S3E15 - The Guardians Learn the Bayou Boogie

Date: 1st of Seleszeni 1076 ZC

  Day 2 on the airship: Dream asks the Duke about his family. Father, Donovan III, was the Attorney General for the 3rd District. Mother was in the Azorius and Orzhov circles as a socialite. A Martha Washington type. He has an older sister and a younger brother. The sister was a socialite and he has no idea what is brother is up to. During the war, the guilds didn't have their same power. His dad became a defacto leader during that time. He helped the Azorius and Orzhov gain power.
A majority of the population is guildless.
We will need to land the airship in Knaria.
The Rothwind Ball at the Lightgale Manor will be in Norov, where it is very rich and very strict to get into.
The Duke's departure from the engagement likely tanked his dad's career. He paid off an airship in the middle of the night. He hasn't talked to his parents in 50+ years. He tells us about the letter he left to his mom.
Sending to the Duke's mom: Dear mother, it's Donovan. I'm traveling to the 3rd district to see you. I have someone I'd like for you to meet. You can respond to this message.
Androz is going to the 3rd District to speak with a Lady Alara "K" Blackrose.
The Duke fills us in about the culture. We get advantage on charisma checks as long as it's tied into the customs.
We can land in Knaria but we'll need travel docs to get anywhere else in the 3rd District. The Duke's family is in Azberia.

We land in Knaria before sundown

The area looks fairly similar to the 10th district, in the sense that the streets are tight and the buildings are 4-5 stories tall. We land in the industrial part of the city. Theo pays Zana another 100gp for Montague, but tells Montague that she paid a portion of his fare, and that he still owes Zana the rest.
As we walk further into the city, is is a bit rowdy with music playing and there's a joyous vibe. People are setting up booths for what seems like a night market. We shop around for 3rd district clothes, and The Duke gets Dream a fake engagement ring. Androz gets informed about Miss Poppy's apothecary. We go and trade a few of our magic items for belt of returning, bracelet of healing, and a flask of the fist (punch potion, 3 charges).
The night market is in full swing. We eat go a food vendor that Miss Poppy recommends. The 4th district is very fresh and good. It's well seasoned and unlike what we had back home. We find a place to stay. Androz goes to a local hang out to pick up what info he can about the town. It was a good harvest this season. People are excited about the debt forgiveness happening tomorrow. Every quarter there's a harvest festival and the Orzhov do a public debt forgiveness as a good will to the community and as a celebration. People are worried about their finances, although they're not letting it keep the mood down. There are whispers about wanting to see the Badlands, but they're quickly hushed.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party goes out dancing. Androz sees us, and almost walks away because he thinks he's too big, but The Duke casts Reduce and he joins in. He is FABULOUS, and is twirling Dream around. We make friends with the locals and party the night away.

 

Date: 2nd of Seleszeni 1076 ZC

In the morning, we talked to Montague. He can get us forged labor permits to get us into Norov, if we can find him a real one. Dream lends him her Wand of Secrets.

 

At the Edenborough Residence

His father, Donovan, opens the door and asks what he wants. He says to reconcile. His dad says something like, "How convenient." Penelope, the Duke's mom, immediately starts crying. The Duke introduces Dream to his mom, and she's shocked and slightly concerned. Then she collects herself and plays nice. Dream lays on the cheesiness, but his dad is still pissed. The Duke apologizes, but "after 50 years, sorry isn't good enough." The mother is sobbing, and Dream comforts her with words and a Calm Emotions spell. Penelope shouts at the Duke that this is his fault because he abandoned them.
They tell them that they're in the 3rd district after the attack, and that the life and death scenario made him want to come back home to mend things. Penelope questions the real motives though. The Duke says he also wants to apologize to the Lightgales, and she laughs in his face. She hasn't talked to them in years. She says that Cornelius is having his Passing Ceremony in a few days. A Passing Ceremony is an Orzhov funeral ceremony. Cornelius is Cassandra's father. This ceremony is the beginning of the collection ritual. When an Orzhov member dies, there is a period of time where they collect their soul debts. There is a balancing of debts when someone dies, both owed to you and by you. The collection process can use up to a year before the ethereal form of the ghost shows up. At the Passing Cermony, friends and family can donate debts towards the deceased. The body is vulnerable between the death and the Collection. Therefore it's usually protected by ancestors until the process is complete. The passing is the last time the body is out to the public. Penelope doesn't think the family would want to see him, but she wishes him luck on paying his respects.

Meanwhile in Knaria

Androz finds some off duty Boros soldiers. He asks them for a tour of their base in Zarres.
Theo looks for Theives Cant around town. She hears people talking in it. They're planning an assassination go a high-level Azorius official, but they use a call sign not a real name. They mention the badlands; someone was trying to get word out to the Badlands or looking for a way to the Badlands and they got arrested. That person has disappeared. They think it was the judges fault. If they can save the judge, maybe they can get into someone's good graces.