Ashnabis session 56

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Summary

Session

Session date: July 18, 2021
Fair Cycle date:

Introduction


<AshnabisGM> In Pesme, the winter rains abate, and the sun dries the muddy paths of Kaskind, at least a few hours a day.
<AshnabisGM> The bootmakers and roofers may be a little sad to see the rainy season abate, but even the farmers have had enough for now. Time to get on with the growing season and then the first harvest.
<AshnabisGM> Three new full boats of arrivals have come from Choradan in the past week or two - you're not sure whether by coincidence or design. A few sentinels, but mostly ordinary folk, either claiming lands or building new lives.
<AshnabisGM> Bubun, too, in great numbers - from Choradan, destined for local work, or from Hasmala, to be sent out to the countryside plantations at Zhumne. Corpses work no matter the rain.
<AshnabisGM> There are some grand events underway - a royal wedding, no less! It has been arranged with some haste, but the marriage of Ziftu of the Ebesnata to Sumurt of the Kezondo is to take place shortly. You're not invited (except Veznara), of course. Though very few are.
<AshnabisGM> But there are many plans and projects ongoing here in this new city, and not all for the good. What peace prevails is as slippery as the rain-soaked roads.


Katenzhi learns from Oignestros that Sulazh is dead


<AshnabisGM> Katenzhi, so far your strange new family, Bivizmi and Gefraz and Divrola and Ghesmin, are settling in well enough. You all had the good sense to ensure that there is enough space between you all. And everyone has their own business to take care of, which means that at least everyone is occupied most of the time.
<AshnabisGM> Divrola and Ghesmin seem to be settling in well enough other than the wet. Which is understandable enough - you've lived here all your life and you still feel very Choradani, every rainy season.
<AshnabisGM> You are out doing some work in your herb garden on the shady north side of the house one morning when you hear heavy footsteps and panting come up the path.
<AshnabisGM> Turning, you see Oignestros running at quite a clip, for one so large.
<Katenzhi> ...Oignestros?
<Oignestros> Friend, friend! Your white lady!
* Katenzhi will get up and hurry over
<Katenzhi> What happened?
<Oignestros> The new lady, the old lady, on the land by the trees.
<Katenzhi> What about her?
<Katenzhi> Is she ok?
<Oignestros> Your lands, you let her work.
<Oignestros> I found her this dawn, on the lands I was a-farming.
<Katenzhi> (...had we not told Oignestors about the deal? I would have assumed we did.)
<AshnabisGM> You did, of course. What he understands about commerce is ... not as clear to you.
* Oignestros is clearly deeply agitated, and not making total sense.
<Katenzhi> Yes, we let her use the land. What's wrong? Slow down and take a breath.
<Oignestros> At first I thought, hoped she was a-sleeping.
<Oignestros> Lying upon your pale flowers, her white hair against the green mosses, peaceful.
<Katenzhi> What are you... is she...
<Oignestros> I took her gently, gently, up and away from that place. To my home where now she is a-laying.
<Katenzhi> Oh fuck...
<Katenzhi> Is she alive?
<Oignestros> I tried, but there was nothing I could do. I knew it, her cold against my warm.
<Oignestros> But then I was not a-knowing what to be done. So I come.
* Katenzhi goes very pale
<Katenzhi> We... we need to tell Biv...
<Oignestros> Where is she?
<Katenzhi> (Good question. Is she around the house?)
<AshnabisGM> (let's say yes, for simplicity)
<Katenzhi> Wait here. I'll get her.
* Bivizmi smiles when she sees you, then frowns when she sees how upset you are.
<Bivizmi> Hey ... what's wrong?
<Katenzhi> Oignestros... he just came running up. He says she's dead...
<Bivizmi> Who?
<Katenzhi> Sulazh...
<Katenzhi> He found her on the farm.
<Bivizmi> Oh ... that's ...
<Bivizmi> What condition?
<Katenzhi> I don't know. He says he thought she was sleeping at first so... I guess... maybe it was her heart or something?
<Katenzhi> I mean...
<Katenzhi> Fuck...
<Bivizmi> What does he want you to do?
<Katenzhi> I don't know! I mean we need to go see what happened, right?
<Bivizmi> I guess.
<Bivizmi> I mean, the whole reason you convinced me to sell was for our safety. Is it safe for us to go back there?
<Katenzhi> I don't know, but... fuck I didn't want her to get killed!
