1 Soul Bound
1.2 Taking Control
1.2.1 An Icy Welcome
1.2.1.17 Gordian knot
When they got back down, Tomsk and Bungo were keeping Nicolo company, having handily won their match. She looked around for Alderney, and saw her sitting at a table in an unused section of the Dove talking with a man who looked rather like the ooc-Cov she’d met in the white meeting space. It couldn’t be - they were both eating gelato. Did deities eat gelato? Wellington had joined Vittoria and Emmanuelle, and they appeared to have a map out and be writing down numbers.
Tomsk: “Kafana, did you make this cool breeze? It’s wonderful!”
Kafana: “Well done on winning. But enough lazing around. I think we may be low on gelato, could you go down to the gelato machine inside the Dove with Columbina, see if you can help her in any way?”
Tomsk: “It would be my honour to serve, great Queen of Song!”
Columbina immediately followed his example.
Kafana: “Go, away with the pair of you.” she said in mock exasperation, and winked at Columbina. She didn’t think the replacement gelato would be appearing any time soon.
The two of them left, and she sat next to Bungo.
Kafana: “Who’s playing now?”
Bungo: “It’s Team Centrale versus Team FraGamal. Pasquale Trinci may be a top duelist and the most eligible bachelor in Torello, but Nastya and Blaze are going to cream them. They’ve both got ‘superior advanced dexterity’ as a legacy skill, and I don’t think Covob has an equivalent.”
She recognised the voice of Nicolo’s next customer.
Lady Pia: “Nicolo, you were simply wonderful. Would you be willing to perform on stage regularly, if a suitable role can be found for your voice?”
Kafana: “Lady Pia! I’m so glad you were able to make it. Actually, I wanted to ask your advice on a matter. Would you have a minute or so to spare? And then perhaps I can introduce you to Vittoria, the head of the orphanage, whose consent would be needed before Nicolo could take anything on.”
Nicolo glanced at her, grateful for the rescue, and nodded to confirm her words. “I’m sure something can be arranged, if Vittoria thinks it to be a good idea.”
Lady Pia looked a little started, as though she were used to everyone around her instantly agreeing to anything she asked, but was amicable enough. “Why, certainly my dear. Shall we take a seat?” and she appropriated a table nearby without the least thought of whether she had the right to do so.
{Sys: aura on full} She drew herself up and matched Pia’s stance, willing Pia to see her as an equal. They sat down at the table simultaneously.
Pia: “I listened to your speech about Basso. Is it really that bad?”
Kafana: “Fra Nerone Drago has a lot of support on his side. If he gets his way, the orphanage will be on its own. And it isn’t just the orphanage; it is the whole of Basso. Bel’s forces have been deliberately trying to stir up hatred. They tell Basso that they are abandoned and despised so revolt is their only remaining option, and they tell the rest of Torello that Basso is violent and undeserving. Every incident builds up more resentment and a greater chance of retaliation. If this goes on, there will be open hostility and King Gideon will be able to conquer Torello at his own convenience, because all of Torello’s attention will be upon internal problems, rather than presenting a united front.”
Pia looked shocked.
Pia: “You want me to speak to my husband, the Marquis di Torello, Lord Ugolino Trinci, on your behalf? I warn you, he doesn’t pay attention to me about such things.”
Kafana: “I’m sure he’s already aware. No, I wanted your advice on a much smaller matter; Count Basso, Lord Jacopo Pazzi.”
Pia: “A coarse thuggish man. All those Pazzis look alike and think alike. What’s he done now?”
Kafana: “It isn’t so much what he has or hasn’t done, as what he might do. I shall explain.”
Pia sat back to listen, delicately eating her gelato.
Kafana: “I tell you the following in confidence. I have recently become rather wealthy. I wish to use it to benefit the inhabitants of Basso by building facilities there to provide services to adventurers. With luck, it will encourage other businesses to move back again, reducing tensions, healing some of the wounds to trust inflicted by Bel’s cultists, and making Torello as a whole safer and more prosperous.”
Kafana: “But I have been warned that, in the past, Lord Pazzi has tried to grab the assets of such projects, leading to them never being completed. Can you offer me any advice on how to avoid that happening? Also, I hear that someone inside Alto is pushing hard to stop the Sword Laws being repealed, which is making the split with Basso worse. Can you tell me anything on what that struggle is really about and who’s behind it?”
Pia: “The Sword Laws are a collection of regulations that date back more than 300 years to the times of instability after the High King disappeared but before the merchants had risen to their current status. It was a compromise intended to reassure the old aristocratic families that they would still have a say in things, covering who could issue challenges to duels over insults to honour, how many armed retainers a house could maintain, whether goods passing through Alto’s family wharves were taxable. It also contained a lot of archaic stuff, such as the word of one aristocrat or three non-aristocrats being counted as equal when witnessing in court cases, that has quietly been ignored for at least the last 150 years. But the regulations were still kept on the books, because nobody wanted to be the one to repeal them, and because the families are afraid of losing the bits they rely upon, such as the tax exemption. Give on one thing, the argument goes, and the rest will get nibbled away in stages too.”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Kafana: “If it’s been a dead issue for 150 years, why is it causing problems now?”
