Legendary - Rescuing Dhuka

Thursday, June 23, 1066 SE continued ...

As Mon swings for the Cardinal, he thinks better of it, as it would remove his invisibility and reveal him to the Cardinal and all of the people currently gathered on the Cathedral Plaza to witness Dhuka's whipping. The Cardinal points at Dhuka, and tells Anya, his captive, that if she does not reveal where the book is, her sister will be whipped, and her pain and suffering will be her fault. Having seen enough, Mon quickly shadowsteps back to the Plaza and positions himself between Dhuka and the executioner ready to whip her. His body will receive the bite of the whip, but he will protect the girl.

Taking one more glance up the Cathedral's north tower, the executioner finally winds and releases the whip's bite, but instead of hitting Dhuka's back it bites into Mon's. As the whip lands, Mon casts major image and displays the church's religious symbol high above Dhuka's head, to the collective gasp of the crowd, which falls silent. The actor then uses motivational speech and prestidigitation. The five people who hear Mon will be inspired by his speech. Mon chooses the King, the executioner, and three high ranking guards. He disguises his voice, and announces to them that Dhuka is an innocent puppet, and that her sister is being kept in chains by the Cardinal himself, who wishes evil upon this land.

The image then transforms into the scene Mon witnessed up the South Tower, showing the Cardinal and his prisoners. The crowd looks up the tower. Meanwhile, upon seeing this visual display, Marigold insinuates to those who stand near her that the girl is not being punished by a decision of the Church, but rather on orders from the Cardinal himself, while Branna yells that it is a miracle, that Dhuka has not been touched by the whip, and that God surely must be displeased with the Cardinal! Pandemonium breaks loose on the Cathedral Plaza and angry murmurs quickly spread.

The King confidently steps through the crowd and walks straight to Dhuka. Motioning the crowd to quiet down, the King announces loudly that the child is hereby pardoned, and that her offenses are wiped away by the crown. The crowd cheers the King enthusiastically. Mon, who is still invisible, steps next to the King and whispers that her sister should also be freed. Without a hint of surprise, the King whispers back that Anya's release will happen in its own time, that at the moment things must play out. The King motions to the executioner for the key to the iron binding Dhuka, and he removes the cuffs from her raw wrists.  

Branna steps forward and wraps Dhuka in the cloak she brought with her, before bringing her back to the Legendary. She takes the child up to the staff doctor, who checks her out and pronounces her healthy, if hungry and sleep-deprived. Marigold, who followed them, tells Dhuka that when she goes out in the daytime, she must wear appropriate clothing. Dhuka replies she doesn't like to wear dresses. Nevertheless, Marigold tells her, she will need to wear them in public. Marigold further tells her she's valuable to the Cardinal, especially if he has Anya with him. She needs to bring someone with her at all times. Branna tells her she will make Dhuka several pretty dresses she will love to wear.

Mon takes the occasion to reappear, causing a fright to the doctor, who collapses to the floor clutching his chest. Mon cures wounds on the doctor, then the doctor heals Mon's backside wound. Dhuka is finally escorted to her room. Mon suspects that the Cardinal is looking for Anya's diary and that he has sights on the crown. They talk about what they should do with the diary if they found it, and how they could keep Dhuka safe from the Cardinal's hands. Marigold convinces Dhuka to give up her and Anya's journal, for her protection. Mon confirms the Cardinal has Anya,  and Marigold promises to bring another journal for Dhuka to write in. After a few more minutes, Dhuka is fast asleep.

Branna, Mon and Marigold discuss the possibility of asking the Marquess of Sidorov and Lady Sirenko to welcome Dhuka with them for a while, which should protect the child should the Cardinal be motivated enough to look for her again. The Cardinal was temporarily outwitted, but will seek to regain the upper hand. The Marquess and Lady Sirenko would need to solve their current fall-out, and Branna mentions that perhaps, with Dhuka now free, the two women should be reunited to have a frank discussion on the subject. Mon wonders if the two ladies would also be willing to adopt Anya, now that they know she is still here on Katarina.

As they return to the Legendary's lobby, Mon receives a message from Sir Gregory about volunteering at the Archduke's Palace for the party this evening. He sets off to find others from the Second Crew who could help, and he talks to several of the page boys to make sure they will be in attendance. Unfortunately for him, Herald is the only one willing to help. The cad seems to think that this will be a great opportunity to curry favor with the local nobility.

