Legendary - Preparations and Machinations

Wednesday, June 22, 1066 SE, continued

 With the King now on the island and having departed for the Heights, Captain Popov who is still standing on the balcony of the Anchor's Luck mentions to his friends Branna and Marigold he's surprised no troops have come off the warships at anchor in the bay. He's also curious that the King did not bring a bodyguard with him. Branna wonders if it is a double. Marigold suggests that perhaps some of the King's men are already here and were part of the crowd.

Captain Popov then asks a huge favor. He suggests that it would be extremely useful for a group of people to infiltrate as many of the balls and other royal events that will happen over the next few weeks to observe and gather as much information as possible. He's worried that conversations will take place that will shape the future of Katarina. Marigold suggest to Branna that the very effective and efficient network of pageboys throughout the city of Katarina could be put to good use for this mission. Most people would ignore the presence of pageboys, allowing the kids to hear conversations thought to be private. With most of the crowd now departed, Branna and Marigold head back to the Legendary.

At the same time, Mon climbs the stairs up to the Heights and nears the Cathedral. After becoming invisible, Mon enters the Cathedral. The long rows of pews are just about empty, with only a few elderly individuals praying during the noon service. An aged priest stands at the altar, conducting the blessing of the bread and wine. Using mage hand, Mon breaks a bottle on the altar, and uses the confusion the shattering creates to enter the administrative quarter of the Cathedral. Exploring the ground floor that is currently empty of activity, Mon quickly locates the Cardinal's own office. 

As he nears the closed door, he overhears a conversation taking place on the other side. He recognizes the voice of Tarasenko, one of the Cardinal's men, talking to someone clearly in charge. With the Cardinal currently welcoming the King on the dock, he deduces that it must be the Captain of the Cardinal's men. The conversation centers on current security arrangements and the religious court session that was supposed to occur today. 

Tarasenko departs, and Mon stealthily moves inside the largest office he has ever seen. Over a quarter of the administrative part of the Cathedral is occupied by an office featuring 25 feet high ceilings, large southern windows letting the sun in, a massive fireplace in the middle of the western wall, and an equally massive desk near the southern wall underneath a large cross. A small sitting area, featuring two couches, a small coffee table filled with daily newspapers, and a small cabinet with drinks and snacks are the only other furniture in this room, which echoes while the Captain paces as he's reading a file. After a few minutes, the Captain signs a few sheets of paper, closes the folder and, holding it under his arm, departs the room, locking the door behind him.

After examining the room, Mon places the listening device he acquired from Orest inside the fireplace, before shadowstepping outside into the small garden behind the Cardinal's office. He heads back to the Legendary.

Once she's back at the theater, Branna sends a message to the Marquess of Sidorov letting her know she will be over in a few hours with a replacement dress to substitute for the one Dhuka stole from her. She puts the finishes touches to the dress, then heads to Sidorov Manor. The Marquess tries on the dress, and Branna puts the final touches to ensure that it is the best fit. The dress looks amazing, but the Marquess is still sad at the loss of her other dress. During the conversation, Branna discovers that Lady Sirenko has left Sidorov Manor and has not returned. Instead, she went back to her own townhouse. According to the Marquess, Lady Sirenko was upset that the Marquess had pressed charges, and the Marquess admits she overreacted. She talked to her solicitor this morning, and asked him to withdraw the charge of stealing the dress. The religious court had agreed, but the charge of cross-dressing still stands. The Marquess is worried Lady Sirenko will never forgive her, and she misses her friend terribly.

Marigold is eating a late lunch in the Palace when Mon joins her. Marigold mentions her need for a spy network of pages to have them report to as many events attended by the King as possible. Mon agrees this is a good idea, and he will approach Nadie to make sure the page boys don't get in trouble.  He stops one of the pageboys passing by, and questions him on being a page boy, pretending he is preparing for a future role. Mon quickly realizes that around the island, all pages are boys, or at least pretend to be, and the overwhelming majority are orphans who appreciate the opportunity to earn a decent living and not live in the streets. Mon asks the page boy to meet with him and a few of his friends around 8 tonight to further discuss the role of being a page. He promises them fudge and cider.

Mon then switches the discussion to Dhuka, and he tells Marigold she should receive leniency because she was wearing a traditional page outfit. Marigold agrees, but the fact remains that Dhuka was still wearing a male outfit, which goes against the morals the Cardinal purports to enforce on Katarina. Marigold then wonders whether Dhuka actually owns girl's clothes, and she suggests to Mon they should ask Branna to make her a wardrobe the child would like to wear.

At dinner time, Pavel walks through the Palace's cafeteria, distributing a copy of the Katarina Chronicle, and mentions Sir Gregory has requested an all-staff meeting tomorrow morning at 10.  Not having heard about Dhuka, Branna and Marigold head to the Cathedral after packing clothes for the child and a few smoke bombs in case they need to make a quick exit. One of the guards at the Cathedral informs them that the religious court did not in fact meet today, but will be meeting tomorrow at 11 am.

While Mon performs in front of a half empty theater but with Captain Popov in attendance, Marigold and Branna meet with the page boys at the Palace. They report to Nadie, the head of Legendary security. Each organization hires its own pages, and the pages know who they can trust to deliver a message, and who is not dependable. Nadie does not tolerate pages who are poorly dressed, who are drunk, or who are late. There are three page work stations in the Legendary, and one at the Palace. At the Legendary, the statiosn are located in the administrative wing, off the main lobby, and backstage by the dressing rooms. Branna and Marigold explain to the boys what they are hoping to accomplish. the page boys agree to pass the word to other pages to report back information to the Anchor's Luck and the Captain, and if he's not available, to Ivan the bartender there.

Marigold tells them that if they see something, they need to say something, especially after what happened at Khoroshim  and at Sir Gregory's estate, villainous people might be out ready to sabotage open house or cause chaos. One of the page boys shows them the newspaper's listing of events in the next two weeks, thinking this is a fairly long list of possible targets. 

With the page boys gone, Branna wonders to Marigold if Dhuka had been drugged so she would fall asleep by the pond. Perhaps she had been set up.

