Episode 4 - Half-Drowned Spies and Smoke-Laced Lies

General Summary

26 Skyrest, 1442

  The Ildrafn ships set sail for Redehall City, with the noble family and their retainers aboard. Sailing alongside them is the retinue of Khinar Antyre, who unceremoniously dumps a travelling case overboard after signalling to Sarischa Ravana using a coat that belonged to his favoured spy, Emil Moody. Sarischa manages to convince the captain to turn the ship around as Elnor Portrain dives into the bracingly cold waters to break the locked case open, revealing a battered but alive Emil inside. Later, back aboard the ship and nursing a flask of brandy, Emil reveals that he was apprehended by Khinar's right hand man, Karhald, and while he lost a finger during the ensuring interrogation he didn't give up any crucial information about Sarischa.
The Ildrafn fleet were delayed by the diversion to rescue Emil, but they soon found themselves in a friendly port at the Barony of Curvel, where they were eagerly welcomed by the baron, Zura Luneste. A fellow Dunefalli and follower of the Golden Prophet Resshe, Zura had constructed a dreaminghouse on the manor grounds and invited Sarischa to partake in a ceremony with him... one that even Iseabail McCloughhaven was convinced to observe. Plunging into a smoke-induced trance, Sarischa walked with Zura through a fragment of their dreams, observing their fond remembrances of a long-lost love. Sarischa was also visited by their strange patrons, including Pyx, the Great Reveller. When the forests in his dream parted ways, he was given the choice to pursue a strange rider or follow the sounds of a violin coming from a distant, shining column of light. Sarischa followed the rider, a man dressed in a woman's gown racing away from the column of light on a wounded horse.  While they committed their face to memory and later woke to sketch it, they know little as to what it means as of yet.

27 Skyrest, 1442

The following morning, the ships left harbour early to arrive in Redehall by midday. They were greeted by Artigan Dillestone, the Duke of Westhearth and King Eadvard III's brother... though Pendros was disappointed that the King himself didn't greet them. When Iseabail pressed Artigan to know why the King wasn't there, Artigan merely stated the King was busy with other royal duties... and refused to elaborate. After relocating their belongings to the royal apartments at Redehall Castle, Iseabail met with Sarischa and Elnor to confer about their agenda for the days to come. Iseabail will do her best to meet her peers, make connections and forge alliances, while Sarischa and Elnor will work to undermine Khinar and strengthen their case before they bring it before the King.   Things do not immediately go as planned. Sarischa and Elnor attempts to ingratiate themselves with the royal court at Redehall are met with cold stares and blank indifference, and they run afoul of Sophira Sandoreale, who insults them and bluntly shuts down their attempts to besmirch Khinar's reputation. When Sarischa reveals he has access to dreamsmoke herbs, Sophira's tune softens, and she pulls in her companion Markham Dillestone to meet Sarischa. Seeing opportunity, Sarischa offers to conduct a private dreamsmoke ceremony for Markham and company, an offer the dilettante eagerly accepts, making arrangements to have Sarischa meet him in the basement of a tavern in Tailor Row that night during the Revels.   Meanwhile, Iseabail finds herself down at the parade, watching all the men-at-arms and knights marching past. Seeking to forge new friendships, she makes an impression on Beltran Dillestone, an aged general who remains a formidable force despite being maimed and half-blind. Beltran surmised that, should it come to open conflict, House Antyre would handily crush the Countess' forces in the field, and Ildrafn could not match them through strength of arms alone. They parted with a mutual respect for one another, and Beltran agreed to support the Countess' position with House Ildrafn when they meet with the King tomorrow.    Meanwhile, having procured the livery of a servant of Redehall Castle, Elnor slipped into House Antyre's wing of the royal apartments and sought out the chambers of Khinar Antyre. When he found them, he searched them thoroughly until he found correspondence between Khinar and his mother Selva Antyre, the Baron of Farlany . In the letter, Khinar stated that their claim on McCloughhaven's Reach was strong, thanks to ancient treaty documents proving Antyre's rightful rule over the county. Those documents, however, were not to be found in Khinar's chambers, but Elnor was still able to procure an inkpot belonging to Khinar before slipping out. However, he was spotted leaving Khinar's chambers by Beca Tahn Antyre, a daughter of House Antyre and Khinar's cousin. Elnor managed to bluff his way out of serious trouble, but Beca will likely remember his face.   When he returned to Sarischa's chambers, he found a note stating that the Seer had already set off for the tavern on Tailor's row to meet with Markham and his entourage. When Elnor arrived at the nondescript tavern basement, he found Sarischa preparing to conduct a dreaming ceremony with Markham, Sophira and six other minor nobles. Elnor took his position outside, beside two of Markham's bodyguards, and Sarischa lit the brazier and began guiding his patrons into the great shared dream...   On the other side of town, as the great revelry swept through the city, Iseabail found herself sharing a tavern table with Beca Tahn Antyre. Together, they listened to a bard recount Rohira's Lament, an ancient Antari folk song about the shepherd that first witnessed The Invasion of the Norvalled Raiders on the coastal cliffs not too far from Redehall. Together, Iseabail and Beca shared wine and discussed their mutual heritage, as well as their dedication to protecting and aiding their subjects. Later that night, as they returned back to the castle, Beca stated that, should it be decided that the Reach is Antyre's by right, she will ask her father Kormac Antyre to show mercy on Iseabail and allow her to swear fealty instead of being deposed and imprisoned. They parted ways amicably that night, and Iseabail retired to her quarters, satisfied with her efforts to forge new connections that day.   Meanwhile, back at the tavern on Tailor Row, Sarischa delved into the dreams shared by Sophira, Markham and the other assembled participants. Unused to the intimate nature of shared dreams, Sophira and Markham both revealed sides of themselves that they might not otherwise. Sophira desired Markham out of her need for comfort and safety after being badly traumatized during The Tambar Rebellion, and Markham sought to drown his loneliness with as many torrid, anonymous affairs as he could manage. Sarischa tried to subtly influence Markham's dreams by calling upon the powers of Resshe and steer him towards a happier union with Sophira, but Markham's base desires were too great for Sarischa to influence... and before he could try again, Sarischa became aware of new voices in the waking world, just outside the door. Someone had noted and reported the illicit use of Dreamsmoke herbs to the city watch, and now eight watchmen were about to storm past Elnor and the bodyguards to seize whomever was participating in the ritual within the tavern basement. Thinking fast, Sarischa resurfaced from the dream, triggered a mass awakening among the other dreamers, and quickly raced to scramble out the window. He almost made it to safety with Elnor's help, but after being chased across a dozen city blocks both Sarischa and Elnor were cornered and taken in by the watch.   

28 Skyrest, 1442

Five hours later, just before daybreak, Sarischa and Elnor were rudely awoken as their prison cell door was swung upon... revealing a very upset Pendros Ildrafn.

Notes

• Iseabail has earned the respect of Beltran Dillestone and Beca Tahn Antyre.
• Despite his best efforts, Elnor left behind evidence of his searching in Khinar Antyre's chambers.
• Markham Dillestone and Sophira Sandoreale find Sarischa to be entertaining, but won't hesitate to throw them under the bus the second they have to.
• Emil Moody was saved from drowning by Elnor, a debt he will not forget. The two bonded over playing cards while Emil shared his experiences surviving The Tambar Rebellion when it first began in Risevar Town.