Legendary Campaign - The King's Cousin comes to Katarina

Wednesday May 24, 1066 SE

Over the last week, Branna finished the costume she designed for Mon, and it looks perfect. Meanwhile, Mon has not seen the green bear, though he has looked for it every day in its assigned corner.

As Mon, Marigold and Branna eat breakfast in the Palace cafeteria, a group of pages run in, and distribute notes to department heads. Several of them immediately stand up and leave the room. Pavel also receives a note, and after reading it he stands up, and hits his glass to get everyone's attention. "Folks," he tells them, "the entire staff of the Legendary has been called for at 8 am this morning. That's in 45 minutes. Finish your breakfast quickly, then meet in the theater lobby."

Mon finishes his breakfast. Marigold does the same, then packs up a second breakfast just in case. She then returns to her room and grabs her most valuable tools and objects before heading out to the Legendary, worried that someone may take the opportunity to raid the hotel.

The entire staff is present in the lobby. The laborers and the office staff are on their regular schedule, but the actors and actresses are much earlier than usual, and as a result most of them are not well put together. At precisely 8, Sir Gregory Tsaplin, accompanied by his manservant Ony and Yurchik the theater director come down the stairs from the second floor and his offices. Sir Gregory Tsaplin announces to the assembled troop that they have just received notification that Sir Sergeii, renowned baritone and first cousin to the King of Sezja, is coming to Katarina to showcase his talent and offer three memorable performances at the Legendary. His performances will be Friday and Saturday night, and a matinee on Sunday before he departs the island to return to the mainland on Monday. Sir Gregory Tsaplin asks that all laborers, carpenters, and skills crew members spruce the theater up, while actors and non-essential staff pitch in to fill up the theater with sold-out performances. The crowd disperses in grumbles, as this postpones their own activities another week.

Meanwhile, tasked with selling tickets, Mon borrows a staff and a box he can stand on from props. Marigold gives him both, but tells him he's responsible for bringing them back. Mon is teamed up with Luba by Yurchik. Luba expresses distastes at being relegated to a salesgirl role, something she thought she had left behind years ago. Luba is also concerned that the Cardinal and his men are still watching her following her recent arrest and release. Mon tells her not to worry. His plan is to travel to the three most important intersections with Luba where he will use his best voice to advertise, creating an illusion of Sir Sergeii's profile above his head. Mon tells Luba to find her prettiest dress and go out there and sell tickets. Mon then asks Branna if the costume department has a town crier's outfit. Branna locates the costume, but realizes the pants are missing. She finds a new pair of pants that will match, and gives him a bell with an amplified spell to make it sound louder.

Branna then meets with Oskana about costumes. Oskana tells her they're flying blind. She saw Sir Sergeii a few years back in Sezja, and though his costumes are bright, they are not ostentatious. She recommends several outfits that could potentially work well for the choir, and asks her assistant to gather them all and have them ready when Sir Sergeii's people come to the Legendary.

Marigold takes apart the props she has been building for the play and hides the pieces to avoid theft or damage. The singer will not need any props, so the department has been tasked to help the laborers with repainting the theater, replacing carpets, and ensuring that every piece of brass shines and every window is cleaned. The Legendary must sparkle!

The ship carrying Sir Sergeii, the Astral Star, arrives in Katarina early in the afternoon. Sir Sergeii's staff make arrangements for his costumes to be delivered to the Legendary, and he requests that his people connect with the Legendary's people to coordinate their efforts to ensure his performances are perfect.  Mon goes to the waterfront and he observes Sir Sergeii, getting off the ship. The man is elegant and distinctive, without looking too arrogant. Sir Sergeii, waves at the adoring crowd, and boards a carriage for his ride uptown. Mon thinks he has enough to create a decent illusion of the baritone. Several servants unload many wooden chests, all clearly marked with Sir Sergeii's crest. These are loaded up in two wagons, which are then carted up to the Legendary.

Sir Sergeii

Sir Sergeii examines the city of Katarina as his carriage takes him uptown. The singer is staying at the Classic, the best hotel in town, and he checks in to the Royal Suite on the fourth floor, the highest floor in the building. Centrally located on the north side of the Svetozar Plaza, the four stories neo-classical building offers an oppulent environment and an incomparable view of the harbor and the fjord leading to the sea. The Classic possesses the island's only Royal Suite, booked by the rich and notables who are concerned about comfort and security. After deeming his surroundings acceptable, Sir Sergeii meets with his staff to plan his stay in Katarina. His meeting is interrupted by the delivery of a large bouquet of flowers from Blossom Boutique. The Marquess of Sidorov has sent Sir Sergeii a large bouquet of flowers and requests a lunch date with him. Sir Sergeii determines to keep his eye on her private loge to see if this is something he wants to do.

