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Action by Velenosa for Lyceum Finances

(Public Action, OOC Date: Oct. 1, 2022, 11:55 a.m.)

House Velenosa's leadership was made aware of Malrico's sticky fingers some time ago, but had to deal with the issue slowly and carefully to avoid detection. With his death, there is a little more room to maneuver to dig through the layers upon layers, leaving no stone left unturned and no ledger left unopened. House Velenosa will explore their own accounts, trading ledgers, and bank statements in hopes to start from the top to work downward. The Great House will also travel to other domains, specifically Caith under House Gilden and Fen de Lire under House De Lire (for this round of crisis actions), as they are the smallest of Velenosa's vassals and it would not be a surprise if Malrico's allies took advantage of their size to sneak things from the Lyceum into coffers elsewhere.

With the investigations into Lenosia, Caith, and Fen de Lire, it is House Velenosa's goal to root out those left responsible, close loose ends, stop further embezzlement, and recover what they can.

Berenice is clever, but not an accountant. However, what she is very good at is persuading /other/ people to give her information. So that is what she will focus on: finding people who may know something, and then convincing them to share. Will a few end up snared to be tossed to Harlex the Headsman in the course of matters? Maybe.

Evaristo has a FAINT idea - just a little he knows from rumors, it's not like he ever SMUGGLED or anything, of course not - about how illegal money is made and hidden. So, he joyfully gets to work on what he has done for years already - talking to the right people at the right places along the coast cities of the Lyceum, using his old cog to do so and not announcing exactly who he works for. He is a known TRADER since decades, and known in many harbours, after all. So, rumor gathering, talking to smugglers and other shady types, for any hints of the gold that disappeared.

There are likely not many alive who know Lenosia as well as Arman does, given his age and deep ties to every part of the city. He knows all the prominent families, business folk and traders. They might even owe him a favor or two, real or imagined. He uses this network to investigate any usual flows of coin, by whom, and where they might lead.

Noah can be a man of extremely charming grace. He is afterall, a Grayson. However, he is more known for when the charm doesn't work. To be the shadow to the Archduchess' radiance. This is what he does in regards to Malrico. There are those things that people know who shouldn't. Those that also walk the line of shadow and of interest. He will banter where needed and more importantly -- threaten -- where needed. His RestingGraysonFace gives more to this.

He has been known to make an ill-timed joke, but he's also known for running tackling those involved in the economic 'crisis'. He is quite the wordsmith and just how he'll implement the various techniques of finding answers and he's extremely unapologetic about it. Poison parties? All the rage, until the poison is explained in the most painful manner. While the Archduke Consort may temper his -- temper at the request of his wife. He also lets it known that he's more than happy to lose that temper too. He hopes to find out what is happening, no matter what it takes.

Though she doesn't have as much experience in the world of economics as some, she knows enough that she's willing to put it through the test. She'll go over the ledgers and see if there is any suspicious laundering, fraud, embezzlement. She will come down hard on anything resembling a pyramid-scheme.

Having spent the past year in Lenosia, basking in the social scene, the moment Silvio heard of the business with Malrico's sticky fingers and the subsequent Velenosa investigation, he set to work using both his charm and his skill at manipulation to subtly pursue any whisper of a rumor which might aid his family in this matter.

Far better with people than ledgers, Silvio will use every ounce of guile at his disposal - his smiles, his banter, vague promises, and the very best wine, of course - to seek out leads into those aforementioned loose ends and missing funds.

Harlex knows one way to deal with 'loose ends' and as Sword of Lenosia, he's all too ready to snuff out those responsible. Once allies of Malrico are identified, as well as the coffers they've stuffed, he'll set upon them as a hunter to its prey. The grisly work will speak for itself, and hopefully the rest get the red message. Most nobles think they have silver-tongues until someone is pinning them to a parlor wall with a longsword.

