Chapter 10: Of Royalty and Rats
General Summary
Having rested at The Full Mast the night before, the group made their way about town tying up several loose ends. To start, they visited Gal Powers at Mage You Look to identify some of the items they found in the sewers. Jacquora found that she was in possession of an Eagle-eye elixir, which granted her bonuses to perception checks when imbibed. Lenihlra found that she had stumbled across a wonderous figurine of a jade guard dog. Once attuned and named, she would have a small statue that could come alive. This is able to be done once a week for six hours. (Meta-info: This function the same as a Wonderous figurine - Onyx dog in the Core Rulebook. I just like little jade dog carvings better). They tipped Gal to thank him for his help.
They also ran into Arik Prince on their way out, who accompanied them up to Lorisen. He told them of a woman named Kiji who lived in Cliffside who also had an entrance into Xhosidva. He said there was one other entrance but he was not at liberty to say where it was.
After this, they made their way up to the surface and to the Ascension Spire. After grabbing their uniforms that they had stowed in a bush the night before they found their way back to Grak in the Department of Public Sanitation. Before doing so, however, Lenihlra snuck her way onto an elevator among the retinue of High Chancellor Estor Pator. She soon found herself at the top of the Ascension Spire, looking over the entire city. Eventually, she was able to fib her way back down to the floor she was supposed to be on. There they collected on their reward. After splitting 20% with Grak, they were left with 320 gold each. They put 60gp into a party pot and split the remaining 300gp among each other.
After exiting the Ascension Spire they were contacted by Falaern, who informed them that she was coming back to visit but in a different, more official capacity.
Jacquora suggested visiting Viz's place in Heather Ridge to rid him of his rat problem. Viz was a person they had met previously at the Umbral Inn where Jacquora had accidentally broken his hand. They hired a taxi there. While on their way, Lenihlra had attunded herself to her jade dog, naming him Gimli. When they arrived at Viz's home they found that he was not at home. They were able to break into his basement where they ended the swarm of rats that had infected his home. Both Inhe and Jacquora were bit by rats, with Jacquora contracting a low-grade fever from the bites. Lenihlra healed her of her bite wounds, however.
The party finally returned to Xhosidva where they found their way into the large church of Ilyth. They examined the location and noted the altars with different figures in each one. They also noted that there was a raised platform at the end of the aisle where four priests were concentrating over a glowing pool of water. In this pool was Zinnia, the elven woman they had saved. After an hour or so of waiting, the ceremony was finished and the head priest shambled over to speak with them. He explained who the saints were (for more information, read the article on Ilyth, linked above).
The group contacted Falaern again, who informed them she was just around the corner. They looked to see Falaern striding towards them but looking very different. She was in her tiefling form in a sumptous dress of dark midnight blue velvet, embellished with pearls that seemed to drip off of her. Her horns and hair were ornamented with fine silver and gold chains and jewels. Resting on her forehead was a robin's egg sized sapphire in a circlet. She was also surrounded by three powerful looking guards in shining silver armor, finely wrought. Upon reaching the group one of the guards stepped forward and announced her to you: Princess Falaern Emeline Rozumin of he most prestigious House of Araminta, first of her name, blessed by the waters, priestess of Ilyth and acolyte of Thydona, consecrated by the saint, and heir to the Shimmering Throne.
Falaern told the guards to wait outside the church while she talked with the party inside. She explained to them that she wasn't supposed to go to Moldoryn and was in a bit of trouble for doing so, hence the retinue of her mother's guards. She informed them she wouldn't be in town long, just enough to collect Zinnia and bring her back to Ilythyra for questioning.
Before anything more could happen, however, three large creatures burst through one of the stained glass windows. They reeked of rotten and decaying flesh and resembled animals that had been stitched together. The took one look at the group, and began moving towards Zinnia, who was still laying unconscious in the healing pool.
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