"Second Son of a Second Son" - An Aquerra Story Hour (*finally* Updated 04/19)

[handforged]

Wow! So Laarus has latent psionic powers...

I can't wait to see how this goes. And what exactly will Jakos think about the "help."

~hf

 

[Rastfar]

(6) As a side note, I originally considered writing the adventure to have the final battle occur in some kind of ‘dreamscape,’ but then rejected the idea as too “high magic” and out there for my players to enjoy and out of scope for the flavor of adventures at this level in the Aquerra setting. Surprisingly, more than one player said afterwards, that they would have been fine with that. Just goes to show how bad I am sometimes at predicting my players’ tastes and ideas.

As a rule, I am generally against all sorts of high fantasy and extraplanar wonkiness as it never really jived with what I wish to get out of my D&D experience. That said, I guess all rules are meant to be broken. In this instance I could see how that final battle would have been a lot of fun and would also have liked to have seen that come to fruition. Given the context of Untamo and the general overtones of the adventure I feel like it would have been very appropriate and satisfying. I am sad to see that you did not follow your hunch.

Aside, I still wish 'summoned monsters' weren't all 'celestial' or 'fiendish', not every motivation is good or bad or necessarily, intended as such. This was of course one of the newer changes that I never liked.

GREAT POSTS! Keep up the good work!

 

[el-remmen]

I am sad to see that you did not follow your hunch.

No, I did follow my hunch. My hunch was that you guys wouldn't like it! Thus proving that much hunches suck sometimes.

Aside, I still wish 'summoned monsters' weren't all 'celestial' or 'fiendish', not every motivation is good or bad or necessarily, intended as such. This was of course one of the newer changes that I never liked.

Are they all celestial or fiendish? Aren't there elemental types on the list? If not, we can easily add some.

To me, the planes stuff has always been a part of D&D and thus seems very natural to use as a resource for these kinds of spells (i.e. from both a designer and flavor point of view). It is the traveling to planes that I am more leery of, but even that is okay to me at higher levels.

GREAT POSTS! Keep up the good work!

Thanks!

 

[Telémakhos]

I love that line from Bleys, "I AM THE LAW!"

~hf

That was actually awesome. The player uses a deep, brook-no-argument voice that is pretty loud to start with and this came out like a real bellow that silenced the rest of the table.

Alas, it had no impact on Laarus. Fist-to-face negotiations had to take care of that.

 

[el-remmen]

Session #25 – “Smoke & Ruin” (part 3 of 3)

Jakos Ilmari led the Signers into his laboratory. It was a large room, noted for the far wall being made of thick panes of frosted glass on a metal frame set in the stone supports of the tower outer wall. There was also a large window adjacent to it that led out to a small balcony, but this and the larger structure were covered over with ice from above. To the right of the door was a metal spiral staircase that led up to the parapet above; the area that was enclosed by the ice. There were several stone tables, a hearth, two small iron stoves, and the left wall was covered in shelves and cabinets filled like those in the study, minus the books.

As Jakos explained how the ritual would work, Markos climbed to the top of the spiral staircase with two crossbows. He left them loaded at his feet and prepared his repeating crossbow. He would be the one to open the trapdoor to the top of the tower allowing the nightmare demon back into the lab to be sucked towards the protective circle that would be made with Laarus’ blood. Bleys set up on the left side of the room by one of the tables, with a spare crossbow at his side as well, while Victoria, Telémahkos, Telémahkos and Laarus stood around where Jakos would draw the circle, one at each compass point.

“Victoria, put the amulet on as long as you are going to carry it, you might as well benefit from it,” Bleys said to the militant, but when she took it out she passed it to Timotheus, who smiled and slipped it around his neck and tucked it under his shirt.

Laarus Raymer of Ra held out his hand, and Jakos began to chant and grabbed hold of it with his right hand and quickly dragged a curved knife across the priest’s palm. Laarus winced. Jakos held the hand open and shook it, letting the blood pool. ¹ He then dipped his fingers in the blood and got down on his hands and knees and began to draw the circle lined with Seriph runes. He renewed the bloody ink from Laarus’ hands a few times as he worked, still chanting the whole time. As he stood, still in it, the circle began to glow.

Victoria called on Anhur to bless their efforts against the demon, while Timotheus grimaced and gulped down a vial of the blood of Ashronk.

Laarus of Ra took a step back away from the circle as Jakos’ chanting became more frantic, and he readied himself to call on the glory of Ra at the proper moment as Jakos had instructed before the ritual started. The old wizard’s voice became a high-pitched indecipherable wheeze and then he threw both arms in the air and pointed to Markos at the top of the spiral stairs. “NOW!”

Markos unlatched the trapdoor and it opened with bang, as he ducked reflexively from the sudden sound and violence of its dropping.

The thing came down, an inky black tear in the very fabric of reality that was vaguely shaped like a man, but with undulating limbs that grew and shrunk and merged and separated again. It’s very presence hurt the eyes and fogged the brain of the onlookers as it crackled with purple and black lightning flashing disturbing scenes of twirling pulsing tentacles covered in puss-oozing suckers beyond its being/non-being.

“RA!” Laarus called out to his god. “Use me as a vessel for your holy light to help drive this creature from our world and back to the foul realms from which it emerged!” There was a pulse of light as he clutched his holy symbol and the strange creature let out an echoing sound like metal scraping against metal that warped into a monstrous bellow.

The creature went hurtling down towards the circle of blood, leaving a sizzling smell of sulfur as the air around it curdled. Jakos moved to step out of the circle as the creature flew down, its flashing and changing fading to pure black as it fell, and just as the wizard was stepping over the threshold, the thing fell inside of him, disappearing into his very flesh. Jakos’ flesh rippled inky black, and his eyes turned bright burning red. He snarled and looked at all the young nobles around him. The nightmare demon now had a physical form; Jakos’ form.

Telémahkos was the first to act. He tumbled towards the possessed wizard and thrust at him with his rapier, but the creature bent its elbows back and leapt towards Laarus.

“Wait! Was this supposed to happen? Do we have to kill him now?” Timotheus was unsure of himself, but Laarus did not hesitate he swung his morningstar the Jakos-thing heavily, and it yanked its arm back as the tines on the club scraped its swirling forearm. It fell into a tumble, avoiding a follow-up swing from the priest as it spun around Timotheus and revealed gleaming fangs in the middle of its featureless face as it bit his shoulder. Tim turned around and out of the way, withdrawing to put himself between the thing and Bleys. The thing’s red eyes glowed more brightly and Tim felt a tickle in his mind, but shook it off. ² At the same time, Victoria felt some foreign will press itself against her own as she ran through the circle towards the changed wizard. She shook it off.

“Stay away from the circle,” she warned the others, but it was too late. Her companions could see a trail of shining black and purple motes hovering about her head. Markos and Bleys sent crossbow bolts into the combat, Bleys’ nicking the thing as it dropped to the ground from the weight of Laarus’ morningstar falling on its shoulders. Telémahkos danced around and thrust at it with his rapier again, but was being too cautious. “Victoria! You have something floating near your head!” He warned the militant without looking at her.

