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You've been roused from your idle pursuits by the Society to make your way to Oppara, capital city of Taldor at the behest of Muesello, the clandestine Venture-Captain of the City of Empire. Your instructions have led you to the docks in Oppara, and (to some of you) a familiar mundane-appearing bait and tackle shop. The door to the small shop is closed and a "Gone Fishing" sign is posted.
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Giovanni Stellaluce hurried up to the door as he does not like to be late. He is dressed in fine clothes and some light jewelry. He let's out a sigh as he sees the sign. Of course, hurry up to wait. He removes his glasses and polishes the lenses with a scarf.
He replaces his glasses and jangles the rapier as he puts his scarf away in a pocket.
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The conversation is interrupted by the steadily approaching beat of metal on stone. Stepping between whatever folks may be crowding the street, Amelia breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that she isn't alone.
"Good day, are you the Pathfinders I'm to travel with?" Without waiting for a response she thrusts her hand forward in greeting, waiting for a handshake from no one in particular. Despite the intimidating sight of her Full Gray Maiden Plate, Amelia's smile was warm and friendly. She was a beautiful woman, as all Gray Maidens had been required to be, with auburn hair rolling down the back of her armor and framing her face. Hanging from her waist was the helm of The Gray Maidens, the elite guard of Queen Ileosa before the end of her reign. The eye sockets of the helmet seem to be portals into the abyss, and those who peer into them long enough almost feel a cold malice emanating from them.
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Lady Finley peers up at the human, and gives him a wide smile. "Of course. It's good to see you again. I am not happy to be back in Taldor so I didn't look at people on the street closely."
She reaches up and shakes the woman in armor's hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lady Finley. It appears the door is locked. Should we check for another entrance?"
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Amelia returns the grippli's handshake with an affable half-salute of her steel shield. "It's my pleasure to count you among my allies, Lady Finley." She turns and gives the rest of the assembled party a smile and a nod. "And the rest of you as well."
At the mention of looking for another entrance, she turns and begins scanning the faces of those walking the dock. "I believe the Venture-Captain mentioned 6 of us. Perhaps we should wait for them to arrive before we begin to wander?"
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A strong looking woman with thick brown hair held back by an ancient looking red bead headband strides up to the shop. She has a fierce smile upon her face and is dressed in studded leather armour and a fine fur cloak. Around her waist is an elaborate leather belt, tooled in the Ulfen style to display stylized linnorms. She holds out her hand.
"Hail and well met! I am Lovissa, of the line of Halenbane. Daughter of Mergerice, and Granddaughter of Abrenica and Reginald. Famous Pathfinders, all."
She shakes Amelia's hand then offers hers to the others in turn.
"Gone fishing? Are there good watering holes around here, then? Or is it an affectation?"
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Amelia gives an amused grin at the boisterous attitude of Lovissa, clearly enjoying the woman's company. "I'm a woman without a lineage to call my own, I pray my own accomplishments will suffice, Lady Halenbane." There's a cheery, playful tone in Amelia's voice while she talks.
You can tell that while Amelia seems to be genuine in her words, she also seems to be nervous about something.
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A young woman in red and black works her way slowly up the docks glancing back and forth between a small parchment and each and every sign and doorway along her route. Her slow and wandering pace earn many an ignored curse from merchants, sailors, and workmen until finally she reaches the door to the bait shop. Carefully double checking her slip of paper and the sign, she nods and lets out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Thank the gods. I thought I would never find this place." She says.
Her olive skin turns a deep red as she notices the others waiting outside the door. "Apologies. I don't know these docks at all and I've spent half the day wandering around trying to find this place."
She bows her head in a quick, bashful introduction, "Badriyah Hameedah, a pleasure to meet you all."
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Lovissa smiles widely and claps Amelia on the back. "Surely you have a name to go with that statement, my dear! But, fear not! Personal accomplishments are the most important of all! Your ancestors will speak YOUR name with pride! For today, this work we do, this is the start of YOUR tale. And like me, you will forge it with your deeds! We will become LEGENDS!"
