We spend some time detailing what it looks like when Kamali and Gloves indulge her particular Vices. Kamali rents a private room at The Veil and gets comfortable with the Blue Cloud and a glass of blackberry wine, while Gloves inspects his wardrobe and decides he needs some new neckwear, and heads to Dunridge & Sons, spending more on a cravat, a jabot, and an ascot than most would spend on an entire suit. We already know what it looks like when Shade indulges his Vice.

The crew discusses the results of the Turner 302 Job. Constance is in favor of Kamali’s plan to use Clermont as a periodic supply of cash. Shade is of the opinion that the crew is not in a position to be able to effectively take advantage of the political information directly, and is looking to sell it to someone who can. Constance is reluctant to give it up so easily, and wants the group to study the information and report back to her before making a decision on it. This is hampered by the fact that most of the group cannot read Skovlan.

Constance discusses her intention to hit the Red Sashes, and frame the Lampblacks for it. This will hopefully cause the Sashes to be in a more emotional state when they strike out at the Lampblacks, and as a result they will be on less certain footing. It is Constance’s hope that the two gangs will end up wiping each other out, leaving only the Crows and the Dolls.

Marlane brings a note delivered to her by Lade Drake, informing that she has a meeting with Prichard at 8pm the following evening. She will bring Boots, as he is currently the only one who knows anything of her plan.

The crew gathers info on what the Sashes are up to:

Constance goes to see Merrill Brime at the Hooded Fox, but he is currently in hiding due to the Sashes coming around recently (with possibly ill intent). Constance talks to the bartender Booker, convinces him she’s not with the Sashes, and arranges a meeting with Merrill, who is hiding out in a nearby tenement building. He talks about some friends of his who have been approached by the Sashes, and the only thing they all have in common that he can think of is that they all were at the Bell & Birch recently. He also details what he knows of the Sashes’ drug business. Their primary sources of income are Trance Powder and Dream Smoke, two fairly high-end drugs. They deal them out of several reputable establishments in Crows Foot (a couple of restaurants, a massage parlor, and a bookmaker who takes bets on the dog races in Coalridge). Constance offers him sanctuary.

Gloves heads to The Moon’s Daughter, purported to be the best source of authentic Iruvian cuisine outside of the Iruvian Quarter in Silkshore (and some might even go so far as to say it’s the best source of Iruvian cuisine outside of Iruvia itself). Mylera and some of her underlings happen to be dining there at the time, and she invites Gloves to join their table. She thanks him for the list of names from the Bell & Birch, informing him that some of them have been useful, while others were deemed dangerous, and at least one is being targeted for assassination. Conversation amongst the underlings turns to dealing with the Lampblacks. It’s agreed that while they have been doing well in the small altercations that have been occurring of late, they need to do something decisive, and soon. Gloves also learns how to inform the staff of the Moon’s Daughter that he is in the market for Trance Powder.

Shade visits the Path of Echoes and sells the occupied spirit bottle (4 Coin). Then he hangs around near the Temple to see if he can find the ghost of a dead Sash. He ends up summoning a ghost named Kelyr, and after a brief battle of wills, gets some useful information. The Sashes’ drug business is run by Branon Avrathi, whose father is a high-ranking member of the Iruvian Consulate. The Sashes and the Consulate enjoy a working relationship. Shade shows Kelyr the spirit hook to let him know who’s in charge, but then asks what Kelyr wants in return for keeping quiet about their exchange. Kelyr reveals that he is unable to possess anyone, and is jealous of ghosts that can. He wants to learn Nyryx’s secret.

Notes:

I was very happy to have the opportunity to drop some fairly big bits of information on the players this time around. I’ve been trying very hard to present a world that reacts to the players’ actions, and show them that everything they do creates ripples in the rest of the world.

I also love it when two or more characters attempt to gather information on something from different angles, and I can give each of them different pieces of the puzzle.

I’ve also made it a point that every time Shade interacts with a ghost, I build up a little more of the mythology surrounding them. Also, he’s had a very easy time of it, but all that’s going to come back on him soon.

# dontmesswiththedolls