Pia: “Some young fool in the families tried to horsewhip a commoner for bearing a longsword, rather than the dagger or shortsword that the regulations allow for. It is the most absurd part of the regulations and was made obsolete three years after being passed, when a particularly foolish noble equipped his house guard with daggers and they got slaughtered in battle. So of course that’s become the rallying cry of the Raggedy Man and those pushing for all the regulations to be abolished.”
Kafana: “Could a compromise be found? Maybe set a group of lawyers from both sides to make a recommendation on what to keep and what to repeal?”
Pia: “I don’t see it happening. Too many people on the council from either side are unwilling to risk being seen by their own supporters as weak. It’s become a polarising issue. To support one side or the other is to declare your identity and allegiance, no half measures accepted.”
Kafana: “Thank you, that’s helpful information. If I find a solution, I’ll let you know.”
[Quest gained: “Cut the Gordian Knot” - find a compromise on the Sword Laws that both sides can live with. Difficulty rank C]
Kafana: “What about Pazzi? You seem tremendously well informed. I can’t understand why Ugolino doesn’t listen to you. You’d be a great asset to him.”
Pia sighed. “Thank you dear. But I won’t burden you with that. Maybe another time. Let’s talk about Pazzi - far more fun.”
Ah, so that’s what it is like, when you don’t have a high enough level or reputation to be granted a quest. {Sys: remind me to talk to Lady Pia about her husband when my reputation with her reaches 1500.}
Pia: “The Pazzi family have always been odd. They don’t talk much to outsiders or attend events. Jacopo usually sends a proxy to Council meetings. His father did the same, I understand, so it is something of a tradition and people don’t question it. When he does attend an event he’s tremendously sensitive about being insulted, as though people think he is less of an aristocrat because his district is filled with commoners. I think he resents them for it - he certainly acts as though they exist to serve him, and he ignores them and their requests as far as possible.”
Kafana: “So if someone with high social status was behind the redevelopment project and it was made clear to Jacopo that he’d win respect and status from other nobles by being seen to support it?”
Pia: “He’d act as though he’d thought of it himself, and he’d want it to succeed.”
Kafana smiled, delightedly: “Let me introduce you to Vittoria. I think you’re going to have an opportunity to do a great deal of good for Torello and its residents.”
Kafana: {Wellington, head’s up. I’m bringing Lady Pia over to join in your discussion. Review the last 5 minutes of the discussion I’ve just had with her.}
She brought Pia over to where Vittoria, Wellington and Emmanuelle were still scheming, and effected introductions before excusing herself to return to duty with Nicolo.
Bungo was surrounded by three groupies who he introduced as Cobura, Alchymia and Kokopelli. Two of them had long blue hair and all three of them squeed with delight when they noticed her approaching.
Bungo looked worried: “Team Mercato are playing Team Zuben now, and Tomsk hasn’t come back with the gelato yet. We need to get ready; our semi final is the next match. Can you take over while I go find out what’s happened to him? He’s not answering messages.”
Kafana giggled. “Certainly. But if there’s a sock on the door knob, be sure to shout loudly before entering.”
Bungo looked shocked. “They’re not…” he stopped, glancing at the presence of Nicolo.
Kafana: “Of course they are” she injected a pause “playing with knives. I just don’t want you to startle them into cutting themselves. Terribly sharp things, knives.”
Nicolo looked at Bungo with his wide clear eyes and kindly explained: “Boinking. She means they’re boinking each other.”
Bungo and Kafana both put a hand up to palm their own faces, in perfect synchrony.
[Group skill “Facepalm” acquired - because some emotions just have to be shared.]
Kafana groaned. {Thank you, Sys. Was that really necessary?}
Sys replied, a bit primly: [It isn’t my job to decide which skills will turn out to be useful.]
Luckily, investigating the Dove’s larder turned out not to be necessary. A minute later Tomsk and Columbina turned up, carrying two tubs of gelato. At least, Tomsk was carrying them, staggering a bit. Columbina was walking next to him, looking like the cat that got the cream.
Columbina: “That’s the last. We’re out of nitrogen.”
Alchymia tried to run up to Tomsk, though whether to hug him, take a selfie with him or help him carry a tub was unclear. Kafana didn’t get a chance to find out. Alchymia paused suddenly, still two meters away from Tomsk, her sleeve pinned to a table by one of Columbina’s knives.
Columbina drew two more knives from somewhere and glanced at Cobura and Kokopelli. She only said one word, “Out” but the word sounded like it too had been dipped in liquid nitrogen. The three of them fled.
Tomsk laughed and patted Bungo on the shoulder: “Sorry to spoil your fun, Bungo, but we need to go get ready.”
Bungo gaped like a fish, unable to find the right words to reply. He settled for nodding and left with Tomsk. Columbina leaned in close and whispered in Kafana’s ear “Direct or not, I owe you more than I can keep track of. You are more than a journeyman or even a friend to me. Consider me your ally.”
*ding* [Your party’s reputation with Columbina has increased by 1000.]
Kafana wasn’t sure about the ethics of that. It seemed like making the game this realistic might have dodgy implications. Still, not her concern. But just to satisfy her own sense of balance she whispered back.
Kafana: “Then as an ally let me give you some good news. We managed to get WraithLock to give up her Soul Bound bow. I gift it to you, and will deliver it to you once I have a chance to pick it up from where it is being kept in the Watch Tower’s thief-proof vault.”
Columbina grinned and muttered something Kafana didn’t catch as she lightly ran to catch up with Alderney who was already making her way towards the amphitheatre.