The Shattered City: Chapter One

[Nerit]

"Ohh, dommer! What mischance! There was a previous incident?" Nerit's eyes twinkled. Was she teasing the priest?

Yet she hadn't mentioned Tomas' clumsiness one bit.

"However, bonne sœur, your shield and habit gives me an idea. If a bit of creative misdirection - for a good cause, of course - would not unduly tarnish your soul, we can whip up an alternate scenario that will do for the truth, in a pinch."

Nerit appeared taken aback, gently placing her hand at her chest where the Ezran shield hung.
"Oh, I see..." she muttered. "Well, M. Boucher, if it is in the name of helping others, for good...but of course, I cannot guarantee much. I am not in the habit of lying. What is your plan?"

[Isabella]

The Apothecary of Sevgi Canderli, Quartier-Marchand, Port-a-Lucine; March 10th, 770, 5:35 PM
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"Oh, I see..." she muttered. "Well, M. Boucher, if it is in the name of helping others, for good...but of course, I cannot guarantee much. I am not in the habit of lying. What is your plan?"

"A simple corroboration of my story will suffice, then," Thierri said, conspiratorially. "As you no doubt know, the priests at the cathedral pride themselves on Ezran lore, as well as Ezran artifacts. And as young M. Blackwood noted before, the greatest of these artifacts, the Icon of Ezra, was maliciously attacked not long ago. The work of a lone madman, of course, but we may use this to our advantage. We shall set our daring tale of robbery via galzuur in the Cathedral, rather than the museum, a setting foreign enough that Madame Canderli has little reason or means to learn the truth behind the matter. We will likewise impress upon her that this is a matter of great secrecy to the church, and that the gendarme are less than interested in solving the case."

"As for the dommer," Thierri added as an afterthought, with a deep sigh, "we will have to claim he went in to try to keep the actual circumstances, and the church's involvement, under wraps. A theft is a theft, after all, regardless of the victim, so his aid is not an impossibility. Though given the history between the Lawgiver and Ezra, I would not act as though I trusted his help."

[Cronax]

Mr. Agale's mind wandered over the ideas being discussed. Subconsciously he would occasionally bob his head in agreement. Regaining his train of thought he says, "Absolutely sir, do paint us a picture in prose of your hypothetical hero. What would be his first steps down the road to national redemption?"

[DocBeard]

Tomas crosses his arms, looking uncomfortable with the deception despite the fact that it is exactly the sort of clever not-lie but not-truth he was known to occasionally employ himself. Still, Tomas is self aware enough to know that being jealous over Boucher doing his thing better than him isn't enough reason to cause a problem, and so he leans against a conveniently placed wall...

"Hey!" Tomas is smacked over the head by a soup ladle by an old Rashemi woman. "Off mina window!"

"S-sorry, ma'am." Tomas holds his hands up, only to get smacked about the face and neck twice more before finally stumbling out of the old lady's range. "You look lovely today!" Tomas offers, hanging against a familiar lamp post to keep from falling on his ass.

"...I'll just..." Tomas adjusts his hat, carefully standing up straight again. "...stay out here, ja?"

[Kaitou Kage]

"You will do no such thing," Cyrus told Tomas directly. His tone left little room for argument. "Canderli would rather see you than me."

[NeoTiamat]

Pelay Residence, Quartier-Savant, Port-a-Lucine; March 10th, 770, 4:34 PM
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"Of course, this is but my opinion."

"Well, milady, we all are entitled to our opinions." Was all that Pelay said, arching his brows lightly.

“And M. Pelay…the one soul in this parlor most capable of inspiration, if my perusal of your works is any example! I should be most eager to know what august future you would wish upon our land, had you the wherewithal to shape it as you shape your art. I imagine it would be quite splendid!”

"Absolutely sir, do paint us a picture in prose of your hypothetical hero. What would be his first steps down the road to national redemption?"

"Well now... you don't ask easy questions, do you mademouselle?" Pelay leaned back in his chair, brows knitting in thought. "To begin with, the entire outmoded set of aristocratic institutions would have to go. The nobility spend far too much time and effort in silly games and pointless displays. Some aristocrats know proper feeling and would be at the core of any future government, but you can wipe out nine-tenths of the entire upper class and no one would feel a thing."

