Chapter 9: Meetings Report
General Summary
SESSION 9 WORLD ANVIL RECAP
The session picks up right where the previous left off: Dove staring up into the face of Bear, an old friend from childhood. Bear, or Berig, takes her to a discreet place to talk and the two catch up: Berig is surprised to hear that Dove has been working for the Sterlings, and Dove is happy to hear that Berig has been taking care of the homeless orphans in the city. Berig tries to brush off Oliver’s predicament, but Dove is determined to find him. They make a plan to find Dominic and scout out the Tower of Gor, where Berig knows some prisoners are taken after questioning.
After several tries to find Dominic, they finally catch him sitting near the river, saying a prayer to [url:Aino - the Messenger god]Aino. He prays for help during the season, since he seems to keep finding himself uncomfortable around any lady that approaches him. Dove then approaches him. Dominic and Berig meet and bicker while Dove tries to get them on Team Save Oliver. It is decided that Dove will go with Berig sneaking into the Tower of Gor, while Dominic runs off to enlist help.
The following happen simultaneously:
Oliver wakes up in a dark room covered in glyphs. There is a large man in all black standing over him. Oliver is questioned about the royal family and who has contacted over his travels. He writes down the names of everyone he wrote letters to over the past few years while he was away from Donlon. Mirrors are mysteriously mentioned in a list of potential communication methods, as well as the charges of Oliver’s four closest friends in court. They have evidently been imprisoned for treason and conspiring against the royal family. In fact, it appears to be the royal family themselves behind all of these noble abductions and questioning, despite Oliver’s close relationship. Oliver takes it all in stride, joking and even flirting with the inquisitor, until his friends are mentioned. His countenance darkens and he begins threatening the inquisitor himself, voicing his doubt that any of this is what the inquisitor says it is. The man, finally at his wit’s end with Oliver’s unexpected response, rips out all of the fingernails from Oliver’s left hand and releases him back out onto the streets of Donlon.
Dominic asks his old dwarven friend where they might be detaining Oliver. Thanks to a steep bribe of daily pastries, the dwarf directs Dominic to a dwarven tunnel system under the city. Dominic, pretending to be a guard, discovers plans to expand the tunnel system quickly under order of General Zephyros. He runs into another guard, Erin, and fools him into escorting him to the questioning rooms where Oliver had been held. On the way, Dominic bears his soul to Erin about his feelings toward Dove. Dominic arrives at the questioning rooms to find out he is too late. Heart full of revenge and fury, he threatens the inquisitor who tortured Oliver to give him information, or else his life will be ended. He tortures the man, and leaves with the rest of the belongings that were taken from Oliver.
Berig stealthily climbs up the side of the Tower of Gore, with Dove hanging onto his back. They climb in through a window, take out a guard, and feed a prisoner on the way to the third floor, where they were told the nobles are being held. They find a woman named Lady Idol who knows Oliver, and says he hasn’t been up here so he must be being questioned somewhere. The woman asks Dove if her family has asked after her, but Dove becomes overwhelmed and runs away. Berig offers her dinner, where he tries to get Dove to open up and relax a bit, but she remains guarded. She decides it was foolish to try and help when all she’s good for is servant work, so she goes back to Sterling House to catch up on her duties.
Elinor and Nicholas have a lovely evening stroll across town to the gentlemen’s club. Nicholas finally tells Elinor about his lineage, and the two try to begin patching up their friendship that was broken by Davinor’s death two years ago. They disguise themselves as commoners, pass through Rose Park where there had been rumors of a serial killer years ago, then drop their disguised when they arrive at the Gentlemen’s Duel. After sizing up the young lady at the door, they sit and have a small meal over some fun gossip. Mr. Lockton, Steward of the Brewwick family, approaches them and requests to move their business meeting to right now on account of their serendipitous meeting at the club. The Sterlings, a bit confused, agree, then lead him back across the city to the Sterling House.
Oliver stumbles towards the castle, briefly bumping into Elinor and Nicholas, who decide to leave him on his own. After failing to enter the castle, he makes a plea to his mysterious patron, who shows herself in the form of a blood red moth. He begs her for advice, and she reassures him, reminding him to rely on her, to trust in his family, and to carry on in his goals. Oliver buries the moth, lifeless after his Lady patron took use of its body, and stumbles towards home.
He and Dominic arrive at the Sterling house simultaneously, where Elinor and Nicholas are conducting the meeting with Mr. Lockton, Dove standing by. Dove takes Oliver away to bandage his hands, while Dominic strides into the meeting with Mr. Lockton. The visitor tells the three younger Sterlings about the valuable item he is hoping to keep in their bank, stressing the extreme danger this item poses to the world, as well as its significance. This item is something the crown would surely approve of, although it seems that they as of yet may not know about it. He presents a magical contract that would bind the fate of the signer as well as Sterling House in general to the safety of the object — should the secrecy of this item not be kept, or should any ill fate befall it, doom shall be upon the Sterling House. Dominic signs the contract, and Mr. Lockton reveals the identity of this item:
An 8 oz potion perfectly capturing the essence of the Wish spell.
[Recap by Brooklynne Noe (aka Dove)]
Elinor Sterling
Lawful Neutral Variant Human ()
Wizard 3
Wizard 3
17 / 17 HP
STR
10
10
DEX
10
10
CON
12
12
INT
16
16
WIS
14
14
CHA
14
14
Dove Broadhall
Neutral Halfling (Criminal)
Rogue 4
Warlock 1
Rogue 4
Warlock 1
23 / 23 HP
STR
8
8
DEX
19
19
CON
9
9
INT
13
13
WIS
13
13
CHA
14
14
Lord Dominic Sterling
Neutral Good Variant Human (Regent)
Fighter 4
Fighter 4
28 / 28 HP
STR
8
8
DEX
18
18
CON
14
14
INT
10
10
WIS
14
14
CHA
12
12
Nicholas Sterling
None Variant Human (Second Son)
Sorcerer 5
Sorcerer 5
17 / 17 HP
STR
8
8
DEX
16
16
CON
14
14
INT
10
10
WIS
14
14
CHA
18
18
A Journal Entry dated Aug 27, 1813 by Dove Broadhall
Report Date
25 Jul 2024
Primary Location
Secondary Location
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