A Tangled Web We Weave (IC)

[Maugan Ra]

"The steward would do fine, I think. No sense interrupting the Lady's business." Zen decides after a moment.

[Ifni]

The boy nods, and steps inside for a moment to pull a bell beside the gate. A few moments later, another youngster runs out from the house; perhaps a year younger than the 'guard', and obviously a relative from the similarity of their features.

He pulls himself up and bows formally to Saram. "My lord."

"He wants to see Steward Karele," the older boy explains.

"As you wish, my lord. If you'll come with me?"

The gardens are not yet in full bloom - not unexpected, given the season - but already delicate star-like white flowers are beginning to unfurl on the bushes that line the path, and the scent of mint from the herb-beds is pronounced.

The boy leads Saram around to the back of the house, where a woman is sitting on a low stone bench, hunched over a sheaf of papers. She looks up at the sound of footsteps, and seeing Saram, rises - slowly, and with an awkwardness that speaks of pain or stiff joints - to her feet. She has gray hair and wrinkled sun-weathered skin, and green eyes yellowing slightly with age.

"My lord," she says with a polite bow. "I am Leranis Karele, steward to my lady mother. How may I assist you?" She waves a hand at the boy, who is gone an instant later.

[Maugan Ra]

"My name is Saram Zen." The much-younger Exalt says politely. "I am a... well, I suppose 'wandering student' captures the essence of it well enough, and I find my travels have brought me here. Several places have a standing policy that one should notify the local administrator if they intend to so more than simply pass through a town, and while I am not familiar with the protocol in Sunrise Gap, I felt it was better to err on the side of courtesy."

A pause, as though the young Exalt wonders how best to phrase a particular request. "Actually, since I intend to stay for at least the races... would it be possible to get a quick overview of what the local protocols and such actually are? What to avoid, any laws I might accidentally break in ignorance, that sort of thing." he actually looks slightly embarrassed now. "If it's not too much of an imposition."

[Ifni]

Karele raises an eyebrow. "I do not think we have any laws that should trouble you, Lord Saram. Sunrise Gap does its best to honor the Dragons' kin. If you have troops beyond your personal retinue, we ask that they camp outside the city, and peacebond their weapons within it. If you require lodging yourself, you would be welcome to stay at the manse, with up to five retainers. Otherwise, I can recommend some inns."

She pauses, and then adds carefully, "Purchases of horses and other significant property within Sunrise Gap are subject to a five percent sales tax. Accordingly, all sales must be documented by the seller, and if the price diverges significantly from market value, there may be an investigation." Her voice has the weary tone of one looking at the approaching dust clouds and mentally converting them to paperwork, but there is also a warning note there. Saram interprets it easily enough: no throwing your weight or social Charms around to cheat the people of Sunrise Gap, kiddo.

In a more conciliatory tone, she adds, "As for things to avoid - the visitors' camps can get a little rowdy during the night, and there's little regulation of what happens there. Sunrise Gap itself is generally fairly peaceful. We appreciate it when Exalted visitors support the local constabulary, or at least do not interfere with them."

"Lady Leranis will be hosting dinners here every evening, with some of the town's dignitaries; of course any of the Exalted are welcome to attend. It would be courteous, albeit not necessary, if you would inform us of your planned attendance at least two hours in advance. Ah, and if you intend to involve yourself in the races, do you wish any guidance on that front?"

[Maugan Ra]

Zen listens attentively, though his lips do quirk in amusement at the veiled warning, and then nods.

"Well, that all seems reasonable enough. I think I will take you up on that offer of accommodation - I travel with three retainers, and none of us have a great deal of baggage, so it should not be an inconvenience. And... yes, I think attending tonight's dinner would be a fine idea. I believe I'm still outside the two hour window?"

"A general overview on the races would be welcome. I have no intention of participating directly - I'm not much of a rider - but I expect they'd be interesting to observe. What do I need to know?"

[Ifni]

"Comfortably outside the window," the steward agrees. "I'll let the cooks know."