Lena and the rest of the marketing department create and distribute flyers and posters to all of the actors by the end of the afternoon, so the actors collect their share and head out. As Mon gathers his flyers, Marigold suggests that they start a rumor that the socialites are purchasing large blocks of tickets. Mon adds that they could start the rumor that members of the Royal family are also here to secretly view the performance. Mon and Luba perform the skit Mon wrote at the three most frequented intersections in uptown Katarina. While performing on the corner of the Classic, Mon accidentally falls from his box, much to the delight of the crowd. Sir Sergeii, who had heard the commotion, watched the performance and appreciated the spell that recreated his likeness, but was shocked to see how scantily clad Luba was, and found himself scandalized by her wooden and unprofessional performance.

Based on reports on the entertainment life in Katarina from his spymaster, Sir Sergeii books the best loge at the Starlight, and he sends his agents to the other theaters so they can report on the Thursday night performances.

Thursday, May 25, 1066 SE

As the folks at the Legendary continue to prepare for Sir Sergeii's performance, the city is abuzz with the presence of the King's cousin, and rumors that other members of the Royal family will secretly be in attendance swirl throughout town. That afternoon, Sir Sergeii, wearing a light disguise, exits the Classic through a secret door, and meanders through Katarina, taking mental notes of what he sees. He eventually heads to the Cathedral, where he is immediately ushered in the Cardinal's office. Sir Sergeii notes that the Cardinal's office is massive and is bigger than the King's throne room. 

The two of them discuss the political situation on the Island of Katarina and the loose morals of its population. The Cardinal is particularly insistent on the presence of a separatist group on the island called the Oaks. This group, he explains to Sir Sergeii, wishes the island to become independent. The church leader points out that the island generates more wealth for the Kingdom of Sezja than all of the other provinces, and that some folks on Katarina do not appreciate the support and protection they receive from the Crown. He reports on some minor sabotage that the agents of Oaks have perpretated, and he mentions that Sir Sergeii might be a target, due to his connection with the Sezjan crown. He further tells Sir Sergeii that the situation is currently under control, and that he plans to execute a raid on the Oaks sympathizers in the next few weeks. The Cardinal would, however, appreciate a sizeable increase in the number of troops under his commands, as he doubts that the soldiers on Katarina would fight on his behalf without specific orders from the Archduke, orders that would never be given in any case due to the Archduke's animosity to the Cardinal's mission of morality and order.

Sir Sergeii comments on the performance he watched outside the hotel, and his description of the actress accurately identifies Mon and Luba. The Cardinal agrees that this lascivious performance violates the moral code, and that both of them should be arrested and brought in for questioning. The Cardinal issues arrest warrants against Luba and Mon, to be executed on Monday after Sir Sergeii departs.

Sir Sergeii  returns to his hotel room, removes his disguise, then heads out through the front door. Welcomed by adoring fans, he signs several autographs, then makes his way to Khoroshim, where he eats a delicious diner. After his meal, he takes a carriage to the Starlight, where he attends the performance. He leaves vaguely confused about the message, but was mildly entertained. He receives reports from the other performances from his spymaster and his other agents, and all of them agree that the plays do not feature high morals, and many of the actors are scantily clad.

Friday, May 26, 1066 SE

Everyone at the Legendary hears the rumor that Sir Sergeii will be having lunch on Saturday with the Marquess of Sidorov. The rumor reaches the singer himself, who, seeing his hand forced, agrees to meet the Marquess for lunch at Khoroshim. Mon, Marigold and Branna receive a notice that following tonight's performance, their presence is requested at the Katarina's Palace, the Archduke's official residence, for a late dinner and a truncated private performance of the third act of Masha and the Bear. Sir Sergeii has also been invited as the guest of honor. The three of them are thrilled and nervous. A private performance in front of the Archduke and his family!

The atmosphere at the Legendary is electric as the last preparations are made for the evening's performance. Sir Sergeii holds a practice performance with the choir and provides extensive notes on what needs to be fixed before tonight's show. The theater's doors open up promptly at six to a sold-out show, and by the time the performance begins, all seats are taken. The Archduke and his family are in attendance in their private loge, while the Cardinal sits across from them in his own space.  

