#amarelle

Here’s the exterior:

Here’s the interior of the first floor:

Here’s the interior of the second floor:

Here’s the balcony:

And here’s the telescope room!

Ul’dah is getting hot, and I’m not talking about the fat that it’s, you know, a desert. I feel like at least three different groups are having me followed, which is problematic given the sensitive stage we’re at with Duskwatch. We’re still preparing our first group of recruits to enter training even as a second group has joined us, leaving me having to meet my informants personally rather than through cut-outs. A lack of time can lead to shortcuts, which in turn lads to mistakes

First of all, I’m unsure if Miss Amarelle Yoni is still tracking our efforts. She seems...unskilled at the game, but we’d guessed all along that her spymaster, Tobias Cain, was the true power in her network. The two haven’t been seen in the same place in months, meaning he’s either left her service or they’re running a top notch deception and denial campaign. I wish I knew which and might focus on that next. Regardless, fifteen of my people lost their lives from not seeing Miss Yoni’s people preparing an ambush for us, and I can’t afford to discount her, regardless of he reports I receive of her social ineptitude.

Second, a smalltime information broker named Taryn Lee is having myself and Saterra followed. I’ll no doubt get an earful from Saterra following Veloce’s warning to curb her activities. Miss Lee came to our inn, and upon me taking her downstairs to discuss business, she told me of her occupation and her disapproval that we are now competitors. My calls for her to join me (work for me) were met with resentment and her sudden departure. I had thought about preventing her from leaving but needed time to sort my thoughts. She’s proven resourceful and capable, likely learning more about us than our surveillance has learned about her. 

Much of the problem lies with Veloce’s people being overtasked with surveillance. Keeping an eye on Miss Yoni, Tobias, and now Taryn is likely a strain, especially since most of Veloce’s people aren’t native and Taryn is, proving slippery when she wishes. She leads a careful lifestyle, making it difficult to pinpoint weaknesses in her habits, aside from one. She often travels beyond Ul’dah’s walls bereft of guards. Sometimes she travels with Brass Blade patrols if they’re headed in the same direction but other times she seems to count on her familiarity with the land. It’s given me an idea...

Last, I can’t help but shake the feeling that a group from my past has found me and is watching me. This would be very much worse than the other two potential threats. I’ve done all I can to periodically travel to Kugane and Limsa Lominsa to throw my name about in deals and reserving rooms at inns in an attempt to throw smokescreens, but it may not have been enough.

The walls are closing in.

spent ages splitting my island in half so i can build a bridge.

i don’t have a perfect before picture but here’s what it looked like 9/10/23

despite that being over a year old, all of that progress happened in the last 48 hours with nothing but my pickaxe and 3 buckets in pure survival. i’m exhausted but so pleased with myself.