After the play, Mon stops by Captain Popov, who thanks him for the free ticket, and tells him it was a lovely play. Mon agrees to meet with the Captain at the Anchor's Luck later in the night. After checking in with Marigold and Branna, Mon heads down the Slope, only to catch up to the Captain. Unfortunately, three of the Cardinal's men coming up the road stop the old Captain and shake him down for 6 coppers. After letting the old man go, the men continue up and stop Mon as well. Mon offers them a gold piece each, and the Cardinal's men thank his lordship for the mighty gift, and they depart laughing. As Mon heads down, he also notices that the two warships appear to have sailed away at high tide.

Catching up with Captain Popov, Mon tells him he planted a listening device inside his office. Accessing the device, Mon hears the Cardinal in discussion with another voice he does not recognizes. The Cardinal states they are running low on incense, and a new supply must be procured immediately. Mon suggests to Popov that perhaps the incense currently in stock could be replaced by a concoction that smells like skunk. Captain Popov eventually confesses that he had just been shaken down by the Cardinal's men, and Mon commiserates with him. That night, Mon loses 1 silver playing cards with the Captain and his mates.

 

Thursday, June 23, 1066 SE

In the morning, Branna and Mon travel to Lady Sirenko's townhouse. She welcomes them and offers them breakfast. She tells them that the only person aside from Dhuka that visited them on the day the dress disappeared was Ekatarina Vasyl, the widow of Lord Petr Vasyl, who was killed in the Khoroshim attack. The two of them talked about staffing issues for the upcoming parties and devised a plan to borrow each other's staff to ensure they had enough servants. Otherwise, no one else was there and had the opportunity to steal the dress.

Lady Sirenko explains that after the Marquess first mentioned the possibility to adopting Dhuka after getting to know her, she was taken aback and scared to lose the Marquess' affections. However, she came to appreciate Dhuka's wit and intelligence that afternoon, and saw the potential the girl had to be an excellent heir for the Marquess. To then have the dress go missing, and the Marquess press charges was too much for her, and she returned to her own dwelling. She misses the Marquess terribly, but she's still upset at her for overreacting.

Returning to the Legendary just in time, Mon notices that the warships are back in Spokoya Bay. They hear Sir Gregory introduce his friend, Sir Sergeii, who announces that the Second Crew will be presenting Masha and the Bear at the Grand Royal Opera in Sezja, and they will sail out on Tuesday, June 28. They will be in Sezja for three weeks. There will be no performance tonight, so that the theater can once again be cleaned and readied for opening night and the King's visit, as the King has asked to tour the various ateliers and work sites of the Legendary to gain a better understanding of how a successful theater works.

Rushing out of the Legendary after the meeting, Mon, Branna and Marigold cross Svetozar Plaza and join the large crowd on the square in front of the Cathedral. The Cardinal's men are there, forming an inside square currently empty of people. The city guard has also been deployed, keeping the peace on the edge of the square. At precisely 11, Dhuka is escorted out under heavy guard, and is brought inside the square. There, the charges are read, and the religious court's decision that Dhuka is guilty and will have her bare back lashed ten times for the offense of cross-dressing. 

But enforcement of the decision seems delayed. The King emerges from the Cathedral with his Chamberlain, but the Cardinal is notable in his absence. The executioner of the sentence several times uses his whip in preparation, but seems reluctant to inflict punishment. Then Marigold notices him looking up the north tower of the Cathedral. Thinking there's an assassin, she urges Mon to do something.

Turning himself invisible and using his shadowstep ability, Mon climbs to the top of the tower, only to see the Cardinal standing near the bells' opening, holding Anya in chains with a perfect view of the square below where a pitiful Dhuka is about to be whipped. Mon swings at the Cardinal ...

Legendary Campaign - Of Dwarven Forges and Pirates

Monday June 13, 1066 SE, continued

Having anchored the Tall Tale a hundred yards from the cliff, Captain Popov retrieves two magical lanterns from the cabin that will allow himself, Mon and Marigold to see in the cave beyond the low luminosity provided by the tunnel. Branna, as an elf, can see fine in darkness. After dressing down to his skivvies and his undershirt. Popov jumps in the water first. When his head bobs back to the surface, he tells Marigold to jump in and grab his leg. He will swim under and through the tunnel, which should take less than half a minute. Marigold jumps in, and takes a hold of Popov. Branna follows. Mon jumps in but immediately sinks to the bottom of the sea, and he starts walking towards the tunnel's opening.

As they swim in the water, Branna notices that Popov moves like a fish in the water. He is clearly in his element when in water, since on land his uneven gait and his use of a can makes walking laborious. Mon carefully observes the old man, suspecting that perhaps he, like himself is more than meets the eye, but he does see air bubbles coming out of the captain's nose, indicating he is very much alive.

They emerge inside a large cave. The tunnel comes out at the bottom of a shallow lake surrounded on three sides by a sandy beach. As Popov said, there is enough light coming from the tunnel's mouth that a few dozen feet in all directions can be dimly perceived. The rest of the space is cast in darkness. Holding one lantern, Marigold walks out of the lake onto the sandy beach. Holding the other one, Mon climbs out of the tunnel and also reaches the sand, and they are soon joined by Branna, who helps Popov gain his footing back on the sand. They begin exploring the cave.

To the east, they find a staircase carved into the stone, flanked by two pillars. Dwarven runes have been inscribed on the pillars. Branna, who has some knowledge of the dwarven language, reads the sign and translates it into Common, revealing that it says "Welcome to the home of the Firebreather Clan." Surprised to find evidence of dwarven occupation, Mon, Marigold and Branna have an animated discussion about whether dwarves go swimming, and whether aquatic dwarves exist as a subspecies of dwarves. Perhaps such a clan might dwell in the depth of the seas, near a crack in the planet's crust so they can benefit from the heat. Popov tells them that dwarves once occupied the northern part of Katarina and mined its mountains to retrieve the iron used in Kat steel, but most clans left in a hurry about 200 years ago. At the time, rumors suggested that the dwarves had been split asunder by a war of succession, but because they didn't come back to this day this remains a mere speculation. 

