01-23-963: A Knight to Remember

Waking after a luxurious sleep at the Hilltop Inn, the party each enjoyed a full breakfast in their rooms before gathering in the common room to discuss what to do for the day. Remembering the Archbishop had mentioned that she would send a messenger to the Dormitory of Avandra's clergy, they decided they ought to see if anyone had stopped by. On their way back they ran into Father Rowley Ilatris, who seemed pleased to see them and congratulated them on their good news! Seeing their confused faces, Rowley explained that the Archbishop had convened a Council of Bishops the night before, and they were in discussion late into the night. Then, realizing the time, Rowley went wide eyed and started hurrying everyone to the Cathedral. Apparently a messenger had been sent early in the morning to summon the party so they could have some practice, explanation, and general sanding down of rough edges before the ceremonies.

Arriving to the cathedral in quite a hurry, everyone ascended to a small hall on the second floor. They got a quick rundown of the procedure and had their names taken down for the ceremony and to be entered into the record books. As the doors to the hall were opened, the party saw that the Archbishop and all the Bishops were present, as well as any nobility or clergy with enough importance to attend. After a brief speech about what the party did and how they should be seen a model of valor and duty to the faith, each member of the party was knighted and a medallion was placed around their necks. From there, a procession proceeded to the front steps of the Cathedral, where the Plaza was nearly full with onlookers. The new Knights of St. Hefeydd were presented to the city, with the explanation that just as St. Hefeydd of old defended the faith against its enemies, the new knightly servants of the church had defeated a dread enemy who would see harm done to the Twelvefold Sanctuary. Cheers and hurrahs abounded as each member of the group had a brooch with the symbol of their new order, a sword overlaid on a gold and platinum dragon scale, set atop a twelve-pointed star. The assembled nobles and clergy withdrew into the Cathedral after the Archbishop offered a final blessing to the assembled masses.

Once inside, there was much handshaking and interest into the deeds and stories of the new knights. What was it like where Lady Chedvah of the Durakk Basin came from? Was Lady Dendra Kane really an emmissary of the Dawnfather and St. Mattathias? What manner of medicine did Sir Sinata Venma practice? Sir Nexus Athunageane, how was his name spelled? And what an accomplished young man to have attended the Palanaeum and now be named a Knight of St. Hefeydd. I overheard Sir Lucius Tolleway was actually the heir of some noble up in the North.

During this morning soiree, High Lord Serrio Raitan approached Luci with an odd look on his face. He congratulated Sir Lucius Tolleway with a question in his tone, before asking why he would abandon his family in favor of anonymity. Luci answered that he preferred being able to start over as his own person, rather than be fixed with a past that wasn't him. After a brief hesitation, High Lord Raitan gave some small pieces of advice. Despite the fact that Luci's relationship with his parents was never what it should have been, now that both him and his sister are out seeking your destinies and fortunes, they are both in a fair measure of danger. He advised Luci not to let family squabbles come in the way of family itself. Furthermore, Serrio told Luci that he had always reminded him of Eric, though he didn't elaborate about who that was. Despite both of them being exceedingly clever, anyone can meet their end from a simple fall from a horse. Repeating his advice not to discount family, and reminding Luci that his parents loved him despite what he may think, the Margrave took his leave.

Eventually, the party was informed that the Archbishop would like to speak with them. Heading up to her study, the Archbishop congratulated and thanked them once more. When Dr. Venma asked about the duties of Knights of St. Hefeydd, the Archbishop explained that they should comport themselves in a way befitting the dignity of the Church and that they should avoid compromising situations. Continuing to defend the faith and representing the Church well would of course be ideal, however they were not expected to immediately become staunchly devout. She inquired about what they would do next, but no clear answer was given. In parting, the Archbishop offered a side exit to them, so they could avoid the people in the gathering.

Leaving the Cathedral, the party headed to the north part of the city, where they secured the services of Charles, an upbeat gnomish coachman and his team of horses to bring them to the Gold Tower. As their coach was readied, some last minute supplies were picked up and Chedvah retrieved her new set of magically-fortified Half-Plate.

Along the road, Dendra relayed the information she had about the Circle of Eight to the rest of the group. This sparked recognition from Chedvah and Nexus, the latter of whom thoroughly geeked out in explaining their deeds and just how powerful they were. As the greatest mages of the greatest age of mages thus far, their power was nearly unfathomable. This hit Dr. Venma hard, after all what could they do against the magic of such powerful arcanists? Luckily, Dendra relayed that St. Mattathias had suspected the magic had become weaker in the millennia since it was wrought. Dr. Venma then began to think aloud about how they could enlist all of the mages in the Gold Tower to break the curse, and that their combined power could be enough to do it. On the subject of the Gold Tower, Luci pointed out that maybe announcing themselves as Knights of the Church and Defenders of the Faith wouldn't be their best way into favor at the Tower.

After several hours in the coach, stopping for a time during a torrential spring rainstorm, the group finally stopped for the evening. Luci remembered the White Rat he had recovered from Granny Preant, and asked Chedvah to take a look at it now that she had the materials to do so. Chedvah produced an impressive piece of artificing, an ocular apparatus that revealed much about arcane objects. With it, she determined that the Rat was, in fact, an orcish man who seemed rather well-to-do. The man appeared on the ground after a gentle transformation, confused and talking in a strange language no one recognized. After a bit of magical help, Nexus was able to understand him but not communicate. It appeared his name was Bamford, and he was the Royal Cobbler or the King of Elgard, a kingdom nearly on the other side of the world. When Nexus showed him a map with where they were in comparison to Elgard, he began to weep in despair.

In a moment of inspiration, Dendra asked Rasen if it could speak to the man. Drawing the sword and passing it to Nexus, the group was able to communicate back and forth, using Rasen to talk to Bamford and Nexus relaying what Bamford said. As could be expected, Rasen wasn't the best messenger, but he got the point across despite the continued demands to find evil to destroy. After some considerable back and forth in an attempt to find what they should do with Bamford, it was decided that they would return to Stenbalan the next day and let the church try to figure out how to help him.

Meanwhile, Rasen refused to be sheathed and continued demanding evil to destroy. To sate its thirst, Dendra walked out into the woods until she came across a raccoon. Once the raccoon was dispatched and her sword's thirst quenched, the party settled in for the night.

What will the road ahead hold for the newly Knighted group? Their journey will bring them north to the very base of the Canglir Ranges and through any number of no-name hamlets and one horse towns. And what of their destination? Will answers be held within the shining halls of the Gold Tower? Will they be good answers or will they just lead forever more into deeper questions?