Session 9 - Evasion and Impersonation

27/04/5-10

The party was in the guesthouse, with the cook preparing dinner downstairs. After a quick discussion, it was decided to keep the two prisoners in the guesthouse, under guard. Shiek suggested, that he might go out to buy something from town. Otto also said he might grab some potions from town. The two of then took a quick trip and on the way back Shiek noticed something peculiar - a cat.

The feline beast was tracking his every move. He pet it in an attempt to get it to leave, but it was persistent, even after picking it up and shouting at it. Eventually he gave up and simply stashed it in his bag, before walking back to the enclave. Upon entering the main room, he gathered Cassinni and Sapphira to use their expertise, when it came to animals. Neither of them could spot anything wrong with the cat and an inspection with Detect magic revealed no magical auras surrounding it.

During all of this, sat on a bench in the garden was Valeyo. He had bee messaging Blazh and Simona, gathering information from them. This included the name of their engineer - Vincent Atanasoff. According to Blazh, he was based in Rekasev, and either him or someone working for him ,would be making their way to Konskirav soon. Valeyo told him that if he was to free him, Blazh needed to abandon this explosive plan of his, to which Blazh agreed.

The night came and people took their watches.

28/04/5-10

In the morning, Otto was woken up at about 7:00 by some noise. Through his window, by the street he could see a large clump of guards and some dogs. The guards were dragging people out of their houses and barging in. Seeing that their time was running out, the party began their questioning of Blazh. Before proceeding Valeyo messaged Blazh one last time telling him to answer his questions, but not with any concrete answers that could be give away too much, he then proceeded to use Suggestion on Blazh, wording it so that Blazh was compelled to answer, but not necessarily truthfully.

When asked about the barrels, Blazh said that they were given to the Oniroden. Milivoj jumped on this asking about the Oniroden's involvement. Blazh revealed that the entire Oniroden were helping them with their plan and that the barrels were given to them to safeguartd until the engineer's arrival. Milivoj said that if one of the clans was to help the ICM, he would expect it to be the Oniroden.

The next question was about ICM leadership. Blazh mentioned two names in specific - Vaziliis and Thatia. A few moments later, there was a thumping on the door. A heavily armoured individual, bearing a greatsword and clad in gold-embossed armor with golden plumage on his helmet. Next to him was Nikolai and another Boyar with green plumage, together with 20 or so Sila. He asked Milivoj, who had opened the door, to leave the premises, producing a piece of paper, giving permission to search the town, signed by the Face of the King - Yanista Veneva.

Milivoj began arguing with the Boyar, saying they can't just come in as it was a breach of procedure. The other Boyar apologized and said, his colleague is from the capital not understanding the way things are done up north. The green plumed man, explained that after finding out about the disturbance, they were seeking a terrorist - Blazh. While this was going on, the others decided to free Simona, and pretend she was with them, having her sit by them.

After a bit, Milivoj allowed the Boyar in and upon seeing Blazh, the man in the green plumage demanded and explanation Valeyo said that they were the ones who alerted the Face in the first place and they had just captured Blazh. When asked what they would do with Blazh, the Boyar said they would question and execute him, he was a known terrorist, so he will have no quarter. Valeyo asked why there wouldn't be a trial and wondered what would have happened if him and his friends had just killed Blazh. The Boyat explained, that while it would have been regrettable to lose out on a source of information, he was an outlaw, so they would have been in the right to kill him. Satisfied, Valeyo left taking Simona with him. On the way he gave her his knife and told her that Blazh's only hope for an end without torture is if she finished him herself. She protested, saying she had a better idea, before slipping out, while Valyo caused a distraction.

A few moments later, Blazh was escorted out in chains and the rest of the party realized that Simona was nowhere to be seen. It was not time to plan their next move and the party began discussing. Valeyo insisted that they should start by getting hold of the Sky Stone, to prevent it from falling into the hands on others. Shiek and Cassinni exclaimed that sneaking into the Oniroden camp would be difficult especially, as the exact location of the barrels was unknown. Sapphira and Otto recalled that the had seen the wagon tracks come to a stop near a large communal tent, before moving on, pointing it out as a likely location for the barrels. Suddenly Valeyo cut in, proposing that they approach this differently. His suggestion was to impersonate the engineer, and pretend to have come for the Sky Stone. After discussing it for a bit, it was decided to go with that plan.

To help this, that party decided to pick up some disguises - unmarked clothes and simple leathers for Milivoj, so his Yuzhen affiliation is not apparent. Arriving at the Market, there were two apparent commotions going on. In the Otgore end there was a celebration and at the Oniroden stall, a few people were gathered around a box. Otto investigated the celebration of the Otgore, finding out that their hunters had returned. They brought back a large reptilian creature, winning the Great Hunt. Word was also spreading that the Oniroden had found something valuable. Having picked up everything they were looking for the party proceeded towards the Oniroden camp, with Valeyo and Milivoj changing on the way.

