S2 E4: into the Wolf's Den
General Summary
In which the characters ingratiate themselves with a motley cast of characters, each with their own reasons for being there, and their own desired outcomes.
- Following Lissa's instructions and using Slonsky's checkpoint passes, they enter into Herron Heights without issue and make their way to the Miravale Residency - a tall, elegant and incredibly narrow hotel hugging the curving cliffline of granite that overlooks the north bank of the Agate river. It is like a shining tower of light compared to the soot and low clouds of the southern shore, where the part of town called the Nest festers, but there are no bridges between the two for miles in either direction any more.
- They meet up as arranged with a showy Dwarf named Silas Stonewright - and while his heritage may be tied to mining with a name like that, currently he is the Tout of the Miravale - a job that involves hanging around the checkpoints being friendly and snagging wealthy looking travelers to come lodge at the Miravale, making his living on the markup between the actual rates and what he charges for the service. As such he is extremely familiar with the checkpoints, the checkpoint Watchmen, and the various routes through Herron Heights that lead back to the Miravale, including a route along Rue Matilde where Dantonio Essi's estate lies. He hires a carriage as no Optimate would be caught dead walking to a party like this, and fills them in on some of the people along the way - sadly, uninvited, he won't be staying, but Tatiana - pretending to be the daughter of Jaxon Miravale, brother of Marlowe Miravale who owns the namesake hotel - has an invitation that covers the rest of them as her servants and bodyguards
- Silas knows about the party at Essi's home and tells the would-be Luminous what he can about the various people - Essi's disappointed, haughty mother Lady Celestria, his workaholic father Vernand, his convention-flaunting Exultant girlfriend Solara Nantez, a distant relative of the King but a relative nonetheless, as well as a few others in his circle (see "Character(s) Interacted With"). He also says that the security of the place is all about intrusion defense at the gates and front door, reflecting a deep overconfidence that those guards keeping 'riffraff' out is all that's needed. He doubts anything will be trapped and most things won't even be locked, but the real danger is being seen poking around by another guest and their cover getting blown.
- He cautions that in addition to the actual guests, there will be many more servants - Essi has at least a half dozen, and probably a full complement of guards - though Silas mentions that importantly, these are hired private guards, not city Watchmen, so they are likely less well-trained and less reliable than the real thing. All the major guests will be rolling up with at least a few servants as well. The servants will all be Delabi, as are the guards, so they're likely to assume Tatiana is an Optimate and off-limits, but the rest of the group are social equals. They can still arrest and detain Tatiana, but they aren't likely to kill her on sight unless things have really gone to shit. They'll be cautious of the rest but will use lethal force if it appears necessary.
- They pass the gatehouse with a cursory glance at the invitation, and are in line behind other guests including a bookish underdressed gnome woman, an adventuring man in overly fancy gear, and a willowy tall (but not exultant-tall) elven woman in a white gown woven through with strange beads and stones who seems to float through the group half-unaware. They meet the chief steward of the estate, a half-elven man named Robertus, and are ushered inside the Greatroom where Tatiana must fight an inner battle when she sees Wavebringer, an heirloom magic greatsword of Deep Triton make hung up among the trophy heads and plaques. Unfortunately it is mounted on foundation bolts of a design Cobalt recognizes - the kinds of eyebolts that hold rigging tightly to the gunwales of a warship. And likely arcane locked besides.
- They meet Dantonio, who is compellingly pretty with big dark eyes that look into your soul, better suited to a cult leader than a debauched fop; and his striking girlfriend, Solara, who is so heavily tattooed and body-pierced that she might find side work at a circus. Her downmarket look is all show, however, as the quality of her leather boots and gold-embroidered clothing, and the platinum and gems her skin is studded with, mark her as a species above even the rest of these - her height, easily 6'7", makes her literally stand out as well.