<Bivizmi> All right.
<Katenzhi> It could be our fault she's dead!
<Bivizmi> We can't think that way.
<Bivizmi> Just let me throw something on and we can go.
<Katenzhi> Ok... you're right.
<AshnabisGM> You put together a few things and then come out where Oignestros is waiting patiently.
<Oignestros> You will come and see the lady?
<Katenzhi> Yes.
<Katenzhi> Ancestors... this is not how I saw this day going...
<AshnabisGM> The three of you head out into the swamp, with you and Bivizmi following Oignestros' heavy footprints with ease - though he makes less of an imprint on the Sestapor than you might imagine.
<AshnabisGM> Soon enough, you find yourself at Oignestros' hut of moss, peat, and stone.
<Oignestros> Come in, my little friends, I will be a-showing you.
* Katenzhi nods and enters the hut.
<AshnabisGM> Inside, you see, laid out on a bed of reeds and straw, Sulazh Ichos, her body strewn with pungent red mossy jelly of some sort. She is clearly dead but has no sign of obvious injury.
<Katenzhi> Ok...
<AshnabisGM> Around her neck is a strand of dried persimmons, like the ones you had seen previously hanging in the grove.
<Katenzhi> Oh fuck.
<Katenzhi> FUCK!
<Katenzhi> Oignestros... this is exactly how you found her?
<Oignestros> No.
<Katenzhi> The persimmons... were those on her?
<Oignestros> The [word you don't know], I put it there on her, for healing.
<Oignestros> Yes, those were there when I found her.
* Katenzhi looks at Bivizmi
<Katenzhi> Biv... we have to tell the fort.
<Bivizmi> What would we tell them?
<Bivizmi> She doesn't have a scratch on her.
<Katenzhi> We know why she died.
<Katenzhi> We have to say something
<Bivizmi> Sulazh, she is, was, some sort of important noble, right? This is going to be a mess.
<Katenzhi> Yeah.
<Katenzhi> Fuck...
<Bivizmi> What can we possibly tell the Fort to explain this?
<Katenzhi> Everything. From the beginning. At least two people have died because of this fucking plant now. I don't want there to be any more.
<Bivizmi> And the pale oracle? what happens with that?
<Katenzhi> I don't know. Frankly, I don't care any more.
<Bivizmi> I can't let what happened to me be for nothing, Kat. It can't be for nothing.
<Bivizmi> Maybe ... maybe we just lay her out somewhere where they'll find her body.
<Katenzhi> Biv...
<Katenzhi> What the fuck are you saying?
<Katenzhi> We know who did this...
<Bivizmi> For all we know, she had a heart attack out there.
<Katenzhi> Right. While she was making a persimmon wreath to go with her dress.
<Katenzhi> C'mon Biv...
<Bivizmi> What if we just take her to ... I don't know, her estate, her people?
<Katenzhi> What happened to you was... it was horrible. But we can't let it keep happening.
<Bivizmi> Whatever happened to Sulazh is not what happened to me.
<Katenzhi> We don't know what killedher. But we do know who.
<Katenzhi> And it's the same people who killed you. Don't you want them stopped?
<Bivizmi> OK, for now, we take her to the temple of the Voice. They will need to talk to her about what happened, maybe bring her back too. She's not that old, and she's very important.
<Bivizmi> Let them work with her to figure this out.
<Bivizmi> You want me to be safe. Ok, fine, but that has to go for both of us. And this is not safe.
<Katenzhi> If we tell the fort... go public with the pale oracle... then there's no more reason to kill us.
<Bivizmi> Revenge?
<Katenzhi> I did not sign up for covering up murders.
<Bivizmi> That's why I say ... let's take her to the temple. Let them find out it was a murder ... if it was.
* Katenzhi puts a hand over her face and tries to think.
<Katenzhi> I just... Ok... Ok.
<Bivizmi> Then we can think - you can talk to your people, figure this out with them too.
* Katenzhi nods.
<Katenzhi> But if she was murdered...
<Katenzhi> what then?
<Bivizmi> I ... don't know.
<Oignestros> We go back to town now?
<Katenzhi> ...yes.
<Katenzhi> Is there a way to... bring her with us?
* Oignestros picks her up as if she were nothing.
<Katenzhi> ...ok...
<Katenzhi> Let's go.
<Katenzhi> (We will take her to the temple and tell them that Oignestros found her out in the field.)
<AshnabisGM> You take Sulazh back to Kaskind, to the temple of the Voice there. Your explanations are, of necessity, terser than you would prefer, but you manage to deposit her body safely with the priests, to be cared for.

