a minSession Date: 12/23/2024
The Next Morning: Faylen & Beitris
Beitris and Faylen are up early and Beitris is being a little weird in general, shyer than her normal self. She asks if he can show her some moves and share some pointers because he’s much better than he was when he first left on this grand adventure. Faylen teases her about how it’s finally his time to show her something. They have a back and forth teasing each other, but he would be happy to show her a few things and talk about what he’s learned.
Bosch and the Others
Bosch hadn’t slept as he drinks down all off the coffee in the morning. He explains his plan: he would like to work with the party to try to catch Zeth Seegmiller doing something and capturing it in the press to lower the public’s respect for the man. Ideally, Bosch would work with Torchy while Beitris and Faylen would tail Seegmiller to try to catch him in the middle of doing something.
The Agent
The Agent turns out to have infiltrated the apartment and put another pot of coffee on. Bosch asks if we can finally fight, and The Agent says she wants to thank us for freeing her. She explains that she still hates us, but now she can do so on her own time and in her own mind. She admits she owes us one (1) favor. She admits she needs to square things off with the Ministry of Divination and the next time we meet we will fight - much to Bosch’s excitement. Tabby agrees that he would like to suspend hostilities until next time it’s necessary, and he admits that she’s not his favorite, but being under that kind of control just isn’t right.
The Agent explains that right now Zeth is in his place of power, and if we don’t take care of things within 48 hours then he will be “invincible”. She recommends that we have a necromancer to make sure everything is done properly, but they will need to be licensed. She comments that unlicensed necromancers don’t make it very long in Jewel. She then continues to give us an update about the others we freed: they’re all over the Commonwealth. Most of them have fled. The people freed were put in administrative positions in his various companies, so many of them were smart enough to steal what they could, and then ran.
Tabby thinks a good place to start our search is with the local people. Bosch suggests that it’s time for The Agent to leave, with the fastest way out being the window, to which he offers to throw her. She says she will take the stairs “for her health” and then threatens Bosch (he will never see the bullet; she will see him, but he won’t see her). She also says that we have a package, and sets it on the table, commenting she can’t even take it because she can’t open it. She leaves.
Cadaver Kincaid
Mary looks at the package and it doesn’t seem magical, but Faylen can tell that it is. He takes the ten minutes to identify it and there’s no traps but the magic is woven in a way that only one of us can open it. Faylen opens it and there’s a skull inside. Bosch picks up the skull and it grows warm, then glows and starts to float. Green lights up in the eyes of the skull and the skull begins to speak, first commenting that Bosch is as impulsive as always.
It is Cadaver Kincaid . He explains that he offers what people want: money, life, etc. He explains that he has come to understand that we have the Seal of Infinity in our possession, and he would like it. He addresses Mary, explaining that her healing only does so much, and he would like to bring death to all so that they no longer have to worry - under his own rule, of course. Once he has the Seal, he will keep the group’s minds intact. Kincaid essentially says he will leave us alone if we leave him alone and save him for last. Bosch smashes the skull and the sickly green energy goes out of the window.
Next Steps
Ricky has been appointed the editor in chief temporarily as the previous editor in chief suddenly left - The Metropolitan Observer is a bit in a disarray because of it. Faylen reads the Observer and can tell through his writing that he’s very nervous - Ricky probably assumes he’s going to be out of this job the moment Seegmiller comes back. Faylen feels a little bad for Ricky - it’s true that they don’t get along, but an angry Seegmiller is a whole other issue. The man absolutely makes people disappear. Faylen and Beitris agree to go to try to reason with Ricky while the rest of the party goes to Torchy.
Torchy
Everyone but Faylen and Beitris go to visit Torchy. She comments that there seem to have been people under the Observer that had a change of heart:
- Vava Jewel - the Editor in Chief of Observer
- An elf that left the observer just this morning, leaving the Observer in disarray.
- She may have something since she was the chief editor.
- Fidon - Centaur
- Adept that talks to the immortals and interprets their wills. He was essentially a chaplain for the entire Seegmiller organization.
- Sermon today was very fiery and anti-Zeth. He’s locked himself in his office and is not seeing anyone. He’s still in town — for now.
Bosch speaks up with his idea: he’s going to get Torchy published in the Observer today. They want to get a piece out to Seegmiller’s followers to make them wake up.
Faylen & Beitris
Faylen and Beitris find Ricky on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He’s very tired and definitely not doing okay. Beitris claps him on the back where he is sitting, and Faylen slides into a chair next to him. Ricky asks what the heck they want, why do they wanna make his life even worse. Beitris gives him a little bit of a hard time, but grows quiet when Faylen begins to speak.
He points out that he and Beitris had noticed Ricky’s promotion. He wants to congratulate him, but it’s clear that it’s not wearing well on his cousin. Ricky actually begins to open up for once, commenting that The Wandering Vault was burgled and they put out a story about flowers! Who does that!
Faylen comments that the stress must be a lot, but - despite what Ricky may think - the two of them are there to try to help him. Ricky says things can’t possibly get worse, and inquires what they plan to do. Faylen explains that Bosch and Torchy are going to be doing something to expose Seegmiller’s corruptness, or otherwise make a fool of himself. Faylen explains he needs Ricky to make that his cover story.
Ricky immediately begins to disagree, but Faylen reassures him that the goal is to ruin Seegmiller’s reputation so that there can be no backlash. Ricky is still dubious, but manages to be convinced to at least not stop the story, on the condition that should things go pear-shaped that he’s moving in with them since he’ll be out of house, job, and probably at least one limb. The twins are not particularly fond of that, but Faylen agrees.
Bosch & Torchy
They enter and Torchy is disguised as Fleur Blaze, and Bosch is disguised as her intern. He manages to convince the receptionist that Fleur is a big shot and that the receptionist better know who she is or otherwise smile and nod and not let her take it up with the boss. They’re let back and the two of them social engineer a way to get lost in the building.