Once Amandine has Calix settled she gets in a good sleep. The Amandine who emerges afterward is quite different from the one the other ladies had met before. She is very much at ease now. The terseness and tension so apparent before are gone.
There had been huge pressures on Amandine in the previous couple of days. First, there was the need to prove herself worthy of employment beyond the Exaltation Gala to Lady Lotheed. After the massacre of the Senate things grew much worse. Being locked away in the bowels of the Senate unable to know what was happening out in the city was terrible for someone like Amandine, who lives and breathes information. But to have Calix's safety at stake as well made it a kind of torture. But now both those difficulties have been resolved in the best possible ways.
While she couldn't exactly be described as chatty now, she's certainly much more outgoing in conversation, joking with the other ladies and talking about her past. She even shares a couple of funny stories about how she and some of the other women she worked with at the Exaltation Club carried out takedowns on a couple of the customers they found to be simply too obnoxious or horrid. Although she doesn't mention it in Calix's presence, Amandine is quite straightforward about her time as a prostitute. She doesn't bother using glossier terms like "courtesan" because there is a real distinction between the two, and she doesn't hold her compatriots nearly ignorant enough to think she was on the better (most would think) side of it. Besides, she thinks, no point in hiding anything. Even the most casual snooping into my past would reveal it all. Best to own it up front.
Otherwise Amandine passes some time studying some of the objects they have collected that are still mysterious. She takes notes on the items as she works with them and visits her bookstore. partially to consult a few of the books there, but also to tender her resignation to Old Malaprop. There are hugs, and some tears on both their parts, at the goodbye. Amandine doesn't doubt for a moment that Malaprop is the finest gentleman she has ever known. She lingers over the thought of asking Malaprop if he would be interested in a partner. She might be able to purchase half-ownership of the store now. But no, Calix goes to school first.
She also stops by the Exaltation Club to return a borrowed dress and resign from employment. Amandine doesn't have the same fond feelings for the club as for the bookstore, but it's always best not to burn bridges. She already knows personally how fickle fortune can be, and as she understands it half-elves have plenty of extra years during which things can go sour again.
In answer to this she tells herself Fight the satisfaction. Stay hungry. Stay focused. Don't give in to the comfort and f@+* up.
Amandine also solicits advice from Photine and Olivia about a school for Calix. There are certain things she needs in one: it must be a boarding school, it must be safe and secure, it must be academically rigorous, even though she is willing to pay well it must still be affordable to her.
Brass Wand:
Raven Figurine:
Efarni's "Poisons":
Efarni's "Curative":
Efarni's "Styptic":
Mystery flasks:
Pocket sewn into clothes:
Silvery Fungus Belt:
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Calix does his best to fight boredom at Photine's house. But the longer his stay there lasts, the more uphill the battle. At first the grandness of the house, and sharing it with so many strange women, is a bit overwhelming so Calix mostly keeps to himself. But with constant exposure to them, Calix's shyness fades. Besides they are all rather interesting in various ways and he has questions for them.
The one who most quickly catches his attention is Greenly. Eventually he comments to her "you're like my sister and me aren't you? Elf blood." Then, with his opening made he asks her what's really on his mind. "What happened that your ear got bent?" He would like to know what to avoid so he doesn't share her fate.
Barely behind Greenly is Chana, but really it's Snips. Calix has never imagined any response to a rat except strict avoidance. When she plies him with questions about Amandine he answers them, but without much enthusiasm. Calix rates Amandine better than regular parents, at least as far as he's seen with friends because she never smacks him around. She generally pretty nice, but orders him around a lot without really explaining why to his satisfaction. She can get grumpy if she's working a lot because she gets tired and doesn't sleep enough. Sometimes she works all day then works again at night too.
When he believes he's said enough for the her questions to be marked answered, he moves on to his real interest. "Can I pet your rat? Where did you find it?"
Photine and Olivia are interesting in more diffuse ways. Photine owns the house, which must mean she's very rich. He's heard of such people, and he's surprised at how strangely she speaks and behaves. And there are the cards. he asks her what kinds of games can be played with them.
Olivia of course has very cool armor, which invites all sorts of questions about fighting.
Photinè accepts the honorary knighthood that Eutropia offers, lowering herself gracefully before the princess. "I was not born in Taldor, but I have lived here nearly thirty years. It is my home, and I have a vested interest in its future. Perhaps it is destiny that I was sent here, from a country torn by decades and decades of blood and war, to keep this one from falling to a similar fate." She smiles up at the princess, eyes twinkling with delight. "I should like to see you lead Taldor into a better future."
"The first step will be to rally our resources and allies. Pythareus commands the entirety of the Phalanx, and much of the rest of the military is fiercely loyal to him. Thus, this is not a war that can be won by swords.
"If we are to have any hope of success, we must rely on words, guile, and allies. We need the people of Taldor to unite behind a single monarch to dispel the military's desire to settle this by force of arms. I don't want the blood of common Taldans spilled to slake some petty squabble between nobles."
"You can count on House Aurelius for support, of course. Some consider us insignificant, tucked away in the North as we are, but we are proud and in good standing. I shall write to my son today."
She pauses, tapping a manicured finger on her chin as she thinks. "Pythareus is an accomplished general, certainly, but what does he really know about leading a country? The people of Taldor are not soldiers. We must show them that stability lies not with conquest and military power, but with peace and a diplomatic monarch who will make decisions based on their interests. Pythareus will not listen to the people, he will simply lead us into endless war and many will suffer terribly; Eutropia will lead us to prosperity."
