spells to make natural fire burn more intensely... It would certainly lead people away for looking for a mage. However, if that were the case, he wouldn't likely lead anyone back to an arsonist mage, given all the effort he would have gone through to lead people away from that very piece of information. Cybrarvain does, however, make use of relatively unwitting conscripts, from time to time... I think that far more likely. Moreover, the selection of an arsonist mage in that role is only likely if Cybrarvain intends to fake his own death as part of his plan. After all, those less skilled at finding out information may indeed stumble upon the first arsonist and conclude, upon defeating him, that it was Cybrarvain... Not ever knowing the difference. No, I wouldn't believe Vandroy to be the assassin, unless I verified it for myself."

[Jeff the Green]

Mirielle's Apartment

Mirielle is silent for a few moments, considering the possibilities. Black Sorrow's trip placed a deadline on studying him, but Cybrarvain was an immediate—and possibly deadly—concern. "I don't think we can let either of these enemies rest too long," she says slowly, still forming her thoughts. "Cybrarvain and Vandroy clearly know me, and I can't disguise myself. Perhaps you could follow Vandroy, see what you can find about him and his plans. Aya might be able to help with that, if you need to set up a tail. While you do that I can find out about Ms. Lashon. I'll get Jorran to help me with that task."

Spoiler

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Did Jorran leave Mirielle a note when he came by? If so I can't find it; if not he ought to come by the apartment ASAP so we don't keep missing each other.

[TheFallenOne]

The High House of Magic

"Not much of one I guess. One of the middling noble houses, and lacking any male family members one of those threatened to die out. The war sadly gave us a couple of those. Ever since her mother died birthing her misshapen sister she's been a recluse, even the bards she hires only play for her through veiled curtains. It's a tale sad and strange. I remember she was a beauty, but now she is worried about being seen more than her sister, who for all intents and purposes is the face of the house now."
At this moment, two familiar faces enter the gradually filling hall; Misti Marva and Vanet in identical dresses of soft flowing fabric, the blond elf in black and the darkhaired human in white, antithetic and yet inherently linked like day and night. They do draw some attention, particularly from the male guests, and one of the more inebriated priests whistles in a way rather unfitting to the gathered high society. And perhaps their appearance is the reason no-one seems to have yet noticed Rikrik eagerly climbing one of the tapestries, already 20 feet off the ground.

Ravendark Castle

The commander inspects Cael for some moments with a critical eye, then nods. "Alright then. Follow me." The walk takes them up three flights of wide stairs until they reach a thick metal door. "Just... Don't expect too much. We took care of the wounds she had, but something must have damaged her mind. She can eat, relieve herself, and sometimes she seems aware of her surroundings, but we couldn't get her to talk yet... Not really anyway, she just keeps repeating the same thing over and over." He opens the door, showing a 10 by 20 windowless cell, illuminated by a magical torch. Liara is sitting on the bed in a ball, hugging her knees. "Good luck lad." Sunriver gives Cael a soft tap on the shoulder, then closes the door again once the siblings were alone.
Liara is whispering monotonously the same thing over and over, barely audible. Only once he got close enough to feel her breath on his ear can he make out the words: "Sigil... Sigil... Sigil..."

[candycorn]

Mirielle's Apartment
Alaister grins as Mirielle speaks. "That sounds like a fantastic idea. That way, I can check on things that you'd have difficulty exploring, and you can look into what I would be otherwise occupied with. Of course, I would like to first get the information that Misti has. I wouldn't want you to be going in blind, and it'll help you in knowing what to look for, perhaps. I believe Misti Marva is currently available, fortunately.

One other thing I am concerned about, though. It takes us quite a while to gather together. Over a day, in fact. It won't do at all, if things go sideways. We need to get a means of getting together quickly, at the very least, in less than a day. What if we chose a public place, and checked it regularly? A bulletin board at a tavern or somesuch? We can have a code worked out, and if we need to meet, just post a message with that code upon the board. Say, a request for volunteers for a study involving improved poison antidotes, offering 2 copper coins per day? I doubt anyone would actually take us up on that offer, but if we saw the note, we'd know to meet at a prearranged location, either at noon or midnight, whichever comes first? Of course, for such a thing to work, we would need to check it at least thrice each day. Your thoughts? If you like the arrangement, we can pass it on to the others, and hopefully, we'll meet up within a half-day, should we need to."

[Sallera]

The High House of Magic

"Oh, that is quite a story." Interrupted by the collective acknowledgement of Misti and Vanet's entrance, Aya notices Rikrik behind them, and for a moment rather wishes she hadn't. She could ask Landar to deal with it... but the result might not be as quiet as she would like, and she was closer anyway.

