Deal with the Empire
Session 85
We quickly talk about what to do with Maltheo, but we are interrupted by Devon. He wants to know more about Maltheo, and recounts knowing that he had helped save the prince one time. There’s a discussion of who owes who what. We wonder, because they showed up so fast and the deal was so specific, that maybe we were setup to find this artifact and they knew it would be there.
Lotus makes an analogy of it being like going for groceries and coming back with souls. Devon says he might understand more about what’s going on. He’s looking for an artifact that Maltheo might have, saying it’s the Arm of the Bretrayer. (He is discreet about it as it was most likely from a betrayer god). We sort of make him upset and he leaves in a huff.
Cass history checks and realizes it’s arms as in weapons, not body parts, of the betrayers. So these perhaps were the “bad” responses to the vestiges of divergence.
We pull out Maltheo’s body and Cass and Briya and Æsheryn work on looking things over. Cass and Æsheryn work together, seeing the blade is longer than they remember. Maltheo connected deeply with the blade when he killed Raokan at the race. It’s awakened now, bigger than a dagger, but still smaller than a sword. The flat of the blade is etched with geometrical markings of a labrynth. It’s only noticeable up close because it’s black on black. The blade is called the Blade of Broken Mirrors. It’s actually tricky to find; made entirely for subterfuge/lies/spying/deception. (vs. destruction and other overt things many of the other arms are known for). Its most interesting power is to steal semblences of the people it kills. Tharizdun, the Chained Oblivion, a betrayer god; one of the most dangerous. Usually represented as a knot of swirling chains whose Domains are war and trickery. The Primes had their magic; Betrayers had to use other means. The demon trapped inside the blade is Ragazuu, a High level devil from the calamity. His job was collecting souls and using them as power; a champion of the Chained Oblivion. He might have even sacrificed self for the blade.
Trying to communicate with the Wildmother and Lawbearer, Briya through her vestige says that maybe mama wasn’t crazy; maybe she’s a bit religious now. Wildmother says the thing you love about Maltheo is still accessible. The whole of him. Lawbearer warns against dangers of the labrynth itself. There are no rules there. He may be trapped in there.
Lotus casts detect thoughts. He senses friends in the room. But also some sort of… buzzing? a dreamless sleep coming from the blade.
Elsewhere, Devon contacts his patron (contact other planes? auto succeed with the feature). Gets 5 questions with one-word answers. “Sorry to trouble you mistress, but I’m in need of your assistance.” A gem at the top of his cane glows. Desiraat’s presence is there. (1) Is this dead friend of theirs in posession of an arm of of the betrayers?: yes. (2) Will they accept my help if I’m honest?: yes, honestly gross though. (3) Is this Prohpet an enemy to the Empire?: irrelevant/unclear. (4) Is it possible to save their friend?: yes (5) Does Orius intend to do evil with the beacon we retrieved?: to her knowledge, no.
We agree to not tell Devon about Maltheo’s plan regarding the King and Prince, or about Lotus’s family and estate in Xhorhas. And then go down and have breakfast. Devon is there, holding a black and red gold-leafed journal in one hand, drinking tea with the other. A black and purple feather-tipped quill writing in the book as he’s thinking.
We ask him about getting possible help with going after methods for saving Maltheo. There is talk of us all being known somewhat; word of the Librariains has spread. Also, Maltheo is known for having previously saved the price and Carn.
We share info about the dagger with Devon; can’t do it here. Somewhere with practical abjuration spells in place to keep our attempt safe, or at least with minimal risk. The Soltrice Academy in Rexxentrum is the best possible place according to him. It’s worrisome that Lotus might not be ok there, but we decide that it’s probably fine if he stays disgused and/or in a group with a low profile.
Devon’s mentor is the most powerful mage in the world, probably. (Orius would never say that). Orius is somewhat Uludan’s boss, but not really. Remembers the way Orius “doesn’t like” Uludan; yes, he’s his boss and they have cooperated on many projects in the past, but they’re not friends, and maybe not respectful to each other either.
We take some time to go back to Uthodurn via some Briya tree-walking so Cass can fill in her Homunculous on the current plans of things and the group can collect their rewards. It’s a brisk day with a faint snow; much colder than Molaesmyr. Devon goes to find a teleportation circle, and spends time in the city to learn from magic users there in comparison to his time in Rexxentrum. Super high persuasion roll.
Queen Fruunast and Kink Imothan are delighted but doesn’t begin to cover it. Celebrations are planned already. And they’re coordinating the first groups of repatriated elves. Getting ready for deployment of messengers to find those further away to let them know. The Queen is more stoic due to knowing how the political situation of Uthodurn has changed with respect to the Empire and the Dynasty. They’re being pulled west, whether they like it or not.
Everyone is singing the virtues of the group. And we’re offered a large chest in reward, 34,000 gold. (6,800 each!) Æsheryn keeps some aside for Maltheo. Just in case.
