<em>2 Mirtul<br/>Morning<br/>Eye of the Beholder</em><br/><hr/><br/>The sun has risen on an overcast, misty morning - typical weather for Baldur’s Gate. It remains to be seen if the fog will burn off or if it will soldier on through the afternoon and receive reinforcements at dusk.<br/><br/>Each of you arrives at the Eye of the Beholder from your various residences; Valena insisted on a daily check-in as part of your contracts. She greets you with a smile and a friendly “Good morning”, and once you are all assembled she gives the group a letter and a large iron key.<br/><br/>The wax is stamped with Lord Whitburn’s seal, and it is addressed to<em>Mara and the honourable members of her company.</em>The letter reads:<br/><br/><em>Friends,<br/><br/>Per my conversation last eve with Mara, I am entrusting you with the key to a certain abandoned festhall located at 665 Peregrine Street in Heapside.<br/><br/>I am prepared to lease the building to you rent-free, and only ask for a small commission on the profit you make in its operation. There is only one catch: the building has a reputation for being haunted. During the troubles we had a few years ago, there was an unfortunate incident that took place within. The doors were sealed; and since then, no one has willingly entered the building. I cannot get work crews to venture inside. Nor have I been able to convince adventurers to help. Adventurers! Always eager to rush off to forbidding places like Chult or Anauroch, and no time to help with dangers right beneath their noses!<br/><br/>I noted that some of your company are skilled with magic or with arms. Perhaps you would be able to take care of this small matter on your own. Or perhaps you know adventurers who would be able to undertake it. Either way, should you investigate and clear the festhall I will make good on my promises above.<br/><br/>Wishing you the best of luck,<br/><br/>Colin Whitburn</em><br/><br/>Once you have read the letter, a halfling stagehand, breathless from running, hurries towards you. “This says it’s for Five Eyes,” she says, and holds a bouquet of flowers out to Sharell. Like the previous bouquet, it is wrapped in white paper and tied with a neat red ribbon. Also as before, it consists of thirteen roses. But this time, eleven are red and two at the center are black. Again, the sender remains unknown.<br/><br/>“This arrived for you,” Valena says, removing a small package from her satchel and giving it to Brigitte. It is wrapped in red paper and secured with white ribbon. Should Brigitte open it, inside she will find a small, velvet lined jewelry box. It holds a finely crafted gold bracelet made of overlapping links. A charm, half a gold heart, is attached to the bracelet. It appears that the bracelet is half of a set, and there should be a second bracelet that has the matching half of the heart; but it is not included.<br/><br/>There is a card attached to the package. Written in what appears to be bright red lip gloss are the words,<em>I’ll be watching.</em>The card is signed with a drawing, also in red lip gloss, of an arrow piercing a heart. The arrowhead looks particularly cruel, drawn with many sharp barbs.<br/><br/>Valena has copies of the Balduran Times delivered each morning. The newest edition is available for perusal:<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: times new roman;">The Balduran Times</span></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: right;"><em>2 Mirtul</em></div><br/><strong>Duke Stelmane Survives Vote of No Confidence</strong><br/><br/>Yesterday afternoon Parliament held a vote to determine if Duke Belynne Stelmane should be divested of her title and removed from her seat on the Council of Four. Though she narrowly escaped by a margin of two votes, the long-term prospects of her retaining her title remain in question.<br/><br/>Duke Stelmane has been convalescing for the past several months, and has not voted on council matters during that time. “I regret to say I can no longer support Duke Stelmane being on the Council of Four,” said Lord Redlocks. “The people of Baldur’s Gate deserve representation, and as the duke cannot at this time provide it, she is obligated to resign.” When asked who he would support as a candidate, Lord Redlocks replied, “It would give me the greatest pleasure to vote for any Balduran who would uphold their vows and represent the city in all matters great and small.”