Kiri the burglar in the canal city of Ondina

The floating honeywagon rocks gently as it crosses under the dark arch of the Victory Bridge and carries you into the canals serving the mansions of the rich of the city of Ondina. The rich cannot abide the stink of dirty canals, so in this corner of the town, where the stagnant canals are protected from the river currents and from the flushing of the tides, they needs must hire their filth carried out. The care of their prissy noses is your opportunity tonight. While their docks and bridges are well-guarded from intruders, the visit of the night-soil barge is almost beneath notice. Hiding amongst the empty cess-barrels, you await your moment.

The boatmen pole the boat through the canals toward the refuse dock shared by the Magnicazzo and Nymphizana families. The Magnicazzo family is old money, a conservative household run by a patriarch. The younger generation are arrogant dunces, but they are rich and influential. They have been buying rich clothes, jewels, and banquet goods as they plan for the upcoming weddings of a son and a daughter. The Nymphizana family recently acquired wealth through success in foreign trade and good connections with the rising powers in city politics. Their parties are said to be legendary feasts of decadence, and their alliances are shifting and suspect, but they are better respected as fair dealers, if sometimes whimsical or mysterious in their actions.

The boatmen tie up to the dock and get about their business. Empty filth barrels roll out of the boat to make space for full filth barrels coming on. You rise and lightly step out, crossing the dock and crouching down in an archway. The boatmen finish their business, loose their boat, and are gone.

You are alone on the refuse dock with the empty barrels for tomorrow's castoffs. You've made money fishing through the filth barrels of the rich -- a pearl here, a rare millefiori glass bead there, a forgotten golden cloak pin, a tigerfang button. But it's filthy work and you would rather fish further upstream. And something in you rebels at the thought of being known as "Kiri the Muck-picker." So here you are.

Three gates open off the refuse dock. To the left is a gate marked with the emblem of the Magnicazzo family, a giant winged penis battering down a castle gate, done in a severe, classic style. To the right is a gate with the Nymphizana emblem, a bare-breasted, grape-crowned woman riding a capering donkey. At night the colors are indistinguishable, but the bold, lively style and touches of shiny gold leaf in her hair, nipples, and feminine triangle are marks of a modern and ostentatious display. But in the center is a disused gate, sagging on its hinges and partly open. You can barely make out the worn family emblem of a wreath of poppies in the dimness of the night. You've heard it leads to the crumbling mansion of the Morphia family, dealers in dreams and potions. You're not sure whether the family still exists, much less resides in its house. There's likely little of value there.

Passing from one gate to the next, you listen and peer through any cracks or loose-fitting corners you can find. Behind the Magnicazzo gate, it is quiet, but you can perceive dim lantern light some distance away. It agrees with your earlier scouting, pretending to apply as kitchen help. Testing your gloves against the gate, it seems easily climbable. Behind the Nymphizana gate, it's dark, but you can hear the sounds of music and laughter from somewhere beyond. Your mouth crinkles with a smile. Drunken, unsuspecting rich guests, dressed in their party finery? The Morphia gate is quiet, with a dim, narrow lane beyond. It's possible that this middle way might also provide ingress to the other families' inner gardens or courtyards, with some modest climbing.