Mon sends a message to Sir Gregory that all girls working as page boys should have a specialized uniform for them to wear that would be based on the page boys' outfit. Sir Gregory replies that though he generally loves Mon's ideas, this one is pretty far fetched, as the Legendary would never employ girls as pages ...

Marigold dispatches a pageboy to Fabled Pages to purchase the pinkiest and sparkliest journal the pageboy can find to replace Dhuka's journal. The pageboy returns with something that meets the prop creator's standards.

With Dhuka currently safe, Mon sets to disguise himself so he can serve at the Archduke's Palace but not be recognized by the Cardinal. He returns to meet Marigold and Branna dressed in a fake wooden leg. Marigold tells him to go back and change, no one would send a servant to help out at the Palace. Mon returns a short while later wearing a long black waistcoat, black trousers, a white shirt, and a black tie, completing the look with an eye patch.

Readying themselves to head to the Palace, Marigold brings a set of tinkering tools hidden in her pettycoats. They could be useful as weapons or to disable a bomb. Arriving at the Palace with Herald, they are surprised to meet Zoryany, who tells them Sir Paul Stal graciously lent her services to assist the Archduke and his staff organizing the greatest social event ever to take place on Katarina. Greeted by the Archduke's chamberlain, Mon and Branna elect to work the ballroom, where they will be serving appetizers and drinks after the welcome banquet. They are joined there by Zoryany. Marigold heads to the kitchen, where she's assigned to the baker to get the breads and desserts ready. Herald is sent to the stables, much to his disappointment.

As the noble guests begin to arrive in the grand hallway, Mon and Branna can hear the various titles being called out by Sir Anatoli. Zoryany has secured a spot by one of the large windows, where she can see the guests as they disembark their carriage. The Cardinal's arrival is followed by that of Sir Sergeii. The King's arrival is greeted with loud applauses. Mon notices Zoryany turn a shade of green, and as she hurries out of the room, she tells the actor through clenched teeth that a nasty surprise is in the wings, and he should prepare himself to be shocked. Then the official greeter calls out the name of the King's traveling physician, Dr. Sadistik ...

 

 

 

Legendary - The King Arrives

Monday, June 20, 1066 SE, continued

When they meet for breakfast, Mon, Marigold and Branna go over the loose threads they have accumulated in the last few weeks. First, someone on Katarina is making good quality armor for an unknown purpose. There is an separatist movement on the island that seems determined to break away from the Kingdom of Sezja. When will the King arrive, and what is the true purpose of his visit? What is the Cardinal up to? All of these are good questions they wish they had answers for.

Mon suggests they could make a listening device that could be placed in the Cardinal's office. Marigold agrees it's a good idea, but how would this be placed inside his office? Had Mon not done everything to antagonize the Cardinal these last few months, setting up this listening device would be easier. Mon muses whether Sir Matviy, Sir Gregory's lawyer, could carry the device inside the office, since he's been there before. Marigold slaps him on the head. Sir Matviy would never agree to knowingly commit a crime.

Mon shares with Branna and Marigold that he sent a letter to the Marquess of Sidorov about adopting Dukha. He describes the content of the letter to his friends. Branna voices her concern that Dukha is blindly walking in a situation that will be beyond her control, and she may not know how to behave.

Joseph who was also sitting there, gives Mon credit for setting this plan in motion, and wishes aloud he could also be adopted by someone wealthy so he could quit this job. He sighs, then leaves the breakfast table. Marigold uses this opportunity to grabs some non perishable items from breakfast she can stasch away in case they quickly need to go on the lamb.

The theater's capenter, with a larger than life personality enters the Palace's cafeteria. Mon, Branna, and Marigold are always amazed at the web of relationships Pavel has established with everyone. They are more surprised when they suddenly notice that Zoryany, Sir Paul Stal's assistant, has appeared at their table, taking Joseph's empty seat. None of them noticed her arriving. Marigold, recovering from her surprise, mentions that it's a pretty neat trick to be able to arrive without being seen. Zoryany ignores the comment, and tells them that Sir Stal thought they should plan on being in Low Town Wednesday around noon time, and that they should feel free to pass along this information to any of their friends or associates. She stands and departs the cafeteria under their incredulous faces.

