Altheya - Episode 9: The Duke's Favour

Katie Morrison as Daisy Thistleheart

Kim Richards as Gruffudd of Tremorrew

Mark Hulmes as Ophelia D'larosa

Tom Hazell as Xantheus Auregan

**The Duke's Favour** is the 9th episode of the Altheya: The Dragon Empire Campaign. It was broadcast live on both the highrollersdnd Twitch and YouTube channel on the 21st of January 2024 from 5PM to 8PM GMT.

*We’re scheduling a meeting with Duke Ignarius*(sic) *and attending the evening service in Brightshadow Cathedral in this lore packed episode!*

## **Summary**

### **Announcements**

* Mark welcomes everyone and introduces the players. One is doped up on pain killers, another is feeling poorly, some have had no sleep, so this promises to be an interesting one!
* This week (Wednesday) was High Rollers’ 8th birthday. The crew thanks everyone for their support and for watching all of these years. To many more to come! Huzzah! (Rhi points out that a rotated 8 is the infinity symbol, so says that they’re there forever).
* There is a new fan art video in the break this week. The best way to submit art is on the Discord - please make sure that **every** post is annotated with how you would like to be credited.

### Recap

*Our heroes have arrived in the prosperous town of Ashen Rest, home of the local Draconic noble, Duke Ignarious. The town is large with a myriad of interesting sights to see and places to visit. Our yet unnamed party have visited the local bath house, a shrine to the divine saint of love, and cleansed it of some malignant magic, as well as had their “fortunes” told by a strange machine at the Grumpy Toad Inn, as well as encountering a powerful and mysterious Elf in an unusual tower. (HR crew: “Clever Toad”, Kim “It’s the Grumpy Hog, please get it right”, Mark: “You could have waited until I’d finished the intro… The CLEVER Toad Inn, I did confuse the two”).*

*As the sun begins to set, casting the Caldran town in golden, amber light, our adventures continue.*

### **Part One**

*Everyone's ready to head to the Duke's Palace in Ashen Rest to plan a meeting with Duke Ignarius himself!*

Ophelia has been sitting in the Grumpy Hog Tavern and drinking an entire bottle of wine herself. While her companions have run around the town investigating another inn, having encounters with a fortune telling toad, and a mysterious Elf, Ophelia has booked herself a luxurious room with a bath, and just enjoying the ambiance and atmosphere. As the sun is starting to set, the amber light is beginning to filter in through the windows. As time moves on, the dining area becomes quieter and the bar room more animated, and Ophelia listens to a musician, a Halfling woman with a fiddle, who plays a jaunty tune to keep the patrons happy. It is getting close to sundown, the time where Ophelia had agreed to meet her companions on the road to the Dominus Ignarum.

Ophelia is generally a happy drunk, content in her own company. There is, however, a niggling doubt in the back of her mind – she ponders her situation for a moment before summoning Percival to sit at her table. He sits, hooded and silent and waits for his mistress to command him. Ophelia reveals to him that she is having a crisis – she feels strange. Everyone who passes her is so full of life, and she has the overwhelming urge to feast upon them. (Percival nods, silently) Ophelia tells him that she feels torn since she also just helped the people in the bath house, so needs to repent. She is still learning and does not know what she is doing… A hidden bony hand, covered discretely by the black robes, pats her gently on the shoulder.

Ophelia is somewhat relieved, recognising that the House of Blood has given her a great gift in being able to spread joy, but it is causing her pain and a hunger that she has never felt before. She does not know if this is a test that the House is giving her or whether she is just being plagued and something that she needs to solve. The dark and empty cowl stares back at her silently, reflecting her own fears and doubts back at her. Ophelia has flashes of memory – receiving the gift from the Baroness, the times afterwards when she just had to request a drink and a carafe of delicious red liquid would be brought to her (with Ophelia oblivious as to how or where it was acquired). She recalls the bestial blood that she drank on the way into town and how much less robust and refined it was compared to what she was used to drinking in Osseus.

