And Now...

[Matt]

If Lord Morgan were after me, home would probably be safer than either a royal castle or a public inn.

Possibly, but a motive is somewhat lacking. Why would Morgan care about the rebellion? It's over, Arren II won, and life went on. So far as you know, Morgan didn't involve himself in it. So if not that, what? It seems a strange time for Morgan to worry about the little Baron of Quste - not to mention Morgan seemed a bit busy up there in Lorkin.

And there is still the question of the Morgathians and the Agrikans ...

[Imarë]

I am supposing Morgan due to our belief that she is, at the very least, a follower of his. I gave incomplete reasoning that the Baron may owe Morgan for some other incident or he could have been a mover in having the Baron pardoned after the last to do. Just because Arren I is no longer the king (and presumed dead by most) does not mean that he would have forgiven anything owed to him. Having a noble killed and found in the city would tend to desabilize whatever situation the Morgathians and Agrikans like (them in charge). Somebody went to trouble to make sure he was found inside the city. Somebody has killed Morgathian guards. It looks like somebody is out to desabilize the current agreement and have parties other than the King be blamed. Would Lord Morgan wish to bring Golotha to a boil again while his son is far away? Could it be that Morgan waited until he was out of town (the country) to clean house himself? He would not be happy with the rebellion, nor the fact that some of the religions he detested held so much sway in the city where he was first crowned a King? Could it have to do with the religion we have heard he practices (the one with the black cat)? It is true I don't see Lord Morgan hitting up the petty nobility for cash bribes to support himself, but I don't know about his causes. The dispostion of the body fits what Morgan has done before, it was public and messy. The large number we say executed in Orbaal were done publicly. The representatives of the mining guild were executed for transgressions against the monarchy. The Baron had his throat slit and body put nude on display in stocks in one of the major cities of the realm. There are threads here somewhere and I keep pulling on any (and all) I find.

[Matt]

I am supposing Morgan due to our belief that she is, at the very least, a follower of his.

She has, as Van says, the 'vibe.' She certainly doesn't come off as a Morgathian and certainly not an Agrikan.

I gave incomplete reasoning that the Baron may owe Morgan for some other incident or he could have been a mover in having the Baron pardoned after the last to do.

Doubtful. You have seen how the man operates and there is no evidence whatsoever that he intervenes directly in Thardic affairs - quite the opposite.

Just because Arren I is no longer the king (and presumed dead by most) does not mean that he would have forgiven anything owed to him.

No, but if he wished to be King he would still be King. Arren II is the King, and everything you've ever heard Morgan say has supported him. If the Baron owed him something, it seems more than likely the matter would have been taken care of already.

Having a noble killed and found in the city would tend to desabilize whatever situation the Morgathians and Agrikans like (them in charge). Somebody went to trouble to make sure he was found inside the city.

Perhaps, but doesn't seem to have done so. As you have speculated with Sir Felkar, it may also have been a crime of opportunity. While not a target specifically, this could be an example of taking advantage of an enemy's distraction.

Somebody has killed Morgathian guards.

Now this is obviously the more difficult task that snatching the Baron. Killing six guards inside the temple under the very noses of the Morgathian priests and their undead minions is not something one embarks on lightly. This one has destabilized things for that very reason.

Would Lord Morgan wish to bring Golotha to a boil again while his son is far away?

Why not? The Lord Chancellor is loyal, competent, and there are two full cohorts of the VIII Legion sitting in the castle. There is no Earl of Tormau running around the countryside either.

Could it be that Morgan waited until he was out of town (the country) to clean house himself?

Could it be that King Arren II staged the whole thing while he was out of the country so that his enemies would let down their guard?

The suggestion has also been made that Sir Auram, or the Lord Chancellor waited until he left. Maybe on his way out of the palace, Arren II said to the LC, "You know, Arthur, I think you need something to occupy your time while I'm gone. Look into the Golotha situation, willya?"

