"Primogeniture. That seems to be the topic of the evening, doesn't it?" Duke Centimus replies. "It's part of the reason why I choose to spend my time here in the archives. Those who forget their history are oftentimes prone to repeating it, usually to their detriment. Certain leaders have made mistakes over the centuries. The key lies in recognizing when one has erred and having the courage and grace to own up to these errors. Only then do we have the potential to grow and change. I say we should look to the past for guidance on what not to do, rather than pretend that it was all glory and riches."
The duke seems to be speaking around the topic and not quite revealing exactly which way he is leaning.
Having finished his various errands for Martella, Bernal makes his way back up to the gallery in brisk steps. He fakes a surprised smile when he spots Doritan and Wyssilka entertaining the children, irritated by the competition. Quickly brushing it off, he invites some of the young nobles to join him in mock duels, dancing around them and performing over-the-top fumbles, making sure to lose in a way that glorifies his opponent.
The nobles join Bernal in his dances, laughing and applauding at his comedic timing. Soon, several gala guests are lining up to "duel" with the Rondelero expert.
Bernal and Doritan have spent enough time now in the gallery that they have been able to learn the general movements of the crowds within the senate by watching from the upper floor.
Doritan, not wanting to be outdone by the jester, keeps up his display, making coins appear and disappear, swiping the hat off the halfling, and generally using his finesse well.
Wyssilka laughs and does her best to keep up with Doritan, their "duel" increasing in intensity and ridiculousness, to the delight of the crowd!
Bernal continues occupying the crowd with his nimble moves, but also keeps an eye on the magic competition between Doritan and the halfling, and on the movement of the many nobles on the floor below. Eventually, he gestures at Wyssilka with his outstretched hand.
"Will the lady join me for a duel?"
Wyssilka giggles and takes Bernal's hand. "Of course, my lord! So long as you don't mind losing yet again!"
The halfling picks up the swashbuckler's schtick pretty quickly, emphasizing the comedic aspects with well-timed pratfalls and props (a rubber sword getting lots of laughs). The children--and several of the adults--cheer as the dance comes to its conclusion.
As he takes a bow, the grateful parents provide Bernal and Doritan with several gifts as thanks for the show!
Katria takes the items from Copernia with all due reverence. She looks around, one eye remaining on Malphene Trant as she wonders where her companions are.
Katria continues wandering toward the Senate floor, looking around as she stations herself at a seat and takes a wide breath.
So this is what it would be like, she thinks. This is where they discussed banning worship of Sarenrae -- so silly! -- and then undid that. Imagine if I had been there?
"No, Senator, your argument is specious," she says quietly, giving a mock speech that she doesn't even realize others are listening to. She stops for a moment and then -- inspired -- continues on. "Yes, many in Qadira worship the Dawnflower and she is not one of our native Taldan gods, but we are not some provincial backwater that cannot see the empire for the single countries! Do some of our nobles -- not you, Senator, never you! -- worship Urgathoa? Do we not give honor to the Reaper of Reputation even while others pervert his worship as Father Skinsaw? Even so, just because the Qadirans at times give bloody worship to Sarenrae, we should not forget she is also the Healing Flame!"
She nods, satisfied that that could have indeed been a great speech, similar to the ones that reverse the not-so-long-ago policy, one already almost completely forgotten by many in the nation.
Katria lingers here more, keeping an eye on Malphene and discussing ancient history with Copernia.
Thoroughly frustrated by the Duke, Maya just shakes her head and says to Elif, "I trust you and the Duke will have a lovely conversation. There's someone... er, something, I need to see to in the Arcade. If you need my assistance, I'll be there for a while."
With a nod to the Duke, Maya heads over to the Arcade and keeps an eye on Malphene Trant. It seems even other nobles don't like the woman. Perhaps Maya has finally found something she shares in common with them.
As Maya heads to the archive, Katria soliloquies on the senate floor. Though she doesn't realize she's speaking aloud, several Sarenite sympathizers nod in approval at her words.
Doritan, bowing out of the gifts for his magic show, joins Maya on the senate floor, trying to spot a few local celebrities and get his name out.
Doritan chats with a few local celebrities, and along the way, he gets swept up in a debate with a particularly odious young politician. He wins the debate handily, the entertainment of nearby Judge Dartist Mercenian, who offers Doritan a gold ring emblazoned with the Mercenian family crest (worth 300 gp) as a sign of his family's favor.