"As for the races, the Spring Chase is a little more than a week away, and after that there will be races every day. If you wish to lay money on the outcome, there are professional bookmakers who would be glad to help you, although side bets are also common. Registration generally doesn't close until the day before the race - I expect to see a surge of entries in the next week. The Spring Chase is open to all comers, although it's not customary for the Exalted to enter. The later races go up into the mountains and can be quite dangerous."

The steward keeps talking as she leads Zen into the house, describing the various races. The Spring Chase is cross-country, as much a test of agility as speed. She mentions a number of contestants - there is apparently a friendly rivalry between Ashan, a woman of some prominence among the herders of the plains, and Lin Tasuko, Lady Leranis' best rider. They've traded first place in the Spring Chase back and forward for the last few years - Ashan currently holds the title.

Inside, the walls and floor are smooth stone inlaid with ornate mosaics, mostly of vines and flowers. Ample sunlight shines in through the clear glass windows, ornamented here and there by colorful stained glass panes. It's evident that a considerable amount of money has been spent here.

After answering any immediate questions, Karele turns Zen over to a young woman who leads him to a guest suite upstairs, with a small sitting area connecting to one large bedroom and one smaller one. The larger bedroom has an ornate four-poster bed, the smaller one several sets of bunks. "Once your bags arrive, my lord, we can unpack your clothing and have it cleaned and pressed, if that would be helpful. Dinner will be a half-hour past sundown. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

[Maugan Ra]

"No, that's just fine. I don't have extravagant amounts of clothing with me - not practical for traveling - so I think I will rest for a short while and then go collect my retainers. Thank you."

He waits for the woman to depart, before sitting down on the end of the bed and frowning thoughtfully.

I need to track down this Falling Light as soon as possible. There's still time to arrange her entry into the race, and maybe even time enough to train her somewhat - Mercury knows it will be easier by far if she can actually ride - but I need to see what I'm working with. And I need to get a general idea of who else might be involved.

With that thought in mind, a small emerald spider skitters out from inside his sleeve and hurries off towards the horizon...

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Yeah, Efficient Secretary Technique. I'd like to ask the following questions:
1) How many Dragon-Blooded are presently within Sunrise Gap, and what are their names.
2) What is the address of the Sign of Three Lemons inn? (Mostly so I can find the place, assuming I manage to acquire a map.)

Actually, that'll do for the moment.

[Ifni]

The spider returns a few moments later, with a list of names.

Leranis Feiyan
Leranis Cemara
Leranis Anjari
Leranis Madrian
Kathim Lieto
Kathim Nianyen
Lihen Akiro
Ranati Safia

The Sign of Three Lemons inn is located at number six Orchard Road, near the intersection with Market Street.

[Maugan Ra]

All right then. Eight Dragon-Blooded... nine, at least, once Saiko arrives. Not as many as one might expect to find in, say, the Imperial City... but still a sizeable contingent. Mental note - no anima flaring. As incredibly ironic as it would be to get killed by a Wyld Hunt, I'd much rather be alive to appreciate it.

Now then, let's go see who I'm going to need to work with...

With that thought in mind, Saram Zen rises and exits the guest suite, making his way through the manse's corridors towards the entrance, nodding politely to anyone he encounters along the way. Then he heads into the bustling streets of Sunrise Gap, which are significantly more so in this time of trading and competition than most other periods in the year.

That bustle, combined with the naturally complex layout of a town experiencing rapid growth, is pretty much exactly what he needs to cover his own tracks. Not that he really expects anyone to be following, but... well, you can never be too careful. So it is that Saram Zen turns and walks down a momentarily abandoned alleyway, and Valas Morne walks out the other end.

Except, of course, the disguise is not quite complete yet. He's switched to the persona of the friendly old tutor (who, of course, stubbornly denies that he is any such thing as 'old'. Distinguished, maybe...) because a mortal is considerably less likely to draw attention and influence response than a Dragon-Blooded, but the job isn't quite done yet. A skilled and attentive observer might yet note the quiet confidence that the old man carries himself with, the carefully controlled grace of his movements that hint at significant martial skill. And that will never do - he needs to be quiet, unnoticed, inconspicuous.

