Chapter Summaries

Arthur found Gram’s translated page of the [Herc Notes] and learned the secret art Hand of the Void. After creating and improving two invisible hands, he impressed Maltz and agreed to leave the next step to him.

• Arthur found a page of the [Herc Notes] in Gram’s vest and used 10 XP to learn Hand of the Void.
• Arthur summoned a Hand of the Void and spent 20 XP to raise the art to Lv2, allowing him to create two hands.
• Arthur sent the two Hands of the Void to retrieve his umbrella, “Anna,” and the Medium's Case from the rooftop.
• Maltz watched the objects float into Arthur’s hands and reacted with alarm.
• Arthur asked Maltz about the next step, and Maltz hinted at the unusually long rainy season; Arthur said he would leave it to him.

Arthur returned to 2 Kirk Street after solving the case, while Maltz staged Audo’s murder to strengthen his position and conceal his own actions. At the Shire District police station, Maltz appealed to Woolt for an early retirement, and Woolt considered his request against a promise he had already made.

• Arthur thanked Maltz, returned toward 2 Kirk Street, and planned to use Scott for news coverage and Wiggins to watch Maltz and search for Toad’s hideout.
• Maltz asked the patrol officers where Audo was and sent two of them to find him.
• The patrol officers found Audo’s staged corpse in an alley, and the station collected everyone’s earnings from the outing.
• At the Shire District police station, Maltz told Woolt that Audo had ordered him to leave because he was unwell.
• Maltz asked Woolt for an early retirement, but Woolt had already promised Maltz’s position to someone else.

Woolt gave Maltz one week to solve Audo’s murder while maneuvering to secure the Shire District chief position and redistribute its profits. Maltz comforted the patrol officers and returned to his office, while no one went to examine Audo’s body.

• Woolt invoked the New Law to order Maltz to solve Audo’s murder within a week, and the other officers silently sided with Woolt.
• Woolt berated the patrol officers and warned them they would lose their uniforms if the case remained unsolved.
• Maltz recognized that Woolt was trying to cut people out of the district’s shares to fund his bid for chief.
• Maltz reassured the patrol officers and gave Dico a Gold Ticket to buy them a drink.
• Maltz returned to his office as the officers dismissed him, and nobody went to examine Audo’s body.

Woolt visited Sarah, hoping to use her to secure the Shire District chief position, but Arthur’s black widows and a shattered vase left Woolt dying in a pool of blood. Sarah fled with a suitcase, and Arthur retrieved the spiders before leaving.

• Woolt worried that Audo’s death would force him to pay off rival district chiefs with cash and assets to keep his bid for the Shire District chief position alive.
• Woolt went to Sarah’s rented home with a crystal ring, intending to persuade her to help him approach the chief of the Dort District.
• Two black widows slipped into Woolt’s pocket and wig as he entered Sarah’s home.
• An argument broke out between Woolt and Sarah, ending with Woolt striking her and a vase shattering over him.
• Sarah fled with a suitcase, while Arthur found Woolt bleeding and retrieved the black widows.

Arthur watched Amy kill and dismember Woolt, then leave South Los with Sarah after they set Woolt’s house on fire. At the station, Maltz urged Middle and Gitt to flee, but they chose to join his plan against those who had been targeting him.

• Amy comforted Sarah while dismembering Woolt, explaining that she was repaying Sarah for saving her and had to leave South Los after meeting a frightening Medium.
• Amy learned Woolt had planned to send Sarah to keep the Chief of Dort District company, and Sarah asked to leave with her.
• Amy and Sarah packed their belongings, carried away Woolt’s remains, and set the house on fire before walking toward the Inner Bay; Arthur watched from the shadows.
• After patrol reported the fire, Maltz, Middle, and Gitt inspected 4 Garden Street and found no body, leaving the officers vulnerable to being framed for Woolt’s death.
• Maltz gave Middle and Gitt a wallet and urged them to flee, but they chose to risk everything, while Maltz resolved to deal with one remaining person.

