Having burned down their last house, the troupe relocate back to the Tempest while Mar’Khabazza finalizes the purchase of the Salt House, a reinforced two-story manor house just north of Noble’s Row. So-called because it’s previous owner was one of the primary importers of salt from the Chati of the northern frozen wastes.

While he is doing that, Magnus looks up Sergeant Joktuk and they have beverages together in the Four Brothers, an inn in the lower city. Ravenna goes to the library and starts her research about Duergar and is visited by Savenia Loresong who starts treating her nice.

Magnus, sitting in the common room of the Tempest spots a hooded and cloaked figure enter the inn. The figure reveals herself to him as Lady Catriona von Indi and she motions for him to come to a small room upstairs. He follows her up and allows himself to be seduced by her.

September 12

A messenger arrives to the Tempest with a written message for Mar’Khabazza. It is a formal invitation to a meeting at House Bates that evening by Master Ashlock Bates, father to Ogslight and Morley.

The trio go to the meeting and are met in a grand office by Ashlock Bates and his surviving son Ogslight whom they first met in Beryl during the sale of iron to Mordant Grimsby. Master Bates opens the conversation pleasantly enough and then gets down to business.

“Mar’Khabazza, I wanted to meet you for a long time but you have been busy travelling of late. The reason for this meeting is because I wanted to meet the man who killed my son, Morley.”

Mar’Khabazza tries to explain that it was Morley who trespassed with his Hood friends and tried to kill them, but he is waved off.

“I wanted to meet you because I wanted you to know that I am not just going to have you killed. I am going to ruin the lives of you and you, your daughter, and your dogsbody. I am going to make you wish you had never been born. Then, and only then, will death come for you.”

Magnus and Ravenna both consider swift and immediate violence but Mar’Khabazza, having no desire to spend any more time in the circus that is Opal’s judicial system, placates them and bids good evening to Ashlock and Ogslight.

September 13

The troupe takes posession of the Salt House and Mar’Khabazza begins outfitting it in the manner of his people. He hires four staff for the house:

• Sentinel Fengus – a mature yet doughty Northman as the daytime guard and doorman
• Sentinel Jarad – a foppish yet hard-hearted Northman as the nighttime guard and doorman
• Masha – an ancient and imposing Koyatki matron who runs the house with a kindly efficiency
• Lotwil Veriatus – a rough looking, taciturn man from the Empire as the butler and housekeeper

Also moving in is Naisha, the youthful Chati trapper who was kidnapped by slavers and brought to Opal. She worked in the mines to pay off her manumission until she was brought to the Duergar mine. She is quiet and withdrawn, spending a lot of her time smoking a pipe on the porch with Magnus.

In the evening gloom, Earthcaller Franzahl appears outside of the Salt House with a map to Halmgar’s lair. It is in the seventeenth hall on the right hand side of the fifth level of the mines.

“Is it that there can be nothing that links you to us when you do this thing. Is it that you understand?”

Mar’Khabazza also sends Loresong to find and fetch Justiciar Trueheart to see how House Bates will come after them. Loresong brings Trueheart back to the Salt House who explains that house Bates is allies with House Indi and House Rin’ji. House Bates and Rin’ji previously destroyed House Terilaen and House Tesper who once made a play for a larger share of the trading business in Opal. House Rin’ji used its influence in the courts to have Senator Mehr Stonehallow push a law though that made it illegal for Terilaen or Tesper to be a member of the Merchant’s Guild, effectively cutting them off from trade, liquid funds and access to other resources.

Changing topics, Mar’Khabazza diplomatically and tactfully asks Muriel Trueheart for access into the mines. She packs her own pipe and exhales a cloud of foul black smoke. “I can arrange it with Senator Redstone who, I believe, is rather fond of you, Rekha. Though it might take some time to procure the proper documents.”