Session 16
This chapter begins with our heroes being thanked by The Mistress of Fatoris for their service, and trhat their services would no longer be required. With five days left before the court date, each of them set out to achieve some personal goals while also assisting their legal team with their case. Oryim decided to try and find their father, Inchel II. Despite informing the others that they could and would rather do this alone, the others followed him to the library much to Oryim's chagrin.
However, the others had their own goals in mind. Kalydin, convinced that The Mistress is some kind of horrible beast conducted his own research, enlisting the aid of Sam Calas. Sam, however, used the opportunity to read up on the undead they had encountered earlier in their journey and the Cult of The Tower. While trying to remember some details from his own ritualised death, he also remembered a fact about the agreement he had made with Death. Satisfied with his research, he left to assist the legal team with their preparations.
Liaden O'Legal used her time to read up on Fatoran history and specifically why The Mistress needed the other nobles in the old Fatoran Oligarchy to cede power to her. This, of course, lead her to the same departments as Oryim whose own research had lead to more questions. As Oryim researched his father, he found that while inheriting a position of considerable political power he went missing. His disappearance also fell merely months prior to the Second Dossil War. As he attempted to find more information from archived news scrolls, he scoured three week's worth of news updates. However, within those three weeks, one day's news scroll was unavailable. The lead archivist explained that he was never able to find a copy and that he was pained by the incompletion of their collection.
With his research at a dead-end, he left to find some of the older Fatoran citizens who may have remembered the events. Coincidentally the senior lawyer on their case, Rohakarth, fit that bill. As Oryim crossed the courtyard to the law library, he overheard the town crier informing people that the last gale of the storm would hit soon and that citizens would need to stay inside in the evenings for their own safety.
As Oryim questioned Rohakarth about the events surrounding his father's disappearance, Rohakarth filled in some of the missing details. Apparently, Inchel II was appointed as the Fatoran member of the newly formed Mitlind Parliament. However, on the day that his caravan was set to leave town, he never showed up, and was nowhere to be found. A snap election was held and a replacement member was elected. Curiously, Rohakarth ended his tale by saying he felt bad for Inchel's brother. When questioned about it, he claimed that the politician's brother had returned to town, he had remembered the news headline from that day. Oryim compared the story with the research he had done over the last few weeks and concluded that this brother was, in fact, his uncle, Grimwalde.
With little left to do now, our heroes rested for a few days before their court summons. On the second night, both Kalydin and Liaden heard the sound of flapping leathery wings faintly over the howling winds of the storm. The following day there was word that a large swathe of the woods outside the walls had been erased, and that the soil underneath was so dead, that nothing would be likely to grow there ever again.
Now in court, the proceedings dragging on and the prosecutions cross-examining every possible piece of evidence and witness that the defence called forth. The prosecution had a surprise witness prepared as well, Wilma. They proceeded to ask her how she felt about the party and about their interactions leading up to the current day. However, before she could respond, Liaden and Oryim heard the overhead window latch open, and a crossbow bolt lodge itself squarely into Wilma's chest.
What followed was a bloody battle, with our heroes showing no quarter. The mistress assisted them by throwing spells that melted some of the assailants. At the conclusion of the battle, with Sam taking one of the cultists alive, the Mistress declared that all charges would be dropped. As Liaden began to berate her for not keeping Wilma safe, she turned and informed Wilma that their "community service" was now over. As Wilma stood up, her appearance changed to that of another person entirely, a ruse put in place by Fatoris's matron. She stated that she would be having a private audience with the party ushering all present out. During this short meeting she offered to compensate them for their trouble and set them up for their journey with provisions. Before taking her leave, she asked Oryim to meet with her the following evening.
When Oryim eventually went to meet with the Mistress, she lead him into her office. Offering him a chair to sit before herself. Before Oryim could say anything, the Mistress claimed that the two of them were after the same thing. They were both looking for Oryim's father, Inchel II. Though, the Mistress was more interested in finding him so she could find another person, Grimwalde. When Oryim asked what she could possibly want with them, she responded that she strongly believed that the two of them conspired to start the Second Dossil War...
