HLoM: The Firebird, Prologue

[DeepShadow of FoS]

He sighs, then says, "I can't imagine Uncle will be too excited about recruiting calibans and dwarves...well, calibans anyway, the dwarves aren't as problematic. But we need the money. The Name knows, we need the money."

Vasili allows himself to relax a little further. "Would he feel better about the calibans if they were coming here not as recruits...but as prisoners?" he suggests. "I didn't want to burden him with all my speculations, but I did say that empty space could be a salable commodity, and holding prisoners would be one use of the empty space. If we could start rounding up calibans living in the wilderness, I'm sure most or all of them have done something worthy of a hard labor sentence. With some support from the church or the Autark, you could end up getting paid to house them and get the benefit of their work."

Leila hops down and arrives at the floor a giant lynx to pad alongside her master.

"Dear one, you've already bent your friend's ear with your cleverness," she purred. "Surely such talk can wait until the Jarenberg calls upon you again."

She flashes a winsome smile up at Vasili and Renhalt, inviting someone to change the subject.

[Kaitou Kage]

"Exactly so," Nezar replies, nodding. "Our desires for the Autark will never be extinguished. But then, all men are mortal; some day our ruler will stand before the Giver of Law and receive his reward. He has no heir, of course...no heir of the body, though I suppose his Rashemani...apprentice...is his heir in spirit. But at his death we shall have no ruler--unless we provide one for ourselves."

He pauses, then continues, almost seeming to marvel at the audacity of his own words.

"It is time, Altan, that an Isfahani sat the Red Throne."

Altan raised his brows. That was bold, to speak it so openly, even around family.

"I would find this agreeable," he said. "Who would you put on the throne."

[Nathan of the FoS]

Leila hops down and arrives at the floor a giant lynx to pad alongside her master.
"Dear one, you've already bent your friend's ear with your cleverness," she purred. "Surely such talk can wait until the Jarenberg calls upon you again."
She flashes a winsome smile up at Vasili and Renhalt, inviting someone to change the subject.

It would be a slightly unnerving thing to most to have a talking lynx flash an winsome smile, but Renhalt bears it with aplomb; to give only one reason of many, his own scalp is adorned with the lynx, and it's only natural he should feel an affinity for such a creature. "As you wish, Mistress Leila. Do you need to hurry home, Vasili, or would you care to join me for a game of dragonchess?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

Altan raised his brows. That was bold, to speak it so openly, even around family.

"I would find this agreeable," he said. "Who would you put on the throne?"

Having recovered, apparently, his air of caution, Nezar shrugs slightly. "Who can say how long such a project might take? It could only ever happen after the Autark were in the bosom of the Lawgiver, of course. Not in my time, I suppose, but my son is still quite a young man. And surely it is pleasing to the Name to seek the good of one's sons, and those of one's household.

"We hope to find others of our mind, or convince them of our way of thinking. There is one...a powerful prince of old family...who may assist us in this effort. He will send us an emissary at the summer solstice. You are a young man of good address and discretion, Altan, and I desire particularly that you go to meet this emissary and convince him--or her, for I think it may be a young woman--that her master should support our cause. Will you do this thing, in the service of your house?"

[DeepShadow of FoS]

"As you wish, Mistress Leila. Do you need to hurry home, Vasili, or would you care to join me for a game of dragonchess?"

Vasili and Leila exchange a long look before Vasili draws himself up and looks to Renhalt. "I'd love a game! Did you know that at least four forms of dragonchess predate the Tattered Banner Years? The earliest form of the game has not been established, and some evidence suggests that it arose in three regions at the same time, perhaps through the intervention of the Vistani or a group traveling with them. Which version should we play? Gryraxian? Darkonese? No, that one requires cards. Ronguiese takes too long--I'll be a wreck if I don't get my two hours of sleep. I suppose Gryraxian it is. Where's your board? I like your figures, except the dwarves--quite inaccurate. Yours look more like gnomes. Did I tell you I met gnomes in Nova Vaasa?"

As he speaks, Vasili eases again into the role of a manic, staring halfwit, and Leila shakes her head at the sight.

"I suppose that leaves me to entertain myself with whatever mice I can find." She shifts back into housecat form and slinks away to amuse herself.

[Revka et al]

The Jarenberg nods and sips at his cup, then pours another cup for his niece and offers it to her. ...

A quick glance. "Speaking of gold and iron*. Have you learned anything more about your suspicions regarding the Warrowdine?"

Cattia receives the offered cup with a smile. “Yes, there is a bit of news." Eying a nearby seat, she asks, "May I?" With permission, she slides into the chair, crossing her legs, resting her crossed wrists on her knee.

She takes a sip and continues, "The Falssens have made good on the rest of their housecleaning, including cleaning up the mess they made themselves. We can now trust that those in the highest positions in the house are loyal to us. So far the information we’ve amassed on the Warrowdine is mostly peripheral, but with the recent changes, we expect to hear a lot more sensitive and critical information.

“That brings me to my question for you." She takes another sip, and bites the corner of her bottom lip as she considers her request. "You recall the inquisitor who dogs their steps--Dommer Gelten?" She pauses for a confirming nod. "I have one piece of evidence that belongs in his hands, but I can’t deliver it myself and I don’t entirely trust the Falssens with its care. For people so used to subtlety, they do it so poorly--almost the opposite of us!" She lets out a chuckle, then looks down at her hands and becomes more serious.

Looking back up at her uncle, “Someone needs to deliver this evidence to Dommer Gelten soon. We near the anniversary of Ranulf’s death, and the Falssens feel that date approaching as keenly as I do. If our campaign against the Warrowdine does not bear fruit soon, I fear they will lose their nerve.”

