Session 8 - October 27 - October 29 5002AD

Brother Godfrey woke from an awful nightmare and washed his face, checking in the mirror for signs that he had actually eaten broken glass. He ambled into the kitchens and found some strong coffee. He needed to take immediate action to deal with this thing in his head before something really dangerous happened. He returned to his quarters and squawked his brother to set things into motion

Alden had been awake trying to puzzle out two assassination plots and worrying about his brother. When the call came over his squawker to meet his brother for an early lunch he didn't hesitate, crossing town to find Brother Godfrey anxiously waiting. As they walked out of the Cathedral and out of earshot of the other priests Godfrey didn't explain what had happened but told Alden that he must get out to the Pharm and talk to the engineers. Alden quickly figured out what his brother was after and didn't see any reason to wait so he walked back to his Autowagon with his brother, they packed a light lunch and they drove off without hesitation.

The drive out to the Pharm was beautiful in the Autumn afternoon. On the road the conversation turned heavy as Alden began to question the wisdom of turning Emily over to the church, questioning Brother Godfrey on how it benefit a girl that he has taken responsibility for. His questioning was ultimately shut down with Godfrey told him it would give her her best chance at a life that didn't end with the flare of a flamegun. Godfrey had a rough idea of the location of the old sanitarium but neither Alden or he had ever been there. With some luck they found the turn-off and drove up into the hills on a rugged dirt road. As they entered a picturesque clearing they could see the old Rukovich castle, a huge sprawling walled manor on a sun-drenched field. Over the tops of the stone walls the brothers could see large plastic domes set up on the castle grounds. They approached the gates, curtained by sheets of black plastic tattered by the wind with no signs of life anywhere in the silent castle.

They began to debate what to do next as they parked at the gates when Godfrey noticed a tiny metallic ball roll under the gates towards their autowagon. As he moved to look there was a brilliant flash of light and a man was standing beside the autowagon "Welcome to Ruchovich Manor, I'm afraid the hospital is closed. Do you need directions to the nearest health care facility?" Both brothers were startled, Alden actually screaming "ghost!" before he caught his nerve. Brother Godfrey reached out to calm his brother "No.. I think it's a projection, like a magic lantern show..". Godfrey raised his voice and spoke to the illusionary man "I need to speak someone inside". The image flickered briefly and spoke once more "Welcome to Ruchovich Manor, I'm afraid our hospital is closed. Do you need directions to the nearest health care facility?". Alden smirked "He's not real, It's some sort of creepy high-tech message..". Suddenly the man vanished and the ball began to roll away back to the gates and Alden sprung out of the Autowagon to chase it snatching at it before catching it just as it rolled through the gates. He picked it up and began to examine the device "Is anyone listening?" just as it blared to life momentarily blinding him and leaving an illusionary man standing sideways on his clenched fist. The hologram looked around and waved his hand "Put the ball down before you damage it!". Irritated but seeing reason in the ball-man's words, Alden set the silver ball on the ground, leaving the illusion man swaying as the ball found it's balance one more "This facility is not open to the public, we have no services available.." Brother Godfrey stepped forward "I need to speak to someone about cybernetics". The Ball-man stubbornly persisted "Then you'll want to talk to someone in the city, we're a farm, we do not install or maintain cybernetics here." Then he turned to the side, speaking to someone not being projected "I don't know two men.. men.. One is a priest I believe the other is.. armored.." Brother Godfrey interrupted him once more "Look I know your wife is cybernetically enhanced there must be/". "I don't have a wife" snipped the ball-man. "Someone's wife.." Godfrey patiently continued "I must speak to someone about cybernetics.. this is a matter of life and death.." The Ball-man adopted a grim expression "One moment please..." and then he flashed out of existence, his little silver ball rolling under the gates without warning.

The gates unlocked and they were pulled open by a tall woman wrapped in a tight metallic blue dress printed with the symbol for the Engineers, her head was wrapped in an expensive scarf and her eyes hidden behind a pair of smoked spectacles "Welcome to Rukovich Manor, how can the Supreme Order of Engeineers assist you today?" Brother Godfrey stepped forward "Someone has installed cyberware in me and I need to know if it's dangerous or not.." The mysterious woman examined both Godfrey and his brother Alden before asking "Is it a bomb?" Neither of them had contemplated the possibility that Brother Godfrey's head might explode. Godfrey spoke hesitantly "I don't believe it's a bomb, I don't think they would see value in that.." The nameless woman pursed her lips thoughtfully "Who were they that put this in you?" Brother Godfrey was desperate he knew this was his only salvation he hung his head "A group of cultists who called themselves the House of Lights, in the Forbidden Area in Elibyrge.." The woman smiled at Godfrey's refreshing honesty and nodded gesturing them into the manor grounds with a sweep of her hand. As she lead them across the grounds to the manor's doors the brothers could see people moving within the foggy plastic domes and high-tech machinery working throughout the grounds. They had no sense of what was being done here but it didn't look like any farm they had known.

Inside the manor things weren't any less strange. The furnishing were more at home but not quite right. There was a dressing table being used as an end table and mismatched furniture everywhere. It wasn't quite chaotic or ugly just disjointed as if someone who had never been inside of a noble's home tried their best to make the hall look noble-esque. The woman removed her scarf to show the machanical workings that supported her head and the transparent plate that showed the think-machine inside. She brought a tray with a wine decanter full of water and bar glasses, setting it on a low table between the couches before asking "Can you tell me more about how you came to have this device installed?" Brother Godfrey began to expound on the automaton Physiks and the procedure room of doom bringing a sad frown to her face "That's a shame, I would hope we could recover some of that technology.. I'd like to perform some metric analysis on you, it's very safe.." she withdrew a multi-scanner and a number of other tools from a nearby drawer and began performing a diagnostic "Could you tell me what you're perceiving of this device? do you hear voices or see projections on your eyes?" Brother Godfrey was too embarrassed to tell her about his hallucinations or dreams but he related what he could until he noticed her backing away from him with a startled look at the device she was using "Is something amiss?". She pursed her lips and locked eyes with Godfrey "Do you know what a micro-machien is?" Godfrey raised his brows "My Latin is rusty but, it's a small machine?" The Engineer woman nodded "It's a very small machine, smaller than the eye can see and you're infested with them.." Godfrey choked and his brother scooted away from him on the couch "Are they dangerous, what do they do?" The woman shrugged, glancing at the display of her scanner "In your case not a great deal. I suspect that perhaps whatever you were injected with had deteriorated to the point of being ineffectiveness." Godfrey leans in a bit closer "Well can we remove them? Some sort of mechanical ointment or injection?" The cyberneticist shook her head gently "They could be removed but the process would likely be much more harmful than the Micro Machien infection. No I'd say unless you develop a health problem that you simply learn to live with them." Godfrey wasn't comforted by knowing more about his affliction but politely thanked the mechanical woman.

After they were shown back to the gates of the Pharm Alden and Godfrey discussed what's to be done next. Alden suggested a pleasant afternoon in the countryside or a visit to his order's manse but Brother Godfrey was distracted. He had caught sight of a figure in blue robes far down the walls of the manor watching them. From a distance the figure didn't look like an Engineer but while deciding what to do about them the figure ran around the corner of the wall and disappeared. Alden didn't like the taste that the Engineer's Pharm had left on his tongue so I persuaded his brother to visit the Order House as a palate cleanser.

Another hour on the pleasant country roads found the brothers at the Manor House of the Order of the Blue Glove. Alden was greeted at the door by one of the Lord Marshal's house staff and was told that Master Henning and Sirs Altier and Hulsey were on the South Lawn engaged in archery. The Householder invited Brother Godfrey to wait in the study while Alden want out onto the green to join is fellow knights for a few rounds of archery and a glass of cognac. Lord Henning had just purchase a new bow and he was a bit sour at it's accuracy, his fellow knights teasing him about his displeasure. While shooting a few flights with the boys Alden got some faint praise for opening the house in Sokol city to the order and he learned that there have been reports of a military build-up in Sekbridge. Lord Henning wanted a confirmation of the rumors but getting caught on Decados Lands would only stand to escalate tensions. After a shameful display of his poor archery skills Alden excused himself but Henning insisted that he had a chore for Alden. The Order Master took Alden into his private study and produced a small wrapped gift "There's a small bar not far from your new house called The Big One, could you see this is delivered straight to the owner?". Alden naturally agreed.

Brother Godfrey and Alden drove back to the run-down garage that was increasingly referred to as The Clubhouse. As they approached Brother Godfrey spotted a figure up on the roof of a nearby building but dismissed it as the strange industry of the waterfront. Godfrey thanked his brother for the ride and began to walk back across town to the Cathedral. He spotted a group of Hironem near one of the bridges back into the Hub but they seemed a bit antagonistic so he moved along on his way.

Alden locked up the doors of the garage and set out with his package in hand to find the bar, moving towards a band of six Hironem he asked "Do you gentlemen know the way to The Big one?" The largest of the group, a powerful hironem wearing brass-etched armor, smiled at him "I've got your big one right here Lord Poisoner" as he produced a warhammer with propulsion jets on it. The others pulled out weighted chains, crossbows and a pistol, looking pretty confident in themselves. Alden raised a hand politely "If you would, just let me set this down first.." walking over and resting his package on a stack of barrels along the wharf and drawing his broadsword and standing respendant in his armor and cocky grin "Now who will be served first?"

The Hironem with the crossbows threw smoke grenades onto the bridge and into the street behind them to block off line of sight. Alden faced off against the Hironem with the rocket-hammer, narrowly avoiding the first strike and his armor being badly scarred by the second. Quickly he learned the intention of the thugs with the weighted Kusari chains as one of them entangled his sword arm and the other attempted to tangle his leg. The crossbowmen took their best shots but their bolts couldn't puncture ceramsteel with their cheap quarrels. The Hironem with the flintlock pistol didn't even try a shot. Alden couldn't disentangle himself and fight the big NLO thug with that roaring warhammer. He drew his heavy revolver off-handed and began taking shots at the Hironem, crippling one of the arms of the thug with the hammer. Just as the second chain thug entangled his leg there was a roaring boom as an explosion went off in the crowd of Hironem thugs then a pair of shotgun blasts heralded Private Uzilo walking out of the smoke that had swamped the bridge. Uzilo had dispatched one of the Chain thugs that was trying to pull Alden down and Alden charged the other knocking him down. Alden heard another explosion from behind him as Uzilo threatened the injured Hironem with the rocket-hammer using a lit blasting rod and then tossed it after him as he ran. In seconds the fight was over and the Hironem that weren't dead or injured were fleeing. Alden was in the process of wrapping up the Hironem he'd just defeated with his own Kusari chain when Uzilo shook him and urged him to get off the streets before the authorities showed up. Alden was worried about his brother so he sent Uzilo to fetch him in the autowagon while he secured the prisoner in his garage.