There has been a tendency to see Arren II as a figurehead, an amiable dunce, as it were. At 15, he defeated his older brother for the crown. At 18, he put down a rebellion in a matter of months. At 20, he is invading another kingdom. Throughout it all he has kept the loyalty and service of his father's best men and his armies. He has ruled the largest kingdom on the island well for five years now. As you saw with King Darebor, this is a subtle, powerful family. Why should it be any different with Arren II? Is that not just the sort of successor Arren I would have chosen?

He would not be happy with the rebellion, nor the fact that some of the religions he detested held so much sway in the city where he was first crowned a King?

Nah, he dealt with the Agrikans as King and broke their real power. They used to hold castles and manors and had King and country as their playthings. He could easily have done the same to the Morgathians. Consider - Naveh holds no particular antipathy to the other evil gods, only Halea. A Navite would find allies amongst adherents of other evil gods, and go after the Laranians, the Peonians, and certainly the Haleans. Arren I did none of these things. The religious angle is a very thin reed to weigh Morgan's motivations.

The dispostion of the body fits what Morgan has done before, it was public and messy.

If so, then the party thwarted his intentions.

[Bevan]

I'm still trying to decide how many murderers we have. I find it hard to believe that "Ewen" could be so evil to rape and murder Pelisa unless she wasn't what she appeared to be...

Assuming the red-haired murderer does not exist than what is the point of the song and murdering people in such a grisly manner? The only reason Ewen even joined the group was because he was hired by the man to sing the song to Bevan. If he does not exist than why sing the song? Since joining the group he has done nothing to indicate he was a threat to the us. If he is willing to be mind-read by Sir Aurum then it implies he has been more of a protector.

As for Rahel, even if she is somehow connected to Morgan I don't think that means she reports directly to him or even at all. I do agree that the money the Baron brought to town had something to do with her. Either for her directly or with the person she was corresponding with during the week the Baron was on ice. If in fact that is what was occuring during that time. This also does not prove she actually murdered the Baron but it does seem a way to make it look more like serial killer and not have anything to do with her.

[Imarë]

Good points Bevan. When I went through who might have killed who I was not implying that Ewen did Palisa just for the reason you mentioned. It would mean the whole meeting was a ruse to use the party for some project he thought we would not undertake willingly. It does make more sense that the song and hiring are valid (unless we hear otherwise from Ewen or Sir Auram). This would mean the killing of Palisa would probably be by this man. Why Ewen chose to emulate this with Sir Felkar will need expanation. It could be possible that the killer of the Baron and maybe even the hideworker could be connected with the song. These ideas are currently in flux and I don't believe we have enough information to decide currently.

If you don't think that Rahel is connected with Morgan, who do you think she works for? Do you think the line given from Matt (the Arren II route) is the way to go? So many possibilities, so few brainwaves...

[Matt]

Meine Damen und Herren, some spelling corrections:

It's PARQU, not Parku.

It's QUSTE, not Queste.

It's PELISA, not Palisa.

Thank you for your attention and usage!

[Bevan]

It would mean the whole meeting was a ruse to use the party for some project he thought we would not undertake willingly. It does make more sense that the song and hiring are valid (unless we hear otherwise from Ewen or Sir Auram). This would mean the killing of Palisa would probably be by this man. Why Ewen chose to emulate this with Sir Felkar will need expanation.

I've been thinking this over as well. If the red-haired man does exist, is it possible Ewen committed the murder in the same fashion to raise interest from another party? Sort of a way to disturb the beehive to see what would happen (Not sure this is the right metaphor.)

It could be possible that the killer of the Baron and maybe even the hideworker could be connected with the song.

I don't see the connection here. This would mean Rahel is working for the same person who hired Ewen, if he even exists. You seem to be insistant that she reports to Morgan. I seriously doubt Morgan would go through such hoops to give a message to Bevan. In fact I am positive he would just show up and deliver the message as he has in the past. Which do you believe is true, she reports to Morgan or she reports to some unknown red-haired mascle guy? The hideworker appears to have no connection to anything or anyone. If Rahel killed the Baron to make it look like part of a serial killing than why not commit more killings in the same fashion - which would be Elpar. Just more covering of the tracks. I think this was discussed and hands down agreed upon.