Pavel, who noticed Zoryany, stops by Branna's table and exchanges a few pleasantries, before asking who was just here with them. Mon tells the carpenter about Zoryany, and Pavel is impressed that they met Sir Stal. Mon proceeds to tell him that Zoryany was delivering information that seems to indicate the King would arrive around noontime on Wednesday, two days from now. Surprised, Pavel tells them he will notify Sir Gregory at once. Mon tells him that he will inform Sir Gregory of the date and time of the King's arrival. Pavel thanks Mon for taking care of this.

Returning to her room after breakfast and noticing that her roommate has left, Marigold she places her emergency pack in an inconspicuous place in case she needs to leave. She then heads to work for the rest of the day, joining Branna.

Meanwhile, Mon wonders where he could find information on what happened to Anya. She could have joined Captain Lafoy's pirates, she could have left the island, or something more sinister could have happened to her. Perhaps Captain Popov would have information, or would know who could tell of the movements on the docks. The actor also wonders whether any of the older pages might remember Anya. After all, she moved around the theater quite a bit, so someone must have seen her at some point. The older pages do not remember her, but they agree to be on the lookout for Anya and will report any information they discover. Mon promises them fudge for any important information.

Returning to the Palace with Branna and Marigold after his nightly performance in the play, Mon is informed he has received a letter. It is pink, smells like vanilla, and bears the seal of House Sidorov. They withdraw to the sparsely populated cafeteria for a late snack, and Mon reads the letter from the Marquess to his friends.

Dear Mon,

I write to you with a heart brimming with joy! Lady Sirenko and I had the most delightful encounter with the young lady Dukha. Her spirit is as bright as a summer's day, and her voice filled the room with a melody that warmed my soul.

Dukha possesses a charm and grace that is simply captivating. We conversed for quite some time, and I was deeply impressed by her intelligence and genuine nature, not to say anything about her boundless appetite! There's a spark in her eyes that speaks of a bright future ahead.

I have not yet approached Dukha with the idea of welcoming her into our family, to formally adopt her and provide her with a loving, permanent home. She mentioned several times the unknown fate of her sister Anya, and I worry that she may choose to remain at the Legendary, hoping her sister will return for her.

I plan on meeting with her again, and continue our spirited discussions, and perhaps in time she will come to see the advantages moving to Sidorov Manor would bring, including an education money simply cannot buy. However, I would truly appreciate your help in providing this young girl with the guidance to see the wisdom in making such a monumental decision.

With all my love,

Zoya, Marques of Sidorov

Mon beams with pride. His plan is working!

Tuesday, June 21, 1066 SE

As Branna begins her work at the Legendary, a page boy rushes in with a note in his hand. Reading the note, she sees it is an urgent cry for help from the Marquess, and her carriage awaits the elf outside. Grabbing her tools of the trade, Branna rushes out of the Legendary, thinking that this might be a clothing emergency at Sidorov Manor. When she arrives, she discovers it is much worse.

The amazing emerald green dress she crafted for the Marquess and gave to her only two days ago is missing! In tears, the Marquess reports that she went to try it on again this morning after breakfast, only to notice it was no longer in its protective sleeve inside her wardrobe. Thinking that perhaps Lady Sirenko has tried it on, she went into her friend's room, but it wasn't there either, and Lady Sirenko did not know what had happened to the dress. They searched the manor high and low, and did not find the dress. No other item, nor jewelry, appears to be missing. In between two sobs, the Marquess begs Branna to make her a new dress before the King arrives, and Branna readily agrees. Expressing the worry that it was one of their competing nobles who arranged for the theft, the Marquess promises to crush whomever took the dress. Branna inquires as to who knew the dress was here. Aside from the elf, the Marquess tells her only herself, Lady Sirenko, Dukha, and her faithful butler Olehiv knew the dress was here. She, Lady Sirenko and Dukha even played dress-up with it yesterday, and that was the last time the Marquess saw the dress.

Branna hurries back to the Legendary. She quickly locates Mon and Marigold, and she tells them of the disappearance of the emerald green dress. Marigold wonders if Dukha might have "acquired" the dress, given her penchant for taking pretty things that don't belong to her. The hafling asks Mon if he could find Dukha and ask her about the dress.

Using his shadowstepping, Mon transports himself to the landing outside Dukha's bedroom in the theater's attic. He knocks on the door sofly, and, hearing no answer, he enters the room and looks for the dress. He does not find it anywhere. Examining the room closer, Mon notices that no one slept here last night. Looking at the journal Dukha keeps under her mattress, Mon realizes she has not written anything for Monday. Suspecting she might be hiding in the carriage house at Sidorov Manor with her ill-gotten new acquisition, Mon turns himself invisible and heads to Sidorov Manor to check whether she might be hiding somewhere on the property other than the manor house.