Brother Godfrey was beginning to question turning back towards the waterfront as he heard explosions ring out. While he was weighing the risk of ending up in someone else's fight, his squawker crackled to life with his brother telling him Uzilo was en-route and he needed a writing kit and seconds later he saw Uziolo's driving up the street in his brother's Autowagon. As they returned together to the garage they found the street crowded by Decados investigators wrapping up bodies on the street. They were stopped and questioned and Brother Godfrey struggled with his sense of honesty to avoid questions. Eventually he simply declared that he hadn't been in the neighborhood, when whatever happened happened, and didn't have any information.

Back at Alden's clubhouse Brother Godfrey unpacked his writing kit for Alden to use and they interrogated the Hironem captive with Uzilo's help. They didn't have much luck getting information out of the Hironem captive who wouldn't admit to being in the NLO despite wearing their colors on his armband. Alden wrote a letter to their leader telling them that they were being misled and he wanted a dialog with their leadership. If they were interested they could leave a note at a drop-point under the bridge East of the County Castle. He gave the captive the note and sent him off into the streets where he was almost instantly chased by Decados Militia men.

The sun hadn't quite set and the three of them weren't especially tired so Alden suggested they walk down to The Big One where he'd be doing some business with his order. Uzilo lead them through the narrow alleys of the waterfront to a small round building in the fisherman's market. The old wooden bar was filled with rough company packed shoulder-to shoulder and even drinking outside on plank benches. Alden talked to the bartender, letting them know that he had a package for the owner and the bartender called for Maddie May, an enormous woman with red weathered features and a jolly nature. She waddled out of her tiny office and eyed Alden "Blue Gloves... are you dropping off or picking up?". Alden was caught off guard by the question, he disliked too much thought about what he was delivering and never imagined it might be part of an exchange "Dropping off I think..". The huge woman laughed at him and waved him into her tiny office where he took care of his simple errand in private, resisting the urge to interrogate her for  more.

Brother Godfrey, sensing a fortuitous encounter with the common man pulled out a stack of firebirds and bought beers for the 45 men in the bar, grabbing a pair for him and Uzilo and finding a seat out on the docks where he talked theology with some of the drunk fisherman and finally got to trot out the story of Hombor's redemption from alcoholism where the prophet explained that "Sobriety is like a home on the far side of a formidable mountain, it is a journey that no man could hope to make that becomes more possible with each step of the climb." Eventually Alden's unsavory errand was done and he shared a beer with his brother before they made their way home in the dark of night, walking Alden back to Hildi's first then Uzilo seeing Godfrey back to the Cathedral safely.

Alden woke late in the morning with the taste of rough beer in his mouth and Maid Ava rapping at his door to let him know there was a paige from the Baroness's estate to call on him. Alden received the paige who handed him a sealed letter and awaited his response. It was an invitation to lunch with Lord Lucaas Hendle Van Gelder, his uncle and the legendary finance minister of Irkuz. He wrote a short note in response accepting the invitation and set about proper dress before going to meet Lucaas at the Salon.

Brother Godfrey woke up feeling great after a late night drinking on the docks. He got some breakfast and chased down the Deacon Bryant to try to go over more specifics of the tourney events. He managed to take tea with the kitchen master to sketch out plans for the feast, and met with a local seamstress to find out what would be involved in having banners made that depict the many trials of Lexitus.

Alden arrived at the Salon to find a few VanGelder knights drinking in the lobby and the bartender told him his party was upstairs in the 'moonlight" suite, an expensive private suite of some renown among his brothers. Alden climbed the stairs to find Lucaas Hendle VanGelder waiting alone in the opulently decorative room, already digging into a fantastic looking meal. As Alden came in the Lord of Finance turned on a high tech device on the table that hummed softly and went right into the ugly part of the meeting. It seems that Lucaas had arranged to kidnap the sister of a Muster Sgt named Hayes as part of an effort to strong-arm the Muster into more favorable contract negotiations with the port but two days ago the Muster shut down the Port of  Sokol in protest of tax policy. Now the Muster Slavers who Lord Lucaas hired have cut off communication and there are rumors that Sgt Hayes has received a ransom. Lord Lucaas now needs his nephew the knight so sorted out the House of Lights fiasco to bring home miss Kimberly Hayes safely. Lord Lucaas knew that the slaver boss was a Muster Woman called "Breakman" and she had at least two subordinates. They were hiding their captive in the ruins of an old observatory up by the border of Harden Peak and he gave Alden directions to get there Alden was as outraged as he was permitted that his fellow nobles would engage in this sort of business but it was clear what was expected of him. He told Lord Lucaas that it would be done and he marched out of the meeting back to the townhouse.

Brother Godfrey stopped by his cousin's townhouse while he was out and about to check in on his brother and found him arming up and laying out his weapons angrily. He calmed Alden down enough to get an explanation out of him and plaintively argued the wisdom of bringing more people. He suggested they both go and try to bring Uzilo along with them. Brother Godfrey was reluctant to entangle his brother after getting him infected with a Nano Cloud but he knew bringing Uzilo along with make a huge difference and realized that Uzilo hand become fast friends with his brother and would more likely agree if Godfrey was coming with them. As the brothers were conspiring sister Chelsea Hendle VanGelder arrived to check on her knightly brother only to find him gearing up for a fight. She tried to explain that this was a poor idea and diplomacy would be the safest route but Alden, still furious with his own house for this mess, berated her, explaining that he was a knight and Chelsea needed to stick to her lane.

They drove their Autowagon out to the rundown farmhouses that ringed the outer city. After asking around about the Muster Hironem they were directed to a large barn at the edge of the fields where they found Uzilo with apron and mask, mixing chemicals in a large tub. He agreed to go along just as soon as his batch finished setting, grabbed his gear and piled into the autowagon. On the way Uzilo explained the complexity of having him oppose other Muster, that he could act as an official intermediary but if he interferes with their contract work he could face fines or censure from his Guild up to and including being de-vested by his guild, however if they were not working as part of a formal contract they were just like anyone else. They drove much more quickly with Uzilo behind the wheel, reaching the outer area of the observatory in just a few hours.

The observatory was surrounded by a rounded curving wall that surrounded the observatory tower like a bowl. Once they found an entrance through the wall they found that the interior was filled with thickets of lush leafy trees that surrounded the decrepit old tower at the center. They found a raised conduit and followed it through the woods to the base of the tower. As they stepped up onto it's dais they heard a woman's voice booming from the tower "That's about as close as you need to come, what you want!" They searched the area but couldn't spot any sign of them. Alden spoke up "We've come to talk about the Muster's Sister. Or do the other thing if that's the only choice we have..". The voice inside the broken tower laughed and a rope ladder dropped from the gap of a missing all panel before a muscular woman in Muster livery climbed out of the dark to the ground. She walked closer "I'm Breakman.. You're in my man's crosshairs.. if you try anything funny you're going to be buried here.." Brother Godfrey began casting the Shield Rite but his concentration waned with the fear that he would be shot and the Rite failed. Alden squared up against the Muster and explained that she was going to turn the kidnapped woman over to him in exchange for clemency. Breakman smirked and just turned around to walk back to the rope ladder. She was going to make some glib comment about Alden being inexperienced or moon-brained when Alden shoved past her in ceramsteel plate and jogged at the rope ladder as fast as he could in full plate. There was a single gunshot that rang from the shadows of the tower above and Alden went down on the dais with a  spray of blood from his helmet. Sgt Breakman just looked down at the downed VanGelder knight and shook her head "Tell your boss the price is now 2000 Firebirds.." and she wordlessly climbed the ladder as Uzilo and Brother Godfrey rushed to check on Alden.

Brother Godfrey did his best to perform first aid on Alden but as they pulled his helmet off they could see that the shot had penetrated his skull, leaving him barely alive. They did what they could to stabilize him and dragged him back to the autowagon on a makeshift stretcher, carefully loaded him into the back and Uzilo drove back to Sokol City like a madman while Alden cradled his brother in the cargo bed. While they were still driving The Causeway Alden's heart stopped and Godfrey performed resuscitative procedures on him to bring him back to life.

They dragged Alden into Doctor Sarkinsen's offices and after some argument about bringing a dying night into his clinic the old physik set about pumping Alden full of enough Elixir to get him breathing once more. As they waited Chelsea ran in to find her brother and Uzilo waiting on news of the surgery. She seemed almost more angry than frightened, silently waiting beside them for news. Dr. Sarkinsen emerged after several hours of surgery and explained that the shot to Alden's head was remarkably close to fatal and likely would have killed him if it weren't for his helmet. Alden would need bed rest, fluids and pain medication. As they carried a bleary bandaged Alden from the Physic's office Chelsea took charge and explained that they would be taking her wounded brother back to his family home in Molovko. Alden protested that he needed to meet with his Order Marshall to tell him about the Slavers in the old observatory, however once he passed out in the back of the autowagon Chelsea drove right past the road to the manor house, taking her brothers and Uzilo to Hendleridge.

Session 7 - October 24 - October 27 5002AD

Alden kept his Shotgun aimed at the elderly Illuminatus Mata but continued to yell for his brother with no response. He backed the old man into a corner until he raised his hands in surrender and sat on the floor "Please, violence serves no purpose now, soon your brother will return and hopefully he will help you see reason here..". Alden wanted dearly to splatter the man's head across the decaying Second Republic tower interior they were trapped in but his code of honor wouldn't permit it. He told the elder to stay put and he backed down the narrow hallway at the back of the reception room to the narrow staircase his brother vanished down, finding it sealed by a high tech metallic door. He hammered the door angrily with repeated kicks of his durasteel soleret and his Gentech enhanced striking muscles. The door seemed to give but not buckle, so lacking any other option he begins to beat at the doors of the old tower in with kicks.

