A Black Star over Sigil



Previous Quest:

Subsequent Quest: Werewolves of Greenbank.

Company members: Asharla, Drumak, Indri, Iola, Zeerith

New Company members: Cait

New Soul Stones: Morgana

Arrival in Sigil
Ash, Drumak, Iola, Zeerith arrived late in the day at Sigil to find it was under curfew. They were hurried off the streets by Mr Skinner who generously inviteed them to stay overnight at his lodgings. Zeerith was of particular interest to him, with his pristine drow skin, and he offered a magical item for Zeerith's use, in exchange for his skin when he dies. Zeerith politely declined. Ash bought a cloak from him, which has the effect that people and creatures tend to ignore her.

The following morning saw the arrival of Cait, returning some hides to Mr Skinner. Rumours of Bad Company had preceded the Company to Sigil as Cait guessed that is who they were. She was introduced to them by Mr Skinner, who recommended her as a city guide, in which capacity she was hired by the Company. She started by helping them find lodgings at The Cracked Oak, where they met up with Indri who had just completed a period of training as a Shadow monk.

The Black Star
The reason for the curfew was the mysterious and threatening appearance of the Black Star who had been able to infiltrate, intimidate and threaten various merchant Houses around the city, and somehow bypass the protection The Lady of Pain provides to those in her realm. Fear, mistrust and veiled accusations of involvement were causing divisions between Houses. There was also doubt cast on The Lady's ability to protect her citizens, and all that disrupted trade, the lifeblood of the city.

One House which had not been affected to date by the Black Star was that of Vladivos III. Rumours are that he might get threatened imminently. Heading out to visit that House, Andara - to their surprise - leads the Company, as she considers her appearance as a Paladin more fitting for such an occasion.

On arrival at the House, we are met by Stock, the Steward. The House itself appeared to be guarded by an eyepatch wearing lone halfling, who is the head of security. Iola disguises herself amongst the house serving staff, Indri hides in the shadows and the others spread out as lookouts on the roof or in the main hall area, as the curfew is enforced and the guests have arrived. Suddenly the doors to the main hall are jammed and members of the Black Star materialise, beginning to threaten the House and undermine the Lady's authority and power. The Company intervene, driving them off and killing one.



The Silver Skies Sanitorium
The trail then leads, by way of straitjacket marks and signs of having been sedated on the corpse, to the Silver Skies Sacred Sanitorium, a high class, well respected mental asylum run by Sister Mercy. The Company investigate further and discover a cover up of missing people and a room which teleports them to another area - dimension? - where they are met with the howls of various insane people locked in cells. Cait temporarily shifts to appear as Sister Mercy, to the puzzlement of the Company. Mordred begins to suspect that his mother is behind this in some way and in another room the Company do meet Morgana for the first time. She had killed the person she had been attuned to, and offers the Company a selection of alternative hosts, or 'clothes' as she calls them. The Company declined.

Morgana explained how insanity has been shielding her presence and activity from The Lady, and plans to continue to undermine then overthrow her to gain access to controlling the doors and portals of the realm. This would give the Company a great advantage in being able to travel anywhere, and indeed to the Grail once its location has been identified. The Company debated how to proceed, and settled on attempting to persuade The Lady that they were responsible for stopping the Black Star threat and hoping for some reward in return.

Morgana desired a new host as her current one was to be used as part of the plan in talking to The Lady, so Iola attuned to Morgana and Cait attuned to Taliesin. Partly, this would give Cait an introduction to what it was like being attuned to a Soul Stone and one which would be a gentler with her than Morgana.

The Lady of Pain
The Company went to visit The Lady of Pain, who saw through their attempted duplicity. She divined their true purpose by reading their thoughts (Morgana was able to resist this). Taliesin recalled something of the true nature of the Lady, which was not to inflict pain but rather take it from her citizens and take it upon herself. She gave the Company the opportunity to accept punishment for the attack on her city, which they accepted (Zeerith very reluctantly). Leaving the door to her chambers resulted in them ending up back in Faerun, dropping out of the sky from a Cloud castle.

During this fall, Indri manifested his Shadow wings for the first time. Iola recalled her ship, Folariel, fixed and put into a bottle by Merlin, and was prompted to activate the magic item which it had been turned into, resulting in a flying ship which the rest of the Company were able to land on. From there, the ship was guided as if on autopilot towards meeting up with Arthos and Merlin, which led to the Werewolves of Greenbank adventure.

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