Week Twenty-Four, Day One

 

            Wanting to pick up two more scrolls from Tenzani while the opportunity still exists Lilly returns to Esspis to pick up more funds.  She returns to Trenzani and buys tongues and suggestion from the store before making her way to Zeen’s Rock to meet up with Grey Eyes.

            Grey Eyes has taken it upon herself to try and meet with the Military Councilor, Hailey.  Hailey does not seem to be home but that is not so unexpected during the festival.  Giving up for now she heads to Zeen’s Rock to meet up with Lilly.

            The whole group reunites to make a determined investigation of the Desolate and makes their way to its edges.  A quick examination shows the boarder is ringed by sigils of abjuration.  Using the goo and metal loop they got for such purposes they peer into the ethereal and see a solid opaque dome in front of them.  Finding that the otherwise unseen dome does not impede them physically they carefully enter and check with the loop again.  The loop reveals that the space here is quite badly fractured, like a glass ball the pattern spiderwebs from the center outward to the edge of the sigil ward and through the fractures seep in material from other places and worlds.  At the perimeter the fractures are at their farthest distance apart from each other and so the team can move about and still try to avoid actually touching one of the unseen fractures with the help of a guide.

            While the area is indeed damaged as if by a distant explosion they are surprised to come across fire.  They know the event took place over three-hundred years ago and all fires should have died out by now but there in front of them are small patches of flame upon the ground and walls.  More careful inspection reveals that the patches are actually moving slowly, as if sliding about on the surfaces they lay upon.  Not wanting to play with fire they continue on hoping to find some examples of artwork still left in the Desolate that Sath hinted at she would pay to have recovered.

            Lilly is the first to hear voices from nearby.  Following her ears and the group following her they move to the next street over by passing through an old shop.  They spot a building that the voices seem to be coming from and they move in to better hear what is going on.  Grey Eyes moves around back while the others take the front.

            What they hear is a conversation between members of a form of resistance in Syril that are not pleased with Zeen and its part in government.  Most of all they are solidly against the loss of life as Zeen takes prey once per month.  It turns out many of them lost daughters to Zeen and believe that Syril can now stand on its own with the Vor’arda as their protectors.

            Looking to contact these people yet prevent them from running they try and coordinate over radio but things do not turn out as planned.  Grey Eyes tries to radio the others but an unfamiliar voice comes over whispering softly “Come this way, what’s the password?”  Spooked pretty badly Grey Eyes looks about into the ethereal and find that four ghosts stand around her waiting expectantly.  Now thoroughly freaked out she enters the secret meting while the others do as well from the front hoping to leave the ghosts behind.

            They make quick introductions as Esspis spies that would be interested in helping them and ask that the meeting be moved to another location for the time being.  The resistance is not armed in any way and do not think they stand a chance against Zeen or the Vor’arda if they try to change Syril policy by force.  They agree to set up a meeting between a representative named Mackenzie and O’Laura with Grey Eyes staying behind as insurance against backstabbing.  While Jeffery escorts Mackenzie into Esspis Lilly runs ahead to alert O’Laura that a meeting is needed.  She is not in but the receptionist sends out word for her to return to headquarters.

            O’Laura returns not long after Jeffery and Mackenzie arrive and she is indeed willing to talk about assistance.  She agrees to get Joey to work up some ammunition and store it in a building of their choice in the Desolate using the materials he has at hand.  This is to give the resistance something to work with while O’Laura sets up more substantial aid.  With things settled they make a small stop to pick up a bite before returning and retrieving Grey Eyes.

            Lilly opens the seal of the note holding O’Laura’s orders for Joey and reads them to make sure there is no secret or unsaid information being sent.  Everything is as expected, telling him to prepare a supply of weapons for the resistance and transport it into the Desolate for storage.  She uses mend on the broken seal to repair it and goes to the van outside the market area to drop it off.  Joey seems to be absent from the van but left a note of his own saying he is off to the market for a bit.

            Once Joey returns Lilly hands him the note which upon reading he gets about his work.  Not really wanting to help the resistance fight against Zeen she employs her feminine charms to keep Joey well distracted and away from his work.  She goes so far as to spend till the next day with him to ensure not much is accomplished.

 

Week Twenty-Four, Day Two

 

            To further distract Joey the next day, Lilly offers to escort him into Syril and check out the party for a bit.  She picks up a drug called mosaq while there for later use.  She keeps Joey away from his work for the first portion of the day before meeting up with Grey Eyes at Zeen’s Rock.  Grey Eyes picks up a supply of seeds for narcotic plants on the way to Zeen’s Rock.

            Its not long before everyone hears there is another commotion at the gates, the group of course moving in to investigate.  A small army has passed through the Esspissian portal and has taken up defensive positions around it.  It appears that O’Laura, acting on a bit of advice from Jeffery about Sath being reasonable and worth meeting has actually showed up in Syril personally with an armed escort.  To meet the intruders a number of Vor’arda have made a line in front of the gate and try to keep everyone calm.  It is not too long before Sath herself makes an appearance and the two powers meet.

