The Rectifiers descended the old Ristum watchtower, their once and future ally in-arm. They made their trek through the winter weather up to the eastern entrance of Amanta. Dwarven mages and knights stood guard over this stone nexus, but they quickly recognized the group and activated the portal. The party was teleported back to the stonework mortared with blue diamond level of the mountain city, where they made their way toward Harin’s keep.
As they neared, they noticed a new tower had already been erected, adjoined to the main keep. This one was made of a Luxen-style white stone, accented with white and golden jewels. The top level was crowned with several secondary towers. Upon entering the foyer, they noticed a new chamber underneath the main stairwells leading to Harin’s offices. This new chamber was a massive ballroom of sorts. It had finely crafted marble floors and pillars towering up the height of the room. In the center was a golden portal from which came a few nobles as they exited. Other nobility and people of interest from Luxen mingled in the chamber. Talla came to, asking the group to rectify her disorientation. Once she learned she was in Amanta, she rushed through the portal, anxious to speak with her new Lady Commander. Before the group could follow, The Red Inquisitor called them back once more.
Inside his stone storefront, The Red Inquisitor quickly took tribute from his new Reach, Karth, and sent him away, impatient to get going with his business with his patrons. Like usual, he called forth his wares, though one ware for sale was a shrouded man being held at knifepoint by an agent. Upon unmasking, the group was dismayed to see Pop, Cavo’s father, sat in front of them. The Red Inquisitor boldly stated that he would now see if The Rectifiers truly still held onto their morality or if they had sacrificed it for power. He wanted the Blade of Marka Corvux in return for Pop. He added that should they refuse, he could not guarantee the next interested patron would be as kind to the poor Luxenian man.
Gale, having possession of the blade, argued that the group did not know why The Red Inquisitor wanted this blade so badly, and in handing it over, they could cost more lives than they’d be saving. This sparked debate in the group, but it was largely decided they would indeed trade the blade for Pop’s life. Irritated, Gale removed her amulet as she refused to do business with The Red Inquisitor after this. The Red Inquisitor took the blade and freed Pop as promised. With that out of the way, business continued as usual, with The Rectifiers taking keen interest in one ware: a Dwarf-turned-lizard that wore a magical pouch on his arm. The Red Inquisitor stated the lizard’s name was Grasper. He was once a greedy Dwarf who tried to turn his pet mountain lizards into gold, but the spell backfired in quite an ironic fashion. Grasper would often reach out, making motions with his clawed hands that he wanted coin. The Red Inquisitor added that when the lizard felt so inclined after receiving coins, he may grant the group an item. With the bittersweet business concluded, they returned to Amanta.
Through the portal, they found the new throne room for the crown. It overlooked the city outside, a touch of moonlight covering the master-level stone buildings. The throne room was immense, with several wings connecting to various, secondary towers. The throne was crafted with some kind of white crystal. The Rectifiers found several of their friends gathered around a dark wooden meeting table: Zola (now wearing a silvery metal corset over black dresses, a metal crown sigil on her shoulder, dark fur, and one half of Touch of Malice on her right arm), Harin, Vis, and various guards. Against the throne was Zola’s staff, now seemingly adorned with the metal shards of the other half of Touch of Malice. It also now held an amulet with a moonlike jewel adorning it.
Zola quickly began to deal with the affairs she had on her plate. First, she said that the Rectifier roster needed updating. Sarin Kor had been reassigned to be the Head Researcher for Doom Magic, working in a nearby tower. Vesselia had set off on her own to hunt down the Doomqueen Loyalists that had deformed her so. To cover those two spots, she claimed it was quite time that Duma Van and Audrea were added to the ranks. With The Rectifiers heartily agreeing, both Duma Van and Audrea were officially inducted.
Afterward, Zola updated the group on Turner’s activity. He had apparently been coalescing his forces and ships in the Gulf of Blackharpe. She still believed he held a relic that could be used in their favor against the dragon that now hunted them on the surface. They were at an impasse though, as the fleet of Luxen was left behind in the harbor. A chuckle came from Harin, stating that “tallfolk” really do underestimate the dwarves. He said they had a grant fleet, and to meet him in the Emerald Expanse the following morning. With that, he began to make his leave, but paused for a moment to tell The Rectifiers that he would trust their decision for now (apparently referring to their dealings with the shades).
Suddenly, Zola began to seem confused. She stated she heard a buzzing noise, adding that it seemed to be coming from Maron. He shuffled through some items, but the source were the earrings shaped like a flame The Red Inquisitor had given them. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She claimed it was impossible, there was no way, among other incredulous statements. She explained these earrings had been given to her by Londo when they were teenagers, but they had been destroyed. When she put them on, something seemed to click in place inside her. Her hands began to burn with a white flame, a power she said she had lost long ago, something her parents had tried to stifle. Her staff flew to her without calling it, and when it met her grip, it too ignited in pure white fire, a powerful magic the group had never seen before. She seemed to gain control over the power and extinguished the flames, stating that she would choose her way now, no one else.
