un: macaluso spina

[aprescoup]

( Two days after the banquet poisoning, don Macaluso himself sends his message to all newcomers. His voice comes trembled, uneasy, overcome with emotion. )


My friends. My new friends. It troubles me to speak to you so on this day, which may well have been the day of my matrimony.

I know what came of my welcome, of my banquet. I cannot speak of my remorse, that this should be how you are greeted in our fair city, our Taravast. You must know now, you must understand, surely, how great is our burden to proceed with fair, honoured and safe elections. To bring Taravast to the glory and trust of old. We were never these creatures. This is not our way.

But it cannot be that it soothes your hurting hearts to know so. I shall not play at games of court: the cure that needs to be procured for you who have been touched by the lily mist's toxins is not within my healers' reach, though they have tried. Wisdom hear them, they have tried.

It is of lesser comfort, but... should the worst prevail, my grandfather and I are both prepared to subsidise your resurrection, as required. We have a number of necromancers in the family's employ. Some... nearly reliable. We will require, of course, a pledge of fealty, a contract of service in exchange. We speak of fortunes that must go spent, and you are many. It pains me, how many you are. But if you wish this path walked, I offer here, the first step. Tell me your decision.

Many of you must wonder why I speak to all those who have entered the palace of late, and not only my own faction. I wish it understood: you could have faced death herself as well. Faced her very easily. And though some of my companions disagree, I do not hold this against Vannozza. This is not her way. We set about to do our work righteously. And it may be that, unknown to me, some of you are affected. I have even heard Lady Odile may have been involved, speaking of a foreign influence. I have been told before that foreigners wish only evil upon us all. I did not listen then. I hear now. Though you are not my people, you were my guests. If you were affected, please: allow me to reimburse your resurrection on the same terms.

If there is aught else I may be of help with, in the matter of this great sickness, or if you have any information that may assist us with hunting the root of a curse, advise me. I am, in all things, your humble servant.


( ooc: Macaluso and don Bonaccorso will be putting 150,000 coins/person towards necromantic resurrections — at the not negligible price of a contract of service, pledging a boon that the signatory cannot refuse once called, on pain of forever-death. The boon will very likely be used for plot-relevant purposes.

Characters can let Macaluso know here if they'd like to pursue this option, or talk freely amongst themselves about the poison / cure finding progress. )

Comments

[Video] in a manor of speaking

[fated_dance]

[ This has Zishu a little disgusted, to be frank. But he lets the man say his piece, claiming benevolence. ​]

For someone claiming benevolence and a wish to make up for what has been done to your guests, demanding service in return does not seem very friendly.

[aprescoup]

We speak of so much coin. Please, do not be mistaken. Before I ascend as Doxe, I am but a private citizen, possessed of small fortunes. It would please me to satisfy each and every need that any of you have with largesse, but I cannot.

[fated_dance]

Aah. [ He nods as if this makes everything better. ] So it is merely coin you request, and not what I heard of fealty demanded. [ He smiles, but it is not, exactly, a nice one. ] So my hearing really is going. Thank you for the instruction.

un: dappled pearl of the parted seas [voice]

[beitangmoran]

That is all well and good, my Lord, but suspicion of your involvement has yet to be cleared up as well.

[aprescoup]

( This... seems to catch him rather aback. )

...my involvement? Against my own people? At my own banquet, shaming my own face? How would I be served?

un: lady love of a thousand poets; video

[thehoneybadger]

Yeah, good, ok. Really big of you, to offer up the promise of resurrection with the little clause of being called to serve you for whatever reason at whatever time.

[aprescoup]

And how do I know that one of you did not orchestrate this? That you did not infiltrate my service to plan and plot and make my own banquets appear a slaughter stage, my own people incompetent? What reassurance do I have?

Video | un: a jug of wine amidst the flowers

[wenderer]

[ 150,000 gold? That's more than enough to heal Ah Xu! He can give up his life of petty theft! ]

I'll do it!

[ Wait, isn't this a bit impulsive? Shouldn't he think it through a bit?















... ]

But I'll need the money first.

[aprescoup]

The wealth goes to the necromancer who will tackle your resurrection. This is no trade. I do not transact your life. I pay, in a way, for an act of healing.

NOT HERE

[fated_dance]

[ He knows what you're up to, Lao Wen. But for now he'll just...watch. ]

un: absterge

[downswing]

Consider caution.

voice.

[sankta]

It's so terrible what's happened to everyone. And so kind of you to offer your assistance if the worst happens.

How are you faring, my lord?

[aprescoup]

I thank your concern. These are troubled days. Troubled times. I thought... I expected matrimony would not heal all our wounds. But I thought it a kinder way than bloodshed to broker our alliances.

I am the fool in this. I am the fool in many things. But I did not think...

voice; un: dulcet dove of sighed surrender

[topoiran]

[ ... he is deliberately using the older connection. But there is little that can be gleaned from his voice, other than, perhaps, idle, curious helpfulness. ]

My lord, that is very kind of you. But, perhaps, it will be reasonable to reassure that those who do not wish resurrection will have their wishes respected. There are all kinds, after all.

[ Or who wish to create their own contracts... and so on and so forth. ]

[aprescoup]

...of course. I... of course. I understand. Certainly not at my hand.

un: absterge

[downswing]

( Now would be the hour to ignore politics. )


How many touched by poison?

un: daozhang | audio

[binghua]

[Xingchen should absolutely think these things through before replying and yet he feels this is a simple enough decision, even in his low and darker mood.]

To become a resurrected slave must not be much different from the undead hordes of other warlords, like Unhalad and Anurr. No. I would prefer myself dead and cut off from the cycle of reincarnation than to drag my sorry limbs through these halls again.

[...Maybe a little dramatic, but...shrugs.]

[aprescoup]

I... I cannot say I do not admire your strength. Though it is a heavy burden to bear the inevitability of an ending.

un: stellata

[valeas]

I've prepared some herbal remedies. They are no cure, but may they help with some of the symptoms in the meantime.

( he's healers and it may be for naught, she knows, but she'll offer all the same.

a pause. ) Were you able to speak to Lady Odile for yourself?

[aprescoup]

She says little. I fear she has been intimidated. Taravast can be... unkind to strangers.

[downswing]

What is their succour?

video; yuheng

[wooden_one]

[He wasn't good at politics: he didn't have the patience for it. But he'd spent a good amount of time at Rufeng Gate, listening to that double-talking rat Nangong Liu.

So he scoffs, for once the derision of his tone and expression isn't something to be misread.]

You would throw your intended away so easily over some rumours? You speak of reimbursing us and yet it sounds more like you are taking advantage of our plight.

[aprescoup]

At this turn, she is only one of many who offer suit. And what man would I be, to withhold fair investigation from those close to me?

Sir, I beseech you. I do only what I can, with the resources available to me. No more. No less.

[Voice; UN: Lianfang-Zun]

[malicing]

A poison without a cure? I suggest you consider the transmission. It was hidden in food and drink, was it not?

[aprescoup]

We suspect so. The pieces of nougat.