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The temples of the city are up to their elbows in the sick, injured and the dead. The plague has taken its toll upon the faiths, and even now, it shows, as the temples’ collective resources are not readily apparent.

The Acadamae still has its doors shut and its resources pulled inwards until such time that the dust has truly settled. The Diviners on the outside state that the day the Acadamae seeks has not arrived for the Stars are not aligned correctly as of yet.

The Order of the Nail has all but abandoned the city. They have all retreated to Citadel Vraid. It is rumored that Lictor Severs called them all back to plan an invasion of Korvosa, and that he will swell the numbers of his troops with the legions of Hell itself.

The worst is that between the riots and the plague both the Korvosan Guard and the Sable Company have taken staggering losses in their collective ranks. To add to this great misfortune, the Queen has all but pulled her support of them both to focus on her personal Guard, the Gray Maidens.

The Maidens meanwhile patrol the waterways surrounding Old Korvosa to keep the quarantine in and the rest of the populace away. The fires still burn and smolder, but not as often. The riots still happen as well but with the same ferocity as the fires.

After two weeks of standing at this proverbial precipice, the heralds and cries of the Crimson Throne announce through the streets of Korvosa. Announcing upon the end of the week Queen Ileosa Arabasti will bring forth great news to hearten the spirit of her beloved City and her proud subjects.

On the appointed day, the throngs of citizen, both rich and poor, gather in the courtyard of Castle Korvosa. Gay Maidens guard the perimeter and walkways casting their blank helmed stares towards the crowd as if looking for an excuse to slay them all.

Queen Ileosa enters the courtyard from the palace. Her beauty and grace accented by the form fitting, yet tasteful, green gown she wears. Upon her noble brow, rest a new crown. Made of the purest gold covered in the exquisite gemstones and what seem to be ivory fangs. Ileosa's movement and pace is of perfect measure. Every action is as if rehearsed, from a simple nod to an Arbiter to weak but friendly smile to an artisan and his family. Yet, The Queen does not move alone.

On her immediate right flank is Sabina Merrin, her personal bodyguard, dressed in the armor of the Gray Maidens. Her eyes keep scanning the crowd and the Maidens. Her hair cut in a short bob; Sabina is truly a commanding presence.

One Ileosa’s left is a fat sweaty man in voluminous blood red robes. His beady eyes scan the crowd yet his hands twisted and pull at one another like two dogs fighting over a scrap of meat.

Behind the Queen and her two escorts are Marcus Endrin, Commandant of the Sable Company and Cressida Kroft, Commander of the Korvosa Guard. They eye everything and everyone warily.

When they stop at a point that was predetermined Queen Ileosa raised her arms in triumph and speaks to the crowd:

“My beloved subjects. The plague has ended. We have won a great struggle and we should be proud of it, but we must also remember the cost to us all.

“Dr. Reiner Davalus gave his life to find a cure, and as such he shall be considered a hero of the city as even now his remains are being shipped back to his family in Cheliax. Our Queen’s Physicians are to disband. They have all earned a much-needed rest, so that they may continue upon their private lives again. We are eternally grateful for all your endeavors.

“ We have suffered another loss as Seneschal Kalepopolis has gone missing and is presumed dead. Thus we have no other choice but to assign a new Seneschal, and to our left he stands”, Ileosa points to her left to the obese man and continues. “ This is the Esteemed Master Togomor, and he is our Seneschal!”

The crowd applauds if not excitedly then with enough fervor to be supportive of the choices made so far. The Queen waits and continues.

“ We have also seen the true colors of our supposed “friends” of the Order of the Nail. By fleeing like the children, they are back to their Citadel Vraid to pull the wool from their heads. What is even worse is that both our beloved Sable Company and Korvosan Guard has suffered terribly over the past few months in their collective ranks. We are sorry to state that neither group is capable to continue as Korvosa’s protectors anymore. To shore up this fault we here by install the Gray Maidens as the rightful protectors of Korvosa, and appoint their leader Sabina Merrin as Korvosan High General.”

As Queen Ileosa gestures to Sabina the ripple of concern washes over the gathered crowd. Once the whispered talks silence under both women’s glares the Queen continues.

