Even for Mercators it is hard to get a feel for the "mood" in the city by taking one walk, on one day.  Individual days have their quirks, they would need to build up their observations over time to see what has really changed in the time they've been away.

And in anything but trade and markets, Milo Mercator is not much help.  He is highly focused, and young, easily missing other things while he tracks the prices merchants are getting for lavender oil, pickled anchovies, and Burgundian wine.

But before they do their walkabout, Gian and Titus do learn something from Milo:  If anything, over the last couple of years, Massilia has actually become more prosperous, not less, despite the Visigoth regime.  Milo believes that as the Visigoths become increasingly hard pressed on several fronts, they are actually becoming more "pro business" because they need the money.  This is not to say that the majority of the humans here have it easier- generally, they don't.  But those in positions to make money are finding it easier.

On the other hand, a stroll the wealthy district in which the Mercator villa is located, the Carinade district, shows that all has not been well.  There are more abandoned properties than either remember.

Looking westward, they see that the Pharo Villas, the Salt Pans, and Pharo Cove look much the same.  Gian is curious about Pharo Cove- when they left, he was too young to enjoy the watering hole of the wealthy in Massilia.

Titus was very happy to see Filana and Milo. When he was last here, Milo's genius was just being realized so he is not surprised to see him holding such an important role. The news of what is selling and what price is not small intelligence as the insights will be useful back in Belgica.

When they have settled themselves and had some conversation with their hosts, he and Gian set out on their walk and when he notes Gian's interest in Pharo Cove he smiles, "The best way to get the sense of a place is a tavern, eh?"

They wander in the direction of the Cove with the intention of continuing their investigation.

OOC: I have lost track of years and numbers... How old is Gian at this point, Ben?

(OOC, I am assuming Gian is somewhere on the teenager/young adult cusp.  WHere do you want him to be?  If you haven't tracked it, no one else has!)

Under the menacing silhouette of the Pharo, Pharo Cove is the pleasure beach for the Select class.  On any given day quite a few wealthy Massilians will be resting here.  Just inland from the beach, Pharo Cove Tavern is their dining, drinking, and entertainment place. It is evening by the time Titus and Gian get here.  The beach is lit by the glow from the Pharo's light above, which sends down a reddish looking light at a high angle, making it hard to see outlines.  Titus doesn't remember the light having such a harsh look- has it been changing, somehow, in the years of Visigoth rule?

Then can make out the shapes of people on the beach, maybe a few dozen, but they cannot see details unless they approach.

But they go for the Tavern instead.  It's a sprawl of a structure, with newer components added to an ancient core.  The original Greek style villa is almost completely hidden.

Inside, it is almost empty.  Business must be very slow tonight, or perhaps it's just all out on the beach.  Titus recognizes just one person he remembers, Alsus Mucidia, who owns a large part of the farmland on the rocky peninsula to the south of the city.  There are a few others whom he does not know.  But it virtually empty.

A pair of bored looking musicians are playing very low key, slow tempo background music.

One other person Titus remembers; Fanclo Ancius, the innkeeper here.  On a busy night he would probably not be personally greeting people at the door, but tonight he is.

He is surprised to see Titus, and starts asking questions- is he back to stay?  On business?
 Who is his young friend?- as he guides Titus and Gian to a prime table in a semi-private booth with a good view of the stage.

"What is your pleasure, Titus?  How can we welcome a Mercator's return to Massilia?"

"Well met, old friend!

"You may recall my squire, Gian, here from before I took him northwards with me.", Titus enthusiastically respond to Fando's greeting pretending that the tavern keeper would, of course, remember a your servant.

Titus has placed a hand comfortably on Gian's right shoulder as he spoke, "We have returned on business, but when one returns to his family's home one can not help but take some pleasure in it, can one?

"Accordingly, we seek to remind ourselves of past pleasures this fine evening. Fine food and libations and perhaps a story or two. I seek to catch up on what I have missed!"

"I can't complain, Titus," Fanclo says.  "It's been good.  The Visigoths... they ask no more of us than Roman Emperors did.  Less, in some ways.  They can be vindictive, their ideas of justice too much or too little.  But we don't get sent off to war.  The Orcs insist on doing that all themselves.  Just... they do so much of it.

"They had a call out today.  That's when the Overtyrant- Harridog- tells the chieftains of the city that he needs an army raised.  Now, the next week or so is a lot of horse trading.  Every Orc wants to go to war, but Orc chieftains are wary about sending them.  The Orcs that serve them are their power base, and a chieftain who sees his troops slaughtered on the battlefield sees his power diminished.  Every chieftain wants to see victory, none want to pay the price.  So we shall see a lot of maneuvering and dealing. They may even come looking for help from us.  They are getting wiser by the day.  Still... I wonder where the next battle is.  Elves, Ostrogoths, Vandals... these days it might be other Visigoths."

