HotB: The Spring Opera (Session Recap)

What could be more Ven then an Opera, Insults, Duels and Romance? I guess if revenge was thrown into the mix but we would want to overdo it on the first session, now would we.

Since the players Count plays an important rule in this adventure, we should start there.

Here are the things we established as true about the Count.

The Count Maurevel Thorne

• He is Blooded of the Falcon
• He is very young (Spring)
• His wife is much older (Winter)
• Namatha’s (Renee) Husband are Cousins
• Had a Regent that just died
• There is Political upheaval in the Counts Realm
• Cunning is his weakness
• Has the aspect Womanizer
• Was illegitimately Blooded
• He is quick to solve problems with a duel.
• Has a Puzzle House
• Is very idealistic
• Is infatuated with Sabina (Quin’s character)

The Spring Opera
Spring is dawning. The last chills of winter die away as new life is brought forth to the land of Shanri. Final farewells have been said to those that enter solace. To the survivors of the hardships of winter, spring offers the chance of rebirth, renewal and it’s a time for love. And what better way to celebrate this then this new life then with an Opera. Our young barons were invited to an Opera. That was all they knew, they had to figure out the rest. He is what they discovered.

• The Aunt of the Count invited them
• Someone is spying on Sabina (Quin)
• The Opera is toted as “A Stirring Love Tragedy”
• “The Wife” is one of the main characters
• The Opera Really Sucks (Of course the Players don’t know this yet, but it’s true.
  I saw a rehearsal of it and it really does suck.)
• The Opera House is near the Senate
• The Count wrote the Opera
• It is a rank 3 Opera

So the stage is set, the players all arrive in their finest attire. Some have brought their Spouses and/or vassals. Some brought gifts for the Count. (I was running it like a party, meeting, that resources could be exchanged for free. And bringing gifts to a party is good form. Style.) As they enter the Opera House the Count’s Herald who had traveled the land promoting the Opera greets them all. They are escorted to their private opera boxes, and shown to the banquet area. As vassals to the Count the players were given nicer boxes then others. The boxes have screens that can drawn shut so that the Opera way still be viewed, but offers privacy from scanning eyes that may wish to see what is going on in the private boxes.

In the banquet area people have gathered to discuss news, and rumors of what the Opera will be about.

Chayan Mwrr (Matt) scans the room looking for someone he may know. He runs into an old friend from the academy. His friend is Blooded of the bear, and he was not invited.

Baron Chayan Mwrr: Three things true

• Fascinated with Sorcery
• Lands are mostly Swamps and Mountains
• Weakness is Cunning (IIRC)

Namatha Steele roams around the room trying to gather information. She noticed that the Counts wife was not in attendance, because she was not invited.

Baroness Namatha Steele: Three things true

• Weakness is Courage
• Name means the unexpected
• Has the aspect: “I Pull the Strings”

Lady Sabina wanders around the room listening for gossip. She hears that the reason the Counts wife was not invited was because the Aunt doesn’t like Agatha (The wife) because she has been taken too much control in the handling of the Counts lands. The Aunt wants to play regent and is looking for a new wife for the Count.

Lady Agatha: Three things true

• Is a winter Character
• Always seen wearing white
• Reveres the greater Suaven Manna Renay

Baroness Sabina Mwrr: Three things true

• Has the Aspect: Just a pretty face
• Has some of the most plentiful plains in all of Shanri
• Weakness is Prowess

Throsh Burghe (Ramses) goes to the banquet table and starts to eat. While he was there a Lady approaches him and asks if he plans on eating the entire spread. Throsh invites the Lady to join him. She asks what is good to eat. He replies that everything is good and then hands her a greasy turkey leg. She hands it to one of her servants to pick the meat of the bone for her. Throsh turns his attention back to the food and when he does, the Lady calls him a “Savage Brute” and starts to walk away. Throsh over hears the insult, and calls her out and directs an insult back to her. She turns to Throsh and asks him, “Did you mean what it?” Throsh replies, “Did you?” She says, “I did!” Throsh calls her a “Filthy Whore”. She calls him a “Smelly, Savage Brute.” Throsh replies with “Snobby, Filthy Whore”. The lady smiles as she calls him a “Ball-less, Smelly, Savage Brute.”
Throsh yells, “Enough!” Everyone gasps, and look to the competitors, and start to snicker and laugh at Throsh. (Throsh was tagged with a rank 3 insult).

Baron Throsh Burghe: Three things true

• All brawn, no beauty
• Is a Summer character
• Killed his wife

Lady No: Three things true

• She is a poison teddy bear
• She has three dead husbands, currently looking for a fourth
• She has some kind of relationship with Zsanosz, Count Kether

Namatha and Sabina notice a twinkle in Lady No’s eye that she is infatuated with Lord Throsh. Lady No wants Throsh as her next Husband.

Lord Chayan walks up to his friend, The Bear greets him, and Chayan asks how he got in. The bear replies “through the door”. The bear tells Chayan that if hasn’t gotten any food he might want to before it’s all gone. Chayan asks he was going to eat it all. The bear say, “No, but a cousin of his was there.” The bear then asks where Chayan’s seats are located and says he may join him later.

Just then bells start ringing, signaling that the Opera will be start soon. Namatha and her husband make it to their box first. As the people begin heading to their seats, the musicians start to warm up their instruments. Namatha looks to see who else has made it to their boxes. She notices a lady in the Count’s box, it’s not his Aunt, it’s Lady No.

