Guile Journal #9: A Problem with Hats

Entry #9

Jarlaxle has betrayed us all.
To what end, I am still not entirely certain. It seems he was successful in manipulating us into taking out those who threatened to usurp him, but was unsuccessful in turning us into loyal, powerful puppets who could fill their places. I don’t want his gold or power, I simply wanted to fight for the betterment of Laskun. But it seems like all I’ve done is much of the opposite, so much so that I might as well have fallen right back into the ranks of the Bloodbound.

My one solace is that I am not alone in this. Antonio feels similarly betrayed, as does Polly despite her short time as his hired guardian. Pellanistra, I feel, is most wounded of us all. Though her cool and collected nature doesn’t make her particularly easy to read, her actions speak a thousand words.

But I have gotten ahead myself.
This morning, after visiting the temple of Bahamut for more information on Divna (my findings have been written in the back pages of the journal), I visited an arcane forge in search of something that would serve us in our infiltration of Kurth’s party. I discovered a magical hat there, perfect for our mission to create chaos and spread disinformation. With its ability to read minds, implant thoughts, and send messages, I suggested Antonio wear the enchanted apparel, since he would likely be wading deepest into the murky waters of enemy territory. He accepted, and in return, let me wear his beautiful hat when I asked permission to incorporate it into my party attire.

Apparently, wearing it was no small matter; a seemingly minor decision with enormous, unforeseen consequences. Antonio’s hat had always been a quintessential part of his uniform, but it never occurred to me that it held such significance. So much so that, simply by donning it, I identified myself as a close companion, betraying the character of the material-minded hussy that I attempted to portray while attending Kurth’s party.
A miner named Steve was the first to try and apprehend me. I had barely begun fighting back, firing off thunderwave to alert the others, when Jasper made his appearance. He broke into the ballroom with an army of men, tossing the wounded body of Tearl to the floor, and demanding Antonio reveal the whereabouts of Nilsa. When he refused, a battle broke out. 

Jasper sent a flurry of men to take me down, attempting to use me as a bartering chip. Luckily, Antonio knew me better than Jasper does. While Antonio stood his ground against the monster, many of Jasper’s men paid with blood for their underestimation.
All the while, Jarlaxle watched from his throne in the guise of Kurth, denying our team all his power and influence even as we struggled and bled in his presence. Only when Antonio and Pellanistra were downed, and I myself teetered on the brink of consciousness, did he seem to have his fill of pandemonium. 

“Kurth” rose from his throne, dropped his disguise, and brought himself to the middle of the action. When all was at a standstill, Jarlaxle placed the weight of the situation on my shoulders. I was to either allow Nilsa’s location to be disclosed, or continue the desperate struggle in a losing fight.

It pains me to say that I caved to the ultimatum. Antonio was bleeding out at my feet, and Pelanistra had used her final moments of consciousness to ensure I could fight on.  I rationalized that forfeiting the battle did not mean losing the war, and if Jasper dared begin a journey toward Waterdeep I would hunt him down like a common cultist.  Still, if anything becomes of Nilsa because of this, I may never forgive myself. Thank the Celestial powers that I sent her a letter of warning before now. She may have time to prepare for the worst.

For Jarlaxle’s part, he seemed uneager to make enemies in spite of his dealings with Jasper. He attempted to soften the blow of the betrayal by giving us the promised payment, alongside offers of of power.
Like I said before, nobody bit. When we were all reunited behind closed doors, Pellanistra made an addendum to our original plan: take Jarlaxle’s payment, plus all the gold he had stored away, and make our escape on ships that Antonio has under his command. While we emptied his treasuries, Pellanistra would buy us time by staying behind, and face Jarlaxle alone.

Noble as it was, I have rarely seen these sorts of missions end well. It took some convincing, but I managed to talk Pellanistra into allowing me to join her. I felt that as long as I was there, she at least had a chance of escaping if her attempt on Jarlaxle’s life was unsuccessful.  When the confrontation came, there was no real bloodshed, only a long conversation wrapped in reminiscence. Pellanistra seethed with fury while Jarlaxle almost seemed to harbor some feelings of familial concern behind his veil of calm, calculating professionalism.

After spending a considerable amount of time keeping his attention, Pellanistra left Jarlaxle's presence with the revelation of the her plan, and a command for me to fire a parting spell… “something flashy.” I obeyed by way of a Firebolt, which Jarlaxle effortlessly caught on the wick of an unlit torch. 

Looking back at that show of skill, I am relieved that the encounter didn’t escalate into a fight. But that isn’t to say that we are completely out of the woods yet, for there is a chance that Jarlaxle may try to overtake Antonio’s ship while we flee southward.
Or… is it Tearl’s ship? Tearl is joining us in our escape, and I fear she may want to retake some of her lost possessions... and yet, Pellanistra demonstrates the most expertise in terms of sailing...

There is some confusion as to who is captain. But for now, we are all working together, doing our part to keep the ship steady. That is what matters in the end.