GM Harrow’s Curse of the Crimson Throne - AE

Game Master GM Harrow

"Captain Merrin had asked us to check in on Tayce and Brienna, his sister and niece."

Did she now?" There is a fleeting expression on Vencarlo's face, something that might be wistfulness, or regret, or something else entirely.

"Hm."

I reached out to GM Pinvendor to see what he had in mind for Dendren's and Vencarlo's connection.

"What kind of 'proof' are we looking for?"

"From what I hear, Devargo is in the possession of some letters that could end Amprei's career if they ever became public. No doubt he's been using them to blackmail the ambassador, so he's unlikely to give up a lucrative deal just because you ask nicely." Vencarlo grins. "If you do get them, I'd like to read them as well. For... research."

At Audria's questions, the swordmaster cocks his head. "Do you know why he is called the King of Spiders? It's not just about the eight-legged critters he keeps as pets or the arachnid motifs on his gear, those are mostly affectations." Vencarlo shifts his weight to his other hip, leaning back against the edge of the table and crossing his arms. "Devargo arrived from Riddleport many years ago and partnered up with another scum lord called Stanris the Swifthand. They conceived of Eel's End together, but shortly afterwards they had a falling out and Stanris disappeared. After that, Devargo started collecting the dark secrets of many powerful personages in Korvosa and using those secrets to bend them to his influence - that's how he earned his moniker." He uncrosses his arms, hooking his thumbs under the top of his belt. "To answer your first question, it takes a certain combination of cleverness, ruthlesness and determination to run an operation as large as Eel's End, and Devargo knows this. I have no doubt that he selects his underlings in such a way that they could not challenge him effectively. Although, of course, there's always the possibility of someone from outside the organization swooping in, and that is a risk we must consider."

He inclines his head to Pava for the other answers.

"If he is the King of Spiders, then what about those under him? Wouldn't they try to claim his throne if something, ah, unfortunate were to happen to Mister Bravasi? Do either of you, Mister Orsini or-- um-- Pava, know much about him, his organization, or Eel's End," she asks.

“He’s right,” Dal said with a nod to Vencarlo. “It takes a certain set of…gifts to do what Devargo does. Someone might try to take over, if we were to remove Devargo but it’s unlikely that they’ll manage to keep a grasp for too long. They might run the organization into the ground.” Dal scratched his chin as he ran through the possible outcomes.

“My personal theory though is that all of the goons on Devargo’s payroll would cannibalize each other as they all scramble to take control. And that means plenty of innocent people could, and probably would get caught up in the fighting.”

Dal sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

I know this might come as a bad first impression,” he offered a smile to Pava, Elric, and Vencarlo, “but I genuinely think it might be in everyone's best interest if work with Devargo.”

"We could, or we could learn more about him and his underlings before we try anything," Audria says. She looks to Vencarlo and Pava and decides that if they can't keep a secret, then this venture is already doomed to fail. "Do you remember Jessica," she asks Dal and Abella, remembering not to look at Shrike at the last moment. "She's an Academae student, but she earns her living at the Dockside Doxies. It's a, um--" The young paladin's face turns bright red as she stumbles over her words. "It's kinda like Von Heller's, you could say, but more so." Those with keen eyes notice that Audria's hair starts to lengthen, just a little, as she squirms. "The proprietress, Madame Ioana, knows a lot of stuff, and she might be able to tell us more and help us figure out the best way to handle this."

Please, please, please! Don't ask how I know all of this.

Having listened quietly to the different arguments, Elric speaks up in an even, measured tone.

"I think we may be putting the cart before the horse here. Pava is right. Unpleasant as he is, Devargo is not the main threat to Korvosa - Ambassador Amprei is. A trade embargo from Cheliax would be devestating to the city, especially at a perilous time like this."

He crosses his arms and gives everyone a serious look.

"Now, I'm not opposed to knocking the King of Spider off his throne, provided we can do it without triggering a sucession war that will tear Old Korvosa apart. But if we go in there looking for blood, that's what we will find. And if we underestimate a hardend crime lord on his own turf, it will most likely be our blood..."

When Audria mentions learning more from her contacts at the Dockside Doxies, he nods approvingly.

"Gathering intel is good. The more we know, the better we can control the situation. If your friends are willing to share what they know, we should go talk to them."

"Wind and Sky look at her blush! Ven, my apologies, nothing you could've done, really."

Pava fastens a piercing gaze on Audria's face and hair as she squirms. Hello, **that's** not a common effect of a little embarrassment. "Duckling, you do know what a doxy is, seeing as you're apparently acquainted with at least the one? Now I can't imagine as Mme. Iona hasn't heard a thing or three, but I am a professional and have brought a certain expertise to this very meeting here as well."

"Now the reason that the coppers are willing to have us bribe him and leave him in his web is because that money all flows back to their hands in time. He pays his 'vice taxes,' and he collaborates with the guard to nab anyone on his premises with active warrants. So as far as they're concerned, he's an honest citizen, which is why miscreants like us are involved in the first place."

They turn to Dal and Elric, but don't seem even annoyed by his disagreement. "I know you're used to knuckling under when the awful old world's held together with iron and infernals, but he's not holding his web together through muscle. He's holding it together with secrets and gold. Those can spill through the streets without troubling my dreams any."

Duckling? I'm not sure if that's better or worse than Canary.

"Yes, I know what a doxy is," Audria grumbles in answer to Pava's question as she remembers the first time Jessica explained it in far, far too much detail to her and Eliana, without prompting and quite unnecessarily to the pair of former street urchins. "I'm not that naive and sheltered."

