Sultan Pepper

Prelude

Nod

No sooner had Maiden arrived at the gates of Nod than she detected a growing volume of crackling Essence just in front of her person. A lack of signal from any of Maiden's threat sensors indicated that whoever perpetrated this trickery, they seemingly meant Maiden no harm. As the crackling Essence took the shape of a small butterfly and fluttered to her eye level, Maiden recognized an Infallible Messenger -- she'd seen many sorcerers perform the spell and knew its purpose. She listened for whatever the sprite might have to say.

"Entropy Devouring Maiden, I am Aanya Asadhi, chief astronomer at the Royal Nodian Observatory and first cousin to His Royal Highness Sultan Balin Asadhi. His Royal Highness humbly requests your presence at a private audience. The palace staff would be delighted to welcome you at sunset on the eve of the next full moon. Should any of your esteemed colleagues wish to join you, their presence would be most welcomed."

The butterfly hovered for a moment longer before silently dissipating as quickly as it had appeared.

Orissa

The king's audience chamber was not an unfamiliar location for the Rangor brothers. A grand affair decorated with the spoils of unending war, the room was just large enough to permit a socially acceptable distance between the king and his usual guests. The brothers, along with Princess Nimue and Sour Buckthorn, sat closer to the king, gathered around a small table upon a raised platform in the room.

"We stand on the precipice of a true end to the war with Vaneha. Today, the conflict remains a stalemate, but our neighbors to the west have presented us with an unprecedented opportunity: The isolationist kingdom of Nod has opened its gates to the intrepid, the brave, and... the brash."

King Meliodas spoke with an authority befitting his station, although his confidence faltered a bit as he turned his gaze to the Exalt whose presence inspired the "brash" portion of his monologue. Turning his gaze back from Sour, he continued.

"The Kingdom of Nod has been protected from conflict by its unique structure as much as its political isolationism and has had decades to accrue both military and arcane power. I have asked my daughter to travel to Nod and find a suitable suitor, that our kingdoms may be allied through blood. I would ask the Rangor brothers to accompany Princess Nimue again as her escort."

The king stopped momentarily to let the request sink in, giving Nimue just enough time to sigh. Although she understood the realities of political marriage and her station, she wasn't excited about it. For her part, Nimue shot Romael a sidelong glance in an effort to gauge his reaction to the request, but the king continued before she could fully read Romael's expression.

"However, beyond ensuring Nimue's safety in what is certain to be a volatile time for Nod, I would ask that each of you make use of your unique talents in service of Orissa. Romael - do what you can to seek a military alliance with the kingdom. With their might, it would be trivial to end the war with Vaneha. Cetus - while your brother explores the official channels, canvas the underbelly. Nod contains many secrets, and you are best positioned to discover them, whether they be allies of a less... official nature or arcane artifacts that might bring glory to our kingdom."

After a moment's pause, the king finished with one final request.

"Assuming you accept your charge, please take Sour with you."

Vitalis

Unrepentant Harvester of the Forsaken Bounty pushed aside the beaded curtain and stepped into the cramped tea shop near the palace. A dim green lantern hung in the window, although it was daytime. After a long training session at the dojo, Harvester had found a paper brooch in his belongings folded into the shape of a swan. He knew what it meant, although he accepted the invitation only reluctantly. The Sacred Topology was often too political for his tastes. Nevertheless, with all that had happened, he couldn't refuse a chance at learning more.

"Please, have a seat," said Teo, the local operator.

Harvester took his usual place at the establishment's sole table, his back to the door. Harvester was never fond of that particular detail, but the operator of the tea shop had earned his trust over the years. Harvester nodded his appreciation as Teo poured him a cup of fragrant green tea. Teo sat down after Harvester was attended to and wrapped both hands around his own cup.

"You are doubtless aware of the events that took place at the Bridge of Nechara. Although the united forces of the Hundred Kingdoms emerged victorious, the battle was won at great cost, and only with the aid of the kingdom's Exalted champions. To my surprise, even the Seventh-Legion was well-matched by the barbarian hordes under whatever leadership has taken their reigns. I fear we are fast approaching a situation where the Hundred Kingdoms finds itself at the mercy of the Exalted -- or worse."

