Karlov Manor, Precinct One of the Tenth District, Ravnica, Mondayish? Maybe? (Fandom Time)

[deathsmajesty]

For all that the weekend had gotten off to a very shaky start, to the point where Liliana had been very close to decamping from Ravnica altogether, the latter half of it had been a most satisfactory exploration of Ragefest. Their paths had mostly not crossed Summer's (and, more importantly, none of Summer's consquesst) as she was deeply in the thickest, wildest aspects of the festival, while Liliana and Ignis were staying to more...hmm, sedate certainly wasn't the right word for what was basically an entire plane's descent into madness via orgies of destruction, violence, sex, and drugs...but they were avoiding most of the rowdiest elements.

(Most. Even Ignis could occasionally fall prey to impulse and vanity, which was why Liliana had several pictures and a short video of him battling in one of the impromptu fighting pits that had sprung up around the Tenth District. Listen, she hadn't made him jump into the rings, but it wasn't her fault if she also benefitted.)

Now, however, they were firmly ensconced in the opulent luxury that was only possible when one had been wealthy for generations. The wealth on display was only rivaled by the debauchery and hedonism also on display. But this was more than just simply a Ragefest celebration, Karlov Manor was celebrating the return of its most prominent (living) scion, the Former Grand Envoy of the Orzhov Syndicate, Teysa. No expense had been spared to welcome Teysa home--a fact Liliana found very interesting, knowing what she did about Obzedat politics. (Which, admittedly, wasn't as much as she'd like considering the Obzedat was entirely made up of ghosts of long-dead Orzhov matriarchs and patriarchs, which really cut into her preferred methods of spying.)

But her curiosity only acted as a spice to elevate the rest of the experience. Passing bodies clutching one another in various figures and configurations and ducking past platters that held only the purest, most expensive (and some, most illegal) drugs, Liliana made her way over to their hostess. Like herself, Teysa was a tall woman with thick black hair, though Teysa was only half her age - though she also looked to be only in her thirties. As was befitting an Orzhov, she was dressed in black and white--and gold, of course. You couldn't be an Orzhov and not appreciate gold in all its forms--though, Liliana had often noted, Teysa's labret and eyebrow piercings had always been silver.

"Why, if it isn't the lady of the hour! Teysa, darling, hello," she said as she stepped around a triad in the process of losing what remained of their clothing and adroitly helped herself to a glass from a passing tray. From the slight rainbow sheen, it wasn't alcoholic but instead, a liquid narcotic. "Barely home a few hours and what a lavish spectacle you've already created!"

[For, well, me but also the gentleman accompanying her, should time and brains will it! NFB for distance]

Comments

[chef_chocobro]

And certainly nothing against Kristoff, but the more robust and intricate ways in which money (and specifically debts) moved on Ravnica was almost endless more fascinating than the honestly quite stagnant, settled-in-their-ways fuedalism of Innistrad. Here, there was a vitality to it, a real synergy, and it was all very thrilling.

Yes.

Thrilling.

A feeling that was reflected well in the effortless of his grin (those nearby could also confirm that there may have even been a laugh or two) as his attention shifted.

"Ah, yes," he said, "of course! " His head dipped in reverent greeting. "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Baroness. And to be here for such a momentous occasion, as well. Excellent timing, really."

[opulent_oligarch]

"Charmed." She even sounded so--or, at least, intrigued. Which, for Teysa, were close enough to be interchangeable. "Sadly, while I prefer Advokist, the Ghost Council stripped me of my rank and titles, so just Teysa is fine," Teysa assured him. "Especially at one of my parties. And yes." That little smile was back. "It's quite the thrilling occasion, isn't it? Freedom, finally, after so many years."

"How long were you imprisoned for, Teysa, darling?" Liliana asked, taking the opportunity to take a seat. In Ignis' lap, of course.

"Five years, give or take," she said, as if the events leading up to her imprisonment hadn't been etched in her memory by acid. "My official sentence was only eighteen months, but bribery and corrupt officials are just as present in the Azorius as they are amongst the Orzhov. If I hadn't had Tomik here smuggling me information, I wouldn't have had even the slightest notion of what's been happening in Ravnica during my absence."

[chef_chocobro]

"Mmm." That smile grew with soft contentment as Liliana settled into his lap, and as Ignis settled in around her in kind. Just as it should be, just as if they'd practically been like that the whole time. Arm sliding around her, fingettips brushing against her elbow, lips pressed into the bared skin of her shoulder.

