Soul Bound

1          Soul Bound

1.2        Taking Control

1.2.4      An Artful Carnivale

1.2.4.30   The trophies

Bulgaria: "That's... that's a very timely secret to discover." She could head the relish in Bulgaria's voice. "Thank you Kafana. And praise be to Rac too, I suspect." He bowed towards the altar, where Alderney was now kneeling with a jeweller's needle file in hand, scrutinising it's bas-relief decoration.

Wellington: "Any other discoveries?"

A flagstone behind one of the statues flanking the alter slowly pivoted about its centre, revealing rungs carved into the wall of a circular well leading downwards. Alderney just stepped back, pretending to blow smoke off the end of her probe before replacing it in her belt with a twirl fancy enough to satisfy the craggiest cowboy that ever holstered a revolver. So Bungo it was, the first to lean over the well and look straight down, who whistled then picked something up with his long arms.

Bungo: "That's deep! Oh, and I found this bookmark on the top step; it just says 'ego retribuam' but I think it may have been part of a scroll originally, because the cut ending the strip goes right across the first 'e'. Don't see how the assassins could have missed seeing it for all these years, though." He finished his ramble with a shrug, as he and Alderney returned to the disk where the others were still investigating as much of the Lilies and their equipment as had survived Ulpian reversing the roles of tormented and tormentor.

*ding* *dang* pause *ding* *dang* pause *ding* *dang*

The chimes sounded more muffled than usual, but could still be faintly heard.

Bulgaria: “We’ve got an hour left, and lots of leads. What do you want us to do, Kafana?”

Kafana: “Alderney, you were going to summarise the gangs and alliances in the Arsenal. How about you do that briefly, Bulgaria tells us what he found out at the Fiorio, then Wellington says where we are on quests and gives us some options? Tomsk, finish searching the bodies and Bungo, keep an eye out for any more ambushes.”

Alderney: “Here’s the summary I wrote earlier. Hang on and I’ll quickly update it.”

Alderney: “Ok, here you are, shared document: ARSENAL_GANG_ALLIANCES.”

When Kafana staring at the proffered link, it brought up the social tab of the game's visual interface as a translucent arlife overlay as normal; but this time System was showing that the document recently added by Alderney was available in multiple formats. She picked the text-only version first and gave it a skim, while trying to also keep an eye out for any more ambushers sneaking through the secret passage.

The groups common to Torello's Arsenal district

that most significantly influence its activities,

their primary income sources and current alliances.

Alliance #1

House Ruffo (The Sostanza, Taxes)

The Captain’s Council (Legitimate Trade)

The Three Towers (Magic)

Alliance #2

Nomad Nation (The Night Market, Smuggling)

The Royal Court (Scrounging)

Podarge's Chosen (2nd story work)

Hubbard’s Boys (Drugs, Assassination!)

Alliance #3

The Disciples (The Fiorio, The Stadia, Gambling)

The Lovari (Carnivale, the Short Con)

The Scorpioni (Prostitution)

Alliance #4

The Sea Saints (Protection)

The Sons of Hawkwood (the Long Con)

Current feuds:

Saints vs Nomads+Royals

Chosen vs Scorpioni

Lovari vs Lily (/Hubbard’s Boys!)

No way she was going to remember all that right now. She'd have to rely upon her expert system, Dinah, to keep track for her. She selected the other format, and froze in surprize as an enormously detailed image filled her vision. Each group was represented by a pavilion whose size reflected it's influence, and each alliance was represented as a military encampment occupying one of the corners of the image, from which columns of tiny feuding figures were sallying out to engage in skirmishes against each other. However, unlike some static force deployment map used by dusty historians to drone on about long-dead battlefields, everything in this image was alive and personalised, even down the cartoon figure leading of the Disciples being recognisable as Beltrame and having to repeatedly duck the steaming cups of coffee being thrown from within a roulette-wheel roofed pavilion whose white rounded entrance flaps stuck out beyond the roof only green wedge. It was a work of art that look Kafana's breath away. She panned over to the next encampment, entranced.

Bulgaria: “I had a brief look at Murine Insurance’s records. I’ll have to go back later to get more detail, but it is clear they mainly work directly for House Ruffo, and they’ve got some substantial long positions on metal prices, particularly the precious ones traded on the Bancario. If I were to guess, it looks like Ruffo has inside knowledge on how the Saints’ convoy schedules are reaching the pirates, and are sufficiently confident that’s going to continue, that they are taking the opportunity to make a profit out of it at the expense of their rival financial exchange.”

Bungo: “Could Count Ruffo be behind it?”

Wellington: “Perhaps, but he could just be being bribed to turn a blind eye to it. It is telling that the pirates Captain Verrocchio complained about were careful to sink just the ship carrying metals when they had the opportunity to sink many more.”

Bulgaria: “The main thing I found out is that Pasini Frassoni placed bets, on behalf of Bianco Holdings, upon the deaths of Cuniberti, Adelchis Beccadelli, and every other maritime assassination victim we’re aware of from the last 6 months. Which makes sense if Frassoni was a member of the Lily.”

