Session Log 2023-01-24

Upon arrival at the Windwatcher's Keep, the rest of the party darted off to various corners, leaving Ekkels to report to the Military Council. Though the Gale Queen was absent, Ekkels established a professional atmosphere with a series of firm handshakes. He then proceeded to pantomime the events of the party's infiltration of Twinpyre, illustrated by stitched-together statements from the last hour of their flight. The Council apparently got the gist of the matter and thanked him for his efforts, asking only that the encrypted documents be translated with haste.

Robin, meanwhile, sought answers as to the other document she had retrieved from Cayrin's desk. Using a bit of alchemical know-how, she was able to reveal the invisibly-inked map on the blank document; though was frustrated to discover it to be in a language she couldn't recognize. While she had access to the supplies, she also put together another three smoke bombs. Afterward, she brought the map to the library, where she encountered the Tireless Knight reading through large stacks of books. She was surprised but unconcerned to see him up and about. She showed him the glyphs on the map, which he was able to silently identify as giant's runes.

Ignis, for his part, thought to put the Amulet of Hygeine to use in the hospital. A few soldiers were recuperating from injuries sustained while scouting too close to the sea of black flame. He gave one the Amulet to see if it could help keep his bandages clean. The grubby man was cleansed on the spot, but his stained bandages were removed rather than purged. Apologetically, Ignis conjured up some healing brew. A crowd of raucous, healthy soldiers followed Ignis out of the medical wing.

Elsewhere, Klaitos took Krotokos's maul to the armory to try and figure it out to some degree. He spent a while swinging it around and attempting various means of activating whatever magic he had sensed in it, to little avail. Tiring, he switched to the repaired mallet from the Knotted Tower. With the small aether core at its hilt repaired, he found it able to drive objects through solid surfaces without disturbance or resistance. A present craftsdwarf pointed him to the bullseye they had painted on the wall, if he wanted to test his accuracy. Klaitos was more interested in the magic than the game, and sat down to see if he could tinker with it.

Robin copied the giant's runes from Cayrin's map out to another piece of paper. A librarian noticed her return and told her of how, with the information they had been able to translate from the Tome of Arcanic Artifice, they had successfully removed the control frame attached to the Tireless Knight's artificial soul. Uninterested in such unprofitable matters, Robin instead asked the librarian for help deciphering the list of prhases she had transcribed. He identified them as the names of various ancient giant kings, their cities somewhere within the modern-day Gray Steps. One phrase he was unfamiliar with, but said it translated roughly to "Heavenly Crown".

Ekkels, having finished explaining everything to the Important People, headed to find Klaitos. He saw that Klaitos had given up on Krotokos's Maul and left it on the ground. He also saw the bullseye painted on the wall of the armory. His first attempt flung him and the hammer through the door into the hall. However, his heart set, Ekkels was able to muster the determination (and borrow Klaitos's giant strength) to pick it up and swing for the target. A little chaos was loosed with the exertion, and the runes along the maul glowed. A sizable chunk of wall was knocked cleanly out by Ekkels's blow, to the dismay of the dwarf on staff.

Ignis met up with the war council after Ekkels and accepted their praise for a slightly miscommunicated version of his actions. He wanted to know if there was any way he, the party, or the Keep could lend their aid against the riot-policing, counter-revolutionary Torch adventurer-mercenaries of Twinpyre. He was deterred from trying to take the fight to the adventurers, since their numbers wouldn't meaningfully subside until the bounty did. He considered plundering the bounty fund by robbing his own family, but decided that a more straightforward course of action would be to contact Mr. Graves and see what he could do to aid the Prince of Shadows' efforts.

Robin left the ciphered documents with the librarians, informing them that this was a time-sensitive job and to put down the Artifice Tome. She hurried to find Klaitos, the only giant she knew that was uncool enough to know about history. She and Ignis came upon him and Ekkels in the armory. While the other two were out of earshot, she ran the translated list by Klaitos. He recognized the kings names from old giant tales, and the phrase "Heavenly Crown" as a giant metaphor for something valuable or coveted, but was confused as to her sudden interest in giant legends and phraseology.

With the party gathered in the armory, Haxryn's Image manifested on the surface of a metal shield. The skull informed them that Vicriax wanted their audience. The shield was brought to a nondescript barracks for the discussion. Vicriax, per the terms of the oath she and Ignis had sworn, was contacting them to let them know that Lord Arva had been conducting secretive meetings somewhere beyond Golarth. She also demanded to know what "business" the party had been up to in the Torch empire. Ignis admitted to the rescue at Dawnfont, and Klaitos described Zoll, the threat they had encountered at the top of the Knotted Tower. Ekkels reminded him of the term "Greater Demon", which Vicriax took with gravity.

Vicriax also mentioned that the Tireless Knight had gone missing, with no leads anywhere in Twinpyre. She asked if the party had taken him. Klaitos decided not to equivocate and admitted to the theft. Vicriax had assumed their guilt, but was surprised by the honesty. She told them that the Knight's service had been very valuable to her, and that she would demand commensurate recompense at an opportune moment. Rather than elaborate, she disappeared from the shield.

Having been reminded of the terms of their arrangement, Ignis considered the ramifications of the clause about keeping Vicriax informed of the party's business in the Torch Empire. Any support he leant the rioters might need to be detailed to Vicriax, though not necessarily in advance. He didn't get the impression that Vicriax was trying to set them up for another double-cross, but he doubted that introducing more unrest in the volatile capital would be appreciated.

Ekkels went to say hello to his druid friend, Millie. He found her tending to a bonsai garden in her barracks. Though it seemed likely that she had cheated their growth with her magic, the trees were quite impressive. He tried to pass her some soil, when a clawed hand snatched the bag out of the door and darted down the hall. Ekkels peered outside to see Hitchit making off with the sack, well ahead of a wheezing armored figure calling out for him to stop or be stopped.

Ekkels chased down the kobold and tackled him. He chomped inarticulately, and muttered about tests, but didn't fight back as the armored figure caught up. He took Hitchit under an arm and apologized - his charge had been on good enough behavior long enough to be allowed to roam with a chaperone until this escapade. Ekkels, nonplussed, returned Millie's soil to her.

Klaitos, working further with the Phase Hammer, was interrupted by kobold music and a glowing light around his forearm. He heard the voice of Arijat, the nomad elder, complain about how she was calling in her debt much earlier than planned. She told Klaitos that her village of four dozen kobolds was in a dire situation, caught between the tides of black fire and the roving bands of war mutants. She asked him to help her relocate them all to somewhere safer.