[Imarë]

I agree that the hideworker could very well have been to add killings to muddy up the water. I also agree that the song message is probably not from Morgan himself, though I do not discount the possibility that somebody who works for him might have. We know he keeps people in a lot of the major cities and it is logical to assume that Coranan would be one of them. There is the possibility of convergence here and I just want to explore it as much as possible. I think its the attack on Slakka which shouts that somebody very powerful is lurking around in the backround and I just want to explore whether or not the song is associated with some of the actions in Golotha.

[Matt]

We know he keeps people in a lot of the major cities and it is logical to assume that Coranan would be one of them.

Quite, and the party met his Coranan contact. Sadao of Taura was very much in the party's face as they investigated the murder of Hollo the Ratcatcher.

[Imarë]

Which was, within a day or two, when Ewen was hired to sing the song to Bevan (unless the whole thing was made up). Coincidence?

[Matt]

Which was, within a day or two, when Ewen was hired to sing the song to Bevan (unless the whole thing was made up). Coincidence?

Pretty much the same timeframe, yes.

[Bevan]

Quite, and the party met his Coranan contact. Sadao of Taura was very much in the party's face as they investigated the murder of Hollo the Ratcatcher.

Was Ardeth the only person from the group that travelled to Golotha that was present at the incidences in Coranan?

If they are linked than you would have to look at it from the angle of the 3M does exist and if does not exist. I've tried to think of a few scenarios but can't come up with anything that really makes sense. I don't think we have enough data points to consider this.

[Matt]

Was Ardeth the only person from the group that travelled to Golotha that was present at the incidences in Coranan?

Yes, the party at that point consisted of Sir Arlen, Ardeth, and Dwilith. Imarë did not join until the Trobridge Inn.

[Imarë]

I look at it this way: Somebody went to great trouble to write the King Andasin song. It was not knocked together (in my opinion at least) in an afternoon. Since the song had to be prepared, somebody knew that Bevan would be returning to Coranan in the not too distant future. Sadao questioned the group as to their activities (and could have even read their minds) that they were on the way to get cousin Bevan and implore her to return to at least Heroth (the chances being great that she would at least visit Coranan). The other possibility here is that somebody knew that Sir Auram was going to give her a mission and that she would head to Coranan to submit her report. Does anybody want to take odds that Sir Auram knows who Lord Morgan really is (and remember, he has read Bevans mind on the mission to Orbaal)? These are the only two that I can think of (besides family) who knew the mission and would have been able to let the man hiring have that much lead time to hire Ewen. If Morgan (or his followers) are the ones behind the message, they may want to keep themselves out of the loop except in a mysterious way. If I were trying to get a message to people who could read the minds of those I have chosen as messengers, I would not come right out and tell them what was going on that way nobody could read the situation in them (they would get the suppositions that we are making, but that is not proof). I think we all know that Arren II has at least an inkling that his father has not moved on as it were.

[Bevan]

If Morgan (or his followers) are the ones behind the message, they may want to keep themselves out of the loop except in a mysterious way. If I were trying to get a message to people who could read the minds of those I have chosen as messengers, I would not come right out and tell them what was going on that way nobody could read the situation in them (they would get the suppositions that we are making, but that is not proof).

I, without a doubt, know that is not Morgan's style. If he wanted to deliver a message to Bevan he would have done so himself. Especially since he would have had the opportunity while we were in Lorkin, either verbally or telepathically. He also did that whole mind lock thing that would not allow the information to be read by anyone he did not wish to know. We have never seen any of his followers act outside of Morgan's wishes. For a secret message to be delivered by a follower without Morgan's knowledge seems like a dangerous way to live.

[Imarë]

I don't know what Lord Morgan would want or not want. I list him as one possible source not the only one. The origin of the message is rather narrow and there are few who would have known at the time that the song was arranged for that Bevan was due into Coranan within several months. I don't know how much of the mission that the others told anybody else. Does anybody have thoughts on who might have done this who knew (or might have known) that Bevan would be rolling around?

[Matt]

I don't know what Lord Morgan would want or not want. I list him as one possible source not the only one.

Bevan knows Morgan very well. Enough said.

I don't know how much of the mission that the others told anybody else. Does anybody have thoughts on who might have done this who knew (or might have known) that Bevan would be rolling around?