Wellington: “Bianco Holdings. I’ve read the Torello company listings. Their holdings are private, but it named a proxy for communication purposes: Vanni di Avolo.”

Kafana: “Beltrame didn’t strike me as the sort who’d miss something like that happening under his nose. What did he have to gain from covering for them? According to Alderney’s diagram The Disciples are not openly allied with the Lily or with Hubbard’s Boys, but they are allied with The Lovari who, quite understandably, hate anything connected with Bel.”

Bungo: “I picked up some information from my printer. He says the only people in the Arsenal with the Red Death are those who caught it elsewhere (usually Basso or Mercato) - it doesn’t tend to spread much from patient to patient here. Even the Scorpioni haven’t been hit, and they have plenty of close interaction with visitors from other parts of Torello.”

Kafana: “Sounds like the magic component isn’t active here, just like near the hearts of light. I wonder if that’s because the people spreading the disease set it that way, or because someone here took action to deal with it?”

Tomsk: “You think the people spreading it left out the Arsenal because Bel already has partisans there?”

Kafana: “Or possibly the people smuggling it in are based here. If we find a group of smugglers, it might be worth trying to find out what they know about the bandits who left the vials in House Lantric’s mausoleum. Did the watch Lelio put on the place turn anything up?”

Tomsk: “Not a sausage. I suspect he sent Ugo and Odo just to keep them out of his hair.”

Alderney: “I found out from the serving staff that the Brute Squad had several meetings with Beltrame. VamaKali really stuck out. So possibly Beltrame was the one who hired people to intercept couriers from the Messengers Guild? If Wellington can get details of past intercepted couriers, maybe Bulgaria can check out the Fiorio’s records for those time periods?”

Kafana: “Bulgaria, how did you find this all out? Their physical security was pretty tight, and they were watching for mind magic.”

Bulgaria tapped the side of his nose with one extended finger wearing an ugly ring.

Bulgaria: “They weren’t looking for bugs.”

Kafana had an image of cockroaches in black clothing abseiling down a thread towards a book and teams of them forming pyramids to turn pages while a stern cockroach with one missing eye snapped orders and kept watch. She shook her head. Better not to ask.

Kafana: “Ok, Wellington, what are the most promising avenues of investigation open to us? What’s urgent, needs several of us, or is near to gaining us large amounts of experience? Is there anything that requires myself or Alderney?”

Wellington: “The obvious one is to explore the secret passage going under the canal. If we can confirm where the assassin’s headquarters are, we can turn the information over to the crew of the Valorosa, and collect the reward for the quest we got from Captain Nafaro. Indeed, we can probably pass the same information on to the relatives and companies of the other victims and the Lovari too, given their feud. We get paid multiple times, gain in reputation, take revenge for Grattelard’s attempt upon us and it needs doing soon before they discover that we know about the passage. If we go along on the raid, we might even manage to grab their records or interrogate Frassoni in order to find out who hired them.”

Wellington: “Which brings us to my next recommendation. Let’s break into the offices of Vanni di Avolo. Not only is it our best chance at finding who is behind the assassinations, it will probably give us lots of other useful information about what’s really going on. We don’t know what Scaramouche’s objectives are, and that worries me. Another possible approach is investigating the mask makers on Libri, but that’s a long shot best left for another day.”

Wellington: “My third recommendation is that some of us pay a visit to the Castagnaro; but only people who can pass as native Torellans. Smugglers seem to be connected with Baron Dado Orsini, the Pirates and possibly the spreading of the Red Death.”

Wellington: “We can follow up on things while you both are away on Friday, and I noticed suggestions in the event queue for Vessel-led events that allow Burrow participation, which sounds great. I’ve an idea how we could tie Ruffo to the Pirates, if there is a link, but that will have to wait until we can talk with House Landi.”

Bungo: “My head hurts. I need a drink.”

Kafana: “Well that’s one pick made. You visit the Castagnaro. And I suppose I better be on the team investigating the tunnel - I’m immune to poisons and if a trap floods the tunnel, I can save us.”

Alderney: “Do you mind if I join Bungo?” She looked embarrassed and muttered something about her evasion not helping much in tight spaces, but it sounded like an excuse.

Tomsk: “Kafana, I’ll go with you. I can shield you against magic traps, and if they have to come at us one by one, I’d bet on Nothung against their daggers.”

Wellington: “Which leaves me and Bulgaria to investigate Vanni di Avolo. Everybody happy?”

Alderney, standing on the mirror of stars, held out her hammer towards Kafana and gave a thumbs up, indicating her consent. Kafana produced her violin bow and touched the hammerhead with it. Bungo eagerly joined in, touching both with his shield held vertically. Wellington gravely produced his wand of rune analysis and Bulgaria a quill pen.

Thoughtfully, Tomsk kept Nothung scabbarded when finishing the formation, to avoid the risk of freezing their items, but he still appeared every bit the musketeer when he cried out: “All for one…” and the other Wombles responded jubilantly: “... and one for all!” before turning in unison and heading towards their respective destinations.