Session 59

* Secret Daqanite League Safehouse
* The Citadel's Holding Tower
* The Prince's Garden

**Previously...**

## And Now...

With the attempted extrication of Giana and Dondras Stormborn from The Citadel having gone somewhat sideways, the heroes are startled to see Baroness Harriet of Frest enter. Raising an ornately jewelled sword, she issues a commend for fighting to stop.

A sudden silence falls over the room as everyone pauses to weigh up their options.

### Friends in High Places.

Deciding that attacking a member of the Council of Barons is, perhaps, not the best way to protect the Council of Barons, the heroes lower their weapons. With several of them having already met the Baroness (Session 8), they attempt to explain their actions. The Baroness is, understandably, skeptical and asks if they have proof. Eventually, she agrees to look over their evidence at another location. If she is satisfied that the evidence is valid, she'll agree to the release of Giana and Dondras. Leshrac is hesitant to leave the two alone in the citadel especially if, as the party believe, Tovric has the Steward under his thumb. The Baroness suggests that a party member remain to guard the two, and Nyarduke volunteers, but Leshrac is still unconvinced. Eventually, he is overruled, and the group repairs to The Prince's Garden, the most exclusive tavern and inn in Archaut, with Harriett saying she'll follow presently.

### Twilight in the Garden of Truce and Treason.

The heroes arrive at The Prince's Garden, discovering a beautiful and tastefully opulent building set in exquisite ornamental gardens. As they enter, they are told they were expected and are shown to a private conference room. While they are escorted to their room, they spy a raucous party hosted by a young, ebullient nobleman. Goldie recognized him as Vaelcum Sephone, the son and most likely murderer of Baroness Katrin Sephone.

When they arrive in their room, they begin to discuss how they'll present their case to the Baroness, with eyes falling upon Dandy to take the lead. She suggests that someone head to the League safehouse and recover the books found in the Silver Crescent safehouse in the Slum District and the notes compiled by The League. Goldie volunteers to do so, Gar produces his notes on the Prophetic Translations and Dandy presents Friar Gladwyn's notes on the Prophecy.

### Current Affairs of State.

Before they can delve much further into proceedings, they are informed that the Baroness will be along presently, and would they care for a bard to provide entertainment while they wait. They agree and are introduced to the bard, a young, well-groomed person with the faint tinge of orcish ancestry about them. Rather than hearing music, they ask to be informed about recent local news and gossip.

The bard gives them a great deal of information on Eliza Pelbrutt, the wife of the Steward, who has been uncharacteristically absent from the host of Conclave-related salons and social engagements. They discover that her most recent appearance was a salon four nights ago when she was present for the appointment of the year's most pre-eminent bard, a Faun from Lorimer named Tomnuk Ellegra. Suspecting that Tovric has abducted Lady Pelbrutt and is using her as a hostage to ensure the obedience of her husband, they begin to make tentative plans to rescue her.

They hear a variety of other news and gossip, including something about the noble Thornside Family who, having fallen into deep financial debt, are preparing to auction off their substantial collection of Runebound Shards at a secret underground auction. Goldie is, naturally, highly curious about this and makes note to look into it further should time permit.

### The Case for Treason.

Baroness Hariett makes her appearance with an attendant in tow, and Dandy begins her presentation from the party's initial meeting with the scholar and with Giana (Session 1), aided by input from the others. Supported by records and points of legal order, she makes a persuasive argument that something is going on, but with no concrete evidence implicating the Lord of Bilehall or the 13th Baron, she hesitates. She knows her position as the newest Baron is, as yet, still somewhat tenuous, and that her enemies on the Council would be delighted to see her fail so publicly and spectacularly. With that understanding, Dandy presents the counter-argument that, with less than twelve hours until the Conclave, and the threat of a Fourth Darkness looming, can the Baroness afford such skepticism?

The Baroness agrees. She says she'll arrange for Giana and Dondras' release. Before she can leave, the heroes explain that they have allies who may be able to help her forestall disaster at the Conclave. It's agreed that a messenger will drop off relevent articles at the Baroness' residences which should provide legal advice and precedent to enable her to do whatever she can at the Conclave to forestall the appointment of Vaelcum and the execution of Tovric's plans.

### Schemes in Shadow.

With the Baroness gone, the heroes draw up their next step, and it is decided that they'll abduct Vaelcum from his room downstairs. Hopefully, they'll be able to question him and get some answers... at the very least, his absence will provide something of a monkey wrench to the conspiracy's plans. It's decident that Dandy will provide a distraction to draw the Baronet's bodyguards away from him, that Leshrac will temporarily disable the Inn's wards and protections against spell-casting, that Goldie will cast a shroud of darkness over the room, Harper will use the Shadow Rune to transform the party (and Vaelcum) into shadows and Gar will grab him and spirit him away before the darkness clears.

With a couple of minor hitches, the plan is, more or less, enacted and the heroes are able to transport a bagged and very unhappy Vaelcum back to the Daqanite safehouse, where Bea finds a suitably spartan room in which he can be safely stashed.

### Steps Forward and Setbacks.

Just as the heroes are relaxing after abducting Vaelcum, there's a knock at the door of the safehouse. Nyarduke and Dondras enter, having managed to get out of the Citadel, but Giana is not there. Nyarduke explains that they were attacked at the Citadel by Tovric. Duke explains that he and Dondras were able to drive him away - he seemed weaker than he had previously according to Nyarduke, but that in order to protect the Baroness and Giana, Duke had given them his tablet of emergency transportation, which had teleported them to Greyhaven University. Hopefully, they'd both be able to return presently, but it's still an undeniable setback.

### An Interrogation.

The heroes attempt to question Vaelcum, who proves to be a thoroughly unpleasant individual in almost every regard imaginable. Initially, he deflects every wave of questioning with a near-impenetrable wall of narcissism, self-superiority, racism, snobbishness and personal attacks, which is returned with several minor beatings.

Attempting a different tack, Dandy attempts to trick him into revealing the location of the Steward's wife. She is successful, and Vaelcum unwittingly reveals that she is imprisoned inside a gemstone set in a particularly gaudy and ostentatious article of jewelery which, on further investigation, is found to be a disguises Runebound Shard. Vaelcum seems uncommonly concerned at this point, and repeatedly begs the heroes not to free the Steward's wife, warning that if they do, hoping to force Tovric's hand, he'll just murder the Steward and turn the Conclave into a bloodbath. During the interrogation, Vaelcum attempts to wound Dandy by trying to make her guilty about failing her father whom he relentlessly disparages. She manages not to let him see that his words have struck home, but after she has the information she's after, she departs the room, leaving him to her allies.

After several abortive lines of questioning, the heroes manage to get information from Vaelcum about Tovric's Gnome Ally's infernal device - a machine designed to cast a pall of night-time darkness over the entire city. He agrees to guide the heroes to the Gnome in exchange for his freedom...