II.3.2 Old Friends

Session Preface

  The austere living quarters of the ducal castle reak with the stench of death and ash. The bodies of guards, some dead, others unconscious, litter the floor where they fell. Blood stains the luxurious navy carpets, while dark icor is splattered across the floor and walls. Growing nearer, hurried footfalls against stone reverberate in the chambers beyond.   In the middle of the room, collapsed over a couch splintered into pieces with stuffing spilling out lies the armored remains of Duke Jorvund. On his pauldron, the flaming sword crest of Tempus has been shredded while the red and gold paint is peeling off along the gauntlet. Alongside him is the material remains of a succubus who had once assumed the form of Duchess Morwen Daggerford, now in her true demonic form. Her face is contorted in excrutiating pain, but a smirk of some kept secret is fixed upon her lips. Exposed bone, withered with quickened decay, juts out from her shoulder blades where her wings have been cut away by a powerful toxin.   The far door bursts open. A squadron of guards lower their spears as they press into the room, fanning out in a practiced formation. They press in towards you, their eyes dancing wildly around the room, uncertain and for some, afraid. But none speak nor move from their position in formation, yet alone meet your gaze.   Behind them, a half-elven figure walks in, slowing his pace and straightening his posture to take in the scene with thoughtful consideration. He wears the same navy and gold-trim uniforms of the guards, but with additional gold accents on his shoulders and a gold dagger emblazoned on his jacket pocket. He unfolds his hands from behind his back and rubs his shaved head in a moment of contemplation, taking in the scene. He turns towards you to speak, his tone even and measured.   "Before I place you under arrest, why don't you go ahead and tell me what exactly I'm looking at here and how these events came to pass, hmm?"  

Session Summary

  Sir Isteval does his best to summarize the situation for Llewellyn, the captain of Daggerford's militia. He explains his own arrest and subsequent torture, the true nature of the disguised duchess, the corroption of the duke, and Aethuriel's role in thwarting them. Llewellyn's men spread through the room investigating, but even with evidence confirming the infernal nature of the threat, the captain insists on arresting the two knights for their roles. Aethuriel presses on the conversation the greater importance of the stakes - the demonic rituals, the caves filled with force laborers, the terrible living conditions of the city - rather than simply following protocol. Even so, the captain, though sympathetic, insists on following the rule of law.   As the conversation plays out, the invisible Pax searches for an exit. Seeing a safe landing in a garden below, he casts a magical darkness over the room, pulls Aethuriel, and lunges for the window. Aethuriel refuses to abandon Sir Isteval in their escape and shoves Pax out of the way as guards move to surround the darkened corner of the room. Pax, now visible, leaps from the window and hides while he configures his mask of disguises to escape the complex in the guise of a guard.   Meanwhile, Llewellyn moves Sir Isteval and Aethuriel to the kitchens, a completely sealed off room. Here, Sir Isteval tries to leverage his study of the legal system, arguing that because of the severity of their accused crimes, they would go before the duke or duchess, not the guildmasters hall. Llewellyn pushes back that because they've killed the duke and duchess, there is no one to hear their case, and thus it's a moot point. Aethuriel interjects that they know of shipments of blood being brought in from Cromm's Hold, suggesting this may be where the real duchess is being kept alive. Sir Isteval builds on this information, pleading with the captain to conscript them, explaining the legal precedence for using arrested individuals on the frontlines in times of duress. He bargains for three days to return with the duchess or concrete evidence of her fate, promising that on the honor of the Knights of Holy Judgment, neither he nor Aethuriel would abuse the trust in hopes of escape. Llewellyn finally relents, placing them both under arrest for regicide and immediately conscripting them to seek out the fate of the duchess.   Regrouping with Pax beyond the walls of the ducal castle, Sir Isteval and Aethuriel update Pax on the conversation. Sir Isteval arranges to borrow some horses from the city stables and they set out immediately for Cromm' Hold, stopping along the way for much needed rest. As they make camp, Sir Isteval reiterates his appreciation of Aethuriel reminding him who he is as a knight and how he can serve the city in different ways as the needs of the city evolve. He regrets having attacked Pax while under the sway of the sucubus, but admits that it felt refreshing to raise his spear in combat once more.   That night, Pax spends time reflecting on the dying words of the succubus, particular the name she mentioned — Zariel. He also thinks of the darkness within him that he tapped into for the first time during the fight in the castle. That night, his dreams are restless, vivid recreations of his firsthand experiences of death. The next morning, the three companions ride further west until they reach the edge of Lizard Marsh where they must continue on foot.  

Cromm's Hold

  As they approach the unassuming and modest outpost of Cromm's Hold, Sir Isteval explains that it is maintained by Lady Wynne Cromm, a childhood friend and adopted sister of the duchess Morwen. He describes her as a bitter, coniving woman, but does not know the underlying source of her demeanor. The closer they get, the more Sir Isteval's indignation at what has befallen his childhood friend burns within him, sparking a resolve Aethuriel and Pax had not previously seen from the knight before.   Within, Sir Isteval quickly alerts the guards to their presence and demands to speak to Lady Wynne. When Aethuriel confronts Wynne with the events of Daggerfold, particularly the defeated sucubus, Wynne is ecstatic, producing a document that declares her the new duchess upon the passing of Lady Morwen. Sir Isteval burns away the contract, offering Wynne once chance to confess and face justice or instead face his wrath. One by one, her guards stand down, particularly when Pax reveals himself as the Devil of Daggerford and engages in his hemocraftic rites. When Pax and Aethuriel make short work of the few guards who stand their ground, the rest retreat in haste, leaving Lady Wynne defenseless.   Questioning Wynne, the party learn that she has indeed held Duchess Morwen captive, drawing her blood as part of a deal with the sucubus. She rails against the injustice of it all - the duke's son was in love with her, not Morwen, she claims, and Morwen's father changed the terms of the arranged marriage contracts at the last moment, sending Wynne here to Cromm's Hold instead of the ducal castle. With confirmation of her crimes, Aethuriel knocks the lady unconscious and the companions rush downstairs to find the duchess.   Within a dilapidated living quarters below, Sir Isteval rushes to the side of the duchess who appears malnurished, covered in bruises, with transluscent skin and a glaze over her eyes. She explains in efforted words how they drained her blood constantly and kept her alive against her will. When Aethuriel offers a healing potion to help, she gags, spits out the potion, and shatters it on the ground, explaining how the potions, in such high and regular dosage to preserve her life, have become a toxin, one that ultimately took her sight in conjunction with being trapped below ground for so long. Aethuriel tends to her wounds while Pax explores the rest of the dungeon. Pax discovers both the ongoing payments Wynne had received as well as paperwork confirming her dealings with the imposter duchess. Once Lady Morwen's immediately wounds are tended, Aethuriel provides her with armor which they had recovered from earlier in their adventures and Sir Isteval carries her from Cromm's Hold back towards home.   Trudging through the swamps of Lizard Marsh, the party is ambushed by a band of lizardfolk who attempt to drag them into the swamps to drown them. Sir Isteval falls in and immediately begins to sink in his heavy armor, but is aided by Aethuriel and eventually makes it to shore. In the chaos of the attack, Lady Morwen is kept safe, unknowingly garbed in Mariner's Armor that prevents her from sinking. Pax and Aethuriel fight off the attackers while guarding Morwen from further harm. Once the last of the lizardfolk retreat, the companions make it safely to their horses and set out for Daggerford with both Duchess Morwen and the restrained Lady Wynne in tow.