‘Gandro’ steps up and interrupts hesitantly.
“Maybe we should go out of our way to visit the baron, once your schedule allows. I know how eager you are to meet him personally m’Lady.”
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"I can easily have a messenger boy carry your tidings to the baron, but I think stopping to visit on your own will be fruitless," Hamble says, shaking his head. "With very few exceptions, he has refused all visitors while convalescing. Come to think of it, one of the associate councilors - a banker named Rhundle Navin - will also be absent from today's meeting. I do hope he hasn't fallen sick, too."
Hamble also takes a moment to clarify that the Mercantile Council consists of five principal councilors, who wield the lion's share of power, and another fourteen associate councilors.
"With the baron, under more pleasant circumstances, bringing the council to a nice even twenty," Hamble boasts, pleased by the factoid.
He guides you down an avenue that winds through an immaculately manicured park. One tiled path leads to a manor house anchoring the south end of the park, but Hamble instead leads you up the northern path to the elaborate gilded gates of the Commerce Hall. Once inside, the halfling official ushers you through the well-appointed halls and into the audience chamber.
Several chandeliers supplement the sunlight streaming in through high, stained glass windows to light the cavernous audience chamber of Yanmass's opulent Commerce Hall. An immense oval table takes up much of the room's space. A throne-like chair at the head of the table is vacant, but most of the other chairs are occupied. Seated in ornate, padded chairs are the five principals: a human man wearing ostentatious jewelry, a half-elven woman in well-tailored clothing, a handsome human man wearing the regalia of a high priest of Abadar, a proud halfling woman, and a narrow-faced, worried-looking human woman.
Several other well-dressed people occupy less ostentatious chairs. At the foot of the table is a group of plain, sturdy wooden chairs, one of which is occupied by a fashionable, broadly smiling aristocrat. Although you last met him many weeks ago at the Tanager Jubilee, you soon recognize Earl Yander Merkondus.
Faking a fuss over making sure Amandine's chair is clean and positioned properly, Dro'gan then backs up and stands at attention nearby as is appropriate. During his fuss, he makes a passing glance around the room, with an eye towards deviousness: Checking for 'accidents' waiting to happen, concealed booby traps, and good hiding spots for snipers or assassins.
Dro'gan finds no traps and discovers the audience chamber to be a safe if pretentious place.
Gregor Hamble offers introductions on your behalf to the rest of the council. This ultimately prompts the man in ostentatious jewelry to stand and gesture to the empty seat at the head of the table.
“Given Baron Kustios’s continued absence, I’d like to call this meeting to order in his stead. We know that much of Taldor is currently in political turmoil, but we have pressing problems close to home. Yanmass suffers under the grip of several troubles, and our discussion today must confront these.
"First, terrible, unsavory dreams haunt many of our citizens; some of us here have had them, I understand, and their cumulative effect is crippling to morale and our economy. Second, the Taldan Horse cavalry regiment that protected our city has, in large part, vanished. This leads to the third issue, which is the rise of banditry on the eastern plains: Qadiran bandits, specifically, preying upon good Taldan trade.”
“All trade, to be frank,” interjects the narrow-faced woman, “Keleshite and Taldan alike.”
The priest of Abadar speaks up, “There’s another thing, although it’s not a clear threat: the Cult of the Twilight Child in the Encircling Bower. Good citizens are joining this mystery cult. Perhaps it’s as benign as rumors say, but we can’t ignore a new philosophy that is ensnaring so many of our citizens.”
“Religion ever reigns in your mind, Enumerator,” says the half-elf woman, “but people aren’t suffering from the cult as they are the other troubles.”
The halfling woman sits up straighter and adds, “Our esteemed guest, Earl Yander Merkondus, assures us that he has a group of troubleshooters
already acting to alleviate all of these concerns. But so long as Yanmass suffers, so does trade—and therefore so do we.
"However, I'm curious to hear what do our newcomers have to offer," the halfling councilwoman adds as an aside.
It seems you have been invited to speak.
Meraki, ever playing the part of a silent and dutiful attendant to Amandine, watches the councilors carefully, trying to read their words and body language. It's early yet, but anything she learns now may come in handy later when it comes to determining their true friends.
