Ep 36: "Yoth's Sin"

After leaving the Brell estate, Pesk took one of Tyrell’s letters to Afra at the Divine Foundry. The half-orc woman was in her office and showed signs of having been crying. She told Pesk that she knew someone had died, but was not aware who. Pesk told her that it had been Tyrell, who had intentionally provoked a Nocturne into killing him. Afra expressed surprise at the news that it had been Tyrell to have died. She further expressed that her memories were beginning to return, and therefore knew that the line holding the geas in place had been broken.

Afra then opened Tyrell's letter and read it, scoffing at some of the demands that Tyrell had made. She did not share any of the letter's contents with Pesk, but shared that she is surprised at some of the memories that had returned and did not realize just how much she had forgotten. Visible signs of distress showed on her face, the memories of things that she had done began to make her upset. Part of her apprehension came from the knowledge that the geas would likely be reinstated; the being who had placed the geas on the members of VKTR in the first place would likely return to put the geas back in place. Pesk asked whether Afra could remember its name, but she could not. She could only remember that the original contract was "signed in blood", and Tyrell's request would require a great sacrifice from the remaining members of VKTR, should they choose to go along with it.

Pesk offered Afra support, and volunteered to help should she ask. Afra thanked her for coming by, and Pesk turned to leave. Afra then remembered the name of the being. Aglazoth.

Conversation resumed. Jastra was mentioned, as well as Seldanna. Afra lamented the things that Seldanna had been through, and added that while Jastra is not and has not been the best mother to her daughter, neither is she the worst mother she could have been. She bid Pesk goodnight, and Pesk left.

Pinbòl's Tower

Oisin left the Brell estate and went to deliver Pinbòl's letter. Since the events at the estate, it appeared that Pinbòl had also been acting out of sorts. Without much preamble, Oisin hands over the letter and let the wizard know that Tyrell is the one who died. Pinbòl read the letter, his face growing increasingly angry as he did so. On completing it, he used a spell to burn the letter. Much like had happened with Afra, Pinbòl told Oisin that his memories were returning, and the demands that Tyrell had made pertained to cleaning up something that had been so far buried that barely anyone would understand the significance. On the tail of his memories returning also came a fear of sharing them with Oisin.

Oisin replied that it wouldn't change things one way or the other. Pinbòl answered that if he knew everything he wouldn't be able to sweep it under the rug as easily as he claimed. He then shared the knowledge that what Oisin and Saxi had been through in their time in captivity, including their memory loss, was related to the process of becoming a Nocturne. The reason they had came out the other side maintaining a sense of self and personality was that their personalities were too strong, they held onto too much. If the Resistance hadn't freed them, they would have likely been shortly killed. Pinbòl volunteered that he may be able to undo the memory loss if he can get Saxi and Oisin to the right place under the right circumstances. Oisin responded that he is happy with the life that he has made and who he is, and was not sure that he wanted to risk not liking the person he was before.

The Arasys Estate

Seldanna took a copy of Tyrell's letter to her mother, Jastra. On reaching the manor, she knocked on the door and was greeted by Stokes. She asked to see her mother, and the butler replied that he would need to go fetch her. He showed Seldanna to the gallery while she waited. In the gallery, she saw a new painting added after she had moved to Reynard Manor. The quality did not match the typical painting in the gallery, but the subject grabbed her attention. It was a painting of Seldanna on her wedding day, dressed in her gown. The signature at the bottom of the painting read "J.A."

Jastra entered the gallery, and while she held a stoic face and attitude, it seemed forced and for once, not directed at Seldanna. Seldanna gave her the letter, but Jastra declined to read its contents until discovering that Tyrell had died. After finishing, Jastra announced that Seldanna was now privy to all of her secrets, her membership in VKTR and her Nikosta lineage at the forefront. With the death of Tyrell, Jastra now remembered many things that she had done in the past, many of which posed a very real danger to both herself and Seldanna.

Jastra went on to tell Seldanna that she loved her, and knew that she had not been a good mother. Seldanna expressed understanding that while she didn't agree with her methods, she knew that Jastra had her interest at heart. At that, Jastra pressed Seldanna on what she had been doing lately. Seldanna held firm and did not give away her or her friends' activities with the Phoenix Dawn. Jastra kissed her and called her a "good girl" before leading her to the temple on the ground floor of the house.

She then pressed a hidden switch below the pulpit, and a secret door opened behind the altar. Behind the door was a staircase, leading down to a subbasement that Seldanna knew extended past the floorplan of the house. A room was at the base of the stairs, with a large metal door standing at one end of the room. Jastra commented that now Seldanna was privy to all of her secrets.

Beyond the metal door was a room filled with tables covered in books, weapons in piles, and maps covering the walls. At the end of one of the tables sat Aldion, leader of the Phoenix Dawn resistance. Jastra, it turned out, had been a member of the resistance for years as the head of a different cell. Seldanna's marriage to the king was a major accomplishment for the resistance, not for Jastra's political gain as she had framed it previously. Seldanna and most of the rest of the gang had been tested to see whether or not Aldion could trust them beyond shadow of a doubt, as plans were moving forward into their next phase. Jastra warned Seldanna to neither speak to anyone of what she learned nor write it in the Tome.

