Megan's Curse of the Crimson Throne (Inactive)

Game Master Megan Robertson

When you arrive at Zellara's house, it looks long-abandoned, as if nobody's been there for weeks. There's no sign of food, the wall hangings, the rugs that those of you who've been here before saw on your last visit. Most of the furniture is in broken bits on the floor.

Who's got the Harrow deck?

I'm not sure, but I believe Hytogg picked it up. With his fascination with magical things it would be just like him, unless someone beat him to the punch...After all he is Hytogg the Magnificent, Illusionist extroidnaire, and High Priest of Nethys, God of Magic.

Hytogg took it. I told him not to play with it cause he might put his eye out, so I hope he listened to me.

Shakhan looks at the decrepit remains of what used to be a fairly nice place. He double checks the door, just in case. "What in the hells is this? Zellara?!"

Una comes out of hiding when she feels it is safe enough.

"Zellara is dead, if you recall, Shakhan. Usually divine magic does not lie. Whatever magic kept her spirit active in this place I think is now bound in those cards that Hytogg has. Maybe if we use them here, we can speak again with her."

Una shrugs as though she does not care either way.

"But all of that is arcane fluff and nonsense. Not like I know much of anything about that stuff."

Sorry everyone, I usually play caster classes, and just got done posting as a rather intelligent (High Magic) wizard, so it might have bled over a bit.

Hytogg the Magnificent feels a strong urge to pull out the Harrow deck. As soon as he does, the air shimmers around you and suddenly Zellara appears!

"Welcome again, friends. You begin to see now, and it is time to tell you the truth. My spirit now resides within my Harrow deck, which always speaks to me more than to many as I listen to the music of the city. I was slain several weeks ago, and reached out to those whom I knew could not only avenge me, but see the city through the tribulations to come. These have now begun, but order shall soon be restored, even if the peace is an uneasy one. Know now that the Queen herself has a task for you, and you must seek her out that she may give it to you. Yet all is not what it seems, in looking at one thing you shall see another. Use the cards wisely to guide you. I shall aid you as best I can, but may come but rarely. Good fortune."

The air shimmers again, and somehow Hytogg knows he's just holding a bunch of cards... for now.

Shakhan stands well against the wall looking a bit cornered and like an animal might pounce at any minute. His knuckles whiten around the grip of his axe. "The dead should rest," he mutters.

"Fascinating.", Risdin says as he stares at the deck,"A person's soul trapped in a harrow deck, truly mystical.

He turns to Shakhan,"You'd best learn to embrace the extraordinary friend, you will be rewarded regularly. You can't fight it any more than you can fight the pull of the earth."

"I must admit I have doubts about whether the Queen has a task for us. It's more likely this spirit lacks for air inbetween those cards. Still, I am very curious, so at the very least it warrants a detour."

"We must go to the palace at any rate. The guards of the king's body still need relief."

(I hope they haven't been holding it that long)

Shakhan seems to recover a bit faster than before, even so the grip on his weapon suggests that he's ready to strike in an instant. "Let's go then. Would not want to leave the queen waiting, if she's looking for us."

i seem to have lost track of the time of day. Also didn't we find a broken broach that once belonged to the queen (It had been stolen or something). If it's been fixed we could return it to the queen. Maybe we'll get a reward or something

Hytogg is nearly giddy with delight at the performance of the cards. "i must learn to master these cards...to think magical cards, and some spirit possessing them". "It's a dream come true". "Can't we wait till tomorrow to go see the queen"?

I'm going to assume you said that thing about the brooch outloud.

"What a brilliant idea, Hytogg. With the queen's broken brooch, we can return it to her and perhaps earn a little more support. Whatever plans royalty has for us, I only hope it pays well. Let's look around here first, we might find something useful."

Una begins to search the place, without disturbing too many things.

Perception 1d20 ⇒ 19

"Lord Jalento's apprentice already fixed the brooch. Risdin has it." Shakhan looks blankly at Una as she searches the obviously barren place. Then he turns to leave, heading towards the castle. "Come, there is more need of us over there than what you'll find here."