"The population at large, one would have to instill with proper national feeling and focus them outward, instead of on this pointless unrest. For god's sake, reform the army." Pelay rubbed his temples. "Dementlieu has, what, a collection of noble levies, militia, and a glorified police force for its military. Institute an actual mass army, like Falkovnia or Darkon have, with conscription and trained officers."

"And then... reunification." Pelay's eyes lit up fiercely. "Mordent is even more of a sleepy mess than we are. And the Richemulese... we have a government but no standing army, they have good armed forces but even less of a government. Bring all the Mordentish-speaking people back together."

"Then we've a few scores to settle with the Falkovnians." Jacques Pelay gave a quick grin at this prospect, then sobered. "The Dementlieuse people could be great... if only they could shake off their blasted apathy and take their greatness."

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"Do you think he'd actually DO anything about it...try to make her look bad, or is he more the type of person who just makes a big fuss, shouts a lot and then thinks up all sorts of things he could do, but doesn't have the courage to actually try?"

"Why, did someone throw a brick at Mme. Chastel?" Madeleine said sardonically. "I don't doubt M. Pelay would cheerfully slander her to everyone at the University, but I've a hard time seeing His Lord Highness doing anything that required actual work. Or, Ezra forbid, danger."

"Now, if it was the other way around, I'd say you've a point." Madeleine allowed. "Mme. Chastel is a cool one, and even if she doesn't do much, when she does, you know it. But M. Pelay is just hot air and bluster."

[DocBeard]

"Whatever! I'm not trying to be difficult, really, I'm just letting Boucher take the lead this time." Tomas clarifies.

[Nerit]

"As for the dommer," Thierri added as an afterthought, with a deep sigh, "we will have to claim he went in to try to keep the actual circumstances, and the church's involvement, under wraps. A theft is a theft, after all, regardless of the victim, so his aid is not an impossibility. Though given the history between the Lawgiver and Ezra, I would not act as though I trusted his help."

Nerit flicked her gaze between Thierri and Cyrus. "I will go," she said in her slightly lilted accent. "Unless you two have something to share with me?" The tone was firmer than it had ever been to their knowledge, but then she smiled and said, "Well! Messieurs, I will do my best."
--

The nun headed to the shop's door quite calmly, her veil flitting behind her. Once inside, she inhaled deeply of the apothecary's scents.
"Pardon?" she called politely. "Is the shop still open?"

[NeoTiamat]

The Apothecary of Sevgi Canderli, Quartier-Marchand, Port-a-Lucine; March 10th, 770, 5:38 PM
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"It ought to be," Thierri frowned, grinding out his cigarette on the bricks in the street before trying the handle. It yielded under his hand. He glanced back behind him at the group of you, his eyes flickering towards the Rashemi men outside. There being nothing else for it, he turned the handle all the way, pushing the door open and sliding through in one fluid movement.

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"I wouldn't have brought them here if it wasn't for a good reason," Thierri said immediately.

The bell jingled rather frantically as you all entered the shop. The counter was scattered with various jars of red powder, a mortar and pestle speaking of a task interrupted. A flickering blue flame was just barely visible from the back of the shop, a hot and acrid small adding to the tense atmosphere. The door shut firmly behind you, but the sounds behind it told you you were being very closely monitored.

Sevgi Canderli folded her arms from behind the counter. "I certainly hope so, M. Boucher."

Thierri heaved a deep sigh. "We were hoping to avoid telling anyone about this, by sending Dommer Ishafani in to talk with you." He couldn't quite keep a dour look off his face at that remark. "The truth of our business is actually a matter of great sensitivity to the Ezran church." The magician stopped for a beat, his eyes flicking behind him towards Sister Doherty, as if seeking permission.

After a suitably long pause, Thierri continued. "You must have heard of recent turmoil affecting even the secluded researchers in Mere des Ste. Larmes. The business with the Icon was only the beginning. Not a few days ago several very valuable items were stolen from the catheral. The dommer believed that galzuur was used in the robbery, which is what led us here."

