Tag: Recap

The Demon in the Wine Cellar

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Previously, the heroes spent an evening at the Careless Wanderer together with Lord Andrew, trading rumours, playing songs, and enjoying each other’s company. Chakuq went on an excursion to validate the presence of the restless dead in the city, and Quentin sent a discrete invitation to Ser Croy, his father’s master-at-arms, to join him for a conversation the following day.

Sixth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)

The first of the heroes to wake up on a calm but bitter-cold morning is Neamhan, who shapes into a cat to take a stroll around a dark Kingsport. She followed the smell of rats to a sewer drain. As the rest of the heroes slowly wake, Ramsey is experimenting in the kitchen with a new cream filling for his sugar wheels.

Quentin, still shaken from a stressful dream, cut himself while shaving and was reminded of the maiden, the mother, and the crone chanting “sangreal” and was left wondering how it related to the Blood of Alban. In the taproom he met Dame Pauline who was getting ready to depart for the Black Alder Farm. Quentin sensed a tension in the bannerette, but could not discover the reason for it.

Luca was roused from a bad night of sleep by a presence in his room. He reached out for Blackstar, for without the staff in hand he was not gifted with dark sight, and heard the voice of Aurion; “The staff has become a crutch for you, Luca.” Once Luca realised his patron has graced him with a visit, relief and trepidation filled him in equal measure. Aurion was keen to understand what the status was of the tablets the heroes had recovered, as well as where Luca stood on subjugating Blackstar. Luca’s patron suggested that Quentin and his devotion to the Raven Queen would align with his own goals in the near future, which the celestial suggested lay somewhere in the east.

Chakuq decided to sleep in and woke up well past eight bell. After a modest breakfast he spoke to Wojciech about finding a jeweller or gem cutter to carve the teeth he had harvested from Epidemius’ mount into talismans. He was given a name, Eustace, who operated from a small workshop in Southside, just off the Street of Spices.

Lord Andrew also spent the night at the Wanderer and has a vicious hangover. Neamhan, still in her cat form, comforted him by sitting in his lap. His face brightened up briefly as he said that it didn’t happen often that a beautiful woman wanted to sit in his lap, but when the flirtation passed the misery of his hangover returned on his face as he continued to pick at his breakfast.

Emrys came down after spending some time in the peace and comfort of his luxurious room. He made sure to freshen up, and take a deep breath of fresh air from his balcony before coming down, and was delighted to see that he was doing significantly better than his dilettante friend, Andrew.

Astrid was last to come down and was carrying some of her travelling gear. She grabbed a quick bite off the table and announced that she’d be spending a few days on a barge, travelling up and down the river Lyn with Aram the boatsman. Before she hurried out she gave Neamhan a couple of scratches behind the ear and spoke to her in a way that gave Neamhan the impression that they were able to communicate, despite Neamhan having adopted her cat form. Astrid was out the door before Neamhan was able to discover the truth of it.

After the heroes broke their fast, the conversation turned to next steps, and the heroes decided to refocus themselves on the Liber Bubonicus, which they believed might reside in the Upright Man’s library in the Newport vault. Chakuq had a lot of questions about the vault, and Emrys explained some of the basics, including vault guardians.

When Céleste once again came into the taproom, Quentin decided to have a word with her. She shared more of the details of the attack on her shop and how Pip got so badly wounded. She believed there was a connection to the Steady Hand, since she had recognised Jeroen the Daerlanian as one of the people vandalising her shop. The group that was responsible had also left something demonic behind in her basement.

The heroes retreated to Emrys’ room to talk in private about the problem with the wine shop. Neamhan pleaded that, after days of inaction and indecision, finally a problem presented itself that the heroes could quite easily solve; exorcise the demon from the cellar of the wine shop.

Before departure, the heroes did continue to discuss the attack on the wine shop. Oddly, not all wine had been destroyed, but about eight in ten bottles and barrels were destroyed, and of the remaining wine, samples had been stolen. Neamhan recalled that there was an odd incident at the diplomatic delegation from Beauclair, where a quartermaster has lost his thumbs because he disobeyed the strict orders not to part with any of the delegation’s wine. That, coupled with the wine shipments from Carceres lost to pirates, and from Beauclair and Daerlan lost to brigands, there was an uncommon level of scarcity of wine. It felt as if someone was out to manipulate the market.

The heroes were determined to do something good for Céleste and hopefully discover more that would unravel the mystery of the wine shortage. They prepared their gear and took the keys they were given by Céleste and headed over to the shop.

Once at the shop they gained entrance to the shop and found it in disarray. There were two trapdoors which lead into the cellar, but neither could be opened with the keys they were given. In the courtyard behind the shop they found an ox-drawn dumbwaiter that lead down into the wine cellar.

