TTR 0: Zum King's Palace

 The Tide Returning, by Zedeck Siew. Running Cairn with home-brew.

Grandaunt Ngeng will not wed!

Middle Month of Summer. Day 1.

The Great Wood, a tidal mangrove forest populated by elder trees the size of skyscrapers. At the southern end of the forest lies the city and palace of Zum, a colonial-military-merchant population who has "co-habitated" with the Witch Folk of the Great Wood for the last few generations. Two days ago the Zum King (and his canny Scepter) disappeared.

A young wild woman with magical tracking abilities: Ilira. A cautious and investigative Gul bodyguard: Brook. A legendary gentleman Zum thief: Alaric. These three are contacted by the vizier to the throne, to meet at the Second Market Docks. A water wrestling match is overseen at the docks by Karor (sentient tiger) and Good Captain Fintan (greasy leather-clad stranger). 

Ilira watches the scene from a nearby side-dock-street. Brook avoids the wrestling at the outer edges of the Second Market Docks, keeping to himself. Jubilo, asshole puppeteer and man-on-the-run, enjoys the show. 

The vizier waves Brook and Ilira over, and scans the crowd for Alaric. Jubilo glimpses the vizier, makes eye contact, and joins the group. The vizier confirms that Jubilo is Alaric and Jubilo lies, taking the thief’s place. The vizier explains that the city knows that the king is missing, but what really matters to the nobility is that the Scepter is returned. The noble houses have people searching the city. “You three have been specially selected to search the wood.” The trio is promised riches beyond their wildest dreams. By late afternoon, tomorrow, they will have a skiff available for rental. In the meantime they’re offered to load up on supplies and investigate the palace (where the king was last seen).

Brook excitedly follows the vizier back to the palace to investigate, Ilira and Jubilo following. Ilira catches a gentlemanly-thiefly-looking character enter the docks and exclaim, “Sorry I’m late!” Jubilo notices that Good Captain Fintan is on their trail. They exchange winks.

Naus, the royal guard outside the palace, is experiencing a strong allergic reaction to cat hair. Brook attempts to scale the building but slides back to earth, dizzy on solid ground. Inside the palace nearly every object is canny-ware. The Front Doors whisper suspicion towards the Peacock Fan. The Bolster Pillow weeps, heartbroken that the king has been sleeping with his Scepter instead of her. The Writing Bench has been transcribing Witch Folk songs. Ilira starts to write one herself, but the writing bench becomes uncomfortable with her using the pen. Ilira notices and stops. The Chamber Pot is useless. The Veranda Door died last week. “Sickness,” says the Peacock Fan. 

Outside, a river separates the palace from the Great Wood. In the middle of the river is a small islet that can be hopped on to cross shores. Two tracks lead towards the palace. On the left bank is a shore of mud that recently washed away any clues that could have been offered. On the northeast side of the bank is quite a scene: piles of cat fur, all colors and patterns. Between the piles, tracks of at least seven people.

Ilira scoops up the fur and piles it into the palace room. She lays on top of it. Brook finds the Peacock Fan’s ash tray on the veranda facing the wood. Jubilo questions the Peacock Fan about what she saw but the Fan doesn’t relent. Jubilo interrogates her, grabbing, squeezing, and pulling away feathers from the fan. It breaks and snaps her arms out of their sockets. The Fan still does not relent. 

Jubilo goes to question the Silk Parasol instead. She’s monosyllabic, but helpful. It seems the king and his Scepter ran from the palace. A group of something dangerous was here. “Monsters,” says the Silk Parasol. 

Day 1, Late Afternoon.


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