“Seriously! Do we have to kill him?” Timotheus asked his companions as he slammed his flail into the creature as it stood, and it bent backwards as if broken, its legs morphing into the top of its body as its arms, head and shoulder became legs.

“Anhur!” Victoria cried out, letting the divine fury of her god fill her. “Give me the might to strike this thing from beyond!!!” In her rage she over-extended the thrust of her spear at the thing, and Timotheus barely stepped aside to avoid the blow. ³ The motes about her head trailed over to Timotheus and suddenly his eyes glassed over. His muscles bulged and he immediately crouched and drooled and howled.

“What in the Hells happened to Tim?” Telémahkos’ eyes widened. He circled about the far end of the possessed wizard Jakos trying to pen him in, while waving to Timotheus with his free hand. “Over here!”

Bleys chanted as he cast protection from evil, but Timotheus jumped away before he could be touched by the spell that would break the possession. He snickered and then guffawed as he charged towards Telémahkos, obeying his cousin’s summons. He wore a lascivious look, licking his lips repeatedly. Timotheus grabbed at Telémahkos, “Come ‘ere!”

“Eek!” Telémahkos shrieked and barely leapt away in time, feeling the tug on his toga. Tim ran after him, shrinking and growing fat as his form rippled and turned, avoiding Bleys’ attempts to imbue him with the protection from evil spell. “C’mere ya little turd! I’m gonna slap your ass raw!” Timotheus now looked like his uncle, Telémahkos’ father, Agamemnon. Again, Telémahkos was able to avoid Timotheus’ grasp, and he danced around flicking his rapier in front of him to keep his cousin, now looking like his father, away. “Somebody do something!”

Meanwhile, the possessed form of Jakos was reeling from a heavy blow from Laarus and started moving towards the spiral steps. Startled by the thing’s sudden approach, Markos dropped his crossbow and hurriedly slammed the trapdoor shut. He pulled a dagger.

“An injury may give him another chance to shake off the effect,” Laarus suggested as he took off up the metal steps after the demon-possessed-Jakos. He slammed him in the back with his morningstar once again and the form collapsed on the stairs, sliding painfully down the stairs a bit and becoming tangled in the priest’s legs and the metal railing. A black living figure of swirling shadow emerged from Jakos’ twisted form and began to fly back towards the circle. Markos shoved his dagger through the latch of the trapdoor, to wedge it shut even more tightly and then, picked up one of the loaded crossbows and fired. The quarrel few through the living shadow to no effect. Victoria roared as she thrust her spear up at it as it flew past her, but like the crossbow bolt, the weapon seem to have no effect despite the violence of her blow.

“Huh? What happened?” Timotheus shook his head a moment after Bleys touched him and he changed back into himself. The watch-mage had finally gotten the protection from evil spell to at least temporarily ward him from the possessing influence.

“You’re lucky,” Telémahkos quipped to his cousin with a wink. “I was about to run you through!” He skipped over towards the shadow and whipped his magic blade through its essence feeling the slightest resistance as he cut shadow stuff from its insubstantial form. Telémahkos felt something enter his mind, but he shook it off, encouraged by Laarus’ words to Ra, as he channeled divine energy through his holy symbol, filling the room with a pulse of it. The shadow turned and reached for him but he backed away, as Timotheus rejoined the fight, and Victoria and Laarus came clanging down the metal steps to surround it. Finally, one of Victoria’s spear thrusts seemed to have effect, while Tim’s mighty blows seemed to do nothing.

Bleys made his way around the melee, scooping up one of the spare crossbows on his way, and spotted Markos doing what he was on his way to do, checking on Jakos. The smaller mage poured a potion of cure light wounds down the older wizard’s throat, and in a few moments he was sputtering to consciousness.

“What should we do? The creature seems mostly unaffected by our weapons!” Markos asked, shaking the man by the collar of his robes.

“Tutila ex malum!” Bleys spun around and cast protection from evil once again. This time he touched Telémahkos as soon as he noted the slender Briareus had been overtaking by whatever malevolent force was flittering around the room in the form of the shining motes. He picked up his dropped sword, and it was only Bleys’ spell that kept the thing from possessing him once again, as he left himself open to its attack.

The shadow creature swept down at Laarus and the priest of Ra crumpled to the ground asleep.

Markos looked up from where Jakos was giving him advice on how to handle the situation in a raspy whisper and ran over to his cousin, and began to shake him. “Wake up! Jakos says you need to use the power of Ra to drive that thing back into the circle!” Laarus started awake again, and Markos left him to go back to Jakos, who handed him a wand he pulled from his belt. “Just point this at the thing and say ‘telectus!’” he croaked.

As Bleys dropped the crossbow and drew his saber, Victoria and Timotheus had the creature between them. The militant priestess was still having more luck than the brawny warrior, but still her spear thrusts were not as effective as if she had been stabbing at a corporeal body. The motes floated over to Bleys and he felt a malevolent tickle in his mind that he was barely able to shake off. ⁴ Telémahkos danced around, paranoid of the motes, but trying to drive the thing towards the circle, keeping it between Victoria and Tim.

“Telectus!” Markos flicked the wand and three magic missiles flew from the wand and burst as they passed through the shadow. It shuddered and shrunk visibly, spinning around as if in agony.

Now on his feet, Laarus of Ra grasped his holy symbol one more time and called out, “Ra! Send this creature back to my circle of blood!” He felt the energy of his god pass through him and the thing moaned as it flew towards the great arching window, and bounced against the glass twice like confused fly, and then swooped back towards the circle.

“Now! Now!” Jakos called. Timotheus dropped his weapon and drew a dagger throwing it at the shadow as it bounced around in the circle, trapped by some unseen force. The dagger seemed to slow as it passed through and the thing fell to the ground transforming into a blonde young woman. It was Timotheus’ sister Ivy… “Please Tim! Please don’t kill me,” she begged through tears.

“Telectus! Three more arrows of light flew from the wand Markos was using and Ivy shuddered. “No, Markos is trying to kill me! Stop him!” She cried.

“Let this travesty end now,” Victoria said. She stepped back and hefted a short spear and threw it right through Ivy’s chest. She fell back and melted back into a liquidy shadow form, and began to dissipate, leaving behind a pile of black ashes.

“Good try, but my family doesn’t beg,” Timotheus said, stepping over to spit in the ashes.

“We should go and see how the rest of the town fares,” Victoria said.

Jakos Ilmari was able to get to his feet with help from Markos, and took back his wand, shoving it into his belt. He began to walk out towards his study, but Bleys the Aubergine stepped in front of him.

“Before we go anywhere, I need to remand you into custody,” the watch-mage told the old wizard.

Jakos nodded. “I understand, but I would like to break the plague of insomnia first…”

Bleys nodded and let the man by, but followed closely, as did the others.

“All that needs to be done is to break this,” he lifted the crystal sphere from his desk.

“Then break it!” Markos said. Jakos let it shatter against the floor, and amid the tinkling of glass was the sound of a chime. Suddenly, Laarus, Victoria and Telémahkos collapsed to the ground asleep, as the others felt a wave of fatigue wash over them. Jakos stumbled back against the desk, his eyes heavy.

“I need to sleep,” the old man said.

“Why don’t you sleep now? We are done here,” Markos suggested.

”I thought I was being remanded,” he replied.