Meraki immediately identifies the spice importer Lord Rudig Autun as an adversary. Besides being a vain, foppish man, as he speaks it becomes clear that he supports the Imperialist faction backing Pythareus.
Chief Enumerator Abrun Palliettor seems suspicious of Earl Yander, and Meraki thinks the Abadaran may harbor slight favor for Princess Eutropia's Loyalist Faction.
Lady Hallianna Cobbin, the halfling orchard and ranch owner, seems neutral on the succession crisis but otherwise a very good-natured woman. However, she seems to have taken a fancy to Earl Yander, perhaps having a weakness for taller men.
Among the council members, the ones who have begun suffering the terrible dreams that have been plaguing residents of Yanmass are the ones who have expressed the most vocal support for the Loyalist faction. This suggests that, whatever might be causing this, these dreams have some manner of political motivation.
After the initial formal discussions, the large group breaks up into smaller groups to discuss civic matters. Your escort, Hamble, politely suggests joining the mingling to see what you can learn from the councilors.
Lord Rudig Autun - Bluff, Diplomacy, or Knowledge (Nobility)
Lady Aumber Gewbell - Diplomacy
Lady Carmellio Rauls - Craft (Armor), Craft (Weapons), or Ride
Chief Enumerator Abrun Palliettor - Knowledge (Religion)
Lady Hallianna Cobbin - Diplomacy
Various Associate Members - Diplomacy
Dro’gan mixes among the associates, digging for information or possible resources for the group.
Dro'gan learns that the lurid dreams - nightmares, really - that have plagued many residents of Yanmass tend to revolve around unbridled lust and cannibalism.
He even manages to get a few associate council members to admit that they are speaking from experience, having been tormented by such terrible dreams themselves. They fear becoming like the haunted-eyed citizens in the streets, terrified to fall asleep, or even worse - fall among the ranks of the poor, unfortunate souls who have ended their lives to escape the torment.
Furthermore, Dro'gan learns that the baron is absent because these dreams have actually left him incapacitated as surely as any physical ailment. What's more, he learns that while the baron has previously taken no formal stance on the succession crisis, there are rumors that he was favoring the Loyalist faction.
Greenly engages in idle chatter with Lady Rauls, recognizing her boots as sportsman's riding gear and asking about her horses as a segue into deeper conversations
Of all the issues affecting Yanmass of late, Lady Rauls' greatest concerns are the Qadiran bandits operating in the area and the disappearance of the Taldan Horse regiment. Of course, her concerns are born out of the impact on her business contracts with the Taldan Horse and the lack of protection for her caravans.
Nevertheless, she provides Greenly with some potential leads for investigating the missing cavalry and the bandits.
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Amandine introduces herself to the Mercantile Council and guests as "Miss Amandine Santon". While she mingles and chats with the various people in the chamber, she makes her way to speak with Lady Aumber Gewbell. Amandine seems more relaxed and at ease than usual, and therefore more outgoing and animated than tends to be usual for her.
After speaking with her for a while, she makes her way through the guests to Earl Yander Merkondus. Amandine introduces herself as a representative of Princess Eutropia, being quite open with him about her and her compatriots' reason for being in Yanmass. She behaves as if she has never in her life seen the Earl before, and is almost flirtatious in the way that lots of eye contact and great focus on a person' every word along with some compliments can be, while signaling nothing too obviously.
She asks him how he's been finding Yanmass, and for suggestions about places to visit or patronize due to their fine quality. She also asks after Sir Meir Dratavis, asking if Earl Yander has heard anything new about his possible whereabouts and the last time he may have seen Sir Meir. Her performance is similar to that of the captain of an athletic team showing sportsmanship to the other side before a match.
Finally, Amandine moves on to speak with a number of the guests present, trying to get a more general read of the room's moods and attitudes.
Amandine finds that the clothing importer/exporter Lady Gewbell has her finger on the pulse of the common people of Yanmass much more than her fellow councilors, making it clear that she is an excellent source of other perspectives.
Besides worrying about the citizens plagued by horrible dreams, Lady Gewbell also mentions a local conspiracy theorist named Caradinna Farkin, a woman who has long been known to make erratic proclamations about the "secret masters" in town.
