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 - The Marquess of Sidorov looks stunning!

Saturday, June 18, 1066 SE, continued

With the wine auction now finally behind them, Marigold and Branna rush to complete their respective projects for the Marquess of Sidorov. After an early breakfast, Branna heads back to the Legendary and her workshop, while Marigold works quietly in her room now that her roommate has left. Both of them receive news from Yurchik, the theater director, who requests everyone from First and Second Crew not on stage for the last dress rehearsal of The Enchanted Winter: A Tale of Lost Love to be in attendance at 4 pm to provide the First Crew with a live audience so that the play that will be presented when the King of Sezja is in attendance.

Branna completes her work on the outfits. She examines her blue dress with silvery, and finds it needs to be adjusted at the waist. The green emerald dress is fantastic. The yellow dress needs to be bedazzled. And the red dress is simply stunning, and the costume designer knows this dress will be the talk of Katarina and will most likely make the style columns in the various newspapers. She requests an appointment with the Marquess by sending a message to Sidorov Estate.

Marigold puts the finishing touches to the gold earring she made for the Marquess of Sidorov. She considers them decent, but she wishes she had more time to add flourish and details. Marigold examines both the intricate golden pendant assorted with three rubies that can hide a very small vial and the silver tiara that would contain several silver oak leaves mingled with other leaves, and find them quite exquisite. She stops by Branna to ensure that the necklace will fit fine with the red dress' neckline. She also has an ounce of gold left that was not used in the manufacture of these jewels.

Meanwhile, Mon continues to watch the horse races at Thunderhoof Downs, first with the Marquess, before returning to sit with Sir Gregory. The actor plans on compiling information from the Marquess' bets, and report them to Sir Gregory. He proposes this idea to Sir Gregory, who agrees it is a splendid idea, and offers Mon a 50/50 split if Mon can device a plan to inform him of what the bets are to be in a timely manner. Mon suggests that a magical item like a brooch could be made, which could send a message to a receiving unit. Sir Gregory agrees, and thinks that two of them should be made before wondering if someone has enough time to get two brooches crafted before next Saturday. Mon suggests Marigold as an excellent jeweller. Sir Gregory agrees to commission two brooches from her. Later that day, Marigold shows Mon her two designs.

Mon then suggests that a similar brooch could be designed and awarded to the Legendary guild members, with a different valuable metal every five years. Perhaps the last brooch could be mithril. Mon mentions he's been studying the history of Katarina and the Firebreather Clan of dwarves were here, perhaps  could contact their descendants and see if mithril could be procured. Sir Gregory agrees it is worth looking into. He then leaves the booth to get food and drinks. Ony, who is also in the private booth watching the horse races, politely declines both food and drink.

Mon asks Ony about who enchants the items. Ony tells him he will check with Sir Gregory and, if the man agrees, will pass along the contact. Ony expresses some concerns with the quantiy of the schemes Mon has proposed. Sir Gregory returns with several meats on a stick, ale for himself and a tankard of mead for Mon.

While Mon spends time with the Marquess of Sidorov and Lady Sirenko at Thunderhoof Downs, both Branna and Marigold complete their commissions for the Marquess. Branna sends a message to Sidorov Manor, and the Marquess' butler, Olehiv, replies that the Marquess will be thrilled to welcome them for lunch tomorrow and examine the dresses and the jewelry. 

Before the races are over, Mon excuses himself and he makes his way back to the Legendary. This afternoon, the First Crew is holding the last dress rehearsal for the play that will debut when the King arrives, and all employees are expected to attend to provide a more realistic audience for the actors and musicians performing this new play.

Titled "The Enchanted Winter: A Tale of Lost Love," this play is set in a mystical realm of snow-covered landscapes. This spellbinding opera mixes together elements of fantasy, romance, and enchantment to tell a poignant story of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Through its exploration of love's enduring power and the triumph of good over evil, Enchanted Winter is designed to leave a lasting impression, reminding the audience of the timeless allure of fantastical tales and the redemptive nature of love itself.

Act 1 is titled "Whispers of the Frost." The Kingdom of Everfrost is introduced. It is a place perpetually trapped in winter's icy embrace. Princess Elara, a kind-hearted and beautiful maiden, mourns the loss of her beloved Prince Mikhail, who perished in battle against dark forces. Elara's grief attracts the attention of the Ice Queen, a powerful sorceress ruling over the realm. Sensing Elara's pain, the Ice Queen offers her a chance to reunite with her beloved, but at a great cost. Elara must embark on a perilous journey through the enchanted forest, guided by the mystical Snow Spirit, and retrieve a magical crystal that holds the power to restore love.

