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The sun rises besides the Menador Mountains over the North plains. A new day begins in Kintargo, where the mist that came from the sea at night still hangs over the green and the moist cold clings to the walls of the houses.
The streets are already busy with fishermen, bakers, butchers, and farmers bringing their goods to the market. The first customers are on their way too. Everything is lively, and even though life isn't easy, the sea provides plenty of fish for food and trade. And the harsh rule of Cheliax lies behind the Mountains, which allows Kintargo to be special. There a quite some people who are no big fan of the Thrice Damned House of Thrune here. And the city is not important enough and too far away from the capital Egorian for House Thrune to care.
Kintargo is not Korvosa or Magnimar. It is still Cheliax, where Asmodeus is the primary deity to be worshipped, and the law is held in high regard. Just not as strong and exclusively as in the rest of the kingdom. But the wind of change is felt through the streets. Even if noone can put their finger on it yet.
With the Glorious Reclamation, a group of Iomedaens who declared that they want to free Cheliax of the House of Thrune, the grip of Thrune on the citizens has tightened. This ramifications haven't reached Kintargo - yet.
Today the people of Kintargo simply ply their trade, as they have for many years.
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Sunlight streams into the window of Saul Gibson's bedroom, hitting his eyes and wakes up. He groans, sits up, starts to grab his head, but then remembers that he wasn't drunk last night and he isn't hungover now. Sobriety is a strange thing to get used to.
But the options for bars in towns is quickly drying up, and Saul decided that maybe a little drying up would be good for him too. Ever since the Case of the Redheaded Dame, he refuses to go back to Clenchjaws, on principal. The Thrashing Badger burned down a while back, and the closest establishment, the Tooth and Nail, simply had too many bad memories. Too many nights spent there when he should have been other places and with other people. Sure, there are still other places in the City... but Saul was taking all of this as a sign. Perhaps some time without alcohol could cheer his sour disposition.
Found the brunette's missing purse last night, so may as well take a walk over to her place in Redroof.
Saul pulls on his leather armor, his leather trenchcoat, his leather pants, and his wide brimmed leather hat. Why does it always smell like a slaughterhouse in here, anyway? Next case, I'm saving some money to hire a cleaner. He also grabs his longspear before opening the door and stepping out into the street.
The door reads, "Gibson Investigations".
Salonius groans as the dawn chorus awakens him, reflecting that not being able to understand the twitterings of the avian morning enthusiasts was a much missed blessing in disguise,
"The sun is up, Peeko is up! Peeko is waiting for breakfast! So patient! Peeko is patient! Patiently waiting for breakfast Master! See! Peeko is waiting for breakfast... Patiently," a tiny thrush enthuses sitting upon the young Wizard's forehead looking directly down into his sleepy blue eyes.
"No Peekster, sitting on my forehead and loudly declaring how patient you are, when I am sleeping, in no way counts as being patient. Simply declaring one thing while doing the opposite, while a time honoured strategy, is poor form."
"Peeko is patient, but clever, Peeko waited while he was asleep!"
"Why do I bother? Ugh, and what do you want today you articulate avian?"
"Three kinds of worms! Peeko will have! Three kinds of worms!"
Salonius rose stretched and after groggily chanted a prestidigiton spell cleaning himself, Peeko, and his work robe before getting dressed and heading downstairs.
Professor Glenell lies sprawled dramatically across the kitchen table surrounded by oddly fizzing grapes, several of which have exploded. A wineskin serves as her pillow.
Glowering at his lush landlord Salonius sweeps the surviving grapes into a bowl and cleans everything in sight, including the Professor, with his spell. Next he heads out with Peeko hopping excitedly upon his shoulder and scoops earth from three covered barrels into a small ceramic dish revealing a wriggling mass of red white and brown worms.
Setting the dish down atop a barrel he leaves his familiar to it and marches out into the orchard.
"Hahaha three kinds of worms! Peeko will eat you all, you stupid wiggle woos!"
After a quick prowl around his precious fruit trees, and a count of the cake flavoured pears checked against the figures in his notebook - which tally - he heads back into the house and retrieves his spellbook taking a seat across from Professor Glenell and swiftly becoming engrossed by the spells within.
