Port-à-Lucine - Quartier Ouvrier

[Sanguine]

Once again, crumpled notices of insidious markings crop up in the darkest depths of the underbelly, the highways of brigands and cut-throats alike. They seldom make it upon the surface, but perhaps one with keen or eager eyes would find them if they were so inclined.

BY DECREE OF THE VAUNTED

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT WE, THE VAUNTED, WALK THESE SHADOWED HALLS.

FALKOVNIANS BEWARE, THE SINS OF YOUR FLESH BRAND YOU AS TRAITORS. THOSE WHO WISH REPENTANCE MAY SEEK US OUT, AND BE BORN ANEW.

THOSE WHO IGNORE OUR WARNINGS WILL BE RIGHTFULLY PUNISHED - DEATH IS A MERCY YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.

GLORY TO THE ETERNAL CONQUEST.

[Evendur]

A strange sight can be observed on the thieves highway and its surrounding areas:
An obviously foreign man who does not quite fit into the picture of beggars and smuggler would travel along the shadowed halls nearly every night. It seems he leaves the occasional coin as a gift without speaking to anyone in particular.

A bouquet of blue roses is left on a specific table in the Colibri theater. Fresh flowers are brought every few days, accompanied with a song played by a formerly famous inhabitant of the theater.

[Madame Trousers Son]

A Gendarme is seen taking a woman's body into the Halan hospice to be tended by the sisters there.

[PrimetheGrime]

Following the events of the previous evening, a mass of blue-coat Gendarmes march through the wider streets of the Ouvier, their intent apparent as they demand information on the wanted fugitive, Daidriann Valstahd..

[bunnie]

As the temperatures lower, various Westside notices shoved about the corners of the Ouv' are snatched; stolen for kindling.

[Sanguine]

More cryptic and malevolent looking posters begin surfacing within the shady corners of the streets and the city's underbelly alike.

BY DECREE OF THE VAUNTED

THE TALON PRINCE, LORD OF FALKOVNIA, THE CARRION KING. HIS DAY WILL SOON COME, THE ONE THAT IS PROMISED.

SERFS AND CHATTEL OF THE REPUBLIQUE, YOU ARE HEREBY CONSCRIPTED, WHETHER BY CHOICE OR OTHERWISE, INTO THE DEAD MAN'S WAR: THE WAR TO END ALL FALKOVNIAN AGGRESSION.

LOOK UPON YOUR HISTORY AND DESPAIR, REMEMBER WELL THE DESTRUCTION OF THE HAWK. THAT WHICH HAS RAVAGED YOUR LAND, YOUR HOMES, PUT YOUR FAMILIES TO EARLY AND SHALLOW GRAVES.

HEAR US, THE VAUNTED, AND OUR PROMISE TO NOT MERELY STAVE OFF THE THREAT OF DESTRUCTION, BUT TO UNDO THE VERY MENACE ITSELF. SOMETHING YOUR PITIFUL COUNCIL WILL NEVER GRANT YOU.

DEATH TO THE CROWNED SERPENT. DEATH TO THE GILDED TYRANTS. DEATH TO FALKOVNIA.

[Maffa]

A lifeless body has been discovered in the last hours of the night.

The young woman presented a horrible wound to her womb, and voices in the quartier tell of a well dressed gentleman, a well know artist, a bulky carpenter and a small caliban discussing about the tiny wounds on her neck and the presence of the well known tiny wicked spiders tormenting that part of the city.

After a short survey, the gentleman departs to the direction of the Gendarmerie, while the others disperse.

[PlatointheCave]

The stench of formaldehyde and other strange chemicals escapes the abandoned Atelier du Progres. Perhaps some effort to manufacture narcotics gone awry, or something altogether stranger.

Pinned to the still accessible entrance from the "Thieves' Highway" is a notice:

LABORATORY OF SUA

Knowledge seekers may seek audience.

Cattle may seek audience if they bring tribute.

So say I,

Sua the Explorer

[Anastian]

[in the early morning, a large Red Vardo, the trademark of the famous merchantile guild, makes its way from Quartier Marchand to Quartier Ouvrier, stopping at le Tenenments.

Figures clad in black and red hop down of the wagon, led by one of the petite gents. They quickly begin to offload crates, barrels and sack from the caravan.]



[Shortly after, the supplies are transferred inside the building and then onto the basement. The group works quietly, with very few words beyond orders being exchanged. Once the crates and their contents have been brought in the basement, the Red Vardo Traders make their leave - Quietly, followed by the surprised and suspicious stares of the commoners living in the poorest Quartier of Port-a-Lucine]

[Flambeuse]

The sleep of the Ouvrier is rudely interrupted that evening as an explosion rocks the Government Food Provider...

