Legendary Campaign - Of Pranks and Commissions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Saturday, June 4, 1066 SE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Sunday, June 5, 1066 SE

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

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

Legendary Campaign - The Ruined Costume

Thursday, April 28, 1066 SE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, April 30, 1066 SE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Legendary Campaign - Masha and the Bear

Friday, April 8, 1066 SE

The day for the premiere of Masha and the Bear is finally upon the Legendary, and the entire crew is abuzz with energy. The events of the past night are still fresh in their minds, and rumors and conspiracy theories abound at the breakfast serving. People are talking about the intruder in the Palace, others about the break-in that happened at the theater. Speculations include that the Cardinal was behind the attack, that an art lover sought an item for their collection, or that the ghost of the theater struck again.

Following his morning routine, Pavel enters the dining hall to cheers and claps, and he takes the time to stop by most tables and chat with the residents. When he stops by Mon, Marigold and Branna, he mentions that the Legendary has not yet sold out its opening performance, so Yurchik is likely to have some of the production crew go around Katarina to sell tickets. 

Sure enough, at the production meeting, Yurchik notes that some tickets remain, and he asks each department to send out volunteers to sell tickets. After the meeting, Mon heads to marketing and inquires as to how many seats remain. Lena tells the actor that about 120 seats remain unsold at this time.   

Meeting at lunch, the three of them brainstorm ideas on what they could do to sell the remaining tickets. Marigold suggests a whisper campaign that people won't believe what will happen during the play. Branna adds that there could be sabotage or other rumors that would suggest a train wreck, as people are more likely to show up if the entertainment is edgy but with a chance it could fail spectacularly. Mon comes up with a plan. He borrows a costume from Branna, and using the ointment of disguise, he dresses up as a resident of Katarina and obtains 8 tickets from Lena, who does not recognize him. On his way out the door, he bumps into Luba, who also does not recognize him. Mon reveals his identity, and the actress is pleased to be a witness to his initiative. Marigold and Branna talk about the possibility of costumes being used to infiltrate the chorus line, and Branna decides she will do a general check of the inventory to see if an extra suit is missing. 

Entering the Palace, Yurchik stops by many of the tables. Arriving at their table, he gives them a good look, before giving them 20 tickets to sell. Branna decides to try her luck at the Anchor's Luck, and after several conversations she successfully sells 5 tickets. Captain Popov is not present, as it is too early for the old fisherman. Marigold heads to the barracks and talks to the soldiers. She eventually gives them 10 complimentary tickets, figuring that it would not hurt to have soldiers in the audience.

Branna continues to hawk tickets on the docks, but she witnesses a rat fight in an alley, which is promptly interrupted by the Cardinal's men. Unlike the rest of the crowd, Branna did not react quickly enough, and she is questioned at length by the morality police. Instead of fining her, they confiscate two tickets.

Going through the streets, Mon looks for four individuals and four couples, and, with much convincing, he manage to sell them his tickets.

Marigold is still worried that someone is attempting to sabotage the production, but an exhaustive search does not reveal any more broken sets or missing props. However, Branna does notice that her personal sewing kit is missing. An heirloom from home, she is rather upset that someone stole it. She tells Oskana, and both of them search the sewing workshop but come up empty handed. To keep production going, Oskana lends the elf her own sewing kit, but asks her to take good care of it. Upon hearing a loud voice coming from Stage 2, Oskana promptly disappears, leaving a befuddled Branna alone as the Marquess of Sidorov walks into the room. She greets the seamstress, and inquires on whether Branna has decided on a price for designing a dress similar to that of Masha, as previously discussed. The two of them arrive at a price of 25 silver. Thrilled with her purchase and looking forward to wearing the dress, the Marquess invites Branna to her private booth on the 2nd floor of the Legendary for the premiere of Masha and the Bear, and makes an appointment for her measurements on Sunday at 10.

With a few hours left before the performance, Branna looks over all of the costumes again, but nothing is missing or sabotaged. However, a pair of boots for the next production has disappeared. She notifies Berdy, the stage manager, who says he doesn't know anything about it, but he will take a look and let security know.