"Ah... they certainly make a noticeable entrance. And, unfortunately, remind me of something I must take care of. Thank you for the pleasure of your company; I hope you have a pleasant evening." Bowing to each of them and withdrawing, Aya loses herself in the crowd as elegantly as she is able, sidling around the partygoers until she reaches the buffet. Plucking a pair of grapes from the table, she pops one in her mouth, and moves to stand underneath Rikrik so that he could cast to her if he wanted. There was, after all, a small chance he had good reason for going up there. Perhaps he'd noticed something that he deemed worthy of investigation, and in that case she had a duty to lend a hand if she was able. In the far more likely case that he was up there out of adventure or boredom, she felt she had a duty to offer a stern look, at least.

After a swift check to make sure no one is looking directly at her, she quietly snaps her fingers, her hands steadying as she activates the spell woven into her left glove, and flicks the small fruit upward with as little motion as possible, sending it over Rikrik's head to fall directly in front of his face. After waiting a moment for the message to sink in, she looks upward, hoping he'll notice her presence as she raises one eyebrow in an unspoken question.

Spoiler

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Activate True Strike for the grape. Good thing she wore her gloves tonight. (Or not, since it meant she had a valid method of taking an interest in the silly lizard...)

[TheFallenOne]

The High House of Magic

Rikrik snaps at the grape as it passes, narrowly missing the fruit. The lizardfolk hangs on with one arm and looks down, waving at Aya with what looked like a wide smile, far as she is able to read the facial expressions of a lizard.
Rikrik flips upside down and holds onto the enchanted tapestry with clawed feet, swinging lightly from left to right while holding the arms straight out to the sides. Though the climbing skills are suitably impressive, the lizardfolk's motions are a little cruder and less graceful than before.

[rypt]

Ravendark Castle

In the moments after he steps through the door and before Sunriver closes it, Cael does not move and he hardly even breathes, so difficult is it for him to maintain his composure in the constable's presence. It was one thing to hear the desk officer's warning, another to hear his chief's, but for Cael to actually see Liara with his own eyes -- to search her vacant stare and find so little of his own sister, to hear her spiritless mumbling and know that it has been this way for days, if not weeks -- is something else entirely.

Cael dries his eyes with his sleeve once he and his sister are alone, his mouth moving wordlessly as he takes one uncertain step closer to her bed. "Liara?" When he finally speaks, his voice is broken, no louder than his sister's, at once disbelieving and devastated.

"Liara?" Another step, another try, this one only barely louder and more steady than before. As he approaches his sister, he moves as slowly and as deliberately as he can manage, unsure how she might react if suddenly startled. He wants more than anything for her to look at him, to acknowledge his presence in some way, but the closer he gets, the more unsettling her whispering becomes and the less likely it seems that she will.

Sitting down beside her, Cael reaches out and gently brushes a loose strand of hair from before her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. For a few moments, he simply studies her face, a face he has not seen in years, a face he thought he might never see again. "Liara, please," he shifts his position, leaning over and in front of her such she has to took him in the eye. "It's me." He can feel tears welling up again, but he does nothing to stop them. "It's Cael. It's your brother."

[TheFallenOne]

Ravendark Castle

"Cael? Cael... Cael..." At first nothing in her posture changes, but finally she looks up, her eyes squinting as she tries to focus on her brother, as if the sun was directly behind him making it hard for her to look on his face. "Cael, it is you!" She unfurls her disused limbs with painful difficulty. "Thanks the gods, I found you, I feared I might be too late. Cael, listen to me, we don't have much time. It might already be closing, or only in a year, nobody can tell. But I know the key, we have to escape while we can."

[Jeff the Green]

Mirielle's Apartment

"Hmm. Yes, I suppose that will work," Mirielle replies. "I imagine there's some sort of magic that would be easier, but it would probably require a greater investment than we want to spend. I can keep a weather eye open for a suitable bulletin board while I investigate Ms. Lashon.

"As for Misti, if you don't mind, I'll give you my share of the information fee and let you seek her out while seek out my bed. It's been a long day and I still have a headache from returning to a library after so long focusing on things more than a foot from my face. If you slip a note with what she has to say under my door, I can get to work on it straight in the morning."

Spoiler

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There's a Farspeaking Amulet in the MIC that allows for 10 minutes of conversation 3/day. Unfortunately only the amulet's holder can initiate it and it's 6,000 GP, but it's something to consider for the future.

