As the Serradic army streams through Liarus and begins to spread across the continent the Merchant houses of Margush are meeting to deliberate how to respond to this threat. With rumours of a Serradic ambassador attending the talks. The Acryn council and civil service have put out a request for some capable individuals to accompany the Acryn ambassador to the talks and help ensure the result are favourable to Acryn.

• Francesco Graves
• Samuel (of the Warrior)
• Vanessa
• Twine

After some minor trouble on the road to Margush the party arrive just in time for the beginning of the negotiations. In these it is quickly established that of the three great houses Vermilus Carxux is likely to side with Acryn after he is outed as a Mage at the meeting by Francesco. Of the other two Elizabeta is somewhat cautious and promises to side against the serradics if she is assured of at least a chance at victory. To satisfy her in this she asks that the other houses are brought on board and also that the party establish whether there is any truth to the rumours that the Queen of the wood a powerful anominally has sided with the serradics. The third great house appears to have unfortunately already sided with the serradics but after being approached by a younger family member the party decide to orchestrate a coup to install a more sympathetic family member.

Twine also uses his mask to out a priest of the jubilant mask who is also at the party. After a brief discussion he agrees the meet the person at their shop so that he can be shown the rightness of the serradic way.

With this over the party first head to a local brothel to attempt to find the dirt necacery to orchestrate the coup. After some slight misadventures with the maître de they manage to strike a deal with a women called Elena that she will tell them the information if they remove a thug who is impeding the growth of her legitimate business. The 'thugs' name is Vincenzo and he owns a gambling barge out on the lake. After some brief time Francesco is caught cheating and after further aggravating the crime boss in conversation a fight breaks out. All the party bar Samuel quickly fall but after fighting the seemingly invincible warrior priest for several minutes Vincenzo and his Mage decide enough is enough and jump of the boat whether they survive a mystery. During this time Francesco has bled out but as the other stand around his corpse a strange satr appears above him and reaching down takes a taste of the blood leaking out on the floor. With this it starts to retract and Francesco stands up feeling more invigorated than before.

The destruction of the barge and the killing of most of his men is enough for Elena however who tells the party that Tamas's dalliance into supplying illegal narcotics led to the death of Elizibeta's son. This eventually proves more than enough to unseat Flint Tamas and a few days later his nephew takes control of the house.

Next twine decides to take the priest of the jubilant mask on their offer and visits the shop in order to be shown proof of what happens to souls to upon death. The priest hands him a mask covered in eyes and the after twine puts it on smashes another mask upon the counter, a soul springs free and twine watches as the suddenly visible soul is consumed before his eyes. After this however things proceed to their predictable conclusion and a fight breaks out. After a few confusing minutes the priest escapes but leaves behind a normal face changing mask as well as the mask covered all in eyes.

The party lastly head into the woods to ascertain whether the Queen of the woods has joined the serradics or not. When they arrive at her court they find a serradic representative already there but after a duel a game of riddles and finally a fight against the queen herself they manage to to persuade her to oppose any serradic forces who enter her domain.

As the party head back to margush they are ambushed by the voice of the ascendant one who at first tries to talk them around but when that fails summons up flux terrors which attack the party. These are eventually fought off but not before twine bleeds out on the floor as the rest of the party fights them off. Vanessa however refuses to accept his loss and absenting her barrier from herself whisks the party along on it until she reaches the edge of the consensus in margush and gains enough witnesses to attempt a major miracle.

Twine meanwhile hangs in a black void feeling something immense moving towards him, the jubilant mask flits around him offering to save his soul if only he swears to the true gods. He refuses however and so the mask laughs as the dragon swoops on. Just before it reaches him however it collides with some sort of barrier keeping it away from Twines soul.

Vanessa has interposed herself between twine and the dragon holding the dragon at bay on his behalf.

After their return to Margush the party are Abel to get the three great houses to agree to an alliance with Acryn. With this secured they head back to Acryn where the council is pleased that an alliance has been reached and immediately dispatches armed forces to Margush to reinforce it.

Vanessa has meanwhile negotiated the beginnings of an agreement between house Tamas and the wayfinders guild involving getting their merchant navy working again. She also sends her combat trained wayfinders with the relief force.

Francesco meanwhile goes and reports to Corlo graves who agrees to buy up Vilminus's stock of mana crystals, he is also impressed with the dirt Francesco got on various nobles and is left shockingly slightly impressed.

Twine researches the jubilant mask in the libraries.

Samuel lectures his congregation on the serradic threat and at the end most of them have resolved to go and fight as well.

Samuel

• Samuel has the favour of the lady and she considers him her knight. Has gained the quirk Champion of the lady.
• 125 riel

Vanessa

• 115 rile + wayfinder bonus
• Has a jubilant mask of a young women, looks like a margush native.
• Has permanently lost two points from her barrier. She may regain these with a moments thought by dropping her protection of twine.
• Is constantly aware of something pressing on her power as she protects Twine from it's influence.
• Has entered negotiation with house Tamas about a joint venture to attempt to monetize their merchant navy.

Twine

• Has the mask of eyes. When worn this allows the wearer to see souls and other similar entities. When it is in the persons possession however everything they witness will also be witnessed by the Jubilant mask. At gm discretion the the Jubilant mask can also speak through the mask.
• His soul is held safe by The Stantion, he is safe from the dragons but if Vanessa ever dies or decides to stop protecting him he will instantly be consumed as the dragon takes its long denied prize.
• Due to his horrific near eating by a dragon every fear call he takes will evoke this feeling. Mechanically he must take the cower effect from fear calls and cannot opt to flee.
• 125 riel
• A blood red mask. When worn it makes the wearer look like the sprit of blood and wine. Tears of blood however will be seen leaking from the eyes of those wearing Basic Jubilant masks. Greater miracles or something into which more effort has been put may overpower it however.
• He will also feel slightly strange to any wayfinders who encounter him. Those with feel the weave will recognise him as Strictly Defined, Outside Influence Shaping.

Francesco

• Had small horns on his head, intoxicating blood and smells of wine and spices.
• Has moved up in Corlo Graves estimations for now.
• 125 riel

Champion of the Lady

• If the champion ever loses a single combat they will lose this quirk as it transfers to their opponent.
• Whilst in the flux the Champion is strengthened and may not be weakened.
• The Queen may occasionally, at most once per adventure, summon her champion to fight a duel for her. Mechanically the GM may if they wish have say the character is summoned out of any connected flux encounter. They will then be absent for that encounter as they instead fight the latest challenger to show up at the court. If they ever lose this they will be stripped of their status and returned from where they were taken in disgrace.
• If it ever becomes relevant they hold high status in the court.