Finished preparing spells he heads out, picking up a smug Peeko, and grabbing a pair of pruning shears sets to his trees. After tending to the grafts, mostly trimming away superfluous growth that would exhaust the hybrid trees nutrience, he prestidigitates each of the flavoured trees for ten minutes.
Professor Glenell arrives as he is finishing giving him a pained smile as she proffers a mug of steaming tea,
"What is it this time?" Salonius asks dubiously,
"Master is it poison again?" Peeko asks, hopping onto the mugs handle and peering down at the liquid.
"Shut up you wretched bird, I have already had a cup and it is fine. It is cherry bark, I heard it soothes the throat," the Professor growls.
With a sigh Salonius drinks and then the two begin to discuss various garden matters before Salonius changes and heads out of the quiet gardens into the bustle of the academy proper. Three hours of dry, but fascinating, lectures upon the nature of magic, and tonal variance in summoning later and he is ambushed by two of his sisters Hestia and Jenevieve.
"Don't give us that look Sallie, what were you going to do with your evening twiddle with a tree, or alphabetize your spell book?'
Salonius furrows his brow [I]alphabetize indeed, any Wizard worth their salt could manage their spell book well enough that they could fill them out directly in alphabetical and numerical power level order,[/b]
"Come on Iressa is making her debut in the chorus tonight and Mother will skin us alive if we are not there. You like the Opera anyway, stop looking so sour."
Sunlight streams into the window of Saul Gibson's bedroom, hitting his eyes and wakes up. He groans, sits up, starts to grab his head, but then remembers that he wasn't drunk last night and he isn't hungover now. Sobriety is a strange thing to get used to.
But the options for bars in towns is quickly drying up, and Saul decided that maybe a little drying up would be good for him too. Ever since the Case of the Redheaded Dame, he refuses to go back to Clenchjaws, on principal.
The Thrashing Badger burned down a while back,The Thrashing Badger was nice but the regular bar brawls get annoying if one visits too often and the closest establishment, the Tooth and Nail, simply had too many bad memories. Too many nights spent there when he should have been other places and with other people. Sure, there are still other places in the City... but Saul was taking all of this as a sign. Perhaps some time without alcohol could cheer his sour disposition.Found the brunette's missing purse last night, so may as well take a walk over to her place in Redroof.
Saul pulls on his leather armor, his leather trenchcoat, his leather pants, and his wide brimmed leather hat. Why does it always smell like a slaughterhouse in here, anyway? Next case, I'm saving some money to hire a cleaner. He also grabs his longspear before opening the door and stepping out into the street.
The door reads, "Gibson Investigations".
As Gibson steps out he almost runs into a woman that was about to knock at the door. Dressed in simple, but clean and good quality clothes, upright posture and an attitude of entitlement on her face. Probably in her thirties, but no signs of hard labour on her hands or of extended exposure to sunshine in her face. She carries something of 20 by 15 by 2 inches size wrapped in cloth under her arm. "Mr. Gibson?" the woman asks mustering the man before her.
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Saul takes in the woman standing before him before responding. Clearly a professional woman, used to dealing with people, not food, laundry, or manual labor.
A dame. Not a bad looking one. Of course, dames are trouble, but that is just the nature of the business.
"Call me Saul, ma'am. I'm out to see a client, but I'm always available for a friendly chat. Walk with me to Redroof?"
"I'm Margaret. Can't we talk here and be done with it?" Margaret asks. "Mr. Gibson - Saul - I have need of your skills for a search for a lost member of Baroness Belcara Jarvis' family." She unwraps the item she brought. It is an oil painting showing the Baroness sitting in an armchair, a very special cat wearing a bejeweled collar on her lap. From the looks of it a too well fed pure bred pet.
"The Baroness' cat is missing. I'd pay you 5 gold if you find it and return the cat."
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"Ma'am, the family member is a cat? You aren't trying to pull a fast one on me, are you? Is the Baroness a Catfolk?"
Can't seem to eager now. Put up the proper front, so she doesn't know how badly I could use that five gold. Five gold can buy a whole team of maids to clean out the office. Maybe get rid of that old leather smell. Might have to have an extended night at the Thrashing Badger... No! Get a hold of yourself, man!
"Not in the literal sense. But you know what I mean." Margaret replies.