Carefully climbing the stairs, Popov ascends about 25 feet above the lake's level, to reach another large cave. Covered in a layer of dirt, this cave is filled with piles of boxes. Each pile seems to have boxes of the same size. The air is dryer, and a red glow in the east indicate the presence of a fire. Not noticing any sounds or movement, Marigold looks around and locates a crowbar. She picks a pile at random, and opens the box on top. Inside, she finds ten pieces of chest plate armor. They are utilitarian in nature, and all of them are made of Kat steel. None of them have crests or other symbols that would identify ownership. These are well crafted, but the lack of finishing touches and flourishes on the metal indicate that they were also crafted rather quickly. Still, they are in remarkably good condition for having been stored in an underground environment that is humid.

Mon borrows the crowbar and opens a box from another pile. This box contains four human-sized helmets, also made of Kat steel, and also utilitarian in nature, without any markings or decorations. Looking at the boxes here, there are approximately 90 helmets here, and most likely a similar number of chest plates. Marigold next opens a crate of small swords. They to are made of Kat steel, and are utilitarian in nature. She makes a crude sheathe, and claims one of the swords.

Noticing Popov's limping, which has been aggravated by walking on the soft sand, Mon casts lesser restoration on the old man, easing his physical discomfort. He uses the occasion to talk to Popov about the Order of the Oak. Popov mentions that its structure is cell-based, with individuals only knowing a few of the other conspirators. The goal of the Order of the Oak is to protect the Archduke and his family. The Order has not taken a position on the independence of Katarina, but would support it with the Archduke as leader. Popov knows of two other movements on Katarina that support total independence. The Katarina Resurgence seeks to eliminate any royal authority, including that of the Archduke, and would instead implement a governing body made up of various elements of the island's population, to insure a fair representation. The more radical anarchist Freedom Initiative has been behind some of the more violent actions in the last three years, including a few murders and several kidnappings. According to Popov, the Freedom Initiative seeks to destroy all forms of government and return to a natural state of affairs, whatever that means. 

While Marigold searches the boxes and Mon talks with Popov, Branna discovers three large wooden tables behind several piles of boxes. One of the tables is covered with many maps. These maps are of Katarina at various scales, and show the various emplacements of mines, military camps, roads, and forts. More concerning are floor maps of several locations, including the Legendary, the Katarina Palace, the Winter Palace, the Cathedral, and the Classic. There are other maps of shops, warehouses, and even private homes. Some appear to be professionally made, but most are crude drawings, often placed on the back of advertising posters. Many of these are from plays the Legendary presented in the last two years. Digging further in the maps, Branna finds one where someone has identified the various positiosn where ships could be observed entering the fjord leading to the city of Katarina with minimal risk of encountering a patrol from one of the forts that protects the fjord's entrance. 

After taking inventory of the maps, Mon realizes that about half of the buildings are connected in some way to the Legendary, either through business relationships or as places that are frequented by the theater's clientele. Mon, Marigold, and Branna speculate that perhaps these maps are designed to provide housing for troops of soldiers. They have an intense discussion on whether Marigold should misdirect the maps by altering them in subtle ways. Branna removes the map for the Needle and Threads, while Marigold takes that of the Archduke's residences at the Katarina Palace and the Winter Palace. Branna spots a map of Sidorov Manor, and she takes that one as well. Planning to take them back with them through the tunnel, Marigold fashions a container made of leather and she seals the seams.

Deciding to continue exploring, Mon becomes invisible. He discovers another set of stairs leading east. These too have been carved by dwarves in the stone surrounding the cave, and they rise another 25 feet from the lake's surface, faintly visible below due to the tunnel's entrance. At the top of the stairs, they are greeted by three blazing furnaces on the south side, billowing with intense heat. Roaring flames are contained behind a thick stone door featuring a large pane of strange glass. Inside each furnace, Mon spots eyes staring back at him. Each furnace is occupied by a fire elemental, no doubt tethered there by the dwarves. The odor of molten metal still hovers in the air, though it is appears that no one has used this facility in some time.

Two rows of large and sturdy anvils, each with unique sets of markings from countless years of use stand to the side. A few wooden boards attached to work benches are filled with hammers, from the massive sledgehammers used to shape the toughest of iron ingots to small precision tools used to carve finishing flourishes into the completed metal product. Grindstones are near the workbenches, while four quenching barrels, containing either oil or water, would be used to dip in newly forged weapons and armor.

Above the forge to the south is another room, which can also be accessed by a staircase carved in stone. There Mon finds the smelter, where large stone cauldrons would be used to melt down and purity raw iron ore into the valuable Kat steel that made Katarina's fortune and renown. The head from the furnaces in the forge flows directly under the cauldrons, keeping them hot and ready to melt ore. Piles of raw iron ore are stacked in the corner of this room. Cooling troughs flow from the cauldrons back to the forge, while many long-handled ladles with insulating grips are hooked on racks, ready to be used to scoop molten metal and move it through the troughs to shape it into ingots.

South of the staircase leading to the smelter are tunnels heading into the mountain. These are clearly mine shafts, used to follow the veins of iron that were then mined by the dwarves and smelted on site. Mon then turns his attention to the north side of the forge, where he finds rooms once occupied by dwarven families, as well as a storage room and an office. He picks up what he thinks is a manifest of sorts, and he returns to the storage cave. Captain Popov loses his wits when he notices a book floating by itself, but Mon reveals himself and apologizes.

A voice echoes through the cave as Marigold, Branna, Mon and Captain Popov find themselves surrounded by seven pirates. One of the pirates wears a very wet hat with limping feathers and a prominent golden cross attached to a fine gold necklace around his neck. He steps forward and tells Popov he is surprised the old man would even be at sea with his derelict ship. He almost took pity on the old man and thought about sinking his boat, but decided not to, at least for now. Captain Popov identifies the pirate as Captain Lafoy, the most successful pirate in these parts and one who made the Cardinal into a fool years ago. Lafoy is not sure how Popov discovered this space, and muses that perhaps he should eliminate all four of them, as witnesses are bad for piracy. In a threatening conversation, Lafoy reveals that the equipment in this room belongs to a sponsor, who has commissioned weapons and armor about five years ago to equip a large company of men. Lafoy won't reveal who the sponsor is, but he acknowledges that in between piracy cruises himself and his men withdraw to the safety of this old dwarven outpost, where they spend time crafting these weapons. Asked on whose side Lafoy and his men are, the pirate replies that he is on the profitable side.