"As resourceful, then," he said, his voice warm and complimentary, "as he is erudite. Hardly surprising, though, even in the brief time in which we've had the chance to get to know one another."

Or, well, their thoughts on finances, at least.

[mtggarystu]

"Oh yes, of all my apprentices, Tomik is the best of--"

There was a commotion at the front of the large room as Jace, the Living Guildpact, and several Boros legionnaires burst into the room. For a moment, all was cacophony as people flailed around in a panic, grabbing for clothing or coverings, wrenching apart, attempting to hide those very few drugs that were actually illegal in Ravnica...

Teysa stood up, full of regal authority. "Who are you, Guildpact, to come bursting into my home uninvited?" She smirked a little, adding, "You could have just knocked."

"This isn't a social call," Jace said, eyes widening slightly as he spotted Liliana and Ignis sitting next to her. Of course they were also here. Because why would this go easy for him? "I've come to inform you of a murder, Grand Envoy. Or, well, multiple murders. The entire Obzedat is dead."

[opulent_oligarch]

"Well, yes, you're a little late with that news," Teysa said impatiently. "They're not called the Ghost Council for nothing, Guildpact. You should see the room where their bodies are entombed. It's a grand chamber practically wallpapered in diamonds."

"Sounds terribly gaudy," Liliana murmured.

"Oh it absolutely is," Teysa muttered back. "'Terribly gaudy' is their preferred aesthetic."

[mtggarystu]

"And now even their ghosts are dead," Jace announced, trying to get their attention back because, hello, important news here? "Assassinated."

"How can you kill a ghost?" a voice in the crowd asked.

"I don't know," Jace said, narrowing his eyes at Liliana. "I guess we could ask the necromancer."

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana just rolled her eyes right back. "If you're making an accusation, Jace, do so. Save the passive aggressive digs for other people, you're terrible at it."

She smirked at him. "Bold words for a man who was eating breakfast in my home just the other morning." Several gasps of surprise at this new twist and people began murmuring to one another. "Remind me, darling, where had you spent the night before?"

Don't play these games with her, Cloak Boy. She was an expert and you'd barely learned the rules.

[opulent_oligarch]

While Jace sputtered out increasingly unconvincing denials (and privately made a note to remove the memory of that comment from the minds of everyone present), Teysa cleared her throat to command the attention of the room again.

"Why are you here, Guildpact?" she asked. "Is this meant to be an accusation? Because I assure you that I, like my esteemed guest here, have been present all evening. We do have many witnesses to support that fact." She waved an elegant hand around. "You can ask anyone. Guests, servants, whomever. Feel free to interrogate however you'd like, mind mage. I've been here the whole time."

"Well, no, not exactly--"

"Besides," Teysa continued with a smile. "I can prove very easily that I didn't kill the Obzedat."

"You can?"

"Of course." The advokist's smile only grew. "There's a loophole in Orzhov law that decrees that whoever takes down the reigning guildmaster of the Orzhov becomes the guildmaster of the Orzhov. Feel free to use your powers on me, Guildpact. You should be able to tell who holds the full weight of a Guild."

[mtggarystu]

Jace ground his teeth together. Teysa was right, he would be able to tell and she was not the guildmaster. "You could have ordered it done," he pointed out.

"But I didn't," she said. "So have fun proving that."

Jace could tear out his hair in frustration, but remained outwardly calm. Illusions were very handy that way. "TEYSA KARLOV," he said, invoking the full power of the Guildpact, his eyes glowing blue. "MURDER AND CONSPIRACY OF MURDER ARE VIOLATIONS OF RAVNICAN LAW WITH A CHARGE DEPENDENT ON JUDICIAL RULING. LYING TO CONCEAL A CRIME DURING A LEGAL AND AUTHORIZED INVESTIGATION IS A CRIME. DID YOU KILL THE OBZEDAT?"

"No."

"DID YOU HIRE SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT?"

"No."

"DID YOU ASK, COMPEL, DEMAND, OR OTHERWISE INFLUENCE ANOTHER PERSON INTO MURDERING THE OBZEDAT?"

Teysa's smile only grew. "No."

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana had been enjoying the show immensely until Jace's glowing blue gaze swung to her. "WERE YOU, LILIANA VESS, INVOLVED IN THE MURDER OF THE GHOST COUNCIL OF THE ORZHOV?"

