Trouble in the Throne Room - Lion's Crest

General Summary

The Wardens find themselves involved in a negotiation between the Manten'liche delegation, led by Maddocks and the monarchs of Lion's Crest. Maddocks associate introduced only as 'the Seer' has just produced a large stuffed owlbear leg that squeaked slightly as it hit the ground.

Teddy Troubles

"I'm sorry you're scared of stuffed animals?" Myra quips.
Maddocks looks frustrated, "It's not just bears. Their aberrations. These things are unending, they don't tire they don't sleep. The number of my men who were trampled or brought inside for whatever torture or unending pain. I will remind your majesties that we were here to honor a deal."
As Myra steps up to inspect the paw and sees that it is clearly the paw of a stuffed animal, the stitching looks well done like it would have been a high class stuffed animal. She doesn't see any runes or any of the normal magics she would associate with the transmutation way of increasing its size and bringing it to life. There is an essence of magic around it as she holds and turns it and as she does she feels it shift.
Saraya pulls up detect magic spooking Maddocks who believes that she is casting something more offensive and starts backing away. Queen Angelena assures Maddocks that she's merely investigating, her tone suggesting that that better be all Sarya is doing. When the detect magic finishes Sarya gets all of the normal incredibly strong pings from her group, she gets a large amount of abjuration from where the Queen and King are standing, the guards also have some abjurative magic as well as minor enchantments. As she turns her focus to the stuffed paw in Myra's hand she gets a strong pull of conjuration and more importantly, it seems to still be active. She relays all of this mentally to the group before Myra prompts her aloud asking if she found anything. Sarya comments that there seems to be something still 'active' in paw.
The queen demands to know what Maddocks brought into her throne room, as Maddocks begins to protest and the stuffed leg Myra is holding explodes in her hands in a shower of fluff. As the leg burst open a number of smaller stuffed owlbears roll out and materialize from the fluff in the air. As one goes for the King and Queen a barrier snaps into place preventing anything from getting through. The king crouches down playing with one of the owlbears through the barrier as the queen sighs. The Wardens are about to handily defeat the small volatile stuffed animals. Maddocks provides information that they have to be burned and Sarya pulls the flame off Adama's lit sword to incinerate the fluff remaining in the air. In the conflict the Seer begins casting something that Myra identifies as necromantic and abjurative and after ensuring the Manten'Litche forces were not going to attempt running the conflict subsides.
As the threat is extinguished the Queen calls out enraged, "How dare you attack me in my own throne room."
Maddocks pales and attempts to back-peddle, "I'm not that dumb give me some credit." He sighs looking at the rest of his group and specifically the Seer, "I am responsible for this. It was not my intention and I am apologetic for my initial confrontational tone given the current circumstances. I am accountable and I ask that the other members of my party are allowed to leave peacefully. I had assurances given to me that the leg was safe to travel, assurance that were clearly not truthful and those who gave them will be appropriately punished."
Myra speaks up asking how they transported the item without any issue previously asking the Seer directly how she carried it. Maddocks steps in front of the Seer who seems to shrink back into herself, "Pay her no mind." Myra also questions what spell she appears to be holding and Maddocks explains that it is purely a protective spell explaining that Seers, "are bound with specific ties to our beliefs. They are able to transcribe great knowledge but it comes at a great cost to her. What is happening now is purely a reflexive response to danger. The one who was investigating us before can attest to that," nodding at Sarya. Maddocks continues saying that they traveled with the leg for days both in an out of the city with no problem instead turning it back on Myra asking what she did to it.
Myra explains that she merely looked at the leg as thy all saw and asked Maddocks not to cast aspersions as she was not the one with the foreign force occupying a city. Maddocks says that they were transporting it using a bag of holding such as we might be familiar with and goes on, "We are here for the acquisition of the scales. We came as an act of goodwill. You could have delivered the item but we were asked to come here and fetch it ourselves."
The Queen steps forward suggesting that the way this was handled was peculiar but continues that Slekul and Vloyuth are facing similar problems, similar attacks, and that they should work together not against each other. "The item that you speak of is yours to claim. We promised you passage to the item unimpeded which we have granted but we have a problem with you holding our city hostage while you fight these creatures." Maddocks again reiterates that he should be held responsible and the Queen cuts him of that we will all be held responsible and will be held in a secure location until the event can be resolved. An internal investigation will be held.
Adama requests that the Wardens be held separately from the Slekul party which the queen agrees to and Maddocks does a mocking half bow, "Your wisdom knows no bounds behind those pretty eyes. Pleasure to make your acquaintance your highness."
As the groups are led off Sarya catches a glimpse of the seer under the robe and sees a younger face, pale with golden red hair, her eyes are obscured by a scarf. Adama also recollects that Seers are also known as 'instruments' in Slekul. They are selected members of the church who are indoctrinated through ceremony and bound to a power. They are often used to help certain other magically inclined members in magical ways.
As the Wardens are led out Raijun gets a nod from Angelo as they are taken to a sperate plush holding room.