As she peers out the window of the tavern, Ophelia sees robed figures wearing witch hunter or pilgrim hats beginning to walk through the plaza and down different side streets, each followed by a well-armed bodyguard. Their robes are ornate, emblazoned with symbols and filigree, and they wear a silver chain around their waists, from which hangs the symbol of a lantern (the same symbol sits on a white band around the brim of the hats that they wear). They carry long, tall staves tipped with a crystal that resembles a flame – hanging from the staff is a reinforced, wooden collection box. Ophelia sees them move up to several iron lanterns and lampposts throughout the city where they lift their staves and speak some sort of incantation – the crystal at the top of their staff lights up, they touch the lamp posts, and a magical flame springs to life. As the sun begins to set, the figures are preparing the city for night by lighting the lanterns and lamp posts. As they go through the streets lighting up the city, families and shop owners who live or work in the buildings around them come out, speak with the figure lighting the lamp, and drop a silver coin into the collection box. It appears that each person living on the street donates to the cause.

The rest of the party sees much what Ophelia does but also notice that the figures moving down the main street have a little bit more ornamentation about them, including wearing dark round, shaded glasses much like Ophelia wears. From the silver chain at their belt hang more charms and jewels, their staves are gold rather than wooden, and they appear to be more senior figures than the others. Xantheus suspects that the main streets take priority for the guild. Noticing how many citizens come out to pay the lamp lighters, Xantheus estimates that they are making a substantial amount of money every day. Daisy does not know who these people are, but Xantheus has heard of them – they are the Lamp Lighter’s Guild, and in Ashen Rest, they have clearly formed a guild or a union to provide this service to light the magical lanterns which are unique to this town. He knows them to be one of the wealthiest and most influential guilds in the city – they have provided not only the magical lights and the method of keeping them lit until morning, but also provide the large magical braziers on the city walls. They notice that there is one building in Ashen Rest that glows brighter than any other – a massive tower (#5 on the map) with a crystal built into its top which radiates like the light on a lighthouse.

Ophelia notices her companions coming towards her, moving into the plaza from one of the main streets. She pours the last of the wine from the bottle into her glass, downs it in one, and heads out into the plaza to meet them – she does notice, however, that when she leaves the booth that she has been occupying for the last few hours, there is a race to occupy the now empty space. It appears that while there was interest in occupying the space (one of the best seats in the house with a view into the plaza), the people had been too intimidated to ask Ophelia when she planned to leave.

When she meets with the others, Ophelia finds out that they have engaged a room at the Clever Toad Inn and is horrified to hear that it is run (and overrun) by Kobolds. She informs Xantheus that she has engaged a room at the Grumpy Hog Tavern and will be staying in that fine establishment. Gruff enquires about Ophelia’s “food” supply and she informs him that she has about a day’s worth left – Rowan pulls out his travel rations of fruit and nuts and offers them to Ophelia who explains that her food needs are more “meat adjacent”. Rowan suggests that the staff in the inns are very helpful, and that the Kobolds in The Clever Toad would assist her very well. When Ophelia mutters that she hasn’t had Kobold before, Daisy sneaks closer to a naïve Rowan and wraps her neck in his scarf end with difficulty.

They see the road leading off from the plaza and leading past the tower known as the Coil of the Empress – it is beautifully sculpted from stone in a spiral, rising multiple floors into the air, and it is surrounded by flying illusory dragons. The road continues on past that and the House of the Rose, the bath house dedicated to Saint Tyfeen, with its beautiful gardens and walled fence, sloping upwards and cresting on a hill, upon which sits a vast estate. Secluded behind its own interior wall is the glittering ruby dome that sits across the Dominus Ignarum, the Duke’s palace and the domain of the Ignarious line. The buildings are made from polished white ash stone, gilded and painted red with glistening, ruby-like paint and a crystal dome at the top.

There are elite guards dressed in superior armour of breastplate and chain mail or full plate. There are towers which surround the interior wall and a large portcullis gate at the end of the street that is set into the wall itself with a nearby, small guard house. Inside the wall there are multiple buildings beside the Ducal palace for Humanoid courtiers and servants. Xantheus notices that the Lamp Lighters are not required in the Dominus Ignarum since the Ducal Palace is lit from within and there do not appear to be any of the guild’s lights within the walls of the Ducal enclave.

As they approach the portcullis gate, they see the guard tower on either side and notice that each has archers with ornate masterwork longbows peering out and keeping watch. Any approach to the gate is obvious since no buildings are allowed to be built up against the wall, and there is a clear stretch of road along each side of the enclosed land. At the base of the gate, there are three soldiers dressed in half plate armour, keeping to attention. In addition, there is a scholarly looking person, possibly some sort of steward, sitting at a desk in a small nook in the barracks house who is looking at several ledgers.