While Branna immediately gets back to work to craft a new dress in a hurry, Marigold visits the city's three second hand shops looking for the dress. There is no trace of the dress at either the Driftwood Den or at the Second Wind, where neither the dress nor Dukha or her boy alterego were seen, but at the Shimmering Second Hand, Marigold discovers an emerald dress that looks almost exactly like the garment she is looking for. But then she takes a second look, and it turns out that it's just a regular green dress, and it doesn't resemble Branna's creation at all. Marigold questions the proprietress, who informs her that she has not seen anyone who matches Dukha's description, in either gender.

While working on the Marquess's new dress, it occurs to Branna that, if it was in fact stolen by another noble, the Marquess could find herself in the unenviable situation of wearing exactly the same dress as someone else at a party the King could be attending. She therefore dispatches a letter to the Marquess asking her whether she should modify the dress in case someone else shows up at one the balls with it. The Marquess replies that, given the circumstances, this would probably be for the best, though she really loved the emerald dress as it was. Branna  comes up with minor alterations, which she thinks improve this new version of the dress. She also plans to fit the Marquess at the last possible minute to avoid the dress being stolen again. 

Marigold returns from her visits to the second-hand shops, and finds Branna working hard on the Marquess's new dress. Sitting next to her friend, Marigold wonders whether someone was standing outside and saw Dukha wearing the emerald green dress when she was playing dress up with the Marquess and Lady Sirenko, and could have decided this child was worth kidnapping. Marigold further muses that perhaps Lady Sirenko herself is involved in Dukha's disappearance. Marigold remembers the flash of jealousy that had crossed Lady Sirenko's face when she first saw the Marquess wearing the emerald dress, and, coupled that her and the Marquess might be more than friends, it is possible that she might be worried about losing part or all of the Marquess's financial support if Dukha were to be adopted and become heiress to the Sidorov's name and fortune.

Meanwhile, Mon arrives at Sidorov Manor and searches the carriage house, but find not evidence that Dukha or the emerald green dress have been here. Examining the grounds, he notices the footsteps of a child in the grass, which treaded away from the Manor back to the main road. Of course Dukha wouldn't have walked where she was supposed to! Perhaps Dukha was so full after eating so much, as the Marquess mentioned in her letter, that she felt the need to take a nap. Maybe she laid herself down somewhere along the way back to the Legendary. Mon's worries increase as he wonders who might have stumbled upon a sleeping child with a green dress.

Following the road back to Katarina, Mon comes to a lovely pond just outside the town limits. The pond is on the west side of the road, and is often used to freshen up horses coming into town or leaving. There is a small meadow on the other side of the pond, and a creek hidden by trees. This would make a perfect spot to take a nap. Sure enough, Mon finds signs that a child walked through here, but there is also evidence that two adults also followed the child's steps. By the creek, Mon finds Dukha's beret, as well as evidence of a struggle. Two obviously male sets of footsteps head down the creek, towards Katarina. Dukha was either taken by the city guard for vagrancy or by the Cardinal's men, for more sinister purposes. Leaving the hat right where he found it, he runs back to town.

Looking for Dima, the Captain of the guard in Katarina, Mon locates him in Low Town, where he and the rest of the city guard are rehearsing maneuvers and crowd control. Mon tells him about Dukha's abduction, and explains who the child is and what she was doing, telling the Captain that the Marquess is seriously considering adopting her and anointing Dukha her heir, making her a valuable victim.  Dima confirm his worst fears that the city guard did not arrest the child. Mon convinces Dima to come with him and explore the site where she was taken. Dima and two guards travel with Mon to the pond, where, after careful examination, Dima informs Mon that she was most likely seized by the Cardinal's men, and based on the description Mon provided, if she was indeed asleep wearing boys clothes and in possession of a stolen dress, she would have been arrested for violating the morals of the Church by cross-dressing and for being in possession of stolen property.

Mon rushes to Katarina, hoping to catch Sir Matviy, Sir Gregory's lawyer, before he goes home. Fortunately, the man himself is locking the front door that leads to his second level office when Mon reaches him.  Understanding the urgency of the situation, Sir Matviy welcomes the actor inside, and Mon presents the information he has collected so far. Sir Matviy agrees to go to the Cathedral and determine whether Dukha was in fact arrested or not, and, if she was, under what charges. The lawyer departs for the Cathedral, while Mon returns to the Legendary just in time for that evening's performance.