She listens to Pava's explanation as her blush slowly recedes. It seems that Pava knows a good bit about how things work and the lay of land, so to speak, but she can't help noticing that there's not many specifics that would be useful to them in figuring out how to get to Devargo Bravasi, much less get what they need from him or make sure he can't hurt anyone ever again.

"Either way we deal with Devargo Bravasi, I think we need to find out more about what's going on and how we can get this done. Madame Ioana runs her business out of an old warehouse next to the shore-end of Eel's End, so she's bound to have heard more than just a thing or three," Audria says.

That and I'm sure that she's also a Calistrian, but let's not bring that up, shall we?

"Pava, I hope I haven't given offense, but I think she'd be able to give us a more detailed view of what is going on. No one knows an artisan's shop better than the artisan that uses it everyday, right?"

Shrike doesn't shake her head, but the flat harsh croak and practical, unadorned words make her feelings clear. "This ends in blood either way. We're no one. Officially." Behind the mask, her eyes go briefly to the tall beaksman who doesn't need Sable Company insignia to look like exactly what he is. "And we'll be on his patch. His boys inside and out." A slight nod to Pava.

"Barvasi didn't get where he is by making honest deals. He'll think to keep that box and the letters too. Rather he never heard us coming. But if you need to try his honor first... Fine."

The mask turns to Audria. "No doubt your friends could be useful. But it's risky. For us if they betray us to him. For them if it goes sour and anyone knows we talked to them first. You trust them?"

"Jessica's like an older sister to me and Eliana. She teases us, but that's just how she is with everyone. I trust her not to betray us. Madame Ioana, on the other hand, I don't know. She probably knows more and would be more willing to tell us, but there've been times where she's had this look in her eye that frightened me. I don't know her that well. I've only seen her a few times since we met when she's come along with Jessica. She seems to trust her, but I don't know how far that goes." Audria looks away as she debates whether or not to say more, but after a few moments, she decides that being open is more important than trying to avoid potentially embarrassing questions.

"Does anyone know anything about contracts with Calistrians," she asks, the blush back in full force.

Shrike's comment makes Elric turn to face the bird-masked vigilante. His eyes narrow and his voice is as hard as the steel he's carrying.

"Honor has nothing to do with it. I have seen good men and women die needlessly because some bloodthirsty bastard was too eager to get their blade wet. Here, we're facing at least ten well-armed fighters and Bravasi himself, and who knows what other surprises he has hidden is his little floating kingdom. From Pava's description, the only way in or out is through a single dock. Not an ideal tactical situation, to put it mildly."

After a long, tense moment, he eases up a bit and adds: "I agree completely that Bravasi can't be trusted. If we give him the opportunity to screw us over, he will. For all we know, he doesn't have the the leverage over the ambassador that he claims to have."

"I like the idea of using stealth and deception. Perhaps we can approach from the waterside under the cover of darkness and climb up to his quarters from the outside. And if we catch him napping, I'll slit his throat myself - AFTER we secure the evidence we need."

Elric shifts his gaze to Audira.

"Shrike has a good point. We should be careful about asking too many questions, especially ones that reveal what we are really after. Barvasi makes his living dealing in secrets, and it won't take him long to find out if we spend too much time poking around Eel's End. On the other hand, I'd really like to see the area with my own eyes before going in. So I still think a visit to the Dockside Doxies is worth the risk."

Then he adds as an afterthought.
"And if Bravasi really is so fond of spiders as you say he is, we should probably all have some antitoxin in our blood when we move against him. Sounds like using poison would be right up his ally."

Pava flicks their bony gauntlet up and away from their face in a salute to Elric. "Preparation and planning? Might even beat a taste for pinch novels. I agree that squaring off when they've double our number isn't any kind of a winning fight, so something a little less direct would be best."

As for the rest, they shrug. "This Jessica gal sounds reliable, so may as well check in, but Mme. Ioana could easily be a competitor or a partner. All that aside I simply must know: the number and deployment of his guards, which ship holds his documents and secrets, the ways to get a meet, and the ways not to lean on his men? Which god or gods normally get you your details, duckling?"

Dal squirmed at the continual mention of Jessica.

“Is that really wise? I mean, what happens if one of the, uh, workers feels some sort of loyalty to Devargo and runs off to give him a heads-up like Elric said?” A weak argument, he knew. The stammering surely did not help Dal’s case either.

Amusement

Dal gave his familiar a little shove with his foot. “Think this is funny, huh?”

Amusement

Dal sighed and felt his shoulders sag. “I suppose you’re all correct. We really shouldn’t just head straight into Devargo’s webs. But don’t expect me to play nice with your ‘sister’, kid,” he addressed Audria specifically with the last bit.

Pava's auger eyes are on Dal now; they give a teasing half smile that doesn't soften their gaze at all. "Dal, it's Dal, right? This is probably a time for either hunting up your big boy pants or simply waiting outside while the gal with the unambiguously positive relationship chats Jessica up, innit? Don't pretend your skin is steel; wear armor or dodge."

"If we're worried about being found out, we could try disguising ourselves. I could go with someone to talk to Jessica and Madame Ioana. Others could listen to what the chatter is in Eel's End and we could just so happen to all meet up somewhere," Audria suggests before turning to Vencarlo Orsini. "Mister Vencarlo, do you know anyone that you trust and could make us not look like ourselves, at least enough that we wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb?"

I mean, Merula could probably do it with her theatre experience, but best not to let on that I and Tally know more about "Shrike" than everyone else.