Greenly nods, confirming the elf blood comment. "Lots of my family are half-elves or less, but for me, my great-grandma ran off with a full blooded elf and, like, there was a scandal or something and then my family, like, sent her off to Oppara. That's the only elf blood in me that I'm aware of, cause like, my granddad's Ulfen and my father was a Garundi sailorman- just a one night type thing, you know? But who knows, I never met him, he might of been part elf, too. My ears are, like, longer'n any of my family's and by my math, like," she pauses, counting on her fingers. "I'm one-sixteenth? No, one-eighth! Although if my dad was a half-elf, I'd be, uh, like, a five-eighths elf. But he prolly wasn't, so," she trails off, clears her throat and continues. "Point is, I've got veery little elf in me."
When questioned further, she pokes absentmindedly at her long crooked ear. "Oh, I was born like this," she smiles, nearly splitting her face. "I'm all long and thin and crooked all over. My mom, she calls it, uh, gangly and uncoordinated. But, no, nothing, like, happened to it, that's just m'bones. Wait, do you have bones in your ear?"
---
Greenly beams with pride after being the first to be knighted. She scowls as people talk about Pythareus, her personal bias against the man eschewing her from any ability to think reasonable or rational thoughts about the man, or indeed, any situation including him.
"So we should kill the guy, right?" she asks, missing the part where the Princess advertised patience, intrigue and diplomacy as their plan.
Freed from her work obligations, and suddenly finding an ersatz family to help look after Calix, Amandine has all the time she needs to study the rest of the curios recovered over the course of a harrowing 24 hours.
The figurine, unsurprisingly, is a Silver Raven Figurine of Wondrous Power.
Of the flasks carried by Efarni, the one labeled "poison" is a Potion of Neutralize Poison, the four labeled "curative" are doses of belladona, the three labeled "styptic" are actually doses of bloodroot, and the two unlabeled ones are a Potion of Enlarge Person and a Potion of Hide from Animals.
The pocket sewn into the late Wyssilka's clothes is a magic item known as a Concealing Pocket.
Lastly, the belt recovered from the fungus-rotted body is a Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2.
Photinè's insightful musings elicit nods of pleased agreement, and proud grins, from both of your prominent patrons. Princess Eutropia offers momentary start, left somewhat aghast by Greenly's suggestion, even as Martella appears amused by the enthusiasm.
"Even if there was a way to strike at the general through his literal army of supporters...he himself is a formidable warrior," the princess explains. "I don't know if there's anyone in our network of allies who can come close to matching his skill at arms. Even if it was possible, I would not want to win this war that way. We need to set a more noble example."
"A big tough guy with an army of bullies. Sounds, kinda familiar." Chana voices her amused thoughts before adding. "I don't know much of anything about strateger- strater-... strategy. Especially not when its about politics. But the guys like that usually have got a bunch of blind spots, or uh, closet skeletons. The kinds of things that eventually come and bite 'em." Literally. "So maybe we can find allies in the people he didn't do right by."
She unconsciously gnashes her teeth. "But I don't know about the whole noble thing. I don't think people like him would give up without a proper fight... if you've got uh... 'skill-at-arms', you're going to use it."
When Lady Lotheed's carriage ride takes them to Princess Eutropia, Amandine is as surprised as anyone if not more so. She had always imagine many many layers of people, slightly increasing in importance, between herself and royalty. If she was right about such things in the Taldor before, she hadn't adjusted her thinking enough to anticipate Taldor as it now is.
She curtseys to the princess, but doesn't say much. She doesn't know what to say for a while really. Instead she concentrates on the princess to get a glimpse of her aura. [ooc]Casting Detect Good
In way Amandine's surreptitious interrogation is more curiosity than test of worthiness. She doubts very much the Princess is an evil person, and there's little that could transpire in the meeting that would prevent her from giving the Princess her support, but she wonders what is the deeper nature of royalty?
When the time comes, Amandine affirms her loyalty to the Princess. "I will give you all the aid and support within my ability, absolutely and until the end. Taldor must not continue onward as it has in the past. Change must come."
Amandine accepts the knighthood offered as Greenly and Photine did, but the decision to do so is not an easy or obvious one for her. Whenever Amandine thought about her future, titles of any sort were not part of it. She has always held the notion that titles in any way correlated to virtue or ability in disdain. Purely on principle Amandine would decline. But with circumstances currently as they are, her pragmatism wins out. She thinks of it as a useful card to add to her deck, only to be played when it offers some advantage.
Toward the end of the audience Amandine does ask a couple of questions finally.
"Has any new information come to light about who might have planned the assault on the Senate?"
"Aside from his ability as a general, what is the nature of Pythareus's character? If the Phalanxes are his, and he cannot be forcibly removed from command, he will have to voluntarily subordinate himself to you Your Grace. What words, what message could persuade him to do so?"
"It seems my father reached out to his peers in other nations to recruit his...special forces," the princess explains with trepidation. "I understand the Lion Blades found evidence of Andoren, Chelish, and Galtan nationality among the dead - the old colonies where my father might still have loyal friends. Had," she corrects herself, a pang of grief flashing across her face.
"The Lion Blades heard rumors of father recruiting foreign agents and feared for my safety, but we vastly underestimated the numbers and his true targets. That is why I clearly need new eyes in the endeavor."
Eutropia considers Amandine's second question, pausing to scratch the dog beside her to calm its tail from thumping against her chair.
"How to deal with Pythareus is but one of many questions I thought I would have more time to solve," she answers. "I hadn't thought I'd be inheriting the throne for a decade or more, and I find myself embarrassingly unprepared."
Chana thinks back to the crash course her uncle and aunt have been giving her and shrugs. "You'll get there Princess." She speaks before realizing that maybe providing casual reassurance to the Princess is speaking above her station... or something along those lines.