Junan and Jaigadu discuss what to do about Zefa


<AshnabisGM> Junan, in the week since you talked to Widiil Laulida about her nephew Atsusei, and learned his grim fate, you've been on edge.
<AshnabisGM> It's not that you were so surprised to learn that Zefa had killed him. She's shown herself capable of that and more in the past. And having some evidence to support that is a major step forward.
<AshnabisGM> You're a little more surprised - but only a little - to learn that his death relates to the war with Charadip. The poor kid.
<AshnabisGM> You're hopeful that Jaigadu can help resolve the situation, but you are only too aware that peace with Charadip is tenuous. And politics makes people do stupid things.
<AshnabisGM> Jaigadu is coming to your new office at the Fort, which the General has made available to you. It's a well-decorated set of rooms, with a little sitting area and a desk at one side. It even has a place to sleep, if you ever need one.
* Oignestros is now known as Jaigadu
* Jaigadu has grown out his mustache to a greater length since you last saw him. He's wearing a green silver-trimmed outfit that conceals his ample musculature, with a black and white checked vest overtop, and his envoy's cap.
<Jaigadu> Young kinsman Junan, it has been, once again, too long.
<Jaigadu> You've done well for yourself here!
<Junan> Its good to see you as well.
<Junan> I've at least maneuvered myself into a nice office
<Jaigadu> I apologize for the delay in arriving. The Longdancer needed attention to her sails and topmast. I don't mean my tardiness to imply that I don't care about your message.
<Junan> I didnt exactly expect you to magic yourself here. People watch where you go.
<Jaigadu> Well, that's so.
<Jaigadu> And I do tend to attract attention, mostly by my own choice, mind you.
<Junan> visiting the Fort is not out of character for you, so meeting here is good.
<Junan> What are we going to do?
* Junan says with a little exasperation
<Jaigadu> Well ... that is more complicated, isn't it.
<Jaigadu> I don't suppose there's any possibility the Voice was lying about the answers.
<Junan> that's always possible, but I did not get that impression... it would be quite bold to deceive in front of an envoy and a mystic
<Jaigadu> which Voice was it?
<Junan> Voice Elukir
* Jaigadu sighs.
<Jaigadu> Well, I'm not saying he wouldn't lie, but if he's lying about this, we have a much, much bigger problem.
<Jaigadu> So our Zefa's been up to it again.
<Junan> It's one of our own... not saying a recluse prospector is any better.
<Junan> She's been crossing so many lines
<Jaigadu> You're not wrong.
<Jaigadu> By our ancient laws, any envoy who as much as strikes another is eligible to be banished from our ranks. It is Akhora's Rule.
<Jaigadu> To kill another ... we can't do nothing at all.
<Junan> She has a bad enough reputation that calling in a reckoner would be easy, and have the backing of the Fort to enforce it.
<Jaigadu> I know you have long had concerns about her. That other murder, where you spoke at the inquiry against her.
<Jaigadu> I'm not saying you're wrong. Zefa - she's not a good person. I've known that a long time. I thought it was manageable.
<Junan> Clearly not manageable.
<Jaigadu> But so, too, the protection of our esteemed body is a value above all others. To do damage to the reputation of our order is against the will of our founders. That is Gatarg's Rule.
<Jaigadu> We have invested so much time and energy into the kelta, into establishing Ashnabis as a civilized place, welcome to the employment of envoys. If this is revealed publicly, it could work to undermine what we have done.
<Junan> What you are thinking isn't going to be easy
<Junan> She has a mystic aligned to her... she's skilled enough not to be caught off guard
<Jaigadu> What would you suggest?
<Junan> you have the authority and position to question her about Atsusei being found... bring her to the kelta under those guises... force her to face her peers and see how she defends her actions... if you want to handle this in house, thats the best way.
<Junan> if she refuses, then how much protection does her position offer?
<Jaigadu> None except by my word.
<Jaigadu> I can remove her, at a moment. But that could lead to more harm.
<Jaigadu> If she has truly become more erratic - anyone could be a target.
<Junan> Then you're looking at taking her by force
<Jaigadu> And again, that's something I could do - but that carries a risk.
<Junan> The choice here feels like this... we can risk tarnishing the reputation of the Envoys by calling her to justify herself, if you are forced to expell her, then sick the reckoners on her, or we take a martial response, which means someone is likely going to get hurt, and she may still get away.
<Junan> and then you end up doing the first one anyway.
<Junan> if she does get away
* Jaigadu nods.
<Jaigadu> Agreed.
<Junan> I wish there was an easy way out of this... she hasn't given us one.
* Jaigadu considers.
<Jaigadu> I will call a tribunal. It is unorthodox, given Zefa's role, granted. But it is warranted, by old Imperial law and custom, for us to handle our own affairs. And then, depending on what she says, we can choose to turn her over to the General to face what passes for justice out here.
<Junan> If I was her, I would probably run.
<Jaigadu> True, and if she does, then we must take another step.
<Jaigadu> We'll deal with that as it arises.
* Junan nods
<Jaigadu> And you, my young kinsman, as a ... reward ... for all your hard work ... I will have you serve on this tribunal.
<Jaigadu> And if she runs, then I will have you serve as her hunter.
<Junan> I'll be happy to be personally involved in resolving her fate.
* Jaigadu smiles.
<Jaigadu> Then smile more, if you're so happy! You asked for this responsibility!
<Junan> people are dead, this isn't something I'm going to smile about.
* Jaigadu nods.
<Jaigadu> Well - I should go. I have things to arrange now.
<Junan> I understand
<Junan> Next time maybe we'll just have pleasent subjects to discuss and can enjoy some wine and song
<Jaigadu> I'm ... I'm proud of you, Junan. You've done well.
<Junan> Thank you... it hasnt been a straight road for sure