Turning to Pava, a mischievous smile curls the corners of Audria's mouth.

"Either you are possessed of singular poise or you have never meet one Jessica L'morie. She tends to leave quite the impression," she says before her expression sobers. "In any case, I don't think we're going to resolve this in one night, and given how dangerous Devargo Bravasi is, I think we will be better served approaching this with caution. Whatever leverage he has over Ambassador Amprei may be our primary objective, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't love a chance to get the King of Spiders off of Korvosa's streets forever. Both of those require more knowledge than we have, and gathering that could put us and others at risk."

She looks to the sunlight filtering through the windows and sighs. Life was so much simpler when she was just another young priestess at the Sanctuary. Now she's starting to feel like she's playing a balancing act. Keeping Shrike's secrets, keeping her promises, doing things for the guard, and trying to keep up with her daily routines feels like it's going to crush her. How does Merula manage it and keep her secret at the same time?

---

Tally, feeling the pressure Audria is starting to feel, grabs the young paladin's hand and sends some encouragement Audria's way. She will be there to help. That's why she was sent, after all. She smiles as she feels Audria's anxiety lessen. She really can be a worrywart, but she wouldn't be Audria if she didn't work herself up into a tizzy ever now and then.

---

"I think we should probably stop here, before we start talking ourselves into circles. Besides, we probably wouldn't be able to do anything before nightfall anyway. We could all meet back up at the playhouse Florescu's Farrago is using to put on Hommel and Brekka and decide what our first step should be then, after we've all had time to think it over. Of course," Audria's face brightens a bit, "Field Marshal Kroft did say we should see it, so I don't think it would do us any harm to attend. It'd also give us time to scrounge up anything we need, disguises, antidotes for poisons, and the like."

That, and I'm not so eager to rush in after what happened yesterday. I doubt I'll get that lucky twice.

"Wearing disguises is a clever idea." Vencarlo smiles. "But I'm afraid that I cannot help with the practicalities of that."

1d20 + 19 ⇒ (14) + 19 = 33

The sowrdnaster inclines his head to Audria. "Perhaps your friends can be of assistance there, I'm sure they're a dab hand with makeup and whatnot." He pushes off from the table and dusts off his gloved hands. "Well, you seem to have the beginnings of a plan and by your reputation you are rather competent, so I have confidence in your chances of success. If there are no further questions, I shall take my leave. Pava, you'll stay with them and help out, won't you?"

Shrike moves not a muscle at Elric's tone, not even to turn her head his way, but continues to stand loose and easy on the balls of her feet with her hands at her sides. Sidelong, through the mask, she watches his chest, not his face.

In the end, he seems to agree that strolling into Eel's End openly to ask an audience with Devargo Barvasi like a flock of pigeons ripe for plucking would be a fool's errand, and so she doesn't much care if he has to set up his bristles a bit to get himself there. Shrike carefully does not point out that sneaking in will rule out any negotiation, except perhaps one conducted through threats. That would be more than fine by her.

"Thanks. For the advice." She directs this to Vencarlo Orsini, who seems to be excusing himself. To the rest she says, "Agreed then. Antitoxin's a fair shout but someone else'll need to handle it. I'll find some basic disguises if you want. Meet you all on top of Copper-Beater Hall around midnight." The large manufactory she names is only two blocks from the Eel's End pier, and the din of many smiths beating or pouring bars of Janderhoff copper into useful items every hour of the day and night is so deafening, and the smoke so foul, that most people avoid it like the plague. No curious eyes will find them there, and prying ears will not be able to hear a conversation from a distance over the noise. The building also has a usefully sturdy outside balcony with stairs up at every level, to provide better access for the maintenance of the all-important forge chimneys. In addition to the disguise kit she already has, a few disguises can probably be had from the Farrago's stock of currently unused or awaiting-mending costumes and wigs — they are mostly still in boxes from the move from the previous venue to the New Korvosa Theatre, and no one will miss them if they are borrowed for an evening and then returned.

Shrike waits to hear a confirmation before turning to go. Her voice stays flat and neutral. "Enjoy the play."

She pauses, though, before properly leaving. Something Audria mentioned earlier has been troubling her and seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle. The shrike mask turns to the girl and she croaks, "'Contracts'? Sounds more Asmodean than Calistrian."

"Copper-Beater Hall roof near midnight," Audria confirms.

"'Contracts'? Sounds more Asmodean than Calistrian."

"Well, um? I-- I dunno!" She blushes as frustration at her own ignorance gets the better of her. "I was looking something up for a piece I was doing and I saw an entry on Calistrian symbols and iconography and I remember Madame Ioana wearing some things that fit. I don't know much of anything about Calistria or her faithful beyond wasps, knives, black, and yellow."

As she stands there, red-faced, she begins to feel the tell-tale prickling heat warning her that she needs to calm down before she winds up with a bounty of hair again. She takes in a deep breath and tries not to think about how disastrous that could be if she loses her composure while in Eel's End.

Shrike does no more than slightly lower her head, but her posture grows indefinably threatening. "Did she make you sign something."

Once the discussion at the sanctuary is concluded, Elric moves back outside to talk to Bartholomew again. He shares stories of his exploits during his naval deployment and in return listens with interest to what Bartholomew has to tell him.

After the two marines are done swapping war stories, he makes his way to the Great Tower to ensure that Galewing will be well taken care of for the next couple of days. He stops by the quatermaster to pick up six doses of antitoxin. I figure we can use some of the money from Kroft for this?

He then returns to the sanctuary in time to change into one of the provided disguises. He leaves his lucerne hammer and bow behind, but wears his longsword and the concealed dagger in his wrist sheath.

