Session XXI: Royal Larceny

Chapter 2: Arrival

General Summary

14-16 Chilling, 1304 AM

As Jacqualine woke up from her discomforting visions, she awoke the nearby Caerlin by loudly cursing in multiple languages; two of which were completely unknown to the rest of the party. He offered her water: Jacqualine begrudgingly accepted, and as Del'Gado began asking her about the outburst, she described the visions which seemed to vindicate her utter hatred of the Karapanate. Del'Gado remained slightly cautious about her allegations. After speaking to the group, Jacqualine decided to send a message to mobad Tamzi (in the very late hours of the night), angrily demanding answers about the book she saw, the KING IN YELLOW. He answered, seemingly preoccupied with some ongoing negotiations, and denied knowing about this, but offered to arrange a meeting if she so wished once he found time in his schedule. Caerlin decided to cast a spell to calm Jacqualine's emotions, which somehow did not fail. Of course, her emotions were still very much up in arms about everything, just slightly less directed towards her fellow adventurers. After Jacqualine's newfound knowledge, she now acquiesced to the royal heist, and the party (save for Baldur, who referred them to a contact of his) received a scroll from Axia which transported them to a farmstead outside Akk-Ur: code phrase "we have potatoes to sell from the head of House Kassiru." Their contact, who was obviously not a working man, gave them a lengthy briefing about the assignment. In short, they were to steal both the day-to-day symbols of the Akkonian monarch, the Sun-Crown of Easivra and the Gavel of Varnon, as well as the jewels used for coronations, the Regalia of Heaven. The conspiracy had secured entry for a number of new servants under the chamberlain which would grant them access to the Royal Quarters. Strong potions that altered its imbibers' form to that of a human had been secured, which would ensure that the adventurers did not arouse suspicion. Chamberlain Zerton Dawnray had been made to believe that these new servants were Shadow Regime agents, and was thus fully aware of foul play. Presumably well-bribed, he was not going to ask any questions about their conduct during the day. The contact pointed the party towards the Sovereign Chamber, the king's office, as a probable location for the Sun-Crown and the Gavel. Otherwise, they had the entire day to locate the items and keep anything else for themselves. Later, in the evening, the conspiracy had arranged for one of the numerous internal corridors to be undisturbed. And, as a fortunate coincidence, the night shift of Sunguards to the Thesapolis, the palatial vaults, would pass through it; therefore, the next part of the plan was for the party to dispose of these Sunguards, acquire their armour and weapons, and impersonate them in order to gain access to the Thesapolis. The conspiracy had managed to secure a copy of the key to the Divine Vault, which stores the Heavenly Regalia. The contact was adamant that before they left, the party must make it obvious that a breach has occurred and that the Regalia were gone. Once they had stolen away in the morning, they would probably have to lay low for a while; once the adventurers felt ready, they would use a scroll that would take them to the hand-off. Given a day to prepare (and access to the conspiracy's mysterious alchemical benefactor) the group readied themselves, and now brought in Alazim, the seemingly elven acquaintance of Baldur. The day of the heist was the 16th of Chilling. The party proved to be deft adapters, and did not generate any suspicion when dealing with the guards in the Royal Quarters. Notably, Caerlin encountered a haughty nobleman who demanded that he wash and press his magnificent trousers. These Golden Pantaloons, famed across realms for their comfort, superb quality, and impeccable gilded extravagance, were probably not being returned to their rightful owner anytime soon. Del'Gado and Jacqualine were granted access into the Sovereign Chamber, where they found the Sun-Crown concealed under a piece of fine cloth. Del'Gado also had a look through the king's correspondence, and there was nothing dated from after the 21st of Resting, which was the day before the winter stockpiles were destroyed; further, he found numerous letters from the Hammerites and 'concerned nobles of the court' about the nocturnal nude escapade by a drunken hobgoblin on the roofs of the capital. Imaros and Alazim managed to gain entry into the royal bedchambers, which they almost emptied of notable items. Bags of Holding are truly a convenience. Imaros even found the set of royal clothes that the king had worn on the day of their first summons to the Court. Otherwise, the Gavel was nowhere to be found, and so Jacqualine strongly wished to, for unrelated reasons, enter the Adytum. Before doing so, the party spent some time collecting even more valuable items from the Royal Quarters, and then went to socialise with the other servants. Again, the party played their part well, and Del'Gado, Imaros, and Alazim even had some friendly conversation with some of the other servants of the household. Once they had spent their lunch there, the party headed towards the Adytum. Performing the motion that Roxana had demonstrated, they successfully transported into the secret sanctum. Preparing for a worst-case scenario, the party remained in the antechamber and equipped their armour and weapons. Peeking inside into the actual Adytum itself, they saw Gilgenon standing motionless in front of one of the displayed banners. Jacqualine took point and tried to speak to him, but he only replied in half-finished sentences and cryptic phrases. That is, until he turned around and seemed to forcibly compel himself into normalcy; he immediately addressed the party as traitors and trespassers. Alazim, who did not sign up for this, turned around and tried to exit back into the antechamber, but the king held him in place with magic. Stating that his Twilight Advocates had failed in their mission, Gilgenon did something that deactivated the Adytum's anti-magic field and cast the room into complete darkness. The walls and furniture seemed to have gone missing in this process, and the only thing the party could see was a bright, golden constellation of spectral figures some distance in front of them. A group of shining officials, one holding a crown, were standing in front of a kneeling man clad in a suit of brilliant armour. Once the party approached, they could hear a chorus of different voices reciting an oath:

In the name of the Houses Antecedent and the Exalted Karapanate of the Sun-God, I do hereby shoulder the responsibility of governing this Kingdom as anointed sovereign. I shall ever commit to the duties imposed upon me as High Judge of the Synod, and set in stone new laws and precedent for the coming age. I shall resolutely strive to countenance justice wheresoever in these Lands Underneath the Sun and establish a perpetual and universal system of legal canon and noble prerogatives. I will protect the integrity of this Kingdom, herald universal prosperity and development, and act as chief counsel to the realm's internal affairs and sole authority in dialogue with other races. As crowned sovereign, proclaimed suzerain, and ordained Defender of the Sun, I will brook no obstacle to my rule, suffer no antinomy to our order, and deliver upon our adversaries final judgement. This I solemnly swear to uphold, forever and unto eternity, on my name as Akkon, the Hundredth Judge of Akk-Ur.

As the oath concluded, the armoured man stood up, turned around, and four more golden spirits emerged from him, walking towards the intruders. Though Akkon the Builder's form was well-known to everybody, Del'Gado and Alazim could identify the others: Varnon the Lawgiver, Antaron the Stern, Meynon the Treasurer, and Tammon the Unrelenting: the Five Kings of Akkon. And they had not been summoned for tea and gossip. A fierce fight ensued in which Alazim nearly perished at the hands of the furious Tammon, but the party managed to survive the sovereign onslaught and expelled the former kings. As the last spirit departed, the darkness dissipated, and the party again found themselves in the Adytum, right in front of an immobilised Gilgenon.

The next minutes are uncertain. The adventurers steel themselves…

Campaign

The King on the Threshold

Protagonists