Legendary Campaign - Sir Paul Stal and the Wine Auction

Thursday, June 16, 1066 SE

Tasked by Sir Gregory to convince recluse Sir Paul Stal to attend the wine auction taking place tomorrow night at Sir Gregory's own estate, Curtain Calls Manor, Mon ponders questions he still has about the Island of Katarina. He can't quite remember what the island's ancient history is. He wonders whether the Firebreather Clan of dwarves survived the Riftforge War. If they did, could they be enticed to join effort against the Cardinal's plans? Eventually, the actor manages to drift into slumber.

In the morning, Mon, Branna, and Marigold meet in the lobby of the Palace as they head into the cafeteria for breakfast. The clerk at the front desk motions to Mon, and when the actor comes over he hands him a note from Sir Gregory letting him know his own private carriage, driven by Ony, will come and pick him up at 9 sharp. Sir Gregory advises that in light of the recent events in town, Mon should take a few friends with him for protection. Turning to his friends, Mon asks the girls if they would want to come with him. With their work more or less done for the upcoming production, both Branna and Marigold agree to talk to their bosses to see if they can take the afternoon off.

Branna sends a runner to Oskana, who replies that the elf certainly can absent herself. Marigold runs to the theater and finds Dusana, who also agrees to release her for the day. While in her workshop, Marigold takes a couple of ornate coat clasps made of Kat Steel, and, on her way out, she tells Pavel about her trip and asks him to send in the cavalry if they don't come back in time for the play. Returning to the Palace, Marigold mentions to Branna that she doesn't really have anything appropriate to wear for this visit. Branna takes the halfling to the costume department, and she quickly locates her a big fluffy dark cream colored skirt, with lots of burgundy, gold, and silver embroidery accents. Branna seletcs a wine-colored dress for herself.

As they ready themselves, Mon suggests they should bring cheese co complement the various wines. Branna agrees, and recommends additional items such as nuts and crackers. Marigold visits her local favorites and purchases a selection of cheeses and crackers, along with some nuts and fruits.

At 9 sharp, Ony pulls in front of the Legendary with Sir Gregory's personal carriage. Mon, Branna and Marigold board the carriage, and Ony begins the drive to Verdant Estate, which will take about an hour and a half.

At about half past 10, Marigold suddenly notices that a stone wall heavily covered by ivy, standing about 10 feet tall, borders the road and seems to stretch to the horizon. Ony tells them that this is where Verdant Estate begins, and it will take another three miles before they make it to the front gate of the estate.

A grand wrought-iron gate adorned with intricate vine patterns is open, revealing a finely graveled straight road leading to a manor about a mile inside the property. Meticulously manicured gardens, orchards, and vineyards border the road on either side, creating a symphony of emerald hues Vibrant flowers, exotic plants, and towering ancient trees create a tapestry of greenery not often seen on Katarina. Dozens of gardeners work on either side of the path, and Branna is surprised to see them immediately sprint on the path after their carriage passes by to smooth it and meticulously spread the fine gravel to return it to its pristine state.

As the carriage nears the manor house, Branna immediately realizes that it is a masterpiece of Katarina classical architecture, but shows several elements clearly inspired by elven designs. The manor's exterior walls seamlessly integrate with the surrounding flora, with ivy-covered towers and balconies adorned with hanging gardens, providing a sense of organic continuity from its natural surroundings. Clearly, House Stal has spared no expense in ensuring that the estate exudes an air of timeless elegance.

Another dozen or so gardeners or workers are present around the manor itself, maintaining the grounds and fixing the building, ensuring that the estate showcases perfection. Mon, Branna, and Marigold disembark the carriage. Ony tells them he will head back to the main road, and will return promptly at 1. If per chance they managed to convince Sir Paul before then, they can start walking down the estate's road.

Led by Mon, they climb up the five steps to a large covered stone porch. Mon knocks once, and the door immediately opens. A small elven-looking girl greets them. She introduces herself as Zoryany, Sir Paul's personal assistant, and beacons them inside. After introductions, Zoryany informs them she will take them to see Sir Paul. The luxurious entrance hall is adorned with tapestries depicting scenes of sylvan beauty, while sunlight streams through stained glass windows depicting the island's diverse ecosystems. As they head down a corridor on the ground floor, Marigold notices that the furnishings, crafted from the finest woods and adorned with intricate leaf motifs, reflect a commitment to both comfort and aesthetic refinement. Though they can still hear the workers outside, all three of them notice that they do not hear any sound of life coming from inside the manor.

Knocking on a door, Zoryany does not wait for an answer but opens the door and stands next to it, waving the small group inside a large library. Shelves filled with books line three walls, while the exterior wall is pierced by large windows that let a prodigal amount of light inside. Stretching over two stories, the library houses a collection that Mon estimates at over 25,000 volumes.

A man in his mid sixties, Sir Paul Stal is sitting in a comfortable chair in front of a fire, reading a book and smoking a pipe. Mon does a curtsy, followed by Branna and Marigold. Zoryany introduces them to Sir Paul, who tells them he assumes they are the messengers Sir Gregory sent to entice him to leave his estate. They reply that they indeed are, and Marigold requests a small table to put out the spread of food they brought to go along with some of the wines Mon will present. Sir Paul motions for them to step closer and sit on a comfortable canape across from him.

