Downridge

Imbolc, IX H.C.

As Earnest, Hannah, Gwen, Litha and Octavio travel to Downridge to begin their jouney to Clockminster in the Free Dominions, they can't shake the feeling that they are being followed. Arriving in Downridge, they have an expected reunion with Malakai, and a quite unexpected reunion with Sylvie, who has returned from The Pinewood wingless, tattered and whispering, but seemingly with a renewed sense of purpose.

After an unremarkable climb up the Great Stairs, their arrival in Topridge is met with a garrison of the Imperial Army instead of the usual Porcelain Guard. It is explained to them over dinner at the chaotic Flammel household that the Imperial takeover of customs has been a source of great strife in The Upstairs. Later, Litha is pulled aside by her brother Hugo, who explains with concern that not only have her younger twin siblings, Andrew and Agnes, have gotten tangled up with Fianna Saoirse, but they are currently laying low in Tuberdam after having gotten into some sort of serious trouble there.

A decision is quickly made to take a detour to The Bathroom to investigate. After some poking around, the twins are located in a seedy rooming house in the slums of Tuberdam. They explain that they were supposed to recover a shipment of weapons that were being delivered from somewhere downstairs and deliver them to an agent of the Fianna. However, they were also approached by a mysterious Slyph named "Donnelly", who offered them some extra coin slip another package through customs at the same time. But when Donnelly came to collect, he showed up with a gang of Sluagh and stole the weapons meant for the Fianna. Now the Fianna are after the twins for not having the weapons, and word has come that the seller (one "Madame Bijou" from The Realm) is sending someone special to sort the matter out.

Deciding that recovering the weapons is the best strategy, "Donnelly" is tracked down to rough-looking bar and turns out to be none other than Gunther Lichtmann. He is surrounded by a gang of Sluagh, including Tubo and someone Malakai recognizes from Deepdown as having the same last name as him. After a brief brawl in which Earnest and Tubo fight to a draw and Malakai makes an unexpected connection, the gendarmes arrive and take everyone into custody. After some quick talking, Our Heroes (with Melik in tow) are released and secure the weapons shipment.

However, upon arriving back at the boarding house, they are greeted only by a very agitated Bonbon and a note - Andy, Aggie, Gwen and Hannah have been taken by the mysterious enforcer sent by Madame Bijou. Going to the warehouse described on the note, they discover that the enforcer is the notorious Luther from Astraviya, accompanied by a large number Boggarts outfitted in green-and-black checked suits. Luther is pleased to receive the stolen weapons, but is rather displeased to discover Litha, whom he distinctly remembers being shot by. A tense stand-off occurs as Luther draws a pistol looking for a bit of revenge. Sylvie's whispered threats seem to sway him to stand down, but then Gwen suddenly goes Juggernaut to "protect her woman" and Luther, a bit dazed from being tossed across the room, agrees to let them go.