Questions

As the group gets placed in a side room Adama chooses to take the time to start studying some of his new spells. After a few minutes there's a knock at the door and it's opened to reveal another guard who asks for Raijun and 'the captain'. Raijun and Hagren follow the guard out and as they are making their was back towards the throne room Rajiun catches sight of someone trimming the hedges who looks suspiciously like one of the dancers from the Temple of Eilistraee. As they make it back to the throne room the remains from the earlier scuffle have been removed and cleaned though the guard presence in the room has doubled.
As they approach their majesties Hagren notices that they are talking to each other out of the side of their mouths, Raijun notices it seems to be heated but it cuts off abruptly as they get within ear shot. Angelo opens, "We'd like to thank both of you for your heroic efforts in fighting the adorable," at the mention of adorable the queen elbows him in the ribs, "assailants. Clearly there are horrors lurking to the south. Have you seen anything like it before?"
Raijun is the first to answer explaining the exploits of the three other creatures we've fought with the scrolls. He mentions that while we haven't seen anything like that exactly it is in line with what he would expect from a scroll. Angelo looks impressed asking if we truly defeated all of those things and Raijun proudly says yes and mentions that Hagren has had the killing blow on a number of them. Angleo laughs and comments that perhaps we should start calling Hagren "Hagren the monster slayer" before saying that we could workshop the name.
The Queen cuts in, "We understand that you've been working with The Silver Talons of Justice how well do you know them?" Raijun comments that it's mostly been a partnership of convenience and that we seem more aligned with their goals explaining that James Jasper Whitehall III helped us out a few times. The Queen continues, "You've also worked with individuals out of The Carrefour are you beholden to Thompson Trade Corporation?" Raijun mentions we aren't working with Thompson directly anymore saying that we took the original job after his son was killed. He mentions that we aren't the biggest fan of his techniques prompting the queen to ask, "Are you familiar the kind of business he carries out." Raijun says that we've worked with some of his people and asks if being hit on the head by the logs of Miss Carter count as knowing, eliciting a laugh from the king.
The Queen shoots Angelo a look before continuing, "It's interesting that it is unclear what arrives first in these areas the scrolls or your group. From your words your group is quite magnanimous but it still begs the question why would you help us?" Raijun asks the queen if she has been to Nightgate recently and she looks aside before mention that she hasn't been sine the Harvest Festival. Rajiun explains that there is an orphanage for refugees there and that he sees a kinship in how he grew up. He wants those people to thrive and he explains that he sees the same kind of caring in their majesties even admitting to wishing to gain citizenship in Lion's Crest.
Unfortunately his words seem to do little to move the Queen with her remarking, "All I have heard is you are a foreign entity influencing refugees from unknown backgrounds. Said refugees even have ties to the bombing at the community center in Whitemane with the attackers having been said to be hiding out there. Attackers who have since escaped our custody, though they did not take the dead bodies (referencing The Voiceless). Do you know anything about their escape?" Raijun comments that he didn't know about their escape but says that he's not surprised as they are specialists. He used to work for a guild like theirs and the ones that were imprisoned weren't even highly ranked. A vein bulged in the queens neck, "You are a part of their organization?"
