Darius tries to elicit an explanation for her recent change of mood from Ylanna, but is unsuccessful, even when Pol attempts to rouse the gloomy Fiona knight from her black mood with an innocent offer of some cookies.
That night, our heroes share a dream in which they aid in the rescue of Duke Kellin, Baroness Janna, and Duchess Sorsha from the clutches of the Shadow Court. Upon waking, Darius and Alan gather their fellows and meet in the kitchen of Carterhaugh, where they discuss the events of the dream. Shortly thereafter, they are met by Jenner and Valeria, who shared a similar experience.
The discussion is interuptted by the arrival of a freshly-scrubbed and somewhat sheepish-looking Ylanna, now clad in more familiar garb than she had been wearing of late. Hearing of the shared dream, she wonders aloud on what the shared dreams may be portending. Recalling that the Four Treasures figure prominently in all the dreams, she wonders if a visit to the bearers of the other two Treasures might be in order. The others agree, and the group, accompanied by Jenner and Valeria, decide to pay a visit to Aidan Ryan, the bearer of the Pentacle.
Our heroes find Aidan on the mend from the injuries incurred on Midwinter's Eve (cf Session Fifteen), watched over by Shakti, and inform him of what they believe his necklace to be. Astonished, the mage reveals that he had heard that the necklace was a family heirloom of great power, but that he never believed it to be that powerful.
The conversation soon turns to the other Treasures, and our heroes query Jenner about the fate of the Sword, but he proves less than amenable about revealing the details of Duke Kellin's death. Exasperated, Ylanna returns, "You don't want to talk about it? Too bad! You've sat on this for hundreds of years---now it's important that you tell what you know!" The Troll knight meets the furious Fiona's outburst with stony silence, but Darius urges him to reveal what he knows: "Perhaps this is a way of atoning for what happened." With a sigh, Jenner relates the tale of Kellin's death as his sword shattered in a battle with King Ironheart, and admits that he gathered up all the shards he could find, "...but that doesn't preclude some of them being embedded in Ironheart."
Our heroes next query Aidan how he came to be in the hospital, and he and Shakti reveal that he was shot by a Black Spiral Dancer whose description matches that of the woman known as "Lynnette." (cf. Session Eighteen). This leads to the others querying Malcolm about what he knows of Lynnette and Dee. Faced with this, the Satyr reveals that he was paid for his services with a bag of Dreamstones, which Ylanna's Kenning reveals to be tainted by Ravaging. Malcolm also reveals that he delivered a package to Squire Wayland of House Dougal on the night of Lynnette's death. Worried that the package in question might be the Cup, our heroes hurry to Carterhaugh.
At Carterhaugh, they learn from Baron Raphael that Wayland is in an audience with His Grace. Entering the audience chamber, all are surprised when Wayland challenges Valeria to a duel on the grounds of treason. Incensed, the Captain accepts.
As the Dougal and the Scathach battle, both Ylanna and Raphael notice something odd about the surface of Wayland's sword. The mystery behind this is solved when Valeria suffers a slight scratch on the wrist and begins trembling. "Poison!" Ylanna gasps. Rapahel hastily calls a stop to the duel, and Darius moves in to heal Valeria.
Under Dictum, Wayland reveals that he was given the poison by Dee, and that he knows of a traitor in the Court---Jenner. "Ask him whose mark he bears!"
"I could carve the symbol of House Ailil into your face," Ylanna retorts. "Would that make you not a Dougal?"
Lady Melisande queries Jenner if he is a traitor to the duchy, and when the Troll answers in the negative, Gwydion's Boon reveals he is telling the truth. Duke Arislan adds that, given Jenner's exemplary service record, there is no need for further interrogation.
The question of what to do with Wayland remains, however, and Arislan pronounces his judgement. "He will be elevated in rank, and given charge of the Barony of the Frozen Wastes, far to the south." Raphael requests permission to make Wayland's travel arrangements, and returns a few minutes later to escort the Dougal to his new fief. With the crisis averted, our heroes enjoy some well-deserved rest.
Session Twenty
On Imbolc Night, our heroes meet a new friend: a Wilder Troll named Gabriella Dawntreader. She soon opts to join the Guard, after talking with Jenner and Darius.
Appearing at the party through use of the Spirit Pathways Birthright, Ysolde Nyx informs the group that she has heard that one Catherine Ryan, the aunt of Aidan, is grateful to our heroes for saving her nephew's life. "She said that, in exchange, she will do whatever she can to aid you in your quest."
Intrigued, our heroes go to The Vampire Lestat, where Darius is startled when one of the musicians at the club, Armand de Valois, claims he has met the Troll before, even though Darius cannot recall such an incident ever occurring. This must wait, however, as the group is summoned to the upstairs office of Louis de Valmont, the club's owner.
