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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 4051652" data-attributes="member: 11">Session #18 – “The Broken Circle” (part 3 of 3)Ralem, the 8th of Keent - 566 H.E. (637 M.Y.)The next day found the noble adventurers groaning from the aches of their battles and travails.  Worst of all, not only had none of them recovered from the effects of the evil green stone in the chamber of masks, but Bleys was even worse off.  He quickly found the piece of stone he had taken from the chamber of the masks from his pack (which he used as a pillow), and brought it to Ethan.“This is a piece of that cursed stone we told you about,” Bleys explained. “It seems its effects linger, and in its presence may become even worse.” The other watch-mage took it carefully and said he would bring it to Fallon to examine.  She might be able to tell them something about it when they met with her after breakfast.“It may be that we will need to go back to the tomb to rid ourselves of this affliction,” Markos said at breakfast.  There was a dour mood hovering over the group, for Laarus and Victoria’s calling to their gods for healing had had no effect on the vile damage they were suffering from.After breakfast, they were led to one of the large huts on the beach, and within its dim interior, amid many rugs and drying herbs and a small black stove, was the huddled form of Fallon.  Dressed in gray, she was propped on a stool, and long white hair fell out of her deep hood that cast shadows on the crags of her face.“Greetings…” She croaked, raising a withered hand.“Greetings!” Timotheus replied happily.  He introduced the party, except for Crusta, Dunlevey and Falco who were back in the other chamber.  Telémahkos brought Tymon along in case his linguistic or geographical skills were needed.“I choose to believe that the hands of fate have brought you here to us,” Fallon said.  “As I am sure Ethan has warned you, the corruption of the Nine has infiltrated the nobility of Thricia.  We cannot know who to trust, and for all we know one or more of you here might already so tainted… But we choose not to believe that, and that you have the good of your people, and of people in general in mind…”“I have heard such a rumor in the past,” Timotheus offered. “Were there not other nobles who were once allied with the Nine?”“Yes,” Fallon replied.  “But they are dead, or their influence gone. There was <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Gelton+Tenbrook" target="_blank">Gelton Tenbrook</a> who was banished from his House by pain of death, and is said to have met his end in <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Neergaard" target="_blank">Neergaard</a>…”“That’s the guy! That’s the guy I was talking about!” Timotheus was pleased with himself.“There was also <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Delorius+of+the+Nine" target="_blank">Delorius Nathanalus</a> of <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/House+Brill" target="_blank">House Brill</a>. Our information tells us that she has fallen out of favor with the Nine, her own personal drive for revenge against a band known as <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/the+Oath" target="_blank">the Oath</a> having blinded her to that organizations nefarious goals,” Fallon continued. [sup]1[/sup]“Is not the Oath the band that discovered <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Nine" target="_blank">the Nine’s</a> use of the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Sunra+Kingdom" target="_blank">Sunra</a> city of <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Highport" target="_blank">Highport</a> some years ago?” Bleys asked.Fallon nodded.  “I have worked with them a few times before, but they have gone missing.  There is among another band of adventurers who works with us a young <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Marshal+of+Thor" target="_blank">marshal</a> of the god <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Thor" target="_blank">Thor</a> who seeks out his master, a dwarven priest of the thunder god who was the leader of the Oath… Well, some people say the militant of Anhur among their number was the leader, but I knew them well, and knew the truth… This other band calls themselves ‘the Promise’ in honor of the Oath, but we have not heard from them for a time either.  Last we knew they were investigating a dervish camp to the east…” [sup]2[/sup]“So we would not be the only ones aiding you in this?” Victoria of Anhur asked.“When one is fighting a group as well-connected and resourceful as the Nine there are many different places where many different talents are needed…” She brought her hand to her withered mouth and coughed, sending spasms through her frail swollen body.  She took a deep rasping breath before continuing. “Excuse me… When you get to be my age… It is a time of turmoil in the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Kingdom+of+the+Red+God+of+the+West" target="_blank">Kingdom of the Red God of the West</a>. The politics of the place are a lot less uniform than most outsiders would think… The interpretation of their dogma varies and each of these groups asserts its power and influence at different times in different ways, leading to the varied relations with that nation that Thricia has had over the years.  The fundamentalists believe that true believers should continue the journey westward, looking for paradise here on Aquerra, interpreting their texts very literally.  They do not care for war or dealing with Thricia, except to escape them and reach their promised reward.  The moderates, who are in power now, interpret their scripture as meaning that paradise awaits after death.  They seek to eliminate the influence of outsiders, increase the buffer between the two nations and eliminate all non-humans in their lands.  If war is what is needed to accomplish this, then they will do it, but from what we can gather, it is not their first choice.  