"Well obviously the brooch isn't 'broken' anymore. I just refer to it that way so we know the one I'm talking about."

Una carefully checks the floor for any loose floorboards.

Looking round the house reveals nothing.

You make your way through the streets towards Castle Korvosa to return the queen's brooch. The streets appear relatively safe to walk, but a thick tension remains in the air.

As a terrifying testament to the power of whatever mighty overlord ruled this land thousands of years ago, Castle Korvosa's long shadow looms over the city. A magnificent achievement of architecture, the castle walls and spires rise high into the sky above. The entire structure looms even higher for its ancient foundation - a Thassilonian
ruin in the shape of an immense flat-topped pyramid. Although one corner of this impressive foundation has fallen into ruin, the additions built onto the sides by eager and talented Korvosan masons have created one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of Varisia.

Castle Korvosa can be approached from all four directions with ramps and stairways allowing access up the sides of the pyramid to the courtyard surrounding the central structure. Your approach takes you up the Great Ramp to the Public Courtyard. In these frantic times, the Castle itself has been locked tight and bristles with pikes and crossbows. As you go up the ramp, a member of the Korvosan Guard steps forward.

"Halt! State your names and business here."

Risdin steps forward.

He lifts and points his hand to the members of the group as he mumbles their names, "Una Therlmagne, Shakhan, Hytogg the.. something, Cresston Kroft, and I am Risdin Arramack"

He then takes a breath and speaks up,"As to our business, we are here to aid Korvosa in its time of need. In addition to this, we have recovered an item we believe belongs to the Queen herself."

"We would like to the return this item, a brooch, to her personally. Is this possible?"

Diplomacy:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Shakhan grins, unusually for him - maybe he's trying to make a good impression, "Also, he says, "I was asked to report that some guards at the grave grounds have not been relieved since this morning."

"Wait here. Commander Ashan must hear of this."

The guardsman speaks to a couple of his comrades who take post, not quite pointing their crossbows at you but it wouldn't take a large movement to do so. He then goes through a side door.

"Warm welcome, huh Risdin?"

"Sharpen your axe while we wait. Just in case"

"I'm not worried about the axe - once it becomes blunt enough to be a club, I have a club."

"But then how would you floss?"

Una looks up from cleaning under her fingernails with the end of a crossbow bolt. She decides not to say anything.

"You are a strange one. You are obviously foreign, we do not have these barbaric ways you speak of," Shakhan, at least, seems convinced of his statement.

"Yes as my companion stated...I am Hytogg the Magnificent, and please hurry along". "I'm an important and busy man, and don't have time to dilly-dally around all day". "Chop! Chop!".

Shakhan glares at the midday sun. Hot, why does it take so long.

Because it does! Hope to post tomorrow, bit under the weather today

A tall fellow in an immaculate Korvosan Guard uniform comes out of the side door.

"Now, my good people, who are you and what is the nature of your business here?"

As I said to the guardsman, we are here to aid Korvosa in its time of need. In addition to this, we have recovered an item we believe belongs to the Queen herself. If you would let us, then we would like to deliver it to her personally."

"And we were asked to report that the watchmen at the grave area need relieving."

"You have something belonging to the Queen?" inquires the tall officer. "Might I see it, sir? And may I have your names?"

He looks over at Shakhan.

"Watchmen? Oh, the Guards of the Great Tomb of Leadership, you mean? Good point. Sergeant! Send a relief down to Gray, if you please. Someone smart."

This is a different guard than we introduced ourselves to earlier? Can we just repeat our introductions?

After the introductions..."I insist that we be allowed to present this to the queen, or to someone close to her". "We have been kept waiting out here in this dreadful weather long enough".

Shakhan grunts, a bit gruffly for all the wait, "Just show him the blasted thing; he's just doing his job - he didn't say to give it to him."

Shakhan grunts, a bit gruffly for all the wait, "Just show him the blasted thing; he's just doing his job - he didn't say to give it to him."

