Session 49 Race for the Truth
Arti leaps from the roof and opens their wings, startling the inquisitors patrolling below. One inquisitor fires dancing lights into the sky, revealing Arti’s moth-like silhouette. The other takes a potshot at Arti, illuminating them with a guiding bolt! The entrance to Crowswood Place bursts open and Bantonio approaches the inquisitors, imploring them to stop. He explains that Arti is chasing Blythe and Kalyptos’ kidnappers. Despite his mandate, Commander Kairon trusts Bantonio and orders his lieutenants to escort Arti. While the inquisitors are distracted, Guy sneaks into the stable to commandeer a horse. The palomino mare bucks in frustration as she and Guy give chase.
Fundus
500 feet south-east of Crowswood Place, Gomruss and Firien emerge from the dimension door. Following the path of trampled wheat, they spy Naal and his accomplice approximately 150 feet ahead. Consumed by rage, Gomruss fails to notice the glyph of warding at his feet! Firien pushes Gomruss aside as spectral chains erupt from the ground to hold them. Fortunately, Firien is strong enough to break the chains and the pair resume their pursuit. While Kalyptos remains unconscious, Blythe struggles against her captors, slowing them.
Gomruss charges ahead, complementing his pace with a misty step. Now within range, he fires an unforgiving salvo of magic missiles. Naal turns to raise a shield when Blythe throws him off balance! The graviturgy-enhanced missiles slow his advance yet he keeps a tight grip on Blythe’s wrist. As Firien closes the distance, they raise a hand to the midnight sky and summon a sleet storm. The kidnappers are drenched by the storm and begin to skate on slush. Naal’s accomplice falls prone and Kalyptos wakes up! Removing the sack from his head, he hears Firien’s cry.
Unarmed, Kalyptos instead vomits a stream of draconic acid toward Naal! A rapid feint with her concealed dagger allows Blythe to break free of Naal seconds before he is sprayed with acid. Hastily discarding his melting armour, Naal hears the inquisitors approaching. He turns to Blythe in desperation. She explains how his mother hired her to find him.
“You’re an investigator? Then won’t you help me expose this conspiracy? Follow me through the teleportation circle and I’ll tell you everything.”
“You know, if you’d asked me that before you kidnapped me… I might have followed you.”
Naal to Blythe.
Naal darts to his accomplice’s side and prepares another dimension door. Determined to stop Blythe’s kidnapper, Gomruss readies a counterspell, but Firien grabs his wrist. Blythe obviously meant to let Naal go. Smoke pours from Gomruss’ nostrils as his quarry disappears through the portal. Moments later, the ground quakes as up ahead Naal’s teleportation circle explodes, leaving no trace.
Crowswood Place
The Six of Steel return to Crowswood Place escorted by commander Kairon. Inside, the bulky tiefling greets Sergeant Michael Denover of the Inland Guard, newly promoted and equally exasperated. Discreetly, he explains that the inquisition sought his knowledge of Camren’s involvement with the Crosscut Circle after the hearing. His promotion came soon after his compliance.
Kairon demands to know how the kidnappers were able to slip past the patrolling inquisitors. His frustration is undeniable when Naal is reported missing. Firien tucks Naal’s scarf deep into their pocket. It seems the Commander did not know about Naal’s undercover status. But had Naal truly switched sides? Or was the kidnapping an attempt to prove his loyalty to the Crosscut Circle?
Before retiring, Gomruss knocks on Blythe’s door. The clamorous dragonborn speaks in uncharacteristically hushed tones as he apologises for his vengeful outburst. He was prepared to kill Naal to get Blythe back. Speechless, Blythe accepts his apology but seems more interested in what caused his outburst. Her theories coax a nervous laugh from Gomruss, perhaps alleviating a modicum of his guilt.
“No one’s ever tried to kill someone for me before. That was really sweet.”
Blythe to Gomruss.
The Oratory
The following morning, the inquisitors escort the Six of Steel and Kalyptos to the Oratory where Clara, Sana, Spiro, Aura and Tristis await. The doors to the Oratory are locked and the windows shuttered. Firien interjects before Tristis can begin, demanding he submit to a zone of truth. Tristis agrees and everyone steps into the circle. The Grand Inquisitor wears an impenetrable expression as Bantonio recounts the events of Caelum’s vision and Ten’s memory. However, the results of Gomruss’ resonite experiment give him pause. It was clear to Gomruss that Tristis was considering the implications. What evil corrupted Mundi Eversor’s diamond heart if not Tenebrae?
Tristis inhales deeply. He admits to being one of several paladins sent to Tamlo to apprehend the survivors of a failed expedition into the Miasma, 24 years ago. He claims the survivors had become psychotic, but not before retrieving a heretical artefact; Tenebrae’s diary. According to Tristis, the diary corroborates the memory contained within the pillar. When he informed Ardeat Sol Orbis of the discovery, the Exarch made him swear an oath to guard the secret, naming him Grand Inquisitor.
Arti confronts Tristis, accusing him of being afraid of Caelum. When Tristis denies ever speaking to Caelum, Arti flicks a bead of sweat off his brow. Aura steps between Arti and Tristis, prompting Arti and Firien to take defensive stances. Her words, although disciplined, betray her empathy.
“We are here to piece together the truth and determine how best to use it in the interests of the Relief. Tristis, I realise you and my father were close, but he’s gone now. Whatever oath you swore to him to protect me from this secret, I release you from it now. Would it not be best to turn our combined might toward destroying the source of this evil?”
“Aura… what if Caelum was that evil?”
Aura to Tristis.