As morning dawned we got to work on our various plans. Song and Olvir headed for one of the larger temples of Moonspire where amongst the altars to the Incarnae, Ethris and other local deities, we found priests who would pray ‘professionally’ – to a given deity or deities, when paid to do so. Amongst them was a young man called Damil who seemed the best fit for what we needed and we recruited him to immediately begin offering prayers to Flowing Nila. [He has a prayer dice pool of 5 +prayer specialism, is a priest, will over time become a priest of Flowing Nila].
Olvir saw there was room to erect a shrine to the goddess of blue jade in the temple so began making use of the Forge to craft an altar for Damil to use while he began to contemplate the future of the young man and what else he could do for him. It was going to take a few days though and before he could finish we had a prior arrangement to visit the Prince. We were made welcome the next evening as planned at the manse in the centre of the city where a keen Prince Telenka awaited our tales of adventure. His confident approach hid any doubts he may have had about us returning but he listened avidly as we described the strange staircase with its many foes and the majesty of the Forge Cathedral at the base of it all.
Song described Moonbeam’s Flight, the various forging stations and the benefits they granted users as well as the plans we’d found which could make the city rich if crafters could be found to produce them in number. The discussion soon turned to what was to be done about it all. We had, after all, initially opened negotiations on entering the Spire with the thought that riches could be easily split. But Moonbeam’s Flight could not be and it was perhaps with the ship in mind that Caelan sought to drive any thoughts of authority over us from Telenka’s mind.
Opening with a request for honesty and offering a promise to do likewise, Caelan asked the Prince to understand that when we left Moonspire we'd not want to return to any ‘confusion’. That confusion, he inferred quite clearly, was Prince Telenka believing he was in charge and that we'd be subservient to him. Our power was considerable and we were likely to maintain significant interests in the area. We had no desire to challenge him for rulership of Moonspire and hoped he would continue to rule well - whilst accepting our authority on greater matters. Caelan was thankfully a good speaker and had chosen his words and his Charms well to ensure Telenka did not feel indignant but perhaps surprisingly, acquiesced.
We still needed to make decisions over the Spire and Telenka was not about to cede all power and authority there. We agreed on a three way split between us, the Prince and the City. Money raised from the Spire would help to improve the town – Telenka had already begun working on that, with the Academy and other means, but it would enable the city to attract the best people to it and defend and retain them.
With agreements made we invited Telenka to view the Spire and the Forge Cathedral and attune to it at his convenience. We wanted to guarantee his attunement before the Censor of the East decided too much time had passed – and he was keen to view it straight away, so we finished the meal and then the four of us made our way to the Spire. As we approached the entrance and bade it open the guards moved back respectfully and the gondola mechanism opened to receive us. The Prince looked down in wonder and we watched with delight as he took in the majesty of the place. We introduced him to Vanileth and Varten and he bowed his head and offered a prayer to the Daimyo of Artificial Flight before greeting Varten more traditionally.
Vanileth had a few questions for the Prince, wanting to know what his intentions were for the Cathedral. He knew ours but sought his promise that Moonspire would continue to revere flight as it had done in ages past. The Prince was diplomatic, speaking about how the Cathedral could be used to grow the city and thus spread word, offering greater opportunity. Vanileth understood... and told him also not to worry about priests as his son, Varten, would lead the necessary devotions to him as the ‘opportunities’ grew. We realised then that the Forge Cathedral itself was a temple to Vanileth and indeed there could be no better dedication to him than to raise airships to flight.
Caelan brought up the subject of the Censor and warned Prince Telenka she’d not as yet agreed to anything we’d done and while we weren’t waiting on her agreement still wished to consider her feelings as she could easily take offence if she returned to discover the Cathedral in constant use. We had an alliance with her but it was an uneasy one and any assumptions risked leading to unpleasantness. He was accustomed to her having had dealings with the Daughter of the Amber Moon and agreed – she could be a powerful ally and we’d rather keep her as such than risk turning her into a powerful enemy.
We gave Prince Telenka a tour of the Cathedral before turning to the staircase and making our way to the Spire itself where we thought we’d also see how much truth there had been in old legends. Song concentrated on the tower and commanded it to move – and slowly, as foundations pulled away from roots and grasses, it lifted from the ground and into the air, moving slowly upwards. Shocked cries from the guards soon summoned a group of people at the city gates and the crowd rapidly grew. Telenka stepped to the edge and held his club aloft in an immediate sign to his people that he was in control of the strange tower. (He wasn’t exactly in control of it yet, but we were happy for him to put on the show).
Olvir wondered how the mechanism worked and (moving to the side far from the city) jumped over the edge to take a look, shifting to a winged form to avoid a heavy fall. It had lifted completely away from the base where locking mechanisms had disengaged to release it. The First Age technology seemed to operate much as it had done back when the tower was in regular use and as Song settled the Spire back in place it fit cleanly with only the disturbed earth around the edges a sign that it had levitated skywards.
With the tower settled back on the ground and the Prince having emerged to reassure the guards there was no danger he made sure to set them on duty guarding it and the large circular hatchway. It was more a symbolic role than anything but it made them and the city dwellers a little more confident. His seneschal had emerged from the crowd and immediately came to stand by his side where the Prince began giving instructions in a quiet voice. He bade us goodnight and made a thoughtful departure back to the palace while we returned to the Cathedral Manse, where, in the quiet of the Forge Caelan asked Olvir what he thought. Had he been a bit heavy handed?
Olvir shrugged. He’d been a bit surprised at Caelan’s approach during the negotiations he admitted but it didn’t seem to have done harm. It probably wasn’t the method he’d have adopted... but as he told Caelan, things were changing fast. As if to prove some things never would however, he headed out to see the guards (standing straight and tall on duty) and bought them all pies… which he cheerily helped them eat.
Song had made herself absent during their discussions and taken the form of a small bird, discreet enough she could flit about the city and capture the word rising from the street as gossip spread. Pleased that it seemed to carry them no ill intent she returned to the manse a few hours later.
The next few days found us out and about working on the airship. Caelan went to speak to the Child of Copper and Ivory to see if he knew where a heatstone could be purchased but the Scavenger Lord, not being a merchantman himself, couldn’t immediately help. He had heard one was sold locally not long ago but not of another, though promised to be alert for one.
Olvir was busy making not just an altar but also a likeness of Flowing Nila to stand on it. He showed Damil the altar and statue and as he got to know the young priest better made a decision to empower him yet further and (in a not-entirely-comfortable scene in which the man had to consume a rolled ball of Olvir’s own skin and flesh) Awakened his Essence.
Song spent her time working on the revised schematics for the airbag, remembering the many hours she’d spent learning from the circus costume and tent makers on the best and most secure sewing techniques. They’d have been able to make some truly spectacular displays using the Forge and even as the bag was completed and attached she felt a little homesick for the circus. The spell in Moonspire had been the longest she’d ever spent away from them and was pleased – not that she’d ever admit it – to be returning to them soon.