O, Fortuna

O, Fortuna is the fourth chapter of the second book in the series, Bad Tidings. The chapter covers the party's arrival in the Imperial capital and adventures they have within. This chapter introduces also new major character and delves into the backstory of the Empire's founding.

Plot
Arriving in Cagil, the party meets with important people including an Imperial Senator to pass along some crucial information and assists the Church with a certain infestation.

Synopsis
After assisting with the incident in Calis, the group heads north to the Imperial capital, but are beset during the night by vile Yeth Hounds, dark monsters who are not typically seen so far south as Cagil. During the fight Otie was killed, leaving the rest of the party sullen as they arrived in the former Taran capital of Tarasac and crossed the Great Causeway into Cagil. Amazed by the marble colums, impressive engineering, and center of culture that is the Imperial capital, the party split up to explore the city and accomplish the goals they set out to do in the capital.

Niavara went to explore the local wine culture, while Alia came to the Imperial Senate building to meet with Xavier Penchant, the man who a Heenic prisoner claimed was the senator that Reince was working for as a double agent. At the same time, Baravio, feeling sad about Otie's death decided to take his body to Temple of the Saints for burial rites while Rikkert headed to the University of Cagil to learn more about his condition.

While at the Senate building, Alia met Xavier Penchant, a senator, while he was dealing with some Talerian diplomats who were having a heated discussion. After they stormed off in anger he visited with Alia, who seemed very concerned about Reince's betrayal and involvement with Abington. In recognition for their efforts at exposing Reince, Penchant offered Alia and her party a political favor in return. While leaving she encountered a dwarven officer from Gibalt meeting with an Imperial official, pettitioning them for aid against Outer Tilogian raiders. The official informed the dwarf, who Alia learned was Gim Lee, a former Colonel in the Gibaltan army that the Empire held peace with the Tilogians and would not get involved, leaving the dwarf on his own. Alia and company however promised to help Gim Lee though when they were able. Happy to recieve the help, Gim Lee joined the party, promising to help them in return.

Rikkert went to the University of Cagil, a famed institute of scholarly learning and research. While the university was famed mainly for its prodigious engineers and mathematicians, Rikkert was more interested in the biology and study of monsters, particularly werewolves, in order to learn more about his condition. He was able to meet with the eccentric professor Laina McDowell who was impressed with Rikkert's knowledge of various monsters and ways to kill them. After earning her trust she informed him that there is no cure for lyncantrhopy, but the symptoms could be managed with certain treatments. Rikkert agreed to pay for McDowell's research and the importing of Longcrescent potion from Vice, which would temporarily prevent his symptoms. Unfortunately, the full moon was coming soon, and the treatment would not arrive in time. Dismayed, Rikkert began to leave, grimly trying to come up with a plan to deal with his looming transformation. Before he left however he met with another professor, one interested in Dragons named Louis Coquard. Due to Rikkert's previous experience with Argorok, he spoke interestedly with Coquard who found a similar fascination with Rikkert's tale. Rikkert learned that Professor Coquard was attempting to send an expedition to Garad Estus to the west in Tara at the base of Altmar's Spine, conveniently the party's next destination as well. Coquard and his students agreed to travel with the party as the professor was interested in supposed dragonic artifacts that some obscure legends referred to in that area. With their rendezvous set, Rikkert returned to rejoin the rest of the party.

Baravio visited the Temple of the Saints, looking for a priest to perform rites for their fallen comrade Otie. However upon arriving at the temple, Baravio was informed that no rites could be performed as a strange infestation of undead had taken over the catacombs where the funeral rites of the Warrior Saints were performed. After meeting with the party, the Legends agreed to help with the infestation and were escorted to the very head of the Church of the Warrior Saints, Minister Corolander XIII. The mousey old priest informed them of the details of the situation, and sent them along with a young acolyte named Karl Gormley, who studied in the arts of healing and doctory.

As the party delved into the catacombs they quickly discovered the entire place filled with a strange purple mist. Very quickly they were beset on all sides by undead, but bested them and discovered the sanctum of Fortuna, an ornately carved statue and bas-relief of her life. The founder of the Empire was considered the chief of all saints, creating the city of Cagil and uniting numerous tribes and city-states under her enlightened rule. Known as a great warrior, and a just ruler, she became venerated throughout the East.

As the party battled through hordes of undead and discovered the catacombs many secret passageways they eventually came upon the source of the corruption in the deepest part of the catacombs, the Tomb of the Saints, where many of the Warrior Saints revered by the Cagilans were buried. The source was a mysterious magic artifact emitting the purple mist which was bringing the dead to life. Baravio removed the artifact from its pedestal and the group was attacked by a monsterous undead being. The undead corpse of Risen Lord Aetius the Warrior poet and patron saint of Calis. A fierce battle ensued and the party put the undead creature to rest once more, emerging victorious and returning to the Minister for their payment.

Bestiary

 * Shadow
 * Risen Lord Aetius

Trivia

 * First appearances of: Gim Lee, Laina McDowell, Louis Coquard, Corolander XIII, Xavier Penchant, Karl Gormley
 * Last appearance of Oteak Felderson after he is killed at the beginning of the chapter.
 * Two other NPCs were available for use in this adventure, a rogue and a champion fighter each offering different utility and dialogue
 * O Fortuna is a famous Latin poem and operatic song
 * The Catacombs are actually much bigger but about a third of the dungeon was cut for time and not meeting DM's standards
 * The 'No Way Out' encounter where the party is swarmed by zombies is said by the DM to be one of the worst encounters in the game