Session 8: Behind the Eyes

General Summary

The Foundation found itself beset by four Watchmen and an agent of the Royal Eyes named Agent DuPont in the Aundairian countryside. The Foundation submitted to arrest as DuPont promised that if they didn’t try to escape and told the truth, they would be free to go when they reached Fairhaven. They allowed themselves to be shackled, their weapons confiscated, and loaded into a secure wagon as they set off towards the city. In the back of the wagon, the party discussed a number of things including Marcella telling Essex that his attempt to fight the Operatives was brave, Bal revealing he was Kalashtar to the rest of the party by forming a link with Rasp, and some of the party asking Yelena about how she knew Operative V. Yelena simply responded that she had known him when she was Cyran military as “Captain” and that he would not have attacked her and should have recognized her.
They then began discussing what they were going to tell DuPont. Turk told them that while the truth was that they were attacked on the Train and they were victims, no one would believe them about the Operatives. Bal discovered he did still have the manifest on him and they discussed ways they could try to burn it or destroy it, but there weren’t any easy ways to do that while shackled to the benches they sat on. In the end, they decided to stay close to the truth, but to leave out things that might be suspicious.
After an hour of traveling, DuPont joined the party in the wagon while they continued on. He reiterated that there were many ways the conversation could go that would end with them free and that he would even buy them a pastry in Fairhaven if things went well. Instead of asking questions flat out, DuPont let the party know what he had discovered: that the train never met its destination, that everyone on board was dead, and that the food had been poisoned in every room except for one that had no one in it. On top of that, the manifest was missing and the petty cash stolen, but the safe wasn’t touched. On a hunch, he had searched up and down the tracks and found the body of a TCB agent dead and signs of a fight nearby. He had surmised that the Foundation had been attacked by TCB agents and they fled the scene after the fight, something he deemed excusable.
He then asked them a few simple questions before Marcella suggested speaking to him in private. DuPont stopped the wagon and the two went a distance away to have a conversation without knowing that both Vax and Essex were able to hear what they were saying. DuPont and Marcella discussed the situation with a familiarity that Vax picked up on. DuPont offered updates on the situation saying that he is a counter-TCB agent for the Eyes and that he had picked them up to help them get to Fairhaven safely.
Back in the wagon, DuPont let the Foundation know that he understood what had happened to them but he wanted to know why the TCB would be after them. Turk blurted out that they were looking for the Dragonshard Skull. DuPont called it a “fairy tale”, but couldn’t ignore that the TCB seemed to be watching the places they were looking into. He would do his best to help root out the TCB agents in the city so they could go about their search in peace.
The Foundation finally reached Fairhaven in the evening and by the time they got there, DuPont was gone and only the driver was left. He returned their weapons to them, as well as a gift DuPont had left: a Sinclair Final Warning rifle, which Yelena took. In the beautiful City of Lights, the party found a place to stay at a decent hotel called the House of Light where they rented three rooms and proceeded to go out to a bar near one of the Verite Statues called the Queen’s Kiss. There, they drank, did a little research, and talked. Vax took Marcella aside and tried to see if she was hiding something about the nature of her and DuPont’s relationship. The two walked away from the conversation still as curious and guarded as they had been beforehand. As the Foundation decided to go back to the hotel and get some sleep, Yelena tried to find a companion for the evening and struck out hard. Vax watched.
The next day, before starting their scouring of the city’s statues, the Foundation decided to take care of some housekeeping business. They started with breakfast at the hotel, paid for by Dr. Turk. After, Yelena, Rasp, Bal, and Essex went out on the city to take in the sights, get used to the layout, and Yelena sold some weapons and bought ammunition and Tinkerer’s Tools.
Marcella said she was going out to the Light District and at first refused Vax’s desire to come along. Then, she agreed, at which point Vax said he didn’t want to go. Marcella left and Vax followed using his Ring of Invisibility. Around the corner from Jean’s Bistro off the Avenue de Allummee, Marcella entered the sewers followed by Vax. Below, Marcella met with her Auntie Gaarland, or rather General Aarland of the Aundairian Royal Military.
They discussed the present situation and her assignment: to keep tabs on Dr. Turk. Marcella divulged everything about their situation and the issues with the train, including telling him about the two Operatives. Aarland dismissed them, saying they were probably using the myth of the Operatives as some kind of cover and warned Marcella not to believe in these things just because of Dr. Turk’s beliefs. Aarland then told Marcella that “de Vere” had become an agent, something that Marcella was not at all happy about. Nearing the end of their conversation, Aarland produced a pocket compass with a folding lens. He spotted Vax and pointed a revolver at him, asking him to show himself.
Vax took off the ring and put his hands up. Marcella told Aarland that this was one of her companions and, when asked, she said she trusted him as well as the rest of the Foundation. Aarland then recommended bringing the Foundation into her cover. Continuing the conversation, Aarland revealed to Marcella that it was the Royal Eyes’ intentions for her to keep tabs on Dr. Turk to ensure his safety as Breland is still very unhappy with his conduct during the Last War. The Foundation was allowed to exist in the hopes that following these myths would get him killed. Aundair would like to see his work continue. He then asked to meet the rest of the Foundation the next day in the same location.
Back at the hotel, the group met up and returned to Turk, Essex, and Marcella’s room to discuss. Marcella revealed to the group that she is an agent of the Royal Eyes who was assigned to keep tabs on Dr. Turk for his safety. When asked if Marcella was even her real name, Marcella said that she had had many names over the years, as well as many looks. She then shifted into the form of Yves, a nearly grey skinned, bald, androgynous person in a neat suit, revealing that she, or rather they, are a Changeling.

Report Date

13 Sep 2020

Primary Location

Fairhaven