Zoryany fetches a small table, and Branna helps Marigold. set up the victuals. Zoryany returns with a crate of wine glasses, along with a bottle of wine. Mon correctly identifies the label as a 695 Starfall Chardonnay, a Chateau Durso vintage worth more than all of the bottles they have brought with them. Clearly, Sir Paul has plenty of money. Unfortunately, Mon realizes they forgot the corkscrew, so he cleverly attempts to cast mage hand to uncork the first bottle, but it does not work. There seems to be some sort of magic dampening field preventing his magic from working here. Seeing his struggle, Zoryany departs the room and quickly returns with a corkscrew.

Mon serves the first bottle, a Frostbloom Riesling. Sir Paul takes a sniff while rolling the wine in his glass. He then takes a sip, and moves it in his mouth for several seconds before finally swallowing it. Sir Paul takes another moment, before finding the wine acceptable. Next comes the Moonshadow Merlot. While Mon uncorks every bottle, Branna documents Sir Paul's reaction to each bottle of wine. 

As Sir Paul partakes of the cheese and crackers to cleanse his palate before the next bottle, an idea occurs to Mon, and he tells Marigold and Branna. Marigold sighs heavily. Mon thinks that wealthy patrons could purchase a wine cabinet that could be placed in a loge at the Legendary. This cabinet could keep wine chilled, and could be warded against poison and opening by those who do not have the passcode. Zoryany tells Mon that Sir Paul believes poison is not a woman's weapon, it is a winner's.

Mon suddenly eperiences a recollection that he has met Zoryany before. In a memory fragment, he was reclining in a chair or a bed, and as he looked at a doorway she quickly walked by in the hall. Zoryany, for her part, has already recognized that the two of them have at least two things in common ...

After all of the wines have been sampled, Mon then asks Sir Paul if Sir Gregory would have the honor of seeing him at the auction tomorrow. After a lengthy pause, Sir Paul replies that yes indeed, he will be attending, as he is quite amused by this whole performance. Mon hand delivers him the invitation to the wine auction. Mon experiences another memory, this one of opening a bottle of wine without magic.

Sir Paul thanks Mon as a reborn friend. Marigold perks up at this mention, and knows this has something to do with necromancy and death. Mon replies he's trying to learn who he used to be. Zoryany replies "aren't we all?" Mon, Branna, and Marigold are then escorted by Zoryany to the door, and left outside on the porch. With 45 minutes before Ony returns, they decide to walk the estate path back to the main road, earning dirty looks from the gardeners who rush back on the path to smooth it out.

Finding Ony at the front gate, they board the carriage, and return to Katarina, and Mon participates in that evening's performance. After the play, someone knocks on Mon's door. Sir Gregory enters, followed by Ony. Sir Gregory thanks Mon for a job well done, and asks him if he, Branna and Marigold could help out at the auction tomorrow. This would mean that Matviyko would take over for Mon as his understudy, but Sir Gregory could really use the help to cater and to keep an eye on the guests. Mon reminds the Legendary's owner that Matviyko was arrested yesterday and and still in jail at the Cathedral. Sir Gregory had forgotten, so he asks Ony to contact Sir Matviy, Sir Gregory's lawyer, and request that he head over to the Cathedral first thing in the morning. Mon suggests that Herald could cover his role tomorrow and improvise, trying to make it as funny as possible. Sir Gregory frowns, and declares this a particularly bad idea. Ony will arrange for the transportation of the wine first thing in the morning, and he will come back to the Palace to pick up Mon, Branna, and Marigold at 4.

Mon first checks the costume department, where he finds Branna working on the Marquess of Sidorov's outfits for the upcoming balls. He tells her about Sir Gregory's request, and Branna agrees to come with him. Returning to the Palace in a hurry, Mon stops by Marigold's room and knocks on the door. Joseph steps out of his room next door in his pajamas and sushes Mon, reminding him that some people work early in the morning. Marigold cracks her own door open, and Mon lets her know about Sir Gregory's request. Through the door he spots gold and jewels spread on her desk. Marigold warns him that he will wake up dead if any of these disappear. Mon chuckles and promises he saw nothing.

 

Friday, June 17, 1066 SE

As Mon, Branna and Marigold finish their breakfast, the Palace's front door opens, and Matviyko steps in with Sir Matviy who, after shaking his hand, exits and returns to his offices. The young man looks haggard and disheveled. Marigold heads to the kitchen and returns with a sandwich, while Mon consoles him. Casting charm person and zone of truth on Matviyko, they soon discover that Matviyko has been secretly dating Verushka, the Archduke's daughter. Mon knows this is about to be a problem, but it will need to wait for another day.