She grins behind her scarf.
'That rule's stupid anyway, innit Snips?'
Greenly frowns and mutters to herself. "I've never been hired as anything but a bodyguard and a mercenary. Killing people's always been an option."
While she's going through the stuff the group has collected over the last couple of days, Amandine also does a closer inspection on the magical hand axe and magical large metal shield that came from under the senate.
She also tries to establish a value for the formulae book.
The formulae book, with Efarni's name seemingly seared inside the front cover, is not magical itself, but it does contain a number of recipes for the wayang's alchemy. Although she does not dabble in such extracts herself, Amandine recognizes the value of such information. This book could be worth as much as 300gp to an alchemist or similar buyer.
Between information collected in the forgotten archives and a little of her own research, Amandine identifies that the magic handaxe was carried by an unnamed member of the White Wardens during that secret society's failed coup against Grand Prince Remoque V. The magic enchanting the weapon is quite basic, and the item is scarcely even an historical curiosity.
The shield, also possessed of a basic level of enchantment, was owned by one Dame Komana of Tandak, whose name only endures because she was one of the Knights of Ozem who founded Lastwall as a protectorate of Taldor following the Shining Crusade. No other known glories, even in the Shining Crusade, are ascribed to her name or shield.
.....
Princess Eutropia and Lady Lotheed both bid you all to rest for now. Although they have no tasks for you, they are certain this is likely to change - and soon. Therefore, you should savor what personal time you have left before you become agents of change.
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Chana uses her time off a little more productively than she did in the few days after returning from rescuing Martella. She heads back home and explains the situation (as best as she understands it) to her uncle and aunt. Her explanation ends with her thumbing her nose and offering "So I figga we 'elp the Princess. It'd be good fer all of us. You guys. And my old crew back in the Narrows too. I'm not sure 'ow good of a chance she's got wif'out 'elp... " She shrugs "She's no' even gettin' 'erself ready to fight for 'er life. That Pythareus guy's gotta be finking to send assassins after 'er."
---
After she's spent a comfortable amount of time at home making sure her Uncle and Aunt getting in any trouble, she turns her attention back to the Senate.
Each day, she dresses up in what she calls her 'noble getup' and she heads back to the areas in the lower parts of the Senate, sending Snips snooping around to find if there's any unguarded access points to Dagio's domain. If she has a chance to free any of his rats, she does so. Otherwise, she keeps her eyes open for chances to address the crazed rat himself.
---
On her visits, she also finds herself stopping by at the Senate's upper floors to listen in to what the snooty Senators are debating. Maybe its her total disregard for decorum, but she finds herself chiming in with disparaging comments about particular pieces of legislation that seem utterly asinine or self-serving.
"Excuse me! Did you think no one would notice when you just said 'appropriate a 5% use tax on smokesticks for the treasury of the Office of Internal Restructuring Affairs'? Isn't that an office where you're the only member? That's just money for yourself!"
Photinè keeps her word, and as soon as she arrives home sets about writing a letter to her son. She writes in Elven, lowering the chances of any nosy postmen getting a glimpse into her private affairs, and assures him of her safety during the attack on the senate gala and ensuing escape through the forgotten depths of the city. She also details how the senate voted to name Eutropia Stavian the heir to the Primogen Crown and insists that the princess must have the support of House Aurelius, though she does not mention that she is in contact with Eutropia directly; better to have a conversation like that in person, rather than send potentially dangerous information in a letter that could be lost or intercepted.
As always, she sends all her love and asks when he will have time to visit his mother. She brings the letter gently to her lips before sealing it with a bit of wax, pressing her signet ring into it, and sending it off to the north of Taldor.
With that finished, she brews herself a cup of tea and plants herself at the dining room table, spreading the numerous scrolls that were discovered beneath the senate out before her. She remains there for some time, bent forward over the table, squinting at the magical writing while mumbling to herself, tracing a hand over the inscriptions and scribbling notes in her own spellbook with the other.
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"It's like," Greenly furrows her brow, thinking intensely. She spreads her legs and rests her elbow on a knee, her chin against her fist. "Do unto others, before they can do unto you."
The group of six naked individuals listening to her clap and speak her praises. One of them adds more coal to the pile in the center of the room, causing the sauna to fill up with more steam.
"And that giant rat just let you stroll right on by?" asks one.
"Right on by," she nods, moving her hand across to punctuate her point.
"You're so brave, Sir Greenly," says a young woman, leaning forward and sighing.
"And charming, and smart!" adds another.
The seven of them spend so long discussing philosophy and the events of the last few weeks, that Greenly never even gets her workout in.
Not one to neglect her friends in the Narrows, Chana spends the latter few days of the week reconnecting with them and offering stories about the ridiculous stupidity of the nobility. She promises to push for better treatment of folks in the narrows for "As long as all those up-nos'd froppers keep list'nin to me, heh!"
Her stories don't earn much admiration - the folks in the Narrows know her too well to admire the 'ratling girl'. But it *is* an opportunity, and folks know how to seize opportunity when it dangles. A few agree to help her from the shadows... at least as long as the job doesn't get too hot. For now, they agree to keep their ears to the ground about rumors coming down from up high.
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Amandine begins to toss around an idea that comes to her shortly after the meeting with Princess Eutropia. She would like to do something special for Malaprop, who has in many ways been the most important adult in her life for many years. The best thing she can think of is something that will boost the profile of his bookstore. Bookseller is not an easy way of life, and anything that will bring positive attention, and therefore potential customers, is most welcome.
