Friday, June 10, 1066 SE
With the arrival of the King of Sezja in a few weeks, the Legendary and its people have been busy. Over the last week, a friend system has been implemented when actors and staff travel to and from the Legendary. The personnel has been asked to wear only modest clothing, to avoid drawing attention from the Cardinal and his men. However, people have noticed that they
have not been seen on the streets this last week. Word on the street from local employees of the Cathedral is that the men are preparing for the
King's arrival by analyzing possible situations, determining some of
the risks, and preparing countermeasures. Darker tongues whisper that they are instead planning a secret mission. The most outlandish scenario concerns a possible plot to arrest the Archduke
and his family and transfer Katarina's rule to the Cardinal or a close representative of the King.
During the understudy rehearsal in the afternoon, Luba and Mon talk about Matviyko. Mon's new understudy has learned his lines very quickly, and he appears to be quite the gifted actor. In fact, he appears too good for someone who supposedly has no acting experience. Mon suggests that perhaps Matviyko is a plant, sent there to spy on the Legendary and its crew for the Cardinal or some other nebulous power. Luba agrees that it is possible, but unless and until Matviyko made a move, there would be no way of telling for sure. Mon ponders whether a spell could help.
Mon also mentions to Luba that he noticed Verushka had a strange reaction when she first met Matviyko. She seems to know who he is. Perhaps, Mon muses aloud, they could invite Verushka, the Archduke's eldest daughter, to the Legendary for a tea party and private rehearsal, and then bring the subject of Matviyko. Verushka might be willing to explain what she knows about the new actor. Luba enthusiastically supports the idea, and she agrees to send an invitation to the Archduke's daughter.
Sunday, June 12, 1066 SE
Luba meets Mon before the afternoon performance of General Toptigin Cheats Death, and she informs him that Verushka replied back, and she loves the idea. The first daughter suggested either Tuesday or Wednesday as dates, as her parents will be at the Winter Palace to prepare it in case the King requests use of the Palace in Katarina. Mon suggests that Wednesday would probably be better. Luba agrees, and rushes to send Verushka a reply.
Monday, June 13, 1066 SE
Katarina is in full cleaning and renovating mode. The Archduke has ordered that every building in town receive a fresh coat of paint and that repairs be done to present its best face to the royal crowd as the King's arrival nears.
Early that morning, Mon is stopped at the front desk by the Palace's clerk on duty, who advises him that the doctor has been here and found that Herald's isolation could now conclude, as the cad is no longer contagious. As a result, Mon has received permission from the doctor to return to his room. Mon inquires with the clerk if he can stay in his single room for now. The clerk confirms that he can for the next week or so, but that new crew members are coming in to help support the staff during the King's presence, and all the rooms will be occupied.
Mon thinks that perhaps he could build himself a suite in some of the unused space in the Legendary. This space could then be converted to deluxe suites that some of the wealthier members of the cast or crew could rent, at rates cheaper than those for a town apartment, and which would provide them with better security since they would remain on campus. Thinking this is a good idea, Mon decides he will present this idea to Sir Gregory today, as the owner of the Legendary requested a meeting with him at the 10th hour.
Over breakfast, Mon, Marigold and Branna discuss the current situation and examine several possibilities. Perhaps Duhka could infiltrate the Cathedral and gather more information. She could join the kitchen staff and learn how many men are training and what they are actually training for. Marigold postulates that as long as she gets in, gathers information, gets out and doesn't come back, she should be relatively safe. No decision is made on whether this idea should be broached to the precocious ghost resident of the Legendary.
On the way out of the Palace, the clerk on duty gives Marigold a letter they just received for her. In a wrinkled envelope, she finds an invitation written in a halting and trembling hand from Captain Popov, inviting her and her friends on a boat trip out to sea around Katarina. He has the abalone she requested, and he would like to show them something he discovered.
While Marigold and Branna return to work in the Legendary's backstage, Mon heads to the head office on the fourth floor of the front building for his meeting with Sir Gregory. Arriving at 9:45, Mon is greeted by Ony, Sir Gregory's manservant, who explains that Sir Gregory has not yet arrived, but he should be here shortly. He offers Mon some pastries and tea, listing seventeen different brands of teas. Mon politely asks what the brands are, and Ony is more than pleased to list them all as he hands a small jar of tea to the actor at a time:
- Celestial Elixir, an ethereal and light blend of moonlight-infused chamomile and starflower petals, creating a soothing, dreamy infusion generally enjoyed before bed but sometimes consumed in the daytime.