Arthur reassured Wiggins that Maltz’s visit to the Count was part of a plan to use profit and public support to reshape the Shire District police station. The newsboys announced that Maltz had solved the murders and been appointed chief.

• Wiggins reported that Maltz had entered the Count’s mansion, and Arthur told him to wait and trust Maltz.
• Arthur explained that Middle and Gitt’s connections could help Maltz win the Count’s support by offering him profits and a better reputation.
• Arthur paid Wiggins for his surveillance and asked him to find Toad’s real hideout.
• Newsboys announced that Maltz had solved the murders of Chief Woolt and Officer Audo and had been promoted to chief of the Shire District.

After Maltz’s actions against corrupt police were reported, Arthur upgraded his swordsmanship and considered how to gain enough power and find stronger swordsmanship. Unexpected visitors arrived at 2 Kirk Street, leaving their identities unrevealed.

• Wiggins concluded that Arthur had persuaded the Count of South Los to support Maltz and bowed to him before leaving.
• Arthur read the South Los Daily’s reports on Alade’s murders, the arrests in Shire District, and Maltz’s background.
• Arthur spent 20 XP to raise False Swiftbird Swordsmanship to level 3, gaining Physique and Spirituality.
• Arthur realized the Count’s growing power could threaten people’s possessions and decided he needed stronger swordsmanship.
• Arthur rejected seeking help from Ms. Malinda Julius Caesar and planned to ask Maltz for help as an ally.
• A group of unexpected visitors rang the doorbell at 2 Kirk Street, surprising Arthur.

After the parents of the rescued babies thanked Arthur with food, he discovered that eating it granted XP and planned to seek more consultations through Scott. While restoring 2 Kirk Street, Arthur's attempt to paint a terrifying scene triggered a skill upgrade and a warning-like intuition, so he burned the painting.

• Five families whose babies Arthur had rescued brought him eggs, bread, and corn grits to thank him.
• Arthur ate the food and received XP, then considered asking Scott to advertise consultations that required clients to bring food.
• Arthur retrieved weapons and supplies from the hidden storehouse at 2 Kirk Street and spent the day repairing the corridor mechanisms.
• Arthur's painting of a knight in scarlet turned into a Zaku, so he painted over it and prepared for the Lady of the Long Night's Salon.
• Arthur's Simple Drawing skill upgraded to Drawing, and an inexplicable intuition urged him to burn the painting, which he did.

After burning a painting that triggered a supernatural warning, Arthur feared that increasing spirituality would expose him to greater danger. At Malinda Julius Caesar’s salon, he realized she had arranged his conspicuous arrival to draw attention, suggesting she wanted his cooperation.

• Arthur burned his painting after an instinctive warning and suspected that greater spirituality attracted supernatural threats.
• Arthur decided to attend Malinda Julius Caesar’s salon and waited for news from Wiggins.
• Edwin arrived in Malinda’s carriage to collect Arthur and quietly apologized on his mistress’s behalf.
• Arthur inferred that Malinda was being watched but was not in immediate danger, and concluded that she sought cooperation.
• Edwin drove Arthur through Whitebird District to Malinda’s residence, where the guests watched Arthur arrive.
• Arthur stepped into the crowded courtyard and realized what Malinda intended to do.

Arthur met Malinda Julius Caesar at her salon, where she asked him to pose as her romantic partner while she pursued Baron Kemail’s title. They agreed that he would act intimate with her for a month in exchange for mystical knowledge equal to the complete Swiftbird Swordsmanship, and they left the room together to begin their arrangement.

• Arthur followed Edwin into Malinda Julius Caesar’s salon, where guests watched him with curiosity and hostility.
• Malinda apologized for summoning Arthur without warning and explained that she needed to appear more conventional to obtain Baron Kemail’s title.
• Malinda said her rivals had used Dokule and were monitoring her, and she asked Arthur to deal with those obstacles and other unwanted admirers.
• Arthur demanded the complete Swiftbird Swordsmanship or equivalent mystical knowledge, and Malinda promised to find it within a month if he acted intimate with her during that time.
• Arthur and Malinda agreed to play their parts, and she struggled to tolerate holding his hand before they walked out together.

