The Royal Feast and Other Matters

General Summary

Day 1 - Evening

Dusk settled over Nebalich, the coastal city and the party’s last stop before the Sere Marica. Grazelle, tired after a day of networking and hotel searching, led Mo, Dante, Farren, Sirkel, Sih’Teel, Dariyana and Ryn Bulsa, the former ghost girl, to their upscale lodgings during their three day stay. Breaker received the address from Grazelle and met up with them at the hotel after he stopped by a bank.
The lodgings in the West District were the finest Nebalich had. The rooms were spacious and elaborately furnished. The staff were friendly and professional. To Sirkel’s delight, the lobby level of the hotel had a full buffet. To Sih’Teel’s delight, there was a secluded bar as well. Everyone else followed Grazelle to their spacious, three-room reservation and chose their spots. Dante, due to his sleepwalking tendency, got his own room. Once everyone was settled, Mo and Sih’Teel asked Grazelle about the local dances.
“Ah, yes,” Grazelle said. “There is one traditional dance that you must know. The ballad and blade dance.”
Grazelle assembled everyone who wanted to learn. Breaker asked Sirkel to join before the lad could run off to the buffet. Sirkel grudgingly agreed to be Breaker’s partner. Then Grazelle taught everyone the dance. In the beginning, potential partners of both genders received two wooden rods that symbolized blades. To ask someone to dance, a person had to offer one of their rods in exchange for their partner’s. Once the dance began, the men and women faced each other and then began to break off into pairs and back into a group together. Through choreography symbolizing ruin, division, reunion, and celebration, the participants told the history of Nebalich.
Once everyone was trained for the dance, the weary group all went to bed. After all, they had solved two ghost mysteries, defeated chronal feeders, accidently starred in a troubadour show, gone shopping, and learned to dance in one day. It was a good day.
The one before everything fell apart.

Day 2 - Morning

The sun rose. The people of the city woke. At the hotel, the adventurers breakfasted and planned their day. Several people, including Mo, needed to pick up their new clothes in time to get ready for the royal feast. Meanwhile, Dante planned to do a contortionist demonstration for Craix at the outdoor theatre in the West District. Ryn stayed behind and asked Farren if she could borrow a book and read. Farren gladly lent her a book about pirates.
Breaker found a soft spot in her heart for the former “ghost.” Ryn, a shy teenager a hundred years ahead of her own time, had no one.
“How are you doing?” Breaker asked Ryn as she settled down on a sofa with a book.
“I don’t know what to do,” Ryn admitted. “Everyone I know is… gone.”
“I haven’t been to my village now for three years. And there’s someone I miss very much. I know it’s hard,” Breaker said gently.
“Where are you from?” Ryn asked.
“I’m from the town of Druissi in the Ba’Adenu Forest,” Breaker replied.
“Hm… Druissi,” Ryn murmured. “Maybe I’ll go there someday. The world is wide open, right?” “Maybe someday I’ll take you,” Breaker said. She left Ryn twenty shins in case she needed something. Then, after donning her brilliant blue cloak over her armor, she rejoined the group on their way out to go shopping.
Meanwhile, Sih’Teel had a far less altruistic encounter. In the lobby of the grand hotel, Sih’Teel saw a familiar face. It was an old acquaintance named Tah’Car. Tah’Car, dressed in rough-looking clothes but still possessing a roguish air, greeted Sih’Teel gladly.
“Sih’Teel,” Tah’Car said. He shook Sih’Teel’s hand.
“Oh hello,” Sih’Teel said pleasantly. “Why don’t I buy you a drink?” Mo overheard the conversation and grew suspicious.
In the dimly lit but tastefully decorated room, Sih’Teel and Tah’Car chatted about their previous con operation. A bard, dressed in red tartan, strummed a lute in the corner. 
“We really got Widow Jenkins good,” Tah’Car laughed.
“We did! What is she doing now?” Sih’Teel asked.
“Another person is conning her now. She’s just a target for folks like us,” Tah’Car replied. “So, Sih’Teel, how are your debts?”
Sih’Teel grimaced. “They’re really high still. I’ve tried to earn enough money to pay back Big Lewis. I even tried to take him out a few times. But I wasn’t successful. I’ve been trying to collect the bounty on Breaker’s head but that failed as well.”
“Really?” Tah’Car grew interested. “How’d you do it?”
“I took his head off at one point… before that I disguised myself as an assassin and broke into his room at night. He escaped death both times. And then the Black Phoenix took away the bounty on Breaker’s head.”
“That’s a shame,” Tah’Car sympathized. “Are you still with the same group?”
“Yeah,” Sih’Teel replied. “They’re not a half bad group.”
Sih’Teel suddenly felt a note being pressed into his hand. He looked under the table but there was no one there. After chatting a little longer, Sih’Teel and Tah’Car finished their drinks and said farewell to each other. Meanwhile, Grazelle, Mo, Sirkel, Breaker, Dariyana, and Farren watched Dante perform amazing contortionist feats on the outdoor theatre stage. Sih’Teel rejoined them shortly. He and Mo drew aside for a few minutes for a private chat. After Dante’s show, everyone picked up their clothes at the tailor’s shop while Dariyana bought new, lightweight armor at a shop next door.
Dariyana planned to be a bodyguard at the Royal Feast. An observer.
Then the evening came.