Marigold elects to watch the performance with lighting, keeping an eye on the exit in case of troubles. Mon hides in the secret compartment he discovered underneath the Cardinal's loge. During the performance, Mon overhears the Cardinal discussing his own upcoming arrest, along with Luba, and the measures that the Cardinal plans on implementing to avoid any trouble with the Archduke's soldiers and the local population.

Sir Sergeii's performance is brilliant, and his list of recriminations concerning the choir and the lighting departments are minimal. Even the seasoned singer is mildly impressed by the quality of the local talent.The applause are thunderous, but even over the loudness of the crowd, everyone can clearly hear the Marquess of Sidorov's cheers, leading to much chuckling in the crowd. Even the Cardinal stands and applauds the performance, something rarely seen in the Legendary.

Following the performance, Mon, Marigold, Branna, Luba and several other actors head to the Katarina's Palace. The dinner is tense, with the Archduke mildly rebuking Sir Sergeii for not warning the island of his arrival. Had the Archduke known, Sir Sergeii's welcome would have been grand, and he himself would have met the singer at the docks. Sir Sergeii apologizes, and notes that perhaps the message was lost or delayed in transit. The Archduke's youngest daughter, Yula, fawns over the famous singer and asks for his autograph, but his eldest daughter, Verushka, appears visibly upset at the singer's presence at their table.

After a delicious dinner showcasing foods from Katarina and consisting of roasted mutton with golden potatoes and a mixture of baked garlic and red onions with a glaze, the players set up Masha and the Bear. Mon's performance is excellent, and even Luba shines. Sir Sergeii is taken aback that the pathetic performance he observed the day before came from the same person he sees tonight. However, she is still scantily clad, much to his annoyance.

Saturday, May 27, 1066 SE

After rising up late in the morning, Sir Sergeii prepares himself for lunch with the Marquess of Sidorov at the Khoroshim. He organizes a pre-arranged signal with his spymaster, so that the latter can interrupt any time Sir Sergeii fells like departing. The meal is delicious, but the Marquess's incessant blabber soon forces Sir Sergeii to execute his exit strategy. Heading to the Legendary, he meets with Yurchick, and reviews the notes from the previous night's performance.

Sir Sergeii then meets with Mon and they discuss his marketing strategy. Sir Sergeii mentions Luba being unprepared, and Mon defends the actress, explaining that she doesn't do very well with improvisation, and that she had experienced a fairly bad week in her personal life. Following his meeting with the singer, Mon leaves a note for Sir Gregory about him and Luba being arrested on Monday afternoon.

 Sir Sergeii's performance Saturday night is even better than the previous night, the sold-out crowd delivers a solid stand up ovation. The Cardinal once again attended the performance, and so did the Archduke, but this time only Yula was there with him.

Sunday, May 28, 1066 SE

Sir Sergeii closes out his third and final performance at the sold out Legendary with the Szejan national anthem, which is raucously echoed by the crowd. That evening, he compiles a secret report to be delivered to the King of Sezja about the political and moral situation on Katarina, which he entrusts to his spymaster.

Monday, May 29, 1066 SE

A crowd assembles at the dock to see Sir Sergeii depart Katarina. With his spymaster reporting rumors of a possible attempt on his life by Katarina separatists, Sir Sergeii boards his ship, and, as it pulls away from the dock, makes an announcement that shocks the crowd. The King of Sezja himself and his royal retinue will be visiting the island in a month's time. The crowd is part shocked, part thrilled at this turn of even. As the Astral Star sails away, the Cardinal's men close in on Mon, who uses a smoke bomb Marigold had developed for this occasion, and jumps in the waters off the dock. He walks underwater until he emerges a few hours later wet but no worse for wear. After a short stint at the Anchor's Luck to dry himself, he returns to the Palace and meet with his friends.

Marigold suggest that to avoid the Cardinal's ire, livery for marketing be done that adheres to the Church's strict dress code. All female staff should be told what they need to wear when traveling from their residence to the theater and back, to avoid running into the Cardinal's men.

Wednesday, June 1, 1066 SE

Mon receives an unmarked letter, apologizing for the inconvenience of his presence being an unfortunate casualty of suspicion in regards to the culture and the morality of the island, means no ill will and his performance was exemplary, and should he find his way on the mainland he would be a welcome guest ...