Fortunately, he's had plenty of examples as to just how one might go about adopting such a mien. His mind drifts back to the day of the bar fight, the way that Branch managed to completely avoid getting involved despite his proximity to the initial event. To the way in which Saiko's retinue behaved, to the attitude displayed by people who had come to virtually define themselves around service to their superior. To the dozens, nay hundreds of lesser gods he has observed over the course of his life, just trying to squeeze by and make a living in the shadow of their betters.

Slowly adopting that subtle, understated manner, Morne makes his way towards Orchid Street and the Sign of Three Lemons inn...

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In case it wasn't obvious, attempting to stunt-learn the Throne Shadow charm 'Lion Mouse Stratagem'. Chosen of Battles has to at least try to look as though he doesn't have every martial skill in the book at a rating of 3+...

[Ifni]

Morne crosses the wide stone bridge, unnoticed by all. Beneath the bridge the river runs swiftly, chilly-looking green currents capped with riffles of white foam and the occasional chunk of ice, sparkling in the afternoon sun. Despite the warmth of the day, the Caracas is fueled by snowmelt, and at this time of year it runs high.

Market Street is the main thoroughfare of the town, crowded with both visitors and locals. Morne can tell them apart by styles of dress and ornamentation, the way in which they wear their hair, and more subtle cues of poise and attitude. There are visitors from the mountains here, albeit far outnumbered by the cattle-herders from the plains, and merchants from the cities further south and west. The thrum of voices fills the air, all speaking Low Realm but in a wide range of accents. It is the greatest concentration of people he's seen since Lotus left Yu-Shan: hard to believe that this town was a plague-ridden desolation merely a century ago.

Orchard Street is quieter, a broad paved avenue angling away from the river. Perhaps there was an orchard here once, but the pressure of construction has left only a line of trees shading the roadway. The third lot along the street holds a meticulously maintained two-story building, the walls white-painted wood, with a sloped and thatched roof. There are a few others in a similar style along this street. Beds of turned earth line the pathway up to the door, with a few green shoots poking through the soil. The sign out the front is painted with a lemon tree. The board hung below it says "NO VACANCIES".

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That is a good stunt. Have your Charm.

[Maugan Ra]

Nodding thoughtfully to himself, Morne steps into the inn and looks around for a table or seat. There might be no vacancies, but he's reasonably sure the owners won't turn away a patron just looking for a quiet drink at the end of a day's work.

[Ifni]

The white-painted shutters of the windows are flung open to let the breeze in, and the common room is airy and sunlit. Hangings line the wooden walls, braided colored cords knotted together in abstract patterns. Rugs done in the same style, albeit less ornate, cover the floor. To the right is a fireplace and a circle of low chairs; to the left, two long wooden trestle tables. Beyond the tables is a dividing wall, only about five feet high, and with a door allowing entrance to that area; the smells wafting from that direction suggest a kitchen.

The common room has a high ceiling; a mezzanine balcony circles it half-way to the roof. Stairs at the back of the common area presumably lead to the bedrooms.

A bell rings over the door as Morne enters. A moment later, a middle-aged woman emerges from the kitchen door, wearing a somewhat flour-covered apron over beaded trousers and a long vest that resemble the garb worn by the plains-people outside. Her blue eyes are sharply assessing. After a moment she smiles pleasantly. "Good afternoon, sir. Can I help you? I'm afraid all our rooms are taken."

[Maugan Ra]

"That's quite alright." Morne says warmly. "I just finished my work for the day and realized that I'd skipped lunch. Would a quick meal and a drink be available?"

So, this would be Gracious Rain, I suppose. Falling Light's aunt, who presumably took her in after her sister died.

[Ifni]

"Of course. Please, have a seat. What can I get you? We have bread baked earlier today, or the fresh loaves should be done in about ten minutes. I have cheese and cold meats, or berry preserves if you prefer. That will be a half-yen for a plate."