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"Just feeling the waters, ma'am. I'm a decent hand at locating missing objects, missing persons, and missing fidelity. I think a missing cat should be something my skills can handle. Tell me, how long has it been gone and what are the circumstances surrounding the disappearance? "
Ever the professional, Saul reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a small parchment and a sharpened piece of charcoal to take notes.
As he does so, he thinks carefully about what he has heard about this baroness in the past. The name is familiar.
*Thock! Thock! Thock!*
Ashana, one of House Aulamaxa’s many halfling slaves, cracks the door to Meliandri’s rooms open. She takes a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness, sniffs the air, and sighs, her nose wrinkling in disgust. Piled on the floor, and reeking of liquor, is the dress she’d dressed her mistress in the day before. And there, curled up under the blankets, is her mistress herself. ”It’s regrettable that the young miss spilled at least one drink on her dress, but at least the young miss decided to take it off before going to sleep. It’s also regrettable that the young miss decided to climb through the window as the best way to get inside, tore her dress, and then left the window open. And—”
”Ashana, ‘ave you ever been told to shut up?” From under the blankets and a mess of blonde curls pokes a single brown eye.
”—it would have been most regrettable if the young miss’s companion hadn’t been smuggled out of said window by her servant before her mother noticed.” Ashana doesn’t skip a beat.
”Oh, right. Thanks.” Meliandri’s eye disappears into the blankets. A few second later, her head emerges. ”I need a bath.”
”That the young miss does.”
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
An hour later, Meliandri squints against the late morning sun. She’s told Ashana she’ll be gone until late again, and there’s still most of the day before the opera. After a bit, she decides on heading toward Villegre Park, both in hopes of running into some of her former classmates and out of sheer boredom.
"Someone left a door open and the cat snuck out. Was the day before yesterday. That has happened before but it always came back latest the next morning." Margaret replies.
Kintargo isn't that big a town and of course you know the family. They live in the Greens (G9 on the map) are known to be loyal to Kintargo and are mostly known for their interest in architecture. As can be seen with their estate and the buildings in town they own.
As Meliandri strolls through the park she notices a young man leaning at an old oak tree watching who comes by. As he sees her coming along he smiles at her, his expression a mix of adoration and a smug 'I know what you did'.
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This brunette is wound tighter than Hawkes' clock collection. Still, she has jams that run from here to tomorrow. Saul Gibson isn't one to disappoint a drink of water like this.
"Ma'am, I'll take your case. Here are just the facts: the cat went missing yesterday from its home, it wears a necklace full of ice, it belongs to Baroness Belcara Jarvis, and your name and personal home address is....?"
Meliandri notices the man leaning against the tree, but pretends (in an obviously over-the-top way) to ignore him. Instead, she gathers up her grey velvet dress and flops herself down under a nearby tree. After a moment, decides that a conversation could be the best way to figure out where she’d been the previous night, and launches both a cheeky smile and a quick wave his way. ”Excuse me for being blunt, but ‘ave we met? I would think I would remember ‘aving talked to you, but cannot.”
This brunette is wound tighter than Hawkes' clock collection. Still, she has jams that run from here to tomorrow. Saul Gibson isn't one to disappoint a drink of water like this.
"Ma'am, I'll take your case. Here are just the facts: the cat went missing yesterday from its home, it wears a necklace full of ice, it belongs to Baroness Belcara Jarvis, and your name and personal home address is....?"
"My name is still Margaret, the estate of the Jarvis family is in the Greens, the cat's name is Sir Archibald, which is also written on the collar, and when you bring the cat back, use the delivery entrance and ask for me." Margaret replies. She looks Saul in the eyes to see if he got it and wraps up the picture in the cloth again.
”Excuse me for being blunt, but ‘ave we met? I would think I would remember ‘aving talked to you, but cannot.”
"We haven't been introduced. We just happened to be at the same event last night. Corvin Tergsvor, at your service." he replies with a slight bow.
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Saul scribbles it all down on his parchment and stuffs it in his pocket.
And before he even thinks he blurts out,"And after I find the cat and bring it to the delivery entrance and you hand over the cabbage, you'll accompany me to the Thrashing Badger for a little shot of hooch, right, princess? My treat. "
"I'll hand you the payment and then you go drinking alone." Margaret says with a stern voice and a stern gaze. Then she turns and leaves without looking back again.