Act 2 is titled "The Dance of Shadows." In the second act, Elara sets forth on her quest, encountering a host of fantastical creatures and overcoming treacherous obstacles. Along the way, she encounters a band of mischievous forest sprites and befriends a wise old sage who aids her in navigating the ever-shifting labyrinthine forest. Meanwhile, Prince Mikhail, trapped in the clutches of the Shadow Queen, battles inner demons and struggles to retain memories of his love for Elara. As Elara draws closer to the crystal, the Shadow Queen unleashes her dark forces to halt her progress, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown between light and darkness.

Act 3 is titled "The Melody of Love Restored." The final act brings the story to its climactic conclusion. Elara, having braved countless dangers, reaches the heart of the enchanted forest and retrieves the precious crystal. The Snow Spirit reveals its true form as a celestial being, and together, they confront the Shadow Queen. Through the power of love and self-sacrifice, Elara breaks the Shadow Queen's spell over Mikhail, freeing him from the darkness that consumed him. The reunited couple, now aware of the strength of their love, use the magic of the crystal to bring an end to the eternal winter and restore harmony to the Kingdom of Everfrost. The play concludes with a jubilant celebration as love triumphs over adversity and the kingdom basks in the warmth of a new dawn.

During the play, Branna notices Yurchik seems not impressed by their performance, and he took copious and furious notes. He especially appeared mad at Kisa and Ulan's interactions during the play, even at some point snapping a pencil in barely controlled rage. When Branna reports this to her friends, Mon expresses the thought that he would very much would like to know the source of Kisa and Ulan's hatred for each other, and wonders whether intoxication and zone of truth would reveal their sordid business. He begins planning on how to spend some time with each separately.

Mon mentions his idea of crafting two brooches to Marigold, who swiftly comes up with a design for his own brooch, and another one for Sir Gregory. Mon loves both of them, and will present them to Sir Gregory for his approval.

 

Sunday, June 19, 1066 SE

In the morning, Branna and Marigold send a page boy out to rent a carriage so they can deliver their goods to Sidorov Manor. At about 11, the carriage arrives at the Palace, and they load up the box containing the Marquess' dresses before heading to the outskirts of town. On the way there, they both notice that the facade of Khoroshim has been fully repaired, with all evidence of the attack removed.

Greeted at the door by Olehiv, they are lead to the dining room where they join Marquess and Lady Sirenko. Lovely food is brought out, and the conversation turns to the the wine auction and its success. The Marquess is thrilled by her purchases, and looks forward to serving them during the King's visit. They also talk about who might have been behind the assaults on Khoroshim and at the wine auction. The Marquess tells them she saw the dreaded Captain Lafoy at the wine auction, and supposes he managed to escape. Branna explains that it was one of the Cardinal's men, Tarasenko, who let the attack. The Marquess also mentions she heard a rumor that the Cardinal plans on shutting down the Legendary when the King gets here. Marigold hopes that this is not the case.

After a fabulous meal that would cost plenty of silver pieces at Khoroshim, the Marquess and her friends move to her dressing room on the second floor. This room is a veritable clothes' paradise, and Branna estimates there are at least 1,000 different outfits here. Branna takes out the yellow dress, and the Marquess puts it on behind a screen. Coming out, she twirls, and the dress fits her perfectly. The Marquess gushes about the quality of the dress and how it fits. Branna takes the blue dress out, and lets the Marquess know she will need to do a few retouches to ensure that the fit is perfect. Once again, the Marquess is very pleased with the dress. Marigold takes out the tiara and places it on the Marquess's head. Looking at herself in the mirror, Marigold can tell the Marquess has been temporarily transported back to childhood, and the look on her face is that of pure wonder at the way she looks with the blue dress and the tiara.