Neamhan had a chat with the ox, whose name was Rudolph, who could explain that there was an angry creature in the cellar who was getting steadily drunk on the spilled wine. Rudolph also explained that not all of the intruders went into the shop or the cellar, but that one of them, an elf, stayed outside.

When the heroes used the dumbwaiter to decend into the cellar, they found that there were faded wards carved into the walls of the elevator shaft. It was clear from the type of stone that the walls were made of that the cellar was once part of the halls which lead to the vault. This was supported by the old statues of winged warriors that could be seen when the cellar, which was in as much disarray as the shop, came into view.

After careful inspection a booming voice could be heard, demanding that the heroes identify themselves. The voice came from behind a large cabinet, and a large shadow of a winged creature with wicked horns could be seen on the wall behind it.

Songs of Lineage

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Previously, after returning from the diplomatic delegation at Black Alder farm, the heroes spent the evening talking in the Careless Wanderer. Neamhan got better acquainted with Toruviel, who appeared to have been of the aen gwynt, in its mortal years.

Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)

Dinner was served while Lord Andrew entertained the guests at the Careless Wanderer with a melancholic tune. Céleste, who was sitting by herself, had tears rolling down her face, disturbing her mascara. She had been emotional and deep in her cups, and the music made the tears flow. Dame Pauline, who was also seated by herself, sat in quiet enjoyment of the song, while Falka, who had been seated at the hearth, was oblivious to the music as she was lost in one of the books she had retrieved from the Newport Vault.

Durham was able to share that Céleste was not doing well. She had lost almost all of the supply in her store and she was frantically buying up all the surplus wines in the city with the gold she had available. Pip, her partner, was in the clinic of Pholtus and was still in critical condition. The curse of Epidemius was complicating recovery, and there were rumours spreading that the followers of Pholtus were now charging people heavy coin for their care. Upon hearing that, Quentin decided he wanted to visit Pip when he had a moment.

Quentin asked Durham for a spare copy of the key to his room and asked Dame Pauline the favour of bringing Ser Croy to the Careless Wanderer at seventh bell the next morning without being seen or heard. Chakuq asked Quentin why he would not rather have Ser Croy sent for, turning it into a show of power for all to witness, but Quentin wanted to see his old friend for the sake of it rather than the political theatre of it.

Chakuq excused himself and left the Careless Wanderer on a little excursion. It was already past curfew, so he relied on his natural wiles to avoid the patrols of crownsguard and custodians. He neared the edge of the Grimsdown ward and found a small yard close to the Circle of Magi. He dug into the frozen earth with his dagger and loosened the soil. He stuck his hand into the cold soil, closed his eyes, and extended his awareness. In the past this intuition had revealed the presence of potent entities in the vicinity, presenting itself as beacons of energy. On the edge of Grimsdown he sensed the absence of energy; a void of life, which reminded him of the feeling he got around necrophages. He concluded that these must be the plaguemaidens the others mentioned. But somewhere within range of his intuition, he also sensed a powerful source of life; not a life, but something that was only life. Satisfied with what he found, he carefully made his way back to the inn.

Meanwhile, Falka and Andrew were talking about rumours coming out of Dunagore, where Falka grew up, while Neamhan was listening in. Neamhan learned that a perfectly square cut of stone called a “siege stone” which lay at the heart of Dunagore Fortress, had been reawakened, emanating magic after laying dormant for centuries. Supposedly a perfect square of rare metal that Falka called plumbus which could influence the tides around the fortress. Neamhan listened in on the conversation and was reminded of stories of gemstones being able to retain magic, but that this siege stone seemed something wholly different. Others joined in on the conversation, suggesting that the speed with which magic seemed to strengthen and swell was unusual.

After Neamhan requested Lord Andrew to play a song, she made the faux pas to try and give him coin as a thank you. She quickly learned from Emrys that the way to subtly pay the bard back is to offer to buy them a drink. A bard would have made arrangements with the tavern, ask for a pre-agreed drink, get served a significantly cheaper drink, for which the patron would pay, and the barkeep and bard would split and pocket the difference.

While on the topic of bards, Emrys asked Lord Andrew for a favour; he wanted his friend to find out what moved Highlord Gauthier to bring so many troubadours to Lyria. While Lord Andrew was initially delighted to be sent on a mission by the heroes, he was soon slightly deflated as already knew the answer to that question; the highlord was using the bards to spread positive propaganda about House Lys.

Though it was not immediately apparent to the heroes why the highlord would do that, Chakuq immediately sensed the truth in it. He came from a tradition where information was passed down through song, and he saw the benefit of being able to control how House Lys was perceived. Neamhan brought up the possibility that, while influential, perhaps the lineage of House Lys was not as prestigious, and that this might also explain why the highlord was looking to House Morvrayne for an alliance. House Morvrayne was House Lys’ opposite; no great wealth or influence, but a lineage that could be traced back to the very earliest of Celtician establishment. It was supported by the Good Sisters and the interest they seemed to take in Quentin:

Unless they are of lineage pure,
yes, then perhaps they might endure.