And lastly, there are the so-called ‘progressives.’  They gain influence, and are sometimes allied with the moderates.  They interpret their texts to mean that paradise in the west is for them to create for the benefit of true believers.  They accept that there are no more islands to the west [sup]3[/sup] and instead seek to conquer all of the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Spice+%26+Thread+Islands" target="_blank">Spice & Thread Islands</a>, including <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Thricia" target="_blank">Thricia</a>, as a bulwark against the outside world… They are the most dangerous… They are the ones most willing to interpret scripture in any way necessary to justify their goals…  They are the one most likely to work with the Nine in order to increase their number of slaves to run their theocratic plantations, to allow for more of their true believers to become soldiers and dervishes in preparation for invasion…”“If the Nine are providing slaves to the Rubes in preparation for an invasion, then their possible connection to the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Hobgoblins+of+the+Blue+Claw" target="_blank">Hobgoblins of the Blue Claw</a> makes sense…” Telémahkos mused. “It will weaken Thricia’s ability to respond…”Again, Fallon nodded. “We are very interested in knowing more of this possible hobgoblin connection, and that too may fall under your ability to look into for us… eventually… But more pressing is figuring out who among the Thrician nobility is working against us… And to that end we have a possible source of information.  Someone who used to be a member of the Nine and had connections to <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/House+Vandermok" target="_blank">House Vandermok</a>.  However, from what the rumors say, there is no love lost there any longer…”Bleys’ brow furrowed with the mention of the Vandermoks.“We do not know who it is, but one of our agents does, and when you return to civilization, we can arrange for you to be contacted with this information so you may seek this person out and see if we might garner their help…” Fallon continued.“So you do not know the names of the other members of the Nine?” Laarus asked.“We know some… There is Ignus of Set, who took over for <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Nine" target="_blank">Ajakstu</a> who was killed by the Oath in Highport.  There is Nimnott Grick, an evil trickster gnome, exile of his people… You already know of Stygian Demonborn… And finally, most distressing… We have learned that the pirate-queen <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Misery+Tlalok" target="_blank">Misery Tlalok</a> is now a member, and she has brought her fleet of ships and her recently gained power over the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Red+Lantern+Gang" target="_blank">Red Lantern Gang</a> to their cause.”“Is it possible that the Coopers are involved in the machinations of the Nine?” Telémahkos asked.Fallon shrugged. “It is possible, however unlikely… The Coopers are no friends of Misery or the Red Lantern Gang…”“So House Vandermok is no longer involved with the Nine?” Bleys asked.“No… We have reason to believe that they still do, that of the nobles involved, the Vandermoks are the most likely, but we think there may be others…” Fallon explained.  “Our own spies have brought back information about something they called ‘the Vandermok Investment.’ It seems noble coins are making their way into slaver coffers in hopes of some return further down the line…  The only name we have though is ‘Torn’.”For once there was no need for discussion, the Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland readily agreed to aid the Broken Circle however they could.“One thing…” Victoria said. “While I have no desire to expose your noble work, if I am asked by a superior about your group or about the Nine I will not be able to hide what I know in good conscience…”“Of course… We would not ask you to betray past promises for this more recent one,” Fallon said, solemnly. “But with a bit of help from <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Bes" target="_blank">Bes</a>, no one will have reason to ask you such a thing if you do not offer it…”Victoria nodded.“Now… You must have questions for me…” Fallon said.And they did.  Bleys wanted to know more about Fallon herself. How an old and infirmed woman named for a goddess made it out to the wilderness so close to an relic blessed her namesake.  Fallon had no answer for this that she was willing to give aside from divine providence.“We are ill and are not sure what to do about it…” Markos said. “There was this green stone…”“Ah, yes… Vile…”“Yes, it certainly is…” Markos replied.“No, it is called ‘Vile Stone,” Fallon said.  She explained that the evil stuff occurs naturally in some places where stone from the elemental plane of earth is extruded through the negative material plane and into their world to create it.  Its effects could only be countered on consecrated ground. Fallon’s shoulders sagged.  The long discussion had tired her out, and the young nobles politely withdrew back to the cave to discuss their options.End of Session #18-----------------------------------------------Notes:(1) These are events from <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Oath+Campaign" target="_blank">The Oath Campaign</a> played from 1996 to 2000. Delorius was one of that game’s recurring villains.  You can read about the Oath’s infiltration on the city of Highport, and their conflict with the Nine, <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Oath+Adventures#slavepitsoftheundercity" target="_blank">here</a>.(2) Clearly, this is the band the party heard word of while in New Harbinger, back in Session #4.(3) Ships that travel west of the Spice & Thread Islands either never return, or come back after weeks of travel with no sight of land.</blockquote>

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