[Flambeuse]

Dawn breaks over the Ouvrier, but it isn't peaceful. Another explosion rocks the Ouvrier, this time at the other Food Provider. Except in this instance, it isn't the Government employees who are slain, but a young mother and her two daughters who had been queuing early with their ration coupons.

The officials who arrive to start their day at the Food Provider simply put the bodies to one side with the rest of the debris; it is the beggars who live nearby who offer the deceased dignity by covering them with a tarp.

[Flambeuse]

Another day, another victim... outside the Government Food Provider, a young man has been killed by some mechanical trap. The people stay away, frightened by the terror that stalks amongst them.

[Snarling_Badger]

[The night hours in the Quartier Ouvrier of Port-a-Lucine seem to become even more dangerous as of late. In addition to the typical violence that is often found in the dark streets, and the recent uprise in fatal assaults, another frightening and mysterious occurrence seems on the rise... kidnappings.

Muttered rumor suggests that some of the most violent gangs that trouble the Ouvrier have lost members as of late, but not the weak or cowardly. Instead, word spreads on the street that the roughest, most brutish thugs have been assailed at night, grabbed by a darkly armored figure of immense strength and quickness and dragged away into the shadows. Equally disturbing, is that those criminals of the gangs that are known to have arcane blood are also abducted, dragged unconscious from the Abandoned Worker's Lodging. Thus far, no one speaks of ransom notes or threats... ]

[apeppertoo]

True to the notices, Mariah Parsons has taken to personally delivering food to the downtrodden and destitute in the Ouvrier, in flagrant provocation to La Flambeuse. She is not seen alone.

[Flambeuse]

It appears the provocation has achieved a retaliation, though not against the rich, well-protected charitable folk...

[Flambeuse]

Screaming, yelling, and ranting disturb the night of the Ouvrier as a group of arcanists, combatants, and heroes from all walks of life bandy words with an unseen assailant. The people cower in their homes at the sound of subsequent arcane conflagrations... by morning, however, other than some new damage to the masonry, all is quiet again. Though the bodies of dead gang members are picked unusually clean...

[LegoRobot]

A woman in a dark grey cloak is seen delivering bread to the poorest of the Ouvrier.

[Flambeuse]

Another night, another scene of carnage. Nine bodies, lined up outside the Tenements, displaying a message...

[Philos]

Sieur Raphael d'Argenti can be seen setting up some sort of performance or demonstration in the Quarter Square...

[Philos]

As the Cathedral's bell tolls Seven o'clock, dozens upon dozens of explosions can be heard coming from the Ouvrier...followed by brillent flashes of light illuminating the night's sky. True to his word, the borcan knights firework display goes off without a hitch. Within the pryotechnic fire the words "HAPPY 41ST" can be seen...

[of clover and thistle]

When morning came to the Ouvrier, one caustic Tepestani woman saw to relocating the cadavers composing the birthday message to the morgue run by the local cemetery. Supposedly, the Gendarmerie's morgue has been too full to take on anymore bodies (or so the rumor goes), and so the relocation of unusual murder victims to the Cimetiere des Ames-Sereines is not new. What is new is the greasy chalk outlines of the bodies left by the Tepestani. Even in the rain, the hollow outlines still read 'HAPPY BDAY'.

[remnar]

A man wearing purple and gold and a woman wearing white and red enter one of the small taverns of the Ouvrier.  They seat themselves at a small table and the man begins to speak to the empty seat in front of him.  As he continues on, he begins to shed a river of tears down the right side of his face.  As the afternoon comes to a close, he finishes what seems to be a mock interview with an 'Eloane La Sueur'.  He stands, places a golden flower on the table after saying goodbye, and the pair leave soon after.

[LegoRobot]

Once more, a sizeable delivery of bread is made to the homeless of the Ouvrier.

[Madame Trousers Son]

Word would spread of the "De Sauvre Foundation" buying up debt contracts, and forgiving them. The more cynical might mutter that this is just more noble posturing while the avaricious start to circle like vultures looking for a way to exploit such generosity. Yet for some, at least, this represents a rare chance for hope and freedom...

[KovosDatch]

Onlookers spot a exotically beautiful young woman in a green kimono enter a government-sponsored food bank this afternoon. They see her exit with arms full of rations and watch as she begins handing them out to the beggars and leaving them in impromptu shelters for the impoverished.