02-08-963: Bridge Jumping is Badass

In the morning, Dendra and Chedvah went to see Master Bellestair to have her look over Dendra's ring. After looking over it, she confirmed what they had previously known about it being an item of magic rather than one that has magic imbued into it. Furthermore, she said that it and items like it that she had read about often served as a sort of beacon for the one that bestowed it to more easily find the bearer. She also noted that it could just as easily be found by others.

Dendra also inquired about Rasen. After Evelyn explained a little about how they were typically made (they are imbued with an animating purpose which they have been known to pursue more or less single -mindedly), Dendra asked how she might gain greater control over the sword. Although she wasn't entirely sure, she suspected that more time spent with Rasen would make things easier. She also suspected that sating its desire to accomplish its goal would make it more cooperative and perhaps more reasonable.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party discussed their next steps over lunch in the Planar Peryton where they stayed. With Sinata trying to track down a Waykey of Otiluke, they suspected that one might show up in a private collection somewhere, presumed to be a curiosity of the First Age without its true purpose being known. Over the course of his travels and interactions with nobility, Luci suggested going to Mar Anda, where wealthy merchants gathered oddities and antiques to showcase their wealth and worldliness. Alternatively, older noble families frequently had similar collections. High Lord Raitan was known to be a collector of First Age artifacts and curiosities, but the capital city of Sutol would certainly have the number of such collections for display during parties during noble gatherings.

As they sat and ate, Luci recognized a group come in and sit down for lunch: the pretentious Vamare he took the pins from and his two cronies. He kept an eye on them and tried to remain unseen, but was eventually spotted. One of the cronies left the tavern, and Luci suggested leaving. He explained what happened to Nexus and Sinata, much to their dismay at his misdeeds, and they made their way out of the inn a few minutes after the crony, keeping watch in case he tried to jump them. Instead, they spotted him coming back in the company of two Tower Guards.

A brief attempt to figure out what to do was interrupted as they were spotted and the guards hurried over. The pretentious Vamare came out of the inn and informed the guards that Luci had stolen his pins denoting him as a Vamare. The guards questioned Luci briefly, and requested that he show them to his room for them to search it. Luci refused, denied that he had ever him, and questioned why everyone was making such a big deal over some pins. The guards seemed surprised someone would ask such a question and tried to explain that the pins of a Vamare denote his rank and that to steal them would mean gaining access to restricted resources and spaces. Seeming a bit exasperated, the guards requested Luci accompany them to the Tower for questioning; if they were satisfied with his responses he could go free. Luci agreed and the guards brought him and the Vamare toward the Tower.

As they crossed the bridge over the chasm, raging with the springtime snowmelt, Luci faked tripping and threw his broom over the edge of the bridge. "Barnabus!" he shouted as it fell over the edge and he ran over. Looking over the side, distraught over the loss of his beloved broom, which he explained in detail to the confused guardsmen, Luci climbed up onto parapet at side of the bridge. As the guards told him to get down Luci let himself fall off the bridge, down toward the roiling waters. The guards rushed over trying to spot him before he was lost in the river. They briefly talked to each other and determined that no one would be able to survive those waters at this time of year. They apologized to the Vamare, saying that Luci was probably doing much worse off than he was at that moment, before heading off to tell their captain what had happened. The Vamare spit over the side of the bridge after Luci before returning to the Peryton to finish his meal.

On his way back he passed Nexus and Sinata, who had seen everything but remained surprisingly calm for having just watched their friend take his own life over a broom. What the Vamare didn't know and what Nexus had spotted was that Barnabus had been waiting just under the bridge for Luci, who expertly caught it as he fell and swept beneath the bridge out of sight.

Soon after, Sinata headed to meet with Master Oriel Maher. Having made the necessary preparations, Oriel donned a protective amulet and gave Sinata instructions on what to do if he suddenly collapsed and began writhing and screaming. The spell was successful and the room was filled with blue flecks which coalesced into the shape of Granny Preant. From his questions, he learned some rather interesting details about Grandmother Gaerta.

1. Where is Grandmother Gaerta?
   • The Hall of the Archmages in Aerdi
2. Where can they find a Waykey of Otiluke?
   • Unsure
3. Why did she help him with his village?
   • Access to Aerdi
4. What do they desire in Aerdi?
   • Information
5. What is Grandmother Gaerta's greatest weakness?
   • Power-hungry

With that to think on, Sinata went to see Master Bellestair. He informed her about what he had surmised from his questions, that a coven of Hags were doing something nefarious in the halls of Aerdi, but that he wasn't sure what it was exactly. Master Bellestair said she would attempt some scrying, and gave Sinata one of a pair of Sending Stones so they could keep in contact. At about that time, one of the Headmasters entered Evelyn's workshop and asked to speak to her in private about something.  Reading that he was most likely referring to Luci's "death," Sinata made his exit.

Back at the Planar Peryton, Luci had hidden atop a roof to watch until the Vamare left the inn.  Meanwhile, Nexus made some finishing touches on a project he had been working on for a few days and let his new Raven familiar take wing, telling it to keep an eye one Luci and alert him if Luci did anything too Luci. Eventually the Vamare left and Luci returned to the inn, where he asked the innkeeper what the student's name was.  He said that the Vamare's name was Braeden Ullman, a name Luci didn't seem to recognize.

Once Sinata returned to the Inn and recounted his afternoon, he suggested Luci use the Sending Stone to let his Aunt know he was still alive.  She seemed relieved, frustrated that Sinata hadn't let her know previously, and said that they would "discuss it later."

At around this time, Dendra returned from a trek through the woods surrounding the Tower. She had spent the day trying to work with Rasen about not going all crazed when the chance for destroying evil comes. After finding a badger and drawing Rasen forth, it seemed displeased with the games Dendra was trying to play, that with so much evil in the world, they were wasting their time swinging at mere animals.  Despite this, Dendra was able to overcome its influence and force Rasen back into its scabbard. For the rest of the day, Rasen remained utterly silent. 

Now that the group was all back together, Sinata asked Luci to come clean with the rest of the group. Several things about him didn't seem to be adding up, and they wanted answers.  A "Sharetime" was called and Luci was given center stage.  He revealed that while he is still Luci, he is Lucien Bellestair rather than Lucius Tolleway. Furthermore, he is still the heir of a noble house, but he is the heir to Count Theodore Bellestair of Carnen rather than Baroness Evelyn Tolleway of Barnath. He explained that his relationship with his father is not the best, and that he took a new name when he began travelling to avoid any entanglements that would be caused using his own name.  He recounted the story of his father earning his rank after he saved the heir apparent, Princess Maraine Damodred, from would-be Baran't assassins when she was a girl. 

The reactions to this were mixed at best.  Sinata said that he felt hurt that Luci didn't trust them enough share this earlier, and that it had to be pried out of him. Dendra sympathized with Luci, saying that she had been feeling taxed by her role as a representative of the Gods and she understood the draw of leaving it all behind to become anonymous.  Nexus and Chedvah seemed somewhat surprised, but said that they had been suspicious for a while that not everything was as it seemed. In response to Sinata's comments about trust and being forthright, Luci explained that he didn't think it was necessary to share, and that while Sinata was very comfortable sharing the issues surrounding him and his village, he had been through a few hundred years of growing up that Luci hadn't, being only 21. Sinata seemed to sympathize with this and everyone seemed happy with where things stood by the end of Sharetime.