"Well I left," Raijun says meekly.
"You know who they are," she continued.
"I can tell you everything I know," offered Raijun.
The Queen turns her gaze to Hagren, "Captain Hagren, is what he is saying true?" Hagren backs up Raijun's story saying that "from what I can tell" he no longer is associated with that group. The Queen nods, "You do realize your words carry a lot of weight," she directs at Hagren. "Aside from being a 'monster slayer'," she casts a glance at Angelo, "you are the captain of a powerful relic of a long dead civilization who thought of magic as a tool. How did you know how to control your ship?"
Hagren explains that the ship showed him a record of how to operate it and he used that as the base of his knowledge.
The Queen steeples her fingers, "I see. And what of the weapon your ship has that can," she glances again at Angelo questioningly, "'shatter the sky'. What do you intend to do with that?"
Hagren evades the question instead talking about how the ship has turned into the current headquarters and how he hope to allow it to be that for a while before passing the boat down to someone responsible in the future.
The Queen notes the evasion, "And your traveling companions? I noticed you have quite the assortment of different countries and with your ties to Waterdeep... I'm sure plenty of people would be willing to pay or the ship. Enough so that none of you would ever have to work again, or the generations to come after for that matter. Why shouldn't I stop you from ever leaving port again?"
Hagren explains matter-of-factly that we would run in that case. Raijun laughs and cuts in saying that the boat would be a problem in any one nations hands at least in ours it's neutral. Hagren says if it is so much of a threat we could always burn it to the ground, earning shock from Raijun and a wince from the king at burning such a fine vessel. Raijun pivots again saying that it is really better to work with us.
"And what 'master spy' would such a relationship look like?" The Queen inquires. Raijun reiterates what he's been saying that we could help but doesn't give any strict terms. The Queen sighs, perhaps recognizing that the Wardens are friendly or perhaps acknowledging that picking a fight with us could end worse, and pulls out a satchel to hand to Raijun. "Please when you return thank her for me," She says as way of dismissal.
On the way back to the group Raijun attempt to convince Hagren to tell the group they'd been knighted but Hagren doesn't agree. They both return to the group's room and explain everything that happened. Myra comments that this seems like two more reasons to go north next as 1) it seems like the Wardens presence may be less than welcome in Vloyuth and 2) The Voiceless would have been headed to Kolis-Tane per James' last mention of the scroll and she'd like to have them away from her family. The rest of the group agrees and decides to head out but Adama asks the guard if he can stay for a while longer as he's working on a a spell. The guard says he's welcome to stay as long as he doesn't mind not moving and being under guard causing Adama to shrug and say that's fine. With that the rest of the group heads off telling Adama to meet them back at the community center when he as finished.