As harrowing and dangerous as the escape through the Senate's bowls had been, it was also an uniquely historical experience. The place is forgotten, and along with it all its contents. There are historians and aficionados who would consider the tour of the place she had taken to be an opportunity of a lifetime, albeit if taken under less dangerous conditions.
She would probably have discarded the idea of a lecture on the subject if she didn't have numerous artifacts to present. Most serious scholars would probably consider what she could tell hem to be preposterous if they would have to take her at her word alone. But with the supporting material evidence, She believes she has both a substantial historical contribution, and a compelling story.
Amandine draws up a detailed layout of the chambers under the Senate from memory and builds descriptions of each of the rooms and halls within. Based on their contents and other information revealed to them while there, she reconstructs to the best of her ability the dates and uses of the areas.
In order to prove her story, she gathers a number of artifacts including her Senate badge, the magical hand axe and shield, the key, and a door lock coin among a few others. At the point in her preparations when she's sure she has enough content to make a lecture work, she advertises the event at the bookstore and to some of its best customers, letting word of mouth do the rest.
When Amandine delivers the lecture, she does takes the audience on an imaginary walking tour through the Senate underground. Her original drawing of the layout has been greatly enlarged to a version using multiple large sheets of paper, suitable for viewing by an audience. She begins where they were transported to, in the safe room. However, she excludes anything suggesting her exploration was connected to the recent Senate massacre. It is best if all current political affiliations are erased from the talk.
Amandine leaves in many of the hazards to spice things up, the fey trickster posing as Aroden is a good comic flourish. Other things such as the traps and animate objects set to defend rooms are emphasized because she wants to discourage any thoughts of looting. She has nebulous plans for preserving the location and its contents at some point in the future. Amandine uses the long dead wizard and his remaining awakened rat familiar in the same way, both to add dramatic tension to the story, and to impress on the audience to dangers of the place.
One thing Amandine alters in order to fully disguise how the under-Senate can be accessed is how she left it. She claims the Senate badge can be used for a single round trip rather than a single one way trip, implying there is no physical access to the chambers.
Amandine arranges to meet with her contact who works as a junior steward at the Senate. After a short conversation with him, she has the name of a mail clerk who will exactly meet her needs.
A couple of days later She goes to the Senate herself, two letters in her possession. She finds an out of sight place where she spends a few minutes weeping in order to redden her eyes. Now prepared for her encounter with him, she places herself on the route the mail clerk takes every day and waits.
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Amandine arranges to meet with her contact who works as a junior steward at the Senate. After a short conversation with him, she has the name of a mail clerk who will exactly meet her needs.
A couple of days later she goes to the Senate herself, two letters in her possession. She finds an out of sight place where she spends a few minutes weeping in order to redden her eyes. Now prepared for her encounter with him, she places herself on the route the mail clerk takes every day and waits.
When he approaches Amandine walks over to him, all nervousness and despair. "Please Sir, I must get a note to my cousin." She raises her hand to show him one of the letters. Fighting to keep her face from crumpling into tears again, she continues haltingly. "Circumstances have arisen", she moves her other hand to cover her belly, "and I face ruin if he will not intervene with his assistance. I dare not send this letter to his home or elsewhere. Only here in the Senate can I be assured he alone will see it. Will you please add it to your deliveries today?"
Amandine chose this particular clerk for his soft-heartedness and the fact that he has three daughters. While it isn't procedure for mail to be added post-sorting, during a delivery, he can't deny the poor young woman in front of him her request. "Of course my dear, I'll see it delivered myself. Give it to me."
Amandine hands over the letter and watches closely as he thumbs through the mail in his bag to find it's place among the other envelopes for Baron Godefroy. When the letter is in place, Amandine thanks the clerk profusely, breaking down into tears again and throwing herself against him in a grateful embrace. She buries her face against his shoulder in such a way so she has a view of his mail bag. As the clerk tries to comfort her, she quickly thumbs through the mail herself. Using Godefroy's position in the bag as a reference point, she quickly finds a second name, Ingelger, and places the second letter to be sandwiched between others for that baron.
With the task completed, Amandine releases the clerk and finds her composure. With a teary smile she thanks him again for his great kindness before departing.
Later that day Baron Ingelger finds a letter mistakenly delivered to him. Normally he would think little of such a thing and return the letter to be correctly delivered. But this letter is addressed to Baron Godefroy, a man he hates, and it carries the scent of perfume. He opens it of course.
My Dearest Bellay,
I am so happy and relieved to finally have word you survived the horrible events at the Senate. Rumor has it you were not on the Senate floor when the massacre occurred. I suppose our tryst, away from the crowds was responsible? I assume so since the felwil we shared went to your head so. But, before you slept, what ardor you showed me! It was a brief encounter this time, but one I know neither of us will forget.
I am returning the handkerchief you lent me that evening. I part with this keepsake only because I will borrow a new one from you when we meet again. I pray you will not deny me my keepsake for many more days, in my soul I know you cannot.
Our hearts are twined forever, and I await the day, hopefully soon, when I will have you as fully my own.
All my love,
-Renata
Along with the letter Baron Ingelger finds a monogrammed handkerchief.
Meanwhile on the same day, Baron Godefroy finds the letter from Amandine in his mail.
Good Day to you Baron Godefroy.
Soon you will become aware that it well within my means to destroy you. What you will experience in the near future will be harmful without a doubt, but it is only a small offering of what I know about your shadier dealings.
I wish to offer you my sympathies, and assure you I take no pleasure in your misfortune. It is a matter of business only. I will limit the harm I do you to the extent you allow me to, through your cooperation. If you are conscientious about carrying out my requests, you will only suffer the embarrassments about to be visited upon you and no more. If you do not adhere to my requests the more sordid financial information will come to light. Attempting to contact me or discover my identity will result in the same disastrous outcome for you.