And if they’re meant to keep the gate,
protect the threshold t’be their fate,

then their blood best not be banal,
not common stock, but sangreal.

Sangreal! Sangreal! Sangreal!

Sangreal meant “royal blood” in Beauclairois. Neamhan tried to assure Quentin that he should trust the Blood of Alban which coursed through his veins, that it was his strength. Quentin asked Neamhan to be his reminder and she, never missing an opportunity to flog a dead horse, agreed on the condition that he apologise for yelling at her at the Seat of Friendship, which he did.

Lord Andrew continued to entertain; playing a duet with Emrys, inviting Chakuq to the College of Bards to talk about the songs of his people, and playing one last song about a gallant cavalier, which he had played to Quentin several times in the past.

Eventually everyone retired for the night, all of them finding peace. All except Quentin, who dreamt of the witches, the maiden, the mother, and the crone, singing to him at the Seat of Friendship, while one side of the clearing was bathed in sunlight, and the other was covered in snow.

Finding Greatfather Winter

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This is a possible future. It is the day before the winter solstice, known as Midinváerne in the tongues of the elder races.

Tenth Day, Second Ride, Winter Eve, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is waxing, Darkmoon is waning)

Neamhan woke up just after the fifth bell from her reverie and heard noise coming from the kitchen downstairs. She found that Lauryn was assisting Ramsey in preparing for the solstice market on Steward’s Square, where he would take his sugar wheels to compete in the solstice treats competition. Ramsey had been hard at work the past two rides in perfecting his sugar wheels by giving them a cream filling.

An older man with a grizzled beard, a barrel chest and tree-trunks for arms, wearing warm travelling clothes, including a wool-lined burgundy coat and floppy hat, came down from the lodging upstairs and got ready to depart. He had arrived in Kingsport from White Fork, stayed at the inn, and Neamhan had seen him the previous evening in quiet conversation with another older man who was tall and handsome. The grizzled man paid what he owed and said that he still had quite a bit of travelling to do, heading west.

Outside snow had been falling steadily all night, and a thick, one-foot blanket of snow was covering all of Kingsport. When the grizzled man left the inn, he had to plough through the snow like a work horse. Neamhan’s connection to the weather told her that it would continue to snow a lot that day.

At sixth bell, Chakuq awoke and headed downstairs to join Lauryn and Neamhan for a cup of hot, brown, morning potion. Ramsey had packed up baskets of sugar wheels and loaded them up on a cart with Wojciech’s help. After one last goodbye, and getting all the well-wishing from the Wanderer’s regulars, he made his way through the snow to the solstice market on Steward’s Square.

Shortly after Luca woke there was a ruckus upstairs in the River room which sounded like Wynn was in distress. When the arrived in the room, they found the quickling pinned to the bed by an invisible but great weight. Neamhan responded swiftly and conjured a gust of air directly at the invisible assailant, throwing it off Wynn. Wynn jumped up and tried to diffuse the situation and avoid escalation. When Neamhan demanded to know what the invisible creature was, it slowly materialised into view, revealing a large, black feline, heavy with muscle. A grating, wicked voice spoke out;

When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
the reason, I tell you, is always the same:

His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation,
of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name.

His ineffable effable,
effanineffable,
deep and inscrutable singular name.

The feline held Wynn responsible for the disappearance of Greatfather Winter, one of the subjects of Mab, Lady of Frost and Queen of Air and Darkness, whom Wynn also served. It was because of this allegiance that the feline charged Wynn with the recovery of the missing Greatfather Winter. Because Wynn had made his home at the Careless Wanderer, he had a responsibility under the Laws of Hospitality to ensure the safety of those who stayed under its roof. Any attempts to refute it by claiming that Blind Magda was a signatory of the accords was dismissed as folly.

Neamhan suggested that the heroes would find Greatfather Winter in Wynn’s stead, which the feline agreed to. Wynn stayed with the dangerous feline in the River room, while the heroes went downstairs to come up with a plan.

First, the heroes shared what they had heard about Greatfather Winter; they knew it was a common superstition about a kindly father who visits around the winter solstice to bring treats for children. There were many superstitions, all wrapped up in folklore, shared among humans and dwarves. Quickly, the heroes identified that the grizzled man who had spent the night was likely the Greatfather, and that he had gone to Steward’s Square to visit the solstice market before he departed the city.