Down below Brother Godfrey and Uzilo were confronted by the horrors of the Second's Republic's Hubris as three Automatons walked towards them, two of them badly worn, wires loose and parts removed replaced with plaster and tin clicking and barking through defective speakers as they raised their hands towards the pair. The third remained back, taller and more regal looking with a right hand that resembled a large blue plastic claw. It spoke in a soothing feminine voice "Please have a seat, we'll begin your procedure shortly..". Uzilo shot one of the subordinate golems in the chest with both barrels of his shotgun and began to reload as it lumbered forward and grappled his weapon. Godfrey drew his Mitchau Protector but realized it was unloaded and he staggered backwards out of the room, unsure what else he could do. As Uzilo struggled to take control of his gun and the other golems advanced on the helpless priest he lashed out with a clumsy kick and tumbled to the floor. The old beaten automaton grasped Brother Godfrey's ankles and began to drag in back into the procedure room towards the chair.

The feminine golem gestured gracefully at the sturdy looking chair as Godfrey was dragged fighting towards it "Please sit down, this will only take a moment, you won't feel a thing..". "I don't consent to this procedure!" Wailed Godfrey. "Fight" Shouted Uzilo. As Godfrey was dragged flailing to the chair and firmly shoved into it's rotten cushions the Machine Matron leaned over him "Are you experiencing distress?", her head briefly pulsing in a halo of blue light. Godfrey struggled against the golem pinning him to the chair and the matron automaton walked out of sight behind the chair and he felt that claw close around his neck from behind. Uzilo changed his grip on the shotgun tactfully, tricking the golem to adjust it's hold, he rotated the barrel into the machine's chest once more and fired another blast into it at point-blank range, knocking it to the floor. Brother Godfrey heard a hissing noise, felt an uncomfortable pressure in the back of his neck and a cold trickle of moisture drip down his back, Instantly he dreaded what had been done. Then suddenly the golems disengaged and walked calmly back to their cabinets leaving Godfrey and Uzilo panting from excretion.

Upstairs Alden was bashing the doors in when he herd the report of a gunshot. He began to frantically wrench the damaged doors open knocking them off their tracks and shoving them into the wall pockets until he could force his way down the stairs. He arrived to find both his brother and Uzilo exhausted from the fight. Godfrey was panicked about the procedure so he inspected his brothers neck and found no injury but a worrisome red mark on the skin. They gathered themselves and resumed wiring the building to explode. Godfrey began to feel ill and the back of his head itched as if insects were crawling in his hair. Alden carried him upstairs to get hims some air and found Illuminatus Mata standing in front of the door "I know your intent is to destroy this beautiful building. I cannot condone that.. You may not leave until your friend removes the explosives he is planting. Please see reason..Brother Godfrey felt too nauseous to fight and Alden tried to reason with the old man but again could not bring himself to harm an unarmed man who had posed no threat to him. Uzilo hurried up the stairs to find out what was keeping Alden from coming back down to watch his back and found them trying to reason with the crazy hermit man and he began to beat Illuminatus Mata with his shotgun, shouting at him "Give us the keys! I will beat you to death! Let us out  you mad heretic or I will end you! Keys!". Illuminatus Mata quickly surrendered the keys.

Alden lead his brother out into the clean seaside air and rest him beside the ancient claw in the center of the campus. From the longhouse the rest of the cultists watched concerned but seemingly harmless. Alden returned below the tower with Uzilo and the keys this time to key the charges to destroy the structure. Uzilo gave him instructions to pull a pin and then run to safe distance. As Brother Godfrey laid in the shadow of the claws a flicker of light caught his eye and he looked up to see a map of the universe swirling slowly within the grip of the claws, beautiful lights swam across the surface of the tower and longhouse like fishes in a pond, there was no longer any doubt that he was infected with whatever the people in The House of Lights shared. Alden pulled his pin on cue and sprinted out of the structure before he realized Uzilo had not followed. (There was some amusing debate here that I was going to kill of Uzilo just like I killed off Jenny Sparks since neither player had purchased him as an ally. I explained that Jenny had died from a randomly placed shot with a critical hit.) Alden waned too close to the tower waiting, debating running back down to try to save the alien, debating his duty to their new conspirator, when Uzilo came charging out of the darkness at the bottom of the stairs shouting "Move! Move! Move!" they races out of the tower until they felt the ground shudder under their feet in a series of rumbling explosions, the tower swayed, making sounds like snapping cables until it finally sloughed over and collapsed. As the tower fell the beautiful lights in Godfrey's eyes flickered and vanished, leaving only the decaying ruins that had stood there before. The Illuminatus looked angered but his voice seemed more sad "I think you'd best move on, I don't think the others will welcome you here now.." The three watched as the cultists struggled to understand the world without their link to The House of Lights.

Even though the sun was past it's zenith Alden and Godfrey decided to push through the wilderness back to their Autowagon. As the sun came down below the trees and the shadows grew long they heard the howls of the changed. By the time the had left the forests of the megalopolis the sun had set and they continued exhaused in the dark back to their autowagon, speculating on whether or not it had been stolen. As they drew closer they were excited to see a warm campfire next to their autowagon on the bridge but then they noticed a man with an assault rifle. Having created cast Emprean Light on a chunk of building to light their way they were certain they had been spotted so they just walked up to the campfire. They were greeted by an armed man with no livery and no sign of the hunters they left behind to watch their vehicle. Alden was high on indignance and armored like a tank but he realized that his brother was likely to exhausted to pull off a Theurgic Rite and Uzilo was in similar shape.
He scowled at the man as he spoke "Who are  you and what's your business here"
The man responded "I am Petor and that is Groggor and Tim ", gesturing into the darkness, "We are Posjednik. We thought this was our Autowagon but your friends told us you left it here and went into the forbidden area with many firebirds.. so now I think maybe half of what you brought back is ours instead."
"Ridiculous, you're a common criminal trying to rob us.."
"Your words are hurtful VanGelder, perhaps you would be more comfortable if we take this conversation to the Baron, he must be very curious what you are doing in his forbidden lands"
"We haven't come back with anything.. you're out of luck"
"I trust you won't mind if we search your things"
Alden shrugged and Petor looked through their packs one at a time, growing more irate at the absence of treasures, before snatching the brightly glowing chunk of debris from Brother Godfrey "You have glowing rock.. we'll take glowing rock.."
Brother Godfrey snickered realizing that shortly after the bandits parted ways the debris would begin to fade as the rite came to it's conclusion.
The Thug backed away from the group into the darkness until his cocky grin vanished. The brothers found the hunters they had left with their autowagon tied up in it's cargo bed, the drove them back to Riserton, put 5 more firebirds in each of their hands and told them that they had never met. As they drove away heading back to The Causway Uzilo began to nod off and almost drove them all into a ditch so they pulled over in the dark countryside and an exhausted Alden kept watch while the other two slept.

The following day Brother Godfrey was feeling better, they had a quick breakfast then got on The Causeway and followed it back to Irkuz. As they got off of the ramp into the city they found the city suffused with crowds and chaos as Beir Veirig had already begun. They found parking and walked into town. The brothers were suffused with a powerful nostalgia seeing Sokol City as they remembered it as children with the smell of sweet foods and people dancing happily in the streets. Alden parted ways to go fetch Emily and bring her out to the festival and Alden hurried through the crowds to the Cathedral to report the success of the mission.

At Cousin Hildi's townhouse Emily was excitedly watching events outside of the windows and Maid Ava was away from the home. Alden let Emily prepare him a bath and lay out his things, marveling at how quickly the simple girl had adapted to housework. He got himself ready and as Ava returned he told her to take the night off and enjoy the festival, dropping a few of his depleted firebirds in her hand. He had Emily dress in her finest and walked her out into the city full of buskers bandstands and beer. Alden encountered Baroness Eldana and her retinue in the crowds along with a contingent of his Bortherhood Knights. He checked that they were well and he passed Sir Ben the key to his carriage house and told him that the brothers could crash there for the night rather than paying for rooms in town.

Brother Godfrey returned to his quarters, checked his messages and went straight to the Sacrosanct of the Cathedral to speak with the Bishop. As he walked into the dark hallway under the cathedral he passed a Basque noble walking the opposite direction. Curious as he was about the Noble house that he and his brother found linked to the NLO he needed to report in. Surprisingly she was in her offices during the celebrations in the city and after a short wait he was shown in to see her. Bishop Asha stood on a pedestal being fitted for new robes by a tailor. The conversation was brief and to the point. She asked Godfrey if it was done and Godfrey assured her it was. She said that Godfrey's payment was simple to arrange and it was waiting in his accounts with the  Calderer but she wasn't sure how to pay his brother. Godfrey suggested that she should pay Alden's 100 FBs to his order. She explained that the mission wasn't a test, that those ruins represented a real spiritual threat that had to be dealt with, but that taking on that task proved to her the character of Godfrey's brother and she hopes to depend on the both of them in the future... and also this sort of work isn't really fit for an initiate of the cloth.. so there are papers of Cannonship being drafted for Godfrey after the festival. Godfrey left feeling excited about his advancement and headed into the festival to find his brother.

Alden had been wandering through the festivities with little Emily, stuffing her with sweets while he indulged in a fine wheat and fruit brew. He ran into Brother Godfrey at a sausage cart ordering a big sausage and pepper sandwich. They walked through the crowd enjoying the music and the added satisfaction of a mission accomplished. Godfrey related the Bishop's congratulations to his brother but Alden didn't want to talk about her while there were so many other pleasant distractions to be had. Suddenly there was a disturbance in a crowded square near the Count's pavilion. Alden pushed his way through the crowd just in time to see one of the Count's men toweling him down and one of his knights putting a heavy revolver shot into a Nobleman in Basque livery. As Brother Godfrey watched he caught sight of Emily's tendriling hair out of the corner of his eye and swept the girl into his cloak before anyone took notice of her. She spasmed and muttered within the fold of his cloak "She is not her, she is -not- her, she is Not Her... soo much blood..". Alden asked around the crowd as the Basque noble was carted away by militia men and the Count made a disarming joke about the dangers of excess drink. From what people said the man made some loud insults about promises and threw is beer at the Count and was shot for it. People seemed started but not surprised.

