Session 22 - Doubts and Misgivings
General Summary
From Kleeck's journal
XXVII Martius MMCIII
I have not written in this journal for days. My thoughts and feelings have been in too much turmoil to even begin to put into words. Why wouldn't the Pontifex see me? Who or what is this blindfolded woman who has started appearing to us? Am I truly doing Apollo’s will in following the path he seems to have laid before me? But tomorrow we arrive in Port Voltur. Whatever turmoil I may be feeling I will need to have my wits about me as we navigate this new chapter on our journey. Perhaps if I sort through the events of the past few days I can begin to make sense of where I am at and where we are going. The night we arrived in Nemasus I was ‘summoned’ to the temple by Apollo. I can think of no other way to describe it. The black and yellow bird that woke me by tapping on the window was his messenger, and the message was clear. I was to follow it - past the sleeping guards, into the hall of the temple, and to the alcove where the mysterious statue resided. I found the secret chamber below. I uncovered another hidden inscription like the one in Lugdunum. I revealed another piece of this story that should not exist. In the morning I relayed what I had seen to my companions, and we had a somber discussion about what to do next. We wanted to see the Prefecta, but had concerns about her after she had failed to respond to our messages from the road. We also wanted to confront the Pontifex with what we knew after the cryptic warning he gave in answer to my last send. Not fully trusting either and unsure of who to see first, we went back and forth without being able to agree on a course of action. In the end we left it up to the toss of a coin at Hassan’s suggestion, trusting fate to guide us. Heads. The Prefecta first then. On our way to the basilica we were sidetracked by another sighting of the strange woman with the bound moth...or at least I think we were. I did not see her myself, but my companions swear that she appeared from the basilica and lead them to the Foamy Mug. There was no such woman there when we entered, just a man eating his breakfast and a bemused dwarven tavern keeper. With no clue as to why she appeared to us now, we were still in the dark about her purpose and significance. When we finally arrived at the basilica we were shocked to discover that the Prefecta would not see us, on the basis that we had failed in our mission. I had taken the precaution of casting a detection spell before our visit but saw no enchantments or spells upon her, nothing amiss. We fumbled about in the hall for a minute before giving up on seeing her and dejectedly making our way back to the street. Confused and suspicious we decided to split up, with me seeking an audience with the Pontifex and the others taking some time to deal with the growing store of coin, gems, and rarities from our adventures. At the temple I received another shock. The priest I encountered there told me that not only would the pontifex not see me, but that I had been barred from the temple for speaking blasphemy. I was too stunned to argue or question, and too confused to return to my friends. I flew off out of the city, and spent I know not how long trying to process what this could mean. Eventually I returned to my companions and reported to them what I had been told at the temple. At a loss for what to do next, we visited Ianthe to seek her advice and counsel. She could not tell us anything to explain the sudden rebuffs from the Prefecta and the Pontifex, but did offer us readings in gratitude for what we had done to help Thiala. The readings seemed to suggest that the Pontifex and the Prefecta could still be trusted, which made their actions even more mysterious. They also suggested that we would be embarking on a journey, and that answers about Hassan’s lineage may lie in Ostia, where Uncle Heehk had spotted others with eyes like his before. We returned to the Pilgrim’s Perch to plan our next move. After considering our options we decided to try and approach the Prefecta in a private setting where she may be able to speak to us more freely. Partway through our planning I received an unexpected package from Uncle Heeck. He had found the scroll I had requested, and also wrote some warm words that my heart badly needed to hear, encouraging me to continue on my adventures. While the others went off to scout out the Prefecta's domicile and plan how we would approach her, I took some time to work with the scroll Uncle Heeck sent me. I transcribed it, and practiced until I felt I could perform the ritual held within. When I was ready I gathered some herbs and incense in a brazier, and began the long ritual I had just learned. I knew what was supposed to happen, but was still shocked when Noctua suddenly appeared, his head tilted as he gazed at me from his perch on the edge of the brazier. The others returned from their scouting around dinnertime. We ate a terse meal in the common room, then retreated upstairs to