Arriving at the solstice market, they found that the competition that Ramsey had entered, where different bakers and chefs competed against one another for the best solstice treat, had just concluded and that Ramsey had been crowned the winner. The judge for the competition was the man the heroes suspected was the Greatfather, and he had done so in the role of… Greatfather Winter. He was called Nicholas of White Fork and had been hired by Lodewijk, the Steward Square market master, to play the role of Greatfather Winter and judge the competition.

Nicholas also seemed to be trying to hide that he was suffering from amnesia; apart from his name, he could not remember anything from before arriving at the market to judge the competition. He had surmised from the old scars on his hands and forearms that he might have been a soldier or mercenary, and he feared that he was suffering from tabard madness. He did not know what to do with himself, so he decided to continue playing the Greatfather for the remainder of the day, handing out treats to the children that would visit the market, and hope that his memory would come back to him.

One of the other contestants in the competition, Dirk, the leader of the baker’s guild, drew the attention of the heroes. He was a wiry, sallow-faced man who was dressed in clothes that suggested his bakery was quite successful. The reason he was noticed was that he was loudly complaining that Ramsey had falsely won the competition. His protests and accusations drew the attention of the heroes, and they investigated by eavesdropping and spying.

The heroes overheard Dirk claiming that he was certain that Ramsey could not have won the competition, though was not willing to provide proof of his accusation. They caught Dirk in a moment of privacy talking to himself in frustration, during which they learned that Dirk had sabotaged the cream in Ramsey’s sugar wheels, and that he had been urged to do so by someone he had been indebted to; a person called Rike.

Rike had instructed Dirk to “talk to the herbalist, get the Mòthan flower, and replace the ingredients”. This would cause Ramsey to create a cream filling that “would stop Greatfather Winter in his tracks.” The tone of Dirk’s lament suggested it had not had the desired outcome, but he muttered that “at least I paid my debt.”

A quick trip to Ecgbrith revealed that Dirk had bought Mòthan flower – the Kaedwyni name for bog violet, or butterwort – and that the milk from the flower was sometimes used to help curdle milk into cream. It was also called “fairy bane” because superstition told that it was harmful to fey creatures. As it often was with Ecgbrith, the herbalist exacted a heavy toll, and Luca paid him an offensive amount of gold crowns for that information.

After some deliberation, and a tasting of the treats that Dirk had prepared for the competition – a delicious triangle of flaky pastry topped with sugar, filled with chunks of baked apple, and cinnamon – the heroes decided to approach Dirk. Emrys and Quentin managed to convince Dirk that they had a proposition for him which they wanted to talk over at the Careless Wanderer, and while initially reticent, he is swayed by Quentin offering a lucrative contract to supply pastries to the Beauclair diplomatic delegation at the Black Alder farm.

The others managed to convince Nicholas that he had fulfilled his duty as Greatfather Winter at the solstice market and that it was time to retire to the Careless Wanderer for a well-deserved spot at the hearth.

Quentin and Emrys left Chakuq and Luca with Nicholas at the hearth and moved to Emrys’ room with Dirk to discuss matters in private, Neamhan sneaking in after them, having taken the shape of a barnyard cat. Soon after, Chakuq and Luca snuck upstairs and stood outside the door to Emrys’ room, eavesdropping.

Quentin and Emrys buttered Dirk up with promises of business with the diplomatic delegation. Emrys managed to get Dirk to explain more about why he felt that Ramsey had cheated; Dirk was sure that Ramsey would not have been able to beat him in fair competition as Dirk had an unmistakable edge.

After more coaxing Dirk revealed that he had been guided and tutored by an influential patron for decades. They had been behind all of his success in life, and had never let him down. The way in which Dirk spoke about his patron it was clear that he felt he owed all his success to them, but also Dirk seemed vexed about being let down in the competition.

Quentin explained that the would not want Dirk to have any other obligations outstanding, and convinced him that it was time to renounce his patron and make a new beginning. He hesitated, mentioned how his patron had been instrumental in professional and personal success, but was eventually convinced to move on. He renounced his patron three times, but Neamhan saw opportunism underneath the façade of Dirk’s proclamation.

Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, and thrice again to make up nine.

A contract was drawn up by Emrys, Quentin melted some wax to affix his seal, and then they stunned Dirk by asking him who Rike was. Dirk was silent for a long moment before explaining that outside of Oldridge, the village on the Powderham estate he grew up in, there was a tree which had been struck by lightning. A young man would often come to the tree to help the kids of the village. They could pose him questions or problems, and he would provide answers or solutions. In return, the kids would trade labours, favours, or secrets. Rike liked bread and pastries, which sent Dirk down his path to become a baker. “We give them bread to stay away…” he said absentmindedly.

Dirk continued by saying that his patron went by the name the Green Prince, but he could not rightly say whether Rike was the Green Prince or not. Neamhan, still in the shape of a cat, had taken place in Dirk’s lap and judged Dirk to be speaking the truth. The Green Prince had come to him explaining how to sabotage the pastries by replacing an ingredient in the cream filling. He had gotten the Mòthan flower from Ecgbrith upon direction from the Green Prince, did as he was told, and felt that it relieved him of a debt he felt he owed the Green Prince. Quentin seemed satisfied with the information they had received.