Morning of the 7th Reynard Manor

After Seldanna awoke, Juveha made Stroop's Waffles for breakfast. The restaurateur had decided to start selling his waffle batter.

The Brell Estate

Pip decided to try his hand at making breakfast using the eggtube mold he had received from Ivy. He put sausages into the heated molds, pouring waffle batter in around them. Rosie came downstairs and ended up eating breakfast with him before leaving on an errand.

The Temple District

Rosie visited the location where the party had first encountered Tyrell. She laid down a flower, said a few words, and departed.

Barrel Run

Saxi collected her wages for the week. She has been staying at Pinbòl's to stay near Oisin.Owen bought a boat; a fast, gondola-style vehicle that can carry a handful of people.

Yoth, the masked mercenary, purchased two beers from the Beer Forge with the intent of giving the more expensive drink to Pinbòl. On his way to the Mo's tower (the access point to Pinbòl's floating fortress), he encountered Strapps and Buckle, the halfling and her dog mount. She attempted to talk to Yoth, who rebuffed her at first before remembering that he had met her previously. They walked on in awkward silence.

Mo's

On Yoth's arrival and after some convincing, Mo let him inside. He explained that while Pinbòl wasn't present in the tower, he was still on the premises. Yoth is confused by the explanation, but agrees to wait for Mo to go and get the wizard. Saxi emerged from the cellar (where the portal to Pinbòl's is housed) and ran into both of them. Saxi introduced herself to Yoth and explained that Pinbòl (and Oisin) would be indisposed for a bit. She then departed for her errand to obtain her wages, leaving Yoth and Mo. Mo then began to prepare food.

Some time late, Pinbòl came upstairs and spoke with Yoth. Yoth felt that he owed Pinbòl something since he hadn't been able to track down the wizard's ring. Feeling obligated, Yoth offered to show Pinbòl his face in exchange for access to the wizard's library. Pinbòl waved him off, stating that the party was free to access the library whenever they wished. Yoth thanked Pinbòl and began his journey back to the Beer Forge to meet everyone for lunch.

Transit

Along the way, Yoth encountered Strapps again. She stated that she had someone she wanted him to meet. He agreed, and she led him to a nondescript but wealthy-looking carriage. The windows of the carriage have been bolted shut, so no view of the outside can be seen from within. He agreed, and was taken to a large warehouse. The hallways within led to a room with a chair, a figure stood opposite the chair, draped in shadow. After Yoth entered the room, blinding lights filled his vision.

The shadowed person stated that Yoth had been attempting to make contact with him for some time, and had piqued his interest. Other verbal clues are dropped that lead Yoth to assume he is speaking with none other than King Goodsberry. Yoth gave his message: while he worked with the king's enemies, he did not necessarily have anything personal against the king, and that a mutually beneficial relationship could be established between them.

After some discussion, Yoth was put to task. The shadowed figure demanded the names of two people in the Resistance, other than the Lady Seldanna. The penalty for failure to deliver rested immediately on Yoth's shoulders. Yoth, in turn, volunteered two nonsense names. The figure saw through the ruse and demanded the names again. Yoth could hear the sound of heavy footsteps and the clinking of heavy armor behind him, two trademarks of the Nocturne. The armored figure began to approach, and Yoth is threatened. Under duress and in fear for his life, Yoth gave up Zreet's name.

The lights changed, and Aldion is revealed to have been the shadowy figure. Yoth had never been in danger in the room. He took Yoth's Tome. Yoth would be demoted to the rank of "Consultant", still useful to the resistance, but not trusted with cell movements and intel. Yoth, in turn, agreed to the change of status, further stating that he would work for free. He understood the motives of the resistance but would not die for them. He considered himself an ally, but valued his life over the lives of people he knows little about. Aldion expressed understanding of Yoth's viewpoint, but clarified that the people he needed most are the people willing to risk their lives for the lives of those they had never met. Yoth was let go, and he continued to the Beer Forge.

Beer Forge

Pip tried to sell Ivy his idea for the sausage-filled stroopwaffle tubes, calling them “breakfast tubes”. During the process, he ended up insulting the eggtubes. Since they were her mother's recipe, Ivy did not take kindly to the aspersions cast on her family tradition and walked away without tasting his creation.

The group began to arrive, chatting and eating as they did so. Yoth is the last to arrive, and is greeted by the members of the party with whom he was already familiar. He ordered an "extra chunky" Yoth's Sin, the name for a beer filled with flash fried egg bits. Since it was named after him, he got the first one for free. He then joined the table and informed the group of his new role without going into the circumstances surrounding it.

He asked Seldanna for a favor, wanting to speak later outside of earshot from the rest of the group. He is mildly shocked to learn that the rest of the party are aware of his lineage. It was at that opportune moment that the other Braith with whom the party had interacted, a monk named Erris, arrived for lunch.

Erris conversed with Rosie, discussing other goblin tribes with which she was familiar, including the Knuckle Nibblers and Spine Crunchers.

Yoth used his Silent Speech to tell Erris that he knows of an address where the monk can go should the monk ever be feeling homesick, a retreat that Yoth has used from time to time. The address is in the sewers. Erris responded with Silent Speech, saying that he would likely never feel that homesick. He then bid his goodbyes to the party and departed.

A toast is raised to Yoth to welcome his return to town.