Release

Liberty Holdnecessarybarrier tattoofrom Etch R Sketchexcruciating
After successfully acquiring his tattoo, Hagren goes off in search of party supplies buying 500gp worth of drinks and snacks for the party he wants to throw to kick off vacation. He has the provisions delivered to the boat and hand the delivery man a note for Reach/Trenchcoat explaining not to shoot him. He instructs the man to ensure he shows the note when he approaches the boat earning some strange looks from the man.
Myra stops by a post office on the way back finding two letters with her family's seal. She breaks the one that looks more hastily written assuming, correctly that it's from Kymil Stagwood.
Dearest Sister,
I hope this letter.... could you believe if I started a letter that way. The people of Nightwell Hold are gathering and rebuilding well. The danger we saved them from seems to have passed, with the forest receding, though some aspects remain from what that monster did to us. We are now working on completing the transformation of Nightwell into a city. Some people are still afraid to return to Powder Keg Keep, claiming that its haunted. Some even say they see the shape of a horseman riding around shouting obscenities someone even claimed that they commented on their outfit. I also received another letter from mother. It said I was to return home immediately or be cut off... It seems that they forgot that they cut me off years ago as that was part of my decision to join the order of Lathander. If you are ever in town it would be nice to see you again. Wishing you the best blah blah and all that formal stuff,
Kymil
PS. Tell Gwen I say hello
The smile that had crept along Myra's face as she read Ky's letter die with the last line as she broke open the seal on the second letter.
Dear Lady Stagwood,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and well traveled. We have sent a number of missives from the Lord and Lady Stagwood who wish to communicate their desire for you to return home immediately in these trying times. If a reply is not received within an acceptable time frame more drastic actions will be taken. They express their wishes to be in contact with you soon.
Fondly yours,
Lord and Lady Stagwood
Penned by Samuel Videl
Myra sighs and sends a missive back paying for express deliver (15gp) explaining that she is returning home but that the travel will take a minute. She then returns to Sarya and Raijun and the group heads back to Whitemane to the community center.
Upon reaching the community center the group finds Lady Adalphia "Mama" about and Zachariah Topp at the bar with notes scattered around him. Raijun returns the bag of plates that the queen had given him and Mama asks if they liked the food. Everyone agrees that they did and both the king and queen gave their compliments. Raijun mentions that the Queen seemed upset at the King and mama mentions that, "he shouldn't have run away again." Raijun inquires if this is a regular thing and Mama waves him away saying that they will be fine and that that's what good food is for, bringing about peace.
Mama says that the Wardens are welcome as long as we don't blow anything up again and starts to head back to the kitchen before Myra catches her inquiring if James Jasper Whitehall III and Kanna already took off and Mama confirms they did with James taking a boat and Kanna wanting to 'stretch her wings' before meeting him a couple days out. She asks if they failed to say goodbye and Myra tries to backpedal saying that they had said in in passing that morning to James but she was hoping to say it in person to Kanna before they left. Mama comments that 'that girl' has no manners and will get a piece of her mind the next time she sees her, Myra attempts to assure her it was fine and she really didn't need to but Mama heads off muttering about it back into the kitchen.

