Play@YSDC

Duc's Palace, Workshop - Vyones, Auvergne, France
6:15 PM - Monday, April 20, 1517

Leonardo tinkered with the latch to the secret door to disable it from being opened from the other side while Story, Elizabeth, and Diego watched the automaton.

When Leonardo is finished, Story will take a seat and say aloud to all present:
"Right. So, shall we review what we know about soul crystals and tie-ins with Atlantis? Maybe the dialogue will provide some enlightenment about our new friend here." - gesturing towards the Automaton.

"Liz, what was it you discovered?"

"And, Maestro, where is that stone of yours now?"

"Right here," said Leonardo, taking the puzzle box from a pouch on his belt. His hands rapidly flew over it, and he quickly had it opened and extracted the dull green crystal.

Elizabeth first says to Diego,
“Thank you for staying, I do feel safer with you here. I hope you won’t miss dinner too much.She then replies to Story,
“The crystal can store a soul. How one gets it inside I dread to think; some terrible magic perhaps. I then wondered if the soul was somehow transferred to the automaton, thus giving it life.”

"You are quite welcome," said Diego. "I don't mind. The company here is pleasant."

"The same thought occurred to me," said Leonardo. "I certainly lack the ability to give it life. I suspect the thief may have caused it to happen, perhaps even without meaning to do so."

Elizabeth learned the ritual required to place a soul into the crystal from her research in the book, and she could perform it, though it would take some time. The reverse process, discharging a soul from the crystal into a suitable receptacle, was easy and quick. Basically, you just have to point the sharp end of the crystal at the receptacle and squeeze. It would even be possible to do it accidentally.

“… at least, it isn’t magic but it’s quite a long process; I read about it and it’s quite possible to do.
Master, that may well have happened, the thief could have stolen the stone and then accidentally fired the soul into the automaton. I imagine the gem is not worth as much now- unless it is filled again.” Replies Elizabeth.
“The person who hired the thief must know by now of his failure, I wonder if he or she will try again.”

"It is certainly possible," said Leonardo. "I do think an empty soul crystal would still be of great value to someone who knew the ritual. Which suggests that whoever it is who arranged the attempted theft did."

“They would be a dangerous foe if that is the case, and likely to try again. We must be prepared.” Elizabeth looks at Diego as she says this.
“Do we think this person is a guest at the castle? I would imagine someone of fair intellect and reasonable fortune.”

"Indeed," said Diego, adjusting the sheathed sword on his belt.

"That would be a good assumption," said Leonardo. "Of course, that description matches most of the female guests. The letter was written in a woman's hand, and she knows the Italian language, whether she is Italian herself or not. Of course, she has shown that she is quite capable of manipulating men to do her bidding, so we can trust no one."

Elizabeth thinks back to lunchtime. “Who was the woman chatting to Chevalier Jaques? She was dressed rather provocatively and seemed very sure of herself.”
She watched Diego from under her lashes, hoping that he wasn’t one that was under the woman’s spell,?if she was indeed the one.

Psychology 47 roll:5

"That would be Bianca Luciano, of Venice," said Diego, looking back at Elizabeth. "Her husband died in the war a couple years ago, and she is no doubt hunting for a new one and thinks the Chevalier is prime game." He turned to Leonardo. "Master, might I commission a painting from you?"

"What is it you would like me to paint for you?" asked Leonardo.

"Elizabeth."

Diego had eyes only for Elizabeth, and there was nothing but admiration of her in his gaze. It was clear to her that he was hopelessly in love with her.

“Oh.”
Elizabeth blushed a pretty shade of pink. She was becoming very fond of Diego; he was just like a dashing knight from her history books that she’d read as a girl, which of course was exactly what he was.
And to be painted by Leonardo Da Vinci!
“If you like. Where shall I sit?”

"How about that chair?" suggests Leonardo, indicating a luxurious armchair in front of the window. "There is still sunlight coming in, which will aid my work." He held his hands in front of him with his thumbs touching and his fingers pointed upward, regarding Elizabeth through them as if he were already seeing her on canvas - or, it occured to her, like a movie director would do to visualize an actress on the screen. "Yes, I think I see what you see, Don Diego. This will be my finest masterpiece yet." He set up an easel and a blank canvas and began to gather his paints and brushes, as well as a piece of charcoal for the initial sketch.

“Oh gosh.” Elizabeth sits in the chair. No pressure then! she thinks to herself.
She smiles shyly at Diego, “I hope I can sit still enough.”
But it is very pleasant sitting in the warm sunshine and she soon relaxes.

Diego smiled back. "You're doing fine," he said.

"Indeed," said Leonardo, sketching with the charcoal. "Feel free to continue to talk. I'll let you know when I want to work on your mouth."

Elizabeth sits for a while, staring enigmatically into the middle distance. Her nose starts to itch.
“Diego, what are your plans after your visit here?” She says, surreptitiously wriggling her nose.

"I plan to return home," said Diego. "Have you ever been to Spain, Elizabeth?"

Story watches the whole interaction with a slightly voyeuristic vibe, feeling like an elder chaperoning a courting visit.

Then, realizing that time is pressing and danger seems likely to be not far off, decides to interrupt.

*purposefully clearing throat* "As charming a chat as this is turning out to be, maybe returning to the topic of what to do next would be prudent? As we now seem to have identified a potential suspect that is both close and, in all likelihood, formidable?"

"Master da Vinci, pardon my questions as you work, but what do you know of this Signora Bianca?"