- KC immediately finds that the Kitchen is not sufficiently off limits to prevent all manner of mischief, while Cobolt politely excuses himself to case the exterior and check out some of the outbuildings. He's counted 7 guards so far, all at the front gate, but surmises that the defenses of the place are all oriented around entry - once inside, its presumed you belong here; and he sees no active surveillance of the grounds or gardens other than facing outward. The tall, narrow guard tower does have sight over most of the front of the property but not behind the coachhouse, and it looks more decorative than functional as well with broad windows facing the street but ivy-choked narrow slats at the top on the side facing the rest of the property. Eldara and Tatiana meet up with other guests, finding them for the most part, boorish and dull, though there is a sort of nervous energy, an anticipation of something that may come later.
- Along those lines, Cobalt notes the large dog kennels - bigger than an average person's apartment, a good 10' wide by 20' long wooden structure in a 30'x40' stone enclosure topped with metal spikes; he picks the lock with ease but upon walking in hears growling from the kennel, which has a freestanding spring door that can open in either direction but doesn't lock. He slips back away, noting that the prints in the hardened dirt conform to what he'd expect for dogs, and these sound like dogs, but this only proves that Essi has dogs, which is hardly surpring on its own. He heads back to the kitchen to investigate the Cellar with KC while Tatiana and Eldara endure dinner among Mallis the pampered elites.
Rewards Granted
- A recipe book, handwritten, which KC 'traded' a small glass bottle in exchange for, from Essi's kitchen
Character(s) interacted with
- Silas Stonewright, showy Dwarf Delabin, Tout of the Miravale
- Robertus, sallow-faced Human Delabin, Chief Steward of the Essi Estate
- Lorenzo Vittor, Essi's (Delabin?) bodyguard, the one dressed in too-clean adventuring gear. It's worth noting that he arrived with a guest, Zara Gravewind, the bookish gnome woman, so he demonstrably isn't with Essi 24x7.
- Zara Gravewind, a young Gnome female Optimate who dresses like an old Gnome female Delabine, with glasses, an unfashionable antique dress, and a threadbare handbag. Evidently she's a reknowned playwright and composer, with eccentricities. Lorenzo Vittor brought here here, or at least he arrived in her carriage. She seems focused only on Lysandra Mool, the willowy fortune-teller.
- Lysandra Mool, a thin, aloof elven Optimate woman in airy silks and white organza patterned faintly with some kind of magical sigils, with a light voice and unfocused eyes, clearly affected by some kind of drug or enchantment. She is a diviner, evidently kept around for her value at betting games, though she talks haltingly and in muddled soft words that aren't always clearly understandable.
- Dantonio Essi, heir to the Essi shipbuilding empire and master of the Essi shipyard in Melitara, the ocean-facing suburb of Orendarium on the far end of the Bywater Way to which he has famously never gone as an adult. Seems perfectly content to throw parties and receive the love of adoring companions while knowing and caring nothing for shipbuilding. His older brother is evidently unfit by reason of some mental defect or brain damage to run the company, much to their mother Celestria's visible and constant disappointment.
- Celestria DeLore Essi, Human female Optimate in her mid 60's, refined, elegant and still archly gorgeous with cheekbones and eyebrows like blades. While seen coming in the house, she is evidently not participating in the party, having gone to the left and the private area of the estate rather than the ballrooms to the right after wishing her son a happy half-birthday in a way that sounded more like a cutting insult. Incidentally his father Vernande isn't here and isn't coming at all.
- Mallis Wraife, a barrel-chested Tiefling who dresses like a pirate with exceptional taste, with a pointed beard and bright orange-yellow eyes; he cuts a figure like a satanic Captain Morgan. He's introduced as a successful sea merchant and customer of Essi shipbuilding. LeChat recognizes him because he's pretty hard to forget once you see him, but in fact, she forgets where she's seen him because it has been a long time and he didn't dress like that. Not the Beggar's Dice: maybe the monastery, in the time before. He looks to be mid-40s but it's very hard to tell. His beard has just enough grey to make him look distinguished and interesting, not old.
Report Date
03 Oct 2023
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