The tea is remarkably good -- it has a distinct fruity taste as though it was made some particularly fresh berries.
Doctor Aleksei makes an impressed face as you mention the Admiral. "Well, you certainly move in exalted circles. The Admiral and I knew each other a long time ago. He's a decent man, but surrounded by serpents, and in his position, decency is a very poor suit of armor. I am surprised that news of my ministrations have reached such heights. Something big is happening out there, eh?"
Alden
From the way he speaks about about Flintlock Garrock, you get the sense that their relationship is a lot more complicated than "knowing each other a long time ago." There is a strange mix of bitterness and warmth about his tone that demonstrates a familiarity that goes beyond a simple passing acquaintance.
The half-elf finishes his tea, and looks around in vain for a place to set the cup, after a minute deciding to just drop it in the pile that has accumulated next to the chair. He looks at each of you expectantly. "What exactly is going on in Valance? And what is it the Admiral is asking of me?"
“Sickness. Everywhere. And no cure. It’s quarantines all around, and no one can even find the source, although plenty of rumors that it’s coming from the machines, and factories. Fear, and sickness. I think they’re grasping at straws, and you happen to be a better straw than others. Why it’s us coming to get you, I still haven’t figured out, but something tells me you know, or at least could conjecture.” Yoric finishes with a long sip of more tea. “This is excellent.”
As he finishes his tea and is put in a similar situation on where to place his cup Nevlav huffs and rises to his feet. He begins to collect all the discard dishes and dinnerware and utensils, comically balancing them as heads to what he assumes is the kitchen and gets to work.
(Nevlav -- you get one HP back due to drinking the tea; the rest of you (except Grin) feel satisfyingly full from the tea).
Doctor Aleksei laughs cynically as Alden speaks of King Brocc. "The old man, eh? I knew it. There had to be a reason beyond just the disease itself. I hate to disappoint Flintlock, but I am not going back to Valance just to heal the King. But..." He pauses, looking at Thalion, nodding approvingly at the elf's sentiments. "I am, despite what some may think, a patriot, and I love my kingdom. If you lot mean what you say....I think I can tell you a bit more about what this plague is. And, more importantly, how to stop it."
He moves over to the chair, and picks up several books and tosses them gently to the floor. Looking at Nevlav moving towards the kitchen, he growls "Gods, man, leave it! Can't you tell I'm about to crack the whole thing wide open for you?"
He settles into his chair, and speaks, his voice growing less scratchy the more he talks, revealing the hints of a Valancian accent now. "Nigh on twenty years ago now, when King Brocc first introduced the Engineer as the new God of the Kingdom, he was facing some turbulent times. The people rejected his God, the nation was nearly broke, and wolves were circling his door. He heard of some sisters, with talent for prophecy, who could perhaps aid his success. He, and his boon companion since childhood, a man, whose loyalty was unquestioned, went up into the wild lands at the kingdom's very borders to seek their help."
He sighs, suddenly seeming very weary, the hale vitality that the half-elf projected vanishing for a second. "And King Brocc found them. They promised to aid him, to make him, his God, and his kingdom more powerful than even he could imagine. But, they warned him... to accept such a gift would cost him. Three times, over his lifetime, he would see things he cared about would be wrenched away from him. King Brocc's traveling companion begged him to refuse the bargain, but the King, fearing for his legacy, struck it all the same. And then, as if by miracle, Brocc's own genius for tinkering grew exponentially. The machines he created restored Languedoc to glory, and the Engineer gained many adherents. King Brocc's friend saw all this happening, and became concerned. This 'gift' the sisters gave the kingdom had to have strings. So, he, and fellows he trusted came together in a secret brotherhood to find a way to cut those strings. To...hold the knife, on behalf of the kingdom. Do you understand what I am saying?"
He pauses here in the story, looking at each of you, to see how you are taking it.
Yoric is listening with interest and his eyes begin to bug out towards the end. “But... but if that’s true, then all the ‘heretic’ hunting... what was the point??”
edit: realized I should be checking my gut feeling on this
"So" Alden pauses for a moment then continues, "What you are saying is Felix was the king's companion and he formed the Cult of the Knife to cut the ties to these witches promises to a King only worried about his legacy?" he says.
Alden ponders things for a moment. "I agree with Yoric, something doesn't seem right." he says. "It only prompts more question."
Alden pauses for a moment more then asks.
"Ok Doctor, what is your proof of this? Everyone has accepted the Engineer and his church and have seen the miracles it brings to the people. How is this not just Knife Cult propaganda?"
Alden asks his questions in a professional and even manner to show only his curiosity.
The way he is phrasing his story, the hesitations over word choice, you get the sense that he is deliberately leaving things out but, what he is telling you, he, at least, believes is the truth.
