Chapter 2-1: Excommunication

General Summary

Following their encounter with the aboleth, Aetilius had been taken to the Temple of Silvanus to recover. While they waited on him healing, the party elected to amuse themselves in Neverwinter. While Ramas went out drinking, Clootie, Miaug and Ryoko toured to local shops to stock up. The group visited Raven Cathloy in Blazing Glory, and picked up chainmail barding for Badger. Miaug tried to visit Arwyl Calaudra at Flights of Fancy, but the shop was closed. The group remembered that she had been one of the victims of the aboleth, and was most likely recovering in the Temple alongside Aetilius. Clootie popped in to visit Perry Topletter at the Hidden Door, who was delighted to see them, thanking them profusely for saving his wife. After chatting for a while, the group was about to leave when Perry asked to take a look at Kulog. He'd come across a couple of old looking dwarven texts while he was clearing out the back room, and he remembered Clootie had asked him about translation. Eager to help her, he'd worked backward to try and decipher a dwarven dialect alphabet and he wanted to check Kulog to see if the runes matched. Looking over the hammer and comparing the etching to his notes, he confirmed a match and was able to translate for Clootie. The markings on the hammer read: Kulog, Babalik, Malaki and Killiat. Clootie muttered "Malaki" and suddenly the hammer grew into a massive two-handed war hammer in Perry's hands. Surprised by the sudden weight, he dropped the hammer and it knocked a towering pile of books flying. Clootie apologised, quickly repeating the phrase and Kulog shrank back to normal size. "Better play with that outside" Perry suggested, scurrying around picking up the books. The group wandered around idly, eventually popping into an odd looking shop - Over the Horizon. Inside they were greeted by a blue skinned tielfing and the aroma of exotic spices. Clootie spoke to the shopkeeper, Nisha, and bought a couple of cuts of exotic meats - crocodile meat from Quan and Thunderhawk meat from Rakheen. Miaug also bought a little pouch of catnip for later. The party decided to visit Aetilius in the Temple. They made their way up to the Temple district, and into the Temple of Silvanus. The temple was much quieter than last time they'd visited, the worst of the Gutter Cough epidemic having now passed. They spoke to Sister Katelyn, who informed them that due to his status as a hero, Aetilius had been given a private room upstairs. As the group made their way to the stairs at the back of the main hall, Miaug spotted a couple of familiar figures. Olexia Walnir sat beside a bed, holding the hand of a tall elven woman - Arwyl. The two were deep ino conversation, smiling at one another. Arwyl's skin was red and waxy, evidently still recovering from the aboleth's toxins. As Miaug approached them, Olexia looked up and grinned at her. She whispered something to Arwyl, who whipped her head around to grin at the tabaxi. "Oh Miaug, I hoped we'd see you!" she whispered excitedly, pulling herself up to a sitting position. Miaug patted her hand and they spoke briefly about her experience, "It was horrible, I was trapped in my own body watching as it devoured the people around me. I was terrified it was going to be my turn next. I owe you my life. I asked Olexia to pick something up from my shop - it's nothing compared to the debt I owe you, but it's something which you might find useful" She motioned to Olexia, who reached into her backpack and pulled out a small wooden box. Inside the box was inlaid with luxurious red velvet, and resting in the middle was a beautifully wrought silver arrow with a smoky glass crystal arrowhead. Sitting beside the arrow was a ornate silver ring, inset with a gemstone of purple quartz. "This is a Blink Arrow. It's a priceless piece of elven craftsmanship. I pray it aids you in your travels" As Miaug left the couple, they smiled at one another and Arwyl rested her head on Olexia's lap.
The party made their way upstairs and found Aetilius lying in bed in a side room off the main corridor. His skin had a similar waxy appearance to Arwyl, although his recovery seemed much further advanced. He smiled at the group as they arrived. Clootie offered him the crocodile meat as a gift, which he accepted - slightly confused, putting the bloody hunk on meat on his side table. He explained that the Sister's expected him to be fully recovered the next day. The party agreed that they would head out as soon as he was better and return to Wave Echo Cave. Aetilius reminded them that Brughor and his band of orcs were waiting on news about the Eye of Vroth. Clootie pulled the orb out of somewhere in the folds of her cloak. The group agreed to message the orcs and agree to meet with them before they returned to the cave.
