Adventure Summaries Session 77

The adventurers go to stay at Broughton Hall with Duke Roland, while Wesley and Armand go to stay with Baroness Orlamond and Sir Beatrice goes to stay elsewhere. Theresa checks with Hermione if she wants to go and stay with Wesley and his family instead of with the other adventurers, but Hermione is still waiting for Wesley to apologise. It is pointed out to Hermione that Wesley is not the most observant of men in matters that aren't related to rocks, and Feodora offers to get her a rock so she can hit him in the face with it to get his attention.

The adventurers are welcomed to Broughton Hall and introduced by the Duke to Princess Cecile, their host. Princess Cecile is the Duke's second cousin and was the Queen's second cousin as well. She seems well briefed about each of them, and accustomed to hosting foreign dignitaries. Princess Cecile claims to have no ambition to become the next Queen of Kevland because the kingdom is a powder-keg waiting to explode. The Queen refused her permission to marry while she was alive, and Princess Cecile is waiting to find out if the next King is unmarried and wants to marry her to secure her claim to the throne.

The adventurers discuss how they will spend the next five days waiting for the royal council at the end of the month. Princess Cecile warns them to travel through the city incognito or in force, in case they are attacked by the soldiers of a rival faction. Zeno plans to tend to the sick and improverished, while Theresa plans to spend as much time as possible with Duke Roland. Theresa persuades Sijam to stay near the Duke in case he's poisoned. Zeno and Martina discuss how to approach the Company of Elea, and Zeno decides to take the news of his decision in Malgwyn to the Company directly.

Martina goes with Zeno to the cathedral for the day as planned. Hermione receives a messenger from Baroness Orlamond with an invitation to visit, and is accompanied by Theresa and Imilia, who spend time with Francisca at book club while Hermione meets with Irene to discuss Wesley's plans for them to marry. Irene shares that Harley and Marlow have both agreed that Wesley can marry before them, and Hermione agrees that she wants to marry Wesley. Hermione is perturbed by Irene's matter of fact assertion that Wesley and Hermione would live at Orlamond Manor after their marriage, but doesn't argue the point. Irene questions Hermione at length about her father before ending the meeting. Hermione joins the others at book club, and all three take books back to Broughton Hall to read before their next meeting.

While the others are out, Sijam stays with Duke Roland and answers his questions about the Prince of Moneghetti and the lands of the north.

Before returning to Broughton Hall, Zeno and Martina visit the Company of Elea. They are welcomed warmly by Renaldo of Elea, and discover that Ardalion of Elea is also in Asti. Ardalion updates Martina about her estate while Zeno talks with Renaldo about events in Malgwyn. Renaldo seems sympathetic and encourages Zeno to consider encouraging refugees to resettle in the less sparsely populated regions of Vestad. Ardalion invites himself to go with Zeno and Martina and stay at Broughton Hall, where he is politely welcomed by Princess Cecile.

Feodora returns from spending the day exploring the city of Asti on her own with a rock for Hermione, and tells the others that Princess Cecile's warnings of violence in the streets seem to be greatly exaggerated.

Zeno goes to the cathedral for the day, while Martina stays at Broughton Hall with the others, including Ardalion.

Hermione frets about being expected to settle down at Orlamond Manor with Wesley, and shares that she expected Wesley would want to continue to travel and study magic rocks. Zeno: "If he was king, he could have any number of rocks brought to him." Theresa points out that Wesley and Hermione would be expected to have children, and checks if Hermione is already pregnant. Theresa: "If you need your womb blighted, I know people who can help." Martina asks why Harley and Marlow aren't planning to marry, but nobody knows why.

Zeno goes to the cathedral for the day. Hermione loses patience waiting for Wesley to make contact with her, and sends a messenger with an invitation for him to visit Broughton Hall. Wesley does so, accompanied by Camden, Francisca (who is keen to catch up with Theresa and Imilia) and Preston (who is keen to catch up with Sijam). Hermione talks with Wesley about where they would live, and clarifies that Wesley felt that he "lived" at Orlamond Manor during the four years they travelled together, and expects they would still travel as needed for his research. Wesley sounds Hermione out about the possibility of Luxian asking Master Federigo to take them to Vestad for the first day of Hay-Month so he can observe Lady Tasha standing on the Kingstone of the Eadgils, and Hermione promises to sounds Luxian out about the possibility.

