Session Twelve - November 15, 2003

Wherein the ongoing story of the FtF campaign may be found ...

Session Twelve - November 15, 2003

Postby Matt » Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:06 pm

How I Was Robert McNamara’d Into Submission

Nolus 8, 730

House of Theron Palliser, Heroth.

We sit down to dinner. Hugh the Steward serves the meal. Theron does not join us. Trilime is a little standoffish to her mom. She is exuberantly walking and talking. She has a big thatch of black hair and a thin face, like her father. Evening comes. Bevan puts Trilime to bed, much to the nanny’s chagrin. Theron sends word he would like to talk to us, so we go up.

Theron greets Imarë with an odd word in a language Arlen does not recognize. The Situation is discussed. Theron thinks that the ultimate soul of all the bigwigs descended from the Royal House of Melderyn is the same. Darebor and Morgan are different only in degree. Theron thinks Arren Lydel is not really a son of Lodros, aka, Arren of Melderyn. Lydel has been exiled from Coranan to Aleath because the King thinks he’s a pain. (If he is a son, Lodros would have been about 13 when he sired him.) Theron says Lodros is like an uncrowned emperor. He spent time in the Azeryan empire and based the legions on that model.

So why is Lodros conquering Orbaal? Theron says he’s trying to destabilize the area. Why? Theron thinks Tharda will soon be on the march. Theron also thinks Lodros is after supernatural power.

Theron shows us a letter: it’s an offer to become the Royal Master of the Esoteric Arts, the third he’s received. He will continue to decline. Theron intends to lay low until the time comes for him to take Trilime to Coranan for her education. That’s at least two years off.

Melderyn has always indirectly controlled Harn; that is changing. There is another power, now. The visit of the Duke of Alagon (q.v. our first session) was the first visit ever from the continent to anywhere on Harn except Cherafir.

Theron thinks Arlen should not go to see Arren II; that would be a very poor idea. Arlen gives in to his uncle.

Nolus 9, 730

We travel to Coranan, arriving by the fifth watch. Arlen has sold his other horse to Theron for 400d, which helps his cash flow problems. We go to Bevan’s favorite inn, the Tabard & Hearth. As we enter, we notice that on the center dome of the Palace of the Red Dome, there are no flags flying, signifying that the King is not in residence.

That night in the Common Room there is a harper, Ewen of Ravinargh, “one of the most promising young harpers of the Coranan stage.” This turns out to be Van. Sugoi!

Ewen has been looking forward to meeting the party for some time now. Back in Nuzyael, he was commissioned by an unknown patron to play his song for the party when they came in. He met twice with the patron. The patron had an eastern Harnic accent, with something of a Jarin lilt. He was medium build, had reddish-blond hair and was obviously another minstrel. He was evasive about his identity, which almost led Ewen to turn him down, but the offer was too intriguing. He paid Ewen at the time of hire, three months ago. All of this happened when we were away and Bevan was still in Kaldor. Ewen got the impression the patron was acting as an intermediary for someone else. The patron implied Ms. Palliser would have some insight in to the lyrics. The patron wore a mantle with a charge consisting of 3 interlinking diamonds on it. Ewen has been to Heroth and knows Theron.

After the song the party drank through the evening and mused over the odd events.

Nolus 10, 730

Ewen eats breakfast with us. Ardeth is sick. Arlen and Kamen go to the Cathedral of Larani. Imarë goes to the heralds with Ewen. Bevan goes to see Sir Auram Graver.

Arlen’s day: The order of Hyvrik runs the temple, although this is not the HQ of the order. Coranan is the HQ of the order of the Checkered Shield since they got kicked out of Castle Menekod by Arren I due to their support of the king of Kanday.

Imarë and Ewen: They go to the College of Heralds. Heraldic colleges enjoy extraterritoriality. The old colleges for Kanday and Rethem have been moved here. The junior clerk greets them. The price for the information they need will be at least five shillings. They decide to go to the Harper’s College instead.

Bevan and Dascomb: They go to the Palace of the Red Domes. She recounts our journey to Sir Auram, saying that ‘Lodros’ is leading the Jarin. Auram reads her magically. He asks her to stick around, and has a tally stick given to her to defray her costs. He invites us all to Kennan, his manor outside of town. Bevan mentions Ewen and his song. Auram recognizes Ewen from a friend’s party. The tally stick is good for £5. Bevan takes the amount in silver; Dascomb carries the six large bags. Bevan gives Imarë, Ardeth and Arlen one bag (200d) apiece.

(What follows is info about Ewen’s song from Imarë and Ewen’s visit to the Harper’s College.)