Branna then takes out the emerald green dress, and the Marquess' jaw drops. She quickly puts it on, and once again does a twirl. Lady Sirenko claps as the Marquess prances around the room. Then Branna removes the red dress from its box. Both the Marquess and Lady Sirenko simply stare at it for many heart beats. As the Marquess takes the dress behind the curtain, Marigold catches a fleeting hint of jealousy on Lady Sirenko's face, which is quickly replaced by her usually neutral expression. When the Marquess finally comes out from behind the curtain, she looks simply stunning, with a perfectly form-fitting dress. For a long moment, both the Marquess and Lady Sirenko stare at each other, and Branna detects a hint of attraction between the two women. When Marigold takes out the rest of the jewelry she has crafted and the Marquess puts it on, the room goes silent again, as everyone admires the Marquess. For her part, the Marquess is very pleased with the result.

To thank both of them for their efforts and creativity, the Marquess gives them each a finely crafted rosewood box with silver hinges that contains 75 gold pieces. Both Branna and Marigold are speechless, and the Marquess explains that talent like theirs should be handsomely rewarded. Thanking them both, the Marquess escorts them to the front door, where Olehiv hands them a packed box of fudge for both that they can take back to Dukha. The two of them head back to Katarina wealthier than they ever imagined.

Meanwhile, Ony visits Mon at the Legendary and asks for his honest opinion of The Enchanted Winter. Mon reports on the rift between Kisa and Ulan. Ony tells Mon that Sir Gregory thinks it's a diamond in the rough. Mon mentions his worry of how this will sit with the Cardinal, that the man may be opposed to the play on moral grounds. It might need to be more morally acceptable. The music and the songs were inspiring, and they did not contain any innuendo. Mon also discusses the possible connection between the attacks at Khoroshim and at the wine auction. It appears that nobles are being targeted. Perhaps those nobles being targeted are supporters of the Archduke. Ony mentions that Captain Lafoy has been seen at both instances, but Mon tells him it was a disguise. The last time was certainly Tarasenko disguised as Lafoy, and the attack against Khoroshim was probably him as well.. Mentions that the Cardinal might be appointed as regent of Katarina, he would benefit all of the profits. Mon also says he met Captain Lafoy once. 

Ony finally comes to the purpose of his visit. Sir Gregory approved him telling Mon about his enchanter, a cobbler named Orest. Orest owns a shop called the Drowned Sailor's Stitches, which is located one street behind the Anchor's Luck. Orest fixes sailors' boots and gear real cheap. Ony emphasizes that Mon should make sure no one else is in the shop when he talks magic, and that he makes sure Orest knows that Sir Gregory sent him.

Mon then suggest they should compare the guest list of the nobles at the wine auction and those reported at Khoroshim, looking for potential connection to the Oak resistance group, with their connections with the nobles and with residents of Low Town, as well as with both sides of the law. Could the Oak be an organization that predates the current government on Katarina. Mon also talks about the Riftforge War that took place 315 years ago. Ony agrees to send it to him.

In the afternoon, Marigold wanders the streets, looking for a small store to rent where Branna and her could work, have a storefront, and some space in the back where they could protect and lock up their creations. The halfling is surprised to see that there are no empty storefronts anywhere within three blocks of the Legendary. In a city this size, she would have expected one or two shops to be available for rent. However, she does find the perfect spot in the building next to the Warm Whistle. 

During dinner, just before the evening's performance, Mon describes Orest's shop to Marigold and Branna, suggesting that this person might be the one who could enchant their items as Marigold crafts them.

In the evening, Mon receives a package from Ony. Opening it, he finds the seating chart and the list of all attendees and those who had reserved but ended up not attending. Looking at the list, he realizes the Marquess had originally been assigned a front-row seat, before being moved to the back of the room when Sir Paul Stal confirmed he would be attending. Perhaps the Marquess was the target after all.

Mon crafts an anonymous letter to the Marquess explaining that she should look for a heir and provide a foundation for House Sidorov to reestablish its stature. A potential heir had recently visited her home, a young lady named Dukha who is an orphan, and she would benefit from an education and tutoring. 

 

Monday, June 20, 1066 SE

Early in the morning, Mon looks for and find Dukha hanging out with other page boys, and he asks her  to deliver two letters to Sidorov Manor. Both letters are sealed with green wax using his shell shaped cufflinks to help seal them. One is addressed to Olehiv and the other is addressed to the Marquess. The first letter reads:

Our Respectful Olehiv,

If you would be so kind. The young messenger I have sent has a letter for the Marquess. I would enjoy if could be possible for this youth to deliver it directly to her hands and wait in her presence for a reply.

