31: Mhiral, the Reclaimer

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## Summary

After a long-awaited night's rest in the shelter of a warm home, Damhir leads them to the Imperial Palace in the early morning. They board another train, smaller this time, that leads them to the City Center, a historical district in the middle of the capital. When the party gets off the trolley, they find themselves in an open plaza, standing beneath a gigantic statue of Meikku, the first Empress of Meranh, one of the chosen warriors in the first Ark War.

### The Imperial Palace

With the muffled chatter of merchants and public servants beginning to pick up in the early hours, and the cry of wyverns overhead, the party makes their way up an imposing staircase mounting a hill in the southeast side of the city center. At the top sits the Imperial Palace, a great, sprawling citadel that boasts a view of the entire capital. The higher they climb, the more they see the fruits of thousands of years of civilization: beautiful dry-climate gardens, the tops of intricate buildings carved of stone and marble, the blazing sun glinting off adornments of gold and precious stones as far as the eye can see. The Captain leads them to the top of the staircase, finally, to a wide plaza serving as the entrance to the Palace, bustling with attendants and soldiers and other staff. The party enters the reception hall, where they'll have to wait while Damhir meets with the Empress herself regarding his business on the Mainland.

The hall sports an impossibly tall ceiling, a series of geometric cut-outs allowing the sunlight to filter in and leave the marble floors and the gold weaved into banners draped along the hall glistening. At the back of the hall is another staircase, this one sporting a plush red rug rolled over the top, and at its peak is a platform fit for an empress: a pile of cushions and a gold chaise, canopied by sheer red silks, against a backdrop of an intricate red and gold tapestry beneath a mounted sword and shield.

### Thank God Mahi Was Unconscious for this Part

After a brief run-in with a palace artificer named Heyfa, and once Mahi is whisked away to the palace infirmary, Damhir returns in a hurry, hastily informing the party that their time with the Empress starts now. A voice booms out from the opposite side of the room introducing Her Royal Majesty, the Empress Mhiral. In walks a small elf woman clad in deep crimsons and gold accoutrements to greet the gang, and despite her stature, she cuts an imposing figure.

The Empress begins with a brief welcome and a firm request that the party state their purpose succinctly. Tira, elected de-facto leader, gives her best elevator pitch, but the Empress gives nothing away. Instead, she turns to another line of questioning: where the party's loyalties lie. Tension ratcheting up, the travelers declare their allegiances one by one, until Cat gives a response that gives Her Majesty some pause. He seeks knowledge, and she wants answers: namely, to what end does he pursue knowledge? But Cat hedges, and so the topic turns again. Addressing his comrades instead, Her Majesty asks whether they trust Cat.

Apparently satisfied, though not betraying an iota of her true thoughts or sentiments, the Empress abruptly declares that they may remain in the Empire and take part in the Oathtaking, whatever that is. Per tradition, they'll be under the charge of their official chaperone, Captain Daraan. And just like that, as quickly as she came, the Empress returns to some deeper reach of the palace, business done.

### Boyhood Dreams

Even Damhir is surprised by the outcome, but he congratulates the party nonetheless and wishes them luck in the Oathtakers' Tournament, though he can't offer very many specifics. He seems touchier than usual, even considering his naturally prickly temperament. Unable to kill his curiosity, Cat uses Detect Thoughts to get a look inside the Captain's head, and quickly learns he's fighting back some crushing disappointment at the news that, if Her Majesty is holding the Tournament, her royal court has been filled. With Luca pushing for answers about the tournament and Cat prying into some sensitive subjects, Damhir stalks off to the training grounds to cool off.

### An Afternoon Exploring

The party is led to the guest wing by palace attendants, where they find luxurious private quarters awaiting them, complete with a bath chamber and a balcony overlooking the rear gardens. While the rest of the gang freshens up and inspects their new digs, Bran helps himself to the mini bar, and Cat discovers a strange contraption. When he turns it on, it begins to putter around the floor on its own, sucking up dust as it goes. Immediately, he takes it apart, desperate to know its inner workings, and for his rabid curiosity, he is rewarded with a strange crystal through which the machine channels Ark.

