Session 30 (September 5, 2021)
15 Chund
Noah attends court. There is a fair amount of coming and going, mostly of representatives of other countries who are concerned about the possible fate of Hanal.
Noah addresses the Princess and tells her that they had previously been doing mercenary work in the Spice Lands, where there were many stragglers of the Hanalian army there and also the orkish group that they made peace with. He suggests that it might be feasible to recruit them from the banner of the false Queen-Empress to her service.
“How strong was your sense of the hold that the Queen-Empress had on their officers?”
“They seemed loyal to her, but long-since eclipsed by loyalty to their troops, and many of the officers did not survive the battle.”
“So your sense is that these are free agents?”
“Primarily so. They may have some inclinations towards their own survival, but they are primarily free agents, trying to understand what’s next for them.”
The Princess calls out. “General?”
An armored figure approaches. “Your majesty. We could attempt to recover these troops, but if they have truly become mercenaries… we may be better off hiring Vultures. As much as I do not trust their steadiness, they are closer.”
“I do not want to leave any of my people abandoned in a foreign land.”
“Of course, your majesty. Young man—how many of them do you estimate survived? We know that four field armies of chivalry and two field armies of heavy infantry were in the army, but that they lost the battle.”
Noah weighs this, thinking about the fact that that represents some 30,000 regular troops plus auxiliaries. “I would wager that some 9000 survive, primarily from the heavy infantry. The chivalry took heavy casualties.”
“But you perceive no command and control structure in place?”
“It seems that they survive as a squad here, a company there. While they add up to 9000 in total, they are not a single united army.”
“It would take time to organize them, your majesty. I suggest that we send 100 people under your colors, by voller if our hosts will provide it, under your colors and perhaps those of the Kov of Snatterkaz. It will take time, but between loyalty and offer of payment, we might be able to gather some.”
Noah adds, “The last of our work as mercenaries was bringing spices north from the Spice Lands, from which we made a small fortune. I think that bringing the troops north with a large caravan of spices could make a good deal of money to support the cause.”
The group departs to their townhouse without a clear decision having been made.
* * *
Noah talks about the nightmares he has about people dying to the Blooddriven.
Iados raises the concern that some of the stragglers may be evil.
Noah turns to Ravokris. “You know elf stuff… wait, I don’t mean something like that. Do you think people here from the elves would be able to tell the high elves of the vollers in Hanal about the cultists shielding their altars with lead, so we could let them know about how they’re summoning creatures without the elves being able to find out about it?”
“One of the vollers I saw is from Singing Leaves. They have an embassy here in Canberry City.”
“Time to get our game face on. We need to get ready to go talk to the elves at the embassy without them thinking that we’re cultists when we talk about it.”
Noah drags Ravokris along to the Singing Leaves embassy.
Sr. Agnes heads to the lower city to engage in acts of charity and healing.
Iados heads out into the upper city and engages in shenanigans. He recruits someone to help him gin up a gambling game.
* * *
They approach the embassy of Singing Leaves and address the guards.
“Hail and welcome.”
“We’re here on behalf of the Hanalian Embassy.” Noah shows his token. “We have some things to tell you about the things you’re doing in Hanal.”
“Let me call for the House Captain.” After an elf in a starched clothing approaches, he continues, “these persons would wish to speak to the Ambassador.”
“Ah, do come in. And your names are?” The elf clearly is focused on Ravokris.
They introduce themselves, with Noah introducing himself as the bodyguard to Ravokris.
“Let me see if there’s a spot on the Ambassador’s schedule.”
The embassy is very elegant, with music being performed within. After a little while, he announces them to the Ambassador, who is in a courtyard with trees. The Ambassador is at a nine-foot tall crystal harp, and Ravokris believes him to be a Sea Elf.
“Cousin. What brings you to us?”
“We have information to bring you about the high elven vollers that have been active in Hanal. Firstly, we know about your mission fighting the cultists there. It goes deeper than you can imagine. The Queen-Empress serves the same master. It goes all the way to the top. Second, you know how you’ve been detecting evil altars and striking them from the skies? They’ve been hiding them under sheets of lead, so you can’t find them. You need to do something about that. Also, they’re planning an ascension.” Noah keeps babbling on, interspersing helpful things and random comments. He mentions both the removal of the bonewater dust and clingfire from the enemy.
