Session 33 - An Uneasy Venture

This is the 33rd session of the game Ashes.

## Summary

During the three days wait in Rust Port the party made 3 songs about their story so far. On the third day, the Guilded Eagle arrived, and stepping off of the platform were 10 members of the Scaleguard military, as well as 5 Kronstrad Sharpshooters, a member of the Society of Circles named Rook, a Third Circle healer named Belleberry Bramble, Sky Captain Elijah Bary, and two familiar faces to the party Sir Jamie Nightdane, and Grand Audiphant Dieter Van Horn.

There was clear uncomfortable energy between Nightdane and Van Horn, and the party began to converse with Rook about why a Society member was here. Rook explained that they were here to report about the status of the Face and the Hands. The pair had been seen in Brunstock, and the plan was to track them down in the following week.

The party was then asked by Nightdane to join him and the Audiphant on the top deck to talk. The discussion ended up being more of interrogation by Van Horn than anything else. Van Horn questioned the group thoroughly about what they had discovered in Rust Port and made it clear that they had gone against the official orders set by the Emerald Eyes, which was to send a task force of JA, Alliance, and Society of Circles members to investigate. Van Horn requested that the group drop off everything that they had on their persons so he could look through everything they found. Acaelus managed to slip past Van Horn the documents that indicated the process of awaking one's soul, as well as the torn journal pages.

They were then free to go, for now, restricted only to the suites until Van Horn poured over everything. Nightdane escorted them to their chambers and on the way apologized for not keeping his mouth shut, and they discussed what could potentially happen to them. After giving some reassurance, Nightdane left the party to discuss what to do with the documents. Acaelus gives all of the hidden documents to Themus who hides them on his person.

The group then went to go speak with Rook about The Hands and The Face. They discuss potentially meeting with the Society members in Brunstock to aid in the hunt. They then talk about the Bellower and the incident at the Crossroad Inn. Afterward, after the Guilded Eagle was aloft, Acaelus went to speak with Nightdane about the magic gems he gave the group, suspecting that they were part of the experimentation done in Rust Port. Nightdane didn't seem to know, he was given the gems at a party after the last election cycle.

In dramatic fashion, Van Horn called a meeting with Nightdane and the party within the loading dock of the airship. There he questioned them about what was found and what wasn't found within their bags. After much posturing and accusations, ultimately nothing out of the ordinary was discovered by Van Horn and he allowed the party to leave with no further issue. He tried to explain that he is simply trying to do what is best for the security of Dunland.

The next few days on the airship go by with no trouble. At one point the party visits the recovering Delphine who recalls everything she experienced. This included seeing the visages of Nightdane, Van Horn, and Acaelus while within her cell. She thanked the party for what they did and promised to spend her now shortened life talking up the good deeds of the party. Autumn shares a conversation with Bellberry about her time in the Feywild and some other Firbolg things.

The Gilded Eagle then arrives in the city of Kronstrad, and the party sees the city packed to the brim with snow, and everyone who was living just outside of the city.