Your service and your friend,

Mon deGreen

 The second letter reads:

Your Grace the Marquess of Sidorov,

With your humble permission, allow me to interrupt your day with this missive that hopefully finds you well. As an individual who has come to know you and some of your life and considers you a friend, please let me entreat upon you with a few ideas that may lift the name Sidorov to the heights it deserves. Of the things you are known for, by a select and may I say modest few, are your pastries, deserts and fudge. To this I suggest opening “A Taste of Sidorov” a patisserie and confectionery, with items priced so all on the island can enjoy.

 I have also seen your home once had the laughter of childhood within its walls and on its lawns. Word has come to my ears that this may not happen again, but with what you are about to read that does not have to be the case. The messenger I have sent to you with this letter is also fond of the theater and does have a taste for fudge. Her name is Dukha. She is also alone, I am currently attempting to find out word of what may have happened to her sister. She has no other family that she or I am aware of.

 It would give me great pleasure if you could adopt her and name her as your heir to the Sidorov name. Grant her a life and education like she deserves. I have a feeling that this little one has great things ahead of her, and, especially if taken under your wing her soul may soar to heights undreamed of. Please, if she has arrived early enough, let her join you and Lady Sirenko for lunch so you may get to know her.

Your service,

Your Man of the Verdant

Legendary Campaign - Explosion at Khoroshim

 Tuesday, June 14, 1066 SE, continued

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.

Arriving at Khoroshim a little after noon, Mon and Luba can tell at a glance that the place is packed. The sidewalk has been occupied by scaffolding as workers paint and spruce up the building's facade for the King's imminent arrival. As they stand on the wide sidewalk in front of the famous restaurant, they can see a large crowd occupying all of the tables inside the dining room. The rich and famous are here, enjoying a good meal at Katarina's premier restaurant. 

Khoroshim

Entering through the masterfully crafted wooden and glass front doors, Mon leads Luba to the reception area where the Maître D' stands. A thin and tall bald man in his early 50s, the Maître D', whose name tag reads Jeronim, looks at both of them and then politely inquires how he can help them. Mon responds that they have a lunch invitation to eat at the Marquess of Sidorov's personal table. Jeronim politey asks for their names then requests they wait a moment. He leaves the reception area and heads through the dining room to the northeast corner. After a few moments, he returns, and, taking two menus, he entreats them to follow him. He promptly leads them to a small booth in the corner, where the Marquess of Sidorov is sitting with a short lady of the same age. 

Spotting Mon and Luba, the Marquess stands up and offer her hand to Mon, who promptly kisses it. She motions to the lady sitting with her, and introduces Fayina Sirenko, her childhood and best friend in the whole world. She then unceremoniously asks Lady Sirenko to move over. The Marquess joins her against the north wall, and she tells Mon to sit next to her. Luba ends up on the edge of the booth.

The Marquess immediately questions Mon as to why he wasn't in the performance last night. She and Lady Sirenko had attended, and she was disappointed to see that her favorite actor had been replaced with his understudy. Mon tells her what happened to him last night, which explains why he wasn't at the play. They then discuss Matviyko and his more than decent performance, then Mon and her discuss his fall. Luba confirms what happened. The Marquess opines that it must have been a ghost that assaulted Mon, then she tries to reason through what would account for both the salt and the seaweed that covered him, considering there are no salt mines on Katarina. She then mentions there is a ghost that haunts the cemetery close to her estate.

Meanwhile, Jeronim returns and politely inquires as to whether everyone has made a selection. Since they had no time to look at the menu, both Mon and Luba peruse the fabled offerings at Khoroshim. Noticing the prices, Luba whispers to Mon and inquires as to who's paying for the meal, considering that the prices are more than most actors at the Legendary make in a week. Mon conspiratiorally leans towards the Marquess and politely explains their predicament. The Marquess laughs and tells him she would not think of them paying for the meal, since she's the one who had invited them. Relieved, Mon asks what she recommends. She suggests the lemon roasted haddock, the lobster bisque, or the leg of lamb with a brown mushroom and onion sauce, but really everything here is delicious, and she has never had a bad meal at Khoroshim. 