"Farkin had become increasingly insistent of late," Gewbell mentions, "Even accosting some of my fellow councilors in the streets. However, she hasn't been seen in at least two days. I wonder whether she inadvertently stumbled upon some genuine clues."
Gewbell also mentions, in passing, a rumor she overheard that someone is hiding out in Hedge Hill, the city's largest public park. She adds, "Anyone lurking there must be hiding from something important."
....
Earl Merkondus betrays no sign of recognizing Amandine from the Tanager Jubilee. He welcomes the conversation, but returns the cordiality with imperiousness and rudeness.
"Yanmass is a fine city, which is why I don't mind that the responsibility for rescuing its people falls upon my shoulders. My personal team of troubleshooters, the Kozan Bravos, are already actively on the case to solve the city's problems. It's little surprise that the Loyalists ignored the plight of good Taldan people until the problem grew so wretched; we Imperialists have the matter well in hand, I assure you."
Upon mention of Sir Dratavis, the earl sighs and removes his circlet in a show of respect.
"I had heard that Sir Dratavis had grown increasingly despondent as he spent time working towards his master's ends in Yanmass, before finally vanishing. I fear the poor diplomat had begun to uncover how much of a criminal and fraud Eutropia is, and he fled into the plains in shame rather than be associated any longer with the woman who is tearing the nation apart."
Once the meeting draws to a close, Dro’gan whispers to the others in the group individually.
”We need to consolidate and review our impressions of the evening. Let’s hope our quarters are not full of spies and magic listening devices!”
Amandine stubbornly lets any rudeness or denigration from the Early roll right off her back, remaining pleasant, inquisitive, and complementary.
"The Kozan Bravos? Are they members of a constabulary or city watch? Does Yanmass not have its own policing, as well as the local Talden Horse to handle local issues? You must be a very determined and, forgive me, impatient gentleman Earl Merkonus."
"Or, perhaps that is a difference between us. We trust Yanmass, and those govern it, to manage their own affairs most expertly and competently."
She ignores his account of Sir Dratavis since it is too ridiculous to bother with any kind of reply. Instead she gives the Earl her warmest smile.
"It is such a great honor to make your acquaintance My Lord. I look forward to engaging further with you in the days to come."
Laying her hand gently on his forearm she adds "I hope we may come to know each other much better. After all, merely holding differing positions regarding some issues does not have to mean we cannot enjoy each other's company."
Amandine's knowledge fills in some gaps in the information that the earl does not volunteer himself.
Yander Merkondus is the Earl of the Western Rushing Marches, a large swath of land along Taldor's swampy Moda Prefecture. His elder brother died in a childhood accident that also left Yander with a permanent back injury; thus, when his parents died in a carriage accident, Yander inherited the family title and ancestral holdings.
The Kozan Bravos are a group of adventurers that Earl Merkondus has kept on retainer. Their name is derived from their home base, Kozan, a large port town located halfway between Oppara and Taldor's border with Qadira. This is located within the Opparos Prefecture, rather than the earl's own Moda Prefecture. The adventuring party is led by a former soldier, one Grammell Taychar, who served as a lieutenant in the Taldan Phalanx.
Seeking to follow Amandine's example, Meraki sets out to try and swayLady Cobbin to their side and away from Lord Yander, though her own self-consciousness gets in the way. Still, she tries to appeal to the woman from the perspective of an outsider, living in a world made for and by humans.
Lady Cobbin, the only halfling to ever sit on the Mercantile Council, is more than happy to speak with Meraki. In fact, in quite a rare moment of relief, she seems utterly unconcerned by Meraki's skin and other tiefling characteristics. Lady Cobbin speaks as freely and cordially as though Meraki were just one of her cousins.
She is not particularly political, but Meraki does subtly nudge Lady Cobbin towards recognizing that just because Earl Merkondus would be quite the "catch," that does not translate to being a good ambassador or reflect any merits of his patron, Pythareaus.
For better or for worse, Meraki does find it difficult to extract herself from the conversation with Lady Cobbin, who is all too eager to ramble on about gossip and encounters from her daily life.
