Char Li's Angels: The Skull of Saint Diana - Part X

During the seven day transit from the Jumpgate Baron Tochiro makes ready for the Li Halan arrival.  The Lord Admiral receives a response from his signals advising that the official ceremony to hand over the relic will take place in the capital of Suryada the day after they arrive on planet. The atmosphere capable ships are to land at the capital’s spaceport while key members of the party will be ferried from the void ships in orbit via shuttlecraft.

About halfway through the journey word reaches the Blessed Saint Horace that they are to receive a delegation from the flagship.  The vessels match velocity and link with grapples and a boarding umbilical. Baronet Chi-Fu Li Halan and Bishop Arcellius arrive to inspect the state of the ship and it’s facilities in preparation for the receipt of the Saint Diana’s relic. They spend a long time in conference with Bas and when they emerge it is announced that he and the majority of the crew will be staying aboard when they arrive on Ravenna to ensure that everything is at the utmost state of readiness. The Bishop and Baronet then begina thorough inspection, the Baronet constructing a lengthy and detailed list of improvements, repairs, maintenance and cleaning that will have to be done before the ship is a suitable host for such a revered object.

Once again Alexi(u)s impressed the Bishop and Sir Ulrich successfully offers aid to the Baronet in his work. He is able to add further detail to the list of actions which is very well received by Chi-Fu but alienates the Torenson Knight from the, now resentful, crew.

Zillah asks Alexi(u)s to take their confession, and is very open with them; including how they murdered the Avestite zealot aboard Bawaabat Samawia station (and do not necessarily feel that they were wrong in doing so), their repeated use of and reliance upon technology and inherrant psychic powers. Alexi(u)s suggests that they should consider falling upon the mercy of the church and becoming a penitent psychic but instead absolves them by saying that as a penance they should save a life in exchange for the one they have taken.

Ulrich receives a response from the Muster Guild concerning his enquiries about Bas. It seems that the bridge officer who logged the message had been hanging on to it for a few days, possibly out of pettiness over Ulrich helping with the Baronet’s inspection.

The flotilla arrives in orbit of Ravenna. While the Tiger of Tashrak and Debt of Honour dock with an orbital station the remainder of the flotilla enter atmosphere and head to Suryada spacesport.  Flying over the Folari continent the troupe see the burning pyres of one of the Deepcore cities, a sight that intrigues and fascinates Ulrich. He questions Colonel Sir Fu Zhou Li Halan who explains that he has heard that in their pride and arrogance the Muster Guild have dug to deep or to rashly and caused an ecological disaster that is barely under control.  It seems clear that he feels the Hawkwoods are at least partially responsibly for allowing the reopening and exploitation of the old Republican cities.

The leaders of the delegation (Baronet Chi-Fu, Lord Admiral Chan, Bishop Arcellius and Sir Aldous Redwood Justinian) meet their host, Baron Tochiro Justinian that evening but the troupe remain aboard the Blessed Saint Horace. 

The following day, prior to the ceremony, Ulrich heads into the city, accompanied by Zillah, to research more about the world of Ravenna. Belvoir heads on a tour of the cities drinking establishments and Alexi(u)s seeks out an Avestite mission.

The Avestite Canon manages to find a local priest to hear their confession but the priest is horrified to hear how liberal and accepting Alexi(u)s appears to be. He charges them to seriously reflect on the decisions they have made and to assess their faith and standing before the Pancreator. The priest questions Alexi(u)s’ commitment to the priesthood and whether they have actually wandered too far from their calling.  He demands that they scourge and flagellate themselves to help purge this sin from their soul mirror and Alexi(u)s agrees.

With the ceremony imminent the troupe gather at the Basilica of Saint Symeon. Ulrich notes that although the church is a great example of 42nd century design, built of exquisite Ravennan marble and with a stained glass ceiling allowing the chapel to be flooded with light indicative of the luminous blessings of the Celestial Sun, this is a very obscure and mundane venue for such an event. He ponders why they might be here rather than at St Regoe’s, the Suryadan Cathedral. 

Local nobility and honoured guild guests file in, while pilgrims, peasantry and lower ranked guilders crowd in the vestibule and cluster outside. Hawkwood and Justinian house guards watch the doors and check names before allowing them inside the chapel. Upon seeing Zillah Thana the Hawkwood at the door refuses them entry.  He accuses the knight of being a heretical and sinful aberration of creation, and denies him entrance to the church, saying that he cannot let a filthy Thana corrupt such a sacred place with their presence. Zillah is outraged and demands entrance with force of will and righteous indignation, Ulrich attempts to appeal to the guard’s sense of duty (their names are listed and they have a responsibility to ensure the protection of the relic) and between them they manage to get the Hawkwood retainer to allow them to pass.

Belvoir, Alexi(u)s, Zillah and Ulrich sit towards the back of the church and note a number of significant members of the congregation; the senior delegates of the Li Halan delegation, the Tiger of Tashrak’s medical officer and captain of the guard, Col. Sir Fa Zhou, the captains of the Rain of Vengeance and Flavius’ Reign, Baron Tochiro Justinian and his current wife, Lady Stephanie Justinian Hawkwood, Sir Bedevere Hawkwood, and one of the Emperor’s favourite cousins; Countess Cassandra Solera Justinian Hawkwood. Ulrich also noticed a ragged, cloaked and bearded fellow loitering at the back of the church. He mentions this to Belvoir and they move to be closer to him.

Belvoir notices that the dishevelled figure wears partial armour under his cloak then gets a glimpse of his Company of the Phoenix badge; this is one of the Emperor’s Phoenix Knights.

The Chorali who had been singing praises to the Pancreator and liturgies to the saints come to a close as the chapel doors are closed and the service begins.

The church’s Orthodox priestess, the Reverend Geraldine, welcomes the congregation and opens with a prayer of blessing. She then introduces Baron Tochiro who stands at the front of the church and addresses everyone. Zillah uses their Subtle Sight on the Justinian Baron and sees his aura as a column of quivering violet, it would appear that he seems confident and pleased that his plans are coming to fruition, whatever his ultimate motive may be.

At that point the chapel doors burst open once more and small delegation of Decados burst in.  They are led by the Countess Chastity Decados, accompanied by her wife and constant bodyguard, Patience.  Chastity is essentially naked and is obviously planning to shock and draw attention.  Much to the seething chagrin of Baron Tochiro she seats herself in the midst of the Hawkwood guests and beckons him to continue.

Having eventually regained his composure Tochiro invites the relic procession to enter.  The Chorali start singing a hymn of praise and in a slow and sombre procession the relic is brought into the main church from a side chapel.  As it passes the troupe get their first view of the holy relic; Saint Diana’s skull appears to be a human skull and jawbone made of translucent crystal with something suspended in it's centre.  It is borne aloft on a litter carried by church novitiates with other young pages walking before and after it with censers filled with burning incense.

As the relic reaches the altar (and the waiting reliquary) the church is shaken with a series of explosions and the congregation are showered in glass from the roof above. This is immediately followed with the sounds of gunfire outside the doors and a series of fragmentation grenades falling from above.  

 

Zillah is caught in one of the detonations while the others land at the front of the chapel amongst the Hawkwoods, Decados and Justinians. Ropes fall from above and a series of armed, black-garbed figures descend...