"Additionally, I have an idea...perhaps we could use the crystal as a lure in a trap to ensnare whomever is seeking it? Even empty...as they may not even be aware that it is currently empty at this time? What do you say?"

“That is a good idea, if a little dangerous, especially as we can’t let Le Duc in on our plans- only because I’m not sure he’d understand. But yes it may be safer to act first than to react, perhaps. What do you say, Master?”
Elizabeth realises she is gabbling and blushes. Again.

"I know of her only by reputation," said Leonardo, who is perfectly capable of painting and speaking at the same time. "I never met her before I came here. She is just as Don Diego says, but I don't know anything about her beyond that. Perhaps it would be a good idea to find out more about her. That is an excellent idea to use the crystal as bait for a trap. Whoever wants the crystal will surely try again, so we might as well control the circumstances under which she tries to get it. It is worth the risk."

Leonardo's Know roll about Bianca:
d%

Elizabeth tries to talk out of the corner of her mouth,
“We can make good use of the secret passages to this room.” Elizabeth agrees. “I would feel happier if the automaton was not involved- for its own protection and for others.
Diego, would you be happy to help?”

"Of course, Elizabeth," says Diego. "It would be my pleasure."

"I can unjam the secret door's mechanism," said Leonardo, "and we can lie in wait in the passage and watch. The automaton can remain in the room. We'll have to give it very specific instructions not to kill this time, but to take the thief alive. The only problem remaining is how to make the thief aware that the crystal is here unguarded without arousing suspicion. A statement made at supper in front of everyone should do it, but we'll have to work out precisely what to say."

There are, but not tonight as far as you know. There will be more activities during the day the next two days, but the only ones you know about are the performance of the play tomorrow and the masquerade ball the following night.

“Are they still at dinner?” Elizabeth asks. “We might have time. Something like, ‘The master is very pleased to have his jewel restored but he has gone to bed early, tired from the stress of it.’ Do you think?”

"Oh, yes," said Leonardo. "Supper is a long, drawn-out affair here with several courses. Of course, the crystal was never successfully taken. Perhaps I could go down to supper myself and say that I'm refreshed after a short nap. I actually do that all the time. I find that twenty or thirty minutes of sleep brings me back to full alertness, if I do it frequently enough. I'll leave the puzzle box on my desk, and the rest of you could hide in the passage and watch. The crystal will naturally not be in the puzzle box, but on my person. However, the thief will not know that and will think the room to be empty. While sitting down, I can make a show of patting where I've been keeping the box, which is something I've observed people do with valuable objects they carry. Then I can remark that I've forgotten the puzzle box in my chambers, but then say it should be all right there. That will let the thief know that it's there unguarded, and it should not be too unsubtle."

“That sounds like a good plan. We will arrange ourselves here. Perhaps you could waggle your eyebrows or something at Gui and the Chevalier to let them know something’s afoot.
Shall we continue the painting later?” Elizabeth asks.

"Yes, we can continue with the painting tomorrow," said Leonardo, packing away his painting supplies and resetting the hidden switch for the secret door so that it can be opened again. He placed the empty puzzle box on the desk. "The light has faded anyway. I'll go downstairs now. That should give you plenty of time to hide in the passage, and then you can watch to see if a thief comes." He spoke to the automaton. "When someone tries to steal the puzzle box, you are to seize and hold the thief. You are not to kill. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father," said the automaton.

"Good evening, then. I am feeling rather hungry." With that, he left the room and headed for the stairs.

Elizabeth stands up and stretches. She walks up and down, “We might be sat still for some time.” She explains to the others. “We had better make a plan before the thief arrives. Diego, you should go to the door and prevent the thief’s escape. Story, you guard the secret door to prevent escape that way, and I’ll be ready to help wherever it is needed.”

"I can stand here," said Diego, moving behind the open door leading to the hall from the workshop. "When we make our move, I can slam the door shut and block it. The only other exits are the secret passage and the door to Leonardo's bedchamber. And the window, of course. Perhaps you should wait just inside the passage and watch through the little hole."

Elizabeth looks worriedly at the window, “I think we are too high up for it to be an option.” She says. “And I don’t think there’s a way out of the bedchamber.” She walks over to the chamber to check. Then she moves to the hole and then looks around for a hiding place to move to afterwards.

"It is a long way down," said Diego. "Let us hope our thief cannot climb."

Elizabeth checked the bedchamber, and there was indeed no way out, except for its own window. The best hiding place looked to be just within the secret passage, with the hidden door closed. She would be able to view the room through the peephole without any chance of being seen.

Where does Story want to be?

With a nod to Diego and Story, Elizabeth installed herself in the hiding place and put her eye to the peep hole.

Story waited with Elizabeth in the secret passage. Time passed, and then more time. Nobody seemed to be taking the bait.

“I suppose it’s quite possible they might wait until everyone has gone to bed. Or, as we aren’t at dinner with everyone else, they might not risk it at the moment.” Elizabeth whispers.

“I suppose you could go down and say that Diego and I are, er, away on a moonlit walk together in the gardens.” Elizabeth blushes in the darkness.

“With us all accounted for, the thief may be bolder.”

"That's a great idea. It'll give me a chance to see what the others have deduced as well.
And Maestro, I shall say that you've retired for the evening. Would that seem more or less usual?
Be careful, though. One less of us here more evens the odds."

[pending any further conversation at this moment, Story will move towards the feasting hall...]

Elizabeth watches her go and settles down to wait.

Leonardo had actually gone downstairs a while ago.

Elizabeth is moving to the thread linked below:

Waiting

Story is moving to the thread linked below:

Chance Encounter