un: Black Prince; text (pre-colosseum adventures)

[blackscales]

Do hope you're all settling in well. How are we finding our accommodations? I've a position that allows access to the senate. Let me know if I can assist.

The mood is largely in favour of conquest, of war to honour the Chained God. Worth noting that the aptitude of the army appears to be a new development, and Narula seems to be the reason that changed. Has anyone spoken to him? They describe him as a feral animal, and those who worked under him consider him a loose canon, risk prone with little regard for ethical combat and a drive to constantly improve at any cost. Since the senate lacks trust in Narula, and some favour Messalina leading because of that, I had put forward that a veteran might serve as Narula's replacement. Given how loyal soldiers of the Hand are, however, I suspect that would prove an uphill battle.

Equally, Jacob and I happened upon one of those target lists the news shouters received. All members of the Senate: Darius Alexandros, Julius Secundus, Drusilla Minora. Two curiosities: not all of them oppose Messalina, and parchment used was official senate paper. All senate paper is marked with a code, containing a date and unique number. The date here is five or so months past, which just so happens to be when Messalina entered Ephes.

Oh, and Caius Justus does appear to be alive for any concerned.

Comments

[blackscales]

[ Ah, well, he... tried... ]

You can use the voice function if you prefer.

But I don't disagree, it could well be attempting to frame someone.

un: of corpse not / audio

[nothinglikefather]

[There's a grateful note in Jacob's voice when he speaks. You don't know how difficult that was.]

Could be. But they had to have moved quick if they wrote these up just when she arrived. And then waited all this time for the assassinations to be carried out? Seems fishy.

[blackscales]

The delay is peculiar. Unless whoever wrote these stole the paper all those months past, and has not had access to the senate since?

[ That might explain the old date, and it only being used now. ]

[nothinglikefather]

Doesn't make a lick of sense to me to save the paper- plain would have been better, if they wanted to cover their tracks. Otherwise we're just going to look for people who had access then, and not since, and go straight to them.

[He makes a noise, unhappy with how all these puzzle pieces go together.]

We're missing something here, and I've got no bloody clue what it is.

[blackscales]

We are.

[ Wrathion hums in thought, considering this. ]

Perhaps we should start with the time frame. The obvious clue us Messalina, but I wonder if anything else of note happened around that time?

[nothinglikefather]

She's the one that stands out, but in a city like this? There were undoubtedly things going on. I'll do some digging, see what I can find out.

[blackscales]

[ It's always SO nice when mortals volunteer to do work. ]

Let me know if you need anything followed up internally.

[ He can wield his senate powers for good! And for nosiness. ]

[nothinglikefather]

I'm sure a handsome, fancy man like you can find things out I can't. How about we swap notes in a few days?