Session 14: Gathering Evidence

General Summary

The session began in the midst of a standoff between the Menagerie and Cloak and Dagger, two high-ranking fixers of the Kopa Drea criminal organization. The two declared their intention to take Rinrin back to Quilport to deliver her to Ambition, the leader the Kopa Drea, and a fight ensued. Before the Menagerie could dispatch their would-be assassins, the two teleported away, leaving the group to plan their next moves.

The party returned to Puzzle's just in time to thwart an attempted assassination on Nightwind. The attacker managed to escape through the nearby window, leaving behind a scrap of clothing bearing the symbol of a dagger piercing a crescent moon. Nightwind did not recognize the symbol but informed the group that her aunt Euphonia would probably have more information about the various underground organizations in Mekkisir. Dacha's owl, Owl, tailed the would-be assassin, losing them when they ducked into a secret passage in Mekkisir's great wall.

The group decided to disguise Nightwind with Droknar's hat of disguise and transport her covertly to a safe house beneath the Mekkisir Gazette, where her aunt Euphonia hid her anti-establishment publishing operation. Euphonia was overjoyed to see her niece and agreed to keep her safe. She also explained to the party that in two days' time a trial would be held at the Doge's Palace and in order to present the evidence they'd found to defend Thalorin and expose Scesso, they would need an official summon from a member of the Violet Brigade.

That evening, as Skreech worked on his crafting, he found himself in Mekhane's realm once more, though this time apparently not summoned by the goddess. As he watched Mekhane pondering her astrolabe, a dark presence appeared to reach out from behind him with inky black tendrils, until Mekhane declared that "this one is mine," to which the darkness replied, "All will be mine in time."

The following morning, the Menagerie returned to the Mekkisir Gazette, where Euphonia was able to provide them with a map of the first floor of the Aerie and a general idea of how they could retrieve official letterhead.

Afterward, the party visited Valtyr's Promenade, where they were greeted by a gathering of mostly catfolk who were in the process of rebuilding and maintaining the shrine there. They spoke with Light Child, who told them the story of how the Mosi ended up in Mekkisir, protected by a pair of angels they called the Light and the Sword. They also spoke with Seven Stripes, who told them another story of a demon named Etreshka who had attacked their temple, only to be defeated by the Light. Brakmat realized the divine soul within him was the Light, and the weird, metallic angel he'd seen in his nightmare was both the demon that had attacked this temple, but also the sister of the Light, who had been taken by demons in the distant past.

Dacha learned through Light Child's story that the Mosi had experienced the same disease that afflicted his people, though he was unable to surmise if the demonic attack on the Mosi was related to the disease or merely a coincidence.

After visiting the temple, the party split up, with Dacha and Droknar visiting Noki the tailor to have Dacha's new cloak of the montebaunk dyed a new color, so as not to attract the attention of its previous owner. Meanwhile, Brakmat, Skreech, and Rinrin visited the Violet Aerie. Brakmat's attempt to distract the guards went a little too far, knocking over a row of suits of armor and then fleeing the scene with guards in toe. Rinrin used the distraction to steal some official letterhead from the clerk's desk, while Skreech distracted the clerk by registering for a crafting license.

The two groups reunited at the Green Dragon Inn, where Rinrin's mentor Osrick, along with his hired crew of mercenaries, finally arrived after their trip from Donborough. Osrick gave more details as to his business in Mekkisir, explaining that a Kopa Drea caravan which had been ambushed travelling through the Zandrazil Jungle had been carrying information regarding a godslayer weapon developed by the Xirax Empire. He needed the Menagerie's help, specifically Brakmat, to give him an "in" with the Tidefang Clan, who would be able to lead him to the site of the missing caravan and possibly recover the lost information.