86b: Sinful

Talsil 27th
o fruitful sin...

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Epilogue
A night at the opera.

Experience: 1400 xp each (66,006 total)
Conquering the Circus of Shadows, 3000
RP Bonus, 1200

Magic: Deep Pocket Cloak +4, Fragrance of Authority x 3, The Harlequin's Key (key to the Shadow Door of the Circus of Shadows)
Coin: 16 pp, 8000 gp, 1200 sp and 1 fire opal (1000 gp)
Loot: limited control of the Circus of Shadows (Renato), use of Harnok's Suite 'The Red Light Room' (Renato)

New NPCs
Sabine A'mour: Lovely vampire with flaxen hair and a thin frame, a slave whose soul is owned by the royal succubus Shami-Amourae. Sabine often frequents the Chapel of Lust, where she met Isabella. Like the slave-princess, she wears a mark of servitude, hers in the form of a ball and chain, small enough to carry but heavy enough to remind her always of her true mistress.

Archduke Pequid (mentioned): The Lord of Lust, archfiend ruler of The Fifth Ring of Hell. He is a terrifying creature, hulking and bearded, cloven of hoof, and partial to women's clothing: great ball gowns or sultry laces depending on the occasion. At one moment he might be fanciful, almost frivolous, but the next filled with unimaginable rage and quick to dole out the sickest of punishments. A rosy marble idol of his likeness stands in the Chapel of Lust, part of the greater Cathedral of Hecate in Saspien.

Shami-Amourae (mentioned): The royal succubus sister to their queen Malcanthet, a very powerful and very alluring devil who at one time warred for the coveted title. She even went so far as to align with demons during The Dark War, but was defeated and sentenced to the Well of Darkness. In recent years she has made amends with her sister, helping Malcanthet solidify her power in The Fifth Ring as Archduke Pequid's most cherished adviser and lover.

Lysander Rheghas: A tall, broad vampire gladiator of marked beauty painted with streaks of gold and in nothing more than a loincloth, collar and muzzle. His soul belongs to Archduke Pequid, a reality he's long ago come to terms with, accepting hopelessness and taking pride in his being chosen. He chided Izzy for seeking a glimmer of hope and insinuated Mara was out of favor with The Fifth Ring. He also forced the slave-princess down on him, exerting power as slave of Pequid over a slave of lowly Mara.

Belesana Doveel: The pale, redheaded precentor of the Chapel of Lust, a vampire of fluid movements and ample curves partial to flowing, ephemeral robes. She tends the Pequid idol and leads the lustite congregations in song and orgy. She took notice of Isabella's beauty and thought to test her arts as anguiness. The girl passed, earning herself a good word with High Priestess Widofa Lorein and a place of honor among the congregation.

Urlas Chavosk: A young, swarthy and soft-spoken nobleman of a minor family of House al'Zareef. He was once favored to marry Diana several years ago, the girl only remembering him for rumor of his large... natural asset. His family has since gone bankrupt. His sister, mother and he now live in the Ziggurat itself, in the windowless chambers of his skilled father's summoning cloister.

Regina Moritan: The youngest of the Streetwives (14), and one of the youngest Ordo members, it's even more unusual she is a human on the dangerous streets of the Circus of Shadows. Yet she must have some skill as an assassin, skill unseen due to a clever administration of paralyzing poison by Renato. She fearfully called him master in order to safe her own life, but truly pledged her loyalty after Renato helped rescue her older brother from the depraved clutches of Ringmaster Harnok Shir-narn.

Malvern Moritan: Regina's older brother (17), a thin, pretty human boy and favored of the wretched tiefling Harnok Shir-narn for all manner of unspeakable sexual acts in his dungeon suite 'The Red Light Room'. He demanded the act of killing Harnok be his, despite assurances by Regina he was no killer. Three years of rape and torture changes people, and Malvern derived immense retribution from the mutilation of the greasy, jaundice half-devil. He even pried the small, curled brass horns from the monster's head to wear on his own, Renato having earned another loyal assassin. Malvern currently delivers Renato's will to the Circus of Shadow, pretending his orders come from an indisposed Harnok. The ruse will not last forever.

Harnok Shir-narn (dead): The greasy, jaundice tiefling master of the Circus of Shadows, a pimp and drug lord who ran Ordo operations despite not being a member. Perhaps it was due to the weight of his lineage: son of Archduke Pequid, Lord of the Fifth. He kept Malvern Moritan as a pet and plaything for three years, and thanks to Renato was ultimately slain by the boy. He promised revenge against both of them, as he was sent back to Hell (and presumably his father).

New Hooks
Closing Doors (Renato): Shut the seven Shadow Doors linking Saspien to the Saspish Temple of the Night and cut off the Shadow Cabinet from its most cherished location on Othyr. But do it quietly, and quickly, or face some of the Ordo Templi Nox's most famed assassins and perhaps even a Lord of the Night.

Hunt for the Cult of the Phoenix (Diana): Investigations go slowly, but surely, in the hunt for the Cult of the Phoenix, but it is no small thing to uncover a secret order that has escaped detection by Saspish authorities and the Houses. Find those with cause to lash out against city and church, dig deep, seek Kalindian signs, and garner the notice of Pietro.

Courting the Hecateans (Isabella): The Saspish Church of Delights would be a powerful ally in all your endeavors, and certainly those of your mistress. Already you have learned so much, of Shami-Amourae, Queen Malcanthet, and of the Archduke Pequid, and found similar Hecateans whose souls were held by various devils. But the Chapel of Lust is one of seven sinful sects, and in command of them all the High Priestess Widofa Lorein. Strange she was not mentioned as having been visited by the Maidenmother Crone. Just where does Ferannifer fit into the hierarchy?

Next Session
87b: Diana continues her search for the Cult of the Phoenix and awaits her bait-date with Urlas Chavosk. Isabella seeks to garner the aid of the Church of Hecate in efforts to prevent her father's coup, starting with the alluring lustite Belesana. Renato continues his secret war with the Ordo Templi Nox, closing the Shadow Doors which link the capital to the Saspish Temple of the Night.