Setting: The War Captain’s audience room
Cast: Party, Terent, Vestes, Nala
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The party is escorted by Terent to the main keep and brought up several flights of stairs. The inner keep has no windows and is lit only by smoky torches, so it’s a bit dim and hazy with smoke. They ascend more stairs passing several pairs of guards before reaching a large set of polished oaken doors.
A pair of guards pull the doors open as Terent approach. They salute with fists over hearts and Terent breezes past them into the War Captain’s audience chamber. The room is spacious, with stone walls covered by rich scarlet draperies cut from fine wool. The room is thick with incense and soft music is playing (start track 9 of Blood of the Dragon). Vestes is seated on a throne like chair set on a raised dias at the far end of the chamber. He is watching Vala dance, completely mesmerized by her to the point that he doesn’t even realize others have entered the chamber.
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Events
- Terent will whisper to the party that it’s not wise to interupt Vestes when he is with Vala. He’s been known to erupt violently towards those who do, so Terent waits for the dance to end. When it does he approaches and drops to one knee with fist over heart. “I have brought your niece and her companions War Captain.”
- Vala sinks gracefully onto a cushion next to Vestes. He ruffles her hair like a pet, but otherwise ignores her. Her eyes glitter with intelligence and she is clearly listening to the conversation that follows.
- The War Captain rises to greet Elle. He is very pleased to see her and kisses her on each cheek. He seats himself and then asks why she has come all this way to visit him. Elle explains the party’s needs, that Eben’s Spur was assaulted by a dreadlord and the Bone Eater Orokh. She asks Tobius to explain what he’s learned from the Red Spear.
- Vestes listens impassively to the tale absorbing it all and asking the occasional question. He appears disinterested, frequently pausing to gaze at Vala or to drink from his goblet of wine. When the report is over the turns to Elle. He explains that he is saddened by the attack, but that it is clearly an isolated incident of revenge. Now that Nebiat has been driven off she is no longer a threat. He also says that the orokh aren’t much of a threat, and that Marcus should be able to deal with them.
- Elle protests that they do need help and actually begs him to assist. This plea causes Vestes’s features to soften. “Very well. I cannot give you troops, but I will allow you to spend the tribute you brought to hire troops to assist your town.” Elle is very thankful.
- The group is ushered from the room by Terent as Vala rises and begins dancing again. As the door closes the PCs can see that Vestes is once again enraptured with Vala.
