Enter the Goldenrod

[Iron Dragoon]

Julius Goldenrod is found, as his ilk tend to be, hiding in rather plain sight. He currently is in the middle of regaling a small gaggle of middling nobility women, both married and unmarried, with a rather overblown story of his 'adventures.' Between his many theatrical flourishes, even a time or two of leaping about the tables showing the course of one knife fight or other in an alley turned into a duel (even one instance of being waylaid by a group of thugs reworked into a simultaneous four-way duel), Julius practices his craft.

Distracting the ladies, and making amends to their husbands and fiancé's, he entertains them with small sleight-of-hand tricks; low-magic to draw the eye while the other hand slides a ring here or a bracelet there.   As the food arrives for his audience, leans back for a moment in contentment, enjoying being surrounded by those he imagines are both his equals, though with him on the higher side of equality, and his puppets, all dancing to the tune he plays.

Speaking of tunes, this lot might have one or two ladies to be won over to his bed with just a bit more effort... Perhaps a song or two. He runs his finger over the small case he carries his flute in and pauses for a moment. Suddenly clearheaded and on complete alert, he darts his eyes around the room as he feels the *open* cap of his flute and a small piece of rolled paper inside his now empty case.

The paper holds a short message and an odd seal on it, stating only: 'You have been noticed and are invited to a meeting. Find the carriage with the seal  and present this letter to the driver at your convince. This is not a meeting to be missed, Julius Goldenrod, fifteenth in line for the throne of the Northern Helvacaia. It is easy to notice a fictious throne once rumor inspires research.'

* Julius excuses himself from the gaggle of ladies, murmuring something of a vital meeting that had slipped his mind (clouded as it was by the presence of so many beautiful women), and that it was a pleasure to meet them all, etcetera, and slips away to begin his carriage hunt.

Tittering at the compliments and making noises of disappointment, the ladies eventually let Julius slip away from them, though their husbands and fiancé's follow him with hard eyes for his attempted wooing, and he slips into the evening. Quickly he runs down a list of places carriages congregate and three stand out in his mind: the port, the market square, and King's Palace.

<Julius> Knowing how troublesome a jealous husband can be, Julius decides to head towards the most heavily-patrolled possibility first. To the King's Palace!

As he arrives at the gates of the Palace, he catches sight of a rather large number of personal carriages in waiting, each having the personal crest of the upper crust of nobility. This reminds him why he wasn't here in the first place: The Wake for the Heir and Prince, Lord Arturo Kellhaus. Unfortunately, this gathering is invitation only, reserved for close friends and those of the King's blood.

* Julius starts comparing the seal on the note to the seals on the carriages, muttering darkly about flute-thieves.

Though he finds some similar, he doesn't find an exact match. The carraige drivers begin to eye him suspiciously and one even calls out to him. "You there, stop skulking about my lord's carraige! What are you doing there?"

* Julius snorts and makes a rude gesture towards the paranoid one before adjusting course to head towards the marketplace.

As he arrives, Julius sees the last of the local merchants packing up their wares for the day. Though hunting doggedly, he fails to find the crest again. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he spins on his heel intending to stalk angrily to the port. As he leaves the market, however, a group of three soldiers approach him. "Sir, we've been ordered to take you into custody. We'll need you to come with us, we have a carriage waiting."

<Julius> "Quite impossible, I'm afraid. I have an appointment to get to." Julius eyes them loftily. "Doesn't the local constabulary have better things to do than go around harassing nobility?"

The guards make a point of not reacting to the jibe, but their postures grows just a bit angry. "Sir, we are part of the Home Guard of the Anvarr King. Our orders are to escort you to the station in regards. I believe you're to be part of an investigation about some stolen property. Gavriil, what was it again?"

"Ah, it was something to do with some old flute or something Sergeant, I think."

<Julius> "Old flute? It is a masterpiece, you barbarians. And you should have said so immediately instead of mucking about. Very well, sergeant, appointments mean little when Art itself is on the line; take me to this station of yours."

The Sergeant turns on his heel and leads Julius to a small carriage, holding the door open for him.
* Julius gives an approving nod to the sergeant and climbs into the carriage.

The sergant follows him in and knocks on the roof, signaling the driver to move. "Sir, as
we're going to the station, you're not allowed to carry weapons inside. You can either leave them here in the carraige, which will take you to whichever residence you want after, or you can turn them in at the station."

<Julius> "As long as I get a receipt, I suppose I can entrust them to your care and retrieve them after these enquiries."

The Sergeant nods and sits back for a time. As the carriage comes to a stop he exits, holding the door open for Julius.
* Julius swans out regally, eyeing the area.
"This way, Sir."
* Julius follows along obligingly.

The Sergeant turns and opens the door to the station house, leading Julius to a counter. "Turn your weapons in here, Sir."

* Julius sighs, plonks down both his handbows and the bolts, his masterwork daggers, and then starts fishing regular daggers out of various concealed locations until there's a pile of eight on the counter.

The Sergeant stares blankly at Julius. "Is that all Sir? I'll need to pat you down before we continue on."
* Julius recounts the weapons on the counter. "I do believe so."
The Sergeant nods and begins to pat down Julius, quickly but professionally. It's apparent he's done this daily, but he finds nothing and motions for the hand reciept to be given. After that is done, he escorts Julius to a room where a reedy fellow is waiting and leaves, though his footsteps stop just outside the door.

"Ah, Master Julius. Your prompt arrival is appreciated. Please, sit," the fellow motions to a plain chair before sitting himself.
* Julius nods distractedly to the reedy fellow as he sits, checking the receipt is accurate before tucking it into a pocket. "You have the advantage of me, mister...?"

"Indeed I do, and though it is unbecoming of both of our stations, you should perhaps keep that in mind. I'm quite aware of the current internal state of the Northern Helvacaia area and it's throne. You seem quite practiced at your art, which I unfortunately, find myself in need of. As a man practiced in illusions, I'm sure you understand the significance of our meeting being
held here."

<Julius> "If you want to offer me a job, you didn't have to go about it by lifting my flute."

The man chuckles, "Indeed, that was a rather base action, but I required not only a demonstration, but something to ensure your prompt arrival. As you've experienced, I have agents who's skills outstrip your own, to a degree. However, I am reluctant to use one of my established people for what I need done."

<Julius> "You've made your point, now make your pitch."

"I have a.. Unique offer for you. You play and prance at being a noble, and truely you do well at it. In return for your favor I may be able to arrange the first steps towards that being reality for you. You're quite well traveled, I understand?"

<Julius> "You could say that."

"There is a person I need retrieved and escorted to me. A person who may be rather hard to find. He's an officer, and currently out in the field. You find him, return him, and depending on what he, and others, say about your abilities, I will begin you on your way to nobility here in Anvarr."

"That's quite an offer. Return my flute to me, and we have a deal."

"Mmm.. Quite the easy agreement from you. Sadly, I cannot return it to you quite yet. Before you depart, I will, however. Sadly, my good Master Julius, it seems the husband of one the young women you were entertaining tonight has noticed a few of the rings he gifted her with has gone missing. I suspect he's looking for you, and you'll need to be returned to your room with the good Sergeant for company."

<Julius> "I do have my own ways of avoiding trouble, but if it makes you feel better, I won't object to an escort."

The reedy fellow inclines his head and the Sergeant walks in. "Sir, if you would?" he stands back and holds the door open for Julius.
* Julius stands and sweeps out with a farewell nod to the reedy fellow.