Thirty-third Session
| Campaign | The Primordial Campaign |
|---|---|
| Game Date | October 5th, 2021 |
| Start Date | Morning, Tamiz 18th, 261 IM |
| Start Location | Off the coast of the League of Dweorgen Miners |
| Ending Date | Evening, Tamiz 20th, 261 IM |
| Ending Location | Diamond City, League of Dweorgen Miners |
| Absentees | Joseph, Panamon Cree |
| Next Session | Thirty-third Session |
The Thirty-third Session began in Diamond City, capitol of the League of Dweorgen Miners. The party had had a long voyage and checked into the The Diamond Setting hotel for the evening. Their passenger, the 14th Rose of Aspan decided to continue on to the capitol of Anar without the rest of the party, taking along the other passenger named Valor, who was eager to see the front lines. She offered the party a note redeemable for 10,000 pieces of gold at the Dweorgen Bank, or its equivalent in diamonds.
Panamon's Dream
When Panamon Cree finally succumbed to sleep, a couple of days before the Dirti Nelli was able to reach the port of Diamond City, he met with his patroness, Æski in a dream. Once again, she asked him, "What do you want?" Once again, he answered that he wanted "Power." and some other things that she rolled her eyes at. When he stopped speaking she asked, "Who stands in your way?"
Panamon Cree had a long distrust of Hedgewind Jalinbeti, but decided that it might be in his best interest to direct the lady's wrath toward a more pressing foe, that being Zhannur Timurlan, the commander-in-chief of the Ustemdik Garis and the principal reason for the war having begun. As soon as Panamon spake the words, Zhannur Timurlan, Æski faded from his dream and Panamon fell into the deepest sleep of his life.
2 days later
Settling into The Diamond Setting hotel for a little food and gossip, the party overheard the Dweorges in heavy debate as to what to do now that the tide of the war had swung. First, the learned that the Jalinjerians had crushed the offense of the Garis military so completely as to having significantly decreased that nation's population. They also heard arguments for and against continued trade with the Garis and speculation as to whether the Dweorges should consider open hostility toward them.
Meanwhile, Panamon Cree did his best to promote the good life as promised by Æski. His goal was to recruit technically minded Dweorges in the hope of finding a small contingent who might unlock the secrets of the Garis corvette. Unfortunately, he was as unconvincing as a bobcat in a bird cage. Few Dweorges would even sit through the speech. Panamon tried again in the The Ruby Rose hotel, only to meet with the same reception. He retired to The Diamond Setting and called it a night.
Almost... Panamon contacted his resistance group in Jagalik to check up on their progress. He was met with the news that the resistance was being resisted and even persecuted in the city. Panamon asked what they needed and they said "Horses!". They explained that the Ælfes could hunt them down with Hippogriff mounts and that they didn't have so much as a donkey to retreat on; as iff the island was wiped clean of horses. Panamon Cree promised to do what he could.
Breakfast at Tiffanies
The party gathered together for a traditional hotel breakfast, if not for the chairs and table being a bit on the small side. Over breakfast they schemed as they would have traditionally schemed. The breakfast had a traditional interruption, this time by Saduakas Yermek.
Saduakas greeted Panamon on the communication device and explained that on the prompting of "the lady" they take to the battlefield after the battle was over. He explained that he and Erbol Aidos discovered the nearly dead body of Zhannur Timurlan and they had transported it back to their camp. When they asked what they should do with him, Panamon instructed them to stay in Jalinbeti and that he would come to them. The party concluded that a trip to Jalinbeti would be in their best interests.
Obsidian's Exact Science
Having witnessed the miracle of teleportation as cast by various wizards, Obsidian had decided in his sorcerous brain that he could also effect a teleportation of his own. Despising the wizardly haphazardness of the results, however, Obsidian asked the party for any remnant they might have from their former keep, Koboldy Rock.
Armed with a talisman from the rock, and some sorcerous handwaving, Obsidian Black, soon had the party situated in his former bedroom, a place which now looked a lot more like a government office than a bedroom. The party stirred from the bedroom to raise the alarm eventually a war party, fresh from their second victory on the battlefield with the Garis army confronted the gang.
Panamon Cree, brimming over with anger, insisted that he was lord and owner of this keep. He handed Asylzhan Almaz, Lord Protector of Halperion a copy of the bill of sale for the keep. The paper meant nothing to the general who handed it back to Panamon with a bit of a chuckle. Panamon raged to no effect while the rest of the party decided to just... wait.
Eventually Gulshara Rysbek, formerly the Grand Viseer of Koboldy Rock and now the Finance Minister of Halperion Prefecture, eventually arrived on the explosive scene. She calmed the scene and the Halperion warriors slowly stood down. After some explanation of the history of the keep over the past few months. Absolutely nothing in the keep was the same. It was now a fortified seat of power in an expanding country... not the abandoned keep in the woods it was when the party left it behind.
