Charzon

Charzon is a resident of Horizon, who has resided here almost as long as House Nestor has had a presence. His connections to House Nester are ambiguous at best, as are his reasons for being on the station. The general consensus is that he was exiled from Commoraugh, albeit there is no consistency on what manner of depravity he must have committed to be cast out from that place.

## The Puzzle Box

Charzon runs a boutique shop, which can be said to be the epicentre of the merchants' bazaar. It is not the largest establishment in the place, and could easily be missed by the casual trader. However, the *Puzzle Box* entails a venue that differentiates the casual merchant from the serious contenders.

The main corpus of the shop comprises an assortment of alcoves, each fitted with hookah pipes and spiced vapour sprays. Diaphanous curtains compartmentalise each table, helping to muffle private conversations. The configuration of the shop twists about itself, as the pathways zig-zag around the various alcoves. Mirrors have been fitted in select spaces to both create the illusion of more space than there is, but also to confuse the casual attendee. There is a spice upon the air that whets the appetite, and the host is more than willing to slake thirst and hunger.

All of this is part of the initiation of newcomers to *The Puzzle Box*, where knowing the lay of the shop stands as a reputable achievement. Passing this gauntlet is one of the measures the locals use to separate outsiders from those canny with local customs and mores. This is because *The Puzzle Box* has become less of a shop and more an establishment. Charzon's independence from the Empire of Mankind, and his staunch courtesy have given cause for *The Puzzle Box* to play host to a variety of terse negotiations.

The shop is sometimes euphemistically known as *The Perfectly Ordinary Tea Shop*, as this was its original name; a consequence of a limitation of the host's limited knowledge of the common tongue when he attempted to choose a friendly name for the store. It is a name that is still recalled fondly by many of the elder members of Horizon.

### Tea Service and Decorum

The central tea service is the heart of Charzon's reputation. His shop purveys a great variety of tisanes, infusions, tonics, philtres, and other concoctions that border on the alchemical. Locals swear by their medicinal properties.

While Charzon has a rather egalitarian approach to patronage, he does expect patrons to abide by certain strictures. Few events symbolise this stricture better than the infamous ostracising of a younger scion of House Nester several years ago. The erstwhile diletante imposed himself upon the venue despite his removal, and the scandal was quickly elevated to the upper escalon. Soon after, the scion was sent off from Horizon to an even more remote part of the galaxy. Albeit, it has sometimes become fashionable for fatuous youths to bait Charzon by testing the very boundaries of decorum, it is a game colloquially known as "Nestor's Gambit".

### Tailoring

Charzon also runs an in house tailoring service, which he provides only to select clientelle. He specialises in mending, procuring, and detailing unusual or exotic garments for discerning members. It is an invite-only service.

### The Door of Sighs

At the very back of the establishment is a door with no obvious handle or means of ingress. It is plain and adorned with a plaque that names it "The Door of Sighs".