Session 18

Having made their agreement with the young Robert Trillio, this chapter begins with our heroes having the better part of a day to kill. Given that there was no immediate danger, the party did what they do best; split up.

Kalydin and Sam Calas had questions that they desperately wanted answered. Given that both of their lines of inquiry were linked to faith the two of them made their way to the local chapter of the Mitlind Priory. A short walk from the main town stood a large, ornate stone chapel with an open courtyard where initiates could be seen discussing and sharing meals in the cold midday air. As the two walked closer, they spied a plaque stating that this was the first chapter ever established. With renewed vigor they sought out the prior who ran the place.

The two were directed to a small chamber to one Father Elthwain. Within the chamber was a congregation to hear him give a sermon on the nature of change, and how it should not be looked upon with suspicion, but with acceptance. As Sam and Kalydin walked it, Father Elthwain did not flinch and continued his sermon. As the sermon drew to a close and the congregates began to file out to the courtyard for refreshments, Elthwain approached Sam and Kalydin, claiming that it wasn't everyday that an angel was audience to one of his sermons.

Sam and Kalydin cut right to the chase, asking if they could discuss matters of faith and the nature of their problems. Elthwain agreed to speak with them, offering to discuss in private to preserve their privacy. He made a quick trip through the congregation meeting and speaking with some members individually before rturning to our two heroes and ushering them upstairs to his study.

As they sat down to discuss matters, Elthwain made sure to present tea and a small platter of baked goods before letting them begin. It was Sam who spoke first out of the two. Sam claimed he was a Death's chosen a fact that Elthwain agreed with, stating that Sam had "the smell." He went on to say that to the untrained, the smell in inperceptable, but to the undead the smell drove their subconcious minds to jealousy as they would attempt to take the force of life from them, though that was not how it worked.

Sam asked about the nature of his agreement, and that all he knew was to retrieve something. As a local from Morris Cove, a place known for it's atheism, he claimed that he was unsure how to even communicate with Death. Elthwain shed some light on things, saying that Death only returned his servants to life if they had a condition met. Sam, confused, asked for clarification and was told that Sam had asked something of Death first, which prompted the agreement to become a Death's chosen.

Elthwain continued on to say how Death could be appropriately worshipped. And that many misunderstand the nature of Death seeing it as something to be feared or resented. In order to strengthen the connection between them, Sam was instructed to spend time in graveyards cleaning the headstones and offering prayers for those who had passed.

With Sam's questions answered, it came time for Kalydin to seek answers. Kalydin asked first about his companion, Seraph. Being an angel with no allegiance to a deity, he asked what it could mean. Elthwain pondered how best to respond, before discussing the nature of belief and faith. He said that one doesn't need a deity to have faith. That one need only believe in something, an idea, and that even atheists can derive faith from their beliefs.

Following on from this, Kalydin asked about his memory and that there was something locked behind a door in his own mind. He asked how he could unlock such a repressed memory and how it came to be locked in the first place. Elthwain started by saying that, when it came to matters of the mind, he was no expert. However, he did say that the chains were not typical of those who undergo the ritual to unlock memories. And that these chains were a sign of tampering from another being, though its origin was unknown.

On the subject of removing the chains and restoring the memory, Elthwain suggested a chapel to the south. This chapel hidden in the wilderness away from civilization was a church of The Hermit known for taking memories, but perhaps their magic could help restore them as well. With their questions answered, Sam and Kalydin bid the old prior farewell and returned to their allies to rest.

The following day begun with our heroes making their way to the university, where they met with the Academic Integrity Officer, Kraath. When they confronted him about the cheating scandal involving the headmaster's son, he claimed to already know about it. He told the party that he had attempted to get Matthew, the headmaster's son, written up for academic misconduct multiple times but had the cases thrown out for "lack of concrete evidence." After grilling him for several minutes about what he should be doing, our heroes decided that Kraath would be of no help to them and ended their meeting.

Before they went in to see the headmaster, the party hatched a plan. Liaden O'Legal and Sam would pose as Kalydin's parents, with Oryim being his uncle (the best they could do on short notice). This was so that they could ask about the academic rigour at the school and also about the history of the university's management which, curiously enough, seemed to be in the same family since the school's foundation. Walking int the headmaster's office, our heroes cam face to face with a portly man with slick dark hair by the name of Gary Oswald.

As the interview began Liaden started by stating that they were interested in the school's history, and why each of the previous headmasters were Oswalds. the headmaster informed her that the university only accepted alumni as staff, and only those who were at the head of their classes or specific fields. It just so happened that the Oswald family was full of highly accomplished wizards specialising in the study of Arcane and Occult arts. The claimed that the university was tailored for wizardic studies, but still offered courses for the more naturally inclined casters like sorcerers, though these were more akin to trade skill courses that rigourous study and learning.

When Liaden asked if they had any courses on divine study, the headmaster regrettably informed her that there was no such course available, though they were looking to expand into the other traditions of magic in the future, seeking to establish a dormatory in Silvantaar for primal studies as soon as time and their budget permitted. Dissatisfied with their line of questioning, our heroes left dejected. But, as they left, they spied a familiar face. Matthew Oswald sat at the bench outside waiting to speak with his father mand was quickly called into the office upon our heroes' departure.