She felt magic seize her, the full might of Ravnica's law magic backed by the full force that was the living Guildpact. It was like the time Jon had asked her a question and she'd been forced to answer by the his powers; she could chew off her own tongue before she was able to lie in the face of this direct question.

"No," she snapped. "I didn't even know they were dead until you came barging in and ruining a perfectly good party."

The glow - and the overwhelming compulsion - faded. "I'm sorry, Liliana," he said. "But I had to be--"

"Unless you want your successor to also have to investigate a murder," she said through clenched teeth, "you'll take your investigation and your leave while you still can."

[chef_chocobro]

"Honestly, now, Jace," Ignis drawled, having been, as he typically did in these situations, waiting, listening, preparing for whatever may come. "Surely there are more efficient and proper ways to resolve this beyond just merely pointing fingers on a whim and a hunch. What exactly were you expecting to accomplish here, anyway? Besides to swoop in to ruin a perfectly good time with your presence yet again?"

But he did have to admit, he could not wait to tell Summer all about this one.

[opulent_oligarch]

The legionnaires bristled at Liliana's not-so-veiled threat, but with a gesture, Jace told them to ease off. Instead, he gave Liliana and Ignis injured looks and turned to make his exit. Teysa also gestured, servants peeling away to make sure they did not linger, watching Jace leave with a speculative decision.

"I don't think he wants to find the murderer at all," she mused.

"What?" Liliana was highly skeptical. "Did you miss the whole dog-and-pony show he just put on?"

"Not a bit of it and that's why I'm thinking he doesn't. What did he ask? If I was in any way involved, after I had loudly and publicly proclaimed my innocence and invited him to use his powers. But he didn't probe my thoughts, nor did he ask me if I'd known anything about the murders beforehand or even if I knew who the killer is. Basic questions you'd expect even the greenest new recruit to think to ask. And there were loopholes the size of sphinxes in those questions of his. Anyone who'd ever read an Orzhov contract could have found ways to circumvent his powers with practically no effort. And I'm an advokist."

[deathsmajesty]

"A law mage," Liliana mused, turning the incident over in her mind.

"The best law mage," Teysa corrected. "And he knows this. I wrote The Official Accord and Guidance of the Guilds of Ravnica before the Maze had ever appeared. Long before the Guildpact had a body and could sleep, eat, void, and die like the rest of the world. So either he's playing at something, he's an idiot, or he thinks I am."

"The last two are the same picture, darling," Liliana said. "Thinking you're an idiot would only confirm he is." And, as much as she didn't want to admit it, Jace was brilliant. Overeager, full of himself, and prone towards impetuous decisions, but brilliant. Which meant...

"He came to clear your name before anyone could question," she realized. And, more reluctantly, "...And mine, too, I suppose." Still, that had been an objectively terrible experience, and it was highly doubtful anyone would have even thought to accuse her.

But while she was on the subject of things not being what they seemed... "I'd rather wondered about the scale of this party, darling. It seemed a bit much for simply being freed from jail, but..."

[opulent_oligarch]

"From jail? Yes. But finally free of ten thousand years of the grasping, greedy, abusive dead? This spectacle might actually be undercelebrating for that."

Her eyes finally left the door that Jace had left through, settling back down into her chair. The raise of a single finger summoned a servant, proffering several a variety of chemical refreshments.

"I'll have to introduce you to the ghost assassin who targeted them. Her name is Kaya. She's another Planeswalker like the rest of you." She interrupted herself to send Tomik to rendezvous with the returning servants and find out if anything happened on the way out. When he was out of earshot, she turned back to Liliana and smiled. "She and I have a mutual friend in common. I believe you might know him, too?"

[deathsmajesty]

"I know many people, darling," Liliana said idly, running her nails over the skin of Ignis' wrist. The narcotic was settling softly into her veins now, making everything a little dreamier. "Who?"

"Does the name Nicol Bolas mean anything to you?"

Liliana's head snapped up, the dreamy languor of a few seconds ago completely gone.

[opulent_oligarch]

Teysa laughed softly. "I see that it does. Hmmm, perhaps we should chat sometime then. But for now, I simply must continue to mingle with the rest of my guests." She pushed herself up, grasping her cane tightly in her hand and slowly making her way towards another knot of people. "Another time, Liliana. Ignis."

And glided away, leaving a dumbfounded Liliana in her wake.