plan how we would approach the Prefecta. We went back and forth about how to meet with her, what to say, and what to hold back. In the end however it was she who found us, appearing at our door cloaked and hooded and slipping into the room as if she was afraid to be seen. The conversation with the Prefecta was guarded and tense, not the happy reunion we thought it would be. She told us she had been warned by the Pontifex that the information we had obtained may be treasonous to even speak out loud, and that based on this she had thought it better to hear what we had learned in private rather than risk having to charge us with treason in public should we say the wrong thing. Hearing her reasoning somewhat restored our trust in her as it seems she was safeguarding our lives in refusing to see us at the basilica. Still, something about this sat with me the wrong way. I had been excited about the accolades we would receive for completing such a dangerous and important scouting mission. My father had never liked my choice to become a priest, thinking I would bring more honour to the family name as a scout like Zeed or a businessman and politician like him. If I could return from Lugdunum successful maybe I could finally win his approval. But the Prefecta’s solution to keep our meeting ‘off record’ meant that officially our mission was a failure. A good scout brings back useful intel or dies trying, and as far as the world was concerned I had done neither. As upset as I was, I am glad Hassan was there to take charge of the discussion with the Prefecta. He navigated the situation perfectly; reporting on the intel we had obtained regarding the troops, the Slaadi, and the threat unleashed from beneath Lugdunum, while carefully steering around the blasphemous information obtained in the temple of Apollo and Diana. In the end the Prefecta seemed happy with what we had learned, and was even willing to pay the five hundred gold promised to us out of her own coffers (which of course pleased Bandua). After the Prefecta left we took stock of our situation and considered what we wanted to do next. With the Lugdunum mission concluded and the payment received I had wondered if this would be the end of our little band, as there was not necessarily any reason for us to continue on together. But in the short time we had adventured I had become deeply fond of my strange companions, and grown to trust and even rely on them. I am glad that in the end we decided to tie our fortunes to one another. Together, we made a plan. We would head to Port Voltur, and from there find passage on a ship to Turris which was another city marked on the mysterious map from Lugdunum. After taking some time in Turris to investigate we would travel on to Ostia to try and find more information about Hassan's past and his family. Along the way we could look for work in order to build up the funds Bandua needed to rebuild his family fortunes. Worn out from the twists and turns of the day, we decided there was nothing left to do but go down to the common room for drinks to wind up the evening. Hassan invited Kemet to drink with us but was, I gather, gently rebuffed. Wanting to see my sister before we left the next morning, I used my sending spell to reach out and invite her as well. I must admit I took some childish pleasure in her shock at my newfound ability. Zeed was free and joined us in short order, eager for tales about our recent journey to Lugdunum. Hearing Zeed talk excitedly about wanting to see action as a scout, I couldn’t help but worry about her. These were dangerous times to be serving in the legions, and the sladdi were dangerous foes. I pray she never comes face to face with them. During our travels I had forgotten to keep track of the date, but seeing Zeed I suddenly remembered. It was my birthday! Drinks were poured, and a makeshift but happy celebration was had. If you told me a year ago I would be spending my next birthday drinking with a dour dwarven bounty hunter, a human sorcerer with golden eyes, and a gnomish ranger with a squirrel for a pet, I would not have believed you. But here I was, and despite all the ups and downs of our adventures together I was happy to be in their company. With nothing left keeping us in Nemasus we headed out in the morning for Port Voltur. Our travel has been blessedly uneventful, a welcome change from the dangers of the roads outside the empire’s boundaries. I took some time to transcribe another scroll we had obtained (I think the ability to breath water may come in handy on the sea voyage ahead). Hassan also asked about the capabilities of my sending spell and whether I could use it to contact his mother, and I was sad to tell him that speaking to someone I had never met was beyond my capability. I do not know what the future holds for us. We have gold in our pouches, we have a mystery to pursue, and we have some elusive clues about Hassan’s past to follow up on. I can only pray that Apollo is guiding me on this path, though I cannot see the final destination.