"As for drinks -" She studies Morne, pursing her lips. "Our specialty is kumis; not many inns in town offer it. But if you are not from the plains, perhaps sake or lemonwater would be more to your liking? Our lemons are from our own tree, and freshly squeezed."

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As a note, jade scrip doesn't exist yet. But I'm assuming the currency names are descended from an older tradition.

[Maugan Ra]

"Well, if the fresh bread is going to be done so soon, I think that would be wonderful. With the cheese and meat. And... actually, the lemon juice sounds rather appealing as well." Morne says thoughtfully, producing a purse from inside his scholarly robes and counting out the payment. He takes a seat at one of the tables.

"I imagine you're rather busy this time of year, yes? So many travelers in town for the races..."

[Ifni]

"Eighth-yen for the lemonwater. We add cane-sugar from the south, to cut the sourness." Gracious Rain smiles as she takes the coins and walks back into the kitchen, continuing the conversation across the dividing wall. "And yes, we're busy, but I can't complain. My kin live out on the plains, so it's good to see the extended family. And the profits from this month make up for the winter, which tends to be slow."

A pause. "Excuse me a moment." She moves away from the wall, and Morne hears the door swinging open. "Light! Bring me a couple of lemons."

She returns a moment later. "You said you'd been working - do you live in Sunrise Gap, then? Haven't seen you around before."

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Make a Presence+Charisma roll just to see how good an impression you make.

[Maugan Ra]

"Live here? No, or at least not on any long-term basis. I'm a tutor." Morne explains, settling back to wait for the meal to arrive. "I teach history, literature, some magical lore... basically whatever my employers want their children to know. There's a lot of people around who don't have access to a proper school, but who want their kids to have something resembling a proper education. And since I enjoy teaching and love the traveling involved, well, it was a natural choice."

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Presence + Charisma, might as well throw three motes at the Fateful excellency to knock the target number down to 4. Lotus wants to make a good impression on his target's family.

(9d10)[7][1][1][2][10][4][5][1][3](34)

[Ifni]

"Ah, I see. And where do you come from originally? One of the cities?"

There is the sound of the door swinging open, again, and the tap of light footsteps. However, their originator isn't visible over the dividing wall, at least from Morne's vantage point.

"Here, auntie. There aren't many ripe yet, but these ones looked good." The voice is a soft soprano; she sounds happy, self-assured.

"Thanks, sweetheart. Everything going well?"

"Yes! I'm just about to climb up and prune those top branches."

"I'll keep some lemonwater for you."

Another patter of footsteps, and Gracious Rain turns back to Morne. "I'm called Gracious Rain, by the way. Yourself?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Valas Morne." the tutor says politely. "I grew up in Dragonsmouth, actually - all that traffic and trade is probably to blame for my own wander-lust."

He nods in the direction the patter of footsteps took. "Your niece, I take it?"

[Ifni]

Gracious Rain emerges from the kitchen with a glass of what looks like diluted lemon juice, and sets it down before Morne. "Yes, my niece. My husband and I don't have children of our own, so we adopted her after my sister passed on."

The lemonade is actually very good, striking a fine balance between sweet and tart, and refreshing after the dusty streets outside.

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Uh... remind me where Dragonsmouth is? The wiki and the Exalted map are not revealing it.

[Maugan Ra]

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Dragonsmouth is in the Scarlet Prefecture. It's the primary landing point for all goods carried by ship destined for the Imperial City, and the Empress prioritized it's development fairly shortly after ascending to the throne.

Morne takes a sip of the drink, and nods in appreciation. "Very nice. And it's always heartening to see families looking out for each-other."

He grins, and there is a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Setting aside how biased I doubtless am, have you considered the benefits of further education for her? It's pretty much all upsides, and very few downs."

[Ifni]

Gracious Rain smiles, but shakes her head. "We don't have the money, or the time. It takes a lot of effort to keep a place like this running, especially at this time of year - in the winter, there are fewer guests, but that's when we do repairs and catch up with business that had to be set aside during the summer months."

