Session 7 - Konskirav's Most Wanted

27/04/5-10

The party decided to leave town as soon as possible in order to catchup to Blazh. Stopping to grab general supplies, Valeyo and Otto entered the local scribe's Sazrar's. The Store was full of book with a large binding station in the middle. To the side stood a blue skinned tiefling with jagged horn protruding at a 45 degree angle. The man appeared frustrated, but his face brightened up when he saw customers enter. Valeyo requested 100 sheets of paper or parchment suitable for being posted on notice boards. The scribe nipped behind his desk and started collecting the materials. While doing so, he looked at Otto an asked if he could interest him in hist contracting services. Otto asked what he meant and Sazrar revealed that he created contracts for people with Glasiya, the Dark Prodigy - one of the nine lords of the hells.

A few moments later, Sazrar came out with the paper Valeyo had requested and Valeyo and Otto bid him farewell, before heading for the door. Right as they were about to leave, Valeyo went back to ask one more question, inquiring if someone else had purchased large quantities of the same kind of paper recently. Sazrar said that there was indeed a woman who had purchased even greater quantities of the same paper a few months ago. Valeyo asked if the woman was a white skinned tiefling with horns pointed upwards, which Sazrar said sound right.

As the two left the store, they regrouped with the others and the group wen to the Knight's Rest to have their last proper meal for a while. While in there they enjoyed a nice lunch and talked about the status of Simona Valova. milivoj instantly recognized her. About 10-15 years ago, Simona Valova, one of the king's knights, reached the rank of Knayzshtit - the highest honour a knight can reach. She was sent to negotiate a treaty to the north as some Hill and Fire giants were causing problems. When she arrived the Fire Giants obliterated both her and the Hill giants, despite them being the ones seeking peace. Milivoj told the others the story of her fight and before we left he went to speak to the woman behind the bar, telling her that Simona was an inspiration of his growing up and he regretted not meeting her. The woman introduced herself as Raina and seemed a bit uncomfortable. She did pour a glass for her and Milivoj and they toasted to Simona.

The party discussed if heading to Dragomir was best and Valeyo pointed out that that is where the Timorans' priestess, Natasha, was. After gathering their items, they headed south. Leaving via the southern road to Dragomir, the rail line could be seen under construction parallel to the road. Dozens of workers toiled away, digging out a trench and pouring in gravel, on which the track could be laid. The tracks had reached a few miles south of the city. Milivoj said that the parts of the main road to the south are patrolled by his family's soldiers, so they could inquire if anyone had seen Blazh. During the first few hours of travel, many workers could be seen coming and going from the railway, commuting in shifts as construction seemed to be a 24 hour affair. After a while in the distance, some of the party's members, were face with their first train, transporting gravel which workers we unloading. A large metal construction, close to 15 feet wide, glided over the rails. When the party reached its front Valeyo noticed a woman in a porcelain mask. Valeyo had never seen her before, but knew her by reputation as the Face of the King. One of the highest ranking individuals in the country and the king's trusted advisor.

Shiek wondered how the train worked and Valeyo explained the basic mechanics of it, before noticing that the locomotive looked near identical to the ones from Velinde, likely imported. Valeyo noted the peculiarity of using a magical device made in a foreign country and betting you kingdom's future on it, but Milivoj retorted saying that the king surely knew what he was doing. Milivoj asked Valeyo, whether he knew who made the locomotive and Valeyo said it was Quiggly Cartwright and Hector Blanchnetta. Milivoj asked if they were good atwhat they do, or would construct something poorly on purpose. Valeyo said he was confident they wouldn't intentionally make a bad machine. As for being good at what they do, they undoubtedly are, but the things they do aren't always.

Breaking up this conversation, Valeyo pointed out the Face, which made Milivoj gasp. The knight explained that there are many stories about why she wears the mask, but the one his father told him, was that she was disfigured after saving the king from an assassin. Shiek asked if normal people got the opportunity to see her often and Milivoj said they would in the capital, but they wouldn't have the chance to get close to speak with her. Valeyo then started driving the wagon towards the face, stopping a few meters away and hhopping off to approach on foot.

