RQG 18 - Gussets and Staves

## Content Warnings

Discussion of past self-mutilation, implied past child abuse, implied trauma

## Summary

The Rangers speak to Bi Ming Gusset, Sasha's old contact, about the metal shard, who confirms it is newly created true adamantine from Damascus. They then head to the British Museum to find out more information about the origami swan.

## Synopsis

Outside Edison's burned out mansion the party reconvene. Hamid says there are 6 things for them to look into:

* The metallic seed
* A piece of metal
* The key for a safety deposit box
* Origami swan
* A contact in Paris
* Office at the University of Prague

He also states that they need to go and find someone in Paris, which has a lot of banks and may be where the safety deposit key belongs. Sasha mentions that Barret was her uncle and that she has a missing finger.

They decide to look into the piece of metal, and Sasha says that she knows someone who works with metallurgy. The party heads into the richer part of the city to 'Gussets Antiques'. The large front window has been broken into and the door broken open from the inside. She sees Bi Ming Gusset, the gnomish owner of the shop inside. She introduces the rest of the party to him.

Gusset explains that someone, who both Sasha and he knows, broke in looking for a document. Sasha shows Gusset the ring on Hamid's finger. He says that it will be very hard to remove, and Sasha reveals that she had to cut her finger off to get rid of it. He also states that it is a way for Barret to communicate directly to Hamid and the party, but the ring can't overhear other conversations.

Hamid shows Gusset the metal, who identifies it as true adamantine, an extremely rare and valuable metal from Damascus, and tells them it was made recently, although true adamantine hasn't been constructed for hundreds of years. Before the party leaves, he takes a sack out of a hidden place and fishes out a list, saying Rakefine, Sasha's great uncle who Barret sent her to live with, gave it to him to pass to her. It is a list of famous names, including:

* J. Austen
* Nightingale
* Tesla
* Babbage
* Lovelace

Sasha knows Babbage is someone who is trying to replicate the feats of the French ordinateurs.

Gusset notices that Zolf has a ring with a signet that he has only seen worn by one of Sasha's tutors and Rakefine. He knows the tutor is alright and assumes the ring must be Rakefine's. Zolf explains that he got the ring from his hometown, but says that it's not the same ring and that he doesn't know where it is originally from. Gusset examines the ring and determines it is the wrong size to have been Rakefine's.

Before they leave, Gusset takes Sasha aside, giving her a bag of holding. Bertie explains that he knows someone at the British Museum and the party head over there to see if they can find out more about the origami swan and the quote on it.

At The British Museum, they are greeted by a well dressed Elijah Wormwood, Bertie's contact. He explains that Bertie's great grandfather sponsored a wing at the Museum to store his loot. Hamid shows Elijah the origami swan, the paper in a single ply from Japan which has a watermark that looks like the white half of the ying-yang symbol in a circle. Elijah thinks it must have been produced in either mainland Japan or Hokkaido. It also has squid ink on it.

In the MacGuffingham wing Hamid notices that all the items are magical in some way. Elijah whispers to Bertie that the MacGuffingham donation is overdue, saying the money was required to fund Carter's latest expedition and they may have to suspend the displays without it. Brutor nudges a magical stave, which Bertie fails to catch. There is an explosion, nudging a vase which drops and shatters and a cloud of smoke comes out of the now shattered vase. The curator suggests that they flee, which they do.

## Dice Rolls and Mechanics

* Sasha makes a Perception roll on the person inside the shop: nat 20
* Zolf makes a cringe roll when Sasha and Bi Ming hug. The roll is not said.
* Bertie makes a Diplomacy check on the museum curator with pomp and pageantry: 15
* Hamid casts detect magic
* Bertie makes a Reflex save as the stave falls: 5

## Plot Notes

* In episode 61, Zolf's ring is revealed to be the signet of a secret anti-Meritocratic group called the Harlequins, an order that both Zolf’s brother and father were a part of.
* Gusset mentions one of Sasha's tutors who also wore a Harlequin ring. This is presumably Eldarion, who appears in episode 122.