The Orange Tulip Conspiracy

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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Mar 24, 2022 16:49:49 GMT

Post by Reyn on Mar 24, 2022 16:49:49 GMT

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🜚 Garden's Bounty

Though the majority of his interest was focused on music, Alaric was still quite fond of the visual arts. Perhaps it was a penchant for the extravagantly expensive, or a lifetime spent surrounded by hollow beauty, or, perhaps, he merely appreciated the obscuring power a glimmering façade could hold. Either way, his aesthetic sensibilities were second only to his symphonic. He knew good art when he saw it. That much could not be denied.

And, so, here he was; Garden's Bounty, a sweet little flower shop in Newtown, and one of the best in all of Praach, if his sources were to be believed. Certainly a place worth visiting, for someone with his particular penchants. Indeed, it was mere coincidence that it was run by one Sorina Lansten; a young maiden Alaric just so happened to have spotted about a few days prior at the Noon's Thirst Festival. After all, what reason would he have to intentionally follow her up? It was all hearsay, after all. Nothing serious. No, he was here for one thing and one thing only: her artwork.

The rest would come later.

He pushed open the doors of the flower shop with a smile, taking a few moments to admire the displays around him. His sources had been right all along; they really were magnificent. Alaric approached the shop owner, greeting her with a polite wave.

"Good afternoon, Miss Lansten." He said, "I'd like to inquire about a large-scale commission. Is that something you can offer?"

Last Edit: Apr 6, 2022 21:22:41 GMT by Reyn

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Mach
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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Mar 29, 2022 23:16:51 GMT

Post by Mach on Mar 29, 2022 23:16:51 GMT

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Although business at Garden's Bounty had slowed to a crawl during the annual Noon's Thirst Festival, it had taken no time at all to pick up again in the days that followed. Men sought flowers for their lovers, housekeepers scrambled to replace bouquets in the mansions they tended, and keepers of some of the more upscale inns in the city came for their regular arrangements to aid the atmosphere of their facilities. Many of the clientele were regulars, and the floor of the flower shop was filled with pleasant conversation as the staff helped them to place and fill their orders.

Sorina had been busying herself with tidying the displays on the floor. She had two clients scheduled today; a noble picking up an ornate arrangement to woo the woman he'd set his sights on, and an older gentleman insistent upon continuing to woo the woman he'd been wed to for the past five decades. Both arrangements were complete and ready for pick-up, but the men weren't coming by until later in the day, leaving Sorina free to inspect every bouquet in the shop for dried leaves or wilting stems. She moved from one display piece to the next, armed with a small pair of pruning shears and a pouch for spent leaves and petals. Sorina was just about to move to the next bouquet when a delicate chiming noise indicated the front door had opened.

She looked up, intending to greet the new customer, and couldn't quite keep an expression of surprise off of her face. Of all the faces she'd seen at the tavern during the Noon's Thirst festival, Alaric's was not one that she'd expected to make an appearance in her flower shop. Somehow, it came as almost more of a surprise when he revealed the purpose of his visit - an inquiry for a commission.

The surprise on Sorina's face quickly faded, replaced with pleasant enthusiasm as she welcomed the opportunity to talk flowers with a high-profile client. "Of course!" she agreed, tucking the pruning shears into the pouch on her belt. "Would you like a little tour of the shop for some inspiration? Or did you already have some specifics in mind?"

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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Mar 30, 2022 16:35:52 GMT

Post by Reyn on Mar 30, 2022 16:35:52 GMT

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Ah, she was surprised, was she? Alaric gave an amused smile. He was used to this sort of reception when he went about his business, being a celebrity, and all. In fact, the only unusual thing here was the question of whether her surprise came from his status, or his prior hostility at the festival. He would carry himself the same, regardless of the reason; as graceful and pleasant in manner as he was in song, allowing his true discordance to slip through ever so slightly, to see if she would pick up on it.

"Ah, I did have something in mind, though I wouldn't mind heeding your word." He said, "You are the expert here, after all. This piece shall be seen by a great many, gods willing; oh, I'd hate for them to get the wrong idea about it..."

He raised a clawed hand up to point at a display towards the back.

"I've been rather taken by lilies, as of late. Roses, too; though I find the traditional red to be a bit garish for my tastes. Black is a far better match for my usual gold, wouldn't you agree?"

