Session twenty

I'm full of cold so it's a bit of a brief summary this week, I may revisit it with more details at some point in the future. Ho hum.

In any case a few points of explanation.  De Havilland wants to speak with Keats before he goes anywhere (and knowing what he's going to say I didn't want to not run that conversation as it may have a significant effect on the plot) but De Havilland's player couldn't make it.  Therefore Keats faded into the background and the player ran an alternate character he had in mind, Igor.

We'll deal with Keats and De Havilland in a future session and "retcon" the impact of their discussion...

* Sir Hasimir writes (eloquently) to Baron Christopher explaining his position and that he will return to Ravenna after a "mission of mercy" to deliver food to a church colony
* Lady Althea meets Father Konrad and he charges her with joining Hasimir and trying to unearth what heresies he is committing.  Lawrence notes that the cargo they have for the SOE station has come from Austrum West
* Lawrence and Koehlang have to deal with some insubordination in the ranks of their Muster Mercenary marines
* We introduced the alternate character, a deformed Muster combat engineer named Igor. He is an old friend of Mort's and got the job through him rather than direct from the Muster as with most of the rest of the crew.
* Lady Althea visits Hasimir and defies Father Konrad (awakening her Dark Twin in the process).  She has decided to stay with Marquis De Havilland but she tells Hasimir what  has happened and how her options are changing. Hasimir offers her help and confesses his own psychic gifts.  They read each others minds and part on good terms.
* The ship launches.  They choose to head first to the religious community: "The Retreat of St Deimos"
* During the trip Lawrence has Mort and Igor check the SOE cargo.  They identify that the parts and components are for Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs).  There is not enough to build a complete device (or devices) but the purpose is clear.
* A day or so later the ship is hailed by a Hawkwood Wayfarer Explorer commanded by Sir Bedevere Windsor Hawkwood, younger brother of Baron Christopher.

Above: Hailed by a Hawkwood

 

Once he has established that this is Hasimir's ship he says he has been diverted from his patrol to escort them back to Ravenna.  His brother has received the Torenson's letter and wants to talk to him. Hasimir refuses as his charitable mission is more important and, possibly inadvertently challenges the Hawkwood Knight.  He accepts and they agree to duel on board the players' ship.
* Bedevere comes aboard with his second (Koehlang is Hasimir's). They have agreed to fight with swords and energy shields only and to first blood. 

Above: The Hawkwood and his Second are "welcomed" aboard

The duel runs for a few rounds with a number of hits but nothing getting through the shields.  Finally though Bedevere over extends (in the Aggressive Stance on a negative Defence...) and Hasimir overcomes the Hawkwood's shield to cut him and claim victory.

Above: En guarde!

* The knight is no fool though and sees that Hasimir left the terms of the duel deliberately ambiguous.  Therefore he states that he will escort them on their missions to ensure that they return to Ravenna straight after.

Session nineteen - Keats comes back

Keats returns to the ship after his recent "errand" and encounters Keohlang the Vorox on board. Koehlang challenges him (as they had not yet met) and they trade a few words (as is typical for the Vorox) then Keats dumps his gear before tracking down Hasimir in his quarters. They talk and Keats explains how he has tried to lay a false trail as to the whereabouts of Hemlock and Arcadia. Upon asking about Arcadia there is an obvious shift in the atmosphere of the room.  Hasimir tells Keats what happened and upon realising Arcadia is dead by Hasimir's order, Keats leaps at him but Hasimir evades. He manages to continue a conversation but Keats keeps saying that no one is left and that Hasimir betrayed her.  He believes that they could have avoided killing her and blames himself for not staying by her side.

Above: Keats visits Hasimir

Meanwhile Lawrence has gone to Suryada to meet with "Frisky" Wilson again.  They arrange that the ship will transport a cargo to a religious community bassed on one of the many moons that orbit Dro and Madro, the twin gas giants in the Ravenna system.  It doesn't pay very well but it will make the basis of a good and hopefully simple "shake down" run for the crew.

Keats has stormed off leaving Hasimir to finish preparing for an evening in the city.  He has arranged to meet De Havilland before then going on to a dinner at his Club. De Havilland and Hasimir speak openly and as allies.  Hasimir tells him of Arcadia's actions and fate while De Havilland discusses his own intentions. Hasimir explains that before he leaves planet he wants to speak with Baron Christopher to check that he doesn't have any contract obligation to him (as suggested by Father Konrad).

