Session VII, Part IV

To settle things peacefully with Papa Midnite, Mlle Farahani helps the PCs arrange a meeting in a public place to avoid getting assassinated, a posh bar.  Midnite shows up with his business partner, Black Dynamite:

While Black Dynamite quietly "smiles" at the PCs, they nervously work out a deal with Papa Midnite: the Aksumite agrees to not murder them IF they can help him win Gouverneur Trần's approval to build a coliseum in Buôn Ma Thuột.  Midnite already has all the major details set up (e.g., contractors, land rights, financing, etc.) and just needs government approval, but Trần keeps blocking the project for no apparent reason.

Later, the party visits Mlle Farahani and ask why the Gouverneur hasn't approved the coliseum.  The ever smiling Persian replies that Gouverneur Trần is focused solely on border security vis-à-vis the Khmer Empire.

[As Nausicaä] S asks, "Have there been any problems along the border?"

[As Mlle Farahani] I say, "Officially, no.  Unofficially, the Khmer have been testing the defenses with a series of low-level incursions."

Farahani continues, explaining that Gouverneur Trần's hardline policies regarding the Cham people are a show of strength to cover up her belief the Central Highlands are now too thinly defended, with most of the province's legions redeployed north to support the invasion of China.  Additionally, building a coliseum will shift the balance of power among the local noble houses and the Gouverneur has little desire or need to heed the likely resulting petty squabbling since she's directly appointed by the Emperor.

Next, the PCs visit House Builder, who are gracious to the folks who saved the world and offer them drinks.  The party does notice that the members of this noble family are sad, since, right when their fortunes seemed to be turning around, someone has just stolen the gold from their successful mine on the Borderlands.


When the PCs visit House Planter, they are again offered more free drinks.

[OOC] K says, "I like how everyone here has an open bar."

[OOC] S says, "That's life in the big city!"

During casual conversation, the nobles of House Planter mention some strange disappearances and other occurrences at some of their plantations.  The PCs ask some questions, but House Planter has few details available.

The next day, the entire country starts to gear up for Tết, the Vietnamese variation of the Chinese celebration of the Lunar New Year.  Tết is the most important holiday for the Việt:

Conversely, the Lunar New Year holds no particular significance for the Cham people but, in a deliberate display of Việt cultural hegemony, it is for many Cham their only chance for the whole year to return to their home villages from their employers in the cities and plantations.

The party receives invitations to the annual Gouverneur's Lunar New Year soirée, the society event of the season. As they wander around town beforehand, the PCs see that the roads out of the city are clogged as the majority of the population heads back home for Tết.  However, the party notices a heavily armed party riding into the city, led by a Roman noblewoman:

Their new friend Mlle Farahani says it is the Marquise de Courcy, the Roman ambassador to Vietnam.  She's met by the Marquis de Picard.

[As Nausicaä] S asks, "Are they lovers?"

[As Mlle Farahani] I say, "I don't think so.  Officially, Picard is the head of the Adventurers Guild.  Unofficially, he is a spy for the Roman Empire."

As they head toward the Gouverneur's mansion, the PCs see some famous Korean bards:

The PCs are given places of honor at the front table with Gouverneur Trần and the other dignitaries.  While surreptitiously listening in, they overhear Ambassador de Courcy whisper "The Fire of Asshurbanipal" to the Marquis de Picard.

However before the PCs can follow up, the Gouverneur quietly berates a young officer, who stands up and storms out of the room on the verge of tears.  Investigating, the party finds out that the officer is the Gouverneur's son.  Lieutenant Trần always tries his best but is only an average soldier and has failed to live up to his mother's expectations again.  The PCs try to be supportive and then notice that the Baroness, the lieutenant's sister, hasn't arrived at the party yet.

Asking about, Lieutenant Trần returns and says that his sister and her bodyguards were waylaid and she is missing!


They start to organize a search party when the fort's alert sirens go off: the Khmer have sent an army across the border!

As Gouverneur Trần scrambles to mobilize a force to meet the Khmer, the party agrees to rescue the Baroness in exchange for the Gouverneur's approval for Papa Midnite's coliseum.