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 - 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