"We got snubbed at that new restaurant, Savories, last night. It caters to the best of the best, and I've heard it's exquisite. They were too crowded to even give me a table. Me! There's something unnatural about a restaurant becoming so exclusive so quickly."
"Oh? Bandits? Yeah, people wonder where the bandits might be hiding. I'd put my money on the ruins of Orvestikar Manor. It's isolated, and hardly anyone goes out there."
...
Encounter B: Observe the Kozan Bravos
Location D: Home of Caradinna Farkin, local conspiracy theorist
Location E: Savories, suspicious restaurant
Location F: Hedge Hill, local park where someone might be hiding
Location H: Orvestikar Manor, abandoned home
Encounter J: Investigating the missing cavalry
Encounter K: Investigating the Qadiran bandits
Mira followed Amandines lead in changing her appearance - her hair now elaborately braided in a pattern, her clothing neither suitable for low-born commoners nor nobles, more suited to some successful merchants daughter - a ring on her finger indicating an engagement - she had a girl in mind from her home town, but decided on not preparing a full cover story, trusting in her ability to improvise on the spot to adapt to whatever seemed fitting.
At the social gathering, she spent some time reading the room - by the time she moves to action, the others had already begun spreading out to gather information, Mira decides to follow suite, and approaches the Enumerator.
Miras own relation with religion was...strained, her family still clinging to Aroden in their traditions, and Mira devoting herself to Calistria in her search for Vengeance.
But she had some basic education on the matter, at least enough to not put her foot in her mouth when touching on religious subjects.
It seemed true that some mystery cult was one of the lesser worries they had to deal with, but the man seemed sympathetic to Eutropia, and it seemed sensible to make sure he felt heard and had a chance to voice any concerns or further information he might have on that Cult of the Twilight Child - or the nightmares, which Mira suspected were not natural in origin, either.
Mira impresses the Abadaran priest with her own knowledge of divine matters. He will not speak about anything regarding the cult here among other members of the council, but he invites Mira and the rest of the party to meet with him later at the temple so he may speak with you in private.
The council adjourns, and once you are escorted from the Commerce Hall, you are free to explore the city.
As some of you investigate the park, you find that Hedge Hill is an orderly, well-tended park with rolling hills of cut grass and carefully arranged flowers.
The center of the park is a wild tangle of vegetation, standing in stark contrast to the meticulous beauty of the rest of the park. This central forest is overgrown, with few paths, and the dense trees create deep shadows even on bright days.
Dro'gan leads the way into the park, actually enjoying the chance to investigate again.
While first approaching the park, Dro'gan heard a passing local telling his friends, whilst pointing towards the park gates, that he had seen the dryad of Hedge Hill. He said, "I swear! I saw a woman dressed in green in the forest at the center of the park!"
"Only kids and drunks believe there's actually a dryad in there, you dolt! You probably just saw someone having a quick tryst in the woods," one of his buddies chides him.
Once inside the park, Dro'gan finds many sets of tracks left by the many residents visiting for a stroll, as well as foxes, rabbits, and small critters that make their homes inside. Getting closer to the tangled forest at the heart of the park, he finds far fewer humanoid tracks.
In particular, Dro'gan finds a set of prints left by a woman's riding boots that have entered and patrolled the forested grove, but the tracks have not departed. This also raises the question, what kind of dryad wears riding boots...?
Greenly stays with the man while others investigate ahead of her. "Tell me about this, like, tree lady," smiles the bodyguard
Leaning down, Dro’gan smiles and points out the boot tracks as Greenly talks to the local.
”Curiouser and curiouser. Looks like we might have a trail to follow…”
He then carefully follows the tracks, keeping an eye out for dangers in the tangled park.
Greenly doesn't find out any new information about the purported dryad beyond the rumors you've already learned from both the council and these passersby. The one pedestrian reiterates with firm sincerity that he saw a woman dressed in green sneaking around the woods at the center of the park.
"The only thing going on in there," his skeptical friend counters, "is a bunch of hooligans causing mischief! Remember Ol' Bert? He went and got his leg all messed up by some kind of hole trap someone dug around the woods."
Greenly pushes forth into the park, keeping a special eye open for pitfalls, snares, etc
Greenly's foresight and keen senses may have saved Dro'gan's life by keeping him from venturing too far forward.
