Session 112: Trusting the Trust

General Summary

The Crew traveled on the Phoenix-99 C50 up and out of Breland and into a new era. Each reached a milestone and leveled up. Many things were discussed and learned aboard the airship before they reached their destination: Zolanberg, Zilargo. The Crew needed the use of one of their Khyber dragonshard mines in order to enter Khyber, allowing for faster travel to Pra'xilek, Vrigan. They made an eventual alliance with the Trust, Zilargo's secret police, successfully entering Khyber, and soon encountering a group of aberrations.

Aboard the Phoenix

Lyrandar d’Lyrandar filled them in on some information regarding the airship: it is a Phoenix-99 C50, designed for speed, distance, and solo pilotability; the nine of them (unfortunately, including Squid) are somewhat cramped. It is a model created in association with and for top secret agencies (such as the King’s Citadel). It is armed with two arcane cannons on either side. It’s “fuel”, in the form of Eberron dragonshards, are currently well-stocked, but will deplete over time.

They spoke with Theobald via the mirror. He filled them in on his results, trying to locate an entrance to Khyber that would lead to Vrigan: the Zolanberg Substrata Extraction Registry 9 in Zolanberg, Zilargo. He tells them they could accomplish two things at once: the gnomes of Zilargo are masters of diplomacy and intrigue, and have thus far resisted many Brelish advances; what the Crew now knows to be the Lords of Dust puppeteering the country. The gnomes could therefore be powerful allies.

The Crew also gives Theobald as much information as possible to help their allies remaining in Sharn.

• He brought the mirror to the Necropolis so that N'nchyk could speak to the Flametide Circle. N'nchyk gave a minor speech, which prompted the unusual response of applause.
• The Anvilbenders are only even more in support of Bagan after his recent denunciation by the great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jellies that are the Brelish government.
• Viribus told Theobald to inform the Dragon's Elite that Breland is corrupt, and that he they can trust Theobald to help.
• N'nchyk took the opportunity to bring up the Harbingers once again, and Theobald actually had an update. He had been investigating the organization ever since he discovered a paper trail that led him to conclude their responsibility in infiltrating and shutting down the Clifftop Adventurer's Guild. He did have an update regarding the Harbingers - their religious power comes from some innate force, very similar to that of the Silver Flame, which Theobald suspects is, in reality, the Shadow in the Flame.

Throughout the week, the Crew reached a stark increase in their capabilities.

• Ashpin spent more time reflecting upon the Way of the Wandering Dream, in which the spirit of the kalashtar master Hieromonk Wrytoul resided. He finally mastered the laboriously difficult and ancient art of Tashani-lah, sacred hand signs of the kalashtar, meant to teach patience.
• Bagan spent time outlining plans to forge metallic upgrades for each of the Crew.
• Dooturr sharpshot many birds.
• Frisian reflected on his conversation with Seamaster Edward Morgan III. The two had hit it off, but a warning made by Seamaster Morgan both resonated with and terrified Frisian. It sharpened him up, and he channeled his natural high perception into a more deliberate investigative tool, going from scanning around, to looking at.
• N'nchyk using what he learned about meditation from Sequence 7 to ruminate on mistakes he has made out of impulse, and what he could have done differently if he instead calmly thought through the situation and context. He also spent time talking to Squid to (effectively) train up his patience, communication, and insight. When the process completed, Squid commented, "I will hear your voice even when the silence extinguishes all."
• Viribus continued training with his offhand, eventually becoming extremely proficient in weaving attacks between his two hands, making it unclear where the next attack was coming from.
• Philip engaged in group prayer with Frisian and Ashpin, and began regularly taking a prescribed medication that staved off his fatigue and kept him much more alert.

The Crew also interacted with the First Stone of the Citadel, which they now know has the ability to communicate with Captain Vron Lemtex. It is capable of 50 words at a time, 3 times per day; it has been enchanted to only work if one of the Crypt Crew is holding it, and delivers the message telepathically. When a message is available to be received, it emits a high-pitched ringing noise that is particularly annoying to Frisian.

• She tells them the rather grim situation facing the Crew in Breland. The Royal Declaration they found in the Ledger Registry has been released to the public, along with the footage of Machine Head. Much of their conversation has been cut, leaving only the most damaging parts for the Crew.
• The story being told is that it is the same Aurum member that spoke in the paper, and that the Crew killed him to silence him, as well as to recover the artifact over which they had the original dispute; which is visible in the footage.
• Despite this, she intends to form an alliance with them — something about the public turn against the Crypt Crew seems manufactured, and she does not trust it.
• However, in hindsight, the rise of the Crypt Crew also seems manufactured. When asked to explain it, they tell her the truth - that it was a ploy by Brucos, intended to build them up so that they could serve as bait in declaring war against Droaam when their "capture" was announced.
• They tell her more details, including their stay in the White Room and the doomsday cult that Brucos is a part of.
• They also tell the truth about Machine Head - that the recording is true, but that he blackmailed them, and that Machine Head not really dead; he steals bodies in association with Baron Merix d’Cannith.
• Additionally, N'nchyk was happy to inform her that at least some sect of the Harbingers of Aegis is co-opted into the doomsday conspiracy. They have discovered evidence in prayerbooks, and documents in the Demon Wastes. The religious sect has also enjoyed bolstered PR, partly supported by their appearance at the gala.
• Lastly, they tell her what they learned of the corrupted individuals: King Cornelius, General Alaric, and Archmage Caldris Vaul.

