Post-Pitir Progression

Mallus wrote:

"Oh, and Odanais... if you so happen to stop for a little afternoon delight with a certain comely phantom, could you see if she's interested in being in play. Since we actually know a sexy wraith, well, waste not, want not."

"Certainly. And perhaps I'll ask her employer if she'd like to invest in our production." Odanais thinks on that for a moment. "What other rich people do we know who might be willing backers?"

gridley wrote:

Which of these four is least flammable?

Ironically, the Flaming Duck, since it's an open amphitheater.

But all of them should be fairly safe in that regard, since some productions do use fireworks or similar effects to simulate thunder or other sound effects. As long as you're reasonably careful (OOC: Hah!), you shouldn't have any problems.

gridley wrote:

Which of these four is least flammable?

Good question!

gridley wrote:

"Certainly. And perhaps I'll ask her employer if she'd like to invest in our production." Odanais thinks on that for a moment. "What other rich people do we know who might be willing backers?"

OOC: The two people your PCs personally know who are quite rich are Clarissa Glossop and Henry Distaff. Whether either would be interested in financing a play is up to question, esp. Distaff, who's mostly got access to money due to the Driftglass Society rather than personally. On the other hand, if the play was going to make the goblinoids look good and speak up for them ...

shilsen wrote:

On the other hand, if the play was going to make the goblinoids look good and speak up for them ...

The play is going to speak well of the living (who we can curry favor from) and heap derision on the dead (who can't hurt us or help us anymore). This is a key feature of all Dragonborn drama.

Mallus wrote:

The play is going to speak well of the living (who we can curry favor from) and heap derision on the dead (who can't hurt us or help us anymore). This is a key feature of all Dragonborn drama.

I like how the various key features of Dragonborn art are slowly emerging via our sessions.

So shall I assume the PCs are going to try to hit Distaff up for an investment/loan?

gridley wrote:

"What other rich people do we know who might be willing backers?"

"Clarissa Glossop? Maxwell Andrealphus, the high priest of the Eroded God? Hells, maybe I'll pop down to their temple tonight. I've been meaning to give the god a backstage pass."

Mallus wrote:

gridley wrote:

"What other rich people do we know who might be willing backers?"

"Clarissa Glossop? Maxwell Andrealphus, the high priest of the Eroded God? Hells, maybe I'll pop down to their temple tonight. I've been meaning to give the god a backstage pass."

"Might want to rethink that. Seat him in the back, you'll insult him. Seat him up front, he'll block the view of most of the audience. It's one of those aspects of applied theology which rarely come into play, I suppose."

Having decided on Count Orquiel as the third judge and (hopefully) The World as the venue for the play, the League-members continue their discussion about finding a wealthy sponsor for the performance, until Asarlai wanders into the tavern waving a sheet of paper.

"Hey! Guess what I found!" The old man awkwardly makes his way to a seat and spreads out the paper over the table before him. It is a garish painting, featuring what seems to be a badly drawn zombie wearing rags and carrying a sword in one hand, while it pours out some flaming liquid from a skull in its other hand onto the heads of two men duelling a statuesque woman who is also apparently smoking a cigar and dancing at the same time. In bright scarlet letters across the top, it says, 'Nick Middleton's latest and GREATEST play - The AVENGER'S Tragedy! Love, Death, Endless Hate!'

"They're posters!" says Asarlai with unusual excitement. "All over the place! And guess who's in his play?" He stabs a finger at the bottom of the page, where similarly scarlet letters say - "Returning to the Stage for this Production ONLY!! - The First Lady of the Stage - ISADORA ALTHING!"


OOC: Isadora Althing is a ferocious warrior originally from the Unassailable North, whose mastery of her tribe's Snow Squall War-Dance led her on an unlikely journey from being a penniless mercenary to the Port's greatest choreographer. Her temper is legendary. Dance critics literally feared for their lives when tendering reviews of her performances. Said to delight in opposites, she is rumored to be the long-time lover of the scholarly, though no less deadly, head librarian at the Dragon Library, Vellum Bellicose. She was believed to have retired from performance, but apparently Clagoff has persuaded her out of retirement.