To say that Enyo has an interest in Malrico and his deeds is a bit of an understatement, it might be argued that it's becoming an obsession. That paired with the news that Velenosa was going to start with two domains that she once called home it was an easy choice for her to lend what aid she could in the investigations.

Caith and those within it was a somewhat brief stint, however Fen de Lire was not, plus her son still technically has stake there considering his parentage. So Fen de Lire is her primary focus, reaching out to those she knows and had dealings with when she was Baroness de Lire to see if she can't assist with getting to the bottom of everything. Ledgers, books, scrolls, anything that has a physical trail, but she also will be looking into rumors and whispers as often things done in secret don't always leave a physical trail to follow.

As the current minister of Economics for House Velenosa, Quenia will be scouring the past logs made by previous ministers for any information that might seem like a discrepancy and compare them to her current logs and the logs that everyone has sent her since her tenure of what's due to House Velenosa. Anything she finds will be reported to Jaenelle.

She'll also take some time to visit Lenosia, Caith, Fen De Lire and take a boots on the ground approach and talk to the various merchants that are found within the cities. She'll visit the docks, the banks - particularly in Lenosia, and any other place that might offer a way to find information that might give them a clue as to where Malrico might have influenced business, trade, and banking in all of the cities. She'll use her authority as the Great House's minister to get access where she is able and also take some time to meet up with some long standing contacts she may have in each city.

As Minister of Income for House Gilden, Vittorio is going to spend his time reviewing the ledgers of the collections over the past several years and trying to identify any individuals who seem to be involved in under collecting according to the books. If he can find anyone who MIGHT be involved, he will do his best to talk to them and convince them that it was "ok" to have been involved, and that it would not be their fault if they were snookered. He will try to engender some trust in the individuals in question, tell them that it will be fine so long as they can help him track down where the funds went. Of course, in reality, while _Vittorio_ may not take action against them, House Velenosa might with that information, but those people do not need to know that.

No house has been as affected by Malrico's antics quite like House Velenosa. He hasn't been the greatest of ancestors and it shows with every new revelation that their investigations uncover.

He and his agents may have been incredibly careful with their paper trails but it's not hard to question/torture/seduce an agent who just so happens to have copies of ledgers before the numbers were altered. Perhaps they'd once foolishly hoped to use it for blackmail. Even without paper evidence, the information they're able to draw out of people is telling and the amount of money embezzled from simply the past decade is astonishing. Funds that had been withdrawn for projects that never happened, missing taxes, counterfeit coin used to cover up tracks.

Many baronies seem to have fallen prey to these machinations with corrupted Ministers and advisors. Or sometimes even thieves that had gone unnoticed. With the exception of Baron Demarcio, who is currently in Lenosian custody (if not already killed), the rot doesn't seem to have gone up as high as leadership of the baronies. Nonetheless, with the number of agents that they have apprehended and questioned, they've chipped away at the influence of the merchant families and criminals operating in the Lyceum, in service to Malrico.

All that was left in the end was to find Malrico's stash, in the island south of Caith that they were previously informed about. It's an island that most had never noticed despite many travels down this route... perhaps an enchantment had worn off. It has seen better days and whatever scouts that remained were unable to defend the horde in the face of Velenosa's fast ships. Monstrous entities with flesh blended with molten gold and gemstones, that were left to guard the horde were dispatched, leaving behind only clumps of flesh with their deaths, allowing the party to recover the treasures held within the island.

What they encounter is an absurd sum. Potentially billions worth of gold and treasure scattered throughout the island. It's a ridiculous amount of wealth that would surely shatter the economy if knowledge of it became public.

((OOC: I've added 25 million to Velenosa's vault - for now to represent what they physically return to Lenosia - and will alter their income accordingly.)).

Action by Evaristo

(Public Action, OOC Date: July 18, 2019, 12:37 p.m.)