“Can’t that wait?” Markos asked, turning to Bleys.

“No, it cannot,” Bleys said in his usual flat tone.

“Come on, give the man a break,” Timotheus said. “Think of how much more difficult this would have been if he had not cooperated.”

“Very well,” Bleys acquiesced. “You have earned a temporary reprieve. Timotheus, you shall stay here and watch over him, while I run to retrieve Captain Firth, and inform the authorities at Havesting what has occurred.”

“I’ll stay too and look through some of his books,” Markos added.

“No sir, you will not…” Jakos replied. As Bleys left, he heard Markos go into a long-winded argument meant to persuade Jakos to give him access to his tower’s secrets and lore.

Soon after, Tellum woke up, and came rushing to his master’s defense, but Jakos calmed him down. ⁵

Out in Sluetelot the danger of the fire had been averted. All that was left were several smaller fires surrounded by townsfolk with pails, and priests of Tefnut from the temple in Havesting creating water to fill the buckets. There were people scattered in various places having fallen sleep where they stood, and some were being carried off by friends or family. Bleys found Captain Firth and informed her of what had happened, and how the magical plague had been banished. He told her of Jakos and his henchmen, and how they being held back at the tower. She dispatched some guards to the tower immediately, and filled Bleys in on the efforts to fight the fire as they walked. She told him how Holy Admiral Korwait Tenbrook had opened Havesting and sent out Waveservants of Tefnut to help. Now soldiers were being mobilized to prevent looting.

The Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland made their way back to Death & Taxes, where Victoria, Laarus and Telémahkos were put to bed and put under the watchful eye of Timotheus. As they walked Markos was curious as to what would happen to Jakos and his tower.

“Jakos will be imprisoned in gaol and his tower will be locked up pending his trial and the ruling of the Lord of House Tenbrook or his agent,” Bleys replied.

“As acting watch-mage of Sluetelot could you not request that the tower be placed under your command for now?” Markos asked.

“No,” Bleys said flatly.

”There could be other dangerous magics in there that could endanger the town,” Markos tried a new tack.

“All the more reason to not go poking around in them,” Bleys said.

“We’d be careful!” Markos grinned and then bit his bottom lip imaging what secrets he might find there,

“You just want all his stuff!” Timotheus admonished.

“No! Uh… No!” Markos protested. “We did not even gather any of the ashes that remained of that nightmare demon creature, for example…”

“Oh come on!” Timotheus smirked. “Are you even trying to be convincing?”

Bleys ignored them, and at the inn Markos changed his strategy roping Tim into a conversation regarding sneaking in by means of being boosted through the broken shutters.

“Tim!” Telémahkos called from his bed, still half-asleep. Timotheus went to his cousin’s side. “I forgot to tell you…” Telie rolled over and pulled a blanket close under his chin. “Floris is going to challenge you to a duel if you don’t apologize to him for whatever it is you did to him…”

“Oh for gods’ sake,” Timotheus muttered.

“And don’t leave me alone with assassins around,” Telémahkos’ voice grew sharp as he climbed back towards full consciousness to emphasize the point.

Timotheus sighed his grudging agreement.

From Death & Taxes Bleys went to Havesting where he spoke to Delilah Fairbanks, seneschal of the fortress. They made arrangements for camps to be set up for the refugees from the fire and for food to be moved from Havesting’s stores to the camps. Some of the displaced townsfolk would be allowed to use empty barracks in the fortress until they could reconnect with family living in other parts of the town or in nearby places. The rest would be brought to field in New Sluetelot and given tents and other means of making temporary shelter.

Over the next couple of days the extent of the fire’s devastation became clearer. The dockworkers were freed to help with the clean up effort, and while grumblings of a Weirspierogen plot were to be heard here and there in drunken anger, most people came to accept the fire as a consequence of Jakos’ actions. The young nobles found themselves at the center of attention for their efforts against the fire and the stories of them running off towards the center of the fire and certain death in order to find the source of the curse of insomnia. However, not all of the attention was good, as many people gave Laarus wide berth once news of the people he killed got around.

During this time Markos tried to visit Jakos in the gaol, but the warden insisted on permission coming from Bleys, and the salty mage decided against pestering his companion on the issue of the Jakos and the tower any longer. Laarus Raymer of Ra did visit Jakos ⁶, and as a priest of Ra no one denied him the opportunity. He also had Euleria find out as much as she could about the two people he had killed while possessed so he could make some form of remuneration to their next of kin.

Bleys wrote up a detailed report of the events of the plague of insomnia, Jakos Ilmari and the fire and encouraged his companions to do the same.

“We may be on the road by the time they get around to giving him a trial, our signed and witnessed affidavits will be useful to his prosecution,” he said. Laarus agreed.

But mostly they rested… ⁷

End of Sessions #25

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Notes:

(1) Laarus took 4 points of damage from the cut.

(2) Timotheus had to make a Will save to resist the effect.

(3) Victoria fumbled getting the following result:Reflex save (DC 20) or hit friend, normal damage. – She made her Reflex save.

(4) Bleys’ player chose to use an action die for this save, and as it turned out it made the difference.

(5) Tellum had been defeated with non-lethal damage and tied up. He successfully escaped his bonds when he woke up.

(6) See InterSession #25.1

(7) I advanced the calendar a couple of days to reinforce the party’s fatigue and aching lungs from all the smoke they inhaled, etc…

 

[handforged]

Whoa. I am sure that was a tense fight for the group. Perhaps Laarus's willingness to sacrifice himself for the circle will help to make up for the stubbornness earlier.

Where to next?

~hf

 

[Rastfar]

As a player I am unaccustomed to 'power' and/or any measure of 'authority'. As a result I initially struggled with certain aspects of being 'provisional Watch-Mage'. Also, I found the nature of the predicament to be dichotomous as in Aquerra this is usually not the case and often it seems (at least in my experience) it is this very same 'power' that we are at odds with.

That said, once I got into the rhythm (and over my paranoia) I thoroughly enjoyed Bleys' position and felt that he was given an opportunity to shine as a PC - which is harder to do with a non-combat focused character. Of course, the internal conflict with Laarus - " I AM THE LAW! " aided in this.

Again, kudos to a great arc and a trusting DM who had the foresight to trust in the role-play of some players; that no matter how tempting Jakos' tower and the corruption of power can be, it would not become a temptation that he would rue.

 

[el-remmen]

InterSession #25.1 – “Laarus Visits Prison” ¹

Osilem, the 24th of Keent - 566 H.E. (637 M.Y.)

A couple of days later, Laarus Raymer of Ra arranged for an audience with Jakos Ilmari. He was led into "the Cross;" the interrogation and visiting cell at the Sluetelot Gaol. Jakos looked haggard and tired, pulling at his beard frequently and not very happy about being pulled from his cell.

‘The Cross’ was the inner building in the gaol where Victoria, Markos and Bleys had fought the possessed Warden and prisoners.² The center of it was enclosed with bars, allowing access to a prisoner from all sides and no privacy. A guard stood behind Laarus as he approached the bars to address the droopy-eyed old wizard.

After looking over Jakos, Laarus turned to the guard. "I would prefer to speak with him in private."

