The New Taldor – Issue 2

Day 2 cont. - Oppara / Opparos (Sarenith 1, 4718)

The Interlude

The protagonists used their brief respite to attend to their own affairs.

Day 3 - Oppara / Opparos (Sarenith 2, 4718)

The Preparations

Martella informed the protagonists that they would have to bathe for the gala. Moreover, they were to appear at the gala immaculately groomed. To ensure this, a visit to an exclusive establishment where clothes were tailored to fit was indispensable.

She also handed them a slip of paper bearing the "Senate Rules." It set out, for instance, what they were permitted to bring and what they should and should not do:

• Ranged weapons are not permitted
• one-handed weapons may, under certain circumstances, be permitted, but must be peace-bonded with a cord
• Spellcasting is forbidden

The guards could, however, be bribed if need be.

Thus the company set off toward the fashionable Imperial Square.

The Tailor

Had the dead risen? Hordes of undead were moving through Canal Row, followed by the Knights of Ozem on white horses. Apparently, this too was merely one of the many spectacles, for the horde proved to be nothing more than citizens in costume. The amusement lasted fifteen minutes and was soon over.

At the Sewing Savior on Imperial Square, one of the city's finest tailors at the time, the champions received their disguises. The tailor Jestus Blones, whose tastes rather ran both ways, paid attention not only to the clothes but also to the companions' genitals. His gnome assistant Tyra Lorifi helped him take their measurements.

Merek:
He would need an entirely new outfit. His battered hands were also to be concealed in gloves.

Cinnard:
A modest upgrade with floral patterns would suffice, without turning him into a gaudy peacock.

Dulgir:
A few stone embellishments, a fine hairband, and proper shoes, and the dwarf would be ready for the gala.

Arawyn:
A compromise between Merek and androgyny to convey youthfulness—a pointed hat with no suggestion of piracy—and a personal fitting would be required.

Valorant:
Only the fabrics would need changing to accentuate the exotic air of Kelesh.

The bespoke garments were to be ready for a fitting that evening. The champions owed the tailor nothing—Martella would foot the bill.

Meanwhile, Monica was beating the drum for Cinnard. After a visit to his "advisor," his "mint truffle" declared herself in a message. She could scarcely wait to see Cinnard standing beside Grand Prince Stavian III and to hear his speech at the exaltation. It seemed that the very thought of Cinnard set her kitty purring.

The Evening

In the early evening, a package awaited the protagonists at the Red Stag, delivered by a messenger. Several pouches of gold coins, an embroidered shirt, a pin, and a few vials had been packed together. The accompanying letter indicated that Kalbio's patroness was expressing her gratitude for his rescue.

The enclosed pin was for Arawyn, serving as his admission to the Senate and marking him as enjoying the favor of the Imperialists. The Quickrunner's Shirt went to Dulgir, so that his feet might carry him faster when it mattered.

Later came another visit to the tailor—for the final fitting—and the tailor's final fondlings.

Dulgir looked solid and understated.

Valorant's appearance had merely been embellished a little.

Where the devil was Merek, and who was this handsomely attired lad?

Cinnard shone without being a peacock.

Arawyn's style, however, was a shade too feminine.

Suddenly, Eritryce signaled that several people had been following the company. Outside the shop, a crowd of tourists and mostly female fans had already gathered to catch a glimpse of the candidate Cinnard. The front door was locked, however—were the companions safe here?

Eritryce was to fly outside and reconnoiter.

The Ambush

Eritryce soon returned, having scented danger. Valorant wished to go ahead and eliminate the threat. Had the noble surroundings and all the attention gone to his head?

It appeared that two men with clubs were waiting for the companions to prevent Cinnard from attending the exaltation. Was this now retaliation for Kalbio's disappearance?

The attack proved to be no mere act of intimidation, but a carefully planned operation involving not just two, but a total of seven rogues.

A fight broke out, and Merek dispatched the ringleader Delos to Pharasma with two well-aimed arrows. He also leaped from the roof, apparently heedless of death, to tackle another scoundrel. Had that been the plan?

Arawyn put another of the attackers to sleep, while Valorant was surrounded and struck down. Before his soul could plunge into the River of Souls, however, Arawyn brought him back to the land of the living. Despite their skillful positioning in combat, the attackers were unable to leave the field victorious.

The ensemble could glean little information, but did learn that a Lady Trant had commissioned the attack, and where the ringleader made his home.

The coins for the shameful assault were later recovered there by the fellowship.

Day 4 - Oppara / Opparos (Sarenith 3, 4718)

The Assignments

Martella Lotheed handed over magical brooches (Senate Aid Badges from the Voritas family—that family had not existed for 1,000 years). Through these enchanted pieces of jewelry, she could communicate with the group by thought.

Each companion was also given "targets" in the Senate, with a request to find out various things.

Arawyn:
Speak with Countess Abrielle Pace—discover whether she supported Princess Eutropia or merely pretended to.

Cinnard:
Speak with Baron Nicolaus Okerra—he was shrewd and stubborn. Though no senator himself, he enjoyed an exceptionally good reputation and could thus influence other senators. He was to be persuaded that the Loyalist path was the better one.

Merek:
The target was Lord Leonard Centimus—discover where he stood and bring him over to the Loyalist side. He had once been an adventurer in search of ancient artifacts. Now he sat in a wheeled chair.

Dulgir:
Guard Kalbio—leave him with Lady Gloriana Morilla (the Pathfinder Society lodge) if Dulgir could not keep an eye on him.

Valorant:
Approach High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus—he served in the military and was a cavalryman in the Phalanx. An unpleasant fellow, but an excellent diplomat and observer. He disliked receptions as well. He was the face of the Imperialists. He had spoken with the prince, and they were to discover what the latter was plotting.