Releasing Amelia, Lovissa holds her hand out to Badriyah. "Hail and well met, Badriyah of the line of Hameedah! I am Lovissa, of the line of Halenbane! Daughter of Margerice and granddaughter of Abrenica and Reginald!"
Lovissa shakes her hand firmly and with enthusiasm.
"Although I'm Taldan by lineage, I have never been here before. What's the punishment for breaking and entering?" she asks. "There's none back home."
Clearly she's broken into her fair share of buildings.
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Badriyah lets out her own short laugh at the armored woman's reassurance. "That is a relief for certain."
"Well met to you, Lovissa." She says smiling and shaking the other woman's hand with equal enthusiasm. "I don't know about here in Taldor, but back in the desert the punishment can be quite severe. Perhaps we should give the Venture Captain a few more minutes."
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As the tide laps onto the jetty posts, the lock on the door clicks. A pockmarked faced man peers outside, his face creased with concern as he nods to you all in greeting. "You'll forgive me for making you wait, but my bait's the best in town, and sometimes I don't feel like sharing. Now please get in here." As he continues to checks outside, he ushers you all into a cramped front room, and closes the door again behind you. Once locked again, he looks you all up and down more closely.
"I'm Muesello, Venture-Captain of the Oppara Lodge. Well met, Pathfinders. Come in, come in." He walks to a well-weathered fishing pole rack in the back wall of the room and pushes the rack and the entire wall in on a hidden hinge. The secret door opens onto a comfortable sitting room already occupied by a distinguished-appearing lady sitting by a crackling fire.
“I appreciate your answering my call,” Venture-Captain Muesello says with a subdued smile as he closes the room’s curtains and clears away an unfinished wayfinder to make space. “Some of you may already know Lady Gloriana Morilla, and I shall explain why she’s joined us momentarily."
He sits at the table, making sure all of you have taken seats as well. "First, let us remember that General Arnisant, hero of the Shining Crusade, is one of the most highly regarded figures in Taldor’s history. Arnisant’s hometown of Ridonport has always been especially proud of him, and nearly nine centuries since his death, his home’s still preserved as a museum. The Society regularly submits requests to the museum to examine the historical artifacts there. Usually we get a polite and curt ‘no.’ Most recently, though?” Muesello tilts his head from side to side as if considering his words. “This time the curator, Cincia Reviamo, wrote that she cannot help because the local lord, Earl Calhadion Vernisant, has been taking undue liberties with the museum and its collection—apparently taking whatever he wants from it, claiming he has the right because he’s a direct descendant of General Arnisant. Taking priceless relics is one thing, but there’s another angle that Lady Morilla can explain better.”
Lady Gloriana Morilla picks up where Muesello left off. “Taldor has many great legacies, but there are some traditions better left in the past. The practice of primogeniture dictates that Taldor’s crown only passes to male heirs, yet the laws have been amended over time to allow women to inherit land and titles in some circumstances. Even so, the Lion,” Morilla states, motioning to a lion theme in her dress, as if the animal has special significance in this context, “the Lion has no male heir and seems utterly against his young Lioness leading the pride. It’s a stubborn stance that could condemn Taldor to civil war. I have spoken to many senators who also believe it’s time to update the empire’s inheritance laws. The Lion and his loyalists view this growing equality movement as a personal attack, even a coup. Among these is the Earl Vernisant, who would readily vote against reform just to become part of the Lion’s inner circle."
She smiles briefly. “Count Orlundo Zespire, however, is an undecided senator. Exports from his lands travel through Vernisant’s region, yet along the way many of the goods go missing as a result of canal piracy. Zespire suspects his colleague is at least negligent in allowing these crimes to transpire in his town—and possibly worse. It seems this isn’t the first misunderstanding between the two, and the count has informed me that he would be in the Lioness’s debt were she able to arrange someone to resolve the matter. If that also involves finding evidence that ties Vernisant to criminal elements, making that evidence public would cause the earl considerable distress and bring the count considerable joy. Just keep in mind that no matter what evidence you find, you’ll need to convince Ridonport’s citizens to trust you before they’ll take your word over that of General Arnisant’s descendant.”