"Wha-- I mean she asked me and Ellie to sign a contract for, uh," Audria says as she feels the heat in her scalp growing even as icy finger of fear tickles her spine at Shrike's posture. She hesitates as she realizes that she can't really explain what the contract was for without also letting on to the tell she has, the quite unnecessary tell given her tendency to blush and wear her emotions on her sleeves.

Oh, this is bad. This is really bad. How do I explain this without embarrassing myself further? I-- I don't think I can.

"I-- um, I--" She stutters as her face reddens, then her hair slips from its braid as it grows almost to the floor in a matter of seconds. She sighs in defeat as it appears her secret's out with Elric and Pava now.

"It was for this," Audria says in resignation as her shoulders droop and her head bows. "Whenever this happens, Jessica would come cut our hair and use it to make wigs. The contract was for how we were paid, though most of it goes to the Sanctuary."

”Well, I’ve never…I guess we don’t need to bring extra rope if we need to go over the ship’s sides. Is that part of the whole Chosen of Shelyn thing?” Elric says with a rueful mixture of mirth and puzzlement.

"Whenever this happens, Jessica would come cut our hair and use it to make wigs. The contract was for how we were paid, though most of it goes to the Sanctuary."

Shrike relaxes again, clearly completely unconcerned by the bizarre outpouring of magical hair.

She had thought the excess length always just dissolved into sparkles and rainbows and fairy-dust after a few minutes, but if it actually sticks around when cut, that explains why Jessica was so quick with the shears at Castle Korvosa. It wasn't to make Audria more comfortable or fashionable at all. It was because the girl was under contract with them, and she stood to profit. That also puts her continued attempts to provoke and embarrass Audria in a new light. Not exactly the actions of a friend, but that's none of her business. Snapping at shadows, mayfly. If she needed your help she'd ask for it. And if this Calistrian was actually holding something terrible over her, she would never have kept it to herself so long.

"...Long as it doesn't have a sting," Shrike says finally. She slips away for the Sanctuary's atrium, and from there, the much more stressful and challenging part of her day.

”Well, I’ve never…I guess we don’t need to bring extra rope if we need to go over the ship’s sides. Is that part of the whole Chosen of Shelyn thing?” Elric says with a rueful mixture of mirth and puzzlement.

"No, it's not. I guess you could call it a consequence of meeting Jessica. It tends to happen whenever I get embarrassed or upset enough," Audria explains.

"It's also why she really doesn't like imps," Tally says before realizing she's probably said too much and claps her hands over her mouth.

Audria sighs, not even having the will to glare at the half-elf version of her guide.

"Let's just leave at I'm really careful about what I accept from alchemists, now," she says, hoping to avoid having to explain further.

"Sure," Pava's jaw tightens. "A lot of impers aren't as particular as they should be about how they experiment on folk, especially if those folk aren't equally high and mighty."

I don't think Pava should go with me to the Dockside Doxies. It might make things more difficult, Audria thinks as she notices the expression on Pava's face and the tone of their words.

"Anyway," she says as she pulls out ten platinum crowns and hands it to Elric, "will this be enough to help with the antitoxins?"

Abella pats her coinpurse. ”I can afford an antitoxin. I could even brew one at lower cost but that would take time and materials I do not have. I certainly would not turn down the kindness of someone else paying for me, though. Alas, Cainabeth would have been great to have for discussions of disguises. A savant with powders and lipsticks. That is not what I do.” In fact, aside from visiting the queen, Abella has not worn any sort of makeup at all as long as anyone here has known her. ”I cannot stand the stuff on my skin. Blech.”

Pava's own hairdo is easily accomplished by a quick sweep of the razor, and while their outfit (a long pale yellow coat over a brief tunic and wine-dark trousers that they've tucked into their boots) is well dyed, and neatly tailored, but it's nothing so intricate as the rest of the looks on display.

They greet Eliana and Trinia with murmured courtesies and a quick bow over each of their hands. For a moment their gaze lingers on Trinia's face as though trying to place her, but they shake it off almost before it's noticeable.

"So. More backup? Ven was light on the details, but what kind of trouble are you expecting at this... dance thing?"

From the Sanctuary, it is only a short way to the New Korvosa Theatre in the Ridgefield ward in the North Point district. Audria, Eliana, Talanaliel and Trinia get a carriage to themselves, while Abella, Dal, Elric and Pava load up into the other.

As they arrive at the New Korvosa theatre, it seems clear that their entourage is one of the most ostentatious. There are not many other carriages, and the ones who are there are rented and plain rather than marked with a noble house's coat of arms. The audience seems mostly middle class, with a few figures cloaked and veiled as if there incognito. That all makes sense when the theatre building comes into view - someone has made a clear effort with paint and cheap plaster to make the façade at least look resplendent, but it is still a far cry from the Marbledome.

As a result, the price of box seats is rather cheap, and the group enters their almost-central second tier box as the other spectators files in below and into the other boxes. Despite the cloaks and masks, it is pretty clear who is a noble (or at least someone of means), as those figures exclusively occupy boxes rather than mingling with the rest of the audience. After about ten minutes, the lights dim (by virtue of attendants rushing from one wall lamp to another rather than magic or anything else sophisticated) and the conversations quiet down to murmurs as everyone waits for the performance to begin.

"So. More backup? Ven was light on the details, but what kind of trouble are you expecting at this... dance thing?"