The contract was signed, and Dirk left the Careless Wanderer. Everyone came to Emrys’ room to discuss what to do next. With Luca entering, the dragonling materialised. The familiar focussed its attention on the barnyard cat and came close. Neamhan heard a warm voice in her mind, asking her who she was, and before she could answer, the dragonling reasoned that it was “the elfling.”

After a conversation with the dangerous feline that was holding Wynn hostage, in which the heroes learned a few details about the Green Prince, a decision was made to make way to Oldridge. The heroes had gotten directions, and it was east of Scatterfoot Farm, which some of the heroes were familiar with. It was around the fourth bell after noon and darkness was soon to fall across the city, so the heroes decided they would take a boat up to Lynnecombe rather than risk having to ride in the dark. Then they would make their way west to the Powderham estate of House Courtenay, where the village was located.

A quick search at the docks revealed that Astrid had just returned to Kingsport. She had been assisting Aram the Boatsman in his daily trips up and down the river Lyn. Aram was convinced to take a late boat upriver to Lynnecombe where he, his son, and Astrid would find a place in a barn to sleep until the heroes would be ready to return to the city the next day. Chakuq had learned that iron was a bane to the fey, and so he quickly picked up some iron pitons and filings, just in case they might have to do battle. A hunter is always prepared for their prey.

The ride upriver was uneventful. Aram steered while his son rode the ox alongside the river which tugged the barge upstream. Luca read, and Emrys was trying to strum his lute with frozen fingers.

After a few, cold hours, the heroes reached Lynnecombe where they parted company with Astrid, Aram, and Aram’s son. They headed west, walking dark footpaths through the hills of Northshire. Neamhan communed with two crows to get directions to Oldridge, and Chakuq helped centre everyone with a ritual in which repeated a hypnotic chant which helped everyone to remain unseen.

Mana rikusqa purinchik
Mana rikusqa purinchik
Mana rikusqa purinchik
…

Upon reaching Oldridge, a cluster of farms with a cluster of communal and residential huts and cabins, a soft glow could be spotted from the top of a nearby hill. A light plume of smoke could be seen in the light of the Bloodmoon. The heroes made their way toward the hill and found that the area on and around the hill was clear of snow. A well-worn path trailed up the hill until it reached a steep outcropping at the top. Standing stones, about four or five foot tall stood around the edge of the outcropping, and in their centre stood a large tree, once hit by lightning and since then forever smouldering. A soft glow radiated through a few cracks in its blackened trunk while a plume of smoke trailed into the sky.

The tree was, or would have been, very large. Perhaps not as large as Geolgothis, Neamhan thought, but close. A special tree. Quentin went up to the tree and called out to summon the Green Prince. He did so three times, but without result. A young boy named Sam showed up after a short amount of time, asking what the heroes were there for. They distrusted the child, but explained their reason for being there, and Sam explained that Rike only helps children.

“No one taller than the stone. Come to the blacktree, come alone. Tell no adult what’s been said, lest the lightning strike you dead.”
– Sam of Oldridge

While Sam repeated the rhyme, he walked around the large tree, holding his hand on the trunk. First he walked three times deosil, the way of making, then he walked three times widdershins, the way of breaking. The boy departed by walking down the hill, back towards the village. The heroes took up his example and walked around the large tree.

The Green Prince appeared from behind the tree. Tall and beautiful, crowned in green and gold, and wearing regal clothes in the same colours. His skin was a golden hue, and his eyes were like that of a cat.

The heroes found that the Green Prince had purposefully sabotaged Greatfather Winter for no other reason then to get into the good graces of his queen, Titania, the Lady of Flowers and the Queen of Evergreen. Because Winter stood at full ascent during the solstice, and Greatfather Winter would spread more winter as he travelled west, he thought it would please Queen Titania.

The enigmatic sidhe was willing to strike a deal by trading “favours, labours, or secrets.” A deal was struck where Chakuq and Neamhan, who were the only ones of the heroes who were not already burdened by a debt to the Summer Court, would owe the Green Prince a favour for “a year and a day.” In return, the Green Prince explained that the Mòthan root could undo the damage caused by the flower.

“I own you. Every part; tongue and teeth, heel to head, and name to nape of neck.”
– The Green Prince

Before the heroes departed, the Green Prince asked for his regards to be extended to the Grimalkin, King of the Malks.

The heroes made their way back to Lynnecombe where they found Astrid, Aram, and Aram’s son in one of the barns. They convinced Aram to head back to Kingsport. He protested heavily, suggesting that their downstream ride on the barge would be doomed in the darkness, but Chakuq helped the man improve his night vision through a ritual.

