AD&D Session 96 - Strangers in a Familiar Land
29th of Duscar, 835 PD
After renting horses in Zadash and choosing to travel independently rather than pay for a heavily guarded caravan, the party set out north toward Rexxentrum. The road had changed noticeably since they last travelled it. Merchants now moved in guarded groups, and several familiar resting places bore the remains of recent fighting. The war between the Empire and Dynasty was no longer distant rumour or border trouble; its presence could be seen along the road itself. The party made camp beside the road for the night. There was a kerfuffle in the morning, with nearby merchants and caravans complaining about supplies and crates going missing over night.
30th of Duscar, 835 PD
The group reached the Amber Crossroads and encountered their first strict Imperial checkpoint. Marcus presented his Soltryce Academy identification to an Assembly member stationed there, which was enough to secure passage. Before letting them through, however, the Assembly mage quietly warned Marcus to avoid Rexxentrum’s main gate and report to the Academy, implying that circumstances in the capital had shifted in ways Marcus had not yet been told. The party stayed the night at the Crossroads, with the sense that the Empire’s wartime posture had tightened around every road and settlement.
31st of Duscar, 835 PD
Following the warning, the party entered Rexxentrum through a side gate. There, they were told that anyone intending to stay longer would need to register their name and address. Their first destination was Marcus’ townhouse, where they secured several dangerous or politically compromising items that they did not want found on their persons. Once settled, the group discussed their next steps. Marcus reviewed his open research threads for possible future goals, while the others raised unresolved matters still waiting within the Empire. They agreed to address those first, after which the Menagerie Coast became the likely next destination, whenever circumstances allowed them to leave.
Marcus then led the group to a nearby Cobalt Soul branch to inquire after two sensitive deliveries: Bane’s Mace, previously surrendered for containment, and the curated warning notes he had sent regarding Blackcloak’s research. The response was troubling. Requests had already been made to view both items, suggesting that someone within or connected to the Cobalt Soul might also be working for the Crown or the Cerberus Assembly. The agent assured Marcus that his name had not been disclosed, though whether that protection would hold remained uncertain.
With that concern unresolved, the party finished the necessary registration matters. Koro took Whisper to be registered through the temple, while Marcus brought Bibi and Enikas to be recorded as official guests at his home, since they carried recognised documents and were not treated as foreigners or unwanted within the Empire.