Chapter 7 - Conversion

General Summary

The day after the trial, the party arose from their beds to eat breakfast and run errands before setting off to Demetria. As they ate, the halfling barmaid Mara gave Rashida a note from King Asthenios, summoning her to the Court of Myrna to see her. She put off this task until later. Until then, the party shopped around, with Theeden buying new gear with Rashida. Creetens, meanwhile, used his newly-learned spell invisibility to pull off a magic show as a way to get rich. He succeeded at this trick.
After their shopping, the party answered King Asthenios' summons. Rashida was quite afraid, knowing that Asthenios had killed other clerics of Vanu-Am in the past. At the Courthouse, Asthenios greeted Rashida as if she was a long-lost friend. The diseased king bowed to Rashida and her colleagues, telling her was worried for her safety after the trial. Rashida was confused, and asked Asthenios what he was talking about. "Don't you remember, Rashida?" he asked her. "You were my vizier for Tamay! With your help I had conquered Tamay and became it's new king. How long have you been in hermitage?"

Theodora: The memories suddenly returned to Rashida. Why did she ever leave? Alas, Rashida remembered very little of her life before partaking on a ship to Oenens. The only thing she had remembered prior was being told to run and joining the Temple of Vanu-Am. Now, seeing Asthenios, her memories flooded into her head: memories she had suppressed from her rebirth...

Jethro: The year being First Age 2001, Rashida had indeed helped King Asthenios take the city. Yet, as her and the other royal advisors were riding away from the dunes one day, bandits had attacked her. She was stabbed by one, while other advisors were murdered and plundered. Yet something came over the dunes riding camels. They looked to be dwarves, holding scimitars, telling Rashida "Run!" They charged over the dunes and slew the bandits. As they took Rashida, they healed her wounds and debated over her body. They contemplated killing her, but the dwarf priestess Sekera told them that her destiny "would be decided by the Lady of Fate herself."

Theodora: It was in that hidden memory that Rashida finally understood her lack of recollection: it was the day of her conversion. After that day, she would devote herself to Fate as a loyal disciple. She had been reborn from a life of evil. And now, she was the last prophet of Fate.

After Rashida had recollected her memories, Asthenios begged her to return to his court. He explained to the party his vision: to free all of Dragoncrest from the influence of the gods some day. He needed Rashida's help to achieve his vision in Tamay, where there were still many believers. Rashida, frankly, felt nervous about the evil she remembered about Asthenios now. So did Theden, who did not like being surrounded by elite guards. Creetens, however, agreed with Asthenios that the gods were overrated and that he definitely wanted them gone. After the meeting, Asthenios released them, but requested Rashida to think about his proposition.
The party, anxious from being in the presence of an apostate and diseased king, hurried toward the docks in Myrna to finally depart to Demetria. There they meet Deimos again. Deimos gifted Theden a special elven bow, called the Oathbow, as a symbol of being accepted into the Thieves Guild. The party then departed onto a ship led by a hearty and happy man named Captain Dorian.
Heading out to sea, the party took upon a voyage to Demetria in the small merchant ship. Captain Dorian, afraid of Maclir, had Creetens say a prayer for their safety. So Creetens faked a prayer to Maclir to give them a safe voyage. The day after, the party was then encountered by a hostile pirate. It was Captain Oranos! The party tried to flee with Captain Dorian, but the ship of Oranos, called The Aquarius, was too fast. Eventually The Aquarius rammed into the merchant ship and tried to kill the party, but the party was clever. Creetens cast a fog cloud to obscure the enemy vision, Theden spilled oil on the enemy ship to make crossing difficult, and Rashida began firing her spells. Then, as a final act, Creetens used the spell suggestion to disarm Captain Oranos.
With his crew dead, the party was going to execute Oranos, but that dropped the suggestion spell and he went to try and murder Captain Dorian. However, Creetens stopped him with a hideous laughter spell and Ascus killed Oranos with his longsword. With that, Captain Dorian and the party took over The Aquarius, heading further to Demetria to stop the menace that was plaguing the Sea of Dragoncrest...

Jethro: Exciting again, my sister. To think Rashida was a persecutor like Asthenios. Something seems familiar about such a story?

Theodora: Perhaps the real world seeps into The Creator's mind occasionally. Oh, much like the tales of apostles!

Jethro: Apostles? Real world? What are you talking about dear sister?

Theodora: I will tell you when you are older, Jethro.

Jethro: I am 64 years old.

Theodora: Hah! Yes, still merely a child for us storytelling folk. Soon you will spread your wings brother. It will take time.

Jethro: My head hurts.

In World Date

September 1st-3rd, 2003

Report Date

27 Sep 2020

Primary Location

Myrna

The Faceless Emperor by Guilherme Batista

The party met with King Asthenios of Potea and Tamay, an apostate persecutor who has grown to hate the gods.

Characters in this adventure:

• Rashida is a loyal human disciple of Vanu-Am, the hidden goddess of fate, who has saved her from death. Rashida devoted her life to hermitage, walking around the coast of Dragoncrest to secretly assist the misfortunate. She hails from Tamay.

• Theden is an elven acrobat and storyteller, hailing from Potea. He has a strong ethical code, looking out for the little guy and does the right thing more often than not.

• Creetens is a triton bard, one who prefers to enchant his problems away. He is a charlatan and a thief, but as well as a proper performer and musician. He was exiled away from the triton kingdom for his ravaging behavior.

Allies of the Party:

• Ascus the Brave. Once a drunkard, Ascus turned aside that life and found purpose as a hero. He swore his life to Morganine and fights for her honor and glory.