With nothing to wear and the curtain rising in less than 15 minutes, Branna puts together a mismatch outfit from the costume rack before joining the Marquess in her private booth. Marigold will spend the performance backstage, and Mon will be performing. Everyone will be keeping an eye for sabotage or assassination attempt.

The Marquess is delighted to see Branna, and admires her outfit. The Marquess introduces her dear friend, Lady Fayina. Old and short, Lady Fayina nonetheless possesses a vitality and a sharpness that Branna finds unsettling. A movement through the crowd indicates the arrival of the Archduke and his family. The Archduke usually attends the premiere of every performance at the Legendary, but it has been quite some time since his young daughters and his wife have also attended. They all waive at the crowd from their private balcony across from the Marquess's own. 

A low hiss soon follows, and from the stage both Mon and Marigold witness the arrival of the Cardinal, who also joins his own private balcony next to that of the Marquess. From the stage, Mon notices the Cardinal's shadow, and he casts a spell to shape it like that of a demon that makes rude hand gestures. People in the audience point and laugh, but the Cardinal seems oblivious.

Cardinal Feodore

Mon notices that Luba is softly crying in one of the corners backstage. She confides in him that Yurchik has told her in no uncertain terms that her role as Masha would be her last starring role unless she offered an amazing performance. Mon bolsters her with words of encouragement.

Finally, Sir Gregory Tsaplin takes the stage. Welcoming the audience, he thanks them for attending what is sure to become a classic. After a few words celebrating the craft of the theater, and a nod to the illustrious guests in the audience, Sir Gregory declares that the show may begin, and he steps off the stage as the curtain rises, revealing a pastoral scene where Masha and her friends are hunting for mushrooms. Soon she is separated from the group, and ends up lost in the forest where she is captured by a bear.

During the first act, Branna caught the Archduke whispering to his manservant. Soon, three guards joined his private balcony and stood in the shadows. His daughters, however, seem completely engrossed by the performance on the stage. Meanwhile, during his performance, Mon notices that the way the candles flicker in the Cardinal's private balcony indicate there are others there, even though the Cardinal is the only one who is visible. Mon uses minor illusion to start a rumor among the audience that the Cardinal is in league with demons. Still during his performance, Mon looked for Captain Popov but is not able to see if the old man is indeed there, for the Legendary is successfully sold out for its premiere.

During Act 2, Masha learn how to live with the bear and plots her escape from the bear's lair. Beautiful songs and an amazing performance by Luba as Masha and Vadim as the bear provide several rounds of loud cheering. Mon's artifices and Marigold's bubble machine perform admirably. 

Following a short intermission, Act 3 opens with Masha convincing the bear to take pies she has baked to her elderly parents. Masha hides herself in the basket instead, and though the bear attempts to eat the pies several times Masha tricks him, pretending to be able to see him from his lair. Eventually the bear reaches the village, but as he get to Masha's house, a pack of hunting dogs begin to chase him, and he quickly abandons the basket as he flees. Masha emerges, and is reunited with her family and friends.

The audience goes wild, and the actors receive a standing ovation. Marigold sees that the Cardinal is not pleased at the audience's reception of the play, however, and he departs in a huff.  Archduke Maksimillian III and his beautiful wife come backstage following the performance, bringing their two daughters, Verushka and Yula, with them.  The Archduke has a kind word for each of the staff members he interacts with, and he compliments Branna on her costumes, Marigold on the quality of her props, and Mon for his wonderful singing. Yula, Maksimillian's younger daughter, even asks Mon to sign her autograph book before going over to Luba and Vadim.

Once the public has left the theater, the crew celebrates its opening night performance with drinks, food, and music. Mon returns to the dressing lounge to change, and has he returns to the stage he sees an actress named Kisa push Luba down the stairs. Mon manages to catch the star of Masha and the Bear before she crashes to the ground and breaks a bone. When he asks Luba why Kisa would push her, Luba replies that Kisa starred in Baba Yaga and the Crimson Flower, and she thinks that the first actress feels threatened due to Luba's amazing performance this very night. 