Following an uneventful performance, Mon returns to his dressing room and discovers a note from Sir Matviy that Dukha was indeed arrested for cross dressing and for being in possession of stolen goods. She is to be tried at a special religious court session tomorrow, which is highly unusual since the religious court usually meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the afternoon, following the noon service. Returning to the Palace, Mon meets up with Marigold and Branna and tells them what he discovers and what he plans to do. Tomorrow morning, he will be ad the Drowned Sailor's Stiches, waiting for Orest, the owner, to open. He will get that listening item commissioned, so that they can spy on the Cardinal. Branna suggests that a note be sent to Sir Matviy letting him know that the stolen goods could be the emerald green dress of the Marquess, and that her butler, Olehiv, could certainly identify it as such. A letter is soon penned and sent, and the three friends withdraw for the night.

Wednesday, June 22, 1066 SE

At 6 am, Mon departs the Palace and heads to Low Town, so that he can be at the Drowned Sailor's Stiches as soon as it opens. Reaching the Hill Road that heads from the Heights to Low Town, Mon notices that three large ships flying the colors of the Royal Navy are on the north side of Spokoya Bay. Taking a closer look, Mon realizes two of these ships are warships of the line, while the third is the royal yacht. The King and his entourage are already here, and must have arrived during the night. Mon hurries down Hill Road and arrives at the Drowned Sailor's Stiches, but the store is currently closed. In a bold decision, Mon knocks on the door anyway, in case the dwarf Orest is already here.

At first, no one answers the door, but after an additional series of knocks, the shutters on the second floor window opens, and Orest pokes his head out. Mon apologizes to the dwarf for this early visit, but it is somewhat of an emergency, and he would like to meet with the enchanter now. A few minutes later, Orest opens the shop's door, and lets Mon inside. The actor then describes to Orest that time is of the essence. He mentions that Sir Gregory would like to purchase two brooches that would allow for communication, and he describes them and their capabilities to the enchanter. Mon then comes to the purpose of his visit.

He describes to Orest a set of listening devices that would allow someone to holding the receiver piece to eavesdrop on the broadcasting piece. He would like the broadcaster to look like an ear, and the receiver to look like a mouth, and he would like these done before noon if that is feasible. Orest tells Mon that it can be done, but it would cost 700 gold pieces. A less rushed job would be substantially less pricey. After some negotiations, Mon agrees to pay 200 gold pieces, and to turn over four of his expensive bottles of wine. Orest tells the actor to return at noon to collect his items, and that he would have a price for the other devices for Sir Gregory.

Branna wakes up early as well, and heads to the costumes department to continue working on the Marquess' new dress. She should be done in the next few hours.

Having concluded his business with Orest, Mon heads to the Anchor's Luck, hoping to find Captain Popov there. This early in the morning, the tavern looks even dirtier than it usually does. From here, Mon has a good view of the ships in the bay, and he can tell there is some activity occurring on the warships. Inside the tavern, Mon finds Ivan behind the bar, stocking bottles. Mon inquires if Popov is here, and the bartender points to the Captain's usual seat by the fireplace. Popov is snoring softly under a blanket. Mon wakes him gently, and once Popov has had something to drink, the actor tells him about the ships in the bay, and asks him to send out feelers about Anya. Perhaps someone on the docks saw her board a ship in the last 18 months. 

Popov and Mon step outside, and Popov wonders where the other ships are, as he's under the impression that seven ships departed Sezja to come to Katarina. Mon speculates that perhaps they are outside the fjord. Seeing that a crowd has already assembled this early in the morning, Mon rents Ivan's balcony on the second floor of the Anchor's Luck, and he sends page boys to deliver messages to Branna and Marigold at the Legendary that the King has now arrived. He will land at noon, and Mon has reserved space on the balcony of the Anchor's Luck.

In the next few hours, several town criers pass by the Anchor's Luck, announcing that the King will land at the docks at noon. Around 10, Mon and Popov, who have been sitting on Ivan's porch, notice a boat launching from one of the warships, and soon a slew of reporters from the mainland disembark, ready to cover the meeting. Mon recognizes one of the men accompanying the reporters. Sir Sergeii is back on Katarina.

