Darion, Lord Rivers, Undersecretary to the Foreign Minister of Calaria, has a problem – his wife wants him to promote her brother Gregorius Bass, whom Rivers considers a hopeless fool. Fortunately, an envoy’s post has just fallen vacant in the conveniently distant and unimportant city of Bonvidaeo.
Bass, on board ship and about to arrive in Bonvidaeo, summarizes in his journal what his Bonvidaeoan servant Corius has told him of the city’s peculiar history, and the custom whereby everyone who lives there must wear masks – and act in character with their masks at all times.
Incidental Music:
Rivers’ theme: “Can She Excuse My Wrongs?” by John Dowland
Corius’s theme: “Unquiet Thoughts” by John Dowland
Bass’s Theme: “What if I never speed?” by John Dowland
Outro bracketed by: “The Witches’ Dance” by an anonymous English composer.
All performed by Jon Sayles and used by his kind permission.
(Yes, the character themes’ titles are at least loosely connected to the characters.)
Mike Reeves-McMillan lives in Auckland, New Zealand, the setting of his Auckland Allies contemporary urban fantasy series; and also in his head, where the weather is more reliable, and there are a lot more wizards. He also writes the Gryphon Clerks series (steampunk/magepunk), the Hand of the Trickster series (sword-and-sorcery heist capers), and short stories which have appeared in venues such as Compelling Science Fiction and Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores.
