Appendix

The State of Things

In order to be clear, this is the state of things at the end of the story.

Selina and Droaam

Selina is the Warchief of Droaam, duly elected by the Warlords and confirmed by Mok'gora. No challenge was issued by Maenya or any other claimant.

Selina has named Maenya Hand of the Warchief and Guardian of Droaam. She has invented this office by her fiat, but has earned the assent of the Warlords. The Hand of the Warchief has all of the powers and responsibilities of the Warchief in the Warchief's stead: when she is traveling, or incapacitated, or missing in action. The Guardian of Droaam is a Supreme Commander, meant to be the first office created in a modern, professional standing army.

Selina has banished Katra from Droaam. By custom, the enforcement of laws--save disobeying the Warchief's orders in wartime, desertion, or other military crimes--is entirely within the jurisdiction of individual clans. While never written (neither are any other clan's laws), the Clan of Sora Kell has laws, if only as verbally assented to by its members. In her judgment, the Warlord of the clan ruled that Rede of Magic applies. A clan member (Selina) was subject to mind-altering magic without her consent, nor due process. The accused (Katra) does not contest this, and her peers assent to the fact of the matter. Thus, Katra is subject to punishment. She had no special title or position within the clan, and is treated as any ordinary member. This was meant as a largely symbolic measure--obviously, it would be nigh impossible to physical prevent her from returning if she wished. But this establishes several important precedents, especially that no one in the clan is above the law.

The Coven are of various minds about this. For now, Selina has dispatched Melora to help ease the transition in Karrnath, but more importantly, to look into the Black Blood, which is strongest there. Dame Siobhan, charged with Kaius' last command, to oppose and obliterate their order, has inherited his mantle as part of the Pact of Great Crag, and is honor-bound to pursue this duty in his name. Melora, therefore, is there to offer the assistance of Droaam, and Kaius' betrothed. None of the others are currently engaged in official duty, although she has an understanding that Elise will be rooting out Black Blood cultists in her own way.

Selina has returned Tea Time to her grandmother, thanking her for the gift, and happily divesting herself of the insomnia it imposed upon her. While powerful, it was not essential, and she chose instead to craft her own athame, with assistance from Maenya. It is a blade of byeshk steel, but it has been magically bound into threads which wrap themselves around and within her, functioning as an occult implement. However, she can also produce the blade physically, which takes the form of iridescent energy, matching her natural demonic patterns. Originally hefty, the blade is now made of radiance and is nearly weightless, a weapon of dexterity and magical essence more than physical power. It is also, naturally, a potent casting implement.

Selina now possesses the magical knowledge to impregnate herself with the child of Kaius. She has a window of time to make her decision on whether or not to do this, and has not yet made a decision.

Selina has no lasting memory loss, personality changes, or lingering psychic as a result of the Quori parasite. The damage was extensive, but between her mothers' healing energy, Ariadne's skillfull hand, and Kaius' tragic sacrifice, she has made a full recovery.

Also, she has finally taken a long rest.

Ariadne and Tyburn

Ariadne has taken three interviews, and they've all been accepted by the Korranberg Chronicle. While her exclusive with the Daughters of Sora Kell is unprecedented, and wel may be the greatest journalistic coup in history, she is on a roll and not planning to stop any time soon. She has been invited by the Prophet of Xulo to break the news to the world about the rebirth of the Mourland and the existence of the Reforged, and she intends to take the opportunity. (Next episode)

Ariadne is pregnant with twins by Tyburn. Likely, they are fraternal twins, the result of savage competition between hundreds of siren "fry" in her womb, but strangely, the pair remain at peace with one another. The sexes are not known, but siren blood breeds strong, and male sirens are rare to the point of legend (although she has one in storage on her ship). As long as she remains in humanoid form, the twins are safe in her womb. In siren or draconic form, her anatomy cannot support the carrying of live young, and she must deposit them into a suitable host--as far as she knows, this must be a freshly-killed humanoid corpse, although it's possible a wider variety of options exist.

Having encountered and narrowly avoided the wrath of the Nightmare--something like many Quori joined together, having been mutually corrupted by the Dreaming Dark, essentially an evil god that destroyed the home plane of Dal Quor--Ariadne's spirit is shaken, but also bolstered by confirmation that her Quori partner yet lives. Whether he is whole, and returned to Dal Quor, or adrift in the Astral Plane, or simply part of the Nightmare that perhaps remembers itself to some degree, she cannot know at this time.

Ariadne was previously dependent on her Quori to maintain her psychic power, including the power to regulate her emotions and siren instincts. When that was ripped from her, she struggled to contain herself, brieflying losing control and taking on a savage draconic form, in which she did not know friend from foe. This was resolved temporarily by a friendly Kalashtar, Loganna, provided her with a psychic battery--a finite, non-regenerating capacitor of psychic energy which she could use to stabilize herself and power her psychic abilities.

This battery served well in her adventure under the sea (in which surprisingly little combat occurred in real time), and powered her battles during the Brelish Invasion of Droaam, but had been rather strained by Gladius' power drain. After her second run-in with him, she spent everything she had to escape the Nightmare, leaving only scraps remaining. It was in this state that she was called upon to perform psychic chirugery to save Selina's life. However, thanks to the witches' deep magical lore, and the well of power upon which Great Crag was built, they were able to provide the power she needed for the ritual, although handling that much power left her completely dry when it was done.

