EooD Session 24: Back in the Bookstore

General Summary

Month 1, Week 1, Year 901
Hey boss lady!
As I write this letter from my room in Clankers on the low side of Rel-Kadrar, the tiefling nation seems to have avoided a coup, but not its preceding assassination. You’ve probably already heard, but I would be remiss to not include it in my report.
First, I was glad that you took my advice and did not send delegates to the New Year’s Eve Gala. No dignitaries from the event died but the evening could easily have been more tragic. It was easier to do my job without split loyalties.
Here are all the fun highlights of the night’s adventures: Our bounty job (to capture or kill Hedera) intersected with the devilish conspiracy in that Hedera was the main point of contact for Naberius--the devil who initiated the whole madness. She is dead by my hand, and she did not die easily. She married the lord of Regulated Steel under the assumed human identity of Ivy; we arranged Sammal's death too--defenestration from an eight story window. Other dead colluders include: Damon Kovel (former Rakkan Hero who sold his soul to a devil) along with most of the endeviled members of Regulated Steel (I’d be a fool to think we got them all) in addition to the drow rebels who attacked at the Gala. Dead non conspirators include: dictator Jalil Hafiz, commander Rudovik, and a great many honest members of Regulated Steel.
Although I had very high hopes following Hedera/Ivy’s demise, I cannot promise Rakka is free of its devilish influence. Evidence: the same words Naberius used in an attempt to lure us into a contract came spewing from director Astara as she was formally disbanding Rakka’s Heroes. Does this mean more people are in the conspiracy, or is Rakka doomed by the immorality of its industrial ambitions, or is the current leadership just a bunch of *@#$!? I cannot say with confidence nor will I be able to discern the truth as I have been fired and am currently on bad terms with the former director--more on that later--who is now the Rakkan ambassador to Sardivelia.
If you were hoping, like I, that this widespread conspiracy and the obvious harm it has wrought would open Rakka’s eyes to its many human rights abuses, think again. They plan to double down on oppression and intend to ramp up its civil war with the drow. I do still believe that this will spill into our borders despite the mountain range between us as they can easily dig under the mountain, and they seem unlikely to get what they need in Rakka.
Back to my beef with the director. I had what I had hoped would be a meaningful conversation with her following our disbandment where I tried to point out that her opinions were frighteningly similar to those of the devil Naberius and his former minion, Sammal. The conversation turned heated and downright nasty when I followed up with the uncomfortable truth that the drow have a legitimate claim to autonomy and a treaty would be less bloody and better for their country as a whole. I may have been disrespectful at this point. I’m sorry, but I am who I am.
At the time of Rakka's Heroes disbandment, there were 4 active members and an associate. By my reckoning, that makes 10 members killed in the line of duty (though in truth some of the circumstances seem to be the cause of folly on the part of the adventurer) and 7 members/former members currently at large, since the inception of this troupe a mere six months ago.