Day 2 – Evening

The party spent the afternoon getting ready for the Royal Feast. Grazelle helped Mo dress and only raised an eyebrow once at Mo’s countercultural fashion choice. That evening, Grazelle led Mo, Sih’Teel, Breaker, Sirkel, Farren, Dante, and Dariyana through the crowd. Ryn had once again decided to stay at the hotel. The streets at night on the way to the palace were just as merry as in daytime. Vendors continued to hawk their wares. Performers danced, juggled, and breathed fire. Fireworks filled the skyline over the tips of the palace towers.
Everyone felt a little different going in. Mo was a royal and trained in etiquette from Ivannia. Sih’Teel possessed a charm fitting for any situation. Dante was a performer and looked forward to attending, rather than working at, a royal event. Farren, in her own quiet way, was quite excited about dancing. Sirkel was merely there for the food and to support his friends. Dariyana hung back and trailed the group hesitatingly. Inside the palace, the group found themselves in a citadel of grandeur. The walls of the palace were made of chiseled, white stone and the beams of the ceiling stretched high. The light from the courtyard’s illuminating daylamps poured into the throne room. There, on a high pair of thrones, sat King Fenton and Queen Ferenoa. The party, led by Grazelle and Mo, introduced themselves with gracious bows. After this, a palace servant invited the group to linger in the ballroom until the feast was ready.
The ballroom was likewise resplendent in decorations and well-dressed nobility and merchants. A group of troubadours played in the corner of the ballroom. One, named Brock Redbeard, wore a striking costume of red tartan and merrily strummed a lute. When he saw the group enter, he played even louder. The only person who did not look merry was a grave, beady-eyed man with short, silver hair and a tightly pressed-together mouth. He was dressed in a fashionable blue and appeared to be nobility. But his constant staring at the newcomers made both Dariyana and Farren feel uncomfortable. While the party meandered about the ballroom, Dariyana once again found a corner and observed the room. Farren, sensing something off, kept an eye on the staring man as well.
A man entered the ballroom and announced the royal feast to begin! Everyone entered the lavish dining room and took the appropriate seat at the long, white table. Dariyana observed from the side of the room. A young woman, presumably a scribe or other palace servant, robed in white walked past Dariyana. Yaz Draxil, Dariyana thought. She hid her face at just the right moment and wasn’t recognized by her old acquaintance. She was relieved.
After the guests had eaten, King Fenton rose from the head of the table and called for entertainment! Immediately a gaudy performer with oily black hair and a startling hat walked through a door and announced himself as Vreeb. The man also pushed a small table on wheels with him. There were four ancient devices on the tabletop. Vreeb started talking to the devices. Soon, streams of blue light emerged from the pieces of tech and floated around the room! Vreeb dimmed the lights. The entire dining party was treated to a fantastic show of light!
But then the energy beasts went wild. The light ribbons darted around the room and around peoples’ heads! The group did nothing. Breaker left the matter to the constables in attendance. Vreeb soon calmed his beasts down and coaxed them back into their devices. The lights came back on. Although the group was shaken, the king announced that they would adjourn to the ballroom for dancing!
Young men and women, all one of the three noble houses or wealthy merchant families, swarmed the ballroom. Dariyana retreated back to her observation spot along the wall. Mo, dressed in a dazzling gold gown and wearing a golden circlet emblazoned with sapphires, caught the attention of Lord Zan, from House Brentzen by birth and in good friendship with House Locke. Lord Zan was a tall, blonde-haired youth with a gentle smile. He graciously asked Mo to dance. While Mo deliberated, Breaker gently pushed her forward. Mo said yes. Sih’Teel charmingly asked a young woman to dance while Dante met the beautiful Lady Avril. Farren found a partner and as usual, Breaker asked Sirkel to dance. Everyone danced the traditional Nebalich dance beautifully! But the entertainment wasn’t quite done.
The energy ribbon creatures, called Therivans, swarmed into the ballroom. They had grown to six feet and again snapped and dove at the guests. Vreeb raced into the ballroom with his table and devices.
“I don’t know what’s happened!” He cried aloud. “They’ve never done this! I had them calm!”
Farren was at the table in an instant, inspecting the devices.
“You have to give them what they desire the most,” Vreeb said. The man was nearly broken. He clung to the lip of the table and his face was deathly white. Dante, who had been chatting with his partner, joined Farren.