- Dragonfire Chai, a fiery and robust blend of black tea, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes, offering a spicy kick reminiscent of dragon breath. Considered by many to be a great picker upper.
- Enchanted Grove, a crisp and refreshing tea from the Sezjan mainland composed of fresh green tea leaves and hints of forest berries, invoking the serene essence of enchanted woodlands.
- Mermaid Serenade, a smooth and graceful fusion of black tea and tropical fruits, accompanied by a subtle hint of ocean mist, as if serenaded by mermaids.
- Phoenix Rising Herbal Blend, a full-bodied herbal infusion of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, reminiscent of a phoenix's fiery rebirth.
- Faerie Kiss Floral Infusion, a delicate and airy blend of rose petals, lavender, and elderflower, crafting a floral symphony inspired by the gentle touch of faerie kisses.
- Kraken's Embrace, a rich and bold blend of black tea leaves, infused with hints of sea salt and blackcurrant, capturing the essence of the deep sea, and much favored by sailors in Low Town.
- Unicorn White Tea, a tranquil blend of white tea with notes of apricot and elderflower, evoking the feeling of contentedness that comes from meeting a unicorn. Not that anyone has ever met a unicorn, but at least that's what they say happens when you meet a unicorn.
- Starfall Chamomile, a calm and soothing chamomile infusion with hints of honey and vanilla, reminiscent of a starry night's peaceful descent.
- Pirate's Gold Honeybush, a medium-bodied and earthy honeybush tea infused with wildflower honey, golden raisins, and a touch of caramel, capturing the essence of pirate treasures.
- Gryphon's Graceful Green, a crisp and vibrantly refreshing green tea blended with hints of lemongrass and ginger, embodying the graceful spirit of the gryphon.
- Enigma Elixir, a mysterious and complex blend of black tea, anise, and blackberries, creating a taste that hints at ancient secrets. Rumored to be drunk by conspirators before swearing allegiance to their dastardly plots.
- Moonlit Meadows White Peony, a gentle white peony tea with subtle notes of wildflower honey and a touch of moonlit magic, evoking the serenity of moonlit meadows.
- Sweet Dream, a velvety and soothing blend infused with creamy vanilla and the essence of rainbow berries, creating a dreamy concoction.
- Phoenix Feather Mint Infusion, a refreshing infusion of peppermint and spearmint leaves, with a subtle undertone of lemon zest, reminiscent of a phoenix's plumage.
- Leprechaun's Lucky Chai, a spicy and full-bodied chai blend with cardamom, ginger, and cloves, enhanced with a touch of Katarina whiskey, promising a dash of luck with each sip.
- Enchanted Forest Berry Black Tea, a bold and fruity black tea infused with forest berries, wild blackberries, and a hint of enchanted forest magic, taking the drinker on a mystical journey through the woods with every cup.
Inspired by all of these choices, which is a change from the plain black tea served at the Palace, Mon assembles a custom blend, and offers a cup to Ony, who is immediately taken by the flavorful drink and by its smooth body. Ony suggests that Mon should present this new blend of tea to Sir Gregory, as it could become the Legendary's own house blend, generating new sales in the theater's cafe and in its gift shop. Mon puts a dab of alcohol in Ony's cup. Dubious, Ony has a sip, and reports that it tastes fine, but that as Sir Gregory does not drink, and in fact has an aversion to alcohol, perhaps Mon should refrain from presenting that particular combination to Sir Gregory.
Finally, about 10 minutes past 10, Sir Gregory comes in, hat askance, hair messed up, mustache not properly twirled. He apologizes profusely to Mon, and then requests that Ony join him in his office. Even with the door closed, Mon is able to overhear part of the conversation. It seems that money is tighter than even Mon suspected, and Sir Gregory has unkind words about an individual who is evidently trying to foreclose on the Legendary. The situation must be dire indeed for Sir Gregory to be this out of sorts!
