Last night was Blue Rose, after a bit of a hiatus due to scheduling stuff. Here we go!
The party heads to the market for a brief stop; the blacksmith works with Whirlpool to get his cestae fitted and Kisha buys some fancy clothes, and then they all head off to Warrior's Rest Academy.
The Academy, now open for visitors (it was closed when Kisha came here yesterday on Hearth Day) receives them, and a student named Lonen acts as a guide. He answers their questions and offers to show them around as they'd like; they can go basically anywhere on campus, they're just not to open doors without asking.
They ask to go to the library, and Kisha asks the librarian for information about the history of the Academy, the war, and the Ebban family. Meanwhile, the others split up and go to speak with the three Headmasters - Whirlpool goes to speak with Duallin, Arlen with Memne, and Dobbin with Vistul.
Arlen is led downstairs into a circular classroom where Memne is instructing students in staff-fighting forms. Class lets out, and Arlen chats with Memne about the Academy and the party's situation. Memne asks if the characters have an advocate, and hints that the justice system here can be deceptively friendly.
Dobbin is led outside, and she and her guide pass a couple of students heading in, one of whom has an arrow through his hand. Dobbin watches the "lesson" that Vistul is teaching - arrow combat with real arrows, and relying on healing magic if (when) students get hurt. Class breaks, and Vistul is initially guarded and sharp with Dobbin, but warms a bit after Dobbin talks about her origins in the Central Valley. She has Dobbin fire an arrow and immediately opines that Dobbin wouldn't have shot Bescek, not at that distance. She, too, mentions that the party should really have an advocate, and talks a little about her life growing up in Verdaunen. Her father was a veteran of the war, a master swordsman, killed by a Kernish sorcerer before he was even able to draw his weapon on the battlefield.
Vistul asserts that magic is draining in a way that isn't quite natural - a hard day's work is exhausting, but leaves you feeling righteous. Magic, not so much. She feels that the appropriate place for magic is in a supporting role to those that do the real work.
Whirlpool is led to a grove of fruit trees, under which sit Duallin and his students, practicing light-shaping magic. Whirlpool watches them, and then joins Duallin, who seems happy to chat with him and hear his story. He mentions that he is from Aldis, and that his cariad is still there. He mentions, too, that if it's swashbuckling and flashy swordplay Whirlpool is after, perhaps he could use his ability to water-shape in service to that goal?
In the library, Kisha looks into the history of Ebban and finds more or less what she knew; Ebban was a noble who lived in the Pavin Weald and was thought to have been lost to the Shadow, but was never actually found. Kisha suspects he might be the lich the party has heard stories of. The librarian mentions that Vistul is something of a scholar of the war, and so might have some insight, though probably it shouldn't be Kisha that asks her (Vistul isn't crazy about Kerns). He does mention, too, that Vistul is local, while Duallin is from Aldis, and Memne, while he grew up in Verdaunen, is half-Kernish by his mother.
The characters regroup and talk a bit about what they've found. Kisha suspects Duallin, since his power over light-shaping would make him able to use illusion to his advantage, but freely admits she doesn't really have enough evidence. Dobbin sends a message to Vistul and asks to come back and talk with her, and is told that she'll be free after dinner. The characters leave the Academy to get some lunch at the Inn, and Dobbin asks Magni about getting an advocate. He tells her that anyone in Verdaunen can technically act as an advocate, but you really want someone who knows the law. Best place to get more information is the temple of Aulora, the goddess of law and justice.
Dobbin heads to the temple, while Arlen and Kisha go to visit the house of Eleria, the noble family that employed Bescek (Magni mentioned she has a fondness for vata and for prophecy). Whirlpool stays behind and snoozes.
At the temple, Dobbin sees other people wearing amulets like hers, and talks with a priestess. What she learns isn't exactly heartening. The party has two options - they can waive their right to advocacy and have their issue resolved quickly, but that might not go their way. Or, they can procure and advocate and have someone argue on their behalf. Problem is, professional advocates are expensive, and while the temple provides advocates to those that need them, they're overstretched it might be months before one is free. At least, she says, the characters are free to live and work in Verdaunen while their case is awaiting them. Dobbin is somewhat nonplussed, but does admit this is better than waiting in a cell.
Meanwhile, Arlen and Kisha meet Dysia of Eleria, the young noblewoman who formerly employed Bescek as an envoy. They learn that Dysia and Bescek both applied to the Academy the same year, but neither was accepted - Dysia's father was a graduate of the Academy himself and studied heavily under Duallin. She knew Bescek and mourns him, but their stations kept them from becoming too close.
Arlen asks about prophecy, and Dysia says that when she was born, her mother spoke a passage in a tongue no one there understood. Her midwife transcribed it and Dysia memorized it, and she happily recites it for the characters. Kisha recognizes it as Old Kernish, but is unable to catch much of it (it's not a dialect she understands, and Dysia's pronunciation is poor to say the least). She does catch the word "false" used a couple of times, once in the phrase "false light."
They take their leave of the lady and head back to the inn to have dinner. There, they decide to split up: Dobbin and Kisha will head back to the Academy (Dobbin to talk to Vistul, Kisha to visit the library again); Arlen will go to see Lady Dysia again or, if that seems too forward, find some work and earn some money; Whirlpool opts to stay at the inn and help Magni with the cooking.
Next time, we'll see what awaits our heroes.
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