Feodora interrupts their meeting by knocking on the door and telling Hermione she's brought her the rock in case she needs it. Wesley is easily distracted into explaining how kingstones are different to Feodora's much smaller rock. With the conversation thoroughly derailed, Hermione doesn't attempt to return to the question of their relationship.

Zeno sends a messenger to Lady Ostara Hurste inviting her to visit, but the messenger returns with her regretful response that she is unable to see Zeno before the royal council because her liege, Baron Renford, will not give her permission to do so.

Sijam asks Duke Roland for advice about Feodora's circumstances as a youth with no obvious prospects or plans for her future. Sijam also gives Duke Roland a sealed letter for him to take back to Teran and deliver to one of the students Sijam met at the University of Merin.

The adventurers accompany Princess Cecile and Duke Roland to the New Royal Palace for the royal council. The great hall has two rows of benches along the side walls and a large open space between them and the dias at the far end where the crown is sitting on a cushion on the royal throne. The adventurers recognise many of the nobles present, including Clarence the Lord Marshall, Baron Sherbrooke, Baroness Orlamond and her sons, Count Terence Dorion and Princess Rowena.

Zeno sees Lady Ostara arrive with Baron Renfeld. Feodora glares at Gebhard when she sees him with Lady Ostara. Zeno and Lady Ostara wave at each other, but Zeno is taken aside by Sir Beatrice, who excitedly introduces him to Brother Peregrinus of Amalfi, the former Master of the Order of the Rose. Brother Bretwald of Amalfi is also there, and quietly checks with Zeno if Theresa still has "the relic" she was carrying with her when they last travelled together.

Sir Melrose seeks out Sijam to ask how he's been and to jokingly check that he's still not a spy for the Prince of Moneghetti, then returns to his liege, Baroness Sommer. Corwyn Silverfinder recognises the sound of the silver earrings he gifted to Theresa, and is delighted to learn how much she's risen in the world since they last met. Corwyn is one of seven dwarves who are attending as envoys from Dorrain, ready to renegotiate and affirm the long-standing trading agreement between Kevland and Dorrain with the new King or Queen. He helpfully points out to Theresa the ambassador from Ranimia, Dux Glykas Kamateros.

Sijam notices Brother Harlow of Lorinne mingling on the edges of the crowd. Suspicious that perhaps Brother Harlow was the Prince's spy, Sijam tries to catch up with him, but loses track of his location. Lord Thomas Steward, son of Thomas the Lord Steward, introduces himself to Sijam, who introduces him in turn to Theresa and the others.

Zeno rejoins the others to tell them about Bretwald and Peregrinus. Sijam mentions Brother Harlow, but before they can do more to investigate, Thomas the Lord Steward raps the butt of his broken staff of office on the ground to start the royal council.

Bishop Eleanor reminds everyone that the Queen left it to the True God to choose her heir, and the Lord Steward declares that all Kevs of noble birth have assembed to see who God has chosen. Baroness Sommer disputes this claim, pointing out there are many nobles still in exile who were not permitted to return, but the Lord Steward refuses to consider allowing those who were exiled for rebelling against the lawful king to return unless nobody present can lift the crown.

Count Terence Dorion is give the first opportunity to lift his dead wife's crown, but is unable to do so and returns to where he was standing, near but not next to Princess Rowena. Thomas the Lord Steward and Eleanor the Lady Chamberlain have a clearly rehearsed "debate" about who should next be allowed to try to lift the crown, which ends with the Lord Steward declaring the order should be determined by how closely related to the dead Queen each person is. Nobody objects when Princess Cecile tries and (to her great relief) fails to lift the crown, but Baron Sherbrooke expresses concern that Duke Roland, a foreign noble, should be allowed to try ahead of so many Kevish nobles. Theresa speaks up in defence of Roland's right to try, in accordance with the Lord Steward's previous statement. The Lord Steward affirms Duke Roland should be next.

Roland lifts the crown from the cushion. Bishop Eleanor takes it from his trembling hands, places it on his head, and announces, "Behold your King." The Lord Steward raps his broken staff on the floor, declares "God save the King!" and leads the assembled nobles of Kevland in repeating the acclamation three times.