Last Edit: Apr 6, 2022 21:22:53 GMT by Reyn

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Mach
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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Apr 5, 2022 22:53:15 GMT

Post by Mach on Apr 5, 2022 22:53:15 GMT

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Clients often came in with their own ideas of what they wanted. Part of Sorina's job was to sift out the good ideas from the less ideal ones. There were a number of things to consider - whether the flowers they listed actually matched their vision, if the plants were in season, if the arrangement matched their budget, and of course, whether or not the overall aesthetic would even be visually pleasing. If the client's ideas failed to tick any of those boxes, it was up to Sorina to steer it gently back into a safer domain. It required tremendous amounts of tact - no one wanted to be told that their ideas weren't fit to be brought to life.

Listening to Alaric's vision, she saw immediately that a bit of redirection may be necessary. Lilies were a lovely flower, but suited to a fairly narrow niche of applications. Unless Alaric was planning a wedding or a funeral, they would be terribly out of place. And for of those two occasions, the pairing of black roses he'd requested would be a nightmare. Black roses at a funeral would be a tremendous cliche, and would garner more gossip and whispers than actual sympathy. At a wedding...every shred of aesthetic sensibility in Sorina's mind recoiled at the thought.

She nodded carefully, letting Alaric see that she was considering his ideas before speaking. "Either of those flowers could be the foundation for a lovely arrangement," she agreed, ever the professional. "Black is a challenging colour to cultivate, so it's not something you see every day. But perhaps we should start with a little bit of background on the occasion, so we can make sure the arrangement is appropriate."

The flowers he had requested screamed 'funeral', but nothing about the way he carried himself seemed to suggest the man was in mourning. Sorina knew the combination of black roses and lilies was atrocious, but without specific context, she couldn't effectively communicate the details of why it was so terrible.

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Last Edit: Apr 5, 2022 22:54:12 GMT by Mach

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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Apr 6, 2022 21:51:20 GMT

Post by Reyn on Apr 6, 2022 21:51:20 GMT

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"Oh, I'm sure it is," He smiled, "Though I can't say I'm willing to substitute. Money is no object, Miss Lansten- not to someone like me. If you can cultivate enough roses for a display of this scale, then, rest assured, your payment will be more than sufficient- twenty platinum upfront, with at least thirty more to follow, depending on how long it takes."

Alaric wasn't known for his readiness to compromise; though, something told him that Sorina's concerns went beyond the matter of procurement.

"As for the occasion, well..."

He sighed, dropping his voice to a stage-whisper.

"Now, you mustn't tell a soul, but I'm planning a little soirée in the not-too-distant future, once a personal project of mine has finally wrapped up."

A pause. For effect.

"A musical project, of course. This gathering would serve as an afterparty to that particular performance, and perhaps even an encore for those unable to attend. All public, of course. I'm nothing if not generous."

The statement might have rang hollow, were it not for his earlier offer. Still, saying it was enough to prompt a short chuckle from the tiefling.

"If you think the lilies would clash, I'm willing to get rid of them- but the roses, I'm afraid, simply have to stay. Is that alright, hm?"

Last Edit: Apr 6, 2022 21:55:38 GMT by Reyn

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Mach
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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Apr 8, 2022 1:29:14 GMT

Post by Mach on Apr 8, 2022 1:29:14 GMT

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"Oh, no, the cultivation shouldn't be a problem. It's a rare shade, but we can certainly source them," Sorina explained. She didn't want Alaric doubting the capabilities of her shop, not for a second. He was an exciting client, and if Garden's Bounty were to provide him with an arrangement that met - or better yet, exceeded - his expectations, it was inevitable that word would spread. The publicity alone would be tremendous for the shop, never mind the deposit that Alaric was offering. Twenty platinum? She couldn't recall working on a project of this scale since they'd opened shop. "I only wanted to point out that it's not something that people see every day."

But now, listening to Alaric explain where the arrangement would be featured, she was starting to get the sense that something out of the ordinary was exactly what he was going for. And a public event. It wasn't often that Sorina got to work on a truly show-stopping piece, and even less frequently did she have the opportunity to see how her arrangements were perceived by their intended recipients. Once a client picked up a bouquet, it was out of her hands. While she got to hear stories of the emotions that could be elicited by the right selection of flowers - joy, gratitude, solace, adoration - she never got to see it first-hand. "Stop me if I'm off-track, but I'm getting the sense that something a bit out of the ordinary may be exactly what you're looking for," she continued with a smile.

It wasn't difficult to see that Sorina was excited about the project. Dozens of possible arrangements were already rushing through her mind. "The lilies...may be a bit out of place. Out of all the funeral processions we worked with last year, I don't think I could name even five services that didn't have a bouquet of lilies. It's just not the best option for a party," she explained.