Later, free to roam the palace (within reason), Mujie investigates the upper halls. With footsteps and distant chatter approaching, he finds a hiding spot in a stargazing alcove, and conceals himself while a pair of soldiers pass by. One is a general, a woman with wild hair and proud posture wearing plate armor, and the other is an older man listening to her talk animatedly. Deciding to hang around and see who else he can get a look at, Mujie busies himself pretending to admire the art in the halls, and gets a glimpse of two other generals: twins, likely spellcasters, who wear no armor.

Outside, Luca circles the palace for a bird's eye view, and Cat wanders around in search of the royal library. Before long, they find it, and do a little research about the Oathtakers' Tournament, as well as getting to know the two librarians on duty that day. Lacking a means of identification, Luca puts some books on hold and resolves to ask Damhir for help checking them out. Cat, meanwhile, puts his Celestine Collective Membership emblem to good use, and checks out a few tomes of his own.

Elsewhere, Tira, Pim, and Bran catch up with Damhir at the training grounds, an open arena for soldiers to spar and go about fitness routines. They find him sparring with a young soldier, and it seems it's done him some good—he apologizes to them for not being able to shed more light on their upcoming trial, and explains some of its history. The tournament is held at the dawn of a new Emperor or Empress's reign, once they've chosen the eight generals to fill their Crownguard. The new chooses the format and the rules, but generally, it's invitation-only, with seeds reserved for the generals-to-be and a select number of representatives from across the capitals districts and certain regions of the Empire's outer reaches. The goal is to raise morale and give the populace a first glimpse into its new regime.

Before Tira and Bran can persuade the Captain to spar with them, an attendant summons them back to the guest chambers to prepare for that night's feast. Back at their quarters, among a set of dress robes in whites and golds carefully laid out for each of them, the party members find a note written in Common that reads:

"tonight, back gardens, east side, 22nd hour"

### The Popular Table

Donning their robes and pocketing their notes, the party meets back up with Damhir, who leads them downstairs to a beautiful open banquet hall, fully decorated and already replete with revelers. And at the far end of the hall, seated around a heavy wooden table full of food and drink, the party spies the Empress and her royal court.

## Quotes

### *DESERT ROSE:*

> "I bid you, mainland natives, welcome... to the Empire of Meranh. Travelers. Captain Daraan has designated himself your convoy. He has intimated to me that you are quested. Tell me, what business have you here? Briefly."
>
>

> "Do you trust him?"
>
>

> "Very well. You may remain. Attendants will show you to your chambers. The Captain will be your chaperone in the palace. You’re welcome to use the facilities as you like. Tomorrow, you will begin preparations for the Oathtaking. Tonight, we feast. Dismissed."
>
>

*—Empress Mhiral*

### *THANKS A LOT, CAPTAIN!:*

> "The way that was going, I thought you'd be left to the death dogs in the outskirts. I've known her my whole life and I still can't ever tell what she's thinking."
>
>

> "The Oathtakers' Tournament. It's tradition, a ceremony by which you earn the right to enter the Sacred Place and undertake our God's trial. It usually happens at the beginning of a new Emperor's reign. There was still a vacant seat in Her Majesty's Crownguard, so she hasn't held the tournament yet, but... I guess this means she's filled it..."
>
>

*—Damhir*

### *ON THE CHIN:*

> "I wanted to… apologize for… earlier. I let my frustration the best of me. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you more about the format. My Common isn’t the best, and with so many questions… It’s hard to speak clearly."
>
>

> "The tournament is held to mark a new regime. It’s a way for citizens to get to know the new royal court. What they excel in, the way they fight, why they fight. The goal is public approval as much as it is earning the right to enter the Sacred Place. It’s a competition, but at the end of the day, the competitors build trust, too. If I’m meant to be your escort, maybe I can introduce you to some of the generals, see if you can train with them."
>
>

*—Damhir*

### *ALL GUSSIED UP:*

> "I think Her Majesty is bullying you."
>
>

*—Damhir, on the party's dress robes*