Mother’s Love Part 3

## Story

Seline and Talia are discussing how they're going to get Chief Thatcher to let them question their fresh corpse when the constables and three civilians return. They explained the constables their fresh corpse lit the house on fire while they we're inside and Talia shot him a few times before he also caught fire. While Seline wraps the fresh corpse in linen, they ask that this corpse not be touched until they can examine him tomorrow. Back in Bluepeak at the Golden Boar, they have a letter sent to Master Talden asking that Jareth be ready for visit, before they get drunk in their estate. In the morning at the coroner's Seline reanimates the corpse in a Zone of Truth but the zone of Truth doesn't affected it. When Seline starts to question it, it responds "Jeremy Blaine, 045613, Private" to her first few questions. In a moment of quick thinking and inspiration, she switches tactics asking where to go join his order but it's stubbornly maintains the code of conduct. She pleads with it for the answer and it replies, "Duskdown, look for the sign." In the Chief Constable's office, Chief Thatcher tells them all three bodies were identified. Talia explains the house fire and the body although Thatcher feels that Talia left some things out. Talia mentions the V and where it's shown up if Thatcher's interested in looking into it. Thatcher mentions: animal troubles including bear, general crime being up, and poor crop turn out despite the rain. Five constables are expected to arrive on Monday from Airpike take custody of Victoria and return her to Airpike for trial. Seline and Talia intend to accompany them. Chief Thatcher suggests they return tomorrow, because when the missing persons turned into a wanted, the district offered a reward for 2000 GP. That reward probably changed after the events in Jaldin. The chief thanks them for their efforts and they leave to go see Jareth. At the Academy, Jareth is more than happy to see them running over to Talia and hugging her. His left horn still sports the silver ring and sleeve. On the right horn in the sleeve is the coffin nail Seline gave him on a previous visit. Master Talden who is also present says Jareth hasn't gotten into any more trouble than anyone else but is progressing well in his studies. Master Talden takes Talia to a private study to play the phonograph.

> Journal entry: I don't know what day it is this pursuit of bringing my daughter back has... it is everything and I am so close. So close I can..., I can hear her voice. I have tried so many things, broken so many barriers, stumbled across such amazing discoveries. Though by far the most interesting discovery I have found, is what resides in the mind devoid of memories. Those that I have brought back oh, return to some semblance of awareness. All seem to exhibit strange primal intelligence almost. It knows nothing but what is put in front of it but what it learns, it learns at an extremely rapid pace. My first subject that I attempted this procedure on in Jaldin took one look through my schematics and instantly understood them and began to design its own. Of course this intelligence, this state is not ideal. It had absolutely no regard for any life including it's own. It recognized no kin or kinship. I have done things that some will call unspeakable in my pursuit of my goal but the amount of destruction that such a being could enact upon civilization it is inexcusable. I must find a way to bring back memory to animate more than just the base functions of the brain. I have an idea...
>
> Victoria Greshan, in her journal

After briefly discussing the events in Jaldin and subsequently in Bluepeak, Master Talden speaks to Talia about their concerns with Jareth academic progress. Problem in Master Talden's eyes is not that Jareth is excelling but at his intention to finish school early to join Seline and Talia. The other children of the academy have ostracized Jareth. In an effort,  to escape this Jareth wants to join our adventurers as soon as possible. Master Talden advises against this,  insisting Jareth finish his studies in the recommended time frame and avoid joining Seline and Talia before he's ready to endure any dangers they encounter. Talia readily agrees. Meanwhile Jareth demonstrates throwing sparks from his hand and summoning his familiar Whitney small white cat for Seline. He mentions that Whitney is not actually a cat but a Fey who chose a cat form when she was first summoned. When Talia returns she mentions that Seline is also Fey and Master Talden suspects Jareth of some vandalism.

## Characters

### Players

* Seline Argent
* Talia Grey

### NPCs

* Chief Thatcher
* Master Talden
* Jeremy Blaine
* Jareth Grey

## References

1. ↑ Probably in accordance with orders similar to those in U.S. Executive Order 10631 outlining the code of conduct for U.S Troops "while in combat or in captivity" https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/10631.html