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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Set" data-source="post: 5204160" data-attributes="member: 41584">"A couple of members of the House Guard were seen at Riven the Flesh-Weavers shop, along with a hooded figure that some suggest was Prince Halrun himself. Rumors are flying about what cause such a young man would have to visit that specialist." [Riven the Flesh-Weaver is a transmuter who uses spells of his own research to clear away wrinkles, remove scars from battle-wounds, lighten or darken skin, hair or eyes, to conceal signs of premature greying, etc. The prince, a young man, in theory having no need of such services, barring some sort of sniggered-about 'shortcoming,' but the truth could be; 1) he was nearly assassinated, and was having the scar removed, as the King doesn't want a panic or succession-speculation to start up, 2) he is being awarded a medal of valor, but lacks any impressive battle-scars (or experience, for that matter) and so is having such a scar manufactured to 'prove' his battle-tested worth, 3) he has discovered a birthmark that happens to be exactly the same as one upon the Captain of the Guard, a friend of the Queen, and that his 'father' the King does not share. He needs to have that erased, quicky...] "High Priestess Camille has returned from exile, and is officiating at Count Durant's wedding, despite it being Count Durant who saw her driven from the country in the first place! Does she intend to spoil his nuptials in revenge, or has he some leverage upon her, that forces her to come back and sing the praises of the man who betrayed her?" "The King is older than he looks, and while he struts and bellows like a man half his age, it is no secret that his flag no longer flies as high as it once did, as they say. It's quite a surprise, then, to see that the Queen is again with child. Bully for him." "Ah, so nice to see the rumors laid to rest. These new coins fresh from the mint bear the King's own visage, and prove that the gold shipment from Anbar Province did indeed arrive at the mint, and were not, as rumored, waylaid by brigands. Oh, what a speculation, what a panic. Merchants all in an uproar, guild's aflutter, lesser nations refusing to lend at face value... but these coins are shiny and new, obviously fresh-forged. It's good to have the coin of the realm regarded as secure again." [Close examination reveals that the 'new' coins are the old coins, with the former King's bearded visage scraped clean and bare-faced, to resemble the new King, and the inscription changed. Where did the gold shipment go? Where did these older coins, altered to appear new, come from? Surely not the Reserve, as it's forbidden for coin to be removed from the surety of the vault!] "Ah, look there at Duchess Annalise and her pretty sparkling snuff-box. How quaint. How common. I'm sure her girl is a regular at the Snake's Den, to keep her mistresses shapely nose so rosy and flush." "That pale witch who slinks and simpers beside young Carstairs? She's a piece of work. A Cleric of the Self-Martyred, they whisper, and the reason Carstairs has taken to wearing such high collars and voluminous sleeves is to hide the work of the flagellent's blades. In private, he wears the bit and she holds the reins."</blockquote>

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