Session 19: Wednesday in the City

General Summary

While Shadow and Omori talked with Ms. O in the kitchen, the remaining members of the Shore’s Light drank flagons of ale in the large common room of The Widow's Walk. As the bard continued his tune from the corner, something about its melody began to seem familiar to the heroes. In a rush it suddenly dawned on them, it was the same strange tune that they had heard months ago in the Inn in Barter's Edge. Their minds flashed back to the Inn and the townsfolk who had become cursed with lycanthropy. It had been a wandering priest and his minstrel companion who had brought the curse to the town, under the guise of “protecting them from the coming end times.” The heroes now watched as a small group of people stood at the front of the stage, swaying to the music.   When the bard finished his set, Faelyn approached him at the bar. Faelyn quickly discovered that this was not the same troubadour that the Shore's Light had heard tale of in Barter's Edge. This bard, whose name was Kevain, had heard the tune over the past few weeks while attending moonlight sermons down by the bay. The sermons were led by a priest of Shakahn named Decroux and accompanied by a pipe playing minstrel whose liturgical tunes and hymnals held the audience rapt. Kevain explained to Faelyn that he couldn't get the tunes out of his head and started playing them regularly while busking for coin and had seen an uptick in generosity, despite the troubled times.   When Shadow returned the group decided that it would be a good idea to investigate the sermons that night but with most of the day ahead of them, they continued to the Brasspot district to inquire about a trip to the prison island.   Tiresius led them across a switchbacked bridge and into the Parade Heights, the entertainment district of Damarask. As they walked through the streets they watched as people made themselves busy decorating for the upcoming Harvest Festival. Whimsical scarecrows were posted on street corners, wreathes were hung on doors, and decorative garlands stretched from rooftop to rooftop. On the lawn of a manor house atop a high hill they spied a strange and curious sight; workers inflating large hot air balloons. As they moved through a bustling square they also noticed a number of brightly painted dance halls, gaming parlors, and theaters. Faelyn’s demeanor changed as they passed an illustrated poster advertising a group named the “Rogues Regent Resplendent” and their master illusionist, Indre Mithune.   Soon they were in the Brasspot, where “The Patchwork City” changed styles once again. The roads moved at odd curves while domed structures and tall thin spires became common. Braziers hung off streetlamps and gravel and colorful rock gardens lined the main streets. Tiresius led them to the Althews Marketplace, where the Sea Warden’s office was located.   The marketplace was a large, open air building dominated by an auction block set in the center. On the second floor they found the office of Sea Warden Bryak Endalus. Shuffling through papers, the warden regarded them with a discriminating eye while a comely half elven maid strummed on a mandolin in the corner. While Shadow explained her desire to book passage to the Wishbone, Aaura used magic to detect thoughts.   Bryak’s thoughts were harried as he sat at the desk, but Aaura could sense him fixed on Shadow of Fire and her “fine coat” before he told them that the next ferryboat to the Wishbone wouldn’t leave until dawn the next day. As Aaura glanced around the room she turned her attention to the bard in the corner. As Aaura and the half elf's eyes met the bard suddenly stopped playing. From within her mind Aaura sensed a great sense of surprise. “Look at her mantle” the bard’s mind read, “it’s another one.”   Puzzled, Aaura turned her power away from the bard lest she get discovered and Shadow worked out passage to the island on tomorrow’s ferry. Bryak bid them a curt farewell and they soon found themselves on the street again.   While they were deciding what to do, Faelyn spoke up. Having seen the poster for the Rogues Regent Resplendent in the Parade Heights he asked the rest of the party to join him as he took in the show. Not wanting to keep a secret, he plainly revealed that he thought that one of the members named on the poster was his father. The surprised heroes assented, and they soon found themselves in a darkened theater.   A circus type show unfolded before them, augmented with illusions that made the audience gasp with fear and delight. As the heroes took in the spectacle, they noticed that they weren’t the only group in attendance. Sitting in a private box not far from them were three members of the Jasper Covenant, all watching the show intensely. Their presence put Faelyn on edge and made his mind whir with questions as the show ended. When the audience filed out of the theater he approached the harried looking stage manager and told her that he wished to visit with Indre Mithune backstage. “Tell him his son, Faelyn Dundrathorn, wishes to speak with him.”   Something in Faelyn’s manner and appearance caused the stage manager to take his request seriously. She asked him to wait while she headed backstage. While she did, Aaura once again tuned into the mental wavelengths of the people around her and focused on the Jasper Covenant. They stood in the square outside, two of them watching the people file out of the theater while another concentrated on some sort of spell. Aaura detected the final incantations of some sort of divination magic before the Covenant member’s thoughts turned to frustration. In her mind Aaura caught flashes of the frustration, “I can’t get a clear read… the signal is too strong, too erratic… I need more data.”   The stage manager soon came back to Faelyn. She explained that Indre couldn’t meet at the moment but hoped that Faelyn could talk to him in two days time at Harker Penumber's Harvest Masquerade. She handed Faelyn a platinum colored envelope with a gilded invitation inside. “This should get you and your friends past the gate.”   When the last of the guests dispersed and the Covenant began to make their way back towards the Armsedge the heroes returned to The Widow’s Walk. They took a short rest and discussed how they would approach the warehouse tonight during Father Decroux’s sermon. Aatavi decided that he would set up a post early, to keep an eye on the warehouse.   Despite the maze of streets, alleys, and canals within the Warren, Aatavi used his innate sense of the ocean to guide him to the docks once again. He soon found the abandoned warehouse and climbed to an adjacent rooftop to get a better vantage on the streets below. Tears came to Aatavi’s eyes as he watched the sunset over the water. Breathing in the sea air he thought of his home in Ysfor. He wondered about his friend Haatiri, ranging in parts unknown. He looked deep into the eyes of a sea bird that perched on the roof near him. As he took in the last light of day a beautiful melody began to play in his ears. Peering over the roof’s edge he saw that the warehouse below had opened up. A priestly figure in robes of Shakahn was welcoming passersby into the building, while the music floated in the air. From his perch on high Aatavi soon saw the rest of the members of the Shore’s Light approaching the warehouse. He could tell that despite the music’s enchanting effects his friends stood steadfast and unclouded by its charms.   Except for Faelyn.   Faelyn strode boldly towards the entrance, a smile on his lips and a song in his heart.