Koehlang is patrolling the ship when he comes across Keats working out in the gym.  The noble has shaved his head completely (as Arcadia did) and is replicating the last exercises he saw her perform. Keats speaks with Koehlang about what it was like to kill her and the Vorox proudly shows him the trophy he took from her; one of her eyes.  Keats demands it and the Vorox says that he can either fight him for it (winning it by besting him in single combat) or give him an equivalent item of hers as a replacement. Keats has nothing to offer, and isn't suicidal so is stumped.  The Vorox seems to take pity on him though and tosses the eyeball to him saying that she was such an easy kill she doesn't merit a trophy. At taht point Keats sees Lawrence return to the ship, takes the trophy and follows him.

Above: Koehlang doesn't want to part with his trophy

Keats catches the Scraver and demands his cut of their wealth; he plans to leave. Lawrence explains that the majority is invested he can't just give him his share.  He can give him 1000 firebirds now, in the form of a credit draft and he will still own a share of the business so will gain a profit from it. Keats seems content with that for the expediency of matters and takes the money.

After concluding matters with De Havilland, Hasimir's heads to his Club dinner. His "Club" is in fact an exclusive and secret psychic coven for nobility.  A selection of nobles are in attenmdence, most of whom are Hawkwoods, and Hasimir spends sometime in small talk before the serious business of the night. The "Magus", Baron Merlyn Hawkwood announces that there are two items on their aggenda, the first behing Hasimir's recent conduct and involvement in Brother Josay's death (and the predations of an Inquisitor), the case of Carrie in Deepcore 104 and whether Lady Althea (the penitent psychic Justinian noble) might be swayed to join their ranks. Hasimir defends himself (he seems to be getting used to that...) but the Coven charge him with the task of proving his loyalty by winning the loyalty of Lady Althea.

The second item on the aggenda is a potential new applicant, sponsored by one of the Hawkwoods, a Trusnikorn knight named Trainer Gengis Gangrel Trusnikron. The coven interview him and learn he was blinded in the Austrum war but has a psychic bond to his pet bird (a large raven-like creature) allowing him to see through it's eyes.  Hasimir is known to him as his brother is Trainer Theodore Gangrel Trusnikron.  The coven votes and one vote goes against Gengis so he is denied membership.  The vote was private but we know that Hasimir voted for him.

During the evening one of the club members, Lady Gently Thana, a seeress of some repute enters a trance and has a sudden and unexpected vision.  The imagery is jumbled but she sees death and a "war in the islands in the sky".

While all this is going on Keats makes plans to leave the ship and Suryada while De Havilland makes plans to depart to Austrum East.

Lawrence has bought a second ship (and Al-Malik Odessey Explorer) and pretty much cleared out their funds doing so. He does however manage to aquires another transport job, taking parts to a Supreme Order of Engineers outpost in the same mass of moons and asteroids as the religious community.

Interlude - Cold Marble

A pair of heavy white set doors is swung open and a spritely if dandy gentleman strolls gaily into the apartment.  

 “And here we have Delphi Regnum Suite with opulent views of the Philosophers Gardens and igneous rock pools my lord…”  The dandy pulls aside a large white drape and gestures his frilled hand carefully to indicate that someone should enter through.  De Havilland steps forward and squints at the glare from the setting sun now directly in front of him. 

“It’s a wonderful thing to behold…” he utters cautiously.  Suddenly De Havilland is aware of the shape of Lady Althea next to him, the fop’s face contorts ever so slightly. 

“It’s still very bright outside.  Good.  I have plenty of hours left in the day to undertake the Pancreators will.”

The fop attempts a thin smile, “…quite…” he answers mockingly.  De Havilland wonders how often Lady Althea has to put up with such insolence from individuals who have no idea of the burdens she must carry each day.  Much the same can be said of Tonbei, of course.  De Havilland had been born into considerable privilege but his father had done his best to ensure that his son never took that for granted.  I wonder how it feels to be them he thought for one moment, shuddered at the thought of it and then moved on to something more pleasant.

“We’ll take it” he answered with a smile. 

“Very good my lord” answered the fop, “Will our Lords…guests… be staying too…?” he sneered, not quite as carefully as De Havilland would have liked.  De Havilland stepped out further onto the palisade that overlooked the beautiful gardens of the residence.  He rested his hands on the firm marble rail of the balcony and he peered down into the greenery and waters around them.

“I’m afraid so…” he uttered, his back to the fop covering his own bemusement.  Lady Althea frowned briefly but Tonbei was already smiling.  He knew the Lord so well he even anticipated the answer.

An hour later and Lady Althea is frowning again, but this time at Tonbei who had unrolled a thin sleeping mat and stretched it out onto a small patch of one corner of the marble floor.  Onto this uncomfortable looking bedding he had meticulously arranged a vast collection of sharp and evil looking blades.  Tonbei was sharpening each blade enthusiastically and undertaking movements with them to practice how each would serve its purpose.  Althea could see a dismemberment stroke here or an incapacitating cut there.  She imagined the horrific wounds they would inflict and was immediately reminded of her own ‘healing role’ within society. Suddenly this alien seemed more alien to her than she had imagined possible.  Perhaps this had been a mistake after all.  Maybe she should seek out Lady Arcadia instead and leave these butchers to their craft.