Hailing a carriage Iressa thrusts a set of freshly laundered courtly clothing at Salonius, "You can change in the carriage."
Sighing at the indignity of it all Salonius surrenders ignoring any and all comments,
"You need to eat more."
"What did you do to your hair is that an actual twig?"
"You have ink everywhere."
A prestidigitation, some hair grease, and a carriage ride later the group arrive at the opera. Salonius now looking neat precise, operatically appropriate, walks into the Opera House with a beauty on each arm; a sight which might inspire jealousy if it was not so readily apparent they were both steering him, more jailers than escorts.
They quickly make their way towards a cluster of women in the foyer, family resemblance readily apparent. With the new arrivals there are six women in their twenties, Salonius as lone male, and the ermined bulk of the families Matriarch Hestella Barridan, a tall muscular woman with a head of grey intricately braided hair.
"Salonius you are late, come give your Mother a kiss. Please tell me you had not forgotten about this? This is a very important night for your sister, and we are not one of those wishy washy families who do not turn out for one another. Did we not all attend your lecture upon those tree... things?"
"Subsidiary grafts! And I begged you not to! Professor Thicketsblotter still pales at the sight of me, and I want to take his archaic rune class next semester."
"That impertinent man who kept staring at my cleavage!"
"Mother... He is a gnome, you are a tall woman with ample... agh gods. He was trying to make eye contact, you did not need to slap him. But no matter I am here ready so let us go support Iressa."
"Not so fast my boy. Half of the purpose of the Opera is to socialise, now I want you to go and say hello to young Elandry Craivelle. You used to tutor her after all, her mother tells me she had quite the crush on you."
"No Mother, no, this is supposed to be about Iressa..."
"There is a good half hour before the performance begins, can you not do one tiny thing for your poor grandchildless mother?"
With the defeated slump of the downtrodden Salonius makes his way over to endure small talk about who is marrying who, dresses and scandals. How exactly is an affair between Lord Whosit and Lady Whatsit interesting, why would I care?
It takes all to long for the ushers to begin calling them to their seats. As the curtains draw open Peeko pops his head out of his master's breast pocket and watches the stage attentively.
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Saul watches her strut away. He shrugs; that is actually the normal response he gets from most of the janes. It was just for kicks anyway. Rule #1. Never fall for a client.
He starts walking toward the Redroof section of town, to accomplish his original goal of wrapping up the Case of the Missing Purse.
Another day in the City of Kintargo; the city that just won't quit. I'll just drop off the purse with the brunette dame and amble my way off to the Greens to locate little Sir Archie. Probably finish up in time for a good afternoon nap and have an extra five gold by dinner. How hard can it be to find a cat?
There was no two ways about it, something was going to have to change and soon. Frustrated, Alamara wiped the sweat from her forehead and exhaled deeply. Working her forms in the morning was just not the same here in Songbird Hall. Sure the priests of Shelyn had welcomed the fledgling flock of Sarenrae into their midst. And sure the place was beautiful, the finest art and architecture filled with music night and day, but there was no good exposure to the sun. And that’s what she craved. The soul warming light and heat from the celestial representation of her Goddess.
For years it had been part of Alamara’s daily ritual to rise before dawn and do her forms in the rays of the morning sun — a way of communing with the Dawnflower in the silent stillness of the new day. Not long ago, the young woman had grown accustomed to her morning work atop the roof of the Silver Star, the music shop where the leader of the local Sarenrites held sway. But since the taking of Shensen and the ruining of the Star, the flock had moved here — to the Shelyn’s temple called Songbird Hall.
Doing her meditations indoors did not hold the same air of reverence and when she went outside all she could see was the monstrous cathedral of Asmodeus on the hill overlooking her. That place of the diabolical loomed over the entire city of Kintargo even if just figuratively.
Alamara sighed again brushing a loose strand of her blond hair, which was working its way loose of the ponytail she wore for workouts, from her face. She picked up the scimitar and shield again, and though her arms were aching with the work she started another set of the rigorous poses and stances she practiced for hours each day. She tuned her body to be a fighting machine for the redemption and goodness that Sarenrae stood for. But with Shensen taken, her confidence in peace as a solution was starting to wane.
