Post by hubertbartels on Feb 3, 2024 15:24:28 GMT -5
Theater District
Leaving the Tercel Manor, we all gave a sigh of relief; none of us wanted to stay in that ill-famed house. But we had a strong desire to hear Merix’s side of the story. The only problem was, where would such a scoundrel be found?
Zeyd, Alessa amd Talarial decided to focus on the taverns around the city’s theater district while Cassander and Miranda followed up on the thought that the Sodality of the Sword might have information about a young swordsman.
The Nightingale was a tavern with an attached theater; at the tine we entered, the curtain was drawn and a few musicians and singers were quietly working on the chorus. An inquiry at the bar told us that Merix would be appearing in the play this evening. Pushing another silver coin across the bar added the information that Merix has been hanging out with a group of female adventurers. The bartender added that Merix was not linked romantically with any of them – adding that, “Merix is straight only when he is running a con.”
We decided to return at dinner time to see the play and try and talk to Merix. Cassander and Miranda had less luck at the Sodality of the Sword, learning that no one like Merix was a guard for hire.
At dinner time, after paying 2 silver coins for the dinner and 2 silver coins for admittance to the play, we settled down to enjoy the show. The play was a take on the old theme of Pyramus and Thisbe, a story about two young lovers separated by their families hate. The tragedy was played here as a comedy with all the female parts performed by male actors. Merix was in the role of Pyramus. As we watched, we noticed a table near the front was occupied by a group of female adventurers.
When the curtain fell, the actors left the stage to move among the audience. Merix went straight to the table of female adventurers. We noticed that he spoke to one of them, a young woman that resembled him to the point that she could be his sister.
Cassander called him over to our table and presented him with a bouquet of flowers. He invited Merix to sit at our table and asked him for his side of the Tercel story. Merix agreed but called a server over to him and whispered a message to her. Alessa caught only that “Lizze should know…” before the server went over the table of female adventurers. After listening to the server, the group of female adventurers got up and left.
Merix then began to talk. He explained that Master Tercel and his son may have been murdered on the orders of Madame Tercel, twelve years ago. The shipmaster, a man named Prisco Alder, now runs the Tercel fleet. Master Tercel had a wandering eye and enjoyed the ladies and showered them with gifts.. Madame Tercel wasn’t the mother of the son that died; Master Tercel’s first wife died in childbirth. When Master Tercel was lost at sea, many of the ladies had their gifts taken back.
An actress here at the Nightingale, was one of Master Tercel’s lovers; she received gifts from the old man. She was found strangled to death and all of the gifts stolen. The way Merix spoke about her, he hinted that she was his mother.
We split up – Merix had another show that evening and we needed to make a decision as who to see next. If Prisco Alder had evidence that pointed to Madame Tercel, he would keep it close that Madame Tercel won’t kill him. Perhaps, we could find another witness to the events on board the Thrice Lucky, that stormy night, twelve years ago. At this moment, Miranda mentioned Captain Lydon as a man who knows everything about the people around the docks of Freeport.
We found the captain at his usual place at the Black Gull. He was celebrating the coming of Swag Fest and drinking plenty. After buying a few rounds, he was ready to talk to us. And talk he did. It was a task to get him to remember twelve years ago. He wasn’t in Freeport at the time but he recalled a name of someone who sailed on the Thrice Lucky. Barnacle Joe, a sailor that lost his arm and now mends nets down in Scurvy Town. Captain Lydon noted that when Barnacle Joe left the Tercel fleet, he received a comfortable severance pay – unusual for a retiring seamen. He also recalled Madame Tercel – or Glorana - as working in a dance hall when Master Tercel first caught sight of her. She moved into the house soon after Master Tercel’s first wife died. Captain Lydon had tried to woo her after Master Tercel died but was turned down.
Our next stop would be to talk to Barnacle Joe in Scurvy Town.
Leaving the Tercel Manor, we all gave a sigh of relief; none of us wanted to stay in that ill-famed house. But we had a strong desire to hear Merix’s side of the story. The only problem was, where would such a scoundrel be found?
Zeyd, Alessa amd Talarial decided to focus on the taverns around the city’s theater district while Cassander and Miranda followed up on the thought that the Sodality of the Sword might have information about a young swordsman.
The Nightingale was a tavern with an attached theater; at the tine we entered, the curtain was drawn and a few musicians and singers were quietly working on the chorus. An inquiry at the bar told us that Merix would be appearing in the play this evening. Pushing another silver coin across the bar added the information that Merix has been hanging out with a group of female adventurers. The bartender added that Merix was not linked romantically with any of them – adding that, “Merix is straight only when he is running a con.”
We decided to return at dinner time to see the play and try and talk to Merix. Cassander and Miranda had less luck at the Sodality of the Sword, learning that no one like Merix was a guard for hire.
At dinner time, after paying 2 silver coins for the dinner and 2 silver coins for admittance to the play, we settled down to enjoy the show. The play was a take on the old theme of Pyramus and Thisbe, a story about two young lovers separated by their families hate. The tragedy was played here as a comedy with all the female parts performed by male actors. Merix was in the role of Pyramus. As we watched, we noticed a table near the front was occupied by a group of female adventurers.
When the curtain fell, the actors left the stage to move among the audience. Merix went straight to the table of female adventurers. We noticed that he spoke to one of them, a young woman that resembled him to the point that she could be his sister.
Cassander called him over to our table and presented him with a bouquet of flowers. He invited Merix to sit at our table and asked him for his side of the Tercel story. Merix agreed but called a server over to him and whispered a message to her. Alessa caught only that “Lizze should know…” before the server went over the table of female adventurers. After listening to the server, the group of female adventurers got up and left.
Merix then began to talk. He explained that Master Tercel and his son may have been murdered on the orders of Madame Tercel, twelve years ago. The shipmaster, a man named Prisco Alder, now runs the Tercel fleet. Master Tercel had a wandering eye and enjoyed the ladies and showered them with gifts.. Madame Tercel wasn’t the mother of the son that died; Master Tercel’s first wife died in childbirth. When Master Tercel was lost at sea, many of the ladies had their gifts taken back.
An actress here at the Nightingale, was one of Master Tercel’s lovers; she received gifts from the old man. She was found strangled to death and all of the gifts stolen. The way Merix spoke about her, he hinted that she was his mother.
We split up – Merix had another show that evening and we needed to make a decision as who to see next. If Prisco Alder had evidence that pointed to Madame Tercel, he would keep it close that Madame Tercel won’t kill him. Perhaps, we could find another witness to the events on board the Thrice Lucky, that stormy night, twelve years ago. At this moment, Miranda mentioned Captain Lydon as a man who knows everything about the people around the docks of Freeport.
We found the captain at his usual place at the Black Gull. He was celebrating the coming of Swag Fest and drinking plenty. After buying a few rounds, he was ready to talk to us. And talk he did. It was a task to get him to remember twelve years ago. He wasn’t in Freeport at the time but he recalled a name of someone who sailed on the Thrice Lucky. Barnacle Joe, a sailor that lost his arm and now mends nets down in Scurvy Town. Captain Lydon noted that when Barnacle Joe left the Tercel fleet, he received a comfortable severance pay – unusual for a retiring seamen. He also recalled Madame Tercel – or Glorana - as working in a dance hall when Master Tercel first caught sight of her. She moved into the house soon after Master Tercel’s first wife died. Captain Lydon had tried to woo her after Master Tercel died but was turned down.
Our next stop would be to talk to Barnacle Joe in Scurvy Town.