Exit Prep

Miscellaneous

The Sapphire Oath prepares for their expedition from Argil to Anrand Glad. In the process, they call in some favors and ensure a future in the city as best they can.

Upon exiting the Hall of Justice, the party made their way back to the Temple of the Mighty Light. Therein, they picked up their gear and explained the goings on to the lower priests of the temple. Ravel had a small meeting with Joubert to say her goodbyes if she didn't get a chance to in the future.
  Not wanting to miss the opportunity, the companions then went straight to the A.G.E.P. to turn in their festival badges for magic items. With eight badges to spend, the first five immediately went to getting a Bag of Holding which was given to Zith to help him with his own load as well as the party's. From there, the party picked up a Clockwork Amulet to be traded around as well as a Shield of Expression because Ravel needed one more way to wear her feelings on her sleeves.
    18th of the Turning
The companions passed the night at the Moss Inn before having a meeting with Jedingo Null in the morning over breakfast. The representative of the Saffron Palm was more than willing to meet with them but the guild didn't want the celebrities anywhere near the Golden Palace. Jedingo inquired on if the party needed to be set up in another city. As far as the Saffron Palm was concerned, the party had done their job well. The group inquired about Lacington as an option. Jedingo was iffy on the possibilities but when it was revealed they just needed a place to stay and a minor contact (as opposed to a new career), he was sure something could be worked out. The party didn't lock that in yet but options in that area would be appreciated.
  During the breakfast, the party requested quite a lot of information. As a group, they wanted the down low on what the city new of Virion Nerinan. Jedingo would head back to the guild house to see what could be picked up from sources. Privately, Beatle explained to Jedingo his family situation and requested information on that front as well. Jedingo agreed but explained he would have to go a different route and those contacts would take time to get back to him (they met up on a monthly cycle).
  After Jedingo left, the party discussed more what they wanted to do. They could take a new start at one of the large cities. They could head to Lacington for the Vizconde. Or they could track down the Galeborn. While some party members were ambivalent at best about mixing themselves into the terrorists any more, other party members were much more deeply invested.
  Ravel did not like how the party had treated the Vizconde overall. Additionally, she new that the Galeborn weren't just going away. As long as Argil pursued the Skyport, the Galeborn would continue to attack. Marduk's reaction to all of this was far more personal. He had worked so hard for a good name as a bugbear and then watched it turn bad before his eyes. He is already judged harshly as it is. The man desired to clear his name and retake the honor that was owed to the Sapphire Oath.
  With two goals before them, the party's first stop in the morning was at the Iarnan Estate where they collected a 2000 gp discretionary fund as well as a heavily sealed letter to be given to the engineer the companions felt must suited and agreeable to the job. The Vizconde assured the party there was no rush as the coming winter would be spent on meetings and political tasks. The engineer would not be needed until at least the spring. When Beatle attempted to ask Vizconde whether they should find the engineer or deal with the Galeborn first, his response that “I have no control over you, you do what you do” was both a callback to earlier shared sentiments as well as the Game Master refusing to direct the players on what actions they should take. Listen, I know this is meta and immersion-breaking but the NPC just said there was no rush on his task so I'm not going to offer a personal opinion on what you as the players should do :)
  The players would split the gold five ways with each party member taking 400 for themselves with another 400 left to actually pay the engineer a signing-bonus/travel expenses. The companions would immediately spend some of this money. Zith picked up a Scroll of See Invisibility from A.G.E.P. and the entire party would pick up discounted healing potions from the Temple of the Mighty Light. This wouldn't be the last time they would be back.
  By noon, they returned to the Moss Inn to meet up with with Jedingo for his information on the Galeborn. It wasn't pretty. First and foremost, Virion had escaped custody. Turns out it is difficult to keep a wildshaper captive if you didn't account for it. They did manage to gain some information one way or another before her escape. The sect of the Galeborn responsible for the attacks were most likely from Anrand Glad. The original pair of attackers were in deep-cover in the city before the harvest festival. Their reason for the attack was known before the targets were. Virion Nerinan was sent in after the initial attack failed to supplement the second.
  It seemed the Sapphire Oath would be headed to Anrand Glad... in some form. It was a huge place. Jedingo informed the party that the deepest most foreigners get into the huge wood was Gofinath. Gofinath was a trading outpost where the elves could meet outsiders on their own terms. Additionally, the deep would was highly dangerous with giant animals and other monsters that stalked the darkness. Additionally, the elves themselves were not as fond of outsiders. Of anyone in the group, Ravel would be most accepted for her eladrin heritage. Jedingo delineated Ravel from Beatle's mixed ancestry simply: “She's like a Fairy elf, you're just fairly an elf”.
  The party had discussed the possibility of Syvis Shaphyra's role in all of this multiple times in the past four days. Having spoken up against the airships at the festival announcement, the party did not know whether he was a member of the Galeborn or not. He could be a valuable resource either way. Jedingo informed the group that he had left on the road back to Anrand Glad the day after the festival if that impacted the party's actions.
  With more questions than they started, they sought to have some answered. Returning to the Mighty Light, the companions requested a divine communion to aid their work to protect the city. Given the situation, the priests were happy to provide a communion without charge. (The priests also sided with the party's actions when the requests came in a self-deprecating matter and the priests assured the party the terrorist's actions were not their fault.) The questions asked and their answers follow:
~ Is Syvis Shaphyra associated with or sympathetic to the Galeborn? No
~ Do the Galeborn sometimes conduct business in Gofinath? Yes
~ Is Virion Nerinan headed to, or already in, the town of Gofinath? No
    With the destination of their quest given, the Sapphire Oath then crunched the logistics. Wishing to get ahead of Syvis Shaphyra who had taken the road a few day's ago, the companions would need to rough it on the hypotenuse through the wilderness. A horse was bought for Zith and Beatle while Ravel would be wild shaping into a horse to convey Marduk. Unfortunately, Thunderhoof the Donkey would have to remain behind. Ravel and Marduk took the donkey to Filibert for safe keeping and use until Marduk could return for him. The bugbear supplied 10 gp for plenty of apples as treats while he was away.