Old Wounds

About half an hour after the group left Adama's altering wore off returning him to his normal state causing the guards to double take. Adama explains that it's just a disguise and that it wore off the, guard asks what it is he's working on and Adama explains that it's a spell. After an hour of studying Adama gets up and asks the guard to escort him out. The guard leads him out of the room and toward the front gate where Adama spots a number of carriages waiting. He attempts to turn back but the guard indicates that this is the only path out of the castle so Adama instead disguises himself again and proceeds outside.
Outside, next to one of the carraiges, he catches sight of the three hooded figures he saw earlier accompanying the delegation from Slekul. As he makes to walk past a familiar voice calls out of the carriage, "That's a pretty nifty cane you got there. It's rare to see such a wizened old fellow keeping up with a party of younger adventurers. Are you their mentor? Their patron?"
"No, I just like stabbing stuff," Adama answers.
"Well, the rain is starting, can I offer you a ride? I wouldn't want someone as old and frail as you to get caught out in this weather."
Adama thinks for a moment, warring with himself, before nodding his head and stepping into the carriage with Maddocks and the Seer. As he enters the seer pulls up her cloak tighter around her. Maddocks continues, "That was quite an incident earlier I hope your companions were not injured."
"We're use to fighting stuff by now," Adama replies, "we stopped the Beholden issue, the issue in Nightwell, there was even a snake god, plus various other fights"
"That's quite the resume of adventuring." Maddocks rubs his bad eye as though it were in pain, "Forgive me the pressure affects this old wound."
"That's an interesting eyepatch," Adama notes the design, a triangular shape with the five pointed aspects of a crown around it. "Does it do something cool?"
"This thing," Maddocks touches the patch, "No but, do you mind?" Indicating he'd like to remove the patch.
"I've seen worse."
As Maddocks lifts the patch Adama catches sight of what lies under it, in the socket where an eye should be sits a glass like ball with plasma shooting about inside painfully. You can see through the sphere further into the skull and around the edges of the socket are metal and gems. As Maddocks talks the plasma swirls occasionally striking against the side of the sphere. "I have trouble sometimes with the weather. And with objects of a more magic nature."
"Oh well I have a whole shit load of magical artifacts," Adama supplies.
"Yes I noticed. You, unintentionally, gave me some discomfort. Your whole group was almost blinding. The only other time I've seen something that bright was back in Timeston at Duskstone Manor. I saw that glow from the garden. That was different though, with your group, you are all quite different. Your group seems to have quite the collection of objects if it would cause all that. Even the way it sees you is different. You know it reminds me of a story from my country. Have you ever perused the history books of my country and heard of the victor of the unending battle?"
"N-Not really who is he?"
"He was a great commander. Unyielding in their presence on the battle field. They say his sword was not sated by the souls of those he conquered. He had a call to purpose. It is my belief that life and death are a balance that should be achieved. In order to fulfill our full potential we must be both life and death. Only those who demonstrate both are blessed by the Immortal King, our true leader. Only he can bring those up who have journeyed with him through this dirt that we call our existence binging us closer to eventuality."
"What about those who don't agree? I have a f-friend who worships the Raven Queen."
A glob of spit lands next to Adama's boot at the mention of the Raven Queen. "'Balance'. 'Destiny'. Those are just perversions. If your friend ever stepped a foot into my country he'd be dead so quickly that not even that raven bitch would be able to save him. Our king is the thirteenth regeneration, the embodiment of life undying. Our final purpose to be executed in this world. Some day our hero will return when he is summoned and his task is complete."
"What's his name?" Asks Adama nearly shaking.
"The unyielding, the eternal instrument of the immortal crown, the piercer of life, Commander Abio. He whose mission never ends."
Adama has a hard time not looking disgusted, "I-I heard a different version. With a different ending."
"Oh what was it?"
"I d-don't remember but -" Adama feels his illusion begin to drop and begins making the requisite signs to recast it causing the Seer to recoil and her robe to glow.
"I would not advise upon that. If you need to you can be dropped here."
"Perhaps I should... The version I heard, the unyielding he was murdered by his own army. By his own king he served."
The carriage stops suddenly at a motion from Maddocks, "I think you're right. Before you continue these insults it best for you to traverse the rest in the rain."
As Adama exits, his illusion drops, pulling his cloak up close so as not to allow those in the carriage to see his features he calls out in his normal younger voice, “Ya know, sometimes the stories we tell are just that stories, reflections on the truth but only mirages of it. That story you told, it is an illusion to reality, a lie”
"And that is why I have faith," Maddocks sneers as Adama misty steps away into an alley.
As Adama considers his options he resolves to attempt to tail the carriage from a safe distance. As he watches the two cloaked figures get on and the carriage starts again. It's only a few minutes that pass before Adama hears a 'splash' behind him wheeling as a shortsword flies past where he was a moment ago. Behind him looms one of the robed figures from the carriage, underneath the cloak it's leathery skin tight suit just barely visible. As Adama goes to attack it slips away, climbing the building with unnatural speed and agility. Adama firebolts it but it seems unperturbed it's flesh seeming to knit together a moment later as it takes something from its chest and drops it from the rooftop into the muddy street below before scurrying away.
As Adama bends down to retrieve it he finds a signet of crown, a creeping feeling washing over him as he reads the familiar text ringing the signet, "Yield to no one. Not even death."

Report Date

26 Jan 2022

Primary Location

Liberty Hold

Secondary Location

Lion's Crest

Related Characters

• Angelo
• Maddocks
• Queen Angelena