Session IX: Service in Eternity

As the rest of the party were off collecting their payment from the Order of the Vice and trying to get into physical kerfuffles on the streets of Akk-Ur, Del'Gado and Imaros were shopping for clothes, mostly at Imaros' initiative. At the tailors' shop, Del'Gado sighted someone who looked familiar to the defendant cattle farmer present at the royal arbitration that was held just before the party were offered the task of investigating the Gloomlight disappearances. He decided to inconspicuously follow the man to his home, and he noted down his residence in the Yellowpoint district. They then went back to the Builder's Arms.   During the night, Jacqualine was visited by Mira, who entered her room through a dark portal. She informed her that progress had been made regarding the stellar phobia with their as-yet unmentioned deity as a result of her continued assistance. Mira told her that a task will present itself in the near and foreseeable future, involving their shared benefactor, and her acceptance in that was most expected if she wished for her madness to be further treated. Before departing, she instructed Jacqualine to be alert during this night's harrowing visions, as she would be aided in mitigating the worst of it whilst being able to channel it into something… that would make her stronger.   In the morning, she went down for breakfast and immediately started writing everything down, telling the others of her vision. It developed into a broader conversation about the golden chest in the Gloomlight and the general suitability of the Karapanate to safekeep it. Naturally, knight Caerlin attempts to make some moves; he is naturally told off by Jacqualine. After some time, they went to Justice Centriole to observe the fate of Aegis and the Heshoo.   At the Centriole, Del'Gado saw maralictor Hassimir talking to a dwarf. He walked up to them and was introduced to Baldur, a fellow maralictor in the Order, whom Hassimir informed had been placed in charge of a preliminary investigation of the Society of the Red Mask. Also, as a nobleman, he was quite accustomed to certain social circles. Del'Gado, on behalf of the party, agreed to meet Baldur at six o'clock sharp the next morning at the Diplomat's Refuge for a situation briefing. After some time, the processes commenced. Some persons of note were a royal executioner and anointed mobads of the Karapanate dressed in grey robes, silver masks, and black ribbons. The first person brought forward was the former shopkeeper of the Red Sun.   A judicial official read out the charges:  

Ninli, bookkeeper of the westbound Heshoo organisation, has been duly charged and convicted by our wise and honourable Low Circuit for the following infractions against our civilisation: conspiracy and sedition against the Alliance Nobility, attempted aristocide, cooperation in the kidnapping of a highborn scion, assisting in the blackmailing of a House Antecedent, disobedience against a sanctioned lawguild, and obstructing legal procedure. The convict is sentenced to death by enfoldment followed by service in eternity. The sentence will be carried out immediately and fulfilled at the Kutavor Evergaol. Further, in accordance with the collective punishment clause of the second Code of Varnon, the convict's immediate family members, to wit: parents, husband, three children, a sister, and a brother, have been apprehended and are to fulfil twenty years of indebted service at the Kenlag, Soramon, and Vartlag Debtgaols.   In the words of our wise Martyr: death is not the end.

  In total, 49 people were charged at the processes, with 7 earning the same fate as the shopkeeper. Neither Aegis, the employees of the Elven Kiss, nor former Hammerites were seen at the executions, relieving Imaros immensely (though, sadly, he could no longer rush to claim any part of the inheritance). Upon the conclusion of this event, a man introduced himself to the party, making it clear that he was in no way connected to Tamzi or the Elysian Court. Not-Tamzi took aside Malgrim for a few minutes, after which Malgrim left, and then asked if the party wished to go out for lunch. They then went for the Mountainview, a restaurant on Pact Promenade. On the way there, not-Tamzi continued with the negation of anything not-connected to his line of work. This little game was dropped as they were eating, with not-Tamzi revealing that he was, in fact, Tamzi, the Stellar Mobad of the Elysian Court. Mobad Tamzi explained why he had supported the party being appointed Twilight Advocates: he expressed a belief in the equality of all, which had only been reinforced by his time as an emissary. Jacqualine inquired about the chest that the Karapanate was now in possession of; Tamzi replied that he was solely involved with stately affairs due to his position. Asked how he could represent the Karapanate without actively being involved in their organisation, he answered that he represented values, ideals, and other higher causes; things that do not change from one year to another. Tamzi then informed the party that he had also come to them to deliver a summons to the Elysian Court, following a petition by senior Hammerite commanders. Once they finished, Tamzi continued with his day off whilst the party headed for Morrowfall Redoubt.   Entering the palace, King Gilgenon introduced them to his Hammerite petioners: Akki, Beltis, and Kishar. He brought a small entourage with and they went for a smaller chamber to initiate negotiations. However, these were cut short by the King and his followers sending the Hammerites into a magical sleep. He told the party that his distinguished guests would remember a very pleasant conversation where nothing of substance was conceded to the Hammerite Concern. He then introduced the party to a hidden section of the palace, only accessible by teleportation: the Adytum. The room leading to it was unremarkable, but the main chamber was a fine sight: rich furniture, a fancy fountain, a corner with wine, ale, and alcoholic beverages from across the continent; on display were the Plate, Helm, Shield, Cloak, and Hammer of Akkon; a full set of blacksteel Hyxian plate armour; and several banners recovered during the Deluge. The location also deactivated the party's magical artifacts and cut them off from tapping into any source of magic. Gilgenon explained that this small section, saving the antechamber, was covered with a dead-magic zone, and they could thus speak freely without anyone listening in or even sensing their presence. He started by telling Jacqualine that he had reason to believe the Karapanate was preparing to incriminate her following the spat with the Fellowship. He estimated that the party had at least two weeks to spare before any plot could trigger against her. The King was steadfast in his decision to send the Advocates abroad (which was his solution), and stressed the tense political fallout (such as the nobility demanding the reinstitution of their control over the NAA) that would result from a public trial between a servant of the monarchy and the Karapanate, should he judge in favour of Jacqualine. He then presented some new information that he had gathered following the Gloomlight Incident: a dozen or so officers of the NAA have recently gone missing in the northwest of the country and the plate armour that the hobgoblins wore likely originated from one of the dwarven free-holds in Greyhyx. Also, the Court had this morning received information about several areas of organised criminal activity around the crown- and heartlands of Akkon, something that Del'Gado could corroborate from his quick look into Enkitan's letters. The King told them that he was preparing to mobilise forces to destroy these hubs. The Advocates gave the King a report into their investigation, regarding the revolutionary activities of the Red Masks and the person known as the Academic, whom they had a meeting with this night. When this grand discussion was finished the party eventually made their way to Amminar's Point of Kurigalzu's Garden.   Whilst the party tried to conceal themselves around the meeting spot, it proved useless to the abilities of the Academic, who turned out to be the same robed figure that they encountered in the Gloomlight. Though mostly reveling in his own sense of superiority, the Robed King did reveal a part of his plans. He had orchestrated the leak of the hidden cells' location to the Crown in order to temporarily distract them for a heist he was planning. Or rather, had already carried out, apparently during the Heshoo Processes. He also offered the party answers (to questions they did not have, as pointed out by Del'Gado) if they bested him in an old-fashioned duel of pure prowess (no magic involved), at a crossroads near the Mausoleum of Saint Hyron. The party cautiously affirmed the challenge; as he again started to dematerialise, he teleported the party down to ground level.