"Well," Vox offers in a cheerful tone, "I suppose that we're screwed, then. It's a shame, really, but don't think of it as losing a pig -- think of it, rather, of losing a stench."

He sobers rapidly in the face of Odanais' and Penelope's glares, though. "I...suppose all is not lost? Maybe? Honestly, I fail to see how this situation can be salvaged, short of murdering everyone who goes to see Claggoff's play."

Vox goes suddenly paler, impossible though that may seem, as he remembers who he's talking to. "I'm not actually sugesting that," he adds quickly.

"If we lose Treasure to that horrible man," Penelope begins, shaking her fist and trying to suppress her urge to say I will kill you all, "I will - I won't be happy, that's for sure. And I'll keep in mind whose bright idea it was in compete in a play-off when channeling my anger."

"Until then, however... instead of killing off Clagoff's audience, maybe we should seek out a big name to attach to our performance too. If there are any well-known actors strongly against the Ethical Circus and Clagoff, maybe we could recruit them. That's my only idea."

"You know," Vox says suddenly, in an 'I will regret this' tone, "I understand that Ambassador Orquiel is a renowned dancer...in a sense, at least."

Rolzup wrote:

Honestly, I fail to see how this situation can be salvaged, short of murdering everyone who goes to see Claggoff's play."

"Surely you exaggerate, Vox. All we need do is murder Ms. Althing and deprive Clagoff of his star."

Yatagan pauses for a moment, as if to think.

"Of course that would be wrong. She is innocent of Clagoff's crimes. Besides, if even half her reputation is deserved she could take the lot of us single handed. And that's not taking into consideration her lover, the marksman Vellum Bellicose. He's a learned man with a pair of Anathema pistols. Not to be trifled with."

Dragonborn ethics are the perfect mix of virtue and realpolitik.

"Perhaps if we merely injure her..."

Penelope wrote:

And I'll keep in mind whose bright idea it was in compete in a play-off when channeling my anger."

"Would it have been better if Clagoff spent all of his gold hiring mercenaries? At least this way he's splitting the difference between fighters and coaxing aging starlets out of retirement" says Yatagan reasonably.

Quote :

"Until then, however... instead of killing off Clagoff's audience, maybe we should seek out a big name to attach to our performance too. If there are any well-known actors strongly against the Ethical Circus and Clagoff, maybe we could recruit them. That's my only idea."

"And it's a very good one, Ms. Pindar. Make it so" says Yatagan, inadvertently quoting a famous bald aeronaut from a serial drama popular on the Port stage almost two decades ago.

OOC: it's "Quest for PETA"!

Rolzup wrote:

"You know," Vox says suddenly, in an 'I will regret this' tone, "I understand that Ambassador Orquiel is a renowned dancer...in a sense, at least."

"Are you suggesting that Orquiel be both our judge and our star.... that's... that's it!" bellows Yatagan. "Isadora Althing is one of the best dancers the Port has ever known. But not the best. That honor belongs to her prized student, the Shifter Lady Feralgrace! Who, coincidentally enough, is also retired, after ensorcelleling the entire Port with her last performance."

A troubled look crosses the Dragonborn's troubling face.

"Of course, nowadays she's worshiped as a living saint by a group of lycanthropes and Shifters called the Wolf Parade. I have no idea how we could seduce her away from that gig to star in play" says Yatagan as he eyes Heyoka hopefully.

Penelope wrote:

"Until then, however... instead of killing off Clagoff's audience, maybe we should seek out a big name to attach to our performance too. If there are any well-known actors strongly against the Ethical Circus and Clagoff, maybe we could recruit them. That's my only idea."