Alas, Eritryce received no assignment of her own.

Martella further impressed upon the protagonists that the choice of candidate mattered little—the vote on whether Eutropia could succeed to the throne mattered all the more. Even if the Senate approved, Grand Prince Stavian III was under no obligation to agree. She also mentioned that the Masked Marquis was the head of the thieves' guild at that time. Many intrigues had already been thwarted.

Into the Senate

Entry to the Senate building was swift, as Kathann Zalar had plucked the fellowship from the crowd for a supposed inspection—after which the group could proceed straight into the Senate.

There Arawyn encountered Sir Gul Gusairne and engaged in a verbal duel.

It was a vast complex, with an atrium, a garden, and every conceivable amenity, down to child care.

The first tentative rounds of diplomacy began. Arawyn discoursed on strong women, while Merek exalted Cinnard, giving his courage and virtues a broad airing. Cinnard met Count Orlundo Zespire, who was very proud of Cinnard regardless of the outcome of the exaltation.

The Princess's Speech

One of the evening's highlights was Princess Eutropia's speech:

My friends, senators, my countless adversaries, it is wonderful to see you in your festive attire beneath this wonderful evening sky. With a little luck, the weather will be the only thing that does not change today. We have all gathered here, eagerly awaiting my father's decision. Whom will Grand Prince Stavian III raise to the nobility for the good of our glorious country? Master Kalbio of Breezy Creek, a true artist and a genuine patriot, or Cinnard Zespire, rescuer of young maidens and, most recently, rescuer of Kalbio, who fell into the hands of ruffians during a visit to the arena. Both candidates have demonstrated so eloquently that their hearts are honest, virtuous, and pure, though they are of humble birth. This lies dormant in all our citizens, and one of you is to be ennobled to stand for them all. We eagerly await the decision.

Yet we are also here today to discuss matters of the utmost importance to Taldor's future. The Grand Day of Exaltation reminds us to keep our eyes turned forward and to see how the world around us is changing. Only thus can we lead the people under our guidance into the future.

The child nations shaped by our Empire—Andoran, Cheliax, Lastwall—have grown strong. They have absorbed the traditions inherited from their motherland, but embraced only those that helped them grow strong.

Today we shall do the same, and put old traditions that hold us back to the test. Is it right to grant the firstborn's right to the crown to male descendants alone when no male descendants remain? Today we vote on this oldest of traditions. In this vote, our duty is not merely to our families and our own interests, but to Taldor's future. The nation we love must not fall behind. We are the heirs of an empire, and we have a duty to the future. Taldor endures!

The Social Dance

At the end of the speech, there was nearly an incident involving a honeycomb in the garden. But Merek managed to jostle the human Secumos—a courtier of Lady Trant's—in time to defuse the situation, before the bees could furiously attack all the guests in the garden.

Lady Malphene Trant was Senator Trant's daughter. She was a quarrelsome, narcissistic bitch. The protagonists were to keep watch on her from then on and intervene should she become aggressive.

Lady Zariyah Clement engaged Cinnard in small talk—he had, after all, rescued her daughter from the carriage.

In conversation with Countess Abrielle Pace, Arawyn discovered that she did only what benefited the nobility—she was not on the side of the Loyalists.

Cinnard worked on Baron Nicolaus Okerra. The baron began to doubt whether rigid obedience was the right course—he wished to support the Loyalists.

Merek struggled with the headstrong Lord Leonard Centimus. Yet it emerged that he, too, stood with the Loyalists.

Valorant had to stand at attention before High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus and could impress him neither with a command, nor with a horse of his own, nor with a knowledge of military history. At any rate, the High Strategos would stand ready as a strong successor in place of a weak woman, should he be asked. In the end, Valorant had to summon all his diplomatic skill to obtain a warning: the vote did not matter and was a mere waste of time. It would have been better had everyone stayed home. Martella intended to consult on the matter and let the protagonists know.

Wyssilka the Fantabulous—a halfling woman charged with amusing the children—was rather pushy and pestered the arena fighter Dulgir until Valorant put him out of his misery. He took Dulgir's place in the fearsome children's arena and, in return, was able to converse with the terrifying halfling clown. She knew, among other things, about Kalbio and the existence of the Brotherhood of Silence.

Lady Trant and the Grand Prince

Then came trouble with Lady Malphene Trant, who was threatening Senator Colin Douglas somewhat apart from the gathering, in one of the many rooms. The group intervened to prevent worse. Cinnard stabbed one of the servants and brought him down, though the man was then stabilized and bandaged. Valorant's color spray made short work of the lady and a few of her companions. Despite earnest debate, she remained convinced that Kalbio's abduction had merely been staged by the protagonists to win the exaltation. Even a final diplomatic offensive by Valorant failed to pierce her armor of arrogance.

The next supposed highlight was the entrance of Grand Prince Stavian III with his Ulfen Guard. Yet scarcely had the red carpet been rolled out before the prince had vanished back into his chambers—without so much as noticing anyone.

The Golden Button

Valorant noticed a halfling wearing a vest with gold buttons, one of which was missing. It seemed to match the button found with the abducted Kalbio in the Sodden Hold. As the protagonists took up the trail, the halfling was just disappearing into the kitchen with a serving cart.

Finton Wheaterby and his wife Marcy Wheaterby, two of the halflings Merek had rescued from the undead, persuaded the guard outside the kitchen to let the champions in, by means of a red wine incident involving a shirt and a great many words.

At last, Garal, the halfling with the missing button, was cornered in the wine cellar. He reached behind him and drew two daggers from behind his back.