"I am sorry, Sir. . . But that is against regulations. . ."

"What I have to say is for his ears only. You have my word that I will not see him come to any harm. Inspect me for weapons and contraband, if you wish. I do not require for you to leave the premises. If you could take your post on the other side of that door, it should prove sufficient."

"I'm sorry, sir, but…" The guard was clearly uncomfortable refusing the priest. "It is not just for his safety, but for yours… Also, legally he has a right to someone present in case he decides he does not want to talk to you anymore… I mean… He has that right, but…You give me the word and I will leave… I just always thought priests of Ra were 'by the book'."

Laarus nodded. "You are versed in the law. And you seek to uphold it. But you would still defer to one of higher station. Those are virtuous traits. You see the worth of law, truth, and honor." Slowly turning around, he continued, "And you are correct. I cannot deny this man the rights granted to him by the law. But you, Jakos…" He motioned to the prisoner. "…can waive that right. Would you accept to speak in private? I give you my word it shall end should you wish to continue no longer. Though, I suspect you'd have some interest in what I have to say."

"Yes… Fine…It matters not…" Jakos replied, clearly dejected. The guard nodded and stepped out.

Laarus turned to face Jakos full on. There was no where to sit, though the prisoner had a low stool on his side. "You had mentioned briefly that this chaos you caused was due to your desire to contact a god. To awaken him and powers you believed to have been forgotten. Powers you believed may be connected to those of the ancients known as the Mystics…"

Laarus paused for a moment, examining Jakos' countenance. "I've come to tell you that these powers which you sought are not lost. Are not forgotten. Even today, there are those among us who wield these powers. Though, not to the extent as during the days of the Mystics."

"You misunderstood me," Jakos replied. "I was not trying to access these powers, which are known to some as 'psionics' and are clearly still used to some small degree throughout Aquerra. Rather, I was seeking make contact with Untamo to see if I might probe the power that keeps him cloistered - whether it be by that god's will or by some other. . ." He swallowed loudly and sighed. "Anyway, even if I did not know of the existence of these powers, I would have taken your obvious bloodline as evidence of them…I take it you use these powers?"

"The power I possess manifests itself without my control. I do not use it. I only experience its effects." Laarus cleared his throat. "But, then, what interest did you have in contacting Untamo? What did you hope to find? What did you hope to gain?"

"To sate my curiosity… To explore the mysteries that might keep a god in check…" Jakos shrugged.

Laarus nodded, disheartened. "And has your curiosity been sated?"

"No…Though obviously whatever power it is, is demonic. . .or at least employs fiendish servants to do its will. . . If I ever get out of prison and can establish myself somewhere more isolated than here… Well, then I may try again by other means. . . though I am not sure what those means would be. . . I would have seek out someone with your powers, and with control over them… Do you plan to follow in the footsteps of the forgotten Order of Epiphany's Dawning?"

"What path would that be? I no nothing of this order other than what you've mentioned." ³

"I don't know specifically…I only meant if you planned to improve and expand your psionic powers as a way to engender your devotion to Ra, as that order once did. Yes, they were declared heretics and exiled, but before that they were an accepted order in the social and political structure of the Sunra Kingdom… I assume their excommunication had more to do with politics than faith…" Jakos looked at his feet, or absently at places on the floor as he spoke.

"This power does not spring from Ra. So, I do not see how its development would further my devotion. With it, I only see death and destruction. Perhaps the powers of this lost order came forth through the glory of Ra. Or they were mistaken about its origins," Laarus replied.

"Death and destruction?" Jakos looked up at Laarus with his deep-set sad ice-blue eyes. "You have the power of prophecy? Mmmm, yes…A burden by all accounts, but that is just one among many powers available to such practitioners… Of course, your view of your faith is your own, but the Order believed that in perfecting themselves and this internal power they were reflecting the glory of Ra who infused them with the fire of a spirit. . . But little is known of them in actuality…Legend… Rumor. . ."

"I am aware there are variety of these powers. Though, I've not known any others than the Mystics to possess more than one. I wonder if this Order became too devoted to these powers and began disregarding other duties and responsibilities," Laarus speculated as he paced a bit, but then stopped and shook his head. "I do intend to use what I see to aid me in enforcing Ra's will. But I cannot fathom that the glory of Ra has infused me with such ... darkness."

"Heh. Call it darkness if you like, but it is only as dark as the man it emerges from," Jakos replied. "I cannot tell you the true reasons for their exile… Perhaps they can be found among the ancient archives in the tombs of the High Temple of Ra in what was once Heliopolis…Who knows? Perhaps such knowledge is inscribed in the High Temple of Thoth in Moon City? Again…I do not know…I do know however that when they left it is said they followed the course that Ambrose and his people took centuries before… and according to legend returned from exile to fight in the Battle of the Fire Gods… But who knows the truth of such things? There are those with many of these powers… It is up to you to decide to seek them out. Now, was there something else…?"

"No. You have provided me with the information I wished to know. But, what I came here for can not be done." Laarus turned to leave, but stopped and asked, "Unless there is something else you wish to talk about?"

"What did you come here for?" Jakos’ eyes narrowed.

"I had hoped to be able to stay your further experimentation in this area. Experimentation that conjured great chaos; that harmed many innocents and endangered many more and even sent some towards Anubis' Realm. That blood is on your hands… Yes, but your actions have stained others' with it as well." The priest's glance fell down to his palms, held out before him. "But, I was misinformed of your intentions. What information I would have to share would do nothing to sate your curiosity and halt your endeavors."

Raising his head, he returned his focus to Jakos' eyes and concluded, "And you have expressed your desire and intention to continue along this path, in spite of what your actions have wrought. That was the information I wished to know."

After standing there for a moment, looking over Jakos in silence, Laarus made his way to the door behind him and rapped on it with his fist. "We are done here."

End of InterSession #25.1

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Notes:

(1) This scene was played out using our messageboards.

(2) See Session #23

(3) Jakos told the Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland of the Order of Epiphany’s Dawning in Session #25.

 

[el-remmen]

Session #26 – “Challenges, Trials & Tests”(part 1 of 4) ^{1, 2}

Tholem, the 25th of Ese - 566 H.E. (637 M.Y.)

The young nobles of the Charter of Schiereiland spent the couple of days after the fire was finally put out doing what they could to help organize and undertake the cleaning effort, and keeping whatever smoldering piles of debris that were still around from re-igniting. Old Town was quieter than usual, with nearly a quarter of its population temporarily re-located and with the strong presence of soldiers from Havesting in the streets.

Markos Ackers took to hanging out at a tiny tavern called Bilgewater’s near the harbor, and not far from the line of where the fire reached. His normal haunt for information and an opportunity to be around fellow sailors and low-lifes, The Sign of the Black Sword, had been destroyed in the fire. Victoria Ostrander of Anhur was not around very much either, as her mother Miranda came with a delegation of noble ladies from Schiereiland to see the devastation for themselves and lend what aid they could to the town. The militant of Anhur accompanied her mother and these other women to the various places they visited. ³ Laarus Raymer of Ra was able to pay some form of reparation to the family of the waitress he had killed while possessed, but Euleria was unable to find any next of kin for the gambler who had also been killed, despite several reports that he had a wife and children in Moon City. The young priest of Ra asked the group’s steward to continue with inquiries. ⁴

Telémahkos and Timotheus were spending all their time together at the former’s insistence. They were sharing a meal and some drinks in the common room of Death & Taxes when the silhouette of Floris Tenbrook darkened the wide doorway and he walked with purpose over to their table. The place was mostly empty, as it has been during the fire, and this was the first time they had seen Floris since that awful day. He wore a bright yellow shirt lined with frills, and deep purple leggings under a tartan kilt. His rapier and main-gauche slapped against his hips, his hair was trimmed, and his face clean-shaven.