While his men keep an eye on them, Lafoy looks for a specific crate. He opens it, and seems pleased that its contents have not been disturbed. Returning to the group, Lafoy then agrees to let them depart, provided that they swear on their honor never to reveal this place to anyone. All four of them comply with the pirate's request. Marigold gives him back the sword she took. They head back to the lake, still fearful for their lives. Jumping into the waters, Marigold, Popov and Branna swim through the tunnel, and emerge outside near Popov's Tall Tales. Mon, for his part, turns himself invisible again, and stays behind. 

A few dozen feet from the Tall Tale is Lafoy's own ship, the three decks, three masts Hangman, reputed to be the fastest ship in Katarina waters. Sailors on board the ship jeer at Popov as the old captain and his friends board his small ship, but they do not interfere as Popov guides his ship back south towards the fjord a few hours away.

Captain Lafoy's ship, the Hangman

Marigold mentions that they probably earned some respect from Lafoy as they did not loot anything. But they shouldn't travel anywhere unaccompanied for a few days, as the pirate captain could change his mind and have them killed, or might just be toying with them, since . Marigold suspects that Lafoy's sponsor might in fact be the Freedom Initiative. The Tall Tale returns to Katarina late in the afternoon, and Marigold and Branna hurry back to the Legendary in time to catch the evening's performance. 

Mon, for his part, explores the rest of the dwarven complex, and discovers a staircase that emerges in the ruins of a dwarven tower on the western flank of Mount Kilina. Deciding to walk back to Katarina on land instead of in the water, Mon hikes the mountain, reaching the top of Mount Kilina as the sun sets. Mon suddenly realizes his understudy will be performing for him tonight, as there is no way he will be back in time.

Back at the Legendary, Luba inquires where Mon is. She tells Branna and Marigold that Mon has set up a dinner date with the Marquess of Sidorov, and now she has to go. She enjoyed the flowers, but wanted to give Mon a piece of her mind, and now he's not here. Luba is concerned Mon is missing, but Marigold and Branna assuage her fears. Having climbed down the mountain, Mon finds a peaceful and quiet grove of trees, where he decides to rest. During the night, he sees a majestic owl, and he apologizes for invading the grove. He tells the owl he will be respectful and will depart in a few hours.

 

Tuesday June 14, 1066 SE

Mon returns to the theatre mid morning. Entering through one of the many secret doors, he sees Luba and Yurchik  standing in the lobby of the theatre. Yurchik is yelling at Luba, telling her that if her boyfriend Mon does not return for tonight's performance, he will be fired. Mon hurries up into the false ceiling above the lobby, then falls through by Yurchik's feet. Having attracted a crowd, Mon stands up and dusts himself. He tells everyone he heard the Cardinal's voice: "Eyes and flames, I swear I heard Matviyko pledge allegiance to the Cardinal." With briny hands and a crust of salt in his hair, he pretends to pass out at Yurchik's feet. The theatre director kicks him, before storming off. Luba goes and gets Marigold, who returns and cleans Mon up

With the story having spread throughout the theatre, Pavel tells Mon that he saw Matviyko stands with soneone backstage after the play last night, but that the person Mon's understudy was with was wrapped in shadows, and he couldn't see who it was. 

Having changed clothes, Mon and Luba head to Khoroshim for their lunch date with the Marquess of Sidorov. Mon hopes the Marquess might know some juicy gossip about Verushka, the Archduke's eldest daughter, that they can use when they entertain her the following day ...

Legendary Campaign - Of Pranks and Commissions

Friday, June 3rd, 1066 SE, continued ...

Following their rescue of Kisa, Mon, Marigold and Branna return to the Legendary to prepare for the grand opening of General Toptigin Cheats Death later that evening. Mon is surprised where there is a knock at the door to his changing room, and Yurchik comes in, followed by a youth that somewhat resembles Mon. Yurchik introduces the youth as Matviyko, a newly hired aspiring actor who will be performing as Mon's understudy. When Mon asks what happened to Andriy, his previous understudy, Yurchik replies that he was terminated this morning based on allegations of improper conduct with some of the female musicians and actresses. The theater director notes that Matviyko is a quick study and he will no doubt be able to replace Mon should something happen to him.

Slightly puzzled and concerned at this turn of events, Mon takes Matviyko to see Oskana, who recommends they see Branna so that Andriy's costume can be properly resized. Branna takes Matviyko's measurements, and tells Mon and the young understudy that his outfits should be ready by the end of the day.

While this is happening, a page boy finds Mon and delivers a note from Captain Popov. The good captain informs Mon that he received the two tickets the actor sent for opening night, and that he will gladly be attending with his friend Yevheniy. He closes the letter by thanking Mon profusely and invites him down to the Anchor's Luck for a drink or two following the performance. 

Remembering past incidents where items disappeared, Marigold checks all of the props that will be used for opening night, and everything is there, properly labeled, and in working order. 

The Legendary has been readied for opening night, with brass glinting, fresh coats of paint, and cleaned drapery. Around supper time, the crowd begins to stream inside the theater. The Archduke and his family arrive thirty minutes before the curtain raises, while the Cardinal makes his way to his private booth a few minutes before the show begins. Word is spread to the actors and theater workers that opening night is sold out.

As is his habit, Sir Gregory ascends to the front of the stage, and he welcomes the crowd, thanking them for being in attendance for what promises to be the best show the Legendary has put on. In a nod to the Archduke and the Cardinal, he welcomes both authorities to the theater, and trust that they will thoroughly enjoy themselves tonight. He then departs, and General Toptigin Cheats Death begins.

During the play, second actor Vadim does something uncharacteristic by messing up a line. It is but a tiny slip, and he quickly covers his mistake, but the man never makes mistakes, so Mon makes a mental note of it and wonders what could have tripped such a professional actor.

Following the performance, both Branna and Marigold receive invitations from the Marquess of Sidorov. Marigold is invited for lunch on Saturday, while Branna is invited for lunch the following day. Both of them send replies back agreeing to meet with the Marquess.  The crew is visited by the Archduke and his family, and he congratulates them on a play well done. Both Mon and Marigold notice that Verushka, the Archduke's eldest daughter, was startled to see Matviyko in the crew. 

