chapter 0: it's time to get things started
The setup
Erling Sattr, the bad boy of Erling House, is throwing a party at the ruined public baths including the very first performance in Malfa of a genuine Vacennie opera company! Will the show go on without incident?
How Lorenzo got there
Sattr just told Lorenzo, as his personal thrall, to be there. He was friendly enough about it, but clearly Sattr doesn't feel the need to explain himself to his thralls. Sattr's other thrall, Junah (early-20s human woman), is also coming along. She wasn't on the ship going up the straits, Lorenzo doesn't know her.
How Orian got there
Sattr said Orian really ought to come along, they'd get a kick out of it, and they'd finally see about some monster-hunting. More of an invitation than Lorenzo's summons but still not super informative.
How Virik got there
This is Sattr's biggest public shindig to date, but he's mounted a few before. Few Maveren ever come, but lots of non-Maveren rich people do, and get nice and drunk. Virik's here to work the party. Also, Virik sometimes used to sleep rough in the public baths back in the day, though not for a few years. He knows the front part of the building pretty well, though there are parts all the urchins avoided. Virik gets into the central party by sneaking in the back.
How Oska got there
My first idea is that Heron is going to the party to show public support for public outreach events by Maveren, and Oska is his date. The brooch caper makes me think there might have been another pre-scene in which Oska goes to Alltafri House to return the brooch in good faith, or an act of good faith, and that's how the date happens.
the party
The public event is in the big court just outside the baths, and the gallery of archways along two of its walls. The gallery has various performing acts and food stalls set up in it. Probably some of the night market just moved here for the occasion. The party proper is in the baths' main yard, inside the building. It's free but invitation-only—but Sattr has invited many, many people, and there's no official tickets or anything. You could really just show up cold and claim to be invited, and you'd be let in.