Arthur and Malinda staged a public appearance at her salon to silence rumors and draw attention to their partnership, while Arthur negotiated Mystical Side books as compensation. Their entrance silenced the guests, but a man suddenly collapsed and died below.

• Edwin told Malinda and Arthur that the guests had entered the hall, and Malinda fought her physical aversion while preparing to face them.
• Malinda warned Arthur that the Coste Chamber of Commerce and the Emond Chamber of Commerce were her chief rivals for the baronial title.
• Arthur suggested that they appear together on the second-floor corridor instead of greeting guests individually, and Malinda agreed to give him less important Mystical Side books as compensation.
• Arthur and Malinda walked out onto the corridor hand in hand, and the guests below fell silent as they watched them.
• A guest dropped his wineglass, collapsed stiffly onto the carpet, and stopped breathing.

After Brody was found dead at Malinda Julius Caesar’s gathering, she calmed the panicking guests while suspecting Coste and Emond of conspiring against her. Chief Maltz began investigating the poisoning, and Arthur stepped forward with a claim that he had heard the dead.

• Edwin confirmed that Brody, president of the Brody Chamber of Commerce, was dead, and the guests panicked.
• Malinda Julius Caesar fired Arthur’s flintlock into the air, restored order, and warned the guests against ulterior motives.
• Malinda suspected Coste and Emond of plotting against her, but held back from attacking them because patrol officers would soon arrive.
• Chief Maltz identified cassava poisoning as the likely cause of death and realized the killer might have selected Brody at random from the drinks table.
• As Coste and Emond pressured Maltz to identify the killer, Arthur approached the drinks table and declared that he had heard the murmurs of the dead.

Arthur identified the waitress Elena as the murderer by uncovering a second ice bucket hidden beneath the drinks table, and Elena confessed. Malinda descended from the gallery and asked Elena why she had done it.

• Arthur named Elena as the murderer after recalling Edwin had told her to watch the drinks table.
• Arthur took ice from the bucket, prompting Maltz to realize that poison could have been hidden in it.
• A hostile young guest challenged Arthur, arguing that poison in the melting ice would have harmed everyone.
• Arthur revealed a second ice bucket beneath the table, containing intact ice prepared for Brody.
• Elena confessed to the murder, and Malinda came down from the gallery to ask her why.

Malinda turned Elena’s murder accusation into a public counterattack against Coste and Emond, winning support for her bid for Baron Kemail’s title. After Arthur returned to the upstairs lounge, Malinda joined him and quietly asked whether Elena’s spirit was angry.

• Malinda comforted Elena and accused Coste and Emond of inciting her to hide poison in the ice.
• Elena backed Malinda’s accusation, and Maltz’s men took her away while Coste and Emond were asked to assist with the investigation.
• Malinda escorted Elena out, then received the ladies’ applause and support, strengthening her position in the contest for Baron Kemail’s title.
• Arthur returned to the upstairs lounge, suspecting Malinda had collaborated with him to lull her rivals into a false sense of security.
• Malinda joined Arthur in the lounge, offered him her pipe, and asked whether Elena’s spirit was angry.

Arthur left Malinda after confirming she was interested in his Mediumship, then mingled with the guests and learned that practicing Bluff could improve the skill. As he shared food with Scott, the young men who had targeted him earlier confronted him and challenged him to a duel.

• Arthur told Malinda that his Mediumship let him discover and contact lingering souls, and she asked him to bring her food while the auction continued.
• Arthur realized Malinda wanted to use his Mediumship and suspected she would keep testing him; he gained Bluff experience as he went downstairs.
• Arthur met Scott, who had rushed to the salon for firsthand information, and took food from the reporter's plate.
• Arthur explained to Scott that food could be part of his consultation fees because good food lifted his spirits and helped him deal with trouble.
• The leader of the young men who had targeted Arthur challenged Arthur Credos to a duel.

