Episode 72: Daddy Issues

Summary
On seeing Leander, Ihraman cast Hold Person to keep him in place and inquires to know how long the group have been working with him. The group say awhile, and Ihraman reveals that he is the Court Representative of Queen Tanith of Ur and that he sown dissension between the king and the people in her time at court. Though Sarrek is unsure about her claims, Aya asks for more details and Ihraman alludes to him being one of the reasons she fell out in the court and had a hand in the theft of the viewing lens.

Ihraman purposes locking Leander in the cell below but Sarrek points out the useful information he's provided in the past, like those of the Darkling Mirrors and inquires to what Ihraman knows of them. She answers that she did not have a hand in their construction but Astaphon had them installed in the castle, and was in travel and communication with the Queen of Ur, so is not too suspicous that mirrors connecting the two kingdoms would exist. As Ihraman starts to talk about Leander she freezes in place and the group turn to see Leander freed and his form begins to change. In but a moment before them is cloud of hundred burning eyes with tentacles like tendrils forming at the edges of his being.

Sarrek makes a joke about never have letting him out of the cell and "Leander" responds that the prison cell did keep him, but it was not his only prison. Though the others stare aghast and confused at this being in front of them, Aya however does and nervously greets them and bows, introducing the others to her Patron, Attiq'usu. TEnkarra asks Attiq'usu why he waited so long to reveal himself and the old one answers that he had hoped to keep his true identity hidden but the group forced his hand. Sarrrek asks how they forced his hand and Attiq'usu makes sock pupttes out of his form and puts on a mocking play of Sarrek and Enkara interrogating him.

Enkarra then asks what he meant about being trapped and he admits that like them, he is trapped under the Solar Dome like they are, but confirms that he is still intent on helping them so he too can be free. Ihraman, now fre, looks on aghast admitting that she had no idea who Attiq'usu really was. Sarrek inquires as to their relationship to his queen, and sighing Atti' confirms that their efforts at one point aligned but no more, explaining that at one point she needed his assistance in matters of state and in exchange she would assists him in something he needed.

Sarrek and Aya argue about the depth of Old One's influence in the world with Aya pointing out he was responisble in the history of N'zune, to which Attiq'usu joyfully confirms. Sarrek asks again for the specifics of the Old One and his Queen's agreement and is told that Astaphon had two aggressively growing god cults forming over the site of his own worshiped deity, an the Queen helped him sow dissension and prevent the groups from taking over holy land, and he helped in the construction of the mirrors.

Aya inquires if he also had a hand in Utu the Spear's power but Attiq'usu shakes his cloud form, claiming that Utu was a Warlock to another power. She then brings up Malqart, angrily accusing her patron of making another Warlock over her but Attiq'usu corrects her; when the group's spirits were sent back through time some part of their spirit was left behind, leaving a portion of Aya's power inside of her counterpart and taking something that should have been hers. The two of them look at Marshmarrow and Aya embarrassed at her cute familiar attempts to apologise to her patron but Attiq'usu chuckles and tells her that appearances can be deceiving and boops Marshmarrow on their nose.

Attiq'usu presents the group with a red velvet pouch, the 1850 gold he had conned from the Patient Hearts having switched the real gold with dung beetles. Kairos calls out the Old One's bullying of mortals and Atti' responds that if Kairos ever gets stuck for 780 years in a time loop, he looks forward to seeing what he does to kill time. With that Sarrek inquires to when the Old One entered the dome to which he gives confusing answers. stating that he entered the dome just before them, but when they entered the dome he was outside. Sarrek then inquires as to how he knew of Selune and Atti admits that he was surprised of her involvement but also alludes to the two beings being quite familiar with each other in the past, but is grateful for her protection and guidance.

Aya voices the question if the Queen of Ur is even still alive and Ihraman answers that she is, as to everyone inside the dome, the outside time stopped completely, while those inside repeat the same hour and forty minutes repeatedly. Attiq'usu adds to that the mirror connecting the queen's palace to Yre is intact but due to the dome, passage through that mirror is impossible. Enkarra then brings the conversation around back to the groups original questions for Ihraman, to that of Queen Urbau. She was a good and just Queen who kept the wealth and health of Yre and maintained it well, even travelling among her people. As the head of state she also managed all international affairs but had no role in the Sunfall, the sun was merely reaching the end of its life.

The news that the sunfall is natural surprises the group and Ihraman explains to them the phenomenon, Sarrek is aghast that they can't do anything about it but Kairos seem adjusted to that truth. Ihraman however believes that with the magic and science of the age that they can find a way which bolsters Enkarra. Attiq'usu giggles at the wizard's answers and claims that the solution may not need the sun at all. Sarrek demands to know what he means and Atti' needles Ihraman about Quin Tara's lack of belief in her plan and reiterates the plans he disocvered while in the Palace Both Quni Tara's plan, that involved using a celestial's soul to revive the sun as an undead Revenant and the hopes of the Followers of Azi Dahaka to summon their god to save them, are both both viable ideas but mentions that he knows of a third.

