Midnight RPG - Chapter 52.5 NOTES

BILL's Notes

As I recall, the "game" part of things started with Zal summoning forth the succubus. Kyuad noticed that it wasn't the spell he pretended it to be, and later on Kyuad confronted Zal about that, asking where she was before he summoned her. Zal made it clear, in his answers to at least four questions on the subject, that she was immaterial before he cast the spell. Letting it lie, Durgaz pointed out much later that she was actually posing as (Willem? I don't recall the name of the NPC)'s brother back in Firsthold, and that the suspicions that Kyuad had were likely valid, since she had ensorceled the girl into marrying Willis. It's probably pretty likely that the "ani-magic field" that Zal created was a prestedigitation, and an attempt to deceive Kyuad.

During the conversation with the succubus we found out that a coatl with a name I don't remember served as the advisor for the succubus queen, and he might know something of the tower. She talked about a lot else, but I don't remember those details.

When Zal called the coatl, it appeared as Ardherin (I don't know the spelling because I don't read the book's entry on the guy). Kyuad did some quick thinking (via about 15 minutes of Bill and Andrew trying to come up with a plan that didn't screw everything up) and changed the plan. Instead of asking about the tower, Kyuad was going to pretend to be "in charge" and ask about Berial and the conspiracy of outsiders posing as Izrador, in an attempt to throw whatever this was (I had my suspicions that it might actually BE Ardherin because of the magical aura) off of our true intent. Mainly the reason for this is that Zal clearly encountered an "I can't control it!" moment, so damage control had to be used.

Incidentally, wow is Adam ever jumpy. No sudden moves around that guy.

When all of that was over, we learned that Ardherin wasn't really very aware of the outsider conspiracy, and the coatl was willing to deal with us in exchange for our help in rescuing his mistress. We (Kyuad at least) guessed that this was genuine because it wasn't mentioned until Durgaz said Ardherin had left. Andrew made it clear after the fact that Durgaz had used locate person to determine Ardherin's wherabouts.

Another thing that we talked about at length was Zal's vulnerability. You arrived on silver, and there was a possibility you wanted to re-roll it since Adam blurted it out. Again, let us believe that you aren't going to please. The being unsure makes it easier to firewall.

I'll answer any question you have. I know I skipped some things that don't come to mind, and there are other details you might be after that I'm not recognizing the importance of, so ask away.

ADAM's Notes

Ardherin is wanting to use us, (Zal in particular) as more active pawns in his schemes.

It seems that Ardherin wants to make Zal'Kazzir some kind of secret offer at a later time... "we'll meet again"

It seems his broader goal is likely to play Sunulael and Jahzir off of one another.

This move was likely designed to scare or intimidate us into aiding him willingly, acting as his catspaws.

Ardherin's arrival was calculated, I believe, largely for Zal's benefit, the two captive Balors were a clear sign that "I can control those far more fearsome than you, Summoner. Do not cross me."

The fact that Ardherin has influence over Kivatsatl is interesting in several ways:

It means Ardherin is necessarily aware of Lomear's presence in the sighing cliffs.

It means Ardherin may be behind the Just Advisor's activities in keeping the devilish hordes up near the scar.

Which may also mean that Ardherin is opposed to Orcus and the Devils.

There may actually -be- a back entrance to the arteries near the sighing cliffs.

I seem to remember some sort of prophecy about Kiriansalee (???) and Lolth almost killing Orcus. Maybe Ardherin knows about this.

Ardherin is part-fiend enough to be summoned/called, and likely has powerful minions who can summon him to far-flung places.

Ardherin's fiendishness may be the reason he has not used Loomear in his schemes; she seemed to have been bound by Legate magic, and that binding magic might have been strong enough to keep Ardherin away.

Now that Loomear is free, it may be that she is a wild-card that Ardherin will try to exploit.

ANDREW's Notes

Durgaz cross-referenced his seer readings of Zal'Kazzir and Etri, and confirmed that Petrus was indeed Etri in disguise. He also learned that Wilhelm, Mary, and the entire First-Hold council had been charmed, that the marriage between Wilhelm and Mary had been arranged to throw suspicion off Petrus should someone suspect an impostor, and that the recall of Wilhelm and election of Wilis had also been Etri's doing.

Etri also knew a few things about a Succubus Queen who lived in the North, supposedly imprisoned by the "black-bloods" somewhere near the Sighing Cliffs for refusing to join Izrador. She had a servant, the "just advisor", who watched over a large part of the North and served as a warning to the demons who WERE loyal to Izarador (i.e., devils) to stay in the North. (This section was kind of unclear, and may be incorrect; if you'd like to clarify any of it for me, please do.)

She and the other succubi of the Corbrons did not seem to have any particular allegiance to this Queen. Oddly, the Queen and the Just Advisor did seem to have some connection to Ardherin (since Ardherin wanted us to free her), which was unexpected, since she seemed to be regarded as a traitor to the Shadow. However, this request wasn't made until after Ardherin was gone, so it might have been the Just Advisor asking us, not the Sorcerer of Shadow.

Learning of the Succubus Queen at the Sighing Cliffs jogged another of Durgaz's memories, specifically one of a "lost day" in one of his visions that had taken place while Zal was up north, following the incident on the Paths. In this vision, which was fuzzy and seemed magically clouded, Durgaz saw a spot where a huge stone bastard sword was carved into the cliff face, and saw a woman being thrown or falling from the top of it, only to be caught by Zal'Kazzir. (I would definitely like to delve further into this vision, if possible.)

Some implication was made that Ardherin might not be pulling all the strings we thought he was, and that SUNULAEL might actually be the mastermind behind much of what was happening. I can't remember how or why we got this impression, however.

Ardherin seemed confused by Kyuad and Durgaz's questions about Beirial the Seeker, the first legate, and in fact didn't even seem to know who he was.