In order to spread Death's doctrine in Arx (and around the compact if rumors spread and travellers carry the word onward), the Harlequins and Bard's college plus associates of either, with Harlequin Mockingbird Evaristo, Legate Aureth, Voice of the Queen of Endings and Nightingale Gianna organising, get together to create the Festival of Death.

The festival itself takes place during spread out events over the course of the summer, culminating with the The Rhytm of the Wheel that in itself is more than one event. Many of the events will take place in the Lowers and Uppers and will largely be free to attend. Nobles are encouraged to donate to the Faith of the Pantheon and the Harlequins in particular, however. Some contests might have a small fee if you also win something, but commoners will pay a token one. Streets will be decorated with bats on string, skulls, spiders and of course, wheels.

Streets nearest the events will be decorated with spiders, bats, wheels and skulls (not real ones!) hanging from buildings or in trees. (Yes, they will be taken down and not left to litter!)

Events will include (but not exclude other things):
* Pun contests
* Fashion show
* Craft stations for children (make your own bat plushie or spider etc.)
* Pin the leg on the spider
* A Death inspired poetry reading
* A Death inspired Masquerade ball
* A spider petting zoo
* Play performances on Death history and stories
* Music performances
* Dancing performances
* Sermons at the Shrine of the Queen of Endings, and lore sessions for the curious

Each event will offer the Death Prayerbook to read and each event will give a short briefing on her doctrine at the start. The Iron Guard will be helping to keep order on the streets on any events taking place outside in the public.

The culmination of the festival will be The Rhytm of the Wheel event, in which hundreds of drummers of all ages get together, wearing clothing in black, white and red. (See this link for an idea of how it might look/sync - though think more heartbeats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbmrJ85p_fo) None will have faces painted as skulls, but there will be Death's own symbol on the clothes or held aloft on banners. The drummer event will start at the Shrine of the Queen of Endings and move towards the Graveyard right outside of Arx. It will portray the beating heart - of the city, of the people. Syncronised and organised by the Bard's College and conducted by its members, Evaristo will walk in the front with any Harlequins who wish to do so and other invited guests who might want to join. It will be a powerful display, with the rhytms perfect, the drummers moving in sync with well-rehearsed dance steps and drumming. Small drums, large drums, combined into an epic melody of life, from beginning till end. Along the way, actors will perform little mini-plays of scenes from life. Children playing. A marriage. Adventures. Lazy days in the sun. Shivering cold in the winter. Working. Tragedies, joys.

At the Graveyard the drums will slow down. Slower and slower until they stop. And symbolically, a woman in a black dress and a black hooded cloak (Gianna acting as Death herself) will come forth and embrace an old woman before the two walk away together while the drummers slowly fade out the 'heartbeats' - the Ending. But then, after it fully stops, a young couple walks into the graveyard, the drummers parting way. They carry a young baby, walking to visit a grave. The drumming begins picking up once more. A new life has come. A new Beginning. The concert ends in a crescendo, every drummer giving it all.

After the Rhytm of the Wheel event, Evaristo, Aureth and Gianna will do a concert together. They will sing and play. The Life is a Near Death Experience song will be sung, but also new songs about stories about Death. Humorous, and serious, epic and small. The concert will be held at the Shrine of the Queen, outside of it on a stage built for the occasion. And then it will all end in an amazing party, finishing the Festival of Death - for this year.

Aureth is here to grease wheels, primarily (this is what the 500 social he added is for -- for greasing wheels and calling in a few casual favors, as a big bad faith favor caller), but he's also here to offer cheerful sermonizing and a little performative panache to the whole thing in conjunction with Evaristo and Gianna. There's nobody who loves Death more than him, as far as he's concerned, and demonstrating that is his favorite part of his job. He's available for singing, juggling, and the all-important part of his priestly role, answering questions for the confused.