She gritted her teeth and made an arcing cut through the air while she pondered how to change things.
It was Alamara's favorite time of day. The first light of the new day was just breaking in the eastern sky, the golden orb of the Dawnflower spreading its loving rays of warmth and light over the earth once again. The daily renewal of that message of hope and reclamation from the darkness couldn't help but bring goosebumps to the flesh of the young warrior.
Atop the roof of the Silver Star, a music shop in the Jarvis End district of Kintargo, Alamara and the rest of the devout followers of the sun goddess spent their dawns in prayer, mediation, or like the girl, training with her blade and shield. All the while, Shensen, the leader of the Sarenrite sect in Kintargo read aloud from The Book of LIght and Truth inspiring reverence and awe in those who listened.
Alamara spent the hours around dawn practicing her forms, and honing her body and spirit in the faith. It wasn't an easy practice, her arms aching and body covered with sweat even in the early hours of the late summer morning. She worked hard but her skill with arms benefited from the work. And she would use that martial prowess to defend her faith and to bring quick justice to those who practiced evil, including the followers of the diabolical Asmodeus, who reigned over the land -- at least for now. She had no question that the time fo the devils was on the wane, and the time for justice and peace was on the rise, with her mentor, Shensen at its fore.
After the dawn ablations were complete, Alamara packed up her gear, wishing a good day to all the friends she had made in the faith, and made ready to set out for the laundry where she and her mother worked, barely making enough wages to eke out an existence in their small flat. With her shield and blade in hand, she said her farewells to Shensen and the others.
The Greens are the high society area of town. And a guy from Old Kintargo whose clothes are not in pristine condition that checks out the premises of these nobles might catch some unwanted attention. Unluckily for Gibson some overzealous groundskeeper found him suspicious, ending the search for the cat for that day. Ignoring that guy wouldn't be a problem, but the prospect of discussing this with the Dottari Guards was not to his liking. Being confident that he will make that 5 gold, he retires to the Thrashing Badger to collect the newest gossip and enjoy a beer for the night.
Alamara, though working in a lower class job, with little pay, held her head high while walking through the streets with the insignia of her faith. Some of the neighbours of the Silver Star look at her judging. But she is proud of who she is and her goddess and doesn't care about those people.
She has a long day of tedious work in front of her. All that water and soap soften her hands skin. Which leads to chafing when she uses her weapons, as the skin doesn't calus. And it is tiring. As she goes home and later to bed she already looks forward to the best time of her days. Worshipping her goddess in the morning sun.
Meliandri talks a while to Corvin Tergsvor. He is the black sheep of a noble family in Ustalav. He got exiled for having 'met' a married woman, to prevent lethal retaliation. He seems interesting enough and as he invites Meliandri to the opera, she joins him in that.
The play is a comic opera that makes fun of a couple that doesn't manage to come together, but the backstory is - in a very subtle way - ridiculing the Asmodean and royal authorities. Iressa plays her part as maiden of the main female character with bravura and it is an enjoyable evening for all.
Salonius is lucky, because his sister draws all the attention. So he doesn't have to justify the lack of grandchildren, at least for the time of this evening.
In the middle of the night Kintargo is hit hard and quick. Gibson notices it as the Thrashing Badger gets approached by a lot of figures who light torches in the street. Always quick to get what's up, he leaves his beer and the tavern through the kitchen and the back door. Looking from a nearby hideout he sees how the tavern is stormed by people and two or three creatures that look like directly from hell. Minutes later everything is over and the building is ablaze.
Meliandri, Salonius and their respective companions are surprised by the new Lord Mayor to be. He marches into the opera with two dozen Dottari and two more dozen Hellnights of the Order of the Rack.
"Dear, peasants of Kintargo. Please follow the orders of our law enforcing helpers here and leave. The opera is closed."
He might sound like he is polite, but his troops are not. Everyone who dares to protest is met with force. Within minutes the aghast crowd finds itself outside of closed doors. Iressa is in tears.
Alamara sleeps well through the night. But as she leaves home before sunset to be at the Silver Star at sunrise to meet her brothers and sisters in faith, the only thing left of the Silver Star is a smoking ruin that is burnt to the ground.
