MargardKazuki/SessionTwentyFour
The scene begins with, at most, a week left before graduation. All tests, even Kazuki's, have been completed.
There are five gala events that have been planned for the students:
The Brewer's Festival of Fine Ales -- the party that ensures that everyone is drunk or hungover for the rest of the events.
The Wondrous Auction -- All sorts of fantastical items and creatures for sale.
the Black Pool Illuminations -- An affair hosted by House Margard where their sorcerers and thaumaturges put on a show of illusions.
The Ice Palace -- This is erected by The Guild for a one-night event, where there is something to do in all the rooms (all the pleasures available from the Guild). This is an ostentatious display of wealth by the Guild.
The Satrap's Ball -- The most traditional event; pretty much as it sounds, it's a ball sponsored by the Satrap.
A couple of days before the parties, Mizugami pays a visit to Cynis Yorake to discuss what he knows of V'neef Tegrat's assassination. He mentions that Margard Krees, an Imperial magistrate for the area, is more than a week overdue. Yorake has sent a Dragonblooded associate to Wallport to try to find out what happened to Krees. He knows that Krees was still alive when he left Wallport, and that he left via an overland route, but still, he's late.
Yorake does not believe in Tegrat's conspiracy theory that House Margard is involved in treachery. However, Tegrat may have been on to something, which he is looking into, and he believes that he was close enough to have been a threat to something.
Mizugami asks The Rose Black to keep an eye out for Krees. He also has Ranka send an Infallible Messenger to Tepet Elena to let her know, but there is no return response. Apparently, she has gone missing as well. Mizugami passes that news along to Yorake and the Rose Black as well.
Finally, since his staff had been compromised earlier, he speaks with the rest of his staff to make sure they are aware of the threats that Mizugami stands against, and that their lives are in real danger as long as they serve him. He assures them that they will be taken care of one way or another, and if they choose to leave, he will help them find new positions. A few of his staff do leave, but very few of his soldiers or guards depart; most of those abandoning him are from the various businesses he's invested in.
Judas arranges to have two of his contacts work at the Smokehouse that Albrecht named during his interrogation to keep an eye on things.
Ranka has her staff pick out her wardrobe for her. She also ponders obtaining the secret list for the Wondrous Auction, but decides against it. She also prepares for the Tournament of the Scarlet Grace by having a few elementals pre-summoned. She summons a Mercury Ant, a Cloud Person, and a Flame Duck.
Jahana gathers the final intelligence on the other schools participating in the Tournament of the Scarlet Grace. The West is sending a single graduate -- an older student who has mastered two forms of the Immaculate Martial Arts who has earned an honorary degree from the school. He is a real threat.
The Spiral Academy is sending 51 students. Of those, there are 8 that will fare especially well in one-on-one combat. There are 2 others that have been working with those 8 to plot victory. Those two are specifically diplomats.
The Perfect Circle being sent from the Cloister of Wisdom have each mastered their forms, but the biggest threat is that V'neef Chead himself has been personally training them to be a part of his Wild Hunt team. The good news is that he does have a high opinion of the group.
The seven members of the Psiaps Stare are hardened criminals. The easiest way to deal with them would be to incite them into violence at the pre-tournament social event.
There are twenty-seven members from the House of Bells, with about 11 teams of two or three members. These are students who are ready for the Realm Civil War to start at any time.
The three from Chioscurro are strongly considering to come work for Mizugami. There's actually a fourth member of their team, but he is not a student, and not participating in the tournament.
Kazuki talks to the Idiots to discuss their future with them -- they are best off not pursuing their dreams, and sticking with him instead. He also works out combat tactics with Jahanna. Kira also participates.
With that, the first of the galas take place: The Brewer's Festival of Fine Ales. It is common for people to wear Northern garb to this event. It is fairly easy to gain entrance into this event, and many mortals are in attendance, including may from the Vermilion Legion.
Kazuki gets pleasantly drunk; his Wood aspect ability protects him from getting alcohol poisoning, and keep him from getting a hangover. Kira gets completely blotto. Ja'ana gets buzzed, but stays in control. Ranka gets giggly drunk, maybe a little drinker than she wanted. Mizugami intentionally debauches himself. Judas and Admiral Helkar have a drinking challenge and frighten a number of brewers.
At one point in the night, Jahhana catches sight of Tevaned rushing through the crowd with the intent to initiate battle against Ranka. Jah'na sees that Ranka is about to raise a new glass of wine to her lips, and she reaches for the glass. Judas notices Jhana taking action against Ranka and tells Morning Frost Willow to go over to see what's going on.
