Session 15 - The House of Chains

General Summary

We decide to split up for a bit, Ionessa and Kestor stake out the House of Justice waiting for the Jailor while Neo and Xanthos go looking for Parmenion’s private dock so we have an option for our escape. Stake out team goes to a Satyr apothecary. Ionessa wants something that lets you sleep without dreams; the apothecary warns that some consider dreams to be messages from the Gods and to ignore them is dangerous, but she wants it anyway. She also wants something to help one focus when there are no distractions. She wants to stop her nightmares of the vampire attack and for Kestor to have an easier time focusing when he tries to go on his vision journey. They discuss her nightmares, Kestor offers to talk through her trauma with her if the potion doesn’t make them go away. They also discuss his play and how he might understand it without reading it - This actually gives me an idea, maybe someone who was “infected” before HAS written about it…
Neo and Xanthos ask around about Parmenion’s docks, they find it but are quite conspicuous doing so - if something happens everyone’s going to remember they were asking. Neo casts Clairvoyance to take a closer look inside to find the Zephyr; he sees Parmenion’s brilliant silver yacht complete with silk pillow balcony AND the Zephyr on a smaller boat. It’s been stripped down for the purpose of a search though it is still seaworthy. A half dozen guards and a dozen dockworkers and shiphands. Neo draws a map!
Ionessa finds a trio pigeon and asks them if they have seen any bees. They want food of course! While she’s getting it, Kestor sees a very young Elven boy who wants to scare the pigeons so he distracts him and many other children with magical mustache antics. The others come back. Ionessa learns the location of the bees and retrieves the bee stingers! They get back to the watch after a lil bit of banter. Ionessa and Xanthos kinda biff it and get distracted talking; Xanthos is worried about her, also HE’S having nightmares too! He is concerned he’s turning into a monster, but Ionessa says that even when Nikaia was in that state she had control, she just chose to value blood over all else. In the end Ionessa agrees to stay in his room but it’s not anyone hitting on anyone?
On Kestor and Neo’s watch they spot eyes in the sewer grate, Gylippus. “Filth is only filth if we perceive it to be so.” He relays some news, Parmenion is trying to make a move to capitalize on the instability caused at Korymour, two demarchos have failed to answer his call. The Lion of Rheo (a soldier named Brygos, he is a Leonin who fought in the Great Wildfire and is the current Polemarch of Rheo, the archon representing the military) has come to speak to Parmenion but has not been granted audience. This is kind of a huge deal. We keep chatting the night away but there’s still no sign of the jailor. We might be able to access the House of Chains via the sewers.
Kestor is briefly asked about his family, they died when he was young in the Great Wildfire and he was really raised by Eustathius the philosopher. Ionessa asks when they can meet him, but Kestor says he was betrayed by this man and holds a lot of hatred for him despite all the love. The party professes their love for one another and has a group hug!
Into the sewers! Gylippus leads us to the drain that leads to the House of Chains. We sneak up and through the prison but almost immediately draw the attention of Thej Ailor, who turns out to be a chain devil!!! It’s a pretty brutal battle but we defeat the jailor, find Mikola Leos, and escape back to the Evlogimenos!
Mikola Leos’ Story: He was there at the end of the Great Wildfire, Vasilis Isadora and Aristus cut down hundreds of enemies. Brygos, Iros, Zenodoria the Witch, all came together to bring an end to the threat. Leos the Unworthy stood witness, it was evening when they came. The horizon blazed by the light of Acheric the Fire Eater riding a chariot of flame led by nightmare steeds. Armies clashed but there was no touching the Fire Eater. He trampled and danced and howled like a great beast, spewing torrents of fire from his gullet, burning friend and foe alike. When the spear of the Douser (Nicanda) soared to him, guided by the hands of the Theoninta, showing that his faith had no place in Koss. He was pinned to the earth, he had cleared a stage for his final breath. Then she was there, the Witch Zenodoria appeared by the body, drew a curved dagger and drove it into his chest, ripping out warm but terrifying light, an ember great and terrible, divine and blasphemous. The source of Acheric’s might, wildfire crystalized, not meant to be beheld. Ionessa found it once more and Leos knew that it could bring about another great wildfire. He refuses to witness such death again.
We explain to him why we want the ember. He believes no good can come of the ember. We discuss whether we could effectively hide it or what we could do with it if we use it. Neo thinks we should give it back to Fytanke and openly admits to being a Fytanke worshiper, which really sets off Leos who clearly has some major trauma associated with the Great Wildfire. He says he would kill Neo if he wasn’t friends with Ionessa and storms out, Ionessa goes to speak with him. Leos sees her as a daughter, he just wants what’s best for her. He has a hard time seeing any good in the Fytanke artifact, he doesn’t trust Neo, but he trusts Ionessa. He offers to take the artifact after it is used and sail far away such that it is never used again.
We discuss options, in the end we settle on using the artifact and then hiding it again until we can figure out how to give it back to Fytanke. Ionessa takes up Xanthos on his offer and stays with him, Kovu is ordered to snuggle with Kestor. Sweet dreams, everyone!

Character(s) interacted with

Mikola Leos the Unworthy

Report Date

06 Sep 2022