Following the Archduke and his family's departure, the crew celebrates its successful opening night. Mon takes the opportunity to reflect on why Vadim messed up his lines, and wonders if the man noticed something strange in the audience or received a signal he did not expect. Whatever it is, Mon has a brilliant idea ...

Later that night, as Mon is resting on his bed, he is awakened by his bedroom door opening. Herald, who has been missing for weeks now, enters the room and immediately throws himself on his bed. Mon notices that the cad is about 25 pounds later, and he has a nasty cough. Under questioning, Herald says that he's been out on an adventure with a lady friend, but his horrid smell and the repulsive state of his clothes say otherwise. Following Herald falling asleep, Mon descend the stairs to the Palace's reception, where he checks in with the nurse on duty and recommend that Herald be isolated for a few days to ensure that he is not contagious. On his way back to a spare room for the night, Mon notices that one of the page boys eating a meal in the cafeteria is Duhka.

Not able to sleep, Mon returns to the Legendary and continues to explore the many secret and hidden passages.  As he walks through the hidden passages within the Legendary, a feminine voice speaks to him from the shadows: “I see you are making good use of your first gift, you left this world before your time. I have watched your portrayal upon the stage of the sacred guide and find it favorable. I have come to offer you a second gift, a pact if you will. Will you accept?”

Mon is at first startled, then intrigued by what he hears, “So you know who I once was, If I had family, a wife, children, will you give me those answers?  What would you have me do in exchange for this pact?”

The voice answers, sounding as if “she” is moving, slowly, through the darkness around him “ Your history, I cannot give you, but you will learn it over time. What will you do for me? Why what your are already doing, remembering your history as your new story grows and to be one of my agents or champions, if you say yes to the pact.”

Mon replies “If I say yes, what do I get in exchange?”

“Gifts, tools, insight from time to time, all to help you accomplish the tasks that you will face.” Comes the voice from someplace new in the shadows.

“And what if I say no?” Mon asks, to which he hears a sigh and “ Then nothing, the tasks will still come before you but the challenge may be much harder and the answers you seek may take longer to uncover.”

Mon stands up straighter and says “ Who are you to offer these gifts? Why do you walk in the shadows unseen? Will you show yourself?”

I the dim light, about half way down the hallway Mon stands in, shadows pull away from the walls and coalesce into a figure “I walk in the shadows and watch all those who walk the mortal realms. I am angered by those who take lives before their appointed time and those who cheat death by the blasphemy of undeath.” The figure take on a more solid form, that of a woman in a long black gown, pail, bare feet seen just below it’s hem. “I am she who seeks to right these wrongs.” Pale hands clasp each other in front of her waist. A mantle of raven feathers drape themselves upon her shoulders as long black hair cascades down her back. “ I am she who walks in the night, and dwells in the shadows by day.” She strides closer with gliding steps, her feet landing just above the floor boards, never touching them. “I am, in the end, She who is seen by all…..” With this last statement, a mask of plain white porcelain appears where her face would be and just as quickly she vanishes from Mon's sight. “Will you accept my gifts, Mon DeGreen?”

Mon, knowing who he thinks he has just seen, kneels and says “ How can I refuse. Yes, I will accept this gift.” The porcelain mask reappears next to Mon’s right ear and he hears a whisper, “ Then take up this blade, my agent and the pact will be sealed.” And a pail hand holds out the hilt of a sword to Mon and he reaches out and takes hold and upon his cheek he feels the cold kiss of the Raven Queen.

 

Saturday, June 4, 1066 SE

Eating breakfast in the morning at the Palace's cafeteria, Branna asks Joseph how well financially the play did the night before. Joseph nervously gets up and leaves without answering. Lena is upset that the Branna asked Joseph. At the table, Mon, Branna, and Marigold discuss ways in which an assassin could use a bow to strike at the King if he were to attend a performance at the Legendary. The group discuss Matviyko's new arrival and wonder whether he might be planted as an agent. Mon finds the timing of Andriy's termination and Matviyko's subsequent hiring particularly troubling, and remarks on Verushka's reaction when she first saw Matviyko, clearly recognizing him.

After breakfast, Mon goes shopping. He purchases a book at Fabled Pages, a Low Town bookstore, where he purchases a thesaurus. He crosses the small alley and enters Enchanted Soles Cobbler, a compact cobbler's shop, where he purchases baby shoes. His purchases in hand, he heads back to the Palace where he prepares a packaged containing the thesaurus and the baby shoes, which he gives to a page boy to deliver to Vadim with a note that reads "Remember, baby steps."

Another page boy finds Mon and delivers him an invitation from Luba, inviting him to have lunch with her at the Warm Whistle. Mon gives the page boy a silver piece to spread the news that he and Luba will meet for a lovely lunch while the boy is on his way to return Mon's acceptance. He sends a note to Captain Popov requesting a meeting on his boat after the performance tonight.

Marigold meets with the Marquess of Sidorov over a very lavish lunch at Sidorov Manor. The Marquess commissions Marigold to craft an intricate golden pendant assorted with three rubies that can hide a very small vial, along with a matching pair of earrings. She will provide the gold and the jewels, but she wants everything ready before the King's arrival. She also requests an original silver tiara that would contain several silver oak leaves distributed among the other leaves. She further tells Marigold she will be asking Branna to create a red dress that will match the rubies in the pendant. Marigold tells the Marquess she will connect with Branna and send her sample drawings after the two of them have met.

Meanwhile, Mon heads to the Warm Whistle, but Luba does not come, leaving Mon alone in the tea shop.

Branna runs into Lena again, and the halfling is near tears. After calming her down, Branna learns that Lena has just overheard a conversation Joseph was having with another accountant, and despite the recent plays filling most of the Legendary every night, the theater is currently running a 7,000 silver pieces deficit for the year, and painful cuts are forthcoming.

The second performance of General Toptigin Cheats Death is done in front of another sold out crowd, and the play goes off without a hitch. Following the end of the show, Branna, Marigold and Mon head to the Anchor's Luck to see Captain Popov.

After a few rounds of drinks with Popov and his friends, Marigold asks the good captain if he knows where abalone could be found. Captain Popov tells her he knows a spot, and he will get her a few of them in the next week or so.

