Frau Piquet

Owner of the establishment that bears her name, it is one of the few buildings in Port Mercy composed more of corraline than bent ship, and in the hall at least it is well panelled and raped from the best that had once been taken from one unfortunate wreck or another. The rooms, plain enough, nonetheless are the right shape and have a proper bed and chamber pot. Compared to the rest of the bailiwick it is at least something akin to home for the naif given up by the sea. Frau Piquet has always been here, or for at least as long as anyone in Port Mercy might recall. Not a member of the Mercy comite itself, Piquet has absolutely no interest in petty power, who the Jack is, or how they trade and exist with the rest of Parquet. It is said that Frau Piquet enjoyed the Vague Revolution immensely, watching much of it from a chair she had carried from place to place all the better to observe it. Rarely leaving her establishment, it is even then under a heavy veil and with one of her many mascota spiders seeming to lead the way. Nonetheless, Frau Piquet is fair. She always has exactly the number of rooms required should a lady or gentleman be in need, and especially when they are percey enough to pay for them. At times she makes exceptions, not accepting rent at all, or charging exorbitantly, all for reasons of her own. Yet in all Port Mercy, Frau Piquet’s can half claim to be safe. It is not that Captain Leather, the Jack of Port Mercy, himself won’t enter unless invited, but he does send a messenger ahead to inform Piquet that he is coming. It is not the case that no one mocks her, they do, and she even takes this in good spirit if she understands it is humour, because she doesn’t understand humour. No, Piquet’s is safe not because nothing will happen to you there, but that if anyone does use her premises for violence then there have been occasions when that violence has ceased abruptly. Usually messily, always suddenly, with even those witness to it wisely having faced away during it. Thievery being a very cultural thing in Parquet, that culture stops at the doors and windows of Frau Piquets. At times there have been those that have fallen too steeply in debt, their rooms unpaid for too long. In fear they flee and are never again seen in Port Mercy. This is definitely the case. She didn’t eat them. Everyone is very sure about this and no one, ever, jokes about it. Seriously, they ran for it over an unpaid bill. Just nod.