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The Eldest Son, Part 1

Players/Characters Present:
John Sikking - Basil Amantes (Ftr3)
Bruce Barnett - Bonzimir Amantes (Rog1/Hlf2)
Barbara Muth - Nereida Amantes (Clr3)
Chris Wood - Felix Amantes (Psi3)
Peter Drake - Demetrios Amantes (Ftr2/Wiz1)

After their adventures in Callistus, the Starborn took time to identify the items they had brought up from the House Metellus vault or recovered from their fallen foes amongst the Pactlords of the Quann. A very lengthy round of sales and purchases ensued, leaving the party considerably wealthier than before and in possession of some much-needed adventuring gear. They were, however, unable to find an expert in coins who might have bought their old coins for greater value.

In addition, Nereida and Demetrios engaged in research over the course of several days in the library of the Temple of Borlamnos situated in the Tower of the Dawn. They managed to find an old text that mentioned the Quann among a survey of known planes. It is said that it was created by the Llyran wizard Firehair, possibly as a base of operations during her bid to seize the Imperial throne during the Mage Wars. With Firehair's death, the Quann itself and the knowledge of how to reach it were lost to mortal scholarship. Another text, this one hundreds of years younger, but still over two hundred years old, referred to the "Pact of the Quann" as an organization of some sort. Nothing further was discovered.

Eventually, the team was summoned to an audience before Julian Ennius, Secundus of Callistus. They presented the Secundus with a framed and mounted set of ten coins (five each gold and silver - one for each sibling) found in the Metellus vault. In addition, each donated a sizeable tithe to the church. The Secundus was happy with the gifts and identified the coins as from the reign of Hadrasius XXVII, the Emperor whose assassination sparked the terrible Mage Wars. This made them more than 800 years old. After discussing their recent adventures, they offered their services to the Secundus, who accepted.

Secundus Julian told the Amantes siblings that he expected great things from them, and that he had an important task for them related to the Church. But first, he requested that they demonstrate their abilities by performing a task of a more personal nature for him. Julian's brother, Flavius, was dying and Flavius' eldest son, Jonas, was missing. He was last seen at the Imperial University in Echoriath. Julian desired the party to travel to the Ennius estate a few miles outside of Callistus and offer their aid to his brother. They willingly agreed and the Secundus blessed them with the sacred chrism before they left.

Arriving at the Ennius estate late in the evening, they encountered Flavius' second son, Rufus, and his large pack of mastiffs, setting off for a boar-hunt. Rufus was a large, handsome man with haughty manners who demanded their business on his father's lands. He sent a servant to convey them to the manor house while he continued with his hunt. 

At the manor, they were met by Flavius' second wife (the first died in childbirth) named Decima. Like her stepson, Decima was coolly correct with the party. A fine-boned woman of ancient noble birth and little regard for plebs, Lady Decima informed the party that her husband was indisposed and that he might call for them in the morning. She put them up in small rooms in a wing of the house and sent them a small repast. Late at night, the party heard Rufus and his pack of hounds returning from the hunt.

In the morning, they were called in to see Flavius Ennius. As they traveled through the house, they were able to see that much of the ancient edifice was boarded up and fallen into disrepair - a sure sign of the failing fortunes of the house. However, those portions still lived in had been gaudily redecorated in the recent past, something likely to have drained the Ennius coffers even faster.

Flavius was a man in his middle forties who looked much older...and on the brink of death. He turned down Nereida's offer of help. Clerical magic and herbal medicine had both failed to cure him, he said. Rufus and Decima were both present, standing at the patriarch's side. Though both were formally correct in their bearing and manners, the party seemed to think that the two might be jointly responsible somehow for Flavius' condition, though this was not openly spoken. 

Flavius thanked the party for coming, and explained his problem. His eldest son, Jonas was a student at the Imperial University. But a letter had recently arrived from professor Augustus Maelius stating that Jonas was missing and wondering if the young man had returned home. Flavius sent two of his servants to town to search for his son, but they returned, unable to uncover any sign of Jonas. This presents a very difficult situation to the Ennius family. If a Conorrian nobleman dies without a named heir, the property of the house reverts to the Emperor, spelling financial ruin for the remaining members of the house. Unable to find Jonas, Flavius has had him declared dead and named his second son, Rufus, to be his heir. However, if Jonas should appear before an Imperial consul or governor within 90 days, he can reclaim his status as heir. If the party would agree to travel to Echoriath and find Jonas, Flavius promised them a purse of 100 gold Nobles. He also gave them the use of light riding horses from his own stables. The party agreed.