[Nathan of the FoS]

Looking back up at her uncle, “Someone needs to deliver this evidence to Dommer Gelten soon. We near the anniversary of Ranulf’s death, and the Falssens feel that date approaching as keenly as I do. If our campaign against the Warrowdine does not bear fruit soon, I fear they will lose their nerve.”

"They will need their nerve," the Jarenberg replies. "We have bigger game afoot than kingfishers, niece. To see the Warrowdine fall foul of the Inquisition would offer a certain amount of entertainment, but to bend them to our will paves the way to a better prize. They must be threatened but not exposed...so long as they support our endeavor."

Isam glances sidelong at his niece and drains his cup to the dregs, setting it firmly on the table. "The Isfahani and I have agreed, niece. The Firebird is in the heavens again. The Autark is old, and his sins must soon drag him down to the Hell of Slaves. He must die, and his fleshcrafters and his slavers and the whore he calls his daughter with him. We shall be the ones to do this thing, and the Isfahani shall sit the Red Throne."

Smiling slightly at the expression on Cattia's face, he continues, "You see the Falssen are right in one thing--I am not subtle. That is why you shall be my voice, niece. Von Zarovich has taken an interest in our cause, and sends promises and an emissary, who will be in Vestrdyrr at the solstice. This emissary may claim to be visiting the mines on behalf of the steel foundries in Immol. I desire that you and the young Boritsi go there to meet him. The festivities in Vestrdyrr will be excuse enough. The Boritsi thinks to throw in his lot with us. Encourage him to do so. While you are there, seek out the Thott and his wife. I understand the wife is the key to his regard. Befriend them. Find out their feelings for our project, and do what you can to win them to us.

"Do you have questions, niece?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

To my retainer Vasili Boritsi--
I desire you to travel to Vestrdyrr on the summer solstice of this year, there to meet with a representative of the Immol Foundry regarding a new contract to supply iron ore. You will be accompanied by my nephew Renhalt and my niece Cattia, she having expressed a particular desire to see the fireworks and the ceremonial procession along the Mage's Way. Having considered your advice, I approve of your plans to recruit dwerrowfolk for the better operation of the mine. I know that there is at least one such family employed by the Thott in the copper mine at Kaspas Helvent. Learn how they were employed and, if possible, speak to them about their terms of service and activities.

ISAM JARENBERG

[Revka et al]

Cattia raises an eyebrow at the suggestion she is to bend the Warrowdine rather than break them. She goes to take a drink to recover, only to nearly choke at the suggestion that they are to bring down the Autark.

... "Do you have questions, niece?"

Wide-eyed at the prospect of an Isfahani on the throne, she listens carefully to the talk of Von Zarovich involvement, then answers, "I trust you to know about involving the Barovians, and I look forward to adding the Boritsi to my list of resources. I will enjoy making new friends. My only questions is, when do I leave?”

[Revka et al]

"On second thought, I have another question: how will I communicate with you? I will need some means of exchanging safe, secure messages. Stones of sending, writs of communication, even a silver raven would be better than nothing."

[Nathan of the FoS]

"My only questions is, when do I leave?”

Isam cracks a grin at this display of enthusiasm. "Not tonight, niece. The Barovian will be at the Bronze Gate on the first morning of the New Year. As for communication, I will furnish you with a pair of sending stones."

He falls silent. Finally, he says formally, "Thank you for attending on me tonight, daughter. You may go."

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Forbearance Red Wisdom, Year of the Displacer Beast (Three days since the discussion with the Jarenberg)

Vasili paused outside Cattia's door, wondering if he should come back tomorrow. The sun was setting, and he knew that people might frown on his going to visit a single woman so late. Closing his eyes and biting his lip, he gave the door three knocks.

[Revka et al]

Sitting at her desk in her room, preparing some letters, Cattia hears a knock at her door. She goes to the door and opens several inches and peers around the edge. When she sees Vasili, she opens the door a bit wider and greets him with a smile. "What can I do for you this evening, Vasili?"

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Vasili forces a tight smile, and his staring eyes grow wider. "I read stories. Do you like to read? My father says penny dreadfuls are a waste of time, and that if I still had wits I'd be wasting them. I find them helpful, though, when it comes to solving common social problems, however. For example, in many stories the protaganist--that's the main character--learns a secret about someone else, and feigns ignorance to spare the discomfort of a confrontation. This increases the drama, but the protaganist (main character) is usually revealed to be foolish as the truth comes out later in an even greater confrontation. Is it possible my father was missing a valuable lesson here?"

Before Cattia can fully answer, Leila appears behind Vasili in her giant lynx form. Rearing up to place both paws on her master's shoulders, the lynx looks over his shoulder at Cattia.

"You'll thank me for this later," she says she shoves Vasili bodily past Cattia and through the doorway.

As Leila closes the door behind them, Vasili backs guardedly into a chair opposite Cattia. "I'm just saying, if someone learns private and personal details about someone else, say through eavesdropping or reading mail or...say repeated use of a spell to detect thoughts...shouldn't they tell the person what they know as soon as possible?"

As Cattia processes what she's hearing, Leila slides demurely between Cattia and Vasili and wraps herself around her master's feet.

[Revka et al]

Cattia is quite taken aback, but recovers quickly and says facetiously, "Come right in Vasili and have a seat. Your companion is most welcome as well." She smiles and then moves to the seat nearest to her and makes herself comfortable. "Yes, I believe a nice chat would be in order. Please, do go on."