Several hours after midnight the heroes returned to Kingsport and immediately made their way to Ecgbrith’s cabin outside of the city walls, in the shadow of the Bastion of Restraint. The man had a well-tended herb garden, which looked lush, even in the depths of winter. He was reluctant to open the door and tend to the heroes, suggesting that it would harm his already dubious reputation. The Kaedwyni herbalist relented and let the heroes inside the cabin, which was rich in flavour due to the drying bushels of herbs that adorned his rafters. He was convinced to part with half a pound of Mòthan root in return for Neamhan’s promise to come and help him grow more herbs.

Entrance to the city was arranged by Quentin, who waved a writ of diplomatic passage in the face of the guards at the gate with an ease which betrayed his noble birth. Once at the Careless Wanderer, Durham opened the door while standing in his bedclothes.

The heroes quickly found Nicholas and cured him of his amnesia by administering the Mòthan root. The elderly veteran seemed to quickly regain his memory and vigour. In the morning, he departed the Careless Wanderer and resumed his travels to spread Winter further west. Wynn was released by the Grimalkin, and rest returned to the inn.

A Child of Whimsy

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Previously, Quentin and the heroes visited the diplomatic delegation from Beauclair at the Black Alder farm north of Kingsport. Lord Dorian’s mood, while initially warm and welcoming, quickly turned hard when it appeared that his goals were not aligned with those of his son.

Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)

The city was cold and empty as night was falling. Crownsguard were hurrying people along, back to their houses, while lamplighters were tending to the lanterns and braziers that kept the main streets lit. The warnings of the crownsguard about the resurgence of plague maidens in Grimsdown was echoing in their minds as the heroes arrived back at the Careless Wanderer. Inside, it was warm and inviting, with several regulars quietly spending time together. Lord Andrew had come by, eager to hear the gossip from the delegation. Dame Pauline was dining by herself. Falka had her feet up at the hearth while reclined in a chair, reading through a stack of books she had brought back from the vault. And Céleste was seated by herself, enjoying a glass of wine while staring out of a window at the darkness beyond.

The heroes spent some time discussing the resurgence of the plague maidens in the city. Chakuq and Neamhan had never heard of them, let alone encountered them, so the rest of the companions were able to share what they knew. Plague maidens, also called pesta by some, were spirits that were drawn to sites of disease and death and carried pestilence in their wake. It was clear to all that in order to get rid of the plague maidens the underlying problem would need to be addressed, which seemed to be the grasp that Epidemius still had on the city.

Emrys had a flashback to the things he saw on the other side of the portal through which Epidemius wanted to make his escape. Feeling unsettled he made his way to the bar where he, together with Durham and Lord Andrew, shared a glass of mediocre wine. It was the best that the tavern could offer because Céleste had bought up all the decent wines, seemingly in the entire city! It was clear to Chakuq, who had gotten the slightest glimpse of what lay beyond the portal, understood what had shaken Emrys to such stillness. The Silesian noticed the slightest tremble in Emrys’ lower lip whenever he spoke.

Once steadied, Emrys returned to the rest of the companions. Quentin had asked Emrys whether the group should retreat to his luxurious room above the stables so that they may avoid prying eyes and piercing ears, and Emrys was once again in control of his faculties and lead the companions up.

Once in the room, Chakuq found a spot in a corner where the wall was warm from the kitchen’s chimney right below, and found that the dragonling that followed Luca around had similar ideas. It eagerly curled up in his lap and promptly closed its eyes and started purring like a cat.

Neamhan, attuned to the sound, heard the softest tingling of windchimes come from the rafters of the room, but could not spot the quickling anywhere.

The companions spoke about Epidemius and when he would return to Kingsport for his book. It would be another seven days before the Darkmoon’s cycle would be complete, giving them some time to deal with the delegation.

Quentin summed up his thoughts on his father, his father’s goals, and the challenge that lay before him; his father, and by extension his house, did not have any power, though his father was fooled into believing he did. His father believed that the key to solidifying the power he believe he had was to relinquish Róisín to House Lys, which was not something that Quentin was willing to do. Chakuq seemed to have picked up on a distinction he wanted clarified; did Quentin not want to give up on Róisín, or was he not able to? To which Quentin admitted he did not want to.

Neamhan, who had stopped paying attention to the conversation the moment it became too political, had started to focus on Toruviel, sitting in its beautiful scabbard. Emrys noticed her focus and offered to tell her more about the sword when there was a moment available.