Teo paused for a moment, and each man sipped tea, as was the custom. Teo continued, "There is more to the story. Numerous, newly-formed shadowlands were found in several places in the Necharan hinterlands between the city and the bridge, along with evidence of necromantic practice. Grim as it may be, we have to consider the possibility that a Deathlord's forces may have co-opted the Arczheki hordes for their own ends."

Teo let the revelation sink in before resuming his briefing. Harvester remained silent, though he was clearly listening intently.

"A complicating factor is the sudden decision by the Kingdom of Nod to reverse hundreds of years of isolationist policy and open its gates. Although I will confess that I don't know how, I cannot imagine the timing of this shift is coincidental. I would ask you to investigate the situation on behalf of the Sacred Topology. I realize this request is unusual, but we find ourselves in unusual times. Nod's secretive nature has left the Sacred Topology weaker there than in other kingdoms, and I fear it would do us no good to ask a lesser mortal, willing though they might be. The Exalted have descended upon the Hundred Kingdoms, and although the champions who turned the tide at the Battle of the Bridge may claim to be allies, we must consider the possibility that the scope of their power and ambition will lead them to turn the situation unfolding in Nod to their own ends. If the forces of darkness are involved, the Hundred Kingdoms needs defenders with pure intentions, and I have never known so stalwart a foe of darkness as yourself. We have not made our suspicions widely known, but reveal them to you in hopes that you find our causes aligned on this matter. What say you, good Factor? Will you determine if the darkness has taken root in Nod, as we suspect it has?"

While Harvester considered his response, Teo added, "Should you accept, I will pray that you return soon, and healthy, to prove us wrong."

Lexicon

Important People

• Aanya Asadhi - Chief astronomer at the Royal Nodian Observatory & cousin to the Sultan. Veil has started to establish an alliance with Aanya after Veil helps deal with Sour's disruption during the Royal Banquet.
  • Aanya has agreed to show Veil the Royal Nodian Observatory.
  • Veil returned the stolen royal gem to Aanya without the group's permission, but furthered their alliance with this act.
  • When the Circle discovered the tracking artifact after defeating the undead horde, Veil sent it to Aanya for safe keeping.
• Amon Vesh - A patrician native of The Realm who Harvester encounters to get a meeting with Vikram.
  • After stealing the gem, both Veil and Harvester establish a possible long-term relationship with Vesh where Vesh reveals himself a rival of Nikita and only a partial ally of Vikram with his own set of motivations. (Mostly what is best for him.)
  • After Vikram's death, Harvester and Vesh come to an agreement for Vesh to take control of Nod's underworld but to rule it more responsibly than Vikram did. With Harvester checking in on him, and reporting through Simon's tea shop network. Harvester kills Nikita to ensure this smooth transition.
• Full Khan Parthik Asadhi - Prince Ali's younger brother who carries the rank of Full-Khan - equivalent to a 5 Star General or Supreme Commander. Cetus, with Harvester's help, steals his Royal Gem.
• Half-Khan Faisal - Southern General of Nod's defense forces. Romael has started to establish an alliance with Half-Khan Faisal.
  • Romael has agreed to use his forces to protect an incoming caravan to Nod from attack, in exchange for Half-Khan Faisal's support in a broader Nodian-Orissa Alliance.
  • Romael and the Circle successfully protect The Guild Caravan from an Undead Army, Barbarian Horde, and Abyssal Exalt then close the nearby Shadowland.
• Nikita (D) - A high roller at The Next Best Beaver Inn with strong connections in Nod's crime scene. Arranges for the group to meet with Vikram, but is clearly out of his league with the Exalts and is left out of the meeting with Vikram.
  • After Vikram's death he attempts to maneuver for control of Nod's underbelly, but is killed by Harvester leaving Amon Vesh to take control.
• Prince Ali Asadhi - Prince of Nod and son of Sultan Balin Asadhi, a skilled diplomat. Has started to establish a working alliance with Harvester and Veil to investigate Vikram and Nod's underworld, especially around the attempt to steal one of the Royal Gems.
  • Prince Ali tells Veil and Maiden of Seth, an advisor to his father whom he is suspicious of and agrees to arrange a meeting with Maiden and Seth.
• Princess Nimue Meliodas (Neem-way) is the eldest daughter of King Vortimer and heir to the throne of Orissa. She traveled to Nod with The Rangor Brothers to secure an alliance is being pursued in marriage by Prince Ali.
• Priya Asadhi - A close relative of Sultan Balin Asadhi, whom is suspected of setting up unnecessary Guild Caravan shipments that are arranged to be attacked by The Arczechi Horde, likely in a plot to hurt The Sultan.
• Ramesh - The head of Maiden's cult of followers who is her most trusted confidant.
• Seth - A mysterious new advisor to Sultan Balin Asadhi, who Prince Ali is suspicious of.
• Sultan Balin Asadhi - The ruler of The Kingdom of Nod, and known Dragon-Blooded sorcerer.
• Vikram The Serpent (D) - A mysterious criminal figure whom Cetus seeks an alliance with and Harvester seeks to investigate.
  • They get a meeting with Vikram after stealing Full Khan Parthik's Royal Gem, but the meeting turns bad when his sees the gem is a fake and Sour quickly kills him.
  • A vial of Yozi Venom is discovered in Vikram's lair, which appears to be payment to The Hallowed Order of The Grass Spiders for a unknown job.
• Zaqim – A trusted advisor of Half-Khan Faisal who handles logistics for Nods army’s, who Faisal assigned to assist Romael.