Both Branna and Marigold received Mon's message. When Branna finishes the Marquess's dress, she locks it up in a safe place, then her and her halfling friend head to Low Town. The streets are packed all the way from the Archduke's Palace to the docks, and it looks like half of the Island's population has come to the city for this momentous occasion. Even the Legendary's house orchestra is participating, setting up by Svetlozar Plaza. Eventually, both Branna and Marigold meet Mon and Popov on the Anchor's Luck's balcony. The crowds are thick here, with the city guard, the Cardinal's men, and people from all social classes, though Branna notices that no nobles are present in Low Town, aside from the Archduke himself, who is not accompanied by his wife and daughters, and the Cardinal, who stands on the opposite side of the dock, awaiting the King's arrival.

At 11:30, a skiff launches from the royal yatch, and it flies the royal banner. The King is on his way, and the crowd starts to cheer. The Starlight's house orchestra begins playing patriotic music. Mon absents himself, and shadowsteps into Orest's shop. As promised, the dwarf enchanter has the two listening bauble Mon requested. Mon thanks Orest profusely, and he shadowsteps back onto the balcony, telling Branna and Marigold that, with the Cardinal here, this is the perfect opportunity to infiltrate the Cathedral and place the listening device in the Cardinal's office. Shadowstepping once more, Mon transports himself to the cliffs, turns himself invisible, and begins climbing the cliff to emerge near Svetozar Plaza. 

As the King's launch nears the dock, Branna notices that the Archduke and the Cardinal are now whispering angry words to each other. But as the launch docks, a plank is lowered, a red carpet is unfurled, and King Stanislas Rurik II lands in Katarina, to thunderous cheers and applause, and to the music of the Sezjan and Katarina anthems. The King warmly embraces the Archduke, before shaking the Cardinal's hand. Marigold does not fail to notice that this interaction is much colder.

 Greeting the people of Katarina, the King stands on a dais prepared for the occasion. Popov tells Branna and Marigold that the King is either foolish or supremely confident, for aside from the city guard and the Cardinal's men, there appear to be no other soldiers on the docks, and the crowd, if so inclined, could easily reach the King. Waving once more at the crowd, the King moves his hands up and down, requesting silence. The crowd complies, and a hush falls on Low Town. 

In a clear voice heard by all and obviously magical, the King makes a speech without any notes:

People of Katarina! People of Sezja!

I stand before you today not only as the King of Sezja, and not as the great moral leader of our most esteemed Church, but also as a devoted father who loves all his children. And make no mistake, the people of Katarina, a cultural and economic jewel in the crown of Sezja, are as much a part of Sezja as the waves are part of the ocean.

We are Sezja, a tapestry woven from threads of different colors and textures, each thread vital to the beauty of the whole. We are stronger together, our shared history a foundation upon which we can build a brighter future for all!

Have we not faced challenges together? Remember the triumphs we have shared, the laughter that has echoed through our streets! Katarina's spirit, its resilience, its unwavering optimism, its distinguished culture – these are threads that enrich the tapestry of Sezja! And together, let us weave a new chapter in this tapestry, a chapter rich with mutual respect and shared prosperity. Let us choose unity, for in unity lies our greatest strength.

Thank you. I am eager to meeting all of you, learning more about your culture and your customs. I look forward to enjoy all of the beauty and entertainment that Katarina has to offer during my stay here. May Katarina and Sezja forever walk hand in hand....

Popov looks at Branna and Marigold, and tells them that this seems like a pretty clear message from Sezja to the people of Katarina ...

Legendary Campaign - The Girl Who Haunts the Legendary

Wednesday, May 17, 1066 SE

With Marigold and Branna staying the night at Luba's house to help feel better following her arrest and release, Mon discovered that someone has traveled through a little-used secret passage underneath the Legendary's main stage. Following the passage, Mon travels up several flights of stairs. On the third floor, he discovers that a secret door leads to the hallway that connects all of the loges to the lobby, and, conveniently, the loge directly in front of the secret door is that of the Archduke's royal lodge. Keeping this in mind, Mon continues up the rickety stairs to the fourth floor, which leads to a hallway that parallels the attic of the main roof over the stage and back towards the workshops. The passage then climbs one more set of stairs, to reach a crawl space in the roof on the fifth floor of the building. Clearly this is a "recent" addition to the building.

