9 – A Poetic Party and Toad in a Hole

The party seek the advice of Cola on the three ancient coins they had found in the cloacal realms beneath the city. He suggests that they gift them to the poet Petracca who is known to be a collector of such things. Due to be crowned Poet Laureate in a couple of weeks time, Petracca is a good man with whom to be onside according to the notary.

A few days later, back at the House of Crows, they receive a visit from an unusual pair. Two women, eccentrically dressed in men’s attire arrive at the door. They give their names as Bettina and Marisa. Through Donna Giulia of La Deliziosa they have heard that the House of Crows is seeking door guards. Given a lack of other contenders for the post, after a short interview they are hired (though they do take the precaution of contacting Giulia to check their references, which prove satisfactory).

Almost their first visitor is a herald who delivers the thanks of Francesco Petracca for their gift and an invitation to the private reception after the public ceremony on the 8th April.

On the day itself Marco, Rocco, Father Arturo and Fra. Giovanni make their way through the streets to the Capitol. They are joined by a newcomer to Cola’s famiglia, a young magus by the name of Lorenzo. All have upgraded their wardrobe for the after-party, but the journey through the crowded streets proves hard on their new threads. The city is fairly thronging with poetry enthusiasts – as well as those attracted by the free food and especially drink provided by the City Fathers for the occasion. However, none have their pockets picked. Nor are they drawn into any of the free-wine induced street-brawls they observe on their way to the Piazza del Popolo.

There they stand witness to the ceremony, in which Francesco Petracca is crowned with laurels. They listen stoically to several long speeches and a poetry recital, and note that the tone seems very much in tune with Cola’s rousing demagoguery on the theme of restoring the past greatness of Rome. Indeed, Cola actually receives a name-check (amongst others) in Petracca’s acceptance speech.

After the ceremony and the speeches, they follow a stream of chairs and palanquins down the Capitoline and up the Palatine to the palazzo in which the reception is to be held, stopping off in the Forum market to refresh their appearances. On arrival there is some resistance from the functionaries guarding the entrance and checking bona fides, who plainly consider them to be uncouth and under-dressed. However, they wave their invitation with Petracca’s seal attached and are grudgingly admitted.

Dispersing around the party they make a few interesting acquaintances. However, it is Rocco’s chance discovery of a plot against young Matteo Corsini that dominates their evening. It seems that a gang of young yahoos of the Frangipani famiglia, who disapprove of Matteo’s liaison with their sister, Serena, were planning to waylay him as he departed the festivities.

With the assistance of Lorenzo who, it transpires, can by his Arts change a person’s appearance, they hatch a plan with Matteo and his serving man Noli. Fra Giovanni and Father Arturo, closest to them in height and build, take their semblance and lure the Frangipani youths away in pursuit. Meanwhile Corsini and his servant leave quietly by another exit. In due course the Frangipani catch up with the priests, but finding their quarry not to be who they had expected, depart in bafflement. The party meet up with Matteo and Noli near the House of Crows to toast the success of their stratagem.

A few days later the same party descend into the cloacal realm beneath the House of Crows. They return later that day carrying a sack of loot and Brother Giovanni who is missing a foot. It seems that he was seized by a giant toad that would have dragged him into a deep pool there to devour him or feed him to its brood. It got his foot but Rocco and Marco between them managed to rescue the rest of him. Strangely it seems that while lacking the appendage, the friar is surprisingly hale after his ordeal and the stump perfectly healed. There is talk of a veritable miracle attending the prayers of Father Arturo.