Canderli carefully eyed your group one by one. "I don't recall you being much of an Ezran, monsieur. The church has sent rather peculiar agents to deal with such an important matter," she said, not sounding entirely convinced.

[Cronax]

Mr. Agale listened intently, steepling his fingers. "A noble plan. Let us hope that it comes to pass soon and you can immortalize the deeds in epic."

Making a show of pulling a simple steel watch from his vest pocket and flipping it open, he briefly glances at the face exclaiming "My my, the hour is later than I had anticipated. Ladies, I believe we have schedules to keep."

Looking back up at Pelay, "Speaking with you sir has been a genuine pleasure, but I am afraid we must ask your leave, we do not wish to be late. I would enjoy continuing this conversation in the future circumstances permitting, but we must not tarry."

[DocBeard]

Tomas keeps quiet!

Thrilling action!

[yalenusveler]

"Now, if it was the other way around, I'd say you've a point." Madeleine allowed. "Mme. Chastel is a cool one, and even if she doesn't do much, when she does, you know it. But M. Pelay is just hot air and bluster."

"Delightful. Unfortunately, we should probably get their food and drink to them, or they'll think we were, heavens forbid, talking about them." Kerrian said with a bit of a conspiratorial wink. "I hope your situation improves though, I really do." His tone now far more sympathetic, as he set about the whole domestic thing, trying desperately to avoid the urge to spill tea all over M. Pelay. Because that would be just horrible.

[NeoTiamat]

Pelay Residence, Quartier-Savant, Port-a-Lucine; March 10th, 770, 4:40 PM
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Looking back up at Pelay, "Speaking with you sir has been a genuine pleasure, but I am afraid we must ask your leave, we do not wish to be late. I would enjoy continuing this conversation in the future circumstances permitting, but we must not tarry."

"Yes, I do believe we should be off." Professor Lessard said, rising. "I expect we shall see each other again, M'sieur Pelay. Thank you Kerrian, your timing is impeccable."

"Of course." Pelay said, rising as well and reaching out to shake Mr. Agale and Professor Lessard's hands. "I wish you well. If you give me a bit more warning before your next visit, I can have some more serious works for you to consider. Madeleine, see them out."

"We'll see what we can do." Lessard said, smiling, though the idea of how long Pelay would take to realize that there was something peculiar about this visit must've surely been passing through his mind. "Let's go ladies..."

Outside the Pelay Residence, Quartier-Savant, Port-a-Lucine; March 10th, 770, 4:43 PM
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"He dislikes the government enough, but a museum theft isn't really a rallying call to action," Lessard commented, once you were outside. "He didn't seem to have any quarrel with the university or the museum, and they're the ones most directly harmed."

"He doesn't seem like the kind to mastermind such a nefarious heist," Cerise said, cheerful as always. "He knows he's not a born leader, and so he writes to inspire someone to step forward in his place. Such an act of stealth and skulduggery would be counterproductive."

"That's one way of seeing the man, yes," the professor agreed, politely.

[The Whistler]

“I am inclined to agree, Mlle. Rondelet. Of course, were it left wholly to my untutored instincts, I should be inclined to adjudge the man’s character as peerless solely on the strength of his poetry! Yet if one must make a claim on more sensible foundations, it would be most uncharitable to take him for a true rapscallion based solely on his misguided politics. Simply because one is led momentarily astray in the realm of philosophy, does not mean one shall perforce be driven to burgulary! Were such the case, I am sure we should all be acquainted with a great many thieves indeed.”

[yalenusveler]

"Madeleine didn't think he had it in him either, although he apparently had a quarrel with Mme.Chastel." Kerrian offered, but then shrugged. "However, it was something about the Tessier exhibit. Something about wasting time with aristocratic displays, and bringing the work to the Quartier Ouvrier. Either way, I don't think he'd have it in him."

Kerrian then paused "And..pardon me for asking, but is "Lazy Turtle" some sort of horrible insult in High Mordentish that I just don't get? Apparently he called Mme.Chastel one.."