Molly’s Hinge Date

Year, Season, Month, Days: 5990 F.Y. Frinle, Novulu 4

The Duke welcomed the party to meet him at the castle as he leaped into the sky and flew towards his palace, seemingly unperturbed by the potential threat the party could pose.

The party found that the path was barely cleared of bodies, damage, nor even weapons and armor. Taking advantage, the party collected coins and a pair of gauntlets engraved with a handful of weapons and, shockingly, Gauntlets of the Weaponmaster. The party advanced, and Molly became entranced by the craftsmanship and balance of the hinges on the large doors to the castle.

The Duke was sitting on a throne watching Molly admire the doors, their large wings resting on pillows on either side, the feathers of their wings rustling like leaves as they moved. They were able to identify them as a Ghoran with wings, but the bark was thick and flaking off, sap-like tears flowed and hardened, flaking off later like amber or dried sap would.

Convinced Marasennah was behind the assassinations, the party discovered fighting assassination attempts appeared to be the Duke’s hobby. The party went with the tactic of a midlife crisis as he was bored and should overthrow Marasennah “to see what happens.” He agreed after sitting and thinking for a very long time. Molly’s bluff about defeating the army was called, and the duo decided not to fight a losing battle.

Duke Malean Yrit asked Molly to carry a ceramic crock that they would never open that was important to him. Molly agreed to the terms and took the jar. The party was advised that the person in charge wasn’t who they suspected, or potentially someone they hadn’t met.

Felicity was informed she could bring herself to greatness by sheer will alone; she didn’t need anyone or anything else to do it. She just hadn’t done it yet. She was also told that Reynaldo had taken the title of Captain Redclaw, who was not her first mate but another of her crew.

Molly was given a cryptic recipe for the grease used on the hinges written in many languages. Reluctantly, the party made their way to Ravenrock Tower for their guided tour. The city was shockingly beautiful. More money was spent on the metal in the stone path than the party had ever seen. Immaculate beyond belief, it continued to improve as the party drew closer to the tower.

The party was avoided, and the people of the city seemed shocked when the duo attempted to speak to them. One woman came up and spoke to them, warning them of drawing more attention than necessary. She covered her warning by slapping Molly across the face twice.

Molly gave one of the deepest bows she was capable of, and one of the guards attempted to dismiss them while insulting Felicity’s hat, calling it “kitschy.” Felicity seethed until Grand Vizier Drago appeared and greeted them, having heard one of the guards was rude. Drago offered to stake him, Felicity took the offer, and there was a blur as the vampire collapsed and started to burn away; Drago walked over, clicked his heels so a blade burst from the sole on the heel of his shoe, and he decapitated the body for good measure.

The party entered the tower and witnessed the intricately carved stones, almost akin to detailed scrimshaw, after commenting, Molly was given a spare carved tile.

A woman in an obnoxiously large dress smelling of roses and melons covered in diamonds, after assuming she was the monarch, she corrected them to say she was Lady Tamara or “Tammy,” she claimed to be Marasennah‘s best friend and to have it specifically recorded. She moved around as if through dancing and asked to view the party in a spin.

Drago made it clear he did not like that woman before inviting the party to meet Marasennah. He took them into the throne room, a grand rotunda with a massively-backed throne. The back showing a history of vampire society, including Marasennah‘s overthrow of the previous monarchy, although an unfinished section was left for the anniversary of her rule.

On the throne sat a beautiful woman with elven features, dark skin highlighted with gold on the cheeks and around her eyes, with a large red gemstone in her chest surrounded by intricate metal filigree.

Sipping a glass of blood, she invited The Poisoned Claw to sit and speak with her regarding her Kingdom, the party was given glasses of blood as they sat, informing them it was “not a suggestion.” Further, she asked why the party toured the mutinous parts of her kingdom and who could potentially be plotting to overthrow her. The party attempted to disarm her question by taking every vampire they met and giving a counter-argument, but Marasennah needled until she pried a name from the party that could have the intent to overthrow her, the party threw out the name Duchess Etnas Xing, the second-richest kingdom as one of the only ones capable of doing so with her resources.

Marasennah told the party she would do some investigating and offered to let the party stay in the tower, have access to the library, and also be around if further questions arose. The party, as much as they wanted to decline, agreed to stay, although they had individuals to care about if they were to stay longer than a week. Marasennah agreed.