Important Places

• The Kingdom of Nod - A smaller Kingdom in the middle of The Hundred Kingdoms with isolationist tendencies due to a desire to protect their hidden First age treasures, who has opened up their borders causing interested parties from surrounding regions to take increased notice of The Kingdom.
  • The Royal Nodian Observatory - At the top of the mountain of Nod sits the ancient, recently restored, First Age Royal Nodian Observatory.
  • The Royal Palace of Nod - An immense labyrinth of a Palace in the upper levels of the mountain of Nod where the Royal Family resides and does business.
  • Maiden's Manse - A secret manse controlled by Maiden and occupied by her cult of followers.
  • Rupan District - The forth district up from the bottom of Nod.
    • The Infamous Whisper - A lavish terrace restaurant where Romael meets Half-Khan Faisal.
  • Suneja District - The third district up from the bottom of Nod.
    • The Glimmering Pearl - An upscale bar where the group meets Nikita before their meeting with Vikram. There is a hidden passage from The Glimmering Pearl into the ally where the secret passage to Vikram's lair.
    • Green Fingers - A tea shop affiliated with The Sacred Topology and Simon, where Harvester procures Drake Solar Tea and sends a discreet message to inform Simon of the events in Nod. After empowering Amon Vesh in Nod's criminal underbelly, he arranges for Vesh to report in at Green Fingers on a monthly basis.
    • The Tailor’s Daughter - A fine clothing shop near an ally with multiple hidden passages where the group meets Vikram the Serpent.
    • Sudden Raven Pub - A tavern where Harvester has been instructed he can drop messages to the bartender and they will discreetly make it back to Prince Ali by showing a small yellow gem given to Harvester by Ali. (Representing membership/alliance with Nod's intelligence agency.)
  • Sarasvathy District - The second district up from the bottom of Nod.
  • Rajani District - The bottom and most densely populated district of Nod.
    • The Next Best Beaver Inn - A crowded, low quality brothel where Sour and Cetus make contact with the seedy underbelly of Nod.
    • The Charmed Cup - A tea shop near in Rajani in the district new foreign arrivals typically congregate that Amon Vesh operates his shady business dealings.
  • The Echoes of Sacrifice - A field that was the site of a massive massacre that turned into a Shadowland 2 days ride west of Nod. Veil and The Circle defeated the Wendigo demons who inhabited the Shadowland and closed it through a Sorcerous Working that turned it into a memorial to the fallen.

Summary

A map of interpersonal relationships relevant to this chapter.

