Session 3

Rhea Aves is cleaning her house and finds a false bottom in a chest in her father's room. She finds a helmet, a bow, and an odd looking coin. The bow is made of dark wood and looks to be heavy, but when picked up the bow feels extremely light. The bow is unstrung, but otherwise looks to be in pristine condition. The coin is silver with a flame on one side and the words "Flamme Imperatix" on the other. Her father, Dotterel, enters the house and she scrambles to put the helmet and bow back, but keeps the coin. Dotterel questions what she is doing and she lies, stating she was looking for blankets. Dotterel is suspicious but does not further question Rhea. The next time Rhea goes to look at the chest, it is locked.

Three years later, another child is born into the Aves household, Wren, and Paloma Aves is spends more time at home. Rhea gains more responsibility around the house and with earning money and catching food for the family. One day Rhea goes out to hunt and is tracking a large deer. She sees a bird of prey watching her as she does so. The more she pays attention to the bird, the more she realizes that the bird is actually watching her. The bird poses and preens for Rhea, who tries to pay it no mind. She tracks the deer and makes the kill all under the watchful eye of her silent observer. Over the next several years, whenever Rhea goes out to hunt, more birds flock to observe her. Some are quite rare, some more daring than others, attempting to land on her. The birds follow her back to town where they then disperse, presumably awaiting her return.

Caelestus, Esmerelda, Marallis, Piper, and Thomas travel to Northgate by carriage, driven by Yarris, that Thomas has hired out of Salt Landing. Yarris brings them to the gates of Vyckeros Seekers Academy. The group realizes that they were never given a name to ask for by the Masked Man, and the Masked Man had never revealed his own name. The compound guard tells the group that they are not expected and they are not currently accepting applications. As they are being turned away Thomas interjects and mentions they were referenced here by the Black Quills. After answering a few questions about themselves and the Black Quills, they are allowed in an are told to ask for Leo Suvalis in the main keep. Lissie runs to catch up after having fallen asleep in the carriage.

On their way to the keep they see a warrior wearing leather and plate armor with that makes no effort to divert her direction, scattering the group to each side. The group is enamored with her gear regardless of her lack of politeness. They find Leo Suvalis in the main keep and are directed into a classroom. Leo pulls out a device that looks like brass knuckles, whispers into it and a blue haze fills the room, then dissipates. He tells the group they are now safe to talk. The group is reluctant to tell Leo the whole story. Suvalis tells them they must still be careful, Anatoli Ogonek still holds a lot of sway in the academy. When asked how this could be, he states that the Grand Seeker, Sir Ervald, used to adventure with one of Ogonek's company, Styrmir. He also states that Ogonek is able to manufacture truths and has a lawyer and possibly other politicians working for him. The circumstances of Salt Landing are already explaining themselves away, with both executions made to look like lawful acts, pinning unfounded crimes on the victims. Suvalis is states Ogonek is very charismatic, and he has received much fame for his findings in Dyssia. Suvalis believes that Ogonek wishes to also establish a Seekers Academy in Dyssia, placing himself as the Grand Seeker. Suvalis asks if they spoke with anyone regarding their whereabouts and if anyone knows where they are. The party answers that besides members of their family, that no one should know. Thomas remembers that Lissie questioned Ogonek at the Morafi Manor party a week prior, and that her mother had berated her in front of Ogonek. Suvalis recommends that they change he last name and perhaps where she hails from to protect her identity.

Suvalis brings the group to meet with the Grand Seeker, Sir Ervald. Ervald asks the party to introduce themselves and is surprised to find out they are from the province of Iressia, but they are well met. Ervald explains they will be going through a basic training before they are placed with a mentor in an area of their desire.

The first year of training passes with the party training strictly in martial combat with Shurvi of the Iron Wood and basic educational lessons in the library with Ollesin Eresh. Shurvi is a hardnosed, relentless trainer who has a penchant for explicitly stating how the trainees would be dead after each of their follies, solely by yelling out the word "Dead!". In the parties first training she has the party run until they could run no longer, and then attacks them. Cael flees up a tree, being the only member to "survive" Shuri's onslaught....until she fetches an axe and chops the tree down with a few heavy swings, after which she pronounces, "Dead!".

Eresh's studies are more casual, with most of the party devouring the information given with delight. The exception is poor Piper, who struggles to read and struggles even more to care. Eresh decides to give Piper fictional novels that involve adventure and battles, since any reading is better than none at all.

A year passes, and as the party is being led to a meeting of their future mentors, Piper sees something in a statue that he had never paid attention to before. The statue has an uncanny resemblance to his father. The plague lists the figure as "The Condor - Commissioned 340 EF." When Piper asks about this statue, which shows a figure with a unique beaked leather helmet and a drawn bow arching towards the sky, he is told that this Dotterel and that he retired from adventuring some time ago, but he is well renowned - having brought something of importance to The Great Vault. Piper is confused and wonders how such a famous and well respected adventurer could be such a poor parent and how this statue could be so old.