"Uh, no. If I was expecting trouble I wouldn't be wearing a nice dress nor inviting my best friends along," Audria says, wondering just how paranoid Pava is. Unless they're talking about the guards. Given Mister Orsini's feelings about the queen and their relationship with him, perhaps explaining that Eliana's a guest of Her Majesty would not be the best idea.

Pava squeezes their eyes shut in a blend of amusement and annoyance. "Ah. So that would be one of Ven's little jokes then." Their expression holds for a moment, before they smile. "Well at least the company's excellent."

***

Nips at Heels is appreciative of the skill the dance requires, but finds the story substantially less to their liking. Typical of Thousand Bones and his kin to turn everything into a bloody parade of 'if only both sides had been nicer'

They scuff their boot along the floor, nose wrinkling while they make a decision. Uncoiling their long limbs from their seat they look for a bouquet and borrow a pair of likely flowers from it. They toss one over to Audria -"For the friend you were pointing out. Actors love getting flowers."

Then, knifing through the crowd, they peel off from the group, angling towards the stage door, waiting for Gaekhen to appear. [i]I do hope he cleans off the fake tattoos first. It'd be like talking to him behind a mask... In my head Merula walks right past Nips at Heels at this point, but I don't want to step on whatever she's up to!

"Gaekhen?" They present the flower, held not unlike a parrying blade. "Been a while, haven't seen you since Guitonga's- since the err... So, this is what all you're up to then?" They poke the flower forward so they can jam their hands in their pockets. "I mean it's good, you look good, I just didn't know... What does Thousand Bones think about all this by the by? I don't talk to him so much anymore since Guitonga..."

Fireday, Desnus 15, 4708 — New Korvosa Theatre
Merula arrives to an atmosphere of tightly controlled panic just in time to get into her costume and get out on the stage for dress rehearsal, in which everything short of an actual injury that can possibly go wrong, does. The second violin (of two) in the orchestra arrives halfway through rehearsal, without her instrument or her sheet music, on the verge of hysterics due to the imp attack in which both were stolen from her. The entire production must take five while she is calmed down and replacements found. The magical ring that produces the illusory sound effects of everything from a rushing river to the screams and clashes of battle to shadow monsters smashing buildings — an expensive trinket, and Saratha's jealously guarded secret — is missing, so everyone backstage is searching for it frantically between their own numbers. Gaekhen perfectly hits his marks, but otherwise mistakes and mishaps abound. Gisela, whose veteran's calm before a show is usually a rock to everyone else, is provoked into a lively and creative stream of Varisian cursing by one particularly heavy landing fouled by a loose greave on her costume. It requires another delay for an emergency repair, and her costuming is already the most complex, since it must suggest a knight's heavy armor without interfering with her movement in any way: Brekka's jumps and spins are the most technically difficult of any of the dancers. Merula herself stumbles badly into one front aerial, for absolutely no reason at all except nerves, and narrowly avoids spraining an ankle by dropping into a roll instead. Even breezy Aylos is not unaffected. The third time he drops his sword instead of stabbing at her with it as a Chelish soldier in the final battle, Merula accidentally catches his eye and they both simply burst out laughing.

Fortunately, the old adage about a terrible dress rehearsal leading to a lucky performance seems to hold true. Saratha finds her ring in a not-yet-unpacked lockbox, where she herself put it for safekeeping during the move. A kind of calm falls over the dancers in the shared dressing room after the afternoon's fiasco, and Merula hears more than one person murmuring an echo of her own thoughts: Whatever happens, at least it can't be worse than that.

And indeed, when she does finally take the stage for the first number, everything seems to flow. Merula feels strong, light, limber, and connected with the rest of the cast and the stirring new music throughout. The song that plays while Hommel and Brekka first travel back to the town, wariness turning to playfulness as they trade provocations and the lead in their dance and slowly fall in love, might even be a hit in the taverns if someone set words to it, she thinks. Tsomah's most impressive choreography is in the first battle and the final one, and she is too focused on getting her own piece of the final clash right to really analyze the effect of the total performance as it is happening, but she thinks it goes exceptionally well. There are no stumbles, no missed catches, no dropping of weapons.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Perform (dance), dancer's garb: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 = 25

The show ends in a blur and the relief is immediate and total. She can see now why people chase this feeling, sometimes for a whole lifetime. It hardly even matters if the audience applauds, although of course she hopes they will and that the production as a whole will succeed despite its treatment of the Chelaxian and Shoanti factions as equals in both virtue and folly.

Mostly, Merula hopes that Mamma, Junie, Isi, and Audria and her friends liked it, or at least were not disappointed by the spectacle, and that Keyra Endrin and her father actually made use of the tickets she left for them. She is reasonably sure that Isi and Mamma will do so. Isi loves music and exciting battles, and Mamma likes an inevitably doomed romance, as well as tragedies caused by no particular fault in people other than their circumstances. She is less sure about Junie, who likes happy endings and dislikes the Shoanti, and even less sure than that about Commandant Endrin.

Elric spends a good deal of time chatting with Bartholomew, sharing stories from his naval deployment and listening to what Mauler has to share about the riots that threatened the Sanctuary, how well Audria has been doing with her training and in defending the temple and the rescue and relocation of the kids that had been held by Gaedren Lamm and his cronies.

As a result of his stories, Elric finds his respect for the group growing.

His own prepeartions for the theater trip are fairly brief, and mostly consist of wiping down his new armor and splashing some water in his face. When the four girls appear, it takes all his military discipline not to stare.

This assignment keeps getting more and more interesting. he thinks to himself, as he climbs into the second carriage.

At the theater, he is reminded of similar outings with his noble family. This is not his first time in a theater box, but he feels more at ease in the present company.