“ Sadly with this news we must dissolve the Sable Company and have all remaining marines be folded into the Korvosan Guard. Commandant Endrin if you would please step forward and return you badge to us.”

With shock, the crowd watches history and tradition turn on its ear in Korvosa. Commandant Endrin takes two steps forward and stops, trembling. He reaches for his badge, but instead of handing it over, he throws it at the Queen, striking her across her left cheek. The entire assembly goes into a paralyzed shock.

Embolden Marcus Endrin bellows to all whom can hear him, “ Your shameful reign ends now! Korvosa will be free again!” As he finishes, his crossbow is in hand and he looses upon the Queen. His aim is true and he hits her squarely in the temple.

Yet she does not fall!

With incredible speed and fury, she pulls out the bolt and even before the blood reaches her shoulder, she has Endrin by his throat raising him off the floor. An instant later, she buries the offending bolt, by hand, into Endrin’s skull, right between his eyes with a powerful blow that would seem to never to come from such frame.

Queen Ileosa drops the offend man without a care to his service to the City and shakes blood from her hands. Her clear and imperious voice carries over the shocked crowd, “This shall be the fate of all enemies of Korvosa! Mark well his death! It is only the first!”

Togomor waddles up to her quickly and takes her by the hand and they then teleport back to the Castle. As she disappears, the courtyard breaks into riot and the Gray Maidens pounce and quickly quell the masses. The City now knows their Queen.

As such they were commended for their efforts and each was allowed to purchase an item of some worth on the Crown's coin, acquire a piece of equipment from the stores of Citadel Volshyenek, gifted by skilled craftsmen of the city free of charge, but most talked about was the grand feast held in their honor in Trail's End in which the neighborhood came out in all its Varisian blooded glory and welcomed these none locals as long lost family.

The Queen's reward was delivered to the Saviors by the Sable Company commander, one Marcus Thalassinus, as the Queen was not up to the task due to her attending to the return of the remains of Dr. Reiner Davaulus back to Egorian to be interned within his family's burial vaults.

Within all this great news there is a darkened cloud that hangs over the city.

First is the hunt for the Traitor Trinia Sabor the reward has been marked up to 10,000 Gold Sails for her capture, dead.

Second is the quarantine of Old Korvosa as it was the start of Blood Veil. The Gray Maidens, the Queen's personal guard, burnt down every wooden bridge to the isle and has placed guard post on the stone bridges to the isle. All the City can see now is the fires of rioters and looters and hear the screams of the mad, murdered and tortured. The city weeps as madness take the island.

Next is the disappearance of Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis. No one has any idea what happened to him or where he may have gone, but many of the upper echelon of the Sable Company worry, as the Seneschal was once one of them.

Finally the darkest rumor of all that The Queen's physicians were behind the plague and even worse the Queen knew, but no one speaks too loudly of the matter, as the Grey Maidens are every where now.

The Queen's Physicians, have made leaps and bounds in containing the out breaks. The sick houses are crammed, but still have room for more, and many patients are slowly recovering.

Dr. Davaulus has stated, from his personal base of the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden on West Dock. "We have not come out of the storm as of yet. We still do not know from whence this plague has started, and drastic measures may need to be taken."

The Grey Maidens have shown great resolve and determination to help the citizens in general. They carefully patrol the streets and gingerly help the sick to the plague houses of the Queen's Physicians, for better treatment.

Other news about town...

A Mob caught a wererat prowling an alley way and blamed the beastly creature for their woes. he was soon beheaded by someone in possession of a Silver Axe. The City waits in baited breathe to see if the is repercussions for this act of fear.

Lavender's a prominent perfumery in the Heights, has been closed for selling a fraudulent cure all for the plague. The owner, one Vendra Loaggri, and two of her guards have been detained for trial for Robbery. Rumor also has it that Lady Loaggri maybe charged with multiple counts of Accidental Death.

Finally messages of graffiti have been seen to sprout up in lower income areas of the city especially Old Korvosa.

"Blackjack shall save us!"

"Sabor is free!"

"Death to the Whore Queen of Korvosa."