To create a Shroud of Night, dran across the world between it and the sun that would protect it, though the people would need to find another way to survive without the sun. he then turns to Enkarra, saying that if she wishes to save the moon, they must save the sun, as what is the moon but the reflection of the sun. Enkarra doesn't disagree and Aya agrees to follow whatever plan Attiq'usu chooses. Her patron laughs, not tied to nay idea as long as he can escape and has the perfect Warlock in mind to make it so. Aya voices the idea that perhaps killing Ihraman would drop the dome and free them as she created it, which curses the wizard to angrily remind her that the Dome is now self sustaining, and even if killing her did drop the dome, the sun would still die, killing everyone.

Aya responds with just voicing her conviction to do whatever it takes and argues with Ihraman about the morals of killing everyone to do so, pointing out the wizard's part in the deaths of many and those who became Shadow Touched. Ihraman agrees with her assessment and accepts the blame as Kairos and Sarrek discuss the philosophy of death as the rogue begins to lose hope. Ihraman addresses Sarrek and boosts his spirit saying with confidence that with the trust and hope she has gained from the group, along with the Viewing Lens she will be able to rebuild the Planar Scope and enable them to save the sun. She also voices her belief that King Astaphon is spending the time they have bought him creating a solution, to which Atti'qusu adds that Astaphon was not a person that would be happy with and undead sun, or sacrificing the planet to save a few, leaving the group to think over what they've been told.

Speaking of Astaphon, Kairos inquires if Astaphon changed over time to which Ihraman informs them that though he was never the socialite his mother was she knew him to show kindness to his inner circle, but when he first arose to the thrown he socialized with his people, in festivals in tours of his lands, but became reclusive as the sun worsened, especially after the Sunfall. Then he went deep into research with those in the palace, trying to corrall them to the same goal but Ihraman does admit that such the weight of things is not easy to bear. Kairos then inquires to the origins of the Planar Scope and is told that Quinn Tara provided key formula, though Astaphon had it commissioned, though she was surprised by his nuance with the magical foundations of the subject, something she suspected from a much more accomplished mage.

With their questions satisfied Aya presents the Viewing Lens to Ihraman with a flourish, which she takes reverently and thanks the group. Aya then inquires about what else they need and Ihraman mentions two key peices. The first, is in a vault within the catacombs, which they can enter she reveals, from the chamber where Ursa dwells. There in the cold they stored the ancient and brittle arcane scrolls, one of which, Alazar's Last Therum, will enable her to construct a smaller Planar Scope. The second piece, is the housing scope of the original device that lies in the orrery atop Astaphon's High Spire. The group realise they have all they need to fly to the tower but after inquiring to the size of the housing, realise the issue will be to fly out the heavy object.

Ihraman adds worse news that the sky above the castle are patrolled by Knights of Astaphon as well as powerful anti magic wards, as well as Malqart that leads the defenses. Aya points out that if she can reconnect with Blood of the Lamb, it could provide them insight to get past the warding, and give them a lay of the land. The group head to the roof for Aya to begin her ritual to attempt to connect to her stolen Familiar, discussing weather to go after Ursa or head to the tower first. Once Aya finishes her preparations she casts her spell and finds herself looking through a raven's eyes. She discovers that the familiar is able to see the weave of magic around the castle but the raven blink's before she can map the magical defenses.

Though through Blood of the Lamb' eyes Aya is able to see physical defenses, parabolic mirrors affixed to the watchtowers, dozens of Knights of Astaphon 1st Class, able to fly with their enchanted gilded wings and a series of interconnected gardens that weave across the tops of the castle, including the Garden of the Sun, and a landing platform, seeing a path to the High Spire and the Orrery atop it among them. The view switches and for the first time Aya sees Malquart. A tall women dressed in all black a curved featureless bronze mask covering the top half of her face, the lower, painted all black with dark purple lipstick on her lower lip. Malqart raises a hand towards the familiar, addresses Aya and forces her out and back into her own body.

Aya tells the others what she saw and purposes a plan, to take out some of the KoA 1st class and take their wings to avoid relying on potions, whose effects would be countered by the anti magic fields she caught a glimpse of. Aya turns to Marshmarrow with her expectations that he be the one to take down Blood of the Lamb while they take out her own counterpart, to which he expresses his joy to do so. Kairos worries about the combat logistics of retrieving the heavy housing but with their new information they begin to cement their plans.