2025-07-18 Dark Feathers & New Associates
General Summary
We wrapped up the evening at 5+2 after Jahan left.
Fortifier proposes we interview Director Fruza, Guild Import Director of Nexus. We use the pretense that we want to buy sorcerous ingredients from his network. We arrange to meet him mid-morning.
We got a letter from the Council of Entities this morning that calls Stelsor, Fortifier, Dreamflower and Rohen to a meeting at 1pm.
Scene: Nexus > 5 + 2 > Meeting with Fruza
We meet with Fruza and he brought his “tickle-stick”
The stick is a feathered artifact from near the Eye of Oblivion in The Underworld
As a Mortal, it seems to place a great strain on him to carry it.
Fortifier begins by negotiating the purchase of 3 barrels of firedust
Dreamflower scrutinizes the tickle-stick and discerns the peacock eye at the top it is actually a piece of obsidian carved off of Neverborn itself.
Dreamflower asks if she can hold the stick to examine it. Fruza lets her handle it.
Fruza boasts it is a symbol, a memento of his triumphs.
Dreamflower can sense tremendous malevolence in the item.
The item seems to be holding back its effects on Fruza: either it wants Fruza to think he is in control, or it isn’t at its full power for some reason.
Dreamflower offers to craft a comparable rod for Fruza because she is worried this particular object is affecting him negatively.
Fruza is quite proud of this possession and refuses to trade it away.
Dreamflower invites Fruza to enjoy some of the exceptional tea from Chalai.
Scene: Nexus > Dao Ping’s office
(Introducing a new player character: Dao Ping)
The Eminent or August Councilor of Nighthammer District (a big wig on the Council of Entities) comes to Dao Ping.
This councilor is a scion of the Amilar family of Lookshy.
Councilor is concerned about the high-level diplomatic matters that the 12 Carnelian Peaches circle has been brokering.
He points out that he doesn’t necessarily want this group to stop, but, as the Nexus Council’s foreign affairs chief, he can’t have them continue to act outside his control.
He wants to hire Dao Ping to embed within this circle and report back to him.
They draw up a copy of an agreement and sign it.
When the councilor leaves, Li Shu, Dao Ping’s scribe/secretary, looks over the contract and remarks on how big a deal it is.
Li Shu fills in Dao Ping on the big-picture rumors about this circle at 12 Carnelian Peaches.
After Li Shu mentions that the circle owns a restaurant, the 5 + 2, Dao Ping decides they should go dine there to check it out.
Scene: Nexus > 5 + 2
While eating there, Dao Ping notices a back area at the restaurant that is defended by people with TZ tattoos (Tang-Zen Crime Syndicate)
(These are likely bodyguards for one of the adopted daughters of Venatori "Combative Mattresses" Grimaldi that Stelsor has been meeting with.)
Scene: Meanwhile, back at the talk with Fruza
Fortifier and Dreamflower sense that Fruza is angling for payment in something other than mere silver.
Fruza has heard rumors that we have been making it difficult for him to trade in Black Sunshine.
(Lie) “Are you asking us to stop meddling in something we’re not meddling in?”
Fruza says it’s something he’s heard and frankly isn’t sure who else has motive or ability to affect his operations.
We admit we’ve openly had our concerns about the social impacts of Black Sunshine.
Fruza has been stroking his feather-stick this whole time, perhaps even without realizing it.
Dreamflower explains subtly that powerful possessions may exert their own control over their owners.
(social influence to weaken Fruza’s Intimacy toward it)
(Dreamflower manages to roll quite well: 9 successes. The artifact rolls to actively contest this, but loses.)
Fruza’s artifact emits some black sparks, but Fruza sees some wisdom in Dreamflower’s words. He’s carried it for years, but maybe he doesn’t need to have it with him all the time.
Dao Ping, seated with Li Shu in the main dining area, sees Fruza leave the private tables in the back, carrying his feather-stick artifact that reeks of necrotic energy.
Dao Ping signals a waiter and finds out Fruza was meeting with the restaurant owners. Dao Ping shows them the signature of the councilor on the contract and explains he needs to speak with these owners.
The waiter relays that a city official wants to see Dreamflower and Fortifier, and they agree to meet.
Dao Ping introduces himself to Dreamflower and Fortifier as a functionary of the city.
Meanwhile, Stelsor has been serving Scum-puppy pot pie to the mafia princesses when we send for him to meet this new associate.
Stelsor meets Dao Ping
Stelsor wants to know where he is from. He says he is a native of Nexus.
Fortifier remarks that Dao Ping seems to be a Chosen of Luna
Dao Ping seems to downplay the significance of this somewhat.
(Perhaps he hasn’t met The Silver Pact yet.)
Scene: Later, upstairs, in a private room
We have assembled the 50 God-blooded from Prasad that we freed from slavery and offered them employment in the Great Crane company.
Steele Cast, Vingosh Silverclaws and The Ashen Sage of Oblivion aka Filandro Deathknight are here to welcome the new folk as well.
Hidden by Radiance, Shines in Moonlight and Shuns the Enemies of Autochthon are here and ask Fortifier if the rumors are true.
Fortifier confirms Hidden’s story that they set foot once again in the Great Maker’s realm.
Shun the Enemies of Autochthon gets emotional at our tale of visiting Cinshan, the metropolis he was built in.
The 3 Alchemicals introduce themselves to Dao Ping.
There’s a commotion downstairs and we find it is Tide-tamer. Tide-tamer took umbrage when the restaurant staff tried to seat him at a regular table and so the Lunar lifted The waiter off the ground.
We usher Tide-Tamer upstairs to join our event.
Dao Ping approaches one of the God-blooded who isn’t mingling with the others.
Her name is Reyana. Her hair is rainbow and seems to glow slightly.
She dislikes large crowds, so Dao Ping introduces her to Li Shu, who is very quiet himself but having someone near her may help keep other people away.
Liana's father paints the rainbows everywhere in Creation. Her grandfather is Unconquered Sun.
Stelsor tries to talk with a fertility deity. His hope is that this deity will be able to help Thorns refugees find any children they were separated from or bless them with further offspring.
The deity also senses Stelsor has is own needs. He and Seline have been trying without success.
Ling-Li Buss and Ahuntsic Rinara are speaking to one another. They seem to already know one another.
One of the Prasadi partiers latches on to Fortifier.
Her name is Ghunwah Din (though we might retcon this)
She is excited to drink with Fortifier, though, after her 3rd glass, passes out on his shoulder.
Stelsor shows off his gems to Nelik Jarta and discusses setting her up as a jeweler near Nurlissa's shop, she was seen chatting with her before the party, and with "Solid" Eressanada Purrio, who is himself among other things, a jewel appraiser. Stelsor tasked her with some of his Autochtonian Electrical Jewelry.
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