Burning Locusts: Session 5

In Burning Locusts: Session 4 we learned about Vadam and Stavros running an art theft scheme. We also learn that Lord Jade is assembling a private security detail.

Fiego and Antonius Haggle with Vadam

We start with Antonius following up on the conditions of his failed Duel of Wits with Ansidora. He’s going to go and buy her stuff from Vadam, her ex-husband.

Before heading into the city, Antonius talks with Fiego and asks that he come along. What better time for Antonius to continue the haggling instruction for Fiego.

Together, they walk to Vadam’s house and treat with the dwarven guards. The guards say that Vadam’s in the warehouse district, personally overseeing the sale.

As they get to the warehouse district, they see a dwarf staffing a “Storage Wars” type auction. Antonius looks over the goods:

1- Clothes

• Old tomes
• Nick knacks
• Rare books
• Family Chronicles

And begins talking with Vadam; it’s evident that Vadam loathes Ansidora. He wants to sell this stuff to someone who will treat it poorly. We spend a little bit of time assessing the obstacle for these resource tests. We also agree that if purchased this will count as a 2D resource fund for Ansidora.

Antonius and Fiego attempts to haggle down Vadam’s asking price, but fails. With a sigh, Antonius turns and pays full price; succeeding at an Obstacle (Ob 📖) 5 resources test. Burned a bit of Artha to make sure this one didn’t fail.

Seeking out Old Roanie

Ansidora establishes, via Clan-wise, that Old Roanie’s interested in rare art.

Antonius and Ansidora head to Old Roanie’s home. It’s in the caverns beneath Hartheld.

With a bit of an introduction, Old Roanie invites us into her living quarters. She’s surrounded herself with numerous oddities and antinquities. One object, Vascos Sargo’s old stone Go table; a table depicted in paintings.

“What do you want?” asks Old Roanie?

“We want to learn more about the contract alluded to in this contract,” says Antonius as he produces the charcoal rubbing of the The Scintillante Cicada Company Contract.

“Ah, before there were contracts, there were wards. But the ward is guarded, they don’t want humans down there. The Dwarven princes have sworn oaths to protect the wards,” replies Old Roanie.

“Ah, we’d like to see this old contract,” requests Antonius as he takes a step closer to look at the Go board and asks, “You play? ”

“Aye”

“How about a wager, if I win, you show us the contract. And if you win, we’ll owe you a favor,” says Antonius.

“Sounds great. If I win, you deal with my rat problem.”

“Deal!”

They settle in and play a protacted game of Go. Old Roanie often putting her ear to the table, and trying to distract Antonius so she can cheat. Through all of this Antonius manages to eek out a narrow victory.

Old Roanie begrudgingly guides Ansidora, and Antonius through bowels of Hartheld, muttering to not touch anything. She leads them to the warded place which is guarded by some old Dwarven guards, these are the retired and enfeebled Dwarves still loyal to the Princes. It is clear, guarding these wards is something done because of obligation but without much vigor.

Here Antonius and Ansidora learn that the power of the seal wears off in the Year of Convergence. Yet, there’s an oath ensuring that the ward behind the seal will remain protected even after the contract ends. With a successful Cicada Company-wise, Antonius realizes the ward predates the contract.

As they all head back to Old Roanie’s place, she mutters and wonders what’s behind the ward. She doesn’t know and moans that the rulers don’t care about the ward. She even attempts to nudge Antonius and Ansidora to attempt to breach the ward.

Back at Old Roanie’s, Ansidora starts rummaging around the place looking for rat poison. Wanting no part in rummaging through Old Roanie’s place, Antonius leaves.

Ansidora succeeds at her Savenging. It looks as though Old Roanie had some rat poison she’d either misplaced or forgotten about.

Paying a Visit to Biagio

With new information, Antonius and Ansidora head to Biagio’s villa. Biago is a Scintillante city council member and the former quarter master of the Radiant Company.

We have a quick scene where Antonius and Ansidora inform Biagio of the following:

• Vadam and Stavros are running an art theft ring
• The The Scintillante Cicada Company Contract expires on January 17th, which is less than 2 months away.
• There’s space to construct a loophole, but they’d need to find a talented lawyer.

Biagio agrees to seek out a lawyer to help exploit the loophole. He also agrees to escalate the art theft situation to investigators.

Reflections

Frederico’s player was absent from this session. We moved through some exposition, and started gaining an insight into the potential scope of the situation. The session also further bound Ansidora and Antonius’s; such that Ansidora’s now looking to pay off the debt she owes to Antonius.

We started with a slow burn, perhaps not binding our character’s fully to the situation. But as we’ve flexed through this, we’re seeing the slow turning of the wheel, binding our characters together.