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Saul watches from a nearby outhouse, aghast, as the Thrashing Badger is raided by devil monsters and a few humans. Fires break out quickly. Occasionally there is an explosive noise and a fireball eruption through the roof as the finer barrels of alcohol explode.
So much expensive hooch... I picked a good time to dry up.
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Saul stays in the outhouse through the night, eventually getting adjusted to the stink, knowing that it is a lot safer in there than out in the open. By morning the fires have consumed the Thrashing Badger. And as Saul looks up into the sky, he sees smoke billowing into the sky from other locations. The Thrashing Badger was not the only building to burn.
Why this place? Why those places? Was this random or targeted? And who? What where those monsters? Godsdamnit, this city is my home. This pub was my home away from home. I think I have a new case to investigate. And I'm guessing nobody will pay me for this one except my own conscience.
Meliandri wakes up to an unfamiliar feeling in her head, an inability to see much of anything, and complete silence. Puzzled, she takes a moment to figure out why before remembering; After the new...whoever he is...showed up and closed down the opera, she’d sort of shrugged it off, but with the chaos in the streets, she’d eventually decided that it’d be wisest to head home. The lack of fuzziness in her head must’ve been that she’d only had a respectable amount to drink, and the darkness and silence had to have something to do with it being quite early.
After a half-hour of lounging about, Mels decides that it’s time to see when the opera will be reopened and gets dressed. In appreciation of the city’s new...whatever...she elects to be just a touch more patriotic, and chooses parade armor with her family’s coat of arms quartered with the flag of Cheliax, all over silk breeches and blouse. After a moment of introspection, she also decides on her rapier. ”Per’aps I will do some fencing after my morning’s explorations.”
As the sun rises, she slips out of the manor and onto the streets of Kintargo.
Alamara stares at the smoking ruin, dropping her sword and shield which clatter to he ground loudly. Her first thought was the safety of Shensen or any of the other sect members. She looked quickly around to see if there any of structure still standing or anyone in danger. For that matter, where were the rest of the faithful?
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What should be a nice sunny morning, in the city that won't quit... Instead we have the smell of smoke and ash in the air. Gods. What a disaster.
Saul makes his way north along the main street from the ruins of the Thrashing Badger, toward the gates to the Greens. People are about and about, most looking scared, many coughing from smoke inhalation, others crying or screaming. Saul tries to keep his wits about him, and takes in the scene.
Near the gates that open up to the Greens, Saul catches sight of the old man Thaddeus Burns, a cripple who often begs at the location. A cripple who also happens to be one of Saul's eyes-and-ears in town.
"What's the word, Thaddeus? You healthy? What are the people on the street saying...any idea who did this, or why? What else burned down?"
Poor bloke. Usually I don't pepper my stool pigeons like this, but gods, my poor city...
As things begin to get heated and his mother prepares to headbutt a particularly impertinent guard Salonius tactfully Colour Sprays the Barridan Matriarch, while Niera and Jenevieve rush in to catch her,
"My apologies Sir we will move along as directed my mother just gets a little distraught when things take her by surprise," Salonius says even as he hurriedly backs off.
The Barridans beat an ungainly retreat moving off into a side street while Peeko and Sesha scan the emerging crowds until they locate Iressa and lead her kin.
"You were great 'Ress, I am sorry this had to happen on your big night," Salonius says, giving his youngest older sister a pained smile.
"Did you really put the whammy on mother! She is going to murder you!"
"I was more worried she was going to murder one of those blackguards, and I do not imagine that would have gone well for her," Salonius replies, glancing anxiously at his mother's slowly stirring form.
Mellia, the oldest Barridan sister, ruffles Salonius and Iressa's hair turning them inwards towards the group as she does,
"No you did the right thing Sallie, and dithering about it will do none of us any good. We need to get away from here before those thugs think about extending their little Opera invasion. We all head home together, and we hunker down for the night. Right?"
Once Hestella Barridan awakens she sucks in a few deep breaths, gives Salonius a level look and silently allows herself to be lead by her daughters. Peeko scouts the way ensuring there are no more dangers in the night and the Barridan's make their way home.
