Now, after a thousand years, the hidden architect of the Savage Tide gazes upon new targets. This time, the doom will not be limited to one hapless city. This time, all of civilization is perched on the shore, blissfully ignorant of what the tide is about to bring in.
Loud hammering on the door wakes Lucky John Foxcombe from his deep sleep. A quick glance at the very narrow window shows dim light. It was either just past dawn or, more likely, getting on to dusk, given when he'd gone to sleep. The bard had managed to get the owner of The Bronze Dragon to give him a place to sleep and two meals a day in exchange for a few hours of singing and fiddle playing in the evenings. Of course they had given him more of a closet than a room. But the food at the Dragon wasn't bad, and the people here were more honest than most. So he called it even.
Rising sleepily from his bed, John hums a quick singsong melody that seems to smooth out the wrinkles in his clothes and brings his hair into perfect order. Even here, appearances matter. He opens the door and finds Karl, the inn's errand boy holding a wrapped scroll.
"Little lady's here lookin' for you," he says. "Said to give this to you right away." He hands the scroll over. The boy doesn't say so, but John knows that the lady must have slipped him a coin or he wouldn't be this eager to climb two sets of stairs when dinner was clearly being served. For with the door opened, John can smell the cooking from the kitchen below.
Taking the scroll, John tries to close the door, but Karl holds it open. "She said you was to give a reply." So the bard quickly breaks the seal and scans the letter.
At first John can't place the name Daria Fisher. But after a moment's consideration, he remembers. She was the daughter of one of Sasserine's wealthy merchants. She'd run into a little trouble and needed someone to take care of it without involving her father. Daria's maid was a friend of Johns and had recommended him. It had been little enough trouble, he recalls - running down a few rumors and recovering some ill-advised love notes from the room of a stuck up kid. But apparently it had made an impression. And if the quality of the paper this note was written on was any indication, this new job would likely pay well.Greetings; and I trust this missive finds you in good health. My name is Lavinia Vanderboren, and you have been recommended to me by Miss Daria Fisher as a man of skill and discretion.
I humbly request your attendance at dinner at my estate on Festival Street and Blue Skink Lane tomorrow evening. I think that I can present you with an opportunity uniquely suited to your skills. And if you had one or two associates who you think might also be capable, I welcome you to bring them as well.
Please inform the carrier of this letter of your response to the invitation. I hope to be speaking to you soon.
Lavinia Vanderboren
As for associates, he remembers Berek and Knarra saying they were at loose ends. He knows both of them could be useful in a pinch. And if he was lucky, he could find them both at The Hammer and Axe and still be back to the Dragon in time for his set tonight.
Turning to Karl, he offers his reply.