They were very discreet. Indeed, the party at the time mentioned Bevan to no one, and confined themselves to asking for information on Rathbar of Marby. Further, their interactions with Sadao were not of the sort that would indicate any 'mind-reading' going on. Thus, the only people who might have known about the Bevan angle would have been the party and Theron.

That having been said, one would have no need of the party to expect Bevan to return to Coranan at some point. She had been through the city several times, Anders of Kroll would not be surprised to see her, and neither would Sir Auram. It is certainly conceivable that others would think so too.

[Imarë]

Went back and checked the notes and found where my confusion on the point came from. I remembered Sadao cornering them and forcing them to reveal information and did not remember the caviot about Hollo the Ratcatcher. I am still unsure about somebody just happening to leave a mysterious message for Bevan when they had no expectation that she would arrive to get it in any acceptable period of time. This would make what the message is about unimportant in when it is resolved also. The killing of Pelisa would seem to argue against that, unless it is also part of the message or there is a time component to be considered. As I recall, we had just returned from a week at Sir Auram's retreat in the country and could be thought to be wasting time. If all that has been said has been correct (Ewen and what the man), the meaning should be known to Bevan and yet it is not. Whoever wrote the song must either mean something to do with the current monarch or have knowledge about the family that Theron does not even possess (the part of the advisor of Andasin I being a Palliser). Could the passages about nobody rebelling against the king (whoever it might be) be an operative passage? This might tie the Baron to what is currently happening, but the line between the song and what has occured is rather tenuous. Any other ideas?

[Imarë]

I have been trying to come up with items to quantify what is going on with the song and associated questions:

1) Somebody involved knows Bevan along with her families history.

2) Her habits and travel are noted, shown by the knowlege that she frequents Coranan and perhaps even the places she frequents

3) She would have the knowlege and ability to do whatever the instigator wishes to have done or known.

4) Whatever this leads into is fairly important to judge by the amount of time and money which has been spent (120d I believe is the amount mentioned to hire Ewen and several months of time watching for her return to make sure that the song was performed)

5) Somebody is watching what she is doing about it (the song performance, the murder of Palisa etc).

6) That whatever the person wants done must be of some importance to at least some group.

Can anybody think of anything else which would describe the person or persons involved? Any thoughts about the text of the songs meaning (in relation to the question I had asked if it has to do with the rebellion or other thoughts). If the rebellion does have to do with it, could the murder of the Baron (who was involved with the rebelion) have anything to do with this? If so, this would either indicate that Rahel is not a cohort of Lord Morgan (based only on the glimpse of the tapestry in her house) or did she loose control of her prisoner? Jarop is alleged to have helped Arren of Melderyn overthrow Chafin III, meaning he was in at least some kind of relationship with the man, would a supporter of him be so much of a mystery to this man (who seems to know an awful lot about what is happening in the city)? More important, would Jarop work against what his collusion helped to set up in this fashion? We meet again this weekend and though I know we all look forward to some resolution of the other great puzzle left over from the last session (Ewen), we should look into the other problem which seems to be dogging us recently (provided that there are not further instructions from Sir Auram).

[Matt]

We meet again this weekend and though I know we all look forward to some resolution of the other great puzzle left over from the last session (Ewen),

Nah, I plan to leave you all tilting in the wind ...

[Matt]

Any thoughts about the text of the songs meaning (in relation to the question I had asked if it has to do with the rebellion or other thoughts). If the rebellion does have to do with it, could the murder of the Baron (who was involved with the rebelion) have anything to do with this?

Are you suggesting that Baron's murder has some connection to the song? If so, did you have specific verses in mind?

Jarop is alleged to have helped Arren of Melderyn overthrow Chafin III, meaning he was in at least some kind of relationship with the man, would a supporter of him be so much of a mystery to this man (who seems to know an awful lot about what is happening in the city)?

Maybe the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing ...

More important, would Jarop work against what his collusion helped to set up in this fashion?

Well, that was ten years ago, and Jarop is not likely to be among those in on the big secret. Anything is possible.