However, tragedy did not strike, as the parasite she removed from Selina's mind was, in fact, a Quori. This Quori is a neophyte, newly born and still of limited sentience. With her psionic mind, she is able to provide it a safe, nurturing environment, while protecting herself from its ravenous psychic hunger. In return, its presence within her mind is recharging her psychic power, and as such, she no longer needs a psychic battery.

The origins of this Quori are uncertain, but it did come into being when Ariadne's former Quori entered Selina's mind to bring her into the Dream, which is also what unsealed her ability to dream, in place since her mother had cursed her to be closed to the Dream since conception. As such, it is possible the neophyte is the Quori's child--possibly, though unlikely, by way of Selina. It seems more likely that, if another partner was required, it could be one of several other powerful psionic beings that had been present at the time. While knowledge of Quori is generally quite sparse in Droaam, the witches definitely buck that trend, but even they aren't sure how Quori reproduction works. It isn't something they have heard of, but the Kalashtar would know better.

Ariadne did not include mention of her engagement with or pregnancy by Tyburn in the Korranberg Chronicle, but they have discussed it in private.

The War, and its Prisoners

A truce has been agreed to between Warchief Selina and Duchess Whitehorn of Breland, and the armies have begun to decamp. Some warbands of barbarians refuse to stand down, and are being hunted by the Horde, with orders to limit engagements and take prisoners where possible. Most of Breland's fast-moving vehicles have already reached the border, but it will be weeks before the foot soldiers can say the same. The Horde remains partially mobilized, a balancing act between preventing any treacherous attacks, and making a show of good faith. Warchief Selina has invited King Boranel and all 88 chiefs of the Highlands to peace talks in spring, to take place in a camp outside Greyclaw.

Dame Siobhan was given to Kaius, in honor of his claim over her loyalty and the wrongs her order had committed to him and his people. He cleared her personally of wrongdoing (since she didn't personally hurt anyone in this war), and charged her with an unbreakable vow to pursue the end of the Black Blood, all of its works, and its magical knowledge. Already sworn to that end, she also swore to the Pact of Great Crag, and is the de facto inheritor of Kaius' personal vow to the same end. She has offered Selina and the party every available effort and asset to that end. For now, she's been tasked with taking care of matters in Karnnath, with Melora's assistance.

Blackpool remains a prisoner of Droaam. He does not represent Breland or the tribes, so he is technically an invader and a vagabond. His provable crimes in Droaam are minor at best, though he could be tendered to Breland, Karrnath, or other realms where he is wanted. However, as a close confidant of Travelyan for many years, and recently a target of assassination by him, he is likely a great asset to the party.

Selina has claimed the captured Brelish airship, rechristened the Sora Katra, first airship of the Droaamish air force, but she has returned its crew as part of a general prisoner exchange. Aundair has lent some personnel to help man the ship and train native-born crewmen. The kobolds and goblins have been quite eager to get to know the airship's internals, much as they have some of the less-destroyed Warforged Titan husks, steam tanks, personnel carriers, and other material left in wrecks outside Droaam's fortresses.

The war will not be legally over until peace is signed, but it is generally considered by all observers to be a complete victory for Droaam, with Breland having little to no bargaining position. Most expect the original offer to be largely honored, which includes substantial investments by Brelish interests in Droaamish infrastructure and development, such as lightning rails, formal embassies and enclaves of the Great Houses, and normalization of trade with the other nations. Selina has been public about pushing for more, including the amendment of the Treaty of Thronehold to recognize Droaam as a nation equal and peer to Aundair, Karrnath, Thrane, and Breland. Also, she wants them to build an airport at Great Crag.

Gladius has not been seen since Ariadne's interrogation of him. She was not in a stable state emerging from that encounter, and no witnesses can speak to what became of the prisoner. No evidence has been found that he remains in Great Crag.

Other Notes, followups for later episodes

Kaius III of Karrnath (in truth, Kaius I, in disguise), is dead. His body was mortally wounded by highest magic, and he transferred all of his soul's vitality into Selina. His body was exposed to direct sunlight, and burned to ash. Selina is planning to hold a grand funeral in his honor. (next episode)

Selina publicly announced her engagement to Kaius, with his consent, before his unfortunate demise. He intended to announce his greatest secret as well, but this was left to him. As he cannot effect this, it is entrusted to his next of kin, Selina. (next episode)

Selina and Kaius committed to building a combined temple to the Sacred Flame and the Sacrament upon new grounds in Great Crag. Though he has passed, she intends to complete this project, in his honor.

The Pact of Great Crag was agreed to by Selina, Ariadne, Tyburn, Queen Aurala, Prince Riven, King Kaius, and Dame Siobhan. It is a sworn oath to oppose the Black Blood cult, to destroy every last member, to end all of their influence over any creatures living or dead, any extent magic, or artifacts, and to destroy the magical knowledge of the Black Blood ritual itself, including any materials used to conduct it, and the very recipe to create it.

Gladius revealed many juicy secrets about his Prophet, the Creation Forge, the fate of the people of Cyre, the truth of the Reforged, etc. However, all of this is eyewitness testimony, and the scanning of his own memories by a psion. Given that his mind was host to the Nightmare, none of this can be inherently trusted. An investigation must ensue. (next episode)