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Lianna looks for facts

Taking leave of Lord Aculon, who seems somewhat perturbed by her choice of determining how to proceed, Lianna discovers that Aranis is being held at Whitewall Prison on Phleg's Run.

Before heading out to the prison, Lianna goes to see the best source she knows for gossip, her mother. She finds Marossa at a fete being held by the Duke Of Lonsoc. As one of the most important men in Kaitaine, the Duke's party is not to be crashed lightly, and the best that Lianna can do on short order is to get her mother to meet her on the front steps of the Grand Conservatory where the festivities are being held. The Majestic edifices of Gerden Hill surround them as they meet there with few other people about. Through tall windows, Lianna sees the wealth cavorting amongst the indoor gardens.

"Aranis? Of Marquis Greensward's estate? Yes, I know of her," her mother relates. "I can't tell you why she was imprisoned - other than, of course that the Marquis wanted her that way. I believe that no formal charges were given. No noble stepped forward to champion her, so there she'll rot until someone does, or the Marquis lets her go. She has no legal standing, of course - it's the tightrope that your mother must endure every day."

"You wouldn't be left there for long," Lianna says softly. Yes, she knows her mother is playing for sympathy - she always does, if only to keep in practise - but the fear is real, as well.

"That all said, I do know that she's a schemer, Aranis, always trying to maneuver for information. That's our coinage, in our profession, really. Of course, the men simply bestow it upon me, I don't have to dig for it," she replies with an air of excessive dignity.

"Of course," Lianna agrees, smiling. It's probably true, too. She doesn't dig, she persuades, provides a sympathetic ear in time of trouble, and puts two and two together from the results. No spade required.

"Oh, and one other thing I can tell you, I heard from someone in the Greensward household that she's become quite the addict to that new drug that's so popular these days. Can't think of the name..."

"Oh, has she indeed? And was that her idea, or someone else's?" Suddenly Lianna can see reasons for locking Aranis up in even the most humane of prisons, away from supplies of a drug she was addicted to. She wonders what the Marquis was trying to persuade her to do. Assuming, of course, that the rumour is true. And if it's false, who started it? An enemy, or Aranis herself?

"Anyhow.. something else, but I can't remember right now... I have to get back dearie," she obviously doesn't want to be seen lingering on the steps here.

"Sure. Have fun, be good. One of those two, anyway. And if you do remember, let me know?"

Lianna knows of the new drug, even if her mother does not. Purple Lotus. A flower that's ground up and applied to the skin somewhere thin like the backs of ones hands. Ingested it's far too potent, and leaves people in comas or dead. The stuff is hallucinogenic, but many magic practitioners claim that it enhances the performance of some rituals dramatically, and that the effect is, itself magical.

It is addictive, that seems sure, but it's pretty new and people aren't really sure just how addictive it is. People are really just starting to get hooked. So the effects of withdrawal are, as yet, unknown generally.

It's cheap enough, though. And while she won't let down the reputation of Paladins in general by buying it publically herself, some of her old friends can be very obliging at times.

Onward to Lianna and Aranis