Session 0.7 - The Clandestine Quintessence Report

General Summary

Six months into the War for the Chivalier Isles, Tibbles was stationed around the capital city of Lashela, Pontifex, as part of the North Empire Shipping Company's oath to protect areas of the Chivalier Isles with no navy presence. In the six years of war, Tibbles rose through the ranks of the company, attaining the title of Commodore of the Rightful Yellow Empire after just three months, eventually resulting in his fleet being stationed near Pontifex.   Tibbles used this opportunity to convert the Lashelan silver coins he obtained from the shipwreck of the HMS Arrowhead [Session 0.5 Report - The Arrowhead Surreptition] into gold, however, an arcane coin counter in the Lashelan bank signalled that the coins were cursed, and a bank teller activated an alarm. Guards promptly subdued Tibbles and brought him to the office of the head of the Lashelan banking system, Sereniera Goldenheart, a Throne of Lashela. She informed Tibbles that the coins he attempted to convert are cursed coins known as EPOCH coins. Tibbles learned that before and during the War of the Phoenix, the city-states that would unite to become the country Lashela were originally warring with each other. A covert religious sect called E.P.O.C.H. (which stands for the Esoteric Protectors against Occult Conspirators and Heretics) was founded to try and unite Lashela. E.P.O.C.H. identified around two-thousand individuals who were standing in the way of the unification of Lashela, from military personnel to low-ranking religious figures, to the leaders of Pontifex and Conus at the time. Members of E.P.O.C.H. used a process whereby they trapped these individuals' souls into coins; the silver coins Tibbles found contained the souls of five hundred and eighty-two low-ranking religious figures across Lashela.   Tibbles was compensated for unknowingly bringing Sereniera Goldenheart these E.P.O.C.H. Coins and left Pontifex to return to his fleet. Shortly after, he returned to Fortress Blank and met with Nikolai Vasilovich, who had been going about ordering new armour for himself, his executive staff and his soldiers. Wishing to return to Pontifex, they set sail, but they met an Azure Caravan trading galleon helmed by Maxamillion Goldrich, with a large supply of mundane and magical items. Tibbles, in his eternal pursuit to collect Cheese, bought four wheels from the ship: Merfolk's Seasalt Chèvre, Dragonfire Cheddar, Phoenix Pecorino, and Griffin's Grated Parmesan. After exchanging information and arranging to meet again with Maxamillion for trading, Nikolai and Tibbles continued to Pontifex. Upon arriving, Tibbles sought out more cheese, buying the following: Umbral Veil Veined Blue Cheese, Celestium's Holy Halos Havarti, and Diabolus' Demonic Dairyleek.    Afterwards, Nikolai, after obtaining an audience with the Highest Triad and the Principal Spirits of the Lashelan government, proposed that the might of the North Empire Shipping Company's fleet would allow it to effectively serve as a functioning navy for Lashela, which has no nautical military branch. While he was scolded by many due to boldly claiming that Pontifex had such insufficient defences that he, let alone the Empire of Flames, could easily deal substantial damage to the city, a claim that all members of the council scoffed at, he was nonetheless able to effectively argue that the seas surround the nation were undefended. Many members of the council, even if not immediately willing to accept his offer, were willing to listen to Nikolai about how the NESC could extend protection.