Session 19 - Crisis of the Nobility
General Summary
In Brillig, Edmon and Manfred find the exhausted, nude Sigisar in a friar cell. Manfred attempts to rouse him, first with a shake, and then with a slap on the face, but is unsuccessful. Surprisingly, he sees Sigisar heal fairly quickly from this injury. Fearing he might be in a magical coma like what happened with Sigisar's father, Manfred decides to have Edmon summon Gismondo to see if anyone else in the citadel can offer assistance. After a chat with Gismondo, it seems as though Manfred is the most qualified healer in the Citadel. Gismondo agrees, however, to help in directing traffic to keep the comatose condition a secret, and help with moving Sigisar to a proper bedchamber if necessary. Manfred performs a more thorough examination of Sigisar. He sees he is covered in bruises, has deep dirt under his fingernails, and, most damning of all, has what appears to be an infected ratman bite under his arm.
After Gismondo leaves, Manfred rouses Sigisar by calling upon holy healing. The three chat about his infection, and both Manfred and Sigisar deduce that he has passed his window for a relatively easy cure (the full moon occurred that previous night). Manfred questions Sigisar to find out if the Margrave will continue on his crusade against all things related to the changelings and the fey given this change in situation, to which Sigisar vehemently affirms that he will.
Sigisar tries to keep the spirits of the men high by opening access to the wine cellar. Edmon prays to have the curse removed from Sigisar. The lord also tries also to check in on
Johann's home, and sends a runner out of the city. He finds his runners limited in their movements in the city, and are denied the chance to leave. Angered, he eventually cajoles the town council and Wigand into a meeting at the citadel gate. After negotiations, Sigisar agrees to suspend taxes as payment for the two men killed in conflict thus far. He tries to bargain for other concessions, but fails. His enemies offer him the ability to leave the city safely, and a continued token acknowledgement of his power, to end the impasse. Without the forces to win in a direct fight, and without a way to send people out of the city to gain further reinforcements, Sigisar eventually concedes, and plans to leave the next day with an entourage for the Bischoffsbaum holdings.
* * *
At Schloss Hirschenwald, a distraught Winifred prays at the castle chapel. She asks Brother Arnulf for guidance; he suggests she must make her own decisions going forward. Narcissa does a bit of snooping around. One discovery she finds is a semi-circular room with boulders and straw. She also notices the servants seem unusually well dressed for what seems like an unimpressive castle. She enlists Baeleb and her raven as well for snooping. The former seems typically annoyed by this. After allowing him to feed, they have a chat, in which he insinuates she might come out on top in an upheaval, as there are potential supporters lying in wait.
Kaleb wakes up with Reinhard, face deep in pig jelly. Kaleb talks about his tired legs and the upcoming party. Reinhard tells Kaleb again he is the Faerie King. The small man shows Reinhard the knife he stole from Narcissa, and Reinhard suggests that keeping it might be a bad idea. Reinhard suggests going to a dive bar, and working on wedding plan. Eventually, he gives Kaleb some wine. Also, at some point Reinhard picks up Kaleb and has him “run” on the ceiling to entertain him. They then go into Willmar to recruit more revelers, and bring them back to a castle for a wedding (because, as Reinhard asserts, the presence of the court of the Faerie King always means weddings are about to happen).
Increasingly enraged by his imposition and his pushing for a wedding, Winifred confronts Reinhard and tells to leave. She begins having her servants expel his guests. Reinhard argues, telling that Winifred will never make it and learn about her powers wihtout him, but she remains firm. Reinhard disappears into the bowels of the castle, and, apparently, kills the two servants Winifred sends after him. Along with Narcissa, Winifred storm through the castle to find Reinhard but fails. Night falls and the murderer’s location in the castle is unknown.
The following morning, her herald returns with a missive from Sigisar, saying that the Margrave is on his way to Hirschenwald.Missions/Quests Completed
- Sigisar amends treaty with the wererats allowing him to leave, settling the matter of the slain wererats by rescinding taxes, and getting them to agree not to enter the citadel while he is gone.
Comments