SoSS 1.5

***The Cleric of Oz*** is the fifth episode of the first book of *Stories on the Subjugated Straits*, and the fifth overall.

## Plot

The party rests as best as they can as they're blown to the mainland on Greg's rickety fishing boat. As the sun sets, Kaseos slowly begins to fade out of visibility, even for those who can see in the dark. Nati works on a packet of math homework that she says was given to her by Vi; Voy is distressed when the others decline to question this. The party makes plans to visit the library upon arriving in Oz, with most of them having something to research.

The storm blows the boat off course from its intended destination of Oz, and they crash-land on the barrier island of Winkie County, a beachside resort town. To cross to the mainland proper, Nati enlists the help of a housekeeper with access to a rowboat, and Voy pays him to keep quiet about their passing through.

With most of the party having rested on the boat, they decide to spend the night walking to Oz to save as much time as possible. On the way, Cassandra asks Val about herself, and her nature as a virtual lifeform; in turn, Val gives Cassandra fashion advice, and they plan to get her a new hat. Voy, still fascinated by Kaseos's phone, asks where he obtained it. Kas tells him it was a birthday gift from his "ankle", an adventuring family member who found it on their travels.

They reach Oz in the morning. All of the party goes out to explore the city, save for Kaseos and Cassandra, who spent the brunt of the boat ride holding it together and must sleep. Silence, who has a poor sense of time, follows Voy's earlier advice to buy a watch. Looking for the cheapest option possible, he purchases an old pocket watch that only just barely works. Voy goes alone to the local Temple of the Saints to pass along the party's discovery about kenku religion. While there, he asks a sage about memory restoration, believing it could help Nati. The sage recommends she sleep on the altar of Drolene, which is known to heal broken minds; he asks Voy to return later to speak with the bishop about it.

At the library, Detonia sneaks off into a staff room, and finds an unfinished letter mentioning magical murders in the city. Upon her return, she finds Lynx extensively researching extraplanar travel and the fae wild. Lynx fires off a list of archfey, attempting to jog Detonia's memory on which one may have given her her eldritch powers. None ring a bell, so Lynx continues researching. She later asks Detonia if she's received orders from her patron. Detonia claims not to have; when Lynx sees through her lie, Detonia admits that she hasn't decided on if she'll follow the orders or not.

Hours later, Kaseos and Cassandra wake up and head to the library, as do Voy and Silence. Voy helps Kas research Elmore, the source of the crest on his locket. They learn that two decades ago, the daughter and heir of Elmore's king went missing; the king then died without an heir, and Rasp appointed a regent in his place. Kas tells Voy that the missing princess is his mother; the picture in his locket is a match for her. Realizing that Kas is therefore Elmore's legal heir, Voy promises to help him reclaim the throne from the regent, and to search for his missing mother, if she's still alive. Kaseos thanks him, but warns him that if she is alive, she may currently be a vampire.

That evening, the party leaves the library. Voy heads back to the temple; Lynx and Kaseos join him on the walk there to scope out the city. Lynx warns them that Detonia is taking orders from an extraplanar entity; Voy and Kas, already distrusting her, aren't surprised. Lynx and Kas depart for an alchemist's store as Voy enters the temple. Meanwhile, Detonia breaks from the rest of the group as they return to the tavern and scours the city. She spots a mugger trailing an old woman, freezes him to death, and scatters his remains across the rooftops.

At the temple, Voy meets with the bishop. In exchange for restoring Nati's memory, he asks Voy for a favor: to research, and end, the magical murders plaguing the city. He tells Voy that once a night for the past three weeks, someone has vanished from their bed at night, leaving behind only a rune drawn in their blood. Voy recognizes the runes as the beginning of an Infernal message about "the true queen of the hells". He promises his and the party's help, but privately chides himself for getting involved in unnecessary trouble. Cassandra, who had followed him through the temple unnoticed, hears the entire conversation, and is incensed at his volunteering of the party.

Elsewhere, Lynx and Kaseos peruse the alchemy shop's selection. As they do, she confronts him, and asks him when he died.

## Characters

### Main

* Cassandra Dunewatcher
* Detonia
* Kaseos
* Lynx
* Nati
* Silence
* Voy Graves

### Supporting

* Val
* Greg Ogata
* Temple priest
* Temple sage
* Watch saleswoman
* Librarian
* Bishop of Oz