At 4, Ony pulls in front of the Palace with Sir Gregory's carriage, and everyone hops in and they head out to Curtain Calls Manor, Sir Gregory's residence. Unlike Verdant Estate, Curtain Calls Manor has the rundown chic quality, a building that has been loved but not well maintained. Just by looking around, it is clear that Sir Gregory's financial problems extend to his house as well. Ony asks them if they could help spruce up the space while he returns to the Palace to collect more employees. Soon, they are joined by Herald, who requests to help the quests but instead gets assigned to cover the gentlemen's bathrooms by the ballroom.

At 7 on the dot, Sir Paul enters the residence wearing a green doublet with mithril buttons. The doublet has plates inside the coat to protect him, an outstanding mithril cod piece, tall yet supple leather boots, poofy shoulders shirt, a cape, and a hat with a large green feather, a emerald encrusted rapier, and gloves that go up to his elbows. Accompanied by Zoryany, Sir Paul sits in the front row, to the murmurs of the other nobles already present in the room.

The auctioneer begins the bidding on the first lot, a bottle of Goblin's Blood, which the Marquess wins with a bid of 75 gold. The next lot, six bottles of Phoenix Blood, sells for an astonishing 1,000 gold pieces. 

A fine bottle of Goblin's Blood

 

Midway through the auction, one of the auctioneer's staff pulls out a small device from his pocket and readies a throw. Marigold spots the movement, and she warns Branna. Zoryany also noticed the action, and all three of them jump into action. Zoryany tackles the man and a small sphere falls out of his hand onto the floor. As the crowd of nobles panic, Mon protectively stands in front of the Marquess, sheltering her with his body. Marigold dives for the sphere and retrieves it just before it hits the floor, preventing it from exploding. Branna hits the man with a silver tray she was holding. Wishing to avoid adding more to the commotion, Zoryany and Branna drag the man outside, where they are soon followed by Sir Paul and Mon. Mon ties the man tightly, and as he does so he recognizes him. The would be assassin was Tarasenko, one of the Cardinal's men. Though the man had disguised himself as Captain Lafoy, Mon saw right through his disguise. Tarasenko was clearly hoping to pin this crime on the pirate captain!

Mon shatters Tarasenko's knee, causing the man's heart to stop beating. Casting lesser restoration, Mon restarts his heart. A disheveled Sir Gregory races to them outside the manor house. Mon inquires if the Archduke had been invited, and Sir Gregory replies that yes, he had, but he had sent his regrets at the last minute.

Meanwhile, back inside Curtain Calls Manor, amid the pandemonium spreading through the ballroom, Marigold successfully places the sphere down. She recognizes it as a similar weapon used at Khoroshim, a weapon called the aetherburst crystal. Carefully, Marigold tinkers with it until she's able to disarm it.

Branna tells Sir Gregory he really need to make a statement to explain what just happened. Sir Gregory does so, managing to calm the crowd, and the wine auction resumes. Mon suggests they take Tarasenko to the real Captain Lafoy. Marigold reasons with him that they need to turn him over to Dima and the city guard instead.

Led by Dima, a patrol of city guards arrive at Curtain Calls Manor, and they take custody of a maligned Tarasenko. Marigold hands the aetherburst crystal to Dima, and she explains to him how the weapon works and her suspicions that the Cardinal may be behind the attack. When asked who she thought Tarasenko's target was, Marigold speculates that it looks like he was aiming his bomb at Sir Paul.

In the chaos that follows the end of the evening, the Marquess invites Mon over tomorrow, hoping to thank him once again for saving her life.

Saturday, June 18, 1066 SE

The auction generated 13,742 gold pieces, and a note is left for Mon at the Palace reception that Sir Gregory has deposited 274 gold pieces on an account in Mon's name at the Katarina Financial Trust. with a note from Sir Gregory that he is indebted to him for this amazing return. Sir Gregory also indicates he will talk to his lawyer on the possibility of an ownership share in the Legendary with Mon. 

Marigold arranges the transport of the wines Sir Paul acquired yesterday during the auction, and she heads out with Ony to deliver them to Verdant Estate. Greeted by Zoryany, Marigold mentions the qualities of the aetherburst crystal to her, and she's concerned that Sir Paul was the target of the attack. She mentions that she and Zoryany have a vested interest in figuring out what is happening.

Looking to thank Sir Gregory, Mon learns that the man attends the horse races on Saturdays. Mon heads to Thunderhoof Downs to find the Legendary owner. Finding the theater owner dejected after losing another bet, Mon mentions that Sir Paul suggested the idea of offering wine bars in every lodges at the Legendary. Owners of theater lodges could add a secure box to their lodge, and keep their wine and other drinks safely inside.

He then looks for the Marquess, to see if she knows how to pick a winner. She has her own private booth, and she is sitting there with Lady Sirenko, enjoying the races. After greeting both of them, Mon sits down and places a small bet on the next race. Talking with the Marquess, Mon soon discovers that  she clearly knows horses, their jockeys, their owners, and how each horse relate to each other. Though she no longer own horses, she has invested in several race horses, hoping to regain some of the glory House Sidorov once enjoyed. And unlike Sir Gregory, the Marquess of Sidorov seems to be winning more often than not ...