Session 24
General Summary
Parties, Pyramids & Politics
As The Nameless Ones return to Zoroan Kelsear in the Dragonfang Keep dining hall, they adorn an assortment of outfits and masques both lavish and radiant. Zoroan explains once more the tasks of snooping around for gossip discreetly, as well as the note handoff to Shahina Sunstep. To add an extra layer of difficulty, Zoroan doesn't describe Shahina, so that they can test how good the group is at locating people.
Before they depart, Zoroan and Novita have a brief chat about Novita's Dragonborn hand. Zoroan offers information that may clear more up about the Dragonborn hand which Novita accepts. Novita's head swirls once more and she see's another vision of a past life. She sees a desert street and her Dragonborn hand covered in blood and holding a glaive. The surroundings show her rushing through the streets of Az’ea at night, fires burn in the streets as two groups clash. The emblems on one of the groups she recognises to be the Cult of Estaroth. She sees a white Dragon blowing ice down on the chaos, the Dragon flies towards the Dragonfang Keep with a man standing atop deflecting a Dragon blast on the man. As she takes in her surroundings she is impaled from behind by a glaive.
After this chat they depart for the Dragonblood Pyramid.
The Pyramid
As they arrive the group are greeted by the lavish ballroom housed within the upper parts of the pyramid. The pyramids upper floor houses a huge hall for parties. In the centre of the room is a huge dancefloor where nobles dance elegantly amid floating magic candles. These candles float around huge chandeliers that decorate the space like mini suns under a ceiling that casts the illusion of the night sky, clear enough to see the stars of Celesticia. At several points in the room there are bars, buffets and dining spaces where lords and ladies mingle and feast. There are musicians taking requests, galleries showing off exquisite artwork and even a fountain where people sit in a more quiet and relaxed space. The dance floor is watched from balconies above as stairs head up to 3 surrounding floors that can view the whole party from the top. These stairs are lined with luxury red carpets that direct guests to other areas of the party. Pools can be found as well as an interior waterfall, in another space a games room where lords and ladies gamble their riches to one another and the tops of the stairs lead to some outdoor viewing balconies that let you see the whole city, like a sea of lights and colour under the sea of stars above. From these you can also see the golden tip of the pyramid far closer, and the scratches in the gold and sandstone from where a Dragon once perched 20 years ago.
The Nameless Ones discover very quickly that the masquerade party is a celebration of the ongoing political allegiance between Arnelyzia and Az'ea. Representatives from several nations of Raxodan are in attendance as well as all of the Dragonblood Lords.
The Nameless Ones decide to split into groups to cover more ground, hoping to find Shahina and pick up gossip along the way.
Stolas and Rupert make their way towards the Art Galleries, Novita and Aelyse head to the fountain and Silas accompanies Yippity to the Gambling rooms.
A Wager of Information
As Yippity and Silas enter the gambling room they quickly clock two major players. Firstly they spot Prinshaar Lorghulk, one of the four major Az'ean lords, a rotund Dragonborn with a vast show of jewels and baubles on his person. They secondly see Sev Glitterclaws, a Kobold lord who seems adept at cards. They listen in as Prinshaar Talks of a lord who has disappointed him and how he will be taking action against the would be traitor. Prinshaar boasts about having a Dragon at his disposal also. Yippity and Silas engage in a game of dice with the lords. Making deals of divulging information if you lose. Silas sadly loses the gamble even with some assistance from Yippity and the two are forced to spill what they know of the Herzon's Shadow. They are questioned by Sev on who sent them here and tactically state that it was Shahina, keeping their discretion that Zoroan had requested.
The Quiet by the Fountain
The fountains in the Pyramid serve as a quiet reprieve from merriment and a place for guests to mingle in peace. Aelyse and Novita fair well here with Aelyse not being used to large crowds, a far different atmosphere from the forest she calls home. Several groups of partygoers mingle, with a large group concentrated around one individual, Arragan Obsidian. Arragan is a Fire Genasi and an Az'ean lord who is looking to find a betrothed. Due to this a large crowd of women follow him through the fountains.
Choosing to avoid that kind of attention, the pair find themselves chatting with a Yuan Ti woman named Hesenna Vespar and an odd old man named Bokrates. The old man seems to have angered an Orc individual who storms off at the start of the conversation as Bokrates explains they were simply discussing the border tensions between Arnelyzia and Ang Grashim. Hesenna is the representative for House Hirziss for the evening, whereas Bokrates is a representative of Arnelyzia.
After subjecting the ladies to a handful of political and philosophical debates, Bokrates takes his leave. Novita and Aelyse gain some gossip from Hesenna and depart back to the main hall.
A Gallery of Familiarity
Rupert and Stolas find themselves browsing artistic works from around the continent, with highlights featured from Az'ea and Arnelyzia. They do a bit of snooping around a few partygoers including Aralslan Roarn, learning some gossip in passing.
As they continue to browse the art, Rupert begins to panic and warns Stolas that there is a Verkazian Ambassador here that he cannot be seen by. Pointing to an individual admiring a statue, Stolas see's an older, decorative armour clad man who Rupert states is Lord Kilian Varemund Wexler of Toggburgen. Thankfully their masques help disguise them and just as he passes Rupert is tactically swept away to another crowd by the familiar voice of Vespara Shadeweave.
She ushers him to another part of the gallery offering to keep him hidden from Wexler for the time being, leaving Stolas on his own. Stolas reunites with Firlania Moonsong who is attending as an ambassador for Envenir. She catches up with Stolas for a bit and divulges plenty of gossip, and a descriptive of Shahina Sunstep. She parts from Stolas, stating that she hopefully will see him at the dancefloor.
You Should Be Dancing
Each member of the group finds their way back to the dancefloor and reconvenes to discuss their findings. They briefly watch as the dances begin and Perenelle Nayarsi & Bisciti Nayarsi dance in the centre of the floor. Stolas quickly goes and chats with Malayri Caridnis, a Tiefling lord who reveals that house Hirziss holds ownership of the ruined Burakh estate. Stolas makes a mental note of this and heads back to the group.
The Nameless Ones clock Shahina Sunstep on the stairs heading toward the dance and begin to make their way to her.
- Aelyse Raincaller
- Aralslan Roarn
- Arragan Obsidian
- Bisciti Nayarsi
- Bokrates
- Firlania Moonsong
- Hesenna Vespar
- Kilian Varemund Wexler
- Malayri Caridnis
- Novita Naamah
- Perenelle Nayarsi
- Prinshaar Lorghulk
- Rupert Penspoon Kensington
- Sev Glitterclaws
- Shahina Sunstep
- Silas Fantur
- Stolas Burakh
- Vespara Shadeweave
- Vinya Colorump
- Yippity Snotklor
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