Though not a Harlequin, Helena is a fan of the Queen of Endings and Beginnings for a few reasons, so she lends her voice to the effort, to help spread the doctrine of Death. She'll attend and lead events, speak highly of the goddess, answer questions, and do her best to help the people of Arx understand what a gift the Queen is to humanity, rather than being something to fear.

As a Harlequin Lethe will attend as many events as she can. She wants to make sure people have a good time. She will be there to talk to anyone who is curious about the Queen of Endings and will do her best to answer any questions they may have. She will also walk with Evaristo and other Harlequins during the rhythm of the wheel event.

As with any large gathering of people, it is wise to have well-practiced healers on hand just in case. While this is a Festival of Death, there is no requirement for any actual deaths (this is not a Nox'alfar gathering after all). Estelle will be there with a number of Mercies both to keep everyone in good health and spirits while the Godsworn woman will also offer what she knows of the Queen of Endings.

Gianna's main contribution, aside from providing the Bard's College backing, will be to perform in that concert. The Nightingale herself! People pay big money to have her sing, and here she's doing it for free. FOR FREE. You're welcome, everyone. She will even play nice and sing with Evaristo and Aureth instead of trying to grandstand. Or she'll try not to, anyway. Sort of. OK, there might be some grandstanding.

Darkwater itself has gone through the wheel of life, so it's one of the reasons the Countess of it feels a connection to the Queen of Endings because of it. Carita's more than happy to lend resources and silver for this beautiful idea of Evaristo's. After all, she knows people that know people to make sure things run smoothly even with minimal resources.

Drums may not be Saro's more typical line of work, but with skills in both wood- and leatherworking and a perfect ear for pitch, it's certainly not outside her capabilities. That being the case, she's taken it upon herself to create some of the drums to be used in the parade; just a few larger pieces worked in the motifs of the Queen of Endings to punctuate certain points of the procession and provide a decorative, and spectacularly LOUD, focal point.

Warrick will bring the presence of the Iron Guard to the festival to provide order and security for the performers and guests. He'll keep the other guardsmen evenly divided between the roads they're instructed to block off. More guardsmen will be directed to stand guard at every corner on the parade route, and a small squad will travel alongside the drummers in the Rhythm of the Wheel event, spaced so they remain discreet. Any disorder will be met with every attempt to de-escalate, or else a gentle escort out of the festival.

As a Harlequin and a Lowers man, Raymesin will be adding security measures throughout the festival that have nothing to do with the Iron Guard and everything to do with keeping the peace. After all, there are few things like the offer of having a personal meeting with the Queen in a minute or two to help someone decide that maybe they didn't want to do what they were about to do after all.

While not a Harlequin, Ida believes all of the pantheon should be honored, so at the suggestion of Princess Helena, she stocks the shop with hairpins in spider and skull themes for the upcoming events. A portion of the proceeds from those sales will then be donated to the Shrine of the Queen of Endings.

Amantha will be there leading a small group from the iron nurse corps to assist the Mercies when needed or patrolling the festival when it's not.

Berenice will be at her socialite best, offering the weight of House Velenosa's grandeur and style to the festival, as well as serving as a co-host for one of the final events. Don't you want to join? Are you /sure/? (You definitely want to attend.)

It's a good festival in the way all festivals ought to be. Enough events, spaced out far enough, that the Queen stays on people's minds, that the momentum for more Queen events remains. This is all known, everyone knows that they've been out there, spreading the word, spreading art and music in her name.

What isn't known is this: After the drums of the Rhythm of the Wheel fade, after the crowds have largely dispersed, after costumes are shed and it's time to tend to the Graveyard and make sure nothing's left behind, Evaristo and Aureth, Gianna and Helena, Ida and Berenice, Carita and Lethe and Saro, Estelle and Amantha, Warrick and Raymesin, they all see someone strange. They're seated at one of the tables not quite cleared away, thin and cloaked and slump, and they're singing a thin, sharp song that only just carries.