Another interruption breached the throne room as Cavo rushed through the portal. He wore the armor and regalia of The Rectifiers still, but he adorned his shoulder with a flayed skin of some goblin monstrosity, a pale green fur covering his shoulders. He had battle scars on his strong arms and seemed quite exhausted, as if he had sprinted all the way here from the island on which he was stationed. He rushed to Amy and embraced her in a sweeping gesture. He said he had come as soon as he could once he got word of Luxen. The battle apparently went well near Ibolus, but Cavo said the troops were in good hands, explaining why he could leave.
Before Zola could continue to her next item of business, there came a clamor from the city below. Vis stepped to the balcony to look and said he believed they were about to have company. Shortly thereafter, Selina and Aurum struggled through the golden portal. Selina was supporting Aurum, and Aurum’s right arm was now missing. Both looked to have been through hellacious battle. When spoken to, they seemed wary of what was following them through the portal. What stepped through were three knights, of sorts. The one in the lead wore finely crafted metal armor, though it was adorned with the infamous crystals of Doom. A dark, finely tailored shirt poofed out of the neck of his breastplate that was adorned with a purple jewel. He wore dark hair tied back into a ponytail, and his face and eyes bore the corruption of Doom. His entourage had similar markings.
He introduced himself as the Knight Captain for the Commander of the Glorious Harbinger Saren’s forces. Though his hands rested on his blade, he seemed disinterested in using it. He calmly stated that he brings demands from his “Glorious Harbinger” that needed to be discussed in a mature way. He summoned forth crystalline seats for the group to sit upon at the wooden table. They were wary, but the Knight Captain annoyingly added that the chairs would not turn them into Candidates. The Rectifiers sat to see what would be demanded of them.
He stated that The Harbinger Saren would show mercy, and allow the people of Amanta to live in the mountain hole for a time. In exchange, Saren would have all the Anchors they had stolen returned to him, alongside tributes to replace the Candidates lost. He added that one of the tributes would namely be Audrea, as she belonged to Saren. The group representing Matar discussed with the Knight Captain for a time, but ultimately were quite against these demands.
The Knight Captain bowed his head and asked, “So that will be your answer, Rectifiers?” Before they could reply, Zola got to her feet, walked to the other side of the table, and stood directly in front of the Knight Captain. He met her gaze, but in a flash, Zola drove her gauntleted hand straight into his chest, through the Doom-corrupted metal. The Knight Captain gasped in pain and shock. Before the two knights he had brought with him could draw their weapons, she raised her free hand and disintegrated them in an instant with her white flames. “This is our answer,” she stated as she tore the beating heart from the Knight Captain’s chest. He collapsed and eventually turned to a dark dust as his life force faded away.
“Time grows short,” Zola stated with finality. With that, the group began to disperse to their new tower, where Vint had just arisen from to see what the noise was. The Rectifiers settled in to their new tower to take a much needed rest (Amy and Cavo as well as Vint and Revelrae pairing up for the evening). Once the sun shone through the missing mountaintop, the group set off to resupply before meeting Harin.
During their shopping, the group met quite a strange fellow running a magic shop in the Dwarvenium. He spoke slowly and smoothly, claiming he had powerful wares he had made himself. Karth turned down a flaming quill, but Amy pooled money to purchase a lightning-enchanted fan that had caught her eye. Audrea also tried to have the shopkeeper inspect the old belt buckle she had on her when she was pulled from the never-ending ocean of Doom. He had a keener eye, but all he could make out on the faded etching were a few sharp points at the top of the buckle. Satisfied with their shopping, they stepped back out into the marketplace to continue onward.
Before they could make their way to the nexus to the Expanse, they heard a familiar voice from the alley nearby. They spotted a hooded man wearing a long coat, a cane in his hand. He said to head over to the nearby bench, find the crystal hidden beneath, and shatter it. They glanced to look toward the bench, but before they could speak to the man, he had already gone. They found the crystal where he said it would lie, and nervously shattered it. A few familiar boxes appeared, holding boons from The Red Inquisitor. Once everyone had finished dealing with their belongings, Audrea offered Gale’s blood (given willingly) to the amulet she had received from The Red Inquisitor. The group was pulled forth into the amulet to witness a vision of Audrea’s past.
They stood on a wooden stage, a large shadow covering the immense crowd of humanity that had gathered before it. They saw Saren step forward to give a grand speech they thought they had heard before, though it was muffled in this vision. As they scanned the crowd, they noticed themselves dispersed amongst the people. As Saren finished and Knight Captains began forming teams, they looked up toward the immense shadow to see the tower that sits in The Ancient Skies, reaching toward the heavens themselves. The vision faded.
Audrea stated that she was beginning to think the etching on her belt buckle was a crown, but before the group could discuss what they had seen, Karth shattered his own Remnant of The Red Inquisitor to pull the group into another vision of the past.
A cold wind blew, siege engines fired projectiles into stone, men yelled in pain and battle-fever…