"It had not occurred to be the challenges these rival warlords face.

"Well, I am glad to see that you and your place here seem well nevertheless! You shall see more in the coming weeks. After so many years in the north I have earned some time in the city of my birth."

OOC: Because I joined the game so clumsily I'm afraid I'm still uncertain about how official my presence is here. That is, am I here associated with the new House Palantus arrangement? I guess I'm a little unclear as to how overt the Mercator involvement with all of this is.

They have nothing against Titus non chalantly walking back and forth to visit House Palantus.  As long as he doesn't drag the whole House, or Mercator assets into it.  In fact, he can be of great assistance to the party because of his background.  So, he'd be invited- that was the whole point of his returning with the group, actually.

Taking a sip of wine Titus continues, "What of the Houses that remain here? Besides my own, of course."

Pausing with a smile, "I know what I know of our dealings, but what is the state of others here? Some of my fellow travelers from the north seem to be agents of Palantus, for example. What do you hear of the goings on there?"

Titus knows Fancio must answer that question delicately.

Some families are allied to the Mercators.  Of those, some have strong ties of shared histories, values, and even intermarriage, while others are linked only through mutually enjoyed business deals.

On the other side, some are unfriendly.  Again, the reasons and scope of the hostility varies.

But to Fancio, all of the wealthy houses are customers.  He can say nothing bad about any of them- too much can turn back on him.  He can't say anything bad about the Orcs either.

At least, not in public.

"You must know many families have prospered in this past year, Titus.  There are political complexities, and they seem to grow every year.  The Visigoths certainly do face their share of challenges.  And the more they are pressed outside... the greater the opportunities for those looking to.. to ease their burdens, locally.  Many of us have made very beneficial arrangements.  Not without costs, mind you.  Steep costs, at times. But, who wants to see Masillia fall to Vandal Pirates, or be wracked by warfare between Visigoth rivals?  We have to appreciate what we have here, no?  And it is glorious.  I hear there are quite attractive slaves brought in earlier- male and female.  I will have to pay the slave market a visit, see if I wish to put in a bid."

OOC: Doh! I thought I'd already posted. Mea culpa!

I can not recall exactly, but was Gian a freeman? If so, Titus would have most likely freed the lad before they headed north years ago.

Titus appreciates the Innkeep's care in replying to his question; however, he would have hoped for a bit of 'goo'. He then realizes that he has been away for long enough that despite his former connections he must regain the same trust he once had.

He takes another sip, "Indeed? Do you know from where this shipment of slaves has come to us?"

"I am afraid I have not yet heard," Fancio says. "But as I said, I will pay a visit, tomorrow I think, and see if any of them can be put to use here.  I hope it's some place exotic, everyone loves that.  I'm not sure if I agree, it's harder to get them to learn the language.  But customers like it and who is more important than my customers?  If you want, you can come with me.  Perhaps you'd like to make an offer yourself- someone to tend to that young genius we've heard about in House Mercator?"

A few people file in from the doors that face the beach.  They look a little inebriated.  One of them, though, Titus recognizes: Paulus Canias.  That family has been long aligned with the Mercators, building a mutual trust and friendship over the decades.  Titus recalls being invited to all their parties.

"Well, perhaps I will take you up on that tomorrow!", Titus says with another sip and a slightly embarrassed smile.

Over the edge of his cup he spots somebody from what seems like a rather long time ago. He excuses himself, "Pardon me, Fancio, but I ought to go reintroduce myself."

Standing he approaches the man who has just entered the establishment, "It has been far too long, dear Paulus. But I must say the years do not show on you at all!"

Paulus greets Titus happily, seeing an old friendly face in town.

But once they get past the easy subjects of family and other pleasantries, Paulus suggests that perhaps they take a walk on the beach tomorrow, when the sun is out.

There are some things he hints at, that he might want to talk about, but here is not the place.

"This is the most shameless gossip cathedral in Europa," he says.  "I'm certain half the people here are only here to listen to the other half."

Titus finds something unexpectedly refreshing about talking to Paulus. In truth he has thought of the man from time to time, but the years since he was sent north have been full. Full, but admittedly lonely as there have been few of those whom he has befriended that had anything like his own upbringing.

Here, however, was a true peer. Whether or not the man would still be a true friend was a matter to be determined, but there was only one way to determine that. Accordingly, he is pleased by the invitation.

With a chuckle Titus replies, "So some things have not changed at all, I take it?

"Yes, let us meet again on the morrow! If nothing else we ought to strategize on what we wish the followers of Fama be nattering about."