On their way back to the Yawning Noble, the party detoured into the Garden District to experiment with Kulog. Clootie tried out the remaining phrase "Killiat". Suddenly lightning arced along the shaft of the hammer, causing it to glow pale blue. Clootie brought it down on a nearby rock, and a burst of lightning split the stone. Chuckling to herself, Clootie hung Kulog back on her belt.
The party then made their way back to the Yawning Noble, where they found Ramas unconscious slumped in a chair next to the bar, surrounded by empty glasses. Ryoko headed outside, whispering into the air and calling down a seagull to her hand. She whispered a message to the bird, sending it off to find Tulmak the orc. Clootie asked her where she'd been and Ryoko explained that she'd sent a message informing the orcs they had the orb and to meet them. Clootie asked her where they were to meet, and Ryoko swore to herself before stomping back outside to send a follow up message suggesting meeting at Conyberry. Ryoko brushed back in, sitting down at the bar beside Ramas's unconscious form and decided to join him in a drunken stupor, ordering a round of drinks (for herself). Meanwhile Clootie strapped on her one-man-band suit and started her evening set. Miaug indulged in a bit of catnip, rolling around on the floor in front of the fire, swiping at people as they passed. After a while, an inebriated Ryoko and Miaug staggered outside to send a message to Sister Garaele in Phandalin on behalf of Miaug. Ryoko managed to call down a sickly looking pigeon, and Miaug relayed a barely legible, entirely inappropriate message to the unsuspecting elf. With an unsteady leap and flap of it's wings, the pigeon took off into the night sky.
The next morning, as the rest of the party slept off their hangovers, Aetilius found himself staring at the ceiling of his room, contemplating the emptiness inside him where his faith had once warmed him. He had been unable to communicate with Selune, and he had been unable to summon the divine spark since he had awoken a few days ago. Hearing a quiet cough from the doorway, he looked up to see a vaguely familiar figure standing there, a tall, thin elven man, wearing a patient's robe, similar to his own. It took him a moment, but the pieces fell into place and he recognised the figure: Amyr Kreel, the Inquisitor of Selune who had originally tipped him off about the influence of the aboleth. Amyr approached Aetilius's bedside: "Do you remember me, friend?" he smiled sadly, suppressed He looked at Aetilius silently for a moment, something evidently troubling him, before he spoke again, "Our lady spoke to me last night. She told me that she ordered you not to interfere, and as a result of your meddling a great evil is once again loose in the world. Selune does not forgive easily - I am to tell you that you are hereby excommunicated from the order. I am genuinely sorry about this, my friend". He solemnly laid a hand on Aetilius's forehead, and the tiefling felt an icy chill briefly pass over him. "I am sorry" Amyr whispered again, as he quietly slipped out of the room. Looking in the mirror, Aetilius recognised the mark which had been burned into his forehead - the mark of Excommunication.
Around midday, the party collected the ex-Paladin from the Temple and made their way to the South Gate of the city. As they arrived, they were shocked to see a squad of elite guardsmen approach them, blocking their path. The lead guard removed his helmet, revealing Sildar Hallwinter, "Good morning my friends. Would you kindly come with us - the Duke is eager to meet you".
As they walked back towards the keep, Sildar explained that he used to be the head of the Duke's Elite Guard. He had served in the armies of Neverwinter most of his life, starting his career under the Duke's father, Lord Alain Blackwater. He had mentored the current Duke as a child, before retiring from the guard. Given the recent events in Neverwinter however, he had elected to come out of retirement for now.