When queried, Louis replies that he knows something of the artifact for which our heroes are searching: "Well, I did have it in my possession, but I gave it to a pack of Lupines who owed me a favor for safekeeping." Further conversation reveals that the pack in question included Shakti and Aidan. Thanking de Valmont for his aid, our heroes leave the club and go their separate ways for the night.
Session Twenty-One
At Carterhaugh, our heroes are catching up on things when Elspeth arrives and informs them that Baroness Janna is telling a story and, "You can come hear it, too." Intrigued, the group joins Jenner, Valeria and Elspeth as Janna relates the story of a great battle between House Scathach and the other Sidhe. Just as she is about to reach the climax of the tale, however, she is interuptted by Baron Culum ap Dougal, who takes umbrage at her story and forces her into silence with Sovereign. Incensed, Valeria nearly draws steel on the Dougal, but the cooler heads of Darius, Jenner, and Gabriella prevail.
Upset at not being able to hear the rest of Janna's tale for the moment, Darius asks for a written copy, and the rest of our heroes attempt to come up with ideas to get around Culum's use of Dictum.
That night, our heroes share a dream in which they traveled on a quest with Duke Kellin ap Scathach. Seeking an antidote for a poison administered to a group of nobles by a mute Sluagh assassin, the group meets Gwyn ap Nudd, the Lord of the Animals and Master of the Wild Hunt, and then his wife, Scathach herself. While Scathach is less than eager to provide aid to the children of those whom she fought so long ago, Kellin's pleas move the Dark Lady enough that she directs them to her sister, Ginevra. Ginevra gives our heroes a crystal cup (perhaps the artifact for which they search in the present?), instructing them to give those afflicted a draught of water from it. Returning to the castle, our heroes follow these instructions, thereby saving the poisoned nobles. Their quest completed, they wake, and Darius carefully writes down a description of the Cup, as well as what happened in the dream.
Session Twenty-Two
At Carterhaugh, Darius and Gabriella assist two Sidhe guardsmen in the transportation of the members of the Black Rose gang (cf Session Fifteen) to DarkWater for judgement. Met by Countess Rhiannon and two of her Sidhe knights, the guardsmen fulfill their task without incident, and return to SilverWood.
Shortly thereafter, our heroes meet Baroness Janna in the freehold and spend a short time talking to her. They inform her of their quest for the Four Treasures, and Darius reveals his theory that the missing pieces of Duke Kellin's sword may have been embedded in the body of his foe. Janna considers this despite the pain it brings, but any more discussion is cut short when the young Eshu, Raye, falls into a trance and prophesies, "What the Sorrowful One has taken, the Raven has in Her care." Raye also repeats the prophecy given to our heroes by Ginevra in a dream: "Tell the King of Winter to beware the Ravens." Janna affirms that her brother had adopted the sobriquet "The Raven," and that Scathach is often referred to as "The Great Raven," but is unsure of who the "King of Winter" may be. Darius queries her if it might be King Ironheart, whom Duke Kellin lost his life fighting, and Janna agrees that it may indeed be a possibility.
After their discussion, our heroes wonder on its implications. Recalling the information given them by Louis de Valmont a few nights ago (cf. Session Twenty), they decide to seek information on the Cup from the Garou. To this end, they head for Rock Creek Park in nearby Washington, D.C., where they meet with Alyssa Tull, who also takes the time to present to them her newborn son (by Alan---cf. Interim Session Nine), Duncan.
Alyssa confirms that her pack was indeed given a magical artifact by De Valmont, but that one of its members "thought he could do a better job of keeping it safe on his own, so he took it with him and disappeared." She further relates that the erstwhile pack member has not been heard from since. Disappointed, our heroes nevertheless thank Alyssa for her help.
While the others talk with Alyssa, Malcolm is told by one of the Garou present that she senses "the taint of the Wyrm" upon him. Darius returns that this may be due to the tainted Dreamstones he was given by Dee and Lynnette (cf. Session Eighteen), and the Garou agree, though they advise him to check with a doctor, just to be on the safe side.
When our heroes return to Carterhaugh, a young Sluagh approaches Gabriella and shyly confides that she has recently seen another Sluagh in the area who is mute and who bears a strange tattoo on her breast---a small black hand. Recalling such an idividual from a dream (cf. Session Twenty-one), Gabriella reveals the information to Darius, who in turn passes it to his superiors.
Things are complicated even more when it is revealed that two individuals resembling Moira and Rahne have stolen a priceless cup from a museum in Washington, D.C. The mystery of how they were released from the custody of Countess Rhiannon is revealed when it is discovered that Her Excellency is still awaiting the prisoners' arrival. The knowledge that someone impersonating the Countess could so easily dupe such a large number of individuals does not go over well in the Seelie Court, and our heroes find themselves wondering what to do...