OOC: Unfortunately, the specific combination of a well-known actor who's also strongly opposed to the Ethical Circus is a rare one and at the moment no names come to mind. Plus Isadora Althing is as big a name as they come and then some, so topping her with fame/talent as a thespian is essentially impossible, though Katerina Feralgrace could match her (if you could persuade her to perform). But then you guys aren't planning to beat Clagoff by being traditionally good actors, are you? If I may step out of DM mode for a moment, I suggest going full-bore with the madness that is your plan. Plus you really don't have enough time in or out of game to make major changes.

* * *
Next morning...

While the adventurers are at breakfast, discussing what needs to be done for the play and the benefits of Penelope shooting Isadora Althing, as well as dealing with a couple of people from the small flock of worshippers/petitioners who visit Treasure regularly, there is an unexpected visitor to the Hall.

The nattily dressed eladrin introduces himself simply as Pandarus and gets quickly to the point. "I believe your ... organization is involved with putting on a theatrical performance. I have been dispatched by my client, who is - among many things - an aficionado of the arts, to offer his aid in this matter. His name is Lord James Half-a-Step." He sits back in his chair and waits for a response.


OOC: Lord James Half-a-Step is better known as Jimmy Heatshimmer, the displacer beast crime lord who controls the Five Fathoms Market area. The magical coin Odanais carries is the kind that Jimmy gives to some of his lieutenants, and one of his men was watching the PCs in the Market (and got killed by Vox).

"Fantastic," says Odanais, whose general lack of streetwise allows him to sincerely offer hospitality to potential enemies. "Please have a seat. Can I offer you a libation?"

gridley wrote:

"Fantastic," says Odanais, whose general lack of streetwise allows him to sincerely offer hospitality to potential enemies. "Please have a seat. Can I offer you a libation?"

"That's very kind of you," says Pandarus. "Wine, please, if you have some."

Once provided with a glass, the eladrin sips delicately at it and then says, "Thank you. Did you have any questions about my client's offer? Oh, and how is the planning for your performance going? Is there any particular area in which we can be of aid?"

Yatagan smiles at the Eladrin, waiting for him to speak, while silently wondering which of his gods just dropped a professional kneecapper into his lap.

Mallus wrote:

Yatagan smiles at the Eladrin, waiting for him to speak, while silently wondering which of his gods just dropped a professional kneecapper into his lap.

Actually, he's waiting for a response to his questions now.

shilsen wrote:

Actually, he's waiting for a response to his questions now.

But Yatagan's trying not to blurt out "break Isadora Althing's legs".

Mallus wrote:

But Yatagan's trying not to blurt out "break Isadora Althing's legs".

I love it when you guys practice 'restraint'

Pandarus looks around, waiting for answers, and sips at the wine. While he does so, he idly fiddles with a coin in his left hand, one which a couple of the adventurers notice strongly resembles the one that Odanais has.

After a moment's hesitation that suggests a more complex than usual sort of moral calculus being performed in Yatagan's brain, he says "We could use... another investor. We are securing The World as our venue, in addition to planning a rather... elaborate performance... the likes of which the Port has never seen before."

OOC: Yatagan has another idea re: Isadora that involves making her an offer that no aging actor/dancer can refuse... which shouldn't take too long or cost anything upfront. Then again, kneecapping is a classic. What does everyone else think?

Mallus wrote:

After a moment's hesitation that suggests a more complex than usual sort of moral calculus being performed in Yatagan's brain, he says "We could use... another investor. We are securing The World as our venue, in addition to planning a rather... elaborate performance... the likes of which the Port has never seen before."

"The World?" Pandarus quirks a polite eyebrow. "Yes, that would take some funds. It is, however, an excellent choice of playhouse."

He pauses and sips at his wine, before adding, "I can say on behalf of Lord James, that he would be quite happy to help finance your play. In fact, he would go so far as to not ask for any of your profits. Perhaps, considering your unique abilities, you could simply do him ... a favor in the future?"

Quote :

OOC: Yatagan has another idea re: Isadora that involves making her an offer that no aging actor/dancer can refuse... which shouldn't take too long or cost anything upfront.

Intriguing. Do tell.

Quote :

Then again, kneecapping is a classic. What does everyone else think?