Mon starts a rumor that Kisa's performance has reached the King's ear, and that he has expressed interest in attending her next performance. He is hopeful that this attention will distract Kisa from making another attempt to hurt Luba. 

In the early hours of the morning, news circulate that the Cardinal and his men conducted a raid following the performance on a warehouse in the dock district. They seized two crates and arrested 17 people who were taken to the Cathedral. Of these, only 5 people were later released.

With the first performance complete and a commercial success, Mon and Marigold are promoted. Mon earns a non-speaking part in the next production, while Marigold moves into the props helper role. Branna bides her time for her own promotion ...

Legendary Campaign - Trouble before Masha and the Bear

Wednesday, April 6, 1066 SE

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

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

Dusana, prop master

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

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

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

Mon deGreen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Thursday, April 7, 1066 SE

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

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

Legendary Campaign - Meeting Captain Popov at the Anchor's Luck

Tuesday, March 29th, 1066 SE

As a golem Mon does not need to sleep, but he still lays in his bed, pretending to sleep. Around five in the morning, he hears loud footsteps climbing the stairs, then making their way down to his room. The door barges open, and Mon pretends to be awakened by Herald who loudly enters the room in. The man looks very disheveled, and his cheeks and shirt collar are covered with lipstick prints. He crashes on top of his bed and instantly falls asleep. Mon waits a few minutes, then begins to whisper in Herald's ears. Soon, the actor begins talking in his sleep, dropping the name Lady Astral. Mon lays down again, and at six he gets up and heads down to the cafeteria.

Marigold wakes up to find Lena already readying herself for her job at the marketing department. Cheerful, she waves Marigold goodbye and heads out. The halfling gets up and starts her morning routine. In her room, Branna finds that Ola has already left, since she works in the kitchen. The elf gets dressed, then heads downstairs. Mon, Marigold and Branna meet on the third floor, and they make their way a few flights of stairs to the ground floor. Mon is the first to notice that the cafeteria sounds eerily quiet, as three residents quickly climb the stairs. Marigold then spots three of the Cardinal's men in the lobby, talking in whispers with the clerk at the front desk. Marigold and Branna make their way to the food line and get food. Mon takes a slower approach and swerves closer to the guards, so that he can overheard the conversation taking place between the guards and the clerk. Evidently, the Cardinal's men are looking for a dandy with blond hair and lipstick all over his face. That popinjay is wanted for shaming Lady Natalia Astral, the wife of Nikita Astral, a wealthy merchant and personal friend of Cardinal Feodore. The clerk does not know if such a person is in the building, but Mon sure does, as he's upstairs in his bedroom. Mon grabs a little food and joins his friends at the table in the corner. Branna greets Joseph, who is still working on clothes design in his notebook. He exchanges quiet pleasantries, but soon departs.

The hushed discussions taking place throughout the cafeteria are soon interrupted when Pavel enters the room. Cheers erupt as the master carpenter makes his way to the food line, dropping a kind word or shaking the hand of every person he meets. He soon finds himself sitting at the table in the corner. Pavel shovels food in his mouth as he talks, making conversation with the three friends. The Cardinal's men loudly threaten the clerk that they will return with reinforcements and they will search the building from top to bottom. Pavel soon mentions that Herald obviously might have had too much to drink, and he jokingly questions Mon on whether anyone should warn the actor that the morality policy is coming for him. With his food finished, Pavel departs for the theater, but not before "accidentally" knocking into one of the guards left at the door. Branna takes this occasion to visit the kitchen and greets Ola, her roommate.

Returning to his room, Mon finds Herald still sleeping. As he softly snores, Mon hears Herald talking about Captain Lafoy, a famous pirate rumored to have plied his trade around the island of Katarina. Evidently, Herald believes that Lady Astral knows the pirate captain. Aware that the Palace will be searched, Mon hides his dagger and rapier behind Herald's wardrobe, counting on the fact that the room is so messy no one will bother diligently searching it. He then leaves the room, Herald still sleeping soundly.