You are born. Now. Open your eyes and cry.
You are aged and worn. Close your eyes and die.
You are born. Now. Reach out your small hands.
You are worn. Now. Lay your body on the sands.

The soul is spun new. The soul is spun old.
You are righteous and bold. Or clever and cold.
The light excites you. Or the dark draws you close.
You embrace a legacy. Or resist it, in throes.

You are dead. Now. You wake now, anew.
You will look back, soon, see how you grew.
Or didn't. Now. Again begin. End again.
Close your eyes. The Wheel still spins.

As the song continues, the graveyard darkens slightly, the soil near them rivering with spiders. The sky does not change, but the feeling of being outside does, as if they were wrapped in close garments and kept somewhere safe. And by the song end, the figure is gone, although no one saw them leave. Their heartbeats seem a touch louder for a few minutes after, drumlike, as if accompanying something unheard.

Action by Evaristo for The Grand Folly and Lysanthir

(Public Action, OOC Date: April 8, 2019, 3:58 p.m.)

At the thirtheenth hour of the thirteenth day of the month, Evaristo gathers friends and acquaintances or even business partners, to watch his ritual to cleanse himself. He's on a small stage, with a long table that has thirteen lit candles on it, and items near those candles. He's got his lute, he's dressed in black and white with his favorite coat and favorite boots.

After a brief welcome and asking everyone to sit, he takes a deep breath and starts singing - a song with thirteen stanzas and no chorus, each stanza emphasised with a sacrifice to the flames.

Joy - He sings a stanza about the giggle in his heart, of feeling joy for life and adventure and to find it in small things and big things. Of entertainment and laughter; he sacrifices a small cloth juggling ball in multiple colors, burning it over the flame. The Dream is filled with Joy.

Music - The verse is about music, of how it envelopes his life and how everything can be made into a story on the strings through his fingertips and through his song, how music can touch and change people's lives. He sacrifices a catgut lute string. The dream is filled with Music.

Adventure - A stanza about adventure, of going out there and finding it yourself, of not being bored in life. Small or big, go out there and adventure! He burns a small well-used old belt that has come with him on many travels and many adventures. The Dream is filled with Adventure.

Future - The future is bright and what you make of it. Never despair for it, Evaristo sings, but work towards the best future there can be. He sacrifices a drawing his nephew did - the children are the future. The Dream's future is a happy one.

Hope - Hope is eternal and without it there is no meaning, the Bard sings with passion. It brings the darkest hour to light and puts determination back into a man's heart. He sacrifices the copper scarf he wore when he sang to people to remind them of Copper's hope. The Dream is filled with Hope.

Chance - Life offers you chances - you just got to be brave enough to take them. Don't be afraid to jump at them, Evaristo sings energetically, or find that you will regret it later in life. He sacrifices a small white pearl, to signify that any oyster might have one if you dare to open it. The Dream is filled with Chances.

Beginnings - If one thing ends, something else begins, he sings. New beginnings are everywhere and you can start over, do new things and move forward. He burns his Bard's college copper brass pin he received when he first joined them, a new beginning for him. The dream is filled with new beginnings.

The Sea - So vast and wild, so soothing and chaotic, so cold and warm - it carries you towards adventure and brings you back home. Evaristo sings with a lot of passion about the ocean and the sea, sacrificing a piece of sail cloth. The dream has a free, vast ocean with many adventures.

Freedom - He sings about freedom, to have free will, to be able to do what you want as long as it doesn't harm others, freedom to pursue your dreams. He burns a gold link bracelet, to signify the breaking of chains - he's not bound to all the shinies he likes either. Freedom is in the dream.

Family - Family is not about what blood runs in your veins, but who you can rely on and who can rely on you. It's those that you trust and that will pick you up when you're low and lift you up to great heights. He sacrifices an old bracelet he got from Joscelin when they were young, an item she gave him when he'd been getting hurt to make him feel better. The dream has a loving family.