XXVII Martius MMCIII
I have not written in this journal for days. My thoughts and feelings have been in too much turmoil to even begin to put into words. Why wouldn't the Pontifex see me? Who or what is this blindfolded woman who has started appearing to us? Am I truly doing Apollo’s will in following the path he seems to have laid before me? But tomorrow we arrive in Port Voltur. Whatever turmoil I may be feeling I will need to have my wits about me as we navigate this new chapter on our journey. Perhaps if I sort through the events of the past few days I can begin to make sense of where I am at and where we are going. The night we arrived in Nemasus I was ‘summoned’ to the temple by Apollo. I can think of no other way to describe it. The black and yellow bird that woke me by tapping on the window was his messenger, and the message was clear. I was to follow it - past the sleeping guards, into the hall of the temple, and to the alcove where the mysterious statue resided. I found the secret chamber below. I uncovered another hidden inscription like the one in Lugdunum. I revealed another piece of this story that should not exist. In the morning I relayed what I had seen to my companions, and we had a somber discussion about what to do next. We wanted to see the Prefecta, but had concerns about her after she had failed to respond to our messages from the road. We also wanted to confront the Pontifex with what we knew after the cryptic warning he gave in answer to my last send. Not fully trusting either and unsure of who to see first, we went back and forth without being able to agree on a course of action. In the end we left it up to the toss of a coin at Hassan’s suggestion, trusting fate to guide us. Heads. The Prefecta first then. On our way to the basilica we were sidetracked by another sighting of the strange woman with the bound moth...or at least I think we were. I did not see her myself, but my companions swear that she appeared from the basilica and lead them to the Foamy Mug. There was no such woman there when we entered, just a man eating his breakfast and a bemused dwarven tavern keeper. With no clue as to why she appeared to us now, we were still in the dark about her purpose and significance. When we finally arrived at the basilica we were shocked to discover that the Prefecta would not see us, on the basis that we had failed in our mission. I had taken the precaution of casting a detection spell before our visit but saw no enchantments or spells upon her, nothing amiss. We fumbled about in the hall for a minute before giving up on seeing her and dejectedly making our way back to the street. Confused and suspicious we decided to split up, with me seeking an audience with the Pontifex and the others taking some time to deal with the growing store of coin, gems, and rarities from our adventures. At the temple I received another shock. The priest I encountered there told me that not only would the pontifex not see me, but that I had been barred from the temple for speaking blasphemy. I was too stunned to argue or question, and too confused to return to my friends. I flew off out of the city, and spent I know not how long trying to process what this could mean. Eventually I returned to my companions and reported to them what I had been told at the temple. At a loss for what to do next, we visited Ianthe to seek her advice and counsel. She could not tell us anything to explain the sudden rebuffs from the Prefecta and the Pontifex, but did offer us readings in gratitude for what we had done to help Thiala. The readings seemed to suggest that the Pontifex and the Prefecta could still be trusted, which made their actions even more mysterious. They also suggested that we would be embarking on a journey, and that answers about Hassan’s lineage may lie in Ostia, where Uncle Heehk had spotted others with eyes like his before. We returned to the Pilgrim’s Perch to plan our next move. After considering our options we decided to try and approach the Prefecta in a private setting where she may be able to speak to us more freely. Partway through our planning I received an unexpected package from Uncle Heeck. He had found the scroll I had requested, and also wrote some warm words that my heart badly needed to hear, encouraging me to continue on my adventures. While the others went off to scout out the Prefecta's domicile and plan how we would approach her, I took some time to work with the scroll Uncle Heeck sent me. I transcribed it, and practiced until I felt I could perform the ritual held within. When I was ready I gathered some herbs and incense in a brazier, and began the long ritual I had just learned. I knew what was supposed to happen, but was still shocked when Noctua suddenly appeared, his head tilted as he gazed at me from his perch on the edge of the brazier. The others returned from their scouting around dinnertime. We ate a terse meal in the common room, then retreated upstairs to plan how we would approach the Prefecta. We went back and forth about how to meet with her, what to say, and what to hold back. In the end however it was she who found us, appearing