She spots a well-concealed tripwire among the wild undergrowth of the woods at the heart of the park. She traces its length to a set of swinging log traps rigged up to guard the entrances into the deepest part of the woods.
Thanking Greenly profusely, Drogan points at the trap.
"Me thinks someone doth protest too much!"
He then examines the trap (in a manner that keeps him safe from it of course), to see if there is any sort of unique signature to the the way it was built.
The ends of the log have been sawed off bluntly, rather than sharpened to points. This suggests the creator, although trying to protect this area, did not want to kill anyone. The techniques used are similar to survival skills taught to members of the Taldan armed forces, and the tool marks look like those issued to cavalry officers.
Smiling like he just stole a hot pie from a window, Dro'gan tells the others what he sees.
"Taldan Military style trap I think: Dangerous, but not deadly in this case. I think this is someone we really want to talk to. Let us move closer and hope there are no more traps like this."
He then moves deeper into the forest.
Greenly draws her blade and follows. "We might need to, like, pin them down first, they seem nervous. Or like, flighty, y'kno."
Picking your way carefully over the tripwires and through the dense undergrowth, you follow the curving path through the woods towards a clearing among the trees.
This small clearing contains several dense thickets. Piles of leafy branches rest atop the thickets, making the dense undergrowth even more impenetrable.
Dro'gan and Greenly both spot a woman hiding within a bolt hole among the vegetation. She further conceals herself with a green cloak, but you can see the metal of a mail shirt peek out from beneath the cloak and leaves. She is lean and muscular, but you notice a haunted look in her eyes. She clutches a thick-shafted shortbow in her tight knuckles, looking ready to defend herself once discovered.
Dro’gan waves Greenly back then casts Detect Thoughts on the lady in hiding.
As Dro'gan creeps forward, Greenly falls back. The warrior remains in eyesight of their quarry but prepares herself to dodge anything shot her way.
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Tense seconds pass as Dro'gan attempts to hone in on the woman's thoughts. Will she loose an arrow as her own nerves fray, watching you stand in her sanctuary?
Thankfully, this does not happen.
Dro'gan gleans that the hiding woman is intensely afraid and paranoid. She is a soldier, and she feels betrayed and hunted. Trying to talk her down without violence breaking out will be a very challenging prospect.
Quickly relaying what he gleaned from the woman, he also lets Greenly know that he will attempt to talk to her now.
Carefully pulling out his brightly colored juggling balls, he begins to start juggling and humming a ditty as he does so, with the intent to calm the woman first before he attempts to talk.
Since his juggling seems rusty, he will end the act with a humorous story or anecdote that seems appropriate or is just silly fun.
He then attempts to introduce himself:
“Greetings m’lady of the trees! I am Dro’gan, humble performer and currently a bit lost in these woods. Forgive my bad juggling, Im a bit out of practice currently. Might my companion and I ask for some advice? We are not local people and could use some assistance in various things. We are more than willing to offer some coin in exchange for some pleasant conversation?”
Greenly sheathes her sword and approaches behind, laughing in time with Dro'gan's joke.
"You can just stay right there, and the conversation will be pleasant enough," the woman says firmly. Despite her tone, the fact that she emerges from hiding and shifts her grip on her bow suggests that she is far less inclined to perforate you with arrows now.
"There is treachery afoot in Yanmass. My entire unit was wiped out by magic, sent to die - man and mount alike - on black-hearted orders. Until I know you're not in league with these traitors, my bow stays drawn. If I die, I'll die like a soldier."
Dro'gan puts away his juggling balls, and holds his hands up to show they are empty. He smiles casually and sits on a treestump nearby (or the ground if nothing else).
"I assure you, we have only recently arrived here in town, and would love to hear your WHOLE story. Please...find a moment to draw a calming breath and illuminate us. We may even be able to help you somehow."
Amandine collects Mira and Meraki and goes looking for the "conspiracy theorist's" house.
Her reflexive impulse is to send someone, probably Gaspar since she's long known and trusted him, to Kozan so he can dig into the backgrounds of Earl Merkondus's gang. She's fairly confident there's rot to be found, nasty skeletons in the closet the Mercantile Council would be very interested in learning about.
