Week 2: In the News!

Reputation
Ed Gurunkul - Notoriety 1 (New nickname: "The Whaling Bomber")

Notable Events

Gang Wars - Violence has escalated in the streets. The Constabulary has issued warnings for anyone involved with them. Members will be punished to the full extent of the law as a means of dissuading membership in the gangs who have been growing bolder and more violent since the events of the bombing in Low Park. No central head has emerged, the gangs appear insular and limited to specific streets and neighborhoods.

Burglaries across the city - Spring-Heeled Jacks strike again! Eyewitness testimonies indicate the gang has made off with an unknown number of valuables from a number of prominent Guilds in the Guilded Row. The Constabulary issued a formal statement indicating that they have been monitoring the gangs' activities, but they had not shown any aggressive nature and had been scattered reports victims had been waylaid by footpads who took a few personal valuables. Victims refused to give official statements for fear of incriminating themselves and had made creating a case difficult. The Constabulary hopes this uptick in crime will incentivize the public to help track down these new menaces to public safety.

Innocents Slaughtered. Crown Vows Retribution - Carthus has claimed responsibility for the senseless slaughter of over a hundred citizens of Newhaven. The message, pinned to the body of a fallen member of the Empress' Order, who have been strictly forbidden to engage in the conflict. They should never even be there. This is clearly an attack upon non-combatants. The note, written in the crude, harsh tongue of their people, called the crown liars, murderers and heretics. They promise more people will die unless the Crown withdraws all troops from the Dalelands and ceases all military operations in that region and beyond in the North.

New Vas Revealed! - The original date for the magnificent piece was postponed for some strange reason. But the citizens of Newhaven can now enjoy the painting in a limited review in one of the local galleries. The anonymous collector sought a means to make the work visible for the first time to the common folk.

Article in the Newhaven Post
Children left to themselves cause havoc, this is a fact. But when children are given instruction, something to do with their minds and hands. Structure and stability begins to grow, it is something every child-person needs. This is true of the poor, who have been abandoned, forgotten and are invisible; because we turn away.

Newhaven, the city of splendors…I wonder if we deserve that name when the poor cannot live up to it. It’s not their fault entirely, the blame lies with us. We can change that, it starts with giving them knowledge. To learn how to use their minds and work with their hands in a way that improves their lives and ours. Knowledge inspires change, makes history, gives understanding and improves lives. By building them, you are building Newhaven. Make us the city of splendors again.

-Miss Feather

Bi-Weekly Update

Ed Gurukul

In between your stakeout of the elusive young dark arts dabbler, you have had a significant week. You cashed in on bounties and other odd jobs. 

• A thief named Wankle who botched a burglary. Deported. 10 wp
• A cunning human named Jedediah who summoned a succubus. Awaiting sentencing in which he will be hung by the neck until death. 80 wp
• A gnome named Merriweather Stagg who bribed the Bourgeois. 3 months detention. 10 wp
• A woman named Olive who cramped the Constabulary. 6 weeks detention. 5 wp
• A willing workman named Toddy who padded his pockets. 3 months detention. 5 wp

Your stakeout has yielded no results. Though the company is pleasant. You have spent the evenings enjoying the vocal and musical talents of Jasmine. You've swapped stories, bags of tobacco and simple but delicious meals. Just when you thought your efforts were wasted, Jasmine discovered the bounty had gone up on Lazarus Igglesden.

New Goals: 

Jasmine is convinced the son will return to his mother soon as more people will be looking for him. He will make sure she is taken care of before leaving. If he's smart.

A new bounty has been offered for any information on the identity of the Whaling Bomber.

A new bounty has been offered on a certain gang dubbed as the Spring-Heeled Jacks.

Total Income: 110 wp (Bounties)

Lindion Mavienness

Using your general knowledge, connections in high society and sharp wits, you speculated on some high-risk investments in order to gain a quick return. The markets shifted unexpectantly, causing your investments to suffer. However, due to some quick purchases and sales, you managed to reach a net gain, instead of a loss. You also conducted some research into various prospects, learning that everyone promises high returns and low risk. You will need to find someone to either manage your wealth or explore the markets yourself. 

With a few visits to the Royal Library, you begin the tedious process of learning the runic language of the Dwarves. Their style was less showy, using lines in various positions and angles. Its simplistic nature was no less beautiful and ornate. There was a clean, orderly and obsessive manner in the written form. Studying various Dwarvish speakers, you found their tongue was saturated with slang, vulgar utilization of sentences and an easiness in the way they conveyed ideas. With at least a continuation of these studies weekly, you think you will manage to have a base understanding of the language in a few months.

Sylkas Alderwhisper, the curator of the Royal Library, has also provided you with some information regarding the knife you were given by the mysterious woman. Though no official record has survived, there are a few bits of information that piece together the history of the magnificent blade. The symbol of the Empress is older, indicating the blade is probably from the first era of the city of Newhaven. The exact nature of the enchantment is unknown outside of a expert enchanter. A single reference from a folk song indicates these particular blades were made special for people in the inner circle of the Empress. They were called Bright Blades. "Bright Blades dancing thru devil's skulls, the claws of the Queen bowlin' feigns into graves made a'bone."