at our door cloaked and hooded and slipping into the room as if she was afraid to be seen. The conversation with the Prefecta was guarded and tense, not the happy reunion we thought it would be. She told us she had been warned by the Pontifex that the information we had obtained may be treasonous to even speak out loud, and that based on this she had thought it better to hear what we had learned in private rather than risk having to charge us with treason in public should we say the wrong thing. Hearing her reasoning somewhat restored our trust in her as it seems she was safeguarding our lives in refusing to see us at the basilica. Still, something about this sat with me the wrong way. I had been excited about the accolades we would receive for completing such a dangerous and important scouting mission. My father had never liked my choice to become a priest, thinking I would bring more honour to the family name as a scout like Zeed or a businessman and politician like him. If I could return from Lugdunum successful maybe I could finally win his approval. But the Prefecta’s solution to keep our meeting ‘off record’ meant that officially our mission was a failure. A good scout brings back useful intel or dies trying, and as far as the world was concerned I had done neither. As upset as I was, I am glad Hassan was there to take charge of the discussion with the Prefecta. He navigated the situation perfectly; reporting on the intel we had obtained regarding the troops, the Slaadi, and the threat unleashed from beneath Lugdunum, while carefully steering around the blasphemous information obtained in the temple of Apollo and Diana. In the end the Prefecta seemed happy with what we had learned, and was even willing to pay the five hundred gold promised to us out of her own coffers (which of course pleased Bandua). After the Prefecta left we took stock of our situation and considered what we wanted to do next. With the Lugdunum mission concluded and the payment received I had wondered if this would be the end of our little band, as there was not necessarily any reason for us to continue on together. But in the short time we had adventured I had become deeply fond of my strange companions, and grown to trust and even rely on them. I am glad that in the end we decided to tie our fortunes to one another. Together, we made a plan. We would head to Port Voltur, and from there find passage on a ship to Turris which was another city marked on the mysterious map from Lugdunum. After taking some time in Turris to investigate we would travel on to Ostia to try and find more information about Hassan's past and his family. Along the way we could look for work in order to build up the funds Bandua needed to rebuild his family fortunes. Worn out from the twists and turns of the day, we decided there was nothing left to do but go down to the common room for drinks to wind up the evening. Hassan invited Kemet to drink with us but was, I gather, gently rebuffed. Wanting to see my sister before we left the next morning, I used my sending spell to reach out and invite her as well. I must admit I took some childish pleasure in her shock at my newfound ability. Zeed was free and joined us in short order, eager for tales about our recent journey to Lugdunum. Hearing Zeed talk excitedly about wanting to see action as a scout, I couldn’t help but worry about her. These were dangerous times to be serving in the legions, and the sladdi were dangerous foes. I pray she never comes face to face with them. During our travels I had forgotten to keep track of the date, but seeing Zeed I suddenly remembered. It was my birthday! Drinks were poured, and a makeshift but happy celebration was had. If you told me a year ago I would be spending my next birthday drinking with a dour dwarven bounty hunter, a human sorcerer with golden eyes, and a gnomish ranger with a squirrel for a pet, I would not have believed you. But here I was, and despite all the ups and downs of our adventures together I was happy to be in their company. With nothing left keeping us in Nemasus we headed out in the morning for Port Voltur. Our travel has been blessedly uneventful, a welcome change from the dangers of the roads outside the empire’s boundaries. I took some time to transcribe another scroll we had obtained (I think the ability to breath water may come in handy on the sea voyage ahead). Hassan also asked about the capabilities of my sending spell and whether I could use it to contact his mother, and I was sad to tell him that speaking to someone I had never met was beyond my capability. I do not know what the future holds for us. We have gold in our pouches, we have a mystery to pursue, and we have some elusive clues about Hassan’s past to follow up on. I can only pray that Apollo is guiding me on this path, though I cannot see the final destination.
Rewards Granted
1400 Experience Points
Missions/Quests Completed
Campaign Milestone - Inform Numeria about what happened in Lugdunum
Character(s) interacted with
- Numeria Durionia
- Zeed
- Kemit Jeb-As
- Salleek
- Ianthe Kentavros
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