Love - Love, that feeling which without, you are nothing but an empty husk. Love will triumph, love will soothe, love will surprise you and love will overwhelm you - but without it, you are just darkness. He burns a small leather bracelet he got as a gift from his first love when he was very young.

Luck - Luck is a constant companion and luck is there if you look. He sings with humor about it but also with some humbleness. He sacrifices a luck charm made out of silver and white coral, that he picked up at a second hand market by.... pure luck, the seller thinking it was tin and fake stones. The dream is filled with Luck.

Loyalty - To be loyal to something or someone, though not to be done lightly, gives meaning and satisfaction. Evaristo sacrifices a letter he got from his patron. The dream is filled with loyalty.

Valenzo arrives at the thirteenth hour as requested, Kevin nowhere in sight (also as requested). He sits back with a mug of ale and watches the ritual in fascination -- though he also claps and cheers where appropriate!

Having no real idea what this is all about, Gilroy shows up and listens to the song, appreciating his friend's performance if not the reason for it.

Arriving as early as possible, not wanting to in any way show disrespect or disrupt anything, Zeia sits against a wall, deep in the shadows where he's been quietly waiting. He had offered to help but was told in no uncertain terms to not touch anything and just watch, so that's what he's doing, keeping his hands amused by practicing some knots on a short bit of line.

Kaya is invited to come watch by Evaristo so she could do the ritual herself one day. She arrives early to find herself a good place to sit so she can get the best view of everything

Raymesin is present, lurking quietly in the background and watching /everything/. And, as far as he can, everyone else, as well. Maybe he's been hired to keep the riff-raff out, or maybe he's been hired to make sure nothing goes too badly wrong, but either way he says very little and keeps his eyes open.

Nemo arrives at the appointed hour. It would appear she is nothing more than a witness to the performance, and perhaps only heard about it through word of mouth. Throughout, she watches intently, and keeps to herself.

In the thirteenth hour of the thirteenth day, Evaristo gathers friends together to cleanse the primum. He brings his lute, and he sets up on a small stage. And when everyone is gathered, he strums his instrument and starts to sing his sacrifices into the ceremony.

He sings of joy, and music, and adventure. He sings of the future and hope, chance and beginnings, love and luck and all the things that are thoroughly and wholly Evaristo. He sings to the people he's gathered - merchants, the crew on his ship, his friends. Street kids he knew once upon a time. Friends and family and people he's trusted in the hardest of times, and in song he shows them his heart, and shows what he truly hopes for from the future.

It's a joyous song, evocative of the man who sings it. And as he sings, the ceiling of the theater darkens as spiders spew forth from every crack, and a humming can be heard - like the sound of a low song sung by a thousand voices barely heard as individuals, together almost enough to make sense. As he finishes his song, the counterpoint continues now, and the words are finally loud enough to hear.

"Round and round and round we go,
Never stop and never know,
Beginning's end is just the start,
Of loyal, joyous, happy heart.

When once the steps were tired and slow,
The dance a burden, the past to know,
Now find the joy from life to life,
And revel now in mortal strife.

For favor asked and life be given,
Each time the soul is neatly shriven,
Returned to world with blessings light,
With hope to chase away the night.

And then the song fades, but the spiders remain - watching. Always watching.

Action by Evaristo

(Public Action, OOC Date: Feb. 7, 2019, 4:34 p.m.)

A few months back, Evaristo and some friends were talking about life and death. He'd just read about Death's doctrine (from the book that Aureth wrote), due to the dream he had seeing the Queen of Endings. Raymesin said something that stuck in his mind and he decided to write a song. What Raymesin said was 'Life is a near death experience', so that is the name of the song. The song is a faintly humorous take on how life can be vicious one moment and then turn around just as quick. And to remind to live your life when you have it, because Death comes for all. He met Helena who proved to be an amazing poet and they combined forces to write the lyrics, with her way with words and his musical style fitting well together. It is in honor of Death, the Queen of Endings as much as a personal desire to perform. When Evaristo gets a fun idea he can be quite focused and get it done and with Helena's help and Raymesin's encouragement with just how he is, this went better than he thought. Or... well, so he thinks. Who knows how it will be received?

