The Joke Is On Us

Wow – Xicarph is the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen! I swear almost every building is made of marble – one more lovely than the next. Just to top it off the climate is excellent, perfect temperature at all times. The air is just right, not like home – like breathing in death and decay, and not eerily clean and moist like in the wilderness *shudder*.

Quaddis was discovered by Solomon Haarlock, and somehow escaped government by the God Emperor. It is a sanctuary for the nobles. Solomon did some clever wheeling and dealing, giving away lots of the land on Quaddis, but managing to maintain the only city and spaceport in his own feafdom. Xicarph is supposed to be ruled by a Haarlock, but since they are scarce someone else is ruling in absentia. Lots of new terms with these learned mates of mine. Can’t remember the dudes name, though, makes no difference to me.

Oh well, time to get out of these awful clothes. The sight of them bring back strange memories, nightmares… Laz asks a local where the inns and shops are. He takes a look at us and suggests the Collapsed Palaces. Laz gets the point across that looks can be deceiving, and gets new directions to the Guild Enclave. 

Following the latter instructions, we head south and come upon a massive wall. Behind it elaborate spires are visible. It takes me a second to realize this wall is not the wall to an area of town, but to a single estate – Holder-Smith suggests the Haarlock’s.

We find the shops and stock up on the basic stuff, guns, more guns and some bladed stuff. We also invest in some crazy expensive clothes. Booyah! My old gang should see me now. They would laugh their heads off – and I would shoot them in the face.

Following up on our only lead we go to the university quarters to try to locate the White Scholar. We got a fair enough description of him, and stumble upon someone who knows him soon enough. Unfortunately the guy’s gone underground. Can’t really blame him. The university guy refers us to lector Manu, says he knows where Dexter might be. Lector Manu seems skittish and won’t tell us much, but we get the drift and tell him to tell Dexter that we’re at this inn, etc.

So we play the waiting game, and it doesn’t take long before a messenger finds us with a note. It says to meet him at a place in the Adept district.

On the way there, we feel like the heron-masked is here, then there, several times. We chase after, but can’t track him down. Taking precautions, we head towards the meeting place, it turns out to be a student theater. It seems quiet, and we take our time checking for traps as we enter. Potter senses a single presence, and sure enough it’s Septimus Dexter. He fills us in quickly.

He and Inquisitor Karkalla were tasked with checking out the Beast House gang. In the process of this they got ambushed by the Pilgrims of Hayte, he describes them as a murder cult. Apocalyptic nutjobs intent on destroying humanity. They are lead locally by sorcerers, and are generally erratic. The ambush, which included demons!, was lead by a figure in a heron mask. When Karkalla understood the gravity of the situation he commanded Dexter to flee. Someone had to report this to the authorities.

So – what the hell happened? The heron-masked might have played the Beast House, who according to Dexter is “nothing compared to the Pilgrims of Hayte”. Dexter says he and Karkalla didn’t even know the Pilgrims were on Quaddis. The Beast House are in the slavery business, and operate around the sector. They have lists of wanted slaves, Dexter informs us. I presume this might have something to do with the descendants of Haarlock again. Something in the blood. Or maybe I’m turning paranoid… We show the Scholar the note the Heron-masked left us. ‘Hmmm’ he says, the Widower is a known myth on Quaddis. It refers to a monster who kills people, looking for the old blood. No shit… There have been strange murders in Xicarph lately, people left with their entrails hung up on display, and that sort of stuff. But there is no one to investigate, the families take care of business themselves. Septimus Dexter says that he thinks the heron-masked is a false prophet. An evil wizard with grand plans. He goes on to say that he will continue to research the matter, and that we might find help in a female called the Spider Bride. She is an oracle of sorts, who resides in the Akasen Follies, the red light district. ‘Is she human?’ we ask. Dexter shrugs, he doesn’t know. Suddenly we see forms approaching us from the shadows.

The heron-masked! No, wait, another?! And a third..? What the hell - there are five of them! They remove the masks, and reveal hideous faces. Riddled with cuts, and all flaunting that sick joker smile. ‘Forgive our master’s gest, but it is time for the pawns on the regicide board to play their parts. Now give us the old man, and you can go back to the dance.’  

Like hell! We draw weapons and engage immediately. Sadly Dexter falls almost at once, and we must focus on taking down the opponents. We fight like you would against an apocalyptic murder cult – like your life depends on it. We take them down with inspired shooting and swordsmanship – the God Emperor smiles on those who do good.

As a respect to the late Septimus Dexter whe get him cremated.