trials

As the group awaits further information or a possible attack on the estate, they find some things to occupy their time. Forsythe continues to keep watch from the roof for anyone to approach the house. Fix stays connected with Arias, checking in every so often for updates, and spending time with Zybella. Kadath roams the estate pitching in to help the servants or siblings as needed. Evangeline stays with Gavyn continuing to monitor his recovery.

Evangeline does take some time to gaze into her crystal ball focusing on Gaera’s past. She watches as a thirteen year old Gaera stands idly by watching the surface of the water in a hole of a frozen pond calm. The child then turns to the large estate, running for help. Shortly after this, Gaera, still thirteen, stood over a bassinet watching her parents dote over her three day old sister. While standing there, a storm moved in. Thunder clapped loudly and the ground shook. Chaos erupted around them. The vision blurred into another image. Gaera stands over old graves, those of her parents, and a girl of about eight years old takes Gaera’s hand. Evaneline took note of the dates on the graves being centuries old.

Evangeline then decides to draw another image within her book. She takes a moment to enter into a meditative state then she begins to draw. Thirty minutes later she takes a look. A spherical machine floats in the center of a room with sporadic porthole windows across its surface. A shadow passes by the window indicating a creature lived within. Along the walls are panels of buttons, levers, and lights occasionally moving or flashing. Through some research, it is believed this was once part of Ciamum.

Arias and Morgrim arrive at the council’s event and quickly inform Fix that Gaera and Davakri are at the reception. She shares the conversations about the table are typical: weather, travel, economy, though there were some mentions of the attack at the Durkhal. After the meal, Governor Iam Sunderman, Captain Pif Sernosk, Gaera and Davakri ask Arias to join them in a courtroom. There, she sees Eshuto holding a bound Gidna and Funae standing in a darker corner.

Gaera brings up accusations of Gidna’s involvement in various events throughout the Steadfast. After Arias shares this information with Fix, he goes to the courthouse to confront Gaera and uncover the secret of the golden scarab. Iam uses Forsythe’s tiara to see the scarab and begins asking questions. Feeling the tide turn, Funae disappears, followed quickly by Gaera, Davakri, and Eshuto. Kadath scrys on Eshuto and discovers that all but Funae had returned to Castle Aventur. 

Iam disappears to locate High Priest Rokdif and the group discuss possible options to remove the scarab from Gidna. Kadath takes a moment to commune and discovers that if Gidna was killed there is no guarantee of her revival. He then switches to questions about Funae and learns of her loyalty to Gaera and that she has great powers. Eventually, they decide Gidna would have to remain in jail until they could find a way to remove the scarab and Pif takes her out of the room. They all then make their way back to the estate.

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Episode 69