Session 14, Merry Men Murdered

General Summary

The d'Honaire's departed, but not before Ser Percival warned Lord Scipio that he was no longer welcome at Highburn Keep. Suspicious about how word of the gala reached Duchess Vesper, Duke Janis accused both Countess Seraphina and Lord Tybalt of passing the information on, though both denied the accusation.

Firion met with Tiblamir and Harmonius and shared what they'd learned during their morning investigations (Glutton Worms, Merry Men attack patterns, information on the Church of Bane, and the possibe lead on Urian in Little Harbor.) After getting cleaned up after his time in the sewers, Vaegon made his way back to the Keep so Firion could make good on his promise to buy him new clothes for the gala. They made their way to Regal Raiments where Tiblamir and Vaegon purchased new finery, and Firion formally commissioned a mantle in the Empire's colors that would be ready on Kythorn 10 for 130 gold pieces.

By the time they'd finished their shopping, it was already evening, and after playing some festival games and redeeming rewards, Tiblamir split off to meet Luca at the Riverside Banquet for dinner while Firion and Vaegon walked the festival streets eating and getting to know each other. After Firion dropped Vaegon off at his inn, he was approached by the two men from Bilgewater who'd recognized Tiblamir and Harmonius. The two men asked for information about Tiblamir and Harmonius and Vaegon revealed that they were staying in Highburn Keep, though the two men didn't seem to concerned about that, even asking if Vaegon knew of any alternate routes into the Keep. Vaegon then rushed to catch up to Firion and explained what had just happened. However, the two men had tailed him, and after noticing that he noticed them, they fled and he gave chase, eventually tracking them to an alley in a deserted side street. Vaegon ambushed the two men, killing both with the aid of Adrian, who arrived on the scene without warning. The two rushed back to Vaegon's room where they discovered that the two men had actually been Merry Men, due to the signature smiley-faced burlap sack head coverings Vaegon had taken from their bodies.

  However, Vaegon suddenly seized up and fell to the ground paralyzed by the poison in the healing potion Adrian had given him. The Adrian who'd come to his rescue was actually a Faceless Assassin who saw the opportunity to question and torture Vaegon about a boy he'd allegedly stolen from them on the Adder. Paralyzed, Vaegon answered that he genuinely didn't know where the boy had gone, having been separated from him after their hideout had been attacked by Faceless Assassins. The Assassin left Vaegon, promising him that he would never walk alone again. After he was able to move again, he rushed back to the Keep to tell the news to Firion, but was met at the gate by a tipsy Knight Commander Lefwin who explained the situation to, and Commander Lefwin sent knights into the city to investigate and recover the bodies.

In the Keep, Firion met with Minerva and Harmonius about their situation. After pressing his father for his decision, the drunk Duke had left the matter of what to do with Minerva and Harmonius in his hands, but warned him that they were not to leave the Keep until after tomorrow's gala. Firion laid out their choices (to leave the following morning for Little Harbor as Tiblamir suggested, or to stay in the Keep for their own safety) but ultimately provided no real advice, leaving the husband and wife frustrated as he headed to the library to meet with Lord Tybalt. At the library, he found the thought vial containing Lord Joric's memories of what happened at Deadgulch. Taking the memory, he returned to his room and through the memory experienced the atrocities committed by his brothers and his bannermen as they burned the village to ash and slaughtered it's residents, justified by Ser Percival's loyalty to his father's cause.