"Yes -- Count Aleksander Felix was the King's companion, and the only one who foresaw the calamity that would follow this devilish bargain. I have no proof of my assertions. The Count's notes were taken by the secret police following his death and only a few chosen people know what I am telling you. You are all now at risk yourself from those that would keep this truth hidden. As you have noted, young man, I have no proof this is anything but the wild-eyed ravings of a...cult fanatic. If I were more powerful, or suicidal, I might attempt to infiltrate the Committee of Public Safety to retrieve those journals, but even so, the name and reputation of Aleksander Felix has been so muddied, it is liable to be dismissed."
Brocc himself did not believe, at first, that magic and technology would necessarily at odds. But nothing hardens men's hearts and make them hate like war. And the devious minds that brought about the war with Granholm made sure that hate developed out of that. And the death of Prince Kellen truly made the King hate. " Here, his expression softens. "Kellen, was truly the best Languedoc had to offer. Brave, daring, kind. He would have been a king for the ages. To Count Felix, the young Prince's tragic death was the first of the horrors that would behalf the King. He tried to warn the King, to beg him to go back to the sisters and find some way to satisfy them. But Brocc lashed out, and imprisoned the Count, sending his forces to crush Count Felix's followers in the middle of a war. At the war's conclusion, the Count was executed on the King's order, which was the second catastrophe to befall him, some say. The Count, ever the King's true friend, acted like a friend, an not a lackey. It cost him, a good man, his life."
The druid scratches his chin curiously. "And now...this plague, that strikes at the kingdom itself, seems to be the last thing that would be wrenched from the king while he watches. It makes sense. Kellen was really the only child that Brocc had much time for. The Princess is too much like her father, a genius, yet cold and distant. And Prince Neskor, well...he is a good man, but a slow one, something that the king had nothing but contempt for. The only thing left the old man truly loves is this kingdom he built."
Doctor Aleksei now sighs. "Based on advice of... a dear friend, I have been preparing for such an eventuality for some time. I can heal perhaps two or three cases a day. But to stop this sickness, it must be rooted out at the source. Each of the three of these so-called 'sisters' must be eliminated. If your hearts are as noble as you claim, perhaps you will help."
“Now...” Yoric says leaning in. “supposing we believed all this, which you clearly believe: we could look into this. But I’ll admit to a certain amount of interest in those journals you mentioned in the Committee of Public Safety. I would be doubly interested in how these witches were able to accomplish these things. I’d be thrice as interested in knowing what a Tiefling named Secrecy has to do with all this. Any idea?”
Nevlav listened intently, barely able to not interrupt when the druid spoke of his liege in such an I'll light. He did however wait until the end, "While it may be easier for some to paint a king in such a bad light, it is just as likely that the leader of the dangerous cult contacted and enabled the whole system of events.
"Regardless though of blame, I do think we should see about getting answer from these 'sisters'. Any idea where we can locate them?"
"A tiefling?" Aleksei sits bolt upright. "What do you mean a tiefling named Secrecy? Where did you encounter him? Did you speak to him?"
He stands up and moves to his door , peering outside, hand resting on his sickle.
DMScreen
Perception: 24
He comes back inside and you see the urgency in his face. "You need to leave, now. I will find you in Yellow Creek tonight, I promise, and explain everything. But it is not safe here right now. GO!"
Thalion silently seethed in the corner as the sordid truth was laid bare. He had no reason to doubt this half-elf; indeed, the missing pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place in Thalion's mind. At the first sign of danger, though, he stopped thinking and acted, shortsword in hand as he moved toward the door.
He pauses, turning to Aleksei to say, "Wait - are you in danger? We can't let harm befall you, we may never cure this plague if it does!"
Yoric, you can't really tell the source of his fear, but his panic seems pretty genuine.
"You all are not the only ones who made the journey up the pass -- I have been found. They are only after me, so if you leave now, chances are you can go unmolested. I can't protect you if you stay."
DM Screen
18
Thalion, you definitely hear something out there, closing in on the cottage, but you are the only one who hears it right now, not even the half-elf druid seems to be aware of how close...whatever it is has come.
Nevlav narrows his eyes, "Do you see anything Thalion? As for you," he turns to Aleksei, "the kingdom has need of you. If we leave you now and things befall you we would have failed."
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The tea is remarkably good -- it has a distinct fruity taste as though it was made some particularly fresh berries.
Doctor Aleksei makes an impressed face as you mention the Admiral. "Well, you certainly move in exalted circles. The Admiral and I knew each other a long time ago. He's a decent man, but surrounded by serpents, and in his position, decency is a very poor suit of armor. I am surprised that news of my ministrations have reached such heights. Something big is happening out there, eh?"