The song lyrics:

CHORUS
Sometimes you can't win for trying
but you can smile through your crying.
The trick is to see you've got what it takes
to learn from your mistakes,
embrace the journey and get off the fence:
life is a near-death experience

VERSES

We all know the story of the lovable cad
who made a play for a lady he shouldn't have;
Her lord heard the gossip and started a brawl --
I know, I was there and I saw it all!
Fleeing for his life, his life bleeding out,
our rogue would've died, I have nary a doubt
If it weren't for meeting a physician so sweet,
who nursed him and got him back up on his feet.
Not two months later, that rogue did propose,
And now they're even married, or so it goes.

And have you heard of young lady fair
Who hated tea parties and accepted all dares;
They say sometimes pride goes before a big fall
Especially climbing a tree that's too tall!
The lass going high to see where eagles rest
the branch was too thin for aught but the nest.
And down, down she fell, got scratched all the way
Until she came to rest in a pile of soft hay
In the bed of a wagon just happening by.
"It's not your time yet," the wind seemed to sigh.

We all know the story of young tanner Blair
Who sold all his wares and made silver to spare
But the spirited walk towards home that dark night
It ended in knife wound and terrible fright
The silver got taken by bullies so hard
Now poor as a mouse, he cried for the Guard
And lo and behold, comes the Ironclad Riv
He snorted and said, "Get up, you will live'
One look at each other and love struck them both
And now the news is that they're newly betrothed.

There once was a boy who escaped his own fate
He hid on a ship, stow-away, which was great
The captain, first angry, was easily charmed
the boy given chores instead of coming to harm.
Soon pirates took over, and put the whole crew
On an island remote, what now should they do?
For months before rescue Death gave them a nip
The young man decided 'I'll get my own ship!'
He worked really hard cause on Death do not dwell
And now he's a captain of a small caravel

There's hundreds of stories that no one will tell
Of people in Arvum who stumbled and fell
Sometimes the Queen comes to take us by hand
To carry us off to her inbetween land
where we'll serve her as subjects and have fancy tea
with spiders and word play and immortality.
Some say that if worthy the Queen makes a deal
Putting us back for a spin on the wheel
So matter the story told in your own song
It's a sure bet one day the Queen will be along.

Raymesin's not much use as a cowriter. What he /is/ good for is sarcasm, puns and pointed wit. He makes a good sounding board and a very good pointer out of those times when something just doesn't scan. But, well, what he's really good at is persuading people to leave Evaristo's fingers unbroken, Evaristo's mouth unpunched, and Evaristo's coin with Evaristo.

Of course, what he's going to demand for /that/ particular service is as yet unknown...

Helena's one of the co-writers of the song, specifically one of the lyricists. The princess is certainly no musician nor a performer herself, so she's a behind-the-scenes only. She met with Evaristo a few times to brainstorm ideas for the song and wrote many of the lyrics, based on the melody he came up with and Raymesin's great refrain.

Life, or so the song goes, is a near death experience. It's a popular song, and it's taking the taverns by storm. The song reminds people to live, and to enjoy the journey while they're doing it. It's hugely welcomed in the Lowers, and among the youth of the city, who can be heard carousing in rambling groups of singers, usually just before doing something ridiculous (or ridiculously brilliant, depending on how drunk one is) and daring.

It's a reminder to live every day, to embrace all that life has to offer, and to not worry too much about death - as the Queen waits for everyone at the end. It's a catch melody, and Evaristo, Raymesin, and Helena are lauded for their efforts.

By everyone except the Iron Guard on patrol through the Wards, who seem to be on edge as soon as they hear the chorus, because these days it mostly means someone is about to do something incredibly stupid.