Excusing himself he returns to his table and orders himself and Gian food. As they eat he finds himself quite pleased about running into Paulus and their meeting tomorrow. If nothing else he has remade contact with an old friend.

Once they finish if there is nothing else to be done they return to the Mercator palazzo. His intention is to confirm what he can about the Canias relationship and whatever gossip is to be had about Paulus.

After all you can take the man out of Massilia, but it does not seem likely that the Massilia may be taken out of the man.

The following day, as most of the rest of the cast converges in the Old Town at the Palantus townhouse, Paulus Canias and Titus walk along the sea.

The stories Paulus tells are strange.  Paulus himself doesn't fully understand it.  But he's been piecing together what he has seen.

"For many of us, myself included, there is no denying it, things have gotten better," he says.  "The Visigoths are increasingly concerned with their own politics and their own wars.  So much the better.  They need us for money, for food, for making their kingdom work, but they know that the harder they squeeze at this point the less they will get."

Titus senses that right about now, in a conversation, there is a "but..."

"But,"  Paulus starts.  And there it is.

"But it's not like it used to be.  More and more, the great houses... not just here, but wherever the Visigoths rule... are being drawn into their ways.  Almost as if we are being encouraged, deliberately, to embrace the callous and debased nature of the Orcs.  Entertainments that once reflected genius and mastery now appeal to animal instincts.  There is no longer any rebuke from beating a slave, an animal, or even a child- the Orcs think it is amusing.  Some of that... rubs off.  They still do not wish us to be warriors, but they wish us to have all the most vile and crude instincts of an Orc.  I know it sounds strange.  I cannot guess as to what they would gain from it.  I cannot fathom how creatures so simple themselves would think in such subtle ways... but I see it.  Slow, soft, coercion.  Act as they do, and they become more lenient to you.  More lenient than they are to each other!"

Titus listens carefully as they walk. He is careful not to interrupt as he want to absorb everything Paulus has to say. Only when the man stops does he respond, "You know where I have been for so many years, my friend?

"I joined Theodoric's war against the Emperor Zeodreeg and his Huns in its earliest days. What we learned, and to some degree the way that we were able to defeat them understanding it, was that what had enabled to Emperor to gain not only his throne, but control of his tribes were demons. Their patronage did not simply fuel their Orcish rage, but gave their priests magical powers and creatures. Once He was on the throne his patrons had not merely been empowered by the sacrifices and cruelties committed by His armies, but they now had influence under non-Orc populations.

"We fought several Humans and folk of other races who had come under the sway of the demons and through the power of their Hun minions they almost wiped out the churches of our Gods and the Holy City of Arras itself. We were able to stop or limit this, thankfully, and with the fall of the Emperor things in the North are hopefully returning to the civilization lost with the demon's rise."

Pausing he looks at Paulus, "It seems to me as if having now firmly established their Visigoth followers here they are now attempting to corrupt everyone else. Whomever the greater demon is behind all of this is, His goal is not just to have His Orc tribe rule here, but to expand his influence throughout the region and that sounds like what you are describing."

"Demons are out of my league," Paulus says.  "But they have not destroyed the temples here... not all of them, at least.  We still have a few, and a few clerics.  I suppose that if I wanted to learn about Demons here, I would start there.  But I would do so very, very carefully.  Perhaps indirectly.  The Visigoths are distracted at the moment, they have their own concerns.  But that line of inquiry is the sort of thing that would draw their attention, and quickly."

He looks around instinctively, to make sure they are still alone.

"The problem with being.. well... us, is that the Visigoths, or maybe its their demons, pay a little more attention to us.  No one cares what street urchins do.  No one even learns their names."

Titus sighs and then smiles with resignation, "Well, yes... Look, my friend, I do not mean to encourage you to start with a study of demons, but to simply suggest that what you have described sounds similar to what they tried to do in the north.

"Given quiet, subtle support to the temples and clerics that remain is one thing that might be done without raising a 'flag', if you know what I mean. They are likely to begin in the coming months to become more overt about their effort, at least that it what I have seen.

"I suppose they may not as the Visigoths are under the influence of other demons and their tactics may well be quite different. I suppose that one Demon Prince might learn from another's failure...

"Whatever the case, their goal is to bring the non-Orcs within this realm under their influence also. This not only makes them better servants of their servants, the Visigoths, but imparts unto them even greater power as the evil done independently by other races is no less useful than that which is done by Orcs.

"I think what helped us in Northern Europa was not simply that we had a leader like Theodoric, but that he found allies in Elves, Lycanthropes, Dwarves, Halflings, Faeries, and many others. And at the same time, those leaders not only aided the priests, but non-religious who did not wish to live in the vile world that would have resulted in the Emperor's victory. This enable to cohesion of spirit, if you will, and body that ultimately defeated Him."

