Blood's Awakening 06/29/2023 session recap

♣ Blood's Awakening: the party
♣ Blood's Awakening recap - part 1 - part 2 - part 3
♣ Previous session - Next session (to be added)

• The party leaves the castle and heads to the Temple. Collevecchio Mondavio only has one temple that serves multiple faiths and the Grand Priest Titus Ortensis presides over the building.
• Vittorio meets Titus. After what happened with Merlino and the mysterious fresh water he drank from his flask, Vittorio has a few questions about Menelgond, the god of travel. Titus, a silent old man with a wooden leg, wonders what traveling means for Vittorio, and he replies that being on the road feels like home. Titus isn’t sure whether Merlino is Menelgond or not, but it could be possible. He also adds that, according to legends, the Spring of Youth is the place the Gods drink or went to drink.
• In the meantime, Polvere is looking very intently at the altar of Tolium, where his statue is displayed. Tolium looks like an old man with a very long beard, reading a book in a way that feels like he’s praying. Polvere, despite his conflicting feelings towards Tolium (it’s like the god has abandoned and mocked him), is curious about the book the statue is reading. With the help of Caliban and Edna’s magic, he climbs on the statue and reads: the book contains an ode to curiosity and congratulates the reader on their appetite for knowledge. This strikes a cord in Polvere.
• Back to Bender in the Center, Vittorio finds a note in his room. It’s from Aidan: he asks to meet at the city’s greenhouse before the time of Alexander’s speech. He wants to talk to him and clarify some things. Vittorio, not feeling ready, decides to ignore the message and spends his time embroidering Polvere’s vest instead.
• Alexander meets with the adventurers before his speech and asks if they feel comfortable with being introduced to the locals as the groups that came to help Latavium. The Iron Falcons immediately accept, while Caliban hesitates at first but then accepts as well.
  The Iron Falcons leave the room and Alexander explains that, since The Rose of Winds lacks an expert in the natural field, Aidan will accompany them. Vittorio isn’t enthusiastic about it but he cares about the survival of his group, so he accepts. We leave and eavesdrop, only to realize that Aidan isn’t happy about it either (he’s ranting like crazy to Alexander).
• SPEECH TIME SPEECH TIME! Alexander shows his skill as an expert politician and public figure. He’s very charismatic and can keep the crowd’s attention with natural ease. As part of his speech, Alexander talks about how the Kingdom of Altia won’t send their help, but thankfully The Iron Falcons and The Rose of Winds are here to aid the people of Latavium, the latter is here officially on Lexia’s behalf. Latavium isn’t alone, it isn’t the first time that the province had to face a great evil and survive. He announces that he will host a great party tonight, one last spark of joy before rationing begins and the adventurers leave the city.
• Vittorio visits Aidan in the castle, where he lives. Aidan says he’s sorry for the accusation he threw at Vittorio fifteen years ago and he knows he acted like a true textbook jerk. Vittorio has every right to be angry, he adds. Vittorio replies that he isn’t ready to forgive him and he doesn’t like how he ends up behaving around Aidan, who is adamant: he doesn’t want to be friends with Vittorio, he just wants a quiet journey and Vittorio can promise him that much (a quiet journey, not that they won’t be friends. 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀)
• PARTY TIME PARTY TIME!!! It’s simple but lively and Alexander is there too, having fun. Now that the night has fallen, he’s also way more relaxed.
• During the party, Polvere and Vittorio talk. Vittorio opens up: he’s scared that he’ll grow attached to Aidan again, but Polvere suggests that Vittorio should listen to his gut more, since that’s what brought The Rose of Winds together. After that, Vittorio brings up Polvere and Serpico’s relationship: Polvere is extra embarrassed, he didn’t know Vittorio figured out that he and Serpico are a couple.
• Vittorio, knowing that Caliban is Alexander Lulius Aerimus #1 fan, drags him to Alexander and leaves the two to their conversation. Caliban, despite being shy, asks a couple of questions to Alexander and he learns that Alexander has been democratically elected for centuries and that slavery in Latavium, though not illegal, isn’t enforced. Due to this, there’s bad blood between Alexander and the royal family.
• Dinner’s over, time for fun. Celio and Edna open the show by singing and dancing; they captivate the crowd and they’ve never been so in sync! Alexander applauds them as well.
• The last show of the night is Ricca Ricchiona’s, Aidan’s drag queen character. She makes a savage critique of the altian nobility and her stand-up comedy show is a great success, between the crowd and The Rose of Winds too (even Vittorio can’t help but laugh).
• Aidan and Alexander have dinner together and they invite The Rose of Winds to sit with them, get to know each other better and chat. They play Truth or Dare and a bunch of things happen; most notably, Alexander notices that Celio’s sword, Kalevolg, reacts to his presence.
• The party is over and our heroes head to Alexander’s castle to talk about important stuff. Serpico confesses everything that happened with their demonic possession, their brother and the massacre they inflicted. Alexander takes a look at Serpico’s cursed eye: he recognizes that the rune is a linguistic particle indicating time. He’ll do more research, but for now he advises Serpico to stay away from magical formulas involving runes and the abyssal language.
• Celio shows Kalevolg to Alexander: as Alexander noticed, the sword reacts to the presence of the undead by lightning up the runes on the blade. Celio informs Alexander that something horrible is about to happen, something akin to an undead apocalypse, and Alexander thanks him for letting him know.
• It’s time to go to sleep, for everyone but Aidan who has night patrol duty. Caliban, to take a little revenge on Vittorio who dragged him to Alexander, insists so Vittorio accompanies Aidan - and the two take a walk around Collevecchio Mondavio at night, using a couple of goggles of darkvision. During their conversation, Aidan isn’t happy to learn that Vittorio can speak Thieves’ Cant now, and reiterates that he doesn’t want to be friends, despite Vittorio’s attempts to get closer to him. It’s a bittersweet talk, more bitter than sweet.