Session 9: The World Turned Upside Down Report

General Summary

In the immediate aftermath of the assassination of Grand Preceptor Richardin, the high clergy left immediately under guard. The laity on the ground floor began pulling down all the images of Saint Roland and the other Paladins.

They also tore apart Smok's body and jammed his head on a pole, then the crowd streamed out of the Church of Asra's Blessing and headed toward the Church of the Paladins, becoming little more than a mob along the way. Elric and Rowan were literally left alone in the balcony of the Church. 

Following in the wake of the mob, Elric, Rowan, and Stigala witnessed an incredible sight. Right in the middle of the mob's destruction of the exterior statues of I Paladini, a Matelot man stood up and got the crowd's attention. Through an impressive speech, he literally got the crowd to turn away from destroying the church, and they left in peace, possibly to find other targets.

The speaker was Augustus Hartman, and after assuring themselves that the church was safe and the priests had left, the 3 Kalites went with Hartman to stay in his modest home where they would be safe from any reprisal. 

The next day, Elric and Rowan tried to visit Gavinus in the Citadel of Viresh, but were told that he was busy and would contact them at the Church of the Paladins. After a frustrating day in the recovering city, the PCs went to I Paladini to examine and work on the ancient dig site.

While there, a young boy approached with a curious wooden oval framing his face, apparently screwed onto his head with handscrews on each side. But instead of the young child's face, somehow Gavinus's handsome but sinister face stared out of the frame.

Through this hideous conduit, Gavinus old them that he was the Harbinger of a sixth god, the True God, and asked them to join. Understandably, the PCs refused. Gavinus seemed disappointed but not angry, and willed the boy to crank on the frame screws, killing him on the spot. 

After taking the boy to Merek Payne (and getting some replacement armor for Rowan) the PCs collecting their things--and the ceramic map from the ancient dig site--they contacted Clarity Champoux to inform her of the danger from the church. 

She relayed other dangers--armed men had attacked her great-aunt's home and were only repelled by the timely intervention of Baron Royeric who, incidentally, is the suitor preferred to marry Clarity by Queen Lucrece, who has declared Thane Sense Champoux deceased and Clarity the (underage) heir apparent. 

Elric convinced Clarity that it was neither safe to stay in the city nor to return to Kalai at the moment, so with the aid of Crispin Wildmane, Clarity's equerry (and secret admirer), the PCs set off south out of Lorinne, looking for the confluence of two rivers near a plain as seen on the ceramic map.