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Aphonion Tales: The Archducal Council -- Unedited notes; later posts are edited transcripts (posts MWF, update 3/1/23)
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<blockquote data-quote="CPaladin" data-source="post: 8269340" data-attributes="member: 7030144"><p>[Session 43 cont'd]</p><p></p><p>When Kit slips off to the bathroom, she gets met by a random serving girl, who signed to Kit in Thieves’ Cant, come here and then went into the bathroom. “The Hand needs you at the Townhouse of the Inner Isles. Quick, before the Guard gets there and mucks everything up.”</p><p></p><p>Kit contacts one of her merchants with the fan. “Do you know where the townhouse of the Inner Islands is?”</p><p></p><p>“Certainly.”</p><p></p><p>“Get over there. We have a situation. I’ll send people to back you up. Be careful.”</p><p></p><p>Next, she sends a message to call some people in, and heads in to meet Alistair and Brionna. A royal guard rushes in and drops to one knee at a respectful distance.</p><p></p><p>“Your grace, the townhouse of the Inner Isles in the Second Circle—there appears to have been an incident there a while ago, but word has just reached me. The ambassador and his staff appear to be dead and decayed. They were discovered by the daughter of the Black Isles.”</p><p></p><p>We talk about what to do—Kit sends a message to him to tell the daughter to come to the Palace, while we send guards to cordon off the area until the right people can investigate.</p><p></p><p>A composed but extremely pale young woman comes out when Kit’s merchant arrives and shouts in for her to come out. A knight also comes out with her, along with a young maiden who looks disgusted.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna rides out to meet them, along with healers and guards.</p><p></p><p>Kit sends her people to check it out carefully.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna meets up with the group. The knight is the same knight who gave Dame Brionna the letter. He is also clearly guiding the noblewoman. She has a taint of evil around her, but it doesn’t appear to be her evil, and it clings to the rings she is wearing, which are evil. He does not detect evil at all. She is attractive in a youthful fashion-- appears to be 13 or 15. The girl is clearly her handmaiden. She is probably not permitted to be in the presence of a man without the knight or her handmaiden or both.</p><p></p><p>“Greetings, your grace. His Grace’s deepest apologies for what has happened, which we are investigating. May I escort you to more hospitable quarters?”</p><p></p><p>“Thank you, honored dame. I admit this has been a shock. I am sorry for my demeanor.”</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna takes her to warded rooms, warns her against summoning or the like, and assures her that she will be safe there.</p><p></p><p>The knight checks the chamber, then signals for the serving girl to remain with the lady and meets with Dame Brionna quietly. “He had been dead for weeks. Her cousin had been feasted upon. I had seen wounds like that before, but only on battlefields against dragons or demons or the like. Had he discharged his duties at the coronation?”</p><p></p><p>“He was not present.”</p><p></p><p>“Then he had already been slain. The casket was missing—he brought an elven laen ring. It was of little use for our Kingdom, but we thought it might be of use to your realm.”</p><p></p><p>“That would have been most useful, but it was not received.”</p><p></p><p>The evidence from the house: the ambassador and all of his staff, including the captain of the voller he came on were killed. The voller may have been stolen. Nine dead in all, the staff were killed with swords and axes, the ambassador was killed by the creature that ate his heart and brains. Injuries both before and after death. Nothing stolen except the casket with the laen ring, and the voller probably. Lots of money and jewelry left behind.</p><p></p><p>We call the Chancellor back in to find out who represented the Kingdom of the Inner Isles. “Witch Katharine Woolsey. Odd, that. Nearly all of the Inner Isles’s witches are diabolists, but she wore no rings.”</p><p></p><p>Where does she live?</p><p></p><p>At the townhouse of course. And with a princely gift, of 4 tapestries, none younger than 1000 years. They are in the vault, waiting a decision on whether to hang them.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna sends a team to the vault to check out the tapestries—one cleric of Glor’diadel, one psion from the Ministry of the Mind, one mage from the Ministry of Magic, and a paladin. They roll badly. The priest decides that there is an odd absence around the tapestries. The mage, however, comes back thoughtful. In some ways, those tapestries are connected to the Void.</p><p></p><p>What could that be used for?</p><p></p><p>Usually, my estimate, mind effects. Slow, insidious changes in personality and mind.</p><p></p><p>What specific effects?</p><p></p><p>Two cases I’m aware of where Void-laced objects were exposed to people for a prolonged time. One case, in a monastery, depression spread among the monks until they all died by their own hand. The other case, more famously, was a Void-linked book. It was read by a mage who subsequently went mad in a crowded market place. Resulted in over 50 deaths before he was put down by another mage.</p><p></p><p>Very insidious, and normal detection would fail, because it is not magical. I just happened to have an interest in Void.</p><p></p><p>Could be destroyed easily. Could also be ritually de-linked.</p><p></p><p>The creators of such things fall into two categories: madmen and those who serve nameless ancient things.