Previously, part of the group went to Chaos to look into Eric and Bastiano. Meanwhile Gerhardt was working on connecting the train track. Amber Station will be one connection point away from the hub. Expansions on the castle allow for the first generation of airship transport. He continues to work with locals including engineering experts from Brigid’s university.
Gerhardt’s assistant notifies him that Selene Hendrake is making an unscheduled visit. He rearranges his schedule to meet with her. She wants to talk about Eric, who is planning to announce his engagement to the duchess of her house at the upcoming “Patternfall Armistice Day” celebration in about a month. He is being considered the first legitimate heir. Selene thinks this is going to have some serious repercussions. One of the involved houses (like House Helgram) might take action and she doesn’t want to see another war. Selene also has a proposal from the Emperor for an airship network connecting the two realms. She intends to get on the King’s schedule to talk about this. She’ll be around to get updates.
Eric got his death curse lifted by the Serpent, but people are still concerned about how he got that done. Jason has learned that Eric is shielded from both Pattern and Eidolon. The group decides to visit Eric tomorrow for brunch and just talk about it. Can't go tonight because of the Sky Cascade, a beautiful part of the festivities.
Gerhardt trumps Silas to learn about the group's escapades in Chaos. Silas recounts all that has occurred, including a recap of the fact that Bastiano's operations from the Ascendancy keep popping up all over the place. When one gets compromised, they basically burn it down and pop up somewhere else. Despite Silas' considerable skill in intrigue, they continue to elude him.
For tonight's event Silas is dressing in local garb. Lowen is in fairy standards. Isabelle doesn't really care so whatever Silas can provide is awesome. She's most interested in figuring out where is the best vantage point to paint the scene in the sky. Announcements upon arrival:
- Jericho, Earl of Dalketh, Son of Duke Eric of House Barrowman accompanied by Duchess Isabelle
- Silas, Consul Plenipotentiary of Amber
- Jason, Lord…?
- Lord Lowen, Master of the Wild Hunt
Selene asks Gerhardt to stop his friends from attending. If they do go, help her get in so she can "help out a bit". She doesn't have any information she can pass on to help substantiate the threat, but she says it has increased considerably. He trumps Silas again and conveys this information.
The house most against Eric's claim is Chanicut (sp). Silas checks to see if Undershadow is present at the embassy in Chaos and it sure is. Wide open, critters and all. Jericho trumps Eric to warn him about the threat.
The group decides to go early to inspect the venue and security measures. It's built on the rim of the Abyss. The group gathers around to cover him as he looks in Undershadow here. He finds a direct and volatile connection to the Void.
Jason looks through Eidolon and sees the purest, undistilled, horrifying Umbra. Worse, he senses the Abyss is aware of him. Bastiano, Umbra Master, is also expected to be in attendance.
Silas goes a distance from the event location to talk to the critters in Undershadow. "Do not approach the maw! It consumes all," they warn him. The creature he talks to (Bruce) has one eye with several pseudopod tentacles to walk on. It was very interested in Silas' shoe and upon further inspection he sees that he's been bugged. The provided clothing was compromised! Silas gets the bug off Isabelle's clothing. Isabelle and Natasha both have extra trackers due to being so very observant. Shoe trackers have active signal, others are more subtle and can only be detected in close proximity.
Isabelle is working on the background for the painting so she can capture the real event as it happens. While she's doing this, Lowen tells her over the rings that there's someone sketchy about. They made eye contact with Lowen and then slipped away. They're affiliated with House Chanicut. There have been some thwarted poisonings tonight, but that's just standard fare.
Point of clarification: This event is NOT when Eric is making his announcement. Eric is not here but all the major houses have representatives present.
Selene has captured a suspect and is interrogating them. Gerhardt considers reaching out to Silas or Jericho for that. First, he trumps Clarissa. She doesn't answer, but he persists for a bit. He's still unable to reach her. He gets a trump call from Clarissa, who is returning his call. He mentions that he's thinking of making an appearance with Selene, and she thinks that's a lovely idea.
She's also heard about increased threats at the event, but she seems a bit dismissive of it. Something something, stirring up tension between Chaos and Amber. Her bigger concern is the series of magical sacrifices in the Abyss over the last few months that have prepared it to be used for something dramatic.
Silas, while attempting diplomatic relations, gets a trump call. It's Gerhardt informing him about Selene's captive.
Abyssal experts at the event are surprised at the speed that things are happening. Lowen shares a psychic image of the suspect, and she in turn shares it with Jericho. He find the guy on the outskirts of the platform. The guy talks to a number of people, but Jericho stays on him as he looks to be the most important. From time to time he puts up a monocle that seems to enable him to keep an eye on Lowen. Oh crap they look like they're flanking Lowen.
Jericho trumps Lowen to warn him. They decide to move Lowen through trump to where Jericho is. Jericho keeps an eye on the suspect to see his reaction, which is virtually none. He just finds him again. They change course and proceed carefully to his new location.
Jason is talking to Bastiano and asks if he's seen the Abyss before. Bastiano is certain there's some sentience to it, corroborating Jason's suspicions. They talk about the ancients and Jason mentions he thinks he's met two: the Unicorn and the little girl. They also discuss the Dwimmerlaik, but Bastiano doesn't think they are the primary threat. He's made preparations to deal with them within the Ascendancy.