Brother Godfrey couldn't make sense of Emily's omens and the shooting made him feel much less safe so with people clearing the streets he took Emily back to Cousin Hildi's townhouse and left Alden to wander the streets seeking wrongs to right. Alden broke up a fight, and discouraged some roguish men from following a Van Gelder lady home and found a pair of stone-drunk VanGelder lesser nobles who he offered to let stay the night in his Cousin's townhouse, then he himself called it a night. Brother Godfrey made sure Emily was well after her episode and tucked her in before returning to the Cathedral for the night.

Returning home to the Cathedral Brother Godfrey heard a commotion in the Cathedral proper and as he stopped to listen he her gunshots and flashes of light through the tall stained glass windows. Without hesitation he charged towards the Cathedral doors and pushed past an initiate that tried to warn him away. Inside he found inquisitorial agents with their blaster rifles aimed at the floor and the pews badly damaged from gunfire, the smoldering remains of some animal lay scattered across the burnt floor. Nearby a group of inquisitors were huddled over something. As Godfrey drew near he saw the body of Inquisitor Barnes in a swelling pool of blood. Without thinking Godfrey pushed the other priests out of the way and fished through his travel bag for his first aid kid. He wasn't even sure if he was administering the Elixir correctly but as he pulled the autoinjector back he could see the stab wounds in his abdomen begin to close. He drew back as the cathedral chaplain arrived with a doctor's bag and began seeing to the Inquisitor. After talking with some anxious priests he pieced together a story about a young girl who claimed to have news from Rande Shire in Sekbridge and she said she would only speak to the Inquisitor. Once she was granted audience her demeanor changed and she became "monstrous", producing a knife and attacking the Inquisitor, throwing people across the Cathedral floor until she was gunned down. Brother Godfrey slept uneasily that night.

Alden woke early, feeling immensely satisfied with himself to find out that his drunken house guests had slipped out in the night leaving him a thank-you note.. He armored up and set about making an early breakfast when Ava returned from her night out, thanking him for the holiday off. It occured to him over breakfast that Hildi had been missing for over a week now and doing some math he became concerned that she hadn't written in some time. He walked over to the Charioteers and use their Starlight to contact the hotel on Hildi's itinerary only to find out she had departed three days ago. He supposed that was on schedule enough and he went to check on his brothers.

Crossing into the waterfront Alden found the carriage house of his little apartment filled with his order brothers and the refuse of a night of drinking and gambling. He idled and caught up with their adventures and plans for furnishing the Order's new clubhouse while Sir Ben hustled across the city to fetch their autowagon for the ride home. While talking with his brothers he learned that the Decados knight that shot the Basque noble was a Boyar Alister Romanov Decados

Alden left the key with his brothers to close up as he had a lead to follow. He walked to the County district and dealt with a rude clerk at the castle's gates, wanting to speak with Lord Alister. As he waited on a nearby bench he watched dozens of visitors to the count turned away because he wasn't feeling well. When Alister showed up at the district gates to speak with Alden he was unexpectedly polite and diplomatic, even complimenting Alden on his Order's martial skills. He repeated the story Alden had heard before, a man in the crowd became belligerent and threw his drink at the Count. Alister confessed to understanding the threat but shooting the Basque anyway because it was inappropriate to threaten the Count in public like he did. He hadn't found out what happened to the Basque but he offered to look into it for Alden.

Across the city Brother Godfrey was waking lazily, his roommate still absent from the night's revelries or perhaps fled after the brutal attack on the inquisitor. He asked after the fate of the Inquisitor but that information was need-to-know and being a known theurgist put him out of the circle of trust. While wandering the Cathedral grounds his Deacon caught him and told him she needed his help with some paperwork. Once in her office the Deacon presented him with updated Papers of Ordination reflecting his rank as Cannon. She complimented him on the execution of the festivities and asked about his plans for the Winter Tourney. Godfrey hadn't really thought about it but realized that the festival was just a few months away. He found out that the theme of the Tournament was "A New Dawn" and he said he'd have to meditate on it before he had ideas. He wanted to find out about the prior years celebrations sponsored by the church so he chased down the initiates who were often roped into this work and found that most of them were breaking down decorations after the festival.

In the park square at the Market Brother Godfrey caught up with his initiates who were slacking off in the cool autumn weather. He questioned them about prior years tournaments and oversaw them taking down the banners and other decorations. While he was walking by the Count's stage he saw a young Decados Householder scrubbing at the wood with all his might. He drew closer and saw a broad splash mark in front of the Count's throne where the varnish had not only been eaten off of the wood but the wood itself had been bleached. He asked the householders breaking down the stage if he could take one of the boards but they were outraged by the question, explaining that the stage was property of the count. He offered the houseman 3 Firebirds and the young man smashed the section of the stage apart and handed him one of the bleached planks.

Brother Godfrey didn't really know any Alchemists in town but he knew a local physik who must know something. He visited the doctor's office, being very vague about his health problem and Spoke with Dr. Sarkinsen about the incident with the Count and the plank. The Doctor was stumped but said there were some tests he could perform on the wood that would tell him more if Godfrey didn't mind leaving it with him for the rest of the day. Godfrey dropped 15 FBs, sensing that whatever was going on it would profit him and his brother to know how it was connected with the Basque.

Brother Godfrey returned under the Cathedral to speak with the Bishop and found that her schedule was empty in the wake of the festival. He briefly thought about questioning her about the Basque noble he had seen the night before but his courage faltered. He asked her about her vision for the Tourney and found her surprisingly engaged. She announced that this year's Winter Tourney would be different than prior years. The Church was not simply being present they were going to be central to the events with a big opening ceremony a lavish feast and on-site services for attendees. She layered Godfrey in projects he could be working on and tasked him with the ambiguous feat of making a real impression on the people of the Valley, to convince them that the Church was not just present but a force to be reckoned with. The meeting left Godfrey a bit dazed and running late for his meeting with Alden.

Alden was running a little late to meet his brother at the Cathedral and found the amped up security around the Cathedral an added annoyance. When he arrived in the Cathedral proper seeing the scorched and damaged pews only made him more curious about what was happening. His brother arrived late and hurriedly dragged Alden away to lunch in a nearby cafe where they revealed news about the attack at the festival and the assassination attempt on the Inquisitor to one another. They weren't sure what the attack on the Count was but surmised that it might be a poison and if the Basque was involved it might be connected to the NLO and the conspiracy against their family.

Both of them walked to the County District gates and once more called on Boyar Allister and after a much shorter wait they had a second conversation through the bars of the castle gates. Alister seemed troubled. He told them that the Noble that he had shot at the Festival was Lord Iker Martzel Basque, a poor knight from the North. The city militia transported him to the city dungeons but the city dungeon never received him and he wasn't found in any of the cells there. When Brother Godfrey warned Alister that the assault may have been an attempt to poison the Count he grimly related that the Count has not been well and is seeing no visitors today.

Both brothers returned together to the Physik's office later in the day to find Dr. Sarkinsen anxious and reluctant to see anyone. He brought them into his surgery and showed them how the board had been eroded where the beer had splashed on it as if it had been eaten by an acid but he explained that there was no chemical evidence of an acid. Whatever had to have caused the wear on the plank was likely a very exotic, very expensive material, possibly high tech or wyrd in nature. He had a contact in the city who might be able to find out more but he'd need to hold onto the plank. Both Brothers agreed that it was important enough to pursue.

Godfrey returned home and struggled with sleep between the stress of work and the questions posed by the day. He woke early and walked down to the kitchen in the quiet morning sun. As he readied his breakfast he could hear a musical jingle:
"It's so great to eat, my favorite morning treat, filled with what makes me strong, with a heaping bowl you can't go wrong"
(At this point my players both started laughing. We had often talked about how if you had a wireless data link in Fading Suns you'd constantly run across advertising from the Second Republic that was still functioning, music would play in your head around building that once housed shops or ghostly images would dance in the sky where billboards once stood.)
Then Brother Godfrey sunk his spoon into a big bowl of broken glass and shoveled it into his mouth, chewing happily and blood rand down his lips. He woke up gasping and sweating hurrying to the mirror in his dark little cell to check his mouth for glass that in his mind was still lodged in his throat. It dawned on him that perhaps whatever he was infected with at the House of Lights wasn't gone.

Session 6 - October 21 - October 24 5002AD

Alden woke with a sense that something was left undone. He set out into the city to see if any of his brotherhood were lounging at the Salon but so early in the afternoon there weren't many folks around. Lord Enoch was just coming down for the day wearing his dressing robe and sandals. The elderly noble lit up a marijuana cigarette and invited Alden to join him. Alden make pleasantries with the older Decados and Enoch expressed discontent with his current medical regimen and explained the concept of chasing the dragon. Alden politely suggested that Enoch take some time off of his drug fueled lifestyle but Enoch seemed baffled by what that might accomplish and Alden, lacking the courage to be confrontational agreed that perhaps that was a radical move.

Not having any luck finding his order mates Alden walked around The Hub looking for a place he could rent time on a Starlight and reach the Order's Mannor to let them know his plans to leave town. He finally found the very quiet office of the Charioteer's Guild. The tiny office was clerked by a single charioteer who was so excited to have a customer he nearly tripped over himself helping Alden. After several attempts to provide Alden guild services the charioteer ensign sighed and offered to let him use the Starlight free of charge. Alden was able to reach Lord Marshall Henning and update him on his plans to travel south. Henning was anxious for Alden's written report of the incident in Sarsbourg and he also had a package that needed to be couriered to a town near Alden's destination.

Alden cancelled his plans and returned to the townhouse to sit down and complete his report to his order. The work came hard to Alden who doesn't excel as a writer. It didn't help that Emily was bored and continually distracted him by trying not to be a bother. finally Alden took Emily out to walk around the park while he cleared his head. She asked him if he was happy and he said he didn't think so. She asked what would make him happy and he admitted he didn't know. Emily grew silent and morose until Alden asked what was bothering her and she admitted that all her life she was told it was her duty to make her Lord happy, but now it didn't feel like that's what makes her happy anymore. Maybe, she mused, Alden should look for what makes him happy in life.

Brother Godfrey rose early and organized himself for the final day of preparing decorations and organizing events for Bier Viering. His skillful planning and new mastery of leadership skills served him well as he put the final pieces in place but his satisfaction over the work seemed hollow as his mind kept wandering to the upcoming trip South to Emerald Cove. He left the Cathedral just a bit early to return to his cousin's townhouse and have dinner with Alden. The brothers finalized plans for the next day and discussed the possibility of freeing Emily from her serfdom.

