Zoom 2023-06-06 21:00

We meet with Vinmira. He looks exhausted and even more dishevelled than usual, unable to even cast his usual ‘privacy screen’. Joshua uses True Sight, Know Alignment and Detect Lie, none of which show any discrepancy from what we see and here.
We and the other original Clearsighted parties (both Alveran and Solaran) are being set up – as indeed is Vinmira himself. V. has warned the other Alveran parties, and came from WhiteBeach to warn us (he wouldn’t reveal how he got here so fast.)
Why us all? Because we were ‘around’ events. (eg Solaran High Tower party were around Torgan during the overthrow) People want to get us out of the way so that we can’t disprove the stories that we killed Onwen and Eliezure etc. Also, being (truly) blamed for maiming GARM is just to get the Lizardmen after us as well.
We are going to be shopped tomorrow. (Why are they waiting???) We need to leave tonight or very early tomorrow. If we attempt to ‘come in from the cold’ and return to Alveran control, we will likely be killed. Don’t take a ship anticlockwise – going through Lizardman territory is too ‘courageous’. Tobar is neutral and just has a small Alveran embassy, but is ‘obvious’. Willston is probably the only friendly city for us at the moment. V. doesn’t want to know where we are actually going.
Civil war brewing is Solara – the northern cities didn’t like the sell-out to the Lizardmen, and the Bristolian human fanatics are causing problems. Duke Adamas is trying to open contact with Solara to arrange a truce – and getting a positive response so far.
However, other parties seem to be trying to stoke up the war between Alverans and Solarans – the attempted assassination in High Tower being a prime example, where the Solaran assassination squad got shopped by their own side to foment trouble.
It is likely that those trying to stir up trouble between the Alverans and Solarans have infiltrated or have influence in both Alveran and Solaran High Command – and they are out to get us. V. doesn’t trust his own orders. He is loyal to the (Alveran) Kingdom – but is working around the fact that while his orders make sense superficially, the underlying thrust is against the interests of the Kingdom.
He is following up the lead of how one of the Five came to impersonate him. The Five are good mimics, but they need time to observe their target properly, and the only time he drank ale was at the Bridge near Braerk. He has discounted Ranlarke, but is following up on the officer who sent him there.
We discussed our meeting with Saratak II, and how he got his Blackwood staff. (V. says the idea that there can only be one true seer at a time sounds like bollocks.) We confront V. with the questions raised by Saratak II and Rimstl (the Norport Percival priest):
Us: “Have you ever given your word to us?”
V. “I don’t believe I have – and I will pass on giving it to you now. Although I’m a Universal worshipper, I won’t make a vow when there may be circumstances in the future that could force me to break it. You are probably right not to trust me – and I don’t know if I can really trust you. But maybe I over-complicates things.”
We also ask him about the “Flamboyant Dwarf”. V. is not connected with him at all. The FD hangs around WhiteBeach and FarHaven a lot, and is very interested in Salahan: he has been there 3 times - not successfully, but he survived. Almost nothing is known about him, not even his name. The ruler in WhiteBeach or Universal High Priest there might know more about him.
A few other snippets of info:
* Alvera may be	free from the mana storm by spring – assuming continued Elven	support, and no funny business when he is freed.
* There is not	much Alvaran presence in Farhaven, so we weren’t followed there.	White Beach uses lots of low level agents – hence our spotting	them.
* Rasten is	getting cocky after Eliezure’s death. Solor ain’t happy, and has	lost a useful tool in E. The Empress hasn’t landed yet.
* V. suggests	that we try to get hold of Thirson – he may be ‘useful’.	Thirson doesn’t bare us that much ill-will, and is acting under a	prophecy from Saratak I. He worked with Ghassan to get us the	scrying ring, and the way he gave us the daggers all points to him	not being completely out to get us. Thirson was last known to be in	Bristol, but he moves around a lot!
* The Clans liked	Saratak I. Soratan II is not going to like Saratak II as it will	cause conflicting loyalties.
* “Push on	spells” – he doesn't know much, but they are something to do	with enhanced endurance. Thirson has access to them.
V. finishes off with: “Good luck. I don’t want to hear stories about you being arrested.”