OOC Haakon has gone to the townhouse.

Finding nobody there for a while, he explores the house fairly thoroughly from top to bottom.  He notes the benches in the courtyard and decides that would be almost as good for sleeping as the roof... not quite because it has walls beyond the pillars and walls have a habit of closing in.

He leaves his bedding in the highest room and then takes his stuff to the warehouse, hoping to see someone there.

The last of House Palantus hadn't left the townhouse yet,  perhaps they were out when Haakon dropped by.

(see msg 1:   Elderly Daphne Palantus simply didn't want to leave home until now, but understands that elderly people who are not cared for and protected by their families don't last long with the Visigoths in charge.  Her daughter Envira, Envira's husband Armeus, their four children, and Daphne's bookish, timid son Seraphus are the rest.  They all live in the townhouse, but intend to move out soon.)

But they soon get word that the "new agents for the House" have arrived, and word is sent back to the warehouse:  tomorrow, the house will have a long afternoon lunch for the official passing of the torch.  They can go over all the "business stuff" and whatever other topics emerge.

Florian and Quiquises are invited as well, now that they are no longer servants.

Eventually, with goods safely stored, Haakon returns to the townhouse, almost literally bumping into Lady Daphne on his return.  "Beg Pardon, Ma'am", he says on his return.  "Are you one of the household?  I'm sorry to have arrived unannounced earlier.  I am Freiherr Haakon Pedlar, often known as Haakon the Dressmaker.  I am in town to establish my name as a dress designer here in Massilia and to help defend the house against those who would do it harm."

Quiquises noticed that Florian was following him, but (lost in thought) didn't make much conversation about it.

The talk with the dockhands had something of an effect on the young man. It was easy to see that Florian- for example, he was right there- was going to land on his hooves. Maybe he'd be a performer, or a factor, or some other work that involved commanding attention.

Quiquises was a ghost. Professionally, not by nature. The servants of House Palantus would, in a pinch, find other people to serve. Those merely in the House's employ would find others to employ them. Quiquises' job, while more specialized, was also much harder to 'advertise', for the simple reason that his skill was in being a shadow. If he told everyone that's what he did, then he was no longer doing it.

This weighed heavily on him, very suddenly.

In any event, he wanted to see what these accommodations were. They weren't going to be forever. But it would be ungrateful to not even use them, or see them for that matter.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:48, Tue 28 Aug 2018.

Lady Daphne Palantus does a quick, cursory but experienced assessment of Haakon.
“I am the matron of the house, here, sister in law to Gaddexos Palantus of Alexandria.”

Her voice is a little weak with age, but still carries pride.

“I expected someone older… and a dressmaker?  I suppose it makes sense, for the cloth trade, you’d at least know what you are looking at when the imports come in.  Please excuse me, it’s kind of a peculiar feeling, meeting the people who are going to replace you.  Now that you’re here, there’s not that much left to do but turn over the reins, and head east.”

Haakon can tell that despite the problems, she is going to miss Massilia and is not entirely looking forward to going “east”.

“Tomorrow there is lunch planned,” she says, “now that you are here.  You will be introduced to the business here.  I’ve noticed… you have your things here already.  Are there others?”

"I sincerely hope there are." said Haakon.  "Taking over was not the job that I was led to believe I'd be doing.  I understood I would be one of several.  I've been here something like four hours and I miss my wife already."

Belenus bows to everyone in the party, smiling. "I am Belenus. Do you know where a temple is?"

"Everyone in the party", until others show up at the Palantus townhouse, is Haakon, and Lady Daphne Palantus.

Belenus had been with the group all the way down the river, but had been quiet.

He is one of those supposed to take over the management of House Palantus.

But of course from his very brief introduction, Lady Daphne has no way to know that.  Usually, when someone asks immediately for a temple, without any of the chit-chat prior, it means they are in very big trouble.

"Of course there are  temples," Lady Daphne Palantus says.  "Up there on Temple Ridge.  You probably want to steer clear of the Pandemonicum".

She points straight west, and says that from the Palantus townhouse, you can get to the arched entrance of the Temple Gardens at the end of the street in only a few minutes, depending on walking speed.

 See the map thread, MASSILIA MAP and Guide item 67 on the Map. You are in the Old Town, just to the east! 

Note, it is late in the afternoon, and will soon be early evening.

Haakon frowned.  "Belenus, you were on the boat down the river.  We met on there. Are you going to be part of the new household?"