You are able to also find several sources on tattoo, and their magic properties. In older times a special needle and aetheric ink were infused beneath the skin, enchanted to produce some magical effect. There is a particular social stigma among more civilized cultures that see tattoos as a mark of "low-birth" or being "common" since those who commonly wear tattoos are criminals, sailors, prostitutes and ne'er-do-wells. It is shunned by hermeticists, considered by experts as "petty conjuring", and thus not considered high magic. There are those who still practice such magic, but their methods are coveted and guarded among the lower classes. An arcane tattoo artist is seen by some as a great painter or sculptor, imbuing magic and their own style into the work.

Scouring over political documents, books and works by well-known philosophers and thinkers, you discovered that gaining a seat or voice within the royal court had several steps that needed to be completed. to gain a Lordship, you must live in your district, have completed a significant public service such as owning land, a business or funded a public service. There is an ever-changing number of seats in the royal court based on the population of any of the 26 districts in Newhaven. Cities outside of Newhaven which desire to also have a seat, elect a person to represent them. Likewise, within Newhaven, individuals who preside within one of the districts will cast their votes for a particular person, the majority electing their pick to sit in the Court to represent their interests for the Crown. New seats might emerge after every census. There are currently over 300 seats at court. It's generally considered a male role, but females have been known to gain seats at Court. Other groups seek to use political influence over one or more Lord of the court to advance their own agendas. The Lords advocate any issue by putting it in writing as a law or proclamation, as a statement of intent. A majority can put these into effect. Issues involving the whole city and the safety of her citizens are authorized by the Crown. The Lords also oversee "moot" courts dealing with local issues of justice and fair dealings, bumped up to a larger and larger body until a resolution can be found. A few legendary cases have reached the whole Court and even been petitioned to the Crown itself, but this is very rare. Smaller bodies within the Court can overrule other individual Lords, with the Crown stepping in if there is a conflict or a resolution is unable to be found. In one legendary case, a land dispute was splitting the Court because of special interests and political tension. The Empress entered in the midst of a heating debate; the room grew deathly quiet. She approached the persons in question, asked if they sought a reasonable resolution. They answered in the affirmative and she divided the land evenly between them. She addressed the Court if this was a reasonable settlement, and if it was, if they would respectfully decline gauging each other's eyes out and return to issues of state.

Your social calendar was soon filled up with outings and parties. You have seen much of the Belebrantes in recent days, as well as Yoku and her entourage. You have enjoyed their company at social events, the theater, many outings riding on their magnificent steeds and on the pleasant lanes outside the city proper.

New Goals:

Yuko has invited you to attend the public showing of the new Vas with the Belebrantes.

There are many investment opportunities outside of Newhaven and abroad. Finding a savvy individual who understands the markets and opportunities will be crucial in discovering how to increase your wealth.

Isabella seems quite keen on the outings the past week. She has also been enjoying the classes, her new friends and shown an aptitude for athletics and interest in local affairs.

You have a meeting with Rev Simon Clark at his local church, a guild meeting which just came up and a party which, it is rumored, Duke Inglemeijer will be attending.

Total Income: 42 (Asset Income) + 58 (Investments loss/gain) = 100 wp

Roku

After you completed your initial investigation at the mortuary, you interviewed Misty (a florist) and Clyde (owner of The Potshard) about anything suspicious happening lately. They both tell you about strange noises and lights late at night when they shut up shop and return home. Clyde once tried to figure out what was going on, but thought it was probably rats or hooligans messing around in the old shop. It used to be owned by a old pharmacist. They assumed that after his business was shut down by the Constabulary that he passed on. He was a strange fellow. Clyde also mentioned a potshard was stolen from him recently. It's usually used for ashes and buried. No money was taken.

You stumbled into the darkened interior, the smell of musty wood and greasy chemicals assaulting your noses. It was by some luck you managed to apprehend the mad old coot, Walber Smythe, the proprietor of the shop long since thought dead by his neighbors. Walber had dug his way over into the mortuary, stolen chemicals and potions he needed to complete his experiments. You managed to get him monologuing and then shot him in the foot. He began flinging beakers at you filled with foul smelling potions, barely avoiding them until you both smashed a particular beaker which filled the room with a gas. The next thing you remember is waking up next to the cold corpse of Walber, who had died of asphyxiation, which triggered a mild heart attack. Once the Constabulary was summoned, you presented a brilliant and dramatic retelling of the whole case to the detective, adding in the necessary bits to make it sound like a truly sensational crime.

After this you attracted the attention of notable socialite, Sir Telmadge Bertram Etherington. He needed help with a trivial matter but glows about your masterful detective skills. He begins to talk about you to his friends and confidants repeating your tales at parties and social gatherings. 

