Citadel's Shadow II, Session 35

Citadel's Shadow II, Session 35 was a session of the Citadel's Shadow II campaign, played on 14 July 2019 (UTC) (13 July 2019 for some participants).
== Personnel ==
===Game Master===
*GM: played by Michael Lee Viviano
===Player Characters===
*Fern the Siegemaster: inventive fox-person student played by Rail Runner
*Juan de Fulmando: sword-wielding human alchemist played by Alden Loveshade
=== Prominent Non-Player Characters ===
* Corvira Levlor: corporal for the Trynser City Municipal Force
* Denitra Ayze: priestess for Divine Pleasures
* Eri Snow: singer and dancer at Madame Maude Lynn's Theater of Thrills
* Jinxi: androgynous jester with poppet Jack
* Zachary Black: sergeant for the Trynser City Municipal Force
==Events==
===1742===
Ulthrane 44 (Lordsday) (Festival of Leathane) (continued): Eri Snow, Fern the Siegemaster, Jinxi, and Juan de Fulmando, were together for the Festival of Leathane.  While there was some tension in St. Tanta's Plaza as two rival factions of Leathane's parades had entered, Juan thought (mistakenly) there was no actual problem, but that it was "just part of the festival, praise Leathania."  The leader of the Loving Heart faction they recognized as Tanya, whereas the Divine Pleasures parade leader wa Denitra Ayze.  From what the leaders and the Burgher of Delctra's Cauldron Borough who was with Thuddeus Gunch said, the group learned the parade route of the Divine Pleasures sect had been re-routed as a bridge was out due to Storm Audrea.
The priestesses on the two sides starting arguing, and a fight broke out.  Juan, who insisted such a thing wouldn't have happened in Millisymph, said, ":"Maybe they'll kill each other, then we can go back to enjoying the festival."  Jinxi made a rude comment giving nicknames to the opposing leaders, which fortunately got lost in the battle. Priestesses were punching, flailing, shrieking, swearing, pulling hair and more.  The male priests of Leathane were either facing off against one another or pulling their sisters in dire straits out of the fray. TCMF officers and Gunch were trying to yank the girls out one after another.  Corporal Corvira Levlor arrived with the Black Maria.
Juan and Fern helped give medical aid to those who unintentionally got injured in the fight (there were about a dozen altogether, although others treated many of them).  Juan and Fern treated a man named Deiter who got trampled by two of the toughest looking priestesses who were fighting each other.  Deiter, who was about 50 to 55 years old, had a gash above the eye, and cracked ribs, along with other scrapes and scuffles.  They also treated Sgt. Zachary Black who had gotten kicked in the head and gotten dazed; fortunately, he quickly recovered.
Denitra then cried out, "Where's the Ring? Where did the Fourth Ring of Leathane go?!?"  Another Divine Pleasures priestess blamed the Loving Heart priestesses.  Sgt. Black told Denitra she was under arrest, but that was postponed due to a frantic search for the missing ring.
The priestess who had held the ring was Sister Jana,  People looked for the ring, even pulling up a sewer grate.  Juan and Fern continued performing medical aid.  Sister Jana screamed, ""My eyeeeesss!  I can't see!  It huurts!"  She had red chunks streaming down her face that looked like gore.  Some of the same substance was on the stones of the street.  Meanwhile, Gunch and others took people into custody.
After finishing treatment on others, Juan checked the substance that had been on Sister Jana's face and the street; he identified it as habernero pepper salsa.  Juan quietly identified it to Fern and Jinxi, and asked them not to tell the others.  To others, he identified it as "salsa de pimienta de habanero," the term for it in Millisymphian.
The priestesses started arguing with one another again. The Divine Pleasures were shouting that the Loving Heart had their ring, and the Loving Heart were hotly denying it.  While Juan tried to think if he'd seen any at the festival selling the sauce (he hadn't), Fern picked up a scent and started following it.  Juan followed Fern and Eri and Jinxi came along.
Fern found an empty earthenware container off the eastern side of the bridge; it had apparently held the salsa.  Taking the container and making a note of where they found it, the group followed tracks.  Fern found they went southeast along the river to the next street, which crossed over a culvert.  They got to the culvert. The tracks led up from the creek bed. The culvert had a grate on it, so they couldn't proceed along the creek bed.  Juan realized they were near Lucky Starr's gambling hall (his ward Fuylu de Fulmando was recently betrothed to Salomon Tilki who worked there and whose family owned the business.  The group found a canvas sack; opening it, they found a Loving Heart priestess's uniform inside.  They made a note of where they found it, and took the uniform in the bag.  They continued following the tracks which led up from the creek bed heading south to the street.  With difficulty, Fern determined the trail went south down that street, and east on the Avenue of the Gods. It was a busy avenue, and they lost the tracks.
They went to the Trynser City Municipal Force (Delctra's Cauldron Borough).  The two factions of priests priestesses were being kept separate.  The group talked to Corp. Corvira Levlor and told her the details of what they learned in addition to giving her the evidence they found.  Juan gave Corvira advice on the investigation, including determining whether or not the priestess' uniform might have been worn by a real priestess or a fake (which was unnecessary considering her keen skills); Jinxi noticed that.  Corporal Akira Kinpatsu responsed to Denitra's suspicion of the Millisymphian Juan by saying, "He's a good dude."   
Denitra told Juan, " "If you can find that ring and return it to our temple, I'm sure it would be very good for you.  I'm not in a position to make specific promises, but I'm sure Gina will take care of you one way or another."
Corvira said to Juan, "The Lieutenant told me that she was told that the priestesses would have to be detained overnight. I'm not allowed to leave the Cauldron. We would have to ask the Loving Heart detainees to return a list of personnel when they are able to do so tomorrow. Unless someone was to do it tonight."
Fern asked, "Um, so would the ring in question have any practical uses to someone who would steal it? Or they could only sell it?"  Corvira said, "I don't think it has any special magical properties, though I'm not sure. The priestesses put a lot of stock in it, though.  And I'm sure it would fetch a good price."
Juan, Jinxi, Fern, and Eri agreed to check with Loving Heart detainees to get a list of their personnel from the parade.  When away from Corvira, Jinxi rudely commented on the seeming familiarity between Corvira and Juan; Juan just said they'd met before.  The group headed south on Hillbottom Road and decided to catch the White Bus which went about halfway to their destination.  The bus was crowded, and some passengers were caught up in the flirting nature of the festival; Jinxi and Eri enjoyed the attention, while Juan ignored it due to being upset over the battle, while Fern just ignored it.
Juan mentioned that Master Donghai Ping was going to visit Millisymph in about three weeks, and Juan was going with him. A special Gate, part of Goddess Samorojia's domain, would be opened temporarily.  The normally 50 - 60 day round trip by ship would instead be instantaneous both ways.  A return gate would be open in about a week or so.
The group exited the bus near the southern border of Weaver's Warren Borough, just south of Delctra's Cauldron and still in Paytern Hill Ward.  Juan recognized "home cooking," Millisymphan cooking (the smell coming from Dos Gatos Locos).  (Citadel's Shadow II adventure 2019 07 13)
Category:Citadel's Shadow II