Jaaana takes Ranka's glass from her hand and turns her towards the oncoming Tevaned, just in time to to have Tevaned come up to the pair, yelling at them to drop the glass. He had been attempting to follow the bottle unsuccessfully for the past hour, but the bottle had originated from Brilliant Tooth's estate. Judas, despite being drunk, goes with Tevaned back to Yorake to find out what is going on. Apparently, someone is trying to incite general chaos.
Some time after Judas has left with Tevaned, Unrepentant Jade appears on the scene to talk to Jajana. He asks to be her guest and to stay at the Palace of Len Occam. He believes that his life is in danger, and the Palace is the only place that he trusts. By this point, both Jana and Kazuki (and the Idiots) have stopped drinking given the recent potential threat of poison. Kira and Mizugami continue their binge until Mizugami finally loses it.
Unrepentant Jade tells his story. He believes he had uncovered what V'Neef Tegrat had discovered. In Cherak, there is a heretical order that a number of people, including members of the Deliberative, are a part of called the Cult of the Illuminated. They worship the Anathema as divine, specifically the Solars. Unrepentant Jade has a number of Charms that can detect the network that they are a part of. He is unable to discern the nature of relationships. He is also able to determine levels of guilt; though he doesn't know what it is about, he can sense how bad they feel about it. But, even with these Charms, he is unable to determine who is actually in the cult.
He was investigating Margard Silvereyes, who had in his possession scrolls on the Cult of the Illuminated. Unrepentant Jade knows that when he left Silvereyes' estate, he was followed. He was able to lose his shadow, but he fears that this secret is what got Tegrat killed.
He knows who he absolutely trusts -- The Rose Black and Admiral Helkar among them -- but he does not know them enough to have brought this to their attention. He definitely suspects: Margard Silvereyes, Margard Wandering Moon, Margard Still Sky, Ferem Sunrise, Ferem Laurim, and Victorious Metal.
Mizugami intends to inform Yorake and then gather up Abbott Takgana, The Rose Black, Ferem Amosa, Crow, and Ragara Takara for a big meeting so that Unrepentant Jade can give them the scoop.
Judas and Ranka go off to speak with their people, while Mizugami goes to talk with Cynis Yorake to invite him to the meeting. Abbott Takgana is next, followed by Ragara Takar -- it would have been difficult to get an audience had he not had his group with him. Then he goes get the Satrap, and finally the whole group goes to pay the Rose Black a visit.
At the meeting, Unrepentant Jade tells his story. Judas adds that he knows the cult to normally be more inconspicuous, so recent activities are outside the norm. Cynis Yorake adds a seventh name: Laseo Peyocho, Cherak's Quartermaster General, whom Silvereyes and Laurin both report to.
When the question of what to do next is posed, The Rose Black declines to do anything. Any troops she sends in could be construed wrongly and could cause civil unrest. Ferem Amosa suggests that the four Smokehouses be immediately shut down.
Abbott Takgana wants a list of every person involved in the heresy. He is willing to take the political heat to lead the investigation into the heretics, but needs Unrepentant Jade's assistance.
Mizugami suggests that the import of Dreams of Heaven should be highly illegal, and the Guild should be made well aware of this.
Unrepentant Jade reluctantly admits that Ferem Amosa is linked in the network. To show that the inquisition is impartial, Mizugami suggests that she should also be investigated. Because Kazuki's name had come up in Tegrat's investigation, he also volunteers to be subject to the inquisition.
With the inquisition set into motion, the students return to their daily lives. That night, the Wondrous Auction commences. Many extravagant items are brought out, but the students do not really indulge much until the last purchase of the day, where an automaton, Silmnera, is brought out, and Ranka wins the bid.
The Black Pool Illuminations are a magnificent display of illusionary delights. This is the last pleasant evening, as earlier in the day, arrests were made as four smokehouses were closed down forcefully, and tomorrow, an emergency meeting of the Greater Deliberative has been called.
Just under half of the Cheraki Deliberative has been called out as individuals that need to be investigated, including the Satrap herself. Some people are completely blindsided. There are few that manage to leave the city, such as Ferem Laurim. Others are not so able -- such as the Imperial Quartermaster. Admiral Helkar captures the Quartermaster attempting to leave on a ship out of the harbor.
The Ice Palace event is the most subdued Guild event ever. Even members of the Vermilion Legion who had been hoping to attend decide that a city under inquisition is not the best time for them to attend. The students still enjoy themselves, though Judas, acting drunk, wanders the halls to keep an eye on the others.