Finally summoned to Sir Gregory's office, Mon enters a large room with a large desk and a plush chair in one corner. The desk is devoid of papers, mementos, or even of any object. Four comfortable leather couches are placed in the opposite corner surrounding a coffee table filled with newspapers reviewing the most recent play. The walls are covered with posters, advertisements, and portraits of famous actors. A door in the back of the room leads to a small bathroom. A cart filled with more teas and pastries stands near the main door. Sir Gregory directs Mon to one of the couches, and the theater owner sits on the closest couch to Mon. He presents him with a small gift placed in a box wrapped in powdered blue paper with a white ribbon.
Mon then proceeds to present two ideas to Sir Gregory. He explains how he discovered a cache of wine in an abandoned cellar, and some of this wine is rare and pricey.
He suggests that a wine auction could be held, raising funds for the Legendary. Sir Gregory heartily agrees, and proposes a finder's fee of 20% for Mon. Mon then presents his idea of the deluxe suites. The suites would be single, so more valuable staff members would not need to share. Sir Gregory offers him another 20% from profits made on the suite, but Mon instead suggests that he could receive one of the suites, so that he does not have to stay with Herald as the cad is back. Sir Gregory finds the idea attractive, but wonders who would clean these suites. Mon suggests that each suite would contain enough space to have a small room for either a maid or a manservant to stay with the suite's occupant. Sir Gregory agrees this is a good idea. He tells Ony to notify Pavel and begin construction at once, after consultation with Mon and suitable spaces being found. Mon noticed that Ony's eyebrow raised at the mention of Herald's return.
With business now concluded, Mon opens Sir Gregory's present. It is a pair of silver cufflinks in the shape of a seashell. These cufflinks are Shadowcloak cufflinks. The wearer can activate them to become invisible for 10 +1d10 minutes. The wearer can also use the cufflinks up to five times a day to teleport up to 60 feet through shadows. However, each cufflink will only work if both cufflinks are worn by the same person. Mon casually mentions that the cufflinks would also have been very noticeable had they been shaped like an oak leaf, but the remark does not seem to mean anything to Sir Gregory.
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| Shadowcloak cufflinks |
Just as Mon is about to ask Sir Gregory another question about the Oak, the loud voice of the Marquess of Sidorov carries from the hallway into the reception area. Sir Gregory quickly gets up, and politely asks Mon to escort the Marquess away as he hides in his bathroom. Mon steps out of the office, and informs the Marquess that Sir Gregory just left, but he has a brilliant idea for her she might be interested in hearing. Taking her by the arm, Mon explains to her the idea of the wine auction and of the tea, and the Marquess is impressed and requests that Mon inform her of the most precious wine before it goes to auction, as she would like to purchase it to impress the King, as surely his Majesty will come to Sidorov Manor for an evening of great food and entertainment.
After revealing some tidy gossip about Kisa's kidnapping, Mon promises to have lunch tomorrow with the Marquess and Luba at Khoroshim at noon to tell the Marquess all about it, as she cannot wait to hear the story of the attempted kidnapping. With the Marquess now safely out of the Legendary, Mon gives one of the pageboys some silver to purchase a large bouquet of flowers and send it to Luba with an apologies explaining tomorrow's engagement. He tells the pageboy that half of the flowers should be red roses, half other flowers, which should suitably confuse Luba as to the meaning behind the flowers.
Looking for Pavel, Mon learns that the head carpenter traveled to Low Town to attend a wood auction for exotic wood for the Legendary's workroom. Returning to his room to get ready for the afternoon's escape on Captain Popov's boat, Mon runs into Herald, and manages to convince the cad to seek work in the Cathedral to gather information on an upcoming role Mon is writing. In exchange for 7 gold, Herald reluctantly agrees to Mon's proposal.
At the wood auction, Mon discovers that Pavel has already left after purchasing wood. The auctioneer is curious, however, as Pavel paid with a promissory note, which is unusual as the Legendary usually pays cash for its wood purchases.
Mon finally arrives at the dock where Captain Popov's Tall Tale is anchored. Marigold and Branna, who were already here, have been waiting for an hour, and Captain Popov is concerned they will miss the tide. Marigold brought a basket filled with sandwiches. As they sail out of the fjord, they talk about Matviyko, and Popov mentions that they could bring him down to the Anchor's Luck for some libations and interrogation.