"Please I'm used to dealing with these minor servants". "They'll just grab the broach, take it to the queen themselves, and take all the credit". "And they'll be enjoying the fruits of the reward...not you".

I don't think Hytogg is carrying the broach, but if he is, he won't present it.

Una looks over at Risdin, as though irritated by the whole scenario.

"I knew we should have gotten a velvet box for the thing. Show him the brooch."

She is silent for a second and then turns again to Risdin, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Actally, Hytogg has a point, we can be relieved of the brooch too easily by the guards here at the gate. Did we not also have a ring that was lost by a guard here? Perhaps we should return that first, and once we have done that, that guard can find a way for us to reach the queen."

The tall officer, who it appears has excellent hearing, draws himself up looking rather indignant.

"I am Commander Ashan of the Korvosan Guard, not some common servant, Sir! The Queen's protection is in my charge and I would not be doing my duty did I not ascertain your motives before allowing you to proceed into her presence."

Yes, Hytogg, this is a different person from the first guard you spoke to - he sent for an officer to deal with your request, and you are now in conversation with that officer.

Risdin nods at Una,"I agree, but the Commander has rules to follow.'

He then digs in his backpack and produces a bejeweled brooch, and holds it up in front of Commander Ashan.

"Eyes only, please."

Shakhan whistles tunelessly, "Damn heat out here."

Commander Ashan looks at the brooch.

"Thank you. This resembles a brooch of Her Majesty's which was stolen... can you explain how it came into your possession?"

He turns to one of the guardsmen.

"Fetch Her Majesty's maid, if you please. She will know if it is indeed the stolen brooch." The guardsman salutes (fist over heart) and scurries off.

"The brooch was found at the residence of Gaedren Lamm. How it got into his possession I don't know."

Shakhan hefts up his axe, a grim expression on his face. "I killed him myself."

Una remains silent as she watches the exchange, trying to avoid making an intimidating glare at the captain.

Apologies for neglecting you, the job-hunting went crazy this week just past: 3 interviews (all whole-day) in 3 days, and I only found out about the 3rd one when I got home at 6pm from the 2nd! (And then had to write a 15-minute presentation...)

Commander Ashan looks thoughtful.

"Well, Lamm is a known rogue and I've always suspected those brats he keeps in the fishery do more than gut fish for him... Dead, you say?"

A woman in a fine green dress comes down the stairs from the upper courtyard and drops a curtsy.

"Commander, the sergeant said someone had brought the Queen's brooch..." She takes but a glance at it. "Yes, that's it. She will be pleased."

"That settles it. You may proceed up the stairs... but I must ask you to leave your weapons here, if you please. They will be returned on your departure," says Commander Ashan. He calls over several guardsmen, instructing some to gather your arms and others to provide an escort up the stairs to the top of the pyramid where a further flight of stairs lead up to the third floor of the castle proper and the Crimson Throneroom itself.

Wordlessly Shakhan hands over his axe and shield. Then heads up the way the commander indicates.

With a frown and a series of complicated movements, Shalani hands over her short sword in its scabbard, the two quivers of crossbow bolts strapped to her thighs, and her prized crossbow.

She then follows Shakhan.

Shakhan looks on slightly baffled as he notices that Una's shadow does not quite match her form. Shalani... ;)

"By the power of Nethys...it's taking forever to get in here". "How many more people do we have to drearily wade our way through to get an audience". "I'm about ready to take this stupid trinket to the black market, and just get what we can out of it".

Oops, thats an alt, obviously,

"With the city in such political disarray, I am surprised it has been this easy, actually. If I were the queen, I would surround myself with a thousand hellknights and not come out again until everything is back under control."

As you reach the top of the pyramid and the wide stairs curling up to the castle's third floor, where the Crimson Throne awaits, you are greeted by a beautiful woman dressed in magnificent full plate armour.

"Welcome," she says. "I am Sabina Merrin, the queen's handmaiden, bodyguard, and closest companion. They tell me you've something that belongs to the queen. Is this correct?"

Risdin holds up the brooch once again. "Only this."

"Can we see her?"