Maya, bored of staring at the entitled Trant woman, takes her leave of the Arcade and moves to the Courtyard, determined to spread her influence. Even though she doesn't particularly like any of these people, she's committed to making a good impression, for Lady Martella's sake, if nothing else.
Once in the courtyard, Maya surveys the area for an open spot from which to give her oration. Flashbacks to her first speech plague her mind, but she does her best to ignore it. Finding an open spot, she takes a few moments to compose her thoughts. It's not easy making an impression on a crowd of humans as a halfling, but Maya's determined to do so nevertheless.
"Eh, eh, ehm. If I can have your attention, fair nobles of Taldor! I think it's important to remember on this fine Day of Exaltation, that the important matter of primogeniture is to be decided. It is not something you can ignore. You must pick a side. I strongly suggest you pick the right side. For those unsure of what the 'right' side is, that would be the side in support of repealing the thing. The law is antiquated and serves no good purpose anymore. Let's move Taldor forward into the future. Repealing primogeniture is the start!"
Katria flushes as she realizes her comments actually weren't just in her head, and seeing Doritan seems to be charming their fellow countrymen, returns to the arcade to keep an eye on Malphene.
Receiving his gifts and bowing extravagantly, Bernal realizes that he should retire at his best and use the information about the crowd's movement to help Martella communicate with her various allied politicians. He descends the staircase and locates the spymaster, quietly slithering to her side and flashing his senate aide badge.
"Right then; here to help, Miss Lotheed."
The nobles in the courtyard quiet down as Maya begins her speech. They at first seem surprised to see a halfling speaking so boldly, but her words and impassioned delivery make it impossible to ignore her. Once the bard has finished, Princess Eutropia inclines her had slightly in acknowledgement, and most of the other assembled guests applaud loudly.
Several approach to learn more about this most curious halfling. Maya quickly ingratiates herself to the crowd, and tongues begin to waggle around her.
---
"It's Lady Lotheed, if you please," Martella says, though her tone is gentle. She hands Bernal a sealed envelope. "Please deliver this to Lady Gloriana Morilla in the courtyard."
The swashbuckler deftly ducks and dances through the crowds that have gathered in the courtyard (many of whom are eager to speak with Maya). He makes his way to Lady Morilla and hands her the message.
"Thank you, darling. Might I beseech you to deliver this envelope to your patron? And this one to Duke Leonard Centimus in the archives." She hands Bernal two more envelopes.
"Primogeniture. That seems to be the topic of the evening, doesn't it?" Duke Centimus replies. "It's part of the reason why I choose to spend my time here in the archives. Those who forget their history are oftentimes prone to repeating it, usually to their detriment. Certain leaders have made mistakes over the centuries. The key lies in recognizing when one has erred and having the courage and grace to own up to these errors. Only then do we have the potential to grow and change. I say we should look to the past for guidance on what not to do, rather than pretend that it was all glory and riches."
The duke seems to be speaking around the topic and not quite revealing exactly which way he is leaning.
Elif watched as Maya left her and the Duke alone. You can do this, Elif! He is at ease now. Having listened carefully to the Half-Elven senator's words, Elif attempted to read the intention of them so as to definitively know which side of primogeniture he leaned toward.
Centimus's smile when he talks about fixing the mistakes of the past and his body language indicate that the duke is firmly on the side of abolishing primogeniture. Martella can rest easy knowing she can count the half-elf as a strong ally.
Elif smiled and nodded, "You are so wise, Your Grace. I am most impressed with your way of thinking. Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to my duties for an aides' work is constant and rewarding. I hope to hear you speak, again." Elif respectfully inclined her head and turned to leave the archives and make her way back to the Arcade of Triumphs and complete her work regarding the High Strategos.
Finding a place by one of the cabinets (and appearing as if she is quietly perusing the contents or looking around at some painting on the wall) and close enough to the High Strategos without coming to his immediate attention or any other noble in the room, Elif listened keenly, hoping to catch some intriguing conversation or catch Pythareus or another political rival acting peculiarly in the room.
Elif gets close to Pythareus, remaining hidden among the crowd. After a few minutes, a cocky-looking man swaggers up to the High Strategos, and the two have a hushed conversation. The man is Titus Lotheed-Casava, one of Martella's distant cousins. She will want to know about this.
Maya notices three young noblemen dressed in tacky jewelry approach Malphene Trant. The four begin to pass around wine glasses, drinking and laughing.
Maya takes in the crowd's reaction and smiles. She's not sure if she should be more distressed by their response to her or her response to them. What am I doing? Ingratiating myself to nobles? What have I done?
