OttL Session 17: The Troubles of House Klaedris - Part 2

General Summary

The session begins just after Hobbs caused a commotion in Alibor Klaedris' room. The party begins by attempting to follow the trail left behind by the flowers as they were taken to Alibor's room. They lead the party to the barracks, where they converse with Hinfyire Soriel. She says she does not have a motive, despite being in the line of succession, because if she wanted to steal a duchy with murder then she only needed to kill one person, her husband Ulmec Soriel. Since they have no children yet, she stands to inherit the Duchy of Tilum if her husband meets an untimely demise.
When Thaiva Phenol privately confronts her about Lolth, Hinfyire Soriel freely admits to the association. She says that Lolth is "a busy lady", and compartmentalizes her operations. She doesn't seem to know anything about the attack on the Vale of Aaqa. In fact, she does not seem to have even heard of the place. She does have an explanation for why Gehenna is at war with everyone all the time, "it's just politics". The Preservation Proclamation demands a just cause to go to war, but it does not require a cause to remain at war. Therefore, by refusing to ever end any war, Gehenna retains the right to attack anybody they want to at any time. They are not actually actively engaging in combat with everyone at all times.
As Thaiva Phenol is wrapping up this conversation, Hobbs, Ignacio Icarsus, and Natsu are in the servants quarters, where they encounter the maid Ambed. She is a highly attractive woman, but does not seem to know a lot of information. She is clearly hiding something, but refuses to say what exactly. She says the flowers were delivered by Ailmon, but she did not see who took them out of the room to be delivered. She was "rather distracted" at the time, which the party deduces to mean she was busy having sex with somebody. During the conversation Ignacio Icarsus lets slip that there is a murder investigation going on and gets a scolding from Natsu.
After this, the party moves on to the waiting room to see Ailmon. They are waylaid from this when they see Vannis the room with a wheelbarrow full of pinecones. He insists that the pinecones are magical, but refuses to divulge how. This results in lots of questioning, accusations, arguing, and similar shenanigans. Party members gradual leave the room to take care of their own business as this goes on, culminating in Ignacio Icarsus and Memento Vitae seeking out Izar in the servants quarters to discuss hiring this stranger for the crew. Izar asks Vannis to help with the ongoing investigation to serve as an employee evaluation of sorts. Ambed watches this debate with considerable amusement.
Meanwhile, Thaiva Phenol is examining her old room, along with Natsu. She takes a small wooden figurine from her quarters. This tender moment is interrupted when Natsu smells blood from across the hall, in Hinfyire Soriel's room. They enter the room and find Ulmec Soriel, who smells of blood despite having no apparent injures. Natsu questions him, but he refuses to answer in any meaningful way and eventually Thaiva Phenol pulls Natsu out of the room, warning that further harassment of duke Ulmec could be dangerous.
After they leave, Ignacio Icarsus enters the room to ask Ulmec Soriel some questions of his own, regarding his opinion on Kilfras Klaedris. Ulmec Soriel says Kilfras Klaedris is both young and brash, but has inherited diplomacy skills from his mother and martial skills from his mother, giving him significant potential as a ruler. When pressed further, Ulmec Soriel insists that the local politics in the Duchy of Xumasha are not of any concern to him or his rule.
Hobbs, having bought the pinecones from vannis using another pinecone, is in the kitchen preparing honey. Natsu comes to visit during this process and the two share some tender moments together. This is interrupted as the rest of the party convenes in the kitchen to discuss plans and share copies of Hinfyire Soriel's list of suspects. After much debate, they decide to start by questioning Ailmon, an elven trader whose robes bear an ouroboros, the same symbol that Penguin claimed was on Viper's robes.
Ailmon is intimidated by the large group, and especially by Memento Vitae, who drops his disguise while guarding the door. He claims Hinfyire Soriel had called him to the keep to deliver flowers. They ask him about the blue hemlock, which he says is known as Brainweed. The substance is highly dangerous, and can be found only in transition zones between the Prime Material Plane and the Feywild. When he is informed that some was found in a basket left for Kilfras Klaedris, Ailmon seems terrified. He immediately checks his own bag, cursing in sylvan, and says that the sample he had brought with him to discuss with the local officials is missing. He is unsure who stole it. He also says that Eesa makes him nervous for some reason he can't quite put his finger on.
After some hesitation, Natsu decides to be direct and ask Ailmon if he has had contact with the Viper. Ailmon does not want to discuss this in public, so Natsu sends the others out of the room.  Ailmon admits to being part of an organization, working underneath Viper, but he doesn't specify what those goals are.  He is also astounded when he realizes who Natsu is, and informs her that she should already have a way to get to his organization. 
Between interviews, Hobbs gives Thaiva Phenol a jar of foodstuffs he had been working on.  He says that the contents will become honey in roughly three weeks time.
After this, the party moves on to Eesa.  Before the interview, Natsu uses Vecna's Orb to have a vision about him.  It seems Eesa was ordered to investigate something for penguin, and is told to "try not to tell her".  During their conversation, Eesa refuses to reveal anything about this; insisting that it is not any of their business.  He does recognize Memento Vitae, however, saying that he has "heard stories" about him.  He has also heard stories of Thaiva Phenol, who he says is very similar to himself, and Natsu, who he recognizes easily thanks to stories he had heard from the residents of Shippo.
Next, Thaiva Phenol and Memento Vitae interrogate Femtid.  She is immediately in a panic, concerned that nobody is listening to what she is trying to tell them.  This only gets worse when Memento Vitae undoes his disguise self, sending her into a blind panic.  She claims Memento Vitae "breaks everything", in " so many different ways", and refuses to talk with him present.  Memento Vitae steps outside of the room, but this does not calm her nerves.  The woman is nearly delirious, claiming that the world will come to an end within a few years. 

