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

[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.