Alden
From the way he speaks about about Flintlock Garrock, you get the sense that their relationship is a lot more complicated than "knowing each other a long time ago." There is a strange mix of bitterness and warmth about his tone that demonstrates a familiarity that goes beyond a simple passing acquaintance.
The half-elf finishes his tea, and looks around in vain for a place to set the cup, after a minute deciding to just drop it in the pile that has accumulated next to the chair. He looks at each of you expectantly. "What exactly is going on in Valance? And what is it the Admiral is asking of me?"
“Sickness. Everywhere. And no cure. It’s quarantines all around, and no one can even find the source, although plenty of rumors that it’s coming from the machines, and factories. Fear, and sickness. I think they’re grasping at straws, and you happen to be a better straw than others. Why it’s us coming to get you, I still haven’t figured out, but something tells me you know, or at least could conjecture.” Yoric finishes with a long sip of more tea. “This is excellent.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
As he finishes his tea and is put in a similar situation on where to place his cup Nevlav huffs and rises to his feet. He begins to collect all the discard dishes and dinnerware and utensils, comically balancing them as heads to what he assumes is the kitchen and gets to work.
Grin does not drink the tea and instead pulls out a flask of whiskey and takes a sip.
Alden
"The King" Alden says. "The King is sick and the Admiral is asking you to come to Valance and see if you can heal him."
Thalion had been quietly sipping his tea until the King was at last brought up.
"Not just the King, the people need your aid. If we can find the source of this plague we may be able to stop it once and for all."
Alden
Alden stops, pondering for a moment then speaks again:
"Doctor, could you tell us what you know of this illness?" he asks.
(Nevlav -- you get one HP back due to drinking the tea; the rest of you (except Grin) feel satisfyingly full from the tea).
Doctor Aleksei laughs cynically as Alden speaks of King Brocc. "The old man, eh? I knew it. There had to be a reason beyond just the disease itself. I hate to disappoint Flintlock, but I am not going back to Valance just to heal the King. But..." He pauses, looking at Thalion, nodding approvingly at the elf's sentiments. "I am, despite what some may think, a patriot, and I love my kingdom. If you lot mean what you say....I think I can tell you a bit more about what this plague is. And, more importantly, how to stop it."
He moves over to the chair, and picks up several books and tosses them gently to the floor. Looking at Nevlav moving towards the kitchen, he growls "Gods, man, leave it! Can't you tell I'm about to crack the whole thing wide open for you?"
He settles into his chair, and speaks, his voice growing less scratchy the more he talks, revealing the hints of a Valancian accent now. "Nigh on twenty years ago now, when King Brocc first introduced the Engineer as the new God of the Kingdom, he was facing some turbulent times. The people rejected his God, the nation was nearly broke, and wolves were circling his door. He heard of some sisters, with talent for prophecy, who could perhaps aid his success. He, and his boon companion since childhood, a man, whose loyalty was unquestioned, went up into the wild lands at the kingdom's very borders to seek their help."
He sighs, suddenly seeming very weary, the hale vitality that the half-elf projected vanishing for a second. "And King Brocc found them. They promised to aid him, to make him, his God, and his kingdom more powerful than even he could imagine. But, they warned him... to accept such a gift would cost him. Three times, over his lifetime, he would see things he cared about would be wrenched away from him. King Brocc's traveling companion begged him to refuse the bargain, but the King, fearing for his legacy, struck it all the same. And then, as if by miracle, Brocc's own genius for tinkering grew exponentially. The machines he created restored Languedoc to glory, and the Engineer gained many adherents. King Brocc's friend saw all this happening, and became concerned. This 'gift' the sisters gave the kingdom had to have strings. So, he, and fellows he trusted came together in a secret brotherhood to find a way to cut those strings. To...hold the knife, on behalf of the kingdom. Do you understand what I am saying?"
He pauses here in the story, looking at each of you, to see how you are taking it.
Yoric is listening with interest and his eyes begin to bug out towards the end. “But... but if that’s true, then all the ‘heretic’ hunting... what was the point??”
edit: realized I should be checking my gut feeling on this
insight check: 18
Paladin - warforged - orange
Alden
"So" Alden pauses for a moment then continues, "What you are saying is Felix was the king's companion and he formed the Cult of the Knife to cut the ties to these witches promises to a King only worried about his legacy?" he says.
Alden ponders things for a moment. "I agree with Yoric, something doesn't seem right." he says. "It only prompts more question."
Alden pauses for a moment more then asks.
"Ok Doctor, what is your proof of this? Everyone has accepted the Engineer and his church and have seen the miracles it brings to the people. How is this not just Knife Cult propaganda?"
Alden asks his questions in a professional and even manner to show only his curiosity.
"No be Granholm... Aleski is da King's baux no?" Grin asks of the druid.