“I’ve got glittering paint in a can in my pocket!” He said. “Maybe they’d like that?”
It was worth a try. Dante sprayed sparkling paint into the air. The Therivar’s attention moved to the new sight. Farren used her skills with machinery to talk to the beasts and coax them back into the devices. But in the rush and distraction caused by the Therivars, everyone had missed Lord Zan’s fall until it was nearly too late. The young man that Mo had danced with had fallen to the ground and was now writhing and choking. Dariyana saw that the palace servant whom she had recognized earlier was fleeing the scene. She ran after her.
Grazelle hurriedly gathered the group together near a table full of refreshments. Breaker grabbed Sirkel away from the cake.
“We have to go now, your highness,” Grazelle told Mo firmly. Mo refused.
“I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ll stay and answer any questions they might have.”
Grazelle stiffened. “You were the last person the man danced with. Suspicion will fall on you. We have to get out quickly.”
Sih’Teel, to Grazelle’s surprise, agreed with the Ivannian diplomat.
“These royal functions are all the same. If something like this happens, everyone gets arrested and things get sorted out later,” Sih’Teel informed them.
“I should think that Nebalich is a better place than that,” Breaker said.
“When it comes down to things like this, they are much all the same,” Grazelle said. “The investigators will come to the apartments with truth serum in the morning. You can answer the questions then.”
At the mention of investigators with truth serum, Sih’Teel hurriedly disappeared and left the palace on his own.
Meanwhile, Dariyana caught up with the palace servant she had chased. The two women were now in a small hallway down the way from the kitchens.
“Hey!” Dariyana called to her. Yaz turned to her.
“What are you doing here?” Yaz exclaimed.
“What are you doing here?” Dariyana challenged.
Yaz pointed to the general direction of the ballroom. “Obviously, that. But you shouldn’t show your face here! Don’t you remember what happened last time you were in this city?” Yaz said. “Go! If the investigators give you truth serum, you’re dead!”
Dariyana hesitated, her hands on the hilt of her greatsword. Yaz looked her straight in the eye. Then with a great whack with the flat of her blade, Dariyana knocked Yaz to the ground. She bent and picked up the stunned Yaz. Half carrying, half supporting the woman, Dariyana made her way to the ballroom where the group was located. Dariyana let go of Yaz and pushed the shaky girl towards Grazelle.
“This is the palace servant who did it,” Dariyana said quickly. She looked around her, eyes darting furiously around the room. “I have to go now.”
“Dariyana, what happened?” Grazelle asked. Breaker looked suspicious. Dariyana swallowed hard.
“I did some things last time I was in the city that I’m not proud of,” she told Grazelle. “And now I have to go before the authorities find me.”
“Is this going to harm Mo?” Breaker asked firmly. Dariyana shook her head no.
Grazelle pulled an invisibility cloak from one of the many, hidden pockets on the dress she was wearing. “Take this and go,” Grazelle told Dariyana as she handed her the cloak. Dariyana nodded and donned the cloak. She made her way invisibly out of the palace and into the hidden recesses of the city. Grazelle held Yaz’s arm firmly. The nobleman, who had been staring suspiciously at everyone from across the room, strode toward them. He held out a hand as he approached.
“I am Lord Kasim of the noble houses. Is this the girl responsible for this occurrence?” He asked Grazelle and Mo. Grazelle nodded.
“I think I can take care of this problem for you,” he said. Mo nodded. Grazelle let go of Yaz’s arm and Kasim took Yaz away. Farren wasn’t so sure about the situation. She moved in marvelously quick pursuit of Kasim and Yaz. When Kasim had reached a small hallway, he pushed Yaz down to the floor.
“If you can’t do this properly, I’ll kill you myself,” Kasim said. He raised a knife and prepared to slit Yaz’s throat! Farren sent her bot to zap Kasim. His knife fell to the floor and his gaze fell upon Farren. She hurriedly ran away from Kasim and back to the party.
Grazelle gathered Mo, Breaker, Sirkel, and Farren to go back to the hotel. Dante stayed at the party and chatted with Avrila to glean court gossip about the situation. He found out that another member of the nobility, Jace Locke, had died in a hunting accident the previous year. He had been another possible heir to the throne until his death. The bard in the corner of the ballroom, Brock Redbeard, continued to strum merrily. Once they were gone, he hurriedly left and followed them back to the hotel.
That night, Sih’Teel visited countless inns and taverns. He told everyone about Mo’s good character and informed them of her sadness over Lord Zan’s accident.
And the morning came.