But that wasn't to say she disliked the idea entirely. On a purely visual basis, white lilies and black roses would have been lovely. She just couldn't bring herself to get past the underlying connotations. "I do like the colours, though. If it matches the venue, white and black could be a striking combination."

She smiled, remembering who the arrangement was for. "Like the keys of a piano."

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Last Edit: Apr 8, 2022 1:29:43 GMT by Mach

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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Apr 10, 2022 17:54:41 GMT

Post by Reyn on Apr 10, 2022 17:54:41 GMT

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"Well, out of the ordinary is what I do best." Alaric chuckled, "Besides, these connotations ought not to concern you so much..."

He leaned in a little closer, once again speaking in a hushed tone.

"This particular project is a little macabre, to put it one way. I tend to play from life, you know; like a painter and his muse. It just so happens that my subject this time is more than a bit, ah..."

A pause. Alaric gave a terse frown, rhythmically tapping his hand against his thigh. Eventually, he seemed to have found the word he was looking for.

"Weighted."

He didn't seem satisfied. Still, he wasn't going to correct himself. Her note on the colours of the piece seemed to elicit a smile.

"Yes, yes! Like a piano!"

His voice was louder, now- and a touch more enthusiastic to boot.

"Oh, that would be magnificent; there's actually a rather large pipe organ that spans a few walls in the banquet hall. Now that you've put the idea in my mind, perhaps entwining a few roses around the pipes would also be a good idea, if only to carry the design through to the back of the hall..."

For a moment, he appeared to be genuinely excited; quite unbefitting for a man of his expected demeanour. He corrected himself swiftly with a sharp cough.

"Regardless, I shall leave the specifics of the piece in your capable hands, Miss Lansten."

He paused. The smile returned, though this time it didn't seem so warm.

"Ah, if you'd like, I could offer you a little preview of the performance this is all for. It may help inspire you."

Last Edit: Apr 10, 2022 17:57:44 GMT by Reyn

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Mach
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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Apr 24, 2022 17:05:58 GMT

Post by Mach on Apr 24, 2022 17:05:58 GMT

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With some clients, it could be difficult to tell when an idea hit home. But Sorina was pleased to see that this was not the case today. Her comment about the colour palette was well-received. For a moment, the air of stoic professionalism was replaced by what seemed like genuine enthusiasm. Yes, black and white flowers was the way to go. The rarity of the dark flowers would elevate what was already sure to be a high class event, while the white would provide the perfect lightness and contrast to tie things together.

Sorina's enthusiasm matched Alaric's own when he mentioned the offer of a preview. "I can't turn that down," she answered. "It would be helpful to see the venue ahead of time, so I can understand the space I'm working with. A preview of the performance...that would be wonderful. I'm sure I'll be able to design something truly spectacular."

With the initial vision agreed upon, there were still a few more details to work out. Sorina gestured to the tables near the back of the shop, which housed a few heavy ledgers and bottles of ink. "I'm afraid we've reached the more dull part of event planning," she said apologetically, beginning to make her way to an empty table. "If you'll follow me, we can get the specifics recorded - the date of the performance, the venue size, things like that. Then I can get you a proper quote for the display, and the deposit. Your offer was very generous, but I do want to make sure that we're charging you fairly for this piece."

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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy Apr 30, 2022 17:59:07 GMT

Post by Reyn on Apr 30, 2022 17:59:07 GMT

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"Why, of course." Alaric smiled, "It would be an honour to have you. How does next week sound, hm? At the concert hall? You can meet me after the Friday rehearsal- or during, if you don't mind serving as a test audience. We can move to my residence once I'm finished there."

Ah, he hoped they would be ready to perform then. The last thing he wanted was for them to show him up in front of his guest- though, he could always offer a more private concert later on to offset the damage. Magic or not, he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to show off.

"Ah, certainly- I wouldn't want to be short-changing you here."

He walked over to the table, seemingly lost in thought.

"Let's see... I'm afraid I can't give you an exact date for the performance, but I wouldn't expect it for a good couple of months." He frowned, "The venue is... quite large- too large, really, given that it's meant to be my house. It was built to hold gatherings such as this, so don't think you'll be pressed for canvas when the time comes to put it all together. As for the offer, well..."

Alaric glanced around the room, making sure nobody was listening, before leaning over the table to mutter something to Sorina.

"If money's not enough, I can offer a certain kind of protection which you might find useful. Especially given your, ah..."

He paused.

"Your quite enviable heirloom."

