Legendary - The King Arrives

Monday, June 20, 1066 SE, continued

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear Mon,

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

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

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

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

With all my love,

Zoya, Marques of Sidorov

Mon beams with pride. His plan is working!

Tuesday, June 21, 1066 SE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, June 22, 1066 SE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

People of Katarina! People of Sezja!

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

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

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

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

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

Legendary Campaign - The 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 ...