Session 56: Singhing a Different Tune


 * We open just after Vesun shuts out Detectives Peng and Charlene.
 * We go upstairs into Cornerio's room to discuss. Vesun tells us they're the ones who gave us the key to get into the Officer's Club after he convinced them as Sal A. Mander that he's with Roland.
 * We decide to follow them, with Vikrit tailing them and wearing the Hat of Disguise and the others behind. They cross into the Brelish Quarter, going in the direction of their HQ. We follow (Vikrit taking off the hat to show his papers), seemingly undetected, to their Inquisitive Agency.
 * We discuss what to do and determine it's too suspiciously soon for "Sal" to approach them again to see if he can see where Benny is, then decide to go scout out Hearthfire Homegoods, Sivan's front for The Silver Fist that Lenore told us about. Tork is custodian of Vikrit and Vesun is custodian of Vanesse, who they side-eye but let through.
 * We head to the Hearthfire Homegoods. It's on a street overlooking the river, with a small stable and a chicken coop.
 * Vikrit gives the Hat of Disguise to Vanesse, who Vesun tells to picture as the most beautiful human she can… and it's exactly her but as a human. Vesun casts Invisibility on Vikrit and Disguise Self on himself; the two humans go inside and the other two stay outside.
 * Sivan, a half-elven woman, is inside at the counter. Vesun browses through the produce and Tork inspects each piece to find perfect hand-shaped vegetables. They notice that there's a door to a back room there; they can smell alcohol--maybe a wine cellar. Vikrit circles around the building and sees that it's a storeroom with a door there; in the other room, there are 2 people: a young blond human man talking with a gnome woman with a feather in her cap. He can't really hear them over the crackling of the fire.
 * Sivan is a little annoyed with Tork touching all the produce. Vesun does a Karrnathi accent and asks where the "hearth" is. They chat and he acts like a tourist.
 * Vikrit circles around the other side and can see the last window; Bartolomas (the blond human) is talking and staring into the fire, but Anna (the gnome) seems on edge and looks up at the window. Vesun learns that Sivan has been here a while but isn't from here, and came to Thronehold during the war.
 * Tork finds a hand-shaped potato. Vikrit looks for a dagger but doesn't see it; there's a desk that looks like it has alchemical ingredients on the desk--could be poisons. Vesun buys some produce and says his name is "Pierre Enside". He kisses her hand like a Karrnathi gentleman. Vikrit notices that the gnomish woman doesn't actually smell like most gnomes.
 * Meanwhile, on the Sundowner…
 * Cornerio lies in a bed recovering from his fight with the Warforged. He notices Johan staring at him leaning against the door. He says Cornerio's been napping for about an hour that he's been out and excitedly asks about the Warforged. While Shaw works on repairing the ship, Philip comes over.
 * Philip, Yohan, and Cornerio go out onto the deck and Cornerio lies that it's the first time he's seen a Warforged. Philip says he's seen them before; Johan seems shocked. He says he was born and raised in Mistmarch in Breland and he joined the army when he was young. When his company was sent up to the Starpeaks, they sent a Warforged with them (at the time they were knew) that was commanded by the Dark Lanterns. They were attacked and fell apart, but the Warforged looked after them and taught them to hunt, etc. After the winter, they deserted and he created a new identity in Rekkenmark.
 * Philip mentions that they don't have the valuable package they were supposed to deliver, and is worried his ship is in bad shape, and he is going to be imprisoned for losing their precious cargo. He offers to drop Cornerio off outside the city since it's not his problem. Cornerio considers that he could use the conch to create a Persistent Image of the Warforged running away when they arrive.
 * Back outside Hearthfire Homegoods, Vikrit mentions the odd smell.
 * He figures out that Anna smelled like a changeling, and mentions the poison-making equipment as well. Vesun suggests we could get the Thraneans after her if needed.
 * "She didn't have, y'know, mammal stink… what do you call it… sweat!"
 * We head back to the Reichministry and Mogen is chatting with Sam. Apparently he is not naturally a night owl so his schedule sucks. Sam can't really remember his life before beginning to work for Von Pappen and says he's "pretty sure" he had a family but can't really remember their names or where he's from. He says he needs to take a walk and that's when the rest of us arrive home.
 * Sam storms out but Vanesse picks him up and tries to get him to make her a sandwich; we convince her to put him down and he leaves in a huff. Tork recalls that vampires can control people's minds in a way and Mogen thinks he is a pretty powerful vampire.
 * Mogen suggests maybe he's some kind of construct like her homunculus, while she makes eggs (using Shimmer to pierce eggs). We move on to discussing what to say to Central Control about Cornerio. Vikrit is uncomfortable with lying to Sam, so we decide to say we think the problem will solve itself and call Central Control while he's out.
