Session 59: To Slay or Parley

General Summary

28th Dualahei 836PD   After their fatal encounter and vampire hunt, the party retreat back to their Keep in the early hours of the morning about 5am. Zeni sets up the tiny hut, and Tarathiel uses see invisibility to check that they are safe from prying eyes to debrief.   Enessa is literally holding herself together, weary from her death, resurrection and hunt. The party check in with her, sharing what happened when she went down. Ussi had magically disappeared when Enessa fell, as if there was a magic tie between them. With Sabali and Enessa both facing the bites of the vampire hunters, everyone gets concerned if they have become infected. Fortunately, Tarathiel was able to recall on the lore she obtained over the month that only full vampires had the power to pass on vampirism, these hunters were merely just beasts that could not infect. Apparently safe for now, the party prepare to rest and plan their counter attack when their elven Captain, Varsy, informs them that there is a visitor at the gate. A man named Keledonia, sent on behalf of his master Davorin, the vampire Lord! The sun is just rising.   The party, bar Zeni and Enessa who both stay in the hut, go to the gates to great their visitor. He states that he is there to offer his condolences for the death of Enessa and our informant, he puts down 3000 gold worth of platinum as a wergild, recompense to avoid bloodshed. The party don’t acknowledge the payment, but are intrigued by their offer to help find the Lock-Breaker if the Unbroken stopped their activity against them. Raphael takes the offer of a parley to be directly with Davorin, in 2 days out during the daylight, but they can choose location. Keledonia agrees, and states before leaving that he is sufficiently protected against any attempts by the party to scry on him, pulling out an amulet similar to Raph’s own Proof against detection and location. He will be back to pick them up an hour before the meeting.   The party discuss the proposed parley in the hut, finding Enessa lightly tied down with Zeni’s briny tentacles to ease themselves in case the vampirism had passed. But whilst some of the party had considered to take the parlay at face value, Raphael stated that this was a ruse on his part to launch a surprise daytime attack later today. With some favouring immediate action, and others considering the Parley as another opportunity, especially if it can provide a lead on the Lock-Breaker, which has become pertinent due to Palmer Cook rebuffing any attempts to follow up with them about any further information since Merritt has been in his care. The party decide to break for a long rest before discussion gets any more heated. Then they will cast their votes.   Simeon prays in his room, communing with his Mistress the Moonweaver. He asks 3 questions:

• “Should we defy the parley agreed under duress?” The answer is that “Many factors in this, but if a chosen of Sehanine goes back on a word, even in trickery, will sully the faith”.
• “Does the Vampire have the means to track the Lock-Breaker?” Answer- “Unclear but interests are in parallel”
• Final question; “Should I suffer a Vampire to live?” Reply- “Evil should be punished, but not the duty of the Moonweaver”.

Enessa is also in her room, thinking of Ussi. Imagining him when she used to cast the spell to understand him, and in the moment says a small prayer. That is soon answered with a visit by the Exarch of Melora, Oakenhill in her room. She asks Enessa to follow her outside to the woods behind the Keep. Oakenhill shares that when Enessa passed, a soul normally goes to the Raven Queen who weighs the soul on her scales. And that some Gods and powers tip the scale in their favour. There is a lot of interest in the Unbroken, with the deities of the Clerics, Raph’s lady and even a child of Kord (Zeni) in the party. But there is a dark force that seeks to claim Enessa’s soul, Lolth the Spider Queen. Enessa was born as a promised child to Lolth, but escaped from her parents and den. Oakenhill suggests that Enessa seek out more information to counter the claim on her soul. Before she leaves, Oakenhill summons Ussi from the forest, but in an ever-changing form or a cat or a bird. She explains that Ussi is a being of fey magic, Enessa can change his form into a beast of land, air or sea but he will always be her Ussi.   After their rest, the party gather in the war room, with the usual security precautions of the hut. Following Simeon’s commune, he changes his preference to pursue the Parley. Tarathiel votes to parley for the bigger threat of the Chain Oblivion. Sabali favours the parley, living to his patience name in order to access the Vampire directly. Zeni and Raphael vote to defy the parley, concerned at the risk of any innocents being lost whilst they delay and cannot countenance a potential deal with the undead. Orlando swings the vote to honouring the parley, there are societal implications in Emon for breaking an oath, and would not risk dishonour on the party. Enessa is relieved to not be deciding vote.   Raphael storms off, incredulous at the decision. Simeon talks him back to returning to the table. The party continue to debate the decision and what to get out of the parley, whether to genuinely negotiate to get the info on Lock-Breaker and any other concessions such as the ring and not attacking Emon citizens. Or to use the parley as a way to get clear access to the vampire lord himself to directly attack, but they all still remain unclear on what to do at the parley.    Acknowledging the implications of this parley for Emon, Zeni sends to Palmer Cooke about the incident with the vampires, the parlay and need for extra guards at lower slums. Palmer confirms extra guards, and interested that Davorin is a vampire, wonders what did they offer that stopping the Unbroken from killing them outright. When Zeni replies that they offered info on the Lock-Breaker, Palmer says he'll be over in 2 hours.   Linked Journals

• Enessa- Battle for Enessa's Soul