“So…” she shouted clearly across the room, “Where to next my lord?”  De Havilland was pouring over some paperwork on a wooden table,  Althea turned away from Tonbei and decided either to get some answers or make a decision now as to what she intended to do next herself.  She looked down at the drawings on the table, something about them looked familiar.

“A crypt?” she asked quizzically.  De Havilland raised his eyes to hers taking in the measure of her.  Would she understand it all?  She had an esoteric understanding of the world that was almost as odd to him as Tonbei’s view of the universe.  Genius is as close to madness he thought to himself; and then realising he was expected to answer he looked back down at the papers and shuffled them around in order to allow Althea more of a view of things.  What a truly odd company they all were.

“This is a design my ancestors made for a crypt to house their honoured dead.  It’s old Althea, very old indeed, but the design is still legible.  One of my Hawkwood ancestors was what we would now call a Planetary Duke.  He was a paranoid, fearful man, terrified that he would meet his end prematurely at the hands of one of his enemies.  Whilst he still held authority on this planet he saw fit to build a family crypt in the far gardens of the planetary rulers residence.

Althea moved the papers around further on the desk and studied the iconography and detail of the tomb in front of her.  “What’s this?” she asked suddenly, pointing down to few rushed and faded lines located to edge of the main crypt.

“It’s a passageway, Althea.  You see this Hawkwood was convinced he was going to die early, and so made this crypt to house his body but to also serve as the weapon for his vengeance.  The tunnel you see here was designed to allow an assassin into the protected residence to hunt down the new planetary ruler, and to kill him.”

Althea curled the corner of her lip, “He sounds positively charming” she joked.  De Havilland grinned, “Power breeds this sort of paranoia at court, I see it all the time.  One of the main reasons I….” he cut himself off and looked back down at the drawings.

“Anyway, my father handed me this plan when I joined the Company of the Phoenix.  Said I might find it useful in case he was ever entombed there.  The only thing is, I don’t intend to use it…”  He broke off the conversation and looked up at Tonbei.  Althea was suddenly aware of Tonbei standing at the table with them, right next to her.  She tried not to act surprised but his sudden appearance was a total shock.

“You’re happy you know the route?” asks De Havilland.  Tonbei’s eyes shine and the tips of his teeth can be seen from his grin, “I know the route Lord.”  Tonbei turns to face Althea, “We’ll be fine…”

Interlude - Can I help

“Can I help you at all, my lord?” came a gentle voice from somewhere.  De Havilland suddenly roused himself and sat bolt upright.  He unfolded his hands and removed them from the backrest of the pew in front of him and tried to get a sense of his surroundings.  It was only after a few moments that he finally realised he was still at the cathedral where only hours earlier the Planetary Duke had commissioned Baron Christopher Hawkwood to be his Lord Protector.  The memory of it all suddenly came flooding back to him.

Stood just to his left-hand shoulder was a local Sister from the Suryada Urth Orthodox Cathedral.  She was in her elder years with a well-worn and slightly drawn face and although she was covered head to foot in the formal attire of a strict devotee he couldn’t help but notice a few curls of grey hair poking out from underneath a headpiece.  De Havilland straightened his doublet and cleared his throat nervously, “Err ahuhu….  My apologies sister, I was only intending to take a moment but…”  He looked around the Cathedral and suddenly noticed then that the place was now pretty much empty.

“I’m afraid that they’ve all gone now, my lord” responded the Sister, “I did spot you here earlier but didn’t know whether it might be appropriate to disturb you at all.”   The sister slowly twisted herself down into the pew in front of him.  “Did he answer your prayers though my lord”, she queried?  De Havilland raised an eyebrow, looking confused.  The Sister points up to a statue of a robed man wielding a sword hanging from the ceiling above them.  “Mantius, did he answer your prayers?”  De Havilland’s mind immediately flashes back to the first time he had heard that name spoken; to the stories of Mantius The Soldier that his father used to read to him as a small boy.  He shakes himself free of those old buried memories and looks up into the sharp face of the Sister, “I don’t know yet Sister.”

The Sister shifts position tentatively as though preparing herself for something and then looks searchingly into the eyes of De Havilland.  He can see that she is weighing her next words carefully.  “I expect you will need to be going now, in order to get ready for the celebrations?”  She flashes a look out from the corner of an eye that tells De Havilland that she already knows the answer.  He has to laugh, he’s never had to verbally spar with a Sister before and the idea of that is more than a little amusing. 