After a few words of thanks to the crowd, Maya makes sure to inform those other members of the party she can easily find, preferably at least Katria, about the young noblemen's association with Malphene Trant. Maya suspects one of the others would be better suited to spying on the quartet.
Once others have been informed about them, Maya decides it's time to focus on another individual rather than a crowd. She's confident she can finish wooing the courtyard a bit later in the evening.
Instead, she seeks out Princess Eutropia. The halfling suspects the Princess in particular will find her oratorical abilities noteworthy. As such, Maya decides it's time to use them to learn a bit more about Taldor's heir apparent... pending primogeniture's repeal.
Bowing low before the princess, Maya offers her best smile, the one she gives to all nobles, just enough expression to appear genuine but not enough to make Maya sick at her stomach.
"Good evening to you, Princess. It is a pleasure to meet you face-to-face. I have heard much of you, but I know it is merely a drop in the ocean compared to all there is to know of you. I believe we have a mutual friend, one Lady Lotheed. Would you humor me, my lady, by telling me more about yourself?"
Should Princess Eutropia request it, Maya is willing to offer a private performance, something flattering of the Princess, but that also includes plenty of subtle pokes at Taldor's nobility and its antiquated ways, such as primogeniture.
Bernal accepts the envelopes from Lady Morilla with a firm nod, though he doesn't immediately embark on his errand. He raises his head and looks at the lady, examining her clothing, expression, and entourage. Finally, he speaks to her in a hushed tone.
"Milady, I've heard that you lead the Sovereign Court, a faction allied to the Pathfinder Society. There was a Society lodge close to my hometown, very useful in solving local mysteries and eradicating local threats. That you might be willing to leverage your influence to assist Princess Eutropia in ascending to the throne and restore the decadent Taldor to glory... milady, you are one person to be admired!"
Katria turns her attention from the fascinating artifacts in the room and keeps her eyes on Malphene and the group of noblemen.
Well, it doesn't look like she's trying to bully anyone right now, at least, she thinks.
Elif gets close to Pythareus, remaining hidden among the crowd. After a few minutes, a cocky-looking man swaggers up to the High Strategos, and the two have a hushed conversation. The man is Titus Lotheed-Casava, one of Martella's distant cousins. She will want to know about this.
Seeing Titus Lotheed-Casava surprised her, yet Elif kept her features collected/disinterested so as to not give herself away. What is Martella's cousin up to? She listened again, more intent on catching some part of the low spoken conversation, no matter how small the detail. From the corner of her eye, and for a brief moment, Elif watched their interaction to determine if they were harmonious or there was some friction between the pair. But more importantly, she wished to know what they were saying.
Princess Eutropia smiles warmly at Maya. "I'm flattered that you want to know more about me. No doubt you've heard all sorts of rumors swirling about tonight spread by both my allies and enemies. The truth is I'm just a woman who wants to help my people and my nation as best as I can. For too long, Taldor has marginalized a large portion of its population. Tonight's vote is just the first step in a long overdue course correction."
The princess allows Maya to give a brief performance, applauding heartily when the bard finishes. "Well done! With a mastery of wordplay like that, you've got a grand career ahead of you!"
Eutropia soon gets called away and excuses herself from the conversation, but the princess's minor acknowledgment of Maya's abilities is enough to impress every local present at the gala!
---
Lady Morilla stands tall among her noble peers, sporting the finest of Absalom's fashion. Her attire is far less ostentatious than that of other present nobles, but she makes up for it with a grace of movement that allows her to easily shift between crowds. Bernal watches her for a few minutes, noting that while she mingles with the nobles of Taldor well enough, she doesn't seem truly at home in this environement.
She smiles at Bernal as he sweet-talks her. "Oh, you flatterer! I am simply doing what is best for Taldor and for the world at large. I believe the aristocracy should party less and lead more. Without strong examples of nobility and governance for the people to look up to, chaos reigns."
She gives the swashbuckler an appraising look. "It would seem Lady Lotheed chose her aides tonight well. I've noticed you and your friends making quite the splash throughout the gala tonight. When you deliver the letter to your patron, please tell her that she can count on me for anything she might need in the next few days before I return to Absalom."
---
Elif notes a bit of friction between Pythareus and Titus. It seems the military commander is bristling at the young noble's boorish attitude. The oracle drifts closer, catching snippets of conversation.
"Shame the bee thing didn't work out," Titus says. "It would have been quite the sight to see the princess covered in welts for her big speech!"