Arthur turned the young men’s challenge into a public promise to enter the Swordsmanship Tournament, hoping to build excitement while protecting Malinda from trouble. After he brought Malinda food upstairs, Edwin reported that Coste and Emond were dead.

• Arthur held Scott back and refused to duel the young men at Malinda’s salon, deciding instead to use their challenge to create attention for the Swordsmanship Tournament.
• Arthur told the young men he would enter the tournament and settle their challenge there, then carried food upstairs for Malinda.
• Malinda thanked Arthur for protecting her and said she would remember and compensate him.
• Edwin entered Malinda’s room and told her that Coste and Emond were dead.

Arthur recognized that Malinda had arranged Coste and Emond’s deaths to lure their rivals into mobilizing and expose their bases. Malinda asked Arthur to draw away the watchers while her forces attacked, offering him a Mystic Art and occult knowledge in return.

• Arthur inferred that Malinda had killed Coste and Emond and leaked news of their deaths to draw more watchers to 6 Whitebird Street.
• Edwin reported that Malinda’s people had stayed at their posts while the number of watchers outside kept growing.
• Malinda explained that she had feigned weakness to make her rivals deploy their reserves and leave their bases undefended.
• Malinda asked Arthur to meet Chief Maltz and draw the watchers away so her people could raid the rivals’ bases.
• Malinda offered Arthur a Mystic Art and promised the occult knowledge equivalent to [Swiftbird Swordsmanship] by the next night.
• Arthur suspected the Count of South Los supported Malinda and wondered whether the Count had directed the entire affair.

Arthur realized his partnership had drawn him into the Count of South Los’s struggle against the Grand Duke of Inner Bay, but he accepted Malinda’s compensation for his help. Armed with the arcane sword Spider’s Claw, he prepared to leave as a target for pursuit, while Malinda offered to show him something else.

• Arthur suspected the Count of South Los had killed Coste and Emond while trying to break free of the Grand Duke’s control, and he decided he could not receive a [Quest].
• Arthur reminded Malinda that he had helped her four times and asked her to combine his payments into one immediate reward.
• Malinda sent Edwin to fetch a reward while she and Arthur shared pastries in the lounge.
• Edwin brought Arthur Spider’s Claw, an arcane longsword with sharpness, lightness, bloodthirst, and a poison reservoir, and Arthur tested the weapon.
• Malinda warned Arthur that his pursuers would make him their main target and told him to leave after Edwin.
• Arthur strapped Spider’s Claw to his waist, and Malinda offered to show him something good.

Edwin and Arthur left the Lady of the Long Night's Salon separately to draw their pursuers into an ambush. Arthur’s explosive trap detonated among the watchers, while Edwin headed toward Shaded Lane with weapons ready to help.

• Edwin loaded five flintlocks and prepared an assortment of blades as his carriage left Whitebird Street with pursuers behind it.
• Arthur placed short-fused, nail-filled explosives in his carriage and used a custom Thunder Gun to blast the pursuing carriage, killing two watchers.
• Arthur jumped from his stopped carriage while his coachman escaped into roadside bushes, then fired a shot past the remaining watchers to lure them closer.
• A watcher reached Arthur’s carriage and found the nearly spent fuses on the explosives inside.
• The explosives detonated as the watcher tried to flee.

Arthur destroyed the attackers who ambushed him and left Edwin to clean up the scene before going to Chief Maltz. Maltz planned to flee after two men were shot at the police station, but Arthur called their deaths suicide, and the bodies seemed to move.

• Arthur used explosives and his sword to kill the watchers who attacked him near the carriage.
• Edwin arrived with an armed coachman, ordered them to clean up, and offered to handle matters while Arthur went to find Chief Maltz.
• Maltz, frightened by the assassinations of Coste and Emond and a distant sharpshooter, decided to flee and asked Arthur to join him.
• Arthur told Maltz that Coste and Emond had committed suicide, and the bodies seemed to move.