The Ambassador addresses Ravokris psionically, and after verifying their bona fides, continues.
“We have a man-of-war and a schooner bombarding those cults. Also, our accursed cousins of the Kinslaying have an armada as well. We are well aware of who the cultists serve.”
Eventually, Noah greatly offends them by mentioning Morgrath.
“We do not say the name of the Enemy, nor the name of the enemy you struggle against.”
“We just say that we struggle against the false Queen-Empress of Hanal.”
“The Queen-Empress of Hanal serves the most ancient of evils. But I would not say their names, nor those of the lesser evils like the Betrayer. But I will not say the names of the Pariah Deities.”
“Do you know their names?”
“We know both their use names, and their given names. But I will not say them, because I do not wish to give them power. But I will tell you what their use names are, and tell you what we know of their plans, if your master gives his permission.”
He consults with Ravokris.
“There are three of them. They are that which directs this disaster in the North, they are that which directed the war in the Spice Lands, they are that which directed the attempt to invade an entire country that contains an ancient gate. They are called She of the Bones, who leads them; her companion is called the One Beside. And the third of their number, who we think may possibly be in the process of betraying them, is called the One Other. They have destroyed six planes on their way here, before we stymied them in the First Age.”
At that point, Noah wanders off. The Ambassador commiserates with Ravokris about the difficulties of dealing with Noah.
* * *
Iados distributes some coins as largesse is the lower city.
The Guild contacts him with hand signals. “Who are you, and why are you here?”
“Who are you?”
“I represent the Guild.”
“Prove it.”
“Come with me then to the under ways and I’ll prove it.”
Iados throws him a silver coin and dismisses him, and he heads away.
* * *
When Iados discusses this, Noah suggests that forging ties with the Guild could be useful to the court in exile.
The group discusses some more, and then decides to head to the Spice Lands to gather up the rest of the army that fought there.
The Princess Anastasia arranges a fairly quick voller trip to the Spice Lands, and then they will be on foot in the Spice Lands.
[End session 30]
15 Chund
Noah attends court. There is a fair amount of coming and going, mostly of representatives of other countries who are concerned about the possible fate of Hanal.
Noah addresses the Princess and tells her that they had previously been doing mercenary work in the Spice Lands, where there were many stragglers of the Hanalian army there and also the orkish group that they made peace with. He suggests that it might be feasible to recruit them from the banner of the false Queen-Empress to her service.
“How strong was your sense of the hold that the Queen-Empress had on their officers?”
“They seemed loyal to her, but long-since eclipsed by loyalty to their troops, and many of the officers did not survive the battle.”
“So your sense is that these are free agents?”
“Primarily so. They may have some inclinations towards their own survival, but they are primarily free agents, trying to understand what’s next for them.”
The Princess calls out. “General?”
An armored figure approaches. “Your majesty. We could attempt to recover these troops, but if they have truly become mercenaries… we may be better off hiring Vultures. As much as I do not trust their steadiness, they are closer.”
“I do not want to leave any of my people abandoned in a foreign land.”
“Of course, your majesty. Young man—how many of them do you estimate survived? We know that four field armies of chivalry and two field armies of heavy infantry were in the army, but that they lost the battle.”
Noah weighs this, thinking about the fact that that represents some 30,000 regular troops plus auxiliaries. “I would wager that some 9000 survive, primarily from the heavy infantry. The chivalry took heavy casualties.”
“But you perceive no command and control structure in place?”
“It seems that they survive as a squad here, a company there. While they add up to 9000 in total, they are not a single united army.”
“It would take time to organize them, your majesty. I suggest that we send 100 people under your colors, by voller if our hosts will provide it, under your colors and perhaps those of the Kov of Snatterkaz. It will take time, but between loyalty and offer of payment, we might be able to gather some.”
Noah adds, “The last of our work as mercenaries was bringing spices north from the Spice Lands, from which we made a small fortune. I think that bringing the troops north with a large caravan of spices could make a good deal of money to support the cause.”
The group departs to their townhouse without a clear decision having been made.
* * *
Noah talks about the nightmares he has about people dying to the Blooddriven.
