Legendary Campaign - The Archduke's Daughter Visits the Legendary

Wednesday, June 15, 1066 SE

When Marigold, Branna and Mon come down to breakfast, they hear loud arguments coming from the cafeteria of the Palace. Tempers seem to be running high, and they soon discover why. Whereas the Opera, the Fantastic and their own Legendary closed in solidarity with the victims of bombing of Khoroshim, the Starlight remained open and put on a performance last night. It is a theatrical tradition that in times of troubles, all four theaters close to show solidarity. This time, though the attendance was sparse, the Legendary's old timers, along with many of its newer staff, are upset that the Starlight profited from a night where all other forms of entertainment were closed. To back up their outrage, Mon is handed a copy of today's Katarina Chronicle, one of the three daily newspaper in the city of Katarina.

Page 1 of the Katarina Chronicle for Wednesday, June 15

 

Mon understands the outrage and the break in protocol, but his interest lands on the dead identified on page five of the Katarina Chronicle.

Page 5 of the Katarina Chronicle for Wednesday, June 15

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Marigold suggests that the three theaters should take out a common advertisement in the Katarina Chronicle to thank the residents of Katarina for their understanding for their closing last night. She also suggests that they should plan some sort of benefit fundraiser. Branna mentions that perhaps they should talk to Lena in marketing and Joseph in accounting to see what can be done.

Glancing up from reading the newspaper, Mon proposes that the Legendary could start a new tradition, to have an empty seat in the theater, and use a permanent ghost light candle in honor of those who could no longer be here. With a permanent light spell, the light would never go out. This could also be mentioned in the advertisement. The Legendary could also hold four moments of silence to acknowledge the victims.

Looking at the newspaper in Mon's hand, Marigold wonders if any of the dead nobles had any financial difficulties. The article does not seem to imply that, but could there be more to this attack than some random blow against the island's nobility? Branna asks her friends if they know who owns Khoroshim? No one seems to know. Branna then asks if the employees at Khoroshim are generally safe. Did they work elsewhere or even here in the Palace? Mon gets up from the table, goes through the line and grabs his food before returning and sitting at the table. 

Pavel enters the cafeteria, and after a quick visit of every table, Pavel also takes food, and then joins Mon, Branna, and Marigold at the table, carrying four full plates filled with hearty breakfast items. Pavel finds it despicable that the Starlight was opened last night, but he's not surprised that the Nazar family, owners of the Starlight, would want to upstage Sir Gregory Tsaplin, as the two theater owners have been estranged for decades. Marigold asks Pavel if he knows who owns the Katarina Chronicle. Pavel replies that the newspaper is owned by the Anton family, and the current publisher is Sir Dmytro Anton. With a a populist and sensationalist bent, Pavel is not surprised that the newspaper seeks to generate controversies, which drive circulation and advertising. The carpenter also points out that the Katarina Chronicle seems to imply that only four people died, but he happens to know for a fact that at least two staff members were also killed during the bombing.

Pavel then asks Mon to describe what happened yesterday at Khoroshim. Mon retells his story, pointing out that he's pretty sure Luba saw the person or people who launched the attack against the restaurant. By this time, Pavel has entirely emptied his plates, and, looking at the clock, announces that it's time for him to leave as they're working on a set today.

Branna then turns her attention to Joseph , who just joined the table with his own food. She asks him how the wine auction is going. Joseph is puzzled. He has not heard of this auction, nor has anyone else in accounting that he is aware of. Arriving later than usual, Lena joins the table just in time for Branna to ask her if marketing is preparing any promotional material for the auction. Lena confesses that marketing does not know anything about it either, but she will ask questions. Both Lena and Joseph are surprised that such a revenue generating event would not be better promoted. Marigold too is surprised that Sir Gregory has not put the resources of the marketing department behind this auction.  

Mon opens up his jacket and hands a bottle of Frostbloom Riesling to Joseph and another one to Lena, telling them this is a sample of the wines that will be sold at Sir Gregory's auction. Both of them are very thankful. 

Frostbloom Riesling

A pair of arms drape themselves around Mon's shoulders, and the sickly sweet voice of Herald reaches his ears when the cad points out that he too would very much enjoy a bottle of wine. Mon refuses to give him one, and Herald, bitterly disappointed, leaves the cafeteria. Joseph mentions his dislike for Herald, a sentiment shared by Mon, Branna and Marigold. Mon shares that Herald was recently sick, so Joseph suggests that perhaps Herald could be relocated to the worst room in the Palace. Mon heartily agrees with this idea, and Joseph states he will mention it to the hotel management. Branna tells Joseph to let the staff know they can use the excuse that the room must now be decontaminated.