Before reaching the mass of tents in the north-west of town, a rider the group inquiring after the reason for their visit. Valeyo said that he needed to speak with their leaders. When asked why, he explained that some of his friends were killed in one of their warehouses last night and it was of utmost importance to speak to the people in charge. The group was pointed to the tent that Otto and Sapphira had investigated the previous day. The inside was spacious and filled with many Oniroden. SOme were drinking and eating while other conversed, while music played. The party approached an empty table and waited. A few moments later, a goliath approached, wearing a large white mask. The mask depicted and looking angry face, turning to burgundy and purple at the edges. He looked at them walking past and grabbing himself a drink, before returning and sitting down.

Valeyo told him he needed the material, immediately, after hearing of Blazh's capture. Valeyo asked what happened and how it was that Blazh was arrested. The goliath explained that Blazh must have been betrayed by one of their own, as no Oniroden would have done it. When Valeyo asked if there were any suspects, the goliath said it must have been the White One. Once she joined, apparently everything accelerated, so she is likely the traitor. Valeyo listened to the man's suspicions, before asking to take the material, to which the goliath agreed, opening a trapdoor and having his men carry out three barrels. Valeyo asked after the White One, wondering when she had last visited and who she reported to. The goliath answered the first question, saying she had been in Konskirav a few months prior, but seemed confused by the second exclaiming that she answers only to herself. Before leaving, the man asked Valeyo his name, saying that to the Oniroden, names are sacred, only shared with other Oni. He revealed that his name is Miro and Valeyo shared his in turn, much to the chagrin of Shiek and Cassinni.

The party followed Miro's suggestion of leaving to the west, as it was less likely they would be noticed and they could hide in the woods in that direction. On the way, Shiek and Otto confirmed that the white chalky stone in the barrels was indeed what they suspected - Sky Stone. Shiek the asked what the plan was and Valeyo suggested going to Dragomir and returning the barrels to the Timoran's who they were stolen from. He argued athat of the people aware oif the potential of Sky Stone, the Timoran's were the only ones who expressed no intention of using it as a weapon. At the very least, they could find more about it from them. Since many others were intent of going to Dragomir anyway, the group agreed and headed south.

It quickly became clear that the Sila were on high alert, as they stopped and even searched some carts along the southern road. The party wasn't searched but their passage was noted. The trek to Dragomir began and along the way, more gravelling work could be seen being done and a trench being dug in preparation for the rails. For a supposedly wealthy and highly magical country, there are almost exclusively human labor being used. No golems, no magic, no wizards, it was being done by hand, by the people of this country. Valeyo wondered if the king disliked magic, but Milivoj explained that the Conclaive is headquartered in Dragomir, the Bladesinging academy is in Otusta, so the king is allied with wizards and he keeps mages in his court. Valeyo then proposed that the dislike may be a personal one, that doesn't prevent the king from making use of mages.

After a few hours of uneventful travel, the party decided to stop and have Otto test out the Sky Stone. He channeled Sardior's energies of Night and Freedom. He felt a connection there, but something was missing. Valeyo theorized that it might be a ruby, but Otto pointed out that it likely needed to be done at night. Towards the end of the day, the party came before a large campsite where multiple other groups of travelers were already situated about a dozen groups in total. The groups included people of all sorts, but a lot of it was trade caravans. Building timber and coal was being carried, as well as dried food. Valeyo tried looking for the engineer but he didn't see anyone who fit. Otto tried his ritual once more, and felt closer doing it at night, but something was missing still. Deciding to test his theory, Valeyo left in search for someone willing to sell a ruby. Some time later, he found a woman willing to sell a pair of ruby earrings, which he managed to strike a bargain for. He returned to the party, handing Otto the earrings.

Using the rubies, Otto felt even closer, the items almost wanting to connect with each other ,but something was missing still - a catalyst. After this last failure, the party went to bed. Otto struggled to fall asleep, his mind still racing, but after a while sleep took him. He dreamt of home and of the Solar Forge, as if it called to him. He had never seen the forge, but somehow knew what it was. Inside was a glassy liquid, somehow, he knew that was not normally what it looked like. Soon the liquid turned red and he saw a dark red ruby pair of draconic eyes staring at him. Then he felt blazing heat, as in the eyes are fire. The heat enveloped his body and he woke up, with one of the earrings in his hand, not having held it when falling asleep. In his other hand a piece of Sky Stone. His whole being rocked with a sweat, as if on fire.