Session XIV: Scholar of the Imperium

The adventurers commenced the attack after a short inspirational speech by Alfgeir. Baldur and Imaros rushed to the centre, occupying the Shadow Demons as Jacqualine and Caerlin provided long-range support. Del'Gado was intercepted by a duellist shadow fey. The demon party pursued a similar strategy, with two shadow fey marksmen shooting from afar, and soon their leader, a higher demon Herald, engaged Baldur and Imaros as the Shadow Demons crumbled. The Herald unleashed a wide cone of raw profane power across the field, notably blinding Imaros, and intermittently summoned a pair of purple spectral wings on her back to more easily navigate. As the fight went on, Imaros and Baldur inflicted enormous damage on the Herald, who desperately sapped the life from her subordinate shadow fey in an effort to persevere; alas, Caerlin earned another spot in Baldur's ever-increasing Book of Grudges by dealing the final blow against the Herald with a magic missile. Alfgeir's housecarls took no significant damage in their combat against the cambions. When the Herald died, the skies cleared again, and the outskirts of Khuramunz was again free of demons.   Alfgeir recovered his dynastic Holy Avenger and entrusted monetary compensation to Baldur, totalling 100 platinum suns. Before leaving to check up on the wounded from the last battle, he stressed that all loot would go to the adventurers, and in his opinion, the enigmatic pedestal fell under this classification. He also informed the party of some points of interest on their way to Greyhyx: the Witchmarket, a fey trading caravan, had set up a few days' travel north; beyond that, the Highforest Waystation was a known haven in this part of the Hinterlands. The party took a rest before conducting a closer investigation of this. In the evening, the work began: it was quickly assumed to be Hyxian in origin, being in white marble. The Hellknight maralictor could also translate the inscription on the pillar with the enchanted Helm of the Robed King:  

Omnia munda mundis
Quod tu es?
  To the pure all things are pure
What are you?

  After much back and forth, testing some key phrases and rituals in a multitude of languages and manners, repeatedly emphasising their purity (with Caerlin even appearing to offer Izdubar's replica robes as a sacrifice at one point) the group reached the conclusion that none present were equipped with the knowledge of how to approach this mystery. Thus, a message to Izdubar himself was sent, who woke from his evening nap and hastily projected himself to the party. He was able to assert with confidence that the motto was used by the Imperial Inquisition of Hyx, and that the key phrase to its query was likely "I am a scholar of the Imperium" in Hyxian, or "discipulus sum de Imperii." However, there were two more layers of security to it: most importantly, the personal characteristics of the respondent must correspond to that of the Inquisition's Scholar-Bureaucrats. The second layer, the societal aspect, was no longer a concern, as Hyxian society has long since disappeared. Before leaving, Baldur requested that he identify some weapons and armour that they had looted, which he did. Once gone, Del'Gado tried the activation phrase, and things started to happen.   The question on the pedestal disappeared and was replaced with a triangular emblem; glowing blue lights connected by streaks of light, resembling the stars of an unnaturally ordered night-sky, engulfed the area, taking on the shapes of walls, a roof, and interior decorations. The adventurers happened to be standing right in the middle of something that resembled a large desk, and shortly after they moved out of it, the blue lights were gradually phased out by real walls and furniture. The party had managed to facilitate the materialisation of an authentic Hyxian building. A few things stood out: large shelves filled with books, documents, and fiscal accounts; the main desk had materialised a sealed letter and a pair of curious spectacles; and a coat-hanger with immaculate garments stood in a corner. Del'Gado opened the sealed letter. It was addressed to Secunda Vedia Exuperantia, a Scholar-Bureaucrat, and contained a list of assignments: one of which was Alamen Paleira Hazredus, suspected of "illegal research into the cosmos," in addition to graverobbing, skingrafting, and dark communion. Four of his unpublished works had been seized and were due to be analysed:  

1. On Verified Madness
2. The Southern Cults of Chaos: a Qualitative Study of the Brotherhood of the Worm, the Fellowship of the Sign, and the Sect of the Mantis God
3. The New Order: Re-Imagining the Role of Monarchy in the Current Day
4. Spectres of the Underworld: What is the Shadow Regime?

  Upon searching the Scholar-Bureaucrat's retreat, only one of his works could be found, The New Order. Taking the book, letter, and the spectacles, the adventurers spent the next three days on the road and approached the infamous fey caravan.