"Ah, mother I hope you know I only did... what I did for your own protection," the young botanist says shifting awkwardly under his mother's scrutiny.
"I understand Salonius your mother is not a thinker like you and your father, and I acted rashly. Lucky for me my son is a smart lad who can think on his feet. But I still wish you had waited just a second more so I could have spread that bullies nose across his face! The nerve of those people!"
After several hours of his sister's angry speculation, Salonius escapes to his and Iressa's bedroom, the space divided by a heavy curtain. He pulls out his spellbook and stares at a page for ten minutes without taking in a thing until Iressa enters,
"Well nobody is going to forget my first performance, right little brother?"
"No, no, they are not!"
The two dissolve into a fit of mildly hysterical giggles before falling swiftly to sleep.
The closing of the opera, with Barillai Thrune taking up residence there is the talk of town.
And no one beliefs the the fires, which destroyed three buildings in town were an accident. Though there are little to no witnesses rumors are high on Barzillai Thrune clearing out unwanted subjects and their lairs.
It is the Victocora estate in the Greens, the Thrashing Badger in Yolubilis Harbor, and a music store called the Silver Star that fell victim to the flames.
All three burned ruins are patrolled regularly by dottari guards who check everyone too interested up to the point of making arrests.
The Silver Star is now a sinkhole filled with scorched rubble - the building collapsed into the chambers below when it burned
Asking about what is going on is not really necessary, as town criers walk through the streets and make the new rulings known. They are also posted in written form at the news boards all over town. Taking effect immediately, the town is under martial law, and there is a curfew from 9pm to 6am.
Also an additional proclamation is made:
Proclamation the First: All slayers of city pests (hereby defined as doves, mice, and ravens) who present said pests to the dottari shall be rewarded with a bounty of 1 copper piece.
Thaddeus doesn't look happy. "This is bad. This is really bad. A noble's house, a tavern at the port and something on the other side of the river burned."
"And the guards are suddenly afloat. I don't know how long I can stay here at my place, before they send me packing. Rumours tell, our Lord Major Jilia Bainilus fled town. You couldn't blame her for that, with a Thrune showing up."
Returning to the Alabaster Academy through the edgy streets of Kintargo, Salonius is very much on guard. The proclamation seems innocuous enough, but the brutal events of the previous night seem a stark warning to the city.
The Academy reeks of anxiety, with worried faces, and anxious voices everywhere. The gardens offer their usual tranquility, and after dropping into the house to discover Professor Glenell absent, and change, Salonius feeds Peeko and begins tending to his trees.
Mind racing once his tasks are completed he begins to write, musing on the theft of the Opera House and abuse of power. Once darkness falls he plans to share his thoughts with the Alabaster Mirror, and see if his fellow Philosophers share his quiet outrage. Of course anger is all well and good, but it must be firmly tempered with caution. In truth his writings will serve little purpose, likely only echoing back the opinions of his like minded peers. He must approach the hidden drop off only after being utterly assured he is unseen. I wonder if anyone has already left their reactions to last nights events...
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Strange proclamation. Of course killing rats and paying for it is a good idea. But why make it first in what feels like several more proclamations to come? Combined with curfew and martial law, this whole thing stinks like yesterday's garbage. Ok, hitting the pavement into the Green's. Gotta be a bit more careful this time or I'll be getting the bum's rush by a flatfoot before I can say 'Bob's yer uncle'.
Saul walks into the gate to the Greens- the area of the City housing several noble houses. Keeping an eye out for guards, he doesn't even notice the short blonde half-elf before walking right into her. In his defense, though, she seems equally in the clouds.
"Whoops, ah, sorry there, sister. Guess I need to be looking down a mite bit more. That's ah... quite an outfit you have on. Are you headed down to a parade? Say, um, I know this is a strange question, but have you seen a cat wearing a necklace full of ice around here? "
Leaving the Greens, Meliandri finds herself lost in thought. Sure, it’d be fine with her if the mouse population were a bit lower, since they remind her of a specific incident at Lady Docur’s, but it all just seems odd. Besides, the opera being closed is just—
”Ooof!” Mels crashes into Saul, ending up sprawled in a pile on the cobbles. As she untangles her sheath from her legs and regains her feet, she gives him the stinkeye and gathers up her best ‘Professor Valetio’s How to Deal with the Socially Inferior’ voice. ”If you must know, I am showing my...support...for our new leader. After all, it is important that everyone be on the same page, even if it means some sacrifices.” She rolls her eyes. ”No, I ‘ave not seen a cat with a necklace. Why?”