As soon as he noticed the arrival, Telémahkos stood and greeted him effusively, calling him over. “A round of drinks for the house on me in name of my friend Floris!” Telémahkos announced.

“Only one round? Are you saying I am not worth more?” Floris flashed his smile.

“Uh… Two rounds!” Telémahkos coughed out, and Floris laughed, but as he gaze fell to Timotheus, who was still sitting as if deep in thought, his face grew stern.

“You sir, impugned my honor when you questioned my authority…” Floris said, eyes narrowing.

“Do you plan to challenge me to duel?” Timotheus asked, only now raising his head and standing to meet the swordsman’s steady gaze.

“If it comes to that…”

”Well, first, I would like to apologize,” Timotheus replied. “I was overwrought with concern for Laarus and the danger to the town and did not realize that running out into the street covered in blood and half-naked might not have helped to calm the situation…” ⁵

Floris nodded.

”But secondly,” Timotheus continued. “I accept your challenge!”

“What!” Telémahkos was shocked. “Have you gone mad?”

“No…” Timotheus smiled. “I have no grudge against Floris, but I figured a friendly duel would be fun…”

Floris’ smile grew wider. “I accept, though I am sure I need not remind you, but duels, friendly or not, can still be dangerous… What shall be our terms? To first blood? Until someone yields…?”

“Yielding is fine…” Timotheus agreed.

“In that case, I choose Telémahkos as my second,” Floris said, slapping a hand on Telie’s shoulder. Telémahkos smiled weakly.

At that moment Bleys the Aubergine and Markos came into the common room and were called over. They were informed of the duel and its terms.

“You should have chosen first blood,” Markos admonished. “You are so hard-headed you might end up dead before you are willing to yield…” Timotheus frowned and gave Markos a friendly push that masked aggression. “Bleys, will you be my second?” Timotheus asked the watch-mage.

“Surely you can find someone better…” Bleys demurred.

“No worries! It is just a formality, you won’t have to do anything…” Timotheus explained. ⁶ The duel was arranged for the day after next in a field not far from where the fire’s refugees were camped out.

Later that same day, the young nobles gathered for dinner and to discuss their next moves.

“What do we plan to do when House Tenbrook’s hospitality runs out?” Markos asked his companions. “These suites are paid for through about mid-winter and then…?”

“We should find out how much it will be for us to continue to pay for them,” Telémahkos suggested.

“Are we sure we want to stay here?” Markos asked. “I mean, perhaps we can find a more permanent headquarters in Moon City, not far from the University and its resources…”

“I have no problem with that…” Bleys replied.

“And seeing as how recently one of our number emphasized half the name of this place under its very roof, it may be time to move on…” Markos added, looking at Laarus.

“Furthermore, if we pay our own way we do not have to feel beholden to any particular noble house,” Bleys added. “I would like to avoid any Tenbrook entanglements.”

“What about Azure or somewhere else in Schiereiland?” Timotheus asked. “I would like to be closer to home if possible.”

“Moon City is just across the way from Azure,” Laarus said. “And it the home city of our liege house, perhaps they can aid us in finding a place…” ⁷

“I would rather that Euleria do it for us,” the watch-mage said.

It was agreed to let their steward look into possibilities for them, and after a quick discussion regarding bringing horses with them to the Kingdom of Red God of the West to seek out Stanislaw Torn⁸, Telémahkos expressed his feeling that everyone should have a horse trained for war, as steady and reliable mounts might mean the difference of life and death in that foreign land.


Balem, the 26th of Ese - 566 H.E. (637 M.Y.)

The next day after purchasing horses, including a deal wherein Timotheus traded in his ailing horse in order to get Markos a good deal on his warhorse, and took the diminutive wizard’s riding horse for himself, renaming it ‘Sandy’. There was a shortage of good warhorses, and Timotheus decided against getting one. They were referred to the Dry Estates of Lilly City as the next closest source of such horses.

In the afternoon, while Victoria was off with her mother, the rest of the Signers headed out to Havesting and Sluetelot Harbor. Word had come to them via Euleria that Holy Captain Esperson Wetherwax of RMN Spiritwind wanted to speak to them. He had been among the Waveservants of Tefnut who had lent their aid to Sluetelot during the fire. Esperson was the cousin of Lord Falkoner Wetherwax, Lord of the House that bore his name and ruler of Tribunisport and its surrounding lands. He was also responsible for a large portion of Thricia’s standing navy.

The Sluetelot Harbor was as impressive as they remembered it from their arrival nearly five months before.⁹ Coming out a gate on it southern end, they walked along the wharf in the shadow of the masts of merchant cogs and caravels. The place was alive with sounds, voices calling as crates were hauled and nets lowered, boxes carried and decks swabbed. They made their way to the center where an immense sea wall reached into the harbor from the ramparts of Havesting. There was a great beacon light atop it, and a pool of water surrounded by statues acted as the shrine atop a temple of Tefnut built into the wall. It was also the center of the harbor’s defense. The wall split the harbor and when they climbed the narrow winding steps up to the top of it, they could see the far side of it was a more spacious set of docks where naval ships, caravels and carrocks, were moored.

As the young nobles came to the marble pool, seeing that the statues surrounding it were of Tefnut in her various guises, a whale, a spout of water, a kelpie, an armored merwoman wielding a trident, they found the place mostly empty save for two priests, a man and a woman, praying silently, facing away from the pool and out towards the harbor. The man stood and looked at the party, smiling. He tapped the woman on the shoulder, and she stood, saluted him and headed out towards the stone building that held the beacon.

The man was about six feet tall, with long black hair and hawk-like features and dark eyes that gave him a passing resemblance to Bleys, but clean-shaven. He was dressed in a toga of a soft sea blue, tied with a dark green sash, and wore sandals tied up to his knee. Around his neck was silver charm of an ankh in a stylized wave upon a silver chain.

“Welcome! You must be the Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland!” the man greeted. “I am Esperson Wetherwax of Tefnut, and you must be Bleys Winter, called ‘the Aubergine’.” The priest stepped forward and took the young watch-mage’s hand, shaking with enthusiasm, as his smile grew wider.