I will contact you again at a time of my choosing. Check your mail diligently, your future depends upon it.
-Mouse
Baron Ingelger wasted no time in making the letter he had "mistakenly" received public. The contents of the letter to Godefroy not only damaged the other noble, but went to the heart of Ingelger bitterness toward him. The two had been rivals for the hand of Godefroy's now-wife.
Godefroy had handed out a few bribes to keep quiet his discovery in the aftermath of the Senate massacre. He had been found down a hallway, unconscious with his trousers around his ankles. Ingelger only had to spread some some coin of his own around to find out the truth, and confirm the contents of the letter.
Amadine had kept a solid vote against Princess Eutropia off the Senate floor when she lured Godefroy down that dark hallway and given him the tainted felwil that evening. Lady Lotheed had tasked her with the job because, among her new recruits, Amandine was the one with both the skillset and willingness to carry it out.
Before she left him though, Amandine had taken his handkerchief. She reasoned that she could only use the current method once. But it could be a springboard to a longer relationship. Now Godefroy will see the light and become a reliable vote for Princess Eutropia's interests if his sense of self-preservation is as strong as she suspects.
Perhaps it is the influence of your meeting with Princess Eutropia and her investment of confidence in you, but the coming week finds you deftly carving out niches in the new company you find yourselves in. Of course, at the same time, you also stay true to the people from your backgrounds. After all, improving Taldor will require a combination of both old and new.
A sudden prickling on the back of your neck stops you in your tracks. You turn and look down an overgrown, narrow terrace running between two unoccupied, long neglected townhouses. A stooped, hooded figure crouches upon a ledge in the shadowed lee of an ivy-covered wall. The tip of a pointed, furry snout pokes out from beneath the drawn hood, staring and seemingly waiting for you to approach.
|
Olivia spent the first part of her time cleaning the cellar of Lady Photine's house. There was a giant pool of blood surrounding Gulbend's corpse. She cleans the whole thing by herself without asking for help. It isn't the first time she's cleaned lifeblood. Then she buries Gulbend in the backyard without marker nor epitaph, though she does pray that his soul is judged fairly and that it somehow finds peace.
Unlike the other women, Olivia does opt to sleep at the Silent Horse Inn. She'd consider it impolite to refuse, and despite being of equal title, Lady Martella is clearly Olivia's superior. That being said, she does visit Lady Photine's home on a daily basis to help around the house, read, chop firewood, and keep her mind busy.
She also goes shopping for some new gear, now that her father has barred her from the Vernisant estate.
- Paladin's Kit minus holy symbol, hemp rope, and backpack (7gp)
- Common manacles with simple lock (35gp)
- 2 flasks of holy water (50gp)
- Signal horn (1gp)
- Book of War Prayers (50gp)
- Tome of Epics (50gp)
- Courtier's Outfit + Jewelry (80gp)
- Repairing noble's outfit (32.5gp)
- Adventurer's Sash (20gp)
- Mwk Backpack (50gp)
- Soldier's Uniform (1gp, no insignia)
- Silk Rope (10gp)
- Mwk Studded Leather Armour (175gp)
- Mwk Longsword (315gp)
- Ranged Weapon? (Depends on Destiny's Barb)
Total: 876.5gp
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The next day Olivia is picked out and brought with the rest of the group to meet not only Lady Martella, but Princess Eutropia herself. She is absolutely floored, but tries to keep her composure in the moment. The new about Stavian's death is immediately suspicious to Olivia, but she would not dare utter her doubts.
The topic of Knighthood is something that Olivia has desperately wished for. Though unofficial, this will do. She kneels and bows her head to Princess Eutropia and offers her her sword. As the Princess knights her, she swears an oath of fealty which she has practiced many times for this day.
Olivia actually receives the news of Amandine's past employment quite badly. She stiffens up and politely excuses herself from the conversation, and has yet to converse with Amandine about anything since apart from logistics. The question of Calix is different, however. Olivia treats Calix as a nephew, and asks if he's interested in swords and armour. If he responds well, she'll buy two wasters and teach him some swordfighting basics.
The first of her persona actions is to travel to the Cult of Iomedae to her circle. She sits with the First Sword and a collective of trusted knights and relays her tale. She speaks of every event since being hired by Lady Lotheed. She includes the capture and interrogation of Yogga and Gulbend, the battle with the Silent Brotherhood, everything. At the end she relays her new 'knighthood', and how she swears to uphold the Inheritor's honour in this chaos. She asks for the blessings and guidance of the First Sword in full humility.
The next time, Olivia organizes a small protest against Pythareus's rule. Her main objective is to keep the protest peaceful, but as a result she barely leads it.
With the advice of the aristocrats newly surrounding her, Amandine finds a boarding school for Calix. Instead of sending him immediately, she decides to wait until the beginning of the next term. She believes it will be easier for him to adapt if he is there from the beginning rather than arriving in the middle. It will also push back the date when they separate. The two of them have never been apart before. Amandine thinks it will be hard for Calix for a while, and she knows it will be for her. Since she is no longer carrying such a heavy work schedule, she and Calix can spend more time actually in each other’s company before their separation.
Calix is also glad to have extra time before leaving for school. Although he doesn’t say so, the idea of going alone to a new place where he knows nobody is daunting to him. He doesn’t dwell on it though because there are plenty of things to keep him busy in the present. Having his sister around isn’t quite as exciting for him as it is for Amandine. He knows her well enough already and she’s fairly boring to him at this point. Instead he spends all the time he can with the Ladies Olivia and Greenly, who quickly become his favorites.
