Session IV: Twilight Advocates

12-13 Resting, 1304 AM

  After the King had empowered the adventurers as Twilight Advocates, his seneschal, Shala Ravencrest, spoke briefly with Del'Gado, who left to make contact with some old associates. Thereafter she explained to the rest how their relationship to the Radiant Throne would work. The party was to find a liaison who would represent them in Morrowfall Redoubt, and more specifically represent the party's doings to the seneschal's office. She made it clear that the sanction of five Advocates was an unusual affair, and that it was not an empty title; they now represent the enforcement of royal law in the land. Thus, getting drunk and hanging about shady inns was strongly discouraged, unless it could somehow be connected to their work, which currently is to prove, or disprove, the local presence of a cult of Vyriavaxus in Akk-Ur. The seneschal then issued them each one symbolic badge of office in addition to a personal artifact on orders of the king. Imaros received a badge with the monogram of Gilgenon; Malgrim a brooch with a royal variant of the insignia of the Hammerite Concern; and Jacqualine a golden ring with the symbol of the Karapanate. Knight Caerlin did not get an artifact due to him not being a part of the original summons, but the seneschal affirmed that the Order likely had something for him. After Malgrim made an open interpretation of the "don't get drunk" recommendation, the party left, with the knight going for Hyron's Advance and the remaining for the Builder's Arms, a centrally-located tavern and inn.   On the way to the Order's headquarters, Caerlin was intercepted by a pair of knights who then escorted him to the building. After waiting for a few minutes, he was granted an audience with Belit Greenfield, the Grand Paladin, who had already received a missive from the royal court. The Grand Paladin ordered Caerlin to give a full debrief of his mission. She also asked him to give a few thoughts about the letters that Jacqualine had withheld from the party until the meeting with the king; Belit suspected that the Order was one of the organisations prone to being targeted by the conspiracy, and issued a new mission to Caerlin: to keep an active eye on suspicious activity within the Order of Hyron whilst accompanying the other Twilight Advocates. As for his previous mission, the Grand Paladin awarded him a Knight-Aspirant's warhammer, a weapon wielded by true champions of the faith.   At the Builder's Arms, Malgrim went to look for fellow brewer-brothers, but did not see any. Imaros, suddenly recollecting that foreign visitors tended to congregate in the city's floating gardens, told Malgrim of this. Whilst this discussion was ongoing, Jacqualine noticed a man sitting alone who seemed to be discreetly observing the colourful party. She went and took a seat at his table. The man, who was in his thirties, black-haired, and dressed in a grey coat, instantly identified that she was travelling alongside Imaros, who worked at the Elven Kiss. Afterwards, he remarked on the quality of Jacqualine's armour, noting that it was made of mithral, a rare (and exorbitantly expensive) sight in Akkon. Before more conversation was made, he introduced himself as Hassimir, a private investigator currently under contract to expose the Heshoo Gang, which was why he knew who Imaros was, as the Elven Kiss is one of the gang's most frequented locales. He offered Jacqualine, and by extension the party, an opportunity to earn gold and favour with his wealthy client; to discreetly retrieve evidence of the Heshoo's criminal enterprise at the Red Sun, an antiques store on Hierophant Street in Northway. This was discussed with the whole party present, including Caerlin, who had made his way down after his short audience at Hyron's Advance. Though reluctant at first, and denying any knowledge of the gang, Imaros was eventually convinced upon learning of the quite large sum of gold that was in play. The party also inquired about three other things with Hassimir: Jacqualine wished for his assistance with uncovering and charting the cult of Vyriavaxusk, though she withheld nearly all details of this to him. Hassimir did not promise results, but was willing to aid in whatever capacity he could after his current contract was finished. Knight Caerlin asked him about Hazred, whom the private investigator only knew through rumours and speculation. However, he could say with confidence that Hazred himself claims to be a businessman, and that those who visit him get some type of benefit out of it; however, exactly what benefit varies from visit to visit. Malgrim wondered where he could find brewer-dwarves, and after some time, Hassimir could point towards the Diplomat's Refuge in Izdubar's Watch as a possible option.   After this conversation, the party went out and towards the Diplomat's Refuge, stopping on the way for a short visit to the Elven Kiss, where Aegis and Imaros had a brief discussion. With his cousin no longer working at the bar, Aegis indicated that he wanted to speak with Imaros in the near future about future business prospects. When this visit was done, the Twilight Advocates made the short walk to the Refuge. There was some internal debate about who was going to enter the floating garden, and eventually Malgrim told the portal attendant that he alone wished to go up. In the garden, he did find a group of brewer-dwarves, though not belonging to the Saltswig Temple. Nevertheless, they recognised Malgrim's attire, and happily spoke to him. Malgrim, having misinterpreted the seneschal's request of a common liaison instead as the party naming one liaison for each member, asked if one of them could represent him at court. After some discussion and thought, Malgrim rushed down to consult with the others, who confirmed that Shala asked that they assign one representative. When this was over, it had become late evening, and the group went to sleep at separate locations. During the night, Jacqualine communed with her deity concerning the solar mania that had beset her, hoping for some intervention; and in the early morning, she was eyed by two women, one of whom she recognised from her past. Varkallin, her old acquaintance, and Mira, a new face, gave her a task: to bring the seneschal to the Builder's Arms, ostensibly so she could vet Varkallin in person for the position at court. According to them, this would be stepping stone to begin treating Jacqualine's stellar phobia.