While they get ready to present themselves to the steward, Xantheus and Ophelia notice that both Gruff and Rowan, while clean, are wearing threadbare and patchy clothing – it is not particularly refined. Xantheus suggests that he or Daisy present the scroll instead of Gruff because he feels that they might get a better reception – Gruff does not understand this, however, believing what he was told in the bath house, that presentation is more about pride in one’s self and how one bears one’s self. Rowan play acts as the Duke so that Gruff can show them how well he would do on meeting the great Dragon and Daisy convinces Rowan somehow to dance for them, resulting in him doing “The Wyrm” (which earns him 3 silver from impressed passers-by). There is some discussion amongst them where Xantheus tries (and fails) to explain diplomatically to Gruff that his clothes are a bit too threadbare and need replacing before they can meet the Duke. As they are talking, one of the guards marches towards them and enquires as to their business, advising them that they are loitering on the road to the Duke’s palace.

Xantheus tells the guard that they are hoping to meet with the Duke’s Considerate so that they can present the Duke’s Favour. The guard offers to let them wait in the gate house waiting area while the scholar scurries off to summon Considerate Augrim. They wait for about 5 minutes while Xantheus suggests that they go shopping for clothes. Gruff is overwhelmed by the idea as Xantheus describes colourful and extravagant outfits, but Ophelia is delighted by the idea, suggesting that Rowan goes shopping, too. Gruff is horrified by the whole conversation.

Suddenly, the guard stands to attention as a Dwarven figure enters – they are very well-dressed in a red vest tailcoat, an elegant shirt, and a cloak/mantle that is closed with a chain that has a large ruby set into it. They are balding and have a striking brown beard with streaks of grey that is oiled and braided into a single long braid that falls to the middle of their chest, and along their cheek bones are perfectly shaped gold studs (their Earthskin) that starts to curl around their eyes, where it is shaped almost like dragon scales – they think that if the Dwarf was a Human, they would be in their 40s or 50s.

The Dwarf introduces himself as Considerate Edarth Augrim, servant of Duke Ignarious and the Host of Ignarum. Xantheus asks if they have heard about what has happened in Burnell that meant that they were awarded the Duke’s Favour – they have not yet had a report from the Captain, however, so are in the dark. They offer refreshments to the party which are gratefully accepted – at this point, a Kobold who has been quietly following the Considerate begins to pour out drinks from the pitcher on the table. The Kobold, who appears to be the Considerate’s assistant, is mostly red with a blue or purple colour shining out from between the scales.

Rowan, uncomfortable in the Dwarf’s presence, sits awkwardly but quietly in a chair that is not quite large enough to seat him comfortably. The Considerate takes time to watch them and take in everything about them. Daisy is sitting quietly but politely while nodding at anything that is said, Ophelia is sitting tall with her chin up with Percival looming quietly behind her, Gruffudd is trying to imitate what he has seen of knights on watch, trying to appear strong, bold, and confident while standing behind Daisy. Xantheus is putting on a relaxed and noble air, almost as if he is a Caldran – even though he is a Gold Dragonborn, he has not lived as one, so he tries to bluff his way with the Considerate.

He asks them about their experiences in town so far and Ophelia tells him about how impressed she is with the baths and how friendly the people have been. Xantheus talks about the beautiful sight of the tall towers. When he sees Daisy sitting quietly in the corner, Augrim asks her about where she is from – when Daisy tells him that she is from Goodvine, he recognises it as being in the Heart Dales, the realm of Her Majesty Infernia. He is very proud of Ashen Rest when Daisy speaks so highly of it to him. When he passes his eyes to Rowan and Gruff, however, he clearly takes in the threadbare outfits with their loose stitching and the dust staining. It is clear that they have travelled a long way and that he is less than impressed with them.

Finally, the Considerate asks who provided them with the Favour – Gruff initially responds that it was given to them by Authorator Tekis, however, corrects himself to say Captain Vecaro when the Considerate informs him that Authorator Tekis does not have the authority dispense Favours. The Considerate recognises the Captain’s name and asks to see the Favour which he reads and analyses (agonisingly slowly). He recognises it as a genuine document and then asks them what service they provided to be awarded such a thing – Rowan tells him the tale of what occurred in Burnell. Unfortunately, he gets a little sidetracked, telling the Considerate about the trees, earth, and rivers around the place as much as the action and danger, and this detracts a little from the story that he is trying to tell. He deems that it is appropriate that the Favour was granted to them and suggests that they present it at the public audience a month hence (what he refers to as the next “passing”), since the one in two days’ time is already very busy with those who have already asked to see the Duke.

