Session 55: Two Ships Passing in the Night

General Summary

The Right Ship

2nd of Spirende 22nd year of the Second Era
Zuko and Thradreg Duskchin proceeded to the docks of Laurum Sor and took a position on top of one of the first buildings just as Serenity was leaving to assume its waiting position.
Duskchin studied the area through a spyglass and pointed out that their choice between the two ships had been fortunate, because the other ship was currently being guarded by at least 5 members of the Tercio Legion. However, their presence nearby did meant hey would have to be careful as they steal the Ortenziah. Zuko guided Duskchin on a route that kept them as far as possible from the guarded ship, and used his invisibility ring to sneak up on the one visible sailor on the Ortenziah. One of the Tercio soldiers happened to be looking in that direction when Zuko stabbed the sailor in the heart, and sent two other soldiers to investigate. Disregarding stealth in favor of time, Zuko called up Duskchin and began detaching the mooring lines, which drew the attention of a sailor below deck.
Duskchin fired on the sailor as he reached the deck but only managed to injur him, and the sailor called for help which caused the investigating soldiers to throw grappling hooks up to the deck. Zuko detached the last mooring line and told duskchin to get underway before using misty step to get closer to the grappling hooks. With the ship in motion, the soldiers were slowed down, and Zuko used this opportunity to cut the ropes. The soldiers expertly dived into the water below while their compatriots on land began firing lit crossbow bolts at the Ortenziah. The hull of the ship was set on fire, but once it was out of range and hte last sailor was dealt with, Zuko used the Decanter of Endless Water to fight the fire.

Revenge!

Meanwhile, Malcolm had reassumed his original identity and allowed Meara to create the appearance of being restrained. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched and followed by Echo, who was trying to figure out why they had seperated fromt the rest of the group, and was focused on Meara's weapon.
Malcolm and Meara approached the front gates of Hacienda de Dávalos. Before they even arrived, one of the guards rushed off to inform Román Dávalos. The remaining guard checked Malcolm for weapons, just missing the fact that his restraints were improperly tied, then guided them in. Wulffric sat outside and had the relieving guards' full attention, so Echo scaled the wall and continued to follow. When they arrived in the central chamber, Roman was already present. He was glad that tonigh of all nights was when Percival was brought to him as they were dealing with would be thieves elsewhere on the property. The money for the bounty was brought in about the same time Malcolm's Father Amis Boone was brought in.
Roman teased Amis that his son had been captured in spite of his claims that it would never happen. Amis was nonplussed and stepped away from his guard on Malcolm's signal. Malcolm then grabbed his guns from Meara and shot Roman, before engaging with the guards. During the fight, Echo rushed in to the room and joined the fight. Seeing this stranger who came to help was being singled out by one of the guards, Meara called Wulffric in to help. By this time Zuko was in view and saw Wulffric running in. He called Malcolm and warned him that the two guards outside were headed in just as the last of the guards inside were killed by Echo.
Malcolm tossed the Wizard's Door to Meara so she could store the bounty before they left. He taunted Roman about his failure to turn him in as Roman continued to bleed out. Then he called his father over and told Echo that she should come with them immidiately if she wanted to eascape.
The climbed to the second floor and onto the roof of the veranda as the stolen airship aproached. Malcolm noticed the fire damage and asked about it but Zuko said he would explain later. They flew to the rendevous point and began setting the ship on fire again and setting it on a crash course as Serenity swooped in and set the gangplanck on the deck to retrieve them.
Once on board Serenity, Malcolm and his father had a brief conversation about the stolen ship and Serenity itself, as well as the tactics used in the rescue. Malcolm was quick to explain that he was running a mostly legitimate and wildly succesful business, and that his criminal activity these days was at aminimum. Amis brushed it off, explaining that he's just glad they are both alive, and he's proud of whatever Malcolm has accomplished in the mean time.
The entire crew headed to the galley to cook drink and eat. Malcolm, Meara and Zuko addressed Echo, wanting to know how and why she had come to their aid. Zuko, finaly having a chance to look at her quickly mentioned that she was a Sylvan, a fae race that he had never seen or heard of being outside the Fae Realm. Echo explained that some time ago, a strange dark form appeared near her village. Through her description it appeared what she seen was a city. The people of her village tried their best to ignore it, but one night a small army descended from the city onto her village. The creatures had a hybrid demonic and undead energy to them. The village was destroyed and she was the only survivor. Later, she sensed the awakening of a source of power that she instinctively knew was strong enough to fight the incursion that destroyed her home, and she tried to follow it. The source of power seemed to come closer and then passed. More recently as she tried to catch up, a second sorce of equal power was added. She crossed into the mortal realm and tracked these sources of power to the weapons Zuko and Meara were carrying. 
Malcolm explained what the weapons were, and tried to explain in brief where the weapons came from, their heritage as champions of the Fyra, and their mission to banish of destroy Orcus. Zuko asked her if she could try to place the strange city in the fae realm to its mortal realm equivelant. The location she identified was approximately where Hame was in their own world, the very same city that was being taken over by Orcus' realm Thanatos. Zuko theorized that as Thanatos was taking over the mortal realm, it was also present in every paralell realm as well. 
Malcolm told Echo that their goals being as aligned as they are, that she shoud join The Regulators for the time being,and she accepted. Amis took this opportunity to ask what would be done with him while the rest of them were off saving the world. Malcolm explained that his fiancee, and unborn grandchild were currently living in Anexa with the Lord Mayor and he would like Amis to stay there for the time being untill the crises was over and htey could all retire to Alaric's ranch. Amis was overwhelmed but extatic about meeting his future dauther-in-law. Duskchin set a new  course and Serenity returned to Earranian territory. 
to be continued...

Report Date

05 Sep 2021