He jumps at the chance when Olivia brings up the question of teaching him some things about weapons, ”Oh yes, yes please! Can we start right away?” With Greenly part of his interest is she’s also a half-elf, more or less. He's never been around one other than his sister. But what really draws Calix to her is her sense of humor and whimsical nature compared to his sister. Calix goes to Greenly for stories and life coaching.
Amandine also scores some points with him because she and Calix now have more time to read to each other, something they’ve always enjoyed. On the other hand, she prods him more in tutoring since he will be starting school soon, especially in applied mathematics. This costs her any points she gained.
For her part, Amandine is content to let Calix spend as much time with the other Ladies as he wishes. She doesn’t delude herself about being among the more fun people a 14 year-old boy could be around. Instead she takes Calix to a nice restaurant to eat lunch or dinner almost every day, just the two of them. They never go to the same place twice, sampling all the different kinds of foods to be found in Oppara, from country style mince pies to spicy Vudrani dishes. Amandine is pretty sure the number of times they have ever eaten a meal not cooked at home or bought at a stall before now could be counted on one hand with fingers to spare.
She mutters under her breath "'You shy 'a somefin? Sky too much for ya?" She grins behind her mask, expecting trouble, but hoping to have some fun out of it. "I been runnin' myself ragged tryin'a get you an' your crew out of that basement, an' 'ere you are already. 'Ows the circles?"
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Photinè's attempts to garner support for the princess fall short, and she soon realizes why; the city is still reeling from the shock of the attack on the senate.
The arcanist spends the morning knocking on doors around Senate’s Hill and Aroden’s View, calling on friends and acquaintances and asking them to join her in front of the senate in the evening. Many of the people here lost family, friends, and loved ones to the slaughter at the gala; before the people of Oppara can look to the future, they must heal from this tragedy. Among those invited are of course her fellow agents of change, as well as the nobles rescued from below the senate, and Malphene.
As the sun is setting behind them, they gather at the bottom of the one-hundred white steps that lead up to the senate. Photinè passes out small candles, lighting each of them in turn with a wave of her hand. As night falls, she takes a few steps up the stairs and turns around to address the gathering, cupping her own candle gently in her hands.
”Bienvenue. Thank you all for coming,” she begins. Her voice is gentle, but loud enough for all to hear. ”Many of us lost family and dear friends here only days ago. We have gathered here tonight to honor their memories, and to be among others who share and understand our grief.”
She inclines her head, asking the small crowd to join her in a moment of silence. When the appropriate amount of time has passed, she addresses the people before her. ”Most of us here belong to noble families, some stretching back hundreds of years. We are Taldor’s leaders, and I fear some of us have forgotten what that means. The people have put their trust in us; they look to us for justice, for truth, for fair and responsible leadership, and too often, they are met with disdain. The attack on the senate is terrible proof of the corruption around us. We will find those responsible, but in the end, it matters little who is behind this; we must not let them divide us, or drive us to fear and isolation. Instead, in honoring those who fell here, we must look to the future and learn how to avoid such a tragedy ever happening again; a great burden, to be sure, but carried more easily if we shoulder it together. None of us are alone in this; you need only look at the faces around you to see that.”
Bending down carefully, she places her candle on the white step below her, and with a gesture, invites everyone else to do the same. ”As we part tonight, let us consider what we can do to strengthen our communities. Let us look at our neighbors, and especially those below us, not with distrust and suspicion, but with love and compassion. The underclasses, the Unbearded as they have been so called, have trusted us for centuries to lead and govern them; we must try to remain worthy of that role as we walk into the future.”
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One week after your meeting with Princess Eutropia, couriers arrive at the Aurelius estate and Silent Horse Inn with messages from Lady Lotheed. She requests the pleasure of your company at the Porthmos Club to discuss business. Furthermore, she instructs you to pack for an extended trip through the country, advising that you bring at least one fine outfit, a suitable hunting outfit, and at least one respectable mask or costume.
You find the resplendent stone building overlooking the city from a picturesque bluff in Aroden's View. The windows and doors are bordered with beautifully fluted carvings, depicting flowering ivy replete with songbirds. You find a concierge waiting just inside the door, and though he scans you with a judgmental eye, he remains mute while escorting you to a table where a light lunch of delicate sandwiches, a silver teapot, and Lady Lotheed await.
"My cousins like to go here without me," Greenly shrugs, rolling her eyes. "It's, like, beautiful or whatever."
Chana shows up all fixed up for social appearances, which is to say, as covered up as is practical. She leaves her mask in her pack per Chammy's recommendation. When the others comment, she adds "Hey Oliv, even I've heard of-" She clears her throat. "The Porthmos Club is well known. People have the impression that it'll bring them closer to the high ups. Its just a restaurant, of course."
She takes a seat across from Lady Lotheed and smiles behind her veil. "I thought you weren't going to call on us again. Everything OK?"
Amandine arrives at the Porthmos Club wearing a new outfit colored a soft yellow. As with her other dresses, frills and flourishes are minimized in favored of flattering lines. The result is a relatively understated but perfectly fitted dress.
Once she's seated and before the serious conversation with Lady Lotheed begins, she spends much of her time looking around and people watching.
"A lot happens here, second perhaps only to the Senate. Maybe not even the Senate..."
Amandine raises one question for Lady Lotheed. "Would it be suitable, or possible, for me to bring my young brother along on this trip?"
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Having spent the last week repeatedly raiding Photinè's closet (at Ms. Michele's suggestion and encouragement), Greenly shows up to the Porthmos Club surprisingly appropriately dressed for a fancy luncheon, wearing a green dress studded with silver sequins, a short but still exposed midriff detailing the firm outline of her core, and a full length skirt.
