Episode 1 : Fledglings of Silver
It started ten days ago with the disappearance of the city’s lord-mayor, Jilia Bainilus, accompanied with rumors that she had abandoned Kintargo by leaving on a ship bound to Arcadia. The Paracount Barzillai Thrune swiftly assumed her role, arriving the next day from the Chelish heartlands. Two days later, the Silver City awoke tarnished after a night of arson and murder known now as the Night of Ashes. Many civilians died that night, most said to have been associated with the Bellflowers, Sarenrae, and Milani.
As Kintargo prides itself on diversity, creative spirit, and artistry; the yoke of martial law has been particularly onerous. The Lord-Mayor Thrune’s merciless rule is punctuated by seven proclamations, giving the city’s citizens a grim preview of the times to come. Inquisitors and dottari (Chelish city guard) are growing increasingly aggressive in their enforcement and the undercurrent of uprising slowly builds on many Kintargan breaths. Numerous minor protests have already popped up only to be quickly dispersed by the dottari, by the Hellknights of the Rack who have recently arrived from the South, or by the local militia known as the Chelish Citizens’ Group.
Today Kintargo awakens to a cold, wet, and dreary morning that marks the one-week anniversary of the Night of Ashes. Although it has been a mere seven days, the city already feels like a completely different place. The old lively sounds and sights of the city have been stripped away, now replaced with silent glances between citizens and the rhythmic clang of heavy armor marching on cobblestone. Hushed rumors fill the streets that the largest protest yet will be gathering today in Aria Park, just south of the Kintargo Opera House where Barzillai Thrune has made his new home…
