CoS Session 7: The Undying Gala

General Summary

12/1/873

• The party boards Paoli Piedmonte's ship, a fancy privateer vessel where they're served some delicious chicken
• Also, the ghost of Nikolaj Baratov starts to haunt the party after drowning in a kraken attack (don't ask)
• Paoli explains his interest in stopping the Court of the Undying
• The Court's influence has corrupted the noble families of Sardivelia, and change needs to happen to usher the kingdom into the modern era
• There’s going to be a Gala that all members of the Court will be attending
• It's a masquerade ball hosted inside one of the city's oldest temples, and the Court will hold its secret meeting at the end
• But before any preparations can be, Aldo and Catriona need to apologize to Elvira in Trecce
• Upon arrival in the city docks, Roland gets surprise letter from his old fighting partner Azrael
• He goes with Paoli to meet him while Aldo and Catriona head to the docks to look for Elvira
• Aldo and Catriona stop by a jeweler to buy necklaces that look similar to the ones Aldo stole
• They try to haggle, but the jeweler doesn't care about their problems
• Afterwards the meeting with Elvira doesn't go great
• She accepts the gifts, but she’s still not a fan of the party
• Elvira tells them to leave her alone and she’ll do the same
• Catriona leaves a note for Ronaldo calling off their relationship
• Aldo and Catriona get some drinks at tavern called the Pistol Shrimp
• On the way to Paoli’s estate an Assassin attacks them!
• He’s dressed all in red, and he nearly kills a very drunk Aldo
• Both party memberstake a pretty good beating, but they survive
• Assassin’s finishing move is a firebomb that does a good bit of damage and lets him escape
• Meanwhile, Roland's adventure: Paoli takes him to the seedier part of town where lots of Red Hand activity has been reported
• There’s a fighting ring in the center of one of the taverns, and Azrael’s in a booth in the back watching the fights
• Azrael explains what he’s been doing since him and Roland parted ways
• He was caught by the Court for a time, and he barely escaped with his life
• Dire circumstances have left him in Red Hand’s debt
• Azrael did convince the Hand to stop any hit jobs on Roland, he tells Roland about a secret passageway to Court meeting at the Gala
• Roland, reluctantly, trusts his old partner and thanks him for the help
• Roland spends the night drinking with Paoli and refusing his host's advances
• Time to prepare for the Gala!
• Aldo and Catriona make it to Paoli’s estate looking like hell
• Roland deduces the assassin who jumped them was a Red Hand agent, he goes out to confront Azrael
• He doesn't find Azrael, but he does get some info from the guys at the tavern
• Azrael could protect Roland, but the Court's contracts with the Red Hand are still out on the other two
• Roland will have a lot to ask Azrael about at the party
• The party gets its costumes of the Gala
• The theme is ‘Our Inner Beasts’
• Roland’s mask is a wolf, Catriona’s a raven, Aldo’s a very convincing fox
• Shopping and Improvements
• Catriona works on some sketches, writes letter to her parents in Hakon
• Aldo buys a penmanship book to work on his garbage handwriting
• Moving around Trecce the party gets some info about Gen. Boua Ussaki leading coup in Avicenna
• Welcome to the Masquerade Gala!!
• All the Sardivelian families and Court members are there
• Court of the Undying is known as a historical preservation society to most of the noble families, raising money with its shady connections to protect ancient landmarks and buildings all around Sardivelia
• Paoli’s mask is an eagle, Azrael’s a red hawk
• It's a chill party
• Roland has a very terse chat with Valdemar who's wearing an octopus mask
• Nikolaj’s ghost convinces Aldo to stuff his face with shrimp, thus igniting a shrimp addiction that would define Aldo until his dying day
• Paoli points out some of the other court members (Argus, Fairouz, etc.)
• Eventually the party confronts Azrael near the dessert table
• It looks like Azrael really wants to help the party, but his hands are tied
• He’ll do everything he can to assist the group (i.e. access to the Court meeting)
• After Valdemar gives a speech to the Sardivelian nobles they sneak through a tunnel into crypts
• Valdemar’s speech thanks Sardivelian families for all their help
• He says their help will lead the nation into a new era for the ‘privileged’
• When two Grappas brothers start fighting it gives the party enough cover to sneak away
• The Court Meeting
• Fairouz asks Valdemar what they’ll do now that Darwish the Undying is dead
• Valdemar says there are plenty of privileged they can use in the upcoming ceremony, like Alma
• Their plan to summon Ildred has found three potential summoning spots
• Valdemar is pleased with Gen. Boua’s coup in Avicenna
• The continent in chaos is just the kind of cover they need to summon Ildred
• Marcelo asks about the party and their interference with the Court
• Valdemar says they’re right here for Marcelo to fight
• And with that, Azrael betrays the team and pushes them into crypt surrounded by Court members
• Boss Fight: Marcelo and Azrael
• Roland’s poisoned battleaxe immobilizes Marcelo multiple times
• Aldo and Catriona take some pretty bad hits
• Azrael breaks out of the Court's enchantment and starts helping the party!
• After lots of tense moments, Roland delivers killing blow
• Azrael is about to be possessed by Marcelo one last time, but Roland saves him
• Aldo finds some gold in Marcelo’s ashes
• Roland finds minutes of Court meeting, will use them later to prove the Court's influence in Liat
• The party’s winding down
• The party returns home, where Paoli and Azrael will spend the night discussing plans
• Aldo stuffs his face with shrimp one last time

Report Date

29 Sep 2018

Primary Location

Trecce