Session 24 - Toiletry Theft

With a new day at our disposal, the king's advisor Nina Glibglammer had agreed to meet with Balen. The party split up into two groups: one to escort Balen to the appointment, and one to visit a library to find information regarding Trilith. The research team came up short and learned nothing about Trilith despite very well conducted research. They did however come across a book called "The Thrilling ..... something" that they smuggled out of the library. In the escort group Saphire managed to snatch himself an additional pear despite Zunigri's watchful eye. Balen returned after his appointment and victoriously, but rather sheepishly, admitted that Nina had agreed to let us audition before the king after Balen had bribed her. The party regrouped and headed off to the appointment in the early afternoon.

When we arrived before the king another "appointment" was already in business. Nina Glibglammer was interrogating a man named Relder who had worked as a cleric with Lord Gallo's representative Jinis Green who is now in prison for treason/conspiring against the king. Relder seemed to tell two different stories at once. In one of them he was innocent, but in the other he told of secret late-night meetings where they conspired against the king. It seemed that Relder's mind had been tampered with and his memories had been altered. We weren't alone in witnessing this spectacle. Lady Namin was present and dressed in black mourning clothes. All other lords and ladies also had their proxies present, except for Jinis Green (representing Lord Gallo) since they are in prison. The Ragesian party were also here. Their representatives was a very fancy looking orc accompanied by an inquisitor. After Relder's interrogation was finished our group was called to the stand and Balen presented our case.

Balen told the story of our groups encounters with Ragesians. He told the court about how we had foiled a Ragesian attack on Seaquen. He told them of the group of dead Dasseni soldiers painted like orcs we had discovered on our way south through Dassen. He pleaded our case very eloquently, yet Steppengard was not entertained. The king turned to Mergrim, who he considered to be a more straight-forward person, and asked him about his family. Mergrim gave a very good answer, but it was obvious that Steppengard didn't really care and he had only asked the question as a set-up for what he himself was going to say. The king told of his own 19 dead family members and basically blamed it all on Seaquen and the likes. He seems to view the death of his family as a result of people resisting Ragesia. He blames Seaquen for not simply rolling over and dying at the kicks of Ragesia. Steppengard called us traitors for even suggesting going to war with Ragesia. It became clear that we would not sway his mind as our audition came to an end.

On our way out of the chamber we were approached by the representatives of Lady Timor and Lord Dashgoban who suggested we leave the city and head north to the lands of Duke Gallo. It appears that Duke Gallo had once been the lord closest to Steppengard, yet now he seemed to be the main suspect in the assassination investigation. Things weren't adding up and they suggested we head north and go to the bottom of this. Before we left, Louie had a stare-down with the Ragesian Inquisitors and exchanged thinly veiled threaths. Mergrim also stopped and locked eyes for a moment with Nina Glibglammer who seemed a bit interested with our group. We left the building and Siveril flew up to the roof to find a window and continue observing the proceedings.

After we had returned to the Inn and were discussing our next move, there was a knock on the door. A long lanky bard from the kings court had come to see us. He said time was short and that we had to leave Bresk tonight. After we had left, he had overheard king Steppengard issuing a warrant for our arrest. We had become wanted men and woman and had to leave the city tonight lest we be arrested. The mysterious stranger told us that he had arranged for us to escape through the northern gate. After telling us all he could, he speedwalked away. Siveril saw him return to court where he talked with some guards before being arrested. With little time to spare, we began packing our things to depart posthaste. Despite the urgency, we still took time for the truly important things: stealing all the toiletries. With a bag of holding at our disposal, we stuffed it full with towels, soaps, curtains, and even a carpet. Mergrim left 10 gp as payment.

Taking back alleys through the city and staying out of sight, we arrived at the north gate to find a sergeant and 7 horses waiting for us. The sergeant helped us embark and ushered us out of the city. We rode through the evening and into the night, leaving Bresk behind us. With six hours and 18 miles between us and Bresk, we left the main road to set up camp somewhere more secluded. Louie turned into a giant mole and dug out a depression in the ground and moving the earth to the rim of the pit, forming a bowl-shape. The depression and walls will protect us from the wind and allow us to light a fire without it being visible from outside the indentation. The session ended as we set up camp for the night.