At the Ball, Quintero invites Jaaahaaanaaa, Kazuki invites Saiki, Kira invites Chisato, Mizugami invites a couple of officers from the Legion, Ranka invites Deadly Rose Lord, and Judas invites Morning Frost Willow. Most balls run until about midnight, and at about 11:00 PM, bloodied (some of their own, some of something else) and road-worn, a pair of uninvited guests show up: Tepet Elena and Margard Krees. Krees carries with him a package of evidence that was sent to him by Tegrat.
The day after the ball is graduation. After fighting kung-fu zombies and dinosaurs, dealing with reality-altering machines and snow goons, graduation is kind of anti-climactic.
Each of the Dragonblooded students can now, officially, be considered as adults.
There is not much time for celebration after graduation; the group immediately departs for the Tournament of Scarlet Grace. The grounds are on the Blessed Isle near the Imperial City. Quarters are little more than dormitories.
The Tournament is held close enough to the capital that people could travel out to the tournament grounds, watch the events through out the morning and afternoon, and then return home in the evening.
The group arrives 5 days before the competition begins. Judas goes to the capital city, carrying a message from The Rose Black.
Mizugami and Ranka socialize, while Jahanana, Kazuki, and Kira check out the environmental challenge grounds. On the second day, Kira goes back to visit her family.
Jajana discovers that the environmental challenge is a completely swamp-covered area.
Ranka manages to figure out who the sorcerers of the Spiral Academy are. She also learns that they are not outdoorsmen. Mizugami works to build connections and gets along well with the Speaker and Vice-Speaker of the Spiral Academy's Deliberative.
The next group to arrive is the House of Bells, who immediately fragments upon checking in. The Psiaps Stare arrives next, followed by the group from Chiascurro. Mizugami has been specifically waiting for this group. They are somewhat different from the others that have arrived so far. They are louder, more boisterous, and not particularly concerned about the tournament itself.
The day before the competition is when the last of the groups arrives. In the morning is when V'neef Chead and his group arrive. He is happy to see everyone is still alive and doing well and looks forward to pitting his team against the group during the environmental challenge.
Mid-afternoon is when the ringer from the Taming Storm from the West arrives. His attire is completely white, including his smash fists, but what truly sets him apart from the others is the graying hairs on his head.
Just before nightfall is when the team of four from the Heptagram arrives at the very last moment. Mizugami greets them, and they respond in kind. They, the new Ragara Chantry, had been looking forward to meeting him.
The next day is the banquet and ball. The 'important' speakers at the banquet drone on for hours. Their speeches are drool-inducing, but their Charms keep their audience attentive.
The Ball, however, is anything but boring. The Spiral Academy goes on a social rampage and target everyone. Their taunts are brutal, but the group manages to get out relatively unharmed, though Kazuki is visibly shaken -- his attacker, the former Senior Trade Legate at the Spiral Academy, Lydal somethingsomething, threatened to kill a child if Kazuki did not punch him. He tells Mizugami about the threat the next morning, and Mizugami sets things in motion to try to make things better... At least for Kazuki,
The next day is the 'written' exam. Rather than pen and paper, the participants are seated inside a stadium, watched by a cheering crowd. It is a bit unnerving to many. Before the test begins, the former Senior Trade Legate of the Spiral Academy drops a child's severed ear on Kazuki's desk. This forces Kazuki to swallow his intimacy and causes the hypnosis that Rokumasu put on him to drop.
The test commences and everyone is off to a shaky start, but the group manages to get through the first couple of rounds without any problems. Jhna is able to call out the keyword to reactivate Kazuki's hypnotism. This allows him to successfully tackle the final and most difficult question. The group manages to successfully get through the 'written' exam portion of the contest.
Two members of the Spiral Academy and three from the House of Bells are eliminated from the competition. Ranka catches sight of a member of Piaps Stare cheating -- she does not follow-up with that knowledge, however. The members of Chiascurro come in covered in charms and sigils to grant them as much luck as possible. The members of the Heptagram have tiny demons on their shoulders that are obviously whispering answers to them.
The next part of the competition is the horsemanship competition. Kazuki is able to shine, using his training with allowing his horse to fly in order to excel in his performance. The others manage to successfully navigate the course, though Ranka barely manages to get through.
Following that is the Archery competition. Janaha, Kazuki, and Mizugami score well enough on a single shot to pass. Kira takes top marks and scores the number one position. Judas barely manages to accumulate enough points over multiple shots. Ranka uses her flame gun to hit the target and succeeds with a single shot.
That night, Rokumasu, seeing the writing on the wall, carefully tears down the hypnosis on Kazuki. Meanwhile, Kazuki informs Mizugami about the ear, and relays his fear that he will be forced to face off against the former Senior Trade Legate once again in the one-on-one. Mizugami isn't sure if he can do anything about it.
And with that, the day closes as the group looks forward to the final rounds.