She's slicing bread as she speaks, sharp precise motions. "History, literature... with no offense to your field, Mister Valas, that's a luxury for the wealthy, who can pay teachers, and don't need to worry about the necessities of life. Light has enough to learn as it is."

She pushes the kitchen door open and emerges with a plate of sliced and steaming bread, beside a wide triangular wedge of white cheese, a pile of tender slices of cold meat, and some pickled onions. She sets it down before Morne. "Enjoy your meal."

[Maugan Ra]

"And how do you suppose the wealthy got that way in the first place?" Morne asks conversationally. "True, things such as history or literature might not be the most practical for a young woman to learn... but what of mathematics? Bookkeeping? Bargaining and trade? Ways to make and manage the social and political connections that can make or break a business, especially a hospitality-based one like an inn?"

He picks up a knife and cuts open the bread, carefully laying the cut meat out onto the slices. "It's not a truly major investment in time, I assure you. A few hours a week, really, and no real need to extend it beyond a fortnight or so - she doubtless learns most of the core elements of her profession on the job. The cost is hardly extravagant either - to be perfectly honest, I suspect I have enough other work to pretty much waive it altogether. Like I said, I love teaching in it's own right."

He takes a bite out of his meal, pauses so as not to talk with his mouth full - such a shameful display that would be - and shrugs. "It's your choice, of course, and I don't know nearly enough about your circumstances to really advise you in depth. But a targeted education isn't an expense so much as an investment, and I do think you ought to seriously consider it."

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And... Force Decision, with the decision I expect Gracious Rain to be considering now being something along the lines of 'should I take this man up on his offer to teach my adopted child'?

Which, since it's combo-ok, is also getting an Auspicious Success from the Fateful Excellency. A total of at least eight successes against Rain's MDV, potentially playing off an intimacy towards Falling Light. Also, of course, any stunt I got for that argument, and potentially three more if my 'supreme confidence' speciality can come into play.

Total cost is 8m and 1wp, leaving my personal pool with all of three motes in it pre-stunt rewards, thanks to Lion Mouse Stratagem being up. Which might also help if it assures Rain that Morne is absolutely no danger to her daughter.

[Ifni]

"We know how to keep accounts," Rain replies, sounding faintly offended. "How do you think this place would function if we didn't?"

But at his other words she falls silent for a long moment. "Social and political connections. So... who else are you teaching at present, Valas Morne?"

[Maugan Ra]

"I didn't mean to suggest you couldn't." Morne says apologetically. "As for who else I'm teaching... right now? Saram Zen and Taras Saiko, both Dragon-Blooded... the latter an Imperial Magistrate. The Exalted pay very well, but as I'm sure you can imagine, they're often very busy, so I end up with quite a bit of time to take on other projects as well."

He chuckles. "Of course, truth be told, they'll probably end up outstripping anything I can teach them before too long. Still, that's one of the great joys of teaching, so I can hardly fault them for it."

[Ifni]

Rain pales slightly. "I see."

She considers for a moment. "... well. You said you wouldn't charge? If it would only be a few hours in a week..." She smiles apologetically. "I don't mean to seem ungrateful. We're just so busy now. But... thank you, this does sound like an amazing opportunity for her."

[Maugan Ra]

"No problem at all." Morne says with a smile. "Still, I'd recommend you talk it over with her, and probably your husband. I'll need to take a look at my own schedule first anyway, before I commit to particular times or anything like that. So, how about I come back tomorrow and we talk details?"

He eats a few more slices of the dinner, and makes a small noise of appreciation. "This is really very good. Thank you."

[Ifni]

"Er, all right. The best time would be after the guests leave in the morning - although some of them like to sleep late - or the mid-afternoon. We're busy around lunch, but then it quietens down until the late afternoon rush starts, about half an hour from now. And then the whole evening will be impossible."

Gracious Rain seems unbalanced, struggling to recover herself. She clears her throat. "Is there anything in particular you need to know about her education to date, or her interests, or... or anything? For tomorrow?"

She adds belatedly, "And you're welcome."

