Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 7354782" data-attributes="member: 79141">Session 44, Part One - "In the Event of My Untimely Death..."On their return to Flint, to avoid security issues, Leon, Kasvarina and Uriel make themselves scarce. Korrigan tells them to check in three times a day. Leon takes them to the bayou and the cave of the Thinker.First order of business – a de-brief with Delft:  It is agreed that the unit must plan an incursion into Methia. [While these plans are ongoing, they will be dealt with in detail next session; this session focuses primarily on the extra-curricular ‘downtime’ activities each member of the unit engaged in, in between official duties.] Delft also requires that Quratulain submit herself to a vetting procedure, wishing to avoid another ‘Xambria-type situation’.  Korrigan can deputise Quratulain with no such scrutiny, but if Quratulain wants access to RHC resources she must agree to submit to three tests: a mental scan by Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin; a rigorous interview with panel chosen by Delft; and a physical examination by the Clockwork Count (which was handy because Korrigan wanted to speak with him anyway).  Quratulain agrees to these conditions.Gupta teleports to Slate with Ottavia Sacerdote, escorting her to prison there (and returning with the third member of Quratulain’s interview panel, a senior investigator named Jonsa Weigh).  It is decided that they will reunite her with Luc in the hopes that this will soften his attitude and encourage further co-operation.  Gupta has been careful to cultivate a friendly relationship with Ottavia – learning sign language; arranging POW (rather than criminal) status for her; emphasising that she wasn’t there when Ottavia was left behind.  Ottavia is still physically weak and mentally drained by her horrifying experience, but remains strong;  stronger than Luc, who is a nervous, twitching mess. Luc is overjoyed to see Ottavia but remains hostile, despite her encouragement to make the best of their new situation. All he tells Gupta is the excited explanation Lya gave him of the code on the inside of her Ob ring – she had just been promoted and told him that this was presented by the number of letters in the third word of the inscription.  (Each ring has a three word inscription: The first two words can be anything, as long as their initials  are O.B. The number of letters in the third word indicates what tier of the conspiracy the officer is in, and the material the ring is made of identifies which cell. A gold ring is obviously Golden Cell. Silver rings mark Lantern Cell. Bronze rings indicate Colossus Cell. Most local cells use some local tree’s wood, or have a specific cut and colour of gem inset.) Luc shares what he knows about the Ob command structure – nothing about tiers one and two, but tier three is comprised of cell leaders, tier four denotes officers responsible for  major projects, and tier five ‘trusted experts’.  Luc was to have been inducted at tier four. Gupta returns to Flint to study the rings they have collected:Lya Jierre. Originally tier 4 Golden Cell, “One Bested Four.” Later tier 3, “One Betters All.”Mayor Reed Macbannin. Tier 4 Colossus Cell. “Overcome Black Arts.”Lady Inspectress Margaret Saxby. Tier 5 Colossus Cell. “Opportunity Begets Glory.”Caius Bergeron. Tier 4 Golden Cell. “Old Bergeron Gold.”Finona Duvall. Tier 5 Golden Cell. “Original Brave Ideas.”Ottavia Sacredote. Tier 4 Lantern Cell. “Orthodoxy Bolsters Gods.”Dax Corbeau. Tier 4 Golden Cell. “Onslaught Brings Gains.”Korrigan is frustrated to realise that they had not obtained Leone Quital’s ring.  He was keen to ascertain if Quital was the leader of the bronze cell (as he assumed, or hoped).During this time, Gupta and Korrigan both receive sendings from Melissa Amerie. Following the public spectacle they had unleashed in Seobriga – the betrayal of Kasvarina, and the death of her daughter at the hands of the dragon tyrant Rilego – Melissa had been curious about the fate of Sor Daeron. Kasvarina assumed he had died, but the memory event showed he had not. Tenacious and resourceful, the half-orc had tracked Sor down to a community of eladrin who lived two-hundred miles from Seobriga, in an area that was once remote until Damata Griento ploughed a railway through it. Tellingly, Sor was living under an assumed name, but it was definitely him. Korrigan added this to his long to do list:Korrigan’s to-do list:1.    Call a meeting with my old 'political party'.  Ask Heward Sechim for an update on the Clockwork Count's people and general situation in the city. I have also prepared a political memorandum that I want to discuss and if agreed – publish. (Meeting has been organised and scheduled for two days’ time.  On a related note, Kieran Sentacore has decided to step back from frontline activity, following the quest for the Stone of Not in which he and everyone else almost perished at the bottom of the ocean.  Korrigan retains him as a biographer, scribe and amanuensis and installs him on the Impossible. )2.    Meet with Clockwork Count. Give him the name Alden Wondermaker. Update him on the progress of welfare program. Ask about progress with the duplicant project. (Alden very much likes his new name.  He will move on to the duplicant project once he is done with advanced rocketry.)3.    Talk with Kasvarina about her latest experiences and thoughts on the whole situation with the Ob. Ask if she has any particular concerns. Reassure her of my trust and of my intention to ensure her safety. If she is still uncomfortable with having Quratulain as bodyguard, offer to call it off. Korrigan can offer any support or counseling she may need. (If necessary afterwards talk to Leon to help him support her too). (On backburner.)4.    Meeting with Delft. Debrief on latest mission. Discuss the upcoming mission to Methia. Warn that if the team fails it may be the end and Risur should prepare for the dire consequences of Ob implementing their plans in near future. Korrigan is willing to speak with higher ups if needed. Also ask if there's any news on El Primo. (Done. Uru has been tasked with tracking down a kobold to see what El Extrano knows, if anything.)5.    