Yoric
The way he is phrasing his story, the hesitations over word choice, you get the sense that he is deliberately leaving things out but, what he is telling you, he, at least, believes is the truth.
"Yes -- Count Aleksander Felix was the King's companion, and the only one who foresaw the calamity that would follow this devilish bargain. I have no proof of my assertions. The Count's notes were taken by the secret police following his death and only a few chosen people know what I am telling you. You are all now at risk yourself from those that would keep this truth hidden. As you have noted, young man, I have no proof this is anything but the wild-eyed ravings of a...cult fanatic. If I were more powerful, or suicidal, I might attempt to infiltrate the Committee of Public Safety to retrieve those journals, but even so, the name and reputation of Aleksander Felix has been so muddied, it is liable to be dismissed."
Brocc himself did not believe, at first, that magic and technology would necessarily at odds. But nothing hardens men's hearts and make them hate like war. And the devious minds that brought about the war with Granholm made sure that hate developed out of that. And the death of Prince Kellen truly made the King hate. " Here, his expression softens. "Kellen, was truly the best Languedoc had to offer. Brave, daring, kind. He would have been a king for the ages. To Count Felix, the young Prince's tragic death was the first of the horrors that would behalf the King. He tried to warn the King, to beg him to go back to the sisters and find some way to satisfy them. But Brocc lashed out, and imprisoned the Count, sending his forces to crush Count Felix's followers in the middle of a war. At the war's conclusion, the Count was executed on the King's order, which was the second catastrophe to befall him, some say. The Count, ever the King's true friend, acted like a friend, an not a lackey. It cost him, a good man, his life."
The druid scratches his chin curiously. "And now...this plague, that strikes at the kingdom itself, seems to be the last thing that would be wrenched from the king while he watches. It makes sense. Kellen was really the only child that Brocc had much time for. The Princess is too much like her father, a genius, yet cold and distant. And Prince Neskor, well...he is a good man, but a slow one, something that the king had nothing but contempt for. The only thing left the old man truly loves is this kingdom he built."
Doctor Aleksei now sighs. "Based on advice of... a dear friend, I have been preparing for such an eventuality for some time. I can heal perhaps two or three cases a day. But to stop this sickness, it must be rooted out at the source. Each of the three of these so-called 'sisters' must be eliminated. If your hearts are as noble as you claim, perhaps you will help."
“Now...” Yoric says leaning in. “supposing we believed all this, which you clearly believe: we could look into this. But I’ll admit to a certain amount of interest in those journals you mentioned in the Committee of Public Safety. I would be doubly interested in how these witches were able to accomplish these things. I’d be thrice as interested in knowing what a Tiefling named Secrecy has to do with all this. Any idea?”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Alden
Alden just stands there for a moment....trying to sort out his mental notes on all he has gotten wrong so far.
"Some detective you turned out to be" he thinks to himself.
Nevlav listened intently, barely able to not interrupt when the druid spoke of his liege in such an I'll light. He did however wait until the end, "While it may be easier for some to paint a king in such a bad light, it is just as likely that the leader of the dangerous cult contacted and enabled the whole system of events.
"Regardless though of blame, I do think we should see about getting answer from these 'sisters'. Any idea where we can locate them?"
"A tiefling?" Aleksei sits bolt upright. "What do you mean a tiefling named Secrecy? Where did you encounter him? Did you speak to him?"
He stands up and moves to his door , peering outside, hand resting on his sickle.
DM Screen
Perception: 24
He comes back inside and you see the urgency in his face. "You need to leave, now. I will find you in Yellow Creek tonight, I promise, and explain everything. But it is not safe here right now. GO!"
Thalion silently seethed in the corner as the sordid truth was laid bare. He had no reason to doubt this half-elf; indeed, the missing pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place in Thalion's mind. At the first sign of danger, though, he stopped thinking and acted, shortsword in hand as he moved toward the door.
He pauses, turning to Aleksei to say, "Wait - are you in danger? We can't let harm befall you, we may never cure this plague if it does!"
Insight check 22 Yoric wants to know what sort of fear this is
Yoric gets up to leave. “We’ll hold you to your word, Doctor.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Yoric, you can't really tell the source of his fear, but his panic seems pretty genuine.
"You all are not the only ones who made the journey up the pass -- I have been found. They are only after me, so if you leave now, chances are you can go unmolested. I can't protect you if you stay."
DM Screen
18
Thalion, you definitely hear something out there, closing in on the cottage, but you are the only one who hears it right now, not even the half-elf druid seems to be aware of how close...whatever it is has come.
Nevlav narrows his eyes, "Do you see anything Thalion? As for you," he turns to Aleksei, "the kingdom has need of you. If we leave you now and things befall you we would have failed."