When Quentin was lamenting about his father’s reluctance to listen, Neamhan mumbled that it reminded her of her own father. Quentin picked up on it and wanted to know more, but Neamhan was unwilling to engage. The conversation continued and this time it became clear that there had been a change in Astrid’s demeanour. Normally dispassionate, her eyes had focused on the middle distance and she was rubbing her wrists, as if dealing with an old injury. Neamhan, snapped Astrid out of her reverie and asked her bluntly whether she had ever been captured, suspecting that her wrists may have been bound in the past. Astrid’s face went dark as she admitted that she had, and that the talk about fathers had forced her to remember some unpleasant memories.

Meanwhile, Quentin entertained the idea of getting a note to Ser Croy without Monsieur Beauregard noticing. Quentin trusted the old knight and thought that it would be good to catch up with him away from the Beauclairois at the Black Alder farm. Neamhan offered to sneak the note to Ser Croy, but Chakuq suggested using Dame Pauline and make a public showing of summoning the knight, allowing Quentin to exercise his power. Quentin was unsure about using Dame Pauline, suggesting that she was his father’s bannerette. Astrid scoffed at the notion;

“If you think that Pauline is your father’s bannerette more than she is yours, you’re even dumber than you look.”

– Astrid, Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

The conversation returned to Epidemius after Astrid assured Quentin that the heroes were able to deal with both the delegation as well as Epidemius’ return the next ride. Emrys reminded everyone that Epidemius’ goal was not death, but rather to study disease so that it maybe used “to oppose the great desolation.” This resulted in a quick explanation of the differences between demons and devils for the benefit of Chakuq and Neamhan.

Réonan had explained to Emrys that something was wrong; that Epidemius should not have been able to cross the Seal of Divine Animus, and that it must have taken an enormous sacrifice to make it happen. In turn, Luca was reminded that the heroes’ return from Old Llygad took an fey crossing and a large sacrifice as well. He was also reminded of the ghost orchids; flowers that grew in places of blood sacrifice, and he mused that the flower might allow the heroes to do the same; cross the Seal.

When Lord Andrew could be heard singing downstairs the companions decided to go down. Neamhan heard the first peal of thunder coming from the south as a storm rolled in from the gulf. She stayed behind with Emrys and spoke to him about Toruviel. She was keen to learn more about the blade, about its origin, and about the soul inside it. Emrys, initially hesitant, unsheathed the blade and communed with Toruviel and introduced Neamhan. Toruviel seemed more focused than the normally aloof blade. In the past communication with the blade had been slow, vague, and almost dream-like, but it had grown sharper and clearer over the past couple of rides.

When Toruviel was confronted with Neamhan it revealed that it recognised her to be aen gwynt and revealed that it too had been one of the sky elves. It was as surprised to learn about that fact as Emrys was. It explained that it was growing stronger, which it likened to waking up from a deep sleep. It believed that its power was connected to Emrys’ power, and that it would not be long before it would be able to speak and introduce itself to the rest of the heroes.

Toruviel also revealed that this was not just true for itself, but also for Blackstar, Muirgheal, and even Lash and the Twins, referring to the whip that the heroes had taken off of the dreadlord, and the twin swords that Lord Marcus had retrieved from below Lynnecombe. It would be true for all the Arms of the Senhadrim, Toruviel claimed. When asked to make a guess at how many others there were, it said;

“I do not remember enough to make an estimate, but I know enough for an exact number; there are one-hundred-and-forty-four Arms of the Senhadrim.”

– Toruviel, Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

The blade explained that sometimes memories would come to it in a moment. Toruviel recounted the moment that it realised that it was a person; it was when Emrys had escorted Quentin to the rookery in Quayhill where they had encountered an elf that shared its name. That was also the day that the blade started speaking to Emrys, it claimed.

Lastly, Toruviel shared that it believed that in order to understand on how to deal with Epidemius they would have to find and understand the nature and provenance of the Liber Bubonicus, the Book of Woe.

“I am a child of whimsy. I believe that any innocence which can be saved today is preferable over a theoretical salvation in the future.”

– Toruviel, Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

For the Good of the House

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Previously, Quentin was summoned to the Black Alder Farm outside of Kingsport, where the newly arrived Beauclair delegation had made camp. The reception was underwhelming, and the heroes spoke with Lord Dorian, who was pleased to be reunited with his son. Despite his father’s warm welcome, Quentin was distrustful of his motives.

Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)

After Lord Dorian and Quentin had a chance to catch up in private, they joined the rest of the heroes and moved to a more private seating room, deeper inside the manor hours of Black Alder farm. Introductions were made, with varying degrees of success.

Chakuq started off, and Lord Dorian accepted his credentials as a mercenary. Luca introduced himself with his recently acquired title as Baronet of Evenshade Hall, but this did not seem to spark the deference from Lord Dorian that he would have expected.

Emrys had rapidly picked up the etiquette of Beauclair and introduced himself with all the fanfare that was expected. Lord Dorian responded very well to it, getting up out of his seat and shaking Emrys’ hand. Lord Dorian had heard stories about his exploits and encouraged him to walk the camp and talk to the troubadours and trobairitz.