At the end of the hallway, there is an old wooden door that has been condemned. A warning sign in block letters reads condemned, danger on it. The area is filled with dust, but as Mon takes a closer look he notices that it is unnaturally spread out, indicating that someone has recently spread dust around. As he gets closer to the door, he trips a wire that has been strung across the hallway, and a bucket of yellow paint comes down from the ceiling. Mon catches it before it spills its content. He cuts the wire, and carefully puts the bucket by the door. Opening the door, he carefully steps into the room, catching the second bucket that had been positioned above the door. He also places that one on the ground next to the door.

This windowless crawl space in the roof has been converted into a small living quarter. With the ceiling no higher than six feet at its apex, the room feels cramped but organized. A worn mattress lays on the floor, covered by a blanket that seems to emit starlight. Mannequins stand around the room, wearing outlandish outfits made up of clothes and items that have gone missing from the theater over the years. A table with two chairs is pushed against a corner. Children's drawings are pinned to most walls, and Mon recognizes many of them as representations of the leading actresses wearing their costumes for various productions. Another small door in the opposite wall leads out of this room, and Mon does not find any trap on that one. The room is currently empty.

Mon spots one of the mannequins that vaguely ressembles him, so he undresses it, then hides it. He then puts on the mistmatch outfit, before assuming the same pose. Since he does not need to breathe, Mon stands still, and awaits the return of the room's occupant.

Just before dawn, a child of about 12 carrying a small lantern enters the room through a second door built in what was previously a chimney. Wearing street clothes and a hat, the child takes off a backpack and a hat, revealing hair pinned to a head. Mon realizes that the child is a girl. She opens her backpack and removes a loaf of bread, a small wheel of cheese, fruits, and several newspapers. She also remove a sketchbook and pencils, and places everything on the table. She sets a trap on the chimney door, before taking some food and eats a quick meal. She then lifts her mattress, and takes a book. She writes a few notes in it, before placing it once again under the bed. She changes into night clothes, lays down, and is soon asleep.

Employing mage hand, Mon carefully removes the book from the mattress. He comes close to waking up the girl, but after waiting for her to fall into a deep sleep again he successfully takes the book. 

Quietly flipping through the girl's journal, Mon learns that the girl's name is Dukha, and she has lives up in this secret attic apartment for seven years. She originally moved here with her older sister Anya. Her sister left 18 months ago to meet someone, and she never returned, leaving Dukha alone. She has been fending for herself ever since. Over the years, the girls have learned all of the secret passages within the Legendary, and they have collected lots of gossip over the years. 

The journal shows a strong difference between Anya and Dukha's writings. The older sister was more interested in political intrigues, and she noted much information about the rich and powerful who attended plays, while the younger sister reported on clothes, the different performances, and gossip between the actors. Based on the journal, Anya was systematically spying on the Cardinal, and noted everything that he said at every performance he attended for the four years before her disappearance. Many of the notes indicate that the Cardinal mentioned an oak leaf to the men that were present in his private loge during one of the performances. Dukha, for her part, does not mention any specific rumor about Luba since her arrival last year, but it is clear that she has been watching her for the last year. Lots of the drawings in the journal shows the various actresses, but more than half of them are of Luba.

The journals also contain many maps of the Legendary and its secret passages. A secret exit emerges right across to the entrance of the Archduke's royal lodge. A passageway that connects to one of the secret hallways allow someone of smaller stature to crawl in between the 2nd ceiling and the 3rd floor underneath the Archduke's royal loge. Such a passage is also present under the Cardinal's private loge.

Mon takes the opportunity to copy those maps, before carefully putting the journal back under the bed. Before leading, Mon crafts a note for Dukha, indicating that he is his fairy godparent, and she ever needs help she can leave her green teddy bear on part of the stage where it might not be noticeable, with a note explaining what assistance she needs. He then carefully resets the trap Dukha placed, before heading down the chimney and emerging through an chimney cleaning access point in an abandoned basement filled with old set pieces.

Taking several secret passages, Mon eventually climbs a set of stairs and emerges by the set design workshop, where he runs into Pavel. The jovial man takes one look at him and explodes in laughter. Mon did not change out of the mannequin's outfit when he left, and he looks absolutely ridiculous. Mon explains why he's wearing this particular outfit, and, leaving the head carpenter, he heads to the costume department.  

Meanwhile, following yesterday's dangerous encounter with the Cardinal, Luba had been escorted home, and Marigold and Branna had agreed to spend the night with her. After waking up late in the morning, Luba makes them breakfast, then they all return to the Legendary. 