Sometimes you can't win for trying
but you can smile through your crying.
The trick is to see you've got what it takes
to learn from your mistakes,
Embrace the journey and get off the fence -
life is a near-death experience

Action by Verity

(Public Action, OOC Date: Jan. 1, 2019, 12:52 p.m.)

In order to show thanks for all the hard work of the Mercies, as well as the blessing Lagoma has provided to those of Arx over the past year, Verity is organizing a pilgrimage from Arx to Blancbier for any Mercy that wants to travel to the city famed for its Mercy training in the arts of healing and Lagomic Theology. The pilgrimage will need guards, lodging along the way, food and supplies, and things to keep the people entertained and their souls in good health during the journey, so Verity is pulling together help in all the ways she can for this.

At Laric's suggestion, Verity will ensure the route of the pilgrimage goes through Fen De Lay with a stop to build fires, sing, and celebrate Lagoma in her former festival area.

Pharamond Ashford is not one necessarily known to take part in religious events, but he is known to come to the help of friends when they ask. He will gladly serve in assisting Verity on the trip with both his blade and his personality, glad to participate in drinking contests, drinking events...well, drinking. But that's just at night. During the day he will also continue to help serve as a skilled fighter and guardian wherever he's pointed to assist.

No matter the intention, even something as good and noble as a pilgrimage to Blancbier on behalf of Lagoma, and so Colonel Harlex Valtyr of the Crimson Blades has been hired to help escort the pilgrims to their destination. He'll be doing what he does best; staying out of the way, hurting things if they need hurting, and otherwise being as much a dissuading force for any highwaymen or other kinds of trouble.

Invited along, Evaristo's presence changes depending whom asks. Sometimes he's a guard (he has armor and two swords, and can act very guardy), but next time he's along to entertain, bringing out his lute and playing and singing, or doing little 'magic' tricks with coins to entertain the crowd. The next? He is a merchant on a pilgrimage too, so thankful for all the tender care of the Mercies he's gotten over the years... (he often shows a dubious scar on his arm that could be a shot from an arrow, maybe a knife wound.)

Either or, he is entertaining, mostly helpful and if something attacks, he might even be half useful.

Enyo has been invited in to helping with this. While not Valardin, nor herself a sellsword like some, she has been known to venture out on random adventures to random places, for random reasons. So she has decided to chip in as a guard, when needed, but also as a great talker should people get bored on the trip. And who doesn't like cheerful talkers?

Honored to be asked along and jumping at the chance to assist her fellow Mercies in service to Lagoma, Estelle will do everything she can to help assist the caravan while learning more about how such pilgrimages are undertaken as well as the others making the trip. She plans on then using that knowledge to help keep everyone on task and their spirits up, as the potential travails of the road are many.

The trip is not entirely without incident- as they move into the Oathlands, they are stopped at least once by an Oathlands patrol of knights not far from Blanchard lands hunting Abandoned, and they ask pointed questions about whether any of the pilgrims are prodigals, but ultimately let the pilgrimage pass umolested. And at least once during the trip, an Abandoned scouting party spots the pilgrims, but after seeing Pharamond, Harlex, Evaristo and Enyo decide to opt not to attack (pilgrims to Blancbier tend not to be the wealthiest of targets, after all). There's the very strong sense things could have gone very differently and very messily if it wasn't so well guarded, poor or no.

In Blancbier, the pilgrims start training to become mercies, and some of the senior mercies are extraordinarily impressed by Estelle's talents, saying they've never seen such a gifted intuitive grasp for medicine. The mother mercy of Blancbier even says she might be touched by Lagoma and has an ounce of her grace. The new Mercies are extremely eager to start their training, and some are rather close friends to Verity and deeply appreciative of the work she's done, and promise to stay in touch and write often, as thanks for all that she's done. ((fame/legend update for all))