She looks at place and out of it in equal measure, all knees and elbows and wide shoulders, but also as if she knows how to wear a dress such as this.
Photinè arrives for tea fashionably dressed, as one must be to turn heads at the Porthmos, in a low-cut seafoam green number and matching shawl. "Ah, Porthmos is more than just a restaurant," she sighs dreamily, confidently following the concierge inside as if she's been a member here forever.
She takes a seat at the table and arranges herself to her greatest benefit, leaning back and lifting her chin slightly as she glances coyly around the room.
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Olivia spends what she feels is hours running around looking for dresses that she would find appropriate and stylish. In frustration, she says that all of this is ridiculous and makes a bold move.
Olivia arrives at the Porthmos dressed in an embroidered, black and gold doublet. She wears black pantaloons, sturdy leather boots, and a large wide-brimmed hat with a white feather in it. At her side is her ornamental longsword.
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”It’s too bright, too bright out here. The light dazzles, and all I can see are the circles,” Dagio squeals in dismay. ”But I cannot return, no I cannot return. Men encased in metal swept through my domain, and my men-at-arms were no match for them.”
He punctuates this sentiment by rubbing his spindly digits across the head of one of his attending rats. The tiny rodent arches its furry back, pleased by the momentary doting from his giant, intelligent kin. From the sound of Dagio’s story, either the Ulfen Guard or the Taldan Phalanx - as part of the crackdown and investigation after the Gala Massacre - descended into the newly unsealed lower levels and forced Dagio from his lair.
”Perhaps this is a blessing. Here, I see nothing but circles. Windows. Cobblestones. Wheels. I’ve been called to this new layer of providence,” Dagio muses wistfully, turning his snoot towards the narrow window of sky atop the terraced alley. In an instant, his countenance turns bitter. ”But it tells me nothing! I know nothing! All I know is that I know nothing!”
He expresses his displeasure by digging the claws of his feet into the brick ledge upon which he squats and pounding one of his fists upon the wall behind him. He grows still and remains quiet for a moment before speaking again.
”Perhaps I must study your kind. Yes, yes. I must study them in their default state.”
......
During the light lunch at the Porthmos Club, Lady Lotheed very carefully, particularly keeps conversation steered away from any business related to the brewing war for succession. Instead, she asks about Calix and his schooling, whether Greenly would recommend the sauna she visits, and other innocuous details of your lives.
She only obliquely refers to the pending trip to the country, but with a warm, aunt-like smile she welcomes the idea of Amandine bringing Calix along. When she eventually ushers you into the awaiting coach, she instructs the driver to detour so that you can pick up Calix for the trip.
Only once the skyline of Oppara is vanishing into the horizon at your back does she hand you a scroll case and speak of business.
”I appreciate you agreeing to this trip on such short notice. Please, have an estate.”
She pauses, both to allow one of you to accept the proffered scroll case and to savor your sense of surprise.
Greenly talks openly about how wonderful the people you can meet at a sauna are. "Being naked, and in the steam, sure, it's a great way to, like, destress before or after a workout, but, wow, like, there's nothing to hide when you're naked, right, so, like, everybody all starts off on common footing."
The bodyguard accepts the scroll case from Martella, examining it. "This is lovely," she smiles, before handing it off- unopened -to the next lady.
Cautiously, she asks "So ya go' kicked outta that place? Sure is awful when your 'ome's ripped out of your paws, huh?" She looms over Dagio. "Now, I figga your whole circles business is stone cold madness. But you're a guy who could use a friend while you're, uh, gettin' use ta the surface. 'Ow about this, Mistah Dagio? You let me protect ya from the men in metal, an' you can study me an' my pals. In exchange, you 'old to not attackin' or 'urting any of us, and that applies to all you're uh, soldiers too. Its a good deal for ya, yeah?"
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"Have an Estate? Did I hear you wrong or are you handing them out like sweetbuns at that Senate party?" She thinks back to the party she mentioned, and recalls her surprise that there was a buffet of "commoner's sweetbuns" up for grabs that no one was enjoying. She'd learned her lesson that time pretty well.
After the coach clears Oppara and its environs Amandine is practically glued to the window watching the scenery. She has never been outside the city and finds all the things she sees, whole forests of trees, pasturelands, villages, to be completely fascinating.
When Lady Lotheed offers an 'estate', Amandine doesn't turn away from the window. The woman's casual tone and the offhanded nature of the offer makes Amandine assume it must be some kind of treat, perhaps a cookie or candy. She tells Calix "you may have one, but just one. Don't be greedy. Be sure to tell Lady Lotheed 'thank you'"
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"I wish I could say this little gift didn't come with strings attached, but these are tangled times. As you may have heard, the Ulfen Guard have locked down the imperial palce, and they won't allow access to anyone until Taldor has an official Grand Prince once again. Keep unreasonable sorts from looting the palace, I suppose, but it has also sealed away Eutropia's personal wealth. The Stavian family has another estate, though - the Palace of Birdsong - but the Stavians entrusted its care and maintenance to stewards two centuries ago. These stewards now refuse to leave and, I'm told, are courting Maxillar Pythareaus' favor. It doesn't help matter that these squatters are my own family, or that my half-brother Bartelby has been squandering the estate's fortunes.
"While we technically have the authority to demand the estate's return, we lack the power. If we could weaken Bartelby's power base and woo some of his subordinates to support us, we could reclaim the Palace of Birdsong. That's where you and your lovely new home comes in.