The group was waved through the gateway to the inner walls, beyond which they see the towering marble walls of Neverwinter Keep. The keep was an imposing, monolithic structure, at least three storeys tall, with two large roof domes. The thunderous roar of rushing water surrounded them, and a huge waterfall cascaded from the outlet of an enormous marble aqueduct, passing through the uppermost floor of the keep. The water emptied into a large lake, which passed out under the inner wall to form the Neverwinter canal. Ahead, a winding path led through the trees to the main entrance of the keep.
As they make their way inside, Sildar led them through a long stone antechamber. The other guards fell off, taking up positions on either side of the hallway in a well drilled routine. Sildar pushed open two large iron embossed doors to the throne room. The room was large, but not ostentatious. A gold trimmed red woollen carpet on top of chiselled stone led forward from the door. On either side of the room, high backed wooden chairs faced inwards. On a few of these sat a combination of nobles and military officers, based on their garb. The stone walls were inset with columns, reaching up to the vaulted ceiling. In the middle the ceiling rose up into a massive dome, painted with a series of frescos. In the far wall, tall windows opened out over the lake. The sunlight streaming in made the room feel oddly light an airy. In between the windows, on a slightly raised dias, stood a single large stone chair in which a tall, well-built man sat. His hair and beard were well trimmed and maintained, and he wore a simple leather tunic. The only indicator of his rank was an ornate amulet around his neck. He sat comfortably in the throne, looking outwardly relaxed as he watched the party's entry. Sildar looked at the party, smiling slightly, "May I present - Lord Gabriel Blackwater - Duke of Neverwinter"
As the group approached the throne, Gabriel stood up, flashing a quick smile and striding down the dias. As he moved, his military bearing immediately became evident. The duke shook each of their hands warmly, "I believe I owe you all a great many thanks - for dealing with the beast below the city; but also - as I understand it - for clearing the taint from the ruins of Thundertree; and - not least of all - for rescuing this old fool" he flashed Sildar a quick, slightly cheeky grin, before his face became solemn, "In all earnestness - it's not overstating it to say I owe you both my realm and my life - as do a great many of my citizens." "You have proven yourselves true protectors of Neverwinter, it would be my great honour to bestow upon you the titles of Lords (and Ladies) of the Summer's Coast."
The party knelt before the throne, and he grabbed a massive glaive which rested against the right hand side of the throne. He quickly and solemnly knighted each party member. As they stood he handed them each a beautifully carved signet ring, inset with a polished onyx and inscribed with a wolf's head - the seal of Neverwinter. "Those signet rings identify you as knights of the realm - citizens of the Summer's Coast are expected to offer you aid and benefits as they are able." "Actually - there is one further matter I might ask your advice on. As you know - under the influence of the aboleth, members of the Champions of Lathander committed some atrocities. Not only did they hunt down and execute members of the Thieves Guild; but it transpires that the bandit raids to the North which killed many innocent farmers and caused the famine here in the city, which in turn claimed the lives of many innocents, were actually perpetrated by members of the order, under the control of the aboleth - apparently in an effort to draw the Guard away from the city. While I understand that these men were not acting on their own volition - it doesn't change the fact that a great many innocent people lost their lives and the citizens are clamouring for someone to be held responsible." "Sildar tells me you are honourable men and women - what do you believe I should do." The party suggested leniency towards the members, accompanied by a public explanation and apology. Gabriel seemed approving of this approach, shaking each of their hands warmly. "Once again - thank you for everything you've done for the realm. Keep up the good work" he said with a chuckle.
As Gabriel returned to the throne, Sildar led the group out of the Throne Room. He accompanied the party back to the South Gate, wishing them well on their travels. As a final gift from the Duke, he gave the party horses from the city stables. Ramas was given a light red mare named Miranda, with a white stripe down her face. Aetilius chose a large grey stallion, flecked with brown and white hand-sized spots named Moonshine. Ryoko was entranced by a feisty brown stallion with white patches and a white marking around his eye, named Pepper. Miaug was given a pure black mare, named Kez; and Clootie took a stocky light brown pony with a white stripe down his face named Punch. Stepping up onto their new mounts, the party headed south down the road.

Report Date

07 Jan 2020