While Branna and Marigold return to the Legendary to begin their shift, Mon heads out to Sidorov Manor with four wine bottles to offer to the Marquess of Sidorov. The walk there is uneventful, and Mon soon finds himself ringing the doorbell. Olehiv, the Marquess's butler, answers the door and invites Mon in. He tells the actor that the Marquess is not yet ready for visitors following the events that took place at Khoroshim yesterday, but she might make an exception for Mon. Mon tells Olehiv that unfortunately his time is very limited due to his appointment with Verushka, the Archduke's eldest daughter, and the Marquess should rest. He gives the wine bottles to the butler, and lets him know to tell the Marquess there will be plenty more of these at the auction Friday night.

Noticing that the butler had a tea set out and ready to pour, Mon mixes several blends of herbs into the tea, and asks Olehiv to take a sip. Olehiv looks dubious, but acknowledges after his first sip that this is fine tea indeed, and agrees to deliver it to the Marquess. Mon seems himself out, and on the way back to the Legendary he shadow steps part of the way.

Meanwhile, Branna's work is interrupted when Luba rushes inside the costume workshop in a panic. Mon was supposed to help her get their lunch date with Verushka ready, and he's nowhere to be found. With everything that happened yesterday at Khoroshim, and now this, Luba is freaking out. Verushka is scheduled to arrive in less than half an hour, and nothing is ready! Taking pity on the actress, Branna finds Marigold, and the three of them come up with a plan. Marigold grabs a prop basket, and she heads out to the nearest deli to purchase charcuteries. She also stops at a small corner restaurant and acquires light refreshments. Branna and Luba take a beautiful prop table and matching chairs from the furniture props closet, and take them to the center aisle of the theater. Branna places a pretty table cloth, then sets candles, a vase of flowers, silverware, and dishes.

Having returned from Sidorov Manor, Mon enters the theater and comes inside the performance space. Spotting him, Luba starts complaining to him that he's dropped the ball and left her in a lurch. Mon casts charm person on Luba, and successfully calms her down. He tells her everything looks fantastic, and they are more than ready to welcome Verushka. Luba tells him she's still feeling the stress of yesterday, and this is probably not going to go well. She tells him she saw the man who threw the device in the window of Khoroshim, and she had nightmares about it last night. The man was looking right at her, and seemed to want to hurt her. Mon recommends she talks with the Legendary's artists to get a poster made of the guy's face, so that this could be handed over to the city guard. Luba agrees to do so right after their appointment with Verushka.

A page boy runs inside the performance room to advise Mon and Luba that the Archduke's carriage has arrived. Mon, Luba, Branna and Marigold rush to the lobby just in time to see several city guards enter the lobby while a dozen more stand around the carriage. Following the attack on Khoroshim, it appears that the guards are taking no risk with the safety of the Archduke's daughter. Verushka disembarks from the carriage, followed by a very stern looking Dima, captain of the city guard. Verushka gleefully hugs Luba and gives Mon her hand for him to kiss. She tells them that due to yesterday's events, Dima will shadow her during their luncheon.

Mon tells them that the agenda for today is to see a working theater by taking a tour of the facilities, then eat while they watch the understudy's rehearsal of General Toptigin Cheats Death. As they walk around several of the Legendary workshops, Verushka expresses her admiration at the abilities of their craftspersons to create the illusions that make each play so unique. Mon attempts to mention Matviyko several times, but Verushka steers the conversation in different directions. She is very cognizant of many of the tasks needed to successfully run the Legendary, and she asks several knowledgeable questions of the folks she meets.

In passing, Verushka congratulates Mon and the others on the Legendary's upcoming tour to Sezja to perform Masha and the Bear. This comes as news to everyone, so Branna asks a follow-up question on what Verushka. She tells them she overheard her father talking with Sir Gregory three days ago. Sir Gregory told him that Sir Sergeii had reached out to him last week, indicating there was an opportunity to bring Masha and the Bear to the Grand Royal Opera, the premier theater in the capital in six weeks. Sir Gregory mused this was an excellent opportunity to showcase the strength of the Legendary's cast to the people of Sezja, and would prove to be lucrative as well.

