The Civil Order Committee is seeking discrete individuals to investigate a series of civil disturbances. Pay graded by results. Please see Chiara Walker in the Department for Paths and Highways for further details.

• Reginald Drake
• Kjell Caulson
• Arcus Blackthorn

The party are engaged by Chiara Walker of the Department of Roads and Highways to investigate the resurgence of revolutionary spirit in the city; in particular, one tavern seems to breed revolutionaries at an astounding rate even after being regularly cleaned out. Heading to the Leaping Hound, they discover a charismatic figure saying at length that the Revolution didn’t go far enough, and the common people saw little improvement over the days of the Monarchy; although Arcus also sees a ghostly Paladin figure.

As the party watch they see ghostly faces forming over those of the revolutionaries, as their conversation subtly shifts to a discussion of how the Queen must be overthrown; her rule was not valid, not being endorsed by Auguries, her having come to power by taking the crown from the body of the dead King on his death in a battle near Caul. The succession was unclear, with her only close relatives being her two sons who fought bitterly - if one of them was to succeed the queen then there would be civil war. The Queen was heavy handed and oppressive, treating the people as servants rather than as citizens to whom she had responsibilities. And of course, the general unfairness of the Monarchy controlling the city and the people of Acryn not having the freedom to control their own destinies.

The ghostly Paladin, now visible to the rest of the party, gestures towards two particular Shadows of the Past at a table near the rear; they are discussing their funding of the revolution and their plans coming to fruition, and agree to meet at a house on Raven’s Croft. As the shadows of the past fade, the party prepare to head to Raven’s Croft and see if there are any clues still there from sixty years ago,

At the house on Raven’s Croft, they find a house with warnings from the Watch of a dangerous Flux entity inside; heading in, they encounter the killer_in_the_abandoned_house (who looks very similar to one of the two dodgy figures they overheard in the Leaping Hound) and his dogs, who attack on sight. After dealing with them and heading out they find locals who tell them that Willie Altieri used to live there; they discover that the house was abandoned fifty years ago when the Watch found a number of bodies inside the house, but Willie Alitieri still lives in the city, very much free.

The party head to Willie Altieri’s house. After some discussion with belligerent guards they manage to get in to see Willie, though without their weapons. Willie looks much the same as he did sixty years ago, as though he had not aged a day since then. He seems unimpressed with Arcus’ council position, whilst his guards are mostly concerned with trying to keep the bleeding man in the other room quiet..

Eventually the party leave, reclaim their weapons and fight their way straight back in. Inside they interrupt Willie who is applying a rite of wounding to the victim they overheard before. Just as they enter the victim screams something about wielding ancient lost power before dying abruptly, their face now scorched off. This seems to throw Willie somewhat, giving the party opportunity to capture him, before sending him to the watch house with strict orders from Arcus that he not be released. Searching Willie’s documents they find references to a clandestine meeting in an abandoned church at midnight, just outside Acryn’s borders. Heading to the church they fight their way past the guards, having failed to supply the password. Inside they kill the higher-ups who were waiting for Willie, and proceed into the crypts beneath the church.

Finding a number of trials themed by the Gods of Acryn, they manage to make their way through despite failing two of the five trials, and find a small room containing a candelabrum with four candles in it. They light each light one of the candles and give thanks to the Gods of Acryn; the fourth lights itself. Carrying the candelabrum out, they encounter some of Willie’s gang. Fighting their way through, the party return victorious to Acryn with the Holy Candlestick of the Founders.

Upon arriving back in Acryn the party soon learn that a somewhat horrific massacre has been carried out against one of the watch-houses. The watch house has been burnt down and the heads of the watch stationed there have been placed upon spikes. A message nailed into the Captain’s head reads “Don’t interfere with the True Council”.

Debriefing with Chiara Walker, the party relay their understanding of the events which have transpired. That a spirit (possible a traitorous bodyguard of Acryn’s last Queen) led them to Willie, and his attempts to acquire a gift of the founders. Willie’s apparent immortality is remarked upon, but with no leads as to where it may have come from the matter is taken no further. Finally the party’s hostage is handed over, and after a short interlude with Ghita Darrish he exits as a double agent, ready to infiltrate the True Council and learn all he can for the good of the City.

Arcus Blackthorn seizes upon the issues of the common folk living in fear of dangerous flux entities in their own backyards to push for a civic renewal project. A substantial part of which involves demolishing the houses of the common folk and building a castle where their homes used to be. Castle Blackthorn now towers over a substantial portion of the north-western city, with many of the re-located citizens now employed in Castle-related maintenance and management activities.

Reginald Drake & Kjell Caulson take the recovered artefact to a number of representatives of each of the churches of Acryn. After an extended examination, each representative in turn agrees that: yes the artefact is holy and no it is not an artefact of their god. Following this, the meeting reaches an awkward silence, with no-one being willing to articulate the thoughts that naturally followed from such a revelation. When Reginald and Kjell suggested that they had an idea of how to deal with the artefact many representatives latched onto the opportunity to avoid the responsibility involved in the decision, offering to provide Reginald and Kjell with the resources needed to enact their plan. After meeting and with the, slightly backhanded, support of the churches they proceed to build the First Church of the Founders. The Holy Candelabrum is given pride of place upon the altar and a number of younger initiates are brought in to ensure that the candles remain alight at all times. The church itself (designed to draw attention to the candlelight) is kept deliberately dark, and many comment that it has a slightly ominous yet exhilarating feel about it.

Both Reginald and Kjell have been affected by their contact with the artefact and feel a slight flicker of a candle burning within them (Divine Favour).