Godfrey disclosed the information that Uzilo had given him, a report from the Knights of Lexitus about a man who had come in from the wilds to a town in Elibyrge called Riserton. He claimed to have come from Emerald Cove. The man had injuries to his mouth and throat and what appeared to be high tech just under his skin. The Phisyk could do nothing for the man and sent him on to the Amaltheans with a passing merchant caravan but he never arrived. Later the Knight of Lexitus had questioned some Muster Ashtati who were hunting Changed in the area of the cove and they were able to give her a map of the area and a drawing of the building where they believed these strange people where hiding out.

Sometime after dinner the Scravers who were working on Jenny Spark's cab returned with it in stellar condition and with a bright purple coat of paint. Sir Altier arrived with the package Alden was to deliver to Northgate in Elibyrge and collected his report on the events in Sarsbourg. Brother Godfrey tucked Emily in and walked back to the Cathedral to sleep.

In the morning Alden woke early and packed his belongings before going over instructions with Ada. Sometime later he heard a loud argument outside as the local militia men were harassing Uzilo for hanging around the outside of the upscale townhouses. Alden managed to come down and settle the argument just as the Decados militia men where demanding to search the Hironen's heavy demolition bag. As Alden had Uzilo upstairs for breakfast and fitted his armor, Brother Godfrey arrived and finished off the last of breakfast. The three of them packed up their things and climbed into the shiny autowagon to drive southward.

A few hours later on the Causeway the brothers ran into a checkpoint at the border of Elibyrge where they faced a more intimate inspection. Godfrey snagged Uzilo's demolition bag and tucked it between his feet. The Royal Guard inspected the vehicle and checked everyone paperwork before observing that the ink was still wet on the registration for their autowagon. The guardsman looked at Brother Godfrey and gestured at the bag at his feet "Am I let to inspect that?". Godfrey was never very good at lying but this time he didn't have to "No, no you can not..". Before releasing the brothers the guardsman pulled Alden aside to tell him he was missing the paperwork for the rifle he had taken off of the Decados Soldiers back in Sarsbourg and he should make sure that's updated as soon as he can and mysteriously he let Alden and his stolen rifle drive away from the checkpoint.

With the slight delay the brothers and Uzilo got off the causeway at the first exit and took the turn-off to Northgate where Alden was to deliver his package to a member of the Alchemist's Cartel. They arrived at the gates just after sunset and checked their weapons at the gate save Alden's sword and sidearm. Northgate was a cluster of tall time-worn buildings with protective walls built between them. Inside people were reveling and playing music as some part of festival. With most of the businesses closed for the night the heroes got a room in an inn high up in one of the town's buildings.

In the morning they woke to a fantastic view of the megalopolis under the rising sun. Alden went to deliver his assigned package while Brother Godfrey and Uzilo shopped for supplies for the journey ahead. As Alden handed the package over the Alchemist Brandt it occurred to him he had no idea what he was transporting. Godfrey, realizing the days ahead might be rough splurged on a nice breakfast for the team. While the day was still young they drove back towards Riserton. Brother Godfrey thought it was a good opportunity for a driving lesson but Uzilo's Muster instincts told him they needed to stick to the schedule.

The Brothers arrived in Riserton in the late morning, a smaller town built into three large well-preserved buildings surrounded by sheep pens crop planters. They and discovered that the rumors of the forbidden area were very serious. Even hunters were reluctant to tell them anything about the Emerald Cove or give directions. They met with a local Ashtati who pays out bounties for changed and a few of the market hunters and eventually they put enough firebirds in enough palms that a fur hunter reluctantly offered to show them to the edge of the forbidden area and give them directions into the wilderness.

The brothers parked their autowagon on a bridge on the river that marked the boundary and hiked into the dark overgrown coastal region of the megalopolis with all of their gear. The deeper they went the closer the overgrown decaying buildings became and the thicker the canopy of foliage overhead became, one by one they realized that they were being followed by something. As the sun sank behind the maxicrete walls of the jungle they decided they needed to camp for the night so they scavenged some fallen branches and rotten furniture and built a fire in one of the more defensible buildings. Godfrey performed the rite of Empyrean Light on a small piece of debris to keep the area bathed in pure light, Uzio offered to take the first watch and they turned in for a anxious sleep.

Seemly just after closing their eyes they woke disoriented to the sound of two man-like beasts with fox features attacking Uzilo. Alden embarrassingly was overcome with the incomprehensible horror of the reality of changed and he feinted dead-away. Godfrey grappled for the Mitchau protector his brother had gifted him and begin firing wild at the the creature who was wielding a heavy rebar mace. Uzilo traded blows with the clawed menace facing him, taking some nasty slashes to his warming doublet but leaving him unharmed. Godfrey caught a nasty slash to his face before finally putting a second changed foe down with two more shots to the chest. After they caught their breathe they shook Alden out of his fugue and decided to keep guard together for the rest of the night.

At first light Godfrey stepped out into the overgrown streets to get direct sunlight for meditation and prayer. As he stood in the sun-dappled clearing he spotted one of the changed moving in the shadows. He was in mid prayer and didn't want to stop so he watched until he drew closer and he screamed for help. The beast crawled into the darkness before Alden and Uzilo arrived outside but the encounter left Godfrey shaken, unsure why the thing didn't just attack him.

Five more hours of hiking brought the group to a set of ruined buildings that matched the drawing in the Knights of Lexitus report. It was a tall tower presiding over a massive sculpture that looked like a three-pronged claw jutting out of the ground and a curved building that wound around the other side of the sculpture. The claw had an Erie effect where light played off of it like it was reflecting off of a pool of water. They watched and waited for some time before approaching the buildings, seeing a distinct line where the overgrown buildings of the cove gave way to aged but well-cared for walkways and groomed gardens. As they stepped onto the ancient campus an old man with braided grey hair wearing colorful but ragged robe stepped out of the large curved building "Welcome travelers to the House of Lights. Be welcome, your journey must have left you weary..".

The old man introduced himself as Illuminatus Mata, the elder of the House of Light. He explained that he and the others who have made a home in this haven seek only to subside in peace and learn more from the wondrous building they have come to call their home. As the elderly man led through through the ancient ruin it's lights came on and it's doors opened as if by magic. He led them to the roof where there were garden planters that were blooming late into the winter. He showed them the communal living space they share and walked them past many high-tech looking rooms with functioning think machines. Lastly he took them to the damaged tower on the far side of the campus and unlocked a door that someone had painted a Jumpgate cross over. He explained that his people have long wanted a church but no priests has found their way to the House of Lights until today. The tower was badly damaged from a huge hole in it's side that had been allowing the elements inside over time. The brothers poked around briefly before the elder warned them "It's best you not move around in here too much, they hadn't explored the tower extensively and it could be dangerous.

The brothers had met a few of the nine residents Mata had said lived at the colony. They had seen that many of them had what looked like scars on their skin in geometric patterns, one of the patterns appeared to be moving before the woman cover it abruptly. They wanted to speak with the others. Illuminates Mata was reluctant but finally agreed to introduce them to the colony's oldest member, Old John. He explained that Old Jon was one of the original three who found the House of Lights, he has difficulty concentrating and he grows tired and erratic and his words should be taken gracefully. They were shown to a clean white curved room with a man laying in a central bed and introduced to Old John.

Old John appeared initially senile. Having conversations with people who weren't present and speaking in the present tense of things Illuminatus Mata had to remind him were in the past, or people who had died. However soon Alden's questions brought the old man into focus. He told them about finding the building while taking refuge from a storm and being given the kiss of wisdom that opened his eyes to his surroundings. Old John was confused about how many people were in the colony. He thought 15 but the Illuminatus corrected him that there were now just 9. The next he claimed that they were only 3. When questioned about the three he explained cryptically that they were Context, Paradigm and Situation and began lecturing about meta-psychology with an erie clarity of mind. Godfrey, knowledgeable in Wyrd Theory recognized the urtech babble as Favyana Institute theory. Old John corroborated the illuminatus's claim that no man was coerced to come to the House of Lights and none were refused right to leave. Godfrey grew impatient and began questioning Old John about the patterns on the skin of the colony members, making both Illuminatus Mata and Alden more anxious. Old John became more muddled mentioning something about the mark of the kindred and the network of brotherhood. At this point the Illuminatus finally interceded "Alright, I had warned you that John's mind was addled, not you're just upsetting one of my people, there will be no more questions. Alden aimed his rifle at the elder and explained "You're going to take us back to the tower and we're going to look at every inch of it.."

The brothers led Illuminatus Mata back to the old tower under protest, and instructed him to lock the door behind them. Alden kept a gun on the elder as Brother Godfrey and Uzilo began searching the tower. The illuminatus began to angrily protest "We welcomed you as guests, offered you our food and shelter, we have hidden nothing from you, please lower your gun before someone is hurt.." but he was cut off by Uzilo coming back upstairs "There's a big room in the basement, with a control room of some kind and a big freaky chair..". Alden decided immediately that the tower would have to be destroyed but Uzilo wasn't sure he had enough blasting clay. Alden insisted that if he couldn't bring down the tower he needed to at least destroy the chair room and Uzilo returned below to search for structural lines. Iluminatus Mata began to reason with Alden, explaining that he didn't understand what he was doing, that he was making a mistake, and then Alden heard the echo of a heavy door closing deeper in the tower.

Not willing to leave Illuminatus Mata unguarded, Alden kept his gun on the old man while yelling pointlessly down the hallway where his brother and Uzilo vanished. Down below in the spooky chair room Brother Godfrey heard the thump of the security doors and overhead lights in the chair room began to flicker on. He returned to the stairs to find the door at the top of the stairs sealed. When he returned to Uzilo in the chair room the Hironem was trying to pry one of the wall panels open when suddenly three wall panels in the large room opened and automatons stepped out into the room and immediately looked at the both of them.

Session 5 - October 16 - October 21 5002AD

The brothers barrelled down the dark forrest road from Woodbridge to Sarsbourg town. As Jenny drove along the muddy roads the brothers debated how they'd handle the situation. Alden wanted Brother Godfrey to take his gun in case there was a fight, Godfrey insisted that if they handle the problem diplomatically and that handing him a gun was a commitment to violence. As the Autowagon rounded a curve in the road there was another Autowagon stopped in the middle of the road with a bunch of men standing around in the road. Jenny slammed on the break and their autowagon begin to skid in the wet mud, Alden and Godfrey held on tightly as their vehicle skidded towards the one if the road. The men raised rifles and shot at Jenny's cab, blowing out windows, putting a hole in the engine and shooting Jenny in the chest. Alden and Godfrey felt the break slip just a second before their Autowagon plowed into the one int he middle of the road.