To the Crew's immense relief, Captain Vron takes this all in stride, even welcoming the explanation. It seemed to confirm at least some of her suspicions. For perhaps the first time, the insane web of conspiracy and deceit has been unburdened upon someone that not only believes them, but encourages them.

Captain Vron said she already suspected some sort of interplay between the Crew and Brucos, as she has an open file on him. She gives them some more information on him: he has fingers in many pies, especially concerning the Brelish government. He is known as a real estate mogul and private insurer, as well as having involvement in private equity. What’s unusual is the sheer amount of liquidity he possesses — he makes and spends an exorbitant amount of money, but it’s unclear where the money goes. One thing they do know that he has been spending money on: excavation sites for warforged colossi parts.

While it is obviously clear now, Vron tells them she had suspected intentional, international destabilization, and that it was deliberate, elaborate, and effective. She said this with a bizarre kind of begrudging respect.

The Trust in Zilargo

The Crew docked at a Lyrandar docking post in Zolanberg. They were efficiently boarded by a customs officer, who followed standard operating procedures, but quickly found out this was anything but a standard operation.

The customs officer returned with a much larger (numbers-wise) group of gnomes, who escorted the Crew to what was ostensibly a customs office.

The Crew was split into two groups, questioned separately, to ensure that their initial stories lined up - which they did.

As for who trusted who the least from the other group: Ashpin: Dooturr, Bagan: Frisian, N’nchyk: Dooturr, Dooturr: Bagan, Frisian: N’nchyk, Viribus: Ashpin.

In their first conversation with Selgun d'Sivis of the Trust, the Crew did not get very far. The most they revealed is that Cornelius is evil and that Droaam was innocent. Once Theobald's friend Ebril Sippos was mentioned and brought in, the Crew was much fonder of him than Selgun. They requested release into his custody, since it was his mine they needed. Ebril, hearing they were true allies of Theobald, supported this idea.

However, once they went back to Ebril Sippos' office, they quickly realized he could not quite help with the second task of fighting Breland's political corruption. Such was not Ebril's purview, but certainly was of the Trust, Zilargo's secret police.

So, they rested and went back to Selgun d'Sivis.

The second day of negotiations was long and grueling, but eventually fruitful. After some deliberation, the Crew surrendered some of the incriminating documents they found in the Demon Wastes to the Trust, which greatly ingratiated them with the gnomes.

When asked what they would do for the truth, each answered the following - Viribus: apparently become expatriates. Ashpin: lay down his life. Dooturr: whatever it takes. Frisian: probably kill for the truth. N’nchyk: silence. Bagan: depends on the truth. Sick, character-faithful answers, everyone.

The Crew told the Trust the following:

• The Rage of War and that the Brelish corruption is in service of it. They give specific corrupted individuals, advising a limit over their power.
• Ashpin (not by name) mentions the Dreaming Dark, and the kalashtar. He defines kalashtar for her.
• N’nchyk also mentions the Harbingers/daelkyr, since they are mentioned in the journal they are leaving with the Trust.
• The Trust says they are well aware of Brucos, though his ability to parlay, scheme, and politic is more than a match for even them.

As a result, the Trust (un)officially aligned themselves with the Crew, (not) declaring them as allies for the valuable information provided. They ask the Crew what their ideal outcome would look like, and they say the war on Droaam ended, the war with Karrnath prevented, the Brelish administration replaced, and the Rage of War contained, noting that killing encourages it.

And so, an alliance forged and passage secured, the Crew continued on their journey through Khyber to Vrigan.

Before the Crew entered Zolanberg Substrata Extraction Registry 9, they had a rather difficult conversation with Lyrandar d'Lyrandar. They did not know how long they would be, nor how long he should wait. He said he was told by AKM to serve them, so he would wait in Zolanberg for as long as he possibly could. Philip gave him 250 gold pieces from his own fund to help him on his way.

The Crew then passed through the Extraction Registry, and entered Khyber proper.

Around a day passed before they encountered a group of rather unfriendly aberrations. The Crew prepared to test their new power on this sorry set of saps.

Report Date

15 Jun 2026