Session 13

## Notable Events

* Augustine approached the party in disguise and apologized
* Justice and Augustine agreed to still work with each other and they hugged
* Nova listened in on Justice and Augustine
* Mercenaries tried to assassinate the group - No net loss of life. Net loss of one (1) diamond though.
* Left Irode, deserted the resistance
* Meadow reveals she saw the PAL bot spectacle
* Meadow's dream

## Details

The party are gathered outside the cart. They discuss what they're going to do. The consensus seems to be cut our losses and leave, but Justice insists he has to talk to Augustine again, about the Dragon Knight, despite how ill-advised it might be. Nova sarcastically wishes him good luck, to which he says that it's a risk he'll have to take. He wipes the blood from his nose and apologises for it. Meadow dismisses it and says it really doesn't matter. As they are discussing, Meadow and Dimitri notice a stranger approaching. It's a blonde peasant in a raggedy sack shirt. Meadow demands he state his business or leave, as they have all had a long day. He comes within 30ft and briefly dismisses his disguise, revealing himself to be Lord Vincendius.

Justice steps forward and puts himself between him and the party. Augustine says that he has come to apologise to the party for how he treated them. To Justice, it seems to be a genuine apology, but others are unsure. He struggles to meet Justice's eye, but Justice just stares blankly at him, showing no expression. Meadow leads the conversation on behalf of the party, asking the questions. Augustine says that what he did with the Dragon Knight was childish. He says he will (try to) ensure the dragon knight will spend the rest of his life in a cell. He states that if he hadn't resisted, he might have served for a year or so. The party asks why can't the dragon knight just be freed? Justice says "Don't be ridiculous." Augustine responds to the question, saying that if the dragon knight were to escape, regardless of how, he would be a dead man. They ask about the other Cinders. He says "We did not need the dragon knight's people, so left them. Some fell - an elf. Some escaped - hairy one and one wearing heavy armour."

> Justice: "Could be a changeling."
> Augustine: "A changeling? Interesting."
> Nova scoffs: "Gee thanks, Justice"
>
>

im missing what meadow said to him about coming down here all the way wasnt that impressive to her

Augustine goes to leave. Justice follows, saying they need to continue his talk. As they talk, Nova and Pearl follow at a distance. Pearl doesn't manage to pick up what they're saying, but Nova does. Justice returns to the cart with his composure in a slightly better state.

But meanwhile, Dimitri hears about a group of mercenaries looking for people matching their description. They deliberate about what to do but notice that the group is gathered not too far from the cart. Justice returns and hides in the cart. The halfling member approaches with a crossbow, demanding they surrender. ///// Meadow does a bit of a gambit and surprises them with a double eldritch blast. Combat begins. Their mage tries to block them off with a fire wall. Meadow engages with their ranger and (fighter?). Dimitri charges in to take their leader and mage. Nova casts darkness, which he can easily see through with his visage. The centaur leader attempts to grapple Dimitri, and he just bites her. Worried about Dimitri, Justice exits the cart. He throws a knife at the paladin, and kills him unintentionally. But when the leader charges out, she slashes his across the chest and notes "You must be the lord." Pearl threatens them by holding an eldritch blast above their fallen comrade. Meadow holds the sword at the leader's throat. /// Nova revives their paladin and they leave, with their pride somewhat in tatters.

Finally, the party manage to take their leave. Justice drives and only talks to others briefly. He announces that he intends to tell the party about what happened later, but needs time to process. He tells the party that Augustine cast a spell on him. Nova scoffs and reveals she overheard their conversation. Justice says nothing to Nova and simply says he will tell everyone about his motivations in a "few days." Meadow takes a moment to reveal to the party that she was present at the Dawntide festival. She says that she has been somewhat hypocritical, and that the party deserve to know that she wanted to use them. //// add more about what she said.

The party set up camp for the night. Justice sits alone, muttering to himself. Meadow goes out hunting. When she returns, she places her coat on Justice's shoulders - the first gesture of comfort he receives uwu. When Meadow sleeps, she dreams.

##### Augustine and Justice's Talk

* **Justice:** “I need to talk to you. I’d like to keep our morning meeting."
* **Augustine:** “We’re leaving tonight.”
* **Justice:** “Then, now. We need to talk now.”

