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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Echolocation" data-source="post: 8228199" data-attributes="member: 7011911">Session 50Courtesy of Lisandra's playerLast session opened the morning after the harrowing events at Gallo’s School for Boys. The group had gone their separate ways; Lisandra had returned to the school with volunteers to tie up loose ends and do what she could for the spirits of those departed; Ella returned to her family home in the Nettles to rehash her failings with only Skeet for company; and Anghard set to work putting out word to his Vekeshi contacts to assist before returning home.That following morning Angharad met with a contact that could offer some aid. Plucking a lovely flower along the way, the Cipith made his way to a dump to rendezvous. Literally. As he entered, an eight-foot figure of decaying rubbish emerged from a rustling pile. She peered down at him, her eyes welded shut with fetid grime as she sided him up. She smiled at him with a grin full of teeth from multiple creatures, outstretching her arms for an embrace. Angharad obliged without hesitation, his jacket quickly stained with rubbish juice and oil as he greeted The-Trash-Heap and presented her with the gift of a beautiful flower. Delighted about the prospect of watching it rot, she set the flower aside and presented the Cipith with a gift in kind, though she advised that one of his companions would be better suited to using it. He is presented with a pair of magical secateurs. Angharad smiles knowingly and leaves The-Trash-Heap to enjoy her mess… and probably to prestidigitation himself clean at a respectable distance.Meanwhile Ella and Lisandra were awaking later than usual at the Cloudwood Camp, to the sight of empty campsites. The pair found the residents gathered, attending the remnants of the funeral for the boys lost in the treehouse accident. The crowd parted to let the pair through to where Pazamu and the other druids stood. It seemed by the stares and the whisper’s amongst the crowd they had parted in fear and revulsion, not courtesy. As Lisandra thanked Pazamu again for his help, an old man and a few other residents came out from the crowd and accused the pair of being bad omen, of bringing death to their children. He screamed at them to leave and not show their faces around the camp again. Ella caught the gaze of her Aunt in the crowd, who looked away, and quietly accepted the man’s wishes. Lisandra stood her ground, weathering another angry tirade before making her way after Ella. They walked together in near silence for a time, before Lisandra received a message that there was a body that required her skills to question in the morgue; Quentin Augst. She informed Ella, and mentioned she was late for a meeting with Azrabey before the pair parted ways.Lisandra made her way to the Needle Tree, unsure if Azrabey would even still be around. A crow sat atop the tree, watching her for a moment, before flying off. For good measure, she waited a while, and was surprised when Azrabey shortly came striding out of trees. The oracle apologized for her tardiness, and for her potentially prying intentions and announced she wanted to speak to him about his wife, Kasvarina. For the first time, Lisandra read expressed emotion on the Fey warriors' face; sorrow and regret. Though her prying would not be forgiven, it was accepted and the fey spoke of their very long-term marriage and his promise to keep her safe, and his failure to do so. He was surprised to hear of her on Axis Island, as well as from Ekossigan, and had no knowledge of her recent endeavours. He had not seen her for half a century. They spoke about the Bleak Gate, Lisandra only sharing hints at their knowledge and intentions, and Azrabey requested that if her team were going there, that he would like to accompany her and rectify his broken promise to his wife. Careful not to promise anything concrete in such matters, moved by the small show of emotion, and commitment to his wife, Lisandra conceded that if it did not impede their  investigation, she would do what she could to try to assist him in keeping his promise. With an unsettling compliment that Lisandra would do well in the Dreaming. Emboldened, she let her curiosity prompt a final question about the empty spot Ekossigan left in the Court. The fey explained it would take time to find a replacement, and that it would require finding a fey of the right emotions to fit the role. As he took his leave, Azrabey acknowledged that the team worked well with him, and that he may work with them again in future. Unsure of if such ideas were a good thing, Lisandra bowed her head and the pair parted ways.At RHC headquarters Lisandra rejoined her fellows in the foyer, where John, Angharad and a barely engaged Ella were greeting Grappa, the newly repaired construct man, along with Frank, the Royal Technologist, and his mechanical doggo. He let the group know that Grappa was ready to go when they were, and he would be at Hotel Aurum if they had any further questions. Grappa would be staying at R&D until he was needed, and was set up with