The party was instantly intercepted by the Face's guard, a Knyazshtit. The woman looked them all over, her eyes hanging longer on Milivoj and asked what she could do for them. looking around, the area was dense with guards, but the overall alert level was quite low, lending itself to an unusually relaxed atmosphere. Valeyo asked if she had seen anyone matching Blazh's description and she seemed to tense up. The Face asked if they knew this man's name or what he was transporting and the party revealed that it was Blazh and the contents of the cart, could be used to create an explosive device. Valeyo however was careful not to reveal that there was Sky Stone specifically that he was carrying. The party then asked if she knew Blazh, based on her reaction and she revealed that he is a member of an organisation called the Downfall of the Crown. They are a terrorist group that seeks to tear down the "Empire". The party discussed possible target, as well as what to do. Looking at the map, they concluded that if he was going to Dragomir, he had no reason to go to Konskirav. The guard presence in the are made the train an unlikely target, despite it serving as a single point of failure to the king's railway project. During this, the Face thanked them for their information and said that some guard will be sent to Konskirav to look for Blazh. She also claimed, they were entitled to compensation and looked at her guard, who walked away climbing onto the train and bringing back a small trunk. Shiek asked if this was an incentive to look for Blazh and she said their stood to gain even more, should they keep looking for him, handing six bags of coin, 10pp each.

Having listened to her speak for a while, the party could tell her voice was of a woman in her early thirties. After the party decided to head back to Konskirav and look for any tracks indicating that Blazh circled around, she thanked them, giving a small bow and turned around heading back to where she stood before. The group travelled back towards town thinking of visiting the tents outside of the city. A mile out of town were some tracks from a wagon and horses, which someone had tried to hide. They indicated that they left the road heading west. Following them for 60ft or so the tracks become more apparent, the travellers seemingly only hiding the initial diversion. From there the tracks went north-west.

A couple of miles into the wilderness a campsite could be seen, one used recently. A small coal fire pit and imprints from a wagon and two tents. From here they went towards town in a more direct fashion. There wasn't much left in the camp, but in the dirt three initials we written I.C.M. The tracks leading back to Konskirav seemed still fresh. About two hours after the party's departure from Konskirav, they were back, heading into the camp of the Oniroden.

Milivoj expressed that his clan aren't particularly popular with the Oniroden, so he intended to go back into town and check out the market for any rumors, regarding the Master of the Market, whom he still distrusted. Eventually it was decided that Milivoj would checkout the Market proper, while Shiek and Cassini, checked out the warehouses near it, where vendor stored their goods. Meanwhile, Valeyo would speak to the Oniroden, providing a distraction for Sapphira and Otto to follow the tracks deeper into their camp. Valeyo was quickly noticed and surrounded by Oniroden members. With some quick thinking and appealing to their dislike for the Yuzhen and the King, he managed to get himself escorted out without any further trouble, learning more about the Oniroden in the process and even being invited back, provided that he approached from town and had permission.

Using this distraction, Otto and Sapphira followed the tracks, which lead to a large round tent in the centre of camp. Further inspection indicated that the tent served as a communal spot of sorts, where various people ate and hanged out. The tracks near the tent were deeper, indicating that it had stayed there for a while, before heading out of camp and into town.

Shiek and Cassini found themselves darting between warehouses trying to avoid notices. Each of the clans had a dedicated warehouse, bearing their symbol in addition to those held by private vendors. During this search, Shiek was suddenly overcome with a sense of being in the right spot. He had a hard time explaining it to Cassini, who opted to use Detect Magic in an attempt to clear it up. The only magic aura he noticed is the powerful one emanating from Sheik's chest, belonging to an unspecified school. Deciding to trust his instincts, Sheik started searching the area, before coming to the Onirode warehouse, where voices could be heard. Neither him, not Cassini understood the language, although Cassini noted that is bore similarities to elven. An idea was hatched, for Cassini to transform into a spider and crawl his way in, to observe what is going on. Soon he was climbing the inside walls of the warehouse, when he got close enough to see a puzzling scene.

Blazh and his knight, tied up, beaten and bruised, were next to a young woman, speaking to a pile of sacks. A number of goblins stood were inside the warehouse, as well. Getting out immediately, Cassini relayed this information to Shiek and went to get Milivoj from the Market.

In the Market, Milivoj was baffled to find that there were no rumors about Emil, at all. More than that, he wasn't mentioned a single time, no complaints, no praise - nothing. This was most unusual and it served to show the fear that the local traders had of him. Soon Milivoj was joined by Valeyo, Otto and Sapphira, who had met up on the way to town. they shared their findings, when a flustered Cassini ran up to them. After some mumbling and clarification, he explained what the had seen at the warehouse and they all headed there.

Shiek was waiting for the group, when he began hearing a periodic "thud" noise from inside. He was able to deduce that it was the noise of someone being questioned and beaten, when not answering. Just then the others arrived and the plan was fromed, for Milivoj, Otto and Cassini to burst through one of the warehouse doors, while the others entered through the one opposite. Crashing into the warehouse, the party could see that the individual being beaten was, in fact Blazh. More interestingly, the female knight that had accompanied him, was seen without her helmet for the first time, revealing her to be none other than Simona Valova.