A shot in the dark, as was common for the tiefling. The Lansten Helm was not unknown to him, but much of its specifics were; what it did, how it worked, and who it was given to. It was unlikely to be Sorina, he had to admit, but there was still a possibility. Besides, if he were wrong, his prior generosity might just be enough to distract from how strange the assumption was to make.

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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy May 18, 2022 1:58:17 GMT

Post by Mach on May 18, 2022 1:58:17 GMT

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Sorina couldn't help but wonder how many people were privileged enough to have witnessed one of Alaric's concert rehearsals. Music was somewhat removed from her area of expertise, but with at least one foot in the event-planning industry, it was inevitable that she heard her fair share of gossip every now and then. And from what she'd heard, even witnessing a polished performance was a rare treat - never mind a rehearsal.

"Friday works perfectly," she answered, flipping to a fresh page in one of the heavy books the florists used for record-keeping. She smiled, wetting the tip of a quill with ink before beginning to jot down the details of her clients' request, continuing to chat as she did so. "And even if it didn't, I think I'd make it work. I couldn't pass up a preview performance."

She listened, appending her notes as Alaric spoke. There was no specific date yet, but that wasn't an issue. They could finalize the details over the next few months. The size of the venue wasn't an issue either - the more space she had to work with, the more impressive the potential display could be. She was in the process of calculating an appropriate deposit when Alaric returned to the topic of price, undoubtedly about to offer an outrageous overshoot once more. But instead of specifying a number, the tiefling leaned forward, the volume of his voice dropping to a barely audible level as he made a different offer.

Sorina's heart felt as though it stopped for a second, only to return to pounding so heavily she could hear it in her ears the next. Alaric couldn't know about the helm...could he? No, no one knew. Not even the rest of the Lanstens. It had only been a matter of months since Marek's death, and in that span of time, the helmet had remained buried under bags of potting soil in the storage shed.

Unless this was some sort of ploy from the helmet itself. If the cursed artifact could control when its owner lived and died, then was it such a stretch to believe that it had made itself known to someone outside the Lansten family? In the hopes that divulging the family secret might somehow encourage Sorina to don the helmet? Her mind raced through one possibility after another, until she realized that she needed to answer now. The silence was already suspicious. "That won't be necessary," she responded, her words carefully measured. "My family and I are somewhat estranged - I have no such heirlooms. That's a bit of a personal matter, though."

Why had she lied? If he already knew, then surely there was no harm in accepting a little bit of extra protection. But the thought of acknowledging the helmet, and the heavy legacy that came with it, made her heart beat even harder. No, the helm would remain a carefully covered secret for as long as she could manage. She scrawled a final set of numbers into the book, before raising her gaze to meet Alaric's once more."Five platinum is more than sufficient for a deposit," she said, trying and just barely failing to maintain her composure. The excitement had gone out of her voice, replaced with a disconnected professionalism. "I can get you a final quote once I've seen the venue."

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Last Edit: May 18, 2022 2:05:09 GMT by Mach

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The Orange Tulip Conspiracy May 22, 2022 20:38:39 GMT

Post by Reyn on May 22, 2022 20:38:39 GMT

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"Ah, wonderful!" He said, "Meet me at the concert hall, then- the Highroad Symphony Orchestra, if you need a specific name. I'm sure its primary conductor would be more than happy to send you my way, no questions asked."

Indeed- such was always the case with Gideon, even when questions very well should have been asked.

Sorina's silence was a tad suspicious, though she verbally denied his accusation. Alaric regarded the pause with a raised eyebrow, but seemed willing to take her at her word- matching her surface-level denial with his own surface-level acceptance. The statement had, to him, been so obviously false that anything other than immediate laughter would've prompted suspicion, although, he had to admit, a brief pause was hardly the smoking gun he was looking for. He wasn't going to press any further, but he wasn't going to let up entirely.

"Right, my apologies." He said, "I know what it's like to be hunted, to be envied... I fear I may have been externalising my own woes- projecting, if you will, these burdens upon you. Perhaps my time at the writing desk has made me a tad more sentimental than I'm used to."

He gave a practised sigh.

"Though, if you change your mind, do let me know. It need not be for matters of the helm- if anyone at all is bothering you, then I'd be more than willing to help relieve the strain. Just say the word."

A smile. Then, a complete change in tone- the hushed whispers of concern giving way, once more, to that almost unintentional excitement. Alaric reached into the small leather pouch on his hip and produced a fistful of coins, laying them out on the table before him.

"Ten platinum." He smiled, "My final offer."

Last Edit: May 22, 2022 20:39:29 GMT by Reyn

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