MAY PLAY REPORT
> I may have to use a Progress Endeavor to sabotage myself, I'm running out of enemies ;)
Lol nope. The Holy Order is definitely up to something.
So, update. That merchant I saved from robbers the other month, I actually went back and added him as an NPC/SC, gave him a name and profession and all, and turns out he's actually in the Holy Order as a fully-fledged priest. Cool!
That 8 of wands from last update, I said was the same Priest who once again was moving items (for the church?) between the Osorith/Vilderine borders. I can't help but picture Osorith as Spain and Vilderine as France and Khulgana as Germany, purely by shape/layout and nothing more, and so I envision these mountain passes between O and V, and it makes sense that bandits and robbers would camp out there often. So, I helped him out again. Not suspect at all, right?
I immediately play out The Hermit, which gives me a scenario where I sneak out alone, shirking my bodyguards and attendants... I try a magic check to conceal myself among the populace above and beyond changing clothing, and get a strong failure. I'm captured by bandits and held for ransom--I decide that I need more villains in my life so I add the Kidnapper (name & identiy TBD) as an SC. As I'm fleshing out that character, I roll for a Specialty and MY GUY HAS RELIGION SPECIALTY AHHHHHH.
Which of course means that this "Priest" I've been helping (he probably actually is a priest) is not just running into trouble left and right, he's engineering the trouble and trying to snare me in it. These two are obviously working together! Korin of course doesn't know this, but I definitely have a strong thread to pull on now. Who's behind it all??? We will have to see :D
From there my relationship with Aria continues to develop and I continue to hammer on a way to get in touch with Evangeline, continually getting rebuffed by the dice. But I find an opening with a prompt telling me to get counsel from someone I respect about something, and Evangeline has Business 5, so I figure that's my chance to speak with her, not about my concerns for the Emperors plans to sabotage her betrothal and marry her off to Khulgana, but just to talk frankly, half-sibling to half-sibling, about things I've been dealing with. Boost that fate/favor a bit so I can actually have a chance to help this girl.
The Spring Debutante Ball goes off well--there's a sickness running through the community and servants and I pivot, as the planner of the event, to invite noble houses to bring their own attendants to be sure the event goes off well. As a sort of reward, and to pad the numbers of the event, I extend a once in a lifetime offer that anyone who offers the services of their staff to the palace for this event may also bring non-nobility as guests, meaning a decent chunk of commoners get the rare chance to attend the Debutante Ball. Heartwarming! (if you ignore problematic class structures, that is ;) )
I've started into Summer now but will still try to report back month by month.