It had taken a day or two, even with Lady Gloriana’s help, to find him. As with most things being done in Oppara, he was doing it at the opera. Roasa slid into the upper booths, headed towards a seat where she was assured that would be honored as ‘neutral ground’. “M’lord?” She said as she walked into the booth, only a slim dapper man of Ustalavian bearing smiling up at her as an unseen servant hovered nearby with a magnum and a pair of champagne flutes.
“Ah, Lady Del Noire, I see your..detention wasn’t as long as Ravin assured me.” He said as he took a glass and offered it to her. “Ravin struck me as..rash and unprepared for the cut throat world of business; I presume from your presence here that you haven’t had a chance to discuss his takeover bid with you?”
“Alas, no.. It seems the people that the Aspsis Consortium provided to back him up in the seizing of my assets seemed to have vanished.”
“I heard how agents that cross paths with you end up.” Kevin Austopour said as he offered her a filled flute of champagne.
“I prefer my assets to earn profit; it does wonders to morale to pay men for staying alive and out of prison, you tend to leave them broken and battered if alive at all. Now, normally that state of affairs would entitle my organization to pursue ..retaliatory measures against you. Which is why we are currently doing so many acts of.. Retaliation of late. Personally I think someone is using you and a handful of agents who have been particularly grievous in their works against our purposes as a way to gain standing. ”
“Meaning whoever got your superiors to have you act against me doesn’t know about us?” Roasa said with a wry smile.
“Meaning my dear lady, you are late in sending me the latest news on the twins.” Kevlin Austopour said firmly at her. “You promised me a portrait of young Tomas and Brawen by midsummer.”
“I know but it’s been a busy season and the painter was suddenly very popular,” Roasa frowned at him. “Seems SOMEONE spoke up about him at the winter gala when he was supposed to be meeting me in Absalon.”
“Unlike some folks who live in the Grand Lodge when they aren’t galavanting around the Inner Sea, I have more.. circumspect housing arrangements. To whit, I’m stuck on a boat galavanting around as the consortium’s ‘troubleshooter at large’ since I’m the only one who has survived the betrayal of their old one.. The ’Serpent’. I don’t suppose you’ve seen her of late?” Roasa simply smiled, they had met while she was posing as the former agent. Former since after crossing the Ten once too often they’d seen fit to turn her over to people she knew in Oppara. The Lion Blades took acts of treason quite terminally.
“I fear that she’s still in hiding, though there was rumors of her showing up in Korvosa in the spring. Just before word of her defection and betrayal came out. Such a shame.” Roasa purred. “Your son is determined to have a dueling scar after meeting your associate from Brevoy. Brawen wants to sing here in the opera house but seems more arcanely inclined than musically gifted..”
“Standard stuff I would say.” Kevlin with a smile as the unseen servant brought another glass on a piece of paper. “Intermission is coming up and I don’t think the Baroness del Noire should be seen with a disreputable spice dealer.” She leaned in and kissed him before slipping out. "Take care my dear wife, and I shall see you in the spring.."
Walking down the hall, she opened the sheet of paper that he’d slipped her with her glass. Glancing over the names as she handed the glass to a servant. A moment later with a whispered prayer and she was gone from the opera house. There were a lot of pathfinder names on that list.
For me the backstory of the characters is part of how I enjoy the game. Little things like how a wizard like Cindrana Longpath doesn't speak a single elemental language; that is due to an oath she gave to the Ruby Prince's elemental advisor in exchange for being taught the secrets of being an admixture wizard. Trying to building a backstory for characters is kinda fun to me. I got this image of my character in my head and look for ways to flesh him/her out.
Here are the major 'families' that I build characters with.
-The Del Noires: The Taldan family of nobles, only recently returned to their holdings and titles, who have an extensive trading network throughout the Inner sea region. Most of the recent successes of the family have come of one person, Baroness del Noire ,Venture Captain of the Society, through her achievements as a Pathfinder and trader. She is married, ironically to a double agent of the Consortium, with a pair of children she keeps on a family estate outside of Oppara.
There are a lot of Del Noires tied into the society now, some by apprenticeship and others by commissions. The typical Del Noire is a social character, usually with some sort of divine ties.
Examples: Baroness Roasa Annarey Hellena Delphine del Noire, Trade Princess Callie Del Noire, Brawen Del Noire, Helena del Noire
-The Fiveboars: The halfing family in my collection, originally from Chelliax (where they were a landed family of lesser nobles prior to the revolution that put House Thrune on the throne) before becoming a line of slaves between the three families that stole their land. Forty years ago a halfing by the name of Bergen Fiveboars found something of interest in the ruins of the Westcrown Pathfinder lodge. The true history of his family.
Now the family is largely based out of Bellis and has extensive ties with the Bellflower network and the Society. Most of them tend to be blunt and upfront types of the roguish and martial types. Many are self describe 'self-liberated' men and woman who are engaged in a long running feud with several Chelliaxian families who used to 'own' them. Fiveboars tend to end owner/slave relationships pretty terminally.
Examples: Mercer Fiveboars
-The Longpaths: The first family/clan that I came up with, the Longpaths are a Varisian family that typically wanders Varisa and other parts of the Inner Sea. Largely gifted with arcane magic, they tend to be the ones I make my wizards, and such from. They give off a 'gypsy' vibe too. With just a touch of 'other' in their bloodline. So far I only have one Longpath but there are countless stories for others laying around in my head.
Examples: Cindrana Longpath
-The Silvermanes: Like some members of the Longpath clan, the Silvermanes are Korsovian residents and Varisians. Unlike the Longpaths, the Silvermanes tend toward martial occupations and avoid Korvosa due to past associations with the Gray Maidens and their master the late Queen Ileosa Arbasti. Several of the family were blackmailed into joining the Gray Maidens. One of them earned a field commission with the society and hid in the society's ranks after her death; that one, Rhea Silvermane, has eased other family members into the society as a way to avoid retaliation for her (and her sister's) role in the Maidens.
Examples: Rhea Silvermane, Kara Silverman
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