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna says, “We need to do blood tests for everyone in the Court. What rationale?”</p><p></p><p>“What about our old cock and bull story about the parasites?”</p><p></p><p>The next morning, we’ll have to deal with the poison in the woods for the smokehouses.</p><p>[End Session 43]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CPaladin, post: 8269340, member: 7030144"] [Session 43 cont'd] When Kit slips off to the bathroom, she gets met by a random serving girl, who signed to Kit in Thieves’ Cant, come here and then went into the bathroom. “The Hand needs you at the Townhouse of the Inner Isles. Quick, before the Guard gets there and mucks everything up.” Kit contacts one of her merchants with the fan. “Do you know where the townhouse of the Inner Islands is?” “Certainly.” “Get over there. We have a situation. I’ll send people to back you up. Be careful.” Next, she sends a message to call some people in, and heads in to meet Alistair and Brionna. A royal guard rushes in and drops to one knee at a respectful distance. “Your grace, the townhouse of the Inner Isles in the Second Circle—there appears to have been an incident there a while ago, but word has just reached me. The ambassador and his staff appear to be dead and decayed. They were discovered by the daughter of the Black Isles.” We talk about what to do—Kit sends a message to him to tell the daughter to come to the Palace, while we send guards to cordon off the area until the right people can investigate. A composed but extremely pale young woman comes out when Kit’s merchant arrives and shouts in for her to come out. A knight also comes out with her, along with a young maiden who looks disgusted. Dame Brionna rides out to meet them, along with healers and guards. Kit sends her people to check it out carefully. Dame Brionna meets up with the group. The knight is the same knight who gave Dame Brionna the letter. He is also clearly guiding the noblewoman. She has a taint of evil around her, but it doesn’t appear to be her evil, and it clings to the rings she is wearing, which are evil. He does not detect evil at all. She is attractive in a youthful fashion-- appears to be 13 or 15. The girl is clearly her handmaiden. She is probably not permitted to be in the presence of a man without the knight or her handmaiden or both. “Greetings, your grace. His Grace’s deepest apologies for what has happened, which we are investigating. May I escort you to more hospitable quarters?” “Thank you, honored dame. I admit this has been a shock. I am sorry for my demeanor.” Dame Brionna takes her to warded rooms, warns her against summoning or the like, and assures her that she will be safe there. The knight checks the chamber, then signals for the serving girl to remain with the lady and meets with Dame Brionna quietly. “He had been dead for weeks. Her cousin had been feasted upon. I had seen wounds like that before, but only on battlefields against dragons or demons or the like. Had he discharged his duties at the coronation?” “He was not present.” “Then he had already been slain. The casket was missing—he brought an elven laen ring. It was of little use for our Kingdom, but we thought it might be of use to your realm.” “That would have been most useful, but it was not received.” The evidence from the house: the ambassador and all of his staff, including the captain of the voller he came on were killed. The voller may have been stolen. Nine dead in all, the staff were killed with swords and axes, the ambassador was killed by the creature that ate his heart and brains. Injuries both before and after death. Nothing stolen except the casket with the laen ring, and the voller probably. Lots of money and jewelry left behind. We call the Chancellor back in to find out who represented the Kingdom of the Inner Isles. “Witch Katharine Woolsey. Odd, that. Nearly all of the Inner Isles’s witches are diabolists, but she wore no rings.” Where does she live? At the townhouse of course. And with a princely gift, of 4 tapestries, none younger than 1000 years. They are in the vault, waiting a decision on whether to hang them. Dame Brionna sends a team to the vault to check out the tapestries—one cleric of Glor’diadel, one psion from the Ministry of the Mind, one mage from the Ministry of Magic, and a paladin. They roll badly. The priest decides that there is an odd absence around the tapestries. The mage, however, comes back thoughtful. In some ways, those tapestries are connected to the Void. What could that be used for? Usually, my estimate, mind effects. Slow, insidious changes in personality and mind. What specific effects? Two cases I’m aware of where Void-laced objects were exposed to people for a prolonged time. One case, in a monastery, depression spread among the monks until they all died by their own hand. The other case, more famously, was a Void-linked book. It was read by a mage who subsequently went mad in a crowded market place. Resulted in over 50 deaths before he was put down by another mage. Very insidious, and normal detection would fail, because it is not magical. I just happened to have an interest in Void. Could be destroyed easily. Could also be ritually de-linked. The creators of such things fall into two categories: madmen and those who serve nameless ancient things. Dame Brionna says, “We need to do blood tests for everyone in the Court. What rationale?” “What about our old cock and bull story about the parasites?” The next morning, we’ll have to deal with the poison in the woods for the smokehouses. [End Session 43] [/QUOTE]
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Aphonion Tales: The Archducal Council -- Unedited notes; later posts are edited transcripts (posts MWF, update 3/1/23)
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