"The Lady Allis Betony died nearly a decade ago, leaving no heirs. We purchased the estate at auction last week, and I have taken the liberty of drawing up a few documents listing you as Betony family scions. You'll be arriving just in time to make your debut at the annual Tanager Jubilee. The carriage and horses are yours to keep, as you can't very well be seen walking to the Jubilee. I'll be riding on to Cassomir once we near the county border.
"Make friends, learn the lay of the land, and do what you can to win the loyalty of nobles and citizens alike. Undermine Bartelby, and wherever you can, try to improve peoples' lives and engender loyalty. For any overt action you take, you'll likely want to hide your identify to keep Bartelby from cracking down on you. I feel I must stress the importance of your task. The princess has sold her townhouse to fund this plan, and at this point her resources are perilously thin. If we're to stand any chance in this bid for the throne, we need a suitable base of operations and steady income."
Within the scroll case, you find the deed to the Betony estate, forged genealogical records describing Amandine and Chiara as second cousins (once removed) of the late Lady Allis Betony, and legal documents identifying the pair as her only living heirs.
"The Vernisant and Aurelius families have too high of profiles, so I could not safely attempt to connect Dames Olivia and Photinè to the Betony line," Martella explains. "Dame Baerdóttir's complicated heritage likewise made it too risky to incorporate her into this transplanting of family branches."
Greenly nods, following along. "I prefer Sir Baerdóttir," she proffers, before turning to Chana. "Miss Chiara, I could be your, like, bodyguard! That could be my cover. I'm, like, security or whatever. For Amandy too, obviously."
"It's likely we will all need a reason for traveling with the Betony 'heirs'," Photinè agrees, leaning over Chana's shoulder to examine the scroll more closely. "Sirs Baerdóttir and Vernisant can easily be the heiresses' bodyguards. And I..." She leans back and thinks for a long moment, trying to come up with an appropriately exciting role for herself. "...Their occult advisor."
Chana narrows her eyes at Martella. This seems like exactly the sort of not direct stuff that nobles waste their time on rather than actually working to help people. "Martella, why does the Princess put up with this sh-... uh, this insolence? Couldn't she just show up at her Bird Palace and say its hers? We could back her up if she needs people to deal with any toughs the Bartleby people have."
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Olivia's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets at the casual gift of an estate, but she smiles when the mention of strings come into play. "I doubt being called Sir Vernisant is a good idea, so I'll need to use a different name. I can say this will be interesting. Amandine and Chana will have to play the roll of nobility, while the rest of us play the role of gentry or commoner. Despite this cloak and dagger, I do like the opportunity to genuinely help people."
"Martella, why does the Princess put up with this sh-... uh, this insolence? Couldn't she just show up at her Bird Palace and say its hers? We could back her up if she needs people to deal with any toughs the Bartleby people have."
"Frankly, I do wish it was that easy," Martella sighs. "By rights we could do that, and by rights my half brother would have to acquiesce, but he won't. As it stands, he holds the Palace of Birdsong too tightly. If we were to simply try and seize the estate straight away, we would be soundly beaten. Worse still, he would use the attempt to defame the princess, using it as justification to side with the High Strategos, and likely encouraging other nobles to do the same."
"I doubt being called Sir Vernisant is a good idea, so I'll need to use a different name. I can say this will be interesting. Amandine and Chana will have to play the roll of nobility, while the rest of us play the role of gentry or commoner. Despite this cloak and dagger, I do like the opportunity to genuinely help people."
"Posing as commoners does not have to be your default," Martella explains. "You can still maintain your position as nobles. In fact, it may do better to impress your neighbors and engender respect from the locals if you present yourselves as nobility. Then again, by the same token, there may be others in the county who remain distrustful of the nobility. I will leave the choice of approach to you and what you judge to be best."
While many other members of the Betony family fled Meratt as the county's prospects dwindled, Allis Betony actually stayed on to administer the family estate up until her death about a decade ago. There are rumors that her family estate, having languished in receivership, still contains magnificent oil paintings of the Taldan countryside and full sets of splendid flatware that harken back to the fantastic dinner parties of old. In life, the late Allis Betony was also rumored to have spoken with spirits. This has led to modern rumors of the estate being haunted, but this is common with many fallen noble houses.
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Bartelby Lotheed is the latest member of his family to serve as Count of Meratt. He is the eldest son of the former count, Mercator Lotheed, and he runs the county like his own personal kingdom. While he has little concern for politics beyond his borders, he is deeply invested in maintaining a tight-fisted control over Meratt. Like most Lotheeds, he commands considerable arcane gifts, as well as considerable contempt for anyone who does not - including his half sister, Martella. His personality is two-faced: he presents a public image of being witty, well-educated, and charming, yet he also carries a reputation for being arrogant, self-important, and overconfident.
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Olivia considers it for a long time while the others speak before she replies. She says "Even when I was part of the crusade, I was automatically respected and given promotions. Though in fairness, most of that respect was for my father, and I have no respect for him. For once, I would like to experience the world where my name, his name, means nothing."
Later on, Olivia fills in the rest of the group about the Betony family and Bartelby. She doesn't talk about Bartelby until Martella has already left.
Chana looks uncomfortable when it becomes clear that the initial plan with all its bluffing and pretending is going to be the only option. She gives Greens a lopsided grin from behind her veil "Eh, I'm not going to need a bodyguard as much as someone to do the talkin'. Chammy coached the hells out of me for that party at the Senate, and even then I probably put my foot in my gabber more times than I can count."
She turns to Photine, scratching her head "Think you can be my, uh, spokeswoman too? On top of the cult advisor? I can pretend to whisper things to you, and then you can say whatever is the right thing."
She also asks Martella "What's this Tanager Party about, anyway?"