* **Augustine:** “Well, what did you want to talk about?”
* **Justice:** “We didn’t finish our conversation. We could start where we left off, or we could talk about the memories. That was… We won’t be coming back to Barrowbough with you.”
* **Augustine:** “I do not expect you to. That is fine.”

* **Justice:** “I wanted to apologise for earlier today. I didn’t mean for it to seem like an interrogation.”
* **Augustine:** “You don’t need to apologise to me, Justice.”
* **Justice:** “I just-”
* **Augustine:** “I betrayed your trust. I lied to you. I manipulated you. That's not what friends do, Justice.”
* *Justice says nothing to that.*

* ***Justice*** *sighs* "It’s just a mess. If only you’d trusted me. If only I’d trusted you." *He sighs again.* "Alright. Let's start. Why did you vote yes?"
* **Augustine:** "I told you before. I had no choice. People would have risen up against me and I would have disappeared. The council gets what it wants."
* **Justice:** "What were you holding, that night?"
* **Augustine:** "You know my sister. She'd come by. I heard she'd been ousted from the echoes for knowing too much. She was there, that night, in my office, looking through my things. She looked at me with such pity. *Such pity*." *Augustine seems very bothered by her pity.* "I cut out her tongue."

* ***Justice*** *asks about Lord Franzet* "He threatened you?"
* **Augustine:** "He knew so much. I do not know how. I hoped to deal with it without the council knowing. But the council always finds out. They always know. When I voted yes, I thought they would simply kill him. I did not know they would kill his children, his wife, the district. If I had known, I might have still said yes. But if I had known that it would hurt you, I would have reconsidered."
* ***Justice*** *chuckles a little bitterly.* "That's something... that's certainly something to say to me."

* *Nova starts hearing in.*
* ***Justice*** *sighs again.* "My children. I wanted to tell you about them. No doubt you've realised they were who I mentioned in the dream. I wanted to ask if you could help me. The dream showed different deaths for each of them. My daughter had a different death than I expected. A beast claw across her."
* **Augustine:** "It's possible that this was your subconscious, showing you this."
* **Justice:** "I suppose so but still. I was hoping you could help me find how they died." *Justice describes them* "The youngest, Leo. Then his older sister Amélie. She was quite smart and he was cheerful. Then the eldest.... Rudolf Josef Franzet. Known as Josef to us. Lord Franzet's son, but-"
* **Augustine:** "And you spent a lot of time with this child?"
* **Justice:** "Yes."
* **Augustine:** "I always wondered how he got that information. That could explain it." *Augustine seems to be thinking to himself.*
* **Justice:** "I never intended-"
* **Augustine:** "No, I know you wouldn't, but children have a way of things."

* **Justice:** "Why do you want the helmet?"
* **Augustine:** "Why would anyone want that kind of power? For control. If you don't have a voice, to have power, just take the voice of someone else. The power to decide, to put words in someone's mouth. To control everything. What else?"
* *There's a pause.*
* **Justice:** "What do you think *I* wanted it for?"
* **Augustine:** "I thought you just wanted to help me?" *Augustine seemed a bit hurt and confused.*
* **Justice:** "I mean, I did. But I wanted to use it too. That's what I wanted to tell you. When my children died, I lost faith in everything. I don't know what I planned to do. I wanted power too. I admit it wasn't very well planned out. I didn't know who to trust, whether you'd be an ally or not."
* **Augustine:** "It's not that I didn't trust you, Justice, there were just things I could not say.. information that-"
* **Justice:** "It's not about trust. It's about appreciation."
* **Augustine:** “Yes. I… I should have told you more, Justice. You’re the most trustworthy person I know."
* **Justice:** “Yes, I’ve seen our co-workers. They would backstab you at a second’s notice.”
* **Augustine:** "..But yes, I will do these things for you. I would be willing to work with you. To be allies.”
* ***Justice*** *pauses for a moment then nods.* “I would, too.”
* *Colour returns to Augustine’s face (not that it's visible though).* *There’s a sense of immense relief as he smiles. They walk in silence for a small while.*

* **Justice:** "So you were blackmailing my father and you didn't let me in on it!!??” *Justice is jokingly scandalised.*
* **Augustine:** "Even I don't know much more about that.” *He whispers when he says* “the Archivist”
* **Justice:** "About Lord Portsin, I was wondering if you would be bothered if anything unfortunate were to happen to him? If it affected you."
* **Augustine:** "He has family, sons who would easily replace him."
* **Justice:** "He's a fucking bastard." *Justice seems uncharacteristically mad about Portsin.*
* **Augustine:** "He.. does what he thinks is best for the empire, which is coincidentally what is best for him."
* **Justice:** "I don't like how he talked to you."

