Session+Thirteen

Having no luck activating the Gift, the group sits around the breakfast table to think and pool ideas. It is discussed that Keraph mentioned ‘gates’ when he told Kirin how to activate the stones. Kyar is known as a gateway city, and so through some leaps of logic the group decides to go looking for some actual ‘gates’ to get things started. There are four gates entering the city, but the interesting one is in the center of the city… A statue of a man, with a plaque below reading "Our founding father Dakan Ito" now stands where an ancient gate was located. Also, the stonework below the statue resonated with some left-over magic from an older time. They also find out from a local gal that Dakan Ito was the Kadmian commander who won the battle in Kyar, and eventually named himself lord. The group receives an escort to the library from the Lady, and the PC’s and Carter hit the books. Arion and Jen find reference to some magical gates in both Indova and Bel Aman’dur, and Carter finds something about a gate in Phastia. So, it is decided that the group will take a boat down the river to Alandor, and from there head over to Indova and Phastia. Carter remains at the Library while Arion and Kirin book a boat to Alandor, and Jen and Lia fix everyone up with fresh supplies. At dinner that night, Carter informs the group that he learned the ‘gifts’ were mined elsewhere… not in Sylvernes, though he could not find out where they were from. Also, Arion mentions he had been hired to play at an exclusive dinner party that night, and would probably not be around. Kirin takes to wandering around the city while the girls opt to take long soaks in the bath. The next morning, the group wakes to find the town guard poking about, and asking questions. As it would turn out, the Lord’s daughter has gone missing. She was last seen leaving a dinner party with a young man… The PC’s really need to lock up Arion… nights on the town have ended in guard questionings too often! Long story short, they all meet up at the docks, and the boat gets underway to Alandor. On the trip, Jen and Lia have a conversation about Dunin (whether or not he is ‘evil’ or just possessed, etc), Kirin attempts to eat parts of the boat, and Arion gives Carter the ‘if you hurt her I’ll make you regret the day you were born’ speech. After the 7 day trip, the group finally disembarks in Alandor. While on the way to an Inn, they spot Keraph among the crowd, and Kirin delivers him one of his famous ‘tackle hugs’. Keraph invites the group to stay at his place, and of course they simply can’t refuse. While there, Keraph introduces his wife, Orinda to the crew, Jen intimidates Kirin into taking a bath, and the rest get cleaned up after a long trip. That evening, everyone meets in the dining hall… and is introduced to a Mandosian Knight by the name of Luc Beaumont. As it would turn out, the Captain and his troop have broken away from the rest of the Mandosians, and are no longer following the inquisitors. They had been in havenland, and had been with Drayton when Eli was found and rescued. They have been on the run since… wanted for treason and all that. A young, ex-inquisitor-wannabe was also with them. Maxwell Salvatore is the adopted nephew of the Grand Master Inquisitor, but has seen the wickedness of their ways so to speak. He and Luc answer the groups questions about the inquisitors, their mission, the Dark Ones, and many many more things. Summary on what has been learned thus far:
 * The ‘bat creatures’ or the Twisted Ones are the minion of the Dark Empress
 * The Dark Empress is potentially working for/ doing the bidding of the Dark One… a devil of sorts who once ruled the lands now known as Kadmus.
 * Initially, the Empress made the pact to help the Dark One in order to protect her own people… and things didn’t go so well. The Dark One imprisioned her soul, and she became what is now the Dark Empress… a tyrannical ruler who is trying to collect and control all of the magic for herself. Over time, she finally regained enough of herself to break the control of the Dark One, but even though her body was once again hers, her soul was still his. The current Dark Empress could be a reincarnation of the original, a possession, or even a resurrection. No one is certain.
 * The inquisitors are also doing the bidding of the Dark Empress. They are looking for the Gifts of the Veils, the Veil Maiden, and all that is magical so they might control it.
 * The Twisted Ones tend to follow the Inquisitors around, feeding off of their leavings like crows.

After this information overload, the gals decide on a night of pampering… they sit in the tubs for hours drinking wine and having a ‘ladies night’ while the boyos head out for a night on the town. Kirin gets silly drunk, which is just funny. Carter informs Arion that Carter’s father was in town earlier that day, and that he knows Jen is here too… He is pushing for them to return and get married. Carter wants to give her some space, so he’s going to leave the next morning to buy her some time to get away. Arion instructs the slightly inebriated Carter to go talk to Jen first… to give her all of the facts. He heads back to the Inn to do so, Kirin continues to sing drunken songs while hopping around on the bar, and Arion goes home with a bar maid. All is well for a change. (for now that is)

On to Session Fourteen, Back to Session Twelve