In reply to Ben (msg # 32):

Smiling at Haakon, Belenus says, "Yes, I plan to be, at least until I have enough money to return home. I have someone there waiting for me, we want to marry soon."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Tue 28 Aug 2018.

"Good to meet you, Belenus," Daphne said.   "Tomorrow there is a lunch, for all of us, we shall go over any specific plans.  Tonight, well, we have not moved out yet, so space will be a little tight until we do.  We still have a few guest rooms.  There are no servants left, but if you need help I will send my son."

"May I ask... why a temple?  It can be tricky, going there, these days.  You must be careful.  The Visigoths see our temples as... as a necessary good.  They tolerate only what they must, and what does not threaten them."

In reply to Ben (msg # 35):

"Why a temple? Well... I fell in love with my best friend, a young knight of Germania. The fact of both of us being men of noble blood... does not bode well with some. They want me to produce an heir with some woman... One to whom I will feel no attraction. That is why I seek the temple. To seek guidance, and the counsel of the gods and priests."

"That is for the Temple of Venus," Daphne says.  "They are still here.  They don't bother the Visigoths, the Visigoths don't fear them at all.  They just go about their business. And that is their business.  They live for problems like that."

She points down the road again.  "And we are practically neighbors, you're in luck.  The  Temples of Venus and Bacchus both open to the Temple Gardens.  Convenient.  One to get people into trouble, and the other to... no, they don't quite get you out of trouble... but they do try to manage it."

Haakon smiles.  "Well, I hope the temple of Venus can help you.  I suppose if the worst comes to the worst, you could become a Corybant and then marry him after your term as a Priestess."

In reply to Haakon Pedlar (msg # 38):

Smiling at Daphne and Haakom, Belenus says, "Thank you. I hope his father, a minor king, would let us marry." With this in mind, he says, "I will head up to the temple of Venus. I will let you all know what I find out, or if you want to travel with me, I can do that as well." He begins to head up to the temple.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Wed 29 Aug 2018.

Belenus heads over to the Temple Hill Thread

Haakon smiled at Lady Daphne.  "Do you mind if I ask, what life has been like in Massilia recently?  Is it tolerable or intolerable or somewhere in between?"

Swift will go to the House Palantus. She will knock on the door and when it is answered, she will ask for Haakon.

Given it's Haakon and Lady Daphne in the house at the moment, it's likely to be Haakon who answers the door.

"Hello, Swift", says Haakon.  "Come inside and we can make sure your dress fits properly and perhaps have a bit of a gossip."

It's a broad question... Lady Daphne Palantus is planning on leaving soon anyway, so she shares some thoughts:

"It's been... stressful, lately.  You know... I hope you know... the Visigoths don't all support their new king.  Amalric is still young, and a Half Orc, and many of the Visigoths don't believe him to be a worthy leader.  The Over-Tyrant of Massilia, Harridog, is one of the most powerful Orcs opposed to Amalric.

"Now, you take that, add to it the wars with the Vandals and Ostrogoths... it's been a lot of Orc against Orc tensions lately.  In a way it's better for us, because with their attentions on each other they have less time for us.  But in other ways its worse, because when they have been much more random and arbitrary lately.  That's why we're leaving, the stress of not knowing what happens next can be worse than knowing that it will be unpleasant.. does that make sense?

"But the truth is, it's like a kind of gambling... and for those willing to play the games, and stick it out, and face the risks... people have made money, lately.  In spite of it all, the city is prospering... isn't that strange?"

Haakon grins.  "That's not strange at all Lady Daphne.  Do we know which of the orcish tribes is the strongest?"  He scratches his head and thinks some more.  "I don't suppose there's anyone here from the Red Toed Orc tribe?  I only ask because that's my cousin's tribe and it would be nice to catch up."

"Hello Haakon, glad to see you. The lady sent me to find you" she looks around and sees Lady Daphne Palantus "Hello, I am Swift."

She does a double take at Haakon "Your cousin is in an orc tribe?" she says surprised. "Oh, sure, we can work on the dress too"

Haakon shrugged.  "My cousin is a half orc.  Her mother is my father's sister."  He turns to Lady Daphne.  "Do excuse me Lady Daphne. I have business elsewhere." He collects his sewing bag and Swift's dress, and of course his bow and axe, before setting off to see Princess Gondioque.  "Shall we Ma'm'selle?"

Swift nods "Lets go, I am anxious to see how this dress looks. Lead on"

Haakon leads the way out toward ... "Are you staying with Lady Gondioque?" he asks. "Or do you intend to stay here?"