After a moment to consider, Mon turns to Jeronim and orders the ham that has been marinated in Elvish honey and baked with gold leaf and white truffles and garnished with saffron and beluga sturgeon caviar. Impressed at his selection, the Marquess orders the same, while Lady Sirenko orders tender, braised and slow-cooked veal shanks fall-off-the-bone tender and served atop a bed of saffron-infused risotto, garnished with gremolata for a burst of fresh flavor. Luba orders the haddock. Offered the wine card, Mon takes out a bottle of wine from his coat, and tells the Marquess this is the type of wine they will have at the auction next Saturday. The Marquess tells him to put the wine away, Jeronim will be upset. Instead, the Marquess requests Chateau Durso's Starfall. Mon asks for a glass of Vampire's Kiss while Luba points to the Kraken's Ink. Lady Sirenko sticks with water.

Vampire Kiss

 With the food and drinks now ordered, the Marquess questions Mon about Kisa's kidnapping. Mon walks her through the timeline, expanding greatly upon the protagonists of the whole sordid affair and describing in great details . After he is done with his tale, the Marquess mentions this would make a great play. Mon replies that indeed it would, but due to non-disclosure agreements with the Legendary he can't discuss upcoming plans, though he strongly hints that such a performance is indeed in the works. The Marquess then abruptly switches subject and begins to talk about Marigold and the jewelry the halfling is crafting for her, and about the dresses Branna is designing for her, before turning to the topic of the upcoming wine auction. Putting her hand which is surprisingly warm on Mon's arm, the Marquess inquires whether Sir Gregory might be willing to part with three or four of the recently discovered wine bottles before the auction, at a premium, of course.

The Marquess shifts the conversation again. She mentions in a collusive tone that she has crafted a clever alliance with many of the other nobles on the island. They have planned only one social event per night, to ensure that the King will have limited options for entertainment. This way, she reasons, she and her fellow nobles are insuring the King will be in attendance to many of these events. Mon remarks that this is a great idea, which makes the Marquess blush.

As the Marquess drones on, Luba suddenly drops under the table. Mon has barely enough time to register this when Khoroshim's grand window shatters under a violent sonic explosion, followed by seven additional explosions. Glass spreads everywhere, cutting people and embedding itself into furniture and walls. Tables and chairs are broken and sundered, and booths are heavily damaged by the impacts. A shockwave throws Mon violently against the back of their booth, while a large splinter of the table closest to the window grazes him, ripping his cheek. Lady Sirenko, who was in the corner, is miraculously unharmed, but the Marquess of Sidorov receives shrapnel to the head and collapses on the booth's seat, blood flowing freely down her face and staining her dress. Luba screams, more from the shock than from being in pain, though her right hand has some minor cuts on it from the rain of glass that spread from the window, and her face has several small slivers of glass now embedded in it.

For a second or two Mon is stunned. The silence in Khoroshim's dining room tells him that others are having a similar reaction. Then pandemonium erupts as people sporting various injuries react to the event. Bodies litter the dining room floor inside Khoroshim. Outside, part of scaffolding fronting the building collapses, trapping one of the workers. Jeronim, who was standing at his station welcoming guests when the incident occurs, rushes through the dining room to help the Marquess. Having recovered her wits, Lady Sirenko seizes the Marquess's left arm, while Jeronim takes the right arm and they carefully walk her through the shattered window outside. Mon cradles Luba and follows them to Svetozar Plaza, where they all sit on a bench. The Marquess never lost consciousness, but clearly she has been psychologically as well as physically impacted by this incident, as she seems not quite all there. 

As Lady Sirenko fusses over the Marquess and expertly bandages her wounds, Mon takes a look at Luba. He gently pulls the slivers of glass from her face, but this is too much for the actress and she falls unconscious. Chaos has erupted in front of Khoroshim, as hundreds of onlookers come to help and to gawk at the catastrophe. The information quickly reaches the Legendary that something wrong has just happened at Khoroshim. Hearing the news, Marigold grabs Pavel and other stage workers and heads out with them. Branna takes fabrics that can be used as slings and as bandages. 

Arriving at the scene, Marigold notices that the front facade of the restaurant is in danger of collapsing on the rescuers who are pulling the wounded and the dead  from the dining room. She stands on Pavel's shoulders and casts several mend spells on the restaurant's facade, holding it in place longer. As she maneuvers the large carpenter from one spot to the next, she notices that there are seven clear shockwave zones within the restaurant. 

