Zeitgeist #4

We started playing later than usual today, as I had a client meeting near Geneva and the train ran late. We ended last session with the players arriving in the sea cave. Before we get to the action, let’s introduce the main characters of the story.

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Ebenezar

Ebenezer is a farmers son that grew up close to Shale with an older half-brother and two sisters. Fascinated by the stories of his brother, he joined the Risuri military to fight during the last Yerasol war when he was 17. He witnessed great tragedy and loss, towards the end, the wrong decision of a General lost Risur an entire batallion. Ebenezar escaped with his life, but even today wakes up at night, drenched in cold sweat from his nightmares. After the war, Ebenezar travelled the country side for a couple of years before joining the RHC. He was accepted due to his ingenious shooting skills.

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Horatius

Horatius first memories of his current incarnation as a deva are drowning in a terrible storm. The memories are blurry, but what he later learned is that the storm must have spilled him close to the shores of flint and some attentive fisherman spotted him and dragged him into their boat. The fishermen took him in for the first nights, but Horatius was lost and without any memories of his past lives. An old Skyseer going by the name of Samuel Aberdeen took an interest in him when he visited the fishermen be had befriended some time ago and found the deva that he had dreamed about the nights before. He took him in and taught him the ways of the people of Flint, gave him the name Horatius and initiated him in the arts of Skyseeing, showing him his natural powers that he had known about due to his visions. Years went by and Horatius grew older and got along pretty well in Flint all along. Due to a deep feeling of gratitude towards the people of Flint, who had rescued him, he decided to give something back to the community and decided to apply for the police forces to make good use of his powers by protecting the people of Flint. The city authorities soon decided that his powers would be wasted in the regular police forces and transferred him to the Royal Homeland Constabulary in Flint. Not long after that Samuel died of old age and content and left Horatius alone, but with a task …. protect the people of Flint and Risur in general….

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Simon Delgardo

Simon Delgardo was born in 477 as a son of Professor Pedro Delgardo and Anna Delgardo, a white witch from Flint. He had a sheltered childhood and good education in Eastbank. In 439 he started studying Medecine at Pardwight University at lived in a dorm on campus. Four years later he married Simone, born Hammerflint and moved with her into a house his father bought for them in Central district. In 498 his twins Gustavo and Eduardo are born. One year later he is accepted into the RHC as a forensic specialist, anatomist and alchemist.

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Ignatius

Ignatius will likely pass away soon, so no need to describe his background story in any kind of detail. Or maybe later.

The Sea Cave

The constables are attacked by Nicolas Dupierre and his elemental minions. A white-haired Danoran in his 50s, Dupiers meets the PCs several days after the duchess attacks Axis Island. He ran the iron mines and knows that archaeologists working for the island’s military commander—General Alsanor—had found golden icons that resemble coins at three sites deep underground. When the fighting began, Dupiers panicked, stole two of these icons, and fled to the mine that contained the third icon, thinking their magic might help him. When he realized they let him see in the dark, he hid in the mine, fearing discovery by Risuri forces.

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Nicolas Dupierre

The players best him and retrieve three icons, which are attached with various planes:

  • Avilona: The plane of air, where desolate islands of rock float amid the clouds, covered in long-abandoned ruins. Ancient myths claimed this world was a titanic eagle, constantly fleeing the ravenous Jiese. Influences weather, notable deaths, and animals.
  • Urim: The plane of earth, or rather a scattered, shattered belt of relatively tiny shards of metal, which sometimes fall from the sky bearing precious ores and accursed worms. Influences the earth, the rise and fall of fortunes, and random meetings of strangers.
  • Nem: The plane of ruin, this planet is a myth among the skyseers, who say it sheds no light, and can only be seen as it glides silently through the heavens, devouring stars and leaving nothing but a hole in the night. Influences secrets and the dead.
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Fighting Nicolas and his Elementals

The constables take along Burton and Nicolas Dupierre. Exiting the mine is relatively easy; the Danorans hung signs with handy directions. At the mine’s forested exit, however, the party finds a recent mass grave. They find signs that the Danorans tried shooting and hacking at trees, as though the forest itself attacked them. The players are shocked by the discovery and carefully follow a path down to the village.

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Map of the island, C is the mine, D the village

The PCs are suddenly gripped by vertigo. Their surroundings briefly flicker, revealing a wooded marsh filled with croaking yellow frogs, where a blue sun sets in a purple sky. Then the world snaps back to its normal form. The constables shoes or cloaks are still damp from having fallen into the marsh.

They take shelter in the village, finding basic supplies and a small wine cellar for comfort from the horrors of the day. We’ll continue here next time.

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