Muesello clears his throat before adding, “Just to be clear, the Society’s interest is in stopping Vernisant’s relic-pilfering and getting in the curator’s good graces. It so happens that Lady Morilla’s and the Society’s aims overlap nicely. Visit the museum, talk to the curator, figure out how to protect the collection, and investigate the earl’s alleged misdeeds. Any questions?” He smiles at Lady Gloriana, who inclines her head gracefully to the Venture-Captain.
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Amelia listens with the attention of a soldier, and when the briefing is finished she speaks up.
"Our task is to convince Earl Vernisant to return the taken relics to a museum to win favor with the museum curator, stop the attacks on Orlando Zespire's shipments, and..." Amelia gives Lady Gloriana a smile, "... see if we can uncover any criminal activity of the Earl's so that we might help Taldor move toward a more level-minded leadership. Understood, Venture-Captain. Will we be expecting any opposition on our journey to Ridonport? Anyone who may know of our arrival and intentions?"
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Lady Gloriana's eyes sparkle. "Most astute questions. Alas, I would not be able to tell you those details," she says, referring to Giovanni. "I would refer you to Cincia Reviamo, the museum curator, for more details on what has been 'displaced' from the collection. As far as those who would be knowledgeable of our plans, I would say with some sense of pride that I would not be in my position for too long were I not able to keep these plans discrete. Nevertheless, the Loyalist group to the Lion would likely be unhappy at our aims, but in fairness, assaulting the unimpeached name of the direct descendant of General Arnisant is not likely to yield much fruit, so they would likely let us hang by our own noose, to choose a phrase delicately."
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As the door clicks open Lovissa smiles brightly.
"Wonderful!" she exclaims.
She stomps into the bait shop and listens to Muesello. Once the door's shut she replies, "Hail and well met, Venture Captain Muesello! I am Lovissa of the line of Halenbane. Daughter of Margerice and Granddaughter of Abrenica and Reginald!"
She offers him her hand in a shake.
Following him into the secret room, she smiles at the well-dressed woman.
"I have not had the pleasure!" Lovissa announces. "Hail and well met, Lady Gloriana of the noble line of Morilla!"
(e.g. Founders of ____, or Saviours of the battle of ____, and so on.)
"I am Lovissa, of the the line of Halenbane. Daughter of Margerice and Granddaughter of Abrenica and Reginald! Famous Taldan Pathfinders, all!" she bows to the woman deeply.
As the briefing begins, Lovissa finds a chair and sits in it. She leans in, listening to the briefing intently, with her elbows on the table.
"And interesting mission!" Lovissa remarks. "Certainly different than any I have attempted before. Still, I have performed with distinction--In Absalom my recent exploits are legendary!" Despite her boasting she obviously considers this statement a fact. Standing she exclaims, "Have no fear! For we will accomplish these tasks you have set before us! We WILL TRIUMPH!" She places her hands on her hips and laughs proudly.
"HA HA HA!"
Turning to Giovanni and Amelia she remarks, "Good questions, my friends!"
Lovissa sits back down to listen to the answers.
After the answers are given, Lovissa remarks, "No offense meant to the empire, but primogeniture is a foolish custom. People are defined by their deeds and their values. Not the presence of a d***!" she chuckles. "Still, it is important to know local customs. Are we likely to encounter any situations where this will affect our actions? That is to say, will the women among us be at a disadvantage, or forced into outdated roles, due to our gender?" She looks honestly curious.
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Venture-Captain Muesello answers: "You'll be journeying via ship along the Jagged Saw into Ridonport. The Golden Mane, I believe, a naval ship headed to Cassomir. We've secured passage for the six of you. I'd advise heading straight for the Arnisant museum - it's a short walk from where you'll disembark. Any further questions?"
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As Lady Gloriana enters the room, he maintains a stern and stoic face, but gives a sleight nod.
"It is most fortunate to have met a benefactor such as yourself whose goals align so well with that of our... hrmmm... organization as it were.... myessss. So, I presume that we shall be spending much time together over these next few day, and perhaps my... hrmmmm... unique position may prove beneficial."