But, the journey to Kozan is long, the work could be painstaking, and actionable results would be long in arriving. It isn't a practical course given the time limits they are working under. It frustrates Amandine to have to proceed almost blindly forward.
This tall but narrow house towers over a weedy yard. The house's shutters are all closed, but a thin trail of smoke issued from its crooked chimney. Thin sheets of metal are nailed to the front door along with a sign reading, "Absolutely NO solicitors or psychic manipulators!"
She is from a unit of the Taldan Horse assigned to Yanmass - in fact, the very unit that has recently gone missing. Her commanding officer, Commander Jaliessa Staubel, handpicked Gallindra and a few fellow soldiers for a mission to scout out the abandoned Orvestikar Manor, another point of interest around Yanmass that you have learned about.
"It was all a lie. The manor was a trap, and we were sent to die," Gallindra continues, her fear giving way to bitter anger. "There's some fell magic in that wretched house. Maybe some wizard in league with the commander. The rest of my unit were turned to stone, man and mount alike. Even my war elephant was turned to stone beneath me.
"The commander is planning some deeper treachery, and that damned manor is a trap she's using to dispose of loyal soldiers who might oppose her."
Frowning gently, Dro'gan nods.
"That is a genuinely concerning story Lieutenant. Thank you for the succinct report. The up side is that 'stoned' individuals can often be rescued from their lot, if they remain intact. I also can see why you are very scared of this situation. I would be as well."
Looking at Greenly, Dro'gan gestures at the frightened soldier.
"My feeling is we need to keep this woman safe at all costs. What do you think? This 'park' won't keep her hidden forever, but I'm unsure anywhere else we could deliver her to another safer point. We barely know the city or the people here, even though the Princess sent us here to help plead her case."
Dro'gan keeps a side eye on the soldier when he drops the Princesses' needs out loud with the woman in close proximity. He hopes she will react with something akin to... Well, he just hopes he won't have to silence the woman later. He was coming to like her ingenuity and spark for survival. She would make a good spy in other circumstances...
Amandine looks dispiritedly at the house for a couple of minutes. Then she sighs in resignation.
"I suppose we should go knock on the door." With a sidelong glance at Mira, she adds with sarcasm "I won't tell on you for being a psychic manipulator if you don't tell on me."
She walks to the front door, but beginning at the edge of the yard Amandine keeps a careful eye out for the kinds of traps and surprises a paranoiac might put out to keep... well, everyone away.
You might want to stay behind me, and step where I step."
Also, if nothing else, she seems keen to have allies vested in her protection.
"I have intel that could be useful - or valuable," she offer. "Besides being very familiar with the terrain around Yanmass, I also know where Commander Staubel has her forces encamped."
Along the side of the house, peering through a crack between the shutters and sheet of lead, Amandine finds the house's bedroom. There is a large trunk in the corner. Although it does not appear to be locked or trapped, there is a dark stain seeping into the floorboards beneath it - and Amandine can detect the smell of decomposition.
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Smiling broadly at the woman's interest, Dro'gan nods and gestures to Greenly.
"Let me introduce my friend, Lady Greenly. She is one of the most stalwart and loyal warriors I have ever worked with. We both will pledge to make sure you remain safe, and will probably take you up on your offer for Intel and knowledge of the the area around Yanmass. You haven't happen to have seen a dryad around here have you? There are stories evidently..."
The odor causes Amandine to swallow deeply as she tries to avoid gagging. She takes a moment to steady herself, then silently gestures for Meraki and Mira to stay where they are and make no noise.
She turns back to the window and looks it over carefully, trying to figure out if she can remove the lead sheeting and shutters, or move them aside enough, to enter through the window while keeping it quiet.
"Who's there?" screeches a voice from within. "Go away! You're tresspassing!"
Amandine quickly retreats back to the front door. She tries knocking, then telling the person inside they are there on official business.
"We are here to see Caradinna Farkin at the behest of the Mercantile Council. We would like to speak with her about information she has claimed to have pertaining to the Secret Masters in Yanmass. The Council feels her insistence on the importance of what she knows is convincing enough to have her heard. Are you Caradinna Farkin?"