Everything!  Melting, Mixing, Churning, Merging!  All of it!  The signs are already happening!  How does nobody pay attention?

After some stammering and back and forth, Thaiva Phenol finds a straw to grasp on and ask if this has something to do with the planes.  Femtid gets excited by this:

Yes! Yes!  Everything comes together and they blame each other and they all fight! 

When asked if anyone in particular is to blame, Femtid points to the Forms.  She claims they are the ones truly responsible for the calamity, but everyone blames each other, just like they always do, and so nobody pays attention to the real threat.  Thaiva Phenol has run out of questions, but she lets Femtid stay in the room to have some peace and quiet. 
Next up is Nunlus.  This interview is brief and to the point; Nunlus insists that he saw Thaiva Phenol departing the servant's quarters.  He heard some "rhythmic thumping" at the time, but could not place what the source of the noise was.  When asked if she saw anyone else around that area at the same time, he says he saw Hinfyire Soriel departing the same door at around the same time.  The party thus concludes that Ambed and Hinfyire Soriel may have been having intercourse at the time that the fake Thaiva Phenol was seen leaving the room.
As this interview is going on, others are busy on other tasks.  Hobbs gives Natsu a beautifully wrapped cake, with a ribbon and everything.  The ribbon itself he gets from Dryxora Klaedris.   Meanwhile, Ignacio Icarsus is questioning Hinfyire Soriel again.  She insists, once again, that she has nothing against her brother.  
Natsu is in the throne room, searching for secret passages.  She finds signs that there is one behind the throne, but cannot find a way into it.  She later recruits Memento Vitae, Hobbs and Thaiva Phenol in the search.  This results in the destruction of a bookcase but no real discoveries of note.  When they discuss the matter with Alibor Klaedris, he says the passage can only be opened by an enchantment on his crown.  There is a second crown, worn by Kilfras Klaedris as Duke-Regent, however even this crown cannot open the passage.
Ambed talks to Ignacio Icarsus in private.  
Private Conversation

As soon as the two are alone, Ambed's entire demeanor changes.  She flops down into a chair, and looks Ignacio Icarsus straight in the eyes.  Her voice changes, and is identical to Dreamonskii's.
A: There's been progress on our deal. I: what exactly is the progression? A: (fidgeting nervously) We think Hobbs specifically requested to lose his memories I: I think if he knew now he'd disagree A: The man he was before... nobody could have taken anything from him without his say so I: I think he was misinformed A: Possibly. Or maybe he knew something he didn't want to know I: I think that is more valuable A: That's kind of my concern. I: I wish to restore him regardless A: it feels... dangerous I: I disagree with his decision to forget. It seems dangerous to others who need his help. A: There is something else. Something I'm contractually forbidden to tell you about I: I don't care. Anyone with information is contractually obliged to help those in need. A: Can I trust you to keep a secret? From him? I: of course dishonesty is abhorrent A: We were closer than I've let on. A lot closer. We were engaged. We had signed prenuptials and everything. The thing I cant talk about... I agreed, in a contract he doesnt know about, not to talk about it. Not to talk about who he was. I: who was he? A: nothin' doin', gnome. We got that shit backed up by penguin himself answering that question would literally kill me. I: fair enough A: but I checked with a lawyer. I can say two things: 1. I am quite confident he knew what he was doing 2. He lived in a mansion in the feywild. About 30 miles southwest of a village named shippo. No marked paths.
Ambed hands Ignacio Icarsus a map
A: Just be careful, okay? I dont want him getting hurt. I: he won't i'll make sure of that A: Thank you. Also if they asked I spent that whole time trying to flirt with you.