Selene informs Gerhardt that the attempt is going to be on the Amber Ambassador. Gerhardt makes a tenuous trump connection to Isabelle. He's able to tell her the basics and she conveys this to Lowen, who can hopefully tell Jericho et al.
The people flanking Lowen reach him and serve notice of a challenge. He is being accused of stealing the blade, but Lowen maintains that what was lost in war was fair game. It is bad form to kill the messengers.
People at the event seem disturbed by the behavior of the Abyss. Silas asks Lowen to go look for abyssal magic being used. As Jericho shares the information about the ambassador, a servant wields a knife and charges forward yelling, "Death to Amber!" Silas shoots him and the knife clatters to the ground. More assailants charge in, resulting in a pile of dead bodies by Jericho.
Silas takes the Ambassador away but he's already been poisoned. Despite Silas' efforts, the Ambassador suffers a gruesome death from poisoning. Silas trumps Isabelle and tells her. Isabelle notices a Chaosian is listening in to their trump call?? She pinpoints the offending trio of people on the edge of the abyss.
Jason gets a trump from Isabelle basically saying, "there they are, tag — you're it!" He approaches the group and the ringleader is backed to the edge of the platform.
Gerhardt calls Clarissa and lets her know he can't reach Isabelle. She sends people to check on her and the overall situation.
Silas tries to trump Isabelle but can't get through. He talks to her on the rings so she tries to bring him over trump. She can't get him. Jericho is marching quickly towards Jason so Isabelle follows. Representatives from House Helgram try to reach Isabelle and she ushers them to follow.
Jason talks to the suspects, the main one holding a fan of trump cards of each person in the party. Someone asked them to distract the group and keep them occupied. Jason asks for the card of his likeness, but the jerk refuses and says he was told to return it to his employer. Of course he won't tell who his employer is.
Jason attempts to block the trump he is trying to activate. It's partially activated, so he can't travel with it but he might be able to communicate through it. Jericho and Isabelle arrive and the guy seems to be getting instructions. He wraps up the trump cards in a scarf and tosses them into the abyss. He moves a ring from one finger to another and something about him changed. He seems… more himself?
Jericho knocks everyone out and moves the ring back. Isabelle reads their minds and finds the guards are just hired by him, and he's just an accountant for the catering company. He has no memory of yesterday and today until the ring was placed back. The ring didn't seem to be much more than a spell trigger, but they give it to Lowen for further investigation.
When the fireworks culminate and collapse into the abyss, it is easily 10x larger than it should be. Cracks form in the platform and while it still seems stable, people are exiting. As the explosion happens, an opening appears in the Abyss exposing the void and a Dwimmerlaik incursion!
Gerhardt's Notes
Gerhardt’s been working on the rail primarily, as well as airship station. Probably not delegating as much as he should, but is getting pressure to do that. Received visit from Selene Hendrake. Concerned about what Eric’s been up to politically (among other things is engaged to Duchess Hendrake). There’s an upcoming (about a month) event in Chaos recognizing the end of Patternfall, typically somber but Eric’s been pushing to make it more upbeat. TLDR would like Gerhardt to be her +1 at the event. Provisionally agreed, have to make sure things are going smoothly by then, will follow up a week before. She’s also concerned about what Bastiano’s been up to with Helgram, signs that he’s also involved in what Eric’s doing. Currently a few of Gerhardt’s relatives are in Chaos and getting involved in that in a way that could cause things to go badly. He’ll check in with what’s going on there. (She’s going to stay in Amber for a while, is bringing a proposal to look into extending rail lines from Amber to Chaos.)
Party in Chaos, observing some stellar phenomena. More signs that something’s going to happen, Selene is trying to get more detailed info, lets Gerhardt know that she’s captured someone for interrogation. He lets Silas know this, but the event has already started and he doesn’t want to leave, offers the assistance of the Amber intelligence service. Talks to Clarissa, she can’t add anything about what might happen, but someone’s been performing rituals to gather a lot of Abyssal power, anarchist faction. Passes that info to Silas.
Other stuff going on that end, PCs looking for security flaws, finding some tracking devices, Isabelle is making a painting of the event. Lowen notices someone in the Chanicut party who was a lieutenant of one of the Sorcerer Kings. Jericho notices that he’s using some sort of monocle to keep track of Lowen, has 4 agents flanking him.
Jason meets up with Bastiano, conversates about the sentience in the Abyss. Some talking about Eric, Amberites, and Ancients. Confirms that Amberites are blood descendants of the Unicorn, and that Eric has the backing of one of the Ancients which is why he was concealed from Eidolon and Pattern.
Selene lets Gerhardt know that there’s going to be an attack on Amber’s Ambassador, poisoning and blade attack. Blade is to make it obvious. He tries to Trump Silas, it’s blocked. Tries Isabelle, with a lot of effort he is able to get her attention enough that she’s able to briefly open a very weak link. He’s able to get out the attack on the ambassador, poison and blade, but is cut off before he can say more.
People start pulling out knives and charging toward the Ambassador shouting “Death to Amber!” Silas Trumps him out to the Amber embassy in Chaos, where the Ambassador immediately starts convulsing and bleeding from his orifices. Trumps to his med base in Phoenix Empire, but Ambassador dies before they can start treatment. He Trumps Isabelle and stupidly announces on an open Trump call that the Ambassador was dead, angled the Trump so that she could see the corpse. As they’re ending the call, she realizes that someone was spying on the call. The tracks it down to someone at the party. People start converging, Jason gets first and tries conversation. Typical chaos ensues.