Amherth Diaries, Session XIV-XV: Home Sweet Home

Going back to Tradeport on the back of a lovely griffon, the group is followed by the "nameless" cavalier and a couple of possessed wizards riding griffons as well. The adventurer is guided by obscure forces... but yet, some kind of light shines in his eyes. "Go there! He's still there! Go to the orphanage!!!" mourns, as he dies after a spectacular aerial combat. 

Traderport is always there, under the rain, cloaked by an invisible and giant shadow. 

Diane has been arrested. It doesn't take much for her to confess... But before, the map must be taken from her house and another "owner" must be determined: that's Liam.

Back to Liam's cousin, she hates the city. She hates its hipocrisy, the rich dominating the poor. Old story, still powerful in her lonely heart.
Garlene, lonely, harsh and master of Tradeport's guards (Elowen's aunt) seems to be interested in pulling the strings and solve the mystery along with the young adventurers. She's not the "worst" card in the deck: she's just a mysterious woman, sick of all the speaking.

That's the reason why she decided to help Aurelie Torlaine, the mastermind behind the Hleib murder, the genius behind the conspiracy against the "witches". The Torlaines, the weavers, the silent secondary family weaving clothes for everyone. 

This time, Aurelie, before the eyes of a weak husband, the poor and thin Henry. 

Torlaines house is where everyone is headed. Before, Gillian takes some to talk with his "father" at the Temple (remember? He's Winfried's son!!). The story is not that weird: he fell in love with an imperial messenger. She didn't have a "name", he says. He's not even sure the name she told was her true name, but still, he loved her. They had two sons: Beatryce and Gillian. 

Gillian was raised by the temple then by the witch hunters, since Winfried, after her beloved disappearence, wanted to dedicate his whole life to Rangeth. 

No many words are expended. Gillian turns away, as always.

Torlaines' house seems dead, but Aurelie is there, kinda waiting for them. Henry quickly steps towards Liam: "I told you to stay away from... this." Liam ignores him.

Aurelie talks about how much she hates the city, to how much stuff she actually did with her conspiracies: she trheatened the city to wake up some "consciousness". She wanted to create movement in the hearts of the powerful, and see all the secrets and sick bargains sink with the old ships at the docks.

It feels like her crimes are "gifted" with a spark of reason.
Crimes must be punished, though. Garlene declares Aurelie is under arrest. Aurelies threatens them to spoil the secrets she gathered and stole from the Greystones. She will be judged... but with the aid of thirteen attorneys.
She's plenty of counter-moves: among others, a "box" as she calles it, full of those secrets... And tons of allies around the city, ready to deliver those truths around the city as soon as she gets jailed.

Garlen seems deaf and starts torturing her, while the others run away, looking for some traces of the suddenly disappeared Henry, hoping he will bring them to the "mysterious box".

They track the thin husband and discover an underground passage connecting many dots in the city. Henry is fleeing and almost killed a guard trying to stop him. The truth is harsh and unbelievable and he speaks quickly as soon as he gets captured in the streets of the dock quartiers.

"She's not her! My Aurelie is... disappeared!" What he reveals, is a frightening story of a doppleganger offering its services to the Torlaines Lady, helping her to weave the sick plans and be "in two places at the same time", making it possible to trick others and do stuff otherwise impossible to achieve (like when she payed the assassin with the appearence of Lady Greystone).

With here wereabouts unknown, Henry is brought in jail. At the Torlaines manor, Garlene almost killed the Doppleganger.
When the creature is brought back at the Witch Hunters' guild, they found another surprise: many characters gathered there. Morgane, Celemor, Morgana (Morgane's wife), Arthur... and Alowar!
Elowen's sister says their mother is at home. They decide to start looking for the "real" Aurelie, before leaving for the orphanage, an investigation that must be finally done to bring the God Map's spirits to peace and to unveil the mysterious words of the dying nameless cavalier (see above).

Alowar tells their mother wants to see them all.
Once at the Greystone manor, Lathaniel is ready for another "show", where (again), it is impossible to define her feelings.
She wants to "thank" everyone, offering favors and money, since even if Alowar almost killed her (with proper vengeance in the Session XIII), they saved her. She's not a "kind" woman, but a sort of "lawfulness" is part of her daily business.

 

She wants to marry a guy from far lands to bring new "money" and power to the city and announces that the "informers" guild is dismissed... Greystone Manor will be the city's arcane academy. Lady Greystone is sick of gathering secrets: she wants to be respected for what she is and not for what she doesn't say.
They ask her to track Aurelie, since she is the mastermind and since Lady Lathaniel is one of the most powerful mages around.
She smiles and agrees. She says she needs some "materials" and ask everyone to follow her in the house basement.
A "secret" laboratory is unveiled, with mysterious and shadowy mantled figures writing
in dark libraries.

At the end of a neverending corridor there's a room. There lies Aurelie Torlaine, basically crucified in a cell. Many needles in her meat, torture signs on the naked body.
The vision makes them speechless. "I knew, I followed you and I wanted to get my revenge on the woman that tried to ruin my life" says, with no signs of a single feeling.

They ask her to keep her alive and bring her away. She agrees, but not without hesitating.
"I got what I wanted" she says, while Aurelie cries as a child, in pain... less than a day spent there, feeling like a whole year.
"Bring me away, please" she cries. "I admit it... I'll confess... but bring me away!"
They do.

Once out the Greystone manor, Garlene speaks. "She made a mistake. Kidnap and torture" she laughs. "Now I have an excuse to arrest her."
"What?" the group says.
"Lathaniel", says Garlene, before leaving, riding her black horse. "Once we'll take care of Aurelie's story, I will arrest my sister. Her kingdom ends here."

The rain falls, silent. From a manor's window, Lathaniel looks at them. Silent.
Like a spectre.