“Sister, sat here with you right now is about as close to that event as I am going to get.”  The Sister laughs and the mood lightens a little.  “Well from bitter experience I can tell you that there are certainly more hideous members of your noble order attending, and from the short time I spent in the company of the Cultural Attaché today, you certainly smell a whole lot better than most.  So why aren’t you with the others?”  De Havilland thought back to the encounters he had with the Count and Countess earlier that day.  He had only seen his brother months previously and as ever his mind had been very much focussed on just winning the war and taking back what he felt was rightfully his.  Seeing his half-sister had been an unexpected pleasure though.  He had luckily managed to catch her gaze whilst she was talking to one of the ambassadors from Follari North.  She had smiled at him, painfully.  He had smiled back, uneasily.  Talking in public was now something of a taboo for both of them.  Otto knew of course that they’d met up six months previously and that was entirely accepted.  But to talk openly in public ruffled far too many feathers and put enormous pressure on both sides.

“No Sister, I’m sad to say that not with any of the others any more.  Truth be told, I’m not even a real Hawkwood now either.  I guess I am pretty much no one right now.”
“How can you say such a thing?” gasps the Sister, “I don’t believe that for one moment…”
“I am almost totally alone now Sister.  It’s my duty you see, it… separates me from everyone I know.  To be honest with you Sister coming here today and seeing all these people who used to call me a friend...  It hurts.  I’ve kind of had enough of it all at the moment.” 

The sister looked concerned and reached out to touch the back of De Havilland’s hand.  She held it there for a few moments attempting to offer some small comfort.  “I believe we all have a duty to the Pancreator to serve him in the best means we know how.  Do you feel your duty is like that?”  De Havilland shifted back into the pew seat. “If I stay loyal to my duty then I run the risk of facing immediate death or if not then at least ostracising myself from my family and my noble house for the rest of my days.  If I leave, then I will have to take up a post fighting my sister’s army knowing that I could have possibly done something to help end the senseless slaughter of hundreds, if not thousands of lives.”

The Urth Orthodox Sister smiled warmly, desperate to want to convey a sense of sympathetic understanding.  There was a moment of sudden comprehension and De Havilland guessed that she had just realised who he was.  She nodded, her eyes betraying feelings of genuine sadness.
De Havilland felt a surge forcing him to want tell her it all, to unleash some of the pent-up pain he had been nurturing.  He beat the feelings back down in to the dark pit they were attempting to escape from. 

“I’m beginning to wonder whether someone has made a mistake here.  Maybe I should just stop thinking about all this and just go and join the party…”  The Sister looked up to the figure of Mantius above them and took in a deep breath, waiting for some sign or divine intervention perhaps? 
“I’ll tell you something now, and it needs to stay between us and my friend up there”, she nods in the direction of the statue.  De Havilland sits forward and gets close to the nun so that she can whisper it quietly to him.  “I was never very enthralled when our Emperor was put on the throne.  I didn’t know him, I still don’t understand him.  And when I heard about these Questing Knights, well, I just thought it was all for show really; Part of the circus I see in this most holy of places from time to time.  Much like today.  I might be speaking out of turn now, and you’ll have to forgive an old Sister if I cause any offence, because none is meant.  But I looked out today and saw the very noblest of our planets families in all their finery, pomp and ceremony and it just worried me.  I mean, do any of them understand what today meant to the people?”  The Sister looked around just to make sure no others were listening in but they were completely alone.

“And then I saw you sat here earlier, and I could see how deeply troubled you were by all this madness.  Yes, I said madness.  Don’t assume that just because I live within the walls of this Church that I don’t hear and see all that is going on in the world outside.  You know we do share this world together don’t you, I also share your concerns.  What heartened me today though, what gave me hope was that when all the others had gone, and all thoughts had turned to fun and frivolity there was one man sat in this holy place still at war with himself.  That gave me some courage and some confidence in the judgement of our new Emperor...”  The sister shifted in her seat slightly, “…whatever his name is.” They both laughed, the noise echoing through the empty Cathedral.  “Well…?” she asked, “what will you do next?”

De Havilland walks through the local merchant district on his way home.   It gets cold in Suryada at night now and he pulls a cloak around his shoulders to help keep the biting temperatures at bay.  As he passes by a small artisan stall he stoops to pick up a roughly hewn figurine carved from local marble.  He recognises the image and reads some words carefully scratched into the underside of the idol:

‘Empyrean Grace shines on the valorous soul who faces evil armed with the sword of the Pancreator’

They are the words of Mantius that he had spent endless hours reciting back and forth to his father as a boy.  He weighs the statue carefully in his hand feeling the difference between the polished and more unfinished edges.  He looks up into the wide starry sky above him and recites the missing part of that verse:

‘- his body may suffer mightily, but his soul will rise the higher for it’’