Session 8

Party goes on a shopping spree, then back to the Queen's Crown.
Wake up the next morning to see 🥁Merrick has returned. Party fills him in.
Party has heard that undead army was largely defeated, some escaped. Crowley isn't featured in any of the rumours, oddly enough.
King will be making announcement to the people later in the day.
Innkeeper approaches party - says we're being summoned by the general. to his estate in the city.

At the general's house, a maid with a severe look, bursts into smiles on opening the door, welcomes party in. Party shown into room with spiced wine, maid pinches party on cheek and goes to fetch general.

Doors burst open, and 🎖genial general is at the door. Pressures Harald into smiling. Says that Selena's sect helped take out the undead.
General says he wants party to kill someone - Mikhail Fregalest - a general promoted to be the genial general's equal, but was appointed by Crowley. He is not undead. Most likely in the town square.
Says Lady Hillaria will probably be in power soon.

General needs operation to be off the books. General says he can arrange a ship for the party.

Party agrees. Harald is grumpy, general tries winning him over with candies. General gives party 5Gp to give to an orphanage.

General offers Merrick a gig, playing at King's announcement. Merrick agrees.

🐰Faefina gives the orphanage the gold. On the way, she sees a temple to ☯Ila. Faefina lights incense and prays - sees a flash of purple. Then more flashes. Sees man in purple robes. Faefina focuses on the vision, sees a village on fire and in ruins behind the man in purple robes. Man is smoking a pipe, looking pleased with himself. Looks at Faefina, and vision ends.

Faefina tells Bori, Bori let's Faefina snuggle in cloak and cry. While walking, Bori sees beautiful woman in clerical outfit.

Gronk, following party, notices a stone on the floor, crystalline. Picks it up, stops and goes into trance staring at it. Sense immensity of thought in it, feels something thinking back at him.

Harald walks into someone while brooding. Person asks if he understands the protection given by the Dread Maiden. Says maiden looks over those with thoughts like his. Reminds him of offer/request by Dread Hunter to stop Faefina from healing an undead.

Gronk snaps out of trance, holds onto stone. Merrick identifies stone as astral shard. Merrick goes to meet band he'll be performing with. Meets band - string quartet, drummer, guy with lute, guy with flute, and soprano - the Transcending Furies. Merrick offers to play for them. Offered 20Gp to play. Wants to play mandolin, other mandolin player disapproves. Agrees to let him try. Joins them with practice, does well and effectively makes them his backing band as he shreds mandolin.

Hears word that king has let Hillaria Rodham into his confidences.

Bori is watching over Faefina - hears door to room close, didn't hear it open. Sees beautiful woman from earlier. Greets her, she declares no ill will. Takes off cloak, revealing form fitting dress with plunging neckline. Wants to see the darkness hidden in him. He declines, she wants to know if he doesn't want to know more. Asks if form is not pleasing, grows and becomes more Goliath in appearance. Bori tries to wake Faefina, hears high pitched repeat of question behind him, turns round to see she's transformed into Faefina. Realises it's not working, returns to original form. Bori tries to use Insight to see her intentions, realises she's a changeling and hasn't shown true form; sex was not the goal; she wants him to open his heart to her. Bori swipes staff at her, she becomes intangible and staff swipes through her. She tries to stroke Faefina, Bori leaps at her, and wakes up from dream. Sees cloak lying on floor, and notices silvery tattoo around his right wrist.

Faefina wakes up, sees Bori shaking his wrist. Decides to wait until an hour has elapsed, and use rose coloured glasses.

Bori runs to Merrick to ask him about the tattoo. Rushing through the crowd he knocks over a priest carrying gold for orphanage.

Sees Merrick playing lead mandolin for band, sees that band is unhappy they've been reduced to backing music. Bori runs screaming to Merrick, stops mid scream to point at other mandolin player, tells him he's out of key, and resumes screaming. Merrick gives band a break and looks at Bori's wrist. Identify reveals that it's an empowerment - on punch, it adds +1d4 force, and can expend key points to add additional 1d4. Merrick tells Bori he'll be stronger but more terrifying with tattoo.

Bori tells other mandolin player he has some spinach in his teeth. Mandolin player starts crying.

After waiting, 🐰Faefina puts on glasses, sees person with featureless face walk in, places fingers on 😎Bori's head. Sees Bori thrashing as she draws on his hand, then walks off, leaving cloak behind.

Faefina finds 🧌Gronk and 🧔‍♂️Harald downstairs in the bar, tells them what she saw. Harald saw them going up the stairs and coming down without one, Gronk missed it entirely. She had symbol of Uo on her. Faefina realises she can track the changeling, Harald and Gronk follow her to church of Uo.

As Faefina runs in, her anger grips her with need for revenge. Sees cleric giving counsel in the pews, casts Thaumatic voice, demands priest come to her. Demands priest bring changeling to her, he doesn't know them. Gronk uses Suggestion to have priest fetch changeling for them. 20 minutes later,, priest emerges with featureless person.

Faefina asks what she did, person says they made Bori stronger. Insist they're not tracking Bori, want to make sure they're doing the right thing, bringing goodness into the world.

Party remembers they'd forgotten to murder the general. On way to main square, Harald realises he has a ruby in his pocket. Doesn't know what it is, keeps it to ask Merrick later.

At square, party sees Merrick playing lead, and Bori in the audience.

Band playing overture, when booming voice announces king Donald Drompf. King announces incident with undead in royal army, now dealt with, thanks churches for assistance. King blames Arcanum. King announces himself and Lady Hillaria have united, sharing military. King will invade new world for Lenthor. Announces night of celebration. Behind him, stands man with huge shield and sword - Mikhail Fregalest.

If Lady Hillaria's army is joining king, where is her general? Is she in charge of everything now?

Harald points at Mikhail, party attacks.

Crowd is panicking, party see Judy beckoning to them in the audience. Party goes to him, Harald taking the flaming sword on the way. Judy rushes party away, takes them to trapdoor in house, and follows them down into tunnels underground. Party walks some distance underground.

While walking, Faefina tells Bori what she saw through the glasses, that featureless person is trying to get Bori to tap into his rage. Bori tries cutting his tattoo off, it doesn't work.

Party emerges into large cavern. Out of breath, Judy announces party has arrived at Judaxis's lair. Judy suggests party explore through the day while he arranges ship.

Judy sees ruby sticking out of Harald's pocket - explains that it's a Beldrox's eye. Can be used to cast foresight on oneself, but after eight hours you drop dead, no save. Cleric may be able to resurrect though.

Judy explains that Bori's tattoo is permanent, and alive - wants something out of him, will feed off his rage.

Party gets 640XP ea.