Branna and Marigold run into Mon, who is coming out of the costumes. He tells them about Dukha, and asks Branna to create him a stylized fairy functioning costume that looks like what he was wearing as the mannequin. He will use the outfit Dukha put together for when he returns with the green bear, if she ever leaves it for him. Mon considers that this incident has the potential of becoming a play. In his spare time he will write a script.

Armed with information about the oak leaf, Mon considers letting the Cardinal know that Herald is connected to the oak somehow. Perhaps he could leave a semi-hidden note in the Cardinal's private loge revealing that Herald plays a major role in the organization and should be thoroughly interrogated. He returns to the Palace, changes into his own clothes, and hides the costume.

Returning to the theatre, Mon receives a message from a page. The note is from Luba, and she invites him to the Warm Whistle at five for dinner, to debrief the events of the previous day and to properly thank him. Mon sends a reply back agreeing to the meeting, and as the page leaves, he realizes that the outfit he wears was very similar to the one Dukha had on when she returned to her apartment...

Oksana observes Branna building the costume Mon requested, and on the third time she mentions that it's a pretty hideous outfit she's working on. Branna tells her this is a commission, and Oksana gives her several suggestions to improve the outfit. Mon pays Marinka a visit. As head writer for the Legendary, Marinka is responsible for more than two third of the best performing plays shown at the theater in the last six years. He tells her of his idea, and she provides him with helpful feedback on how to improve it, including that a villain is needed to solidify the plot. She agrees to work with Mon, and mentions that once they have a rough draft in writing they could present it to Sir Gregory Tsaplin and see if he would be willing to commission the play.

In the late afternoon, Mon changes and dresses for his date with Luba. He spends some time cleaning Herald's side of the room, and he finds many love letters, from Lady Astral all the way to lowly serving wenches at some of the seediest establishments on the waterfront. He sorts them by category, and he plans on returning them without monetary compensation unless the woman is married, in which case he will hang on to them for now. Traveling to Blossom Boutique, Mon purchases a bouquet of yellow roses and irises from Roksolana, the owner. He then heads to the Warm Whistle, where he is warmly greeted by Nastasia. Luba soon joins him.

Luba gives him the silver bracelet with comedy and tragedy masks she had purchased at Gemstone Harbor. Mon remembers reading in Dukha's journal that though Ulan and Kisa are always looking like they get along swimmingly in public, they hate each other with a passion privately. He shares this information with Luba, who appreciates it, and they have a good laugh. He then escorts her home. Luba stands in the window with her cat Bahzen and waves at him before closing the window curtains.

Meanwhile, Marigold tinker some locks for the inventory so that items no longer missing. She protects the lockers that contain the props for the current and upcoming productions. She also fashions better locks for her and Branna and Mon's rooms at the Palace.

Branna visits the Anchor's Luck. She meets Captain Popov, and they get bread. The Captain's health is good, but luck has deserted him, and he owes a few pieces of silver to Ivan, the owner of the tavern. When Branna steps to the bar to purchase a few more rounds, she asks Ivan, who mentions the Captain's bill of three silvers is due. He also suggests that one of the Captain's friends may be cheating at cards, explaining the Captain's recent series of losses. They talk about what happened at the warehouse, and she mentions the disappearance of Anya. Captain Popov tells her he will start asking questions, but without more information he doesn't have much to go on. She pays the Captain's bill before leaving.

Before the next show, Mon wants to visit the Cardinal's box. He will sit in the Cardinal's seat, and see where he can hide a note for him to find, to cast aspersion on Herald.

Thursday, May 18, 1066 SE

After breakfast at the Palace, Mon looks for the green bear in the corner he indicated, but he does not see it. He works towards memorizing his lines for the upcoming performance of General Toptigin Cheats Death. He describes Dukha to Branna and Marigold. Branna for her part tells Mon about what she learned from Captain Popov. 

In the evening, Branna returns to the Anchor's Luck. Once again the Captain and his friends are by their favorite table, playing cards and drinking ale. A newcomer has also joined the group. Popov introduces Branna to Captain Alexy. Both of them served together in the Royal Sezjan Navy years ago, and they have kept in touch ever since. Branna tells Popov about Dukha and her circumstances. Captain Popov tells her that his feelers have heard the name, but that he needs more details to get more information.

On the way home, Branna hears two of the Cardinal's men talking about the Luba incident. They discuss how a powerful lawyer got her out on a technicality, but that  Sir Gregory's got a surprise coming soon and his lawyer won't be able to help him this time ...