Godfrey shook off his daze first. He could hear shouting around him but there was a ringing in his ears. Had had been riding in the bed of the autowagon but not found himself face-first in the cab, broken glass and tossed cargo dumped on top of him. He pulled himself back into the bed and looked around to see a hironem pointing a rifle at him, but not a hironem, a man wearing a hironem mask. Alden shook off the shock of the crash and could also hear shouting and the armed man shouting at his brother. He could see Jenny's bloody form slumped over the wheel. He kicked the door open with his enhanced strength, his sudden movement prompting one of the attackers to shoot him stingily in the back of his armorplast corselate. After swearing under his breath he lurched from the wrecked autowagon to find another masked man pointing a rifle at him "Stay where you are, don't come any closer."

As Alden got his bearings he could see a total of three of out of the five men from before and one of them seemed to be tugging something or someone out from under the tangled wreck of the autowagons. He raised his hands and explained calmly "Look, lets lower these guns and see to the wounded." The disguised man gestured with his gun "Sit your ass down, you're not giving the orders here.." Brother Godfrey explained "Hey I'm going to see to our friend, if you shoot me you shoot me" and he turned his back on the masked men to check on Jenny Sparks, however with only a cursory examination it was clear she had died in the crash. Alden, growing more stressed as his brother became flippant with an armed assailant raised his voice and stared his masked man down "I am Alden Hendle VanGelder, Knight of the Blue Glove. You will lower your rifle this instant." The Masked man took a step back from Alden and lowered his rifle into the crook of his arm "What you are is out manned and outgunned.. I'm not asking again. Sit.." Brother Godfrey took a controlling breath and begin to chant the Rite of Shielding. The men with rifles didn't notice the Brother's theurgy but the third man hauling one of the other soldiers out from under the autowagons looked up at Godfrey with wide eyes. Alden slumped back into the passenger's seat and sulked, asking his captor "Who are you people and what are you doing here.." while his hand reached back into the rubbish in the cab, fishing around for his shotgun. The masked man chuckled at Alden and said "We're the NLO.." his tone making it clear he was mocking them then he called out to the masked man hauling bodies out of the wreckage "Is Sergey ok?" Godfrey turned and raised his hands to the armed men "It would go faster if I helped you. I know first aid.." The masked woman who was pulling Sergei's body out from under the wreckage called back "I don't think he's breathing.. I think they killed him.." and the soldier guarding Godfrey moved to help her. Godfrey walked towards the masked men with his hands still raised "look, I'm a priest, I can help.."

While the armed masked men were focused on Brother Godfrey Alden pulled his shotgun out of the cab and while partially covered by the body of the autowagon he leveled it at the man who was guarding him "Drop your weapons now!". Caught completely off guard, the last soldier still carrying a gun blinked in shock and slowly leaned his rifle against the wrecked autowagon. Godfrey leaned down and snatched the other guard's rifle from where he had set it down. Alden stepped out of the vehicle once more and braced himself "Down on your kneels, hands behind your neck." The Guard hesitated, glancing at his weapon for a moment before reaching for it. BOOM the shotgun ripped chunks of meat out of the guard's thigh and he fell down away from his weapon, tumbling down the hillside beside the road crying "I am shot!". Alden turned and stared down the men who were trying to dislodge Sergei's body and they raised their hands in surrender, then he walked down the hill carefully to collect his prisoner.

By the time the ringing from the shotgun blast cleared their ears the masked soldiers who were trying to free their friend pulled him free and ran for the woodline. Brother Godfrey noticed them running but didn't see them as a danger and didn't want anyone else hurt so he said nothing and began searching the other vehicle for supplies. While walking around the wreck of their vehicle he noticed an alien word was being painted on the rocky ridge next to the treeline. Down in the ditch beside the cattle field the soldier bleeding from the wound had taken a much more agreeable tone and explained that he and his men are militia for Baron Andre Democlav Decados of Harden Peak and they were in Sarsbourg on orders to shoot some of Lord Braam's cattle posing as NLO.

Both Brother Godfrey and Alden could hear approaching hoof falls in the dark and they searched the dark road until they saw an armored figure riding closer, once they were in sight Godfrey recognized heraldry on their shield as the Knights of Lexitus and flagged them down. The Knight rode closer holding a laser pistol "I am Lady Miren of the Swords of Lexitus. I heard the gunfire, are you in need of assistance.." Alden introduced himself and explained the whole story from Woodbridge to the the knight's arrival. She seemed unsure of the story but holstered her weapon and dismounted, climbing down to speak to the wounded soldier who had by now been unmasked. When Lady Miren interrogated the wounded soldier his story changed quite a bit, now claiming that they were just lost on the road when the brothers roared out of the knight and rammed their vehicle and shot him. It's unclear if Lady Miren could see through his lies or just put more faith in a fellow knight's word but she responded rather icily "I have encountered these men on the road, it is unclear to me if you have survived this accident or not, your willingness to be more helpful could mean the difference of seeing the Pancreator's light once more or passing in the darkness..". The soldier quickly changed his story and agreed with Alden's account of things.

Brother Godfrey found a squawker in the wreckage and brought it to Alden before seeing to the soldier's crippled leg. Alden was able to reach Lord Braam's manor and spoke with a panicked Lord Braan who was sure assasins were storming his manor. After some calming down the lord agreed to send soldiers with a cart to pick up them and their prisoner. Lady Miren remained to offer them protection from the soldiers that "escaped" into the wood. As they waited Alden chatted with Lady Miren and found that she was in Sarsbourg on Church Business and when asked what that business was she replied with a smug smile and said "Not your business..". Near to sunrise men arrived in a cart to drive Godfrey and Alden and their prisoner back to the manor along with the body of Jenny Sparks.

The arrived inside the walls of Sarsbourg Mannor to find Lord Braam wringing his hands and anxiously waiting for news of the battle. When he discovered the fight was small and only involved a handful of saboteurs he was convinced it was part of a larger invasion. He sent his knight Fenton out along with a number of soldiers to track and return the escapees, heavily intimating that if his knight couldn't return the other saboteurs there might not be a position for him in the running of the wolves, but he was notably less concerned about his people in the town of woodbridge. Braam heralded Alden and Brother Godfrey as heroes and told his staff to treat them as honored guests. The brothers were shown to his guest suites and a Physic was fetched to see to their wounds, had a hot bath and a warm meal. Through the night it became clear that Lord Braam does very well for himself, his home was opulent even by VanGelder standards. It seems there's good money in harvesting honey.

Through the next two days the brothers rested and recovered. Brother Godfrey gave Jenny her Last Rites and prepared her body for burial. Alden discovered that the escaped saboteurs and the wrecked autowagons were fetched and brought back to the manor. The brothers learned about an attack on a roadside Orthodoxy Temple in Snopa Pass. Alden sent word of the attack to Baroness Eldana and Godfrey notified the Cathedral. Lord Braam's hospitality began to shrink the longer they stayed and failed to support him in his rage against the offense against his feifdom. Late the second night Sir Magnus arrived with an Engineer and boxes of parts to try to resurrect Jenny's Autowagon and give them a ride back to Sokol City.

Back in the city Brother Godfrey returned to the Cathedral and spoke with Deacon Bryant hoping to learn more about the attack on the roadside temple but nobody in the Cathedral seemed better informed than the guards at Lord Braam's. However since he returned the Deacon roped Brother Godfrey into organizing decoration for the impending Bier Veiring. With just nine days to go Godfrey recruited as many initiates as he could and began crafting street decorations and a booth for the celebration. At the end of the day Brother Godfrey was handed a summons to for himself and his brother to speak with the Bishop in her chambers. By the time he reached her offices they were dark for the night. He thought for certain that he some movement down the dark hallway to her office but upon investigation there was nobody there.

Alden wasn't feeling so bold so he rested for most of the day and swung by the Reeve's to arrange to see rental properties around the city. Later he called on Silvia Romonov Decados at her home. Silvia seemed to be in a bad mood, chastising Alden for arriving unannounced, but eventually relenting to his request to have dinner the following night. He returned home to find the order had had Jenny Sparks's Autowagon towed to his cousin's townhouse. As he came in his brother was putting young Emily to bed. The two talked about the summons and agreed to meet at the Cathedral the following afternoon before Godfrey returns to his little shared cell at the Cathedral.

The next day found Alden up with the dawn looking to purchase a nice bottle of wine for dinner, then on to his appointment with the Reeve. He met Agent Huchens who had an autocoach waiting to drive him around to a few different locations. Alden wanted something simply but spacious like a factory or warehouse. After seeing a few locations outside of the city he decided on an old old garage in the Waterfront district that had a cluttered apartment loft. He signed paperwork and hurried to meet with his brother.

Brother Godfrey grew more irritable the later his brother was for their meeting with the Bishop. Finally he excused himself and started searching around the Cathedral until he ran into Alden arriving through the Cathedral Main. They hurried to the sacrosanct and were told to wait outside of the Bishop's office. Bishop D'arch stepped out, dismissing a pair of Reeve's and waived in the Brothers and a tailor who had been waiting along with a pair of her Knights. She thanked Alden for attending her request and proceeded with rapid fire questions about the events in Sarsbourg while being measured by the tailor. Gradually her questions became more pointed, wanting to know why they felt the need to intercede in the matter, wanting to know if Lord Braam had offered them compensation to stay. Alden grew more angry, spitting out answers to her questions with a clenched jaw until the Bishop stared him down and took on a scolding tone "Look, I have very detailed plans for reforming this Dioces that involve every facet of the politics of both noble houses. If you had come to me to let me know of trouble in Sarsbourg there would have been some damage but no violent conflict, I would have brought Braam and Andre to the table and forged and understanding in the light of the Pancreator. Now there are dead soldiers and hostages, what was meant to be a prank has turned into a pretense of war, because of your actions.." Alden chafed and stood, angrily excusing himself and storming out. The Bishop waved her knights away from attempting to stop him and allowed him to go. She dismissed her tailor and sunk into her seat, her good nature returning as she spoke with Brother Godfrey "Please apologize to your brother. I do see value in his virtuousness, it was just poorly timed. I can't have you both running roughshod over Sokol valley but perhaps there's something you can do to help.." She told Godfrey about a location in outer Elibyrge, a second republic ruin where commoners were getting their hands on dangerous technology, nanotechnology. She expressed concern but she has no authority in the Arch Diocese of the Duchess. She knows a Muster who will help who is knowledgeable in demolitions and she wants Godfrey and his brother to go to this ruin and seal it's entrance so that it won't be a problem to her parishioners. Godfrey eagerly agreed but first secured permission to keep any non-heretical technologies found in the ruins.

