Char Li's Angels: The Skull of Saint Diana - Part XVIII
This one was a "very talky" session essentially only consisting of a about three scenes with a lot of in-character dialogue, discussion, verbal sparring and conversation. As such I'm well aware that the below is a gross symplification but hopefully it captures all the salient points...
The Troupe discuss plans and agree to fly to Celdor to try to gain an audience with Countess Chastity Decados. They log their flight plan with the Charioteers Guild for the following morning and Alexis uses the intervening time to minister to the injured in the group, successfully helping Kibri deal with some of the after effects of his torture and near-execution at the hands of a mob of Church zealots.
The following day they put down the Blessed Saint Horace in the prairie grasslands near the Decados villa. As they emerge from the ship they are met by armed Decados guards on horseback. They successfully convince the guardsmen of their intentions and while one rider goes on ahead the other escorts them over the rolling hills to the where the villa nestles in a valley. From their vantage point (and with the benefit of their Shape Senses and Vis Sight powers) Zillah spots the Countess’ Explorer-class Spacecraft parked behind the perimeter wall of the residence and notes both that it is of al-Malik design and is powered up and ready to leave.
At the villa gates the Troupe are greeted by a group of near-naked servants who offer to wash their feet and hands to refresh them after their journey. As they are all gathered together there the Countess makes her entrance, bourne aloft on a palanquin as she lays in repose. She seems weakened and tired (possibly from her ordeal in the attack on the Basilica) but Zillah detects vis energy coursing across her body.
They exchange pleasantries and tell their host that they thought they would visit while in the area. As it is getting close to midday the Countess invites them to come in and dine with her, which the Troupe agrees to.
By the time they have entered the villa and been brought through to the lounge/dining area, Chastity is already ensconced on a chaise lounge and beckons them to join her on similar couches. Everyone does so, except Alexis who insists on standing.
Everyone is offered drinks from the extensive Decados cellars; Kibri finds to his delight that they have an Ukari fungal brew, Zillah takes tea, Alexis and Bass stick to water and Belvoir has some of ALL the beers available. Food of all varieties and to suit all tasts is brought, and the guests realise that this is possibly the best they have eaten since leaving Midian, almost a month ago.
Zillah leads the conversation and explains that they are on a mission to escort the Skull of Saint Diana back to Li Halan space but they have not been able to commence as the Skull has obviously been stolen. Chastity counters saying that surely the fact that the Skull was successfully stolen means they have currently failed their mission. The discussion does remain conversational though and the Countess confirms some of what they already knew about Baron Tochiro Justinian. She explains that he is still viewed by the church due to his history of dealing in Second Republic technology and has lost a lot of the influence (and associated wealth) he once had. He is desperate to regain the favour of members of the Royal Houses and Chastity believes that the whole affair of the Skull was a gambit to solicit favour from the Li Halan.
The Troupe learn that while Chasity’s home fief is now on Malignatius, she and her wife still keep abreast of events on Ravenna via her historic contacts on the world and her staff based here. They invited themselves to the service at the Basilica of Saint Symeon to frustrate the Baron and see what he had planned.
In turn the Troupe reveal the research Sir Ulrich had conducted into Lady Chastity and Baron Tochiro’s family trees, and how they are connected, which appears to impress her. Zillah had noted a shadowy figure lurking ar the back of the room earlier and now they, Belvoir and Alexis spot her reaction at the mention of Baron Tochiro and conclude that this is Patience Decados, the Baron’s estranged daughter and Chastity’s wife and bodyguard.
Eventually our protagonists mention that someone in their mission has been passing information to the Jakovian Agency. Lady Chastity seems very pleased that they are finally being more open with her and now seems far more engaged, the pretence of fatigue from when they first arrived now completely dropped. She correctly deduces that the informant is Baronet Chi-Fu and mentions it as if it were an obvious fact. Zillah reads her aura once more with Subtle Sight (having done so first at the Basilica). Alexis tries the Theurgical rite of “Knowing the False Heart” but the experienced Decados noble avoids straight answers so the priest learns nothing.
The meal is joined by Sir Kirill Vladimir Decados, one of the Countess’ knights and caretaker of the estate in her absence. He appears to be a somewhat sterotypical Decados, dressed in black and with a snide and disdainful air.
Belvoir, Zillah and Alexis note that Sir Kirill reacts to a mention of the Jakovians, so Alexis summons “Knowing the False Heart” once more and asks the knight a direct question about whether he knows anything about the Javokian informant. When he denies it the Pancreator immediately reveals to her that he is lying...
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