Branna spots Mon and the Marquess as she rushes through Svetozar Plaza on her way to Khoroshim, so she stops and assists Lady Sirenko with bandaging the Marquess's wounds. As she proceeds to the vicinity of the restaurant, she bumps into Pavel, who gives her a hand giving first aid to some of the wounded. Branna realizes that most of them are part of the island's nobility.

With the City Guard and the Cardinal's men responding to the site of the incident, one of the latter stops by the small group in the park and inquires if there is anything he can do for them. He prodigates some healing to the Marquess, but at the same time expertly removes her gold necklace. Mon has a sharp eye, however, and he then pickpockets the guard, retrieving the Marquess's necklace. Using his magic abilities, Mon charms the guard, and he makes a statement that he clearly saw a man closely resembling Matviyko hurling something in the window, and that the man seemed intent on committing an assassination, but of whom, he wasn't sure. Mon retrieves the golden necklace Mon then asks the guard what his name is, and the guard replies that his name is Tarasenko.

The rest of the afternoon goes by in a blur of activities. Lady Sirenko secures a cab and heads back to Sidorov Manor with the Marquess. Search and rescue operations end near sundown, with four dead nobles from inside Khoroshim and one dead worker from Low Town. Seventeen others were critically injured, two of them servers for the restaurant, and the rest of them part of the Katarina nobility.

As Mon, Branna and Marigold discuss what happened, Mon retells the incident as he remembers it. It becomes clear to them that some sort of sonic weapon was used. Marigold speculates that this type of weapon would have most likely been crafted by an artificer and infused with magic. And she knows the person who might be able to tell her who could pull something off like this on Katarina.

Marigold heads to the props workshop and finds Dusana, the prop master. She retells what she saw while at Khoroshim and recounts the conclusions she, Branna and Mon arrived at. Stroking his beard, the halfling prop master considers her question, before telling her that the only person on Katarina that could create such an item is the artificer Artem, who works for Stal Steel, the main industrial concern on Katarina. Artem is renowned for building pumpkin sized bombs that project sonic energy in a specific path, a process very useful in mining to minimize the risk of a collapse or an unplanned explosion. Alarmed, Marigold heads straight to Nadie's office, and warns the security chief that there is a danger to the Legendary. The assassins behind today's attack could very well target the theater and hit the lobby on opening night, when it will be filled with nobles and, most likely, the King as well. It could very well be that today's events were but a dry run for something much bigger.

Due to today's events, Sir Gregory decides to cancel the performance tonight. For the first time in years, the Legendary goes dark. So do two of the other theaters. Only the Starlight elects to stay open on this somber night.

Worried about the Marquess, Branna decides she will go visit her to make sure everything is okay. She asks a pageboy to go with her, and the pageboy agrees, provided that there is candy involved. After a long walk that takes them past the ripped facade of Khoroshim, currently guarded by Dima and the city guards, they arrive at Sidorov Manor where they are greeted by Olehiv, the Marquess's butler. The butler politely informs them that the Marquess is currently sedated and in bed, and that Lady Sirenko is taking good care of her. After a short conversation, the pageboy impatiently coughs, and Branna wonders if the butler may have a candy or two from the pantry. Olehiv invites them in, and bring them to the kitchen where he serves them each a large portion of fudge. They talk about the relationship between Lady Sirenko and the Marquess, but Olehiv's reminiscence is interrupted when the bell from the Marquess's room rings. Branna and the pageboy, whom Branna did not not notice is actually Duhka, return to Katarina. Branna does notice, however, that the pageboy only ate half of the fudge, and has carefully wrapped the rest and placed it in their small backpack ...

 

 

Legendary Campaign - The Ruined Costume

Thursday, April 28, 1066 SE

Masha and the Bear has been running for three weeks, and while it has not reached the level of an acclaimed critical success, performances have continued to be well attended, and the play has already generated a tidy profit for the owner Legendary, Sir Gregory Tsaplin. While the second acting and stage crews continue the nightly performances of Masha and the Bear, the first acting and stage crews are already hard at work on the next performance.

The Marquess of Sidorov admired the costume that Branna created for Masha's life in the Bear's house, and she orders an exact replica with the talented seamstress. Branna spends some of her extra time creating a replica for the Marquess, earning a total of 100 silvers. She also designed other costumes for friends of friends, earning more money.