[Imarë]

On the rebellion theme, I was just noticing how many of the verses contained reference to rebellion. The only person we have met who was involved (on the wrong side) was the Baron and he was murdered. I cannot cite specifics, but I want to consider it and have it considered.

I was just speculating on Jarop, trying to use items we have learned and see if they can be applied to the questions we run into. It is more speculative toward Rahel, we have just been taking it for granted she was/is a follower of Morgan. I am trying to question all of the assumptions we have made.

[Imarë]

I had some additional thoughts on Rahel and her tapastry. She was born, we determined, after Prince Arren began coming to the city. This would mean that she grew up with him in the city at least part of the time. We, I believe, have determined he is a very good looking man. He exudes power (both in a mystical and corporeal manner). This could mean, if I draw it to it's conclusion, that she is infatuated with the man because of who and what he is/was. It has been pointed out that Morgan is not a subtle person when it comes to his kingdom (even if he is not the King any longer). If he wanted the Baron removed that would have happened and I believe it would have not been done the way it was here. I am proposing that if Rahel worked for Morgan, the order to remove the Baron would have been given instead of looking like he was captured as a target of opportunity and then what to do with him be discussed. I am sure that Sir Auram, being in the position that he is in, has at least a hint that King Arren was not killed in the duel and still walks the earth (if not of much greater knowlege). While I do not remember his exact words about Rahel, he seemed troubled by her actions. If the actions had come from Morgan, I do not think he would have had any problems and I think he would have had at least an inkling about her activities.

In the last session, the events in Golotha were described as bringing the city to a boiling point (the death of the Baron and the murder of the Morgathian knights). I am making a presumption that the event feared would be some kind of upheaval or strife within the city which could threaten the peace. I have looked at the song again and see three passages which seem to me to refer to rebellion. They are:

Stanza 1: "There art none of my noblemen, Palliser, would dare raise up hand against me"

Stanza 2: "There art none of my barons, Sir Palliser, would dare threaten this new-forged realm"

Stanza 3: "There art none of my noblemen, Palliser, would dare taketh up arms against me"

Any thoughts on my trying to connect the song to events in Golotha (past and/or present)?

[Matt]

I had some additional thoughts on Rahel and her tapastry. She was born, we determined, after Prince Arren began coming to the city. This would mean that she grew up with him in the city at least part of the time. We, I believe, have determined he is a very good looking man. He exudes power (both in a mystical and corporeal manner). This could mean, if I draw it to it's conclusion, that she is infatuated with the man because of who and what he is/was.

Like a teenybopper with a David Cassidy poster on her wall? Perhaps, but that would tend to argue she doesn't work for him.

It has been pointed out that Morgan is not a subtle person when it comes to his kingdom (even if he is not the King any longer).

Not by me I trust. I've been pointing out just the opposite. He is a man of subtlety who will use the means necessary to advance his aims. That from time to time this means he uses means which appear blunt, even brutal, does not invalidate the principle. Subtlety for subtlety's sake would be unsubtle.

While I do not remember his exact words about Rahel, he seemed troubled by her actions. If the actions had come from Morgan, I do not think he would have had any problems and I think he would have had at least an inkling about her activities.

I don't recall Sir Auram mentioning Rahel at all. He did mention the Aerths, but as a family.

[Imarë]

On the Rahel thing, that is exactly what I was going toward. The tapastry and the comments about Arren are the only things which we know of which connect her to Arren. I was stating the anti-point.

The killing of the Baron seems a little too subtle, nobody knows he is even dead but he was left in public. If he wanted him dead and yet found, the Baron would have been on the front page of the Golotha Herald (even if he had to start a paper to do it). What we have seen of the man he walks behind the scenes but when he decides something needs to happen it is sudden and often brutal. The holding of the Baron for five days does not seem to fit what we have seen him do.

As I said, I did not remember the exact words, but the only out of character thing I saw the Areths do was by Rahel. It would be unsubtle on your part to have Sir Auram go "that Rahel, what the heck does she think she is doing". At least it is a basis to look at the situation from the perspective that maybe Rahel is not on the side we think she is on and could be involved with what I proposed. I have been trying, if I give a proposal, to see if other evidence fits in with it and will give the pro and con as I see it.