After striking out with her search for a secret passage, Natsu goes to talk to Femtid, and brings Thaiva Phenol along for comfort.  Hobbs joins in too, catching everybody in the room by surprise, and gives Femtid some booze.  She immediately downs the entire flask, but remains conscious thanks to a very high con save.  She says that the exact nature of the calamity changes in every vision, but every future she sees is an apocalypse.  Brainweed in particular is one of the first signs of this, which appears only in places where the Prime Material Plane and Feywild start to come together.  She sees the flower spreading, and causing great chaos.  Entire towns fall to the plant.  She describes it as "a beautiful way to die".
She doesn't know what to do, and just wants the visions to stop.  Natsu, becoming increasingly concerned, performs a reading on her. 
Natsu's Vision

You see her climbing a large tree with a noose. She hangs herself.

The vision terrifies Natsu, who gives a very sheepish "I'm so sorry" before leaving the room and secluding herself alone in another.  She remains there for some time, crying and clutching onto the gift that Hobbs gave her.  Hobbs, meanwhile, tries to comfort Femtid.  He offers her some of his "knockout juice", which he promises can bring sleep without dreams. He also encourages her not to give up, and she agrees to keep trying for a little while longer.
While this is happening, Thaiva Phenol approaches Hinfyire Soriel, thinks better of it, and leaves. Hinfyire Soriel chases her down, and corners her in a hallway. Thaiva Phenol has a breakdown, saying that she is overwhelmed and afraid and doesn't know what to do. Hinfyire Soriel says she actually hates her position as spymaster, but she does it because she doesn't trust anybody else to get the work done properly. Thaiva Phenol says she doesn't know who to trust, and Hinfyire Soriel becomes angry.

NO. That's wrong. That's very wrong. You trust YOU. Fuck what any of these other people have to say about it. Fuck what I have to say about it. You trust yourself to make shit happen.

Hinfyire Soriel carries on with a tirade about Lolth, explaining exactly how insane she must look to be following such an evil goddess of trickery. Thaiva Phenol reveals Memento Vitae also has ties to Lolth, which seems to surprise Hinfyire Soriel. She carries on to explain that the reason she joined Lolth's church was because those people were the ones to teach her "how to do what needs to be done". She trusts the other members of her church, and nobody else. She does this because, despite everything, they get shit done. She looks Thaiva Phenol in the eyes.

YOU already have that. You're not getting it from the same place I do, but you have it. Right here, right now. Just outside this hallway. I've seen how you all talk with each other. If you want to feel better about not getting shit done, then go get shit done.

She forces Thaiva Phenol to pull herself together, and demands that she ask the question she should have asked several hours ago. Thaiva Phenol thinks for a moment.

Would you even want to have two duchies?

Hinfyire Soriel explains that no, she would not. She also does not think Kilfras Klaedris is competent enough to perform anything on this scale. She thinks the threat is coming from outside of House Klaedris. Kilfras Klaedris is not the kind of person to do something like this. The kind of person to do this would be people like Hinfyire Soriel, but she didn't. She has no motive. She rolls up a sleeve, revealing a series of fang marks on her arm, and explaining that her husband, Ulmec Soriel, is actually a vampire. She doesn't need to steal a duchy because she already has career-ending leverage on her own husband. She says her current position effectively puts her in charge of the Duchy of Tilum, except its even better, because she does not have to take responsibility for any of her own decisions.
A bit more pep talk follows, and Hinfyire Soriel also explains that the suspect pool is limited. It takes a very specific kind of person to be able to disguise themselves in the way the culprit appears to have done. The session ends.

Report Date

29 Aug 2020