Throsh and Chayan hang out at the food table a little longer. Sabina gives Chayan some suggestions as to what to eat. As the last remaining people from the banquet hall deport, Sabina starts box hopping to see what invites she can get. She bumps into Lady No, and she invites Sabina to her box. Unbeknownst to Sabina, Lady No is spying on her.

When Sabina has finished her rounds of she finds Lady No in the Counts box and sits down with them. She instantly starts to question the Count about the Opera.

Then another series of bells ring to signal the Opera is start soon. Servants run around dosing candles. The last of the people have taken their seats. The Count is beaming with pride as his work finally gets to be revealed. From the very first opening music, everyone can tell that the Opera will be bad. Sabina winces, and then addresses the box in general if the Opera is any good, stating she is still learning to appreciate this high Art. Oh course they all agree that it is quite good, but she can read there faces and learns that they are all lying.

Namatha leans over and starts kissing her husband as she draws the screen shut.

Throsh falls asleep and starts snoring.

Chayan leans over and whispers something into his wife ear. They draw the screen shut to their private box and they sneak backstage.

Lady Steele (Chayan’s Wife): Three things true

• Blooded of the Elk
• Very Cunning
• Very Loyal to Chayan

Lady Sabina and Lady No talk about Throsh during the Opera. As they notice the privacy screen to Lady Sabina opens. They see the Aunt and Sabina’s Husband holding each other in warm embrace. The Aunt is trying to bump off Sabina’s husband.

The Opera continues for what could have been 3 operas. While backstage, Chayan and his wife go and try on some of the costumes. On their way back to the costumes, Chayan accidentally knocks over a candle and starts a fire.

Back in Count’s box, Sabina asks if there is a fire scene in the Opera. The count says, “No, but perhaps I should add one.” He calls over his Valet and tells him to take down some notes. The Valet questions the Count at the suggestion of adding a scene to the Opera. He exclaims, “The Opera is on fire!” Sabina replies, “It is!” and runs out of the box. Smoke starts to billow out from backstage, everyone notices the Opera House is on fire and starts to run out. The Count protests everyone not to leave. That once the fire is put out the Opera can resume.

During the mass Exodus, Throsh charges out of the Opera House, pushing past everyone in his way. He makes it out of the Opera House safely, injuring several people on his way out, Lady No being one of them (rank 1 Injury).

Chayan’s Wife leads Chayan out of the Opera House and no one saw them backstage. He makes out without injury, but she takes an injury.

After running out the Counts box, Sabina goes to find her husband. She finds him in their box with the Aunt and another woman are fighting over him. Sabina hides in the corner and watches what happens.

Sabina’s Husband: Three things true

• He buys the act
• Blooded of the Fox
• Sucker for a Pretty Face

Lady Trisnoira Adrente (The Other Woman): Three things true +1

• Wolf all the way
• One of the best swordswoman in the entire senator
• Brother has taken her lands, is here looking for Allies so she can take them back
• And is an alley to Throsh.

Lady Trisnoira sees the fire as she argues with the Aunt. Lady Trisnoira picks up Sabina’s husband and throws him over her shoulder as she tells that Aunt that we can continue this outside.

The Count continues to insist that once this (the Fire) minor inconvenience is dealt with, the Opera can continue and is insisting that everyone stay. Even as the Opera House burns, Lady No turns to the Count and says “Excuse me you Grace, I was injured.”
The Count looks at her and gasps, “You were? By who?”
Lady No says, “By one of your Vassals.”
“Which one?” the Count asks.
“Throsh, he nearly ran me over.” She says with passion in her voice. “I demand satisfaction.”

Lady Namatha overhears the conversation between Lady No and the Count. She sends her husband over to Throsh to be his second.

Namatha’s husband walks up to Throsh and says, “Your excellence, it has been brought to my attention that you will be needing a second.”
“Really? For what?” Throsh asks.
“Lady No demands satisfaction, you apparently injured her on the way out.”
“That filthy slut.”

The Count orders Throsh over.
“Yes, my Liege.”
“It has been brought to my attention that you injured one of my guests here.”
“She was in my way...” Throsh starts to explain.
“An injury to one of my guests is an injury to me.” The count explains. “Do you apologies?”
“Apologies for the injury, but not to her.”
The Count turns to Lady No and asks her if she accepts this apology.
“How could I? He has not apologized, he apologized for the action but not to me.”
Throsh starts to argue with Lady No when the Count stops him.

The Count gathers an impromptu senate. The senate agrees that both sides have valid claims of injury and a duel is announced.

Seconds are chosen. Letters of Apologies are written and handed to the opposing your side. They both refuses to sign the letters and the duel is allowed to proceed. The duel was declared to the blood.

Lady No and Throsh take the field. They stare each other down for a moment. Then Lady No attacks. She cut him across the face. (Throsh takes a Rank 1 Injury) She then moves inside his sword and kiss him on the mouth. Throsh stands there stunned but kisses her back. They embrace each other for a moment, until she whisper in his ear, “Duels are such silly matters, let goes someplace quiet.”

Throsh agrees, and Lady No turns to the Count, “Thank you, I am quite satisfied.” she says with a smile. She takes Throsh by the hand and leads him off.

Fade to black.

Love poisons the heart. Makes us weak. Makes us sick.
And the only cure for our malady is that which caused it in the first place.
~The Great and Terrible Life of Shara Yvarai