Arrivals

Maiden & Veil

After receiving a message that The Kingdom of Nod had opened it's gates to outsiders for the first time in centuries and triggered her manses warning detection system, Entropy Devouring Maiden and her companion The Alabaster-Faced Moon Veiled in Violet Shadows and Crimson Blossoms return to Nod and are immediately invited to meet with Sultan Balin Asadhi the following day by a message from The Sultans cousin, Aanya Asadhi, chief astronomer at The Royal Nodian Observatory. Left unattended in Maiden's manse Veil explores the ancient, mystical mountain temple until she reaches the restricted areas. She then enlists Remesh, the head of Maiden's Order to guide her through the city, where she successfully establishes herself as the official ambassador to Nod from The Kindgom of Nathir and she is able to set up an office and staff near the foreign ministry in The Rupan District. Meanwhile, Maiden has a private meeting with Sultan Balin Asadhi who is deeply respectful of Maiden's presence and arranges for Maiden to attend the welcoming banquet and meet his cousin, the Royal Astrologer Aanya Asadhi.

Romael Rangor & Cetus Rangor & Sour Buckthorn

After having returned to The Kingdom of Orissa to a heroes welcome The Rangor Brothers and their companion Sour Buckthorn are summoned to a meeting with King Vortimer Meliodas in his Council Chambers. The King gives each their next mission in service of Orissa, they are to accompany Princess Nimue Meliodas who will travel to The Kindgom of Nod to secure an alliance with Nod through a political marriage for herself, gaining a strong ally and a deciding tipping point to win their long war with rival Vaneha. In addition, Romael Rangor is to use his station to work with Nod's formidable military to secure aide and an alliance for Orissa in their war. Meanwhile, Cetus Rangor and Sour Buckthorn with explore the less official resources of The Kingdom of Nod and seek any advantages that might benefit Orissa, be they arcane artifacts or less savory allies. Upon their arrival in Nod Nimue and Romael remain with the royal caravan and are escorted to The Royal Palace. While Cetus and Sour pursue their mission, and perhaps to let loose. They enter The Next Best Beaver Inn, a seed brothel in Nod's Rajani District where they meet a high roller named, Nikita who offers to help them accomplish their goals by arranging a meeting with his boss, Vikram the Serpent, if they can prove their intentions. To do so Nikita tasks Cetus and Sour with attending a Royal Banquet and stealing a precious gem that only member's of Nod's Royal family posses, which they agree to do getting a fake gem and a map of the cave system to sneak in. Cetus & Sour pickup two ladies in The Next Best Beaver in and return home with them for the night where they drug the women and use their home to plan their operation, plotting a course through Nod's hidden cave system to sneak into the banquet, for some reason they convince the two women to join them.

Back at the Palace Nimue and Romael are informed of a welcoming banquet in two nights time with The Sultan himself, meanwhile Romael meets with Half-Khan Faisal, the general of Nod's Southern Army, at The Infamous Whisper Restaurant in The Rupan District to discuss the parameters of military cooperation. The two generals strike a deal, where Romael and his forces will assist in protecting an incoming Guild Caravan that have been the subject of frequent raids to take the first step in their new military alliance. Half-Faisal places one of his aides, Zaqim under Romael's command to assist him while in Nod. Zaqim suggests to Romael that these raids are more than meets the eye.

Harvester

Meanwhile, in The Kingdom of Vitalis Unrepentant Harvester of the Forsaken Bounty is summoned to a tea shop by a carefully folded oragami crane, where he has tasked with a mission by The Sacred Topology to investigate suspected dark forces influencing The Kingdom of Nod to open it's gates and what impact that may have on The Hundred Kingdoms at large. Harvester begins his recon on the busy lower streets of Nod, where he eavesdrops on some Realm citizen discusses how Vikram is taking care of them and setting them up with good deal to operate in Nod when they arrive. He sets up a meeting with Amon Vesh, a Realm Citizen, at The Charmed Cup, a teashop in the Rajani District displaying House Sesus banners, to learn more. That night Harvester follows a second lead to The Next Best Beaver in where he forces his way into a meeting with Nikita and shakes him down with harsh threats where he also learns of the plan to steal the gem at the banquet, however Nikita has already given his fake to Cetus and Sour. Harvester meets with Amon Vesh who is able to arrange for Harvester to attend the banquet in disguised as a now deceased Realm commander, and supplies him with a fake gem so that he can steal a Roayl Gem in order to get a meeting with Amon's boss, Vikram the Serpent.