Day 3

The investigators arrived to the hotel that late morning. Grazelle welcomed them in graciously. She, Mo, Breaker, Sirkel, Dante, and Farren were all questioned. Only Farren had anything of importance for the investigation. She found out that the suspicious man at the ball was Lord Kasim, the uncle of the noble who had died the previous year. The investigators were surprised to hear of his involvement. After this, the investigators left. Everyone was relieved that the process had been so easy. Still, Grazelle recommended that everyone pack and leave for the boat. They boarded the ship at the docks a few hours later. Sih’Teel slunk onto the ship and hid in the cargo hold. Dariyana, still wearing the invisibility cloak, did the same. Once it was safe to come out, everyone did so. Brock Redbeard, who had also come along, took off his disguise and showed himself to be Tidran all along!
Grazelle, Mo, Sih’Teel, Breaker, Sirkel, Farren, Dante, and Tidran gathered on the deck. Tidran revealed that he had been disguised as a bard so he could travel the city and talk with the merchants. He had also brought along a comatose Cassandra who was then sleeping belowdecks. Cassandra, when she woke up, would find that she had passed through nearly two months of traveling without knowing any of it was going on. Grazelle joined Mo at the railing on the side of the ship.
“I’m sorry you had such a bad experience in Nebalich,” she said. Mo shrugged. “It wasn’t all bad. I had fun. And the nobleman was quite nice. I hope he makes it.” Breaker mentioned that he had left a message in the city with Ryn. If Zan, the nobleman, recovered, she was to get that message to Zan. The girl had seemed settled to make a new life in Nebalich. Breaker only hoped she would be okay.
Mo turned to Sih’Teel and threw him some shins.
“Your tip, my good man,” she said in that lofty way of hers. Sih’Teel pocketed the money and then grinned and bowed.
The passage to Astaria was a fairly straightforward one. The party encountered a behemoth water creature named a “Rhog” that protected them as they journeyed forward. It was thanks to their new friend that no pirates or members of the Yellow Serpents attacked them.
The party arrived at Astaria – their next stop.
Meanwhile, Dariyana stayed hidden belowdecks…

Rewards Granted

Cyphers

Missions/Quests Completed

Royal Feast
Voyage to Astaria

Character(s) interacted with

Grazelle
Tah'Car
Lord Kasim
Lord Zan
Yaz Draxil
Brock Redbeard (Tidran in disguise)
Captain Freya

Report Date

25 May 2020

Primary Location

Nebalich