* **Justice:** "I have something to say. If I have the opportunity to do justice, to do good, next time I won't hold back."
* ***Augustine*** *nods.* "Well, I have to be going."
* **Justice:** "Wait. About that memory before the last one. I don't hate you. I just wish you'd let me keep that memory."
* ***Augustine*** *looks to the side.* "There were times I wished I'd let you keep it too."
* **Augustine:** “I truly have to be going.” *As he walks away, Justice grabs Augustine’s hand then pulls him into a hug. He feels Augustine shaking under his disguise.*
* **Justice:** "Just accept it"
* ***Justice*** *hides his expression over Augustine's shoulder. He leans back but still has his hands on his arms.*
* **Justice:** "Stay in touch. If you ever need help making a sandwich."
* ***Augustine*** *chuckles.* "I think I'll manage." *Then he turns and briskly walks down the street.*

##### Meadow's Dream

* *A wooden cottage, a path, and whispers around her. As Meadow approaches, she hears two voices, one male and the other female.*
* Man: "What have you done?"
* Woman: "I only wanted what was best for the family!"
* *The whispers start to get angry.*
* M: "You did this to our daughter!"
* W: "I wanted what was best for us."
* M: "You turned her into a monster!"
* W: "I didn't know this would happen! I didn't mean for this to happen!"
* *Meadow reaches the door. As she does, the voices silence. She opens the door and blinks. She sees a woman standing 6ft tall, dirty brown hair, scars across her arms and body, beautiful, wearing leaf and leather.*
* "My Meadow, you've come home."
* *Magnolia walks towards Meadow and gingerly cups her chin.*
* "You've come home to us, haven't you?"
* *Looking around her, Meadow is in a forest clearing, blanketed in darkness. Magnolia lets go.*
* Magnolia: "Do you hate them for what they did for you?"
* Meadow: "... No. We can just talk. You don't need to disguise yourself."
* *Magnolia's form dissolves into the black panther form of Malar.*
* Malar: "I thought you would appreciate a friendly face."
* Meadow: "If I wanted to see her, I'd go home."
* "But you don't want to."
* "I'd do anything to see them again. But you're pulling me in so many different directions."
* "Ah yes, I'm not telling you anything. You think I don't trust you? Don't believe in your power?"
* *Malar starts pacing around.*
* Malar: "I'll ask again. Do you hate them?"
* "No. I pity them. They were scared of something they didn't understand."
* "They left you to die in the forest. They abandoned you like a dog! After all this, you pity them?"
* "They were too closed minded to look deeper. I'm stronger now. It's interesting, knowing this wasn't some accident. A choice a mortal took. My real question is if you draw people to my home? Did you draw her to this?"
* *Malar gets angrier.*
* Malar: "She was a greedy fool and overstepped. She wishes for riches. Do you know what she was willing to trade? What she was willing to give up?"
* "Anger's too good for them. My elders taught me restraint."
* Malar: "It's a pity they were too scared, too weak, too cowardly.
* I've written "Would never trade with \*illegible\* and "I have to be with them" i think maybe i made irl typo cause i dont remember wtf this means. anyways something something about being strong
* Malar: "Strong like me. Stronger than they will ever be. If you met them again, what would you do?"
* "Take what they took from me."
* "Yesssss, the strong live and the weak die!! Dispense justice on those who would insult you! Dispense justice on those who would insult me!
* *(Meadow says something about weakness)*
* Malar: "Even at your weakest, you are strong."
* "I have a question. I've been lost - what do you want me to do?"
* "Be my vindication. My teeth. My claws. My eyes. My mouth. (heads shoulders knees and toes). Be my everything."
* "Tell me. How is Lana?"
* "She is well - safe."

* "Find those who turned you away."
* "Where are they?"
* "You're a hunter. Then hunt."
* "Do you have a name?"
* "Go west. I'll be keeping a closer eye on you now."
* *Meadow wakes up. She feels a light burning sensation. Justice notices reflection of her forehead full moon, like an eye.*