 

Sunday, June 5, 1066 SE

Following a hearty breakfast, Branna heads over to Sidorov Manor, where she is received by the Marquess of Sidorov. After an overindulgent meal which resembles the meal Marigold described to hear the day before), the Marquess commissions Branna to craft a series of outfits for the King's stay on Katarina. Most importantly, she wants a red dress that will complement a beautiful golden pendant she is having Marigold craft.

When Branna returns to the Legendary, Marigold and her talk about the outfits and the jewelry. Branna mentions what she heard from Lena. The two of them are worried for their positions at the theater, but with the income coming from Marquess de Sidorov it may be enough to tie the both of them over for a while....

Legendary Campaign - Kisa is kidnapped!

Thursday, June 2, 1066 SE

Following Sir Sergeii's announcement that the King will be arriving at the beginning of July, the population of the island has been speculating on exactly when the King's arrival would be. With no confirmed arrival date, Archduke Maxsimillian III orders that the island of Katarina be spruced up. Grants are made available to repaint and repair buildings. Orders are given to repair roads and clean up the heart of the capital so that the island can showcase itself during this first royal visit.

At the Legendary, the staff of the second crew meets in the morning. Yurchik reviews with them tonight's end of The Enchanted Rusalka, the final performance of the first crew. He announces that Sir Gregory has requested that the theater be cleaned, carpets fixed, brass shined, and that new coats of paint be applied to all public areas, so that when the King visits, the Legendary will live to its reputation as the premier entertainment venue on Katarina. The theater director also mentions that there are enough tickets left for tonight's performance that all staff members can receive two of them for free, with the goal of filling out the venue for the last show. Finally, Yurchik tells them that their upcoming performance of General Toptigin Cheats Death most likely will be the play the King sees if he comes to the Legendary, so actors, musicians, and support staff must do their utmost duty to ensure this is the best ever play put on by the second crew.

During the last pre-production meeting, Marigold suggests that costumes and props be duplicated, to ensure that they are as fresh as possible. Both Dusana the prop master and Oskana the master costumer agrees. Marigold furthermore adds that Oskana, Branna and the rest of the costume designers should review all of the costumes and make them more conservative, to avoid unnecessary trouble. Intercepting the halfling after the meeting, Mon asks Marigold to create him more smoke bombs for the play he is writing, and he also requests a more powerful version for personal use. These, he indicates, could be hidden in mundane objects like an avocado. Marigold rolls her eyes, but agrees to build him a few prototypes.

Now having an extra ticket to tonight's performance, Mon recalls that Captain Popov loves attending shows at the Legendary but usually can't afford it. He decides to drop off a ticket at the Anchor's Luck. Ivan takes the ticket and lets him know he will be happy to give it to the captain when he comes in later that afternoon.  

Mon returns to the Palace and continues to clean up the bedroom he shares with Herald. None of the love letters he has found come from the mainland, and the only incriminating evidence are trinkets such as bracelets, handkerchiefs, dried roses, and the like. He's looking for a letter from someone who may not be easily identified on the island. He will then make it look like it was written in code that Herald could decipher. He draws an oak leaf in the corner, then anonymously delivers the letters to a place the Cardinal's men will find it. This way, it will point their search for separatists in a different direction. Eventually, this letter is identified as a fake eight days later, but this leads to more questions as to why was a fake delivered?

Marigold visits the nearby jewelers, and propose several designs for the upcoming royal visit, and she secures sales for a total of 78 silver pieces. She will spend most of her free time crafting jewelry.

Captain Popov attends the performance of The Enchanted Rusalka with Mon. Mon and him talk about the Oak, and relates what he has done using Herald's old letters. They both agree that a rumor could be started that the letter was intentionally sent.

During Act II, following a scene change from the indoor palace to the outdoor forest, Mon notices that the green bear has been placed in its spot, and that it is wearing a pirate hat with an arrow sticking through it, pointing in the general direction of Dukha's apartment. At the end of the performance, Mon accompanies Captain Popov to the Anchor's Luck, and they share a few drinks with Yevheniy, Vasyl, and Bohdan, the Captain's drinking buddies.

Friday, June 3, 1066 SE

After an hour of drinking, Mon departs the Anchor's Luck and heads back on the wharfs towards Uptown Road. He notices two odd things. First, a wagon drawn by a team of horses is on wharf 7, and two men stand next to it smoking pipes. They politely nod as he walks by, but it seems very early for a deliver wagon to be on the wharf. The second thing he notices is a ship sailing away from Katarina. Already the ship is midway through Spokoya Bay and is heading out to sea. It is highly irregular for a ship to depart the island of Katarina this early in the morning, as navigating the fjord at night can be dangerous.

Shrugging these coincidences off, Mon returns to the Legendary, and, climbing the secret way he first entered Dukha's apartment, he puts on the costume Branna designed outside the apartment. He casts the illusion of a fake door behind the real door, so that it looks like he floated through the door, and uses mage hand to close the door behind him. Dukha is startled at his appearance, but she regains her composure and starts crying. She reveals to the ghost that she thinks Kisa has been kidnapped. She was watching the actress get dressed before the finale, and when she left three men she did not recognize brought in a large wooden chest, which they placed in the corner of her dressing room. One of the men, who was bald and portly, left a lovely bottle of perfume with a note from an adoring fan attached to it, and when one of the other two men asked if this was the contraption the bald man had replied that one spritz of the perfume would knock the actress out completely. Dukha immediately left the secret passage behind the dressing room, retrieved the green bear from her apartment, and left it in the indicated space with an arrow to indicate the urgency of the situation.

Mon removes part of his costume and reveals himself. Dukha is surprised. She didn't suspect it was him. Alarmed by what he heard, Mon leaves the apartment. Even this early, some of the crew is hard a work dismantling the set for The Enchanted Rusalka so that the set of General Toptigin Cheats Death can be assembled later in the morning. Mon sends a runner to Pavel, and asks him to meet at the security's office with Nadie, the head of security. Asking around at the cast party for the first crew still in full swing, Mon realizes that no one has seen Kisa since the end of the performance. Examining Kisa's dressing room, Mon finds the bottle of perfume and the faint smell of arcane magic. Additional runners are sent to notify the Legendary family and the local guards of Kisa's disappearance. A message is also sent to the Cathedral hinting that Kisa was kidnapped by members of the Oak. With everyone looking for her, she may be easier to find.