[Maugan Ra]

"No, that should be everything. I mean, I could interrogate you on every aspect of her personality, but on balance it's probably best if I just speak to her and work it out myself."

He finishes the food a moment or so later, and nods in satisfaction. "Anyway, I suspect we both have business to attend to - you did mention an afternoon rush, after all - so I'll take my leave now. Take a moment to catch your breath, and I'll see you... and hopefully my new student... tomorrow." he smiles warmly, and inclines his head. "You've made the right decision. Now all that remains is for me to prove it."

A moment later, and he is striding out the door, whistling cheerfully to himself with note-perfect pitch.

Task one, concluded. Now, let's see if I can't track down my errant companions...

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Yup. Go find Jan, Harp and Branch, possibly using Efficient Secretary Technique (in the guise of 'up to a difficulty 5 investigation test', or whatever it was), and let them know that we have lodgings at the estate of Lady Leranis. I'm not sure if we particularly need to do that in a scene (Lotus will shift back to Saram Zen for that part), unless something particularly interesting is going to come up.

After that, Zen will head back to the estate and generally relax until it's time for the dinner. He does have other things he quite wants to get done, but they aren't easily accomplished in the timeframe immediately available, so that will suffice for now.

[Ifni]

Saram Zen finds Branch and Harp down at the horse-yards, comparing the sleek thoroughbreds to their shaggy mountain ponies, somewhat to the amusement of the locals. Jan is playing dice with a group of plainsfolk when Zen finds him, in the tent city outside the town. All are willing enough to stay at Lady Leranis' mansion, although Branch expresses some unease at being so close to the Dragon-Blooded.

The servant who arrives half-an-hour before dinner to check that Saram Zen has everything he needs also delicately indicates that Saram's servants and guards are not invited to Lady Leranis' table, although they are welcome to eat with the staff. Bathing water and fresh clothes are offered, with a gentle emphasis on the quality of the guests who will be present.

-----------------

The dinner is held in a spacious chamber on the first floor, with glass doors overlooking the gardens. There are eighteen chairs set at the long marble table, and the attendees are filtering in and conversing over drinks when the young Air Aspect arrives.

The unquestioned center of the gathering is a stocky young (or young-looking) woman with wavy autumn-leaf hair and moss-green eyes, dressed in a woven silk jacket over beaded trousers in what Saram now recognizes as a plains style. She is not especially pretty, but the electric force of her presence makes it easy not to notice. Five middle-aged-to-elderly men and women stand around her, mostly hanging on her words, although occasionally one of them does take the lead in the conversation. Steward Karele, from earlier, is one of these, although her interjections seem both quiet and rare. The other Dragon-Blood in the group is easy to spot: she looks slightly older than the autumn-haired woman, albeit still young, and is dressed in a more conventional silk cheongsam. To an ignorant observer, her gray-white hair would look odd against her smooth - almost polished-looking - skin, but Saram Zen recognizes both as Earth Aspect markings.

Over at the glass doors, positioned (intentionally or not) so the sun silhouettes them in a golden glow, a short young man with the same autumn-leaf hair and green-tinted skin is laughing with two women, one slender and whip-quick with deep cerulean hair and eyes, the other heavily built with coal-black hair and warm ruddy skin. All are dressed to the nines, much more impressively than their elders. A dark-haired girl wearing a sumptuous silk robe, but with no obvious Aspect markings, stands with them. Saram is not sure whether he imagines the hint of unease in her smile.

Two men in late middle age are having a quiet conversation over their drinks at the far end of the glass doors. The last attendee, a man apparently in his mid-twenties wearing an elegant suit, and with the dark hair and bronzed skin common to the region, is chatting with the bartender.

Saram Zen has only a moment to absorb all this before the autumn-haired woman notices his presence, holds up a finger to bring an instant halt to the conversation of her group, and glides over to take Zen's hands in a firm and enthusiastic grasp. "Saram Zen. I am Leranis Feiyan. Welcome to Sunrise Gap."

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Auspicious First Meeting Attitude goes up again.