Alden waited for a moment, pacing and furious but then decided he didn't want to face his brother in this mood. He stormed out of the Sacrosanct and walked the streets in the late afternoon for a time before going retrieving the wine he bought and going to his dinner with Lady Sylvia. Things went smoothly until she rather honestly disclosed that Alden wasn't necessarily the only man she had romantic interests in. It didn't necessarily kill his appetite for dangerous blondes. At the end of their rendezvous she apologetically told Alden that she needed to get up early the next morning and he'd have to skedaddle.

When Alden returned to his Cousin's townhouse he found Brother Godfrey waiting. Godfrey pleaded the Bishop's case and explained about the mission to shut down the source of the nanotech. Together they speculated about the motive of a hypothetical technophile who would distribute proscribed technology and who might benefit from the distribution. Soon they began plotting for how to accomplish the mission. Soon it was clear that they would be going on this mission.

The following morning Godfrey felt like he had a strong command of his initiates, sending them on errands and driving them like a field boss. Alden slept in a big and went do deal with a Scraver who runs a local redemption shop to get Jenny's rig repaired and running good. The price ended up being a bit more than he expected but then the crash had pounded the tar out of it. Godfrey had just been congratulating his mastery of leadership when he was told a hironem was waiting in the yard to meet him in the rectory yard. When he went outside there was a tall lanky alien wearing Muster livery and a synth vest. As he drew closer the hironem spoke with him.
"You the priest?"
"I'm -a- clergyman.."
"Don't get wise.. are you the man on the Bishop's plan?"
"Ah.. yes, my brother and I."
"Your Brother's the VanGelder?"
"Yes.. You're the Muster?"
"One and only," glancing about "I came to find out how much of the stuff we need."
"Stuff? I'm afraid I don't follow.."
"The stuff, the tear-down, the problem solver.."
"I still don't/"
"How much blasting clay do I need to cook?"
"Oh.. oh..."
"I've got about 140, if I have time to set my next batch I could almost double that.."
"Wow.. that seems like a lot.."
"Well I don't expect this ruin to lay down on it's own.."
"No.. I think that's smart, we'll make time to finish your batch.. I'm sorry, what's your name?"
"I'm Uzilo, Private.."
"I'm Godfrey and we'll have to introduce you to my brother later.."
"He doesn't know I'm an alien?"
"My brother's not like that, it won't be a problem.."
"But nobody told him?"
"Perhaps I should talk with him before you meet.."
"Yeah, perhaps.."

Godfrey returned to the preparations for Beir Viering now just 7 days away but the work almost done. Later he went to visit his brother and told him about the hironem Demolitionist and suddenly Alden was filled with dread "We're being sent on a mission into the Duchess's lands to blow up a building with someone that's probably aligned with the NLO? Have we become the terrorists?" Brother Godfrey calmed him down and assured him that they would look at the problem objectively and they would be guided by his faith and his Alden's keen mind. The agreed then that they would wait for the Uzilo to finish making his explosives and they would set out the morning after next.

Session 4 - October 13 - October 16 5002AD

As the brothers sped past the abandoned village 4 on their way out of Makolvo they both spotted movement in the tropical forests that surround the village. Jenny slammed on the breaks and skidded to a stop some distance down the road. After a brief discussion of whether it was smart for Brother Godfrey to move into the woods unarmed both he and Alden charged through the heavy growth towards the movement. Once the reached the spot where they think they saw movement they discovered a pair of fresh dug graves and an obstructed roadway that led back to the village. Brother Godfrey ran back to the road to let Jenny know they'd be looking around for a bit and to look after little Emily. While the priests was away someone a dozen yards from Alden burst from the brush and ran away from the village deeper into the woods. Realizing that the runner was much faster and not willing to shoot what could be a scared peasant with his shotgun, Alden just watched the unidentified person flee.

Once Godfrey climbed back into the woods the Brothers walked down the road towards the village and searched through the abandoned buildings. In one of the communal longhouses they found signs that someone had been camping out in the village, canned food and beer and a heavy bedroll spattered with the scales of the Hironem that slept in it. What the brothers didn't find was any sign of what had happened to approximately 70 Hironem peasants and the hundreds of pigs that they kept. Brother Godfrey, being no fan of  Alden's father began making insinuations that the village had been slaughtered by the Lord of Makolvo until Alden finally lost his temper and threatened to strike his priest brother if he didn't shut up. While brooding from the fight Brother Godfrey noticed a stretch of ground that seemed to be flourishing abnormally in the late fall. As he begins rooting around in the area he found something solid just under the topsoil and with a little digging he found the skull of a Hironem and he reasoned that given the size of the patch, probably the remains of a few dozen more just under the vegetation.

Alden decided that he needed to confront his father about what happened but Godfrey needed to get his new ward out of Makolvo anyone realized he was the peasant away from her lands. Jenny drove them back to Pike's Harbor so that Alden could question the local Militia Sergeant. Sergeant Franz seemed to be reluctant to talk about Village 4, and when pressed he didn't know much, only that the village was troubled and shortly before the village was abandoned the militia was barred from it. Godfrey, not fond of the risk of keeping Emily so close to Handleridge Estates insisted that they leave but Alden was intent to speak with his father about the village so they parted ways and Godfrey began the long drive back to Sokol City.

Alden climbed the high hill to Hendleridge, arriving somewhat less dramatically than he imagined as he stopped to drink from a pitcher one of the gardeners offered him and stripped out of his sweaty armor. Within the manse he decided to dig into his fathers books. Alden had a limited education in bookkeeping and resource management but he was able to tell from notation that Village 4's population plummeted within a few months and thousands of firebirds were poured into it's ledger for the towne physik. Lady Chealsea arrived and interrogated her brother as to why he was tearing apart his father's office. Alden explained the abandoned village and the signs of a massacre. Chelsea assured her brother that there was a logical explanation, transfer of serfs for village maintenance or consolidation but the more she looked over her father's records the more her explanations became strained.

When Thaddius Hendle VanGelder returned to his home he was originally upset to hear his children bickering in his study, then disturbed to find his things scattered about the room, but the sight of his children arguing in his study like they did when they were little warmed him. As Alden saw his father he began interrogating him, relating the tale of the Hironem in village 4 and the mass graves. Thaddius held his son off and assured him that there must be an explanation. He told Chelsea and Alden that he would investigate the matter in the morning and that they would busy straightening his study before dinner.

Alden took dinner in his room, infuriated with his father's dismissive attitude but he found himself beginning to doubt the whole conspiracy. How could something this horrible be true given the honorable man he knew his father to be. He slept lightly and woke before the dawn to wander around the manse. While smoking on the porch near sunrise he saw an autowagon leaving  stables and found that his father had departed without him or his sister. Convinced that his father was trying to cover up evidence he woke his groggy sister and made her drive him out to Village 4.

Alden arrived at the village to find one of the family autowagon's parked in the village yard with it's lights on and his father leading a captive Hironem back out of the longhouse where he had been hiding. Alden angrily confronted his father without accusing him of anything directly. Thaddius, looking a bit perturbed explained that he left early to deal with the Hironem because it was his responsibility, not his children's. When pressed to look at the graves Thaddius left his bound prisoner in his daughter's care and walk with Alden to the back of the village. The Lord of Makolvo seemed unimpressed by the patch of thriving vegetation "It's a garbage pit.. if there were a mass grave in one of my pig villages don't you think I'd know..". Alden began to shovel at the tangled viney earth, pulling out remains until his father exasperatedly spoke "Enough, stop touching those.." she drew his canteen from his belt and handed it to his son "Wash off your hands, those corpses are putrid..". Alden began to protest about how his father knew about all of this and still denied it until he was cut off by Thaddius's commanding voice "Enough Alden.. There are almost 700 Hironem living in our fief, most of them stupid peasants. You know I couldn't admit Village 4 fell to the White Fever.. there would be panic if not an uprising. This had to be buried.". Alden was speechless still arguing with his father as they walked by to the autowagons in the village yard. As they drew in Chelsea scowled at her brother "Stop it Alden, you know its the right thing.. you just don't have the stomach to face it." Alden was stunned that his sweet sister would stand for dumping sick Hironem into the ground like garbage "You knew Chelsea?". His sister shoot her head calmly "No, and I understand why it was kept from me.. Don't be stupid.. leave this buried here.."

Lord Thaddius took the excavation tools Alden brought to the village and set about burying the excavated Hironem parts with his own hands in his morbid little garden. Alden couldn't stand to be near his father and his Sister offered him a ride back to Sokol City. As they parted ways Alden was icily silent for most of the drive, swallowing the bitter pill of his family's monstrous secrets.

Brother Godfrey woke the next day in the back of Jenny Sparks's autowagon with a bored little girl who wanted to know how much more they have to drive to get to the city. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes he saw a column of black smoke rising up into the sky from the direction of Malovko. The sight worried him but he decided with Emily in his custody he shouldn't look into it and he asked Jenny to continue on to the city.

Alden rode in the family Autowagon Chelsea drove back to the city, turning onto the valley highway in the late morning. As they travelled South he also noticed a plume of black smoke rising into the sky. Alden wanted to contact his order but Chelsea had business in Sokol and Alden hadn't yet mastered driving so he was largely at her mercy.

Brother Godfrey Arrived in Sokol City in the late afternoon. He paid Jenny a fairly large stack of firebirds for the long journey and he returned to the Cathedral. As he stroke into the clergy entrance to it's yards he saw a pair of large white autowagons. He recognized their heraldry instantly as the local offices of the Inquisition. He knew the local Inquisitor by reputation, a stern and intolerant man named Barnes, who had ironclad opinions about scripture and even had some of his views published. Godfrey contemplated stashing Emily somewhere but he reasoned that when the Inquisition travels outside of their home they have a fairly tight focus on what they're doing and likely wouldn't take notice of her.