Xantheus asks if they could simply come at the next audience in two days’ time and present their Favour, and he promises that they will not take up too much of the Duke’s valuable time – Considerate Augrim sees that Xantheus is being respectful of his Duke and warms to Xantheus. He is convinced to make room for them in a couple of days but also says that he will verify with Authorator Tekis that the Favour was given legitimately. Daisy notices that the Considerate is starting to make small gestures that he wishes to be about his business and asks if there are any tasks that they might do. The Considerate mentions that private citizens might have need of them, as may the Duke, but that this discussion is better had after they have spoken to the Duke and presented their writ. Daisy and Xantheus thank him for his time and he reciprocates, also being appreciative that they have been prompt with their business. Considerate Augrim shakes their hands, and when he tries to shake Percival’s hand, Ophelia dissuades him by having Percival bow and telling him that Percival keeps to himself. The Considerate is a little put out by this but allows it before advising them to arrive early on the day of the audience and taking his leave with the Kobold, Kikshi. The guard escorts them out to the street once more.

Xantheus and Rowan realise that wealthy guilds or people will probably pay people to stand in line for them – it is even possible that they may flood the line in order to occupy much of the Duke’s available time. They are not yet sure whether the Favour will allow them a boon of the Duke’s choice or the ability to request something of him – it is possible that they will receive a large amount of gold, a magical relic or weapon, or possibly even land (that would then be exempt from the tithing tax).

It is now night, and they see the city is illuminated by the multiple lanterns spilling light over the stones – even the larger towers are magically illuminated, giving the city a wonderous and warm amber glow.

### **Part Two**

*With some time to kill the team join the rest of the city in attending the evening service in Brightshadow Cathedral!*

Part 2 Full Description

## **YouTube Timestamps**

0:00:00 - Intro and announcements

0:04:12- Part 1

1:28:01 - Break and Fan Art

1:28:01 - Part 2

1:28:01 - Outros/Donations

## **Characters**

#### **PCs**

* Daisy Thistleheart
* Gruffudd of Tremorrew
* Ophelia D'larosa
* Rowan
* Xantheus Auregan

#### **New NPCs**

* Considerate Edarth Augrim
* Kikshi, Considerate Augrim’s Kobold assistant

#### **Returning NPCs**

* Percival
* Returning NPC 2

#### **Mentioned NPCs**

* Her Majesty, Infernia – Dragon of the Heart Dales (in Caldra)
* Authorator Zarron Tekis
* Captain Lukas Vecaro

## **Featured Locations**

* Ashen Rest
	+ The Grumpy Hog Tavern
	+ Outisde the Dominus Ignarum
* Location 2

## **Trivia**

* From the intro, Trott was doped up on pain killers, Kim was feeling poorly, and Rhi had had no sleep. Mark said that he was "just ill in the soul".
* There was a rather fetching jumper selection this week:

* In Kelscariss, the less affluent areas of the city would have physical torches and lanterns that would be lit and replaced every day. In the more affluent areas, especially the central district, it would be magical lights such as are found in Ashen Rest – these may be lit by wizards or private citizens. The Guild in Ashen Rest provides the magical lights and charges to keep them lit (it does not appear to be lit by the light spell) – the light is as bright as torch light but there is no flickering, and it will last until the dawn. Only citizens are expected to pay the Lamp Lighters – visitors to the town of Ashen Rest are exempt because they pay higher prices for goods in the city (citizens get things cheaper).
* Crucible of Fate rolls: Katie (3), Tom (2), Kim (2), Trott (2), Rhi (4), Mark (5).
* Trott was impressed that the “2 silver” that Mark awarded him took him to 90 gold exactly. Mark actually awarded him 3 silver for his dancing, so it is possible that there is a silver piece somewhere on the road outside the Ducal palace that was taken by a local. Mark described that as half a day’s wages or like finding 200 pounds on the ground (which he then changed to “a fiver”).
* **Inconsistency**(?): During some chatter, Trott mentions Dragon Kings and Queens – Mark corrects him, advising that there are no kings and queens in Ilmera. He later refers to “Her Majesty Infernia”.
* Caldran nobles can be very proud, arrogant, and facetious.
* Mark pointed out that someone could steal the writ – it refers to the Favour as being due to “the bearer”.
* The Lamp Lighters’ Guild is not the only guild in Ashen Rest.

## **Quotes**

* Quote 1

* Quote 2