[Frog Dragon]

Earlier, Mirielle's apartment
Jorran walks to the door. No-one. Often, there was a note. Now, there was none. He pats his pockets for paper and a pen, or anything similar. Unfortunately, he had never been a reading man. He mutters something that he had likely first heard from his father, and turns back. He'd have to talk to the others about arranging some sort of reliable communication.

[Sallera]

The High House of Magic

Oh, for the Lady's favour... Not only was she dealing with an overly adventurous fellow of the Order, but one who had quite possibly been overindulging in Dalair's gift. That the seekers of the Art may ev/Rikrik/ow solace and freedom to... Aya winces as the tapestry shifts. It didn't make for a very inspiring scripture. With a suppressed sigh, she beckons the lizard down with one hand, hoping a 'curious' expression will avoid triggering any habits he has picked up from his time with Landar.

[Frog Dragon]

Evening, About Town
Though rendezvousing with the others would have been preferable, notifying the Greycloaks would also be useful. He didn't actually know where to do so, but they had noticed the last time he had tried to find them, so perhaps they would do so now as well.

With that in mind, Jorran begins asking around, mostly asking around bars and similar establishments if any of the Greycloaks' description have been seen.

Spoiler

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Gather Info: (1d20+1)[20]

[TheFallenOne]

The High House of Magic

Rikrik glides down the edge of the tapestry, though the landing is a bit less smooth, and the lizard goes down to one knee. Sadly, it seems it was too late to avoid notice by some of the other guests, and Aya notices murmuring and even some pointing fingers targetting the two Shooting Stars. Rikrik however seems rather oblivious of this. "Heyhey buddy, nice toss, almost got it. Dids'you see where it landed?"

Spoiler

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I couldn't make sense of the italic sentence until I read the one after, that was a nice one

The Rat's Nest

The people who did meet the greycloaks before seem rather reluctant to say much, so it is someone who didn't make personal acquaintance yet who relegates a familiar tale he heard from a mage. It seems Vandroy is rather talkative, but to his credit it looks like he didn't say more than that he tried his luck with illusions and a greycloaked guy was generous enough to give him a beating to save him from a lynch mob in the Rat's Nest.
It is in that place indeed, a seedy tavern filled with two-copper thugs Jorran manages to find his quarry. He wouldn't have recognized him as a greycloak if the scarred face wasn't familiar, for the armor is completely covered by his cloak, which in turn still is grey, but somehow different in shade and cut. It seems more like a stained, weatherbeaten travelling accessory than a uniform.

[rypt]

Ravendark Castle

Hearing his sister speak his name and seeing life in her eyes once again, Cael's sense of relief is profound. And perhaps premature. "You found me? Liara--" his smile falters slightly. Her every word begs another question, and he has far too many questions as it is. "What is closing?" He looks to the cell door. "What key?" He wants so badly to help her, but the more she has to say, the more helpless he feels.

"No, even if I had a way, I would not risk it, not yet." The possibility of escape is perhaps the only matter he feels capable of addressing, but what he has to say is unlikely to be what she wants to hear. "Aglarond has..." he hesitates for a moment, his eyes searching hers, "...not forgotten." He had not forgotten either, but he knew his answers would have to wait. "You are safe here, do you understand? Safer than you could possibly be on your own, or even with me."

[TheFallenOne]

Ravendark Castle

Liara grabs Cael's chin to turn his head around. "Not that door, leatherhead. Damn, you Primes always think so small..." She mulls her next words over for some seconds, biting on her lower lip. "Look, I was at this place, Sigil. Sort of the hub of the multiverse, there are countless doors all over the place, leading to every plane you can think of. Faerun, the elemental planes, the outer planes, you name it. City of Doors they call it.
Only I noticed the doors leading here have been disappearing one by one. Only the Lady of Pain can do that. She runs the place, she controls the portals..." She shudders for a moment.
"She is powerful, very powerful. Not even the gods can force their way into the cage. But still, she shuts the ways here down. Cael, something terrible will happen to this place, something that scares her. Her!" She looks at her brother with panicked eyes. "This kip isn't safe for you or me. We have to get out of here while we can!"

[candycorn]

Mirielle's Apartment

"That sounds acceptable to me. I'll get what she has to say, and leave you a brief note outlining. If you require further clarification, you know where I live. Feel free to wake me, if needed..." Alaister pauses for just a moment, before adding, "Even if it's not concerning Lashon or Black Sorrow."

With that, Alaister will collect the extra gold, bid Mirielle a good evening, and travel to Misti Marva's.

[TheFallenOne]

Misti Marva's Moonlight Pawnshop

A different sign this time announces the shop is closed until midday tomorrow. Misti unfortunately is busy showing off one of the dresses she tried on when Alaister last saw her over at the High House of Magic.