            O’Laura explains that she is here on the advice of an associate to try and speak reason to Sath so that their two cities can be in a state of non-aggression.  Sath is amiable enough to the idea and listens to what O’Laura has to say.

            O’Laura says that Syril has disgraced itself and the entire species by allowing a xeno and carnivore into their midst.  By simply accepting such a creature and its appetites is far worse and cowardly than fighting to stay independent and rid the world of such creatures as their kind should.  Sath counters, gesturing to the ash and smoke seeping from the gate behind O’Laura that Syril is not so badly corrupt as Esspis clearly is, where the sky is stained by smoke you cannot see the stars and choking ash falls on everything.  Everyone has their own way of dealing with the challenges of the world and feels Syril chose a way of peace and security and have raised a beautiful city everyone is proud of.  She points to the portal saying that Esspis is so badly corrupt and filthy that its taint is spilling out of the portal onto the lush Syrillian grass.

            O’Laura feels that it would be best if Zeen were killed or driven away and the Syrillians themselves took up the task of protecting their home.  She moves along the line of Vor’arda stating that it is a small wonder that they feel they need the assistance of a huge stupid brute.  The Vor’arda are equipped with plate armor, and swords, she laughs that they are not an army just chess pieces.  Sath sternly reminds O’Laura that these very troops have repeatedly repelled Esspissian attacks in the past and will continue to do so forever if need be.

            O’Laura turns back to the Vor’arda, noting aloud that they are all bucks, without a single doe among them.  The clear inequality between the sexes only shows how much deeper the Syrillian corruption has become where a girl can’t stand ready to defend her home if the time comes.  Sath disagrees, saying that the female population of Syril is highly valued and contribute to the well being of Syril with their very lives when asked to lay themselves down before Zeen.  O’Laura is quick to counter that it would be better to fight than just quietly give up ones life.  Sath states that a skinny, gaunt creature like O’Laura cannot understand that anyone can do their own part for their home as much with their love as with their hate.  O’Laura scoffs, saying she expects to hear little else from a governor who’s body is only fit to do work while on her back.

            Jeffery can only watch in horror as the “debate” quickly degrades into a pissing contest between political forces.  He is almost ready to risk stepping out to stop them when they end the event on their own, O’Laura and her escort leaving the way they came and Sath walking off in a huff.  He opts to follow O’Laura in hopes of calming her down after the argument but finds O’Laura is in no mood for visitation for the next half-hour.  He finds out sadly that she is more willing than ever to see another war begun in the name of principles.

            Meanwhile Lilly and Grey Eyes appeal to Sath, spilling the beans as to why they are really in Syril.  Sath feels that it would be best of they said their piece to the council as a whole and agrees to set up a meeting.  A letter will be sent when everything is ready so that the ambassadors from Esspis can have their say before the full Syrillian council.  They have followed Sath well into her estate while talking business and so Sath dismisses them so she can have a bath.  The look on their faces shows they have interest in joining and so Sath invites them in.  While sharing a bath in a modified hot spring set in the side of the mountain they learn a little more about Sath’s position, her selection for the position and her tasks.

            Markus stays with Denise and tries to calm her down after watching the argument between O’Laura and Sath.  She is more than a little worried that the something bad Markus mentioned might actually happen.  He tries to reassure her and asks that she try and stay safe if trouble starts, and that he will try to find her.

            Grey Eyes and Lilly go relax at the beach again and visit with Dlar.  Feeling frisky and interested in sampling other fine qualities of Syril, Grey Eyes tries to hit up a doe she comes across by the name of Abigail for a date.  Lilly finds this to be a great idea as well and joins in.  It is a relaxing change of pace as they both understand that such activities would likely get them executed back home if found out.

 

Week Twenty-Four, Day Three

 

            Looking to add a bit more detail to their report, the group splits up and ties to determine the placement of all the Vor’arda barracks and perhaps something about the numbers in each.  This actually takes up the larger portion of the day leaving little personal free time.  Lilly and Grey Eyes return to Zeen’s Rock to await the invitation from Sath to see the council.  The message does finally arrive asking them to come to Sath’s estate on the council grounds.  Just as promised the whole of the council arrives and the two “ambassadors” turn traitor to Esspis, revealing everything they know about the planned attack and how to stall it over a meal of kabobs made by Sath herself.  With the inside information given Sath and the other council members seem a bit more confident that they can weather yet another unprovoked attack by Esspis.

            During the conversation they learn from the councilor of Arts and Crafts that there is a small settlement not far from Syril populated by the descendants of survivors from Tricrokra.  It seems they have been making a living there for the past three-hundred years and the two feel that it might be worth checking on.  At the very least they might pick up more information about that era and perhaps a few examples of Tricrokran weaponry.  The Arts and Crafts councilor agrees to send word to them after setting up a meeting between them and the Director of the settlement, Samran.

            While Lilly returns to the inn Grey Eyes heads to the beach to visit Dlar.  Dlar has become depressed as it is raining which has made it cold and wet.  Grey Eyes gets a tarp to drape over Dlar and opts to spend the rest of the day with him, keeping him warm with applications of cantrip.

 

Week Twenty-Four, Day Four