“Yes, I am Bleys the Aubergine, acting watch-mage of Sluetelot and one of the signers of said charter,” Bleys replied in his even baritone. “We are honored at your summons…”

Timotheus stepped up and gave Bleys a friendly elbow. “This is Timotheus Smith of House Briareus,” Bleys introduced the occasionally oafish companion at his elbow, and then the rest of the group; each in turn shaking the priest’s hand. “Victoria Ostrander of Anhur was called away on family business and could not join us,” Telémahkos said. “She sends her regards and regrets…”

“I am happy that any of you came,” Esperson replied. “My house and kin are grateful for the warning you sent us regarding an attack on our fleet, but my cousin, Lord Falkoner could wait no longer for your many journeys to bring you to Tribunisport, so he asked that I might intercede on behalf of House Wetherwax and get more information from you about it.” ¹⁰

Bleys turned and looked to Laarus. “We never asked Brother Eubren to not mention whom the warning came from… We were told to expect it…” The priest said to the watch-mage. ¹⁰

“We do not know much,” Telémahkos offered.

“But we need to know all you do know, or else how can we begin to protect ourselves against this attack?” Esperson grew serious in his tone. “For example, how did you come to learn of this threat to the Wetherwax fleet?”

“Are you familiar with the Vanderborens?” Telémahkos asked. He went on to explain about Lavinia request that they seek out his brother and keep him getting involved in criminal enterprise, but it was too late, as Telémahkos said to Esperson, “He is bad seed.” Any mention of the pearl was omitted from the retelling.

“Unfortunately, in trying to find and stop him at his sister’s request, we followed him to Kraken’s Cove, and got unintentionally embroiled in the war between the thieves’ guilds,” Telémahkos went on to explain, but Esperson asked for more detail about the guild war, and Telie’s opinion about how things stood with it.

“Lord Falkoner sent ships to patrol the area around Kraken’s Cove and keep others from taking it over as their own base,” Holy Captain Esperson said to them.

“Good,” Bleys replied. “They may relocate to Haffar’s Port or Herman Land…”

“And then it’ll be someone else’s problem,” Timotheus added with a smile. Bleys actually laughed, dismissing the brawny warrior’s suggestion.

“What do you know of the Pillars? The ones drawn all over Thricia,” Bleys went on to ask the naval priest. “Could they have something to do with the guild war?”

Holy Captain Esperson Wetherwax of Tefnut looked surprised. “I am shocked you even mention it,” Esperson said. “Do you have reason to think it is related? It matches no organization I know of, and I figured it was some kind of prank…”

The young nobles denied any knowledge of the Pillars. “There are just too many things going on for it to be a coincidence,” Markos said.

“Let me ask you this,” Bleys changed the subject back to the threat to the Wetherwax fleet. “Could the fleet be wrested from the control of House Wetherwax?”

“How do you mean? Politically or physically?” The captain asked. A wind came in off the harbor, blowing his hair in his face, and he raised a hand to brush it away.

“Politically…”

“Well, who else has a naval background?” Timotheus jumped in to the speculation. “Clossen?”

“Tenbrook…” Bleys said.

“Swann, Devenpeck…” Esperson added.

“Oh, okay… So I guess that doesn’t really narrow anything down…” Timotheus said.

“Do you have reason to believe it is from one of the other houses?” Esperson seemed to address most of his questions to Bleys, and this one was no exception. “Perhaps we were wrong in assuming it was a physical threat, and Lord Falkoner would want to know of the possibility that the enemies to House Wetherwax are internal.”

“Honestly, we don’t have much lead one way or another,” Telémahkos interjected. “As I said before, all we have to go on is the overheard assertion that ‘when the Wetherwax fleet is crippled, then our work will really begin. . .’”

The captain was quiet for a long moment, looking out at the sea as he thought. “Very well… The warning is appreciated. I only wish there was more to go on…”

“As do we…” Laarus said.

“… Lord Falkoner will still want to speak with you about this in person, but he has no intention to summon you officially,” Esperson said. “But if and when you get even the slightest chance, it would probably be best to visit him… The Lord would be happy to entertain the Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland regardless, but with this possible danger looming, he is all the more eager…”

“We understand,” Bleys said. Esperson Weatherwax turned away as a woman appeared at the door to the beacon and the inner shrine, and began to walk in their direction. Timotheus’ eyes widened and lit up as he took notice of her. She was a couple of inches short of six feet tall. She wore tall boots and woolen leggings of a reddish brown color, and a slightly shinier bronze-colored short robe-like dress tied with a black belt that held up a sabre in its scabbard. The belt accentuated the delicious curve of her hips, and pinched her waist, giving her toned arms and shoulders an even wider look. She wore a brown fur cloak, open on her shoulders and held together by a bronze chain dangling a silver version of the sigil of House Wetherwax. Her brown hair was chopped right at the shoulders, but part of the back was longer, reaching halfway down her back when not flicking in the harbor wind. She had large bright green eyes, tanned skin, and a rounded earthy beauty that arrested their conversation.

“Gentlemen,” Esperson gestured to the woman as she approached. “May I please introduce, Charlotte the Bronze…”

She looked them all over with a smirk. There was thick cigar in one corner of her otherwise perfect mouth, and she wrapped her fingers about it and took a few long lascivious sucks on it, before pulling it out and blowing a long stream of smoke to disintegrate in the swirling winds up there. Timotheus noticed her take extra long in looking him up and down, and his smile grew wider, and shot her the ole waggily eyebrow.

“You must be the famous Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland,” Charlotte purred. “I am honored.”

“It is we who should be honored to meet a member of the Firebrands,” Timotheus had heard some of the tales of her adventuring band’s heroics in the North Sea, around the Hammer and in the U.K.S.F.

“And a senior alumnus,” Bleys nodded his head respectfully.

“Not too senior,” she chided playfully.

The two watch-mages talked with the familiarity and respect common to those of their order.

“I have come here as a favor to a friend of mine, and well… He was trying to do you a favor, and now it seems I must do a favor for him for it to be fulfilled,” Charlotte said to them all.

The Signers of The Charter of Schiereiland were puzzled, unsure of what she spoke of.

“Sir Gregos Harrold of House Wetherwax, a cousin… Commander of the Quillton Harbor Fortress… It seems he was keeping your boat, Sea Wyvern, in impound,” Charlotte explained. The young nobles nodded with realization.¹¹“He took it upon himself to send it here to Sluetelot for you with a crew he trusted looking for passage here… Unfortunately, the ship was impounded by a patrol ship of House Devenpeck at the north end of Drie-Hoek Bay. Since it did not have an official register, and they refused to accept the letter from Sir Gregos with his seal, they took it in…”

“How long ago?” Bleys asked.

“A little more than a week ago,” Charlotte replied. “You will have to go and explain and pay a fine and impoundment fee to get your boat back, and actually register it…”

“So it is in Weirspierogen?” Bleys asked. Charlotte nodded.

“I’d be happy to go and get it the day after tomorrow,” Timotheus said. “I am sure my cousin would be happy to accompany me, and I guess you should come as well, Markos…”

But Markos wasn’t paying attention. He had gotten a whiff of Charlotte’s cigar and asked her for a puff. She looked startled at the request, but handed it over with a sly smirk. Markos puffed on it eagerly, savoring the taste for a moment before coughing and becoming lightheaded. Timotheus gestured to the cigar held in Markos’ fingers as he leaned over, hands on his knees. Charlotte nodded and the brawny warrior plucked it from its place and took a few puffs himself.

“Sure, I’ll go…” Markos croaked out.

“That is not all the news I have,” Charlotte continued, turning to Bleys. “It has come to my attention that the lord of House Swann has sent word of an official summons for you to appear at his court…”

“Regarding what?” Bleys asked.