Mon spends some of his time investigating who was arrested during the raid the Cardinal and his men conducted on the warehouse in the docks district. After asking pointed questions and greasing some wheels, Mon discovers that of the twelve remaining men still in jail from that night, nine men were eventually freed, all of them laborers or hired muscle. Some of the individuals were charged with disturbing the peace, while others have been accused of violating religious edicts. Three other people were also arrested, but none of them been seen since the incident. As no one has been reported missing, the locals assume that these three detainees were not from Katarina. The boxes that were seized were never unloaded in the Cathedral.

When items disappeared, both Marygold and Branna thought they would investigate the matter. After questioning some of the Legendary's old timers, they come to the conclusion that a ghost may be haunting the theatre, acquiring objects that have significance for it. About 40% of the items being stolen disappear during the winter, a pattern the elf and the hafling mark as odd. The items that go missing seem on the whole to be of a practical nature, though a few were completely outlandish. When they present their finding to their friend Mon, he speculates that the ghost might lurk throughout the island, and spends more time traveling throughout the other communities during the other seasons. Exploring the theatre, Mon discovers many hidden and "secret" passages that pepper the walls. Due to extensive construction and renovation over the history of the Legendary, spaces have been so remodeled that pathways, crawlspaces, and entire rooms have sprung up and do not appear on any official map of the building.

Inspecting one of these tunnels that provides an incomparable view of the lead actresses' dressing rooms, Mon looks for well-worn paths in the dust, and for places where only one or two people travel. Several of the pathways he examines show no sign of use, while others are well-traveled, revealing that many crew members know of their existence. The bard heads to the make up room to borrow a few instruments, and then to the kitchen where he uses flour and make up powder that he then sprinkles in specific passageways. His plan is to return and examine these if another object goes missing. Mon did notice that the secret passage behind the lead actors' dressing room, which is shared by Vadim, the second lead, and Ulan, the first lead, also has some limited traffic. Mon will keep more of an eye on this, to determine if it's the same amount of traffic for the other actors. 

In his exploration, Mon discovers an abandoned wine cellar containing hundreds of bottles, all covered by a thick layer of dust. Looking to raise some quick cash, Mon returns to the wine cellar later that night, takes two bottles of wine from the rack, and gets them appraised at Kaleidoscope Winery. The bottles contain a red wine from Chateau Durso, a winery on the mainland. Viveka, the owner of Kaleidoscope Winery, identifies these bottles as being part of the Sunset collection, and each bottle is 62 years old, a great year for Sunset vintage. Viveka appraises each bottle at somewhere between 75 and 90 silver, describing the wine as one that "contains an overtone of smokiness which accompanies the strong dark cherry and blackberry flavors to coat one's palate, followed by hints of tea and spice," adding that "the tannin structure and exquisite acid balance of this wine gives it fantastic aging." She purchases both bottles from Mon for 81 silver pieces each. Returning to the abandoned wine cellar, Mon takes an inventory of the wine that is in the cave. He plans on selling a bottle or two every couple of weeks, and possibly also keep a few for himself.

Marigold spent time time building small wooden jewelry puzzle boxes in a variety of difficulties, assembling a small inventory she can eventually sell. She set up a deal with Veronika, owner of the Gemstone Harbor to sell her wares, along with some of the jewelry she has crafted. She uses river stones and polished class to make jewelry that is inexpensive and affordable for people who are less fortunate. She earned 60 silvers.

Saturday, April 30, 1066 SE

As Branna puts the finishing touches on a costume for the next play, Oskana barges into the sewing workshop with Masha's ruined dress, the one that is worn at the beginning of Masha and the Bear. Someone has accidentally dropped pomegranate juice on it, and even magic cannot seem to remove the stains that are clearly visible even from the cheapest seats. With the matinee performance only an hour away, she tasks Branna to find the Marquess of Sidorov, who had a similar dress made two weeks ago for a masquerade ball she was holding at her mansion last week.

Branna dispatches a messenger to the Marquess' manor, and she wonders whether it will be sufficient to find her and get the dress. What are the odds that the Marquess would be at home this lovely Saturday afternoon? Branna finds Marigold and Mon and requests them to help. Marigold takes one of her jewelry box, and finds the perfume that Luba wears as Masha. This may come in handy as a bargaining chip to trade for usage of the dress. Mon runs down to the wine cellar and quickly locates another bottle of Chateau Durso's Sunset, and takes it with him. This could also be used as a bargaining chip.