Astrid introduced herself without too much fanfare, instead telling Lord Dorian what a great warrior and leader Quentin was. Neamhan managed a proper bow and a hesitant introduction. Lord Dorian smoothed over her lack of grace by taking her hands in his, giving them a gentle squeeze and telling her how happy he was to see her again. Neamhan noticed that the blisters on his hands, wrists and forearms were slowly healing and again offered to provide her aid. Again, he politely declined.

The tension had been rising since the arrival at the farm, but it reached a boiling point when the conversation turned to relinquishing Róisín to House Lys. Quentin dismissed the idea, explaining to his father that the blade was “no longer the Fleur de Lys.” The subtleties of what Quentin was saying were lost on Lord Dorian, and made even harder to detect by Luca’s insistence that Quentin not part with the blade, due to how powerful its magic was.

When Monsieur Beauregard asked how Quentin was proposing to keep the ancestral blade from its rightful owners, Quentin’s temper had already risen past the point where he noticed the calm and open manner in which the question was asked. Instead, Quentin drew attention to the lack banners, colours, or livery and asked to understand what his function was at the meeting. Monsieur Beauregard explained that he was the spymaster to House Lys. Quentin said it was inappropriate for Monsieur Beauregard to be present during the conversations, at which point the polite gentleman requested leave and withdrew once it was granted. Before he departed he offered that he considered himself an ally, and that his question deserved some consideration.

Lord Dorian’s frustration had grown. Father and son continued to argue, and Quentin stood his ground while his father insinuated that the renown of the Heroes of the White Eye was due in some part to his efforts. Communication continue to deteriorate until Lord Dorian reminded Quentin that he had not been part of House Morvrayne since he foolishly accepted Lady Gwenaëlle’s quest and left Beauclair, leaving Lord Dorian to deal with the consequences. The only thing that has saved Quentin, Lord Dorian reasoned, was that against all odds he had been successful. If Quentin now decided not to relinquish the blade, he may as well have died in the attempt to retrieve it for all good it would do.

Softening his tone, Lord Dorian reminded Quentin that he loved him, that he was happy to be reunited with him, and that he could take his time, to walk the camp and get to know the people in the camp. But he urged Quentin to accept that the blade was not, and has never been, the goal of House Morvrayne.

When the heroes departed, Neamhan bumped into a familiar man in the lobby; a portly, moustachioed man whom had been sentenced for insubordination when Neamhan had been in the delegation’s camp several days prior. He had sold wine from the caravan’s provisions, which had been explicitly forbidden. He was punished by having his thumbs removed, and the man had both his hands bandaged. Neamhan made an attempt to aid the man, which he declines. She settled for sharing some goodberries with him instead, but Neamhan feared it would not do him any good while Epidemius continued to lay siege to the city.

When the heroes gathered their mounts and rode out, they laid witness to a group of people surrounded two duellists who were patiently circling one another. One of the spectators was Lady Gwenaëlle, who noticed Quentin and looked his way. Both of them did not spare each other a warm look.

A decision was made to get off the road to talk away from prying eyes. Between the farm and the river crossing the heroes bound their horses up and walked out into the heath. Astrid stayed with the horses, while Luca urged them all to stand in the shallow stream of a tributary, claiming that any magical eavesdropping would be made harder by the flow of the water.

The conversation was mostly about whether Lord Dorian was to be trusted, and could be considered an ally to the heroes. Parting with Róisín was not a consideration, even though it was an option, unlike Emrys’ bond with Toruviel.

The group was disturbed by an eavesdropper in the undergrowth, and between Neamhan shifting into an enormous eagle, Emrys drawing his blade and taking to the sky, and Astrid’s cat-like reflexes, the man was soon caught. The young man’s name was Hubert, looked to be a scout for the delegation, and said he hailed from the Asterac hills, which Quentin knew to be lands belonging to House Lys. He had been instructed by Monsieur Beauregard to keep an eye on the heroes, and to verify that they were staying at the Careless Wanderer.

This is when Quentin introduced a surprising new direction; radical honesty. He instructed the scout to go back to the spymaster and confirm that the heroes were indeed staying in the Careless Wanderer, and to offer him an invitation to come and talk. Any questions could be asked openly, but covert surveillance would not be tolerated.

The heroes returned to the city, and as they approached North Gate, they were cautioned by crownsguard halberdiers who warned them to steer clear of Grimsdown as there was another resurgence of plaguemaidens after Epidemius appeared at Steward’s Square. The heroes hurried down the cobbled streets as darkness was falling. When they reached the Careless Wanderer, and walked into it’s warm embrace, the peal of thunder could be heard as a storm rolled in from the bay.