He enjoys the play more than he had expected, appreciating the physical skill needed to execute the difficult dance moves and the theme of conflict and tension. While he has not fought Shoanti raiders himself, the marines of Sable Company have been numerous hostile engagements with the warriors of different clans.

Does Elric spot Commandant Endrin?

Audria catches the flower that Pava tosses her way with only a little bit of fumbling. She at least manages not to mangle it in the process. "Thank you," she says to Pava before they head backstage.

---

A few minutes later, Audria, Eliana, Tally, and Trinia find Merula. Audria feels her cheeks heating slightly as she holds out the flower.

"You did great, Merula," Audria says with a smile. "We all enjoyed the performance."

Merula and Elric do not see Commandant Marcus Endrin in the audience (somewhat unsurprisingly), but Merula spots a girl almost leaning out of her box, her slipped cloak revealing the familiar features of Keyra Endrin, regularly being scolded by her long-suffering governess. Keyra at least seems to be greatly enjoying the performance, watching the more challenging parts with her mouth half open and a look of concentration as if she is trying to memorize the movements. She whoops and claps as the performers land a particularly tricky or spectacular move.

How well did Gaekhen do?: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 = 25

For his first performance in a lead role Gaekhen does admirably well, and the Shoanti man gives it his all - although he is not used to ignoring the audience yet. In the first part of the performance there are whistles and heckles from some of the spectators whenever Shoanti characters appear on stage, but after a while they quiet down. And while most of the audience doesn't seem to hold any great love for the Shoanti, they don't seem to be particularly fond of the Chelish either, and they jeer at Mercatio and the Chelaxian troops with almost equal enthusiasm.

After the performance, the dancers take some time to remove their costumes and make-up, chatting all the while about how the first night went. They are almost all electrified by a successful premiere, and many depart in small groups to celebrate at one of the nearby taverns.

Gaekhen emerges through the stage door, sweaty and still breathing fast, eyes alight with excitement. He laughs when he sees Pava, whatever awkwardness between them forgotten in the heady rush of his performance. "Hey Nips, been a while indeed! My gramos supports my dancing career, says that at least it keeps me off the streets and out of trouble. He even helped the costumers and make-up people with some pointers on Shoanti garb and tattoos."

Nips at Heels flinches hard when Gaekhen talks about staying out of trouble, but quickly glances off to other targets. "I figured the tattoos and all would be a bit naff in a production like this, but it makes sense as you two were in on it." There's a pause that lasts a half-second too long and out of habit or instinct, they lunge and twist rather than withdraw. "So. When they do a halfling opera do they all just run around on their knees? Or do they cast the net wider when they're not casting Shoanti?" They blanch, trying to flick away their words. "Sorry. Err, I don't know if you're looking to catch up some time, but I'm still out at the Kitchen, if you like. Look, I didn't expect as I'd be seeing you here and I clearly had worse than no idea what to do about it. Just err, take the flower anyways, right? Probably expensive innit?"

From the wings during the show, Merula smiles to see Keyra looking absorbed in the spectacle in a box seat with Miss Mhartis, and at one point she thinks she spots Mamma's and Isi's golden heads down in the stalls. She is interested to note that despite what she told Cressida Kroft, Shrike actually might not have been terribly out of place in the audience, for a fair number of people of means seem to have been interested enough in the premiere to come incognito. Saratha will be happy that her advertising worked in some form.

In a sense, the unrest may have been fortunate for the company, because the new venue is, if anything, better for this purpose than the old. Slumming it in humble Ridgefield for the evening is daring enough to feel exciting for the young gentry, but close enough to the Heights that their indulgent parents will allow it, and convenient to the Posh and Turtle for acceptable refreshments before or after.

Merula chats and laughs with the other performers until they begin to split off in groups, enjoying the shared high of a successful show. By now everyone knows she isn't much for drink, though not either of the real reasons why. Aylos still tries to include her on occasion, as he does tonight with an exaggerated grimace: "Come along to Three Rings for a mug of cat-lap or that hideous sage water you like?" But he never presses or asks why when she declines, even though the past six months must have been puzzling to him. He knows she's no ascetic. Alone among the Farrago company, he was there for her early days with the Follies, and a few truly regrettable late evenings in Old Dock where it was a wonder they weren't all mugged or worse.

In all the chaos of the search for the missing ring before the performance, with everyone rifling through every nook and cranny of the building and the still-packed moving boxes in every spare moment, then running about with their hands full of costume pieces and props, it was no trouble to set aside a few things in a darkened corner of the trap room. Merula passes under the stage and collects them on her circuitous way out of the building, stuffing them in her soft rucksack in mere moments.

Quite a few people are waiting at the stage door, one of them a rawboned Shoanti chatting to Gaekhen. Her eyes slide right over the two of them without pausing, but she checks upon seeing Audria, Talanaliel, Audria's fellow musician friend Eliana, and a young woman she doesn't know all clearly waiting for her, accompanied at a respectful distance by two men in the same uniforms she observed at Castle Korvosa.

Audria feels her cheeks heating slightly as she holds out the flower.

"You did great, Merula," Audria says with a smile. "We all enjoyed the performance."

"Goodness! For me? I love purple iris." Merula accepts the flower with aplomb, tucking it carefully into her arm, and does not joke about how the purple iris symbolizes admiration. "Thank you, Audria. I am so glad you enjoyed it, and I truly appreciate that you came. And you brought friends!"

