Session three

• Arcadia gets a message to Lawrence to get them out of here and he starts trying to formulate an escape plan, getting access to the Baron's hover bikes and convincing the staff that he has authority to oversee their preparations and repair. He also does some information gathering to try to gauge possible suspects for the murder.
• The party hustle Dame Arcadia away to their tent. There they question her but she is coy and while states her innocence she will not divulge what she was doing at the time of the murder.
• Meanwhile Josay and Lawrence continue intelligence gathering and learn that most people present seem to think Arcadia could be the murderer (she's a trained fighter, the only witness to come forwards places her there at the time and she has not provided any other alibi). Taking things on face value she's likely to be found guilty. Also the Decados have retreated to their own tents and have placed armed guards outside. Sir Selwyn (Arcadia's brother) seems completely unconcerned and seems to believe that this will all blow over soon.
• Appleby informs the Baron's brother (Sir Cuthbert) of his death and that he is the new Baron, a Reeve has been summoned to prepare the official papers and also act as judicial authority over the murder - Cuthbert is full of bitterness and rage and demands that Arcadia be held accountable.
• The new baron summons his men-at-arms and they (accompanied by a growing crowd of nosey noble onlookers, having nothing to do seeing as this has brought a halt to the tourney) arrive at Arcadia's tents to demand her surrender.
• Sir Hasimir argues that she is only being accused by a mere peasent, at which point Baronet Theodore Trusnikron jumps at him for daring to impinge his honour (by casting aspertions on the word of his page). He is pulled off by two of the Baron's household guard.
• The players manage to negotiate her "house arrest" within her tent as long as she surrenders all arms. Which she begrudgingly does.
• She still refuses to divulge what she was doing at the time of the murder but conceeds that she will tell Hemlock and take his council (as they are now betrothed to be wed and Josay gave her a penance of telling one of her house her confession).
• Arcadia reveals to Hemlock <Details redacted> ;) and that is why she has been serving on other worlds until recently. She has seen <Details redacted> ;) at the tournament and believes she is the party responsible for framing her.
• Hemlock tells the others about the old enemy but not why she might be trying to kill Arcadia. He then goes to confront the Trusnikron Baronet and interview his page personally.
• Theodore Trusnikron is initially full of bravado and insults but eventually calms down a little - placated by Hemlock. They talk to the boy together and the child seems to honestly believe what he tells them. Theodore suggests that may be it is Hemlock who is being lied to...
• There was then much discussion of possible suspects and ruling out certain of the assembled guests and competitors
• Then, in the early evening, a VTOL flyer arrives bringing the Reeve and his entourage of Muster Bailiffs...