The kingdom of Kanday was founded in the aftermath of the fall of the Theocracy of Tekhos, which was performing perverse Morgathian rituals. The old Imperial nobility had embraced the theocracy or fled.

Eladas of Kand was one of the exiles. Eladas claimed that without an emperor to dismiss him, he would serve until there was a proper authority. Eladas sheltered enemies of the theocracy. In 575 he was brought up on charges. Eladas sent his family to safety and was impaled. His clan was outlawed.

The Kand’s new scion, Andasin, gathered a small army and struggled against the Theocracy. The theocracy collapsed and Andasin took over in 589. Over the next decade, he expanded his power. There was a bandit lord called Taklar the Ogre. Andasin rode against and defeated him. Following this triumph, Andasin conquered most of the surrounding area. By 615 only the Morgathian lords of Dyrisa castle were left to oppose him, and Andasin beat them. In 622 the king founded the order of the Checkered Shield. In 624 the king declined into senility and then died in 627. He was succeeded by his grandson, Andasin II.

It is decided that Ewen, Arlen, Imarë and Kamen will return to ask Theron about the original Palliser and any connection he may have had to the above described events.

Nolus 11, 730

Breakfast with Ewen in the morning. We notice there’s one guy in the common room every morning who isn’t there in the evenings. He doesn’t seem to be paying attention to us. He’s blond.

We return to Heroth. The road is an old imperial road, and so is paved (Theron lives on Ewen road. This probably doesn’t mean anything.). We meet Theron, and ask him about the song. Theron thinks the song is about his great-great-grandfather and namesake. He was the first landowner in the family, receiving this from Andasin I. However, he doesn’t know of this ancestor being a counselor of any kind. Theron is intrigued by the song and Ewen tells him about the mysterious patron.

Theron then gets very upset at the threat to Bevan and we all leave, Theron included, to go back immediately. We return to the Tabard & Hearth. Theron insists Ewen stay with us there until this is all cleared up, lest we find him the next morning floating in the river tied up with meat twine and with a spike up his nethers. We gather in a private room on the ground floor. Theron grills Ewen about his employer. We discuss why this happened, and bring up and dispatch many theories.

We come to the conclusion that this is directly aimed at Bevan, but can’t think why. Much discussion takes place. It is decided that Imarë and Ewen will go to a Halean event so as to ask after Ewen’s patron. We will also go to the college of Heralds to investigate the 3-diamond charge.

It is agreed that Theron will pay 180d to the temple of Halea and Sir Arlen will make a matching grant to the cathedral of Larani to ease Theron’s conscience. Imarë chips in 30d to Arlen.

We guard Theron’s room at the inn. Ewen volunteers to spend the night in the common room.

Ewen awakes in the night to see Anders the innkeeper talking with the blond man we noticed yesterday and a very tall redhead. The redhead is not his mysterious employer. The redhead has a livid scar on his right cheek. Anders is very deferential to him and calls him ‘Lord.’ He and Blondie enter the kitchen and are seen no more.

Ewen goes to see Arlen about this, trips over another guy and they exchange words. Ewen, outside, is accosted by the night watch. Ewen said the Bringer of Evil Dreams troubled him, freaking the guardsmen, who left. Ewen returned inside and went to sleep.

Nolus 12, 730

The next morning we learn Blondie is Parmen of Merros. Arlen tries to talk to Parmen, but it doesn’t work. Shortly thereafter, Parmen leaves.

Bevan speaks with Anders. Anders rather cruelly assures her that his discussion with Parmen does not concern her. It’s not a pleasant conversation.

Ewen and Imarë go to the Temple of Halea. Xandia, the High Priestess, is very pleased to see Ewen. They give her the 180d. Various immoral things go on. Ewen asks inconclusive questions. *More* immoral things go on.

Arlen, Theron and Bevan go to the college of heralds. Theron swears up and down that Anders is trustworthy. At the college, we ask three questions:

When and how did King Andasin I die? Answer: In 627, of old age and senility. His grandson assumed the throne as Andasin II.

What was the role of Theron Palliser I in King Andasin’s reign? Answer: There are no records. The only person in the Heroth area mentioned is Lord Cassean, who became the Earl of Heroth. Sinel Cassean was made the first earl in 622. He had four generations of descendents, all earls. In 725 the last earl was killed at Norea Plain. There are no records of how Theron Palliser I died.

Who has the charge of the three diamonds? Answer: there are no records of a coat of arms with three interlocking mascles.

We all head back to the Tabard & Hearth. Theron says he thinks Bevan should come home. She refuses, so he insists that she at least be extra careful. We drink away the evening.
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Matt
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