They sit down at the dinner table Branna set for them, and as they dig in the food Marigold purchased, the understudies begin perfoming General Toptigin Cheats Death. The food is delicious, and Verushka is thoroughly entertained. During the meal, Mon doesn't eat much, and Dima notices. As Matviyko comes on stage for the first time, Mon keenly observes Verushka's reaction, but he does not notice anything unusual. 

Admiring the costumes, Verushka suggests that she and her friends would love to wear such extravagant and well crafted outfits. She muses that a masked ball held at the Legendary, where the local youth could rent a costume from the theater's extensive collection, would be an amazing and very well sought after opportunity. Marigold thinks this is an excellent idea, and Luba agrees. Marigold suggest that this could indeed be a very popular opportunity to bring young people back to the theater, and Verushka nods vigorously. All of her friends would enjoy such an event!

As the third act begins, the performance is rudely interrupted by the intrusion of several of the Cardinal's men, who carry a warrant for Matviyko's arrest, signed by the Cardinal himself. Matviyko is suspected of being responsible for the attack against Khoroshim yesterday, and they are under order to arrest him and bring him back to the Cathedral. Despite arguments that Matviyko was here rehearsing yesterday, the Cardinal's men are adamant they must take him in for questioning. If indeed Matviyko is innocent, he surely will be soon released.

Verushka implores Dima to intervene, but the captain acknowledges that the Cardinal's men have a valid warrant, and that Matviyko must go with them. Mon suddenly remembers a statement he made to one of the Cardinal's men yesterday, and assumes that this is the reason Matviyko is being hauled away. As Mon's understudy is being escorted by the guards, Matviyko yells "Verushka, do something!" 

With the mood now broken, Dima announces that it is probably safest for the Archduke's daughter to return home, and he sends for the carriage. Back in the lobby, one of his men informs him that there were twelve of the Cardinal's men here for Matviyko's arrest, which seems to be a wasteful use of resources. Unless, Dima interjects, they were trying to make a point, knowing that Verushka was here. The carriage soon arrives, and Dima and a much distraught Verushka depart.  

As he's standing in the lobby watching the carriage leave, Mon receives a message from Sir Gregory that he would like to meet with the actor at his earliest convenience. Luba decides she will go visit the artists, to see if they can draw the portrait of the man who attacked Khoroshim. Mon heads to the third floor and the corporate suite, where he is greeted by Ony, who ushers him into the office of the Legendary's owner. 

There, Sir Gregory apologizes for the abrupt end to Verushka's visit, but, armed with a warrant as they were, there is nothing he could do to keep them outside. Mon mentions Verushka's idea of a masked ball, and Sir Gregory is immediately intrigued. Perhaps they could do a differently themed ball once a quarter. Verushka could be approached, and she could be asked to serve as the host for the first one, which would guarantee its success. They agree that the name should be Legendary Masquerade, and they come to terms for a split of the profits, with Mon and Marigold each collecting 5%.

Sir Gregory then comes to his reason for meeting with Mon. He would like the actor to head to Verdant Estate, the ancestral home of House Stal, tomorrow morning, and offer its resident, Sir Paul Stal, a few samples to entice him to attend the wine auction that will take place on Friday. The man is a known recluse, but Sir Gregory thinks that Mon is more than able to convince him to attend. And with Sir Paul in attendance, most of the other nobles on Katarina will want to participate. Sir Gregory also suggests Mon should take a few friends with him to carry the wine bottles inside. Mon is to meet Sir Gregory's carriage tomorrow morning at 9 sharp, and Ony will drive him and his friends there.

As he exits Sir Gregory's office, Mon plans on moving the wine bottles he wants to kpee for himself ot a more secure location. Ony remarks that Sir Stal has not left his estate in over 13 years, and that Mon's task will be a hard one indeed.

As Mon descends the stairs to the second floor, he sees Luba sitting in one of the artists' studio, talking animatedly. Passing by, he notices that the portrait looks an awful lot like Captain Lafoy ...

Returning to the costumes workshop, Mon meets with Branna and talks about his task of delivering a personal invitation to Sir Stal, and he requests a costume that would make him look more aristocratic. Branna finds him the perfect costume, and after he gets measured and alterations are planned, he asks her if she would be willing to come with him tomorrow. Branna agrees. Mon then meets with Marigold and asks for a basket to transport his bottles of wine. He also asks her if she would join him tomorrow, and she agrees. Finally, Mon tells Lena about his trip to see Sir Stal, and she wishes him luck, considering the man is literally an hermit.

With his errands done, Mon prepares for tonight's performance, while planning ahead to tomorrow's meeting with Sir Stal...