Session 23

Date: 2/22/2015

Attending: Jake, Justin, Dave, Chris, Joey, Aaron

Absent: none

Start Time: 7:15 p.m.

End Time: 10:20 p.m.

XP awarded: 800

Game time elapsed:  5 days

Enemies Defeated: none

Notes:

The party breaks camp in the Steel-Toe excavation, and heads west.  That morning Bajol asks Frumious about his light globe which opens a conversation covering a wide range of topics such as possible damnation and it’s place within Omnian theology, the process by which Frumious was ensouled and the effects that had, and the nature of the globe. Frumious for the first time hears a musical voice in his head.

The Knights and Bertram pass through Northplain without stopping around lunchtime and camp alongside the road later that night. The next day is uneventful; Bajol notices that there is a lot of fertile farm land that is not being utilized. The Knights camp next to the road again.

Late afternoon the next day - while out running a hail storm- they come to the town of Stardance, which is surprisingly fortified by design.  After restocking on supplies they took a room at the North Star inn, which was run by a plump matronly woman named Sandy. Sandy lets them know that the “Knights of Mist Valley” had passed through a day before. She overheard one being called Icabod.

Also at the North Star was a bard who sang several songs. Grigor invited him over to drink. The bard, who introduced himself as John, was extremely nervous but after Bajol poured a good quantity of hard liquor into him he opened up to Grigor’s questions. At one point under cover of getting a drink Grigor cast Detect Thoughts on “John” – which revealed his real name was Stanley. The conversation with Stanley revealed that there were several different types of Bards, most notable High Bards and University Bards. The Illmarian University is trying to control the flow of information, and is very harsh with “unlicensed” bards. Nolan is identified as a High Bard. Stanley also recognized the group as being the true Knights of Mist Valley, and reacts to the presence of Fyn. A musical voice, later identified as the same that Frumious heard, mentally convinces Stanley to continue sharing and Stanley then tells Fyn that the word had gone out that all Sosyls are being called home. The Sosyl family is based out of the Choval Empire, and Stanley suspects that there are planning to move elsewhere (no one thought to ask why). Grigor is aware that the musical voice casts suggestion on Stanley to not remember the details of the conversation.

Fyn later pulls Stanley aside and finds out that the Sosyl family is in fact a criminal organization, but does not deal in slaves or drugs. They mostly do smuggling with a few protection rackets, gambling, and brothel running. They are not the only such organization, and they have a rivalry with the Ruby Syndicate which is based in Tak-Nor-Vel.

While Fyn has his private conversation with Stanley, the party heads up to their room to discuss the musical voice. They determine that it is coming from Frumious’ orb. After a constant barrage of thoughts from Grigor the orb finally admits that it is sentient and identifies itself as a lantern archon named Percival. The Knights learned that Percival has been assigned as a guide to Frumious, who is about the 57^th gnome to be ensouled.  There is a hope among the celestials that an ensouled Firstborn will accomplish a certain task, but what that task is Percival either doesn’t know or will not say. He also admits to “nudging” people they have met into being more talkative and fourth coming with information.

The next day the party left Stardance and headed west, continuing their journey on the southern road of Avonhollow. After riding all day they camped once again on the side of the road. The following day they arrived at the road fork and found a large trapezoidal shaped standing stone with the holy symbol of Omnos carved in it. Around the base were several small offerings of coin or holy symbols, in a few cases stacks of rocks. Grigor left a few coins and Frumious prayed briefly before the party headed north towards Appleton, which they arrived at a few hours after dark. Riding into town Bertram led them to Ciderhall, the inn. Inside Bertram greeted the dwarven serving girl familiarly (Ella) and the group was led to a private room.

Five individuals were in the room: Eramus, Oscarius, Grovath, and Telmon who with Bertram for the group known as the Parliament of Owls. Also present was a older bearded human who was introduced as Marwyn. Bajol suggests that Marwyn might be a Wanderer, but Marwyn denies this. As the Knights approach Eramus and Oscarius put aside an argument about whether the world is flat or round and introductions are made all around. The Knights confer briefly and decide to tell the Owls and Marwyn everything they have experienced, beginning with the afternoon long ago when Baron Tullimus and Karl conscripted them into the Valian army. End Session