Once learning of their mission, Gulshara offered the party a set of horses and a meal at her father's new establishment, Erbol's Inn, where they could catch up with Erbol and get some food for the journey. Erbol's proved to be very happy to see that the party was still alive and kicking and gushed with pride over how his daughter had used her cunning to advance her position, now a Finance Minister, exceeding his every dream for her.
The Road to Jalinbeti
The party travelled on to the city of Jalinbeti, which they remembered as a vast expanse of dreams and little flags in the ground. Along the way they passed endless hordes of people, refugees, families carrying wounded soldiers and other war victims, and soldiers of every description. Miles of soldiers, numbering in the tens of thousands travelling one way or the other, on foot or on horseback.
The city of Jalinbeti featured a completed citadel, built impressively huge and sturdily of rocks hewn from a mountainside and lovingly carved by giant hands. While there was much finished construction, suitable for a small city, the rest of the city was made up of tents. There were tents for rich and poor, civilian and military. Some tents were freshly struck and others looked like they had aged considerably. All in all, it could be estimated that nearly a million people lingered around Jalinbeti in this tent city.
Panamon Cree checked in with Saduakas on the communicator and got directions to their camping location. He found Saduakas and Erbol in their tent, with a coffin containing one Zhannur Timurlan, alive and kicking... weakly kicking. Panamon and party made a quick decision to ransom Timurlan to the highest bidder and they decided to head over to Jalinbeti Citadel to give Hedgewind the first bid.
They party approached the guard post at the citadel's entrance announcing their names and that they sought an audience with Hedgewind. The guard, made a few consultations and a uniformed woman arrived at the gate explaining that they could see Hedgewind, but that he might not see them. She shook her head and said, "Come with me." After some trouble weaving into a lower level of the citadel, they found Hedgewind strapped into a machine.
The Death Machine
Hedgewind Jalinbeti looked to be in a great deal of pain, his back flexed as though he was being tortured. His vacant gaze turned to the party. Some lights on the machine began to dim and Hedgewind began to relax his body, first slumping forward and then stepping out of the machine.
A little dazed, Hedgewind asked about the war. Obsidian Black, surprised that he did not know what was going on told him that they had defeated the Garis in battle. More surprisingly, Hedgewind responded, "It doesn't really matter." Obsidian, confused asked, or perhaps announced, "Because none of it is real!?"
"No, it's all real." Hedgewind replied with a grimace.
Hedgewind's staff helped clean him up and he invited the party for dinner, all while he wondered why the party had come to visit. Panamon eventually explained that they would be able to produce none other than the leader of the enemy, Zhannur Timurlan. Panamon began to engage in negotiations, but was eventually stopped by Hedgewind's very direct question, "What do you want?"
Hedgewind eventually agreed to grant a ministry and a prefecture in his country and a new town to be constructed at the juncture of the Jalinbeti River and the Ælfen Way, the road leading to Ælfewode. He said he would grant a generous building allowance to start necessary construction as the party acclimated to living in a more permanent location.
A deal was struck and Panamon looking satisfied, Hedgewind offered to show Obsidian his machine. They discussed their near-death experiences that took them to another place. Hedgewind pointed at his machine and explained that it is a "death machine". It effectively makes the operator... dead, so that they may experience an impermanent death and a bizarre afterlife. Strangely, he asked Obsidian if he was familiar with the term "Sleipnir"?
As the conversation drew to an end, Obsidian asked if the offer allowing him to do more research on the Memes of Aspan in the citadel was still valid. Hedgewind said that it was and satisfied, Obsidian joined the party. They were coddled by the citadel staff who made as comfortable a bivouac as possible out of the dining room, tipping tables and chairs out of the way (there not being an available bed for several miles) and they bedded down for the night.
Speak, Timuralan Speak!
The next morning the party breakfasted in the bivouac, which was quickly restored to a dining and headed out to inspect their captive. The party inspected Timurlan for any gear he might have, only to find that he barely had much left of his uniform. Using the power of Æski, Panamon Cree charmed the hapless warrior into thralldom.
Panamon addressing the warrior as 'friend' began to ask questions about how to gain access to various locations in the country of the Garis Triumvirate. He asked about the 'boxes', referring specifically to the Memes of Aspan On War. On the former question, Timurlan created some documents for his 'friends' to enter the Trappist Citadel as service people, explaining that this they could do without a delegation.
Zhannur Timuralan was less forthcoming about the 'boxes' as he did not use them himself. He explained that these things were the domain of the wizards in an almost scoffing tone... the type of tone that one would take with a friend. After more questioning, Panamon convinced his 'friend' to sign him a note for 2 million (a number so large that even Panamon quivered) Garis dollars. More questions were asked about the locations where airships were being built and the answer was lengthy, with numerous locations named.
Eventually, with every question they could think to ask answered, they walked Timurlan to Jalinbeti Citadel and turned him over to the guards at the gate. He waved goodbye to his new 'friend'. A representative of Hegewind Jalinbeti soon appeared with a small collection of documents outlining the various grants awarded to Panamon Cree as a result of this transaction.
And so it begins...
Player Notes
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