Session 8: Fort Anexa

General Summary

The crew of the Vestige watched the abandoned fort from the tree line for a moment just before cloud cover blocked out the full moon light, spotting two sentries on the nearest intact towers. The party crossed the open space between them and the fort without being seen, and split up to check the exterior walls for any sign of the secret entrance; Malcolm taking the west side, while Meara and Zuko took the east. Malcolm made his way to the rear building of the fort that hangs over the seaside cliff, and climbed onto the roof, where he drew the attention of a sentry standing on the other side.
The sentry called him by his assumed name and assured him he was on his side, then quietly killed the nearest sentry to him. Malcolm pulled both pistols and killed the remaining two sentries before aiming one at the one who seemed to know him. The man introduced himself as Alaric . He explained that he joined this assassins guild with the intention of killing its leader, but between being outnumbered and the leader being the wrong gender for the person he was looking for, he hadn't made his move. A disembodied voice told him to expect three intruders that night who would help him achieve his goal.
Choosing to have some trust in the stranger, Malcolm introduced him to Zuko and Meara, whom Alaric also knew by name, and they searched the fort courtyard for the secret entrance. Malcolm stepped on the "E" of the stone compass rose there and the center descended into a spiral staircase. Alaric suggested allowing him to enter each room first, as no one there would be surprised by his presence, and the party cleared out the sleeping quarters, the mess hall, the counting room, and the bathhouse of most of the guild, finding treasure and potions along the way.
When they reached the trap door to the upper cannon room, where the guild's leader slept, Alaric offered to approach from the main door outside with Meara playing a prisoner. Knocking on the door several times, there was no response. So they entered and found the room dark and empty. Alaric returned Meara to the courtyard and called out, but again received no response. Malcolm, Zuko and Alaric investigated the leaders room.
It was apparent that the candles in the room were very recently snuffed out. Malcolm discovered letters requesting the murder of various people, some he recognized as being sent by the Lord Mayor of Anexa himself, Lord Mayor Abram Auer which he collected. Alaric began looking through what appeared to be the leader's journal.
The journal belonged to a woman named Lilith Smios. According to the first entry, dated about 6 years prior, She was raised and trained by the man who killed her real parents, Ørjan Brevig. When she discovered the truth, she attempted to kill him, but his training was still superior. After failing to kill him he fled, and she was later found by the Cult of Mantus , on the brink of death. They nursed her back to health and brought her to the city of Hame , Valmeno. There she met her new master, and received powers that would allow her to exact her revenge. Eventually she found him near Ahran and killed him. From then on she continued her work as an assassin, as it was her master's wish for her to spread as much death as possible. She was ordered by her master several months ago to set up operations in Anexa, and was warned that one day a group of four would come and try to kill her, but she was to do her best to fight them off and only flee if absolutely necessary. She mentions Alaric by name in an entry dated several weeks ago. She knew he was there to kill her but he didn't recognize her through her disguise. She ponders why her master didn't warn her that one of the four would be him.
Alaric recognized the mention of Ahran and Orjan. He was trained by Orjan there and always new there was some connection between him and the woman that murdered his wife, but was unable to learn the story before he was killed by her. He didn't have the chance to share this information with the group before Zuko got his attention and chastised him for invading people's privacy, and stabbed him with a short sword. The real Zuko, who was currently invisible and on the other side of the room, recognized his own voice coming from behind him but was unable to say anything in time. The fake Zuko changed form into a female in dark clothing, a hooded cloak and an expressionless white mask. The woman bolted away into a shadow and teleported outside onto one of the towers. The party rushed into the courtyard and discovered that the assassin was also a warlock with a demonic patron. During the ensuing battle, her mask was knocked off and Alaric was certain this was the woman he was after. Barely alive, Lilith knocked Alaric back with an Eldritch Blast and sprinted into the shadows of her room, but did not appear again. Meara ignited the candles in the room and the party searched the fort but found no sign of her. The disembodied voice returned to Alaric, and told him that he should stick with the group, and would get another chance at his revenge someday.
Alaric informed the rest of the party that Lilith was long gone, and that the Cerulean Guard was on its way to investigate the commotion at the fort. He picked the lock on the sewer gate and the party escaped through the tunnel back to the city.
Back at Between Two Streams the party pressed Alaric for more information and he told his story: He came from generations of cattle farmers in southern Palhas Province. When he took over the farm he met a woman that he was almost unnaturally magnetized to. Between her beauty and some of the things she owned he was sure she must have noble blood, but she always refused to discuss her heritage. One of the items that made him wonder about her past was a large amber colored crystal she wore around her neck, and was especially against discussing. They married and shared many years together, until one day he returned home to see the woman he now knew to be Lilith, running across his fields. He discovered his wife on the verge of death, her last wish was that he took the amber crystal to a younger sister she had never mentioned before. He did as his wife asked, and when he pressed his sister-in-law for information about the crystal, her reply was, "pray you never have to know." In his grief he wandered aimlessly, eventually finding himself in Ahran where he heard rumor of a hermit nearby that was an outcast from the Shadow Monks. He found Orjan, and begged him to train him so he could get his revenge. Orjan refused until Alaric described the woman he wanted to kill. After a year of training, Alaric witnessed his new mentor being killed by the same woman, this time it seemed personal. Ever since, he had been searching for her. He explained how the disembodied had guided him in his search and eventually lead him to Anexa. Earlier that same day, the voice told him their names and that they would help him in his quest.
Alaric believed that this voice may be his deceased wife, but as the crew of the Vestige filled him in on their journey thus far, Malcolm remarked that the gods seem to be playing them like pawns, and Meara pointed out that this voice may be one of the gods, and his destiny is somehow tied to theirs. Meara read through the journal herself and the crew found the mention of Hame curious, remembering that around the same time the entry was written, air traffic to the city was banned, and roads leading there were now guarded by the Earrenian Imperial Vanguard. Malcolm pointed out that Lilith may return there and they may someday be able to follow her, but asked Alaric to remain with them and be patient while they dealt wit their business in Palhas city. Alaric agreed, demanding only one thing; that when the time comes, they leave her to him. With that the party went to their own rooms, and turned in for the night.
@session

Report Date

18 Jul 2019