On the way to the Sidorov Manor, the party encounters the boy messenger Branna had dispatched. The boy reports that the Marquess is not at her residence. Marigold suggests they go visit Paula at the Needle and Thread in case she has knowledge of the Marquess' current location, but Paula has not seen the Marquess in days.

Branna, Marigold and Mon run to Sidorov Manor. Orest, the Marquess' butler, informs them that the Marquess is not here at the moment. After much discussion and the generous donation of a Chateau Durso's Sunset bottle, Orest agrees to show them his mistress's wardrobe. There they find the same dress Masha wears, but of course the butler will not let them borrow it without authorization from his mistress. The butler mentions that the Marquess left with her best friend Lady Fayina Sirenko to attend some event in town, but he does not know which one.

Marigold proposes they consult the Daily Night and the Evening Post to see what social events are happening around town. After buying a copy of each newspaper, they find there are three events that would most likely attract the Marquess' attention. First, the Katarina Library is holding a noisy auction to fund additions to the collection. Second, the Stetsyuk Art Gallery is featuring a new opening for Valadera, a female half-orc whose take on the nature of civilization and barbarism are widely acclaimed. Finally, there is a lecture taking place at the Serenity Center on the virtues of using cucumbers on your eyes.

After a brief discussion, the party decides to check out the Serenity Center. At the Serenity Center, they quickly discover that both ladies left a quarter of an hour ago to go to Khoroshim, a three star restaurant. Rushing from the Serenity Center to the restaurant, they run straight into a street protest, an event that is rare in Katarina. Mon inquires about the purpose of the protest, and learns that two young girls were arrested by the Cardinal's men in the Svetozar Plaza and have been accused of indecent behavior. Knowing both girls to be from reputable families, the crowd is enraged that the girls were arrested and they demand they be let go from the wagon in which they currently sit. The protest is large enough to block the entire street, and though they can backtrack through town, Branna, Marigold and Mon will lose significant time doing so. Marigold comes up with a clever solution. She enchants a rock to smell horribly, and she then uses it to clear a path through the protesters.

At Khoroshim, the trio is stopped at the entrance by the majordomo, who simply refuses to let rabble such as they inside his fine establishment. Branna drops the name Sidorov and intimates the Marquess would be sorely upset to have missed an opportunity to help her favorite theatre during this crisis, after which the majordomo relents and takes them inside to find the Marquess of Sidorov and her best friend Lady Sirenko sitting at a table and enjoying a mouth-watering meal, with a bottle of Chateau Durso's Sunset from decades ago on the table.

Branna explains the problem to the Marquess, who promptly writes a note allowing the seamstress to hand to her butler to take the dress with her. At this moment, however, the Cardinal enters the restaurant with his men, evidently searching for someone. He briefly stops by the Marquess's table, and remarks on the poor quality of her connections as he sneers down at Branna, Marigold, and Mon. Lady Sirenko pours a torrent of abuse on the Cardinal, who calmly accepts it, before staring intently at her and delivering the veiled threat that he was looking forward to a day soon where he could have an in-depth conversation with the lady in his Cathedral offices. Obviously not having located who they had come for, the Cardinal and his men left Khoroshim. 

Branna rushed to Sidorov Manor, while Marigold ran to the Legendary to inform Oskana that the dress was on its way. Soon, the play started, and no one was the wiser that on this day, it was a replicate of Masha's dress, and not the real thing, that performed on stage.

 Later that night, when Mon returned to the room he shares with Herald, he noticed two empty bottles of Chateau Durso on the ground by the scoundrel's bed. Hurrying back to the abandoned wine cellar, he finds Herald standing in there holding a bottle in each hand. Pleased to see the bard here, Herald thanks him for leading him to such a fine establishment, and inquires as to which of the two bottles he is holding Mon thinks his lady friend would like best. Mon casts charm person on Herald, and convinces him to take only one bottle. Once his roommate is gone, he moves the 72 most expensive bottles to the 6th floor in the ancient wood reserve he previously had located during his exploration of some of the Legendary's secret passages, and uses some of the wood to build a screen to hide the room and his growing bottle collection. He also takes some of the aged hardwood to Marigold so she can make additional puzzle boxes.