As members of the Second Crew, Marigold, Branna and Mon assemble with the rest of the workers on the second stage. Yurchik, the theater manager, begins reviewing the arc of Masha and the Bear, the play scheduled to start in five weeks. In Act 1, the fair maiden Masha, played by Luba, finds herself in the forest with her friends collecting mushrooms when she was ambushed by a bear, played by Vadim, and brought back to its lair. In Act 2, Masha learns how to live with the bear and plots her escape. In Act 3, Masha convinces the bear to take pies she just baked to her parents, and hides herself in the basket instead. Once at the village, dogs scare the bear, and Masha is reunited with her parents and her friends, the final song closes the show. Yurchik then asks each department head to meet with their staff and come up with all necessary items and directions to make this production a success.

Luba, female star of the Second Crew

As an extra, Mon is handed a script. He is assigned the part of Extra #7, and he is instructed to begin reading the script and return tomorrow for the first rough blocking session. Luba asks him if he would be interested in reading the script with her at her favorite coffee shop, the Warm Whistle, where the food is delicious and the drinks are refreshing. Mon soon realizes that Luba is a serious actress, as she spends the whole morning reading through her script and learning her lines. They eventually begin sharing lines with each other, and Mon's prodigious memory allows him to memorize the entire script after two readings.

Masha's Forest Outfit

Oskana and her team of seamstresses discuss the clothing choices for all of the characters. Oskana offers Branna the opportunity to design Masha's outfits for Act 1 and Act 2. Branna soon produces two beautiful drawings of outfits, and begins to work on turning her vision into a reality.

Masha's Act 2 Outfit

As prop master, Dusana solicits his team's ideas for the props that Masha will be using throughout the play. Marigold suggests a set of collapsible mushrooms that look like umbrella. She also proposes a collapsible pie with a smoke generator inside of it to generate the appearence of a warm pie just pulled out of the oven. Dusana is suitably impressed. 

Working on the construction crew assembling the set for Masha and the Bear, Pavel takes frequent breaks, encourages everyone, and lends a hand where needed.

During dinner, Mon questions Marigold and Branna about Captain Lafoy. Marigold remembers hearing that Captain Lafoy once conducted a daring raid on a cathedral on the mainland, and stole a gold cross. She recalls that Cardinal Feodore was the man of faith in charge of that church at the time. Mon tells them what he overheard Herald say in his sleep, and that Lady Astral and Lafoy may have been an item once. Marigold speculates that this is why the Cardinal is now in Lady Astral's business.

During dinner that night, they are approached by Pavel, who sits at their table to chat before getting his own food and returning to his room. After some banter, Pavel asks them to meet an old friend of his, Captain Popov, down at the Anchor's Luck, on the waterfront, and deliver an envelope. First they are to play three hands of cards with him, and bet three coppers each time. They must lose all three hands on purpose, then give him the envelope. This is how Popov will know Pavel sent them, but it keeps this connection secret, in case anyone is watching.

On their way there, Mon, Marigold and Branna witness four of the Cardinal's men berating two youths leaning against windows of a shop. The men quickly stop when one of the Archduke's patrols emerge from a side street, and move along, but not before exchanging a glance with the youth. Mon commits the faces of the youths and of the Cardinal's men to memory.

Captain Popov

Arriving at the Anchor's Luck, they are greeted by Ivan, the owner. Inquiries reveal that Captain Illich Popov sits at the table in the corner, closest to the fireplace. They find the old man there, playing cards with three other individuals who look just as old. They sit at the table, and join in the card game. Mon misunderstood Pavel's directions, and he manages not to communicate the secret message. Marigold reminds him of Pavel's specific instructions, and Mon plays another three rounds of cards, this time following the instructions to the letter. 

Captain Popov is pleased to meet the young folks sent by his friend Pavel, and he shares several stories of his sea voyages and his fishing adventures, all more unbelievable than the last one. When Ivan announces that it is time to close up. Captain Popov hands each of his new friends a neatly pressed and dried oak leaf from a small booklet retrieved from his pocket. All three of them are aware that there are no oak trees on the island of Katarina. He thanks them, and they walk him back to his hovel apartment on the second floor of a building a block away from the tavern. The three of them then return to the Palace after a night well spent...