Popov captains his boat to the northwest corner of Katarina. While diving for abalone, he tells them,, he found an underwater tunnel that leads to a dry cave system, something Mon had previously mentioned he was looking for. He didn't go too far into the cave, as he didn't have a good source of light, and was worried something could happen and no one would know he was here. But now that they are here, he would like to explore it with them. Popov has two necklaces, the Rainwarden Necklaces, and he lets Marigold and Branna each borrow one of them. As the ship gets closer to the northwestern cliffs of Katarina, Popov regales them with the tale of his finding these necklaces.
Once upon a time, when the city of Katarina was nothing but a quaint village nestled on the edge of a cliff at the end of afjord, lived two twin sisters named Elena and Darina. Daughters of a rich steel merchant, the two were known throughout the island of Katarina not only for their beauty but also for their peculiar aversion to getting wet. Rainy days, which were as common then as they are now, were their worst nightmares, as they detested the feeling of water soaking through their hair and dresses, leaving them cold, uncomfortable, and wet.
One day, as a storm loomed on the horizon, Elara and Darina decided they had had enough. They were determined to find a way to stay dry no matter the weather. So, they sought the help of an enigmatic jeweler named Halina, renowned for her mystical creations marrying gold and magic.
The sisters explained their predicament to Celestia, who nodded thoughtfully, before agreeing to craft the twins a matching pair of necklaces that would protect them from the rain. After several weeks of laborious work, Celestia presented them with two exquisite gold necklaces, each adorned with a shimmering sapphire pendant. The gemstones were enchanted with a powerful spell, promising to keep their wearers perpetually dry, no matter how torrential the downpour.
Elated, Elara and Darina wore their new necklaces everywhere, reveling in the newfound freedom to enjoy the outdoors without fear of wet dresses and frizzy hair. They would stroll through the village on rainy days, heads held high, and dresses as pristine as a sunny morning, as people admired their ability to stay dry.
One sunny morning, the sisters were invited by their father to embark on a grand adventure—a sailing expedition tto the mainland to deliver a load of finely forged Kat steel. Excited by the prospect of discovery and adventure, the twins eagerly accepted their father's invitation, packing their finest dresses and donning their precious necklaces before heading out to sea.
As the ship set sail, the sun bathed the deck in golden light. Traveling through the fjord was breathtaking, and the sisters marveled at the vastness of the ocean as the ship emerged from its sheltered passage. However, as they ventured farther from the safety of their village, a tempestuous storm brewed on the horizon and moved quickly across the sky.
Soon, waves roared and lightning danced across the firmament as thunder made it nearly impossible for the twins to hear each other. The once-stalwart ship was tossed like a mere twig upon the furious sea. Panic surged through the passengers and crew as they struggled against the mighty storm.
Amid the chaos, Elara and Darina clung to each other, their necklaces glowing with a protective aura. At last, the ship could bear no more punishment, and it was sundered into splinters. Unfortunately, the two sisters did not know how to swim, and as the wreck began to sink, the sisters descended with it, their necklaces keeping them impeccably dry even in the heart of the raging storm. The debris, along with the passengers and crew finally came to rest on the ocean floor, a silent graveyard of splintered wood and lost dreams. The once-bustling vessel had become a ghostly reef, and the storm had claimed the lives of everyone on board.
Many years later, a lone sailor, while exploring the depths for abalone, chanced upon the sunken ship and the lifeless forms of the sisters. To his astonishment, he discovered them as if they had just been resting on the ocean's floor, with their dresses as dry as if they were attending a royal ball. He carefully brought each of them back to the surface, still enchanted by the sisters' beauty and the mystery of their perfectly dry attire.
Pondering how this could be, he noticed the necklaces and the glowing light reflected off the saphire. Removing the necklace from Elena's lifeless form, the sailor found himself completely dry, as if he had not just been dozens of feet under the waves. The sailor returned the bodies to Katarina, where they were buried in their fancy dresses in the Whispering Waves cemetery, a reminder that sometimes, magic could keep them and dry, but could not keep them safe.
As he concludes his tale, the ship anchors right above the underwater tunnel's entrance ...
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