Her engaging smile encompasses not just Audria, Talanaliel and Eliana — whom she now remembers she last saw as the flautist as Eodred's Remembrance — but the pixieish blonde woman, and the two bodyguards as well. The one she doesn't know must be someone important, to have the Queen's personal guards accompanying her. "I know it will not be to everyone's taste. Did you find it very shocking? Shall we be run out of town by tomorrow?"

The lighthearted tone says she does not consider this a serious possibility, but in point of fact, Director Florescu had made sure they all knew where the fastest back exits in this new theatre were for exactly that reason.

Gaekhen had always been endearingly open with whatever he was feeling, and Nips at Heels can plainly read his thoughts as the various expressions flicker across his features. First, there is confusion at the flower - clearly nobody has filled him in about artists, performances and flowers. Then there's a dawning realization of 'wait, do they like me?' and the jumble of feelings accompanying that before Gaekhen spots Audria offering a flower to Merula and realization dawns, embarrassment close on its heels.

"Ah, uh, thank you? I'm glad you liked it... Wait, you did like it, yeah? I'll, uh, I'll head out with the others to celebrate. Catch you later, yeah?"

Last chance for people to post reactions to the performance before we return to the Plot™.

"I think I saw someone preparing some tar and plucking some chickens," Trinia, the pixyish young woman, says with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Trinia, at least let me get you properly introduced before letting your sense of humor loose." Audria sighs while Eliana and Tally quietly laugh. "Merula, this is Trinia Sabor, she's the first friend Ellie and I made at the Sanctuary, even before they took us in. While she has a questionable sense of humor, she's harmless as long as she's not painting your portrait." Audria quickly turns her attention to Trinia before she object and adds, "Trinia, this is Merula Antius. She's an acquaintance of ours that we met when we were asked to perform at that party for the Genosa Family a couple of years back."

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Merula," Trinia says as she holds out her hand. "I'd love to come by the next time you're practicing so I can watch and do some studies." She beams, excited about the opportunity.

"As for getting run out of town, I think you shouldn't have to worry," Eliana says, her cheeks turning pink with bashfulness. "It seems like everyone at least enjoyed the performance."

One of the guards clears his throat before anyone else can say more.

"Begging your pardon, Miss Eliana," he says, "It is getting late, and we need to see you back to the castle."

The two guards let Eliana say her farewells ("You can keep the dresses!") before loading her up in the carriage and setting out towards the palace.

The audience has mostly filed out of the theater by now and the artists disperse as well, heading towards various taverns and drinking halls to celebrate their successful premiere.

Where to now?

Fireday, Desnus 15, 4708 — New Korvosa Theatre Stage Door

Merula laughs and takes Trinia's offered hand in a quick handshake. "A pleasure, Miss Sabor. Rehearsals are not typically open to the public, but I suspect Director Florescu will not mind at all if you like to come and use us as your models, as long as it is not messy or noisy. I will ask her for you."

She seems about to reply to Eliana before the guard interjects. Interesting that they should be here for her, but perhaps she is one of the Queen's court musicians now. She settles for, "You are very kind, Miss Eliana. And how splendid you all look in your gowns! But I should hate to keep you out past bedtime." Her eyes find Audria's with an exceedingly mild glance. "Take care on the way home, and thank you again!"

Fireday, Desnus 15, 4708 — Old Dock, Old Korvosa, a few hours later
Shrike waits for the others atop Copper-Beater Hall, the rucksack with 'disguises' at her feet, the disguise kit found at the Old Fishery under one arm, and her own pack and weapons tucked in a corner behind the chimneys. She herself now wears a different mask with a long beak and a flat-topped hat, along with a long cowled robe that connects to the hat, hiding her entirely. Although it's hard to tell, the lower half of the capacious 'robe' is actually a split skirt that allows for somewhat easier movement, similar to the ones ladies sometimes wear for riding. The overall effect evokes a doctor's garb, though the mask is slightly stylized, more like what one would see at a masquerade.

In the bag are two simple sailors' outfits with distinctively Ulfen design and embroidery, along with accompanying braided blonde wigs and one eye patch with a tiny hole in it so the wearer can in fact see out; one extremely loud minstrel's doublet, with narrow breeches and a foppish hat complete with curled feather; one embroidered coat and old-fashioned knee breeches of an old, rich, and (she now sees with dismay) quite short and stout gentleman, accompanied by a neat white wig and a quizzing-glass; and one outfit which she had grabbed almost at random while digging through a box, running out of time and thinking by the feel that it was also a nobleman's costume. Instead it must have been a harem boy: a scandalously truncated vest and long, flowing silken trousers gathered snugly at the ankle, made for someone tall.

Well, if no one wants to wear it, no one said we all have to be in disguise.

The New Korvosa Theatre
"Oh! I'll not be a bother at all! Thank you," Trinia says ecstatically. "If you need an artist to help with posters or anything, I'm more than happy to help."

Eliana and Trinia both blush at Merula's compliment.

"Thank you, Miss Merula. I'm glad I got to see you again, even if only for a moment," Eliana says.

All four of them say their goodbyes before leaving.

GM, would it be alright if we say that the carriages dropped off everyone at the Sanctuary before taking Eliana back to the castle and Trinia back to her flat? That was my original intention. Also, if Audria, Tally, and Trinia are keeping the dresses (I wasn't planning on that, by the way,) are they also keeping the jewelry? How much is all of that worth for Audria and Tally?

