CeremonyThe rows of disguised enforcers are listening to the confessor's words in silence. All around you are Sauerback's chosen people, each dressed as a member of the officers' families. Close by, a kindly-looking old woman is fumbling with a starched handkercher. Catching your eye, she smiles with a mouth that is missing half its teeth, then whispers, "Everything is going as planned, Your Lordship/Ladyship."
YOU[Look at the participants in the ceremony]
CeremonyThe facade is holding, with everyone playing their role perfectly. The Master-at-Arms must have instructed them thoroughly and shown them how best to conceal their weapons. All of them are wearing their best, and even you cannot tell where they are hiding their armaments.
YOU[Look at the participants in the ceremony]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And who might you be, madam matriarch?"
Belinda Traufgold"Belinda Traufgold, Lord Captain. Transferred from the enforcers with the rank of senior lieutenant to the staff of Your Lordship/Ladyship's quarters on account of my age and declining health. But, as you can see, there's no such thing as a former enforcer." A friendly smile stretches across her bloodless lips.
YOU[Look at the participants in the ceremony]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And who might you be, madam matriarch?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So, why would Sauerback entrust my safety to someone so... advanced in years?"
Belinda Traufgold"I guess the Master-at-Arms remembers how Belinda used to be the best shot among the enforcers back in the day, and knows that my eye and hand have not diminished over the years. I spent forty years on duty, and to this day, I can tell if a man is carrying contraband in his pockets just by the way he is walking."
Belinda Traufgold"I am grateful to Mistress Sauerback for the honour. I don't want to die in my bed. Let me fall in battle, defending the Lord Captain and crushing traitors." Belinda gives an imperious yet absent-minded nod and dabs her eyes with the handkercher.
YOU[Look at the participants in the ceremony]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And who might you be, madam matriarch?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So, why would Sauerback entrust my safety to someone so... advanced in years?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am bored. Perhaps you might amuse me with a story."
Belinda Traufgold"Oh, the stories I could tell... I remember, in the early days of my time in service, someone started poisoning the food in the kitchen. We couldn't catch the vermin, so I came up with an idea to get into a vat of protein porridge and catch them unawares. I was a small and skinny little thing, so I climbed into the vat and sat there up to my neck in porridge. I waited a long time before someone lifted the lid. It wasn't one of the kitchen servants, but a man twice my size, carrying a bag of foul-smelling stuff!"
Belinda Traufgold"And that was it! I grabbed him by the shoulders and dunked him into the porridge. I held the brute down until he passed out. The Master-at-Arms back then, he lauded my ingenuity and commended me for apprehending the poisoner, but he also took the cost of the porridge out of my wages."
YOU"Perhaps you should have climbed into an empty vat."
Belinda Traufgold"You're not wrong! But I was young and foolish, and thought only of how I might nab the culprit."
YOU"Perhaps you should have climbed into an empty vat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You could have drowned an innocent man in porridge."
Belinda Traufgold"What kind of innocent man would skulk about a kitchen where food was being poisoned? If he wasn't a saboteur, he was a thief. Either way, he wasn't there to season the porridge, that's for sure."
YOU"Perhaps you should have climbed into an empty vat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You could have drowned an innocent man in porridge."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your story was boring."
Belinda Traufgold"Don't be angry with an old woman, Lord Captain. I'm an enforcer: nobody taught me how to speak glibly. My talents are of a different kind."
CeremonyThe ceremony comes to an end. The vows are given and the forehead of every officer is graced with the touch of the confessor. Now comes the moment for the closing prayer.
Confessor Arabella"And may the God-Emperor protect us..."
CeremonyA loud and menacing voice booms through the hall, cutting short the sacred words: "But not today."
end of branch
Confessor Zirmen"And may the God-Emperor protect us..."
CeremonyA loud and menacing voice booms through the hall, cutting short the sacred words: "But not today."continues where this line first appears above
Confessor Tercitius"And may the God-Emperor protect us..."
CeremonyA loud and menacing voice booms through the hall, cutting short the sacred words: "But not today."continues where this line first appears above
Confessor Cecilia"And may fate protect the Great Beacon..."
CeremonyA loud and menacing voice booms through the hall, cutting short the sacred words: "But not today."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a delightful tale! Give me another!"
Belinda Traufgold"I'm afraid we don't have time, Lord Captain. We must be vigilant — the treacherous scum is about to reveal himself."
CeremonyThe ceremony comes to an end. The vows are given and the forehead of every officer is graced with the touch of the confessor. Now comes the moment for the closing prayer.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your story was boring."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a delightful tale! Give me another!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You could have drowned an innocent man in porridge."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your story was boring."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a delightful tale! Give me another!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Do you believe Nemesite will fall for our ruse?"
Belinda Traufgold"Judging by the way that serf in the back row keeps glancing around, our Nemesite has swallowed the bait just like the void rat he is. The porridge will hit the fan any moment now." A most benign smile crosses her face.
CeremonyThe ceremony comes to an end. The vows are given and the forehead of every officer is graced with the touch of the confessor. Now comes the moment for the closing prayer.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am bored. Perhaps you might amuse me with a story."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Do you believe Nemesite will fall for our ruse?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So, why would Sauerback entrust my safety to someone so... advanced in years?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am bored. Perhaps you might amuse me with a story."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Do you believe Nemesite will fall for our ruse?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And who might you be, madam matriarch?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So, why would Sauerback entrust my safety to someone so... advanced in years?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am bored. Perhaps you might amuse me with a story."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Do you believe Nemesite will fall for our ruse?"continues where this line first appears above