New Goals: 

Your unorthodox appearance as well as your up "cases" have caught the attention of the trend setting crowd. Telegrams arrive daily asking for you to consult on a variety of problems.

1. The Potter's Field Case: a body has gone missing of a beloved and recently deceased family member.
2. The Sinister Succubus Case: A man named Jedidiah has claimed innocence in the practice of Dark magics and wishes you to clear his name.
3. The Constipated Capers Case: A importer has had issues getting his supplies of capers into market. Someone seems determined to sabotage his business.
4. The Part-Time Park Werewolf Case: A constable walking the night beat in High Park has claimed to have seen a creature covered in fur and howling at the moon, eyes red as blood and bigger than any natural beast he has ever seen. 
5. Voices from the Void Case: a man has claimed to have heard a voice speaking to him from beyond the Void, whispering dark things into his dreams and afflicting his sleeping hours.

Total Income: 32 wp

Thomas Thompson: 

An abnormal amount of work begins to flow your way. Perhaps Fate is smiling on you at last. Or perhaps you have a secret benefactor. Mostly small repairs at a factory, a small office and a local inn which needed a boiler put into production. Your landlady also kept you busy with small handyman jobs around the place.

Working by lamplight, you managed to pull together enough scrap from the old boiler, your landlady's garbage and a few odds and ends to beat out some crude plates that you fastened to Roku's prosthetic suit. (Roll for crafting effectiveness)

New Goals: 

You have received a telegram instructing you to go to the Swanky Gent for luncheon, let the doorman know your name and you would be shown your table. 

News has reached you that someone is developing a new invention in electricity which will revolutionize the technology as the scientific world knows it. Rumors are rampant, but nobody seems to know who the genius is yet.

Total Income: 24 (Asset Income) +72 (Contract Work)-20% (Insufficient Income)=76 wp

Yuko

You spent the week exploring the colorful history of Newhaven. Upon advisement you went to the Royal Library and met the curators, striking up a friendship with Lunelis and Sylkas. You regaled them with stories and tales of the frozen North. Elated to receive new information and add to their collection of history, they pressed you for something they could add to the physical collection of books, art and texts. They granted you an honorary status at the library during your stay as long as you promised to bring something to add to the library. (Friend of the Library, Upper)

You enjoyed the vast knowledge stored in the marble halls, reading at your leisure and exploring endless halls and rabbit holes of stories, lore and song. Though you longed to navigate the areas off limits to someone of your status, you still learned some interesting things about the connection between the North and the High Moor. From the public facing side, there has always been a deep animosity between the two lands. From the perspective of the Newhavenites, the Northern Kingdom is a land of barbarians, uncivilized, unwashed masses who still live in the dark ages. Some more openminded writers believe the rivalry has been caused due to some vendetta between the Forever Empress and the Iron Queen (not Ivory Queen, which is how you know her). In fact, as you read, you find there is much you don't know about the royals of your homeland. There are also several accounts from "experts" but proport certain details but leave out the source, as if it was just assumed to be fact. You also find an obscure book from an anonymous writer claiming to have lived among the Northern Tribes. It confirms much of what you know about your people, but it also twists things into a rather negative light. A picture of the Ivory Queen you find very disturbing as it depicts her as a mechanized abomination shrouded in darkness and evil. 

As far as you can piece together from Aluminat texts and other sources, after the kingdoms of Newhaven and Erendal (known to you as Elum Loyce or Supremus Immortus) there seemed to be a kind of tension between the two thrones. The Dalelands, ruled by the De Deligado family to this day, acted as the only buffer between the two forces invading each other. Though there seemed to be some tension between the Voice of Truth, otherwise known as Lady Guile, a fitting moniker to those who decided to make her an enemy. (One story told of Lady Guile being publicly humiliated in court by a particularly vile Duke who accused her of practicing foul magic. She nearly leaped out of her box before being restrained. After a public hearing took place in which his evidence was proven wrong, Lady Guile laughed, made an obscene gesture and stripped him publicly of his rank and title before banishing him. So, the story goes.) Though royals of Erendal seemed very active in the early days following the Great Devastation, but its influence dwindled over time as the world adopted new technology and machines. The North grew more insulor, with tensions flowing from in and out of the country. There were wars, attacks, conspiracies and political intrigue as each accused the other of spying and espionage. Upon asking Sylkas for more detailed accounts, he stated that you would need full membership, or a member of the royal family of Newhaven to grant you access to the archives. 

New Goals:

Find a sponsor to gain access to the secret archives of Newhaven. Alterantivel you can supply Sylkas with and Lunelis with some items from the North. Lunelis is fond of poetry and art. Sylkas loves books of philosophy, maps and lore.

Attend the Vas with Lindion and the Belebrantes.

Plan the hunting expedition for your new friends and gain some notoriety or sympathy towards your cause.

Total Income: 60 wp