“Some foolishness, I am sure… That boy-lord is all about exercising his power,” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “My advice is that you head out of Sluetelot and take care whatever business or adventures you have planned before that summons gets to you, so you won’t get embroiled in whatever local politics Lord Swann considers so important.”

When it became clear that Charlotte the Bronze was not going to give any more details about the summons even if she knew them, Markos and Telémahkos began to ask some about her adventures with the Firebrands. Realizing that she might have more information useful to the party, Bleys asked some questions about Puntos Negros. ¹²

“You know, we should get together and swap stories some day,” Timotheus edged over to Charlotte with a wide smile, but her own smile developed a cruel edge.

“When I’ve heard of one your stories from some other source first I’ll consider it,” She sidestepped, widening the gap between them.

“I am eager to hear more of the Hammer and perhaps to discuss magic some time…” Markos tried quite earnestly, but Charlotte had to bite her lip to hold back a laugh. Timotheus gave Markos a jealous glare. Telémahkos laughed at both of them, but Bleys and Laarus were as placid as usual. “I spent time up there and have some stories of my own…”

“I wonder if you’ve shared these stories with your companions,” Charlotte replied cryptically. “They might see you differently if they knew some of them…”

Markos frowned, and opened his mouth to speak again.

The wind picked up some more and Charlotte the Bronze bid the group farewell. Shaking each of their hands in turn, but stopped at Bleys. “Could you show me out? I have watch-mage business to discuss with you that we should talk about in private.”

“Of course…” Bleys turned and began to walk out with Charlotte. She took his arm, but when she noticed Markos following them out, she stopped and gave him a withering look. The diminutive mage, stopped and turned back.

Once they were at the threshold of entering the fortress, she said, “Actually, is about your little kidnapped Raymer friend that I want to talk to you about…”

…to be continued…

-------------------------------------------
Notes:

(1) This session was played on Sunday, March 2, 2008 in Brooklyn, NY.

(2) Experience points were awarded between Session #25 and this one, but no one advanced a level. Everyone is still a 4th level character at this point.

(3) Victoria’s player could not make it to the session that day, so this was a convenient way to keep Victoria occupied without having to run her as an NPC.

(4) See Session #23 for a description of the events.

(5) Again, see Session #23 for these events.

(6) The “second” in a duel fights in place of the duelist, if he or she falls ill or is injured in some way that does not lead to defeat but does not allow them to accomplish the conditions of the fight, etc…

(7) House Curen.

(8) The party found the name “Stanislaw Torn” from both the Mind of Oberah (Session #21) and Joezyn Barhyte (Session #22)

(9) See Session #1.

(10) Upon first arriving back in Sluetelot from the Disputed Territories the Signers were told that a message had been sent from Lord Falkoner asking that they come and see him when possible. They had sent warning of the attack to Tribunisport with Eubren Winter of Ra.

(11) Between Sessions #8 and #9, Lavinia Vanderboren awarded the party with the Sea Wyvern as a reward for their efforts to save her and to find her brother. However, since the boat had been impounded as part of the investigations of what happened at the Vanderboren Manse in Quillton, Sir Gregor Harrold continued to hold on the boat as a favor, in order to save them the expense of keeping it docked somewhere. (See InterSession #8.2)

(12) Stanislaw Torn is said to spend half the year in Puntos Negros.

 

[el-remmen]

Session #26 – “Challenges, Trials & Tests”(part 2 of 4)

The remaining Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland discussed more details of what they had found in Kraken’s Cover with Esperson of Tefnut as they waited for Bleys to return. However, the watch-mage was gone for some time, so they said goodbye to the waveservant, and walked down the sea wall towards the fortress. As they walked, Timotheus leaned over to Markos, “You set your sights too high…”

“Huh?”

“Charlotte.”

“You are assuming Markos had prurient intent,” Telémahkos said, overhearing.

“Yeah, I meant what I said, I was just interested… you know, magically,” Markos sputtered.

“Even Markos know when some is out of his league, unlike you, cousin,” Telémahkos laughed.

“Uh-huh,” Timotheus gave him a nod and a wink.

“You make me sick!” Markos said, getting close to Timotheus as he bristled with anger. “You are just as bad an elitist as any other noble despite your background… How dare you say I am not in her league?”

“Oh yeah, that reminds me,” Timotheus replied grinning. “You are way too on the fragile and sensitive side for her…”

“We should have told Esperson about Harliss,” Laarus said, changing the subject. When Bleys caught back up with them, they had stopped at near one side of the seawall ramparts and were arguing about what information could be safely given to whom.

Timotheus stepped away to catch the watch-mage up.

“Laarus wants to tell Esperson about Harliss and her role in what happened at Kraken’s Cove and at the Vanderboren Manse,” Timotheus said. “Amazingly, Markos agrees with him, but Telémahkos is against it.”

“And where do you stand?” Bleys asked him.

“I’d rather not rat her out,” Timotheus said. “Better the devil we know and all that… She may not be the most honorable person, but at least it was possible to negotiate with her, that may prove useful in the future if we ever run into her again… Anyway, she has a soft spot for me…”

“Really?”

“Sure! You could see it in her eyes,” Timotheus stood up straight, puffed out his muscled chest and grinned. “You could totally tell she wanted a big ole piece of Timotheus…”

Bleys the Aubergine walked past his companion and began to listen in on the others. Markos was once again going over why he felt they should let Esperson know about Harliss and the involvement of the Red Lanterns, Laarus nodding.

“If we rat her out she will never trust us if we are ever in a position where we need to cut a deal with her again,” Timotheus said.

“What kind of a deal would we possibly want to make with her? I was reluctant the first time, I cannot imagine agreeing to it a second,” Bleys protested.

“And yet, it did happen once,” Telémahkos smirked.

“We should tell Esperson not only of Harliss, but what we know of the pearls that caused the change, and Vanthus’ search for more…” Laarus of Ra asserted. “He has come offering help and is a loyal follower of a noble goddess…”

The discussion began again in earnest, this time with Bleys’ input. Suddenly, with a spontaneity and lack of reasoning that only one who venerated the cat goddess, Bast, Telémahkos walked away from his companions, hustling out on the sea wall to look for Esperson and talk to him on his own.

“Um, Captain?” Telémahkos said when he found Esperson still out on the wall looking out at the sea. “We were talking over what we knew and decided it was important to give you more information, that at first we thought might not be relevant… but perhaps it is…”

Telémahkos went on to explain about the pearl that had affected the transformation on the people of Kraken’s Cove, and of the bullywug shaman’s warning regarding ‘the savage tide.’ ¹ “But we aren’t sure what that means…” Telémahkos added. “Have you heard that term before?”

“No…” Esperson answered as if trying to figure out what it might be. He shook his head and looked to Telémahkos again. “I am glad you have shared this with me…”

“There is more…” Telémahkos went on to explain that the party speculated that Vanthus Vanderboren was looking for more similar pearls, and mentioned the map with the notes and pinholes.²

“I want to see that map…” Holy Captain Esperson replied. “And if possible to have one of the navigator on my crew make a copy of it…”

“I would have to ask my companions, but they should agree…” Telémahkos sounded unsure.