Traveling down the ancient Conorrian heartland of the Miletian peninsula, they passed through beautiful lands of fertile farms and burgeoning vineyards. Eventually, however, they had to cross the Phrenine mountains via the Alvora pass. In the pass, they came upon a band of brigands robbing a covered wagon and forcing its driver to beg for his life at sword point. The Amantes quickly leapt to the victim's aid, but the brigands were soon put to flight when a perfectly-shot arrow from Demetrios' bow sliced through their leader's throat, killing him instantly. The rescued wagoneer was an eccentric traveling salesman by the name of Doctor Faustus, who thanked them profusely and pressed upon each of them a bottle of "Doctor Faustus' Fortifying Tonic" ("A Sovereign Remedy to Improve Health and Reduce Harmful Humors"). Felix alone took a draught of this tonic. He claimed it tasted like month-old bathwater, but later admitted to "feeling pretty good!"

Doctor Faustus identified the slain bandit leader as one "Big" Barnabus Fortas, a notorious and cruel bandit wanted for many crimes. Demetrios decapitated the body in order to prove the bandit's death to the authorities and Felix lashed the body to a tree and draped it with the eye of Borlamnos as a grisly warning to the other bandits. 

Four days later, the Amantes arrived at the great metropolis of Echoriath. This is the largest, grandest city in all the world, capital of the Empire since Jurisdas moved it from Conorr at the conclusion of the Wars of the Fishermen Emperors. A million people cram into its teeming streets, and beings of all races and nationalities may be found within its walls. Great temples frame the skyline along with soaring towers and flying beasts, while merchants from Accolon and Har'Akir and Tirgonia and Ahuran all shout out the qualities of their wares. The warm salt air is filled with a thousand scents, from the cinnamon and incense of a Luxur princess to the acrid fumes of dwarven forges to the blood and sweat of the Tarterum, the great arena. 

After purchasing identification papers Demetrios notified authorities about the death of Barnabus Fortas. He also learned that adventuring parties require a license to operate in the city and a second license to enter the catacombs below the city. The team wasted no time in pursuing Flavius' charge. After settling in at "The Groves", a small inn near the University, they immediately traveled to the University to see Professor Maelius. The Professor was of little help, though he did tell them that Jonas had been studying literature with Professor Herminius, and considered himself a poet. He also noted that Jonas' dormitory was in Pollux Hall, where he shared a room with one Claudius Tibullus, a medical student.

They went to see Claudius, who refused to allow them to enter the room and seemed quite frightened. Nereida managed to assure him of their good intentions and they finally gained entry to the room. Jonas' half of the room was empty, while Claudius' half was a mess. He was studying anatomy using a "body" of cleverly-arranged vegetables. He was also sporting several bruises and two broken fingers. 

Through much questioning (some more subtle, some less), they discovered that Jonas had been a spendthrift, gambling and losing with complete regularity. He most often caroused at two dives in the Maze known as "The Tail-Catcher's Pub" and "The Hopeful Toad". He had borrowed vast sums of money and eventually borrowed it from the wrong person, one Lucius Vitellius, a criminal from the neighborhood known as the Maze. He had also had a girlfriend, a young woman named Maria Clodia whom Claudius believes was a novice at the convent of St. Aurelius. Claudius believes that Jonas ran off with Maria Clodia about two weeks ago. Seeking repayment, Vitellius had lured Claudius out onto the docks and beat the same information out of him, breaking his hand in the process. He also mentioned that Professor Herminius had confiscated all of Jonas' belongings a few days ago. The party paid Claudius 25 Traders for this information, which he claimed to need to replace the body he was supposed to be studying. He deflected all questions about what had happened to the previous body and became quite upset when Felix suggested he might be a necromancer (a capital crime in Conorria).

From Pollux Hall, they traveled to the Literature Department, eventually discovering the half-hidden office of Professor Herminius, an eccentric but very knowledgeable Professor. On learning that the party represented the Ennius family, he launched into a series of curses in some very obscure languages and angrily explained that he had loaned Jonas his copy of a very rare book of love poems known as "Poems for Hestia", in the hopes that it would inspire the young man to improve his poetry. One of only six copies thought to exist, it is Herminius' prized possession. He demanded that the party get it back for him. They promised that they would if Herminius would allow them to see the possessions he'd taken from Jonas' room. He reluctantly agreed. 

In addition to clothes, they found Jonas' school journal, in which his note-taking steadily deteriorated over time, eventually becoming nothing more than handicaps for various chariot races and lewd sketches of over-endowed dancing girls. Towards the end, the journal showed a long series of debts owed to various persons. Later, these debts had mostly been lined out, as if paid. Lucius Vitellius was not among those on the list, but Claudius Tibullus was, and he had not yet been paid. The second item of importance was a well-worn map showing how to enter the convent of St. Aurelius via the sewers and how to enter the sewers via the Tail-Catcher's Pub.

1) Are Rufus and Decima behind Flavius' failing health? 
2) Why does clerical magic have no effect on the dying man's health? 
3) Why did the two men Flavius send after his son not discover any of the things the party has? 
4)Is Lucius Vitellius responsible for Jonas' disappearance? Is Maria Clodia? Is Tibullus? 
5) Is Tibullus a necromancer? 
6) Just how did Jonas, a boozing, gambling student, meet a novice from a convent?

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