Remembering the departed ship and the two suspicious men on wharf 7, Mon races back to the wharf, where he notes Ivan locking up the Anchor's Luck. The owner tells Mon that Captain Popov is still sleeping inside, by his favorite corner next to the fireplace. Mon drops 15 silver in the Captain's purse, and hands Ivan another 15 silver to settle the Captain's tab. Mon gently wakes Popov up, and he explains the situation. Captain Popov suggests they cast away on his fishing ship, the Tall Tale. He will prepare it, while Mon finds the harbor master to get information on the departed ship.

Ivan and Mon soon locate Ostap, the harbor master, who confirms that the ship that departed did not have authorization to do so. It is the Moonlight Maiden, with its port of call being Kyan, on the coast of Sezjan, about two days' sail from Katarina. Meanwhile, Branna and Marigold, who heard of the kidnapping, track Mon to the wharf. Neither the local guards nor the Cardinal's men have arrived yet, so a small crew consisting of Mon, Branna, Marigold, Ivan, and Captain Popov cast off on board the Tall Tale. Mon has a previous memory of sailing, and he is very concerned that the the boat is so rickety it most likely will sink within an hour. Branna begins working on fixing the sails, while Marigold looks for things to mend, but she soon discovers that despite its looks, the ship is sturdy and structurally sound. Not only that, but it seems to be moving rather faster than it should.

As they clear the fjord's entrance and spot the Moonlight Maiden in the distance on the open sea, Captain Popov asks whether they should use subterfuge or being brazen and attack the Moonlight Maiden. Marigold suggest that there is a stowaway on board the Moonlight Maiden, a young boy who's part of the Legendary crew, and that this is why they are chasing the ship. Captain Popov agrees that this is probably the best course of action, as he would not want to commit an act that could be interpreted as piracy.

Mon disguises himself as a town guard, and the Tall Tale pulls next to the Moonlight Maiden. Its captain is hailed. Marigold tells him that they're looking for a small gnome teen that smuggled himself aboard the ship on a dare, but that he had most certainly not expected the ship to take off in the middle of the night, and that he was probably scared of revealing his presence aboard. 

Mon casts zone of truth and detect magic to see if Kisa is truly on board. The first thing he notices is that there is nothing magical at all about the Tall Tale. It is a plain ship ... He does, however, locate Kisa's heirloom magical bracelet in one of the rooms onboard the Moonlight Maiden. The captain advises Mon that a wealthy man booked passage early last night, and mentioned that he wanted to depart at night to arrive in Kyan in the morning of the sailing day as soon as his chest filled with merchandise was brought aboard. He paid the captain handsomely to take the risk of departing at night without notifying the harbor master.

Still dressed as a town guard, Mon knocks on the door and requests that the room be searched for a stowaway. The portly bald man, who identifies himself as Yakov, reluctantly agrees, and Mon and Marigold look under the bed but do not find Kisa. A large wooden chest is in a corner of the room, and Mon requests it be opened. The man complies, and the chest is filled with women clothes. No sign of Kisa. But detect magic indicates the chest is in fact magical. A close interrogation of the man eventually yields the secret of the chest. It has a secret magical compartment that is activated by using the right latch first, then the left latch second. After performing the action in the right sequence, the chest opens and reveals Kisa still sleeping. Mon arrests Yakov, and the Moonlight Maiden's captain is more than happy to accept additional payment and all of the clothes from the chest to remove this passenger from his ship. When Kisa awakens, Mon tells her everything that has happened, and she is grateful for having been rescued, but she's not very confident that the Tall Tale will survive the voyage home.

On the way back to Katarina, Mon continues to interrogate Yakov, but the only thing he knows is that he was hired by a woman to kidnap Kisa and bring her to Kyan. Once there he was supposed to be met by a representative who would pay him the remainder of what he was owed. He does not know where Kisa's ultimate destination was.

On the trip back, Mon and Captain Popov discuss many things. They talk about whether there is underwater access anywhere on the island, like tunnels that could be used for smuggling. Popov states that there might well be a few, but he'll put some feelers out. They then talk politics. Popov reveals that the Oak is in fact real, and that it is an organization dedicated to protecting the island of Katarina. There is some concerns that the King will not only bring his royal retinue with him, but also a large contingent of troops that would occupy the island. The King's views of morality being closer to those of the Cardinal than the Archduke, this could create some tensions on the island, as well as suppress some of the liberties the local people enjoy. This visit, if anything, will stoke resentment and anger at the monarchy and will cause several headaches as the Archduke navigate treacherous waters.

Back on Katarina, Yakov is arrested by the guards for the kidnapping of Kisa. Mon, Branna, and Marigold meet with Nadie to debrief the incident. After an exhaustive search of the Legendary, evidence was found that Luba had recently withdrawn a large sum of gold from her bank, and this seems to point towards the actress as the sponsor of her rival's kidnapping. However, Nadie believes that Luba is in fact being framed, as it is unlikely the actress would have this kind of money, but she doesn't know why or by whom.

To avoid further non-crew members being in dressing rooms or anywhere they shouldn't be, Marigold recommends that a symbol be adopted for every production. She adds that every member of the crew not living at the palace should have an escort every time they travel to the Legendary and back. Mon suggests that some self-defense moves be taught to the crew. Branna then adds that a policy for gifts should be developed that indicates they should go through security first.

With the opening performance of General Toptigin Cheats Death in a few hours, Mon buys a ticket for one of the Captain's friends to come and attend the opening night. Perhaps this will change their view of the opera as being a waste of time! Dukha sends a message to Mon that contains a receipt for a recent withdrawal of 300 silver pieces Ulan made with his bank. This would be enough money to pay for Kisa's kidnapping, and it is well known that these two positively loathe each other. Mon mentions it to Nadie, who says she will keep an eye on Ulan, but with his connection to Sir Gregory, it may be hard to pursue the investigation further without getting in trouble ...