When the party arrives at Ervald's office he is arguing with a women, whom they come to know as Meshira, She is arguing with Ervald, and can be heard saying they are "running out of time", before someone closes the door and the party waits outside the study until they are summoned. When being allowed to enter they find there are several individuals in the study. They know Shurvi, Eresh, and Ervald. They are introduced to Meshira, Faust, and Rupert. They are introduced to their mentor. Shurvi will take on Piper to teach him how to focus his strength and anger. Rupert tells Thomas that he doesn't believe Thomas is ready and may never be. Thomas is to be removed from the academy, and stripped of all coin and belongings, including his clothes. Thomas is to stay within the limits of the city and if any of his friends give him any coin he will be excommunicated from the seekers. Rupert states that he will return in 3 years and he will ask for Thomas only by name in the streets of Northgate. If Thomas has not made a name for himself by then, then Rupert has no interest in training him. Thomas storms out. Meshira will teach Cael how to live in the shadows. Faust will be responsible for training Lissie in alchemy. Emse will learn the art of divination from Eresh.

Once out of the seekers compound, Thomas muddies himself and travels to Compass Plaza. There he begins to beg, claiming he is an orphan and has siblings to feed. He is approached by another larger youth in the street and is told that spot is his. Thomas tells the new youth that there must be some mistake - who told him this was the newcomer's spot. The other boy tells him it is Hibberick. Thomas says that he will go and clear this misunderstanding up - where can Hibberick be found. The other boy tells Thomas at a tavern called Two Bolts. Thomas travels to Two Bolts, walks directly up to Hibberick and tells Hibberick that he is there for a job. Hibberick is at first confused, but Thomas convinces him that he had summoned for Thomas. Hibberick gives Thomas contraband to deliver to another tavern, the Camel's Right Hump. Thomas unsuccessfully attempts to beg for money from the constables watching Two Bolts before making the delivery. Thomas rises through the ranks of Hibberick's criminal operation and branches out to many different avenues of the seedy underground, preferring to broker in information.

Three years after Thomas's exile, Rupert returns to the Compass Plaza. Rupert asks a lad for Thomas, who brings Rupert straight to him. Rupert agrees to accept Thomas into mentorship.

Lissie is in the dungeon laboratory with Faust some years into her apprenticeship. She carefully seasons a cauldron before she adds ingredients and tinctures to it. A homunculus's body begins to form, but then quickly melts away into a viscous liquid. She mumbles sadly to herself as she retraces her notes Faust tells her not to fret, failure is all a part of experimentation. As the two introverts carry on their awkward conversation, Faust points to Lissie's cauldron. The cauldron begins to bubble, then boil, and suddenly wings and legs sprout from its base. A kindly face begins to form on the cauldron to Faust and Lissie's dismay - as they both frantically grasp for Lissie's notes.

Piper is taken to Ur-Hutvir, a Dwarven stronghold in Vyckeros several days ride from Northgate. Piper trains here for two years. During one of Piper's training sessions Piper sees a translucent bird flying in the underground caverns. Some of the dwarves resent that Piper trains with him as many harbor ill feelings towards Dyssians. One dwarf attempts to maim Piper while in a routine training exercise, when Piper is focused elsewhere. The bird flies down and crashes into the dwarf. As several other dwarves come to teach Piper a lesson - Piper is surrounded by more white spiritual birds which hinder his attackers, and allows Piper to best the gang of dwarves.

Piper returns to Northgate and is trained further by orcs from the far off city of Hollowden in the Plume Wastes. The orcs train Piper how to fight to the bitter end, never giving an inch, and how to master his rage. Five years into his training he receives a letter from his sister Rhea that his parents have left. Piper tells Shurvi that he must return home. Shurvi tells him that his training is not complete and that he cannot leave his new family at the seekers academy. Piper apologizes, but states that he only has one family and they need him. Shurvi tells him that he will not be allowed to return to his training. Piper decides that he must return home regardless of the consequences. As Piper leaves, he turns to wave goodbye to Shurvi. She responds by unsheathing her large axe and throws it at him. Piper reaches his hand out and catches it out in midair by the haft before the blade strikes him. Shurvi smiles as simply states, "Life."

Caelestus is brought into the bowels of the keep by Meshira and is led into an oubliette. She tells him to prepared to lose his sight. She tells him to make his way out of the dungeon, and without another word, snuffs their torches. This type of training persists for years as Cael embraces sensory deprivation and is made to navigate maze after maze in darkness with nothing but his wits and thoughts.

Esmerelda is sitting with Eresh while he lectures in a smooth and steady, almost hypnotic tone and cadence. He speaks of the Great Memory, and the great experiment the gods perform on this plane of existence. They must picture time not as mortals, but as the gods do. Everything that has happened, has happened before, and will happen again. Divination, he describes, is looking into these instances. They may have minute changes, sometime so subtle that the diviner must look carefully to see them. Esmerelda begins to relax and sink into the depths of solemn trance. She sees Northgate as she knows Northgate looks now, except two of the city's major landmarks have swapped places. Ominously hung over the ski of Northgate stretches a vast and roiling sky of red. Esmerelda snaps awake in terror.

As he session fades to a close, Suvalis, Meshira, and Ervald are speaking in Ervald's study once more. Meshira states that she tried to warn them years ago, but now its too late. Ervald asks, "How is she." Meshira says she doesn't know and the seekers need to send somebody; the new recruits may need to be sent early. Ervald responds, "If Meshira is right, what they have seen in the sky has also seen us".

Continue to Session 4.