The Banquet

Cetus and Sour lead the two woman through the cave system, but the women are scared an uncooperative which leads the Exalts to use them as bait when they hear strange noises in the cave. The two innocent mortal women are cleaved into pieces by two giant steel chakrams thrown by powerful automatons. Sour & Cetus use the death of the woman as a distraction to launch their attack on the automatons which put up a significant fight against two Exalts, significantly wounding Cetus and soaking his clothes in blood, before being defeated. Cetus and Sour manage to sneak their way through the rest of the cave system until they find an ornamental, golden door which they unlock to enter an abandoned, empty room where they can hear the distant sounds of the banquet. They find rough disguises in the closet and to enter the banquet kitchen with Sour dressed only in a throng & apron and Cetus using a broom & dustpan to cover his blood soaked clothing.

At the banquet which is at a grand hall deep within the ancient mountain palace of Nod, The Sultan Balin Asadhi gives a welcoming speech to start off the night which has a diverse but extravagant guestlist featuring numerous Dragon-Blooded exalts who might be rivals to The Sultans power as well as more exotic characters from outside of Nod. One of the foreigners that Harvester spots has a shiny vial on his belt, that Harvester identifies as Yozi Venom, the most dangerous and rare poison in Creation. Harvester and Romael are seated at the banquet with Half-Khan Faisal and other Half-Khans, as well as Full-Khan Parthik Asadhi, The Sultans younger brother, and Supreme Commander of Nod's military. Romael and Half-Khan Faisal continue their budding friendship, and Faisal points out Priya Asadhi, The Sultans younger sister and The Minister of Trade. Faisal suggests Priya has long held a grudge against her brother, The Sultan, and may be a leak of information against him. Maiden and Veil are seated with Prince Ali Asadhi, The Sultan's oldest son; Aanya Asadhi, The Royal Astrologer and Sultans cousin; as well as other nobles. Veil strikes up a conversation with Aanya and receives a personal invite to visit The Royal Observatory with her.

Cetus and Sour enter the banquet in their "disguises" and immediately draw attention, when Sour recognizes Veil and approaches her table the fake gem hidden in his thong falls to the floor and the guards are called to remove him, causing chaos to erupt as he attempts to escape. Harvester approaches Cetus and gives him his fake gem and makes a quick agreement for them to work together to steal one of the real gems. Harvester chases Sour to create a further distraction, while Cetus approaches Full-Khan Parthik whom Harvester had identified as a mark to steal the gem from. Cetus successfully steals the gem and replaces it with the fake, though this draws enough attention that the Full-Khan has Cetus removed from the banquet, which Cetus allows as he has already acquired the gem.

Prince Ali, Harvester, and the guards restrain Sour and take him into a back room to question him along with Veil and Aanya. Veil steals Sour's memories with sorcery while they question him and Harvester helps fill in the gaps with his own intel on Vikram's scheme to steal one of the Royal Gems. Harvester explains his intention was not to steal a gem, but to get closer to Vikram to root out the evil forces infiltrating Nod and Prince Ali agrees to cooperate with him. Meanwhile Aanya is hesitant to attempt to jail Sour long term, and agrees to release Sour into Harvester's custody. Prince Ali tells Harvester about The Sudden Raven Pub, where Harvester can drop intel to communicate with Prince Ali through back channels.

Meanwhile, Maiden receives a warning from his manse that a powerful Hearthstone with the ability to open a gate to Malfeas (hell) has been stolen from the palace. Maiden quickly puts together that Cetus has just left the banquet and bullies Romael into joining her on her hunt to track down Cetus. Maiden and Romael track down Cetus, and when Maiden demands he return the gem The Rangor Brothers together convince her to allow them to use it to uncover Vikram the Serpent.

Through use of Veil's sorcery to create a simulacrum of herself to create a believable distraction, Sour and Harvester are able to make a daring and disruptive escape from the banquet. While Aanya and Veil go to the Royal Observatory and view Sour's memory, uncovering The Next Best Beaver Inn and Nikita's role which Aanya asks Veil to look in to further.

Summary Through Session 10 10/27/22