Titus pauses and smiles self-consciously, "Forgive me, for I fear I am lecturing. To your point, though, urchins get away with a rather lot do they not? There is an advantage to being 'beneath' notice. My concern is that if things continue as you say they are the Visigoths will begin to start paying closer attention. If you are not able to build some sort of resistance now, it may be too late."

Paulus muses for a while on the idea of non-Orcs being brought under the control of Demons, but the more he thinks about it...

"There are reports of the most awful and debased parties among some of the great houses.  Awful things done.  Slaves and even higher born abused and humiliated.  Those that I know... even myself... would all like to pass this off as exaggeration.  And yet there is the possibility that this is true. "

"But you talk of building a resistance... is such a thing even possible?"

<orange>OOC: Please forgive the absence. RL has once again stuck its ugly shnoze into things, but I'm hoping to be back into things more regular in the coming weeks.<\orange>

Titus smiles, "We did it in the North, did we not? Things are not the same here as they were up there at that time... I do not mean to suggest that this would be simple or without risk. Nevertheless, a few years before the Emperor fell the Emperor seemed invulnerable.

"If we can identify who their non-Orc agents are that is the place to start. After all, they are manipulating the Orcs, because it seems to be in their nature to follow their demon masters. Humans may certainly be manipulated, but it takes a bit more effort (and then, I should say we may actually become quite a bit more awful), so I think their loss is at greater cost.

"And, I believe, this is not only matter of whatever 'power' the demon uses in the first place, but in the fact that when other humans see how awful demon-tainted humans are it builds up a sort of resistance in them."

He pauses and smiles self-deprecatingly, "I think this is something I have never considered before, but this may be why communities un-touched by the demonic may be so much more likely to be manipulated by them, because in their naivete they are more likely to be infected... Look at me, I have become a theologian...

"Now we are all in trouble!", he says with a laugh.

Talk of "what we did in the north" comes as a surprise to Paulus.  The news hasn't fully filtered down yet.  No doubt, what few travelers, mostly merchants, that could have passed it on were cautious.  After all, speak about the wrong thing, and one could lose access to Massilia... and much more.  And even though there is no love between Hun and Goth, perhaps Orcs did not want to hear of tales of an Orc emperor being bested in the field by Human and Elven armies. Such talk might inspire ideas.  So perhaps, to those who knew, it was best left unsaid.

"If we are all in trouble, you might as well tell me," Paulus said.  "We've known of battles in the north, but little else.  Just what did you do there?"

Titus is a bit surprised that so little seems to be known here about events in the north. He pauses, "Well... You know of the Empire of the Huns?

"Under Theodoric, King of Belgica, formed an alliance with a variety of Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, the Priests of Arras, the Duke of Lucimburic and a few others and defeated them. His capital is now Lutetia Parisiorum.

"Have you heard nothing of this?"

"Not a thing," Paulus replies, "other than tales of endless wars and strife.  It makes the north seem a horrible place to be, unless you are an Orc, in which case it is glorious.  But the Goths are not keen on joining in Hun war- too much to lose and too little to gain.  So that is all that has reached us, tales of war, and no one here trusts in distant retold tales.  But you, I am willing to believe.  You do not have a charlatan's reputation.  But... Elves, you say?  There are some in the Alps.  There is a long and very bitter struggle between them, and the Goths.  If you want to bring pain to Goths, the Elves are your friends.  I have heard they keep a few spies in the city but even I have no idea who they might be.  I suppose, if I did, they would be poor spies."

Titus smiles at Paulus's joke, "Quite so. Well, whatever the case, the Hun Empire has fallen. Crushed, actually. They fled back eastwards."

He shrugs, "We found allies of all races to stand against the Hun Emperor and without that grand alliance I do not know whether we would have succeeded.

"For things here, though... I think starting small and determining the nature of the Rulership's weaknesses is the first step. For instance, finding the Humans who are not simply conforming to the Goth's leadership, but who are beginning to act in the same immoral manner. These are likely to be the catspaws through which they will attempt to better keep hold of power."

The mention of the 'catspaws' shakes Paulus a little.

"There are those who have accepted what the Visigoths offer.  They pay a price, each noble family has lost a few of their own, even those that are most obedient.  But they also reap rewards.  They have easy pick of slaves, they don't pay all the taxes we do.. of course whatever funds they save, I think they lose on expensive entertainments.  But the Orcs let the indulge themselves, and feed it.  In return... I am not sure entirely what the Visigoths get out of the arrangement, but what worries me... is that they get knowledge.  The more corrupt houses are still Human, still us, and they know us.  What would you do to them?"