Godfrey sought out Father Benetton and ran across Cannon Eric, anxiously watching the door to the priests offices. Eric told Godfrey that the inquisition had arrived at the Cathedral without warning and nobody seems to know what they're doing there. Godfrey calmed the young man down and assured him there was no threat in the works of the Church. He asked Eric to look after Emily while he spoke with the old priest. He knocked at the priest's office doors and was invited in by a shaken Father Benetton. Benetton repeated Erics worries, apparently everyone in the Cathedral was freaked out about what the Inquisition might be after. Godfrey calmed the elderly priest down and explained that he was seeking a transfer to Sokol's Cathedral and wanted to know if Beneton would offer him a recommendation. Benetton was surprised and explained that he had just heard from the Deacon of Persons and Grounds that there was a position for a second catechist for the Cathedral and perhaps this was a sign from the Pancreator. Godfrey asked Beneton to look into the position on his behalf and he made his way back out of the office.

As Godfrey returned to the reception of Benetton priory he found Emily was sitting where she had been left but was talking with an soft-featured old priest in black robes. The kindly priest smiled but raised a white brow as Godfrey approached "I hadn't expected to see any Mahayana priests this far out of Elibyrge." Godfrey looked down at his simple red robes and smiled "I do seem to be unwanted everywhere I go.." The kindly old priests shook his head "Unpopular but very much so wanted.. It is important to argue about our faith.. If we all agree then we stop trying to move closer to Him. My name is Father Barnes.." offering his weathered white hand. Godfrey shook hands with the man he suddenly realized was an inquisitor and traded pleasantries before excusing himself and leading Emily away from him.

As Godfrey led Emily through the streets he felt the little girl suddenly stop and he turned to find her hair floating in the air as if she were submerged, her eyes glassy and pale. She spoke to him in the same stern voice as she had in the temple "You will not always be able to talk your way out of this.." and a moment later she blinked and her visage returned, not seeming aware of what she had said.

Brother Godfrey returned to his cousin's townhouse. Walking through the market stalls in the Bazaar the crowd had a very different feel, merchants looked shaken and the guards were vigilant and armed with rifles. When he stopped and asked a local merchant what was going on he was told that there had been a bloody gun battle between the constables and members of the Posjednik and several bystanders were shot. They didn't know what the battle was over but Lady Aria Turin Decados was caught in the middle of it. When Godfrey asked if it looked like a kidnapping the merchant explained that Lady Aria seemed to be on the side of the Posjednik thugs, helping them escape.

Godfrey and young Emily arrived at Hildi's to find that she had already left on her vacation. Her maid Ava greeted him and the wyrd child and explained that Sir Alden hadn't returned yet from his journey home. Godfrey just smiled and asked if he might let his filthy charge clean herself and borrow some clothes. Ava wasn't entirely sure but Godfrey's warm manner persuaded her. By the time Emily was made decent the sun was setting and Ava suggested she make a modest meal and let the girl sleep, which was just what Godfrey was hoping to convince the maid of.

Alden arrived in the city later the following morning and parted ways with his frosty sister. He made his way into the market and purchased a squawker from a shady merchant there. He tried to reach anyone in his knightly order or Jenny Sparks but had no luck. So he walked to the Salon in The Hub, hoping to find one of his order there. Instead he had a second encounter with Lady Silvia of the Mantis League. She was enjoying a quiet lunch in the empty Salon and seemed indifferent to Alden. Alden would have little of the game, he ordered a pair of glasses of Absinthe and joined her at her table. Luckily Silvia found his brazen manner charming and she even agreed to a stiff drink in the middle of her work day. They traded flirtations until she excused herself to return to work. Alden made a joke about chasing her off and she smirked, drawing out her calling card and writing her home address on the back with a stylish high-tech pen and handing it to him "Seven o'clock, not later, if you lose your nerve and don't come you ought not find a way to seek my forgiveness.". Alden just stood there and smiled with her address. He was sure the universe would screw this up but it still felt good to be desired by the fearsome blonde.

Alden walked to the Cathedral to find his brother and the little peasant girl he stole. He walked into the cathedral nave and flagged down one of the initiates to have him find his brother, then took a seat in the pews for some silent reflection. As he waited he noticed an armored man sitting a few rows back who seemed familiar but he just couldn't place where he had seen him. While waiting he managed to squawk Sir Altier of the Blue Glove and he found out that Marshall Henning had been trying to find him since yesterday.

Godfrey woke and put himself together and left Emily in maid Ava's care. She didn't seem to terribly put off by being made a babysitter but Godfrey handed her a few firebirds for art supplies or snacks or whatever keeps the inquisitive girl at bay. Stepping out into the streets Brother Godfrey returned to the cathedral to look into his prospects with Father Benetton. The older priest shared some great news with Godfrey, the cathedral was not only hiring a catechist but when he had mentioned Godfrey's name the Deacon had heard of him and was eager to meet. Benetton walked Godfrey across the yards and to the building that housed the libraries and dining hall, then upstairs to Deacon Bryant's offices.

Deacon Bryant was both younger and more of a woman than Godfrey expected. It's not that he thought a woman couldn't be a deacon but in his experience most clergy in the Externus of The Church are male. The Deacon's interview was very informal. She in fact laughed through most of the questions. She couldn't believe that a skilled catechist would arrive in the city just before the cathedral discovered a need for a new catechist. She even mentioned that it was almost a miracle. The Deacon signed off on his application and directed him under the cathedral to the Sacrosanct of the Bishop.

The Bishop's offices were nice in the kind of cold attractiveness of the Cathedral above. Beautiful alabaster tile walls and huge ornate support pillars. The reception was light airy with large windows that let in the sun but the hallway to her offices was almost black with darkness and as he walked deeper into the bowels of the cathedral he passed one church knight after another who eyed him suspiciously. Godfrey waited for  several minutes on an uncomfortable couch outside of the Bishop's offices until Bishop Asha D'arch escorted a Muster Sergent through the doors of her office and explained to him that she would speak with the Count about his matter, that he shouldn't lose faith in this being resolved.

The woman was old, he could see it in her skin, but she was well toned from military service and her eyes were sharp and vital. She offered Godfrey a warm smile and gestured for him to enter her offices. The room was dominated by a rounded desk that hugged the top of a large masonry Jumpgate Cross set into the floor. The walls were spartan save a suit of armor on a rack and a few modest book cases. She sat at her desk and told Godfrey that she has a vision for Sokol's Diocese. She believed the right men and women could mold the land and the people into a place of peace and order where people were shown kindness and mercy. She knows that the path she has set holds many challenges and she needs clergy that are as devoted to making a difference in people's lives as they are to the one God that has given mankind every precious gift they know. Godfrey, charged with the Bishop's zeal told her that he thought he was the man she was looking for. They shook hands and she told him Deacon Bryant would settle him in. Just like that Godfrey held position in Sokol's Cathedral.

As Brother Godfrey was walking back across the cathedral yard one of the initiates ran to him to tell him that there was a knight waiting for him in the cathedral proper. He walked into the nave of the cathedral to find his brother looking bored in the pews, but as he entered another armored man stood and began to walk towards him, on the strange knight's breastplate was emblazoned the Imperial Eagle. As the Imperial Questing Knight rose Alden's memory clicked and he recognized him as Ivan Turian Decados, the winner of the Decados Crown Tournament two years running and the first lord in over two decades who stands to win a Triple-Crown, holding crown titles on all three Decados Planets that host the Prince's Royal Tournament. Alden is stunned into inaction as the Questing Knight genially questions Brother Godfrey about the death of Itoska Slava Decados. When Alden finally joins the conversation Ivan introduces himself formally as a Knight of the Questing Order and suggests that they get coffee in a nearby shop. While readying to set out across the city there was a bustle through the cathedral as the Inquisitor and his retinue loaded into autowagons and hurriedly drove out of town.

Ivan expressed some doubts about the claimed cause of death of Itoska and questioned Godfrey about the disposition of the body, specifically about any visible wounds to her flesh. As Godfrey walked Ivan through the state of her body he recalled the odd detail that in his vision he saw her gunned down before her throat was slit. Her corpse's slit throat was evident but her body showed no indication of recent bullet wounds. Godfrey shared the secret of his vision with the Questing Knight and Alden told him details of the colorful goings on at her funeral. When Ivan inquired about Alden's relationship with Lady Itoska Alden shamelessly admitted that she had taught him Montok. Ivan seemed skeptical before admitting "She never taught me..". Sir Ivan asked who the undertaker was but when asked if he was going to exhume the body he seemed disgusted by the notion. And shortly thereafter the Imperial Questing Knight thanked the brothers for their help and paid for their coffee. After Ivan departed the Brothers caught one another up on what had been happening and Alden expressed concern that he hadn't checked in with his order in some time. So, Alden squawkedJenny Sparks for a ride out to his Order's manse and they set out to Chapman keep, arriving later that night.

The Brothers arrived at Henningholm Mannor to find the it emptied of knights save Lord Henning and his brother Sir Gunther. Alden was called into the order's main hall and given a mild reprimand while catching him up on operations. While finding out where his brother knights were along the valley, a messenger brought in a sealed letter for Lord Henning. Henning read the letter and confirmed how long ago it was sent before informing Alden that the Inquisitor took all of his retinue and drove up the highway towards Snopa Pass. Alden offered to go investigate but Lord Henning told him senior knights were on that task and he was needed in Sarsbourg to steady Lord Braam.

Alden and Brother Godfrey cajoled Jenny into driving them out to Sarsbourg in the dark of the night. As they crossed into the town of Woodbridge at the edge of Sarsbourg fief Brother Godfrey thought it was unsettling that the town's toll booth was unattended. A quick search around the moon-lit road found a trail of blood and a pair of guards stuffed into a barracks shack. After a brief search of the town they found survivors tied up in the town pub who told them that armed men stormed the town and took everyone captive. They didn't see any livery on them and they don't know where they were headed but the road only leads towards the Lord's manor in Sarsbourg Towne. When they returned to Jenny's cab she informed them she wasn't going to be driving them into a gunfight, she isn't risking either her neck or her rig for a generous fare. After some wheedling from the brothers they convinced Jenny to drive them closer to Sarsbourg Towne and the brothers pushed on into the darkenned road to Sarsbourg Towne.