• Cig seems to be the most solid member of the party. Paranoid to distraction, he follows through on commitments, sees the big picture, cares about the far reaching consequences and political ramifications of his actions. I am fairly certain he’s being highly sought after by other parties, but he would be a boon to our nation and a right worthy investment.
• Cedar, the other long standing member of Rakka’s Heroes, continues to lack focus. She is responsible for the mining disaster that happened earlier on New Year’s Eve day. To be forthright, I did send her to the mines to sow unrest. I was trying to distract Regulated Steel to lessen their potential for a successful coup. I did not expect her to kill hundreds and collapse the mine. Many innocent lives were lost, and she seems unfazed. This makes me question whether she and not Zilocke was responsible for the genocide at Measure for Measure in Qilthani. I would not recommend her services in any of our future endeavors.
• Father Eli--the current but destined to be short lived High Marshal--is a genuine patriot of Rakka. He was the most receptive to my arguments regarding human rights and drow autonomy. Too bad he is an empty shirt who will not be able to influence Rakka’s future. His hopeful, inspiring words have held together the rank and file of Rakka through these past few days of tragedy. I have nothing negative to say about him, except that if he really knew who I was and what I was really doing in Rakka, he’d kill me on sight without remorse. Or he’d try; I’m kind of fast and confident I could outrun him.
• Christopher is more afraid of being brought before the eye of Sardivelia than I had first suspected. I guess his gambling debts are a really big deal. I will double down on my advice to blackmail him into service for the Union. He is a talented marksman who stays cool in the heat of battle. His talents have more value than the gold Sardivelia will pay for his bounty.
• Xalix  disappeared. He unsurprisingly went on a drug-fueled vacation as soon as we hit the big city. For a while he was high and comatose in his room. One night he left and never came back--and NOBODY said anything about it. To my knowledge, the director never bothered to follow up on his whereabouts. I also would not recommend him for future services to our nation.
• Kirby remains retired, Lilith is likely wandering the mountains (and should be avoided if possible), and Giga Tron  more likely than not will turn up a decade or so from now as a successful dictator to some faction.

In closing, my primary mission was to discern what aspects of Rakka’s Heroes are worth appropriating for the potential forthcoming hero band of our Union. The short, frank answer is simply--not this. Not second draft thugs and criminals needing a second chance. Not emotionally burned out societal dregs that have never joined an organization before. Not a group of people with no loyalty to our country and no connection to each other. We can and should do better. On a seemingly less important note, choose an inspiring name for the group at its inception. It is difficult to rebrand a thing after it has already begun, and names have weight. The correct name can prophesy our Union band forward into the heroes this world needs; the wrong name can catapult them perpetually towards their own demise. And let’s be clear. Even if we have successfully ended the devilish influence on Rakka, it and the world are still quite broken and more villains will fill the void left behind.
On a happier note, my cover is not blown, and I seem to be regarded highly by many here in Rakka. It would easily be possible for you to sign me up with another principality trading on the good reputation I have earned here. I even intend to get my letter of recommendation from Director Astara as she promised before I made her mad with ambition-spoiling truths she’d prefer to ignore. It will give me an excuse to linger here in Rakka awaiting your reply with an added bonus of being able to annoy her one last time. I have included the Rakka’s Heroes ring that prevents its members (when worn) from harming each other, knowingly doing harm to Rakka, and preventing full death. It may or may not have value to you, but I certainly never intend to wear it again. I am however keeping my Rakkan studded leather armor. I know it was made with the labor of the oppressed using processes that destroy the land and that it lacks even an attempt at visual artistry, but it is exceptionally effective already having saved my life several times over in the mere two days I have had it donned.
As always, please pass along to my family that they are in my thoughts, and I love them. And if death should find me ere I return home, I trust that the sacrifices made here are a drop in the ripple that rolls towards a future where there is dignity for all peoples.
-Seraphina

Rewards Granted

• Cig, Seraphina Cedarroost, and Christopher Isherwood each received 2,000GP for assisting with the theft of airship blueprints for the Silver Beak 
• Every party member received 10,000GP (1,000PP) for defeating Hedera 

Character(s) interacted with

• Gadreel - A Shroud agent working in Rel-Kadrar who was turned into a type of fiend known as a merregon by Hedera 
• Hedera - An aasimar woman who conspired with an archdevil known as Naberius to try to throw Rakka into a vicious civil war 
• Naberius - an archdevil working in the service of a fiend known as Glasya. The party wasn't interested in any of his deals
• Naamah Asker - Director Astara's girlfriend and secretary
• Astara Hadad - former Director of Rakka's Heroes and newly-promoted ambassador to Sardivelia for Rakka

Report Date

10 Nov 2020

Primary Location

Rel-Kadrar

Secondary Location

The Staves

Featured Players

• Cedar Amateur de Fruits 
• Cig 
• Eli Anderson 
• Seraphina Cedarroost 
• with special guest Christopher Isherwood