some entertainment in the meantime.The group headed directly from the morgue from there, greeted cheerily by the halfling in charge, Senior Morgue Attendant Hobart Kettlewhistle. After giving the team a run down on the body and it’s belongings, he took his leave to let the interrogation begin.Maybe they should have kept him around for good luck. Halflings are lucky, right? Turns out, Lisandra’s persuasive powers, and Augst’s arrogant as naughty word attitude were at odds, and instead of turning up to answer questions, the dead lawyer was (of course) turning up to make a deal. A new body for all the information he could give them towards taking down Kell. Frustrated, Lisandra only stayed connected long enough to squeeze a few details about his terms before returning her senses to the living world and relaying the bastard's request. Before making the decision, the Team decided to check in with Deb at Hotel Aurum and get a better look at how their operation against the Guild was fairing.Not well, was the answer. Their resources were low, and time was running out. They needed to pull out some big blows against Kell and soon if they wanted to meet the King’s deadline. So, with great reluctance, the team decided they would meet Augst’s terms for a new body, and Lisandra would reach out to her contacts in The Family to perhaps unite against a common energy to replenish their numbers in the final days of the fight.Ella accompanied John to RHC headquarters to set the ritual in motion, before returning to the home of Bridgette Coulson to sift for further clues and interrogate her houseplant. After giving it a much needed drink, the plant was more than happy to help with whatever it could. After directing them the woman’s choice collection of fanatical philosophical literature, and making Ella feel terrible about showing her notepad to try to bridge humanoid-plant communication barriers, the pair returned to the RHC, along with the rescued plant.Meanwhile, Angharad had accompanied Lisandra to Dozy’s boutique to inquire about assistance with Kell… as well as get gifted some new magical shoes and free dancing lessons while she was at it. Angharad even joined in on the surprise three person flash mob. Dozy also advised that Morgan was the man to see about such favours, and pointed the pair in the direction of his current whereabouts; a fashion show a few blocks away.Dance lessons over, Lisandra and Angharad made their way to the show. The oracle couldn’t help but use the glamour effect on her new pair of kicks, disgusting her appears as… herself. Only with an outfit much more befitting to such an occasion. After scoping the place out, and Angharad silently intimidating any men from approaching Lisandra, they approached Morgan and, a small bout of obligatory small talk aside, and compliments about shoes, Morgan asked them to come speak with him in private about their favour.He was not surprised about their arrival, or request, like any good mob boss with his organizations ear to the ground. In fact, he exceeded their request for additional resources, and revealed that he had a man on the inside of the Guild, and given certain circumstances, he could easily deliver Kell to them if his terms were met. He requested a moratorium on murder investigations in Parity Lake for his people to clear the district of Kell’s without it punishing his people for the act, as well as Lisandra to attempt to have the King release a prisoner by the name of Giovanni Algardi, who would need to be teleported to Alais Primos tomorrow and the most curious request; for the team to recount what Ashima Shimtu told them in the Crypt.In a show of good faith, he offered up information on the man known as Steelshaper, apparently incharge of the Obscurati in Flint. His name was actually Leon Quital, and he hailed from North East Vendricce originally, where his family ran a vineyard.Lisandra also had a term to add to their deal, should one be made. She requested that, if the Family were clearing out Parity Lake, she would appreciate someone exempt from any final punishment, one of Otis’s boys. Morgan quietly assured her, “We do not hurt our own Family,” and the comment seemed to calm her nerves.They thanked Morgan for his time and offer, and said they would consider it and give a response before the day was over.The team reconvened at HQ, ready to approach Quentin Augst about his plea deal and were met with the best news they’d heard all day. In the cells below the office, John’s ritual had come to fruition, and Quentin was apparently far less happy with results as some of the team were. In place of the weasley lawyer, was a… well. A lawyerly weasel, it seemed. The new body Augst had been reincarnated into was part man, part weasel and a whole lot of unhappy. What arguments will break out around the office today among Team BAD as they battle the moral quandaries ahead? And what will they do to ensure Kell is dismantled and they find their way to the Bleak Gate?DM NoteJohn's player rolled a 100 on the d100 to determine the reincarnated race. Of course, I could not resist having Augst's body reflect his nature.</blockquote>

Verification