“It would be a great favor to House Wetherwax, as I think these pearls and this danger to the fleet are related… I know that I would be personally grateful and would do what I could to return the favor… Perhaps arrange passage for you when you take some long journey that requires a sturdy ship?”

Telémahkos hustled back to his companions and explained Esperson’s request, but expressed his own reservations. “We cannot necessarily trust House Wetherwax…”

“We should let him copy the map in return for letting us copy some of his,” Markos said.

“He offered passage on his or another ship which is something we know we need as opposed to maps that may or may not be helpful…” Telémahkos replied.

“Maps are always helpful!” Markos protested.

“It doesn’t matter… I am still not sure… What if the map falls into the hands of someone else, someone in House Wetherwax that is seeking the pearls?” Telémahkos speculated. He and Markos fell to arguing, drowning out the suggestions of the others.

“I wish you’d keep you gods-damned voice down!” Telémahkos snapped.

“I wish the two of them would fnck and get it over with already,” Timotheus complained, leaning over to Bleys with a smirk. The watch-mage made no sign of acknowledging the warrior’s bawdy words.

“Look!” Timotheus finally spoke up. “If Wetherwax are traitors we are screwed already, so if we have to trust someone this seems like the people to trust…”

“I agree…” Bleys intoned.

“If you say so…” Telémahkos turned to hurry off and bring the message of agreement to Esperson, but Bleys and Markos insisted on accompanying him. After a brief pause, Laarus and Timotheus followed as well.

“To not hand over this map would be negligent,” Esperson said, when everyone was gathered out on the wall again. A light rain began to fall, but the Waveservant of Tefnut did not seem to mind. “It is a critical piece of information in our defense…”

“Why critical?” Bleys asked.

“The pearls must be the means of attack against the fleet,” Esperson said. “Imagine several of these pearls set off at once on different ships or ports… Imagine the carnage as you described in Kraken’s Cove spread out throughout Thricia…”

“Yes… It makes sense…” Bleys brought one of his large calloused hands to his chin and smoothed the beard he was growing in.

An agreement was made. Markos would meet Holy Captain Esperson Wetherwax’s navigator at the RMN Spiritwind in a couple of days, and would sit with him while he made the map. On the way back to Death & Taxes all the slight mage could talk about was his hope to get a look at the navigator’s maps while he was there, and perhaps copy some. If his companions listened to his hurried monologue, they gave no indication.

--------------------------------------------

Hours later back at the inn, a tipsy Telémahkos arrived with a buxom woman on his arm, while a drunken Timotheus made his way up the stairs to sleep it off. Telie and the perfumed and thickly made-up woman joined Bleys where he was nursing a bowl of soup and a large mug of warmed milk. The affable-ne’er-do-well and the watch-mage fell to talking about the latter’s sister.

Telémahkos grew uncomfortable as he feared he heard points on the ends of Bleys’ words and the woman, whose name he could suddenly not even remember clutched at his arm and pawed his chest, giggling at everything he said whether it was meant to be a joke or not. He stood up to fetch more drinks and as he came back he felt the back of his seat get slammed by someone sitting at the table behind theirs and he was awkwardly pinned there for a moment. He squeezed out and stood, turning around.

“Excuse you!” said the young man at the next table. He spoke roughly, standing as he did so. If he were taller than Telémahkos it was not by much, but he had dark brown curls to Telie’s golden blond, and he was paler. He wore a wide brimmed velvet jacket over a frilled off-white shirt and brown breeches tied into tall boots. He wore a rapier at his side. It was tied in a peace knot as local ordinance demanded. ³

“I think you mean ‘excuse me,” Telémahkos corrected him.

“No, it is you that needs the excuse,” the young man’s grew flush. “For you are a sorry excuse for a swordsman from what I hear!” His hand dropped down to the hilt of this blade and Telémahkos took half a step and made ready to pull his own. The man let out a nervous laugh of derision.

“Listen here, boy… Perhaps you should run along before you get entangled with a noble from House…” Telémahkos began to bluster with bravado.

“Tenbrook?” The man suggested.

“No, Briareus… You?”

The young man relaxed and smiled when he heard the answer. “I am of House Kilgante!” He announced proudly.

“House Kilgante? Should I know this name? I know no such house…”

“The man who ran Kraven’s Cove,” Bleys said, calmly. He had pushed his chair back to keep the angry young man in his vision, but continued eating his soup. The common room was growing crowded and people were looking over at the commotion. “The man whose sword you carry…”

“And by what right do you carry that sword?” The young swordsman’s voice grew louder, and a bit shrill.

“Because I found it,” Telémahkos was dismissive.

“I am Danser Von Huet Blued! I was Kilgante’s last and only student, and as such heir to that blade,” Young Danser explained. “Will you hand it over to me?”

“I have won it by right of salvage and by virtue of surviving the horrors of the massacre at the cove,” Telémahkos explained.

“Give it up or duel for it,” Danser replied, his voice finally coming to an even tone.

“Go back to Lilly City!” The voice was a heckler from the crowded common room. Everyone was paying attention now and discussing the situation. “Take your duels elsewhere or you’ll get the bum’s rush!”

“I ask you again, are you prepared to hand over the Steel Whip, or shall we duel for it?” Danser asked again.

“Let us go, now… Outside the city…” Telémahkos suggested.

“No! We will duel in Lilly City,” Danser said. “I know you and your friends have pull here and I am not going to be tricked into entanglements with the local law. It will be Lilly City.”

“I don’t have time for these games,” again Telémahkos had a dismissive tone.

“Then give me the sword.”

“You know I will not do that,” Telémahkos said. “And I will not go to Lilly City…”

“Then everyone shall know of your cowardice,” Danser replied.

“I am a signed member of a chartered group,” Telémahkos explained. “I cannot simply get up and go where I please…”

“That is of no concern of mine.”

“Bleys?” Telémahkos turned to the watch-mage. “Do you think we could take a quick trip over to Lilly City, for… business…?”

“I do not see why not,” Bleys replied.

“Fine. Lilly City it is,” Telémahkos said to Danser. The young man smiled, showing a gold tooth.

“Seek me out there within a fortnight at the Silver Harbor, and it shall be arranged,” the swordsman replied. He picked up his drink and finished it, and then took up his floppy hat from the table and put it on.

“It shall be no great feat to take the sword from a weakling such as you,” Danser gave on final jab.

“Leave, for if you continue to insult me we shall have to fight here and now,” Telémahkos barked. Danser flashed his tooth and skipped out of Death & Taxes.

“Lilly City’s local laws being as they are…” Bleys said to Telémahkos as the swordsman left. “If you end up killing him the consequences will be somewhat mitigated there…” ⁴

…to be continued…

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Notes:

(1) See Sessions #6 through #8.

(2) Lavinia Vanderboren found this map among her brother’s things in the Vanderboren Quillton Manse. Click here to view it.

(3) In Sluetelot all weapons are to be worn with peace-knots at all times. However, as nobles, this law is never enforced on the Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland.

(4) The laws of Lilly City are such that duels are allowed as a legitimate means to settle disputes, and have even been used as means to enforce laws or enact punishment by more traditional legitimate authorities, like judges, priests of Ra and watch-mages.