"Your childish attempt at a prank does nothing to help the cause of upholding primogeniture," the High Strategos grumbles. "All of you nobles and your petty games disgust me. I'd much rather be inspecting my troops or performing drills than dealing with buffoons like yourself. Now begone, whelp."
Titus winces, but bows and backs away, thoroughly chastised.
Katria watches Malphene and her cronies finish their drinks. They then make their way to the upper gallery. They approach junior Senator Amadorian Dou and corner him, then Malphene shoves him into the nearby Beldam II waiting room before the others close the door behind them.
Doritan takes a quick trip behind the scenes, making his way through the kitchen to try and identify the wine they're supposed to sabotage.
Doritan navigates the crowded servants' area, looking at the various drinks and snacks they are busy preparing and disseminating through the senate. After several minutes, he spies the bottle of wine he is looking for. Now that it has been identified, he'll need to apply the putrefying agent.
Before he has a chance, though, Katria alerts him and the rest of the group to Dame Trant's movements. You gather in front of the ballroom before opening the door. The room itself is a 30-foot-by-30-foot area, with lavish white marble floors and sturdy wooden walls. The centerpiece of the room is a vast 10-foot-wide gold-trimmed window peering down over the city of Oppara. Chairs and tables are spaced throughout the chamber to promote socializing.
Malphene looms over Senator Dou, haranguing the wincing young man. "Have you no loyalty, you double-crossing dog? My father counted you as an ally, and now we hear you've decided to side with the uppity princess's friends. That is very rude, little man. I don't like people who are rude."
Her cronies stand nearby, and noticing the five of you, one taps her on the shoulder. Malphene turns to regard you imperiously, hands on her hips. "How dare you interrupt a private meeting? We don't need the help at the moment, thank you. Leave us at once!"
"Oh, we're not here to help you." Doritan gives a dismissive wave, confidently walking into the room, "Senator, would do you need any assistance?"
Senator Dou opens his mouth, but Malphene cuts him off. "He's fine. Now scurry off into whatever holes you crawled out of." She makes a shooing motion with her hand.
"I wasn't asking you. I was asking him, and I would like to hear his answer." Doritan makes eye contact with Malphene, unintimidated.
Malphene's hands ball into fists and she bares her teeth. "Perhaps you need a lesson in manners as well." Her flunkies begin to inch closer, anticipating a fight.
"Stand down. If there is truly nothing going on here, you have no reason to worry. If there is, we will be forced to intervene. So, I suggest you consider your next actions carefully, Ma'am."
Katria, who felt like she were asleep for a few minutes and her body operating like it were an automaton, watches closely, glad that Doritan and the others had come to help her with Malphene.
"For someone who doesn't like people who are rude, you're managing to do that quite well yourself," she says severely, direct as her usual wont even as she tries to calm the situation.
Her stomach rolls a little as she realizes this wasn't something she'd expected. That always makes her nervous, more than it should. She needs to learn to handle it better if she truly wishes to become a senator.
Neither Doritan nor Katria are able to placate Malphene on their own.
Maya's quite surprised at Princess Eutropia's willingness to speak with her. She shouldn't be, not after her conversations with Lady Martella, but she is nevertheless. Her dislike of nobles is too thoroughly ingrained in her. Still, if, somehow, there are more nobles like Princess Eutropia and Lady Martella, perhaps there's hope for Taldor after all.
-----
After arriving in the room with the narcissistic Trant and her cohorts, Maya decides to try resolving the situation herself after some of her compatriots' efforts fail.
"Perhaps, Trant, you should let the young senator associate with whoever he wants to. Or do you only care about your own rights and not the rights of others?"
Bowing to Lady Morilla and thanking her for her willingness to assist, Bernal stows the letter into his coat's inner pocket and quickly moves to see what Katria's worried about. He enters in time to hear Maya's comment, and figures out what led to the situation on his own. He flashes his clean performer's smile at Trant and nods slowly.
"Indeed, milady; take it from me, the headache of dealing with the consequences will be tenfold what it might be letting the senator go. So, for the best of all of us..."
Malphene's eyes flash from Maya to Bernal. She looks back at Doritan, and up close he can smell the alcohol on the noble woman's breath. After a few more tense moments, she sighs and steps back. "Fine. We had just about finished our conversation anyway. Come on, boys, let's go."
Unless stopped, she and her cronies push past you and exit the ballroom.
Senator Dou recovers his composure. "Thank you for rescuing me from those ruffians. am in your debt, my friends. Stop my by office tomorrow morning and I shall reward you for your bravery."