Legendary Campaign - Trouble before Masha and the Bear

Wednesday, April 6, 1066 SE

Following a hearty breakfast, the crew returns to the Legendary to prepare for the final dress rehearsal the next day. The thrill of excitement is palpable as everyone assembles on Stage 2. Yurchik presents all of the notes to each department head, highlighting the issues that require fixing before opening night on Friday. He also takes the opportunity to reveal the final series of posters for Masha and the Bear, and to Luba's relief, she and Vadim are both front and center in the last round of publicity for the play. Yurchik mentions that tomorrow's performance is the last chance to finalize the production, and that Sir Gregory Tsaplin will be in attendance. Yurchik also reveals that the next production for the First Crew will be Liza the Fox and Catafay the Cat, and they begin building the sets tomorrow.

With the final notes distributed, everyone returns to their workshops to complete their tasks. Dusana asks Marigold to design a bubble machine that will release bubbles when the basket in which Masha is hidden is opened. Marigold mentions that the bubble machine will make the floor slippery, so the crew  will need rubber shoes and stage hands will need to wipe down the floors after the first set changes.  

Dusana, prop master

Oskana asks Branna to make seven matching hats for the extras. The missing hats have been overlooked, and now they need to be created in a hurry. Branna picks up a nice green fleece, and designs simple yet elegant hats. When they are completed, Branna has all of the extras try them on. The elf makes the final modifications, then labels each hat with their wearer's name so they can be easily identified. 

During this time, the Marquess of Sidorov visit the theater. A rich widow known for her extravagant entertaining parties and her propensity for monopolizing the conversation, the Marquess is always on the lookout for new and exciting elements she can add to her repertoire. Every department head is eager to escape her presence, so when she catches Oskana unawares, the costume designer is only too happy to introduce Branna to her before disappearing. The Marquess gushes over the costumes Branna designed, and she asks the elf whether she would be willing to create a similar dress for an upcoming party. Branna agrees.

Mon overheard the conversation between Marigold and Dusana about the bubble machine, and he decides to practice casting silent image to recreate the bubble fall during the first act. Mon requests a bit of fleece from Branna as he will need a small square per performance.

Mon deGreen

In a conversation with Lena, the halfling from the marketing department reveals to Marigold that Yurchik was behind removing Luba and Vadim. The theater director evidently seemed interested in exploring whether it was time for new stars, but something made him back down. 

 Meanwhile, Branna vists The Needle and Thread. Paula, a human middle-aged woman, runs the sewing shop, and she's thrilled to have one of the Legendary seamstresses visiting. After some small talk, Branna explains the type of costume she wants to make for the Marquess. Following some haggling, Paula agrees to a cost of 4 silvers, and the transaction is made. 

After dinner at the Palace, Branna, Mon and Marigold return to the Legendary. Branna notices that one of the hats she created earlier that day is missing. She makes two hats and keeps one aside. After doing so, she rejoins her friends. Mon inquires which hat was missing. Not sure, Branna returns to her workshop and takes a look. The missing hat was Mon's. 

To celebrate their last evening free before the opening of Masha and the Bear, they decide to meander through Katarina. Marigold soon notices that the Cardinal's men are not on the street.

Sergeant Dima, whom they previously encountered, leads a patrol of two soldiers. Mon stops to chat with the soldier, and he remarks that the streets are eerily quiet. Dima replies that a rumor is circulating that the Cardinal is upset over Masha and the Bear, and finds the fact that a young girl would be living with a bear to be sinful and disgraceful. Mon wonders whether the Cardinal is plotting with his men to disrupt tomorrow's opening night. Dima does not know, but would not be surprised, as the Cardinal has been looking for a blow to deliver against what he considers loose morals on the island. 

Taking a look around the Cathedral, the three friends notice that no guards are standing outside, but that many lights are on inside the church, suggesting a large gathering. They wisely decide to move away.

The friends soon find their way to the Anchor's Luck, where they find Captain Popov spending quality time gambling away with his friends in his usual spot by the roaring fireplace. Popov is thrilled to see them, and is beyond himself when Mon offers him a ticket for the opening night of Masha and the Bear. Based on the old man's reaction, Mon surmises that the Captain would not be able to afford his own ticket. Popov thanks them profusely, but refuses to take the ticket. He can't see very well, and it would be a waste. He can just as well listen to the performance from outside the theater. Mon will not hear of it, and he casts lesser restoration to improve Popov's eyesight. The Captain is brought to tears, and he hugs Mon.

 During their evening conversations, Popov mentions that an excellent source has informed him that the Cardinal's armor was polished. This, mixed with the absence of his men on the streets, leads  Popov to suspect that the Cardinal himself will be leading some sort of public action very soon. As they ready to leave, Popov whispers to them that friends of the oak should make themselves scarce tomorrow night. 

Now worried, they return to the Legendary, and Branna soon notices there has been a break-in in the prop room. Someone took out the guards, and items, including the bubble machine Marigold created, have been sabotaged. Marigold decides she will sleep here tonight, and she casts the alarm cantrip on the window. Branna examines the costume room, but find that nothing is amiss. Mon notifies the stage manager on duty, who sends messages out to the heads of departments and to Yurchik. Mon himself tracks Dima and the patrol down. Soon the theater is filled with staffers and the entire building is searched. Nothing else seems amiss, so after adding some guards, folks return home. Mon, Branna, and Marigold remain uneasy at the situation, however.

 

Thursday, April 7, 1066 SE

With Marigold already sleeping at the Legendary in the props room, Mon decides he will guard Stage 2. Branna returns home to the Legendary, but as she comes up the stairs she sees a person dressed in black emerging from Mon's room. Branna casts ray of frost , r hitting the person, but they manage to escape down the hall and around a corner. In the struggle, however, a jar of ointment was dropped. Branna rings the alarm bell located on every floor in case of fire, and wakes up everyone in the Palace. The building is soon searched, but no trace of the person is found. Unfortunately, Branna does not have a good description of the person, so it could be anyone under the disguise.

Alerted, Mon and Marigold return to the Palace, where Branna tells them what transpired. Mon identifies the ointment dropped from the intruder as a cream of disguise, with a few applications remaining. The friends suddenly fear the worse. Could someone be ready to disguise themselves as Mon and lead an assassination attempt during opening night? After all, both the Archduke and the Cardinal are likely to attend ...