Roof of Copper-Beater Hall
After saying her farewells to Eliana and Trinia, Audria spends a little time changing before taking a brief nap. She's still tired after the long night last night and the shorter amount of sleep than she's used to. Tally wakes her an hour and a half later, just enough time to get ready and make it to Copper-Beater Hall. She intends to leave her halberd and armor behind, thinking both would be too conspicuous for this, but Tally insists, and without a lot of time for an argument, she packs the armor and carries the polearm, though she has no idea what she's going to do with either once they started going into Eel's End proper. Dressed in her usual adventuring garb, she leaves the Sanctuary via the Atrium.

---

Audria is happy that she's able to move around the Shingles fairly well since it's been a couple of years since she's done so with any regularity. At least, that is, until she slips while climbing up onto the roof of a taller building and lands hard on her side. She's not badly hurt, but she can tell she's going to be sore the next day and wind up with a rather spectacular bruise on her side. She's much more cautious after that, and she's rather happy that she manages to get up onto the roof of Copper-Beater Hall without making any noise or drawing attention to herself.

She makes her way to the chimneys that Shrike had told them to meet at. Seeing the strange and unfamiliar figure, she hesitates and wonders if someone else had arranged a meeting up here tonight.

"Um, H-hello," she calls out as softly as she can and still be heard over the noise of the copper-workers below. "W-who are you waiting for?"

"I don't think he's going to answer that one, Audrie," Tally whispers into the young paladin's ear.

The carriages can drop everyone off at the Sanctuary, but I think Trinia will want to change back into her clothes and walk back to her flat. The dresses (without the jewelry, that returns to the castle) are courtier's outfits worth 30 gp each.

Thanks! My plan was to have everyone change back at the sanctuary so Ellie could take it all with her, but I don't think Audria or Trinia would say no to a nice dress.

Earlier
Well. Could scarcely have cocked that up worse.

***
Coppertops

Pava finds a rough section of the wall to ascend, but seems quite comfortable with clandestine rooftop meetings.

"Aww, so the bird thing is really a theme with you, innit?" Pava greets the person they presume to be Shrike.

"These your costumes?" they ask, moments from rifling through the bag.

"Mm.. no, no, it's a good doublet but it'd raise more questions than it answered... not on your life... oh hello!"

Pava hold up the harem boy outfit at Shrike. "This your idea? You're a bit of a dirty bird aren't you?"

Standing up they hold it against themself. "Oh this could almost fit, but-" they tug up the hem of their tunic to bare softly silver chain instead of the tattoos their stomach bears "-my armor wears quiet; it doesn't wear invisible... Could I cadge this off you later though?"

"Um, h-hello," she calls out as softly as she can and still be heard over the noise of the copper-workers below. "W-who are you waiting for?"

The beaky mask turns Audria's way. There is a beat, and then Shrike's voice, sounding oddly muffled. "It's just me, girl." She is barely audible over the clangor of the hammers and sheet-metal rolling machines inside the building below.

Falling stars, she hates this mask already. There is no gap for the nose and mouth, so breathing is more difficult, her breath makes the inside unpleasantly clammy, and her voice doesn't come through properly. How could anyone have worn this for an entire number?

When Pava arrives, Shrike nudges the sack over with one foot in silent offering and waits out the rifling and commentary with motionless patience. "They're borrowed." The flat muffled voice makes it hard to tell if she is amused, annoyed, embarrassed, or something else.

Audria's shoulders slump as she relaxes. Talanaliel, in the form of a songbird, flits over to Shrike's shoulder and watches curiously as Pava sorts through the clothing.

"Where did you find all this," she asks, her tiny voice barely audible over the clangor below despite being right next to Shrike's ear.

Once Pava's done, Audria finds that this is going to be more difficult than she thought.

"It looks I'm either an entertainer or someone who stole their grandfather's best," she says after a moment, then looks around, a confused expression with a hint of worry crossing her face. "W-where are we supposed to change," she asks.

Pava Looks at Shrike again, and they pause for a while in silent assessment. Then with a quick nod with something of a salute to it, they go back to smiling. "Can't blame me for asking though, eh? With my legs?"

Pava sighs, takes off their cloak and hefts it over to Audria. "Now mind, duckling, I wouldn't have been looking anyways, but unless you brought a great folding screen this is probably as good as it gets, innit?"

”The bird thing absolutely is a thing. My doing. Audria is Canary. We don’t have a duckling yet, so the position is open, should you desire it.”

Abella looks over the various clothing items and takes up the eyepatch, putting it on immediately. ”I always loved eyepatches, so much I considered plucking an eye out for the privilege.” She gives an honestly appraising look at Pava and their “harem boy” outfit. ”Cainabeth is the fashionable one, but while I may not know fashion, I know what I like, and I like the idea of your legs in it.” She does not realize how flirty that sounds until after she has already said it, and the barest hint of red color is suggested on her pale face. She clears her throat and picks up the minstrel doublet. ”A one-eyed bard! What a lovely concept. How notable and interesting. I would immediately want to speak to that person.” She pauses, then lets it drop. ”Horrible. I don’t want random people talking to me. Nor should a disguise be memorable for our purposes.” She takes up one of the sailor outfits instead and holds it up. ”Whereas this…my pale skin and eyepatch would mark me as crew who works below deck. A reinforcing, obvious narrative. Yes, I think I will take this.”

The tension returns to Audria's shoulders as Pava confirms what she fears.

"Lovely," she mumbles just as Abella makes her presence known.

"I guess I better get changed before the boys get here," she says once Abella has chosen her disguise. She looks up at Shrike and Pava, hoping that they would help her out.

"Any ideas? I don't know what would fit," she admits.

And with that, I've put Audria at y'all's mercy. Do be gently. She blushes easily. :P