 * We discuss how to get in to the Mror Holds; Vikrit is reluctant to try for Darro's meeting and Vesun wants to go that way. We discuss any way to get the letter from the Brelish, then Vikrit suggests getting Von Pappen to pull some strings. Mogen suggests blackmailing him with the stuff about Sam and Vikrit loses his shit and says we're always making enemies and can't keep friends.
 * We call Central Control; the muffled voice says something about the 'Lilyhammer File'. The operator tries to say something and Tallow pulls them aside to talk to us.
 * We tell him about the assassination plot and that it involves the Stargazers, and we're going to look into their next move next. He says he'll be in Thronehold in a week. He mentions that there are records of Stargazers as far back as they can find but they haven't learned anything else.
 * He says we must dispose of Lenore, and that Queen Aurala being kept safe is our primary goal.
 * Vesun tells him that Darro knows of our real identities and has expressed that he wants to meet with the Prince of Breland. He says that it's politically useful for them to know this. (Vikrit tells him we first saw Darro in Fairhaven.) He says to stay away from Darro in the meantime.
 * He says that we will need to pay the price for 'what happened at the Gala' at some point in the future; we end the call.
 * Mogen wants to get out of Thronehold ASAP and is nervous about what the Lanterns are going to do, and suggests maybe we should take off. Vikrit says that'll just get us (and our families) killed, and Mogen and Vikrit take the opportunity to rant about how much they hate Thronehold.
 * Cornerio's ship is pulling into the harbor in the evening in Korth. There's a large squadron of naval Karrnathi vessels, including the gigantic, black K.N.S. Titanic. There are also soldiers around, but regular dockworkers bring them in.
 * Cornerio slips a diamond under Philip's pillow. Philip tells him that the Warforged he knew back in the war was Vigilance as they say goodbye.
 * Once off the boat, Cornerio pulls off his illusion of the Warforged causing a ruckus and running away, and takes off in the commotion. He decides to head for an inn and finds a run-down place with "CLOSING SOON" on the door. There are 2 humans wearing robes, sharing a bowl of soup, sitting at a table. In the back is an older-looking, balding dwarf with a grey beard, wearing a brass plate with many Karrnathi medals: Hemminks. He tells Cornerio he can stay upstairs for free since he's selling the place and leaving tomorrow, but he's not responsible for anything getting stolen. Cornerio goes upstairs and hides his valuables, and hears snoring from the next room.
 * He goes back down where Hemminks is pouring mead, and a 6'6" bugbear wearing a brown coat is joking around at/with him: Lambert. The humans have left. When Cornerio asks for dinner, Hemminks says he can have some of the soup that the 2 patrons left there. Lambert asks if Cornerio wants to play a game, and does the cup game with hunks of cheese. Cornerio tries to grab it and Lambert gleefully snatches it up first; then he magically puts the cheese in his own mouth. Hemminks says Cornerio must have pretty good reflexes, and asks if he's "survived danger". Cornerio's evasive. Lambert says he's standing here so he must have survived, and Hemminks laughs in a creepy monotone to himself for some reason.
 * Cornerio's says his name is Gregaro. He says he's a traveler trying to get to Krona Peak, and Hemminks perks up a little; he says he's planning an expedition there to see family after selling his inn, being a bit evasive about exactly why, and he needs another guard for the wagon. Lambert says he's along for the ride. Cornerio says he'll take their path (Hemminks sighs loudly after he says 'you don't want to take my path' and looks at his medals) and agrees to join them. Hemminks says, "to ends and beginnings" and they all clink glasses.
 * Back at HQ:
 * We discuss potential plans to leverage the assassination plot; Tork suggests maybe going to Darro, but Vesun points out he was nearby in the Eldeen Reaches when Konstadin messed with Lenore (in Darro's tent).
 * Vikrit says we should be nice to Sam and ask how Von Pappen could get us a letter to let us in to the Mror Holds.
 * We call Yanger to check in about Lenore, who has been staring at the wall for hours and keeps saying she has to go in a given direction (south). Yanger thinks someone is trying to contact her. We figure out that she's being "pulled" toward the Karrnathi Quarter, where we think Konstadin and Burhan are staying. Apparently Kalti has been having digestive problems ("Kalti-19") and is spending a lot of time on the chamber pot.
 * Yanger doesn't think she's being magically spied on but says he'll take care of scrying. He also suggests we look for protection from fire for the Mror Holds, because we're going to be dealing with a fire giant. Mogen starts looking into it
 * We hear a knock on the door outside. We can see the shadow of a gnome outside.
 * Vesun shows up as the butler for Sam and lets him in; he's confused at first. We bring him dinner and he says it's the first time he can remember someone else getting it for him.
 * Vikrit says we felt bad about Cornerio and being a pain since we got here. He asks about Cornerio and we are extremely vague about what happened and say "the problem will solve itself" and basically imply he died. We say we already talked to Central Control (Mogen implying we told them). He says he'll have to burn the file, gets emotional and runs off.
 * "Sam, you haven't touched your dinner!" "I don't think he's going to." "Eh, we'll try again tomorrow."