sleepers

In Nihliesh, Evangeline picks up more ink from Gallago. He offers to pay for their evening at the Platinum Spoon in hopes to reconcile with Evangeline for manipulating her to speak with his daughter on their previous visit. Before bed, they all do their nightly routines. As they begin to lay down for sleep, a song begins to play. Through some investigation, they realize the sound is omnipresent.

Forsythe takes to the air and discovers it only reaches so far. He then begins to look around for possible sources and finds an invisible stone. He takes the stone to Kadath that sees additional enchantment magic. Believing this to be a source, they wake Evangeline and travel to what appears to be the governmental building.

A guard answers the door and informs them their leader is currently sleeping and he has no intention of waking her. After some convincing, the group is allowed in where they question the guard. He discloses that the song was enacted by Mada-liviss to ease tensions and fighting. The guard concedes to let her know of a breakfast appointment with the group and sends them off. Most of the group wait for the song to end at midnight before returning to bed. 

In the morning, the group met with Mada-liviss to learn the song was enacted also to stop any night time ritual that may be performed by the Fahat. To aid in Fix’s understanding, she shares her peace talk schedule with the religious group and through some compromise, agrees to have this matter resolved in three weeks time and to cease using the stones. As they leave, they talk with several townsfolk to discover many of them are okay with it as a temporary law and have discovered benefits to this sleep.

The group then travels to the Citadel of the Iron Saint and discovers four people sitting around a sphere of energy meditating. Forsythe makes contact with them through telepathy and they agree to meet him at their home. Once they arrive, they are surprised to see others waiting there as well.

Through several questions, the group learns the four are part of what they call the Soul Court and they are looking for a fifth to join them. Their ancestors built the home in the fourth age and they have been watching people ever since. Those they watch are chosen depending on their lives, interests, influence and influencers. When asked about the group, they share that they were seen at a distance and were protected.

As Evangeline writes in her book about these watchers, the youngest, Zavakri, watches and is able to read the book. At times, Zavakri seems to communicate with the others telepathically about what she sees. Further questions reveal they are hosts to their ancestral spirits or souls. Some accept this willingly, one was born with the ancestor being passed from their mother.

When asked about the orrery, they teleport them back to the stone they were meditating on. The group discovers the hole beneath the sphere and with the aid of magic, get themselves into the large room holding the orrery of this ancient city.

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Episode 97