<br/><br/>Lord Wyllyck Caldwell was more forthcoming. “There are many fine candidates from which to choose from. But if you ask me, no one is better suited for the office than my son, Lucas. He is everything a Duke ought to be.”<br/><br/>(The article continues with speculation on whether another vote will be taken, and who might succeed Duke Stelmane if the measure passes.)<br/><br/><strong>Parliament to Debate Alliance with Aradril</strong><br/><br/>A measure regarding the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Baldur’s Gate and the elven city of Aradril has been introduced into Parliament. Championed by Lord Whitburn, it provides for embassies, trade concessions, and a defensive pact in case either city comes under attack. Though hotly contested, the measure appears to have the support of the majority. Emissaries Ianora Nailo and Nimuel Sylvaranth are to appear before a closed session of Parliament this afternoon.<br/><br/>(The article continues with the pros and cons of the measure, concluding in favor of it.)<br/><br/>Beyond the front page, there is an article of interest in the<strong>Arts and Culture</strong>section, with Henk Herrold as the byline:<br/><br/><strong>The Queen Usurped! Rookies Upstage Luciana Belt! Greatest Debut in the History of the Eye!</strong><br/><br/>What a spectacular evening at the Eye of the Beholder! Never in the history of the Eye have ROOKIES taken a crowd by storm! These Superlative Six made the stage SING and the crowd SWOON!<br/><br/>When it was announced that Luciana Belt, superlative diva, would not be taking the stage, half the audience was about to storm out of the theatre in disgust. Then the magic began, a SEDUCTIVE voice and SULTRY tease. The crowd was on their feet! Cheering and screaming! Tuesday Knight’s bold act was truly a sight to behold!<br/><br/>The next act, starring Misty Midnight, started with comedy and ended with hypnotizing poetry. Following her came Five Eyes, with a bloodcurdling act that was easily the most controversial of the night! Some declared it superb! Others were shocked and outraged! The merits of her act will be talked about for some time by my reckoning! (And for the record, I thought it was overdone).<br/><br/>Alas, not every act was a hit. Next came The Two-Faced Man, who gave us the spectacle of a man lighting his house on fire and watching it burn. And that’s all I have to say about that! I was afraid the acts had peaked and it was all downhill from there, but no! Enter Wyld Gold with a display of SKILL and POWER that made the crowd explode! I could watch her all day! The night ended on a high note with Sunshine and her magic hands, fooling even accomplished practitioners of the arcane arts!<br/><br/>(The article ends with Henk congratulating the Superlative Six and eagerly anticipating their next show.)<br/><br/>Also of note is a column called the<strong>Socialite</strong>:<br/><br/><strong>The Socialite</strong><br/>Salutations, inquisitive reader! It is I, Janine Sleuth, your intrepid society reporter, here with the latest news from the Upper City. Last night turned out to be the social event of the week, as many of the city’s movers and shakers appeared at the Eye of the Beholder to watch the irresistible Luciana Belt. Top honors for gown of the evening must go to Lady Oberon, who looked delectable in lime green. And on the gentleman’s side, who could resist Lord Lucas Caldwell in black?<br/><br/>(The article runs through a long list of other attendees, noting that Lady Alana Silvershield was ‘elegant in blue velvet’, and that her elven companions ‘made a splash in their daring dresses.’)<br/><br/>The after-party at Bernstowes was as glamorous as one could expect. The highlight of it had to be Lord Lucas dancing with one of the performers, an unknown rookie no less. Who is this mystery woman who has earned the scorn of all the eligible daughters of the patriar families?<br/><br/>(The article ends with a summary of other events at the party, noting how Luciana Belt ‘left filled with fire and fury’ and how one of the elven emissaries seemed ‘enamoured by another performer’ and as they were seen leaving together, she wonders what ‘happened between them tete-a-tete.’)<br/><br/>And in the<strong>Classifieds</strong>section:<br/><br/><strong>Lost Hat</strong><br/>Lost: one magenta top hat. If found, please deliver to Henk Herrold at the Balduran Times.