Alamara continues to stare wide-eyed at the ruin. All that's left of her beloved spot is giant hole in the ground. She was here, just yesterday. Slowly, she thinks to go to the neighboring shop and ask what happened. There the full horror that someone did this on purpose, and not just someone but the new Lord-Mayor, or at least that's the gossip, is responsible for the destruction.
Alamara continues pestering the shopkeeper with questions, even though the man is clearly uncomfortable talking much about what he might or might not have seen. "What about Shensen? Did she escape? Where is she?" The full import that her religious leader might be dead in that rubble starts to take hold of Alamara, and unbidden tears start to run down her face. "What about the others? Did anyone survive?"
As darkness approaches Salonius and Peeko, concealed in his master's hood, head out. Glancing at the Opera House which now seems to loom the young botanist makes his way to Aria Park.
Once in the park he makes his way towards a bench besides an ancient statue and produces an extremely large apple just apple flavoured, which he begins to nip at slowly. Over ten minutes he and Peeko scan the area before under the cover of his hanging cloak he reaches beneath the bench to a recessed wooden shelf intending to see if anyone from the Alabaster Mirror has left anything for their fellows.
As the day moves on, word spreads that there will be a service and burial for the victims of the tragic fires of the last night in the temple of Asmodeus.
"Hey you there! What are you doing outside at night!?!" The leader of the group shouts at Salonius. The patrol of four dottari quickly approaches him.
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Wonder if she is serious or just trying to stop her head from getting cut off. Support for our new leader? A leader who burns down buildings and stops law-abiding citizens from spending the evening at the pub? Pah.
"The cat belongs to Baroness Belcara Jarvis, and I've been hired to get it back. It looks like one of the nobles' mansions got burned down. I don't suppose that was hers, do you? Or yours?
While talking, Saul's eyes go back and forth, looking for any sign of the cat. Sir Archibald will likely be in the Greens area, though there is no guarantee. Cats can move quick and far if they feel like it.
"I am sorry Officers, I have a Land Lady who is a drunk, and sometimes I prefer my own company. I was not aware there was a curfew. Do you need me to head back? I am sorry I only heard about the bounty on vermin?" Salonius says, standing slowly and raising his hands showing his half eaten apple in as non threatening a manner as he can.
"Am I allowed to ask about many other new rules? I do not want any trouble."
”No. That was the Victocoras’ estate.” Meliandri finishes dusting herself off from her fall. ”Meliandri Chastain-Aulamaxa. I ‘ave to ask, ‘ave you considered bribing the cat? Cats like fish, especially spoiled cats.” She grins. ”Maybe you should 'eat to the Old 'arbor or Yolubilis 'arbor, try and beg some mackerel or 'erring, and use that to bait it out. At the very least, you will certainly find a cat."
Mels starts to flounce away, but before she gets far, she stops and looks back over her shoulder, half-turning. "Did you 'ave any friends in the fires? I did not know any of the Victocoras, at least not personally."
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"Perhaps I do, miss. My favorite watering hole didn't react well to the devil monsters and torches, and I knew a number of regulars there. I'll make my way over to the service tonight; pay my respects.
Wonder if our new city mayor will make an appearance. Would like to see his mug and know who we all have to put up with this time.
Saul does a half bow to Meliandri and touches the brim of his leather hat. "A good day to you, miss, if that is possible on a day like today."
"You will be sorry for not knowing the rules." The leader of the dottari guards grins at Salonius.
Salonius gets arrested in a rude way. His hands put in manacles he gets dragged to the Holding House . Through a 'welcome room' and a long corridor he is brought though a guard room into the cell area. There his manacles are removed and he is pushed into a cell.
The cells’ iron doors has a small window - 3 inches tall and 8 inches wide - set at eye level for a human. These windows can be closed from the outside. The furnishing is a chamber pot, a mound of straw as bedding, a single wooden plate and a cup to hold meals, and a scratchy and moth-eaten blanket. That is his home for the next days.