Seeing the opportunity in this, Oryim decided to listen into the conversation in hopes of getting some deeper insights into their predicament. As he listened at the door, he heard the conversation start jovially with the headmaster congratulating Matthew on his exceptional grades. being at the forst of all his classes, Matthew was sure to be the next headmaster. This was something Matthew seemed a little trepidatious about, as he suggested to his father that he may be better suited to a different career.

The headmaster did not like the idea of his son being of such low status and in a position not worthy of respect and recognition, and begun to chastise him for making such a suggestion. Dejected, Matthew left his father's office and made his way to the court yard to study with his group of friends. On his way there, however, Oryim moved intercept and "accidentally" bumped into him, taking his spell component pouch in the process.

Upon closer inspection of the pouch, the materials inside were found to be fake. A combination of whittled wood and resin castings of what should be in there. Additionally, when inspecting the students studying in the courtyard, his spellbook was the only one that was closed. Given what they knew about magic, our heroes deduced that we wasn't a wizard at all, but more likely a sorcerer who's magic was innate rather than learned.

Upon returning to Robert with their update on the situation, he agreed to sign for their package. Having completed their job, the party began to discuss what they should do next their business in Ellbridge now being concluded. As Robert opened the envelope, Oryim and Liaden's curiosity got the better of them as they peered over Rob's shoulder to see what they had delivered. What was now in Rob's hands was a report comparing the genes of two individuals: Robert Trillio and Gary Oswald. The report concluded stating that they were a match, and that the data suggested that their relationship was familial.

Shortly after reading the report, Robert broke down, silencing the room before sobbing uncontrollably. While the others left, feeling awkward about watching a man cry, Liaden remained in the room to comfort him. It wasn't long before Matthew arrived, surveying the scene. With the room being silent, he was unable to communicate with the others verbally and had no idea what was happening.

As Rob's sobbing came under control, he released the silence spell. Immediately prompting Liaden to ask Matthew what in the gods' names was going on. Matthew, seeing how confused his situation had gotten revealed the truth. He and Robert had been friends since they were children. In fact, their father's had been friends and colleagues. One day, Rob's father walked out on them after having a fight with both Gary Oswald and Rob's mother. The two of them never knew why he had walked out on them, but had their suspicions. As they grew up, they started geting what little evidence they could to prove what they suspected; that Gary Oswald, was Robert's biological father.

Things got more complicated when they both got into university however, as Mathew was not the great wizard his father had hoped for. Matthew's power was drawn from within, he was a sorcerer. Since starting his course, he had strugled with the course work, a problem exacerbated by his father enrolling him in the advanced, fast-tracked course. To help out his childhood friend, Robert offered to do his papers for him, but things got out of hand when a group of serial cheaters caught wind of what was happening.

They'd become friends with Matthew because he was the headmaster's son, and they had assumed that role came with perks. Much to Matthew's chagrine, it didn't. However, the cheats found out that Matthew was having Rob write his assignments and that Matthew was getting top marks in all of his classes. Naturally, they unloaded their course work onto the poor student as well. Matthew knew that what he had done was wrong. And apologised to Rob for letting things get so out of hand. He apologised to everyone there for being a coward.

After venting their emotions and feling exhausted from the revelation, the two young men, now realising they were brothers, took their leave. They claimed that they had an exam tomorrow. A practical where they were to summon a simple elemental. Agreeing to support the two, the party made plans to stay one more night, and to get up early enough to spectate the exam themselves.

before resting however, Oryim had some personal business to take care of. Seeing as he was planning to infiltrate House Canter's base of operations in High Gate, he thought it prudent to see what kind of security6 measures they took at their other bases. So Oryim set himself up at a cafe across the street from the Canter building in Ellbridge. He observed the coming and going of various individuals some carrying notes others packages and some seemingly nothing. One individual caughtr his attention though: A blonde, elven gentleman strolled casually out of the building with a retinue of cloaked people following him. He stared at his wristwatch for a moment before muttering something. As he finished speaking the cloaks dispersed and he began to walk slowly down the road. Seeing an opportunity, Oryim began to tail the man, keeping himself amongst crowded circles to try and avoid detection.

The man eventually came to a stop at a nearby courtyard, sat down at a bench and pulled out a small book to begin reading. Around this same time, Oryim noticed that he too was being tailed. By the very same cloaks who had dispersed moments earlier. It was then that Oryim did something most unexpected. He seized the initiative and sat right next to the man. The two exchanged pleasantries before Introducing themselves. The man revealed himself to be Edward Canter, the head of House Canter. Oryim, keenly interested in his new acquaintance, mentioned that they had done business with the Canters before, naming their time in Wrain's Hall as their chief example. Seeing the conversation going well, Oryim did another unexpected thing. He asked directly, why the Canters had The Mistress of Fatoris's egg. The mood shifted, with Edward Canter simply saying "This conversation is over." The two wished eachother a pleasant evening and went their separate ways.

The morning of the exam, the skies were clear and the air was crisp. Few people had woken from their slumber and a gentle breeze blew through town. All was seemingly calm. This calm was, of course, broken by what was quite possibly the loudest crack of thunder the party had ever heard as the once clear sky was now beset by roiling storm clouds, as the wind whirlled up into animate form and lightning took on humanoid visage. It was clear to our heroes that something at the exam hall had gone terribly wrong...