He shifts his finely tailored cloak back to reveal a polished set of armor bearing an etching of the Taldan crown. Despite being obviously ceremonial in nature, it does appear functional. "My name is Marcus Vulpares Fantailler, son of Marcus Vultulus Fantailler, heir to the Fantailler family estate."
He looks about, and seeing no signs of immediate recognition he sighs. "Marcus Vultulus Fantailler? None of you know of him? Hrmmmm very well... I am from the Fantailler estate, just north of Cassomir, on the banks of the Sellen River."
He pauses for a moment. "Well... more like near the Sellen River... a short hike from the Sellen River..."
He brightens up and continues. "I myself have spent much time researching several expeditions led by the Pathfinder Society that were sponsored by my father, and have taken part in two such expeditions myself."
He puffs up with pride. "A very successful expedition if I may say so myself. Additionally, I have experience in the art of formal negotiations, fisticuffs, and traditional Taldan swordplay."
He clears his grin and returns to a more formal posture. "So... it seems as though our goals are quite intertwined... and subtlety will be of the UTMOST importance." There is likely some irony in this statement, but it is surely lost on Marcus.
"We have an investigation to attend to which may insure that the right... hrmmm... cat is in the game, myess? As it seems we have some time before our departure to Ridonport it may behoove us to speak with the locals an enlighten ourselves as to the best way to conduct ourselves so to attract little to no unwanted attention. You say that prodding the Lion directly may get you... hrmmm... bit. Do you know of any contacts with which evidence of... chicanery" He certainly seems to enjoy that word.
"... could be trusted? To have the most... impact?"
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"I'm sure that you'll be able to sniff out any potential Ridonport contacts amongst the lesser nobles and common folk once you have reached the city," the Lady says with a smirk. "I am aware of a High Magistrate who would be quite suitable for your to make contact with, but I'll leave the fox chase to you and Curator Reviamo."
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After the answers are given, Lovissa remarks, "No offense meant to the empire, but primogeniture is a foolish custom. People are defined by their deeds and their values. Not the presence of a d***!" she chuckles. "Still, it is important to know local customs. Are we likely to encounter any situations where this will affect our actions? That is to say, will the women among us be at a disadvantage, or forced into outdated roles, due to our gender?" She looks honestly curious.
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Before the door opens Lady Finley blushes at Giovanni's words. "We did well on that mission. I still cannot believe we got out of that situation without bloodshed. That is a thing to strive for, I think."
She greets both the Venture Captain and the Lady most politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm afraid It's been a few years since I've bee here. I grew up in Oppara more as a pet and companion to a young noble lady than by choice."
She remembers what she knows about Ridenport. "Ridonport is the sole natural harbor along the Jagged Saw. Ridonport serves as a place to restock the navy. The geographic area that Ridonport rests within is called the Tandak Prefecture. The Prefecture’s economy relies heavily on logging in the Verduran Forest. The extensive canal system makes transporting goods to and from the coast fairly easy—or it would, if many of the secondary routes hadn’t fallen into disrepair. It doesn't sound to me like it's a propserous place."
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With the briefing concluded Badriyah slips her journal and pen back into her robes. With a nod to Marcus' suggestion she approaches Lovissa and says, "Perhaps we can learn the answer to your question by spending a little time in the market and tavern docks before we depart? I've always found merchants and sailors to be a wealth of information when given opportunity and a little coin or drink."
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Amelia gives the Venture-Captain a salute and the lady a bow once it seems the briefing is concluded, happily stepping outside to breathe in the deep smell of salt water. "It sounds like we'll be off soon then, I'll see if I can't find any last bits of information before we go." With that the armored woman steps into the crowd, mingling amongst the sailors and fishermen with a bright smile.
She comes back to the dock before long, giving a small shrug. "I don't think I'm going to get any information from here, I'll wait at the boat until we're ready to depart."
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"I am aware of a High Magistrate who would be quite suitable for your to make contact with, but I'll leave the fox chase to you and Curator Reviamo."
Marcus sharply inhales, then begins to cough loudly. "No worries! I'm quite alright."
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Marcus is too busy chatting about wine pairings to get any more information than Finley and Giovanni.