However, the others had their own goals in mind. Kalydin, convinced that The Mistress is some kind of horrible beast conducted his own research, enlisting the aid of Sam Calas. Sam, however, used the opportunity to read up on the undead they had encountered earlier in their journey and the Cult of The Tower. While trying to remember some details from his own ritualised death, he also remembered a fact about the agreement he had made with Death. Satisfied with his research, he left to assist the legal team with their preparations.
Liaden O'Legal used her time to read up on Fatoran history and specifically why The Mistress needed the other nobles in the old Fatoran Oligarchy to cede power to her. This, of course, lead her to the same departments as Oryim whose own research had lead to more questions. As Oryim researched his father, he found that while inheriting a position of considerable political power he went missing. His disappearance also fell merely months prior to the Second Dossil War. As he attempted to find more information from archived news scrolls, he scoured three week's worth of news updates. However, within those three weeks, one day's news scroll was unavailable. The lead archivist explained that he was never able to find a copy and that he was pained by the incompletion of their collection.
With his research at a dead-end, he left to find some of the older Fatoran citizens who may have remembered the events. Coincidentally the senior lawyer on their case, Rohakarth, fit that bill. As Oryim crossed the courtyard to the law library, he overheard the town crier informing people that the last gale of the storm would hit soon and that citizens would need to stay inside in the evenings for their own safety.
As Oryim questioned Rohakarth about the events surrounding his father's disappearance, Rohakarth filled in some of the missing details. Apparently, Inchel II was appointed as the Fatoran member of the newly formed Mitlind Parliament. However, on the day that his caravan was set to leave town, he never showed up, and was nowhere to be found. A snap election was held and a replacement member was elected. Curiously, Rohakarth ended his tale by saying he felt bad for Inchel's brother. When questioned about it, he claimed that the politician's brother had returned to town, he had remembered the news headline from that day. Oryim compared the story with the research he had done over the last few weeks and concluded that this brother was, in fact, his uncle, Grimwalde.
With little left to do now, our heroes rested for a few days before their court summons. On the second night, both Kalydin and Liaden heard the sound of flapping leathery wings faintly over the howling winds of the storm. The following day there was word that a large swathe of the woods outside the walls had been erased, and that the soil underneath was so dead, that nothing would be likely to grow there ever again.
Now in court, the proceedings dragging on and the prosecutions cross-examining every possible piece of evidence and witness that the defence called forth. The prosecution had a surprise witness prepared as well, Wilma. They proceeded to ask her how she felt about the party and about their interactions leading up to the current day. However, before she could respond, Liaden and Oryim heard the overhead window latch open, and a crossbow bolt lodge itself squarely into Wilma's chest.
What followed was a bloody battle, with our heroes showing no quarter. The mistress assisted them by throwing spells that melted some of the assailants. At the conclusion of the battle, with Sam taking one of the cultists alive, the Mistress declared that all charges would be dropped. As Liaden began to berate her for not keeping Wilma safe, she turned and informed Wilma that their "community service" was now over. As Wilma stood up, her appearance changed to that of another person entirely, a ruse put in place by Fatoris's matron. She stated that she would be having a private audience with the party ushering all present out. During this short meeting she offered to compensate them for their trouble and set them up for their journey with provisions. Before taking her leave, she asked Oryim to meet with her the following evening.
When Oryim eventually went to meet with the Mistress, she lead him into her office. Offering him a chair to sit before herself. Before Oryim could say anything, the Mistress claimed that the two of them were after the same thing. They were both looking for Oryim's father, Inchel II. Though, the Mistress was more interested in finding him so she could find another person, Grimwalde. When Oryim asked what she could possibly want with them, she responded that she strongly believed that the two of them conspired to start the Second Dossil War...
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