022. Witch Hunt

The motley learns about Lady Helena's past, and try to uncover the traitor.

***"Diplomacy could lead to the downfall of a character today…."***

"I accuse you of being an associate of the known Dauntain, Zistor Flexx!" The Lady Helena calls down the Sovereign Art of Protocol, forcing all present to adhere to the rules of the court. Patches protests her innocence as Braum, still hidden with Veiled Eyes, circles around behind the assembled Kithain, getting ready to spring into action if needed. Sophia requests proof of any wrongdoing in the case of either Zistor or Patches: "she was unaware of *why* she was to assume control of the Spark", Sophia explains.

The Lady Helena brings forth a chair for the accused, and asks her about Zistor. The Dauntain are always branded quite obviously; has Patches ever seen anything of the kind on Zistor? When Patches defends the nocker, Lady Helena asks about the rocket: what is it that Zistor intends to do with it once it has been found? Unsure of Lady Helena's loyaties and motives, Patches neatly sidesteps answering the question, and the Lady Helena points to a Magic Motion Box. It turns out she has been recording footage in the Spark for almost *ten years*, and proceeds to show an audio-less clip of the two nockers working on the rocket's "battery" (which was only several days previous). Patches and Sophia are both shocked by this blatant violation of their privacy and the Spark's demesne, and they question what reason she has to suspect Zistor of anything given her association with the Red Branch.

Lady Helena dismisses the entire court, including her three warriors, much to the surprise of the motley. At Sophia's request, she tells her side of the Red Branch's Abford Pharma mission. After Kyoko was sent inside as a test subject, she entered to search the administrator's office. The rest of the team went to recover Kyoko but it would seem there must have been a traitor amongst them…. Both Kay and Celyan were mortally wounded with cold iron, but saved from true Fae Death by Braum, who killed them himself. "I *did* die," Helena tells them. "Only Braum was able to resist." The motley learns that, for the next 8 years, Lady Helena was kept in Abford Pharma as a test subject; Sophia senses an incredibly high Banality about her person, lending credence to Lady Helena's story.

Helena then tells them the reason she invited them to Terra's Glade: she believes that the rocket may have as its source a warlock, the Dauntain. "There's a traitor amongst us," she tells them, and since she believes it is not one of the Kithain before her, she wants them to find out who it is.

Returning to Homefires after explaining the situation to Kyoko, Claude, and Sir Xaeron, Patches decides that the first course of action should be the most direct. All members of the motley who were present at Abford Pharma must disrobe and present themselves for inspection, to see if they are hiding any suspicious marks. Sophia balks at the idea (naturally) and walks out, much to the relief of Claude. Kyoko also leaves, claiming to be "uncomfortable with distrust", but Braum speaks up for her, assuring the group that he has never noticed anything resembling the mark of a Dauntain on her. Claude, Patches, Braum, and Sir Xaeron all in turn disrobe and check each other in a bizarre scene, but find nothing.

That night, Braum anxiously awaits the return of Lord MacAllistar so that he can report his findings on Lady Helena. The leader of the Red Branch is shocked to hear that Helena is still alive, convinced as he was that he had "lost three in the mission". Braum pointedly asks Lord MacAllistar to explain why he didn't allow the surviving Red Branch members to return to search for the missing Helena, and then, summoning up his courage and hoping to catch him with his bluntness, asks Lord MacAllistar if *he* is Dauntain. The satyr of House Gwydion explodes: how dare Braum accuse him of something so vile? Drawing two rapiers, he demands a fight to first blood. Braum attempts to get Lord MacAllistar to understand his logic, but the satyr only seeks revenge. The two clash, and a slip on Braum's part leads him to get pierced straight through the shoulder. "Friendship may mend many wounds, but for tonight, you are not welcome in this office!" he roars.

Braum stumbles downstairs to the lobby, wounded in both shoulder and pride, just as Sophia returns from a shopping trip. She is concerned for Braum until she realizes that he did this to himself by acting foolishly. Braum refuses her offers to heal him and stumbles off towards the Games Room, holding back tears of shame. In the Games Room, he encounters a lonesome Patches, who cleans his wound while commiserating with the troll about trust, or, more specifically, how dangerous it can be.

Back in her quarters, Sophia discovers a small bouquet of flowers left for her with no note. She wonders idly if perhaps Kyoko, who had thanked her sincerely earlier for trusting her intentions, had left them, but decides to find out another day.

That night, all those Red Branch members still alive from the Abford Pharma mission sleep well… including the one who bears the mark of the Dauntain.