[Frog Dragon]

The Rat's Nest
Either at the Sleepy Dwarf, or in Bitterstone, he had seen that man. He wasn't sure where, but he was clearly a Greycloak. He taps the man on the shoulder, and nudges him towards a more secluded area of the bar before speaking.
"You're a greycloak, aren't you? Jorran waits for some sort of affirmation before continuing. "I'm Jorran Tolm, and I need to bring a warning. But I'd rather not talk here. I need someone with authority, like Barristan. Your lord seems to have powerful enemies." He finishes.

[TheFallenOne]

The Rat's Nest

Spoiler

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it's the one who picked you up in the Prologue, and again when Jorran came alone. Scarface is so far the only one noteworthy of a physical description besides Barristan himself

The man frowns, making some of his scars twitch in an unappealing way, but then nods. "Outside." He holds up his arm and an unusually large raven lands on it. The cloaked man whispers something to it and sends it flying after some moments. "30 minutes. This better be worth it, he's not a man you want to cross... And lucky for you we heard of your little 'mishap'. Just be glad we don't think the whole thing was a farce to keep the money."

[Frog Dragon]

The Rat's Nest

"It will," Jorran says, "though you already seem to know some of what I know. Rest assured, the threats I hear from your group are tiresome enough that I would not waste time." He says, crossing his arms.

Spoiler

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I assume that 30 minutes means that someone will be coming in that time, as notified by Raven Express?

[TheFallenOne]

The Rat's Nest

Spoiler

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the Raven Express isn't that literal, inside the city they use people as messengers. Long-distance though they indeed use ravens.

"No threat. Just some helpful advise. This way." He slowly walks in the direction of the Fire River. "So you have a dark and troubled past. I get that. I've seen bad people come around and start doing good. Barristan though isn't the forgiving kind. He doesn't believe in redemption. To him, the pain and suffering you caused can never be taken back. He hunts people like you with singleminded and emotionless dedication. Don't ever disrespect him; he threatens once, if at all, and he never takes halfmeasures."

[candycorn]

Misti Marva's Moonlight Pawn Shop > Mirielle's Apartment

Alaister lets out an exasperated sigh. Figures... The woman tells me not to tarry, then makes me wait. I suppose I should have expected this. Guess Mirielle will be expecting something from me, so I should keep her apprised.

With that, Alaister takes one more look at the sign, shakes his head... and departs to Mirielle's. Once there, he scrawls a quick note, slips it under her door, and departs to find out a bit more about this Vandroy.

Note:

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M,

My contact is indisposed this evening. I intend to meet her at midday, which is when she will next be available. If you would care to accompany me, you are welcome to; however, if you are otherwise indisposed, I will conduct our mutual business without you. In that case, I will be back here, as soon as I have finished that business. If you run into the others, have them meet up here, and we can discuss the new options.

-A

Business with Vandroy:

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Start with a GI to learn more about people that Vandroy associates with - Most particularly, people with some measure of influence or ability.

GI: (1d20+10)[22]

Follow up will be based on what I learn.

[Frog Dragon]

The Rat's Nest

"He may believe what he will," Jorran says."It hardly concerns me. I didn't come here to recount Luskan." Jorran walks as well, staying just a step behind the greycloak on his left. He almost smiled at the irony. Perhaps he had not come to this meeting to do so, but he had certainly come to the city for that. He decides to change the subject. "This.. mishap will be trouble in the future, I hope he will understand that."

[rypt]

Ravendark Castle

You Primes? Cael balks at his sister's words, reflecting on just how long it's been since he saw her last. "This...City of Doors, is that where you went after--" he abandons this question before it's finished, choosing a different tack instead. "Is that where you've been all this time? What brought you back? And if you knew it was so dangerous here, why not simply choose another door?"

[Sallera]

The High House of Magic

Oh, wonderful, she'd been too slow after all. Well, someone had been bound to notice, she'd just hoped it wouldn't be too many. She frowns slightly at Rikrik, the back of her mind trying to decide which approach would look best from the outside while still getting the job done. Sadly, there didn't seem to be many options that wouldn't result in unfavourable rumours about her Order.

"I didn't, but it isn't really important, is it?" She keeps her voice low, not wanting to turn this into any more of a spectacle than it was already. Glancing up toward the garden exit, she seizes the easiest-looking solution. Out of sight, out of mind... she hoped. Assuming she could even get him to go along with it. "I was curious about what you'd seen up there that was interesting enough to warrant climbing up to look. Perhaps we could discuss this outside where it's quieter?"

Spoiler

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Yes, Aya is really overthinking this.