Ask for Gupta's help with practicing mental powers if she has time. (Ongoing.)6.    Send a message and perhaps a parcel to Kai in the Hidden Valley. The upcoming mission may well turn out to be the most dangerous yet and Korrigan wants to prepare in case he does not return. (Overtaken by events. See below.)7.    If the situation with El Primo seems pressing Korrigan will attempt to get in touch with El Extrano's network in Flint and ask if he knows anything about it. (See above. NB: How ‘pressing’ this is depends upon whether you want Cippiano’s help.)8.    Get in touch with Flint Tribune and seek to re-establish contact with any trustworthy reporter or editor (perhaps Amerie can recommend someone). Also publish Korrigan's philosophical thesis expanding on Millerism. (In pipeline. Amerie recommends Bartholemew Pryce, who Korrigan has already had dealings with, following the destruction of the Tribune. The Tribune has since been relaunched, but is even more of a government mouthpiece than before. Korrigan is concerned about Pryce as a firebrand and troublemaker but Amerie vouched for him: “slightly inflammatory in tone, occasionally prurient, but essentially right-thinking; you can trust him, I think”.)9.    Get in touch with Aulus Atticus and see if a closer contact and cooperation can be established. At this stage Korrigan is interested not only in having a contact in Crisillyir, but also about making potential moves towards reforming the clergy. (Atticus is now in Vendricce.  His response indicates his concern about reports of sorcery from Alais Primos and unit’s affiliation with renegade godhand Vitus Sigismund.  Korrigan offers to meet with Atticus if time allows.)10.    Travel to Ber and speak with Sor Daeron. …Other unit members have given themselves slightly less onerous schedules, although the theme of ‘endings’ and ‘farewells’ is not uncommon:Uru bequeaths his garden and the land above to the four gardeners who tend it.  He explores his growing bond with the city, hunts for kobolds on Korrigan’s orders, sets new traps in his garden (utilizing the cursed rust monster eggs) and finds a young, unrecognised artist who had died before his time and whose spirit still lingers on the Hill, and commissions him: Inspired by clergy murals throughout Crypta Hereticum, Uru wants to decorate the central chamber of his garden with friezes depicting his greatest achievements: Defeating the fey ‘titan’ Lady Clatterspin to become Lord of the Creeping Fey; single-handedly felling Borne (with the eschatologists bomb); sneaking into the River King’s Court; punishing those who betrayed him; 'wooing' Beshela.Gupta helps Korrigan with his burgeoning mind powers, and writes thoughtful letters to many of her contacts, including Melissa Amerie and Helandra.  She finds it difficult to avoid a valedictory tone but does not want to sound melodramatic.  This takes several drafts.Rumdoom has no need for a last will and testament, as he knows he can’t die.  He gives orders to his cult, both in Flint and in Trekhom, issues funds to construct interlinked teleportation circles between the two sites, and receives a report from Khaled Valchek on previous orders: Scouting out Axis Island has proved to be virtually impossible. Danoran patrols are frequent and aggressive. Rumdoom tries to divine and contact Hildegard, but to no avail.  He and Uru also spend time on their pet project – developing an Icy End of the World Grenade.  When asked what he hopes the outcome of this project will be, Rumdoom responds simply, “Mayhem”.Matunaaga trains Quratulain in the use of and manufacture of firearms.  She proves to be a fast learner.  When dealing with ammunition, the matter of vendetta bullets arises.  Quratulain is fascinated by the concept.  Matunaaga says she should ask Uru about them, as he has eschewed their use.  “How can you come to know an enemy you hate?” he says, adding: “It is my goal to shape myself into a Living Weapon.  A weapon is a tool. It doesn’t crave revenge or have strong desires.  It aims where it is pointed in the service of its wielder.”Quratulain trains with Matunaaga, eager to update her methods for exacting revenge.  She visits the mansion of the Mayor of the Nettle, submits herself to Isaac’s machine, and receives a clean bill of mental health – along with confirmation that Quratulain is not an automaton at all, but a fusion of flesh and steel.  She is introduced to ‘Alden Wondermaker’ (in his dapper gentleman form) and he – fascinated by her ‘exquisite chassis’ – offers to work with her to augment it. Quratulain is then rigorously questioned by Delft, Korrigan and Jonsa Weigh – a tall, middle-aged investigator from Slate who Price-Hill had sent in his stead.  (Jonsa proves to be rigorous and thorough.)  They ask about her background, her reasons for joining the RHC, and her willingness to swear an oath to the nation of Risur and the King.  Quratulain passes this final test, despite or perhaps because of her candour.  (In answer to the question, “why do you agree to follow Marshal Korrigan’s orders?” she says, “In the first place I did so in order to escape the vault. Now I do so to take revenge on Nicodemus”.  Besides, Quratulain thinks to herself, Korrigan seems like a sweetie, and I don’t think it will be too hard to do what he asks.) The RHC stores are opened up to her, and she chooses the Cloak of the Genteel Butcher, the Mankilling Machete, a brace of magical pistols, a Drakren long rifle, and the Nock Gun. (The Quartermaster’s eyes widen as she picks up this massive, seven-barrelled weapon; a serious gunsmith would consider it to be a bit of an inside joke.)  She has the machete built in to her left arm, and stores the rest of her weapons (including the Nock Gun!) in the cloak. All the better to carve a path to Nicodemus!</blockquote>

Verification