Iados raises the concern that some of the stragglers may be evil.
Noah turns to Ravokris. “You know elf stuff… wait, I don’t mean something like that. Do you think people here from the elves would be able to tell the high elves of the vollers in Hanal about the cultists shielding their altars with lead, so we could let them know about how they’re summoning creatures without the elves being able to find out about it?”
“One of the vollers I saw is from Singing Leaves. They have an embassy here in Canberry City.”
“Time to get our game face on. We need to get ready to go talk to the elves at the embassy without them thinking that we’re cultists when we talk about it.”
Noah drags Ravokris along to the Singing Leaves embassy.
Sr. Agnes heads to the lower city to engage in acts of charity and healing.
Iados heads out into the upper city and engages in shenanigans. He recruits someone to help him gin up a gambling game.
* * *
They approach the embassy of Singing Leaves and address the guards.
“Hail and welcome.”
“We’re here on behalf of the Hanalian Embassy.” Noah shows his token. “We have some things to tell you about the things you’re doing in Hanal.”
“Let me call for the House Captain.” After an elf in a starched clothing approaches, he continues, “these persons would wish to speak to the Ambassador.”
“Ah, do come in. And your names are?” The elf clearly is focused on Ravokris.
They introduce themselves, with Noah introducing himself as the bodyguard to Ravokris.
“Let me see if there’s a spot on the Ambassador’s schedule.”
The embassy is very elegant, with music being performed within. After a little while, he announces them to the Ambassador, who is in a courtyard with trees. The Ambassador is at a nine-foot tall crystal harp, and Ravokris believes him to be a Sea Elf.
“Cousin. What brings you to us?”
“We have information to bring you about the high elven vollers that have been active in Hanal. Firstly, we know about your mission fighting the cultists there. It goes deeper than you can imagine. The Queen-Empress serves the same master. It goes all the way to the top. Second, you know how you’ve been detecting evil altars and striking them from the skies? They’ve been hiding them under sheets of lead, so you can’t find them. You need to do something about that. Also, they’re planning an ascension.” Noah keeps babbling on, interspersing helpful things and random comments. He mentions both the removal of the bonewater dust and clingfire from the enemy.
The Ambassador addresses Ravokris psionically, and after verifying their bona fides, continues.
“We have a man-of-war and a schooner bombarding those cults. Also, our accursed cousins of the Kinslaying have an armada as well. We are well aware of who the cultists serve.”
Eventually, Noah greatly offends them by mentioning Morgrath.
“We do not say the name of the Enemy, nor the name of the enemy you struggle against.”
“We just say that we struggle against the false Queen-Empress of Hanal.”
“The Queen-Empress of Hanal serves the most ancient of evils. But I would not say their names, nor those of the lesser evils like the Betrayer. But I will not say the names of the Pariah Deities.”
“Do you know their names?”
“We know both their use names, and their given names. But I will not say them, because I do not wish to give them power. But I will tell you what their use names are, and tell you what we know of their plans, if your master gives his permission.”
He consults with Ravokris.
“There are three of them. They are that which directs this disaster in the North, they are that which directed the war in the Spice Lands, they are that which directed the attempt to invade an entire country that contains an ancient gate. They are called She of the Bones, who leads them; her companion is called the One Beside. And the third of their number, who we think may possibly be in the process of betraying them, is called the One Other. They have destroyed six planes on their way here, before we stymied them in the First Age.”
At that point, Noah wanders off. The Ambassador commiserates with Ravokris about the difficulties of dealing with Noah.
* * *
Iados distributes some coins as largesse is the lower city.
The Guild contacts him with hand signals. “Who are you, and why are you here?”
“Who are you?”
“I represent the Guild.”
“Prove it.”
“Come with me then to the under ways and I’ll prove it.”
Iados throws him a silver coin and dismisses him, and he heads away.
* * *
When Iados discusses this, Noah suggests that forging ties with the Guild could be useful to the court in exile.
The group discusses some more, and then decides to head to the Spice Lands to gather up the rest of the army that fought there.
The Princess Anastasia arranges a fairly quick voller trip to the Spice Lands, and then they will be on foot in the Spice Lands.
[End session 30]